AP

Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell

Former Virginia
Gov. Bob McDonnell

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Former Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell says he is grateful for the ongoing support of his friends following his indictment on corruption charges. McDonnell made his first public appearance Tuesday, and offered his most extensive remarks to the news media since the indictment in January. His wife, Maureen, was also indicted. The former Republican governor visited a cook-off organized by former Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and headlined by former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney in a Richmond suburb. The event focused on promoting the campaign of U.S. Senate nominee Ed Gillespie. McDonnell was warmly greeted by past supporters, many of whom waited in line to speak with the former governor or have pictures taken with him. The McDonnells’ trial is set for July.

Brad Froman

Brad Froman, Independent
Candidate for U.S. Senate
photo credit:
bradfroman.com

 

 

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ A Fredericksburg man says he’s mounting a write-in campaign as an independent for the U.S. Senate. Brad Froman said in a news release Tuesday that he’s trying to appeal to voters who feel that neither major political party represents their interests. Froman said his campaign will neither raise nor spend money promoting his candidacy. Froman owns a video production company. Also running are incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, GOP nominee Ed Gillespie and Libertarian Robert Sarvis.

SunTrust logo

WASHINGTON (AP) _ SunTrust has reached a nearly $1 billion settlement with the government to resolve allegations that it underwrote and provided risky mortgage loans. The Justice Department on Tuesday announced the $968 million deal with SunTrust Mortgage, a Virginia-based lender and subsidiary of SunTrust Banks.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said SunTrust’s conduct is a “prime example” of the widespread underwriting failures that helped bring about the recent financial crisis.

As part of the deal, SunTrust has agreed to provide $500 million in homeowner relief and $418 million to resolve allegations that it underwrote bad loans. SunTrust chief executive William Rogers said in a statement that the bank was pleased to have resolved the allegations.

Republican Dave Brat

Republican Dave Brat
VA 7th Congressional
District Candidate
Photo credit:
davebratforcongress.com

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ In his first public appearance since his primary victory against House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Republican Dave Brat says he will run on a message of promoting “economic prosperity” in the general election. Brat attended a Rotary Club breakfast Tuesday, but organizers said he was not a speaker. The breakfast was closed to reporters. Brat spent much of last week at home, avoiding media attention after his victory in Virginia’s 7th District primary. In brief remarks to reporters before the breakfast, Brat said too many Virginians continue to suffer without jobs. He also says the government has failed in attempts to spend Americans’ way to prosperity. Brat is an economics professor at Randolph-Macon College. He is set to face off against Democrat Jack Trammell, who also teaches at Randolph-Macon, in November.

forkunion.com

forkunion.com

 

WAYNESBORO, Va. (AP) _ Virginia’s oldest military high school is getting a makeover. Renovation work began at Fishburne Military School about 18 months ago. Some projects have been completed while others are in progress. Director of operations Lt. Col. Stephan Corbin tells The News Leader that construction has focused on areas such as information technology infrastructure, classrooms and the infirmary. Fishburne spokesman Chris Richmond says the Alumni House and JRTOC Center for Leadership Studies have undergone extensive renovations. Richmond says the renovations’ cost has topped $1 million. The work is being funded by donations from alumni and parents, and private foundation contributions. Fishburne was founded in 1879.

yokahamatire.com

yokahamatire.com

SALEM, Va. (AP) _ Union workers at Yokohama Tire Co.’s plant in Salem have a new four-year contract. Media outlets say Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia president Tesuro Murakami announced the contract’s signing on Monday. Members of United Steelworkers Local 1023 ratified the contract earlier this month. The union represents about 750 hourly workers at the plant. The contract includes a provision that the plant will remain open during the life of the labor agreement. The contract also continues union members’ pension plan. The Salem plant manufactures passenger, high performance and light-truck tires.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe

Gov. Terry McAuliffe

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe says the tea party has taken control of the General Assembly.  McAuliffe spoke to reporters Friday in Richmond, a day after the GOP-controlled state legislature approved a budget aimed at ensuring McAuliffe cannot expand Medicaid without legislative approval.  The governor said he has not decided whether to sign, veto or try and amend the budget. He’ll have seven days to act once he’s formally presented the budget next week.  McAuliffe had made expanding Medicaid eligibility to low-income residents his top legislative priority. He hasn’t ruled out trying to bypass the legislature to expand Medicaid.  McAuliffe said House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s surprise loss to a tea party-backed candidate in Tuesday’s GOP primary has emboldened conservative lawmakers.

Breaking-NewsRICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ The General Assembly has passed a state budget after adopting an amendment to ensure that Gov. Terry McAuliffe cannot expand Medicaid without legislative approval. The Republican-backed amendment passed on a 20-19 party-line vote Thursday night after hours of internal GOP wrangling. The Senate then voted 21-18 to pass the budget. The House then passed the amended bill 69-31. Medicaid expansion was the sticking point that prevented the General Assembly from passing a budget in the session that ended in March. McAuliffe and his fellow Democrats favor expansion, while most Republicans oppose it. McAuliffe had not ruled out trying to expand the program by executive action. The budget now goes to the governor. He can sign it, amend it or veto it. McAuliffe says when the budget reaches his desk he will “take the actions that I deem necessary, but this fight is far from over.” The current budget expires in a little over two weeks on June 30.

The Associated Press and WFIR reporter Velvet Hall contributed to this report.

Veterans Administration logoWASHINGTON (AP) _ The wait time for new patients seeking a primary care doctor at the VA Center in Salem is 34 1/2 days, much higher than what the Department of Veterans Affairs had set as a goal. VA guidelines, now abandoned, said veterans should be seen within 14 days of their desired date for a primary care appointment. The department has since said that meeting that target was unattainable given existing resources and growing demand. Other VA facilities in Virginia also exceed that goal. In Richmond, it is more than 72 days. In Hampton, the average wait time is just under 58 days. The numbers were released Monday by the Department of Veterans Affairs as part of a national audit.

The link to the data is www.va.gov/health/access-audit.asp and www.hospitalcompare.va.gov/.

 

WFIR-LOGO-1RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Virginia’s two U.S. senators are recommending a former state legislator and a Salem attorney for a federal judgeship in Roanoke.   Ward L. Armstrong of Henry County served 20 years in the House of Delegates, including five as Democratic leader. Elizabeth K. Dillon is an attorney in private practice who represents local governments, constitutional officers and school boards in court and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.   Democratic Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine made the recommendations in a letter Monday to President Barack Obama. They said the Virginia State Bar screened both candidates and rated them highly qualified. U.S. District Judge Samuel G. Wilson has announced he is retiring on Aug. 1.