SANTA RETURNS SATURDAY?
LAST night's meeting was extremely successful and I thank the community
leaders, contributors, stake holders and LCSA and our planning
commissioner and the Sterling Foundation for all making it a fantastic
evening.
This is a long email but only partially lists some of the important
things going on in Sterling and Virginia.
The state legislature is in session, crimes are being committed,
charities are raising money, and there is much to be reported (not in
that order or to be mixed together).
>>>>>Sterling Man Wanted For Questioning In Murder Case
A 28-year-old Sterling man is wanted by the sheriff's office for
questioning in connection with the murder of Sherine Williams, who was
found dead in her apartment Sunday. Photograph posted on homepage
http://www.leesburg2day.com/
>>>>>FROM THE LOUDOUN EASTERNER NEWSPAPER
>>>>>Ben Fleming returning to collect food for needy
>>>>>Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Briar Patch Park
Santa Claus is coming back to town.
Ben Fleming, who teamed with area residents and the Loudoun Easterner
for several years in collecting toys for underprivileged children in
southwestern Virginia, plans to be in Sterling later this month in hopes
of collecting non-perishable items for a food bank in Clintwood,Va.
Fleming said the food bank, sponsored by the Clintwood Ministerial
Association, provides assistance to an estimated 1,500 persons in
Dickenson County. The county population has dwindled to about 16,000,
according to the Census estimates.
"Because of the great number of elderly and handicapped residents,
supplies dwindle quickly and it's difficult to keep our shelves
stocked," he wrote this week. "Because of the great generosity of the
people residing in your area, I'm asking for their continued compassion
for the less fortunate in the form of food this time."
Fleming said he plans to set up a collection point at Briar Patch Park
on Sterling Blvd. in Sterling Park from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and
Sunday, Jan. 29-30. All donations are tax deductible. The Loudoun
Easterner will also accept food and other donations to be held until
Fleming arrives in Sterling.
"I would, of course, be delighted if anyone can buy cases, in bulk
sales, for their donation," he said. "We'd also mention to any of your
local churches that we'd appreciate any donations they might deem
appropriate."
>>>> HONOR ROLL STUDENTS TO BE HONORED
>>> Can you help?
Each year, I ask the business community to kick in and they do a great
job of recognizing the accomplishments of our local honor roll students
in Park View H.S. and Sterling Middle School. Last year (lets hear
applause) Ashburn Ice House, Ultrazone Sterling Lazer Tag, Jerrys Subs
and Pizza, Pacific Rim Restaurant, and Chick-Fil-A Restaurant donated
$30,000 in total.
I would like to thank Ashburn Ice House, Peter Kim, manager of our local
Chick-Fil-A restaurant at Sugarland Crossing, Gary Reese of Ultrazone
and Louis Cheng of Pacific Rim Cuisine and I invite other Sterling
businesses to join us in recognizing and rewarding our honor students.
Each year hundreds of students in public, private and homeschools
receive $30,000.00 in business sponsored passes, discounts or other
recognition when they make the honor roll.
In addition to the sponsors mentioned, a new honor roll sponsor,
Virginia Regional Transit Association is preparing a significant
donation in the form of unlimited bus rides on their transit system. I
am really touched by the tremendous effort VRTA Executive Director Mark
McGregor is showing the entire Sterling Community by coming forward with
this recognition of these honor roll students.
Call me today if you have some ideas for sponsorship or want to ask me
questions about this. Call me at home 703-421-4599. Or email at
[email protected]. Thank you.
>>>>MORE CHARITY...MORE CHARITY....MORE CHARITY
Longtime homeless and food for the hungry advocate Mark Gunderman tells
me "Mary Fittro's pictures have been posted on the DryHome Roofing and
Siding web site. See Good Shepherd on the web site." This is another
story of a generous Sterling business KICKING IN and improving the
community.
Dryhome Roofing & Siding Inc. of Sterling continued its Holiday
tradition of donating a Free Roof to a worthy cause or family. During
October and November Dryhome sent questionnaires to former clients and
associates asking for assistance in determining who in the community had
a pressing need for a new roof. The call went out and was answered.
The Good Shepherd Alliance has a transitional house in Lucketts called
Peace House that needs the services of Dryhome. And Dryhome installed
the new roof at no cost to GSA!
http://www.dryhome.com/news.asp
>>>>Will Modern Conveniences Come to Mt. Gilead Road?
