Governor McAuliffe Announces First Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund Planning Grants of Administration

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

~ Awards Support Strategic Expansion Effort in Essex, Further Growth Opportunity in Loudoun for Virginia’s Burgeoning Wine Industry ~

RICHMOND - Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today the awarding of two planning grants from the Governor’s Agriculture & Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID).  The two projects, one in Essex County and the other a partnership effort between the Town of Purcellville and Loudoun County, have been awarded a total of $34,500 to support the growth of agricultural and forestry projects in the Commonwealth. The AFID planning grant program encourages local governments to promote agriculture and forestry and incorporate the needs of these important industries into their economic development planning efforts.

Speaking about the planning grants being awarded to the localities, Governor McAuliffe said, “Job creation and expanded economic development are the chief priorities of my administration, and I plan to ensure that agriculture and forestry are a major part of our efforts to grow and diversify our economy” said Governor McAuliffe. “Supporting local efforts to strengthen these critical industries is an important component of my economic development strategy, and I applaud leadership in Essex County, Loudoun County, and the Town of Purcellville for exploring how their agricultural assets can be better utilized and grown for future job creation opportunities.”

The AFID planning grants program, funded annually at $250,000, was developed in 2012 to encourage local and regional governments to think strategically about how they can better support and integrate agriculture and forestry-based industries into their community’s overall economic development efforts.  The planning grants are part of the larger Governor’s AFID program, an economic development tool specifically for agriculture and forestry value-added or processing projects.  AFID economic development grants are available for political subdivisions of the Commonwealth interested in growing their agriculture and forestry industries by strategically targeting for assistance those businesses that add value to Virginia grown agriculture and forestal products.   

                        

“The two projects are prime examples of what we hoped the AFID would do for localities interested in building on their agricultural and forestry economic assets,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd P. Haymore. “Essex County will utilize its grant funding to better incorporate agriculture and forestry into their strategic economic development growth plans, a primary goal of the AFID program.  AFID funds will be used by the Town of Purcellville, working in partnership with Loudoun County, to explore the creation of a possible viticulture and enology center, an excellent example of seeking new initiatives that can have lasting, positive impacts on a region’s agriculture and forestry sectors.”

Applications for AFID planning grants are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the fiscal year.  Successful funding requests must show a clear need to be addressed, a solution to be undertaken, demonstrate strong support from local government and the agriculture and forestry community, and be able to match each dollar requested with a dollar of local government funds, or allowable in-kind contributions. Localities interested in applying may visit http://vdacs.virginia.gov/agribusiness/planning.shtml or contact Stephen Versen atstephen.versen@vdacs.virginia.gov or 804.786.6911 for more information.

Details on the two grant awards are below:

1.      Project Title:  Loudoun County Viticulture and Enology Education Center

Applicant:      Town of Purcellville

Award:           $17,500

Summary:      The Town of Purcellville, with the support of Loudoun County, and in conjunction with Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC), will conduct a feasibility study for the development of a viticultural and enology education center, using as a model the Shelton-Badgett North Carolina Center for Viticulture & Enology.  It would serve Virginia’s wine industry by training the next generation of wine makers and vineyard managers through certificate and degree programs. 

2.      Project Title: Developing a Roadmap for Agriculture and Forestry Industries in   Essex County                              

Applicant:      Essex County Industrial Development Authority

Award:           $17,000

Summary:      Through a competitive bidding process, the Essex County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) is proposing to hire a contractor to work with an appointed Essex County Agriculture and Forestry Advisory Board to develop a strategic plan for agriculture and forestry industries within Essex County.  The effort will help the County promote and enhance the competitiveness of its agriculture and forestry industry.

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Governor McAuliffe Announces Administration Appointments

 (Photo credit: USDAgov)

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced additional appointments to his administration today. The appointees will join McAuliffe’s administration focused on finding common ground with members of both parties on issues that will grow Virginia’s economy and create more jobs across the Commonwealth.

Office of the Governor

Ian Ceraolo, Special Assistant for Constituent Services

Ian Ceraolo is a recent graduate from Florida State University, where he received a Bachelor’s Degrees in Economics and Political Science.

