| | Dear Friend, Fall is here and the weather has begun to adjust accordingly. Below is an update on some state news as well as a reminder for the upcoming election and early voting opportunities. |
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| | Clockwise from top left: Armenian Food Festival; Community Walk with campaign volunteers; Paul Gallanti at the Virginia War Memorial’s “Sips on the Skyline” Annual Event; President Bill Kelly of CNU; President Mary Dana Hinton of Hollins; President Bret Danilowicz of Radford; Rev. Dr. Yvonne Bibbs and Jonathan Bibbs at Homecoming/Family & Friends Sunday at Sixth Baptist Church. |
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| Voting Information Early voting is open through November 1 and Election Day will be November 4. In Richmond, early voting is available at the Richmond Registrar’s office (2134 West Laburnum Avenue) and beginning October 20, two more locations will open: City Hall (900 East Broad Street) and Hickory Hill Community Center (3000 East Belt Boulevard). Absentee ballot information including applications and ways to submit can be found here. You can check your registration status and election day polling location at the Department of Elections’s Citizen Portal. |
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| | Africa Diaspora Heritage Day at The Capitol Clockwise from top left: Delegate Candi Mundon King; Harry Watkins; Dana Wiggins; and Pastor Sylvester “ Tee” Turner. |
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| Recent State Reports Several state commissions and study groups have released reports of interest ahead of the upcoming legislative session. The Emergency Committee on Federal Workforce and Funding Reduction gave its concluding report, September 11, ahead of the upcoming legislative session. The reports give a substantial backing for assessing Virginia’s fiscal outlook ahead of a legislative session which will include the adoption of a new biennial budget. You can find a recording of the meeting and presentations at this link.
The day prior, September 10, the Joint Subcommittee on Health and Human Resources Oversight met to discuss important changes to healthcare policy and implementation including nursing home licensure, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program federal changes, and more. You can find the agenda and a recording here.
Additionally, the Joint Legislative and Audit Review Commission (JLARC), met this past Monday, October 6, to receive reports from staff on Virginia’s Community College and Higher Education Trends and a report on Capital Maintenance and Construction. You can find the reports here. Additionally, you can read more about the data presented in this article from The Richmond Times-Dispatch.
On Thursday, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Commission met to update on the work of the commission including a report to the Commission to Study Slavery and Subsequent De Jure and De Facto Racial and Economic Discrimination Against African American. You can find the agenda and recording here. |
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| | Top row: Welcoming Stan the T. Rex to The Children’s Museum with Danielle Ripperton (Executive Director) and Doug Stroup; Ryan Ripperton and Meda Lane. Bottom Row: Touring CarMax Park. |
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| Government Shut Down As you are likely aware, the Government is currently shutdown. Virginia, home to many tens of thousands of federal employees, is acutely affected by this ongoing shutdown. Additionally, I am well aware that ongoing discussions over whether backpay will be dispensed upon the reopening of the government are particularly distressing for some families. The Virginia Employment Commission can provide assistance to furloughed workers as they await for reinstatement. One note, furloughed workers must file in the state where their duty station is located. This is of importance for Northern Virginia workers who commute into Washington, D.C. for work, and to a far lesser extent, some workers in our region who commute to D.C, as these workers would need to apply for unemployment in D.C. For the many federal employees whose duty station is in Virginia, please visit this website from the VEC to learn about the support that is available. You can read more about the Federal developments in this article. |
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| | Clockwise from top left: Dori McGuire, Tamsen Kingry (CEO), and Tabitha Treloar at the Richmond SPCA; Laura Lafayette, and Lisa Halberstadt & Jeffrey Lacker; Julia & Steve Allred at the Weinstein-Rosenthal Forum at the University of Richmond; Anne Leigh Kerr and Beth Bortz at the Virginia Center for Healthcare Innovation Launch; Patrick Brueggmann and Greg Akerman; Heather Truong at 4th District Town Hall; Beth Orr; Community Event for Ghazala Hashmi. |
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| Fall Foliage Report The Department of Forestry publishes a weekly Fall Foliage report, to give Virginians an estimate on when the peak Fall foliage arrives. Western Virginia, a global attraction for its autumn splendor, is nearing its peak. The Richmond region, is expected to reach its peak October 20-31. The website containing the report also has a statewide regional map forecasting when peak is expected. You can find the report and forecasts at this link. |
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| Richmond Leaf Collection The City of Richmond is collecting leaves throughout the City, offering various options. Residents can place up to 6 bags of leaves on their regular trash collection day. Additionally, unlimited bag collection is available for limited times, depending on location within the City. Finally, the City offers leaf vacuuming and compost support. You can find all leaf collection information at this link. |
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| | Clockwise from top left: Touring the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Expansion; Mark Persinger and Carl Hamil (AARP) before a tour of the Capitol; Anna & Michael Bell; Bev Perdue, Whitney & Eric Van Der Hyde; Kai Ellison and Melba Gibbs at Art for the Journey Gala; David Poole; Bob Brown and Chuck Duvall; Maggie & Charles Tinsley at David Poole’s Book Event; Victor Branch at the Virginia Bankers Association Breakfast. |
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| Folk Festival The Richmond Folk Festival is this weekend. Long considered a marquee event for Richmond, the folk festival includes six stages and the work of 30 artists across music, storytelling, dance and more. You can find the full event information including schedules and maps here. |
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| Sportable Sportable is a nationally recognized nonprofit in Richmond, VA, creating opportunities and transforming the lives of individuals with physical disabilities, visual impairments, and those who need accommodations through sport, recreation, health and wellness. For more than 20 years, Sportable has provided high-quality, life-changing programming that empowers youth and adults with disabilities to improve their health, build community, and thrive through sport and recreation. Their offerings span sports like basketball and tennis, as well as programs such as ballroom dancing, functional fitness, rock climbing, and swimming. You can find more information about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and program offerings here. |
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| | Clockwise from top left: Scott Fleming (Director) and Grace Khattar of the State Council on Higher Education in Virginia; Caitlyn Berry and Hunter Leemon (CEO) of Sportable; Joy Rogers, Gloria Bolden and Marianne Pitts (PlanRVA) at Maymont Civic Association Meeting; Amy Ashworth Calos, Adam Kennedy, and Bobby Ukrop of SwimRVA. |
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| City Engagement There is a lot of activity in the City including a lot of discussion about the rewriting of the city’s zoning ordinance, reactions to major redevelopments in the City’s urban, and even heartwarming community initiatives like the campaign to Find Francine (the resident shop cat of the Richmond Lowe’s).
