Cub Scout Pack 2011 At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Scouts from Centreville’s Cub Scout Pack 2011, Owen Proper and Jonathan Faupel, lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier while den leader, Col. Tom Faupel, U.S. Army (Retired) and Connor Gary watch on with the rest of the Pack.
Editorial: Income Gap Alive and Well
Statistics make life in the area sound idyllic, but many families are left out in the land of plenty.
Northern Virginia is a place of wonder and plenty. So says the New York Times this past week in, "Income Gap Meet the Longevity Gap," (March 15, 2014).
No Know. No Problem.
I felt a bit of a dope this week when, after reading last week’s column, "Whew!", multiple friends called to inquire specifically as to the "Tony-the-Tiger Great" news I wrote that I received from my oncologist, and I couldn’t answer them in any detail: shrinkage, less fluid, "partial stable remission"? Nothing. And though I tried to get my oncologist to explain to me exactly what was so encouraging about this most recent CT Scan – compared to the one I took three months ago (as opposed to the one I had nine months ago which was mistakenly compared to this most recent scan and resulted in the "Some better, some worse. I’ll explain more on Friday" e-mail I received from my doctor and talked about in "Whew!") – I was rebuffed. Rebuffed in the best possible way: being told instead how great I was doing, how great my lab results were (for this most recent pre-chemotherapy) and how I could live a long time like this (presumably continuing to be infused with Alimta) – it was almost disconcerting; especially when you consider the original e-mail assessment we received and our less-than-positive interpretation of it. Moreover, the oncologist’s exuberance and smiling countenance, along with his offer of a congratulatory handshake led me away from the missing facts and immediately into these new-found feelings.
How To Prepare for New SAT
Local experts say working hard in class is the best way to be successful.
Linda Mitchell and her 15-year-old daughter, Alexis, say they don’t really know what to expect when Alexis sits for the SAT college admissions exam in 2016, but they’re not too worried at this point. Two years is a long time.
School Notes
Fairfax County Public Schools named 64 students to the 2014 Virginia All-State Band, and 86 FCPS students have been named to the 2014 Virginia All-State Orchestra. Both groups will perform at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, at the new Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Fairfax County Public School students from 22 high and secondary schools were named to the band or orchestra. Centreville High School: Alison Dettmer, Flute; Edward Chung, Violin; Joy Kim, Violin; Yehyun Kim, Violin; Joshua Pak, Violin; Jihun Yom, Violin. Westfield High School: Chandler Comer, Tenor Trombone; Daniel Park, Violin.
Art Educators, Galleries Celebrate Youth Art Month
Experts say art can teach valuable life skills.
Brightly colored self-portraits, landscapes dotted with spring flowers and hand-carved sculptures fill a gallery at the McLean Project for the Arts in McLean. All of the art was created by local school children. Meanwhile, in Alexandria, parents and tots dip their fingers in glue, clay and paint to create collages, sculptures and paintings.
Democrates in the 10th District Nominate John Foust
The field of GOP contenders vying for retiring U.S. Rep. Frank R. Wolf’s seat is still crowded, but the Democratic pool of political hopefuls dwindled to one on Monday: Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust (D-Dranesville). The Tenth Congressional District Democratic Committee (10th CDDC) announced Monday, March 17, it had cancelled its April 26 convention after Foust became the only candidate to file to seek the Democratic nomination for Congress. “To win this race in November we needed to avoid a costly primary and coalesce around a nominee as soon as possible,” said Committee Chairman Charlie Jackson in a statement regarding the decision. “We’ve done that and we couldn’t be happier that John Foust will become our nominee and have the ability to hit the ground running right away as our standard bearer.”
Two Sully Police Officers Honored
Because snow cancelled February’s meeting of the Sully District Police Station’s Citizens Advisory Committee, two officers of the month were honored last week. Station Commander Ed O’Carroll recognized PFC John Kolcun for February and PFC Joe Compher for March. He and the CAC feted both officers during the CAC’s March 12 meeting at the Sully District Station. O’Carroll said Kolcun was being acknowledged for “his diligence out on the streets. He’s permanently on night duty so, when we’re all home sleeping and safe, he’s out there fighting crime.”
