The federal government’s role in the use of drones inside the U.S. may be expanding, but state lawmakers have put the brakes on deploying them within Virginia’s borders.  Legislation that’s now under review by Governor McDonnell would place a moratorium on state and local use of drones.  The unmanned aircraft could not be deployed for two years—while parameters and safeguards are studied.

Concerns that drones could violate rights and invade privacy prompted an alliance between the state ACLU and lawmakers to put drone deployments on hold—at least temporarily.

“I want to live in a world much more akin to that that was envisioned by our Founding Fathers than one that was envisioned by a gentleman named George Orwell. And I think we’re rapidly approaching a time in our history where this type of technology is so pervasive that we could very well lose what we think of as our privacy rights,” said Delegate Todd Gilbert, who sponsored one of the bills.

He said the initial plan was not for a moratorium.

“We were trying to develop a framework by which we could allow law enforcement and regulatory agencies to use this technology in a way that was not an invasion of privacy.  And I think a lot of the law enforcement elements did not want anything but the unfettered use of this technology, and that gave us great pause.  So we decided to go with a moratorium.”

Exceptions are made for searches and rescues, Virginia Guard training and emergencies, Amber or Senior Alerts—or Blue Alerts when police officers are in danger.  But the drones cannot be weaponized.

–Anne Marie Morgan

Each year, half a million people in this country have knee replacement surgery, and by 2030 that number is expected to reach three million. After surgery, you might expect those patients to be more active and to lose weight, but a study by Virginia Commonwealth University suggests the opposite is true – and that could spell trouble for the nation’s long-term health as Sandy Hausman reports.

Prosecutors and public defenders in Virginia are paid by the state, but on average, lawyers who work for the Commonwealth’s Attorney make 25% more than lawyers who defend the poor.  Now, Sandy Hausman reports that one public defender is asking for a raise, and others may follow suit.

Officials in Virginia are bracing for the impact of the federal budget cuts that start trickling down. Matt Laslo reports that lawmakers in the commonwealth disagree about what should be done with the sequestration.

Two new surveys from the Centers for Disease Control suggest some progress in improving the way Americans eat, but experts are not ready to celebrate yet.

From 2007 to 2010, adults – on average — got just over 11% of their daily calories from fast food – a decrease of about two percent from the period between 2003 and 2006.  That said, two demographic groups still favor fast food.

“If you were in the like the 20-39-year-old age group, you were more likely to consume fast food,”  says John Sirard, a professor at the University of Virginia, specializing in exercise and its impact on the body.  He says African-Americans also tended to consume more fast food than white or Hispanic adults.  Looking at children, the CDC found overall consumption of calories down, but childhood obesity was up three percent.

“If caloric intake is going down, but obesity is still going up, the last piece of the puzzle that we’re truly missing is  the physical activity.”

Sirard says he worries that children are still spending too much time staring at computer and TV screens when they should be exercising.  He’s cautiously optimistic about the numbers of adults eating fast food, but he’s not sure whether a decline in consumption of carbohydrates among kids is good news.

“You know that might be a good thing if we’re getting rid of the white bread and simple sugars, but if we’re losing some high fiber, complex carbohydrate foods, then that’s not a good thing, so I’m willing to bet we’re going to be seeing some more in-depth analysis in the months to come.”

Sirard says the problem of obesity in this country is complex and will take efforts at many levels to undo – from government policy and school lunches to family meals and rules.

–Sandy Hausman

Virginia’s newest U-S senator, Tim Kaine, delivered his maiden speech on the Senate floor this week. Matt Laslo reports from the Capitol that his first address to his colleagues came much earlier than expected.

Photo: U.S. Dept of Interior/U.S. Geological Survey

Climate change is forcing some Virginians to consider a move.  Coastal areas and islands like Tangiers are losing land as the sea rises, flooding is more frequent, and hurricanes could be more dangerous than ever.  But for one Virginia couple, natural disasters are no deterrent.  They’ve chosen to live in one of the riskiest places on Earth.  Sandy Hausman has their story. 

President Obama was in Newport News, Virginia today highlighting the impact of pending budget cuts on the state’s defense industry. Virginia Republicans are glad the president is highlighting the state’s robust defense industry. But Virginia Congressman Randy Forbes says the president’s time would have been better spent in Washington negotiating with congressional leaders.

“The President instead has surrounded himself with these campaign stops where he puts people who already agree with him around to cheer and clap everything he says, but if you want to reach true compromise the best way to do that is to go into a room with people who might disagree with you,” said Forbes.