Liza Purcell, Executive Assistant to the First Lady

Liza Purcell worked previously on the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force in Washington, DC, the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Committee, and the 2012 Democratic National Convention Committee.  Liza graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2012.

Debbie Puzzo, Confidential Assistant to Governor

Debbie Puzzo has been appointed by Governor McAuliffe to serve as the Confidential Assistant to the Governor.  Prior to her appointment to the Administration, Debbie served as Executive Assistant to Virginia Commonwealth University President Michael Rao. She previously served as Council Liaison to former Richmond City Council President Kathy Graziano.  In addition, Debbie served over eleven years in various capacities within the Delaware General Assembly and graduated from Wesley College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Paralegal Studies.

Lincoln Saunders, Chief of Staff to the First Lady and Policy Advisor

Lincoln Saunders, a Northern Neck native, has been working in food security and farm policy in Indiana for the last two years after receiving his Master’s degree in Agriculture Policy Analysis at Indiana University. Saunders received his bachelor’s degree in Government from the College of William and Mary.

Kim Trainer Steinhoff, Confidential Assistant to the Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff

Kim Steinhoff has been re-appointed by Governor McAuliffe to serve as the Confidential Assistant to the Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff.  Prior to her appointment to the Administration, Kim worked for 16 years as an executive assistant serving five prior Attorney Generals.  Kim received her Associate’s Degree in Legal Secretarial Science from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.

Secretariat of Administration

Edgardo Cortes, Director of the State Board of Elections

Edgardo Cortes worked for the Virginia State Board of Elections updating the state’s Help America Vote Act State Plan and Voting System Certification program.  He is the former General Registrar of Fairfax County, responsible for administering elections in the largest county in Virginia.  Edgardo has served as the Grants Director and then Deputy Director for Policy for the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC).  He began working on voting issues as director of a national non-partisan voter registration program focused on Puerto Rican and Latino voters.Edgardo holds a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a Master’s degree in political management from the George Washington University.

Secretariat of Health and Human Resources

M. Elaina Schramm, Confidential Assistant to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources

M. Elaina Schramm has been re-appointed by Governor McAuliffe as Confidential Assistant to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources.  Prior to working in this secretariat, Elaina worked with Secretary William Hazel at his orthopedic practice in Northern Virginia.

Secretariat of Transportation

Douglas Koelemay, Director of the Office of Transportation Public-Private Partnerships

Douglas Koelemay is a policy and public affairs professional with more than four decades of experience in business, government and non-profit sectors, most recently with Tysons-headquartered SAIC. He served six years on the Commonwealth Transportation Board as an appointee of then Governor Timothy M. Kaine. Koelemay authored “Financing the Future: Report of the Commission to Promote Investment in America’s Infrastructure,” a charge of the 1991 federal ISTEA legislation that championed innovative public-private infrastructure investment strategies.

Secretariat of the Commonwealth

James Hardy Dillard, Appointment to the Board of Education

James Dillard is a former House of Delegates member who represented the 41^st district (Fairfax County) for a total of 32 years. He was appointed to the William & Mary Board of Visitors by Governor Mark Warner in 2005. Dillard was resource teacher and acting principal in the Fairfax county public school system for 21 years. He received his B.A. from William & Mary in history, and an M.A. in political science from American University.

Andrew Ko, Appointment to the Board of Education

Andrew Ko is a General Manager in Microsoft Corporation’s U.S. Education business. Prior to this role, he was director for National Solutions for Microsoft U.S. Public Sector. He is a veteran of the management consulting industry, including positions at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Emerging Markets Group and KPMG Consulting. In 2009, he was appointed by Governor Timothy M. Kaine to the Virginia Asian Advisory Board which represents one of the fastest-growing groups in the Commonwealth. In addition, Andrew served on the board of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association where he co-chaired the Veteran Retraining Initiative, which helps wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan secure information technology jobs after leaving the military. Andrew earned his B.S. in Accounting from the University of Maryland in 1994 and was also a Certified Public Accountant.

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Governor McAuliffe Announces 155 New Jobs for Henry County

English: The state seal of Virginia.. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

~Kilgour Industries Ltd to invest $27.3 million in first U.S. operation ~ 

RICHMOND - Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today that Kilgour Industries Ltd, a United Kingdom-based supplier of aircraft airframe and engine machined products will invest $27.3 million in its first U.S. operation in Henry County and create 155 new jobs. Kilgour specializes in computerized numerical control (CNC) machining, wet chemical surface treatments and sub-assemblies of aerospace components. Virginia successfully competed against Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and South Carolina for the project.

            Speaking about today’s announcement in Martinsville, Governor McAuliffe said, “Securing an investment of this magnitude and 155 new jobs for a region that is continuing to rebound economically is a tremendous win for Virginia and a major step towards growing and diversifying our economy. This competitive project is another illustration of the Commonwealth’s leadership in the aerospace industry. We are thrilled that Henry County will be home to Kilgour Industries’ first U.S. operation, which will enable the company to meet increased demands and expand its customer base.”

            “More than 236 aerospace firms call Virginia home, and today we celebrate the addition of Kilgour Industries to the roster,” said Maurice Jones, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “This high-tech manufacturing company is an excellent fit for Henry County to continue to diversify its economy, and we look forward to Kilgour’s future success in the Commonwealth.”

            Kilgour Industries, a family-owned company established in 1966 in the United Kingdom, supplies aircraft airframe and engine machined products in aluminum, steel and titanium to the major aerospace original equipment manufacturers. Kilgour’s mission is to be the market leader in precision engineering and treatments for the aerospace industry.

            “On my initial visit to Martinsville-Henry County, I was pleasantly surprised by the manner in which business was conducted,” said Chief Executive Officer Ray Kilgour. “From the existing industry we met, the educational and training programs in the area, and the responsiveness of the economic development officials, we knew Martinsville-Henry County was a community that supports advanced manufacturing and a community in which we would be welcomed.”

            The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation and the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing to secure the project for Virginia. Governor McAuliffe approved a $250,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Henry County with the project.The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission approved $1.15 million in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds. The company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Additionally, through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity will provide funding and services to support the company’s retraining activities.

            “This is a tremendous day for the citizens of Henry County and Martinsville,” said H.G. Vaughn, Chairman of the Henry County Board of Supervisors. “Today’s announcement with Kilgour allows us to expand our international presence, bring in a partner in a growing industry sector, and provide 21^st Century job opportunities for our citizens. We are thrilled.”

            “The Virginia Tobacco Commission’s goal is to help bring jobs and prosperity to the Commission's footprint,” said Delegate Danny Marshall, a Commissioner of the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission. “We are very excited to be a part of helping to bring Kilgour Industries to Henry County. The addition of 155 new high paying jobs and a $27.3 million investment is why the Tobacco Commission invested $1.15 million to help with this project. Thank you to the management of Kilgour Industries for choosing Henry County.” 

“The Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing is extremely pleased to welcome Kilgour Industries to Virginia, which is leading the way in the region’s technology research and development,” said Armand F. Lauzon, Jr., Chairman. “Kilgour will benefit from Virginia’s elected leadership and economic leaders, all of whom understand the needs of business today. The CCAM member companies, which operate in aerospace, defense, electronics, and many other industries, celebrate Kilgour as an important new member of Virginia’s business community.” 

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What Are the Bees Telling Us?

bee eating (Photo credit: acidpix)

Important! The producers of this powerful film are allowing a full and FREE viewing for a limited time only! Please tell everyone you know to watch this film in its entirety. ClickHERE to purchase the DVD for 50% off! This limited time offer ends on 2/1.

This is a Flash-based video and may not be viewable on mobile devices.

By Dr. Mercola

Honey bees are responsible for producing one-third of your fresh fruits and vegetables, but they're disappearing at a startling rate.

