Governor McAuliffe and Steve Forbes Host Celebration of the Release of Virginia Section in 2014 Forbes 400 Magazine Issue

English: Derek Jeter (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

~More than 150 New York-area businessmen and women attend reception during Governor’s economic development marketing mission~

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced this week the release of a Virginia advertising section that appears in the 2014 Forbes 400 magazine issue. The Governor and Mr. Steve Forbes, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media, hosted an event in New York City to celebrate the advertising section and Virginia’s continued recognition by Forbes.com as a Best State for Business. More than 150 New York-area businessmen and women attended the reception at The Forbes Galleries in New York City.

Speaking about the announcement, Governor McAuliffe said, “It was my distinct honor to co-host a reception with Steve Forbes to celebrate Virginia’s continued recognition as a top state for business, and the release of a special Virginia section in Forbes magazine’s annual Forbes 400 issue. The Commonwealth’s relationship with Forbes Media is long-standing and valuable, and it is gratifying that Virginia’s outstanding business climate is consistently recognized by an objective third party. We look forward to sharing Virginia’s strong business story with an international audience in the special section, and, as we advance our plan for a new Virginia economy, we are confident that the Commonwealth will maintain a leadership position in the coming years.”

“The Governor’s reception with Steve Forbes was a tremendous occasion to really demonstrate to all of the businessmen and women in attendance why Virginia is a great place to do business,” said Maurice Jones, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “Forbes Media reaches theworld’s most powerful people, and we look forward to the Virginia section targeting this audience to promote our business costs, labor supply, regulatory climate, economic climate, quality of life, and economic growth prospects.”

Steve Forbes addressed the audience, touting Virginia’s excellent business environment and assets, and the Governor’s ability to aggressively promote economic development in the Commonwealth.

“Virginia has many attributes that make it attractive to business, and it is my pleasure to showcase this leading state within the pages of the Forbes400 issue. Virginia's profit-friendly environmment and economic development program are models for success,” said Forbes. He went on to add, “Governor Terry McAuliffe is the Derek Jeter of economic development.”

Forbes Media is a media, branding and technology company that today reaches approximately 75 million people worldwide with its business message through print, digital, TV, conferences, research, social and mobile each month.  Publications include Forbes magazine, a leading business magazine with a circulation of more than 900,000 in the U.S. Other publications include Forbes Asia, Forbes Europe, ForbesLife, a luxury lifestyle publication, and Forbes licensee editions published in over 30 countries.  Forbes.com, launched in 1996, reaches almost 60 million unique visitors (according to Google Analytics).  The company’s growth has also been fueled by new brand extensions, including conferences, real estate, education, financial services and technology agreements.

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Governor McAuliffe Statement on U.S. District Court’s Redistricting Ruling

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Governor Terry McAuliffe released the following statement in response to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia’s decision declaring Virginia’s congressional map unconstitutional:

“Today’s ruling demonstrates the need to get partisan politics out of how Virginia draws its legislative boundaries.

“The court’s order to redraw our congressional map is an opportunity to emerge with a map that reflects the best interests of Virginia families, not the political interests of the people drawing the lines.

“I hope my friends in the General Assembly will join me in taking this opportunity to draw districts that are more compact, contiguous, and reflective of the shared interests that unite many of our communities.”

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Governor McAuliffe Signs Executive Order Directing State Agencies to Comply with Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Since There Is No State Oversight, State Agencies Can Ignore This Order?  We Would Recommend Yes!

Today Governor Terry McAuliffe signed Executive Order #30, directing all Virginia state agencies, authorities, commissions and other entities to make the necessary policy changes to comply with yesterday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision not to review the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision legalizing gay marriage in Virginia. The text of the Executive Order is as follows:

NUMBER THIRTY (2014)

MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

Importance of the Issue

            The highest priority of state government should be to guarantee every person’s right to live, learn, work, and do business, regardless of their race, gender, creed or sexual orientation. This principle guided my first act as Governor when I signed Executive Order #1 banning discrimination in the state workplace based on sexual orientation or gender identity. This principle also guided the Virginia leaders, advocates and allies who fought for marriage equality and won when the Supreme Court declined to review the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling inBostic v. Schaefer. Same-sex marriage is now legal in Virginia. This is a historic and long overdue moment for our Commonwealth and our country.

