How the Powerless Access Power
Immigrants make significant gains in influencing political system.
On Election Night Nov. 6, Keisy Chavez’s nerves were frayed. The Fairfax single mom had been campaigning hard for Democrats since the official launch of Latinos for Obama last April.
Instincts…
Forty-five months later, I am still dealing with feelings – as in still living, for which I am amazingly fortunate. However, those feelings seem to sometimes have a mind of their own, and accordingly tend to take over and rewire one’s brain (figuratively speaking).
Preparing Home for Holiday Guests
Experts offer checklist for getting a house in tip-top shape.
In addition to shopping, decorating and attending parties, many are making a mad dash to get their homes ready for the holiday visitors.
Avoiding Jet Lag
Medical experts offer suggestions for those traveling across multiple time zones during the holidays.
Every December, Linda McDonald travels from her Oak Hill home to Stockton, Calif., to visit her family for Christmas. She tries to head west a few days before the holiday, but often leaves on Christmas Eve, and arrives feeling hazy and sluggish.
Cosmetic Dentistry for Children
Whether it’s to replace a tooth that was lost or broken during a hockey game or to create a Hollywood-smile before taking the stage for a school play, pediatric dentists say an increasing number of children are undergoing cosmetic dental procedures.
Present Needing to be Accounted For
As a stage IV non-small cell lung cancer diagnosee/patient/survivor/anomaly, living long--whether prospering or not, is not the simple and presumptive proposition I had anticipated. No more do I anticipate living the same number of years and in the same relative good health that my parents (both deceased), experienced well into their 80s. Now, my life revolves around my oncologist and the CT Scans and lab work that precede our recurring appointments.
A Life Lesson in Giving Back
An immigrant’s son becomes state delegate and introduces the Virginia DREAM Act.
My father was born in a small town in the Andes mountains region of Venezuela. He was one of 22 brothers and sisters from the same parents. At the age of 19 he came to this country with $280 in his pocket and the dream of a better life. He worked as a bus boy and waiter, learned English, and went to school. He graduated from Northern Virginia Community College when I was 5 years old. He then took one class a semester at George Mason University every year, until he graduated from college one month before I graduated from Robinson High School in Fairfax. As a result of his achieving the American Dream, my father was able to change the lives of my entire family in Latin America.
Pay Now, Bye Later
Contrary to last week’s column, if I do pay for it now (things I can’t afford), then I’ll be so in debt later that I may end up saying “bye” anyway--from the stress of it. And if that were to happen; dying with a smile on my face, so to speak, would I be truly better off now anticipating that later was not going to be my problem? Do I want to be a modern day version of George Raft, the American actor from the 1930s and 40s best known for his portrayals of mobsters, who said about his Hollywood money: “I must have gone through $10 million during my career. Part of the loot went for gambling, part for horses and part for women. The rest I spent foolishly.”
Three Narcotics K-9s Support the Force
Leroy, Lucy and Vegas are trained and ready for duty. With their keen sense of smell, they are experts at scanning wide varieties of locations and assisting patrol officers with requests for service on a 24/7 basis. These dogs are busy, industrious professionals.
Family Services Gives Christmas Presents to Families
Santa’s elves come in several forms; and in the local area, many of them are Northern Virginia Family Services volunteers. And this week, they’ll deliver Christmas presents to 589 families — some 2,100 people — in Fairfax and Prince William counties.
Federal Porn Charges for Former Teacher
In June, Fairfax County police charged a special-education teacher at Poplar Tree Elementary with 10 counts of possession of child pornography. He was immediately suspended without pay, and the school system assured parents that no images of students were found on his computer and school computers were not used.
A Time for Giving
FACETS helps children give presents to siblings.
All year ’round, FACETS helps people in poverty in Fairfax County. It works with families living in public-housing communities and having an average income under $20,000 for a family of four. It also aids those who are, or recently were, homeless.
Letter to the Editor: How Many More Incidents?
To the Editor: There is a saying from the Quran that to take one innocent life is to kill all mankind.
School Notes
Vocal musicians from 14 Fairfax County public schools have been named to the Virginia Honors Choir for 2012.
Military Notes
Francis J. Rechner has been awarded an Air Force ROTC scholarship to attend a host college or university.
Another Arrested in Handyman’s Death
Victim worked for local business-owner.
In June, Reynard Prather was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. On Dec. 7, Tasheik Champean, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and use of a firearm in a crime of violence causing death.
Fundraiser in Honor Of Ryan Lopynski
Goal is to purchase EKG machines
On April 26, 2009, Ryan Lopynski was a freshman at Virginia Tech with his whole life ahead of him. He’d come home to Clifton’s Hampton Chase community to see his family and look for a summer job. But while showering before going to see his sister’s basketball game, he suffered a fatal heart attack. The specific cause of his death is still unknown, although it was discovered posthumously that Ryan had an enlarged heart.
Community Feast Gathers Neighbors for Fellowship
Mount Olive Baptist Church hosted about 100 of its neighbors and special guests at its second Annual Community Feast on Dec. 8
Legislators Are Not Gun Shy About Responding to Connecticut Shooting
Should access to guns be limited or expanded?
Last year's mass shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut has already prompted a heated debate about gun control in Virginia, where the upcoming session of the General Assembly is likely to feature a number of bills on both sides of the issue.
Immigrant Experience Guides Success
Delegate Mark L. Keam
Del. Mark Keam (D-35) is the first Korean American and the first Asian-born immigrant to serve in the Virginia General Assembly.