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March 23, 2010
Feedback ... Comments (0)
BTW - Why has this site become so lazy? Of the 20 current threads half are taken from other news sites, mostly Sun Gaz. Another 6 are just one-liners. What gives? Not exactly "THE must read." I apparently can get that elsewhere.
Notice how much less dumb Town stuff seems to be going on since every little thing got chronicled here? Or, maybe just no more Maud. Just a thought.
December 23, 2009
Deborah Brehony: Ignorant or Dunce? Comments (0)
From Deborah Brehony:
"...I can't find a damn thing on the Virginia Supreme Court site about your alledged [sic] lawsuit- Not a word under Appelate [sic] Cases or Defendants."
November 09, 2009
"We're awesome! Let's pat ourselves on the back over and over again!" Comments (18)
Vienna politicians never get sick of self-congratulatory bullsh%t.
Town of Vienna Wins Certification as ‘Green’ Community
November 7, 2009
The Town of Vienna has earned “green certification” in the Virginia Municipal League’s 2009 Green Government Challenge, a friendly competition among local governments to encourage reduction of carbon emissions.
Awards were presented Oct. 20 at the league’s annual conference in Roanoke.
Vienna was one of seven local governments in the commonwealth awarded silver certification for achieving scores of between 125 and 149 out of a possible 200 “green points.”
In addition to the silver-certification award, Vienna received a $2,000 cash award from Moseley Architects and Trane, for achieving the second-highest green score in the under-15,000 population category.
The town’s efforts included the Vienna Green Expo, held last spring at the Vienna Community Center, where local organizations and businesses provided residents with information on energy efficiency, purchasing local organic products, creating green gardens and recycling options.
“Town employees have also implemented a number of on-the-job green programs, such as office-paper recycling, use of earth-friendly cleaning products and purchase of hybrid vehicles,” town officials said.
Employees Linnea Fechter, Cathy Salgado, Michael Miller and Matthew Randall make up the “Green Team,” which routinely reviews town policies and procedures and looks for ways to improve efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of town operations.
Founded in 1905, membership in the Virginia Municipal League includes all 39 cities, 156 towns and 11 counties in Virginia. Vienna Town Council member Michael Polychrones served as president of the organization in 2008-09.
September 16, 2009
Anita's Anita Dies. Comments (5)
Legendary Local Restaurateur Anita Tellez Dies
by Brian Trompeter and Dave Facinoli
September 16, 2009
Anita Tellez, an Oakton resident who founded her New Mexico-style restaurant empire from a former doughnut shop on Maple Avenue in Vienna, died on Sept. 5 at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. She was 78 years old. No cause of death was given.
Tellez, along with her husband, Felimon, and son, Thomas, founded Anita’s New-Mexican Style Foods on Dec. 23, 1974. The family moved to the Washington, D.C., area from Albuquerque, N.M., after Felimon Tellez, now 81, took a job at the U.S. Postal Service headquarters.
Anita Tellez insisted that her recipes include sauces made from chiles grown in New Mexico. Chiles harvested while green were used for a mild, chunky sauce, while those allowed to ripen until red were dried and pounded into rista, which produced a spicier sauce.
The always well-dressed Anita Tellez, sporting an outsized blonde hairdo, high heels, and wide-rimmed glasses, kept meticulous watch over her restaurants. She usually arrived in a black Rolls-Royce.
Anita’s now employs more than 200 people and last year sold in excess of 1 million breakfast burritos, said Thomas “Tommy” Tellez, the company’s president. Its restaurants are open seven days a week and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
That original store has closed, but another larger location in Vienna continues to operate. Anita’s also has restaurants in Ashburn, Burke, Chantilly, Fairfax, Herndon, Leesburg and Stafford. The company has postponed further store openings for one year because of the struggling economy, Tommy Tellez said.
Tommy Tellez said his mother lived a “full live” and her hobbies and interests were her children and the restaurants.
“She would spend every day at work and she taught us how to work,” he said. “Her desire was to serve people. My mother would rather go to work then fly around the country and vacation. She loved teaching waitresses how to waitress. In the kitchen, she could make a baloney sandwich taste like steak.”
