Stories for March 2013

Classified Advertising March 27, 2013

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Editorial: More Obstacles to Transparency

General Assembly puts more information out of public reach, but other factors also limit access.

The first paragraph of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, passed by the General Assembly in 1968, states that all public records "shall be presumed open." It doesn’t add, “except when we don’t want to,” although that provision does seem to be available in many cases. Individual government entities have a variety of ways of making it hard for the public to access public information.

Column: 14.8 Percent

That is the percentage of diagnosed lung cancer patients who survive beyond five years, according to The National Cancer Institute’s SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2009, in a graph published in the Feb. 26, 2013 Washington Post’s weekly Health & Science section. As a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) survivor beginning his fifth year post-diagnosis, charting my prospects in such a cold and impersonal manner is both chilling and arguable. “Chilling” in that facts speak for themselves and are hardly made up of whole cloth, to invoke one of the late Jack Kent Cooke’s more famous quotes. And “arguable” in that charts, statistics, etc., may very well measure the mean, but it sure doesn’t measure the man (this man, anyway). Meaning, from my perspective: sure, the chart is scary as hell, but I’m not sure I’m on it, if you know what I mean? (I know you know what I hope.)

Better Training, More Technology

The bipartisan commission released findings, recommendations regarding long lines on Election Day.

"The commission has identified a variety of improvements and efficiencies to ensure access and convenience for voters in future elections.” —Sharon Bulova

Governor Approves Conditional Budget for Medicaid Expansion

Vote-swapping operation traded transportation votes for Medicaid money.

Half a million uninsured Virginians may be eligible for Medicaid under an agreement now being worked out in Richmond — a deal in which Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell agreed to include Medicaid expansion as part of the budget if Senate Democrats supported a transportation package.

A Voice for the Voiceless

Q&A with SALT Coordinator John Horejsi.

“When there are bills affecting the wealthy the committee rooms are filled to capacity, but when issues affecting the needy, the hearing rooms are empty.” —SALT Coordinator John Horejsi

Letter: Confusing Response To Lyme Disease

Letter: Metro: Not Ours

Egg Hunt and Roll Draws Hundreds

Children of all ages converge on Freeman House lawn.

Even nippy morning air did not deter hundreds of Vienna children from participating in the Town of Vienna’s annual Easter Egg Hunt and Roll on the lawn behind Freeman House on March 23.

Local Perspective

Small-business owner tackles the sequester.

Raul Danny Vargas has beaten the odds all his life.

From Flowers to Food and Festivals

Spring’s weather may be unpredictable but what is always predictable are the many festive spring events in Vienna held year after year. Some are family-centric, some cultural... all are fun.

Some Crimes Never Fade Away

‘Never the Sinner’ at 1st Stage.

It was the "trial of the century" that mesmerized the nation in 1924. Two teenage college students, Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, went on trial for the murder of a 14-year-old boy. They were defended by the most famous defense lawyer of the day, Clarence Darrow. These facts and the ultimate outcomes are easily found on Wikipedia.

Classified Advertising March 20, 2013

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Vienna, Oakton Home Sales: February, 2013

In February 2013, 57 homes sold between $1,400,000-$173,000 in the Vienna and Oakton area.

Vienna, Oakton Home Sales: February, 2013

Editorial: Say Yes to Health Coverage

Governor, state panel must accept coverage for 400,000 Virginians without health insurance.

More than 140,000 residents of Fairfax County have no health insurance. That’s more than 13 percent of the slightly more than 1 million people who live in the wealthiest county in the nation. Arlington and Alexandria have similar percentages of uninsured.

Column: Just Wondering

Having never attended medical school (and not really having had the grades or commitment to do so), and having only completed 10th grade biology and freshman year astronomy, and rarely even driven by a medical school growing up, my understanding and/or instincts regarding how a medical professional plans and/or prepares for his day is as foreign to me as sugar-free chocolate (if I’m going down, I’m going down swinging; in truth however, considering the anti-cancer, alkaline diet I’m following, I do need to swing a little less frequently).

The Sound of Music

Enhancing your child’s music education during Music in Our Schools Month and beyond.

From the powerful sounds of a high school band to the soothing melodies sung in a kindergarten music classroom, local music educators are using the month of March to raise awareness of the benefits of learning music.

Update on State Session

Favola, Comstock, Foust provide General Assembly results.

State Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31), Del. Barbara Comstock (R-34) and Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust (D-Dranesville) addressed a crowd at the Great Falls Grange Tuesday, March 12, on the results of the latest General Assembly session.

