Cheeky Monkey: New Pop-Up Art Galleryconnection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/...Aug 07, 2019...

WellbeingPage, 6

City Identifying Transportation Projects to Fund News, Page 3

Mantua Moms, Kids Help Immigrants at the BorderNews, Page 7

Cheeky Monkey:New Pop-Up Art Gallery

Arts, Page 5

Artist Terry Downs wove together recy-cled wood to create this artwork titled,

“Game Board.” It’s in Fairfax’s new pop-up art gallery, Cheeky Monkey.

online at www.connectionnewspapers.com August 8-14, 2019

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2 ❖ Fairfax Connection ❖ August 8-14, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

G overnor Northam an-nounced that more than300,000 Virginians arecovered by Medicaid since theCommonwealth expanded accessa year ago. This news is not justan achievement for the womenand men who worked so hard onenrollment, but for all Virginiacommunities.

Research has shown that peoplein states without Medicaid Expan-sion face dire and sometimesdeadly consequences.

Furthermore, rural hospitals andunder-funded inner city healthcare systems are more likely tostay afloat with increased Medic-aid access.

Virginia House DemocraticLeader Eileen Filler-Corn has is-sued the following statement:

“Medicaid expansion in Virginiais welcome and life-saving news. Iam proud to have worked with mycolleagues to expand healthcarecoverage in our Commonwealth

and I regretthat it didn’tcome soonenough formany Vir-ginians.

“ U n t i ltheir backsw e r eagainst thewall, Re-pub l i c an sfought ex-pansion of

Medicaid, at the expense of themost vulnerable residents in ourstate.

“Now we must envision whatVirginia can look like in the future.

From expanding access to healthcare, improving education andcontinuing to improve our roads,Democratic leadership in theHouse will better the lives of Vir-ginians across our Commonwealthby tackling our most urgent chal-lenges.”

Del. Filler-Corn Statement onMedicaid Expansion Milestone

House Demo-cratic LeaderEileen Filler-Corn

Fairfax Connection ❖ August 8-14, 2019 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News Fairfax Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic703-778-9414 or [email protected]

See Transportation, Page 10

By Bonnie HobbsThe Connection

T ransportation is al-ways a hot topic inthe City of Fairfax,and City Council re-cently held two work sessions onthe proposed Two-Year Transpor-tation Program. Making the pre-sentation was Transportation Di-rector Wendy Sanford, requestingCouncil’s guidance before she ap-plies for outside funding.

During the fiscal year 2018/19transportation-funding cycle, theCity applied for $105 million for17 projects. So far, said Sanford,“We’ve leveraged $1 million in lo-cal money and received $80 mil-lion in transportation funding for14 projects – and we’re awaitingdecision on two others. That’spretty good.”

This funding will be available between FY’20 and FY ’25, depending on the fundingsource. And a new, two-year, funding cyclebegins in early FY ’20 for money that’ll beavailable between FY ’21 and FY ’26.

“Given the complexity of some of the ap-plications, it is imperative that the City iden-tify projects for potential funding consider-ation, well ahead of the applications dead-lines,” explained Sanford. “The proposedprogram was developed based on Counciland community priorities.”

She also noted that the City’s Comprehen-sive Plan Implementation Guide identifiespriorities for short and long term. And, shesaid, “That’s how we developed the list ofprojects.”

“We should be very proud of the $80 mil-lion you’ve gotten for us,” said CouncilmanJon Stehle. “We compete with other juris-dictions throughout the state for thismoney.”

And, added Public Works Director DavidSummers, “This money also saves us fromusing General Fund money for maintenance– for example, replacing pipes under Route50 as part of the Northfax project and itsfunding.”

COUNCILWOMAN Jennifer Passey saidsome things the City needs to consider are:“Are some of these projects affected by ourSmall-Area Plans? And will they alleviatetraffic congestion for the residents?”

Agreeing, Councilman Sang Yi said bik-ing, walking and trails are nice, but reduc-ing traffic gridlock should be the top prior-ity.

Mayor David Meyer generally agreed with

him, saying, “In a city this small, we focuson congestion relief and mitigation at cer-tain key intersections.” But he noted that,“Sometimes, trails contribute to the City’soverall transportation plan.”

Yi also recommended that Fairfax’sMicromobility Network Plan – which wouldidentify the City’s preferred bike paths –should be done before moving ahead withbike and bikeshare projects, and Sanfordconcurred. Yi said a survey of what pedes-trian-network plans are needed here shouldalso be conducted, and he supported theidea of a traffic-signal system with transitpriority.

Councilwoman So Lim asked if there’s alimit to the amount of funds the City canreceive, so Sanford went through the vari-ous funding sources, including RevenueSharing, for which Fairfax may receive asmuch as $5 million/fiscal year ($10 milliontotal). She said both Smart Scale and NVTA70-percent funds have no maximum.

“The really big money is in those two, andthere’s no dollar limit for either of them,”

said Sanford. “The Smart Scale funding-application cycle starts when NVTA finishes– and that way, we know what we receivedfor a project and how much we still need.We can use the NVTA 70-percent fundingto be the local match for Smart Scaleprojects. And for certain projects, I can alsoask for half the money from NVTA and theother half from Smart Scale.”

She said the FY ’20/’21 funding prioritiesshould be: Projects with partial funding,those with completed concept-planning andnow ready for implementation, plus somenew projects. And she noted that local C&Imoney could be used to develop conceptplans and cost estimates for new projectsto apply for in future, funding-applicationcycles.

The partially funded projects are: TheEaton Place/Chain Bridge Road intersec-tion, Old Lee Highway multimodal improve-ments, Government Center Parkway exten-sion, Old Town sidewalk widening, andNorthfax West.