Vienna Mayor M. Jane Seeman said she did not know the Tellez family, but added she and her late husband, Rodger, were fans of Anita’s.
“I was so happy when they came to Vienna,” she said. “When we came here from the Midwest, there wasn’t any Southwestern food. I’m happy for their success.”
Said Tommy Tellez about his mother: “If anybody could teach anybody to love a business, said could. She touched so many people with her work ethic, and my mom was big at common sense.”
Anita Tellez is survived by her husband of nearly 60 years, Felimon Tellez; sons Larry Guitterez, Michael Tellez, William Tellez and Thomas Tellez; daughters Diana Tellez-Mancy and Roseanne Tellez; 21 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Private memorial services were held on Sept. 7 at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Vienna.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions may be made to Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, Development Director, 158 Linwood Plaza Suite 220, Fort Lee, New Jersey 07024. Donations can also be made online at www.parentprojectmd.org.
Anita Tellez, an Oakton resident who founded her New Mexico-style restaurant empire from a former doughnut shop on Maple Avenue in Vienna, died on Sept. 5 at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. She was 78 years old. No cause of death was given.
Tellez, along with her husband, Felimon, and son, Thomas, founded Anita’s New-Mexican Style Foods on Dec. 23, 1974. The family moved to the Washington, D.C., area from Albuquerque, N.M., after Felimon Tellez, now 81, took a job at the U.S. Postal Service headquarters.
Anita Tellez insisted that her recipes include sauces made from chiles grown in New Mexico. Chiles harvested while green were used for a mild, chunky sauce, while those allowed to ripen until red were dried and pounded into rista, which produced a spicier sauce.
The always well-dressed Anita Tellez, sporting an outsized blonde hairdo, high heels, and wide-rimmed glasses, kept meticulous watch over her restaurants. She usually arrived in a black Rolls-Royce.
Anita’s now employs more than 200 people and last year sold in excess of 1 million breakfast burritos, said Thomas “Tommy” Tellez, the company’s president. Its restaurants are open seven days a week and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
That original store has closed, but another larger location in Vienna continues to operate. Anita’s also has restaurants in Ashburn, Burke, Chantilly, Fairfax, Herndon, Leesburg and Stafford. The company has postponed further store openings for one year because of the struggling economy, Tommy Tellez said.
Tommy Tellez said his mother lived a “full live” and her hobbies and interests were her children and the restaurants.
“She would spend every day at work and she taught us how to work,” he said. “Her desire was to serve people. My mother would rather go to work then fly around the country and vacation. She loved teaching waitresses how to waitress. In the kitchen, she could make a baloney sandwich taste like steak.”
Vienna Mayor M. Jane Seeman said she did not know the Tellez family, but added she and her late husband, Rodger, were fans of Anita’s.
“I was so happy when they came to Vienna,” she said. “When we came here from the Midwest, there wasn’t any Southwestern food. I’m happy for their success.”
Said Tommy Tellez about his mother: “If anybody could teach anybody to love a business, said could. She touched so many people with her work ethic, and my mom was big at common sense.”
Anita Tellez is survived by her husband of nearly 60 years, Felimon Tellez; sons Larry Guitterez, Michael Tellez, William Tellez and Thomas Tellez; daughters Diana Tellez-Mancy and Roseanne Tellez; 21 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Private memorial services were held on Sept. 7 at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Vienna.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions may be made to Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, Development Director, 158 Linwood Plaza Suite 220, Fort Lee, New Jersey 07024. Donations can also be made online at www.parentprojectmd.org.
July 05, 2009
What Would Happen to Vienna? Does it Even Matter?! Comments (7)
To Be or Not to Be Fairfax County?
That Is the Question Residents, Leaders Ask in the Increasingly Urban Suburb
By Sandhya Somashekhar and Amy Gardner
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Fairfax County has long been viewed as the ultimate burb, where Washington goes to walk the dog and water the lawn. But the more residents look around, the more they see what many have tried to avoid: high-rise offices, blight, crime and housing that's more likely to have a balcony than a back yard.
