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Great Falls Connection ❖ April 8-14, 2015 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.com

Great Falls to Host Book FestivalNews, 4

Great Falls to Host Book FestivalNews, Page 14

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Legacy White Oak ProjectNews, Page 3

Signs of PositiveMarket ConditionsReal Estate, Page 6

The Great Falls Writer’s Group membersparticipating in the first-ever anthologyavailable at the Great Falls Book Festival onMay 2. In the top row: Michael Cappitelli,Kathleen Murphy, J. Robert DiFulga, JoeReynolds, Kristin Clark Taylor, Craig Gralley,Ray Rollins, Esther Eacho, Pat Britz, andCoty Dickson. In the middle row: MyrnaStuart, Bans Gill, Mary Dacoba, MerrillLishan, Patricia Attkisson, Laurie Bell, andNancy Hannan. In the front row are Chris-tina Tyler Wenks and Michelle Miller.

The Great Falls Writer’s Group membersparticipating in the first-ever anthologyavailable at the Great Falls Book Festival onMay 2. In the top row: Michael Cappitelli,Kathleen Murphy, J. Robert DiFulga, JoeReynolds, Kristin Clark Taylor, Craig Gralley,Ray Rollins, Esther Eacho, Pat Britz, andCoty Dickson. In the middle row: MyrnaStuart, Bans Gill, Mary Dacoba, MerrillLishan, Patricia Attkisson, Laurie Bell, andNancy Hannan. In the front row are Chris-tina Tyler Wenks and Michelle Miller.

Home LifeStyleHome LifeStylePage 10

2 ❖ Great Falls Connection ❖ April 8-14, 2015 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Great Falls Connection ❖ April 8-14, 2015 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

❖ Fairfax Tree StewardsThe Virginia Urban Forest Council sponsors this

statewide program. Fairfax Tree Stewardsare a core of volunteers working to improveand protect Fairfax County’s tree canopy.Training classes cover basic tree biology andphysiology, tree identification, planting,maintenance and more.www.ffxtreestewards.org

❖ Fairfax County Tree Commissionpromotes tree preservation and conservationwithin the county, helps implement the TreeAction Plan, selects celebrated trees ofFairfax County, solicits and selects nomineesfor Friends of Trees Awards, solicits andselects nominees for tree preservation andplanting awards and organizes tree forums toeducate citizens about urban forests.www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/trees/treecommission

❖ Fairfax County Master Gardeners offerfree advice on caring for plants, vegetables

and lawns and can provide gardening factsheets and soil test kits to guide homeownersto a successful home landscape. MasterGardeners are available to speak atworkshops. www.fairfaxmga.orgHelp Desk: 703-324-8556

Virginia Cooperative Extensionwww.ext.vt.eduGreat Falls Citizens Associationwww.gfca.orgMcLean Citizens Associationwww.mcleancitizens.orgUrban Forest Management Division703-324-1770Department of Planning and Zoning“What’s Going on in My Neighborhood”www.fairfaxcounty.gov/faqs/

myneighborhood.htmLand Development SystemSite plans, grading plans, waivers and zoning

records.http://ldsnet.fairfaxcounty.gov/ldsnet/

Resources for Your Trees

Photos Contributed

NewsGreat Falls Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

By Ken Moore

The Connection

Great Falls Citizens Association(GFCA) has dug into its newgoal of planting 15 more whiteoaks this spring around the li-

brary, Colvin Run Mill, Riverbend Park, NikePark, Turner Farm, Grange and LockmeadPark.

“The white oaks are native to where welive. When you drive around Great Falls andMcLean and you see a really huge tree, thereis a 90 percent chance what you are seeingis a white oak,” said Bill Canis, vice presi-dent of Great Falls Citizens Association.“They are majestic giant trees. They live tobe 200 to 250 years old.”

Last year, during the first year of theLegacy White Oak Project, GFCA raisedenough money to plant 17 white oaksaround Great Falls, including the library,parks, and Smith Chapel United MethodistChurch.

“Oaks in particular are very valuable.They are huge and beautiful and fascinat-ing,” said Candace Campbell, who donateda tree to be planted at Colvin Run Mill lastyear.

“It’s probably the most majestic tree wehave. We have some people in Great Fallsdedicated to the issue,” said Wes Callender,who donated to the program and to plant-ing of white oaks last year. “I wanted to helpas a donor because it is an opportunity toleave a bit of a legacy behind us with thewhite oak. This is a legacy tree that couldbe around for the next 200 years.”

THE WHITE OAK is considered the kingof east coast trees because of its potentialto grow into a very large, strong tree, ac-cording to Canis. “They are a legacy fromour rural past,” he said.

“I see it as a critical thing in preserving

our history, preserving the tree canopy,keeping the area attractive area for peopleand the environment,” said Bob Lundegard,another donor to the program.

But people don’t often plant them whenredeveloping, because homeowners anddevelopers may choose quicker growing,flowering trees.

“The white oak was beginning to disap-pear,” said Callender. “They aren’t beingreplaced and people are putting in trees thatgrow quickly at the edge of the canopy.”

In 2014, the Great Falls Citizens Associa-tion, in conjunction with Fairfax County,initiated a program to ensure that futuregenerations know the beauty of these gianttrees.

“I feel like Great Falls is losing so muchof its legacy especially along GeorgetownPike,” Campbell said. “I don’t wantGeorgetown Pike to look like RockvillePike.”

Sites at the Grange will be available inspring 2015.

Great Falls Citizens Association andcounty staff have carefully chosen planting

Great Falls seeks to restorea thinning legacy.Legacy White Oak Project

Large White Oak saplings are trucked in Great Falls for planting in 2014. Jack Clark puts the finishing touches on planting a White Oak in front ofthe Great Falls Library last year.

See Preserving, Page 5

Bob and Marjorie Lundegard withGeorge Benza, who is the ownerand manager of SGB Landscaping.

A huge tree on Beach Mill Road inGreat Falls is one of three similarwhite oaks trees there, no doubtpart of the old schoolyard when thatlittle house was a one-room schoolhouse way out in the country.

Brooks FarmThe Great Falls Citizens Association’s Land Use

and Zoning Committee and the Environment, Parksand Trails meeting will co-host a session to look atenvironmental issues at Brooks Farm.

The meeting is scheduled for April 14 at 7:30p.m. at the Great Falls Library. Brooks Farm is pro-posed to be rezoned with cluster development.The program will feature Fairfax County officialsfrom the Department of Public Works and Environ-mental Services, Health Department and Dept. ofPlanning & Zoning speaking about storm watermanagement, wells and septic, environmentalquality corridors and Resource Protection Areas(RPAs), all of which come into play in the BrooksFarm rezoning application. Speakers will addressboth broad county environmental policies and spe-cific considerations concerning the Brooks Farmapplication.


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News

sites so they are not underpower lines and are in openspaces where the trees can ma-ture and reach their full size andgrandeur.

“The white oak tree attractshundreds of species of insectsand birds,” Canis said.When farmers cleared the land,they often left white oaks intheir farmyards and along road-ways to mature into very largeand elegant shade trees, saidCanis, of the Great Falls CitizensAssociation.

“Oaks in particular are veryvaluable,” said Campbell.

