Tag: VA
Warner, Kaine call on VA secretary to act on wait times at medical centers
Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are commenting on a troubling report last week on veteran medical center wait times.

Robert Hurt: Independent audits of the VA necessary for real reform
Currently, VA audits are either conducted internally or by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) if instructed by Congress. Given all the VA’s major shortcomings, it is clear that these tools are not enough to maintain effective oversight over the agency to prevent problems from getting out of control.

Robert Hurt: Our veterans deserve better from the VA
Last month marked one year since we learned of the gross mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that resulted in tragic outcomes for those who have made countless sacrifices to protect our nation’s freedoms.
Warner, Kaine urge VA to upgrade Veterans Choice Card program
Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined 40 of their colleagues to write a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald raising serious concerns about the implementation of the Veterans Choice Card program.

Randy Forbes: The heroes behind our heroes
Andrea Sawyer of Colonial Heights, VA, takes her husband to all of his medical appointments as often as three or four times a week.
Sens. Warner and Kaine introduce bipartisan Startup Act
U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) today led a bipartisan group of six Senate colleagues in introducing The Startup Act to jumpstart investment and job creation by new businesses.

ODU basketball tops Rice, 63-53
ODU junior guard Aaron Bacote scored 25 and Jonathan Arledge added 15 points with 11 rebounds to lead the Monarchs to a 63-53 Conference-USA victory over Rice Thursday.

Four Fishburne cadets nominated to U.S. military academies
Fishburne Military School’s Headmaster and Senior Army Instructor announced Thursday that four cadets from the Virginia military school have earned nominations this month to attend United States Service Academies.

Sen. Tim Kaine meets with Secretary of Veterans Affairs
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Armed Services and Budget Committees, released the following statement after meeting with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald to discuss challenges facing Virginia veterans, including issues with disability benefits and health care wait times.
Sen. Warner urges banking regulators to address consumer financial protections
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), who chaired the first congressional hearing after the 2013 data breach at Target, sent a letter to federal banking regulators today questioning the lack of follow-up to better protect consumers.

Food Bank to provide more healthy food in coming year
Buying unhealthy, inexpensive food is one of the most common ways that client households of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank stretch their dollars, a recent study of hunger reveals.

Shenandoah National Park reopens comment period for chronic wasting disease management plan
In response to a request from several park neighbors, Shenandoah National Park will hold an additional public meeting on the park’s proposed Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) response plan.

The Richmond Symphony Lollipops return to The Paramount Theater
Join the Richmond Symphony for Pinocchio’s Adventures in Funland! on January 24 at 6 p.m. Young and old will love this lively re-telling of the classic children’s story of Pinocchio with the Richmond Symphony Lollipops.

Western Kentucky upsets #25 ODU, 72-65
ODU junior guard Trey Freeman scored 20 points, but the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky defeated the No. 25 Monarchs, 72-65 Saturday at E.A. Diddle Arena, in a nationally televised Conference USA contest.
Peace, Pies & Prophets!
When you think of a play and a pie auction, you’ve got Ted & Company’s Peace, Pies & Prophets! Please join us as Ted Swartz and Tim Ruebke tickle our funny bones and stimulate our brain cells.

Separating fact from fiction: A literary salon with Charles Lewis
Journalist Courteney Stuart will interview investigative journalist and bestselling author Charles Lewis about his latest book, 935 Lies: The Future of Truth and the Decline of America’s Moral Integrity.
Virginia companies exhibiting at Fancy Food Show in San Francisco
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is hosting a Virginia Pavilion at the Winter Fancy Food Show, January 11-13, 2015, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.
The best and worst in transportation in 2014
After an unprecedented 2013 General Assembly Session, when transportation funding in Virginia was reborn after more than two decades, 2014 struggled to compare.