July 2006

Summertime Sizzles in Long Branch

 

It’s summertime and Long Branch is the place to be!  While the summer of 2006 may be known for years to come as the summer of the monsoon rains—the weather phenomenon did not stopping our community from enjoying the traditional mid-summer activities including swim meets, cook-outs, bike rides and Nationals baseball games!  With all the rain, and outdoor activities, comes the scourge of mosquitoes.  The species is in high gear with an abundant standing water supply.  Read tips below in the newsletter on how to combat mosquitoes, furnished by neighbor and Environmental Protection Agency official Tom Brennan.

 

Upcoming events  (check the Web site latr for more details!)

 

August 12 - VOLLEYBALL NIGHT AT THE POOL

 

August 19 - FAMILY POTLUCK DINNER NIGHT AT THE POOL

 

September 4 - LABOR DAY COOKOUT AT THE POOL

 

Long Branch Homes Tour

 

The popular Long Branch Homes Tour is scheduled for Sunday, September 10 (time to be determined).  Everyone can join in the fun because there is no Redskins game that day!  Here’s is an opportunity to see all the outstanding improvements to Long Branch homes and get ideas for ways you can improve your own home.   If you are interested in showing your house, or want to nominate a neighbor to participate, or if you’d like to work on the committee to organize the Homes Tour, please contact Melinda Malico at m.malico@verizon.net. 

 

Homes Tour, Sept. 10.  Volunteers needed to work on planning committee.  Contact Melinda Malico at m.malico@verizon.net if you are interested in helping or showing your home.

 

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President’s Pen… I hope everyone is enjoying the summer!

It’s been wet and hot. The recent flooding took a toll on areas roads, some houses in our community, a few cars and the new bike path.  Supervisor Sharon Bulova recently walked the path with community members and determined that there are no serious safety issues, but there is substantial damage. Authorities will focus on the most serious problems first, which does not include the spot where the path traverses the stream between Guinea and Woodland Way.  That area is not considered a safety hazard, but officials expect to have the path fully restored within 60-90 days, including applying new blue stone dust and leveling out the gullies that dissect the path.

At our last community meeting, residents who live on King David Boulevard, near the sewer line, shared their concerns about the integrity of the sewer lines running near their homes.  I contacted Iffty Khan of the Fairfax County Public Works Department and on June 27, the county pressure cleaned and removed light debris from the sewer line.  This is in accordance with the 90-day maintenance plan they have established to address a “sag” in the line on King David. They will continue to inspect and clean every 90 days to ensure the integrity of the line.   

 

There is nothing more important to a cohesive community than the individuals who volunteer and pitch in to make the community a better place to live.  We owe a debt of gratitude to Bernita Taylor for the recent beautification of the Long Branch entranceways on Braddock Road. 

 

I would like to encourage the formation of a social committee so we could effectively organize and execute numerous events within the community throughout the year.  Please feel free to contact me with your thoughts. 

 

The community directory is undergoing finishing touches, thanks to some hard work by Amy Oleinick and many others. If you would like to run a classified ad, the rate is $50 per full page and $30 per half page.  Send your ad and the size you want to Amy Oleinick at oleinick@verizon.net.  Our goal is to have directory out by Back-to-School time.

 

Don’t forget to check the Long Branch Web site for other activities and information at www.longbranchcommunity.net.

Mark Wiggins

703-978-1355 or teamwiggins@msn.com

Talented and Generous People Needed!!

A great community does not run itself!  We recently were fortunate to gain the energy and assistance of Mark Wiggins, the new Long Branch Civic Association President.  With three young children and another one on the way, as well as job in distant Annapolis, Mark has precious little time to devote to volunteer activities.  But—he makes the time.  Let’s get some more Long Branchers to follow his lead!  Available positions that we desperately need to fill include:

Entranceways maintenance chairperson (a team of volunteers could do this over 2-3 Saturdays a year)

 

Social team or chairperson, to plan community activities including the Holiday Luminary; the annual Halloween party/haunted house; and others.  This could help head off questions such as, “Whatever happened to the (insert annual activity) that we used to have?” 

 

Street representatives for Tabard (4819–4838) and King David (5003–5015).  With the upcoming publication of the community directory, we are hoping that street representatives will be able to help welcome new residents with a helpful package.  

 

And thanks again to our volunteer Webmaster,MSteveMAlvo, for helping keep the Long Branch Web site, at www.longbranchcommunity.net, updated. While the newsletter will be published periodically, most new information will find its home on the Web site.

 

A Note from a Long-Time Long Branch Resident

 

Fred and I have been LB residents for over 25 years and we love it here.  Folks have asked how could we possibly enjoy living in/near such a big city, but living in LB makes it feel more like a village.  The neighbors look out for each other and for each other’s children.  All three of our children participated on swim team; and we have enjoyed the social events and our block parties.  Bunco – no matter how often I don’t win – is always fun.  We have many good memories: after my second child was born, Brenda Saunders hosted a back-to-work luncheon; memories of the 4^th of July parades with our children in tow on their decorated tricycles and bikes; Holiday luminaries, and Halloween hauntings and the back-to-school breakfasts at the bus stop.   The neighbors that we count as friends have grown throughout the years and we feel very blessed.  I don’t know of a better place to live in all of Northern Virginia. 

 

Zena & Fred Thomas – Bramble Place

 

Mosquito Advice

The Asian tiger mosquito is a new pest to this area, and I think we can all agree that last year they had a huge impact on the quality of life here in Long Branch.   In May, the Washington Post ran a front-page article on the Asian tiger mosquito, highlighting its aggressiveness towards people, and its ability to complete its lifecycle in very small amounts of standing water.   As the article correctly pointed out, the Asian tiger mosquito is a challenging pest to confront and control. 

