Vol. XXI, No. 36 Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A … Vernon.pdf · 2020. 7. 25. · Mount...

Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ September 9-15, 2010 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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September 9, 2010Vol. XXI, No. 36 Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A Connection Newspaper

See Back to School,

4

See In Pursuit, Page 15

The Gartlan Center forCommunity MentalHealth Advisory Board

will sponsor a round table discus-sion on Sept. 15, from 7-9 p.m.,at the South County GovernmentCenter, 8350 Richmond Highway,room 221, to discuss: “Strategiesfor Improving Services to Studentsand Families Facing Socio-Eco-nomic Pressures Adversely Affect-ing their Mental Health & SchoolPerformance.”

The panel discussion is open tothe public and free. Invited panel-

ists are: State Sen. Toddy Puller,facilitator; Jack Dale: superinten-dent, Fairfax County PublicSchools; Jim Gillespie, FairfaxCounty Family Services programmanager; Cathleen Lewandowski,chair, Department of Social Work,George Mason University, andKahan Dhillon, member, VirginiaBoard of Juvenile Justice.

For more information e-mail:Ann-Louise Lainge Bailey [email protected].

— Gerald A. Fill

How To Help FamiliesCope with Economy

By Michael Lee Pope

The Gazette

It’s been 10 months since aFairfax County Police officershot and killed an unarmedman on Richmond Highway,

a case that’s called into questionthe transparency of the depart-ment and put a spotlight on theability of the department to with-hold information from the public.Even now, almost a year later, thedepartment has yet to release thevideo footage of the shooting re-corded from the dashboard cam-era of the officers cruiser. The pub-lic has yet to learn the name of theofficer who shot and killed DavidMasters, a mentally ill man whowas suspected of stealing flowers.

“Fairfax County is becoming apolice state,” said NicholasBeltrante, who formed the CitizensCoalition for Police Accountabilityas a result of the Fairfax CountyPolice Department’s refusal toshare information about the case.“There have been many docu-mented instances of abuse ofpower and arrogance of power.”

Again and again, the depart-ment has declined to share infor-mation about the case. The videofootage and officer’s name weredenied after Connection Newspa-pers made a Freedom of Informa-tion Act request for them. Thenthey were denied again when theCitizens Coalition for Police Ac-countability filed a separate Free-dom of Information Act request.Police officials in Fairfax say de-partments across the countrystruggle with how much informa-tion they release about officerswho shoot to kill.

“There have been some depart-ments who have, in the past, re-leased officers’ names and havenow gone back to not releasing the

Still No DetailsTen months later,police have yet toexplain whathappened toDavid Masters.

By Gale Curcio

The Gazette

While summer is not officially overuntil Sept. 22, those lazy, hazydays of summer are mere memo-ries as carpools, homework and

teacher conferences begin once again.Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superin-

tendent Jack D. Dale did a whirlwind tour Tues-day morning, Sept. 8, as he visited six schools.After visiting Madison High School in Vienna andHayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, hestopped at Sandburg Middle School in Alexandria.

Dale was traveling with Director Cluster IVDeborah Tyler; Asst. Superintendent Cluster IVScott Brabrand, and Fairfax County School BoardChair Kathy Smith. The group met with Sandburg

Principal Terrence Yarboroughand visited several classes.

The first stop was DavidaMcCray’s seventh-grade scienceclass where the students weresettling in for their first day. Abrief stop at the main gymshowed a couple of groups ofeighth graders meeting with theP.E. teachers — the seventhgraders meet in the auxiliarygym. Yarborough said that allthe classes viewed the videothat he put together introduc-ing himself and explaining therules and expectations for thestudents. He said that they planto do a series of announcementintroducing the administrators.

Back to School for StudentsSummer may not be technically over — but it is.

Crossing guards help younger students cross the streetto Waynewood Elementary School.

James T. Meier, principal at Waynewood Elementary School, greets students as theystart their first day of school.

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2 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ September 9-15, 2010 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

LONG & FOSTER

5911 Kingstowne Village ParkwaySuite 100

Alexandria VA 22315

703-313-6500www.longandfoster.com

Alex/Wilton Woods $699,000Unique split with Colonial flair! 4 bdrm, 2.2 ba, fully finished walk-out lower level. Dramatic vaulted ceilings in living room &entrance. Eat-in kitchen w/ granite counters, S/S appliances. Stonewall FP, wet bar, formal living & dining rm. Wood flrs. Master bdrmw/sitting room. Must see!

Allan Price 703-329-2424

Alex/Grist Mill Woods $899,000Stunning estate home with over 4,000 sqft of living space in pres-tigious Grist Mill Woods neighborhood. Spacious & open floorsplan full of upgrades. Backyard with beautiful pool, extraordinaryviews. A true oasis right in your own backyard. Hrdwd flrs, enor-mous kitchen. Won’t last!

Claudia Kim 202-236-9639

Baileys Crossroads $139,900Fannie Mae Home Path approved property. One bedroom, onebath condo with hardwood floors and remodeled kitchen withstainless steel appliances. Shows well. Great location for com-muter, right off Columbia Pike!

Angela Sherrill 703-615-3033

Fredericksburg $315,000Beautiful brick rambler in delightful over 55 community. Filled withtons of amenities. This home features a very spacious, open floorplan & loft with 3rd bedroom on upper level. Elegant & efficient!

Steven Patten 571-332-2818

ALEXANDRIA • KINGSTOWNE CENTER

Springfield/Newington $469,900Beautiful split level with 4 bdrm & 4 ba. Hrdwd floors on main lvl.Basement w/spacious rec room, 2 full baths & kitchenette.Spacious private deck & large backyard w/playground. Fantasticlocation in Newington Woods Community!

Fawzia Noori 571-276-1336

Annandale$344,900

Light & Brightwith manyupdates! Newhrdwd flrs infoyer, hall &kitchen. Updatedbaths, appli-ances, lights,fresh paint/newcarpet through-out. Walkout tofenced yard withdeck. Super loca-tion, just offLittle Riverturnpike!Mary Sellman703-864-9223

Alex/Old Town$1,100,000Owned by GeorgeWashington in 1797.Detached home _block off KingStreet. Charmingdetails, old woodfloors, built in cabi-nets. Sunny garden& patio. Four fire-places. Rare masterbdrm for this agehome. Attic storage& den in LL. Only 4blocks to river.Amazingopportunity!

Val Klotz703-303-9744

Alex/Stratford Landing $900,000Absolutely stunning Colonial! 5 bdrm, 5.5 ba, 3-car side-loadgarage. Main lvl private bdrm w/full bath. Gorgeous 2-story familyroom, gourmet kitchen, huge walk-in closets all within lovelyStratford Landing community!

Barbara West 703-969-4405

Alex/Cameron Parke

$489,000Gorgeous light-filled townhousewith new paint,carpet & light fix-tures! Three mastersuites with privatebaths. Custom clos-ets, Jacuzzi, 2 cargarage, hrdwd flrs,S/S appliances,Corian counters &Cherry cabinets!Minutes to 2Metros, Old Town& DC!Rob Kennedy202-352-8558

SOLD


NewsMount Vernon Gazette Editor Steven Mauren

703-778-9415 or [email protected]

Noodles & Company will donate 25percent from the sale of customers’ mealson Tuesday, Sept. 14, between 5 – 9 p.m.,to United Community Ministries (UCM).The restaurant is hosting this event tosupport UCM and raise awareness of itsprograms. UCM provides both emer-

gency and long-term services to individu-als and families in need in the community.To participate, when there, tell the serverthat you are there to help UCM.

Noodles & Company is located at 7702Richmond Hwy., Alexandria. Its phone is703-713-2128.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Depart-ment units responded to a house fire Fri-day, Sept. 3, at approximately 1:15 a.m., inthe Woodlawn area of Fairfax County. Thesingle-family home is located at 8604Woodlawn Court.

Firefighters encountered fire coming fromthe roof and the second floor of the two-story

home upon arrival. Firefighters broughtthe fire under control in approximately20 minutes. The home was vacant at thetime of the fire. One firefighter was trans-ported to the Washington Hospital BurnCenter for non-life threatening injuries.

Damage is estimated at $80,000.The fire is under investigation.

Restaurant Night To Benefit UCM Fire Damages Two-Story HouseThis Week in Mount Vernon

To ensure that first re-sponders are preparedfor a variety of inci-dents, the Fairfax

County SWAT team has been con-ducting special training exercisessince the spring for Fairfax CountyPolice and other nearby jurisdic-tions to address situations with

Training AgainstMulti-Threats

Officers from the Mount Vernon District Station Neighborhood PatrolUnit are trying to identify where the “shooter” in the parking lot islocated. They have already been through this training, but were asked tocome back to be an additional team during the exercise.

In this scenario, there are two sets of criminals, and the 20 class mem-bers are to split up to deal with the two situations. One team is to res-cue an officer down in a police cruiser while under fire, while the otherteam is to enter a building and attempt to find the criminals. Blankswere used during this exercise.

This is the “live fire shoot house.” The walls of this facility are 1/2”thick steel plates. During some exercises, officers train with live ammu-nitions in their weapons to add realism to their training scenarios.There is a catwalk above the training rooms — that enables instructors,and in this case, the media to observe. Hanging in the lower rightcormer is a “mock” improvised explosive device (IED). Students aretrained to be aware of potential dangers in the building. After the exer-cise is over, all participants are debriefed and instructors discuss thingsthey observed during the exercise.

multiple threats — more than oneshooter.

On Aug. 20, the media was in-vited to observe a training sessionat the SWAT training center inChantilly. Participants includedmembers of the U.S. Marshals, theU.S. Coast Guard, and theHarrisonburg Police Department.

This scenario has two “shooters” and two injured civilians —including one conscious man making quite a ruckus.

Photos by Deb Cobb/Centre View


Alexandria/Old Town121 N. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

703-549-8700www.weichert.com

Visit Us at Weichert.com for a full Listing of New PropertiesVisit Us at Weichert.com for a full Listing of New Properties

THINKING OF A REAL ESTATE CAREER? Call Kim Farina at the Alexandria/Old Town Office.

WAYNEW

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Alexandria $445,000Lovely 3 bedrm, 3 bath home w/2 finished levels and attachedgarage! Gleaming hardwoods, 2 fireplaces, updated bathsand kitchen, 2 bonus rooms, new windows and large fencedyard w/deck! Blocks to library and farmers market!

7908 Bayberry DriveChristine Garner 703-587-4855

Alexandria$790,000

Fantasticopportunity!Upgraded to thenine’s! Beautiful 4level townhousew/cherry cabinets,hardwood flrs.,granite and 3outside living areas.Garage & parking for2 cars. Walk tometro, Old Town,Whole Foods.

440 ChaunceyCourt

Julie Hall703-786-3634

Ashburn $395,000Bring your margarita machine & friends-we’ll provide thesunsets, a breezy deck & outdoor kitchen. Rare 2 storyfoyer w/Palladian window adds extra space & light. Patiow/perennials plus garage. Many Extras!

43789 Clemens TerraceJoni Koons 703209-7277

Greg Koons 703-209-7678

Alex/Old Town$524,900

Enjoy Old Townliving in this fullyupdated 2 bedrm, 2bath townhome.Off Street parking!Private courtyardsetting just stepsfrom shops andrestaurants on KingStreet. Blocks tometro!

100 KingHenry Court

ChristineGarner

703-587-4855

Alex/Old Town $544,900Reduce your carbon footprint w/o sacrificing style in thisdramatic and contemporary “green” condo converted from ahistorical 1910 warehouse. Spacious 1295 SF open loft style w/2bedrms, 2 baths, soapstone counters and much more! Virtualtour w/floor [email protected]/home/NXF8JC.

1210 Queen StreetCindy 703-593-1418 Leslie 703-400-3010

Alexandria$599,000

Outstanding Chathammodel w/numerousoptions including 3Level bump-out ext.,hardwood flrs, walk-outfrom main level Familyrm to the maintenancefree TREX deckSpacious LL rec rmwith walk-out to deepback yard backing towoods. All this w/3bedrms, 2.5 baths & 2car garage. Visit myweb [email protected] Wilton Crest

CourtBob Bazzle

703-599-8964

Alex/Rosemont $1,349,000Spacious 4/5 bedrm, 3.5 bath center hall Colonial built in2006. Three levels of luxury living w/ 4 upper level bedrms,chef’s kitchen, media rm and large yard w/outdoorkitchen. Blocks to metro!

28 W. Glendale AvenueChristine Garner 703-587-4855

Alexandria $1,089,000Looks are deceiving! This spacious 4 bedrm, 3.5bathhome has it all & then SOME ! A 3 story addition w/over3000 SF of luxury living on a 7500SF lot w/a new garage!Blocks to metro, Old Town & Del Ray!

4 Glendale Avenue, WestChristine Garner 703-587-4855

ROSEMONT

Alexandria $298,892Huge 2 bedroom plus den, 1.5 baths in Seminary Walk.Easy access to Old Town, 2 metros and more

51 Skyhill Road #203Phil Cefaratti 703-371-7601

Alexandria$545,545

Large end unittownhouse w/3bedrooms , 3.5baths and 2 cargarage in LenoxPlace atSunnyside.

3917 CharlesAvenue

Phil Cefaratti703-371-7601

OPEN

SUNDAY Alexandria

$519,000Unbelievableopportunity to own a3500+ SF luxury THw/3 or 4 bedrm, 3 full& 1 half baths. Hdwdflrs & fireplace onmain level. DRw/skylight & Frenchdoors to patio. Wetbar in LL. Minutes toVan Dorn Metro!6307 Chaucer Lane

Erika Carroll703-568-7376

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Alexandria $524,425Tons of space inside and out in this 4 bedrm, 3.5 bath, 2+ cargarage on 1/3 acre lot. Completely renovated in the last 2 years.

6716 Armlong AvenuePhil Cefaratti 703-371-7601

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For more information:www.RexReiley.com

Each Office Independently Owned and Operated

[email protected]

Rex ReileyRE/MAX Allegiance

Alex./Wessynton $664,9003008 Sevor Lane

Large, meticulously maintained 5 BR, 3.5BA Colonial w/2-car garage & finished bsmtin Mt Vernon’s premiere contemporaryWessynton. Pride of ownership is apparent:exterior painted in ’06, HVAC systems allreplaced in past 5 yrs. Beautiful carpet overhdwd floors throughout main & upper lev-els. Large picturesque windows over look

beautiful landscaping. Lower level has rec room, den, 2 storage rms, & bath w/largeJacuzzi tub. Wessynton offers pool, tennis, basketball courts & boat launch. 5 minutes toFt. Belvoir, 15 to Old Town, 25 to Ntl Airport & 30/35 to D.C./Pentagon.

