West Springfield Boys' XC Finishes State Runner-Up
Three Robinson harriers earn all-state.
Spartans make first state meet appearance since 2006.
Rites of Fall
Viewpoints: What do you like to do during Fall and before the start of the holidays?
As the foliage reached its peak, Fairfax County residents turned to their favorite fall activities before the mad rush of the holidays. At the Burke Farmers Market, which runs until Nov. 22, John and Nancy Menke, of Burke, found a way to keep the fresh and local fruits and vegetables they love throughout the year.
Lake Braddock Boys’ XC Wins State Championship
Corbett wins 6A individual title, Murphy is girls’ runner-up.
The Lake Braddock boys' cross country team finished first, girls' took second at state meet.
Vienna, Oakton Home Sales: October, 2014
In October 2014, 80 homes sold between $1,812,500-$218,500 in the Vienna and Oakton area.
Vienna, Oakton Home Sales: October, 2014
Springfield Home Sales: October, 2014
In October 2014, 137 Springfield homes sold between $895,000-$187,500.
Springfield Home Sales: October, 2014
Crestwood Students in Springfield Sponsor Injured Owl
After a week-long “penny drive” fundraiser, Crestwood Elementary School fifth grader Paola Gonzalez finally got to meet her real-live school mascot. The students raised $760 between Nov. 10 and Nov. 14 to sponsor a 1 and a half-year-old barred owl through the Raptor Conservancy of Virginia.
Lorton’s Pohick Church Hosts 55th Colonial Christmas Mart
Turkey salad, green beans, cranberry sauce, stuffed celery, pumpkin pie, coffee and tea: Anita Stribling has helped serve the same holiday meal for 300 people for 52 years.
Fairfax County-wide Nonprofits Offer Gift Ideas and Civic Engagement
In over 20 years as manager of Burke Lake Park, Charlie Reagle has seen a lot of benches installed. So many in fact that he’s running out of water view locations. And though many people choose to honor deceased family members with a bench, he’s had plenty donated in tribute to the living. One pair of sisters gave a bench as a birthday gift to their mother; it had two plaques, one of which was at ground level so the mother’s dog could see it.
Renovation Keeps Rolling at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria
New wing showcased at Nov. 14 ribbon-cutting.
Thomas Jefferson senior Thomas Rogers is big on the laser cutter. “You can cut anything you want,” said the McLean resident, “like exact designs on sheet metal.” Rogers was enthusiastic about the device, but wouldn’t fire it up during the Nov. 14 tour of the Science and Technology Governor’s School’s new two-story wing with 14 research spaces.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors makes two rail-facilitating moves; Arlington ends streetcar project.
As the Silver Line Metororail project progresses towards its second phase opening date of 2018, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors are helping pave the way.
Editorial: Why Shop Small? Shop Large Locally
Small business Saturday isn’t enough; don’t wait until then, and don’t stop after that.
There is a joy to shopping in local stores at the holidays, to participating in community traditions and celebrations, to walking along a sidewalk with the streets decked out for the holidays, to being greeted by someone likely to be the owner of the store, to finding gifts that are not mass-produced.
Column: And The “Scancer” Is…
Unknown at this date – Saturday, November 15. In fact, it will be six days from now until we’ll know the results. As it is always scheduled, a week or so after my quarterly CT Scan, we will have our usual follow-up, face-to-face appointment with my oncologist.
Hazel Poole Receives 2014 Community Champions Award
On Oct. 30, Molina Healthcare of VA held their fourth annual Community Champions Awards Dinner and honored citizens who positively affect the health and well-being of others. Greenspring resident, Hazel Poole, was presented with a 2014 Community Champions Award for her extensive volunteer work with Greenspring’s English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) program.
In the Spirit of the Season
The Burke-Springfield based Netcasters are focusing on traditional carols of the season.
The Netcasters have turned into a real song and dance outfit … but that’s been a pretty positive thing for some of their audiences lately.
Letter to the Editor: Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse
To the Editor: I appreciate your coverage on the work that Shelter House is doing in the Reston community and elsewhere. Domestic violence is a very serious issue that doesn’t seem to receive enough attention for how widespread of an issue it is.
Commentary: Resources and Support for the Caregiver
If you have ever been in the position of providing ongoing, long-term care for a loved one, you are very familiar with the sacrifices involved. You should also know that you are not alone. Whether it is a result of illness, disability, or injury, 39 percent of all adult Americans are caring for an older loved one - an increase from 30 percent in 2010.
Democratic Women of Clifton Launch Holiday Donations Drive
Again this year, the Democratic Women of Clifton and Northern Virginia (DWCNV) will participate in two holiday projects for two organizations. The general public is invited to participate in the donations drive on Sunday, Nov. 16, 3 - 4 p.m. at the Clifton Community Hall, 12641 Chapel Road, Clifton.
Lake Braddock Boys’ XC Wins Region Title
LB, Robinson, West Springfield send 2 teams to states.
The Lake Braddock boys' cross county team is the favorite to win the 2014 6A state championship.
Excuse Me
Early on during my indoctrination/assimilation into the cancer-patient world in which I now reside, I remember asking a fellow cancer patient/friend if I could use cancer as an excuse for whatever it was needed excusing (directly or indirectly related), and she said: absolutely, “blame the cancer.” Years later, after a chemotherapy infusion, I saw my oncologist walking through the Infusion Center and asked him if my thinning hair might be a result of this most recent chemotherapy drug (not all chemotherapy results in hair loss). His response was similar to what my friend had advised me in 2009. He said: “You can blame me,” (which of course, I understood to mean, cancer/the treatment of cancer) “for anything.”
Dos, Don’ts and What-Ifs
Instinctively, I am not the most open-to-new-ideas/new-things kind of person. However, an unexpected diagnosis of stage IV, non small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at age 54 and a half – along with its equally unexpected “13-month to two-year prognosis,” changes a few things. And thanks to a great friend, Rebecca Nenner, whom I have written about previously, I have/have had to become more open, and consequently, have assimilated into my life many non-Western, non-traditional alternatives (pills, supplements, super foods, activities/behaviors, etc.) with which I was totally unfamiliar (I’m a sports and chocolate kind of person), in an attempt to outlive my prognosis.