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About:

Lorton Valley Star Newspaper
monthly and on the web
www.LortonValleyStar.com

Covering the greater Lorton, VA area from Fairfax /Franconia Parkway to Prince William Parkway.

Contact Information:

Floyd Harrison,
Publisher, Editor-in-Chief
Lorton Valley Star Communications, LLC

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Lorton Valley Star
P.O. Box 1436
Lorton Valley, VA 22199

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571-274-7389

© 2005 Floyd Harrison T/A
Lorton Valley Star Comm.
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Mother's Grieving Heart

On November 10, 2000 Maria's daughter Crystal was killed in a terrible accident. Maria went through what no mother in the world wants or expects to go through.

Go To Site…

To moms who have suffered the loss of a child:

When Maria was faced with the death of her child, all the books she read provided the same answer. This answer was not good enough. She began to write poetry. Her poetry was a way for her to find the answers to the terrible crisis that she could not find in any book. Through writing her poetry, Maria became closer to God and she found during her journey, that God's mercy is a sufficient answer to any crisis or devastating situation.

Those poems are now available in the book, "Crystal, A Mother's Grieving Heart" published by Lorton Valley Star. It is available in Occoquan at the Coffee House of Occoquan and at Attic Treasures. It is also available online from Maria's web site.

Buy the book now…

Copyright © 2003 Maria Carneiro, of Montclair, Prince William County, Virginia, USA

All international rights reserved.

94 Pages
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1994 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.



Catalog Data:

Carneiro, Maria A.
Crystal, A Mother’s Grieving Heart
Original Publication:
A.D. 2005
ISBN 0-9764770-0-9

Grief, Poetry

Library of Congress Number TXu1-189-869

Cover Art:
Michelle Carneiro
Graphics and Layout:
Floyd Harrison




Publisher:
Lorton Valley Star Communications
P.O. Box 1436
Lorton, VA 22199
USA

See Coffee House

See Attic Treasures

Latest Editorial not in print issue:

Map For Failure, Can it Be Avoided

Floyd Harrison Publisher.

In my previous editorial I wrote that I can’t see a clear path to a solution unless the public can make it clear to BLM that the horses are important to our community and worth preserving. The public did that at the recent Meadowood scoping meeting and comments continue to be received until July 29. But, it's worse than that.

Without an infusion of funds to build a new stable quickly, the hopes and expectations that BLM will continue to host private boarded horses at Meadowood are likely to be disappointed in spite of the consensus favoring continuation of this function as expressed in the latest scoping meeting held the end of June.

There is no money to re-build the capacity that was there ten years ago and BLM can’t ask for more money from the Federal government and as the new Meadowood director, E. Lynn Burkett, has said, unapologetically more than once, BLM doesn’t even want to be in the private boarding business. So, success for her administration would to close it down legally.

While inviting public comment and questions, she has clearly and unsympathetically laid out the dismal situation which is a formula for failure. She has said that she wanted to come to Meadowood because she saw an opportunity to make a difference. But she hasn’t given up her position in Washington. This gives me chills and reeks of an agenda. It’s like bringing in the bottom line manager when a corporation is in trouble. She brought the experts to say that it’s not healthy, that it’s not safe, that it won’t last another couple of years. I think that's overblown.

Burkett trumpets the cause of safety and uses three engineering evaluations done in the last year to show that the barn isn’t safe or worth the trouble and to force a sudden urgency that wasn’t there while the BLM did nothing for the last ten years. But it is fixable with the money available which for a private concern would give it a another decade reprieve. Of course none of this is her fault because she wasn’t there and she’s not an engineer. Actually, her background is forestry.

Even more distressing is that she says the horses will have to move out just to fix it. That will kill it because the owners will have remade their lives to adapt to substitute boarding. Ok for them maybe but Lorton will lose the potential two million infusion into the local economy. Indeed half of that is already lost as BLM will not allow new boarders.

Worse, everything is more complicated with the government in charge. Bill Lynch didn’t have to conform to new stardards and wouldn’t have needed a NEPA process to build a new barn. But, BLM cries about what impact a horse barn will have on the environment even while they complain about the design of the old one. They want it to have ADA compliance and we all know that the disabled people served by Simple Changes Therapeutic Riding need assistance anyway because there’s no way a horse barn can be a good place for them to hang out. Simple Changes does a good work but, that’s not a sensible reason to condemn the structure.

What is in the private boarder’s favor is that their expectation is the charge to the BLM as written into the legislation that documents the land swap over ten years ago. In case you are confused, yes BLM accepted the management of this property and yet doesn’t want to operate it. Also, the boarding fee was increased from $625 per month to a whopping $700 per month with the specific promise of a new roof on the barn. Now they have to refund that extra rent, and some of the people who paid it aren’t even there still or replace the roof or satisfy the remaining boarders. It would take a lawsuit to solve that one but the accumulation is likely 50 thousand dollars. Maybe, if BLM doesn’t want to do it’s duty, we can get Meadowood moved to the National Park Service which is about recreation and operates Rock Creek Park Horse Center.