Projects whose concept-planning is done

are: Bike Share implementation,Main Street Streetscape,Micromobility Network plan andthe Sager Avenue culvert (to im-prove it east of East Street).

Since there are a slew of poten-tial, new projects, Sanford’s depart-ment surveyed the community(406 people responded) aboutwhich projects are important tothem. Some 62 percent agreed thatFairfax Circle could be improved.

Another 57 percent said theJermantown Road/Lee Highway/Rust Road intersection should beupgraded to reduce flooding, im-prove traffic flow and pedestriansafety, and/or address a confusinglayout. And 41 percent said theChain Bridge Road sidewalk coulduse new bicycle and/or pedestrianconnections from Taba Cove Courtto Fairfax Boulevard.

Sanford then presented her pro-posed transportation-funding ap-plications. They included the fund-ing source for each project andwhen the money would becomeavailable. Her FY ’21/22 RevenueSharing applications are for theUniversity Drive Extension,$400,000; Old Lee HighwayMultimodal improvements, $3 mil-

lion; and Jermantown Road/Route 29 traf-fic-signal rebuild, $500,000. Her FY ’22 ap-plications are for Main Street Streetscapeimprovements, $2.4 million; and Sager Av-enue culvert, $880,000.

She’s also applying for FY ’21 Transpor-tation Alternatives funds for the Sager Av-enue sidewalk between University Driveand East Street. The projects earmarked forFY ’24/25 NVTA 70-percent funds are:Chain Bridge Road/Eaton Place intersectionimprovements, $21.3 million; Old Lee High-way Multimodal improvements, $3 million(to add to the previous $3 million, sincethis project costs $6 million total); Univer-sity Drive Extension, another $400,000; andthe George Snyder Trail Underpass, $5 mil-lion.

On the FY ’21/22 list for I-66 Inside theBeltway Commuter Choice funds is a new,traffic-signal system with transit priority toimprove traffic flow through the City. Anda traffic-signal upgrade at the Old Lee High-way/Old Pickett Road intersection is ear-marked for Congestion Mitigation and AirQuality Improvement (CMAQ)/ RegionalSurface Transportation Program (RSTP)funds.

POTENTIAL SMART SCALE APPLICA-TIONS for FY ’26/27 are the Fire Station33 trail, Snyder Trail underpass and possi-bly improvements at Fairfax Circle.

After discussing all these proposals,Sanford advised the Council that “It’s im-portant to stagger these projects so we don’toverload staff or the community.”

Councilman Michael DeMarco askedwhether the City should still implement a

City Identifying Transportation Projects to FundIt will soon beapplying formoney fromvarious sources.

Transportation Director Wendy Sanford created this timeline showing when the Citymust apply for money from each funding source.

Photo by Bonnie HobbsThe Connection

Wendy Sanford

“Given the complexity of some ofthe applications, it is imperativethat the City identify projects forpotential funding consideration,well ahead of the applicationsdeadlines.”

—Transportation Director Wendy Sanford


Opinion

If we look back a little more than a month,the memory of the Republicans in theVirginia General Assembly adjourning aspecial session on gun safety by ambush,without any discussion on proposed measures,resonates with raw emotion.

The NRA publicly launched its operationsthat day from the conference room of theSpeaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, lit-erally announcing to members on its websitewhere to meet. It must have seemed such sweetsuccess to them to shut that session down with-out any deliberation.

The lives of the 12 people who died in Vir-ginia Beach at the end of May were not dis-cussed.

But now many more lives have been cut shortor forever changed by gunfire between the July9 debacle in the Virginia General Assembly andtoday.

There must be state and local legislation aswell as federal legislation.

Here are some key provisions:❖ No one with a restraining order or con-

victed of domestic violence should have accessto firearms.

❖ Comprehensive universal backgroundchecks.

❖ Ban assault weapons.❖ Ban large capacity mechanisms for am-

munition.

ON TUESDAY, Aug. 20, at noon, the VirginiaGeneral Assembly Crime Commission will ac-cept public comments on the gun legislationintroduced during the July 9 and through July19. Public comment will be taken for the first3 hours (more details will be announced in thecoming weeks on how to sign up to speak).Next, patrons will present their bills. Currently,there are about 60 bills that have been filed.Members have until July 19 to file legislation.Link to bills: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?192+lst+ALL See http://vscc.virginia.gov/meetings.asp for updates.

Crime Commission staff is currently accept-ing written comments on this topic. Send writ-ten comments and any other information/ma-

terials relevant to this topic via email [email protected] or via postalmail. Comments will be shared with membersof the Crime Commission.

Additional details regarding the deadline forsubmitting written comments will be an-nounced following the Aug. 20 Crime Com-mission meeting.

Attn: Written CommentsVirginia State Crime Commission1111 East Broad Street, Ste. B036Richmond, Virginia 23219

THREE THINGS:❖ Video games aren’t the cause. Video game

usage is as high or higher in many other coun-tries, all with almost no gun violence.

❖ It’s not mental illness, although giving

more resources for treatment of mental illnesswould be welcome. Incidence of mental illnessis similar in other countries, all with almostno gun violence. (Doing a better job keepingguns out of the hands of people with mentalillness would prevent thousands of suicides.)

❖ More guns won’t help. In Dayton, policeshot and killed the attacker in less than aminute, but still he shot and killed nine peopleand wounded 27.

There is a good chance that reforms won’thappen without electoral change both in Vir-ginia and nationally. Don’t forget about votingin November. Every seat in the Virginia Gen-eral Assembly is on the ballot.

— Mary [email protected]

Reform might not happenin Virginia until after theNovember election.

Gun Reform Now

Photo courtesy of Herndon Reston IndivisibleHundreds of protestors gathered at NRA headquarters in Fairfax Monday,including members of Reston Herndon Indivisible holding these letters.

