Author: Letters to the Editor

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.

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.

I applaud the governor’s decision to maintain the moratorium for now. However, a decision to move this process forward should have been an open process, especially if the mining will take place in our backyard. In the event of a catastrophic failure at a waste disposal facility, radioactivity in Lake Gaston (primary drinking water source for Chesapeake/Virginia Beach) could reach levels 10-20 times greater than allowed in the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Any threat to our public health should not be tolerated. The NAS study stated that uranium mining in Virginia poses serious health risks. Our climate, ripe with hurricanes and floods, is untested ground. Could the uranium waste be washed away and into our drinking water? Governor McDonnell’s actions beg the question, “Are we killing the goose to feed the gander?”

With greater business model flexibility, the Postal Service can return to profitability and financial stability. A flexible business model would speed product and pricing decisions, enable a five-day per week delivery schedule, and permit the realignment of mail processing, delivery and retail networks to meet lower mail volumes. It would also allow the Postal Service to more effectively manage its healthcare and retirement systems, and better leverage its workforce.

For an organization that generates all of its revenue from the sale of its postage, products and services – and is contending with declining use of First Class Mail for bill payment – having the flexibility to quickly adapt and react to the marketplace is vital. Our immediate goal is to reduce our annual costs by $20 billion by 2013, which would put the Postal Service in the black and ahead of the long-term cost curve.

To the residents of Woodbridge,

With Thanksgiving upon us, I would like to take this opportunity to give thanks to the residents of Woodbridge for re-electing me to a second term. I look forward to continuing to work together to create the “New Woodbridge.” We will revitalize the Route 1 corridor, implement smart growth principles, explore a variety of transportation solutions, preserve our neighborhoods, and work to build a stronger sense of community.

Friends, neighbors, and citizens of Woodbridge, Woodbridge has spoken.

In every campaign, there is a victor and the vanquished. Today, I congratulate Frank Principi and wish him well in his next term serving the people of Woodbridge on the County Board of Supervisors.

I am writing in support of Fred Sweat for Supervisor in Stafford County’s Griffis-Widewater District.

I’ve gotten to know Fred because he owns Sunnyside Nursery near my home in North Stafford. It’s a wonderful nursery and unique gift shop and I am there often meandering about the flowers, sculptures and beautiful water features. And while his nursery operation is impressive, I am more impressed with the man himself.