|
Delegate Ken Plum's
Virginia e-News
|
|
|
Commentary
Moral Consequences of Our Votes
Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
Columnist E.J. Dionne, Jr. wrote in The Washington Post this past week that we should not be afraid to remind voters that elections and budgets have moral consequences. He pointed to the Nuns on the Bus as an effective group who reminds us that our decisions have ethical consequences. The nuns made a nine-state tour this summer and recently a 1,000-mile, six-day tour across Ohio. The nuns maintain that the federal budget proposals before the U.S. Congress are immoral in that they do not address the plight of poor and working class Americans.
Sister Marge Clark, one of the Nuns on the Bus, will speak at a nonpartisan, interfaith Community Forum being held at United Christian Parish (UCP) in Reston on October 25, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The program is sponsored by UCP's Justice Mobilization Task Force of which I am a member. Sister Marge Clark is also one of the authors of the "Faithful Budget" that seeks to promote "a compassionate and comprehensive vision for the future." The preamble to the budget calls on "our elected leaders to craft a federal budget that fulfills our shared duty to each other in all segments of society to those who are struggling to overcome poverty or are especially vulnerable, and to future generations through our collective responsibility as stewards of Creation." (www.faithfulbudget.org)
Budgets that fail to meet the needs of the most vulnerable among us are not just a federal issue. The poverty rate in Virginia and especially the poverty rate among children continues to increase. At the October 25 Forum, Jeff Connor-Naylor of the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis will address the needs in Virginia. The Institute has done considerable research on the poor in the state and the lack of adequately funded programs to meet their needs. As the fabric of the social safety net at the federal and state levels has continued to unravel, the need has increased for local government to respond.
Supervisor Cathy Hudgins who has worked hard to maintain housing and other social programs in Fairfax County will also speak at the Forum.
United Christian Parish of Reston is an ecumenical congregation located at 11508 North Shore Drive, Reston. All are welcome to attend the Forum. No preregistration is required. There will be time provided for questions and answers. As Election Day approaches on November 6, it is timely to reflect on the very real moral consequences of our votes. |
|
Virginia Report on Comcast Channel 28
Tune in to Ken's weekly television program, Virginia Report, on Reston Comcast Channel 28 for public service programming. Ken interviews state and local leaders who are making news by making a difference. Watch these upcoming programs:
TONIGHT - Wednesday, October 17 at 10:30 p.m. - Emily Griffey and Kimberly Gutzler, "Voices for Virginia's Children"
Tuesday, October 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, October 24 at 10:30 p.m. - Pat Hynes, Vice Chairman and Hunter Mill District Representative to the Fairfax County Public Schools, "School Board Update"
"Virginia Report" is also available online at www.rctv28.com/virginiareport.html for viewing on your computer or iPad. |
|
All About Voting
Absentee Voting in Person
Fairfax County Government Center
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 323
Fairfax, VA 22035
October 17 - November 2:
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday Hours:
October 27, November 3: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Last Day to Vote Absentee In Person:
Saturday, November 3, 2012
In Person, Satellite Voting Location
North County Human Services Building
1850 Cameron Glen Drive
Reston, VA 20190
October 17 - November 3
Monday - Friday, 2:00 pm. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Absentee Voting by Mail
You may vote absentee, either by mail or in person, if you are unable to go to the polls on Election Day because you: are a student or the spouse of a student attending a school outside Fairfax County; will be away from Fairfax County on business; will be working and commuting for 11 or more hours between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.; will be away from Fairfax County on personal business or vacation; are unable to go to the polls because of illness or disability; are pregnant; are the primary caretaker of a confined family member; have a religious obligation; are confined awaiting trial; are confined having been convicted of a misdemeanor; are an election official; are on active duty in the military outside Fairfax County; are the spouse or dependent residing with a member of the military outside Fairfax County; are an overseas citizen whose most recent United States residence was in Fairfax County; are a designated representative of a candidate or a party inside the polls; are requesting a ballot for presidential and vice-presidential electors only (Ballot for other offices/issues will not be sent).
Last Date to Apply for an Absentee Ballot by Mail
5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 30, 2012
For inclusion in the election, absentee ballots must be returned by 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 6, 2012.