>>>> or will the NO-Growthers spread panic and falsehood?
Several speakers opposing the proposed paving of a portion of Mount
Gilead Road made false and misleading statements to Loudoun County's
delegation to the General Assembly at a town meeting.
Rose Ellen Ray writes me and legislators explaining the benefits of
paving. Imagine, in this day and age, a petitioner in "rural" Leesburg
has to explain--- and lobby on the benefits of PAVING HER ROAD!
Proponents of paving have had to explain to NEW supervisors and the public
that it is cost effective and good government to pave the eight tenths
of a mile of
Mount Gilead Road:
1. A one-time expenditure of $180,000 is a better use of funds than
spending $32,000 annually on maintenance that does not correct
the inherent safety hazards and drainage problems.
2. After allocating the $72,000 savings in preliminary engineering
previously included in the FY05 Secondary Road Six-Year Plan,
$108,000 in additional funding is required to pave.
3. The savings of these annual maintenance costs result in a rate of
return of 29.6% or a payback of 3.4 years.
Godwilling, the Board will continue down the path of paving this eight
tenths of a mile.
For more information on Loudoun's Little Road War, visit
http://www.leesburg2day.com/current.cfm?catid=17&newsid=10151
>>> and now: LOUDOUN'S BIG ROAD WARS
Click below to view Year in Review, the Jan. 2005 issue of VDOT Northern
Virginia's Nuts and Bolts
This website explains hundreds of millions of dollars in planned road
building the Northern Virginia area. Excellent photographs of the Church
Road and Route 606 intersections are posted here too.
http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/nova/nuts-and-bolts.asp
>>>>PHOTOS AND OTHER POSTINGS ON THE WEBSITE JOINEUGENE.COM
See photos posted of Ceremony for new Church Road and Rt. 28
http://joineugene.com/photogallery/gallery.php?id=66
>>>>New On-Line Delgaudio Resource Library-- Free 24 Hours a day.
New Anti-Crowding Codes
These anti-crowding regulations limit the number of people per square
foot in residential structures. A copy of the rules are available
online. Links To Proposed New Stronger Building Code Regulations:
* Loudoun County staff memo, July 27, 2004
* Language of the amendment
* Loudoun County staff memo, June 1, 2004
Visit http://joineugene.com/library/
Zoning Complaints?
* On-line Guide to zoning enforcement to let you know how to use
the following form:
* Alleged Zoning Violation Form for reporting residential
overcrowding or zoning violations
Sterling Gets Parking Districts to Fight Overcrowding
* Board of Supervisors action item shows Sterling community how to
apply for parking district to outlaw non-residents from blocking their
driveways, VISIT
http://joineugene.com/library/
Photos of Delgaudio Singing Christmas Carols at the
American Civil Liberties Union, in defense of the Boy Scouts of America
http://publicadvocateusa.org/photogallery/gallery.php?id=65
http://publicadvocateusa.org/photogallery/gallery.php?id=65&page=2
HEY WASHINGTON POST-------WHY NOT TELL THE TRUTH
>>> Leo Schefer Defends Hobie Mitchell
This is a letter the Washington Post will not print. It defends a
developer who spends time obtaining funds for the Sterling Foundation,
making money (profit?) and corralling private money to build road
networks in Loudoun! Writer Leo Schefer is a full time airport promoter
at his day job but he is writing as a private citizen:(PARTIAL QUOTE)
"I would like..(Washington Post) readers to know that Hobie has devoted
hours of public service to transportation improvements as a member of
the Commonwealth Transportation Board. He is all too familiar with
Virginia's inability to fund planned highway capacity and has heeded the
appeals of state government to "think outside the box" in order to
harness the innovative powers of the private sector to build needed
roads. About a year ago, Hobie produced a plan for seven highway
improvements (Delgaudio note here: these plans could total one billion
in private monies) in Loudoun County that could be funded through a
combination of available public money and partnerships with the private
sector. Included was at least one proposal that involved the
development of publicly owned but unused land.
>>>Liberal Post Attack On Mitchell's Well Known Corporate Connection
That was the proposal for which he was attacked in your editorial. Had
Hobie hidden his stake in Creekside LLC, that would have been wrong.
