Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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February 2, 2017Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A Connection Newspaper

WellbeingWellbeingPage 10

See Planning, Page 18

See Three Options, Page 5

By Tim Peterson

The Gazette

This year, Fairfax County PublicSchools experienced one of thesmallest annual enrollment in-creases in nearly a decade:

1,368 students, compared to the averageof 2,400 since the 2008-09 school year,bringing the total to 187,202.

By far the lowest was a growth of only223 in the 2015-16 school year.

Interim FCPS Superintendent Dr. StevenLockard attributed the slowed growth todecreases in those entering kindergartencohorts and net migration. The five-yearforecast of enrollment growth, he said inan introduction to the latest Capital Im-provement Program information document,has FCPS reaching 190,600 students by the2021-22 school year.

“These new trends of growth are incon-sistent across the county and continue topresent a facilities capacity challenge,”Lockard said. “The school system strugglesto provide sufficient capacity in our schools.Despite the planned additional capacity in-tended to address projected needs, unevenmembership growth throughout the countywill necessitate the continuation of small-and large-scale boundary adjustments to

take advantage of available capacity when-ever it is practicable to do so.”

The FCPS School Board unanimously ap-proved a new Capital Improvement Pro-gram covering FY2018-2022 at the businessmeeting Jan. 26. The five-year program isupdated annually with enrollment projec-tions and capacity calculations, and lays outplans for new construction, renovations andother capacity-increasing work to accom-modate the growing student body.

“It has evolved over the past several yearsand become very responsive to input fromthe school board and from the community,”said Mount Vernon District representative

to the board Karen Corbett Sanders. “It’s agreat tool for identifying both the opportu-nities to better serve our students throughfacilities but also to set a framework onwhen we need to start talking about howto best provide capacity and programmingat each of our schools.”

The capacity enhancements in this lat-est approved CIP include construction ofnew schools, additions to existing schoolsand other renovations, with a total price tagof $824 million.

FCPS said a little less than half of that,$385 million, will be covered by funds ap-proved in the 2015 school bond referendum

and previous referenda, and the remaining$439 million is currently unfunded.

Some of the projects already funded bythat first figure include a new elementaryschool in the Route 1 area and additions toSouth Lakes High School in Reston.

Unfunded projects in the program includea new elementary school in northwestFairfax County, another in the Fairfax-Oakton area, a high school in westernFairfax County and additions to three otherhigh schools.

The new high school is intended to bring

School Board Approves Capital Improvement ProgramFive-year planincludes threenew elementaryschools and onenew high school.

The FCPS School Board unanimously approved a new Capital Improvement Program covering FY2018-2022at its business meeting Jan. 26. The five-year program is updated annually with enrollment projections andcapacity calculations, and lays out plans for new construction, renovations and other capacity-increasingwork to accommodate the growing student body.

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By Tim Peterson

The Gazette

At the end of last year, a pro-posal for development ofmore than four acres of the

land close to the Inova MountVernon medical office suites onHinson, or Bock, Farm came be-fore the Fairfax County Board ofSupervisors. They voted to defera vote until Feb. 14 of this year,with Supervisor Dan Storck (D-Mount Vernon) leading the call formore time to meet with stakehold-ers and facilitate community dia-logue.

On Jan. 26, Storck hosted a

meeting at Walt Whitman MiddleSchool to share some of the infor-mation he’s gathered with thecommunity.

Before the board is a proposalfor a senior (55-plus) independentliving community with four, four-story buildings with 128 units at55 ft. in height, including under-

ground structured parking.Some of the concerns around

this proposal are that the increaseddensity on the property would addtoo much traffic to the area, po-tentially hindering response timeby first responders. Others havesaid having the structures so close

Three Options Presented for Bock Farm DevelopmentReduced condo height and unit number forseniors; townhomes with no age restriction.

Supervisor Dan Storck (D-Mount Vernon) holds a commu-nity information meeting on proposed developments forBock Farm on Jan. 26 at Walt Whitman Middle School.

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2 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Mount Vernon Gazette Editor Steven Mauren

703-778-9415 or gazette@connectionnewspapers.comNews

See High Expectations, Page 18

By Tim Peterson

The Gazette

Fairfax County Police could have abody-worn camera program forofficers up and running as earlyas the fall. That’s what Police Chief

Edwin Roessler and the Board of Supervi-sors Public Safety Committee discussed atthe committee’s first meeting of 2017 onJan. 31.

Roessler said he has already put out aformal Request For Proposals from vendorsin advance of a pilot program. That RFPcloses Feb. 28, the chief said, after which itwill take him about two weeks to evaluatethe proposals.

He would then come back to the supervi-sors with specific needs as far as budget andstaffing. Once approved, Roessler said, itwould take an estimated 90 days to get theprogram up and running for FCPD.

That would also follow a pilot program,where Roessler said he intends to select twovendors and run trials at two stations inFairfax County. In 2015, Rossler came be-fore the supervisors with a model policy forimplementing body cameras. No action wastaken, however, as they decided to wait onlegislation working its way through theGeneral Assembly. Then the chief and de-partment were tied up in litigation sur-rounding the retention of data from licenseplate readers, he said.

“Clearly things have evolved,” since 2015,Roessler said. To move forward, the chief

said he would reconvene the stakeholderswho looked at that model policy and makesure it’s up to date for 2017.

Committee chairman Supervisor JohnCook (R-Braddock) was adamant thereshould be an approved policy in place intime to “govern the pilot.”

Among the issues that policy will need toaddress include how camera recordings willbe dealt with in terms of Freedom of Infor-mation Act requests, privacy laws andnorms, the mental health community andmetrics for efficacy and success.

County Attorney Beth Teare explainedthat the recordings would “clearly be pub-lic records,” but there are four circum-stances in which disclosing them would beprohibited under state law. Those includeinstances when an individual’s address ortelephone number is visible in the record-ing, or a victim of a crime involving sexualabuse or assault can be identified.

Some of these cases, Teare said, can bereleased however at the discretion of thechief of police. To address mental healthconcerns, the committee welcomed JeanneComeau, president and CEO of the NationalAlliance on Mental Illness Northern Vir-ginia, and Scott Campbell of the FairfaxCounty Advisory Committee for Studentswith Disabilities.

Comeau said there are major concernswith cameras, for privacy and safety bothof an individual experiencing a mentalhealth emergency and the responding of-ficer wearing a camera.

There was a question of whether the per-son who made the call for police assistancewould be able to instruct the officer to turnoff the camera so as to not further escalatethe situation.

“How do we protect them? Family mem-bers may not always be present,” Comeau

said. “Don’t want to see people be reluc-tant to call for help. We recognize it’s a com-plex problem.”

Roessler commented that a further com-plicating factor is that the majority of useof force cases in Fairfax County stem frommental health-related calls. But greatertransparency and accountability related touse of force is one of the issues body cam-eras are intended to address.

“You don’t know how it’s going to go un-til it’s over,” Roessler said, acknowledgingthat making policy on when officers mayturn the cameras on or off will be toughpolicymaking sledding.

But, the chief said, he’s glad FairfaxCounty is taking the time to have these dis-cussions, as other jurisdictions around thecountry have rushed into implementingbody cameras and seen negative, unin-tended effects of the hastiness.

“The vision is to have the program, inte-grated into our dash-mounted cameras pro-gram,” Roessler said. “To bring more trans-parency and accountability by having thecameras on the street.”

The next meeting of the Public SafetyCommittee is scheduled for March 21 at 10a.m. at the Fairfax County Government Cen-ter, which will be too early for the Chief’sRFP evaluation timeline. It was discussed,then, that he would present on his vendorchoices at the June 13 meeting.

For more information, visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/bosclerk/board-committees/meetings.

Body-Worn Cameras for County Police Coming CloserPolicy addressing privacy, mental health, metrics needed before pilot begins.

Fairfax County Police could have abody-worn camera program forofficers up and running as early asthe fall. That’s what Police ChiefEdwin Roessler and the Board ofSupervisors Public Safety Commit-tee discussed at the committee’sfirst meeting of 2017 on Jan. 31.

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By Steve Hibbard

The Gazette

With 17 years in education,LaRonda Peterson, 40, wasnamed the new principal of

Bucknell Elementary School in Alexandriaon Nov. 7, 2016, replacing Tim Slayter, whowas transferred to Cameron ElementarySchool.

Peterson, who resides in Prince George’sCounty, Md., will oversee the smallest el-ementary school in Fairfax County, a build-ing that has 240 students and about 60 staffmembers. Students feed into Bucknell fromthe neighborhoods of Bucknell Heights,Bucknell Manor and portions of Groveton.

The school is currently undergoing a reno-vation, adding a 14-room addition whichwill increase the capacity to around 700students. “It’s truly a gem of a school andnot many people know where we are,” shesaid. “We pack a lot of punch and it’s a greatplace to work and a great place to send yourkids.”

Bucknell has the following ethnic break-down of students: Asian: 5.4 percent; Black:

21.8 percent; Hispanic: 16.7 percent;White: 9.7 percent; and Other: 2.3 percent,according to statistics from September2015. There are 86 percent of students inGeneral Education; 20 percent in SpecialEducation; and 39 percent requiring Englishlanguage services. A total of 77 percent ofstudents are on free or reduced lunches and21 percent of students are in Advanced Aca-demic Services.

“Bucknell, albeit small, is an extremelydiverse population in students and staff.And due to our size, we are a true family —where teachers have been here for manyyears and seen families come through fromthe youngest child to the oldest child, andwe embrace the family feel and the diver-sity represented,” said Peterson.

She said the school has a small militarypresence but most of the families have beenin the area for generations. “So we have alot of parents who are former students andwe have a lot of students who all of theirsiblings have been here,” she said. “Themajority of our students have been atBucknell since Head Start, since they were4 years old.”

A part of the West Potomac Pyramid,Bucknell has a Preschool Special Educationand PAC Program (Preschool Autism Class-room), with four preschool special ed teach-

ers and one PAC teacher. “We are not animmersion school, not a magnet school; wejust provide an enriching educational ex-perience here,” said Peterson.

“We are your traditional neighborhoodelementary school; we have one school bus

and the majority of our students are withinwalking distance,” she said. “So often timeson the weekend, you will see kids playingon the playground, and the school is a largepart of the community.”

Bucknell has a business partnership withthe FBI, which sponsors the sixth grade classand provides students with mentors andfield trips to the White House. There is an-other partnership with Bucknell Universityin Lewisburg, Pa. “It’s an online learningcollaboration, so it’s pen-paling to the 10thpower. They use online educational toolssimilar to Skype where the students canhave face-to-face meetings with our kids,”she said.

She said her biggest challenge is balanc-ing her time out of the building for requiredmeetings with the time that she wants tospend with her students and teachers.

Her personal goals are to brand Bucknellas the premiere educational experience forpre-K through sixth grade students, she said,“where teachers have high expectations forinstruction, teachers work collaborativelyto impact student achievement, and to con-tinue to foster strong homeschooled part-nerships and for kids to make memories thatwill last a lifetime.”

What she loves most about her job is the

Peterson: High Expectations for Student AchievementNew principalleads Bucknell.

LaRonda Peterson was namedprincipal of Bucknell ElementarySchool on Nov. 7, 2016.

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4 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By Tim Peterson

The Gazette

Del. Marcus Simon (D-53)brought his two children, 13and 11, to Dulles Interna-tional Airport Jan. 28, not to

fly, but to witness and learn.Demonstrations sprang up at airports

around the United States over the weekend,following an Executive Order by PresidentDonald Trump that blocks travelers fromseven largely Muslim countries — Iraq, Iran,Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia —in the interests of more significant vettingand preventing would-be terrorists fromentering the country.

Simon’s wasn’t the only family in atten-dance. Many had brought their children tothe demonstration.

“You show them this is what you do, howyou protest, be patriotic,” Simon said,“when the government does something youdon’t agree with. You expose them to some-thing positive.”

THE BAN was announced Friday and offi-cials at airports began enforcing it immedi-ately. Travelers from the seven countries areblocked from entering the U.S. for 90 days,and new refugee admissions from the samenations blocked for 120 days. Syrian refu-gees are blocked indefinitely, according tothe ban.

Some individuals who hold valid visaswere impacted by the ban, and others withlegal status and green cards have been de-tained at airports. A federal judge in Brook-lyn passed a ruling over the weekend thatblocked part of Trump’s action, and JudgeLeonie M. Brinkema of the U.S. DistrictCourt for the Eastern District of Virginia is-sued a temporary restraining order Satur-day night specifically for those detained at

Dulles.Brinkema ordered airport au-

thorities to grant lawyers ac-cess to detainees who are per-manent legal residents, andthat permanent residents notbe removed for seven days.

