Senate passes bill allowing for adoption discrimination

AFP

The Senate on Thursday joined the House of Delegates in approving a bill that allows private state-licensed adoption and foster care agencies, many of which are faith-based, to discriminate against prospective parents based on sexual orientation, religion or other bases that may be contrary to the adoption agency’s religious tenets. The Senate passed SB 349…

JMU women beat Drexel in OT

AFP

James Madison junior guard Tarik Hislop (Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch) scored 10 of the Dukes’ final 15 points to lead JMU to a 56-51 overtime win at Drexel in Colonial Athletic Association women’s basketball Thursday night at the Daskalaskis Center. The Dukes, who won their third straight, improved their overall record to 18-5 and their…

Crossover: Dems Repubs offer views on ’12 GA session

AFP

At a press conference in Richmond on Thursday, members of the House and Senate Democratic caucuses stood together to denounce the dozens of extreme, divisive bills passed over the first month of session. Republican leaders then responded with a press event aimed at highlighting what they termed their “positive reform agenda.” “Republicans are so focused…

Creigh Deeds: Session report

Creigh Deeds

We are near the crossover of the 2012 session.  The session has moved by rapidly though many of the big issues remain unresolved.  We are no closer on a budget compromise today than we were when the session started.  We are still looking at a budget that makes deep cuts in human services, underfunds K-12…

Ken Plum: Shortchanging the education of our children

Ken Plum

Last week I addressed the House of Delegates to express concern that Gov. McDonnell’s proposed budget short changes the education of our children (http://youtu.be/-VbOv_uJXOU). While the governor is claiming to provide about 500 million new dollars for public education, school boards and superintendents around the Commonwealth are talking about the cuts in programs and teachers…

Wayne Theatre Alliance to receive tourism marketing grant

Chris Graham

The Virginia Tourism Corporation has awarded the Wayne Theatre Alliance a $5000 grant  through the Virginia Tourism Corporation Fall 2011 Marketing Leverage Program. WTA was one of 35 local tourism entries from throughout Virginia who were awarded grants. The grants from the Virginia Tourism Corporation are designed to assist local and regional tourism entities to…

Hultzen makes significant donation to UVa. baseball program

Chris Graham

Danny Hultzen, a former three-time All-American at Virginia and currently a pitcher in the Seattle Mariners’ organization, has made a $100,000 commitment to the baseball program for improvements to UVa’s Davenport Field. Hultzen was selected second overall in the 2011 MLB Draft by the Mariners. “I am thrilled and honored to contribute back to the…