Lorton Arts Foundation Announces Major Contribution

Vulcan Materials Company to donate $134,500 in cash and in-kind/

 
The Lorton Arts Foundation, home to the Workhouse Arts Center for visual and performing arts, announced today a major contribution from Vulcan Materials Company.  Vulcan Materials Company, the nation’s largest producer of construction aggregates and a major producer of other construction materials, has committed $134,500 in cash and in-kind materials.
The bulk of the donation comes in the way of crushed stone products which are essential to the construction and restoration of the Workhouse Arts Center at Lorton. The original site had been the D.C. Correctional Facility since 1910.  When finished, the Workhouse will have visual and performing arts space as well as studios and galleries for painting, sculpture and other visual arts.
In addition, the cash donation makes Vulcan the Premier Sponsor of the major gala to be held at the Workhouse on September 28th with former Governor Mark Warner and his wife, Lisa Collis, as co-chairs of the event.  Mikhail Baryshnikov, the world’s most celebrated artist in the field of dance will be lending his considerable talent to the event.  Cathal Armstrong, named one of the top 10 chefs for 2006 by Food and Wine magazine and the owner of Restaurant Eve in Alexandria, will be cooking up a special menu for the occasion.
“We have been a neighbor of the Lorton Arts Foundation since their inception and have participated in a variety of events over the years,” said Bruce Smith, of Vulcan Materials Company.  “We recognized the need they have for our products and wanted to extend our support to them by this donation.  Like our long-running support for the annual Occoquan Days festival, we want to be a part of a project that will raise the cultural footprint for the entire DC region.”
“Our relationship with Vulcan Materials Company and their employees has been wonderful.  They stepped forward on numerous occasions with support and we are very pleased they have chosen to strengthen that relationship in such a meaningful way,” said Tina Leone, CEO of Lorton Arts Foundation.
The Workhouse Arts Center is in Phase I of development—10 of the 30 buildings where prisoners slept and worked are now being turned into art studios and gallery space. The total cost for the entire project is $150 million.  Phase I will cost $40 million.  The Workhouse has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Lorton Arts Foundation

The Lorton Arts Foundation’s Workhouse Arts Center is a transformation of the former D.C. Correction Facility at Lorton.  Through ‘adaptive reuse’ of the prison facility, the new Workhouse Arts Center promises to be an extraordinary 55 acre cultural arts center designed to promote, facilitate and provide visual and performing arts exhibition and studio spaces and programs that will include over 150 artists, a cooperative studio, theatre venues and dedicated gallery space.  The center will integrate history arts, education and recreation within a facility that will become one of the Washington area’s premier venues for performing and visual arts.  Phase I of the renovation is slated to be complete in late 2007.  For more information, visit www.lortonarts.org
For more information about Vulcan Materials Company, visit www.vulcanmaterials.com

Wildlife Photography Clinic MNSP

Mason Neck State Park in collaboration with Michael Rosenberg from Penn Camera will be hosting a free fall wildlife photography clinic on Sunday, October 28, 2007 from 3pm - sunset.
• Michael Rosenberg, a photographer with Penn Camera, will teach the two part Fall Wildlife Photography Clinic.
• The first part will be an hour classroom session discussing the basics of wildlife photography and photography in general.
• The second part will be a nature walk where you can put your new knowledge to use in the field.

Michael Rosenberg will bring an array of cameras to demo, but feel free to bring your own.

Mason Neck State Park
7301 High Point Rd.
Lorton, VA 22079
703-339-2385

Child Care Providers With Permits
More Likely to Keep Children Safe

This year Fire Prevention Week runs from October 8 – 14, and during a week when residents are focused on safety, two Fairfax County agencies are urging parents to make sure that their child care providers have a county child care permit.
The Fairfax County Department of Family Services Office for Children is authorized to issue permits to Fairfax County residents who take care of children in their homes. The permit process includes a home health and safety visit from an Office for Children specialist.
During the permit process, specialists work closely with child care providers to help make sure children will be cared for in an environment that supports their growth and development. The permit process also includes a fire safety visit from a Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department inspector to make sure they’re prepared to handle emergencies with the proper plans and equipment.
Child care providers must renew their permits every year, which requires annual visits from Office for Children and Fire and Rescue Department inspectors. More information about the child care permit process can be found at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ofc or call 703-324-7162. All Fairfax County fire stations will hold an open house on Saturday, October 13; families are invited to enjoy fire and life safety activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

What Makes Signs Illegal?

It’s not what the signs say but rather, where they were located. It is illegal to place a sign in a public right of way without permission from the County. Specifically, it’s forbidden to attach a sign to a VDOT road sign post or a utility pole. Even signs on private property are limited. They are particularly problematic near corners and on medians where they may obstruct drivers vision.
Adopt-A-Highway teams are recognized by VDOT and credited with cleaning up public right of ways. These teams are learning that illegal signs may be removed as litter. The proliferation of commercial signs in Lorton has caused citizens to take aggressive action against the eyesore. If the sign is illegal, removing it is legal.
Beware, however, the season of political signs is upon us and patches of signs are popping up now. These signs are permitted to be within their district for a limited time. They should have a permit number on the face and be on their own stake or wire. Like it or not, these may not be removed.

Community Input Sought For New Richmond Highway Signs

The Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (SFDC) is seeking community input to create new signs along the Richmond Highway corridor to help motorists and walkers and to bolster community identity.
A public meeting at the South County Government Center showed the public the design concepts and received comments. About 30 citizens attended and most liked the concepts.
The SFDC, with the assistance of the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority, received a $99,000 Economic Development Initiatives grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help fund and begin an implementation of a “wayfinding” study to improve signage along Richmond Highway.
After issuing a request for proposals in January and evaluating the responses, the SFDC selected RMJM Hillier, a nationally recognized architectural firm with an outstanding wayfinding design background, as the project consultant. RMJM Hillier began its work in May. “We look forward to sharing the initial design concepts with the community. Selecting a design concept is the first step toward implementing a coordinated sign plan for Richmond Highway,” said SFDC President Rick Neel.
“Our consultant has done an outstanding job identifying the key attributes of Richmond Highway and creating design options that reflect this dynamic area.” After selection of a design the SFDC will work with RMJM Hillier and Virginia Department of Transportation on sign locations and terminology.
The Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (www.SFDC.org), promotes the economic revitalization of Richmond Highway in Alexandria, Virginia. The SFDC assists new, expanding or relocating businesses by identifying buildings and sites that best suit their needs and working with them to navigate the county development process, including permit expediting. The SFDC also markets Richmond Highway as a commercial center, promotes active economic restructuring and develops urban design plans.
They will still accept comments. The hitch is that the County has not authorized or budgeted for SFDC to work for Lorton. It is not certain that signage for North bound drivers will include entrance to the County from the Occoquan River border. The favored sign design includes a profile of George Washington not George Mason. The plan does not include a mention of Gunston Hall or the Lorton Arts Foundation, Workhouse Art Center. This is an issue to be addressed with the County Board of Supervisors.

