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Encouraging ‘Greatness’
Forestville principal takes holistic approach to learning.
On a typical morning, Forestville Elementary’s new principal, Todd Franklin, can be seen greeting children as they exit the bus. “Be great today,” he says, as they begin their morning. To Franklin, this is not just cheer but part of an overall philosophy.
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Barbara Ellen Narins of Great Falls Dies
Barbara Ellen Narins, a Great Falls resident of 13 years and a nurse, lecturer, and wife and mother died Wednesday, Sept. 25. Born in Forest Hills, N.Y. to Anastasia and Robert Heidt on Dec. 24, 1939 she earned her degree as a registered nurse from Flower-Fifth Avenue Hospital in 1960 and one year later married Dr. Robert Narins, then a medical student. Over their next 51 years together Barbara raised their two boys, Brigham and David and supported Robert's career in academic medicine, which carried them to Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Detroit and finally to Great Falls.
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Letter: Campaign Based on Divisive Issues
As I look at the staged demonstrations that were organized before the now cancelled debate in Great Falls was clear that first, they were closely coordinated by Kathleen Murphy’s team; (one of the key organizers held Ms. Murphy’s kickoff), and second, that they were organized because Murphy does not want to debate all of the issues we have before our communities—she just wants to discuss her divisive social issues she’s based her whole campaign upon.
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Letter: Disruptive and Disrespectful
Democratic candidate Kathleen Murphy and the gun control groups she is working with were so disrespectful to the Great Falls Citizens Association debate that instead of trusting our citizens to ask questions about this issue, they “demanded” that all of their questions be answered and organized a disruptive demonstration before and during the debate in order to bully and threaten GFCA and attendees if their questions weren’t answered. As a result the debate between Delegate Comstock and Murphy had to be rescheduled.
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Letter: The Right Decision
It is unfortunate that the Great Falls Citizens Association was forced to postpone the scheduled Wednesday, Oct. 8 debate between incumbent Delegate Barbara Comstock and challenger Kathleen Murphy. But, it was the appropriate call in keeping with the civilized debate process the GFCA has always followed.
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Letter: Trying to Hijack the Debate
The Great Falls Citizens Association’s planned debate on Oct. 8 with Delegate Barbara Comstock and Kathleen Murphy had to be cancelled this week when four gun control groups threatened to demonstrate “before and during” the debate and said they would “demand” answers to particular gun issues. This debate had been designed to answer questions that Great Falls citizens had submitted beforehand. The GFCA debate team made clear that there would have been a gun question, but that wasn’t good enough for these single issue groups who wanted to hijack our debate and make it all about their issue.
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Honored by the National Kidney Foundation
Thomas P. McDonough, of Great Falls, received the National Kidney Foundation’s (NKF) Martin Wagner Memorial Award at the recent meeting of the organization’s Board of Directors. Named for one of the NKF’s founders, this award is the highest honor the foundation bestows on lay volunteers.
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Great Falls Man Dies in Silver Spring
Mark Edward Waugh dies, friend Rahul Gupta charged.
Great Falls resident Mark Edward Waugh, 23, was found dead in an apparent homicide in Silver Spring Sunday, Oct. 13. According to Montgomery County Police, they responded to an apartment at 1220 East-West Highway at approximately 3:25 a.m. Sunday morning.
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Candidate’s Forum Postponed
Recheduled for Nov. 1
The Great Falls Citizens Association postponed its scheduled candidate’s forum Tuesday, Oct. 8, citing fears that outside groups were planning on disrupting the program.
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Mixing Arts and Coffee
Celebrate Great Falls hosts latest coffee social at Artists’ Atelier.
The Artists’ Atelier in Great Falls hosted Celebrate Great Falls for one of their regular coffees Thursday, Oct. 10. The Atelier, located on Walker Road, is home to 16 members of Great Falls Studios who use the space as a studio.
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'Undisciplined' South County Holds on to Beat T.C. Williams
Stallions improve to 5-1 with 44-37 victory
South County QB Symmes throws two touchdown passes to Quigley.
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Local Group Brings Classic Car-Lovers Together
Alexandria Cars & Coffee meets at the Hollin Hall Shopping Center first Sunday of each month.
Looking for a place to show off your classic car? Want to relive the good ol’ days of the past, or just want to hang out with other classic car owners to talk shop, and show off your ride? Well, there is a place to do that.
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Rising Hope Gala Raises $45,000
Churches gather to support one of their own.
“Godtastic!” declared Rennie Chen when he learned Rising Hope Mission’s 2013 Gala Oct. 5 at The Waterford in Springfield netted a $45,000 profit.
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NOVEC Warns Of Energy Vampires
Electricity courses through wires in homes, schools, and businesses just as blood courses through living creatures’ veins. While fictitious vampires materialize on Halloween and in “Twilight” movies, energy vampires are real. They can suck enough electricity to account for about 10 percent of a consumer’s electric bill. The Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative says consumers don’t need garlic or wooden stakes to stop energy vampires — they need power strips.
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Family Celebrates 50th Foster Puppy
What does the Fairfax County Animal Shelter do when it takes in an extremely young animal, one too young to adopt out? It finds a foster family willing to take on the responsibility of nurturing the sometimes days-old animal until it is old enough to be adopted permanently.
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Editorial: Get a Flu Shot, Register to Vote
Getting a flu shot has never been easier.
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Annual K-9 Krawl Is Oct. 19
The seventh annual K-9 Krawl is set for Saturday, Oct. 19, in parking lot C of the Fairfax County Government Center. Check-in is at 8:30 a.m., police K-9 demonstration, 8:45 a.m.; and walk at 9 a.m. Register at: K-9 Krawl 5K Registration - Fairfax County, Virginia.
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Music, Dancing, Exercise Help Local Community
Zumbathon in Chantilly to raise money for WFCM.
Chantilly’s Kelly Joedicke-Lawrence is a certified Zumba instructor and, for the past few years, she’s held a Zumbathon fundraiser for breast-cancer research. But this year, her Zumba group voted to instead help a local charity.
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‘Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina’
Chantilly High presents the musical, ‘Evita.’
Featuring a cast and crew of 70, Chantilly High presents the musical, “Evita,” about the life of Argentine political leader Eva Peron. The curtain rises Wednesday-Saturday, Oct. 16-19, at 7 p.m.
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Clifton Wine Shop Expands
“America Reworked” store and showcase moves in as wine moves upstairs.
If the only thing better than one bottle of wine is two bottles, Clifton resident and owner of Clifton Wine Shop & Tasting Room Lucinda Lawson has not only taken the message to heart, she’s expanded on it. On Friday, Oct. 4, she and a multitude of customers and friends celebrated the grand opening of the shop’s new location that boasts more than twice the interior space of the previous shop.