Dulles South Hospital Status - StoneSpring Medical Center Update

We've all here in SoLoCo been patiently waiting (well, not without some ole-fashioned, rancorous debate over the past few years) for modern, substantial Dulles South healthcare facilities to arrive within a 30 minute drive-time radius...The new StoneSpring Medical Center by HCA is now in the detailed planning stages, having cleared the necessary approval phases - or is it? We put some questions to the very busy HCA PR team, and got some good questions answered...

GLC: How do you feel the new hospital will drive economic improvement in the area, and when might this start? (...meaning, can we get going quickly? Would be pretty useful to start driving economic impact right now, even though the hospital isn't slated to open fully until "late 2015"...)

HCA: "Hospitals are strong economic drivers in communities, generating good-paying jobs, tax revenues, and downstream employment. In fact, studies show that every $1 in health care revenue generates an additional $1.30 of revenue in other industries, and every job created in health care creates a corresponding job outside of the field. In addition, the StoneSpring Medical Campus will join Capital Hospice and the Health South Rehabilitation Hospital on Route 50 to create a medical hub that will drive additional health care and commercial growth. During construction on the StoneSpring Campus, HCA Virginia will use many local contractors and purchase goods and services from local companies, stimulating Loudoun’s economy. And as a tax-paying health care system, HCA Virginia and its employees will fund important community services."

GLC: Are you expecting synergies with other local development going on? (i.e., will you drive some nifty new restaurants or help get the Rt. 50 traffic improved?)

HCA: "The StoneSpring Medical Campus, along with Capital Hospice (GLC: ...with offices in Leesburg) and the Health South Rehabilitation Hospital, will create a medical hub that should stimulate additional health care and commercial growth. Some of those growth opportunities are already planned and approved. In addition, commercial and residential developments adjacent to the medical campus will lead to significant road infrastructure additions to the corridor, thereby improving traffic flow for residents as wells as StoneSpring patients and visitors."

GLC: Do you anticipate a significant community outreach/involvement program, and when might we start seeing some of this start? (...beyond social media conversations through nifty blogs like this one! BTW, now's the time to start following @loudoun through the new twitter ID you'll likely set up, hint, hint...)

HCA: "As is HCA Virginia’s custom, we have worked closely with the community since the announcement of our plans for StoneSpring Medical Campus. We have held community information sessions, have met with local homeowner’s associations, and have sponsored local nonprofit community events, among related activities. Many of these activities continue. As StoneSpring enters the architectural and planning phases we will continue to invite stakeholders to review our plans and to help shape the campus and its facilities. Such dialogue will include EMS squads, physicians, and community leaders, as well as others. HCA Virginia facilities and management teams are always closely connected to the communities that we serve, and StoneSpring Medical Campus will follow this important standard."

GLC: What feedback or information would you want to collect, from local businesses and citizens? (i.e. lunch menu suggestions, ambulance route suggestions, soccer team sponsorship opportunities, etc.)

HCA: "It is important that we have a two-way communication with our neighbors along Route 50 throughout the planning, building and operation of the StoneSpring Medical Campus. We made changes to the StoneSpring plan continuously during the approval process with the county based on the feedback we were receiving from the community. As the StoneSpring development process unfolds, we will continue to seek input from many constituents, in much the same way as we did for Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center, a 126-bed facility HCA Virginia opened in June. Our website – http://www.stonespringmedical.com/ -- will feature our ongoing progress and provide opportunities for the community to stay involved in the project."

...only 4 more years!

Leesburg VA Restaurants - eGovernment Online Marketing

Leesburg VA’s website implemented an interesting capability recently, a directory of Leesburg VA restaurants. There are a lot of angles to consider regarding this foray by a local government into direct economic development and marketing, and it’ll certainly be interesting to see the ROI – which should be published after 6 months or so by the town. Are they off to a good start, in terms of providing value to the taxpayers and businesses? It’s a reasonable start, and well-intentioned, and there are several opportunities to improve.

The alphabetized directory of all restaurants within the Leesburg city limits, along with a Google maps-generator for finding directions is executed in a very simple, non-partisan manner. It can be updated in real time, unlike many towns who publish document-centric business directories just a few times a year. In terms of online marketing, there really aren’t included any of the typical promotional indicators you’d find in a commercial directory listing – like highlighting, descriptive meta and alternate text tags, good anchor text used with restaurant website links, text descriptions and reviews, restaurant-supplied imagery or advertisements, etc. In fact, the restaurant pages themselves are a wholly non-search engine optimized implementation. They won’t be indexed very often or helpfully by search engines like Google, especially with the “unfriendly” URL and the very duplicative nature of all the listing pages (aside from the restaurant name).

What this style of implementation delivers, therefore, is straightforward non-competitive “eGovernment” services to traditional constituents of government services, but very little additional online marketing value to the restaurants themselves. Local chambers of commerce tend to operate in the same way, mostly avoiding preferential treatment in their listings and not offering much in the way of truly optimized online exposure. “Traditional constituents” is used to indicate those people who are used to visiting the local government site for information – more current Internet users typically rely on search engines, themed-directories or social media to investigate and plan entertainment outings. So, the content from the Leesburg site won’t necessarily appear in those channels – but marketing of the restaurants via commercial directories and business services (along with their own efforts) will remain competitive.

Even if the intention of this directory implementation is to be as pure eGovernment vanilla as possible, every page of the site does, however, provide opportunities to promote the broader Leesburg visitor and economic development agenda – i.e. promoting the overall Leesburg dining experience on behalf of all restaurants. Using phrases in text, links and meta tags such as “great restaurants in Loudoun” might drive additional visitors to the directory and therefore Leesburg businesses (at the expense, though, of Hamilton restaurants – welcome to the new era of local government online marketing competition!).

This may be both a good and bad thing, depending on your perspective. On the one hand, the marketers, advertisers, owners and investors in sites like “Yelp”, “UrbanSpoon” and the new “TBD.com”, local Loudoun restaurant blogs and media with advertising, and of course restaurants with active marketing campaigns – all of these business owners have a vested interest in the de facto government (i.e. “dot.gov” domains) NOT entering the competition for Internet eyeballs. In Loudoun, there’s already some pretty stiff competition against commercial businesses for online tourism traffic with the emergence of “Visit Loudoun – DC’s Wine Country” (the Loudoun Convention & Visitor’s Association). Many of these business owners providing restaurant information and reviews have local interests, and their success contributes as well to the local economy – so if you’re a local restaurant blogger supported by local advertising, you’d rather the Government wasn’t competing with you.

On the other hand, searching for “Leesburg restaurants” in Google or YouTube is bound to highlight only those offerings with the best online marketing investments (or simply the most publicly popular restaurants) – rather than perfectly good and interesting ones that you’d like to see but that simply don’t market online.

The Leesburg restaurant directory does, however, deliver some third-party advertising that restaurants should understand. In using Google maps to provide directions, this comes with Google’s advertising and marketing techniques, which include reviews of the restaurant, similar ones nearby, and third-party ads which may or may not be competitive (and may not be in Leesburg). All local businesses would be well-advised to solidify their Local Business listing and profile with search engines like Google…

Classification and grouping of restaurants is a standard way to help visitors find or try new restaurants. For their dining directory, Visit Loudoun chooses a more tourism-oriented theming consistent with attracting visitors to both the area and establishments - ranging from “Afternoon Tea” to “Farm-to-Table” and “Market Fresh”. Leesburg sticks with basic directory categories that seem to cater more towards visitors and residents already in town (vs. considering a visit), like “Burgers & Other Fast Food”, “Ice Cream & Smoothies”, “Pizza” etc. Picking on a favorite, Vintage 50 Restaurant & Brew Lounge, it’s categorized as “American” on the Leesburg site, and under “Microbreweries” at Visit Loudoun…Leesburg might consider actually having two classification schemes, one more “government directory” oriented, and the other with some additional marketing panache.