Rather then just accept the presence of this aggressive pest; I suggest we fight back by making this entire neighborhood a place that is unfriendly towards mosquitoes.  Attached are some tips I pulled of the Environmental Protection Agency’s website:

 

What You Can Do to Control Mosquitoes Around the Home

1. Remove their habitat (where they live and breed)

   • Eliminate standing water in rain gutters, old tires, buckets, plastic covers, toys, or any other container where mosquitoes can breed.

   • Empty and change the water in birdbaths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels, and potted plant trays at least once a week to destroy potential mosquito habitats.

   • Drain or fill temporary pools of water with dirt.

   • Keep swimming pool water treated and circulating.

2. Prevent your exposure to mosquitoes

   • Use EPA-registered mosquito repellents when necessary and follow label directions and precautions closely.

   • Use head nets, long sleeves and long pants if you venture into areas with high mosquito populations, such as salt marshes.

   • If there is a mosquito-borne disease warning in effect, stay inside during the evening when mosquitoes are active.

   • Make sure window and door screens are "bug tight."

   • Replace your outdoor lights with yellow "bug" lights, which tend to attract fewer mosquitoes than ordinary light. The yellow lights are NOT repellents, however.

For more info see the EPA web site at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/mosquitoes/

Unfortunately, the Asian tiger mosquito is likely here to stay in the DC area.  We can, as a community, be aware to the kinds of backyard habitats that allow this pest to survive and reproduce.  We can also take actions to ensure we don’t allow standing water to persist in our neighborhood.  We can’t beat this bugger, but I am sure we can have an impact on their ability to survive and reproduce here in Long Branch.  If we stay on top of the standing water in Long Branch, it will greatly increase the quality of our summers.

 

Tom Brennan

Friendly Reminders!!       As a courtesy to your neighbors and everyone in our community, make sure to sweep up and clean the street in front of your property.  It’s especially important to keep storm drains clear of debris.  Flooding chances increase when storm drains are clogged.

 

Also, please make sure you pick up after your pets when they “do their business” on a neighbor’s lawn.  It is so not fair for someone else to have to pick up your dog’s doo-doo.  C’mon folks!!

 

Annandale is Site of Historic Burial Ground

 

If you missed the series, the Washington Post recently ran a series of fascinating articles about a burial area that was unearthed during the widening of the intersection at 236 and Guinea Road.  According to our own supervisor, Sharon Bulova, locals knew that there was a possibility that an old cemetery might exist at the southwest corner of Rt. 236 and Guinea Road, where a right turn lane is to be constructed.  This year, the Virginia Department of Transportation began utility re-location for the project and using the services of the Louis Berger Group, archaeologists sifted through soil next to Guinea Road and beneath an existing sidewalk.  On Wed., April 19^th, dust was gently brushed from skeletons buried in graves referred to in 19^th century maps as “the old cemetery.” 

 

Braddock Area Chronicled in New Book

 

Questions about who these people were and what the area was like when they were buried are addressed in a new book that captures and tells the history of our area.  Supervisor Sharon Bulova helped ensure that our local community’s history is preserved through her role in sponsorship of a book, Braddock’s True Gold,

 

released this summer and now available locally.   It contains more information about the Guinea Road cemetery and the community called Ilda, as well as other local lore.  The Washington Post wrote about the project at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/21/AR2006062100796.html

Pool Safety and Drownings

 

It’s scary, but worth repeating again and again.  If it’s hot outside and your kids are in a pool, watch them!  This summer alone, local children have drowned at a community center, a country club, and in other places.  The American Academy of Pediatrics (APA) offers pool safety tips, available on the Long Branch Web site at

https://members.tripod.com/longbranchcommunity/Tips%20to%20prevent%20Drownings.htm

Summer Reading at the Library

The Fairfax County Public Libraries want kids to participate in the 2006 Summer Reading Program. Held in cooperation with Fairfax County Public Schools, the program runs until Sept.2 and encourages students from preschool to high school to read for pleasure during the summer.

 

Preschoolers through sixth graders are asked to read 15 books (kids can have books read to them), and those in grades 7-12 need to read eight books. Those who finish reading the required number of books by Sept.2 win prizes. Kids can read any books they choose. The activities are free; registration is required. Please call your local library to sign up.

 

Off-Leash Dog Areas Available in Our Area

 

The Fairfax County Park Authority welcomes leashed dogs in all of its parks. Now, for owners of well-mannered canines who enjoy a good run or a friendly romp, there's the additional option of dog parks - fenced areas where unleashed dogs can have free play.   Go to the Long Branch Web site for more information or Click Here. 

 

It’s Not Too Late to Take Advantage of the 2006 Summer Entertainment Series

 

Free Summer Entertainment in the Parks! The Fairfax County Park Authority, in partnership with the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and with generous contributions from local businesses and corporations, presents a summer-long calendar of shows, concerts and movies for you and your family. Bring a picnic dinner, blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy the best in local and regional entertainment.

 

Rain Cancellations: For last minute performance cancellations due to inclement weather, call 703/324-SHOW (7469) one (1) hour prior to the program start time.

 

 

Please submit items for the newsletter to Melinda Malico at m.malico@verizon.net.  The next deadline is Sept. 15

 

Classifieds

Please submit items for the newsletter to Melinda Malico at

 m.malico@verizon.net.  The next deadline is Sept. 15

 

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