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Charting Through The AmazonNews, Page 3

Examining Hospital Expansion News, Page 3

Adrian Stanton (left), Tracy Greiner (center), and Nancy Iacomini discuss Virginia Hospital Center’s proposed expansion at the Committee of 100’s March 14 meeting.

2 ❖ Arlington Connection ❖ March 21-27, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

Tree StewardsFrom left: Joan Dombroski, Marilyn Stone, DeborahWood, and Hugh Robinson, with Juno, clean up HayesPark at North 15th Street and North Lincoln Street,across from Arlington Science Focus ElementarySchool. The four are Tree Stewards, and donatedtheir time pulling invasive ivy from trees, weedingout Bush Honeysuckle, cutting down volunteer Mul-berry trees that were insinuating themselves intotennis court fences, and pruning trees that need atrim. Behind them is the pile of ivy and branches theywere able to take out of the park in two hours onThursday, March 15. Juno helped carry sticks. To jointhe Tree Stewards or volunteer to help trees, seewww.treestewards.org.

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The Arlington County PoliceDepartment is investigating a ho-micide that occurred in the 4100block of 11th Place N. on Friday,March 16.

At approximately 7:35 p.m. onMarch 16, police were dispatchedto the report of a possible death.Upon arrival, it was determinedthat following a check on the wel-fare of an individual, the male vic-tim was located deceased insidethe residence. This remains an ac-tive investigation and cause of

death will be determined by theOffice of the Chief Medical Exam-iner.

Anyone with information re-garding this incident is asked tocontact Detective R. Munizza at703-228-4171 [email protected]. To re-port information anonymously,contact the Arlington CountyCrime Solvers at 866-411-TIPS(8477).

This is the first homicide in Ar-lington County this year.

Police Investigate Homicide

The Arlington County Police De-partment has arrested a suspectfor his involvement in an assaultin the 1400 block of Lee Highway.A 46-year-old man of no fixed ad-dress was arrested and chargedwith use of a firearm in the com-mission of a felony and two countsof malicious wounding. He is be-ing held in the Arlington CountyDetention Facility without bond.Atapproximately 6:43 p.m. on March13, officers were dispatched to ahit and run collision in the 1400block of Lee Highway. Upon ar-rival, it was determined that amale victim was traveling on footwhen he was struck by an un-known vehicle. The male victimwas transported to a local hospi-tal. The striking vehicle did not

remain on scene.During the course of the inves-

tigation, Homicide/Robbery Unitdetectives developed a possiblesuspect description based on evi-dence located at the scene andwitness interviews. Members ofthe Emergency Response Teamtook the suspect into custody with-out incident at a residence in theFairlington neighborhood on themorning of March 17.This remainsan active criminal investigationand anyone with information re-garding this incident is asked tocontact Detective C. Riccio at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. To report informationanonymously, contact the Arling-ton County Crime Solvers at 866-411-TIPS (8477).

Suspect Arrested in Assault

Arlington Connection ❖ March 21-27, 2018 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

Arlington Connection Editor Steven Mauren

703-778-9415 or [email protected]

See Charting, Page 7

By Vernon Miles

The Connection

On the morning of March 14,the Virginia Hospital Centerneeded 421 beds for thoseneeding in-patient care. The

hospital has 350. While the hospital hasoutgrown its current space, ongoing plansto expand the hospital into a neighboringcounty-owned lot has been met with somehostility from neighbors who say the newdevelopment will tower over the surround-ing homes. At the monthly Committee of100 meeting, advocates from the hospital,neighborhood, and the county offered theirviews on the divisive expansion plans.The Virginia Hospital Center is one of threeindependent hospitals in the state. The hos-pital has seen 37 percent growth since 2009,from 16,857 inpatients to over 23,000. It’sthe second busiest hospital in Virginia forbirths, and is expected to continue grow-ing by 40 percent over the next few years.Adrian Stanton, vice president of businessdevelopment and community relations forthe hospital, said the hospital desperatelyneeds more inpatient beds and needs toincrease its mental health capacity. The statehas given the center permission to expandits operations, but the room to do so willcome from a proposed land swap with Ar-lington County. The hospital is planning onexpanding into a neighboring five-acre par-cel adjacent to the site. The site is currentlyowned by Arlington County but is mostlyunused. The county will trade the land fora parcel of land on Carlin Springs Road.

The new site would provide outpatientservices, allowing the hospital to be sepa-rated by inpatient and outpatient services.That would free up two floors of the exist-ing hospital space. The hospital could add

82 beds to the floor space, but is only ap-proved by the state to add 44 beds to meetthe immediate need. Stanton said the hos-pital will petition the state to increase thenumber of beds once the current project iscompleted.

But while no one disputes the hospital’sneeds, Tracy Greiner, chair of the VirginiaHospital Center Expansion NeighborhoodTask Force, said many nearby residents areunsettled by the scale of the project. Grinersaid residents looked at what happened toWalter Reed, where hospital improvementscame with new floodlights shining directlyinto nearby homes. The floodlights, in thiscase, is the proposed 10-story tall extensionresidents have taken to calling The Wall.

One of the proposals put forward by theneighbors was to take more of the heightand shift it underground. But Stanton saidthat the cost for a parking garage triplesper space when it moves underground,

which takes money away from patient care.“I understand the hospital concerns about

money into the ground instead of intopeople, but there’s room for compromisehere,” said Planning Commissioner NancyIacomini. “The neighborhood should con-sider, though, that if there’s bedrock thatmeans blasting.”

When some of the neighbors began togrumble about the prospects of explosionsand rattling right outside their door,Iacomini pointed out that it would be anecessary hazard if the neighbors wantedto avoid a 10-story tall building outside theirhomes.

In addition to the scale of the building,the expansion is also expected to have a sub-stantial impact on local traffic. Griner saidthe hospital has been working with localresidents to implement changes that willhelp mitigate those impacts, but at least oneresident’s front view will be of a new traffic

light directly facing his living room.On the county side, Iacomini explained theupcoming Site Plan Review Process (SPRC)and examined the planning aspects of thedevelopment.

“It is unusual to have this large a proposalin a residential neighborhood,” Iacominisaid.

The SPRC is currently working throughthe site’s issues with scale and traffic im-pact. Iacomini said the SPRC process doesn’tend with a vote. Instead, the group attemptsto come to a consensus and deliver a jointopinion to the Planning Commission in apublic hearing. Then it will go to the CountyBoard for another public hearing and a votein June.

“It’s unusual to have this large a proposalin a residential neighborhood,” saidIacomini. “This isn’t an easy site, but in Ar-lington, there are no easy sites. All [of theproposals] are infill.”

Committee of 100 examineshospital center expansion.Growth Treatment

Designs for the expandedVirginia Hospital Center.

Adrian Stanton (left), TracyGreiner (center), and NancyIacomini.