That changing reality came into focus last week when County Executive Anthony H. Griffin raised the possibility of officially making Fairfax a city, prompting discussion among county supervisors about whether the community of more than 1 million residents should highlight its status as an enormous jobs center that is rapidly urbanizing or embrace its classic suburban nature.
The basis for the idea is largely tactical -- under state law, cities have more taxing power and greater control over roads than counties do -- and it led to more than a few snickers about the thrilling nightlife in downtown Fairfax (punch line: there isn't any).
Regardless of whether the county changes its status, a process that requires approval from voters, the state and courts, the discussion underscored a growing tension within Virginia's largest jurisdiction. What does Fairfax want to be? A giant urban expanse like many new Sun Belt cities? Or more of a residential suburb, with a handful of urbanized pockets sprinkled in?
The Fairfax of today is somewhere in between. Its 400 square miles include a sea of cul-de-sacs, parks, pools and soccer fields, especially in its southern and western stretches. McLean and Great Falls remain high-end havens for some of the region's most exclusive addresses. Clifton still feels like the country.
Meanwhile, dense, Arlington County-style urban villages are quickly claiming the skylines of Vienna, Merrifield and Springfield, and county plans envision those and other developments ballooning over the next decade. Tysons Corner is already an economic and commercial behemoth, and it's only going to get bigger as development clusters around the Metrorail extension. The Route 1 corridor and other pockets are increasingly marked by blight.
On an uncrowded weekday afternoon at Old Keene Mill Swim and Racquet Club in Burke last week, Fairfax's still-shining suburban glory was on display. A gaggle of children with rackets under their arms ran up a hill to tennis courts. A mother coated her daughter with sunscreen by the pool, where a few dozen kids splashed and adults sat under giant umbrellas. Another mother walked from her car with packets of hot dogs and buns toward the club's grills and picnic tables.
"I personally would hate to see any more of a city feel to Fairfax County," Nancy Ohanian, 52, said while floating on foam noodles with her 9-year-old daughter. "We're losing so many trees. And I sure don't want to see my taxes go any higher."
By Sandhya Somashekhar and Amy Gardner
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Fairfax County has long been viewed as the ultimate burb, where Washington goes to walk the dog and water the lawn. But the more residents look around, the more they see what many have tried to avoid: high-rise offices, blight, crime and housing that's more likely to have a balcony than a back yard.
That changing reality came into focus last week when County Executive Anthony H. Griffin raised the possibility of officially making Fairfax a city, prompting discussion among county supervisors about whether the community of more than 1 million residents should highlight its status as an enormous jobs center that is rapidly urbanizing or embrace its classic suburban nature.
The basis for the idea is largely tactical -- under state law, cities have more taxing power and greater control over roads than counties do -- and it led to more than a few snickers about the thrilling nightlife in downtown Fairfax (punch line: there isn't any).
Regardless of whether the county changes its status, a process that requires approval from voters, the state and courts, the discussion underscored a growing tension within Virginia's largest jurisdiction. What does Fairfax want to be? A giant urban expanse like many new Sun Belt cities? Or more of a residential suburb, with a handful of urbanized pockets sprinkled in?
The Fairfax of today is somewhere in between. Its 400 square miles include a sea of cul-de-sacs, parks, pools and soccer fields, especially in its southern and western stretches. McLean and Great Falls remain high-end havens for some of the region's most exclusive addresses. Clifton still feels like the country.
Meanwhile, dense, Arlington County-style urban villages are quickly claiming the skylines of Vienna, Merrifield and Springfield, and county plans envision those and other developments ballooning over the next decade. Tysons Corner is already an economic and commercial behemoth, and it's only going to get bigger as development clusters around the Metrorail extension. The Route 1 corridor and other pockets are increasingly marked by blight.