The Leesburg restaurant directory, therefore, is a well-intentioned, reasonably benign implementation of useful online government services – but is also a solid entry into the very competitive online marketing world that the city needs to be intimately familiar with…for both the benefit of its constituents, and to avoid unintended or exclusionary competition with them.

Dulles South Riding Wine Gets Social With Beer

Thanks to Rob and company at Winestyles in South Riding for yesterday's beer tasting event. That's right, an inaugural craft-brew tasting event at the local Wine store - promoted via local social media (found out about it via Winestyles Facebook Page).



The beers of Avery Brewing were highlighted: Belgian Witbier, Pale Ale, India Pale Ale and Brown Ale. While tasty, my purchase ended up including some titles not found anywhere else in the Dulles South region - Devil Dog and Alpha Dog Imperial IPAs from Laughing Dog Brewery (Pondery, ID) and Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA from Sonoma County Ales (Healdsburg, CA).

Laughing Dog's a particularly impressive set of Ales, given their heritage: "Out of frustration that there weren't enough hoppy beers in stores or pubs, Laughing Dog Brewing was born in 2005 in Ponderay, Idaho. Today, the brewery produces Ales, IPAs, Stouts, and many more, including the hoppiest beer you're going to find anywhere, Alpha Dog."

True to claim, Alpha Dog was an extremely hoppy, bitter offering, worth every swirl, sip and snark and swirl a craft brew connoisseur and member of the Dulles League of Craft Brew Appraisers (quietly rejoicing yet oddly stationed in a DC's Wine Country exurbian wine store) could muster.

Find more great Dulles South beers here at Winestyles, on tap at the South Riding restaurant Vintage 51 Brew Lounge, or at the annual set of Dulles area seasonal brewfests via the NOVA Brewfest crew.

Feel the Sting in the Pool

Too quickly the major activity of our summer is coming to a close – life with the South Riding Stingrays. This Summer swim team experience helps truly define the community as a whole, drawing in over 300 swimmers each year into three separate league competition series (ODSL, CSL, MiniRays) - yet operating and entertaining itself as one big family. Who needs summer camp? The swim team is a suburban and neighborhood institution that covers all basis of summer family fun and entertainment, plus many other benefits…it’s been this way for decades – I recall my own childhood Summers revolving around swim practice, meets and cookouts, along with the obligatory inner tube water polo, pool movie night, pot-lucks, tie-die night, float night, Swim-o-Ween costumes, pep rallies, midnight swim parties, relay carnivals, swim-a-thons and belly-flop contests (back when most pools had a high dive).

Today is no different – boys and girls 4-18 essentially compete and enjoy team-building activities all on the same team, from the end of school through August (with the best swimmers continuing on to Divisional and All Star meets). On the one hand, it’s a lot easier on parents of multiples; unlike the Fall and Spring soccer seasons, there’s no driving frantically among Ashburn, Sterling, Aldie and South Riding to catch age group games. The swim team is a single, co-ed team – older kids helping younger ones, and opportunities to compete and win ribbons for everyone. On the other hand, swim meets do require a lot of planning, volunteers and good hard work by the parents to succeed – everything from manning the “Mini Ray Café” to timing and judging the swimmers, to setup/breakdown of the pool area and organization of team events. All parents are expected to participate, and most of the older kids end up in volunteer or paid positions as coaching assistants – padding their resumes for college with community service, leadership and teaching experiences. It's an interesting mix on Wednesday nights - kids large and small, parents working and watching, and a steady stream of Clackers (you know them, Federal employees and contractors with ID badges around their necks) filling the pool deck as they escape their DC commutes to catch the early races.


This Summer burst of community participation and inter-age group camaraderie is multiplied across nearly every community in Northern Virginia – hundreds of thousands of children are busy every day practicing and learning new strokes, coming together on Wednesdays and Saturdays for donuts AND very exciting, well-orchestrated team competition. Many continue in year-round competitive swimming programs all over Northern Virginia. Why? Excelling at swimming isn’t simply a route to advanced competition, including high school and college sports participation – and possibly more than that (i.e. Olympics and other International competition).

From an exercise perspective, the non-impact, full body workout (in a cool pool!) the kids get with their friends every day of an otherwise lazy summer is pretty much the perfect diversion from TV and video games in the dark, cool basement at home. It’s also a life-saving and lifelong exercise skill that in my opinion, should be a required public education component. We frequently joke that our kids are on swim team mainly so they can rescue us when we “fall off the party boat” – built in lifeguards. Envision this test with your kids - they're sitting on a dock in a chair by themselves, fall over backwards into the water...are you reasonably confident that they'll surface and swim safely to get out?

South Riding Stingrays – “Eat our Bubbles, Feel our Sting!”.

Getting Social with Loudoun.gov

Today’s Loudoun Economic Development Commission, Membership and Business Retention Committee (MBRC) meeting officially earned Loudoun, its residents and businesses their “Gov 2.0 street cred” on the Internet. An official Department of Economic Development (DED) strategy, roles and supporting cast are in place, the SEO and website analytics are turned on, the chicklets are published, a “badge” is under development, and the Loudoun online SoMe scene is now fully engaged by its local government. What’s it mean, even down here in SoLoCo?

Some of the beginning goals, per the DED, are to “increase our engagement and influence with our target audiences (initially Loudoun’s existing business community) – to build credibility…to create more advocates for our efforts…tracking the sentiment of our interactions…as we intelligently execute..our organic foray into social media..beyond our traditional communications channels…” Some of the channels that are already reaping rewards include Loudoun’s LinkedIn and Facebook groups, Twitter accounts and YouTube channel – serving up content ranging from DC’s Wine Country productions to Public Information Office announcements and Loudoun Farms discussion. From this catalyst of Internet activity should emerge a much more integrated, collaborative, helpful and ultimately rewarding community network of online Loudoun business stakeholders, driving the ideas, conversations and eventually investment into Loudoun’s shared economic recovery engine.

It’s interesting that “Phase 1” of the LCDED SoMe initiative was launched this April, at about the same time that an equally appealing approach to regional, yet hyperlocal journalism put up its first blog entry, over at TBD.com. This collaborative online news effort under the Albritton flag is harnessing the community reach and brainpower of nearly 100 blogs and a team of SoMe-savvy journalists and community managers who are, as they say, “determined to report news that’s important to our community; determined to develop a prosperous business model; determined to engage the community in our stories..”

So, there’s quite the perfect storm developing for local businesses, organizations and residents, for successfully leveraging their energy, assets or simply tax dollars into real-time ROI that matters. How might it work? Let’s say you’re a growing Dulles South area business, like the mainstay family restaurant in South Riding, the local Insurance Representative or Spas and Game Tables merchant in Chantilly, or a favorite Roofing Contractor, HVAC services provider in Sterling or Ashburn handyman. You want not only to promote your business online, but find new customers and get more involved in the local community – benefiting both your business and the residents nearby. Contribute something interesting, useful into the SoMe community, and it’ll spread quickly, with both intended and unintended benefit. Tell a story – for example, your last expert job or special event was particularly satisfying and well-received, with testimonials, and “it just so happens that this success will soon be parlayed into expansion plans in terms of community support, new employees or enhanced products and services”…it’s called “contextual advertising”.

