V IRGINIA QUARTERLY MAGAZINE SENATE THE NEW XXII HOUSE INSIDE Delegate Kirk Cox, Educator—page 4 Retiring from the General Assembly: Wampler, Quayle, Ticer, Morgan & Abbitt—page 5 Building International Partnerships—page 11 Fall 2011 Providing compelling public service media for Central and Southwest Virginia This Week in Richmond, hosted by Virginia Capitol veteran David Bailey, features discussions with Virginia elected ocials. Many episodes originate from the Capitol in Richmond, with the rest from the Blue Ridge PBS studio in Roanoke. In addition to WBRA (Roanoke), WMSY (Marion) and WSBN (Norton), This Week In Richmond, will be seen on WVPT (Harrisonburg), WCVE (Richmond), WHTJ (Charlottesville) and WHRO (Norfolk) providing virtually statewide coverage. This Week in Richmond may be seen weekly during the session, January–April, and monthly May–December Programs are available on demand at www.blueridgepbs.org/html/local/richmond_archives.html. 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During each episode, she engages medical professionals in frank conversations about issues that matter most in our region. Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM on Blue Ridge PBS, serving all of Southwest Virginia. Visit BlueRidgePBS.org for broadcast schedules and more information. V IRGINIA Delegate Kirk Cox Q UARTERLY MAGAZINE 4 FALL 2011 ISSUE Delegate Kirk Cox: the Educator ....................4 Senator William Wampler Retiring From the General Assembly Senator William Wampler........................ 5 5 Senator Fred Quayle ........................... 6 Senator Senator Patsy Ticer............................ 7 Fred Quayle Interview with Harvey Morgan .................... 8 Delegate Watkins Abbitt ........................ 10 6 Building International Partnerships .................. 11 Senator Sure you’ve heard of Fort Monroe, Patsy Ticer but What About Fort Wool? ........................ 12 7 Protecting the Commonwealth and Ensuring Public Safety ..13 In Memoriam: Elmon T. Gray ....................... 14 Delegate Virginia’s Investment in the Arts Pays Off .............. 15 Harvey Morgan State Responses to Climate Change: 9 Comparing Virginia with Maryland and North Carolina .....17 The Lighter Side of Lobbying . .18 Delegate Youth Need Physical Education ..................... 19 Watkins Abbitt The Virginia War Memorial Is Now Available 10 For Meetings, Receptions and Other Events ............20 Association and Business Directory .................. 22 On The Cover 1. Senator Dick Black 2. Senator Bill Carrico 72123 456 2 On The Web www.vccqm.org 3. Senator Adam Ebbin 4. Senator Barbara Favola 821 5. Senator Tom Garrett 920 6. Senator Bryce Reeves Volume 17 Number 4 7. Delegate Mark Dudenhefer 10 19 Issue Editor–Brennan Long 8. Delegate Matt Fariss Editors–Kristen Bailey-Hardy and Shirley Pappalardo Publisher–David Bailey; Art Director–John Sours 9. Delegate Peter Farrell 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 School Distribution–Kristen Bailey-Hardy 10. Delegate Chris Head Advertising–[email protected]; Printer–Clinch Valley Printing 11. Delegate Keith Hodges 17. Delegate Margaret Ransone Virginia Capitol Connections Quarterly Magazine 12. Delegate Afonzo Lopez 18. Delegate Nick Rush (ISSN 1076-4577) is published by: 13. Delegate Randy Minchew 19. Delegate Mike Watson Virginia Capitol Connections • 1001 East Broad Street • Suite 215 14. Delegate Richard Morris 20. Delegate Michael Webert Richmond, Virginia 23219 • (804) 643-5554 15. Delegate Israel O’Quinn 21. Delegate David Yancey Copyright 2011,Virginia Capitol Connections, Inc.. All rights reserved. 16. Delegate David Ramadan 22. Delegate Joseph Yost The views expressed in the articles of Virginia Capitol Connections Quarterly Magazine, a non-partisan publication, are not necessarily those of the editors or publisher. VIRGINIA CAPITOL CONNECTIONS, FALL 2011 3 everyone, and I met all sorts of people in politics,” said Delegate Cox. In 1989 he decided to run for House of Delegates and has represented Delegate the 66th district ever since, crediting his great district and constituents for his success. Meshing his two schedules isn’t easy and according to the Kirk Cox: Delegate “It’s getting harder.” Delegate Cox typically teaches until 1:45 each day, giving him time to run to the capitol, his district office