Simon was at Dulles Satur-day and Sunday, as well as stateSen. Jennifer Wexton (D-33),U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) andU.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11), asking that some of themore than 20 lawyers presentbe given that opportunity tomeet with the detainees.

The scenes were intense anda little chaotic, Simon said, butthe demonstrators were non-violent and positive.

“I was just amazed at the number ofpeople, the energy, the spirit, the sponta-neity,” said Simon. “In some ways, it washeartening, to see so many Northern Vir-ginians reacting to [the ban].”

Gov. Terry McAuliffe appeared and spokeat the airport Saturday. U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine(D) visited the ongoing demonstration Mon-day afternoon.

Connolly was able to get one pair of de-tainees released Saturday evening with thehelp of immigration attorneys: FairfaxCounty resident and green card holderAhmed Mohedian, 71, who had been heldwith his wife after returning from Iran. Hewas in that country receiving medical treat-ment, Connolly’s office said.

“America has always stood for being abeacon of hope,” Connolly said in a state-ment reacting to the ban. “Donald Trumpwould paint over Emma Lazarus’s words onthe Statue of Liberty. There are millions ofus willing to stand with immigrants com-ing into our country. There are millions of

us willing to insist that America’s doors re-main open to those fleeing injury, violenceor persecution. This order was not thoughtthrough and must be rescinded. We willfight this illegal Executive Order.”

Simon said airport security officials andborder control told them they weren’t al-lowed to say anything. One of the concerns,he said the legislators had heard, was thatindividuals arriving from the ban-affectedcountries were being met once they got offthe plane and asked to sign a document thatessentially forfeited their green card.

“If that’s what’s going to happen,” Simonsaid, “it shouldn’t be.”

If he had just landed in a foreign countryand was met by men with guns when get-ting off the plane, said Simon, “I’d sign any-thing that was stuck in front of me.” That’swhy it was important for the lawyers tomeet with these people and explain theirrights to them, he added.

Another issue Simon raised was the ap-parent lack of information and clarity onthe details of the ban — airport officialsseemed unprepared for enforcing it.

“The rank and file employees, they werestuck between a rock and a hard place, areally difficult position,” Simon said. Typi-cally with a ban like this, he continued,“you’d expect there to be some more coor-dination with agencies, planning, and in-formation.”

In the press conference Saturday, Beyerreferenced his Freedom of Religion Act heintroduced in 2016, which stated that noone would be denied entry to the UnitedStates based on their religion.

“It’s so ironic that President Trump cameout and said that we’re going to give spe-cial preference to Christians who are refu-gees because so many of them are beingkilled,” Beyer said. “Well I’m a Christian,but I respect that there are many moreMuslims being killed right now, many morewho are refugees.”

Other LocalLeaders Weigh In

On her Facebook page Monday, FairfaxCounty Board of Supervisors chairmanSharon Bulova said:

“The Executive Order issued on Friday is offen-sive and counter to what defines this country. Weare a nation of immigrants committed to religiousfreedom. I am committed to keeping FairfaxCounty a safe and welcoming place. When I wassworn in as chairman, I swore to support the Con-stitution. I believe this ban on travel isunconstitutional and I urge the judiciary to con-tinue to exercise its role in preventing furtherdamage to our country’s values and our reputationaround the world.”

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D), released astatement Friday, the same day as the Ex-ecutive Order was announced. Warner isvice chairman of the Senate Select Commit-tee on Intelligence:

“The Trump Administration Executive Order thatindefinitely suspends the Syrian refugee programand pauses visas from Muslim countries runscounter to our American values. While I have al-ways been open to a pause on our refugee programto ensure appropriate time for intelligence and lawenforcement experts to ensure we protect our na-tional security, these actions by the Presidentpresume the solution before the review is complete.It is a policy targeting Muslims that national secu-rity experts have testified would harm, not help,our national security interests. I join the interfaithcommunity in Virginia and around the country inobjecting to these moves, and I will work in Con-gress to block an effort which trades dubiousincreases in U.S. security for certain alienation ofpartners with whom we must cooperate to addressterrorism.”

The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge,Bishop of Arlington, released a statementas well, expressing solidarity with refu-gees:

“In his statement on the Executive Order haltingrefugee admissions, Bishop Joe Vasquez, chair ofthe Committee of Migration and Bishop of the Dio-cese of Austin, highlighted our nation’s long andproud tradition of welcoming newcomers and refu-gees in a humane manner, even as we havepursued a strong vetting system to ensure oursafety and security. Together with Bishop Vasquezand my brother bishops, I encourage Catholics tocontact our elected officials to make our voicesheard: Our communities have been and will con-tinue to be hospitable to refugees, in keeping withour legacy of welcoming the stranger. Together, wealso pray for comprehensive immigration reformand for peace, safety and harmony within our na-tion and throughout the world.”

The full text of the Jan. 27 Executive Or-der is available online here:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/27/executive-order-protecting-nation-foreign-terrorist-entry-united-states.

Anti-Immigration Ban Rallies Held at DullesDemonstrators, volunteer attorneysand elected officials welcometravelers, extend help to detainees.

Right, U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) speakswith Dulles airport security officials, re-questing lawyers be granted access todetainees impacted by executive actiontaken Friday by President Donald Trump.

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IN A STATEMENT released through herTwitter account on Jan. 29, U.S. Rep. Bar-bara Comstock (R-10) said she supportsincreased vetting based on national secu-rity concerns. However, Comstock said shehas consistently asserted: “I don’t believe itis constitutional to ban people from ourcountry on the basis of religion.”

“The President’s Executive Order issuedyesterday went beyond the increasedvetting actions that Congress has supportedon a bipartisan basis and inexplicably ap-plied to green card holders,” Comstock con-tinued, “people who are legally within ourcountry who have followed the rules.”

Right, U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11) was able to get one pair of detain-ees released Saturday evening with the help of immigration attorneys:Fairfax County resident and green card holder Ahmed Mohedian, 71,who had been held with his wife after returning from Iran.

Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Option A for the Bock Farmsite, which has alreadypassed planning and zon-ing to reach the Board ofSupervisors and was de-ferred last fall: a senior(55+) community with four,four-story buildings with128 units at 55 feet inheight.

Option B for the Bock Farmsite is, again, a seniorcommunity proposal, butwith lower building height(50 feet) and approxi-mately five to 10 fewerunits.

A third proposal, Option C,proposes 35-40 units oftownhomes that aren’t age-restricted and would bearound 35 feet in height,not including the peaks ofthe roofs.

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to the road and reaching a height of 55 feet woulddestroy the organic feeling that’s been enjoyed bythe community for decades.

“This is a difficult decision that impacts not onlyadjacent community, but also has overall impact onthe Mount Vernon community,” Storck said at theJan. 26 meeting. “We’re not talking about just an-other housing development, we’re talking about anopportunity to create something that is not as avail-able in this part of Mount Vernon district: indepen-dent living for the senior 55+ community.”

Storck’s point was accurate for the first option,“Option A,” as well as a second option for indepen-dent senior living, which developer Joe Franconeexplained lowered the building height to 50 feet anddropped the unit number by around five to 10 con-dominiums. All the condos, Francone said, would be

priced between mid-$300,000s and upper $400,000s.Option C, Francone said, would no longer be age-

restrictive, but universally available townhomes,priced in the $700,000s.

With only 35 to 40 units in the Option C develop-ment, the height would again be lowered, this timeto around 35 feet.

Attendees at the meeting were given note cards toprovide feedback, and there was some live question-and-answer with Storck and Francone.

Storck’s office streamed the entire meeting live onFacebook; the video is still available to watch onlinehere: www.facebook.com/danstorckforsupervisor.

A survey went out after the meeting soliciting ad-ditional feedback, including a link to the full FairfaxCounty report on the proposed development, avail-able online here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/TXLHCSD.

6 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

Part IIIn a three-part series focusing on prisoner

reentry in Northern Virginia.

By Shirley Ruhe

The Gazette

Thirty-eight thousand prisonersare incarcerated in Virginia with12,000 adults and 500 juvenilesprojected to be released each

year. Ninety percent of those released re-turn to their communities. Ex-offenders mayface stigma, lack of family support, inad-equate life skills suitable for making it on“the outside” and difficulty getting and re-taining employment.

Local solutions include Offender Aid andRestoration (OAR) serving Arlington, Alex-andria and Falls Church; Guest House lo-cated in Del Ray serving women in North-ern Virginia; and St. Joseph Catholic Churchin Alexandria which ministers to both adultand teen-age former offenders including anemployment initiative for teenagers. In ad-dition, the prison system emphasizes inten-sive reentry training for ex-offenders, andparole and probation officers focusing onex-offender rehabilitation as well as lawenforcement.

OAR provides reentry services to previ-ously incarcerated individuals includingtransition assistance and employmentcoaching. A new reentry program beginsworking with prisoners while they are stillin jails or correction centers. On a 12-de-gree day in January the phone is busy andthe reception room of the OAR office on N.Uhle Street in Arlington has a steady streamof visitors. Elizabeth Jones Valderrama, ex-ecutive director of OAR, says it may besomeone with sweatpants and a plastic bagof clothes who has just been released fromjail and who needs temporary assistance likewarmer clothes, transportation, or snackswhile they are filling out the two hours ofpaperwork.

Sometimes it is a client with a clothingappointment who has come to be measuredfor a complete wardrobe suitable for that“look good, feel good” job interview orsomeone with an intake appointment todiscuss their community service and workout a schedule around their job and family.OAR manages a community service pro-gram that is an alternative to jail or prison.A bright yellow table with crayons and acoloring book sits in the corner. “We wantour clients to feel they can come with theirchildren. A lot of them don’t havebabysitters,” she said.

OAR’s pilot of the reentry program isbased on 20 years of research focusing oncriminogenic principles. The case managerdoes an in-house assessment of the prisonerto determine who is at high risk. “Then weset up meetings with them and give theminformation on the program and they de-cide whether they want to participate.”Jones Valderrama says since they launchedthe program in July 2015 they have workedwith 24 participants both pre-and post-re-lease. The first class of five graduated in

July. “This program is very labor intensive.It takes 300-600 hours of services for oneprisoner each year. “And,” she said “it takestwo and a half years of training for eachstaff member to be able to effectively ad-minister the services offered.’

Jones Valderrama added, “We havechanged everything in the last two yearssince the intensive reentry model.” Thisprogram focuses on cognitive developmentand behavioral thinking. “Before we didn’tfocus on the cognitive; we helped peopleget jobs. We found that in prison they hada lot of groups but people didn’t get indi-vidual attention. “That’s when people comeback.” She said in the past we were count-ing a lot of widgets like how many bus to-kens we gave out but that didn’t changebehavior.” For instance, Jones Valderramaremembers one person who said, “Yes I didsteal from that family but they had insur-ance so they could buy new things. I didthem a favor.” She says they have to changethat kind of thinking.

OAR’s reentry program serves Haynesvlleand Coffeewood Correctional facilities andPeumansend Creek Regional Jail as well asthe Arlington and Alexandria jails. Thereare five high-risk prisoners enrolled in theprogram at Coffeewood out of 1,193 pris-oners. “We are trying to assess the need outthere,” Jones Valderrama said. OAR workswith about 2,100 people in a given year in-cluding about 1,600 individuals complet-ing community service hours and 800 menand women receiving reentry services.

While there are a number of communityresources offering food, housing and otherassistance to the general population includ-ing ex-offenders, there are not many orga-nizations specifically addressing theirneeds. Jones Valderrama said, “That is agood thing because It is difficult to do thiscorrectly and easy for well-intentioned butuntrained people to do harm and frustratethe client. We want our clients to have apositive experience.”

ANOTHER RESOURCE is Guest Houselocated in Del Ray for recently incarceratedwomen who are on supervision. It is theonly residential house of its kind servingwomen in Northern Virginia. There is nocomparable residential house for men inNorthern Virginia.

The participants at Guest House must benon-violent offenders with priority given to

the Northern Virginia area. They must havebeen free of drugs and alcohol for threemonths and willing to make seriouschanges.

Terry Garrett, a nine-year alum of GuestHouse said, “If I hadn’t come here, I’d prob-ably be back in jail, high or dead. I’m vot-ing for dead the way I was living.” Now sheis a speaker for Guest House and a part timemonitor responsible forlogging the women in andout, distributing passes ifthey go out, administeringbreathalyzers and urinetests “just as a precaution.”But she says the best partis sharing her experienceswith the women goingthrough the exact samething — helping them getthrough the rough spots toknow they can make it likeshe did.

The program offers athree-month residentialstay providing a structuredhome environment withservices and support. Eachof the 24 women receivesa mentor as well as a case manager whohelps them develop an individual programwith short and long-term goals. It can in-clude visits to doctors, referrals to counsel-ing and therapy, life skills development andmentoring, job counseling, or AA meetings.The after-care program can last 6-9 months.

