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NEW Vienna Elections
Coming Up May 6 4/17/14
The Mayor and three councilmembers will be elected this year with 2 year
terms effective July 1, 2014 - Laurie DiRocco (right) is running unopposed
for Mayor.
The Northeast Vienna Citizens Association will host a forum on Tuesday April
22, 7:30 PM at the Vienna Community Center. The public is invited.
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6 candidates are running for 3
Council seats:
Mike L. Cheselka, 317 Cabin
Road, SE
Linda Jane Colbert, 851 Shady Drive, SE
Edythe Kelleher (Incumbent) 210 Cedar Lane
Pasha M. Majdi 411 Pine Street, SE
Dennis E. Rice 412 Glyndon Street, NE
Tara L. Voigt 910
Meadow Lane, SW
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NEW ANNUAL WALK ON
THE HILL 4/17/14
Historic Vienna, Inc., the Town of Vienna and the residents of the Windover
Heights Historic District will sponsor Walk on the Hill, a self-guided walking
tour through specially marked lawns and gardens in the Windover Heights Historic
District. Browse through any yard with a "Yard Open" sign and tour
the grounds of the Historic District.
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Sunday, April 27 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
A concert will be offered by the Vienna Community Band at 3 p.m. During the
walk, Ayr Hill Garden Club will present a small standard flower show at 307
Windover Avenue NW. Several streets will be closed to vehicular traffic. Refreshments
will be served. The event is free and open to the public.
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Green Dot Scam More Active Than Ever 4/16/14
Police in Vienna and Fairfax have issued alerts on a growing problem: A scam
by which people are tricked or intimidated into buying a certain prepaid money
transfer card. The card most often used is the Paypal Green Dot card sold
by CVS Pharmacy, Walmart, and other popular businesses.
The scam is initiated by telephone, and there are many variations. For example,
the victim is told that he or she has won a huge prize, and must send in a
payment to cover taxes. Or the victim is told they missed showing up for jury
duty, and must send a payment to avoid arrest. Or the victim is told that
their grandchild is in jail in a foreign country, and he must send bail payment
to get the problem solved.
Elderly people in particular are being targeted by the scam artists. Report
all such calls to the police.
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The victim is told to make
payment with a prepaid money card such as this. It is untraceable. |
NEW MATURE DRIVING
SAFETY PROGRAM 4/16/15
The Vienna Community Center will host the AARP mature Driving Safety Program,
May 8 and 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This two-day comprehensive classroom
driver retraining course is geared to the needs of motorists 50 and older.
Graduates of the course could receive a five to ten percent discount from
their car insurance company. The cost of the course is $12 for AARP members
and $14 for non-members and is paid on the first day of class. Advanced registration
is required and registration cannot be taken over the phone. |
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NEW
Cubs On the Move
4/13/14
The parking lot at OLGC
Church was the scene of speed and driving skill, as Pack 976 put on a Cubmobile
Derby to introduce their young set to automotive wonders.
The cars are open air,
and the breeze in the face is part of the allure.
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Ready to Go |
A power boost at the
start line was provided by a large plywood ramp. From that point on, the
racer's job was to keep it between the lines, steering with a little foot
pressure on the movable front axle.
After crossing the finish
line, the driver brought his car to a halt by a hand brake.
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Crossing the Finish Line |
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NEW
Potomac Watershed
Clean-Up Day 4/12/14
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The Alice Ferguson Foundation last weekend celebrated its 26th Year of Good,
Clean Fun. Each spring, the foundation organizes and assists local groups
in keeping the streams feeding the Potamac River free of debris. They provide
bags, gloves, and leadership in this worthy project. Funding comes from environmentally-minded
corporations and individual donors throughout the Potomac watershed.
Several places along our Wolftrap Creek were among the hundreds of sites
involved. The results of efforts in the Wildwood Park were stacked up on the
edge of Follin Lane, waiting for pickup.
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GONE FISHING! 3/29/14
Vienna Family Fishing Rodeo, a
new community event, kicked off March 29, at the newly restored Wolftrap Creek
in Wildwood Park, 700 block of Follin Lane SE.
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The steady light rain did not discourage any of the approximately 80 participants
on the last Saturday in March. As a matter of fact, as any real fisherman
will tell you, they bite better in the rain.
