Stories for April 2015

Stories for April 2015

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Thursday, April 30

Fairfax County School Board to Consider Nondiscrimination Policy Change

When the members of the School Board reconvene on May 7, they’re scheduled to act on whether or not to add “gender identity” to the list of nondiscrimination categories for all Fairfax County Public Schools students, employees or applicants for employment.

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Mount Vernon: Looking Ahead

Development is underway along Route 1.

The former Penn Daw Plaza shopping center was rezoned as part of a 2012 Comprehensive Plan amendment for the Penn Daw area and is set to be replaced by a mixed-use development called One Kings.

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Mount Vernon: Festive Start to Fort Hunt Fast Pitch Season

Fort Hunt Softball held its Opening Day celebration on Sunday, April 12, at the Walt Whitman softball complex. Approximately 400 people including players, family members and volunteers attended. The party started off with a picnic, games and dancing.

Letter: Record of Leadership

Letter to the Editor

I have known Paul Krizek, who is running to be our next delegate, for years.

Letter: Get To Know Bennett

Letter to the Editor

In just over six weeks, Candice Bennett has emerged as a strong contender for Mount Vernon District Supervisor.

Letter: Disappointing Budget Vote

Letter to the Editor

The following open letter was addressed to Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland.

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Summer Sailing Camp: Outside, Hands-On, Empowering

Amy Zang has just returned from a week sailing the British Virgin Isles with nine members of her extended family ranging from her 78-year-old, legally-blind father to her brother's 4- and 6-year old children.

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Diverse Camps Offer Summer Fun

Northern Virginia has scores of local camps for summer learning and fun.  

Scores of local camps in Northern Virginia that offer many opportunities for summer fun and learning. Here is a sampling of diverse camps that range from art to theater to field trips to swimming, tennis and music. There's even a camp for aspiring musicians who want to form a band.

Column: Celebrating Mom and Dad Without Selling Either Short

Commentary

In today’s marketing environment, it seems as though one gender cannot make progress without disparaging another.

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Summer Fun for Adults

The region offers a wide range of programs for adults.

Summer fun is no longer reserved for children. Whether one’s interests lie in exploring nature and hiking in the woods or immersed in history, art and literature on a university campus, the region abounds with warm weather opportunities.

Marymount Technology Institutes for Ages 14-18

Marymount has summer programs for teens ages 14-18 who are interested in technology. Gain technology skills and hands-on experience; create a mobile app or take part in a cyber competition in health care; meet fellow students who share your excitement about technology; network with technology professionals about career possibilities. Summer Technology Institutes' 2015 Programs:

West Potomac Rides Seven-Game Win Streak to First Place

Wolverines win 9 of 11 prior to Tuesday’s loss to Annandale.

Leading off the bottom of the sixth inning, West Potomac right fielder Rocky Iboleon got the fastball he wanted and drove it to deep left.

Alexandria: Add/Delete Budget Drama

Council members spar over last minute additions.

A preliminary discussion of the City Council’s Add/Deletes from the budget led to a heated exchange between council members during their April 28 meeting.

Veterans Receive Choral Welcome at Reagan

A group of veterans arriving at Reagan National Airport on Wednesday morning, April 15, from Knoxville, Tenn. were greeted with cheers, hugs, and patriotic music.

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Trending in Mount Vernon

Waterfront, rebuilding and townhomes.

Chris White, an Alexandria-based Long and Foster agent, says business is booming for waterfront property in the Mount Vernon area. Whether it’s canals, creeks or the open river, “anything you can stick a boat into” is getting a lot of attention, he said. In particular, homes with dramatic river views, sellers of those in the $1-2 million range are getting close to their asking price.

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Obituary: Jeff K. Meadows

Obituary

Jeff K. Meadows, a former Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce board member and local entrepreneur, died in his home on April 20, 2015. He was diagnosed with cancer last September and maintained a bright outlook continually, seeking a new opportunity for good in the manner that he approached all things.

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One Injured In Hotel Fire

Fairfax County Fire & Rescue investigators determined that an accidental electrical fire ignited a blaze that destroyed the Quality Inn & Suites hotel located at 8849 Richmond Highway.

Mount Vernon: More Money For Route 1

Improvement projects for corridor gather momentum.

Fairfax County elected officials were pleased with recent announcements from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and Commonwealth Transportation Board that included increased funding for transportation improvements along U.S. Route 1.