But Virginia Democrats are defending the president’s trip. Senator Tim Kaine says its good the White House is calling attention to the potentially devastating impact of the pending budget cuts, called sequestration.

“I think part of the reason the President is going is to just make sure that we’re not just talking about numbers on a page here. We’re talking about real consequences,” said Kaine.

On Capitol Hill everyone is bracing for sequestration to strike on Friday, but the two sides still don’t appear to be moving any closer to a deal, which means hundreds of thousands of workers in the Virginia could be furloughed.
–Matt Laslo

After being eclipsed by other issues for a couple of years climate change is now back in the spotlight on Capitol Hill. Matt Laslo caught up with members of the Virginia congressional delegation and has this snapshot of the debate now boiling in the nation’s capital.

Oysters were once plentiful on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, but their numbers have fallen dramatically over the last century, due to overfishing, pollution and disease.  Scientists and watermen are working to bring them back, and the partnership has led to a unique course at the University of Virginia – one taught, in part, by a man who has no PhD but could easily write a dissertation on his beloved bivalves.  Sandy Hausman reports.

Virginia could become the first state in the nation to restrict a new class of generic medications.  But drug companies want limits and some pharmacists are concerned.

Amgen is the world’s largest biotech company – a California firm that makes medicines from living cells.  These remedies, known as biologicals, are expensive and protected by patents, but the Affordable Care Act clears the way for cheaper, generic forms of these products.

John O’Bannon serves in Virginia’s House of Delegates, representing parts of Richmond and Henrico County.  He recently got a call from Amgen, asking for help in crafting a bill that would restrict the prescription of generic biologicals.

Now O’Bannon isn’t your ordinary politician.  “I’m your brain doctor.  I’m a neurologist.”

And he says there were problems in the early days of generic drugs. “Some of our seizure patients had problems with generics, and over time I think generics have gotten better and we’re more comfortable with them.”

But he’s not yet comfortable with the idea of generic biologicals.  “They’re going to be similar.  They’ll be FDA approved, but they’re not identical.”

So he sponsored a bill that would allow doctors or patients to insist on brand name drugs instead – making it illegal for pharmacists to dispense the cheaper medications.

The president of the Generic PharmaceuticalAssociation, Ralph Neas, thinks that’s a terrible idea.
“Generics have saved this country a trillion dollars according to published reports in the last decade, about $200 billion in 2011 alone. We expect that biosimilars will do the same thing,” said Neas.

The bill also requires drug stores to notify doctors  and patients if they dispense a generic biological, and keep records of doing so for two years.  Pharmacists have told the Virginia legislature that O’Bannon’s bill will make their jobs much more difficult.

“You know the CVS guy  says we’re going to have to get a whole new computer system to do this, I just don’t buy that,” said O’Bannon.

His bill also requires pharmacies to say, on the label, when a generic biological was used as a substitute for the brand name drug.  Three trade associations representing pharmacists think that will only confuse consumers.

Federal law does not require Amgen’s Political Action Committee to report campaign contributions to state candidates, but O’Bannon admits he’s taken money from the pharmaceutical industry.

“I, yes, and I have gotten, and that’s listed.  I have fundraisers and I’ve gotten money from the folks that are pushing this and the folks who are agin’ it,” he said.

Both the House and Senate have now approved the bill in Richmond, and the Governor is expected to sign it into law.

–Sandy Hausman

While the Newtown, Connecticut shooting has gotten the most media attention of late, last night at the State of the Union address two Virginia lawmakers honored the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting.

Peter Read of Annandale, Virginia lost his daughter Mary in the Virginia Tech shooting. He says he was honored to be the guest of Congressman Gerry Connolly at the State of the Union address.

“It’s hugely meaningful to me and obviously for my daughter Mary and for the other Hokie families.”
More than twenty lawmakers invited victims of gun violence or their family members to attend the president’s annual address. Virginia

Congressman Bobby Scott gave his extra ticket to Lori Haas of Richmond. Her daughter Emily was shot twice but survived the Virginia Tech massacre. Haas says it was important for so many people impacted by gun violence to be present in the House chamber as the president called for new gun-control measures.  “It is incumbent upon all of us to raise our voices and to speak to this issue and to call on Congress to act. The President has put forth a big package, a nice set of proposals and that combined if we pass all those proposals, come into legislation and become law, we will save lives and that’s our job.”

And Peter Read says the details don’t matter as much to him as getting action.  “The art of the politically possible is for the politicians to figure out but I will work with anybody who will work with me to get the right things done.”

Before the address the guests were taken to a private event at the White House and many have been lobbying lawmakers for action while at the Capitol.