On an uncrowded weekday afternoon at Old Keene Mill Swim and Racquet Club in Burke last week, Fairfax's still-shining suburban glory was on display. A gaggle of children with rackets under their arms ran up a hill to tennis courts. A mother coated her daughter with sunscreen by the pool, where a few dozen kids splashed and adults sat under giant umbrellas. Another mother walked from her car with packets of hot dogs and buns toward the club's grills and picnic tables.
"I personally would hate to see any more of a city feel to Fairfax County," Nancy Ohanian, 52, said while floating on foam noodles with her 9-year-old daughter. "We're losing so many trees. And I sure don't want to see my taxes go any higher."
Continue reading "What Would Happen to Vienna? Does it Even Matter?!" »
June 05, 2009
"So Freakin' What?!" says the Mayor Comments (39)
Two Families File Suit Over '07 Fireworks Accident
Fairfax Officials Had Tried to Create Larger Safety Zone, but Vienna Resisted
By Tom Jackman
The Washington Post
Friday, June 5, 2009
For several years, Fairfax County fire marshals warned Vienna officials that shooting off large fireworks in the middle of town was a bad idea and even tried to add safety regulations that would push spectators farther from the launch zone, according to town documents.
But Vienna officials successfully pushed back against new regulations and continued to stage their Fourth of July shows, the documents show. Then, in 2007, a mortar shell rocketed into a crowd surrounding the Waters Field baseball diamonds and seriously injured a group of spectators.
Two families that live just outside Vienna have sued the town and some of its officials, Fairfax County's fire marshals, the show operator, Schaefer Pyrotechnics, and the company alleged to have imported the fireworks, Huisky Trading.
"My family is still recovering from traumatic physical and psychological injuries," said Andre Hollis, whose wife and two children were injured. "For many of their wounds, there will be no full recovery."
Vienna again is fighting back. The town says it has no liability for the incident and has cross-sued Schaefer, saying it had agreed to insure the show and hold Vienna blameless. It also claims immunity as a governmental entity.
"We complied with all state, local and national standards for firing fireworks, and we would not have proceeded if that weren't true," Vienna Town Attorney Steven Briglia said. "Just because we have insurance and we feel bad somebody was hurt doesn't mean the town has an obligation."
After the 2007 incident, the Fairfax fire department, whose marshals handle inspection and permits for every fireworks show in the county, doubled the required distance between spectators and the launch site. Fire spokesman Dan Schmidt declined to discuss specific allegations in the lawsuits while they are pending but said, "Our number one priority is for the safety of the spectators."
Vienna officials staged a laser light show last year. They plan to resume fireworks this year, launching them from Southside Park, just north of Interstate 66.
The lawsuits claim that during the 2007 show, a three-inch shell skimmed just above the ground and struck Michael Ku, who was standing with his 6-year-old son, Conley. It then bounced to the ground and exploded next to Kathryn Hollis, who was sitting with her 3-year-old son, Max, in her lap and 7-year-old son, Alex, standing next to her.
According to their lawsuits, the Kus suffered severe burns, perforated eardrums and puncture wounds from the shell's debris, and the Hollises suffered disfiguring burns and traumatic brain injuries from the blast.
Vienna's fireworks show was one of six in Northern Virginia that night in which "cake boxes" of three-inch mortars exploded, launching shells at dangerous angles instead of into the sky. All the shows were run by Schaefer, of Ronks, Pa. No one was hurt at the other five shows, where spectators were much farther from the launch sites than were those in Vienna, though a shell did zip between two Schaefer employees in Fairfax City and slam into a fence, causing the rest of that show to be canceled.
Schaefer owner Kimmel Schaefer did not return a call seeking comment. The company has reported that it obtained the cake boxes, containing 25 shells each, from Huisky Trading Co. of Great Neck, N.Y.
Huisky's owner, Xin Sheng Huang, said, "We did not supply the product." He said tracking codes linked to Huisky were misused on the boxes.
One of the fire marshals named in the suits, Deputy Chief Keith Johnson, rushed into the chaos, summoned medevac helicopters and is credited by the Hollises with possibly saving Kathryn Hollis's life.
As the finger-pointing continues, Joseph Cammarata, the Kus' attorney, is angry that no one has come forward to accept responsibility and help the victims.
