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Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ January 19-25, 2017 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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By Tim Peterson

The Gazette

Fairfax County PublicSchools interim super-intendent SteveLockard is asking for

$130.4 million more for the schoolsystem’s FY2018 operating budgetthan the previous year, a 4.9 per-cent increase, to a total of $2.8billion.

Lockard spoke at the schoolboard’s regular business meeting,announcing the budget, on Jan.12.

“This really is a basic needs bud-get,” Lockard said in an interview.He stressed that two key prioritiesof the proposed budget are em-ployee compensation and class-room resources.

“Our programs are what sepa-rate Fairfax County from otherschool systems,” he said. “We’reonly as good as the people we haveleading them.”

Fairfax County Public Schools’population has eclipsed 188,000students at around 200 schoolsand centers. The staff is nearly28,000 employees, 90 percentbased in the schools.

In 2016, former superintendentDr. Karen Garza led a charge forincreasing teacher salaries, whichshe said have been lagging behindthe market average and are caus-ing Fairfax County to lose teach-ers to surrounding jurisdictions aswell as fail to attract high qualitynew instructors.

Last year’s approved budgetmanaged a step increase for em-ployees and began a four-year planfor bringing salaries to the mar-ket average.

“We really started in earnest lastyear,” Lockard said, “the biggestpart of the budget proposal con-tinues that work.”

The FY2018 proposed budgetincludes $44 million for an aver-age step increase of 2.5 percent forall eligible employees, includingteachers and non-teachers. As partof that multi-year market average-matching plan, there’s also a $33.2million investment for teacher pay.

Another $41.2 million covers“anticipated increases in healthinsurance and contributions to theretirement systems,” according toa release from FCPS.

Kimberly Adams is president ofthe Fairfax County Council of

PTAs. She’s also a librarian atMantua Elementary School.

“The most encouraging thing isthe superintendent kept class sizeand teacher compensation at theforefront,” she said.

But getting a 5.7 percent raiseover FY2017 in the transfer from

the Fairfax County Board of Super-visors “is going to be a struggle,”said Adams.

Lockard said the FCPS budgetrequires 72.2 percent of the totalrevenue from the county.

“We’re so appreciative of ourfunding partners at the Board of

Supervisors for the collaborativework last year,” he said. “Wewanted to advocate for the needsthat we have, but we need to beprepared should the funding notoccur. We recognize the challeng

By Tim Peterson

The Gazette

Walt Whitman MiddleSchool principal RogerVanderhye, 60, died

last week following complicationsfrom a recent surgery, an an-nouncement from Fairfax CountyPublic Schools assistant superin-tendent Douglas A. Tyson said onJan. 13.

“Mr. Vanderhye was a caring,thoughtful and optimistic personwith a wonderful sense of humor,”Tyson wrote. “He will be greatlymissed.”

Before being named principal atWalt Whitman in July 2015,Vanderhye spent 12 years as prin-cipal at Spring Hill ElementarySchool in McLean, where he wasalso a resident.

“Roger positively impactedcountless numbers of students andstaff during his distinguished ca-reer,” Tyson continued. “Heworked tirelessly to partner withparents to support their children’slearning and development. Thosewho knew Roger understood himto be a person of integrity and aninnovator whose dedication to hisstudents, staff and community re-mains an inspiration to all of us.”

Mount Vernon representative tothe FCPS school board KarenCorbett Sanders said the suddenloss was devastating.

“He chose to come to WaltWhitman, he chose to put all hisenergy in it, into our community,”Corbett Sanders said.

“He went well beyond what any-body could’ve expected,” she con-tinued, explaining that Vanderhye

started Saturday School for stu-dents struggling to prepare forSOL testing and reached out to theWest African and Hispanic com-munities and had special parentmeetings with each.

“He really was just an educa-tional leader,” Corbett Sanderssaid, “empathetic, inspiring for hisstaff.”

Vanderhye had upwards of 40years of experience in educationand came to FCPS with an inter-national background. He served asprincipal in Belgium, SaudiArabia, Greece, Chile, Africa, andalso Arizona and Colorado.

“We owe the parents the besteducation for their child and we’regoing to provide that,” Vanderhyesaid in a 2015 interview with SteveHibbard for the Gazette in the fallof 2015 when he began working

at Whitman. “We want to beknown as a world-class middleschool; we want to be known asthe school to attend.”

In spring 2016, Walt Whitmanbecame fully accredited.

“He was bigger than life,”Corbett Sanders said. “Everybodywho knew him, knew he was notonly an educational leader, but astrong leader too. He really set thebar high for everybody who wason his team. He expected only the

best from himself, beyond the bestfrom his team.”

Vanderhye’s wife Cecelia is prin-cipal of Belvedere ElementarySchool in Falls Church. Thecouple’s two sons Nick and Alexare both in their 20s and FCPSgraduates.

There will not be a funeral ser-vice, FCPS spokesperson JohnTorre said, however, a celebrationhonoring Vanderhye’s life will bescheduled for a later date.

Previously spent 12 years as principal at Spring Hill Elementary in McLean.Walt Whitman Principal Roger Vanderhye Dies

FY2018 focuses on employee compensation and classroom resources.

Lockard Proposes $2.8 Billion FCPS Budget

Fairfax County Public Schools interim superintendent Steve Lockard spoke at the FCPSschool board regular business meeting, announcing the budget, on Jan. 12.

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January 19, 2017Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A Connection Newspaper

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2 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ January 19-25, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com


NewsMount Vernon Gazette Editor Steven Mauren

703-778-9415 or [email protected]

By Michael Lee Pope

The Gazette

Members of the Virginia StateSenate say they’re tired ofhearing excuses about sewage from city officials in Al-

exandria, and they’re pushing ahead witha plan that one senator calls “the nuclearoption.” Earlier this week, the Senate Agri-culture, Conservation and Natural Re-sources Committee approved a bill that setsa firm deadline for Alexandria to clean upits act — 2020. If city officials are unableto stop dumping more than 10 million gal-lons of raw sewage into the Potomac Riverevery year, Alexandria would lose all stateappropriations until the problem is fixed.

“I don’t want to hear any more excusesfrom Alexandria,” said state Sen. ScottSurovell (D-36). “The truth is that they’remore interested in building Metro stationsand schools than they are solving this prob-lem.”

At issue is an outdated series of under-ground pipes that mix raw sewage withstormwater runoff, a system known as a“combined sewer overflow.” As a result, al-most any amount of rainfall sends raw, un-treated human waste directly into thePotomac River at four different locations in

Old Town know as “outfalls.” City officialshave a long-term control plan to close threeout out of the four outfalls. But they havenot yet completed studies for figuring outwhat would be necessary to clean up theoutfall at Oronoco Bay, which is responsiblefor about half of the sewage the systemdumps into the Potomac River.

“The 2020 deadline, I’m going to be veryfrank with you, it’s an impossibility,” saidAlexander Macaulay, a Richmond lobbyistrepresenting the city on this issue. “This isnot realistic. There’s no way that we couldbuild this facility in this timeframe.”