Alex/Mt. Vernon $349,9007737 Schelhorn Road

One Level Living in this lovely detachedhome on over one half acre on a uniquestreet with many new homes – forunder $400k!! Close to library, hospi-tal, GW Parkway, Potomac River,Huntington Metro. Brick exterior,freshly painted interior, vaulted ceiling,

parquet wood floors. Wood burning fireplace in family room. Double pane win-dows, skylights. Sold “As Is” – estate sale – but HI welcome.

Alex./Wessynton $639,9003020 Cunningham Drive

Large 5 BR/2.5 BA Colonial with 2-cargarage and full unfinished basement in Mt.Vernon’s premiere contemporary subdivi-sion of Wessynton. This home is priced toallow some updating. Large coveredscreened porch off the family room allowsyou to enjoy your beautiful private back-

yard. Wessynton offers a pool, tennis court, and boat launch that allows quick accessto Potomac River – 5 minutes to Ft. Belvoir, 15 to Old Town Alex.

Alex/Riverside Estates $514,9003113 Battersea Lane

Spectacular Colonial on a great lot back-ing to woods. Large Yorkshire modelw/2-car garage. Numerous updates thru-out to include kit w/granite counters &bump out, windows, roof, siding, fur-nace, gas fpl. Finished basement pluslarge hot tub overlooking beautiful &

serene back yard. Being SOLD “AS-IS” at a great price! Close to Ft. Belvoir, 5 minsto Reagan National Airport, 30 mins to D.C. & Pentagon.

NEW

LISTING

Alex/ Mt. Vernon $489,9008424 Washington Avenue

Absolute Cream Puff! Beautiful 3 BR, 2 BACape Cod /FPL, 3 finished levels & spectacu-lar detached 2 car garage/workshop w/extrawide asphalt driveway. Totally updated: kit,baths, HVAC, energy efficient dbl pane win-dows, refinished hdwd floors on main &upper levels, beautiful sun room addition

w/separate HVAC. Finished walkout basement, interior painted, screened porch-spectacu-lar.42 landscaped lot. 5 mins to Ft. Belvoir, 15 Huntington Metro/Old Town, 35 to D.C.

Alex/Bucknell Manor $338,500 6932 Vanderbilt Drive

Stunning & meticulously cared-for 2-level Cape Cod loadedw/updates: kitchen, both baths,double pane replacement win-dows & washer & dryer onupper level. Roof in ’03, siding

in ’04 & A/C in ’07. Lg gorgeous bkyd w/newer privacy fence.Mins to shopping & Huntington Metro, 25 mins to Ft. Belvoir.

Alex./Riverside Estates $559,9003112 Battersea Lane

Beautifully remodeled 4BR, 2.5BAColonial in popular RiversideEstates. Updates include: totallyremodeled kit w/granite counters,baths, new carpet in family rm &basement. Interior freshly painted,refinished hdwd floors on main &upper levels. New HVAC & water

heater, extensive landscaping. Great location! 6 minutes to Ft. Belvoir, 15to Hunting Metro and Old Town, 25 to Ntl Airport & 35 to Pentagon/D.C.

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Business

See Blending, Page 6

By Gale Curcio

The Gazette

Twenty-five years ago, Andrea Ploutisopened a small grocery store on Rich-mond Highway. There wasn’t mucharound, but Ploutis wanted to open a

business and had faith that this was the right placeto be.

It wasn’t long before a customer suggested thatshe should start selling gifts and home décor. Thus,Classics & Country Décor & Gifts was created. It hasbeen an icon on Richmond Highway ever since, sell-ing holiday and gift items year-round and home décorwith a touch of Americana.

The description on their website states: “We are

located just minutes away from Historic MountVernon Estate near our nation’s capital. We firstopened our doors 25 years ago with a goal to offerour customers home decor that will give them a feel-ing of warmth and coziness. We traveled across thecountry in search of these simple treasures. Now wehave made available, to our customers, items thatevoke housewarming memories such as the smell ofbaked apple pie in grandma’s kitchen. We believeour products will help you enjoy happiness, warmth,and peace right in your own home.”

Ploutis had three daughters, but StavroullaKokkinis was the most involved in the business, andsaid, “I’ve been involved since I was four years old.”

Kokkinis and her mother now co-own Classics &Country Home Décor & Gifts. Fast forward to Janu-ary, 2010, when they opened their Old Town, Alex-andria location at 217 King Street.

“It was a dream for me and my mom to open astore in Old Town, Alexandria,” said Kokkinis. “We

are so excited.”While this new store also

carries holiday items year-round, they have changedtheir products to update theneeds of their customers.

“People are trying tostretch their dollars and lookfor things that are multi-func-tional,” said Kokkinis. “Tour-ists want smaller items andpeople like anything to makethem smile.”

Things to make one smileare funny books and comicalsigns. There is a large selec-tion of jewelry and smallknick-knack items that tour-ists can easily pack in their

Classics & Country ExpandsBlending the newwith the old.

At Classics & Country, it is Christmas all year round.

Classics & Country Home Décor & Gifts owner Andrea Ploutis with daughterStavroulla Kokkinis.

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From Page 5

Business

bags. Tourists also like the fact that theKing Street location stays open late;Kokkinis said that they sometime havepeople in the store at midnight during theweekend. She recently married and she andher husband live nearby; he helps out withthe store as well.

Switchflops are an example of a multi-functional item. Shoppers purchase one pairof flip-flops and then purchase interchange-able colorful straps so that they have un-limited choices with minimal effort. Anotherexample is the line of Trollbeads bracelets,necklaces and charms. And then there’s theMag’nabilities – necklaces with interchange-able magnetic pendants.

While these items can be found in otherspecialty stores, Classics & Country has justas many of those uncommon items – thingsthat you won’t find in other stores. Shop-

Blending the New with the Oldpers who used to frequent Unique on KingStreet were glad to find fun and whimsicalitems at Classics & Country.

Ploutis does most of the purchasing whileKokkinis does the decorating and market-ing. They both attended the Atlanta GiftShow where they found all kinds of newand exciting items.

“We’re a good team,” said Kokkinis.The Richmond Highway location has

more traditional items, including an exten-sive line of the Dept. 56 Collection. Whilethese holiday items are still very popular,Kokkinis said that people aren’t collectingas much.

Kokkinis said that Halloween is becom-ing a much bigger holiday with shoppersbuying all kinds of decorations. Fourth ofJuly is pretty popular as well.

Gale Curcio is an independent writer andpublic relations consultant in Mount Vernon.

There areplenty of homedécor items atthe Richmond

Highwaylocation.

The secondfloor of theKing Streetlocation has awide selectionof baby items.

Photos by

Gale Curcio/

The Gazette

The originallocation ofClassics &Country onRichmondHighway.


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Business

By Sandy Slippen

The Gazette

Initial Impressions, a giftshop specializing in person-alized gift items via embroidery and engraving, re-

cently opened in the Hollin Hallshopping center at 7918 Fort HuntRoad. They are open Tuesdaysthrough Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.to 5:30 p.m. and canbe reached at 703-768-0010.

Initial Impressionsowner Leslie Carney answers a fewquestions about the store:

Could you describe thetypes of items and giftsthat Initial Impressionsspecializes in?

Gifts that can be personalizedin some fashion by way of embroi-dery, engraving and jewelrystamping. Baby gifts, a lot of lin-ens, soft travel bags, purses, lunchbags, glassware (wine glasses,water glasses), cutting boards, pic-ture frames, photo albums. A fewpet things, handmade collars,leashes, little scarves with cutethings embroidered on them like“been there, chewed that.”

What made you decide toopen a store like this?

Raising five kids has kept mevery busy, but now two are gone,three are pretty self-sufficient, soI was looking for something else

Creating a Neighborhood Shop

Leslie J Carney, owner of Initial Impressions

to occupy my time. This is some-thing I’ve thought I wanted to dosince I was a kid, so I decided togo for it. I knew the dentist thatused to be in this space was mydentist and he was leaving, and Iknew I wanted to be close to homeso I could do still do family stuff.Is this a family-run busi-ness?

It’s mostly run by me, but mykids do work here, mostly thetwo daughters that are still athome.

Are there any notableadvantages to your locationin the Hollin Hall ShoppingCenter?

Speaking with customers, and

Q&A

I feel the same way living aroundhere, it’s nice to be able to gosomewhere to get a gift you don’thave to travel to Route 1 or TysonsCorner or on the beltway some-where, it’s just nice to have aneighborhood place.

Above all, what are youhoping to offer customerswith this store that theymight have difficulty get-ting elsewhere?

One of the things I love the mostis creating a special gift for a spe-cial occasion: a first birthday, com-munion, a baptism, a wedding. Ireally enjoy that part of this store,helping to make someone’s familyoccasion more special.

See Bulletin, Page 10

To have a notice listed, e-mailgazette@connection newspapers.com.Call Steve Hibbard at 703-778-9412 withquestions.

ONGOINGVolunteer Career Mentors are

needed to help under- andunemployed adults find jobs. ContactSarah Schultz, Employer PartnershipsManager at

[email protected] or call703-931-7346 ext. 102 for moreinformation.(www.computercore.org)

Fairfax County’s IndependentLiving Program for older adultsoffers free strength and balanceclasses followed by health seminars.Classes takes place at the Mt. VernonPresbyterian Church Fellowship Hall,2001 Sherwood Hall Lane,Alexandria on Thursdays at 12:15

Bulletin Board

p.m. All events are free. Registrationis required. Call 703-324-7210, TTY703-449-1186 or [email protected].

Harmony Heritage Singers. 10 a.m.to 1 p.m. If a senior choral singer, theBarbershop Chorus, Mt. VernonChapter is looking for a few goodsingers. The group rehearses twice amonth on Wednesdays or Fridays at


Opinion

There are some basic rules of self pro-tection that sometimes escape us.

I got a reminder a few weeks agoof a few simple things: Always lock

the car. Don’t leave valuables in the car.I always lock my car, but the one night I for-

got (distracted at a key moment) was the nightevery open car in my neighborhood was rifledand stripped of anything potentially valuable.While overall, the losses were in the thousandsof dollars, my losses were small, anantique iPod and a battered cameramade up most of the loss.

The next lesson was from the detec-tive who dutifully followed up on the policereport filed online. Stolen items are recoveredall the time, and returned to their owners iftheir owners knew and reported the serial num-ber of the stolen item. His recommendationwas to record every new item purchased, es-pecially electronics, including serial number,price, make, model, date and place of purchase,and to store that list by either uploading it asa “Google Document” or attaching it to anemail. That way even if the computer you usedto make the list is stolen or your house burneddown, you would have a record for police andinsurance.

September might be hurricane preparednessmonth, but it was August that left so many ofus in the Washington area without power fordays, on two different occasions. Last winter’sblizzards reminded us that you can be with-out power and without an easy route to leave

your home at the same time. Both experiencesargue for some home safety checks.

Can you find the flashlights in the dark? Doyou have what you need to hunker down athome for a few days? Do you have a plan togather all the members of your family, or howto contact each other, in case of an emergency?If you put together an emergency kit, has itbeen updated lately? See the attached list, pluswww.ready.gov, for good, basic information.

Don’t forget your pets in your emer-gency planning. Whether you were todecide to stay put in an emergency orchange locations, you need to make

plans in advance for your pets. Do you haveenough food, pet carriers, etc.? Some emer-gency shelters will now accept pets, and theAmerican Red Cross in the National CapitalRegion, with the Metropolitan WashingtonCouncil of Governments (MWCOG) recentlytook delivery of eight regional animal sheltertrailers for pets in times of disaster, each withthe capacity to set up a shelter for up to 200pets. (These appear destined for Maryland andD.C.) This comes from the experiences afterKatrina and other disasters when it becameapparent that many people would not evacu-ate without their pets.

The recent meltdown of Virginia’s networkscan also serve as a reminder to the rest of us:Have you backed up your computers this week?Are your critical documents backed up in mul-tiple places, including offsite? The governor iscorrect to call for an investigation. With an

Readiness, Preparation forEmergencies Back to school a good time to check

on backups, supplies, record-keeping.

Emergency SuppliesTHE BASICS❖ Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at

least three days, for drinking and sanitation❖ Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable

food❖ Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA

Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteriesfor both (some versions will also charge your cellphone)

❖ Flashlight and extra batteries❖ First aid kit❖ Whistle to signal for help❖ Dust masks, to help filter contaminated air❖ Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for

personal sanitation❖ Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities❖ Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)❖ Local maps❖ Cell phone with chargers

ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO CONSIDER❖ Prescription medications and glasses❖ Infant formula and diapers❖ Pet food and extra water for your pet❖ Important family documents such as copies of

insurance policies, identification and bank accountrecords in a waterproof, portable container

❖ Cash or traveler’s checks and change❖ See www.ready.gov for more.

investment of billions of dollars, thecommonwealth’s systems should be better pro-tected from a crash. But after a crash, thereshould be a much faster response time. Butdon’t let this happen to you, mind your back-ups.

— Mary Kimm,

[email protected]

Editorial

SpeakingFor MVCCA?To the Editor:

Last week, the co-chairs of theMVCCA submitted a rebuttal to myearlier letters — theirs was repletewith false statements. In their let-ter concerning the MVCCA Bylaws,they stated: “We take these by-laws seriously.” No they don’t —submission of their letter violatesthose Bylaws! Under the MVCCABylaws, the co-chairs have no au-thority to speak for the MVCCAwithout, at minimum, a vote of theMVCCA Board at a publicly no-ticed meeting. Since the co-chairs’letter responds in part to my let-ter published on Aug. 19, 2010and there were no MVCCA meet-ings publicly noticed in August(see July 2010 MVCCA Record),the co-chairs had no authority tosend in the letter. To these co-chairs, the MVCCA Bylaws are amere inconvenience to be obeyedonly when it suits them.

In their letter, the MVCCA co-

chairs dispute my contention thatcurrent E&R Chair Elizabeth Mar-tin serves in violation of theMVCCA Bylaws. They concede thatmy contention would be true “if,in fact, sitting on the FCWB[Fairfax County Wetlands Board]would qualify as a ‘policy-makingposition in Fairfax County.’” Theyinvestigated this charge ninemonths ago, and found it “to beof no merit.” A search of theFairfax County website revealsthat the FCWB is, in fact, a policy-making Board of Fairfax County.In a Resolution found at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/envi-r o n m e n t / w e t l a n d s /mi t i ga t i on_compensa t i on_policy_adopted.pdf note the fol-lowing:

“At a regular meeting of theWetlands Board for the County ofFairfax, Virginia (‘the WetlandsBoard’), on March 30, 2005, theWetlands Board adopted a TidalWetlands Mitigation and Compen-sation Policy ...”