Since the mid-2000s, honey bees all around the world, including the US, have been dying in unprecedented numbers—many hives literally disappearing without a trace—in a mysterious phenomenon dubbed Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

Queen of the Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us?,1 created by Taggart Siegel, takes us on a journey through the catastrophic disappearance of bees and the mysterious world of the beehive. This engaging and ultimately uplifting film weaves an unusual and dramatic story of the heartfelt struggles of beekeepers, scientists, and philosophers from around the world including Michael Pollan, Gunther Hauk, and Vandana Shiva. Together they reveal both the problems and solutions in renewing a culture in balance with nature.

It also explores the ancient relationship between man and bees—a relationship that, historically, was considered nothing less than sacred. Returning to life in balance with nature is the ultimate solution, and when it comes to bees, it's something we'll have to do lest we risk perishing right along with them.

Some 130 different kinds of crops require honeybees to transport pollen between flowers, prompting fertilization and jump-starting the production of seed and fruit. As they buzz around in flight, the bee's hair develops static electricity.

When a bee lands on a flower, this static charge attracts pollen to the bee like a magnet. Honey bees from one hive can visit more than 100,000 flowers in a single day. Without honey bees, farmers would have to resort to pollinating their crops by hand, which is no quick and easy task...

Honey Bees Are Crucial for Our Environment and Survival

In an interview with The Press, a daily newspaper in New Zealand, Taggart Siegel revealed the inspiration behind the film:2

"I had no idea about the importance of honeybees until I read an article in 2007 that bees were not only so crucial to our environment, but that they were dying out on a mass scale...

The article had a quote attributed to Einstein which scared me enough to get me to pick up my camera and dedicate the next three years of my life to this film. The quote read, 'If bees die out, man will only have four years of life left on Earth.' Even though this quote has been since disputed, it had a lasting effect on me, and the truth is that bees are so vital to our planet that we can't afford to lose them."

Despite the somber topic, Queen of the Sun is not a downer by any means. On the contrary, it's filled with the heart of eclectic and passionate characters that inspire hope and gratitude for these most important of agricultural workers.

For example, there's historian Yvon Achard, who recites poetry to his bees and tickles them with his mustache, and Sara Mapelli, who once danced with 12,000 bees on her body (she's the bee-covered woman shown on the DVD cover).

What's Killing the Bees?

The collapse of bee colonies is probably multifactorial, rather than a response to one individual type of toxic assault. That said, certain pesticides calledneonicotinoids have been identified as having a particularly devastating impact on bee health and survival.

Bee colonies began disappearing in the US shortly after the EPA allowed these new insecticides on the market. Even the EPA itself admits that "pesticide poisoning" is a likely cause of CCD. Two prominent examples, imidacloprid and clothianidin, are used as seed treatments in hundreds of crops, and virtually all of today's genetically engineered Bt corn is treated with neonicotinoids.

One of the observed effects of these insecticides is weakening of the bee's immune system. Forager bees bring pesticide-laden pollen back to the hive, where it's consumed by all of the bees. About six months later, their immune systems fail, and they end up contracting secondary infections from parasites, mites, viruses, fungi, and bacteria.

Monoculture—the practice of growing of just one type of crop on a massive scale—is another major contributing factor, as there is no such thing as monoculture in nature. In the past, farms were highly diversified, with all sorts of animals and vegetation cohabiting on the land. Today, fields of corn and soy stretch for hundreds of miles.

As it turns out, pests thrive in monoculture, so massive quantities of pesticides are required to keep them in check. Monoculture also cuts down on the variety of nutrition the bees get. In some areas, bees simply cannot survive due to lack of food.

While experts are still trying to understand the complexities involved in CCD, they do agree about one thing: if we allow this to continue, our global food supply is at risk... And, as stated in the film:

"Colony collapse disorder is the bill we're getting for all the things we've done to the bees. You could call it colony collapse disorder of the human being too."