We Must ChangeTo the Editor:

After the Columbine shootingwe were told by the legislators inpower: “Now is not the time to talkabout gun control. We would beacting out of emotion. Any legis-lator who uses this event to passgun legislation is taking advantageof the situation and is acting outof partisanship.”

After the Sandy Hook, Parkland,Pulse Night Club, and VirginiaTech shootings happened weheard the same thing – “Now is notthe time.”

After the D.C. Navy Yard shoot-ing – “Now is not the time.” Vir-ginia Beach and Gilroy shootings– “Now is not the time.”

And now Dayton and El Paso. Is

it time yet?In 2019 alone 246 people have

been killed and 979 injured frommass shootings in the UnitedStates. And our President says:“Mental illness and hatred pullsthe trigger—not the gun.” No onedenies that mental illness is some-times a contributing factor, but amentally ill person would not havekilled all those people had he beenarmed with a switch blade.

We cannot change our Presi-dent. We know that. And we can-not change those legislators whoenable the President and who arebeholden to the NRA. The onlyperson we can change is our-selves. We must tolerate this nolonger. We must be willing toelect people who don’t peddlehate, and who are willing to en-

act common sense gun reform.

Barbara GlakasHerndon

Tired But NotDefeatedTo the Editor:

I am really tired. Tired of vio-lence. Tired of living in fear.

Tired of constant sadness andgrief. I’m tired of worrying aboutwhether my younger brothers willcome home safe from campus orfeeling uneasy at the mosque. I’mtired of some in our society notrealizing that gun violence at thislevel is beyond alarming. I am tiredthat this kind of violence is still notwidely considered extremism. I’m

tired of us giving attention to theperpetrator and not the conditionsthat led to it. I’m tired of my coun-try not honoring the victims byusing faith as a part of healing andyet not heeding the words of faithas a form of preventative action.Whether it’s the Quran saying kill-ing one life is the killing of all man-kind, or how Matthew and Exoduscommand “You shall not murder,”over and over again in the Bible,we don’t really seem to followthrough. So much#thoughtsandprayers. We are alltired, but we aren’t defeated. Butwe need our awareness, our votesand our calls for action to be in fullforce more than ever.

Saira BhattiCentreville

Letters to the Editor

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News

From left: Jennifer Rose and Danette Nguyen admire Terry Downs’sartistry with discarded wood he kept from landfills.

J-P. Müller beside his sculpted-metal artwork of a flamenco dancer.

Cheeky Monkey: New Pop-Up Art Gallery

Cheeky Monkey, a pop-up art gallery at10426 Main St. inFairfax, held its grandopening Aug. 3. Attendeesbrowsed, met the artists andenjoyed refreshments. The two-room gallery features artwork byJ-P. Müller, Terry Downs, LarryRinggold and Kierk Ashmore-Sorensen and will be there untilits space is leased. Both Müllerand Downs are Fairfax Highgrads.

Kierk Ashmore-Sorensen with his soapstone carvingtitled, “The Light and Dark Side of the Moon.”

Mary Driver Downs (Terry Downs’s wife) serves carrotcake from Victoria’s Cakery to the guests.

Attendees and artists mingle in the two-room,art gallery.

Larry Ringgold created this rhinoceros out ofdriftwood. When it’s outside, it means the artgallery is open.

J-P. Müller’s stainless-steel textile, “Grandma’sScarf,” is displayed in the gallery.

Photos byBonnie Hobbs

The Connection


Wellbeing

By Marilyn CampbellThe Connection

Local farmer’s markets right now are overflowing with deep purple plums, tomatoesripened by rays of sun and peppers in huesthat span a rainbow. This season’s bountyyields not only flavors with a richness that peaks inAugust, but also a powerful punch of nutrients.

“Produce is most nutritious when it’s in season,but it’s normal to see supermarkets carrying the sameproduce all year long, said nutritionist CarleyJohnston. “People don’t always think about onlycooking with what’s in season because they don’thave to.”

Fruits and vegetables that are consumed out ofseason are often shipped from other countries, pickedbefore they’re ripe and sprayed with preservatives.“When produce is allowed to ripen while it’s sittingin a packing box on its way to the supermarket it’srobbed of some of its nutritional content,” saidJohnston.

On the other hand, produce that is naturally sun-ripened is more vitamin and nutrient-dense than itsprematurely picked counterparts because ripeningallows those elements to develop fully, says LaurenTrocchio, registered dietitian at Washington Centerfor Weight Management and Reset. “Cooking sea-sonally … means using produce that has traveledless of a distance to your kitchen,” she said. “Both ofthese things may prevent the nutrient loss that comeswith picking produce early orspending a lot of time in transit.The longer the transit and waittime, the more impact to nutri-tion and taste.”

Among the nutrient-dense —and delicious — fruits and veg-etables that are in season in sum-mer are peaches, blueberries,zucchini and tomatoes. “Blue-berries for example are rich inantioxidants and fiber,” saidJohnston “They’re also high in Vitamins C and K.Blackberries are high in fiber and antioxidants.They’re also anti-inflammatory which can boost yourimmune system. Corn is high in Vitamin B. Cucum-bers are hydrating which is important during thesummer.”

Fortunately preserving the health benefits is madeeasy because only minimal preparation is needed toget maximum flavor, says culinary instructor TerriCarr of Terri’s Table Cooking classes in Potomac. Md.“Cooking in the summer with the freshest local pro-duce is a real treat,” she said. “There is a smorgas-bord of ingredients to choose from.”

From watermelons, peaches and plums to toma-toes, corn and zucchini, summer brings a variety ofculinary inspiration. “Imagine a platter of tomatoes,peppers, sweet peas, zucchini, sweet Vidalia & redonions, continued Carr. “Complicated recipes are not

needed when quality summer produce is available… in fact it’s better to cook simple recipes that bringout the food’s flavor.”

