Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Whether you're a business owner holding an event or just someone with something to say, here's how to share it with everyone in town.
No, as far as I've heard, there are no zombies at Walmart or anywhere else in town. But that, of course, doesn't mean you have nothing to tell your neighbors. And if you do, I'm here to help. Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Jessie Biele, and I'm your Community Engagement Editor. What do I do? I help you reach your neighbors, right here on Patch. And why do I do that? Because Patch doesn't just talk to you; Patch gets neighbors talking to each other, too. So, if you're a business owner with an event to announce, a school teacher who wants to highlight student achievement, a gardener who wants to share tips to get the whole city blooming or a photographer who wants to share some great pix, I'm here to help. Posting announcements, …
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Puller says Gov. McDonnell appears to be backing out on his agreement with Senate Democrats on Medicaid expansion.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, March 12
During the final week of the General Assembly Session this year, the Virginia State Senate Democrats worked with Governor Robert McDonnell to reach a compromise to pass a transportation plan - a plan that is funded in part by funds not yet appropriated from Congress. Funds unlikely to ever materialize for Virginia. In return for the Senate Democrats’ votes for the transportation plan, the Governor signed an agreement on Medicaid expansion. We thought this agreement was made in good faith. We are disappointed that Governor McDonnell appears now to be backing out on this agreement, choosing to pacify the right wing of his party instead of working for the health and well-being of our Commonwealth. In a letter to the Obama Administration, …
Friday, March 1, 2013
Medicaid expansion would provide for more than 400,000 Virginians to have health care and provide some 30,000 jobs.
The Virginia State Senate passed a transportation plan after Governor Robert McDonnell agreed to sign off on a Medicaid expansion conference committee to come up “with a concept to ensure that significant reforms are attained prior to any potential expansion of Medicaid.” The committee will be made up of five members of the House of Delegates who serve on the House Appropriations Committee and five members of the Senate Finance Committee as well as the Secretaries of Finance and Health and Human Resources. At least three members of the House and three of the Senate members on the Committee must vote to approve the recommendations. The two secretaries will be ex-officio, non-voting members. Medicaid expansion would provide for more than …
Does your Yoga practice help you deal with reality or escape it?
Traffic. Furloughs. Kids. Spouse. Politics. Stress. Stress. Stress. I can’t handle it! I gotta get away! I can’t take it! Where’s my Yoga class? Ahhhh, mat. After class, chat. Then back to… Traffic. Corpse pose and Om long forgotten, snf serenity has been tossed out the SUV window. Did anything change me in class? Or am I still yelling at the person who cut me off? Yoga Perspective My friend Jamie, a world- traveling Yoga teacher, recently moved back to the mountains and opened her own studio. She and I discussed the differences in mentality between city Yogis and mountain Yogis. She observed that Yogis in Los Angeles tended to use Yoga class as an escape from their hectic lives. I related that my experience of DC-Metro Yogis was similar. …
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
By Supervisor Pat Herrity
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, February 12
We have had some successes in improving parts of the Parkway (completing the full Parkway repaving, the Fair Lakes Interchange project, and converting the Parkway to a primary road), but even with these improvements, the Parkway is experiencing significant congestion. In order to get in front of the problem and before we wake up and find the Parkway as congested as I-66, I have asked the Board of Supervisors at today’s meeting to request the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) conduct a Corridor Improvement Study (CIS). A CIS will provide a comprehensive look at what improvements need to be made to the Parkway in order to keep up with increased use. The study will outline short and long term solutions, examine various methods for…
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Easy resolutions and the apps that will help you keep them.
Oh, self control! New Years Resolutions can be very difficult to keep, and many times they involve drastic changes and lots of money. There are many empty gyms with memberships paid for with the best intentions. The good news is that there are many resolutions that are cheap, easy to keep and come with technology that can improve your chances of success. Let’s start with the basics: 1. Water: If you’re not drinking enough water you‘ll notice a multitude of health problems including headaches, low cognitive function, fatigue, constipation, dry skin and increased toxicity. Everyone needs a different amount of water in their body and there's an easy way to find out how much your body needs. Divide your weight in half and consider that …
R-rated film released Friday in movie theaters nationwide.
Sometimes a movie is just...bad. We can all watch it and see what they had in mind, how the pitch went, how the director and producers signed on and talked some pretty big stars into taking part. And we can see the whole thing derail through to post production, delayed release, and as we watch the finished product with an ever-dwindling vestige of hope. Such is the case for Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters. Why Cinema Siren is reviewing this movie at all is a fair question. I go on record as saying there is always a chance a good movie will find its way to the multiplex in January. Not the ones that were in limited released in LA and New York in December to qualify for the Oscars….Those are the movies everyone is busying themselves with…
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Director Kathryn Bigelow overlooked for Oscar in Best Director category.
Zero Dark Thirty, which brought in $24 million in its first two days of wide release, has been lauded worldwide and almost universally as an impressive piece of filmmaking, a movie that is anything but formulaic. It's always very different for those of us who live within the Washington area. Our experience of anything political is amplified. The headquarters of the CIA, FBI, and of course, the White House, are all within driving distance. It is, therefore, nearly impossible not to have heard about the controversy surrounding this film. Senators Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) denounced the film, for its depiction of torture. “We believe the film is grossly inaccurate and misleading in its …
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Gov. Bob McDonnell wants to raise transportation revenue, but is this a good solution?
- OPINION
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Saturday, January 12
Dear Editor, It is disturbing to me that Delegate Tim Hugo and Gov. Bob McDonnell have considered to propose a bill charging Hybrid owners a $100 annual fee. This will directly, and ultimately, negatively impact Virginia's economy by decreasing the demand for hybrid cars and promoting the purchase of cars that are not environmentally friendly. As a Citizen of Virginia and an environmentally conscious consumer I purchased a Toyota Prius C last year. I’m a young professional in the Northern Virginia area producing and editing viral web videos and I direct the annual Clifton Film Fest. I saved up for a long time to put down money and buy this specific car. I knew hybrids were more expensive than the average car, but I was also aware I’d save…
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Keeping a garden journal is a great way to see what works for your garden.
On the morning of January 1, 2013, I will brew a cup of coffee, open my garden journal and record the temperature, the color of the morning sky, and what plants (if any) are blooming in my winter garden. This year Hana Jiman Sasanqua camellias, coneflowers (Echinacea), feverfew and hardy salvia are still blooming in our relatively balmy temperatures. I have been keeping a garden journal for the past ten years. I began my first journal in January, when my garden was reduced to its “bones”, and I could view it without the distractions of flowers and shrubs in bloom. This clear view allowed me to see what changes I might make and make plans for spring planting. A garden journal is a useful tool. On a practical basis, it helps with …
Jessie Biele
3:28 pm on Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Thank you Michael!! more ›