CVHS Film-Production Classes Inspired Him
A 1996 Centreville High grad, Jason Corgan Brown is the producer, director and co-writer of the independent film, “Falcon Song.” And it’s having a sneak preview, this Sunday, March 23, at 2 p.m., at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Ashburn. Tickets are available now at http://drafthouse.com/movies/falcon-song/northern_virginia. Fresh from the Santa Barbara Film Festival, where it premiered in February, the PG-rated movie is a contemporary western in which a guitar-playing drifter helps a rancher's granddaughter find her true calling. It explores themes of land conservation and soul searching in a world filled with quirky, colorful characters and magical realism. The ensemble features Gabriel Sunday (“Year One”) with Rainey Qualley (daughter of Andie MacDowell), plus Martin Kove (“Karate Kid”), James Storm (“Dark Shadows”), Michael Yebba (“R.I.P.D.”) and David Hayward (“Matlock”).
Mathnasium Makes Learning Math Fun
The husband and wife team of Keni and Punam Patel has brought the Mathnasium concept of learning to Centreville area students. The Mathnasium opened in February in Centreville Square II near the Party Depot. Inside the storefront, an open area is filled with tables and games; oversized math “scribbles” decorate the walls. Keni Patel received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in electrical engineering from Boston University and was subsequently an Advanced Studies Research Fellow at MIT. He is currently an applied mathematician in the Advanced Technology Group at Boeing Defense in Fairfax.
Letter to the Editor: Support Angel Fund
To the Editor: We would like to thank Edgar Espinosa and the staff at Picante! Restaurant in Chantilly for their very generous offer to Angel Fund. Mr. Espinosa sent us coupons enabling customers to donate 10 percent of their meal’s bill to Angel Fund. Readers may visit our website: https://www.angelfundva.org/donate to print out the coupons or write Lu Ann McNabb at l.mcnabb@cox.net for copies.
Classified Advertising March 19. 2014
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Tips to Get Your Home Ready for Spring
Experts suggest a yearly spring maintenance check-up.
With warmer weather just around the corner, it’s time to focus on your home.
Getting Your Garden Ready for Spring
Local experts tell you what you should do now, in spite of the cold weather.
It doesn’t feel like spring. Last week’s snow made it seem like warm weather might never arrive, so planting a garden might be the last thing on your mind. However, local gardening experts say this is the ideal time to start preparing your landscape to yield colorful spring foliage. Bill Mann, of Behnke Nurseries in Potomac, Md., said spring garden preparation plans differ from year to year. "It depends on the landscape beds you have and whether or not you’re planning to put in a vegetable garden," he said.
Whimsy Meets Elegance
Potomac designer creates playful yet polished home for family of five.
When an active family of five approached Potomac interior designer Sharon Kleinman and asked her to give their home a makeover, they wanted a whimsical yet polished space.
Kitchen Confidential
From light-filled to dramatic, local designers create dream kitchens.
When Allie Mann of Arlington, a designer and senior interior specialist at Case Design/Remodeling, Inc. was tasked with giving the first floor of a McLean, Va., home a face lift, she had to think free-flowing and airy.
Arlington Family Outgrows Home but Stays Put
Family builds addition to accommodate their growing needs.
When a family of five realized that they’d outgrown their home in the Cherrydale neighborhood of Arlington, they pondered two options: purchase a new home or build an addition onto their existing home. They decided to stay in their home.
15th Biennial Ikebana Show at the Art League
Twenty-five members of the Washington, D.C., branch of the Sogetsu School participated in the 15th biennial Ikebana Show at the Art League in the Torpedo Factory last week.
Near Zero Temps Call for Back-to-Basic
What mid-winter maintenance can reveal about your home’s needs.
While common sense suggests that home improvements should be put off to warmer weather, a sustained period of colder temperatures often reveals systemic problems that will need correction sooner or later. As temperatures dropped precipitously several weeks ago, all Reston homeowner Craig Mattice knew was that his original mansard roof was plagued with ice dams and his 10-year-old, 600-square-foot addition was so cold the pipes were freezing. Moreover, no amount of thermostat adjustment improved the situation much.
Award-winning Composer Coming to Fairfax
The Fairfax Choral Society is sponsoring a Morten Lauridsen residency, March 20-23.
Morten Lauridsen, a renowned choral composer who is the subject of the 2012 award-winning documentary “Shining Night” and who was named an “American Choral Master” by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2006, is coming to Fairfax next week.