the Educator in Colonial Heights or work on the Governor’s Commission for By BRENNAN LONG, FALL INTERN higher education. His evenings are filled with back to back interviews, dinners, opportunities to speak, in addition to having four sons and a wife at home. I am after sparking Despite his busy students’ interest in schedule Delegate Cox continues to work what I think is a very tirelessly in Richmond“ At promptly 7:20 am a school bell for not only his district different system rings and Delegate Kirk Cox begins his but his students as day. Delegate Cox has represented the well. “K-12 education Delegate Kirk Cox 66th District of Virginia in the House of is extremely important Delegates since he was first elected in 1989, to me, and right now serves as the House Majority Leader and is it’s about seeing how much money we can get in the classroom,”” he Vice Chairman of the House Appropriations said. “It’s going to be a tough budget this year, but we are trying to get Committee, but each morning this very at least 60 percent of every education dollar into the classroom and important Virginian takes on a different see where schools can get more efficient and save money.” role: high school teacher. Delegate Cox Delegate Cox is also working to find a way to better tie K-12 teaches A.P. Government at Manchester education with higher education and tie higher education with jobs. High School in Chesterfield County. 5 days His goal is to encourage STEM: science, technology, engineering and a week he opens the minds of his students to the uniqueness of the math, in high school as well as STEM majors in college, because American Government. “I am after sparking students’ interest in he believes that this is where recent graduates can find employment. what I think is a very different system,” Delegate Cox said. Delegate Cox also has ideas to bring college tuition down in Virginia While students in Mr. Cox’s class certainly must be on top of by possibly offering incentives to colleges with higher graduation their studies, his classroom style is anything but boring. This House rates, and utilizing university buildings during the summer months Majority Leader knows how to command the room, but some days when they lie vacant. He sees technology playing an important role allows students to teach the class, incorporates projects into the in improving higher education in the future by using satellites to curriculum, and keeps a fun atmosphere in his classroom, echoed broadcast college classes to students all over Virginia. “Why not have by the laughter of his students. “This is their only shot at taking a system where great professors at say UVA, for example, can be an organized course on how this works,” said Delegate Cox and available to everyone?” said Delegate Cox. who better to give them that chance than someone with first-hand Special education is another aspect of public schools that is legislative practice. obviously important to Delegate Cox. In the mornings, he helps in the Although Mr. Cox has been teaching for 29 years, he did not Special Education wing of Manchester High School and encourages always have the real-world government experience to share with his his students to volunteer by spending time with the intellectually and students. In the summer of 1984, he decided to gain some practical developmentally disabled students at their school. Delegate Cox has knowledge and began volunteering on Wyatt Durette’s campaign for plans for special education as well and in 2011 he introduced the governor. Mr. Cox eventually became the driver for the candidate Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Trust Fund bill, which and left teaching for a year to drive him. “The driver gets to meet will bring the intellectually and developmentally disabled out of the state training centers and into community based services. With enough funding the intellectually FutureLaw, L.L.C. and developmentally disabled can live within their community and receive the same care and John G. “Chip” Dicks education that they receive at school each day, during the summers and even after graduation, Martin K. Johnson without ever entering an institution. Susan S. Gaston Through his roles as Virginia Delegate and Sarah D. Dicks high school teacher, Kirk Cox has the opportunity to help his students not only in the