Bus Route Disputed
We live near the newly established Fairfax Connector Bus 432 route to the Spring Hill metro station. The bus will begin running when the Silver Line starts operating in a few months. This one-way bus route will run along residential streets in Fairfax County and the Town of Vienna. A portion of the route connects Old Courthouse Road and Beulah Road via Creek Crossing Road, East Street NE, and Church Street NE. Last May, 95% of residents of these three streets and contiguous side streets signed a petition to the County requesting a route adjustment. Among many alternatives acceptable to us, we proposed routing the bus to continue up Old Courthouse to Beulah, maintaining service for our neighbors on Old Courthouse and Beulah Road who want the bus. Our repeated requests have been denied.
Vandalism Suspects Arrested
Police have arrested three adults and obtained petitions charging two juveniles in connection with the recent series of vehicle vandalisms in Centreville. The apprehensions came about after a resident called police Friday, Feb. 21, around 4 a.m., to report a loud noise and a suspicious vehicle in the area of Bull Run Post Office Road. Responding officers from the Sully District Station found the vehicle and stopped it on Bull Run Post Office Road near Sudley Road. Several smashed mailboxes were also discovered in the area. Further investigation led officers to identify five people they believe were responsible for the Centreville vehicle vandalisms.
A Community Grieves for a Much-loved Citizen
Vienna Mayor M. Jane Seeman succumbs to cancer.
Vienna Mayor M. (Madena) Jane Seeman, diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer in spring of 2013, died Sunday, Feb. 23, surrounded by family. Her passing was mourned by residents, businesspeople, young adults taught by her and all those whose lives were touched by her presence.
Budget Process: Get Involved
Chairman gives blueprint for community engagement in Fairfax County budget process.
In Fairfax County, when we adopt the budget, we are investing in the priorities and needs of the community. At the center of this open and transparent process is community engagement. It is critical that we have the community at the table with us when we are considering changes to the budget that the County Executive released for advertisement at our Board Meeting on Feb. 25. Below are some opportunities to learn about the budget, ask questions and make suggestions during the months of March and April. I look forward to hearing from you.
High Five
I made it. It’s five years after receiving a terminal diagnosis on February 27, 2009 from my oncologist: stage IV non-small cell lung cancer, accompanied by a "13-month to two-year" prognosis. Let’s be honest, medical professionals don’t toss around the word "terminal" because you’re going to be treated at an airport. Presumably, they know their facts and figures as well as the patient’s present condition, confirmed by a variety of diagnostic results from X-Rays, CT Scans, P.E.T. Scans, lab work and of course the ever-popular biopsy, so their diagnosis/prognosis is a bit more than an educated guess. Nevertheless, there are exceptions to every rule and until proven otherwise, I was not about to succumb to their statistics. Still, based on the best medical knowledge available at the time, this patient (yours truly) was given a limited life expectancy and encouraged to take the vacation I had always dreamed of – for obvious you’re-life-is-now-shorter-than-you-ever-imagined-type reasons, and yet, five years hence, here I am.
Vienna Volunteer Fire Department Recognizes Outstanding Service
Awards given to operational and administrative staff.
VVFD Chief John Morrison and members of the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department and Auxiliary honored volunteers and career staff for outstanding and dedicated service to the department and the community at a banquet on Feb. 8. Volunteers logged in 31,000 hours in 2013.
Vienna’s Church of the Good Shepherd Celebrates Publishing Its 15th Annual Lenten Devotional
The Church of the Good Shepherd, a United Methodist church in Vienna, celebrates the publishing of its 15th annual Devotions for Lent booklet. The booklet of daily devotionals written by members and friends of the congregation will be available at the March 5 Ash Wednesday 7:30 p.m. service at the church, located at 2351 Hunter Mill Road.
T.C. Williams Girls’ Basketball Loses in Region Quarterfinals
Titans fall short despite overcoming 11-point deficit.
The T.C. Williams girls' basketball team's season ended Tuesday night.
Flowers, Herbs, Vegetables and More
Vienna plans to create a community learning garden.
Someday, spring will come again. And when it does, the Town of Vienna will be busy creating a new garden for its residents. Previously, the town and School Board established a 30x100-foot garden, just for school use, at Vienna Elementary. Now, the Town Council has given a thumbs-up for a new garden to be built on the same site.
Q&A with Brooke Curran
After witnessing the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, Brooke Curran decided that she would embark on a mission to impact the lives of others. After recreationally running 10 miles each day, Curran made it her goal to run 50 marathons in all 50 states, seven marathons in each continent, and each of the five major marathons. Curran has successfully accomplished all these goals while raising money to fund more than 20 local charities with her Alexandria-based nonprofit, RunningBrooke.
Guarding against Realities of Substance Abuse
Forum slated for March 4 at Madison High.
