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Great Falls Connection ❖ August 16-22, 2017 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.com

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Great FallsGreat Falls Shakespeareat Madeira

News, Page 4

Producing and Artistic Director JeanneE. Harrison, a Great Falls resident,

founded The Traveling Players Ensemblein 2003 to teach self-expression, self-

reliance, and professional theatre. Thefinal performances for the summer willtake place at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18 at

The Madeira School in McLean.

Deer ManagementSeason Set to BeginNews, Page 3

UnderstandingPolitical Polarization atGreat Falls LibraryNews, Page 5

Page 9

2 ❖ Great Falls Connection ❖ August 16-22, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Great Falls Connection ❖ August 16-22, 2017 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Great Falls Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

News

See Deer Hunts, Page 7

By Andrea Worker

The Connection

Counting the actual number ofdeer that populate FairfaxCounty might be an impossibletask, but there are ways to cal-

culate the impact that deer have on the com-munity. That on-going data collection givescounty officials the means to determine thatthe deer population is still “unsustainablefor the health of the environment and thesafety of our residents,” according toKatherine Edwards, Ph.D. Edwards is thecounty’s wildlife management specialist,and was one of three panelists who pre-sented the details of the upcoming 2017-2018 Fairfax County Deer Management Pro-gram to a small group of citizens at a pub-lic meeting on Aug. 10 at the GovernmentCenter.

Joining Edwards to inform the attendeesand to take questions and comments at themeeting were Sgt. Earit Powell with theFairfax County Police Department, andKristen Sinclair, ecologist III, county Natu-ral Resources Branch, who is responsible formuch of the data collection.

The presentation was divided into threemajor areas of impact by the wanderingruminants: safety concerns, health con-cerns, and ecological damage. It is withinthe first and third of these concerns thatthe numbers can best be gathered, analysed,and used to justify the county’s manage-ment program and aid in developing thebest approach.

ACCORDING TO STUDIES, Virginia isconsidered a “high risk” state, ranked 13th

in the nation in 2016 for the number of“Deer-Vehicle Collisions” (DVCs), withchances being 1 in 94 of involvement insuch an incident. Police records between2010 and 2016 record an average of 72DVCs reported annually. A preliminaryanalysis of records from the Virginia Depart-ment of Transportation (VDOT) adds anestimated 1,500-1,600 deer which arepicked up from roadsides in Fairfax County.Since it’s approximated that only about 25percent of deer that are struck by vehiclesactually die at the scene, it’s understand-able that officials believe that the actualnumber of DVCs may be significantly higherthan those reported.

Edwards and Sinclair told the attendeesthat the county is working to gather datafrom a number of sources that are nowmaintained separately to get the most ac-curate data.

Sinclair described the efforts to most sci-

entifically measure the ecological damagesbeing done by deer over-population, usinghundreds of “browsing plots” throughoutthe both the county’s park system and inpartnership with the Northern Virginia Re-gional Park Authority. It’s an ongoing study,with data collected on a rotating basis overa number of years, to study the changes.

Deer aren’t just grazing in open parkland,said Sinclair. They are consuming seedlingsand saplings, bushes, and shrubs, as wellas “hindering the forest regeneration.” Theplots show that the very structure of theforest is impaired, significantly changing theforest composition and leading to a loss of“ecosystem services like clean water and air.It ultimately destroys biodiversity.”

The Fairfax County Deer Reduction pro-gram was originally approved by the Boardof Supervisors in 1998, but didn’t really get

officially underway and under intense su-pervision until several years later. Today’sprogram, said Edwards, is based on bestpractices for deer management and peer-reviewed scientific literature. The currentstate-approved control methods are archery,firearms managed hunts, and law enforce-ment sharpshooters and the program is nowmanaged by the Fairfax County Police De-partment, with Powell in charge.

There are dozens of regulations relatingto who may participate, how each form ofreduction is managed, and how to best en-sure the safety of the public and of the hunt-ers, themselves. Strict recordkeeping ismandated. “A number of hunters were dis-qualified last year,” said Powell, “not be-cause they did anything unsafe or againstthe rules in terms of the actual harvestingof deer. They didn’t keep the records that

we require. So they were out.”Powell also noted that in many cases, the

hunt group leaders, or other hunters re-ported the failures of their peers, because“they want to do this right, safely, and beaccountable.”

One man expressed concerns for himselfand neighbors, as homeowners near deerhunting locations, but Powell insisted thatthere have been no reports of any injuriesto citizens, only accidents to the hunters.“Mostly falls, or other injuries often typicalof time spent in the woods.”

THE ARCHERY PROGRAM is thecounty’s number one method of deer popu-lation control, accounting for 95 percent ofthe 1,092 deer harvested last year by 627sanctioned archers, working 18 designatedarchery clusters. The archers donated44,881 hunt hours, but only 10.4 percentof hunting attempts resulted in deer har-vests.

It is the use of archery as the mainstay ofpopulation control that caused some con-cern and pushback by the few residents inattendance.

