Recent News Items
House-Proposed Budget Reduces Funding to Local Schools
From staff reports
First District Del. Terry Kilgore believes the proposed budget submitted by the House won't be as painful as originally expected to local school divisions in Southwest Virginia."Because of the ongoing recession, state and local governments do not have as much money available to them," noted Kilgore. "Unlike the federal government, the Commonwealth and its localities cannot spend money they do not have. Asking already strapped and struggling taxpayers to pay more would only make matters worse,…
Scott, Other Virginia Localities Earn Federal Disaster Status
President Barack Obama declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Virginia on Feb. 16 and ordered federal aid to supplement the Commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the areas struck by a severe winter storm and snowstorm during the period of Dec. 18-20, 2009.
Scott County is included in the federal declaration. The president's actions follow a request from county supervisors in late December and former Gov. Tim Kaine in seeking the official disaster recognition.
Bill to Restrict Coal Mining Is Dead
Joanna Moreno and Rebecca Leon
Capital News Service
A bill that supporters said would save the environment but opponents said would cost coal industry jobs is dead for this legislative session.Capital News Service
The Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee declined to meet this week to act on Senate Bill 564, which would prohibit coal surface mining operations that dispose of slurry or other waste materials in any stream.
Tuesday was the deadline for a bill to win approval from either the House…
Legion Donates Calling Cards to Deploying Soldiers
Lt. Col. Douglas R. Messner, (far left) commander of the 1030th Transportation Battalion, accepts a donation of calling cards from representatives of the American Legion Post No. 265 of Gate City, (second from left) Commander Gerald Snodgrass and Sgt. Maj. Earl Smith, (second from right) a retiree of the 1030th Engineer Battalion.The group is joined by Spec. Anthony Dillman, who is serving as the flag bearer and…
Crooked Road Named to Prestigious List of ‘America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations
Last Wednesday, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail one of its 2010 Dozen Distinctive Destinations. The Crooked Road was selected for blending eco-tourism and small town charm with the Appalachian region's musical heritage, providing visitors with a unique cultural experience that spans 300 miles across 19 towns.
In the month of February, The Crooked Road will be participating in the first-ever public online voting contest for the 2010 Dozen…
Governor Bob McDonnell Unveils Jobs & Opportunities Agenda
Watch the press conference on YouTube:
At a morning news conference at the State Capitol, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, joined by legislators from both sides of the aisle, introduces his Jobs and Opportunity Agenda. The legislative package consists of 20 pieces of legislation, as well as previously announced budget amendments, all focused on spurring job creation, promoting economic development and…
Governor Still Considering School Funding Freeze
Under pressure from politicians in Northern Virginia, Gov. Bob McDonnell appears to be backing away from a staff comment that he would continue using a school funding formula that takes money from more affluent localities and gives it to less affluent ones.
Last week, McDonnell's press secretary, Stacey Johnson, told Capital News Service that the governor planned to uphold the funding-formula freeze proposed in December by then-Gov. Tim Kaine.
"The Governor plans to keep…
McDonnell Freezes School Funding Formula
In December, a month before leaving office, then-Gov. Tim Kaine made a decision with far-reaching ramifications on school budgets across Virginia:
Kaine froze the Local Composite Index, or LCI - a complex formula that determines how much a locality should pay for basic kindergarten-through-12th-grade programs and how much funding it should get from the state.
The LCI assigns each school division a score, such as ".75" or ".51," based on the locality's adjusted gross…
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