September 2, 2015 


Delegate Ken Plum's 
Virginia E-News

Commentary  

Time to Act Virginia
Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
Virginia made history last week--not for the kind of event for which we would like to be remembered, but one nonetheless that took place on our soil and will be talked about around the globe. Virginia is home of the first on-camera televised and social media exposed mass murder. A disgruntled television worker shot a reporter and her guest and the cameraman while the show was being televised and then publicized his deed on Facebook and Twitter before shooting himself.
 
In the 2009 Virginia Tech massacre, 32 students and professors were killed in the deadliest shooting incident by a single gunman in this country. In the future, Smith Mountain Lake that has been known as a wonderful place to have a lakeside home for weekend or retirement living will also be known for the live murders on television just as the excellent university that Virginia Tech is always will be remembered in part for the massacre that occurred there. Aurora, Colorado, Newtown, Connecticut, and other places are getting the same kind of blight on their names as the epidemic of mass murders accelerates at an alarming pace.
 
As astounding as what seems to be a growing tolerance in this country for mass murders occurring in school houses, on college campuses, in theaters and now on television is, the paralysis of elected officials to do anything about it is truly baffling. The Founding Fathers certainly had none of the present carnage in mind when they wrote the Second Amendment about a standing militia. Certainly the current state of affairs does not promote life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness among the citizenry. Shocking also is the ability of gun manufacturers and their advocates to turn these situations into opportunities to promote more gun sales and to propose arming of school teachers, college students, citizens, and now I suppose television reporters. Rather than gun safety measures being put into place, there has been a steady erosion of such laws in Virginia and throughout the country.
 
Part of the solution is expanded mental health services to respond to the needs of individuals who may become violent. Virginia expanded funding for mental health programs after the Virginia Tech massacre but reduced it again soon thereafter. It took a violent attack on a member of the legislature by his own son to get the money restored. Laws need to be strengthened to ensure thorough background checks so that those whose mental illness causes violence do not get access to guns.
 
We are past time to act. I trust that voters will look at incumbents' records on gun safety legislation and will vote accordingly. I will continue to introduce and work hard to pass expanded background checks for gun purchasers. Let's turn this around and make history again by making Virginia one of the strongest states to take decisive action to prevent gun violence.
 

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 (Verizon Channel 1981). Ken interviews state and local leaders who are making news by making a difference.

TONIGHT- Wednesday, September 2 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with Daria Parnes of the Reston Regional Library
  
Tuesday, September 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, September 9 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with Kavya Kopparapu of the Girls Computing League
 
Virginia Report is also available for viewing online at https://vimeo.com/album/1650266.


Bulletin Board 
 
Help VDOT Plan Regional Bike Network

The Virginia Department of Transportation is updating its regional
network of bicycle routes and trails to measure the progress made since 2004 in building the network. Your participation in a survey is important and will help plan VDOT's bike system.  


____________________
 
Nominations for the Wall of Honor 
Virginia Women's Monument

The Virginia Women's Monument, Voices from the Garden, will be the first monument of its kind in the nation recognizing the full range of women's achievements. Initial deadline for nominations is November 15, 2015. More information about the monument is here. 

 
  ____________________

Virginia Communities Plan Major Day to Serve Efforts

Governor McAuliffe has proclaimed that Virginia will once again join community organizations in West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC, for Day to Serve 2015. Service projects will take place September 11 through October 10, uniting people of all faiths, races, cultures, and backgrounds. Learn more at Day to Serve. 
 
 

Calendar of Events  
 
Today: Wednesday, September 2 through Saturday, September 5, Lake Anne Jazz Week ending with the Jazz & Blues festival, a free, family friendly, all-day event that will take place Saturday from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. and showcase a variety of talented regional and national jazz & blues artists. More information is at Lake Anne Jazz Week. 
Tuesday, September 8, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Extended Hours for Back-to-School Immunizations, at the Herndon-Reston Clinic, 1850 Cameron Glen Drive, Suite 100, Reston. For full details and forms about immunization, visit the Health Department.

Tuesday, September 8, deadline for submission to ArtSpace Herndon's 7th annual Expressions Portrait Exhibit. Details are at Expressions Portrait Exhibit.
 
Tuesday, September 8, 1:00 p.m., the Reston Garden Club Meeting will be held at the Walker Nature Center, 11450 Glade Drive in Reston. Guest speaker, Karen Rexrode, will be constructing and putting together a "Miniature Garden," combining dwarf and alpine plants, figurines and accents to create a delightful and enchanting garden in miniature. Guests and members welcome. More information is at Reston Garden Club.
 
Thursday, September 10, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Public Information Meeting on the Dulles Toll Road Bridges, in the Herndon Middle School Cafeteria, 901 Locust Street, Herndon. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will host a public information meeting on the project which involves maintenance of five bridges over the Dulles Toll Road (Route 267) in Fairfax County. In advance of the Silver Line Phase II, VDOT NOVA District initiated these Simple Bridge Preventative Maintenance Projects with a primary objective of eliminating/closing the bridge deck joints above the proposed Silver Line Metro tracks. Review project details at Dulles Toll Road Bridges, at the information meeting, or during business hours at VDOT's Northern Virginia District Office at 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax.

