Thursday, January 31, 2013
Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, hosted the event Thursday at Wakefield High School
A statewide task force created in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre is considering recommendations that would require additional training for school resource officers and require the state to help schools prevent bullying. Another recommendation would require Virginia schools to conduct an annual "active shooter exercise" that includes students or to incorporate parts of an active shooter plan into other drills. That's just three areas the Governor's School and Campus Safety Task Force could make recommendations on as early as this week. State Del. Patrick Hope, an Arlington Democrat who sits on the task force, said he wants the group to make recommendations that will have an actual effect and "not just things to make you feel good." …
Saturday, January 19, 2013
After introducing gun safety legislation, the pair hope to prove a point by purchasing a 30-round extended clip without background check.
State Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, and Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, have introduced a package of gun safety legislation that includes requiring universal background checks on prospective firearms purchases (SB 1232 / HB 2025) and tightening restrictions on the sale of weapons to the mentally ill (SB1109 / HB 2221). To drive home their point, the two Northern Virginia lawmakers purchased guns from a private seller at a gun show without a background check and made videos of the transactions. At a news conference this week in Richmond, Ebbin displayed a 30-round ammunition magazine he bought for $20. "Buying a 30-round magazine should not be as easy as buying a candy bar,” he said in a news release. He pointed out a 30-round magazine was…
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Arlington delegates support bill, which would elevate penalty for texting while driving to include possible jail time and up to $2,500 fine.
A bill introduced in the Virginia General Assembly would make texting while driving a more serious offense — and the penalties upon conviction would be up to one year in jail and up to a $2,500 fine. It's not the first time such a measure has been proposed. But advocates say a recent court ruling that differentiates texting while driving from reckless driving should give them the support they need to get the bill through the General Assembly this year. "There's usually about 10 texting bills a year, and they usually all get killed," said state Del. Scott Surovell, D-Mount Vernon. "This year, something's going to change." The House bill, which all four Arlington delegates have signed on to support, would essentially elevate texting while …
Monday, January 7, 2013
County's legislative delegation heads to Richmond as 'underdogs' in Virginia General Assembly.
Virginia lawmakers who represent Arlington in Richmond have another tough year ahead of them. The county's seven-member legislative delegation — Sens. Janet Howell, Barbara Favola and Adam Ebbin, plus Dels. Bob Brink, Patrick Hope, Alfonso Lopez and freshman Rob Krupicka, all Democrats — spent three hours Friday night listening to a long list of concerns and requests from individuals and organizations. Overwhelmingly, people asked legislators to bolster funding for social safety net programs, particularly in the realms of mental health, substance abuse, developmental disabilities and brain injuries. They asked, too, that the delegation work to expand Medicaid and implement the Affordable Care Act in Virginia, including establishing an …
Thursday, January 3, 2013
The Virginia General Assembly convenes next week.
Arlington County's seven-member legislative delegation will hear public comments Friday evening ahead of the new General Assembly session, which starts next week. The delegation — state Sens. Adam Ebbin, Barbara Favola and Janet Howell, plus state Dels. Patrick Hope, Bob Brink, Alfonso Lopez and freshman Rob Krupicka — is composed entirely of Democrats. The annual legislative hearing begins at 6 p.m. Friday in the Arlington County Board Room, which is on the third floor of the county administration building at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. Individuals may speak for up to three minutes. Anyone who wishes to speak may register beginning at 5:30 p.m. outside of the board room. Last month, the Arlington County Board finalized its list of legislative …
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Arlington County administration building
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Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Democratic state delegate from Arlington says he will call for a task force to identify victims, make recommendations for reparations.
State Del. Patrick Hope said he will call for the creation of a task force during the 2013 legislative session to identify any surviving victims of state sterilization and begin the conversation about what can be done to make these people whole. Virginia sterilized an estimated 7,300 to 8,300 people under state law between 1924 and 1979, according to research by the University of Vermont. Men and women were forcibly sterilized after being deemed "feeble-minded" or promiscuous under the notion of eugenics, social-engineering designed to increase specific characteristics. Ten years ago, then-Gov. Mark Warner formally apologized for the acts. Hope, a Democrat whose district includes Arlington, said identifying the survivors of this process, …
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Officials formally marked the completion of a $6 million bridge replacement project on Glebe Road over Arlington Boulevard on Wednesday.
Virginia Department of Transportation and Arlington County officials on Wednesday formally celebrated the completion of a $6 million bridge replacement on Glebe Road over Arlington Boulevard. The entire bridge, about 100 feet long, was replaced over a 15-month construction window. The new bridge is 27 feet wider, according to VDOT. The state agency worked with the county and community to implement improvements such as: "All of this is an enormous enhancement to the way this community works," Arlington County Board Chairwoman Mary Hynes said. In March 2009, concrete fell from the bridge into a travel lane on Arlington Boulevard. Nick Roper, VDOT district bridge engineer, said he was answering phones all morning in Richmond the day that …
Monday, March 12, 2012
Four-judge court could be reduced to two come July 1.
The 17th Judicial Circuit, which includes Arlington County and the city of Falls Church, is likely to lose half of its Circuit Court judges as the state General Assembly attempts to hash out a budget agreement. Such a move would reduce the traditional four Circuit Court judges here to two, increasing the case load for the remaining judges, likely slowing down the case flow and putting the brakes on a plan to implement drug court here. "As far as the administration of justice and the completion of cases, it's really very problematic," said Commonwealth's Attorney Theo Stamos. Stamos, Arlington County Sheriff Beth Arthur, Arlington County Police Chief Doug Scott and the Arlington County Bar Association have been lobbying for at least three …
Friday, February 10, 2012
Bits and bites from Virginia and national politics.
Restraining pregnant inmates: A House subcommittee this week tabled a bill introduced by Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, that would have prevented the state prison officials from using shackles on pregnant inmates. Supporters of Hope's bill called the practice "barbaric" and likened it to "torture," according to the Associated Press. Arlington County Sheriff Beth Arthur said state regulations, not legislation, should be used to address the matter, the AP reports. Senate passes 'conscience clause': Democrats offered 18 amendments this week hoping to weaken or stop Republican-sponsored legislation that allows child placement agencies under contract with the state to discriminate based on their moral or religious beliefs. They failed, …
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Hope, Lopez: Proposed cuts to free clinics, other health care services could cost Virginia more in the long-term.
Local legislators say Gov. Bob McDonnell’s proposed cuts to the state’s health care safety net – a long list of providers that includes the Arlington Free Clinic – could end up costing Virginia more in the long run. McDonnell, a Republican, has proposed a two-year, $85 billion spending plan that moves millions from public education and health care over to three areas his administration considers priorities: transportation, higher education and the state’s pension system. It withholds $300 million in inflationary increases from Medicaid and several million more from various safety net agencies. Among the latter cuts is about $1.6 million to the Virginia Association of Free Clinics. Del. Alfonso Lopez, D-Arlington, called the safety net cuts…
Jane Alexander Barcroft
3:32 pm on Friday, January 11, 2013
Oh darling, you again? Only one person trails me around the Net leaving remarks of that nature. I can't think why you aren't tired of it. Do make it easier on yourself and stick to one name. "CSG" sounds like a compressed-gas limited partnership. I suppose Barry and Larry and Barbara and Doug Park and Pike Rider, etc., are all investors. more ›