March 2004

• FIRST PLACE: Free 2004/2005 membership (up to $275) OR “Frequent Flyer” Pass (see article above)
• SECOND PLACE: Disk of VTRCC member contact info. OR one month of newsletter inserts (value $100-$125)
• THIRD PLACE: Two free passes to VTRCC lunches plus two free passes to VTRCC mixers

• ELIGIBILITY: Each participant must be a paid-in-full member of the Vienna-Tysons Chamber of Commerce prior to the drawing and must sponsor AT LEAST FIVE (5) new members during the membership drive to be eligible for the first, second or third place prizes.
• SPONSORSHIP CREDIT: To get credit for a new member, the sponsor must be identified as such on the mew member's application form.
• PERIOD: The membership drive and contest run from March 1-April 28, 2004. New member applications must be received in the Chamber office with payment during this period to count towards a member's recruited member total.
• WINNERS: Winners of the first, second and third place prizes will be determined by most sponsored new members. In the event of a tie for the first or second prizes, there will be a drawing to determine the winner. Drawing losers will automatically be eligible for the next lower prizes.

• Volunteer Service Nominations: Town of Vienna Mayor M. Jane Seeman invites Vienna area residents to nominate an outstanding volunteer in recognition of his or her service to the town. Mayor Seeman plans to honor these volunteers at a special ceremony on April 13. Nomination forms for outstanding community volunteers are available at Vienna Town Hall, 127 Center St., S. Completed forms must be submitted before March 1. For more information, call the Mayor’s Office at 703-255-6310.
• Business License Deadline March 1: Town of Vienna businesses are reminded that the annual business, professional, and occupational license tax (BPOL) is due on March 1. All businesses in the Town of Vienna, including home occupations, must renew their business licenses by March 1.The amount of the tax is based on gross receipts, and the rate varies according to the type of business. The gross receipts threshold is $50,000, below which the tax does not apply. Those businesses with total annual gross receipts of $50,000 or less pay only the minimum license fee of $30 per year. License tax forms are available in the Finance Department at Town Hall, 127 Center St., S., and online at www.ci.vienna.va.us. For more information or assistance in figuring license taxes, call 703-255-6321.
• Council Candidate Filing Deadline: Tuesday, March 2, is the filing deadline for candidates in the May 4 Vienna Town Council election. This year, voters will elect the Mayor and three Town Council members for two-year terms beginning July 1. The information packet for candidates is available on the State Board of Election’s web site, www.sbe.state.va.us. For more information, call the Fairfax County Electoral Board at 703-324-4735.
• Philadelphia Flower Show Trip: March 4 is the registration deadline for a trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show sponsored by the Vienna Parks and Recreation Department. The trip is scheduled for Thursday, March 11. A charter bus will leave at 8am from the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St., S.E., and return around 7pm The cost of $54 for Town of Vienna residents and $67 for out-of-town participants includes transportation and admission to the show with all-day re-entry privileges. For more information, call Vienna Parks and Recreation at 703-255-6360.
• Atlantic City “Overnighter”: An overnight trip to the casinos in Atlantic City, sponsored by the Vienna Parks and Recreation Department, is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, March 4 and 5. A charter bus will leave at 10am Thursday from the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St., S.E., and return Friday about 7:30pm The cost for Town of Vienna residents is $154 per person single occupancy, $115 double occupancy, and $108 triple occupancy. For out-of-town participants the cost is $177 per person single occupancy, $133 double occupancy, and $124 triple occupancy. The cost includes transportation, casino package, dinner and breakfast buffets, and overnight accommodations at the Holiday Inn on the Boardwalk. For more information, call Vienna Parks and Recreation at 703-255-6360.

