2014 was a harrowing year for the University of Virginia, with the alleged kidnapping and murder of one student and charges of rape against many more. Such tragedies are not unique to UVA, but state lawmakers will likely use Charlottesville’s troubles to try and reform Virginia’s criminal code.

With former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell heading to prison for two years, two former Virginia governors are calling for ethics reform in Richmond.

Virginia’s legislature is about to begin its whirlwind session – 46 days in which lawmakers will consider some 25-hundred bills. As WVTF RADIO IQ’s Sandy Hausman reports, there’s one problem that could make this an especially contentious experience.

Governor McAuliffe has unveiled a series of legislative proposals that he says would make Virginia more welcoming to businesses. The governor says his agenda would make the Commonwealth more inviting by guaranteeing equal treatment to ALL individuals under the law.

Virginia is following the lead of several other states and looking to get some use out of roadkill…and smoking has been declared illegal inside a Blacksburg hookah lounge. Those stories have been among the most read over the past week at the Virginia Public Access Project’s VaNews link.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Bills that are being introduced in both the Virginia House and Senate could make a trip to the doctor’s office less burdensome. While bills sometimes do not have the input of various stakeholders, THIS legislation is strongly supported by doctors and other medical professionals.

Flickr user Kate Ter Haar, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Fervent opposition to a governor’s budget cuts is not at all unusual.  But one group in particular says it has been cut to the bone-and now it’s a public safety problem. Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil explains why the state chapter of the National Coalition of Public Safety Officers tells the General Assembly’s budget committees that it’s time to restore, NOT cut funding.

September 2014, Richmond, VA

Former Governor Bob McDonnell has been sentenced to two years in prison followed by two years of probation on federal corruption charges. U.S. District Judge James Spencer announced his decision after receiving 450 letters and listening to a parade of witnesses who testified to McDonnell’s character and decades of public service. Spencer also said he would exercise his discretion as he departed from a pre-sentencing report’s recommendation for a lengthy prison term.

Photo from Senator Mark Warner’s Twitter account. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner on their way to take oath.

Congress is back in session and some Virginia lawmakers are already causing a stir at the Capitol. Capitol Hill reporter Matt Laslo has the story.

Credit Steve Jurvetson, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Although a private company runs it, Wallops Island Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore will get a fresh start in the New Year and a financial boost from the federal government after a failed launch months ago caused significant damage. October’s explosion of a rocket caused an estimated $20-million in damage–and the repairs will be paid for by Congress.

A woman in Virginia Beach found out pearls really do turn up in clams now and then….and a mysterious humming noise in Greene County remains unexplained. Those stories have been among the most read over the past week at the Virginia Public Access Project’s VaNews link.

Environmentalists are glad to see Dominion Power shutting down coal burning power plants, but they want the utility to do something about the waste left behind when coal is burned.  Sandy Hausman has that story.

The legislative panel formed after the tragic suicide of a state senator’s son who was denied hospitalization has endorsed policy recommendations made by its gubernatorial counterpart.  But as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, the Joint Subcommittee to Study Mental Health Services also acknowledged the state’s harsh budget realities–and set its most urgent priorities for the upcoming General Assembly session.

Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine is glad the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to authorize the war against the Islamic State but says now the full Senate needs to act.

More than 200 Virginia families are finally getting some compensation for damages caused by toxic Chinese drywall, but for most of them it’s not nearly enough to cover their losses…and the University of Richmond may accomplish a first when it begins providing internship support for 100-percent of its undergraduate students.

Those stories have been among the most read over the past week at the Virginia Public Access Project’s VaNews link.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Under many rental agreements, tenants sign off on a provision that allows housing managers and staff to enter a home to address concerns or inspect the premises.  Now state lawmakers are weighing whether such agreements should be extended to homes that are actually OWNED by tenants– who are leasing a lot.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

It’s unlawful for landlords to evict tenants for taking legal action or notifying authorities about uninhabitable conditions, but tenants may have little recourse under current state law.  As Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, proposed legislation would make it less difficult for tenants to win a case if retaliation is a cause of eviction.

Del. Chris Jones (third from right) examines the JLARC report.

