Wolf Secures Key Provisions to Fight Stink Bugs

Farmers, vintners, and homeowners could benefit from provisions in a bill moving through the House that would make fighting the brown marmorated stink bug infestation a greater priority for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), according to Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA).

Wolf worked with Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee chairman Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) to include new directives for the USDA undersecretary of research in the FY 2012 spending bill approved by the full Appropriations Committee on May 31. The new provisions specifically direct the four research agencies of the USDA to identify and develop effective stink bug control methods.

“The committee felt that the USDA was not working aggressively enough to find a solution to this critical problem,” said Wolf. “We’ve now worked to single out the stink bug problem as one of the top priorities for all research agencies at the department.”

Another key provision instructs the USDA to work collaboratively with state partners to identify and implement controls for stink bug invasions.

The bill is pending consideration by the full House, expected later this month.

Stopping the destructive brown marmorated stink bug – whose influx some have likened to a plague of locusts – has been a top priority for Wolf, who has held a town hall meeting in his district so that scientists and experts could share ideas for control methods with local farmers and growers.

“I’ve seen first-hand the damage that stink bugs are causing to local fruit and vegetable growers and we have to do something to mitigate the economic damage caused by these pests,” said Wolf. “I hope this legislation will make this problem the top priority for USDA research agencies.”

Lacey Marie Huber Graduates With Bachelor of Arts From Colorado College

Lacey Marie Huber graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Art: Art Studio Concentration from Colorado College. Lacey Marie Huber is the daughter of Kristi and Michael Huber of Leesburg.

Virginia Military Institute Announces June 2011 Graduates

Lansing R. Wilson of Philomont received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. Graduating honors include Army Commission. Cadet Wilson’s parents are Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Wilson.

John C. Manning Jr. of Ashburn received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Modern Languages and Cultures. Graduating honors include Distinguished Graduate. Cadet Manning’s parents are Mr. and Mrs. John C. Manning Sr..

Thomas W. Carnes of Ashburn received a Bachelor of Science degree in Elect/Computer Engineering and with a minor in Mathematics. Graduating honors include With Distinction. Cadet Carnes’s parents are Mr. and Mrs. William D. Carnes.

Christopher H. Hall of Potomac Falls received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. Graduating honors include Marine Corps Commission. Cadet Hall’s parent is CDR Lee M. Hall.

Benjamin A. Smith of Sterling received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and with a minor in Mathematics. Graduating honors include Distinguished Graduate and Air Force Commission. Cadet Smith’s parents are COL and Mrs. John R. Smith.

Robert E. Jones of Leesburg received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. Graduating honors include With Distinction and Army Commission. Cadet Jones’s parents are Mr. and Mrs. Allen C. Jones.

Mario R. Giordani of Leesburg received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Modern Languages and Cultures. Cadet Giordani’s parents are Ms. Claudia V. Giordani and Mr. Mario J. Giordani.

Spilman T. Pumphrey of Leesburg received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and with a minor in Military History Conc. Cadet Pumphrey’s parents are Mr. and Mrs. James L. Pumphrey.

Lane G. Pratt of Lovettsville received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and with a minor in Military History Conc. and Philosophy. Graduating honors include Distinguished Graduate and Institute Honors and Distinguished Military Grad and Army Commission and 2nd Jackson-Hope Medal and COL Sterling M. Heflin Award and LT Randolph T. Townsend Award. Cadet Pratt’s parents are MAJ and Mrs. Sheldon J. Pratt.

What Are the Pros and Cons of an HOA

Dear Doug: What are the pros and cons (and hidden costs, if any) of buying a home in a subdivision or area that has architectural standards and homeowners dues (versus many older neighborhoods that do not have these)? KR

Dear KR,

I get comments on that question a lot. The “pros” of having an HOA- Home Owner Association- are that it helps keep the neighborhood consistent in appearance. The HOA’s have rules that vary considerably. They also vary in the way they are enforced or not enforced. Some have rules governing exterior paint colors, storm door styles, front fence rules, lawn height rules, flag rules, basketball hoops in driveway rules, no commercial vehicle parking rules, and on and on. This does help keep the neighborhood in good shape and consistent in appearance, which in turn can help the resale of the homes. On the other hand, some people can not stand being told what colors they can paint their doors, or the front of their houses. And, if their favorite team is playing, they want to fly that team’s flag. Can’t do that in a strict HOA. Can’t have the plumbing company truck you drive parked in your driveway, either. So, HOA’s do take away some personal choices,but chances are very good that your neighbor won’t be painting his home pink anytime soon, devaluing your property!