Large white oaks are oftenvenerated: in Maryland the WyeOak was declared the largestwhite oak in the country, and astate park established around it. In the last ten years,Great Falls has lost nearly all of the large white oaksthat once populated the village area. These two-hun-dred-year-old sentinels marked the community’s ru-ral past as much as historic homes and byways, saidCanis. “They are a legacy from our rural past,” hesaid.

“If we don’t start planting trees to replace them,it’s going to get even uglier,” said Campbell.

THE COST of the tree, the planting, mulching, tak-ing and watering by local landscaping company SGBis $435; the county uses a different landscaper oncounty parkland.

Lundegard even purchased one to plant in his yardlast year. “We look at them every day. They are form-ing buds right now,” he said.

For more information, contact GFCA Vice PresidentBill Canis at [email protected].

Preserving Great Falls Trees

Photo Contributed

Large White Oak saplings ready for planting in Great Fallslast year.


Girl Scouts toHost DiabetesAwarenessEvent

Great Falls Girl ScoutTroop 778 is working onearning their Silver Awardthis year. On Saturday, April11, they will be hosting a Dia-betes Awareness Walk whichwill feature a one-mile walk,fun games and activities, andlive music by Brandon Diaz,an 18-year-old singer, pianist,and guitarist from Ashburn,Va. who has been seen onThe X Factor and The Voice.Join them April 11 at GoodShepherd Lutheran Church,1133 Reston Avenue,Herndon, from 4 - 5:30 p.m.,to show your support andlearn more about Type 1 Dia-betes. Cost is $5 per personif received by April 10 at11509 Saunders HavenCourt, Great Falls, VA 22066,or $10 the day of the event.Make checks payable toTroop 778. Funds raised willbe used to make care pack-ages to be given to newly di-agnosed diabetics.

Week in Great FallsMcLean & Great FallsMarket Analysis of Homes Sales1ST QTR. 2015 COMPARED TO 1ST QTR. 2014

(Based on Final Closed Price)$750k~

>$3 Mil. $2-3 Mil. $1.25-2 Mil. $1.25 Mil. <$750k

1ST QTR. 201422101 1 5 21 33 1622102 0 3 4 8 4222066 0 1 7 12 3Total 1 9 32 53 61Combined Total 42 114

ALL SALES 1ST QTR. 2014 : 156

1ST QTR. 201522101 1 5 13 39 1022102 0 3 7 13 4322066 0 3 7 22 5Total 1 11 27 74 58Combined Total 39 132

ALL SALES 1ST QTR. 2015: 171

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Real Estate

By Karen Briscoe

The first quar-ter 2015 inMcLean andGreat Falls is

up almost 10 percent over-all in terms of number ofsales in comparison to the previoustime frame in 2014. This is goodnews for the market area as 2014was down over 2013 in number ofsales overall by 8.2 percent.

The chart provided breaks outsales for both areas into the upperbrackets which is considered over$1.25 million and the lower brack-ets which is below $1.25 million.Delving deeper into the data, it re-veals that the lower price pointswere the ones that experienced thegreatest increase in number of sales.

This is a significant developmentand could have occurred for sev-eral reasons. It is showing that the

entry level home buyershave come back or in thecase of the MillennialGeneration this may betheir first home. The nextprice range up is typicallythe first level move uphome owner. That person

now with confidence can put theirhome on the market and be assuredit should sell quickly for a strongprice so that they are in a positionto move up. There still remains lowsupply relative to demand and un-til that gets in line, these numbersmay not be as strong as could pos-sibly be achieved. Good homespriced correctly for the currentmarket sold quickly and in somecases with multiple offers.

One of the factors contributingto the low supply of inventory isthat new home builders who satout during the recent recessionhave entered back into the mar-

ket looking to purchase lots andland. Much of the development inthe inner Washington, DC suburbsof McLean and Great Falls is in-fill. This type of development oc-curs by tearing down an older ex-isting home for the land value.When that scenario happens thereis less available for owners thatwould buy the home to live in.These scenarios actually can behealthy signs of recovery for thelower bracket price point but canalso make it challenging for a firsttime homeowner to buy.

The two upper brackets catego-ries in McLean and Great Falls ex-

perienced sales in first quarter2015 just a bit behind that of firstquarter 2014. The market segmentthat softened is the one in themiddle. Perhaps it is being“squeezed” by the upper bracketsbeing flat in terms of growth andthe lower brackets increasing.

The prediction for 2015 is thatit should behave in similar fashionto 2013, which was a positive yearin terms of both number of salesand price recovery. Last year wasa bit of a blip, but this year all signsare for positive market conditions.

First quarter 2015 looking up for realestate in McLean and Great Falls.

Signs of PositiveMarket Conditions

Contact: www.HBCRealtyGroup.com, 703-734-0192, [email protected].


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There are many telephone scamsgoing around at this time, it wouldbe nearly impossible to list them all.However, here are some tips andtricks to figure out if it’s really ascam or not:

*If your financial institution callsyou claiming there is fraudulentactivity on your account, hang upand call the number on the back ofyour credit/debit card to verify. Ex-plain you received a call from themindicating there is suspicious activ-ity on your account. You can nowbe sure you are talking to your bankand not a scammer.

* If you get an email from a creditcard company and you do not havean account with that company, donot call the number in the email anddo not click on any of the links inthe email. Find the company’s gen-eral customer service number viatheir website/internet search andcall to verify the information.

*If you receive a phone call fromthe IRS, it’s a scam. The IRS will onlycommunicate with you via mail re-garding taxes/past due accounts.

*If someone calls you claimingthey are from a law enforcementagency saying you must pay a feeover the phone/wire money toavoid arrest, hang up and call theagency in question. Fairfax CountyPolice Department does not collectfines/fees.

*Telephone scammers have been

known to get hostile and rude onthe phone. Another red flag the callyou are on is most likely a scam.

*Before offering any money viatelephone, phone a friend. Discuss-ing things over with a friend mayhelp you see the situation is in facta scam.

*Never give anyone personal in-formation over the phone unlessyou called the company you havean account with!

*Routinely check your credit/debit account statements. If you seeany questionable transactions, callyour financial institution immedi-ately. Monitor your credit report.

* If it sounds too good to be true,it usually is.

*Register your phone numbers onthe Do Not Call Registry! https://www.donotcall.gov/ Be aware, itcan take up to 30 days to add yournumber to the registry.

If you have any elderly friends orfamily, encourage them to reach outto you if they get a scam phone call.All too often our seniors are fallingvictim to these scams.

For more information on tele-phone scams, visit http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0076-phone-scams#Signs and forscams affecting seniors, visit http://www.ncoa.org/enhance-eco-nomic-security/economic-security-Initiative/savvy-saving-seniors/top-10-scams-targeting.html

How to Detect Telephone Scam


Every year is an election year in Vir-ginia.

Here are a few examples that dem-onstrate that while elections are

ubiquitous in Virginia, they are neither simplenor unimportant. Wade in, a lot depends onfiguring this out and voting. This is not in-tended to be a comprehensive list of candi-dates.

The choices begin April 23.Almost every state and local elected office

in Virginia will be in play. Democrats willchoose their candidates in the primary on June9. Republicans will choose candidates for in-dividual offices at caucuses, firehouse prima-ries and conventions, beginning April 23 andfinishing by June 9.