Rotary Presents Youth Service Awards

Three local students honored for ‘service above self.’

The McLean Rotary Club presented its annual Youth Service Awards to three local students at their Tuesday, March 12, meeting. McLean High School senior Jung Wook "James" Choi, Langley High School junior Rebecca Pifer and Potomac School senior Britt Nelson were each awarded $250 scholarships in recognition of their efforts serving the community.

Vienna Farmers’ Market Opens in New Home

Faith Baptist Church on Center Street partners with Optimists in community outreach.

The farmers’ market, hosted and operated by the Optimists of Greater Vienna, kicks off on May 4 at a new location on Center Street at Faith Baptist Church, across the street from Waters Field and a block away from Patrick Henry Library and the W & OD trail.

Metrorail Phase 1 Nears Completion

Phase 1 of the project 89 percent complete.

Four years ago this month, construction of Phase 1 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project began. Today project construction is 89 percent complete. Station structures are in place at the four stations in Tysons Corner and one at Wiehle Avenue in Reston.

Letter:On Lyme Disease Awareness Bill

Letter:An Overlooked Aspect of Homelessness

Bulova Appoints Mary Cortina, Faisal Khan to Park Authority Board

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova (D-at-large) recently appointed two new representatives to the Fairfax County Park Authority Board.

Letter:New Lyme Legislation

Week in Vienna

Strikers Red Wins Bracket, Beats Arlington

The Vienna Youth Soccer (VYS) U15 Girls Strikers Red soccer team won their bracket at the Arlington Soccer Invitational Tournament, defeating the Saint Marys United U15 Wildcats 5-1 in the final.

Westbriar Elementary's Sixth Graders Score With Mali Soccer Drive

At Westbriar Elementary School's International Night, a team of sixth graders kicked off a drive for gently-used and new soccer equipment to benefit the SOS Children's Villages in Mali

Civil War 150 HistoryMobile Coming to Vienna

History is on the move in Virginia as the Civil War 150 HistoryMobile rolls into Vienna for a one day visit on Saturday, April 6. The exhibit, an initiative of the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission, will be located across from the Freeman Store and Museum, 131 Church St. N.E., and will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the HistoryMobile is free.

DAR Awards Students for Good Citizenship

Hanna Louise Mitchell of James Madison High School and Melanie Vanessa Aguilar-Rojas of Oakton High School recently received DAR Good Citizens Awards from Fairfax County Chapter, National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution.

Rick Gow of Oakton Honored for Promoting Alzheimer’s Awareness

The Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter recognized 12 individuals as Inspiring Champions at a special reception on Jan. 31 at its corporate offices in Fairfax.

Classified Advertising March 13, 2013

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Decorating for Easter

Easy ideas to welcome spring into your home.

From floral arrangements that burst with pastel blooms to candles that fill one’s home with scents reminiscent of warm weather, local style experts offer suggestions for accents that welcome spring.

Recycle, Reuse, Remodel

Remodeling often affords an opportunity to re-purpose existing materials by donating to those less fortunate. Ask your remodeler if there is a plan or policy for saving materials for re-use rather than sending it to a land fill. Every project is different. And some materials are more easily removed and saved than others. Here are a couple of organizations that accepted used materials.

Demand for Incremental Improvements

Over time, some owners makeover the entire house—one phase at a time.

If you compare the current home remodeling market to 2007, it's clear that homeowners are less likely to execute a top-to-bottom makeover in a single stroke than they were five years ago. Home resales are rising again, but the belief that every dollar spent on a Northern Virginia home will be quickly recovered has been suspended—if only temporarily—as homeowners reassess.

World’s Fanciest Rummage Sale Coming April 7

Rumor has it that the “world’s fanciest” rummage sale will feature some of the crystal light fixtures and other items recently replaced in the remodeling of the Ritz-Carlton Tysons.

‘How to Fall in Love’

Hopkins & Porter, Inc. will be offering "How to Fall in Love with Your Home Again,” a free design and remodeling seminar on Thursday, March 21, 6-8 p.m. This seminar will include a complimentary supper with opportunity to discuss one's own project with professional staff.

