Thursday, January 31
O’Connell Boys’ Basketball Thriving After Losing Season
Knights beat St. Mary’s Ryken, improve to 10-0 in WCAC.
The Bishop O'Connell boys' basketball team is undefeated in the WCAC.
Letter: Taking Exception on Medicaid Expansion
Your recent editorial ["Expanding Medicaid Good For Virginia," The Connection, January 23-29, 2013] is noble in its desire to "extend health coverage to more than 400,000 residents who currently have no health insurance." If public policy making were just that easy. The editorial then goes on to indifferently say, "the Federal government picks up the tab.
Editorial: Extreme, But Brief, Volunteering
More than 150 volunteers needed to survey chronic homeless for three days in February.
The real solution to homelessness is housing. This week in Northern Virginia, a point-in-time survey will record all of the “literally homeless” individuals and families in the region. Last year, on Jan. 25, 2012, there were 1,534 people who were literally homeless in the Fairfax-Falls Church Community; 697 of them were single individuals and 837 were people in families. A third of the total number of homeless were children. Nearly 60 percent of the adult members of the homeless families were employed.
Coming for the Guns: Confiscating Firearms During Mental Health Evaluations
Alexandria delegate wants to expand police powers to confiscate guns of the detained.
Imagine the scenario: Sheriff’s deputies arrive at a home to issue a temporary detention order against an individual.
Bipartisan Team Seeks Compensation for Victims of Forced Sterilization
Effort would give $50,000 to survivors; estimated cost would be $73 million.
Nobody knows how many people are survivors of Virginia’s forced sterilization program, which targeted people with mental illness, mental retardation or epilepsy.
Lawmakers Consider Effort to Increase Salary for Next Gunston Hall Director
Next museum leader could pull down more than $88,000 a year.
George Mason was one of the wealthiest Founding Fathers, and now the Virginia General Assembly may be moving to increase the salary of the director of the house where he once lived. Gunston Hall has been in a state of flux since the previous director was finally removed from office after more than a year of calls for his resignation.
Wednesday, January 30
Classified Advertising Jan. 30, 2013
Read the lastest ads here!
A Lullaby to Birdland
MetroStage premieres “Ladies Swing the Blues.”
Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee. Their voices defined the history of jazz alongside the likes of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis. But it is the indomitable influence of Charlie “Bird” Parker that sets the stage for “Ladies Swing the Blues: A Jazz Fable,” now playing at MetroStage.
How High Is Too High?
Neighbors oppose proposed projects in South Arlington.
South Arlington citizens told two members of the Arlington County Board on Wednesday, Jan. 23, that they oppose a plan to build a 300-foot tall building near the Pentagon and they think county officials conducting hearings on the proposal are favoring the developer Vornado/ Charles E. Smith.
Indoor Winter Fun with Children
Ideas for entertainment when Jack Frost appears.
Winter weather often means limited open air playtime for some children. “It is very important for children to get as much outdoor activity as possible, but there are times when it is not safe for them to be outside for an extended length of time, or any time at all, because it is too cold. ” said Shannon Melideo, chair of the Education Department at Marymount University in Arlington. “There are many other things that children can do besides sledding and ice skating.”
Did Someone Forget Something?
As last summer waned, Arlington residents of an area straddling 8th Street, South were left wondering. Frames were in place for a concrete pour of new curbs and gutters and a replacement roadway. Oddly, a utility pole stood in the middle of a soon-to-be sidewalk at the Walter Reed Drive end of construction.
Winter Fun with Food
Easy and tasty ideas for winter meals.
The stove is fired-up, a sauté pan is sizzling and the thud of a steel knife blade hitting a wooden chopping block fills the air along with the woodsy aroma of fresh thyme. The temperature outside is frigid, but the kitchen feels like an inferno as Chef Kristen Robinson drives a knife though a fennel bulb, kale leaves and a tough-skinned butternut squash with staccato succession.
Letter to the Editor:
In the Jan. 23-29, 2012 edition, there are two gun control stories, "Marching for Gun Control" and "Detaining People and Guns."
