Perhaps the most awe-inspiring of all the National Parks, at least at first glance. I will never forget the first time I saw the Grand Canyon. It literally took my breath away that anything that magnificent existed. No picture will ever do it justice.
I was always very resentful of the book on Grand Canyon proprty that said the Grand Canyon was only 6,000 years old. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR. While scientists have not agreed on the exact age of the Grand Canyon, those of the fighting takes place over how many millions of years old it is. Scientists love to fight with each other.
This stuck with me since I was little kid.
So…what’s the big deal about the Grand Canyon?
http://youtu.be/xf4pUZPaz5k
Stuff like this warms my cold heart..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/14/gwinnett-county-schools-t_n_1598259.html?ref=topbar
A group of teachers at Benefield Elementary School in Lawrenceville, Ga. are offering free reading classes to students this summer.
Led by teacher Karon Stocks, more than 40 teachers are volunteering three hours once a week during the summer months to keep kids’ minds sharp, helping them review what they learned during the academic year. Around 100 families have already shown up for the classes in the three weeks the teachers have been operating.
Does anyone know what’s going on with the Americans in Wartime Museum? I checked Guidestar and their last 990 is for tax year 2009 when they took in $34k and spent $564k. The executive director, whose compensation was nearly $3/4M over the 3 years shown in their 990s, is no longer listed on their website. The last thing on their website is an update on April 9th (link below) saying they are in Phase 2 where they need to raise $50M and that they will begin construction when they’ve raised about 60% ($30M). It also says they signed a 3-year contract with a fundraising firm and they have some other things in the works. I recall some publicity last fall when members of the BOCS participating in the groundbreaking, but it’s been quiet since then.
http://www.nmaw.org/americans-in-wartime-museum-progress-report/
Well, we’re in the very best of hands.
Canada is going to reroute the pipeline to the west to sell oil to China instead of sending it south.
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/06/thank-you-barack-obama-as-promised-canada-is-building-pipeline-to-sell-gas-to-china/
What was that about getting the US off of OPEC oil?
It wasn’t a definite NO. It was a maybe. At what environmental cost? Do you feel there would be anything to make you say no?
@marinm
I had some sort of cross pollination on my responses after I approved a comment.
Marin, teachers dthat all the time. PWC and CofM teachers give hundreds of hours a week in free tutoring to kids. I am sure they do this all over the United States. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
@Morris Davis
Moe, thanks for bringing this up. I think that the BOCS has tabled voting on about a million bucks, to be given in 4 increments, to this white elephant fossil.
I don’t think one more penny of taxpayer money should go into this project.
Need to Know seems to be in the know about some of the goings on here, I think.
Went with my wife to the Neil Diamond concert in DC last evening. If only I had a Geritol stand I’d be rich. There was a young 20 something couple in front of us, and I jokingly said to the lady next to me “They do realize that this is a Neil Diamond concert?”. It was ok, but nothing like 15 years ago. I’m afraid it’s time for him to hang up his guitar pick, although he did do a great job of Sweet Caroline, oh oh oh!
How was Cracklin’ Rose? Thanks for the report, SA. I can’t imagine running in to a 20 something couple at Neil Diamond. He plays for a long time, I have heard.
You get your money’s worth I have been told. Did Mrs. Alamo enjoy her evening out?
Yes, she enjoyed it, and her hearing is much better than mine luckily. He played for a little over two hours without a break. I don’t recall how well he did Cracklin’ Rose, but I did shoot a lot of video on my phone. There were a lot more young people there than I would have expected. He told us that he wrote the song ‘I’m a Believer’ that made the Monkeys famous. He intended it as a ballad, and so he sang it as he intended, but then went into the faster version later. So that was interesting.
I am glad you all had fun. I would not have counted on you as a concert guy, for some reason. Do you often go to concerts?
I’m having a hard time keeping up with all the local stuff, but the impression I get is that I’m on Candland’s side and I think so many local people are united (more or less) in opposition to the rest of the BOCS, that I think they really need to listen and remember that they serve us. I think too many of them are too comfy in their roles and have forgotten who they work for.
I admit I’ve been too engrossed in Euro2012, and things like that Texas man who beat the ranch hand to death when he caught him molesting his 4 year old daughter. Please God, find a way to get me on that jury, and if the DA sends it to the grand jury, may he/she rot in Hades.
