Loudoun County, once the nation's fastest growing county, is still growing fast.
The U.S. Census Bureau last week announced its 2009 population estimates, showing Loudoun County to now be home to 301,171 people.
Loudoun and Alexandria both grew about 3.8 percent during the past year, leading all other Washington suburbs, The Washington Post reported. Loudoun's population was up almost 78 percent during the decade, coming in as the nation's 5th fastest growing county.
Those of us who lived here in the 1980s and '90s can remember being the nation's fastest growing county for a string of years. No other area of the country could compete with the rapid growth that followed the opening of Dulles International Airport, leading to a continuing string of government contractors and other businesses relocating here, while the flat "Piedmont" eastern part of the county proved attractive to home developers and first-time homebuyers wanting space for children to play.
Loudoun's new population estimate is a 77.6 percent increase from the 169,599 people counted in the 2000 census. The Bureau reports the county's population now is 50.2 percent female, 30 percent under age 18, and 6.1 percent 65 years of age or older.
The Bureau estimates 104,261 occupied households here in Loudoun -- a 79 percent increase since 2000. Median 2008 household income is now estimated at $111,582. (The number of dual income households was not listed by the Census Bureau, but has been estimated by Forbes Magazine to be about two-thirds.)
-- martin casey
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Here's some good news
The Loudoun Museum announced Friday (June 18) that it will re-open its main galleries at Loudoun and Wirt streets in Leesburg on Friday, July 2. The museum has been under rennovation since early this year.
The museum's new exhibition is "The Lure of Loudoun: Virginia's Emerald County," which focuses on the county's early "agricultural landscape and lifestyle."
We are living today in one of our nation's oldest counties. Loudoun was founded in 1757 when it was split from Fairfax County because western landowners found it too difficult to get to the Fairfax County courthouse. Loudoun was named for the Earl of Loudoun, who at that time was John Campbell. He served as titular governor of Virginia, although he never set foot on this side of the Atlantic.
The next year, the community then known as "George Town" was renamed "Leesburg." The town was a crossroads, with what became Leesburg Pike (an early toll road from Alexandria that is now Rt. 7) and a north-south Indian path along where the mountains meet the flat Piedmont. Leesburg sits directly on this geologic dividing line -- an enduring feature that lies at the root of the county's differences between "eastern" and "western" Loudoun.
The new museum exhibit highlights period clothing, photographs, postcards and artifacts, including needlework, quilts and coverlets, a tall case clock and a pump organ -- plus locally made cabinets and chairs, silver and porcelain tea service pieces, and a spinning wheel and butter churn, among other items.
The exhibit also focuses on the rapid growth of Ashburn from a small agricultural town along the W&OD railroad into a hugh residential suburb following the opening of Dulles Airport.
The new museum also hosts a "Children's Discovery Room," described as "a special hands-on space just made for the curious explorer."
The museum was founded in 1967 in the original "log cabin" on W. Loudoun Street.
The museum's re-opening coincides with Leesburg's "First Friday" shopping event in which shops stay open late into the evening on the first Friday of each month.
Museum tours will begin at 6 p.m. and will be open to the public free of charge that evening.
For more information, call 703-777-7427 or e-mail bfriedmann@loudounmuseum.org.
-- martin casey
The museum's new exhibition is "The Lure of Loudoun: Virginia's Emerald County," which focuses on the county's early "agricultural landscape and lifestyle."
We are living today in one of our nation's oldest counties. Loudoun was founded in 1757 when it was split from Fairfax County because western landowners found it too difficult to get to the Fairfax County courthouse. Loudoun was named for the Earl of Loudoun, who at that time was John Campbell. He served as titular governor of Virginia, although he never set foot on this side of the Atlantic.
The next year, the community then known as "George Town" was renamed "Leesburg." The town was a crossroads, with what became Leesburg Pike (an early toll road from Alexandria that is now Rt. 7) and a north-south Indian path along where the mountains meet the flat Piedmont. Leesburg sits directly on this geologic dividing line -- an enduring feature that lies at the root of the county's differences between "eastern" and "western" Loudoun.
The new museum exhibit highlights period clothing, photographs, postcards and artifacts, including needlework, quilts and coverlets, a tall case clock and a pump organ -- plus locally made cabinets and chairs, silver and porcelain tea service pieces, and a spinning wheel and butter churn, among other items.