Reclaiming the Sacred Relationship with Bees

As stated in the film, the solution to this pervasive and downright life threatening problem lies in renewing a culture that operates in balance with nature. As stated by the filmmaker:3

"In 1923, Rudolf Steiner, a scientist, philosopher and social innovator, predicted that in 80 to 100 years honeybees would collapse. His prediction has come true with Colony Collapse Disorder where bees are disappearing in mass numbers from their hives with no clear explanation.

...On a pilgrimage around the world, 10,000 years of beekeeping is unveiled, highlighting how our historic and sacred relationship with bees has been lost due to highly mechanized industrial practices."

Supporting organic beekeepers is one way you can help turn the tide and increase the number of healthy bee colonies, which are so crucial to our food supply. Organic beekeepers take a far different approach to beekeeping than large migratory operations. They have fewer hives, and they don't truck their bees around for pollination. They also don't feed their bees the sugar syrups and artificial pollen substitutes typically used in large-scale commercial bee operations. As stated by Michael Pollan, "Nothing is more viscerally offensive than feeding the creators of honey high-fructose corn syrup."

What You Can Do to Help Protect the Bees

Queen of the Sun has a section on their website4 devoted to things you can do to help protect our honey bees. Here are some suggestions for actions you can take:

• Support organic farmers and shop at local farmer's markets as often as possible. You can "vote with your fork" three times a day.
• Cut the use of toxic chemicals in your house and on your lawn, and use organic pest control.
• Better yet, get rid of your lawn altogether and plant a garden. Both flower and vegetable gardens provide good honey bee habitats. It's also recommended to keep a small basin of fresh water in your garden or backyard, as bees actually do get thirsty!
• Become an amateur beekeeper. Having a hive in your garden requires only about an hour of your time per week, benefits your local ecosystem, and you can enjoy your own honey!  As Queen of the Sun shows, many city dwellers are becoming adept smalltime beekeepers.

For educators, there's a free PDF,5 written by Waldorf teacher Lauren Johnson, which you can download and use as your curriculum. It also contains a guide to creating your own urban beehive tour. You can also host a screening of Queen of the Sun. For more details and instructions, please see the Queen of the Sun website.6 There you can also sign up for their newsletter for timely updates. If you are interested in more information about bee preservation, the following organizations are a good place to start.

• Pesticide Action Network Bee Campaign7
• The Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees8
• American Beekeeping Federation9
• Help the Honey Bees10

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Gloucester, VA Main Street Ice Hazards, January, 2014

A week after our first major snowfall, we went for a walk through the Gloucester, Main Street District and were shocked to find that many of the sidewalks were never cleared from snow and ice from the winter storm we had a week ago.  The sidewalks throughout the business district were not only a disgrace, they were down and outright dangerous to walk over.  Above you can see a series of pictures we took of area conditions.

  Several major shockers we found were one site that did not clear ice and snow from their sidewalks was one of the Insurance companies, Prudential and Blue Cross Blue Shield rep office on Main Street and the other big one was out in front of the Cook Foundation at the old Coke building.  The Cook foundation is a part of the Gloucester Main Street Association and the Gloucester Main Street Preservation Trust along with Attorney Hicks in the same building.

  Both the Gloucester Main Street Association and the Gloucester Main Street Preservation Trust are always trying to promote Gloucester Main Street and here they are not even taking care of such basics as cleaning their own sidewalks.  That is a disgrace.

  What was even worse.  We ran into several contractors measuring the sidewalks and streets as the State and Federal Government are putting money into paving the Main Street come this spring or summer.  Their own take on the area sidewalks?  Too narrow, littered with lightposts in the walkway, the pitch in some area were above grade making walking for anyone with a handicap, potentially very dangerous and they questioned the clearances for wheelchairs.  (We did tell them that we measured these last year and they barely passed). We did not even have to point these issues out to them in the least.  They already saw it.

  In Washington, DC shop owners had 24 hours from the time of snowfall to clear the sidewalks in front of their businesses or get fined.  Is it the policy of the county to just let shoppers fall and get hurt and just sue the businesses as an overall policy.  What a great public relations effect that will have.  People want businesses to come to the Main Street District but don't worry, you won't have to work to get customers, none will come with this kind of nonsense.  

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