Don’t Text And Drive
To the Editor: We are Cadette Girls Scouts from Carl Sandburg Middle School and Walt Whitman Middle School and want to alert the community to an issue that is important to us: The dangers of cell phone use while driving. We will be driving in just a few short years and think it is important that the roads are as safe as possible. We urge drivers today to make a commitment to not text or use any handheld device while driving. We also hope that our law makers will support a law that bans drivers from talking, texting, or using handheld devices while driving. We have made this commitment ourselves for when we will be new drivers. We also have produced car bumper magnets to promote “Keep Both Eyes on the Road, Don’t Text and Drive.”
Effort for Off-leash Dog Park Advances
Planning Commission to vote on issue May 31.
The majority of residents who testified on May 17 before the Planning Commission supported the designation of Westgrove Park as the site of an Off Leash Dog Park (OLDA), according to county staff.
Foundation Dedicates Fisher House at Fort Belvoir
Facility serves families of wounded warriors.
Fisher House, a temporary home for families of those wounded in Iraq, Afghanistan, and others was gifted to the U.S. Army in a dedication ceremony Tuesday morning, May 22, and attended by active and retired military, hospital staff, Pentagon leadership, and several military and civilian notables, including Medal of Honor recipient Retired Colonel Harry C. Barnum, Jr., U.S. Army Vice Chief of Staff General Lloyd Austin, III, and Ft. Belvoir Community Hospital Commander Colonel Susan Annicelli.
‘Stamp Out Hunger’ Fills Pantries for the Poor
Letter carriers are heroes at UCM and Rising Hope.
“It’s extra work and time for the letter carriers, but they enjoy doing it, they really do. It’s amazing how a little bag here and a little bag there add up to something big,” said letter carrier Brian McCormick, volunteer coordinator for last Saturday’s “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive in the Alexandria and Mount Vernon area.
Church Robbed Of Cash
Aldersgate UMC at Fort Hunt and Collingwood Road was broken into and robbed of cash Friday night, May 18, according to an email sent out Saturday by Becky Connell, church business administrator.
Huntley Opens with a Flourish
Alexandria mayor built the home in 1825.
A new gem in Fairfax County’s growing collection of restored Colonial and 19th Century homes, Historic Huntley opened Saturday, May 19 with a flourish of welcoming speeches by county notables: Sharon Bulova, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Lee District Supervisor Jeffrey McKay, Edward Batten Sr. who is Lee District Representative of the Fairfax Park Authority, and Tim Aiken who relayed congratulatory remarks from U.S. Rep. Jim Moran.
‘Smiles for Life’ Supports UCM
Alexandria dentists Dr. James Geren and Dr. Zeyad Mady are participating in the Smiles for Life program, which will allow their patients to whiten their smile and help needy children at the same time. Running until the end of June, the dentists will offer professional teeth whitening services to the community at a reduced rate and donate 100 percent of the proceeds to support children in need. Half of these donations will go to United Community Ministries (UCM) to support the Bryant Early Learning Center, while the other half will go to national children’s charities.
Police Investigate Shooting
Mount Vernon District police officers, initially called for a noise complaint at the intersection of San Leandro Place and Mendocino Place at 11;30 p.m., Wednesday, May 16, found a 47-year-old man sitting in a vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds to the upper body. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Mount Vernon Crime Report May 23
Activities reported by the Mt. Vernon police department through May 18.
Calendar for May 24
E-mail announcements to the Gazette, gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Photos and artwork are encouraged. Deadline is Thursday at noon for the following week's paper. Call Steve Hibbard at 703-778-9412 with questions.
Unleashed Creativity
Local artists test new material at Artomatic 2012
On Friday, May 18, an immense display of synchronized drumbeats and vibrant rhythms performed by Batala Washington hailed the grand opening of Artomatic 2012.
'Xanadu' Is Zany Spoof of the 1980s
Signature's production should not be missed.
Don't bother telling “Xanadu” that's it's based on one of the worst movies of all time. It's already in on the joke, reinventing itself as an outlandishly zany spoof of the 1980 movie about a muse descended on skates from Mount Olympus to inspire the creation of a roller disco in Venice, Calif.
MV Boys’ Soccer Captures National District Title
Majors beat Yorktown for first district championship since 2005.
Simond Kargbo’s goal in the 60th minute broke a 1-all tie, Amardo Oakley converted a penalty kick for insurance and the Mount Vernon boys' soccer team captured its first district title since 2005 with a 3-1 victory against Yorktown on May 18 at MVHS.
Governor Signs Voter ID Bills
McDonnell directs state to send every voter a new voter card before Election Day.
Gov. Robert McDonnell (R) signed watered-down versions of Virginia’s Republican-backed voter identification bills on Friday, adding the Commonwealth to the growing list of states adopting stricter voting standards.
Editorial: Remembering on Memorial Day
Time to honor, also time to ensure proper care of veterans.
In February, Brig. Gen. Terence J. Hildner, 49, of Fairfax, was the highest ranking military officer to die in the war on terror.
Column: Living Longer, Sort of Prospering
Though my column has appeared in the newspaper as usual the last few weeks, I haven’t felt much like writing. Typically, I’m weeks ahead with my column inventory, having regularly found the time and inclination to put pen to paper and provide the prose you regular readers have come to expect.
LTA Cast Bids Adieu to “Witness for the Prosecution”
More than a few tears were shed as The Little Theatre of Alexandria continued its long tradition of hosting a closing night wrap party following the final performance of “Witness for the Prosecution.”
Alert on Housing Discrimination
Officials step up efforts to reach immigrant communities about “fair housing” rights.
Housing discrimination cases have been on the rise in Fairfax County in the past few years. And the Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs (OHREP), the agency that enforces fair housing laws in the county, is shining a spotlight on the problem through seminars for housing providers, Realtors, community groups and other interested parties.
At the Sherwood Regional Library May 19-30
Saturday/May 19 Practice Your English. 11 a.m. Sherwood Regional Library, 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria. Conversation group for adults learning English. 703-765-3645.
Hearing from Living History
Tuskegee Airman William T. Fauntroy, Jr., age 86, gave a talk recently to Boy Scout Troop 1509 at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in Fort Hunt. After World War II, Fauntroy went on to become the first African American civil engineer hired by the National Capital Transportation Agency — the predecessor to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority.