Friday, February 27
All in the Family for Alexandria
SSA to honor generations of giving.
’Twas the night before Christmas, literally, when a man walked into the Senior Services of Alexandria office and handed an envelope to then-executive director Janet Barnett. The year was 2007 and the man was Ron Bradley. “Ron asked how he could help the seniors of Alexandria,” Barnett said. “When I explained that the city did not provide meals to seniors on holidays, Ron stepped in with $10,000 to fund a holiday meals program. But he had a condition — that they could not be ordinary meals. He wanted our seniors to enjoy a festive meal just like we do at home.”
Gayle Reuter: Fostering Del Ray’s Small Town Feel
Helping to celebrate Del Ray.
You won't go far in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood before seeing signs of Gayle Reuter. If it's a rare quiet day, you might see her on her front porch just off "The Avenue" or at a local restaurant or business — always with a smile and a friendly greeting. More likely you will see her working, always managing to make a difference in the wonderful neighborhood she helped create.
Wednesday, February 25
Collaboration Over Competition for Alexandria Nonprofits
Alexandria non-profit organizations unite for city budgeting.
As Alexandria’s nonprofits prepare for the March 3 release of the County Manager’s proposed budget, things are going a little differently this year.
Alexandrians Of Two Minds
Zoning amendment for memory care center draws crowd of supporters and opponents.
After seven hours of debate in Alexandria’s City Council meeting, the room was still deeply divided between those in favor of rezoning a property on King Street to create a memory care facility and neighbors to the property entrenched against it.
Fern and Otter Come to ‘Work’
“My dogs Fern and Otter, both adopted from the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. They love to come to work with me at the shelter.
When Sam Met Frodo
“Sam and Frodo are both rescue cats. Frodo, the big orange guy with the furry feet, came from Home Alone Feline Rescue in 2011. He is part Maine Coon and part American bobtail. Lou and I had been thinking about getting a second cat as a companion for Frodo when I ran into Lee District School Board member Tammy Koufax at a community event in Springfield in August 2013..."
Shelter Gets Creative To Save Lives
Volunteers, social media assist in pet adoptions.
Since 2013, Fairfax County has been the largest jurisdiction in the United States with a placement rate of animals above 90 percent. Last year alone, nearly 2,500 animals were adopted, which is nearly double the adoptions just two years earlier.
Column: Not So Late This Time
But real-time once again: February 20, 11 hours, approximately, after our regularly-scheduled, post-scan meeting with the oncologist at 10:00 this morning.
TC Celebrates National English Honor Society Induction
T. C. Williams High School held the induction ceremony of the school’s chapter of the National English Honor Society on Jan. 27.
Port City Playhouse Stages ‘Shining City’
Set in Ireland, play tells of troubled human relationships and a ghost story.
Port City Playhouse in Alexandria is staging "Shining City," a story of troubled human relationships overlaid with a hint of a ghost story.
Interstellar
NASA Administrator gives Jefferson-Houston students a taste for science.
For many children, “astronaut” is one of the quickest answers when asked what they want to be when they grow up. A visit to Jefferson-Houston School on Feb. 13 from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden aimed to encourage those students to hold onto that answer.
LTA Stages ‘God of Carnage’
Parents behave badly as the gloves come off in this side-splitting free-for-all.
The Little Theatre of Alexandria is staging "God of Carnage" Feb. 28 to March 21. The Tony Award-winning play centers around a playground altercation between two boys which brings two sets of parents together for a meeting to resolve the matter.
Tuesday, February 24
Editorial: Managing Mental Illness in Jails
Natasha McKenna’s death provides window on national concern.
A national report released on Feb. 11 highlighted the prevalence of people with mental illness incarcerated in local jails.
Thursday, February 19
Alexandria Home Sales: January, 2015
In January, 2015, 126 Alexandria homes sold between $2,700,000-$127,000.
Alexandria Home Sales: January, 2015
Wednesday, February 18
Alexandria School's Space Odyssey
NASA Administrator gives Jefferson-Houston students a taste for science.
