News

Weather: Sunny and warm Sunday and Monday

Patrick.Wilson — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:17:24 -0500

By Evan Stewart High pressure will control the weather the next few days before a cold front brings in cooler weather for midweek. As the high pressure system sits offshore Sunday and Monday, skies will be mostly sunny and high temperatures will increase into the upper 60s and lower 70s.

Video: Breast cancer survivors model at fundraiser

Patrick.Wilson — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

NORFOLK
About 20 breast cancer survivors were models in a fashion show Saturday night to raise money for Beyond Boobs!, a nonprofit in Virginia that promotes breast health education.
“This is very healing for us ... to make everyone else aware that being diagnosed with breast cancer is not a death sentence,” said Charlene Cattoi of Virginia Beach, one of the models.

Companies use incentives to get workers healthier

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:47:08 -0500

Nudging employees to be healthy used to mean kicking in a gym discount or a free flu shot every year. Now, though, companies are starting to push harder by linking their workers' health habits to their pocketbooks.

Paper mill ends copy paper production

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:40:45 -0500

The No. 6 machine at International Paper's mill outside Franklin ran for the final time Saturday, but its workers will remain in other capacities at the plant through the end of the year, a company spokesman said Friday.

How the Beltway Sniper came to face death

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:58:38 -0500

It happened seven years ago. The leaves were falling, just like now. As a nation, we were staggering through the first anniversary of 9/11. Then someone began hunting humans around the country's capital and beyond. For six surreal weeks, the victims fell - selected because they'd wandered into the gun sight, picked off like trophies from the herd.

Portsmouth urged to build on assets

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:37:26 -0500

PORTSMOUTH This city doesn't have much cash to entice developers. But it does own some strategic parcels that could spur economic growth. And Portsmouth has access to state, federal, and local incentives that can drive investment in the city.

Franklin paper mill closure to shrink tax coffers

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:09:36 -0500

For now, International Paper Co. is one of the largest taxpayers in Isle of Wight County, and the children of some of its employees attend the relatively small school system in Franklin.

Suffolk city revenue forecast cautiously upbeat

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:30:43 -0500

SUFFOLK Credit a conservative budget, an uptick in spending or both, but revenues from many local taxes are beating expectations. Three months into the fiscal year, the city is projecting revenues in its main operating fund to exceed expenses by about $823,000, despite declining state aid. That's a cushion of about half a percent on its $169 million general fund.

Chesapeake's liaison system faces scrutiny

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:27:53 -0500

CHESAPEAKE Back in the 1980s, then-Mayor Sid Oman had an idea - allow individual City Council members to act as a link between city departments and the council as a whole. There weren't, and still aren't, any written rules about liaisons and what they can or can't do. Now, the city is studying its liaison system after a series of issues that have bred tension on the City Council.

House passes health care bill, Senate to begin debate soon

Olivia.Hubert-Allen — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:04:48 -0500

From wire reports

WASHINGTON

In a victory for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed landmark health care legislation Saturday night to expand coverage to tens of millions who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous.