Letters to the Editor: January 1 – 7, 2014
F.C. Voters Favor Fully Funding the Schools
Editor,
I have been commenting upon – and otherwise involved with – debates in the community about school funding and economic development for just about 20 years. I read the letters in last week’s News-Press with interest just because at some point everything becomes “Groundhog Day.” It’s all been said – over and over.
What is important for everyone to remember when having these repetitive debates is where the electorate is. Repeatedly, the voters have favored (either directly or through the people they elect) policies that (i) fully fund the schools and raise the taxes necessary to do so, (ii) favor dense commercial development (except where it is physically close to the voter in question), and (iii) are not supportive of affordable housing initiatives.
Love it, hate it, whatever. That is where the voters are and have been for a long time. You can rage at the Council, School Board and City Manager all you want, but absent some huge unanticipated change in collective view, that is very likely where the voters will stay.
David Chavern
Falls Church
Traffic Conditions at Glen Carlyn Unsafe For Pedestrians
Editor,
One day, while walking from my house to Manor Care nursing home to visit my grandmother, I came upon the intersection at South Manchester St and Glen Carlyn Rd. I had to wait for a break in the constant stream of traffic turning right from Manchester, and the stream that was turning left from Glen Carlyn. When there was finally a break in the traffic, I started to cross, only to have to stop in the middle of the intersection because a car went flying down Glen Carlyn and turned right in front of me. This isn’t the only time this has happened; it’s happened to me numerous times before, as well as to the many others who cross this intersection on a daily basis. Many people cross these unsafe streets to get to a library, a nursing home, St. Catherine’s Church, various shops and restaurants and even schools. The traffic conditions in this area are not safe for pedestrians.
I’m writing this letter to propose a solution to this dangerous problem. I imagine three new crosswalks and a sidewalk for those risky roads: A crosswalk to cross Lebanon Dr., a crosswalk to cross South Manchester St., a crosswalk to cross Glen Carlyn Rd. and a sidewalk along Glen Carlyn in between those two.
The crosswalks are all needed because there is always a heavy amount of traffic coming down these streets, and people always have trouble crossing. And the sidewalk is needed because all that there is to walk on is a dirt path, which was worn into the dirt by the sheer amount of foot traffic. The amount of foot traffic alone is reason enough to put in a sidewalk, plus the pathway is always muddy after a rain, and there are roots and weeds to trip on.
I hope that you will agree with me that this intersection and these roads are dangerous to pedestrians. I hope that our local officials will consider my suggestions to solve this problem.
Thomas Unger
Falls Church
Thanks for Support With Daughter’s ‘Business’
Editor,
A big thank you goes out to the community of Falls Church for supporting our intellectually disabled daughter’s recycling gift tag “business.” This recycling activity has gone full circle in the community and many thanks are in order.
First, thank you to all the friends, neighbors, co-workers, others who donated their used holiday cards to our front door or other drop-off points.
With her caregiver, Carmela, Katelyn repurposed these used holiday cards into beautiful, custom gift tags, working on them from January to October. These gift tags were packaged and then ready for sale.
Another big thank you goes out to the retailers who let us put a selling display in their businesses. This year the retailers are: Betty Brite Drycleaners, Brown’s Hardware, Local Market, Spectrum Cleaners and Stifel and Capra.
And lastly, many thanks to all our family, friends, neighbors, & all those in the community who purchased these packages of gift tags. We appreciate your support & hope you enjoyed using your gift tags!
This recycling activity has gone full circle in the community: used cards donated to give a “job” to our intellectually disabled daughter and then the repurposed cards as gift tags were purchased by the same community.
We love it and greatly appreciate all your support, thank you.
Eileen, John & Katelyn Williams
Falls Church
Letters to the Editor may be submitted to letters@fcnp.com or via our online form here. Letters should be limited to 350 words and may be edited for content, clarity and length. To view the FCNP’s letter and submission policy, please click here.
