Inside This Issue
Meeting Schedule
Monday, October 12
6:00 pm
Parks & Recreation Work Session
JBP, War Memorial Building
Tuesday, October 13
3:00 pm
Planning Commission Work Session
City Hall, 4th Floor Exhibit Hall
Wednesday, October 14
4:00 pm
Board of Zoning Appeals
City Hall, Council Chambers
Thursday, October 15
8:00 am
Tourism Board
Visitor Center, 1400 S. Pleasant Valley Road
8:00 am
Community Development Committee
OHND, 107-C North East Lane
4:00 pm
Board of Architectural Review
City Hall, Council Chambers
Monday, October 19
8:30 am
Economic Development Authority
City Hall, Council Chambers
5:30 pm
Natural Resources Advisory Board
City Hall, 4th Floor Exhibit Hall
Tuesday, October 20
3:00 pm
Planning Commission
City Hall, Council Chambers
5:30 pm
Finance & HEW Council Committee
City Hall, Council Chambers
Upcoming Events
Glory Days, Winchester
The Winchester Department of Social Services (WDSS) foster care team is sponsoring a fundraiser in conjunction with Glory Days Grill in Winchester during the month of October 2009, to raise money to purchase holiday gifts for children in foster care. Glory Days will donate 10% of your total bill to the WDSS foster care holiday fund!
Saturday, October 10
(Rain or Shine - mostly indoors)
10:00 am-3:00 pm
Jim Barnett Park
Guided Civil War Walking Tour
Saturday, October 10
10:00 am
Old Town Winchester
Learn more about the citizens and events that took place here during the war. Fee: $5, payable to guide. Reservations required. Call 542-1326 or toll-free 877-871-1326.
Mustang Club Car Show
Saturday, October 10
8:30 am-3:30 pm
Old Town Winchester
Forty cars on display and a disc jockey playing music on the Old Town Mall. Contact: OTDB, 722-7575.
Fall Festival
Saturday, October 10
11:00 am-4:00 pm
Creekside Station, Valley Avenue
Music by the Nodrama Band and Winchester Celtic Circle; food; live raptors; kids maze and games; hourly drawing for prizes and sales galore. www.creeksideproperties.com
Pre-Halloween Special Event: Ghosthunting VA
Saturday, October 17
3:00 pm
Union Jack Pub & Restaurant, Old Town Mall
The Union Jack Pub & Restaurant presents author Michael J. Varhola for a presentation on his latest books, "Ghosthunting Virginia" and "Ghosthunting Maryland." Hear about some of the creepiest places in the region he has explored as a paranormal investigator: Union Jack Pub (Union Bank Building); Cork Street Tavern; Village Square Restaurant (Old Miller Drug Store Building); and other locations in the Winchester area. He will include the original "Exorcist House" in D.C. An interactive question and answer session will follow, during which the author will respond to specific topics of interest to the audience.
Spookcessible
For children with special needs (ages 2-14)
Wednesday, October 21
10:00 am-Noon
Jim Barnett Park, Children's Dream Accessible Playground
Search for easily accessible non-spooky ghosts to turn in for treats. Then head over to the pumpkin patch to look for a gourd. Bring a packed lunch and play at Christianson Familyland. FREE. Register by: 10/16. Contact: WPRD, 662-4946.
Spooky Hollow
Saturday, October 24
7:00-8:00 pm
Jim Barnett Park, Kiwanis I Shelter
Enjoy a fun fulled not so spooky evening in Spooky Hollow. Children can come in costume to hear stories, make a craft, have cider and cookies followed by some Trick or Treating in Spooky Hollow. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Fee: $5/child, $2/adult. Register by 10/16. Contact: WPRD, 662-4946.
Northeast Infrastructure Improvement Project (NEIP) Update
Work is progressing on Berryville Avenue and will be moving from the current phase, between Baker Lane and Fort Collier Road, to the final phase, between Fort Collier Road and Interstate 81 over the next two weeks. All existing water and sanitary sewer infrastructure will be replaced and new sidewalks will be installed on the south side of the street. During this phase of construction, traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction where work is
occurring, and delays are expected. Every effort will be made to maintain access to properties in the project area.
Downtown Utility Infrastructure Improvement Project
Get weekly updates and complete project information by clicking on the below icon.
Announcement
Don't forget to eat out this October to help local Foster Care children. Click the button below for details!
Links
Next CitE-News Issue
Wednesday, October 21
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International Children's Festival - October 10
 The world is coming to you this weekend! Don't miss out on a trip around the world without having to travel overseas or spending a lot of money.
The City of Winchester is hosting a FREE International Children's Festival (presented by Blue Ridge Kiwanis) on October 10 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm in and around the new Active Living and Recreation Center in Jim Barnett Park. Over 20 countries will be represented through interactive and educational country exhibits, live cultural entertainment, international foods, storytelling, and much more.
Explore the countries, have a picnic lunch and be entertained by all day by the main stage acts (sponsored by Kraft Foods and Rotary Club of Winchester)!
WHEN? WHAT? WHO?
