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Spencer Hedges of Great Falls on a trip to Japan. He was recently

admitted to study at Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

HomeLifeStylePage 7

McLean, Great Falls Market: Strong in 2017Real Estate, Page 6

Citizens Shape Assembly AgendaNews, Page 3

Heading to OxfordNews, Page 9

2 ❖ Great Falls Connection ❖ January 10-16, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Retail • Restaurant • Office Space • Available for Lease • 703-759-2485 • [email protected]

The HEART Of The Great FallsCommunity & Proud Location

Of The Following Events:

Follow us on Facebook for event announcements!Facebook.com/GreatFallsVillageCentre

SHOP GREAT FALLS!Great Falls Village Centre

WWW.GFVCCA.COM

Easter Egg Hunt4th of July Parade

Concerts on the GreenHalloween Spooktackular

Celebration of LightsCars and CoffeeFarmers Market

Photos by Walt Lawrence

Adeler Jewelers...............................703-759-4076AdGen Telecom..............................703-757-6757Allstate Insurance/Doug White.........703-759-7700Aquarian LLC .................................. 703-438-8838Artists on the Green.........................703-609-3092Arts of Great Falls ............................703-232-1575Capital Realty Services ................... 703-759-4900Dent Asset Management.................703-286-7555Dr. C. Ayers ..................................... 703-757-6445Executive Suites at Great Falls .........703-865-2500First Line Financial, Inc. ...................703-757-7393Georgetown Learning Centers ........ 703-759-3624Great Falls Creamery. .....................703-272-7609Great Falls Cycle Studio..................703-585-5631Great Falls Family Dentistry..............703-759-4707H2O Pools ....................................... 703-250-5585Jinny Beyer Studio...........................703-759-0250John Nugent and SonPlumbing & Heating........................703-291-1926Katie’s Coffee House.......................703-759-2759Loebig Chiropractic........................703-757-5817New Paradigm Capital Mgmt..........703-757-4802Old Brogue Irish Pub........................703-759-3309Pilates Place, LLC............................703-405-3371Pio Pio Restaurant ........................... 703-865-7700River Nail and Spa .......................... 703-746-8886Robert Mobley, AIA Architect...........703-759-1927School of Theatrical Dance.............703-759-5652Spectrum Property Management .... 703-307-2965Village Centre Mgmt Office ............ 703-759-2485Village Retreat/Massage Therapy....703-638-4852Wells Fargo Bank.............................703-757-1040Wild Ginger Restaurant ................... 703-759-5040

Faith Notes are for announcements andevents in the faith community. Send [email protected] is Friday at noon.

St. Francis Episcopal Church,9220 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, hasSunday services at 8 – Holy EucharistRite I and 10 a.m. – Holy Eucharist RiteII with music. 703-759-2082.

The Jewish Social ServicesAgency (JSSA) offers a wide variety ofsupport groups for those with emo-tional, social, and physical challenges.www.jssa.org/growth-learning.

McLean Bible Church. FitnessClass at Body and Soul Fitness. Gainbalance, energy and strength at 10 a.m.Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.Free childcare for registered students.Email [email protected].

Haven of Northern Virginia pro-vides support, compassion, informationand resources to the bereaved and seri-ously ill. To become a Haven volunteer,please call 703-941-7000 to request anorientation. Volunteers must complete a30-hour training and commit to oneyear of service answering Haven phones(2.5 hours weekly). Next training isscheduled for fall 2017.

Unitarian Universalist Congre-gation of Fairfax, 2709 Hunter MillRoad, Oakton, offers the Religious Ex-ploration program for all children, frompre-K toddlers through high school se-niors, emphasizing exploration of allreligious traditions while developing apersonal spiritual path. The programoffers classes on Saturday afternoonsand Sunday mornings. 703-281-4230.

Trinity United MethodistChurch, 1205 Dolley Madison Blvd.,McLean. Sunday worship services are at8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday School foryoung adults follows the 10:30 a.m.worship services and for children at9:30 a.m. Youth Group for grades 7-12meets Sundays at 5 p.m. A 20-minuteservice of Holy Communion is held eachWednesday at noon. 703-356-3312 orumtrinity.org.

Passages DivorceCare. For thoseexperiencing the pain of separation ordivorce, the caring community at ViennaPresbyterian Church offers PassagesDivorceCare. This 15-week program of-fers a path toward healing. ViennaPresbyterian Church is located on thecorner of Maple Avenue (Rt. 123) andPark Street in Vienna. Cost to covermaterials is $20, scholarships available.For more information or to register call703-938-9050, go towww.viennapres.org, or send an emailto [email protected].

Faith Notes

Great Falls Senior Center (GFSC) has an-nounced James G. Lewis, a ninth genera-tion Virginian native to Northern Virginiaarea and a graduate of George Mason Uni-versity, as their guest speaker. The title ofhis talk will be “Confederate Cavalry Gen-eral Jeb Stuart, June 27, 1983.” His inter-est piqued some years ago by some unnatu-ral looking “trenches” in his backyard. Thetrenches turned out to be Confederateearthworks, as documented by the FairfaxCounty Archeology Department. He becamea core member of the Hunter Mill Defense

League (HMDL) which was researching/creating its own DVD about the Hunter MillRoad corridor during the American CivilWar. The outcome was an award-winningdocumentary, “Danger Between the Lines,”shown on PBS TV. He compiled the “HunterMill Road Civil War Self-Guided Tour” andco-authored “Forgotten Roads of the HunterMill Road Corridor” and “Sunstroke &Ankle-Deep Mud.” He took a trip in 2013to northern France and created several ac-claimed slide-oriented presentations, in-cluding “What Our Boys Faced on D-DAY,”

“D-Day+1 Thru the Battle of the Bulge,”and “Japan’s Biggest Secret During WorldWar II.” Lewis was awarded the “LordFairfax” designation by the Fairfax CountyBoard of Supervisors. He remains activethrough his association with the Bull RunCivil War Round Table, research projects,lectures and local historical bus tours.

The Jan. 16 event will be held at St.Francis Episcopal Church, 9220Georgetown Pike, Great Falls from 10 a.m.to 1 p.m. and includes lunch; contributionsfor lunch would be welcomed. Reservations

James G. Lewis to Speak at Great Falls Senior Center Eventare required, contact Polly Fitzgerald at 703-759-4345 or pollyfitz1@ Verizon.net. Visitwww.gfseniors.org.

Give Back initiative this month is tooth-brushes and toothpaste.

The sponsor is Tribute at One LoudonAssisted Living and Memory Care locatedat 20618 Easthampton Plaza, Ashburn, Vir-ginia 20147. Also, renew 2018 membership(dues of $15 per person) to receive thesemonthly letters. Applications will be at theHospitality Desk, or visit www.gfseniors.organd pay with PayPal.

