While the upcoming General Assembly session will focus on such issues as the state budget, ethics reform, and whether or not to expand Medicaid, small business advocates have rolled out a blueprint of their own legislative priorities. Their agenda arose from a summit of the state’s entrepreneurs and business leaders, who want to ensure that the Commonwealth maintains its competitive edge through business-friendly policies. And as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, they say that begins with a qualified workforce.

Richmond leaders are rolling out the red carpet for the inauguration on January 11th and the events leading up to it. As Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, the inauguration itself will have lots of security, including the Secret Service, for the “dignitaries” expected to attend—which organizers are being very tight-lipped about.

He came within roughly two points of winning the Governor’s election, but Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli will soon leave public service for the first time in 11 years.  While critics might disagree, he says he sought to defend state laws, fight for public safety and consumers, and push back against government overreach.  In this final part of our retrospective series, Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports on some of the initiatives that Cuccinelli believes will impact the Commonwealth long after he leaves office.

His campaign promise was “Bob’s for Jobs.” Now, 1300 economic development deals and 173-thousand net new jobs later, Governor McDonnell says economic issues were indeed his administration’s priority. But he also tackled homelessness and restored rights to more felons than any governor in state history.  In Part 2 of our retrospective series on the outgoing statewide officials, Anne Marie Morgan takes a brief look at McDonnell’s four years as the Commonwealth’s chief executive.