Report: Transportation investment would boost economy

Chris Graham

Virginia’s economy would expand by $4.1 billion and support 56,798 additional jobs if 16 infrastructure mega-projects being considered by the Virginia Department of Transportation are completed, according to research conducted by Stephen S. Fuller, a George Mason University professor in the School of Public Policy and Director of the Center for Regional Analysis. Gov. Bob…

Chess pawns used by Madison, Jefferson uncovered at Montpelier

AFP

History lies hidden beneath the lush turf of Montpelier, James Madison’s lifelong home. Montpelier archaeologists recently discovered one long-kept secret that had not seen the light of day in nearly two centuries: portions of two pawns from James Madison’s chess set, most likely the same set Madison and Thomas Jefferson used in their many chess…

McDonnell’s higher-ed reform legislation passes key legislative hurdles

Chris Graham

Gov. Bob McDonnell’s “Preparing for the Top Jobs of the 21st Century: The Virginia Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2011” passed two key votes on Wednesday in Richmond. Following a vote in favor of the omnibus bill by the Senate Finance Committee earlier in the morning, the full House of Delegates voted unanimously for final…

Mill at South River completes $5.5 million prep work

AFP

Redevelopment team members for the Mill at South River in Waynesboro announced today that the project has successfully completed a $5.5 million voluntary remediation and site preparation phase of the property redevelopment. It is the largest known voluntary Brownfield investment by an individual in Virginia and ranks in the top 7 percent in size of…

Chris Graham: American Community What?

AFP

Ever heard of the American Community Survey? I hadn’t either, until I got the first of two threatening letters in the mail from the Census Bureau. “You are required by U.S. law to respond to this survey,” the letter read, as did its followup. “This survey” is a 28-page survey that took me about a…

Creigh Deeds: Session newsletter

Creigh Deeds

The midpoint in the 2011 session is fast approaching. Under the procedural rules adopted at the beginning of every session, the House of Delegates and the Senate must take final action on bills introduced in that body by crossover. The process would not work without self imposed time limits and rules, so by February 8…

Grandin to appear on ‘Virginia Farming’

Chris Graham

For those who missed her speak at the sold-out 2011 Winter Forage Conferences last week, Temple Grandin—a best-selling author and the focus of a Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning HBO biopic—will appear on two episodes of WVPT’s “Virginia Farming,” airing at 7:30 PM on Friday, Jan. 28 and Feb. 4. The episodes, taped back-to-back on…

Neal Menefee: Public media provides unique services that positively impact our communities

AFP

It has been more than 40 years since President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. This resulted in the distinctly American creation of public television and public radio, which at its core was meant to provide a service to “enrich man’s spirit.” WVPT Public Television has demonstrated that public media has…

Help the Wildlife Center name its new hawk

AFP

The Wildlife Center of Virginia, a leading teaching and research hospital for wildlife, is enlisting the help of area elementary-school children in coming up with a name for a Red-tailed Hawk – an non-releasable hawk that will soon be visiting schools as one of the Center’s environmental ambassadors. Earlier this month, the Wildlife Center contacted…

Wildlife expert: Extent of impacts of Gulf spill will never be known

AFP

Backing a recently released final report on the 2010 BP oil spill, a local wildlife expert said it is likely that the oil company responsible for the 208 million-gallon spill into the Gulf of Mexico will likely get away with paying for little or none of the damage, and that the federal government’s efforts to…