Community

Great Falls Connection ❖ January 10-16, 2018 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

NewsConnection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

By Andrea Worker

The Connection

The 2018 Regular Session of theVirginia General Assembly con-venes on Wednesday, Jan. 10.Before the state senators and

delegates head off for Richmond, many ofthe Fairfax County contingent met with con-stituents in a Saturday, Dec. 6, public hear-ing at the County Government Center.

More than 100 registered speakers andtheir supporters braved single-digit tem-peratures for the opportunity to tell theirelected representatives just what theyhoped to see included in the upcoming leg-islative agendas.

Fairfax County Board of SupervisorsChairman Sharon Bulova welcomed thedelegation, and then began the hearing as“Speaker # 1,” representing the interestsof the entire county.

Funding for the educational needs of thecounty was first on Bulova’s ask list — atheme that was often repeated during themarathon five hour-plus hearing. She fol-lowed that request with an appeal for fund-ing for WMATA, citing that reliable and safepublic transportation is critical to the eco-nomic health of the region.

THE GROUP “More Recess for Virginians”came out in full, green t-shirted force, ask-ing the delegation to support legislation thatwould include recess as part of the “instruc-tional hours” in elementary schools. Recesssupporter Theresa Sheipe from Fairfaxasked the legislators to provide the SchoolBoard more flexibility to better serve thechildren, and Shannon Hamilton, Ph.D., aneuroscientist from Alexandria, added “Sci-ence is on the side of recess. We hope youare, too.”

Other topics included concerns for theenvironment and climate change impact,with many arguing for renewable energy

sources, and severalopposing what theyconsider the “influ-ence of Dominion En-ergy” on Virginia poli-cies. The Faith Alliancefor Climate Solutions,350 Fairfax, and TheClimate Reality Projectput forth speakers rep-resenting their organi-zations, among thedozen or so individu-als who also spoke onthe issue.

Social services advo-cates were also wellrepresented. Speakersfrom the Fairfax-FallsChurch CommunityServices Board, TheARC of Northern Vir-ginia, Fairfax CountyCommunity Action Advisory Board, North-ern Virginia Family Services, and Social Ac-tion Linking Together, along with numer-ous individuals, like Jeanne Lavelle with theVirginia Association for the Deaf, urged thedelegation to consider the needs of thecommunity’s less fortunate and the morevulnerable.

Several of the social service organizationsalso supported the expansion of Medicaidin the Commonwealth, as did speakers fromthe county government employees union,SEIU Virginia 512. State Sen. Dick Saslaw(D-35) responded to the “expansionists”that they wouldn’t find many dissenters onthat topic among the legislators on the dais.

Advocates for stronger gun safety laws,bipartisan redistricting and voter protection,the decriminalization of marijuana, banningsolitary confinement in prisons, funding ofjudgeships, immigrant support, and provid-ing more powers to the civilian police forcereview panel and auditor all had their turn

at the microphone.In past years, citizens had more opportu-

nity to talk with their representatives afterthe hearing, but the length of this year’sevent saw several of the legislators calledto other duties before the close, and eventhe majority of the citizen activists did notmake it to the moment when Saslaw called“time.”

A HANDFUL of the delegation did linger,including state Sen. Chap Peterson (D-34),state Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31), and Del.Jennifer Boysko (D-86).

Petersen took a few moments to chat withhis constituent Bill Barfield, who had testi-fied and presented the legislative issues putforth by the Fairfax County Federation ofCitizens Association.

Boysko will be sponsoring the Dignity Actthis session, and supporting in-state tuitionlegislation, as part of her agenda.

Favola provided information on her 2018

Legislative Agenda.High on the list is working to get coun-

ties the same taxing authority as cities.“Counties are providing the same servicesas cities, and the discrepancy in taxing au-thority is really unfair,” she said.

Paid Family Leave, Gun Safety, K-12 Edu-cation reforms and enhancements are alsoin her sights. Favola admits that some ofher proposed legislation requires takingsome “big steps,” but that on many of theissues, “many small steps have already beentaken, so there’s reason to be optimistic.

To track what state senators and delegatesare up to in the General Assembly, to con-tact them, or to track the progress of pro-posed legislation, visitwww.virginiageneralassembly.gov.

Fairfax delegation to General Assembly hears from public before heading to Richmond.Citizens Shape Assembly Agenda

Jeanne Lavelle of Fairfax, with the assistance of interpreter Jessica Holt,addresses the Fairfax delegation to the General Assembly. Lavelle advo-cated for funding to ensure that deaf and hearing impaired children arenot left “functionally illiterate” because they are not given the opportu-nity to learn language skills.

Theresa Sheipe of Fairfax was one of many members of the “More Recessfor Virginians” group who either spoke or supported from the audiencein favor of protecting and expanding recess in Virginia schools.

State Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34) meets with BillBarfield, second vice president, Legislative Commit-tee co-chair for the Fairfax County Federation ofCitizens Associations. Barfield, a mathematicianwho lives in Fairfax, and Tim Thompson, theFederation’s president, presented their representa-tives with a list of 11 legislative issues for consider-ation.

State Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31)admits she has her work cut outfor her in the 2018 Regular Sessionof the Virginia Legislature. She’stackling Paid Family Leave, GunSafety, Domestic Violence Preven-tion, Medicaid Expansion, K-12education reforms and improve-ments, and Equal Taxing Authorityfor Counties, to name a few.

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Great Falls

It’s going to hurt right here in NorthernVirginia.

As this administration continues its persecution against immigrants, it will

move to end protected status for more than200,000 Salvadorans, tens of thousands ofwhom live among us as neighbors, coworkers,friends, business owners, homeowners.

These neighbors, Salvadorans who camehere in the wake of terrible natural disaster

and political unrest, have beenliving and working here legallysince 2001 at least. TemporaryProtected Status was given to

approximately 217,000 Salvadoran immigrantsliving in the United States at the time of thedisasters.

Their families have added almost as manyU.S.-born children. They are intertwined withnaturalized citizens and other legal residentsfrom their country, with the withdrawal of pro-tected status affecting a community far largerthan the TPS recipients. These communities areconcentrated, intensifying the overall impact,and more live here in the D.C. suburbs than

residents, almost all in Northern Virginia, andconcentrated in particular neighborhoods. Ar-lington has identified just four census tractswith more than 1,000 Salvadoran residentseach (two with more than 1,400). In 2015, themost common birthplace for the foreign-bornresidents of Virginia was El Salvador, account-ing for 96,515 Virginia residents. FairfaxCounty in 2010 was home to 43,566 Salva-dorans.