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By Vernon Miles

The Connection

Where will Amazon go? Like manylocalities across the country, Ar-lington County has been posi-

tioning itself to try and become home tothe second headquarters for the massiveonline retail brand. Plans are being put to-gether to try and enticethe corporate giant to takeup residence in a countyanxious to fill its vacantoffice space.

But at the March 17County Board meeting,some expressed concernsthat the county would gotoo far and undermine itsvalue to entice Amazon. As a reminder thatlocal politics can often look very differentfrom the national spectrum, SpencerChretien represented the Arlington GOP in

asking that the county use its tax moneyfor public schools and infrastructure ratherthan to offer incentives to major corpora-tions.

“The county needs to release more infoabout negotiations with Amazon,” saidChretien. “The Arlington Way requiresopenness and transparency. Many other ju-risdictions released detailed reports. In

Maryland, there was a promised $5 billionin tax incentives. Chicago offered to letAmazon employees pay income tax to Ama-zon, not to the city. If Arlington offering

billions in subsidies, incentives and creditsto a megacorp, taxpayers deserve to know.We should focus on public schools andMetro … not throwing tax dollars at publiccorporations.”

Chretien’s comments on behalf of thegroup follows a statement made by the Ar-lington GOP’s Cair, Jim Presswood, on Feb.28 on the Arlington GOP webpage: “While

an Amazon headquarterswould bring benefits to Ar-lington and the region, Ar-lington citizens deserve toknow the cost before anydeal is struck. Arlington isunder great budgetarypressure from increasingschool capacity needs anda broken Metro. The citi-

zens are entitled to know if the county isoffering subsidies that will ultimately resultin a bill being handed to Arlington taxpay-ers. Creating an attractive environment for

businesses and residents is a far more fairand fiscally sound approach to bring jobsto Arlington than offering sweetheart dealsto specific firms.”

In response to the public comment,County Board Chair Katie Cristol expressedinitial agreement with Chretien andPresswood.

“I think all of us agree with underlyingsentiment,” said Cristol. “Arlington’s strongworkforce, excellent public schools ... mat-ter a lot more than incentives we could of-fer. Ultimately, we will release terms of anyagreement. If Arlington is selected, theterms of any agreement will be subject to apublic hearing. That means public commentand public vote. If not selected, we’re com-mitted to releasing details of what had beenproposed so citizens can decide for them-selves.”

However, Cristol said the transparency ofthe process has to be mixed with the neces

County Board weighs inon potential Amazon deal.Charting Through the Amazon

“If Arlington is selected, the terms of anyagreement will be subject to a public hearing.That means public comment and public vote.”

— Katie Cristol, Chair, County Board


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Connection

By Eden Brown

The Connection

He wasn’t supposed to fall on ashark, but when you are tryingto put a tracking device on aGreat White shark in a small

boat in the middle of the sea, you have to beprepared for things to go a little awry. EricBerkenpas, National Geographic engineer, dis-cussed National Geographic’s unique imagingtools and equipment to help better understandthe physical world– ranging from the myster-ies of undersea life to volcanoes and caves,when he addressed high school students onMarch 9.

Berkenpas visited Wakefield High School asa guest lecturer, providing insights about hiscareer and work as part USA Science & Engi-neering Festival’s Nifty Fifty Program whichsends more than 200 top scientists and engi-neers into schools around the country in ad-vance of the festival to ignite students’ pas-sion for science and engineering.

Taking place April 7-8 in D.C., the Festival’sExpo, sponsored by Founding and PresentingHost Lockheed Martin, is a free event that al-lows youths and adults to participate in morethan 3,000 hands-on activities and see liveperformances by science celebrities and ex-perts. The festival will kick off on April 5 withthe X-STEM Extreme STEM Symposium —presented by PwC and NCR — a “TED-style”event for youth featuring interactive presen-tations and workshops by STEM visionaries.

At Wakefield, Berkenpas said he and his col-

leagues created a critter cam which you could“tag” an animal with to see what he was up to.They used an industrial strength suction cupto put a tag on a whale, using a pole to attachit to the whale in a scene reminiscent of Ahab’sadventures in “Moby Dick.”

“You can do with sharks too; you tag theirdorsal fin,” Berkenpas said. “But you have todo it in the split second when it closes its eyesright before it eats. So you bait it, then followit while it chases the bait, then get literally ontop of it and tag.” The problem was, this time,the shark grabbed the bait, which was tied tothe boat, so hard that the boat jerked and thescientist who was perched on the edge of theboat lost his balance and tumbled … onto ...the shark. Berkenpas told the audience theycould google it because the whole thing wascaught on camera; it’s on YouTube, under “fall-ing into a shark.” Since the shark was about 2-3 times bigger than the boat, there were someheart stopping moments for the scientists.

“But,” Berkenpas said, “Next time we asked fora bigger boat.”

Berkenpas talked about trying to take pic-tures of animals in the deepest area of theocean, like the Mariana Trench. He told stu-dents, “If you are just walking around, you al-ready have 15 pounds of pressure on you justsfrom the atmosphere. But when you are downthat deep in the sea, you have tremendous pres-sure. Finding a camera that could descend thatdeep and withstand that pressure was not easy.But it was worth it because understanding thesea is crucial. Three billion people depend onthe sea for food.”

Does he ever lose a drop camera or break it?Sure, Berkenpas replied. “But a camera youdrop into the ocean to record images only costsabout $20,000, whereas a robot costs millions.So better to use a camera that might get lost.”

In response to a student’s question, he saidhis job really isn’t scary. Sometimes the scari

The Yorktown atrium was abuzz with par-ents and residents who had come to hear theYale University a cappella group as well as theYorktown Chamber a cappella group.

The Yale a cappella group, “Something Ex-tra,” and the YHS singers, performed atYorktown High School on March 13.

The Yale group told the story of how theygot started. When Yale’s a cappella groupswere only male, there were several all-mengroups but no female singers. Every year, themale groups came together for a competitionon campus, and that year, as the concert wasending, the master of ceremonies noticed agroup of women in black tie preparing to comeup to the stage. “Oh,” he said, “it looks asthough we have a little ‘something extra’ thatwasn’t on the program.”

Yorktown’s Chamber Choir also performed,and this was the debut performance forYorktown’s new smaller a capella group, whichpractices after school.

The YHS Chamber Choir had a busy week:on March 17, they attended the regional Dis-trict XII Choral Assessment held in Chantilly,

Va. They, and their interim director Kyra Klontz,who has worked with the group since January,received a score of excellent overall, and a su-perior in sight-reading. Judges noted the piecesthey performed were of extreme difficulty,rhythmically complex, and vocally demanding.

— Eden Brown

‘Something Extra’ Performs at YorktownYorktown’s Choir winsexcellent and superiorlevels in District XIIchoral assessment.

Something Extra performs in the atrium of Yorktown High School, providing aQ and A session with Yorktown’s Chamber Choir afterwards. Yorktown’s longterm substitute for the choir program, Kyra Klontz, is in the foreground.