"If a government is responsible to its citizens," Cammarata said, "we should not have to be in a position where innocent citizens have to chase down vendors and operators. The innocent spectators should be able to be compensated without having to prove somebody did something wrong."
Vienna had hosted a fireworks show at Waters Field, just off Route 123 in the heart of the town, for more than 20 years. But starting in 2001, problems arose, sometimes because of the wind. A resident who lives near Waters Field wrote to the mayor in 2001 that "large pieces of shell cases landed on the roofs and yards," a letter produced in the lawsuits shows.
In 2002, a Fairfax fire marshal wrote that "we observed several pieces of flaming debris land on people located in this area" and that "large (4-inch) diameter shells present safety hazards for this restricted site. Shells should be restricted to three inches."
Vienna continued to use 4-inch and 3-inch shells. In 2004, Fairfax decided to increase the distance between spectators and the launch site by 30 feet per inch of shell, or 120 extra feet for a four-inch shell. The national standard is 70 feet per inch of shell.
Vienna Mayor M. Jane Seeman responded with a letter to the Fairfax Board of Supervisors, complaining that the new rule will "force the Town to significantly decrease the size and scope of the show. The Town of Vienna carries its own insurance and we feel that as long as we abide by [national fire code] standards there should not be a problem."
Fairfax backed down. Then-Fire Chief Michael P. Neuhard wrote to the board that "it was decided to leave the section Mayor Seeman referred to as it is currently written." Neuhard added that "the Town of Vienna fireworks display each Fourth of July causes the Fire Prevention Division more concern than any other site in Fairfax County," in part because of problems with "fallout (ash) raining down on the spectators."
Andre Hollis, who stayed home to help a neighbor and was not with his family members when they were hit, said: "A government has a responsibility to protect its citizens from known threats. And I stress 'known.' Because the town of Vienna's own documents show they knew of this risk for years. And when confronted with this, the mayor said, 'So what? We have insurance.' "
Briglia said the errant 3-inch shell landed about 450 feet from the launch site, more than double the national standard for 3-inch shells, but not for 4-inch shells.
"The town's position is this was a product liability issue," he said. "The fireworks that failed came from the factory sealed, and the town of Vienna cannot inspect fireworks coming in from China. . . . We're basically spectators at our own show."
Fairfax Officials Had Tried to Create Larger Safety Zone, but Vienna Resisted
By Tom Jackman
The Washington Post
Friday, June 5, 2009
For several years, Fairfax County fire marshals warned Vienna officials that shooting off large fireworks in the middle of town was a bad idea and even tried to add safety regulations that would push spectators farther from the launch zone, according to town documents.
But Vienna officials successfully pushed back against new regulations and continued to stage their Fourth of July shows, the documents show. Then, in 2007, a mortar shell rocketed into a crowd surrounding the Waters Field baseball diamonds and seriously injured a group of spectators.
Two families that live just outside Vienna have sued the town and some of its officials, Fairfax County's fire marshals, the show operator, Schaefer Pyrotechnics, and the company alleged to have imported the fireworks, Huisky Trading.
"My family is still recovering from traumatic physical and psychological injuries," said Andre Hollis, whose wife and two children were injured. "For many of their wounds, there will be no full recovery."
Vienna again is fighting back. The town says it has no liability for the incident and has cross-sued Schaefer, saying it had agreed to insure the show and hold Vienna blameless. It also claims immunity as a governmental entity.
"We complied with all state, local and national standards for firing fireworks, and we would not have proceeded if that weren't true," Vienna Town Attorney Steven Briglia said. "Just because we have insurance and we feel bad somebody was hurt doesn't mean the town has an obligation."
After the 2007 incident, the Fairfax fire department, whose marshals handle inspection and permits for every fireworks show in the county, doubled the required distance between spectators and the launch site. Fire spokesman Dan Schmidt declined to discuss specific allegations in the lawsuits while they are pending but said, "Our number one priority is for the safety of the spectators."
