Free Weekend on Express Lanes
If you've wanted to try the 495 Express Lanes, but haven't had a chance, this Saturday and Sunday, April 6-7, you can practice using the Express Lanes for free. This weekend, no E-ZPass® required. Even if you do have an E-ZPass, you won't be charged a toll.
Now's your chance – check out your commute to the office. Explore new exits in Merrifield at Route 29 and in Tysons at Westpark and Jones Branch. Free travel available from Saturday, April 6 at 12:01 a.m. until Sunday, April 7 at 11:59 p.m. Vehicles with 3 or more axles are prohibited. E-ZPass required all other times.
Vienna Town Council Candidates Forums in April
On Tuesday, May 7, Town of Vienna residents will elect three town council members who will begin two-year terms on July 1, 2013. The candidates include Laurie A. DiRocco, Carey J. Sienicki, Howard J. Springsteen and Ryan G. Thomas. DiRocco, Sienicki and Springsteen serve on the current town council.
Election Day is Tuesday, May 7, 2013. The Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St. S.E., is the sole polling place for town elections.
There will be two candidate forums held during the month of April at the Vienna Community Center. The Vienna-Oakton National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) will host a candidate forum on Tuesday, April 9, at 1:30 p.m. The forum will be part of NARFE’s regularly scheduled meeting. The Northeast Vienna Citizens Association and the Southwest Vienna Neighborhood Association will host a forum on Wednesday, April 24, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Both forums are free and open to the public.
Residents of the Town of Vienna who are eligible but not registered to vote must do so by April 15, 2013, to vote in the town election. Voter registration applications are available through the Fairfax County General Registrar’s Office at 703-222-0776 or online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov; completed applications must be printed and mailed or delivered in person to the General Registrar, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 323, Fairfax, VA 22035.
If you will be out of town on Election Day or are unable to go to the polls because of illness or disability, you may vote by absentee ballot in person or by mail. The last day to vote absentee in person is May 4, at the Fairfax County Office of Elections. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot by mail is Tuesday, April 30. Applications are available at county government centers and libraries or may be downloaded from the county’s website at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections.
Voter registration forms and absentee ballot applications are also available in the Town Clerk’s Office, 127 Center St. S., 703-255-6303.
For more information, visit www.viennava.gov/index.aspx?NID=851.
Marriage Equality Play on April 12
Only two weeks following the March 26 Supreme Court hearing in the federal constitutional challenge to California’s Proposition 8, Equality UUCF will present a one-night only staged reading of “8,” a play chronicling the historic trial on Friday, April 12, at 8 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax (UUCF). This landmark marriage equality play is written by Dustin Lance Black, the Academy-Award winning screenwriter of Milk and J. Edgar. The play will have American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. There will be a talk back following the play led by Claire Guthrie Gastanaga, executive director of ACLU Virginia. Free childcare is available with advance reservation (by April 8) by emailing childcare@uucf.org. The $10 tickets are available for advance purchase at www.uucf.org/8. Tickets (if available) will be sold at the door. Proceeds benefit the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
Founded in 1955 and located at 2709 Hunter Mill Road in Oakton, UUCF is a liberal, religious community dedicated to the free and responsible search for religious truth and meaning. For more information, visit www.uucf.org or contact Kelly Schlageter at kschlageter@yahoo.com.
Vienna Idol Returns
Sponsored by Caffe Amouri, Whole Foods Vienna, The Business Bank and Vienna Smiles, Vienna Idol will begin qualifying round auditions on Wednesday, April 10, at Caffe Amouri and Friday, April 12, at Whole Foods, Vienna. The full audition schedule is available on the Caffe Amouri website www.caffeamouri.com.
Vienna Idol 2012 raised over $5,000 for the Khristin Kyllo Memorial fund—enough to fund one scholarship for a worthy local student who otherwise might not have had the ability to attend college.
Auditions will be held throughout April and May at Caffe Amouri, Whole Foods Vienna and the Vienna Community Center, with the Grand Finale to be held on the Vienna Town Green on Friday, June 7. Last year’s Grand Finale was attended by over 300 people.
The 2013 Vienna Idol will receive $500; second place is $200; and third place is $100.
Recognize a Vienna Business for Green Practices
The Vienna Town/Business Liaison Committee is accepting nominations for the Vienna Green Business Recognition Award, which recognizes local businesses and non-profits who have adopted green practices.
This award recognizes local businesses and non-profits who have adopted sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices that protect the environment by conserving energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving water quality. The award will be presented during the fifth Annual Vienna Green Expo on Thursday, April 18, 2013.
Nominations are due by close of business on Friday, April 5, and should be emailed to egoodman@viennava.gov. For more information, contact Emily Goodman at 703-255-6341.
Community Forum on Community Center on April 23
The public is invited to attend a community forum to discuss and provide input on the Vienna Community Center Feasibility and Needs Study that is currently underway to determine the potential future growth of the Community Center.
The community forum will be held on Tuesday, April 23, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St. S.E. The project engineers and members from the Community Center Advisory Committee will be on-hand to discuss the process and get input on how residents currently use the facility, identify likes and dislikes about the facility and what individuals would like to see in a renovated and expanded Vienna Community Center.
The forum is free and open to the Greater Vienna area. For more information, call 703-255-6356. Information on the study will be available on the town’s website after April 1.