Virginia Commonwealth University has received $424,800 from the U.S. Department of Labor to provide job training to veterans. The grant was among 98 totaling more than $25 million announced yesterday. The money will be used to provide job training to about 15,000 veterans nationwide under the U.S. Department of Labor’s Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program.

Two Virginia community colleges will receive $743,000 each from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of $1.78 million awarded the state to expand remedial education programs. The awards over the next three years will go to Danville Community College and Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville. The remaining $300,000 will be used by the community college system for efforts to increase the college completion rates of low-income and minority students.

The gift of sight was improved for some area residents this year courtesy of the Virginia Eye Institute’s Cataract Mission. Patricia Bevins of Caroline County was among the 19 patientswho received free cataract surgery last month. “It’s like seeing in HD [high definition],“ Bevins, 55, said.

His opening postgame comments almost always center on intensity and effort. Last night was no different for Virginia Commonwealth University coach Anthony Grant, although this one may have been taken more to heart. Coming off a humbling loss in which they were outworked, the Rams displayed renewed intensity. VCU jumped to big first-half lead and destroyed William and Mary 76-54 before a sellout crowd of 7,583 at the Siegel Center.

VCU’s Rams, still trying to unleash the feared pressure defense that has become their signature under coach Anthony Grant, take on UNC Wilmington in a Colonial Athletic Association game at the Siegel Center.

Virginia Commonwealth University coach Anthony Grant called it “winning time.“ And when it came to that point between rivals VCU and Richmond yesterday at the Robins Center, the Rams were a bit better.