Next, at the link http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/envi-

ronment/finallivingshoreline.pdf“The Fairfax County Wetlands

Board has adopted the followingpolicies for considering applica-tions for permits ....”

The FCWB is a policy-makingBoard of Fairfax County.

The co-chairs would have read-ers believe that the MVCCA “infact, represents ‘an overwhelmingpercentage of residents’ of theMount Vernon District.” The re-sults of a Freedom of InformationAct request I made of SupervisorHyland’s office show that there are224 community associations in theMount Vernon District. TheMVCCA represents about 60 ofthem. Case closed.

In an attempt to explain awaythe low attendance figures atMVCCA meetings, the co-chairsrationalize that the figures fromMay, June, and July were low be-cause “summer attendance is al-ways low .…” Leaving aside thatMay is not in the summer and allof the June committee meetings Ireported on occurred prior to June20 (the summer solstice), their

Letters to the Editor

argument still lacks credibility.They argue that attendance in-creases “with the significance ofthe issues affecting the commu-nity” and go on to state that “Oneneed only look at attendance fig-ures when items such as Countybudgets and taxation, North Hill,Kings Crossing, and other notableprojects are being debated.” Con-cerning the MVCCA debate aboutthe County budget and taxation,only six people attended theMVCCA’s Budget and FinanceCommittee meeting in March2010 when they debated a Reso-lution later enacted by the MVCCA(at a Council meeting attended by23 members) advocating raisingeveryone’s taxes during a deeprecession rather than proposingresponsible County budget cuts.Attendance at their Council meet-ings has remained steady through-out 2010. For January-July, theattendance figures were 27, 23,23, 27, 27, 23 and 21 respectively.The MVCCA Council meeting is

See Letters, Page 9

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From Page 8

Letters to the Editor

Opinion

See Letters, Page 10

typically attended by fewer than half itsmembers.

The MVCCA co-chairs claim that my let-ter attempted to “distort public opinion ofthe MVCCA” through an “unwarranted bash-ing of the recent MVCCA gala.” While con-ceding that the event lost money, they giveexcuses concerning “the worst economictimes in this country’s history” and “theunavailability of Gerry Hyland to attend.”On the former point, wouldn’t it have beenappropriate for the MVCCA to take into ac-count the “worst economic times in thiscountry’s history” when enacting their bud-get Resolution?

Concerning Supervisor Hyland’s “unavail-ability” to attend the MVCCA gala, in fact,the MVCCA promoted the event and soldtickets based upon the representation thatSupervisor Hyland would be attending. Inthis regard, reference is made to the April2010 MVCCA Record:

“First, we had an auction with our Mount

Vernon District Supervisor, then we haddancing with our Mount Vernon DistrictSupervisor; and last year, we had - Kissesfor our Mount Vernon District Supervisor.So, for this year, we have an exciting andrare opportunity for you that includes ourMount Vernon District Supervisor. Staytuned ...” http://www.mvcca.org/record/record_2010-04.pdf

This brings us to what the co-chairs char-acterize as “another baseless attempt to dis-credit the MVCCA,” namely, my earlier com-ments that the MVCCA irresponsibly wastedthe time of County Staff and therefore ourtax money in propounding nominations tothe Comprehensive Plan that would requiretransportation studies the MVCCA could notafford to fund. In rebuttal, the co-chairsstate:

“... the MVCCA has ... successfully ex-plored various means to enable a non-profitcitizens group to participate in the CP pro-cess without fronting the substantial cost.”

The MVCCA did succeed in convincing theVirginia legislature to amend State law to

waive the $1,000 filing fee for non-profitslike the MVCCA but would still have to paythe $15,000 to $20,000 for the Traffic Study.

Thus, as should be quite clear by now, theallegations I have made about the MVCCAin earlier letters to the Gazette are abso-lutely true in every respect. Nothing in lastweek’s letter from the MVCCA co-chairs hasrebutted anything I have said about theMVCCA in letters written throughout thecourse of this year.

In an effort to “kill” the messenger andtherefore destroy the message, the MVCCAco-chairs asked readers of the Gazette tounderstand that “The one complaining in-dividual was previously a member of theMVCCA Board of Directors for a brief pe-riod in 2007, his service was terminatedwhen he was removed from office for a con-flict of interest after he made the question-able decision to sue the President of his owncitizens association. His efforts in that re-gard were a failure, as are his current ef-forts to undermine the primary citizen rep-resentation for our district. We will leave it

to the reader to decide where thisindividual’s motivations really lie.”

The truth is that I was appointed chair-man of the Planning and Zoning Commit-tee in December of 2006, was ratified bythe MVCCA Council, and served until myvoluntary resignation on June 14, 2007. InMay 2007, after withstanding a series ofverbal attacks at the hands of an individualin my community, I sued him. Although Isued him in his individual capacity, he wasalso president of the civic association in mycommunity which was a member of theMVCCA. An MVCCA co-chair told me that Ihad to either drop my lawsuit or resign myposition as P&Z chairman. I informed himthat being forced to choose between pro-tecting one’s good name and serving in theMVCCA was no choice at all, and I volun-tarily tendered my resignation. Althoughthe lawsuit did not result in a judgmentagainst my neighbor, it did serve its pur-pose. He stopped his offensive actions. Sub

By Scott A. Surovell

State Delegate (D-44)

There have been several articles aroundthe state addressing aVirginia Attorney

General’s opinion I requested thatconcluded that under currentlaw, court clerks can install, use,and charge for electronic record-ing systems to record court proceedings.This decision could affect many people, soI would like to clarify what it is all aboutand its implications.

I have practiced law in Fairfax County for15 years and go to court nearly every day,but most people rarely think about the courtsystem until they are called for jury duty,are the victim of a crime, get a speedingticket, or are injured. Fairfax County’s Gen-eral District Court processed over 285,000traffic citations in 2009 so the odds of end-ing up there sooner or later are pretty goodfor many people.

Most people believe that an ac-curate record of court proceed-ings is necessary, an importantelement of a fair judicial system,and most probably assume thatVirginia has a system in place toprovide an accurate record of pro-ceedings. This is true in the Dis-trict of Columbia, Maryland, andthe United States District Courts,but not Virginia.

Suppose you get a ticket for running intosomeone in an intersection. You go to Gen-eral District Court because you think youwere incorrectly charged. During trial, theother driver testifies that you had a stopsign and you are convicted. Afterwards, yougo to the intersection and discover thatthere is no stop sign. You can appeal yourcase for a new trial in Circuit Court, butyou have no way to clearly confront theother driver with their false statement,which was given under oath and in court,because no one hired a court reporter torecord the trial.

In a court proceeding, creating and pre-serving the record — what is spoken byeveryone and introduced in evidence incourt — is critical. Dozens of appeals aredismissed every year because the record wasnot preserved or clear. People also testify alittle more “carefully” when being recordedand judges are more diligent in their rul-ings. Everyone is more likely to get the rightresult in court because the record is clearand not based on what different peoplethought they heard.

Today, if you want to have a completerecord in a Virginia case, you must hire acourt reporter that costs between $350 and$500 per day at your own expense. Thisoften does not make sense in shorter hear-ings, such as trials for traffic tickets or hear-ings on motions. For litigants who cannoteven afford attorneys, court reporters areoften not considered at all, even when youmight have a child’s future at stake.

During my campaign, I proposed autho-rizing electronic recording of court proceed-ings as part of a specific government effi-

ciency proposal. After speaking with FairfaxCounty Circuit Court Clerk John Frey lastfall, I introduced legislation to accomplishthis that was killed in a House of Delegates’subcommittee on a party-line vote.

The Attorney General’s opinion basicallyvalidates my legislation by making it un-necessary, and gives Virginia’s court clerksthe green light to begin installing record-ing systems, once they have funding with-out further approval from the General As-sembly. Ultimately, recording court proceed-ings will improve the administration of jus-tice in Virginia, provide greater assuranceof an accurate court record, improve accessto justice for people of limited means, makeour justice system more efficient and saveVirginians millions of dollars.

I am also assembling my legislative agendafor the 2011 Session. My constituents arethe source of some of my best bills so pleasesend me an email at [email protected] if you have any ideas forlegislation. Thank you again for allowing meto serve as your delegate.

Improving Our Justice System with Technology


From Page 9

Letters

sequent to my MVCCA service, I’ve servedby appointment of Supervisor Hyland on theAPR Task Force for BRAC, the ResidentialCompatibility Task Force and am currentlya vice-chairman of the Land Use Commit-tee of the Mount Vernon Visioning TaskForce. The co-chairs’ disparagement of meby falsely claiming that (1) my MVCCA ser-vice had been “terminated” and (2) that thereason was a “conflict of interest,” in anattempt to discredit the truthful message Ihave been conveying to our community thisyear reflects poorly on the MVCCA. Perhapsthe co-chairs should apologize.

For submitting a letter to a publicationwithout authorization and for disparaginga citizen in an attempt to discredit his truth-ful writings about the MVCCA, the co-chairsshould tender their resignations.

H. Jay SpiegelMount Vernon

RestoringDyke MarshTo the Editor:

The Friends of Dyke Marsh appreciate JaySpiegel’s interest in the Dyke Marsh Wild-life Preserve [Letters, Sept. 2-8, 2010]. Thepreserve is a locally and nationally signifi-cant wetland complex that the U.S. Con-gress honored last year by passing bills to“recognize the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserveas a unique and precious ecosystem” andto express “the need to continue to con-serve, protect and restore this fragile habi-tat ....” Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warnerand Congressmen Jim Moran and GerryConnolly led that effort.

On the restoration of the marsh, someadditional information may be helpful:

* The National Park Service is preparingoptions. I do not know what the NationalPark Service will propose. Until we see theNPS plan, we do not know what kind of fillwould be used, how much, where it will beplaced or how it will be contained. Weshould not pre-judge a plan we have notseen. I do not know how Mr. Spiegel canproduce calculations or reach conclusionson a plan that he presumably has not seen.

* NPS is using a science-based process.Wetlands restoration is a specialized sci-ence, not just a matter of filling in holes.Restoration can be multi-faceted. For ex-ample, one aspect of restoration could beto address the explosion of invasive plantsin Dyke Marsh, plants that can outcompetenative plants.

* NPS is drawing on the expertise of awide range of qualified scientists and otherexperts. The National Park Service hasreached a scientific conclusion that resto-ration is both feasible and desirable.

* The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers andothers have ample experience in wetlandsrestoration, including several projects onthe Anacostia River, without any “environ-mental disasters.”

* Restoration “should re-establish inso-far as possible the ecological integrity ofdegraded aquatic ecosystems ... the struc-ture, composition and natural processes of

its biotic communities and physical environ-ment,” says the U. S. Environmental Pro-tection Agency.

* There is no question that there are manyunmet needs along the George WashingtonParkway, including stabilizing the erodingshoreline, planting more native plants, con-trolling invasives and stopping poachers.NPS would no doubt welcome more fund-ing and volunteer help.

* Mr. Spiegel mentions my role as chairof the Fairfax County Wetlands Board. TheWetlands Board administers the state law,Title 28.2, the purpose of which is as fol-lows: “... in order to protect the public in-terest, promote the public health, safety andthe economic general welfare of the Com-monwealth, and to protect public and pri-vate property, wildlife, marine fisheries andthe natural environment, it is declared tobe the public policy of this Commonwealthto preserve the wetlands, and to preventtheir despoliation and destruction and toaccommodate necessary economic develop-ment in a manner consistent with wetlandspreservation.”

If Mr. Spiegel does not support that law,he should seek changes in the law.

* All Wetlands Board permitting decisionsare made in a public hearing with publicnotice, following guidelines of the VirginiaMarine Resources Commission and the Vir-ginia Institute of Marine Science. In thosehearings or by writing and e-mailing, peoplehave ample opportunity to express theirviews. I hope Mr. Spiegel and others will.

Over 70 percent of the Chesapeake Bay’swetlands and almost half of Virginia’s wet-lands are gone. Wetlands once lined sub-stantial portions of the Potomac River shore-line.

Wetlands are one of nature’s most dy-namic ecosystems. They perform valuableecological functions, such as filtering pol-lutants, providing nurseries for fish andacting as “sponges” that absorb floodwaters.

Fairfax County residents have alwaysgiven strong support to their parks and thenation has been a world leader in preserv-ing special places by creating national parks.Northern Virginians are lucky to have what’sleft of what former U. S. Sen. John Warnerhas called, “a magnificent little oasis.”

Glenda C. BoothPresident, Friends of Dyke Marsh

Alexandria

Criticism HasIts BenefitsTo the Editor:

Upon reading the response from theMVCCA Co-Chairs printed in the Thursday,Sept. 2, 2010 Gazette, we are concernedthat the co-chairs felt the need to craft alengthy defense of their position on statedissues and then launch a personal attack ona citizen who did not agree with them. Theletter seems to be more of an action to sup-press any criticism and a blatant attempt todiscredit anyone who criticizes. That ap-proach tends to discourage participation byanyone but those who agree. That certainlyis neither the purpose of nor the intent ofcommunity associations.

Having lived in the neighborhood formore than 30 years, we believe that thereis no better place to build a home, raise afamily, and operate a business. All of us in-cluding the alleged “Criticizer,” the co-chairs, and Supervisor [Gerald] Hylandwould like to help make our community abetter place to live and work.

Organizations at times get complacent orarrogant. Someone who is not afraid tocomplain or challenge provides a check andbalance to the leadership which benefits theorganization as well as the community.

We had a situation where a long-timeMVCCA chair developed a personal biasagainst us or our project. We spent hoursanswering questions in several of the com-mittee meetings and left with no opposingvotes. Although we had followed MVCCAdue process and had no visible opposition,the committee chairman with no notice tous was able to revoke our approved resolu-tion and cause extensive, expensive delayson our approval from the Planning Com-mission.

Such behavior is not in the spirit or pur-pose of a community association. Even

though a number of my neighbors at-tended our appeal hearing for support,they were not allowed to speak by, as ithappens, one of the co-chairs who signlast week’s letter who was also a co-chairat the time. Fortunately the people on theMVCCA Committee listened, were fair,and voted 100 percent to reinstate theresolution of support.

This unfortunate incident in our opinionoccurred because the MVCCA rubberstamped a trusted long-time member with-out checking facts. It is critical that some-one inside or outside of the MCVVA be freeto challenge the accountability of the orga-nization.

The MVCCA, the co-chair, and especiallythe community should be thankful thatsomeone cares enough to serve in that func-tion. If you don’t like what the “Complainer”has to say, engage him in your process andgive serious consideration to makingchanges that need to be made.

Thank you for your hard work. We allcare.

