Secretary Clinton cannot have it both ways regarding the WikiLeaks hacking claims.  It either did or did not happen.  Her response to the “public and private face” she had an answer too.  But we are being told other leaks are from “Russia.”  

Some of these leaks have come from her most inner circle.  An inner circle whose words have become extremely derogatory towards Catholics and Evangelicals.  In order to preserve the religious liberties I hold dearly, I must err on the side of caution and now speak to now protect them.

If my religious liberties are in jeopardy, then technically so are yours.  During my tiny little existence in this world, I have had many experiences of love, hope, joy, and charity.  Many of such are religious experiences that tie us together including baptisms, bar mitzvahs, weddings, funerals, ordinations of Catholic priests and Protestants ministers, among many others.  I have experienced Catholics, and Muslims peacefully share their beliefs with one another, including a journey after death.  My shared beliefs with friends have been put into action by helping to organize a bar mitzvah party, and to light candles under a statute of Our Lady of Fatima for the “journey” of both Muslims and Catholics.  If Catholics and Evangelicals are under attack today – then what religion, person, organization, institution, group, or country tomorrow?

A vote for Donald Trump, a flawed person as we all are, is now a vote for all religious liberties.  If we begin to chip away at our first amendment, the second will follow.  After the number one comes the number two, and so on.  Once our religious liberties have been taken from us, next will be our right to bear arms. 

Our religious ideologies are part of our great country and her diversity. Please help me to be allowed to continue to pray on my knees for God, family, and country.  Peace.

Cathy McCoart
Montclair

 The City of Manassas is celebrating America Recycles Day, with a Fall Recyclefest, Saturday November 5, 2016, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Manassas Transfer Station located at 8305 Quarry Road, in Manassas.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average U.S. household generates more than twenty (20) pounds of household hazardous waste per year. In 2015, City of Manassas residents dropped off a total of more than one hundred twenty three (123) tons of recyclable material at nine (9) household hazardous waste and electronic waste drop off days held at the Manassas Transfer Station.

During Recyclefest, City residents can drop of household hazardous waste, electronic waste and shred up to four (4) boxes of their paper documents, for free. Proof of residency is required to enter and no commercial waste will be accepted.

This year, we are delighted to have a special recycling guest. Savers™ is a well-established recycling power house that collects gently used clothing, accessories and household goods and helps to support communities by donating part of the proceeds to a local organization. This year, the Martin K. Alloy Boys & Girls Club of Manassas will receive a donation based on the total weight of the recycled items they receive.

The continued support of our community makes RecycleFest the best recycling event in the City’s history. We’ve even received national recognition from Keep America Beautiful for a job well done.

Become part of the new classic recycling event in the City of Manassas – drop in and drop off at RecycleFest! For more information call (703) 257-8252.

The Prince William County Fatherhood Initiative will start a new fatherhood support group on Monday, November 7, to help fathers become the best parent they can be. Any father in Prince William County can attend the group meetings for free.

The meetings will take place on Monday evenings from 7pm to 8:30pm at the A.J Ferlazzo Building in Woodbridge (15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Woodbridge, VA 22191). The group will explore various topics that impact parenting, such as encouragement, education support, co-parenting relationships, and discipline strategies. Interested participants should seek information or register by emailing [email protected].

The Prince William County Fatherhood Initiative’s mission is to empower fathers to do what is in the best interest of their children. When fathers are involved in the lives of their children, especially their education, kids learn more, perform better in school, and exhibit healthier behavior, according to proven research.

The Initiative is led by a Steering Committee made up of social service professionals and community partners to administer programs that engage parents with their children. In addition to the Initiative’s 10-week long support group, the Initiative also hosts an annual “Dad’s Play Day” event to celebrate Father’s Day and a “Daddy-Daughter Dance” to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

You can learn more about the Prince William County Fatherhood Initiative by visiting www.pwcgov.org/fatherhood .

On November 8, you can vote on two state constitutional amendments that require voter approval, in addition to voting for President and U.S. Congress.  There are also local measures on the ballot in some counties.  

One constitutional amendment is relatively non-controversial and would allow localities to exempt property owned by the widow of a killed-in-action first responder from real estate taxes.  Two years ago, Virginians approved similar treatment for the widows of killed-in-action soldiers.  I support giving our localities this authority and voted “yes.”

The second amendment is very controversial and very confusing as written on the ballot.

In 1947, Virginia adopted a law commonly labeled a “right-to-work” law.  This law prohibits labor unions from negotiating contracts with employers that require all employees to join labor unions as a condition of employment.  This practice results in what is sometimes called a “union shop.”    

No legislator has even introduced legislation to repeal this statute in at least three decades.  If they did, it would be a waste of time because it would not pass.  This might lead you to ask why is this on the ballot when has been Virginia law for almost 70 years and no one has tried to repeal it?  

This proposal is part of a multi-state campaign to constitutionalize similar provisions and is organized nationally by a group called the American Legislative Exchange Council or ALEC.  ALEC is funded by various large corporations and think tanks and has advocated model laws to weaken environmental protections, promote mandatory voter identification and weaken firearm violence prevention laws.  Provisions along these lines are on the ballot in five states on November 8, 2016.

I voted against placing this measure on the ballot as your Senator and voted “no” two weeks ago (I voted by mail).  

Constitutions are fundamental governing documents that set forth fundamental rules of governance between people, branches of government and between different levels of government.  We do not put every policy in our state constitution for a good reason. For example, we do not put alcoholic beverage rules, the definition of murder, or speed limits in our state constitution.  

The “right-to-work” proposal is also bad policy.  Workers in states with right-to-work laws earn 12.1 percent less than workers in other states, median household incomes are lower and fewer workers in right to work states have access to basic benefits like health insurance.  States with right to work laws spend 32 percent less on K-12 education than other states, have higher rates of workplace fatalities and have higher poverty and infant mortality rates.  Workers in these states also have fewer job protections.

I hope you will join me in voting against this provision.  

It is an honor to serve as your state senator.  You can email me at [email protected] if you have any feedback.

Submitted: 

On Saturday, September 24th beginning at 10:00 AM the 34th Annual North Stafford High School Marching Band Invitational will be held at North Stafford’s A.J. Slye Stadium.

One of the longest running marching competitions in Virginia, this year's event will feature performances by 20 different marching bands from all over Virginia. Performances will occur approximately every 15 minutes with an exhibition performance by North Stafford's own Big Blue Marching Band at 4:30 pm. An awards ceremony will follow where judges will award competitive categories by school size.

General admission is $6 with discounts based on age and North Stafford students will receive a discount with ID while Stafford County middle school students will receive free admission if they wear their band shirt.

This event is run by the North Stafford Band Boosters, a non-profit organization that raises funds for the North Stafford High School Band program under the direction and guidance of Mr. Chris Mallory, the new Director of Bands at North Stafford High School