Editorial: Starting School Prepared
First day of school is Sept. 4; local nonprofits provide school supplies and weekend food.
With school beginning in a few weeks, area charitable organizations have been collecting contributions of new backpacks, calculators, other school supplies, money and gift cards and winter coats to help the tens of thousands of truly needy Northern Virginia students.
Meeting Marilyn Monroe
As a bridal consultant, Doreen Provost helped to dress Monroe for her wedding ceremony with Joe DiMaggio.
In 1952, Doreen Provost finished college at UCLA and was hired as an assistant buyer in the bridal department at the Joseph Magnin Company, which was a high-end department store specializing in women’s fashion in San Francisco.

Transcending Fear With Messages of Hope
Fairfax Station Sikh temple holds candlelight vigil to honor victims of Wis. shootings.
It was an evening of unity, resilience and hope as more than 300 people of all faiths gathered for a candlelight vigil at the Sikh temple in Fairfax Station on Thursday, Aug. 9, less than a week after a gunman opened fire at a Sikh temple in Wis., killing six and injuring three.

‘Primary’ Numbers: 7100 + Upgrade = 286
Fairfax County Parkway gets new number, upgrades as “primary” road.
Since 1987, the Fairfax County Parkway has been known as Route 7100 for the estimated 75,000 motorists who travel the 32-mile parkway each day.

Pakistani-American Community to Celebrate Anniversary
The Pakistani-American community will celebrate the 65th anniversary of Pakistan’s independence at the Pakistan Festival on Sunday, Aug. 26, at Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville.

Clifton Car Show on Labor Day, Sept. 3, 2012
Featuring street rods, custom and antique cars, muscle and classic cars, and motorcycles, the 13th Annual Labor Day Car Show is Monday, Sept. 3, 2012 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m., in Clifton.

Quarterback Henderson Set to Excel at Lake Braddock
Former West Potomac coaches join Bruins’ staff.
After a strong sophomore year at West Potomac, quarterback Caleb Henderson enters his junior season as a member of the Lake Braddock football team.
Letter: No Enemies on TJ Admissions Front
To the Editor:
FCPS is not being honest, straightforward or holding itself accountable for the fact that too few of these disadvantaged kids are achieving as well as others relative to their populations and too few are fostered appropriately so they can be identified for and take advantage of advanced curricula, including advanced academic programs (AAP) and thence TJ and high school honors, AP and IB programs. The leaders in this system have had years to figure out how to make serious improvements, but they have hidden and spun or not even bothered to gather data and have excluded individuals and groups that could be partners in resolving this situation. Thus, we have a segregated system, as the data show.

100 men, 4,000 miles, 1 mission
Burke man bikes cross-country with fraternity to raise awareness for people with disabilities.
Dan Rieck, a senior at Virginia Tech, just had the best summer of his life.
Taking Back Their Neighborhoods
Communities host crime-fighting events during 29th Annual National Night Out.
From block parties to pool parties, picnics and parades, Fairfax County residents gathered with friends, neighbors and local police on Tuesday, Aug. 7, in recognition of the 29th Annual National Night Out campaign.

Should Virginia Compensate for Dark Days of Eugenics?
Del. Patrick Hope (D-44) asks governor and General Assembly to form a task force.
The number of victims is unknown in Virginia’s system of forced sterilization, a dark chapter that stretched from the 1920s into the 1970s.

Welcoming Dr. Angel Cabrera
George Mason University welcomes new president.
Summer may be considered the “off-season” in education, but at George Mason University, major change is underfoot.
10th Annual Backpack Drive
Poverty threatens the academic success of many children in Fairfax County; more than 40,000 qualify for free or discounted school lunches.

Memories in Watercolor
Burke resident finds passion in painting.
Kenneth "Bud" Aldrich painted his first watercolor 74 years ago when he was 15 years old.
Editorial: Readers Respond on TJ Admissions
"Stop making smart 8th graders feel inferior because they are not admitted."
Readers responded to last week's editorial, which cited a civil rights complaint about the apparent lack of access to gifted and talented programs and admission to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.