Melissa Klein from the Braddock area saidshe understood the need for controlling thedeer population, but felt like relying soheavily on archery “wasn’t a 21st centurysolution.” She and Kevin Rose, district wild-life biologist for the Virginia Department ofGame and Inland Fisheries who was in theaudience, entered into a bit of a debate onthe use of birth control to reduce the num-bers of deer. Both referred to a study in acontrolled population of deer in Maryland,using the drug PZP. After some back-and-forth between the two, Rose ultimatelystated that the experiment was a failure, inpart because of the transient nature of thedeer, as they moved in and out of areas andamong herds, and because the “balancebetween births and deaths” is not beingachieved by that method.

Deer population is“unsustainable” for thehealth of environmentand safety of residents.

Deer Management Season Set to Begin

Photos by Andrea Worker/The Connection

From left: Sgt. Earit Powell of the Fairfax County Police Dept. managesthe deer hunting operations. Katherine Edwards, Ph.D. is the county’swildlife management specialist. Together with Kristen Sinclair, ecologistIII, Natural Resources Branch, the three hosted the public meeting onthe 2017-2018 Deer Population Management Program.

From left: Melissa Klein ofBraddock, and Kathie Sowell ofVienna attended the meeting, andraised concerns about the use ofarchery as the predominantmethod for controlling the deerpopulation.

File Photo

Kristen Sinclair, ecologist III, county Natural Resources Branch, cited astudy that deer are consuming seedlings and saplings, bushes, andshrubs, as well as “hindering the forest regeneration.”


News

By Colin Stoecker

The Connection

Friday night kicked off two weekends of theatrical performances bythe Traveling Players Ensemble atThe Madeira School. Two plays

took place: Judith Walsh White’s “Atum’sEye,” an ancient Egyptian comedy, per-formed by the youth players, and WilliamShakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors,” per-formed by the high school group, a playfeaturing characters in ancient Turkey.

The Traveling Players Ensemble’s missionis to bring great theatre into the great out-doors. They offer summer camp programsfor youth groups from fifth grade to highschool. The Traveling Players are in resi-dence at The Madeira School in McLean.

Producing and Artistic Director Jeanne E.Harrison, a Great Falls resident, founded thenon-profit company in 2003 in her commu-nity to teach self-expression, self-reliance,and professional theatre. “Tonight is every-thing coming into fruition after two weeksof traveling, the kids have transformed,”said Harrison. “I get 18 year olds to memo-rize 400-year-old words and to spit ‘em outwith sense,” she said.

The camp has been recognized by theNational Endowment for the Arts (NEA) forits exemplary performance as a “SummerSchool in the Arts,” in Northern Virginia.

The camp is for two weeks for the youthplayers, fifth to seventh graders, and theyget to learn in an intensive acting environ-ment and produce the play at the end oftheir session. The program is modeled af-ter the origins of theatre, when troupes ofactors roamed the countryside using whatthey had to perform.

The older students attend camp sessions

up to 7 weeks. The traveling troupe ofmostly high school students completes fiveweeks of intensive rehearsals before embark-ing on a two-week tour of Virginia, Penn-sylvania, and West Virginia. Stops on their

tour included historic Blackfriars Playhousein Staunton, Va. and Colonial Williamsburg.

Michael Oosterhout, 21, program man-ager with the Traveling Players Ensembleis in his third year working with the troupe.“The kids are the best part, they bring thejoy and energy,” said Oosterhout. “My onlyregret is that I didn’t get to go to the campas a kid.”

Nairi Nadjarian, 11, resident of Arling-ton, a rising sixth grader at Williamsburg

Middle School played the part of Cleo, atomb raider, in “Atum’s Eye.” “I really likedit, I was nervous at first, but it was fun. Inever took any acting classes before this,”said Nadjarian.

Clara Richmond, 10, a fifth grader atChurchill Road Elementary and McLeanresident played the part of Tefnut in theyouth players production of “Atum’s Eye.”“I like making the audience enjoy it. It wasfun because the dad was telling the story,and the ensemble was acting out the storyfor the audience,” said Richmond.

McLean resident Jeeho Ha, 18, an incom-ing freshman at University of California SanDiego is a camp counselor and formercamper herself. “The staff here are uniquehere and they lead by example. I was blownaway by the amount of attention the staffgive to the campers,” she said.

Learn more at Travelingplayers.org or call703-987-1712.

Traveling Players Ensemble BringsShakespeare and White to Life

Photos by Colin Stoecker/The Connection

The cast of The Traveling Players production of “Atum’s Eye,” set inancient Egypt at The Madeira School in McLean takes a bow.

Producing and Artistic Director Jeanne E. Harrison, a Great Falls resi-dent, founded the non-profit company, The Traveling Players Ensemblein 2003 in her community to teach self-expression, self-reliance, andprofessional theatre.

Members of The Traveling PlayersEnsemble perform WilliamShakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors,”at The Madeira School. EliWassertzug, McLean resident,center, has a lead role in the play.