Scott and Phyllis Crabtree

To theSpy MuseumThe Mount VernonKiwanis Club sponsored abus trip for 50 childrenand their staff escortsfrom the Sacramento andCreekside NeighborhoodCenters to the Interna-tional Spy Museum inWashington, D.C. on Aug.13. For more informationon how to help the MountVernon Kiwanis Club helpothers, go towww.mtvernonvakiwanis.orgor to its FaceBook page orsend a message [email protected].

Sherwood Regional Library, 2501 SherwoodHall Lane, Alexandria. The schedule can befound at hhsingers.org or by calling: JamesCoulter, membership V.P. at 703-957-4597 or703-615-4141 (cell) or by [email protected].

THURSDAY/SEPT. 9Potomac Leaders Forum Reception. 7:30

p.m. reception will give those interested in theclass an opportunity to learn more about thecurriculum and meet former class members. Atthe Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce,6911 Richmond Highway, Suite 320,Alexandria.

Newsmaker Biz Lunch. “Seven New Tax Breaksfor Business Owners” will discuss opportunitiesin the HIRE Act and health care reformlegislation from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at theMount Vernon Country Club, 5111 Old MillRoad, Alexandria. Sean O’Connell, CPA/PFSwith BPGH LLP will speak. $25 per person,which includes lunch. Call 703-360-6925 orregister at www.MtVernon-LeeChamber.org

SEPT. 10-11AARP Virginia and Ruritan are calling upon

communities to help supply Virginia’s foodbanks during a statewide community food driveon Sept. 10-11. The list of drop-off sitesisavailable at www.CreateTheGood.org/hunger.

❖ Friday, Sept. 10 from 9 a.m. to noon to UnitedCommunity Ministries, 7511 Fordson Road.

❖ Saturday, Sept. 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. to ALIVE!,First Baptist Church of Alexandria, 2932 King St.

❖ Saturday, Sept. 11 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to NewHope Housing, 3516 Lockheed Boulevard.

WEDNESDAY/SEPT. 15Mental Health Discussion. 7 to 9 p.m. The

Fifth Round Table sponsored by the GartlanCenter (formerly Mount Vernon Center forCommunity Mental Health) Advisory Board. Thediscussion will focus on improvement plans forstudents and families living in the Mount Vernonarea and who are facing socio-economicpressures that adversely affect their mentalhealth and their school performance. At SouthCounty Government Center, 8350 RichmondHighway, Room 221. E-mail

Bulletin Board

From Page 7


Schools

From Page 1

“I want them to know who we are andwhat we expect.”

In Angela Carter’s eighth-grade math classthat she team teaches with Selamawit Abed,she said that the students were adding intheir heads instead of hand-held calculators.

“I want to make sure that the batteriesdon’t die,” she quipped.

The group traveled onto Kay McLean hon-ors math class where they discussedwhether they were one of four types —circle, box, triangle or ‘Z.’ The students en-joyed explaining the types to Dale and theother visitors. They also repeated the schoolmotto: Respect, readiness and readiness.

For local graduate Jennifer Olson, it washer first day to teach an English 7 class withArgretta Scruggs. It was also the first day

on the job for Drew Campbell, seventh-grade English teacher and English Depart-ment Chair, who moved to Virginia fromNew York.

After his visit to Sandburg, Dale went onto tour Bucknell Elementary School, WestSpringfield Elementary School and CedarLane School. Dale mentioned that the threeschools that he visited in Cluster IV(Hayfield, Sandburg and Bucknell) all havenew principals — David Tremaine; TerrenceYarborough; and Tim Slayter, respectively.

School principals were front and centerat the other schools. At Waynewood El-ementary School, James T. Meier directedtraffic and greeted many of the students byname.

Gale Curcio is an independent writer andpublic relations consultant in Mount Vernon.

Back to SchoolSuperintendent of Schools Jack D. Dale interacts with oneof the students at Sandburg Middle School.

Students in Drew Campbell’s seventh-grade English class.Angela Carter and Selamawit Abed team teach this eighth-grade mathclass at Sandburg Middle School.

Jennifer Olson enjoys her first official day on the job, teaching English 7at Sandburg Middle School.

Photos by Gale Curcio/The Gazette

School Board Chair Kathy Smith; Superintendent Jack D. Dale; Asst. Superinten-dent Cluster IV Scott Brabrand; and Director Cluster IV Deborah Tyler meet withPrincipal Terrence Yarborough (middle) at Sandburg Middle School.


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From Page 1

News

names,” said Mary AnnJennings, spokeswoman for theFairfax Police Department. “It’s upto each department and the ad-ministration of the departmenthow they want to handle thesekinds of issues.”

IN FAIRFAX, that means silence.Back in January, FairfaxCommonwealth’s AttorneyRaymond Morrogh announcedthat he would not bring chargesagainst the officer. Even then, thedepartment declined to identifythe officer. When it became clearthat the Federal Bureau of Inves-tigation was conducting a reviewof the shooting as a potential civil-rights violation, Beltrante filed aFreedom of Information Act re-quest to the FBI for the identity ofthe officer. Yet again, the informa-tion was denied.

“Release of this informationcould reasonably be expected tointerfere with enforcement pro-ceedings,” explained the denialfrom the FBI.

Beltrante says the coalitionplans to appeal the FBI’s denial.Meanwhile, the group does notseem to be making much headwaypersuading the Mount VernonCouncil of Citizens Associationsthat the county needs a citizen re-view board. Last month, the Pub-lic Safety Committee met and con-sidered the issue after an exami-nation of official correspondence

and several articles published inthe Mount Vernon Gazette. As theydid on a previous occasion, mem-bers of the committee once againdecided unanimously against tak-ing a position.

“There isn’t really a sense thatanything needs to be done aboutthis,” said Dallas Shawkey, chair-man of the Public Safety Commit-tee. “We haven’t seen anything outof the ordinary.”

EVENTS LEADING up to thedeath of Masters, 52, began at amowing and landscaping on Rich-mond Highway, where an em-ployee alerted police that he hadseen Masters pulling flowers froma planter outside his office. Policeofficials began pursuing the green

In Pursuit of Shooting InformationChevrolet Blazer Masters wasdriving north along the highway.As usual, the street was cloggedwith traffic, and as a result thepursuit was not high-speed. Butit was high-stakes, culminating ina deadly use of force near FortHunt Road. The department iden-tified the officer who fired thedeadly shot as a 26-year-old withsix years on the force. Althoughthe department has refused toidentify him, officials confirmedthis week that he is still with thedepartment on administrativeduty.

“His refusal to cooperate withthe police department’s internalinvestigation was in itself suffi-cient grounds for the departmentto dismiss him,” said Beltrante.

GuestSpeaker

Cristina Schoendorf, director of Progreso Hispano, receivestokens of appreciation from Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club Presi-dent Bruce Malkin after speaking to the club.

C r i s t i n aSchoendorf, directorof Progreso Hispanoon Mohawk Lane,was the guestspeaker at the Sept.1 dinner meeting ofthe Mount VernonKiwanis Club. Sheexplained the vari-ous programs sheoffers, including En-glish as a SecondLanguage, computerbasic training, andpreparation for tak-ing the U.S. citizen-ship test. Her staff offour is supple-mented by a dozenvolunteers inter-

nity service through Kiwanis, seewww.mtvernonvakiwanis.org or send an e-mail [email protected].

ested in community service. For more informationabout Progreso Hispano, call Schoendorf at 703-799-8830. For more information about commu-

16 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ September 9-15, 2010 Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ September 9-15, 2010 ❖ 17www.ConnectionNewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com


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News

By Joey Jachowski

The Gazette

Fairfax County public libraries are concludingone of their busiest times of the year and theiryearly highlight: the summer reading pro-

gram.This year the library program ran from June 21-

Sept. 4. Over the summerthe program requiredchildren in pre-school tosixth grade to read 15books while teens readeight.

“We’re hoping that kidswill read during the sum-mertime for pleasure, be-cause lots of times chil-dren don’t have time dur-ing the school year to pickup a book that they wantto read,” said FairfaxCounty public library pro-gramming coordinatorKatie Strotman, “We’realso hoping that they keeptheir reading skills up.”

Strotman has been organizing the summer read-ing program in Fairfax County for 12 years now andis responsible for creating the coupon booklets asincentives.

“When I started, when the kids finished their read-ing they got a pencil or maybe some laces for theirshoes or an eraser,” said Strotman, “And I’m the one

who started the coupon booklet, where I went out toarea businesses and asked them to donate somethingfor the kids.”

According to Strotman, every year making thecoupon booklet is a big project requiring donatingbusinesses to support 25,000 coupons, so the wholebooklet-making process starts in February. Mean-while, at the branch level, individual libraries

worked continuously forthe summer reading pro-gram.

“Kathy Noonan, ouryouth services manager,and our children’s staffwork very hard all year,”said Sherwood RegionalLibrary branch managerDenise Morgan, “Theyread the youth servicesstaff book selections allyear long, they make spe-cial labels.”

One big difference forlibraries this year was theopportunity to sign upfor the program through

the library’s website.“We have had several parents tell us how the kids

would type in their book titles,” said Morgan, “In acommunity like this one where the kids watch Momand Dad play with the computer, this is somethingthey can do. It’s a lot of fun.”

From 2005 to 2009, involvement in the programhas increased from 43,000 to 49,000 individuals.

Summer Reading Program Concludes

By Gerald A. Fill

The Gazette

For over the past half cen-tury, the Hollin HallShopping Center(HHSC) complex has

been leasing space to businessesserving the residents of Fort Huntand the surrounding Mt. Vernondistrict communities. The HHSCcomplex is located on Fort HuntRoad at the intersection, north andsouth, of Shenandoah road. Now,according to Doug McPherson,president, Hollin Hall LLC, afteryears of planning and approxi-mately two years of constructionthe management is nearing thecompletion of a major renovationto the Center complex.

“We are nearing completion ofupgrades to the Center which be-gan over two years ago,” said McPherson. “Renova-tions to the Center north of Shenandoah road werecompleted first and have received many kind com-pliments from the patrons.

“Renovations to the Center south of Shenandoahroad are ongoing and include the completed addi-tion of a new partially covered ‘Arcade’ with plant-ers and seating areas adjacent to the Hairvisions HairSalon and BB & T Bank. About to begin is areconfiguration of the façade for those stores paral-lel to Shenandoah road with better access, the addi-

tion of planters, and eventually an outdoor diningarea.

“Throughout the Center complex, north and south,we have augmented the wrought iron column deco-rations with brick and stone detailing; existing hand-rails have been replaced; and we have added exten-sive over-canopy decorative metal grillwork with allnew signage and lighting. Also, the under-canopyareas have been re-lighted and, throughout the Cen-ter, modern, energy efficient windows have replacedtheir 50-year-old predecessors.”

Façade renovation of Hollin Hall Shopping center, northsection.

Center Receives Major Facelift

“We’re hoping that kids willread during the summertimefor pleasure, because lots oftimes children don’t havetime during the school year topick up a book that they wantto read.”

— Katie Strotman, Fairfax County publiclibrary programming coordinator


Arts ❖ Entertainment ❖ Leisure

The Art League will host a variety of freecreative programs on Saturday, Sept. 11from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Market Square inOld Town Alexandria (The Art League willbe located at the corner of King & NorthFairfax Streets).

Fun, hands-on, art activities for all ageswill be offered throughout the day alongwith demonstrations by nationally recog-nized artists. They will also hold their firstartistically delicious fundraiser — The IceCream Bowl.

❖ 10 a.m. – noon: Kick Off with ArtLeague Instructor Steve Prince and MayorBill Euille at Market Square. Art League In-structor and artist Steve Prince kick off thefestivities with a fun, hands-on activity forkids. Mayor Bill Euille will also participate.

❖ 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Ice Cream BowlFundraiser at Market Square. Support TheArt League Ceramics Department while en-joying ice cream.

For $15, select a handmade ceramic bowlcreated by the artists of The Art League’sCeramics Department and enjoy a bowl oflocal artisan ice cream by ACKA Cocoa Barin Del Ray.

Participants in the Ice Cream BowlFundraiser may enter the free drawing towin an Art League Gift Certificate.

The Ice Cream Bowl benefits The ArtLeague’s Ceramics Program. Thanks toACKC Cocoa Bar for generously donatingice cream and supplies; students, associates,and instructors of The Art League’s ceram-ics program for creating and donating thehandmade bowls; and Alexandria Conven-tion & Visitors Association for their support.

❖ 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Art Activated inthe Torpedo Factory Art Center with PatrickKirwin. Art League Instructor and muralistPatrick Kirwin demonstrates his techniquesfor creating “fool-the-eye” effects. At themain hall of the Torpedo Factory.

❖ 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Plein Air PaintingDemo with Fred Markham at MarketSquare. Art League Instructor and land-scape artist Fred Markham shares hispainting tips and techniques for captur-ing the essence of any scene.

Alexandria Festival of the Arts

Alexandria’s premier art affair returnsfor its 8th anniversary Sept. 11 - 12,2010. For two days King Street from

Washington Street to the waterfront is trans-formed into an outdoor art gallery with origi-nal fine artwork by 226 artists from 30 statesand 20 countries. Festival-goers will be treatedto paintings, life size sculptures, photography,glass, wood, jewelry, collage and ceramicswith prices ranging from $25 hand-designedearrings to $20,000 metal sculptures. Newthis year, the “Alexandria Art Experience” joinsthe festival on Saturday.

Alexandria artists are among the troupe ofnational and international artists presentingwork at this highly anticipated fine art show;including Torpedo Factory artists MatthewJohnston and David Cochran as well as localfavorites Pat Palermino, Martha Brumbaugh,and Jane Andrle Gillette. Admission to thefestival is free and open to the public.

New “Alexandria Art Experience”Saturday, Sept. 11, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Located next to Market Square on the cornerof North Fairfax Street and King Street. OnSaturday, The Art League and the TorpedoFactory Art Center present the “Alexandria ArtExperience,” a special new local village at theFestival of the Arts. Through activities, an art-ist demonstration, and a fun ceramicsfundraiser these tents will share the enrich-ing experience of the arts community in Al-exandria.

❖ Hands-On ActivitiesThe Art League will present a hands-on sil-

houette-style portrait activity for kids andadults in the morning from 10 a.m. to 12noon, followed by a plein-air painting dem-onstration from 2 to 4 p.m., and a sketch bookactivity throughout the afternoon.

❖ Ice Cream Bowl FundraiserFrom 12 to 4 p.m. the Ice Cream Bowl

Fundraiser supporting The Art League Ceram-ics Department presents a delicious way tosupport the arts. $15 includes the selectionof a unique handmade ceramic bowl createdby the talented artists of The Art League’sCeramics Department and a bowl of artisanice cream from ACKC Cocoa Bar of

Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood. Partici-pants in the Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser mayenter a free drawing to win an Art Leaguegift certificate.