The exhibit also focuses on the rapid growth of Ashburn from a small agricultural town along the W&OD railroad into a hugh residential suburb following the opening of Dulles Airport.
The new museum also hosts a "Children's Discovery Room," described as "a special hands-on space just made for the curious explorer."
The museum was founded in 1967 in the original "log cabin" on W. Loudoun Street.
The museum's re-opening coincides with Leesburg's "First Friday" shopping event in which shops stay open late into the evening on the first Friday of each month.
Museum tours will begin at 6 p.m. and will be open to the public free of charge that evening.
For more information, call 703-777-7427 or e-mail bfriedmann@loudounmuseum.org.
-- martin casey
Monday, June 14, 2010
What about Broad Run Farms?
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors is scheduled tomorrow to consider whether to include here provisions of the Chesapeade Bay Preservation Act.
The act appears wise, but the topic of clean water brings to mind that last I heard the Environmental Protection Agency was supposed to be working to clean up Broad Run Farms, where the Hidden Lane Landfill was leaking toxic waste into that community's water wells.
Broad Run Farms is one of the earliest communities built in eastern Loudoun. It's the only development that was not built as a planned residential community. Instead, the landowner simply sold off lots to families who built their own homes and dug their own wells for water.
Unfortunately, the Hidden Lane Landfill, which lies on the east side of Broad Run Farms and the west side of the CountrySide homeowners association, began some time ago to leak toxic waste into many of the private wells in Broad Run Farms. (The CountrySide development was arranged at the outset to be served by the pipes of what is now Loudoun Water.)
By February of last year, the county and EPA were testing wells in Broad Run Farms and finding many of them to be contaminated. Last I heard, the EPA was working to clean up Broad Run Farms, located where Broad Run flows into the Potomac River, and on into the Chesapeake Bay. The Broad Run Farms community is generally the county's first location to flood during heavy rains, so it appears that Broad Run Farms might itself pose great danger to the preservation of the Chesapeake Bay, let alone the Loudoun County residents who live there.
While we are thinking about preserving the Chesapeake Bay, our Loudoun County supervisors should be thinking first about Broad Run Farms, which, as far as I know, still contains a number of toxic wells.
-- martin casey
The act appears wise, but the topic of clean water brings to mind that last I heard the Environmental Protection Agency was supposed to be working to clean up Broad Run Farms, where the Hidden Lane Landfill was leaking toxic waste into that community's water wells.
Broad Run Farms is one of the earliest communities built in eastern Loudoun. It's the only development that was not built as a planned residential community. Instead, the landowner simply sold off lots to families who built their own homes and dug their own wells for water.
Unfortunately, the Hidden Lane Landfill, which lies on the east side of Broad Run Farms and the west side of the CountrySide homeowners association, began some time ago to leak toxic waste into many of the private wells in Broad Run Farms. (The CountrySide development was arranged at the outset to be served by the pipes of what is now Loudoun Water.)
By February of last year, the county and EPA were testing wells in Broad Run Farms and finding many of them to be contaminated. Last I heard, the EPA was working to clean up Broad Run Farms, located where Broad Run flows into the Potomac River, and on into the Chesapeake Bay. The Broad Run Farms community is generally the county's first location to flood during heavy rains, so it appears that Broad Run Farms might itself pose great danger to the preservation of the Chesapeake Bay, let alone the Loudoun County residents who live there.
While we are thinking about preserving the Chesapeake Bay, our Loudoun County supervisors should be thinking first about Broad Run Farms, which, as far as I know, still contains a number of toxic wells.
-- martin casey
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Sterling welcomes Sheriff's sub-station
Several hundred residents of the populous portion of Loudoun County east of Route 28 welcomed the opening yesterday of the new Sheriff's sub-station on East Frederick Drive in Sterling Park.
The sub-station brings a physical presence to one of the oldest communities in eastern Loudoun, which frequently shows up in the Sheriff's daily crime log.
But the crowd included residents as well from Broad Run Farms, CountrySide, Cascades, Sugarland Run and many of the smaller area communities.
The main draw was not only to thank the Sheriff's Office and the county for the welcome new police presence, but also to get a look inside the new facility.
The building was open to visitors following a formal program of comments by elected officials and the standard ribbon-cutting.
The new facility is located on land given the county by the School Board. It sits between Rolling Ridge Elementary School and the pre-school playground on Sterling Boulevard.
