Loudoun Talk

Summer Hangover

2007-09-04T17:09:00.000-05:00

As with most summers, the sex scandals (Larry Craig, David Vitter et al) from our nation's capital ensures that some of us (If we ever admit to doing so) continue to follow the news through the slow summer news cycle, perhaps not as intense as we normally do.

This summer definitely will be remembered because of the specifics of the Larry Craig scandal, will spare you the details, as if the cable channels and You-Tube have not provided enough analysis and reenactments to last a life time.

We have shared the vacation stories with neighbors and anyone that cares to listen, kids have started school, so the waiting at the bus-stop or the daily school runs are back, traffic on Route 7 is gradually returning to the usual snail speed, so it is taking longer to get to work - with the construction around Rt7/River Creek Intersection the traffic may get worse for some of us. Some say the construction traffic is worth the trouble - the Wegmans effect, I guess.

So as we wean ourselves from summer, how do we keep the summer spirit going?. My way of keeping it going - think about upcoming holidays - Halloween (for some of us), Thanksgiving and even Christmas. How are you handling your summer hangover, if any?

Low Marks for Loudoun Economic Development Website

2007-08-19T14:56:00.000-05:00

Loudoun County Department of Economic Development’s website ranked very poorly in a recent evaluation of the websites of all D.C. area economic development agencies and departments commissioned by the Washington Business Journal

One of comments about the Loudoun ED site is that “it does not reflect the wealth and sophistication of the county. Little Opportunity for use interaction; site navigation challenging” The site scored very low marks in most areas: Appearance, Navigation and Usability

First impression matters, this department is the face of the county to the business community, and it will be the first port of call for most t businesspeople when considering relocating or setting up their business in Loudoun. We must put our best foot forward.

I hope Larry Rosenstrauch, Director of Loudoun County Economic Development will react by addressing the challenges identified in the report.

New Site Launched to Sharpen Illegal Immigration Message in Loudoun

2007-07-30T09:18:00.000-05:00

The illegal immigration discourse in Loudoun is moving to the next level. A new site - HelpSaveLoudoun has been launched by "a grassroots citizen group to address community improvement and development issues, and to assist residents and the local and state governments with ensuring the neighborhoods of Loudoun County remain safe, secure and prosperous for legal residents, legitimate businesses and the American worker."

Another translation of the objectives of the movement can be found on a sister site, and I quote - "HelpSaveManassas is a recently established chapter within the HelpSaveVirginia network, and joins residents in the greater Manassas area including Prince William County, the City of Manassas Park and the City of Manassas together in a grassroots organization dedicated to helping preserve our communities and protect them from the effects related to the presence of illegal aliens in our community. Help Save Manassas fosters public awareness of the negative effects of illegal aliens on our community, facilitates effective engagement by citizens in the legislative process on issues which regard illegal aliens, as well as providing an effective voice for citizens."

Both sites are offshoots of the HelpSaveVirginia network, other movements within the same network include HelpSaveHerndon and HelpSaveVirginiaBeach. I do not think we are about to see activities similar to what the Minuteman Border Fence Volunteers are doing at the US borders, but the bar is definitely being raised, i.e., I don't expect to see volunteers at major points of entry inquiring about the immigration status of people driving into the county, or will it come to that?

How will local politicians handle this new angle in the illegal immigration debate? Will they be lining up to join this new grassroots movement as evidence of their unflinching support for the cause? This discussion is definitely going to remain on the front pages for a while.

Loudoun Illegal Immigration Measure- Crass Political Opportunism or Economic Necessity

2007-07-20T15:11:00.000-05:00

I received quite a few emails in response to my previous posting on the possibility of Loudoun County Board of Supervisors (BOS) adopting an Illegal Immigration resolution similar to the one passed recently by Prince William County Board of Supervisors, which they did the very next day. Some were wondering if I had been tipped off, here is the truth - I was not tipped off - I just knew it was too good of an opportunity for politicians to ignore and someone was going to take advantage of it, and they did.

