Bob Hanson, 89, Potomac’s Citizen of the Year
“Did you run out of candidates?”
Bouncing around in a John Deere “Gator,” Bob Hanson in the driver’s seat, we were overlooking fields of Timothy hay and pasture land. Black Angus cattle were munching and chewing their cuds. Water glistened on an acre farm pond designed in the 1940s by the U.S. Soil Conservation Board. All this, plus circumventing 70 acres of woodland on a 200 acre farm is what one would call really “Getting Around.” Robert M. Hanson, 89, has been named 2013 Potomac Citizen of the Year. “When they called me my first response was, ‘Did you run out of candidates?,’” he jokingly asked. In retrospect, learning about his many accomplishments and interests, one wonders what in the heck took them so long? First and foremost it is very apparent his love of the land and the animals are his true dedication. What he accomplished since his boarding school days at The Landon School, Bethesda, where he kept his horse and rode home every weekend; a BS degree in agriculture from the University of Maryland; a stint in the U.S. Air Force (2nd Lt.) during the Korean War; dozens of civic activities; plus his professional life, would take most people two life times.
‘Who’s Your Hubby?’
Local author and Potomac resident Monica Schaeffer knows the answer.
Their mothers told them: “You can’t live with them, and you can’t live without them.” Their mothers were referring to husbands — and while most women don’t want to live without them, many a wife may need some strategies for making her marriage better. For this answer, Potomac resident Monica Schaeffer and her long time friend, Beth Rabinowitz, turned to one-another for the solution. Together, they figured out how to create successful marriages and gain fulfillment and happiness with their husbands. This prompted them to coauthor “Who’s Your Hubby? Tips for Living Happily with 10 Hubby Types.”
Reflecting on Success
During Women’s Small Business Month, local entrepreneurs offer advice.
After a career in television and radio, Potomac mother and entrepreneur Cari Shane carved out a freelance writing career for herself, penning articles for publications ranging from the Washington Post and its Sunday Magazine to Cooking Light Magazine. Fellow Potomac mother and marketing executive Julie Schumacher pitched Shane a story idea. Shane was intrigued, wrote the article, and the two women stayed in touch. Schumacher later came to Shane with another idea: The two women should create a company that would transform traditional public relations strategies for small and mid-sized businesses, also incorporating social media. Shane put her freelance writing career on hold and the two women formed a small business called sasse (pronounced “sassy”) agency. “Building a business with a platform for differentiation appealed to me,” said Shane. “Julie and I built sasse to help small- and medium-sized business get what they deserve, the chance to shout out about themselves the way big businesses do.”
Library To Host Author
Miller to discuss “The Year of the Gadfly.”
On Oct. 28 at 7 p.m., the Potomac Public Library will host a talk with "The Year of the Gadfly" and "Inheriting the Holy Land" author Jennifer Miller. As with many authors, Miller has utilized the world of social media to give her writing more exposure and to interact with her audience. "Social media is really helpful in publicizing and expanding my reach. Anytime I write an article or blog post, I'm able to tweet it out and network with people I may have never met," she said. During a recent book tour, she met many people who knew her through her Twitter account. Miller also uses social media to "build an audience" with other writers and others in the literary world. She also started a Tumblr page called "People Wearing My Book" where she posted pictures of people at bookstores across New York posing behind the book cover of "The Year of the Gadfly" which has a young woman's silhouette with a plaid background.
Week in Reston
Teen Dies, Man Charged in Reston Shooting
Story: Link Italics Bold Bulleted list Numbered list Block quote Heading Create inline: A 17-year-old Reston boy who sustained a gunshot wound on Friday, Oct. 18 was pronounced dead early Sunday, Oct. 20. Police identified the deceased as Juan Carlos Godoy of Cameron Crescent Drive, Reston.
RCC Announces 2013 Preference Poll Results
On Tuesday, Oct. 8, at the request of Supervisor Catherine M. Hudgins, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors appointed three Reston residents to the nine-member Reston Community Center Board of Governors: returning Board member Beverly Cosham, and new board members John Mendonça and Michelle Moyer.
