|
|
|
|
|
Thanks to the many citizens who attended the Pre-Session Public Hearings I hosted last week along with Senator Janet Howell at the Reston Community Center at Lake Anne and with Senator Mark Herring at Fox Mill Elementary School. Our constituents' comments and questions represented a wide variety of interests and concerns and were very helpful to us as we begin the 2009 General Assembly session today.
January 14, 2009 |
|
|
|
|
|
Commentary
General Assembly Underway
Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
I am in Richmond for the annual session of the General Assembly. In the odd-numbered years the state legislature is required by the constitution to meet for 30 days. In the even-numbered years the session is 60 days. The constitution provides that sessions may be extended in length. The short session is always extended; this year it will be 46 days. With the volume of work that is done, it is surprising for many to realize that prior to 1971 the state lawmaking body only met every other year.
I live in Richmond during the weeks of the session in a small apartment in historic Church Hill. I get home most weekends. The legislative days are lengthy starting sometimes as early as 7:00 a.m. but every day I am in my office no later than 8:00 a.m. and most days earlier. The work day often extends into the evening, and every evening there are many social events. Even the social events are important to the process as they provide a place for members to informally discuss issues and share information.
During the session this column space will be devoted to highlighting major issues. It in no way can be a running commentary on the legislative session as the pace is so fast and complex. Follow the legislative schedule by going to http://legis.virginia.gov.
For the past three years I have led a campaign to require the recording of votes in subcommittee. Nearly a third of legislation introduced in recent years has been defeated in subcommittees without recorded votes. This year I enlisted the support of nearly a hundred statewide organizations and groups who supported the effort to bring transparency to the legislative process. I am pleased that the Speaker of the House has announced that recorded votes will be required in subcommittees this year. My thanks to the organizations and groups that joined in this effort.
To contact me in Richmond during the legislative session, please write to me at P.O. Box 406, Richmond, VA 23218. You can continue to phone me at 703.758.9733, as my Reston phone will be forwarded to my Richmond office, or leave me a message on the Constituent Viewpoint line at 1.800.889.0229. Email me at kenplum@aol.com. I really appreciate hearing from constituents.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| "Virginia Report"
Reston Comcast Channel 28
Tonight
Wednesday, January 14 at 10:30 p.m.
Delegate Ken Plum and Senator Janet Howell - "Preview to the 2009 General Assembly Session"
Next Week Tuesday, January 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, January 21 at 10:30 p.m.
Roger Limoges, U.S. Green Building Council - "Greening Our Schools"
Online
Watch this week's show and other "Virginia Report" programs at:
|
|
Climate Change Citizen Action
Public transportation is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by 37 million metric tons annually, equivalent to the electricity used by 4.9 million households. A solo commuter switching to public transit can reduce his/her CO2 emissions by 20 pounds per day - more than 4,800 pounds in a year. For more information visit www.publictransportation.org.
At a recent Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce Issue Forum, "Green Strategies for Business and Community," one speaker suggested that "green" has become the new red, white, and blue. One session was entitled "How Green Business Can Make Sense and Cents." For a report on the proceedings, go to www.fairfaxchamber.org.
|
|
Announcements
Virginia ranks 8th nationally for Prostate Cancer deaths with a rate of 36.1 per 100,000 compared to 31.5 nationally. For information on lifestyle changes that can help prevent prostate cancer, go to www.cancer-foundation.org.
Call 211. The national three-digit phone number for information on health and human services, 211, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in Virginia. In addition to dialing 211, information is available at www.211metrodc.org and at www.211virginia.org.
New and used business attire is being provided to severely wounded soldiers through Suits for Veterans, a program instituted by employees of MITRE Corp. and the Vietnam Veterans of America Inc. Chapter 227 of Northern Virginia. Eligible recipients are service members who are completing medical rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army and Bethesda Naval medical centers. The hospital administration determines the eligibility of each recipient, most of whom are amputees. The program provides a $500 gift card to Jos. A. Bank as well as access to donated suits and dresses. To donate business attire, call Chuck Harris at 703.729.5665. Clothes should be clean, on a hanger in a plastic bag, and tagged with the size. Cash donations can be mailed to VVA Chapter 227, P.O. Box 5653, Arlington, VA 22205. Checks should be made payable to VVA Chapter 227 with "Suits for Veterans" in the memo line.
Nominate outstasnding volunteers in competitive and benchmark award categories for the 2009 Fairfax County Volunteer Service Awards. Nominations are due February 20, 2009, by 3:00 p.m. Information and applications are available at www.volunteerfairfax.org. |
|
 |
|
Countywide Special Election on February 3, 2009
There will be a Special Election for Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Sueprvisors on Tuesday, February 3, 2009. All qualified voters in Fairfax County are eligible to vote in this election. The polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The final day of voter registration is Wednesday, January 21, to be able to vote in the February 3 Special Election. If you are already registered at your current address, you do not have to register again. In-person voter registration forms must be received in the Office of Election by 6:00 p.m. on January 21, 2009. Mail-in registration applications must be postmarked on or before January 21, 2009.
Absentee Voting Schedule:
Monday through Friday
Fairfax County Government Center, Fairfax
Now through January 30: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Office is closed January 19 and 20.)
