"how to keep one's financial affairs in order"

Nothing Humane In Bow Hunting

To the Editor: The typo in 'Deer Management' Options Explored (Great Falls Connection, April 16-22, 2014) was quite telling. It states that bow hunting is the "more human" deer management option. It certainly is-- but bow hunting is the furthest thing from humane.

World of Beer offers IT platform for business lunches

If you are looking for a unique location to hold a sales meeting that’s not far from your Arlington, Alexandria, or Ballston office, think World of Beer. The tavern that’s best known for after-work socializing and live music on weekends, is now offering meeting space and teleconference so companies can conduct online training or other web-based events for its employees. "We are a great place for off-site meetings," said Evan Matz, owner of World of Beer at 901 North Glebe Road in Ballston. "With little notice, CEOs and managers can reserve a separate room equipped with our IP-based video and wall monitor systems. It’s a perfect place to hold working lunches." The tavern, which stocks more than 500 kinds of craft beer from--you guessed it, around the world--also carries a full lunch menu to liven up business meetings with great food.

Waples Mill Students Volunteer to Stop Hunger Now

More than 200 students, families and teachers of Waples Mill Elementary School plus one Fairfax County Public School Board member participated in a community service "meal packing" event in partnership with Stop Hunger Now on Saturday, April 5.

Taxes, Taxes, Taxes

To the Editor: The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BOS) has been wrestling with the question of how to meet their self-imposed demands for more services and how to raise revenue (read "taxes") to support those demands. The first source is the real estate tax - the tax on our homes and businesses. The real estate tax is a function of the value of our property and a function of the rate of tax to be imposed based on the value of our property. Suffice to say, this is a game that is played each year - whatever you call it, about 15.5 percent more will have come out of our pockets over the past three years.

‘Fountain of Youth’ in Great Falls Plaza

Fontaine de Jeunesse Medical & Dental Aesthetics Spa opened since June 2013.

In an unassuming Georgetown Pike plaza is a spa-like experience promising to tighten clients up without a nip and tuck. Fontaine de Jeunesse Medical & Dental Aesthetics Spa, a self-proclaimed fountain of youth in the heart of Great Falls, has been noninvasively treating men and women of all ages since last summer. Fontaine de Jeunesse translates to “fountain of youth” in French. The owner, Dr. Jeanette Coutin-Gentry, started the business as a way to help other women age gracefully through menopause without being self-conscious. “I found out that diet and exercise alone was not taking care of losing the weight,” she said.

Gala To Benefit Scholarship Fund

The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria will hold its 28th Annual Spring Gala dinner dance and silent auction on Saturday, April 26.

Reston Little League Presents Leadership Awards

Sean Dooley, director at The Wise Investor Group at RW Baird in Reston, presented Leadership Awards to deserving players who are entering their final season of baseball in Reston Little League, as well as RLL alumni who have chosen to continue teaching the game as youth umpires. During ceremonies held in conjunction with the annual Little League Parade at Reston Town Center, each awardee was honored with an award certificate that cited their “sportsmanship during past seasons, their potential for continued leadership development as they graduate on to new teams and schools, and their love of the game.” In addition, each awardee received a Scholarship Award for Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) leadership training. Players have as many as 15 seasons of experience playing baseball in Reston Little League, starting at age 4. Awardees are: Jack Thompson (Athletics), Aiden O’Donovan (Phillies), Josh Meade (Yankees), Sully Gholson (Nationals), Vikrant Magadi (Rays), Shea Huntington (Pirates), Nick Gryski (Red Sox), Braden Huebsch (Mets), Owen Walker (Umpire), and Kyle Sather (Umpire).

Small Town, Big Ideas

Meet Laurie DiRocco, Vienna’s current and future Mayor.

In January, when Vienna Town Council member Laurie DiRocco announced she would run for mayor, she had no idea that she would be the only candidate on the ballot, or that she would hold the title a month before the actual May 6 election. But with the Feb. 23 death of Mayor Jane Seeman, who announced her retirement last year after being diagnosed with cancer, the six-member town council appointed DiRocco, the only registered candidate for the position, to serve out Mayor Seeman’s uncompleted term. “It's been a very bittersweet time for me,” said DiRocco, 47, during an interview in her home, four days after being sworn-in as mayor on April 8. “I thought of Mayor Seeman as both a role model and a mentor. She gave so much to the community… I admired her service to the community and the fact that she really was a humble person.”

Exciting Week at Lake Anne Elementary

Lake Anne Elementary had an exciting week as several employees from the Smithsonian Zoo Migratory Bird Center came to the school to work with first and second graders. The ladies captured birds, held them, tagged them (while students watched) and then released them back into the wild. In addition, the students were taken down a trial and shown how to lift logs and leaves to locate possible food that the birds might eat off of (worms, snails, etc.).