Senators were considering a number ofdifferent proposals on the issue, everything

from putting together a study committee tosetting a deadline of 2027. In the end, amajority of members on the committee de-cided to go with the most extreme version— setting deadline only three years awayand putting all state funding at risk for fail-ing to comply. Most of the senators on thecommittee, Democrats and Republicans,said setting a hard and fast deadline wasthey only way they felt they could get ac-tion.

“They didn’t just start dumping this to-day,” said state Sen. Richard Stuart (R-28).“They’ve been dumping this in for a long,long time, and they haven’t done anythingabout it, and we’ve got to have some mecha-

Lawmakers poo poocity efforts to flushraw sewage.

Senators: Clean Up by 2020 or Lose State Funding

State Sen. Richard Stuart (R-28) and state Sen. Scott Surovell (D-36), left, testify before the Senate Agriculture,Conservation and National Resources Committee.

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By Michael Lee Pope

The Gazette

The Wild West of online lendingmight be about to become a littletamer. That’s because a state Sen-

ate panel narrowly approved a bill thatwould subject internet loans to the samerestrictions that currently exist for consumerfinance loans, a move that would cramp theanything-goes culture of online loans in Vir-ginia.

“These international companies and In-dian tribes shouldn’t be able to run aroundand do things that companies here in Vir-ginia are not allowed to do,” said state Sen.Scott Surovell (D-36), who introduced Sen-ate Bill 1126. “This bill would basicallymake it clear that Virginia’s Consumer Fi-nance Act does apply to companies whomake loans over the internet, and it wouldmake it clear that State Corporation Com-mission has the authority to license them.”

The shadowy world of internet lendingallows companies from all over the worldto offer loans at interest rates from 600percent to 5,000 percent.

Recent years have seen a proliferation ofIndian tribes also getting into the act, tak-

ing advantage of the uncertainty of a lawthat crafted regulations in 1918. Surovell’sbill would make the companies apply forthe same kind of license that other con-sumer-finance companies.

“This will provide for a level playing field,”said Dave Irvin, manager of the PredatoryLending Unit at the Office of Attorney Gen-eral. “They will be subject to the same lim-its on their rates under existing law.”

Consumer-finance loans are currentlysubject to an annual limit on the amount ofinterest that can be charged, 36 percent forloans that are worth less than $2,500. Aseparate bill introduced by Senate Demo-cratic Leader Dick Saslaw increases thatthreshold to $4,000, although that has notyet been considered in committee. If suc-cessful, that bill would mean all consumer-finance loans offered over the internetwould be subject to a 36 percent limit onthe annual interest rate if the loan was forless than $4,000.

“IN THE ABSENCE of action, the internetbecomes a lawless place that plays by dif-ferent rules than traditional commerce,”said Kevin Mauer, associate director of theVirginia Catholic Conference. “Without pro-

tective regulation, the commonwealth’svulnerable consumers may fall prey to moreand more opportunistic lenders.”

Nobody spoke in opposition to Surovell’sbill, which passed the Senate Commerce andLabor Committee with an eight-to-five vote.

“I just think it’s helpful to make sure weregulate the internet like we do Virginiacompanies,” said state Sen. Steve Newman(R-23), who made the motion to report thebill out of the committee to the Senate floor.

LAST YEAR, lawmakers considered andultimately rejected a bill that would havelegalized online lending in Virginia. It wasan effort pushed by an Indiana-based com-pany known as OneMain Financial. Com-pany officials approached Del. Terry Kilgore(R-1) about legalizing internet lending inVirginia, and Kilgore agreed and introducedlegislation to do just that.

“I don’t want to get between somebodyand their money and somebody and whatthey want to do,” said Kilgore at the time.“That’s something that, as far as payday ortitle loans, I’ve not done that. If you wantto borrow the money and that’s the lastperson you can borrow it from then, youknow, you may be in a position where you

can borrow the money.”When Kilgore’s bill was considered in

House committee, Ken Kinion of OneMaindisagreed with the idea that his companyshould have a physical location in Virginia.

“When you’re making loans over theinternet for synergy purposes, it’s better tobe done at a central location because it justcomes through a wire in your home,” saidKinion. “So it would be prohibitively expen-sive for us to set up an internet location ineach state.”

Del. Greg Habeeb (R-8) took issue withthat.

“I find it frankly a little bit suspicious thatsomebody says well we don’t want to setup an office in Virginia because man that’scheap to do,” said Habeeb.

In the end, the committee killed the bill.Democratic Del. Mark Keam was happy thebill died but displeased at what the episoderepresented.“This is a classic example ofhow in Virginia at the state General Assem-bly unfortunately lobbyists and special in-terests come up with a business plan forthemselves. They come to the governmentto get the government to endorse and ap-prove their business plan and then they goout and do what they want to do.”

Bill would subject unregulated loans to rules that apply to consumer-finance loans.Senate Panel Cracks Down on Internet Lending

nism to hold their feet to the fire.”Three members of the panel voted against

the bill. State Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34)called the idea of removing all state fund-ing a “nuclear option,” one he couldn’t sup-port. State Sen. Dave Marsden (D-37) saidhe was a “reluctant” vote against the bill.And state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-30) calledthe bill “draconian.

“I would rather give the attorney general— as the ability under other state laws —the ability to sue the city if they don’t meetmy requirements,” said Ebbin. “That wouldbe more reasonable.”

The House of Delegates will be debatingsimilar legislation later this month.


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From Page 1

News

ing fiscal times.”Pre-empting the school board’s

adoption of this budget and anadvertised transfer from the super-visors, Lockard has already recon-vened a budget task force thatspent six months combing throughthe budget last year looking forinefficiencies and opportunities totrim.

“The group will examine workfrom last year, but also, any addi-tional things we haven’t consid-ered,” Lockard said, adding thatthe group is already at work.

One added stress contributing towhat Lockard anticipates will bea $90 million shortfall is a changein the schedule for paying into theVirginia Retirement System. Anearlier plan had the school systempaying a $25 million obligation inFY2019, however that has beenpushed up to FY2018.

“We’ve been actively lobbying tosee if there’s any way that can getmoved back,” Lockard said.

FCPS had also hoped to benefitfrom a meals tax that was on theballot last November and couldhave contributed an estimated $70million to the school system. Themeasure was voted down, muchto the dismay of teachers like Pre-cious Crabtree, who teaches K-6art at Deer Park Elementary Schoolin Centreville.

“I was devastated as an em-ployee,” Crabtree said. And look-ing at the FY2018 budget, she ac-knowledged, “the reality is we’renot going to get all of it.”

But Crabtree added that she andother teachers are still hopeful,encouraged by the ambitious pro-posal.

“If you don’t ask, say what youneed, you don’t get anything,” shesaid.

Lockard is continuing Garza’swork, she said, though the school

board hopes to have a new super-intendent in place by the end ofthe current school year.

“We need someone who isstrong,” Crabtree said, “who isn’tgoing to back down. It’s frustrat-ing that every year is a struggle,that you have to fight.”

Lockard said since 2008, FCPShas cut half a billion dollars fromthe operating budget, including2,200 positions.

