Podcast appearances and mentions of virginia secretary

In our 7:30 half hour, Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Janet Kelly calls in to the show to discuss "Screen-Free Week."

Atop the 9 o'clock hour, we hear from Virginia Secretary of Public Safety Terry Cole -- who debriefs us about Operation Free 2.0.

Coming up this episode, West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner, Steven Allen Adams of Ogden Newspapers and your calls and texts.

On May 27, the Virginia War Memorial will host its 68th annual Memorial Day ceremony to honor and remember American service members who have died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. The event is free and open to the public. The Virginia War Memorial is located at 621 South Belvidere Street in Richmond. The Commonwealth's Memorial Day Ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at the Virginia War Memorial. Scheduled speakers include Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Craig Crenshaw and the Adjutant General of Virginia, Major General James Ring. Virginia War Memorial Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle will...Article LinkSupport the Show.

On episode 010 of Mountain State Views, host Steven Allen Adams sits down with all four Republican candidates for Secretary of State of West Virginia to discuss their plans and priorities for the office that manages elections, business registrations, charities, and filings from the Governor's Office. Adams talked with former House Minority Leader Doug Skaff, former lawmakers and county commissioner Ken Reed, Putnam County Clerk Brian Wood, and Economic Development Authority Executive Director Kris Warner, the brother of current Secretary of State Mac Warner.Mountain State Views is sponsored by Ogden Newspapers - the publisher of 10 daily and weekly newspapers in West Virginia with more than 100 publications across the United States.Follow Steven Allen Adams on Twitter (X)Follow Steven Allen Adams on Facebook

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us. This week we welcome the former Virginia Secretary of Education and veteran Marine, Atif Qarni to the show. Atif was kind enough

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us. This week we welcome the former Virginia Secretary of Education and veteran Marine, Atif Qarni to the show. Atif was kind enough

I was pleased to interview West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner at AMFEST!! He is now running for Governor of West Virginia and talks about his campaign in this interview!

A team of county officials and community leaders joined Feed More supporters and staff Oct. 25 to break ground for Feed More's future headquarters on Villa Park Drive.  Among those celebrating the groundbreaking were Henrico County Manager John Vithoulkas, Fairfield Supervisor Frank Thornton, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matt Lohr, Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Littel, Tanya Gonzalez of the Sacred Heart Center, Feed More Board Chair Brian Davis, and Feed More executives Doug Pick and Aaron McClung.   Currently housed in century-old converted tobacco warehouses that it long ago outgrew, Feed More is expected to...Article LinkSupport the show

Aneesh Chopra is President of CareJourney, an open data and analytics platform delivering a trusted, transparent rating system for physicians, networks, facilities and markets on the move to value. Prior to CareJourney, Chopra served as the first U.S. Chief Technology Officer (2009–2012) and as the fourth Virginia Secretary of Technology (2006–2009). Chopra authored “Innovative State: How New Technologies Can Transform Government” (2014), about creating a more open, tech-savvy government, and in 2011, Modern Healthcare named Chopra to its list of 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare. In this episode, Chopra charts the path of his life that led to his role as the first U.S. CTO under President Barack Obama. “As the federal government's first Chief Technology Officer,” Obama wrote, “Aneesh Chopra did groundbreaking work to bring our government into the 21st century. Aneesh found countless ways to engage the American people using technology, from electronic health records for veterans, to expanding access to broadband for rural communities, to modernizing government records. His legacy of leadership and innovation will benefit Americans for years to come.”

Episode Notes The United States saw over 44,300 deaths from guns in 2022. And as the last year has made painfully clear, Virginia is not immune. Our state has been rocked by the horrific shootings in Charlottesville, Chesapeake, and Newport News. But even so, almost no meaningful gun safety legislation passed the General Assembly in the 2023 session. House Bill 2387 established tax credits for people who purchase gun safety devices, but that was about it.  That's a departure from 2020 and 2021, when Democrats in the House and Senate passed a bevy of legislation aimed at reducing gun violence. Yet while those were important changes, there's still a long way to go.  So, what do Virginia's gun laws look like now? And what can be done to end gun violence in the state? To help answer those questions, we talk to Andrew Goddard, Legislative Director at the Virginia Center for Public Safety, and Brian Moran, who served as Virginia Secretary of Public Safety from 2014 to 2022. To learn more, check out the Virginia Center for Public Safety's Research Resources.

GENEDGE Alliance is inviting local manufacturing companies in the Richmond region to its "Roadshow" event May 18 from 4 p.m. to 6 pm. in Ashland. The event aims to provide local manufacturers (with 5 to 50 employees) with insights into the various resources that the company can offer to help them grow. The Roadshow will feature guest speakers Todd Haymore (managing director of Hunton Andrews Kurth and former Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade); Wei Zhang (co-founder of Zynnovation); and Dean Young (vice president of business transformation at GENEDGE Alliance). Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from their peers...Article LinkSupport the show

Jim Dyke, former Virginia Secretary of Education under Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, joined guest host Governor Doug Wilder on The Jeff Katz Show to talk about the importance of education in Virginia, the problems with only teaching some parts of history, and more!

In Episode 353 of District of Conservation, Gabriella speaks with Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matt Lohr. Secretary Lohr serves as the 5th Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry for the Commonwealth of Virginia. He was raised on a Century family farm in the Shenandoah Valley and has spent his entire life working for the betterment of agriculture.  Matthew developed his passion for public service while serving as both a state and national FFA officer before graduating from Virginia Tech with a B.S. degree in Agricultural Education. He has more than 30 years of experience as a professional leader and communicator.  Matthew served as Chief of the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, an agency with more than 10,000 employees across 3,000 offices. He also previously served in the Virginia House of Delegates, as Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, as Director of the Farm Credit Knowledge Center and as a middle school agriscience teacher.  In addition to serving as Secretary, Matthew along with his two children own and operate Valley Pike Farm, Inc., his family's farming operation.  SHOW NOTES Secretary Lohr's Bio Virginia Ag Dept Website and Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter Connect with the Secretary on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter Churchill Downs buys Virginia's Colonial Downs, Rosie's Virginia's first lady announces wine partnership, 'Cornus Virginicus' red blend Governor Youngkin hopes to reduce food insecurity with indoor farming Solar's Lofty Ambitions Are Consuming Ever-Larger Expanses of Land Down Below Virginia Gov. Youngkin rings death knell on CCP buying American land near military sites Americans turn to raising chickens as eggs cost upward of $4 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/district-of-conservation/support

CARDINAL ZEN TRIAL NINA SHEA, director of the Center for Religious Freedom at The Hudson Institute, and FRANK WOLF, Commissioner of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom discuss the delayed trial of Cardinal Joseph Zen in China. TRANS POLICY IN VIRGINIA AIMEE GUIDERA, Virginia Secretary of Education, discusses Governor Glenn Youngkin's decision to revoke transgender policies in Virginia's public schools. SACRED MUSIC MOST REV. SALVATORE CORDILEONE, Archbishop of San Francisco and composer FRANK La ROCCA discuss sacred liturgical music and the new Mass of the Americas CD.