–Matt Laslo

Democrats in the region like the jobs plan President Obama laid out last evening in his State of the Union address. But Matt Laslo reports that Republicans are wary of its price tag.

Virginia is one of the first states to feel the impact of a decade-long round of  budget cuts scheduled to begin hitting  the federal government next month. Matt Laslo reports on what the Virginia congressional delegation is doing to avert those cuts from potentially crippling the state’s economy and defense industry.

The Southern Environmental Law Center is out with its list of top ten endangered places in this region, and according to the report, three parts of Virginia are threatened.   Sandy Hausman reports on why environmentalists are concerned.

In recent weeks, there has been an abundance of scientific reports documenting state and federal efforts to clean up pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Pamela D’Angelo asked watermen for their assessment.

Like their students, Virginia’s public schools could be getting letter grades of A through F — based on how well they appear to be educating students.  The House of Delegates approved the idea Monday, and Governor Bob McDonnell, who proposed it, said he hoped the Senate would also sign on.   McDonnell has also proposed a small increase in school funding, but Sandy Hausman reports that local districts have some serious catching up to do.

The young man who made news last week for taking a loaded rifle into a supermarket in Charlottesville has apparently come forward.  He spoke with a radio talk show host on Sunday morning, explaining his motivation and expressing disappointment in those who misunderstood.  Sandy Hausman has that story.

A city in Central Virginia could become the first in the nation to ask for regulation of drones — unmanned aircraft used overseas to spy on and attack our enemies.  Sandy Hausman reports on why some feel the need to limit domestic drone use.

Virginia elects a governor in about ten months.  Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is expected to top his party’s ticket, and he’ll soon be out with a new book.  The Washington Post offered a preview, and Democrats in Richmond were quick to attack as Sandy Hausman reports.

Increased fuel efficiency has cut into Virginia’s gasoline tax revenue, so there’s less money around to build and maintain roads. The governor wants to ditch the gas tax in favor of a higher sales tax, but he idea has proven controversial, and today opponents tried to drive their points home as Sandy Hausman reports.

Today we may sometimes take for granted our rights of self-determination, equality and public consent to the laws of our land.  But those legal tenets are relatively new and still somewhat rare throughout the world.  A kind of movement has begun here in Virginia to remind people about the origins and scope of those rights and freedoms we now see as self evident, and inalienable.  Robbie Harris prepared this report.

Virginia is growing faster than the national average, and a new study shows it’s growing in some surprising places. as Sandy Hausman.

We’re now a state of 8.2 million, up 2.3 percent from the last census, and you’ll never guess the fastest growing city in the Commonwealth.

“Covington tops the list as the fastest growing locality.”

Chen Cai is with the Weldon Cooper Center at the University of Virginia.  She says it might be due to a record-keeping error, or the city of

Covington may be going through a baby boom, with 120 births recorded last year, compared with 60 in a typical year.  More people moved to cities than suburbs, and as usual, they go where the jobs are.

“More than 50% of the growth occurred in Northern Virginia, and almost all the growth occurred in the metropolitan areas.”
The arrival of people from other states and countries helped to offset a net loss in 64 communities where there were more deaths than births.  That’s a reflection of an aging population and couples having smaller families.  On average, the state is adding 100,000 people a year.

“Virginia’s still attracting people from other parts of the country, other parts of the world, and on average every year we add about 50,000 more due to natural increase – so about 100,000 births every year, and 50,000 deaths.”

Richmond is growing, along with Hampton Roads, Winchester, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg and Staunton.

— Sandy Hausman

Virginia families caring for loved ones with disabilities may now be eligible for some reimbursement, when they have to hire respite care. As we hear from Connie Stevens, the funds through the one-time voucher program are quite limited—but may make a big difference in reducing strain on full-time caregivers.

Experts say there are a million Virginians who lack health insurance, and under the Affordable Care Act, 400,000 of them could get coverage – but only if the state agrees to expand its Medicaid program.  The federal government promised to pay the full cost of expansion, but the McDonnell administration refused. Now, Sandy Hausman reports that the situation could change if Washington is willing to play Let’s Make a Deal.  

The Transportation Security Administration says it will remove most  full-body scanners from U.S. airports by June – good news for a Charlottesville man who has been fighting them for the last two years.  Aaron Tobey took the federal government to court, alleging the machines violated his constitutional rights.  Sandy Hausman has more on his story.

Charlottesville is still talking about a bizarre event that took place over the weekend.  A man walked into a grocery store with a loaded, semi-automatic rifle.  Police were called but made no arrest, since Virginia law does not prohibit carrying guns in plain sight.  Sandy Hausman has more on that story.