The General Assembly’s watchdog agency did not sugarcoat the problems as it presented a frank examination of Virginia’s cumbersome workforce development system. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission found that employers have difficulty navigating the programs and filling job openings with workers who have requisite skills. It also found that key workforce programs do not emphasize training in fields with the greatest potential for employment.

A farmer who lives near the NASA launch site on Virginia’s Eastern shore has some safety concerns after a rocket exploded there a few weeks ago…and a new company is cleaning up waste coal in Southwest Virginia and selling it as fuel.

Those stories have been among the most read over the past week at the Virginia Public Access Project’s VaNews link.

The Phi Kappa Psi house voluntarily closed after Rolling Stone released the allegations. Photo by Hawes Spencer.

Four people were arrested over the weekend – charged with trespassing during protests at the University of Virginia.  Students and faculty expressed continued outrage following reports of gang rapes at a fraternity on campus some years ago, and UVA President Teresa Sullivan banned activities at about 60 frats and sororities through the end of the year.

State Police Superintendent Steven Flaherty

By law, a motorist who is believed to be driving under the influence will be arrested. But today, State Police joined Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other organizations to appeal to drivers as parents, siblings, significant others, and humans to save lives by simply handing over the keys and finding a designated driver if they’ve been drinking.

President Obama’s executive order on immigration is sparking a heated debate in Congress that could lead to a government shutdown. Capitol Hill reporter Matt Laslo has the story..

Dozens of people rallied outside the State Capitol yesterday to support tougher new EPA proposals for electricity-generating plants. At the same time, Virginia lawmakers were hearing from stakeholders—and trying to determine how the state could be effected if the rules are adopted. And as Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, there were a lot of questions about reports that residents could be paying $300 a year more if the proposals are adopted – because some power plants could shut down.

After hearing from stakeholders about proposed EPA rules to reduce power plant carbon emissions, Virginia lawmakers expressed concern about estimates that the state’s utilities will have to spend billions of dollars on improvements and ultimately pass those costs on to consumers. But supporters of the regulations say that lawmakers aren’t seeing the whole picture.

For instance, Cale Jaffe with the Southern Environmental Law Center says based on the credit for plans already underway— including maintenance of Virginia’s nuclear fleet that is “at risk” of being retired—new gas plants, and coal plant retirements, Virginia will be nearly 80% compliant with the EPA’s emissions-reduction goal for the Commonwealth:   And Jaffe counters the argument that investments in alternative energy sources would cost consumers 25 to 30% more.

Jaffe says 100% compliance with the EPA’s goal is achievable with investments in energy efficiency and renewables.  He adds that Virginia has a great opportunity to leverage the Clean Power Plan into the creation of solar, wind, and energy-efficiency jobs.

As Target, Home Depot, the U.S. Post Office and other entities find it difficult to protect consumer information, Virginia lawmakers are wondering how public schools will guard student data as they transition into electronic instruction, testing, and information storage. As Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, the Joint Commission on Technology and Science aims to close the gaps in state laws and policies that might inadvertently allow the use of student data for unauthorized purposes.

It’s harvest time for tomatoes in the New River Valley. That’s not as strange as it sounds because these tomatoes are growing inside a huge greenhouse in the New River Valley.

The new venture promises to bring jobs as well as more locally grown tomatoes to the region.  Robbie Harris reports.

It might be difficult to tell how someone affiliates politically just by looking at them, but an international team of scientists has come close. They’ve found a way to predict a person’s party of preference by how they react to gruesome images – with 95 to 98 percent accuracy.

Virginia lawmakers are going back to the grind to finish business they tried to complete, not once, not twice, but now for the third time this year.  They will do so when both houses of the General Assembly convene later today and tonight.  The state’s ongoing revenue shortfall will necessitate more tough decisions not long after that.

The Virginia state forensics lab says it no longer has the resources to process drug evidence in misdemeanor marijuana cases. Also, Northern Virginia residents may soon be able to cross the Potomac and light up a joint without breaking the law if DC voters have their way. Those stories have been among the most read over the past week at the Virginia Public Access Project’s VaNews link.