Analysis shows that when Salvadoran, Hon-duran, and Haitian workers with TPS are re-moved from the labor force, the United Stateswill lose $45.2 billion in gross domestic prod-uct (GDP) over the next decade, according toImmigrant Legal Resource Center. When TPSholders lose their work authorization, it willresult in a $6.9 billion reduction to Social Se-curity and Medicare contributions over a de-cade, as calculated by the ILRC.

All of that shows why this will damage com-munities and the economy. It says nothingabout the harm to families. But the harm isgreat.

— Mary Kimm

[email protected]

Pulling Legal Status from Local SalvadoransBad for communities, bad for the economy,bad for the families, and no upside.

Editorial

anywhere else.On average, Salvadoran TPS recipients have

been in the U.S. for 21 years; one-third havemortgages. These are people who have hadlegal work permits, who suddenly will not beable to work legally here. Their mortgages, andthe mortgages of people who depend on them,will be at risk. Removing the ability of recipi-ents to work legally will increase the risk offoreclosure, with negative economic impactacross communities.

Salvadorans with protected status pay salesand property taxes. The communities they livein will be damaged. Their children will be moreat risk. Our economy will be damaged.

THE SALVADORAN IMMIGRANT popula-tion is most concentrated in the Washington,D.C. metropolitan area, where 165,000 El Sal-vador-born residents make up 2.9 percent ofthe population.

Salvadorans in the United States sent $3.6billion home to El Salvador in 2012, 16.5 per-cent of that country’s GDP.

Virginia has nearly 45,000 El Salvadoran TPS

Sources: American Progress, Pew Hispanic, Centerfor Immigration Studies, U.S. Census, Immigrant LegalResource Center, local government demographic data.

See Comstock, Page 10

By Barbara Comstock

U.S. Representative (R-10)

Happy New Year!2017 was a busyyear and I wanted

to provide highlights on awide range of issues we ad-dressed. My staff and I havemet with thousands of con-stituents, local elected officials, businesses andadvocacy groups and have had hundreds ofmeetings throughout our District with constitu-ents to find critical solutions to problems thataffect us all. Some of our highlights:

Tax Relief forWorking Familiesand Businesses

In December, Congress passed the Tax Cutsand Jobs Act a pro-growth, pro-jobs, pro-fam-ily tax relief package that featured doublingthe child tax credit to $2,000 that I advocatedfor, as well as lowering personal and businesstax rates so hardworking families and busi-nesses will have a healthier economy. With thishistoric tax cut and the 14 regulatory reformbills that were signed into law this year, wehave helped unleash strong economic growth,and we are now heading into the third con-secutive quarter of above 3 percent growth.The regulatory reform bills are estimated tosave $3.7 billion. You can read more about thedetails of the tax cuts on my website atComstock.House.Gov.

Strengthening OurDefense andNational Security

Congress passed the National Defense Au-thorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2018 in De-cember. The NDAA provides much-neededfunding for our troops to carry out their mis-

sions, including a 2.4 percent pay increase forour troops; $28 billion to address readinessconcerns; and $8 billion in funding for cyberoperations; and support for PTSD. The NDAAalso continues, via my amendment, to providesupport for STARBASE, a STEM education pro-gram that serves 10th District students.

Leading in the BattleAgainst SexualHarassment

The House of Representatives passed my bi-partisan resolution to combat sexual harass-ment in Congress that mandates educatingeveryone, from Members to the interns, onpreventing sexual harassment in Congress andhaving zero tolerance. I am also working onlegislation that will fundamentally reform theoutdated 1995 Congressional Accountability Actso it protects victims, brings disclosure to theprocess, and stops taxpayer money from be-ing used for sexual harassment claims. I havealso co-sponsored legislation that requires dis-closure of any members who made sexual ha-rassment settlements in the past.

Supporting OurFirefighters andFirst Responders

In December, Congress passed my legislationthat ensures our nation’s firefighters and para-medics will have the tools and training theyneed to fight and prevent fires. LoudounCounty Fire and Rescue Department ChiefKeith Brower praised the legislation, “Theseprograms greatly assist localities in the areasof firefighter safety, fire and life safety educa-tion and improved resourcing for tactical fireoperations...This bill is tremendous for careerand volunteer firefighters alike.” The Presidentsigned this bill into law last week.

Cracking Downon MS-13

The House of Representatives passed my bi-partisan legislation, the Criminal Alien GangMember Removal Act, which will provide addi-tional tools to our law enforcement to combatMS-13. This legislation identifies gang mem-bership and participation in gangs as groundsfor inadmissibility and removability from thecountry. My legislation for additional fundingto regional task forces like the Northern Vir-ginia Regional Gang Task Force also advancedthrough the Judiciary Committee and shouldsoon be voted for on the House floor.

Comstock’s Report: Highlights of 2017


Urging Congressto ProtectEPA FundingTo the Editor:

President Trump and some inCongress propose to slash the U.S.Environmental ProtectionAgency’s (EPA) budget andweaken some of the agency’s toolsthat keep our air, water and natu-ral resources clean and healthy.

When Congress disables EPAand cuts funding, Congress is un-dermining efforts that help cleanup our local waterways. For ex-ample, thanks to strong clean wa-ter standards, the Potomac River’shealth is improving, submergedaquatic vegetation is returning andsome fish population trends areencouraging. Many species of wa-terfowl winter on the river andbald eagle numbers are climbing.Audubon has recognized a sectionof the Potomac River southeast ofWashington, D.C., as an ImportantBird Area because of the manyspecies of waterfowl that winteron the river and the high and in-creasing numbers of Bald Eagles,and we appreciate EPA’s work incleaning up the river.

EPA has helped improve North-ern Virginia water quality withChesapeake Bay Small WatershedGrants. Some examples:

❖ The Northern Virginia Re-gional Commission received a$164,637 grant to stabilize andprotect approximately 800 feet oferoding shoreline along thePotomac River in Leesylvania StatePark with a living shoreline. Theproject also restored .64 acres ofriparian buffer and tidal marsh.

❖ Arlington County received an$80,000 grant to expand incen-tives for private property ownersto install innovative stormwaterpractices on their property to im-pede runoff.

❖ Longfellow Middle School inFalls Church used a $20,000 grantto install a rainwater harvest sys-tem and rain gardens at theschool.

As Congress wrestles with fund-ing bills and struggles to keep thegovernment running, Congressneeds to remember that EPA is nota centralized, out-of-touch agencyin the nation’s capital, but anagency that reaches into localcommunities and helps clean uplocal waterways.

The Audubon Society of North-ern Virginia calls on the VirginiaCongressional delegation to pro-tect EPA funding for cleaning upour local waterways. We’ve madetoo much progress to slide back-ward now.

