Manassas Journal Messenger 04-26-01
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Thursday, April 26, 2001 |
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News |
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Barber shop struggles with sign ordinance By Chris Newman Staff Writer MANASSAS PARK – Jim Eskins, owner of the Manassas Park Barber Shop on Centreville Road, has a problem with the city. His business needs visibility to draw in customers, but the city won’t let him keep his sign, and that’s going to hurt his business, he said. “I think Manassas Park should be trying to work with me, not trying to take down my signs,” he said, referring to his double-posted, wooden sign set in the grass next to Centreville Road. Eskins’ sign is only one of several that has been found to be a violation of city and state codes, said Dan Painter, the city’s new planning and zoning director, who since his hiring earlier this year has stepped up enforcement of the rules for business signs along Centreville Road to improve its appearance.[more] |
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Manassas budget passes first vote By Chris Newman Staff Writer MANASSAS – The City Council passed the fiscal 2002 budget totaling $185.9 million Wednesday, with a 5 percent increase in general-fund expenditures, pay raises for city employees of up to 6 percent, and a $1 million investment in roads, park facilities, technology and buildings made possible by a one-time windfall in sales tax revenue. A second reading of the budget ordinances, required for full passage, is scheduled for Thursday night. All budget items were unanimously passed except for $205,170 in funding for the city’s share of the OmniLink bus service operated by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission. Councilman Hal Parrish voted against it because of concerns about its efficiency.[more] |
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Car tax delinquents to get the boot By Trina Goethals Staff Writer Prince William residents who are delinquent in paying personal property taxes beware. The county is working together with the sheriff’s office to seize vehicles by placing a Denver boot on the front wheel of their property. The programs have been up and running in surrounding counties, but this is the first year Prince William has implemented the vehicle seizure, or “boot program,” and the vehicle registration withholding, or “stop program.” In fiscal 2000, the county had a total of $26.6 million in unpaid taxes, and although the number will not be as staggering this year, county officials want to get the word out that they mean business.[more] |
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Resolution asks Assembly to review school funding By Tiffany Schwab Staff Writer MANASSAS – Manassas has joined about 40 other school divisions across the state supporting a resolution requesting adequate funding for K-12 public education. The resolution asks the General Assembly to review and revise the Standards of Quality which govern the school funding formula. The legislation is based on a position paper by the Virginia Consortium for Adequate Resources for Education. Virginia CAREs is made up of local educators and School Board members from around the state[more] |
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Warner speaks on tech market By Alfred M. Biddlecomb Staff Writer Gubernatorial candidate and venture capitalist Mark Warner told local business leaders Wednesday that continued innovation and an educated work force can sustain the area’s high-tech economy for years to come. Warner addressed members of the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce in the latest installment of its Dialogue 2000 Plus forums at George Mason University’s Prince William campus Wednesday. Warner, who built a fortune through investments in the wireless industry during the 1980s and early 90s, said that a progressive attitude in the business community and in government can help sustain the economic surge experienced in Virginia over the past six years.[more] |
| Sports |
| Gar-Field gets past Stonewall
One
lacrosse team came into the match unbeaten, solidly in first place in the Cardinal District. The host squad, meanwhile, had lost a match 20-5 less than a week ago. Both squads put that history aside Wednesday night, as Gar-Field reasserted itself with a 5-4 home win over Stonewall Jackson, which suffered its first loss of the season. The key for Gar-Field was changing the pace. The Indians (7-2) scored the same number of goals they had in last Thursday’s blowout loss to Osbourn Park. But they also played tougher defense against the high-scoring Raiders, who came into the match averaging more than 11 goals per game. In its last two wins, Stonewall (6-1) had scored 31 goals. [more] Raidershand Vikes their first district loss Things finally fell together for Stonewall Jackson. After a series of near-misses against some of the area’s best teams, the Raiders broke through for a 10-4 win over Woodbridge on Tuesday night. The win avenges a loss to the Vikings in the Eddie Hope Tournament at Hylton. The Raiders had Woodbridge on the ropes, but a seventh-inning grand slam by Joe McLain gave the win to the Vikings. “We had great pitching, good defense and timely hitting for the first time all year,” said Stonewall head coach Andy Devitt. “It was a turning point as far as confidence.” The loss in the Hope Tournament, along with the fact that Stonewall’s seniors had never beaten Woodbridge, were intangible factors in the win. “We were up to play them, considering how they beat us last time,” Devitt added. “We came out and played hard, and everything went well.” [more] |
| Arts |
| Big top times
Tonight,
while Prince William sleeps, 36 tractor-trailers will pull into the Woodbridge Senior High School parking lot under cover of darkness. At twilight’s first gleaming, a crew of 100 – plus three elephants – will raise the big top: The circus is coming to town! The Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus is the United States’ oldest traveling tented circus and has been on the road since 1884. And, for 36 years, Ringmaster Jimmy James has been on the road with it. He joined the circus at 19, worked in wardrobe and then as a white-face clown. Now he starts the show, announces the acts, calls attention to different feats, keeps time and, well, keeps the show on the road. “The ringmaster is the icing on the cake – the centerpiece,” said James in his deep, rich, ringmaster’s voice. “He’s in command.” [more] |
| Schools |
| Chatting with
the chief MANASSAS – The new superintendent is going to lead the city to what school board members have been calling, “the next level.” He just doesn’t know what that means yet. Chip Zullinger said he’s still studying the schools, diligently poring over stacks of information on the system. “The next level,” he said, has yet to be defined, and, as a newcomer, it is not his place to impose a plan for an already successful school system. Instead, Zullinger and the seven-member school board will meet for upcoming retreat “to articulate together what that next level might be,” he said. In his view, though, Zullinger said, a successful school system is one with parental and community input combined with high levels of accountability from students and school officials. “Those will be attributes to what school divisions moving to the next level will be all about,” he said. [more] In harmony — Ensemble members make commitment to achieve excellence Music class is a mix of melodies and memories in the making for the students in Stonewall Jackson High School’s vocal ensemble. The teen-agers made both at April’s North American Music Festival, where they won four trophies, taking top honors in two categories. “I thought it was well-deserved,” said Wanda Boley, choral director, who cried when she heard the announcements. The students’ harmonies captured the judges’ attention on the French number “Dirait-on,” “Shall I Compare Thee,” and “The Turtledove.” [more] |
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