❖ Create Your Own Button ArtThe Torpedo Factory Art Center will hand

out components for a button badge that canbe designed collage-style. Participants willtake their badge components to the TorpedoFactory on the waterfront to collect a varietyof colorful bits and create their own piece offlair. The Torpedo Factory activity goes from11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and coincides with theirannual event Art Activated, held at the ArtCenter from 12 noon to 4 p.m.

❖ Visitors can Win an Artful GetawayVisitors from around the corner or around

the world can enter to win an Artful Getawayto Alexandria! Alexandria was voted ThirdBest Arts Destination Among Mid-Size Citiesby AmericanStyle magazine readers, and thisgiveaway will award five winners a fun, freeway to experience this accolade first-hand.

Five prize packages include overnight staysat top Alexandria hotels, gift certificates andexperiences from the Torpedo Factory ArtCenter and The Art League, and gift certifi-cates for dinners at local restaurants. Art lov-ers can enter online at VisitAlexandriaVA.com,or entry can be made in person during theArt Festival at the information booth near

Art League HelpsKick-Off AlexandriaFestival of the Arts

Market Square or at the Alexandria VisitorsCenter at 221 King Street.

❖ Additional Art Festival Events:Art Activated at the Torpedo Factory Art

CenterSaturday ONLY, Sept. 11, 201012 noon to 4 p.m.Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union

St., Alexandria, VA 22314www.TorpedoFactory.org; 703-838-4565

Step inside from the street fair and let yourcreative side play at this 4th annual event.Artists will demonstrate pottery on the wheel,painting, sculpture and much more. Try yourhand at screen printing, bubble gum paint-ing, pottery on the wheel and the popularchampagne cork chairs workshop. TargetGallery partners with SPARK to present a Spo-ken Word event and don’t miss a hip hop fu-sion performance by DCypher Dance. TheSnackShak by Bittersweet will offer a TorpedoFactory inspired cupcake creation and othergoodies available for purchase.

❖ Children in the ChurchyardSaturday and Sunday, Sept. 11 and 12,

2010 from 1 to 4 p.m.Christ Church, 118 N. Washington St. Al-

exandria, VA 22314. Call 703-549-1450Historic Christ Church presents family

friendly activities, rest area and moon bounce.

An artist will be demonstrating inthe Alexandria Art Experience.

Visitors attend last year's Alexandria Festival of the Arts on King Street.

The Alexandria Festival for the Arts is this weekend, Sept. 11-12.


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See Calendar, Page 21

Calendar

E-mail announcements to the Ga-zette, [email protected]. Photos and artworkare encouraged. Deadline is Thursdayat noon for the following week’s paper.Call Steve Hibbard at 703-778-9412with questions.

THURSDAY/SEPT. 9Second Thursday Art Night. 6-9

p.m. Free. Artist Talk with David H.Wells at 8 p.m. at MultipleExposures Gallery. From 6:30-8p.m., The Art League Gallery hoststhe reception for the All-MediaMembership Show and MicheleRea’s solo show, Vantage Point.From 6-8 p.m., Target Gallerypresents a “Meet the Artists”reception for Systems Failure. Atthe Torpedo Factory Art Center,105 N. Union Street, Alexandria.Visit www.torpedofactory.org; 703-838-4565

David Glaser. 7 p.m. David Glaserburst onto the Acoustic/Folk scenein 2008 with “Cars and Lovers,” agenre-bending CD that shows hisrange as a performing songwriter.Performs at The Athenaeum, 201Prince Street, Alexandria. Call 703-548-0035.

Canine Cruise. 8 p.m. Cost is $35/person; $20/kids under 12. Oldies ButGoodies Cocker Rescue invites humansand their doggie friends on a cruise,leaving from the Alexandria dock. Allbreeds are welcome. Wine, beer, soda,snacks, doggie treats and a souvenirphoto. Register at: http://www.cockerspanielrescue.com/cruise.htm. Meet at Pat Troy’s IrishPub, 111 N Pitt St. from 5-7 p.m. for aPre-Yappy Hour on their back patio.Afterwards, there is a “Cocker Parade”down to the dock at the bottom of KingStreet/Cameron Street behind theTorpedo Factory.

FRIDAY/SEPT. 10Composting Seminar. 1:30 to 2:30

p.m. Cost is $12/person. Green SpringGardens’ Master Gardeners sharegardening tips. To register, call 703-642-5173. At Green Spring Gardens,4603 Green Spring Road in Alexandria.

Stroke and Osteoporosis Screening.9 a.m. Packages start at $139. All fivescreenings take 60-90 minutes. At theManchester Lakes Senior Apartments,7131 Silverlake Blvd., Alexandria. Call1-877-237-1287 or visitwww.lifelinescreening.com.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 11Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sponsored by Friends of Barrett BranchLibrary. At 717 Queen Street,Alexandria. Call 703-746-1703.

Remembrance Ceremony for 9/11.Noon. At the George WashingtonMasonic Temple, 101 Callahan Drive,Alexandria. Contact Robert Rodriguez,703-746-4184.

Civil War Living History. 10 a.m. to 4p.m. Free. Reenactors from the FirstMinnesota Volunteer Infantry, Co. D,at Fort Ward Museum, 4301 WestBraddock Road, Alexandria. Call 703-746-4848 or visit www.fortward.org.

“Blacks Without Borders” FilmScreening. 4:30 p.m. Free. Part of“Movies with a Mission.” At theAlexandria Black History Museum, 902Wythe St., Alexandria. Visitwww.alexblackhistory.org or call 703-746-4356.

Art Activated. Noon to 4 p.m. Free.During the Alexandria Festival of theArts, the Torpedo Factory presents ArtActivated featuring artistdemonstrations, hands-on projects, art-inspired treats from SnackShak byBittersweet and special performancesby DCypher, Joy of Motion DanceCenter’s resident adult hip-hopcompany. At the Torpedo Factory ArtCenter, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria.Visit www.torpedofactory.org; 703-

838-4565.17th Annual Leukemia Cup

Regatta. Begins at 10 a.m. Thelargest race on the Potomac River.One-Design, PHRF and model yachtsare welcome to participate. Spectatorboats will be available to the public fora closer view of the races for $10 perperson. Guests may purchase ticketsfor the post-race celebration, at $10per person. Event participants areasked to raise at least $100 for TheLeukemia & Lymphoma Society in lieuof a registration fee. To register for theevents or for more information, contactLoree Lipstein, Sr. Campaign Manager,at 703-399-2957, or visitwww.leukemiacup.org/nca.

SEPT. 11-12Alexandria Festival of the Arts.

Free. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.;Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Alexandria’s premier art affairreturns for its 8th anniversary withthe nation’s top established artists aswell as new and emerging talent.Includes paintings, life sizesculptures, photography, glass, wood,jewelry, collage and ceramics withprices ranging from $25 hand-designed earrings to $20,000 metalsculptures. In Old Town on KingStreet from Washington down to thePotomac River at the TorpedoFactory; 480 King street, Alexandria.Visit www.artfestival.com.

SUNDAY/SEPT. 12Pet Adoptions. 1 to 4 p.m. Lost Dog and

Cat Rescue Foundation will be startingbimonthly pet adoptions at thePetSmart in Hybla Valley ShoppingCenter. All animals are spayed orneutered and are up-to-date onvaccinations. Visitwww.lostdogrescue.org.

Christmas Cantata. 6 p.m. Free.Presented by Gracias Choir. At theRachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall atNOVA Alexandria Campus, 3001 NorthBeauregard St., Alexandria. Call 703-822-3026.

Alexandria Citizen’s Band (Classical,Show Medleys, American Classics). 3to 4 p.m. Free outdoor concert atHistoric Collingwood Estate, off theGW Memorial Parkway, 8301 EastBoulevard Drive. Contact theCollingwood Library and Museum at703-765-1652 orwww.collingwoodlibrary.com.

Church Picnic. Heritage PresbyterianChurch’s Christian Education Kick-Offand Annual Picnic. Register for adult,youth and children’s Sunday Schoolclasses at 9:30 a.m. and after services,

enjoy an international selection offoods, live music, a moonbounce andface painting. Bring a dish to share.Heritage is located at 8503 Fort HuntRd., Alexandria. Call 703-360-9546.

MONDAY/SEPT. 13Tavern Toddlers. 10:30 a.m. tonoon. Weekly open playtime with anew craft activity each week. Fortoddlers (walkers through 36 months).Runs weekly through Monday, Nov.15. Each week costs $7 for a group ofthree, which must include one adult,and additional people are $3. A five-visit pass costs $30, never expires, andincludes up to three people. AtGadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 NorthRoyal Street, Alexandria. Call 703-746-4242 or visit www.gadsbystavern.org.

TUESDAY/SEPT. 14Alexandria Singers Auditions. 7p.m. Washington D.C.’s premiere adultpops chorus will hold auditions onTuesdays, Sept. 14, 21 and 28. At theLincolnia Senior Center, 4710 N.Chambliss Street, Alexandria. [email protected] tobook an audition. Visitwww.alexandriasingers.com.

WEDNESDAY/SEPT. 15Swing Dancing. 9 to 11 p.m.

Admission is $10. With the band,Swing Speak. At Nick’s Nightclub,641 South Pickett Street, Alexandria.

Italian Wine Tasting. 7:30 to 9:30p.m. Tastings are led by WilkinsonWine Cellar and tickets are $25 perperson. For more information or topurchase tickets, contact 703-548-1789. At Lee-Fendall House Museum& Garden. Visitwww.leefendallhouse.org.

Gourmet Tasting and BoutiqueStyle Wedding Fair. 5-8 p.m. Theevent features a gourmet tastingprepared by R&R catering andexhibits by Alfred Angelo BridalShop, Alexandria Pastry Shop, FloralSpecialties, All Seasons FloralPreservation, Jan DavisEntertainment and Events, TisaraPhotography, Prime Transportationand Perfect Honeymoons. At HollinHall, 1909 Windmill Lane,Alexandria. For reservationinformation, see www.rrcatering.comunder the tastings tab or call 703-451-2798.

THURSDAY/SEPT. 16Silent Auction to Benefit

Alexandria’s Breast CancerSurgical Fund. Hosted by WomenMean Business, from 6 to 9 p.m. at theAlexandria Holiday Inn Hotel andSuites, 625 First St. All funds raisedwill benefit Alexandria’s Breast CancerSurgical Fund, which will pay forbreast cancer surgery for uninsuredwomen who do not have the means topay for it. Women Mean business isseeking donations for the silent auctionand accepting RSVPs for the event.Visit www.womenmeanbusiness.info.

Jim Stephanson and John Previti. 7-9 p.m. Free. Guitarist Jim Stephansonand bassist John Previti will treatvisitors to an evening of blues, swing,and jazz inspired tunes. At TorpedoFactory Art Center, 105 N. Union St.Alexandria. Call 703-838-4565,www.torpedofactory.org.

FRIDAY/SEPT. 17Swing Dancing. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Admission is $4. With the MountVernon Swing Band. At Hollin HallSenior Center, 1500 ShenandoahRoad, Alexandria. Call 703-765-4573.

Red Molly in Concert. 8 p.m. Ticketsare $20/advance; $20/door; childrenunder 14 with an adult half price. Forreservations, go towww.sunspotpro.com or call 800-404-9049. At The Lyceum, 201 S.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 11Historic Fashion Show. 3 to 5 p.m. $10/

adults; $5/children. Living historyinterpreters will model clothing from thelater half of the 18th-century and thebeginnings of the 19th-century whilehistoric fashion experts explain the changesin fashion during that period. At CarlyleHouse Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street,Alexandria. Call 703-549-2997 or [email protected].


3652 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22302Phone (703) 379-6010 • Fax (703) 379-8136

www.bcjewelers.net

B&C Jewelers

57th Anniversary Sale

September 18 - September 25

Discounts OnAlmost Everything

in the store*

*Sale Excludes: Pandora Jewelry, ConsignmentJewelry and Giftware.

B&C Jewelers

From

Calendar

Washington St., Alexandria.Jazz Supper Under The Stars. 5:30 to

7 p.m. Jazz by Al Williams III andFriends. BBQ by Mango Mike’sCaribbean Restaurant. Sponsored bythe Old Town Business andProfessional Association (OTBPA) andthe King Street Gardens ParkFoundation. Tickets are $25/advance;$30/door. At King Street GardensPark, at Diagonal Road and KingStreet. Call 703-683-0333.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 18Community Yard Sale. 7 a.m. to 1:30

p.m. Sponsored by the AlexandriaJunior Chamber of Commerce(Jaycees). In the parking lot ofAnthony Lane Elementary School,7137 Beulah Street, Alexandria. Costfor sellers is $15/space. Seller setupfrom 6-7 a.m. Visitwww.alexjaycees.org or call 703-866-7171.

Piano Recital. 7:30 p.m. The Friendsof Music of St. Luke’s EpiscopalChurch will present virtuoso pianistEdvinas Minkstimas in recital. Hisprogram will include romantic musicby Chopin, Brahms, Mendelssohn,Liszt and Piazzola. Tickets are $20for adults, $15 for seniors, $10 forstudents. At 8009 Fort Hunt Road,Alexandria. Call 703-765-4342.

St. Luke’s Craft and Family FunFair. 10 a.m. to noon. Some 50vendors will sell crafts, jewelry,soaps, photos and more. Food, facepainting and pony rides from 11 a.m.to 1 p.m. At St. Luke’s, 8009 Ft. HuntRoad, Alexandria. Call TraceyNavratil at 703-417-9219.

Sketching Session. 6 p.m. tomidnight. Free. Sketching with a livemodel from 7 to 9 p.m. Musical

performance starts at 8 p.m.Complimentary special show cocktailby Mie N Yu Restaurant. At ArtWhino Gallery, 173 Waterfront St.,National Harbor, Md.

Hawaiian Luau. 4 to 9 p.m. Authenticfood, music and entertainmentfeaturing Halau Ho’omau I ka WaiOla O Hawai’i. Advance purchasetickets are $35 for Adults (over age13); $20 for children 6-12. Childrenage five and under are free. Ticketsare $40 for adults and $25 forchildren the day of the event. Theluau, a church fundraiser, is open tothe public. At Hope United Church ofChrist, 6130 Old Telegraph Road,Alexandria. Call 703-960-8772.

Alexandria Story Festival. 10 a.m.to 1 p.m. Free admission. For familiesof students in preK- grade 4. Localauthors Sharon Hickey, TamathaHollingsworth, and Captain BrandonBarnett will read in tents to smallgroups and lead children in activitiesrelated to art, recycling, and exercise.More authors will be reading aloud:

10:15 a.m. Sandy Pugh10:40 a.m. Lezlie Evans11:10 a.m. Nick Bruel12:15 p.m. Melissa Thomson12:40 p.m. Christylez BaconAt Hooray For Books! Children’s

Bookstore, 1555 King Street,Alexandria.