The problem with waiting for that to happen is that, Burkett is just as likely to hand it over to the Army which would kill access let alone recreation. Boarders can’t wait for Burkett to make her decison because it’s not programmed to be in their favor. Under a concession, such as the Park Service uses, the Meadowood Equestrian Facility could be another great attraction for Mason Neck Lorton. But, a new barn is needed to pass Burkett's muster past tense already and that’s the sticking point with the whole decision. Can anyone dream how money would be found and the NEPA process put on a fast rail?

Draft ©2011 Lorton Valley Star, LLC by Floyd Harrison Publisher.

Editorial

Challenge at Meadowood

Opinion by Floyd Harrison, Publisher

The challenge to the boarded horse population persists at Meadowood in spite of the fact that the community and owners want and expect that public boarding sould continue there. Finally, we have a better understanding of why there is a reduction in public boarded horse numbers.
I can’t see a clear path to a solution unless the public can make it clear to BLM that the horses are important to our community and worth preserving.
In our story this month you’ll see that the stable barn has been subjected to yet another engineering evaluation. Structurally, it is sound so why doesn’t BLM fill it again with more boarders to support the operation? Why has the money from boarding fee increase not been spent on the roof as represented?
We knew there was a drive to reduce the boarders, tear down the existing barn and build a smaller one but we couldn’t figure out where this idea was seated. We hope to quench that idea. Meanwhile, they have allowed a private group to encumber over four acres of green grazing pasture land with trees in the name of an Environmental Demonstration Project. Our well intentioned Lions were duped into participating in this. Never mind that Mason Neck is the greenest spot on Earth.
They’ll tell you that the ground was eroding, that the seasonal stream bed is unstable, they act like grass habitat is impervious surface. A check of Google Maps Satellite view shows that grass was there where they’ve killed it for the demonstration. The groups own web site shows a photo where there is a sharp line the grass from green to brown. Now the ground is bear with invasive species where grass was. I have my own photo to illustrate this. The group’s website also says: “Eventually, the Horse Barn and Display Sites will be joined into a single planting. During spring 2009, we began planting the small area between them.” This demonstration playground needs to be stopped. The misplaced trees are costing us all through County grant. But, I digress.
Still, why is this allowed and why does the seeming prejudice against private boarding persist and where does it come from? We talked to the new official director of Meadowood, Elynn Burkett, and got some surprising albeit unsatisfying answers.
Her blinding official priority is safety. And the government HAS to conform to fire and ADA regulation beyond what a private business concern might. So, to BLM, the cost to bring the stable barn up to code, not to mention giving it the new roof, is a whopping $550 thousand dollars, according to Burkett. It would be the same whether Simple Changes was there or not. The increase in the boarding fee, especially with half the horses won’t pay for all of that. So, we see why a profitable operation for previous owner Ed Lynch is a loss operation for the Government. No one mentioned this ten years ago upon occasion of the land swap or when fees were increased.
But, The Department of the interior, through the National Park Service, operates the Rock Creek Horse Center in Washington as a concession and the stable fees are only $600 instead of $700 per month. This is the carrot that is dangled out in front of us once the stable barn at Meadowood is upgraded. But in the meantime, no new boarders will be accepted though there are easily enough boarders to fill it because there is no more space available in the area.
The turnover in BLM in the last year has been dizzying. Elynn is expecting a new Eastern States boss and Jeff McCusker the tree hugger’s darling is leaving. There is some hope that we can achieve a new priority to preserve the horses and that the sneaky dealing influence is gone. After all, pasture is a habitat just as much as forest and swamp and the horses are just as much of an asset and an artery for Lorton’s Economy.
A public meeting is expected sometime in the latter half of June with BLM experts to explain the evaluation and to guide us through a solution. What Elynn Burkett wants and what we all should want is a hearty turn out of Mason Neck, Lorton horse owners, citizens and merchants to encourage the preservation of Meadowood. This could be our one last good shot. We’ll post the date on our Home page and news ticker as soon as it’s confirmed.