Yesterday afternoon, Loudoun County BOS Chairman Scott York (I) at a press conference indicated that Loudoun BOS will study the plan very carefully. I guess that will buy the board more time, as I am sure no one on the board has a clue how the resolution will be implemented. Why would they adopt a resolution without considering the implications? Why the rush to adopt what some has described as a "toothless" resolution that would be impossible to implement? Did they seek the input of local law enforcement agencies?

Is this a vote fishing move by jittery politicians eager to take advantage of the media attention this issue will bring? Crass Political Opportunism or Economic Necessity? The jury is out.

WaPo's New Local Site

2007-07-16T15:06:00.000-05:00

Washington Post has launched a new site - "Loudoun Extra" focused on Loudoun County. Pretty good looking and comprehensive with a lot of local information.

WaPo's Local Blog - "Living in Loco" has also been moved to the new site. With this new development by WaPo, which I believe is the first in the metro area, Loudoun is getting the recognition it deserves, no doubt this is the best place to live and work in the metro DC area, and the number of people moving their businesses here on a daily basis reflects that.

Also I am sure our local newspapers - Loudoun Times, Leesburg Today etc are monitoring this development closely. Will WaPo bring the best out of these newspapers or is this a non-event for them?

Crosstrails CPAM Public Hearing Tomorrow

2007-07-16T14:40:00.000-05:00

Do you have thoughts you would like to share on the Crosstrails mixed-use development proposed by the developer, Peterson Cos for the huge parcel of land next to Leesburg Executive Airport.

There is an opportunity for public comment on the Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPAM) tomorrow, July 17th at 9.30am at the Government Center in Leesburg. An opportunity to vent our spleen. Some think the new development with destroy all the small businesses in Leesburg downtown (quoting a colleague - "Crosstrails will turn Leesburg town into a ghost town"), some others think it will complement the small businesses in downtown Leesburg. What do you think?

PW County Immigration Crackdown - Will Loudoun Follow Suit?

2007-07-16T12:10:00.000-05:00

Prince William County Board of Supervisors recently unanimously approved a measure aimed at discouraging illegal immigrants from settling in the county. This measure requires the police to check on the immigration status of anyone they detain if there is probable cause to believe the person is undocumented. The Supervisors voted to approve the measure despite the objections of the county's police chief who claims that the measure would diminish cooperation with law enforcement and put further strain on very limited resources.

The immigration discussion is a difficult one and there are no right answers. At some point down the road, I expect the issue to come before the Loudoun County BOS. The challenges are enormous and until we all agree there are no perfect solutions, we will continue to go around in circles. As long as there is an appetite for cheaper sources of labor, and there are people willing to do certain categories of work for less than an average legal resident will be willing to be paid for the same job, this problem would remain.

We can not eat our cake and have it, the illegal immigrants are in plain view, we all can see them - if they are doing the sometimes dangerous work in our communities that we do not want to do, we have no problems - as long as they do not live in our own backyard (NIMBY) thereby increasing the strain on the public services that we use.

The easy and popular view is to propose that all illegal immigrants be deported over a period of time or even immediately, but that is simplistic and impractical. They are here, and again, as difficult as this may sound, the majority of them will remain as long as there are willing employers. I dare say that even our government indirectly hires illegal immigrants through contractors, though I do not have any facts to substantiate this, but I know that contractors often have problems finding workers to pave our roads, clean windows of high rise government buildings, anytime there is a crackdown by Immigration officials.

So what should we do - some of the proposals in the failed senate immigration bill makes sense at the national level, as a matter of urgency, using technology and other means available, immediately secure our northern and southern borders, if necessary use state guards and other appropriate law enforcement agencies, upon payment of a fine - grant a special 5 year visa for these illegal immigrants as long as there is a verifiable US based employer that has paid US taxes for at least 3 years, and the applicant must have no criminal record and be able to speak English. After a 5 year period, the visa recipients can apply for an extension. Also individuals on this visa cannot apply for US citizenship under any circumstances.

