Lost week

This blog has been sadly neglected lately. I've been running in circles and a lot of my chi has been devoted to following events at the WV legislature. It's been a busy week.

Since Monday, the minimum wage bill has cleared two House committees and one in the Senate. The Future Fund cleared its first hurdle in the Senate. And the Pregnant Workers Fairness bill passed the House. One important bill, however, Move to Improve, which would promote physical activity in schools to combat obesity and type II diabetes, has stalled for reasons that have more to do with ego than policy.

We also had a huge Our Children Our Future child poverty day at the legislature, with over 800 kids and adults rampaging about. They knew we were there. Today, I attended a child poverty forum in Clarksburg and put in a plug for the Future Fund.

The session reached its halfway mark Thursday. That's the good news. The bad news is that the last 30 are way more hectic.

I think we have consensus...

Based on the testimony of around 50 eloquent speakers at a public hearing on the West Virginia chemical spill, I think it's pretty safe to say that the people affected are not amused. Further, the people are expecting the legislature to step up and pass some strong regulations to ensure it won't happen again. You can watch the testimony here.

WORTH A LOOK. Here's an op-ed by the president of the WV Council of Churches opposing proposed cuts to programs for vulnerable families in the state budget.

A CALL TO ACTION.Two friends of mine lay it out here.

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: ELEVATED

A little respite

Let's face it. It's been a rough winter, especially in West Virginia between extreme cold and storms and the chemical leak"aquacalypse." We deserve a break. Specifically, we need a little Freddie Mercury. Enjoy!