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Earlier this month I joined some of my colleagues in being named a Chesapeake Climate Action Network legislative all-stars. The move to clean energy is a move toward a dynamic economy with good paying jobs that protects the globe for our children and grandchildren. To me that’s a win-win proposition!

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On September 21st, my office is hosting a three part climate action event in collaboration with the Sierra Club and Delegate Rodney Willett’s office! The event will take place at Deep Run Park and will consist of a community park cleanup, a lunch & learn discussion on climate and environmental issues facing Virginia, and a resource fair with our community and climate partners. The cleanup will begin at 11 AM, followed by the panel discussion at noon and the resource fair at 1 PM, both in Deep Run Park’s Ridgefield ballroom. 

During the panel, I will be joined with the Virginia Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources and the Virginia League of Conservation voters. The discussion will focus on the most pressing climate issues facing Virginia and the legislative solutions we are currently considering ahead of this upcoming session. The panel will be open for Q&A and lunch will be provided. During the resource fair, attendees will have the opportunity to speak with climate advocacy nonprofits and community partners about the work they are doing to keep Virginia clean and about how to get involved. I’m excited to discuss how we can keep Virginia clean and tackle climate issues!

The Sierra Club has generously offered to provide cleanup materials for our volunteers including gloves, face masks, trash bags, and hand sanitizer. We would encourage cleanup volunteers to wear comfortable, durable clothes and shoes, and to bring sun protection. Our office, in collaboration with Delegate Willett’s office, will also be providing free lunch boxes to folks who register in advance!

If you are interested in joining us (either as a volunteer or attendee), please register using the following link: https://bit.ly/VVClimateActionEvent. Your registration ensures you can enjoy a free lunch and ask a question of our speakers. I look forward to seeing you at the park! 

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I really enjoyed chatting with students at the Richmond Debate Institute summer camp! Great questions from the kids! Thanks to Virginia Commonwealth University for hosting them!

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One month after all eight members of Henrico’s Virginia General Assembly delegation sent a letter to Churchill Downs, Inc. CEO William Carstanjen, urging the company to withdraw plans for a gambling facility in the county, there’s been no response.

The July 16 letter, issued by Henrico’s three state senators and five delegates, outlined the delegation’s opposition to the manner in which Churchill Downs submitted plans for the proposed Rosie’s Gaming Emporium site in the Staples Mill Shopping Center at Staples Mill Road and Glenside Drive. The officials asked the company to withdraw those plans – which it submitted June 18, well after the county had initiated a process to enact an ordinance requiring a provisional use permit for any such facility – and resubmit them under that ordinance, which the Henrico Board of Supervisors adopted June 25.

“I am extremely disappointed in Colonial Downs Group and Rosie’s Gaming Emporium for their lack of response, and seeming indifference, to our concerns,” said Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg. “It is deeply problematic when you have every local and state elected official in Henrico asking a company to submit itself to public input, transparency, and to engage in a fair process and they refuse to respond. It suggests they do not care about this community and that they are not being good faith partners. Our constituents in Henrico deserve answers and deserve better.”

“While the silence from the applicant is disappointing, it even more-so validates and shines a bright light upon their clear lack of regard for the community they supposedly intend to serve,” said Henrico County Supervisor Dan Schmitt, Brookland District. “Henrico County residents and visitors are blessed with so many local businesses who place a premium on being true community partners that these types of intentional efforts to circumvent the public process are unmistakably clear and unacceptable to them.”

You can read the full story by the Henrico Citizen here. 

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I enjoyed joining IAVA at Deep Run High to celebrate India’s 78th Independence Day. The world’s oldest and biggest democracies, we have much in common. A huge shout out to IAVA for all the great work they do in our community! It’s always a blast to join them!

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As a new school year kicks off across the Commonwealth, the Senate Clerk's Office's Information & Civic Education team (formerly known as Legislative Information & Constituent Services "LINCS") is excited to share their r new dynamic "Civics with the Senate of Virginia" resource sites for constituents of all ages! 
 
Providing a truly interactive learning experience, these new sites offer activities, games, and video components to share information and history about the Senate of Virginia, the General Assembly, the Commonwealth, and Virginia's legislative process. Their student-oriented resources also include connected lesson plans for teachers.


I hope everyone takes a moment to check out this important new tool from our Senate Clerk’s office. Our Senate Clerk's Office works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the Senate runs smoothly and that constituents have access to valuable resources such as these. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to them for their dedication and for creating tools that serve all Virginians.

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We had a great conversation and meeting with Delegate Rodney Willett and the folks at Cedarfield about non-profit senior living communities. From Cedarfield to Lakewood to Beth Sholom, we have a lot of retirement communities in Western Henrico. It’s important they have the tools to provide outstanding service to our retirees. It was also great to catch up with my friend Jane (far-right) who was my long-time Administrative Aide when I was in the House! 

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The Joint Money Committee, which is composed of both the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, met August 14, to receive remarks from Governor Youngkin as well as updates on state revenues and forecasts for the Virginia economy. The General Assembly and the Governor adopted a budget that was prudent in spending, recognizing forecasts of an economic recession for mid to late 2024. This recession has not yet materialized, and the state is looking at $1.2 billion in surplus revenues. Should forecasts remain optimistic, the General Assembly will deliberate the best use of these funds in the upcoming session this winter.

You can watch a recording of the meeting at this link and find the agenda and presentation at this link.

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Pictured here at the last of the Henrico Listening session. This time in Three Chopt with Supervisor Misty Whitehead, School Board Member Madison Irving, Congressional Candidate Leslie Mehta, and Bob Shippee! Over the course of the summer months, Henrico held five listening sessions for Henrico residents to help shape the county’s next comprehensive plan. It’s great to see our community so engaged!

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The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is offering free equipment for assembling new beehives to Virginia residents. Applications for the department’s 2024 Beehive Distribution Program are being accepted now through Sept. 6 here.

A random drawing will be held to choose which qualified recipients will receive the equipment. To be eligible, applicants must be residents of Virginia and 18 years or older. Businesses, non-profit organizations, and government agencies are not eligible to apply. Multiple people with the same mailing and/or physical address can apply, but only three beehive units will be given out per household in the same fiscal year (July 1 to June 30).

Those who receive units must assemble them and start a beehive with a colony of honey bees within one year. Honey bees and equipment for managing the hives, such as personal safety equipment or honey processing equipment, are not provided by VDACS.

For details, contact the VDACS Office of Plant Industry Services at (804) 786-3515 or [email protected].

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I  had the great fortune of being at the launch of Soul Stir, Richmond’s first children’s magazine by children for children. Ira, and her mom Shweta, dreamed up this idea and made it happen! The magazine has a little bit of something for everybody! Come for Shivani’s poetry, stick around for Eva, Raaghav, and Maya’s recipes, and enjoy Rylan’s restaurant review! There’s a little bit of something for everyone! What a great way to start the day!

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If you would like to reach out and discuss any of my legislative priorities, share an opinion, or send a scheduling request if you’d like me to come and share a legislative update at a community or organization meeting, please do not hesitate to contact my office at [email protected]. 

Yours in service,