For many children, “astronaut” is one of the quickest answers when asked what they want to be when they grow up. A visit to Jefferson-Houston School on Feb. 13 from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden aimed to encourage those students to hold onto that answer. Bolden and other NASA leadership spoke to adults on how to cultivate an interest in math and science, and showed how by fielding questions from Jefferson-Houston students on life in space.
Alexandria's George Mason Elementary Left Behind
Superintendent and parents clash over school modernization priorities.
For parents at George Mason Elementary School, all of the talk of modernization and improvements isn't resonating.
Alexandria: Tone and Tune Presents Concert
Sumitra Barua stood at the entrance of the Lee Center auditorium and handed out a rose to each guest who entered on Feb. 14.
Column: Staying Ahead of the Feds
The federal government is not always wrong. At the same time, the state government is not always right.
The Virginia House and the Senate have penned similar but competing mid-point versions to the 2014-2016 biennial budget.
Black History Month Celebrations
Local students learn about the history and accomplishments of African-Americans.
Fourth grade student Eli West crafted a poem this month that was modeled after Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous, “I Have a Dream” speech.
Stalled Labor Market Slows County Budget
Proposed budget calls for no real estate tax rate increase, but average homeowner would pay $184 more.
Supervisor Jeff McKay pointed out an irony in County Executive Ed Long’s proposed $3.8 billion budget. Three planning positions would be eliminated from the budget even though Long suggested the county needs more efforts to raise revenue from commercial and industrial venues.
Researching Alexandria’s African-American Ancestors
Two genealogists help African-Americans in Alexandria trace their families’ roots.
Tracing genealogies is not only impossibly frustrating for many African-American families, but many of the results they find are predictable and grim. But for two genealogists who hosted events at Alexandria’s Black History Museum, that idea obscures the powerful histories and proud legacies of many families.
Column: Real-Time, Really Late
I’m not a night owl. More of an early bird, worms notwithstanding. But given the contents of last week’s column, “Scantsy,” I find it difficult to write about anything else while waiting for the results of my CT Scan.
Thursday, February 12
Matthew Charged In West Potomac Alumna Hannah Graham Murder
Suspect faces life in prison.
Nearly five months after the disappearance of University of Virginia sophomore and West Potomac High School alumna Hannah Graham, the primary suspect in her death investigation has been indicted by a grand jury in Albemarle County.
Fairfax County Judge Orders More John Geer Materials Released
Family’s lawyer’s motions supported.
Though extensive, the thousands of pages of documents, dozens of audio files and handful of videos released last month by Fairfax County, documenting the shooting death of Springfield resident John Geer, aren’t exhaustive.
Wednesday, February 11
Letter: Failing in Their Duties
Letter to the Editor
I applaud your editorial on the Geer murder (“No Justification for Secrecy, Delay on Geer Shooting,” Connection, February 4-10, 2015). The Connection has done yeoman’s work in keeping this tragedy in front of the public, unlike other newspapers which are johnnie-come-latelies.
Editorial: Not the First or Only Time
Secrecy around police shootings has been a problem for at least a decade.
The official position of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on the need for changes in policy after the shooting of John Geer by police in Springfield in August of 2013 appears to be that this is the first time police policies have been a problem: “Policies for handling police-involved incidents, which served us well for decades, were inadequate in this complicated situation.”
MidAtlantic Erg Sprints Yields New World Record
1,700 athletes compete.
A new world record in the half marathon by Olympic gold medalist Esther Lofgren capped the competition at the 2015 MidAtlantic Erg Sprints, hosted by T.C. Williams High School on Jan. 31.
Legacies of Two Presidents
Our February celebration’s official name is the George Washington Birthday Holiday, not Presidents Day. Although some people include both Washington and Lincoln among our best Presidents, Washington’s contributions are far more admirable. Sadly, even here in his hometown, many know relatively little about his achievements and are mistaken about Lincoln’s.
Addressing Health, Crime
This year I am proud to have sponsored several bi-partisan initiatives to make Virginia safer for our communities and families. I serve on the Virginia State Crime Commission, the House Courts of Justice Committee, and the Governor’s Taskforce on Heroin and Prescription Drugs.
Herring Named Finalist For National Award
Del. Charniele Herring has been named as one of six finalists for the EMILY’s List Gabrielle Gifford Rising Star Award. Nominees came in from the public and around the country. Herring is the only nominee in the South or Mid-Atlantic regions.
