2016 Little Hunting Creek Cleanup!

  
With the weather warming up and the flowers blooming, it can only mean one thing: it is time for the 2016 Little Hunting Creek Cleanup! In coordination with the Friends of Little Hunting Creek, Delegate Paul Krizek and myself, I am excited to say that we will be hosting our annual cleanup on Saturday, April 9th. 

Details are are follows:

           2016 Little Hunting Creek Clean Up

                               April 9th

                           11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

      

                            RSVP 

Dubbed "Fairfax County's Trashiest Steam," back in 2007, Little Hunting Creek has seen continuous pollution due to the significant retail presence, inefficient storm water management systems, and unregulated waste disposal. In the past, volunteers and I have collected a total of 8,500 pounds of waste, 186 grocery carts, over 50 tires, a dozen bikes, multiple car seats and one .22 caliber rifle. 

We have three sites staged for the event:

• Janna Lee Avenue Bridge: From Route 1, turn west on Buckman Rd, Right on Janna Lee Ave., to the bridge over little Hunting Creek  

• Creekside Village Apartments: Take Janna Lee Avenue all the way through Creekside Village Apartments, until it dead ends at the end of the parking lot 

• Mount Vernon Shopping Plaza Near the Duron Store: Meet on Fordson Rd., beside the Duron Store at the northeast corner of Mount Vernon Plaza. Parking is available behind Shopper's Food Warehouse and the post office, or on Cyrene Drive in South Meadows Condos. DO NOT park in the limited parking in front of Duron and neighboring stores. Be sure to wear rubber boots- the easiest access is to walk in the channel. 

We have a responsibility to help ensure the quality of our environment and protect the health of our local watershed and it is a great opportunity for young adults to gain community service hours, learn about local ecosystems impairments and what they can to to improve them.


Again, please pick a site and volunteer by clicking the link provided below:

             RSVP

To learn more about this event and my past Little Hunting Creek Cleanups, please check out my past Dixie Pig Posts:

The Dixie Pig Blog: Annual Little Hunting Creek Cleanup April 11, 2015
The Dixie Pig Blog: Little Hunting Creek Cleanup Saturday, April 5, 2014
The Dixie Pig Blog: Little Hunting Creek Cleanup 2013

Please note that all volunteers are strongly encouraged to wear close-toed or sneakers. Additionally, we will be providing water, light snacks and pizza for all those who come out and volunteer!

Government ID's For All Virginian Residents

Supporters at Senate Committee Hearing On SB390
(Photo Courtesy Bob Brown, Richmond Times Dispatch)

In August of 2014, I organized a Hispanic Town Hall Meeting in Hybla Valley.  I spent the first hour going over issues with constituents. 

Then, I asked attendees for feedback - what was the #1 issue?  Lack of government identification.  Attendees said that they and their friends and family were weary of obtaining ID's from Maryland or not having them at all.

At the beginning of this session, I was approached by Virginia New Majority and the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACALAO) about working together to bring this issue forward.  I introduced Senate Bill 390 that would have allowed the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue a temporary driver's visitor's driver's license or identification card to anyone who met the following requirements:

• Must show have lived in Virginia for one year.
• Must file a Virginia tax return or claimed as a dependent on a Virginia resident's tax return.
• Must pay a $53 fee for the initial card and $20 for every year thereafter.

These licenses would be conspicuously marked with language stating "NOT FOR FEDERAL USE" so it is clear that they are not compliant with the Real ID Act.