‘Beach Party’ in Great Falls
The piano students of Artstars Studio were excited about learning and practicing music for their "Beach Party" recital held recently. Selections included "Palm Tree Serenade" by Lynn Olson, "Sandcastles" by Martha Mier, and "Moonlit Tides" by Randall Hartsell.
Local Elementary School Artists Exhibit at Starbucks Great Falls
Grab a cup (iced, of course) and enjoy with an erupting volcano, snowcapped peaks, joyful portraits, complicated landscapes and tiny prints.
Editorial: Accountability for Police in Northern Virginia
There is more transparency in the police shooting in Ferguson last week than in police shootings in Northern Virginia.
This is not Ferguson, and tanks do not roll down the streets of Northern Virginia driven by police officers pointing sniper rifles at residents.
Obituary: Richard L. Andrews, 80, of Great Falls, Dies
Richard L. Andrews, born Oct. 6, 1933, in New York City, died on Aug. 1, 2014, in Alexandria, after a valiant seven-year battle against melanoma, leukemia, mesothelioma, and, finally, liver cancer.
Removing Barriers to College
Local services help students complete college paperwork, remove barriers.
LaQuita King relocated across the state from Chesapeake, Va., to Alexandria in the summer of 2013, moving into an apartment with her aunt and three cousins. King had just graduated from high school and was looking forward to taking classes at Northern Virginia Community College. So far, that hasn’t happened.
Letter: Well Deserved Endorsements
Letter to the Editor
The recent endorsement of Barbara Comstock by both the National Association Realtors and the Virginia Association of Realtors is not only well deserved, but speaks volumes as to the impact that both Barbara and Congressman Frank Wolf have played in helping further both our local economy and that of the country. As a Virginia resident for nearly 30 years and a Realtor for nine years, I know firsthand what Barbara has meant to our community.
Letter: Good Old Times
Letter to the Editor
I really enjoyed Marilyn Campbell's article about "Keeping School Clutter Under Control" [Connection, Aug. 13-19, 2014], which contains great advice about maintaining a tidy environment in the home relating to school activities and assignments.
All Write For Now
And so it goes, every three months or so; a CT Scan, a week or so of waiting, and then a face-to-face appointment with my oncologist to learn/discuss the results. Thankfully, the results continue to be amazing. My doctor has told me that I’m his third miracle; stage IV, non-small cell lung cancer patients generally don’t live beyond two years. I’m in year six.
Classified Advertising August 20, 2014
Read the latest ads here!
Safety at a Crossroads in Poor Communities Across Northern Virginia
Less affluent neighborhoods in Northern Virginia suffer from higher pedestrian fatalities.
A national database of pedestrian crashes compiled by Governing Magazine shows 95 pedestrian fatalities in Northern Virginia between 2008 and 2012. While 26 of the pedestrian fatalities occurred in wealthy neighborhoods, where the per capita income is more than $53,000, a much larger number happened in poor communities like this stretch of Route 1 in Mount Vernon.
Take Precautions against Rabies
Animal Shelter offers advice to reduce the risk.
Rabies is a deadly virus that infects animals and may be a risk to humans, as well. The most commonly reported rabid animals in Fairfax County include foxes, raccoons, skunks, and bats. But even pets aren’t automatically immune to this disease and must be vaccinated against it.
Heads Up Football Flourishing in Fairfax County
Program reduces concussion risk by teaching players to take the “head” out of tackling.
It wasn’t that long ago when youth football coaches believed a player’s toughness was measured by his ability to play through the pain. Concussions and other serious injuries were just “part of the game.”
Organized for School Year
Local organizers offer suggestions on dealing with the summer mess.
When summer comes to a grinding halt in a few weeks, a new school year will begin. From alarm clocks and school bells to piles of homework assignments and sports schedules, maintaining a coordinated household can be difficult, however. Local organizers are offering simple suggestions to help make the transition from summer to the start of the school year seamless.
Write Now, I Just Don’t Know
The biggest writing problem that I have, other than the ones you regular readers generally know about, is writing a current column on the weekend immediately preceding the next Wednesday’s publication date, when I am still waiting on results from my most recent CT Scan. This isn’t like putting the cart before the horse, this is more like putting the horse in the cart and pulling it.
Homelessness: Source of Trauma for Children
Nearly 700 children live in emergency homeless shelters in Fairfax County at some point during the year.
Summer vacation is wrapping up; kids everywhere are gearing up for the return to school. Stores are filled with school supplies; back-to-school advertising fills our TVs, radio and mailboxes. Many families are hustling from store to store getting supplies, backpacks, clothes and haircuts. As children, while we hated to see summer end, we fondly remember the yearly ritual and the excitement and anticipation of getting all those new things.
U.S. Rep Wolf (R-10) Announces Service Academy Appointments
Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10) announced the 10th District’s Class of 2018 appointments to the nation’s service academies, as well as those selected for Academy prep schools.
Letter: Fit Academics Into the Fun
Finding ways to fit academics into the fun is imperative to making sure children are prepared for the coming school year which begins in just a few short weeks.
Georgetown Pike Repaving Underway
Most work will be done at night.
The $3.2 million project, a late summer effort to smooth roads before winter hits again, may not have a significant traffic pattern impact on the already congested historic road.
Experiencing Adventure
Great Falls Troop 55 Boy Scouts discover wilderness, wildlife in New Mexico.
Ten teenage Scouts and two adult leaders from Troop 55 in Great Falls went on a life-changing trek through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (part of the Rocky Mountains) at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, N.M., this summer.
Week in Great Falls
Service academy nominations and blood drive.