A new "Indie" community newspaper debuted yesterday, taking the place of the familiar Loudoun Independent that was "merged" with the Loudoun Times-Mirror last month.
The challenge of maintaining two community newspapers using the leadership and staff of both papers is to maintain reader interest in both.
Keeping the Times-Mirror as a weekly Wednesday publication and shifting the Independent to Friday publication, as was announced along with the merger, could have relegated the Independent to simply publishing the community news already reported in the Times-Mirror, possibly with updates or a late-breaking story.
But the Indie is not at all "your buyer's newspaper." It's a brand new newpaper aiming at a separate readership from that of Times-Mirror (as well as the old Independent).
Most newspaper readers go to the sections that interest them most. Editors try to offer a mix of what the business calls "hard" and "soft" news in an effort to make the newspaper attractive to everyone. "Hard" is the "important" news about government and crime and development -- the information that the editor believes readers need to be contributing citizens in the community.
But most readers are more interested in "soft" news about kids, schools, health, sports and their own neighborhoods.
Because the Times-Mirror (as well as the competing Leesburg and Ashburn Today newspapers) do a good job of covering the community news -- the "hard" civic news as well as some of the "soft" news -- the Indie has choosen to focus on news that is more interesting to more readers than simply a repeat of what county supervisors did Tuesday and the recent actions of the Sheriff's Department.
The first issue of the new Indie includes an eye-catching design plus a bang-up lead story spread over the front six pages. The story is about the use of the drug Adderall (I'd never heard of it) in our public schools!
Adderall (a prescription drug for treating ADHD, says the Indie) apparently is being used by healthy local high school students to sharpen their attention spans while taking tests or "cramming" for tomorrow's test. Students told the Indie that it definitely improves test scores!
Writers Alex Withrow and Christie Boyden did a bang-up job on the story, interviewing students to learn about how the drug is used (or mis-used), and interviewing school officials who clearly had little knowledge about the drug's use in the schools they administer.
Well they do now! And so do parents.
For me, that was reporting worthy of a Pulitzer Prize.
I doubt that the Indie can come up next week with another story of so much interest to so many readers, but I'll be watching my driveway for my copy of the Indie to see what it does offer.
Welcome Indie!
(If you didn't see a copy of the Indie in your driveway on Friday, there still may be copies at your local library.)
-- martin casey
(Note: The author served as editor of the Loudoun Times-Mirror, 1996-2003, and as editor of the Loudoun Easterner, 2005-2009. The Independent was founded in 2005 following the sale of the Easterner to new owners. The new owners closed the Easterner in June, 2009.)
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The issue is Free Speech
After scheduling itself to decide Tuesday how the courthouse grounds will be used for expression in the future, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors instead put its decision off until September.
The board had a good reason: Chief Judge Thomas Horne had sent the Board a formal request that he be allowed time to consult with his fellow judges at the courthouse on the issue of how the courthouse grounds might be used in the future.
Although supervisors and the membership of the Courts Grounds and Facilities Committee have attempted, through several amended versions, to draw up rules for public use of the Courthouse grounds, the real stumbling block is the First Amendment.
The courthouse grounds traditionally have been used as a staging area for marches down Market Street, a location for honoring veterans and local heritage, and, at Christmas time, a site for one or more Christmas trees and traditionally a manger scene.
Last year, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, applied for and was granted space for its Christmas display featuring a sign reading "Solstice is the Reason for the Season." Many expressed horror about the latter and the need to "Save Christmas." Those calls are now being repeated.
Freedom of speech often comes under attack when what is said is judged blasphemy by some.
The strength of America, however, has time and again proved strong enough to allow for robust debate, and our founding fathers recognized the importance of free speech even when what is said is unpopular.
Fortunately, our county government also is well aware of free speech issues.
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, and Christmas is celebrated in varying ways by not only Christians but also by many people who do not consider themselves to be of that faith or any other faith.
Meanwhile Americans see freedom of speech as a critical tenant. The freedom is in the speaking. The speech may be ignored or it may be carefully considered. But under our First Amendment, it may not be prohibited.
-- martin casey
The board had a good reason: Chief Judge Thomas Horne had sent the Board a formal request that he be allowed time to consult with his fellow judges at the courthouse on the issue of how the courthouse grounds might be used in the future.