See Scientist, Page 7

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News

Falling on a Shark Gets Students’ AttentionSTEM programreaches out toArlington students.

This attempt went awry when the shark tuggedon the bait and the scientist fell into the wateron top of the Great White.

Eric Berkenpas enjoysmaking cameras that canget inside a forest fire,down to the deepest partof the ocean, and attachedto deep sea creatures. Hewas given a Wakefield T-shirt by the students whoheard him speak.

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RestonRestonPage 6

“I know! I know!”Many of the studentswere eager to answer“Mr. Jefferson’s” (BillBarker) questionsduring the livinghistory assembly atArmstrong Elementary.

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azette Packet

By Vernon MilesGazette Packet

For the City Council, thelargest looming issue inthe upcoming months of2017 is always the city’s

budget. The routine is fairly simi-lar year after year: the city andschool system haggle to a compro-mise over expanding school enroll-ment costs whileother city depart-ments rotatethrough yearly bud-get increases anddecreases. But this

year, according to the City Coun-cil, the budget process is shapingup to look a little more dire thanusual.

“The budget isgoing to be a verybig deal,” saidC o u n c i l m a nTimothy Lovain.“It always is. It’sour main busi-ness, but it will beparticularly chal-lenging withMetro needs,school needs, andother infrastruc-ture. Those capi-tal needs are criti-cal to the futureof the city. Weneed to address them as best wecan.”

While school capacity needsgenerally take the largest focus inthe budget discussion, this year aMetro system in crisis and crum-bling city infrastructure are mus-cling into the spotlight. The issuesbeing discussed and weighedaren’t new, but Councilman Paul

Smedberg says the scale of thedemands exceeds previous years.

“We’ve had these issues before,but the dollar amounts and thesize is bigger,” said Smedberg.“Schools, infrastructure, andtransportation are all core to whatwe do. How we prioritize the restis what we have to decide.”Across the council, schools, in-

frastructure, and transportationare agreed to be the core budgetpriorities in 2016.“Blooming student enrollment

in the schools also presents a realchallenge,” said Lovain. “It largelyshows up for us in school construc-tion funding needs. It’s a happyproblem, it’s a compliment to oursystem, but we’re adding so manystudents. There’s a structural defi-cit we face. [Our]needs are grow-ing faster thanrevenues. Thatshows up on thecapital side andfor schools.”

In terms ofcapital costs, theapproved Alexan-dria City PublicSchools (ACPS)FY 2017 - FY2026 Capital Im-provement Plan(CIP) budget lastyear totaled$273,988,551. The FY 2018 - FY2027 CIP proposed by Superinten-dent Alvin Crawley raises that 10-year total to $515,739,655.“We need to expand the num-

ber of schools that we have andsomehow or another accommo-date renovations and expansion,maybe building a whole new

In the RedSchools, Metro, and infrastructureform trinity of 2017city budget priorities.

WellbeingWellbeing

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“We’re not goingto be able to makeeverybody happybut we wereelected to makehard decisions.”— CouncilmanWillie Bailey

The YearAhead

News

By Ashley Claire Simpson

The Connection

With the internet, communityfundraisers can go on without actual community inter-action. This March, how-

ever, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals— a nonprofit organization that raises fund-ing and awareness for children’s health cen-ters — has launched an interactive com-munity fundraiser for the benefit of D.C.’sChildren’s National Medical Center(CNMC).

The campaign, called Make March Mat-ter, seeks to raise $1 million for CNMC’sFund for Every Child, which helps everychild receive the best quality care regard-less of their background, financial standingor whether or not their families have healthinsurance.

“The campaign started out in Los Ange-les in 2016 for the Children’s Hospital ofLos Angeles,” said Tracy Jones, director ofChildren’s Miracle Network Hospitals.“Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals outthere wanted to pick a month to rallyaround pediatric health. After they had twosuccessful years, we started having conver-sations about bringing the campaign toWashington D.C. We started planning for itback in June, and the campaign quicklygained so much momentum.”

Jones’ team hit the ground running, go-ing door-to-door to get local businesses onboard as partners. As partners, these shopsand restaurants would hold special promo-tions or events for proceeds to go towardthe D.C. Make March Matter campaign.

“Our goal starting out was 55 partners,”Jones said. “Some of our long-standing part-ners were the first to come on board withthis campaign, but we also did a lot of coldcalling, and got our feet on the street. Wespent days talking to managers and employ-ees, getting people excited about the cause.The result is that 75 percent of Make MarchMatters partners are partners new toChildren’s National Medical Center. Among150 partners, there are more than 700 lo-cations across the greater Washington D.C.area that are participating. When we saidwe wanted to make March matter, the com-munity stood up and said, ‘We do too; wewant to make March matter.’”

One such partner is Arlington’s Don Tito,a restaurant and bar at 3165 Wilson Blvd.On Tuesday, March 13, Don Tito hosted aspecial event to contribute to the cause.

“We sold wristbands allowing guests toextend happy hour pricing,” said KaylaDingman, Don Tito’s event manager. “Allproceeds from the wristbands will benefitChildren’s National and the Make MarchMatter campaign.”

The entire Don Tito team was excited help

make March Matter upon learning aboutthis opportunity. “A member of the MakeMarch Matter team approached us to hosta happy hour fundraiser and we were ex-cited to get involved,” Dingman said. “Weconsider ourselves as strong supporters oflocal and national charities. If we are giventhe opportunity to help support a cause thatwe believe in, we’re always happy to help.”

Arlington restaurant, The Cookery at4017 Campbell Ave. in Shirlington, alsobecame a Make March Matter partner fol-lowing a history of contributing to otherfundraisers for Children’s National MedicalCenter.

“This is the most well-organized cam-paign that we have ever been invited to par-ticipate in,” said Cary Kelly, owner of TheCookery. “The ambassadors who deliveredour materials are informed and passionate.Our way of helping this cause was easy forus to implement and, most important, it’ssuch a clever way to engage our customersabout the important work of Children’sNational. The reputation of Children’s Na-tional Medical Center is so great that peopleseem grateful for the opportunity to sup-port.”

The Cookery team’s goal is to raise $1,500for D.C.’s inaugural Make March MatterCampaign through their initiative, whichlasts the entire month of March.

“We invite our customers to make a do-

nation by ‘purchasing’ a Dr. Bear badge,”Kelly said. “Both our D.C. and Arlingtonlocations are participating. Children loveparticipating and seeing their names on thebear that we hang on the front of our cashcounter. Most people are aware of Children’sNational Medical Center, but not all, so theexcellent supporting materials help my staffto tell the story.”

Partners like Don Tito and The Cookerywill help Children’s Miracle Network Hos-pitals in their goals to expand this campaignin the future.