Background on Meadowood

Equestrian Protest:
Not just a turn of phrase
By: Floyd Harrison

Last fall, hundreds of Lorton area citizens banded together to support the continuation of public boarding at Meadowood Special Recreation Area. They showed up for public meetings, circulated petitions, called their elected leaders, and wrote letters. But what makes this newsworthy is that this is nothing new. In fact, this group has consistently organized over the same issue – and in consistently larger numbers – every 18 months or so for the past decade.
The Meadowood Special Recreation Area (Meadowood) was created by a land swap back in 2001. The land swap was designed to keep the property intact and undeveloped, set aside for public use and recreation. It also ensured that the property would retain its equestrian usage. This was an important and welcomed step for the Mason Neck and Lorton communities: Development was eating away at the bucolic vistas that had once dominated the landscape – open meadow nestled between forested tracts, grazing horses in the fields. With the land swap, the community was assured that Meadowood would remain as it had been for nearly three decades.
The property, owned by the Lynch family, played an important role on Mason Neck and in the Lorton economy. The Lynches operated the property as a 50-horse boarding facility. From 1976 onward, the property hosted a range of horses and riders.
When the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) took over the property in the land swap, they began a planning process to determine how to manage the property. During that planning process leading up to the 2004 plan, as well as in subsequent processes, thousands have registered their support for a large-scale public boarding facility. As a result, this usage was included in the Meadowood 2004 plan, the planning document that describes how the land must be managed.
Meadowood harbors a world of potential for creating a model of effective governmental-community partnership, and can be a national model of what good government can be. Large-scale public boarding will make Meadowood pay for itself while increasing public usage at the site to the highest level of any BLM property in the Eastern States Region.
The boarding operation covers about 40 acres of the 800-acre property. It is only one facet of the usage of the greater Meadowood Special Recreation Area. Hiking, birding, and general enjoyment of the outdoors, as well as conservation activities, occur across the property, including the 40-acre boarding facility. Boarders, however, are the single greatest daily users of the property.
Right now, public boarders pay $700 a month to keep their horses at Meadowood, the highest public use fee at Meadowood and the highest monthly boarding rate in the area. This fee pays for on-site management and five barn workers who care for the horses and maintain the facility and helps defray expenses for other users like the Simple Changes Therapeutic Riding program and the CAS Company lesson program. Boarders also supply countless hours as volunteers for Simple Changes and for BLM assisting with trail maintenance on the 760 acres not included in the boarding facility and acting as emissaries for visitors to Meadowood.
In fact, in addition to enabling other fee-for-service programs at Meadowood like Simple Changes and the lesson program, public boarders often serve as the face of Meadowood providing directions to geo-cachers, pointing volunteers in the right direction and introducing visitors to their horses.
The 21 boarders remaining at the barn (down from 46 three years ago) each pump an average of $24,500 per year into our local economy in costs directly related to their horses – carrots and apples bought at Bloom, and Shopper’s, trailer storage, gas, local services provided by veterinarians, farriers and riding instructors, etc. In addition, boarders also spend money on themselves in Lorton – meals at local restaurants, groceries bought on the way home, etc. They are an important and valuable part of our community and, frankly, with this economy, we could use more of them. If the barn were fully populated, that’s over a million annually into the Lorton economy not to mention much more just because the people are meeting and recreating here.
Public boarding is scarce in this area and grows scarcer every month. Meadowood the largest facility in the region and had a waiting list of more than 20 people who are eager to bring their horses in as soon as a stall is available. While Meadowood was depleted, we lost Booth the local feed and supply store.
Two arguments have been put forward against public boarding. First, it was said that the barn was not safe. A recent assessment commissioned by BLM revealed that the barn is currently safe and can be brought up to International Building Code standards for a barn with less money than is on hand to make the repairs. In fact, while the Meadowood barn and indoor arena are 35 years old and do need some repair, the Army has opted to trailer in its caisson horses for training at the Meadowood indoor arena rather than train at their own, brand new million dollar arena located at Ft. Belvoir.
The second argument is that it costs the BLM more to run the property than they receive in boarder fees. This argument is easy to remedy. There are 17 vacant stalls at Meadowood. BLM could fill these stalls from the current public waiting list to defray expenses by increasing revenue. In future years, BLM could renegotiate the management contract for the property.
BLM has a great opportunity to show the community that government really is responsive to the tax paying public. They can show the community that they have heard them, not just now, but each and every time they have asked the community how they think Meadowood should be used. BLM can garner the highest level of public usage of any BLM facility in the region all while making the facility pay for itself.

Nature of Meadowood Walks are Back

The 2011 Nature of Meadowood walks, led by Audubon Society of Northern Virginia naturalists at the Bureau of Land Management’s Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area, begin in May. Meadowood is comprised of 800 acres of natural area on the Mason Neck Peninsula. The monthly series of walks provide a rare opportunity for visitors to experience a portion of Meadowood’s scenic trails, forests , meadows and wildlife in the company of enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteer naturalists. Once-a-month walks are held on Saturday mornings, from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Participants should meet at the BLM Office, 10406 Gunston Road, Lorton. Participants should wear walking shoes and bring binoculars if available. If you have any questions, please call (703) 339--0410 for more information. Walks will be held on:

Sat, June 18
Sat, July 16
Sat, Aug 20
Sat, Sept 17
Sat, Oct 15

Farmer's Markets Convenient to Lorton

Lorton’s Farmer’s Market is on Sunday and there is another in Dale City. There are Markets on Saturday in Occoquan and Burke. Monday is the only day there isn’t a Market within a twenty minute drive of Lorton.
For additional information about the Fairfax County Markets, call 703-642-0128, TTY 703-803-3354, or visit the web site http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/FarmersMarkets.