Although supervisors and the membership of the Courts Grounds and Facilities Committee have attempted, through several amended versions, to draw up rules for public use of the Courthouse grounds, the real stumbling block is the First Amendment.
The courthouse grounds traditionally have been used as a staging area for marches down Market Street, a location for honoring veterans and local heritage, and, at Christmas time, a site for one or more Christmas trees and traditionally a manger scene.
Last year, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, applied for and was granted space for its Christmas display featuring a sign reading "Solstice is the Reason for the Season." Many expressed horror about the latter and the need to "Save Christmas." Those calls are now being repeated.
Freedom of speech often comes under attack when what is said is judged blasphemy by some.
The strength of America, however, has time and again proved strong enough to allow for robust debate, and our founding fathers recognized the importance of free speech even when what is said is unpopular.
Fortunately, our county government also is well aware of free speech issues.
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, and Christmas is celebrated in varying ways by not only Christians but also by many people who do not consider themselves to be of that faith or any other faith.
Meanwhile Americans see freedom of speech as a critical tenant. The freedom is in the speaking. The speech may be ignored or it may be carefully considered. But under our First Amendment, it may not be prohibited.
-- martin casey
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Host a young ballplayer
I'm glad to see that Greater Loudoun Babe Ruth will again host a World Series here next month. This year, Loudoun hosts the series for 14-year-old boys.
Loudoun normally hosts one of these about every four years at Fireman's Field in Purcellville, and families across the county can help by hosting a visiting player or two in their homes for that week. This year, the series is be played Aug. 18-28.
I can remember our first experience hosting this event in 1998 when I was editor of the Times-Mirror. Dale Myers, then chairman of the Board of Supervisors, was the lead cheerleader and organizer who pulled the county together to not only host some fine visiting ballplayers, but also to assure that they wanted to come back.
At the Times-Mirror, we published a special daily edition during the series that was passed out at Fireman's Field. It not only reported on the games played in the series, but also offered other information of interest to the visiting players and host families.
Supervisors Chairman Scott York has also been a strong promoter of the series and he also is urging residents who can to host a visiting ballplayer in their homes during the coming series.
Babe Ruth relies on host families to house visiting ballplayers in their homes. Players come from across the country and offer host families opportunities not only to show Loudoun and the Washington, D.C. area to a visitor, but also to learn about the visitor's hometown area.
We still need about 20 more families willing to host a ballplayer or two in their homes for those 10 days. Local Babe Ruth families normally are the first to volunteer, but there are about 130 boys coming to play in the series and additional housing is always needed.
Host families say the experience is a good one, normally making family friends who keep in contact for years to come. And families who have hosted a ballplayer or two in their homes during the series, often volunteer to repeat the experience.
If you can host a visiting 14-year-old Babe Ruth ballplayer or two, please call Joe Robillard at 703-282-7410, or e-mail president@glbr.org.
You'll enjoy the experience.
Loudoun normally hosts one of these about every four years at Fireman's Field in Purcellville, and families across the county can help by hosting a visiting player or two in their homes for that week. This year, the series is be played Aug. 18-28.
I can remember our first experience hosting this event in 1998 when I was editor of the Times-Mirror. Dale Myers, then chairman of the Board of Supervisors, was the lead cheerleader and organizer who pulled the county together to not only host some fine visiting ballplayers, but also to assure that they wanted to come back.
At the Times-Mirror, we published a special daily edition during the series that was passed out at Fireman's Field. It not only reported on the games played in the series, but also offered other information of interest to the visiting players and host families.
Supervisors Chairman Scott York has also been a strong promoter of the series and he also is urging residents who can to host a visiting ballplayer in their homes during the coming series.
Babe Ruth relies on host families to house visiting ballplayers in their homes. Players come from across the country and offer host families opportunities not only to show Loudoun and the Washington, D.C. area to a visitor, but also to learn about the visitor's hometown area.
We still need about 20 more families willing to host a ballplayer or two in their homes for those 10 days. Local Babe Ruth families normally are the first to volunteer, but there are about 130 boys coming to play in the series and additional housing is always needed.
Host families say the experience is a good one, normally making family friends who keep in contact for years to come. And families who have hosted a ballplayer or two in their homes during the series, often volunteer to repeat the experience.
If you can host a visiting 14-year-old Babe Ruth ballplayer or two, please call Joe Robillard at 703-282-7410, or e-mail president@glbr.org.
