Tom Perriello

Rep. Tom Perriello is an original cosponsor of a bipartisan bill to establish a Rural Energy Savings Program to create jobs, save Virginia families and businesses money on their electric bills, and conserve energy. He joined a bipartisan coalition of Senate and House Members along with rural electric cooperatives and energy industry leaders in introducing the legislation yesterday. The bill, H.R. 4785 [PDF], is estimated to create 20,000 to 40,000 jobs a year.

The bill provides $4.9 billion in loan authority through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to electric cooperatives to offer low-interest micro-loans to residential and small business customers for energy-saving retrofit and structural improvements. The program will be a boon for the domestic manufacturing and construction industries, as energy-efficiency products are almost exclusively manufactured in the United States and installation jobs cannot be exported. The program builds on the existing co-op infrastructure that has strong community ties and a demonstrated 75-year history of on-bill financing for consumer loans.

“Rural households are getting hit the hardest with rising energy costs. These efficiency programs will not only create jobs locally, but make our rural homes more sustainable and cost efficient in the long run. I’m proud to be part of this bipartisan bill because saving on energy costs and creating clean energy jobs is something both parties can agree on,” said Rep. Perriello.

Trained auditors and contractors will conduct energy audits to determine what sorts of energy efficiency improvements are warranted. Typical consumer loans will be $1,500 to $7,000, and will cover sealing, insulation, heat pumps, HVAC systems, boilers, roofs and other improvements that the utility has demonstrated to RUS will produce sufficient savings. Participating consumers repay the co-ops for the installation and material costs through an extra charge on their utility bills within not more than a 10 year window. The energy savings from the upgrade will cover most, if not all, of the cost of the loan. Consumers will save more on their energy bills after the loan is repaid, saving most families hundreds of dollars annually. Every dollar loaned by RUS to the co-ops is repaid to the taxpayers within ten years after the cooperative re-lends the funds to the consumer.

Rep. Perriello co-sponsored the legislation along with Congressmen James Clyburn (D-SC), Ed Whitfield (R-KY), and John Spratt (D-SC) and Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Lindsay Graham (R-SC), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tim Johnson (D-SD), and Michael Bennett (D-CO).

The video below is of of Rep. Perriello at yesterday’s press conference unveiling the legislation:

VMFA Muse Award

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is accepting nominations for the 6th annual Muse Awards, which champion creativity and innovation in business in Virginia.

The deadline for nominations is May 1.

The Muse Awards are presented each year to nine Virginia companies that demonstrate a uniquely creative approach to their products, services, campaigns, organizational structure, or other aspect of their business. A Top Muse award is presented to the business with the most outstanding creative approach.

Businesses, professional organizations and chambers of commerce are eligible to nominate for-profit businesses.

The Muse Awards’ emphasis on creativity extends to the Un-Gala awards-presentation event itself. With a different theme each year, the Un-Gala is a departure from traditional awards dinners and ceremonies. The theme each year is a closely guarded secret.

“This year’s Muse Awards takes on a spectacular new dimension,” says John Lucas, who is a senior vice president of RBC Wealth Management and is the VMFA Business Council chairman. “Not only will we recognize the important role that creativity plays in the success of Virginia businesses and recognize VMFA as an extraordinary resource for creative inspiration, we’ll also celebrate the success of VMFA’s expansion. The Un-Gala will be June 16 in the museum’s new James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Wing and throughout the reinstalled galleries.”

Created in 2005, the Muse Awards are sponsored by VMFA’s Business Council.

Winners receive a one-year VMFA Corporate Patron membership (valued at $1,000) and a trophy patterned after the chambered nautilus, which is meant to symbolize the natural evolution of creativity.

Nomination forms, guidelines and highlights from last year’s event are available at www.vmfamuseaward.com. Forms may also be requested by sending an e-mail to “elizabeth.lowsley-williams @ vmfa.museum” (remove spaces and quotes) or by faxing 804-340-1465.

Finalists will be announced May 15.

ABOUT THE VMFA BUSINESS COUNCIL An association of executives and leaders from area businesses, the VMFA Business Council is dedicated to promoting and maintaining an active dialogue between Virginia’s business community and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. By working directly with the business community, the VMFA Business Council aims to highlight and promote the valuable contributions the museum makes to the quality of life and economic vitality of the region. More about the VMFA Business Council is available on the Web at www.vmfa.museum/business_council.html.