Mount Vernon: John Geer Protest

Adam Buchanan of Springfield was among a group of about 20 protesters in front of the Fairfax County Government Center prior to the Ad Hoc commission meeting on April 27. He began following the case of John Geer after some of his friends who lived nearby where Geer was killed told him about the incident. “I’m glad to hear about the grand jury,” Buchanan said, “but all these cases, why are people getting killed in these situations? What can be done to prevent this in the future?”

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Protest Precedes Police Meeting at Fairfax County Government Center

Themed subcommittees announced at second police review commission meeting.

Increased Fairfax County Police presence was noticeable at the rear of the room after three masked men entered the second meeting of the Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission.

Wednesday, April 29

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How to Prepare for Summer Camp Away

Many emotions arise when a child leaves for camp.

Julie Kaminski remembers the language from her desperate letters to her parents: “I love you. I want to come home now!” She recalls penning a dramatic plea to be rescued from residential summer camp more than 40 years ago. Today, Kaminski is preparing for her daughter's first camp experience away from home this summer.

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Congressional Schools of Virginia is Celebrating 75 Years

The Congressional Schools of Virginia in Falls Church marked its 75th anniversary with a weekend-long celebration on April 24 and 25, with events attended by hundreds of students, staff, alumni and friends of the school.

Local Brain Training Center to Hold Brain OlympicsRx

LearningRx-Fairfax hosting a free day of fun brain-related competitions.

To raise awareness about the brain’s ability to change at any age, LearningRx brain training centers across the United States are holding a Brain OlympicsRx event. The local cognitive skills center, LearningRx Fairfax, will be holding its event on Saturday, May 23, from noon to 4 p.m.

Camps and Schools Notes

The Fairfax Falcons Paralympic Sports team, a Fairfax County Neighborhood and Recreation Services Therapeutic Recreation program, is recruiting new players.

Mount Vernon: West Potomac Rides 7-Game Win Streak to First Place

Wolverines win 9 of 11 prior to Tuesday’s loss to Annandale.

The West Potomac baseball team sits atop the Conference 7 standings with a 6-1 record.

Column: Deep Space Mind

Commentary

A few years back (OKAY, more than a few years back; I’ll blame the cancer for my time lapse), there was a spin-off from the original Star Trek: Star Trek: The Next Generation captained by Jean-Luc Picard (a.k.a. Patrick Stewart) which itself spawned two other spin-offs: Star Trek Voyager and Deep Space Nine (commanded by Avery Brooks, a.k.a. Captain Sisko).

Tuesday, April 28

Editorial: Fostering Connections, Faltering

Why are federal dollars acceptable for roads, but not for helping foster children?

While there is plenty of competition for the title “most vulnerable,” foster children are certainly among them.

Column: Bringing Champions Together

Commentary

In my 20-plus years in Special Olympics I still, on occasion, make the same mistake. I miss the boat. I underestimate the abilities either cognitive or physical of our Special Olympics athletes; athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Friday, April 24

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Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - April 24-26, 2015

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

A roundup of fun things to do this weekend in Fairfax county.

Thursday, April 23

Transurban Begins Grant Program for Express Lanes Corridor Nonprofits

Transurban, the company that operates the 95 and 495 Express lanes, announced earlier this month the launch of a community grant program for non-profit organizations working in or benefiting the Express Lanes corridor.

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“Can You See Me?” Campaign Shines Spotlight on the Homeless

Volunteers and representative from Fairfax County’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH) assembled mannequins representing homeless men, women, children, families and veterans on Friday, April 17 at the Fairfax Government Center.

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Local Nonprofit Group Presents 'Perils of the College Drinking Culture' Program

The final quarter of the 2014-2015 school year has arrived. For thousands of area high school seniors that means time to say farewells to friends, teachers, and the familiarity of the routines and activities of the past four years. For many of them, it also means time to prepare for that first year of college, and possibly their first time away from home and daily parental guidance.

Budget Gets Marked Up

Supervisors scheduled to adopt budget next Tuesday, April 28.

The Board of Supervisors marked up the proposed budget Tuesday, April 21, by increasing school funding, adding key economic growth positions and restoring money to suggested cuts to "critical" human service programs Tuesday morning, April 21, according to its Chairman Sharon Bulova.