“We’re constantly peeling backthe layers of the onion to try tocontinue to become as efficient aspossible,” he said. “There comes apoint where you begin to impactservices you can provide.”

Part of the proposed budget in-cludes preliminary changes to theERSC local retirement fund.Though perhaps not as visceral ofa threat as cutting fourth gradestrings, Fairfax Education Associa-tion president Kevin Hickersonsaid that potential change stopsshort of providing more competi-tive compensation overall.

“We cannot provide the level ofeducation our students deserve ifwe are short staffed, stretched thinand losing employees to surround-ing areas,” Hickerson said in astatement.

Lockard emphasized that thisproposed budget is just the begin-ning of a long budget process, andthat the Commonwealth of Vir-ginia has yet to sign into law itsbudget, which will have an impacton that FCPS shortfall.

“We remain hopeful and recog-nize the challenge,” he said. “We’repreparing ourselves to roll up oursleeves, figure out how to bestmeet our budgetary needs andcontinue to provide excellent ser-vices students deserve and havecome to expect in FCPS.”

A public hearing on the pro-posed budget is scheduled for Jan.30. For more information, visitwww.fcps.edu/about-fcps/bud-get/FY2018.

Lockard Channels Garza

MONDAY/JAN. 24Town Hall Meeting Focused

on Schools. 7 p.m. at SaratogaElementary School cafeteria,8111 Northumberland Road,Newington. Karen CorbettSanders, School Board Member,will be hosting a citizen townhall meeting in January to hearfrom community members aboutkey issues facing the schools inMount Vernon and the schoolsystem. 571-423-1055.

Bulletin Board


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Come for one night or both.

ST. Aidan’s Episcopal Church8531 Riverside Rd. Alexandria

centerforspiritualdeepening.org

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Alex/Riverside Est.$649,9008425 Mt. Vernon Highway

Beautiful home w/over 4000fin sq ft & 2 lvl addn plus600+ sq ft bsmt in lovelyRiverside Estates. Great Rm onML w/gas FP & wet bar.Adjacent Family Rm w/woodburning FP. An office adjoinsthe gorgeous 20’x32’ MBRaddn w/vaulted Douglas Firceiling & skylights.

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8522 Wagon wheel RoadAbsolute gorgeous 4BR, 3BA expanded& updated Split on large beautiful lotw/fenced backyard. Two 16x14 ft.additions, Office off the MBR & Sun rmoff the Living rm. Updates include:roof, HWH, HVAC, baths, kit (floor,cabinets, appliances & counters) –Freshly painted interior & exterior.

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Alex/Potomac Valley $624,9008815 Vernon View Drive

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News

Fairfax County’s Redevelopment and HousingAuthority requested fivemore units for planned

Murraygate Village, garden styleapartments immediately west ofthe Mount Vernon Crossroadsshopping center in the Hybla Val-ley area near Richmond Highway.

The change acknowledges whatis already built; no new construc-tion is planned.

“This is a simple PCA to allowthe housing authority to go for-ward with a grant application,”said Lee District Planning Commis-sioner James Migliaccio.

The Planning Commission ap-proved the minor change onWednesday, Jan. 11, that allows“the existing 200 multi-familydwelling units to remain at a den-sity of 23.98 dwelling units.”

The 8.34 acre property includes17, three-story multi-family build-ings and 308 parking spaces.

“Fairfax County Tax Records in-dicate that the three-story apart-ment complex was constructed in1971 for affordable housing forlow-income families,” according toplanning staff documents; 204

garden apartments were con-structed.

The county rezoning the land tothe R-20 (residential district,20du/acres) and HC Overlay dis-tricts in 1993 which changed thenumber of units on paper from204 to 195 dwelling units. Accord-ing to planning documents, thecounty’s Redevelopment andHousing Authority “intended toreconfigure 10 residential unitsinto five larger units to accommo-date large families who lived in thecomplex at the time.”

“The reconfiguration of the 10units into five units was neverimplemented for reasons un-known to staff,” according to plan-ning documents. “Therefore, theproperty continued to have 200residential units but was rezonedfor 195 residential units.”

The county also filed a parkingreduction request for 12 fewerspaces, according to PlanningCommission documents, to con-form with zoning requirementsand because of the “development’sproximity to the Richmond High-way Express bus route.”

— Ken Moore

Planning AffirmsMurraygate Village


Opinion

While most voters in the UnitedStates did not vote for DonaldTrump for president, it was allthe more so here in Northern

Virginia. Hillary Clinton won the popular votenationwide by 2.9 million votes.

In Virginia, Clinton won 49.75 percent to44.43 percent over Trump; 1,981,473 votes forClinton to 1,769,443 votes for Trump.

In the City of Alexandria, Clintonwon 75.56 percent of the vote, with17.54 percent voting for Trump; 57,242to 13,285 votes.

In Arlington, Clinton won 75.83 percent ofthe vote, with 16.64 percent voting for Trump;92,016 to 20,186 votes.

In Fairfax County, Clinton won 64.43 per-cent of the vote, with 28.61 percent voting forTrump; 355,133 to 157,710 votes.

Most people in this area didn’t vote for the

kind of changes that might be coming with thischange of administration and party. They didn’tvote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Theydidn’t vote to give massive tax breaks to thenation’s wealthiest families, in many casesmillions of dollars per family. Certainly theydidn’t vote for broadside attacks on Medicare,or to undo progress on climate change. This

list could go on for some time.With all of this and much more un-

der consideration, we rely on our mem-bers of Congress, including our two

U.S. senators, to fight, to stand up and resistchanges that are against the values and beliefsof most Virginia voters, to sound the call toaction in every case it is needed.

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer says he will not attendthe inauguration.

U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly and U.S. Sen. MarkWarner rallied with thousands in Alexandria

last weekend to oppose the repeal ofthe Affordable Care Act.

Even the one Republican memberof Congress from the region, U.S. Rep.Barbara Comstock (R-10), spoke outagainst Trump during the election.

Comstock could play an important role stand-ing up for the values of voters in her district,and will play an important role in represent-ing the interests of the region.

Call your representatives and tell them whatmatters to you. Every Virginia resident is rep-resented by Virginia’s two U.S. senators andone member of Congress. Of course this per-tains to those who supported Trump as well.

Beyer: 202-225-4376Connolly: 202-225-1492Comstock: 202-225-5136Warner: 202-224-2023U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine: 202-224-4024We welcome your letters to the editor; sub-

mit at http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/contact/letter/

— Mary Kimm

[email protected]

Counting on Our Reps in CongressSound the call to action; resist changes that areagainst the values and beliefs of most Virginia voters.

Editorial

The MVCCA and the PlanningCommission favored constructionof the cell tower. The opponentswere residents of Plymouth Roadadjacent the Lodge. Those resi-dents are not members of any civicassociation but Judge Brinkemaaccorded their opposition thegreatest weight. Her decision wasaffirmed by the 4th Circuit Courtof Appeals in Richmond.