SEPT. 18-19Market Marketplace. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mount Vernon’s Colonial Market & Fairfeatures Colonial-attired artisansdemonstrating 18th-century crafts andselling traditional wares such asbaskets, woodcarvings, tin andironwork, leatherworkings, weavings,paper-cuttings, furniture, and more.The event also features 18th-centurymusic, fire-eating, sword-swallowing,puppet and magic shows, plus food for

sale onsite. The Colonial Market & Fairat Mount Vernon is included in regularEstate admission: adults, $15; childrenages 6-11, $7; and children under 5are admitted free.

SUNDAY/SEPT. 19Harmonia Concert. 3 p.m. $20

donation suggested; students free.

Char McCargo Bah

SATURDAY/SEPT. 18Genealogist Workshop. 11 a.m. to 1

p.m. Cost is $5. Char McCargo Bahwill conduct a workshop and lectureshowing how she successfully traceddescendants of people buried atFreedmen’s Cemetery and how thesetechniques can be applied to anyfamily research. At the AlexandriaBlack History Museum, 902 WytheStreet, Alexandria. To register, call703-746-4356 or visitwww.alexblackhistory.org.

Featuring top soloists from Ukraineand Slovakia and with roots inHungary and Croatia, this multi-cultural ensemble includes violin,accordion, vocals, folk flutes (sopilka)and the 125-string cimbalom (playedby Alexander Fedoriouk, a cimbalomsupreme). Reception following theconcert to meet the artists. At TheLyceum, 201 S. Washington St.,Alexandria. Contact 703-241-1817.

Vance Gilbert. 7 p.m. Contemporaryfolk/Americana artist with specialguest Beggars Ride, in a concert andpre-show performance workshop.Tickets are $18/general; $15/advance.At Church of the Resurrection, 2280 N.Beauregard St., Alexandria. VisitFocusMusic.org.

Lesson Zero (New Adult ContemporaryIndie Rock/Blues). 3 to 4 p.m. Freeoutdoor concert at HistoricCollingwood Estate, off the GWMemorial Parkway, 8301 EastBoulevard Drive. Contact theCollingwood Library and Museum at703-765-1652 orwww.collingwoodlibrary.com.

Teddy Bear Picnic. 1 to 3 p.m. Childrenages 7 to 11 should bring their favoriteteddy bear or stuffed toy to Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden,where they will play traditionalVictorian era games. Cost is $10/child;parents admitted free. Visitwww.leefendallhouse.org.

Grieving Seminar. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.The Loss of Loved Ones to SuddenTragedy (LLOST) Foundation’s“Grieving – Handle with Care” SeminarSeries presents, “Men – the ForgottenGriever.” The presentation, hosted byWendy Maiwurn, LCSW, CapitalHospice, will be based on the book,“Men and Grief” by Carol Staudacherfrom New Harbinger Publications. AtFort Ward Park in Alexandria. Visitwww.LLOST.org.

TUESDAY/SEPT. 21Mount Vernon Genealogical

Society. 1 p.m. Free. The meetingwill feature a presentation by LauraG. Prescott entitled “UsingFootnote.com.” Meets in Room 112of the Hollin Hall Senior Center,1500 Shenandoah Road, inAlexandria. Call Harold McClendonat 703-360-0920 [email protected].

Meet Author. 7 p.m. Meet BerniceMcFadden, author of “Glorious,” thestory of Easter Venetta Bartlett, afictional Harlem Renaissance writerwhose tumultuous path to success,ruin, and revival offers a candidportrait of the American experiencein all its beauty and cruelty.Sherwood Regional Library, 2501Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria.Free; Register online atwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/library orcall 703-765-3645.

Alexandria Singers Auditions. 7p.m. Washington D.C.’s premiereadult pops chorus will hold auditionson Tuesdays, Sept. 21 and 28. At theLincolnia Senior Center, 4710 N.Chambliss Street, [email protected] tobook an audition. Visitwww.alexandriasingers.com.

WEDNESDAY/SEPT. 22Author Discussion. 7:30 p.m. Rawn

James Jr. will discuss “Sailing Eastfor Western Shores: The StrangeLegal Strategy that DefeatedSegregation,” based on his new book,Root and Branch: Charles HamiltonsHouston, Thurgood Marshall and theStruggle to End Segregation. At theLyceum, 201 South WashingtonStreet, Alexandria.


www.oldtownboutiquedistr ict .com/scavengerhunt.

During the Scavenger Hunt, every shop-per will receive free gifts they can use tobuild their own gift bags. Each store willoffer free items, while supplies last, thatscavenger hunters can pick up and add totheir collections. They can collect as manyor as few items as they want, but only oneper store per customer.

No purchase is necessary to receive thefree gifts, but shoppers must show a Scav-enger Hunt Passport to be stamped.

“We thought this would be a fun way toencourage shoppers to visit more indepen-dent Alexandria shops and boutiques,” saidAmy Rutherford, owner of Red Barn Mer-cantile. “They can get free gifts from themerchants of their choice, or if they reallywant to win big, they could visit every storeand take their chance at winning the grandprize.”

“We have a lot of wonderful shops andboutiques right here in Old Town; you don’thave to drive out to Tysons Corner or theoutlet malls to find great deals on qualitymerchandise. And when you shop locallyyou are also supporting the Alexandria com-munity because more money stays here inour local economy.”

Scavenger Hunt in Old TownBoutique District Sept. 17-19

Community

Serious shoppers are gearing up for thesignature event of the fall season inNorthern Virginia — the third annual

Scavenger Hunt in the Old Town BoutiqueDistrict.

The Old Town Boutique District, a coop-erative association of 28 Alexandria bou-tiques, is giving away more than $5,000from participating merchants during itsThird Annual Scavenger Hunt, Sept. 17 to19.

“If you’re serious about shopping, there’sno better place in the region than walkableOld Town Alexandria,” said Elizabeth Todd,owner of The Shoe Hive. “This is a fun wayto see all that Old Town’s boutiques haveto offer.”

Participants are eligible to win a $2,800grand prize shopping spree by obtaining a“passport” and getting it stamped at all 28stores between Friday, Sept. 17 and Sun-day, Sept. 19. No purchase is necessary.Twenty-eight second place winners, drawnat random, receive a $100 gift certificatefrom one of the participating merchants.

Subscribers to Boutique Buzz, the Bou-tique District’s e-mail newsletter, will re-ceive Scavenger Hunt passports in their e-mail inbox. Passports can also be down-loaded from the Boutique District’s web site,


Royal RestaurantThe

Dine in or call ahead and your dinner will be ready for pick up.

Dinner hours 2:30-9:30pm730 North Saint Asaph Street

Alexandria, VA 22314(703) 548-1616

Ample Free Parking

(now smoke free)

“What’s for Dinner?!”You don’t have to think too hard, let us solve this classic question.

In addition to our award winning menu, we have addedsome popular specials that add variety for everybody taste.

Real food, for real people at reasonable prices.

Monday - Kids NightBurger Night (Kids eat 1/2 price) Each child must be accompanied by adult having entree.

Tuesday - Greek NightLamb Marinated and Roasted for 3 hours,Athenian Roast Chicken, Moussaka!

Wednesday - All American NightMeatloaf, Chicken Fried Chicken. Va. Ham

Thursday - Italian NightLasagna, Chicken Alfredo, Calamari

Friday - Fish NightCrab Cakes, Shrimp & Scallops over penne pasta with white sauce

Saturday -Steak and Chop NightPrime Rib, Lamb, Surf and Turf, Pork Chops, and Moussaka

SundayBrunch served 7am - 2pm

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OOnnllyy $$5500First 20 Students will receive a Fall Fitness Membership for only $50!Some restrictions may apply. See a membeship advisor for more details. See membership advisror today!

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7950 Audubon Avenue | Alexandria VA 22306 | 703-360-7300

Coward’s Comedy Well StagedLittle Theatre of Alexandria mounts 1956 play.

Theater

By Brad Hathaway

The Gazette

Noel Coward’s comedy of manners ridicul-ing the world of modern art may be titled“Nude with Violin,” but neither nude nor

violin distracts from the solid performances of anensemble delivering Coward’s wit with style. Theresult is a solid evening of light comedy at the LittleTheatre of Alexandria.

The text has its delights but is not packed with biglaugh lines that can be stacked one on top of theother to build a sense of hilarity. Instead, there areindividual comments, rejoinders and asides thatdraw more chuckles and smiles than bursts of laugh-ter. The play is more notable for its sense of stylethan its high comedy, and director Howard VincentKurtz is always a fine choice to head any productionof a stylish piece.

The play presents the events following the funeralof a famous modern artist when his estranged fam-ily gathers with hopes of hearing just what fortunesmay come their way with the reading of the will.They learn with deep dismay that not only has theartist died without a will, he died without a fortune.

What is more, he has left a letter admitting thathe never painted any of the works on which his fameis based. Not his first significant success, “Portrait ofMarjorie,” in which no one can detect the slightesthint of a portrait, nor the primitive colorful nudesof his “Jamaican Period.”

The letter is in the hands of the deceased’s long-time valet and companion, a role that was originatedby Sir John Gielgud in London and which Cowardhimself portrayed when the play was staged onBroadway. Here John Barclay Burns turns his stiffupper lip to the delivery of drolleries such as hisrejoinder to a character who says “I believe life isfor the living, don’t you?” It is with a devastatingundertone of disdain that he replies: “Its difficult toknow what else one could do with it.”

The family’s hope of making any future earnings

out of the paintingshe left behind de-pend on their abilityto keep this posthu-mous confession se-cret, and thus, theyare at the mercy ofone surrogatepainter after an-other who emerges to blackmail them while reveal-ing the story behind their participation in the fraud.These include a former stripper masquerading as aRussian princess (the striking Megan Murphy), acoarse American with her silent gigolo by her sideportrayed with panache by Diane Linton Sams andGeoffrey Brand, and an imposing practitioner of anew religious trend “Immersion.” The “immersionist”it is given memorable moments on stage in the debutperformance by DeJeanette Horne.

The members of the family are at the core of theensemble, however, and Kurtz has assembled a castfor these roles and directed them so well that each isa distinct personality. The role of the widow gets theleast of Coward’s gifts for character definition, butGayle Nichols-Grimes’ performance makes the mostof what there is. It is to her credit that she reaches alevel that contributes to the sense of ensemble bal-ance. Elizabeth Keith, on the other hand, takes fulladvantage of Coward’s description of her role of theartist’s daughter as having “a style of her own and asense of humor which perhaps she inherited fromher father.”

Adding to the sense of assurance the ensemble pre-sents is Michael Fisher as perhaps the greatest victimof the fraud, the art dealer who handled the collec-tion over the years. He, too, delivers precisely whatCoward’s script calls for: “dapper, shrewd enough al-though his manner is inclined to be pompous anddidactic on occasion.”

“Nude with Violin” may not be Coward’s finest hour,but in the hands of Kurtz’ crew it delivers a few finehours for a fall evening.

Where & When:“Nude with Violin” plays

through Sept. 25 at the Little The-atre of Alexandria, 600 WolfeStreet. Performances are Wednes-day - Saturday at 8 p.m. andSunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $17 -$20. Call 703-683-0496 or log onto www.thelittletheatre.com.


History

See Saving County, Page 25

By Julian Whitman

TJHSST

Huntley Meadows Park (HMP)is Fairfax County’s largest na-ture reserve. It is located inthe Lee District of Fairfax

County, in an area called Hybla Valley.Since its creation as a nature reserve, it

has been threatened by development andconstruction plans. The local and state gov-ernments were interested in building a high-way to reduce traffic congestion for com-muters, even though a section of the projectcould jeopardize the health of the park andits wildlife.

What started as an effort by residents tokeep a road away from their house, a caseof “Not in My Backyard,” eventually grewinto a community-wide effort to preventenvironmental destruction. After 15 years,citizen interest, environmental concernsand appeals to the federal government over-whelmed and halted the local governmentand the Virginia Department of Transpor-tation (VDDT) plans to build a four-lanehighway

George Mason originally owned the landthat became HMP. Thomson Francis, (1828-97) one of his descendants, built the his-toric Huntley House in 1825. During theCivil War, the 3rd Michigan Infantry campedat Huntley. During the Civil War, the parkchanged hands and in 1871, it was subdi-vided into many parcels. The land was usedprimarily for wheat and dairy farming un-til 1929, when entrepreneur HenryWoodhouse bought the parcels with the in-tention of building “George Washington AirJunction” as Washington’s transatlanticcommercial airport, intended primarily forzeppelins. No airship is ever recorded tohave flown from it, and Woodhouse even-tually lost the land as a result of debt andlawsuits.

The land was then leased back to dairyfarmers. The federal government bought itfor $60,000 in 1941. The Bureau of PublicRoads used it to test road surfaces from1943 to 1953. During the 1950s, the U.S.Army used the area as an air defense sta-tion, and in 1958, the U.S. Naval ResearchLaboratory used it for a classified radio an-tenna project.

IN 1975, the Interior Department sold1,261 acres of Huntley land to FairfaxCounty for $1 through the White House-sponsored “Legacy of Parks” program. TheVeterans Administration requested the landfor use as a national military cemetery, butwithdrew its request due to local interestin turning the land into a park. Originaldevelopmental plans for the park called for

a nature center, an observation tower,stables, two equestrian show rings, a cross-country horse course and riding trails.

After two years of planning, surveys andstudies, the master plan for the park wasissued, featuring an environmental center,a maintenance yard, nature trails, two ob-servation platforms and hiking and bikingtrails. Public hearings were held and inputacquired from various citizen associationsin the area, and these inputs were listed inthe Preliminary Master Plan Report. Mostof the requests sought to keep the park in anatural state with a few paths, althoughthere were requests and petitions for andagainst other recreational facilities.

At this same time, Douglas S.Mackall III owned a large parcel ofland adjacent to the park. In 1978,Mackall wanted to rezone his prop-erty to allow denser residential de-velopment, so he could buildtownhouses and closely spacedsingle-family homes, not allowed byzoning laws in force at that time.The citizens in the nearby Vantagesubdivision protested the proposedconstruction, especially on any po-tential parkland near their homes.Mackall proposed a compromise: hewould give about 60 percent of hisland to add to HMP in exchange forapproval of rezoning to allow him to build102 units of single family homes andtownhouses. The compromise was ap-proved, and the land was divided.

Joseph Alexander, the Lee District Super-visor at the time, called the rezoning “themost unique we’ve come across” and saidthat the county’s main objective was to gainland for the park. Today, the developed halfof the parcel is the Deer Run housing com-munity.