“We are the first hospital outside Los An-geles to get on board and launch our ownMake March Matters Campaign,” Jonessaid. “We’re hoping to make it a nationalmovement. We gave businesses informationto help them brainstorm fundraising ideasbut they came up with their own deals.We’ve seen so many creative ideas. Every-one is doing something different but all ofit is great. We will take donations all year,but the campaign does officially wrap upon March 31. Then we will start planningright away for Make March Matter 2019.Based on what we’re seeing so far, we’reanticipating great success.”

For a full list of businesses participating inMake March Matters, visit https://c h i l d r e n s n a t i o n a l . o r g / g i v i n g /makemarchmatter.

Effort benefits Children’s National Medical Center.

Businesses Support ‘Make March Matter’ Campaign


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

ONGOINGFamily Skate Night. Saturdays

through March, 6:30-9 p.m. atThomas Jefferson Community Center,3501 2nd St S. Bring the wholefamily to Thomas JeffersonCommunity Center for Family SkateNight with a live DJ, moon bouncesand snack bar, this is a crowd-pleaserfor the entire family. Only $2 to skateand $3 to rent a pair of wheels(moon bounce and concessions areadditional). Cash only. Visitparks.arlingtonva.us/locations/thomas-jefferson-community-center.

Open Bounce. Saturdays, throughMarch 24, 9:30-10:30 a.m. or 10:45-11:45 a.m. at Madison CommunityCenter, 3829 N. Stafford St. Have anactive child (3-9 years old) who lovesto bounce? Enjoy Open BounceSaturday mornings at MadisonCommunity Center. $3 per child.Purchase tickets online atparks.arlingtonva.us/locations/madison-community-center-park/.

“Lord of the Flies.” Through March25 at Synetic Theater, Crystal City,1800 S. Bell St. Synetic Theater’sTeen Company presents WilliamGolding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’ adaptedfor the stage by Nigel Williams.Tickets $15-$20. Call 866-811-4111or visit www.synetictheater.org.

You, If No One Else. Through March31, Wednesday-Sunday, 12-5 p.m. atArlington Arts Center 3550 WilsonBlvd. Arlington Arts Center presentsYou, if no one else, featuring 10contemporary artists and artistcollaborations. You, if no one else,looks at the ways in which artistsrecord, reflect, contribute to, railagainst, and engage with politics andcivic life, bringing dialogue, beauty,and nuance to their involvement inthe public sphere. The title of theexhibition was inspired by poet TinoVillanueva, whose poem of the samename was included in his 1994collection Chronicle of My WorstYears. Visitwww.arlingtonartscenter.org or call703-248-6800.

Michèle Colburn: The More ThingsChange. Through March 31,Wednesday-Sunday, 12-5 p.m. atArlington Arts Center, 3550 WilsonBlvd. Michèle Colburn’s workexplores socio-political themesrelated to domestic terrorism, war,and the costs associated with both. Amultidisciplinary artist, Colburnmakes mixed-media objects withforays into endurance performanceon the streets. Her two- and three-dimensional work incorporatesgunpowder, spent bullet casings, andvintage surplus military tripwire.Visit www.arlingtonartscenter.org orcall 703-248-6800.

“Personal Worlds.” Through April 2,gallery hours at The Barry Gallery inthe Reinsch Library at Marymount,2807 North Glebe Road. “PersonalWorlds,” features oil paintings,drawings and prints by facultymember Mary Proenza. Admission isfree. Visit www.marymount.edu/barrygallery.

“HALO-HALO.” Through April 7, open24/7 at Metro Micro Gallery, 3409Wilson Blvd., on the corner of KansasStreet and Wilson Boulevard. Anexhibition of new works by NicoFertakis. The exhibition’s title,“HALO-HALO,” refers to a populardessert in the Philippines and means“mix-mix” or “mixed together” in theFilipino dialect, Tagalog. With anopening reception Sunday, March 25,1-3 p.m. Visitwww.metromicrogallery.com.

Art Exhibit: “That’s Why I’m

Here.” Through May 5 at CodyGallery, 1000 North Glebe Road, 2ndFloor. Marymount University’s CodyGallery will host an openingreception for the exhibition “That’sWhy I’m Here,” which features workby Kyle Bauer, Cynthia Connolly(Curator at Arlington Arts), ElizabethHuey, Kim Llerena, and JordanRathus. Works in the exhibition aremarked by experiences drawn fromthe environment, both real andimagined. Call 703-284-1500 or visitwww.marymount.edu and search“Cody Gallery.”

MARCH 21-23Fundraising: Citrus Sale. 9 a.m.-5

p.m. at the Overlee Community Pool-Bath House (Lower Level), 6030 LeeHighway, lower entrance off JohnMarshall Drive. Fresh citrus (withhoneybells), pecans, and maple syrupfor sale to support NorthwestArlington Lions Club/Charities. Call703-528-1130.

THURSDAY/MARCH 22Artist Talk: Jordan Rathus. 1 p.m.

at Cody Gallery, 1000 North GlebeRoad, 2nd Floor. MarymountUniversity’s Cody Gallery will host an

opening reception for the exhibition“That’s Why I’m Here,” whichfeatures work by Kyle Bauer, CynthiaConnolly (Curator at Arlington Arts),Elizabeth Huey, Kim Llerena, andJordan Rathus. Works in theexhibition are marked by experiencesdrawn from the environment, bothreal and imagined. Call 703-284-1500 or visit www.marymount.eduand search “Cody Gallery.”

Opening Reception: “That’s WhyI’m Here.” 5-7 p.m. at CodyGallery, 1000 North Glebe Road, 2ndFloor. Marymount University’s CodyGallery will host an openingreception for the exhibition “That’sWhy I’m Here,” which features workby Kyle Bauer, Cynthia Connolly(Curator at Arlington Arts), ElizabethHuey, Kim Llerena, and JordanRathus. Works in the exhibition aremarked by experiences drawn fromthe environment, both real andimagined. Artist talk with JordanRathus at 1 p.m. Call 703-284-1500or visit www.marymount.edu andsearch “Cody Gallery.”

Author Event. 7 p.m. at One MorePage Books, 2200 N WestmorelandSt., #101. In honor of Women’sHistory Month, with Mary Hartnett(co-author with Ruth Bader Ginsburgand Wendy W. Williams of My Own

Words) and Debbie Levy (author of IDissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg MakesHer Mark). They’ll share little-knownanecdotes, big-picture issues, andhow their two bestselling books, onefor adults and the other for children,came about. Call 703-300-9746 orvisit www.onemorepagebooks.com.

Up Ball: Darkly Ever After. 7-11p.m. at Clarendon Ballroom, 3185Wilson Blvd. A fancy dress andliterary-themed social event foradults, presented by the Friends ofthe Arlington Public Library, andfeaturing: prizes for the best fairytale inspired attire (costumes areoptional); live music; light appetizersand dessert; and drinks available forpurchase with cash or credit. Ticketsare $40. Visit arlingtonva.libcal.com/event/3711162.

