LTE: The School Boundary Process Is Broken

An Ashburn resident explains what she believes is wrong with the way LCPS selects enrollment districts.

Something is broken in the system used to determine school boundaries in Loudoun County. In the midst of the boundary hearings, school planning zones are being split when new plans are announced, walk zones are being established without safety review or public input, and HOA has become the “official” definition of community. School Board Bylaws 2-32 list in order the initial considerations to be considered when making changes to boundaries. They are as follows: When Proximity is ignored, Trailside Middle School is not the middle school that Newton-Lee Elementary School students will attend. These two schools are located on the same site, are just 70 feet apart, share a common entrance, and will be required to share fields, parking, etc. …

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mom to sadie

7:21 pm on Saturday, April 20, 2013

Tonia, why is it now you feel it necessary to "come to the defense" of some other community when you were making very strong comments on how you supported plan 5. You did not seem to care that that plan left SBHS over crowded..in fact, dismissed all data regarding that fact. In plan 5 ALL of AF and 1/2 of Broadlands would addend Trailside and SBHS..so which is it? Do you actually favor proximity …   more ›

Ask Dr. Mike

Dr. Mike Addresses Money, Education and Pet Death for April

The local psychologists provides advice to readers in his monthly column.

Merging His and Hers Financial Planning Dr. Mike, I work for the government and the Sequestration is something that is very real to me. My husband is completely oblivious to our reality and is still spending like everything is okay. For him it is life as usual as he continues to purchase electronics and plan for a pricey family summer vacation. How do I knock some sense into him that the Sequestration is real?         R in Loudoun County R, Perhaps your husband is oblivious to your shared financial situation, or he may be in denial over it because it is consciously too much for him to handle. Moreover, our financial situation as a nation just does not seem to make sense, which may also be influencing his response to you. Think about it, …

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Got Something to Say? Blog on Patch

Post your blog on Patch and link it to your site; share your knowledge or tips or with the community.

What are you passionate about? Whether it's food, family, schools, history, government, social issues, exercise, fashion or business—if it's your thing, consider blogging for Patch and sharing what you know with the community. Are you an expert craftsman or hobbyist who can share do-it-yourself tips? Do you have strong opinions about local government or local politics? Can you make people laugh or think? Can you write compellingly? Then we want to hear from you. Find everything you need to start a blog on Leesburg Patch here. Bloggers write what they want at whatever pace they choose, whether multiple entries per day or once a month. There’s no limit to the number of bloggers who can post, but bloggers must post using their own names—no …

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Letter to the Editor

LTE: Loudouners Deserve More Time to Speak

An Ashburn resident raises concerns about the perceived reduction in speaking opportunities before the board of supervisors.

Dear Editor: For a very long time Loudoun residents who wished to speak before the Board of Supervisors during public comment sessions of hearings or meetings, were limited to 3 and sometimes 5 minutes. It depended of course on whether a small or large number had signed up to speak, or whether meetings were running late. Time was when those representing organizations such as HOAs, non-profits or other organizations were granted a full 5 minutes to speak and sometimes longer, because they were representing large numbers of residents. But no longer. Board Chairman York, citing ‘time constraints’ and other excuses decided some time ago that comments be limited to two minutes, or even one minute (when certain agenda items drew in many speakers…

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P'Ville Resident

1:30 pm on Friday, March 29, 2013

Denying/restricting public comment is a deliberate attempt to silence those who wish to speak, especially those who speak against what the BOS seems heck bent on approving at the behest of their developer-money-backers. The people who were signed up to speak were told the meeting was cancelled; the semantics used by the BOS to now say that the public comments were cancelled but not the meeting is…   more ›

Opinion: Keeping NOVA Nation’s Most ‘Data Center Friendly’ Location

Delegate Comstock highlights work done to keep the region, Loudoun in particular, responsive to the industry.

The Northern Virginia region clearly faces economic threats and challenges as a result of sequestration and government downsizing. The national economy continues to stagnate. If you are looking for a bright sign on our local horizon, the data center industry – which is expected to still grow by hundreds of millions over the near future – is a sector to double down on. That is why, once again this year, I worked with the Northern Virginia Technology Council and local business leaders to pass another bill to promote this important industry that is thriving in Northern Virginia and throughout the Commonwealth – and particularly in Loudoun County. Our aim is to be one of the most “Data Center Friendly” places in the country. Each day, 70 …

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Letter to the Editor

LTE: Board Wrong on Roadside Fundraising

A former supervisor weighs in on decision to ban the activity, which local firefighters use to raise funds for MDA.

The board of supervisors just banned roadside fundraising that has consistently raised almost $1 million each year for research into a cure for muscular dystrophy, a medical problem that attacks mostly children. I was part of a bipartisan majority on the prior board that rejected such a ban, continuing to allow our county firefighters and medical technicians to run their “Fill the Boot” campaigns every year. None of us liked the fact that, to keep the campaign going, we also had to allow less noble panhandlers on the same streets. But, we allowed them all, in the name of doing the most overall good at the least taxpayer cost. To see the new, all-Republican board kill this worthy project is doubly galling, since they have not only cut off …

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Letter to the Editor

LTE: STEM Education Goals are Key to Future

Reader encourages Congress to support the ‘I Squared’ legislation.

To The Editor: As Northern Virginia braces for the economic effects of the Sequester, some Virginians from both parties are feeling jaded about the ability of Congress to come together on big issues. But anyone looking for signs of encouragement should consider the bipartisan support brewing in Congress for the Immigration Innovation Act of 2013, commonly known as “I Squared.” This legislation addresses America's critical need for highly skilled people in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) in order to compete in a high-tech world. U.S. Senator Mark Warner has shown leadership as a co-sponsor of I Squared, and, given Senator Kaine’s conviction that U.S. education and economic policy should focus on the evolving “…

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Letter to the Editor

LTE: Stop Finger Pointing, Reduce the Debt

A local business CEO tells politicians to stop grandstanding and ‘do their jobs.’

Expanding our company from two employees here in Virginia to a global operation with 180 associates reflects the American Dream for our shareholders and for our employees. This is the same dream that my immigrant grandfather realized, having built a successful wholesale business within a generation of coming to this country as a child. The ability to start and to grow a business and to participate in growing our nation’s economy lies at the heart of the American enterprise. However, failure to address our unsustainable national debt hinders future opportunities. Our inaction jeopardizes the future of the economy and the prospects for our children and grandchildren. Every day our debt grows by $3 billion. If we continue to allow our debt to…

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Ask Dr. Mike

Dr. Mike Weighs in on Hollywood, ‘Guns’ in School, Teens and Weed

In his monthly column the local psychologist responds to the latest round of questions.

Hollywood’s Mental Shortcomings Dr. Mike, My husband has Bipolar Disorder, and we recently saw Silver Linings Playbook. I realize the movie is a big hit and that a lot of people really enjoy the movie’s feel-good message, but we are both very offended by the story. Bipolar Disorder is a serious mental illness, and it has compromised my husband’s life, and our family’s life, in many ways over the years. To portray Bipolar as something that you can get over in a short period of time is not only ludicrous, but also insulting to those of us who live with Bipolar, and its painful realities, everyday. I don’t know if you saw the movie, but I know you were the head mental health advisor to the Bipolar Support Alliance of Northern Virginia, so we …

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