Virginia Public Radio

It would be true justice for a state appeals court to declare Johnathon Montgomery innocent of the crimes of which he was convicted. That’s the argument of Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who today appeared before the  Virginia Court of  Appeals to urge approval of a Writ of Actual Innocence for Montgomery.  The panel weighed questions of justice versus executive and judicial separation of powers.

While some parents may not realize it, the difference between taking home a healthy bundle of joy from the hospital and a child who may suffer from a lifetime of health complications … is a prick on the heel, about five drops of blood, and a team of scientists.  It’s the newborn screening that every child born in the Commonwealth goes through.  And as Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, affected parents and medical professionals on Friday quietly celebrated a medical milestone.

As contentious as the Virginia gubernatorial race was, the current governor and governor- elect seem to be getting along quite well.  But both Governor McDonnell and Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe said during a Thursday briefing that although they do have some differences, they’ve agreed that those differences don’t matter much right now. As Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, they said the goal is to bring Virginians—especially the legislature—together.

Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe says his first order of business after a very contentious campaign is to call lawmakers on the other side of the political aisle. As Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, the Democrat says his goal during his term in office is to bring more jobs to the Commonwealth and build the economy, which can’t be done without a bipartisan effort.

The ACLU of Virginia has once again set up an election day hotline for voters who experience problems at the polls. The organization will also respond to questions and provide information to voters should they need to cast a provisional ballot or if their votes are being challenged for some reason.  And as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, the state ACLU says it’s also prepared to advocate on behalf of voters whose rights have been abridged.

The Virginia ACLU election day hotline number is (804) 644-8080. 

There is mounting pressure on Congress to address the issue of immigration reform.  And as lawmakers are asked to relax the criteria for allowing undocumented immigrants to live, work, and achieve U.S. citizenship, an alliance has been formed between advocates and tax preparers. The tax experts are not only dispelling the rumors about immigrants NOT paying taxes, but they’re also trying to help them establish a stronger foothold in the economy.  Tommie McNeil reports.

While some Democratic members of Congress have criticized the unsuccessful rollout of the federal health insurance exchange website, others disagree. Calls to delay some of the requirements of the Affordable Act Care escalated when Democratic New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen wrote an open letter to President Obama after the website’s problems emerged. But as Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, several members of Virginia’s congressional delegation say they are too quick to ask for a delay in its implementation.

Dr. Bob Holsworth

A week after a Quinnipiac poll had Democrat Terry McAuliffe with a seven-point lead over his Republican rival Ken Cuccinelli in the Virginia governor’s race, the poll now says McAuliffe’s lead has dwindled by three points.  Some other polls suggest that the Democrat still has a significant lead over the Republican-with additional surveys saying that his lead is growing.  But as Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, one veteran political expert says the variation has a lot to do with who comes out to vote on election day.

Virginia’s colleges and universities may not get all—if any—of the funds they are requesting for NEW construction projects.  But the State Council for Higher Education is recommending that lawmakers make maintenance a major priority in the new biennial budget.  And as Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, the Council is also recommending continued funding of “Top Jobs 21″—a major education initiative started by Governor McDonnell.

The Virginia Attorney General’s office is warning consumers that scams to entice people as they seek to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act are cropping up around the U.S.

It was also Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, the Republican candidate for governor, who was the first to challenge the Affordable Care in Act in Federal Court.  He maintains the law is unconstitutional.

Now, his office—along with the Federal Trade Commission– says in some cases, identity thieves are trying to cash-in by siphoning off personal and financial information through deceptive means.  But as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, state officials are advising consumers to beware if they are not initiating the contact.

The number for the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline is 1-800-552-9963.   

Governor McDonnell acknowledges that one of his signature campaign proposals was not a total success, but he still touting progress that’s been made in restoring the rights of non-violent felons. The Governor has told the state NAACP that while both leading gubernatorial candidates have pledged to continue this effort, it’s not enough—and now civic leaders must push lawmakers to amend the state Constitution.　Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil has more from the State Capitol.　

Based on the latest Quinnipiac Poll, if the election for Virginia Governor were held today, Democrat Terry McAuliffe would beat Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli by a significant margin. The spread itself isn’t different from the last Quinnipiac poll.  But as Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, the survey contained the revelation that if most supporters of Libertarian candidate Robert Sarvis changed their minds, the shift would not fall in Cuccinelli’s favor.

Untreated, preventable dental disease in Virginia leads to higher costs, temporary solutions, and poor health.  That’s the conclusion of a study by the General Assembly’s Joint Commission on Health Care, which especially focused on the fiscal impact to the Commonwealth.  And as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, the panel is considering policy options that might be less expensive than the status quo.

The General Assembly panel that will decide whether and how to expand Medicaid in Virginia took a look today  at the experiences of other states.  The Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission was especially interested in cost-controlling factors, aspects that worked, and mistakes to be avoided.   And as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, the authors of research studies that crunched the numbers also attended.

A packed room full of almost evenly divided speakers gave Virginia lawmakers an earful over how they should proceed with potentially expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. As Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, with more than 160 people signed up to speak at three minutes each, members of the “Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission” will have much to consider before they make final recommendations.

As it is in the rest of the nation, Virginia’s Latino population is growing rapidly. But some believe that while there’s a lot of talk of building a better future through education, there’s very little action that translates into real results—especially for the Latino community. As Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, that’s why some of the most influential educators and business leaders have gathered in Richmond for a two-day “Hispanic Workforce through Higher Education” Conference.

While Virginia has made significant strides to confront human trafficking, it’s still a growing problem—so much so that Governor McDonnell hosted the first-ever state Human Trafficking Summit. What we learned is that while Virginia—especially Northern Virginia—is still one of the largest hubs for traffickers, law enforcement is quickly gaining ground. Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil has more from the State Capitol.