Mandatory Water Restrictions
<bt>The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Tuesday, Oct. 2, adopted a resolution declaring a water shortage emergency and instituting mandatory water restrictions for customers of the Loudoun County Sanitation Authority (LCSA) in eastern Loudoun County.
The ongoing drought has greatly reduced water levels in the reservoirs used by LCSA to provide water to its customers. Voluntary restrictions imposed in early August reduced demand by approximately 10 percent, but not enough to significantly impact the water levels in light of the continuing lack of rainfall in the area since the beginning of August.
Effective immediately, the restrictions prohibit:
* Watering of lawns and landscaping, except using three-gallon containers with the exception of vegetation planted since Sept. 1, 2007.
* Washing vehicles except in a commercial washing facility or using a bucket or other container not exceeding three gallons in capacity.
* Washing streets, driveways or other paved areas and buildings, except using three-gallon containers.
* Operating ornamental fountains.
* Filling swimming or wading pools, unless already more than
three-quarters full.
* Serving drinking water in restaurants, unless specifically requested.
Violators may be fined up to $500 for each offense and repeat violators may be subject to a cutoff of their water supply for up to five days. Before any customers are fined, they will receive a verbal warning from the Sheriff's Office.
More information about water conservation visit www.loudoun.gov or the LCSA Web site at www.lcsa.org.
<sh>LWV Candidate Forum
<Bt>The League of Women Voters of Loudoun County will hold a total of five candidate forums selected from the upcoming fall elections to be held throughout Loudoun County in the coming weeks.
These forums will follow the meet-the-press style of format with representatives from various local media sources on the panel. Each forum will have a moderator. Questions from the audience will be allowed after the meet-the-press section.
The next event is Wednesday, Oct. 3. Board of Supervisors, candidates from Broad Run and Dulles Districts. 7-9 p.m., Stone Bridge High School auditorium. The public and media are encouraged to attend.
<sh>Tax Deadline Looms
<bt>The second half 2007 personal property tax deadline is Friday, Oct. 5.
Payments postmarked after Oct. 5, will incur a 10 percent late payment penalty. The penalty date will not be extended for bills where assessment questions have been filed with the Commissioner of the Revenue. Additional interest at the rate of 10 percent per annum will be added Oct. 6.
Payment locations include 1 Harrison St., S.E., first floor, Suite 104, Leesburg and 21641 Ridgetop Circle, Sterling, Virginia. Depository boxes are located outside each location.
Payments can be made online at www.loudoun.gov, select Pay Taxes & Decals online; by mail: County of Loudoun, P.O. Box 1000, Leesburg, VA 20177-1000; by telephone: 703-777-0280 to pay using VISA, Mastercard or Discover.
For information concerning Real Property Tax Relief for the Elderly or Disabled Persons contact the Tax Relief Division of the Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office at trcor@loudoun.gov or 703-737-8557 or visit www.loudoun.gov/cor/tred.htm .
Contact the Loudoun County Treasurer's Office at 703-777-0280 or email us at taxes@loudoun.gov if you have not received your bills.
<sh>Energy Star Tax Holiday
<bt>Virginia’s first Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday begins Friday, Oct. 5, and continues through Monday, Oct. 8.
During the four-day tax holiday, sales tax will not be charged in Virginia on purchases of certain Energy Star-rated products priced at $2,500 or less per item
The Virginia Department of Taxation has posted guidelines, frequently asked questions and a list of approved Energy Star items on its Web site at www.tax.virginia.gov. Click on the Sales Tax Holiday logo to enter the Department’s new Sales Tax Holiday Information Center.
<sh>Open Houses
<bt>In recognition of Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 7-13, fire and rescue companies throughout Loudoun will open their stations to the community to help educate citizens on practicing escape plans, as well as ways to prevent fires and injuries around the home and work place. Station members are available to provide information about the services they provide as well as becoming a volunteer member or pursuing a career in the fire and rescue system. Admission to the open houses is generally free; however, donations to support the local companies are accepted. The following is a list of some of the open houses and special events scheduled in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week:
* Oct. 6, Sterling Fire Open House, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., 104 Commerce St. Rain date Oct. 7. Free. Call 703-430-7010 or visit www.svfd.org. Includes static displays of firefighting apparatus and equipment, fire safety information, a smoke house and plastic fire helmets for children, etc.
* Oct. 13, Leesburg Fire Open House, 61 Plaza St., N.E., 10:30 a.m. -2:30 p.m. Free. Call 703-771-9103 or visit www.leesburgfire.org.
* Oct. 14, Arcola Fire & Rescue Open House, 24300 Gum Spring Road (Route 659), Arcola, 1-4 p.m. Free. Call 703-327-2222 or visit www.arcolavfd.org.
* Oct. 21, Ashburn Fire and Rescue Open House, 20688 Ashburn Road (Route 641), 1-4 p.m. Free. Rain or shine. Includes music, dual accelerator moon bounce, fire truck rides, Air Care helicopter; meet a firefighter, station tours, food. Learn to call 911, experience Ashburn’s new safety "smoke house" and other safety demonstrations. A silent auction will be held. Off site parking at Cedar Lane Elementary School on Tolomac Road, free shuttle bus service. Call 703-729-0006 or visit www.ashburnfirerescue.org.
<sh>Candidates Forum
<bt>The Loudoun Easterner plans to host a candidates forum Saturday, Oct. 13, from 7-9:30 p.m., in the Northern Virginia Community College's Waddell Theater, in
cooperation with the NVCC state and local politics class.
All of the Loudoun County supervisors and their opponents are expected.
<sh>Task Force Grant
<bt>Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10) announces that the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force has been awarded a $1.769 million grant from the U.S. Department Justice to continue operating.
The multi-jurisdictional task force is made up of law- enforcement officials, social services departments and other agencies from the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun and Prince William and the cities of Alexandria, Manassas and Manassas Park. The FBI, DEA, Marshals Service and Virginia State Police also participate in the task force. It was created in 2003 with a three-pronged strategy focusing on suppression, education and prevention to deal with the issue.
The grant comes through the fiscal year 2007 Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants program administered through the DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance. Previous money for the task force has come through the same funding stream and was specifically included in annual spending bills approved by Congress.
In July, Wolf announced that $1.5 million has been set aside at his request for the task force in the FY 2008 DOJ spending bill approved by the House.
<sh>Beef Recall
<bt>Giant Food, following a voluntary recall by Topps Meat, has removed all Topps frozen ground beef patties because of possible E. coli 0157:H7 contamination. Topps announced the voluntary recall last week.
Customers who still may have any Topps products should discard it and/or return to any store for a full refund.
Symptoms of E.coli O157:H7 exposure could include stomach cramps and diarrhea, including diarrhea with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly. If any of the described symptoms are exhibited, medical attention should be sought.
Customers with questions about the recalled product, call Topps Meat at 908-351-0500 or Giant Food Customer Service at 1-888-4-MY-GIANT, Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.– 5 p.m.