Smoking ban dies, one group’s hope lives on

A House of Delegates subcommittee may killed any remaining chance of a smoking ban in Virginia for 2008, but one group  of advocates say the fight isn’t over. This year’s proposed legislation would’ve banned smoking in most public buildings, bars, and restaurants. Opponents of the ban say people should have the right to smoke where they want; supporters say second hand smoke is a killer.

Forty of those smoke-free advocates took party in this year’s Young Leaders Day at the Capitol.  The group featured teachers, physicians, high school and college students and citizens from across the state. With funding and assistance provided by the American Cancer Society, the group assembled at the Library of Virginia.

 

VCU Alert seeks to defuse campus disasters

School shooting are a reality. In the last year, the Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois shootings have taken the lives of 39 people, most of them college students.

To help prevent such a tragedy on its campus, Virginia Commonwealth University has implement the Emergency Alert System, also known as VCU Alert.  The system is designed to give student the information they need to know to stay safe in life threatening situations.