Newsletter: Happy Thanksgiving!

It is easy to take for granted that Henrico County is an exceptionally well-managed locality and provides the highest levels of public services, including an outstanding school system, beautiful parks, and a robust business environment. To avoid the pitfall of assuming all is well because it just is, I make it a point to attend Henrico’s State of the County Address each year.

This past week our stellar County Manager, John Vitoullkas, presented that address before a large audience of county business leaders, government staff, and elected officials. He began his remarks by sharing a slide that displayed the words that county residents had used most frequently in responding to a survey about their priorities and concerns for the county. The larger the font size for the word in the slide, the higher the priority and concern for the respondents. Most prominent were the words Safe, Clean, Educated, Sustainable, Diverse and Inclusive.

John then shared information about the county’s initiatives addressing each of those areas. From new school construction and renovation projects to the first of its kind in the nation Green City project, anyone attending the address left with this clear impression: Henrico is getting things done and doing things right.

I applaud our county leadership and I’m honored to work with them as we coordinate our state and local efforts. You can view the full Henrico County Annual Report here.

*Pictured at the event with Deputy County Manager Brandon Hinton and Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg.*

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 my expert 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

Last Call: “Beyond the Holidays” Community Food Drive

The Henrico County Sheriff’s Office is currently coordinating a “Beyond the Holidays” non-perishable food drive to benefit the Henrico Community Food Bank. The drive, sponsored by the Hearts of Henrico Initiative, will continue for one more week until November 29th.

Among the requested items are cereal, granola bars, 2-pound bags of rice, mac and cheese, 16-oz. jars of peanut butter, jelly, canned tuna or chicken, Chef Boyardee entrees, canned vegetables (green beans, carrots, mixed vegetables, peas), canned fruit (peaches, oranges, mixed fruit), ramen noodles (any flavor), spaghetti, pasta sauce, chili, heavy soup or stew (no celery, mushroom, or shrimp).

Drop-off points include:

Eastern Government Center (3820 Nine Mile Road)
Western Government Center (4301 East Parham Road, third floor)
Henrico Jail East (17320 New Kent Highway)
Henrico Jail West (4317 North Parham Road)
Henrico Public Safety Training Center (7701 East Parham Road)

To make a monetary donation online, visit henricocommunityfoodbank.org/make-a-donation.

Tuckahoe Creek Park Expansion

Tuckahoe Creek Park in Henrico’s West End is undergoing an expansion that will connect the existing boardwalk to West Broad Street. According to county officials, the expansion will add length to the boardwalk while allowing for more public parking.

Officials intend to allocate an additional $5 million to Phase III of the project as part of the 2022 bond referendum, which voters overwhelmingly endorsed Nov. 8. As part of this phase, county officials still are working to acquire missing segments of land to provide continuous access across this entire section of Tuckahoe Creek, said Cari Tretina, chief of staff to County Manager John Vithoulkas. Read more from the Henrico Citizen.

Flu Season Health and Safety Tips

The Virginia healthcare community is encouraging Virginians to take personal health and safety precautions as we enter what could be a particularly intense flu and respiratory illness season. This year’s flu season is already showing early, concerning signs that it may be worse than in recent years. There are also increasing numbers of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) cases, which may cause serious illness and hospitalization in children and older adults. If these trends continue, this could strain healthcare systems in some communities.

The holiday season is just around the corner. To protect yourself and your family against flu, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses, the healthcare community recommends taking the following steps:

Make an appointment to get a flu shot as soon as possible. Flu shots are available at doctor’s offices, commercial pharmacies, local health districts, and community health clinics, among other locations – find one here.
Get vaccinated against COVID-19 if you have not done so already. Get boosted if you have been vaccinated but it has been at least two months since your last vaccine dose. Visit vaccinate.virginia.gov or call (877) VAX-IN-VA or (877) 829-4682 for locations.
- Bivalent booster doses are available for vaccinated individuals 5 and older. The Virginia Department of Health advises parents to discuss this option with their child’s healthcare provider.
Parents of sick children are encouraged to keep them home from school and other activities to help limit the spread of infection.
Adults who become ill are also encouraged to stay home to limit the risk of spreading illness and to contact their healthcare provider for guidance on the appropriate course of treatment depending on the severity of symptoms and other risk factors.
Individuals with symptoms, or those who test positive, are encouraged to contact their healthcare providers to determine the treatment option that is right for them. This is especially true for high-risk individuals.
As a routine safety behavior, Virginians are encouraged to wash their hands often with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds, to avoid touching their faces with unwashed hands, to cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze, to limit the time children spend in large group settings with other contagious individuals when possible, and to get tested if they believe they have been exposed to illness.

