Church Outfits 1,000 Children
11th annual Brother’s Keeper event reaches out to underserved students.
In an effort to give back to the community, the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church distributed new backpacks, school supplies and clothing to hundreds of Alexandria schoolchildren on Saturday, July 27. The church’s 11th annual Brother’s Keeper outreach project welcomed an estimated 500 underserved children and their families who registered in advance for the event. Items also will be delivered to some area schools and shelters for another 500 children.
Alexandria Bulletin
Presentation for Small Business Owners. 8 a.m. at the community room in Landmark Mall, 5801 Duke St., on the second floor near Macy’s. U.S. Rep. Jim Moran will host “Navigating the Affordable Care Act: Make Health Reform Work for Your Company.” A discussion will follow the presentation. In order to attend RSVP is needed. Visit www.moran.house.gov/event/affordable-care-act-forum.
Local History Is in Her Heritage
Susan Hellman begins as new director of Carlyle House.
The Carlyle House on North Fairfax Street has a new director — Susan Hellman. She started on June 1 and settled in immediately. She may be new to this 260-year-old national landmark, but her knowledge of area history has allowed an easy transition.
Launching Their Futures
Apprenticeship program builds career and life skills.
With bright blue skies and sparkling waters of the Potomac as a backdrop, the Alexandria Seaport Foundation celebrated the accomplishments of four apprentices on Friday, July 26.
Editorial: Protect Children, Animals in Hot Summer Weather
In light of recent incidents around the region, Fairfax County is reminding people of dangers involving children and hot cars. The combination of summer heat and humidity can mean life-threatening conditions for children left in vehicles or other unsuitable environments, even for short time periods. Here’s advice from the Kids and Cars organization:
Obituary: Claude 'Buzzie' Harris
Rotarian, former Little League commissioner dies at 81.
It was 1957 when Claude “Buzzie” Harris first laid eyes on Nancy Cooper at a party at George Washington University.
Alexandria School Notes
Back-to-School Drive. Through Aug. 19. Donate new backpacks and school supplies to any of the donation boxes in the area, send gift cards to the FACE Center, T.C. Williams High School Room A123, 3330 King St. or volunteer to sort supplies on Tuesday, Aug. 20. Visit http://www.acps.k12.va.us/face-centers.
Editorial: Identity Tips
Review Credit Reports and Avoid Ripoffs
Fairfax County police offer the following tips regarding identity theft and fraud: * Review credit reports annually; Experian: Fraud/credit history, 888-397-3742; Trans Union: Fraud, 800-680-7289; Credit history, 800-888-4213; Equifax: Fraud, 800-525-6285; Credit report, 800-685-1111. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com. * Opt out of receiving pre-approved, credit-card applications by calling 888-567-8688. * Monitor credit cards and bank accounts online for early fraud detection. * Don’t mail bills from home; use electronic banking, if possible. * Victims of identity theft should get a police report and secure a seven-year fraud alert or a credit freeze. * People 70 and older should contact the credit bureaus and obtain a credit freeze, even if they’re not currently identity-theft victims. * Never wire money to strangers online; these requests are scams.
Neighborhood
HAPPY DEMOCRATS Ginny Hines and Will Parry entertained a large number of fellow Democratic voters at a party. Brian Moran told us that there is good news and bad about the upcoming election. There will probably be an extremely low turnout, so we must all work hard to get the voters out. We must concentrate on discussing the economy and education. Our candidate, Terry McAuliffe, has always been a hard worker. He started his own business at the age of 14. Terry understands what the terrible traffic congestion does to all of us in this neighborhood and he has pledged to work on improving public transportation. The Republican candidate, on the other hand, has shown no support for transportation solutions and in fact voted against the Silver Line which will connect the Metro to Dulles.