Virginia Garden Week to Feature NoVa Gardens

80th Historic Garden Week, April 20-27, 2013

Historic Garden Week 2013 will feature approximately 200 private homes and gardens open on 32 separate tours throughout the state of Virginia over eight consecutive days. It is the largest ongoing volunteer effort in Virginia and represents the coordinated efforts of 3,400 club members. One hundred percent of tour proceeds are used to enhance Virginia’s landscape. For 80 years, the grounds of the commonwealth’s most cherished historic landmarks have been restored or preserved with help from proceeds from Historic Garden Week including Mount Vernon, Monticello and the grounds of the Executive Mansion in Richmond.

Facing STEM Challenges Head On

Thomas Jefferson senior Katherine Ho of McLean awarded scholarship from Siemens Foundation.

For many students, AP classes are a chore, something taken to help college standings or boost GPA and the AP Exams are dreaded all year long. For Katherine Ho of McLean, challenges and problem solving have been part of her life for a long time.

Column: Writing What Four

As far as anniversaries go–and I hope this one “goes” a lot further; acknowledging, dare I say celebrating my four-year survival anniversary from “terminal” stage IV (inoperable, metastasized) non-small cell lung cancer, a diagnosis I initially received on Feb. 27, 2009, along with a “13-month to two-year prognosis” from my oncologist, is certainly column-worthy.

Editorial: Hybrid Hijinks

Discouraging innovation in high-tech Virginia.

Consider this as a possible scenario (although perhaps we should have saved this for April 1): Fewer people are smoking, and many of those who do are smoking less. Virginia’s cigarette tax, the lowest of any state at 30 cents a pack, is a declining revenue source. Higher cigarette taxes are proven to reduce smoking. Under current logic in the commonwealth, there would be two courses of action to raise revenue: a) cut the cigarette tax, and b) charge non-smokers a fee to make up the difference and to compensate for the fact that they don’t pay cigarette taxes.

EPA Will Not Appeal Court Decision on Accotink Watershed

EPA regulations could have cost county $300 million.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) effectively ended a two-year legal battle with Fairfax County when the agency announced last week it will not appeal a federal court decision favoring Fairfax County’s handling of the Accotink Creek watershed.

Bicyclists Pedal Onward, Despite Legislative Losses

FABB promotes extended hours on W&OD Trail.

As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, Northern Virginia bicyclists are back on the roads and trails, despite the Virginia General Assembly’s antipathy for bike safety bills this session.

Wiehle-Reston East Station 82 Percent Completed

Construction of the five stations in Phase 1 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail stations is now focusing on interior finishes, installation of elevators and systems.

Week in Vienna

This week in Vienna features many new and exciting events!

From Rail to Trail at Freeman Museum

Museum traces history of the railroad passing through Vienna in the 18th and 19th centuries.

“These are trains that used to be alive a long time ago. … Now, they’re abandoned, now they’re scrap.” —Five-year-old Charlie Wilkins, Reston

Fire Department Auxiliary Hosts Craft Fair, Taste of Vienna

Crafts show launches VVFD’s spring schedule of events.

Vienna Volunteer Fire Department [VVFD] hosts community-wide public events and fundraising events.

Classified Advertising March 6, 2013

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Vienna Writer Selected for Poetry Publication

Bernadette Geyer of Vienna was selected for the 2012 Hilary Tham Capital Collection for her poetry manuscript, The Scabbard of Her Throat. The Tham Collection showcases outstanding poetry of writers in the greater Washington, D.C., area and beyond.

Week in Vienna

Registration for youth summer camps in Vienna is opening and filling up, a few egg hunts are coming to town and the Town of Vienna budget is ready for public view.

Letter: We Need A Real Leader in Virginia

According to a Feb. 25 article in “Politico,” two prominent Republican CEOs lambasted GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli at the Feb. 22 meeting of the Republican Governors Association, saying his hard core socially conservative policies will make Virginia less attractive for business, and he is out of the Virginia mainstream.

Vienna Musicians Rock With a Legend

Earl Slick joins School of Rock students in workshop and performance at Tysons.

A guitar rock legend is coming to the McLean-Vienna area and students from the Vienna School of Rock will be joining him onstage the weekend of March 9. Earl Slick, lead guitarist for rock-star David Bowie, will perform each set with the students. For rock-music fans, this is a big catch.

Local Esthetician Recognized Nationally

McLean resident Mali Amini of Skintelligence of Vienna does the best facials in Washington, D.C.