‘Living Wage’ In Fairfax

The board of supervisors for Fairfax County has approved a living wage of $12.75 an hour for county employees. Those eligible are full-time workers with benefits.
It may seem illogical to increase expenses with the extremely tight county budget, but if people are earning enough to support themselves and their families, they do not need to rely on financial or housing assistance. If county staffers can afford to live here, then less people with long commutes will clog Northern Virginia’s roads.
The board also set a benchmark for rates in the future. It said the county must look at Arlington County and Alexandria - and match or beat the locality with the highest rate. Currently, the Arlington County rate is $11.80 an hour, and the city of Alexandria’s rate is $12.75.
The county was already paying well over the federal minimum wage of $5.15 per hour to most of its employees; the living wage is only expected to boost the incomes of about 50 county employees.
The lowest-paid people who work for Fairfax County are not really county employees - they are contract custodial workers. A review of county custodial contracts last year found that contract janitors earn between $5.15 and $10 an hour and supervisors earn between $9.50 and $12 an hour. The living wage policy does not cover the county school system.
A new report issued by the Campaign for a Living Wage makes the case for a comprehensive living wage policy and urging its coverage be expanded to govern additional categories of employees such as “temporary” employees who often perform similar jobs for long periods of time.

Park Authority Completes Colchester Acquisition

By Joe Chudzik.
The Fairfax County Park Authority has recently acquired 20 parcels totaling over 135 acres in the Old Colchester area of Mason Neck. Owned by the McCue and McCue Limited Partnership, these were the largest parcels of undeveloped land remaining in private ownership in the Mount Vernon District. Three large parcels and a number of subdivided lots form a block of land within and east of the old chartered Town of Colchester.
The origins of the historic Town of Colchester lie in prehistoric times when the current path of Old Colchester Road was preceded by the Potomac Path. The Potomac Path was a major Indian trail that ran north/south along the fall line, taking advantage of fordable river crossings. The river shoreline of the Occoquan was rich in seasonal villages that took advantage of the lush estuarine environment. Arriving Europeans utilized the same pathway for overland travel. At the point where the Potomac Path crossed the Occoquan, Col. George Mason (great-grandfather of George Mason IV of Gunston Hall) established the first ferry in 1684.
The trail was widened to a road by tobacco farmers around 1710, and became a portion of the great Kings Highway, the major road from Boston to Charleston. Fairfax County was created in 1742; settlement grew in the area and a growing population sought a town and port for tobacco. The Town of Colchester,
chartered in 1753, was one of the first towns in Fairfax County. The property has the potential to provide important information about the history of one of the earliest towns in Fairfax County.
The property was acquired with bond funding for $9.52 million. The Park Authority will go through a master planning process to define the future park development for the property, but with the significant natural and cultural resources, a resource-based park is envisioned. For information about land acquisition or park planning contact the Park Authority Public Information Office at 703-324-8662.

Resident Named to Junior College “Who’s Who”

Jesse Woods, who lives in Lorton, has been named to the 2006 edition of “Who’s Who in American Junior Colleges.” Woods is enrolled in the liberal arts/ speech program at the Alexandria Campus of Northern Virginia Community College.
In order to qualify, nominees must have demonstrated strong academic and leadership abilities. Woods is vice president of the Student Government Association and the recipient of a Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship.
He will be recognized April 5 at the annual Who’s Who banquet at the Ernst Community Cultural Center on the Annandale Campus, 8333 Little River Turnpike, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Occoquan Watershed Cleaned

Contributed by Ned Foster,
Friends of Little Rocky Run

On 3/24/2007 Tommy Dively, via his Eagle Scout project, finished the job, hauling out 75 bags of debris and other junk.
The Friends of Little Rocky Run have been working for years to clean up a portion of Little Rocky Run that has long been a favorite for illegal dumpers. We have had a lot of help along the way from DPW, HAZMAT, VDOT, UOSA, and, this past Saturday, Boy Scout Troop 577.
“Tommy and Troop 577 are a huge asset to our community and they deserve all the praise we can give them.” Said Ned Foster of Friends of Little Rocky Run. Editor’s Note: The Run is part of the watershed for the Occoquan Reservoir from which Occoquan, Woodbridge and Lorton get their water.
Details here, follow the links:

http://www.friendsoflittlerockyrun.com/

Landstuhl Benefit Spaghetti Dinner

Submitted by Sam Ramseur, PAO

Lorton American Legion Post 162 recently sponsored the Landstuhl Benefit Spaghetti Dinner. The Landstuhl Hospital Care Project (LHCP) founded by Karen Grimond is a non-profit organization that provides comfort and relief items for military members who become sick, injured, or wounded from service in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan. Donated items are distributed to military patients at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) in Germany, the largest American military hospital outside the U.S. and to field hospitals in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many of the military personnel arrive with no extra clothing and require long hospitalization. The purpose of the program is to enhance the morale and welfare of the wounded by contributing quality of life items.
Volunteers from Post 162, its staff members, along with the Auxiliary Unit, their family members, and friends of the post (thanks Nancy Hardin) supported the project by helping in the preparation of the meal and volunteering as servers. The President of LHCP, Karen Grimond, recognized all of their efforts and the Post Commander and the Unit President were presented Certificates of Appreciation.
The event raised $3,775.00. The biggest honor for the Lorton Post came when Cindy Maslinski, Post 162 Unit President announced that our Auxiliary would match that amount bring the event total to $7,550.00.