The important part is to self-publish into these developing and synergistic “nodes” of the government-business-media network, through comments, wall postings, tweets, whatever – your YouTube posting link and Visit Loudoun Facebook comment may get retweeted by @loudoun, discussed by members of the Loudoun EDC LinkedIn group and noticed by a future supplier, employee or alert hyperlocal journalist. The result? More credible word-of-mouth referrals, actual business and overall positive sentiment about a Loudoun-centric, socially-active business and its clientele. Maybe the Donald could live-tweet a golf round at his newly-designed Loudoun golf course.

Loudoun Chamber + EDC + CEOs + BOS + BOE = Evidence of an Enlightened Business Community

A unique Loudoun County business leadership meeting took place on Tuesday (at the brand new , Doubletree Hotel Dulles Airport-Sterling) among key leaders and representatives of the Loudoun CEO Cabinet, the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce (LCCC) and the Loudoun Economic Development Commission (EDC). This was billed as an exchange of ideas, goals and strategies for 2010, and introduced the realignment of the Loudoun CEO Cabinet officially now under the LCCC. Notable government reps included Supervisors York, Water, McGimsey; Board of Education reps Hatrick and Stevens; VA State Delegates Greason, May and Herring.
Here’s some of the newsbytes that resonated across the group and panel.

Some pics over at Loudoun Times - BizLoudoun, June 22..

Ralph Buona, SVP for Business Development of Telos Corporation delivered the LCCC message, including:

The Chamber is large, healthy and growing, with a recent survey indicating that 96% of members thought the Chamber was very relevant to their business – though room for improvement included a retention rate of 77% and 81% satisfaction with marketing efforts. The recently approved merger of the Greater Manassas/Prince William County Chambers will displace Loudoun as the DC region’s largest Chamber. 2010 initiatives underway include a “Political Process Committee” to help groom business leaders for political office, improved LCCC brand development and a number of new non-profit support initiatives.

Scott Hamberger, CEO of Sterling-based Fortessa Inc. (a Tableware Company), followed with the Loudoun CEO Cabinet overview:

“We’re experiencing an awakening of the Loudoun business community, like lights going on in a previously dark house. Loudoun is at an inflection point…and we can either learn from other areas with similar growth patterns (like Charlotte/Mecklenburg and Austin) or continue as a DC bedroom community”. The affiliation of the CEO Cabinet under the LCCC helps consolidate activity, focus and align outreach and information-sharing between the business community and the Loudoun County government (i.e. ostensibly taking the “shadow government” issue off the table). The CEO Cabinet helps drive professional education and outreach, foster an informal “neural network” of professional information sharing, raise funds for actions taken on behalf of the overall business community and alignment with neighboring jurisdictions, but has no desire in advancing purely parochial interests.

John Wood, Chairman and CEO of Telos followed with the EDC comments:

“We’re at a stage of enlightened self-interest in terms of the business community, with much more focus on children and education, employee needs, congestion issues (both physical and virtual, online), and infrastructure needs. He laid out the simple math of “unpacking the commercial tax base”, comparing the fact that every dollar of commercial tax revenue generates 93 cents profit to the County, while for every dollar of residential real estate property tax raised, the County actually spends $2 to support. So with the forecast growth in residential properties and school cots, we’re looking at over $400 million in near term incremental expenses that aren’t covered by projected tax revenues…this is a clear indicator of the need for the County to drive commercial location/relocation here to Loudoun. He also included some remarks regarding how the EDC, supporting the Department of Economic Development (DED), is a reasonably effective voice to the BoS – though he supports the concept of more “at large” Supervisors, since the concept of “District Supervisors” is an inherent conflict of interest.

Discussion followed - by far the best exchange was with Lori Waters asking the panel how the BoS was actually doing, in supporting the shared strategies of the Economic Development Commission, CEO Cabinet and LCCC - the fundamental answer revolved around "too many 5 to 4 BOS votes", as John Wood put it, and other evidence of an extremely unpredictable and partisan BOS with respect to the issues that current and future County business investors care about.

An historic meeting, for sure, but hopefully the first of many more, and with many more businesses represented...

Team USA Soccer and an American Brewfest in Loudoun!

What's better than the finest American craft beers, the best DC area live bands, the Loudoun countryside in the Summer, and World Cup USA? All in one day?

Through the combined efforts of Vintage 50 Restaurant & Brew Lounge, OnPoint Digital Solutions and the quick action of Capital Party Rentals, we are able to provide the Vintage 50 and On Point Sports Lounge at the Loudoun Northern Virginia Summer BrewFest in Leesburg this weekend. YES, that means the USA vs. Ghana Soccer match will be viewable on two 50” tv’s under a 900 square foot tent. In fact, all of the soccer matches will be available as well as other weekend sports.

Thanks to Anthony Cavallo at Vintage 50, John Dwyer at OnPoint Digital Solutions and the fine folks at Capital Party Rental!

After all this is a Celebration of American Beer, and a nice hot summer day! GO USA!!

Northern Virginia Summer Brewfest and Live Music Concert Event - Morven Park, Leesburg VA

DC and Northern Virginia's 2010 premiere outdoor live music festival centered on craft beer and breweries is preparing for its 3rd annual incarnation, Saturday to Sunday June 26-27. The Northern Virginia Summer Brewfest and its "Celebration of American Beer" will feature over 50 of America's best breweries and beer sampling in Loudoun County at Leesburg's Morven Park, along with a wide variety of interesting food, a family fun area for the kids, local artisans, a cigar stand and a spectacular collection of DC, Maryland and Virginia regional bands performing live, outdoor music. A lone, but exemplary representative of DC's Wine Country joins the fun as well.

For craft beer, microbrew and local beer lovers here in DC's Beer Country, this festival is marking a resurgance of local breweries and brewpubs, including the Vintage 50 Brewery in Leesburg, the new 28 North Brewhouse (soon to be producing versions of their Rhinochasers beers onsite), the Holybrew gang producing and distributing from Leesburg, and other great local restaurants like Leesburg's Fireworks Pizza that sell oodles of fantastic regional variations on "the good brew".

(Follow the latest local brew news @NovaBrewFest on Twitter!)

New this year are extended hours (11-9 PM Saturday, 11-7PM Sunday) plus several shuttle options for offsite parking (check the site for updates), including from the Vintage 50 Brewery in Leesburg and possibly (to be announced) from the Vintage 51 Brew Lounge in South Riding.

Saturday Northern Virginia Live Music

1:00 - White Ford Bronco

2:45 - Gypsy Sons

Wrong Side Of The Tracks

The Gypsy Sons | MySpace Music Videos

4:30 - Miguel Aubertin

6:15 - What Mama Said - two sets!

Sunday

12:45 - Big Mouth

2:30 - American Giant

4:15 - Monster Band - two sets!

TMB at Seacrets

The Monster Band | MySpace Music Videos

...And here are the breweries and beers! (list subject to some change)

• Abita Brewing Co.
  
  
• Allagash Brewing Co.
  
  
• Anheuser Busch
  
  
• Baltimore-Washington Beer Works
  
  
• Bear Republic
  
  
• Bells Brewing Inc.
  
  
• Boston Beer Co.
  
  
• Brooklyn Brewing Co
  
  
• Callys
  
  
• Clipper City Brewing Co./ Oxford B.C.
  
  
• Dogfish Head Brewing Company
  
  
• Fordham Brewing Company
  
  
• Harpoon Brewing Company
  
  
• Hook and Ladder Brewing Company
  
  
• Lagunitas Brewing Company
  
  
• Lancaster Malt Brewing Company
  
  
• Mad River Brewing Company
  
  
• Magic Hat brewing Company
  
  
• Mendocino Brewing Company
  
  
• New Holland Brewing Co.
  
