Richmond Times-Dispatch from Richmond, Virginia • A1

More than $01 En coupon savings Inside today unday Flair i Expanded section Part-time legislators, full-time business owners i offers more of smwHGTpn what matters most mcb mm mono SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2010 $2.00 VIRGINIA'S NEWS LEADER TIMESDISPATCH.COM A I A A A FINAL INAUGURATION OF BOB MCDONNELL BOB BR0WNT1MES-DBPATCH Gov. Bob McDonnell gave an enthusiastic response to well-wishers yesterday alter watching the Inaugural parade from the reviewing stand. REPUBLICAN REVERSAL Inauguration gives national GOP reason to celebrate McDonnell calls for a streamlined government while urging volunteerism BY TYLER WHITLEY Times-Dispatch Staff Writer Gov. Robert Francis McDonnell called on Virginians yesterday to make Virginia a "commonwealth of opportunity" by emphasizing an austere government, more innovation and greater volunteerism. Analysis McDonnell's call for cooperation easier said than done.

Pafi US. Hie speech Text of McDonnell's address. Pap Ml Opportunity McDonnell outlines his vision for Virginia. FEL "Where opportunity is absent, we must create it. Where opportunity is limited, we must expand it.

Where opportunity is unequal, we must make it open to everyone," he declared BREAKING BYOLYMPIA MEOLA Times-Dispatch Staff Writer When Gov. Bob McDonnell took the oath yesterday, he cemented a reversal of political fortunes for Virginia Republicans after eight years of Democratic control and gave the out-of-power national GOP a cause for celebration. McDonnell's decisive victory, coupled with a win in New Jersey's governor's race, buoyed the spirits of national GOP leaders, who hope for further successes in this week's special election for a U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts and in this fall's congressional elections. In Richmond yesterday, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele sat alongside former governors and state senators on the steps of the Capitol, hugging Rep.

Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, and shaking hands with enthusiastic legislators. McDonnell's inauguration, Steele said in an interview, "speaks to how principled candidates who are running grass-roots campaigns can connect with people." He said it shows how they can "lay out the argument for their policies and the differences between the direction they would Kke to lead the state or the country, and the direction the Democrats want to go in, and I think the people responded very favorably." Steele, who campaigned with See GOP, Page A19 in a 22-minute inaugu NEWS he declared. "They are wrong." Appearing relaxed, McDonnell uttered the word "opportunity" or "opportunities" 33 times. McDonnell delivered his speech after taking the 40jword oath of office from Justice Barbara Keenan of the Virginia Supreme Court, after a 19-gun salute by Howitzers placed at the south end of Capitol Square and after a noisy flyover by four F-22 Raptor jets.

He took the oath on a Latin Vulgate Bible that was pre- See MCDONNELL, Page A19 1W101227PM ral address. "I've had people tell Inauguration Watch video and photo highlights of the inauguration of Gov. Bob McDonnell, from the celebratory parade to the gala ball. Goto TimesDispatch.com, keywords: politics, inauguration. me they fear that America may no longer be the land of opportunity it has always been and that Virginia's history in playing a leading role in the life of our nation may be just that history," Aid flow to Haiti gains momentum Decline in fire fatalities continues in region Coming home Virginians making their way home from Haiti.

In Virginia, aid money pours in. PitfAtt. Getting out Henrico-based insurer arranges medical evacuations out of Haiti. Pi Secretary of state arrives as 2 ex-presidents plead for help From Wire Reports PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti Water, food and early glimmers of hope began reaching parched and hungry earthquake survivors yesterday as rescuers fought against time to free trapped victims. Haiti's government alone has already recovered 20,000 bodies not counting those recovered by independent agencies or relatives themselves, Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said.

In a new estimate, the Pan American Health Organization said 50,000 to 100,000 people died in the quake. Bellerive said 100,000 would "seem to be the minimum" Truckloads of corpses were being trundled to mass graves. A third of Haiti's 9 million people may need aid. The State Department raised the U.S. See HAITI, Page A16 cigarette ignited bedding material in the second blaze.

Despite the end-of-year tragedies, Richmond authorities are taking some satisfaction with the city's sharp decline in fire deaths over the past three years. That positive development extended across the Richmond region, which experienced the fewest number of fire deaths in three years. The twelve localities in the Richmond-Petersburg area recorded 10 fatalities in 2009 half the number recorded just two years earlier. But Henrico County had See FIRES, Page A14 BY MARK BOWES Times-Dispatch Staff Writer Richmond fire officials began the month of December with fingers crossed, hoping their education and prevention efforts RTD and good luck FIRST would hold until year's end with no one dying in a fire in the city. Then tragedy struck twice in 19 days.

Two disabled men, ages 62 and 65, were killed in separate house fires Dec. 8 and Dec. 27. In the first case, a stove used to cook or possibly warm the victim's house sparked the fire. A burning U.Kl tops No.

23 Miami Fighting world hunger Richmond minister leads humanitarian group. Km VCU 82 Georgia St 19 WITUSalan iBI Weather report, Pap NrtmUWHd HwAMm Sm JMJmm iMfcttfcitlwrt Lotteries In the Region 14 MMiywtoi 8 Fj CiMratlm Faith Values Al Obituaries Citiry AdvicePuzzles 11 Weddings Hid) mono Eitnts-Bispatdj since isso THE RICHMOND NEWS LEADER 1896-1992 Copyright 2010, 160tti Year, No. 17.