It is my understanding that anumber of closely adjacent neigh-bors did not testify before the Plan-ning Commission or the Board ofSupervisors. I do not know why thiswas the case but do note the incon-venience of traveling to the “TajMahal” for such meetings. Themeeting scheduled by SupervisorStorck at a more convenient loca-tion would be an ideal opportunityfor anyone else who has commentsconcerning the various proposedalternatives to comment in a publicforum and engage in a public dis-cussion. This may be the last oppor-tunity to do so before the Board ofSupervisors votes on Feb. 14.

Stifling free speech is never agood idea. I strongly urge Super-visor Storck to permit public com-ment and discussion at the meet-ing so that those neighbors closestto the farm will have the opportu-nity to weigh in. Doing so may alsoreduce the county’s exposure tolitigation should a decision bemade by the Board of Supervisorsthat goes against the wishes of themajority of those closely adjacentneighbors most impacted by theproposed development.

H. Jay SpiegelMount Vernon

Letter

EncourageMore CommentTo the Editor:

Mount Vernon Supervisor DanStorck has scheduled a meeting onJan. 26 at Walt Whitman MiddleSchool from 7-9 p.m. to provide anupdate on the proposal to re-de-velop 4.38 acres of the 11 acreBock Farm at the corner of ParkersLane and Hinson Farm Road.

The proposal was the subject ofa Planning Commission public hear-ing and hearings before the Boardof Supervisors culminating in thedecision to defer the final vote toFeb. 14. Over the past month, therehave been discussions between thedeveloper, the supervisor, and vari-ous neighbors concerning the pro-posal and a few alternative optionsare now being considered.

Of interest to me is the fact thatSupervisor Storck has stated hewill not permit any public com-ments or discussion at the meet-ing. I strongly disagree with thisdecision. In 2010, the FederalCourt in Alexandria decided thecase New Cingular Wireless PCS,LLC v. Fairfax County Board of Su-pervisors, Case No. 1:10-cv-283. Inthat decision, Judge Leonie M.Brinkema agreed with the decisionof the Board of Supervisors to denya permit application to construct acell phone tower at the MountVernon Masonic Lodge on FortHunt Road. The underpinning ofJudge Brinkema’s decision was herview that the concerns of the clos-est adjacent neighbors most poten-tially impacted by the proposalshould carry the greatest weight. See Initiatives, Page 14

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By Scott

Surovell

State Senator (D-36)

Several of my billsare movingquickly in the

General Assembly’s“short,” 45-day.

First, the Senate Ag-riculture and Natural ResourcesCommittee passed my bill to re-quire the City of Alexandria to ex-pedite its cleanup of its primaryraw sewage discharges into thePotomac River after consolidatingmy bill with Committee ChairmanSen. Richard Stuart’s bill. Manylegislators agree that we cannottolerate 70 million gallons of un-treated sewage pouring into thePotomac River for the next 30years while the city addresses therest of what’s called a “combinedsewer overflow” system datingfrom the 1800s. Water quality is anonpartisan issue. I will continueto expedite this legislation withSenator Stuart and Del. Dave Albowho is carrying similar legislationin the House of Delegates.

I have also introduced three billsto address the ongoing pollutionof the Potomac River by coal ash.One seeks to stop the importingof 600 cargo containers of Chinesecoal ash into Virginia every yearby requiring electric utilities torecycle coal ash currently pollut-ing the Potomac River. Georgia,North Carolina and South Carolinaare taking this approach and Vir-ginia should too.

This week, my legis-lation to prohibit theoperator of a motor ve-hicle to drive with adigital device in his orher hand goes beforethe Senate Transporta-tion Committee. Trafficdeaths are on the risein the United States for

the first time in 50 years. I amoptimistic that my bill will be ap-proved this year.

Also, my legislation requiringthe Department of Motor Vehiclesto issue driver’s licenses for all Vir-ginia residents regardless of immi-gration status will be heard incommittee on Wednesday alongwith my bill to prohibit using bikelanes to pass vehicles.

I also introduced a bill requir-ing further transparency and ac-countability in Virginia higher edu-cation. One bill prohibits univer-sities from considering tuition in-crease without providing 30 daysnotice, an explanation and a pub-lic comment period to all students.My second bill requires the rectorand vice-rector (chair and vice-chair) of university governingboards to be Virginia residents.Governing boards are supposed tolook out for Virginians and Vir-ginia taxpayers, not their own al-legiances and alma mater. It isimportant for Virginians to servein those positions.

I filed a bill requiring a study ofreserve funds at all Virginia uni

Initiatives in the Legislature


Aldersgate Church Community Theater

Tickets and Information: www.acctonline.org

Director: Shelagh RobertsProducers: Tracy Dunn & Jacqueline Cooney

Music Director: James WoodsChoreographer: Michele KorosStage Manager: Austin Fodrie

Elf The Musical JR. is presented through specialarrangement with and all authorized materials are

supplied by Music Theater International, New York, NY (212) 541-4684 mtishows.com

January 13, 14, 20, 21 at 7:30pmJanuary 15, 16, 21, 22 at 2:00pm

ACCT - 1301 Collingwood Rd., Alexandria, VA 22308

Discover your inner elf.

Presents the Winter 2017 Production of

Aldersgate Church Community Theater Announces

AUDITIONSFor the John G. Fuller play “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court”

Adapted from the Mark Twain Classic (Alexandria, VA)ACCT announces auditions for “CT Yankee”on:

Saturday, January 21st from 1 – 4 pmSunday, January 22nd from 7 – 9 pm

Please visit www.acctonline.org for audition details and requirements.Show dates are March 24 – April 9, 2017

The play is directed by local playwright/composer Rich Amada and is produced by Jayn Rife andMarg Soroos. Ten comic actors of various ages and genders are needed for this zany, high energystage comedy based on Mark Twain’s classic time travel story. This is not your father’s Camelot!?What we’ve got here is a broad farce about a modern day American man who finds himself trans-ported to Sixth Century England where royalty, knights, ladies of the court, an all-too-perky page,and a particularly dastardly wizard all come together in a story about political intrigue in the Courtof King Arthur. How high are the stakes? Well, the losers could get burned at them. This is a cos-tume comedy with larger than life characters that will all be played for big laughs.

Auditions are being held at Aldersgate United Methodist Church1301 Collingwood Road, in Room 202, Alexandria, VA 22308

By Marilyn Campbell

The Gazette

In an effort to confront religious intolerance, agroup of local middle school students will at-tend a camp aimed at bringing together chil-dren from different religions and giving them

the chance to come together, make new friendships,visit houses of worship, learn about other traditionsand practice dialogue to confront Islamophobia andAnti-Semitism.

“Campers will get experiences in synagogues,mosques and churches,” said Shoshana Abrams ofKids4Peace. “They’ll see how others pray, how theycelebrate and what they believe.It’s helping to break down stereo-types. A lot of interfaith action isneeded to combat Islamophobiaand bring together people of dif-ferent faiths.”