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (4:22).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments ImageExtra Information Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 6-30-22. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of July 4 and July 11, 2022.  This is a repeat of a 2016 episode celebrating the July 4th holiday.  The episode features Virginia Tech master's degree graduate Kriddie Whitmore as a guest voice. SOUNDS - ~ 4 sec – Gray Treefrogs and fireworks. This week, for Independence Day episode, we drop in on a most unusual July 4th conversation: two Gray Treefrogs, surrounded by fireworks, are debating U.S. water history.  Sound unimaginable?  Well, just have a listen. SOUNDS - ~2 sec – Frogs and fireworks. Frog 1 – There those humans go again, shootin' off their fireworks and makin' it hard for us frogs to hear each other's calls!  What's all the ruckus about, anyway? Frog 2 - Why, it's July 4th!  They're celebrating this country's Declaration of Independence in 1776 from Great Britain.  I think it's cool—at least it's a break from hearing YOU guys calling every evening. Frog 1 – And just why are YOU so excited about the birthday of this big, bustling, human country?  Seems to me that it's been nothing but trouble for aquatic habitats and creatures like us since those first ships came over here from that Europe place.  Everywhere we try to hop, there's polluted rivers and lakes, lost wetlands and other habitats, and hot, dry pavement. Frog 2 – Well, yeah, you're right, partly.  This country's waters have had a pretty hard history.  And we amphibians have had the worst of it in some cases and places, with this permeable skin we have.  But you're forgetting about some positive things.  The humans' Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, and a bunch other important acts, too.  And right here in this state, Virginia, the constitution says it's the Commonwealth's policy to protect its atmosphere, lands, and waters from pollution, impairment, or destruction. Frog 1 - Have all those things done any good? Frog 2 – Well, not always or everywhere.  Just in Virginia, hundreds of water bodies are impaired and need expensive clean-up programs.  For instance, I've got cousins living near that Chesapeake Bay, and they tell me every year it's some things good, other things fair, and still others needing a ton of work.  But many rivers and lakes certainly are in better shape than they were 40 or 50 years ago; the Potomac River's one example.  Those humans have many competing interests, so sometimes what they do isn't so good for water, or lands, or creatures like us. But other times, it is.  People have learned a lot over the years about using and managing natural resources more sustainably, and all kinds of people work hard trying to do that. Frog 1 - Yeah, I guess you're right.  You know, it's not easy being a frog, but I guess it's pretty tough being a person, too. Frog 2 – Now that's a pretty realistic call! SOUNDS - ~3 sec – fireworks.Frog 2  – Hey, there's the fireworks finale.  And that sounds like the Air Force Concert Band playing one of my favorites, “The Washington Post,” by John Philip Sousa.  Let's have a quick listen, then we better get back under cover.  All the humans will be coming back from the fireworks soon. Both frogs – Happy July 4th!MUSIC - ~ 14 sec – instrumental. SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode replaces Episode 323, 7-4-16, and Episode 427, 7-2-18. Virginia Water Radio thanks Kriddie Whitmore, a 2016 master's degree graduate in Forestry from Virginia Tech, for participating as the guest voice in this episode. Thanks also to Jennifer Gagnon, Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Conservation, for reviewing a draft of the episode. This episode's frog and fireworks sounds were recorded Blacksburg, Va., around 9:30 p.m. on July 4, 2015. This episode's music was an excerpt of “The Washington Post,” written by John Philip Sousa in 1889, and performed here by the United States Air Force Concert Band on their 2001 album “I Am An American,” accessed online at http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-am-an-american-mw0002256231, as of 6-29-22.  Information about “The Washington Post” is available from the United States Marine Band, “Sousa-The Washington Post” (3:30 video), online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxrh1CrMmTY; and “The President's Own/John Philip Sousa,” online at http://www.marineband.marines.mil/About/Our-History/John-Philip-Sousa/. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGE (Unless otherwise noted, photographs are by Virginia Water Radio.) Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor) on the deck of a residence in Blacksburg, Va., Sep. 23, 2009. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT CONSERVATION IN THE VIRGINIA CONSTITUTION Following are the four sections of Article XI, “Conservation,” of the Virginia Constitution, as accessed at the Virginia Legislative Information System, online at https://law.lis.virginia.gov/constitution/article11/, on June 30, 2022.Section 1. Natural resources and historical sites of the Commonwealth.To the end that the people have clean air, pure water, and the use and enjoyment for recreation of adequate public lands, waters, and other natural resources, it shall be the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve, develop, and utilize its natural resources, its public lands, and its historical sites and buildings.  Further, it shall be the Commonwealth's policy to protect its atmosphere, lands, and waters from pollution, impairment, or destruction, for the benefit, enjoyment, and general welfare of the people of the Commonwealth. Section 2. Conservation and development of natural resources and historical sites. In the furtherance of such policy, the General Assembly may undertake the conservation, development, or utilization of lands or natural resources of the Commonwealth, the acquisition and protection of historical sites and buildings, and the protection of its atmosphere, lands, and waters from pollution, impairment, or destruction, by agencies of the Commonwealth or by the creation of public authorities, or by leases or other contracts with agencies of the United States, with other states, with units of government in the Commonwealth, or with private persons or corporations.  Notwithstanding the time limitations of the provisions of Article X, Section 7, of this Constitution, the Commonwealth may participate for any period of years in the cost of projects which shall be the subject of a joint undertaking between the Commonwealth and any agency of the United States or of other states. Section 3. Natural oyster beds. The natural oyster beds, rocks, and shoals in the waters of the Commonwealth shall not be leased, rented, or sold but shall be held in trust for the benefit of the people of the Commonwealth, subject to such regulations and restriction as the General Assembly may prescribe, but the General Assembly may, from time to time, define and determine such natural beds, rocks, or shoals by surveys or otherwise. Section 4. Right of the people to hunt, fish, and harvest game. The people have a right to hunt, fish, and harvest game, subject to such regulations and restrictions as the General Assembly may prescribe by general law.SOURCES Used for Audio Chesapeake Bay Program, online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/; and “Slight improvements in Bay health and new economic data added in 2021 Chesapeake Bay Report Card,” June 7, 2022, news release, online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/news/blog/slight_improvements_in_bay_health_and_new_economic_data_added_in_2021_chesa.Commonwealth of Virginia, Constitution of Virginia, “Article XI Conservation,” accessed online at https://law.lis.virginia.gov/constitution/article11/. John D. Kleopfer and Chris S. Hobson, A Guide to the Frogs and Toad of Virginia, Special Publication Number 3, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (now Department of Wildlife Resources), Richmond, Va., 2011. Bernard S. Martof, et al., Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia, University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 1980. Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, “Water Quality Monitoring in the Potomac Estuary,” online at http://www.mwcog.org/environment/water/potomacestuary.asp.Thomas V. Cech, Principles of Water Resources: History, Development, Management, and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y., 2003.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:“National Aquatic Resources Surveys,” online at https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys;“Summary of the Clean Water Act,” online at https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act.Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, “Water Quality Assessments/Integrated Report,” online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quality/assessments/integrated-report.Zygmunt J. B. Plater et al., Environmental Law and Policy: Nature, Law, and Society, West Publishing Co., St. Paul, Minn., 1998. For More Information about Amphibians in Virginia and Elsewhere AmphibiaWeb, https://amphibiaweb.org/index.html. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, “Animal Diversity Web,” online at https://animaldiversity.org. J.C. Mitchell and K.K. Reay, Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles in Virginia, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries/Richmond (1999); available online (as a PDF) at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/atlases/mitchell-atlas.pdf, courtesy of the Virginia Herpetological Society.  (Herpetology is the study of amphibians and reptiles.) Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries):“A Guide to Virginia's Frogs and Toads,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/frogs-and-toads/;“A Guide to the Salamanders of Virginia,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/salamanders/;“Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/(the Gray Treefrog entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020007&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19173);“List of Native and Naturalized Fauna in Virginia, August 2020,” online (as a PDF) at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/virginia-native-naturalized-species.pdf;“Virginia is for Frogs,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/virginia-is-for-frogs/;“Wildlife Information,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/information/. Virginia Herpetological Society, “Frogs and Toads of Virginia,” online at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/frogs_and_toads_of_virginia.htm. For More Information about Federal Environmental and Natural Resources LawsCornell University Law School/Legal Information Institute:“Environmental Law,” online at https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/environmental_law; “Natural Resources,” online at https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/natural_resources. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Laws and Regulations,” online at https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations.  The section for the Clean Water Act is online at https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act; the section for the Endangered Species Act is online at https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-endangered-species-act; the section for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is online at https://www.epa.gov/nepa. For More Information about Virginia Natural Resources Laws Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources Web site, online at http://naturalresources.virginia.gov/.  See the “Agencies” link to access the various Virginia state agencies involved with resources regulation and management. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Amphibians” and “History” subject categories. Following is the link to another episode on Gray Treefrogs.Episode 528, 6-8-20. Following are links to other episodes done for July 4th. Episode 168, 7-1-13 – Water and the Revolutionary War.Episode 220, 6-30-14 – Water origins of Virginia Declaration signers.Episode 273, 7-6-15 – The Great Road on the Virginia Peninsula.FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode's audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-4: Living Systems and ProcessesK.7 – Plants and animals have basic needs and life processes.1.5 – Animals, including humans, have basic life needs that allow them to survive.2.5 – Living things are part of a system.3.5 – Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems support a diversity of organisms.4.3 – Organisms, including humans, interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the ecosystem. Grades K-5: Earth and Space Systems3.7 – There is a water cycle and water is important to life on Earth. Grades K-5: Earth ResourcesK.11 – Humans use resources.1.8 – Natural resources can be used responsibly, including that most natural resources are limited; human actions can affect the availability of natural resources; and reducing, reusing, and recycling are ways to conserve natural resources.3.8 – Natural events and humans influence ecosystems.4.8 – Virginia has important natural resources. Grade 66.6 – Water has unique physical properties and has a role in the natural and human-made environment.6.8 – Land and water have roles in watershed systems.6.9 – Humans impact the environment and individuals can influence public policy decisions related to energy and the environment. Life ScienceLS.9 – Relationships exist between ecosystem dynamics and human activity. Earth ScienceES.6 – Resource use is complex.ES.8 – Freshwater resources influence and are influenced by geologic processes and human activity.ES.10 – Oceans are complex, dynamic systems subject to long- and short-term variations. Biology&

