Mental Health Counseling Professors Honored
Cultural sensitivity at the heart of their work.
Fred Bemak and his wife Rita Chi-Ying Chung, who are both professors at George Mason University in Fairfax, recall being in Haiti shortly after the catastrophic earthquake of 2010. They were there to provide mental health counseling to those traumatized by the natural disaster.
Column: E-male
My oncologist is a man. He has e-mail. He works for an HMO that encourages/advertises its connectivity and responsiveness – electronically, to its members. If I want to get medical answers in a reasonable amount of time – save for an emergency, typing, “mousing” and clicking is the recommended methodology. No more phone calls, preferably. Though pressing keys on a keyboard rather than pressing buttons on a phone might have felt counter-intuitive at first as a means of receiving prompt replies, it has proven over these past few years to be a fairly reliable and predictable information loop. Not in minutes necessarily, but more often than not during the same day – and almost always by the very next day. In fact, I’ve received e-mails from my oncologist as late as 9:18 p.m. (time-stamped) after a sometime-during-the-day e-mail had been sent.
Chamber of Commerce Installs New Leadership
New The Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce leadership for 2013 was sworn into office at the annual “Installation Extravaganza” Wednesday, Feb. 27 at Mount Vernon Country Club...
Baker To Lead Bryant Early Learning Center
Torria Baker has been selected as the new director of United Community Ministries’ Bryant Early Learning Center. Baker joined the Center in May 2012 as assistant director and has been serving as acting director since October 2012.
MVCCT Presents Disney's 'My Son Pinocchio'
Mount Vernon Community Children's Theatre will perform Disney's "My Son Pinocchio" from March 8 through March 17 at Bryant Alternative High School on Popkins Lane in Alexandria, while Carl Sandburg Middle School undergoes renovations.
Column: State Budget Advances on Medicaid
Last week, I wrote about the transportation legislation that passed the General Assembly. The other major policy change this session was the expansion of Medicaid. This was especially critical for the 44th District.
Firefighters Check Smoke Alarms
On Saturday, March 9, from 9 a.m. to noon, firefighters will canvas homes in selected neighborhoods throughout Fairfax County, checking for working smoke alarms, and provide family fire escape plans for residents.
Putting a Face on Homelessness
462 homeless interviewed during Registry Week, an intense effort to document Fairfax County’s chronic homeless.
"We have to step up to this question. … Are we going to walk away from this tonight and say, 'That's just the way people live?’ Well, it's not the way people should live." —Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill)
Poem: blizzard (for Ted Kooser)
Dedicated to Ted Kooser, a former Poet Laureate who wrote about a famous midwestern blizzard in the late 19th century.
Obituary: Joyce Marie Scott
Mrs. Joyce Marie Scott, 80, died on Feb. 26, 2013.
The Snowquester Hits the Area
Snowstorm’s impact downgraded, but slushy roads still a problem.
The National Weather Service Wednesday downgraded its Snowquester forecast from 8-10 inches to about 4-6 inches in the region. At 3:18 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, the NWS predicted total snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches in Fairfax County before the storm fizzles out later that night, and north winds with gusts up to 45 mph in some areas, making driving hazardous.
Mount Vernon Bulletin Board March 6
Information for events taking place in the Mount Vernon area.
Alexandria and Mount Vernon Calendar March 6
Entertainment calendar for the Alexandria and Mount Vernon areas.
Students Compete in Odyssey of the Mind
Students from around the region participated in the Odyssey of the Mind NOVA Prime Division competition held at West Potomac High School on Saturday, March 2.
Panther Cheer Club Are National Champions
The Panther Cheer Club of Alexandria competed last month at the American Masters Championship in Baltimore, Md., hosted by Varsity Brands. The athletes, all of whom are middle school students at Carl Sandburg Middle School, wowed the crowd and judges, taking home a team national championship trophy, as well as championship jackets for each athlete.
MWAA Honors Carl Sandburg Middle School Artists
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority recognized the semifinalists and winners of its annual “Carl Sandburg Middle School Student Energy Conservation Poster Artwork Contest.” The gala to honor the finalists and to announce the winners was hosted by MWAA at the historic Terminal A building at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Jan. 31.
Mount Vernon School Notes Jan. 28
School notes for Mount Vernon natives.
Saving Buddy
He first appeared on our patio several years ago, a large gray and white cat, bedraggled and hungry, sitting on a chair, waiting for a handout.
Letter to the Editor: Civil Rights Complaints Filed against Police
Recently the Virginia Citizens Coalition for Police Accountability, Inc. (CCPA) sought to determine if the Alexandria City, Arlington and Fairfax County police departments were the subject of citizens claiming their civil rights had been violated.
Column: U.S. 1 Funding Secured and Transportation Deal
This week, the General Assembly ended with a budget and two major policy changes — a historic transportation bill and a Medicaid expansion process that I will discuss next week.