The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) operations returned a record $152 million in profits to the commonwealth in fiscal year 2015, an increase of 8.6 percent over the previous year’s $140 million in profits. In its 17th consecutive record-setting year Virginia ABC realized $848.1 million in gross sales, $47.6 million higher than last year. Retail sales to individuals in stores and online were $694,898,880, an increase of six percent over the previous year. Licensee sales (sales to restaurants) increased 4.4 percent to total $151,564,627 in fiscal year 2015. Virginia ABC’s profits combined with state taxes, sales tax, and…
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On October 22, 2015 Tranlin, Inc. officially broke ground on its first U.S. operation, a $2 billion advanced manufacturing facility. Tranlin’s investment is located in Chesterfield County and will generate more than 2,000 direct jobs in Virginia by 2020. “The Tranlin facility in Chesterfield will create thousands of jobs and millions in new agriculture revenues, all of which will support our shared vision for a stronger new Virginia economy. I am thrilled to help break ground on a project that will have enormous economic development implications for our entire Commonwealth,” said Governor McAuliffe about the project. Gov. McAuliffe and…
In a surprise 2-1 decision, the three judge panel upheld the constitutionality of the challenged House of Delegates districts in the Bethune-Hill case. In a 176 page opinion with a strong dissent by 4th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Keenan, the panel approved of the 55% black voting age population threshold. This same threshold was ruled a racial gerrymander when it applied to the Third Congressional District case earlier this year. Brian Cannon, the Executive Director of OneVirginia2021: Virginians for Fair Redistricting said, “the court had to decide whether this was a racial gerrymander or a political gerrymander. It called…
Richard Bland College of William & Mary is proud to be the first college in the Commonwealth to register as an Employer of National Service. As a part of this national program, RBC will have access to millions of talented applicants who have provided service to our country through volunteer service. “Richard Bland College of William & Mary strives to hire highly-qualified and dedicated individuals who will join the College’s team in advancing 100% student success” says President Debbie L. Sydow. The National Service is a federal agency, including programs such as AmeriCorps and Senior Corps, made up of more…
Virginia State University is hosting their annual Aquaculture Field Day Thursday, October 22, 2015 beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Randolph Farm, 4415 River Road, Ettrick, Virginia. The event features demonstrations related to aquaculture and aquaponics management, production and harvesting. Aquaculture, one of the fastest growing food-producing sectors, now accounts for nearly 50 percent of the world’s food fish. Virginia State University’s Cooperative Extension Aquaculture program is the state’s leading provider of freshwater aquaculture outreach and education. The university shares the management of Virginia’s Cooperative Extension program with Virginia Tech and primarily focuses on educating and assisting small, limited resource farmers. VSU’s aquaculture program…
Beginning in 2007, the James River Association started compiling key health indicators for its State of the James River report. We have released an updated report every two years since. I am pleased to report that for the first time, this year’s State of the James report gives the James River’s health a grade in the “B” range with an overall score of 61 percent, up four points from two years ago. Having the grade move into the “B” range is nothing short of remarkable and a major milestone for the health of the James River. In this 40th anniversary…
Autumn is here, and along with colorful leaves, crisp air, and shorter days, it means Virginia’s white-tailed deer will be on the move. With daylight savings time just around the corner, many motorists will be commuting in the dark, increasing the likelihood of their vehicle colliding with a deer. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) is encouraging Virginia’s drivers to be more cautious as they travel the Commonwealth’s highways this season. Fall is the breeding season for deer, and consequently, deer are more active now than at any other time of the year. One-half to two-thirds of…
A constant complaint about Medicaid is that fewer healthcare providers take patients on public insurance programs, and the resulting quality of care suffers. The facts, however, tell a different story. According to the Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey nearly all Medicaid (95%) and private coverage patients (94%) have a regular source of health care. The quality of care (rated excellent or very good) is higher for Medicaid patients (55%) than for those with private insurance (53%). Unfortunately, uninsured people are severely disadvantaged in both respects. Only 77% of those without insurance have a regular source of health care. And…
RICHMOND—Virginia drivers’ odds of a collision with a deer are 1 in 97, compared to the national odds of 1 in 169. Those odds are more in Virginia drivers’ favor than in 2013, when they were 1 in 88. The deer migration and mating season runs from October through December, causing a dramatic increase in movement among Virginia’s deer population and resulting in more collisions on roadways, with the largest amount in November. Virginia is ranked 10th nationwide for the deer collisions. In 2014, Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. received 2,415 claims related to collisions with deer out of…