By Paul Gilbert

Executive Director of NOVA Parks

One hundred and fifty years ago, onthe same day General Lee surren-dered at Appomattox, Fairfax County

witnessed the last gun battle of the war.Just five months earlier, Confederate Colo-

nel John Mosby had been authorized to ex-pand his force that had effectively harassed theFederal forces around Washington. On Satur-day, April 8, half of Mosby’s force left Uppervilleon a mission to attack a train on its way toAlexandria. On Sunday, April 9, the same dayGenerals Lee and Grant were meeting to signthe Confederates’ surrender, the Southern

Rangers were nearing Burke where they weregoing to attack the train station. At this time,the Federal forces at Fairfax Station heard ofMosby’s forces and sent the 11th Illinois Cav-alry under Captain Warner to intercept them.

For four or five miles, the two groups engagedin a galloping fight. Once they formed intobattle lines against each other, but the rest ofthe time Union Cavalry chased Mosby’s Rang-ers towards Bull Run, the stream that servedas an informal dividing line between the FairfaxCounty that was under Federal control, andPrince William and Loudoun Counties that wereless secure from a Union perspective.

Mosby’s forces crossed the stream at WolfRun Shoals in the Clifton area, and the Union

forces did not chase them any farther.The next day, two of Mosby’s Rangers who

had been involved in this fight were talkingand Lieutenant James Wiltshire remarked, “hasit never struck you as being a notable fact thatthe first big fight of the war occurred on BullRun and the last shots of the war in Virginiawere fired on the banks of that same stream?”The bookends to the Civil War in Virginia thatWiltshire was referring to was the First Battleof Manassas, and this last fight in FairfaxCounty the day that Lee was surrendering 150miles away.

Today NOVA Parks owns most of the FairfaxCounty side of the Bull Run and Occoquan riv-ers, an area rich in history.

On the Banks of Bull Run 150 Years Ago

Failing ThoseMost in NeedTo the Editor:

My name is MaurineHouser and I am writing inresponse to your article[“Moving: From Institutionto Community”] printed onApril 2 regarding theNorthern Virginia TrainingCenter.

I am the younger sister andguardian of my 57-year-oldbrother Kim Houser. Until recently,he resided at the Northern VirginiaTraining Center. Kim is non-verbal,non-ambulatory without assis-tance, has the cognitive ability ofa nine month old and is medicallyfragile.

Your article states that the stateDepartment of Behavioral Healthand Developmental Services hasprovided a multitude of commu-

nity placement op-tions for family mem-bers. However, it hasbeen my experienceand others that theplacements offeredare inappropriate anddo not have the skillsor supports necessaryfor the medically dis-abled and behavior-ally challenged popu-

lation remaining at the NorthernVirginia Training Center to sur-vive. Not only are the placementsunrealistic, they are not in North-ern Virginia. My brother was of-fered placements in Williamsburgand Petersburg, Va., that were notin line with the standards of caresuitable for him. My other alter-native was to allow the State ofVirginia to relocate Kim to theCentral Virginia Training Center inLynchburg, Va,, which the state in-tends on closing in 2020 and ulti-

mately start the process of dis-charge all over again.

I came to realize unless I wasproactive on behalf of my brother,his future would be severely com-promised. Through my own re-search and efforts, I connectedwith Good Neighbor CommunityServices who are now caring formy brother in Spotsylvania, Va.The discharge process was exten-sive, cumbersome and extremelyemotional. None of the profession-als could predict the future of theMedicaid Waiver, which is now mybrother’s source of funding, noranticipate how he would react toa new home, staff and routine. Thedischarge process encompassed aseven-month period; including butnot limited to 20 state employees.

I feel fortunate I have found aprovider that will take good careof my brother. However, I fear thatthe remaining residents will not beso lucky. How can moving

someone’s severely disable childhundreds of miles away not be inviolation of the American with Dis-abilities Act? The populations atthe training centers are aging andmany individuals have elderly par-ents who will be unable to seetheir children due to travel con-straints. Similarly, Virginia re-mains glaringly non-compliantwith the U.S. Department ofJustice’s findings as highlighted bythe increase of individuals waitingfor Medicaid Waiver funds andservices. The process ofdeinstitutionalization in theorymay work for most individuals butfor those who are the 1 percent ahasty, underfunded, unsupportedprocess will result in catastropheas did the rapiddeinstitutionalization and nonex-istent funding for the mentally ill.

Maurine HouserReston

Letters to the Editor

Contributed

Kim Houser

Opinion

For example, the Republican candidate forSully District supervisor will be chosen in afirehouse primary on Saturday, April 25 atWestfield High School, with three candidatesseeking the nomination to replace retiringMichael Frey. The three candidates are BrianSchoeneman, John Guevara and JohnLitzenberger, and the winner will likely faceDemocrat Cathy Smith on Nov. 3. Smith is va-cating her Sully District School Board seat torun for Sully District supervisor.

This year’s elections begin May 5 with elec-tions in the Town of Vienna with three candi-dates vying for three positions on the ViennaTown Council. For more, see http://w w w. f a i r f a x c o u n t y. g o v / e l e c t i o n s /upcoming.htm .

IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, all 10 members of theBoard of Supervisors are on the ballot includ-

ing district members and the chairman. Alsoon the ballot: all members of the School Boardincluding district members and three at-largemembers; Constitutional Officers Sheriff, Clerkof Court and Commonwealth’s Attorney; andthree members of the Northern Virginia Soiland Water Conservation District Board Direc-tors.

Every seat in the Virginia General Assemblywill be on the ballot, including all State Sen-ate and House of Delegates seats. With sev-eral key retirements, including Del. RobKrupicka (D), Del. Tom Rust (R) and Sen.Toddy Puller (D), it’s clear that there will besome change. Del. Scott Surovell (D) will giveup his seat to run for Puller’s Senate seat, sothe musical chairs continue.

— Mary Kimm

[email protected]; on

twitter @marykimm

Register, research,vote. And vote again.

A Big Election Year in VirginiaEditorial

www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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NEWS DEPARTMENT:[email protected]

Kemal Kurspahic Editor ❖ 703-778-9414

[email protected]

Amna RehmatullaEditorial Assistant

703-778-9410 [email protected]

Ken MooreCommunity Reporter

[email protected]

Jon RoetmanSports Editor ❖ 703-752-4013

[email protected]@jonroetman

ADVERTISING:For advertising information

[email protected]

Salome Howard-GaiblerDisplay Advertising

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Andrea SmithClassified Advertising

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Debbie FunkNational Sales703-778-9444

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David GriffinMarketing Assistant

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Editor & PublisherMary Kimm

[email protected]@MaryKimm

Executive Vice PresidentJerry Vernon

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Editor in ChiefSteven Mauren

Managing EditorKemal KurspahicPhotography:

Deb Cobb, Craig SterbutzelArt/Design:

Laurence Foong, John HeinlyProduction Manager:

Geovani Flores

Special Assistant to the PublisherJeanne Theismann

[email protected]@TheismannMedia

CIRCULATION: [email protected]

Great Falls

10 ❖ Great Falls Connection ❖ April 8-14, 2015 Great Falls Connection ❖ April 8-14, 2015 ❖ 11www.ConnectionNewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

Local interior design enthusiasts willhave an opportunity to tour amuch-anticipated unveiling thisweekend when the 2015 Design

House opens in McLean on Sunday, April 12at noon, with ticket sales benefiting theChildren’s National Health System.