Tuesdays
Fairfax Farmers Market, 8:00 am - Noon
May 3 - October 25
Van Dyck Park

Wednesdays
Mount Vernon Farmers Market, 8:00 am - Noon
May 4 - November 23
Sherwood Regional Library Parking Lot
2501 Sherwood Hall Lane

Thursdays
Annandale Farmers Market, 8:00 am - Noon
May 5 - November 3
6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale,

Fridays
Kingstowne Farmers Market, 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
May 6 - October 28
Kingstowne Town Center

Saturdays
Burke Farmers Market, 8:00 am - Noon
May 7 - November 19
5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke,

Occoquan Farmers Market 8:am - Noon
through October 29 (no market on 6/4/11 and 9/24/11)
the open parking lot at the east end of Mill Street
www.occoquanfarmersmarket.org/index.html
Christine at Salt & Pepper Books (703) 491-4411

Sundays
Lorton Farmers Market, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
May 1 - November 6
VRE Parking Lot
8990 Lorton Station Boulevard

Dale City Market 8a-1p
through December 11th,
Dale City Commuter Lot on Dale Blvd.
In case of inclement weather. operating hours, call 703-670-7115

Triage In Your Smart Phone

Potential Medical patients can access medical information and find needed assistance with a new smart phone App.
With iTriage, consumers can search medical symptoms, learn about possible causes and find the closest and most appropriate facility to handle their condition.
iTriage can be downloaded for the iPhone®, iPod Touch®, or Android™ smartphones through app stores. Palm®, BlackBerry® or any other Internet-enabled devices can access iTriage at www.iTriageHealth.com. The application is free.
A growing number of urgent care centers across the country to utilize this nationwide interactive technology. In Merchant Plaza, Woodbridge, Doctors Express announced a partnership with iTriage®. to offer this technology to the community. Doctors Express of Woodbridge is open weekdays from 8am to 8pm and weekends from 8am to 6pm.

Workhouse Names Mason Interim President and CEO

John Mason, a former Fairfax Mayor and distinguished regional civic and arts leader, has been elected interim President and CEO of the Lorton Arts Foundation (LAF) which operates the Workhouse Arts Center in historic prison buildings in Lorton. Mason is a founder and president of Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts, Inc., a former Chairman of the Arts Council of Fairfax County, and past president of the Fairfax Symphony. He serves on the Board of the Arts Partnership at George Mason University, and for the past year has advised the Lorton Arts Foundation as a member of its Governance Committee.
As President and CEO, Mr. Mason will oversee all aspects of the planning and operations of the Workhouse Arts Center. Opened in 2008 on a 55 acre campus at the former DC Prison facility in Lorton, VA, the Workhouse is a National Historic Register site and one of the largest adaptive reuse projects for the arts in the U.S.
“The Workhouse is becoming one of the most interesting arts destinations in the country,” Mason said. “I am honored to help it get there.” said Mr. Mason. Mason has been a career Army officer, retiring as a Colonel; and served as a Vice President of Science Application International Corporation (SAIC). “With John Mason in place we have the leadership to continue building our regional base and strengthen operations as we roll out Phase II ,” said Richard Hausler, Chairman of the Foundation’s Board. The Workhouse’s Phase II, now under construction, will add a 300 seat Theatre for live performances, music, and film, a 600 seat Event & Conference Center and a Children’s Art and Education Center, all scheduled for delivery by the end of 2011.
Mr. Mason succeeds Sharon Mason (no relation), who stepped down recently after long service as a Foundation Board member, Executive Arts Director, and President and CEO. “Sharon Mason has been an integral part of establishing and growing the Workhouse Arts Center over nearly a decade” according to Richard Hausler, Chairman of the LAF Board of Directors. “On behalf of the Board and staff I would like to express our sincere gratitude for her vision, dedication, and years of hard work in helping make the Workhouse a reality.”
In addition to naming John Mason as interim President and CEO, the Foundation has elected four new members to its Board of Directors. The new Board members include Fairfax business leader Kip Addison of Vulcan Materials; Fairfax civic leader and performer Sharon Petersen; Fairfax Chamber of Commerce President Jim Corcoran; and Ann Rust, Member of the Arts Council and former Chair of the International Children’s Festival at Wolf Trap. Mr. Hausler stated, “These new Board members are all leaders in their own right. They will add new depth of experience and strategy that will build our leadership base and widen our arts offerings.”

University of Rochester Visits Mason Neck Park

A group of students from the University of Rochester visited Mason Neck State Park as an Alternative Spring Break trip. This program is a student-run program offered by universities that allow students a way to give back through community service projects with various organizations. Students pay all the expenses for the trip and donate their time to projects that may otherwise not get finished.

The students worked with the park rangers to complete projects throughout the park, including repair of trails, building stairs, clearing trees and leaves and assisting with landscaping projects.

These students range in everything from Architecture to psychology to pre med, the list goes on! They say they crave the fresh outdoor air, mother-nature, and hands on learning experiences they receive from park rangers and interpretive programs. One student admitted to “overcoming a fear of bats, realizing they are actually really cute little creatures”, while another mentioned how “…cool it was to see the eagles.”

We’re happy to invite groups to return to Virginia State Parks each year. As students confessed they enjoy traveling and visiting different parks each year, they all agreed that “Virginia is one of the few states that has parks with mountains and beaches,” and they can count on us for a great experience and something different year after year.
For more information about programs and events please call Mason Neck State Park at (703) 339-2385 or visit our website virginiastateparks.gov.

