Have we dodged another snow bullet? Bear reports big snow up in New York State. He says it will continue to snow until Sunday. Now that’s some snow! It has started here but will it amount to anything? It is piling up on my deck pretty fast but the forecast changes from minute to minute. What is happening at your house?
Let it snow!
Just a dusting at the moment. Very pretty. Loved waking up to it.
Ditto over here at Lake Manassas. When I got up for my morning run #1 (to the bathroom and then back to bed) around 0500, I looked out and I didn’t see anything. Different story when I got up again at 0945. I haven’t been out, but looking at the accumulation on top of my grill it’s maybe 1/2 to 1 inch. Nice for it to come on a weekend rather than a workday.
@Morris Davis
Morris, before I read the description of your run #1, I was feeling like a big wimp. So thank you for clarifying. I can now move through my day at a normal slug-like pace without feeling guilty. 🙂
i’m sure nyc will be just fine. their city’s municipal snowplowing operation has a sterling reputation
Hmmm, looks like Midco and LOCCA-PELT, etal have finally had enough of Corey’s (and Jenkins, Covington, Nohe and Caddigan) high hat shenanigans. I just hope their members remember these shenanigans in November, particularly as more are likely to come in the evening session on Tuesday.
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – —
Several long-time civic groups in Prince William County are asking for more of a voice in government.
On Tuesday, members of Midco, Occoquan Land Use Advisory Committee, the Dale City Civic Association and LOCCA-PELT, will present a petition to the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. The petition asks the supervisors to pass a binding resolution or amend existing policies and procedures during board meetings that would allow the public three days to look at any major changes made to development applications in the 11th hour.
Advocates For the Rural Crescent, the Prince William Conservation Alliance, the Sudley Springs Catharpin Civic Association, the Aden Corridor Coalition and Woodbine Woods Homeowners Association all endorsed the petition, as well.
As president of Midco, Martin Jeter has been working with county staff on creating more government transparency alongside members of several of the other groups. Recent modifications to the Environment Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan by the supervisors were the tipping point for the petition, said Jeter.
Chairman Corey A. Stewart, R-at-large, announced last-second changes to the recently approved Environment Chapter after the public hearing on the plan had already been closed. He then asked the development community to clarify some of those change requests during the board discussion of the topic. Those changes involved slope requirements and the definition of significant non-RPA streams.
“There was no opportunity for any citizen to even see them and most of the supervisors didn’t get them before the day of the meeting,” Jeter said of the changes. “This really undercuts open government and transparency.”
“We all realize that not all citizen input will be utilized, but it is discouraging to discover significant last-minute changes, with no opportunity for reprisal by the citizens,” stated DCCA president Connie Moser in an e-mail Friday. “It negates our best efforts and makes the entire citizen input experience feel like nothing more than lip service.”
Any substantive change should be posted on the website, which the civic organization states in the letter as a common sense, cost-effective way of keeping the public informed.
The board ultimately approved the Environment Chapter changes 6 to 2, with Michael C. May, R-Occoquan, and Frank J. Principi, D-Woodbridge, voting nay. However, the board had initially tabled the vote after hearing Stewart’s request.
During that initial meeting Dec. 7, May asked Stewart if other stakeholders who worked on the plan could be heard alongside the development community, which lobbied for the changes. Stewart denied the request and stated the changes “were a compromise between the [county] staff and the business community.”
Jeter took umbrage with Stewart’s comment at the meeting, stating “it was a complete misrepresentation of the process.”
“These are definitely changes that will affect the taxpayers of Prince William County, like what we pay for stormwater management,” Jeter said.
I-95 closed to all traffic around 8 am. 20 car pile up. It sure didn’t LOOK that bad. Not sure if it has reopened or not.
