Stories for August 2016

Stories for August 2016

Subscribe

Wednesday, August 31

Letter: Does He Bite?

Letter to the Editor

Well, they're finally over! Suffering through the breathless NBC "coverage" of Olympic "sports," many of which few of us have ever heard of, involving Zika-virus and Rio-mugging avoidance tips, inane commentary, and tedious "up-close and personals" punctuated by the occasional showing of an actual event and immediate post-race interviews with "heroes" gasping for breath, I wondered about the origins of the ridiculous habit of winning athletes appearing to take a bite out of their medal before the cameras.

Editorial: Take One Action to Prevent Suicide

Suicide Prevention Week is Sept. 5-13, #MindsMatter

As school begins, we are accustomed to safety warnings. Slow down driving, watch for students along the roads, near schools and perhaps behaving unpredictably near intersections. Buckle seat belts. Wear bicycle helmets. Avoid distracted driving.

Tease photo

Arlington Snapshot: Frost’s Granddaughter

Dr. Lesley Lee Francis shares her memories of her grandfather, poet Robert Frost, at the Arlington Central Library on Aug. 29.

Tease photo

Arlington: Block Party Brings Police, Community Together

When the community interacts with police, Ashley Savage, the Arlington Police public information officer, says it’s usually not because everything is going well.

Tease photo

Arlington’s Pirate Cove

Tampa, Pittsburgh, and Minnesota NFL teams find homes in Arlington bars.

Most of Arlington cheers for the Redskins, but if you’re walking past Arlington Rooftop Bar & Grill near the Courthouse Metro and hear a stray cheer for the Buccaneers, don’t be alarmed.

Tease photo

Arlington Snapshot: 19th Century Dancing

The Arlington House Victorian Dance Society, an interpretive program of Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial (National Park Service), is currently recruiting new members.

Arlington Snapshot: Welcome Back

The Saturday Farmer’s Market in the Marymount University parking lot on Glebe Road has been replaced with enthusiastic Marymount students. They are jumping up and down with signs at the entrance to the parking lot and yelling, “Welcome Back to Marymount.” The school year began Aug. 29.

Tuesday, August 30

Arlington Brief: Juror Questionnaires Being Mailed

The Arlington Circuit Court, which includes the City of Falls Church, will soon begin its annual juror qualification process. approximately 35,000 Juror questionnaires will be mailed in early September to randomly selected residents of Arlington and the City of Falls Church.

Arlington Brief: IRS Phone Scam Targets Residents

The Arlington County Police Department is warning the public about an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) telephone scam targeting residents.

Arlington Brief: Police Test Body Cameras

The Arlington County Police Department have launched a test and evaluation of three Body Worn Camera (BWC) systems.

Thursday, August 25

Vienna/Oakton Nonprofits: Making Community Work

Making Community Work

Caring for an Ill Spouse?

The Well Spouse Association, a national nonprofit which provides peer support to those caring for a chronically ill or disabled spouse, has free support groups in various northern Virginia locations. For more information, go to www.wellspouse.org or call 800-838-0879.

Welcoming Business Community in Northern Virginia

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce welcomes newcomers to the area.

I am pleased to welcome you to Northern Virginia on behalf of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (Northern Virginia Chamber) and the regional business community. The Northern Virginia Chamber is The Voice of Business in Northern Virginia, representing nearly 700 member companies which in total employ more than 500,000 members of our regional community.

Helping to End and Prevent Homelessness

Nonprofits around Northern Virginia help with chronic homelessness, homeless families, victims of domestic violence, homeless youth and more.

Nonprofits around Northern Virginia help with chronic homelessness, homeless families, victims of domestic violence, homeless youth and more.

How to Vote in Arlington

Every year is election year in Virginia; mechanics and details of voting require attention to detail.

While the Presidential election will take top billing, in Arlington four important bond questions plus one County Board seat and two School Board seats are on the ballot. Every seat in the U.S. Congress is on the ballot, meaning the 8th district in Arlington.

