This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

March is Women’s History Month. Before women had the whole month, the U.S. recognized Women’s History Week; before that, a single International Women’s Day.

Dedicating the whole month of March in honor of women’s achievements was seen “as a way to revise a written and social American history that had largely ignored women’s contributions,” according to an article in Time magazine. The first Women’s Day took place on Feb. 28, 1909 to honor the one-year anniversary of the garment worker’s strikes in New York when thousands of women marched for economic rights and to honor an earlier 1857 march when garment workers rallied for equal rights and a 10-hour day, according to the article.

Recognizing the achievement of Virginia women goes beyond naming a month. A monument is under construction on Capitol Square, “Voices from the Garden,” which will be the first monument of its kind in the nation. Representative of the state’s regions, the monument recognizes the 400-year history and the diversity of achievement, ethnicity and thought that women have made to the Commonwealth.

Even more significant in recognizing women in Virginia is the fact that there is historic representation of women in the Virginia House of Delegates, including the election of 11 new women members in 2017, all of whom ousted male incumbents. The House Democratic Caucus is almost 45 percent women, including 11 women of color. The House Republican Caucus is less than 10 percent women. Caucus Chair Charniele Herring is the first woman to chair a caucus in the House of Delegates throughout its 400-year history. Leader Eileen Filler-Corn is the first woman to be elected leader of a caucus in the General Assembly.

Recently I served on a panel, “Can Women Save Democracy? We’re counting on it!” at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University along with Herring, iller-Corn and Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton. There was a clear consensus in the room that women will play a pivotal role in getting our country back on the right track. Witness this year’s state and local elections when there are record-breaking numbers of women lining up to run in primaries and the general elections.

Not only are women running and winning races, but they are determining the outcome of elections with their tireless work in making calls, knocking on doors, and working on behalf of the candidates they support. Organizations like Indivisibles, with Herndon-Reston Indivisibles being a model organization, and Moms Demand Action among others are making their influence felt on policy issues like ending the epidemic of gun violence.

The big disappointment in celebrating women in history is the refusal of the Virginia House of Delegates to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Ratification failed on a tied vote on a procedural matter that makes it even more frustrating that the amendment was not allowed to be debated on the floor of the House of Delegates. There is more women’s history to be written in Virginia, and I suspect the next step will be the election of even more women this fall and ratification of the ERA next year!

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Before we head off into the weekend, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now this week.

1. Poll: Which Reston Town Center, RTC West Newcomers Are You Most Excited For?
2. BREAKING: County Board Approves Hudgins’ Ask to ‘Indefinitely Defer’ PRC Proposal
3. Board of Supervisors Makes Changes to Accelerate Wegmans Development
4. Reston Association President Nabs Leadership Fairfax Role
5. After Cancer Diagnosis, K9 Leon Retires From Herndon Police

If you have ideas on stories we should cover, email us at [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip.

Feel free to discuss these topics, your weekend plans or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.

This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

The Virginia General Assembly was adjourning for the year as the film “Green Book” was receiving “Best Picture” recognition at the 91st Oscars. While the story line of the movie may have been fictional, the Green Book was reality in the Jim Crow South.

Segregated facilities of hotels, restaurants, public bathrooms and transportation in Virginia and throughout the South necessitated Black travelers having a guide like the Green Book, a small book with a green cover, to let them know where they could stop to use the bathroom, eat a meal or spend the night. It was not unlike a AAA travel guide except that its listings were just for Black travelers. The movie — without exaggeration — lets recent generations know just how segregated the South was.

As part of the Black History Month celebration in the House of Delegates, a different delegate speaks each day about a famous Black person, an interesting Black person from the past who may not have made the history books or the experience of growing up Black.

One day this session. Del. Jeion Ward of Hampton spoke of her experiences growing up Black in segregated Virginia and her family’s use of the Green Book in their vacation travels. There were special challenges to be met when public bathrooms or restaurants were further than needed.