FRIDAY/MARCH 23Survival Skills: Purifying Water. 4-

5 p.m. at Long Branch Nature Center,625 S. Carlin Springs Road. Learnhands-on traditional survival skills.Humans can go days without food,but drinkable water is a survivalpriority. Use different methods tocollect and clean rain and creekwater, then drink it. For information:703-228-6535. $5. #632928-A. To

register, call 703-228-4747 or visitregistration.arlingtonva.us.

Half Moon Hike. 7:30-8:30 p.m. atGulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 N.Military Road. The half-moon is thebest time for viewing the moon witha telescope – come find out whyduring an early spring hike in theforest. Then enjoy hot chocolateindoors. Teens ages 16 and up arewelcome, but must be accompaniedby a registered adult. Forinformation: 703-228-3403. Adults.$5. #632848-E. To register, call 703-228-4747 or visitregistration.arlingtonva.us.

Live Comedy: David Alan Grier.7:30 and 10 p.m. at ArlingtonCinema and Drafthouse, 2903Columbia Pike. David Alan Grierfrom Comedy Central, The Wiz andIn Living Color. $25-$30. VisitArlingtonDrafthouse.com.

SATURDAY/MARCH 24Family Bird Walk. 8:30-9:30 a.m. at

Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S.Carlin Springs Road. Families ages 7and up. Register children and adults;children must be accompanied by aregistered adult. Bird watching in theearly spring is a great time to start –fewer species and no leaves to hidethem. Begin with birding basics:using binoculars and field guides,identifying, and finding birds, thenpractice new skills. Beginners andexperts welcomed. Loaner binocularsare available. For information: 703-228-6535. Free. #632958-I. Toregister, call 703-228-4747 or visitregistration.arlingtonva.us.

Sisterhood Luncheon/EboneImages Awards. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. atArmy Navy Country Club, 1700 ArmyNavy Drive. National Coalition of 100Black Women, Inc., Northern VirginiaChapter presents “HatsolutelyStunning – A Hat and Glove Affair.”Featuring Daphne Maxwell Reid, andhonoring distinguished women in thecommunity. Wear gloves and astunning hat. Shopping bazaar andbeverage reception starts at 10 a.m.Tickets $55 at eventbrite.com, search“Hatsolutely” or [email protected] with questions.

Visit Our Animal Hospital. 1:30-2:30 p.m. at Long Branch NatureCenter, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road.Ages 6 to 9. Come visit rescuedanimals and see how to medicallytreat them, including reptiles andamphibians that need care. Forinformation: 703-228-6535. $5.#632928-E. To register, call 703-228-4747 or visitregistration.arlingtonva.us.

Live Comedy: David Alan Grier. 7and 9:30 p.m. at Arlington Cinemaand Drafthouse, 2903 Columbia Pike.David Alan Grier from ComedyCentral, The Wiz and In Living Color.$25-$30. VisitArlingtonDrafthouse.com.

Chamber Music. 7:30 p.m. atUnitarian Universalist Church ofArlington, 4444 Arlington Blvd.National Chamber Ensemble presents“Strings Fever.” Experience two ofthe greatest works of chamber musicby two masters: Johannes Brahmsand Felix Mendelssohn, featuring thelush sounds of the strings. Freeparking. $36 adult, $18 student.Tickets at www.NationalChamberEnsemble.org or at box office onehour before performance.

SUNDAY/MARCH 25Meet the Artist. 1-3 p.m. at Metro

Micro Gallery, 3409 Wilson Blvd., onthe corner of Kansas Street andWilson Boulevard. An exhibition ofnew works by Nico Fertakis. Theexhibition’s title, “HALO-HALO,”refers to a popular dessert. Theexhibit runs through April 7. Visitwww.metromicrogallery.com.

Entertainment

Hop over to Park Easter Egg HuntsPotomac Overlook Regional Park, 2845 Marcey Road, will host an Easter Egg Hunt onTuesday, March 27, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Children, ages 2 to 11 years old, are invited tocelebrate spring. Participants must pre-register at https://apm.activecommunities.com/novaparks/Activity_Search/2137. Tickets are availableonline for $10 per child plus a $3 transaction fee. Tickets are non-refundable. Parentsand grandparents are free. On Wednesday. March 28, Upton Hill Regional Park, 6060Wilson Blvd., will host its Easter egg hunt. Tickets are available online at https://apm.activecommunities.com/novaparks/Activity_Search/2243 for $10 per child plus a$3 transaction fee. Walk up tickets (if available) are $15. Tickets are nonrefundable.Parents and grandparents are free.

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Scientist Encourages StudentsFrom Page 4

Shahraz Shahbaz, 16, aWakefield student, is think-ing about going into engi-neering.

est is the drive to and from the site.“The fun thing about my job is thatI can both test and deploy, designand test.

I can do it all. Most scientists orengineers can do one but not allthree on the same project.”

How did he get interested inbeing an engineer? “When I wasyoung I had an uncle who workedfor National Cash Register,” hesaid, “and that was the precursorto IBM, so they had a lot of elec-tronics and mechanical movingparts.

My uncle had a whole garage ofthe stuff, and when he moved outto California he gave it to me, andI would put it all together and callhim and ask which part went withwhich, and he would tell me.

I got a master’s degree in acoustics, and thenworked for a defense contractor, and then my bossgot this request to develop the critter cam and I camealong to National Geographic.”

Founded by serial entrepreneur Larry Bock and

Lockheed Martin executives toaddress the shortage in scienceand technical talent, the USA Sci-ence & Engineering Festival is theSuper Bowl of STEM, and was de-veloped to increase public aware-ness of the importance of scienceand to encourage youth to pursuecareers in science and engineeringby celebrating science the waypeople celebrate Hollywood celeb-rities, professional athletes andpop stars.

To support this effort, the NiftyFifty are science stars chosen fortheir differing fields, talents, diver-gent backgrounds and ages andinclude inventors, policy makers,actors, educators, researchers, ex-plorers, video game developers,alien hunters, astronauts, doctors,

and more.The Nifty Fifty events are taking place throughout

the region through the festival. More than 350,000people are expected to attend the festival, the larg-est of its kind in the U.S. For more information, seehttps://usasciencefestival.org/.

Charting Through the AmazonFrom Page 3

sary confidentiality of sensitive business negotiations.“Consistent with our own practices, Arlington

doesn’t release terms of potential economic agree-ment with businesses during site selection process,”said Cristol. “It just makes it impossible to engage inconfidential negotiations required to reach agree-ment.”

Other County Board members expressed agree-ment with Cristol.

“I don’t know what Amazon is using as their crite-ria for consideration, but Arlington has reached thelevel we are because we have made incredible in-vestments in public education and transit and openspace,” said County Board member Christian Dorsey.“There is no way we would participate in a thingthat would degrade those prior investments. Itwouldn’t make any sense for us to diminish what webuilt and hope to build in the future. We want togive people the comfort of knowing that, while wecan’t speak specifically, we would not engage in aprocess that would degrade Arlington in the pursuitof Amazon or anyone else.”