Hmmmm now it says 95 south.
http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/jan/08/5/interstate-95-south-closed-due-crashes-ar-761558/
Mom, if enough people keep pointing out the fast and loose style the Corey Stewart has used in this county, maybe enough will have the cojones to start calling him out or at least start asking some questions. Bad governance is unacceptable. Bushing it under the rug for party politics is simply unforgivable.
We have about an inch of snow and about a seven car jumble up – can’t get out of the neighborhood. Can’t tell if any cars were damaged or just slid off the road. The first wrecker to arrive couldn’t get out. He’ll have a lot of business now.
Mom, I guess a lot will depend on whether people are willing to cross party lines to vote the current developer-favoring BOCS members out.
http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/273148
Not sure Corey can keep up Bob’s state-wide “publicity blitz”.
Both are going after the same base to get the GOP US Senate nomination.
@Big Dog,
Excellent editorial. Unfortunately, Marshall makes Corey appear sane and normal. If we could figure out which office each candidate is running for, it would be an easier job to sort them out. right now I feel like I am watching musical chairs on speed dial.
If the the nuttiness espoused by Marshall is what appeals to the TP then I was right all long about them. They are not mainstream. A good show job that is a flash in the pan is not a permanent state of affairs.
Del. Gabreille Giffords (D-Az) and 3 staff members shot at point blank range in Tucson. She was shot in the head.
Now reporting she is alive.
Some pretty strange comments coming out about this on internet.
@Moon-howler
Soooo, if some members of the Democrat party believe in communism and socialism, then I can discount the entire party?
Way to generalize, Moon…..
You can believe what you want about the Democrats. I am partiless. I don’t like communists or socialists. Now, what did I say that broad brushed? Ah…I said IF….
So tell me, is that kind of thinking something that appeals to TP members? I am just tired of the denial all the time. If Marshall is a tea party favorite, what exactly does one think?
@Moon-howler
Now up to 52 cars!!! Whoa.
Meanwhile, back at the camp….
AP
ACAPULCO, Mexico – Police found the bodies of 15 slain men, 14 of them headless, on a street outside a shopping center in the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco on Saturday.
The victims, all of whom appeared to be in their 20s, were discovered in an area not frequented by tourists.
Handwritten signs left with the bodies were signed by “El Chapo’s People” — a reference to the Sinaloa cartel, headed by drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman — said Fernando Monreal Leyva, director of investigative police for Guerrero state, where Acapulco is located.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110108/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico
I can’t imagine Mexico would be a good place to go on a vacation. No Americans will sure hurt their tourist industry.
Know what would really hurt their economy? If we got our act together and stopped using drugs.
Mexico’s largest import and export income are assembly plants linked to the US. How about we bring those businesses back to the US and see if any of the 15million out of work could be hired. Oh, those businesses might have to pay the workers a tad bit more that what they pay accross the border.
It’s all money and it’s all greed. Mercenaries have zero allegiance to any nations. We are a nation of mercenaries and in this arena we do think globally.
Well, having an actual border between the two nations would hurt their economy as well. Too late for that, though. As far as tourism goes…I’ve often thought that Mexico has a nice climate, and beautiful beaches. There can’t be more than a few dozen Mexicans left there (most of them are in the US), so why don’t we leave the US to them and we’ll all move down there and enjoy the beaches?
More snow on the way for Monday. Not sure if we are in its path or not.
Slowpoke, there is a border. Juturna, you bring up some good points. Why is there no criticism for the person who assembles outside our borders? Its always the other guy. You nailed it. Profit! Big profit.
Exactly – and we do not learn that the drug money from the US fuels most of the violence in Mexico. What about our oil – the US still buys oil from the countries that we accuse of terrorism – but we do not want the man to tell us what to do.
Pat, that retort is hard to answer.
Not even 2 weeks into the new year and we already have our first homicide. 🙁
Believe or not it’s not in Manassas or Woodbridge.
http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/jan/10/police-investigate-shooting-death-hoadly-area-ar-764656/
The area does have a Manassas address, but it’s not “in town” this area is mid-county. And it definately did NOT happen in the City. (Clarification for friends in the city(Cindy/BigDog/Andy, et. al.)