Using the best of summer produce, Carr is teach-ing seasonal cooking classes this summer using herpopular preparation methods. “A favorite summersalad is Panzanella … a classic Italian bread salad,”

she said. “Combine toasty breadcubes with lots of colorful pep-pers, tomatoes, green onions,basil, cucumber. Beautiful pre-sentation & flavor. Perfect forlunch or a side dish at dinner.”

For those who think eatingseasonally means epicurean dep-rivation, Carr dispels that notion.“Imagine a platter of summerfruit, she said. “Peaches, nectar-ines, plums, apricots, strawber-

ries, blueberries, blackberries [and] melons, They’reabsolutely delicious all by themselves or mixed inwith a salad or dessert.”

Cooking with a mixture of seasonal herbs and pro-duce, like basil and vine-ripened tomatoes, offers aneven more powerful impact on the palette. “Sum-mer herbs [are] my favorite, said Carr. “Most herbsare now available in grocery stores year round butthey cannot compare to summer’s bounty. Basil,thyme, rosemary, parsley and mint are my go-to’swhen creating a meal.”

Summer produce offers energy needed to main-tain the active lifestyle that comes with longer daysfilled with outdoor activities, says Johnston. “Ourbodies need the added energy we get from the nutri-tion found in berries and peaches,” she said. “Cu-cumbers and melons are juicy which keeps us hy-drated when it’s hot outside.”

Don’t miss the height ofsummer season for fruitsand vegetables.

Summer’s Bounty:So Healthy and Tasty!

Photo courtesy of Terri CarrThese skewers of cantaloupe, prosciutto,mozzarella and tomatoes drizzled with abasil balsamic dressing and created byTerri Carr, are vitamin-packed and perfectfor appetizers or a light dessert.

“Cooking in thesummer with thefreshest local produceis a real treat.”

— Terri Carr,Terri’s Table Cooking Classes


COMMUNITIES OF WORSHIPbb

To Advertise YourCommunity of Worship,

Call 703-778-9418

Worship Gathering – Sunday 8:45 & 11 AMSunday School 10:10 AM

Sun. Evening – Realtime Worship & Youth 6 PMFamily Night – Wednesday 7:15 PM

Home Life Groups, College/Young AdultMinistries, and Living Free Support Groups

Visit our Website: jccag.org

4650 Shirley Gate Road, FairfaxBill Frasnelli, PASTOR 703-383-1170

“Loving People to Life”

See Bulletin, Page 11

News

On July 31, a group offamilies from theMantua communityin Fairfax hosted asupply drive to collect items forimmigrants crossing the U.S. bor-der. More than 40 boxes of sup-plies were donated, sorted andshipped to the Catholic Charitiesof Rio Grande Valley by the vol-unteers.The event was sponsored byChampion Services Waste Man-agement and organized by Momsof Mantua and Kids Give Back.

The donation was accompanied

by a letter to the immigrants re-ceiving the donation:“These items are donated by agroup of families in Virginia. Weare praying for you and your fami-lies — that you will find a happy,safe and secure future ahead.Please don’t give up. We hope thatthese items will ease some of thehardship you are facing along yourjourney. Please know that we areaware of the situation and we aredoing what we can to help. Wewelcome you and we hope you willfind the peace you are seeking inour country.”

Mantua Moms, Kids HelpImmigrants at the Border

More than 40 boxes of supplies were donated, sorted andshipped to the Catholic Charities of Rio Grande Valley.

Mantua community comes together to collect supplies for immigrants crossing the border.

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Submit civic/community an-nouncements atConnectionNewspapers.com/Calen-dar. Photos and artwork welcome.Deadline is Thursday at noon, at leasttwo weeks before event.

DONATIONS NEEDEDSchool Supply and Backpack

Drive. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at theParent Resource Center, 2334Gallows Road, Room 105, DunnLoring. For the nearly 56,000students in Fairfax County PublicSchools living at the poverty line,obtaining school supplies can bedifficult. FCPS is partnering withroughly 20 nonprofits andbusinesses to ensure that studentswill have the supplies they needthis fall for its “Collect for Kids”campaign. A $25 donation will filla backpack with FCPS approvedsupplies for a student. Organize a

collection drive of new backpacksin your community and bring toone of the Collect for Kids dropoff locations. Visitwww.collectforkids.org/get-involved or call 703-204-3941.

SATURDAY/AUG. 10Shamanic Journeying. 5-8 p.m.

at Unity of Fairfax, 2854 HunterMill Road, Oakton. Learn aboutShamanic Journeying is, and howit is different than meditation inthis three-hour long intensive. Inthe first two hours, there will be apresentation on the history ofshamanic journeying, thedifferent types, and an in-depthexplanation describing manydifferent paths that use shamanicjourneying as a tool. The thirdhour will be an application of theskills learned. Donations

Bulletin Board


Submit entertainment announcements atwww.connectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/. Thedeadline is noon on Friday. Photos/artworkencouraged.

ONGOINGJunior Golf Fairfax Camps, Clinics and

Competition. Burke Lake Golf Center islocated at 6915 Ox Road, Fairfax Station.Pinecrest Golf Course is located at 6600 LittleRiver Turnpike, Alexandria. Twin Lakes GolfCourse is located at 6201 Union Mill Road,Clifton. Oak Marr Golf Complex is located at3136 Jermantown Road, Oakton. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/golf/junior.

Registration Open: NVSO. The NorthernVirginia Senior Olympics features more than 60events that challenge the mind as well as thebody. New games this year: jigsaw puzzle andline-dancing. The games run Sept. 14-28. Therewill be no on-site registration. Paperregistrations, available at most local recreationand senior centers, must be postmarked by Aug.24. Online registrations must be completed byAug. 31 at www.nvso.us.