Muse Committee Members:
Chairman – John Lucas, RBC Wealth Management
Communications – Charles Ajemian, Mediaflux Corporation
Invitations-Programming – Steve Hedberg, Richmond Magazine
Judging – Eric Taylor, Genworth Financial
Sponsorships – Phil Conein, TECHEAD
Treasurer – John Cole Scott, Closed-End Fund Advisors
Un-Gala – Karin Patel, Creative Office, and Megan Terry, MBM Marketing

Cline promotional photograph shortly before her 1961 life-threatening car crash

Virginia’s status as a destination for those who love the arts receives a special boost this spring with the launch of Minds Wide Open: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts, a statewide celebration of music, dance, theater, literary and visual arts. The first statewide initiative of its kind, Minds Wide Open focuses on plays, choreography, compositions, paintings, photography or films created by women or featuring women as the primary focus. Performances and exhibitions will occur at venues throughout the Commonwealth.

Virginia has been the birthplace or home of some of the most beloved women artists. Ella Fitzgerald, Patsy Cline and Shirley MacLaine are American legends. Daphne Reid has delighted audiences as both an actress and director. Photographer Sally Mann, artist P. Buckley Moss and writer Rita Mae Brown are celebrated as among the very best of their medium. Their legacy is shared by women throughout Virginia whose talents inspire those around them.

From March through June 2010 Minds Wide Open offers more than 5,000 performances, exhibitions and events across Virginia to honor women who have shared the treasures of their hearts through artistic expression. Included are signature performances by the Richmond Ballet, Anoushka Shankar, the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, Richmond Shakespeare and the Virginia Chamber Orchestra. Venues range from metropolitan concert halls and theaters to community centers and libraries.

Minds Wide Open offers a chance to take a memorable journey in Virginia through its Standing Ovation Vacation Sweepstakes. Twelve special arts getaways complete with tickets to events such as theater, ballet and concerts — and including accommodations and dining — will be given away from March through June 2010. Register to win at www.ArtsVA.com, where you can also find a complete schedule of Minds Wide Open events and exhibitions.

Love of art and of travel has always been among the best reasons to visit Virginia and each year the Commonwealth seems to add new venues to its existing collection. In Richmond the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts reopens in the spring of 2010 after the completion of a dazzling expansion project. Norfolk’s Chrysler Museum of Art houses a gorgeous collection of portraiture and Tiffany glass. The new Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke is a work of art in itself and houses paintings and sculpture by famous names. In Alexandria, the Torpedo Factory Art Center houses the working studios of more than 80 artists.

Performing arts have a home throughout the Commonwealth and draw audiences from around the world. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts hosts the biggest names in music. The new Richmond Center Stage complex is a multi-venue facility for theater, music and dance. In Abingdon the historic Barter Theatre is where actors such as Patricia Neal, Ernest Borgnine and Gregory Peck got their professional starts. The mountain music venues of The Crooked Road — Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail are found throughout Southwest Virginia and are packed for each performance.

Special arts events can be found throughout Virginia at nearly any time of year. The Richmond Folk Festival and the Virginia Arts Festival are filled with song and dance while the Virginia Film Festival and the Virginia Festival of the Book draw film and literature enthusiasts from all over. Each June Virginia Beach’s Boardwalk Art Show Festival brings thousands to the beachfront. Lorton, in Northern Virginia, is one of several Virginia cities with a monthly Art Walk.

Combining the arts with visits to Virginia’s wineries, historic sites, wonderful restaurants, great cities and memorable small towns makes for the best of vacations or getaways and helps connect hearts to what’s really important. For trip planning information visit www.Virginia.org or call 1-800-VISITVA for a free Virginia is for Lovers Travel Guide.

Flood watches and warnings cover the majority of the Commonwealth; all Virginians should be aware of their risk for flooding and be prepared to evacuate from quickly rising water if necessary.

“We will continue to see rain falling for the next 24-36 hours, and at times it will be very heavy rainfall,” said Michael Cline, state coordinator for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. “Everyone should assess their risk of flooding now and be prepared to evacuate.”

Rivers are not forecast to crest until late Sunday or early Monday — after rains stop. Flooding could occur as late as Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

Prepare for flooding

• Familiarize yourself with the terms that are used to identify a flood hazard.
• • Flood Watch or Flash Flood Watch: there is an increased possibility of flooding or a flash flood in your area.
  • Flood Warning: flooding is occurring or will likely occur very soon. If you are advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
  • Flash Flood Warning: flash flooding is occurring. Seek higher ground immediately; do not wait for instructions.
• Be prepared to evacuate. Do not return to your home until local authorities say it is safe. Even after floodwaters recede, roads could be weakened and could collapse. Buildings might be unstable, and drinking water might be contaminated. Use common sense and exercise caution.
• Use common sense and available information. If water is rising quickly or you see a moving wall of mud or debris, immediately move to higher ground.
• Do not walk through moving water, if possible. Look for areas where the water is not moving. What might seem like a small amount of moving water can easily knock you down.

