Corey says he didn’t want to “give away” Silver Lake just to “save money” ?

Elena

HUH? What kind of fiscal republican does not want to “save money” ?

By KEITH WALKER News & Messenger
Published: October 21, 2008

The Bull Run Mountains Conservancy has dropped out of negotiations with the Prince William County Park Authority over the property at Silver Lake.

A conservancy statement released Tuesday stated that the organization pulled out of negotiations because a stalemate on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors negated further negotiations.

“At this point our continued involvement can only delay opening the property to the public,” the release stated.

The property was proffered to the county by Toll Brothers in 2006 in exchange for 420 additional houses in Dominion Valley.

The conservancy was offering to combine an additional 268 acres with the county’s 233 acres at Silver Lake off Antioch Road near Haymarket if the county deeded portions of the property to the conservancy.

Additionally, a private grant would have allowed the conservancy to open a park at no cost to the public.

The conservancy was prepared to guarantee public access and certain recreational uses and accept deed restrictions that would return the land to the county if the conservancy ceased to exist or failed to allow public access.

Prince William Chairman Corey A. Stewart, R-at large, didn’t want to give away the property in order to save money.

Opening the property could cost the park authority as much $215,000 annually.

Supervisor W.S. “Wally” Covington III, R-Brentsville, didn’t like the plan because it hadn’t been subjected to the budget process.

Supervisor Maureen S. Caddigan, R-Dumfries, said having the conservancy run the park was a “no-brainer” that carried obvious benefits.

The Prince William Conservation Alliance favored the conservancy’s proposal, said Kim Hosen, the alliance executive director.

“In our view we have a problem here,” Hosen said. “We have a severe shortage of parkland and a severe shortage of money. It appeared that this was a win-win for everybody.”

It’s difficult to protect green space and open parkland in Northern Virginia, Hosen said.

“I think it takes partnerships to pull things off,” she said.

Hosen wasn’t worried by the prospect that the conservancy would have owned portions of the property.

“They were willing to sign a contract with the county and accept deed restrictions that would define the uses and public access,” she said.

Michael Kieffer, the executive director of the conservancy, said the conservancy’s withdrawal allowed the park authority a chance to move ahead on opening the park.

PWC NEW Adult Detention Center Opens

MoonHowler

Thanks to Chris for this guest post and picture.

We have a new ADC for Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park. It will begin to house inmates next month. The new ADC is long overdue, and finally complete.

One of the best things about having the new facility is that inmates who are currently “farmed out” out to other jurisdictions will be returning to the area. This will be a big savings to us the tax payers. We’ve been spending a fair amount of money on our inmates to be housed in other facilities. We aren’t able to farm out any person with an ICE detainer.

The new facility was also featured during yesterday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. It showed the project from start to finish. The presentation will re-air on Channel 23 or Channel 37 the next three nights at 7:30, and then on Saturday and Sunday at 10am.

One of the neatest features is the “video visitation.” PWC is the second jurisdiction in the Commonwealth to use this technology, Virginia Beach was the first. One of the big benefits of this new technology is there’s less possibility of contraband getting in the hands of the inmates.

Racist and Redneck: Divisive Words Surface…

MoonHowler

And have the potential of biting a 17-term congressman in the butt.

The Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha saga continues. He can’t seem to quit putting his foot in his mouth. The Democratic congressman first got in hot water last week by explaining “There is no question that western Pennsylvania is a racist area.”

Quite understandably, his constituents from Western PA didn’t think much of this description. Rep. Murtha tried to clarify his statement by explaining that the older folks weren’t really racist, just redneck.

That should have reassured those constituents in question. {{sarcasm button on}} Still, Murtha predicts an Obama win in Pennsylvania.

According to ABC news,

The 17-term Democratic congressman told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in a story posted Wednesday on its Web site: “There is no question that western Pennsylvania is a racist area.”
Murtha said it has taken time for many Pennsylvania voters to come around to embracing a black presidential candidate, but that Obama should still win the state, though not in a runaway.

One Nation, according to Johnny Cash

MoonHowler

As we duke it out these last 2 weeks, trying to get our candidate to the White House, it can be difficult to see ourselves as having a darn thing in common with those who don’t support our guy. Stolen signs and divisive words seem to rule the day. Democratic red, white, and blue is somehow different from Republican red, white, and blue.

Johnny Cash somehow reminds us that most of our goals are the same, regardless of party or other things that divide us. Perhaps Cash is the real Uniter.

Obama in Leesburg Late Afternoon

MoonHowler

Thanks to Chris for this find.

There are lots of McCain signs over in that area of Loudoun. Does this Virginia saturation by the candidates increase the chances of winning or is it just preaching to the choir?

October 21, 2008 – 4:43am

Barack Obama, the Democratic Party’s candidate for President, plans a late afternoon rally at Leesburg’s Ida Lee Park on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Gates open at 3 p.m., with the rally scheduled to begin at 5:30.

Although the event is free, Obama campaign officials urge individuals attending the rally make reservations at www.VA.barackobama.com. For security reasons, no banners or signs will be allowed. Also, bags will not be permitted and personal items should be limited.

The visit to Loudoun County will be Obama’s first of his two-year-old campaign for the nation’s highest elected office. He appeared at Robinson High School in Fairfax County for a rally prior to the convention, while his running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, recently held a rally in Sterling

From the Loudoun Times-Mirror