SpringfieldSpringfield FranconiaFranconia ❖❖ KingstowneKingstowne ❖❖ NewingtonNewington Batter Up News, Page 2 Cameras Classified, Page 15 Classified, Zach Keast awaits a pitch from coach John Burns ❖ as part of a public service announcement being Coming filmed at Trailside Park on Friday, Aug. 1. The announcement will air on ESPN during the Little League World Series, Aug. 15-24. To Metro? News, Page 2 Sports, Page 13 ❖ Real Estate, Page 12 Real Estate, ❖ Faith, Page 14 SlowerSlower IsIs insideinside BetterBetter WithWith Requested in home 8-8-08 Time sensitive material. NewNew TechnologyTechnology Attention Postmaster: /The Connection News,News, PagePage 33 U.S. Postage PRSRT STD PERMIT #322 Easton, MD PAID Sam Funt Photo by Photo Auguust 7-13, 2008 Volume XXII, Number 32 www.connectionnewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Springfield Connection ❖ August 9-13, 2008 ❖ 1 News Lights! Camera! Play Ball! TV spot will run during Little League World Series later this month. layers and coaches from the ball. Springfield Challenger Baseball Games are non-competitive, have two or P League had their Hollywood three innings and take place on Sunday af- moment on Friday, Aug. 1, as a ternoons. Challenger Baseball allows chil- crew filmed them at Trailside Park for a dren to socialize, develop skills, make public service announcement. friends and feel a sense of accomplishment. Little League Baseball and the Depart- Typically, each team has 10 or 11 players ment of Labor chose the Springfield Chal- and the league has 20 teams with over 200 lenger League to star in the television spot, players in the league. The league runs two which will air on ESPN Aug. 15-24, during seasons, in the spring from April 1 to the the Little League World Series. end of June and in the fall from Sept 1 to Springfield Challenger Baseball League is the end of October. For more information Irene Mayberry receives instructions from the videographer Jeff Fritz. open to children ranging in age from 4 to about Springfield Challenger Baseball, visit 21 who have physical conditions that pre- www.springfieldchallenger.org. vent them from playing Little League Base- — Sam Funt Photos by Photos Taylor Sam Funt Clouse watches the action from the /The Connection dug out while he awaits his turn at bat. Caroline Ainsworth races from third base to home plate. Metro Stations Under Surveillance? came when Metro Transit Police Chief in Northwest Washington, D.C., a camera Metro police hope cameras outside Vienna, Michael Taborn delivered a report to the placed outside the station and clearly vis- board July 10 on the Emergency Manage- ible to the public resulted in reported crimes Springfield stations will deter crime. ment and Jurisdiction Camera Program. falling by close to 30 percent. Though the During that report, the Franconia-Spring- cameras would assist police by giving them By Derek B. Johnson Though the request was unanimously field station was mentioned along with the video evidence of any crimes that might The Connection approved as a board matter, it must come Vienna and Hun- occur outside or back up before the board as an agenda item tington stations as near the stations, it he possibility of installing exterior for approval. The details of the program, areas which have “I think our patrons will would also serve to Tcameras at the Franconia-Spring- such as how many cameras to install and a seen “significant in- deter any potential field and Vienna-Fairfax-GMU timeframe for putting them up have not stances of crime.” feel a little bit more criminal activity out- Metro stations increased as the Fairfax been significantly discussed yet, according According to Jeff side and around the County Board of Supervisors unanimously to Hudgins. While noting that funding for Delinski, deputy secure knowing that station, though approved a board matter July 21 recogniz- the cameras was subject to approval of the chief of Metro Tran- Delinski said deter- ing a need for surveillance outside the two next year’s budget, she said the item has a sit Police, the Board camera system is there. I rent is a difficult stations. good chance of being funded when the of Supervisors asked concept to track. The matter, jointly sponsored by Super- board meets again in September. She cited the department was think they’ll welcome it.” “It may have a de- visors Jeff McKay (D-Lee), Catherine the relatively low cost of the cameras, pre- asked several — Jeff Delinski, deputy chief of the terrent effect, but Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill) and Chairman existing electrical outputs on the exterior months ago to list Metro Transit Police how do you measure Gerry Connolly (D-At large), sought to al- of the stations and no need to hire addi- the 10 Metro sta- deterrent? We don’t locate upward of $75,000 from the North- tional staff once they go up as reasons for a tions under the have any way of ern Virginia