About the Connection

As your local, weekly newspaper, the Connection’s mission is to deliver the local news you need, to try to make sense of what is happening in your community, to gather information about the best things in and around your community, to advocate for community good, to provide a forum for dialogue on local concerns, and to celebrate and record achievements, milestones and events in the community and people’s lives.

Never Too Old To Compete

800 expected to compete in Northern Virginia Senior Olympics.

Herb Levitan adjusts his goggles, pulls on his swimming cap and lowers himself into the pool. Levitan had been up at 7 a.m. to run three miles and had biked from home to the Ocean Dunes Water Park as he trains for the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics.

Wednesday, August 24

Column: Women’s Equality Day Is 96 Years Young

In four years, celebrate centennial of 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women the right to vote.

On Aug. 26, 2016, our nation celebrates the Women’s Equality Day for the 96th time.

Arlington: Snyder Named Randolph Principal

The Arlington School Board appointed Dr. Donna Snyder as principal of Randolph Elementary School. Snyder is currently the director of Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Her interim appointment begins immediately.

Arlington: Police To Host Summer Block Party

The Arlington County Police Department’s second annual Summer Block Party will take place on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Kenmore Middle School, 200 S. Carlin Springs Road.

Tuesday, August 23

Arlington: Scores Grow, Gap Shrinks

Arlington Schools achievement gap still wide, but narrowing.

Arlington Public Schools have two top goals: making sure every student is challenged and engaged and eliminating achievement gaps.

Tease photo

Arlington Snapshot: ‘Come and You Will See’

The Catholic Diocese of Arlington held its first Korean-American Catholic Conference, “Come and You Will See,” on Aug. 20 which mirrored an annual conference in South Korea that helps teenagers determine what they want to do with with their lives.

Friday, August 19

Arlington Home Sales: July, 2016

In July, 2016, 286 Arlington homes sold between $2,325,000-$128,500.

Arlington Home Sales: July, 2016

Wednesday, August 17

Classified Advertising August 17, 2016

Read the latest ads here!

Tuesday, August 16

Arlington County Fair Returns for 40th Anniversary

Fair to have 1970s theme.

Arlington may be part of the D.C. urban environment, but on Aug. 17 it gets back in touch with its rural roots with the Arlington County Fair.

Tease photo

Arlington Snapshot: Springtime Garden Party

Culpepper Garden celebrated its 41st anniversary on June 4 with its Annual Springtime Garden Party on the grounds of Culpepper Garden at 4435 N. Pershing Drive.

Tease photo

Arlington Snapshot: Youth Leadership

The Leadership Arlington Youth Program Class of 2016, comprised of 30 youth leaders who are rising high school juniors and seniors, graduated on Thursday, Aug. 11, at a ceremony held in Marymount University's Reinsch Library Auditorium.

Editorial – Election 2016: Much at Stake Nationally, Locally

Possible record turnout should motivate more early voting.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8, and in some ways that seems like it can’t possibly come soon enough.

Tease photo

Arlington: Spotting a Mississippi Kite

Rare nest found in Arlington.

Floating from the east along 17th St. in north Arlington, the graceful Mississippi kite flew into one of the large oak trees on the northeast corner of 17th and Utah. with food for its now quite large chick.

Arlington Snapshot: Exploring Vernal Ponds

The Campbell family participates in a class in vernal ponds at Potomac Overlook Regional Park on Sunday afternoon. Park Naturalist Emily Rarity has handed out small nets to Chris, Colin and Leo for scooping tadpoles out of the murky water.

Tease photo

Arlington: Inside the Artisphere's Office Space

New development at the Artisphere.

The Artisphere is gone. In its place near the Rosslyn Metro, workplace developer Regus will lease the space from owner Monday Properties to develop 45,000 square feet of new office space.

Tease photo

Create a Back-to-School Game Plan

Educators tell how to make the transition less jarring.

As a single mother of a fifth grade student, Christine Schull is already making back-to-school preparations.