Crafters Wanted for 2nd Annual Fall CraftShow. The Fairfax Station Railroad Museumwill hold its 2nd Annual Fall Craft Show andLEGO (TM) Train Show on Saturday, Oct. 12,2019 ,10 a.m.-4 p.m. For crafters interested injoining the event, booth space is enough roomfor a 10x10 canopy and cost is $50 per space.Email [email protected] for anapplication and further information. Visitwww.fairfax-station.org or call 703-425-9225.

Kingstowne Farmers Market. Fridays, throughOct. 25, 4-7 p.m. in the Giant parking lot, 5870Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria. Farmfresh eggs, local honey, berries, fresh pickedvegetables, fresh local fruits, baked breads andtreats, chicken, tamales, salsa, hummus,gourmet sausage, fresh roasted coffee beans,and much, more. Call 703-642-0128 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/farmersmarkets/kingstowne.

Wakefield Farmers Market. Wednesdays, 2-6p.m. through Oct. 30, at Wakefield Park, 8100Braddock Road, Annandale. Eleven local farmersand producers will sell fresh produce and fruits;meats; breads and pastries; jams; dairy productsand eggs; herbs; flowers, and more. All productsare grown or produced by the vendors and comefrom within 125 miles. The Fairfax CountyMaster Gardeners Association will be there eachweek, providing horticultural information tohome gardeners in Fairfax County. Call 703-642-0128 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/farmersmarkets/wakefield.

Lorton Farmers Market. Sundays, 9 a.m.-noon,through Nov. 17, in the VRE Parking Lot, 8990Lorton Station Blvd., Lorton. Eleven localfarmers and producers sell fresh produce andfruits; meats; breads and pastries; jams; dairyproducts and eggs; herbs; flowers, and more. Allproducts are grown or produced by the vendorsand come from within 125 miles. The FairfaxCounty Master Gardeners Association will bethere each week, providing horticulturalinformation to home gardeners in FairfaxCounty. Call 703-642-0128 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/farmersmarkets/lorton.

Springfield Farmers Market. Saturdays,through Nov. 23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at SpringfieldTown Center, 6699 Spring Mall Drive,Springfield. Vendors include Cascade Beverage,Celestial/Fossil Farms, Chilanga Tortilla,Conecopia, Greenwich Farms, Iganacio’sProduce, Kingdom Gourmet, Lola’s Kusina,Lund’s Produce, Smiths Mecklenburg, Taste OldCountry, Three Puppies,Tyson Farm, andWindmill Meadows. Visit www.community-foodworks.org or call 202-697-7768.

Burke Farmers Market. Through Dec. 21, 8a.m.-noon at the VRE parking lot, 5671 RobertsParkway, Burke. A great selection of freshproduce, baked goods, seafood, and dairy. Allvendors make their own food or grow it locallywithin 125 miles. Call 703-642-0128 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/farmersmarkets/burke for more.

FRIDAY/AUG. 9B-I-N-G-O. 7 p.m. at Fire Station 3, 4081

University Drive, Fairfax. Enjoy free coffee,entertaining callers, a friendly atmosphere,$1,000 guaranteed jackpot, treasure chestprogressive raffles, and good food available forpurchase. All proceeds go to purchasing fire andrescue equipment. Visit www.fairfaxvfd.com or

call 703-273-3638 for more.Author Event: E. A. Dustin. 7-8:30 p.m. at

Barnes and Noble Mosaic District, 2921 DistrictAve., Suite 180, Fairfax. Join for a discussionand signing with local author E.A. Dustin whowill be talking about and signing copies of herbook, Save Me Twice – a WWII story. She willalso give a preview of her upcoming book “Self-Healed,” a thriller. Free admission. Call 703-245-9260 or visit bn.com for more.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY/AUG. 9-10Reserve a Boxwood Cutting. The historic

boxwood at Gunston Hall are in declining healthand are being removed as a part of a gardenrestoration project. Hundreds of clippings ofthese boxwood plants have been taken topreserve their genetic material. FollowingGunston Hall’s big rooting day, there are stillsome cuttings available. Reserved cuttings areavailable available online only; boxwoodcuttings will not be reserved over the phone orin person. Reservations need to be completedno later than 9 a.m. on the day of pick up.Reserved cuttings will be potted. $15. Visitgunstonhall.tix.com and click Reserve aBoxwood.

SATURDAY/AUG. 10Geocaching. 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Burke Lake Park,

7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station. Set off on amodern-day treasure hunt at Burke Lake Parkwith the “Geocaching Workshop.” Participants 8-adult will learn to use hand-held GlobalPositioning System (GPS) units to locate hiddentreasure caches within the park. After learninghow to enter latitude and longitude coordinates,students will test their skills by following thecoordinates to find a hidden object, container orunique geological feature. Bring a GPS. Thereare a limited number to borrow. $22 per person.Call 703-323-6600 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/burke-lake.

Music in the Parks - “Feast for Young Ears.”10 a.m. at Burke Lake Park Amphitheater, 7315Ox Road, Fairfax Station. The Fairfax SymphonyOrchestra is partnering with Fairfax CountyParks to provide free Music in the Parkschildren’s concerts. The performances areengaging and interactive experiences; perfect foryoung, first-time concert-goers. Each concertoffers an introduction to the musicians, theirinstruments, their roles in creating the music,and features a wide variety of musical selectionsfrom classical music to the familiar music oftoday. Visit www.fairfaxsymphony.org/concerts-in-the-parks.

Family Safety Day. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at FocusFamily Martial Arts Academy, 11230 WaplesMill Road, Fairfax. A family-oriented, fun day tospend time with community members at “FamilySafety Day.” Policemen, firefighters, karate

instructors and other organizations arepartnering to teach children about theimportance of safe habits and self-defense.Dance demonstrations, sno-cones, inflatablesand other fun activities will be available. Free.Email [email protected] or call 703-383-1170.