Prior to construction, residents were assured that children using the school and playground would be safe, and yesterday's tour confirmed the promise.
The facility is walled, except for its one public entrance in the front where residents may visit, ask questions or report concerns.
Arrested persons are brought in police cars into a secure area behind the building.
Inside there are interogation rooms, evidence lockers, work area, and three modern jail cells -- not with bars but with thick metal sliding doors.
Suspects normally will not be kept overnight. Arrested persons can "appear" before a judge for arraignment by closed circuit video, and be released on bail in appropriate cases. Suspects to be held for trial will be taken to the county jail in Leesburg.
Although residents may be most interested in the increased police presence, taxpayers and Sheriff's deputies will see savings in cost and time because an arrest in Sterling will no longer require the 20-mile trip to Leesburg. Deputies will file paperwork from the new facility, saving gas and time.
During the opening ceremony, Sheriff Steve Simpson thanked the School Board "for allowing us to build here," and promised residents that "we will do the best we can to serve you," throuogh increased "community policing."
Virginia Delegate Tom Rust presented a certificate of appreciation to Capt. Rick Frye, the new station's commander. Frye, in turn, recognized the "53 men and 12 women who are working around the clock to keep Sterling safe. ... This station are these people," Frye added, gesturing to the his employees who stood in ranks to one side throughout the ceremony. This building is not just brick and morter. ... This is your building," Frye told residents.
Remarks also came from County Supervisors Scott York, Eugene Delgaudio, Susan Buckley, Andrea McGimsey and Stevens Miller. Maj. Robert Buckman, the Sheriff's Operations Division Commander served as host.
-- martin casey
The sub-station brings a physical presence to one of the oldest communities in eastern Loudoun, which frequently shows up in the Sheriff's daily crime log.
But the crowd included residents as well from Broad Run Farms, CountrySide, Cascades, Sugarland Run and many of the smaller area communities.
The main draw was not only to thank the Sheriff's Office and the county for the welcome new police presence, but also to get a look inside the new facility.
The building was open to visitors following a formal program of comments by elected officials and the standard ribbon-cutting.
The new facility is located on land given the county by the School Board. It sits between Rolling Ridge Elementary School and the pre-school playground on Sterling Boulevard.
Prior to construction, residents were assured that children using the school and playground would be safe, and yesterday's tour confirmed the promise.
The facility is walled, except for its one public entrance in the front where residents may visit, ask questions or report concerns.
Arrested persons are brought in police cars into a secure area behind the building.
Inside there are interogation rooms, evidence lockers, work area, and three modern jail cells -- not with bars but with thick metal sliding doors.
Suspects normally will not be kept overnight. Arrested persons can "appear" before a judge for arraignment by closed circuit video, and be released on bail in appropriate cases. Suspects to be held for trial will be taken to the county jail in Leesburg.
Although residents may be most interested in the increased police presence, taxpayers and Sheriff's deputies will see savings in cost and time because an arrest in Sterling will no longer require the 20-mile trip to Leesburg. Deputies will file paperwork from the new facility, saving gas and time.
During the opening ceremony, Sheriff Steve Simpson thanked the School Board "for allowing us to build here," and promised residents that "we will do the best we can to serve you," throuogh increased "community policing."
Virginia Delegate Tom Rust presented a certificate of appreciation to Capt. Rick Frye, the new station's commander. Frye, in turn, recognized the "53 men and 12 women who are working around the clock to keep Sterling safe. ... This station are these people," Frye added, gesturing to the his employees who stood in ranks to one side throughout the ceremony. This building is not just brick and morter. ... This is your building," Frye told residents.
Remarks also came from County Supervisors Scott York, Eugene Delgaudio, Susan Buckley, Andrea McGimsey and Stevens Miller. Maj. Robert Buckman, the Sheriff's Operations Division Commander served as host.
-- martin casey
Monday, June 7, 2010
Don't Tysons Dulles
Many of the folks who live in Loudoun County moved here from Fairfax County. Roughly half of new residents who moved into Loudoun after Dulles Airport opened in November, 1962, came from Fairfax County. Most were "young marrieds" with small children. They wanted a house they could afford, and a lifestyle similar to the hometowns they grew up in.
Loudouon has been fortunate to be able also to attract a significant number of businesses, including AOL, Orbital and others that contribute to our tax base and enable some residents to work near their homes.
But since Loudoun's rapid growth began, the cry "Don't Fairfax Loudoun" has been applied to first one and then another of many proposals for growth that residents don't want. Loudoun was the nation's fastest-growing county for a number of successive years -- until the county grew too large to maintain high growth percentages, even though substantial growth continued each year.
Now we have outgrown the "Don't Fairfax Loudoun" cry -- and its successor is "Don't Tysons Dulles."
Tysons Corner, at Route 7 and the I-495 Beltway, is a highrise congested city with extensive offices and numorous retailers.
I know people who say that the very best, high-end stores are there, among an extensive array of virtually all kinds of retailers from clothing to auto dealerships.
But I hear more of my friends saying, "I never go to Tyson's. It takes forever to drive through there and when you do want to shop there, you can't find a place to park."
Our Board of Supervisors is considering substantial additions to and around Dulles Town Center. In addition, there are plans for the "Kincora" development on the other side of Rt. 28 at Rt 7 extending toward Loudoun County Parkway, while the One Loudoun project has already been approved for the property west of the that parkway. There is even talk of building a minor league baseball stadium in or near the Kincora development.
Though passersby still don't see much of the One Loudoun development, it will offer office space, homes, apartments and retail shopping opportunities when it is complete. There has been talk of locating a World Trade Center there as well.
So it looks to me that our supervisors will soon be confronting a series of key decisions that will significantly impact the daily lives of folks like me who live in and around CountrySide, Cascades and Sterling Park -- an area so populous already that three of our nine supervisors represent these specific residents.
My cry is "Don't Tysons Dulles!"
I want to continue living here and I don't want to commit an hour to go from Loudoun County Parkway or Route 28 to the Fairfax County line down Rt. 7.
Maybe the first step our supervisors should take now -- before we start approving the Dulles Center and Kincora developments -- is to first expand the traffic capacities of Rt. 7.
And above all: Don't Tysons Dulles!
--martin casey
Loudouon has been fortunate to be able also to attract a significant number of businesses, including AOL, Orbital and others that contribute to our tax base and enable some residents to work near their homes.
But since Loudoun's rapid growth began, the cry "Don't Fairfax Loudoun" has been applied to first one and then another of many proposals for growth that residents don't want. Loudoun was the nation's fastest-growing county for a number of successive years -- until the county grew too large to maintain high growth percentages, even though substantial growth continued each year.
Now we have outgrown the "Don't Fairfax Loudoun" cry -- and its successor is "Don't Tysons Dulles."
Tysons Corner, at Route 7 and the I-495 Beltway, is a highrise congested city with extensive offices and numorous retailers.
I know people who say that the very best, high-end stores are there, among an extensive array of virtually all kinds of retailers from clothing to auto dealerships.
But I hear more of my friends saying, "I never go to Tyson's. It takes forever to drive through there and when you do want to shop there, you can't find a place to park."
Our Board of Supervisors is considering substantial additions to and around Dulles Town Center. In addition, there are plans for the "Kincora" development on the other side of Rt. 28 at Rt 7 extending toward Loudoun County Parkway, while the One Loudoun project has already been approved for the property west of the that parkway. There is even talk of building a minor league baseball stadium in or near the Kincora development.
Though passersby still don't see much of the One Loudoun development, it will offer office space, homes, apartments and retail shopping opportunities when it is complete. There has been talk of locating a World Trade Center there as well.
So it looks to me that our supervisors will soon be confronting a series of key decisions that will significantly impact the daily lives of folks like me who live in and around CountrySide, Cascades and Sterling Park -- an area so populous already that three of our nine supervisors represent these specific residents.
My cry is "Don't Tysons Dulles!"
I want to continue living here and I don't want to commit an hour to go from Loudoun County Parkway or Route 28 to the Fairfax County line down Rt. 7.
Maybe the first step our supervisors should take now -- before we start approving the Dulles Center and Kincora developments -- is to first expand the traffic capacities of Rt. 7.
And above all: Don't Tysons Dulles!
--martin casey
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Our national debt is really serious
Congressman Frank Wolf hosted one of his "Town Hall meetings" yesterday in Leesburg and not surprisingly he addressed the national debt in his opening remarks. Wolf is a lead sponsor on legislation that would offer a "SAFE solution" to our mounting federal debt, and has been pushing the legislation for some time now.