Honoring Connor
Parents honor son through pediatric cancer foundation.
Connor Robert White was only six months old when he passed away from a rare form of childhood cancer. Connor was born on July 6, 2012. “He was the easiest child. He was the happiest child…” said Beth White, Connor’s mom. “But that’s how we knew something was wrong initially. He was all the sudden fussy crying.”
Commentary
Endorsements
About 70 percent of Virginians voted in the last two presidential elections when President Barack Obama carried the state as the first Democrat to do so since Lyndon Johnson won the Old Dominion. In the gubernatorial election in 2009 voter turnout was half that number with the expectation that voter participation in the election on Nov. 5 will also be light. While the presidential elections get a lot of attention and high participation, statewide elections do not attract as many voters. In many ways, voters who stay home are pushing off their responsibility in voting to a group of people unknown to them who do bother to vote. Such a situation can lead to a small group of highly motivated voters swinging the outcome of an election. Please encourage your family, co-workers and neighbors to participate as the consequences of the election are critically important to the future of the commonwealth, and we each need to take part in the decision.
Independent Progressive
Draft Plan Jeopardizes Urban Reston
An overflow crowd at the Joint Community Forum last Thursday, Oct. 17 at the Reston Association learned the outlines of the draft Reston Master Plan for the Dulles Rail Corridor. The sobering assessment by community representatives on the Master Plan Task Force which began its work four years ago left the audience with many unanswered questions and concerns about the quality of planned growth for 40,000 more people and 60,000 more jobs in the corridor.
Halloween Fun Helps Those in Need
Tysons restaurant to host pumpkin carving event to raise money for local food bank.
Few things say Halloween like a carved pumpkin. Whether they’re smiling orbs on a front porch or eerie candlelit gourds in windowsills, jack-o-lanterns are an iconic symbol of Halloween. This weekend, however, the rib-skinned fall squash will also symbolize charity. A group of children get a lesson in pumpkin carving from local Executive Chef Eddie Ishaq of Wildfire, at Tysons Galleria, with all of the proceeds going to a local food bank. “I enjoy seeing all the smiles on the kids’ faces as they carve their pumpkins, and [I like] the fact all the money goes to a great cause,” said Ishaq. “I [also enjoy] passing along all of my carving skills.” Proceeds from the event will help support Food for Others, a Northern Virginia food bank. During the class, which will take place on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 3-4 p.m. at Wildfire at Tysons Galleria, parents and children will get a hands-on pumpkin carving lesson led by Ishaq. At the end of the class, the children will take home their creations.
Week in Herndon
Nominations Sought for Good Neighbor Award
The person next door who is always ready to help with neighborhood fix-it projects. The neighbor down the street who can be counted on to look after pets or keep watch on homes when owners are on vacation. The friend across the way who never fails to offer a smile, a wave, a hello—and a helping hand.
Oak Hill Wakeboarder Places 3rd in Nation
Andy Ceh of Oak Hill is a senior at Chantilly High School who spends all summer wakeboarding at Kerr Lake on the southern border of Virginia. But hobby isn't the right word for what Ceh does. Proof of his intensity is his performance in Bakersfield, Calif., the week of Oct. 8-12, where he placed third in the expert division of the INT National Competition and brought a trophy home. This was the second time he has ranked nationally in the sport; in 2010 he placed third in the junior novice division.
Denim Do-gooders Help Put Zip on Homelessness
Deltek hosts “challenge breakfast” to turn $5 into $25,000.
Casual Friday got a twist on Friday, Oct. 18, as thousands of employees throughout Fairfax County became denim do-gooders by throwing on a pair of jeans to help prevent and end homelessness. Deltek, Inc., the Herndon-based global software and information solutions company, kicked off the third annual Jeans Day in Fairfax County by hosting a fundraising breakfast. The company, founded in 1983 by Don deLaski and his son Kenneth, hosted one of the first Jeans Day events in Fairfax County. “We were excited to see Deltek host this challenge breakfast that welcomed businesses, nonprofits and other community leaders interested in helping to make jeans day a huge success this year,” said Dean Klein, director of Fairfax County’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH). “Even though we continue to have great support from longtime supporters, we also saw so much energy and enthusiasm from new partners.”