Other symbols of the challenges of growing up Black in a racist society like Virginia and the South were shockingly brought to our attention this legislative session. The cruel part that blackface played in white entertainment may have been unknown to many younger persons or forgotten by others but must be acknowledged and dealt with in repentance by those who took part including the governor and the attorney general.

To include white robes and hoods in entertainment is to overlook that these are symbols of hate, violence, cross burning, lynchings and white supremacy. Public officials must disavow these symbols unequivocally and provide leadership in healing the communities that have been wounded by signs of white supremacy.

Outside the capitol near the governor’s mansion is the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial. It features the walk out of Prince Edward schools led by 16-year old Barbara Johns, a factor in the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education that led to the desegregation of public schools. Public schools were not simply segregated, but they were totally unequal.

This legislative session we were reminded by the work of the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis of the differences that continue to exist among white and minority facilities, programs and services. The approved budget made some improvements in reducing the inequities among facilities and services that have disadvantaged Black people. There is a new awareness of the work that needs to be done to overcome our racist past.

Del. Jay Jones of Norfolk spoke out forcefully on the floor of the House of Delegates reminding us of our history and the need to take action in the future. The speech of this young Black delegate is worth a listen for it is a powerful statement of the need to overcome our racist past.

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Updated at 1:45 p.m. — Includes new information about Bombay Velvet’s opening. 

Spring is less than two weeks away, and the change in seasons will also coincides with some new nail salons, fitness studios and restaurants at Reston Town Center and RTC West.

A fine-dining Indian restaurant, a brunch place and a nail salon are expected to arrive soon at RTC West.

Bombay Velvet is expected to open in late-March. An employee at Famous Toastery told Reston Now that it is aiming for an opening this month.

Signs say that Infinity Spa and Nails is “coming soon” to 12120 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 105. 

Over at Reston Town Center, several of the announced newcomers have told Reston Now when they plan to open their doors.

Peet’s Coffee will hold a pre-opening party on Saturday (March 9) ahead of its official debut next week at 11830 Freedom Drive. While Peet’s throws its party, fitness studio Solidcore is slated to open its doors for the first time.

Reston Town Center is also expected to welcome The Glossary Nail Spa and Fox Restuarant Concepts’ North Italia soon. Later this summer, Restonians can expect DC Row this summer.

Pick your favorite below and tell us in the comments which other ones you are ready for.

Second and fifth images via Solidcore and North Italia websites

Before we head off into the weekend, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now this week.

1. The Tasting Room Set to Close Next Month in Reston Town Center
2. Crime Roundup: Herndon Woman Arrested in Connection with Husband’s Death
3. Here’s the Latest on Penzance’s Planned Herndon Parkway Development
4. DC Row Set to Open in Reston Town Center This Summer
5. Herndon, Reston High School Students Win Peace Awards

If you have ideas on stories we should cover, email us at [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip.

Feel free to discuss these topics, your weekend plans or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.

Image via Google Maps

Voting in the 2019 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 4 through April 1. This is the last candidate profile.

Featured here is Tom Mulkerin, who is running unopposed for a three-year-term At-Large seat.  

With the exception of minor formatting edits, the Q&A candidate profiles are published in unedited form. Each candidate had an opportunity to answer the same questions in their own words. 

How long have you lived in Reston? What brought you here?

I have lived in Reston for almost 29 years. My wife, Ruth, and I purchased our first home — a condo at Harbor Court. One day while driving in Reston on a sales call, I saw people boating on Lake Thoreau. It was love at first sight. Thankfully, I chose well. We fell in love with Lake Thoreau. After six years at Harbor Court, we moved a half mile around the lake to a townhouse in the Lakewinds II cluster, and we’ve been there ever since.

What inspired you to run for the board? 

I was inspired to run for the board by my sincere desire to be more involved in my community. I’ve spent over half my life in Reston, and I don’t anticipate ever leaving. I truly love Reston and want to have a say in the protection of its greatness.

