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Amber Healy

Stories by Amber

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AIM Faces 20% Cut

Arlington Independent Media needs help of community it represents.

The Importance of Being Involved in the Community

Kerry Donley describes ways to make a difference.

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Pioneering Change For Autism

University of Virginia seminar studies tension between “The Science & Lived Experience of Autism.”

Despite a recent surge in attention and research over the past decade about autism, controversy exists.

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Arlington: Revisiting Selma and Bloody Sunday

Arlington native and his nephew return to Selma to explore how the struggle for voting rights has changed, but continues, 50 years later.

John Witeck was like many Americans, watching in heartbreak and disbelief as the nation learned of the beatings and violence in Selma, Ala., on what’s become known as “Bloody Sunday.”

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Potomac: Following in Ancient Footsteps

A portion of the Sugarloaf Regional Trail will be dedicated in honor of the region’s Native American history.

A project more than 30 years in the making will see its completion on July 25, as a 25-mile portion of the Sugarloaf Regional Trail is dedicated to the area’s Native American tribes. Rain forced the postponement of the ceremony, which will feature dancers from the Piscataway tribe, but the delay was of little consequence to Margaret “Peg” Coleman, president of Sugarloaf Regional Trail. In the 1970s, she and Chet Anderson, head of the trails organization, began writing trail guides, publishing a series of books since 1974, providing a wealth of information on the historical properties in Montgomery County and the surrounding areas in the meantime.

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Bringing a European Game to Potomac

Area coaches, players hope more young athletes will consider playing polo.

Gustavo Fraga and his son, Patricio Fraga-Errecart, share a love of horses that Fraga brought with him from his native Spain.

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Hope Spreads through Education

Years after couple wanted to collect school supplies for their village in Uganda, Arlington Academy of Hope has built a school, clinic there.

When Joyce Wanda won a visa to move to the United States from Uganda 18 years ago, she and her husband packed up and left everything they'd ever known with the hope of some day doing something to help those who remained there.

More than Meets the Eye

Arlington siblings want to provide support and insight for other dyslexics while having fun.

Jack and Sara Jane Owens are like many brothers and sisters. They get along, they help each other out, they playfully tease each other and know when to let the other shine. They share one more thing that other people can't tell from a quick glance: They're both dyslexic.

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A Leafier Kind of Classroom in Potomac’s Backyard

Retired teachers taking their classroom skills to the great outdoors to introduce children to the C&O Canal.

An estimated one million children attend school along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which stretches from Washington, D.C. through Virginia and Maryland and out to Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Through the C&O Canal National Historic Park, children have the opportunity to spend hours out in nature learning the importance of the canal to the nation's capital and surrounding region.

Potomac: More Colorful Than a Courtroom

Potomac jewelry artist traded corporate law for colorful fabric.

Few of the more than 400 artists and crafters featured in this weekend's Sugarloaf Craft Festival got their start in a courtroom.

Arlington: A New Audience for a Beloved Tale

When Mozart wrote “The Magic Flute” in the late 1700s, it's hard to imagine he envisioned an audience entirely filled with elementary school children.

‘Shutdown’ a new beginning for BoxCartel Jumphead

Arlington band BoxCartel hosting a CD release party on May 24 at the Rhodeside Grill.

Last fall's closure of the federal government for more than two weeks might have been a frustrating time for some, but five local men used it to make a record.

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A Rolling Tradition

Annual event brings thousands of motorcyclists, spectators to streets of Fairfax for Memorial Day celebration.

When it first began, the Ride of the Patriots was a few friends getting together to honor Memorial Day and those who served, riding down to Washington, D.C. to join the national Rolling Thunder parade.

Sharing Stories Across the Globe

Arlington Sister City Association honors 20th anniversary of first partnership and launch of oral history project.

The Arlington Sister City Association is throwing a party to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its first international partnership, with Aachen, Germany, and its subsequent relationships in France, El Salvador, Ukraine and Mexico, and its new oral history project. ASCA's event is by invitation only on Monday, May 5, 7-9 p.m. at the Arlington Arts Council, 3550 Wilson Blvd. Anyone interested in attending and learning more about the organization and getting involved can contact Emily Morrison 202-299-0262 or emorrison@arlingtonsistercity.org.

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Fuse Box Lighting Up the Wammie Awards

Five teenagers from Alexandria up for Best New Artist at this year's Wammie awards Sunday, Feb. 16.

Among the eight acts up for new artist of the year at this year's Washington Area Music Association Wammie Awards, most won't have to worry about getting up for high school the next morning. Fuse Box, five talented musicians who discovered their love of music at a young age, have been playing together in some form or another for several years, and as a fully-fledged band for nearly four years.

Tags from the Edge

Under the cover of darkness, soldiers and civilian contractors are taking to the walls of the Kandahar military base in Afghanistan. They're using spray paint and stencils, along with their sense of humor and expression, to make the beige concrete walls a little more colorful.