The 8,869-square-foot home was built byArtisan Builders and designed by HarrisonDesign to look like an old American farm-house. Then, 24 local designers were cho-sen to design a room in the home — theeighth annual design house — using inspi-ration that ran the gamut from American artto the home’s natural surroundings. Orga-nizers hope the varied styles will make thehome’s design appear to have evolved overmany years.

THE KITCHEN was designed by PaulLobkovich and Emily Neifeld, of LobkovichKitchen Designs in Tysons Corner. Antiquewhite walls accented by a custom hood inboth black and stainless steel create a simple,

but elegant gathering space.If this kitchen is the hub of a home’s ac-

tivities, then the butler’s pantry is where thepreparation for those celebrations begins.That notion was the inspiration for MargeryWedderburn’s design. “This butler’s pantryis the celebration of a good life,” saidWedderburn, of Margery Wedderburn Inte-riors, LLC in Vienna. “One enters the heartof the home, the kitchen and family room,through this butler’s pantry, so the room iscasually elegant, but doesn’t take itself tooseriously. It is happy, bright and fun.

“This home was designed to have a coun-try farmhouse feeling, and we were inspiredby the architecture plus the Virginia coun-tryside,” she said, explaining that nature wasalso a big inspiration. “We have the casualgreen leaf wallpaper, plus we designed acustom, faux-wallpaper on the ceiling whichlooks just like repurposed wood. We bringthe outdoors in with the green and bluetones of the space, including the fun pea-cock color, which ties in with our peacockfeathers in the umbrella stand.”

Even the chandelier is peacock, and theSisal rug features blue stenciling, while

green and blue stripes on the back of thecloset tie everything together. Meanwhile,accessories give the space a contemporaryfeel. “Because this area of McLean is so cos-mopolitan, we wanted to give a nod withstylish, hip vases, barware and details thatmove the space forward into the next de-cade while complimenting the past,” saidWedderburn.

Another active hub of the home is the backstair hallway, which connects all three floors.Although it’s windowless, designer DavidBenton’s goal was to create a warm, wel-coming and stylish space. “Using furniture,lighting and accents, we visually divided thehall into two zones,” said Benton of RASpaces, the interior division of Rill Archi-tects in Potomac, Md. Benton even createda “virtual window” with a commissionedpainting, “Old Dominion Sky.”

The first-floor space is accented with acustom, tufted bench and unexpected popsof color to create a formal space betweenthe butler’s pantry and dining room. “Thehall space that connects the garage, mud-room and kitchen is anchored by a consoletable and wool rug,” said Benton.

Open shelving and a built-in desk offeradditional display areas. Benton finished thespace with a chandelier by Circa Lightingand photo art. Those accessories “deliverfresh takes on period furnishing,” saidBenton. “The classic Eames bright blue fi-berglass shell chair introduces an unex-pected Americana twist.”

One of the design challenges Benton facedon the second floor was creating an aestheti-cally appealing area rather than a simpleconnection between two spaces. He decidedto transform the walls into a dramatic back-drop using wallpaper by Cole and Son thatfeatures silhouetted stems of cow parsleyagainst an etched background.

“Like the house, which feels like it hasbeen added to over time, we wanted theinterior to feel like an acquired collection ofpieces,” said Benton. “The useful storagebench and custom sweater rug give the spacewarmth and style. The fun and inexpensiveswag light is another way we added flair andutility.”

INSPIRED BY A SAILING TRIP throughthe fjords of New Zealand and by the brightoil-on-canvas painting, “Mountains andSea,” designer Lisa Tureson, of StudioArtistica in Oak Hill, created a powder roomthat she said resembles “a little art gallery.”

Tureson hung a custom, hand-etched mir-

McLean showcase home opens to the public April 12.

D.C. Design HouseHomeLifeStyle D.C. Design House

956 Mackall Farm Lane, McLean, Va., will beopen to the public starting Sunday, April 12,noon-5 p.m.

❖ Regular Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3p.m.; Thursday rvenings 5-8 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Closed Mondays. (Visitorsmust arrive one-half hour before closing time totake the tour.)

❖ Last day: Sunday, May 10, noon-5 p.m.❖ Admission: $30. Purchase tickets at

www.dcdesignhouse.com or at the door.

ror and eight paintings in the space. “Mygoal was to create a pictorial space since I’man artist and painter,” she said. “The subtlesparkle on the walls … adds pizzazz.”

When designing the room known as thegentleman’s retreat, Scott Cooke, of ScottCooke Design in Alexandria, wanted to“honor the architecture of the house itself,with a room that’s rustic in nature, and thatfeels in sync with the time period the houseevokes,” he said.

From the wooden poster bed and canopyto the rug and art, Cooke used neutral huesthroughout the room. He drew inspirationfrom the home of the late fashion designerBill Blass, which was, “done in a monochro-matic color story ranging from white andparchment, to caramel, chocolate, espressoand black,” said Cooke.

Transforming this grand house into ahome was a mammoth undertaking, but onedesigners say was well worth the effort.

“It is an honor to be a part of this amazinggroup of designers,” said Wedderburn. “Thegreat thing about the group is that every-one is wonderful and helpful to each other.There is a special camaraderie here and weare all drawing inspiration off each other.”

Photo by Angie Seckinger/D.C. Design House

The 2015 D.C. Design House opens to the public on Sunday, April 12.


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News

Two “p”sbecomep r o m i -nent and

problematic this timeof year: pollen andpotholes. The Vir-ginia Department ofTransportation can atleast do somethingabout the latter, if notthe former.

“One of the busiesttimes for filling isright as the winterends,” Virginia De-partment of Trans-portation spokesper-son Jennifer McCordsaid in an email. “Theconstant freeze andthaw throughout thewinter usually resultsin a burst of pot-holes.”

According toMcCord, state main-tenance crews andcontractors have al-ready filled over25,000 potholes inNorthern Virginia;Virginia is on pace tomatch its total ofaround 146,000 filledlast year statewide.

Repairing potholesfall under the $256million Northern Virginia maintenance pro-gram, which also includes grass mowing,patching, paving and snow removal. Thatprogram covers most roads in Fairfax,Loudoun and Prince William Counties, aswell as interstates and primary roads inArlington.

Citizens can report an existing pothole orfile a claim if their vehicle was damaged asa result of encountering one. The VirginiaDepartment of Transportation customerservice line, open 24 hours a day, seven daysa week, is 800-367-7623 (ROAD), while the

website for reporting a problem iswww.virginiadot.org/travel/citizen.asp.

Claim-processing time can be lengthy,McCord said, as the claims department mustexamine factors such as whether or not thepothole in question was already scheduledfor repair and if there was reasonable timefor the repair to occur.

For more information about pothole re-pair, visit www.virginiadot.org/info/faq-potholes.asp.

— Tim Peterson

Photo courtesy of Virginia Department of Transportation

Virginia Department of Transportation estimatesabout 25,000 potholes have been repaired in North-ern Virginia so far in 2015.

