Katherine McFate: Let the sun shine in on federal spending

AFP

In March, both the House and Senate passed budget plans. Now, President Obama has released his budget. The Congressional Budget Office and Office of Management and Budget will be scrutinizing each proposed new revenue increase, every proposed loophole and all program dollars snipped. The public is being told it must choose between Meals on Wheels for grandma or Head Start for toddlers down the street.

Staunton Downtown Development Association hosts Todd Barman from the National Trust Main Street Center

AFP

On Wednesday, May 1 through Friday, May 3, Todd Barman, sponsored by Virginia Main Street will visit Staunton to tour the Downtown Service District and host a variety of meetings with the SDDA stakeholders, Economic Development Committee, Board, and economic development partners to evaluate the District and do some strategic planning and education about succession planning for business owners and trainers.

Barbara Coombs Lee: Toward death with dignity

AFP

Today, all across America, people with end-stage cancer, ALS (often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”) and other diseases are nearing the end of life. They and their loved ones are struggling to grieve and cope. Enamored by medical wizardry to forestall death, we can barely grasp what’s going on when the time comes to say good-by to a parent or spouse. Yet a time does always come when modern medicine either cannot forestall death, or only at the price of great suffering.

Orbital Sciences successfully completes first launch of new Antares launch vehicle

AFP

Gov. Bob McDonnell today congratulated Orbital Sciences Corporation for the successful first launch of its new Antares medium-class launch vehicle from the recently completed Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on Wallops Island. Pad 0A was developed in partnership with Orbital to support eight resupply missions to the International Space Station, expected to begin later this year.

Waynesboro Cultural Commission schedules romance writing workshops

AFP

As part of its mission to serve area writers, filmmakers, artists and performers, the Waynesboro Cultural Commission announces the second in its series of informal workshops. The romance writers’ workshops, scheduled for the first two Tuesdays in May, will introduce the genre and give aspiring authors the skills to understand the expectations of this popular fictional form.

Report: Virginia earns ‘A’ grade from small businesses for second year in a row

AFP

Thumbtack.com, in partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, has released the second-annual Thumbtack.com Small Business Friendliness Survey showing that Virginia continues to be a top state for small businesses, earning an ‘A’ grade for the ease of starting a business in the state and an ‘A’ overall.