Sentinel

This Month

Note from the Editors

May Meeting Minutes

Treasurer's Report

Message from Supervisor McKay

Notice of Fairfax Co. Budget Mtg

National Night Out 2008

Stopping the Examiner

Program on Eating Disorders

Announcements

Babysitters

Classifieds

Board and Committees

Sentinel Archives

Note From the Editors

We would like to hear from you!
Please email or call the editors with your thoughts and suggestions, as well as any news items you’d like to include. Sentinel editors are Carrie Wehling Michaud and Jessica Kaplan. You can email us at (Jessica) and (Carrie), call us at 703-765-9448 (Jessica) and 703-768-9723 (Carrie), or drop us a note at 6823 Stoneybrooke Lane (Jessica) and 6820 Lamp Post Lane (Carrie).

Notice of Fairfax County Community Budget Meetings.

The County has scheduled a series of meetings to share information on how to address the serious County budget deficit (over $400 million). Please read the following information and consider attending one of these meetings.

Closing the Budget Gap Flyer

Letter from the Budget Chairman

National Night Out 2008

Well folks, our Stoneybrooke “Dog Walk” for National Night Out this past August 5th left something to be desired. First, for some obscure reason not all that many of our neighborhood canines were out for their evening walk as they usually are – which begs the question when DID they go out? I was out for nearly three hours during the normal evening walking, and saw less than a dozen dogs, all but three of which I recognized. I personally know three times that many by name. So of course I didn’t make my own goal of meeting five new canine friends.

As for as the goal for “everyone” within a stone’s throw to go out and meet five dogs they didn’t already know, I saw only a couple even attempting to meet the objective. I know there a lot of shy people out there, but there are also a lot of neighbors who aren’t so shy.

So next time we’ll get a little more organized, right? Remember, one reason we have so little malicious activity going on in our neighborhood is the perceived abundance of neighborhood attentiveness to what’s going on around us – and that is to a great extent due to the presence of so many canines walking our streets. On the bright side, one good thing I have observed in the last two or three weeks is the increase of chatting taking place between the dog-owners themselves, and also with those out for a walk, jog, etc. That’s a GREAT START!

This month I’d like to see those of us out watering our lawns – or doing some other yard work we’re so fond of doing – to make yet another extended effort in making our friendly neighborhood canines feel welcomed!!

Don Faxon
“StoneyEyes” Neighborhood Watch Coordinator

Message from Supervisor McKay

In the heat of a northern Virginia summer, it’s a stretch to be thinking about the County’s fiscal year 2010 budget that’s almost a year away. While we are fortunate to live in one of the most economically advantaged counties in the United States, we are not immune to the economic storms that are shaking the country. Foreclosures, rapidly rising fuel and electricity costs, and increases in the costs of goods and services are hitting us hard.

On July 18, the Board of Supervisors and the School Board were briefed on the County’s current and future fiscal outlook. While not unexpected, the news was sobering. For the fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2009, we are looking at a projected county and school combined deficit of $430 million.

Our challenge will be to close the budget gap without doing serious and lasting harm to the quality of life and the excellent school system that Fairfax County residents expect and deserve. Toward that end, both County and School boards have undertaken a detailed review of County lines of business and school programs. We’re looking for multi-year opportunities for cost reductions and savings, how we deliver programs and services, and where we can consolidate or eliminate duplication of services. Our goal is to manage the economic realities that we’ve been warned are coming over the next several years.

Both the County and the School Board are actively soliciting input from residents and 20 public meetings have been scheduled from September 20 through November 13. You can find more detailed information about the date, time, and location of these meetings, as well as other budget details at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/budget/ and I encourage you to be involved in this process.

In the last fiscal year, we overcame a $175 million deficit by nibbling around the edges of our budget. We won’t have that luxury this time. The same budget pressures on the County budget are affecting our residents and huge tax increases are not the solution.

I would welcome your thoughts and recommendations as we navigate this economic storm. What’s important to you and your family? What’s nice-to-have and what’s have- to-have? How do you think Fairfax County should balance the services it provides and the property taxes that fund those services? You can reach me at 703-971-6262 or at .

Stopping the Examiner

More Than Looks
A Program on Eating Disorders
September 18, 2008
7:30 – 8:30 p.m.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
6744 S. King’s Highway
Alexandria, VA 22306
703-765-3949

Eating disorders (ED) are serious, potentially life-threatening conditions that affect a person’s emotional and physical health.
Eating disorders are not just a “fad” or a “phase.” People do not just “catch” an eating disorder for a period of time. They are real, complex, and devastating conditions that can have serious consequences for health, productivity, and relationship. Consider:

• More than 10 million Americans suffer from eating disorders—more than double the number 10 years ago. Despite additional resources (physicians, therapists, nutritionists, eating disorder centers, college programs, etc.) the problem is getting worse.
• Females between 15-24 afflicted with anorexia are 12 times more likely to die from it than from all other causes of death in that age group. A 2008 Canadian study shows that anorexia cuts life expectancy by 25 years.
• Statistics show 10% of all eating disorder cases occur in children under the age of 10.

This program, which includes professionals and individuals (including family perspectives) with ED experience, is planned to inform you about eating disorders, their onset and consequences, and where to go for help. Brochures and resource information will be provided following a Question & Answer session at the conclusion of the evening.
For more information contact Dianne McCune, 703-768-4323, .