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Fairfax County School Board Reflects on First Day of Later Start Times
James Madison High School senior Ben Press provided firsthand testimony for the positive effect of new later start times for Fairfax County high school students. “Your investment in our health paid off, as can be seen in the better-rested faces of thousands of high school students across the county,” said Press, addressing the Fairfax County School Board in his new role as student representative at their Sept. 10 meeting.
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More than 800 Compete in Northern Virginia Senior Olympics
Pickleball closes out two-weeks of Olympic events
With more than 40 events ranging from Scrabble to shotput, the Senior Olympics was conducted across Northern Virginia at two dozen locations ranging from Loudoun Country to Arlington and around Fairfax; 819 Northern Virginia seniors participated in this year’s games.
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Vienna: Up and Running!
Runners of all ages brave gusty winds and freezing temps to support James Madison High School’s Track & Field 5K Fun Run.
The popular slogan for James Madison High School in Vienna was particularly fitting Sunday morning, as hundreds of Mad Men - and women - braved raucous winds and bone-chilling cold to run, walk and jog in the 11th annual 5K Fun Run/Walk to benefit the Track and Field program.
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Alexandria: Health Coach Writes ‘The Karma Sense Eating Plan’
Alexandrian Dave Hellman focuses on food and wellbeing.
In his new book, “The Karma Sense Eating Plan,” Dave Hellman, an Alexandria tech entrepreneur / health coach, shows readers how to cultivate mindful eating habits through combining food-related activities and performing good deeds.
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Langley Senior Aims to Engage Young Voters
Swetha Ramesh invited to present nonprofit at Harvard.
On Tuesday, Nov. 10, Langley High School senior Swetha Ramesh traveled to Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. where she was invited to present her 501(c)(3) nonprofit SILVER (Students for Increased Legislation on Voter Engagement through Registration) as part of a panel discussion on millennial political engagement.
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Alexandria: In Between Patrick and Henry, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Await
Killer ESP stays true to its roots while growing into its own.
Walk down the block on the southern side of King Street, between the “Routes 1” – that is, the block between Patrick and Henry streets – and before long you’ll come upon a sandwich board offering up a plethora of interesting options.
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Editorial: Open Letter to Elected Officials and Candidates
Spend some of your campaign dollars in newspapers.
Here at the Connection, our email boxes are filling up with messages from people running for office. It’s not surprising, since in November, virtually every state and local office in the commonwealth is on the ballot.
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‘Don’t Be Afraid to be Different’
Robinson grad performs in “Shrek the Musical.”
A big green ogre, a princess, a wisecracking donkey and a love-struck dragon – they’ll all be onstage when The Alliance Theatre’s Summer Stars program presents “Shrek the Musical.” And right there with them will be Robinson Secondary graduate Spencer Boyd.
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History Lesson: Spring Bank During the Civil War
In the pedestrian area next to Richmond Highway between the Pizza Hut restaurant and the Kings Crossing Shopping Center is a Virginia Historical marker for the Union army defensive forts once in this area of Mount Vernon. All are gone except for Fort Willard, a Fairfax County park in the Belle Haven community. The largest was Fort Lyon located where the Huntington Metro Station is today.
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Pancakes, Candy, Fudge, Ice Cream and More
Fairfax Chocolate Lovers Festival is Feb. 7-8.
Get your sweet tooth ready – the 23rd annual City of Fairfax Chocolate Lovers Festival is this weekend, Feb. 7-8. Featuring delicious, chocolate fun for both children and adults, the event includes a Taste of Chocolate, a Chocolate Challenge, musical performances, a chocolate movie – “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” – fairy tales, a fire-safety puppet show, face-painting, a Chocolate Caper mock trial, cupcake-decorating, magic, juggling and open houses in historic buildings.
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Column: Small Step on Long Road to Ethics Reform
Virginians deserve to know that their leaders are ethical and honest, both from their actions and the rules that govern those actions. For the second year in a row, the General Assembly has taken a small step in the right direction, but our Commonwealth needs real and substantive change.
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Great Falls: Novel on ‘Becoming Lisette’
Great Falls author Rebecca Glenn recreates 18th-century France in historical fiction novel.
In local author Rebecca Glenn’s debut novel “Becoming Lisette,” a tale emerges of an independent French girl pursuing her dreams to overcome cultural and historical boundaries in the artistic world of late 18-century France.
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Potomac: Luncheon To Benefit First Tee
Program teaches golf and life skills.
Golf fans may one day see the name Brittany Campbell of Silver Spring on the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour. The 13-year-old middle-school student shot the longest drive of all the female golfers in her competition last year. Golf has become her passion since she started in The First Tee program with free lessons at Sligo Creek Golf Course four years ago. “I’m trying to get into college on a scholarship,” she said. “But I still play to have fun … that’s my goal.”
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Langley High Seniors Wrap Up 4U Campaign
Provide support and encouragement for underclassmen through campaign.
As the much-anticipated graduation season gets in full-swing for the Class of 2014, a lingering feeling of nostalgia can push some people to reflect on their school years—what they’ve accomplished and what they’ve learned.
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Commentary: Yellow Line Petition, Hybrid Tax Refunds and I-495 Changes
Last week, I wrote about the status of some transportation projects in our community. Here are a few more important things.
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It’s Almost Time for Fairfax Fall Festival
Crafts, food, music, children’s rides and lumberjacks.
There’s something for everyone at the Fairfax Fall Festival. This year’s event is slated for Saturday, Oct. 11 (rain date, Oct. 12), from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and offers everything from crafts to food, music, children’s activities, rides, four stages of entertainment and lumberjacks.
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Focus on Transportation
McLean, Great Falls Citizens Associations meet with state Secretary of Transportation.
State Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne Jr.’s firsthand experience with northern Virginia road congestion happened as he was running late to a meeting last week. His excuse for arriving tardy to the March 31 McLean and Great Falls citizens associations’ community hearing gave the 100-plus members in the audience some comic relief before he delved into more serious topics like the Route 7 expansion and increasing tolls.
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STITCH Art Exhibit Opens at Reston GRACE
New exhibit displays the art of needlework.
“I am really thrilled with the level of artists we were able to bring to this exhibition,” said Holly McCullough, executive director and curator of exhibitions at the Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE). “The work is such varied interpretations of needlework that it makes you rethink your preconceptions of what needlework is … the artists reverse our expectations of the medium.” The exhibit STITCH is a group exhibition of needlework and its incorporation into forms of contemporary art. On Thursday, Jan. 16, an opening reception at the GRACE art gallery was attended by many of the exhibiting artists. “Negative space often plays a role in my work,” said Pam Rogers, a resident of Bethesda, Md. “I make my paint out of soil in minerals in my art work … often I sew into the work, creating new planes, repairing embellishing the images.”
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McLean Rotary Names Business Person of Year
Christopher Fay recognized for efforts with Homestretch.
The McLean Rotary Club named its Business Person of the Year during their Tuesday, June 12 meeting, honoring Christopher Fay of Homestretch, a Falls Church-based nonprofit that provides homeless families with the ability to secure permanent housing, as well as obtain the skills needed to obtain self-sufficiency.
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Share Hosts Benefit Concert
Local musicians play to support local nonprofit.
Charles Wesley United Methodist Church hosted their third annual benefit concert for Share of McLean, a local nonprofit that assists the needy in the McLean area. Share’s five-fold mission includes a food pantry, clothing room, transportation to medical appointments, family assistance in the form of rent or utility payments and furniture delivery.