Reston Ice Skater Wins Regional Championships
Local figure skater Christina Cleveland topped the competition in the recent 2014 Regional Figure Skating Championships. A junior lady, Christie won both the short and the long programs in the championships, held in Louisville, Ky. The top four skaters in each division progress to the Sectional Championships, which will be held in East Lansing, Mich. in November. From there, the top four earn a spot in the 2014 US National Championships in Boston, Mass. This year, the national competition will also be the United States Olympic Trials for the Sochi Olympics in mid-winter. Christie is a junior at Herndon High School and skates under Rashid Kadyrkaev at the Ashburn Ice House. Her team of coaches helps her to succeed. She does stretching, cardio, ballet, strength training and trampoline, as well as her on-ice regimen, as her daily fitness activities.
Frying Pan Farm Park Hosts Farm Harvest Days
The evening Halloween wagon rides on Oct. 26-27 and Nov. 2-3.
Fall brought busy days to Herndon’s Frying Pan Park in October. Carnival rides through Cole Amusement Company, Inc. were at the park from Oct. 17 to Oct. 20. “It is through patrons support of our carnival that allowed us to have free activities on the weekend,” said Yvonne Johnson, park manager. “It is great to be able to offer so many free activities to our visitors.”
Difficult Choices for Schools
New superintendent says School Board needs to brace for $100 million worth of cuts.
Should class sizes be increased? Should school employees be laid off? Should students have to pay to take Advanced Placement and International Baccalauresate tests? These are some of the difficult choices before members of the Fairfax County School Board for fiscal year 2015. This week, Superintendent Karen Garza laid out about 50 potential spending items that could be on the chopping block. School officials need to close a $140 million shortfall. That means even if the Board of Supervisors and the General Assembly kick in more money, School Board members are going to need to make significant cuts. "I think it's still yet to be determined what that number is, although we know it's going to be extraordinarily high," Garza told School Board members during a work session Monday. "I think it's going to be at least $100 million." Garza, who joined the school system over the summer, was quick to point out that she was not making any recommendations. She described the list as "menu items" that School Board members could order to balance the books.
Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Local experts offer their best tips for creating your jack-o-lantern.
Whether your goal is to carve and decorate the best pumpkin on the block or simply use this fall gourd for Halloween inspiration, local culinary experts offer pumpkin ideas that will keep the season festive. Before embarking on a pumpkin carving project, take a look at the condition of your knives. “Generally speaking, a dull knife is a dangerous knife,” said Christine Wisnewski, a culinary instructor at Culinaria Cooking School in Vienna. “And a pumpkin, because of its size and shape, can be a challenge, even if you have good knife skills. If you use a knife, make sure it is sharp and work slowly.” Wisnewski generally advises eschewing chef’s knives for a pumpkin carving kit, usually found in supermarkets and craft stores. “The cutting tools may look less impressive than your best kitchen knife, but they do work well,” she said. “The small blades are deeply serrated and make quick work getting through dense pumpkin flesh.” Pumpkin carving kits are also a solution to the safety issue. “If the kids do want to carve, no one’s fingers are at risk with these little carving tools,” she said. “Our family has managed to get many years of use out of the tools that came with our first kits.”
Vote Boysko for Delegate
To the Editor: It is time to take back Virginia from the Republican extremists in the House of Delegates. One way we can do that is to vote for Jennifer Boysko for House of Delegates in the 86th District.
Week in Vienna
The Town of Vienna has earned “Silver Certification” in the Virginia Municipal League’s 2013 Green Government Challenge, a friendly competition among local governments to encourage reduction of carbon emissions. Awards were presented Oct. 14, at the annual VML conference in Arlington.