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Letter to the Editor: Proposal’s Effect On Fire Safety?
To the Editor: We, the presidents of the NorthEast Citizens’ Association and the North Old Town Independent Citizens Association, are writing to express the deep concern of many of our members over the budget proposal to remove Fire Engine 204 from Station 204. The city manager has proposed that rather than keep in the budget firefighter positions needed to staff Station 210, the needed firefighter positions from 204 will be transferred to 210. Fire Engine 204 itself would otherwise not need to be moved; in recent years, the city purchased a full fleet of new engines.
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4-Year-Olds Learn About Entrepreneurship
“Camila’s Lemonade Stand” author visits Potomac Nursery School.
“If you could start your own business — any business you wanted, what would you choose?” asked teacher Barbara Haas to her class of 4-year-olds at Potomac Nursery School. The question prompted answers from the children of “I would have a business where I could take care of animals” to “I would want to make delicious food for people.” Some wanted to become home builders, doctors or fire-fighters; others wanted to become lawyers to help other people.
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Start the Conversation
April 16 has been designated as National Healthcare Decisions Day by national, state and community organizations. This special day was established to encourage adults of all ages to plan ahead for a health care crisis. This is also a great day to focus on how you can prepare yourself and your loved ones to face the decisions that will confront us all as we age.
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Herald Spring with Fun Patterns and Bright Colors
Lively springtime accessories and flowers can make a room seem more cheerful and seasonable.
With yellow and blue flower buds starting to poke their way through the ground, you might be forgiven for believing that spring is actually coming this year. Even if your yard still looks like a winter wasteland, however, one place to make spring a reality is on the home front. Designers say there is fun to be had. Use bursts of bright colors, energetic patterns and spring accessories to create a seamless transition into the new season.
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Rebuilding Robinson Shows Resiliency in Loss to Yorktown
Rams overcome 3-0 deficit to tie Patriots before falling to 0-6-1.
The Robinson boys' soccer team lost to Yorktown 4-3 on April 7.
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The Seven Faces of Erin Peterson
Annual Gospel Celebration of Life is this Sunday, April 13.
Nearly seven years have passed since Centreville’s Erin Peterson — an 18-year-old freshman at Virginia Tech — was killed in a massacre there, along with 31 others. But although short, her life counted; and each year, the local community gathers to remember her. This year, the 7th Annual Erin Peterson Gospel Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, April 13, at 4 p.m., at Mount Olive Baptist Church, 6600 Old Centreville Road in Centreville. The theme is “Keeping Hope Alive: The Seven Faces of Erin – Daughter, Sister, Friend, Mentor, Visionary, Peacemaker, Inspiration.”
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Letter to the Editor: Mixed Messages To Seniors
To the Editor: In 2012, the City Council unanimously approved the city’s strategic plan on aging. The plan supports the goal of most older Alexandria residents to age in place, in their homes and in the community they love. The city manager’s proposed budget threatens to undermine the ability of many residents to stay in the city. The budget calls for termination of Senior Taxi; imposition of steep cuts in property tax relief for older or disabled homeowners; and termination of JobLink’s program providing employment assistance for older job seekers.
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Letter to the Editor: Waterfront Course Correction Needed
To the Editor: What is our goal for Alexandria? To be attractive to upper-income retirees? Or make Alexandria a place where talented young people want to live and raise a family? Judging from recent waterfront discussions, it’s the former — affluent seniors. The best research available, however, says if you want to lock in future prosperity, go for young families. Don’t get me wrong. Waterfront development is coming along reasonably well, and I compliment leadership on its work. It’s just that we need a course correction to make sure we’re heading where we want to go and don’t drift into a dead-zone of older seasonal residents whose memories and priorities are elsewhere.
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Bonsai Show Coming Up at Garden Center
Learn about, see and vote for favorite trees.
The Northern Virginia Bonsai Society will hold its Spring Show this weekend at the Merrifield Garden Center. It’s at 12101 Lee Hwy. in Fairfax and the free show runs Saturday, April 12, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, April 13, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
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Teens: Most in Need of Foster Care Homes
Virginia's largest age group in need of homes is between 16 to 18-years-old.
At 54 years old, Julie wanted to be an adoptive parent for over a decade. But it wasn't until last year that she finally brought a child home.