Carl Kikuchi, PresidentAudubon Society of Northern

Virginia

Letter


Real Estate

By Karen Briscoe

The number of real estatetransactions in McLeanand Great Falls closed

out the year in 2017 11 percentgreater than in 2016. In compari-son to the 2007 market just onedecade ago, the number is up al-most 30 percent. The last peakyear for Northern Virginia real estate was2007. All price segments performed betteror remained steady in 2017 compared to2016 and the benchmark year of 2007. Thisis good news as we look towards the 2018spring season.

The most significant increases in numberof sales not surprisingly occurred in thelower price brackets. Homes priced under$1.25 million for the zip codes 22101,22102 and 22066 comprised the majorityof the gains. The under $750,000 is pre-dominately condos, townhomes, smallersingle-family homes or lot/land where theexisting home is torn down and a new homeis constructed. The lower brackets, whichrepresent 72 percent of the market, com-prises three price ranges: under $750,000;$750,000 to $1 million and $1 million to$1.25 million.

The move-up buyer in McLean and GreatFalls includes the next three price brackets

The seventh Annual McLean ChocolateFestival will be held on Sunday, Jan. 28,2018, at McLean High School, 1633Davidson Road, McLean. The Festival willrun between 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Festival visi-tors will have the opportunity to taste thespecialties of 17 area chocolatiers (moremay be added), and enjoy fun for the en-tire family.

This year the Children’s Game Room fea-tures the bluegrass music of local artist Mike

Mitchell, popular with all ages at last year’sfestival. Admission is $2, children 3 andunder are free. Come early for the best se-lection of chocolates.

The McLean Chocolate Festival is spon-sored by and is a fundraiser for the RotaryClub of McLean, with proceeds benefitingmany local charitable organizations. Foradditional information, including an up-dated list of vendors, visitwww.mcleanchocolatefestival.com.

File photo by Steve Hibbard/The Connection

Fluffy Thoughts of McLean (from left): Jordan Schneier and LaFayetteAlston at the 2017 McLean Chocolate Festival.

Chocolate Festival Returns to McLean

McLean, Great FallsMarket: Strong in 2017

which are: $1.25 million to $2million; $2 million to $3 millionand $3 million plus. The marketimproved the most for luxuryproperties over $3 million.

Home Sellers in the area expe-rienced in many cases the “bestof times” market conditions in2017. As we move into the newyear, there are strong indications

that homes priced well and in good condi-tion will sell for solid prices. Should demandcontinue to remain strong relative to sup-ply, some market segments may experienceprice appreciation.

Purchasing in an up-market cycle fre-quently proves advantageous over time andgives area Home Buyers the confidence tomake a move. In many cases there is an op-portunity for the great arbitrage of sellingwell in the lower price points and buyingup well in the upper brackets.

Though Northern Virginia is presently inwintertime, the spring market is just aroundthe corner. Start now to beat the rush!

Karen Briscoe with HBC Group at KellerWilliams is an active and experienced Realtor inthe Northern Virginia marketplace. Briscoe,alongside her partner Lizzy Conroy and team,works with sellers, buyers, investors and buildersin all price ranges. www.HBCGroupKW.com, 703-734-0192, [email protected].

This January, National Blood DonorMonth, the American Red Cross has anurgent need for blood and platelet do-nors of all blood types to make an ap-pointment to give now and help addressa winter blood donation shortage.

Severe winter weather has had a tre-mendous impact on blood donations al-ready this year, with more than 150 blooddrives forced to cancel causing over5,500 blood and platelet donations to gouncollected. This is in addition to sea-sonal illnesses, such as the flu, and hec-tic holiday schedules collectively contrib-uting to more than 28,000 fewer dona-tions than what was needed in Novem-ber and December.

How to helpEligible donors can find a blood or

platelet donation opportunity and sched-ule an appointment to donate by usingthe free Blood Donor App, visitingredcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donation ap-pointments and completion of aRapidPass are encouraged to help speedup the donation process. RapidPass letsdonors complete the pre-donation read-ing and answer the health history ques-

tionnaire online, on the day of their do-nation, by visiting redcrossblood.org/rapidpass from the convenience of a mo-bile device or computer, or through theBlood Donor App.

Upcoming blooddonation opportunitiesJan. 8-31HERNDONJan. 11, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Brandywine Realty Trust,

13825 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 250Jan. 16, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., St. Timothy’s Episcopal

Church, 432 Van Buren St.

MCLEANJan. 29, 1 p.m.-5 p.m., Federal Highway

Administration, 6300 Georgetown Pike

RESTONJan. 12, 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m., U.S. Geological

Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley DriveJan. 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Reston Library, 11925

Bowman Towne DriveJan. 24, 3 p.m.-8 p.m., St Thomas a Becket RCC,

1421 Wiehle Ave.

FALLS CHURCHJan. 10, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., City of Falls Church

Community Center, 223 Little Falls St.Jan. 16, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Keller Williams

Realty, 105 W. Broad St.

Urgent Call for Blood andPlatelet Donations


HomeLifeStyle

By Marilyn Campbell

It’s a moment that interior designersanticipate all year: the announcementof the Pantone Color of the Year. Ul-tra Violet is the selection for 2018,

and local designers are giving it a mixedreception.

“Interiors have gone so neutral, I lookforward to suggesting… Ultra Violet, a color[that] can bridge warm and cool grayneutrals,” said Moira Denson, interior de-signer and assistant professor of InteriorDesign at Marymount University.

“There’s nothing subtle about Ultra Vio-let. It’s one-dimensional and difficult todecorate with, except in very small doses,”said interior designer Annie Elliott of AnnieElliott Interiors and Bossy Color. “I find thecolor loud. ‘Look at me!’ It screams.”

The selection by Pantone, the self-de-scribed global authority on color, is intendedto be a harbinger of the hue that will be ontrend in the coming year. The organization’scolor gurus spend about nine months ob-serving trends in industries ranging fromfilm and entertainment to art and fashion.

This year’s pick can add a burst of vi-brancy to a home’s interior in impermanentways, advises interior designer CathleenGruver of Gruver Cooley. “Some quick easyways to use the color are adding throw pil-lows, which are relatively inexpensive andeasy to trade out,” she said. “Accent plateson a dining table are an option for thosewho may not want to commit in theirhome.”

“Use this color in extremely small doses,”added Elliott. “If you really love this color,I suggest using it as part of a larger pat-tern. Don’t buy a solid purple pillow;choose a pretty floral that has some UltraViolet in it.”

For those with less trepidation about Ul-tra Violet, interior designer Sarah Glenn ofBraswell Design+Build in Alexandria, said,“The powder room is a great place to incor-porate deep colors in interesting ways. In-stall a graphic violet wallpaper behind abright white pedestal sink, or paint the ceil-ing a high gloss violet to reflect the decora-tive lighting in the room.”

