GOVERNOR DEDICATES NEW STATE PARK

here were 24 state forests located throughout Virginia, and on Monday, the headcount was officially raised to 25 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Virginia’s state forests. On the edge of the George Washington National Forest near Massanutten Resort sits 573 acres of hardwood and pine strands, open fields and more than 21,700 feet of stream frontage that the Virginia Department of Forestry sought to purchase in 2017.

COMPETITIVE SENATE RACE SPENDS OVER $1 MILLION IN MEDIA ADS

A competitive race in District 12 — covering Henrico and Hanover counties — has become the first Senate race in Virginia to spend over $1 million in broadcast TV ads. Democratic candidate Del. Debra Rodman is running against Republican incumbent Siobhan Dunnavant, both representing Henrico.

VA HOUSE 26TH DISTRICT CANDIDATES ENGAGE WITH JMU STUDENTS

Both candidates for the Virginia House 26th District held a traveling town hall on James Madison University's campus Monday night. JMU held a "traveling town hall," with both candidates for Virginia's 26th District House of Delegates seat on Monday, October 7, 2019. Republican incumbent Delegate Tony Wilt and Democratic candidate Brent Finnegan had the chance to speak to and take questions from JMU students. They discussed key issues such as climate change, raising the minimum wage and taking campaign money from corporate interests.

LURIA RAISES MONEY FOR VA. DEMOCRATS RUNNING FOR LEGISLATURE AFTER GOP GROUP RUNS IMPEACHMENT ADS

After a national Republican group began targeting Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) over her support for an impeachment inquiry into President Trump, she is pushing back in an unusual way. Luria, who represents the swing district of Virginia Beach, created a fundraising committee to raise $228,000 not for her own 2020 reelection campaign, but to help elect Democrats to competitive seats in Virginia General Assembly races next month.

A LOOK AT VOTER ENTHUSIASM

The key to Virginia’s odd year elections -- and particularly the off-off ones in which only the House of Delegates and state Senate will be on the ballot -- is turnout, which these days comes down to how energized Democrats and Republican partisans are.

'BAD TO WORSE' - LEGISLATORS DISMAYED BY REPORT ON VITA TRANSITION

A state agricultural field office lost telephone service for 27 days in the spring because of a technology problem that was supposed to be solved in four hours. A transportation district office employing 800 people has experienced 14 outages in its information technology network in the past year, disrupting email, invoicing and other services for as long as 12 hours at a time.

STATE IT AGENCY BLASTED FOR SERVICE GAPS, DELAYS

The state agency that handles Virginia’s computer and network needs lets service issues lie unresolved for too long and allows suppliers miss deadlines without penalty, a blistering report by the General Assembly’s watchdog says.

FEWER THAN 1 IN 4 STUDENTS AT A RICHMOND SCHOOL PASSED READING TESTS. THE SCHOOL IS STILL ACCREDITED. HERE'S HOW.

At Fairfield Court Elementary School in Richmond, fewer than 1 in 5 students passed the state’s science test last year. Fewer than 1 in 4 passed reading tests, and 28% passed math. Yet when parents and other community members went to look up the school’s annual accreditation rating — released by the Virginia Department of Education last week — Fairfield Court received the top distinction under Virginia’s school accountability system.

SEN. KAINE VISITS LOUDOUN COUNTY, HEARS AGRIBUSINESSES CONCERNS

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine swung through western Loudoun last Thursday to speak with and hear suggestions from local leaders about bolstering the rural economy. While a formal proposal isn't on the table, a suggestion was raised during a roundtable in Hillsboro to consider incentivizing and developing meat processing centers and mills.

NEWPORT NEWS SHIPYARD SNUFFS OUT E-CIGARETTES, VAPING DEVICES

Newport News Shipbuilding has decided to ban electronic cigarettes and vaping devices, citing them as possible explosive hazards. The ban went into effect Monday. Leaders at the nuclear shipyard considered measures short of a ban and researched the issue for nearly a year

ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO STEAL: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RADFORD UNIVERSITY STUDENT PAPER?

Nearly three weeks have passed, and the mystery of the missing student newspapers at Radford University in southwestern Virginia remains unsolved. The Sept. 18 edition of the Tartan had more bad news in it than typical for the school’s weekly paper. Two tragic stories dominated the front page.

VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY MARCHING BAND SUSPENDED OVER HAZING ALLEGATIONS

The marching band at Virginia State University has been suspended amid allegations of hazing, officials said Monday. The Trojan Explosion Marching Band is suspending its performances pending the completion of an investigation by VSU police and the band’s leadership, which recommended the suspension, said university spokeswoman Pamela Tolson.

SUPREME COURT DENIES APPEAL OF EMINENT DOMAIN FOR MOUNTAIN VALLEY PIPELINE

The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday it will not hear an appeal from a group of Southwest Virginia landowners whose property was taken, before they were paid, for a controversial natural gas pipeline.

JERRY FALWELL JR. SETTLES MIAMI COURT CASE OVER SOUTH BEACH ‘POOL BOY’ VENTURE

Jerry Falwell Jr. has settled the Miami court case that laid out many of the details behind the South Beach real estate venture his family launched in 2013 with a former Fontainebleau pool attendant the evangelical leader and his wife met while on vacation. In a federal court filing, Falwell and the young lawyer who sued him, Gordon Bello, said they have settled the case for an undisclosed “monetary sum”

CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE TO APPEAL DECISION IN CONFEDERATE STATUES SUIT

The city of Charlottesville plans to appeal its defeat in a lawsuit challenging the City Council’s decision to remove two downtown Confederate monuments. At the end of its meeting late Monday night, the council authorized the City Attorney’s Office to appeal the lawsuit once a final ruling comes down.

DANVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION POSTPONES MORE THAN A DOZEN GAMING ITEMS

The Danville Planning Commission postponed more than a dozen requests from store owners seeking special use permits to operate skilled-gaming machines.

$6M IN GRANTS TO EXPAND BROADBAND IN SW VA.

Two Southwest Virginia counties are slated to receive $6 million in federal funds to expand high-speed internet access. iGo Technology Inc. in Buchanan County and the Scott County Telephone Cooperative will each receive $3 million grants, according to a news release Monday by U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner

NOTICE BILLING, WORDING THREATENS ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD REFERENDUM

A dispute over publication of a legal notice could kill a Winchester ballot referendum before a single vote is cast. The referendum in question asks city residents if they want City Council to continue appointing members to the Winchester School Board or if board seats should become elected positions.

RISING COSTS MAKE COLLEGE INACCESSIBLE

A new book about higher education reaches some depressing conclusions. In “The Years That Matter Most: How Colleges Make Us or Break Us,” Paul Tough points out the forces that are making colleges and universities more and more inaccessible to those in lower income brackets.

DID FREIGHTCAR AMERICA MOVE ROANOKE JOBS TO MEXICO? NO, BUT HERE'S WHAT IT DID DO.

Well, that didn’t take long. On July 22, FreightCar America announced that it would close its Roanoke operation. On Sept. 19, the company announced it had formed a joint venture with a Mexican company to produce railcars in Castaños, Mexico.

VA. VOTERS CAN HELP MAKE D.C. SAFER

So far this bloody year, about 450 people have been hit by gunfire in the nation’s capital. They were executed, injured or they killed themselves, according to the incidents gathered by the Gun Violence Archive.

MILES: VIRGINIA’S RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE POISED TO LEAD THE NATION

In the wake of Gov. Ralph Northam setting the commonwealth on a path toward procuring all its power from carbon-free sources by 2050, Virginia is positioned to deploy the most balanced and resilient clean energy portfolio in the nation.

Jonathan J. Miles is executive director of the Office for the Advancement of Sustainable Energy at James Madison University, where he is also a professor of integrated science and technology.

PERKINS: PROPANE SCHOOL BUSES ARE A BETTER CHOICE FOR VIRGINIA'S CHILDREN

Gov. Ralph Northam announced on Sept. 24 that the state is setting aside $20 million of Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust funds to promote deployment of electric school buses.

Tucker Perkins of Richmond is the president and CEO of the Propane Education & Research Council, which is based in Washington, D.C.

ARCHER: NO STATE FUNDS WERE USED FOR RADFORD EVENT

Serving as Rector of the Radford University Board of Visitors, I am compelled to respond to Robert C. Ewers’ Sept. 26 letter, “RU a good steward of funds?” I would agree with Mr. Ewers that it is critical for each college and university in the commonwealth to make sure that all resources are utilized in a fiscally responsible and appropriate manner, always keeping the students’ best interest in mind.

Archer is rector of the Radford University Board of Visitors.