The Pothole Picture

To honor Mom on Mother’s Day, send us your favor-ite snapshots of you with your Mom and The Connectionwill publish them in our Mother’s Day issue. Be sure toinclude some information about what’s going on in thephoto, plus your name and phone number and town ofresidence. To e-mail digital photos, send to:

[email protected] to mail photo prints, send to:

The Great Falls Connection, “Me and My Mom Photo Gallery,”1606 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314

Photo prints will be returned to you if you include astamped, self-addressed envelope, but please don’t sendus anything irreplaceable.

“Me and My Mom”


News

By Christina Tyler Wenks

Fifteen local authors representingmany genres unite for “An Eveningwith the Authors” to discuss theirrecently published books and how

and why they journeyed into writing. Theirbooks will be available for signing from 7to 9 p.m. on May 2 at the Great Falls Li-brary.

This is the second year for the annual“Evening with the Authors,” co-sponsoredby the Great Falls Writer’s Group (GFWG)and the Great Falls Library, but it is one ofthree events of the first-ever Great FallsBook Festival, which grew out of the popu-lar book-signing event. The book festivalfills out the day with a publishing panel inthe morning and a children’s writing eventin the early afternoon when winners of thefirst GFWG Youth Creative Writing Contestwill be announced. (See related stories fordetails about daytime book festival events.)

“We’re adding a few new sparks; pullingthe community together in a way that en-courages dialogue and celebrates creativeexcellence. The flame is already there. We’resimply feeding the fire,” says Kristin ClarkTaylor, author, journalist, former WhiteHouse communications strategist andfounder of the Great Falls Writer’s Group.

THE “EVENING WITH THE AU-THORS” — the flagship of the Great FallsBook Festival – will offer yet another first:an anthology of essays written by the GFWGmembers that will be available.

Authors signing their works include RobBlackwell, whose urban fantasy “A Soul toSteal” provides supernatural suspense.

Austin S. Camacho’s “Beyond Blue” andJohn Wren’s “Darryl’s Reunion” satiate read-ers of mystery.

Terence Kuch’s “Try Try Again” is dark,unexpected fiction.

The paranormal romance Feral Warriorseries continues with best-selling authorPamela Palmer’s “Wulfe Untamed.”

Ayesha Shoulders sprinkles messagethroughout her fiction in “When It’s Timeto Walk” and “When Love’s Knot Enough.”

Tested relationships come from the penof best-selling author Susan Coll’s fiction“The Stager” set in suburban Washington,D.C.

Laura Malone Elliott’s works “Under aWar-Torn Sky,” and its new companion“Across A War-tossed Sea” are inspired byhistory, but also inspire young readers.

Rebecca Glenn paints her way into his-torical fiction with her debut, “BecomingLisette.”

Humor fills the pages of Kimberly “Kimba”Dalferes “I Was in Love with a Short ManOnce And Other Tales from a Crazy, South-ern Irish Gal.”

Bill Lewers puts personal passions on pa-per in “A Voter’s Journey,” and “Six Decadesof Baseball: A Personal Narrative.”

Stephen Miller’s “Walking NewYork: Reflections of American Writersfrom Walt Whitman to Teju Cole”maps the Big Apple through experi-ences of writers.

Anne Speckhard’s works span politi-cal science, psychology and children’sgenres with “Talking to Terrorists,”“Undercover Jihadi,” “Warrior Prin-cess,” “Fetal Abduction,” and “Timo-thy Tottle’s Terrific Dream.”

Children’s frowns might turn up-side-down with Courtney Pippin-Mathur’s “Maya was Grumpy.”

Lynne Beverly Strang’s “Late-Bloom-ing Entrepreneurs: Eight Principles forStarting a Business After Age 40” an-swers questions about beginning andbuilding a business.

“I always enjoy gathering at eventswith other writers – the camaraderie,the mutual support, and fascinatingconversations about their variousprojects are energizing.” About herneighbors, Elliot says, “Great Falls hasbecome such a ‘colony’ for artistic in-put, both in visual arts and literatureand nonfiction writing.”

PERSONS WHO ATTEND the book-signing evening may discuss the writ-ing process with these local, publishedauthors from whom they may find in-spiration to start and/or finish theirown books.

“When I started the GFWG in Au-gust 2013, the fact that we so quicklybecame a cohesive, comfortable ‘writ-ing family’ proved to me that peopleare not only thirsty to write, but thirstyto talk about, explore and comparenotes about the writing process itself,”says Taylor. “So much of a writer’s lifeis spent behind closed doors, isolatedwithin the context of their own, cre-ative thoughts, which is precisely whya group like this is vital and necessary.”

A wine and cheese reception beginsat 7 p.m., with the program beginningpromptly at 7:30 p.m.

“An Evening with the Authors,” first-ever Great Falls festival to be held May 2.

Book Festival Brings Out Creativity

En masse, Great Falls Writer’s Group(GFWG) members put pens to paperfor the group’s first published work,“Passages On Time.” The collaborativeeffort is being published this week andwill be available at the first Great FallsBook Festival on Saturday, May 2.

Writers were asked to reflect abouttheir relationships with time. Perspec-tives profiled in the book come fromexperiences spanning seven decades,ranging from a childhood memorylearning to tell time, charging andpaying by the minute, and a 95-year-old wondering whether she will haveenough time.

“After hearing the different perspec-tives of each member’s interpretationof the writing prompt at our lastmeeting, I commented that we shouldmake a book,” said the anthology’seditor Esther Eacho. “So, here we are.”

Patricia Attkisson and Merrill Lishanare copy editors for the compilationthat contains dozens of works.

The GFWG meets monthly to exploreways to grow individual writing

strengths. Membership includesauthors of many generations andgenres. Most members began theirprofessional lives focused on sciences,law, and other professions, but writingevolved into a daily passion. Engineer-ing words is the common threadbinding members together. Memberslearn from each other, exploring newwriting opportunities together and asindividuals.

“Time is universal, and each personrelates to and uses time differently. Allreaders will appreciate the interpreta-tions of our author’s in this anthology,”said Eacho.

“Passages On Time” will be availableduring the “Evening with the Authors”portion of the Saturday, May 2, GreatFalls Book Festival at 7 p.m. at theGreat Falls Library. During the eveningsession, 15 authors celebrate recentpublication of their works available forsigning.

— Christina Tyler Wenks

Local Writers Combine Perspectives AboutTime in First-Ever Group Anthology

Terence Kuch

Austin Camacho Ayesha Shoul-ders

Bill Lewers Courtney Pip-pin-Mathur

Kimberly“Kimba”Dalferes

Laura MaloneElliott

Lynne BeverlyStrang

RobertBlackwell

Rebecca Glenn Stephen Miller Susan Coll

“We’re adding a few newsparks; pulling thecommunity together in away that encouragesdialogue and celebratescreative excellence. Theflame is already there. We’resimply feeding the fire.”

—Kristin Clark Taylor, founder of theGreat Falls Writer’s Group


News

By Christina Tyler Wenks

Proven experts in all fac-ets of publishing offer aglimpse into the highly-competitive publishing

world by offering advice, answer-ing questions and sharing their in-spirational – and sometimes sur-prising — secrets to their phenom-enal success at a publishing panelfrom 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. dur-ing the Great Falls Book Festivalon May 2 at the Great Falls Library.

