State to transition vehicle fleet to alternative fuels

AFP

Gov. Bob McDonnell today ceremonially signed two pieces of legislation that promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles in the Commonwealth. He also signed a new executive order setting out the state alternative fuel plan required by House Bill 2282. The governor was joined by delegates Danny Marshall (R-Danville) and David Bulova (D-Fairfax); Secretary of…

McDonnell PAC raises $1.5M in second quarter

AFP

Heading into the crucial midterm state legislative elections in Virginia, Gov. Bob McDonnell’s political action committee, Opportunity Virginia PAC, has $2.96 million cash on hand. Opportunity Virginia raised $1.53 million during the second quarter of 2011. Phil Cox, a senior political advisor to McDonnell, commented, “We are grateful for the generosity and support of so…

Former world champ trains rookies at local wrestling school

Chris Graham

Want to be a pro-wrestling superstar? Awesome Wrestling Entertainment wants to help you get there. “Our goal here is to produce the next crop of AWE superstars,” said AWE Founder Marvin Ward, a former pro wrestler who is directing classes at the new AWE Training Center, which operates out of Augusta Expoland in Fishersville, Va….

City Council tables land deal

Chris Graham

Waynesboro City Council has tabled for two weeks its consideration of a land deal that would put city taxpayers on the hook for $3.475 million to purchase land for a business park. Without comment, the City Council voted unanimously Monday night to table a resolution that would authorize City Manager Mike Hamp to close a…

Investors support solar power in their community through first-ever ‘solar CDs’

AFP

Secure Futures LLC, developer of the 104 kW solar energy system at Eastern Mennonite University, today announced that it has closed a $110,000 loan backed entirely by the nation’s first ever “Solar Certificate of Deposit.” Sold through Park View Federal Credit Union, based in Harrisonburg, funds collected by the Solar CDs will secure a $110,000…

New voluntary Solar Resource Development Fund to help finance solar installations

AFP

Online donations to the Voluntary Solar Resource Development Fund created by the 2011 Virginia General Assembly are now being accepted, the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) announced today. The Fund is intended to provide capital for a revolving loan program to be created and administered by DMME for the purpose of financing…

Robert Hurt: Protecting taxpayers

Robert Hurt

This past week the Department of Labor released a very disappointing jobs report for the month of June. Our national unemployment rate rose to an unacceptable 9.2 percent and only 18,000 jobs were created. The report makes it abundantly clear that the economic uncertainty caused by out of control government spending, excessive regulation, and the…

State Police searching for missing local sex offender

Chris Graham

Virginia State Police are hoping someone in the Augusta County region can help locate a wanted sex offender. William Preston Perry, 62, was convicted in October 1995 in the City of Staunton Circuit Court for aggravated sexual battery involving a juvenile. He is currently wanted by state police for failing to re-register with the Virginia…