Thursday, September 10, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Clips Beer & Film Tour, at Reston Town Center. Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB) will receive all proceeds from the event, which will go towards making Fairfax a better place to bike. For further information and a chance to win VIP tickets, visit Clips Beer & Film Tour.

September 12 through 25, Northern Virginia Senior Olympics, with over 50 events at 23 venues throughout Northern Virginia. Registration is open online at www.nvso.us or with a mail-in registration form. Forms are available at senior centers, community centers, senior residences, or by calling 703-228-4721. All participants must be 50 years of age by 12/31/15 and live in a sponsoring jurisdiction. Online registration deadline is September 4.

Sunday, September 13, Out of the Darkness Walks, sponsored by The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Check in/registration at 8:00 a.m. Details are at Out of the Darkness Walks. 

Thursday, September 17, 10:00 a.m. to noon, Adventures in Learning Registration and Open House. At Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax (UUCF), 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton. Cost is $40 for 8 week fall session offering current topics of interest: tai chi, bridge, yoga, current affairs, etc. Attend as many classes as you wish, Thursdays, September 24 to November 12. If you are unable to attend the open house, call the Shepherd's Center of Oakton-Vienna office to register, at 703-281-0538. 
 
September 19 to 27, World Road Cycling Championships to be held in Richmond. Visit richmond2015.com for complete information about the event. 
 
Saturday, September 19, 9:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., Book Club Conference, at the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax. Join book club members from around the area to learn about starting book clubs while networking with fellow readers. The day includes light breakfast, boxed lunch, and plenty of networking and discussion with fellow book lovers. Free. Sign up online at Book Club Conference.

Saturday, September 19, Constitution Day Celebration and Taste of Freedom Wine Festival at James Madison's Montpelier. Main gates open at 9:00 a.m.; event runs all day and concludes with fireworks at dark. Find information and purchase online tickets at Constitution Day.

Sunday, September 20, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., Reston Historic Trust and Museum Family Fun Day, 1639 Washington Plaza, Reston. Admission is free. For more information, contact the Museum at 703-709-7700 or restonmuseum@gmail.com. 

Sunday, September 20, Plum Family Picnic, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., North Hills Picnic Pavilion, North Village Road and Hollow Timber in Reston. Call 703-758-9733 for more information.   

Wednesday, September 23 through Sunday, September 27, Reston Friends Semi-Annual Book Sale, at Reston Regional Library, 11925 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston. Hours and contact information here. 

Friday and Saturday, September 25 and 26, 6th Virginia Immigrant Advocates Summit, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, 4444 Arlington Boulevard, Arlington. Learn more and register at Immigrant Advocate Summit. 

Saturday, September 26, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Reston Multicultural Festival, FREE, Rain or shine, All ages. The Festival features a Naturalization Ceremony, International Book Fair, National Heritage Award Fellows, arts and crafts, food, entertainment, Art Mirrors Culture Exhibit, and family activities from around the world. Also includes the opening of the We Make Reston exhibit. See more at Multicultural Festival.

Saturday, September 26, noon to 4:00 p.m., Oak Hill Open House, 4716 Wakefield Chapel Road, Annandale. A free event for the whole family to enjoy the unique opportunity to tour the grounds and first floor of the house and celebrate local history. Download a flyer here.

Monday, September 28, 10:00 a.m. to noon, Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness Regional Housing Policy Forum, at AHC Headquarters, 2230 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington. More information is at Housing Policy Forum.

Wednesday, September 30, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., CarFit, at the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department parking lot, 400 Center Street South, Vienna. Free. CarFit technicians work with older adults to ensure participants "fit" their own vehicles properly. They will adjust your car's safety features for maximum fit, comfort, and safety. To register, call 703-255-6360.

Saturday, October 3, Northern Virginia Pride Festival, at Bull Run Special Events Center, Centreville. Visit NOVA Pride Festival to learn more.

Monday, October 5, Reston Rescue's Nature Hike and Golf Tournament, at Reston National Golf Course, 11875 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston. Registration and sponsorship information is at Reston Rescue. 

Thursday, October 8, 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., Reston Association hosts an Open House, formerly called Newcomers' Night, at 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive at the RA Conference Center. More information is at 703-435-6530 or www.reston.org.

Monday through Wednesday, October 26 to 28, The Brady Campaign and American Public Health Association's National Summit, at the Dupont Circle Hotel, 1500 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC. Details and registration are at Brady & APHA National Summit.

Tuesday, October 27, Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (VADP) regional meeting, at Northern Virginia Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton. For more information, contact VADP at 434-960-7779
or office@vadp.org.
 

 

36th District 

Reston, Virginia
 

Governor McAuliffe has designated September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in Virginia. Read the proclamation here.

In This Issue
Commentary..."Time to Act Virginia"
"Virginia Report"
Bulletin Board
Check Your Calendar

Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia E-News


Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia e-News is authorized by Kenneth R. Plum
 and paid for by Friends of Delegate Ken Plum.