Use the Fairfax County Electoral Board's Fillable Online Absentee Ballot Application to enter your information on the screen at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/absentee.htm. After you have entered your information, print, sign, and then return. OR print a blank Absentee Ballot Application Form available at print absentee ballot, enter your information by hand, sign, and then return. Mail to:
Office of Elections
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 323
Fairfax, VA 22035
or
Office of Elections
Box 10161
Fairfax, VA 22038
or
Fax it to the Office of Elections at 703.324.3725
or
Email to absenteeballot@fairfaxcounty.gov or voting@fairfaxcounty.gov
If you are not able to get an Absentee Ballot Application online, feel free to call Delegate Ken Plum's office mornings at 703.758.9733 and request that one be mailed to you. |
|
Bulletin Board
If you would like to apply to serve as a Fairfax County election officer, please email the following information: your full name, current address, daytime phone number, and your date of birth. This information is necessary in order to verify your voter registration. Also, please indicate whether you would prefer to represent either the Democratic party, the Republican party, or either party as needed on Election Day, as mandated by the Code of Virginia, 24.2-115, Appointment, qualifications, and term of officers of election. You may also apply by calling 703-324-4735 (free) or by downloading the election officer application form (Adobe Acrobat Reader Required, download Adobe Reader), completing it, and then mailing it to the address listed on the form. The Fairfax County Electoral Board greatly appreciates those citizens who help to make our elections work!
Tuition Assistance Grant (TAG) is a program of the Commonwealth of Virginia, providing grants to Virginia residents who are full-time students at eligible nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state.
Students do not have to:
- Pay TAG back
- Demonstrate financial need
- File a financial statement
The estimated undergraduate award for 2012-2013 is $2,800. Awards of $1,300 are available to graduate students in health professions programs. For more information on the award amount, application deadline, and eligibility requirements, please contact the financial aid office of your college or visit ww.vaprivatecolleges.org
The Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) and Virginia Relay have announced that military veterans living with a hearing or speech loss are now automatically eligible for telecommunications equipment through Virginia's Technology Assistance Program (TAP). TAP provides telecommunications equipment to all qualified applicants whose disabilities prevent them from using a standard telephone. To qualify for the program, individuals must be deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled. Applicants must also be Virginia residents and meet income eligibility requirements that are based on household income and family size. There are no age restrictions; however applications from minors must be co-signed by a parent or legal guardian. To learn more about VDDHH, Virginia Relay and TAP for veterans, call 1-800-552-7917 v/tty or visit www.vddhh.org.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, locally known as the Northern Virginia CASH Campaign -- Creating Assets, Savings and Hope -- relies on volunteers to deliver tax preparation services at no cost to working families and individuals in our community. For the fifth year, the Fairfax County Department of Family Services is coordinating the program and is now recruiting volunteers to serve as greeters/screeners, IT support, interpreters, translators and tax preparers to operate the tax assistance program at over 20 sites throughout Northern Virginia. Free training and certification will be provided and required by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for those interested in preparing taxes. To register as a volunteer, please visit Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). For more information about the VITA program please visit www.nvacash.org or contact James Doat 571-749-7838; TTY 711 or James.Do@fairfaxcounty.gov, or Thea Frisby at Theodora.Frisby@fairfaxcounty.gov. |
|
Calendar of Events
The next Chronic Disease Self-Management Program begins
*TODAY, Wednesdays, October 17 to November 28, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Bruen Chapel United Methodist Church, 3035 Cedar Lane, Fairfax. Email Colleen Turner or call her at 703-324-5489 to register, for information, or to discuss organizing a workshop for your faith or community group.
The Fairfax County School Board is hosting a Fairfax Education Summit for parents, students, community members, business leaders, principals, teachers, PTA leaders, and college leaders for this year's focus on the deep connection between parent involvement and student success. The third annual Fairfax Education Summit will be on Saturday, October 20, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at Woodson High School. National expert and Harvard professor Dr. Ronald Ferguson will keynote the event and share his latest research on parent involvement. Please submit an online registration. For a direct link to registration and additional details about the summit, visit the website at Education Summit
Fall Stream Clean Up: You can help clean up Reston's streams on Saturday, October 20 from 10:00 a.m. to noon. All ages are welcome. To sign up, call Ha Brock, RA Volunteer Specialist at 703-435-7986 or email at habrock@reston.org.
Girls' Day Out, Saturday, October 20, noon to 5:00 p.m. at the Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner. Be healthy, be happy, be dazzling. Mark your calendar to gather your friends, sisters, mothers, and colleagues for Reston Hospital Center's Girls' Day Out. Celebrate the vibrancy of good health with free screenings, superb food, fun with friends, and fabulous swag bags. Cost is $35 to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure. For more information on Girls' Day Out and to register visit Girls' Day Out or call 877-689-DOCS (3627).
