There was much for consumers to like in a credit-card reform measure approved by Congress in May. Companies must mail statements at least three weeks before  the payment-due date, for instance. And 45 days’ notice must be given before interest rates can be increased.

On its face, the resolution adopted by the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization doesn’t sound so momentous. It doesn’t even sound particularly decisive. But the unanimous vote late last month puts the region squarely behind high-speed rail in South Hampton Roads, and that’s a noteworthy accomplishment.

LIke all candidates, Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell’s campaign was steeped in the future tense, promising a radiant future under his leadership. Today, McDonnell looks the present tense square in the eye.

It is a horrific sight. The economy remains listless and fragile.  Resources available to the  chief executive are dwarfed by a long list of challenges.

Motorists cruising through Virginia Beach seem to be getting the message: Stopping on red is more than a notion.

That’s what police  are saying, now that red-light cameras have been up and snapping for several months. The Beach’s PhotoSafe Program is doing exactly what it was designed to do: decrease red-light violations at several key intersections.

It's disturbing when a siren that normally warns of tornadoes in the heart of Texas signals gunfire on an Army base. Harder still to learn that the shots fired Thursday were directed at soldiers preparing to be shipped overseas. Unfathomable that the man police say is responsible is an American officer unable to face his first deployment.

It's approaching; make-it-or-break time for Portsmouth residents seeking to oust James Holley from the mayor’s office.

On Election Day, organizers of the recall effort gained some momentum. They collected roughly 2,415 signatures from voters, bringing the total to more than 5,200.

In a year that's seen layoff after layoff, and plant closing after plant closing, the coming holiday season will be a time of angst and disappointment for many families. Breadwinners are desperately seeking work. Some are in jobs that pay far less than they previously earned.

When will President Barack Obama tell us what he plans to do in Afghanistan? It is a fair and important question, especially as terrorists there turn their attacks to Americans.

In the legislature, a delegate pushes $50 million in spending measures for a state university, while his wife earns more than $90,000 raising money for a private foundation supporting the same school. The college's president sends out a letter - on institution letterhead - praising the lawmaker and asking people to donate to his re-election.

Portsmouth's school officials face, by far, the most daunting challenges in the region in regard to dropout and graduation rates. But they're not entirely alone - every school division in Hampton Roads is wrestling with similar problems in at least one high school.