Kari Galloway, director of Guest House,says both of these parts have to be com-pleted in order to have a successful comple-tion. “I wish we could keep them longer. Ican’t even stay on a diet for six months, butwe expect them to change their whole lifein that period of time.” She adds if they stayin the program for a year the recidivism rateis 10 percent, “but they have to go the wholeyear.”

Galloway says when she came 12 yearsago, there were nine beds. The Departmentof Corrections increased it to 17 beds threeyears ago and then in July to 26. “There isa huge need. We have a waiting list of 6-12at a time.”

Galloway said, “There is a misconceptionabout their circumstances. They have hada lot of trauma, domestic violence, child-hood abuse. They have so many barriers.”

Garrett said, “We are amazing women

who made a mistake.”Jones Valderrama added, “There are a lot

of injustices in the criminal justice system.If they had better counsel or opportunity togrow up in a different neighborhood, theywouldn’t be where they are.”

Jones Valderrama said, “I stay on becauseI went to Coffeewood in 2010 and saw myfriend from childhood incarcerated. So Isaid to myself wonderful people make mis-takes. “

ST. JOSEPH Catholic Church on N. Colum-bus Street in Alexandria has entered into apartnership with the Court Service Unit ofthe Alexandria Juvenile District Court tohelp youths on probation find employment.

“We are only eight months into the pro-gram; nevertheless, we can already pointto some successes,” Michael Diffley said.“Six teenagers have found employment sofar with our help.”

Diffley also works with adults, an effortbegan after meeting panhandlers on thestreet and finding out who they were. “I con-

nected with them, allhomeless and all ex-felons.It hasn’t been without itsups and downs. But wehave to help them cross thestreet from their side to ourside. There is a place forprograms which help a lotof people, but there is aplace for intensive focus —a place for holding onto aguy’s hand while goingthrough a hard time. Guid-ance on how to help themwhen they fail. They can’tmake it without it.”

Harold Clarke, directorof the Virginia State De-partment of Corrections,says there are intensive re-

entry programs in 16 of the state’s 39 fa-cilities in an effort to help them get con-tacts and get out in the community. Theseprograms begin 3-6 months before releasefrom prison or jail.

“We teach motivational interviewing toengage the offender,” he said.

Clarke explains that the culture of pris-ons depends on which of the six levels theprisoner located in; the higher the level, themore control. “As people move from higherto lower, they approximate outside society.”

Under Clarke’s leadership there has beena new focus on prisoner reentry. He saysthe DOC is responsible for public safety but“if we help ex-offenders make better deci-sions and help them become successful,then in the larger picture we are helpingcreate public safety.” Clarke adds that ittakes a process to focus on the culture ofan organization and to help change themission of an agency. It takes clarity of pur-pose and “we have annual training semi-nars and speakers to focus on our missionand vision.” Clarke said in Virginia 26 per-cent of ex-offenders are back within a yearcompared to over 40 percent nationwide.

Local programs, serviceshelp ex-offenders.Prisoner Reentry: Some Solutions

Jennifer Male, proba-tion and parole officerin Alexandria: “Wedon’t want them tothink of us as police.We want to help.”

Elizabeth JonesValderrama, execu-tive director of OAR:“OAR partners withMen’s Warehouse toprovide a closet ofsuits for that lookgood, feel goodinterview.”

Kari Galloway, direc-tor of Guest House:

“They have had a lotof trauma. They have

so many barriers.”

See Prisoner, Page 16

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Opinion

Praise forMeeting OpennessTo the Editor:

In my letter to the editor published in theJan. 19 Gazette, I reported that in the meetingnotice issued by Mount Vernon Supervisor DanStorck, for the Jan. 26 meeting concerning pro-posed development of a portion of the BockFarm, Supervisor Storck stated that there wouldbe no audience participation. Quoting from thenotice: “The meeting is for informational pur-poses only, NO votes, statements or verbal opin-ions will be solicited, although an opinion sur-vey, which will also be available on our website,will be distributed at the end of the meeting.”

In my letter, I expressed my disagreementwith this decision which I characterized as sti-fling free speech. As I explained: “Stifling freespeech is never a good idea. I strongly urgeSupervisor Storck to permit public commentand discussion at the meeting so that those See Letters, Page 12

There is so much going on this week:

Locally, the effects of a travel banat odds with American valuesplayed out at Dulles International

Airport, but stimulated a heartening response,with volunteer attorneys offering help, local,state and federal elected officials demandingaccountability and peaceful demonstrators pro-testing the un-American assault ontravel from particular Muslim-majoritycountries.

“I was just amazed at the number ofpeople, the energy, the spirit, the spontaneity,”said Del. Marcus Simon, who used FaceBookLive to share the scene over several days. “Insome ways, it was heartening, to see so manyNorthern Virginians reacting.”

See reporter Tim Peterson’s story in this pa-per.

CROSSOVER is Feb. 7; that’s when only billsthat have passed either the House of Delegatesor the Virginia Senate can move forward.

As this date approaches, the General Assem-bly has a serious transparency issue, as it con-tinues to kill most proposed legislation withunrecorded voice votes in subcommittee, withno accountability or record of how membersvoted.

This was raised to new heights earlier thisweek, when a House of Delegates subcommit-tee killed proposed constitutional amendmentsincluding non-partisan redistricting and restor-ing voting rights of felons, along with morethan 20 proposed amendments, in a singlevote.

John Horejsi of Vienna, who heads the orga-nization Social Action Linking Together, notesthat his organization is unable to track what

happens to legislation they support. This head-line, which ran last week onwww.roanoke.com, says it all: “Bill to requirerecorded votes dies on an unrecorded vote,again.”

State Sen. Creigh Deeds continues importantwork on mental health reform, citing threepriorities this year, requiring most of Commu-

nity Services Boards around the stateto provide same-day service and cer-tain outpatient services; to assess andprovide care for inmates who have

mental health needs; and long-term support-ive housing to help avoid repeated mentalhealth crises.

About 200,000 people in Virginia have hadtheir motor vehicle licenses suspended for alegal infraction that has nothing to do with adriving offense. And 650,000 people in Virginiahave a suspended license for failing to paycourt costs. This is an obstacle to holding a joband being able to meet other obligations, andlegislation to stop this counter-productive prac-tice is still alive in the Virginia Senate.

The sale of high-proof grain alcohol in Vir-ginia Alcoholic Beverage Control stores passedthe House of Delegates earlier in the session,and is just foolish.

EFFORTS by state Sen. Adam P. Ebbin andothers, supporting repeal of the Virginia con-stitutional amendment approved by voters in2006 forbidding gay marriage should move for-ward. The 2006 amendment is no longer validbecause the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 le-galized same-sex marriage.

State Sen. Chap Petersen introduced adoomed bill to ban contributions from publicutilities. “Monopolies like Dominion or Appa-

lachian Power have an undue influence on thepolitical process. That leads to legislationwhich has a direct cost to Virginia consumers,both residents and small businesses,” Petersensaid.

It looks like the felony threshold will increaseto $500 from $200, an important distinctionchampioned by Petersen and state Sen. ScottSurovell.

While the constitutional amendment to ad-dress voting rights for felons who have servedtheir sentences died in the above action, Gov.Terry McAuliffe should be commended for re-storing the civic rights of more than 128,000Virginians, and his plans to restore rights forany remaining Virginia citizens who lost theirrights. This has been a laborious and worthyprocess, adapted as needed to meet legal chal-lenges and court rulings.

— Mary Kimm,

mkimm@connectionnewspapers.com

Submit Photos toPet Connection

The Pet Connection, a twice-yearly specialedition, will publish the last week of February,and photos and stories of your pets with youand your family should be submitted by Feb.15.

Please tell us a little bit about your creature,identify everyone in the photo, give a briefdescription what is happening in the photo,and include address and phone number (wewill not publish your address or phone num-ber, just your town name).

Email to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com or submit online atwww.connectionnewspapers.com/pets.

For advertising information, emailsales@connectionnewspapers.com or call 703-778-9431.

Demonstrations at Dulles in reaction totravel ban; fast moving General Assemblylacks transparency; other key issues.

So Much Happening, Don’t Blink

Editorial

Letters to the Editor

listen to the concerns of adjacent neighborsand satisfy those concerns. Perhaps a balloontest would help determine the visual impactof the proposed development on adjacentneighbors. That would help the Board of Su-pervisors in assessing the credibility of adja-cent neighbor concerns.

H. Jay SpiegelMount Vernon

Voting MattersTo the Editor:

I had to laugh when I read Jay Spiegel’s let-ter suggesting that Gerry Connolly and DonBeyer violated their oaths of office by boycott-ing President Trump’s inauguration. I read thetext of the oath Mr. Spiegel cited and failed tosee any mention, implied or otherwise, of arequirement for members of Congress to at-

neighbors closest to the farm will have the op-portunity to weigh in. Doing so may also re-duce the county’s exposure to litigation shoulda decision be made by the Board of Supervi-sors that goes against the wishes of the major-ity of those closely adjacent neighbors mostimpacted by the proposed development.”

I attended the meeting and am pleased toreport that Supervisor Storck permitted audi-ence questions, both through raising of handsand by collecting cards his staff passed out, withaudience questions written on them. I take nocredit for this change in the meeting formatbut am gratified it occurred.

Based upon the information discussed at themeeting, there remain three possible develop-ment options, the one before the Board of Su-pervisors and scheduled for an up or down voteon Feb. 14, and two others, either of whichwould require further proceedings beforecounty staff, the Planning Commission and theBoard of Supervisors. As I explained in my priorletter, the developer would do well to carefully

Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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tend presidential inaugurations. Itwould appear that Mr. Spiegel con-fused a traditional behavioralnorm with a legal requirement.Newt Gingrich was under no suchillusion when he stated, “The 70Democrats who didn’t go to the in-auguration were neither missednor deeply regretted, and nobody,frankly, cared.” “And if they feelbetter about it, good for them.”From a Republican perspective,that pretty well sums it up.

Mr. Spiegel then went on to la-ment that the poor folks who votedagainst Mr. Connolly and Mr. Byerwere not represented at the inau-

guration. At least Mr. Connolly andMr. Beyer won the majority of thevotes cast in their elections. Mr.Spiegel may not have noticed butPresident Trump lost the popularvote and I suspect that there aregoing to be a lot of voters duringthe next four years who will feelthat he is not effectively represent-ing them. To them, as well as Mr.Spiegel, I can only say that elec-tions have consequences. If Mr.Spiegel doesn’t like the way he isbeing represented, he will have achance to vote accordingly in thenext election.

John B. AllenAlexandria

By Scott Surovell

State Senator (D-36)

Week three saw ourGeneral Assemblyin full swing andmovement on

many bills.First, over 100 residents came

out for my two Town Halls inPrince William County. There weremany questions about my “hand’sfree” legislation, coal ash legisla-tion, increasing teacher salaries,tuition affordability, predatorylending, and other issues.

Thirteen of my bills have eitherpassed or are poised for passageout of the Senate this week, 10 billswere rejected, and 16 are stillawaiting action in committee. Oneday, I had to defend 11 differentbills in committee in addition toattending a floor session and twocommittees.

Two cycling safety bills passedthis week. First, one bill clarifiesthat no motor vehicle can use a bi-cycle lane to pass another vehicleon the right. More bike lanes arebeing constructed across Virginiaand our traffic code does not clearlyprohibit the interplay betweenthese lanes and passing on the rightusing pavement. Cutting into a bikelane to pass on the right can bedeadly and needs to be illegal.

The Senate Transportation Com-mittee passed legislation modeledon “vulnerable user” bills passedin 12 other states. The legislationcreates a traffic offense if carelessor inattentive driver causes a seri-ous injury to a lawfully presentcyclist, pedestrian, or other non-motor vehicle user. Today, thesetypes of victims are at a significantdisadvantage after collisions due toconcussions, massive injuries, andlittle forensic evidence to help re-

construct collisions. This legisla-tion will allows pedestrian and cy-clist victims to receive justice.

My legislation to require 30-daysnotice and a public comment pe-riod before any tuition increase canbe discussed passed the SenateEducation Committee and shouldpass the Senate this week. Stu-dents, parents and the public de-serve as much notice of a tuitionincrease as they get for a tax in-crease. Also, my legislation to re-quire the Rector and Vice-Rector ofa state-supported university’s gov-erning board to be an in-state resi-dent appears ready to pass as well.

This week, my legislation to ex-pand Virginia’s pre-school sales taxholiday to computers will be heard.This legislation would save Virgin-ians up to $40 per computer. Also,my legislation to prohibit schoolsfrom using electronic textbooksunless all students are given com-puters should considered as well.