American Legion Walks for Cancer

Submitted by Sam Ramseur PAO

Lorton American Legion Post 162 Team, (Vickie, Linda, BJ, Tammy) their family and friends, held their fundraisers for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. The team with their family and friends are running, walking and training hard for the momentous task that lay ahead of them. On May 5-6, they each have committed to walking a total of 39.3 miles to help fight breast cancer here at home and throughout the country. Each has pledged to raise a total of at $1,800.00.
Members and guest attending these Post fundraisers enjoyed good music, table pool, a great assortment of food, bid on bake sale items (rumor has it that Chuck Voccio baked an apple pie to die for sold for $40.00), participated in several raffles, and won some great door prizes!
Several members of the team also had websites that accepted donations from members and guest. Thanks to the generosity of our American Legion family, at the close of the two-day event the team had raised almost $4,000.00, the Post contributed $750.00, and another $50.00 in remembrance of Mrs. Dupay. It’s not to late to contribute, to this worthy cause, just drop your donation by the post or mail a check or money order to Lorton American Post 162, 8210 Legion Drive, Lorton, Virginia 22079, Attn: Breast Cancer Walk. Together we can find a cure.

What Kind of Chili Did You Say?

Submitted by Sam Ramseur PAO

On Saturday February 11, 2007, the Lorton American Legion Post 162 sponsored the Commanders’ Chili Cook off challenge. This is the second year for this event and the turn out was great and the chili was outstanding. Of course we had your standard special recipe chili, Venison chili secret recipe, Venison Chili by Dewitt, the Commanders’ 3-meat chili, Fire Chili, and last but not lease Lee’s Bear Meat Chili. Members and guest accepting the challenge to demonstrate their mastery in the art of cooking this renowned dish were Betty O’Connor, Lee Winter, Dewitt Duggar, Doreen Lommel, Larry Tinslow, Kellie Grant, and Sam Ramseur. According to the members and guest in attendance all the entries were winners but the final decision went to the bravest group of all, the judges. Because it was that group who have the courage to taste test the entries. Many thanks to Helen Voccio, Paul Goodin, and John Windsor, and a special thanks to BJ who ensured we kept the samples in order. Winners were Doreen, Larry, and Lee with Lee winning the best over all, BEAR CHILI; wonder what will win next year?

Army Changes Preferred Site for Museum

The Army announced today that its new preferred site for the proposed National Museum of the U.S. Army (NMUSA) is adjacent to the intersection of Fort Belvoir’s Kingman Road with the Fairfax County Parkway on Ft. Belvoir’s north post. The Army had been considering a site on the Engineer Proving Grounds for the location of the museum.
The Kingman site is located in the area currently occupied by the southernmost nine holes of the Woodlawn Golf Course, one of two 18-hole courses at Fort Belvoir.
“After consulting extensively with our local congressional delegation, Fairfax County Supervisors and other members of the public we are persuaded that the Kingman site better supports the region’s traffic needs and the desires of our community neighbors,” said Mr. Keith Eastin, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations and Environment.
“We do not intend to further pursue any “Enhanced Use Leasing” for the Museum at Belvoir, “ added Eastin.
The preferred site is close to the Richmond Highway Corridor, I-95 and the Fairfax County Parkway and will provide convenient access for tourists with a minimal impact to residential neighborhoods.
The final selection of a site depends upon the outcome of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process that is currently underway.
For additional information the media may contact Mr. Paul Boyce, Office of the Chief Army Public Affairs, via email at Paul.Boyce@hqda.army.mil or call 703-697-2564.

Finding Things That Go Boom!

Unexploded ordnance technicians
Joel Morrell and Ashley Hildreth

Known to most as the Engineer Proving Ground, Fort Belvoir’s North Area will be home to two major organizations coming to Belvoir as part of Base Realignment and Closure 2005.
A major step in the construction process is cleaning the land once used by the Engineer School from the Belvoir Research and Development Center for testing and waste storage to make sure it is environmentally safe, said Laura Curtis, environmental specialist.
“As a result of BRAC 2005 we are preparing that property for construction,” said Curtis. “That preparation includes range clearance and solid waste management unit investigation and remediation, if required.”
Work will be conducted primarily Monday through Friday, dawn to dusk. This effort will continue until December 2008. Community members with questions or concerns should contact Fort Belvoir’s Public Affairs Office at (703) 805-5001
The Environmental Compliance office is working with three contracted companies, TetraTech Inc., Tidewater Inc, and Conti Environment Infrastructure, to identify the extent of the testing areas to determine if cleanup is required. If required, cleanup will be done before, or in conjunction with scheduled construction on the site, said Curtis. Another subcontracted company, Zapata Engineering, is completing the actual range clearance.
“EPG happens to be one of those areas of Fort Belvoir that was more intensively used for intrusive munitions, research and development and mine detection,” said Kevin Kivimaki, environmental specialist with SpecPro, a government-contracted company involved with engineering, environmental and information management.
The North Area is approximately 820 acres, located approximately eight miles from post and was acquired by the Army in 1940, Installation Historian Gustav Person said. Throughout the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s the grounds were used for a variety of activities. During World War II it was used as simulated airfield and at other times it was used for fuel oil storage and demolition activities, Person said.
In 1988 the Environmental Protection Agency contracted a company that identified regulated units or areas that had managed solid wastes of some nature on EPG. Those areas vary from drum storage areas and dumping sites to shop sweeping areas, anything that could possibly impact human health or the environment.
Fort Belvoir is also using records that were kept of the areas and aerial photographs to help determine if cleanup is required, said Curtis. “We are doing an intensified clearance in known range areas and we are also sweeping the other areas,” said Curtis.
Work on EPG has been ongoing since September 2006, and so far the workers have found less than 10 munitions, but they have found more than 26,000 pounds of scrap metal. “We’re finding bits and pieces of everything, anything and everything,” said Kivimaki. “Because of the way we’re looking with a Schonstedt magnetic locator, and geophysical means for detecting munitions. We also can detect any other metal that is down there. We don’t know if [they] are munitions until [they are] dug up.”

