FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT

EARTHQUAKE AND FLOODING

There was an earthquake near Richmond, Va. at 4.5 on the Richter scale yesterday according to news reports. I joked with some citizens that it really was an aftershock from the November elections which elected five new Republican Supervisors to join me to make up six of 9 seats.

Flood Watch in Loudoun

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for Loudoun County and surrounding jurisdictions effective this afternoon and tonight. The combination of a low-pressure system and a cold front moving through the area will cause periods of heavy rainfall. Rain is expected to begin later this afternoon and become heavy at times overnight.

An inch of rain appears likely with this system with isolated amounts of 1.5 possible. The combination of melting snow and the rainfall could be sufficient to cause flooding of small creeks and streams, as well as, low-lying and poor drainage areas.

LINK IS IN FULL SWING TO FEED HUNGRY

350 Families, 1600 people fed

LINK, an all-volunteer, non-profit organization since 1972, respectfully requests donations of non-perishable food items, $10-$25 grocery store gift certificates and new toys and gifts for children of all ages to be provided to needy families in the Herndon, Sterling and Ashburn areas.

Volunteers can register and families can qualify for groceries, food certificates and toys by calling the LINK Hot Line @ 703-437-1776. A LINK Rep will take your call to register to volunteer or to qualify for food baskets and toys.

Donations of non-perishable food can be dropped off at Christ The Redeemer Church from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, December 15 through 19. Christ the Redeemer is located at 46833 Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7) in Sterling. Donation of toys and gifts can be dropped off at Herndon United Methodist Church located at 701Bennett Street in Herndon. Schedule is 9:30 to 3:30 and 7:00 to 8:30 Monday thru Thursday and 1:00 to 7:00 on Friday (same dates as listed below).

GEDDIE ASKS FOR NEW TOYS FOR NEEDY KIDS; WILL CARRY ON OLD STERLING TRADITION

John Geddie, the editor for the Loudoun Easterner has issued a request to his friends: bring toys. He wrote this message in his recent column:

(quote) "Because we do not have the time nor talent to repair used toys, (I am asking) businesses and individuals to donate new toys for needy kids. ..... please go out to a toy store, have fun, and purchase one new toy for a needy kid? Bring it here to 20735 Ashburn Road in Old Ashburn­­look for the old blue house about a block from Partlow's Store. (One Mile south on Ashburn Road from Route 7) " (unquote)

Sterling's biggest booster, John Geddie is laying out a marker for all of us to help out with some new toys. Remember the Nuclear Santa and the Phantom Billy Goat and all the fruitcake gifts? Move over and get a toy. Mr. Geddie will make sure the right little people gets it.

Christmas Party a Big Success

The Christmas party was a hugh success with 125 people in attendence and three wise men from a great distance came to visit. Jim Parmelee, anti-tax leader, Hon. David Ray and Virginia Delegate Tom Bolvin visited.

And elected School Board members Warren Guerin and Bob Ohneiser came. Guerin was cheered wildly by the crowd for voting against School Superintendent Ed Hatrick's pay raises four times.

Lots of Pizza, salad and cookies disappeared in minutes. And songs were sung: Let It Snow and the First Noel. There was lots of children and other celebrities like Republican County Chairman Randy Minchew, who sings as good as he leads, and Sterling District Chairman Michael Meador having a good time. Thank you for making it if you did. It was a splendid event and I am grateful that there was such a great turn out. I can not do this alone and it is extremely heartwarming that friends, family and neighbors can get together like this.

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ELECT WORKING ALREADY

The county staff has hosted a reception, a five hour bus tour for the new Board of Supervisor members. Due to the snow storm staff had to postpone a joint School Board-elect and BOS event last Saturday.

THIS SATURDAY MORNING, NEW BOS GETS TOGETHER AGAIN

I will attend a general board worksession on Saturday morning from 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the County Government Center with the new board-elect (ALL 9).

Refreshing Ohneiser

I recognize that there are now many new elected officials, besides the six Republican Supervisors. I have talked about Treasurer Roger Zurn, Sheriff Steve Simpsom and a host of others here. There are many new school board members. We have our own (Warren), but then there is Broad Run District's Bob Ohneiser, who has an undergraduate (BS Industrial Management) degree and masters degree (MBA-finance) and a juris doctorate. Three degrees. He has many questions on the budget for the current School Staff and I think the high quality and quantity of these questions show a style not previously seen at the School Board. Here's just one question, of many, he is asking:

Questions for School Administrator to Answer:

If we have qualified principals which I think we do why have a layer of management above them on North Street? Are they really supervising them? Isn't there a difference between supporting principals who are the key person dealing with parental education concerns versus appearing to be managing them? Is this layer necessary and what do they cost?