Considering a Private School?

Educational consultants can help families navigate application process.

For families considering an independent school for the 2017-2018 school year, the admissions process begins this fall. From essays and interviews to school visits and standardized tests, the process for getting into kindergarten may feel nearly as daunting as applying to college.

Thursday, August 11

Tease photo

Stars of Summer

Northern Virginia Swimming League holds individual championships

Olympic swimming started with an expected bang in its opening weekend in Río, with Katie Ledecky and the men’s four by 100 freestyle relay, that included Michael Phelps in the second leg, captured gold medals for Team USA.

Ginny Thrasher's Golden Gun

Springfield’s Ginny Thrasher wins Olympic gold in air rifle.

Before she left for the Río Olympics, 19-year-old sharpshooter Ginny Thrasher of Springfield was just looking to get experience in her first games. “I was looking more towards 2020 as a realistic option,” she had said.

Tuesday, August 9

Tease photo

Stylish Solutions for Organized Homes

Practical and chic ideas for making a home back-to-school ready.

Before school begins later this month, taking the time to organize home and school supplies can take the stress out of the transition from a laid-back summer to a structured, schedule-driven school year. Local home design and organizational experts share ideas to help parents add practical organizational tools to their home without sacrificing their sense of style.

Commentary: Responding to the Zika Threat

There have been 50 reported cases of Zika in Virginia, all linked to foreign travel, as of early August.

Last week, for the first time ever, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was forced to issue a domestic travel warning to pregnant women planning to visit Miami, a popular getaway destination.

Editorial: Laser Focus on Safety

While Metro lapses can’t be excused, it’s much safer than driving; maintenance-related safety issues also plague area bridges and roads.

Intense scrutiny on the safety and maintenance record of the Washington region’s Metro system is resulting in continuing revelation of lapses, and ongoing inconvenience with repair schedules shutting down entire lines and the end of late night service.

Arlington: National Debate Hits NoVa Infrastructure

Local politicians take sides in Presidential feud.

If Hillary Clinton is elected, the economy will grow by 10.4 million jobs nationwide while under a Trump administration, the economy would lose 3.4 million jobs. This was the finding of a recent report by Moody’s Investors Service economist Mark Zandi.

Arlington: Technology, Tradition and Transition at Kenmore

New interim principal discusses his predecessor's legacy and future of the school.

Becoming the new principal of Kenmore Middle School would be difficult enough, but David McBride is stepping into a role Dr. John Word had occupied for 18 years.

Arlington Snapshot: Congressional Competition

Caroline Nelson of Washington & Lee High School won this year's Congressional Art Competition for U.S. Rep. Don Beyer’s District 8‬. For the next year her artwork will hang in the U.S. Capitol .

Arlington Snapshot: Mark Palmer Joins FVCbank

Mark. T. Palmer joined FVCbank as vice president, commercial lender, supporting the bank’s commercial team in the Arlington area. Palmer brings 30 years of experience in banking, including most recently at Monument Bank in Bethesda, where he worked as vice president, real estate lender. He also has served as vice president and head of the real estate group at The Adams National Bank in Washington, D.C. FVCbank commenced operations in November 2007, and is the wholly-owned subsidiary of FVCBankcorp, Inc. See www.fvcbank.com.

Arlington Snapshot: Chief Human Resources Officer of the Year

Stephanie Glancey Mount of Eagle Hill Consulting was named Chief Human Resources Officer of the Year for small companies at the 15th Annual HR Leadership Awards Gala of Greater Washington on June 7 at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park.

Arlington Snapshot: Scholarships

From left: Jesse Hernandez-Naranjo of Wakefield, Angel Lopez-Sato of H-B Woodlawn, Esau Alberto Lazo Martinez of H-B Woodlawn and Kayla Cleggett of Washington-Lee were four of the six students each awarded a $3,000 scholarship from the Commonwealth Circle, Inc. Proceeds from the Commonwealth Circle's fundraiser were given to need-based seniors in Arlington County High Schools pursuing studies in community service. Not pictured are Jasmine Ben Hamed of Washington-Lee and Norma Lucia Chambi of Wakefield.

