Stories for June 2013

Stories for June 2013

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Wednesday, June 26

Column: No Shame in Crying

Nor is it a crying shame. But something has changed, dare I say affected my tear duct production. I can’t say with certainty – or even specify a particular moment in time for sure – when the tears began to flow more easily, but I’ll guess the change occurred sometime on or around February 27, 2009, the day I first met my oncologist; the day I was diagnosed with a terminal disease, stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), “prognosed” to live 13 months to two years. If that kind of shocking, terminal-type news doesn’t upset your apple cart – permanently, “You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din.” And so it has, as reflected in my frequent “salty discharge” (to quote Jerry Seinfeld).

Editorial: Ready for Your Pet’s Close-up?

The Pet Connection, a bi-annual themed edition, will publish July 24. We invite you to send us stories about your pets, photos of you and/or your family with your cats, dogs, hamsters, snakes, lizards, frogs, rabbits, or whatever other creatures share your home or yard with you.

Arlington Bulletin Board

Bulletin Board

Orange Line

‘Unplugged’ Concert Series. Thursdays, June through August from 6-8 p.m. at Market Common Clarendon, 2700 Clarendon Blvd. Enjoy free performances of live acoustic music. Visit www.marketcommonclarendon.net or 703-785-5634.

Soccer Clinic for Adults

Arlington County is offering a summer soccer clinic for adults — for total novices who would like to learn to play, and beginning / low intermediate players who want to improve their soccer skills. The six-week clinics will teach basic skills in dribbling, passing, shooting, and defense.

Arlington Crime Report

ARMED ROBBERY, 2400 block of S. Eads Street. At 12:30 a.m. on June 17, a suspect robbed two victims at gunpoint as they were walking to their car.

Arlington Calendar

Food Truck Thursdays. In the surface parking lot at the corner of Crystal Drive and 18th Street.

“Flourishing After 55”

“Flourishing After 55” from Arlington’s Office of Senior Adult Programs for July 8-12.

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Arlington Urban Agriculture Task Force Chickens Out

Panel members fail to reach consensus; submit three separate reports.

The Urban Agriculture Task Force laid an egg.

Tuesday, June 25

Legislators Honored

Dulles Corridor Rail Association honors delegates, senators who helped provide Phase 2 funding.

HB2313 Supporters Helped Provide $300 Million for Phase 2: Senate of Virginia George L. Barker, Charles J. Colgan, Adam P. Ebbin, Barbara A. Favola, Mark R. Herring, Janet D. Howell, David W. Marsden, Linda T. Puller, Richard L. Saslaw Virginia House of Delegates David B. Albo, Robert H. Brink, David L. Bulova, Eileen Filler-Corn, Thomas A. Greason, Charniele L. Herring, Patrick A. Hope, Mark L. Keam, Kaye Kory, Robert K. Krupicka, James M. LeMunyon, Alfonso H. Lopez, Joe T. May, Randall J. Minchew, Kenneth R. Plum, Thomas Davis Rust, James M. Scott, Mark D. Sickles, Scott A. Surovell, Luke E. Torian, Vivian E. Watts Keep up with Phase 2 developments of the Silver Line at http://www.dullescorridorrail.com/www.dullescorridorrail.com.

Thursday, June 20

Classified Advertising June 19, 2013

Read the latest ads here!

Wednesday, June 19

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Express Lanes Construction Could Impact Travel on I-95

As the construction on the 95 Express Lanes project increases over the summer, motorists traveling to Virginia Beach, the Outer Banks in North Carolina as well as other points south should be aware that the HOV lanes will be closed overnight on weekdays and occasional weekends throughout the summer, and there will be intermittent lane closures overnight for steel erection and other work, making travel on the general purpose lanes challenging. In addition to the 95 Express Lanes project, there is also a shoulder improvement project underway on I-95 in Prince William County and a BRAC-related ramp work from the HOV lanes to the Fort Belvoir North Area that may impact travel.

Rising to Boys & Girls Clubs ‘Youth of the Year’

With help of Boys & Girls Clubs, local immigrant student receives full college scholarship.

Today, Henry Lopez has a bright future, complete with a full scholarship to college. It wasn’t always that way, however, and he remembers being a preschool student in a foreign country, unfamiliar with the language and culture, fighting to learn, to fit in, to avoid falling into a gang.

Arlington Calendar

Arlington Calendar

Orange Line

Summer Classes Return Registrations now open for children and teen summer classes at the Arlington Arts Center. Join AAC for classes covering all subjects and mediums. This summer will offer classes from previous semesters and new classes like Developing Nature and Drawing, a class for teens rooted in the principals of drawing and AAC's summer exhibition Green Acres.

Summer Camps from Montgomery Parks

Montgomery Parks, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is offering a variety of camps this summer for tots to teens — and some for parents and grandparents to participate — at all skill levels and at locations across the county. Details about all Montgomery Parks camps are available online at www.MontgomeryParks.org/Camps where visitors can search offerings by age, location, camp type and weeks.