For many aspiring writers, pub-lishing a book is a life goal, butmost people’s ideas remain in theirheads and not on paper becausethey don’t know the process, howto land a literary agent, or self-publish.

“How to get published has al-ways been a concept shrouded inmystery and misconception,” saysPamela Palmer, a New York Timesand USA Today bestselling author.“I’m delighted to relate my ownexperiences with both traditionaland self-publishing and to sharemy belief that all writers have theseeds of success buried deep in-side.”

Moderated by Kristin Clark Tay-lor, author, journalist, formerWhite House communicationsstrategist and founder of the GreatFalls Writer’s Group, the panel in-cludes several best-selling authors,such as nationally-known authorPamela Palmer; Rob Jolles, a na-tionally-recognized sales expertand writing coach who has writ-

ten three best sellers and whoselatest book “How to ChangeMinds” was named to USA Today’sTop Ten business books of 2014;Jennifer Abernethy, an authorityon the use of social media as a stra-tegic marketing tool and author of“The Complete Idiot’s Guide toSocial Media Marketing;” andRamunda Lark Young, a success-ful independent bookstore owner.

“Candid conversation betweennew writers and industry expertsdoesn’t happen enough, thereforethe publishing journey can oftenbe riddled with misinformationwhen going it alone,” said Young,who has helped launch countlessauthors to the best-seller list.

“With a panel like this you aregetting the best of many worlds.You’re getting information, inspi-ration that every writer needs, and

you’re getting technique,” saidJolles. “You need the combinationof people who can walk the fineline of inspiring and teaching atthe same time.”

Jolles and Abernethy agree thatan author’s online presence is amust and a social media presenceneeds to be started long before abook is finished. They will delveinto why and effects on publish-ing prospects.

“Each panelist brings a uniqueflow to the overall creative energyof this event. I want people toleave feeling energized, inspiredand fully armed with the strategictools they need to jump into thedeep water,” said Taylor, who or-ganized the panel. “Getting yourwork published can seem like adaunting challenge, which is pre-cisely why we need to be sharingthese strategic tools with eachother on a regular basis. Daunt-ing does not mean impossible.”

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. Eventbegins promptly at 11 a.m. A full-capacity crowd is expected andthere is no reserved seating, so anearly arrival is strongly recom-mended. Please do not bringmanuscripts. For more informa-tion, email Kristin Clark Taylor [email protected].

Discussion to offer adviceon how to get published.

Publishing Panel Planned forBook Festival

Photo contributed

Jennifer AbernethyPhoto by Steaven Coates, Sr.

Kristin Clark Taylor -Photo contributed

Pamela Palmer

Photo contributed

Ramunda Lark YoungPhoto contributed

Rob Jolles

SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2015❖ 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: How To

Publish And Promote Your Book: AConversation With IndustryExperts

❖ 2 -4 p.m.: “Every Child Is AStoryteller” Creative Activities forYouth; Youth Writing ContestAward Winners Announced

❖ 7 -9 p.m.: “An Evening With TheAuthors” — Fifteen authorscelebrate, discuss and sign theirbooks. Wine and cheese receptionat 7 p.m.Program begins promptlyat 7:30 p.m.

All events are at the Great Falls Library,9820 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls,and are free and open to the public.No reservations are needed.

2015 Great Falls Book Festival Schedule


Langley Boys’ Lax toHost Two Games

After starting 3-3, including a 9-1 lossto defending state champion Robinson,the Langley boys’ lacrosse team returnsfrom spring break with a pair of homegames this week.

The Saxons will host Cold Spring Har-bor on Wednesday, April 8, and Fairfaxthe following evening. Both games startat 7:15.

Langley opened the season with its firstloss to McLean in program history. TheSaxons responded with wins overYorktown and Dominion. Langley thenlost to Robinson and Chantilly beforebeating Battlefield.

Langley has played in four of the lastfive state championship games, includ-ing last year, when the Saxons lost toRobinson, 9-7.

McLean BaseballWins Tournament

The McLean baseball team won the“Let’s Play Two” tournament over springbreak, defeating Mountain View 12-4 inthe championship game on April 1.

After beating Langley and losing to

Stone Bridge to open the season, McLeancompeted in the tournament, beatingEdison, losing to Hylton, and then defeat-ing Potomac and Mountain View.

McLean returned from spring break witha 4-2 record.

“At the start of the year the biggest ques-tion mark was going to be pitching,”McLean head coach John Dowling wrote inan email. “We graduated two very, verygood high school pitchers ([Joey] Sullivan,who has been getting some solid playingtime at VT and Colin Morse, who is throw-ing extremely well for a top 15 rankedShenandoah team). Those two threw a tonof important innings for us last year. We

knew we had six or seven guys that couldreplace them, but given the limited oppor-tunities and injuries last year (Billy Gerhardthad a UCL repair and Jon Clines had an el-bow strain that prevented him from pitch-ing) the group was just unproven.

“As a coaching staff we were very confi-dent that as a group they could fill Joey andColin’s shoes, it just might end up beingfour, five or even six guys throwing impor-tant innings as opposed to basically two.Over the start of the season, we have done,in every game but one, exactly what weneed to do to be successful: throw strikes(and even when we didn’t throw strikesagainst Mt. View, Minamino was able to

limit the damage, and gave us five qual-ity innings). When our pitchers eliminatewalks we can be successful on the de-fensive side simply because we know ourdefense is going to make the routineplays. Big innings are tough to come bywithout the help of walks and errors, sowhen we eliminate those things we elimi-nate the possibility of big innings andensure we stay in games.”

McLean returns some talented playersfrom its run to the 2014 state tourna-ment, including shortstop ConorGrammes and catcher Caleb Beatty.

McLean faces some tough competitionin the near future. The Highlanders willtravel to face Chantilly at 6:30 p.m. onWednesday, April 8 in a rematch of lastyear’s 6A North region championshipgame. McLean will travel to face peren-nial power Madison on April 14.

Herndon Boys’ Soc-cer Undefeated

The Herndon boys’ soccer team returnsfrom spring break with a 2-0-1 record.The Hornets beat South County andWoodson and tied Madison.

Herndon will host Thomas Jefferson at7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8 and willtravel to face Oakton at 7 p.m. the fol-lowing night.

GunnarOkeson, left,and the Lan-gley boys’lacrosse teamlook to re-bound from a3-3 start.

Photo by Craig Sterbutzel/The Connection

Sports Briefs

Sports

By Jon Roetman

The Connection

In 2013, the Madison boys’ lacrosseprogram was one of the best in Vir-ginia. Led by 16 seniors, theWarhawks won the Northern Region

championship and reached the state final,where they fell short against perennialpower Chantilly.

The following year, an inexperiencedMadison team led by a new head coachfailed to even qualify for the regional tour-nament.

Now in 2015, second-year Madison headcoach Alex Gorman is hoping last year’s sub-par season, which included a first-round con-ference loss to McLean, was simply an aber-ration for an otherwise successful program.