Letter to the Editor: No Playing Tag
I enjoy your paper and read it weekly. I wanted to comment on two articles in the Jan 16-22 edition. Both Michael Lee Pope's article on Revoking Recess stated, “Recess isn’t just playing tag anymore", and Marilyn Campbell's on the Importance of Recess noted, "Can a game of tag boost preschoolers social skills?" Both mentioned what I think most rational people would consider an integral activity of childhood, namely playing tag.
Letter to the Editor: Support Low Income Citizens
Having spent a couple of days in Richmond last week advocating for the extension of health coverage to 400,000 low income Virginians, I am encouraged that the benefits outlined in your editorial (“Expanding Medicaid Good for Virginia,” Jan. 23-29) have found a receptive audience, even among Republican members of the General Assembly, who are predisposed to resist anything having to do with the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. "Obamacare."
Richmond Report: Redistricting Shenanigans Distract
From gun safety and uranium mining to electoral reform and redistricting, the General Assembly is dealing with a wide range of issues this year in our fast-paced 46-day session.
Friday, January 25
Classified Advertising Jan. 23, 2013
Read the latest ads here!
Chantilly Boys' Basketball Team Snaps 3-Game Losing Skid
Three Chargers score in double figures against Yorktown.
Brian Sydnor led Chantilly with 15 points, DeAndre Harris scored 13 and Sean Huelskamp finished with 12.
Thursday, January 24
Editorial: Expanding Medicaid Good for Virginia
Real health coverage for an additional 400,000 people is in reach.
Virginia has an opportunity to expand Medicaid in a way that could extend health coverage to more than 400,000 residents who currently have no health insurance while the Federal government picks up the tab; Virginia would pay 10 percent of the additional cost after 2020.
News Briefs
As Democratic delegates fight to keep firearms further from school property, Republican Bob Marshall (D-13) is pushing legislation to bring more guns in. Marshall is the chief patron of HB 1557, which would require every school board in the state to designate one volunteer to carry a concealed weapon on school property. Training for selected volunteers would be provided by either the Virginia Center for School Safety or the NRA, of which he is a member.
Four Northern Virginia Senators Targeted
Redistricting effort puts Fairfax County seats in the spotlight.
Four Northern Virginia state Senators are targets of a Republican-led effort to draw new districts — Sen. George Barker (D-39), Sen. Dave Marsden (D-37), Sen. Toddy Puller (D-36) and Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34). Democrats say the redistricting effort is a cynical attempt to take advantage of the absence of Sen. Henry Marsh (D-16), a prominent civil rights veteran, who was in Washington, D.C. for the inauguration on Monday. But state Sen. John Watkins (R-10) of Powhatan defended the effort as a way to create a sixth majority black Senate district in Southside. It passed the Senate on a 20-to-19 vote.
Making Schools Safer
Two Northern Virginia Democrats take part in panel to consider school security.
Do Virginia schools need more guns? That question is at the heart of a debate that’s now reaching a fever pitch in the commonwealth, especially after a man with a Bushmaster assault rifle blasted his way into a Connecticut elementary school and killed 20 children and six adults before killing himself. Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell responded to the tragedy by creating a School Safety Task Force, which is considering a proposal for every school in Virginia to have an armed school resource officer.
Wednesday, January 23
Shorthanded W-L Searches for Positives Against Mount Vernon
Senior guard Urcia scores team-high eight points in loss.
The Washington-Lee girls' basketball team is 5-4 in the National District after losing to Mount Vernon and beating Wakefield.
Calendar: Arlington, 01/23/13
Community entertainment and events. Email announcements to arlington@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is noon the Thursday before publication. Photos are welcome.
Bulletin Board: Arlington, 01/23/12
Community meetings and events, worship and volunteer opportunities.E-mail announcements to arlington@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is noon the Thursday before publication. Photos are welcome.
Arlington Home Sales: December, 2012
In December 2012, 180 Arlington homes sold between $1,950,000-$9,500.
Arlington Home Sales: December, 2012
Tuesday, January 22
Fairfax Families4Kids
Fostering bonds with children.
Nationwide, more than 463,000 children live in foster care. In many states, including Virginia, the number of foster youth has tripled in the last 25 years. As of Sept. 30, 2011, nearly 5,000 youth were in foster care in Virginia, according to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. Physical abuse is the most common reason children enter foster, but it’s not the only reason. Often there’s emotional abuse, sexual abuse and the parent or caretaker’s inability to provide a safe environment due to substance abuse.