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Reevesland Recommended to Become Learning Center

Task force recommends transforming historic house into learning center.

Judy Norton reaches into a patch of sprawling oregano at Reevesland to pull off the top of a plant about to bloom. Searching across the thick green mound, she finds another. Then another. She's trying to keep the plant healthy by preventing it from blooming.

“Flourishing After 55”

Arlington senior centers: Aurora Hills, 735 S. 18th St.; Walter Reed, 2909 S. 16th St.; Culpepper Garden, 4435 N. Pershing Dr.; Langston-Brown, 2121 N. Culpeper St.; Lee, 5722 Lee Hwy.; Arlington Mill at Fairlington, 3308 S. Stafford St.; also Madison Community Center, 3829 N. Stafford St.; TJ Comm. Center, 3501 S. 2nd St.

Arlington Crime Report

The following incidents were reported by the Arlington Police Department.

Editorial: Talking, Acting To Keep Them Safe

Reducing drug- and alcohol-related fatalities.

Next week’s Arlington Connection will capture the joy and accomplishment associated with high school graduation. The day celebrates graduates who accomplished much just by finishing, graduates headed to college and more.

Arlington Real Estate Notes

John Plank in Arlington, of Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., ranked 204th out of 250 for real estate teams nationwide, based on closed sales volume in 2011, as ranked by The Wall Street Journal and REAL Trends, Inc.

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Senior Volunteers Recognized

Citing a total of 26,364 volunteer hours by 308 seniors who volunteered their time and efforts last year with the Office of Senior Adult Programs, County Board chairman Walter Tejada said these seniors provided $618,235 in equity.

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Dance Out For Jane DC

Irish dancers from Arlington to Baltimore united to raise more than $10,000 for one of their own in Dorchester, Mass., who was seriously injured in the Boston Marathon bombing.

Arlington Bulletin

Thursday/June 20 Summer Solstice Celebration and Cleanup. 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Bluemont Park, Wilson Boulevard and N. Manchester Street. Refreshments will be available. Register at www.arlingtonenvironment.org/events.

Thursday, June 13

Classified Advertising June 12, 2013

Read the lastest ads here!

Column: Full Circle

I hope it’s not a wrap though. I’d like to continue rolling along just like I rolled into college in late August, 1972, matriculating to the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. Oddly/coincidentally enough, there have been and continue to be some recent occurrences in my life that hearken back to yesteryear, the olden days of the early 1970s, when I freshmen-oriented myself to a major university for the first time.

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Designing a Colorful World

Local interior design experts offer suggestions for choosing paint colors for one’s home.

Choosing paint for one’s home can be a daunting task. Colors often look different on paint chips and fan decks than they do on interior walls. What are some of the secrets to making the right choices? Local interior designers offer suggestions.

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Rock the Pink at Occoquan

The two day event featured over one hundred teams, with hundreds of players participating in the fundraiser. The goal was to raise $50,000 for breast cancer research.

Wednesday, June 12

On the Campaign Trail

Turnout for Tuesday's primary was abysmally low, with only 140,000 participating in the voting.

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Establishment Wins Democratic Primary

State senators beat out first-time candidates for lieutenant governor and attorney general.

Two first-time candidates had a hard time beating back the establishment this week, as two state senators won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor and attorney general Tuesday night.

Arlington Orange Line

Summer Classes Return. Registrations now open for children and teen summer classes at the Arlington Arts Center.

Arlington Calendar

Ongoing Food Truck Thursdays. In the surface parking lot at the corner of Crystal Drive and 18th Street.

Local UMW Student Honored

William “Heath” Sharp of Arlington, a senior at the University of Mary Washington, was recognized for his outstanding undergraduate research at the Virginia Psychological Association’s spring conference April 25 in Richmond.

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Finding One's Calling

Local nursing student finds career path during service project in Kenya.

College is a time of figuring out what you want to do with the rest of your life.

Letter: Proposal Would Violate Virginia Square Sector Plan

The board of directors of the Unit Owners Association of the Monroe Condominium at Virginia Square Metro issued the following statement on Tuesday, June 11:

Senior Adult Programs June 23-28

“Flourishing After 55” from Arlington’s Office of Senior Adult Programs for June 23-28.

Arlington Crime Report

The following incidents were reported by the Arlington Police Department.

Arlington Bulletin

Thursday/June 13 Arlington Rotary Meeting. noon-1:30 p.m.

Schools

School Notes

Zachary James Madison graduated magna cum laude from Hampden-Sydney College with a bachelor of arts degree in English. He is a graduate of Yorktown High School and the son of George and Carol Madison of Arlington.

Thursday, June 6

Arlington Bulletin

Ongoing Art Exhibi. See “Options 2013” presented by the Washington Project for the Arts through Sunday, June 9. Visit www.arlingtonartscenter.org/options for more.