At the local level, enforce or enact residential overcrowding and anti-loitering laws, create one or two designated areas for day laborers, and the laborers must register with the county, i.e., fingerprints etc. We need to get these individuals out of the shadows, and let them pay taxes and share the cost of the services they enjoy, though some of them already do.

If you disagree with me, you probably have very good reasons too and I would like to hear them. I understand this is a very sensitive topic and my view as stated above is extremely unpopular. I have read articles such as this, and I do not see solutions, we all know the issues, we need solutions.

New Cellphone Rules for Teens - Too harsh?

2007-07-15T16:21:00.000-05:00

The new Virginia highway safety law that went into effect on the 1st of July prohibits the use of cellular telephones or any other wireless telecommunication devices, whether or not they are hand-held, by drivers under 18-years-old while operating a motor vehicle.

Is this law too harsh or should the law be further strengthened by making it unlawful for anyone to use hand-held cellphones while operating a motor vehicle?

Route 7 and River Creek Pkwy Interchange Construction Kicked Off

2007-07-03T15:27:00.000-05:00

Leesburg Mayor Kristen Umstattd led town staff members to the groundbreaking ceremony of the proposed Route7 and River Creek Parkway Interchange which is being funded by Kettler, the developer of the Village at Leesburg. This planned mixed-use development is dependent on the successful completion of the interchange.

Kettler official, Eddie Byrne said the "The interchange will take three construction seasons to complete". Representatives of Wegmans, the anchor of the proposed mixed-used development were also at the ceremony. The mixed-use development is being called the "Gateway to Leesburg" by virtue of its location, so the town government through the Architectural Review Board for the interchange has been very involved in the design of the development.

Village at Leesburg will transform Leesburg town and the county in many ways, perhaps the same effect the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets had when it opened. A destination shopping and entertainment center with residential units that is alive 24 hours a day? Possibly.

River Creek Village Complex Coming to Edwards Ferry

2007-07-02T19:56:00.000-05:00

River Creek developer, Marc Montgomery and his partners The Tower Companies, are planning to build a mixed-used development of about 70,000 square feet of retail and 55,000 square feet of office space on Edwards Ferry Road in Leesburg, next to Costco.

Residents of River Creek, Lansdowne, Potomac Station and the Lakes at Red Rock developments would definitely benefit from the additional retail and dining conveniences that River Creek Village will offer. No doubt things have improved dramatically for these residents with the opening of Lansdowne Town Center and Potomac Station shopping complex.

We can only hope that Edwards Ferry Road will be fixed before the new complex opens, otherwise get ready for heavy traffic on that road.

2006 American Idol Winner Coming to Loudoun Summer Music Fest

2007-06-27T19:37:00.000-05:00

Guess who is coming to town? Taylor Hicks, the silver haired winner of the fifth edition of American Idol is set to sing at the Loudoun Summer Music Fest on Sunday, July 8. How cool is that? Which Idol contestant would you like to see after Taylor Hicks if you had a choice? Carrie Underwood? Rueben Studdard?

Gravel Portion of Edwards Ferry Road

2007-06-24T14:43:00.000-05:00

The unpaved portion of Edwards Ferry Road where it intersects with River Creek Parkway in Leesburg is becoming extremely busy. I often see school buses and police cruisers maneuvering the pot-holes on this road. Residents of Lansdowne, River Creek and Potomac Falls neighborhoods also use this road to avoid route 7 traffic.

Just before you get to the unpaved portion, there is a sign with the inscription – End Town of Leesburg Maintenance. This road is slowly becoming a major thoroughfare, which arm of our government is responsible for paving this road? Is there a busy unpaved road in your neighborhood in need of attention?

Loudoun Times Blog Launches

2007-06-19T12:56:00.000-05:00

Loudoun Blogosphere continues to expand with the Loudoun Times Mirror launching a new multi-author blog. Loudoun Times Web Editor, Robin Earl is the coordinator of this blog. The blog will focus on all things Loudoun - Politics, Entertainment, Business and life in the county in general.

