August 19th Newsletter

I was so pleased to celebrate the grand opening of The Mantu Market on August 15th in the Merchants Walk Shopping Center off West Broad. The market, which includes a café, bakery, and grocery, is the latest epicurean venture of renowned Afghan chef Hamid Noori. You may already be familiar with Chef Noori's cooking from The Mantu, his first restaurant in our area which he opened in Carytown in 2019.

I am a big fan of Chef Noori's for several reasons. First, I love his food, and The Mantu Market offers fresh kebabs, whole tandoori chickens, and authentic Afghani bread baked on premises. Second, I am awed by Chef Noori’s commitment to helping his fellow Afghans who are refugees and trying to settle in this country. 

You may have noticed that The Mantu Market opened on August 15th, the one year anniversary of the completion of the US military’s departure from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s resumption of control of the country. Most of the refugees who fled Afghanistan to this country came through Dulles Airport in northern Virginia. And many of those refugees have relocated to the Richmond area. Chef Noori is doing as much as he can to help as many of those families as possible. At both his restaurant and the market he is training and employing Afghan refugees. I have seen the smiling faces of those employees in both the front and the back of the house.

If you are interested in supporting Afghan refugees in our area, please contact Reestablish Richmond, the International Rescue Committee, or the Virginia Interfaith Center.

I am thrilled to welcome Chef Noori, pictured here, and the new Mantu Market to the 73rd district!

If you have any questions or need assistance with a state agency, please contact my office at delrwillett@house.virginia.gov or phone at 804-698-1073, and a member of my staff will be happy to assist you. I also will continue to keep you informed with relevant, accurate information via Twitter, Facebook, and my website. Please stay well and stay in touch.

Sincerely,

Rodney

New Information

The Inflation Reduction Act’s Benefits to Virginians

President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law on Tuesday which will bring much-needed relief to Virginians and families across our nation. This federal legislation cuts prescription drug costs, lowers consumer healthcare and energy costs, and makes the tax code more fair. In addition to these everyday savings, the package will reduce the deficit and boost good-paying jobs and tax credits for small businesses. The Inflation Reduction Act is the most significant legislation in U.S. history to tackle the climate crisis and strengthen American energy security. The savings, jobs, and other benefits provided by this legislation will reach communities across Virginia in some of the following ways (and much more):

Lower healthcare costs:

• Caps the amount that seniors pay for prescription drugs at the pharmacy at $2,000 a year.

• Provides access to a number of additional free vaccines, including the shingles vaccine, for Medicare beneficiaries.

• Ensures 13 million Americans will continue to save an average of $800 per year on premiums, and 3 million more Americans will have access to health insurance now.

Lower energy costs: 

• Grants to help state and local governments adopt the latest building energy codes, which would save the average new homeowner in Virginia 17.9% on their utility bills– $426 annually.

• When families need to replace air conditioners, water heaters, or furnaces, they can save up to 30% with tax credits for efficient heating and cooling equipment that will save them hundreds of dollars on utility bills.

• Households can save up to 30% with tax credits for home construction projects on windows, doors, insulation, or other weatherization measures that prevent energy from escaping.

• Lower and middle income individuals will be eligible for a $4,000 consumer tax credit to buy used clean vehicles and up to $7,500 tax credit to buy new clean vehicles.

Economic boosts:

• Jobs: The IRA will expand clean energy job opportunities, bringing an estimated $11.6 billion of investment in large-scale clean power generation and storage to Virginia between now and 2030. It provides a historic set of tax credits that will create jobs across solar, wind, storage, and other clean energy industries.

• Small Businesses: Virginia is home to 783,977 small businesses, representing 99.5% of all businesses in the state, and the IRA will help them save money. Commercial building owners can receive a tax credit up to $5 per square foot to support energy efficiency improvements that deliver lower utility bills. Other programs that will benefit small businesses include tax credits covering 30% of the costs of installing low-cost solar power and of purchasing clean trucks and vans for commercial fleets.

Online Security and Tips to Avoid Identity Theft

Protecting personal information continues to be very important for online security and reducing the risk of identity theft. The Virginia Employment Commission, the state agency that oversees unemployment claims, has seen an increase in fraudulent cases related to identity theft since claims skyrocketed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Virginia’s Office of the Attorney General has a useful guide with a number of pertinent recommendations to increase online security and avoid digital scams and identity theft. Please be aware of the signs of phishing and pharming and consider reducing personal identifying information by taking the following steps:

• Remove your name from the marketing lists of three credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, to limit the number of pre-approved credit offers in the mail.

• Order your credit report once a year from each of the three credit bureaus to check for inaccuracies and fraudulent use of your accounts. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com

• Monitoring your credit card statements and your credit report are the most important steps you can take to safeguard your credit identity.

• Register your telephone number with the National Do-Not-Call Registry to prevent telemarketing calls.

• Remove your name, home address, and home telephone number from many mailing and telephone lists through the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service and Telephone Preference Service for up to five years at a time.

• See the full list of action items here.

Rabies Vaccines for Pets on Saturday, August 20th

A few confirmed cases of rabies in the area recently means it is a good time to have your pet(s) vaccinated. Under Virginia law, dogs and cats 4 months of age and older must be vaccinated for rabies.

The Henrico County Police Division will provide rabies vaccines for dogs and cats from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, August 20th, at the Henrico County Government Center, 4301 E. Parham Road.

Pet owners must register and pay at the cashier’s office in the Administration Building before seeing a veterinarian on the first level of the adjacent parking deck. Each vaccine costs $10 and must be paid in cash. A rabies tag and a certificate of inoculation are included. Pets from all localities are eligible, and cats must be in carriers.

Chief English Receives Award from NOBLE

Henrico Police Chief Eric English received the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement’s Civil Rights “Outstanding Law Enforcement Executive” Justice by Action Award last month at NOBLE’s 46th annual Training Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, Florida. 

English was selected from among more than 3,000 NOBLE members to receive the award. “Your continued service for proffering equal justice while exposing injustice is worthy of being recognized and honored,” said Chair of NOBLE Civil Rights, Dr. Joseph Johnson.

Congratulations on this “outstanding” achievement, Chief English!

Community Events

McShin Foundation Tour

I appreciated the opportunity to visit the McShin Foundation this week with Commissioner Nelson Smith of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and Delegate VanValkenburg. McShin is a model and inspiration to other recovery facilities, and we are so grateful for the many services that they provide.

Touring with L-R: Commissioner Smith, McShin President John Shinholser, and Delegate VanValkenburg

Team Willett Reunion

It’s always great to see the great things my team goes on to do after an election cycle. Last weekend I visited Manchester, New Hampshire for a family wedding and caught up with my former campaign manager, Jenner Foster, who is currently leading the re-election campaign for Congressman Chris Pappas.

Good luck to my former campaign manager Jenner Foster (pictured here) and Team Pappas!