You'll enjoy the experience.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Kincora Project Approved
Loudoun County supervisors Monday night approved a hugh new multiuse development at Routes 7 and 28 known as the Kincora Village Center.
At buildout, the project on the 334.6-acre site is expected to include 2.7 million square feet of office space, almost 400,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, and some 1,400 multi-family housing units.
County supervisors in an earlier meeting had already approved construction of a baseball stadium within the Kincora development.
Among incentives for the board's approval Monday, developers proffered completion of Gloucester Parkway and Pacific Blvd., as well as a new fire-rescue station at Nokes and Pacific.
Moving approval of the project, Ashburn Supervisor Lori Waters said "The real question is not when this parcel will be developed, because it will be;" adding, "if you envision more people working in Loudoun, you will vote to approve. ... This project will also provide relief," she added, for residential taxpayers.
"Growth is going to happen; it's a matter of what kind of growth," Waters said. "This is the right project in the right place.".
Potomac Supervisor Andrea McGimsey noted that the Kinkora project far exceeds the limits allowed by the county's Comprehensive Plan.
"It's simply wrong to put 1400 residential units into this complex and ignore our comp plan," McGimsey said. "This is too much residential and too much overdevelopment."
She urged her colleagues to "stand by our plan and vote 'no'."
Board Chairman Scott York admitted that the project "doesn't match our comprehensive plan," but added, "I have supported this for a number of reasons including much-needed transportation.
"This does a lot better job than we have seen in the past," which was an apparent reference to the increased proffers that Kincora's developers offered in recent days to get the project approved.
The final vote approved the project 5-4, with York, Susan Buckley, Waters, Eugene Delgaudio and Stevens Miller voting "aye," and McGimsey, joined by Jim Burton, Sally Kurtz, and Kelly Burk, voting "no."
-- martin casey
At buildout, the project on the 334.6-acre site is expected to include 2.7 million square feet of office space, almost 400,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, and some 1,400 multi-family housing units.
County supervisors in an earlier meeting had already approved construction of a baseball stadium within the Kincora development.
Among incentives for the board's approval Monday, developers proffered completion of Gloucester Parkway and Pacific Blvd., as well as a new fire-rescue station at Nokes and Pacific.
Moving approval of the project, Ashburn Supervisor Lori Waters said "The real question is not when this parcel will be developed, because it will be;" adding, "if you envision more people working in Loudoun, you will vote to approve. ... This project will also provide relief," she added, for residential taxpayers.
"Growth is going to happen; it's a matter of what kind of growth," Waters said. "This is the right project in the right place.".
Potomac Supervisor Andrea McGimsey noted that the Kinkora project far exceeds the limits allowed by the county's Comprehensive Plan.
"It's simply wrong to put 1400 residential units into this complex and ignore our comp plan," McGimsey said. "This is too much residential and too much overdevelopment."
She urged her colleagues to "stand by our plan and vote 'no'."
Board Chairman Scott York admitted that the project "doesn't match our comprehensive plan," but added, "I have supported this for a number of reasons including much-needed transportation.
"This does a lot better job than we have seen in the past," which was an apparent reference to the increased proffers that Kincora's developers offered in recent days to get the project approved.
The final vote approved the project 5-4, with York, Susan Buckley, Waters, Eugene Delgaudio and Stevens Miller voting "aye," and McGimsey, joined by Jim Burton, Sally Kurtz, and Kelly Burk, voting "no."
-- martin casey
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Christmas is coming!
It was only just after Independence Day, but Loudoun County Supervisors Wednesday were already wrestling with how to avoid Christmas/free speech issues involving public use of the Loudoun County Courthouse grounds in Leesburg.
The courthouse grounds traditionally have been a space for expression of opinion and viewpoint. If any group wants to put up a temporary display there, or schedule a public gathering, the approval of the chief judge traditionally has been required to assure that the courthouse grounds are protected during such exercises.
But last year, seasonal Christmas decorations, traditionally including a manger scene put up by residents and a Christmas tree annually erected by Rotarians, were challenged on secular and free speech grounds.
According to press reports, Edward Myers of Sterling sought space last year on the courthouse grounds for what the Courts Grounds and Facilities Committee (appointed by supervisors) described "as a parody on the 12 days of Christmas," and which Myers described as a celebration of the Dec. 15 anniversary of the signing of the Bill of Rights, which took effect on that date in 1791.