Week in Herndon

Herndon-Reston FISH to Hold Annual Fundraising Event Herndon-Reston FISH, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicating to help families meet emergencies and short-term needs, will hold its 9th Annual Fish Fling Gala at the Crowne Plaza Dulles Airport Hotel on Saturday, April 26, from 6 to 11 p.m. This gala is FISH’s largest fundraising event to acquire the financial support for its Family Assistance Program. In 2013 FISH worked with over 1300 area families.

Immigration Fraud Alert

An imposter pretending to be an immigrations officer has targeted Herndon in the latest fraud to hit northern Virginia. The fraudulent immigration officer has called two residents over the weekend, threatening to deport them over information in their immigration papers unless they give them a large sum of money, according to the Herndon Police Department.

Cycling for Change

More than 150 attend Ride to Provide in Reston Town Center.

More than 150 people gave up their Saturday morning last week to cycle for a cause. The fifth annual Ride To Provide, an event to raise money for youth programs and healing military veterans, drew in cyclists throughout the greater D.C. metro area thanks to the balmy weather and a chance to ride with Washington Redskins football players.

President of the National Grange to Speak at the Great Falls Day

Ed Luttrell, President of the National Grange, will speak at the Great Falls Day Opening Ceremony, May 4 at 1 p.m. Luttrell, a native of Sandy, Ore., was elected the 22nd President of the National Grange in November of 2007. A second generation Granger, he is the immediate past Leadership/Membership Development Director for the National Grange. Luttrell is a 4th generation Oregonian. He grew up on a small farm outside of Portland in Shoals, Ore. He is a graduate of Hillsboro High in Hillsboro, Ore. and spent time studying livestock management at Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, Ore. He has worked in agriculture, automotive services and publishing.

United Way Awards Community Impact Grants

Fairfax/Falls Church nonprofits receive $338,662.

United Way of the National Capital Area (United Way NCA) announced that it is awarding 21 grants totaling $338,662 to member organizations serving the Fairfax and Falls Church areas. The funds came through designations to the Fairfax/Falls Church Community Impact Fund in United Way NCA's annual workplace giving campaign. Each of the grants directly addresses programs that fall within United Way NCA's focus areas of education, financial stability and health.

Vienna Town Council Candidates Speak Out

Besides voting for mayor – and Councilwoman Laurie DiRocco is the only candidate – Vienna residents will choose three Town Council members in the May 6 election. All Council candidates except responded to The Connection’s questionnaire.

Obituary

Elton Kenneth Donaldson, 80, of Great Falls, Dies

Kenny Donaldson, age 80 and Great Falls resident for 52 years, lost his battle with lung cancer on Sunday, April 6. He was born and grew up in Falls Church, where he attended Falls Church High School. He excelled in many roles throughout his life. Following high school he joined the Navy and served three years aboard the USS Worcester during the Korean War. After serving his country he married Madolin, to whom he was a devoted husband for 58 years.

McLean Project for the Arts Honors Lilla Richards

On April 17, McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) held a reception in honor of former Fairfax County Supervisor Lilla Richards on her 75th birthday for her work 25 years ago to find a permanent home for MPA at the McLean Community Center. With Richards’ help, McLean Project for the Arts, the McLean Community Center and Fairfax County entered into the first public/private partnership in the arts for Fairfax County. MPA, founded in 1962, moved seven times from one temporary residence to another. In 1987, leaders of MPA and the MCC began discussions with the county to bring MPA to the center. Lilla Richards was elected Supervisor in November 1987 and began immediately working with MPA to bring this project to fruition.

Charles Barrett Elementary School Crossing Guard Angie Thigpen was named by the Virginia Department of …

Jude, Reporting for Duty

Herndon PD’s new bomb-sniffing dog a friendly workaholic.

Herndon Police Department’s newest officer is charismatic, ambitious and, well, a little furry. Jude, the department’s new explosive-detecting English Springer Spaniel, is a lovable pup who will be used to snuff out bomb threats in the town and beyond. The town acquired him in February after he received six weeks of training. His partner-in-law, HPD Officer Lee Trawick, was chosen to be his handler and had to receive six more weeks of training together. Both will have some type of training each month. “My training was to learn how to read him and handle him,” said Officer Trawick. Chief of Police Maggie DeBoard said there were many good candidates to handle the dog.

Southwestern Virginia

Commentary

For many years Jane and I have used our spring break to visit locations throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. This year was no exception as we went to the southwestern region of the state. Although we drove about 225 miles to Roanoke from Reston, we were not yet in what the locals call Southwest Virginia. In fact, only by driving another 134 miles down I81 to Abingdon did we get to what many consider the doorstep to Southwest Virginia. It would have been possible to drive another 111 miles west with a short swing into Tennessee to get to the western-most point in Virginia at Cumberland Gap. That point is further west than Detroit. Regardless of how far you travel, the natural beauty of the mountains and streams in this part of the state are unequaled, and the local people are wonderful to meet.

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