• Bank consolidation can limit small business access to credit, according to a study released 2/12/04 by the Office of Advocacy. The Impact of Bank Consolidation on Small Business Credit Availability finds that in regions with high levels of consolidation, there were reductions in small business access to bank credit, especially in credit limits. However, small business overall debt levels remained steady as they turned to non-bank financial institutions for their credit needs. “Since small banks provide a substantial share of credit to small firms, bank consolidation and how it relates to small business should be a real concern for policymakers,” said Thomas M. Sullivan, Chief Counsel for Advocacy. The Office of Advocacy, the “small business watchdog” of the government, examines the role and status of small business in the economy and independently represents the views of small business to federal agencies, Congress, and the President. For more information and a complete copy of the report, visit the Office of Advocacy website at www.sba.gov/advo.
• The SBA won double honors February 13, 2004 at the annual Excellence.gov awards luncheon. The agency won top honors for BusinessLaw.gov and was one of 25 award winners for developing a first-of-its kind integrated state business registration and federal Employer Identification Number Web service. The annual awards recognize e-government projects that are innovative, mature, demonstrate measurable results, impact the agency’s mission and can be copied by other organizations. The site, launched in December 2001, was among 90 nominees for the award. BusinessLaw.gov is a one-stop legal and regulatory site built primarily by SBA field attorneys. It helps businesses find, understand and comply with laws and regulations at all levels of government. The site can be found on the Web at http://businesslaw.gov or through the Laws and Regulations section of http://www.sba.gov.
• FY 2005 Budget Request Reflects Commitment To Provide Capital for Small Businesses– The SBA announced a fiscal year 2005 budget request of $678.4 million that increases loan authority for the agency’s flagship lending program and strengthens the agency’s most successful programs. The budget requests $12.5 billion in loan guarantee authority for the 7(a) program, a 30 percent increase over the FY 2004 requested level, building on the SBA’s record-breaking 2003, which saw an historic number of loans granted under the 7(a) program. “The SBA guaranteed a record number of loans last year, with double digit increases in the percentage of loans to women, Hispanics, African Americans and Asian Americans,” said SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto. “The budget request of $12.5 billion will allow the SBA to build on the success we’ve had in this important loan program, and will provide more businesses with the capital needed to start up and expand.” In an effort to provide more effective service to small businesses, the budget also includes funding for its core programs with an emphasis on making better use of these programs’ extensive resources and well-developed infrastructures.
• FTC Hotline to Assist Small Businesses Recover from Web Cramming Scam—The Federal Trade Commission has launched a consumer hotline to assist alleged victims of a Web cramming scam operated by Miami-based Epixtar Corporation and several of its subsidiaries, including one formerly known as SBA Online, Inc. The hotline number is 202-326-2998 and will advise consumers how to obtain a refund. The hotline was established as a result of a lawsuit filed by the FTC against Epixtar and its subsidiaries for allegedly violating federal law by deceptively marketing a free trial of Internet services, and then unfairly billing customers’ telephone accounts without their expressed informed consent and without their knowledge. The FTC investigation was prompted in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s objections to the unauthorized use of its trademark by the company and complaints to the SBA from small business owners. Cramming refers to the practice of billing businesses for services that were never authorized and have little value. The bogus charges usually appear on businesses’ telephone bills.
• The SBA’s Philadelphia Regional Office will present a Small Business Homeland Security Issues & Opportunities Symposium—Exploring The Future Of Homeland Security For The 21st Century & Beyond. The program will be held on April 14, 2004 from 8:00am to 3:00pm at The Heritage Foundation (214 Massachusetts Ave., NE, Washington, DC). Invited presenters include The Honorable Tom Ridge, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. There will be workshops on Homeland Security related topics and Research & Development Opportunities at Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), and a Matchmaking Forum focusing on “Networking with Large Businesses, Federal Agency Procurement Representatives and One-on-One Meetings”. For registration information, please visit: www.sba.gov/region3
• Top Financial Advisor to Appear on Live Web Chat Feature of Spanish Language Web Site: Louis Barajas, a top financial planner and small business advisor will appear in a live web chat on its Spanish language Web site, www.negocios.gov on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 at Noon EST (9am PST). Mr. Barajas will discuss how to make your small business more profitable and how to balance it with your life. Mr. Barajas will answer questions for approximately 2 hours. To join the live Web chat, participants should go to www.negocios.gov and click on “Chat en Vivo.” Participants wishing to ask a question for Mr. Barajas prior to February 11 may also visit this same location and post their question. Live Web chats are scheduled to take place on a monthly basis. For details on future live Web chats, visit www.negocios.gov.