“Yes, we want to get back to the regionalgames,” said Gorman, who was an assistantunder Rich Hodge when Madison finishedstate runner-up in 2013. “That’s sort of ourgoal. We missed out on that stuff last year.We had a long meeting at the end of lastseason and the goal for the kids was to getback to the region [tournament], where thisteam should be.

“There’s no reason for us ever to be outof that regional tournament.”

Three current Warhawks were contribu-tors to the 2013 team: junior attackmanCheech McLallen, senior midfielder RobbieMcLallen and junior midfielder Palmer Lloyd.

Cheech McLallen started hot on Mondayagainst Washington-Lee, scoring theWarhawks’ first three goals while some ofhis teammates took their time returning tofull speed following spring break. Madisonscored the final four goals of the first half

and improved to 4-0 on the season with a16-9 victory in Arlington.

“The spot I was in was pretty much anopen spot,” McLallen said. “We had a goodtwo-on-one game going on right there.”

McLallen, who has started since his fresh-man season, was one of eight Madison play-ers to score at least one goal. MidfieldersStephen Gerdon and Jackson Franks eachscored three goals, attackmen JP Ugast andJacob Stein each had two, while midfieldersSammy Borak, Robbie McLallen and Lloydeach had one.

“[Cheech McLallen is] the face everybodyknows on this team,” Gorman said. “In thepast, teams have scouted us and they seehim. This year, it’s a little bit different. We’vegot guys that can score goals. Cheech isdefinitely, by far, one of our best players,but he’s not the only player out there. I thinkthis year, we have a more balanced offensethan we’ve had in the past.”

Washington-Lee head coach Chris Coreysaid the Generals opened the game in a zonedefense with the intent of slowing CheechMcLallen. W-L tied the score at 4-all earlyin the second quarter, but Madison scoredthe final four goals of the first half andpulled away during the final 24 minutes.

“[Our defensive approach] worked forapproximately a quarter-and-a-half,” Coreysaid, “and then they called timeout andmade a really good adjustment to it.”

Madison will travel to face Vienna rivalOakton at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 11.

Warhawks improve to4-0 with victory overWashington-Lee.

Madison Boys’ Lax Returning to Winning Ways

Junior attackman Cheech McLallenscored Madison’s first three goalsduring a 16-9 win over Washing-ton-Lee on Monday.

JP Ugast and the Madison boys’lacrosse team improved to 4-0 witha win over Washington-Lee onMonday.

Pho

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Arrive Friday!THURSDAY/APRIL 9Reading Buddies. 4:30 p.m. Great

Falls Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike,Great Falls. Beginning readerspractice with teen volunteers.

FRIDAY/APRIL 10-SATURDAY/MAY 66 Artists: 5 Years. The Frame

Factory, 212 Dominion Road NE,Vienna. An exhibition and sale ofartwork by local artists: JackieElwell, Elaine Floirmonte, DebbieGlakas, Lisa Neher, Sarah Swart andBarbara Wagner.

FRIDAY/APRIL 10Playdate Café. 10 a.m. Great Falls

Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike,Great Falls. Toys and playspace forpreschoolers, coffee and conversationfor grownups.

Drop-in Chess and Board Games.3:30 p.m. Great Falls Library, 9830Georgetown Pike, Great Falls. Alllevels and ages are welcome to play.

SATURDAY/APRIL 11Riverbend Park’s Annual Bluebells

at the Bend Festival. 10 a.m. – 2p.m. Come by and join the fun. TheFestival features live music,wildflower walks, live animals, facepainting, wagon rides, and otherfamily-friendly activities. The cost is$5 per person. Speaking of bluebells,they have sprouted, and arebeginning to bloom.

Spring’s Sprung. Tuesdays –Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. April 7 –May 2. Vienna Art Center, 115Pleasant St. NW, Vienna. Members ofthe Vienna Arts Society present theirannual spring show, judged byBrenda Barthell. Meet the artists atthe awards reception, Saturday, April11, 4– 6 p.m. Free and open to thepublic. 703-319-3971.www.ViennaArtsSociety.org.

Spring Cookout and Watoto Choir.4:30 p.m. Providence Baptist Church,8980 Brook Road, McLean.Comprised of orphan children fromUganda, this exciting group will beback at Providence with theirenergetic, joyful brand of praise andworship. Come at 4:30 p.m. tomingle with friends and neighbors atthe Spring Cookout. Stay for theconcert at 6 p.m. A love offering willbe received at the end of the concert.

MONDAY/APRIL 13Preschool Story Time. 10:30 a.m.

Great Falls Library, 9830 GeorgetownPike, Great Falls. Ages 3-5 with adultenjoy stories, songs, and activities.

WEDNESDAY/APRIL 14Great Falls Citizens Association

(GFCA) Meeting. 7:30 p.m. GreatFalls Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike,Great Falls. will be a joint meeting ofthe GFCA Land Use & ZoningCommittee (LUZ) and theEnvironment, Parks and TrailsCommittee (EPT). The twocommittees are holding this sessionto look more closely into theenvironmental issues at the BrooksFarm property in Great Falls, whichis proposed to be rezoned withcluster development.

The program will feature Fairfax Countyofficials from the Department ofPublic Works and EnvironmentalServices, Health Department andDepartment of Planning & Zoningspeaking about storm watermanagement, wells and septic,environmental quality corridors andResource Protection Areas (RPAs), allof which come into play in theBrooks Farm rezoning application.

Legos in the Library. 4 p.m. GreatFalls Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike,Great Falls. Age 5-12 use provided

Calendar

legos to get creative.

WEDNESDAY/APRIL 15Arts Jam Anniversaries, a Flint Hill

School music and danceextravaganza, 7:30 p.m. at GeorgeMason University Center for the Arts,Concert Hall, 4373 Mason Pond Dr,Fairfax. More than 150 performersand 8 ensembles, and the cast of theUpper School Musical, “Bye ByeBirdie.” Free and open to the public.No reservations required. FreeParking in Lot K with Flint Hill minibus shuttle service and paid parkingat the Mason Pond Deck parkinggarage attached to the concert hall.

Pokemon League. 4:30 p.m. GreatFalls Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike,Great Falls. School age kids drop-inand play Pokemon with your friends!

FRIDAY/APRIL 17Pilobolus. 8 p.m. McLean Community

Center, 1234 Ingleside Avenue,McLean. Award-winning,internationally recognized PilobolusDance Company will performinnovative, energetic and gravity-defying works. Acclaimed for its mixof humor, invention and drama andfor the quickness and athleticism ofits dancers, the company continuallybreaks down barriers and challengesthe way people think aboutdance.Tickets are $50 for the generalpublic and $40 for McLean taxdistrict residents.

“Other Desert Cities.” 8 p.m. ViennaCommunity Center, 120 Cherry St.SE, Vienna. “Other Desert Cities” tellsthe story of the fictional Wyethfamily — a clan led at the top by amother and father highly regarded inold Hollywood circles and admiredby Republicans for their service toand friendship with the Reagans intheir heyday. The play explores thedark family secrets that threaten todestroy external and internalperceptions about the life the familymembers lead.

Eileen Ivers. 8 p.m. The Barns at WolfTrap, 1635 Trap Road, Vienna. Thisvirtuoso’s award-winning skill andIrish-inspired playing prove she is“the Jimi Hendrix of the violin,”according to The New York Times.$27-30. 703-255-1900.