Belvoir’s New Plan Not Quite So Bleak

By Melina Rodriguez

Installation Commander Col. Brian Lauritzen was one of 10 presenters at the Annual Mount Vernon District Town Hall Meeting last month where he updated the community on Base Realignment and Closure 2005.
During the 20th annual meeting, sponsored by Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland, Lauritzen discussed a variety of siting options for the more than 7 million square feet of office space that will be built in conjunction with BRAC.
The current plan for the workers that will relocate to Fort Belvoir because of BRAC 2005 includes 18,000 workers locating to the Engineer Proving Ground and 4,000 moving to main post in existing or new locations, said Lauritzen.
“The BRAC equation is still pretty daunting in terms of what we have to accomplish in the time we have been given, but it is achievable,” he said.
Lauritzen also discussed how the impact could be lessened because of more than 6,000 people leaving the region as a result of BRAC, including non-Fort Belvoir agencies like Human Resources Command in Alexandria, which is moving to Fort Knox, Ky.
“What we’ve got to consider is the impact of those moves, it may not be as bleak a story for the region as some folks have described because the growth that is occurring at Fort Belvoir is going to be somewhat offset by the loss of folks in other parts of our region,” he said.
The next step in the BRAC process is the completion of the draft environmental impact statement, which is slated for February.
During his presentation Lauritzen also discussed the new preferred site for the Army Museum at Kingman Gate, where Fairfax County Parkway and Kingman Road intersect. This site is also located next to an existing rail bed that is currently not in use but presents possibilities for future use.
At the meeting’s opening, Rep. Tom Davis discussed his intent that the Army use the Government Services Administration warehouses near the Franconia Springfield Metro Station for at least some of the 22,000 workers being moved to Fort Belvoir.
“I feel confident that we can make this happen,” Davis said. “There will be some cost in this, but it is minor compared to the road improvements [that would be required to place 18,000 employees at EPG.] With this [proposal] we could lose as many as half of those 18,000 people to the area. That takes a lot of pressure off the EPG and off of Fort Belvoir, and it also tears down some warehouse space and allows that area around the Metro station to be redeveloped. It’s also good for Mount Vernon because it takes a lot of the pressure otherwise off of the transportation [grid.] So, we are working toward that goal as well as getting the other projects funded.”

SHARE is for Everyone

    The SHARE Food Network distributes high quality, affordable nutritious food as a way to build community and strengthen families.  Participants perform two hours of volunteer service and pay $16.00 monthly to purchase groceries worth approximately $35.00 - $40.00. People are empowered through SHARE (Self Help And Resource Exchange) to stretch their family’s food budget, access information on health and nutrition, and develop partnerships to prevent hunger in communities.

     Established in 1990, the SHARE Food Network provides approximately 13,500 food packages each month.  By combining buying power and volunteerism, SHARE is able to offer quality foods and substantial savings to it’s participants. 

The goal is that Shiloh Church will become a Host Site and the local community would draw their packages at Shiloh and eliminate the segment of our volunteers having to go to Ft. Belvoir to make the packages. It is a goal that we can make happen with your help.  Please consider volunteering some of your valuable time to this important ministry.  The holidays are coming up and the SHARE program is a good way to provide some blessings to others.  Remember this is a year round program and you can participate in it yourself or participate in it for someone else. For further info anyone can contact the church at (703) 550-8557

In “The Pursuit of Happyness,” Will Smith’s character arrives too late to stay at a homeless shelter one night so he and his young son spend the night in a subway. And, watching that movie scene about summarized my experience with the homeless until I volunteered with a shelter last month. 
The shelter served dinner and provided bedding to the first 25 residents who showed up each night, so by 7 p.m.there was a long line by the front door. Just as in the scene from “The Pursuit of Happyness,” everyone else was turned away. Once the first 25 people were inside they had to register, and I wrote their name, date of birth, and whether they’d slept there last night. I greeted each one of them with stupid phrases like, “Hello! Welcome back! We’re glad you’re with us again tonight” until common sense finally took over. Still, most of them appreciated my misguided attempts at friendliness.
As they signed in I wondered what brought them here. Most of them were younger than me. The social worker told me that many of them were alcohol or drug addicted, violent or had criminal records that made it dangerous for children to volunteer there. And yet I felt a rare connection with them, one that reminded me that we are all part of humanity, and were it not for a few lucky breaks I’ve had we could have easily traded places.
Then it was dinnertime. Seven of us brought or made cornbread, salad, chicken and vegetable stew and rice. I lugged in six dozen cookies for dessert – the “just-add-egg” mix type – wishing now that I’d found an hour to make them from scratch.  
We set the tables with plastic dinnerware and served them dinner on paper plates through a half-door between the dining area and the kitchen. Overall everyone was quiet, politely asking for seconds as “Wheel of Fortune” played on a tiny 7-inch television in the background. One woman requested milk and I told her that we only had fruit juice and coffee. A few minutes later another volunteer appeared with a carton of milk that she bought from the 7-Eleven next door. Duh.
After dinner a social worker reviewed the ground rules for the evening (no smoking, etc.) as the residents found blankets and mats and settled into the adjoining rectangular room to sleep. The next morning they would rise at 6 a.m., leave with a bag lunch provided by a local Brownie troop and return by7 p.m. the next evening. 
Oh, one more thing – the shelter closed on March 31. It’s only open during winter to protect them from the cold. But it’s still cold outside and I wonder where they are sleeping, who’s taking care of them … and why they – and not me – don’t have a place to sleep.
Jane Hess is a free-lance writer. Please send your comments, volunteer experiences and suggestions for future columns to http://www.getoutandgiveback.blogspot.com.  

Committee to End Homelessness Meets First Time 

A community task force began its deliberations this week on how to carry out a strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. The Implementation Committee’s first meeting now moves the Fairfax-Falls Church community one step closer to ending homelessness in 10 years. In our community, there are more than 1,800 people who are homeless, including nearly 700 children.
The group is tasked with recommending specific action steps, identifying roles and responsibilities, and developing a monitoring and evaluation process. The committee is scheduled to present its suggested action plan to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in September.
Specifically, the committee will make recommendations on how to implement the four strategies for ending homelessness:

• Prevent homelessness due to economic crisis and/or disability.
• Preserve and increase the supply of affordable housing to prevent or remedy homelessness.
• Deliver appropriate support services to obtain and maintain stable housing.
• Create a management system for plan implementation that ensures adequate financial resources and accountability.

The 95-member committee was appointed by the board in April. The group includes representatives from housing development organizations, business and financial institutions, health care and mental health providers, faith communities, employment services, nonprofit service providers and public agencies — the broad range of community partners that can prevent and end homelessness.

In February, the board endorsed the strategic plan, “Blueprint for Success: Strategic Directions for the Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness in the Fairfax-Falls Church Community.” This plan was created by the Community Council on Homelessness and the Planning Committee to End Homelessness, in partnership with the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, government agencies, nonprofits, faith communities and businesses.
For more information about the Implementation Committee, the 10-year strategic plan or preventing and ending homelessness, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless.