• Ossian Park Master Plan—The Fairfax County Park Authority is holding a public hearing on Tuesday, March 23, 2004, to present a proposal for master plan revisions at Ossian Hall Park, located at the corner of Heritage Drive and Four Year Run in Annandale at 7900 Heritage Drive. The hearing culminates months of hard work by a local task force, which sought innovative approaches to improving the 23 acre green space. The concept proposes a park with a more urban feel and addresses concerns from the neighborhood about safety issues by opening up some areas of the park and lighting others. The proposal includes adding a rectangular field, lighted plaza space, a lighted skate area, picnic shelters and additional lighted parking. In addition, the plan proposes relating and updating the existing playground and basketball court. The hearing will be held at 7pm at Annandale Terrace Elementary School at 7604 Herald Street in Annandale. To view the proposed plans online, visit our website at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks. Individuals or groups wishing to speak at the hearing should contact the Public Information Office at 703-324-8662 or you may sign up to speak by sending an e-mail to Parkmail@fairfaxcounty.gov. Residents may also offer written comments on the plan at that e-mail address or send comments to Ms. Lynn Tadlock, director of Planning and Development Division, Fairfax County Park Authority, 12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 421, Fairfax, VA 22035. The 30 day comment period following the hearing ends on Friday, April 23, 2004.
• Kemper Park To Receive Improved Playground—The Fairfax County Park Authority will begin replacement of the playground at Kemper Park, located at 10206 Garrett Street in Vienna, VA. The Park Authority work, slated to begin in the next few days, results from the damage incurred at that site when a tree fell on the playground during Hurricane Isabel. The contractor, Custom Park Services, Inc., will be moving on site to install new playground equipment. The existing playground area will become a picnic area and the playground will be moved to a site with improved access. The composite unit is appropriate for school-aged children and will contain two bays of swings. The project costs of $34,000 include demolition of the old unit as well as new benches and safety surfacing. Construction access to the site will be from the Garrett Street entrance. Completion of this project is scheduled for February 2004. For more information about this project, contact Elizabeth Cronauer at 703-324-8629.
• Noted Historian Explores Banjo’s Past—Visitors are invited to listen as Carson Hudson, Virginia historian, musician and interpreter, presents an informative and entertaining “show and tell” program about a popular instrument. Carson explores the origins and transformation of the banjo and banjo music in early Virginia on Sunday, February 29, 2004 at Sully Historic Site, located in Chantilly, VA. Learn about the changing sound of the instrument that originated in Africa. The banjo was played by slaves in North America and later became the mainstay and star of blue grass and country music. Show times are scheduled for noon and 2pm Seating is limited. The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for children and seniors. A tour of the 1794 home is included with admission. For information or prepaid reservations, call 703-437-1794. Sully Historic Site is located on Route 28 north, one quarter mile north of Route 50.
• Annual Cross County Trail Caucus Rescheduled—The third annual Cross County Trail Caucus, canceled last week due to inclement weather, has been rescheduled for Thursday, February 26, 2004 at 7:30pm The meeting will be held in the Woodson High School cafeteria in Fairfax, VA. The Cross County Trail Caucus, sponsored by the Fairfax County Park Authority and supported by local trail groups and hiking organizations, is a chance to look at the accomplishments of the past year relating to local trails and those who support and use them. The program features a chance to network with other trail enthusiasts, announcement of the Cross County Trail Champion winner, presentations by advocates of local Friends groups and recognition of volunteer trail projects. Refreshments will also be served. For more information, call Jenny Pate, trails coordinator for the Park Authority, at 703-324-8726.
• Frying Pan Park Birth Rate Peaks With New Piglets—If you or your children enjoy watching little pig piglets run around, a visit to Frying Pan Park is overdue. The first piglets of the year have arrived, and arrived, and arrived; with 16 new piglets now calling the barn home. The weather was frosty and the winds howled, but that did not stop the impending births. Two sets of piglets were born on Friday, January 23, and Sunday, January 25. Moms, “Ohee,” a white Yorkshire Cross, and “Wanda,” a Hampshire, each had eight babies. All the babies are healthy and ready for visitors. Farm hours for visitation are 9am to 5p.m. Frying Pan Park is located at 2709 West Ox Road in Herndon, VA. Check out our website at www.fairfaxcounty.gov./parks/fpp for updates on future births.
• Sully Included In Underground Railroad Network—The National Park Service named Sully Historic Site, located in Chantilly, as a member of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Sully, a Virginia Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1794 by Richard Bland Lee, Northern Virginia's first representative to Congress. The network looks at sites, facilities and programs that help to tell “the story of resistance against the institution of slavery in the United States through escape and flight.” The Park Service found that the Park Authority site, through its letters and newspaper advertisement of runaway slaves, makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the Underground Railroad in American history. The house, grounds and representative slave quarters is owned and operated by the Fairfax County Park Authority. The house is furnished with antiques and reproductions of the federal period. House tours are offered every day except for Tuesdays, and educational programs, craft demonstrations and living history events are offered throughout the year. For more information, call 703-437-1794.
• Park Authority Board Chooses Incumbent To Lead—Earlier this week, the Fairfax County Park Authority Board elected officers, naming Winifred S. Shapiro as Chairman (Braddock District), as well as incumbents Gilbert S. McCutcheon (Mount Vernon District) as Vice Chairman and Jennifer Heinz (At-large representative) as Secretary-Treasurer. The vote was unanimous and keeps the existing officers in place. Mrs. Shapiro has served on the Park Authority Board since February 2000. This is her third election to the post of Chairman, a position she has held since January 2002. Chairman Shapiro is a well-known community activist and participates in numerous civic organizations. She is employed by the U.S. Department of Education as a budget analyst. The Fairfax County Park Authority Board is appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. These 12 appointees are comprised of one representative from each of the magisterial districts, plus three at-large members. The Board sets policy and establishes priorities for the park agency, which manages dozens of facilities, 388 parks and over 22,000 acres of parkland in Fairfax County.

