Those of us who teach at girls’ schools know that there is something unique about our graduates. Heads of girls schools point to prominent alumnae in politics, business, education, medicine, engineering, and the arts who attribute their successes to single-sex education. We have collected anecdotes, stories, and personal testimonials to support our belief in the personal power that our girls develop.

Have you ever been a victim of profiling or discrimination? A significant number of us might say, “Yes.“ Have you lived in a place where you were afraid to be outside after dark? Possibly so. Imagine a life into adulthood in which you never set foot outside after 6 p.m. for fear of being kidnapped or possibly killed because of your ethnicity.

Those of us who teach at girls’ schools know that there is something unique about our graduates. Heads of girls’ schools point to prominent alumnae in politics, business, education, medicine, engineering, and the arts who attribute their successes to single-sex education. We have collected anecdotes, stories, and personal testimonials to support our belief in the personal power that our girls develop.

Fourteen housing nonprofits will join together during the week of April 20-25 to host the Richmond region’s second Affordable Housing Awareness Week. It is an interesting time to hold such an event, because many people believe that housing affordability is a far less pressing issue today than it was five years ago or even just nine months ago.

During the General Assembly’s reconvened session held on April 8, the Virginia House of Delegates rejected Gov. Timothy M. Kaine’s amendment to Senate Bill 1525. The amendment would have given the Commonwealth of Virginia $125.5 million in federal stimulus dollars to be used for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. This rejection, almost exclusively along party lines in a 53-46 vote, was a terrible mistake and grievous loss to 300,000 unemployed citizens across the commonwealth.

Eugene P. Trani has been president of Virginia Commonwealth University for 19 years. Under his leadership, the university has become the largest in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A large part of the inner city of Richmond has been transformed from what was a rapidly decaying part of our city into a bustling, vibrant area. All of us should be eternally grateful. The transformation has been truly amazing.

House Republicans, especially a 29-year businessman like myself, clearly understand—and are experiencing—how tough the economy is. If you are one of the thousands of Virginians who are unemployed, the pain caused by this recession is real and imme diate. We know “it’s the economy, stupid”! We are very focused on implementing good public policy that will stimulate Virginia’s economy and create good-paying jobs.

The defining moment in the relationship between the historic Oregon Hill community and VCU President Eugene Trani occurred sometime after the 2003 VCU Master Plan had been released. Oregon Hill residents could rest easy—for in that plan a reason ably sized natatorium was scheduled to be built on property VCU owned at West Cary and South Cherry streets.

Iwas unable to meet Eugene Trani when he interviewed for the presidency of Virginia Commonwealth University. I remember seeing him exiting the building after meeting with representative faculty, however, and thinking, “That’s our next president.“ Between his appointment and his arrival on campus to take office, Trani and I were both on the program of an international congress of specialists in Slavic studies. I made a point of attending his session, largely to scout out my new boss.

Easter Sunday found our family on the shores of Lake Moultrie, about 15 miles outside of Charleston, S.C. Thanks to the ever-helpful Greta (our Garmin), we were able to locate Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church for Easter Sunday services. Had it not been for the wonders of global positioning technology, we would never have found the tiny mission parish in Bonneau, S.C. (pop. 354).

Terry McAuliffe’s coronation as the Democratic nominee for governor may be postponed—if not imperiled. A pair of polls in the past few weeks shows the former Democratic national chairman—and self-professed best friend of Bill Clinton—trailing former Del. Brian Moran by 4 to 5 percentage points. State Sen. Creigh Deeds runs third in both surveys.

Political Dispatches is an e-mail newsletter that offers fresh insights, inside info, and original analysis from The Times-Dispatch’s top political writers each week. Contributors include Times-Dispatch Editorial Board members Todd Culbertson, Bart Hinkle, and Bob Rayner—along with veteran Capitol Square reporter Jeff Schapiro.

Richmond lost its Triple-A baseball team. The future of The Diamond—located on the Boulevard—is in question. And a significant amount of Shockoe Bottom remains in decay. Good people want to do something to address all of these issues. The City of Richmond’s government is considering allowing the relocation of a baseball field from The Diamond’s site on the Boulevard to a new location. A competent development team is highly motivated to locate it in Shockoe Bottom. What would be the magnitude of the impact of this development on the rest of the city and on the region? What might be the unintended consequences?

Why did President Obama personally deliver his administration’s Detroit smackdown—as opposed to having someone else do it? Ever since the modern presidency began evolving with Woodrow Wilson’s decision to enter World War I, all Democratic chief exec utives have deliberately promoted one management image, while all their Republican counterparts intentionally crafted the opposite approach.

On April 2, the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation granting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority over tobacco products. In Virginia, nearly 9,300 children a year become regular smokers. In our state alone, we spend more than $2 billion on health care costs directly caused by smoking, and 9,700 people die from tobacco each year—the leading cause of preventable death.