Finally, my legislation regardingcoal ash will be heard on Thurs-day. I introduced three separatebills requiring clean closure, morerobust studies an assessment, andrecycling of coal ash. Each is im-portant to ensure protection of ourgroundwater and the PotomacRiver. Although Dominion’s wastepermit for closing its coal ash pondat Possum Point is pending, my leg-islation could still require regula-tors to revisit pending decisions.

Please email me atscott@scottsurovell.org if youhave any questions. Make sureyou “like” my facebook page(www.facebook.com/surovell),watch two 30-minute interviewsof me on my online newsletter(scottsurovell.blogspot.com) orfollow me on Twitter (/ssurovell).It is an honor to serve as yourstate senator.

Cycling Safety andTuition Transparency

Opinion

10 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Welcoming New Patients,children and adults!

By Marilyn Campbell

One of the most heart-wrenching deci-sions that Denise Schossler, her two sib-lings and her 95-year-old mother hadto make was whether or not to move

her into an assisted living facility, leaving the homewhere she’s lived since 1954. Physical limitations anda need for social interaction drove the decision torelocate to the newly opened Kensington FallsChurch.

“My mother has managed to stay in her home allthis time with the help of an aide who comes everyday, but she realized that it just couldn’t continue.One of the main things is the isolation and the lone-liness,” said Schossler. “She needs more social inter-action than she gets alone in her home. She’s some-one who’s had an active so-cial life, but now it’s justtelevision and books.”

A dearth of social inter-action is one of the factorsthat can lead seniors intoassisted living facilities. Infact, a recent study pub-lished in the Journal of Ger-ontology shows that seniorsliving in assisted living fa-cilities have fewer unmetneeds such as companion-ship, help with cooking,bathing and doing laundrythan those who live independently. However, thesurvey of more than 4,000 people over the age of 65shows that even in such retirement communities,unmet needs still exist. To address this challenge,local gerontology experts say that families must de-termine whether a loved one’s needs meet the crite-ria for assisted living candidacy and once placed,work to ensure that those needs are being met.

“In counseling families making this difficult deci-sion, I focus on safety factors for the patient and otherfamily members,” said Maureen Moriarty, D.N.P., as-sistant professor of nursing at Marymount Univer-sity in Arlington. “Often cognitive impairment is thereason for assisted living. Perhaps memory is affectedso the patient can no longer safely drive or remem-ber the steps in carrying out activities of daily livingsuch as cooking, bathing or management of finances.”

In making this decision, an evaluation by an ob-jective gerontology expert can be necessary, saysPatrice Winter, DPT, assistant professor at GeorgeMason University in the Department of Global andCommunity Health. “They come out and evaluatethe house and the person as well,” she said. “Youhave an objective, unemotional person instead of an

adult child going, ‘Mom you can’t live here anymore.’and the mom saying, ‘Stay out of my business.’”

Such an evaluation will show that there are timeswhen a lifestyle adjustment is all that is needed.“Sometimes they can offer simple solutions that canmake huge changes,” said Winter. “Could it be thatthey need their eyesight and hearing checked? Orthe washing machine moved upstairs” so they cando laundry more frequently?

When seeking an evaluation, Winter recommendslocal social service agencies such as the FairfaxCounty Area Agency on Aging. “The issue may notbe cognitive, but the need for a living environmentwith more support may be triggered by physical limi-tations,” added Moriarty. “Perhaps a chronic degen-erative illness such as Parkinson’s Disease has leftthe patient with physical care needs beyond the scopeof family members.”

Safety can become an issue when family members’physical limitations restrict the quality of care theyare able to offer. “This opens issues not only to pa-tient safety but also the family member may be frailor have their own physical limitations that limit theircapacity to assist someone who, for instance, has bal-ance loss,” said Moriarty. “The key assessment as aclinician for me is that the family no longer has the

resources to care safely forthis individual in a homeenvironment.”

“If there is any questionat all, the person shouldhave a medical evalua-tion,” added Winter.“There could be an imbal-ance in the system thatcould cause changes so areally good physical by ageriatric internist wouldbe paramount before anydrastic actions are taken.”

Once a senior has movedinto an assisted living facility, they often need some-one to advocate on their behalf. Regular visits andtelephone calls to both the family member and thestaff are necessary. “You need to make sure you knowwhat’s going on,” said Thompson, who recentlymoved her own mother into an assisted living facil-ity. “It’s OK to be a pest. I communicate with thestaff at my mother’s facility. She complains to meabout things that she won’t complain to the staffabout so I have to complain on her behalf.”

Even in the best of facilities, a person’s needs canbe inadvertently overlooked, says Thompson, so afamily member’s presence is necessary. “Walk around,pay attention to how other residents seem,” she said.“Are they happy and engaged or are there signs ofneglect?”

“Establish a relationship with those providers whowill be involved in the care of your family member,”added Moriarty. “Become part of the team by attend-ing regular team meetings. Make them aware of yourloved one’s special needs. For example, if your fam-ily member always had tea in the morning, requestthat this continues.”

Schossler says that her proximity to the KensingtonFalls Church will allow her to be in regular contactwith both her mother and the staff.

“My mother has grandchildren and great-grand-children and we can visit her because the Kensingtonis just a few minutes away from where I live,” shesaid. “My mother has already made connections withthree people who will be there, so she’s looking for-ward to moving. We happened to find the right fit atthe right time.”

To Move Or Not To MoveLocal family movesmother into newlyopened KensingtonFalls Church.

Local Resources❖ Alexandria Area Agency on Aginghttps://www.alexandriava.gov/Aging❖ Fairfax County Area Agency on Aginghttp://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/olderadultservices/❖ Arlington Aging and Disability Services Divisionhttps://aging-disability.arlingtonva.us/❖ Kensington Falls Church Open HouseFeb. 1, 5 and 22, 4:30 to 7 p.m.700 West Broad St., Falls Church

Wellbeing

“She needs more socialinteraction than she getsalone in her home. She’ssomeone who’s had anactive social life, but now it’sjust television and books.”

— Denise Schossler

Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 ❖ 11www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Calendar

Entertainment

All In for ‘The Gin Game’

Notes from

The Producer

By Carolyn Griffin

Producing Artistic Director

The next production atMetroStage is “The Gin Game,”a Pulitzer Prize winning clas-sic play by D. L. Coburn, open-

ing Feb. 2 and running through March 12.It has been produced all over the countryand all over the world since it opened onBroadway in 1977, and it is famous forshowcasing many famous acting pairs in thistwo-hander that takes place on the sun

porch of a retirementhome. Of course, themost notable actingpair was the husbandand wife team, Hume

Cronyn and Jessica Tandy, appearing in theoriginal production, which received fourTony nominations with Ms. Tandy winningthe Tony for Best Actress. There was aBroadway revival in 1997 starring JulieHarris and Charles Durning, receiving threemore Tony nominations, and then in 2015,in the same theatre on Broadway, the JohnGolden Theatre, where it had opened 38years earlier, it opened with none other thanJames Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson.

Now what does all of this have to do with

MetroStage? First of all MetroStage lovesto find the perfect actors to showcase on itsintimate stage. (Case in point Tom Storyplaying 40 characters in “Fully Committed”over the holidays.) Secondly, back in 2015in our world premiere production of “Up-rising” actors Doug Brown and Roz Whiteplayed opposite each other as Lottie andCharlie Pick. They were so charming onstage together, having been in manyMetroStage productions but never together,that I, the producer, said to myself, “I needto find a play for these two actors.”

And I guess you could say the rest is his-tory. Here they are in “The Gin Game,” fol-lowing in the proud steps of so many, andwe are delighted to be showcasing themtogether in this production. So grab a seatat the table (a card table that is!) and meetFonsia and Weller, two remarkable charac-ters, while they get to know each other,playing cards while exposing their lives, theaspirations and the disappointments, andultimately revealing who they really are. Itis a rewarding journey we will be takingwith these two, so join these memorablecharacters and two of MetroStage’s favor-ite actors over a game of cards. Who knewthey could be so revealing?

See www.metrostage.org/.

Photo Courtesy of MetroStage

In rehearsal at MetroStage with Roz White and Doug Brown for “The GinGame.”

Email announcements to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Include date,time, location, description and contact forevent: phone, email and/or website. Pho-tos and artwork welcome. Deadline isThursday at noon, at least two weeks be-fore event.

ONGOINGRockNBlades. Fridays in February

8:45-10:30 p.m. at Mount Vernon IceSkating, 2017 Belle View Blvd.Skating with music. $12 admissionincludes rental skates.DASHingWords in Motion. Through Feb. 1,The City of Alexandria Office of theArts and the Alexandria TransitCompany have joined forces to host apoetry contest “DASHing Words inMotion.” Possible inspirational ideasmight stem from the AlexandriaTransit Company’s DASH busesmotto which is “Keep AlexandriaMoving,” or bus stops,neighborhoods, roads, or othermodes of transportation within theCity of Alexandria.www.alexandriava.gov/Arts, email atpoet@alexandriava.gov, or by phoneat 703-746-5565.

Multiple Exposures Gallery.Through Feb. 12 at Torpedo FactoryArt Center, #312, 105 North UnionSt. Colleen Henderson’s A Study inContrasts, and Sandy Lebrun-Evan’sMcDowell County, WVA.www.multipleexposuresgallery.com

“Sanctuary.” Through Feb. 18 in theCommons Fireplace Alcove of MountVernon Unitarian Church, 1909Windmill Lane. Selected black andwhite photographs from Nina Tisara’s“Sanctuary” series, shot in HuntleyMeadows Park. A closing receptionwill be held on Feb. 18, 6:30-7:15p.m., followed by a concert by NovaChamber Orchestra beginning at 7:30p.m. Email Nina Tisara atninat@ninatisara.com or call 703-765-5950 for more.

Mercy in Alexandria WalkingTour. Sundays at 1:30 p.m. at

Alexandria Visitors Center, 221 KingSt. Experience an inside access tourof 19th century Alexandria. Inspiredby the PBS mini-series “MercyStreet,” accompany a trained militaryhistorian through Civil War-eraAlexandria and learn the actualhistory behind the TV show. Shorttours are $15, private tours for fiveare $149. Visit www.dcmilitarytour.com for more

The Lyceum: 175 Years of LocalHistory. Ongoing, Monday-Saturday10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m.at The Lyceum, 201 S. WashingtonSt. On view in the museum’sColdsmith Gallery, the historicalobjects and images featuredrepresent The Lyceum, thecommunity at work, andcommemorations and celebrations.Throughout the exhibition, visitorsare invited to “be the curator” andthink about why the various artifactsare in the museum’s collection, andabout how tangible representatives ofthe past help tell the story ofAlexandria’s history. Free. Visitwww.alexandriahistory.org for more.

Pick-Up Hockey. Ongoing,Wednesdays and Fridays 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Mount Vernon Ice Skating,2017 Belle View Blvd. Play hockeywith other hockey buffs, hitting slapshots and learning puck handlingskills that the pros use. Players musthave full equipment. 16 and older.Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/rec/mtvernon/ or call 703-768-3224.

Medical Care for the Civil WarSoldier Exhibit. Ongoing at theFort Ward museum, 4301 W.Braddock Road. ongoing exhibitwhich features original medicalinstruments and equipment from theCivil War period and information onUnion Army hospital sites inAlexandria. Free. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov/fortward

Alexandria’s Nurses and HospitalsDuring the Civil War. Ongoing atThe Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St.An exhibit on the life of Clarissa

Jones, a nurse at The Lyceumhospital during the Civil War. Thetrue story of a nurse in Alexandriaduring the war, drawing parallelswith characters portrayed in the PBSdrama “Mercy Street,” withreferences to the experiences of othernurses, such as Anne Reading, whoworked in the Mansion Househospital, and Jane Woolsey, whoserved at the Fairfax Seminaryhospital. Admission is $2. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov/lyceum.

Shield of Earth: Defending theHeart of the Union exhibit.Ongoing, museum hours Tuesdaythrough Saturday, 10 a.m. -5 p.m.,Sundays, noon-5 p.m. at Fort WardMuseum, 4301 West Braddock Road.Highlights of the exhibition includemilitary passes issued by ProvostMarshal’s Office, construction tools,and original photographs of some ofWashington’s defenders. 703-746-4848 or www.fortward.org.