Have a Rest on the Lions

A new bus stop bench on Armistead outside Gunston Plaza and across from the Gunston Animal Hospital in Lorton is the work of the Mason Neck Lions Club.

Thanks to the assistance of Lions Tom Nally and Dick Kennedy the finished bench was assembled and installed and includes the “Lions International” shield on the backrest to identify this bench as a Lions Club community service project.

The master mind and builder of this bench is Lion Joe Chudzik. It was made with reinforced concrete in molds of his making and uses comfortable wood planks to rest on. It’s quite professional and attractive.The cost for completing this project was only $156. in materials and over fifty hours of labor among the Lions members.

This project was made possible by a 2010 Neighborhood Enhancement Partnership Program grant awarded to the Mason Neck Lions Club by the Fairfax County Department for Human Services.

Last month we showed the bench being prepared. Now that the engineering is done, we may expect to see more of these around Lorton.

Here it is installed where it gets daily usage.

Lorton Auxiliary Unit 162 Sponsors Luncheon, Good Times for Veterans

The women of Lorton American Legion Auxiliary Unit 162 sponsored a luncheon for Veterans living at the Armed Forces Retirement Home – Washington last month, at the Post 162 home facility. Over 48 members of the Armed Forces Retirement Home attended the luncheon and were treated to an outstanding St. Patrick’s Day celebration lunch along with all the trimmings, including an elaborate spread of desserts.

Post 162 Sons of the American Legion (SAL) member Napoleon “Shaq” Hendrix III provided a mixture of background music, karaoke, and dancing with music ranging from the 40’s and 50’s into the 80’s as the Veterans enjoyed the luncheon, did a little dancing (including line dancing), and use the opportunity to mingle with today’s Veterans – it was a blessing for both groups of participants. Several other SAL members assisted with the various tasks required to help ensure the success of this event. The event was also an opportunity for Dave Lowden and Samuel Lee, contractors providing logistics support for our Fort Belvoir soldiers, to display some new advances in the uniform and equipment used by today’s soldiers. The photograph below displays several examples of today’s gear – note the body armor (remember the heavy flak jackets used in Vietnam?).

As always, this luncheon provided a golden opportunity for our American Legion family to thank the visiting Veterans for their military service and share stories and memories. As with past luncheons, this one, too, had its moments of levity. One individual attending is 105 years old – he still walks, feeds himself, and is generally very self-sufficient and he barks out orders as if he was a drill sergeant. Another individual did not want to eat the delicious food served and wanted a banana – not too difficult a task as the Post 162 Club Manager, Ann Kuntz, bought a bunch of bananas from the local grocery store and served him his chosen meal (turns out he wasn’t the only banana lover as the whole bunch was devoured).

Another individual, who walked without benefit of a wheel chair for the first time in three years, loved the “goodie” bags provided by PEO Soldier Systems, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, so much that he ensured he personally carried his bag directly to the bus. He stated it would be used as a bingo prize at the Retirement Home. It was a great event for a very deserving and appreciative group of our Nation’s finest!

The ALA Unit 162 sponsors lunches or dinners for our aging veterans three times a year (one held during May and the other around Thanksgiving) and has been involved in this Veterans support activity for over 37 years – a significant achievement! They are to be commended for their dedication and service to our Veterans and to our Country. Article written and pictures taken and submitted by American Legion Department PR Chair Marv Rodney

Congratulations to Deputy Chief Maggie DeBoard

I am pleased to announce my selection of Major Maggie DeBoard as Deputy Chief of Police, with an effective date of Saturday, Feb. 12. Major Maggie DeBoard is a past Commander of the Franconia Station for Lorton. She will be assigned as Deputy Chief of Police for Investigations and Operations Support.

We are blessed to have high caliber persons serving across our Department, and promotional selections are always difficult because of the breadth and depth of talent we have. I'm certain all will join me though in congratulating Major DeBoard and supporting her as she transitions.

Colonel Dave Rohrer
Chief of Police

Supervisor Hyland Names Linwood Gorham to Park Board

Linwood Gorham, a longtime resident of Lorton, will join the Fairfax County Park Authority Board as the Mount Vernon District Representative. Gorham was named to the post by Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland earlier this week. This is a four-year appointment and fills the post recently vacated by Gilbert McCutcheon, who retired.

“Our district has been blessed with wise and responsive representation by Gil McCutcheon for many years,” said Supervisor Hyland. “The appointment of Linwood Gorham will continue this tradition of excellence.” Hyland noted that Gorham has worked with regional and state park systems to promote and improve services and facilities, and has served on land use and planning review teams, visioning task forces as well as being an important part of community events such as parades and festivals. “He really knows how to make positive change. He educates himself on topics before making decisions. Linwood is a well-respected member of the business community and active in neighborhood associations. This is going to be a great fit,” Hyland concluded.