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Spreading Holiday Cheer

Wine shops from around the region give their suggestions for bottles to bring to holiday parties.

Holiday season means parties, hostess gifts, office Secret Santas and other occasions where many people bring a bottle of some spirit or other to spread good tidings. So what to pick up? What's right? What kind of wine goes with what kind of food? And where to go for some good advice?

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Dancing into the Sunset

After 35 years, Kathy Harty Gray and her dance company are taking a bow.

Kathy Harty Gray's career may have started as a student at Julliard, but she and her students will celebrate her legacy in Alexandria.

Hollywood comes to Alexandria

Bringing a little taste of Hollywood to Old Town, the seventh annual Alexandria Film Festival kicks off Nov. 7.

It might be Patti North's favorite time of year, but it's certainly one of the most stressful. As chair of the Alexandria Film Festival, North has spent moths preparing for this year's event, pulling together movies ranging from a few minutes to an hour or more in length from around the world and helping to line up Q&A sessions with as many filmmakers as possible during the festivals' four-day run.

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Everyone's Got a Story To Tell

Third annual festival brings together storytellers to share films and inspire change.

It's a very simple premise: there's something powerful, almost magic, about stories. Whether it's the friendship formed between a pilot of antique planes and an Indiana farm family, or the struggle for respect for African American soldiers following World War II; an unlikely meeting of a man with nothing left to live for and one struggling to continue; or a family's fight to stay in their home, stories are the common way in which humans relate to and learn from each other. Starting next Wednesday, the Washington West Film Festival strives to not only share tales from around the world, but to create new ones. Brad Russell, president of the festival, said the inspiration for the festival was the surprising lack of one in this area. "I saw a need or opportunity for a great, prestigious film festival," he said.

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Celebrating First Year in Business

Trade Roots offers handmade, fair trade goods from around the world.

When Lisa Ostroff's children were big enough that they didn't need her home full-time anymore, she decided to focus on a way to implement her college degree in international relations. However, she had a rather unusual idea in mind: Opening the first and only store in Arlington to offer fair trade goods, many from women in small villages. Now, her store, Trade Roots, is celebrating its one-year anniversary, and Ostroff is content. "I love the products, but it's more than that," she said from a tiny desk in the store, each nook and cranny filled with colorful earrings, scarves, house wares and stories. "I love the concept." She purchases all the items she sells in her store through the Fair Trade Federation, a network of wholesalers and retailers that purchase hand- and artisan-made goods from around the world in an effort to help small, typically women-owned, businesses earn a fair price for their work.

A Bike Trip Through History

The Center Hiking Club hosts this season’s final historic marker bicycle tour.

Now that last weekend's heat wave is over and things are back to feeling fall-like, it's time for the last historic marker bicycle tour of the season, led by Bernie Bern of the Center Hiking Club.

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Building International Bridges

Ukrainian Group spent 10 days here learning about business development, cultural opportunities.

They arrived as strangers but left filled with optimism and ideas for how to improve their own home, half a world away.

When Food Is the Enemy

Pair of moms work to raise money for research into their sons' rare disorder.

For a small but growing number of parents, having a child who's a finicky eater would be a dream come true.

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Making a Joyful Noise for Her Alma Matter

Holy Child alumna Stephanie Falcone will perform a benefit concert for Holy Child school this Friday.

She didn't grow up in the bayou or surrounded by fields, but Stephanie Falcone's heart is in the country — country music, at least.

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Resurrecting The Post for a New Era

The Post has two upcoming gigs in Vienna and Alexandria.

Don’t let the minor chords fool you: The Post is made up of happy people. The band, originally started by guitarist Kate Jarosik and singer/pianist Chelsea Bryan during their time at the University of Virginia, took a brief hiatus after graduation but has started up again with some new musicians in Northern Virginia. Fresh off a successful stint through a Battle of the Bands at Jammin’ Java in Vienna, The Post is getting ready for a show there next Wednesday, Aug. 28 and another at St. Elmo’s in Alexandria Sept. 20.

For the Love of Animals

From taking orders in a pizza shop to finding homes for thousands of animals, the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation has a great "tail" to tell.

In 2001, there were too many dogs without homes and too few people to help them.

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Feeling Pretty Good

T.C. Williams grads hit the road for first tour out of the D.C. area.

A shared appreciation for the blues has morphed into an increasingly successful reggae band with enough popularity to literally take their show on the road. FeelFree, a group of five 20-something men from Alexandria, mostly T.C. Williams graduates, last week kicked off their first East Coast tour, which will take them from this area up to New York City and down to North Carolina, with a stop in Charlottesville along the way.

Helping Save Lives, One Pet at a Time

Area residents explain their dedication to the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation.

Behind every adoption successfully completed by the Arlington-based Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation, there's a volunteer with a happy heart. There's a small volunteer army across Northern Virginia that turns out every weekend to help cats and dogs find homes, but there's never a shortage of others looking for a safe place to be fed, sheltered and loved.