Po’ Folk, Another Look

By Hannah McCarthy

There’s a surprisingly large homeless population in Fairfax County, approximately 2,077 people total; composed of 300 families, 800 single adults, and 700 children. On top of that, many of the homeless individuals are disabled and cannot afford medical care, which, inevitably, continues their homeless plight. These numbers have a tendency to go widely unnoticed in a town of luxury
such as Fairfax.
With the cost of housing in the county growing to nearly unbearable levels, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has proposed to prevent and eliminate all homelessness in the region by 2010. They plan to do this with job training programs, transportation by use of free bus tokens, and increasing affordable housing stock, which will include setting aside one cent of the county’s real estate tax in order to achieve this.
Perhaps instead of viewing the homeless as mere numbers, we should view them as real-live humans, who come equipped with real-live human emotions. I have a tendency to do a lot of wandering, and in my travels I’ve encountered the most eclectic and enlightened of po’ folk. Namely the bible-thumpin’ tree-napper, Mustache Man (not his given name, I assure you), and my absolute favorite, Laurent, the old, Parisian poet who’s love for life has nearly brought me to tears.
I met Laurent on a bus, as I was jotting down poetry listlessly to ease the lull and drone of the engine’s roar. “Something’s missing.” He stated matter-of-factly, shifting my bags to the floor as he claimed the seat next to me. I quirked a grin timidly, and asked him what he was looking for. “Oh my! There it is! Your smile! Nothing is greater in the world than getting smiles from a pretty girl.” He said with a heavy breath matched with a gummy grin.
At first, I was a bit taken a back as I giggled nervously, clutching my journal a bit tighter. I studied his mismatched attire as if it were an external metaphor for his internal clockwork. In mid-thought of imagining how ironic it would be if he were really a neurosurgeon and not homeless at all, a hand tapped my shoulder, thus breaking my daydream. “You’re a writer too?” He inquired, pointing to his papers knowingly. I blinked in disbelief. The homeless aren’t friendly. The homeless aren’t artistic. The homeless are filthy drunks that have become the living equivalent to city carrion. I’m supposed to pity him, safe and distant on my pedestal of privileged blind perfection. Yet here he was, breaking all stereotypes, confident in his self worth, and creating a generation of neo-nomads. Together, the two of us filled the empty bus with the articulation of our written word.

For more information about the hypothermia program, contact Merni Fitzgerald at 703-324-3189, TTY 711.

Volunteers and additional church facilities are still needed for the hypothermia program. To provide assistance, please contact FACETS at 703-352-5090, TTY 711.

For more information about the county’s emergency shelters, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/factsheets/emershelter.htm.

The 10-year plan is part of a national effort that more than 200 communities are participating in, following guidelines from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
For more information about efforts to prevent and end homelessness, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless. For more information about the new Katherine K. Hanley Family Shelter, scheduled to open in spring 2007, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/factsheets/kkh_familyshelter_factsheet.htm.

County Homeless Effort Deficient

By Jessica Washington

In January 2006, The Metropolitan Council of Governments, homeless services and planning committee reported that between the years of 2004-2006 there were and still are approximately 1,700 homeless in Lorton and other cities of Fairfax County/City and Falls Church. By implementing their Strategic Directions for the Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, Fairfax County plans to end homelessness in the next 10 years. In 2016, Fairfax will insure that every person in the Fairfax County/City and Falls Church community will access and maintain a decent, and safe living.
Although Fairfax County statistics says they will eliminate homelessness in the next 10 years, increasing numbers of persons are admitted to shelters. The County plans to improve the situation by creating affordable housing and enhancement of the community services board. What Fairfax County’s statistics fail to address is the ineffectiveness of both solutions. Homelessness is not just someone loosing their home and being on the streets. Because of financial debt or disability, many conditions develop that prevent the person to even get out of homelessness. Many of those people loose a sense of meaning in life without the physical and emotional contact to encourage people to defeat their situation, their situation, in turn, defeats them.
Hello! Do the math! says Larry, volunteer coordinator of the Day of Caring hypothermia shelter. Financial debt is literally a catch-22 in Fairfax County. The cycle county increases taxes to help the homeless while at the same time making people homeless by their solution. Homeless say that they can’t get affordable housing if they don’t have the financials to get housing in the first place. For example, someone who has Social Supplemental Income, a federal income that those with disabilities receive, defeats the purpose of obtaining such funds when cost of living is way above the SSI rate. Maria receives $623 each month, while the average working individual receives more each week. Maria, just as many others on SSI, has disabilities. Most cannot afford to live on their own. In the state of Virginia, the average SSI individual cannot make over $80 a month. If income is over that amount, not only do they loose their SSI, but also looses Social Security benefits, such as health insurance, that comes with it. $80 a month is not nearly enough to live on, not to mention only $623 a month. Affordable housing cannot cure disability and compensate for the individual’s health insurance. Consequently, an individual can not afford to live on his own.
Many, if not most people who are considered homeless have mental health disabilities and drug and alcohol addiction problems. As a result, there are high chances that the county is involved in treating individuals with those conditions. They may be institutionalized, forced to live in unsafe group homes, or forced to adhere to county services due to poor behaviors from their additions or disability. Institutionalized individuals normally stay institutionalized outside of the hospital, says Christine, and clients who have been in a psychiatric ward for one year. Once they take you from the hospital, they send you to residential housing or group homes, which is bad for the person because the county puts clients in groups in these homes but do not address the actual problem. Consequently, you have someone who is trying to get off drugs in with someone who has a chronic mental health condition. While other times you have completely healthy people that have been pulled into the system and placed in these homes all because they have no finances. The county may think they are helping individuals by putting them in hospitals and setting them in group homes. Just because one is in a group home, doesn’t make him homeless. Many people are in group homes and residential housing, and work. However, they cannot make enough to get over the hump of cost of living and cure the trap they were put in.
Fairfax County’s solutions, affordable housing and access to community services board, do not adequately address the homeless population. Focusing on housing causes and affective health services can help a great deal, but what the homeless really yearn for is their need for hope to get out of the situation that they are in. Larry points out, “of course, they need food, shelter, and things like that. However, what they also need is a sense of meaning in life. If they don’t have a meaning in life, they will continue to be homeless not only environmentally but also mentally. Those who are financially in debt will feel no need to get out of their situation, only to eat and sleep. Some with disabilities give up.” To help the homeless, Fairfax County’s first step should be to help each individual’s independent needs. If we address their independent needs and stop categorizing everyone who ‘looks’ homeless as ‘the homeless,’ individuals will finally see that they are not just a group clumped together. They can finally take off the label of homelessness, and see a human being in need to help him.

