The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, Norfolk, VA

Milestones

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS Jordan M. Parsick is the recipient of the 2009 Pamplin Leader Award at First Colonial High. The Pamplin Leader is a one-year, $1,000 tuition scholarship to Virginia Tech. It is presented annually to one student from each public high school in Virginia.

No Child Left Behind Needs More Flexibility

FLAWS IN the federal law requiring all public school students to be proficient in reading and math by 2014 were obvious in the latest progress report, released this month: More than one-fourth of Virginia's public schools failed to meet incremental standards, despite widespread improvement in test scores. To meet the 2009 standards of No Child Left Behind, 81 percent of all students, regardless of disability or language limitations, must have passed reading tests; 79 percent were required to ...

Free & Fun This Weekend

Art Seawall Art Show, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday . 100 block of High Street, Portsmouth. (757) 393-8543.

Titans Again Appear to Be the Team to Beat

It's time to recognize Lake Taylor as a fixture among the Eastern Region's elite football programs. In Hank Sawyer's 10 years at the helm, the Titans have produced a 79-30 record, losing twice in the last four regular seasons. They also recorded two victories in their seventh trip to the playoffs under Sawyer last year. This season, Lake Taylor is a unanimous favorite among the Eastern District coaches to notch its third consecutive outright league title. Other primary contenders for the East...

Bringing Terrorists to Justice and Court

NO COMMUNITY is likely to welcome the news that a terrorist will be tried at the local courthouse. Even in Newport News, which has a new high-security U.S. District Court, politicians are lining up to oppose hosting the trial of confessed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed. State lawmakers and U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman are behaving as if terrorists will be taking up most of the seats in the courtroom.

Martial Arts, Security, Gaming Shops Have New Twists

By Irene Bowers Correspondent

A Pre-Eminent Purveyor of Plants

By Linda McNatt The Virginian-Pilot

Lost in the Medicare Maze? Here's Free Help

By Vicki L. Friedman The Virginian-Pilot

Talent-Rich Ocean Lakes Favorite in a Tough Field

Ocean Lakes returns a load of talent from a team that won its first outright Beach District title and went undefeated during the regular season. The Dolphins welcome back wide receiver Justin Hunter, safety Jon Godfrey, lineman Wes Moulton and linebacker Matt Baptiste. Hunter has committed to LSU and the other three are Division I prospects. And Ocean Lakes also benefits from several transfers, including Justin Hughes from First Colonial. "We're excited to see what's going to happen; we can't...

Edward Hollinger

Edward Hollinger said 2009 marks his 30th year as an educator, but the new head of Virginia Beach Friends School speaks of the start of the school year as though it were his own first day: "I'm ready for everybody to get here," said Hollinger, with a tone of eager anticipation. "Sept. 1 can't get here soon enough." (Friends School opens a week earlier than Virginia Beach City Public Schools.)

High Time We Had a Place for High Tea, and Other Goodies

By Sandra J. Pennecke Correspondent

High School Football Records

All-time statistical leaders (Sources: Virginian-Pilot statistical records, Virginia High School League record book, retired Virginia Associated Press sports editor Marshall Johnson)

Star Choreographer Brings Bollywood to the Beach

By Jan Gaillard Correspondent

Billboards May Go High-Tech After Planning Commission and City Council Weigh In

Billboards may make a comeback along city streets and highways soon, but this time in the form of bright, ever-changing digital signs. City planners are crafting an ordinance that would allow the outdoor advertising industry to replace existing billboards with the high-tech signs flashing advertisements for everything from auto sales to sexual enhancement aids. The code change is to come before the Planning Commission in the next two months, then advance to the City Council for final approval.

'Elite' Trainers Focus On Prep Football Players

By John Streit Correspondent

Other Coaches Throw in the Towel As Moore Wins Again

By John Streit Correspondent

Quick Learners Went National

By Dan Cooley Correspondent

Businesses Uneasy As First Steps of Laskin Project to Begin Soon

By Deirdre Fernandes The Virginian-Pilot

Suffolk Crime Report

Arson East Washington Street, 1:17 p.m., officers arrived and they observed that there was a fire in a dumpster that was in the rear of the building.

More Multitasking Is Linked to Less Efficiency, Research Shows

By Randolph E. Schmid The Associated Press