On this week's Education Gadfly Show podcast, Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Rogstad Guidera, discusses the governor's vision for education, outlined in the working paper, Our Commitment to Virginians: High Expectations and Excellence for All Students. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber Northern reviews a study on identifying gifted students in rural communities.Recommended content:The working paper referenced: Our Commitment to Virginians: High Expectations and Excellence for All Students.The study that Amber reviewed on the Research Minute: Carolyn M. Callahan et al., “Consequences of Implementing Curricular-Aligned Strategies for Identifying Rural Gifted Students” Gifted Child Quarterly (2022).Feedback welcome!Have ideas or feedback on our podcast? Send them to our podcast producer Pedro Enamorado at penamorado@fordhaminstitute.org.

In the episode, Virginia's Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matt Lohr shares his passion and perspective on soil health, conservation, and the future of farming. As a fifth-generation Virginia poultry and beef farmer, Secretary Lohr sees the progress farmers are making to move the needle and build soil health to benefit water quality, agricultural production, and climate resilience, specifically with cover cropping, crop rotations, conservation tillage, and farmer-to-farmer mentoring. Virginia farmers are doing well but farmers and all of us can do our part and do better. Education, outreach, and peer-to-peer learning continue to be important to make people aware of what financial, technical, and educational assistance is available at the local, state, and federal levels. Secretary Lohr also reiterates that new and beginning farmers should not go it alone but realize mentors and resources are available to help aspiring farmers learn and succeed.To learn more about Virginia's commitment to supporting rural economic development, preserving farmland and forestland across the state, and priorities to ensure that all Virginians, especially those who are most vulnerable, have access to safe, healthy foods, , please visit the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry's website at https://www.ag-forestry.virginia.gov/To become involved in the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the 4 The Soil movement, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/ and http://4thesoil.org/