But he did not; his corporate involvement with the seventh project was
well known. (Attorney)John Robert's responsibility as the County's
Attorney was to advise. The Board of Supervisors' job was to act, which
they did.Happily a majority of the Supervisors, unlike the Washington
Post, were able to see their advisor's comments in their full
context........" You will not see Schefer's Defense in the Post!
>>>>>Pat McSweeney Says Get Virginia Government Out of Public
Transportation
Virginia Conservative Icon McSweeney writes me and says: "The private
enterprise system is far better suited to meeting the complex mobility
needs of Virginians than the current governmental approach. That
doesn't mean that politicians will embrace that option. They rather
enjoy ribbon-cutting ceremonies for new public projects and the sense of
power that comes from appropriating billions of taxpayer dollars for
transportation. Some politicians sincerely believe that government
alone can solve transportation problems." I do enjoy the ribbon cutting
for roads built with private dollars and private-public partnership
bonds! But I can not wait for the government roads that take ten years
to plan and build.
>>>DELGAUDIO IN THE CONNECTION NEWSPAPERS
Supervisors Allocate County Budget Surplus
Less than half of the $15 million will go to reducing the real estate
tax rate.
.. One vote found the three non-Republican supervisors voting in a block
with Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling), who voted against every
decision to spend (the surplus)...
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=44868&paper=67&cat=104
Change in Government?
... Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling), who was a one-term
incumbent at the time of the Republican takeover, called York's call for
investigation "more sour grapes from a loser crowd ..."
>>>>>>Why Light Rail Is Wrong for Tampa, Florida and Everywhere Else
Reason Foundation, a non-profit group, Chairman Emeritus Harry E.
Teasley, Jr., details why light rail is the wrong transit choice for
Tampa, and every other city in America. In an op-ed published in The
Tampa Tribune, Teasley writes,"Since 1981, two dozen communities across
this country have created light rail systems. Not one of these systems
has validated the rationales or lived up to the rosy projections used by
planners and advocates to justify investment in rail. All systems have
been abject failures in reducing congestion." Teasley's full column is
available online at:
http://www.rppi.org/lightrailwrong.shtml
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=44866&paper=67&cat=104
>>>> STATEWIDE CANDIDATE SENATOR BOLLING TELLS ME
>>>> "LAST YEARS TAX INCREASES NOT NECESSARY"
Senator Bill Bolling tells me "with Virginia's economy growing at a rate
of 13% per year, and budget surpluses approaching $1 billion expected in
the current fiscal year, most legislators do not believe that these tax
increases were necessary. It is apparent that we could have addressed
Virginia's most pressing fiscal needs without raising taxes if we had
allowed the economic recovery to take hold."
>>>>>COUNTY BOARD VOTES 8 YES TO REBATE TAXES
An item was introduced by Republican Supervisor Staton, and seconded by
Eugene Delgaudio of Sterling, was to request enabling legislation from
Richmond to allow localities to issue tax rebates to homeowners.
Currently, Loudoun County cannot implement a tax
rebate when there is a surplus at the end of the fiscal year. The
purpose of the item is to request the ability for each locality to issue
a rebate if they so desired. This item passed 8-1 ("Independent"
Liberal Jim Burton opposed)
>>> GOP CHAIRMAN ANNOUNCES
>>>LAST CALL FOR ELECTION OFFICIALS APPOINTMENT
Republican Chairman Randy Minchew has advized me that he has "been
advised by the State Board of Elections (SBE) that appointments of
Republican Party Officials to the position of Officers of the Election
will be made by the SBE in the first week of February. I would like to
submit at least two (2) Loudoun Republican Names for each precinct. To
this end, I would appreciate it if every District Chairman would give me
at least two (2) such names (with mailing addresses and telephone
numbers) for each precinct not later than January 21, 2005 so that I
may submit these names to the SBE. Feel free to list your precinct
chairs for appointment."
In lay terms: Randy Minchew can officially recommend 2 REPUBLICANS per
precinct or ten for Sterling District. If you wish to occupy one of the
two paid positions for Officer of the Election (sit inside a warm
facility and get paid $100 to $150) on Election day, get your email to
me immediately!
??? Job Opportunity for an Unemployed Sterling COOK ????