Vienna officials staged a laser light show last year. They plan to resume fireworks this year, launching them from Southside Park, just north of Interstate 66.
The lawsuits claim that during the 2007 show, a three-inch shell skimmed just above the ground and struck Michael Ku, who was standing with his 6-year-old son, Conley. It then bounced to the ground and exploded next to Kathryn Hollis, who was sitting with her 3-year-old son, Max, in her lap and 7-year-old son, Alex, standing next to her.
According to their lawsuits, the Kus suffered severe burns, perforated eardrums and puncture wounds from the shell's debris, and the Hollises suffered disfiguring burns and traumatic brain injuries from the blast.
Vienna's fireworks show was one of six in Northern Virginia that night in which "cake boxes" of three-inch mortars exploded, launching shells at dangerous angles instead of into the sky. All the shows were run by Schaefer, of Ronks, Pa. No one was hurt at the other five shows, where spectators were much farther from the launch sites than were those in Vienna, though a shell did zip between two Schaefer employees in Fairfax City and slam into a fence, causing the rest of that show to be canceled.
Schaefer owner Kimmel Schaefer did not return a call seeking comment. The company has reported that it obtained the cake boxes, containing 25 shells each, from Huisky Trading Co. of Great Neck, N.Y.
Huisky's owner, Xin Sheng Huang, said, "We did not supply the product." He said tracking codes linked to Huisky were misused on the boxes.
One of the fire marshals named in the suits, Deputy Chief Keith Johnson, rushed into the chaos, summoned medevac helicopters and is credited by the Hollises with possibly saving Kathryn Hollis's life.
As the finger-pointing continues, Joseph Cammarata, the Kus' attorney, is angry that no one has come forward to accept responsibility and help the victims.
"If a government is responsible to its citizens," Cammarata said, "we should not have to be in a position where innocent citizens have to chase down vendors and operators. The innocent spectators should be able to be compensated without having to prove somebody did something wrong."
Vienna had hosted a fireworks show at Waters Field, just off Route 123 in the heart of the town, for more than 20 years. But starting in 2001, problems arose, sometimes because of the wind. A resident who lives near Waters Field wrote to the mayor in 2001 that "large pieces of shell cases landed on the roofs and yards," a letter produced in the lawsuits shows.
In 2002, a Fairfax fire marshal wrote that "we observed several pieces of flaming debris land on people located in this area" and that "large (4-inch) diameter shells present safety hazards for this restricted site. Shells should be restricted to three inches."
Vienna continued to use 4-inch and 3-inch shells. In 2004, Fairfax decided to increase the distance between spectators and the launch site by 30 feet per inch of shell, or 120 extra feet for a four-inch shell. The national standard is 70 feet per inch of shell.
Vienna Mayor M. Jane Seeman responded with a letter to the Fairfax Board of Supervisors, complaining that the new rule will "force the Town to significantly decrease the size and scope of the show. The Town of Vienna carries its own insurance and we feel that as long as we abide by [national fire code] standards there should not be a problem."
Fairfax backed down. Then-Fire Chief Michael P. Neuhard wrote to the board that "it was decided to leave the section Mayor Seeman referred to as it is currently written." Neuhard added that "the Town of Vienna fireworks display each Fourth of July causes the Fire Prevention Division more concern than any other site in Fairfax County," in part because of problems with "fallout (ash) raining down on the spectators."
Andre Hollis, who stayed home to help a neighbor and was not with his family members when they were hit, said: "A government has a responsibility to protect its citizens from known threats. And I stress 'known.' Because the town of Vienna's own documents show they knew of this risk for years. And when confronted with this, the mayor said, 'So what? We have insurance.' "
Briglia said the errant 3-inch shell landed about 450 feet from the launch site, more than double the national standard for 3-inch shells, but not for 4-inch shells.
"The town's position is this was a product liability issue," he said. "The fireworks that failed came from the factory sealed, and the town of Vienna cannot inspect fireworks coming in from China. . . . We're basically spectators at our own show."