In the midst of this activity, I wanted to be sure you had contacts to the City and ensure you were aware of various resources to stay engaged. You can find updated information on Code Refresh at their website, including upcoming meetings of the Zoning Advisory Council, as well as background on the zoning rewrite and proposed maps. The Mayor has also has a newsletter titled “Hey, Richmond” where he gives updates on his administration’s work. You can find the most recent newsletter and subscribe here. Finally, individual City Council members often maintain newsletters which are excellent ways to know about upcoming town halls. You can inquire about newsletters and contact your Council member’s office here. |
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| Art for the Journey Art for the Journey is a collection of community advocates, health professionals, artists and educators that provide art programs to inspire transformation and community through art. They have programs for children, adults with PTSD, veterans, women in recovery, incarcerated individuals, cancer survivors, as well as intergenerational programs for aging adults. These programs allow for art to be a means to therapy and healing, and also work to build community and mitigate the affects of isolation. You can learn more about their programs and volunteer opportunities here. |
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| | Clockwise from top left: Mira Signer; Jean Longest, Maura Gaezle, and Montgomery Maguire at Code Refresh Town Hall; James Beazley at Heart of Virginia Council of Scouting; Yvonne Singleton at Randolph Civic Association; Sharon & Mike Ligon; Scott Fleming & Dr. Harry Gewanter at GRASP Event. |
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| Would you like one of my yard signs? I am on the ballot this November and am getting my yard signs out across our 78th district. If you would like a yard sign, you can indicate so by responding to this email with your name, address, and a phone number to contact you, or by clicking the link below. We will place the yard signs and pick them back up after the election for continued use! |
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| | Community Events The 1708 Gallery will present the “InLight Festival,” October 17, 7pm at Abner Clay Park. Additionally, the Richmond Symphony will play under the big tent. You can find more information here. CultureWorks has coordinated ArtoberVA 2025, a region wide celebration of art and cultural institutes in the Richmond area. Programs include reduced or free admission as well as live events. Learn more here. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has opened “Alvin Lester: Portraits of Jackson Ward and Beyond.” More information here. The Virginia Museum of History & Culture has several upcoming events including a “Diwali Music and Art Festival,” October 18, 11am, as well as a hosting the VA250 Mobile Museum, October 13-16. More information available on their calendar of events. The Branch Museum has opened “Confluence,” an exhibit by artist Kenny Nguyen. More information here. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will host HarvestFest, October 26, 10am, which will feature live music, seasonal crafts, and food. You can find more information here. The Valentine Museum has several upcoming walking tours of various neighborhoods including Barton Heights, Museum District, and Manchester. More information here.
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| | Clockwise from top left: Harry Watkins, Emilee Hasbrouck, and Frances Crutchfield at Community Event; Valerie & Mark Hubbard; Katie Finn at Capitol Region Land Conservancy Event; Lydia Mercado; Bruce Yoder; Lindsey Franklin; Victoria & Chuck Bleick, and Bob Hetherington at Richmond Hill Garden Breakfast; Kelly King Horne, Emily Smith, and Barbara Jacock; Karen Akens and Martha Shickle at Wonder Woman networking event; Delegate Luke Torian, Marland Buckner, Delegate Rae Cousins, Melody Barnes, and Speaker Don Scott; Rachel Becker and Davis Rennolds at community event for Delegate Cousins; Sue & Carl Patow at Carl’s Exhibition. |
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| Thank YouIt is an honor to serve in the House of Delegates. Please never hesitate to contact me at delegate.carr@betsycarr.org or at 804-698-1078 if I can be helpful to you. Sincerely, |
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