September 21, 2016
 
 
Delegate Ken Plum's 
Virginia E-News

Members of the General Assembly committees that consider environmental legislation had a two-day retreat on the 
Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore recently.



Commentary
 
Chesapeake Bay: Barometer of the Environment
Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum

When Captain John Smith and other Englishmen made their way to the new found land of Virginia in 1607 they found a richness of natural beauty and resources unmatched in anyplace else they had been. John Smith's visit around the natural estuary that we now call the Chesapeake Bay highlighted the wealth of forests, wildlife and sea life the new land offered. Little wonder that it became such an inviting place to settle and establish cities and factories. Fast forward to the turn of this century and the Chesapeake Bay had in many places become a dead zone without the ability to sustain life in its waters. Most of its riches had been stripped away.

Fortunately, citizens concerned about environmental issues rallied together mostly under the auspices of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to work and lobby for the kind of actions necessary to save and restore the Bay. In 2010 the six Bay states along with the federal government and the District of Columbia began a renewed effort to restore the health of the Bay and the rivers and streams that flow into it through a Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint. Progress is being made in reducing the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution in the Bay, and there is a return of grasses, crabs, oysters and other sea life indicating a return to health.

Last week the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee on which I serve along with its Senate counterpart spent a couple of days at a retreat in the Chesapeake Bay region and the Eastern Shore of Virginia. As one who has been involved in Save the Bay efforts over many decades, I was especially pleased to see from our boat trips on the Bay the progress that is being made. Successful aquaculture programs are underway growing oysters and clams for markets. The numbers related to water quality are improving.

While the 64,000 square mile region that comprises the watershed of the Bay is massive, it is at the same time a very fragile system. The job of cleaning up the Bay is far from finished. We have made great progress in cleaning up the discharges from sewer systems and in reducing industrial pollution, with the exception of the state of Pennsylvania that needs to get on board. More and more farmers are adopting best management practices that reduce run-off from agricultural production.

The Bay is still at risk. Too many suburbanites over-fertilize their lawns. Too much trash is dumped in local streams only to end up in the Bay. Some farmers are dragging their feet in adopting new practices that would keep our streams and Bay water clean. Most disappointing is the action of some politicians who hinder progress on the Bay cleanup. Congressman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia has introduced an amendment that would end much of the federal funding for Bay cleanup and would have a devastating effect on the effort.

We can all do our part. Join our local stream cleanup programs. Reduce your use of fertilizer. Educate yourself on the issues. Go to www.cbf.org. 
 
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 21 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with Jim Ryan and Subani Adhikari of the Reston Lions Club
  
Tuesday, September 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, September 28 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with David Poole of the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP)

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

Sunday, September 25 through Friday, September 30

Fall for the Book is Northern Virginia's oldest and largest festival of literature and the arts. In recent years the festival has expanded from its base at George Mason University's Fairfax, Va., campus to host events at select venues throughout Northern Virginia, D.C. and Maryland. All events are free and open to the public. This year Diane Rehm and Sandra Cisneros will accept the top prizes, while Jon Mooallem, James McPherson, Patricia Briggs and Lauren Groff lead the list of over 150 authors who will read at George Mason University and at locations around Northern VA, MD and D.C. More details are at fallforthebook.org. 

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Try Transit Week and Car Free Day

Fairfax County is celebrating Try Transit Week September 19-23  and Car Free Day September 22 by encouraging residents to go car free for a day and try an alternative to drive-alone commuting.

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Child Passenger Safety Week

Did you know that car crashes are a leading cause of death for children 1 to 13 years old? Child Passenger Safety Week runs through September 24. Take a moment to watch and listen to a very informative video from our friends at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and learn how to find the right car seat. View the video here. 

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White House Proclamation on Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week 2016



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Calendar of Events

Tonight: Wednesday, September 21, 7:30 p.m., Initiative for Public Art-Reston's (IPAR) Artist Talk Series with sculptor Barbara Grygutis who created public art at the Silver Line's Spring Hill Metro station. The Artist Talk Series is at Reston Association offices, 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive. Free and open to the public, but registration required at rsvp@publicartreston.org. For more information visit Artist Talk Series or call 703-467-9797. 
 
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. Download a flyer here.

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., Ellen's Walk, starting and ending at Lake Anne Elementary School, 11510 North Shore Drive, Reston. Honors Ellen Reich in raising money and awareness for the Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA). To register, go to ellenswalk2016.eventbrite.com, Download a flyer here. 

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, at Lake Anne Plaza. Details are at Reston Multicultural Festival.

Saturday, September 24, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Fairfax Nova "Out of the Darkness" Community Walk. At Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax. Registration begins at noon. Register here. Can't make the walk? Donate here. 

Sunday, September 25, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Trans*Matters: Trans*Inclusivity Is Up to All of Us, a community forum 
presented by the TransGender Education Association and hosted by United Christian Parish through its Justice and Peace Ministry Team (JPMT). At United Christian Parish, 11508 North Shore Drive, Reston. For more information contact James Dean (JPMT Co-Chair) at 571-830-8730 or Pastor Joan Bell-Haynes at 703-620-3065. 

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. Download a flyer here.

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 about the film, visit
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, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Southgate Community Day, at Southgate Community Center, 12125 Pinecrest Road, Reston. Music, game, food vendors...download a flyer here.

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 Golf Tournament & Nature Hike. More information, registration, and sponsor opportunities can be found at Reston Rescue Golf Tournament. Now through October 3: Rescue Reston Raffle Tickets for sale, $5 each or 5/$20. Grand Prize is a 5-night stay at a deluxe 6 BR home in Bethany Beach, DE. List of other prizes and where to purchase are here.  Drawings held evening of October 3. Help Rescue Reston preserve open space. Each ticket includes 20% off at Red's Table restaurant.

Wednesday, October 5, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., A Path Toward Tomorrow meeting, hosted by Fairfax County Human Services and the Giving Circle of HOPE, with Delegate Ken Plum, at Lake Anne Rose Gallery, RCC, 1609 Washington Plaza N., Reston. 

Saturday, October 8, noon to 11:00 p.m., Oktoberfest Reston,
at Reston Town Center. Details are at Oktoberfest Reston.

Saturday, October 15, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m., Social Action Linking Together (SALT) Advocacy Training Conference, at Virginia International University, 4401 Village Drive, Fairfax. Topic is "Justice for All: Working to set things aright in Virginia so all may flourish." Download a flyer here.

Saturday, October 15, 10:00 a.m. to noon, Fall Stream Cleanup, at various sites. For more information contact Ha Brock at 703-435-7986 or habrock@reston.org. Sign up here to volunteer: http://bit.ly/2016FallCleanup. Gloves and supplies are provided.

Thursday, October 20, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Reston Association's 2016 Open House for New Members and Longtime Residents. At Reston Association, 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive. RSVP to member_services@reston.org or call 703-435-6530. 

36th District 

Reston, Virginia
 
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In This Issue
Commentary..."Chesapeake Bay: Barometer of the Environment"
Virginia Report
Bulletin Board
Check Your Calendar

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


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