April 15, 2009
Second Fatal House Fire in Vienna in Less Than Year Comments (3)
House Fire Leaves Vienna Woman Dead
by Brian Trompeter
April 14, 2009
An 81-year-old Vienna woman died after her house caught fire on April 8, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue officials said.
Firefighters responded at 12:50 a.m. to the single-family house fire at 911 Potterton Circle, S.W.
Upon arrival, fire crews encountered heavy fire and smoke coming from the rear and roof of the rambler-style home. Fire officials immediately sounded a second alarm, which brought more than 60 firefighters to the scene.
Firefighters quickly performed a primary search and found the deceased woman inside the home. Firefighters brought the fire under control in approximately 15 minutes.
There was no one else home when the fire broke out, and no smoke alarms were sounding in the home when firefighters arrived, officials said.
The victim, Frances Kelley, died of smoke inhalation, officials said. Her death was the county’s fourth fire fatality in 2009.
Damage to the house is estimated at $150,000. The fire apparently was accidental and was caused by an electrical anomaly in the kitchen ceiling, officials said.
June 02, 2008
Vienna Sued Over Fireworks Comments (7)
Vienna now will pay the piper. And to boot a nationally recognized attorney Joseph Cammarata is leading the case. Don't worry, we all know with the brain trust of Maud and Jane Vienna will be fine. Not.
Wait till everyone learns how sloppy Vienna is run. But it is our guess that the old geezers who keep these boobs in office are so decayed in the brain that they will never know or care how much Vienna has to shell out for its negligence.
July 23, 2007
"Town Concerned for Injured Spectators" Comments (7)
From the Town of Vienna website:
Town of Vienna officials have expressed their concern for those injured at the Town's July 4th fireworks display. "We are all deeply distressed that what has always been an enjoyable family event ended so disastrously, and we are keeping the injured spectators and their families in our prayers," said Mayor Jane Seeman. "In the weeks and months ahead, the Town Council will be reviewing our July 4th fireworks program with the County Fire Marshal's Office and studying all options concerning its future."
July 20, 2007
Vienna Fireworks Follow-up Comments (2)
Following up on the Vienna fireworks disaster:
1. 2004 Request for Proposal (PDF)
2. 2004 Shaefer Proposal (PDF)
The 2004 information is provided as 2007 has yet to be secured. Page 2 of the RFP, if that has continued to be policy until current day, opens Vienna wide to responsibility.
3. 2003-2007 Purchase Orders for fireworks (PDF)
July 12, 2007
Town of Vienna Fireworks Disaster Update Comments (12)
It has been a week. Is there any news? Status of the injured? Culpability? Or is everyone involved just waiting for the announcement of lawsuits? The lack of news is odd.
UPDATE: Today's Washington Post Article.
July 10, 2007
Vienna's Special Pickup Program Encourages Pollution Comments (3)
From contributor "Town Green":
The Town of Vienna stopped picking up white goods... stoves, refrigerators, washers, etc. Why? Because they wanted to eliminate the expense of recycling these items. Fair enough... push that recycling expense onto someone else, particularly the vendor making the new white good sale. But what about other electrics... electronics that plug in like computers and televisions that we all replace on a regular basis? Why does the Town pickup these items and throw them into a landfill when there are options to recycle these? Many electronics manufacturers conduct their own recycling programs because they understand the terrible pollution impact their business is having on our natural environment. Why doesn't the Vienna Town Council understand this? The Town's special pickup program should either recycle electronics or stop collecting them and require residents to recycle these items through local recyclers. It's time for the garden club to stop living in the last century! Please recycle your electronics, Vienna.
July 09, 2007
Even More Cameras, But Not On Town Council Comments (4)
We noted last week that the Vienna Town Council has no problem video taping everyone at the Vienna Community Center with $50,000 worth of cameras. The hypocrisy is that they refuse to tape their own public meetings. Now this from the Connection:
"It has been two years since a camera caught a negligent motorist running a red light at the intersection of Maple Avenue and Glydon Road in Vienna. Fairfax County resident Mike Stollenwerk wishes it would stay that way. "People will get used to the government monitoring them and think that’s normal," said Stollenwerk, founder of the Fairfax County Privacy Council. "It’s a slippery slope." Stollenwerk may be disappointed with the Virginia General Assembly’s decision to allow red-light cameras back into the commonwealth but several local governments are expressing interest in the program. Officials in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax City, Fairfax County, Loudoun County and Town of Vienna said they are looking into requirements and the fiscal impact of installing red-light cameras."
