August 31, 2016
 
 
Delegate Ken Plum's 
Virginia E-News


It is time to pass commonsense gun violence prevention 
laws to keep our families safe.


Commentary
 
Protecting Our Families
Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
In the week that I was in Chicago for the annual Legislative Summit of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), there was a record 100 people shot in the city in less than a week. According to data kept by the Chicago Tribune, there had been by that time 2,514 shooting victims--about 800 more than at the same time last year. Between the Friday afternoon after I had arrived and the next Thursday morning, at least 99 people were shot in the city--24 of them fatally. Among the wounded was a 10-year-old boy who was shot in the back.

Although I was in the city, I had no direct or personal knowledge of what was going on. I was downtown in the McCormick Convention Center part of the city, and I saw no violence and heard no police sirens. What I knew came from reading the newspaper. The experience reminded me that although most of us fortunately live outside areas of violence, we can never be sure of when our sense of safety can be shattered and the next instance of gun violence can happen in or near our community.

Who would have thought that a record for mass murders would be set in Virginia in 2007 when 32 people were killed and 17 wounded on a college campus? That record was broken in 2016 in an Orlando, Florida, nightclub when a gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53. Mass murders that for most of our history did not take place are becoming too frequent. But beyond the mass murders there are more than 33,000 gun deaths and more than 130,000 people shot per year in this country.

According to the organization Americans for Responsible Solutions (smartgunlaws.org), Americans are 25 times more likely to be murdered with a gun than people in other developed countries like ours. They report that from 2005-2015 71 Americans were killed by terrorist attacks on U.S. soil while 301,797 were killed by gun violence during the same period. Their shocking statistics show that since the Sandy Hook tragedy in 2012 a child under 12 has been killed by intentional or accidental gunfire every other day. More than 50 gun suicides occur on average every day in our country making guns the most common and lethal means of suicide.

We cannot let these numbers become the norm for our country nor can we let ourselves become desensitized to the public health menace that gun violence has become. That is why I and others participate in an End Gun Violence Vigil at the headquarters of the National Rifle Association (NRA) on the 14th of every month to keep in the public mind the role that gun manufacturers and others play with their campaign contributions and lobbying in defeating commonsense gun safety laws.

I hope that gun violence becomes a major issue in the current presidential and congressional campaigns. I will be introducing a universal background check bill in the next session of the General Assembly.

Your feedback is always welcome: kenplum@aol.com. 

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, August 31 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with 
Robin McGlothin of the Insight Memory Care Center
  
Tuesday, September 6 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, September 7 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with
Jean White about the Concert Across America to End Gun Violence

Virginia Report is also available for viewing online at
www.youtube.com/watch. Previous shows can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/album/1650266. 

 
Bulletin Board


Northern Virginia Senior Olympics: Register Now! 

The 2016 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics takes place from September 10 through 21 at venues throughout the region. Events range from sports such as track and field, swimming and tennis to games such as bunko, cribbage and scrabble. There will even be a spelling bee! Online registration closes on September 5. Call 703-830-5604 or go to www.nvso.us for registration forms.

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Health Department Clinics
The Fairfax County Health Department clinics provide the following services: Childhood and Adult Immunizations; Pregnancy Testing; TB Screening and Testing, Tuberculosis Medication Management; HIV Testing; Refugee Health Screening; Maternity Services; Civil Surgeon; International Travel Immunizations. Fees and eligibility for services vary by program. All STD services are free of charge. For information visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd. Download a flyer with hours of operation and locations at Health Clinics.

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NOVA Parks Camps & Programs Fall Guide


Download your copy of the 
NOVA Parks Camps & Programs Fall Guide here. 
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Virginia DMV First Motor Vehicle Agency in Nation to 
Offer TSA Pre✓® Application Services


The new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Enrollment Office is now open at the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles' (DMV) Tyson's Corner Customer Service Center, 1968 Gallows Road Vienna, VA 22182-3909. TSA Pre✓® offers expedited security screening for travelers departing at select airports across the United States, including Norfolk and Richmond international airports. Read more at www.dmv.virginia.gov/general/news. 


Calendar of Events

Now through Saturday, September 3, Lake Anne Jazz Week.
Learn more at Lake Anne Jazz Festival.

Tuesday, September 6, 12:15 p.m., Reston Garden Club monthly meeting. This month's speaker is Julie Borneman on "The Birds and Bees: The Role of Native Plants." Borneman is co-owner of Watermark Woods Native Plant Nursery in Hamilton, Virginia. Meet at Nature House, Walker Nature Center, 11450 Glade Drive in Reston. Free. More information is at therestongardenclub.org. 
Wednesday, September 7 at 7:00 p.m., Zika Town Hall Meeting at City of Fairfax Council Chambers, City Hall Annex, Room 100, 10455 Armstrong Street, Fairfax. 

Thursday, September 8 at 7:00 p.m., Zika Town Hall Meeting at City of Falls Church Community Center, 223 Little Falls Street, Falls Church. 

Thursday, September 8, at 7:00 p.m., Public Safety Forum on Ad Hoc Police Practices Commission Review, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 1625 Wiehle Ave., Reston. The final report of the commission and the committee reports can be reviewed at Police Commission. For additional information on the forum, contact the Hunter Mill District office at 703-478-0283. 

September 9 and 10, Chalk Fest at Reston Town Center. Friday: noon to 11:00 p.m., Professional Artists and Sponsored Spaces; Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., All Welcome. Sign up here. More information is at Chalk Fest.