Soon after the park was dedicated, a newissue arose. A proposal was submitted toextend Lockheed Boulevard directlythrough the park, in order to connect U.S.Route 1 (Richmond Highway) with Tele-graph Road, South Van Dorn Street and

Franconia Road, as part of a larger state-sponsored Springfield Bypass project. Theconnector, intended to relieve traffic, hadbeen on the planning board agenda forabout 15 years, but its exact route was stillin question. In February 1979, residents ofLee District told Alexander that they’drather have the road cut further into thepark than come closer to their homes. Anearlier proposal to move the road into thepark had been vetoed by park officials —evidence of a potential rift between citizenand official opinion. But Alexander at-tempted a compromise, saying “Relocationis what everyone is interested in.

IN MARCH 1979, the Virginia Highwayand Transportation Commission tentativelyapproved plans for the Van Dorn Street-Lockheed connector, despite protests fromlocal residents. It was estimated that20,000-33,000 vehicles would use it dailyby the year 2000, which would have madeit one of the most used roads in the county.The road plans were supported by residentsin traffic-clogged southern Fairfax and otherpolitical supporters, but opposed stronglyby local residents who did not want the parkdamaged or the value of land near theirhomes to be decreased.

Critics of the road plan, conservationistsand residents, then pointed out that no envi-

ronmental study had been done. Theyclaimed any study would highlight the en-vironmental destruction to the nature re-serve that the road would bring. Residentswere likely motivated as well by the possi-bility that the study could prevent the con-struction near their homes, keeping the roadout of their neighborhoods. A federal lawstated that an environmental impact studywas required for projects involving federalfunds, but because this section of the projectwas planned to use only state funds, thestudy was not legally required, althoughfederal approval was indeed required.

Government officials tried to avoid anenvironmental impact study, because as thecitizen’s association likely understood, thestudy would significantly delay or jeopar-dize plans for the connector. The chairmanof the County Affairs Committee of the NewHybla Valley Citizen’s Association said thatHybla Valley is located in a “hot pocket,”meaning that the wind would not carryaway air pollution. Increased traffic in thearea could therefore be dangerous not onlyto the health of the forest, but also to thatof the area residents. The highway commis-sioner denied that the state wanted to avoida study, claiming that their main concernwas “time limitations.”

Numerous public hearings were held todiscuss different proposals. Residents andconservationists questioned the necessity ofthe road and argued that the road wouldincrease air and noise pollution and bringpressures for more development. The North-ern Virginia Conservation Council statedthat the park was originally given to thecounty as a “forest management park anda wetland stream valley management area.”

Use of park property for a highwaywould violate the purpose for whichthe property was donated. In April1979, in response to the many heatedcommunity meetings, Alexander cre-ated a special task force to make rec-ommendations about the road plans.The committee was comprised of twomembers from each civic associationof Hybla Valley: Virginia Hills,Stoneybrook, Vantage, Hayfield,Groveton, Rose Hill and Wickford-Wellfleet.

In response to the pressure exertedby the community, it was decided inJune 1979 that an environmental

impact statement, more detailed than anassessment, would be made on the road,because it was part of the Springfield By-pass project, which used federal funds. TheVirginia Highway officials continued to in-sist that no review was necessary becausethe connector itself would be built withoutfederal funds.

The state prepared a brief report named“Environmental Considerations,” whichconcluded that the road would “enhance theuse of the park for recreational purposesand provide a scenic view for motorists.”Alexander believed that even if an environ-mental assessment was made, it would con

Huntley Meadows: Rescued by Community

Sunlight shines through leaves at Huntley Meadows Park.

Pho

to

by Lo

uise K

rafft/T

he G

azette

Residents savedcounty’s largest parkfrom governmenthighway plans.

A new project, called theHuntley Meadows Park WetlandRestoration Project, involvesplans to build an earthen damand small pools in the park, andto perform other wetlandmanagement and restoration.


Alexandria School forthe Perfoming Arts

Classes in guitar, piano, brass, voice,dance, percussion & drama

703-836-2427Registration now open. Less than $7/Class

DOING THEMOST GOOD SM

History

From

Saving County’s Largest Parkclude that the only possible route for the road

would go through the park and that the best routewould be along the park’s northern edge, nearby thehomes of many Vantage subdivision residents.

The larger area community was split on the issue.Some petitioned against the road and many lobbiedfor it, to reduce traffic, with provision that there bea sufficient buffer of distance and a sound wall. Mostresidents assumed the road would be a small two-lane road and were unaware of plans to connect itto the busy four-lane Springfield Bypass. Environ-mentalist residents asserted that alternate routesavoiding the park had yet to be explored.

Finally, by a vote of 16-2 at 1:30 a.m. on June 8,1979, the task force endorsed the connector road,with 16 pages of modifications and conditions forthe road, including a 25 mph speed limit and cross-walks for school children. At that point, the road wasexpected to be completed in 1981, after the FairfaxCounty Board of Supervisors and the Virginia High-way Department had approved the plan.

THEN, IN JULY 1979, a Virginia state air pollu-tion expert warned that the proposed $15.2 million,3.9 mile road could bring serious air pollution to thepark and community. The State Air Pollution Con-trol Board meteorologist added that residents werewise to demand a study, which he suspected wouldreveal the harmfulness of the proposed road. Thearea is a natural place for ozone and carbon monox-ide to accumulate in warm weather. Road propo-nents, including Alexander, were critical of themeteorologist’s warnings, noting that the opinion wasfirst solicited by a citizen who opposed the highway.Alexander said that construction would not beginuntil the federal government was satisfied that anyharm the road would bring would be slight.

Alexander, now planning his campaign for reelec-tion, began to work with the Department of High-ways to develop plans for an alternate route for theSpringfield Bypass, a Route 1/Interstate 395 exten-sion across Fort Belvoir, Telegraph Road and BeulahStreet that would continue through Reston. TheLockheed-Van Dorn connecter would still be built,but would not become the major road it was origi-nally planned to be because it would not receive traf-fic from the Springfield Bypass. But the alternateroute had its issues as well: negotiations with theArmy would be needed to allow the route to passthrough Fort Belvoir, and Reston residents opposedfurther splitting their community, already disruptedby the recently constructed Dulles Airport road.

Delays to the comparatively small Van Dorn Street-Lockheed connector were anticipated to increase thecost of the overall Springfield Bypass by up to$300,000. Federal regulations require a highway tolink to another highway in order to qualify for fed-eral funds. The alternate route would move the by-pass away from the connector, and without a link tothe connector, the bypass road would not link toanother highway. Without ground broken on the con-nector, the bypass might not qualify for federal fundsand might be cancelled.

The county was gearing up for construction by July1983. The environmental impact study results turnedup no significant evidence that the proposed high-way would severely harm the park. The next stepwas to obtain federal approval for the road plans,which could entail further delay. Getting approvalfrom the General Services Administration (GSA)would be especially difficult, as the county was plan-ning to use the land for purposes other than that for

which it was originally donated. Furthermore, theenvironmentalists and concerned residents were notready to give up. Norma Hoffman, president of Citi-zens Alliance to Save Huntley (CASH, established1975) prompted her group to restart the offensiveto save the park from the destruction they believedwould occur. The group began planning and gather-ing information in opposition to the constructionplans.

The preliminary survey work to design the road,now renamed the Lockheed Boulevard ConnectorRoad, was started in March 1986, spurring environ-mentalists to lobby the federal government to haltthe project. CASH asked the U.S. Department of theInterior to stop the road on basis of insufficient in-formation and requested an in-depth, impartial en-vironmental study. Hoffman was able to involve theInterior Department because the land was donatedwith the condition that it be used only as parkland.In light of findings commissioned by CASH, the Na-tional Park Service agreed to review its endorsementof the project. County officials continued to insistthat the county’s assessment was adequate, and nofurther study was needed. But, because of Hoffman’sinvolvement of the Department of the Interior, Hunt-ley Meadows Park had caught the eye of governmentagencies and officials and a federally commissionedenvironmental study began.

The results of the report came out in August 1987,and revealed that construction of the Lockheed Bou-levard Connector Road would cause irreparable dam-age to the park. CASH recommended that the countyeither develop an alternate route for the project, orabandon it altogether. Supervisor Alexander notedtheir goals, and commented that “they’re using theirenvironmental experts to poke holes in the studybecause they don’t want the road built, period. Itdoesn’t make a difference what we do as far as they’reconcerned.” He also conceded that the revised studywas “complete and responsive and it should protectHuntley Meadows Park. Protecting and preservingthe park is first on my list of priorities.”

FINALLY, IN 1990 the National Park Service madea decision to bar the construction of the connectorroad. CASH had finally won, and left the county withfew options to relieve traffic in the area. Alexandersaid the county still had about $8 million earmarkedfor the road, which could possibly be used to easetraffic congestion. The National Park Service men-tioned that the signs of stress from recent urban de-velopment and the risk of irreversible damage madethe project too risky. After a 15-year long battle, HMPhad been saved from the threat of the road and pre-served for future generations.

Today the park thrives, although recently, the resi-dent beavers that maintained the wetlands movedupstream to more dense forests. A new project, calledthe Huntley Meadows Park Wetland RestorationProject, involves plans to build an earthen dam andsmall pools in the park, and to perform other wet-land management and restoration. It is currentlyunderway and is expected to return water to theslowly drying marsh area where the park’s board-walk and observation tower are located. The com-munity remains involved through organizations thatwork to preserve the park’s wildlife. Citizens in thearea continue to enjoy nature observation and edu-cation, with noisy commuter roads away in the dis-tance.

Julian Whitman is an Alexandria resident and frequent visi-tor to Huntley Meadows Park. He is currently a senior at ThomasJefferson High School for Science and Technology.


See Schools, Page 28

Schools

Send announcements to the MountVernon Gazette, by e-mail [email protected] is Thursday at noon for the fol-lowing week’s paper. Photos areencouraged. Call Steve Hibbard at 703-778-9412 with questions.

The West Potomac High SchoolFine Arts Department students willbe visiting community members Satur-day, Sept. 11, to raise money for theband, orchestra, guitar, piano, chorusand theatre programs at West Potomac.The Fine Arts Department depends oncommunity support to pay for instru-ments, costumes, uniforms, equipmentsand travel costs, which are not fundedby the county’s school budget. Studentswill leave a “TAG” with each householdshowing the performance and footballschedules for 2010-11. Contributionscan be mailed to WPBPO, West PotomacHigh School, 6500 Quander Road, Alex-andria, VA 22308.

Linda McCargo of Alexandriamade the dean’s list at Lycoming Collegein Williamsport, Pa., for the fall semes-ter. She is studying German andInternational Studies.

Jennifer Lynn Marienau of Alex-andria was named to the Dean’s Listfor the fall 2009 semester at Washing-ton University in St. Louis. Marienau isa graduate of Roswell High School inRoswell, GA, and is enrolled in theuniversity’s College of Arts & Sciences.

The following local students havegraduated from Excelsior College:

❖ Elizabeth M. Gause of Alexan-dria has earned a(n) Associate inScience.

❖ Mary De La Luz Gibson of Al-exandria has earned a(n) Bachelor ofScience.

❖ Kenneth Smith of Alexandriahas earned a(n) Bachelor of Science.

The following local residents areamong the more than 700 new gradu-ates of Marymount University whoreceived diplomas at the University’s59th Commencement Ceremonies atD.A.R. Constitution Hall in Washington,DC, on May 10.

❖ Blen Abdi of Alexandria gradu-ated with an M.S. in Nursing Education.

❖ Carolyn Anderson of Alexan-dria graduated with an M.A. inForensic Psychology.

❖ Katherine Bailey of Alexan-dria graduated with a B.A. in LiberalStudies.

❖ Wanza Barnes of Alexandriagraduated with an M.A. in PastoralCounseling.

❖ Olga Bonilla of Alexandriagraduated with a B.A. in Fashion De-sign.

❖ Marianne Calogero of Alexan-dria graduated with an M.Ed. inProfessional Studies.

❖ Kacy Canady of Alexandriagraduated with an M.A. in Forensic Psy-chology.

❖ Justinne Cano of Alexandriagraduated magna cum laude with a B.S.in Nursing.

❖ Timmy Charles of Alexandriagraduated with a B.S. in Health Sci-ences.

❖ Elizabeth Dickey of Alexan-dria graduated with a B.S. in HealthSciences.

❖ Ashley Domer of Alexandriagraduated with a B.S. in Biology.

❖ Kristen Fyfe of Alexandriagraduated with an M.A. in Pastoral andSpiritual Care.

❖ Cynthia Germann of Alexan-dria graduated with an M.A. in SchoolCounseling.

❖ Lakesha Henry of Alexandriagraduated with an M.A. in Forensic Psy-

chology.❖ Kristine Jacobs of Alexandria

graduated magna cum laude with a B.A.in Liberal Studies.

❖ Lillian Kiwanuka of Alexan-dria graduated with an M.A. in InteriorDesign.

❖ Stephanie Kundrotas of Alex-andria graduated with an M.A. inHuman Resource Management.

❖ Aderline Li of Alexandriagraduated with a B.B.A. (Business Ad-ministration).

❖ Henry Lindley of Alexandriagraduated with a B.A. in Liberal Studies.

❖ Stephanie Marenco of Alexan-dria graduated with an M.B.A.

❖ Patricia Markle of Alexandriagraduated with an M.A. in Humanities.

❖ Renee McElrath of Alexandriagraduated with an M.A. in Legal Admin-istration.

❖ Jaime Moynihan of Alexan-dria graduated with an M.S. in NursingEducation.

❖ David Nolan of Alexandriagraduated with a B.A. in Politics.

❖ Damata Payida of Alexandriagraduated with a B.S. in Nursing (2nd

degree).❖ Emily Turnbull of Alexandria

graduated magna cum laude with a B.A.in Graphic Design.

❖ Gisella Zelaya of Alexandriagraduated with a B.B.A. (Business Ad-ministration).

Isatu Sesay of Alexandria hasearned Dean’s List for Spring 2010 atMountain State University. Sesay com-pleted a minimum of 12 credit hoursduring the spring semester with a mini-mum semester GPA of 3.5 to achievethis recognition.

Tulane University in New Orleansawarded degrees this month to 2,150graduates, including the following localstudents:

❖ Joanna Kauffmann of Alexan-dria graduated from the TulaneUniversity School of Liberal Arts with aBachelor of Arts degree.

❖ Kerry Kraft of Alexandriagraduated from the A. B. FreemanSchool of Business at Tulane Universitywith a Master of Business Administra-tion degree.