Outlook Optimistic for Local 2015 Real Estate Market

After what seemed to be an endless winter, spring has finally come calling, signaling the start of the year’s first real estate high season. Homes trade hands all year long, but spring is often for buyers, seller, agents, brokers and lenders like those weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas; buyers at full speed searching out the best bargains and sellers looking to move their wares without having to resort to price-slashing sales tactics.

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Editorial: Connection Papers Win Awards

Variety of coverage honored at annual Virginia Press Association conference.

On Saturday, April 18, a group of journalists from the Connection Newspapers traveled to Roanoke for the annual Virginia Press Association event to collect awards for business reporting, government writing, writing about health, science and the environment, feature writing, sports writing, column writing, obituaries, cartoons, entertainment pages and writing, public safety writing, editorial pages and writing, page design, informational graphics and more.

Wednesday, April 22

Column: Veto Session on Ethics, Voter ID, Government Surveillance

Commentary

Last week, we returned to Richmond for the annual Reconvened or Veto Session where we considered about 20 vetoes and 60 Governor's amendments to various bills. First, Governor McAuliffe signed the state budget we passed so there were no budget amendments to consider for the first time in my six sessions. However, that did not speed things up.

Community Rallies Behind Fire Victims

After a Mount Vernon High School student and family lost their home in a fire on April 14, principal Nardos King sent an email the following Friday morning to school staff and the Mount Vernon “Keep In Touch” contact list asking for donations to help the family start over.

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Thomas Jefferson Class of 2019: 70% Asian, 1.6% Black

Some say unbalanced admissions demographics at Northern Virginia’s top high school speaks to system-wide equity problems.

Consider: 70.2 percent Asian, 20.7 percent White, 5.1 percent Multiracial/Other, 2.4 percent Hispanic, 1.6 percent Black: This is the ethnic breakdown of the 493 students admitted to the 2019 class of the Fairfax County Public Schools magnet institution Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.

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Fairfax County Pays $2.95 Million to Settle John Geer Wrongful Death Suit

More than seven months after the Geer family lawyer Michael Lieberman filed a $12 million wrongful death civil suit in Circuit Court against Fairfax County Police, the two sides reached a $2.95 million settlement, announced Tuesday, April 21.

Column: Pins and Needles

Commentary

This column isn’t about acupuncture or knitting, any more than last week’s column was about nausea.

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Mount Vernon: Martin, Smith Lead Majors to Comeback Win over Titans

Mount Vernon boys’ lacrosse improves to 5­-1, TC falls to 3-­7.

The Mount Vernon boys' lacrosse team overcame a 7-1 deficit to beat T.C. Williams 12-11.

Thursday, April 16

Mount Vernon Home Sales: March, 2015

In March, 2015, 117 homes sold between $1,300,000-$100,000 in the Mount Vernon area.

Mount Vernon Home Sales: March, 2015

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Alexandria/Mount Vernon Weekend Fun: April 17-19

Weekend events in Alexandria and Mount Vernon April 17-19

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Democrats Debate for District Supervisor

South County Federation hosts supervisor candidates’ forum.

Members of the South County Federation civic association welcomed the four Democratic candidates to replace Gerry Hyland as Mount Vernon District supervisor for a debate during their April 14 meeting in the South County High School Library.

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‘Blue Sky’ Projects: Build or Renovate?

Fairfax County Public Schools hosts Region 3 community meeting.

Mount Vernon residents Cathy Hosek and Shelly Good-Cook spent their Wednesday night in the Hayfield Secondary School cafeteria, engaging in discussion about how to improve their area schools and community.

Mount Vernon: All-State Outfielder Zyzyk Transitions to Catcher

Towson signee changed positions to help team.

Ten months removed from a trip to the Conference 13 championship game, the Mount Vernon softball team prepared to enter the 2015 season anchored by all-state outfielder Stormy Zyzyk and promising young pitcher Susannah Anderson.

Letter: Fairfax Won’t Charge Officer

Letter to the Editor

This is a story of two governments handling of whether to hold police officers accountable when they have clear evidence the officer shot and killed an unarmed citizen.

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Little League Opening Day in Mount Vernon

It was a day to “play ball” and 1,200 boys and girls showed up in Mount Vernon to do just that. Saturday, April 11, was opening day for the Fort Hunt, Alexandria-Potomac and Woodlawn Little Leagues.

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Mount Vernon Woods Elementary Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Supervisors congratulate Mount Vernon Woods on 50-year milestone.

Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School students turned the Board of Supervisors auditorium into a concert hall Tuesday morning, April 7.

Mount Vernon Crime Report for the Week of April 15

The following incidents were reported by the Mount Vernon District Police Station.

Wednesday, April 15

Moving for Academic Excellence

Researchers say frequent physical activity can lead to success in school.

Inside an elementary school classroom in Bethesda, Md., a class of third grade students is divided into small groups and given a task: to cross a desert using a limited supply of tools that often include a jump rope, a foam noodle or a scooter. Their mission is to devise a plan to cross the desert without touching the sand.

Column: Seeking Economic Equality for Women

Commentary

I have been surrounded by strong women all of my life. My grandmother was a suffragette, economics professor, labor leader, and advocate for most of her 98 years.

Column: Up and Down and All Around

Commentary

No. That’s not my stomach talking.

Tuesday, April 14

Send in Mother's Day Photos

Deadline for submissions is May 1.

Mother’s Day is May 10 and, every year at this time, The Connection calls for submissions to our Mother’s Day photo gallery.

Editorial: Counting Homeless; Solution Is Housing

Results of the annual census of homeless show progress, persistence of the problem, and some worrying trends.

On the night of Jan. 28, 2015, there were 1,204 people who were literally homeless in the Fairfax County area.

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Holocaust Remembrance Day in Fairfax County

"One of the most important things we do."

Holocaust survivor Michel Margosis spoke before the Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, April 7, when the Board of Supervisors made a proclamation declaring April 16 as Holocaust Remembrance Day in Fairfax County.

Thursday, April 9

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Alexandria/Mount Vernon Weekend Fun: April 10-12

Entertainment

Alexandria/Mount Vernon Weekend Fun: April 10-12

Chief Postal Inspector Awarded

The Law Enforcement Commendation Certificate and Medal were presented to Chief Inspector Guy Cottrell of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at the George Washington Chapter meeting of the Sons of the American Revolution on March 14.

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D.C. Design House

McLean showcase home opens to the public April 12.

Local interior design enthusiasts will have an opportunity to tour a much-anticipated unveiling this weekend when the 2015 Design House opens in McLean on Sunday, April 12 at noon, with ticket sales benefiting the Children’s National Health System.

DiPatrizio Named New Postmaster of Alexandria

Mario DiPatrizio was recently named postmaster of Alexandria. DiPatrizio, a postal employee of more than 23 years, replaces John Brodbeck who has moved to a new position in Baltimore.

Mount Vernon: Sports Briefs for the Week of April 4

Sports Briefs for the week of 04/08/15

Wednesday, April 8

Letter: Focus Attention On School Buildings

Letter to the Editor

Citizens of Alexandria, I have written several articles in this newspaper not only to inform you of what is happening in the city but also to raise your ire on important issues so you will take action. I have a confession to make I have been holding out on you. I have been hoping that things would change, however things have not changed and they are spiraling out of control and the whole academic and economic well being of our city will be affected unless we act. Put away the partisan politics; we have no need and no time for that nonsense. Here is the story.

Letter: Non-Stop Spending

Letter to the Editor

The City Council-created mega-spending tsunami has begun. Unless you and your neighbors replace this mayor and City Council with fiscally sensible people and demand the city charter be changed to impose a spending restriction on our elected officials, there is nothing you can do about the enormous wave of debt soon to engulf you. Pointless even to hold on to your wallet.

Letter: Not a Priority

Letter to the Editor

Last Tuesday night over 100 members of the Mt. Vernon community met with Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA), in efforts to prioritize funding in their upcoming two year transportation budget for the widening of Route 1 from Jeff Todd Way (Roy Rogers) to Napper Road (Costco).

Letter: ‘Conscience’ Held At Bay

Letter to the Editor

At the behest of a friend, I paid a recent visit to the Fairfax GOP webpage fairfaxgop.org/nomination/ – the link entitled “Nomination Process Information” is displayed prominently on the committee’s homepage – and from the outside looking in, it does seem rather certain the Fairfax GOP has (either inadvertently or deliberately) omitted Virginia House District 44 from this year’s “call for candidates.”

Letter: Prioritizing Improvements

Letter to the Editor

My name is Paul Krizek, and I am running for delegate in Virginia’s 44th District.

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Royal Visit to Mount Vernon

Prince Charles charms fellow visitors at the Estate.