Drive safely

• Know the road conditions before you hit the highways. Visit http://www.511virginia.org or dial 511 from any phone for real-time traffic information and road condition reports.
• Do not drive into flooded areas. If your vehicle becomes surrounded by rising water, get out quickly and move to higher ground, if possible.
• Flood water might cut off access to roads. Be prepared to stay where you are until floodwaters recede.

Stay Informed

• Listen to weather-alert radios to stay informed of flood watches and warnings.
• Also monitor commercial radio, television and the Internet.
• Keep in mind that after a flood, it could be hours, or even days, before emergency personnel are able to reach you.

More flood preparedness information is available at http://www.readyvirginia.gov/stayinformed/floods.cfm.

Plavix reduces the risk of heart attack, unstable angina, stroke, and cardiovascular death in patients with cardiovascular disease by making platelets less likely to form blood clots. Plavix does not have its anti-platelet effects until it is metabolized into its active form by the liver enzyme, CYP2C19.

People who have reduced functioning of their CYP2C19 liver enzyme cannot effectively convert Plavix to its active form. As a result, Plavix may be less effective in altering platelet activity in those people. These “poor metabolizers” may not receive the full benefit of Plavix treatment and may remain at risk for heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death.

“We want to highlight this warning to make sure health care professionals use the best information possible to treat their patients,” said Mary Ross Southworth, Pharm.D., a clinical analyst in the Division of Cardiovascular and Renal Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

In May 2009, the FDA added this warning to the drug’s label. After reviewing more data, the agency felt it was important to highlight this risk in a boxed warning.

It is estimated that 2 percent to 14 percent of the U.S. population are poor metabolizers. The FDA recommends that health care professionals consider alternative dosing of Plavix for these patients, or consider using other anti-platelet medications. Tests are available to assess CYP2C19 genotype to determine if a patient is a poor metabolizer.

Patients should not stop taking Plavix unless told to do so by their health care professional. They should talk with their health care professional if they have any concerns about Plavix.

Plavix is made under a Bristol-Myers Squibb – Sanofi Pharmaceuticals partnership.

For information: FDA Drug Safety Communication: Reduced effectiveness of Plavix (clopidogrel) in patients who are poor metabloizers of the drug

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm203888.htm

Budget cuts will burn down the house.

On Friday March 12, the Virginia Organizing Project presented the Governor’s office with a giant check in the amount of $921.01 towards the state budget. The check represents proceeds from “bake sales for the budget” held statewide last Thursday.

The check was delivered along with a message that a cuts-only approach to the budget shortfall is irresponsible and will hurt public systems and structures at a time when Virginians need them most. The group calls for a balanced approach to the budget that includes revenue.

Janice “Jay” Johnson, Chairperson of the Virginia Organizing Project made the following remarks:

“We are presenting this check today to show that our legislators and our Governor have choices with the state budget. We went out and raised $921.01 in revenue. We wish there could be more zeros behind that number but any small amount of revenue helps.

“We have got to really begin to look at other options for the state of Virginia. We have got to take some serious looks, as citizens and as organizations, at the correct approach to this budget crisis. We cannot rely on a cuts-only approach. These cuts touch everybody. This is not about the haves and have-nots. This is about people whose children are disabled who are not going to get the help that they need and about children who will not get a decent education. The cuts are across the board and cutting very deeply.

“When this General Assembly finishes, we will be ‘fee’d’ to death. What is the difference between charging a million little fees and raising taxes? If it comes out of your pocket, it doesn’t matter if it comes out of the left or the right. It’s still coming out. My grandfather had a saying: If you keep cutting off your porch to feed your fire, eventually you are going to burn your house down. That is where we are in the state of Virginia. We are burning our house down.”

See images of check presentation at Flickr.

Green Marketing in a Bad Economy

“Green Marketing in a Bad Economy” is the subject of a Richard P. Gifford Lecture in Business Ethics by Mark Glickman on March 23, 2010 at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Ballroom, Hall Campus Center at Lynchburg College.

Glickman talks about practical ways for becoming green along with creative strategies to leverage green efforts in the marketplace and community.

Glickman is President of The Glickman Group, a strategic marketing/PR agency representing and providing a wide range of services and counsel to the world’s leading resorts, developments, and destinations.

Glickman was recently selected as one of the “Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing” by the Hotel Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI).

He has earned a reputation as one of the hospitality industry’s most knowledgeable marketing and public relations advisers, providing marketing expertise and creative services for management companies, independent resorts, destinations, and developments throughout the world. He is a frequent speaker on green marketing and crisis management.

Glickman was recently featured on The Travel Channel’s “Extreme Green” program, and is frequently quoted in major national and international media outlets on green marketing. He is currently working on a book called “Marketing Paradise.”

Glickman collaborated with Virginia Tourism Corporation and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to develop the Virginia Green certification program for Virginia businesses and is currently serving on the Virginia Green Advisory committee to help develop criteria and standards for the new Virginia Green golf course certification program.

The late Richard P. Gifford was a vice president for General Electric and a leader in the business, civic, educational, and religious life of the Lynchburg community. After his death, friends and business colleagues established in his honor and memory an endowment to bring to the Lynchburg College campus and local community a series of outstanding and nationally recognized executives and scholars in business, leadership, and economics.

Previous lecturers have included such well known speakers as Sherron Watkins, former vice president of Enron Corporation; Dr. Nariman Behravesh, chief economist and executive vice president of Global Insight; The Hon. William S. Cohen, former U.S. Secretary of Defense; and Janet Reno, former U.S. Attorney General.

For more information, contact Shannon Brennan, director of media relations, at 434/544-8609.

“On January 15, 2003, Paul Warner Powell was convicted in Prince William County Circuit Court of the brutal capital murder and attempted rape of sixteen year old Stacie Lynn Reed. Powell was previously convicted of the rape and attempted murder of Stacie’s fourteen year-old sister.

“On May 8, 2003, the trial court, in accordance with the jury’s verdict and recommendation, sentenced Powell to death. Powell admitted to the murder and attempted rape, and thus Powell’s guilt is not at issue. On January 27, 2010, the Circuit Court set the execution date for March 18, 2010.

“On February 23, 2010, Powell filed a petition for clemency requesting that I commute the sentence of death to a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.

“Powell’s trial, verdict and sentence have been reviewed and affirmed by state and federal courts, including the Supreme Court of Virginia, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. I have considered the petitioner’s principal arguments concerning gubernatorial conflict and prejudicial errors in the admission of evidence, and found them not to warrant commutation.

“After conferring with the appropriate parties, as well as thoroughly reviewing the clemency petition and the judicial opinions regarding this case, I find no compelling reason to set aside the sentence that was selected by the jury and imposed and affirmed by the courts.

“Accordingly, I decline to intervene.”

Following that statement, Governor Bob McDonnell issued the following statement regarding his policy for the consideration of capital murder clemency requests during his administration. McDonnell’s statement follows his first action on a capital murder case, noted above.

“As Governor, Article V, Section 12 of the Constitution of Virginia vests in me the solemn duty to rule on clemency petitions in capital cases, to include reprieves, pardons and commutations. This Constitutional obligation carries with it great responsibility. Virginia governors have consistently exercised this duty with diligent evaluation of the law and facts, and thoughtful judgment. I will do the same. Each clemency petition that comes to my desk will be thoroughly considered by my staff and me in keeping with the gravity of the decision that must be made.

“Before reaching each decision, I will conduct a full review of the petitioner’s court records, and consult with the appropriate parties, including the Attorney General’s Office and the petitioner’s counsel. However, as there are important new legal remedies now in place in the Commonwealth to ensure that prisoners can file a writ of actual innocence in state court if they have new evidence to present, it is not my role to commence a new legal proceeding. Clemency petitions are to be granted only in those rare cases in which the ends of justice require such an extraordinary remedy, such as undoing a wrongful conviction where there is no legal recourse, or otherwise correcting injustices that the regular criminal process is unable to consider.

“A decision regarding clemency brings some finality to a lengthy process, even as some court actions may remain pending. After suffering the tragic loss of a loved one, the families and friends of the victims should not be required to wait with uncertainty until the day the execution is scheduled to take place to know if it will occur. For families to travel to the Greensville prison facility only to learn of a stay or commutation is not just. Similarly, the petitioner should know the decision regarding clemency well before the day of the execution, so if the decision is not favorable he may focus on final visits with family, religious advisors, and others, rather than on legal and clemency proceedings. To ensure this occurs in each case, absent extraordinary circumstances, I will decide upon each clemency petition and notify the appropriate parties no later than five days prior to the scheduled date of the execution.”

Explore Engineering at Sweet Briar

The Margaret Jones Wyllie ‘45 Engineering Program at Sweet Briar College invites sophomore, junior and senior high school women for an overnight introduction to the field of engineering and the rewarding career opportunities it offers. “Explore Engineering at Sweet Briar” begins with a welcome by the department faculty and student mentors at 5 p.m. Friday, April 9 and concludes Saturday afternoon.

