Virginia’s Economy Ranks 3rd in the U.S.

The Commonwealth remains among the leading climates in country, despite sluggish recovery nationwide.

By Charles Couch Capital News Service RICHMOND – Despite a long recession, Virginia ranks among the top five states with the best economic climates, according to a national lobbying organization. Virginia placed third in the 2012 “Rich States, Poor States” report – a survey conducted annually by the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC lobbies for free market and limited government policies at the state and national level. “Too many times we talk about how states are on a decline and how states are suffering since the Great Recession hit,” said Jonathan Williams, ALEC’s director of tax and fiscal policy and co-author of the report. “But I think states like Virginia provide states across the country with a great example that states …

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POLL: Best Chinese Food in Ashburn

Where do you go/who do you call when you crave Chinese food?

This week we’re asking readers to weigh in on their favorite place to get Chinese food in Ashburn. We’re keeping it narrowed to Chinese food, so no Thai, Indian or Japanese restaurants are included, although all are well represented in the community. So whether you’re heading out, or ordering take out, which restaurant gets your call when you’re hankering fried rice or Kung Pao chicken? Voting is open until 9 a.m. on Friday, April 20. Because this poll below is not scientific, it is not the sole consideration in choosing a winner. The winner will be determined by the Patch editor, based on poll results and user reviews in the Patch listings directory. Please vote only once per survey, per Patch.  If we missed your favorite, give them a …

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Dulles Airport Expanded International Arrival Building Opens

The new facility was planned to accommodate increasing international traffic at Dulles International Airport.

The Dulles International Airport recently opened the newest of its renovations in recent years: an expanded international arrivals building.  With the expansion, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has doubled the floor space in the building to about 400,000 square feet, has increased the number of Customs inspection positions to 50, installed six new baggage carousels, streamlined passenger flow from the international arrivals building to the passenger greeting area and incorporated public art into the design.  The new facility can accommodate about 2,400 passengers and their luggage each hour. The original 1991 design of the building accommodated 1,400 passengers per hour. International traffic at Dulles has exceeded the U.S. …

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Dusty Smith

8:45 am on Thursday, April 5, 2012

Thanks for the tip, Sherri.   more ›

Metro Execs Received $3.1M in 2011

The information comes just as Loudoun supervisors debate the anticipated costs and benefits of rail to Ashburn.

As Loudoun County moves closer toward the last of many decisions about whether to participate in the project to extend Metro’s Silver Line to Dulles Airport and, as currently planned, to Ashburn, The Washington Post reported today that Metro’s top 16 executives received $3.1 million in salaries in 2011. Meanwhile, groups are forming to persuade supervisors either to support or reject the project. The best current estimates appear to pin the cost to Loudoun around $262 million for construction, plus ongoing operation and maintenance costs, estimated at $20-$30 million a year. The construction money includes Loudoun’s share for Phase 1 of the project, which ends at Wiehle Avenue in Reston. In addition, Loudoun must try to find a way to …

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Metro Costs, Benefits Central to Loudoun Decision

With county supervisors facing a 90-day deadline, supporters and opponents of rail to Ashburn make their cases; calls for larger state, federal contributions.

The clock is ticking now as the Loudoun Board of Supervisors approach the last exit on the road to bringing rail to Dulles Airport and beyond to Loudoun. A board barely six months into its term will be tasked with making its first and the county’s last decision about whether to participate in what supporters call a potentially huge boon and opponents call a potentially huge boondoggle. This past week, all of the partners involved in the construction and future operation of the new line received the final preliminary engineering information and an updated cost estimate: $2.7 billion. And while some may point out that it’s lower than the $3.83 billion previous estimate, the number does not reflect several items integral to the project, such …

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Letter to the Editor

LTE: Loudoun Should Bail on Rail

An opponent of bringing the rail project to Ashburn raises concerns about the long-term economic impact to the county.

To the Editor: In just a few weeks our Loudoun Board of Supervisors will decide on the largest financial transaction in the county’s history. The annual expenditure will be the second-largest budget item after schools. Supervisor Janet Clarke (R-Blue Ridge) has circulated an online survey soliciting constituent input on the Dulles Rail project. I believe her intentions are good, but I ask her, and all the other supervisors, to educate the public with a series of thorough presentations sharing both sides of the rail issue. Many in our county have spent countless hours looking for answers to the basic questions about Rail to Loudoun, and have found substantial reason to conclude three things: With that said, polling people on their Rail …

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Bob Bruhns

12:43 am on Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The first thing Fairfax County did - in late 2009! - was establish a rail tax district for Dulles Rail Phase II. But somehow this has been conveniently forgotten in Loudoun County. I wonder why that might be. It was discussed almost two years ago... and then... nothing. What does the Loudoun County BOS have to say about this? What does the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce have to say about this…   more ›

Parallel Bistro: Wine, Dine and Recline

With everything from good food and vino to live music and wine machines, Parallel finds its niche.

For several years, restaurant patrons in the Broadlands area of Ashburn have been witness to an all too familiar cycle of seeing new restaurants open and then close not soon after – a sign of challenging economic times and a competitive dining market. That has especially been true in a corner of the Broadlands Center shopping plaza at the corner of Claiborne Parkway and Broadlands Boulevard, not far from the Dulles Greenway. A string of upscale restaurants have opened their doors, only to shutter them the following year. First there was 321 Ashland, then Café Panache. Parallel Wine Bistro took over the space in May 2010 and seems to be on a path to break the cycle, similar to what Ford’s Fish Shack did for its location in the Cameron Chase…

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NOVA Chamber Partnership Leads Charged Against Constitutional Amendment On Eminent Domain

The group of business entities say the proposal threatens economic development, infrastructure investment, job creation.

  The Northern Virginia Chamber Partnership — comprised of the Dulles Regional, Greater Reston and Loudoun County chambers of commerce — announced this week that the formation of a broad coalition of business organizations across Virginia to oppose the proposed constitutional amendment regarding eminent domain. The Partnership supports responsible use of eminent domain where the rights of property owners are balanced with the rights of entities with eminent domain authority. However, the Partnership strongly opposes including eminent domain restrictions in Virginia’s Constitution. Tony Howard, President and CEO of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, stated in a press release that “all Virginians agree that private property rights are …

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Letter to the Editor

LTE: Union Leader Criticizes Bloom, Other Delhaize America Closings

Statement from McNutt comes after parent company announces it will close 126 stores and put 4,900 people out of work.

  The United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 President Tom McNutt issued the following statement Jan. 13 in response to Delhaize America’s decision to close 126 Bloom, Food Lion and Bottom Dollar stores across the country, including the remaining Bloom in Ashburn and one of the two Blooms in Leesburg: “First, let me offer my deepest sympathies to the workers who are losing their jobs as a result of these closings. They have been ill-served by global corporate greed, perpetrated in their case by a multinational conglomerate that treats its workers well in Europe but denies American workers their right to union representation, to earn a living wage, and to job security. “Second, I believe this massive wave of closings demonstrates…

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Brambleton Presbyterian Youth Groups Donate Blankets to Inova Loudoun's Mobile Hope

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