Kids4Peace’s Interfaith DayCamp is one of a diverse varietyof summer camps available tolocal children. From performingarts, wilderness adventures andsports to language immersion,standardized test prep and com-munity service, the summer offerings in the Wash-ington region are plentiful. Though warm weatheris months away, this is the time to start planning forcamp and finding the best fit, say child developmentexperts. “You want to include your child from thebeginning of the process,” said Carolyn Lorente, Ph.D, professor of psychology at Northern Virginia Com-munity College in Alexandria. “Explore options byfollowing their interests. I like to ask kids ‘What prob-lem would you like to solve?’ For instance, would

they like to learn how to play basketball, how to makea rocket, how to see other galaxies, how to paintwith acrylics, how to star in a play? These [ques-tions] will point you in a direction that is good forboth you and your child.”

Local camps fairs such as the Northern VirginiaCamp & Summer Fun Expo, offer access to a varietyof both day and overnight options in one location.“We want parents to know that there are many dif-ferent options out there, and they’re going to findout all the specifics about many camps,” said JackyDooly, of Northern Virginia Camp & Summer FunExpo and Washington Parent in Bethesda, Maryland.“There will be specific sports camps like swimming

and martial arts. Maybe child hasacademic issues and they need toget caught up. If so, there areacademic programs.”

Before attending a camp fair,Dooly suggests that families pre-pare themselves, and there arequestions that she recommendsparents ask prospective campofficials. “Does the camp offerearly morning care as well aslater evening care?” she asks.“Find out information about the

food that is offered at the camp. How much activitywill your child get during the day? If you’re inter-ested in a particular camp, find out if it fits withinyour budget.”

“I’d also want to know how they are going to keepyour child safe, how they encourage participation,and the percentage of returning camp counselors andcampers,” added Lorente. “If you have a camp withhigh return rates that indicates that it is a place wherepeople want to be.”

Mandarin immersion, public speaking and scienceexploration are among the choices that will be avail-able this summer at BASIS Independent SummerMcLean. Noting that this will be the camp’s inaugu-ral summer, Asha Bruot, spokeswoman for McLeanBASIS, says that there will also be “a traditional daycamp for students in first through fifth [grades] withthematically-linked activities, classroom projects, out-door games, drama, music, and art.”

“Summer camp should be a place for your child toexplore, play [and] become,” said Lorente. “Theschool year has become so structured. I would wanta camp that has embedded in it time for child-di-rected exploration [and] free-time.”

Local camp fairs help families navigatethe maze of summer camp offerings.

Planning for Summer Camp

The Kids4Peace Interfaith Summer Camp is aimed at helping to break down religiousstereotypes.

For More Information2017 CAMP & SUMMER FUN EXPOSSunday, Jan. 29: The Montgomery County Camp & Summer

Fun Expo/Hilton Hotel & Executive Meeting Center/Rockville, Md.

Saturday & Sunday, Feb, 25-26: The Northern VirginiaCamp & Summer Fun Expo/Dulles Town Center Mall,Dulles, VA.

www.washingtonparent.com/

Kids4Peace Camp: http://www.k4p.org/chapters/washington-dc/

Tips on Trips and Camps: (Feb. 12, 1-3:30 p.m.(, WaltWhitman High School(, 7100 Whittier Blvd. Bethesda, Md.,301-881-0547 or http://tipsontripsandcamps.com/dc/

Pho

to

co

urtesy o

f K

ids4

Peace

“We want parents toknow that there aremany different campoptions out there.”

— Jacky Dooly,Northern Virginia Camp &

Summer Fun Expo


Entertainment

Email announcements [email protected]. In-clude date, time, location, description andcontact for event: phone, email and/orwebsite. Photos and artwork welcome.Deadline is Thursday at noon, at least twoweeks before event.

ONGOINGSimply Abstract” Art Exhibit.

Through Jan. 29 at Del Ray ArtisansGallery, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave.Features local area artists’expressions of abstract art usingshape, form, color, and line in 2- and3-dimensional work. Artists tossedtheir colors and media in the air torelease their inner energy in thisdisplay of artwork.

Portrayal of Women in Visual ArtsExhibit. Through Jan. 31, 11 a.m.-5p.m. at St. George Gallery, 105 N.Alfred St. The artist’s perspective ofwomen inspired by in part by theirexperiences residing in [email protected] 703-299-9495

DASHing Words in Motion. ThroughFeb. 1, The City of Alexandria Officeof the Arts and the AlexandriaTransit Company have joined forcesto host a poetry contest “DASHingWords in Motion.” Possibleinspirational ideas might stem fromthe Alexandria Transit Company’sDASH buses motto which is “KeepAlexandria Moving,” or bus stops,neighborhoods, roads, or othermodes of transportation within theCity of Alexandria.www.alexandriava.gov/Arts, email [email protected], 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 [email protected] or call 703-765-5950 for more.

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

Medical Care for the Civil WarSoldier Exhibit. Ongoing at theFort Ward museum, 4301 W.Braddock Road. ongoing exhibitwhich features original medical

instruments and equipment from theCivil War period and information onUnion Army hospital sites inAlexandria. Free. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov/fortward formore.

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

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 Wardcollection. 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.

Baseball Boat to Nationals Park.Departs from the Alexandria Marina,1 Cameron St. The PotomacRiverboat Company offers baseballenthusiasts the chance to avoid thecrowds and take a leisurely cruisefrom Old Town Alexandria toNationals Park along the scenicPotomac River. Admission: one-way$20; round-trip $25 Monday-

It was a surprising move for a longtimeneighborhood eatery in Del Ray: Just a fewdays after announcing the start of her annualwinter hiatus, Dairy Godmother owner LizDavis has revised her message and announcedthat the venerable custard purveyor is closing

for good.“While the almost 17 years of

owning The Dairy Godmother havebrought me great joy, I will not bereopening in the spring,” she wrote

on the restaurant’s website on Jan. 12. Davishas offered to sell the business, part and par-cel, but will not be responding to communica-tions until she returns from her hiatus abroad,she said.

What began as the Del Ray Dreamery hasbecome a mainstay in the neighborhood fornearly two decades, offering up unique cus-tard flavors (such as Cicada Crunch during thecicada outbursts of recent years) and addingextra zeal to the 2300 block of Mount VernonAvenue daily, especially during the warmermonths. In the summertime, it wasn’t unusualto spy a line snaking out the door, especiallyon the weekends, where frozen custard lendsitself to languid after-dinner noshing, eitherin the café or on the benches out front.

While Davis is away, the Salt | Bagel pop-upshop that is set to open Friday will continuefor the next six weeks as planned. The jointventure of Bagel Uprising and No. 1 Sons wasalready in the works prior to Davis’ announce-ment and will remain in residence throughFebruary.

— Hope Nelson

Dairy Godmother SaysGoodbye to Del Ray

Quick

Bite

‘Sanctuary’Selected black and white photographs from Nina Tisara’s “Sanctuary”series, taken in Huntley Meadows Park, will be on display through Feb.18 in the Commons Fireplace Alcove of Mount Vernon Unitarian Church,1909 Windmill Lane. A closing reception is planned for Feb. 18, 6:30-7:15 p.m., followed by a concert by Nova Chamber Orchestra at 7:30p.m. Email Nina Tisara at [email protected] or call 703-765-5950 formore.