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Friends Promote Lake Accotink Park
A secure donation box installed at the Lake Accotink Marina.
Lake Accotink Park visitors can now show how much the park means to them, and lend their support via a secure donation box installed at the Lake Accotink Marina. Friends of Lake Accotink Park (FLAP) President, Tony Vellucci, led an inauguration ceremony for the donation box prior to the Spring Watershed Cleanup Day April 5. Vellucci introduced Jim Hickey, former FLAP President and Park Authority Elly Doyle awardee for his sustained support of Fairfax County parks, noting that Hickey was a key individual in making the donation box a reality. Donations are voluntary and will be used by FLAP toward stewardship and recreational park projects.
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Letter to the Editor: Outlandish Property Taxes
To the Editor: Why is it that our property taxes have risen 135 percent since the year 2000? That’s an average increase of 7 percent every year. Yet we are consistently told by our council that the numerous new building developments they have ravaged upon us will create a tax base that will in turn give the citizens a break on their property taxes. That’s just pure baloney, as who is paying for the entire associated infrastructure. Obviously the developers aren’t; we are. Therefore the taxes generated by the city’s numerous overdevelopment programs are being spent in other areas and are not being returned to us as tax rebates.
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Letter to the Editor: Making Progress
To the Editor: Amid a busy campaign season leading up to the Democratic Primary Election on June 24, it is easy to get caught up in the horse race aspect of politics and forget about the real challenges affecting Marylanders every day. Yesterday marked the conclusion of the 2014 Legislative Session. This year, the Maryland General Assembly considered a number of important pieces of legislation.
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Halley Teachers Honored For Inclusiveness
Joni Smith and Rebecca Bailey demonstrate the importance of inclusive preschool classrooms.
Research emphasizes that strong early learning programs dictate future academic success for all students. On March 25, at Green Acres Recreational Center on Main Street in Fairfax, Halley Elementary School teachers Rebecca Bailey and Joni Smith received the Exemplary Inclusive Practice Award from Fairfax County Preschool Division of Early Childhood Education. The honor recognized their efforts to provide their preschool students with a classroom environment that meets their unique academic needs and prepares them as respectful and empathetic citizens of diverse learning communities.
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Earth Day Offers Opportunity to Reflect
Later this month, residents across Fairfax County will celebrate Earth Day and renew their commitment to protect our natural resources. As you do your part in your own homes and communities, I ask that you join with the County to support initiatives that will preserve these resources for the generations still to come.
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Bonsai Show at Garden Center
Learn about, see and vote for favorite trees.
The Northern Virginia Bonsai Society will hold its Spring Show this weekend at the Merrifield Garden Center. It’s at 12101 Lee Hwy. in Fairfax and the free show runs Saturday, April 12, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, April 13, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Bonsai experts will give demonstrations, and attendees may vote on the trees they believe should then compete at the Potomac Bonsai Association show at the National Arboretum.
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TAP Presents ‘The Most Happy Fella’
The Arlington Players (TAP) is presenting a classic of the American musical stage, “The Most Happy Fella” now through April 19. The operatic play is about a romance between an Italian immigrant older man and younger woman in the Napa Valley, and is from the book, music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, who is famous for creating “Guys and Dolls.” He also created “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” But this show was based on “They Knew What They Wanted” by Sidney Howard.
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New Water Taxi Service Launched
The Potomac Riverboat Co. offers all-new water taxi services from Old Town Alexandria directly to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Beginning April 4, passengers can board the Miss Sophie for a 30-minute cruise, departing from the Alexandria City Marina and docking at the Potomac River side of the National Mall near the intersection of West Basin and Ohio Drive, steps from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, the Tidal Basin and a Capital Bikeshare station. Tickets are $28 round-trip or $14 one-way for adults; children are $16 round-trip or $8 one-way.
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Connection Papers Win Awards
Reporting, photography, design and editorial cartoons commended at annual Virginia Press Association meeting.
"Great work exposing serious challenges and obstacles in the way of the public's access to public information. The articles are well written and well researched, providing concrete and compelling examples of the flaws in the systems." That was what the judge said when awarding first place for In-depth or investigative reporting to Michael Lee Pope in the Arlington Connection. The Virginia Press Association announced its press awards for 2013 at the annual meeting on Saturday, April 5, in Richmond.