❖ Robin Baxley of Alexandriagraduated from the A. B. FreemanSchool of Business at Tulane Universitywith a Bachelor of Science, Manage-ment degree.

❖ Caroline Spangler of Alexan-dria graduated from the TulaneUniversity Law School with a Juris Doc-tor degree.

Justin Firaben of Alexandriamajored in political science in the Col-lege of Liberal Arts and Human Sciencesat Virginia Tech. Firaben is a member ofthe Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Classof 2010.

Longwood University has selected526 students to the Dean’s List for out-standing academic achievement duringthe spring 2010 semester. Among thosewho earned an academic average of 3.5to 3.99 were:

❖ Amelia ChristineHollingsworth of Alexandria

Twenty-three Fairfax Countyhigh schools have been designatedamong the most demanding publicschools in the country and are featuredin the 2010 Newsweek-Washington Postlist of 1,622 top U.S. high schools, foundat www.newsweek.com. The 1,622schools represent the top 6 percent ofhigh schools nationwide.

Woodson High School made the list oftop 100 schools published in Newsweek,based on a formula devised by Washing-

ton Post education reporter JayMathews. Woodson was ranked 91st onthe 2010 list.

Rankings for other Fairfax County Pub-lic Schools are: McLean High School,101; Langley High School, 117;Centreville High School, 140; MadisonHigh School, 143; Herndon HighSchool, 152; Oakton High School, 157;Lake Braddock Secondary School, 172;Fairfax High School, 179; Marshall HighSchool, 200; South Lakes High School,216; Chantilly High School, 219; WestSpringfield High School, 274; SouthCounty Secondary School, 303;Robinson Secondary School, 325;Westfield High School, 346; Stuart HighSchool, 432; Falls Church High School,466; West Potomac High School, 523;Hayfield Secondary School, 539; LeeHigh School, 1,141; Annandale HighSchool, 1,200; and Mount Vernon HighSchool, 1,424.

Charleston Southern University con-gratulates Andreas Willis ofAlexandria on being named to theDean’s List for spring semester 2010.

Brittany Amerau of Alexandriawas presented a Bachelor of ScienceDegree in graduation ceremonies held atthe United States Naval Academy onMay 28, and was commissioned as anEnsign in the U.S. Navy.

Kristina Soisson Dahmann ofAlexandria graduated with degrees inGovernment and Legal Studies, History,from Bowdoin College on May 29.

The following local resident recentlygraduated from the Savannah College ofArt and Design:

❖ Alexander Beckman Collins ofAlexandria, who earned a Bachelor ofFine Arts degree in illustration.

Tamara Cristina Alcalde, daugh-ter of Mr. and Mrs. Ignacio Alcalde ofAlexandria, received a Bachelor of Artswith a major in Criminal Justice fromRoanoke College. Alcalde is a graduateof Bishop Ireton High School.

The following local residents havebeen named to the spring semesterDean’s list at Hofstra University:❖ Kateleen Bashkansky of Alexan-dria.

Bryce W. Johnson of Alexandriamade the Scholastic Honor Roll Springterm at Oregon State University.

The following Virginia Tech studentswere among those honored at theuniversity’s spring commencement cer-emony held May 14, 2010, in LaneStadium.

❖ Emily Mannel of Alexandriareceived a Bachelor of Arts degree incommunication from the College of Lib-eral Arts and Human Sciences.

❖ Luke Navarro of Alexandriareceived a Bachelor of Science degreesumma cum laude in human nutrition,foods and exercise from the College ofAgriculture and Life Sciences.

❖ Kerry Biechman of Alexan-dria received a Bachelor of Arts degreesumma cum laude in political sciencefrom the College of Liberal Arts andHuman Sciences.

❖ Kathleen Newbould of Alex-andria received a Bachelor of Artsdegree cum laude in communicationfrom the College of Liberal Arts andHuman Sciences.

❖ Ossana Wolff of Alexandriareceived a Bachelor of Science degree innatural resources conservation from theCollege of Natural Resources.

❖ Deacons Aquino of Alexan

How to Get Your Mount VernonPeople, Event and Business Newsinto the Mount Vernon Gazette

Business Notes • Business People • People PageThe Mount Vernon Gazette contains notes and news briefs about

local businesses, people and events every week. While we cannotguarantee that every person, business or event about which we receiveinformation will appear in the paper, here is the information we needfor your news to be considered. We welcome photographs of successful,recent events and people whose accomplishments or awards aresubmitted. Be sure everyone in the photograph is identified.

What is News? Awards; community service; celebrations;anniversaries; obituaries; career promotions; new initiatives; majoraccomplishments; new locations; special events such as: scouting awardceremonies; nonprofit fundraisers; concerts; exhibits and shows;classes; seminars; book signings; youth sports notices, activities andawards; service club notices; religious notices, etc.

Your release must include:• Name of Person, and Business, Organization or Event• Address of the Business, Organization or Event• Day of the Week, Date and Time of Event• Name and Phone Number for More Information• Three Paragraphs Describing Your News…Who, What,

Where, When and WhyPlease submit your calendar information at least two weeks beforeyour event. Clear photographs from similar previous events arealways welcome. All events should be open to the public. We givefirst priority to free events. E-mail listings to:

[email protected] mail to:Calendar, Connection Newspapers1606 King StreetAlexandria, VA 22314.

For more information, call 703-778-9410.

www.connectionnewspapers.com


SportsMount Vernon Gazette Sports Editor Jon Roetman

703-224-3015 or [email protected]

See WP, Page 28

By Michael K. Bohn

The Gazette

While the competition was top-notch, the results were, well,ho-hum. At least that’s how the

women golfers from Mount Vernon Coun-try Club handled the 64th annual VirginiaState Team Matches. The six-player teamwon the championship at Farmington Coun-try Club in Charlottesville on Aug. 31-Sept.2, its third straight title and fifth since2000.º

Mount Vernon draws upon a solid popu-lation of women golfers at the club, and thisyear the team selected six experienced play-ers — Katie Cox, Linda DiVall, Kim Franks,Joan Gardner, Shawn McCullough and Su-san Podolsky. They won medalist honors in

the first round, which yielded the top seedon the championship flight.º In the first oftwo match play rounds, Mount Vernon beatthe host club, Farmington, and then dustedPortsmouth’s Elizabeth Manor in the finals.

“All three of our teams were pretty evenlybalanced,” Gardner said afterward. “Be-cause we play so much golf together, youdevelop chemistry, we know each other’sgames, and I think that helps.”

Mount Vernon kept the same two-player,better-ball teams in each round — Podolsky-McCullough, DiVall-Franks, and Cox-Gardner.

All of the Mount Vernon players are pro-fessionals in their day jobs, which rangefrom FBI special agent to engineer. Eachjuggles her vacation time to take off for golftournaments.

Mt. Vernon Country ClubWins Women’s State Title

Courtesy photo

Mount Vernon Country Club won the 2010 Virginia women’s state teamchampionship on Sept. 2. From left: Susan Podolsky, Katie Cox, ShawnMcCullough, Linda DiVall, Joan Gardner and Kim Franks.

By Jon Roetman

The Gazette

Leading 21-7, West Potomac quar-terback Nik Dimitrijevic looked tohis right and fired a pass midwaythrough the second quarter of the

Wolverines’ season opener against rivalMount Vernon. Majors defensive backEmmanuel Tackie, who earlier had beenmoved from safety to cornerback, read theplay and broke in front of the intended re-ceiver. Tackie intercepted the pass in frontof the Mount Vernon bench and returned it38 yards for a touchdown, sending theMajors and their coaches into a frenzy.

While Tackie’s pick-six pulled the Majorswithin a touchdown, the play also gave theMount Vernon football program a feelingthat was foreign for most of the 2009 sea-son.

Hope.“We haven’t felt like that in over a year,”

Mount Vernon senior lineman LoganBeougher said. “That was big.”

Mount Vernon finished 0-10 in 2009 andwas outscored 365-129, including a 42-3loss to West Potomac in the season opener.Barry Wells replaced Tom Glynn as headcoach and the Majors entered 2010 look-ing to rebuild a program that won a statechampionship in 1983, and totaled ninevictories in a season as recently as 2008.Less than two full quarters into the process,Tackie had the Majors thinking they couldwin.

BUT ONCE Mount Vernon’s emotional highwore off, West Potomac showed the Majorsrebuilding projects don’t happen overnight.

The Wolverines outscored the Majors 34-6 over the final two-and-a-half quarters enroute to a 55-20victory on Sept. 2at MVHS. A 3-yard touchdownrun by BrandonJohnson gaveWest Potomac a28-14 halftimelead. On the sec-ond play of thethird quarter,Rontrell Peyton intercepted a pass from

Mount Vernon quarterback Robert Decardi-Nelson and returned it 25 yards for a touch-down to blow the game open.

West Potomac head coach Eric Hendersonsaid he told his players not to get down

when MountVernon battledback from a 21-0deficit to makethe game inter-esting.

“It was 28-14at that point andI just told thekids, ‘Calmdown, we’ll get

back into it, it’s not a big deal,’” Henderson

said. “Then Rontrell Peyton gets one right[at the start of] the second half and Ithought that set the tone for us. We neededthat.”West Potomac’s no-huddle spread offensewas dominant at times, amassing 432 totalyards. Dimitrijevic, a senior, completed 18of 33 passes for 298 yards and three touch-downs. He was intercepted three times.Dimitrijevic saw time during his junior year,but enters his first season as the full-timestarter.

“It puts a little bit more pressure [on you]because you’re the guy,” he said. “It’s notlike you’re coming in with no expectations.

West Potomac scores55 points in battle ofcross-town rivals.

Wolverines Too Much for Improved Majors

West Potomac receiver Daryl Copeland caughteight passes for 109 yards and two touch-downs in a win over Mount Vernon.

Mount Vernon quarterback Robert Decardi-Nelson threw for176 yards and a touchdown against West Potomac.

Pho

to

s by R

ichard M

aple

“Winning is an attitude and,quite frankly, this group ofkids hasn’t done much of it.”

— First-year Mount Vernon head footballcoach Barry Wells


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From

From Page 26

Sports

dria received a Bachelor of Science in Engineer-ing Science and Mechanics degree in engineeringscience and mechanics from the College of Engi-neering.

❖ Nathan Chaisson of Alexandria receiveda Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from theCollege of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

❖ Kevin Golliday of Alexandria received aBachelor of Arts degree in economics from theCollege of Science.

❖ Alexandra Pauls of Alexandria receiveda Bachelor of Arts degree in political science fromthe College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

❖ Ryan Schuyler of Alexandria received aBachelor of Science degree in sociology from theCollege of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

❖ Erica Soule of Alexandria received aBachelor of Arts degree in interdisciplinary studiesfrom the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sci-ences.

❖ Laura Toole of Alexandira received aBachelor of Science degree cum laude in psychol-ogy from the College of Science.

❖ Allison Burch of Alexandria received aBachelor of Arts degree in communication from theCollege of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

❖ Andrew Huang of Alexandria received aBachelor of Science in Business degree in account-ing and information systems from the PamplinCollege of Business.

❖ Khoa Nguyen of Alexandria Nguyen re-ceived a Bachelor of Science degree in computerscience from the College of Engineering.

❖ Gregory Peed of Alexandria received aBachelor of Science degree in computer sciencefrom the College of Engineering.

❖ Synethia Toms of Alexandria received aBachelor of Arts degree in political science from theCollege of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

❖ Adriana Gonzalez of Alexandria re-ceived a Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laudein communication from the College of Liberal Artsand Human Sciences.

School Notes

I welcome the expectations. You get bet-ter from adversity.”

West Potomac receiver Jalen Dawsoncaught seven passes for 134 yards and DarylCopeland finished with eight receptions for109 yards and two touchdowns. Johnsoncarried 14 times for 106 yards and threescores.

While the numbers were impressive forWest Potomac, the Wolverines know there’smore work to be done. After West Potomacbeat Mount Vernon by 39 to open the 2009season, the Wolverines dropped eight oftheir next nine games to finish 2-8.

“Obviously, we’re going to need moregrowth,” Henderson said. “This is not theend point for the season. This has got tobuild into something better than this. Noth-ing against Mount Vernon, I’m not sayingthat. Really, the issue is that this is moreabout ourselves and trying to improve as ateam.”

MEANWHILE, WELLS, who startedcoaching in 1988 and had jobs as an assis-tant in Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jer-sey before landing his first head coachingjob at Mount Vernon, said he expected bet-ter.

“I was so much more optimistic than the

score showed,” he said. “I felt like we had agame plan in place [and] when the kidswere executing, we made the plays wethought we would make. Again, there’s aculture change that has to take place thatcan’t take place overnight. Winning is anattitude and, quite frankly, this group of kidshasn’t done much of it. We’ve got a seriesof things to work through.”

Overcoming the losing culture, Wells said,goes beyond performance on the field.

“The [postgame] talk I gave the kids waspretty straight forward,” Wells said. “Therewere some things I just really did not like. Ican’t handle the walking off the field; I can’thandle the head dragging. We’re going tohave adversity all year long; things are notgoing to go our way. The key to a good teamis being able to shake that off.”

Decardi-Nelson, a sophomore whotransitioned from lineman to quarterbackas a freshman, completed 7 of 26 passesfor 176 yards and one touchdown for theMajors. He also threw one interception.Wells spoke highly of the 5-foot-10, 175-pound passer’s potential, but added thecoaching staff will have a decision to makeon how much to play the young signal caller.

“Robert, I think he’s got the tools,” Wellssaid. “He’s got a live arm. His youth comesshining through from time to time — heholds onto the ball instead of throwing it

away [and] he took some big sacks. He’skind of done that all summer long. Part ofit is making the decision do we continue totry to groom him and take our lumps andthen bring him along? We’re going to con-tinue to look at that. If we feel like he’s start-ing to make progress, then we’re going tostick with him and give him a shot.

“The one thing I don’t want him to feellike is because he had a bad game that he’sgoing to get yanked. We don’t want himplaying like he’s got to look over his shoul-der. We’re not going to jump ship on him.We’re going to continue to coach him.”

Mount Vernon running back SadiqOdeyele carried six times for 18 yards andone touchdown. Wide receiver DillonAlexander caught one pass for 89 yards anda touchdown.

Defensively, Zak Balde led Mount Vernonwith seven tackles and Julien Randolph andEmmanuel Acheampong each had an inter-ception for the Majors.

West Potomac hosts Westfield at 7:30 p.m.on Sept. 10. Mount Vernon will travel toface T.C. Williams at 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 11.

The Majors didn’t get the win they werelooking for in their opener, but they mighthave taken a step in the right direction.

“Instead of a goose egg, we had 20 onthe board tonight,” Beougher said. “That’sdefinitely saying something.”

WP Scores 55 Points in Cross-Town Battle


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