Here are a few Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, December 29. Also, break out the popcorn, as Jon Huntsman rips into Ron Paul in a new ad in New Hampshire.
*A deeper shade of purple
*Wealthy businessman drops out of Va. senate race
*Coal, labor boosted their spending on Va. elections
*McDonnell does not support shifting transportation costs to localities
*Coast Guard to study the future of Atlantic traffic and wind farms
*Effort made to get more GOP hopefuls on Virginia primary ballot
*Virginia: If it’s wrong to exclude Gingrich and Perry, can they get on ballot?
*In Virginia, Kaine, Allen in dead heat for Senate
*Exit interview, Part I: Senate candidate Tim Donner withdraws from race
*Tax will increase commuter costs, could jam area roads
*Too dense to get on Virginia ballot, but you want to be prez?
*Mackowiak: The Political Winners of 2011
*In Washington area, African American students suspended and expelled two to five times as often as whites
*Suspect in slashings flees to Peru
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