Bon Appetit Management Company ( http://www.bamco.com ) seeks high
energy, creative cooks to work at Patrick Henry College (a four-year
evangelical Christian liberal arts college). Qualified candidates have
prior cooking experience in a high volume kitchen, etc., etc. .
Candidates must pass a background check and drug test to be considered
for employment.
Fax resumes to 540.338.8084 or email [email protected]
Here are some Job Openings at Home School Defense Association
- Web Developer - Assistant Editor/Writer
For more information see: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=2039
>>>>Human Services Committee To Debate CAA Selection of Good Shepherd
Alliance
I worked with Stephen Snow to attempt to officially name Good Shepherd
Alliance as a community poverty agency -- which it is-- unofficially.
Five sups said no. Now a year later they are still stalling getting
services to poor and homeless. Here's an article describing the current
situation.
http://www.leesburg2day.com/current.cfm?catid=17&newsid=10103
The Loudoun Human Services Network has recommended that the Department
of Social Services serve as the county's community action agency,
empowering it to pass out state money to local non-profits. Why am I not
surprised that the DSS has prevailed in getting the Board of Supervisors
to put off a proposal to privatize some poverty services?
http://connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=45173&paper=67&cat=104
This year, homosexual groups are very organized. They have flooded
Richmond offices with e-mails and descended upon Richmond to lobby a
radical homosexual agenda.
>>>>DELEGATE DICK BLACK FIGHTING FOR THE FAMILY
>>>>THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED BY DICK BLACK
Delegate Black is a the sponsor of HB 2921, prohibiting adoptions by
homosexuals. This bill preserves the Virginia tradition of having
mothers and father adopt children. Since most children grow up to marry
someone of the opposite sex, they deserve the greatest opportunity to
experience the natural love of a mother and a father.
Virginia has never allowed homosexual adoptions; however, the law is not
as clear as it should be. In these politically correct times, it is
important to clarify the law.
In the next few days, the Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee
will vote on HB 2921. Please e-mail the members of this committee and
ask them to VOTE FOR HB 2921 as soon as possible.
On January 10, 2005, the Supreme Court refused to reverse an 11th
Circuit Court decision that said that homosexual adoption wasn't up to
the courts; it was determined to be up to the legislature. These
legislators will be making this decision in the next few days.
>>>another "radical pro-family elected official"????
>>>>ALLEN CO-SPONSORS RES. BACKING DEFENSE DEPT'S SUPPORT OF BOY SCOUTS
U.S. Senator George Allen (R-VA) announced that he has signed on as a
co-sponsor to a resolution expressing the sense of the Congress that the
Department of Defense should continue to exercise its statutory
authority to support the activities of the Boy Scouts of
America.
>>>this is not a joke department
>>> WASHINGTON POST SALUTES DELEGATES JOE MAY AND TOM RUST FOR
INCREASING YOUR TAXES
See January 26 Washington Post Metro.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39796-2005Jan26.html
>>>>PRO-HOMOSEXUAL SEX SURVEYS CAN BE OUTLAWED ONCE AND FOR ALL
Two years ago Fairfax County Public Schools (with funding from Fairfax
County) tried to impose a controversial, intrusive, and behaviorally
misleading survey with questions involving sexual practices, behaviors,
and safe sex practices on minor public school children. The survey
however was pulled before it was given because the survey company
required indemnity from Fairfax County.
In order to prevent this from happening again, in Fairfax County or in
Sterling or in Loudoun County, and to provide parents with the ability
to protect their children from such intrusive surveys in the future it
is necessary to amend state law.
Delegate Tim Hugo has introduced HB 2613 which is currently before the
House Education Committee. HB 2613 will prohibit such surveys without
written informed consent of parents for students to participate in the
survey within 30 days prior to administration of the survey if
information obtained is for sale or if it results in the disclosure of
students or parents personal information as described in the bill. Thank
you Del. Hugo.
A complete copy of the Hugo Bill To Outlaw Obscene Surveys Without
Parental Consent:
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?051+ful+HB2613
Please CALL or E-MAIL the following Delegates on the House Education
Committee and ask them to vote yes on HB 2613. Thank you.
Dick Black 804 698-1032 email:
[email protected]
Tom Rust 804 698-1086 email:
[email protected]
Gary Reese 804 698-1067 email:
[email protected]
Jeffrey Frederick 804 698-1052 email:
[email protected]