Photo by Nina Tisara


VARIETYSTORE

Est. 1958

Experiencethe Nostalgiaof an old-time

Five & Dime Store

“If we don’t have it,you don’t need it.”

Hollin HallShopping Center

7902 Fort Hunt Rd.,Alexandria, VA 22308

[email protected]

Entertainment

SUNDAY/JAN. 22Classical Music Performance. 3-4

p.m. at The Lyceum, 201 S.Washington St. Enjoy a classicalmusic performance by the FridayMorning Music Club featuringclassical works by various composers.Free. Visit www.alexandriava.gov/Lyceum or call 703-838-4994 formore.

MONDAY/JAN. 23“City Elections: Are We Getting It

Right?” 6:30 p.m. at TheHermitage, 5000 Fairbanks Ave.Discussion by Chris Marston, former

Alexandria Republican CityCommittee Chairman; Cameron P.Quinn, International Elections LawExpert and former head of theVirginia State Board of Elections; andClarence Tong, AlexandriaDemocratic Committee Chair. Cashbar reception and dinner withreservations and cancellations byJan. 20. Members $32 nonmembers$37. Call 703-548-7089 [email protected].

Ballroom Dance Classes. 7:45-8:30p.m. at the Athenaeum, 201 PrinceSt. Gary Stephans teaches the foxtrot,waltz, tango, swing, salsa, meringue,rumba, cha-cha, and samba. For allskill levels. $15 per class. Call 703-

Thursday; round-trip $28 Friday-Sunday. Visit www.baseballboat.comfor more.

Wake Up Wednesdays featuring ThePop Up Cafe. 7-9:30 a.m. onWednesday’s near the King StreetTunnel - Carlyle Entrance locatednear 2000 Duke Street near MotleyFool. The cafe will feature coffee, livemusic to help commuters start theday off right and donuts from SugarShack. [email protected]

CAMPS, CLASSES AND 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. Visitwww.TheDelRayArtisans.org for aschedule.

Community Yoga. Wednesdays 9:30-10:30 a.m. and Sundays 7:30-8:45p.m. at 532YOGA, 532 N.Washington St. Suite 100. Noexperience required to participate inweekly community class. Suggested$10 donation. Visitwww.532yoga.com.

JAN. 20-22Inauguration Weekend at

Gadsby’s Tavern. Various times atGadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 NorthRoyal St. Free tours, ladies tea, plusother hands-on activities. Call 703-746-4242 or visit

www.gadsbystavern.org for more.

SATURDAY/JAN. 21Family Owl Outing at Huntley

Meadows. 4:30-6 p.m. at HuntleyMeadows Park, 3701 Lockheed Blvd.Discover the secret world of owls andlearn what makes these raptorsexcellent predators of the night. Afterthe presentation, hike the trail atHuntley and hopefully hear or spotone of the park’s resident owls. $7.Call 703-768-2525 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows-park/ for 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.

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.

JAN. 21-MARCH 5New Target Gallery Exhibition.

Various hours at Torpedo Factory,Studio 29, 105 N. Union St.Alexandria artist Suzanne Vigil isamong the artists exploring theirIndividual Identities. Public receptionon Thursday, Feb. 9, 6-8 p.m. Visittorpedofactory.org/ for more.

On Exhibit“My Three Sisters”by Simone Welsh isone of the art-works in the NewTarget GalleryExhibition, Jan. 21-March 5 at theTorpedo Factory,Studio 29, 105 N.Union St. Publicreception onThursday, Feb. 9, 6-8 p.m. Visittorpedofactory.org/for more.

Photo by

Simone Welsh


Exp. 2/28/17

Entertainment

505-5998 or visit www.nvfaa.org formore.

TUESDAY/JAN. 24Homeschool Program:

Firefighting Technology. 1-2:30p.m. at Friendship Firehouse, 107 S.Alfred St. See how fire-fightingtechnology has evolved and test thescientific concepts behind how thehistoric equipment worked. Ticketsare $8 per child, adults free. Pre-registration is required. Visitshop.alexandriava.gov for more.

WEDNESDAY/JAN. 25Dyke Marsh Walk. 8:30-11:30 a.m. at

the Dyke Marsh, 6401 GeorgeWashington Memorial Pkwy. Joinleader Tom Nardone to scan the riverfor waterfowl and enjoy a walkthrough the marsh and woodlandareas. Sponsored by the NorthernVirginia Bird Club. Visitwww.nvabc.org/ for more.

Speaker Series on “Technology forSeniors.” 10 a.m.-noon at BeatleyCentral Library, 5005 Duke St. Thisworkshop will discuss howtechnology can enhance lives. Call703-836-4414, ext. 110 or visitSeniorservicesalex.org for more.

Volunteer Alexandria Open House.4-7 p.m. at 123 North Alfred St., 1stfloor board room. Meet friends andlearn how to get engaged in thecommunity. Visitwww.volunteeralexandria.org.

Iconography: 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 and

homes with Laura Clerici. Call 703-360-4220 or visitwww.staidansepiscopal.com.

THURSDAY/JAN. 26Vegetable Gardening Part 1:

Jumpstart With Seeds. 7-8:30p.m. at Burke Branch Library, 4701Seminary Road. Get the scoop onseed selection, hybrid vs. heirloom,what seeds to start indoors,germination tips, and best bets forseed saving. Find out how to makeyour own starter pots, and easy-to-create lighting systems to bring thesunlight inside. Call 703-228-6414 oremail [email protected].

Dinner with the Gray GhostWinery. 7 p.m. at Gadsby’s TavernMuseum, 134 N. Royal St. Start thefirst course and conversation withGray Ghost Vineyards, with links tothe “Gray Ghost” Confederate John S.Mosby. $125. Call 703-746-4242 orvisit www.gadsbystavern.org.

Songwriter Scott Miller and MacMcAnnally in Concert. 7:30 p.m.at The Birchmere, 3701 MountVernon Ave. Call 703-549-7500 orvisit www.birchmere.com for more.

SATURDAY/JAN. 28Watercolors in Workshops. 9:30

a.m.-3:30 p.m. at Green SpringGardens, 4603 Green Spring Road.Artist and instructor Marni Mareedemonstrates techniques and guidesyou in creating your own watercolorpainting. $88. 703-642-5173 orwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring/.

“Hands on: CollaborateAbstractly” 2-3:30 p.m. at Del RayArtisans, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave.

Workshop students partner up tocreate abstract art.DelRayArtisans.org/event/hands-on

Chairman’s Voyage: To BoldlyGo.... 7 p.m.at Alexandria Chamberof Commerce, 2834 Duke St. Hearthe future of the City of Alexandriaand welcome our new Board ChairDak Hardwick and celebrate thepossibilities to come. Call 703-549-1000 or visit www.alexchamber.com.

SUNDAY/JAN. 29Marine Chamber Orchestra Plays

Water Music. 2 p.m. at Rachel M.Schlesinger Concert Hall and ArtsCenter, 4915 East Campus Drive.Music by George Frideric Handel,Ned Rorem and John Knowles Paine.Call 703-845-6156 or visitwww.schlesingercenter.com.