Dark and dramatic cabinetry, whichGlenn says is trending this year, offers an-

other use for the Pantone pick. “Go boldand incorporate a deep violet island or basecabinets into a new kitchen,” she said. “In-corporate a violet glass mosaic tile on yourshower floor or as an accent stripe aroundtub walls. I especially love violet glasspaired with the grey and taupe tones of

wooden white marble tile.”Some designers describe Ultra Violet as

commanding, particularly when used insidea home. “This shade of purple is a powerfulcolor and one that I would use as an ac-cent,” said interior designer Marika Meyerof Marika Meyer Interiors. “A little bit willgo a long way. It is also a great color to pairwith other colors, it is a very friendlycomplementary color.”

“Good pairings include green and purple,a classic combination, but I’ve always likedred with purple,” added Elliott. “Ultra Vio-let is a vivid color, so make sure you useequally strong colors with it so it doesn’tdominate a palette.”

Pair it with gold and yellow tones, sug-gests Denson, who is also an artist. “I paintskies all the time,” she said. “It’s what wa-tercolorists do. To me, shades of the ultra-violet are the most pleasing sky. It workssuper well with what we traditionally thinkof skies: blue toned. It sets a mood that al-lows all my landscapes to feel grounded.”

In announcing the selection, LauriePressman, vice president of the PantoneColor Institute described Ultra Violet as,“a blue-based purple that takes our aware-ness and potential to a higher level. UltraViolet communicates originality, ingenuityand visionary thinking that points us to-ward the future.”

2018 Color of the Year: Ultra VioletMixed reactions from localtastemakers who offer design ideas.

Photo courtesy of Moira Denson

“Ultra violet sets a mood thatallows all my landscapes to feelgrounded,” says artist MoiraDenson, who is an assistant profes-sor of Interior Design atMarymount University


Submit entertainment announcements atwww.connectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/. Thedeadline is noon on Friday. Photos/artworkencouraged.

ONGOINGThe 2018 Eclectic Essentials production

features four plays that focus on relationships:For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls, Death BeNot Loud, Capsmittment and One Click Away.Eclectic Essentials: Relationships will beperformed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan.19-20, 26-27, Feb. 2-3, as well as at 2 p.m. onSunday, Jan. 28, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 4.Tickets are general admission and available for$14 at the Vienna Community Center, online atviennava.gov/webtrac, or at the door, if stillavailable. Visit viennatheatrecompany.org or e-mail [email protected] for moreinformation.

Friday Night Telescopes. The Roll-Topobservatory is available to the public for viewingthe skies on Friday nights: Jan. 5, 12, 19 and 26,7:30-9:30 p.m. The Analemma Society holdsFriday Night Public Viewing Sessions at TurnerFarm on Springvale Road in Great Falls. Thepublic may use the newly mounted telescopes orbring their own telescope or binoculars to useoutside. There is a lot to see in the night sky.Events are weather dependent. Please check theAnalemma tweet page (or directly at@AnalemmaSociety) for updates on Fridayviewing if the weather looks questionable. Visitwww.analemma.org.

Great Falls Farmers Market. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 778 Walker Road, Great Falls. Music,vendors, fresh produce, fresh prepared food,delightful bakery, spices from around the world,wild-caught fish, grass-fed, free-range meats,organic-fed poultry and eggs. [email protected] for more.

Free Tai Chi. Every Saturday, from 7:55-9 a.m.,Introduction and Beginners’ Practice, meet onthe outdoor basketball court located directlybehind the Dolley Madison Public Library, 1244Oak Ridge Ave. in McLean Central Park,McLean. Call 703-759-9141 or visitwww.FreeTaiChi.org for more.

The Freeman Store & Museum Wednesdaythrough Sunday noon-4 p.m. 131 Church St. NE,Vienna. The Freeman Store & Museum isdedicated to Preserving and promoting Vienna’sheritage through the identification, preservation,and interpretation of history significant places,events, and persons. Historicviennainc.org

Bingo Night. Sundays. 4 p.m. Flame Room,Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, 400 CenterSt. S, Vienna. $10. www.vvfd.org/bingo.html.

Gentle Yoga. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. EmmausUnited Church of Christ, 900 E Maple Ave. E.,Vienna. Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. UnitarianUniversalist Congregation of Fairfax, 2709Hunter Mill Road, Oakton. Gentle KundaliniYoga, one free introductory session, seniordiscounts. Increase flexibility, improve breathingand health, reduce stress. Ravi Kaur has 15years experience teaching yoga. $15 per session.www.edimprovement.org. 571-213-3192.

Fishing Rod Rentals 8700 Potomac Hills St.,Great Falls. Rentals available during visitorcenter hours. Fishing tackle and live bait areavailable for purchase. Reservations required forgroup rentals. $6/rental (2 hour max). Validdriver’s license required. Rod/reel combinationsare perfect for beginners and children. AVirginia or Maryland freshwater fishing licenseis required for those 16 years or older. The parkdoes not sell fishing licenses.www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend-park/

Colvin Run Mill open 11 - 4 p.m. daily, closedTuesday. 10017 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls.Fairfax County’s operational 19th century waterpowered gristmill, offers recreational andeducational activities for all ages through dailytours, school programs and special events. Fees:$7/adult, $6 students 16+ with ID, $5 children& seniors. Admission to park is free except forsome special events.

Fundamentals of Watercolors. Mondays 10a.m.-1 p.m. at The Arts of Great Falls, 756Walker Road, Great Falls. Artist Lorrie Hermanwill help students get comfortable working withwatercolors and understanding this medium.Visit www.greatfallsart.org for more.

Evening Painting. Tuesdays 6:30 -9:30 p.m. atThe Arts of Great Falls, 756 Walker Road, GreatFalls. Jill Banks focuses on oil paintingfundamentals with two sessions each of still life,landscapes, and portrait/ clothed figure from alive model. Visit www.greatfallsart.org for more.

THURSDAY/JAN. 11McLean Traveler Day Trip. 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

at Churchill Road Elementary School, 7100Churchill Road, McLean. Trip to NationalGallery of Art in Washington, D.C. to see“Johannes Vermeer and the Masters of GenrePainting.” Call 703-790-0123 for more.

Adventures in Learning Open House. 10-noon at UUCF Unitarian UniversalistCongregation of Fairfax - Program Building,2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton. Increase brainpower. Visit www.scov.org for more.

Horticultural Therapist. 1-3 p.m. at Great FallsLibrary, 9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls. JanLane, a registered Horticultural Therapistpresents how gardening activities can be used tohelp people improve their physical, cognitiveand social-emotional health. Visitgfgardenclub.org/ for more.

FRIDAY/JAN. 12Dining with Dorothy. 12:30 p.m. at Skorpio’s

Maggios Greek Family Restaurant, 421 MapleAve. E, Vienna. Socializing and dining event.Email [email protected] for more.