  
• Old Dominion Brewing Co.
  
  
• Otter Creek Brewing Co./ Wolavers
  
  
• St. George Brewing Co.
  
  
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
  
  
• Stone Brewing Company
  
  
• Stoudt Brewing Co.
  
  
• Starr Hill Brewing Company
  
  
• Victory Brewing Co.
  
  
• Vintage 50 Restaurant and Brew Lounge
  
  
• Wild Goose
  
  
• Flying Dog
  
  
• Williamsburg Ale Works
  
  
• Yuengling Brewing Company
  
  
• North Coast Brewing Company
  
  
• Kona Brewery
  
  
• Lexington Brewing Company<
• Smuttynose Brewing Co.
  
  
• Oskar Blues Brewing Co.
  
  
• Fisherman Brewing Co.
  
  
• Coors Brewing Co.
  
  
• Blue Moon Brewing Co.
  
  
• Miller Brewing Co.
  
  
• Leinenkuegals Brewing Co.
  
  
• Pyramid Brewing Co.
  
  
• Mad Fox Brewing Co.
  
  
• Anchor Brewing Co.
  
  
• Spoetzl Brewing Co.
  

South Riding Festival and Vintage 51 Ushers in the Northern Virginia Brewfest Season

Celebrate South Riding is here - 15 years of community growth (25,000 residents and counting) celebrated over two days of Summer fun, Friday and Saturday June 4-5th! We've seen this event grow very quickly and professionally, and this year looks to be amazing. It's relocated, however, now to the Dulles Multipurpose Center grounds at 24950 Riding Center Drive. Here you'll find a farm-themed children's area, "Extreme Scene" rides and games for the older kids, four live bands on the main stage, and the very special "15 Year Tribute" Friday night light and laser show - capped off Saturday with the traditional South Riding fireworks finale.

Also new this year is a greatly expanded cafe' area called "Corks, Kegs and Crafters", hosted in cooperation with the Vintage 50 Restaurant Group and Vintage 51 restaurant in South Riding. Enjoy 20 different microbrews from local and regional breweries, and learn some tips from the Vintage 50 Master Chef and Brew Master. Keep the summer fun rolling over at Vintage51 in Market Square this weekend - the pet-friendly outdoor patio's open, free wireless Internet (it's our new favorite business lunch location), plasma TV's and projectors, plus of course over 14 micro/craft brews and LIVE entertainment Fridays and Saturdays (John Kaplan this Friday, 6/4).

This is a great way to kick off the Summer brewfest and craft fair season here in DC's beer country; next stop is the extremely popular Northern Virginia Summer BrewFest series, on Saturday and Sunday June 26-27 - tickets are on sale now, for seven (!) live bands, very local and interesting food options, over 70 microbrewery options to try, and even a lone, local loudoun winery to sample.

Loudoun Economic Development VIP Reception 2010

Last night's VIP reception at the Belmont Country Club was very well attended,well organized and overall a very successful event, bringing together the business and government leadership engaged in promoting Loudoun County's economic development. The German economic development contingent from Main-Taunus-Kreis (MTK - Loudoun's "sister county") was in attendance to help enjoy Loudoun wines, a fife-and-drum performance, a brief rain shower and Supervisor Susan Klimek-Buckley's address to the crowd and BOS/BOE and other County notables present. Buckley's remarks focused first on the successful unfreeze by Governor McDonnell of the Local Composite Index (LCI), led in part by rigorous opposition from the County government, business and education communities, that resulted in $34M restored funding for Loudoun education. We had an especially engaging discussion with VA State Senator Mark Herring regarding Loudoun Internet Marketing and Social Media, encouraging he and his staff to jump on board the kind of Internet economic development initiatives Loudoun County is rolling out, and participating more in government/citizen online social media forums like GovLoop. All-in-all, a great event!

Pictured below is Supervisor Klimek-Buckley's address

Northern Virginia Private Schools - Fairfax, Loudoun - Nysmith School for the Gifted

Discovering that your child needs accelerated learning opportunities here in Northern Virginia, Fairfax, Arlington or Loudoun is a slow surprise for many of us, and one that’s not easily accommodated or fostered by typical school systems – public or private. Certainly it might be evident to you as a parent that by preschool, you’re finding your child is very bright, has unusual potential, quickly picks up new skills and is beginning to outpace many peers and the instructional resource available. It’s much tougher to convince most schools and teachers, however, of what you intrinsically feel and know as a 24 hour parent – when the school system only has a limited perspective of your child’s accomplishments, and are also measuring your child’s needs against the many demands and realities of educating hundreds of students from all kinds of backgrounds - especially in Virginia under both a difficult economy and the institutional pressures of the “Standards of Learning” (SOL) program.

An advanced learner or gifted student in Northern Virginia is, however, pretty easy to recognize as early as Kindergarten and 1st grade, when they’re rapidly learning early reading, writing and math techniques. It’s even more evident that your child needs a differentiated or accelerated curriculum by mid-late elementary school, when the realities of say Loudoun or Fairfax gifted school offerings are beginning to fall dramatically below those necessary to sustain an educational trajectory that leads to successful placement in competitive high schools and academic programs, success in advanced “AP” or “IB” classes and ultimately matriculation at the best country’s best universities. In the public school systems (i.e. Fairfax and Loudoun), true “gifted and talented” programs do become available by middle school, but these basic “enrichment programs” may be too little, too late to truly offer your advanced child the challenges they need and deserve.

In Loudoun County, the “SEARCH”, “SPECTRUM” and “FUTURA” programs are enrichment programs that are provided to those that meet minimum criteria including a student profile, teacher rating, ability test scores and achievement test scores. The modest differentiation offered through these programs, however, is limited to the simple additional pool of students thus identified, and not to individual learning needs nor are they fully immersive (i.e. full-day). Fairfax does offer a more targeted and flexible Continuum of Gifted Services in grades K-12 with more options for individualized attention, yet still suffers from very high class sizes (up to 32) and corresponding high student-to-teacher ratios (and therefore much less individualized attention) across all programs.

Northern Virginia private schools are an option to seriously consider to successful fulfill your child’s differentiated learning needs. Most DC metro private schools in the area, however, are simply more controlled, exclusive settings with additional enrichment opportunities and smaller class sizes, along with somewhat more independence on the part of the faculty to be flexible about class assignments and adding or removing extracurricular programs. Only one school in this area is exclusively and successfully focused on the individual academic needs of truly academically gifted students. This includes a teaching environment that’s caring and attentive, respectfully acknowledging of parental input, is led by true “Master” teachers and is utterly responsive to each individual child across the entire spectrum of their whole-school experience - the Nysmith School for the Gifted in Herndon, VA.

The Nysmith School for gifted and talented learning in Fairfax, Loudoun and surrounding areas is a truly unique, award-winning, fully accredited and nationally recognized coeducational K-8 school with a myriad of benefits over and above other Northern Virginia public, private or religious schools. Fairfax full-day school, preschool and after-school programs are available under an admissions process that carefully identifies the need for accelerated instruction and individualized academic attention. The classes include a very diverse yet warm and loving group of children and teachers at ratios ranging from 1 teacher per 7-10 students, with 2 teachers in every class.

Nysmith School for the Gifted provides an academic environment that is thoroughly advanced and specifically designed to meet the unique educational, social, and emotional needs of gifted learners in Fairfax, Loudoun and surrounding Northern Virginia and DC metro area (bus service is available). The school boasts many academic honors and awards each year, in internationally-recognized programs ranging from Odyssey of the Mind, Wordmaster and MathCounts, to a recent Top 10 listing on the very prestigious Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth “2009 CTY Talent Search”.

