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Foreclosure filings in Virginia dropped 15.9% in February
Nationally, filings fell 2% in February from January and gained 6% over filings in February 2009. Read more at The Richmond Times-Dispatch... Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2010 - 2:01pm
Virginia counties listed in Forbes' "richest" listForbes has released a list of the richest counties in the United States, and Loudoun County is See the full list here... Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 - 4:39pm
School budgets a thorny issue throughout VirginiaJust about every school district in the Commonwealth is struggling with budget cuts -- a process of great interes Read below to learn how districts are meeting the challenge. Senate approves charter, virtual schools bills (Associated Press) Va. Senate passes governor's plan to expand charter schools (The Washington Post) Governor's School faces shaky future (The Roanoke Times) Roanoke Schools may sue the state (The Roanoke Times) Gloucester School Board weighs "redesign" of elementary school as cost-cutting move (Daily Press) Newport News schools' budget shrinks $20 million, may get smaller (Daily Press) York County schools budget on hold while General Assembly talks money (Daily Press) Salem schools explore options (The Roanoke Times) Manassas Park ponders school budget cuts (News & Messenger) District hoping to slip big cuts (Waynesboro News Virginian) Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 - 3:21pm
State budget negotiations continue
Assembly budget negotiators at odds amid grim tax report (Richmond Times-Dispatch) Senate trims fees slightly in budget overture (The Associated Press) Budget negotiators don't have a deal yet (The Free-Lance Star) Bolling Enters Debate over taxes and fees in Virginia (The Washington Post) Cuccinelli asked if proposed fees would violate Virginia Constitution (The Washington Post) Va. budget plan would shrink general spending to 2006 levels (The Washington Post) Negotiators still divided on budget issues (The Virginian-Pilot) Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 - 12:32pm
Technology helps citizens participate in governmentLocal governments and school districts are turning to technology in an effort to keep citizens abreast of issues and to gather their input. Their efforts have been largely successful, with localities not
Read more at the Daily Press Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 - 12:20pm
Officials determined to improve rail service between Richmond and WashingtonVirgina officials were disappointed in the announcement of federal stimulus grants for high-speed passenger rail projects. The Commonwealth sought $1.8 billion but got just $75 million for its top rail initiative. Efforts to improve rail service between Richmond and Washington, and ultimately the rest of the state, will continue, according to Thelma Drake, director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. "Whether you like rail or not, it is the future," she said. More opportunities for federal funding will come up, and she expects to be on the spot, applications in hand. "A big part of my job is the Washington component," she said. High speed rail service allows trains to operate at 90 to 110 miles per hour. Currently, the fastest trains in Virginia operate at 79 mph. Read more at The Daily Press... Posted on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 - 4:49pm
Government to encourage short salesThe federal government has unveiled a new program encouraging buyers to sell their houses for less than they currently owe. Banks will be forced to accept the agreements, forgiving the difference between the market price of the property and what they are owed. Buyers will walk away with $1,500 in relocation assistance and the bank's promise that they will not be sued for the unpaid portion of their mortgage. “We want to streamline and standardize the short sale proce More than five million homeowners are behind on their mortgages and risk losing their houses to foreclosure. The government’s $75 billion mortgage modification plan has helped a relatively small number of them. Read more in The New York Times... Posted on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 - 3:55am
Coastal entities urged to plan for rising sea levelsThe Hampton Roads Planning District Commission says that rising sea levels are likely to impact cities and towns along the V According to he Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Hampton Roads is second only to New Orleans in terms of population and infrastructure at risk to sea-level rise and storm-surge flooding. Read more in The Virginian-Pilot... Posted on Monday, March 8, 2010 - 12:31pm
Stormwater regulations postponedStricter standards to keep stormwater runoff under control -- and out of the Chesapeake watershed -- have been postponed un The tougher standards would control the way new homes, shopping centers, and other developments are built. Environmentalists maintain the new standards are necessary to protect the watershed for future generations, but opponents say the rules will increase sprawl, increase the cost of housing, and that consumers would ultimately bear the cost of stricter development rules that builders would have have to comply with. Read more in The Daily Press... Posted on Monday, March 8, 2010 - 12:11pm
Hampton residents still floundering after November floodHampton homeowners are still dealing with the aftermath of November's nor'easter in the form of flood Resident Carole Garrison said local homeowners are also worried about the long-term value of their homes. "The problem is how are we going to sell our houses? It's my biggest investment, but how would I sell it?" she said. Read the full story in the Daily Press...
Posted on Monday, March 8, 2010 - 9:03am
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debris and slow-moving repairs. Rising insurance rates are another problem -- "We are getting all sorts of quotes on flood insurance, anything from $1,700 to $2,900 annually," resident Tom Leary said.