Entries in Living in LoCo for March 2008
Broadlands Woman Tries Life Without Credit Cards
Starting tomorrow, Rachel Johnson, 37, is going on a cash diet. The Broadlands resident and self-described DINK (double-income, no kids), frequently uses her Visa to indulge in online shopping and eating out. After reviewing her credit card bills, which averaged about $1,000 monthly, Johnson felt a change was due. Read full entry and discussion »
Posted by Erica Garman at 10:22 a.m. on March 28, 2008
Neighborhood Garden Project Growing in Leesburg
Leesburg neighbors Deanna Glick, Jennifer Morris and Lauren Vogan buy lots of organic produce. They frequent the Leesburg Farmers Market on Saturdays for local fresh fruits and vegetables. What they can’t find organic at the market, they purchase from local grocery stores. Frustrated by the lack of variety and the high cost of organic produce, these three friends decided to plant their own community garden in Glick’s backyard. Read full entry and discussion »
A Caring Doctor Who Treated the 'Whole Child'
Patients of Whole Child Pediatrics in Ashburn are receiving sad news today. Dr. Laura Pasternak, 53, passed away Tuesday from breast cancer. Read full entry and discussion »
A Fowl Ad Circulating in Loudoun?
“So Easy To Text A Chick Could Do It” reads the bolded text in Wireless Jungle’s recent advertisement. The ad was placed in several local rags and newspaper inserts and delivered to Loudoun residents over the last few weeks. So, should we “chicks” be offended? Read full entry and discussion »
Loudoun No. 3 in Rate of Hispanic Growth
In February, the U.S. Census Bureau posted a slideshow presentation online highlighting the country’s Hispanic population trends. Loudoun had the third-highest Hispanic population growth rate in the country from 2000 to 2006 (151.1 percent). The data show the rate of growth among Hispanics was greater than the county as a whole, which grew 64 percent during the same period. Read full entry and discussion »
Doctors' Decision Leaves Patients With $1,500 Question
Luckily, I’m quite satisfied with my current health provider. But what would I do if my now favorite medical practice told me they were switching to a more personalized form of care, and I’d have to pony up $1,500 to remain a patient? Read full entry and discussion »
Posted by Erica Garman at 11:01 a.m. on March 21, 2008
With Medal, Hamilton Girl Eyes Even Bigger Prize
While most of us are celebrating the arrival of spring and the advent of warmer days, Ashley Caldwell is catapulting for joy over snow … literally. On March 8, the 14-year-old Hamilton resident and former Harmony Intermediate student was awarded a silver medal in the Freestyle Junior Olympics skiing competition. She won first place in her age bracket in the aerial competition. Read full entry and discussion »
Peace Vigil Marks War's 5th Anniversary
A peace vigil was held four years ago in downtown Leesburg to mark the first anniversary of the Iraq war. Last night, a vigil was held at the same location to mark the fifth. Read full entry and discussion »
Group Forms, Again, to Advocate for School
A group formed to advocate for a new high school in the Dulles South area in 2002 has been reactivated. The reason for the group becoming active again is that a vote will soon determine if a new high school (known as HS-7) will be constructed by 2011 to relieve overcrowding at Freedom High School. Read full entry and discussion »
NVCC Entrance to Ease Route 7 Backups
Anthony Tardd, provost of the Loudoun campus of Northern Virginia Community College, has heard the complaints: Students and faculty driving westbound on Route 7 sometimes wait up to 30 minutes to make a left turn into the Sterling campus. There’s also a traffic backlog leaving campus during high-volume periods when classes let out at the same time. Read full entry and discussion »
Broadlands Residents to Board: Say 'No' to Hospital
Sheryl Sedita doesn’t want a hospital in her Broadlands neighborhood. She was one of about 60 Broadlands residents who shared concerns at the BOS public comment session last night. Many of the Concerned Citizens of Broadlands wore bright yellow shirts as a sign of opposition to BRMC. Read full entry and discussion »
Where To Get Your Green On
My kids set out traps last night to catch that pesky leprechaun. No luck -- the Irish rascal eluded them yet again. Perhaps you’ll have better luck catching that leprechaun at one of these fine Irish establishments today: Read full entry and discussion »
Celebrate 'Pi Day' With Infinitely Tasty Pastries
Happy Pi Day! I don't use the value these days, but I'll never forget how to use it to calculate the area of a circle: As my eighth-grade math teacher always joked, "Pie aren't round, πr²!" Read full entry and discussion »
Packing Heat in Loudoun
From circuit court records I obtained yesterday, 765 Loudoun residents were issued concealed handgun permits in 2007. That’s a 27 percent increase from 2006 (602 permits). Since January this year, 220 permits have been granted -- indicating that there will be a significant increase of citizens "packing heat" in 2008 as well. Read full entry and discussion »
Sprucing Up Sterling Park
Sterling Boulevard is getting a "green" make-over. The project has been on hold for almost a year due to Loudoun County Sanitation Authority watering restrictions. Read full entry and discussion »
Scholarships: Don't Wait Till the Last Minute
Researching college scholarships may be the last thing on your high school senior’s mind right now -- spring break is right around the corner. But don’t let your college-bound senior delay; many scholarship applications are due April 3. Have you seen the price of textbooks these days? Read full entry and discussion »
Posted by Erica Garman at 2:42 p.m. on March 10, 2008
Jumbo Help for Loudoun Mortgages?
Last week, regulators made getting a government-backed housing loan a little easier. Year to date, the average sales price of single family homes sold in Loudoun County is $470,592. Fannie and Freddie set new loan limits at $729,750 in Loudoun County and areas around D.C. Read full entry and discussion »
In Classrooms, School Funding Less Divisive
The community as a whole is divided over whether the Board of Supervisors should trim millions from the amount requested by the School Board. For teachers and PTA leaders in the South Riding area, the issue isn't quite so divisive. Read full entry and discussion »
Weighing In at the Grocery Store
Sometimes the little things get me asking questions. For example, why are the cashiers at Wegmans always so happy that I’ve weighed my produce and placed that little bar-coded sticker on my loose veggies? Read full entry and discussion »
"Greedway" or Smart Business Decision?
Congressman Frank R. Wolf has been on a mission for several years to keep the tolls in check on the privately held Dulles Greenway. On Sept. 12, the State Corporation Commission approved Greenway toll hikes of up to $4.80 each way by 2012. Most Loudoun residents are on the Wolf bandwagon. After all, who likes price increases? And we all get a kick out of our “Greedway” nickname for the much-loved/much-hated toll road. Read full entry and discussion »
Posted by Erica Garman at 2:24 p.m. on March 5, 2008
LoCo Online Shopping Gets Boost
Note cards designed by a Leesburg college student were featured in February’s edition of People, and as of yesterday, Loudoun County’s surplus store started selling items online, like laptops and cars -- even a Bingo King Autotronic 7600. Read full entry and discussion »
BRMC: Is Resident Concern Fading?
About 25 members of the Concerned Citizens of Broadlands -- a resident group against the planned HCA hospital in Broadlands -- came to the Board of Supervisors public input session last night to show their opposition to a hospital in their community. Of those 25, several were couples and families with children. Honestly, I was expecting a larger turnout of residents opposed to the Broadlands Regional Medical Center. Read full entry and discussion »
'Tango' Back in Circulation at Sugarland
"Tango" is headed back to the bookshelf. This e-mail was sent yesterday to LCPS administration from Superintendent Edgar B. Hatrick III: Read full entry and discussion »
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