Overall, most people seem to like the HOA idea, when written and enforced in moderation. The rules tend to protect the good of the whole. Of course, when buying a home, you have to ask yourself if you can live by the rules of the HOA of any particular neighborhood that you are considering.

One final point; when you make an offer on a home in an HOA and it is accepted–you have certain rights. Your purchase is contingent on you getting a copy of the HOA rules and regs, and your acceptance, before you complete the purchase. You’lll be delivered the HOA package (same as with a condo doc package), prior to settlement. You then have three days to kill the deal and get your deposit back if you don’t like the rules. You don’t even have to explain why. Good luck!

Dear Doug:I’ve had a rental property for a number of years and have claimed depreciation for taxes. If I sell it, do I have to pay that back? EM

Dear EM,

That depends. The answer, in most cases, is yes.The IRS will “recapture” the depreciation that you took on the rental property when you sell it, and, that will be at a different rate than the capital gains tax which is currently 15 percent. I say “it depends,” because you could sell your rental property using a 1031 Starker Exchange, and take the proceeds, place them with a “qualified intermediary”, and then buy another rental property. You would not have to pay any taxes at that time. You would be basically trading a house for a “like kind” property, and delay paying taxes, and delay paying any recapture of the depreciation that you took. To take it one step further, after a year or more renting it out, you could move in it, convert it to your primary residence, and not pay any capital gains tax for up to a $250,000 gain–or a $500,000 gain, if married. However-the bottom line answer is: I know enough about tax strategies to be dangerous, so consult a tax adviser. Ask me about bricks and mortar, and values and “comps”. I know enough to know that I don’t know enough to advise you. So, please consult a tax adviser..then call me when you need to do that 1031 Tax-deferred exchange, and find a “like kind” replacement property!

Douglas Frank holds a BA degree in English from Rutgers University and is a licensed realtor with over 20 years experience. Doug works with Prudential Carruthers Realtors in Fairfax, Virginia. He also has his Home Improvement License and owns a number of investment properties including houses, townhomes, and condos . Doug and his wife and two sons live in Fairfax, Virginia. (Opinions expressed here are … only opinion!)

What’s That from Lovettsville Park?

By Mike Clem with Bob Shuey

If you live in Loudoun County–you’re sitting on history. Literally. This column looks at what’s turning up in Loudoun County gardens, attics and streambeds and asks local archaeologists,”What’s That?” Send a photo and brief description of your unusual backyard finds to CarolBRleader@yahoo.com or mail it to Blue Ridge Leader , 128 South 20th Street, Purcellville, VA 20132

Look what was found on the Lovettsville Park property! This was discovered while digging in the remains of an old house that likely stood sometime between the late 1700s and the late 1800s. No evidence of the house remains, except for the hearth, where this was discovered. This stone object was found in two pieces: The upper portion was found first, and the stemmed base portion was found the following day about one foot away. It is quite possible that an inhabitant of this early 19th century farm house found the point and brought it into the house and put it on the mantle, where it remained even after the house was abandoned.

This is a Koens-Crispin stemmed point. It dates to the Late Archaic period of prehistory. The Late Archaic period is considered the period from roughly 5000-3000 years ago. This point type has been associated with several sites that date to the later portion of that period; from around 1800-1200 BC. The blade is made from rhyolite. Rhyolite is a stone that comes from the Catoctin Mountains west of Frederick, Maryland. It was a commonly used material for spear points and knives of the period. This specimen appears to have been used primarily as a knife. The blade has clearly been shaped from use and has been resharpened on one side, causing it to look asymmetrical.

Our answer comes from Michael Clem (bottom left) for the Banshee Reeks Chapter of the Archeology Society of Virginia (BRASV.org). Mr. Clem is also the Loudoun County Archaeologist. Bob Shuey (bottom right) is an archeologist active in local historic preservation efforts.

Food on the Road – Just Cool It

By Cat Morris

Vacation season is here! For the family that has time to burn in the summer, car travel tends to be less expensive than flying. If you see a “Great American Road Trip” in your future, a little effort will help you to save money and offset rising gas prices.

An area with vast potential for savings on the road is food.