Wolftrap Creek was stocked the day before with hundreds of trout just for
the occasion! Cathy Salgado and her staff from Vienna's Department of Parks
and Recreation organized the event, and worked with the Fairfax County Storm
Water Division, Fairfax County Public Works and Environmental Services, Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and Navy Federal Credit Union to make
it all happen.
The woods was filled with colorful rain gear, and lots of excited giggling
as parents passed their woodland skills to their children. Volunteers were
on hand to provide stream and watershed education, teach participants how
to catch and clean fish.
The Fishing Rodeo was free and open to Town residents only. Participants
brought fishing rods, buckets, plastic bags and ice. Bait was supplied.
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It's Official ... (well, almost) 3/13/14
But it is a serious rumor. The new occupant of the long-time Magruder's
Grocery Store will become Mrs. Green's Natural Market.
The vacant old Magruders,
today |
Jack Reeves in the corporate offices of Mrs. Green's said "We
can't confirm at this time, but when everything is in place, we will shout it
from the rooftops." That didn't exactly sound like a denial. According
to knowledgeable sources, the whole complex of buildings will undergo refurbishing
of the facades for a coordinated look. |
An artist's sketch of the
new Mrs Green's |
Mrs. Green's is a rather new corporation with headquarters in Scarsdale and
about 18 stores concentrated near New York City east to Connecticut. It recently
opened a store in nearby Fair Lakes. Vienna will be the second store in the
Mid Atlantic region. The focus is on organic foods and supplements, and the
stores usually have a coffee, juice, and smoothie bar. For a review of the
Fair Oaks store, click HERE.
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Vienna Mayor Jane Seeman Dies 2/23/14
Mayor Jane Seeman was diagnosed last year with lung cancer, and had put up
a valiant fight since. While she vowed to serve as long as able, she recently
indicated she would not run in this year's election.
Seeman, a resident of Vienna since 1968, was appointed to the Town Council
in 1996 to fill the term of her late husband Rodger Seeman. She was elected
to the council in '97 and '99, and then served six consecutive terms as mayor.
Her current 7th term would have ended this May.
Seeman loved her town, and it was reciprocal. She chaired the bi-monthly
meetings with a no-nonsense style of attention to detail, a keen insight and
ability to get to the bottom of complex issues, and a warmth that connected
with everyone who brought their business before the Council. She will be truly
missed.
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Monday Town Council Meeting, Vice Mayor Carey Sienicki:
Good Evening. Before we
begin... to my right, you will notice an empty chair, draped with sash and
a flower. It is with heavy hearts that we must report that our beloved colleague
and Mayor, M. Jane Seeman, passed away yesterday, February 23, 2014, after
a courageous year-long battle with lung cancer. We first extend our deepest
sympathies to the Colbert and Seeman families, for the passing of their beloved
mother and grandmother. Mayor Seeman has left us all with the legacy of how
to be a model citizen, through her leadership, education and service to community
with a caring compassion to others.
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Over her nearly half a century in Vienna, she has left a positive impact on
this town through her selfless commitment to creating a better, more vibrant
community. Her loving hand and infectious smile has embellished many places
within our Town, in the schools, libraries and organizations where she taught
and volunteered much of her time, but most especially, in Vienna's gardens and
public spaces such as the Town Green, Maple Avenue, Community Center, and Town
Hall. Jane has truly left this world a better place and we are privileged to
have known such a wonderful person who will live forever within the heart of
Vienna. At this moment we ask you pause for a moment of silence in her honor
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Friday, Feb 28
A pleasant sunny, but cool day. The huge chapel of the Presbyterian Church
was barely enough to accomodate the mourners who turned out to say farewell
to Mayor Jane Seeman. The story of her remarkable life was told best by her
family members, who described it in terms of sharing, commitment, fun, achievement,
and love.
"She left too early," her son said. "But then, she did more
than could be expected in ten lifetimes."
The flags stood at half mast as Jane rode past what she considered one of
her best accomplishments, the Vienna Town Green. Thoughtfully, a dozen buses
were provided to take her friends to her burial service in Oakton's Flint
Hill Cemetery. Else, the procession would have been miles long.
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FAIRFAX COUNTY ADOPTS
PARK PROGRAM 1/30/14
The Fairfax County Park
Authority Board adopted a new Natural Resource Management Plan on Jan. 29.
The Park Authority owns over 23,000 acres, most of it undeveloped. Residents
expect and rely on natural areas to provide recreational opportunities as
well as environmental services and benefits. This plan spells out how agency
staff and partners are to protect, restore and manage the natural treasures
entrusted to their care.
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The Plan also provides
direction to staff to incorporate natural resource management into all Park
Authority functions and requires that we inventory, plan, protect, manage,
educate and build partnerships to ensure proper stewardship in support of
the agency mission. The Park Authority Board approved the first agency wide
Natural Resource Management Plan on January 14, 2004.
To read the plan, Click HERE.
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2/8/14
Wildwood Park's pools are thin sheets of ice as we have been feeling some
Arctic air from Canada. But the days are growing longer, and spring will be
here soon.
Click the picture to roll back the calandar to the dedication of the Wolftrap
Creek's improvement program.
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Westbriar is Growing
1/6/14
Westbriar Civic Association will soon have a new member. The house at 301 Niblick
Drive SE was demolished today to make room for two new homes, which will have
addresses of 301 and 303. When they are finished and occupied, Westbriar membership
will grow from 435 to 436. We are not only the oldest continually active civic
association, but also the largest in Vienna.
Our zoning regulations allow subdividing lots which are at least one half acre.
This house was among the first eighteen Westbriar houses which were built in
1955. Most of the lots in Westbriar Zones A and B are in the half-acre size,
so we can expect to see more such subdividing in the future.
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Wolftrap
Creek Project Finished 11/2/13
No more workers' cars
are along Follin Lane near the Navy Federal Credit Union, and no more yellow
machines are in the woods. The project that began last March is finished,
and the wildlife is settling in again after what, to them, must have been
stressful.
The Wildwood Park, which
stretches from Our Lady of Good Council to the W&OD Trail has a different
look and feel now. Previously rain storms would have overflowed the banks
and made the woods a swamp. It also caused problems for nearby residences.
The streambed has been reinforced, and made into a series of cascading pools.
It is pretty, and the improvement of the trails will make the woods an enjoyable
hike for dog walkers and nature lovers. It is the only year-round flowing
stream that touches the Westbriar boundaries.
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The renewed creek looks great surrounded by the blazing fall colors. |
Wolftrap Creek is spring
fed, and drains an area of about two square miles to the south east of OLGC.
The beginning of the creek could be considered the woods surrounding the end
of Byrd Road, although most of the waterflow during storms is now runoff from
all the roofs, sidewalks, driveways and new roads built over the last three
decades. The source area is in essence completely developed at this point.
Rain is concentrated, and water rises fast and higher than the days when the
area was all woods.
From Wildwood Park, the
Wolftrap crosses Echols Street, runs behind Fresh Market, and crosses Maple
at Wendy's. At Creek Crossing Road, it joins forces with a minor branch that
flows across the golf course. By now, the flow has doubled during storms.
By the time the creek passes under Old Courthouse Road, it is capable of flooding
the road and causing nightmares for commuters.
The Wolftrap crosses under
the Dulles Access Road and meanders through the woods behind the Wolftrap
Filene Center. At that point it joins up with the Old Courthouse Spring Branch
coming from Tysons, doubling again in size. A mile later, it joins the main
channel, Difficult Run, which heads to the Potomac River a mile downstream
from Great Falls.
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Vienna VA
Fairfax County
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Hunter Mill District
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Pure Pasty
Click photo to learn about something deliciously different
The un-burger
Buttery, Flakey, Dreamy
Ready for really fine dining?
...more than coffee
LadiesÉCome learn about football from the author
of Football 101 and local football Coach Casey Samson. Sample some great tailgate
foods prepared by Chef Patrick Bazin. Topics include:
Rules of Football
Myths and reality about football
Why do people love RGIII but dislike Albert Haynesworth.
Football terminology cheat sheet
Is football safe for kids?
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Cafe Renaissance
... for that special occasion
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A great read ...
... by a local author
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How's your roof?
Highly recommended.
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