There was a buzz on March 18 throughout the D.C. Metropolitan area as Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, visited sites in Washington D.C. and beyond. Mary Beth Powers said that she was caught off-guard as she was driving down the George Washington Parkway when the Prince’s motorcade came by on its way to Mount Vernon. Mike and Artemis Davey somehow ended up in the motorcade in their VW Bug “Herbie.” “People all along the side were waving Herbie on,” said Artemis Davey.

Editorial: A Big Election Year in Virginia

Register, research, vote. And vote again.

Every year is an election year in Virginia. Here are a few examples that demonstrate that while elections are ubiquitous in Virginia, they are neither simple nor unimportant. Wade in, a lot depends on figuring this out and voting. This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of candidates.

More Than 200 Attend First Fairfax County Budget Hearing

Schools, libraries, economic development authorites and others seek more funding while tax-hawks call for reductions.

More than 200 people packed the Fairfax County Government auditorium Tuesday, April 7, and 60 speakers were scheduled to testify before the Board of Supervisors on the advertised budget. The hearing began with a presentation by School Board Chairman Tamara Derenak Kaufax. Members of the Fairfax County School Board sat in the front row, gave a standing ovation, and remained standing as Kaufax finished her testimony to begin the budget hearings.

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Mount Vernon: Foreman Drives Senate District

GOP candidate spends day seeing the 36th top to bottom.

By 2:30 p.m. on April 2, Dumfries Mayor Jerry Foreman had already attended meet-and-greets in Stafford, Quantico and Montclair. His fourth stop was the home of Susan Valentine in the Kingstowne area of Alexandria. A fifth event, an ice cream social called “Get the Scoop on Jerry,” awaited him at the finish line in Dumfries.

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Mount Vernon: Surovell, Krizek Deliver Petition on Route 1 Widening

Following a public meeting held March 31 at the South County Government Center to discuss the different projects the Northern Virginia Transit Authority is considering, Del. Scott Surovell (D-44) and 44th District House of Delegates candidate Paul Krizek submitted a petition to the Transit Authority demanding the widening of Route 1 be made a higher priority.

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Mount Vernon: Hundreds Attend Budget Hearing

Schools, libraries, economic development authority and others seek more funding while tax-hawks call for reductions.

More than 200 people packed the Fairfax County Government auditorium Tuesday, April 7, and 60 speakers were scheduled to testify before the Board of Supervisors on the advertised budget. The hearing began with a presentation by School Board Chairman Tamara Derenak Kaufax.

Column: The Fact Is Not Yet The Matter

I don’t know which is worse: the extra-special, extra-expensive, dental cleaning (the kind that requires Novocain and involves the actual dentist, not merely the hygienist) that I have scheduled for April 8th – or my next hopefully-not-do-or-die CT Scan, moved up a month from my usual three-month interval because of a suspicious formation seen on my most recent scan back in mid-February.

Thursday, April 2

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Prisoner Escapes from Fairfax Hospital, Gets Recaptured

Social media aids manhunt

Around 3 a.m. on Tuesday, March 31, Wossen Assaye overpowered the female member of his two-guard private security detail while the male was out of his hospital room. Assaye was reportedly in shackles on a hospital gurney before the struggle.

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Springfield: Getting into Marian Homes

Remodeling project to provide for residents with intellectual and or physical disabilities.

When the new residents of Marian Homes’ latest remodeling project move in to the Gresham Street house in north Springfield, Fairfax resident and Marian volunteer John Germain hopes they feel at home.

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Northern Virginia Training Center in Fairfax to Close by March 2016

From institution to community, finding homes for those hard to place.

Joseph McHugh has lived at the Northern Virginia Training Center for 35 years, moving in when he was a teenager. McHugh has cerebral palsy and colostomy and severe spasticity issues. At the training center, McHugh works with a speech pathologist, nurse, on-campus dietician and is close to an X-ray machine, dental facility and clinic on the grounds.

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Alexandria/Mount Vernon Weekend Fun: April 3-5

Weekend Fun: April 3-5

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Mount Vernon: Focus Music Celebrates 100 Shows

Two talents on the American folk music scene – Susan Greenbaum and John Flynn – performed to audience acclaim Saturday night, March 14, at the Church of St. Clement on North Quaker Road to mark Focus Music’s 100th Alexandria concert since its inception 13 years ago.

Mount Vernon: Fort Belvoir Swim Team Competes Nationally

Five members of the Fort Belvoir Swim Team recently competed at the NASA Junior National Championship Cup swim meet in Clearwater, Fla.

Sargeant Kicks Off Mount Vernon Supervisor Campaign

Of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors district seats, all of which are up for election this fall, the Mount Vernon spot is already being contested by four candidates.

Wednesday, April 1

Obituary: Geoffrey Williams

Obituary

On Thursday, March 19th, 2015, Geoffrey Christian Williams passed away of natural causes. Beloved father of Carolyne Williams and Sally Williams Bartolotta.

South County Federation to Host Mount Vernon Supervisor Debate

All four candidates vying for the seat of retiring Supervisor Gerry Hyland (D-Mount Vernon) will square off in a debate hosted by the South County Federation at its monthly meeting on April 14.

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Mount Vernon: McKay Will Seek Re-Election

Jeff McKay (D-Lee) will seek his third term as Lee District Supervisor. The Alexandria resident formally began his campaign at a March 28 event held at Walker’s Grille in the Alexandria area of Lee District.

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Mount Vernon: Storck Launches Supervisor Campaign

Currently serving his third term as a member of the Fairfax County School Board, Dan Storck kicked off his campaign to replace a retiring Gerry Hyland (D) as the next Mount Vernon District supervisor.

Mount Vernon: Police Searching for Suspects in Huntington-area Homicide.

Fairfax County Police found 64-year-old Santos Rafael Zelaya inside a residence with multiple gunshot wounds, according to a department release.

Letter: Continue to Support Officers Who Do Good

Letter to the Editor

I have been very impressed with how powerful this local newspaper has been concerning our Fairfax County Police.

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Mount Vernon: West Potomac Baseball Eyes Conference 7 Championship

Junior slugger Sara now known power threat, No. 1 pitcher.

The West Potomac baseball team graduated its top two pitchers from last season, and on March 28 the Wolverines were no-hit and committed nine errors against Paul VI during a game played in low-30-degree temperatures. However, after the frigid 12-0, five-inning loss at Waters Park in Vienna, West Potomac head coach Jim Sullivan and standout junior Jamie Sara spoke of a brighter — and hopefully warmer — future for the Wolverines.

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Preview: MetroStage Presents ‘The Island’

Play depicts human dignity and justice during the 1970s Apartheid.

As part of the 30th anniversary season, MetroStage in Alexandria is staging "The Island" now through April 26. The highly charged two-person play is set on Robben Island, South Africa, and depicts the plight of two political prisoners, John and Winston, as they perform labor by day and rehearse Sophocles’ "Antigone" by night.

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‘Your Life Is Today and Tomorrow’

Residents of local senior living communities share their experiences.

“I didn’t want to come here,” said Bill Woessner, referring to Brightview Assisted Living Community in Great Falls. “That’s right,” agreed Sheila, his wife of more than 50 years, with plenty of her native Scottish brogue to be heard in her voice. “He really didn’t. We have a lovely house here in Great Falls and I don’t think he was ready to budge. But how long after we got here did that change?” she turned to her husband and asked. “At least a day,” he laughingly replied. “Seriously,” said Bill Woessner, “it probably wasn’t more than the first 48 hours.”

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Creative Aging Festival Coming in May

Includes 114 performances, poetry readings, art exhibits, lectures, classes and more.

A Creative Aging Festival will take place throughout the month of May at 100-plus local venues in Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria. The month-long festival includes 114 performances, poetry readings, art exhibits, lectures, classes and more.

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County Adult Centers Offer Seniors Activities, Social Interaction

In 2014, the attendance at Fairfax County senior centers was 277,342.

At the Kingstowne Center for Active Adults, volunteer Frank Bauer sees zumba and yoga classes “flowing into the main room sometimes,” he says, revealing how popular those classes are at the center, which caters to seniors 55 and older. This Kingstowne center, one of 14 senior centers throughout Fairfax County, offers classes and activities to keep seniors active.

Column: Manifest Destiny

I wouldn’t say I have symptoms (why would I say that? If I said that, I’d have to admit that cancer is having an effect on me.

Fit for the Golden Years

Fitness programs for seniors are part of a trend.

One night each week, Sue Thompson can be found dribbling a basketball down the court, leading her team, the Nova United, to victory. Thompson, who is in her 60s, is one of the youngest players in her league, the National Senior Women’s Basketball Association.