Dorsey noted, however, that the county would still

not be at liberty to disclose what the state has tooffer Amazon, which is far larger than what the lo-cality can.

County Board member John Vihstadt said the fi-nal tally on whether economic incentives are a goodor bad thing is still to be determined.

“Economic incentives are controversial,” saidVihstadt. “Experts, economists, planners and so forthare divided. You can go on google and see as manyopposed as in favor. It’s a tough call. The others sur-rounding us are offering such incentives … but atthe end of the day, it’s what we are as a communitythat’s going to serve as greatest incentive to eitherlocate here or stay here and expand.”

County Board member Libby Garvey urged resi-dents to be careful when considering promises madeby other localities.

“There is a lot of swirl going on nationally aboutwhat is being offered,” said Garvey. “Maryland saidsomething about a blank check and it got withdrawn.Don’t believe everything you read in the press oreverything people tell you because there’s a lot ofswirl going on and a lot of people talking about thingsthey don’t know much about as far as this topic goes.”


See Foreign, Page 11

News

Date NightMore than 40 people attended Stroke Survivors date night on March 12. Virginia Hospital Center, theBallston BID, and the Pinzimini restaurant worked together to provide a night out for stroke survivors,some who hadn’t go out in as many as four years as a result of having a stroke. Occupational therapistChristine Crawford works with survivors and saw firsthand the stress the families go through, especiallymarriages. She organized the first date night at VHC last year.

“Flourishing After 55” from Arlington Office ofSenior Adult Programs March 26-31.

Senior centers: Lee, 5722 Lee Hwy.;Langston-Brown Senior Center, 2121 N. CulpeperSt.; Walter Reed, 2909 S. 16th St.; Arlington Mill,909 S. Dinwiddie St.; Aurora Hills, 735 S. 18th St.

Senior trips: Tuscarora Mill brunch, Leesburg,Sunday, March, 25, $41; Turkey Hill Dairy, Colum-bia, Pa., Tuesday, March 27, $60; Museum of theBible, D.C., Friday, March 30, $19; Arena Stage,D.C., “Hold These Truths,” Saturday, March 31,$79. Call Arlington County 55+ Travel, 703-228-4748. Registration required.

NEW PROGRAMS:Faberge Eggs, slide illustrated program, Mon-

day, March 26, 1 p.m., $6. Aurora Hills. Register,703-228-5722.

Garden Group and expert gardener PeterJones, Monday, March 26, 1 p.m., Walter Reed.Details, 703-228-0955.

Safety researcher discusses new automo-bile technologies, Wednesday, March 28, 10a.m., Walter Reed. Register, 703-228-0955.

Zumba Gold demonstration, Wednesday,March 28, 2:15 p.m., Aurora Hills. Register, 703-228-5722.

Arlington Walking Club to walk aroundHains Point, D.C., Wednesday, March 28, 9:30a.m., $4. Register, 703-228-4403.

“Flourishing After 55”

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The Connection

Suzie Egolf of Herndon was glad shehad come to the Foreign Policy Can-didate Forum on Sunday, March 4,at the Tysons Corner Hilton

Doubletree Hotel.“I came here because I really knew noth-

ing about these candidates who are runningfor Rep. Barbara Comstock’s seat in Con-gress,” she said. The June 12 primary wascoming up. She didn’t think she reallyneeded to know what their foreign policypositions were, but at least she would get achance to see them in action so when shevoted she could pick the right candidate.Then she realized, as she listened to posi-tions on intervening in Syria, the Iran-Nuclear deal, and North Korea, that the roleof every congressperson in decidingwhether we go to war or not, seek peace ornot, just got a lot more important.

State Sen. Jennifer Wexton (D-33),Lindsey Davis Stover, Daniel Helmer, andAlison Kiehl Friedman addressed a stand-ing-room-only crowd of Congressional Dis-trict 10 voters to address questions aboutforeign policy. Wexton acknowledged hu-morously that she hadn’t been involved ina lot of foreign policy decisions during hertenure as a state senator, unless you countcross border issues with Kentucky and Ten-nessee.

Helmer, who was a Rhodes Scholar, notedhis foreign policy is directly related to histime abroad as a soldier. Davis Stover andFriedman both held jobs in the Obama ad-ministration with direct policy engagement.Friedman led a team combating human traf-ficking at the Department of State, andDavis Stover served in the Department ofVeterans Affairs, working on increasing ac-cess to care for veterans.

Egolf did not see a stand-out in the crowdof candidates — only four were present.

“They mostly talked about what they did— their experience in the State Departmentor in the war. But I got tired of hearing thesame lines: “When I was in Iraq, I did this,or when I was in charge of this, I did that. Iwant to know what they really know aboutour district. I’m going to go back home andresearch each candidate, and what they re-ally know about District 10, and how muchexperience they have here, as opposed tosomewhere else, actually living here andunderstanding the district.”

The audience asked each candidate to

offer a response to moderators’ questionsto see how they differ. They didn’t differmuch. On Syria, Wexton said the U.S.should take in more Syrian refugees.Helmer stressed we don’t solve problemswith the U.S. military in an undeclared war.Friedman suggested we need to be engagedso Russia doesn’t move into a vacuum there.Stover said ISIS in Syria is a threat to theU.S. so a long-term strategy is needed: sheadded that when we use the military, wehad better be prepared to fund the men andwomen who come home.

On Guantanamo, Helmer wanted to closeit because it’s contrary to our values, Wextonagreed, Friedman agreed, and Davis Sto-ver added it is a recruitment tool for theterrorists — close it. Stover, citing hergrandfather, a WWII vet, said she would bean advocate for veterans; she was chief ofstaff to the Veterans Affairs Subcommitteeand a senior adviser in the Obama admin-istration. She cited homeless vets and fe-male vets as major preoccupations.

Barbara Van Voorst, of “J Street” and anArlington resident, noted during her inter-action with the candidates that “whicheverof you comes out on top on June 12, I canassure you, on June 13 there will be hun-

dreds of Arlingtonians knocking on doorsto help get you elected.” She asked a ques-tion about the current situation in Israel andthe Palestinian state, and heard from all can-didates that a two-state solution is the an-swer.

Helmer received loud applause when hespoke about gun control and talked aboutcarrying an AR-15 on the streets of Baghdadand how a weapon like that doesn’t belongon the streets of the U.S. He was passion-ate about immigration, holding onto theIran Deal, and healthcare, and he made itclear that war should be a last resort, not astep lightly taken. All the candidates decried“foreign policy by Twitter” and Friedmanevoked the concern that we might engagein a first strike use of nuclear weapons be-cause of a bad twitter day. Davis Stoverendorsed more diplomatic action and en-acting a law that would prevent the U.S.from having a first strike capability, “some-thing it would be possible to do right now.”

All the candidates decried the “borderwall” — Davis Stover called it a symbol ofhate which had no place in this country;Friedman called it a stupid idea; Wextonpointed out Mexico’s role as a major trad

Four Comstock Challengers Discuss Foreign PolicyGeorge Washington University student moves crowd to tears.

