Friends:

As we look forward to tomorrow’s General Assembly opening day festivities, Kris and I want to thank our loyal readership (which we estimate numbers in the high single digits) for indulging us over the past months. We appreciate your giving us a chance to share some perspectives on the legislative process as practiced in Richmond, and to brag about our  Midwestern roots, while exposing to public view our peculiar musical tastes.

As they used to say in the Vegematic commercials, “But wait — there’s more!” This will be the year of the Value-Added 7 West. Along with the occasional useful insights  from us that you’ve come to expect, we’re planning to invite each of our neighbors — Kilgore, Carrico, Moran, Sickles, Ebbin, Englin, Miller, Gear, Marshall, Reid, Jones, and Hamilton: the whole crew — to grab the 7 West tiller for a turn as Guest Blogger for a day. And we’re going to ramp up our weekly General Assembly constituent e-newsletters (you can read my previous years’ editions here) by posting them as 7 West blog entries, complete with images, sounds, and a chance for you to comment. We promise this, with a minimum of snark and a great deal of affection for the institution in which we serve, all at one low, low price.