Parents/guardians and their middle school and high school students are invited and encouraged to attend together the upcoming program, “Protecting Against the Realities of Substance Abuse.” It’s set for Tuesday, March 4, at 7 p.m., at Madison High, 2500 James Madison Drive, in Vienna. Madison’s PTSA is sponsoring this program in the school’s Warhawk Hall and it’s open to the community. It’s organized by Parents Reaching Out To Educate Communities Together (P.R.O.T.E.C.T.), a task force of the Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County (UPC).
Oakton Fire Causes $20,000 Damage
Fire officials say improperly discarded smoking materials caused an accidental fire last week in an Oakton home. Damage was estimated at $20,000. The incident occurred Monday, Feb. 10, at 2615 Hunter Mill Road.
Time to Celebrate 75 Years
Louise Archer Elementary invites community to open house.
Louise Archer Elementary and Principal Michelle Makrigiorgos are celebrating the school’s 75th anniversary and the community is invited. An open house is slated for Friday, March 7, from 6-8 p.m., at the school, 324 Nutley Street, N.W., in Vienna. Community members, local businesses, former and current staff, students and families are welcome to join in the festivities. In honor of the occasion, Archer will be transformed into a historical museum featuring founding artifacts, as well as new displays made by current students. Besides the library “museum,” activities will include student-led tours plus light refreshments.
Spelling Away at Terraset Elementary
Terraset Elementary School in Reston hosted its eighth annual Spelling Bee on Feb. 19, in the school's cafeteria. Fourteen students from grades 3-6 participated. The format followed those used by both the county and national bee programs. Sia Komba, a fourth grader, won in round nine, with the word "manufacture." Archer Oliver, a sixth grader, was runner-up. Komba will advance to compete against students from all over Fairfax County at the 2014 County Bee in March. The winner of the county contest will advance to the Scripps National Bee in Washington, D.C. Of her Spelling Bee experience, Komba said, "I liked learning new words, and I feel really good about what I did. I'm really excited!" Sarah Nieto, a fourth grade teacher and chair of the Spelling Bee Club at Terraset was pleased with the outcome this year. "We've had some competitive Bees in the past, but this one was really exciting. The kids prepared well," she said as the participants and other students congratulated Komba on their way back to their classes.
Robinson Wrestling Wins Third State Title in Four Years
Senior Bass wins first state title in four tries.
The Robinson wrestling team had four individual state champions.
Reston Woman Trains Agility Cats
Her Abyssinians are famous in the cat world for their feats of athleticism.
Abyssinian cat trainer Lisa-Maria Padilla, 52, of Reston, is quite a fixture in the world of cats. Her performance cats called “Abys” do feats of athleticism all over the U.S. – at cat shows in Madison Square Garden, Orlando, and Las Vegas. The prize money is about $400 for the agility ring, so she does it mostly for the bragging rights.
Bulova: ‘This Will Be a Challenging Budget’
Fairfax County average homeowner will see tax bill increase $330 under County Executive’s proposed $7 billion budget.
Fairfax County Executive Edward Long, Jr. unveiled a $7 billion budget proposal Tuesday that reflects his "cautious and deliberative approach to budgeting," a result, Long said, of continuing uncertainty over federal spending and sluggish commercial tax revenues.
Letter to the Editor: A State ‘Religion?’
To the Editor: Public opinion on the subject of marriage is being systematically “stamped-out” in Virginia. Where it conflicts with the will of the State, conscience holds no bearing — so says the Obama faction. This causes me to think a mistake was made (inadvertently, I’m sure) when the editorial, written by Mary Kimm, was published in the Feb. 20 edition of the Gazette. It was placed under the subject heading, “Opinion,” which surely offends the worldview of those (like Obama) who’ve gone to such great lengths to ensure there is no opinion, beyond that of the State. In response to her curious recital, I submit the following observations: Homosexuality is religion. It is dark, humanist religion. The religion of those who hate God. It is agnosticism (Gk., ignorance), deliberately carried into practice, by those “in pursuit of a vain thing.”
Commentary: People of Faith for Equality in Virginia
Prior to 1996, I had not given much thought to same sex marriage. Then, in September of that year, DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act, was passed. Now DOMA confused me. I really did not understand why marriage needed defending. If gay people got married, would that make me want to abandon my wife or make me want to become a gay man? What nonsense! If gays adopted kids who needed homes, wouldn’t that be a good thing, and how was it different from an infertile straight couple who adopted? If gays had legally-recognized families, would they do any worse with the institution of marriage than straight people who for years have sported a 50 percent divorce rate? In November 1996, as a member of City Council, I proposed that we include in our legislative package a same-sex marriage proposal for consideration by the Virginia General Assembly. Hard to believe that was almost 20 years ago. That was the first legislative proposal for same-sex marriage in Virginia, maybe the first in the country. It didn’t pass, but I can tell you it made for some very interesting politics in my next election six months later.
SingStrong for a Cause
Professional a cappella singers preform at South Lakes High School.
For three days at South Lakes High School in Reston, the music of the human voice was celebrated with the sixth annual SingStrong International Charity A Cappella Festival. This event featured five concerts, an auction, and over a dozen classes and coaching sessions from professional musicians.