A Family Made Whole
After a tragic loss, Reston couple creates a family through adoption.
The Granvilles look like a made-for-TV family. On a bright October afternoon, Chris, a computer engineer, is teasing his teenage son, Kenny, about what kind of pet to adopt, while Tiffany sits on a sofa, cradling Elijah, Kenny’s baby brother, who has just woken up from an afternoon nap. “Fish? No way,” Kenny, 15, says. “They just go ‘round and ‘round in a bowl.” Kenny is lobbying hard for a dog or—at the very least—a guinea pig or hamster.
Dancing Life into Books
Upcoming performances from Jane Franklin Dance incorporate movement and storytelling.
Jane Franklin likes to keep busy and to keep her company moving. During the next few weeks, the Arlington-based dance company is performing a number of pieces, each of which depend in movement and music to tell stories.
Area Residents Attend 57th Inauguration
Many brave crowds to witness history.
Local residents were among the hundreds of thousands who left their homes on a cold winter holiday, Jan. 21, to brave packed Metro trains and slow-moving security check points for a chance to celebrate and witness President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.
Letter: Many Subsidize the Few
You need to redo your argument [“Transportation Money,” editorial, The Connection, Jan. 16-22] for people living near metro and people using the transportation it provides.
Building at Williamsburg Middle Site
New elementary school to address crowding.
The Arlington County School Board and County Board met Thursday, Jan. 17, for a work session about the construction a new elementary school at the site of Williamsburg Middle School.
Board Discusses Overcrowding
Elementary schools to be tackled first.
Leadership Arlington hosted a discussion on overcrowding in Arlington public schools among county officials in the WETA building on Tuesday, Jan. 15, as part of its Speaker Series.
Marching for Gun Control
Arlington residents volunteer to help organize march on Washington.
Responding to the Sandy Hook massacre, local citizens have volunteered their efforts in organizing a March on Washington for Gun Control to take place Saturday, Jan. 26.
Monday, January 21
A 10-Year Mission: End Homelessness
Our Fairfax-Falls Church community is one of the most affluent in the country. Our schools are second to none. We are the home for many Fortune 500 businesses. Even with the challenging economy, our unemployment rate is among the lowest in the country.
Sunday, January 20
Classified Advertising January 16, 2013
Read the latest ads here!
Friday, January 18
Arlington Bulletin Board, Jan. 17, 2013
E-mail announcements to arlington@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is noon the Thursday before publication. Photos are welcome.
Bragging Big
American Century Theater shows off through Feb. 2.
The American Century Theater’s production of “The Show Off” is playing now through Feb. 2 at Gunston Theatre Two, 2700 S. Lang St., Arlington.
Queen of Household Hints to Share Five Essentials Every Home Should Have
Heloise to headline 2013 Home and Remodeling Show at the Dulles Expo Center.
The high priestess of household hints will share her domestic wisdom this weekend at the 2013 Home and Remodeling Show at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, Va. A nationally syndicated columnist, Heloise is one of the presenters scheduled to headline the weekend’s show.
Thursday, January 17
Revoking Recess
Health advisory committee to consider policy of withholding recess as punishment.
Should students be punished by having their recess time revoked?
Teacher Reads from Her First Book of Poems
McCabe hopes for new manuscript to become second book.
Yorktown Teacher Shares Her Poetry
Editorial: Transportation Money
Eliminating the gas tax makes no sense.
Virginia, and especially Northern Virginia, is woefully short on funds for transportation. One reason is that its gas tax, a logical way to fund transportation infrastructure, is one of the lowest in the nation, and has remained flat since the ’80s, since it is not indexed for inflation. So the buying power of the gas tax has been dwindling.
Wednesday, January 16
Bragging Big
American Century Theater shows off through Feb. 2.
Aubrey Piper is self-centered and self-deluded, a pathological liar and shameless publicity seeker determined to climb Philadelphia’s social ladder by any means necessary in George Kelly’s Pulitzer Prize nominated “The Show Off,” a production by The American Century Theater now playing at Gunston Theatre Two in Arlington.
Feeling Fine Art
Third DC Tattoo expo hosted in Arlington
The hum and whiz of needlework welcomed visitors to the third DC Tattoo Expo, held Jan. 12 and 13 at the Crystal Gateway Marriot in Arlington.