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Lost Dog: Helping Save Lives, One Pet at a Time

Area residents explain their dedication to the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation.

Behind every adoption successfully completed by the Arlington-based Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation, there's a volunteer with a happy heart.

A Bluesy Good Time on the Pike Jumphead

Columbia Pike Blues Festival

G.E. Smith headlines this year's Columbia Pike Blues Festival, but four local bands start the party early.

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Miracles Continue in Mattie's Memory

A day of fun in honor of a brave boy raises money to help families battling cancer.

When Vicki Sardi-Brown sees a butterfly, she knows her son is near. Mattie, her 7-year-old son with husband Peter Brown, bravely faced an uphill battle with multifocal osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive type of bone cancer, for 14 months, much of that time spent at Georgetown University Hospital.

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Ride of the Patriots

It's time for the annual Ride of the Patriots, a Memorial Day tradition in the City of Fairfax.

Odds are, residents of the City of Fairfax will hear them before they can see them. Each year, more than 4,000 motorcyclists descend on the city, gathering at Patriot Harley Davidson from across the country, coming together to share stories, compare notes from the road and honor those who have served the country.

Ryan Bingham

Ryan Bingham brings his rock/country/Americana sounds to the Birchmere Friday night.

Bringing back the big voice

Soprano and Arlington native Alyson Cambridge has a series of homecoming shows in the D.C. area next month.

Alyson Cambridge doesn't want to put limits on herself or theater.

All the World's a Stage

It's been a few years since Miss Shevaughn (Erin Frisby) and Yuma Wray (Chris Stelloh) decided to quit the 9-to-5 life in the hopes of making a living off their music, a blend of lighthearted country, church-like organs and sunny 70s AM radio-inspired tunes. It's been paying off.

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Las Vegas Comes to Alexandria

Big name magicians convene to share tricks, entertain families at Magi-Whirl 2013 on April 6.

An annual magic convention will bring big stars of the entertainment world to a high school auditorium early next month, and everyone's invited.

Dancing Life into Books

Upcoming performances from Jane Franklin Dance incorporate movement and storytelling.

Jane Franklin likes to keep busy and to keep her company moving. During the next few weeks, the Arlington-based dance company is performing a number of pieces, each of which depend in movement and music to tell stories.

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World's Worth of Wine in an Afternoon

The Washington Wine Academy and Crystal City Business Improvement District teamed up for the third annual 1K Wine Walk Saturday and Sunday. Nearly 1,800 people from around the area spent an afternoon sampling wine varieties from around the world, including Germany, France, Australia and some domestic vineyards.

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An Alexandria Homecoming at the 9:30 Club

Two bands with T.C. Williams roots to celebrate the world still spinning this weekend.

Two Alexandria-based bands are joining forces for what's bound to be a feel-good show at the 9:30 Club this weekend. Virginia Coalition, a group of guys that have been making the rounds in rock clubs since their high school days at T.C. Williams and better known to their fans as VACO, are hosting Rock-A-Pocalypse on Saturday, Dec. 22.

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New Milestone for No Blitz

Arlington-based band celebrates EP release at Vienna’s Jammin' Java Saturday night.

This Saturday marks a milestone for the Arlington-based band No Blitz. Having been together for a little over a year, the four-piece band is releasing their first EP, Never Satisfied, complete with a headlining spot at Jammin' Java.

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A magical time of year

Magicians to entertain children with free show Dec. 5 while helping the Alexandria branch of the Salvation Army.

There's something special about the holiday season, between the sparkling lights, frosted windows, endless baked goodies and the wonder that anything is possible. That same feeling of awe makes it the perfect time of year for a magic show, and that's precisely the sentiment that led Ring 50, the local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, to host a magic show for area children.

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The Bride Wore Spandex

Arlington filmmakers turn family wedding into prize-winning documentary.

From this seedling of a story comes "Married in Spandex," the nearly hour-long documentary from Arlington filmmakers Devin Gallagher and Allison Kole.

Riding Program Back in the Saddle

After 2007 barn fire, therapeutic riding program finds new home.

Riding Program Back in the Saddle

Riding Program Back in the Saddle

After 2007 barn fire, therapeutic riding program finds new home.

Riding Program Back in the Saddle

New Year, New Leaders

South County Federation wraps up 2007 with elections, land-use decisions.

New Year, New Leaders

Town Loses ‘Heck of a Carpenter’

Friends remember Clifton carpenter Glen Longerbeam.

Town Loses ‘Heck of a Carpenter’

Fighting for the Right To Slug

Springfield commuters lose slug lot.

Fighting for the Right To Slug

Town Loses ‘Heck of a Carpenter’

Friends remember Clifton carpenter Glen Longerbeam.

Town Loses ‘Heck of a Carpenter’

Athletes Await Sportsplex

Park Authority Board hears market plan for Laurel Hill Sportsplex.

Athletes Await Sportsplex

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