The sessions include an overview of the program and information on internships, scholarships and careers; a panel discussion with current students; tours of the College’s physics and engineering labs; and a segment where attendees can “try on” engineering through hands-on design exercises. Past participants have designed electronic clothing, built robots that make art and made their own iPod speakers.

Attendees will see engineering in action — and get a sense of the difference it can make in people’s lives — through the work SBC students are doing. Lately, some have been busy building a biodiesel processing plant to help fuel College vehicles while others are developing a functional yet low-cost prosthetic hand.

Participants share meals in the dining hall with engineering students, faculty and staff, and stay in the residence halls with student mentors.

Sweet Briar offers a rigorous but supportive learning environment where the classes are small and faculty work closely with students. The curriculum emphasizes experiential learning from the first day, design as a fundamental element of engineering, and creating solutions to human problems in a global context. It stresses a multidisciplinary approach to engineering with particular emphasis on electrical and mechanical systems.

“Explore Engineering” is partially funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and is available at no cost to participants, including accommodations and meals. A $20 deposit is required to reserve a spot, which will be refunded to those who attend the event.

Visit www.engineering.sbc.edu and click on the “Explore Engineering Spring Weekend” program flyer link for registration information or contact the program director, Hank Yochum, at “hyochum @ sbc.edu” (remove spaces and quotes) or (434) 381-6357. Registrations received by March 25 will be given highest priority.

Apples could be better than donuts!

Work can be a disaster for your diet, especially if you’re in an office that stocks vending machines with high-calorie chips and candy bars. Soda wreaks havoc on a diet as it is comprised of empty liquid calories, more than 250 in just one 20-ounce bottle. If you’re not prepared to succeed, you can easily succumb to a snack-attack and add hundreds of unwanted and non-nutritious calories. You’re most vulnerable during the mid-afternoon, so have healthy ammunition at hand.

• Coffee: A cup or two in the morning can get you going, and even improve concentration, but too much coffee will have the opposite effect, making it more difficult to concentrate and possibly causing insomnia. If you load your coffee up with cream and sugar, you’ll be taking in extra, unwanted calories. For a pick-me-up before 3 PM, have a cafe “light”: half strong black coffee (or decaffeinated) and half nonfat milk. Heat the milk in the microwave first (about 30-40 seconds, depending on your microwave’s strength), and then add the coffee. Sweeten with Splenda or other sweetener of choice.
• Snacking: Snacking is a smart strategy for people trying to control their weight. It may seem counter-intuitive, but studies show that eating smaller meals more frequently can actually help you lose weight. Instead of eating three “square” meals, eating smaller, mini-meals helps you maintain energy throughout the day and stay motivated to choose healthy foods.
• • Cereal: A cup of mini shredded wheat or favorite non-sugary cereal with a cup of nonfat milk, yogurt, or soy yogurt makes a great office snack. Hot oatmeal in convenient single servings can be microwaved in your office kitchen.
  • Cheese: Low fat varieties: read the label, the first ingredient should be skim milk. One ounce of Jarlesberg or other low fat cheese wrapped with your fruit is tasty. Nonfat or 1% cottage cheese is a great snack; mix with salad herbs or black pepper for added flavor.
  • Dips & Dippers: Avocado dip (guacamole), chickpea dip (hummus), or tomato salsa, all made without mayonnaise (use a little olive oil instead) are perfect dips for cut-up raw veggies.
  • Fruit: Whole fruit including berries, melon, apples, oranges, and grapefruit have the most fiber and fewest grams of carbohydrate per serving. Eat along with some nonfat yogurt, low fat cheese, or a handful of nuts. You’re too busy to prepare? Buy pre-washed and cut melon.
  • Mini Pita Pizza: Top ½ of a whole wheat mini pita with tomato sauce, a little low fat mozzarella cheese, and oregano to taste. Broil in a toaster oven until cheese melts.
  • Nuts: An ideal combination of unsaturated fat, protein, and carbohydrates, nuts are portable and nutritious. Buy dry roasted (no oil added) unsalted nuts, peanuts in the shell, and eat a “handful,” about 200 calories, depending on the variety.
  • Popcorn: Air-popped popcorn is your best bet. For more flavor, add a quick spray of olive oil and a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese. “Lite” microwave popcorn has more fat than air-popped, and it’s hydrogenated (the worst kind).
  • Raisins: Mix a small box of raisins with nuts or dry roasted pumpkin seeds for a healthy trail mix.
  • Rice cakes: Spread a tablespoon of natural peanut butter (without hydrogenated fat or sugar added) on your rice cakes and top with a teaspoon of unsweetened preserves.
  • Smoothies: If you have a kitchen at work, smoothies are ideal snacks. Blend 1 cup of nonfat milk, ½ cup of nonfat sugar-free yogurt, 2 drops of vanilla extract, and 1 cup of ice. Optional: add a ½ cup of berries.
  • Wrap-ups: Spread a small whole-grain tortilla with a teaspoon of mustard and wrap-up one ounce of any lean meat, including turkey or chicken breast, roast beef, lean ham, or shrimp.
  • Yogurt: Individual cups of nonfat, sugar-free yogurt are a great source of calcium. Stir in ½ cup of unsweetened crunchy cereal.
• Portable Coolers: Invest in a portable cooler that is big enough to hold a few cups of yogurt and some fresh fruit for you to keep on hand at work.
• Water: Drink a glass of water (or from the bottle that you should have at your desk). Wait 15 minutes, and then have your snack. I guarantee you’ll feel more satisfied.

Registered and licensed dietitian Susan Burke March, MS, CDE, is the author of “Making Weight Control Second Nature: Living Thin Naturally” – a book intended to liberate serial “dieters” and make living healthfully and weight-wise intuitive and instinctual over the long term. She may be reached online at www.SusanBurkeMarch.com.

Michael Krepon is the Diplomat Scholar in U.Va.'s Department of Politics

Hundreds of writers and millions of words will flow through Charlottesville during the 16th annual Virginia Festival of the Book, which runs from March 17 to 21. This year’s schedule includes more than 40 University of Virginia faculty members and alumni, speaking on topics as diverse as Ayn Rand, living through war and examining historical times.

The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and the Virginia Center for the Book present the annual festival, a five-day celebration of books, reading, literacy and literary culture, with co-sponsoring foundations, corporations, bookstores, schools, libraries, area businesses and organizations and committed individuals. Events are held in venues all around Charlottesville and the University, and most are free. Go to vabook.org for the full schedule.

Each year, the festival draws writers from a range of genres and topics, including fiction, mysteries and crime, memoirs, publishing, history and poetry, just to name a few. U.Va.’s participants bring their scholarship and creativity, and talented alumni discuss how and why they wrote their books.

John Casey, English professor, creative writing teacher and author of The Half Life of Happiness and Spartina, for which he won the National Book Award, will be on a panel with one of his daughters, Maud Casey, who has published two novels, The Shape of Things to Come and Genealogy, plus African-American author Alice Randall, who wrote Rebel Yell and The Wind Done Gone. They will discuss influences on their writing in the session, “Mentors, Muses & Monsters: Writers on Their Influences,” on March 18 at 8 p.m. in Culbreth Theatre. Elizabeth Benedict, who edited the collection of essays, Mentors, Muses & Monsters: 30 Writers on the People Who Changed Their Lives, will moderate.

Alumni who will return to read their work include John Casteen IV. After attending U.Va., Casteen attended the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and now teaches poetry and creative writing at Sweet Briar College. His latest book, Free Union, was published by the University of Georgia Press in spring 2009. He will read his poetry with three others on March 20 at 2 p.m. at the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Barracks Road Shopping Center.

A reading featuring other alumni creative writers, Beth Keane, Gina Welch, Andrew Mulvania and Mary Ann Samyn, will be held March 17 at 4 p.m. in the U.Va. Bookstore.

Another reading, including U.Va. master of fine arts graduate Alan DeNiro, author of Total Oblivion, More or Less, will focus on The Ways We Come of Age. The event, also featuring novelists Tanya Gibson, Dylan Landis and Alison Larkin, will be held March 18 at 6 p.m. in the U.Va. Bookstore.

Kate Atwood, a 2000 alumna and author of A Healing Place: Help Your Child Find Hope and Happiness After the Loss of a Loved One, will be part of a panel on “Life-Changing Experiences,” on March 21 at 3 p.m., also at the U.Va. Bookstore.

Atwood is the founder of Kate’s Club, an Atlanta-based non-profit organization helping kids along the grief journey that she began herself at age 12. She also seeks to inspire adolescents to make positive changes through philanthropy.

Atwood will be joined by Allison Silberberg, author of Visionaries in Our Midst: Ordinary People Who Are Changing Our World, and Kevin Quirk, who wrote Brace for Impact: Miracle on the Hudson Survivors Share their Stories of Near-Death and Hope for New Life.