5th and 6th Grader Party. 7-9 p.m. at The OldFirehouse, 1440 Chain Bridge Road, McLean.Patrons will enjoy free catered food andbeverages, music played by a professional discjockey, dancing on an open dance floor andother attractions, such as a photo booth,temporary tattoos and board games. $35/$25MCC district residents. Call 703-448-TEEN formore.

SATURDAY/JAN. 13Women at the Helm. 10 a.m. at the Patrick

Henry Library, 101 Maple Ave. E. Vienna MayorLaurie DiRocco and Town Council MembersCarey Sienicki and Linda Colbert will share theirexperiences of leading the Town of Vienna. Visitvienna-va.aauw.net/.

Star Gazing. 10-11 a.m. at Turner Farm Park, 925Springvale Road, Great Falls.

Enjoy guided star gazing, look through a telescope,and listen to constellation stories around thecampfire at Observatory Park at Turner Farm.$10. Call 703-324-8618 for more.

SUNDAY/JAN. 14MLK Speaker. 2 p.m. at The Old Firehouse, 1440

Chain Bridge Road. Award-winning sportscolumnist William Rhoden will speak on thetimely subject of “Activist Athletes.” $20, $10 forMcLean Community Center tax district residents.Visit: www.aldentheatre.org or call 703-790-0123 for more.

Rorie in Concert. 7 p.m. at Jammin’ Java, 227Maple Ave E, Vienna. Local musician plays hernew EP called “Dawn.” Call 703-255-1566 orvisit www.roriemusic.com for more.

TUESDAY/JAN. 16Meet the Civil War Author. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at

St. Francis Episcopal Church, 9220 GeorgetownPike, Great Falls. James G. Lewis talks about hisbook “Confederate Calvary General Jeb Stuart”and Civil War history around Great Falls. Lunchwill be served and reservations are required.

Contact Karen Emami [email protected] or call 703-938-6471.

WEDNESDAY/JAN. 17Art Workshop. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Vienna Arts

Center, 115 Pleasant St. Artist JacquelineSaunders is hosting a one day workshop. Call703-319-3971 or visitwww.ViennaArtsSociety.org for more.

McLean Newcomers and NeighborsLuncheon. 11:30 a.m. at the KazanRestaurant, 6813 Redmond Drive, McLean.Deborah Kosciw, CPA, will discuss “Getting InfoReady for Tax Time”. $30. Visitwww.McLeanNewcomers.org for more.

FRIDAY/JAN. 19Improv-Extravaganza. 7 p.m. at Herndon

ArtSpace, 750 Center St., Herndon. For one-night-only, The Alden’s (the) Unruly TheatreProject and Loudoun County High School’sImprovasaurus will bring their signature improvstyles to ArtSpace Herndon. Visitwww.artspaceherndon.org.

MONDAY-FRIDAY/JAN. 22-26Wildfire’s 10th Anniversary. Wildfire at

Tysons Galleria, 3rd floor, McLean. Wildfire iscelebrating 10 years and will offer specialmenus, and prize drawings. All week long,Wildfire will feature 10 Year Birthday Lunch andDinner specials. Call 703-442-9110 or visitwildfirerestaurant.com/mclean.

THURSDAY/JAN. 25Genealogy Meeting/Program. 7:30-9 p.m. at

Kilmer Middle School, 8100 Wolftrap Road,Vienna. Fairfax Genealogical Society monthlymember meeting and program. Librarian LeslieAnderson will discuss the Alexandria Library’sresources and help available to family historyand other researchers. Open to members andpublic. Snow date, Feb. 1. Free. [email protected], call 703-644-8185 or visitwww.fxgs.org for more.

The Unruly Theatre. 7 p.m. atMPA@ChainBridge, 1446 Chain Bridge Road,McLean. The area’s hottest professional teenimprov troupe will bring you a hilarious night ofcomedy. Come help them spread some joy whilebeing wildly entertained. Sponsored by TheAlden. Free admission. Visit mcleancenter.org.

FRIDAY/JAN. 26Splitsville & Paragon Village. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. at

The Old Firehouse, 1440 Chain Bridge Road,McLean. The Old Firehouse teacher workdaytrip. Teens can experience glow-in-the-darkbowling with big screen video walls and abooming surround sound system that plays theirfavorite songs. It’s a non-stop, high-fiving,unforgettable good time. Following bowling, thegroup will unwind with a movie. $65/$55 MCCdistrict residents. Fee includes bowling, shoes,lunch and movie tickets. Bring additional moneyfor movie concessions as desired. Visitmcleancenter.org.

Calendar

Live MusicLocal musician “Rorie,” is in concert. 7 p.m. at Jammin’ Java, 227 MapleAve E., Vienna. She plays her new EP called “Dawn.” Call 703-255-1566or visit www.roriemusic.com for more.

Honoring ActivistAthletes on Dr. King’sBirthdayWilliam Rhoden, author, “FortyMillion Dollar Slaves, The Rise,Fall and Redemption of theBlack Athlete,” will be a fea-tured speaker at McLean Com-munity Center’s Dr. MartinLuther King Jr. Birthday cel-ebration at The Old Firehouse,1440 Chain Bridge Road,McLean. Event is Sunday, Jan.14, at 2 p.m. Tickets: $20/$10MCC tax district residents. ForADA seating, [email protected] call 571-296-8385

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News

By Colin Stoecker

The Connection

For one Great Falls resident the holidays weremuch busier than usual. Spencer Hedges,27, was recently admitted to study at Ox-ford University in England.

“A lot of people who want to go think it’s Harry-Potter. I wanted to be challenged. I told them in myessay that I wanted to be up until 3 a.m. working onmy thesis in the library,” said Hedges.

Hedges chose to study outside of the United Statesfor college because he felt that he would be doublychallenged by the rigorous education system at Ox-ford as well as the challenges of living abroad.

“This is my first time living outside of the U.S. forthis length of time,” said Hedges.

At Oxford he plans on studying psychology andone day plans on becoming a psychologist or psy-chiatrist.

“I’ve always been a people person, I enjoy inter-acting and analyzing,” said Hedges. One of his fa-vorite books is Steven Covey’s, “The 7 Habits ofHighly Effective People.”

The European education system is a difference thatHedges is going to have to get used to, and anotherchallenge that he is excited about.

Hedges’ mother, Kathleen Hedges is also excitedfor her son’s recent success.

“I admire Spencer for all the effort he has put intohis education and for the faith he has in himself andhis abilities. It’s hard to put into words how proudand happy I am for him and my hopes that this ex-perience will open even more doors into his future. Iam so fortunate that he is my son,” she said.

Hedges is curious about education in England, andis also interested in European history.

“Adapting to the culture is something I’m excitedabout because it will be so different,” said Hedges.