Saturday, January 31, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Absentee Voting Deadlines:
Applications to vote absentee by mail must be received in the Fairfax County Office of Elections no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 27. Voted ballots must be received in the Office of Elections by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, February 3, 2009, in order to be counted. If you will be away from Fairfax County on Election Day or are unable to go to the polls because of illness or disability, you may vote by absentee ballot by mail or in-person.
|
Calendar of Events
The 2009 Virginia General Assembly convenes today. I will continue being in touch with you each Wednesday with this newsletter. Email or call me with your questions, concerns, or suggestions. I can be reached at kenplum@aol.com. My Reston office phone, 703.758.9733, is forwarded to my Richmond office for your convenience.
The Reston Community Orchestra under the direction of Dingwall Fleary will perform a special concert, "Honoring Dr. King," on Saturday, January 17, 6:00 p.m. at Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods Village Center, 2310 Colts Neck Road. MetroSingers, directed by Myron F. Ottley, will be featured. The evening will honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with MetroSingers performing fantastic arrangements from their repertoire of spirituals as well as the orchestra's selection of music by Brahms. For more information go to www.restoncommunityorchestra.org or call 703.476.9181.
Inauguration of Barack Obama to be the 44th President of the United States, on Tuesday, January 20, beginning at 10:00 a.m., U.S. Capitol. Hooray!
Join your friends on January 20 at ArtSpace Herndon at 750 Center Street, Herndon, to watch the Presidential Swearing-In Ceremony, the Inaugural Address, and the Inaugural Parade on the ArtSpace Gallery's 126" big screen. Refreshments will be served, and you are also invited to bring a pot luck dish to share. This celebration is being organized as a day of community service dedicated to the Jeanie Schmidt Free Clinic. Help the Clinic by bringing needed items to the Inaugural event. Here is a partial wish list of "most needed" items:
Gift cards for medications (Target, Giant,
Safeway - $5 or more)
Aspirin (80 mg)
Automatic blood pressure cuffs
Children's vitamins with iron
Insulin needles
Lotion, unscented
Tooth brushes and toothpaste
Black ballpoint pens
Copy paper
Gift cards for office supplies
Kitchen trash bags
Paper plates/cups
Zip lock bags (gallon)
Monetary donations of any amount
To learn more about the Jeanie Schmidt Free Clinic at 500 Grove Street, Herndon, call Meagan Ulrich, Executive Director, at 571.235.3577.
Watch the Inauguration at Champps Restaurant, 11694 Plaza America Drive, Reston. Champps will open at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 20, and will have the Inauguration broadcast shown on their large screens. Sign up at
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/meeting/gptks7.
Reston Association's Board of Directors invite all to attend an Election Information Session on Wednesday, January 21, 7:00 p.m. at Reston Association offices, 1930 Isaac Newton Square. Reston Association is seeking candidates to fill four open positions on the Board of Directors this spring. For additional information go to www.reston.org or call 703.435.6512. The William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review's 2009 Symposium, "It's Not Easy Building Green: Legal and Political Issues Related to Green Building Standards and Sustainable Development Legislation," will take place Friday and Saturday, January 30 and 31, at William & Mary Law School in Wiliamsburg. The Symposium will feature leading green building professionals from the fields of law, academia, and government. To register, visit www.elpr.org (click "Symposium" to access the registration form).
The Special Election for Chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is Tuesday, February 3.
Learn about green careers in fields such as green investment, renewable energy, green building architecture, environmental research, waste management, and transportation at the Green Jobs Expo, February 5, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Expo opens at 9:00 a.m. and runs through 6:00 p.m. Go to www.greenjobsconference.org for more information.
Take your recyclable electronics to the I-66 Transfer Station, 4618 West Ox Road, Fairfax, on Sunday, February 8, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free "Electric Sunday" recycling event is hosted by the Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Program and is limited to the collection of televisions, computers, and peripheral electronic devices including keyboards, speakers, printers, external drives, and other such materials.
Great Energy Efficiency Day 2009 - Keys to Unlocking Energy Efficiency - will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room G-50, Washington, D.C.. For more information visit www.ase.org/geed.
Take your recyclable electronics to the I-66 Transfer Station, 4618 West Ox Road, Fairfax, on Sunday, March 8, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free "Electric Sunday" recycling event is hosted by the Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Program and is limited to the collection of televisions, computers, and peripheral electronic devices including keyboards, speakers, printers, external drives, and other such materials.
Attend "How to Win an Election," a 2-day strategy seminar open to candidates, their spouses, and campaign managers March 17-18, 2009, 9:00 a.m., 12580 West Creek Parkway, Richmond, VA. The seminar is sponsored by the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Co-Ops and the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. A fee is required. Call 804.290.1021 or 804.968.4091 to learn more.
The 20th Annual Environment Virginia Symposium, "Sustainability - The Nexus of Economic Prosperity & Environmental Stewardship," will be held March 31-April 2, 2009, at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA. For more information visit www.environmentva.org. | |
|
|
|
| Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia E-News.
Authorized by Kenneth R. Plum. Paid for by Friends of Delegate Ken Plum. |
|
|
|
|
