Stories for December 2015

Wednesday, December 30

Classified Advertising December 30, 2015

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Friday, December 25

Editorial: Merry Christmas

The pages of the Connection have been full of holiday spirit for more than a month. Menorah lightings, group and individual efforts to help the needy, stories of giving, secular celebrations, religious celebrations.

Wednesday, December 23

Classified Advertising December 23, 2015

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Alexandria: SAR Honors Lopez, Reyes

Deputy Chief to retire Dec. 31.

The George Washington Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution presented Law Enforcement Commendation Medals to Alexandria police officer Jonattan Lopez and Deputy Chief Eddie Reyes Dec. 7 at Alexandria Police Headquarters.

Wrap it Up: Last Minute Gift Ideas

The trend is opting for an “experience."

If you are still doing your holiday shopping on Christmas Eve, you are not alone. According to the National Retail Federation, nearly 90 percent of holiday shoppers still have lists to wrap up with many opting for an “experience” rather than a more traditional gift.

Jingle Bell Rock Raises Arthritis Awareness

It is the leading cause of disability in the United States, with more than 53 million Americans being affected by some form of arthritis. Still in his 20s, Garrett Golubin became one of those statistics when he was diagnosed with spondyloarthritis earlier this year.

Column: AARP, Senior Services Offer Caregiver Workshop

Learn what resources and support are available to caregivers.

Caregiving for a family member or close friend is one of the most important roles you’ll play. It may start with driving your loved one to get groceries or going to the doctor. Later, you may find yourself taking more time off from work, preparing meals or handling bills.

Monday, December 21

Letter: Intended Hospitality?

Letter to the Editor

Parking in Old Town Alexandria Dec. 18 reminded me of attorney William Kunstler's questioning of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley during the 1968 Chicago Seven trial following the Democratic National Convention, during which Chicago police clubbed demonstrators. Kunstler asked Daley if that was the traditional hospitality shown visitors.

Letter: Discouraging Public Hearing

Letter to the Editor

If what we witnessed at the Alexandria City Council’s public hearing recently is an indicator of what we can expect in the next three years, we have reason to be greatly concerned.

Alexandria Brief: Twig Offers New Cookbook

Learn how to make Buzz Bakeshop’s red velvet cupcakes, Clyde’s jumbo lump crab cakes, the Landini Brothers’ carbonara or recipes from 41 Alexandria restaurants in The Twig’s new cookbook, “Alexandria - Favorite Restaurants - Best Recipes.”

Alexandria Brief: Tree Work at Fort Ward Park

The City of Alexandria will begin the seasonal tree maintenance in Fort Ward Park and Museum Area beginning the week of Dec. 26, and will continue through January 2016 subject to the weather conditions.

Alexandria Brief: Defendant Sentenced to Life

Omar Hernandez Lopez, 25, of Alexandria, was sentenced on a three count indictment relating to four years of his ongoing sexual abuse of a child, starting when the child was 5 years old.

Alexandria Brief: Affordable Apartments Available

Jackson Crossing, a new affordable mid-rise apartment community located at 120 East Reed Ave., is scheduled to open this winter.

Alexandria Brief: Swearing-In Ceremony

The public is invited to attend the formal City Council installation ceremony on Monday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. in the T.C. Williams High School Auditorium, 3330 King St.

Alexandria Brief: Library Receives Curiosity Grant

Alexandria Library received a $7,500 “Curiosity Creates” grant from the American Library Association’s Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and Disney.

Saturday, December 19

Alexandria: Mamo's 32 Points, Williams' Layup Lift TC Over West Potomac

Titans even Conference 7 record with win over Wolverines.

The T.C. Williams boys' basketball team defeated West Potomac 56-55 on Friday.

Thursday, December 17

Alexandria: City Officially Launches Fire Station 210

After the long and troubled saga of Fire Station 210’s origins, the station officially had its ribbon cutting ceremony early on Dec. 12. Officially, the fire station had been open since April, but had suffered from understaffing issues.

