By Bob Lewis

RICHMOND Virginia's General Assembly became the first in the nation Wednesday to approve legislation that bucks any attempt by President Barack Obama and Congress to implement a national health care overhaul in individual states.

Local hospitals resumed normal visiting policies Monday now that flu levels are back to normal. Children younger than 18 had been prohibited from visiting hospitals beginning in October to prevent the spread of swine flu to patients. The pandemic H1N1 flu, known as swine flu, has higher rates among children, who, like others, can carry the virus for 24 hours before showing any symptoms.

By James Thomas Jr.
Correspondent
After a January snowstorm delayed its open house, the new Sentara St. Luke's Healthcare Campus in Smithfield, with greatly expanded urgent care hours, held its eagerly awaited official welcoming late last month.
The occasion turned out to be an added bonus for patients and guests who were awarded one day of free basic health care.

RICHMOND A House education committee passed legislation that would require student athletes who suffered a concussion to be benched until they received medical clearance.

SB652, sponsored by Norfolk Democrat Sen. Ralph Northam, received unanimous support this morning.

Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System is planning to build two multi million-dollar outpatient cancer centers at its campuses in Norfolk and Suffolk. It would develop an $18.1 million facility at Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center in Norfolk and a $13.7 million building at its Health Center at Harbour View in Suffolk.

They were called "test tube babies" in the beginning, a label that never quite fit. For one thing, the "in-vitro fertilization" that led to their births happened when their parents' eggs and sperm were joined in Petri dishes, not test tubes. For another, that first wave of IVF embryos transferred from lab to womb were bound to grow up eventually.

Democrats enjoyed an "I told you so" moment Thursday after Gov. Bob McDonnell amended Republican-sponsored legislation targeting a controversial element of a proposed federal health care overhaul. The General Assembly last month passed legislation declaring that state residents cannot be forced to buy health insurance.

NORFOLK Plans to replace Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center with a 124-bed hospital at the same location received final state approval, Bon Secours announced Thursday. The development solidified a compromise between Bon Secours Hampton Roads and city leaders, who have worked together on the project after disagreeing less than two years ago about the aging hospital's future.

A raccoon that was found in the 200 bloc of Deep Creek Road in Newport News tested positive for rabies and Peninsula health officials are asking the public to report exposure to the animal.

WASHINGTON  Democratic Party chairman Tim Kaine said today he expects the health care overhaul will be passed and he's not worried about Republican threats to make it a premier issue in this year's midterm elections.