November 12th Newsletter
I am humbled and honored that the voters of the 73rd District have chosen me to represent them for a second term in the General Assembly. I could not have been reelected without such a tremendous team of supporters behind me throughout the entire campaign.
To the volunteers who knocked doors in the rain and heat, who made phone calls, wrote postcards, and worked the polls, and to my financial supporters who gave what they could to help us reach more voters every day, you are the reason we were able to succeed on Election Day.
In the past two years, I have worked hard to move Virginia towards a brighter future for everyone. We have accomplished so much, including expanding health care coverage, protecting our environment, easing access to the ballot, investing in teachers and public schools, passing common-sense gun violence prevention legislation, and so much more. And I am proud to have worked across the aisle with Democrats and Republicans to improve the lives of families here in Henrico.
I also want to congratulate Glenn Youngkin, Winsome Sears, and Jason Miyares on their successful campaigns. I truly believe that there is more that unites us than divides us, and I look forward to collaborating with our newly elected statewide officials and members of the General Assembly to build upon the progress that we have made.
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
FDA Authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Children 5-11
The FDA recently authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 to include children 5 through 11 years of age. The authorization was based on the FDA’s evaluation of data that included input from independent advisory committee experts who overwhelmingly voted in favor of making the vaccine available to children in this age group.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was found to be 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children 5 through 11. The vaccine’s safety was studied in approximately 3,100 children aged 5 through 11 and no serious side effects have been detected in the ongoing study.
You can schedule an appointment for a 5-11 vaccination online through the Virginia Department of Health (select Pfizer-BioNTech age 5-11). Appointments may also be available at pharmacies including CVS and Walgreens, or through your pediatrician or family practitioner. For more information about vaccines for children and teens, visit the CDC’s webpage about the COVID-19 Vaccine for Children and Teens.
Two Henrico County public schools will host COVID-19 vaccination clinics this month and next for children 5 to 11. Parents who want to get their children vaccinated at an RHHD event must register in advance by calling (804) 205-3501 or visiting vax.rchd.com. Walk-ups will not be guaranteed a vaccine.
Saturday, Nov. 13 Fairfield Middle School — 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday, Nov. 20 at Elko Middle School — 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Follow-up clinics at each site also will be held exactly three weeks later to provide second doses (Dec. 4 at Fairfield and Dec. 11 at Elko, during the same timeframe each day).
Henrico County Reapportionment Public Hearings Nov 30th and Dec 14th
Henrico County is in the process of redrawing district borders used in elections of members of the Board of Supervisors and School Board with updated population data from the 2020 Census. This is a once-in-a-decade process, and all Henrico residents are welcomed and encouraged to participate and provide input.
Henrico County staff have developed a draft plan that would make minor shifts to the boundaries of its five magisterial districts to ensure future equal representation following population changes from the past decade. You can see details on the proposed changes to district boundaries, draft maps, and comment on the plan online at henrico.us/reapp2021/.
The Board has scheduled public hearings on the proposed 2021 reapportionment plan for its November 30 and December 14 meetings. See more information on the upcoming Board meetings online here.
VDOT seeks public input about possible ‘transit-oriented development’ surrounding Staples Mill Amtrak station
The Virginia Department of Transportation and its partners are seeking public input on a small area plan along Staples Mill Road (Route 33) in Henrico County that explores the opportunity for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) surrounding Richmond Staples Mill Amtrak station. The plan’s recommendations will support an existing TOD concept developed by Henrico County and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation for the area.
Transit-oriented development features mixed-use development characteristics that rely upon adjacent transit systems, plentiful pedestrian facilities, narrow streets, and a “tapering” of buildings as they become more distant from the public transportation hub.
To provide input, please take this 10-minute online survey.
Henrico Board of Supervisors Create “Henrico Investment Program”
This week, the Henrico Board of Supervisors created the Henrico Investment Program (HIP), which aims to incentivize property owners in five regions of the county to redevelop their land. The program is designed to build upon the county’s participation in the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program (which offers similar incentives in designated areas).