Alexandria Murders: Police Chief Addresses Residents

Citizens express appreciation for increased police community engagement.

Chief Earl Cook’s meeting with residents from the area near Four Mile Run, the site of Alexandria’s most recent of four unsolved murders, had a different tone from Cook’s presentation on the same topic to City Council last week.

Alexandria Snapshot: Wreaths Across America

Volunteers gathered at the Alexandria National Cemetery on Saturday, Dec. 12, to place wreaths upon 1962 headstones. Scouts from the American Heritage Girls of St. Rita’s Troop VA 1381 obtained sponsorship for 1,168 of the wreaths. This is the fourth year that the Scouts have participated in soliciting sponsorships of the wreaths.

Alexandria Snapshot: Holiday Sweets

In the kitchen at Bittersweet bakery on King Street, a special order of mixed cupcakes is being loaded for a corporation with the company logo on the top and an “asap” on the order.

Alexandria: Door Decorating Contest Winners

Members of the Old Town Walled Garden Club completed the judging for the annual door decorating contest last week.

Alexandria: My Grandmother's House to Host Collection Event

If you’re Katherine Keith and it’s not past Dec. 30, stop reading. This is supposed to be a surprise party.

Wednesday, December 16

Classified Advertising December 16, 2015

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Alexandria City Council Upholds BAR Approval

Council upholds approval of Robinson Terminal South buildings.

The most recent bout of developer EYA and a group of Waterfront residents went in the developer’s favor, but it wasn’t a knockout, and the citizens showed they weren’t going down without a fight.

People at Work: Lawton ‘Plays the Kettle’

Emily Lawton pushes down the three piston valves in different combinations on her alto horn, pitched in E-flat and used in British style bands. She is "playing the kettle" as the glass doors automatically swing open but customers stop for a minute to listen before grocery shopping.

Alexandria Snapshot: Holiday Entertaining

“Santa” Steve Czechansky walks up and down the sidewalk at Centre Plaza on Quaker Lane, popping into the small stores on the strip to play Christmas songs on his accordion.

Alexandria Snapshot: Springtime for Christmas

Cherry blossoms bloom at the corner of Duke and Holland Lane, across from the Whole Foods.

Obituary: Helen J. Evans

Helen J. Evans, 88 of Alexandria, died at her home on Dec. 10, 2015. She was born June 13, 1927 to the late William and Margaret Peevely of Speedwell, Tenn.

Column:Let It Snow

Snow Buddies help during winter months.

Are you ready to be jolly? Would you like to help seniors and low-income families during this winter season? If so, consider becoming a Snow Buddy. Volunteer Alexandria, in collaboration with the City of Alexandria, implements Snow Buddies, a program in which volunteers register to help others by shoveling snow when winter decides to throw on its white coat. Last year, 30 Snow Buddy volunteers helped more than 35 families who needed snow removal assistance during the snow season. "Snow Buddies has been great!” said volunteer Eric Dillon. “The best part is the seniors. All of them offer me something warm to drink or say ‘thanks’ in person and it truly shows their gratitude.” If interested in volunteering as a Snow Buddy, register at www.VolunteerAlexandria.org and search Snow Buddies. Once registered, you will be matched with a senior or family that needs assistance. “Snow days for my peers are like holidays where everyone stays warm and drinks wine, but I know these days are anything but little vacations for my seniors,” Dillon added. “These events adversely affect their lives. Hopefully, I'm being a part of the solution for them."

Alexandria: TC’s Mamo Scores Career-High 28 in Loss to Lake Braddock

Titans drop Conference 7 opener to Bruins, fall to 1-3.

T.C. Williams lost to Lake Braddock on Tuesday night.

Alexandria: Carson, Napoli Engaged

Mr. and Mrs. Carl Eugene Carson III and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Paul Napoli announce the engagement of Carl E. “Forthe” Carson IV of Alexandria, to Megan Marjan Napoli of Wilmette, Ill.