• We've Moved! We are now located at 7001 Loisdale Road, Suite C, Springfield, Virginia. You can obtain driving and metro information by going to our website: www.wbcnova.org.
• The Women's Business Center of Northern Virginia is offering lots of training opportunities next month! We can assist you at every level of growth in your venture! Don't forget to REGISTER FOR ALL EVENTS on our website - www.wbcnova.org or call 703-778-9WBC!
• The ABCs of Starting a Business is for the new or budding entrepreneur., March 31, 6-9pm. This FREE 3-hour workshop covers what it takes to be an entrepreneur, licensing and registration, selecting the right legal entity (Sole Proprietor, LLC, S Corporation, etc.) business and marketing plans, where to get financing, and how we can help you along the way.
• The Small Business Toolkit Series For the beginner or growing business owner who needs to obtain more details on the technical aspects of business management and planning, we have our Small Business Toolkit Series. This 3-day series of classes includes: Business Planning & Financing for Growth (3/17), Small Business Tax Planning & Bookkeeping (3/24), and Marketing, Legal & Risk Planning (4/7). The fee is $50.00 per class OR $130 for the entire series. All classes will be held 8:30am-4pm.
• Small Office Home Office Loan Information Sessions will be held at our office every Wednesday from 2-3pm (no charge).
• Are you looking to NETWORK with other business owners? Then JOIN US for our First Friday Networking Breakfast on March 5 from 8-9:30am (Fee: $5.00). Call for topic!
• We still have two openings for new clients at the Business Incubation Center which opened February 2. Are you ready to move out of your home office, but not ready for commercial space? Come "live" with us for 12-24 months, get lots of counseling and support, and let's grow your business! Only $650/month. Call Barbara Wrigley at 703-778-9WBC for more information.
• Volunteers Wanted! We REALLY count on volunteers to help us with a variety of tasks, from copying and assembling class materials, to hostessing events, cleaning up, and typing registrations into our Access Database. We have lots of other opportunities that require a much shorter commitment like once a month, or once in a blue moon. We LOVE our volunteers and hope you'll call us soon! Phone 703-778-9WBC or email: info@wbcnova.org.

Cox Farms - Vienna, Inc. -- 30 years
Green Hedges School -- 16 years
Amphora Restaurant -- 14 years
Princess Jewelers -- 14 years
Boring & Pilger -- 13 years
Connection Newspaper -- 11 years
Edward Jones -- 11 years
One Hour Moto Photo -- 11 years
Renaissance Grounds & Prop. Maint., Inc. -- 11 years
McCormick Insurance Agency -- 10 years
Ristorante Bonaroti -- 10 years
Brennan & Waite, P.L.C., Attorneys @ Law -- 9 years
Karin's Florist, Inc. -- 9 years
US Automotive Leasing Services/USAL Cellular -- 9 years
Family Chiropractic Center of Oakton -- 8 years
Mr. Wash Car Wash -- 8 years
Papastergiou, George, DDS, PLC -- 8 years
State Farm Insurance (Eubank) -- 8 years
Vienna Dance Academy -- 8 years
Weichert Realtors (McHale) -- 8 years
Atrium at Meadowlark Gardens -- 7 years
Long & Foster Realtors (Volpe) -- 7 years
McKinney Financial Planning & Management -- 7 years
Entertainment Connection, Inc. -- 6 years
All Wireless Communication -- 5 years
Cardinal Bank HQ -- 5 years
First Horizon Home Loan Corporation -- 5 years
Marshall Road Elementary School -- 5 years
Virginia Commerce Bank -- 5 years
Waples Mill Elementary -- 5 years
Weichert Realtors (Fisher) -- 5 years
Adecco Employment Services, Inc. -- 4 years
Creative Framing -- 4 years
Historic Vienna, Inc. -- 4 years
Langford Insurance Agency, Inc. -- 4 years
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant -- 4 years
Paya Thai -- 4 years
Weichert Realtors (Collins) -- 4 years
NOVA Exteriors, Inc. -- 3 years
Tysons Realty, Inc. -- 3 years
Wolftrap Elementary School -- 3 years
Hawk Associates -- 2 years
Image Strategies -- 2 years
The Florian Foundation -- 2 years
Congressman Thomas M. Davis, III -- 1 year
eHome Solutions -- 1 year
Financial Asset Solutions Technology (FAST) -- 1 year
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar -- 1 year
House of Delegates -- 1 year
Jackson Lewis LLP -- 1 year
New Boston Fund -- 1 year
Postman Voice Talent -- 1 year
State Farm Insurance (Serrano) -- 1 year
Sunset Hills Foliage -- 1 year
The Hammond Agency, Inc. -- 1 year