Governor to take week-long tour of Virginia successes

Gov. Bob McDonnell is taking a tour across Virginia beginning Friday to highlight accomplishments from his term.

McDonnell has gone on similar tours of the state during his administration, but this one comes as McDonnell deals with a gifts scandal that has plagued the last part of his gubernatorial term.

The tour will start in Salem on Friday and end the following Thursday in Lynchburg. Successes include a lower unemployment rate and a net of 172,600 new jobs, McDonnell says.

“Agricultural exports have reached record highs,” McDonnell said in a statement. “At the same time we’ve posted four straight revenue surpluses, more than doubled the state’s Rainy Day Fund, and dramatically reduced the future unfunded liabilities in our pension system. State workers have received their first pay raise in 6 years. We broke a nearly three-decade long standstill on transportation funding to put in place a bold new plan that will pump nearly $6 billion in new revenue into roads and rail around the state over the next five years.”

Last month McDonnell apologized for any embarrassment he and his family have caused Virginia and said his family was returning the gifts they had received from Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams and that his business and wife were repaying $120,000 in loans.

The events on the tour include a “major economic development announcement” in Chesapeake next Tuesday.

The following is his schedule for his tour:

Friday, Aug. 9

Salem – 1:00 PM
McDonnell announces Strategic Compensation Grant recipients
Andrew Lewis Middle School Library
616 South College Ave.
Salem

Roanoke – 2:45 PM
McDonnell joins transit leaders for announcement about Amtrak service to Roanoke
Pedestrian walkway between the Roanoke Convention Center and Hotel Roanoke
710 Williamson Road
Roanoke

Bristol – 5:00 PM
McDonnell visits the Birthplace of Country Music Museum
520 Cumberland St.
Bristol

Saturday, Aug. 10

Bristol – 11:00 AM
McDonnell tours Wire Tough
14570 Industrial Park Road, Suite C
Bristol

Breaks – 2:30 PM
McDonnell takes part in U.S. Route 460 Connector Phase I project briefing
Phase I Project Site (off Route 80 adjacent to Breaks Interstate Park)
627 Commission Circle
Breaks

Galax – 5:45 PM
McDonnell attends Old Fiddler's Convention “Poor Man's Supper”
Felt's Park
601 S. Main St.
Galax

Sunday, Aug. 11

Blackstone –2:30 PM
McDonnell visits Virginia National Guard units at Fort Pickett and tours facilities
Fort Pickett
Blackstone

Monday, Aug. 12

Lynchburg –10:00 AM
McDonnell participates in ribbon-cutting ceremony for Governor’s STEM Academy
Central Virginia Community College—AREVA Technology Center
3506 Wards Road
Lynchburg
Release: https://www.governor.virginia.gov/news/viewRelease.cfm?id=1472

Lynchburg – 11:30 AM
McDonnell takes part in Odd Fellows Road Interchange project briefing
VDOT Training Center—Ramey Memorial Auditorium
4303 Campbell Ave. (Rt. 501)
Lynchburg
Release: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/news/viewRelease.cfm?id=1907

Danville –2:15 PM
McDonnell tours Precision Machining Center at Danville Community College
Danville Community College—Charles R. Hawkins Engineering & Industrial Technologies Building
Boswell Street
Danville

Ringgold – 3:30 PM
McDonnell participates in groundbreaking ceremony for Dan River Plants, LLC
Dan River Industrial Park
2311 Cane Creek Parkway
Ringgold
Release: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/news/viewRelease.cfm?id=1891

Martinsville – 5:30 PM
McDonnell hosts cook out for state employees
Virginia Museum of Natural History—Great Hall
21 Starling Avenue
Martinsville

Tuesday, Aug. 13

Virginia Beach – 10:30 AM
McDonnell visits Sugar Plum Bakery
1353 Laskin Road
Virginia Beach

Portsmouth – 1:00 PM
McDonnell participates in conversation about Virginia’s new Restoration of Rights Policy
Tidewater Community College—Portsmouth Campus Building A
120 Campus Drive
Portsmouth
Release: https://www.governor.virginia.gov/news/viewRelease.cfm?id=1895

Chesapeake – 2:30 PM
McDonnell makes major economic development announcement
*Details to be announced closer to event.

Wednesday, Aug. 14

Machipongo – 9:00 AM
McDonnell tours Chatham Vineyards and Winery
9232 Chatham Road
Machipongo

Weems – 11:00 AM

McDonnell tours Kellum Seafood’s Oyster Harvesting, Shucking and Packing Facility
Kellum Seafood
96 Shipyard Lane
Weems

Fredericksburg – 2:15 PM
McDonnell tours Intuit and meets with employees
110 Juliad Court
Fredericksburg

Woodbridge – 4:15 PM
McDonnell participates in roundtable discussion on veteran issues
VFW 1503 Dale City
14631 Minnieville Road
Woodbridge

Thursday, Aug. 15

Alexandria – 9:30 AM
McDonnell participates in roundtable on K-12 education reform
*Details to be announced closer to event.

Fairfax – 11:00 AM
McDonnell discusses higher education policy reform and the path forward
George Mason University
4400 University Drive
Fairfax

Leesburg – 12:30 PM
McDonnell makes major Civil War battleground preservation announcement
Ball's Bluff State Park
Leesburg