Alexandria: Firefighters Provide Toys For Local Children

Christmas arrived early for more than 250 children from local Head Start programs as they picked out toys and visited with Santa and Superhero Flash Max during the annual Firefighters and Friends to the Rescue toy drive distribution day Dec. 15 at Penn Daw Fire Station 11.

Column: Sharing the Love

Commentary–Senior Services of Alexandria

In celebration of the eighth annual Subaru “Share the Love” Campaign, management and employees from Beyer Subaru delivered Meals on Wheels to Alexandria seniors, and also brought special gifts to help start the holiday season. Beyer Subaru has selected Senior Services of Alexandria as its Community Partner for this year’s “Share the Love” event.

Letter: Thanking Public Safety Staff

Letter to the Editor

I continue to hear disturbing reports of police brutality throughout our country, I cannot help but think of the men and women of our own police, sheriff and fire departments.

Letter: In Appreciation Of George Mason

Letter to the Editor

The Bill of Rights, one of the most important bulwarks of our freedoms, was the product of the wisdom and determination of George Mason IV of Gunston Hall, a proud native Alexandrian.

Letter: Define Compromise

Letter to the Editor

I am as disappointed with your reporting [“BAR Fight,” Dec. 10] of the recent BAR meeting on the Old Colony site as I am with the BAR and the developers.

Letter: Trump Hate With Love

Letter to the Editor

I ran for City Council in 2003 as a Republican, and since that time, I have rarely voiced my opinion in public. Recent events, however, compel me to again cast my views into public life, if only for a particular purpose, explained below.

Letter: Ethical Lapses

Letter to the Editor

Regarding the Alexandria City Council's claim of transparency in its dealings with the citizens, I submit two examples of recent major ethical lapses on their part...

Letter: Council’s Shortcomings

Letter to the Editor

An election comes and goes. The mayor gets voted out (yea), but all the council members get re-elected. Why?

Letter: Silberberg Needs Support

Letter to the Editor

Those of us who, for the past six years, have harped on the lame-duck City Council in 2009 for moving city elections to November might well take an object lesson from last month’s results.

Alexandria Column: All I Want for Christmas …

Commentary–Rebuilding Together Alexandria

In case you are trying to find me, I wanted to let you know that I’m living in a new apartment this year.

Alexandria Appetite: Three Restaurants for Takeout Today

Short on time during the holiday season?

It’s the middle of the holiday season, and free time is short. Often, spare time is downright nonexistent, in fact, and the thought of sitting down to a home-cooked meal is but a dream. Here are three remedies that are sure to lend a hand during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Tuesday, December 15

Partnership Launches ‘Build a Village’ Campaign

Goal to end homelessness in Fairfax County by 2018 looms; more than 400 children are among the homeless here.

Dozens of business leaders, elected officials and advocates for ending homelessness gathered Monday, Dec. 14 in the offices of Piedmont Fund Services in Herndon to launch the “Build a Village” campaign.

Friday, December 11

Alexandria: TC Boys Drop Fourth Straight to Wakefield

Titans motivated by 2015 season-ending loss.

The T.C. Williams boys' basketball team started 1-1.

Thursday, December 10

2015 Alexandria/Mount Vernon Holiday Entertainment Guide

Holiday Events in Alexandria and Mount Vernon, Va.

Letter: Inattentive Drivers

Letter to the Editor

As I was leaving the CVS on S. Washington Street (ironically, I wa getting a prescription filled to keep me healthy), I was nearly hit by a car.

Letter: War on Chanukah?

Letter to the Editor

Every year about this time someone rails about the war on Christmas.

Alexandria New Briefs: Week of Dec. 9

The Dec. 8 City Council meeting marked the last with Mayor William Euille, Alexandria’s mayor for 17 years and the first African-American to hold the position.

Alexandria: Gang Violence Returns to City

Police suspect gang activity in Alexandria’s fourth unsolved murder in 2015.

It took a fourth murder in Four Mile Run Park on Dec. 4, but the Alexandria Police have finally opened the public to a hint of insight into the ongoing investigations. Police Chief Earl Cook spoke to the City Council on Dec. 8, and while he would not give details on any ongoing investigations, it’s clear police suspect the murder may be gang-related.

