RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today congratulated Orbital Sciences Corporation for the successful first launch of its new Antares medium-class launch vehicle from the recently completed Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on Wallops Island. Pad 0A was developed in partnership with Orbital to support eight resupply missions to the International Space Station, expected to begin later this year.

Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

VIMS and University of Maryland researchers have determined the presence of oyster reefs removes ten times the nitrogen than areas without the reefs. Oysters and mussels are found to convert reactive nitrogen into its pure gaseous form that has almost no contribution to algae blooms that create dead zones in the Bay. The researchers found 47% of the nitrogen conversion is placed into the shells of the animals and that this almost permanantly removes the nitrogen especially if the shells are buried. VIMS calls this process the holy grail of restoration science and has produced an article on the study. For complete details, please read the study.

The conclusion in the matter is, absent a statutory rule to the contrary, the member does continue to serve and has the full range of duties of the office. The question was asked regarding the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Commission and has information regarding the membership rules of the Commission. There is information also regarding how the term limit is treated and how time is counted toward the term. For full details, please read the opinion.

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that Virginia has been approved to implement a new healthcare initiative, the Medicare-Medicaid Enrollee (dual eligible) Financial Alignment Demonstration, aimed at coordinating care for more than 78,000 Virginians currently enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid.

Four staff members were honored at Monday night’s Board meeting for their years of service to the A-NPDC.  From left to right are Susan Haycox – 25 years, Bobbie Wert – 15 years, Kat Edwards – 25 years and Patricia Connolly Grove – 5 years.  Congratulations to all and best wishes for continued success.

Barbara Schwenk has worked with the A-NPDC for twelve years and retired the first week in May to her farm near Eastville where she lives with her husband Marshall and her granddaughter Nikki.  Barbara served as Community Development Coordinator focusing on economic development and planning activities for the Shore.  Among her many accomplishments are: assisting the Town of Parksley to construct their downtown sewer project,  acting as staff to spearhead the planning effort for the regional broadband network, securing funding to implement construction and providing administration of several grants that provided network funding as well staffing the efforts to develop the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for the Shore.

Barbara has worked tirelessly over the past years to identify the community needs and help localities implement strategies for meeting them and we wish her all the best.

Nine projects are identified in Accomack County although many like the new Chincoteague Bridge are underway or already complete. A $15,312,000 improvement to Route 709 (Horntown Road) and a $7,808,000 reconstruction of Route 609 (Church Road) are scheduled for construction in fiscal year 2014. No projects were identified in Northampton County.

Ms. Deborah Christie has been appointed by the Governor to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Commission. She currently is Executive Director of the Wallops Research Park and resides in Onancock.