What percent of our new population is needing special education- if we need almost 28% of our new teachers as special ed teachers. Or is something else happening?

Keep asking Bob. Keep asking.

ONE DEMOCRAT CRIES

On December 2, during board comment, I invited the public to the swearing in next Tuesday, Dec. 16. I also invited you in e-mails, letters and phone calls and newspaper mentions. According to published remarks and other comments, my liberal collegue Jim Burton is saying it is "partisan" to exclude him and that the swearing in conflicts with other events.

He never listens or changes his own mind. I invited him December 2 to the swearing in. I even invited him to my Christmas Party. He is welcome. He did not come to the Christmas party, but 125 other citizens did. I did not turn anyone away Saturday night. And I want 800 people to come next week. I feel even Jim Burton is welcome.

Many events planned by the county for the new board members has been re-arranged in recent days to accomodate the NEW MAJORITY's schedule or the snow. And I expect the Staff will continue to work with the majority of Supervisors. The New Majority plans a large public event at the one facility that can handle 800 to 1000 citizens (here's repeat plug again-- following).

HISTORIC SWEARING IN CEREMONY

All six of the newly elected Republican Supervisors will be sworn in at one location at one time.

That's me, your Sterling Supervisor, Eugene Delgaudio, and Jim Clem, Mick Staton, Steve Snow, Bruce Tulloch and Lori Waters.

You are invited. The Swearing In Ceremony is on Tuesday, December 16, from 5 to 7 p.m. with the actual ceremony at 5:45 p.m. sharp. It will be Lansdowne Resort at 44050 Woodbridge Parkway in Landsdowne, Virginia. There will be light refreshments and lots of Republican celebrities.

"SEMINAR" LATER, SWEARING IN NOW.

First, this Swearing In was scheduled and locked-in long before County Staff decided to schedule a "Land Use Seminar" for the new supervisors-elect.

The staff has been told directly to change schedules as necessary to suit the board majority. They have complied. Burton seems to be ignoring this fact: County Staff has been contacting the new supervisors-elect to check our schedules. Staff then accomodates the majority. WOW.

WHO IS BEHIND THIS PUBLIC CELEBRATION?

Second, Members of the campaign staffs of our campaigns together with volunteers from Loudoun County Republican Committee's "New Majority Project" came up with this idea of a swearing-in ceremony and celebration open to the public and media and handled the arrangements themselves after clearing the December 16th date with all of the candidates and current Republican state and constitutional officers, all Republicans.

This event is not an official Loudoun County Republican Committee event; we wanted it to be open to all citizens. We are proud that our supporters want to celebrate the hard work that gave rise to our election and we are humbled that these members of the Loudoun County Republican Committee continue with their support even after the election was concluded. Thank you to GOP volunteers, other elected Republicans at the county, state and national level.

COME BACK TO THE GOVERNMENT CENTER?

FOUR YEARS ago, barely 150 people could fit into the crowded board of supervisors room for a swearing in at the Leesburg Government Center. Now nearly 1000 people can go to a county Supervisor swearing in.

NEWSLETTER IN THE SNAIL MAIL

Please look for the printed Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio newsletter in the regular U.S. Postal mailbox tomorrow or Friday. It gives you a full report on all our Supervisor services and efforts. It is going to six thousand households and costs $2500 to send out. Yes, it invites you to the Swearing In, too! And there is plenty of room for everybody (e v e r y b o d y ).

JUNIPER IS LIT UP like a Christmas Tree

All of Sterling has Christmas lights up, but Juniper is brighter than ever and the hundreds of visitors are singing. Visit Juniper Avenue as soon as you can.

CONGRESSMAN FRANK WOLF (REPUBLICAN-10TH DISTRICT) UPDATE ON ANTI-GANG ACTIVITY

Congressman Frank Wolf recently provided to area officials a new FBI report on the MS-13 street gang responsible for much of the crime in the area.

According to the report, 8,000 MS-13 members now operate in 31 states and the District of Columbia. An estimated 3,000 of them operate in 30 cliques here in northern Virginia. They are believed to be responsible for 95 percent of all gang-related crime in the area, and they are becoming better-organized and are growing.

In addition to the report, Congressman Wolf also secured a half-million dollars in federal funding to establish the 10th District Gang Task Force. Sheriff Simpson is active in that group, and they will recieve additional funding in the next federal budget. Wolf will also seek additional funds for anti-gang programs in schools.

As always, if you see illegal or suspicious behavior in your neighborhood, please call Sheriff Simpson at 703-777-1021. In an emergency, always call 9-11.