Stories for January 2014

Confused and then Infused

Since March 6, 2009, nearly five years now, save for nine months when I was taking an oral chemotherapy medication at home, every three weeks I have been infused with some sort of chemotherapy drug. In that time, I have certainly become familiar and fairly well-known to the various staff at The Infusion Center. What follows is the most recent exchange with the receptionist in Oncology, as best as I can recall it.

Winter Fun in Lorton

Bundle up and enjoy the outdoors this winter.

Fairfax Station and Lorton residents have the Workhouse Arts Center, Gunston Hall, and several other arts and historic sites at their disposal for winter fun this season.

Spend Winter at the Workhouse

Lorton’s Workhouse Arts Center offers activities for friends and families to enjoy.

Spending your weekends at home on these blistering cold days becomes boring after a while. Bundle up and venture off to the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton for a range of activities such as viewing art exhibitions, watching theatrical classics, laughing out loud to stand-up comedy, and creating your very own dinner from scratch with an experienced chef. Here is a list of events going on at the Workhouse Arts Center at 9601 Ox Road in Lorton.

Debate Over School Budget Continues

Later start times, class size among topics at School Board public hearing.

Later start times, class size, and cuts to needs-based staffing were major themes of the testimony given at the Jan. 27 public hearing on Superintendent Karen Garza’s proposed budget.

Board Cites Lack of Funds for School Renovations

Aging schools collide with increasing student enrollments.

While the 2015 to 2019 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) passed at the Fairfax County Public School Board meeting on Thursday, Jan. 3, many board members expressed concerns with the program.

Lake Braddock Boys’ Basketball Beats Woodson

Bruins, Cavaliers have become Conference 7’s top teams.

The Lake Braddock and Woodson boys' basketball teams each have one conference loss.

Jim Moran: The $15 Million Congressman

During his years in Congress, Moran raised and spent about $1 million each campaign cycle.

One of the first things that happened after U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) announced he would not be running for reelection this year was that he cancelled a fundraising event.

Mandela’s Three-Point Play Lifts Bruins to Win

Lake Braddock girls’ basketball edges Woodson.

The Lake Braddock girls' basketball team defeated Woodson 40-37.

Cartoon: 10 to 20 Years

10 to 20 Years

Classified Advertising January 22, 2014

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Democratic Women of Clifton Learn about Foster Care and Adoption

Children need permanent families in Fairfax County.

In Fairfax County, there are 265 children in Foster Care. That number may sound like a lot, said Nannette Bowler, director of Fairfax County Department of Family services, but that number was at over 3,000 children 10 years ago.

New Leadership for the Workhouse Arts Center

Board of Supervisors continue to debate future success of the center.

Laura McKie, a volunteer at the Prison Museum at the Lorton Workhouse Arts Center, said she doesn’t expect the museum’s everyday operations to change too much as Fairfax County takes greater control over the center.

Saving the Environment, One Cafeteria at a Time

Silverbrook Elementary School runs effective recycling program.

Students at Silverbrook Elementary School in Fairfax Station are learning the value of recycling and helping the environment, thanks to school media specialist Valerie Finney, other teachers, and volunteers who are assisting in the effort to reduce waste.

Volunteers Spend Day Off Cleaning Up Park

Girl Scouts and their friends volunteer at Mason Neck State Park on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

After volunteering at Mason Neck State Park during the 2013 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, Laura Douglas, who leads Cadet Girl Scout Troop 340 in Lorton, had such a great time that she decided it needed to happen again in 2014.

Jazz to Brighten a Winter Night at the Workhouse

Pianist Bobby Jasinski and vocalist Lena Seikaly perform this weekend.

Live cabaret is now a regular mainstay at the Workhouse. "The intimate and very population cabaret-style performances regularly sell-out" according to Joey Walden, Workhouse Performing Arts Director. "The popularity of the series has drawn interest from DC talent, as a result the caliber of entertainment you may experience at the Workhouse rivals established metro area venues in the same genre."

‘I Never Saw Another Butterfly’

A theatrical tribute to the Holocaust through the eyes of children.

Sovereign Grace Church Co-op Drama Club will present “I Never Saw Another Butterfly,” a play based on real-life stories of Jewish children and their families living in the Terezin ghetto in Czechoslovakia during the Holocaust.