Summer Saturdays. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at GunstonHall, 10709 Gunston Road, Lorton. JoinGunston Hall for a summer of fun. EachSaturday in June, July, and August, stop by for ahistoric adventure on the grounds and in theVisitor Center. Included with regular admission.Call 703-550-9220 or visitwww.gunstonhall.org/visit/guide/upcoming-events.

SUNDAY/AUG. 11TTRAK Model Train Show. 1-4 p.m. at the

Fairfax Station Railroad Museum, 11200 FairfaxStation Road, Fairfax Station. The NorthernVirginia TTRAK members will hold a N gaugeModel Train Display. Ages 16 and older, $4; 5-15, $2; 4 and under, free. Visit www.fairfax-station.org or call 703-425-9225.

Films in the Park: Homeward Bound(1993). 7 p.m. at Strawberry Park in Mosaic,Fairfax. Mosaic’s summer movie lineup hassomething for the whole family. Grab a blanket,friends and family and watch favorite filmsunderneath the stars. Visit mosaicdistrict.com/events/event/films-in-the-park-2/.

TUESDAY/AUG. 13Author Event: Francis Gary Powers Jr. 7 p.m.

at City of Fairfax Regional Library, 10360 NorthSt., Fairfax. Meet Francis Gary Power Jr, son ofthe famous U-2 spy pilot shot down over theSoviet Union in 1960. Copies of his new bookwill be available for purchase. Free. [email protected] for more.

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 14Springfield Nights: The Johnny Artis Band

(Blues, Rock&Roll). 7-8:30 p.m. at BurkeLake Park, 7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station.Springfield Nights returns for a second summerseason with free musical performances onWednesday evenings at Burke Lake Park rangingfrom bluegrass and pop, to rock and R&B. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances/springfield-nights.

THURSDAY/AUG. 15Evenings on the Ellipse: Mariachi Los

Amigos with special guest group,Common Ground (mariachi plus jazz).5:30-7 p.m. at the Fairfax County GovernmentCenter, 12000 Government Center Parkway,Fairfax. The Fairfax County Government

Center’s backyard will be alive with fun, musicand good company this summer as the Eveningson the Ellipse concert series returns. Stop by andrelax in style with generous tastings and salesfrom Fairfax County’s two Wineries, ParadiseSprings and Bull Run. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances/evenings-on-the-ellipse for more.

Hometown Thursdays: Witness Protection.6:30-8:30 p.m. at Old Town Square, 10415North St., Fairfax. Fairfax’s HometownThursdays concert series takes place the firstand third Thursdays through September. A free,family-friendly event for all ages. Visitwww.fairfaxva.gov/government/parks-recreation/special-events/hometown-thursdays

FRIDAY/AUG. 16Junior Club Championship. 8 a.m.-noon at

Burke Lake Golf Course, 7315 Ox Road, FairfaxStation. Golfers age 7-17 square off in theseason-ending tournament. This is an 18-hole,individual stroke tournament for all agedivisions: 10 & under; 11–13; and 14–17. Therewill be closest-to-the-pin contests and prizes for1st, 2nd, 3rd place in all three divisions. $25 forjunior program members; $35 for non-juniorprogram players; lunch included. Call 703-323-1641 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/golf/burke-lake.

B-I-N-G-O. 7 p.m. at Fire Station 3, 4081University Drive, Fairfax. Enjoy free coffee,entertaining callers, a friendly atmosphere,$1,000 guaranteed jackpot, treasure chestprogressive raffles, and good food available forpurchase. All proceeds go to purchasing fire andrescue equipment. Visit www.fairfaxvfd.com orcall 703-273-3638 for more.

Campfire Fridays. 7:30-9 p.m. at Hidden PondNature Center, 8511 Greeley Blvd., Springfield.Start the weekend off with a campfire ands’mores while exploring the hidden gems atHidden Pond Nature Center. Learn about theplants and animals that call Hidden Pond home.Designed for participants 3-adult. $10 perperson. Call 703-451-9588 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/hidden-pond.

SATURDAY/AUG. 17Children’s Entertainment Series. 10-10:45

a.m. at Burke Lake Park Ampitheater, 7315 OxRoad, Fairfax Station. Featuring John Hadfield(family show). Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances/springfield-nights.

Summer Saturdays. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at GunstonHall, 10709 Gunston Road, Lorton. JoinGunston Hall for a summer of fun. EachSaturday in June, July, and August, stop by for ahistoric adventure on the grounds and in theVisitor Center. Included with regular admission.Call 703-550-9220 or visitwww.gunstonhall.org/visit/guide/upcoming-events.

Movie Night: The Princess Bride. Dusk.Liberty Lorton, the former prison turned newdevelopment, is hosting a series of events thatincludes barnyard yoga, outdoor movie nights,and the second annual Turkey Trot. Events areopen to residents and non-residents of Liberty.Visit thelibertylife.com for more.

SUNDAY/AUG. 18Celebrating Nancy Cappel. 3-6 p.m. at St.

Matthew’s United Methodist Church, 8617 LittleRiver Turnpike, Annandale. St. Matthew’s UMCwill host a retirement celebration for NancyCappel, a nationally recognized handbelldirector, who has directed handbell and vocalchoirs for 50 years. The Celebration programwill last 1.5 hours to be followed by a reception.Free. Visit StMatthewsUMC.org for more.

Films in the Park: Akeelah and the Bee(2006). 7 p.m. at Strawberry Park in Mosaic,Fairfax. Mosaic’s summer movie lineup hassomething for the whole family. Grab a blanket,friends and family and watch favorite filmsunderneath the stars. Visit mosaicdistrict.com/events/event/films-in-the-park-2/.