9:30 am Scottish Music Winchester Pipes & Drums
10:00 am Italian Dough Juggling Vocelli Pizza
10:30 am Tae Kwon Do Demo Tiger Den Martial Arts
11:00 am Traditional Greek Dancing Dormition of the Virgin Mary
Greek Orthodox Church
11:30 am International Songs Shenandoah Conservatory
Arts Academy
Noon African Drumming Ensemble Mawuya
12:30 pm Indian Dancing Dr. Shyamsunder &
Students
1:00 pm Chinese Zither Music Shenandoah Univ. Student
1:30 pm Tae Kwon Do Demo iTiger Tae Kwon Do
Academy
2:00 pm Egyptian Folklore Dancing Miramar
2:20 pm Mummy Relay Race Drs. Botros & Kaiser
2:30 pm Celtic Dancing Celtic Rhythms School of
Dance, Leesburg
3:00 pm Children's Theatre Production James Madison Univ.
October Is WPRD Customer Appreciation Month
October is Customer Appreciation Month at the Winchester Parks and Recreation Department!
 Every Friday, the public is welcome to visit the Active Living & Recreation Center in Jim Barnett Park and take part in drop-in activities for FREE. Activities include: open gym (basketball/volleyball), fitness room, racquetball, lap swim and open swim.
Call the Park at 662-4946 or drop by for more details.
Carbon Monoxide - The Invisible Killer
It is estimated that each year in America, carbon monoxide claims approximately 480 lives and sends another 15,200 people to hospital emergency rooms for treatment.
Often called the “invisible killer”, carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane burn incompletely. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel are potential sources of carbon monoxide. Vehicles or generators running in an attached garage can also produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
This “invisible killer”, does not discriminate. Everyone is at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. However, medical experts believe that unborn babies, infants, children, senior citizens and people with heart and lung problems are at greater risk. Based on these findings the Virginia Department of Fire Programs sponsored a grant program to help educate at-risk groups about the prevention and detection of carbon monoxide and carbon monoxide poisoning. In addition, the program includes installation of free carbon monoxide alarms in at-risk households as well as instruction on the proper maintenance of the
alarms.
 The City of Winchester has been awarded 200 carbon monoxide alarms by the Virginia Department of Fire Programs. If you feel that you are in need of a carbon monoxide alarm because you are among one of the at-risk groups please notify the Winchester Fire and Rescue Department or the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Development. Protect your family with a free carbon monoxide alarm and installation!
Contact Winchester's Fire Marshal, Gary Ganoe at 662-2298 or Winchester's Office of Housing and Neighborhood Development at 535-2886.
Stay Fire Smart, Don't Get Burned!
Once a child touches a hot stove, as the cliché goes-he learns his lesson to stay away from a hot stove. This cliché does not take into account the pain and suffering from burns and burns should not be part of the learning process.
When we think of things in our homes that might cause burns, there are some obvious culprits. Curling irons, stoves, radiators, and tap water to name a few. As surprising as it sounds, it’s true. Each year thousands of emergency room visits are attributed to scald injuries caused by hot liquid or steam. Adults often experience mild scalds, perhaps even when washing dishes, and quickly adjust the temperature without a second thought. However, older adults and children are much more sensitive and can sustain a burn in a matter of seconds.
That’s why Winchester Fire and Rescue Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association for Fire Prevention Week – October 4-10, 2009. We are urging Winchester residents to “Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned”. This year’s campaign focuses on ways to keep homes fire safe and prevent painful burns. Additionally, fire safety educators will be teaching children and adults how to plan and practice escape routes from a home in case a fire occurs.
The statistics are staggering. Each year roughly 3,000 people die as a result of home fires and burns, and more than 200,000 individuals are seen in the emergency rooms for burn injuries.
The most common types of burn injuries result from fire or flame burns, scalds, and contact burns. When we take extra caution in our homes to ensure the curling iron is out of children’s reach or pot handles are turned away from the edge of the stove, such injuries are preventable.
By following simple safety rules, you can “Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned”.
- Keep hot foods and liquids away from table and counter edges so they
cannot be pulled or knocked over.
- Have a 3-foot “kid free” zone around the stove.
- Never hold a child in your arms while preparing hot food or drinking a
hot beverage.
- Be careful when using things that get hot such as curling irons, ovens,
irons, lamps and heaters.
- Install tamper-resistant receptacles to prevent a child from sticking
objects in the outlet.
Get Your Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Now
Seasonal influenza vaccination has been available for the past month at LFHD offices, private medical practices, and numerous pharmacies. The Lord Fairfax Health District has provided more seasonal flu shots in the last 4 weeks than all of last flu season and we are told has run out of its current supply. The LFHD is advising people to seek seasonal vaccination from the following places:
Frederick-Winchester: Rotz Pharmacy, Wal-Mart Pharmacy, Walgreens Pharmacy, CVS (call for date and time), Rite Aid, Costco Pharmacy, and numerous private providers
Page County: Stanley Pharmacy and private providers
Shenandoah County: Rite Aid-Strasburg, Valley Health, Wal-Mart Pharmacy, and private providers
Warren County: Wal-Mart, and private providers
Note: One thing to keep in mind is that at some pharmacies, persons under 18 years of age must have a prescription from their doctor to receive the vaccination. The City was informed by the LFHD that this is a policy some pharmacies adhere to, so you will want to call a pharmacy to ask their requirements before taking children to be vaccinated.