“Seeing how the education system is differentwill be another. There is more one-on-one teach-ing,” he said.

Hedges graduated from Langley High School withan excellent GPA, and also attended Cooper MiddleSchool and Great Falls Elementary.

But even with good grades behind him, Hedgesfound the Oxford application process difficult.

“The admissions process was pretty strenuous. Ihad to submit a written work on why I wanted to go.They want hard workers who want to push them-selves,” he said.

Hedges enjoys making films, watching movies, andcritiquing film in his free time. “I’ve always been intomovies and critiquing them,” he said.

He is optimistic about the new year of studying atone of the best universities in the world, which isboth excitement and challenge for him.

“It’s outside of your comfort zone, taking yourselfout of your shoes and doing school twice as much,to adapt to the culture as well. It’s an extra chal-lenge that is satisfying and enjoyable,” said Hedges.

Hedges thanked his friends, family, and KathrynHemmann, assistant professor of Japanese Studiesat George Mason University for their role in helpinghim reach his goals.

Former classmate and 20-year friend, TylerHannon, 27, of Great Falls also shared his excite-ment for his friend to be taking on a new adventurethis year.

“I am so excited for him, he has always been inter-ested in English folklore and culture and Spencerhas worked very hard to achieve his goals,” saidHannon.

Great Falls residentadmitted to studypsychology at OxfordUniversity in the UK.

Heading toOxford

Photo contributed

Spencer Hedges on a trip to Japan. He wasrecently admitted to study at OxfordUniversity in the United Kingdom.


From Page 4

Addressing OurTransportation Needs

I serve on the Transportation Committee and weare working on an overall Transportation and Infra-structure package to advance support for our roads,bridges, and infrastructure. This enhances our eco-nomic development as well as eases congestion andimproves our quality of life.

In early December, I introduced the METRO Ac-countability and Reform Act, the largest legislativereform package introduced since Metro’s inception.The legislation has the backing of over 30 businessgroups including the Northern Virginia Chamber ofCommerce, the Greater McLean Chamber of Com-merce, and more. The Washington Post EditorialBoard said of the legislation. “Barbara Comstockoffers a realistic lifeline for Metro”.

In early December, Department of the InteriorSecretary Ryan Zinke heeded our call for action andannounced $227 million for the full rehabilitationof Arlington Memorial Bridge. The bridge carries68,000 vehicles daily — many 10th District constitu-ents among them — and this funding prevents thebridge from closing by 2020 and causing major traf-fic disruptions.

Leading OnSTEM Education

Congress passed my bipartisan legislation the IN-SPIRE Women Act which was one of the first bills thatPresident Trump signed into law. The legislation pro-vides more resources at NASA to young women whoaspire to careers as scientists, engineers, astronauts,mathematicians, and other STEM careers.

The House of Representatives also passed my bi-partisan legislation, the Research and Education Ef-fectiveness and Transparency Act which provides bet-ter information on how to make taxpayer-fundedinvestments in STEM and Research and Developmentmore effective, transparent and fair.

Addressing Hate CrimesIn April, I introduced House Resolution 257, which

condemns ethnic, religious, and racial hate crimes.The Senate companion Resolution already passedunanimously. The resolution cites trends in violentincidents targeting Jewish, Muslim, African-Ameri-can, Hindu, and Sikh communities. The resolutioncalls on federal law enforcement, working with stateand local officials, to investigate all credible reportsof these occurrences in the United States, hold per-petrators accountable, and bring them to justice. The

resolution has strong bipartisan support of cospon-sors ranging from Congressman David Brat to Con-gressman Don Beyer.

Continuing the FightAgainst the Opioid andHeroin Epidemic

This summer, I hosted two opioid roundtables inthe District to address our continuing challenges onopioids, heroin and addiction which has now beendeclared a National Health Emergency by the Presi-dent. The roundtables brought together local, state,and federal stakeholders to discuss the current stateof the opioid epidemic in the region and we are intro-ducing additional legislation to enhance our efforts.

Working With andFor Our Veterans

In November, my office, announced that a “VetCenter Community Access Center” will be openingin Leesburg to serve Veterans as well as active dutymilitary personnel and their families in both Loudounand eastern Fairfax. This spring, I was honored to benamed “National Legislator of the Year” by the Vir-ginia Council of the Military Officers Association ofAmerica. For a full list of the 66 veterans bills thatwe have worked on this past year, seeComstock.House.Gov/VetsBills.

Working To CombatHuman Trafficking

As a member of the Human Trafficking Caucus, andhaving passed and worked on major human traffick-ing initiatives since my time as a Delegate, I continueto work with my colleagues to promote legislation toprovide more tools and funding to law enforcementto crack down on the heinous crime of human traf-ficking. In 2017, the House passed six bills includingthe No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act, legisla-tion I cosponsored that disqualifies someone fromoperating a commercial motor vehicle for life for ahuman trafficking crime. We are also working to stophuman trafficking activities online.

Constituent ServicesOur staff also addresses casework from assisting

with complicated foreign adoptions, to helping withemergency passports for our diverse population, toworking with the Veterans Administration, SocialSecurity or Medicare on facilitating resolution of abenefit claim. If you need help with a federal agencygo to Comstock.House.Gov or call my District officeat 703-404-6903. I wish you and your family veryHappy New Year in 2018.

Comstock

Voting theParty LineTo the Editor:

The Republican Party celebratedthe New Year with the recent pas-sage of their so-called “tax reform”bill. While some of us may enjoymodest and temporary tax cuts,the bill is a gift to our nation’s plu-tocracy whose tax cuts are sub-stantial and permanent. All thiswill come at the cost of an explod-ing federal deficit. The fiscal rec-titude preached by the Republi-

cans during the Obama years waspushed aside when it came timeto do the bidding of the moneyedinterests they are beholden to.

The bill was hurriedly written ina slapdash manner, with no seri-ous analysis of economic impacts,and rushed through the legislativeprocess in part to avoid publicscrutiny. It complicates the taxcode and will no doubt bring ahost of unintended consequences.One foreseeable consequence isnew opportunities for tax cheat-ers, who will be furtheremboldened by the fruit of long-

term Republican efforts to dimin-ish IRS enforcement powers.

Sadly, District 10’s Representa-tive Barbara Comstock voted forthis bill. The excuses she offersto justify her vote show onceagain that she is just reliably vot-ing the party line regardless ofthe interests of her constituentsor our nation. The people of Dis-trict 10 can only hope that 2018will bring them better represen-tation in Congress.

Richard MarkeloffHerndon

Letter

Opinion


Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

We have five indoor cats: Biscuit, Chino,Twinkle, Sloan and Andrew, ranging in ages from11+ years to 5+ years. We live in a two-storyconverted log cabin with approximately 1,750square feet, closets not included. Closets in whichyou’re bound to find cats, especially in the winter.