Every day, multiple times a day, I am out and about with my dog, Franz. We are blessed to have it all in Reston — woods, trails, open space, lakes and a grocery store that meets everyone’s needs, to say the least. I witness and appreciate the impact RA has on our town. I want to better understand the challenges we, as a community, face, and to be part of the positive solutions residents should expect from RA. Reston is a special place, and I want to contribute to keeping it that way.

What is an example of an issue or subject that you believe the board has handled well?

RA’s support of Rescue Reston was obviously critical. The idea of a park in place of the golf course sounds great if you’re one of the homes facing the park; however, if you’re one of the homes facing new a development, that’s not so great.

I can’t imagine losing my view of Lake Thoreau to commercial development. I’ve also been impressed with the RA’s attention to stabilizing our annual assessment. I’ve actually experienced a rate decrease during my 29 years in Reston. I realize that won’t always be the case, but this is something that personally affects every Reston household and must be carefully managed with transparency.

What are the three biggest concerns facing Reston that you want to tackle?

My biggest concerns are:

• updating roads and infrastructure to better serve Reston’s growing population
• responsibly managing Reston’s natural resources (lakes, trails and streams)
• maintaining and improving existing RA recreational facilities (pools and tennis courts)

How would you address those issues using your prior personal or professional experience?

As one of the new members on the board, it will initially be my job to listen, learn and work as part of a team. As a real estate agent, I must work with multiple parties to bring a transaction to a successful closing. I will use these same skills on the much broader challenges facing RA.

Working with the public requires a sensitive approach, and I have a good reputation when it comes to listening to all sides and working towards balanced solutions that benefit everyone. As I previously said, I live on Lake Thoreau, so I have been personally affected by RA decisions related to water quality, boat restrictions and design review.

I have also volunteered for more than 10 years on the Lakewinds II cluster Board, so I’m experienced with the issues facing our local clusters and their relationship to RA. I’ve worked with my neighbors to peacefully end disputes, and I know the challenge of fiscal responsibility while managing an association’s budget. This is a volunteer position, and I’m willing to put in the work on behalf of my fellow citizens.

You can read Mulkerin’s election statement of candidacy here. 

Photo via Reston Association

This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

Virginia’s state law-making body, the General Assembly, adjourned sine die — until another day — this past Sunday — one day later than its scheduled adjournment date. With more than 3,000 bills and resolutions considered, it is somewhat miraculous that the body came that close to its scheduled 45-day end date.

There were positive accomplishments. Legislation designed to curtail record levels of rental evictions was passed. Major reforms to the foster care program were enacted with Del. Karrie Delaney providing leadership in this area. The legal age for buying cigarettes and vaping products was raised from 18 to 21 — a remarkable achievement in a city that was once the cigarette making capital of the world.

A bill I introduced at the suggestion of the Chris Atwood Foundation passed and will increase the persons authorized to administer the miracle drug Naloxone that can save the lives of persons suffering from drug overdoses. The concern about coal-ash ponds has been resolved with a requirement that clean-up occur on the property of utility without transport and in ponds that are sealed at the highest level of environmental protection.

Revisions that were made to the biennial budget that we are now half-way through bring lots of good news. Monies were increased for public education, including districts that have the highest levels of poverty and most need. School counselors were increased in numbers, although not at the level sought by the governor. Most taxpayers will get some money back as a result of the impact of federal tax cuts on state revenue.

A resolution that could lead to a constitutional amendment if passed next year would result in a redistricting commission. While the commission is not as strong as I and the independent redistricting advocates had hoped, it will increase public input into the process of drawing legislative boundaries. A week of no-excuse absentee voting before elections that was passed is much less than in other states, but it will start the process of opening up elections in the future.

Up until the final hours of the session, it appeared that the current limitations on holding a phone while driving would be strengthened, but the bill died for failure to agree to language that would be enforceable.

The ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment that I thought was going to occur was defeated by a mostly partisan vote. When the legislation was passed by the Senate and defeated in a House committee, there was an effort to change the rules to allow a vote by the entire House. The rules change was defeated by a 50-50 tied vote with one Republican who had narrowly won re-election in 2017 voting with the Democrats.

All gun safety measures were defeated, including my bill to require universal background checks. My bills to raise the minimum wage and to establish an earned income tax credit system were also defeated.

I am available to speak to groups and organizations about the session; just email me at [email protected]. Future columns will discuss the session further.

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Back in December, Reston Now kicked off a “Then and Now” series to highlight how areas in Reston and Herndon have changed over the decades.

With help from Fairfax County’s Historic Imagery Viewer, which offers aerial views of the county dating back to 1937, Reston Now puts together a review of how each area has evolved.

Our look into the Lake Anne area started the series, which has since explored Reston Town Center, Reston Station and Herndon’s Elden Street — to name a few.

A tip from a Reston Now reader led us to the intersection of Hunter Mill and Hunter Station roads where a small farmhouse was recently demolished to make way for a residential development.

Last week, we highlighted the struggling Tall Oaks Village Center, which is slated for redevelopment into a mostly residential neighborhood.

Now, we want your input for our March 8 story.

Have an idea for a spot that’s not listed? Tell us in the comments section below.

Photos via Fairfax County Historic Imagery Viewer

Voting in the 2019 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 4 through April 1. This week, we will continue posting profiles on each of the candidates.

Featured here is Caren Anton, who is running unopposed for re-election to a one-year term as the Hunters Woods/Dogwood Representative. 

With the exception of minor formatting edits, the Q&A candidate profiles are published in unedited form. Each candidate had an opportunity to answer the same questions in their own words. 

How long have you lived in Reston?  What brought you here?

I moved to Reston in 1989. My then husband and I had been living in Burke since 1983, and we wanted to relocate. We were familiar with Reston through involvement in theater programs at the Reston Community Center and were attracted to its beauty, diversity and strong sense of community. We also found that we had a wide variety of affordable housing options to choose from here. I am still living in the townhouse we bought.

What inspired you to run for the board?  

When the Hunters Woods/Dogwood seat became available last April, I decided to apply for the board appointment to fill the vacancy until the next election cycle. I was just completing my term on the Elections Committee, where I served as chair the last year. I felt that serving on the board was a good next step for me.

Also, it’s no secret that the board and RA were in a state of flux, and I was interested in being involved in helping to “steady the ship.”  Now with one year remaining on the three-year term, I want to continue the work I have begun to better serve the members. I am also very much looking forward to working with our new chief executive officer.

What is an example of an issue or subject that you believe the board has handled well?

I am proud to have been a part of the process that resulted in our hiring of Hank Lynch as RA’s new CEO. Under the leadership of President Andy Sigle and the board’s search committee, a series of interviews was professionally conducted and yielded an outstanding, successful candidate.

What are the three biggest concerns facing Reston that you want to tackle?

A big issue on the minds of many members is the fear of overdevelopment. The addition of Metro Reston has changed Reston and will continue to do so. It will no longer be the place it was 50 years ago, which I view as not all bad. Growth is inevitable and exciting. We just need to make sure we retain what is unique about us.

RA and various citizen groups continue to voice these concerns to Fairfax County and, fortunately, are being heard. Among many other serious concerns that need attention are inefficient covenants and Design Review Board operations and procedures that create dissatisfaction and frustration in our members. We also need to address our aging infrastructure and facilities.

How would you address those issues using your prior personal or professional experience?

Each director brings his or her unique strengths and experiences to the table. My “right brain/left brain” approach stems from my background as both an accounting and performing arts professional. In both of my careers, I have learned to interact closely with a wide variety of personalities in often stressful situations. I consider myself a keen observer of people, and I thrive on grassroots level engagement to gather information to assess the needs and expectations of the members.