Alexandria: No Space for Compromise in BAR Fight

Old Colony Inn design approved over citizen furor.

Often, the city and a group of citizens disagree on something development related. In theory, the city coordinates an effort to have the developers and citizens talk to each other, and all involved parties reach some type of compromise. That’s almost exactly what didn’t happen at the Board of Architectural (BAR) Review on Dec. 2.

Alexandria Appetite: Yule Logs, Cookies, and Breads Decorate Firehook’s Holiday Table

The buche de Noel, sugar cookies, and sourdough bread won’t disappoint at next holiday dinner party.

Think about the holidays for a moment. What comes to mind first? Maybe a Christmas carol, or maybe the Fraser fir that sits stately in the living room.

Alexandria People at Work: Mixing Up Traditional with New

... in historical house.

Victoria Sanchez opens the door at 310 S Asaph. It is her first visit to consult with the owner, Cheryl Jaeger.

Mutty Takes Helm at Alexandria Seaport Foundation

Seaport Foundation announces new executive director.

Stephen D. Mutty, a leader in the commercial real estate industry and longtime supporter of the Alexandria Seaport Foundation, has been named by the organization as its new executive director.

Wednesday, December 9

Editorial: Safety Net for Holiday Celebrations

It’s an opportunity to talk about responsibility, alcohol and planning ahead.

The holiday party season is here, and we will almost all be celebrating in some way. Some ways will involve celebrations that include alcohol.

Ideas for Decking the Halls

Local designers create opulent holiday designs.

From traditional to glamorous, fresh to faux and high-end to old school, local tastemakers tell how they create dazzling holiday design extravaganzas.

Citizen Speakers Turn Out for J.E.B. Stuart High Name Change

School Board to take action Dec. 17

J.E.B. Stuart High School senior Whitten Rutledge is proud of his school, mostly.

Alexandria Snapshot: 45th Annual Scottish Walk Weekend

Tens of thousands of visitors crowded the streets of Old Town Dec. 5 for the Campagna Center’s 45th Annual Scottish Christmas Walk Parade.

Alexandria Snapshot: Let There Be Light

Festively decorated boats illuminated the Alexandria waterfront Dec. 5 as part of the 16th annual Holiday Boat Parade of Lights.

Column: Founding Father for St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Cemetery

Honoring Washington and his soldiers.

The Graves Registration Committee of the George Washington Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, has just completed a years-long project that culminated in a ceremony and the placement of a plaque identifying the known patriots buried there at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church Cemetery.

Classified Advertising December 9, 2015

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Thursday, December 3

Notes from the Producer: A Holiday Tradition Returns to MetroStage for 6th Season

Six years ago MetroStage decided that we needed to establish a holiday tradition.

Little Theater of Alexandria Stages ‘A Christmas Carol’

Charles Dickens’ classic story to play from Dec. 4-19.

The Little Theater of Alexandria (LTA) is presenting Charles Dickens’ classic, “A Christmas Carol,” from Dec. 4-19. The story follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly Victorian humbug, who travels with ghostly guides through Christmas past, present, and future to find the true meaning of the holidays. Complete with special effects, Victorian carols, and Tiny Tim, "A Christmas Carol" is a must for the family.

Letter: Need Ethics Commission

Letter to the Editor

I would like to comment on Justin Wilson’s recent remarks about newly elected Mayor Silberberg’s proposal to establish an ethics commission to improve the city government’s transparency.

Letter: Gluten-Free Awareness

Letter to the Editor

After living away from Alexandria for three years, I recently returned and rented a home in Old Town while my nearby home was renovated.

Letter: City’s Students In Good Hands

Letter to the Editor

My heartfelt thanks to all who participated in the Nov. 3 ACPS school board elections.

Column: Laying the Foundation for the Future

Commentary–ACPS 2020 State-of-the-Schools

Autumn is traditionally a time for reflection. As the leaves drift to the ground, we look back at what we have achieved over the course of the year.