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 21Nine and Wine. 5-8 p.m. at Laurel Hill Golf Club,

8701 Laurel Crest Drive, Lorton. Enjoy a roundon Virginia’s newest golf course. Price includesrange balls, golf cart and nine holes of golf anda glass of wine. This event welcomes the first 12people who RSVP. Check in at to pro shop atleast 15 minutes prior to the start time. Member,$32; non-members, $42. RSVP to RobertaKorzen at [email protected] or703-324-8782.

Calendar

Author Event:E. A. Dustin

Join for a discussion and signingwith local author E.A. Dustin who willbe talking about and signing copies ofher book, Save Me Twice – a WWIIstory. She will also give a preview ofher upcoming book “Self-Healed,” athriller. Friday, Aug. 9, 7-8:30 p.m. atBarnes and Noble Mosaic District, 2921District Ave., Suite 180, Fairfax. Freeadmission. Call 703-245-9260 or visitbn.com for more.

Author Event:Francis GaryPowers Jr.

Meet Francis Gary Power Jr, son ofthe famous U-2 spy pilot shot downover the Soviet Union in 1960. Copiesof his new book will be available forpurchase. Tuesday, Aug. 13, 7 p.m. atCity of Fairfax Regional Library, 10360North St., Fairfax. Free. [email protected] for more.


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News

T he Community Emer-gency Response Team(CERT) Program edu-cates residents about disaster pre-paredness for hazards that mayimpact their area. CERT trainscounty residents in basic disasterresponse skills, such as fire safety,light search and rescue, team or-ganization, and disaster medicaloperations.Using the training learned in theclassroom and during exercises,CERT members can assist othersin their neighborhood or work-place following an event whenprofessional responders are notimmediately available to help.CERT members also are encour-aged to support emergency re-sponse agencies by taking a moreactive role in emergency prepared-ness projects in their community.

The CERT training classes followthe FEMA curriculum, tailored tolocal disasters and hazards. It edu-

cates people about disaster pre-paredness for hazards that mayimpact their area and trains themin basic disaster response skills,such as fire safety, light search andrescue, team organization, anddisaster medical operations. Em-phasis on hands-on skill develop-ment and Fairfax County protocolsand procedures. Instructor willprovide syllabus with class sched-ule at first session. This trainingdoes not require any special physi-cal strength or agility.

For more information and toregister for the next two classes atthe Fire and Rescue Academy, clickon the link below:

CERT 149 at the Fire and Res-cue Academy - Aug.28, Sept. 4, 9,11, 16, 18, 23, 25. Mondays andWednesdays, 7 - 11 pm.

CERT 153 at the Fire and Res-cue Academy - Sept. 30, Oct. 2, 7,9, 14, 16, 21, 23. Mondays andWednesdays, 7 - 11 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Fairfax County Fire & Rescue DepartmentThe CERT training classes follow the FEMA curriculum,tailored to local disasters and hazards.

Free Training Classes ForCommunity Emergency Response Team

Transportation Projects DiscussedFrom Page 3bikeshare program, “knowing it’sdecreasing in popularity to scoot-ers.”

And Sanford told him, “We’renow considering a smaller initialprogram, just from Old Town toGMU, instead of citywide. We’dapply for funding for the bikedocks.”

“What are some of the chal-lenges at Fairfax Circle that wouldmake us do a redesign?” askedCouncilwoman Janice Miller. “Itseems to work fine, to me.”

“Driver confusion and pedes-trian-safety issues,” answeredSanford. “There’s major redevel-opment going on there, and wewant to connect it to Old Lee High-way. It could function better.”

Furthermore, said Summers,“It’s an obsolete design. And at the

corners where people merge andthere are pedestrians, it could beimproved – possibly with a gradeseparation. There are issues withconflict, sight distance and visibil-ity. We’d first get a feasibility studyabout the best bang for our buck.”

Miller then asked about trafficaccidents there, and Summers re-plied, “Certain areas of the circleare problematic, and we get com-plaints from motorists.”

“The traffic circle is a nightmarein the morning,” added Passey.“Overall, I’m fine with how Mrs.Sanford has done this, so I say, ‘Goforward.’”

Sanford plans to return to Coun-cil in September; and betweenthen and December, she’ll seek theCity’s endorsements for her trans-portation-funding applications onthe City’s behalf.


Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Although I’ve had a pretty good run of late not writing much about “the cancer,” to quote “Forrest, Forrest Gump,” the reality is, as you might imagine, cancer is ever present – in your head and in your heart (and for me, in my lungs).

Never more so then when your quarterly CT scan is imminent. As I sit and write this column on a Sunday, Wednesday, three days hence is what you’d call ‘imminent.’ Not that there’s much prepa-ration, there’s not. But with electronic media being what it is, one does receive multiple reminders: text, email and the occasional call.

And, even though I don’t actually have to do anything in advance, I am reminded nonetheless, in advance, what there is yet to be done: show up! (Apparently, many cancer patients, staff have told me, are not as compliant as you’d expect them to be.)

But it’s not the ‘advance’ or the ‘after’ that I’m addressing in this column. It’s the way-before and how a CT’s imminence affects one’s life.

As much as I write a good game – and talk/act a good game, living one’s life pretending to min-imize cancer’s presumptive/possible/”prognosed” impact is indeed make believe. Not that I’m a glass half-empty person, I’m not, as you regular readers know.

However, there’s nothing like a computerized tomography and a post-scan appointment with one’s oncologist to focus your attention on the fact that you have been/are living with what your oncol-ogist originally characterized back in early 2009, as a “terminal disease:” non-small cell lung cancer, stage IV (and giving you a “13 month to two year” prognosis, to boot).

