Author: Alanna

Chairman Stewart wants to claim crime statistics have decreased since the passage of the resolution. Maybe he should check the numbers. In fact, what we had was a decreasing crime rate during the time period where Stewart claims an influx of illegals. And well now… 2008 rates show increased burglary, auto theft, larceny etc… Maybe he should rethink his line of argument?

Personally, it seems related more to the economy than anyone’s immigration status. Remember, murders and rapes supposedly are non-trendable anyways so we should not make any assumptions based on those numbers.

The yellow highlighted row is mine. It’s a year-to-date calculation, whereby we can compare 2007 numbers to 2008 running totals.

Statistics come from the Prince William County Police Department’s website. As of today, there are no reports available for fourth quarter of 2008.

Note: Based on the explanation given to me by Officer Chinn of the PWC, negative numbers in the Rape statisitics are used to offset a previously reported case. I presume an example would be someone who recants their account.

Real Estate Slump Hits Manassas, Va., Hard

NPR reports on the Manassas City real estate market where 10% of all homes have gone into foreclosure.

If you have not heard as of yet, the BofCS decided today via a “Staff Directive” to remove the “legal presence” requirement for unincorporated business owners to renew their BPOL in Prince William County. Now, instead of requiring unincorporated business owners to verify their immigration status in person they will only have to check a box on a form.

It is worth noting that of the approximate 4,000 unincorporated business who were supposed to physically present themselves at McCoart to prove their legal status, only about 300 had as yet complied with the requirement. Interpretation: the County was looking at a huge revenue loss due to noncompliance. With a filing deadline of March 2, there was no way 3,700 business owners were going to show up in the next nine business days.

Congratulations to John Gray for bringing this matter to the attention of Supervisors.

Now I’ve heard everything! Letiecq c/o bvbl.net accuses Delegate Marshall of being a supporter of ‘amnesty for illegal aliens’. There’s an old adage about cutting your nose off to spite your face, apparently that’s what has happened here. Marshall introduced a bill that would address the issue of non-citizens being able to vote in elections but it has been labeled ‘amnesty’ by Letiecq and a few other Republicans. So, now, the bill which would have addressed the possibility of non-citizens voting won’t see the light of day for another two years.

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Well, well, well… has Corey finally turned the corner?  In the Washington Post article, entitled Stewart Softens Tone, Shifts Focus From Immigration to Economy, we learn that Stewart wants to

navigating Republican loyalists out of the immigration debate with the same vigor he used to help draw them into it

and

to become a consensus-builder.

What has caused these changes in attitude?  Is he serious?  Will there now be an overture of welcoming and inclusiveness?  What can we expect from the newly defined Chairman?  So many questions.  What does everyone think, is he for real?

Reminder that this evening’s Prince William County School Board meeting will vote to suspend the further implementation of “Math Investigations” into next year’s 5th Grade classrooms.

I want an ‘opt-in’ program for traditional math and hopefully we can win this argument on its merit. My question with this video, is with the ‘unidentified school employee’ from Porter Traditional School. She gave her name, stated that she has a child attending Porter and clearly referenced that she is not a teacher. However, I will admit, during the meeting, I had the impression that she was a teacher, but after reviewing the full video it immediately became apparent that she’s not.

[Update: I’ve received an email that she could be a secretary at Porter.]

I haven’t had a chance to review the video to find out what exactly transpired at the end of the meeting. So, I can’t fully comment on Richardson’s statement but I will watch the end of it tonight.

Lastly, according to the PWC Teach Math Right website –

NEWS FLASH!! – on Feb 4, 2009 the PWCS Board will vote to suspend the further implementation of “Math Investigations” into next year’s 5th Grade classrooms. The specific language of the Board meeting agenda item reads:

Investigations in Number, Data, and Space Textbook Series (Johns):

Recommendation: That the Prince William County School Board direct the Superintendent that the textbook series “Investigations in Number, Data and Space” shall not be used as the primary textbook for 5th Grade instruction, but materials in the series may be used to supplement the currently approved 5th Grade textbook. (http://66.23.136.24/)

Also,

Don Richardson, Gainesville magisterial district member on the Prince William County School Board, will host a town hall meeting on Tuesday, February 10 from 7-9 p.m. in the mini-theatre at Battlefield High School, 15000 Graduation Drive, Haymarket. The snow date is set for Thursday, February 12.

Mr. Richardson will present an update on events taking place in the School Division; then spend the remaining time answering questions from the floor. The public is invited to attend.

For additional information, please contact the Prince William County School Board office at 703.791.8069.

When I was a child and had a question about my math homework, I was blessed (although probably at the time felt cursed) that both of my parents were Math Majors.  On these occasions, my evenings would consist of additional math instruction typically accompanied by the ever familiar discussion over which of them graduated from the more prestigious Jesuit campus of Fordham University.  My father claiming he graduated from the ‘real’ Fordham but my mother always held her own in the debate.   In hindsight, I recognize that women from my mother’s generation typically did not become engineers but were encouraged to become nurses, teachers, secretaries.  But, I digress.  What is important is that I was well served by their instruction and encouragement and have since had every math class of an electrical engineer.  For a decade, until I decided to stay home with the children, I was a programmer alongside some of the brightest analytical minds from around the globe.  But now it’s my turn to take the role as a supplementary instructor to my children with their math homework.

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FYI, in case anyone noticed, the site was down briefly this morning.  The hosting company was having problems with the server which may or may not be fully resolved.

The two border agents convicted of shooting an unarmed suspected drug smuggler have not been pardoned but rather have had their sentences commuted by President Bush.  They’ve served a few years of their decade law prison terms and will be released some time in March.  Honestly, I haven’t been as informed on this issue as I probably should have been.

PWConservative recently wrote a thread entitled – Badges of Dishonour where he makes a compelling case against clemency for these guys.  Good news is these guys are still convicted felons and as such will never again work in law enforcement.

Both the News Messenger and the Washington Post carry articles about the problems at the Gainesville Fire Department located off of John Marshall Highway. The most recent scandal involves the results of an internal audit ordered by the County Board of Supervisors last September. The audit uncovered – staff that were not medically qualified to serve, volunteers that did not have the proper certifications and a woefully inadequate accounting mechanism.

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We are quickly coming up on the ‘One Year Anniversary’ for Anti-BVBL and are soliciting locations for our get together.  Of course, I have a fondness for El Portal’s in Woodbridge where we held our first Economy Recovery Party last year.  I’m open for suggestions, if anybody has some other places that they’d like to suggest.