Potomac Calendar May 3
To have community events listed free in The Potomac Almanac, send e-mail to almanac@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Thursday at noon for the following week’s paper. Photos and artwork encouraged. Call 703-778-9412.
Get Ready for Grateful Shred on May 19
Spring cleaning! With tax season over, it's a great time to get together those boxes and files of outdated records. Clear them out of the basement, home office, attic or wherever else they have been lurking for too long.
Police Investigate Armed Robberies
Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division - Robbery Section are continuing to investigate two incidents in North Potomac that are believed to be related. In both incidents, vehicles were struck from behind by another vehicle while the victims were driving their vehicles on Jones Lane.
A Service Dog for Saij
"Service Dog Awareness Day” is planned at Potomac Village Starbucks.
Saij Singh’s service dog, a black lab named Saffy became his new best friend just a few months ago. Saffy (short for Sapphire) wakes him up every morning with kisses and cuddles. She turns on lights, opens doors and watches over him. She even picks up his Wii game remote and returns it to his lap. When he arrives home from school, she bounds toward the bus with her tail wagging, ready to greet him with excited leaps and playful barking — but she is also aware that it is time for her job to begin.
Chick-fil-A Opens in Springfield
One hundred people camped outside of Chick-fil-A's newest store in Springfield for 24 hours before its opening, starting from 6 a.m. on April 25 through 6 a.m. on April 26, to receive a year's worth of free food (52 coupons) as part of Chick-fil-A's "First 100 Celebration."
Community Champions
Julie Clemente founded Friends of Clemyjontri Inc. in 2006 to raise money for park improvements. In 2011, Clemente organized and headed the effort to create the Friends of Clemyjontri website; worked with CapitalOne to create a credit card with a photo of Clemyjontri on the front to help raise funds for the park, and has created opportunities to raise additional funds.
‘Babes in Arms’ at McLean School This Weekend
Pop standards such as “My Funny Valentine,” “The Lady is a Tramp,” “Johnny One-Note” and “I Wish I Were in Love Again” will be bursting from the McLean School as “Babes in Arms” hits the stage on May 4 and May 5. The 1937 musical tells the tale of a young man who decides to put on a show with his friends to avoid being sent to a work farm. Even though the play displays a life far different from life in Potomac in 2012, the 75-year-old Diamond Anniversary show has universal themes and numerous familiar tunes. The play will be performed at 7 p.m. at the McLean School, 8224 Lochinver Lane, Potomac. Tickets are $10 at the door.
‘Dramatic Increase’ in Autism
Expert helps Churchill close out “Autism Awareness” month.
“More children are diagnosed each year with autism than with type 1 diabetes, childhood cancer and cystic fibrosis combined. The U.S. Government spends $126 billion on autism each year — and it will only go up because we must provide housing, employment, education, healthcare and community services for each autistic person.”
Cleaning Up
Washington Episcopal School in Bethesda held its annual all-school Community Service Day to give back to the community. Each student and faculty member, as well as parent volunteers, participated in this special day that benefited many organizations and individuals in the area, including Bethesda Cares, Samaritan Ministries, Cabin John Fire Department, hospitalized children, and the Humane Society. Students from the school also collected trash and debris from their adopted highway, Little Falls Parkway, along with Little Falls Creek, and the Capital Crescent Trail. Above, WES eighth-graders clean-up trash and debris on Little Falls Parkway in Bethesda. From left are Richard Royle, Annie Steckler and Sydney Ortega.
Displaying Strength and Flexibility
Twenty competitors — 14 amateurs and six professional pole dancers — participated in the Ms. Virginia Pole Dance Fitness Competition held Saturday, April 28 at the Hilton Crystal City.
Journey, Interrupted
Mental Health Month raises awareness about conditions such as depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder.
Donna couldn’t smile. Overwhelmed by the activities of her daily life, she couldn’t concentrate or experience happiness.
Churchill Students Win 2012 National Achievement Scholarship
Award honors scholastic achievements of African American students
Two Potomac-area high school students were selected as 2012 National Achievement Scholarship winners by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Christine Hildreth and Maliza Namude received the highly selective prize that honors the academic achievements of African American students around the country.
Area Students Win Top Honors in Virginia History Day Competition
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) students from Springfield Estates Elementary School and West Springfield High School won top honors in their respective groups in the 2012 Virginia History Day competition, held recently in Williamsburg.
Three Years Probation For Marriage Fraud
Centreville resident Yong Hyon Kim, 50, was sentenced in federal court to probation following his conviction for conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and making false statements to federal agents.
‘Boomer’ or ‘Sticker’ – or Little of Both?
In his recent lecture at the National Endowment for the Humanities, Wendell Berry observed that, throughout our history, Americans have been divided into “boomers” and “stickers.” The noted author and conservationist was invoking in turn the distinctions originally made by his mentor and fellow author and conservationist Wallace Stegner.
‘West Side Story’ At South County
Classic update of "Romeo & Juliet."
South County Secondary School Theatre Department is ready to rumble as the popular musical, "West Side Story," hits its stage this month. Set in the mid-1950s, the play tells the story of two rival gangs, the Sharks and the Jets, who fight for the same territory in New York City.
Exhibiting Paint and Stone in Potomac
The Art Gallery hosts work by painter and sculptor.
This month The Art Gallery of Potomac will present a show titled "Painting on Sunshine:" a display of original art that brings together two perspectives on nature — its color and beauty through paintings by Claire Howard and its permanence and strength through David Therriault's stone garden sculpture.
It’s a Race and a Picnic
Clifton Caboose Twilight 5K is May 12
Anyone can hold a 5K race early in the morning, but the Town of Clifton does things differently. Its 15th annual Clifton Caboose Twilight Run is Saturday, May 12, with the 1-mile fun run/walk starting at 6 p.m., and the 5K, at 6:30 p.m. It’ll happen rain or shine; and in this competition, not only the winners receive prizes, but the last-place, or caboose, finisher also gets an award.
Five NoVA High School Students Honored
Five high school artists from Prince William and Fairfax won awards Saturday in Congressman Gerry Connolly’s annual 11th District Congressional Art Competition. The artwork of the first prize winner – Hope Martin of Battlefield High School in Haymarket – will hang in the U.S. Capitol for the next year where it will be seen by hundreds of thousands.
Landon Teacher Launches Website
Potomac resident Josh Basile and Brittany Martin, a Chinese teacher and the Varsity Rugby head coach at Landon School, have co-founded a new website, www.SPINALpedia.com.