Myers, according to the Loudoun Times-Mirror, said that he had intended for his proposal to be offensive "so people would talk about the issue of free speech."
He added, "If it's not offensive, people are going to like it. You're not going to spark a debate unless you can offend a large number of people."
The Rotarians did not want to be drawn into a free speech debate and withdrew their Christmas tree proposal. That action spawned a public outcry that Christmas was being "stolen" in Loudoun County.
Christmas last year was "saved," however, when, by unanimous vote, the Board of Supervisors adopted a new set of rules to allow "all public displays" and defining 10 specific spaces on the courthouse grounds to be alotted by the Grounds Committee on a first come, first served basis without judgments on content.
The Christmas tree was erected on Dec. 11 and "Christmas was saved."
So now, supervisors are preparing early to avoid last year's near catastrophy.
At its July 7 meeting, supervisors listened to a presentation by Ben Lawrence, chairman of the Courts Grounds and Facilities Committee, who presented draft rules for public uses of the courthouse grounds.
But supervisors were concerned when Lawrence said his committee's latest draft "allows traditional, but not religious displays."
Several supervisors forsaw difficulties in drawing a line between a "traditional" but not "religious" display. They turned yesterday to Jack Roberts, the county's in-house council, to work with Lawrence and his committee to find wording that might pass constitutional muster.
Supervisors expect to consider Roberts' recommendation at their July 20 board meeting.
-- martin casey
The courthouse grounds traditionally have been a space for expression of opinion and viewpoint. If any group wants to put up a temporary display there, or schedule a public gathering, the approval of the chief judge traditionally has been required to assure that the courthouse grounds are protected during such exercises.
But last year, seasonal Christmas decorations, traditionally including a manger scene put up by residents and a Christmas tree annually erected by Rotarians, were challenged on secular and free speech grounds.
According to press reports, Edward Myers of Sterling sought space last year on the courthouse grounds for what the Courts Grounds and Facilities Committee (appointed by supervisors) described "as a parody on the 12 days of Christmas," and which Myers described as a celebration of the Dec. 15 anniversary of the signing of the Bill of Rights, which took effect on that date in 1791.
Myers, according to the Loudoun Times-Mirror, said that he had intended for his proposal to be offensive "so people would talk about the issue of free speech."
He added, "If it's not offensive, people are going to like it. You're not going to spark a debate unless you can offend a large number of people."
The Rotarians did not want to be drawn into a free speech debate and withdrew their Christmas tree proposal. That action spawned a public outcry that Christmas was being "stolen" in Loudoun County.
Christmas last year was "saved," however, when, by unanimous vote, the Board of Supervisors adopted a new set of rules to allow "all public displays" and defining 10 specific spaces on the courthouse grounds to be alotted by the Grounds Committee on a first come, first served basis without judgments on content.
The Christmas tree was erected on Dec. 11 and "Christmas was saved."
So now, supervisors are preparing early to avoid last year's near catastrophy.
At its July 7 meeting, supervisors listened to a presentation by Ben Lawrence, chairman of the Courts Grounds and Facilities Committee, who presented draft rules for public uses of the courthouse grounds.
But supervisors were concerned when Lawrence said his committee's latest draft "allows traditional, but not religious displays."
Several supervisors forsaw difficulties in drawing a line between a "traditional" but not "religious" display. They turned yesterday to Jack Roberts, the county's in-house council, to work with Lawrence and his committee to find wording that might pass constitutional muster.
Supervisors expect to consider Roberts' recommendation at their July 20 board meeting.
-- martin casey
Monday, July 5, 2010
The Best Fireworks!
There's no doubt about it: We have the best Fourth of July fireworks right here in the nation's capital.
And the best place to see the best fireworks is at the Lincoln Memorial where the colorful and noisy choreography bursts almost overhead!
My wife and I braved the crowds and the security last night because we hadn't seen this show in several years and we knew what we'd been missing.
We weren't disappointed.
While the show was creative and frequently surprising, much of the experience is the setting on the National Mall: sitting in front of Abe Lincoln, looking at the Washington Monument, with each display bursting over the Reflecting Pool, while also having the U.S. Capitol in view.