Column: Raising Children Who Are Resilient and Readers

Vision: Every child in Alexandria can read and succeed.

Resilience allows children to develop in spite of adversity, which every child faces in some form.

Historic Discovery Made at Hotel Indigo Construction Site

18th Century warehouse unearths more questions than answers.

Once thought lost to demolition and fire, pieces of a mid-18th century warehouse on Alexandria’s waterfront have been reclaimed.

Alexandria: Plans for Old Town North Take Shape

Motherhood, apple pie, and “enriching community living” in Old Town North.

After a week-long community engagement process, Alexandria city staff was happy to report that people like good things. At the Planning Commission meeting on Dec. 1, city staff started with a review of the three-day charrette, held between Nov. 16 and 20.

Alexandria: ‘Onerous Regulations’ Cripple Food Trucks Pilot

After two years, and with only a week before City Council is set to make a decision, it’s difficult to say the results of the Food Truck Pilot Program are decisive.

MGM Addresses New Casino’s Impact on Alexandria

Across the Potomac, the MGM Casino is beginning to take shape. By the end of next year, Alexandria will be a short drive across the Potomac from a casino larger than any in Las Vegas.

Alexandria Snapshot: ‘A Bountiful Tom Turkey’

Grace Episcopal School repeated its successful collaboration to collect food items to benefit those who are in need.

Alexandria Snapshot: An Intimate Concert

Paul Reisler brought his storytelling, songwriting and musical talents to the Atheneum on Nov. 19. With more than 3,500 recorded songs to his credit, Reisler together with vocalist Lea Morris and Marshall Keys on saxophone, performed 15 original works that ran the gamut from ballads to the instrumental Marsyangdi inspired by his journey through Nepal, an antiwar protest, homelessness, and a few songs from his national award-winning Kid Pan Alley Children's Songwriting project.

Alexandria Snapshot: Holiday Gifts Set in Stone

Those looking for holiday gifts that make a bold statement might be in luck this weekend. Ivy Lane Living in Old Town Alexandria will host a trunk show featuring Northern Virginia-based jewelry and home accessories line Addison Weeks.

Alexandria: Capturing the City through its People and Places

Nina Tisara’s commitment to art.

Although she and Living Legends of Alexandria are sometimes seen as one and the same, artist-photographer Nina Tisara had a life before she founded Living Legends and is living the life she planned after her retirement from its management.

Alexandria Turkey Trot Turns 40

Arga, Sullivan set course records.

Course records were set in both the male and female divisions as more than 5,700 runners took to the streets of Del Ray in the 40th running of the Alexandria Turkey Trot.

Alexandria Snapshot: From Passion to Patent

Finalists in the 2015 Collegiate Inventors Competition gather Nov. 17 for a photo outside the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum.

Visit Alexandria Builds Business with Bikes

Visit Alexandria joined forces with Volunteer Alexandria in the fourth annual Bows, Baskets and Bikes charity event to build bikes for families in need as part of its Alexandria Cares team-building program for community service projects.

Alexandria Brief: Holiday Market Supports Programs

On Sunday, Dec. 6, the Friends of the Alexandria Commission for Women will sponsor its 18th annual Holiday Market at the Charles Houston Center, 901 Wythe St., Alexandria from 1- 5 p.m.

Merry and Fit

Support groups help members maintain fitness during season of indulgence.

Just after 7:30 on a recent Sunday morning, the steady beat of Cold Play’s "Viva la Vida" pulsed through the warm, sleepy air.

Alexandria: Resiliency Required in Child Abuse Cases

Luncheon honors those working with victims.

The Center for Alexandria’s Children organized an appreciation luncheon last month to honor the work of its Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT), which is comprised of 55 representatives of both Alexandria city agencies and certain state agencies.

Advisory Council issues 512-page vision for county environmental policy.

Flooding will rise in concern in Fairfax County as a result of climate change, warned Stella Koch, chairperson of the county’s Environmental Quality Advisory Council.

Wednesday, December 2

Classified Advertising December 2 , 2015

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