Virginia Talks: Your voice, your opinion, loud and clear.

Read the original post at stuartmease.com

Chris Chmura’s recent presentation to Gov. Bob McDonnell’s Commission on Higher Education Reform was featured in story on dailypress.com:

Christine Chmura, president and chief economist for Richmond-based Chmura Economics & Analytics, told the committee should consider if students need to be more informed about high-demand jobs and employment trends before declaring a major if they want to live and work in Virginia.

It should also consider taking a look at the needs of Virginia businesses for talented employees and integrate those needs into higher education planning, she said.

“If you look at that more you will see more firms coming in that will help us progress and get ahead of other states,” she said.

Read the full story.

From Holly Gordon over at RVA News: Strange Matter (vegan-friendly, carnivore-approved) is now offering bike delivery service to VCU Campus, Oregon Hill, Jackson Ward, Carver, the Fan, Randolph, Carytown, and the Museum District. Owner Bobby Pembleton says they have a “flexible $10 minimum charge.” Delivery is available every day except for Sunday, from 11am to [...]

The Books, Bikes, and Beyond thrift store opens at their new location at 7 West Broad Street on Monday, August 30th.

Fries bills itself as the town at the start of the New River Trail but the Commonwealth of Virginia’s web site for Virginia State Parks considers 5.5 mile stretch that runs from Fries a “branch” of the main trail that it says runs 51.5 miles from Galax to Pulaski. Maybe that’s one of the reasons [...]

Check out this new listing in Smoketree South, Midlothian, Virginia. We will be holding 1306 Manders Knoll open on Sunday, August 22, 2010 from 1-3 p.m. Stop by and see this immaculate move-in ready home. The photo album is attached…

Here’s a really interesting article a friend just sent to me. Apparently, Richmond, Virginia, perceived by many to be a sleepy little Southern town, ranks Number 3 in the nation in number of tattoos per capita. That’s more than L.A.,…

In the current Hook is one of the longest articles that I recall them publishing: Dave McNair’s investigation into the suicide of VQR’s Kevin Morrissey. There’s a lot more information, and better sourced information, than in the Chronicle of Higher Education piece, published last week. Perhaps the most interesting revelation in the article is that [...]

I’ve recently been impressed with the work of the agricultural NGO One Acre Fund. While on assignment in Kenya for business magazine “FIVE,” I documented the organization’s work with small farmers. These farmers usually cultivate no more than approximately one acre of land and therefore are usually the most in need. While OAF works in [...]

Chmura’s underemployment map was featured in a recent post by Jim Bacon:

If Gov. Bob McDonnell is looking for an innovative way to boost employment in Virginia, he should encourage his economic development brain trust to address this issue. One good place to start would be to consult with Chmura Economics & Analytics, a Richmond-based economic consulting firm that has developed proprietary software and databases for that very purpose. (My apologies if those consultations are taking place.) This map, taken from Chmura’s “Underemployment in the United States” ranking, shows where highly skilled workers are in most excess supply, broken down by metropolitan statistical area.

Read the full article.