I’m a you-can-catch more-flies with-honey-than-with-vinegar type of person, and I believe making any gains towards problem-solving will require healthy, civil interaction with my fellow board members, the Reston Association’s executives, the staff and the county.

You can read Anton’s election statement of candidacy here. 

Photo via Reston Association

Voting in the 2019 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 4 through April 1. This week, we will continue posting profiles on each of the candidates.

Featured here is John Mooney, who is running unopposed for re-election to a three-year term as the North Point Representative. 

With the exception of minor formatting edits, the Q&A candidate profiles are published in unedited form. Each candidate had an opportunity to answer the same questions in their own words. 

How long have you lived in Reston? What brought you here?

Susan and I bought our Hampton Pointe condo in March 2016. As we two newlyweds looked for a new home, urban and typical suburban settings couldn’t satisfy her soul. We looked all over northern Virginia. She kept saying, “I think I need to live in Reston.”

We love Reston’s trees and trails and bike paths, the proximity of the wooded residential neighborhoods to Reston Town Center and it’s easy to access to the D.C. region. We fell in love with Bob Simon’s vision for Reston — an open and diverse community that strives for harmony at so many levels. We love how dedicated Restonians have preserved so much of that vision.

What inspired you to run for the board? 

Running for the board was the furthest thing from my mind when we bought our condo. It was the awareness that Simon’s vision was challenged today — and that my 27 years in local-government management could help RA face that challenge — that changed my mind.

The wake-up call was the proposed monster redevelopment of St. Johns Wood Apartments right in our neighborhood. In June 2016 we joined a small leadership team that had formed around the online petition opposing the project, which made me aware of other challenges facing Reston. Running for the Board made sense.

The reason I’m running again is to help Reston transition on some important issues, such as offering support and guidance to our wonderful new Chief Executive Officer Hank Lynch, who I believe will help us see with fresh eyes how Reston must improve. I support an evidence-based examination of how RA can best serve its members in its programs and in its covenants responsibilities — something Hank wants to pursue vigorously.

I also will ensure that development issues, whether a Planned Residential Community (PRC) ordinance amendment or individual development and re-development projects, support rather than undermine the Reston vision. I also want to see the revision of key governance documents, like the Conflict of Interest policy and Board Code of Ethics, completed.

Finally, I will help develop wise financial plans for RA so that we can provide excellent priority services at the lowest possible cost, sustainably affordable for RA and its members. This year, the focus will be on the first year of our biennial 2020-2021 budget and on our critical 2019 Reserve Study, which is meant to ensure the proper planning and financing of all of RA’s physical assets in a way consistent with the program needs of our members.

What is an example of an issue or subject that you believe the board has handled well?

I’d highlight two things. First, the way RA partnered with the Coalition for a Planned Reston (Reston Citizens Association, Reston 20/20, and Reclaim Reston) to resist the unwarranted and harmful increase in the density cap of Reston’s Planned Residential Community district.

Second, the board’s choice for our new CEO. He listens and observes very well. He’s very experienced in managing non-profits. He’s intent on helping the board improve the RA experience of our members. I believe he has the smarts, wisdom, and courage to help lead sound change.

What are the three biggest concerns facing Reston that you want to tackle?

I listed five above, all of which I intend to collaborate on. I think I can be especially helpful with development, governance and covenant issues.

How would you address those issues using your prior personal or professional experience?

My first two years of service on the RA board and this past year as RA’s secretary have already taught me a lot about all of the concerns I listed above. I was able to play key roles in the PRC debate and in revising a key governance document.

I worked 27 years in local government management, which included 17 years in Arlington County and seven as Arlington’s senior assistant county manager. We used wise capital-improvements planning and budgeting. Perhaps above all, we were doggedly faithful to Arlington’s comprehensive plan despite strong pressures for over-development. For about 10 years, the development departments reported to me and, in the process, taught me a lot. I also learned a lot about governance issues there.