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (4:02).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments Images Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 3-18-22. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of March 21, 2022.  This revised episode from March 2013 is the first in a series of episodes this year on trees and shrubs. MUSIC – ~7 sec – instrumental. This week, we feature a musical selection about one of Virginia's most common natural resources and one of the most important for the Commonwealth's waters.  Have a listen to the music for about 45 more seconds.  MUSIC  - ~43 sec – Lyrics: “When you plant trees, it's not for tomorrow; no shade tomorrow from them itty bitty seeds.  It's your children's children who'll look up and feel the wonder; it's like lovin' some person you might never chance to meet.  You could say it with flowers, you could shout it from the rooftop, you could beg from your knees; you could say I'm sorry, or darlin' I love you—Grandad planted trees.” You've been listening to part of “Grandad Planted Trees,” by Bob Gramann of Fredericksburg, Virginia.  Fortunately for all of us, lots of people these days are like the grandad in the song and recognize the value of planting trees for many reasons, including water benefits.  Here are four examples: volunteers in many watersheds plant trees along streams to help improve water quality and habitat; cities encourage tree-planting to help reduce stormwater runoff and the pollutants it can carry to waterways; Chesapeake Bay states are working to increase forest coverage to improve Bay water quality, such as in the Virginia Department of Forestry's Virginia Trees for Clean Water Program; and 141 countries at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in 2021 affirmed the critical role of trees in addressing climate change through trees' absorption of carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.  In these and other ways, trees are recognized as part of the solution for an array of water-resources issues. Virginia has a rich diversity of trees: deciduous and evergreen; flowering and cone-bearing; shrubby and towering.  These trees' interactions with water are key factors in the health of water, land, air, and wildlife.  And, of course, trees are great for shade, beauty, and birdsong. Thanks to Bob Gramann for permission to use this week's music, and we close with about 20 more seconds of “Grandad Planted Trees.” MUSIC – ~18 sec – Lyrics: “You could say I'm sorry, or darlin' I love you—Grandad planted trees.” SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 153, 3-18-13. “Grandad Planted Trees,” from the 2004 album of the same name, is copyright by Bob Gramann, used with permission.  More information about Bob Gramann is available online at http://www.bobgramann.com/.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio in Episode 376, 7-10-17. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com.IMAGESTrees framing Little River near Radford, Virginia, September 22, 2009. Tree-planting project along the Holtan Branch tributary to Stroubles Creek in Blacksburg, Va., March 21, 2022. Tree-planting project along the Docks Branch tributary of of Stroubles Creek in Blacksburg, Va., November 17, 2021. Sycamore along Stroubles Creek in Blacksburg, Va., March 21, 2022. Cherry trees blooming beside the Virginia Tech Duck Pond in Blacksburg, Va., March 21 2022. SOURCES Used for Audio Center for Watershed Protection, “Trees and Stormwater Runoff,” online at https://www.cwp.org/reducing-stormwater-runoff/. Chesapeake Bay Program, “Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement 2014” (updated in 2020), online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/what/what_guides_us/watershed_agreement. Sanglin Lee and Alan Raflo, “Trees and Water,” Viriginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Water Central Newsletter, pages 13-18, online at https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/handle/10919/49367.   (A Virginia Cooperative Extension version of this article—“Trees and Water,” by Sanglin Lee, Alan Raflo, and Jennifer Gagnon, 2018—with some slight differences in the text is available online at https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/pubs_ext_vt_edu/en/ANR/ANR-18/ANR-18NP.html.) 26th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), October 31—November 12, 2021, online at https://ukcop26.org/. Virginia Department of Forestry, “Virginia Trees for Clean Water Program,” online at https://dof.virginia.gov/urban-community-forestry/urban-forestry-community-assistance/virginia-trees-for-clean-water-grant-program/. Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources, “Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay,” online at https://www.naturalresources.virginia.gov/initiatives/chesapeake-bay/. For More Information about Trees in Virginia and Elsewhere Chesapeake Bay Program, “Field Guide: Plants and Trees,” online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/all/plants_trees/all. Oscar W. Gupton and Fred C. Swope, Trees and Shrubs of Virginia, University of Virginia Press, Charlottesville, 1981. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Natural Resources Conservation Service Plants Database, online at https://plants.usda.gov. Virginia Botanical Associates, “Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora,” online at http://www.vaplantatlas.org/index.php?do=start&search=Search. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation/Natural Heritage Division, online at https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/. Virginia Department of Forestry, Common Native Trees of Virginia,” 2020 edition, online (as a PDF) at https://dof.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/Common-Native-Trees-ID_pub.pdf. Virginia Department of Forestry, “Tree Identification,” online at https://dof.virginia.gov/education-and-recreation/learn-about-education-recreation/tree-identification/.Virginia Native Plant Society, online at http://vnps.org/. Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Conservation, “Virginia Tech Dendrology/Fact Sheets,” online at http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/factsheets.cfm.  At this site, one can search for trees by common or scientific name. A.S. Weakley, J.C. Ludwig, and J.F. Townsend, Flora of Virginia, Bland Crowder, ed.  Copyright by the Foundation of the Flora of Virginia Project, Inc., Richmond.  Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, 2012.  This is the first comprehensive manual of Virginia plants published since the 1700s.  The Flora of Virginia Project is online at http://www.floraofvirginia.org/. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Plants” subject category. Following are links to other episodes on trees and shrubs. Introduction to trees and water – Episode 621, 3-21-22.American Sycamore – Episode 176, 8-26-13.American Witch Hazel – Episode 238, 10-31-14.Ash trees – Episode 376, 7-10-17.Early spring wildfowers in woodlands – Episode 573, 4-19-21.Forestry as work and as an industry in Virginia – Episode 160, 5-6-13.Maple trees – Episode 503, 12-16-19.Photosynthesis – Episode 602, 11-8-21.Poison Ivy and related plants, including the shrub Poison Sumac – Episode 535, 7-27-20.Rhododendrons – Episode 574, 4-26-21.Tree colors and changes in fall, including to water movement – Episode 285, 10-9-15.|Tree buds – Episode 449, 12-3-18.

This episode features former Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, Brian Moran. He talks about his role in public safety and what it's like to leave the position after so many years. He offers insight to what was happening around the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville and how Virginia supported efforts on January 6.