Gorham currently serves on the Mount Vernon Visioning Task Force Land Use Committee. He has repeatedly served on the Mount Vernon District Comprehensive Area Plan Review Task Force with appointments in 2000, 2005 and again in 2010. Community service work includes serving as president, vice president, land use chair and board member of the South County Federation since 1992. He is a past Mason Neck Citizen’s Association board member and has served on the Mason Neck Overlay Task Force. He is active in community events, assisting with the Lorton Community Independence Day Parade and the Mason Neck State Park Eagle Festival.

He was named a Lord Fairfax honoree in Mount Vernon District for 2010-2011; Volunteer Fairfax Community Champion in 2010 as well as a recipient of Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority’s Walter Mess Volunteer Service Award in 2009.
The Fairfax County Park Authority Board sets policy and establishes priorities for the park agency.

>Revolutionary War Hands-On Program

Sixth grade classes at Gunston Elementary School on Mason Neck were treated to a hands-on Revolutionary War program. Mr. Thomas Kuehhas, a Revolutionary War expert and time traveler of sorts presented an hour long program to three classes.

Museum quality reproduction artifacts were laid out. Weapons were explained and some accessories that soldiers would have carried were passed around. Then some more items which shed lite on life in the eighteenth century were identified.

The highlight was that a selected few got to try on the uniform with all the heavy accessories. No one thought that they would like the life of a Revolutionary soldier in Washington’s army because the uniform was either too hot, too cold and definitely too heavy. And if you had a bad tooth the solution was a tooth key to wrench it out of the mouth. O-o-oh, Gosh.

Tom Kuehhas is a museum professional with over 20 years of educational programming experience and a Master of Arts degree in American History. He has published articles, as well as curated museum exhibitions, on the Revolution. He patiently answered all the children’s questions and explained everything in detail holding their attention. It was a positive experience for Ms. Landers class. He is available for your school as well.

Governor and Secretary of Transportation Listen to Delegate Albo’s Constituents

Governor Bob McDonnell announced his transportation plan this morning and included Rolling Road as one of the key projects to receive funding from this proposal. Rolling Road was included, in part, because of the meeting Delegate Albo’s had with the Secretary of Transportation, Sean Connaughton, recently. At that meeting, Albo stressed the importance of widening Rolling Road due to the opening of the new NGA office building off of Rolling, where thousands of new commuters will be arriving this winter.

“This is great news,” Delegate Albo commented. “My constituents have been waiting for this project for over ten years. The project has been funded and then defunded numerous times. We can’t wait for this much longer since we will soon be facing heavy traffic once the base realignment is finished. Thankfully, Governor McDonnell and Secretary Connaughton have listened to our concerns.”

The Governor’s plan includes many components in order to raise the money to fund over 900 transportation projects across the Commonwealth. Some of these components include:

- retaining 0.25% of discretionary sales tax generated within Northern Virginia to fund projects within the area,
- consolidating the duties of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission into one organization to reduce costs,
- using $150 million from the budget surplus to fund transportation, and
- selling bonds from the 2007 transportation legislation for a maximum of $600 million per year.
For a complete list of the plan, visit http://www.governor.virginia.gov/News/viewRelease.cfm?
id=560.

Editorial:

Offenses Repeat

By Floyd Harrison, Publisher

Cleaning-up litter and graffiti in Lorton is a continuing process as the illegal activity has seldom been caught or prosecuted.

Community activists are willing to work month after month but it ceases to be news as the report is the same: So many volunteers, so many bags of trash. It needs to stop so we can have news about what positive things the activist were able to do. Positive things could be more tree plantings or stream water testing or storm drain marking; things that continue to help.

We did get some action on the illegal signs and that helped. Report location and phone number of new flurries of roadside signs in the public right of way to the County Sheriff’s Office.

A lot of the trash is kids hiding the evidence. The graffiti is certainly gang related. Some more eyes and attention would help reduce these problems. What if they were to take finger prints off of beer cans discarded on the roadside?

Police ask that you remain vigilant in your neighborhoods and call if you see any suspicious activity. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477, e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text “TIP” plus your message to CRIMES/274637 or call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.

Be a Partner in a Child’s Education

Gunston Partner’s Tutoring Program begins operation in mid-January this year. The number of students the program can accept is limited to the number of volunteer tutors. – The demand for tutors has been satisfied already.

Tutoring will be held January-May on Tuesday evenings from 7PM – 8PM in the parish hall of Pohick Episcopal Church, 9301 Richmond Hwy, Lorton (intersection of Route 1 & Old Colchester Road). All materials will be supplied and the student’s teachers will provide you with a lesson plan for each night of tutoring. No special skills are needed, just a willingness to help.

This worthwhile program offering tutoring to 3rd – 6th grade Gunston Elementary students has operated for 15 years.

Meadowood Trails To Get Makeover

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lower Potomac Field Station manager has signed Project Plan II for trail and trailhead development for the Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area on Mason Neck in Lorton.

Meadowood received $300,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding last Fall to rehabilitate existing trails and build new trails at Meadowood and hired two full time trailbuilders for a year to complete the project, which ends on September 30, 2010.

