Press Coverage

WHSV, TV3
Reporter: Philip Townsend
http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/50721047.html

Diane Kellogg from the Central Shenandoah Office on Youth has been one of the driving forces behind the SAW 2010 coalition to combat gang violence in the Valley.

Kellogg says, "We want to make sure that we are pointing our resources in the direction that will do the most good...Meaning decrease crime the most."

Kellogg will soon be getting some help from police chiefs and delegates, to congressman, school superintendents, and more. They're all joining the fight as part of a new comprehensive gang model that hopes to curb gang violence in the Valley.

Their goal is to collect data that will tell them what the problem is, who's causing it, and when and where they're causing it.

Kellogg says, "Once we have that all defined, we'll know how to treat the problem."

Staunton school administrators are working with the committee.

Staunton Schools Assistant Superintendent Dori Walk says, "I think we do have a problem. We do have youth that are looking for something and often the gang is what they find."

Walk says school systems in the area will be a vital part of the model's success.

Walk says, "I think we're very important because generally we see these kids everyday...They're in our buildings."

Kellogg adds, "We're going to need all kinds of school data. We're going to need truancies, we are going to need to know disruptive behaviors, whos causing it? When are they causing it?"

Among a growing list of members, are police chiefs from Staunton and Waynesboro, the Augusta County Sheriff, members of the board of supervisors in the county, delegate Chris Saxman, and potentially state senator Emmett Hanger.

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By Jimmy LaRoue
Waynesboro News Virginian
Published: June 26, 2009
http://www.newsvirginian.com/wnv/news/local/article/saxman_praises_annou...

Del. Chris Saxman praised the vote of the Staunton City Council in adopting a memorandum of understanding at its Thursday meeting regarding the Western State Hospital project, calling it “huge for our area.“

“I am very pleased that Staunton City Council members voted unanimously to move forward with these important projects that will not only benefit those Virginians who receive critical care services from Western State Hospital, but also our community as these projects will bring hundreds of jobs and economic development opportunities to the area,“ Saxman said in a written statement.

The deal allows for a smaller hospital to be built on 70 acres within the city’s Crossroads Business Park - property that is adjacent to the current location along Interstate 81 and Route 250.

In exchange for the city’s Industrial Development Authority deeding the city property in the business park, the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services will deed 266 acres of the existing hospital campus - excluding the 31 acre property where the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents is located - to the IDA for future private redevelopment.

City leaders are hopeful of the project’s economic benefits to the city - particularly with increasing sales tax revenue. It also allows Staunton to keep pace with competing projects recently announced in Augusta County and Waynesboro, though Vice Mayor Dave Metz noted the project has been four years in the making.

“It helps to keep Staunton competitive,“ said Councilwoman Andrea Oakes following Thursday’s council meeting. “If the city’s not growing, it will die. And this gives us the opportunity to grow and remain competitive with Waynesboro as well as Augusta County. Again, it’ll bring in a lot of revenue for the city of Staunton.“

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Continued online:
http://www.newsvirginian.com/wnv/news/local/article/saxman_praises_annou...