Playdate Café. 10 a.m. Great FallsLibrary, 9830 Georgetown Pike,Great Falls. Toys and playspace forpreschoolers,

coffee and conversation for grownups.Drop-in Chess and Board Games.

3:30 p.m. Great Falls Library, 9830Georgetown Pike, Great Falls. Alllevels and ages are welcome to play.

SATURDAY/APRIL 18Model Trains and Thomas at Open

House. 1-5 p.m. Historic ViennaTrain Station, 231 Dominion RoadNE, Vienna. See and hear modeltrolleys and steam and diesel trainsplus Thomas and some of his friends.The layout reflects the mountainousterrain and towns of Western NorthCarolina with award winningstructures. Free admission. 703-938-5157. www.nvmr.org.

SUNDAY/APRIL 19“Call Me William: The Life and

Loves of Willa Cather.” 2 p.m.McLean Community Center, 1234Ingleside Avenue. The life and timesof Pulitzer Prize-winning authorWilla Cather are explored in theshow, by Prudence Wright Holmes.Tickets are $20 for the general publicand $15 for McLean tax districtresidents.

Amadeus Winds. 4 p.m. Saint LukeCatholic Church, 7001 GeorgetownPike, McLean. The Amadeus Windswill perform a concert. Tickets are$30 and may be purchased at thedoor or online at http://www.amadeusconcerts.com.Students 17 and under are admittedfree of charge.

TUESDAY/APRIL 21Table Panache for Festive

Celebrations. 10 a.m. ViennaPresbyterian Church, 124 Park Street,NE, Vienna. The program will featureeight tables designed by Five HillsGarden Club Members and will beheld on in the Great Hall. Arrive at9:30 a.m. to browse the boutique ofunique vendors. The program willbegin at 10 a.m. Tea and a lightlunch will follow. For ticketinformation call Marian Sanders 703-988-9324 oremail:[email protected].

6 Artists: 5 Years - an exhibition and sale of artwork bylocal artists: Jackie Elwell, Elaine Floirmonte, DebbieGlakas, Lisa Neher, Sarah Swart and Barbara Wagner, at TheFrame Factory, 212 Dominion Road, NE, Vienna, until May 6.

Send announcements to [email protected]. Deadline is Fridayfor the following week’s paper. Photos/artwork encouraged.


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Zone 6: • Arlington • Great Falls

• McLean • Vienna/OaktonClassifiedClassified

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21 Announcements 21 Announcements 21 Announcements

21 Announcements 21 Announcements




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117 Adoption 117 Adoption

ABC LICENSEJMJN Group, LLC trading as

Osteria Da Nino, 2900 S. Quincy St. Arlington, VA

22206. The above establish-ment is applying to the

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHLIC BEVERAGE

CONTROL (ABC) FOR A Beer and Wine on/off Premises and Mixed beverage on Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Antonino

Pino, memberNOTE: Objections to the issu-ance of this license must be

submitted to ABC no later that 30 days from the publishing

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objections should be regis-tered at www.abc.virginia.gov

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ABC LICENSEPeter Chang One LLC trading

as Peter Chang, 2503 N. Harrison St, Ste E, Arlington, VA 22207. The above estab-

lishment is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL(ABC) for a Wine

and Beer Restaurant on Premises license to sell or

manufacture alcoholic beverages. Wenqiang Huang,

ManagerNOTE: Objections to the issu-ance of this license must be

submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing


Objections should be registered at

www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

21 Announcements

ABC LICENSEThe Brew Shop, LLC trading

as The Brew Shop, 2004 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA

22201. The above establish-ment is applying to the

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

CONTROL (ABC) for a Wine and Beer off Premises and

Keg license to sell or manufac-ture alcoholic beverages.

Julie Drews, Member NOTE: Objections to the issu-ance of this license must be

submitted to ABC no later that 30 days from the publishing


objections should be regis-tered at www.abc.virginia.gov

or 800-552-3200.

26 Antiques

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

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

The FactIs Not YetThe Matter

I don’t know which is worse: the extra-special, extra-expensive, dental cleaning(the kind that requires Novocain andinvolves the actual dentist, not merely thehygienist) that I have scheduled for April 8th– or my next hopefully-not-do-or-die CTScan, moved up a month from my usualthree-month interval because of a suspi-cious formation seen on my most recentscan back in mid-February. Either way, thenext two Wednesdays following by the fort-night Friday, April 24th appointment withmy oncologist – to discuss the scan resultsfrom the 15th, should be noteworthy in thelife of this cancer patient.

To think that my cancer-affected life isgoing to just roll along with nary a blip inassessment, treatment, protocol, scheduling,availability, etc., is both totally unrealisticand wishful thinking of the highest naiveté.And if anything can be said about yourstruly, it is that I am well aware of, and rea-sonably well adjusted to, the slings andarrows of outrageous misfortune with whichI have been forced to live, live being theapplicable word, these last-six-going-on-seven years.

Given that symptoms I’ve felt previously– or not felt previously – have, on varyingoccasions, been positive and negative, feel-ing or not feeling has never been a sure-fireindicator of anything. As an example, onetime I felt a pain in my chest/lungs (where Iknow the biggest tumor is located); it turnedout to be scar tissue growing over a shrink-ing tumor, a good result. Another time, thesame pain/same area indicated the tumorwas growing, a bad thing. In general, feelingsomething has sometimes meant nothingand feeling nothing has sometimes meantsomething – and vice versa. I wouldn’t say Iwas damned if I did and damned if I didn’t,but I would say – with apologies to OliverHardy: It’s a damned fine mess in which Ifind myself so regularly entangled. Andapparently, from what I understand, theonly thing likely to change in the future isnothing. And as fortunate as I am, com-pared to so many others who have suc-cumbed to this terrible disease, beingpresent and discussing even a problematicfuture – six years post-diagnosis – is as goodas it gets for a patient originally diagnosedwith a terminal form of cancer: stage IV, nonsmall cell lung cancer. Still, it doesn’t (and Imean never) minimize the stress.

Somehow, managing this process/ experi-ence has to include a methodology for man-aging expectations and minimizing thatstress. Moreover, anything one can do tolighten the load emotionally, and build insome positive reinforcement and words-to-the-maybe-not-so wise, goes a long waytoward accomplishing some level of relativepeace and perhaps even a little quiet.

Of course, the process is Imperfect –with a capital “I.” There are always baddays; you just want your share of goodones, too. Acknowledging what you can’tcontrol and being grateful for what you canhelps to compartmentalize and find thatbalance between living in the present anddying in the future. Some days, doing“normal” things – like visiting the dentist,seem to help. Other days, it feels pointless.Oddly enough, it all sort of mirrors mysymptom history: it matters, it matters not. Ijust hope that on April 24th, the mattersdon’t hit the fan.

When spiderwebs unite, theycan tie up a lion.-Ethiopian Proverb


www.GreatFallsGreatHomes.com

Jan & Dan LaythamDianne Van Volkenburg

Office: 703-757-3222Susan Canis

Associate RealtorAnne Erickson

Associate Realtor 9841 Georgetown Pike • Great Falls VA 22066Sally MarvinAssociate Realtor

Vienna $1,599,000

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