The work planned is extensive rerouting and reclamation of the Thompson Creek, Mustang, and Wood Thrush Trails, a complete reroute of the Chicken Coop trail, construction of the new Camp Wilson connector trail, completion of the Meadowood trail surfacing, and the trail through our meadow restoration area.  

As the work progresses, the old muddy, steep, and eroded section of trails will disappear, and tree and shrub planting will help the restoration process.  Work will continue on the kiosk trail to the planned wayside next to Gunston Elementary.

COLD WAR MUSEUM TO LOCATE AT VINT HILL

Francis Gary Powers, Jr., the Founder of The Cold War Museum (www.coldwar.org), announced last week that the museum had found a physical home. The Cold War Museum will lease a modest size two story building and secure storage facility at Vint Hill, located in Fauquier County, Virginia, less than 30 miles from Washington Dulles International Airport. The lease was signed on December 1, 2009 with the Vint Hill Economic Development Authority (www.vinthill.com), the owner of the 695-acre former US Army communications base.
Powers is the son of Francis Gary Powers, a CIA pilot whose U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union in May 1960. The senior Powers was held in Soviet custody until 1962, when he was traded for Rudolph Abel, a Soviet KGB agent who had been captured by the United States
Powers, Jr. initially tried to locate the museum at the Lorton Nike missile base near the Workhouse Art Center but negotiations with Fairfax Couty failed.
For further information: Francis Gary Powers, Jr., (703) 273-2381; e-mail, gpowersjr@coldwar.org.

Mulligan Road Waits a Decade

Cut Through to be Replaced

Work to build a connector road between Telegraph Road and Richmond Highway has begun. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a notice for construction of the road January 5.
      Completion on Phase I limited to Fort Belvoir is scheduled for the Summer of 2010.  However, the road will not be open to public traffic until Phase II is completed which is for paving and connections to Telegraph and Pole Road scheduled to be completed in 2011. Widening Telegraph Road from Beulah Street to Leaf Road will also be completed in Phase II.
The four lane road will accommodate on-road bicycles and a trail.
Woodlawn Road which provided a connection from Rt 1 to Telegraph Road was closed to vehicles without military decals after the 9-11 terrorists attacks.
For additional information on the Mulligan Road project, see http://www.efl.fhwa.dot.gov/projects-rhtrc.aspx

In Case of Emergency

Tag Your Cell Numbers

Emergency responders are trained to look for emergency contacts on victim’s cell phones under the designation ICE. So, you should put your next of kin, guardian or spouse, in your cell phone’s directory preceded by the ICE designation In Case of Emergency. It would speed up medical information and permissions for crucial treatment if you became incapacitated.
Secondary contacts could be listed as ICE2, ICE3 etc. The idea was born in the U.K. and has flourished since the subway bombings. Look for the designation in new cell phone directories turning your cell phone into a source of information for paramedics and other emergency personnel responding to accidents, crimes and disasters. Paramedics in the USA encourage it. Don’t wait, edit the emergency contact name putting ICE in front of it. It could save your life.

Needed Corrections Are Forced Upon Us

Commentary by Floyd Harrison

How long have conservatives been trying to tell government that they need to reduce the burden placed on citizens. How long has government been getting looser on spending for things which are not basic to survival. How long have motorists ignored criticism for driving oversized, fuel hungry vehicles. How long have we all carelessly patronized products of labor lost to foreign sweat shops. And how long did I warn that Fairfax County cannot end homelessness because they are participating in taking homes from the innocent.

Those are statements and there’s one more: I told you so. It’s not that I’m so happy to be right. I’m quite surprised at how abruptly the economy came crashing down on us all. The tragedy is that the little innocent guy is likely to suffer more than the arrogant power brokers who railroaded us all into this current economic crises.

The needed adjustments are forthcoming. The housing bubble popped, the price of fuel is heading back toward a reasonable range, easy credit is no longer easy, with unemployment rising, the remaining jobs will be for people who work hard and for positions which actually produce something. Slackers will be rung out of the workplace but we’ll end up supporting them anyway. The rate of foreclosures has grabbed the County’s attention and even they realize that they don’t want to put people on the street quite so carelessly. It finally dawned on them that it’s more expensive to evict people and have empty houses. They didn’t respond to my analysis but who was right? Will they reconsider how they operate? Also, some of the crooked swindlers from high places have been brought low and too late we found out what Greenspan’s limitations were. And this update: Illegals are no longer so eager to come here. There are no extra jobs here. The economy did what the fence couldn't do. And it's not going to be over soon as the banks are still trying to sqeeze the market for the last dollar of assessments instead of cutting their losses and moving on. They act like reducing interest rates is a creative genius idea and they're the heros for doing so. Finally, Congress is beginning to pull the reins in on credit card companies to limit their confounding abusive schemes.

Who needs the bankers now? They aren’t lending, they don’t pay a decent interest, though God knows they charge plenty, and they are increasing fees to keep their scams operating. You might as well stuff your cash in the mattress. Oh, if you are their slave, the cuffs are only going to get tighter. When’s the last time you saw one of their ads suggest that you have to use cards to keep pace? Bull. Their ads have turned to aluding to each other's abuses.