What’s wrong with beating someone to death who is raping your 4 year old daughteer?
I vote for that. It doesn’t even have anything to do with stand your ground.
I guess there isn’t a place to fight over the BOCS. That should really tell them something….there aren’t even that many comments…mno one telling us we are full of it. All the blog meisters seem to be in agreement. That is an earth grinding to a halt moment right there. That should not be happening.
“and things like that Texas man who beat the ranch hand to death when he caught him molesting his 4 year old daughter. Please God, find a way to get me on that jury, and if the DA sends it to the grand jury, may he/she rot in Hades.”
Classic self defense and why stand your ground laws should exist.
Personally I wouldn’t even release the body to Mexico and let the guy be buried in a shallow grave to be picked on by scavangers…
It shouldnt matter where he is from. Why does anyone have to apologist for snuffing out the life of someone harming your child, if you caught them in the act?
I might give the body back to Mexico…using my “catapult over the border” idea.
@marinm
The DA HAD to send it to the Grand Jury. Of course, Texas is still a place where the statement, “he needed killin’. seems to still be a valid defense.
If it had been me, it wasn’t the beat down…I’d have to talk myself INTO killing him instead of beating him enough to restrain him and wait for my wife………
What’s that saying…”never fall into the hands of their women…”
You know…. all those scientists are wrong.
Paul Bunyan made the Grand Canyon by dragging his axe behind him when he was tired.
I remember reading about it when I was a kid.
http://www.examiner.com/article/paul-bunyan-grand-canyon-maker
I just heard a report on the news….
The feds will stop deporting young illegal aliens and will grant them work permits.
More to follow. Accuracy is tentative.
@Second Alamo
I’m laughing at the Geritol comment. A friend of mine asked me to count the number of people in the audience who were under 50 when I told her I had tickets to hear Joe Cocker at Wolf Trap a couple years ago. There were at least a few dozen. He could still put on a good show.
I finally remember a Michael Bolton concert at Nissan. The person I was with said it looked like a Menopause gathering. Then there was the Melissa Ethridge concert I went to with a female friend. We quickly discovered we were the only 2 straight women in attendance.
Yep. The DHS is overreaching, bypassing Congress.
Young illegal immigrants, younger than 30, brought here before they were 16, been here 5 years or more…..high school graduate, military, etc….will be granted renewable work permits, BUT WILL STILL BE CONSIDERED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
Well, the President did say that he was going to bypass Congress if they didn’t do what he thought best.
So, an illegal alien, that’s been here for 14 years, who crossed the border on their own at the age of 15 (which is completely impossible to investigate), graduated from a high school, etc (Dream Act stuff) OR is 29 years old with forged papers……
gets a free ride.
And…what about that “kid’s” parents? Why are they still being allowed to stay? AND, really? 29? Why that age? If this is for “young” illegal aliens, to “protect kids,” then why are grown adults the target? This is nothing more than pandering.
How can an agency, by itself, decide to change the law? Congress needs to defund any agency that usurps its powers.
Oh quit whining over the outliers. No one is deporting them anyway. Obama is trying to protect the ones like Heydi who was going to be sent to a country where she never lived other than as a tiny child. Whny target her when there are plenty of crooks out there to send home.
No one knows why this girl was even targeted by ICE. Ther are so many people, including bad students who ar4en’t being targetted.
I am glad he stepped in. It needed to happen. Good students need to stay here. Perhaps those who distinguish themselves at a community college will be scooped up by a private 4 year college and will be given a scholarship and will waive the documentation required at public schools.
“How can an agency, by itself, decide to change the law? Congress needs to defund any agency that usurps its powers.”
Boehner doesn’t have the man sack to do it.
Let’s be clear that while what the administration here is doing wrong Congress will not intervene. They’ll simply make it a talking point in the ‘debates’ about how Republicans are different than Democrats but in reality they both simply want to exploit illegals in their own way; democrats for votes and republicans for cheap labor. Atleast there is bipartisan agreement in sticking it into those that share my same ethnicity.
The executive office enforces the law, marin. They haven’t changed any laws, they are still deporting those who are breaking the law. They are just not putting young people out there to be deportees. He is restating not to target those people if crimes haven’t been committed. No, it isnt illegal. They cannot deport everyone, now can they?
Within those laws are a whole lot of policy that can be wiggled around. Policy isn’t the law. Policy is how to implement the law. wiggle room.