Opinion: Calling for Stricter State Ethics Laws
In reaction to Gov. Robert McDonnell’s repayment of $120,000 in loans last week, Del. Rob Krupicka released a statement calling for stricter ethical oversight of elected officials and campaign regulations: “As elected officials we must hold ourselves to a higher standard. We need to earn the trust of the people we are supposed to represent. The only way to achieve this is by making our system as transparent as possible, and to create more stringent reporting policies to ensure that transparency remains un-obscured. Virginians should not have to tolerate such shady practices from the highest office in the state. “The legislature needs to come together on this, because corruption real or perceived in the Governor’s Mansion or anywhere in our government is not an acceptable status quo. “I call on all my colleagues, Republican and Democrat, to come together and work for stricter ethics laws and more transparency in government. The last few months have created significant concerns about the openness and transparency of our government. Ethics reform is a critical step towards rebuilding that trust.” To contact Krupicka’s office with any questions or comments call 571-357-4762 or email DelRKrupicka@house.virginia.gov
Commentary: Promoting Best Possible Beginning for Babies and Moms
If you could make a choice that would greatly improve the health of your family, would you do it? We did. Last year, Inova Alexandria Hospital charted a new course to improve the health of newborns and their mothers in our community family by encouraging more mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies. With its proven health benefits of preventing chronic illness in both mothers and babies, breastfeeding is the best possible beginning.
Enjoy Tax Holiday, Donate School Supplies
Good Time to Help Those in Need
It is debatable whether recurring tax holidays for different seasonal needs are good policy. But since this weekend is Virginia’s tax holiday on school supplies and clothing, it makes sense to take advantage of the savings, and to spread the wealth around. The savings are more significant this year with the new sales tax increases in effect as of July 1.
Alexandria People Notes
Emily Haughton is one of 31 students welcomed by the Kennedy Center to participate in the 21st annual Exploring Ballet with Suzanne Farrell.
Poem: Winds on High
Music through the breeze of coolness Hot summer days of high winds Old Glory dances Twisting and twirling Pausing through the breeze Tree pollen twirling like little snowflakes Of winter days afar For summer it is Refreshing coolness of summer breeze And shower of rain that is pure.
Letter to the Editor: Use Hensley For Robinson?
The St. James unsolicited proposal to build a sports and entertainment complex where Hensley Park exists today may have been unsolicited, but it was neither a new idea nor one lacking proponents at city hall. In 2005, Alexandrians for an All City Sports Facility approached the city with a similar request to build expansive sports facilities on Hensley Park. Kerry Donley, David Speck, and other community leaders, then and now, promoted this plan. Funding shortfalls stymied this idea, in the end.
Letter to the Editor: Much To Consider
It is important to note that the "Stand Your Ground" argument was not used in the Trayvon Martin case. It was decided on other grounds.
Letter to the Editor: Ensure Healthy City Parks
On Sunday I tended a small pocket park in the heart of Old Town and for the first time found a syringe among the cigarette butts. This park is poorly lit at night, the azaleas are diseased, and were it not for some attention, would be covered in weedy vines. This park has been a collective effort of the neighborhood florist, the city and myself, which after three years is finally a space that people kindly remark on and relax in.
Letter to the Editor: Passion and Caring For Officer Laboy
The words “passion and caring for the community” can best describe the effort put forth by Arlington resident Karen L. Bune. Ms. Bune has been in the forefront of a region- wide fund raising campaign to provide relief and support for Alexandria Police Officer Peter Laboy and his family. Earlier this year, Officer Laboy made a traffic stop after a report of a person acting suspiciously in the Old Town section of Alexandria. Before he could even get off his motorcycle, he was shot in the head by the suspect. Fortunately, due to the rapid response and quick assistance from Alexandria Fire/EMS units on the scene, Laboy survived. However, his life and that of his family will never be the same. He has had to undergo myriad and expensive medical procedures. In the aftermath of this terrible incident, many public safety agencies and the community in general have bonded together to provide support and financial assistance to Officer Laboy.
Letter to the Editor: Problem: Cars, Not Bicycles
Bicycles are not the problem. I was stunned when I observed the debate over bicycles in socially "progressive" Old Town Alexandria. Let me get to the point: cars and the failed — not best practices — city parking policies are the problem, not bicycles.
Letter to the Editor: Give Citizens Recall Power
The Alexandria Gazette Packet got to the heart of the matter when it pointed out that City Council’s decision to put aside its established priorities to consider a public-private partnership proposal shows that, city hall’s diversionary rhetoric to the contrary, this deal to give public land to a private for-profit entity is already a “done deal” not necessarily because the deal has already been cut, but because most of the current incumbents (other than Councillors Silberberg and Smedberg) are favorably disposed toward doing business this way. Did, for example, City Council recently discontinue earmarking funding for open space precisely because city hall wanted to signal that open space would no longer be a priority to pave the way to erase 15 acres of open space for the right price?