You may hear that the most frugal way to eat on road trips is to bring what amounts to a makeshift kitchen with you, in the form of a cooler, camp stove, and groceries. A few people are organized enough, and have time and energy enough, to cook their meals at picnic areas whether they are camping or not. Many more may not cook on the road, but will travel with a large cooler packed with everything from orange juice and potato salad to sandwich fixings and condiments.

Me? I’ve never had much success with the Big Cooler. When we used to have one, I usually ended up going to the grocery store the night before leaving on vacation to buy packages of all the items I had intended to make from scratch. No matter how well I thought I’d planned, the last day or two prior to leaving was spent frantically cleaning house, doing laundry, packing, making arrangements for someone to cut our grass, and so forth. Resorting to buying all that prepared potato salad, hummus, and other food put a dent in the budget. “Oh well,” I’d rationalize, “This stuff will still be cheaper and healthier than eating out.”

Maybe.

The Big Cooler needs to stay cool, which means remembering to drain and replenish a lot of ice along the way.

Imagine this scenario, which may or may not have happened to me: During a sweltering summer day on the road you stop for gas. As the tank fills, you strain to haul the cooler out of the car, drain it, and check the ice. You judge that there’s probably enough ice to last until the next stop, a few hours down the road. At the next stop you forget about the cooler, meaning that when you eventually peer into the box, many more hours have passed. You discover that your cooler is barely cool and is filled with perishing perishables, submerged or floating in water. A mess of packages have been compromised, contents ruined, by the liquid. You pitch most of the food and go out for dinner (though secretly, you are a tiny bit pleased at not having to eat from the same, tired cooler food).

The next day, you stop at a grocery store to purchase new food. At a later stop for gas, you tip the cooler to drain water from the handy spout, and the dog whose leash is on your wrist suddenly lunges forward, causing you to overturn the unit, spilling food and ice onto the pavement. You pitch most of the food and eat at Subway for lunch (but secretly, you are a tiny bit pleased that you will not have dishes to wash that evening).

Some folks? Truly expert with Big Coolers, out of bare necessity or pure organizational skill. Me? Not so much. Any savings we achieved was negated, as far as I was concerned, by the hassle—the hassle of maintaining the cooler, restocking, and having to do dishes by the roadside or in motel sinks.

These days, in advance of our road trip I buy a slew of sale priced healthy entrees, such as those from Lean Cuisine, Weight Watchers, or Amy’s Kitchen, and pack them in a very small cooler that lives in the back of the car and is touched but once per day. When not staying with friends or family, we usually stay in motels and ask for a room with a microwave (though nearly every motel has a microwave in house somewhere, often near the lobby area). With a microwaveable entrée, each family member gets a solid evening meal without the expense of a restaurant, mess of dishes, or fuss of a big cooler. The most we usually pay for dinner for four on the road is about $10.00. It works for us: I can’t tell you how gratifying it is to open the cooler and find a trim stack of relatively healthy food options with little effort required to prepare them.

As for other food, we carry a lunchbox-sized cooler up front, stuffed to the brim with sliced fruit and cheese sticks. We also keep a tote, as we did back in our Big Cooler days, filled with non-refrigerated—but substantially filling—items, such as summer sausage, nuts, power bars, and dried fruit. We also bring crackers, cookies, and trail mix. Sometimes we only eat at designated times, but most usually we nibble all day and save the “real meals” for the motel.

Recently, my husband had a novel idea: Dry ice! Provided we can vent it properly and keep kids from touching it with bare hands, we may have a new solution for even lower hassle, thrifty, on-the-road food savings. I’ll keep you posted.

How do YOU save money on food while traveling?

Three more tips for the road: 1) Nix bottled water. Refill your own water bottles for free at gas stations, from the water tab on the soda dispenser. 2) Investigate discount restaurant offerings along your route via www.restaurant.com. While savings can be good with this service, they are substantial after you purchase from them once, and have access to frequent 80 percent off codes. 3) Check out www.groupon.com for deals at zip codes along your route or at your destination. This deal-of-the-day site may prove to be a source for great savings while you’re away from home.

Countdown to the End

With AP Exams complete and Standards of Learning (SOL) testing well underway, Valley students are anxiously anticipating the end of the school year, which officially ends on June 16 for freshman, sophomores, and juniors, or June 10 for graduating seniors.

Many students, though, feel that school ended after AP Exams in the second week of May. With most students taking at least one AP class, school has become largely pointless for much of the student body. This is especially true for seniors (the grade level who takes the most AP classes) who constitute approximately 45 percent of the student body. … Continue Reading