(A long time ago, my newspaper sent me to its Washington Bureau. I arrived at night and as I turned a corner at my hotel near the White House, the sight of the lit up U.S. Capitol at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue took my breath away! I've always liked the Capitol. It's literally a working monument to our representative government.)
When we had kids still in our household, we celebrated July 4 by packing a picnic, maybe even a small grill, going early onto Ohio Drive along the Potomac River not far from the Lincoln Memorial, and spending the day there. We'd throw a frisby and maybe hike up to the Jefferson Memorial and back, and maybe watch a pick-up softball game on the grass between Ohio Drive and Independence Avenue.
And at dusk, we'd walk over to the Lincoln Memorial and stake out our place facing the Washington Monument. It would get quit crowded, but everyone was doing the same thing and we seemed to make new friends (which we wouldn't see again) as we talked and waited for what we all knew would be the best fireworks anywhere. (Even once in the rain we weren't disappointed.)
One July 4th, we went to New York, and seeing the fireworks over the Statue of Liberty was quite a treat, but they weren't nearly as close as bursting over the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.
We're also fortunate to have several very good fireworks displays annually right here in Northern Virginia and we have seen most of these in years when we didn't really want to brave the traffic and the crowds and the metro.
But last night reminded us that the fireworks on the Mall are worth the hassle -- even with the security put in place after 9/11!
Yesterday, our picnic spot along the Potomac of years ago was closed off. So were the parking places we had used before on the Virginia side of Memorial Bridge. But with planning, and the help of the map of road closures in The Washington Post, we managed to plan our trip and we weren't disappointed.
Those overhead bursts of sound and light seemed wonderfully to go on and on and on! The show was wonderfully creative and it lived up to, and exceed, all our memories of earlier fireworks there.
We saw the best Independence Day fireworks anywhere!
-- martin casey
And the best place to see the best fireworks is at the Lincoln Memorial where the colorful and noisy choreography bursts almost overhead!
My wife and I braved the crowds and the security last night because we hadn't seen this show in several years and we knew what we'd been missing.
We weren't disappointed.
While the show was creative and frequently surprising, much of the experience is the setting on the National Mall: sitting in front of Abe Lincoln, looking at the Washington Monument, with each display bursting over the Reflecting Pool, while also having the U.S. Capitol in view.
(A long time ago, my newspaper sent me to its Washington Bureau. I arrived at night and as I turned a corner at my hotel near the White House, the sight of the lit up U.S. Capitol at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue took my breath away! I've always liked the Capitol. It's literally a working monument to our representative government.)
When we had kids still in our household, we celebrated July 4 by packing a picnic, maybe even a small grill, going early onto Ohio Drive along the Potomac River not far from the Lincoln Memorial, and spending the day there. We'd throw a frisby and maybe hike up to the Jefferson Memorial and back, and maybe watch a pick-up softball game on the grass between Ohio Drive and Independence Avenue.
And at dusk, we'd walk over to the Lincoln Memorial and stake out our place facing the Washington Monument. It would get quit crowded, but everyone was doing the same thing and we seemed to make new friends (which we wouldn't see again) as we talked and waited for what we all knew would be the best fireworks anywhere. (Even once in the rain we weren't disappointed.)
One July 4th, we went to New York, and seeing the fireworks over the Statue of Liberty was quite a treat, but they weren't nearly as close as bursting over the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.
We're also fortunate to have several very good fireworks displays annually right here in Northern Virginia and we have seen most of these in years when we didn't really want to brave the traffic and the crowds and the metro.
But last night reminded us that the fireworks on the Mall are worth the hassle -- even with the security put in place after 9/11!
Yesterday, our picnic spot along the Potomac of years ago was closed off. So were the parking places we had used before on the Virginia side of Memorial Bridge. But with planning, and the help of the map of road closures in The Washington Post, we managed to plan our trip and we weren't disappointed.
Those overhead bursts of sound and light seemed wonderfully to go on and on and on! The show was wonderfully creative and it lived up to, and exceed, all our memories of earlier fireworks there.
We saw the best Independence Day fireworks anywhere!
-- martin casey
Thursday, July 1, 2010
This historic structure should be saved
In colonial days, transportation was slow -- though it may seem to have been faster than the current commuting pace through Tysons Corner and the construction on I-66 and the connector to the Dulles Tollway. At least, with a SmartTag account, we don't have to stop to pay the tolls.