Area Girl Scouts Embark on Trip of a Lifetime

Girl Scouts from Burke, Springfield and Fairfax Station learn leadership skills while raising money for their trip.

Under the leadership of Troop Leader Sandy Latta, Girl Scouts from Burke, Springfield, Fairfax Station and the Fredericksburg area will be traveling to Europe this summer.

A Chocolate Lover’s Dream

Fairfax’s annual festival is Feb. 1-2.

Chocolate — candy, cake, sauce, pancakes, fudge, ice cream and even a chocolate fountain or three — they’re all part of the City of Fairfax Chocolate Lovers Festival. And this year’s event, the 22nd annual, is Saturday, Feb. 1 through Sunday, Feb. 2.

Animal Shelter Shines in 2013

Fairfax County Animal Shelter adoption initiatives resulted in the shelter having its most successful year yet, saving a record number of animals’ lives.

Burke Target Employee Killed by VRE Train

A cashier at the Burke Target was hit by a Virginia Railroad Express Train traveling from Washington to Manassas on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

Engagement Announcement

Mr. and Mrs. Craig S. Wagner of Fairfax Station are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Lindsey Ann to Matthew Edward David Witham, son of Mr. and Mrs. Christopher J. Witham of Newark, Del.

Into the Budget Fray

Bulova highlights accomplishments, challenges in annual address.

Despite the lingering impact of an anemic economy, and the regional ripple effects of federal sequestration, Fairfax County residents will see some concrete signs of progress this year.

Editorial: Extend Health Coverage in Virginia

Standing on what is essentially scorched earth, Republicans in the Virginia General Assembly have condemned hundreds of thousands of poor Virginians to living without health coverage even though it would be fully funded by Federal money for the next three years, and with Virginia paying 10 percent after five years.

Friends Forever

Since it had been more than a few months, today I summoned up the courage to Google my long-time friend and fellow stage IV lung cancer survivor, Suzanne. Suzanne and I had been years out of touch (for no real reason other than initiative and the geographic consideration that she lived in Barnstable, Ma. and I live in Burtonsville, Md.) and recently back in touch – due to our identical cancer diagnoses. I learned that she had succumbed to her disease back in October, 2013. We last had contact electronically back in the summer. She was extremely weak then, she said, too weak to talk, so e-mailing was best. In that e-mail, ultimately her last, she wrote that the most recent chemotherapy drug with which she was infused was no longer effective and that her oncologist had no other drugs left to recommend. Not that she said it in so many words, but at that point her prognosis was grim. She offered that her two boys were with her and from them she would gain great comfort. The news was very unsettling to me and I was afraid that this e-mail might be our last – and so it was.

Clifton, Fairfax Station and Lorton Home Sales: December, 2013

In December 2013, 65 homes sold between $1,850,000-$133,320 in the Clifton, Fairfax Station and Lorton area.

Clifton, Fairfax Station and Lorton Home Sales: December, 2013

Continuing the Struggle for Equality

Lynne Garvey-Hodge delivers message of women’s equality at Workhouse Arts Center.

The Lorton Workhouse Arts Center hosted the first of its five-part lectures series "American Women: The Long and Winding Road," on Jan. 8.

Classified Advertising January 15, 2014

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A National Memorial for Suffragists

Leaders raise money, advocate for Turning Point Suffragist Memorial in Lorton.

Not far down the road from where suffragists were imprisoned at the Occoquan Workhouse for picketing at the White House for the right to vote, members of the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial Association, in partnership with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, are continuing efforts to build a memorial at Occoquan Regional Park to honor those women.

Democratic Women of Clifton to Host ‘Our Children: Fostering, Mentoring and Adoption’ Program

The Democratic Women of Clifton and Northern Virginia will host a program titled Our Children: Fostering, Mentoring and Adoption in Virginia on Sunday, Jan. 19, from 3-5 p.m. at the Clifton Community Hall, 12641 Chapel Rd., Clifton, with special guests: Nannette Bowler - Director of the Department of Social Services for Fairfax County, Paul D. McWhinney - Director of Family Services for Virginia Department of Social Services, and Dr. Beverly Howard - Coordinator of Fairfax Families4Kids. They will talk about their work at the local and state level working and advocating for the welfare of children and specifically with fostering, mentoring and adoption. The attendees will hear how they can become involved and make a difference in the lives of children.

