WEEK IN REVIEW

Oct. 21-27

Illegal Immigration Is Key Voter IssueMore in Va. Want Officials Who Confront It

Illegal immigration has emerged as a key issue in Virginia's Nov. 6 election, particularly in Northern Virginia, where voters say they are seeking candidates who will address it, according to a Washington Post poll.

Three-quarters of likely voters in Virginia said immigration is important in elections for state and local offices. A year ago, immigration ranked seventh out of 10 issues listed in a Post poll before the U.S. Senate race. Since then, the number of Virginia voters calling immigration "extremely" or "very" important to their vote has jumped 15 percentage points.

Rush Is on to Push Loudoun ProjectsDevelopers, Others Wary of Odds After Election

Developers and other companies are rushing to have their projects approved by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors before the end of the year, fearing that a shift to a slow-growth board after the Nov. 6 election could hamper their plans.

In the six weeks between the election and the end of the term, the board is expected to consider more than 50 items, so many that at least one extra public hearing has been scheduled. Not all of the items involve development, but the meeting agendas include discussions of six cellphone towers and three developments that could add thousands of homes to the county.

Labs Must Advise Va. of Staph CasesGovernor's Order Follows Rise in Infections

Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) approved an emergency regulation requiring laboratories to report all cases of drug-resistant staph infections to the state Health Department.

The requirement, effective immediately, was prompted by concerns over a growing number of reports of infections of the virulent staph bacterium across the state, including many in schools. A Bedford County teenager died after the infection spread to his kidneys, liver, lungs and the muscle around his heart.

The data will allow state health officials to monitor cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and offer guidance on how to ward off infections, officials said. Although infections can be serious, steps such as hand-washing can limit risk.

It's Official: Davis Not in Senate RaceHouse Member Says GOP's Focus Too Narrow

U.S. Rep. Thomas M. Davis III said he will not run for U.S. Senate next year, in part because of what he sees as the Republican Party's increasingly narrow focus on candidates who pass conservative litmus tests on taxes and abortion.

Davis (R-Va.), who has been preparing for a Senate bid for years, wouldn't rule out a future run, such as a challenge to James Webb (D) in 2012. He said he will decide later whether to try to retain his House seat next year.

Across the RegionMetro Fare Increases; Train Operator Faulted

¿ Minimum rush-hour subway fares could rise as much as 30 cents, bus fares could go up a dime and parking fees could increase by $1.15 under a plan agreed to by Metro board members that now must go before the public. Members said the amounts of the suggested increases are likely to change by December, when the board is to make a final decision after a series of public hearings. Under Metro rules, the board can only lower the proposed changes, not raise them.

¿ The operator of the Yellow Line train that struck and killed two Metro track workers in Alexandria almost a year ago failed to follow proper procedures while operating the train. She also lied to federal investigators about being on her cellphone when she hit the emergency brake, according to reports and interview transcripts released by the National Transportation Safety Board.