Opinion
Before I begin I want to say that I like Milt Johns. I think he’s an intelligent, kind, and generous man. He’s a brilliant attorney, loves his wife and his kids, and cares about our community. He cares so much that he was willing to run for and serve as the Chairman of our School Board. I’m proud to say that I campaigned and voted for him in the last election.
Dear Editor,
Over the last six weeks, I have been following local news reports on the tragic accident where Manassas police officer Heather Munsterman was severely injured by a texting driver. This story resonated with my two sisters and me because we lost our brother, Fred Perutelli, to a texting driver in April 2012.
There are a lot of headlines about what’s going wrong with health care and how people are confused by all the changes that are happening with Obamacare. For instance, few might be aware that there are now more options for affordable primary health care for working families at Greater Prince William Community Health Center. Now more people – whether they have insurance or not – can go to a health care home where all their preventive health needs are met.
Health Center patients are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of income. We are a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that provides primary, prenatal, dental, and behavioral health services under one roof for the whole family. We also offer the innovative CenteringPregnancy® model for prenatal care.
In 2006 voters authorized Prince William County to issue $11 million in bonds to make improvements to park facilities in the county. Among the improvements residents wanted was an expansion of the swimming lanes at the Chinn Center. The expansion never happened, nor did any of the other promised improvements. The county reportedly issued the bonds in 2011, and has reportedly begun spending that money on other improvements to park facilities in the county.
We’re seven years past 2006 and our indoor swimming facilities are even more inadequate than they were then. School age children routinely swim at 4:30 in the morning to get practice in before school starts. Swimming lessons fill up within days of being announced. Pool space in the evening for recreation is next to impossible to find.
Madera Farm, LLC is a family-run farm located off of Farmview Road in Nokesville, Va.
Madera Farm is intended to be primarily used for agricultural practices including growing crops and raising livestock. Madera Farm is also planning to operate a landscape service business on the property to include mulch grinding and composting for use by local people and businesses.
You must be doing something right in Woodbridge!
Last week, after several days frantically searching for my perpetually-misplaced wallet, I received a call from a wonderfully honest Woodbridge man whose selfless action brought me joy and, finally, a good night’s sleep.
The definition of agriculture is and has been for thousands of years, the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi, and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain human life. The word “agriculture” is the English adaptation of Latin agricultura, from ager, “a field” and cultura, “cultivation” in the strict sense of “tillage of the soil”. Thus, a literal reading of the word yields “tillage of fields.”
Prince William County is now preparing (with the Special Use Permit -SUP #PLN2012-00334) to make a decision that will set a precedent to change the definition of “agriculture” in this county, and our Comprehensive Plan and Zoning regulations, to include a recycling and landscaping supply business as an agriculture use. Approval of this SUP will forge the change to the definition and character of the rural area of Prince William County. If Madera Farm was truly a “farm,” there would be no need for an SUP.
Dear Woodbridge Residents,
Election Day is perhaps the greatest expression of our democracy. I would like to thank each and every person that made it to the polls on Tuesday to cast their vote. As many of you know firsthand, there were excessively long lines at several Woodbridge voting locations. As I went from precinct to precinct, I was amazed and uplifted by the positive, patient, and determined citizens waiting in line, as well as the hardworking and empathetic Election Day volunteers. It was remarkable and inspiring. Thank you.
The Council would sincerely like to Thank the citizens in the Town of Dumfries who exercised their right to vote on November 6, 2012.
The lines were long and the weather was cold, but the Town’s citizens were friendly, social, cheerful, looked out for one another, and there was a small-town feel.
By KEITH SCARBOROUGH
There have been several changes in voting laws and procedures that every voter should know about. Here are four important questions all voters need to answer in order to be ready to vote this fall.