Annual Homeless Survey Released

As the Fairfax-Falls Church community continues developing its 10-year plan to prevent and end homelessness, the latest snapshot of the number of homeless individuals and families in the area is available. Beginning this year, the annual count will report on those homeless people who are literally homeless – those who live on the street, in shelters or in transitional housing. This reporting system matches federal government guidelines. People who have permanent supportive housing are not included in the final numbers, as they have been in the past, but they will continue to be tracked. 
The 2007 Point-in-Time Survey of the Fairfax-Falls Church area showed homelessness comes in many faces across the community:

• Overall, there were 1,813 homeless people counted in the community, an increase from 1,766 in 2006.
• The number of homeless people in families decreased slightly to 1,083 compared to 1,099 in 2006.
• The number of homeless single individuals increased to 730 compared to 667 in 2006.
* 2006 numbers above have been adjusted to reflect the new counting method for comparative purposes.

When this year’s count was conducted on Jan. 25, more than 20 nonprofit, faith-based groups and county agencies worked together to collect the data from more than 60 homeless assistance programs, including emergency shelters, transitional housing programs and other locations.
To address this need, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors endorsed a 10-year strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness in the Fairfax-Falls Church community last month. The board also approved establishment of a committee to develop the implementation plan for the strategic directions, which will be developed in the coming months.
For the 2007 Point-in-Time Survey, more information on the annual count, the 10-year strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness and other resources, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless.

Editorial

Who Has The Cure for Homelessness?

Answer: Who cares?

By Floyd Harrison, The Old Grouse

Homelessness is a burden on us all. The best way to solve the rampant problem, is to prevent it. I feel that the area economy and county and city policies are contributory causes. Governments don’t really have the mind set to prevent it.
They push people toward the brink with an economy based on the well-to-do and a shrinking middle class. They take, or allow to be taken, people’s homes earned by the strain of their backs and the sweat of their brow, then support them at the expense of the remainder of us meanwhile the vultures profit at public sales. Brilliant, but not new and neither is the poor-house.
How much less expensive it would be to provide relief to the family while they are in their home with local tax relief or modest supplement to cover temporary disability or retraining. That should cost the majority of us less, decent people would not be demeaned with a tragic loss of face or the label, and there would be no spoils for the vultures so the rich-get-richer cycle would not be fueled. The middle class would not have as many people falling off the bottom of the middle class category.
Fairfax County has just restated their goal to eliminate homelessness in the coming decade. I’m saying that this will not happen as they are part of the problem and the same policy makers are not the ones deciding the real-estate tax rate. That’s a hungry fox guarding the hen house scenario. More brilliance.
I see no item in their list of solutions that would specifically put the brakes on the slide into homelessness. They speak of prevention but they don’t mention any sacrifice in the government’s appetite. They look to “Coordination of community resources to streamline prevention efforts and creating more funding sources”. When they speak of affordable housing, there’s expense in the background. It’s not very convincing when agenda items start with the wording: “Create a management system for plan implementation” …yada yada.
Yet more management? Management means more county employees. Will those jobs come from the at-risk sector? Are welfare services operated by the needy population? You answer that one. The problem with any government service is that it takes as much money in wages to cover the service as the value of the service provided. Wouldn’t we be better off if government turned off the lights and went home for six months?
If you want to manage something, manage the budgets of people on welfare. I don’t mind, too much, sharing with people who are cold and hungry if it is little fault of their own and they will make an effort to support themselves. What I don’t want to support is their unnecessary expenses. I don’t want to pay for their cigarettes, beer, cable or cat food.
But, what do I know? I already know that it’s a multifaceted problem. Some people will never be able to compete on the same scale as the majority. But, I believe that everyone has something to contribute in a setting that accepts their honest effort. And I think that we are not applying the force of the disadvantaged population to ease the economy.
And why do we let the power company turn of poor people’s fridge so that they loose an months bill in spoiled food? Sure, go ahead, that helps – more brilliant solutions. That should be illegal.
I don’t know much about the condition of the homeless and the plight of the homeless and those on assistance at the hands of the government but Lorton Valley Star intends to provide a series of exploratory meetings with homeless people and people working with them and articles which will hopefully suggest solutions. The government might not like it.
I hope inexpensive solutions will be found. That is to say, solutions which increase productivity and prevent abuse but also prevent aid from being squandered. I’m pretty sure that what I read coming from Fairfax County government right now is not going to succeed. We are giving assistance but all of the government chest beating has not improved anyone’s lot. We need a makeover of our laws which addresses a sensitive understanding of the problem. Evidence of sensitive understanding will, I think, require a new vocabulary which replaces careless labels. This will require more thought than just throwing more money and verbiage at it.
For more info on Fairfax County’s plan browse http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless/

Fairfax County BOS Endorses Initiative to End Homelessness

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors strongly endorsed the creation of a new strategic plan to end homelessness in the county within 10 years. To focus public and private attention on the issue, the board also directed that a summit be held.
The plan, which is developed with broad public input by the county’s Council on Homelessness, was delivered to the board consistent with national efforts to end homelessness. The plan will be the county’s first comprehensive strategy to end homelessness. It will emphasize prevention and intervention as the solution, as well as ways to provide housing and social services.
Besides pushing for a strategic plan, the board has pursued the preservation of affordable housing stock, including setting aside one cent of the county’s real estate tax for this purpose. Affordable housing is the one of the board’s top six identified priorities.
Homelessness largely remains a hidden problem in Fairfax County, unlike many jurisdictions in the metropolitan Washington area. However, the county’s homeless population has totaled almost 2,000 people for the past several years, according to the council’s annual report. Today, there are more than 300 families, 700 children and 800 single adults who are homeless. Many of these individuals have chronic disabling conditions that contribute to their being homeless.
The 17-member Council on Homelessness is composed of county residents and representatives from local non-profits, businesses and faith communities. The council is charged with engaging the community to end homelessness and examine the problem with a long-term, strategic perspective. The group also makes policy and budget recommendations to the board, as well as submitting an annual report.
For more information about the council, development of its 10-year plan or the summit on homelessness, please contact Bill Macmillan, Department of Systems Management for Human Services, at 703-324-4657, TTY 711, or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dsm/cpch/cpchdefault.htm.

New Hope Housing’s Mondloch House Honored as “Best Housing Program”

New Hope Housing’s Mondloch House I program has been named the winner of the 2006 Virginia Housing Award for the Best Housing Program. Governor Tim Kaine presented the award to New Hope Housing’s executive director, Pam Michell, at the Governor’s Housing Conference in Norfolk on November 30th.