From left: Staff for the TravelingPlayers Ensemble pictured hereare Michael Oosterhout, 21, pro-gram manager, Anna Stevens, 19, avideographer, Jeeho Ha, 18, anincoming freshman at University ofCalifornia San Diego, a campcounselor and former camperherself, and Jessica Kemp, 22, ashop assistant and stage designer.

Final PerformancesFriday, Aug. 18

“Traveling Players Ensemble PresentsFour Plays of Love and Transformation.”The final performances will take place at 3p.m. Friday, Aug. 18 at The MadeiraSchool in McLean.

Four Plays of Love and Transformationinclude:

3 - 5 p.m. ”The Blue Monster” and “TheForced Marriage” (order not yet an-nounced)

5 - 6 p.m. Break for Dinner (picnickingis welcome)

6 - 7:30 p.m. ”As You Like It”7:30 - 9 p.m. ”The Frog Prince”Tickets are $10 and are available at the

door.


Select Openings for 2017-2018

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News

By Maggie Giordano

The Connection

A class of individuals from diverse backgroundsmet at the Great Falls Library at 7 p.m. onWednesday, Aug. 9. The class, “RighteousMinds: Trying to Understand Political Minds,”

gathered to discuss and try to understand how politicalviews and group loyalties make individuals view the po-litical world. The class was hosted by Bill Roos, of Arling-ton, on the meetup.com app. It is an app in which peoplecreate groups that others with similar interests can join.This can include meeting up for hiking, cooking, readingand more. This particular group was created to study keybooks that help to understand how people find themselveson one side or the other in political debates. The nextmeeting will take place on Aug. 16 at the Great Falls Li-brary. Here is what some of the attendees had to say aboutthe class:

Understanding Political Polarization at Great Falls Library

Dan Holdgriewe“The class is interesting

and it is nice to hearpeople challenging thestatus quo and trying tounderstand each other. Ithink it is a gentle way ofgetting people to startquestioning whether theyare really sure aboutwhat they believe,” saidDan Holdgriewe fromSpringfield.

Eva Wildavsky“I learned group thinking

and about political issues. Ithelps you to think that oth-ers may be thinking in‘group think’ and that youmight also be thinking in‘group think.’ People you’veagreed with probably thinkthe way you think becauseof that ‘group think idea’,”said Eva Wildavsky, fromChevy Chase, Md.

Daryl Wagner“The meetings are very

good; nobody overpowersanybody, so everybody isable to share ideas. Thisclass reminds me to listen toall folks. It is very easy to getaway from that,” said DarylWagner from Maryland.

Deborah Elkinton“It is a really great topic. I

think it has helped me with un-derstanding myself better. Par-ticularly with the reading, I amlearning a lot about how differ-ent people develop their moralvalues and how we react on thebasis of a lot of unconsciousfeelings and thoughts we haveand we are not entirely ratio-nal about our ideas and our po-sitions,” said Deborah Elkintonfrom Arlington.

Esteban Molfino“The class is excellent because it

frames political discussions in a moreconstructive and productive way. Ofcourse it is a work in progress be-cause there are always new factorsthat need to be entered into theequation. I think it makes me moreaware of other people’s opinions andallows me to take my time beforereacting. This needs to be practicedby all of us in the community to com-municate without insult and learn torespect each other,” said EstebanMolfino of Great Falls.

Photos by Maggie Giordano/The Connection


Opinion

Gov. Terry McAuliffe:“I convened an emergency cabinet meeting

to discuss the next steps we, as a common-wealth, must take in order to begin the ardu-ous process of healing our community and con-fronting the racism that stubbornly remains inour nation. The events of this weekend haveonly strengthened our resolve to combat ha-tred and bigotry, and I want Virginia to be aleader in the national conversation about howwe move forward. I have directed my team toimpanel a commission with representativesfrom community organizations, faith leaders,and law enforcement to make actionable rec-ommendations for executive and legislativesolutions to advance our mission of reconcili-ation, unity, and public safety.”

Sharon Bulova, chairman, FairfaxCounty Board of Supervisors:

“The tragedy that took place inCharlottesville does not represent who we areas Virginians. I am incredibly saddened by thehatred and bigotry that was displayed and myheart goes out to the family and friends ofthe three individuals who tragically lost theirlives. We must all do our part to set the tonein our own communities by exemplifying val-ues of acceptance and kindness. As it is oftensaid, ‘Be the change you want to see in theworld.’ That is where we all have incrediblepower and influence every day in our com-munities.”

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner:“Virginians mourn the life taken in this

morning’s events and reject this hateful vio-lence in Charlottesville. We condemn the in-

tolerance behind it and those who would passit off as a legitimate political movement. Thosewho traveled to Virginia to incite unrest don’tunderstand the Virginia-born values that makeour country great.”

