Monthly Archives: April 2011

Clean Streams Rally Monday

The Loudoun Clean Streams Coalition is a local organization dedicated to the preservation of our local water quality. It has been instrumental in raising awareness about our stressed streams, and advocating for rational, reasonable solutions like the Chesapeake Bay Protection Ordinance (CBPO). The Clean Streams Coalition will be holding a rally in front of the Loudoun County Government Center (1 Harrison St. SE, Leesburg VA) on Monday, May 2nd at 6pm to advocate for the Ordinance.

The Loudoun Clean Streams Coalition will hold a rally at the Loudoun County Government Center on Monday, May 2nd, 2011 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM and we invite you to add your voice and show your support for implementing the Chesapeake Bay Protection Ordinance (CBPO) as a critical way to protect our streams.

As discussed in detail on this website, we believe that implementing the CBPO is an important step toward protecting water quality in county streams – water that ultimately is withdrawn from the Potomac River and Goose Creek to be used for drinking water in most homes in the eastern half of Loudoun County. While we freely admit that the Riparian Buffers (streamside vegetated filter strips) protected by the CBPO will not solve all of the chemical and sediment pollution problems noted in county streams, they are already in place in many areas of the county, require little maintenance, work 24/7 to filter water BEFORE it enters the streams they abut, and are scientifically endorsed as very effective natural filters. Given the seriously compromised state of county streams and the already high levels of sediment and chemical pollutants in the Potomac, the CBPO makes not only good ecological sense but it will save many cents as well by saving the amount of time, money and effort needed by water treatment plants to bring river water to drinking water standards. – Loudoun Clean Streams

The CBPO is more than just smart policy, it’s an important line in the fight over land use. The CBPO is really nothing more than a zoning regulation.
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Dems I have a great feeling about this year

Mark Herring. Raised nearly $100,000 since January. Has $150,000 on hand. Smart, popular, and effective.

Mike Kondratick. Raised over $15,000 since January. He has nearly twice that on hand. I just met his campaign manager, and she is on the ball and ready to roll.

David Butler. Experienced elected official, has already raised over $8000  raised over $11000 in the last report and has over $22,000 on hand [thanks for the update Dave!]. I haven’t met his primary opponent, Jim Magner, and he’s too new to have filed a report.

Jennifer Wexton. She raised over $9000, and is off to a great start. Her resume and her attitude will help us be rid of the embarrassment that is Jim Plowman.

Valdis Ronis. Raised nearly $7000 over $12,000 [I was looking at Cash On Hand]. Planning Commissioner. Architect. Well-known and well-liked.

Al Nevarez. Raised OVER $7,000. I just met his campaign manager, and I think that this is the team to beat Delgaudio. Also, he did very well in last night’s debate with Dan Lloyd and Barry Aliriza.

Speaking of Dan Lloyd, I thought he also did well, and any of the three of them would be a better choice than Delgaudio.

And I haven’t even touched on Malcolm Baldwin or Kelly Burk.

So the Dems have a pretty exciting line-up this year. I’m looking forward to walking for most of these good folks this season.

YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE

Today is the last day to comment on new rules the State Department may impose on people seeking new passports.

The U.S. Department of State is proposing a new Biographical Questionnaire for some passport applicants: The proposed new Form DS-5513 asks for all addresses since birth; lifetime employment history including employers’ and supervisors names, addresses, and telephone numbers; personal details of all siblings; mother’s address one year prior to your birth; any “religious ceremony” around the time of birth; and a variety of other information. According to the proposed form, “failure to provide the information requested may result in … the denial of your U.S. passport application.”

Submit your comments to the State Department

(Via Shakesville. No word on WHO those “some people” would be.)

My first endorsement

I put some shoe leather in for Jennifer Wexton yesterday. She and I walked my neighborhood gathering signatures for her petition to get on the ballot. We had a great time visiting with my neighbors and talking with a star-struck youngster who thought it was really cool that Stevens and I live around the corner from her.

Jennifer has what it takes to win, and she’s committed to it. She did over 40 doors with me, and then went and did over 40 in Leesburg in the afternoon.

Way to go, Jennifer!!!

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And speaking of candidates who are doing well, have any of you seen Mike Kondratick‘s VPAP filing this period? He’s the 25th in the state for money raised. WAY TO GO, MIKE!!

The inevitable result of “it”

Crossposted at Equality Loudoun

What you will see below is the result of people being told they should see other people as “it.”

A woman is violently assaulted in a Baltimore McDonalds, dragged across the floor, repeatedly kicked in the head until she has a seizure, and is left to convulse in a corner while employees watch and record the assault on their phones. They can be heard laughing and encouraging the assailants in the background. One posted his video on the internet later, to entertain his friends. You can hear one of them near the end, warning the assailants “police on their way. Y’all better get out of here.” The only person who attempts to help the woman is an elderly female customer.

Warning: The video is extremely violent and disturbing. I’m reposting it because it’s important that people understand the consequences of their careless, self-centered actions.

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Patricia Phillips Debt Campaign

I suppose one way to run for office is to load up your campaign with debt and hope you win.

That seems to be the operating philosophy of Republican Senate hopeful Patricia Phillips. That and spending $7,000 to raise $9,000.

See for yourself.
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In total, Ms. Phillips appears to be running with around $50,000 in loans, when you consider those taken in advance of the first Quarter of 2011. Seems to me that the Republicans in Loudoun County aren’t exactly lining up behind their chosen candidate to oppose Sen. Mark Herring.

(Meanwhile, Sen. Herring raised more money than any Senate candidate.)

Two Guys Walk Into A Bar

I had lunch at Sal’s in Leesburg today.

When I mow my lawn, postage stamp that it is, I allow myself a beer or two that day. And this morning, I mowed my lawn . So I went to my favorite local watering hole, Sal’s NY Bar & Grill, for lunch.

At the bar was a gentleman who worked in the construction business. A long time Loudoun resident, he had some choice comments about Scott York, among others. It surprised me to hear that he was a big supporter of Mr. Eugene Delgaudio.

At that point, two beers in that I might have been, I expressed my personal disdain for Mr. Delgaudio. My barmate expressed his opinion that the Supervisor represented his constituents. I said that might have been true of the Sterling 20 years ago, but it is not true of Sterling today. I told my fellow-drinker-of-inexpensive-beer that it is the responsibility of an elected official to represent and serve ALL his or her constituents. I told him that the Sterling Supervisor had failed to do so. I told him that I strongly, strongly opposed any elected officials who referred to ANY of their constituents as “it.”

My friend at the bar said, “let’s get off the gay issue.”

Loudoun’s Champion of Transportation Legislation

From a press release from the office of Sen. Mark Herring (33rd):

Leesburg- Senator Mark Herring (D-Loudoun & Fairfax) announced today new state funding for Loudoun County’s two most critical transportation infrastructure needs has been included in the Draft Fiscal Years 2012 – 2017 Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP).

As a result of the transportation plan passed by the General Assembly this year, of which Senator Herring served as chief co-patron, $3 billion in additional funds have been provided in this year’s SYIP to accelerate and advance many phases of more than 900 transportation infrastructure projects across the Commonwealth, including the construction of the Route 7/Belmont Ridge Road interchange and the
Sycolin Road Overpass.  Also included in the package is a one-mile extension of Battlefield Parkway.  The current estimated total cost of these three projects is $104.6 million.

“Through my efforts and the efforts of County officials, my Route 7 Task Force, and the business community, the state is now committed to fully fund the construction of these vital projects along the Route 7 corridor,” Herring stated.

“For too long, Virginians have been spending too much of their time stuck in traffic, away from their families, and away from their jobs. This means lost productivity for our businesses and a lower quality of
life for our citizens,” Herring continued.

“Working together with the Governor and members of both parties in both houses of the General Assembly, I fought hard this session to make sure that more state funds are coming back home to build roads and help alleviate the congestion that is paralyzing our region. Although this year’s transportation funding package was but a first step, I believe it was a meaningful one that will improve the lives of
the citizens of our area.”

The Commonwealth Transportation Board is expected to adopt the final 2012-2017 Six-Year Improvement Program in June.

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Once again, just more reasons why we need to work extra-hard to ensure that we return this outstanding public servant to the State Senate again this coming November.

A key phrase I noticed in that press release was in paragraph 5: ““Working together with the Governor and members of both parties in both houses of the General Assembly…” – Senator Herring knows what it takes to get smart, sensible legislation passed in the General Assembly, without the crass partisanship that we have been seeing from those on the right, starting with the Governor and extending to the embarrassing behavior we see in the Attorney General’s office.

Bi-partisanship works, it works for Loudoun, and it works for Virginia. All of the citizens of this county should be thankful that we have someone like Mark Herring representing us.