Jim Bishop: Lordy, Lordy, This Commencement is Number 40!

Jim Bishop

The pomp and circumstance will soon be under way. President Loren Swartzendruber will acknowledge the 451 members of the Eastern Mennonite University graduating class of 2011 and invite them to begin coming forward to receive their hard-earned degrees. Hopefully, the weather tomorrow, May 1, will allow the pageantry to take place outdoors, on center campus,…

Payday-loan decision involved Valley case

AFP

The Virginia Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision issued on April 21, ruled that the widespread practice of payday lenders in Virginia of having a borrower repay a loan and immediately take out a new loan for the same amount, commonplace prior to 2009 statutory amendments, violated Virginia law prohibiting payday lenders from refinancing, renewing,…

JMU women's lax holds off UVa.

Chris Graham

No. 12 James Madison survived a late-game flurry of goals by 11th-ranked Virginia and came away with a 16-14 win in women’s lacrosse Wednesday afternoon at the JMU Lacrosse Complex. The Dukes (13-3) never trailed in the contest but Virginia (9-7) would not go away. JMU, which closed out its regular season with its fourth…

Ken Plum: Your attorney general at work

Ken Plum

In my round of community meetings several months ago I found that the most-mentioned statewide official in Virginia was Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. As the third position on the ballot of statewide elected officials the position and the person occupying it have in the past received little attention. Few were the number of Virginians over…

The AFP on WREL: Baseball season

Chris Graham

AFP editor Chris Graham talks sports with WREL-1450AM’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan.” The segment begins with a look at ACC baseball. Can the #1 Virginia baseball team continue its prolonged hot streak all the way to Omaha? That’s the question with the Cavs at the top of a deep ACC field of likely entrants into…

Pothole blitz: 100K and counting

Chris Graham

The Virginia Department of Transportation has repaired more than 108,000 potholes throughout the Commonwealth since the governor launched the 2011 pothole blitz campaign March 8. “Virginia’s transportation network is vital to our economic prosperity and connects people to their work, homes, families and friends,” Gov. Bob McDonnell said. “Although the milder winter we experienced this…

The AFP on WREL: Baseball season

Chris Graham

AFP editor Chris Graham talks sports with WREL-1450AM’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan.” The segment begins with a look at ACC baseball. Can the #1 Virginia baseball team continue its prolonged hot streak all the way to Omaha? That’s the question with the Cavs at the top of a deep ACC field of likely entrants into…

Valley conservation leaders encouraged, cautioned

Chris Graham

Funding challenges, the far-reaching impact of the Chesapeake Bay Act, and the rapidly rising importance of urban conservation took center stage at the Spring Meeting of the six Soil and Water Conservation Districts serving the 13 counties of the Shenandoah Valley and adjacent highlands. Addressing the 60+ attendees, State Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Mount Solon, noted…