            The decision has opened new doors to my administration’s guiding principle of equality. An open and welcoming environment is imperative to grow as a Commonwealth, and to build a new Virginia economy that will attract vital businesses, innovative entrepreneurs, and thriving families.

            On issues ranging from recognizing same-sex marriages to extending health care benefits to same-sex spouses of state employees, state government is already well-prepared to implement this landmark decision. My administration will act quickly to continue to bring all of our policies and practices into compliance so that we can give married same-sex couples the full array of benefits they deserve. 

            Pursuant to the authority vested in me as the Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth, and pursuant to Article V of the Constitution and the laws of Virginia, I hereby order, effective immediately, that all entities in the executive branch, including agencies, authorities, commissions, departments, and all institutions of higher education further evaluate all policies and take all necessary and appropriate legal measures to comply with this decision.  

In addition, the Director of the Department of Human Resource Management shall notify all state agencies that employees whose same-sex marriage is recognized as legal in the Commonwealth, and who are eligible, may enroll their spouse and eligible dependents in the health benefits program for state employees within sixty (60) days of marriage.

            A full and complete report of all appropriate measures will be reviewed by the Counselor to the Governor and presented to the Governor on or before November 15, 2014.

Effective Date of the Executive Order

            This Executive Order shall become effective upon its signing, and shall remain in full force and effect unless amended or rescinded by further executive order.

            Given under my hand and under the Seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia this 7th day of October, 2014.

                                                                                                                                                      ___________________________________

Terence R. McAuliffe, Governor

Attest:            

_________________________________

     Secretary of the Commonwealth

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Governor McAuliffe Statement on Supreme Court’s Gay Marriage Decision

Kissing girls. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What Happens At The Beginning Of The Fall Of Every Great Civilization:

Governor Terry McAuliffe released the following statement today on the U.S. Supreme Court’s denial of a writ of certiorari in the case that overturned Virginia’s ban on gay marriages:

“This is a historic and long overdue moment for our Commonwealth and our country. On issues ranging from recognizing same-sex marriages to extending health care benefits to same-sex spouses of state employees, Virginia is already well-prepared to implement this historic decision. Going forward we will act quickly to continue to bring all of our policies and practices into compliance so that we can give marriages between same-sex partners the full faith and credit they deserve.”

“I applaud all of the Virginians who gave so much time and effort in the fight for equality, and congratulate my friend Attorney General Mark Herring on this important victory for justice and equal treatment under the law.

“Equality for all men and women regardless of their race, color, creed or sexual orientation is intrinsic to the values that make us Virginians, and now it is officially inscribed in our laws as well.”

{A complete violation of the Virginia Constitution.  Thanks for nothing to Governor McAuliffe and Mark (Red) Herring.}

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Tens of Millions Now Employed In US At Sweatshops

Photograph taken in a 'sweatshop' c.1890 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sweatshop Defined:  A place where people work long hours for low pay in poor conditions.

B:) A shop or factory in which employees work for long hours at low wages and under unhealthy conditions.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweatshop

From Wiki

More recently, the anti-globalization movement has arisen in opposition to corporate globalization, a process by which multinational corporations move their operations overseas in order to lower their costs and increase profits. The anti-sweatshop movement has much in common with the anti-globalization movement. Both consider sweatshops harmful, and both have accused many companies (such as the Walt Disney Company, The Gap, and Nike) of using sweatshops. Some in these movements charge that neo liberal globalization is similar to the sweating system, arguing that there tends to be a "race to the bottom", as multinationals leap from one low-wage country to another searching for lower production costs, in the same way that sweaters would have steered production to the lowest cost sub-contractor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweatshop

Today we see a new format emerging throughout the entire United States. With ObamaCare however, the hours are not long on a single job as corporations downsize how long they will allow workers to actually work during any given week.  The conditions in the work environment may be clean, but the wages are ridiculously low and not in the least bit a living wage.  More and more workers are depending on two, three and even four jobs just to try and scrape by anything that resembles a living and are still barely clinging on.