Teacher Reads from Her First Book of Poems
McCabe hopes for new manuscript to become second book.
Yorktown High School English and creative writing teacher Melanie McCabe read a selection of poems from her first book, “History of the Body,” at Westover Branch Library on Monday, Jan. 7.
World's Worth of Wine in an Afternoon
The Washington Wine Academy and Crystal City Business Improvement District teamed up for the third annual 1K Wine Walk Saturday and Sunday. Nearly 1,800 people from around the area spent an afternoon sampling wine varieties from around the world, including Germany, France, Australia and some domestic vineyards.
Crime Reports
MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 800 block of S. Ivy Street. At 7:55 p.m. on Jan. 3, a married couple got into a verbal dispute. The argument escalated and the wife stabbed her husband in his arm with a folding knife. The victim was transported to Virginia Hospital Center for medical treatment of the stab wound. A 20-year-old Arlington woman was arrested and charged with malicious wounding.
Health Advisory Committee to Consider Policy of Withholding Recess as Punishment
Should the last-resort punishment be scuttled?
Should students be punished by having their recess time revoked?
Tuesday, January 15
Defense Carries Yorktown Girls’ Basketball to Victory
Freshman Criswell, sophomore Nye combine for 30 points.
The Yorktown girls' basketball team held Hayfield to five field goals during the first 25 minutes of the game on Jan. 14.
Yorktown Boys’ Basketball Blows Out First-Place Hayfield
Patriots snap Hawks’ 11-game win streak with 28-point victory.
The Yorktown boys' basketball team snapped Hayfield's 11-game win streak on Monday night.
The New Year, Same as the Old Year?
Having survived almost four full years from the date of my original diagnosis/prognosis doing what I’ve done, all I should feel is: that anything is possible. I’m living proof.
Off to the Movies
Mason professor has unconventional method of teaching complex concepts.
An Arlington resident and George Mason University professor has an unconventional way of helping her students master complex concepts and evaluating their proficiency: She requires them to watch movies.
Sunday, January 13
Montante Wins National Contest
Vincenza Montante, a senior at Washington-Lee High School, in Arlington, was one of two student winners in the 2012 National Punctuation Day Presidential Punctuation Contest. http://www.nationalpunctuationday.com/
FBI, Police Investigate Bank Robbery
At 4:02 p.m. on Dec. 11, 2012, an unknown male entered the Bank of America at 3600 S. Glebe Road in Arlington, approached a bank teller, and demanded money. After receiving a sum of money, the subject left the bank on foot.
Friday, January 11
Arlington Home Sales: November, 2012
In November 2012, 239 Arlington homes sold between $1,710,000-$60,000.
Arlington Home Sales: November, 2012
Classified Advertising Jan 9, 2012
Read the latest ads here!
Thursday, January 10
Editorial: More Fodder for Comedy?
2013 session of the Virginia General Assembly will tackle serious issues.
The 2013 30-day session of the Virginia General Assembly begins on Wednesday, Jan. 9. We can only hope that the various legislative proposals do not provide as much fodder for comedy as last session. The Virginia House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia will offer live streaming video of the 2013 Legislative Sessions, and it is well worth tuning in once or twice.
Northern Virginia Democrat Takes Aim at the Gun Show Loophole
Arlington delegates wants to require background checks for all private firearms sales.
Legislators will be dueling over guns this year at the Capitol, with gun-rights advocates set to oppose efforts to close Virginia’s gun-show loophole.
Mental Health First Aid Seen as a Way to Identify Problems Early
Del. Rob Krupicka (D-45) leads effort to expand training for workers on the front lines.
In her role as a caseworker for Adult Protective Services, Wilma Roberts has seen it all.
Toxic Politics: Northern Virginia Delegation Split on Uranium Mining
Issue pits economic development against environmental concerns.
Northern Virginia may be hundreds of miles away from the Southside community where a family business is seeking to overturn a longstanding ban on uranium mining in Virginia.
In Session
With the fresh tragedy of Newtown, Conn., haunting the Virginia General Assembly, the issue of gun control is certain to be one of the most emotional topics on the docket.
Wednesday, January 9
Commandant Addresses Students
Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr., commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, visited Bishop O’Connell High School for an afternoon discussion with students enrolled in the school’s Global Studies program.