Photo: Bocuse d’Or Team USA
Richard Rosendale and Corey Siegel

The most prestigious cooking competition in the world takes place in France this week. It’s the Bocuse d’Or,  the Olympics of the culinary world, named for legendary French chef Paul Bocuse.  And for the first time this year, America has a very real chance of taking top honors—all because of a chef right here in our neck of the woods.  Connie Stevens introduces us to Chef Richard Rosendale of West Virginia’s  Greenbrier Resort—head of Team USA at the Bocuse d’Or.

 You can watch Team USA compete live, January 30 at 3:20 a.m. at: www.bocusedorusa.org.

The House passed bill to extend the debt ceiling still leaves in place steep budget cuts that could hurt the economy in Virginia. Matt Laslo reports on the next budget battle looming before Congress.

Photo: Virginia Tech

Plans are in the works to harness electricity from wind off the coast of Virginia.
Large scale wind power has become common place in recent years.  Now a team at Virginia Tech is looking to exploit another niche for windpower.  Robbie Harris has this report on a team designing small-scale wind turbines for rooftops around the world.
Robbie Harris has more.

Parents who home school their kids are again Asking Richmond to let their students take part in after-school activities, including sports.  Sandy Hausman reports on why some say that should not be allowed.

Democrats in the region are praising the ambitious agenda laid out by President Obama in his second inaugural address. Matt Laslo reports that the president will now be judged by the agenda he laid out.

The Virginia Department of Education spends thousands of dollars each year to develop resources for teachers, but a recent survey showed many of them didn’t know what was available.  This week, Sandy Hausman reports that the state is launching a new service to keep teachers are in the loop.

Students at the University of Virginia have jumped into the debate over whether Rector Helen Dragas should be confirmed for another term on the board of visitors.  Sandy Hausman reports on why they’re weighing in and what they had to say.

Ida Edwards of Petersburg, Virginia was picked as one of just eight citizen co-chairs for the inaugural events.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee chose eight Americans whose personal stories represent a policy President Obama is championing. Besides being an advocate for the president’s health care law, Edwards is also a bridge to a sad chapter in the nation’s history.

“I lived through the civil rights movement and that was a lot of experiences that I don’t want anyone else to have to go through.”
Edwards says the president’s story is inspiring for generations to come.

“And so you know he gives hope. I have grandchildren and great grandchildren, and I want everybody’s children to have the fair chance to realize their dreams.”

Edwards was here for the 2009 inauguration, but as a citizen co-chair she’s getting a closer seat this time…riding in the parade and even getting some face time with the president last week.

“I’m just so honored to meet him, and because of my parents never realizing or believing a black president – that we could have one – and then I get to be a part of it and be in the Oval Office with him. It’s overpowering.”

–Matt Laslo

It may feel like the campaign’s just wrapped up, but the focus is already shifting to Virginia’s gubernatorial election, scheduled for later this year. Matt Laslo reports on what if anything the race says about the national mood.

When Virginia artist Judith Godwin first arrived in New York more than 50 years ago, it was nearly impossible for a woman to earn her living as a painter, but Godwin was determined, and today her works are part of collections nationwide. She’s got a show at Virginia’s Museum of Fine Arts and an inspiring story to tell, as Sandy Hausman reports.

For the first time, Virginia has cracked the top ten in one of those national lists – Richmond ranked number ten in a national pest control company’s list of cities infested with bed bugs, and Washington, DC was number eight.  It’s expensive and difficult to get rid of bed bugs, but Sandy Hausman reports on a new approach tested by a doctor at Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Virginia Republicans are redoubling their efforts to bring off shore gas drilling to the commonwealth.

It’s a new session of Congress but the same old battles persist. In the last session House Republicans passed bills to expand offshore oil and gas drilling but they sat untouched in the Senate. With Congress still divided Virginia Republicans are working to convince their Senate colleagues to take up a comprehensive energy bill, including wind. Congressman Rob Wittman says environmentalist’s fears are misguided about coastal drilling.

“I think that we can safely develop that off the Virginia shore, learning from what’s happened elsewhere to make sure we do that in an environmentally responsible way, but also do that in a way that helps the economy of Virginia and the long term energy security of this nation.”

The biggest roadblock for Virginia Republicans may be the president. His moratorium on drilling off Virginia’s coast is still in place.

— Matt Laslo

Virginia Democrats are lauding the president’s new gun control proposal but they know it’s nearly impossible to get it through Congress.

Within minutes of President Obama unveiling his new gun-control proposal, many Republicans rejected the plan in its entirety. Virginia Democratic Congressman Jim Moran says the president needs to borrow a page from his own reelection campaign.