TUESDAY/JAN. 31Mathew Brady Civil War

Photographs of Alexandria. 7p.m. at the Athenaeum, 201 PrinceSt. Alexandria historian Tom Schultzof DC Military Tours will lead adiscussion on seven subjectphotographs and the new discoveriesfound in them. Wine and cheese willbe served. Free. RSVP [email protected] or 703-548-0035.

Tom Clancy Auction. 10 a.m. at ThePotomack Company 1120 N. FairfaxSt. Auctioning items from the estateof novelist Tom Clancy, author of“The Hunt for Red October” and“Patriot Games,” including designerfurniture and the author’s golf cart.Preview of the Clancy items opens onThursday, Jan. 19. [email protected] or call 703-684-4550.

By Hope Nelson

The Gazette

The Obama administration’s time in the WhiteHouse comes to a close this week. Duringtheir tenure in town, the president and his

family were known to venture across the river fordinner on occasion, visiting the likes of everywherefrom Restaurant Eve to Del Ray Pizzeria to the Ma-jestic. On one summer day in 2014, President Obamafound his way to Fireflies in Del Ray for lunch, muchto the surprise and delight of his fellow diners. Here’sa look back on the occasion from the vantage point

of owner Marylisa Lichens.In November 2013, Lichens wrote a

letter to the president expressing herconcern and dismay regarding the state

of the federal government. On the heels of the gov-ernment shutdown that October, Lichens wrote thepresident that she was dissatisfied with how the shut-down was affecting American small businesses andclosed by saying she knew he enjoyed a good burger— he was welcome at Fireflies any time.

“Sure enough, (about) six months later, we got acall” from the president’s staff, Lichens said. “… Mychef called me and said, ‘So, the president’s comingfor lunch.’”

There was only one problem from Lichens’ point

of view: That day in June was the first Tuesday she’dtaken off in months, and she was miles away. Shespun the car around and headed back toward Alex-andria.

“Meanwhile, I’m driving down 66, trying to getdown to the restaurant in time,” she said, until shereceived a call from the president’s team, who ad-vised her to lay off the gas pedal; Obama would bedining and leaving before she would be able to getback to Del Ray.

“Apparently the president walked into the restau-rant and said, ‘Hey, where’s Marylisa — I wantedher to know I read her letter,’” she said. Upon realiz-ing she was away from the restaurant, there was onlyone thing for the president to do: Reach her by phone.

“The whole car ride, until he actually called me, Iwas practicing” what to say, Lichens said. “As soonas I heard his voice I started sobbing into the phone.… His final words to me at the end (of the call) were:‘I hope this helps you out.’ ”

“I was very touched that — you kind of send theseletters out into the ether and never know if they’regoing to touch base or not … and I’ve always been afan of his, and it was just really cool that he read itand knew my name,” Lichens said.

And as for the meal of the day? Lichens can rattleit off from memory.

“He ordered the American burger, which is alwayson our menu — of course he had to order the Ameri-can burger — but he did substitute white cheddarfor the American cheese, no mayonnaise, no onions,and he added Dijon mustard,” she said. “He said itwas a really good burger.”

Hosting a President for LunchFireflies’ owner looks backon the day PresidentObama paid her restauranta visit.

Appetite

Hope Nelson owns and operates the Kitchen Recessionistablog, located at www.kitchenrecessionista.com. Email her anytime at [email protected].

Calendar


21 Announcements 21 Announcements 21 Announcements

21 Announcements 21 Announcements 21 Announcements

Zone 3 Ad Deadline:

Tuesday Noon

703-778-9411

Zone 3: • Alexandria

• Mount VernonClassifiedClassified

ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLSREQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NUMBER 16-10-05

The Alexandria City School Board dba Alexandria City Public Schools is seeking proposals for an Emergency Alert System at Francis C. Hammond Middle School and George Washington Middle School.

Sealed Proposals with the notation RFP# 16-10-05 Emergency Alert System will be received in the Central Procurement Office, 1340 Braddock Place, Suite 620, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, on or before 3:00 pm, January 31, 2017.The time of receipt shall be determined by the time clock stamp in the Procurement office. Proposals appropriately re-ceived will be opened and the names of the firms responding will be read aloud. RFP documents may be obtained at the above Procurement Office or by calling 703-619-8162, or bydownloading the RFP from the ACPS website athttp://www.acps.k12.va.us/financial-services/purchasing/

All questions answered will be posted as an addendum to the ACPS web site.

No RFP may be withdrawn for a period of ninety (90) days after the opening of proposals except as may be set forth in the RFP.

ACPS reserves the right to cancel this RFP and/or reject any or all proposals and to waive any informalities in any proposal.

Gerald W. Amacker (Jerry)ACPS Senior Buyer

21 Announcements 21 Announcements


OBITUARY

Dr. Mark William Frankena, age 73, of Alexandria, VA passed away peacefully at his home on January 11, 2017. He was born on December 7, 1943 in Ann Harbor, MI to the late William Klaas and Sadie Roelofs Frankena. Dr. Frankena earned a Ph.D. in economics from the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology and a B.A. with highest honors from Swarthmore College. Dr. Frankena served as the Deputy Director for Anti-trust in the Bureau of Economics of the FTC. During his tenure at the FTC, Dr. Frankena also served as Assistant Director in the Bureau of Economics Division of Consumer Protection, and Deputy Director for Economic Policy Analysis. Between 1988 and 2004, Dr. Frankena worked as Special Consultant forEconomists Incorporated. Prior to joining the FTC, Dr. Frankena was a tenured associate professor in the economics department at the University of Western Ontario. He has coau-thored a book and authored or coauthored several articles on antitrust issues. Mark was an avid collector of antique office equipment and was curator of the Early Office Museum (www.officemuseum.com)

Mark was the beloved husband of 30 years of Kim S. Frankena , loving and devoted father of Morgan and Gregory Frankena, brother of Karl Frankena.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, January 17th, 2:00 pm at Christ Church, 118 North Washington Street, Alexandria, VA followed by a reception. Graveside services will be held at 11:00am on Wednesday, January 18th at Ivy Hill Cemetery, Alexandria, VA. The family suggests that memorial contribu-tions may be made to the Georgetown Lombardi CancerCenter (www.lombardi.georgetown.edu) or the International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation (www.IWMF.com). Please view and sign the family guestbook at www.everlywheatley.com. Arrangements by EverlyWheatley Funeral Home, Alexandria, VA


OBITUARYTHOMAS-SEMONIAN

PATRICIA ANN THOMAS-SEMONIAN (Age 76)

of Alexandria, VA, passed away on Friday,December 16, 2016 in Thetford house (Assisted Living)with her husband by her side. Beloved wife of Edward

Semonian, Mother of Pamela Jennings, Brett Thomas andthe late Rhonda Clark. Grandmother of Meghan Crum

(Jennings), Kenneth, Katie and Andy Thomas, and Nephew, Blake Ramsey.

A Memorial Service will be held in the sanctuary atFirst Baptist Church of Alexandria, 2932 King Street,Alexandria, VA 22302 on Friday, January 27, 2017 at

11:00 a.m.Reception to follow in the Faith Activities

Center at the church.


