Author: sherlockj
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Past Time for Serious Sanctions for the Commonwealth’s Worst Nursing Homes
by James C. Sherlock Effective May 1 of this year, Karen Shelton M.D. became Virginia’s Health Commissioner. Dr. Shelton is now the licensor and regulator of Virginia’s nursing homes. By law, state-licensed nursing homes must comply with federal and state laws and standards. By regulation, the Health Commissioner “may impose such administrative sanctions or take such…
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Lee Enterprises and the Newspaper Business in Virginia
by James C. Sherlock Lee Enterprises, about whose frantic search for cash I wrote yesterday, owns a dozen newspapers in Virginia. For now. The Daily Progress – Charlottesville The Free Lance-Star – Fredericksburg Register & Bee/Go Dan River – Danville Bristol Herald Courier – Tricities – Bristol Martinsville Bulletin – Martinsville The News & Advance…
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Virginia’s Best Nursing Facilities
by James C. Sherlock This is part 4 of a series on nursing homes in Virginia. Part 1 here Part 2 here, Part 3 here. Medicare.gov curates and publishes a system of nursing home assessments that is outstanding in both design and execution. As discussed in earlier parts of this series, Virginia has far more…
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Lee Enterprises Newspapers in Virginia Combine Huge Online Subscription Price Increases with Difficult Cancellations
by James C. Sherlock Lee Enterprises, in a bold move, has massively raised prices for online subscriptions to its Virginia newspapers, to some of which I subscribe. Lee’s “brands” here include: The Daily Progress – Charlottesville The Free Lance Star – Fredericksburg Danville Register Bee/Go Dan River – Danville Bristol Herald Courier – Tricities –…
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Virginia Nursing Home Regulations and Inspections – A Strategic Improvement Recommendation
By James C. Sherlock Those who read this blog know that Virginia has far more than its share of bad nursing homes. They just do not know what can or should be done about it. This third in a current series on Virginia nursing homes will take on a problem that is self-inflicted – the…
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No New Law or Regulation is Needed for VDH to Sanction Bad Nursing Homes
By James C. Sherlock This is Part 2 of this series. Part 1 is here. I will offer here a deeper sense of Virginia’s bad nursing homes. And of the historic lack of adequate regulation by the state. Start with the fact that even the worst of them are still open. Centers for Medicare &…
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School Boards, Model Policies and Parental Rights in the Raising of Children
by James C. Sherlock The Virginia Beach School Board will vote tomorrow. The announced subject will be transgender rights in schools. It is couched by The Virginian-Pilot as the school board defending transgender students against “unnecessarily cruel policies.“ As opposed, one supposes, to necessarily cruel policies. The local paper refers, of course, to the Youngkin…
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Scandal in Plain Sight – Virginia’s Failed Regulation of Law-Avoiding Nursing Home Owners
by James C. Sherlock One of the most important and heart-wrenching decisions families make for their elderly loved ones is whether they are able to keep them in their homes as they get older and sicker. Sometimes that is not feasible for a long list of reasons in each case. More than 30,000 Virginians live…
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Federal Flood Insurance Needs to Cover Its Costs
by James C. Sherlock Virginia is suing FEMA over its new risk rating methodology for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Virginia’s suit says that the new methodology: doesn’t recognize many mitigation efforts, nor does it clearly explain how rates are calculated based on mitigation efforts. This means that (Virginia’s) mitigation efforts don’t result in…
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New Style of Computer Adaptive Testing for Math and Reading SOLs in Spring 2023
by James C. Sherlock End-of-year SOLs will be released this summer and are much anticipated to see how well kids are recovering from enforced shutdowns during COVID. Some readers know the current testing system like the backs of their hands. But nearly all of us took standardized tests in school in which everyone took the…
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A Rebound Towards Excellence — and Smiles — in Newport News Public Schools
by James C. Sherlock The national and international headlines were awful. The shooting of Abby Zwerner at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News was horrible. The investigative reports were chilling. Newport News Public Schools (NNPS) has chosen the right path forward — positivity, community consultation and openness centered on the children. There are signs that…
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A Fool’s Errand Finds Takers in Charlottesville
by James C. Sherlock As an experiment, I went to the UVa Ed School research page and searched “all topics” for “Charter Schools.” The response: “No research items found matching your search.” So, I expanded the search to “Charter” and got the same response. I then investigated what should have proven a promising lead. The…
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UVa’s Undergraduate Female/Male Demographics vs. Diversity, Equity and Federal Law
by James C. Sherlock The University of Virginia measures its diversity efforts by statistics. We’ll hold them to their own standards. That seems only equitable. President Ryan has said that the demographic composition of students is easy to measure. The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion office, proving him right, proudly displays a Diversity Dashboard. All eyes,…
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UVa President Ryan Has “No Idea.” Golly Gee.
by James C. Sherlock As a follow-up to yesterday’s story on the slide show for the UVa Board of Visitors on DEI at the University, I think it only fair to offer President Ryan’s preamble to that presentation. To summarize: He cannot imagine what all the fuss is about; but He assures that DEI efforts…
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DEI Presentation at Tomorrow’s UVa Board of Visitors Meeting Attempts to Deflect the Discussion
by James C. Sherlock Tomorrow, June 2, there will be a meeting of the Board of Visitors at the University of Virginia. The University has published a preview of a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion presentation to the Board. That presentation is designed quite clearly to deflect the conversation from the true issues. It attempts to:…