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine:“Virginia has come so far in recent decades

to put division behind us. … It’s sickening tosee the displays of violence and bigotry thatwere brought to Charlottesville by white na-tionalists, which tragically led to injuries andat least one death today. This is not who weare. Charlottesville is a vibrant community thatrecognizes the deep scars from our past andhas rejected hatred in favor of inclusion.

“The fact that people like David Duke citedthe President to justify their views is a disturb-ing reminder that divisive rhetoric has sadlycontributed to a climate where individuals whoespouse hate feel emboldened. As they seekpublicity through their hateful tactics, let’s pulltogether — regardless of party, race or religion— to reject hatred in no uncertain terms andstand together.”

U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly:“We banished hate a long time ago in Vir-

ginia. We must condemn this bigotry and notturn a blind eye to racism.”

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer:“I join the great and passionate majority of

Virginians who hold these values dear: abhor-rence for racism and hatred, respect for law,and respect for one another. It is especially sadthat this ugly incident occurred in the home ofone of America’s most treasured centers of

learning. The work of creating a more just andequal society will never end and we will re-dedicate ourselves to that in the days andweeks ahead.”

U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock:“The Attorney General has done the right

thing in opening a federal investigation thatwill have the full support of the Departmentof Justice. AG Sessions: ‘The violence anddeaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart ofAmerican law and justice. When such actionsarise from racial bigotry and hatred, they be-tray our core values and cannot be tolerated.’

“The neo-Nazi march and the hate and rac-ism on display in Charlottesville are vile, haveno place in Virginia, and are denounced byRepublicans and Democrats alike in our greatCommonwealth.”

Del. Marcus Simon:“The scenes of white supremacist, racist neo-

nazis marching proudly in Charlottesville alongwith heavily armed self-proclaimed militiamenchanting racist slogans and obscenely taunt-ing counter-demonstrators are beyond disturb-ing. Virginia is better than this.

“Virginia’s political leaders have the powerto raise the level of discourse. To educate, in-form, and enlighten with thoughtful discussionand debate. What’s happened over the last 24hours in Charlottesville is not happening in avacuum and it’s not an aberration. It’s whathappens when we demonize the other amongus.

“What makes Virginia great is our growingdiversity. Our openness to new and betterideas. Our willingness to accept everyone whocomes here looking to build a better life, astronger commonwealth and better world.

“We are better than the image that’s beingbroadcast to the world today.”

What some representatives had to say about hate,bigotry and the deaths and damage that resulted.

On Events in Charlottesville

The Priceof ChangingSchool NameTo the Editor:

As a former Fairfax CountySchool Board member and a na-tive of Fairfax County, I watchedthe name changing deliberationsabout JEB Stuart High School withinterest. It appears since leavingthe board the education of stu-dents and financing such educa-tion has taken second place to thesocial agendas of board members.

The frustration about this issuewas the members refused to listento the facts of history and pre-ferred to make assumptions aboutthe man himself, JEB Stuart, andassumptions about the community,the Civil War, the original namingof the school and of Virginia’s statehistory. These School Board mem-

bers, most of whom are from otherparts of the country, were com-pelled to listen to sound bites fromtwo Hollywood personalities whoknew little about the history of theschool and JEB Stuart. They alsolistened to activists, one beingGeorge Albers, an appointee ofChairman Sharon Bulova’s whocurrently sits on the Fairfax CountyHuman Rights Committee and onthe Executive Committee of thelocal NAACP chapter. He and twoSchool Board members worked tobring in hundreds of communityactivists from outside the commu-nity and county to attend localcommunity meetings on the re-naming of the school for purposesof protesting and agitation. Theseactivists knew little about the his-tory of Virginia and JEB Stuart.

In the end I have no doubt thesystem spent thousands of dollarsand staff time on this issue, for thatis what is done; but for what, to

Letters to the Editor

appease a vocal group over thewishes of the impacted commu-nity? In 2011 Sandy Evans, theSchool Board member represent-ing the Stuart Community whopushed for the name change, an-nounced she had a most difficulttime voting against a community’swishes and would not do such athing. I remember this because shevoted against a motion of minethat was very controversial whichrequired a great deal of definedcommunity input and was care-fully analyzed as it related to fis-cal responsibility. Years ago Ms.Evans lost on my motion and whenall is said and done she may havelost again on her own issue. Hermotion passed but the politicalcapital she spent was high. Sheand other members of the SchoolBoard may have underestimatedthe importance of fair process andthe power of history and truth; avery sad situation to be in as an

elected representative.

Elizabeth BradsherFairfax Station

Only CongressCan Declare WarTo the Editor:

President Trump’s recent pro-nouncements of “fire and fury”and “locked and loaded” puts ourcountry and allies at dire risk,and showcases his boundless lackof self-discipline and inability tode-escalate dangerous globalsituations. Like a schoolyardbully who wants to prove that“my toys are bigger than yourtoys,” the President is goading anunstable North Korean tyrantwho may do something thatcould change our world forever.

See Letters, Page 11

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From Page 3

News

Kathie Sowell of Vienna also shared some concerns,relating a particularly gruesome encounter with adeer, still mobile, but with an arrow through its eye.