Many successful student alumni are currently attending the very prestigious Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, along with other nationally-recognized high schools in area including Episcopal, Madeira, Foxcroft, National Cathedral School, Landon, St. Pauls, Lawrenceville, Phillips Exeter, Durham Academy, Bullis, Sidwell Friends, Flint Hill, Emma Willard, the George School, and Wakefield. Many others are in Fairfax, Falls Church, Loudoun County, and Prince William County Schools taking AP courses or following the IB or Cambridge Programs for advanced students. After high school, Nysmith graduates have attended top universities around the country, including UVA, Virginia Tech, MIT, USC, SUNY, Brandeis, Dartmouth, Brown, Mary Washington, George Mason, the Air Force Academy, University of Saint Louis, and Rensselaer.

If you are discovering, or already know, your child’s unusual and limitless academic potential is being underserved by your local school offerings, visit the Nysmith School for the Gifted private day school and full-day preschool in Northern Virginia. As current Loudoun parents of a bunch of very happy, motivated and inquisitive children at Nysmith, we highly recommend this Northern Virginia private school as the most challenging, experienced and yet successful, individually-flexible and wonderfully attentive school and teaching staff available in the area.

Dulles Greenway Drive for Loudoun Charities May 20th, and New Loudoun Hospital!

Great news this week for long-suffering Dulles South residents, concerning final approvals after 8 years of wrangling for the new HCA Loudoun Dulles South StoneSpring Medical Center 164-bed hospital on Rt. 50 in Loudoun County – set to open late 2015. The hospital should provide a much-need local economic recovery boost to this Gateway to Loudoun region, as well as much-need alternatives to those of us living in places like South Riding, with nothing but traffic-bogged alternatives for critical medical care beyond that which the local Dulles Urgent Care Centers can provide.

Set your calendars on May 20th (Thursday) for the Dulles Greenway Drive for Charity – your opportunity to cruise up to 65 mph through the scenic Loudoun spring vistas and support great local charities at the same time. The Dulles Greenway is donating all tolls raised on this day to charitable organizations supporting Loudoun, including the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, the Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter, and the Dulles Greenway Citizenship Award & Scholarship. The very next day you can ditch the car, yet continue to support the environment – it’s National Bike to Work Day, Friday, May 21st (but not on the Greenway!)

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Loudoun Family Now Accepting Northrop-Style Financial Incentive Bids for Headquarters Relocation

We’re pleased to announce at this time that our family will be accepting Family and Small Business Headquarters Relocation Financial Incentive Bids from DC Metro, Northern Virginia and Suburban/Southern Maryland jurisdictions. Tax subsidies, grants and other benefits may reflect those now being offered to Northrop Grumman to relocate its headquarters to the area, though are expected to be comparatively greater, due mainly to the much higher relative value gained by relocating (or retaining with improvements) our family members, associates and stakeholders, rapidly-growing small business, and associated relationship and community assets.

Our family and small business corporate leadership is seeking bids at this time, due to many factors - including rapidly aging headquarters facilities and fully-depreciated assets, the need to reduce corporate leadership risk, negative health profiles and commute expenses (due to daily inbound DC commute), the need for extensive improvement in continuing and accelerated Primary education and team recreation opportunities, the need for better access to “offline” social collaborative obligations, venues and amenities directly related to our small business development activities, the need to reduce our tax burdens not directly reflected in productive benefits to our organization, the need for more stable and reliable telecommunications and power grid services, the need for a more small business-friendly political representation at both a local and regional level, the need to reduce our overall carbon footprint and contribute more directly to satisfying environmental preservation initiatives, the need for improved variety and quality in family-oriented dining and entertainment venues, and the need for physical proximity to a real German deli and bakery.

Benefits to the successful bidder range from significant enhancement of location-specific Internet business and community profiles and associated online commerce, to solid contributions to the quality of educational, athletic and community service/nonprofit initiatives in the form of family member participation, leadership and investment. “Long-tail” benefits include heavy marketing and active professional and social “pull” of similarly-inclined and valuable family/small-business units into the same jurisdiction. Benefits also include very significant contributions to local employment (in the woman-owned, local small business category), local economic development/recovery assistance and taxable income generation, and dramatic reduction in local energy and utilities consumption (we are a "Green" company). Introduction of additional methane-producing livestock is not anticipated, and direct advertising support for the successful bidder and their political representation is negotiable (prominently displayed on personal attire, yard signs, websites, bumper stickers, etc.).

Successful bids will include an aggressive, timely and comprehensive package containing real property tax abatement applied to either a lease or purchase, a grant covering a wide range of relocation costs, including those for predevelopment services (such as architecture and engineering for a build-out), tenant improvements, furniture, equipment (both residential and business), leased transportation (should include water-based), facility, laundering and grounds maintenance, technological upgrades, relevant local business leads and partnership opportunities, construction and any other relocation costs required by this expected mixed-use property. Locations considered will fall outside the generally-accepted eastward-oriented radioactive and biologic contamination fallout zones. Successful bidders will also offer location-based amenities, including proximity to premiere academic institutions (i.e. nationally-recognized), a location that doesn’t require utilization of Rt. 66 or the Beltway for any business-hours reason, ever, and of course walking or rapid-delivery service from a great German (or otherwise tasty European-style) deli/bakery.

Bidding is now open, please provide references. Incumbents are encouraged to apply (this means you, Dulles South); U.S. or WHTI jurisdictions outside the DC Metro area with local, outdoor flora that includes native palm trees are also most welcome to apply.

Loudoun Economic Recovery Ready to Pop Online and Offline

At yesterday's Loudoun Economic Development Commission (EDC) meeting, as reported by Hannah Hager, most discussion revolved around the opportunity for Loudoun to really "pop", coming out of the economic slump. This mainly comes from Loudoun’s unique opportunity at the moment to set its own destination (in terms of property types and styles) for undeveloped land in the primary commercial districts (nearly 90 million sq. ft.). “Close in” jurisdictions like Arlington and Fairfax don’t have any more “new” real estate to develop in zoned business districts; they’re faced mostly with more expensive and constrained redevelopment. Add to this the pending Loudoun Metrorail, a new Rt. 50 Dulles South Hospital, a potential GMU campus and Kincora Loudoun Baseball stadium, and a perfect storm seems to be developing for sustained "offline" economic recovery.

In terms of Loudoun Internet/online real estate (i.e. websites) – this is still pretty much undiscovered country, for Loudoun businesses. It’s like 1892, right before the Oklahoma Land Rush, after the worst American economic depression to date; domain-squatters and online website marketers have already set their stakes, professional “shingles” hung out on the Internet are simple and uninspired, the gap between local and urban media technical sophistication is widening quickly, and 1990’s era communications or membership fiefdoms doggedly persist among government entities and associations. Sure some bright spots exist, like a few high-tech companies with significant online presence; but the taxable, in-county revenues driven by these anomalies seem slim, compared to the potential.

Read more of this Loudoun Business Blog from Loudoun Times...

Loudoun Economic Development Social Media Poll

Here's a quick Poll regarding what's the best social media/new media forum to leverage for supporting Loudoun County Economic Development...see current discussion on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Note this Poll's results will be aggregated across a number of different sites; results to be posted in a few weeks!

Take the Poll

Loudoun Rt. 28 Corridor Stakeholders Workshops - Land Use Policies

(From Kurt Krause, LinkedIn "Loudoun" Group)

This is a great opportunity to express our need for a Class A gateway into our county.

