JMU lax wins at Fairfield

AFP

Redshirt junior Casey Ancarrow (Jarrettsville, Md./John Carroll) tied her career high with five goals as she helped pace No. 13 James Madison to a 15-9 women’s lacrosse win at Fairfield Sunday afternoon. The Dukes improved to 3-1, while the Stags suffered their first loss in three games this season.

Senate passes watered-down ultrasound bill

AFP

The State Senate voted 21-19 on Tuesday to pass an amended version of legislation mandating that women seeking abortions in Virginia first undergo an otherwise medically unnecessary ultrasound procedure. Critics called the original version of the legislation, which had mandated an invasive transvaginal ultrasound be performed, “state rape.” State Sen. Janet Howell, D-Fairfax, called the…

HPV repeal tabled in State Senate

AFP

The State Senate voted 22-17 Monday to sending HB1112 back to the Education and Health Committee for the year. The legislation, authored by Del. Kathy Byron (R-Bedford), would have repealed a law requiring parents of pre-teen girls to receive information about the HPV vaccine. The House passed HB1112 on a 62-34 vote in January.

Guilford edges Lady Royals in OT

AFP

Despite a dramatic last-second shot to force overtime, a trip to the ODAC Championship game was not to be for the Eastern Mennonite women, as they fell 62-59 Saturday afternoon to third-seeded Guilford. The Royals had beaten GC twice during the regular season, but couldn’t come up big in the most important meeting of the…

Republicans cave to pressure, block personhood measure in Senate vote

AFP

Six Republicans joined Senate Democrats in effectively voting down legislation that would define “personhood” at conception and could in turn outlaw all abortions and some forms of FDA-approved birth control. A 24-14 Senate vote returned the bill to a Senate committee for consideration in the 2013 General Assembly session. The vote was another defeat for…

McDonnell urges GOP lawmakers to back down on controversial ultrasound bill

AFP

Gov. Bob McDonnell is recommending a series of amendments to the controversial legislation that would require women seeking to abort a pregnancy to undergo an invasive ultrasound procedure beforehand. “Having looked at the current proposal, I believe there is no need to direct by statute that further invasive ultrasound procedures be done,” McDonnell said in…

Chris Graham: Is McDonnell’s point moot?

Chris Graham

Republican voters continue to toy with the idea of nominating a social conservative to run for president this fall. The GOP establishment, meanwhile, is trying to position itself to be able to take advantage of the only thing that may be working in their favor. “I am extremely concerned by recent reports that oil and…