2022 ends its third week today, and this edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement is intended to capture where we are as of January 21. Listeners and readers do not need to know that this is Squirrel Appreciation Day, National Cheesy Socks Day, National Hugging Day, and One-Liners Day. But, now you do, and that is information you may find useful. I’m your host, Sean Tubbs, and now here’s something I hope you’ll really like.In the 318th edition:The Blue Ridge Health District hits another one day record for COVID-19 with 800 casesA quick snapshot of where the General Assembly was as of this morning And the Central Virginia Regional Housing Partnership takes a look at “missing middle” housingFirst subscriber-supported public service announcement - #MLKCVILLEThe commemoration in Charlottesville of the life, times, and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. continues on Sunday with the 37th Community Celebration put on by the Mount Zion First African Baptist Church. Beginning at 4 p.m., a panel discussion will be held virtually on the topic of “The Urgency of Creating the Beloved Community.” Nancy O’Brien will moderate the event which will features speakers Bitsy Waters, Sarad Davenport, and Cameron Webb. Community members will be recognized and the winners of the local MLK essay contest will be announced. Visit and bookmark the YouTube mlkcville page to review last year’s celebration while you wait for Sunday at 4 p.m. New one-day record of new COVID cases in the Blue Ridge Health DistrictThe Virginia Department of Health reports another 800 new cases of COVID-19 in the Blue Ridge Health District. That’s the highest one day total so far. Those cases are among 17,027 reported across the Commonwealth today. The seven-day average for percent positivity statewide continues to decrease and is at 30.9 percent today. Kathryn Goodman of the Health District confirmed the numbers.“It is important that people follow multiple mitigation strategies to help prevent spreading COVID-19, which include staying home when sick, getting COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, wearing masks in public settings,” Goodman said. The highest plateau of hospitalization numbers so far continues with 3,836 new cases according to the Virginia Healthcare and Hospitalization Association. There are 632 patients in intensive care units and 387 are on ventilators. Today the UVA Health System has the most number of COVID patients then at any time of the pandemic to date. Wendy Horton is the Chief Executive Officer for UVA Health and said there are 114 in-patients today.“And of those 114 COVID patients, 36 are in our ICU’s and six of them are pediatric patients,” Horton said. Some of those COVID patients are asymptomatic and had gone to the hospital for other reasons. We’re now in the third year of the worldwide pandemic, and the Associated Press reports some countries across the world are opting to shift their public health strategy towards accepting COVID-19 as a continuing condition. More of an endemic rather than a pandemic. Dr. Costi Sifri is the director of hospital epidemiology at UVA Health he cautions against making that conclusion.“Many people have predicted the ending of the pandemic at various interactions through this and we think that we’re all a little bit concerned about doing that prematurely,” Dr. Sifri said. “We don’t know what things may look like after Omicron and if there are other variants that we’ll have to deal with. We may see some of the old variants come back and cause problems.”So far, Dr. Sifri said the omicron variant does not cause as many fatalities per infection. “There are reasons for that that seem to be bearing out based on studies,” Dr. Sifri said. “Things like the fact that it causes upper respiratory tract infections compared to pneumonia and lower respiratory tract infections.” Governor Youngkin’s Executive Order Two declared that mask usage in public schools was optional. One stated reason is that the omicron variant “results in less severe illness.” Dr. Sifri said it’s still a serious issue.“Omicron still really can cause very, very serious illness and we’re still seeing patient deaths and we’re seeing them almost on a daily basis,” Dr. Sifri said. Vaccination continues to be a protection against serious disease. The seven-day average for doses administered per day is at 20,915 today and 68.6 percent of the total Virginia population is fully vaccinated and around 2.3 million have received a third dose or a booster. Horton said it is a misnomer to state that omicron is not a threat. “It does cause quite a bit of disease especially in immunocompromised individuals so far our health systems a lot of strain on the intensive care units and caring for those individuals,” Horton said. Later in the week, Youngkin issued another executive order to declare a limited state of emergency to provide hospitals and health care with “flexibility” in the work against COVID-19. (Executive Order 11)“For a health system it really is an acknowledgment of where we’re at and really garners additional resources,” Horton said. “I was really so pleased to see an emphasis on making sure that people have access to vaccination. So that is really very, very important.” Horton said this allows hospitals the ability to increase bed capacity and increase staffing. “We are very fortunate here at UVA that we haven’t had to activate those special accommodations, but it is really great that we know that we have them if we ever need to activate or use any special resources available,” Horton said. Regional group briefed on “missing middle” housingChanges to land use rules are being made across the region to allow for additional density to create what planners and developers refer to as “missing middle” housing. The term was coined by Dan Parolek in 2010. “His focus is on small units and making them feasible to build in neighborhoods where only large single-family houses currently exist,” said Emily Hamilton is a senior research fellow and director of the Urbanity Project at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.Hamilton was one of the speakers at the latest discussion run by the Central Virginia Regional Housing Partnership on Thursday. She said additional flexibility to allow more housing can lead to units becoming more affordable. (watch the video)“In some of the cases where we see lots of small in-fill construction happening there is that increased flexibility where for example large duplex units or townhouses can be built in places where exclusively detached single family houses would have been permitted previously,” Hamilton said.The recent adoption of the Crozet Master Plan as well as the Future Land Use Map in the Charlottesville Comprehensive Plan are both intended to encourage the production of these units and developers have responded. Many community members have pushed back, as seen this week in Scottsville when community opposition may have led to a deferral of two special use permits.However, Hamilton said this is how houses in communities used to be built.“Historically in an era before zoning we saw that what we would now call missing middle was often times the bread and butter housing of working and middle income Americans because it has lower per-foot construction costs compared to a large multi-family building,” Hamilton said. The topic comes up a lot in the community. Here are two examples I’ve not yet had the chance to review completely: The Places29-North Community Advisory Committee was introduced to the new Middle Density Residential category at its meeting on January 13. (watch the video)The Crozet Community Advisory Committee discussed a planned residential community within that designated growth area on January 12. (watch the video)Second subscriber-supporter public service announcement goes to Shift/EnterDo you or someone you know want to find a job in the tech community? On this upcoming Saturday, there will be another Shift/Enter workshop in which participants can go through directed sessions with knowledgeable volunteers on resume feedback, interview advice, and perspectives on the tech landscape. For an $8 ticket, you'll have three different interview sessions with people to have a career conversation, to review your resume, or to have a mock interview. To learn more and to sign up, visit shiftenter.org. General Assembly update: Charlottesville sales tax referendum moves close to passage in the SenateToday is Day Nine of the Virginia General Assembly, and we’re at the point where the first pieces of legislation have made their way out of Committee and await a vote in either the House of Delegates or the Senate. There’s a lot of these, but here are some of note. For starters, a bill from Senator Creigh Deeds that would allow Charlottesville to levy a one-cent sales tax increase for capital education costs has been reported out of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee on a 14-2 vote. Senators Steve Newman and Emmet Hanger voted against the measure. (SB298) Today, the bill was read for the second time by the full Senate. Delegate Sally Hudson has similar legislation in the House of Delegates. It is currently within a subcommittee of the House Finance Committee (HB545)If signed into law, voters would have to approve the measure in a referendum. The funding would be earmarked for the school reconfiguration project. Here’s the status on more legislation. A bill (HB28) from Delegate Ronnie Campbell (R-2) to increase the length of the Maury River’s Scenic River status by 23.2 miles was approved by the Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee on a 19-2 vote. One of the two to vote against it was Delegate Chris Runion (R-25). The full House had first reading today. A bill (HB828) from Delegate Tony Wilt (R-26) to expand eligibility in the Dairy Producer Margin Coverage Premium Assistance Program was reported out of the same committee on a unanimous vote. Learn more about the program here. The full House had first reading today. Delegate John McGuire (R-56) has a bill (HB358) would direct the Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs and the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to examine the feasibility of waiving fees for small businesses owned by veterans. The House Commerce and Energy Committee unanimously recommended adoption. A bill (HB8) from Delegate Tim Anderson (R-83) would allow veterans hired by school boards to be school security officers to perform any other duty they are requested to do so. The House Education committee reported that out unanimously. The full House had first reading today. Another bill (HB9) carried by Delegate Lee Ware (R-65) would allow school boards to extend probationary period for teachers and would appear to make it easier for school boards to dismiss teachers by reducing the period of notice of a dismissal hearing from ten days to five days. That was also reported out of the House Education Committee unanimously. The full House had first reading today. A tax credit program for “major business facilities” is currently slated to sunset this July 1, but a bill from Delegate Kathy Byron (R-22) would extend that to July 1, 2025 (HB269). The House Finance Committee reported that out on a 20-1 vote. Delegate Nick Frietas was the lone vote against this action.  The full House had first reading today. The Attorney General would be required to report every year the number of fraudulent Medicaid claims on a public website if HB232 from Delegate Bobby Orrock (R-54) becomes law. The House Health, Welfare, and Institutions unanimously reported this out unanimously. The full House had first reading today. Over in the Senate, a bill (SB8) from Senator Chap Petersen (D-34) to permit hunting on Sunday reported out of the Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources on a 9 to 4 vote, with two abstentions. Second Here are some other bills of note:A bill from Senator Barbara Favola (D-31) that would allow roof replacement projects at for public buildings to enter into a energy performance-based contract (SB13). The Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources committee reported this out and it has been rereferred to the General Laws and Technology Committee. Another bill from Senator John Edwards (D-21) would remove the ability of the Department of Wildlife Resources to charge a fee for boat ramps that the agency manages but doesn’t own. (SB141) The same committee reported this out, and rereferred it to the Finance and Appropriations Committee. Currently localities with combined stormwater and sewer systems have until 2036 to have replacement systems in place. Under a bill from Richard Stuart (R-28), that would be moved up to 2030. This reported out of the same committee by an 11 to 4 vote, and the bill will go to the Finance and Appropriations Committee. (SB534)A bill has passed the full Senate that would add the City of Chesapeake to a list of localities that require an analysis of drinking water. Albemarle County already has this ability. (SB53)Localities would be allowed to require broadband be installed as part of a residential development if a bill from Senator Jennifer Boysko (D-33) is approved. The Senate Commerce and Labor reported that out and it now goes before the Local Government committee. (SB446)Boysko has another bill to be known as Adam’s Law to require private and public higher education facilities to develop anti-hazing policies (SB439). This was reported unanimously from the Education and Health Committee but with one abstention. Legislation is also pending to require the Department of Education to develop guidelines on policies to inform student athletes and their coaches about the dangers of heat-related illness. SB161 was reported out of the Senate Education Committee and is now before the Finance and Appropriations Committee. The Virginia Arts Foundation would be eliminated and its powers transferred to the Virginia Commission of the Arts under one bill (SB597) from Senator Todd Pillion (R-40). The Education and Health Committee unanimously reported this out. A bill from Siobhan Dunnavant (R-12) would allow certain pharmacists to dispense cannabis products until such time as retail sale licenses are available. (SB621) The Education and Health Committee reported this bill out, and it’s now been assigned to the Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee. A bill from Senator Richard Stuart would require cyclists riding two abreast to not impede vehicular traffic passed out of the Transportation Committee on an 11-4 vote. (SB362)Support the program!Special announcement of a continuing promo with Ting! Are you interested in fast internet? Visit this site and enter your address to see if you can get service through Ting. If you decide to proceed to make the switch, you’ll get:Free installationSecond month of Ting service for freeA $75 gift card to the Downtown MallAdditionally, Ting will match your Substack subscription to support Town Crier Productions, the company that produces this newsletter and other community offerings. So, your $5 a month subscription yields $5 for TCP. Your $50 a year subscription yields $50 for TCP! The same goes for a $200 a year subscription! All goes to cover the costs of getting this newsletter out as often as possible. Learn more here! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s Substack-fueled shout-out, Code for Charlottesville is seeking volunteers with tech, data, design, and research skills to work on community service projects. Founded in September 2019, Code for Charlottesville has worked on projects with the Legal Aid Justice Center, the Charlottesville Fire Department, and the Charlottesville Office of Human Rights. Visit the Code for Charlottesville website to learn more, including details on projects that are underway.In today’s show: Virginians for High Speed Rail hold a “town hall” on the future of passenger service in  the CommonwealthCharlottesville Area Transit holds the first of two input sessions on upcoming route changesStudents at Jack Jouett Middle School may soon take a JourneyA committee reviewing the name of Jack Jouett Middle School has recommended that the facility be renamed Journey Middle School. The group was chaired by teacher Hannah Peters. “Inclusiveness was the value repeated most often by our students, community members, and staff,” Peters said in a news release on the school site. “Journey is a concept that applies to all. Middle school is a place that prepares students for the academic rigors of high school and beyond.”Other choices included “Hope, Peace, and Justice,” “Monacan”, and keeping the existing name. The latter was the preference of a community survey. Superintendent Matt Haas will make his recommendation to the School Board at their meeting on August 12. The Board would take a vote as soon as August 26, but the name change would not take effect until July 1, 2022. According to the release, Jouett is reported to have held over two dozen people in enslaved servitude. Prior to this effort, the county has renamed three other schools and retained the name of Virginia Murray Elementary School. Cale Elementary has been Mountain View since July 1, 2020 and Sutherland Middle School is now Lakeside as of the most recent July 1. The Murray High School is now the Community Lab School. Virginia’s Planning District Commissions will be granted $40 million to use to create new housing across the Commonwealth. Funding will pass through the regional organization, such as the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. Opportunities include renovating blighted properties, creation of regional housing trust funds, and building housing in business districts. The funding comes through the Virginia Housing Development Authority, which is now known as simply Virginia Housing. Specifically, the funding is part of their REACH program. We can expect more details perhaps at the August 5 meeting of the TJPDC. Virginia will be able to participate in a regional program designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions after a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit from a business group last week. The Circuit Court of Richmond ruled that Virginia Department of Environmental Quality did not violate state rules when it revised regulations to enter a cap and trade system known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The Virginia Manufacturers Association had argued the move created an “illegal carbon tax on ratepayers”“The Court recognized that DEQ scrupulously followed the General Assembly’s directives and did not violate Virginia’s Clean Energy and Community Flood Preparedness Act when it amended its carbon trading program regulations to allow for the direct auction of carbon dioxide allowances,” said DEQ Air and Renewable Energy Director Mike Dowd in a release today. For more on the ruling and the RGGI system, read this article in the Virginia Mercury. A project to relocate a gas line from one side of Emmet Street to the other met with damage this weekend, resulting in a detour of southbound traffic heading toward the University of Virginia. Rain damaged a utility trench and in order to make repairs, all southbound traffic on Emmet Street will be detoured through Massie Road and Copeley Road. The gas line is being relocated as part of UVA’s Emmet / Ivy Corridor project. UVA Architect Alice Raucher will discuss that larger project at the Albemarle County Planning Commission on July 20 beginning at 6 p.m. (learn more about the detour ) (Albemarle PC meeting info)In the past year and a half, the state of Virginia has invested heavily in the future of rail, spending billions to buy hundreds of miles of right of way for that purpose from CSX. The investment has been made as a way of relieving congestion on Interstate 95 and other roads without widening. Shannon Valentine is the Virginia Secretary of Transportation and she created an Office of Innovation at the Virginia Department of Transportation to study major corridors. “The congestion along I-95 particularly from Fredericksburg to D.C. is some of the worst in the country,” Valentine said. “We were going through a number of options and the natural solution was let’s look at building more roads and we learned through the study that just building one lane, 52 miles from Fredericksburg to 495 in each direction would cost $12.5 billion.”Details on what the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority has been up to from their June 28, 2021 meeting (Executive Director’s report)Valentine said the study also forecast the expansion would be obsolete within ten years of completion. She said the investment in rail will be a third of the cost and focus on moving freight and passengers through the corridor. Part of the improvements will be to build a new bridge across the Potomac dedicated to passenger and commuter service. Valentine made her comments at a July 15 “Town Hall” held by the group Virginians for High Speed Rail.  The other speaker was Stephen Gardner, the president of Amtrak. That federal agency is investing in new trains for additional service in the northeast corridor. “First and foremost, we view our mandate as trying to create as many alternative trips to driving and as we can across America to create that alternative to connect communities with reliable, efficient, and time-competitive service,” Gardner said. Amtrak was created as a federal agency in 1971 to consolidate 20 passenger rail services across the United States into one. In Virginia, the seventies coincided with a period of disinvestment in passenger rail. Today’s efforts didn’t come out of nowhere. “This program, this effort to expand has been a many, many decades long effort,” Gardner said. “It’s just been a long and continuous effort to try to develop an expanded service that could really support the tremendous growth and opportunity in the Commonwealth and it’s taken a while to turn vision into fruition.” Gardner credited Virginia for having a plan when the time came for expansion. There has been daily service from Lynchburg to D.C. since October 2009 and a second daily train will be along in the near future. “We are adding a second train in the FY22 from Roanoke and Lynchburg north, and we’ll be expanding and extending that train, both trains actually, over to the New River Valley into Christianburg, Blacksburg, Virginia Tech,” Gardner said. Watch the entire Town Hall on the Virginians for High Speed Rail’s YouTube channel. The group was formed in the 1990’s to build support for restored and renewed passenger service in Virginia. If you're curious and want to dig deeper, there's another podcast you might want to try. Especially you ask why, and not just what. And if you belive that politics should be about making communities better.If so, check out Bold Dominion, a biweekly podcast from WTJU 91.1 FM. Bold Dominion is a state politics explainer for a changing Virginia. Their latest episode asks: Where does Virginia’s trash come from and who does it get dumped on? Check it out at BoldDominion.org.Charlottesville Area Transit has held the first of two public input sessions about changes to bus routes intended to boost ridership. The agency has experienced a sharp ridership decline over the past several years, and relatively new director Garland Williams has overseen some potential changes. “It is our intention to make sure that we get feedback and make adjustments to the CAT system that [are] fruitful to everyone and make sure the system is as productive as it possibly can be,” Williams said. During the pandemic, CAT hired Kimley-Horn and the Connetics Transportation Group to study the system to recommend changes. “We’ve had declining ridership for the last seven years,” Williams said. “We needed to figure out how to mitigate that, turn it around, put a stop on it, and put our best foot forward to make sure that the adjustments that we’re going to put in place will allow us to be productive.”The adjustments are the first in a series of proposed changes, as Albemarle County and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission are working on a study to expand transit regionally. The first opportunities for public input in that study are next week. A slide from the public presentation. Download the whole thing here. It is a fact that ridership is declining. Jim Baker of the Connetics Transportation Group knows another fact.“Generally about 62,500 people in the Charlottesville area are within a quarter mile of a stop, a transit service,” Baker said.Specific directives were to add service to South First Street in Charlottesville and the Center at Belvedere in Albemarle County. Capital funding from the city of Charlottesville for the Center was contingent on the new site being accessible to transit. “But also just to get 30 minute or better service to more people in the Charlottesville area and also to make sure that no route operating worse than a 60 minute service frequency,” Baker said.  Service will be extended to Mill Creek. Route 7 will travel all the way to Wal-Mart. And there will be more options for people to move around without having to go to the Downtown Transit Station. “We’re proposing a new crosstown service from the south Charlottesville up to the U.S. 29 corridor, so from Willoughby going through the UVA hospital complex and then up to the shops at Stonefield,” Baker said.  Five people made a public comment at the first session, which was held at noon on Friday. You can watch the whole thing on the city’s streaming meeting website. One person said he was glad service will be extended to the Center, but also had a concern that the bus only stops there once on the route. “Apparently there’s no return so if I get the 11 bus and ride to the Center and get off and spend my afternoon there, how do I get home?” asked Todd Cone.Williams said the intersection of Rio Road and Belvedere Boulevard is currently unsignalized, which means making a left-hand turn very difficult. “You do get home,” Williams said. “It’s just that there’s no, you have to ride around unfortunately because it is unsafe for us to go across an unsignalized intersection. A CAT vehicle is not a car so it’s a 35 foot bus trying to make it across six lanes of traffic. It’s not a safe way for us to go southbound towards downtown. You are able. You just have to get on the Center and ride around.”Carmelita Wood, president of the Fifeville Neighborhood Association, said many of the bus stops in the area offer no protection from the elements. “Some of the Routes, 4 and 6 on Cherry, and I think it’s Bailey Road and Fifth Street, there’s no coverage from the weather and the heat,” Wood said. “They recently put in seating in some areas, but in most of the areas there’s no coverage from the rain and the snow and the heat.”Juwhan Lee, assistant director at CAT, said a full review of city bus stops is underway. “What we’re trying to do is go out there and see where are stops are and what conditions they are in and what amenities they have,” Lee said. “We want to look at everything, look at the condition of the infrastructure of the location, and see what we can do improve it. Does the stop need to be here? If so, how can we make it better?” Lee said such a study has not been conducted for over ten years. Anthony Woodard is the manager of the McIntire Plaza off of McIntire Road just south of the interchange of the John Warner Parkway and the U.S. 250 Bypass. He noted no bus service serves the area, which will soon house more people. “There’s a lot of employment opportunities there,” Woodard said. “A lot of nonprofits in the area. Habitat Store, Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. And soon to be over 200 residents living back there as well as other neighborhoods nearby. The closest next stop is over half a mile away.”Williams said the area is on his radar for future coverage as those housing units come online, and as CAT looks ahead to the next set of upgrades. “It’s not off of the table but in the existing model, if we have additional funding it would be looked at it and when the additional residents get there, then we probably would look at as a recommendation to add additional service there,” Williams said. For details of the specific changes, visit the Charlottesville Area Transit website to review the presentation. And participate at the next event at 6 p.m. (meeting info) This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

