Jim Bresnahan

Fewer public schools across Virginia met increased federal targets this year under the No Child Left Behind Act.

The percentage of schools in Virginia meeting the benchmarks dropped from 74 percent last year to 71 percent this year.

About 150 schools overall passed reading and math tests to make AYP. Lexington was one of the school divisions meeting or exceeding the benchmarks in all schools across the division. Individual schools needed to meet targets in 29 measured objectives. Failure to meet one prevents the school from making AYP.

Jim Bresnahan

Renovation work at the Lylburn Downing Community Center should be finished by December the 18^th.

Lexington City School Superintendent Dan Lyons says most of the ceilings have also been removed from the main school building and excavation for the addition and new parking area is nearly complete.

Lyons says the fire marshal has also inspected the school and declared it to be 100 percent safe.

Jim Bresnahan

The Boy Scouts of America has decided that it will no longer consider the Goshen Scout Reservation in Rockbridge County as a potential location for the National Scouting Center and the 2013 National Scout Jamboree, due to significant restrictions of land utilization. Jack Furst, national chairman and lead volunteer for the National Scouting Center, said it is simply too restrictive from a land utilization perspective. He says the BSA recently signed an agreement to purchase more than 10,000 acres near Beckley, West Virginia for a new high-adventure base. The BSA expects to close on that property in the fall and may look at that property, to see if it could support a National Jamboree. Furst says the Jamboree, which could attract 200,000 Scouts and others every four years, should have a new location by 2013.

Jim Bresnahan

State health officials fear that some college students returning to campus this fall will bring the Swine Flu virus back to campus with them.

Governor Tim Kaine says the state has been careful not to overuse Tamiflu, and as a result Virginia has a good supply of the antiviral medication on hand should it be needed.

Dawn Watkins, Vice President for Student Affairs at Washington and Lee, says this is a serious situation, in the wake of last spring's Swine Flu outbreak at W & L. Washington and Lee had at least 14 cases of Swine Flu, most of which were among first year students living in residence halls.