Transportation Commission quick approval. board’s control that were experiencing the gauging it,” he said. “When you arrest general fund to pay for the cameras. “When I asked about who takes care of highest levels of crime. Both the Franconia/ people breaking into cars, shortly thereaf- “With ever-increasing gas prices and this, are we asking for additional person- Springfield and Vienna stations were on that ter, car thefts drop for a time. It kind of ebbs record ridership at our stations, we’ve got nel and support, [Washington Metropolitan list. and flows.” to be smart about protecting riders and their Transit Authority] said no,” said Hudgins. During a pilot program that took place property,” said McKay. The justification for the exterior cameras from 2006-08 at the U Street Metro station See Cameras, Page 4 2 ❖ Springfield Connection ❖ August 9-13, 2008 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Springfield Connection Editor Michael O’Connell News 703-917-6440 or [email protected] Photos by Photos Louise Krafft Louise /The Connection Susan Edson and Maureen Neighborhood Watch director and captain of two Gibson Springfield zones, Maureen Gibson welcomes Fairfax County Police PFC Al Cruz to the party. Sharing the Night Evanston Road residents celebrate National Night Out. Representing ADT Sara Turcios, Frances Oviendo, Kelly Goddard and Charles Hunter Bowman join McGruff on Tuesday, Aug. 5. ADT security systems along with other local business supporting the 25th year of National Night Out. ADT has been a major sponsor of the Spring- field Block Party for the past two years. Jim Edson served as grill Morgan Smoot pulls out John Alleger and Brendan chef for the party on more rolls. Bokoles Evanston Road. Slower Is Faster With VSL Springfield is the most urban setting in which this By Chuck Hagee portation (VDOT). center at the WWB Project technology has been used. The Connection An innovative traffic management system, headquarters on Eisenhower dubbed Variable Speed Limit (VSL), is now Avenue in Alexandria. As the rivers on the Capital in effect on the Inner Loop from the Mary- specially trained observer sees a backup oc- ence July 24. Beltway, traveling in the land shoreline through the Telegraph Road curring at a given spot on their flat screen “VSL has proven successful in Europe, D area of the Telegraph Interchange work zone and on the Outer monitors, they have the ability to change moving drivers with greater efficiency and Road Interchange Loop and from the Springfield Interchange the speed limit several miles before the con- safety. Implementing VSL at the Telegraph Project, as of Monday, July 28, be- through that work zone. Its primary pur- gestion thus allowing traffic to filter out Road Interchange promises to ease the way came technological and sociological pose is to keep traffic moving by slowing it rather than continue to gridlock. for travelers during construction and will guinea pigs. They have unknowingly down intermittently as bottlenecks develop. Known as the “Go with the Flow” Vari- serve as an excellent test bed for possible volunteered their driving psyche to This will be done through the eyes of 18 able Speed Limit System, this procedure, deployment elsewhere,” Nicholson said. the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project strategically placed roadway sensors and hopefully, will keep traffic moving rather However, he readily admitted this was an and the Virginia Department of Trans- cameras monitored 24/7 from a control than sitting. “At least that’s the theory,” said “experiment,” not only in the use of the Ronaldo T. “Nick” Nicholson, VDOT Wilson technology but also in trying to change the Bridge project manager and regional trans- driving mentality of regional motorists. “We are trying to change the habits of drivers.” portation program director, introducing the — Ronaldo T. Nicholson, VDOT project manager experimental VSL system at a press confer- See New System, Page 14 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Springfield Connection ❖ August 9-13, 2008 ❖ 3 Week in Springfield News Building May Be Renamed The Joseph V. Gartlan Jr., Mental Health Center is the name that would honor the memory and dedication of the late state senator if a Board Matter proposed Monday, Aug. 4 by Super- visor Gerald Hyland (D-Mount Vernon) comes to fruition. Hyland proposed the name change for the Mount Vernon Mental Health Center, located next to Inova Mount Vernon Hospital, during Monday’s Fairfax County Board of Supervi- sors meeting. His motion also asked that the County Execu- tive consult with the Community Services Board in selecting “an appropriate name.” Hyland noted in making his proposal that former Virginia Gov. Gerald Baliles, in his eulogy during Gartlan’s funeral, stated, “None of his [Gartlan’s] efforts were more significant than those on behalf of mental health.” Gartlan wrote recommendations to reform mental health laws.