A few moths back, we contracted to have ourtwo full bathrooms, one on each floor, renovated.Given that our house is over 250 years old, notlikely a normal renovation. So far the renovationhas taken months, as we were told, and as such,we wanted to employ some kind of strategywhere we weren’t constantly worrying about catscoming and going, sneaking outside, disappear-ing, and getting in the way of the workmanand/or possibly suffering some kind of injury inthe process. (Particularly true of Andrew andBiscuit who, uncharacteristic of many cats, arenot the least bit put off by unknown people wan-dering about the house.)

And sure enough, after dinner on the firstnight FOLLOWING DEMOLITION, Andrew andhis sister, Sloane, managed to break through someprotective plastic surrounding the door blockingentrance to the upstairs bathroom where theymanaged to get into the house through an inter-nal wall which had been torn down to the studs.It was their faint meowing which led to their dis-covery – in the downstairs attic above thekitchen. Their subsequent rescue confirmed thatwe would need to be extra vigilant to prevent fur-ther ado.

To secure the perimeter, we decided to segre-gate the cats on one side of the house on the firstfloor: including the kitchen, dining room and myoffice, with two sets of doors connecting to theliving room and to the hall leading past the down-stairs bathroom. This disconnect works perfectlybecause it prevents any escape and it enables theworkman to walk in and out of the front door toply their trade without needing any access toeither of the three rooms where the cats areconfined.

The cats food and water remains in its usualplace in the kitchen. However there is one item(two actually) which has required a major move.You recall I said our cats are ‘indoor,’ right? Andwe’re confining them to three rooms, right? HaveI mentioned their litter boxes yet? Well, I amnow.

Not a Herculean task by any means becauseonce cats are shown their litter box’s new loca-tion, they figure it out. But now their litter boxeswhich had previously been out of sight and sortof out of mind – one on each floor, have nowbeen placed in two of the three rooms wherethey’ve been living most days and they are nowmost definitely in sight and on my mind.

One box was placed in the dining roomwhere we rarely go at present since it’s somewhatcluttered due to the renovation, and the otherbox was placed in my home office – which boxseems to get the most use. (We sort of figuredthat the kitchen was out of the question.)

My office is approximately eight feet wide by20 feet long, a space which separates the diningroom from the outside wall. The litter box is onthe floor at the far end of the room, not at allunder foot, but neither out of sight nor out ofsmell. Where I sit, I am a well-positionedobserver of the cats visits to their litter box.

As a consequence of this segregation -designed to secure their safety, and for the subse-quent relocation of their litter boxes, in effect, Iam now sharing a bathroom with five indoor cats.

All day long I am witness to their litter boxproclivities; their arrival and departure, the sights,sounds and smells; their individual tendenciesand habits, and of course, their comparativeinterest in visiting me on my desk before and/orafter the paperwork is finished.

Soon we’ll have to decide whether to returnthe boxes to their original location, and risk dis-rupting yet another new routine. Perhaps we’llleave well enough alone. After all, as any devotedcat owner knows: it’s not about us, it’s aboutthem.

Litter BoxHumor

Submit civic/community announcements atConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos andartwork welcome. Deadline is Thursday at noon, atleast two weeks before event.

FY 2019 SCHOOLS BUDGETFCPS Superintendent Scott S. Brabrand will present

the 2018-19 school year (FY 2019)Proposed Budget at the School Boardmeeting on Thursday, Jan. 11, at JacksonMiddle School at 7 p.m. The School Board plansto hold a budget work session on Jan. 22, and apublic hearing on the Proposed Budget on Jan.29, with additional hearings on Jan. 30 and Jan.31, if needed. Get more information on theFCPS budget at www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/budget/fy2019.

GOVERNING BOARD CANDIDATESThe McLean Community Center (MCC) is

seeking candidates to run for seats on its 2018-2019 Governing Board. A candidate must residein the Center’s tax district (Small District 1A-Dranesville). To have their names placed onelection ballots, candidates are required toobtain the signatures of 10 McLean tax districtresidents in their respective categories (eitheradult or youth). Three adult positions and twoyouth positions are open this year. Key ElectionDates:

❖ Monday, Jan. 22: Petition Packets are available.❖ Friday, March 16: Completed Petition Packets are

due at MCC by 5 p.m.❖ Monday, March 19: Candidates’ Orientation, 7

p.m., The Old Firehouse Center, 1440 ChainBridge Rd.

❖ Monday, April 9: Absentee Voting begins at theMCC Administrative Office, 6631 Old DominionDr., and The Old Firehouse Center, 1440 ChainBridge Road.

❖ Sunday, May 6: Candidates Meet and Greet, 2-4p.m. Sponsored by the Friends of MCC, at theOld Firehouse Center, 1440 Chain Bridge Road.

❖ Wednesday, May 16: Absentee Voting ends at theMCC Administrative Office and the OldFirehouse Center at 5 p.m.

❖ Saturday, May 19: Elections at McLean Day from10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

For more information on the MCC Governing BoardElections, call the Center at 703-790-0123, TTY:711, or visit the Center’s website: http://bit.ly/2ix7qc1.

THURSDAY/JAN. 11English as a Second Language Classes. 7-8

p.m. at at St. Mark Christian Formation Center,9972 Vale Road, Vienna. Come help 150+ adultlearners master the English language, preparefor American citizenship, learn to conversefluently in English, improve their writing skills,and integrate into the local community. Call703-980-9380, email [email protected], orvisit www.stmarkesl.org.

MONDAY/JAN. 15Schools Closed. All Fairfax County Public

Schools will be closed on for Martin LutherKing Jr.’s Birthday. Classes will resume onTuesday, Jan. 16. See the 2017-18 school yearcalendar at www.fcps.edu.

Center Closings. The McLean Community Centerand the Old Firehouse will be closed onMonday, Jan. 15, for the Martin Luther King Jr.Day holiday. The centers will reopen at 9 a.m.on Tuesday, Jan. 16.

WEDNESDAY/JAN. 17Public Meeting. 7 p.m. in Room 106 of the

Herrity Building located at 12055 GovernmentCenter Parkway, Fairfax. The Fairfax CountyPark Authority will hold its annual publiccomment meeting on the agency’s proposed feeadjustments. The public meeting agendaincludes a brief presentation on the fee processfollowed by an opportunity for public comment.Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/feemeetingfor more.

THURSDAY/JAN. 18Caregivers Support Group. 10-11:30 a.m. at

UUCF Unitarian Universalist Congregation ofFairfax - Program Building, 2709 Hunter MillRoad, Oakton. For caregivers to adult familymembers with dementia, meets first and thirdThursdays of every month. Call 703-821-6838 ofemail [email protected] for more.

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