Mount Vernon: West Potomac Baseball Eyes Conference 7 Championship
Junior slugger Sara now known power threat, No. 1 pitcher.
The West Potomac baseball team graduated its top two pitchers from last season, and on March 28 the Wolverines were no-hit and committed nine errors against Paul VI during a game played in low-30-degree temperatures. However, after the frigid 12-0, five-inning loss at Waters Park in Vienna, West Potomac head coach Jim Sullivan and standout junior Jamie Sara spoke of a brighter — and hopefully warmer — future for the Wolverines.
Preview: MetroStage Presents ‘The Island’
Play depicts human dignity and justice during the 1970s Apartheid.
As part of the 30th anniversary season, MetroStage in Alexandria is staging "The Island" now through April 26. The highly charged two-person play is set on Robben Island, South Africa, and depicts the plight of two political prisoners, John and Winston, as they perform labor by day and rehearse Sophocles’ "Antigone" by night.
‘Your Life Is Today and Tomorrow’
Residents of local senior living communities share their experiences.
“I didn’t want to come here,” said Bill Woessner, referring to Brightview Assisted Living Community in Great Falls. “That’s right,” agreed Sheila, his wife of more than 50 years, with plenty of her native Scottish brogue to be heard in her voice. “He really didn’t. We have a lovely house here in Great Falls and I don’t think he was ready to budge. But how long after we got here did that change?” she turned to her husband and asked. “At least a day,” he laughingly replied. “Seriously,” said Bill Woessner, “it probably wasn’t more than the first 48 hours.”
Creative Aging Festival Coming in May
Includes 114 performances, poetry readings, art exhibits, lectures, classes and more.
A Creative Aging Festival will take place throughout the month of May at 100-plus local venues in Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria. The month-long festival includes 114 performances, poetry readings, art exhibits, lectures, classes and more.
County Adult Centers Offer Seniors Activities, Social Interaction
In 2014, the attendance at Fairfax County senior centers was 277,342.
At the Kingstowne Center for Active Adults, volunteer Frank Bauer sees zumba and yoga classes “flowing into the main room sometimes,” he says, revealing how popular those classes are at the center, which caters to seniors 55 and older. This Kingstowne center, one of 14 senior centers throughout Fairfax County, offers classes and activities to keep seniors active.
Column: Manifest Destiny
I wouldn’t say I have symptoms (why would I say that? If I said that, I’d have to admit that cancer is having an effect on me.
Fit for the Golden Years
Fitness programs for seniors are part of a trend.
One night each week, Sue Thompson can be found dribbling a basketball down the court, leading her team, the Nova United, to victory. Thompson, who is in her 60s, is one of the youngest players in her league, the National Senior Women’s Basketball Association.
Police Captain Graduates from FBI Academy
Captain Graham H. McGowan is the Fairfax County Police Department’s latest graduate of the FBI’s National Academy, which has just completed its 259th session.
Girl Scouts Troop 3651 Raise Money for Honor Flights
Film and presentations explain the importance of getting veterans to Washington D.C. to see their monuments.
Girl Scout Troop 3651 organized a screening of the moving Honor Flight, and invited two World War II veterans, Howard Jester and George Hanna, to speak to the audience after the film.
Fairfax County School Board Votes Down Veterans Day School Holiday
Fairfax Station resident Steven Hunt, retired U.S. Navy, put it bluntly: “Votes count, words don’t.” That was following a vote in which all but two members of the Fairfax County School Board voted against an amendment to the 2015-2016 calendar that would have made Veterans Day a school holiday.
Editorial: Good, Bad and Ugly
A look at recently ended session of the Virginia General Assembly.
The 2015 session of the Virginia General Assembly came to an end last week, and some of the biggest news was about what it did not do.
Mount Vernon: The Magic of Giving Back
Friends of UCM hosts annual Spring Gala for United Community Ministries.
United Community Ministries executive director Nichelle Mitchem wasted no time addressing the challenges she and the multi-faceted service organization are facing. Heavy on her mind is the Healthy Families program, aimed at preventing child abuse through intensive home visits to first-time parents, that’s slated to be eliminated in FY2016.
News Briefs for the Week of March 25
News Briefs
Mount Vernon: Remembering Hannah Graham
A remembrance at West Potomac Softball home opener.
Ruddy cheeks glistened with sweat and tears following a home opener for the West Potomac softball team.
Obituary: Evelyn May Poole
Obituary
Evelyn May Poole died in her home on March 19, 2015, surrounded by her loving family.
Letter: Predictable MVCCA
Letter to the Editor
Reminiscent of the movie "Groundhog Day," if it is March, it is time for the MVCCA to enact a budget resolution in time to be considered by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BOS) during its budget deliberations. Invariably, the resolution urges the BOS to raise every category of tax to the maximum amount possible in order to fund the grand designs of MVCCA leaders. This year is no exception.
Letter: Supervisors OK Raises
Letter to the Editor
Well, your taxes will be going higher again. Despite a revenue shortfall for the next Fairfax County budget year, on March 3, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BOS) continued to disregard the taxpayer by approving a $20,000 raise (26.66 percent in pay that will total $95,000 annually for a part-time supervisor job and the chairman's salary was increased $25,000 (33 ⅓ percent) for a total of $100,000 annually.
Letter: Stand Up For Safety
Letter to the Editor
I am mother of two elementary school kids, a resident of Alexandria, and am deeply concerned about a bill pending in Congress that would force each state to recognize concealed carry permits from every other state.
Letter: Is a House of Worship Just Another House?
Letter to the Editor
Saturday night March 21, 2015, sometime during the night, person or persons unknown, broke into Messiah Lutheran Church. They broke in through a window and broke several doors looking for whatever monies they thought we might have. Nothing was vandalized, this time. Several years ago, a break in occurred. Then a stained glass window was broken and a cross was damaged.
Column: Why Little League Matters
Commentary
As I write this, millions of boys and girls in countries around the world are beginning another season playing baseball and softball in more than 7,000 Little League programs. Little League is the world’s largest youth sports organization, run in large part by adult volunteers who give their time and energy to create the opportunity for children from age 4 to 18 to play baseball and softball on local neighborhood fields with their friends and classmates.