This week on In Black America, producer and host John L. Hanson speaks with Maurice A. Jones, former Deputy Undersecretary of HUD and former Virginia Secretary of Commerce and current President and CEO of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, a community development finance corporation providing a variety of financial and technical services to schools, healthcare […]

This week on In Black America, producer and host John L. Hanson speaks with Maurice A. Jones, former Deputy Undersecretary of HUD and former Virginia Secretary of Commerce and current President and CEO of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, a community development finance corporation providing a variety of financial and technical services to schools, healthcare...

https://www.valuecapturellc.com/he24 Welcome to Episode #24 of Habitual Excellence, presented by Value Capture. Our guest is Dr. Daniel Carey, the Secretary of Health and Human Resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia, a former healthcare senior leader. In this episode, Mark Graban asks Dr. Carey what he learned about Lean leadership and High-Reliability Organizations (HROs) as a hospital executive (chief medical officer). They talk about how he brought multiple agencies across multiple Secretaries together to implement Medicaid expansion -- what were the operational and systems challenges to overcome to bring 460,000 new enrollees on board? What was the change of mindset that Secretary Carey has had regarding problems? They also discuss thoughts about Covid-19 and managing during times of uncertainty.

On this week’s Inside West Virginia Politics, we delve into the race for West Virginia Secretary of State, discuss if the state is ready for automatic voter registration, and discuss how best to help Mountain State small businesses.In segment one, Natalie Tennant, Democratic candidate of West Virginia Secretary of State, explains why much work still needs to be completed for automatic voter registration, why she believes this race comes down to “dignity and decency,” and why she takes issue with absentee ballot applications not being sent to all Mountain State voters for the General Election.In segment two, West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner explains why he decided to run for re-election, what he chose to terminate some Secretary of State employees when he took office in 2016, and why he does not believe West Virginia systems are not ready for automatic voters registration.In segment three, Tennant explains how she wants to make it easier for West Virginians to start small businesses, why she says the voting app is vulnerable and hackable, and what she plans to do for the state if elected.In segment four, Warner explains why his office chose to not mail out absentee ballot applications to all voters in West Virginia, why he believes the mobile voting system is safe, and how his “one-stop-shop” for small businesses is helping business owners throughout the Mountain State.

VPR Director of Operations Sean Bielawski and Meghan Clancy (MPP '21) talk about how Meghan came to Batten (3:50) and then speak with Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni (11:28) on the morning that many public schools in Virginia began their school year, many of them virtually. Related Reading Secretary Qarni's Washington Post OpEd (link) Acknowledgments Music: Blue Dot Sessions Voiceover: Zach Mendez Editing: Sean Bielawski Disclaimer Although this organization has members who are University of Virginia students and may have University employees associated or engaged in its activities and affairs, the organization is not a part of or an agency of the University. It is a separate and independent organization which is responsible for and manages its own activities and affairs. The University does not direct, supervise, or control the organization and is not responsible for the organization's contracts, acts, or omissions.