Who These Wounded Are: TheExtraordinary Stories of theMansion House Hospitalexhibit. Ongoing, Tuesday throughSaturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sundays,noon-4 p.m. at the Carlyle HouseHistoric Park, 121 N. Fairfax St.Come see the site that inspired“Mercy Street,” the new PBS’ seriesinspired by real events that tookplace at Carlyle House.www.carlylehouse.org or call 703-549-2997

“Ancient Art of Movement.” 1 p.m.at Hollin Hall Senior Center, 1500Shenandoah Road. Carmen Shippy,retired professional dancer, teaches aseries designed for ages 50 andabove. Movements are designed tostrengthen core muscles and increaseflexibility. Adjustments will be madefor those with physical limitations.First lesson in the series is free fornon-center members. To continuelessons, a yearly membership to allSenior Center programs is $48. Call703-765-4573 to sign up.

Color Disorder Exhibit. Ongoing,

Thursday through Sunday, noon-4p.m., Sundays, noon-4 p.m. at theThe Athenaeum, 201 Prince St. Ajoint exhibition of artists Katie Bainesand Amy Chan who use diversepainting materials such as acrylic,gouache, airbrush and screen print tobuild energized abstract paintings.www.nfaa.org or 703-548-0035.

Flamenco Show. Wednesdays andThursdays, 7:30-8:30 p.m. at LaTasca, 607 King St. Watch dancersand guitarists perform traditionalflamenco. Free to attend. Call 703-299-9810 or visitwww.latascausa.com.

French Movie Night. Every Thursday,7 p.m. in the back room of FontaineCaffe and Creperie, 119 S. Royal St.View a French film. Free, noreservation necessary. Call 703-535-8151 or visitwww.fontainecaffe.com/reviews.html.

Their Fates Intertwined: The Leesof Alexandria in the War of1812. Wednesday- Saturday, 10a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, 1-4 p.m. Lee-Fendall House and Gardens, 614Oronoco St. A new exhibit on theexperiences of the Lee family inAlexandria during the War of 1812examines the contributions ofAlexandria’s citizens during theconflict that led to the writing of ournational anthem through the lives ofthis iconic Virginia family. Visitwww.leefendallhouse.org or call 703-548-1789.

Alexandria Cars and Coffee invitescar enthusiasts to meet for coffee atHollin Hall Shopping Center in frontof Roseina’s, 1307 Shenandoah Road.Owners of classic cars, hot rods,exotic cars, motorcycles and moremeet to share car stories and drinkcoffee. Group meets the first Sundayof every month. 8:30-11 a.m.

Fifty Years of Collecting. Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sundays 12-5 p.m. Fort Ward Museum, 4301 W.Braddock Road. An anniversaryexhibit of objects from the Fort Ward

collection. Free. Visitwww.fortward.org or call 703-746-4848.

Dinner for the Washingtons. 12p.m. at George Washington’s MountVernon, 3200 Mount VernonMemorial Highway. A walking tourthat goes behind the scenes to findout how food was prepared andserved before the era of microwavesand TV dinners. $5 in addition toestate admission. Visitwww.mountvernon.org for more.

Second Thursday Music.Athenaeum, 201 Prince St. 7 p.m.Second Thursday of every month.Visit nvfaa.org to view concertcalendar and listen to upcomingSecond Thursday Music artists.

The Monday Morning Birdwalktakes place weekly, rain or shine(except during electrical storms,strong winds, or icy trails), at 7 a.m.(8 a.m. November through March), isfree, requires no reservation and isopen to all. Birders meet in theparking lot at the park’s entrance at3701 Lockheed Blvd. Direct questionsto park staff during normal businesshours at 703-768-2525.

Civil War Sundays. 1-5 p.m. atAlexandria Archaeology Museum,105 North Union St., #327. Learnmore about the Civil War as itoccurred in Alexandria. Finddioramas, newspaper articles andmore Free. Visitwww.alexandriaarchaeology.org.

Doggy Happy Hour. Starting April 5,Tuesdays through October 5-8 p.m.at Jackson 20 and Hotel MonacoAlexandria, 480 King St. DoggyHappy Hour at Jackson 20 and theHotel Monaco Alexandria offersspecials on cocktails and beers plustreats and water for caninecompanions. Free, but drinks soldseparately. Visit www.monaco-alexandria.com for more

Wake Up Wednesdays featuring ThePop Up Cafe. 7-9:30 a.m. onWednesday’s near the King StreetTunnel - Carlyle Entrance located

12 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Exp. 2/28/17

Calendar

Entertainment

By Hope Nelson

The Gazette

Amid the blocks of bustling King Street, a newfactory is preparing to open. But it doesn’tneed an industrial permit to hawk its wares.

No, what’s rolling off the line within these four wallsis something sweet indeed — handmade ice cream,

hot (or, more accurately, cold) off thepress.

Founded in Arlington, the NicecreamFactory is preparing to set up shop in

Old Town soon, and co-owner Sandra Tran says herteam couldn’t be more excited about their expan-sion to 726 King St.

“We’re just really excited to bring the concept toOld Town because we feel that it’s very family-friendly,” she said. “Kids love our ice-cream store;they love to come andwatch us make it.”

In the world of icecream shops, Nicecream— which Tran calls a“Charlie and the Choco-late Factory-style place”— stands out.

“We’re hand-craftingice cream the way thatice cream should be made,” she said.

And, according to Tran, the way ice cream shouldbe made is this: Fresh and on the spot, with localingredients (the eatery’s fruit comes from Virginiaand Maryland, for instance), and flash-frozen withliquid nitrogen before serving.

Nicecream will sport a rotating cast of about six toeight flavors a day in its Old Town location, Transays, which will change character based on the sea-son. Expect “a variety of berries” in the summer andwarm, comforting flavors such as caramel, cinnamon,candied walnuts, and the like in winter, she said.

Founded in May 2013 via a successful Kickstartercampaign and beginning sales as a pop-up in DupontCircle’s Science Club, Nicecream opened its Arling-ton store in May 2014.

“We were just shocked by how many people wereso excited about Nicecream” during the Kickstartercampaign, Tran said. “People all over the world weredonating. … It just grew from there.”

Setting up shop in Arlington at first was a no-brainer, as well, she said: “We (Tran and her long-time boyfriend and business partner GilbertWelsford) live in Arlington, so it was just kind of a

good fit.”Tran, a native of Falls

Church, had always hadher heart set on expand-ing to Alexandria — itwas simply a matter offinding the right match.

“We’ve always beenfrankly obsessed withOld Town,” she laughed.

“… We just have been so happy and excited, andeveryone we talk to has just been the most welcom-ing.”

Hope Nelson owns and operates the Kitchen Recessionistablog, located at www.kitchenrecessionista.com. Email her anytime at hope@kitchenrecessionista.com.

Nicecream To Add SomeFactory Flair to King Street

If You GoNicecream, 726 King St.Opening: March 2017. “It’s coming quicker than we

think,” co-owner Sandra Tran laughs.Try this: Peanut butter cup ice cream made with peanut

butter, white chocolate chips, spices, and chocolate. “We roastour own peanuts in-house, so whenever we make it the wholeplace smells like peanut butter,” Tran says.

Appetite

near 2000 Duke Street near MotleyFool. The cafe will feature coffee, livemusic to help commuters start theday off right and donuts from SugarShack. maurisapotts@gmail.com

CAMPS, CLASSES & WORKSHOPSCommunity Dance. 7:30-9:30 p.m.

every third Friday at Hollin HallSenior Center, 1500 ShenandoahRoad. Live music. Tickets are $4. Call703-765-4573.

Life Drawing. Del Ray Artisans offers arange of open life drawing sessionsfor anyone to develop life-drawingskills further. Drop-in for the sessionand bring supplies to draw or paintlive models. Fee ranges from $8-$12.All skill levels are welcome. Del RayArtisans is located at 2704 MountVernon Ave. Visit www.TheDelRayArtisans.org for a schedule.

MONDAY-SUNDAY/JAN. 30-FEB. 5Restaurant Week. Participating

restaurants offer multi-course $35dinner, $22 lunch, and – for the firsttime - $22 brunch menus, exclusivelyavailable during Restaurant Week.Visit www.rwdmv.com for more.

THURSDAY/FEB. 2Coffee and Connections. 8-9 a.m. at

Alexandria Renew Enterprises, 1800Limerick St. Join AlexandriaChamber’s Professional Women’sNetwork for its first Coffee andConnections event of 2017. $10 formembers, $20 for non-members. Visitalexandriavacoc.wliinc33.com.

FRIDAY/FEB. 3Garden Talks: Plants that Bully.

1:30-2:30 p.m. at Green SpringGardens, 4603 Green Spring Road.Master Gardeners highlight theinvasive plants and show nativealternatives to grow instead. $10.Call 703-642-5173 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring for more.

Mardi Gras in Alexandria. 6-8:30p.m. at the Durant Arts Center, 1605Cameron St. $5 residents; $10nonresidents. Make a Mardi Grasmask or bring one and plan toparticipate in the evening’s MardiGras parade. At door: $10 residents;$15 nonresidents. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov/Arts.

Heflebower’s Cobblers andCocktails. 7-9 p.m. at Gadsby’sTavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St.Come taste tavern keeper SamuelHeflebower’s 19th-century cocktails,learn a bit of tavern history. Call 703-746-4242 or visitwww.gadsbystavern.org for more.

The Bottle Rockets Concert. 7:30p.m. at The Birchmere, 3701 MountVernon Ave. In concert with MarshallCrenshaw. $29.50. Call 703-549-7500 or visit www.birchmere.com.

FEB. 3-MARCH 5Ceramic Guild Show. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

at Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105N. Union St. “Customer Appreciation:Welcome to our World” CeramicGuild show at Scope Gallery. Visitwww.scopegallery.org,www.torpedofactory.org/galleries/scope or call 703-548-6288 for more.

SATURDAY/FEB. 4Merit Badge Jamboree. 8:30 a.m.-

3:30 p.m. at Bishop Ireton HighSchool, 201 Cambridge Road. Anevent for Boy Scouts to attend andearn merit badges. Visitwww.ncacbsa.org/colonial/advancement/merit-badge-jamboree/or call 703-324-8662 for more.

12th Annual Alexandria WarehouseSale. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at The WestinAlexandria, 400 Courthouse Square.Discounts from some of Alexandria’sboutiques. Visitwww.oldtownboutiquedistrict.com orwww.AlexandriaWarehouseSale.comfor more.

The Lee-Fendall House as CivilWar Hospital. 10 a.m. at the Lee-Fendall House, 614 Oronoco St “ThisTide of Wounded” tour of themuseum and grounds highlights theLee-Fendall House’s role as a hospitalduring the Civil War. $8 in advance,$10 at the door. Visitwww.leefendallhouse.org or call 703-548-1789 for more.

Connecting Communities ThroughArt Expression. 11 a.m. at MountVernon High School, 8515 OldMount Vernon Road. A celebration ofart, hosted by the Northern VirginiaAlumnae Chapter (NoVAC) of DeltaSigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Free.Contact Samantha Sargent, 703-717-2319 or Ashley Jennings, 757-593-1837.

World Wetlands Day. noon-2 p.m. atHuntley Meadows Park, 3701Lockheed Blvd. Come celebrate theimportance of wetlands and learnwhy these unique ecosystems aresignificant to people, plants and

Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 ❖ 13www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Mount Vernon District30th Annual Town Meeting

Saturday, February 4, 2017, 7:45 a.m. – 12 p.m.(Exhibits at 7:45 / Presentations begin at 9:30 am)

Mount Vernon High School8515 Old Mt Vernon Road, Alexandria, VA 22309

Presented by DAN STORCKMount Vernon District Supervisor

Join Supervisor Storck for the 30th Annual Town Meeting. As part ofthe town meeting, Supervisor Storck will take guests on a “virtual tour” ofthe changes in the Mount Vernon District over the past year.

Speakers include Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova, CountyExecutive Ed Long, Mount Vernon District School Board Member KarenCorbett-Sanders, and Colonel Angela Holbrook, Garrison Commander, FortBelvoir Army Post.

Beginning at 7:45 a.m., a wide array of displays and exhibits will be availablein the cafeteria. The Town Meeting program will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m.

For more information, call the Mount Vernon District Office at 703-780-7518, TTY 711, visit the office at 2511 Parkers Lane, or send your ques-tions/comments to mtvernon@fairfaxcounty.gov.

MTVERNON@FAIRFAXCOUNTY.GOVWWW.FAIRFAXCOUNTY.GOV/MOUNTVERNON

Entertainment

animals. Ages 4 and older. $8 countyresidents, $10 non-county. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows-park for more.

Happy Birthday John Carlyle.Noon-4 p.m. at Carlyle HouseHistoric Park, 121 N. Fairfax St. A1770s Celebration for the townfounder. Visit www.novaparks.com.

Experiences of Slavery. 2 p.m. at theLee-Fendall House, 614 Oronoco St.“From Slavery to Freedom,” this tourinterprets the Lee-Fendall Housefrom the perspective of its enslavedinhabitants, exploring theexperiences of slavery in the city. $8in advance, $10 at the door. Visitwww.leefendallhouse.org or call 703-548-1789 for more.