Low Income Household Water Assistance Program

Need help with your water bill? The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is a temporary, federally-funded program created to assist low-income households pay their water and wastewater bills and delay disconnection for at least 90 days. The program is administered by the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), and relief will be available to eligible Virginia residents beginning in October 2022 through September 1, 2023 or until funds are depleted.

The program is a continuation of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, which helped about 12,000 utility customers during the pandemic, according to Henrico Public Utilities Director Bentley Chan. “We have about 35,000 customers who are a day or more past due on their bills,” Chan said. “So that coupled with the low income, there’s possibility to help a lot of residents in the county.

A total of $22.5 million for Virginians will be distributed largely through VDSS. Households eligible for LIHWAP assistance must have a past due water/wastewater balance and a gross household income below 150% of the federal poverty level based on household size (reference the Income Guidelines Table). Priority will be given to households whose water/wastewater has been disconnected or is at risk of disconnection.

To apply, visit virginiaalihwap.com or call (888) 373-9908. Application assistance is available by calling the same phone number between the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The Virginia Department of Social Services and its partner organizations offer several other bill payment assistance options through the free Virginia 211 service.

Dominion Energy Bill Payment Assistance

With colder temperatures on the way, Dominion Energy Virginia is offering several assistance programs to help customers with their winter heating bills:

EnergyShare Bill Payment Assistance

Dominion Energy Virginia's EnergyShare program offers up to $600 in bill payment assistance from October 1 through May 31. The program is not income-based, so anyone needing help to pay their heating bills may qualify for assistance. Individuals 60 and older, military veterans and individuals with a disability may be eligible for additional assistance.

EnergyShare Weatherization Programs

Dominion Energy Virginia customers who receive EnergyShare bill payment assistance may be eligible to receive a free home energy assessment and the installation of free energy efficiency upgrades that help save on their energy costs.

Extended Payment Plans

Dominion Energy Virginia offers extended payment plans to help customers who've fallen behind on their electric bills. Eligible customers can make 50% down payment on their past due bill and spread the remaining balance over six months. Customers may sign-in to their account online or call 877-776-2427 to see if they qualify.

Budget Billing

Dominion Energy's budget billing program helps customers avoid the seasonal fluctuation with their energy bills. Monthly budget bill amounts are based on the average of the customer's previous 12 months of usage. Customers may sign-in to their account online or call 877-776-2427 to see if they qualify.

A full list of all Dominion Energy customer assistance options is available here: www.dominionenergy.com/virginia/billing/energy-assistance or by calling: 877-776-2427.

Community Events

Jonah Holland Memorial and Traffic Safety Ceremony

Community members gathered recently for a very moving event in memory of Carla “Jonah” Holland hosted by Bike Walk RVA at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. Jonah, a Henrico resident, was tragically hit and killed by a drunk driver while out cycling on a Saturday morning in August. Natalie Rainer was riding alongside Jonah at the time and survived with numerous injuries. I am grateful for Natalie’s courage to share her story and stay in this fight. We must do all that we can to improve safety measures for cyclists and pedestrians.

House Appropriations and Finance Committee Meeting

It was great to see so many of my colleagues last Monday for the annual fall retreat with House Appropriations and Finance committee members. Thanks to the many state leaders and committee staff who presented throughout the day, as well as the Science Museum of Virginia for hosting us!

India K’ Raja Gathering

I was honored to join friends from the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy last week for a wonderful dinner and evening of fellowship at one of my favorite restaurants – India K’ Raja! The owner, Tony Sappal, and his family have been in business for over 27 years now, and India K’ Raja is truly a staple in the Henrico community.

Transgender Day of Remembrance

This past Sunday, November 20th, marked Transgender Day of Remembrance in honor and memory of lives lost to violence, and I attended a very moving rally hosted by activists and community members at Capitol Square. The day began with news of a shooting that claimed five lives and injured many more at Club Q in Colorado Springs – a heartbreaking reminder that violence against the LGBTQ+ community and hateful bigotry persists. We mourn for the past and the present, but we remain rooted in hope for a more peaceful future.

*Aurora Higgs addresses the crowd in front of the Bell Tower on Capitol Square at Sunday’s rally.*

Henrico Democrats Social

I had a wonderful time at Mekong this week with the Henrico Dems for a post-election party to celebrate HCDC and thank the many amazing volunteers that work so hard every election cycle and year-round!

December 9th Newsletter

November 11th Newsletter