Recommend Robert Samuelson’s op/ed today’s WaPo.
-Compare “apples to apples”.
-Public education isn’t a cure-all for problems centered outside the
classroom.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/09/AR2011010903418.html
Apple has broken $340. Will it go to $400 this year?
Will iphone being picked up by Verizon boost stock prices?
Thanks Big Dog. Your recommendation is now in the stack.
Whatever happened to the investigation re the body in the landfill in Delaware?
They are investigating still.
@Big Dog,
Great article. Probably what would help equalize things the most would be to stop beating up on the dedicated teachers who are attempting to make a difference with minorities.
NCLB berates those teachers by its process. Nothing is ever good enough. The brightest and best will find other jobs.
3Y for Tom Delay.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-10/brown-proposes-cutting-california-spending-by-12-5-billion-to-close-gap.html
This is interesting.. A pretty good start for CA trying to get out of it’s fiscal problems. 10% might be a tough pill for people to swallow so let’s see how this plays out in the next two months.
I am not sure what Tom Delay really did. I guess he got too big for his britches maybe.
No child left behind means no one does well……
marin, so once again public employees get to take it on the chin.
CA has out propped itself to its own detriment. Taxes aren’t equally distributed. A friend has a house owned by deceased parents where the property tax is next to nothing, thanks for prop XXX many years ago. However, his current house is on a postage stamp size lot that has a tax that is close to $30k. Pay me now, pay me later.
CA needs to just start over.
No child left with a behind is more like it.
Just got back from Boston. had a great time with my humongus Irish family, and all those beautiful Italian aunts my uncles married. Sausage and Peppers made by my Auntie Mary Ann (Rizzo) Hart, and Pizzelles made by auntie Rose Marie (Velluchi) Hart. Boston, I have missed you.
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=2230235
Surprise! Some positive news coverage of Virginia public schools.
@Moon-howler
I’d argue it’s more of a punch in the gut but yes they’re going to take it in the chin. I don’t disagree with you that they need to ‘start over’. I personally think that they offer too many services and revenue obviously doesn’t allow for it. If they raise revenue we’ll see what happens with population numbers.
The new iphone @Verizon will cost $199.99 with a 2 year contract.
It will be available February 10. Existing customers may pre-order.
Have you lived out there? I expect that is a place where you have to live to fully understand their special problems. They also have been propped to death.
A lot of little towns have their own revenue rules. Many people are grandfathered in to incredibly low property taxes. Other people’s are going sky high.
Marin, I think having traffic lights and a police dept. might be too many services for you. 😉
I’ve done business in the area. It’s breautiful. Regulations bordering on tyrranny though. Can’t smoke outside because it’s near a business? WTF
I think the special problem is if you offer A+B+C service but only have X revenue you’ll have a shortfall. So, offer only A+B or B+C on the assumption that X can’t be raised. If X can be raised make sure that A+B+C doesn’t exceed X by trying to squeeze in D.
Very classy
http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2011/january/192654/Deputies-replace-DeBary-widow's-stolen-American-flag.html
I thought that smoking ban was local.
New sound system in the Chambers is at an all time low today. John Jenkins was NOT heard at all. Meanwhile, Corey’s state of the county bit it going in and out. I hope they didn’t waste too much $$ on this system.
“John Jenkins was NOT heard at all”, personally, I consider that a plus.
That aside, did any catch what the little spat about the Board Rules was about?
Didn’t catch it, Mom. Damn, they are boring today. I got tired of closed session elevator music and changed the channel. Someone holler if I am missing something vital.
@Mom
I saw someone comment that Corey sounded like Darth Vader when the sound was so iffy. Missed the spat. Nice to know they didn’t waste anytime with the first spat of the year. I wonder if the citizens will come out to speak at Citizens Time tonight.