Marin…do NOT say “illegals” here. Please. You of all people!
It could be that both Obama and Bush both were just compassionate people who didn’t want to throw kids who had worked like the devil out on their ears. They do not want these kids for cheap labor. They want to exploit these kids by allowing those who are smart to work hard, acquire more education and to become integral members of our work force; contributing members of society. some exploitation.
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2012/06/colbert-will-stoners-put-pants-swing-election-obama/53589/
The barbarians are at the gate and this is the Dems secret weapon?
Wow, look at that shark!
too funny!
Thanks for checking in, Steve. I know, I know, you are just afraid I am going to send the cavalry out looking for you again….snicker.
They keep talking about “kids.” Except by the nature of the law….90% of those affected are NOT kids. If you’ve been here 5 years….and you got here at 15……you’re an adult. If you’ve completed your education requirements, you’re an adult.
This is another “Do if for the kids” marketing campaign, but its a bait and switch.
They are kids in my mind. Tell me Cargo, are you so much of a bastard that you would go over to Heyidi’s house and throw her out of the country? Stop reaching for the outlier. We are talking about kids who are elibible to go on to higher education and the military.
We aren’t talking about thugs.
Here we go: someone with more info and more articulation. http://www.redstate.com/dhorowitz3/2012/06/15/obama-seeks-to-nullify-our-immigration-laws/
This excerpt is the part I find most important.
“There’s one problem: we have a legislative body that passes laws, not a president or a king. The Senate defeated the DREAM Act in 2009, even though Democrats had a supermajority.
What happened to the Constitution?
The real question here is that if the president is above the law, then why should any of us be compelled to adhere to laws that we regard as imprudent or unfair? “
What happened to the Constitution?????? That’s what we have been asking Arizona. They think they should be deciding immigration laws.
Sorry argo, Sorry redstate. You can’t have it both ways.
The exectutive branch enforces the law….I guess the president just changed the priority of things to come. Criminals and thugs go before A students. silly Obama.
Why is there a cutoff at 29? Why can’t the poor kiddies that stayed here for their entire lives…the 30, 40, and 50+ year olds stay?
Hmmmm….inquiring minds want to know..what’s the benefit to the Democrats or pro-illegal alien GOP?
And just think…DHS is doing this while DOJ is fighting voter registration verification and requirement for ID’s tooth and nail.
So, let’s recap. Illegal aliens now have legal ID…ie Driver’s licenses, in some states. We have motor voter law. NOW, they’ll get more gov’t id stating that they are here “legally” while not being legal aliens. We don’t require ID to vote in some places. The gov’t doesn’t want locales to verify voter registrations. We have same day registration.
Nah… nothing to see here….move along.
So, tell me again. Where does the DHS get the authority to selectively enforce laws? Where do they get the authority and power to grant a DEFACTO AMNESTY? And if they can selectively enforce, can I selective obey? If the President does not slap this down, it means he approves of it. If he approves it, he is usurping power and he’s acting as a dictatorial power. There’s not even an executive order. The agency apparently did this on their own. If you believe that…I have a bridge in New York to sell you.
Congress makes the laws. The executive branch enforces the laws. Most of the immigration law is made of policies that really aren’t the law. For instance…how come some folks we know are of legal status a nd someone else who came along 2 months later is not? Policy. It’s all clerical. When someone decides to enforce that law.
Why have you declared war on immigrant kids who are good students? Would you prefer that they all be gang members? I love the idea that some kids work their tails off in spite of everything, with that chance that something might change for them.
“It’s the fault of the guy in the White House,” Obama said, finishing the GOP talking point.
“It’s an elegant message — it happens to be wrong. But it’s crisp. You can fit it on a bumper sticker.”
quote by President Obama.
Nice of him to stop blaming the guy in the White House. I’m sure that President Bush will be glad to hear that its not his fault.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-state-of-nova/
An “Outer Beltway”?
@Cargo, I bet you’ll appreciate this.
http://terminallance.com/2012/03/02/terminal-lance-182-full-medical/
I was thinking about the whole ‘free’ medical topic again and failed to make the connection to the above. Enjoy.
The reporter who heckled the president in the Rose Garden during the press conference on immigration was from the Daily Caller.
http://www.dailycaller.com
What a pig he was.
@Moon-howler
“What a pig he was.”
I blame it on the guy being an immigrant. The reporter I mean. We all know the POTUS is a “natural born citizen”.