21 Announcements 21 Announcements 21 Announcements 21 Announcements

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

JEWELRY, COSTUME JEWELRY, FURNITURE, PAINTINGS AND CLOCKS.

Schefer Antiques703-241-0790

[email protected]

26 Antiques 26 Antiques

JENNIFER SMITH ❖ Serving the Area Since 1995

➣ Speed Up SlowComputers

➣ Virus Removal➣ Computer Setup➣ Help with Windows 8 & 10

571-265-2038

HDICOMPUTER SOLUTIONS

[email protected]

101 Computers 101 Computers

21 Announcements

LEGAL NOTICEPursuant 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.

202 Domestic Auto

1999 Chevrolet Silverado in exc. condition, 158,000 miles, 8 Cylinders, Automatic trans-mission $ 2100. 804-214-6490

The biggestthings arealways the

easiest to dobecause there isno competition.

-William Van Horne

EmploymentEmployment

PRESCHOOL CLASSROOM AIDE POSITION

KIDDIE COUNTRYDevelopmental Learning Center9601 Old Keene Mill Rd, Burke, VA 22015

email: [email protected]

We are looking for a kind, caring individual who loves children and is

interested in assisting in the care and development of preschool age children.

Applicants must be committed to excellence in the classroom and the

positive and appropriate implementation of a planned high quality program. Split position 9:00am-1:00pm and

3:00-5:30 or 6:00pm M-F703-644-0066 EOE

Saturday, January 21 at 9:00 A.M.Presentation begins at 9:20

Learn more about teaching at our school and findingjobs in private schools. Teachers of diverse back-

grounds and experiences are encouraged to attend.Register online: www.sssas.org/educator1000 St. Stephen’s Rd., Alexandria, VA 22304

703-212-2284

is hosting an

EDUCATOR OPEN HOUSE

ClassifiedClassified

Educational InternshipsUnusual opportunity to learn many aspects ofthe newspaper business. Internships available inreporting, photography, research, graphics.Opportunities for students, and for adults consid-ering change of career. Unpaid. [email protected]

TAKE NOTICE

The City Council of the City of Alexandria will beattending VML Day at the Capitol, Wednesday, January25, 2017, at the Library of Virginia, 800 East BroadStreet, Richmond, Virginia. There will be three or moreCouncil members in attendance.

For more information, please call 703-746-4550.

Jacqueline M. HendersonCity Clerk and Clerk of Council



Zone 3 Ad Deadline:

Tuesday Noon

703-778-9411

Zone 3: • Alexandria

• Mount Vernon

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From Page 6

versities so that we can develop betterpolicies governing university reserve funds.While the University of Virginia’s $2.1 bil-lion reserve fund is exceptional, it is notclear to me that a fund of this size is neces-sary or prudent given that it was generatedduring a time when the university raised a50 percent tuition increase. I also intro-duced legislation requiring universities andcommunity colleges to publish a list ofclasses granted reciprocity so communitycollege transfer students do not end up hav-ing to retake courses.

Lastly, I introduced legislation requiring

a court to impose civil sanctions against anyperson who improperly votes to certify aclosed public meeting. Currently, the Vir-ginia Freedom of Information Act has noconsequences if extraneous matters are dis-cussed during closed sessions of public hear-ings. That needs to change.

By the end of the week, I hope to haveintroduced 40 bills. Please see my websiteand online newsletter (http://scottsurovell.blogspot.com/) for my com-plete agenda. If you have any questions,contact me at [email protected] or804-698-7536. I am honored to serve asyour state senator.

Initiatives in the Legislature

By Paul Krizek

State Delegate (D-44)

The 2017 General As-sembly is underway.This year is a “shortsession” and runs only

45 days, from Jan. 11 to Feb. 25.Virginia legislators will considermore than 1,500 bills and hun-dreds of additional resolutions. We will alsoconsider amendments to the current two-year state budget which has a $1.25 billiondollar budget shortfall.

My legislative agenda makes votingeasier, our roads safer, our Commonwealthcleaner, and our government better for allof us. I will continue to push for pay in-creases for law enforcement, teachers andother state employees; to adequately fundK-12 education; to protect universities frombudget cuts; and, to embrace diversity. Hereare some highlights from my legislativeagenda for the 2017 session:

ENVIRONMENT:HB 2272: Establishes a recycling procedure

for Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs.CFL bulbs contain mercury, which is toxic

to humans. However currently we have arecycling exemption in the Virginia codebecause most recycling facilities do not havethe capacity to recycle mercury and otherheavy metals. This bill eliminates the state-wide exemption, but designates authorityto localities to create recycling programssimilar to how we recycle printer ink.

HJ 636: Directs the DEQ to study the eco-nomic impacts of litter on fishing, farmingand water quality in urban streams.

We know litter is bad for the environment,but we don’t know just how bad it is for theeconomy. This bill, courtesy of Friends ofLittle Hunting Creek, would show hard dataand provide better legislative guidance toaddress litter in our farmland and water-ways, a first step towards stronger protec-tion for our parks and streams.

HJ 575: Directs the Department of Gen-eral Services to study infrastructure invest-ments that yield energy savings.

New technologies are coming online al-most every day that both save money andmake our world cleaner. This bill woulddirect the Department of General Servicesto study opportunities for new infrastruc-

ture investments that wouldyield long-term cost savings totaxpayers and energy savingsfor our environment.

PUBLIC SAFETYHB 1558: Safety restraint use

in motor vehiclesIt’s ridiculous that in 2017,

people don’t still have to weara seatbelt. This bill, courtesy of constituentJonathan Tucker (West Potomac HighSchool), finally closes the backseat exemp-tion and would require all passengers in amotor vehicle to wear their seat belts. In2014, 58 percent of backseat passengerskilled weren’t buckled up.

HB 1561: Seat belts on school busesThis legislation requires new buses pur-

chased by school systems to include seatbelts when they replace their current fleet.Between 2005 and 2014, 106 people ridingor driving school buses were killed nation-wide. Five of those killed were Virginians.While buses do a good job of protectingagainst front and rear impacts, their safetydesigns do not protect against side impactsor rollovers.

HB 1453: Provides for dispensing ofNalaxone to reverse opioid overdoses

Opioid addiction is the worst drug crisisin the United States and it affects many ofour family and neighbors. This legislationallows more people to be trained to admin-ister the drug Nalaxone, which reverses theeffects of opioid reversal. This is a biparti-san bill that would save lives.

TRANSPORTATIONHB 1559: Allow people to renew their ID

cards onlineCurrent law allows Virginians 70 and

above to trade in their driver’s license for aspecial Senior ID. However, they are re-quired to renew their ID every five years,and renew in-person every other time. Thismeans that we are making 80-year-oldsspend their time at the DMV instead of en-joying their golden years. My legislationwould allow people with IDs to renew themonline every time and save a trip to the DMV.

As the session progresses, I welcome yourfeedback. Please send me an email [email protected]. Also, pleasecome visit me in Richmond.

Opinion

On Krizek’s Agenda


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