A disease whose initial progression (doc-tor-speak for growth/movement) eliminated surgery as an option, but one for which there have been multiple lines of chemotherapy, none of which was ever been said to be a cure. In the spirit of that reality, how does one live in the present and plan for the future? (Jeez, that last line sounds right out of one of the Carrie Bradshaw’s “Sex and the City” voice overs.)

On the one hand – the one with no sense of reality, I suppose one is simply to go about one’s varied business with nary a care or concern in the world. On the other hand – the one with enough a sense of reality to choke a horse, I suppose I am to mark time, count the number of days until my next scan, plan for today and think about tomorrow.

But, not too many tomorrows as there’s no sense getting ahead of oneself or else one will get behind. And if that sounds mixed up, it is. Because for can-cer patients, “Time is a godforsaken paradox.”

As Captain Katheryn Janeway of “Star Trek: Voy-ager” further explained many star dates ago: “The future is the past, the past is the future. The whole thing gives me a headache.”

And if you do get any headaches, you need to contact your oncologist because in 30 percent of lung cancer patients, the cancer moves to the brain. A location which presents all sorts of treatment and quality of life challenges.

And, a manifestation there, should it appear, scares the living daylights out of me. But never mind. Just keep on planning and pretending that you don’t have a “TERMINAL” disease. You know, the type of disease for which there’s “NO CURE.”

Then again, if I do get bogged down by certain realities, I’ll be no work and no play – and no fun (neither do I want to be a dull boy). And no fun is no way to live – in the past, present or future, and that’s no paradox.

So, if and when the chips and/or the “chippee” is down, one needs to be thankful for the chips that you do have and for the ones you hope yet to accumulate. Otherwise, you might as well see the cashier on your way out.

Life’s too short (don’t I know it) to live only in the present and not consider the future. And if I don’t consider the future, it’s unlikely I’ll have one. Just because I’ve now had a past that lasted years longer than I expected shouldn’t mean I can’t have a future I never anticipated.

Some Trek: To Go Where This Man Has Never Gone Before

From Page 7

Bulletinaccepted. Call 703-281-1767 or RSVP atjourneyingaugust10.eventbrite.com/.

TUESDAY/AUG. 13Car Seat Safety Check. 5-9 p.m. at the West

Springfield district police station, 6140 RollingRoad. Fairfax County Police Department offersfree safety check and install events throughoutthe year to ensure children travel safely. Byappointment only; call 703-644-7377 and press0 at the recording to schedule.

Family Caregiver Telephone Support Group.7-8 p.m. Fairfax County’s Family CaregiverTelephone Support Group meets by phone onTuesday, February 13, 7-8 p.m. This month’sfocus is an open discussion on caregiver stress.Share experiences, gain support and getinformation without having to travel. Call 703-324-5484, TTY 711 to register.

TUESDAY/AUG. 20Volunteer Seminar: RSVP. 10:30 a.m. at Junior

Achievement Finance Park, 4099 Pickett Road,Fairfax. RSVP-Northern Virginia (Retired andSenior Volunteer Program) will hold a seminaron volunteering in retirement. The one-hourevent is free and open to the public. To sign upfor the Aug. 14 info session, [email protected], call RSV703-403-5360 or visit www.rsvpnova.org.

Car Seat Safety Check. 5-9 p.m. at the WestSpringfield district police station, 6140 RollingRoad. Fairfax County Police Department offersfree safety check and install events throughoutthe year to ensure children travel safely. Byappointment only; call 703-644-7377 and press0 at the recording to schedule.

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 214th Annual Clergy Breakfast. 8:30-10:30 a.m.

at Vienna Baptist Church, 541 Marshall Road,SW, Vienna. This once-a-year connectioncontinues to build fellowship and goodwillthroughout the year as attendees collectivelyaddress common issues. The Clergy Breakfastalso showcases Shepherd’s Center of Oakton-Vienna’s new vision statement, their missionstatement and the current programs and servicesthey have been providing seniors, their care-givers and families for over twenty-one years.All faiths are welcome. RSVP by Aug. 16 at 703-281-0538 or [email protected].

Public Comment Sought. The Office ofIntermodal Planning and Investment, theVirginia Department of Transportation, and theDepartment of Rail and Public Transportation,under the leadership of the CommonwealthTransportation Board (CTB), are developing aplan to study Virginia’s 179 miles of theInterstate 95 corridor between the WoodrowWilson Bridge in Alexandria, Virginia and theNorth Carolina border. The first comment periodwill end Aug. 21, 2019. Additional commentopportunities will be available throughout thestudy period. For more information about thestudy, or to view meeting materials and accessthe online engagement tool, visitVA95Corridor.org.

TUESDAY/AUG. 22Volunteering with Students. 1:30-3 p.m. at

Sherwood Regional Library, 2501 SherwoodHall Lane, Alexandria. Information sessionabout GrandInvolve recruiting older adults whoare interested in volunteering in the classroomin Fairfax County’s Title 1 elementary schools.Opportunities: mentors, classroom helpers,material preparation, and more. Free. Visitwww.grandinvolve.org for more.

SATURDAY/AUG. 24Large Yard Sale. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at Unity of

Fairfax, 2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton. Unityof Fairfax will host a large, indoor, church yardsale with hundreds of items from manyhouseholds and a restaurant liquidation. Freeadmission. Visit www.unityoffairfax.org.

Messy Church. 5-6:30 p.m. at St. Peter’s in theWoods, 5911 Fairview Woods Drive, FairfaxStation. Join St. Peter’s in the Woods for theirmonthly Messy Church. It’s a worshipingcommunity especially geared towards familiesand young children, but welcoming to all. Bible-themed crafts and activities, casual worship anda free, family-style dinner. Call 703-503-9210for more. Registration is appreciated, visitwww.stpetersinthewoods.org/events.

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