Tables featuring J Street, candidates, Foreign Policy for America, andeMgage displays among others.

Fawad Barakspoke to thecrowd abouthis father’sJan. 20 deathin Kabul andhis determi-nation to seejustice doneand live outhis father’sAmericandream.

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“Whichever of you comesout on top on June 12, Ican assure you, on June13 there will be hundredsof Arlingtonians knockingon doors to help get youelected.”

— Barbara Van Voorst, Arlingtonresident and J Street member


By Marilyn Campbell

On a sunny, autumn day a group of 10-year-old children sat around an a for-mal dining room table at a home inArlington. The boys wore blazers,

pressed khakis and shiny loafers, while the girls havedonned festive dresses, nude stockings and woregrosgrain ribbons in their neatly combed hair. Theyhad arrived at the home for a lesson in etiquette, butmost of them would have rather been someplace else.

“I have to leave early for a soccer game,” saidJimmy, who didn’t bother hiding his glee over miss-ing part of the class.

In an era when it’s commonplace to order pizzaon a smartphone and coordinate play dates by text,old-fashioned etiquette can appear obsolete. A re-cent survey of teachers shows that 73 percent of in-structors believe that students are less polite thanwhen the teachers themselves were students. In theage high-tech conveniences, children can becomeover scheduled and under socialized, which has ledto an uptick in the number of parents who are en-rolling their children in etiquette classes, say proto-col instructors.

“Parents have a tremendous interest in etiquetteclasses because so many parents realize that theydon’t have that knowledge themselves, said DorotheaJohnson, who founded the Protocol School of Wash-ington and is the author of the book “Modern Man-ners: Tools to Take You to the Top,” which she co-authored with her granddaughter actress Liv Tyler.

“I think most parents know that good manners andetiquette will be important to their [children’s] fu-ture,” added Henryette Neal who teaches etiquetteclasses for children through the Fairfax County ParkAuthority. “Young people will be educated, but with-out proper social skills they willnot be able to present themselvesproperly.” Neal is also the ownerof owner of Steppin Out Charmand Imaging Studio.

The result of fast-pacedlifestyles combined with over-loaded schedules is a generationof children who place more valueon social media savvy than onknowledge of social graces. Fam-ily dinners are replaced by fastfood, says one parent. “Whoneeds good manners to gobbledown a slice of pizza,” said CaroleMincey of Alexandria, whose 14-year old daughter and 11-year old son have takenetiquette and ballroom dance from Mrs. Simpson’sClasses, one of the area’s invitation-only etiquetteschools. “Because everyone is so busy and technol-ogy is so advanced, reality television shows are set-ting standards of behavior and handwritten thankyou notes have been replaced by emails and texts.”

Good manners are as important to a child’s futuresuccess as academics, says another parent. “I feel likeif people know what do to do in social situations itempowers them,” said Sarah Henry of Chevy Chase,mother of a 10-year old daughter and a 12-year oldson. “If you’re unsure of what to do it can make youfeel intimidated. So it’s all about empowering chil-

dren with knowledge. And it’s good for them to beexposed to proper etiquette in case they’re not get-ting it at home. And if they are getting it at home,etiquette classes can reinforce it.”

Interactive class sessions help keep their childrenengaged in the etiquette lessons. “They key is to keepthe children occupied,” said Johnson. “For example,when teaching proper introductions, I would call twochildren up to the front of the room and have themintroduce themselves to each other.”

In addition to learning such common courtesiessuch as saying “Please,” “Thank you” and “You’rewelcome,” children learn to write thank-you notesand introduce themselves to others by making di-

rect eye contact and offering afirm handshake.

“Knowing how to give a properhandshake is important. When Itook my seven-year-old grand-daughter Liv to formal events, herlittle hand went out as she wasbeing introduced to someone,”said Johnson. “I could take heranywhere because she had im-peccable manners.”

Henry says that in a class thatshe coordinated for herdaughter’s Girl Scout troop, partof the curriculum included hav-ing the children form a receiving

line with parents where they practiced handshakesand eye contact.

“We also printed proper table setting samplesonline and give the girls n plastic forks spoons, knives,napkins and a copy of the place setting,” said Henry.“We talked about how to talked about the placementof the utensils, how to hold a knife and fork prop-erly. One of my pet peeves is watching people hold aknife like it’s a stick.”

These are good life lessons, says Neal. “Etiquetteclasses are important because people still needto be respectful of others, and it starts with ourchildren,” she said. “A simple please and thankyou is important.”

Etiquette classes aim toteach lost art of manners.

Manners in the Tech Age

Photo courtesy of Fairfax County

Henryette Neal teaches etiquette classesfor children.

“Young people will beeducated, butwithout good socialskills they will not beable to presentthemselves properly.”

— Henryette Neal,etiquette instructor


Sports

Baltimore Spring Classic ChampionsAfter a chilly winter training season, Arlington Travel Soccer’s 2003 Girls White Teamkicked off their spring season in style. The girls participated and finished as champi-ons of the U15 Gold bracket in the Baltimore Spring Classic in Howard County. Theyplayed teams from Maryland and Pennsylvania. Coached by Mike Woods, the girlsdemonstrated strong possession and passing patterns, defeating their opponents 2-0,2-0 and 7-0. These shutouts were a full team effort with several girls scoring and thedefense holding their opponents scoreless every game. Team members include: Mar-garet Benson, Ella Clark, Tatiana Clinton, Jaden Cordaro, Emily Dick, Lucy Driskill,Haylee Feist, Parker Friedli, Jill Hodges, Elayna Hurley, Mackenzie Kaczmarek, MiaLodwig, Tess Monticello, Emma Nelsen, Margaret Neubauer, Nora Oconnor, AdelleStoker, Alex Valentin, and Irene Williams.

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

THROUGH APRIL 17Tax Assistance. Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-7

p.m.; Thursdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. atArlington Central Library, 1015 N.Quincy St. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide has helped low- to moderate-income individuals for more than 40years in every state and the Districtof Columbia. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is offered in cooperation withthe IRS. No need to be a member ofAARP to receive help withcompleting taxes. Someappointments available. Call 703-829-6192 for more.

THURSDAY/MARCH 22Creating a Culture of

Sustainability. 5:30-7:30 p.m. atVirginia Tech Research Center, 900 NGlebe Road. A group of panelists willexplain what a culture ofsustainability entails, the importanceof cultivating one in an office setting,how an organization can makesustainability a key part of corporateculture, and best practices.Registration atwww.arlingtonenvironment.org.

FRIDAY/MARCH 23Poster Making Party. 6:30-9 p.m. at

Faith Lutheran Church, 3313Arlington Blvd.

