Good day, I’m Terry Rounds, and welcome to the Fairfax County News to Use podcast of Feb. 26th, 2008. Coming up, learn about presentations for budgets, watershed cleanup, soil testing, a volunteer award, and changes to the county’s courthouse.. Links to topics mentioned in this podcast can be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news.
Staff members from the Department of Management and Budget are available to speak to civic organizations, homeowners associations and community groups regarding the proposed $3.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2009. Call 703-324-2391 or e-mail DMBinfo@fairfaxcounty.gov.
The 20th annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup is set for Saturday, April 5th. Hundreds of cleanups are being led by community and local government groups in streams, parks and on roadsides throughout the Potomac watershed. Officially the cleanup will happen on April 5th but cleanups will take place in the weeks before and after that date. Last year’s cleanup covered more than 100 sites. All necessary materials will be provided including trash bags, gloves and sign-in sheets. For more information, call the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District at 703-324-1460.
Do you like to eat Crabs, Oysters and Rockfish? This spring, you can
do your part in reducing the amount of fertilizers and excess water
runoff that flows from your backyard into the Chesapeake Bay. Instead
of fertilizing, think “soil improvement.”
The first step to improving your soil is to have your soil tested for
pH and nutrient levels. The soil test report will tell you whether your
soil needs lime or nutrients or both. You can pick up a soil test kit
at any Fairfax County Library. The addition of a certified organic
compost can help build up your soil structure. As the structure of a
soil is made more granular and crumbly by decomposing organic matter,
the soil absorbs moisture that would otherwise run off, causing erosion
and a loss of nutrients in the process. Good soil structure provides
voids through which water and air can filter to greater depths. Organic
matter in the soil also ensures a continuous food source for soil
organisms. As the organic materials decompose, they help maintain good
soil structure, making the soil a more favorable place for root
development. With just a few simple strategies, we can all help to keep
the Chesapeake Bay clean and bountiful. For more information, visit www.compostingcouncil.org,
or you call the Va. Cooperative Extension at 703-324-5369.
Do you know someone who dedicates their time to volunteering in Fairfax County? Then nominate that person for the Barbara Varon Volunteer Award, which recognizes a county resident whose dedication to improving the community through volunteer service honors the memory of Barbara Varon, former chair of the Fairfax County Electoral Board. Nominations must be received by June 13th. Applications are available online or by calling the Office of Equity Programs at 703-324-2207.
And finally, the public entrance to the Fairfax County Courthouse has changed to the front of the new courthouse expansion at 4110 Chain Bridge Road. There no longer will be public access through the Jennings Judicial Center. The roadway entrance to the courthouse complex from Chain Bridge Road will be reopened. Public parking will remain in Parking Garage B on Page Avenue. For more details, including a map, photos and a list of offices in the new courthouse, visit the News to Use Web page.
That’s all for this News to Use podcast. Thanks for listening. For more information about the topics in this podcast and for continuous news updates, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news. You may also call 703-FAIRFAX, that’s 703-324-7329, weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. News to Use is produced by the Fairfax County, Virginia, government.