Phil Church of Fairfax had similar objections. “Thewounding rate for these animals is what bothers me.”Church also agreed that control of the populationwas needed, but questioned the reliance on archery,when it was “impossible to say how many of the deerwander off wounded, or how long it may take forsome of them to die, or to be tracked by the hunterand finished.”

Church and others wanted to know why sharpshoot-ing couldn’t be the more employed methodology, since

there was agreement that it would be “more humane.”“Logistics and cost. That’s honestly the answer,”

said Powell. Having paid law enforcement person-nel off the job to handle the deer population is justnot efficient or in the budget.

There were no easy answers forthcoming from theofficials to the objections, but there were promisesto continue to look for other methods, to review theprogram, and to consider public safety at all times.

The program will begin on Sept. 1, and run throughFeb. 24, 1018. No hunting will take place on Sun-days. To learn more about the program and to seewhich parks are included, go to the county’s websitewww.fairfaxcounty.gov, type in “Managed DeerHunts” and follow the links.

Managed Deer Hunts Begin Sept. 1

Look for signslike theseposted to showthat the areahas been in-cluded in thedeer manage-ment program.

Image courtesy of

Fairfax County


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Submit entertainment announcementsat www.connectionnewspapers.com/Cal-endar/. The deadline is noon on Friday.Photos/artwork encouraged.

ONGOINGGreat Falls Farmers Market.

Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 778 WalkerRoad, Great Falls. Music, vendors,fresh produce, fresh prepared food,delightful bakery, spices from aroundthe world, wild-caught fish, grass-fed, free-range meats, organic-fedpoultry and eggs. [email protected] more.

Free Tai Chi. Every Saturday, from7:55-9 a.m., Introduction andBeginners’ Practice, meet on theoutdoor basketball court locateddirectly behind the Dolley MadisonPublic Library, 1244 Oak Ridge Ave.in McLean Central Park, McLean. Call703-759-9141 or visitwww.FreeTaiChi.org for more.

The Freeman Store & MuseumWednesday through Sunday noon-4p.m. 131 Church St. NE, Vienna. TheFreeman Store & Museum isdedicated to Preserving andpromoting Vienna’s heritage throughthe identification, preservation, andinterpretation of history significantplaces, events, and persons.Historicviennainc.org

Weekly Storytime. Wednesday andSaturday. 11 a.m. Barnes & Noble,7851 L Tysons Corner Center,McLean. Themes and titles vary. Freeadmission.

Bingo Night. Sundays. 4 p.m. FlameRoom, Vienna Volunteer FireDepartment, 400 Center St. S,Vienna. $10. www.vvfd.org/bingo.html.

Gentle Yoga. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.Emmaus United Church of Christ,900 E Maple Ave. E., Vienna.Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. UnitarianUniversalist Congregation of Fairfax,2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton.Gentle Kundalini Yoga, one free introsession, senior discounts. $15 persession. www.edimprovement.org.571-213-3192.

Fishing Rod Rentals 8700 PotomacHills St., Great Falls. Rentalsavailable during visitor center hours.Fishing tackle and live bait areavailable for purchase. Reservationsrequired for group rentals. $6/rental(2 hour max). Valid driver’s licenserequired. Rod/reel combinations areperfect for beginners and children. AVirginia or Maryland freshwaterfishing license is required for those16 years or older. The park does notsell fishing licenses.www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend-park/

Colvin Run Mill open 11 - 4 p.m.daily, closed Tuesday. 10017 ColvinRun Road, Great Falls. FairfaxCounty’s operational 19th centurywater powered gristmill, offers

recreational and educationalactivities for all ages through dailytours, school programs and specialevents. Fees: $7/adult, $6 students16+ with ID, $5 children & seniors.Admission to park is free except forsome special events.

Evening Painting. Tuesdays 6:30 -9:30 p.m. at The Arts of Great Falls,756 Walker Road, Great Falls. JillBanks focuses on oil paintingfundamentals with two sessions eachof still life, landscapes, and portrait/clothed figure from a live model.Visit www.greatfallsart.org for more.

AUGUSTFairfax Family Golf Month. At Oak

Marr Golf Complex is located at 3136Jermantown Road, Oakton. InAugust, parents pay for their 9-holeround of golf and accompanyingchildren and teens (ages 8-17) willreceive a round at no charge. This isalso good at Jefferson District GolfCourse is located at 7900 LeeHighway, Falls Church, and PinecrestGolf Course, 6600 Little RiverTurnpike, Alexandria. Visit

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/golffor more.

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 16Climate Action Night. 7-8:30 p.m. at

the Unitarian UniversalistCongregation of Fairfax, 2709 HunterMill Rd, Oakton. Sierra Clubbrainstorms ways for Virginia tocreate a healthy, sustainable planetby transitioning to clean energy.Email [email protected],or call 703-438-6246.

