Entries in Living in LoCo for February 2008
Finding a Camp That Fits
Winter is barely over, and spring has barely begun, but summer is on the minds of many parents and business owners here in Loudoun County. They are already looking forward to Summer Camp 2008. Read full entry and discussion »
Kids: Talking About Tragedy
There’s been a lot of scary stuff happening in Loudoun lately: sexual assault on the W&OD Trail, murder in Leesburg, a 19-year-old’s body found in Ashburn, drug-smuggling, stabbings, robbery. How do you explain these horrible events to your kids? Read full entry and discussion »
Exercise Gone to the Dogs
Not too long ago, I did a story on the proposed dog park in Leesburg. If you don’t mind spending some bucks to stay in Loudoun, check out the Leesburg Canine Country Club, which opened last year. Recently, while driving down Gum Spring Road, I spied a pack of dogs enjoying a good time right across the street from the old Arcola Community Center. Read full entry and discussion »
Parents to Bring Funding Concerns to Board
Several concerned parents are planning to make their voices heard at a public hearing Wednesday as the Board of Supervisors meets to discuss the fiscal year 2009 budget. Supervisors plan to discuss a proposal to trim $23 million from the amount requested by the school board and exclude funding for a second high school in the Route 50 corridor. Read full entry and discussion »
Records Made Public in 'Tango' Case
As a result of a Freedom of Information Act request I made to LCPS, I received the public documents surrounding the "And Tango Makes Three" book challenge. Meanwhile, the Loudoun County School Board will be meeting at the Education Building at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, and those on both sides of the issue are planning to show up. Read full entry and discussion »
'Race Realism' Group's Convention Draws Protest
On Saturday, about 30 protesters were in front of the Dulles Crowne Plaza hotel in Herndon, waving signs, chanting and showing their opposition of American Renaissance, which was holding its annual convention there. American Renaissance’s main tenet is race realism, the opposite of racial equality. Read full entry and discussion »
Polo Event Shining Up Its Tarnished Cup
The inaugural America's Polo Cup event, held in Leesburg last May, had its share of divots—and not just from sod kicked up by the ponies. Read full entry and discussion »
Parents to Learn What Teens Already Know
The waiting list is growing for parents eager to learn about technology and Web sites teens are all too familiar with. In fact, the class filled up so quickly that officials started a waiting list. “It’s already up to 50 people." Read full entry and discussion »
Waxpool and Pacific: Go With the Flow?
Last Thursday I was 12 minutes late to pick up my daughter from her after-school art class. I’m to blame, really, but of course my official excuse was the boondoggle at the Wegmans light –- a.k.a. the traffic intersection at Waxpool Road and Pacific Boulevard, exiting the Dulles 28 Centre shopping area. Read full entry and discussion »
Consultant, Celeb's Mom Advises Soon-to-Be Principals
While "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart was making preparations for hosting the Academy Awards on Sunday, his mother was in Loudoun today making some preparations of her own. Marian Leibowitz, a nationally known education consultant who has worked with Loudoun County Public Schools for more than 10 years, met this afternoon in an office at the Education Building with three principals who will be opening new elementary schools in Loudoun County this fall. Read full entry and discussion »
Posted by Erica Garman at 10:53 a.m. on February 18, 2008
GSA Reaches Out to HOAs
Good Shepherd Alliance's volunteer spokesman, Nicholas Graham moderated a meeting Saturday afternoon with neighborhood HOA representatives to address any unresolved concerns with GSA's plans for its Ashburn site. Read full entry and discussion »
Posted by LoudounExtra.com staff at 12:11 p.m. on February 15, 2008
In Memory of Lois
Amy Kelly knows from personal experience how difficult cancer treatment can be for cancer patients and their families. She lost her mother, Lois Jenkins Jancaitis, to pancreatic cancer in 2003. As a tribute, her fitness club offers “Lois Memberships” that waive membership fees for women undergoing cancer treatment. Read full entry and discussion »
What Loudoun Women Want
Today is Valentine’s Day. Just a little reminder. Please, gentlemen, pay attention. Read full entry and discussion »
Posted by Erica Garman at 10:06 a.m. on February 14, 2008
1,000 Teens Could Rock 'Lock-In'
Loudoun teens are invited to spend the evening of March 7 at the Rockin’ Lock-In, an all-night event that will feature live music and raise awareness of teen-crisis issues. The event, will take place at the National Conference Center in Lansdowne and is expected to draw some 1,000 Loudoun teenagers. Read full entry and discussion »
Posted by Erica Garman at 3:43 p.m. on February 13, 2008
Loudoun Party Leaders Give 2 Cents
Loudoun voters turned out in full force yesterday, despite the bitter cold and freezing rain. How are Loudoun party leaders responding to last night’s wins? "I congratulate Senator McCain for his victory last night," says the GOP. "We’re gonna kick butt," the Dems say. Read full entry and discussion »
Voters Weigh Variety of Issues at Polls
I spoke with several Loudoun voters earlier today and asked them: “Is there a particular issue or candidate that inspired you to come out and vote?” Read full entry and discussion »
Signs of Change in South Riding?