The Arlington County DemocraticCommittee (Arlington Democrats) isplanning a Weekend of Action insupport of the March for Our Lives on

March 24. Bring a dish for a potluckdinner, comradery, and postermaking in preparation for the Marchfor Our Lives. These events are still indevelopment, so visitarlingtondemocrats.org for up-to-date news.

Information Session. 7:30-9 a.m.Location TBD. Leadership Center forExcellence is accepting applicationsand holding information sessions forthe Leadership Arlington Class of2019.

Interested parties may RSVP forinformation sessions and apply forthe program on the website atleadercenter.org.

Scholarship Application Deadline.Arlington Rotary Club’s Foundation isaccepting applications for collegescholarships of $8,000, spread overeight college semesters, to a highschool senior selected based on acombination of need, merit andcommunity service. Visitwww.arlingtonrotaryclub.org.

Bulletin Board


News

From Page 8

Foreign Policying partner; and Helmer rejoined: build

more schools instead.On the Iran Nuclear Agreement, Helmer’s

statement that nuclear weapons are not theonly component of the U.S. relationshipwith Iran, and that the U.S. needs to in-crease other areas of engagement with Iran,whether or not the agreement remains, fol-lowed a chorus of pro-agreement state-ments.

CANDIDATES appeared to agree the U.S.is ceding its leadership position and that ithas a hollowed out State Department whichas a result is missing opportunities.

The forum’s highlight wasn’t a candidate,he was a student at George WashingtonUniversity: Fawad Barak, who was born toan Afghan refugee, Rahim Barak, who fledthe Soviet invasion of his country in 1979,made his life in the U.S. and just recentlyreturned to Kabul, to see his family. The 58-year-old was excited to head home to Af-ghanistan for the first time in 30 years. Hechecked into the Intercontinental hotel and,on Jan. 20, was eating with friends whenTaliban insurgents shot him in the head, hisson said. Fawad Barak sees the event as acatalyst for him to pursue the democraticprocess and “see justice done.”

Barak talked about a father who workedfour jobs a day, who never had a day off,and whose dream was to see his son gradu-ate from university. Barak’s remarks broughtmany to tears, and everyone to their feet,as he received a standing ovation.

Barak was at the meeting of District 10candidates because he was invited to themeeting by eMgage, a family of civic andpolitical institutions dedicated to strength-ening the engagement of Muslim Americansin the civic and political process. They ad-vocate voter engagement, issue advocacy,and political activity.

THE FORUM was sponsored by organiza-tions who represent voters with an interestin foreign policy: J Street; NIAC Action(NIAC Action is a grassroots, civic actionorganization committed to advancing peaceand championing the priorities of the Ira-nian-American community); the AAPI Vic-tory Fund, (the first Super PAC of its kind,the fund is focused on mobilizing AsianAmerican and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) eli-gible voters and moving them to the ballotbox); Foreign Policy in America (FPIA), agrassroots non-partisan 501c4 organization,launched in 2017 to champion a strong,principled foreign policy; Emgage Founda-tion; and the Council for a Livable World,which for more than 50 years, has beenadvocating for a more principled approachto U.S. national security and foreign policy.

For more information about Emgage Foundation,see www.emgageusa.org or www.emgageaction.org;for more about J Street, see www.jstreet.org; for moreabout NIAC Action see www.NIACaction.org, formore about A Council for a Livable World, seewww.livableworld.org, for more about a ForeignPolicy for America, see www.fp4america.org; formore information about the candidates, seew w w . a l i s o n f o r v i r g i n i a . c o m ,w w w . l i n d s e y f o r c o n g r e s s . c o m ,www.helmerforcongress.com, orwww.jenniferwexton.com.

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

... was the length of time during which wewere powerless a few weeks back when thewind nearly brought down the house; yet it wasno laughing matter. I might have written thiscolumn sooner but until Tuesday, March 6 –when the power finally came back on, we weresemi-frozen to the bone. The old-fashionedthermostat in our living room indicated 42degrees at its most frigid.

Aside from the obvious physical discomfort– made a bit more bearable while wearing hats,gloves, coats and scarfs – inside, the toll thecold took on my mental acuity was much lessmanageable. My brain still worked, but notovertime. It was, to invoke a “Star Trek” refer-ence: “On impulse power,” somewherebetween barely functioning and imminentdanger.

This power outage was the most significantwe had experienced at “Belly Acres” in the 26years since we took ownership in late May1992. And though this four-day non-sojournwas difficult, it was for us not a return downpower-outage lane. We have been lucky in ourtime here; very little has upset the apple cart.Considering the hundreds of trees that surroundour house, and the many thuds they all madeas they fell and hit the ground that extremelylate Friday night/early Saturday morning, themiracle is that not one of them hit the house, oreither of our two cars parked in the driveway.

I wouldn’t say I woke up in the morning tofind our house relatively unscathed because asof 3:30 a.m. when I felt the house shudder forthe first time, I never was able to fall backasleep as I kept bracing myself for incomingtrees and limbs. Given the potential damageand hassle a direct hit likely would havecaused, a power outage seemed a minor incon-venience, all things considered.

As it happened, when the power came backon, I was not at home. I was en route to theGlenmont Metro station in Wheaton to pick upDina. When I came to a stop at “Kiss andRide,” I looked at my cell phone and noticed a“missed call” from one of my neighbors. Iimmediately called back and soon heard myneighbor, Helene, singing “We’re in heaven,...,” with the explanation – not in verse – thatpower had returned to New BirminghamManor (the official name of our 10-home dead-end street). BG&E, our utility company, hadfinally come by to cut/trim the tree that hadbeen uprooted in the storm and fallen acrossthe power line which electrifies ourneighborhood.

As difficult as it had been for some of us, ithad not been nearly as difficult for the fourneighbors who had generators and thus wereprepared and able to keep the lights on and theheat circulating. One of whom was kindenough to call around the neighborhood andoffer hot showers as well as refrigerator andfreezer storage to anyone interested. Given thatthe previous week was a post-chemotherapyweek for me when I’m not eating much andshopping at supermarkets even less, we hadminimal food in the freezer - all of whichended up being a loss, and a bit less than usualin the refrigerator which, after putting the con-tents into two coolers filled with ice, ended upbeing a gain.

Oddly enough, I haven’t re-inventoried therefrigerator/freezer as yet. I don’t know if I’mbeing paranoid or just plain lazy, but I haven’tfelt inclined to stop and shop, not even at theGiant. I imagine the feeling will pass becauseafter eating out every night; some fast, someslow, over the last week or so, I’m probably wayover our imaginary budget and way under pre-pared for the next go around. But as is oftenheard on basketball courts on playgrounds allover America: “No harm. No foul.”

The four days without power weren’t par-ticularly pleasant but we survived the ordealnonetheless and may have even learned some-thing in the process: our long underwear stillfits.

Almost ExactlyFour Days ...


ALEXANDRIA TOYOTA

FOR YOUR TOYOTA

WELCOME TO ALEXANDRIA TOYOTA’SPERSONALIZED CAR CARE EXPERIENCE

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