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Marsha Manning Named FCPS Outstanding First-Year Principal

Marsha Manning, principal at South County Middle School, has been named the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) 2013 Nancy F. Sprague Outstanding First-Year Principal. The announcement was made by FCPS Deputy Superintendent Richard Moniuszko at FCPS Honors, a ceremony for the winners of FCPS employee awards. Manning, who was a subschool principal at South County Secondary (now High) School before being named principal at the new South County Middle School in 2012, is praised for developing a can-do culture at the new school.

Letter to the Editor: Nothing Like Haig

The May 30 Gazette Packet describes how Councilmember Justin Wilson jokingly addressing Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg as “Alexander Haig” while she was presiding at a Council meeting during a short absence by the Mayor. Wilson then turned to the audience and continued to joke that he was old enough to remember Haig.

Livingood Takes Helm at ASF

Mari Lou Livingood has been named the new executive director of the Alexandria Seaport Foundation, replacing Kent Barnekov, who stepped down earlier this year.

Protecting Against Identity Theft

Thanks to the generosity of BB&T Bank, Senior Services of Alexandria will end its 2012/2013 Speaker Series with a special event focusing on “Protecting Against Identity Theft and Fraudulent Schemes.” This event will be held on Wednesday, June 12 from 9:30 a.m. – noon at the Charles Beatley Central Library at 5005 Duke Street in Alexandria.

Column: Full of Bread Pudding Memories

Mary* has lived all her life in Alexandria; as a child on Madison and West Streets and when she married, she simply “moved around the corner” to Payne Street. As the eldest sibling of eight, Mary fondly remembers family gatherings at home, especially when those gatherings included indulging in her mother’s homemade bread pudding.

Lorton Hope and Health Festival a Fun-filled Success

Lorton Community Action Center meets goals set.

The Lorton Hope and Health Festival was scheduled from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, but a good-sized crowd had already gathered in the park venue located behind Lorton Public Library and alongside the headquarters of festival organizers Lorton Community Action Center (LCAC) quite some time before the first words of the official welcome were spoken.

Column: Dealing with Violence and Its Aftermath

In the aftermath of Tucson, Aurora and Newtown, there was an explosion of interest in keeping our citizens safe by somehow having better mental health care, and providing reasonable gun control.

Alexandria School Notes

Information on students from Alexandria.

Business Notes

Information on Alexandria businesses.

Two Join RTA’s Board of Directors

Rebuilding Together Alexandria added two new board members last month.

Amanda Chandler, an Alexandria native, has served the community by volunteering for various local and national non-profits, including the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria and Foster Care Alumni of America.

Area Roundups

Firefighters Provide Smoke Alarms

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is launching “Safety In Our Community” in hopes of preventing 911 calls. This Friday, June 7, at 10:30 a.m., Fire Chief Richard Bowers will kick off the initiative at Station 40 in Fairfax Center to publicize this safety message.

Encore Dance Show Is This Weekend

Encore Theatrical Arts Project will be performing in “Style, A Celebration in Dance,” this Saturday, June 8, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, June 9, at 3 p.m., at NOVA’s Ernst Cultural Center, 8333 Little River Turnpike in Annandale.

Arlington Events Calendar

Sundog Productions Opens, Reduces Carbon Footprint

Textile plant using green and sustainable solutions expands and celebrates grand opening.

Think a “Made in America” product that features custom tie-dye, all created in an eco-friendly way is too good to be true? Sundog Productions has it all and recently celebrated the grand opening of its 40,000-square-foot facility on Saturday, June 1. Located at 3850 Jermantown Road, Sundog Productions is the only manufacturing facility on the East Coast to adopt a method of green energy that powers the entire production process all under one roof. By using solar energy, the company estimates that it avoids CO2 production of about 80 tons a year. Jack Levenson, development director from Amidus, a clean energy company headquartered in Maryland, headed the solar installation.

Remembrance Cabaret for Reema Samaha is June 15.

The annual Remembrance Cabaret for Reema Samaha is a time when people honor the memory of a talented young woman who died in the Virginia Tech tragedy. It’s also an evening packed with singing, dancing, comedy sketches and fun.

Cappies Review: Enjoying ‘Happily Ever After’

Paul VI Catholic High School’s production of “Once Upon a Mattress.”

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away, no one was getting any younger waiting around for a princess to arrive suitable enough for marriage to Prince Dauntless. But what could that be splashing around in the moat? A fish? A frog? Or maybe, as they would soon discover, a welcome change.

The Connection