The City will continue to provide information to the public throughout the flu season.
Play Racquetball On New Courts For FREE
The racquetball court in Jim Barnett Park is now open for play (effective October 5).
The old court flooring buckled due to high humidity levels and was not playable. Over the past month, a new court floor was installed and the Winchester Parks & Recreation Department invites the community to play for FREE from October 5-October 18, 2009.
Please call ahead for reservations and court availability.
Winchester Police Department Working Hard For You
The Winchester Police Department (WPD) is working hard to be the most community oriented and best department it can be. Here are just a few of the recent projects happening at WPD!
State Accreditation – Since Chief Sanzenbacher was hired as the Winchester Police Chief, one of his goals was to achieve accreditation from the state. On September 28 the accreditation team from VALEAC (VA Law Enforcement Accreditation Coalition) began the evaluation process. They will be looking at over 170 different standards and will report back to the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission (VLEPSC) on their findings. On December 2, the
Department will go before the VLEPSC to determine if it has earned the accreditation. If successful, WPD will be one of only 70 police departments in the state that are accredited law enforcement agencies. To maintain the accreditation, WPD will have to go through the accreditation process every four years after acceptance.
But the WPD is not going to stop there. The next goal is to work toward national accreditation!
Police Foundation- The Law Enforcement Foundation is a private non-profit the Winchester Police Department (WPD) recently started with a number of local business people to assist WPD with local issues. This assistance can take the form of donation of cash or materials, such as computers or it may be in-kind services (i.e. helping with department initiatives or allowing officers a spot in any management or supervisory training local businesses or schools may be providing for their own staff).
Directed Community Activity- This is largely provided by the WPD Community Response Team. Every time a Winchester Police or Code Enforcement Officer responds to a call, that location is indicated on a GIS map of the city. Over time, the map will begin to indicate areas of concern within the city. This process is a more proactive approach to improving the quality of life in Winchester's neighborhoods. See the below Community Response Team article for more information about this initative.
Winchester Police Academy - This citizen's academy is a fun way to learn more about law enforcement and to actually become part of a volunteer policing team. Once completing the Citizen's Academy, you would be eligible to become a V.I.P. (Volunteers in Policing). V.I.Ps assist the Winchester Police Department with community events, write handicap parking violations, and help the Department with some of its responsibilities so Police Officers can remain on the street. The Citizen Academy will be offered in the spring of 2010. Please click here for the brochure or call WPD at 545-4700 for more details.
The WPD Community Response Team
The Winchester Police Department's Community Response Team was formed approximately six months ago by Chief Sanzanbacher and Vince Diem, Director of Zoning and Inspections, with a goal of networking City departments and various community groups in an effort to reduce crime and other various violations.
The Community Response Team consists of five sworn police officers, Danny Mowery from Code Enforcement, and Gary Ganoe the City's Fire Marshall. Social Services, the Health Department, Taxation, and Probation and Parole are also helping the team deal with more specific concerns. The team's goal is to work within Winchester's communities and provide an active presence from all departments. Targeted issues may include but are not limited to trash removal, grass cutting, code violations, fire code violations, tax concerns (commercial), and police related issues such as drugs, prostitution, traffic concerns, etc.
The team tracks its successes and statistics by utilizing a map tracking system which is printed monthly and lists the police and code enforcement calls for service. By using these maps the Community Response Team can focus its efforts in an area and show the results in the next month's map by either a reduction or increase in the calls for service in that specific area. The Community Response Team is currently working in two Winchester areas and has been successful in reducing the police-related calls for service in both areas.
City Council Meeting Changes Proposed
At the October 6, 2009 Community Safety and Public Services Committee meeting, Council discussed and heard the First Reading of an ordinance to provide for consolidation and abolition of the use of standing committees by Common Council. The goal of this change is to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
Currently, Council conducts various committee meetings three out of four Tuesday evenings with the Common Council meeting held once a month. The proposed changes to Winchester’s City Code will reflect a Work Session of Common Council to be held one Tuesday of each month, and a Regular Meeting of Common Council to be held another Tuesday of each month.
Should the ordinance be adopted, the City Manager will be responsible for preparing items to be discussed on Council Agenda, and the Manager shall be permitted to adopt administrative regulations as needed to effectuate the orderly management of the agenda process. Another change includes that no item may be added to the agenda except by unanimous vote of the Common Council where previously it was by unanimous vote of those members present at the regular
meeting. Finally, reports of the City Manager and City Attorney will be added to City Council meetings.
The public hearing and Second Reading will be held at the Tuesday, November 10, 2009 meeting of the Common Council. The public is welcome and citizen participation is encouraged. Special accommodations to attend the meeting can be arranged by calling City Hall at (540) 667-1815 (phone) or (540) 722-0782 (TDD). All official meetings of the City of Winchester Council are open to the public. |
