Answering the Call to Action
Catholic Church of the Nativity in Burke helps Haitians.
Sixteen years ago Father Martin, the pastor of the Catholic Church of the Nativity in Burke, asked hypothetically, “How much money could be raised if each parishioner donated a small amount each week of Lent?”
Celebrating the Holidays with Alexandria Seaport Foundation
Staff, friends and supporters of the Alexandria Seaport Foundation gathered for a final holiday party in the Duke Street workshop at the Robinson Terminal South on Dec. 9. The boats in progress were decked out with festive greens as the work tables were laden with food and wine. The ASF will vacate the current premises later in 2015 when demolition for redevelopment begins at the terminal.
Burke Centre Festival, World Police and Fire Games, and Neighborhood Enhancements among top events and developments.
The ever-larger two-day festival returned for its 37th year at the beginning of September 2014. Drumming, Japanese dancers, local dance groups, bands and Irish dancers comprised a live performance slate, while free and minimal cost activities including face-painting and a photo booth offered attendees plenty of ways to enjoy the pleasant fall weather.
South County High School Swim and Dive Team Donates Toys at South Run
Before filling the pool for warm-ups, members of the South County High School Swim and Dive team filled the Toys for Tots collection box at South Run RECenter. The team decided to give collectively at their final dual meet before Christmas break, a Dec. 19 face off with the team from Robert E Lee High School.
Column: Down and Not Out, Yet
Thankfully (so far as I know, which isn’t very far), after a five-week interval between infusions, which included two additional weeks of pre-chemotherapy lab work and an out-of-the-ordinary 24-hour urine collection (“creatinine clearance”) to boot – to more accurately measure my kidney function in hopes of meeting a 1.6 threshold – muster was finally passed, and I was subsequently infused without any further adieu.
Overnight I-66 Closures in January
All lanes of Interstate 66 in one direction will close intermittently between midnight and 5 a.m. on several dates in January for the installation of gantries. Each closure will last up to 30 minutes.
Letter to the Editor: A Wonderful Article
To the Editor: What a wonderful article you wrote, Kareese (“How I Left…” by Kareese Akinloba, grade 8, Irving Middle School, Children’s Connection, January 1-7, 2015). Your writing ability is beyond your years.
Accidental Burke Townhouse Fire
Fairfax County Fire and rescue Department units responded to a townhouse fire, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2014, at approximately 10:20 a.m., in the Burke area of Fairfax County. The single-family townhouse is located at 6123 Pond Lily Court.
Children's Connection 2014
This week, the Connection turns over its pages to the youth and students.
Column: Level Best
If I wanted to rationalize the benefit of delaying my heretofore every-three-week chemotherapy infusion from three weeks to four and now on to five, possibly six – and that’s dependent on improved results from a second/maybe even third retest upcoming (this retest a bit more involved than drawing blood) – I would say it’s only fitting that I should have a break/brake; after all, it is the holiday season when all good things; yada, yada, yada. If only it were that simple.
Column: The New Normal
Loosey goosey, I suppose. As much as one might prefer some predictability in their life (certainly a cancer patient would – I know I would), I may be entering a cycle of permanent unpredictability.
Letter: Do Fairfax County Police Act with Impunity?
Fifteen months, after the shooting of John Geer, no officer has been identified, no charges have been filed, no grand jury has been convened and no reason has been given to the family or the public.
I would like to begin by saying that I have always and still do support the police as a whole. I appreciate the job that they do and the risks they take on a daily basis in an effort to keep the public safe. The ongoing policy in Fairfax County of police self-investigation, when officers are involved in possible crimes, has to change.
Letter: Taking Exception on Express Lanes
To the Editor
An article was recently published in your newspaper discussing the new I-95 express lanes (95 Express Lanes Open, The Connection, Dec. 18-24, 2014). One statement in the article read, “Construction manager for the project John Morse, of VDOT, said that the addition of a third lane will solve a number of problems and give people options other than waiting in traffic.”
Gifts for the Home
Local shop owners offer suggestions to make holiday shopping easier.
While holiday shopping is part of the spirit of the season, for some choosing a present for everyone on their list can be overwhelming. Local small business owners come to the rescue with gift ideas for the home.
Irresistible? How Karen Garza Creates Change in Fairfax County Schools
Karen Garza is a good listener. And once she’s listened, she is, admittedly, not very patient. “If there's a real issue, I don't think it has to be debated for 10 or 15 years,” Garza said in an interview. “Either we're going to do something about it or not.”
FCPS Chief Karen Garza and Her Previous Life in Texas
“When I hired Karen in 2005,” former Superintendent of Houston Independent School District (HISD) Dr. Abelardo Saavedra said, “the position of chief academic officer had been open several months. I went looking for her. I’d never met her but I’d heard about her. There is a big difference between a mid-sized district and a larger one; the dynamics are completely different. I was taking a risk because she came from a mid-sized one of about 40,000 in Corpus Christi, and ours was much bigger. She adjusted very quickly.”
Saving Historic Homes
Residents could live virtually rent-free in exchange for repairing and maintaining homes.
Fairfax County might soon breathe life into historic homes that have fallen into disrepair. If an ordinance adopted by the County Board of Supervisors last month becomes law, the county will be one step closer to establishing a resident curator program.
2015 New Year Remodeling Resolutions
Improving long-term living needs and future home value.
After all the holiday festivities have passed and the ball has dropped to ring in the New Year, many homeowners are inspired to tackle resolutions that relate to their living space. 2015 may be the year you want to remodel your home to allow for the changes occurring in your life.
Fairfax County Public Schools Needing Community’s Help
Superintendent Karen Garza begins and ends her Listening Tour meetings with a plea to those in the room — parents, teachers, employees, unions — to help her achieve what needs to be done for their school system. “I am going to need your help,” she says to audiences who voice concerns about class size, resources for special education, and teacher salaries.
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza Bio
Current Position: Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent