Health

Insurers to cover birth control at religious employers

Cindy.Clayton — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:36:22 -0500

By BEN FELLER

WASHINGTON President Barack Obama declared Friday he's found a solution that will protect religious liberty but also ensure that women have access to free birth control, as he rushed to defuse an election-year political uproar that threatened to overtake his administration.

Obama birth control mandate puts Kaine in corner

lauren.king — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:43:05 -0500

By Bob Lewis RICHMOND A White House mandate that could force Catholic organizations' insurance plans to cover their employees' birth control costs tugs former Gov. Tim Kaine between his Roman Catholic faith and his Democratic ally, President Barack Obama.

Poll: Virginians back drug tests for welfare recipients

Bill.Bartel — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:39:09 -0500

Virginians strongly favor drug tests for welfare recipients and many support repealing a requirement that preteen girls be vaccinated against a virus that can cause cervical cancer, according to a new poll conducted by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Virginia House panel OKs bill on epinephrine pens

Kathy.Adams — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:42:31 -0500

RICHMOND Schools may be able to stock epinephrine pens to treat students suffering from severe allergic reactions under a bill that advanced Wednesday from a House panel.

Nonprofit is a lifeline for HIV/AIDS inmates

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:30:41 -0500

NEWPORT NEWS Gwendolyn Ellis-Wilson's office phone was ringing. Again. This time it was an inmate, one of her clients who would soon be released. "Where are you going to be staying? I don't like that neighborhood," she said. Then she probed. "Who are you staying with? Is your mom aware of your status?"

Gov. McDonnell signs autism caregiver licensing bill

PilotonPolitics — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:21:32 -0500

RICHMOND Emergency legislation to fix a flaw in a Virginia law that delayed insurance coverage for autistic children has been signed by Gov. Bob McDonnell.

Komen official quits after Planned Parenthood dispute

Cindy.Clayton — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:33:57 -0500

By Ray Henry ATLANTA An executive with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast-cancer charity has resigned after a dispute over funding for Planned Parenthood. The resignation came in a letter obtained by The Associated Press.

Karen Handel announced her resignation as vice president for public policy in a letter to Komen officials today.

Guests find drug spoon, crack pipe in Va. Beach motel

aaron.applegate — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:23:04 -0500

VIRGINIA BEACH The Virginia Beach Department of Public Health is inspecting a motel where police confiscated two drug-related objects a family reported finding in different rooms over the weekend.

Suffolk village of Hobson still thirsts for clean water

aimee.green — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:26:22 -0500

SUFFOLK

For years, residents of the rural village of Hobson have known their drinking water, drawn from an aging community well, did not meet state or federal health standards.

Five years after HPV vaccine law, state remains split

aimee.green — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:57:57 -0500

Tonya McKinney was so intent on her daughter receiving the human papillomavirus vaccine that she was willing to pay out of pocket for the shots that protect against cervical cancer.

“I don’t want my daughter to go through a possible cancer experience if there’s something that can prevent it,” McKinney said.