The “Best Housing Program” award is given annually to “a housing program or service that has demonstrated innovative and creative efforts in providing services or assistance to citizens in need of help in meeting any aspect of housing needs.”
Mondloch House I, the first shelter program in Fairfax County, was re-designed in October 2004 to serve chronically homeless adults, using a “housing first” relationship-driven approach. The hardest to serve homeless adults, those who are treatment resistant and have lived in the woods and in their cars for many years, are targeted for this program, whose first goal is to make individuals comfortable living indoors – thus “housing first.” In the small, homey atmosphere of Mondloch I, where rules are at a minimum and a sense of belonging is promoted, residents begin to feel safe and to trust staff. These trusting relationships eventually enable staff to assist residents in addressing their individual challenges and connecting them to services and permanent housing.
Of the 21 chronically homeless persons served to date, 7 have moved to permanent supportive housing, 1 to assisted living, and 1 to a shared subsidized unit. Seven others are current residents.
The program is a cooperative effort of New Hope Housing, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, and the Fairfax County Department of Family Services, all of whom were represented at the awards presentation.
New Hope Housing, 8407-E Richmond Highway, provides homeless families and individuals shelter and the tools to build a better life.
New Hope Housing is the oldest and largest provider of shelter beds in northern Virginia. New Hope Housing opened Mondloch House, the first Fairfax County shelter, in 1978. Today New Hope Housing operates six shelter programs, four transitional housing and two supportive housing programs, and a variety of support services to assist residents in returning to permanent housing and gaining greater self-sufficiency.

Auxiliary Police Officers Volunteer

Homeland security issues have increased the responsibilities for many local police departments, who are now performing more tasks and responding to more call for service than ever before. The support of volunteers has become a critical part of meeting local homeland security threats. To that end, Fairfax County Police are seeking volunteers who are interested in becoming Auxiliary Police Officers.

  Fairfax County has had an established Auxiliary Police Officer (APO) program since 1983, and has a current strength of approximately 108 volunteers. APOs are trained to perform a variety of operational support and administrative duties, which include patrol, traffic control, security of prisoners, desk assignments, communications, fingerprinting, crime prevention and special events. Auxiliary officers undergo almost as much training as regular police officers, but because they offer their services on a volunteer basis, they provide a considerable savings to County taxpayers while allowing patrol officers to handle assignments that only they can perform. The police department provides uniforms, equipment and insurance. Auxiliary officers must perform an average of 24 hours of volunteer service a month to maintain their status in the unit.

  Fairfax County is planning to hold its next Auxiliary Police Academy session in spring 2007. To be considered applicants must live in Northern Virginia and be at least 21 years of age. Applicants must be in good health and without a criminal record or history of drug use, and must not presently be an applicant for police officer in any jurisdiction. To apply, obtain a brochure or additional information about the Fairfax County Auxiliary Police Unit, contact Second Lieutenant David Cox at 703-280-0576.

For more information, visit this web link: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ps/police/Volunteers.htm Or e-mail: auxiliarypolice@fairfaxcounty.gov

Fairfax County Police
Law Enforcement Explorer Post 1742

Exploring is a great way for youth to prepare for their chosen career field or help them decide if their interest is strong enough to lead them into a law enforcement career.  Many active Fairfax County Police Officers were once Explorer Scouts, and just as many former Explorers have gone on to varied career fields building upon the skills gained through the Explorer program. 

Every two years, the Post participates in the national Explorer conference, regularly bringing home top honors in various law enforcement competitions.  For more information please call 703-246-4311.

Garden Kitchen’s New Chef Frèdèric Jobin

Frèdèric Jobin came to the Garden Kitchen restaurant in Occoquan this summer. He is a French Canadian native from a little town in the province of Quèbec called Chicoutimi. He has worked as a chef for a number of restaurants in the United States and abroad. His passion for food and a long-standing family tradition influenced Chef Jobin to pursue his career. Now, historic Occoquan is priviledged to share his creations.

He is the Executive Chef of The Garden Kitchen, which has been in operation since 1974. He has designed a new fine catering menu and plans on continuing doing what he does best as he always says “I enjoy cooking for my friends and family.”

His touch can be seen in the Thursday, Friday & Saturday evening fine-dining menu. Of course, the Garden Kitchen is still the same hardy Breakfast and Lunch spot in Occoquan and the home of Marie-Claire pies and cakes with daily lunch specials.

The O.W.L. Art dinner group meeting on Thursday evenings at the Garden Kitchen. They enjoy the menu specials, the company of fellow artists and show-and-tell their digital art creations or successes of the month.

Nelly Needlers’ Autumn Market Days and Needlework Bazaar

Story and Photos by Lori Craddock

Nellys Needlers’ Bazaar was held on Saturday October 14-15 on the historic grounds of Woodlawn Plantation. The beautiful landscape was the perfect backdrop for these “Nellies”, as the ladies lovingly refer to themselves, to display their wonderful wares. Admission was free for all to come see the handmade items for sale. Lunch was available for purchase on the side patio. All proceeds from the event went to preserve Woodlawn Plantation, the historic home of Eleanor “Nelly” Parke Custis, the association’s namesake and George Washington’s step-granddaughter.

Tables outside the main house were set up with all kinds of crafting books, hand-painted furniture, pillows, and quilts. Inside the home, a variety of rafting styles could be seen in the items displayed, such as quilting, needlepoint, counted cross stitch, sewing, knitting, crochet, etc. Each “Nelly” brings her own specialty to create a masterpiece. It’s a group effort for a good cause.

Nellies contribute to the cause from near and far. Several local groups contribute items as well as even some in Europe. Members vary in age and even retired Nellies still contribute their time and effort. This group is about love and legacy, not only for the beloved plantation, but also for each other. Thelma Barr, holding the title of the National Quilting Association’s First Master Quilter in the United States, explains,” I enjoy everything about the organization, but mostly the wonderful ladies I have met. The Nellies are a big support group for each other through loss, illness, trials and tribulations, they listen and support each other. It feels good to know we can count on each other and make a difference in each other’s lives as well as in preserving this plantation.”

Looking through the main bazaar room filled with items including baby booties, Christmas ornaments, Nelly cookbooks, and more, one could not help but feel the love emanating form the room. Each item seemed to tell a story of labor of love seen in the intricate designs and patterns. It is truly a group effort as Nellies are modest in their individual talents and instead focus on the effort as a whole, appreciating each other’s work as if it were their own.

On a nearby table, an incredibly intricate framed doile stood out amongst the other items in the room. Each person passing admired the craftsmanship, and although the creator was unknown, each Nelly beamed with pride upon showing the display.