We are definitely going to see a wider range of view points in the coming weeks and months with the arrival of new blogs in our community. Here is a link to the blog.

The Value of Independent Candidates

2007-06-14T18:04:00.000-05:00

Quite a few races in Loudoun will have independent candidates on the ballot this fall. There are two major types of independent candidates, there are some that have always been independents, never been a registered member of any party, and some that leave just before an election because they lost in the primaries, or they know that they may not be able to get the support of the party establishment. Whilst some people, especially party activists tend to see candidates that leave the party to run as independents after losing in the primaries as traitors and perhaps selfish individuals.

I feel differently about this, and please feel free to disagree with me - the fact of the matter is that if an individual is so sure of his or her achievements or qualifications for public office and feels he or she can run for office by taking their case directly to the voters without the backing of a political party, I think they deserve our respect. This is by no means an endorsement of ANY independent candidate. You may disagree with the views of a candidate but respect their actions.

In some instances, there are entrenched interests in the big political parties, and more often than not those interests do not align with the interests of the general public. Again, I am not referring to any particular candidate or party. Also, sometimes in primaries, what we see is a vote against a candidate who may not have toed the party line, rather than a vote for his/her opponent - then the party ends up with a weak candidate which is a disservice to the public.

A perfect example of that scenario was what happened in the Democratic primary for US senate in the State of Connecticut, which was won by a less experienced, and perhaps less prepared candidate, Ned Lamont simply because the primary voters were casting their vote against Senator Joe Lieberman, rather than voting for Lamont. Connecticut general elections voters saw through this and returned Lieberman to the senate as an Independent candidate.

In summary, Independent candidates may not win but I believe they nurture the vibrancy of our democratic system of governance by going through the trouble of running. Politics should not be about winning alone, it should also be about leadership, vision and practical ideas for the development of a community. Independent candidates ensure that the candidates nominated by the parties do not have a free ride, and also gives the public more options. I believe it is good for democracy and good for the general public.

Incumbent Supervisors Win Republican Primaries

2007-06-09T22:03:00.000-05:00

Supervisors Lori Waters, Eugene Delgaudio and Steve Snow defeated their opponents in the Republican primaries that was held today, but incumbent Sheriff Steve Simpson lost to Greg Ahleman. I must confess that I am little bit surprised that Ms. Waters won, because it appeared that the tide was moving in Jack Ryan’s favor, despite what most agree was a well-run and well-financed campaign by Ms. Waters.

Rumor has it that Sheriff Simpson may be running as an independent candidate this fall. Will the results of this election help or hurt Republicans this fall? This is a tough year to be a Republican, would be interesting to see if Loudoun voters agree with the Republican primary voters that the incumbents deserve another term. What do you think?

Dulles Greenway Toll Increase

2007-06-09T06:15:00.000-05:00

Starting July 1st, we are going to start paying more to use the Dulles Greenway. Though it is a scheduled increase, it still feels like one is being priced out of using this highway every time there is an increase. The owners of the highway, Toll Road Investors Partnership II, L.P. (TRIP II), have already filed an application with the State Corporation Commission (SCC) for further increases through January 1, 2012. The next increase is scheduled for January 1, 2009, what a nice way to ring in the New Year!

This increase does not include further increases that may be necessary to finance the Dulles Metro project. For most of us driving two-axle cars, we may be on our way to spending ten dollars, if not more on toll one-way from Leesburg to Tysons Corner. I believe continued increase of tolls on the Greenway will drive more traffic to already crowded Route 7, though there has been significant improvements on Route 7, such as the installation of synchronized lights, flyovers at busy intersections, but more still needs to be done to ease the pressure on Route 7 especially during rush hour. Are our elected representatives doing enough? Any thoughts on what could be done without crippling road users financially?

