Excerpts From King’s ‘I Have a Dream’
Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to the March on Washington 50 years ago next week, Aug. 28, 1963.
Excerpts from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech: “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity.
Investing in 21st Century Industries and Jobs
The Northern Virginia region clearly faces economic threats and challenges as a result of sequestration and government downsizing. The national economy continues to stagnate. If you are looking for a bright sign on our local horizon—the data center industry, which is expected to still grow by hundreds of millions over the near future, is a sector to double down on.
Letter: More Than a Prank
I was totally surprised that no one responded to my letter and full page of photos that you published in Great Falls Connection, May 22-28, 2013, regarding the wooden birds that are being mounted on traffic signs and trees around the Great Falls area. They are still going up! Yesterday I spotted one hanging from a tree on Old Dominion, where it crosses the Beltway.
Letter: Beware of Copperheads
Last week I read about a woman from Maryland who was bitten by a copperhead when she stopped to take a photo along the GW Parkway. More than 10 years ago, a woman in Leesburg was bitten by a copperhead one evening when she was turning off her sprinkler. Their splotchy brown/copper color scheme makes it difficult to see them, but they live among us. Be careful.
To the Editor: Can We Afford It?
"Affordable" housing is a good idea isn't it?
Commentary: Let's Take a Break from School Reform
Earlier this month I attended “The Governor’s K-12 Education Reform Summit,” the second such event put on by the McDonnell administration in as many years.
Editorial: Library Mission
Further cuts to library budget must be analyzed for impacts on needy families.
The current proposal to “streamline” services at Fairfax County Public Libraries comes on top of disproportionate, and some would say Draconian, cuts since 2009.
Editorial: On Federal Dollars in Virginia
State’s role as one of the biggest “takers.”
We received some emails and phone calls about the expansion of Medicaid in response to last week’s editorial.
Leave It to the Churches
Commentary
Aug. 18 is the annual “Works Sunday,” when the faith communities of Reston and Herndon join together to “make a difference for good.”
Opinion: Issues That Matter
Mental health services discussion gives insight into real differences between candidates.
It came as somewhat of a relief to have the candidates for governor in Virginia, Ken Cuccinelli (R) and Terry McAuliffe (D), discuss an actual issue that matters to many Virginia families this week at a forum on mental health issues.
A Life-changing Experience in Ghana
I recently got back from the most life-changing experience of my short 21 years. Yendi, Ghana is a beautiful place on the West Coast of Africa that is so completely different from our delightful home in Springfield. As I traveled out of the United States for the first time in my life, I had no idea what to expect. I knew I was going to bring them the gift of mosquito nets, but I was not expecting the gift I was about to receive.
Letter to the Editor: Refrain from Judgment
Two weeks ago, my letter was published in the Gazette criticizing Del. Scott Surovell (D-44) for the posting on his blog in which he called upon Gov. Robert McDonnell to resign in light of the allegations concerning gifts he received from the CEO of a Virginia company. In my letter, I took no position concerning the morality of the situation, only concentrating on the fact that the investigation was not complete and on the inference that Delegate Surovell's comments were politically partisan in nature.
Letter to the Editor: Pedestrian Unfriendly
Costco seems to have designed its new store at Richmond Highway and Sherwood Hall Lane for somewhere reachable only by auto, with high blank walls facing the street and the building's front facing its parking lot. The entrance is as far as possible from the nearest road. But there's a group of townhouses a hundred feet away, and a dense community with over 100 homes along the back edge of the Costco property. Across Richmond Highway is an apartment community surrounded by the houses of Gum Springs. I would guess that there are several thousand people living within easy walking distance of the store.
Letter to the Editor: Too Many Trees Destroyed
No more trees. When the Jefferson Houston School Project was first begun, there were a lot of people who wanted the trees to stay, all the trees. These were people that attended the school and residents of the community. Several months ago during a storm, a tree on West Street fell becoming entangled in the overhead electrical wires. This tree was determined to actually be rotting and hollow from the inside out. Upon inspection by city staff and the school developer, it was determined that most if not all of the trees along West Street were suffering the same problem. The tree that had fallen was replaced by a young tree. Since then as construction began all the trees including the small young tree were removed. We were told that they would be putting the electrical wires underground, therefore they needed to remove all of the trees.
Opinion: Issues That Matter
Mental health services discussion gives insight into real differences between candidates.
It came as somewhat of a relief to have the candidates for governor in Virginia, Ken Cuccinelli (R) and Terry McAuliffe (D), discuss an actual issue that matters to many Virginia families this week at a forum on mental health issues. While press coverage of Cuccinelli and McAuliffe might lead one to believe that they are two similar, ethically challenged candidates, in fact they differ dramatically in their views about key issues affecting Virginia.