January 2009

Virginia Association of Counties (VACo)

Virginia Municipal League (VML)

Center for Rural Virginia (Rural Center)

Cordially invite you to attend the

2009 Rural Caucus Reception & Dinner

Richmond, Marriott

5:00 pm, February 4, 2009

Registration Form

Virginia General Assembly

2009 Legislative Session

Session Calendar

Legislative Meetings

Planning your General Assembly Visit

Contact Your Senator

Contact Your Delegate

Vision without action is merely a dream.
Action without vision just passes the time.
Vision with action can change the world!

Joel A. Barker

___________________________________________________

Va Rural Center

Promoting statewide awareness about key issues and opportunities
in rural areas of the Commonwealth

Upcoming Rural Caucus Meetings

February 2, 4:00 pm- in 3-West Conference Room, GAB

February 4, Dinner and Reception

February 9, 4:00 pm- in 3-West Conference Room, GAB

Monday February 4, Secretary of Health and Human Resources, Marilyn Tavenner
will be the guest.

Subject: Rural Health Issues and Virginia Rural Healthcare Plan

· Issues that affect your constituents

The Rural Caucus is designed to represent the views and interests of rural Virginians, and to serve as a forum for rural issues. It is expected to have significant influence in the legislative agenda that will be developed by the 2009 Virginia General Assembly. The mission of the Rural Caucus is to identify and promote rural issues at all levels of government. Topics are approached with the goal of Rural Virginia’s future in mind.

Senator Ruff and I extend appreciation to each of you for your leadership during the weekly Rural Caucus.
“Major strides have been made for rural Virginia.”

Networks have been strengthened and new net-works formed! Virginia leaders stand ready to work on major issues of concern to rural. The Rural Caucus continues to be an excellent forum for Va Rural Center to fulfill our role as the leading advocate for rural Virginia.

Glen Sink, Executive Director, Va Rural Center

Honorable Frank M. Ruff, Chairman

Rural Focus

November 2008 - Va Rural Center opened Southwest Virginia location

“Southwest Va Rural Center-VCOM/WCC”

The Center for Rural Virginia and Council for Rural Virginia

Center Locations:
Richmond – Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD)

Blacksburg – Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM)

Southwest – Wytheville Community College (WCC)

Leading Advocate for Rural Virginia ~ Building Collaborative Partnerships ~ Strategic locations help fulfill our purpose to: Sustain economic growth in rural areas of the Commonwealth

Our Supporting Partners!

Thank You

For Investing in Rural Virginia!

Center for Rural Virginia

Board & Code

Council for Rural Virginia

Leadership

www.cfrv.org

Staff

Glen C. Sink, Executive Director

Richmond, Blacksburg & Southwest

Thelma Burris, Director, Southwest

Blacksburg/VCOM & Southwest/WCC

Richmond: 840-371-7131 . . . Blacksburg: 540-231-8222

Wytheville: 276-223-4805

Population Estimates
Total Population Estimates for VA Counties & Cities

Just Released

NEW 2007 Final & 2008 Provisional-released January 27, 2009

Issued by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, 12/18/2008

Demographics & Workforce
Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service

Population Estimates
for VA Localities, Planning Districts, Metropolitan Areas

Virginia Population Final 2007 & Provisional 2008

________

Center Council Staff

Glen C. Sink

Executive Director

501 North Second Street

Richmond, VA 23219

Ph: 804-371-7141

Fax: 804-371-7092

glen.sink@cfrv.org

Thelma Burris

Director, Southwest

2265 Kraft Drive

Blacksburg, VA 24060

Ph: 540-231-6866

Fax: 540-231-5338

tburris@vcom.vt.edu

276-223-4805

Room 119

1000 East Main St.

Wytheville, VA 24382

The Rural View

Questions comments?

Email

Editor and Design
Thelma Burris

Contributing Editor
Glen C. Sink

Guest Editors

______________

click here

Join the Rural View list serve

______________

click here

Remove your name from our mailing list

Community Capacity

ARC Announces 2008 Jerry W. Davis Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence

Blue Ridge Crossroads Economic Development Authority (BRCEDA), Galax, VA

Council Chair, Oliver McBride Recognized!

WASHINGTON, November 17, 2008—The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has announced the winner of the 2008 Jerry W. Davis Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence. The Blue Ridge Crossroads Economic Development Authority (BRCEDA) in Galax, Virginia, and its four principals—Oliver McBride, Neal Satterwhite, Dallas Garrett, and Gary Larrowe—were recognized for innovative, creative, and visionary approaches to entrepreneurial development in the Appalachian Region. The authority also received a cash award of $10,000.