A session on “Great Discussable Books” for book clubs will feature alumna Laura Brodie, whose debut novel, The Widow’s Season, was inspired by her U.Va. dissertation on widows in English literature. She teaches English at Washington and Lee University and has a memoir coming out in April, Love in a Time of Homeschooling. She and three other authors, Shelia Curran, Masha Hamilton and Mary Sharratt, will read from their work on March 19 at noon at the Southern Café. Boxed lunches can be ordered in advance.

Looking at writing for a different purpose, Roberta Culbertson, an alumna who directs the Center on Violence and Community at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, will discuss how writing and reading can become major healers from tragedy and trauma, along with writers Frederic Almond, Kenn Reagle and Kate Hudgins. Culbertson edited a new collection of essays, poetry and photographs, Surviving War. The participants will discuss “Writing (and Reading) Through Tough Times” on March 19 at 8 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 605 E. Main St.

Culbertson and Kate Hudgins, with whom she co-wrote “Action Against Trauma: A Trainer’s Manual,” also will discuss how they teach leaders of traumatized communities to manage post-traumatic stress in group decision-making and action. The session will be held on March 18 at 10 a.m. in City Council Chambers.

Michael Krepon, Diplomat Scholar in U.Va.’s Department of Politics, will discuss international conflicts and relationships in history, with an eye to the future. “Geopolitics, the Bomb and the Future” will be held March 20 at 10 a.m. at the U.Va. Bookstore. Gerry Kearns, author of Geopolitics and Empire, will join him.

Krepon is the co-founder of the Stimson Center, a Washington think tank. He is the author of 13 books, including Better Safe than Sorry.

A historical perspective on American government of the previous two centuries will be the topic of a session with history professor Brian Balogh, author of A Government Out of Sight, and Guian McKee, whose book is The Problem of Jobs: Liberalism, Race and Deindustrialization in Philadelphia. (Balogh co-hosts the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities radio program, “BackStory with the History Guys.”) They will be joined by David O. Stewart, a Washington, D.C., trial lawyer who wrote Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln’s Legacy. Their discussion will be held March 20 at noon at the U.Va. Bookstore.

A personal look at historic events is the topic of another panel featuring Earl Dudley Jr., a law professor emeritus, and Terry T. Turner, professor emeritus of urology and of cell biology who writes under the pen name David Donovan. Joined by U.Va. alumna Margaret Edds, they will talk about “Twentieth Century Lives: Growing Up in America” on March 17 at 4 p.m. in City Council Chambers.

Dudley’s memoir, An Interested Life, covers his early childhood in a Japanese prison camp in the Philippines and being on a news desk at the time of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. He and Turner, who published the memoir, Murphy’s Station, also both describe the transformative effects of growing up in the South during the Civil Rights Movement. Edds’ book, Finding Sara: A Daughter’s Journey, is about tracing the life of her mother, who died when Edds was 3.

Other book festival participants with U.Va. connections include the following (on the book festival Web site, look at the menu of participants to find their specific events):

• Claudia and Joseph Allen, psychology professors and authors of Escaping the Endless Adolescence
• Matthew Crawford, fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture
• Mehr Afshan Farooqi, assistant professor of Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures
• Paul Gaston, history professor emeritus
• Bruce Greyson, Emily Williams-Kelly and Edward Kelly, from the School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, co-authors (with Michael Grosso) of the book Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century
• Catherine Herbert Howell, alumna, Ph.D. in anthropology and author of Flora Mirabilas: How Plants Have Shaped World History, Health, Wealth, and Beauty
• James Kauffman, Curry School of Education professor emeritus
• Deborah Lee, VFH fellow
• Michael Mewshaw, alumnus and former creative writing teacher
• Thorpe Moeckel, alumnus
• Stacy Nyikos, alumna and author of Dragon Wishes
• David Rigsbee, alumnus
• Abby Sallenger, alumnus and author of A Rising Sea, a Vanishing Coast, and a 19th-Century Disaster that Warns of a Warmer World
• Herman M. Schwartz, politics professor and author of Subprime Nation: American Power, Global Capital, and the Housing Bubble
• Judith Sensibar, VFH fellow and author of Faulkner and Love: The Women Who Shaped His Art
• Lois Shepherd, law professor and author of If That Ever Happens to Me: Making Life and Death Decisions After Terri Schiavo
• Patricia Sullivan, Carter Woodson Institute fellow and author of Lift Every Voice: The NAACP and the Making of the Civil Rights Movement
• Kristin Swenson, VFH fellow and author of Bible Babel: Making Sense of the Most Talked About Book of All Time
• Kath Weston, director of the Studies in Women and Gender program, anthropology professor and author of Traveling Light: On the Road with America’s Poor
• Karenne Wood, director of the VFH Virginia Indian Heritage Program and author of Markings on Earth

Virginia's rate of census return in 2000 beat the national average.