Wolf notes that the national debt has ballooned to more than $12 trillion, and that at the pace of current spending "could grow by a trillion dollars a year for the next 10 years." He's urging Congress to form a bi-partisan commission of experts who could recommend actions that would put the nation on track to bringing down the national debt, and keep it heading in that direction. His bill is "The Securing America's Future Economy (SAFE) Commission Act."
You and I have heard politicians rail against the increasing national debt as long as any of us can remember. Many congressmen (including Wolf) have attacked the national debt even as they work to secure government spending in their own districts. Wolf has been effective for us in helping with Northern Virginia's transportation problems, and others. And of course we all want even more help, whether or not the mounting national debt becomes more severe.
I've never worried much about the federal deficit until now, but recently I have become extremely worried! Here's why:
My introduction to the federal debt was during World War II when my mom and grandparents bought "War Bonds" to help fight the war, while my father and two uncles served overseas. The bonds earned interest at maturity; we could cash them and take the money, or we could buy more bonds.
This all worked very well because the government's debt was spread among its citizens.
But later -- while I certainly wasn't paying attention -- our federal legislators wanted to spend more than taxes and citizen bond-buying together could raise, and our government began selling bonds to others elsewhere in the world.
No problem. America was a safe investment. It wasn't going to default on its loans. Bankers and individuals and governments overseas were glad to buy U.S. bonds -- and our deficit continued to grow.
But recently I read that China owned what sounded to me like a substatial portion of our federal debt! CHINA! The nation that I think of as "Communist China" -- a nation that appears more than any other to be readying itself to challenge us as the world's acknowledged leading nation.
So I asked Wolf at his Town Hall meeting yesterday if that was correct. "What happens," I asked, "if China decides to call our loan?"
Wolf confirmed that we should all be concerned about having China as a lender. He didn't try to describe our national risk in detail -- but he noted that China could do that. And he noted a specific example in which the Eisenhower Administration threatened to call a foreign debt as successful leverage in international negotiations.
I wonder if today we could simply buy back the debt that we owe China.
What if we can't?
Maybe China sees our debt as simply a good investment, just as Swiss bankers do.
But I see a hugh difference between some of our national debt being held in Swiss bank accounts and having any of our debt held by the Chinese government.
Wolf notes that the national debt has ballooned to more than $12 trillion, and that at the pace of current spending "could grow by a trillion dollars a year for the next 10 years." He's urging Congress to form a bi-partisan commission of experts who could recommend actions that would put the nation on track to bringing down the national debt, and keep it heading in that direction. His bill is "The Securing America's Future Economy (SAFE) Commission Act."
You and I have heard politicians rail against the increasing national debt as long as any of us can remember. Many congressmen (including Wolf) have attacked the national debt even as they work to secure government spending in their own districts. Wolf has been effective for us in helping with Northern Virginia's transportation problems, and others. And of course we all want even more help, whether or not the mounting national debt becomes more severe.
I've never worried much about the federal deficit until now, but recently I have become extremely worried! Here's why:
My introduction to the federal debt was during World War II when my mom and grandparents bought "War Bonds" to help fight the war, while my father and two uncles served overseas. The bonds earned interest at maturity; we could cash them and take the money, or we could buy more bonds.
This all worked very well because the government's debt was spread among its citizens.
But later -- while I certainly wasn't paying attention -- our federal legislators wanted to spend more than taxes and citizen bond-buying together could raise, and our government began selling bonds to others elsewhere in the world.
No problem. America was a safe investment. It wasn't going to default on its loans. Bankers and individuals and governments overseas were glad to buy U.S. bonds -- and our deficit continued to grow.
But recently I read that China owned what sounded to me like a substatial portion of our federal debt! CHINA! The nation that I think of as "Communist China" -- a nation that appears more than any other to be readying itself to challenge us as the world's acknowledged leading nation.
So I asked Wolf at his Town Hall meeting yesterday if that was correct. "What happens," I asked, "if China decides to call our loan?"
Wolf confirmed that we should all be concerned about having China as a lender. He didn't try to describe our national risk in detail -- but he noted that China could do that. And he noted a specific example in which the Eisenhower Administration threatened to call a foreign debt as successful leverage in international negotiations.
I wonder if today we could simply buy back the debt that we owe China.
What if we can't?
Maybe China sees our debt as simply a good investment, just as Swiss bankers do.
But I see a hugh difference between some of our national debt being held in Swiss bank accounts and having any of our debt held by the Chinese government.
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