Oliver serves as Chair of the Council for Rural Virginia and is a member of both the Council Board of Directors and The Center for Rural Virginia Board of Trustees. He is an exemplary leader; not one to complain and second-guess; but one who accepts the harder role of “Leadership”. He has demonstrates a compelling rural vision, and communicates his vision to those around him while encouraging a strong spirit of cooperation. Oliver gets results!

His commitment has made a difference in rural Virginia citizens. --Staff

Healthcare

Healthcare Industry Fights Medicaid Cuts

http://www.examiner.com/a-1222550~Health_care_industry_fights_governor_s_Medicaid_cuts.html

Local - Dan Genz, The Examiner, 2008-02-15 08:00:00.0, Current rank: # 2,027 of 3,861

WASHINGTON -

Virginia hospitals and nursing homes are urging lawmakers to fight a proposed $76 million cut in Medicaid payments Gov. Tim Kaine recommends to help fight the state’s $1.4 billion shortfall.

Because the federal government matches every dollar the state spends on Medicaid, the federal insurance program for the poor, health care industry leaders say the cuts would amount to a loss of $152 million over two years.

“It is a severe and, we believe, unnecessary cut … We’re fighting it as hard as we can,” said Stephen Morrisette, president of the Virginia Health Care Association. “Virginia nursing facilities are already losing money on Medicaid residents of about $5 a day. If this goes through, we’d be losing about $13.81 a day.”

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling criticized the cuts in a speech before the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association on Thursday. “Hospitals and nursing homes are losing money on Medicaid patients now, and those losses will mount if these reductions are approved,” Bolling said.

The proposal eliminates the annual inflation adjustment for health care facilities in the fiscal 2009 budget, to cut almost $50.8 million in hospital reimbursements and $25.2 million in nursing home payments.

“The inflation adjustment is something historically most years we’ve done, and because times are tough, we’re not going to do it,” Kaine spokesman Gordon Hickey said. “All he’s done is say there is a forecast of the shortfall, and made a list of reasonable and sober reductions that take care of it and do the least amount of damage.”

The measure is one of many, including 3 percent cuts to state agencies and 5.4 percent cuts in local government aid, that are designed to save $582 million through the 2010 fiscal year.

Hospitals and nursing homes say they are willing to take some hits if the depth of Virginia’s deficit requires some Medicaid cuts but are asking lawmakers to also consider cutting spending in other ways by limiting Medicaid eligibility and cutting some health care services.

“What we are asking the members of the General Assembly to consider is really spreading the pain more broadly than just nursing homes and hospitals,” said Katharine Webb, senior vice president of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association.

But some say the system should not be cut at all, citing fears of a coming recession.

“Our message is don’t cut Medicaid, period,” said Jill Hanken, a staff attorney with the Virginia Poverty Law Center. “You should not cut the program when more people are going to need it.” dgenz@dcexaminer.com Examiner

Infrastructure – Broadband

The Community Broadband Toolkit was chosen by the selection committee for the 12th Annual 2009 Congressional Internet Caucus Technology Exhibition & Reception. It was demonstrated at the exhibition on Tuesday, January 13th, 2009. at the Hart Senate Office Building. This event served as an opportunity for policymakers, staffers, industry executives and public interest advocates to view the latest technologies driving Internet public policy on Capitol Hill.

This is quite an honor, and will provide a great deal of visibility for the toolkit and the "buy-down" philosophy. Heather Gold (Outreach Committee co-chair) and Karen Jackson, Chair attended the event to demonstrate the tool-kit and discuss the findings of the group as well as the CIT mapping initiative that is currently winding down.

As described in their press release: "The Tech Policy Exhibition, now the largest and longest running event on Capitol Hill, will highlight some of the key pointed issues that will continue to impact policy-making in the 111^th Congress. Hands-on demonstrations of the latest technologies in energy efficiency, authentication and verification, digital content, parental controls, disaster response, consumer electronics and more, will help illuminate these debates and possible solutions.