  McDonald's, Wal Mart, K-Mart, Sears, Burger King, Lowe's, Home Depot, and plenty of other places can now be considered modern day sweatshops as not one of them pay the majority of their workers anywhere close to a living wage.  Most of the workers in these locations are part time, little to no benefits, making barely above minimum wage which comes no where close to a living wage.

A living wage allows for a person to pay their rent or mortgage, car payment, insurance, medical expenses, clothing costs, food, utilities,  furniture expenses, and also allows for entertainment expenses and money left over to put into savings for a rainy day.  For a single person in the US today, the average income, outside of major metropolitan areas is around $45,000 per year and rising in order to be making a living wage.  Again, that is for one person.

Recent complaints in raising the minimum wage to anywhere between $10.00 or $12.00 per hour falls horribly short of coming close to making a living wage.  What difference does it make if you pay a person $25.00 per hour if all you are going to work them is 20 hours a week?  That is only $500.00 per week before taxes.  Rent in most areas throughout the US anymore is going to eat up half of the monthly wages leaving very little left for anyone to try and survive with.

The days of the 40 hour work week are for most, a buried memory, left in the dust of yesteryear.  Businesses are paying less and less of the benefits for employees and paying low wages to boot.  It's a mix that simply does not work.  That makes Wal Mart, Target, Subway, Chick-Fil-A and others the new modern sweatshops and tens of millions of people are stuck in the rut of these new deals.  

It's time for some new thinking about.....well.....every aspect of modern society.

English: Walmart Home Office, the headquarters of Wal-Mart - Bentonville, (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Governor McAuliffe Announces New Specialty Crop Grants for Virginia

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

~16 Projects Receive More Than $560,000 in USDA Funding; Grants Benefit Crops Including Apples, Grapes, Chestnuts, Christmas Trees, More~

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced funding for sixteen agriculture-related projects aimed at promoting and enhancing the competitiveness of Virginia’s specialty crops and creating more economic opportunities.  The projects awarded grants resulted from a competitive process established by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service Specialty Crop Block Grant funds.  Specialty crops including apples, wine grapes, sprouts, chestnuts, strawberries, Christmas trees, and more will benefit from the grants. Other grants focus on food safety, protecting honey bees, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) implementation on small farms, marketing and education programs, food safety education, cover crops, nutrient cycling, and more. Grants range from $20,000 to $50,000 per applicant.

“These federal grants represent more than a half-million dollar investment in Virginia’s economy and will boost agricultural development and job creation, especially in our rural communities,” said Governor McAuliffe. “The innovative projects awarded grants will help enhance agriculture’s position as the Commonwealth's largest industry as we work with our private sector partners to build a new Virginia economy. I congratulate these individuals, educational institutions, and organizations for pursuing concepts that will help growers add value and enhance marketing opportunities across Virginia.”

The Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 authorized the USDA to provide funds to states to promote specialty crops including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and nursery crops. When considering grants for the USDA Specialty Crop Program, VDACS gave priority to projects that included the following activities:

·         Assisting farmers in transitioning into specialty, high-value agricultural initiatives that address the eligible specialty crops;

·         Increasing net farm income through high-value or value-added enterprises;

·         Finding new ways to market or to add value to specialty agricultural products; and

·         Developing pilot and demonstration programs in specialty agriculture that have the potential for transferability within rural Virginia.

“Today’s announcement is more good news for Virginia agriculture and helps bolster the Governor's efforts to keep agriculture and forestry at the forefront of his overall economic development strategic plans and his work to build a new Virginia economy,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore. “The projects and more than $560,000 in grants being awarded also highlight Virginia's diversified agricultural interests and the potential opportunities those interests provide across a broad geographical footprint."

VDACS awarded grants totaling $564,828.97 for the following projects:

·         Advancing Organic Apple Production in Virginia - Virginia Tech, Winchester AREC, Winchester, VA

·         Beneficial Bacterial Endophytes Improve Grape Vine Growth and Cold Tolerance to Strengthen the Virginia Wine Industry - Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, Danville, VA

·         Chestnut Production and Marketing Feasibility Study - Virginia Foundation for Agriculture, Innovation and Rural Sustainability (VA FAIRS), Richmond, VA

·         Cider Production from Virginia-grown Apples:  Development of Research-Based Fermentation Strategies - Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

·         Commonwealth Quality Alliance Education - Virginia Wineries Association, Richmond, VA

