Letter: The Contraceptive Controversy
Letter to the Editor
The federal rule requiring that large employers cover contraceptive services prompted an outcry. Arguing in the name of religious liberty, religious leaders argued that the requirement violates their First Amendment rights.
Letter: Support Volunteer Firefighters
After reading the article, "Old Tensions Delay Fire House Expansion," I pondered how quickly memories fade, for the article said nothing about the retribution heaped on volunteer firehouses for their opposition to the ambulance fee.
Letter: Don’t Treat Deer as Pets
The Potomac Almanac cover photo and story dated Feb.22-28, 2012 misrepresents the harm deer cause to our community. Depicting deer as pets is just plain wrong. Deer are a wildlife species that have exploded to untenable numbers.
Column: “Battling Cancer”
I suppose, as a cancer patient, there’s a presumption/understanding that not giving into cancer and its potential ravages is an ongoing battle – to the death, if you will. And I imagine, on many levels, some truer than others, it is. War is indeed waged – so to speak, in hopes of defeating this horrible disease (enemy).
Letter: Upholding Campaign Promises
Letter to the Editor
Last November’s elections are not so distant that we have all forgotten the issues raised by the many candidates for local office.
Letter: Wolf's Crusade Article
Letter to the Editor
Alex McVeigh’s article on Rep. Wolf's book "Prisoner of Conscience" ["Wolf’s Crusade," Connection, February 15-21, 2012] is very much worth acknowledging as his constituents and other constituents of neighboring districts are not well informed about Rep. Wolf's commitment to this issue of global human rights.
Letter: Not the Virginia We Voted For
Letter to the Editor
Barbara Comstock, our 34th District Delegate, has just sent out her "Crossover" newsletter with the status of bills she has sponsored.
Letter: Equal Human Rights for All
Letter to the Editor
The most recent edition of The Connection [Feb 15-21, 2012], included an article about Rep. Frank Wolf’s humanitarian crusade, and highlighted a book he has written about his experiences.
Column: Improving Budget While Fighting Right-Wing Social Agenda
On Sunday, the House and Senate budget committees unveiled competing versions of Virginia's $85-billion two-year budget.
Letter: Community Invited
On Feb. 17, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community held a Quran exhibition at Centreville Regional Library between 3 and 6 p.m. Translations of the Quran in 43 different languages were on display.
Letter: Support Appreciated
On behalf of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Virginia, I want to thank everyone for the sympathy expressed in response to the vandalism at our Mubarak Mosque under construction in Chantilly. To the Editor:
Letter: Check Up on Legislators
The Virginia General Assembly's web site Lis.virginia.gov is very valuable for determining what your state delegate and senator is doing to represent you because it has information readily available on legislation introduced (patron) and signed on other bills (co patron) by each state delegate and senator, committee assignments, bills considered by committees and votes cast by each General Assembly member in committees, during house and senate floor sessions and whether to pass or reject bills. The patron of a bill has the responsibility of providing data to committees for consideration to pass or reject a bill. When a person co-patrons a bill it shows support for the bill's content.
Column: Seminary Valley
If you lived in Seminary Valley in the 1960s and ’70s, you knew the McKeon family and their eight children: Charles McKeon, Jr., Sharon, Brian, Peggy, John, Pat, Keen and Marie. Last week, the Valley and Alexandria lost Mae McKeon, formerly of Strathblane Place. Marie (Zack) still lives in the original family home and it was the scene of a reunion after Mae’s service at Blessed Sacrament.
Column: National Controversy and Budget Process Begins
Crossover Week at the General Assembly found us in the national media spotlight of Saturday Night Live, CNN and the Rachel Maddow Show. Over 1,000 demonstrators appeared at the State Capitol this week.
Column: On the Way to $85 Billion Budget
Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling broke a tie in the evenly divided Senate chamber at the beginning of the Session. This provided Republican organizational control of the Senate even though a lawsuit is still pending on whether the power should be shared. In taking this step, many bills have been passed that were voted down by a more moderate Senate in past years.