Saturday, February 5, 2011

County Board Prevailed Over VDOT's HOT Lanes - What About East Falls Church?

Hi Yupette.

Our family moved from an apartment in South Arlington to a single-family home in East Falls Church fifteen years ago. My family needed more room. So we purchased a single-family home on a medium size lot in East Falls Church and we've made modest improvements. We live on a quiet street. We have two children and lead a comfortable, but not extravagant, lifestyle.

I completely oppose the "Shirlingtonization" of East Falls Church. I am also appalled by the hypocrisy that Chris Zimmerman and the County Board have exhibited regarding EFC re-development. They spent over $1.5 million suing VDOT to protect Shirlington, Fairlington, Claremont, etc. from HOT Lanes. And they are going to spend tens of millions more protecting South Arlington from BRAC traffic.

How about East Falls Church? How have we become a "re-development opportunity" for Chris Zimmerman, the County Board, the REITs and the developers? Zimmerman stated at the last County Board Meeting that the EFC community contacted Zimmerman about redevelopment. Not true. Zimmerman contacted his pet Democrats in EFC and had them make an issue about the "deteriorated" state of Lee Highway at the Arlington-Falls Church border. Before Zimmerman got going on his latest arterial mega-development crusade County Government could care less about East Falls Church.

How about VDOT, the EFC Metro Station, and the 100,000 and more commuters who will descend on the EFC Metro Station morning and evening rush hours? Chris Zimmerman doesn't want to talk about that. Who sued VDOT over I-66 widening? Not Arlington County, it was the Green Party. I guess when East Falls Church is on the point of becoming a total G-D mess, thanks to Chris Zimmerman's "Planning Commission" there will be an "emergency task force" to deal with Chris "Guru of Gridlock" Zimmerman's traffic fiasco.

The so-called "Planning Commission" will hold a meeting on February 8th at the Navy League Building on Wilson Boulevard to rubber stamp "REIT Fuhrer" Zimmerman's mega development plans for EFC. The next EFC "Community Meeting" will be held at Resurrection Lutheran Church on February 9th. The next County Board Meeting will be on February 12th.

It's time for us to take the control and direction of our lives away from slimey politricksters like Chris Zimmerman who are only looking for more mega-deals to fund their pet vanity mega-projects while we suffer the consequences.

Anne - East Falls Church

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Williamsburg Middle School Principal Forced Out for Opposing Murphy-Garvey-Raphael Recreation-Socialization-Remediation Agenda

Hello Ms. Yupette,

Why was Kathy Francis forced out as Principal of Williamsburg Middle School? Because her focus was on EDUCATION, not on Patrick Murphy's, Libby Garvey's, and Abby Raphael's Anti-Education 'Recreation-Socialization-Remediation' agenda.

This happened before in Arlington - at Abingdon Elementary School in the late 90's. The then-Principal almost destroyed the school by attempting to make Abingdon School a "Party Zone". With the concurrence of Libby Garvey and Mary Hynes. Only after Abingdon School descended into chaos was the Principal replaced. By none other than Meg Tuccillo. It took YEARS for Abingdon School to recover. Concomitantly, Libby Garvey and Mary Hynes fought SOLs.

Now we have a Schools Superintendent who has a Ph.D. in Recreation. This (Arlington Yupette) blog warned everyone what was coming - the New Wakefield High School was designed as a recreation-remediation complex with classrooms.

Libby Garvey, Mary Hynes, and Abby Raphael are unfit to hold public office. Patrick Murphy is fit to be athletics director of a midwestern university.

Thank you Kathy Francis, for always putting EDUCATION FIRST.

Barbara - Heatherlea 1995-1999, Williamsburg 1999-2011

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Alex. City Council Member Answers Questions About BRAC Traffic, I-395 HOT Lanes

Hello, Yupette.

County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman refused to answer questions about Mark Center BRAC traffic and I-395 HOT Lanes when asked at the January 22nd County Board Meeting.

