The Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Urban Agriculture Symposium, a day of workshops and discussions about growing food in urban areas for personal use or for sale, is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Fairlington Community Center, located at 3308 S. Stafford St., Arlington. Topics that will be discussed at the event include growing vegetables in small backyard spaces or community gardens, soilless production of mushrooms and microgreens, producing food for community food banks and planting trees that provide both shade and fruit. Dr. Marcus Comer, the Small Farm Outreach Program Director in the Department of Agriculture…

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) announces that the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Southeast Corridor from Richmond to Raleigh (passing through Chesterfield in Chester) has been signed by the Federal Railroad Administration, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and DRPT. Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McAuliffe said, “This approval is an important step toward a higher speed rail system that will enhance our efforts to build a new Virginia economy.  Higher speed rail is one of my administration’s top transportation priorities because it will generate new economic activity and improve Virginians’ quality of…

As the Special Session on congressional redistricting quickly approaches, OneVirginia2021 urges transparency during this time-crunched session and calls on leaders of both parties to respond to basic questions about the maps they will present. “While we must ultimately have an independent commission to solve this problem, there are short-term steps the General Assembly can take to improve upon the usually secretive ways politicians draw legislative maps.” said Brian Cannon, Executive Director of OneVirginia2021. Because Virginia is one of the most gerrymandered states in the country, transparency should not only include showing citizens the maps before the start of the Special Session, but also having basic questions answered by our elected officials…

Residential sales market shows strongest second quarter since 2008 recession. The Virginia residential real estate market experienced its strongest second quarter since the 2008 recession, with sales volume reaching nearly $10.6 billion during the April through June time frame. This sales volume represents an 11 percent increase relative to the second quarter of 2014 ($9.5 billion), according to the Second Quarter 2015 Home Sales Report released by Virginia Association of REALTORS® (VAR). The dollar value of the volume increase is due primarily to an increased number of units sold for the comparable time periods (2014-Q2 to 2015-Q2), since the median…

New Medicare state-by-state enrollment numbers As Medicare and Medicaid celebrate their 50th anniversary protecting the health and well-being of millions of seniors, people with disabilities and low-income individuals, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today released updated Medicare state-by-state enrollment numbers, showing that more than 55 million Americans are covered by Medicare. In 1966, approximately 19.1 million Americans were covered by Medicare. In 2012, there were nearly 52 million beneficiaries covered by Medicare. Today’s enrollment numbers represent a three million person increase during the last three years as the Baby Boom generation has started to retire. Medicare beneficiaries depend…

In a powerful display of collective concern, 27 conservation and public health organizations submitted a request to Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality, asking Director David Paylor to reject Dominion Power’s closure plan for coal ash ponds at four sites in Virginia. Organizations from across the Commonwealth and several national groups said that these sites present serious ongoing pollution problems that pose a threat to the health of aquatic life and to Virginians’ enjoyment of the James and the Potomac, two of the Commonwealth’s most valued rivers. At the Chesapeake Energy Center, Dominion’s own recent sampling results revealed arsenic in groundwater…

The 2015 State Fair of Virginia, dedicated to showcasing the best of Virginia, is seeking the state’s most vibrant arts and crafts, the most delicious baked and preserved foods, the lushest plants and crops, the hardiest livestock and the most skilled equestrians for this year’s competitions. Room also is being made for crowd-pleasing giant pumpkins and watermelons and for teams preparing savory Brunswick stews. Registration information and competition guidelines are available on the fair’s website atStateFairVa.org. This year’s fair will feature more than 2,300 classes of competition. In 2014, the competitions drew about 3,100 participants and more than 10,000 entries.…

Latino Decisions to Unveil Updated Models on the New Target Threshold Percentages that the GOP Must Meet in Virginia to Remain Competitive in the Race for the White House. As immigration continues to insert itself as a defining issue in the presidential election cycle, many have been left to speculate what this means for the potential GOP nominee; what’s at stake for the party writ large; and what’s the tipping point for Republicans to finally come to terms with the nation’s changing demographics? This Friday, July 17th at 12pm ET, Matt Barreto of Latino Decisions will join Frank Sharry of…

Michael Golden, James O’Barr, Phil Ortiz, Dean Haspiel, Danny Fingeroth Also Headline Lineup Of 50+ Comics Creators At Richmond Convention Center Bob Camp (“Ren and Stimpy,” “G.I. Joe”), Mike Grell (“Green Arrow,” “Green Lantern”), Ken Kelly (Kiss Album covers, “He-Man”), Marv Wolfman (“Crisis on Infinite Earths,” “New Teen Titans”), James O’Barr (“The Crow”), Michael Golden (“Daredevil,” “Hulk”), Phil Ortiz (“The Simpsons,” “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe”), Dean Haspiel (“Bored to Death,” “Billy Dogma”), Danny Fingeroth (“Spider-Man,” Writer – “Iron Man”) headline the roster of more than 50 comics artists and writers scheduled to attend Wizard World Comic Con…

Key pieces of Governor Terry McAuliffe’s 2015 “New Virginia Economy” legislative agenda are among the nearly 800 pieces of legislation that take effect today.  This year the McAuliffe administration passed 150 bills, amounting to a 70% success rate. From reforming workforce development and transportation planning to enhancing economic development and standing up for Virginia veterans, the Governor’s legislative accomplishments represent his efforts to lay a foundation for the new Virginia economy. “Growing and diversifying Virginia’s economy requires smart policy changes that strengthen our economic infrastructure and enhance our Commonwealth’s standing as the best place to locate and grow a…