It really does my heart good to see government at all levels seriously realize that they have to tighten their own belts and give the citizens relief. Even the mighty arrogant AAA Fairfax County needs a bail out. Hilarious. They are having to cut and slash the way I have wanted them to for years. Do you suppose the spendthrift liberals will take a lesson? Will they yet try to blame conservatives?

And now that jobs are lost to closings, fortunes have diminished and consumer spending is seriously curtailed, finally, the oil price is coming down and we see it at the pump. Too bad; If it had gone higher, maybe we could bring some of those foreign jobs home and our healing would progress. Of course, if we aren’t buying, I suppose the air in Bejing might get clearer anyway and our sense of what we need and what’s important and what we can do for ourselves might change.

Computers and Cell phones are great and I’m not anti-progress but I do see a charm in being able to say “We do it the old fashioned way; We earn it.”

Proposed widening of a portion
of Telegraph Road (Route 611)

Find out about the preliminary project proposal to widen Telegraph Road from a two lane to a four-lane facility, with a curbed median, sidewalk, trail and on-road bicycle lanes. The proposed widening will begin at the intersection of Beulah Street (Route 613) and end at the intersection of South Kings Highway (Route 633).

You are invited to attend a Citizen Information Meeting on Thursday, October 30, 2008 between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. A brief presentation will be given at 6:15 p.m., followed by a question and answer period until 7:00 p.m.. The meeting will be held at the Hayfield Secondary School, Lecture Hall 1604, located at 7630 Telegraph Road. Use Entrance #9 accessible from Old Telegraph Road.

If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities, contact VDOT’s Civil Rights Division, at the Northern Virginia District Office, 14685 Avion Parkway in the Chantilly, VA (703) 383-2000 or TTY/TDD 711.

Lorton Gets BRAC Load Reprieve

Good news for Lorton traffic. The U.S. Army announced that the Mark Center in Alexandria, will be the future home of the 6,400 personnel which were the last of the 19,000 targeted for Fort Belvoir in the Springfield area under BRAC.

Fort Belvoir’s BRAC Environmental Impact Study in Summer 2007 and the Army’s Record of Decision, or ROD, directed placement of all but these BRAC Recommendation 133 jobs which had been suggested be located at GSA space in Springfield.

Post officials said putting the jobs at the Alexandria City site reduces the number of jobs coming to Fairfax County to 12,900 – 4,400 to Fort Belvoir’s main post, and 8,500 to Engineer Proving Ground.

The Army must now purchase the Mark Center property to meet BRAC law and plans to make the purchase before the end of the year. Construction is scheduled to begin on the site in January 2009, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The remaining load, however, has prompted improvements to EPG access to the Highway and the completion of the connection to the Fairfax County Parkway 7100 to Newington. In the meantime, the army has located it’s future museun to Davidson increasing Lorton’s significance on the map.

Police Explorer Post Provides Experience

Do you know someone 14 to 20 years old and considering a career in the exciting and challenging field of law enforcement? Nationally-recognized Fairfax County Law Enforcement Explorer Post 1742 invites them to discover opportunities to develop leadership skills and real world experience as they lend a hand to on-duty police officers.

Exploring provides young people with outstanding opportunities to learn and practice some of the same skills that officers use on a daily basis like fingerprinting, processing crime scenes, staffing special events and helping officers spread the word about safety and crime prevention.
Post 1742 members compete locally and nationally to demonstrate the police skills they’ve acquired. This year’s team placed second in the U.S. for bomb threat response and one Explorer placed tenth in the nation in the 9mm shooting competition at the National Explorer Conference in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Call Franconia District 6 Station at 703-246-4564 for more information about the Fairfax County Police Department Explorer program. 

Trafic Alerts, Directions Online

The Virginia driver’s toolkit just expanded to deal with the stress of traffic. VDOT recently revamped its 511 Virginia service. Call 511 anytime from any number and receive traffic reports, request driving directions and find tips on getting into other modes of transit.

Find this service at www.511virginia.org or just call 511 to receive accident and incident alerts, live traffic camera images, bridge and tunnel reports and road construction info. Also available through this expanded service are driving directions and tips on using trains, buses, subways, ferries and bike paths.

Motorists can sign up for personalized traffic information delivered to electronic devices and computers. This up to the minute road data is customized to show drivers what’s going on with the roads they travel most. P.S. It’s free!

Dansk Day Spa is celebrating Valentine's the entire month of February with our Valentine Spa Package. Our Valentine Spa Package consists of an Aromatherapy and Shea Butter Massage, with a Chocolate Mask and Warm Stone Facial, finishing with a Rose and Lavender Deluxe Pedicure.

Be sure to look for the Customer Loyalty email for our February savings. To join our Customer Loyalty Club go to our website at www.danskdayspa.com and sign up. You can also join our Facebook page for special treats. Just visit our website and click "like" on our homepage. Happy Valentine Month!

703-491-3888