So I asked Alexandria City Council member Rob Krupicka, and here's what he said:

"Regarding HOT Lanes, I wrote the city policy opposing them. it was passed at my request by the Transportation Commission and the Council. We are closely monitoring settlement discussions over Arlington's lawsuit in order to make sure Alexandria residents are represented in any final agreements. The Mayor has had conversations with VDOT over this and will continue to the city's point person. I have put a lot of effort into and expressed my concerns about hot lanes many times> I will continue to. If there is something specific you'd like to discuss, please let me know.

Regarding BRAC, while it isn't in the location I wanted, we are making progress designing and implementing new traffic systems. We have a robust plan developed with citizen input to guide how BRAC manages its employee traffic and mass transit efforts. A series of immediate transportation fixes have been identified and are being worked on. Some require new funding which we are pursuing. The City of Alexandria has negotiated with the Army to provide and pay for new bus service that will serve BRAC employees as well as any other resident that wishes to ride the buses. And I'm co-chairing a study group looking at additional mass transit system improvements for the Beauregard and Van Dorn areas.

I'm happy to talk further. Just let me know the best way to get in touch with you.

Best Regards,

Rob Krupicka

Kristine - Fairlington

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Civ Fed / County Board Meetup - County Board Will Fast Track Pet Projects

Hi Yupette,

I attended tonight's County Board - Civic Federation joint meeting tonight. No surprises. The County Board will fast-track its pet projects - Pike and Crystal City trolleys, Longbridge Park Aquatic Center, and recreation and entertainment priorities. Funding for the luxuries will be obtained by cutting the basics and raising taxes and fees.

It was interesting to hear Jay Fisette state that taxpayers could save a lot of money if the County and Dominion Resources accelerated the replacement of old energy-inefficient streetlights. But that's something that Dominion is not about to let happen.

Zimmerman became animated about how many benefits his Pike trolley will bring to the local economy. He isn't worried about the cost, estimated to be between $140 and $200 million. He could care less about current residents being displaced by gentrification.

Delegate

"County Staff" Support I-395 HOT Lanes, I-66 Widening

Hello, Yupette,

With so many County Staff who live outside Arlington County it's interesting to hear what their take on I-395 HOT Lanes and I-66 widening is. They want both. Or that's what they say around the water coolers at 2100 Clarendon Blvd.

Also interesting to see who is playing hardball in the General Assembly with the County Board over I-395 HOT Lanes - Delegate Tim Hugo, who represents the 40th District and lives in Clifton. Who else lives in Clifton and makes the commute to Arlington via I-66 or I-395 every weekday? None other than Arlington County Manager Barbara Donnellan. And a laundry list of other department heads. Could some (of several hundred) County Staff who live in the Clifton area be complaining to Delegate Hugo about their terrible commute to work via I-66 and I-395? Too bad investigative journalism is dead, or we'd know who from County Staff has been lobbying Delegate Hugo.

2100

Monday, January 31, 2011

"Share the Road" With Fisette's "Smart Growth" Bicycle Bozos? No Way!

Hello, Ms. Yupette:

It's been a worse than average Winter. But the worst part of driving is encountering the people who Jay Fisette encourages to ride bicycles in all kinds of weather dressed in black and riding bicycles with no reflectors or headlights at night.

I am not about to "Share the Road" with Jay Fisette's Bicycle Bozos. When I see one of Jay's fellow bicycle fanatics doing something illegal and stupid I flash my headlights and hit the horn button. You should too.

Margaret - 22201

Snow Removal is Unacceptable

Hello, Yupette,

I live near Marymount University and snow removal is unacceptable again this year. My street (which has no parked vehicles) had one lane plowed down the middle of the street. Several dead end streets and cul de sacs weren't plowed at all. What a terrible job of snow removal. Why do we put up with this, year after year?

Joan 22207