Fairfax Academy Hosts MCT Festival

Eight annual MCT Fest displays students’ talents, leadership.

Students enrolled in Fairfax Academy’s Music Computer Technology (MCT) class impressed parents and teachers by hosting and performing original compositions at the Eighth Annual MCT Fest on Jan. 8 in Fairfax.

Program Works to Restore Greenery

Trees still available for planting in communities along the Interstate 95 Corridor.

In an effort to restore greenery to areas that lost trees during construction of the 95 Express Lanes project, Transurban and Fluor, private partners of the project, launched "1,000 Trees in 1,000 Days" to encourage community members to plant trees in areas along the 95 corridor.

Fairfax County Launches Sex Trafficking Prevention Campaign

Sex trafficking education materials also added to school curriculum.

In order to raise awareness to the fact that sex trafficking can happen anywhere, even in Fairfax County, a new prevention campaign and website raising awareness of this issue launched on Jan. 13.

Garza Proposes $2.5 Billion Budget for FY 2015

Proposed Fairfax County public schools budget would cut 731 positions, increase class size.

At the Jan. 9 School Board Meeting, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza released the proposed budget of $2.5 billion for FY 2015. The budget proposal requires an additional $98.1 million, or 5.7 percent increase compared to FY 2014, from Fairfax County, which the school system says is due to uncontrollable factors such as enrollment growth, retirement rate increases and the structural deficit. The FY 2015 proposed budget is an increase of $59.4 million from last year’s approved budget.

Virginia Supreme Court Opens Access to Audio Recordings of Oral Arguments

Policy change overturns blackout instituted in 2008.

Members of the Virginia Supreme Court have a New Year’s Resolution — become more transparent.

From Late Night Comedy to Your Bedroom

Why the General Assembly matters more in Virginia than most states.

The Virginia General Assembly began its annual session last week on Jan. 8. The actions of the Virginia General Assembly matter more to localities than it would in many other states. In Virginia, localities have only the power specifically granted by the General Assembly, the Dillon rule. So, for example, Montgomery County and Prince Georges County in Maryland recently voted to increase the minimum wage in those localities. They didn’t need permission from Maryland General Assembly to do so. Arlington and Alexandria might be inclined to follow suit (the District government also voted to increase the minimum wage) but do not have that power.

In Case Someone Is Wondering

I don’t mind being alive, really I don’t. Occasionally though, I receive well-intended inquiries – electronic and otherwise, from people (who know my cancer story) who are sort of wondering if perhaps I’m not. When people haven’t heard from me in a while – and this is a category of people with whom I don’t have regular/recurring interactions, but rather a group of people who reach out and attempt to touch me (figuratively speaking) every three or four months or so – there is a presumption on their part that my silence (so far as they know) is not in fact golden, but rather ominous, as in the cancer might have won and yours truly didn’t. And when I respond, their pleasure/relief at my not having succumbed to the disease is quite positive, generally speaking. Their honesty and joy in learning that I’m still alive is both rewarding and gratifying. Rewarding in that they care and gratifying in that I must be doing something right which enables me to sustain myself through a very difficult set of medical circumstances: stage IV, non-small cell lung cancer, the terminal kind (is there any other kind?).

Let Sun Shine on Virginia’s Financial Disclosure Laws

State legislators turn attention to ethics in wake of McDonnell gift scandal.

As members of the Virginia General Assembly convene for the first time since last February, legislators are stampeding to introduce ethics legislation in response to the gift scandal which engulfed then Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R). The revelations last spring about numerous undisclosed gifts and purported loans from businessman Jonnie Williams to McDonnell — including a $6,500 Rolex watch engraved to the "71st Governor of Virginia" and $35,000 in gifts and catering for his daughters’ weddings — shined a spotlight on Virginia’s porous financial disclosure laws.

Classified Advertising January 8, 2014

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Republican Women of Clifton Launches New Year Speakers Program

The Republican Women of Clifton (RWC) launches its New Year program with two speakers: Louisiana state senator Elbert Guillory, who will talk about the "Presidential Report Card, a review of the President's Performance on National Policy," and Peggy Nienaber, Chief of Program for Faith and Action as well as President of the Capitol Hill Executive Service Club, whose topic is "Changing the hearts and minds of elected officials on Capitol Hill."