Pipeline Playwrights LaunchParty. 3-6 p.m. at the National ArtsEducation Association, 901 Prince St.The launch party will feature scenesfrom the four new plays in the springreading series. Call 703-860-8000 orvisit www.arteducators.org.

Country-Western Dance. 6-9:30 p.m.at the Lincolnia Senior Center, 4710N. Chambliss St. The NorthernVirginia Country-Western DanceAssociation dance. $10; non-members $12; children under 18accompanied by a paying adult $5.Smoke-free, alcohol-free. BYOrefreshments. Visit www.nvcwda.orgor call 703-860-4941 for more.

SUNDAY/FEB. 5Philharmonic’s Youth Orchestras.

11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Durant ArtsCenter, 1605 Cameron St. Part of theThe “Bagels and Bach” ConcertSeries, light brunch included. $10/Nonresident $15, under five, free.Visit www.alexandriava.gov/arts.

Winter Warmer Tea. 3-4:30 p.m. atGadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 NRoyal St. Choose from a variety of18th-century desserts while sippingJohn Gadsby’s special blend of tea ortake a cup of American HeritageChocolate. Historic guest MarthaWashington will catch you up on thelatest Alexandria news during thetea. $35. Reservations required. Call703-746-4242 for more.

Super Bowl Blitz. 5-11 p.m. atChadwicks, 203 Strand St. Watch thegame on a big projection screen andenjoy unlimited appetizers and drinkspecials. $20. There are a limitednumber of tickets. Call 703-836-4442for more.

MONDAY/FEB. 6Garden Sprouts: Nature

Playgroup. 10-11:30 a.m. at GreenSpring Gardens, 4603 Green SpringRoad. Preschoolers participate innature-themed activities whileparents meet other playgroup parentsone Monday a month. $6. Call 703-642-5173 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring for more.

TUESDAY/FEB. 7Iconography: Prayer in Images.

7:30-9 p.m. at St. Aidan’s EpiscopalChurch, 8531 Riverside Road. Learnhow to read the symbolism in this artform and how icons are used inOrthodox Christian churches andhomes with Laura Clerici. Call 703-360-4220 or visitwww.staidansepiscopal.com.

FEB. 7-MARCH 14Mixed Media Exhibit. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

at the St. George Gallery, 105 NorthAlfred St. Inspirational approaches inmixed media inhabit this art exhibit.Call 703-299-9495 or visitwww.StGeorgeofEthiopia.com.

WEDNESDAY/FEB. 8Justin Hayward Concert. 7:30 p.m.

at The Birchmere, 3701 Mt. Vernon

Ave. Hayward is the vocalist-songwriter-guitarist of The MoodyBlues. Visit www.birchmere.com formore.

THURSDAY/FEB. 9Fort Belvoir Update Breakfast. 8-

9:30 a.m. at the Belle Haven CountryClub,

6023 Fort Hunt Road. Col. Holbrookewill provide an update on plannedimprovements. $25 for MountVernon-Lee Chamber Members andGuests, $35 Non-Chamber. Emailinfo@mtvernon-leechamber.org formore.

Author Charles Mills. 7 p.m. at TheAthenaeum, 201 Prince St. Millsdiscusses his book “The Civil WarWedding,” an entertaining look at thecustoms and superstitions ofweddings during the Civil War era.RSVP at admin@nvfaa.org

FEB. 9-MARCH 19Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery.

Torpedo Factory, Studio 29, 105 N.Union St. Cosmic Sights and Sounds,comes as the winter night sky’s grandcollection of brilliant stars begins togive way to the vernal equinox. Thisshow will also highlight the work offeatured artists Carol Bodin, MickeyKunkle, and Lynda Prioleau. Visitwww.Potomacfiberartsgallery.comfor more.

SATURDAY/FEB. 11Artists’ Reception. 2-4 p.m. at the

Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Halland Arts Center, 4915 East CampusDrive. Artists’ reception for threeexhibiting shows for artists WinstonW. Harris, John M. Adams andLonnie Pauls. Free. Visitwww.nvcc.edu/schlesingercenter/ formore.

Twig Snowflake Sale. 4 p.m. at TheTwig Shop, 106 N. Columbus St.Everything on sale at thisorganization dedicated to providingfinancial aid, volunteer service andsupport to Inova Alexandria Hospital.Call 571-251-1717 or visitwww.thetwig.org.

Nocturnal Animals. 5:15-7:15 p.m. atHuntley Meadows Park, 3701Lockheed Blvd. Look and listen forowls, beavers and other animals thatare active at night. $8. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows-park/ or call 703-768-2525 for more.

FEB. 11-12All-Mozart Concert. 8 p.m. at Rachel

M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and ArtsCenter, 4915 E Campus Drive. Theconcert has a focus on musicalmasterpieces, led by five conductors,anchored by a classical “popular”favorite from the symphonic canon.$20-$80, $5 youth and $10 studentwith military, senior and groupdiscounts available. Visitwww.alexsym.org or call 703-548-0885 for more.

SUNDAY/FEB. 12Live Animal Lunchtime. noon-1 p.m.

at Huntley Meadows Park, 3701Lockheed Blvd. Bring lunch toHuntley Meadows and dine with aspecial animal guest — a snake,turtle, or toad. Learn about thecritter’s diet, adaptations and habitatthrough crafts and hands-onlearning. $7, dessert included. Call703-768-2525 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows-park/.

Gardening Author. 1:30 p.m. atGreen Spring Gardens, 4603 GreenSpring Road. Marta McDowell sharesthe history of the White Housegardens and signs her book, “All thePresidents’ Gardens” after thelecture. $10. Call 703-642-5173 or

14 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Dealers

★ Mount Vernon Antique Center ★8101 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria

703-619-5100www.mtvantiques.com

Discover the secret source of many collectors, dealers,decorators and shoppers with “good eyes” and great taste.

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COMMUNITIES OF WORSHIP

To Advertise Your Faith Community, call Karen at 703-778-9422

Good Shepherd CatholicChurch Mass Schedule

8710 Mount Vernon Highway, Alexandria VA, 22309Tel: 703-780-4055 Fax: 703-360-5385 • www.gs-cc.org

Saturday:5:00 pm Vigil Mass6:30 pm Vigil Mass(en Español)Sunday:7:30 am; 9:00 am(with Sign LanguageInterpreter andChildren’s Liturgy ofthe Word); 10:30 am;12:00 Noon; 2:00 pm(en Español); 6:30 pm

Monday-Saturday:9:00 am Mass(Rosary at 8:30 am)

En Español:Monday, 6:30 pm;Thursday, 7:30 pm;First Friday, 7:30 pm

Join us for the Year of Mercy

By Melinda Kernc

Alexandria Symphony Orchestra

Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO) continues its season of celebrated masterworkson Saturday, Feb. 11 and Sunday, Feb. 12 with

a pair of all-Mozart peformances. The concert setcontinues the season with a focus on musical mas-terpieces, led by five renowned guest conductors.Each concert is anchored by a classical “popular”favorite loved by audiences from the symphoniccanon. The February program features all-Mozartselections with the exuberant Jupiter Symphony, Pi-ano Concerto No. 20 and the Overture to the MagicFlute.

The ASO welcomes guest conductor Michael Rossi,a rising star in the orchestral world. Graduating fromthe Washington National Opera’s Domingo-CafritzYoung Artist Program, Rossi has led orchestras fromPhiladelphia to Xalapa. Maestro Rossi is also thefounder and artistic director of the Miami SummerMusic Festival, which in just two years has become amajor international summer festival.

According to Rossi, Mozart greatly influenced hismusical journey. “In my lifetime, little has capturedmy imagination the way the music of Mozart has,”said Rossi. “When I was 7 years old, like many of us,I saw the famous movie Amadeus and fell in lovewith the music of Mozart. When I heard the PianoConcerto in D Minor, I wanted to learn to play it.

Years later, that concerto would become the first pi-ano concerto that I would conduct in public.”

Back by popular demand, Thomas Pandolfi willlend his artistry to the piano concerto. Praised bythe Washington Post, Pandolfi is “an artist who ismaster of both the grand gesture and the sensualline.” Equally a master of technique and expression,Pandolfi played to a sold-out house with ASO audi-ences jumping to their feet in a standing ovation withhis premiere of Kluge & Kluge’s American Concertofor Piano and Orchestra in May of 2016.

“I feel a wonderful rapport and friendship with thiswonderful orchestra, and we have covered a widerange of diverse repertoire,” said Pandolfi. “This timearound, it will be my pleasure to partner with theASO and Maestro Rossi in Mozart’s dramatic, yetbeautiful D Minor Piano Concerto. This work was aparticular favorite of Beethoven’s, who even com-posed cadenzas for it, and is one of Mozart’s fewworks in a minor key. It displays all of the splendor,mastery and genius of this magnificent composer.”

The fully-professional Alexandria Symphony Or-chestra performs at both the Rachel M. SchlesingerConcert Hall & Arts Center (Saturday performances)and the George Washington Masonic Memorial (Sun-day performances). Ticket prices: $20- $80 adult, $5youth, and $10 student with military, senior andgroup discounts available. To order tickets and formore information, visit www.alexsym.org or call 703-548-0885.

ASO Presents All-Mozart Concert

Calendar

Entertainment

visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring/ for more.

MONDAY/FEB. 13Anti-Valentine’s day kickboxing. 5-

6:30 p.m. at iLoveKickboxing, 660 S.Pickett St. Shred Your Ex, a positiveway to ditch the Valentine’s Daydoldrums and get fit in the process.Free for members of iLoveKickboxing.Visit www.ilovekickboxing.com orcall 571-429-4290.

Vegetable Gardening Lecture. 7-8:30 p.m. at the Burke BranchLibrary, 4701 Seminary Road.Vegetable Gardening Part 2: Planningand Preparation. Free. Emailmgarlalex@gmail.com or call 703-228-6414 for more.

TUESDAY/FEB. 14Submission Deadline. 2017

Needlework Show & Sale mail-inentries: Jan. 11-Feb. 14; walk-inentries: Feb. 12-14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.Looking for needlework pieces thatshowcase many techniques in bothtraditional and contemporarydesigns.woodlawnevents@savingplaces.org

THURSDAY/FEB. 16Business After Hours. 5:30-7 p.m. at

The Wharf, 119 King St. Enjoyrefreshments and hors d’oeuvres withthe Alexandria Chamber ofCommerce while networking withother business and nonprofitprofessionals. Members $10, non-members $25, and members at thedoor $25. Visitweb.alexchamber.com/ for more.

FEB. 17-26Winter Restaurant Week.

Neighborhood restaurantsthroughout Alexandria, including OldTown, Del Ray, Carlyle and the WestEnd. $35 three-course dinner for oneor $35 dinner for two; select

locations offering lunch from $10-20/person. Visitwww.AlexandriaRestaurantWeek.comor call 703-746-3301 for more.

SATURDAY/FEB. 18Eco-Savvy Symposium. 9:30 a.m.-1

p.m. at Green Spring Gardens, 4603Green Spring Road. Learn why plantand animal life biodiversity is criticalto a healthy ecosystem and what canbe done to bring diversity to yourown backyard. Call 703-642-5173 orvisit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring/.

The Lee-Fendall House as CivilWar Hospital. 10 a.m. at the Lee-Fendall House, 614 Oronoco St. “ThisTide of Wounded” tour of themuseum and grounds highlights theLee-Fendall House’s role as a hospitalduring the Civil War. $8 in advance,$10 at the door. Visitwww.leefendallhouse.org or call 703-548-1789 for more.

Experiences of Slavery. 2 p.m. at theLee-Fendall House, 614 Oronoco St.“From Slavery to Freedom,” this tourinterprets the Lee-Fendall Housefrom the perspective of its enslavedinhabitants, exploring theexperiences of slavery in the city. $8in advance, $10 at the door. Visitwww.leefendallhouse.org or call 703-548-1789 for more.

FEB. 18-19Presidents Day Breakfast Sampler.

9 a.m.-noon at George Washington’sMount Vernon, 3200 Mount VernonHighway. Join “General Washington”for a sample of hoecakes prepared byMount Vernon staff. Visitwww.mountvernon.org/ or call 703-780-2000 for more.

Visit with George Washington. 11a.m.-4 p.m. at George Washington’sMount Vernon, 3200 Mount VernonHwy. Mingle with costumedcharacters from George Washington’sworld, followed by an 18th-centurydancing demonstration, birthday

cake and wreath laying ceremony.Adults, $20; children ages 6-11, $10;and children under 5 free. Visitwww.mountvernon.org/ or call 703-780-2000 for more.