“If they come in late, they still get their full time. When they are with me, I give them my complete attention, focusing on them, not how much revenue I need to get for the business.” -- Mali Amini

Column: E-male

My oncologist is a man. He has e-mail. He works for an HMO that encourages/advertises its connectivity and responsiveness – electronically, to its members. If I want to get medical answers in a reasonable amount of time – save for an emergency, typing, “mousing” and clicking is the recommended methodology. No more phone calls, preferably. Though pressing keys on a keyboard rather than pressing buttons on a phone might have felt counter-intuitive at first as a means of receiving prompt replies, it has proven over these past few years to be a fairly reliable and predictable information loop. Not in minutes necessarily, but more often than not during the same day – and almost always by the very next day. In fact, I’ve received e-mails from my oncologist as late as 9:18 p.m. (time-stamped) after a sometime-during-the-day e-mail had been sent.

Putting a Face on Homelessness

462 homeless interviewed during Registry Week, an intense effort to document Fairfax County’s chronic homeless.

"We have to step up to this question. … Are we going to walk away from this tonight and say, 'That's just the way people live?’ Well, it's not the way people should live." —Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill)

The Snowquester Hits the Area

Snowstorm’s impact downgraded, but slushy roads still a problem.

The National Weather Service Wednesday downgraded its Snowquester forecast from 8-10 inches to about 4-6 inches in the region. At 3:18 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, the NWS predicted total snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches in Fairfax County before the storm fizzles out later that night, and north winds with gusts up to 45 mph in some areas, making driving hazardous.

Italian Music at Langley High

Cooper Middle School orchestras join Langley High orchestras in concert.

Students in the five Langley High School orchestras and two Cooper Middle School orchestras presented a concert of Italian music on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at Langley High School.

McLean Youth Soccer Joins Kids Helping Kids Drive

McLean Youth Soccer partners with City Year to conduct Kids Helping Kids drive at their upcoming tournament.

Week in McLean

This week McLean is featuring many different, exciting events.

Brownie Scouts Trained to ‘Speak for Success’

Girl Scout Troop 6974 led 21 Brownie Scouts from four different McLean troops in a training program the Seniors developed called “Speak for Success.”

Brenda Blisk Named to Top 1000 Financial Advisors

Brenda Blisk, CFP®, has been recognized by Barron’s magazine for the fifth consecutive year as one of “America's 1000 Top Financial Advisors” and in addition has landed the 23rd spot in Virginia.

Chesterbrook PTA Online Auction Runs Until March 10

The Chesterbrook Elementary School's Online Auction offers something for every age, taste and budget.

MCC Moves Forward With Renovation Plan

Board approves $6.1 million expansion, will examine possible future downtown land swap.

The McLean Community Center Governing Board voted at their Feb. 27 meeting to go forward with a $6.1 million renovation of its Ingleside Avenue facility.

Chamber Installs 2013 Board

John Brough of Chain Bridge Bank named new chairman.

Meet the Board The 2013 Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors members are: * Chair: John Brough, Chain Bridge Bank * First vice-chair: Marcus Simon, EKKO Title LLC * Treasurer: Monish Banga, Ross Langan and McKendree, LLP * Secretary: Joe Mastaler, PBMares, LLP * Immediate past chair: Merritt J. Green, General Counsel, PC * Ryan Cash, Capital One Bank * Raj Mehra, Middleburg Bank * Rick Makely, Giant of McLean * Gita Bhandari, M and T Bank * Dane Scott, Seasons 52 Fresh Grill and Wine Bar * Sheri Sylvester, AdZig Logo Promotions * Jon Wilkins, Bank of Georgetown * George Sachs, McLean Community Center * Brian Callery, Edward Jones * Karen Briscoe, Huckaby Briscoe Conroy Realty Group * President: Marcia S. Twomey

Week in Great Falls

This week in Great Falls there are many fun and exciting events planned.

Great Falls EMT Wins Basic Life Support Provider of the Year Award

Elliot Zaret is this year's recipient of the Fairfax County 2012 Basic Life Support Provider of the Year Award.

Children’s Festival and Egg Hunt on March

The Great Falls Optimist Club and Adeler Jewelers will present the 29th Annual Children's Festival and Egg Hunt.

VDOT Decides Fate of Trees

Tree closest to Walker Road to be removed, remaining tree to be pruned.

“In the end, it was the overwhelming opinion of various expert arborists that one tree, the one closest to the corner, was too ill and in danger of falling to risk trying to save.” --Bob Vickers, Great Falls tree commissioner

Nike Park Opens Artificial Turf Field

Field is joint effort between county and community.

The artificial turf field at Great Falls Nike Park was officially opened Saturday, March 3.