Demonstrators, Local Residents Demand End to 'Secure Communities'

Hello, Yupette,

Last evening a large and vocal group of demonstrators demanded an immediate end to the Department of Homeland Security's so-called 'Secure Communities' program at a meeting of the Homeland Security Advisory Council. The meeting was held at Founders Hall of George Mason University, on Fairfax Drive. At least 30 uniformed police officers were present to monitor approximately 200 demonstrators. The demonstrators moved indoors and the Council members heard about 50 speakers.

The speakers overwhelmingly denounced 'Secure Communities' and called for an immediate end to the program. Several Arlington activists spoke on both sides of the issue. The most appalling statements came from attorneys who represent immigrant defendants regarding significant and serious abuses in the 'Secure Communities' program. Several local residents detailed the kafkaesque experiences they and their relatives endured after being apprehended by the police and sent to detention centers operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Tom

Audrey Clement Will Share County Board Ballot With Democratic Party Incumbents

Hello, Yupette,

News from the Arlington Voter Registrar's office is that no Republican or third party candidate submitted voter petitions to run for County Board by the close of the polls tonight.

So Audrey Clement will face Mary Hynes and Walter Tejada in the November elections.

Hooray! Finally we have a choice. Someone who is REALLY for the environment. Someone who is fiscally responsible. Someone who CAN and WILL say NO to Chris Zimmerman !!!

I will gladly volunteer to help Audrey. You can too. Visit her Web site: www.audreyclement.org.

2100

Endorsements - August 23rd Democratic Primary

Hello

Arlington Yupette does not accept advertising. Our volunteers do not offer for-profit 'consulting services' to developers, non-profits, etc. Our volunteers are not 'committee members' of any political party, or board members of any non-profit, or for-profit organization.

Our volunteers attended debates, read campaign literature, talked with candidates, and determined what candidates actually accomplished if elected. So here are our endorsements for Tuesday's Arlington Democratic Primary:

For Virginia Senate 30th District - Rob Krupicka

For Virginia Senate 31st District - Jaime Areizaga-Soto

For House of Delegates, 49th District - Stephanie Clifford

For Commonwealth's Attorney - David Deane

Polls open at 6 AM and close at 7 PM. You don't have to be a Democrat to vote. This is a primary election, not a party caucus. You don't have to promise to support Democratic candidates in November. See you at the polls on Tuesday..

Susan

Ford Focus EV to be Introduced Soon; County Board Buys a $43,000 Hybrid for 'Evaluation'

Hello,

If you visited the Arlington County Fair you may have seen the $43,000 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid Arlington County purchased (for the list price) for testing and evaluation.

But County Staff who are in charge of testing and evaluating the Volt were clueless about the imminent introduction of the all-electric Ford Focus EV, which will list for approximately $32,000 with an approximate $7,000 tax rebate. That will make the all-electric Focus affordable for millions of drivers. The Focus EV has a 100 mile range, which makes it ideal for trips inside the Beltway.

Ford also just announced an optional rooftop photovoltaic charging package for the Focus EV which will list for $10,000.

But how will the basic Focus EV (or a similar all-electric vehicle, or even a plug-in hybrid) be charged if you don't own a single family home with a garage? Or if you own a Focus EV with a photovoltaic panel roof and park in an underground garage?

The County's citizen energy task force was long on sustainable development and short on renewable energy.

The Ford Focus EV will be introduced in months, not years. What's the County Board and the County's bloated transportation bureaucracy (not to mention apartment building owners and condo communities) going to do about it? Ford has not been shy about disclosing the Focus EV's marketing plans.

Susan

Sun Gazette Candidate Coverage - Pay to Play

Hello Yupette,

I was standing around a candidate's table at the County Fair yesterday when a advertising sales person from your favorite local newspaper (who could it be? who could it be?) approached and started talking to the campaign staff.

Of course, several campaign workers were very interested and started chatting her up, telling her that the campaign was in the mood to buy political advertising, etc. This led to an animated discussion about your favorite editor, no last names, call him 'Scott'.

Turns out that 'Scott's' nickname around the newspaper is 'Mr. Sub Man' for the way he devours submarine sandwiches at work.

Oh, the ad sales person told the campaign staff that she sat right next to 'Scott' at the newspaper's Edsall Road offices and she could arrange favorable news coverage in return for 'serious campaign advertising'.

The campaign staff told her that everyone was very familiar with 'Scott's' journalism and told her to check out the Arlington Yupette blog to see your coverage of 'Scott' and the newspaper.

Thought you would enjoy some news from the County Fair.

fed up Dem

Sun Gazette - Bad to Worse

Hello, Yupette,

I attended the July 28th candidates' debates for the 31st Senate District and 49th Assembly District at El Puerto on the Pike. Based upon what I heard the candidates say, and the significant conflicts of interest Sun Gazette Editor Scott McCaffrey maintains, Mr. McCaffrey and the Sun Gazette should not be endorsing any candidate for public office.

Scott McCaffrey refused to attend the July 28th debates. If he had attended he would have known that Jaime Areizaga-Soto served as both a White House Fellow and as an aide to the Democratic leadership of the General Assembly.

Mr. Areizaga-Soto demonstrated during his debate with Barbara Favola that his knowledge and working relationships with senators will make him an effective State Senator. Barbara Favola demonstrated that she doesn't really know what's happening in the General Assembly.

But the real problem with Scott's endorsement of Barbara Favola is he's a member of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce's Executive Committee and serves at the pleasure of fellow Chamber members who are Barbara's campaign contributors.

As in past endorsements, Scott provides several excellent reasons why a candidate, in this instance Barbara Favola, should not be running for election or re-election and then proceeds to endorse the candidate.

Scott's employer, American Community Newspapers, is run by a group of chamber of commerce and real estate boosters in Dallas and Leesburg. ACN is owned by a consortium of banks and financial services corporations, led by General Electric, that are only concerned about ACN's bottom line. To the point where the Sun Gazette runs an ad next to Scott's endorsement of Barbara pointing readers to favolafacts.com, a laundry list of Barbara Favola's conflicts of interest and contributions received from Republicans and Neocons. Surprise, surprise, McCaffrey and the Sun Gazette endorsed Barbara Favola.

Terri

Solution to the County Board's Racism and Elitism - Boycott Arlington

Hi Yupette.

There is a solution to the County Board's racism and elitism - boycott Arlington except for minority-owned small business. Let the County Board and the Chamber of Commerce aka White Citizens Council know you're not shopping in Arlington until the committees, commissions, non-profits, etc. reflect the County's racial and ethnic diversity. This county is as bad as it was 50 years ago. A token minority here and there who goes along with the program. I've had enough. I'm shopping elsewhere and letting the racists and elitists who control everyone and everything know that I am.

Pike Resident