No Show at Jail Opening

2007-06-05T21:39:00.000-05:00

Fellow blogger, Living in LoCo has an interesting story about the opening of the new county jail. Apparently no member of the BOS or county administrator's staff was present at this event. Quite unusual, were they waiting to be invited to this function?

I have been waiting to hear reasons why they did not show up, but the silence is deafening. What do you think? Does this underscore the leadership crisis or lack of leadership in the county at the moment as some people claim, or is this a non-issue?

National Hunger Awareness Day

2007-06-05T13:15:00.001-05:00

Today, June 5 is National Hunger Awareness Day, so it is provides an excellent opportunity to applaud the Directors and Staff of Loudoun Interfaith Relief, Inc (LIR) for the critically important work they are doing in our community.

LIR provides emergency food assistance to those in need in our community, i.e., "Making Sure No One Goes Hungry in Loudoun County" - LIR slogan. It may interest you to know that half of the individuals served in 2006 by LIR were children. LIR is supported by several local organizations and citizens of the county.

Tulloch in the News again

2007-06-02T10:45:00.000-05:00

Supervisor Tulloch has been in the news lately, perhaps more often than any other supervisor. Since most of the publicity is negative, pundits are often wary of negative publicity directed at politicians as we get closer to the elections and as would be expected there has been a lot of reaction from fellow local bloggers in response to the front page article in yesterday’s edition of the Washington Post.

I agree some sections of the article had some “old news” that had already been published before, but there was significant new information regarding Tulloch’s relationship with philanthropist and Managing Partner of Washington Mystics, Sheila Johnson and developer Hobie Mitchell which I believe is relevant to the on-going investigation and should be in the public domain. I am not saying any wrongdoing has been established, but it is important to put the facts out there and let the citizens of Loudoun, most especially the constituents of Tulloch in the Potomac district determine if they are satisfied with the conduct of their representative.

I also agree that there is absolutely nothing wrong with a politician leveraging contacts developed in his official capacity for personal business, but politicians are elected to office to serve the general public, consequently when the interest of the public is at variance with their personal interest or the interest of their friends, the interest of the public should prevail, that is the oath they took when they assumed office. Also leveraging contacts with individuals or organizations who have on-going cases before the Board of Supervisors should be avoided, except the supervisor has recused himself or herself from the case brought by the individual. I must quickly add that the current salary of the supervisors is grossly inadequate and makes a mockery of the enormity of the responsibilities of the supervisors, and should be revised as soon as possible.

The allegation that the Washington Post has a liberal agenda to tarnish the image of conservative politicians as we approach the election season is baseless and without any merit. Tulloch’s conservative credentials are shaky, at best average. Sheila Johnson who was also mentioned in the article is well-known in Democratic circles. Our focus and the energy of every well-meaning Loudoun resident should be directed at the on-going investigation to ensure that justice is done to Loudoun taxpayers.

HHMI Tax Exempt Status

2007-05-29T16:57:00.000-05:00

Loudoun politicians often talk about replicating the biotech success of the I-270 corridor. Yet some of them are working very hard to make life difficult for an organization that can make this happen. Some politicians are currently challenging the tax exempt status of Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI).

It may take some time, but the presence of HHMI in Loudoun will eventually create a cluster of biotech companies and other small research institutions which will benefit all of us. Why aren't we looking long term, it does not make economic sense to single out HHMI out of over 460 tax exempt organizations in the County.

What kind of message are we sending to similar organizations that may want to relocate or set- up in Loudoun? It is time to stop playing politics with this organization that may soon become a major economic driving force for the county, creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs, expanding our tax base by bringing similar organizations, consequently eliminating the need to further increase property taxes in the near future.

I am totally in support of the tax-exempt status; I believe it is in our long-term economic interest. What do you think?

Loudoun Summer Music Fest 2007

2007-05-25T16:52:00.000-05:00

The dog days of summer are here and so is the annual Loudoun Summer Music Fest. The event kicks off on Sunday June 3 with Sugar Ray and runs through Sunday, August 26. A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit these local non-profit organizations:

Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers is a community of volunteers helping frail elderly and adults with disabilities to maintain independence and quality of life.

