Newsworthy

Friday, July 24
– Bills in Congress could impact voter disenfranchisement in Virginia

Thursday, July 23
– State health department reports swine-flu death

Wednesday, July 22
– Kaine statement on recovery of Cho records
– Kaine calls special legislative session to deal with fallout from Melendez-Diaz decision

Tuesday, July 21
– Kaine announces formation of YCC

Monday, July 20
– VCU heart programs in national rankings
– VDOT rest-stop closures to begin tonight

Friday, July 24
Bills in Congress could impact voter disenfranchisement in Virginia

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution Chairman Russ Feingold (D-WI) introduced bills in both chambers of Congress today that will restore voting rights to millions of American citizens with past felony convictions.

An estimated 5.3 million citizens cannot vote as a result of felony convictions, and nearly 4 million of those individuals are living and working in their communities. The Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 will establish a uniform standard, restoring voting rights in federal elections to millions of Americans who are not incarcerated, but continue to be denied their ability to fully participate in civic life.

The law could dramatically affect voting in Virginia, where more than 300,000 persons are unable to vote due to felony convictions. While felon disfranchisement policies differ widely from state to state, Virginia and Kentucky are the only two states left that permanently disfranchise all felons, requiring an act of the Governor for voting rights to be restored.

Felon disfranchisement in Virginia is linked to the 1901 “Jim Crow” constitutional convention, in which delegates openly sought to diminish the political power of African-Americans through poll taxes, literacy tests, appointed school boards, and disfranchisement of felons. Currently, about half the disfranchised voters in Virginia are African-Americans. Virginia was forced to eliminate poll taxes and literacy tests, and was the last state in the nation to allow elected school boards.

“If the Voter Restoration Act becomes law, Virginia will be forced either to allow former felons to vote in all elections or be placed the untenable position of having separate voter rolls for federal and state elections,” said ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Kent Willis. “This could be just the push needed for Virginia to make the final break from its Jim Crow past.”

Last year, the ACLU of Virginia launched the Virginia Voter Restoration Project to revise Virginia’s constitutional provision prohibiting all felons from voting. In 2009 the Virginia Senate passed a resolution to amend the state Constitution, but the measure failed in the House.

For more information on felon disfranchisement in Virginia go to www.restoreourvote.org.
A copy of the ACLU of Virginia’s briefing paper on felon disfranchisement is available online at: www.restoreourvote.org/BriefingPaper.pdf.
A copy of the ACLU’s factsheet on the Democracy Restoration Act is available online at http://www.aclu.org/images/asset_upload_file494_39408.pdf
A copy of the ACLU/Brennan Center report on felon disfranchisement, entitled “De Facto Disenfranchisement,” is available online at http://www.aclu.org/votingrights/exoffenders/37000res20081001.html.

    

Thursday, July 23
State health department reports swine-flu death

The Virginia Department of Health reported the death on Wednesday of a woman from the Prince William Health District who was diagnosed with the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus, also called swine flu.

Although the cause of death has not been confirmed, the H1N1 virus appears to have been a factor. The patient had an underlying health condition that put her at greater risk of complications from flu.

Nationwide, as of July 22, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 263 deaths caused by the new virus.

“We extend our sympathies to the patient’s family and friends,”said State Health Commissioner Karen Remley, M.D., MBA. “Unfortunately, since seasonal flu results in about 36,000 deaths nationwide and approximately 1,000 die in Virginia each year from influenza and pneumonia, more deaths associated with the H1N1 virus are likely.”

The Commissioner reminds all Virginians to be vigilant in guarding against the flu and its spread. Symptoms of influenza include fever, cough, sore throat, headache, body aches, chills or fatigue. People who experience these symptoms are asked to call their health care provider or local health department to discuss the possible need for treatment.

  

Wednesday, July 22
Kaine statement on recovery of Cho records

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine released the following statement today on the recovery of the Cook Counseling Center records of Seung Hui Cho:

“During the course of the investigation in the aftermath of the shootings at Virginia Tech, it was learned that Seung Hui Cho’s counseling file from the Cook Counseling Center on the Virginia Tech campus could not be found. The file has now been recovered from the home of a former employee who left the counseling center a number of months before the shooting. There is an investigation under way to determine how the file was removed from the Cook Counseling Center.