Thank you for admitting that marin. Was it difficult? Is the reporter an immigrant or a visitor? He needs to observe our rules of decorum. Hopefully his publisher will fire him for the embarrassment. Is the Daily Caller Tucker’s outfit? If so, the reporter might get a bonus at the end of the month.
Sorry, my values system demands that the president be respected regardless of who it is. I would even say those are conservative values…you know…keeping with tradition kind of values.
“The executive office enforces the law, marin. They haven’t changed any laws, they are still deporting those who are breaking the law.”
Selective enforcement. Is that like I’ll only apply broken taillight laws to women at night? Or only prosecute Mexicans for public drunkedness? The slippery slope of selective enforcement is not something I really want. Now, I can buy into the idea of not looking for illegal children but if their identity is made known to law enforcement – silly me I want the law applied without bias.
“Within those laws are a whole lot of policy that can be wiggled around. Policy isn’t the law. Policy is how to implement the law. wiggle room.”
Sort of. The law of the land is a women is entitled to an abortion but policy can be set that the facility must conform to hospital standards. I can see how you’d back that up as a matter of policy.
“Marin…do NOT say “illegals” here. Please. You of all people!”
I need clarification on this. What do you mean by that? I don’t want to jump to a conclusion.
“Criminals and thugs go before A students. silly Obama.”
But, thats not what he’s saying. That I could support. But, when he says he won’t deport any person for virtue of just being a child without legal status that doesn’t say enforcement will be re-directed as a matter of policy but that we’re just not going to follow the laws we have on the books. Again, in your words – the executive is here to enforce our laws.
What if a future POTUS decided s/he didn’t want to enforce the Civil Rights Act? Would you equally approve?
Has anyone asked any union members what they think about the idea of having so many millions of people now legally in the work force competing for what little jobs our economy has? Middle class is the big loser here if you ask me…
You know exactly what I mean. You are who told us of being decended from illegal immigrants. I would think you of all people would have a little more compassion for people caught between the policies and laws of different governments.
I will have to see what the Prez actually said rather than sorting through the puke of a reactionary far right response that I see online.
I support the Prez on this. He can give them all a student visa and have them just like evryone else.
This is only temporary. I will enjoy watching everyone have a fit and fall in it. I particularly want to watch Jan Brewer…speaking of people who make up their own rules.
The Great Divider Strikes Again!!
So, the 15 year old that sneaks over, gets a GED, is now 29 and has been holding down a job illegally for 14 years or who illegally enlisted in the military, should be get amnesty? This program is about adults in their 20’s. NOT highschool kids.
And yes, they ARE inventing law. Nothing allows DHS to give them work permits that are renewable indefinitely and keeps them from being deported. These are not “OUTLIERS”. DHS expects that 800,000 people will get amnesty.
Funny how this program shows up right when the Democrats are fighting efforts to ensure that the voting registration are secure and accurate.
My question is…what are these “candidates” doing here longer than five years anyway? Oh, that’s right…the government refused to enforce the law.
@Moon-howler
What did happen in Arizona? Let’s see….they got sued by the Feds for enforcing the EXACT SAME LAW. It was copied from the Feds. If the Feds don’t enforce the law, then the States must. What other federal law should the states not enforce,then?
And, no…enforcing the law and SELECTIVELY enforcing a law are different things. Picking who gets priority in deportation is one thing. Giving amnesty to illegal aliens without Congressional approval is another.
Since the President said that “now is not the time for questions.” WHEN IS THE TIME for questions. The President NEVER TAKES ANY. He refuses to explain himself and treats the press as stenographers. Granted, most of the press ARE presidential stenographers.
@Cargosquid
So if it was 5 years ago…whose watch was that?
Arizona tried to make its own laws regarding immigration. No, it wasn’t the same as federal law. For starters, Federal agents weren’t going to be running state government.
For that matter, since you mention SELECTIVELY enforcing the law, I can think of nothing more selective than using probable cause as a method for stopping people and asking about their immigration status. Let’s see, if you speak with a Spanish accent or don’t speech English and look the part…then guess who gets stopped?
Stop saying “the feds aren’t enforcing the law.” That is bull crap…supreme bull crap. the Obama administration has deported more illegal immigrants than any administration heretofor.
Stop calling it amnesty. It isn’t amnesty. Amnesty is forgiveness. They simply aren’t being deported if they fit a certain criteria.