Wednesday, June 5

Arlington Events Calendar

Arlington Events Calendar

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Washington-Lee Students Attend Prom

On Friday, May 31, Washington-Lee High School’s class of 2013 gathered at the Key Bridge Marriott hotel for the school’s annual prom.

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Signature revives classic Sondheim

For Bobby, the word marriage is actually a sentence — a jail sentence. A perpetual bachelor, he is turning 35 and surrounded by five married couples who all have an opinion about his lifestyle in the Stephen Sondheim musical “Company,” now playing at Signature Theatre.

A Bluesy Good Time on the Pike Jumphead

Columbia Pike Blues Festival

G.E. Smith headlines this year's Columbia Pike Blues Festival, but four local bands start the party early.

County provides Office of Senior Adult Programs

Inside this week’s Arlington Connection is Senior Living, a special section.

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Students Step Out At Yorktown Prom

On Friday evening, May 31st, students attended Yorktown High Prom in the Marriott Gateway Hotel, Crystal City. Yorktown principal Dr. Ray Pasi, along with Bill Lomax and Susanne Evans greeted students as they arrived. In addition to dinner and dancing, the event featured a photo booth where students could choose from a variety of costumes to take pictures in.

Flourishing After 55

From Arlington's Office of Senior Adult Programs June 17-22

Arlington senior centers: Aurora Hills, 735 S. 18th St.; Walter Reed, 2909 S. 16th St.; Culpepper Garden, 4435 N. Pershing Dr.; Langston-Brown, 2121 N. Culpeper St.; Lee, 5722 Lee Hwy.; Arlington Mill at Fairlington, 3308 S. Stafford St.; also Madison Community Center, 3829 N. Stafford St.; TJ Comm. Center, 3501 S. 2nd St

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Historic Building Restored

Historic Building Restored

This building is the center of our village, a historic treasure that brings us together," said Brian M. Cavey, president of Glencarlyn Citizens Association, describing the 120-year-old Carlin Hall on 4th Street, South, Arlington. Owned and maintained by the county, but managed by the association, a major restoration was accomplished over the past year. Initially, the plan was to replace siding and woodwork and to do some painting. Opening various structural elements disclosed much more effort was required. Foundation mortar had disintegrated into sand, attic rafters supporting the roof had warped and the crowning cupola was atilt and in danger of toppling.

School Notes

The Civic Coalition for Minority Affairs will honor 91 African and African-American Arlington Public School students in its 21st annual awards ceremony. The Civic Coalition for Minority Affairs is a council of representatives from civic, religious and social organizations of Northern Virginia.

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Happiness and Fulfillment in Golden Years

Mental health experts share factors that contribute to contentment

On most evenings, 96-year-old Dorothy “Dot” Brown can be found playing Scrabble or a game of bridge. A retired nurse who relocated to Virginia from Pennsylvania 11 years ago, Brown makes it a point to walk at least one mile each day and takes two Zumba or low-impact aerobics classes each week.

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Active and Prepared

Aging-in-place solutions bolster Arlington senior's decision to stay put.

“My mother spent the last two years of her life in a nursing home,” said Northern Virginia native Connie Sorrentino, who recently turned 70. “You never know what’s ahead. I spent a couple of years looking at retirement homes, then decided that the immediate problem was adapting my current house so it’s easier to use.”

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Local magician Brian Curry hosts “24 Game” tournament

Local magician Brian Curry hosted a “24 Game” tournament at Claremont Immersion School on Saturday, June 1. Fifty students, who are tops in their respective elementary schools at playing the 24 Game, were invited to compete.

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‘Age in Place’ to Satisfy Evolving Needs

A common “aging in place” transition involves adding an accessible master suite to the first floor.

Many couples are seizing the opportunity to transform their beloved home into a space that fits their specific short- and long-term needs.

Office of Senior Adult Programs promotes fitness for all aspects of senior life.

With six different senior centers, senior citizens (considered ages 55 and older) of Arlington County have plenty of opportunities to exercise their minds, bodies and souls.

Arlington School Notes

Information on students from Arlington.

Arlington Bulletin Board

Information on events going on in Arlington.

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Couple Produces ‘Environmental Read of the Summer’

Publisher cites importance of “environmental literacy.”

Arlington County educators Sharon Gaston and Richard Halttunen are a husband-wife children’s book writing team whose first brainchild together, “Turtle without A Home,” has been sweeping up literary accolades. Creative Minds Publications, a publishing company specifically for classroom-oriented literature, released the book in 2012.

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Hen-Pecked Arlington Officials to Consider New Rules for Urban Agriculture

Should neighbors have to consent to backyard chickens?

Arlington County Board members are about to either lay an egg or be considered chicken.

Tuesday, June 4

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And the Winners Are …

Cappies Gala on Sunday, June 9, at Kennedy Center.

The 14th Annual Cappies Gala will take place at 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 9, in the 2,400-seat Concert Hall at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.