
Enjoy a Magical Time with ‘Beauty and the Beast Jr.’
Area residents shine in Northern Virginia Players spring production
Members of Northern Virginia Players are sharing their enthusiasm and love for song and dance while also raising money for an 11-year-old with a brain disorder through their spring production of “Beauty and the Beast Jr.” Last weekend’s shows brought fun and cheer to packed audiences, with standing ovations every show, and the good times continue May 9 and 10 at Burke Community Church.

Despite Advances, Many Virginians Remain Uninsured
Affordable Care Act expands coverage, but more than 800,000 still have no health insurance.
What is the state of the uninsured in Virginia?

Obregon, Lightfoot Lead Woodson Girls’ Lax to Victory
Cavaliers score 10 straight goals to pull away from Annandale.
Woodson's Obregon, Lightfoot carry the offensive load.

Woodson’s Craig Coaches Victorious West All-Stars at Cap Classic
Lake Braddock’s Gregorits, Woodson’s Stynchula score in double figures.
The West all-stars beat the East at the 41st Annual Capital Classic.

Musical, Murder Mystery Whodunnit Comedy
It’s ‘Curtains’ for Robinson’s Cappies play.
A whodunnit, murder mystery, musical comedy, “Curtains” is Robinson Secondary’s upcoming Cappies play. Show times are Thursday-Saturday, May 8, 9, 10, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 at www.robinsondrama.org.

Citizens Honored
On Sunday, April 27, the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens' Association held their 64th Annual Awards Ceremony. Braddock District resident Jan Hedetneimi was named the 2013 Fairfax County Citizen of the Year. Tena Bluhm and Kathy Kaplan were awarded a citation of merit for their work in their communities. The Federation also awarded Congressman Jim Moran, Delegate Jim Scott and Congressman Frank Wolf with a special gratitude award for their public service to Fairfax County.
Letter: Appalled by Cell Tower
I am writing in support of Susan Gaertner's perspective on the cell tower issue in Burke Centre [“Cell Tower Challenged in Burke,” Burke Connection, April 24-30, 2014]. Granting that reception may be a problem with some carriers in some parts of Burke, it does not seem to me that, based on the Conservancy's governing documents, it is the Board of Trustee's responsibility to improve cell phone service for residents; nor do the Trustees clearly have the legal authority to lease our Open Space, including land at our five community centers, to a commercial vendor such as AT&T for the purpose of erecting a cell tower. Furthermore, such a lease would violate our Easement of Enjoyment in the Common Areas per Article IV, Section 2 of the Burke Centre Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions.

Fifth Grade Class Reunites with Retiring Teacher
George Weiner and 1987-1988 fifth grade class reunite at White Oaks Elementary.
For a group of adults in their late thirties, coming together for their fifth grade class reunion is somewhat uncommon. But students of George Weiner, a teacher at White Oaks Elementary School in Burke, say he was such a special and amazing teacher that there was no way they could forget fifth grade.
Martin Leads South County Softball Over Lake Braddock in 13-Inning Thriller
Bruins pitcher Flesch allows just one hit, strikes out 19.
The South County softball team is in sole possession of first place in the Conference 7 standings.

Area Students Recognized In Fair Housing Contest
Sharon Garrott of Lake Braddock and Brianna Camp of Robinson win awards.
Burke resident and Lake Braddock junior Sharon Garrott and Robinson senior Brianna Camp were recently recognized for their submissions to the Fairfax County Student Human Rights Commission competition. This year’s theme was “Fair Housing: Opening Doors to Equal Opportunity.” Garrott was selected as a winner in the literary category for her poem, “Battle Within these Walls.” Brianna Camp won the contest’s art category with her painting.

For Congressional Candidates, No Common Ground on Common Core
Democrats in Virginia's 8th Congressional District divided on national education standards.
Should American schools share national standards? That's a question that divides the 10 Democrats seeking to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8), who is retiring after 24 years in the House of Representatives. During a recent candidates forum, the Democrats were asked if they support the Common Core State Standards Initiative, two candidates said they disagreed and eight candidates said they agreed.

Cell Phone Tower Debated in Burke
Residents, trustees clash over 16-story AT&T tower.
Susan Gaertner, a resident of the Landings in Burke Centre Conservancy, spent most of last summer enjoying the community’s pool and peaceful atmosphere. It is that sense of tranquility and beauty, she says, that makes the community an inappropriate place for a cell tower.

French Students Visit Robinson
American and French students learn language, culture through exchange program.
For Monica Jugnet, a French teacher at Robinson Secondary School’s International Baccalaureate Program, teaching French is more than just advising students on grammar or learning verb conjugations. Exchange programs like the one taking place at Robinson this week is what makes learning a language worthwhile, she says.

Who is Trailing Don Beyer in Hotly Contested Democratic Primary?
Candidates elbow each other out of the way to secure second place.
Campaign finance documents show that former Lt. Gov. Don Beyer crushed the nine other candidates in the hotly contested Democratic primary.

Alone on the Road: 7 out of 10 Northern Virginia Workers Use Single-Occupancy Vehicles
Study raises concerns about amount of time drivers spend commuting alone.
Despite the decades-long war against the single-occupancy vehicle, seven out of 10 workers in Northern Virginia drive to work alone every workday.