People

Great Falls Artist Earns Honorable Mention in Watercolor Exhibition

The Charles H. Taylor Art Center in Hampton, Va. is currently hosting the 33rd annual Virginia Watercolor Societies Exhibition. Juried and judged by N.C. artist, Dan Smith, with 494 entries by 175 artists across the state, the work of Great Falls artist, Betty Ganley, a painting capturing the "mood" of a misty morning in a Maine boatyard, was awarded an Honorable Mention and has been hailed by the judge as "a traditional boat composition, docked for repair … I found the virtuosity of the watercolor application remarkable."

Housing Discrimination Alert

Officials step up education, outreach efforts to reach immigrant communities about "fair housing" rights.

Housing discrimination cases have been on the rise in Fairfax County in the past few years. And the Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs (OHREP), the agency that enforces fair housing laws in the county, is shining a spotlight on the problem through seminars for housing providers, realtors, community groups and other interested parties. "Sadly, housing discrimination is alive and well and we’ve seen an uptick in complaints during the past six years," said Kenneth Saunders, executive director of OHREP.

Vienna Volunteers Honored

John Dapogny receives Lifetime Achievement award and Vivian Morgan-Mendez a Fairfax County Government Volunteer award.

For more than 15 years, John Dapogny of Vienna has been the "ambassador" of Homestretch. His passion for the mission to help homeless families throughout Fairfax County is evident to everyone he meets. By serving on every board committee, he has been a strong contributing partner to the success and growth of Homestretch over the years.

Renaming Field Honors Lt. Col. Gary F. Smith

Friends and family gathered Saturday, April 28 at Field #5 at Grist Mill Park for the renaming of the field in honor of Lt. Colonel Gary F. Smith (ret.).

Willis Glenn Wright Dies

Willis Glenn Wright, R.Ph, of Fairfax, formerly of Alexandria, died on April 23, 2012. Beloved husband of 10 years to Ruth J. Montllor. Loving father of William "Addison" Wright (Mala) and Edward H. Wright (Diane). Cherished grandfather of Ashley Carrie, William "Glenn", John Savage "Jay", and Emma Addison Wright.

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."

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.

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.

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.

Installing Ramp for Neighbor in Need

A much-needed handicap access ramp and minor exterior home repairs were provided to a deserving Fairfax City resident on Saturday, April 28 as part of the Fairfax Rotary Club’s annual Service Above Self Project.

Willis Glenn Wright of Fairfax Dies

Willis Glenn Wright, R.Ph, of Fairfax, formerly of Alexandria, died on April 23, 2012. Beloved husband of 10 years to Ruth J. Montllor. Loving father of William "Addison" Wright (Mala) and Edward H. Wright (Diane). Cherished grandfather of Ashley Carrie, William "Glenn", John Savage "Jay", and Emma Addison Wright.

Hub Theatre Receives Helen Hayes Award

At the 28th Annual Helen Hayes Awards presented on April 23, the 2012 Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play was received by Marc Acito for his "Birds of a Feather." The play recounts the story of two Central Park Zoo penguins, Roy and Silo, who raised a chick together. Inspiration for the play came from the children's book "And Tango Make Three" by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson in which Roy and Silo appeared.

Young Masters to Perform at GMU

Special event to benefit Mason School of Music Scholarships.

Showcasing the talents of four scholarship recipients, George Mason University's School of Music will be presenting The Young Masters Concert on Sunday, May 6 at 7 p.m. "We know our audience will enjoy these terrific performances, and we congratulate and commend these four outstanding students." said Linda Apple Monson, Associate Director for Academic Affairs.

Explosives Ordinance Unit Presented in Fairfax

The robot, unofficially known in the Fairfax EOD unit as "Charlotte," is the most common robotic platform used by police departments in the Unite States and has been used by the Fairfax County Police Department since 2002.

The Connection