AP
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Federal prosecutors have decided not to pursue federal criminal charges related to the resignation of a Democratic state senator that helped sink Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s effort to expand Medicaid. U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Timothy J. Heaphy sent a letter to various interested parties Friday saying his office was closing its investigation into former Sen. Phil Puckett, whose decision to quit the Senate prompted potential job offers from powerful officials in both parties. His abrupt departure gave Republican control of the upper chamber. Puckett was in line for a potential high-level job at the GOP-controlled Virginia tobacco commission at the time of his resignation. He was also offered a potential job for his daughter not to resign by McAuliffe’s chief of staff, Paul Reagan.
Former Virginia
Gov. Bob McDonnell
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Lawyers for former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell will be allowed to file a longer-than-usual brief about his upcoming sentencing on federal corruption charges. U.S. District Judge James Spencer on Wednesday gave McDonnell permission to submit up to 50 pages instead of the maximum of 30 allowed by Richmond federal court rules. McDonnell’s attorneys said in court papers that they needed the extra pages because they expect prosecutors to seek an exceptionally long sentence, and they needed to discuss their client’s entire life. Prosecutors opposed the motion. McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, were convicted of illegally trying to help a dietary supplement maker in exchange for more than $165,000 in gifts and loans. Bob McDonnell’s sentencing is set for Jan. 6. Maureen McDonnell’s sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 20.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Republican leaders in the Virginia House of Delegates are proposing a $100 limit on the value of gifts to state and local elected officials. House Speaker Bill Howell and other GOP leaders announced the proposal Wednesday. The cap would apply to tangible gifts and intangible gifts, like meals and entertainment. Ethics reform will be a major issue for the 2015 General Assembly following the federal corruption convictions of former Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen. They face sentencing early next year for accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from the CEO of a dietary supplements company in exchange for promoting its products. An ethics panel formed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe has proposed a $250 gift cap. The House GOP leaders say the public is demanding more.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) _ In her most extensive interview since a controversial Rolling Stone article, the University of Virginia’s president says efforts are underway to reform the school’s party culture and improve safety but that those plans will take time. Teresa Sullivan tells The Washington Post implementing change “is a marathon, not a sprint.” Sullivan says the university’s long-held concerns about sexual assault and alcohol use were heightened by the article, which described an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house. The magazine has since apologized for what it calls discrepancies in details of the account. Sullivan says a committee of parents, students, faculty, alumni and university board members has met to discuss campus culture. She says the university plans to revise agreements with fraternities to emphasize safety, and to deploy uniformed “ambassadors” to escort students home or provide other help.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Virginia has been awarded a $17.5 million federal grant to expand preschool programs. Virginia is among 13 states receiving funding from the Preschool Development Grants program to expand preschool. Five other states received grants for preschool development. U.S. Secretary of Education Anne Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell announced the grants Wednesday in a news release. Duncan says states receiving the grants will serve as models for expanding preschool to all 4-year-olds from low- and moderate-income families.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Twenty-five Virginia cities, towns and counties are sharing about $21.5 million in grant money to fund storm water pollution projects. Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced Tuesday that the grants are headed to 64 projects aimed at improving water quality. They achieve that goal by reducing levels of phosphorus, a key pollutant in storm water. McAuliffe says the grants will support projects to reduce pollution in state waterways. Much of that pollution ends up in the Chesapeake Bay, which is amid a massive restoration. The funding is administered by the Department of Environmental Quality. A total of $28 million is available to local governments as matching grants. The DEQ will award the remaining $6.5 million in 2015.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Gov. Terry McAuliffe says Virginia ranks at the top of a national assessment of states’ preparedness for health emergencies. The National Health Security Preparedness Index is an annual initiative of the Association for State and Territorial Health Officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The overall scores for states range from 6.5 to 8.2. McAuliffe announced that Virginia scored an 8.2 on the 2014 index, which was up from the previous year’s 7.9. The index grades states on such measures as health care delivery, environmental and occupational health, incident and information management, and data collection and dissemination.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ More than 1,450 veterans were hired in the most recent quarter through a Virginia program advocating the hiring of former military members. Gov. Terry McAuliffe says since the Virginia Values Veterans program began in 2012, companies in the state have hired a total of 6,636 veterans. Officials say federal numbers show Virginia has the highest labor force participation by veterans with more than 550,000 veterans in the state’s labor force. The program aims to train employers on the value of hiring veterans. Since its inception, 230 companies have set goals to hire 8,150 vets.
Bob and Maureen McDonnell
(Associated Press photo)
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s lawyers are seeking permission to file a longer-than-usual brief about his sentencing on federal corruption charges. The lawyers say they need 50 pages instead of the usual 30 because they expect prosecutors to seek an exceptionally long sentence. McDonnell’s attorneys say the memo needs to cover their client’s entire life. Prosecutors say in court papers that the judge heard plenty about McDonnell’s life during his testimony. They say he should be held to the same 30-page limit as other defendants. McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, were convicted of illegally trying to help a dietary supplement maker in exchange for more than $165,000 in gifts and loans. Bob McDonnell’s sentencing is set for Jan. 6. Maureen McDonnell’s sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 20.
LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) _ Washington and Lee University in Lexington says the Lee Chapel and Museum is closing for renovations and upgrades. The school says the chapel and museum will be closed from Friday through late March 2015. The work is part of Washington and Lee’s continuing efforts to preserve its historic buildings. Renovations include the installation of a new fire suppression system, the creation of a new hall exhibition gallery and an upgrade of the museum’s track lighting. Washington and Lee’s entire front campus has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the Department of the Interior. Lee Chapel was built in 1868 and is home to campus events, lectures, concerts and weddings. It attracts 40,000 visitors annually and includes paintings of George Washington and Robert E. Lee, as well as other exhibits.