The Prez is the prez. It doesn’t matter if he never takes questions. There is a press brieffing daily. He can ask there. No one says anyone has a right to speak with the President. That was totally unacceptable and well, code-pinkish.
He explained the entire time he was up there, despite the fact that he was interrupted. i would think that a conservative such as yourself would insist on everyone honor the rules of decorum when speaking to any one who is POTUS.
@Cargosquid
That’s probably not how it happens. Let’s see…your story starts unraveling when you mention a 15 year old sneaking across the border to get a GED. bwaaahahahahahaha
Have you ever dealt will illegal immigrants that age? The line you see isn’t the line for GED enrollment. I promise you.
MH, you just brought up a very good point. “Have you ever dealt will illegal immigrants that age? The line you see isn’t the line for GED enrollment. I promise you.” Yes indeed, what are these young people going to do once they get here? No education, no jobs, don’t speak the language, pre-adult, hmmmmmmmm. My guess is they turn to crime, or gangs to survive, and that is exactly what we don’t need. A bunch of non-self supporting young people pouring into this country claiming to have been brought here as a young child. Face it, it is the young people who are healthy enough to make the trek across the desert to the border in hopes of illegally crossing.
The humor in Obama’s action is that what good are work permits if there aren’t any jobs to be had? We have enough legal citizens looking for work now, and they’re educated, speak fluent English, and don’t look to crime for survival.
SA, I am not speaking out for young people who are in gangs and who are criminals. I realize some are. You will never hear me defend that behavior. I am speaking of kids with a clean record who are on an academic track or who have graduated from high school, not gotten a GED (few do). The Prez was very specific.
I simply don’t know what you are taking about. Kids with that kind of investment in school rarely turn to crime. You will have school records that prove you graduated from high school or that you are in school. You have to have decent grades.
I don’t think you are looking at the facts.
@Moon-howler
except probable cause is REQUIRED. And checking the status of ALL LEO stops is fine. Other states do it. Why was Arizona singled out and Rhode Island ignored? Because there aren’t a lot of hispanic voters in Rhode Island to pander to and Rhode Island already voted Democratic. Selective enforcement is ignoring the law as in giving them work permits. It is against federal law to hire illegal aliens. The goal is to reduce the incentives for illegal immigration. This increases it.
And the scenario that I put out was to match the fed’s requirements. But, lets take it back. a ten year old is brought here by mom and dad. They break the law for 6 years. Kid is 16. And now, we have the problem of “the kid is a de facto American!” Well we wouldn’t have the problem if the law was followed. Obama’s deportation numbers have been cooked, just like the unemployment rate numbers and the inflation numbers.
http://www.aim.org/guest-column/bogus-deportation-statistics-released-by-obama-say-lawmakers/
M-H, agree with you about the Grand Canyon being awe-inspiring.
I’ve been there a half dozen times through the years – the last time
in winter which has the advantage of no crowds. Have you been on
the north rim’s Sky Walk?
@Steve, no and it isn’t the North Rim I don’t think. It is west of the NP, still on the south side of the GC. I wouldn’t do that for any amount of money. I have horrible acrophobia. I would have to be sedated and dragged.
I have never been to North Rim. I always went at Easter break and it was cold. Unfortunately, the NOrth Rim road was always closed until later in the year.
I absolutely love the play of the lights at the Grand Canyon. My other favorite things are the ravens. They dance and perform for food in those turn outs.
I think they are now calling it Grand Canyon West.
http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/skywalk.htm
MH, I realize that the effort is to provide a helping hand to those deserving of it, however the manner in which these permits will be distributed is a huge question for me. I can see the same identical grade school document being reproduced and modified with different names and dates to the illegal masses in an effort to obtain those permits. Just as counterfeit documents have been produced in the past. It will start a whole new industry. We all know that the validity of those documents won’t be checked any more than SSN numbers being checked against addresses or names. This then allows those NOT deserving individuals a free pass, and that’s where the problem lies. We all know that to then question certain people about the validity of a permit would bring the wrath of CASA upon you, and so by that time it’s too late.
@Cargosquid
re: Rhode Island has plenty of illegal immigrants. Probable cause is a good way to get sued. I believe I said it was selective.
I think you probably really need to review immigration policy and laws before starting to say what is illegal and what isn’t. There are exceptions.