Saturday, September 10, 8:30 a.m. to noon (rain date September 11), Reston Community Yard Sale, 12000 Sunrise Valley Drive (across the street from Reston Association). For more information on weather related cancellations contact Ashleigh@reston.org or call 703-435-6577.

Saturday, September 10, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Virginia Indian Festival, at Riverbend Park, 8700 Potomac Hills Street, Great Falls. Admission is $6 per person in advance or $7 at the door. Learn more and register at Virginia Indian Festival.

Monday, September 12, The Reston Chorale Auditions. Singers from teens to seniors are welcome. In celebration of the Chorale's 50th Season, annual membership fees will be waived for new members during the 2016-17 season. For more information about singing with The Reston Chorale and the upcoming season, visit www.restonchorale.org. To schedule an audition, email RCAuditions@restonchorale.org.
Tuesday, September 13, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., Telephone Support Group for Caregivers of Older Adults. To register or for more information, go to Older Adults or call 703-324-5484. 

Wednesday, September 14, 6:30 to 10:00 p.m., Special Meeting of the RA Board, at Reston Association Conference Center, 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston. The purpose of this meeting is to provide the Reston Association Board of Directors and members with an update and status regarding various land use and zoning matters affecting the Reston community. More information is at RA Special Meeting.

Thursday, September 15, 10:00 a.m. to noon, Open House and Registration for Adventures in Learning (AIL). Open house and the following eight weeks of Thursday classes will be at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Program Building, Oakton. Classes begin September 22nd and run through November 10th from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There is a $40 registration fee for the semester. Program administered by Shepherd's Center of Oakton Vienna (SCOV). Full lineup of classes is available at www.scov.org or call 702-281-0538. 

Thursday, September 15, 7:00 p.m., Public Meeting on Proposed FY 2018 Transportation Alternatives Projects, at the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, 4050 Legato Road, Suite 400, Fairfax. At the meeting, county staff will make a presentation about the program, followed by a question-and-answer session. Learn more at Transportation Meeting.

Thursday, September 15, 7:00 p.m., "The Early History of Tysons Corner" lecture at Jo Ann Rose Gallery at the Reston Community Center, Lake Anne. What was Tysons like before the Capital Beltway was constructed? How did Tysons transform from a rural crossroads to one of the largest Edge Cities in the U.S.? More is at The Early History of Tysons Corner.

Friday, September 16, 7:00 p.m., Clips Beer & Film Tour at Reston Town Center, 11900 Market Street, Reston. Free admission--Sample some of New Belgium Brewery's more exotic beers while enjoying short films displayed on a large portable screen at Reston Town Center Pavilion. All proceeds raised at the event go toward helping Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling (FABB) make Fairfax County a better place to bike. Details are at Reston Clips Beer & Film Tour. 

Sunday, September 18, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Annual Plum Family Picnic and Pre-election Rally, at Temporary Road Picnic Pavilion, at the corner of Temporary Road and North Shore Drive. Email kenplum@aol.com to RSVP if you are a campaign worker--you are invited to attend for free. Register or contribute at Plum Picnic.

Monday, September 19, Lunch N' Life for Seniors, at noon at Our Lady of Good Counsel, DeSales Hall, 8601 Wolftrap Road, Vienna. A healthy lunch with dessert and entertainment provided by the Capital Swing Quartet, a female a cappella group, singing swing and barbershop tunes. Register and prepay the $10 per person cost for lunch before September 14. Call the Shepherd's Center of Oakton Vienna (SCOV) office at 703-281-0538 and send your check, contact info and number of reserved seats you need to SCOV, 541 Marshall Road SW, Vienna, VA 22180. (sorry, no refunds). Call ahead if you need a ride. 
 
Thursday, September 22 through Sunday, September 25, Reston Friends Semi-Annual Book Sale, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., at Reston Regional Library, 11925 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston. Thousands upon thousands of great books in great condition-from the latest popular titles and classic favorites to the rare and unexpected fiction and non-fiction, restocked for as long as supplies last. More information is at Reston Friends Book Sale. 

September 23 through October 2, State Fair of Virginia at The Meadow. Full details are at www.statefairva.org.

Saturday, September 24, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.,  Coming of Age transition conference hosted by The disability Law Center of Virginia (dLCV), for transition age students and their parents.  Professionals are welcome as well. Register and find out more at Coming of Age.

Saturday, September 24, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Reston Multicultural Festival. Details are at Reston Multicultural Festival.

Sunday, September 25, The Concert Across America to End Gun Violence. A series of live events to remember the tremendous loss of life that gun violence has cost our communities. And while it's primarily a day of awareness, local organizers can choose to fund-raise for a designated local gun violence prevention (GVP) partner or for a local domestic violence shelter as one of its goals. Learn more at concertacrossamerica.org.

Tuesday, September 27, 7:30 p.m., Screenagers documentary at the CenterStage, Reston Community Center Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston. The event is free and open to the public. No tickets required. For more information about Screenagers, visit www.screenagersmovie.com. This documentary is part of the monthly Tuesday Night at the Movies series presented by Reston Community Center. For more information visit page 13 of the program guide. 

Saturday, October 1, noon to 8:00 p.m., Northern Virginia Pride Festival, at Bull Run Park Special Events Center, 7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville. Details are at NOVA Pride Fest. 

Monday, October 3, Rescue Reston to Hold Golf Tournament & Nature Hike. More information, registration, and sponsor opportunities can be found at Reston Rescue Golf Tournament.

36th District 

Reston, Virginia
 
Bagging Yard Waste in Plastic in NOT Fantastic! Learn more at 
In This Issue
Commentary..."Protecting Our Families"
"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
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