Letter: What Do Seniors Need?
Letter to the Editor
In the debate over the proposed Woodbine expansion, I have heard some say that Alexandria “needs” a proposed memory care facility to be located on a small lot adjacent to the current Woodbine Nursing Home in the 2800 block of King Street. If by “need,” we are referring to a necessity or something we can’t live without, I respectfully disagree.
Letter: Opposition Based on Zoning
Letter to the Editor
There have been various views presented recently about the proposed memory care facility on the property that sits between Woodbine Rehabilitation and Healthcare and Ivy Hill Cemetery.
Thousands of Books Later
Couple owns Already Read Books.
Sweetie Pie, the black cat of unidentified origin, pads across the green- and beige-tiled floor to the Romance Section in the last aisle.
Letter: School Board Irresponsibility
Letter to the Editor
Our City of Alexandria possesses an inferiority complex, no matter what the city does, it just can't measure up to the National Harbor and Clarendon.
Column: ‘Scantsy’
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to characterize the feelings I regularly experience during the final few weeks leading up to my every-three-month CT Scan, and even more so the feelings I experience waiting the following week or so to see my oncologist to discuss the results.
Friday, February 6
Arlington Atheletes Participating in 30th Annual Mid-Atlantic Erg Sprints
More than 1,700 rowers from 13 states and the District of Columbia participated in the Mid-Atlantic Erg Sprints on Saturday, Jan. 31 at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria.
Thursday, February 5
Separate But Equal Amenities for Alexandria
Class-segregated pool at proposed housing complex dampens council enthusiasm for affordable housing project.
A proposal for a mixed-use housing complex in Alexandria swiftly became an argument on classism when the developer revealed the pool would be off-limits to residents of the affordable housing section.
Working Toward Restorative Justice in Alexandria Schools
TC students take aim at suspension rates and new disciplinary policy.
A word of warning to students at T.C. Williams High School hoping to skip out on classes in the second half of their senior year: Don’t. A new policy implemented at the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year gives teachers at TC final say over whether a student can pass or fail a class regardless of the final grade.
Fairfax County Goes Public with Geer Documents
FCPD report confirms John Geer was shot while unarmed, hands raised.
Of the seven eyewitness accounts of the shooting death of John Geer, only one describes Geer quickly bringing his hands down to his waist. That was the perspective of PFC Adam Torres, the officer who shot Geer in the chest, killing him in the doorway of his home on Aug. 29, 2013.
Wednesday, February 4
Editorial: No Justification for Secrecy, Delay on Geer Shooting
Everything about this case erodes public trust and demonstrates police departments should not be allowed to apply “blanket” exemptions to release of information.
After waiting 17 months for any information about the investigation into the shooting death of John Geer, the information released last week is deeply troubling.
Too Poor for Benefits in Alexandria
New advisory panel tackles lack of healthcare options for Alexandrians.
An estimated 5,000 people living in Alexandria are without access to healthcare. Without any assistance from the state, the struggle for many Alexandrians has potential to grow into a city-wide moral and financial crisis.
GMU Students Rally to Lower Student Debt
Members of GMU Student Power Travel to Richmond to voice concern over rising debt.
Twelve students from George Mason University traveled to Richmond with the Virginia Student Power Network, rallying and calling for debt-free education, and for increased educational opportunities for undocumented students. Rodrigo Velasquez, a junior at Mason from Springfield and GMU Student Power’s organizer, was one of the 12 from Mason who also went to Richmond.
Column: The Past Future is Now Present
Presumably, maybe even obviously, nearly six years into a “terminal” diagnosis, arrangements for a smooth transition of power should have been made already.
Tuesday, February 3
Local Prep Football Coaches React to End of Super Bowl XLIX
Majority say they would have called a run play from 1-yard line.
Lake Braddock football coach Jim Poythress sticks up for Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.
Sunday, February 1
Wintry Snapshot in Arlington Cemetery
Stopping by a snowy cemetery....
Be Part of the Pet Connection
The Pet Connection, a bi-annual themed edition, will publish Feb. 25, 2015.