Loudoun has several reminders of transportation in colonial times and since. Route 7 generally follows the stagecoach route between Alexandria and Leesburg. Parts of Route 7 are named "Leesburg Pike," recalling the stagecouchs that stopped at "ordinaries" such as the one that has been preserved in Claude Moore Park. Another is the Belmont Plantation where Dolly Madison escaped from the British in 1812.
We also have "Snickersville Pike," originally a toll road, connecting Aldie and its historic mill to Bluemont on Loudoun's western edge along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. (Bluemont changed its name from "Snickersville" when the town fathers were promoting it's pleasant weather to Washingtonians seeking summertime relief from the capital's hot, muggy weather before air conditioning. Wealthy Washingtonians then traveled to Bluemont by train.)
Those "pikes" of course are short for "turnpike," and yes, there was a toll to pay to use the road whether riding in a stagecoach or on horseback.
I learned last month in the Times-Mirror that there's what's left of a "Broad Run Bridge Tollhouse" on Leesburg Pike at the north end of what is now Route 28. The tollhouse was in operation in the 1800s and remains at the north end of what's left of a bridge over Broad Run.
The Broad Run Bridge Tollhouse apparently was Virginia's only combination bridge and tollhouse; it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1970. Unfortunately, hurricane Agnes took out the bridge in 1972.
Yesterday, I walked down to see the tollhouse. Yes, it's still there; yes it's in poor condition. The tollhouse consists of three joined segments. I couldn't see any bridge remains; the dirt road doesn't go past the tollhouse.
The structure now is just inside the eastbound turn from Route 7 onto southbound Route 28.
The property is just north of the Kincora property where developers plan more space for businesses, commercial outlets and housing, if county supervisors approve. (A vote is expected the evening of Monday, July 12.)
Kincora developers reportedly are willing to buy the property if they can turn it over to a non-profit that would restore the tollhouse, but no nonprofit has come forward with funds for restoration. Yet, it would be a shame to let this opportunity to save the tollhouse pass by.
One temporary solution might be for Kincora to buy the property, then deed it to the county for $1. That would buy time for the county to locate a nonprofit organization willing to restore the tollhouse over time.
-- martin casey
Loudoun has several reminders of transportation in colonial times and since. Route 7 generally follows the stagecoach route between Alexandria and Leesburg. Parts of Route 7 are named "Leesburg Pike," recalling the stagecouchs that stopped at "ordinaries" such as the one that has been preserved in Claude Moore Park. Another is the Belmont Plantation where Dolly Madison escaped from the British in 1812.
We also have "Snickersville Pike," originally a toll road, connecting Aldie and its historic mill to Bluemont on Loudoun's western edge along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. (Bluemont changed its name from "Snickersville" when the town fathers were promoting it's pleasant weather to Washingtonians seeking summertime relief from the capital's hot, muggy weather before air conditioning. Wealthy Washingtonians then traveled to Bluemont by train.)
Those "pikes" of course are short for "turnpike," and yes, there was a toll to pay to use the road whether riding in a stagecoach or on horseback.
I learned last month in the Times-Mirror that there's what's left of a "Broad Run Bridge Tollhouse" on Leesburg Pike at the north end of what is now Route 28. The tollhouse was in operation in the 1800s and remains at the north end of what's left of a bridge over Broad Run.
The Broad Run Bridge Tollhouse apparently was Virginia's only combination bridge and tollhouse; it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1970. Unfortunately, hurricane Agnes took out the bridge in 1972.
Yesterday, I walked down to see the tollhouse. Yes, it's still there; yes it's in poor condition. The tollhouse consists of three joined segments. I couldn't see any bridge remains; the dirt road doesn't go past the tollhouse.
The structure now is just inside the eastbound turn from Route 7 onto southbound Route 28.
The property is just north of the Kincora property where developers plan more space for businesses, commercial outlets and housing, if county supervisors approve. (A vote is expected the evening of Monday, July 12.)
Kincora developers reportedly are willing to buy the property if they can turn it over to a non-profit that would restore the tollhouse, but no nonprofit has come forward with funds for restoration. Yet, it would be a shame to let this opportunity to save the tollhouse pass by.
One temporary solution might be for Kincora to buy the property, then deed it to the county for $1. That would buy time for the county to locate a nonprofit organization willing to restore the tollhouse over time.
-- martin casey
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