Gross: Fairfax Consumer Group Reviews F.C. Water Rates
Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross confirmed to the News-Press yesterday that her seconding and vote at the Fairfax County Board meeting last week will prod the county’s Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) to release its report on the water rates charged to county residents by both the Falls Church Water System and the Town of Vienna’s water system.
The purpose of the study, Gross said, was to provide explanations for why county users of Falls Church’s system pay more for the service than the users of Fairfax’s own water system. “We realized the report had not been released, so we took action last week to bring it forward,” Gross said. “I am always being asked by my constituents about this.” Last week’s motion was made by Providence Supervisor Linda Smyth. The completion of the report was delayed by the recent trial pitting Fairfax Water against the Falls Church Water System.
F.C. League of Women Voters/VPIS Council Debate Tuesday
A forum involving all eight candidates vying for the four open seats on the Falls Church City Council in the May 4 election will be hosted jointly by the Falls Church chapter of the League of Women Voters (LWV) and Village Preservation and Improvement Society (VPIS) this Tuesday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Council chambers in City Hall. The public is invited to attend. The event will be videotaped to air at later dates on Falls Church Cable TV. The forum will be moderated by Olga Hernandez, president of the Virginia LWV. The Falls Church LWV candidates profiles are available on its web site, http://lwvfallschurch.org, and a compilation of candidate statements published in the News-Press in the last month are available at http://fcva.me/aLpiEf.
News-Press Requests Full Funding of ‘The Focus’ in Budget
Responding to proposals to curtail publication in the FY2011 budget of the City of Falls Church’s weekly ‘Focus’ section in the Falls Church News-Press, News-Press Owner/Editor Nicholas Benton formally petitioned the City Council to retain the full, weekly publication of the City’s public information pages that have been carried in the News-Press every week since 2003. Benton called the arrangement a “real bargain” for the City, offered by the News-Press at a third of the retail price, and cited comments by City Manager Wyatt Shields that ‘The Focus’ is the most “effective” and “cost effective” way for the City to communicate with its citizens.
Bailey’s Crossroads Development Meeting Tonight
The Goodwyn House Auditorium will be the location for a briefing, update and request for public input concerning the Baileys Crossroad Community Business Center (CBC) plan tonight at 7 p.m., convened by Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross. The meeting will be the first in a year to avail the public of the progress in the plan for what the area will come to look like in the next two decades. The final plan will be adopted into the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan. The Goodwyn House is at 3440 S. Jefferson St. in Baileys Crossroads.
Toddler Falls From Window in Barcroft Area
Police responded to a report of a toddler falling from a window of an apartment in the 3600 block of Barcroft View Terrace around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. A two-year-old girl, playing with siblings, apparently fell from a third story window. She was transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital for non life-threatening injuries. There were no charges filed in the case. This incident occurred in the wake of a two-year-old boy who died Saturday, April 10 following injuries he suffered from a fall from a third story window in his Reston home.
2 Charged With Running Unlicensed Dental Practice
According to an Associated Press report Tuesday, Fairfax County police have charged two people with running an unlicensed dental practice after a patient who developed an infection reported them. Amparo Rodriguez, 48, of Dumfries, was charged with performing an invasive procedure without a license, among other counts. An alleged business associate, 54-year-old Oscar F. Moran, was also charged. Police reported that a woman who developed an infection after Rodriguez performed a root canal led officers to the Falls Church house on April 5. There they found a door leading to a basement office hidden behind a refrigerator. Rodriguez’ lawyer B.R. Hicks said Rodriguez was a licensed dentist in Colombia before coming to the United States.
Dominion Volunteers Make Rain Barrels in F.C. Event
Over 50 employees of Dominion Virginia Power volunteered their time at the City Property Yard in Falls Church Tuesday morning to help construct over 300 rain barrels that will later be sold at a discount to citizens in the region. The effort is part of Dominion’s pro-environment and pro-volunteerism initiatives, and Dominion CEO Paul Koonce was on hand to present $1 million in grants to four regional conservationist organizations during a press conference in mid-morning. Volunteers began arriving at 6:30 a.m. for today’s event and resumed their work after the press conference. Public officials present for the press conference included Falls Church Mayor Robin Gardner, who made remarks on behalf of her colleagues, Fairfax County Supervisors Penny Gross and John Faust, State Sens. Mary Margaret Whipple and Patsy Ticer, State Dels. Jim Scott and Bob Brink as well as Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields and Assistant City Manager Cindy Mester. Koonce said that Dominion has adopted a new policy goal of having 50 percent of its employees in the state engage in volunteer activities in any given year, and that the progress toward that goal will be closely monitored.
Henderson M.S.’s Barry Named Award Winner
Twelve-year veteran history and language arts teacher Maryel Barry of Falls Church’s Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School was named the F.C. system’s winner this year of the annual Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher award. Barry was named by the Washington Post, which selects one teacher from each of the D.C. area’s 19 public school systems and one private school each year. Barry is credited with creating and implementing the history and language arts curriculum for classes at Henderson Middle School and for leading students in both self-directed and group projects aimed at honing research, analytical and writing skills. With the F.C. school system since 1996, she also serves as a mentor for new teachers in the system. Barry is the creator and sponsor of the Henderson Middle School Grandparents Club and volunteers with the Homework Club.
