McDonnell to Obama: Ease health-care mandates

Gov. Bob McDonnell sent a letter on Thursday to President Barak Obama and leaders in the Congress calling upon them to repeal provisions in the federal healthcare stimulus program that require states to maintain Medicaid eligibility levels at previous rates. The Maintenance of Eligibility provisions restrict Virginia and other states from reducing the number of…

One dead, one critically injured in early-morning crash in Augusta County

Chris Graham

A Craigsville teen is dead after a motor-vehicle accident on Route 42 in Augusta County. Virginia State Police were called to the scene of the single-vehicle crash shortly after 8 a.m. Friday. A 2006 Ford mustang was northbound on Route 42 when it encountered a white, older-model passenger vehicle. According to the driver of the…

McDonnell, Goodlatte tout offshore energy development

Chris Graham

Gov. Bob McDonnell used a Thursday photo op to bring attention to his continued push for offshore drilling off the coast of Virginia. “America has an energy policy problem. Today, Virginia businesses and families are paying, on average, $3.88 per gallon for gasoline. That’s up $1.00 from a year ago. The Energy Information Administration estimates…

VCU prof: ‘We have to be vigilant’ in wake of Bin Laden death

Contributors

The news of the death of Osama Bin Laden has “reinvigorated the great spirit of this great country,” said William H. Parrish, an associate professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who served in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the George W. Bush administration. “But that day is now behind us, and now we have…

Medical waiver granted: Scott gets fifth season

Contributors

The Atlantic Coast Conference has approved the medical hardship waiver request for Virginia men’s basketball player Mike Scott, providing Scott another year of eligibility in 2011-12. Scott, a 6-8 forward from Chesapeake, Va., underwent two operations on his left ankle during his fourth season with the Cavaliers in 2010-11 and missed 21 games. He played…

Monthly income spent on gas skyrockets in April

Chris Graham

With gas prices relentlessly near four dollars a gallon and inching toward record-shattering terrain, the average household in Virginia spent over twice as much – a staggering 131 percent increase – of their hard-earned income on gasoline purchases last month than they did just two years ago in April. Those shocking figures are revealed in…

Break time: #1 UVa. takes time off for exams

Chris Graham

Tuesday’s 14-3 win over Virginia Commonwealth in front of a state-record baseball crowd at The Diamond pushed top-ranked Virginia’s record in 2011 to 43-5. The grind of a season that began back in February will now come to a screeching halt as the schedule has come to the annual nine-day exam break that coach Brian…

Break time: #1 UVa. takes time off for exams

Chris Graham

Tuesday’s 14-3 win over Virginia Commonwealth in front of a state-record baseball crowd at The Diamond pushed top-ranked Virginia’s record in 2011 to 43-5. The grind of a season that began back in February will now come to a screeching halt as the schedule has come to the annual nine-day exam break that coach Brian…