July 06, 2007
Apocalypse Vienna Comments (2)
No Video Cameras of Council Meetings, But At Least They Can Now Track You As You Vote. Awesome! Comments (13)
From the Sun Gazette:
The Vienna Town Council on July 2 awarded a $43,732 contract to Security and Energy Technologies Corp. (SETEC) of Chantilly for 21 video surveillance cameras at the site. The community center's seven current cameras, installed in 1998, have outlived their useful life and are beginning to fail mechanically, said Craig Griffin, the town's information technology administrator. The new cameras, in addition to their greater numbers and being posted in more places inside and outside the facility, will allow community center staff members and town police to view live and recorded images taken at the site. The system can store images for up to two weeks.
Maud and Jane have already tried to ban the video taping of THEIR public meetings, but at least they can now track US with $50,000 dollars of security cameras when we go vote. So what is the reason again Vienna is the only community in the area with their leadership refusing to video tape themselves?
July 04, 2007
NEWS: Fireworks Injuries at Waters Field Comments (97)
Tonight a fireworks mishap at Waters Field in Vienna sent 8 people to the hospital. Watch video. Also Dave Statter report from WUSA 9.
Most alarming quote from the tragedy: "There was so much blood he [attending EMT} thought someone had died."
A recent comment from contributor "Town Green":
"As I see it, the Town has annually organized a fireworks event that does not establish a safe setback beyond the distance these rockets can travel. It has always been unsafe, risky, and scary. The current setback assumes that a rocket will never error and travel horizontally. This is clearly an unsafe assumption that puts the viewing public at risk of serious injury and death. This year they closed most of the fire station parking lot, encouraging many to move in closer. I believe the Town is directly responsible and liable for the public safety at this event, and that Waters Field (now made of plastic and rubber) is not a safe venue for a fireworks display of this size. The primary difficulty at Waters Field is that a safe and proper setback distance conflicts with the surrounding trees, poles, buildings, and streets. Also, dogs, toddlers, and definitely infants should not be taken up close to fireworks shows since they don't seem to like it... too much shock and awe."
Fairfax County Fire & Rescue tend to victim of mishap during fireworks display in Vienna, Virginia.
Source: CBS USA9
July 03, 2007
Vienna Gets Response from Fairfax County Over May Elections; Cole Gets Testy Comments (9)
Vienna Town Attorney Steve Briglia recently sent a letter to the County regarding Vienna's May Elections. Laurie Cole at last night's Town Council meeting was none too happy with the County's response (PDF) to Briglia's letter and requested that Briglia write another letter. Video of Cole complaining to follow. It's now July and the May elections are still "boiling". Why is that?
June 30, 2007
Follow Along As Vienna Investigates Itself Comments (4)
Vienna announced an investigation of their May 07 elections recently. Here is the start of that: page 1 and page 2.
June 23, 2007
Vienna Raises Water, Sewer Rates; Highest Around Comments (6)
From the Connection and Scott J. Krischke:
Over the course of the last 23 years, Vienna resident and planning commission member George Creed has watched his quarterly water bill triple, and after a 5-1 council decision at a June 4 public hearing, he’ll watch that rate rise just a little higher next year. Vienna’s Town Council voted in favor of a staff recommendation to raise water and sewer service rates for town residents by 15 and five percent, respectively, for the coming fiscal year, beginning July 1. The rate increase will cause an annual combined rise for the average Vienna resident will be $59.28 as a result of that raise, according to town documents. The move made Town of Vienna residents the highest payers for water in the region, and the second-highest for sewer services, according to data collected from several regional agencies.
Continue reading "Vienna Raises Water, Sewer Rates; Highest Around" »