I also bring my background in ethics generally and local government ethics specifically. I have a Ph.D. in philosophy with a specialization in ethics and have taught local-government ethics courses to employees of Arlington County, D.C. and Montgomery County, which has given me a broad perspective on dealing with internal governance and ethics concerns.

Finally, I bring decades of personal effort — working for the common good and building up the community at many levels — civic, religious and political. Helping communities grow and succeed has always been my greatest joy.

You can read Mooney’s election statement of candidacy here. 

Photo via Reston Association

Voting in the 2019 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 4 through April 1. This week, we will continue posting profiles on each of the candidates.

Featured here is Aaron Webb, who is running unopposed for a three-year term for the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks Representative, which is currently filled by Sherri Herbert. 

With the exception of minor formatting edits, the Q&A candidate profiles are published in unedited form. Each candidate had an opportunity to answer the same questions in their own words. 

How long have you lived in Reston? What brought you here?

My family and I came to Reston from California for a one-year assignment when I was working for the Navy. A year among the trees in the Barton Hill area was enough to convince us to sell our house and make a career change so we could stay and raise our kids here. That was over 12 years ago, now.

What inspired you to run for the board? 

I enjoyed being part of the Hook Road Park Working Group and want to continue to contribute. This year I decided to pursue a district seat rather than an at-large seat like last year.

What is an example of an issue that you believe the board has handled well?

I think the current board has done a wonderful job at continuing to press the county on the density subject. Their diligence in communicating their concerns and getting the residents of Reston involved were key to the recent favorable recommendation.

What are the three biggest concerns facing Reston that you want to tackle?

My three largest concerns are infrastructure, stagnation and Reston being exploited by outside entities. I want to ensure that Reston’s growth into the future is well thought-out and designed with the long-term health of the community in mind. Infrastructure and amenities must accompany growth, not be an after-thought. Reston must continue to lead in innovative concepts and excellent management. We must also protect Reston from any entity that would trade away long-term benefits for short-term windfalls.

How would you address those issues using your prior personal or professional experience?

As a scientist, I always try to make decisions based on measurable quantities. I will ensure we have all the relevant facts to make the best decisions possible.

You can read Webb’s election statement of candidacy here. 

Photo via Reston Association

Before we head off into the weekend, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now this week.

1. Fairfax Police Investigating Robbery at BB&T on Fox Mill Road
2. Plans Move Forward to Revamp Herndon’s South Elden Street Area
3. Thai Restaurant Now Open in North Point Village Center
4. Democrat Ibraheem Samirah Wins 86th District Seat
5. Report: Road Salt Hurts Reston Streams, Environment

If you have ideas on stories we should cover, email us at [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip.

Feel free to discuss these topics, your weekend plans or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.

Photo via Finn Thai Reston/Facebook

This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

As you read this column the Virginia General Assembly will be nearing its adjournment sine die for the 400th year of its existence, having first met in the church on Jamestowne Island in 1619.

During this commemorative year, there will be many opportunities to learn more about Virginia and to reflect on how its history influences it to today even in the current legislative session and in what on another occasion was referred to as its “recent unpleasantries.”

That first session of what became known a century and a half later as the General Assembly was composed of a representative of the 22 plantations that had sprung up along the major rivers of the state as there were no local government, political boundaries or transportation networks in existence. The representatives were all white males who were landowners.

African Americans had to wait for the outcome of the Civil War and women had to wait for the twentieth century before they became part of the electorate. While the right to vote has begrudgingly expanded, over time there continues to be a resistance to making it easier to vote.

In the current session, there were proposals to allow people to vote early or vote absentee without an excuse and to make election day a holiday for the convenience of voters, but it does not appear that any will become law. Establishing a fair way to draw legislative boundaries has been hotly debated, but the decision to establish an independent redistricting commission will await the closing hours of the session.

Slaves were brought to the colony of Virginia in 1619 to work the tobacco fields that were the mainstay of the colony’s economy. They had none of the rights that Englishmen claimed and beginning in the 1640s were subjected to “slave codes” that defined them as property to be bought and sold with no access to learning to read and write or to move about freely.

