Briefs

Local & VCU

Virginia Department of Health releases regulations for abortion clinics

The Virginia Department of Health has released draft regulations for licensure of abortion clinics that abortion-rights advocates say could threaten the continued availability of safe, legal procedures.

The proposed emergency rules, posted late Friday afternoon, include building requirements that some advocates view as costly, onerous and not intended for existing health-care facilities.

The Virginia Coalition to Protect Women’s Health said in a statement that the draft regulations require existing clinics to make “substantial architectural changes” to comply with the 2010 Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities.

The new rules follow an amended Republican-backed bill, Senate Bill 924, which narrowly passed the General Assembly this year on a tie-breaking vote cast by Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling.

If a majority of the board approves the regulations, the rules will be subject to “executive review” by the attorney general, the secretary of Health and Human Services, the Department of Planning and Budget, and the governor. Board members also have the option of approving the regulations conditioned upon making certain changes.

Upon approval by Gov. Bob McDonnell, they would be in effect for one year and could be extended an additional six months at the discretion of the governor while permanent regulations are being formulated.

Brief by The Richmond Times-Dispatch

State traffic enforcement effort nets 5,000 violations

Virginia State Police cited motorists for nearly 5,000 violations during a traffic enforcement effort on three interstates.

The Operation Air, Land and Speed initiative targeted Interstates 81, 95 and 64 on Aug. 19. and Aug. 20.

The agency said in a news release today that motorists were cited for 2,421 violations on I-81, 1,662 violations on I-95 and 863 violations on I-64. Violations included drunken driving, reckless driving, speeding, and safety belt violations.

State police Superintendent Col. W. Steven Flaherty says the enforcement effort’s goal is to save lives and “reinforce” drivers to drive safely and responsibly.

Brief by The Associated Press

$115 million given to VMFA and MCV

With Champagne flutes held aloft, the leadership of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and Virginia Commonwealth University toasted bequests totaling $115 million – the largest cash gift in each organization’s history.

In an announcement made Thursday afternoon in the museum’s Marble Hall, they said nearly $70 million will go to the VMFA to create a restricted art purchase endowment and to support the museum’s recent expansion. VCU’s $45 million will go to the university’s medical campus for research and prevention of cancer and other degenerative diseases.

The money comes from the trusts of Arthur Graham Glasgow and Margaret Branch Glasgow. The trusts terminated this summer with the death of their son-in-law, Ambrose Congreve, 104, of London.

Of the museum portion, $60 million will be used to create a Glasgow Fund to strengthen the museum’s permanent collection.

Beyond the museum and VCU, $10 million from the trusts will be distributed to 13 nonprofit organizations, most of which are in Richmond. They are: Sheltering Arms Hospital, Richmond Memorial Health Foundation, Jenkins Foundation, Virginia Home, Children’s Hospital of Richmond, Virginia Healthcare Foundation, Historic Richmond Foundation, Virginia Historical Society, Second Presbyterian Church of Richmond and St. Paul’s Church of Richmond.

Brief by The Richmond Times-Dispatch

National & International

9/11 charities fall short of their goals 10 years later

Americans eager to give after the 9/11 terrorist attacks poured $1.5 billion into hundreds of charities established to serve the victims, their families and their memories. But a decade later, an Associated Press investigation shows that many of those nonprofits have failed miserably.

In virtually every category of 9/11 nonprofit, an AP analysis of tax documents and other official records uncovered schemes beset with shady dealings, questionable expenses and dubious intentions. Many of those still raising money are small, founded by people with no experience running a nonprofit.

The Arizona-based charity that raised $713,000 for a 9/11 memorial quilt promised it would be big enough to cover 25 football fields, but there are only several hundred decorated sheets packed in boxes at a storage unit.

One-third of the money raised went to the charity’s founder and relatives, according to tax records and interviews.

The AP examined charities that received tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service by promising to serve victims of the 9/11 tragedy, build memorials or do other charitable works in honor of the dead. The charities were identified using data maintained by Guidestar, a private database of nonprofits that the IRS recommends.

The $1.5 billion donated to these charities was in addition to the billions spent by Congress and states and established nonprofits like the Red Cross.

Most of the 9/11 charities fulfilled their missions, but the AP analysis found dozens that struggled, fell short of their promises or did more to help their founders than those affected by the terrorist attacks.

Brief by the Associated Press

Maryland teen in custody for Jihad Jane plot

A Maryland teenager from Pakistan is being held in U.S. custody on terrorism charges, accused of soliciting funds and recruits to help a Pennsylvania woman known as Jihad Jane, two people close to the investigation confirm.

Juvenile charges filed last month accuse the 17-year-old of helping Colleen LaRose support overseas terrorists she had met online, they said Friday. LaRose, 48, has pleaded guilty to charges she plotted to kill a Swedish artist who had offended Muslims.

The Ellicott City, Md., teen had accepted a full scholarship to prestigious Johns Hopkins University, according to a person close to his family. Instead, he remains in custody at a youth facility in Berks County, Pa. He could have his case moved to adult court when he turns 18 next month.

A Johns Hopkins spokeswoman confirmed the teen had been accepted but would not be enrolling.

The Department of Justice declined to comment on reports of his arrest.

Brief by The Associated Press

al-Qaida’s second in command killed in U.S. missile strike

U.S. and Pakistani officials said Saturday that al-Qaida’s second-in-command, Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, had been killed in Pakistan, delivering another big blow to a terrorist group that the United States thinks to be on the verge of defeat.

Since Navy SEALs stormed Osama bin Laden’s compound and killed him in May, the Obama administration has been unusually frank in its assessment that al-Qaida is on the ropes, its leadership in disarray. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said last month that al-Qaida’s defeat was within reach if the U.S. could mount a string of successful attacks.

A Libyan national, al-Rahman never had the worldwide name recognition of bin Laden or bin Laden’s successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri. But al-Rahman was regarded as an instrumental figure in the terrorist organization, trusted by bin Laden to oversee its daily operations.

Al-Rahman was killed Monday in the lawless Pakistani tribal region of Waziristan, according to a senior administration official who also insisted on anonymity to discuss intelligence issues. A Pakistani intelligence official said al-Rahman died in a U.S. missile strike in Machi Khel village in North Waziristan.

Brief by The Associated Press