Internet Caucus Co-Chair Senator Patrick Leahy will preview the technology issues that will be drivers for Internet innovation and policymaking decisions. The goal of this annual tech exhibition is to bring cutting-edge technology demonstrations to Capitol Hill that illustrate the power and flexibility of the Internet as medium for communications, commerce, and democracy. This event will be widely attended by Internet industry and non-profit representatives, leading academics, and government policy staff." Learn more http://www.netcaucus.org/events/

Article by: Karen R. Jackson, Director, Office of Telework Promotion and Broadband Assistance, Commonwealth of Virginia and Vice President, Broadband Programs, Center for Innovative Technology www.otpba.vi.virginia.gov

______________________________________________________________

Commonwealth Rural Access Initiative http://www.ruralaccessva.com/index.htm

Virginia Office of Telework Promotion and Broadband Assistance

Final Report: Commonwealth’s Broadband Roundtable
Roundtable Members

The end of 2008 brought the beginning of Commonwealth Rural Access Initiative, a coalition to accelerate the deployment of broadband technologies to all corners of Virginia - with a special focus on un-served areas. This group is running on the momentum of last year's "Broadband Roundtable" report to the Governor, which said, among other things, that universal access to broadband is a prerequisite for economic growth. Be sure to check www.RuralAccessVA.com each weekday for the latest news and other information regarding high-speed Internet in rural areas of Virginia - and see what other states are doing on the broadband front, too.

The Commonwealth Rural Access Initiative is co-chaired by the leadership of the Center for Rural Virginia and the Virginia Telecommunications Industry Association. We believe that only an effort combining the innovation and entrepreneurship of industry with a commitment to promote opportunities and prosperity in rural areas can succeed. Article by Jeff Kelley, Capital Results.

Contact Jeff at http://www.capresults.net/about_us/jeffkelley.htm

Agriculture & Natural Resources

Virginia Agribusiness Legislative Appreciation Banquet

Virginia Agribusiness Banquet held at the Arthur Ashe Center in Richmond. Along with the excellent dinner and reception prepared from Virginia grown products, attendees had an exclusive opportunity to network with nearly 1000 fellow industry members and elected officials during an evening highlighting agribusiness.

General Assembly members consider this a premier event and traditionally have a large representation in attendance.

Delegate Robert D. “Bobby” Orrock, Sr. was named the Distinguished Friend of Virginia Agribusiness for 2008 by the Virginia Agribusiness Council. The award was presented at the Council’s 37^th Annual Appreciation Banquet.

Donna Johnson is Executive Director of the Virginia Agribusiness Council and also serves on the Rural Center Board of Trustee.

“Health is tied to the distribution of resources”

Poverty and Health in Virginia

Income and poverty are strong predictors of health because they influence access to the resources and opportunities needed to be healthy. The physical and social environments in which people live, their ability to make and carry out healthy decisions, their exposure to other social and economic factors that influence health, the levels of stress and coping strategies they engage in have major impacts on health outcomes.

This report summarizes the data, findings and conclusions presented in the full “Virginia Health Equity Report 2008. The Health Equity Report 2008 represents a snapshot of vital events data taken from birth and death certificates of Virginia's populations stratified by socioeconomic status (SES), racial/ethnicity and rural/non-rural geography.

Read the Snapshot ~ 12 pages or the Full Report ~ 232 pages

Source: Unequal Health Across the Commonwealth - A Snapshot

Education & Workforce

State Council for Higher Education in Virginia

Currently Tracked Legislation - The "Hot List"

Learn more about critical legislation being tracked by SCHEV
during the 2009 Virginia General Assembly

The 2009 Higher Education Bill List - By Number

Contact: Communications and Government Relations
at Tel: (804) 225-2628 or Communications@schev.edu

______________________________________________________________

Governor Recognizes High-Performing Virginia Public Schools

162 Earn Governor’s Excellence Awards; Board of Education Honors Additional Schools
& School Divisions ~ Read more . . .

January 15, 2009 – Contact Gordon Hickey, (804) 225-4260 or Charles Pyle/DOE, (804) 371-2420

2008 Virginia Rural Summit Follow up

Jon Bowerbank Attends Rural Policy Summit & Virginia Economic Bridge Meeting
Jon spent Monday and Tuesday at the Center for Rural Virginia’s Rural Policy Summit in Lynchburg. The Rural Policy Summit is an annual gathering of leaders from non-profit organizations, government agencies, and local and state elected officials to discuss pressing issues in rural Virginia. This year’s discussion centered on three critical issues: health care, workforce development, and broadband deployment. Conference attendees also heard from Governor Tim Kaine and Secretary of Technology Aneesh Chopra.

In addition to the Rural Policy Summit, Jon addressed the Board of Directors for the Virginia Economic Bridge
on Tuesday. The Virginia Economic Bridge is a non-profit organization which exists to strengthen the economy of Virginia by creating economic links between Northern Virginia and Southwest Virginia. Jon’s company, EMATS Inc., is a participant in the Virginia Economic Bridge and Jon spoke about his experiences as a businessman creating a company in Southwest Virginia. Jon also detailed his ideas for creating additional educational and economic opportunities by fostering ties between rural and urban areas of Virginia

Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world!