Bottom line, I think you are dead wrong. So do many other conservatives.
@Moon-howler
Moon and Moe – more coming in the future about the Wartime Museum.
The Board plans to bring up additional funding for the Wartime Museum this summer when, I’m sure they are thinking, nobody is looking. That won’t be the case. It was pulled from the Community Partners section of the normal budget process along with Rainbow Riding. As I understand the proposal, it’s another $1 million or for the Wartime Museum paid over a few years. We WILL be paying attention.
Moe – thanks for the link. I had not read that item. Ms. Bentz seems to be quite an accomplished writer of fiction. I recall back when Board first approved this nonsense that the then-Executive Director said that they would not need any additional taxpayer funding. He added that some millions (I forget the actual number) had been pledged pending the Board’s formal approval. Well, the Board approved it over a year and a half ago and those millions are nowhere to be seen. Now, they’re talking about country music people donating (they’ve used that story for several months), and who knows what else. I guess Ms. Bentz took the same creative writing class.
Anyway, there’s more to come.
I checked the agenda for next week’s meeting and the Wartime Museum is not there. However, one interesting item is the Department of Economic Development moving from its current location off Business 234 near I-66 to Heritage Hunt. They are going from 5,280 square feet to 7,000 square feet, and an annual lease of $84,480 to $168,000. They are also including $219,000 for new furniture.
The building has been sitting largely vacant for a long time, but the company that owns it has given Corey at least $9,000, plus money to other supervisors, according to VPAP. There wouldn’t be any conflict of interest would there?
Sniff sniff! Which side of the table is Kathy Bentz sitting on? Is she sitting on the side that gives away the money working FOR the county or is she sitting on the War Museum side of the table TAKING money from the county?
Do Corey and Jenkins want to explain this possible conflict of interest?
Perhaps there is nothing wrong with it. No one has addressed it. It is simply being ignored. I just don’t see why the arts give away person who receives money from the county for doing this task can put on another hat or change sides of the table and all of a sudden take on the title of director of operations. It looks and sounds bad. Since our supervisors are now on high alert over things that don’t pass their wiff test, I would like this addressed?
Where is the Sheriff when we need him?
That is a hell of a lot of real nice furniture.
I don’t want one more penny to go into that dead tank farm waste of money. In the first place, if someone wants a war museum fix (noting wrong with that) go to the one that is finished done by the marine corps. Want a battle field? Come to Mananassas. Its a real short drive. Want more? Fredericksburg, the Wilderness, Bloody Angle, Spottsylvania Courthouse, et al. Still not enough? Antiedam, Gettysburg, Richmond, Cold Harbor, Yorktown.
Egad! War Museums and battlegrounds are not in short supply within a 150 mile radius. the only place that has as many might be France and Germany.
We don’t need to put any more money into that war museum. It obviously is a money hog. Huge salaries were given to its now gone director. Its fundraising have fallen far short of expectations.
Al Alborn has a good picture of what you need to do when you find yourself in a hole. Stop digging. Its on his blog.
Jenkins claimed that the intent of his amendments was not to retaliate against Peter Candland, but to increase the transparency and integrity of the Board and the County Government. If he and the remainder of the Board want to show that Jenkins’ claim was not the most bogus statement since Hitler said give him a bit of Czechoslovakia and he’d be happy, I have a suggestion.
Let’s add one more amendment to the resolution abolishing discretionary funds. Let’s add an amendment that no supervisor may vote on any item that involves any person, organization or firm that has contributed to their campaign or campaigns.
I would love to see THAT amendment.
And Jenkins is full of crap if he says he wasn’t retaliating. In fact, its probably time for a rousing Moonhowling, BULL Puckey. It it gets any higher I will have to start doing sign language.
Is this the new board member? Pinocchio Jenkins?
Oops. One correction upon reviewing the material again. The first year base rent is $147,240 rather than $168,000. Occupancy is anticipated in October 2012. The $168,000 is to continue to pay the lease on the current space until June 2013 until that lease expires. The report says that “Staff will seek to utilize the space to fulfill the requirements of another County agency.” That means that taxpayers will either be double-paying for space for a single agency (Economic Development) or pay to move another agency in to use the facility from October 2012 to June 2013. What other county agency needs office space as nice as where Economic Development is now? They need classy offices because they meet with business prospects.