“The file was recovered in connection with a pending civil suit, and while I cannot comment on the circumstances of its recovery, we feel it is imperative that the file be made public as quickly as possible. The panel that conducted the review under my direction did not have the file, the families of those killed and injured have not had access to it, and Seung Hui Cho’s parents have not been able to see that information.

“We are currently pursuing the release of the materials, which we hope will happen very promptly. The records can legally be released by the administrator of Cho’s estate, and his family earlier gave similar permission for release of other materials. The file could also be made public during legal proceedings through subpoena. We will make sure that the file is released publicly as soon as possible.

“While I do not know the contents of the files, I recognize that they are an important component in understanding what happened that day and what productive steps can be taken in the future to prevent such a terrible event. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the families and friends of the victims as they continue to cope with such an incredible tragedy.”

 

Kaine calls special legislative session to deal with fallout from Melendez-Diaz decision

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today announced his intention to call a special session of the General Assembly to begin on Wednesday, August 19, 2009. In agreement with the leadership of the General Assembly, the session will focus solely on the required law changes to assure Virginia’s compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts, which deals with the circumstances under which evidence must be presented at trial to comply with the confrontation clause of the U.S. Constitution. The session will occur in conjunction with the annual August meeting of the General Assembly’s Joint Money Committees.

“In the absence of further guidance from the Supreme Court, a special session is the most effective way to ensure compliance with Melendez-Diaz and ensure that pending cases in Virginia are handled in an orderly fashion,” said Gov. Kaine. “I have been in frequent contact with a number of legislators—especially Delegates Morgan Griffith and Steve Shannon, and Senators Donald McEachin and Ken Cuccinelli—as well as the Attorney General and Commonwealth’s Attorneys Association. We feel that a brief, focused special session will result in legislation that will address the concerns raised by the U.S. Supreme Court.”

In Melendez-Diaz, the U.S. Supreme court ruled that the burden was on the prosecution to present a witness, rather than simply introduce a certificate of laboratory analysis into evidence in criminal trials. This ruling will require forensic professionals to testify in more trials than had previously been required.

Gov. Kaine also announced today that he will authorize the use of resources from the Economic Contingency Fund to allow forensic professionals to testify as needed in criminal trials in the Commonwealth. Certain immediate statutory changes will also be required to manage pending cases, and these changes will also be addressed during the special session.

By agreement of the legislative leadership, the only bills that will be heard during the special session will be those introduced on behalf of the administration to address the Melendez-Diaz case. Legislation will be crafted in conjunction with the Attorney General’s office, Division of Legislative Services and relevant stakeholders.

 

Tuesday, July 21
Kaine announces formation of YCC

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today joined members of the Virginia State Parks Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) to volunteer at Pocahontas State Park, highlighting community service efforts in the Commonwealth. The service project is also part of the United We Serve initiative, President Barack Obama’s national call for a summer of service. As part of their volunteer work, the Governor and members of the YCC spent the morning participating in environmentally friendly efforts such as creating trails and working on improvements to one of the park’s dining halls.

“Today was a mixture of inspiration and perspiration, and it was great,” said Gov. Kaine. “The teens from YCC tackle important projects in our parks, work long, hard hours and develop an appreciation for the environment and the outdoors. The lessons they learn here will influence them for the rest of their lives.”

United We Serve aims to put volunteers on a path to sustained service in their communities. Citizens are encouraged to organize those within their community, identify unmet needs, develop their own service projects, and network with others who have similar skills or interests. The initiative is encouraging participation across a wide range of service areas, with particular emphasis on fields that will help mitigate the effects of the economic downturn and help America recover. The areas of emphasis are:

– Promoting clean energy, energy efficiency, and public land restoration
– Education and literacy
– Increasing health care access, public health awareness, and prevention
– Providing community renewal to areas hardest hit by the economic crisis

United We Serve will culminate on Sept. 11, 2009 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Volunteer opportunities in the Commonwealth may be searched by location and keyword at www.serve.org.

The YCC is modeled after the depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps, which built the original six Virginia State Parks and Pocahontas State Park. In 2008, YCC received the Governor’s Volunteer Award for Best Youth Volunteer Program. Operating through the Virginia Office on Volunteerism and Community Service the AmeriCorps*State Program allows members to earn an education award that can be used to pay for college or to pay back qualified student loans.