Special Love run programs that offer children with cancer the chance to jump, play, explore, laugh, swim and make friends.

The Loudoun Foundation brings together community residents, businesses and charities for musical enrichment events and student mentoring programs.

See you there..

Potomac Falls High School Came First in Loudoun...

2007-05-23T13:36:00.000-05:00

The 2007 annual survey of the best public high schools in the country conducted by Newsweek Magazine placed Potomac Falls High School ahead of all other public high schools in the county. Potomac Falls High School was at a respectable position of 183rd out of 1200 top schools nationwide.

As would be expected Fairfax County Public Schools dominated the top tier of the list for Virginia Schools. I think Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) did pretty well, considering the fact that most of our schools are relatively new. Also there was no Loudoun High School in the top 200 bracket in the 2006 Survey, Potomac Falls High School came 354th last year.

Loudoun Valley in Purcellville and Loudoun County in Leesburg were at 247th and 373rd positions respectively on the 2007 list. Do these surveys matter and do they really reflect how good these schools are? I wonder what Dr. Hatrick, the Superintendent of LCPS thinks about this survey.

Surprise Win for Phillips - 33rd Senatorial District Primary

2007-05-21T12:55:00.000-05:00

The results of the Republican primary for the 33rd senatorial district surprised many. Patricia Phillips won. I can say without any doubt that I did not see a single ad posted anywhere in the county by the Phillips camp, whereas the well-funded Andrews camp had quite a few. And I would say, Andrews had more name recognition. Does this tell us anything about the electorate? From all accounts including fellow blogger - Gateway to Loudoun , turnout was relatively low, that leads me to the question why is voter participation in elections dropping?

According to a recent news report, many people in our county are not even aware that a major election season is upon us. Quite a few elected officials are returning unopposed or with very weak opposition. In my opinion, that is not democracy. These elected officials are going to be making decisions that will affect us and our families. Are we making sure that we are selecting from the best pool of resources? We need a vibrant primary system, we need more people to come out and challenge the political establishment – Loudoun is filled with professionals, highly educated individuals with vast experience in different areas. People who understand the importance of having the right representatives at all levels of government, so why are people disenchanted with the electoral system?

Red-Light Cameras, How effective?

2007-05-20T20:17:00.000-05:00

Our local law enforcement agencies are pushing hard for red-light cameras to be installed at major intersections in the county as early as next year. Our neighbors (Maryland & District of Columbia) have had red-light cameras for some time.

We all probably knew this was coming since Governor Kaine (D) signed House Bill 1778 into law in March. The bill which was introduced by Del. John Cosgrove (R), permits counties, cities or towns statewide to adopt ordinances to install cameras at intersections, effective July 1. It limits localities use of the cameras to one per 10,000 residents. Violators would face $50 fines. No demerit points would be tacked on to drivers' licenses. It also requires that localities post signs within 500 feet of intersections with cameras.

Whilst studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety claim that red-light cameras tend to reduce accidents, there are other independent studies out there claiming that the cameras have not contributed to the reduction of accidents, there are also concerns that the red-light camera is an invasion of the privacy of citizens by the government.

I do not think there is a privacy issue here. What do you think the BOS should do - allow or disallow? Will red-light cameras reduce accidents, or is this just a revenue generating opportunity for the county?

Loudoun Blogosphere Expanding

2007-05-17T12:56:00.000-05:00

Loudoun Blogosphere is expanding very fast with new blogs coming online every other week, and many more in the development stages. Well known local newspaper, Loudoun Times-Mirror will be launching a blog in the June timeframe.

Loudoun Chamber of Commerce has one up already, though in beta mode. The media landscape as we know it today is changing for good, and I believe for the better. Would you agree? By the way, Loudoun Talk may be making "guest appearances" on the Loudoun Times-Mirror blog. Stay tuned.