Although the bazaar was held only two days, Nellys Needlers sell their work in the plantation gift shop all year long to continue raising funds for the preservation effort. The Nellies also host a tea party every day in the month of March. Guests pay a small fee to enjoy the old time experience. Also in March, a needlework exhibition is held to display and judge the best of Nelly Needler’s creations.

For further information about this organization and its efforts as well as how to donate money or volunteer time, please contact Woodlawn Plantation at (703) 780-4000 or www.woddlawn1805.org.

New Trails Accessible From Old Colchester Road

Volunteer Megan Van Son and BLM’s Jeff McCusker installing trail signage.

Story & Photo by Joe Chudzik

National Public Lands Day 2006 was celebrated on Saturday morning by volunteers helping to construct new hiking and nature trails at Meadowood Special Recreation Area on Mason Neck.

  Four new trails were completed: Holly Ridge; Turkey Meadow; Red Fox Marsh; and Sapling Trail. Volunteers cleared brush, installed two foot bridges; and erected directional signposts and trail markers. Other  volunteers planted Spring blooming wildflowers and did landscaping work.

  BLM employees together with volunteers have constructed a new entrance and parking area at the West Meadowood gate at 10750 Old Colchester Road for access to the new hiking trails. The fenced gate is open for trail users to access the new hiking and nature trails.

From Route 1, take Gunston Rd (east), go approximately 1 mile, turn right on Old Colchester Road and look for signs at the trailhead entrance on the right hand side of the road after approximately 1 mile.  Seven volunteers; David Nadasi, Mark Antholt, Larissa Nunes, Kate Tobin, Sarah Barnhart, Megan Van Son, and Sarah Noble from the Young Consultants of DC assisted in the National Public Lands Day 2006 projects. The Young Consultants of DC are young professionals many employees at Booze Allen, Hamilton, who are dedicated to building a better society through good works through community service. Volunteers from this organization in July helped remove a ton of trash from Giles Run Creek that had been collected during the Potomac River Watershed Clean-up last April

  BLM’s Eastern States Director Mike Nedd, Meadowood Manager Jinx Fox and Recreation Planner Jeff McCusker took time from their other duties to assist in this National Public Lands Day project

  BLM provided the tools, lunch and National Public Lands Day 2006 T-shirts. The Mason Neck Lions Club supported this  project at Meadowood with refreshments, snacks and certificates of appreciation to the participating volunteers.

Lorton resident Hayley Green, shown riding Toby, participated in a trail ride on May 7th on Mason Neck to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Sponsored by the Mason Neck Horse Coalition, the event went off without “a hitch,” thanks in large part to the invaluable help of the Bureau of Land Management, Fairfax County police, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, Pohick Bay Regional Park and Mason Neck resident David Reese. The benefit garnered $3,160—nearly double the national average, according to St. Jude. Next on MNHC’s calendar is the 4th of July parade at Gunston Plaza, where riders and horses will strut their red-white-and-blue stuff. Photo: Tricia Holser

“Standing on the Rock” in Community Service

“Standin’ on the Rock” shares their Gospel Bluegrass talent for residents at Mt. Vernon House on the first Thursday or each month from 7:00 to 9:00. The non-denominational worship time includes a prayer and a short Biblical message.
The six members include: Mike Price (leader), vocals, rhythm guitar; Patti Hunt, vocals, arrangements; Ed Fruit, vocals, mandolin; Paul Searles, vocals, mandola, harmonica, fiddle, autoharp, mandolin; Brad O’Hara (not in frame), guitar, dobro, vocals; and Dean Gilkey, vocals, guitar, banjo, harmonica.

TransAction 2030 Transportation

Plan Endorsed

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors endorsed the TransAction 2030 Long-Range Transportation Plan which updates the Northern Virginia 2020 Transportation Plan and will guide the region’s transportation priorities and funding allocations. The plan is a balance of highway, transit, bicycle and pedestrian projects that will result in improved mobility in Northern Virginia, if implemented. Fairfax County is a member of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, which led the 18-month 2030 effort in collaboration with local jurisdictions and regional and statewide transportation agencies. 
The 2030 plan goes further than the 2020 plan adopted in 1999 in actually prioritizing the projects included in the plan according to an opinion poll of more than 1,200 people in the region assessing the public’s view of the most important transportation improvements for the region and the funding sources they found most acceptable. The TransAction 2030 Plan did not add new projects to those already included in the Northern Virginia 2020 Transportation Plan, beyond those identified in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Northern Virginia Regional Bikeway and Trail Study that was completed in October 2003. Based on that study, the 2030 plan will incorporate more pedestrian and biking improvements.
The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority estimates that an additional $16.6 billion is needed to fund the projects included in TransAction 2030 over the next 25 years.  If the TransAction 2030 Plan is funded, it will:

• Double the number of Metrorail stations in Northern Virginia as a result of Metrorail extensions in the I-66, I-95 and Dulles corridors.
• Add light rail transit and/or bus rapid transit to the Route 7, Route 28, Crystal City-Potomac Yards and Columbia Pike corridors.
• Add 600 miles of on- and off-road trails.
• Increase highway capacity by 8 percent above what is already planned in the region’s Constrained Long-Range Plan.

After TransAction 2030 is reviewed and endorsed by the local jurisdictions, it will be formally adopted.  This action is scheduled for June 2006. NVTA is charged with developing a regional transportation plan covering the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William, and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park.
TransAction 2030 information is available at www.transaction2030.com. For further information, contact Tom Biesiadny in the Fairfax County Department of Transportation at 703-324-1154.

America’s Anniversary Garden,

Plant Your Own

Plant an American flag in your yard. Beginning this spring and into 2007, patriotically colored red, white and blue flowers will bloom across Virginia to commemorate the settlement of Jamestown in 1607.  A statewide theme garden. America’s Anniversary Garden includes a selection of annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs in a red, white and blue color theme. 
The gardens will be featured on entrance corridors throughout the state and available for purchase as a kit at garden centers for residents and tourists alike.  Seasonal additions for the garden will be developed, and in 2007 expansion kits will be added to allow gardeners to expand their anniversary garden. Information about plants for home gardens, including native plants and garden designs, are available at the America’s Anniversary Garden Web site at www.ext.vt.edu/americasgarden/.
The planting designs and promotions are intended to attract new gardeners. The design and plants were selected to provide success for even the most inexperienced gardeners in hopes that they will continue gardening long after 2007.