News

By Tom Graham

Charlottesville, VA – Virginia's General Assembly opens its 2009 session next week and the big question on the minds of legislators is what government programs should not have their budgets cut.

In anticipation of the upcoming session, WMRA is talking with lawmakers from across the region about their priorities, and we begin this series with a General Assembly member who used to be Mayor of Charlottesville.

By Brendan O?Connor

Staunton, VA – Brendan O'Connor grew up in Staunton and is working at the State Department while considering graduate school.

By Martha Woodroof

Harrisonburg, VA – Martha Woodroof is a reporter and editor of WMRA's Civic Soapbox.

By Nancy King

Charlottesville, VA – President-elect Barrack Obama is talking about a massive public works plan to put people back to work. Seven decades ago, another president used public works projects to get the economy moving... but the New Deal also accomplished some broad cultural goals.

Nancy King discovered that some of the New Deal's cultural efforts are still in evidence in Virginia.

By Kate Buford

Rockbridge, VA – Kate Buford extols the independent spirit of Rockbridge County residents.

By Tom Graham

Richmond, VA – Governor Tim Kaine met with key members of the Virginia General Assembly to announce more budget cuts.

WMRA's Tom Graham has a summary of those budget proposals, which would effect everything from state workers' pay to public schools.

By Jeremy Aldrich

Harrisonburg, VA – Happy Esperanto Day from Jeremy Aldrich, a teacher in Harrisonburg.

By Bob Belton

Ivy, VA – Bob Belton lives in Ivy, where he gardens and fly fishes.

By Martha Woodroof

Charlottesville, VA – UVA's Darden business school attracts a lot of innovative entrepreneurial students dreaming of starting their own businesses and maturing them on rich infusions of venture capital. Now that the world's economy is shrinking Martha Woodroof explores the current viability of those Darden student dreams.

By Tom Graham

Charlottesville, VA – Virginia's Governor is due to release a new set of budget plans, and since the economic down turn has already hit many local governments hard, many officials across the Commonwealth are feeling anxious about the Governor's coming announcement.

WMRA's Tom Graham reports.