What is most striking when going from polling place to polling place in South Riding this afternoon was the lack of signs. Not that there weren’t any, but that there weren’t Republican candidates' signs among all the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton signs. Read full entry and discussion »
Caution: Rusty Degree at Work
Seldom used since May 1991 when I received my political science degree, I am going to postulate on today’s primary results. Read full entry and discussion »
Where's Tango?
An award-winning children's book was recently removed from general circulation at Loudoun County public elementary school libraries. The book, "And Tango Makes Three," tells the story of two male penguins who start a family after hatching an orphaned egg at New York's Central Park Zoo. The book was ultimately removed following a complaint and subsequent appeal from a Sugarland Elementary parent. While the book was initially deemed appropriate for general circulation by the school principal, the parent appealed to LCPS, which ordered the book be removed from general circulation and placed in schools' professional libraries. Read full entry and discussion »
OpenBand and Southern Walk: 'Til Death Do Us Part
The only way Southern Walk residents can get out of their 65 year contract with OpenBand is to either sell their home or die. The developer of the Southern Walk community in Broadlands, Van Metre Homes, signed an exclusive 65-year contract with OpenBand in 2001 to provide video, Internet and phone to residents. This means SW residents are stuck with their OpenBand media package, despite a recent FCC ruling that made null a "exclusivity clause" for cable operators. Read full entry and discussion »
Freedom HS Student to Play for USF Bulls
Alyssa (Aly) Gazarek has become the first student from Freedom High School to sign a letter of intent with an NCAA Division I program. The senior has comitted to play soccer for the University of South Florida Bulls, a member of the Big East Conference. Read full entry and discussion »
Red Light, Green Light
As red tape continues to give a new traffic signal in Ashburn the red light, Faulkner Parkway is about to open and construction marches on west of Broad Run at the site of what is rumored to be a data-processing campus. Read full entry and discussion »
Ashburn Restaurateurs Having Reservations?
Several dining establishments have gone out of business in Ashburn in the past few weeks. Word on the street is that many LoCo dining establishments, like other area businesses, have been struggling lately -- particularly the mom and pop restaurants that don’t have the benefit of big marketing budgets that most chain restaurants enjoy. Read full entry and discussion »
Trans Fat in LCPS Lunches Not Always Transparent
The Virginia Senate voted last week to phase out trans fats from foods served in public school cafeterias. I spoke with Suzie Kollaja, supervisor of the LCPS Department of Food Services, to see what schools in our area are doing to reduce or eliminate trans fats in cafeteria lunches.“ It’s difficult to give an exact figure," she said, "because all the information necessary to calculate trans fats is not available.” Read full entry and discussion »
Posted by Erica Garman at 11:45 a.m. on February 5, 2008
House Calls: Vets Log 30,000 Miles
Ahh, the good old days: The image of a doctor rushing to a patient’s side and administering needed medication, all in the comfort of the patient’s home. It harkens back to a time long lost. For the horses of Loudoun County, the good old days are still alive and well -- the doctor still makes house calls. Read full entry and discussion »
Gas Prices: Finally, We're Below Average at Something
Loudoun's got above-average schools, above-average traffic, above-average incomes and above-average housing costs … It's refreshing to be below average at something around here! Read full entry and discussion »
Posted by Erica Garman at 10:42 a.m. on February 4, 2008
If E-Mails Decided a Race …
In preparing a recent story for Living in LoCo about the Loudoun Free Clinic, I thought I’d ask the candidates if they wanted to contribute a comment to the story. Typically, I would have made quite a few phone calls and gone through lots of tracking and getting by all of their 'handlers.' However, I thought, what would happen if I did it the easy way -- via the Internet? The response from the leading candidates has varied. Read full entry and discussion »
Leesburg Dog Park a Bone of Contention
Leesburg had a community work session last night at Ida Lee to address concerns regarding a proposed public dog park. Many residents of Old Waterford Knoll, whose neighborhood is adjacent to the proposed site, aren’t convinced that a dog park would be a positive amenity to their neighborhood. Read full entry and discussion »
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