Rubbermaid to expand Winchester operations

Contributors

Rubbermaid Commercial Products, a leader in solution-based commercial products, will invest $67.25 million to expand operations in the City of Winchester and establish a distribution operation in Frederick County. The company, best-known for its commercial cleaning, materials management, washroom and foodservice products, will add a total of 71 new jobs. In the City of Winchester,…

JMU lefty named preseason All-America

Contributors

James Madison senior left-handed pitcher Sean Tierney (Midlothian, Va./Clover Hill) was named to the National College Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason All-America second team as announced on Wednesday. Tierney, a six foot-five inch lefthanded pitcher from Midlothian, Va., earned the top spot in JMU’s starting rotation midway through last season after sitting out the previous…

Farm Bureau: 2011 a ‘decent year’ for farmers

Contributors

This year has been a year of more ups than downs for Virginia farmers. Corn, soybeans,cattle and hog prices have all been good this year, despite a recent decline in some. “Farmers received record-high prices for corn,” said Jonah Bowles, agricultural market analyst for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. The 52-week high for corn was $7.80…

McDonnell announces $2B investment in VRS

Contributors

Gov. Bob McDonnell announced today that his proposed biennial budget will recommend a total of $2.21 billion in employer contributions to state employee and teacher funds by state and local governments – the largest employer contribution to VRS in history. The recommended employer contribution for state employees alone for FY2013/2014 is a record $596.9 million….

State agency issues warning on solicitations

Contributors

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Consumer Affairs cautions the public that an organization by the name “Veteran’s Miracle Network” of Stafford, Va., has solicited contributions from Virginia citizens for allegedly charitable purposes. The organization might also go by the names “Project Foot” and “Operation Walk America.” As of Dec. 14,…

Avoiding Charity Scams Discussed at East Rock

Contributors

Extension Agent Cristin Sprenger offered a 45-minute presentation to 29 East Rockingham Senior Center members and eight guests on Dec. 14. Sprenger provided attendees with four pages of information that covered a checklist of precautions to help ensure that donation dollars benefit the people and organizations desired. Specifically, it was suggested that potential donors not…

McDonnell touts $100M additional investment in education in new state budget

Contributors

Surrounded by students, legislators, business leaders, and presidents of public and private colleges and universities statewide, Gov. Bob McDonnell today announced his proposed new higher education funding package which includes $100 million per year to prepare Virginians for top jobs, boost job-creating research and innovation, make college degrees more affordable for students, and advance toward…

William Browning: A key to rural economic growth – increased availability of broadband services

Chris Graham

Many of Virginia’s rural communities still lack access to high-speed wireless Internet service, including right here in the Shenandoah Valley and parts of western and southwestern Virginia. While our political leaders continue to discuss, debate, and attempt to reach a workable solution on how to create more quality jobs and jumpstart our economy, it is…

Analyst: Cuccinelli lead in GOP race no surprise

Chris Graham

It shouldn’t be a surprise to see Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli with a solid early lead in the polls looking at the 2013 Republican gubernatorial nomination race. The attorney general’s office “provides more of an outlet for somebody who wants to move up and provides a lot of opportunities to get in the news, the…