As U.S. Census forms begin arriving in mailboxes across the Commonwealth, the Virginia State Police want to make sure Virginians protect themselves from potential census scams.

Each U.S. citizen is required by federal law to comply and complete a U.S. Census form, which must then be returned via U.S. mail. If the form is not completed and returned, then an “official” census taker will be dispatched to that individual’s residence to collect the necessary census information.

To protect yourself from potential fraud or scams associated with the 2010 Census, the Virginia State Police offer the following tips on how to properly identify a legitimate census taker:

Census takers visiting your home will possess a special identification badge issued by the U.S. Census Bureau. Ask to see this badge if someone comes to your residence stating they are a census taker. If for any reason you are concerned about their identity, call the Regional Census Office for Virginia at (704) 936-5300.

According to the U.S. Census Website, (http://2010.census.gov), a “census taker will never ask to enter your home.” Therefore, be wary of anyone who identifies himself/herself as a census taker and asks/insists on entering your residence in order to conduct an interview. Refuse that individual entry and call the Regional Census Office or police.

Official census takers can only interview individuals 15 years or older. They are not permitted to interview anyone under 15 years of age for their answers. If your child has been approached by an adult claiming to be a census taker, ask your child fully about the encounter and notify police.

Census takers will never ask for bank account or credit card numbers or information. Such information has nothing to do with the 2010 Census.

The U.S. Constitution requires that a census be conducted every 10 years in order to determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives; as well as how much federal funding Virginia will receive for schools, hospitals, senior centers, bridges, tunnels, job training centers and emergency services.

Information collected by the census is protected by federal law. Private, personal information is never published in the final census report. The release of a person’s name, address, social security number or telephone number is prohibited by Title 13 of the U.S. Code, the Confidential Statistical Efficiency Act, and the Privacy Act. Additionally, the employees of the U.S. Census Bureau take the “oath of nondisclosure” and are sworn for life to protect the confidentially of the data they collect.
For more information on the 2010 Census and privacy issues, go to http://2010.census.gov/2010census/privacy/index.php.

Engineering Unplugged

Light rail, smart grids, reduced carbon footprints, LEED buildings, Maglev, and wind energy are a few of the favorite things on the docket for the second annual Engineering Unplugged conference slated for Tuesday, April 13 at the Ted Constant Convocation Center at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk.

The “all green, all technology” conference provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity for environmental leaders to share real-world applications yielding measurable returns on investments in three areas — green buildings, energy conservation/alternative energy, and greenhouse gases.

The one-day learning/networking intensive, designed for today’s green professionals, aligns with Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s goal to “make Virginia the Energy Capital of the East Coast.” ODU president John Broderick opens the conference at 8:00 a.m. The Grow Green Marketplace wraps things up at 3:30 p.m. — green food, products, and social hour.

A statewide initiative, Engineering Unplugged is presented by the Virginia Applied Technology and Professional Development Center (VATPDC) of ODU. Attendees will represent architectural and design firms, military and government, construction companies, manufacturers, facilities managers, and others interested in green initiatives.

“Engineering Unplugged is a stellar example of how our faculty, students, corporate and industry partners come together with one goal: to explore, share, and create solutions that will improve individuals’ lives, our communities, and the planet,” said ODU’s Broderick.

The luncheon keynote speaker is noted environmentalist Edward “Ed” Nixon, youngest brother of former President Richard Nixon. Currently, he is president of Nixon World Enterprises, Inc. and chair of Pyron Solar Advisory Board in San Diego. He recently published his memoirs, The Nixons: A Family Portrait. He will address “Energy Sources for the Future.”

The Engineering Unplugged curriculum will provide expertise for engineering firms to:

• Prepare for changes in environmental practices with experts from the Hampton Roads Green Building Council, ODU, U.S. Department of Energy, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency;
• Identify areas where known energy loss and consumption waste money; and
• Learn about real cost-savers in Alternative Energy.

The educational component of the conference features workshops and demonstrations by recognized leaders in the field of environmental engineering. Participants will earn 0.8 CEUs/ eight PDHs.

Early registration for Engineering Unplugged is $195 per person through March 30; enroll three and the fourth goes free. As of March 31, the fee is $295.

To register, go to http://www.engineeringunplugged.com/info or call VATPDC at 757-683-5479.