Why not keep Economic Development where they are at least until their lease expires? Why not keep them there altogether? I’ve visited that facility and it’s very nice, and cheaper than the Heritage Hunt space where they want to move.
Perhaps other MH readers with more knowledge of commercial leasing than I have can add more by reviewing this item:
http://eservice.pwcgov.org/documents/bocs/agendas/2012/0619/12-a.pdf
Another taxpayers revolt anyone?
More wasteful spending on stuff not needed.
I have seen much criticism of the PWC School Board for building the Kelly building. Now, while I think it is perhaps one of the dumbest, most wasteful building plans I have seen and it is nearly handicap INaccessible, the old place was horrible and it was outgrown 20 years ago.
So why is the school board criticized for wanting to move out of an old military facility? It is still used actually, that is how badly space was needed.
I don’t see why the county needs to move. Can the County Complex be expanded? I see lots of space out there.
NTK: factor this one in to “why” relocate Econ Devl – the extension of Rt. 234 Bypass from where it currently ends up through and connect with Rt. 15 for Loudoun. The “Bi-County Parkway” among other names. Metro Washington Council of Governments has even blessed it. Steve Randolph posted a link up in the open forum section about it, but I’ll add it here too
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-state-of-nova/
Keep in mind the Chairman has said even as recent as the discussion on the Strategic Plan that “road to Dulles” is of major importance. The Governor has even addressed it as a worthy road to build. Locating Econ Devl out where it is close to this road fits right into his thinking. Of course, coincidently enough, isn’t that also the new area for Supv. Candland’s Office?
“You are who told us of being decended from illegal immigrants. I would think you of all people would have a little more compassion for people caught between the policies and laws of different governments.”
So by that definition the fact that I’m against this should carry more weight. And, I’m against this. Ultimately my parents became legal. Interesting story – not sure if I’ve shared on here before – but for my mom to become legal she had to exit the US and re-enter. She choose NY/Canada as the entry point. She was 8-9 months pregnant. The Canadians FREAKED out when they saw her prego coming through and expedited her way back into the US so she wouldn’t have a Canadian anchor baby.
“I will have to see what the Prez actually said rather than sorting through the puke of a reactionary far right response that I see online.”
Now that you’ve had time to digest – what do you think? Think its fair for AMERICAN citizens to now have to compete with even more people in this anemic job market? Again, while this may seem like a good play from the far radical left I don’t think middle America agrees with the POTUS here.
@Need to Know
NTK – Thanks. I’m not opposed to museums, but it does seem like this would be one of many war related sites in our area. Too often these things are well-intended, but in the end a few people make a lot of money off of a lot of people who think they’re doing good when in fact their money accomplishes little. Hope that’s not the case, but it is beginning to have that odor to it.
Notice: Readers might want to check out our tabs across the top of the page. they are called page tabs. One very handy item up there is a tab called News Sources.
There are links to many different newspapers and sources. Elena didn’t know that it was there. I sneaked it past her. I just wanted to call it to your attention.
Also, there are political links and phone numbers in the tabs to the right.
@marinm
I would think that your opinion might strike more of a personal chord with you. Was your mother pregnant with you? If that happened today she would probably be denied entrance. That fact brings up a critical point. Something that was legal one year was not legal the next. Did Congress change anything? No. Policy changed. The pen pushers and pencil sharpeners can change policy. It has nothing to do with the Constitution. It is policy formulated under these laws…how to make the laws work. It is closely related to how Ronald Reagan fired all the air traffic controllers.
I am delighted that President Obama did issue orders not to deport kids with no record and who are in school or have good grades. It is long overdue.
I also feel certain that your Mom didn’t intend to come here to do nefarious things., I am sure she wanted a better life for her kids and to be with your father.
I have friends who have married immigrants who got a status change. Other friends were not so lucky. Twinad has never gotten a status change on her husband. At what point do you take the risk. A child needs his father. They cannot risk deportation.
@Ray Beverage
But is it really a road to Dulles? Tom Jackman has an interesting article up about this very subject. It is sounding more and more like a done deal. Now…here is the rub….
EVERYONE on the east coast will be using OUR parkway for their travel route. Right now, it is a pretty rural parkway. Just wait. Watch the developers trip over their own you know whats to get out there and get a prime spot. Watch the coffers fill behind real names and fronts for a favorite developer status from one of our supervisors. (or more than one)
Its coming and it is going to so kick our ass and the City of Manassas’s ass.