Virginia has 725,000 Veterans across the state, many of which live in our rural communities. Who speaks for them? RHV talked with Carlos Hopkins, Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs. Contact the Virginia Department of Veterans Services if you want to help a Veteran in your community. If you want to be part of the conversation about rural health, and you are a student in a health professions or policy program, consider joining the VRHA Board of Directors.  VRHA will accept applications for student representatives to the board between now and May 5th.  Download the application form here.

VPR Executive Editor James Leckie interviews Daniel Carey, Virginia's Secretary of Health and Human Resources. Dr. Carey was appointed to the position in January 2018 by Governor Ralph Northam. Before holding public office he worked as a cardiologist and as an executive in the healthcare industry. Our interview touches on Medicaid expansion, the opioid crisis, needle exchange programs, and access to care more broadly. Research: James Leckie Editing: Joshua Margulies Artwork: Brian Kim Music: Blue Dot Sessions Although this organization has members who are University of Virginia students and may have University employees associated or engaged in its activities and affairs, the organization is not a part of or an agency of the University. It is a separate and independent organization which is responsible for and manages its own activities and affairs. The University does not direct, supervise or control the organization and is not responsible for the organization’s contracts, acts or omissions.

Earlier this month, Congressman Scott Taylor received a death threat. As a result, Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran recommended that Virginia pursue a risk warrant law similar to the one recently enacted in Florida. Let's talk about it at noon on 89.5 WHRV-FM! But first, Dominion Energy joins the broadcast to answer a few of your lingering questions about the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

On this episode of Priorities, Jake talks with Virginia Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson about the Commonwealth's initiative around broadband and wireless connectivity.

HOV fast lanes are headed to I-64. In December, solo drivers will have access to the reversible lanes that are typically reserved for vehicles with multiple occupants. We'll talk today with Virginia Secretary of Transportation, Aubrey Lane, about the new toll lanes coming to Hampton Roads. We'll also get your thoughts on the two proposed routes for bringing light rail to Norfolk Naval Station. Tune in on 89.5 WHRV-FM.

We'll talk today with Virginia Senator, Tim Kaine, about the latest developments surrounding health care reform in Washington. Later in the show: In May, Peninsula Airport Commission Executive Director, Ken Spirito, was fired after a Virginia Department of Transportation audit discovered he used airport money for personal expenses. The commission's search for a replacement comes just days after calls from Richmond for better training for board members and a greater focus on transparency. Today we'll talk with Virginia Secretary of Transportation, Aubrey Layne, about the need for accountability and visibility with entities like the Peninsula Airport Commission.

Virginia Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne has all aspects of transportation under his purview. From highways, to ports, to transit, if it moves people or cargo, chances are he plays a role. In Transportation Radio's ongoing series featuring state transport agencies around the US, we talk about how the commonwealth manages transportation and what makes Virginia unique.

While the region's coastlines are one of our greatest assets, our close proximity to water often creates challenges for those attempting to get from one city to another. Those challenges are most acutely felt by commuters across the HRBT or Monitor Merrimack bridge tunnels, but there might be relief in sight. The Virginia Department of Transportation is in the process of reviewing options for a third water-crossing and today we'll talk with Virginia Secretary of Transportation, Aubrey Layne, about the plans being considered. We'll also get your thoughts on why light rail in Hampton Roads in proving to be such a polarizing issue. Join us live by phone 440-2655 or 800-940-2240 or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

The Daily Press' Dave Ress joins us today for an update on the latest from the 2016 session of the Virginia General Assembly -- including an update on Rep. Randy Forbes fast-moving campaign for Rep. Scott Rigell's soon to be vacated 2nd district seat. We'll also talk with Virginia Secretary of Transportation, Aubrey Lane, about the future of light rail in Hampton Roads.

Virginia Governor, Terry McAuliffe, is holding roundtable events all across the Commonwealth this month. The goal is to gather teachers, students and parents for their input on how the Commonwealth should be investing in public education. Virginia Secretary of Education, Anne Holton, join us live today in advance of the September 28th roundtable here in Hampton Roads.

Join us for another edition of Headlines, when we tackle the latest news headlines that have you talking. Today we'll unpack new polling data from CNU's Wason Center about who residents of Virginia are most likely to vote for come this November's Presidential Election, and we'll speak with Virginia Secretary of Transportation, Aubrey Lane. Join us with your thoughts by calling in live at 440-2665 or 1-800-940-2240. You can also e-mail the program at hearsay@whrv.org or join us on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/hearsaywithcathylewis.

Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones will join a panel discussion to explore the economic value of clean streams, rivers, and a restored Chesapeake Bay at the next Blue Planet Forum on Tuesday, March 10, 2015. Joining Jones will be Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Senior Water Quality Scientist Dr. Beth McGee and Dr. Quentin Kidd, chair of Christopher Newport University's Department of Government and director of the university's Wason Center for Public Policy. The panelist join host, Cathy Lewis, in advance of that lecture for an in-depth look at the true value of preserving the Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding waterways.

On today's HearSay we'll consider how Virginians get from point A to point B, and why the routes and rides they choose can stir up some serious controversy. In the first half we'll discuss a new HRT survey designed get the region talking about how it moves with the goal of getting people where they're headed in new, faster ways. Later, Virginia Secretary of Transportation, Aubrey Lane, joins us to discuss the Commonwealth's temporary agreement with ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft, allowing them to operate here in Virginia.

Flash Cookie Cop ($7.95 download, Flash cookies can be cleaned by free CCleaner), Windows Live Mail Configuration (adding and updating accounts), working around email spam filters, Profiles in IT (Charles Simonyi, software engineer who oversaw the creation of MS Office), Grand Opening of Stratford Richmond Campus (located in Shortpump, 53,000 sf, Gerard Robinson, Virginia Secretary of Education, was keynote speaker), star torn apart by black hole in middle of galaxy (emitted a burst of high energy X-rays), RSA hacked successfully (employed a phishing attack, Flash attachment which exploited xero-day vulnerability, Poison Ivy RAT remote admin tool), Facebook doubles capacity with new datacenter (plans released in the spirit of open source hardware development, complete details at www.opencomputer.org), and superconductivity discovered 100 years ago in Netherlands. This show originally aired on Saturday, April 9, 2011, at 9:00 AM EST on WFED (1500 AM).

Flash Cookie Cop ($7.95 download, Flash cookies can be cleaned by free CCleaner), Windows Live Mail Configuration (adding and updating accounts), working around email spam filters, Profiles in IT (Charles Simonyi, software engineer who oversaw the creation of MS Office), Grand Opening of Stratford Richmond Campus (located in Shortpump, 53,000 sf, Gerard Robinson, Virginia Secretary of Education, was keynote speaker), star torn apart by black hole in middle of galaxy (emitted a burst of high energy X-rays), RSA hacked successfully (employed a phishing attack, Flash attachment which exploited xero-day vulnerability, Poison Ivy RAT remote admin tool), Facebook doubles capacity with new datacenter (plans released in the spirit of open source hardware development, complete details at www.opencomputer.org), and superconductivity discovered 100 years ago in Netherlands. This show originally aired on Saturday, April 9, 2011, at 9:00 AM EST on WFED (1500 AM).