Anyone interested in the future of the Route 28 Corridor in Loudoun County VA is invited to attend one of two upcoming Route 28 Stakeholders Workshops. The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors is evaluating land use policies within the Route 28 Corridor and would like to hear from members of the public. The workshops will be held Friday, March 19, 2010, 8:30-11:00 a.m. or Saturday, March 20, 2010, 9:00-11:30 a.m. at Claude Moore Park Recreation Center, 46105 Loudoun Park Lane in Sterling.

RSVPs are appreciated. Please contact the Loudoun County Department of Planning, 703-777-0246 or e-mail: dop at loudoun.gov.

Please note that these meetings are identical in format and have been offered at different times to accommodate as many people as possible. Additional information, including the agenda will be available online at www.loudoun.gov/route28 the week of March 15.

Future workshops are planned for April 26 and May 24. Details will be announced later.

Nysmith Students Take Odyssey of the Mind Honors - District 13

This week's Odyssey of the Mind competition for District 13 (Western NOVA) featured some pretty incredible displays of teamwork, ingenuity and downright hard work on the part of the students, coaches, and supportive families. Nysmith School in Herndon sent 3 teams to the State Finals, and 2 teams received 3rd place finishing honors. The teams ranged from Elementary to High School students, from very experienced to first-timers - like the Nysmith 6th grade team pictured below (comprised of students from both Loudoun and Fairfax Counties). This team, coached by Jen Hogan and Kelly McLaughlan, truly reflected the spirit of comaraderie and inventiveness of the program, and all the children thoroughly enjoyed working together - and are looking forward to next year!

Loudoun Bloggers for Good Meetup March 10 Buffalo Wild Wings in Ashburn

Loudoun area Bloggers for Good - Next Meetup March 10!

From Bloggers for Good:

Greetings Bloggers!

Our next meetup and benefit will be Wednesday, March 10 at the new Buffalo Wild Wings in Ashburn near Wegmans.

Our event will benefit the Loudoun Museum, a great local resource that has suffered lately due to budget cuts and a mold issue. They will be reopening this spring in their repaired historic Leesburg location.

Buffalo Wild Wings will generously donate a percentage of all food sales to the Loudoun Museum all day March 10. Just mention Bloggers for Good or the Loudoun Museum.

Please spread the word and join us on March 10! See you there!

Loudoun Social Media - Business Community Channels

As the Loudoun New Media experiment grows, I'll point out that there is actually strategy in play, one that's taking shape and getting executing rapidly as a result of the "Open Government Directive". I'll start laying out the strategy through some upcoming blog postings, but suffice it to say, the strategy includes utilization of ANY and ALL social/new media channels that may be relevant. Different channels and social media tools are more or less useful for different purposes. Basically, we should use what we have, that works, as it's intended to be used.

(By the way, as this EDC activity is business-focused, similar initiative can and is starting for other interests...who'd like to start a Dulles-Loudoun Social Media Club? In the same manner as the DC Social Media Club...)

For example, tweeting is very different than blogging, which isn't really the purpose of LinkedIn.

Note that I'm writing this as a blog, vs. a discussion item, though the content automatically ends up in many other social media channels and search engines (by design). Try it now - search for "made in loudoun" in Google...

So, there are several new media channels available now that can reflect this Loudoun New Media Group's initiative - and that will be increasingly integrated and cross-referenced over time. Below is the list, with some guidance for use:

* Warning - some technical content and terms ahead; all part of the learning experience :) *

LinkedIn - "Loudoun" group - for brief discussions, relationship management, news and information updates; very professionally-oriented - this is the "Master Contact List" so to speak, of our core group, and most EDC/MBRC Social Media Subcommittee news will start here. Note that group updates and discussions aren't easily (nothing's really private on the Internet) publicly accessible or indexable by Google - but "Status updates" are.

Facebook - "Loudoun" Fan Page - for social interaction and brief status updates; a bit more entertainment-oriented, casual and personal, can grow quickly, and will likely include a lot more "accidental tourists"

Twitter - "Loudoun" account, "Loudounbusiness" Twitter List - this is set up to automatically relay tweets from members who provide me their Twitter ID. (There are several other Twitter accounts that will relay information and news about this initiative, to other microblog formats (like Google Buzz); all to spread the word!). If you post about our Loudoun Social Media experiment, be sure to use the hashtag #madeinloudoun or #loudounbusiness!

Wikia - "Loudoun" page - this is a "Wiki", which is a great place to collaborate on building "encyclopedia-style" information pages; anyone can edit/update, and there's lots of good collaboration and some document management. This is a good place to start (it's brand new) a repository of information, documents and links (so long as you don't mind learning "Wiki" editing skills), and is a "industry-neutral" site. Some material here might actually be better stored over at "Loudounpedia", a wiki started under the auspices of the Loudoun librarians.

GovLoop - "Loudoun" group - this is a Ning-powered Social Media collaboration site intended to bring government employees together with the public, for purposes of collaboration on government services and initiatives. At the end of the day, this may be truly the right "home" for most collaboration, relationship-building, and information sharing - though the current theme of our experiment is more business than government-focused, and therefore a future public/private initiative for the purpose of supporting Loudoun general government activities might be better suited....time will tell.

Blogs - most significant, user-generated content that are in narrative, research or article format really should be published on a blog (as a blog entry, or as comments to someone else's), or at least on a website that auto-generates RSS feeds of the content. Several local blogs are available I can post your article to (if you don't have your own blog); including "Gateway to Loudoun" and "Made in Loudoun", and "Northern Virginia Business News, Loudoun". Some of these are being automatically populated with streams and content from other sources, including this group. In any case, if you post a blog entry, be sure to let me know the RSS feed, so that I can make sure entries on this topic are automatically pulled into our other social media channels, and shared with everyone.

Email - do you simply want to email info to the group? Two ways to do it, such that it spreads through our channels....One is to post a discussion item in LinkedIn; that gets sent out in email updates to those who subscribe. Second is to let me know you'd like to - and I'll hook you up with access to Loudoun.Posterous.Com - it automatically accepts emails (with multimedia!) and publishes as a blog. Since this is a "New Media" initiative, I believe we'll try to avoid traditional email lists.

Myspace - you know, I'm just not going there for this particular initiative...

Multi-media - Just use the tag "Made In Loudoun" or perhaps "Loudoun Business Community" in photo-sharing sites like Flickr or Photobucket, and if you find you've got video to upload, tag it in the same manner.

There are lots of other possible choices, tools and forums, and probably lots of other places you may personally communicate with others, using new or social media. Just let me know the RSS feed of these places, along with some direction regarding how the right material can be identified, and we'll get this content pumped into the Loudoun new media machine!

Some Last Minute Loudoun Valentine's Day Treats

Valentine's Day gifts and last minute ideas, from local Dulles, Chantilly or Loudoun businesses:

Buy your hubby, love(s), significant other, etc. a:

Vintage 51 South Riding Restaurant Valentine's Day Dinner (and ice-warming beer!)

A new Loudoun Hot Tub or Pool Table (nice in the snow!)

A Loudoun Home Repair/Handyman Visit (to fix those gutter leaks!)

A Coupon for Loudoun replacement vinyl windows this Spring (now that we've seen what a blizzard can do!)

An appointment for some early spring cleaning and Loudoun junk removal, of that garage (still can't find all the old shovels and sleds?)

The Internet, Online Chamber of Commerce - in the New Media Economy

The thought struck us last year, and again lately (with the rapid uptick in social media-driven local business economic development advocacy activities) - that a new (or extended) breed of "Chamber of Commerce" may be developing - the "Online Chamber of Commerce" or "New/Social Media Chamber of Commerce".

Sure, many traditional Chamber of Commerce institutions around the country are beginning to leverage social/new media to help attract, retain and empower their membership...but there exists a "business divide" in this model, in the form of paid membership requirements.