Raising Funds for High Adventure
The aroma of garlic and tomato sauce wafted up from the stove and out the doors into fellowship hall as scouts from Boy Scout Troop 167 prepared for the annual spaghetti dinner on Saturday evening, Jan. 5, at Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church.
Dear Richmond: Here’s What’s Needed
Medicaid and mental health services cited as key issues.
Arlington’s representatives in the state legislature listened to the public’s wishes for priorities to be addressed at the upcoming Virginia General Assembly session during a hearing on Friday, Jan. 4, in the Arlington County Board Room.
Arlington Crime Report Jan. 9
Crime report for Arlington.
“If It Ain’t Broke…”
Today is a day I feel like writing – not merely one when I am looking forward to having written, but rather one when I am interested and motivated by the process.
Home and Remodeling Show Comes to D.C. Area
Nationally Syndicated Columnist Heloise and local contractors will educate homeowners.
Whether you’re planning to renovate an entire house, update an antiquated bathroom, create a more functional kitchen or simply add more color to your home, there will be inspiration and ideas aplenty at the 2013 Home and Remodeling Show.
Unforgettable Spaces
Local designers share their favorite home designs from 2012.
Local interior designers spend their days mixing colors, accessories and furnishings to create chic and stylish rooms. As the new year begins, some local tastemakers look back on some of their most memorable accomplishments.
Tuesday, January 8
Fairfax Residents Discuss Their New Year’s Resolutions
"Exercise more, I feel like that's the most common one..."
Friday, January 4
Classified Advertising January 2, 2013
Read the latest ads here!
Thursday, January 3
Happy New Year, Keep in Touch
Reflecting and reinforcing the sense of community.
As local, weekly newspapers, the Connection’s mission is to bring the news you need about your community, to give you the information you need to enjoy the best things in and near your community, to advocate for community good, to call attention to unmet needs, to provide a forum for dialogue on local concerns, and to celebrate and record milestones and events in community and people’s lives. To succeed at any of that, we need your help.
Advice for Seniors on Fitness in the New Year
Suggestions for making and keeping exercise resolutions.
Mary Garner’s New Year’s resolution is to increase the intensity of her workout routine. The 69-year-old retiree plans to seek the advice of a fitness trainer to create a plan to achieve her goal.
The Quest for Youth and Beauty
Spending billions of dollars to improve one’s appearance.
Hiba Hakki reclines on an exam table as a physician picks up a syringe with his latex-gloved hand and points it at her face. He inserts the needle into the flesh around her eyes. She cringes slightly. This is a Botox injection, just one of the cosmetic procedures Hakki undergoes for the sake of beauty.
Living Up to New Year Resolutions
Benefit of cardio workout plan includes weight loss and decreased heart disease risk.
During Martin McKay’s annual physical examination shortly before the holidays, his doctor suggested that he consider intensifying his cardiovascular exercise routine.
Should Virginia’s Governor Be Able to Run for Reelection?
Longstanding ban on second consecutive term to be reconsidered this year.
Virginia is the only state that limits its governor to a single, four-year term, a vestige of the distrust Americans had for executive power during the American Revolution. Now, more than two centuries later, the commonwealth may finally be ready to ditch the longstanding term limit and allow Virginia’s governor to run for reelection.
Wednesday, January 2
Wakefield Sophomore Buries Six 3-Pointers in Win
Warriors beat Stonewall Jackson to place fifth at holiday tournament.
Wakefield guard Marqua Walton had a career night against Stonewall Jackson on Dec. 28.
Editorial: Happy New Year, Keep in Touch
Reflecting and reinforcing the sense of community.
As a local, weekly newspaper, the Gazette Packet’s mission is to bring the news you need about your community, to give you the information you need to enjoy the best things in and near your community, to advocate for community good, to call attention to unmet needs, to provide a forum for dialogue on local concerns, and to celebrate and record milestones and events in community and people’s lives.
Letter to the Editor: My Year In the USA
Why are we doing this? Why are we going away from our families for one year and move into a family's house we don't know?
School Board Appoints Adusumilli
The Arlington School Board approved the appointment of Rajesh Adusumilli as assistant superintendent for information services at its Dec. 20 meeting.