In the 6th Congressional District, Bob Goodlatte beat Libertarian Will Hammer and Independent Green candidate Elaine Hildebrandt to win a 12th term. The Democrats did not field a candidate in this race. In the 9th Congressional District, in southwest Virginia, Republican Morgan Griffith bested Independent William Carr to win a third term and the Democrats did not field a candidate in this race either.

Election night was a nail-biter for incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Warner, who had been expected to coast to victory. His badly outspent Republican challenger, Ed Gillespie, defied ALL of the polls leading up to election day—and took the lead throughout the evening until Fairfax County’s vote totals were finally reported. As Anne Marie Morgan reports, the wave that swept Republicans into the majority in the U.S. Senate nearly engulfed Virginia.

Virginia Senator Mark Warner is claiming victory in his reelection contest, while his Republican challenger Ed Gillespie isn’t conceding. Capital Hill reporter Matt Laslo has the story.

As expected, Republican Dave Brat – who stunned the pundits by unseating Eric Cantor in the GOP primary – was victorious in Virginia’s 7^th Congressional District. It’s solidly Republican, and Brat won more than 60% of the vote. Sandy Hausman has more on that story.

Proposed Environmental Protection Agency rules aimed at reducing carbon emissions, generating more energy from renewables, and addressing global warming are getting a cold reception from one of the state’s most influential agencies. As Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, while environmental groups support the regulations, others contend that they’re much too burdensome, unrealistic, and aggressive.

What would the nation’s energy policy look like if Republicans capture the Senate this fall? Capitol Hill reporter Matt Laslo caught up with Virginia lawmakers and energy analysts to find out the potential impact on the commonwealth.

Former Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and former Rep. Rick Boucher chair the commission

A blue-ribbon panel created by Governor McAuliffe to probe state and local ethics laws and recommend reforms met for the first time Monday and got right to work. After approving a statement of principles, the Governor’s Commission on Integrity and Public Confidence in State Government then plunged into a discussion of current laws among the states … and ethics policies that are thought to be “best practices” nationwide.  And as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, with the governor’s December 1^st deadline for their proposals just around the corner, the members speedily reached a consensus on a number of concepts.

It’s billed as a party where science is the guest of honor… this Saturday, the Virginia Science Festival kicks off its week-long celebration of science, technology, engineering, math – and everything in between. Hundreds of events and demonstrations are scheduled in locations all over the commonwealth – from a “brain scavenger hunt” in Alexandria to “rat basketball” in Richmond. Kelsea Pieters and Robbie Harris have more.

Many Virginians at or below the poverty level are struggling with utility bills and looking for any possible way to cut costs.

As Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil report, one way to save could be the free Weatherization Assistance Program administered by the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development.

Virginia Democratic Congressman Gerry Connolly says the resignation of Julia Pierson as director of the Secret Service was “inevitable” after she failed to tell lawmakers about a man with a gun riding an elevator with the president. Capitol Hill reporter Matt Laslo has the story…

While cat- and dog-lovers sometimes have contentious debates over which beloved animal is smarter, more adoring, and the overall better pet, a much more serious debate is taking place in Richmond about the two.  And that is—when it comes to feral and stray cats, why aren’t they afforded the same rights as dogs? 

Northern Virginia Democrat Gerry Connolly accuses the Secret Service of failing its duties long before an intruder was able to enter the White House. Capitol Hill reporter Matt Laslo has the story on how Connolly says a previous incident should have barred the intruder from ever getting that close…

Lawmakers on the Virginia Crime Commission have been working to fine-tune the state’s child pornography statutes.  The members began combing through the law after a judge and two prosecutors were drafting model jury instructions and noticed some ambiguities. The commission’s goal is to help ensure that innocent people are not inadvertently entrapped—and that guilty perpetrators don’t escape conviction.

Matthew’s Booking Photo

State police say the arrest of Jesse “LJ” Matthew has provided a forensic link to the case of Morgan Harrington, the 20-year-old Virginia Tech student who disappeared from the University of Virginia during a concert there in 2009.  Sandy Hausman talked with experts on science and the law to find out what that might mean for Matthew, who’s now accused of kidnapping Hannah Graham.