Most Chambers of Commerce require an annual membership fee for businesses and their representatives to participate - this covers in-person meeting venue costs, organization operating expenses, etc. Many Chambers offer "sliding scale" membership fees, i.e. reduced rates for smaller businesses; however, this fee hurdle in many cases is simply one that a lot of small businesses (in particular) can't afford or choose not to invest in. Therefore, such a Chamber may not truly and fully represent the interests of the entire business community, and its stakeholders.

There are, however, facets and benefits of typical Chamber membership that are more and more often able to be achieved through the use of online, public, free (or much lower cost) Internet new media - open to all. Online business networking, fund raising and information-sharing, for example. This sort of activity also may bring with it far more useful online promotion and marketing benefits than typical Chambers are able to deliver. (In our research, most Chambers in the DC region, for example, do not offer members the advantages of optimizing their online directory listings for search visibility, nor do they offer members opportunities for free promotion via contributory discussions, for example hosting a membership-generated "business articles" forum ).

Online, public, self-regulated groups have also proven adept in many ways, at achieving collective mass for purchase power, government advocacy and political influence - much like any Chamber of Commerce.

What does the future Chamber of Commerce look like, in this era of New Media and grass roots civil AND business advocacy? Does it evolve to embrace New Media, in a way that reduces expenses and opens the "tent", or does it focus, and establish a "business liaison network" with other grassroots (and free) off/online business advocacy groups?

Competing for Buyers Starts Online - DC and Loudoun County Real Estate News

(Summary from the Washington Times):

"With so much information at buyers' fingertips, Realtors and homeowners are not only competing for buyers with the folks selling the house down the street, but also with hundreds of other sellers with similar homes. The process of narrowing the list of prospective homes used to consist of endless drive-bys but now can be accomplished with the click of a computer mouse.

...Kelly McLaughlan, chief executive of KME Internet Marketing in Northern Virginia, says, "It is absolutely essential for Realtors to maintain an active, integrated, multimedia online presence in order to attract new customers, engage current or potential clients, and establish themselves as reputable community leaders and local real estate experts."

She says it's all about professionally engaging clients in the online context with which they're comfortable, whether it's through their own Web sites, third-party Web sites or advertising venues or using social media.

"Maintaining your brand and reputation across all these channels is as important as distributing effective and appropriate listing advertising," she says.

Ms. McLaughlan adds that online buyers and sellers typically will review an agent's profile, community presence, knowledge and their listing inventory in less than 10 minutes and suggests that Realtors be "findable" across all outlets. She offers real estate agents and others a checklist on getting started promoting their business online (www.kmeinternetmarketing.com/internetchecklist.html). "

Read more about DC and Northern Virginia Real Estate Online Marketing and Social Media....

Explore more Northern Virginia, Maryland, Prince William and Loudoun Real Estate opportunities, and Northern Virginia Real Estate information and news.

The Loudoun Gold Line - Social Media-driven Economic Recovery

It's taken about a week for the energy and enthusiasm of the first "Big Ideas Big Action" (#BIBA) new media forum to sink into the sausage-making cavities of my unconscious, resulting in a far-too-typical 3 AM wake-up call to blog...but the ideas are percolating now as quickly as the coffee at this pre-snowpocalyptic-3 hour, and I'm thinking pink mixed with silver to make gold.

As you may know, the Dulles Metro "Silver Line" is finally now under construction, extending heavy rail service from East Falls Church out to Tysons Corner, Dulles Airport and eventually into Ashburn VA (Loudoun County) by 2016 or so. This significant investment in the region's economy is sure to sustain any long-lasting economic recovery trend that may be developing now, but it's still a ways off (though you might think it was coming a lot sooner from the proliferation of speculative real estate investment already visible along the Toll Road).

As you probably don't know, but should soon, the "Pink Line Project" is the wholesale revitalization of the DC art scene, a "catalyst for the culturally curious" - started by a BIBA guest speaker Philippa P.B. Hughes. Started as a series of local art "salons", the effort is now the trend-setting source of information and events for emerging art collectors, art enthusiasts and artists. What's also relevant here is the extensive use of DC social media channels to collect, relay and discuss Pink Line happenings.

This emerging theme of regional business and cultural revitalization on the heels of a lousy economy and global-warming induced weather patterns, lubricated by a rapidly-maturing social media ecology, is taking shape even here in Loudoun - at the very ends of the Silver and Pink Lines, and far afield from the "H Street Project". I'll borrow apologetically but thoughtfully from Philippa, and call this the "Gold Line Project".

What's happening is the awakening and convergence of business and cultural leaders in person and online to collectively share and leverage new media assets, in a long-overdue effort to seriously promote Loudoun County as prime investment material...in other words, bring your business, your organization, your family and your dollars (i.e. "heads in beds") here to the end of the Silver Line, but no need to wait for the train. This is taking shape (informally in concert with our grass roots "Made in Loudoun" online awareness campaign) as the Economic Development Commission's new "Loudoun Social Media Subcommittee".

Created in 1995 by Loudoun’s Board of Supervisors, the Economic Development Commission (EDC) is a public/private partnership responsible for promoting the county’s economic development. Its membership includes a wide range of local business and community leaders, volunteering their time on committees such as the "Marketing and Business Retention Committee" (MBRC) to, among other things, help "coordinate economic development and marketing activities among groups in the county". Its association with the Loudoun government, through the Department of Economic Development, is a different structure than that of the comparable institution to our east, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (i.e. EDA, which is a fully non-governmental institution).

Lately there's been a lot of discussion regarding whether Loudoun should move from the EDC to EDA structure to help attract businesses to the County, enabling infusion of private-sector funds and operation with an incentive-based pay-structure, outside of the control of the BOS. Regardless of the outcome, it's apparent that some change is necessary in these entities, and closer coordination with the parallel activities of the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce and Loudoun Convention & Visitors Association.

Change in fact, is evolving quickly beyond the Silver Line - to the Gold Line - with the EDA's submersion of its constituents and stakeholders into the local and regional social media ecology. If you'd like to participate in this "project", helping bring investment and economic recovery to our pre-Silver Line Loudoun (and eventually perhaps an exurbia extension of the Pink Line) - get involved. Join the LinkedIn "Loudoun" group. Follow and support Loudoun DED-related activities and initiatives. Use your own new media assets and online business networking skills to promote the County and its wealth of cultural and community assets.

Phew - it's over - 2010 Loudoun Snowpocalypse2

Being thankful that our power stayed on, it was pretty fun (and sobering) monitoring the tweet-streams (http://www.twitter.com/loudoun) for real-time updates on hashtags #snowpocalypse, #snowmageddon, #snowtoriousBIG, #snOMG, etc.

We got just about 30 inches here in our South Riding, Loudoun County backyard...now the big dig begins, as does many more days of children with cabin-fever...

Game On! Loudoun EDC Social Media Subcommittee #loudounsm

The initial planning session was held today at the Loudoun National Conference Center for the new Loudoun-centric "Social Media Subcommittee", an initiative of the Loudoun Economic Development Commission's "Marketing and Business Retention" Committee.

This public/private grassroots initiative will focus on engaging the Loudoun economic development stakeholders on the Internet, using social media and other new media collaboration and marketing techniques, to help promote the County as a great place to live, work and invest. Expected contributors and participants will include businesses, nonprofits, associations, residents and government input.

Much more information to come: initial discussion and information-sharing will take place via a LinkedIn.com group named, simply, "Loudoun".

Game On!

Loudoun Dulles District Update - January 2010

Here's the latest Dulles District Update from Stevens Miller...