Gov. Kaine also was joined today by the Governor’s Fellows, 18 graduating college seniors and current graduate students from Virginia serving in the Governor’s Office and Cabinets. The Governor’s Fellows will work through Aug. 7, and are afforded opportunities to observe the operation of the highest levels of state government. This summer, the Fellows volunteered their time gardening for community food banks and mentoring at-risk youth, and plan to participate in an upcoming Remote Area Medical clinic in Wise County later this week in the spirit of sustainable service.

“Public service is an honorable, character-building pursuit,” said Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). Director Joseph H. Maroon. “From the YCC, to the Governor’s Fellows, to the thousands of Virginians volunteering in United We Serve programs, our Commonwealth is made better by their efforts.”

  

Monday, July 20
VCU heart programs in national rankings

The VCU Medical Center’s Pauley Heart Center programs have been ranked 44th in the country by U.S. News Media Group’s 2009-2010 publication of America’s Best Hospitals.

The U.S. News health rankings editors say that because heart disease is the No. 1 killer for men and women in the United States, it is important to know what makes for great patient care. The editors cite the reputations of cardiologists and thoracic surgeons in handling complicated and complex cases, nurse staffing, technology, patient safety and cardiac intensive care units among important factors.

“Our community depends on us to provide the safest, most advanced comprehensive cardiac care, whether it is for common heart conditions or extremely complex cases,” said George W. Vetrovec, M.D., chief of cardiology. “This top 50 national recognition affirms the commitment of our entire staff to excellence in patient care, which means providing the highest quality and innovation in cardiovascular treatment.”

The VCU Pauley Heart Center is recognized nationally for its heart failure and heart transplantation programs, and was among the first in the United States to implant the CardioWest temporary Total Artificial Heart, the only total artificial heart approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Pauley Heart Center also is the first in the United States to use a new type of intracardiac ultrasound machine that produces enhanced imaging of the heart, allowing cardiac electrophysiologists to better diagnose and treat atrial fibrillation.

“The Best Hospitals and other similar rankings validate our success and dedication to advance all areas of cardiac care – from the latest diagnostic tools and medical therapies to mechanical assist devices,” said Vigneshwar Kasirajan, M.D., professor and chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery. “All of this and more is making an impact and saving lives.”

A Thomson Reuters study also ranks the VCU Medical Center, through its Pauley Heart Center, as one of the top 100 U.S. hospitals that set the nation’s benchmarks for cardiovascular care.

The VCU Pauley Heart Center comprises the Divisions of Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery and Pediatric Cardiology.

 

VDOT rest-stop closures to begin tonight

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will close 18 rest areas around the commonwealth overnight tonight as crews implement planned cost-savings reductions.

In June, the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) finalized plans to scale-back the number of rest areas VDOT maintains and operates from 42 to 23 as the agency grapples with a $2.6 billion revenue shortfall. Eighteen of those are slated to close in the early morning hours of July 21. The final rest area to close, the Interstate 66 West Manassas Welcome Center will remain open through mid-September.

VDOT crews will use orange barrels and cones to block the entrance ramps of rest areas overnight tonight. Those who are already in rest areas will be allowed to remain until they finish their rest. Once rest areas are clear of motorists, crews will block the exit ramps. VDOT will also change interstate signs to indicate that the rest areas are closed and will adjust signs that guide motorists to the next available facility. Electronic message signs will be used to give motorists advanced warning of the rest areas that are closed.

Crews will then begin disconnecting utilities, removing equipment, supplies and fixtures that can be reused in the 23 facilities that will remain open, and commence mothballing the closed facilities. It will take several weeks to permanently close the buildings and secure them for their long-term closure. Crews will install large metal gates across entrance and exit ramps as each facility is fully decommissioned.

The 18 rest areas slated to close include:
– I-81 North Rural Retreat
– I-81 South Smyth
– I-81 North Radford
– I-81 South Troutville
– I-81 North Mt. Sidney
– I-81 South Mt. Sidney
– I-81 South New Market I-95 North Ladysmith
– I-95 South Ladysmith
– I-95 North Dale City (cars)
– I-95 South Dale City (cars)
– I-66 East Manassas
– I-64 East Goochland
– I-64 West Goochland
– I-85 North Dinwiddie
– I-85 South Dinwiddie
– I-85 North Alberta
– I-85 South Alberta