Rural Crescent? Bend over. Your time is nigh.
@Morris Davis
Need to know has the facts and figures on this. the fact that the fund raising is light years behind where it should be is frightening. Why should the taxpayers dump any more money in?
I don’t care how many people go down to protest at McCoart. The supervisors have said SCREW YOU to the people over the dirty trick to Candland. They said SCREW YOU to the Latino community on October 16, 2007, despite the fact that there was probably 11 hours of opinion given by that community at Citizens Time. They will say SCREW YOU to any protest over the War Museum or the Prince William Loudoun Road that will serve as an outer belt way.
Arrogance comes before a fall. But this board is the SCREW YOU Board of Supervisors. They are serving themselves only, not the people of PWC.
NTK, no one has answered my Kathy Bentz question. I just want to know why this is not conflict of Interest. It may not be. What do I know? I am just a lowly ignorant blogger. Ray?
other folks who understand operations in the county?
Help us out here.
@Moon-howler
Moon, I agree with you completely that the Kathy Bentz situation represents one or multiple conflicts of interest. Ms. Bentz held the communications director position that Jason Grant is in now some years ago. She made many friends in senior management and the Board, and then started her own company. I don’t see the problem as Ms. Bentz, per se, because she has been an effective business person developing work for her company. The problem lies with the Board and senior staff for allowing these conflicts to arise, and routinely awarding contracts to their friend without competitive bidding, or public announcements that allow others to compete.
At present, Ms. Bentz is the Arts Liaison with the PWC Arts Council, a position which should be voluntary but carries contractor income from the County of at least $20,000 per year. Everyone who has been reading MH since the Manassas election knows how I feel about the Arts Council. Shouldn’t this contract be available for public viewing, and open to competitive bidding when it expires?
Ms. Bentz has been promoted to some leadership role at the Wartime Museum. I’m not sure exactly what she’s doing there, or how much she’s being paid. Not long ago the County hired her as the coordinator of the Future Commission 2030. That’s another of the PR boondoggles that senior staff and the Board concoct from time-to-time. They produce an expensive, glossy report stating various lofty goals for economic development, job creation and other things. The Board then proceeds to vote for every residential project that comes along, fails dismally at creating good jobs, and continues to make PWC the residential, low-wage ghetto of the DC area. It’s all a PR sham intended to fool the voters.
On a side note, I’d like to see a truly independent survey of PWC citizen satisfaction. The one senior staff uses now is done by a group that expects recurring business from PWC. They routinely conclude that everything is wonderful here, that only a few people are upset by the congestion, and that the PWC government is so great they should be put in charge of running the world. It’s about as reliable as a commissioned survey from a candidate claiming that the majority of voters favors their stands on issues. I doubt seriously that an independent survey from a company not expecting future cash flow from Ms. Peacor would be so rosy about PWC.
Again, I don’t find so much fault with Ms. Bentz as I do the Board and senior staff. They are the ones who have created the conflicts of interests by hiring friends and contracting with chums without competitive bidding or public announcement of the opportunities.
I simply don’t know what to say. You certainly didn’t dispell my concerns, that’s for sure.
Who pays Ms. Bentz for her work with the War Museum? Is the county paying her? If that is the case, they should not even be involved. They need to get out of that War Museum aka dead tank farm immediately.
Those county surveys are very expensive. We need to stop doing that also.
I am totally disgusted at this point. I might just have to take the place of the FOIA queen.
Should we just assume that road is going through? I don’t know what the citizens can do to stop it. I just feel beaten down and subjugated at this point. Nothing anyway says or does any good. The powers that be suck up to the money and keep getting elected.
Anyone want to buy a blog?
@Moon-howler
Moon, I would assume that any pay she gets comes from the Wartime Museum, but that means essentially PWC taxpayers. We provide most of their funding, or are at a mimimum their biggest contributor. PWC taxpayers also lost a lot of money when the Board took this basically worthless, undevelopable piece of land off the Hyltons’ hands. They were paying real estate tax on it until the Board transferred it to the non-profit Wartime Museum organization. I think it’s safe to say that for the most part whatever pay Ms. Bentz gets is coming from you and me.
Why are we funding an effen war museum? Tell me again.
I don’t want to fund a war museum. I think the tank owner just pulled a fast one. Its probably cheaper than taking his tanks to the tank graveyard.
I think we do enough in this county to honor war. More than enough.