After the Civil War, these restrictive laws became the Jim Crow laws that continued to limit the rights of black people who were kept in line by the Ku Klux Klan and by public lynchings. White supremacy reigned with black-face entertainment intended to degrade black people through crude humor.

Happenings during this legislative session showed how little we have progressed on issues of human rights and respect, but there is hope. The reminder to the governor of his racist past will make him an even more enlightened person who if he continues can provide important leadership to dismantling racism in the state.

The incredible people of color who were elected to the House of Delegates in the last election bring strong voices to the need for greater equity and justice in the Commonwealth. Some limited reforms that will help establish equity and remove racism in the criminal justice system are on their way to passage.

Women first came to the Virginia colony in 1619. While rights of women have expanded slowly over the centuries, having Virginia ratify the Equal Rights Amendment is still in doubt. May the lessons of this historic legislative session move us forward in future years.

To check on the fate of specific bills, go to lis.virginia.gov.

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Before we head off into the weekend, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now this week.

1. BREAKING: Google Doubling Its N. Va. Workforce, With New Offices and Data Centers Planned
2. Hudgins Calls for More Streetlights in Rapidly Urbanizing Reston
3. Planning Commission Suggests County Board Deny PRC Proposal
4. Comstock’s Revised Plans for Downtown Herndon Project Under Review
5. Crime Roundup: Herndon Resident Finds Jewelry, Clothes Missing From Apartment

If you have ideas on stories we should cover, email us at [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip.

Feel free to discuss these topics, your weekend plans or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.

This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

Despite all the distraction associated with events in Richmond these days, the General Assembly is staying on task dealing with legislative and budgetary issues it faces.

Each house of the legislature has started to work on legislation passed by the other with conflicts resolved in conference committees made up of members from both houses. The really big conference committee is working to resolve differences on the budget. The big differences on the budget are between the Democrats and Republicans and not the two houses — how to deal with additional revenues coming to the state from the federal tax changes. Stay tuned for the differences on the budget because they will not be resolved until the last few days of the session that is scheduled to adjourn on Feb. 23.

Some good news is emerging from the session. Requiring hands-free phones in cars has been required in most other states many years ago and may finally be coming to Virginia. Research shows that the greatest cause of auto accidents is distracted driving with calls and texting being the chief reason.

I remember the many sessions that it took to pass requirements for smoke-free areas. Richmond as the cigarette manufacturing capital was finally over-ridden by popular sentiments, and smoke-free areas were legislated. Amazingly but happily the age to buy cigarettes and the latest craze of buying electronic vaping devices is being raised from age 18 to 21.

Efforts to legalize gambling establishments in areas of the state as diverse as Portsmouth, Bedford and Danville failed this year in favor of a year-long study to determine state policy. I predict we will see casinos established in the state in a few years as some regions see them as economic development and a source of new revenue offsetting anemic state funding. I voted to let a study go forward but would not support public financing of a stadium or gambling establishment.

Bills that would have decriminalized marijuana did not make it out of committee in either house. My bill introduced at the suggestion of the Chris Atwood Foundation to make Naloxone more available to reduce deaths from drug overdoses passed.

Different bills passed that purport to create a fairer way to draw legislative district boundaries, but neither comes close to the independent processes that the public has been seeking to end gerrymandering.

On the environment, bills to require Dominion to clean up their coal-ash ponds passed both houses with endorsement by major environmental groups. A bill I voted for that would have established an ambitious agenda for cleaning up the environment in Virginia failed in the House.

The Senate passed a bill to require public schools to teach a class on the Bible! I will not be voting for it if it makes its way through committee.

All the gun safety bills were defeated in both houses. A bill to make it easier to get a concealed weapon if you are from another state passed with a likely veto by the governor.

Yes, there are other big challenges in the capital these days. I will be addressing them in future columns as the facts involved become better known.

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