Planning Commission

I want to welcome Cliff Keirce as the new Planning Commissioner for the Dulles District. Cliff has a history of long-standing involvement in our community. He is president of the Broadlands Homeowners Association and has served Loudoun County for the last two years as a member of the Facilities Standards Manual Public Review Committee. Cliff is well known and respected throughout the Dulles District and I am sure his appointment will meet with widespread approval.

I am grateful to Sandra Chaloux for all her hard work and long hours on the Planning Commission. She worked diligently for two years for the residents of the Dulles District and Loudoun County and I wish her all the best.

(DSO - why can't we vote for this position?)

Dulles South Public Safety Meeting Sponsored by LCSO

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office will hold a public safety meeting for Dulles South on Monday, January 25, 2010. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Dulles South Station Community Room located at 25216 Loudoun County Parkway.

The Loudoun Sheriff's Office hosts quarterly public safety meetings in each of the four service areas of the county. All residents, homeowners associations, community groups, and town representatives are invited to attend. Items to be discussed are recent crime and crime trends in the area, traffic safety concerns and other public safety related issues. The meetings will be led by a Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Captain who represents the Dulles South area. Also in attendance will be supervisors from the Criminal Investigations Division, the Special Operations Division, Community Police Officers, and Crime Prevention Deputies.

(DSO - this is a must-see event)

New Traffic Light in Operation

The new traffic signal installed at the intersection of Gum Spring Road (Route 659) and Braddock Road (Route 620) went into operation last month. The response has been all positive as traffic seems to be flowing better through that intersection.

(DSO - Hallelujah!)

Budget for FY 2011

Public Hearings on the FY2011 budget will be held at 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm on Wednesday, February 24th and at 9:30 am on Saturday, February 27th. An additional hearing on Thursday, February 25th will be added if needed. It is important, especially with the challenging economy, that citizens participate in the budget process. I want to continue to hear your thoughts, suggestions and ideas on how you would like to see the budget balanced.

(DSO - Mr. Miller - what are your strategies and actions to assist the DED/EDC in attracting business investment to the County?)

New Park and Ride Lot Beginning January 25th

Loudoun County signed an agreement with the Christian Fellowship Church at 21673 Beaumeade Circle in Ashburn for use of 123 existing parking spaces to be designated commuter parking. Service at this new lot will begin January 25, 2010. Commuter parking will be permitted only in the clearly identified spaces that are designated with signs and gold striping, Monday through Friday. Some of the operations of this lot will be combined with the Ashburn North lot. The County hopes this new lot will help alleviate some of the overcrowding that is continuing to occur at Dulles North. More information and bus schedules can be found at http://www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=785 .

(DSO - Good Move!)

H1N1 Vacine (sic)

Loudoun County Health Department is now offering free H1N1 vaccinations on a walk-in basis every Tuesday and Thursday from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. on the upper level of Dulles Town Center by Nordstrom. H1N1 vaccinations will also be available Saturday, January 23, 2010, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the same location. The free vaccinations are also available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Health Department’s Leesburg Clinic, at 102 Heritage Way, NE. For more information, visit www.loudoun.gov/flu.

(DSO - keep up with all Loudoun Health news on Twitter @loudounhealth)

Stay Connected

I want to hear from residents regarding ideas and thoughts on how the Board is doing. I am on Twitter, so you can easily provide me with your thoughts and comments. Send me a Tweet @DullesSuper and I’ll try to read your messages in real time while the Board of Supervisors is meeting.

(DSO - "on twitter" is a relative statement, though a sign of hopeful things to come - look for much more here on this topic in the near future!)

10 Tips for Promoting Your Employer Online via Personal Social Media - A Template for Businesses

We’ve been asked from time to time by businesses about how to educate employees on using Social Media – from two perspectives. One perspective is simply as part of a broader Internet use policy, to help employees stay safe and protect information assets. Another perspective is to encourage employees to support their business in their daily online activities, should they choose to do so. This is essentially giving employees as “social media enthusiasts” the tools and guidance they should get, to help them positively contribute to the overall online marketing efforts of their employer.

Check out this Template for Employee Social Media Use, by KME Internet Marketing. It can be tailored for individual businesses or organizations, and should be shared with employees. It provides 10 tips as straightforward guidance regarding promotion of an employer using online bookmarking, social media sharing, email, links, and other Internet techniques and tools.

January 2010 Loudoun Department of Economic Development LoCo Motion Newsletter

Here's the newest Loudoun County Department of Economic Development Newsletter...

Inside you'll find:

- Guernsey Office Products Moves National Headquarters to Loudoun
- Digital Bridge Completes Equity Round
- Another Loudoun Acquisition for Digital Realty Trust
- Rural Economic Development Council (REDC) Gears Up for 2010 Initiatives
- Five New Commissioners Join EDC in 2010
- Pegasus Logistics Group Opts for Beaumeade
- French Client for Brainware, Inc.
- DED's Warren Howell Retires
- Russian Embassy Selects Loudoun-Grown Tree in Annual Tradition
- Loudoun Places upcoming events.

The Loudoun DED is at http://biz.loudoun.gov/

DC and Loudoun Business Marketing in 2010 - 6 Steps to This Year's Recovery

Although the last decade here in Loudoun County hasn’t officially ended (we’re in the 10th year, after all), 2009’s economy and a double-digit change in years is enough for us to officially declare an end to the first decade of the 21st century. We entered the decade helping businesses and government agencies design websites and portals for maximum “user experience”, application performance and browser compatibility, all in the name of attracting and converting visitors. We end the decade designing for the same, albeit with a lot of change in the definitions of “users”, “experience”, “applications”, “performance” and “browsers”. Business marketing and systems engineering objectives remain the same for this new year, like every year - but the tools, methods, costs and audience are dramatically different.

Businesses like yours and ours use information technology to help manage and deliver many elements of our trade, from performance reporting and financial management, to data security and storage. “What” we need to do, to support our underlying sales and service processes, hasn’t changed – but the tools we can use sure have. For example, many more options will crowd the market this year for “cloud computing” services; basically made-to-order, flexible computing capabilities accessed over the Internet. Many more devices will enter the mainstream consumer market pre-wired for Internet access, from cellphone/PDA variants to personal game consoles and entertainment devices.

There’s simply a tremendous shift in attention and expertise required for successful business marketing from the platform or technology with which it’s delivered, to the channel and circumstances when and where it’s absorbed or delivered – more often than not in geosynchronous real-time.

While the fundamental methodology for online Loudoun business marketing won’t change (appropriate content through the right channels to the right audience, backed by analytics and right time customer service) – new methods are required to deal with new contexts.

Read more from KME Internet Marketing...

Vintage 51 South Riding Restaurant - Holiday and New Years Eve Specials

Join Vintage 51 in South Riding in their Holiday and New Year's Eve specials....

Vintage 51 Family Restaurant in South Riding is the "sister" restaurant of Vintage 50 in Leesburg, and serves uniquely traditional American entrees with local, organic ingredients, along with a spectacular selection of craft beers, wines from Loudoun and around the country, and live Dulles area music.

Here's some of their specials, from their website:

Holiday Gift Cards are now available!

New Years Eve '09, Vintage 51 Style -
Vintage 51 Menu

Vintage 50 New Years Eve Charity Masquerade Ball - Loudoun Community Health Center Presents "A Night in Venice" New Years Eve 2010 -
Event information; Order Tickets

Vintage 50 Growler Amnesty - Bring them to V50 or V51

Vintage 50 Has a New Signature Growler going on Sale in Time for the Holiday Season - click here to see it and place your order

Happy Holidays from the Redskins!

Here's to some holiday luck against the Cowboys!