Tease photo

Arlington: Digging into History

On Aug. 6, the Arlington Historical Society launched the first archaeological dig at the Ball-Sellers House — the oldest structure in Arlington County — in 30 years.

Arlington Brief: County Hires Zoning Administrator

Arlington County has named its acting zoning administrator, Arlova Vonhm, permanent zoning administrator.

Arlington: Wahlburgers To Open At Ballston Point

Wahlburgers, founded by Executive Chef Paul Wahlberg and brothers Mark and Donnie, will open a restaurant at Ballston Point in Arlington.

Arlington Brief: Sierra Club Cites Pollution in 22203

The Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club released a report last month entitled “The Top 25 Virginia Localities with the Highest Toxic Air Emissions.”

Arlington Brief: Help Firefighters Help Animals

The Arlington County Fire Department’s first-ever annual donation drive, Operation FirePaws, on behalf of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) is taking place in August. Firefighters seek donations of nonperishable items on the League’s wish list for its animal shelter in Shirlington.

Arlington Brief: Route 110 Night-time Lane Closures

Night-time lane closures, including intermittent total stoppages, are occurring on Route 110 at the Route 27 interchange through Saturday, Aug. 20 for work on a new overpass, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

Arlington Brief: House Cards Digitalized

When the county’s first building code was adopted in 1935, a system was created of using customized index cards to record a structure’s builder, subdivision and alterations large and small.

Arlington: Police Arrest 6 Suspects For Armed Robbery

The Arlington County Police Department has arrested and charged six suspects, five adults and one juvenile, for their role in an armed home invasion robbery in the 3000 block of Military Road.

Arlington: Police Arrest 6 Suspects For Armed Robbery

The Arlington County Police Department has arrested and charged six suspects, five adults and one juvenile, for their role in an armed home invasion robbery in the 3000 block of Military Road.

Thursday, August 4

Tease photo

Staying Fit and Healthy on Vacation

Advance planning is key to maintaining a healthy diet and fitness on the road.

Listening to Christian Elliot describe part of a recent vacation that he took with his wife, Nina, you might think he was attending a fitness bootcamp.

Wednesday, August 3

Tease photo

Arlington Weekend Fun: Aug. 5-14

Entertainment

Events in Arlington Co., Va.

Editorial: An Open Letter to Readers and More

Buy an ad in our annual Newcomers and Community Guide, please.

Has your organization been featured in the Connection Newspapers, or the Alexandria Gazette Packet or the Mount Vernon Gazette or the Centre View or the Potomac Almanac?

Tuesday, August 2

Tease photo

Arlington: End of Summer Safetracking

Metro gets back on track.

Surge 5 ended with a bang. On Friday, July 29, a Metro train derailed near the East Falls Church Metro Station.

Arlington: Groundbreaking for Transform I-66 Tolling Project

Garvey pitches parks overhead.

After 30 years of talking and planning, work is finally starting on the Transform I-66 project. Eight toll gantries will be installed along I-66 inside the beltway with tolling operations expected to begin in summer 2017.

Tease photo

Arlington Snapshot: Honored for Fundraising

Marymount University earned the Award of Excellence from the Foundation for Physical Therapy, which was given to schools that donated $10,000 during its 2015-2016 Pittsburgh-Marquette Challenge.

Tease photo

Arlington Snapshot: At Children's Science Center Lab

Nearly 700 children and adults helped the Children's Science Center Lab celebrated its first birthday as a destination in the region for opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math education.

Tease photo

Passion to Excel in STEM Field

CORE Foundations hosts Summer Camp for area children.

At most summer camps, children are encouraged to step away from their screens and head outdoors. But for the campers enrolled in a program conducted by Core Foundations, a local nonprofit that encourages children to follow their passions in STEM fields, it was all about learning how to innovate with technology.