·         Cover Crops and Nutrient Cycling for Vegetable Production in Virginia - Virginia Tech, Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC), Painter, VA

·         Developing Organic and Integrated Management Strategies for Pest Control in Annual Strawberry Production -  Virginia Tech, Hampton Roads AREC, Virginia Beach, VA

·         Development of Commercial Shelf-Stable Recipes for Specialty Crops - Virginia Food Works, Charlottesville, VA

·         Development of Soybean Varieties for Sprouts as a Profitable Vegetable Crop - Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

·         Enhancing Market Opportunities for Virginia’s Specialty Crops and Small to Mid-size Farms through a Ten Percent Marketing and Education Campaign - Virginia Food System Council, Richmond, VA

·         Genetically Improved Fraser Fir Seed Orchard - Mount Rogers Area Christmas Tree Growers Association, Whitetop, VA

·         Increasing Capacity to Provide Comprehensive Fresh Produce Food Safety Education from Farm to Fork - Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

·         Low Cost Protection from Pesticide Damage for Honey Bee Colonies - Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Richmond, VA

·         Making Food Safety Certification Available and Affordable for Virginia Farmers - Appalachian Sustainable Development, Abingdon, VA

·         Multi-tiered Quality Assurance and Cost-share Program to Advance GAP Implementation on Small Farms - Local Food Hub,Charlottesville, VA

·         Transitioning Farms to Sustainable Practices for Economic Viability and Environmental Health - Arcadia Food, Alexandria, VA

According to a 2013 economic impact study conducted by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia, agriculture and forestry are two of Virginia’s largest industries with a combined economic impact of $70 billion annually.  Agriculture generates more than $52 billion per annum, while forestry induces over $17 billion.  The industries also provide more than 400,000 jobs in the Commonwealth. More information about the Weldon Cooper Center’s study can be found at http://www.coopercenter.org/node/2/publications/economic-impacts-agriculture-and-forestry-virginia-revised-2012.

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Governor McAuliffe Announces Federal Grant to Bolster Virginia’s Supports and Services for Residents with Dementia

Dementia (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that the Commonwealth has secured a federal grant that will strengthen and expand services for Virginians experiencing dementia.
The $441,131, three-year grant from the federal Administration for Community Living will allow the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services to implement a caregiver intervention program in the greater Charlottesville and Williamsburg areas. Department leaders hope to expand the program into other areas of the Commonwealth in the future.

The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that the number of cases of Alzheimer’s disease in Virginia could jump 46 percent, from 130,000 in 2014 to 190,000 in 2025. Age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, and as its population ages, Virginia must support sufficient training for care providers, first responders and family caregivers to adequately address this growing demand.

“Today’s population of older Virginians is expected to double by 2030, a trend that is likely to be accompanied by an increase in the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. This grant represents a timely and significant opportunity for the Commonwealth to expand services to people with dementia and their families,” said Governor McAuliffe.

Dementia presents a significant challenge for family members who are thrust into the role of caregiver. In 2013, an estimated 447,000 family caregivers provided 509 million hours of care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in Virginia. The grant aims to help family or informal caregivers feel more confident in their role, increase satisfaction with their social and emotional support networks, reduce depression that can often hit caregivers, and help caregivers assess and comfortably respond to behaviors that can sometimes affect people with dementia.

Virginia is striving to address these intertwined issues. In response to the Dementia State Plan, the General Assembly created the position of state dementia services coordinator to review existing programs, identify gaps, reduce duplication and work with agencies to more effectively deliver services to Virginians with dementia.

“People with dementia and their caregivers don’t have to battle this cruel disease alone,” said Dr. William Hazel, Secretary of Health and Human Resources. “This grant will do much to reinforce social support networks and to offer crucial assistance to caregivers. The Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services is well prepared to make the most of this opportunity, thanks to the decision last year to hire a dementia services coordinator.”

Partnering with DARS’ Division for the Aging on the pilot program are the University of Virginia Memory and Aging Care Clinic; Jefferson Area Board for Aging; Riverside Center for Excellence in Aging and Lifelong Health; Peninsula Agency on Aging; and theAlzheimer’s Association Central and Western Virginia Chapter andSoutheastern Virginia Chapter.

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