“You go back to the grassroots. You work from the bottom up, the people within individual congressional districts.”

Virginia Democrat Bobby Scott supports the president’s new measure but says the debate needs to be broadened to address tragedies that often don’t make headlines.

“Specifically we also have to make recommendations to address violence generally and that must be done with a comprehensive approach.”

Both sides of the gun debate are deploying lobbyists on Capitol Hill, and most aren’t expecting this Congress to make any drastic changes to the nation’s gun laws.
— Matt Laslo

University of Virginia Rector Helen Dragas is one step closer to keeping her seat on the board of visitors after a legislative committee voted Tuesday to send her nomination on to the full Senate, but the subject sparked some angry words in Richmond, as Sandy Hausman reports.

Much has been said about America’s political divide – about red, blue and purple states.  Now, social scientists at the University of Virginia have identified four different kinds of families.  Sandy Hausman reports they see the world very differently but have some important things in common.

Virginia Democratic Congressman Gerry Connolly is pushing legislation to provide federal money to administer elections.

Even in northern Virginia, different counties have different election rules, so while some Prince William County voters saw four hour long lines on Election Day, voters in other precincts were in and out in minutes. Congressman Connolly’s legislation would expand early voting and let states apply for federal grants to purchase voting machines.

“Our bill is designed to try to have more uniformity in terms of the standards across the country, at least in federal elections. Not by mandating it, but by incentivizing it,” said Connolly.

But incentives from the federal government come with price tags and this Congress is looking for programs to trim, not expand. Connolly says the few billion dollars he wants to invest in elections are worth every penny.

“Whatever it costs, and it’s not going to cost that much, it’s well worth the investment. Otherwise we don’t believe in ourselves.”
Virginia Democratic Senator Mark Warner is pushing a similar bill in the upper chamber, but no Republicans have signed onto either.

–Matt Laslo

Democrats on the House oversight committee held a forum on voting problems in Woodbridge, Virginia.  Matt Laslo has details.

This week the vice president will send his recommendations on gun control to the president.

In the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting there’s been more calls for increasing gun control on Capitol Hill. But Congress remains divided. That’s increasing speculation that Vice President Biden will recommend that the president use an Executive Order to address the issue. Virginia Republican Rob Wittman warns against it.

“Executive Orders need to be used in limited ways. I’m not certain on gun control issues that that’s the way to go about it. It needs to be a transparent and open process, the discussion on that. I am concerned anytime the Executive Branch circumvents the legislative process.”

So what can a divided Congress agree on? Virginia Democrat Jim Moran says there ought to be support for legislation like his “NRA Members’ Gun Safety Act.” It requires background checks for every gun purchase and prohibits anyone on the terrorist watch list from purchasing a gun, among other things.

“All of which are supported by two thirds of the NRA’s membership but adamantly opposed by the NRA’s leadership and its gun manufacturers who fund the leadership. That’s the problem.”

The Vice President unveils his recommendations Tuesday.

–Matt Laslo

The head of Virginia’s Education Association is weighing in on the subject of security – responding to legislative proposals to put guards and guns into schools.

Virginia’s Governor has said it might be wise to put armed guards into public schools to try and prevent future shootings, but the head of the Virginia Education Association – which represents teachers in the Commonwealth – is skeptical about that idea.

“We’re certainly not in favor of arming our teachers.  You know there’s a reason that prison guards don’t carry weapons, and that’s a very stark kind of contrast, but there is that danger if you have adults in a school building that are carrying weapons as to how well are they going to be able to control those weapons and keep them out of students or any other adults’ hands.”

Meg Gruber thinks many legislative proposals are desperate measure in response to New Town, and she believes armed guards would create a climate that’s not ideal for learning.

–Sandy Hausman

Photo: Virginia Tech

It’s a tough job market out there for a lot of people.  But for military veterans. it’s even worse. Many are finding it difficult to translate the work they did in the service, into civilian jobs back home  Robbie Harris prepared has more.

Virginia lawyers report a disturbing trend – a growing number of employers who fail to pay their employees.  One company in Harrisonburg, Transprint USA, had withheld pay for more than three weeks.  To make matters worse, Sandy Hausman reports that  Virginia’s labor department says it is no longer able to help those workers get the money they’re owed.

Photo: Virginia Commonwealth University, Capital News Service

Virginia’s legislature is in session, and lawmakers are again debating restrictions on abortion and contraception.  Demonstrators gathered at the statehouse for song, prayer and speeches as Sandy Hausman reports.