Kaylin, Barry Deny Partisan Party Support
Editor,
In last week’s edition you ran an article based on a blog which stated that we had been endorsed by the Republican Party or related political network.
We neither asked for, nor received, an endorsement from any party. Frankly, and to the credit of Falls Church City residents, very few voters cared about national political affiliation.
We received support from those voters who are concerned about the continued independence of our City. We do believe in fiscal responsibility. We also believe that we were supported by voters, of both parties, who shared our views and are deeply appreciative to all those who voted for us on May 4.
We knocked on a lot of doors and spoke to many people. The platform, which included not only fiscal responsibility, but good governance, solid schools, and economic development, was met with enthusiasm. We delivered a clear and concise message which resonated with City voters.
If the Editor would like to politicize City elections that is his prerogative. We strongly believe that the vision for the City should be non-partisan and that achieving the broadest possible City wide support should be the objective of all elected officials.
The election was in May. It is now September. It is time to move on and do the work we were elected to do. We would be pleased to have the News-Press as a civil and responsible partner in the Council’s efforts to meet the many challenges before us.
Ira Kaylin, Johannah Barry
Falls Church City Council
W&OD Users & Driver Tiff Statewide Issue
Editor,
The recent theft of signs from the W&OD trail road crossings in the city is deplorable. However, your recent headline, “Safety Sign Theft Sparks More Anger in W&OD Trail User Vs. Driver Tiff,” exaggerates a problem by highlighting isolated incidents. The subhead, “Bikers, Joggers on Trail and Vehicles on Road at Odds,” describes what is, in fact, a statewide problem that is not limited to the 45 miles of the W&OD trail.
The 11-member board of the Friends of the W&OD Trail, which includes 3 Falls Church members — George Topic, Gordon Wisotzki, and I – has addressed problems on the Trail by maintaining a uniformed bike patrol. Annually almost 100 volunteer participants log over 20,000 miles, acting as a valuable supplement to local police. The bike patrol has no arrest authority and relies on the power of persuasion to deal with violators of trail rules. One sure way for city bicyclists and motorists to help improve relations among trail users would be to join the bicycle patrol which, to my knowledge, has no members from Falls Church. I encourage anyone who wants to volunteer to contact me: neighborgall@msn.com.
Local police forces, recognizing their responsibility to more than 1 ½ million people who use the Trail annually, also work to keep the Trail safe. The Town of Vienna maintains a police bike patrol, and Chief Bob Carlyle, formerly of Falls Church, occasionally assigns motorcycle officers to slowly, safely ride the Trail. Vienna has installed traffic lights at the two most dangerous intersections. Arlington Police have a similar approach and occasionally assign police cruisers to drive the Trail. Although Falls Church police have supported the annual W&OD Trail Race on a reimbursable basis and own two bicycles well suited to trail patrol, they have not routinely devoted equivalent resources to Trail safety.
Solving our local problems on the W&OD Trail will require cooperation and the experience of all who are interested. The board and Trail patrol members are available to participate.
Roger Neighborgall, President
Friends of W&OD trail
Tea Party Not Responsible for Bike Trail Thefts
Editor,
Calling all cars, calling all cars… be on the lookout for one Mr. Dave Rockwell who appears to have escaped from the Cuckoos Nest and is writing letters to the editor.
Are you kidding me or what? Let me get this straight. There was something stolen from the bike path cross walks and the Tea Party Activists are responsible for this because of their “vague political motive”…and only liberals use the bike path. In Hitler’s rise to power he was quite successful in convincing the masses that the Jews were the evil that were to be blamed for all that was wrong. In this country’s era of severe racial discrimination, it was quite a successful campaign by those that spread hate and fear that blacks were only 2/3 a human being and should be despised simply because of the color of their skin and in today’s hope and change atmosphere it would appear that at least one liberal feels that all Tea Party Activists are thieves. I can tell you that as a retired police officer I arrested more people who supported the democratic ideology than I did of the opposite side. But what does that mean…all Dems are thieves. Think again. Mr. Rockwell, Jewish people are not evil, all African Americans do not look alike and all thieves are not Tea Party Activists. Now back away from the keyboard, put the straight jacket back on and go quietly to your room, the attendants have a Nancy Pelosi doll, a Harry Reid doll and a President Obama doll for you to play with today.
Charlie FitzGerald
Falls Church
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