David Sherfinski

Poll: Most Virginians support McDonnell, abortion clinic regulations

Gov. Bob McDonnell's popularity is growing in Virginia, where a majority of voters also support a controversial new law to regulate abortion clinics like hospitals, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday morning.

September 14, 2011

Va. Democrats seek to tie GOP to Perry remarks

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is scheduled to lend a high-profile boost to Virginia Republicans Wednesday at a fundraiser with Gov. Bob McDonnell. But state Democrats have seized on the appearance to link their GOP opponents to polarizing comments the 2012 presidential candidate has made about Social Security.

September 13, 2011

Fairfax approves raises for county employees

Fairfax County employees will receive their first pay raise in three years, under a measure approved by the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

September 13, 2011

Audit faults Virginia school for deaf, blind

A state audit shows inadequate security policies has put the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind at risk for information technology breaches, and it has uncovered accounting lapses related to a construction project.

September 12, 2011

Security at new U.S. Defense complex in No. Va. a serious issue

Alexandria's mayor has penned a pointed letter to President Obama saying he was "disturbed" by a recent damning news report suggesting potential security vulnerabilities at the Mark Center, a new Defense Department complex in Northern Virginia.

September 12, 2011

Va. council forms outline for health-benefits exchange

Virginia's Health Reform Initiative Advisory Council is busy prepping final recommendations on how to set up a state health benefits exchange as mandated by President Obama's health care overhaul — even as the commonwealth remains locked in litigation over the constitutionality of the law.

September 10, 2011

McDonnell declares state of emergency in Va.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has declared a state of emergency in the wake of torrential rains that have slammed the state, along with the D.C. area, stranding residents, forcing evacuations, and killing at least three in Maryland and Virginia.

September 9, 2011

Report on Mark Center vulnerability ‘frightening’

Northern Virginia lawmakers are expressing concern over a news report citing an internal Pentagon study that says a truck bomb could essentially wipe out Alexandria's Mark Center — a scenario the city's mayor describes as "frightening."

September 7, 2011

House bill would give Virginia majority of MWAA seats

Virginia would be granted a majority of the seats on the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) Board of Directors under language in the fiscal year 2012 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bill, released Wednesday by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee.

September 7, 2011

Professor turns to law to protect climate-change work

A former University of Virginia professor who has drawn the ire of climate change skeptics is entering the legal fray over a conservative group's pursuit of his emails and documents related to his work.

September 6, 2011

Virginia Senate losing its GOP moderates

In 2004, Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, a Democrat, pushed a historic $1.4 billion tax-increase package through the General Assembly with help from such moderate Republicans as Sens. John H. Chichester and Kenneth W. Stolle.

September 5, 2011

Obama grants Va. request for disaster relief

President Obama has granted Gov. Bob McDonnell’s request for federal assistance to state and local governments in Virginia for recovery from Hurricane Irene, Mr. McDonnell announced Saturday.

September 3, 2011

Complaints still flowing about leaks from oil farm

When a massive oil leak at the Pickett Road tank farm caused millions of dollars in damage to homes in Fairfax's Mantua neighborhood 20 years ago, Gerald E. Connolly was head of the local citizens association seeking answers. Now a congressman from Northern Virginia, Mr. Connolly is weighing federal draft regulations that could effectively shut down the tank farm amid leaks and spills that continue unabated.

September 1, 2011

In Irene’s wake, relief aid rises to political forefront

Hurricane Irene is long gone from Virginia, but the political backlash is just beginning.

August 31, 2011

Volume of storm damage astounds governors

Cleo Parker has spent the four days since Hurricane Irene blew by without electricity and doesn't expect to get power restored for at least another week or two.

August 30, 2011

Alexandria announces agreement to close controversial power plant

The city of Alexandria and GenOn Energy have reached an agreement to permanently close the company's Potomac River Generating Station, ending a long effort by city council members and residents to shut down the plant, which has been repeatedly fined for environmental violations.

August 30, 2011

Washington area continues recovery from quake-storm combo

The D.C. region returned to relative calm Monday after an "extraordinary week" in which a rare earthquake damaged two national icons, then Hurricane Irene arrived and knocked out power to roughly 1 million customers.

August 29, 2011

Embezzled Virginia funds funneled to Nigeria

The former treasurer of Goochland County, Va., who has pleaded guilty to embezzling nearly $200,000 in public funds, funneled the money to a shadowy figure in Nigeria, according to a Virginia state audit released Monday and the prosecutor in the case.

August 29, 2011

McDonnell: Nearly all power to be restored by Friday

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, who took an aerial tour on Monday to assess the damage from Hurricane Irene in Hampton Roads, said power had been restored to 600,000 customers and nearly all restorations would be completed by Friday.

August 29, 2011

Pro-choice advocates say Va. rules politically motivated

Pro-choice groups say recently released draft regulations governing abortion clinics in Virginia would be the most stringent such measures in the country and are part of a politically motivated plot to undermine the rights of women to access abortions.

August 28, 2011