FRIDAY/AUG. 18Traveling Players at Madeira

School. 3 p.m. at Madeira School,8328 Georgetown Pike, McLean.Traveling Players’ youth ensembleswill present a festival of four plays.Visit www.madeira.org for more.

Chillin’ on Church. 6:30 p.m. atChurch St., Vienna. Water games,Mudlark band playing rock andblues. Visit www.viennava.gov or call703-255-6360.

SATURDAY/AUG. 19Teen Center Party. 4-8 p.m. at Old

Firehouse Teen Center, 1440 Chain

Bridge Road, McLean. 27thAnniversary Block Party includes livemusic, air-brushed tattoos, streetperformances, an Old Firehouse LivingHistory Exhibit, concessions andvarious amusements. Bring a bike todonate to Wheels to Africa, a youth-lednonprofit that collects bikes forchildren in need throughout Africa.Free. Visit www.mcleancenter.org/teens for more.

SUNDAY/AUG. 20Concerts on the Green. 6-8 p.m.

at Great Falls Village CentreGreen. Vinyl Invention, a GreatFalls based group that plays highenergy rock and ’70s favorites.Visit www.celebrategreatfalls.orgfor more.

Colonial Mill Demonstration.Noon-3 p.m. at Colvin Run Mill,10017 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls.Demonstration on how grains weremilled in years past. $7 for adults, $6for students 16 and up with ID, and$5 for children and seniors. Call 703-759-2771 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks.

Capriccio String Quartet. 4 p.m. atMcLean Baptist Church, 1367 ChainBridge Road. Benefit for the McLeanBaptist Church Community MissionsPower Pack Program which providesweekend packs of food to alleviatehunger for student who receive freeor reduced-fee meals during the

week. Call 703-356-8080 or visitwww.mcleanbaptist.org.

TUESDAY/AUG. 22Local Documentarian Lecture. 7-9

p.m. at at Great Falls Library LargeMeeting Room, 9830 GeorgetownPike. Great Falls native Jenny Nicholsis now behind the camera makingwildlife documentaries, and recentlytracked wild elk in Wyoming’sAbsaroka Mountains. She capturedher experience with the elk in anaward -winning documentary, whichshe’ll show. Afterwards, Nichols willdiscuss the making of the film. Call703-759-3839 for more.

TUESDAY/AUG. 29Dance Open House. 4-6 p.m. at

Cuppett Performing Arts Center, 135Park St, SE. Beginner through pre-professional dance classes in ballet,tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, hip hop,acro and musical theatre. VisitCuppettPAC.com or call 703-938-9019.

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 30Back-to-School Quote-Along

Movie. 7 p.m. at the Old Firehouse,1440 Chain Bridge Road. The Aldenbegins a series of quote-along movieswith a back-to-school viewing of“Mean Girls,” Tina Fey’s 2004 high-school comedy. Call 571-296-8385 orvisit www.mcleancenter.org.

Calendar

Bouhaouala Exhibits atGreat Falls LibraryAn exhibition of acrylic paintings by artist andGreat Falls Studios member Lorrie Bouhaouala ison view at the Great Falls Library meeting roomthrough Aug. 31. Expressive figure, landscape, andstill life paintings explore vibrant color.

Great Falls native Jenny Nichols is now behind thecamera making wildlife documentaries, and recentlytracked wild elk in Wyoming’s Absaroka Mountains.She captured her experience with the elk in anaward-winning documentary, which she’ll present at7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 22 at Great Falls Library LargeMeeting Room, 9830 Georgetown Pike.


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By Marilyn Campbell

Some local science teachers wentback to school recently for a les-son on the upcoming solar eclipseon Aug. 21 when a total solar

eclipse cuts a path across the U.S. Instruc-tors from Fairfax, Arlington, and otherNorthern Virginia counties attended a half-day workshop led by professor Harold Geller,Ph.D., of the Department of Physics andAstronomy at George Mason University.

During the event, which was sponsoredby the Virginia Space Grant Consortium,teachers received ideas on teaching theirstudents about the eclipse. “We tested theteachers’ knowledge,” said Geller. “Theyalso worked in small groups to develop alesson plan on the eclipse.”

Teachers also got a hands-on outdoor ses-sion on safe viewing of the sun and solareclipse as well as a hands-on lesson on themoon’s phases. Geller said the lesson andsafety precautions can be applicable to any-one with an interest in the event. “Every-one seems to know the date … but manyare not aware of the times,” said Geller.“They vary by location. In Washington, D.C.on 21 August 2017 the partial solar eclipsewill begin at 1:18 p.m. The peak or maxi-mum will be at 2:43 p.m. The partial solareclipse will end here at 4:02 p.m.”

For those who may be unaware of thespecifics, Geller underscored the impor-tance of understanding what a solar eclipseis. “Most simply, it’s the phenomena whichoccur when the moon gets in direct line ofsight between the Earth and the sun,” hesaid. “In the D.C. metropolitan area, be-tween 81 and 85-percent of the sun’s diskwill be blocked by the moon.”

For those in the Washington, D.C. regionwho are wondering what will be visible,Geller said, “At the start of the eclipse, itwill appear that a dark disk is blocking outthe light from the sun. As we proceed tomaximum, more and more of the sun’s diskwill be blocked by the moon. Then, afterthe peak, less and less of the sun’s disk willbe blocked by the moon.”

For those wishing to see the eclipse with-out leaving the Washington, D.C. region,“The best place to view the eclipse is in thepath of totality, that is, wherever the shadowof the moon will totally block all the lightfrom the sun,” said Geller. “Another veryimportant factor is the weather. You shouldhave a direct line of sight to the sun, nointerfering clouds. So an open field, withno interference along the line of sight to

the sun between 1 and 4 p.m. in this area,would be best.”

Safety is a factor that Eric Bubar, Ph.D.,associate professor of biology and physicalsciences at Marymount University under-scores.

“Never look directly at the sun, unless youcan approved solar viewing glasses,” hesaid. “These might be hard to find at themoment. Most online vendors are sold out.”

For those considering using their sun-glasses instead of eclipse glasses, Bubar of-fers a warning. “Your sunglasses are notsuitable for viewing the sun,” he said. “Nomatter how dark, expensive or polarizedthey are, don’t use them. Polarization andUV blocking are great for decreasing theambient brightness outside, but direct sun-light light can pierce right through andcause damage to your eyes. The only safeway to see the sun with your own eyes isthrough eclipse glasses or appropriate so-lar filters.”

“No one should ever look directly at thesun without proper protection,” addedGeller. “Only special equipment should beused, whether looking directly at the sunor indirectly at the sun. Only a limited num-ber of manufacturers’ products have beentested for safety. Make sure you are usingone of these or that you use an indirect

method for observing the sun.”Bubar recommends using the list of ven-

dors certified by the American Astronomi-cal Society. “Also, look at the glasses andmake sure there are no holes or puncturesin the viewing material,” he said. “Even asmall crease or puncture can make themunsafe.”

Eclipse enthusiasts should not be fooledby glasses that appear similar to eclipseglasses that have been certified for safeviewing, says Bubar. “The material in solarfilters can look a lot like aluminum foil butis completely different,” he said. “If youcan’t find solar viewing glasses … you cansee it indirectly with a pinhole viewer.”

Instructions for using this method can befound by visiting: (https://eclipse.aas.org/eye- safety/projection) for how to do this.

Solar Eclipse 2017 Local experts offerinstruction in safe viewing.

Photo courtesy of Harold Geller

George Mason professor HaroldGeller led a workshop for scienceteachers that included an outdoorsession on viewing the Sun and theupcoming solar eclipse safety.

DetailsFor more information, see https://

eclipse2017.nasa.gov/.


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We pay top $ for STERLING, MEN’S WATCHES,

JEWELRY, COSTUME JEWELRY,

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RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23219

Request for QualificationsContract ID #: C00099478DB980007-029-942 & 0007-029-225

Route 7 Corridor Improvements Design-Build ProjectFairfax County, Virginia

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Legals Legals Legals

Claude Moore FarmPresents ColonialTobacco Harvest

The Claude Moore Colonial Farm, 6310Georgetown Pike, McLean, will host Colonial TobaccoHarvest on Saturday, Aug. 19, 1-4 p.m.

Tobacco was an important crop in Colonial Virginia,used as currency by the Claude Moore Colonial Farmfamily to buy supplies and other goods. Help the farmfamily harvest their tobacco crop. Gather the cutplants and hang on sticks to cure in the Tobacco Barn.Educational and fun. Regular admission; free park-

ing; directions and more information atwww.1771.org.

‘Elk River’ atGreat Falls Library

“Elk River,” an award-winning National Geographicfilm, tracking the annual migration of Yellowstone’swild elk in Wyoming’s Absaroka Mountains will beshown on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 7 p.m. at Great FallsLibrary Large Meeting Room, 9830 Georgetown Pike,Great Falls.

Present to offer commentary will be the film’s di-rector, Jenny Nichols, who grew up in Great Falls.

Week in Great Falls

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) isa training program administered through the countyfire and rescue department.

The training prepares residents to help themselves,their families and neighbors in the event of a disas-ter in their community.

Through CERT, residents can learn about disasterpreparedness and receive training in basic disasterresponse skills such as fire safety, light search andrescue, and disaster medical operations.

At this time, the next available CERT Class is sched-uled to begin on Wednesday, Aug. 30 at the FairfaxCounty Fire and Rescue Academy. There are two ses-sions each week on Mondays and Wednesdays thatrun until Sept. 27. The class is 28 hours in length,plus the final practical exercise.CERT training is freeof charge and basic gear is provided. The minimumrequirements to participate in CERT training at any

level is that residents be 16 years of age or older,and either be a Fairfax County resident, or work inthe county.To learn more about CERT, visit http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fr/cert/cert.htm

Free Training in Disaster Response Skills

Courtesy of Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Dept.