Tigerlily Foundation's 4th Annual EmPOWER Ball is Saturday, October 20, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. (Black Tie Optional), at the McLean Hilton, 7920 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, Virginia, 6:00 p.m. cocktail reception and Silent Auction, 7:30 p.m. Dinner, Raffles, Presentations, and Entertainment. Visit www.tigerlilyfoundation.org for tickets, tables, and sponsorship information. For more information email empower2012@tigerlilyfoundation.org.
FACETS is hosting its 13th Annual Taste of Fall with FACETS at the Stacy C. Sherman Community Center, 3740 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 20. There will be food and beverages from several local restaurants, wineries and breweries and guests will be able to bid on a variety of silent and live auction items. Attendance supports programs to prevent and end homelessness in Fairfax County/City. To purchase tickets click here! or visit information.
Fairfax County will hold a series of community forums, Working Together to Make a Measurable Difference, for members of the community representing nonprofit and community-based organizations, businesses, faith-based organizations and houses of worship, public schools and higher education institutions, and human services boards, authorities, and commissions.
Meeting Locations and Times:
*Monday, October 22, 7:00-9:00, Government Center, Government Center Parkway,Fairfax
*Monday, October 29, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Reston Community Center, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston
*Friday, November 2, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, McLean Comunity Center, 1234 Ingelside Avenue, McLean
Need help understanding Medicare? Howard Houghton of the Fairfax County Area Agency on Aging will lead an enlightening discussion about Medicare on Tuesday, October 23, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods. Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about Medicare from an expert in the field. Cost is free; register by calling 703.476.4500 or go to www.restoncommunitycenter.com.
Food Day, October 24, 2012, is a nationwide celebration and a movement for healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. For resources and activities, go to www.foodday.org.
FREE Child Identification and Fingerprinting: The Sheriff's Office provides a FREE photo of your child and a set of his/her fingerprints, Wednesday, October 24, 5:00-7:00 p.m., Vienna Presbyterian Church, 124 Park Street NE, Vienna, VA 22180 http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/sheriff/news/fingerprint.htm
Meet staff from Housing Counseling Services, Inc. (HCS) at a Free Foreclosure Prevention Clinic, Wednesday, October 24, at 6:30 p.m. at the Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development, 3700 Pender Drive, Fairfax. To reserve your seat or to get more information, contact HCS at 202-667-7006 or info@housingetc.org. HCS is not a lender and will not offer to buy or refinance your home or require you to take a particular course of action.
The Alzheimer's Association will present a program on "Healthy Brain Aging"on Wednesday, October 24, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road. The presentation will identify three areas (mind, heart, person) that affect the brain. Strategies for how to keep each of the three areas healthy will be discussed as well as practice exercises to assist in keeping the brain active and fully charged. This event is free, but you must register at www.restoncommunitycenter.com or call 703.476.4500.
The Justice Mobilization Task Force of United Christian Parish continues its Community Forum series on Thursday, October 25, 7:00-9:00 p.m. with featured speaker Sister Marge Clark, one of the Nuns on the Bus and co-author of the Faithful Budget. A panel including Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and Jeff Connor-Naylor of the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis will continue the discussion of "Moral Issues in Public Budgeting" at the federal, state, and local levels. The program will be held at United Christian Parish at 11508 North Shore Drive in Reston.
The 3rd Virginia Immigrant Advocate Summit 2012 is Friday, October 26, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (registration and breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m.). At Annandale United Methodist Church, 6935 Columbia Pike, Annandale. Registration Fee: $30.00. Scholarships are available. To register, go to registration. The Summit will bring together hundreds of immigrant rights advocates and allies from across the state to discuss issues important to immigrant communities in Virginia.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Cultural Foundaiton, Inc. is hosting the 2012 Outstanding Educator Award Lunch and Silent Auction on Saturday, October 27 at McLean Tyson's Hilton Hotel. REgistration and Silent Auction begin at 11:00 a.m. with lunch at noon. To purchase tickets or for more information visit Outstanding Educator lunch.
The official opening and ribbon cutting for the Lake Fairfax Skate Park will be on Saturday, October 27 at noon. There will be brief ceremonies, demos, great prizes and free food! Lake Fairfax Skate Park is located next to the campground and athletic fields at 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive, Reston.
Attend a most unique historical marker unveiling with an illumination commemoration honoring the 26 Civil War Veterans Interred at Flint Hill Cemetery, 2845 Chain Bridge Road, Oakton, on Saturday, October 27, at 6:00 p.m. This unveiling will occur near the intersection of Chain Bridge and Courthouse Roads. Enjoy speakers and live period music along with hot cider and cookies. Parking at Oakton Church of the Brethren. Please RSVP to info@flinthillcemetery.org.
Doc Scantlin and His Imperial Palms Orchestra are coming to our area on Sunday, October 28, 3:00 p.m., to play a Benefit for the Shepherd's Center of Oakton-Vienna. This will be a single performance Sunday matinee show at the Vienna Presbyterian Church, 124 Park Street NE, Vienna, VA 22180. For additional details or your ticket order form, visit www.scov.org or call the Shepherd's Center office at 703.281.0538, or email office@scov.org. Tickets are $20.00 per person advance and $25.00 at the door.
The Commonwealth Transportation Board will conduct 2012 Fall Multimodal Transportation Public Meetings across the state to give stakeholders the opportunity to review and provide comments on projects and programs to be included in the Fiscal Year 2014-2019 Six-Year Improvement Program, including highway, rail, and public transportation initiatives. The meeting in Northern Virginia will be held on Tuesday, October 30, at the Virginia Department of Transportation District Office, Potomac Conference Center, 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax. The meeting will consist of an open house format from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. where attendees can review materials produced by agency staff and discuss specific projects or issues. Written comments may also be submitted during this informal session, or they may be mailed or e-mailed until November 30, 2012. Following the open house, an opportunity will be provided for comments form the public and transportation stakeholders with a formal comment session beginning at 6:30 p.m. You may also send your comments to Diane Mitchell, Virginia Department of Transportation, 1401 E. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219 or e-mail them to Six-YearProgram@vdot.virginia.gov by November 30, 2012. Comments on rail and public transportation may be sent to the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, Public Information Officer, at 600 East Main Street, Suite 2102, Richmond, VA 23219 or e-mail them to drptpr@drpt.virginia.gov.
AARP Driver Safety (50 years and older), Thursday and Friday, November 1 and 2, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. RCC Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston. This two-day workshop, conducted by an AARP instructor, teaches defensive driving to adults ages 50 and older. Upon successful completion of the course, participants may be entitled to a discount on their car insurance. A check payable to AARP for $12 (AARP members) or $14 (non-members) is due to the instructor on the first day of class. AARP members must present their membership card to the instructor. November's class is free to military veterans. Participants may bring a lunch or enjoy one of the nearby restaurants during the midday break.
Caregiver Options (55 years and older), Thursday, November 8, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., RCC Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston. Cost: free but registration is required. (register) This class will provide options available to caregivers; where to find help, the costs, and who is responsible for paying the bills: Medicare, Medicaid and/or Long-Term Care Insurance. Learn about the levels of care and who is there to help, and know in advance what charges will be paid out of pocket.
Plan on attending Fairfax County's 8th Annual History Conference, "Courage & Conflict in Fairfax County," on Saturday, November 10. This conference will feature Gregg S. Clemmer, award winning author of Valor in Gray, living history presentations, reenactments, and more. The Conference will run from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Your registration fee of $20 includes Continental breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, exhibits, authors, trivia contest prizes, and parking. For further information and to receive a registration form/brochure, send your name, address, and email to lynnegarveyhodge@verizon.net. This event is sponsored by the Fairfax County History Commission, Fairfax County Sesquicentennial Committee, Fairfax County Park Authority, Fairfax Museum & Visitor Center, and Preservation Virginia/Northern Virginia Branch.
Join Ken and Jane at this year's Reston Holiday Parade at Reston Town Center on Friday, November 23. The fun begins at 11:00 a.m. with a 1/2 mile parade route. This year's theme is "Come Out to Play!" This annual tradition draws over 10,000 spectators and has something for everyone. Events include the Gingerbread Man Mile fun run for kids with a 7:30 a.m. registration and the race at 8:00 a.m. This run benefits Neediest Kids; no entry fee. Visit www.prraces.com/gingerbread for details. After the Holiday Parade, there are visits and portraits with Santa! Photos are free; donations benefit a local non-profit organization. Stay for the Holiday Tree Lighting and Sing Along that begins at 6:00 p.m., and watch as Santa and Mrs. Claus magically light up Reston Town Center and the holiday tree. Sing-along with the Reston Chorale and brass quintet. Enjoy Horse Drawn Carriage Rides from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. Cost is $5 per person, riders 5 and under are free, and all proceeds benefit Volunteer Fairfax!
VDOT is planning to hold a public information meeting about plans for Route 7 between Reston Avenue and the Dulles Toll Road, Wednesday, November 28, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., at the Colvin Run Elementary School cafeteria, 1400 Trap Road, Vienna. |
|
|
|
|
|