It will apply to portions of five regions in the county:
Mechanicsville Turnpike: from the city line to Henrico Plaza;
Staples Mill Road: from Parham Road to Dumbarton Road;
Patterson Avenue: from Starling Drive to Goochland County line;
West Broad Street: from Hungary Spring Road to Pemberton Road;
Williamsburg Road: from Laburnum Avenue to Nine Mile Road.
Under Virginia’s Enterprise Zone (VEZ) program, Henrico and other participating localities offer grants and other incentives to support building demolitions or improvements to facades, parking lots or landscaping, on properties in designated areas. But with HIP, Henrico will be able to offer additional incentives and extend them to areas not currently within the 6 square miles of its Enterprise Zone. HIP became possible after the 2017 General Assembly adopted legislation allowing counties to create their own economic revitalization zones.
While some details are being finalized, HIP is expected to offer the local incentives currently available in the Enterprise Zone program as well as:
Allowing the sign grant to include the removal, refurbishment, or replacement of signs attached to buildings;
Increasing the demolition grant to a maximum of $100,000 based on the building’s size; and
Expanding the building facade grant to include building system improvements and roof repairs or improvements.
Applicants will only be able to take advantage of one of the two programs (VEZ or HIP). Incentives may vary slightly, so county officials encourage business and property owners to determine which of the two programs best suits their needs. See more information on this announcement online here.
Virginia DCR to offer nutrient management training in Henrico
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation will offer a two-part nutrient management training school this fall in Sandston. The school is designed for anyone interested in learning about the development of agricultural nutrient management plans or how to become a certified plan writer. Both sessions will be conducted in person at the Homewood Suites, 5996 Audubon Drive in Sandston, near Richmond International Airport.
The first session, Nov. 30-Dec. 1, is a lecture series by Virginia Tech professors on soil science, soil fertility, and crop production. The second session, Dec. 8-10, will cover nutrient management plan writing using a case-study farm.
Both sessions will run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. Early registration is $130 per session. After Nov. 22, the fee will increase to $150 per session. You must register for each school separately and can do so by contacting Susan Jones at (804) 824-1573 or susan.jones@dcr.virginia.gov.
Nutrient management is considered an important factor in a farmer’s decision-making process when considering the application of materials to supply nutrients to crops. Nutrient management plans determine rates for applying manure, fertilizers, biosolids, and other soil amendments so that crop yields are maximized, and nutrient loss to ground and surface waters is minimized. Application rates are determined by a process using actual yield records or soil productivity when yield records aren’t available.
More information about nutrient management training and certification is available at www.dcr.virginia.gov/soil-and-water/nmtrain.
Islamic Center of Richmond Offering Free ESL Classes Every Wednesday
I was fortunate enough to visit the Islamic Center last month during Friday Prayers. It was wonderful to speak with members of our community and hear about the work they are doing to support anyone who may need help learning or advancing their English language skills, applying for jobs, and assisting with their children’s homework.
The Islamic Center is offering free English as a Second Language support on Wednesdays at 8481 Hungary Rd. Women's classes run from 5:30 - 6:30 pm, and men's classes meet from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. The ESL program offers support to improve reading and writing help with life skills including reading school notes, applying for jobs, reading to your children and assisting with homework.
Classes are free and open to individuals of all backgrounds. Register online at bit.ly/eslicr. If you or someone you know is in need of support please pass along this information.
Veterans Day — New Exhibit at Virginia War Memorial
Yesterday was Veterans Day, a day where we honor military veterans who have served in the armed forces. I want to thank all who answered the call to defend our democracy and safeguard our nation from harm. I encourage you all to take time to thank your friends and family who have served, and reflect upon the sacrifices that they have made.
The Virginia War Memorial opened a new exhibit on Veterans Day called "Who They Were: Lives Worth Knowing" featuring stories about the lives of 32 Virginians who died in combat during their service. Admission to the exhibit is free, and it will be open to the public through 2022.
You can see more information on the exhibit online here, and details on visiting the museum online here.