SUNDAY/FEB. 19Top 10 Plants for the Garden. 1:30

p.m. at Green Spring Gardens, 4603Green Spring Road. HorticulturistsKaren Rexrode and Keith Tomlinsonof Meadowlark Gardens and JudyZatsick discuss their favorites. $10.Call 703-642-5173 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring/ for more.

Washington MetropolitanPhilharmonic Concert. 3-5 p.m.at George Washington MasonicMemorial, 101 Callahan Drive.Pianist Thomas Pandolfi playingPaderewski’s Piano Concerto in AMinor, and Duke Ellington’s TheRiver. $20; children 8 and under arefree. Visit www.wmpamusic.org formore.

MONDAY/FEB. 20George Washington’s Birthday. 9

a.m.-5 p.m. at George Washington’sMount Vernon, 3200 Mount VernonHighway. Celebrate the nationalobservance of George Washington’sBirthday by visiting his home andburial site free of charge on this day,and watch a variety of activities. Visitwww.mountvernon.org/ or call 703-780-2000 for more.

Wreath Laying Ceremony. 11 a.m.-noon at the Tomb of the UnknownSoldier of the Revolution, at the OldPresbyterian Meeting House, 323 S.Fairfax St. Join the Daughters of theAmerican Revolution and the Sons ofthe American Revolution as they hostcolonial military and civilians tohonor the soldiers of the Revolution.Free. Visitwww.VisitAlexandriaVA.com/GWbday for more.

U.S. Regular Infantry, Company K, will

Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 ❖ 15www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Opinion

By Dan Storck

Mount Vernon District

Supervisor

It has been a privilege andhonor representing theMount Vernon District onthe Fairfax County Board

of Supervisors these past 12months. We have achieved muchtogether, but also have a great deal more todo. To start, please join us this Saturday forthe 30th Annual Town Meeting at MountVernon High School, so you can see for your-self what has been accomplished in 2016,our challenges and plans for 2017, and newthis year, take a “Virtual Flying Tour” of theMount Vernon District.

One of my highest 2016 priorities was toend the decade-long reduction in per stu-dent school funding which is essential forkeeping the best teachers and schools, pro-tecting our high quality national reputation,and the higher property valuations they helpcreate. The increased school funding Ifought for and won is essential to ourcommunity’s students. With our largerneedy population, additional resources pro-vide lower student-teacher ratios and ad-

vanced classes and specializedsupport, which leads to greaterlearning and opportunities for allour students. Other im-portant 2016 accom-plishments include:

❖ Building a respon-sive, diverse Mount Vernon Dis-trict Team with Saturday andevening office hours, weekly

electronic updates, reminders and newslet-ters, Facebook interactions and increasedoutreach

❖ Initiating District County Boards, Au-thorities and Commissions appointee stan-dards and annual meeting

❖ Increasing Police communications,transparency and civilian review

❖ Initiating spot improvements for dis-trict roads and trails

❖ Actively engaging thousands of resi-dents with responses within two businessdays

❖ Hosting nearly a dozen Mount VernonDistrict events, most of them new.

Some projects to highlight for 2016 in-clude the reopening of the Original MountVernon High School (OMVHS) Teen Gym-nasium, the Lorton VRE Park-and-Ride Ex-

pansion Project, and continued progress onthe Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit(BRT) and Embark projects. A personal

highlight was the inaugural Tourde’ Mount Vernon. Thanks to ev-eryone who joined me on Dec. 31for a 50 mile round-trip bike ride

along the GWP trail to Mount Vernon Es-tate and ultimately ending at the Work-house Arts Center.

Looking ahead to our 2017 Goals, we areworking hard to make sure that we accom-plish:

❖ Increasing connections between you,your community and your local government

❖ Balancing a low-growth FY2018 Bud-get

❖ Public safety changes implemented andnet new police officers hired

❖ Land use improvements continuingwith major housing, highways and trailprojects

❖ Increasing Health, Human and otherCounty Services availability at area govern-ment centers in the district

❖ An environment that is more protectedwith less airplane noise

❖ Hospitality & Tourism initiatives thatincrease awareness of our scenic beauty,

history and livability.Please visit www.FairfaxCounty.gov/

MountVernon to learn more about yourcommunity and tune into our upcomingIdes of Bark for dog lovers, Walk MVD fornature enthusiasts, Taste of Mount Vernonfor foodies, Music Nights for music enthu-siasts and more later this year. And#ConnectMVD while you’re enjoying theseevents. And, most importantly, this Satur-day:

Please join me for the 30th Annual TownMeeting on Saturday, Feb. 4, at MountVernon High School. The exhibitor-filledcafeteria opens at 7:45 a.m., followed witha 9:30 a.m. program with many of our na-tional, state and local elected officials.Speakers include Board of SupervisorsChairman Sharon Bulova, County ExecutiveEd Long, Mount Vernon District SchoolBoard Member Karen Corbett-Sanders, andColonel Angela Holbrook, Garrison Com-mander, Fort Belvoir. There will be plentyof Q and A time as well. Looking forwardto seeing you in person or you can also livestream the program.

It is an honor to represent you. Pleasecontact me anytime at 703.780.7518 orMtVernon@fairfaxcounty.gov.

#ConnectMVD at the 30th Annual Town Meeting

Commentary

By Adam P. Ebbin

State Senator (D-30)

The Virginia Senate hasadvanced legislation toestablish an extremely

aggressive timeline for the Cityof Alexandria to address con-cerns over its Combined SewerOverflow (CSO).

The CSO issue isn’t a new one. Dischargesfrom the combined sewer system in Alex-andria, (like those in Richmond, Lynchburg,Washington, D.C. and the more than-800older cities across the country) that are deal-ing with this issue, concern environmental-ists greatly as they pollute waterways withuntreated wastewater.

Cognizant of the importance of address-ing this situation, the city has made seriousprogress in its stormwater and wastewatertreatment in recent years, engaging in sewerseparation, partnering with Alexandria Re-new to process 13 billion gallons of waste-water every year, and beginning work onthree of the four CSO outfalls, focusing onthe ones that release into Little HuntingCreek. Those three outfalls were prioritizedover CSO Outfall #1 that releases a mix ofwastewater and stormwater into OronocoBay when it rains, because they drain intoa much smaller body of water where thewastewater becomes more concentrated. Inkeeping with the normal regulatory process,there was also an order to address them is-sued by the Virginia Department of Envi-ronmental Quality (DEQ). Planning andconstruction on the Oronoco Bay outfall hadbeen slated to begin once construction of

the other three outfalls was com-pleted. Last fall, after concernswere raised in discussions withenvironmental advocates, my-self, and other legislators, Alex-andria voluntarily acceleratedthe timeline for addressing thisoutfall by 14 years, and I pro-posed legislation to advance theproject by an additional six years.

Tackling the additional infrastructureproject required to resolve the Oronoco Bayoutfall while simultaneously addressing thethree other outfalls is a daunting task. So-lutions range from the construction of athree million gallon holding tank underOronoco Bay or the shore to, alternatively,a holding pipe, that could be as large as tenfeet in diameter. These large-scale optionscould also be complicated by working inpotentially contaminated soil. The projectwill involve coordination with federal agen-cies, geotechnical investigators and civiliancontractors, and costs under the expeditedtimeline could range from $150-$200 mil-lion in addition to the $188 million alreadyslated to address the three outfalls alongLittle Hunting Creek.

Legislation proposed by Sen. Stuart (R-Stafford) and co-patroned by Sen. ScottSurovell (D-Mount Vernon) (SB898), man-dated that the city remedy Outfall #1 by2020 — an impossible deadline of threeyears. Engineers working with the CSOs inRichmond, Lynchburg, and Washington,D.C. have estimated that, if started today,the project would take between 9-12 yearsat a minimum. The bill’s consequences fornot meeting that deadline would have in-

cluded a loss of all state funding for the city,approximately $115 million per year. Thebill sought to subvert the regulatory pro-cess by allowing the General Assembly toact as 140 amateur environmental regula-tors over the established procedures of theVirginia Department of EnvironmentalQuality. With an overwhelming 10-3 com-mittee vote, the catastrophic Stuart-Surovellproposal seemed poised to make its wayrapidly through the Senate.

Speaking against the Stuart-Surovell pro-posal on the Senate floor, I stressed theimportance of working toward a deliberate,intelligent and realistic solution. After theoriginal proposal was delayed on the floor,I negotiated with Senator Stuart to bringthe timeline more in step with reality. Whilethe improved bill that passed the Senatemoves towards those goals, it still imposesan onerous completion deadline of 2025.However, it averts the potential loss of statefunds and also likely removes the threat ofthe City of Alexandria having it’s AAA/aaabond rating downgraded.

The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce

wrote that the original bill was “a draconianmeasure that unfairly targets all Alexandriabusiness owners, citizens, employees, pub-lic servants including public safety officersand teachers, and visitors.” And, I agree.

Though the compromise is far from per-fect, it is a huge step forward and I will con-tinue working to improve the final legisla-tion that emerges. Working with membersof the House of Delegates, a similar pro-posal on has already been improved upon.

It is, as always, my continued honor toserve the residents of the 30th District.

TOWN HALLSJoin me and other area legislators where

we will provide an update on the 2017 leg-islative session and answer your questions.

❖ Mt. Vernon: Saturday, Feb. 11, 9-11a.m., Whitman Middle School – 2500Parkers Lane, Alexandria, with Sen. ScottSurovell and Del. Paul Krizek

❖ Arlington: Saturday, Feb. 11, 2-4p.m., Arlington Mill Community Center –909 S Dinwiddie St., Arlington with Del.Alfonso Lopez.

Senate Proposes Sewer Overflow DeadlineDel. Mark Sick-les, Lee DistrictSupervisor JeffMcKay and stateSen. Adam Ebbinat the Jan. 28town hall meet-ing at HayfieldElementarySchool.

Photo Contributed

16 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

SECOND WEDNESDAYSArt Making as Meditation. 7-8:30 p.m. St.

Aidan’s Episcopal Church, 8531 Riverside Road.Art making as meditation can be an active formof contemplative practice. Each session beginswith a short reading and a brief introduction tomaterials. Silence for making and meditationlasts an hour followed by sharing images orinsights gained through the process, if desired.Children able to participate in silence arewelcome to come with a parent’s quietsupervision. RSVP not necessary for attendance,but helpful for planning purposes. Call 703-360-4220, emailinfo@centerforspiritualdeepening.org or visitwww.staidansepiscopal.com/Center-for-Spiritual-Deepening.

THROUGH FEB. 325th Annual Fairfax County Volunteer

Service Award Nominations. Now open forthe 2017 Fairfax County Volunteer ServiceAwards. The awards celebration on Friday, April21 from 8-10 a.m. at the Waterford, 6715

Commerce St., Springfield.www.volunteerfairfax.org/

SATURDAY/FEB. 430th Annual Mount Vernon Town Meeting.

7:45 a.m.-noon at Mount Vernon High School,8515 Old Mt Vernon Rd. Speakers will includeBoard of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova,County Executive Ed Long, Mount VernonDistrict School Board Member Karen Corbett-Sanders, and Colonel Angela Holbrook, GarrisonCommander, Fort Belvoir. call 703-780-7518 oremail mtvernon@fairfaxcounty.gov for moreinformation.

WEDNESDAY/FEB. 8Free Financial Education classes. 6-9 p.m. at

United Community Ministries, 7511 FordsonRoad For low- and middle-income adults whoreside throughout Northern Virginia. Free.Reservations are required. Emailcrogers@britepaths.org or call 703-273-8829 formore information.

Bulletin BoardEmail announcements to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com.

Include date, time, location, description and contact for event.

Mount Vernon has already ac-cepted 72 telecommunicationfacilities for wireless service,

said Planning Commissioner EarlFlanagan. Verizon is currently installingthem on top of utility poles, he said.

The latest one, with a pair of panel an-tennas enclosed by a “stealth cannister,”will be approved for 6065 RichmondHighway to improve connectivity for ahalf-mile stretch. Flanagan said it is thefirst one of its kind to be approved onRichmond Highway.

Verizon will pay for Virginia Domin-ion Power to replace an existing 35 foothigh utility pole with a 47.5 foot highpole on the south side of Richmond High-

way north of its intersection withFairhaven Avenue, according to PlanningCommission documents. With the twoantenna on top, the new facility will beapproximately 15 feet higher with thenew proposed replacement pole.

Should utility poles be undergroundedin the future, Verizon will have to take itsequipment down and relocate its equip-ment elsewhere, according to planningstaff and Verizon’s agent at the hearing.

The Planning Commission recom-mended approval on Jan. 26. The Boardof Supervisors will make final decisionlater this year.

