LETTER: CBC ‘Favorably Disposed’ Toward Schools

TO THE EDITORS OF THE FALLS CHURCH TIMES:

November 30, 2010

Lou Olom, in his letter that you posted yesterday, is absolutely correct: “They (the schools) are central to this little city’s achievements for half a century. I hope they will continue for the next half century.”

Lou is too modest to describe his own role as a leading fighter for the high-quality public school system in Falls Church today. He personally made a lot of this happen.

He was the main activist who organized and chaired the Citizens for a Better Council that fought that fight in 1959 for the critical vote to support our young public school system.

Some years later, while serving on the school board, he almost single-handedly brought the International Baccalaureate program to Falls Church schools. That program is now the crown jewel of our schools.

Lou’s 1959 Citizens for a Better Council went on to become the Citizens for a Better City. Over the past half century that organization has held biennial nominating conventions for qualified candidates for the City Council and has campaigned for their election. Those candidates are pledged to the CBC principles — one of which is “Preservation of the independent status of our public school system and the continuing provision of a first-class education to all members of the diverse student body.”

A recent tabulation [click here to download Excel spreadsheet] shows that in the 26 elections (1959-2010) 72 of the 91 City Council seats up for election were won by CBC-nominated Council candidates. Those are the “favorably disposed city councils” referred to by Lou.

Up until 1994, school board members were appointed by those CBC-nominated Council members. In the 9 elections (1994-2010), 30 of the 32 school board seats up for election were won by CBC-nominated board candidates. Those CBC-appointed and elected individuals are the “dedicated school board members” referred to by Lou.

If Lou’s hope – a hope, I believe, shared by most of us — for high-quality schools in Falls Church “for the next half century” is to be achieved, continuation of CBC’s success in nominating and electing “favorably disposed” City Councils and “dedicated” School Board candidates is critical. CBC has led the struggle for 50 years. Good schools is CBC’s issue.

Citizens need to remember this history as next year’s School and City budget processes are now under way and later as the 2012 City elections approach.

ED STRAIT
Falls Church

Letters to the Editor should be submitted to contact@fallschurchtimes.com. They may be on any subject relevant to our City. Writers should include their full name and city of residence. All submissions are subject to editing.

City Attains Highest Recycling Rate in Virginia

By FALLS CHURCH OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

November 30, 2010

The City of Falls Church holds the highest recycling rate in Virginia, according to the Virginia Annual Recycling Rate Report issued recently by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.  For calendar year 2009, 57.6% of the City’s total waste stream was recycled compared to the statewide rate of 38.6%.  The report compares recycling rates of 324 Virginia cities, counties, towns, and solid waste planning areas.  The 7,183 tons of materials recycled in Falls Church in 2009 included paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, metals, yard debris and leaves.

While Falls Church’s recycling rate is highest in the state, the City has a more ambitious goal.   The City’s Solid Waste Management Plan, a 20-year initiative adopted by the City Council in June 2004, sets a recycling rate goal of 65%. 

Environmental experts note there are many reasons to recycle:

-       Recycling reduces dependency on raw materials like oil, ore and wood.

-       Recycled products are generally far less energy consuming to produce than the equivalent product made from virgin materials.

-       Diverting recyclable items from the waste stream to the recycling stream saves taxpayer money by keeping disposal costs down while
preserving valuable landfill space.

For more information contact Kathy Allan, Environmental Programs Specialist, 703-248-5176 or kallan@fallschurchva.gov or visit the City website.   

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s annual recycling report is available here.

FRIDAY 12/3: Military History Forum

Richard Kirkland will speak on the topic The Flying Knights of World War II.  Mr. Kirkland flew a P-38 fighter in World War II and a MASH medivac helicopter in the Korean War.

No charge. 10 a.m. – noon, Falls Church Community Center, 221 Little Falls Street. 703-248-5020.  The Forum meets every other Friday, same time, same place.

The following lectures have been scheduled for 2010-2011:

Dec. 17  Roger Neighborgall:  Battle of Irsch Zerf

Jan. 14  Frank Cohn: From Germany and Back to the Elbe

Jan. 28   Kent Holmes:  The War in Laos – 1962 to 1975

Feb. 11  Jack Kull: POW Program (tentative) per Marge Craven

Feb. 25  Col. Charles McGee (ret.):  Tuskegee Airmen

Mar. 11  Will Hutchison: Balaclava:  So Where Was The Damned Infantry?

Mar. 25  Harry Yeide:  The Tank Killers

Apr. 8     Field Trip to Manassas Museum

Apr.  22  George Kralovek:  April 1865, The Month That Saved America

May 6     TBA

May 20  TBA