Starting the New Year with a Hike

Area residents spend New Year’s Day at Mason Neck State Park.

Park rangers led visitors of Mason Neck State Park through a series of hikes on Jan. 1 as part of America’s State Parks First Day Initiative. Mason Neck hosted three hikes on New Year’s Day, each of varying difficulty. Interpretive Ranger Kevin Koons led eager hikers on the third guided hike of the day, which included an easy one-mile walk along the Bay View Trail, providing views of marshlands and Belmont Bay. Koons said the park is famous for its bald eagle sightings.

Legislators Head to Richmond, Address Upcoming Session

Proposed bills and priorities include ethics reform and ABC Transformation.

As the General Assembly convenes on Jan. 8, several delegates from Fairfax County have written bills that tackle some of the issues they believe are important to Virginians. Del. Dave Albo (R-42) proposed a bill that would get rid of the Alcoholic Beverage Commission’s three person board and would replace them with five citizens with business experience who are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state legislature. Members of the current three-person board make six-digit salaries and are appointed by the governor. Albo’s plan would make the position part time and would pay 50 dollars per day.

Debate Over Residential Studio Units Continues

Housing advocates, Fairfax County supervisors, area residents address affordable housing.

Fairfax County residents have yet to agree on the specifics of residential studio units and are continuing the debate on several aspects of the proposed amendment. As of Jan. 6, the Planning Commission proposed amendment defines residential studios as efficiency units that make up a multiple-family residential building, or part of a building, in which 80 percent of the units must be for those who do not make more than 60 percent of the median income of the area. In the Washington, D.C. area, that is $45,000.

Area Roundups

News in the area.

Living With My Decisions

On multiple occasions throughout my nearly five years of being treated for stage IV, non-small cell lung cancer, my oncologist has given me opportunities to stop and/or take a break from my treatment, or to consider alternatives to the normal protocols – for the expressed (literally) purpose of sustaining/enhancing the unexpected, above-average quality of life I have mostly experienced during my nearly non-stop, every three-week chemotherapy infusions which began in early March, 2009. The goal being to enable me to enjoy my life and not be subjected to/beaten down by the ravaging and debilitating effects of chemotherapy.

Kitchen Organization for the New Year

Local organizers, designers and culinary experts offer smart tips for making space and clearing clutter.

If organizing an unruly kitchen, one where there never seems to be enough space for storage containers and pots and pans, is on your list of resolutions this year, the project might be less daunting than you think. From creating a system for grouping spices to keeping plates in easy reach, local experts share secrets for a well-maintained kitchen. Hang pots and pans inside pantry doors, says Sallie Kjos of GreyHunt Interiors in Chantilly. "It organizes them, but decoratively can look effective."

Top Designs of 2013

Local builders look back on their most impressive spaces.

From outdoor patios with the comforts of indoor family rooms to a stark white bathroom replete with Carrara marble flooring, local designers said they’ve created some spectacular living spaces in 2013. Their personal favorites may be surprising, and include a lot of kitchens and bathrooms.

Trendiest Color for 2014: Radiant Orchid

Local designers offer tips on using this exotic hue tastefully and share their own color predictions.

It has been called exotic, vibrant and even magical. Now it has been named the 2014 color of the year: orchid, or radiant orchid to be exact.

Style and Harmony on a Bookshelf

Clever ideas for organizing bookcases.

Whether one’s bookshelves house a literary library or a mixture of photos and media equipment, most do double or triple storage duty. Because bookshelves are multifunctional, however, it is easy to end up with a chaotic and unorganized space.

Bathroom Organization for New Year

Simple strategies for storing bathroom essentials.

Cluttered bathrooms where the medicine cabinet contains everything from batteries to old toothbrushes and a linen closet where towels and sheets are intermingled with flashlights and scrub brushes can be the bane of anyone’s existence. However, a new year can offer a fresh start in one of the most-used rooms in one’s home.

Lower Level Offers Multi-generational Solution

Remodeling a dark basement gives family spaces for grandparents on extended visits and play room for everyone.

Eric and Tina Park, both physicians, were already quite busy 10 years ago when they purchased a 3,400 square foot two-level neo-Colonial near McLean.

Classified Advertising January 1, 2014

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