— Ken Moore

First for Richmond Highway

Rowing for University of MinnesotaNatalie Lorca, a 2017 West Potomac High School graduate, recently committed to row for the

University of Minnesota crew team next year. Pictured here, from left, with her sister Alesha Lorca,Natalie Lorca, Pilar Lorca (mother), Sonya Spriggs (Godmother), (second row) Head Coach LeslieShinners, Lead Coach Megan Lister and West Potomac High School Director of Student ActivitiesAaron Helmick. Lorca started her rowing career as a freshman at West Potomac and continued toexcel with her boat placing first at the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association’s state championshipsin 2015 and 2016 and placing seventh and sixth at Nationals. Additionally, Natalie consistentlymaintained a 3.5 or better GPA and rowed for Old Dominion Boat Club and Thompson Boat Club.While at the University of Minnesota, Natalie will major in animal sciences with a minor in Spanish,to pursue her dream of becoming a veterinarian.

Photo by Andre Wilson

More than 20 members andfriends of the Mount VernonUnitarian Church travelledto Richmond on Monday,

Jan. 16, to join hundreds of others lobby-ing for stronger state gun laws. The groupattended a vigil for victims of gun violence

on the Capitol lawn, which included re-marks from Lieutenant Governor RalphNortham, Attorney General Mark Herring,and U.S. Rep. Donald McEachin.

Church members met with local Del-egates Paul Krizek and Mark Levine andSenators Adam Ebbin and Scott Surovell

as well as House and Senate members ofcommittees dealing with public safety is-sues. The group shared Mt. Vernon Uni-tarian Church’s “statement of conscienceon gun violence” passed by the congrega-tion in 2013. The church advocates formeasures that prevent the indiscriminate

Church Members Lobby for Gun Violence Preventionpurchase of firearms for the use of violenceagainst people who live in the UnitedStates; provide safe havens for people toreport threatening behavior; provide fed-eral funding to study the causes of gun vio-lence; and support universal backgroundchecks for purchase of firearms.

Mount Vernon Unitarian Church members traveled toRichmond Jan. 16 to lobby for stronger state gun laws.

Mount VernonUnitarianChurch mem-bers met withSen. ScottSurovellMonday Janu-ary 16 tolobby forstronger stategun laws.

News

From Page 6

“We must be doing something right.”Gail Arnall, former director of OAR said,

“Under his wonderful leadership Clarke hasturned the culture for parole officers fromlaw enforcement to guidance and encour-agement.”

Jennifer Male, parole and probation of-ficer in Alexandria, says when she firststarted in 2003 a lot of emphasis was onlaw enforcement. Now there is also an em-phasis on helping the client. “We don’t wantto be known as police. We want to be surethere isn’t another victim but also that theclient enters society successfully. That re-duces the number of victims.” Male says shehas a passion for this job and has so muchinvested because “It could be him. It couldbe me.”

Male currently has 50 in her caseload buthad 100 at a different location. “We’re luckyin a small area like Alexandria to have somany resources available,” he said.

How often she sees an ex-offender de-pends on their needs and risk level. Malehas an initial meeting with the ex-offenderand then does a risk assessment based onbackground, family history, education, andhow they feel. They make a case plan to-gether with a goal. “It doesn’t have to belike keeping clean. I let them set the goaland what they have to do to get there. Wetalk about things. I don’t just tell them whatto do. This drives the supervision. Peoplesay to me ‘You must see a lot of bad people.’I say some have been here one time andnever again. There are a few revolving doorsin and out time and time again. I try to fig-ure out why.”

Prisoner Reentry

Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 ❖ 17www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Zone 3 Ad Deadline:

Tuesday Noon

703-778-9411

Zone 3: • Alexandria

• Mount VernonClassifiedClassified

LEGAL NOTICESealed proposals for the City of Alexandria per specifications will be received in the Office of the Purchasing Division until the date and time designated as follows:

Request for Proposals No. 00000663, Emergency and Winter Shelter Services for Homeless Individuals and Families

Non-mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference: February 6, 2017; 10:00 a.m. prevailing local time, 2355 A Mill Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Request for Proposals Closing Date and Time: March 6, 2017, 4 p.m., prevailing local time

For general inquiries contact Kaylin Gaal, Contract Specialist at 703.746.4286.

The City of Alexandria reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, cancel this solicitation, and to waive any informali-ties or irregularities in procedure. THE CITY REQUIRES ITS CONTRACTORS TO BE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOY-ERS. Randy Burns, CPPB, Purchasing Agent

21 Announcements 21 Announcements

November 8, 2016NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY

SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTLead Agency: Department of Army

Title of Proposed Action: Supplemental Environmental Assessment ofCommunications Line Extension, Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

Affected Jurisdiction: Fort Belvoir, Virginia

Prepared By: Directorate of Public Works, Fort Belvoir, Virginia

Approved By: Colonel Angie K. Holbrook, Commander, Fort Belvoir, Virginia

Abstract: This Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) documents potential impacts tothe physical, biological and human environments associated with the extension of a new under-ground communications line from the main garrison area of Fort Belvoir to Davison Army Air-field (DAAF). The proposed ductbank is required to provide enhanced voice and data telecom-munications connectivity to DAAF from the existing communications network within Fort Bel-voir. After evaluating communications network needs at DAAF, Fort Belvoir network personnel identified a single viable alternative, extending the ductbank along the Poe Road corridor (Pro-posed Action). This Poe Road Alternative was selected based upon the location and availability of existing network infrastructure connection hubs at either end of the alignment and required communication system diversity needs. The No Action Alternative was evaluated to provide a baseline for evaluating impacts of the Proposed Action. None of the impacts associated with the Proposed Action are considered significant. As a result, it is anticipated that preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is not required and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI) will be published in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

Review Period: Interested parties are invited to review and comment onthe EA and draft FNSI during a 30 day period. Please submit any comments to Commander, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Belvoir, Attention: Directorate of Public Works, Building 1442, 9430Jackson Loop, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-5116 or email your comments to:usarmy.belvoir.imcom-atlantic.mbx.enrd@mail.mil.

The EA and draft FNSI were available for review on the internet at:http://www.belvoir.army.mil/environdocssection2.asp. Documents werealso provided for public review at the following libraries for a period of 30 days:

Fairfax County LibraryLorton Branch9520 Richmond HighwayLorton, VA 22079-2124

Fairfax County LibrarySherwood Regional Branch2501 Sherwood Hall LaneAlexandria, VA 22306-2799

Fairfax County LibraryKingstowne Branch6500 Landsdowne CentreAlexandria, VA 22315-5011

21 Announcements 21 Announcements 21 Announcements

OBITUARY

Joan Argiro of New York City and formerly of Alexandria, VA passed away on Monday, January 23, 2017. She was born on August 3, 1933 in Kearney, NJ and was raised in Phoenix-ville, PA. A beloved member of the community in Alexandria, VA, she became the doyenne of Public Relations and Market-ing and helped many businesses launch and thrive in the area. Her passion was connecting people. She was a matchmaker for both businesses and couples. She successfully matched two couples from Alexandria and it was one of her proudest ac-complishments. She was known for her elegant style with her signature red silk rose and dramatic glasses. She is survived by her beloved husband Vincent Argiro, her son Paul of Miami, FL, her daughters Megan (Scott) and Kathlin of New York City, and Grandchildren Abigail, Kayla and Annabel. In addition she is survived by her brother Vincent (Joyce) Gallagher of Mission Viejo, CA; her sister Mary Therese Gallagher of Madison WI and was predeceased by her sister Kathryn Allen. A Memorial Mass will be offered at the Church of

St. Francis Xavier, 46 W.16th St., NY, NY 10011. A celebration of her life will take place following the Mass at the Harvard Club in NYC. In lieu of flowers mom had asked that contribu-tions be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8517.

21 Announcements 21 Announcements

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21 AnnouncementsLEGAL NOTICE

Pursuant to the provision of section 4-1-16 of the code of

the City of Alexandria, the Alexandria Police Department located at 3600 Wheeler Ave-nue, Alexandria, VA 22304 is

now in possession of un-claimed bicycles, mopeds, lawn equipment, money,

scooters, and other items. All persons having valid claim to

the property should file a claim to the property with reasona-ble proof of ownership or the items will be sold, destroyed, converted or donated. For a

complete listing go to http://alexandriava.gov/police/and contact the Police Proper-ty Section at (703) 746-6709.

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-TheodoreRoosevelt

18 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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High Expectations at BucknellFrom Page 3

students and staff. “I truly love the smilingfaces of our children, the enthusiasm thatthey have for learning, the dedication thatmy teachers give to the school and the com-munity, and the level of parental involve-ment. It reminds me of my elementaryschool back in Richmond, Virginia,” shesaid. One of her goals is to reinvigorate thePTA with monthly parent coffees in themorning and evening. She said over 30 par-ents attended two PTA meetings they’ve hadthus far, and she is hoping to grow the baseof parents that she can tap into.

She tries to maintain a high level of vis-ibility in the school so the students are ac-customed to her being in their classroomson a daily basis. “I’m at arrival; I’m at dis-missal; I’m in the cafeteria,” she said. “I trynot to be in the office; I try to save thatwork for the times that kids are not here.”

According to Brian Butler, former princi-pal of Mt. Eagle Elementary, “I think aboveand beyond anything I could say aboutLaRonda is that she is passionate and per-sistent about helping not only her studentslearn at high levels but helping the adultslearn at high levels as well. Her willingnessto learn and not think she has to have all ofthe answers is a strength. I believe to besuccessful as a principal today you have tobe willing to disperse leadership and to notthink you need to know or do it all but tohave the foresight to create the conditionsfor all to be leaders in one’s building evenif the leadership is situational.”

Marie Lemmon, principal of Bailey’s Up-per Elementary for the Arts and Sciences,added: “Ms. Peterson is an excellent instruc-tional leader with high standards for her-self and all educators. She is quite focusedon helping teachers design and deliverhighly engaging, rigorous lessons to pro-mote critical thinking, communication, col-

laboration, and student creativity. She leadsthis through coaching, modeling, and teambuilding in a school.”

According to Debra Demers, a literacycoach at Bucknell, “LaRonda Peterson is agood principal because she was a greatteacher. She knows instruction thoroughlyand has that strong experience as her ref-erence point. As a teacher, I can appreciateher knowledge and expertise. She is pas-sionate about education; she cares deeplyabout students and holds high expectationsfor their achievement. Her genuine sincer-ity comes across in every conversation.”

Peterson grew up in the Richmond area,graduating from Varina High School in1994. She earned a bachelor’s in Englishwith a concentration in early childhoodeducation from Hampton University in1998. She then received a master’s in teach-ing from Hampton in 1999. For her admin-istrative certification, she participated in theFairfax County Public Schools LEAD FairfaxAccelerated Certification Program in con-junction with GMU.

She began her career as a teacher at Mt.Eagle Elementary for eight years, where shetaught 2nd and 4th grades. She then movedto Franconia Elementary where she taught3rd grade and was the intercession coordi-nator for the year-round program. She thenmoved to Silverbrook and Laurel Hill El-ementary for one year where she was anadministrative intern. From there, she wasassistant principal at Westlawn Elementaryfor four years, and then Bailey’s Elemen-tary for Arts and Sciences for two years be-fore starting at Bucknell.

As far as family, her mother is a retiredhigh school teacher; her father was an aca-demic advisor at VCU until his death; herbrother works in TV production in Los An-geles; and she has an aunt who is a SchoolBoard chair in Richmond.

Planning for New SchoolsFrom Page 1

down capacity stress in the Centreville,Chantilly, Herndon, Oakton, South Lakesand Westfield areas.

Renovations are planned for 32 elemen-tary schools as part of the CIP, as well asfive middle schools.

Springfield District School Board repre-sentative Elizabeth Schultz praised the FCPSfacilities staff that produced the CIP, alongwith Dalia Palchik of Providence Districtwho introduced the motion to approve it,and Corbett Sanders who seconded themotion.

But Schultz also said there’s room forimprovement with showing their work overtime, looking back in two to three years andassessing the accuracy of these enrollmentgrowth projections.

“That’s the space where we still need todo some work for the overall health of thedivision,” Schultz said.

“Everything else after the numbers,whether it’s desks, books, buses, teachers— it doesn’t matter if we don’t get thosenumbers right,” Schultz continued. “It all

stems from how accurate we are with ourprojections.”

Schultz said she looked forward to work-ing with facilities staff to achieve that ob-jective and “improve transparency of thenumbers.”

In the next two months, the adopted FCPSCIP should be incorporated into the FairfaxCounty CIP and presented to the county’sPlanning Commission.

More information about the Capital Im-provement Program (and previous years’programs) is available online here:www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/facilities-plan-ning-future/capital-improvement-program.

Palchik Schultz

Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 ❖ 19www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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20 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 2-8, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com