The next available CERT Class is scheduledto begin on Wednesday, Aug. 30 at theFairfax County Fire and Rescue Academy.


Which apparently, according to my oncolo-gist, is not unusual. In fact, he’s had them,too. What I am referring to, in a generalsense, are cancer dreams. The ‘cancerdream’ I had was my first. Actually, it was notso much a dream, with a beginning, middleand an end, as it was a fragment; a momentin subconscious time that provided (illum-inated would be too strong a characteriza-tion) an opportunity to possibly see myfuture and prepare accordingly.

Before I share my dream, let me give you abit of context relating to my cancer condi-tion. I am nearly five months into my ninthyear post diagnosis. I have stage IV non-smallcell lung cancer, the terminal kind. Stage IV,if you don’t know (and I certainly didn’tknow stage IV from stage left until myoncologist told me in late February 2009)means the tumors have metastasized (movedfrom its original location, which is rarelygood) and are inoperable (which means sur-gery is not anoption/recommended/reasonable). Ergo, the“13 month to two year” prognosis I wasgiven and the associated 2 percent chance ofsurvival beyond five years. To say then thatcancer/my mortality is constantly on mymind is an understatement of epicproportions.

Given the unlikely still-living situation inwhich amazingly I find myself, I am regularlywaiting for disappointing/discouraginghealth-related symptoms/news. With everyfive-week cycle of pre-chemotherapy labwork/24-hour urine collection and chemo-therapy infusion, followed by quarterly CTScans and semi annual brain and/or lowerabdomen MRIs, I am at the mercy of results– which at this juncture rarely manifest them-selves in any symptomatic/life-changing way.In short, I rarely know what the cancer isdoing until my oncologist tells me. So far,mostly so good. As a result of this generallack of symptoms, I am always anticipatingthe day when I am not so lucky and wonder-ing how it will happen/how I’ll react when“the cancer,” as “Forrest, Forrest Gump” saidit, asserts its insidious hold. This was thedream fragment I had.

The only real symptom of my lung can-cer/treatment shows up in my lab work: spe-cifically my creatinine level, which measureskidney function. And kidney function, perconversations with my oncologist, is a majorconcern. The damage I’ve incurred already isirreparable and likely to get worse and a con-stant worry (I’ve recently had a “liquidbiopsy” in an attempt to determine non-sur-gically the genetic mutation of my tumorswhich could possibly enable me to switch mychemotherapy to one which is not filteredthrough the kidneys). In the interim however,or until there is an “actionable” match, I amstill preoccupied with this risk. The fear ofdialys is/a kidney replacement weighs heavilyon my mind.

I Had aDream

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better is expected.

-Thomas Fuller

An expert is someone who knows some of the worst mis-

takes that can be made in his subject and how to avoid them.-Werner Heisenberg

From Page 6

President Trump plays fastand loose with nuclear talk,speaking as if it was his per-sonal wild card that he keepsin his back pocket. The lossof millions of lives is an ob-vious outcome of a conflictbetween two nuclear pow-ers. But also, given that theSouth Korean economy is thefourth largest in Asia and the11th largest in the world, thedestruction of South Korea insuch a conflict could deal adevastating blow to theworld’s economy.

The President’s seems un-able to control his alarmingrhetoric. I only hope that ourAmbassador to the UnitedNations and our Cabinetmembers will employ maxi-mum diplomatic efforts, andthat the Congress — the co-equal branch of government— will be strong enough toremind the President thatonly they have the Constitu-tional power to declare war.

Barbara GlakasHerndon

Letters

Submit civic/community announce-ments at ConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos and artwork welcome.Deadline is Thursday at noon, at least twoweeks before event.

MEMBERS WANTEDGreat Falls Friends and Neighbors

(GFFN) invites women living in theLangley High School District or TheEstates of Lowes Island to learn moreabout the group. The purpose ofGFFN is to establish and foster anatmosphere in which new andcurrent residents can develop newfriendships and community contactsthrough social, educational andcultural activities. In addition, theclub provides service, support anddonations to philanthropic and civicorganizations in and around theGreat Falls community. [email protected] or visitwww.gffnva.org.

THURSDAY/AUG. 17Support Group for Caregivers. 10-

11:30 a.m. at the UUCF UnitarianUniversalist Congregation of Fairfax -Program Building, 2709 Hunter MillRoad, Oakton. This support group isdesigned for caregivers of adultfamily members. Contact facilitatorJack Tarr at 703-821-6838 [email protected].

THROUGH AUG. 18Artist Application Deadline. Visual

artists who wish to participate in the17th Annual Reston MulticulturalFestival art exhibit “Art MirrorsCulture” should visitwww.restoncommunitycenter.com.The festival will be held Saturday,Sept. 23, 2017 at Lake Anne Plaza inReston. Interested groups orindividuals should fill out theappropriate Vendor ApplicationForm, available atwww.restoncommunitycenter.com/mcf.

Bulletin Board


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