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

United States Air Force Hits the Mark at Paul VI

Not all assemblies are the same, and Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax recently hosted one for the record books. By 11 a.m. on Sept. 25, Air Force trucks and vans had converged to the school’s back parking lot, and AF personnel were busy moving equipment in bags and anvil cases into the school. Meanwhile, PVI’s Music Boosters set out a reception for the 75 arriving Air Force personnel. In the Student Activity Center, mats were laid out, chairs and stands placed, sound system checked and rechecked, and soon it was time. At 1:15, the Air Force Band from Bolling Air Force Base D.C. began an awe-inspiring concert for participating teachers and classes.

Vienna Oktoberfest Showcases Vienna Hospitality Bavarian-style

Food and drink, entertainment, vendors and children’s activities draw crowds throughout the day.

As hot as it was on Oct. 5—in the upper-80s—it was still picture-perfect weather for the Vienna Oktoberfest, a full day of family fun, food, live entertainment and beer and wine.

Josh Delgado Wins McLean Idol Competition

Sophomore Josh Delgado took top honors in the third annual McLean Idol competition. The award winning McLean High School Theatre Company (MTC) conducted the competition in cooperation with the McLean Choral Department, Oct. 3-5 in the Burks Auditorium. Junior Abby Huston claimed the second position with third place going to freshman Renee Zhang. With commentary provided by local theater celebrities, the audience selected the winners by popular vote.

Influential Great Falls Artist Passes Away

Mother of "Renoir in a box" finder influenced local arts.

Long time Great Falls resident and artist, Marcia M. Fuqua, 85, died Sept. 9. Fuqua is remembered fondly in the home town as an artist and leader in the Great Falls arts community. In the last year, however, Fuqua has become more widely known as the mother of the woman who found the “Renoir in a box” and the controversy surrounding the ownership of the painting.

West Springfield Volleyball Sweeps T.C. Williams

Nagel leads Spartans with 10 kills.

Spartans edge Titans in sets one and two, run away with set three.

Runnymede Hosts NatureFest

Annual festival explores flora and fauna at local park.

The Friends of Runnymede Park and the Town of Herndon Parks and Recreation Department hosted the annual NatureFest Sunday, Oct. 6. The festival gave nature enthusiasts of all ages a chance to explore the diverse habitats within the park.

Reston Native David Bendernagel Releases Novel 'The End of the City'

“The End of the City” features South Lakes student protagonist.

Growing up in Reston, David Bendernagel said he always thought writing was cool. His interests ranged from the fantastical to the realistic, and with his first novel, “The End of the City,” he has found a way to explore both of those themes in an unorthodox, but interesting way.

Walking to Feed the Hungry

n mutual cooperation, the administrations of three states, including Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. all signed proclamations officially declaring the period of Sept. 15-29, 2013 as The Day to Serve and as a time to initiate activities that would assist the poor in our area and combat hunger. One of the more successful activities held was a 3K walk (1.8 miles) on Saturday, Sept. 28, starting from Robinson Secondary School in the Burke area of Fairfax County through the shaded streets and past the manicured yards of the local neighborhood. Food donations from the participants were distributed to the local food banks.

Lighting the Night at Reston Town Center

Annual walk funds blood cancer research, family support.

“Ava B” will turn 5 years old early next year, and spent more than half of her young life dealing with leukemia. She was diagnosed with pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia in December 2011 at age 2. Since then, she has undergone more than 20 months of chemotherapy, and seen her family and friends rally around her.

Raising Awareness, Money To Stop Domestic Violence

A woman battered and bruised by her abusive husband leaves one night to escape. Unable to find a safe place to stay, she is forced to go back, time and time again. Across town another woman flees with her children. Not knowing where to go, they sleep in the woods despite freezing temperatures. In a third house, a child pulls the blankets over her head, trying to drown out the sound of yelling and punching down the hall. It’s a sad American truth that one in three women murdered are killed by an intimate partner. In Fairfax County 57 percent.

South County Football off to 4-1 Start

Stallions dismantle West Springfield, 54-3.

South County scored more than 50 points in each of its four victories this season.

Digging into the Future

Construction moves forward at The Exchange at Potomac Yard.

Mayor Bill Euille and U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) joined City of Alexandria officials as the JBG Companies and MidAtlantic Realty Partners held a ceremonial groundbreaking Oct. 9 to officially launch The Exchange at Potomac Yard, a mixed-use development along the Route 1 corridor in Alexandria and Arlington. “Unlike the folks on Capitol Hill, we are moving ahead and keeping people working,” said JGB managing partner Matt Kelly, referring to the federal government shutdown. The first phase of the 19-acre development will include two multi-family communities with a combined 65,000 square feet of retail and nearly 400,000 square feet of office space. The Alric, with 323 residential units, broke ground last February with occupancy expected in September of 2014. “This project is about a future generation of Alexandrians and Northern Virginians,” said Moran, who also made a reference to the lack of productivity on Capitol Hill. “This will be part of a new community where residents can live, work and shop without having to deal with extended traffic interruptions.”

Cleary, Realtor, Philanthropist Dies

Carol Leann Cleary, a well-known Realtor, local philanthropist and longtime resident of Alexandria, died Oct. 6 after a seven-week battle with pancreatic cancer. “Carol Cleary modeled a quiet dedication to children, family and community that inspired all of us who had the good fortune to know and interact with her,” said Sonia Qunionez, executive director of SCAN, a nationally-recognized nonprofit dedicated to the prevention of child abuse founded by Carol Cleary's husband David in the couple's basement 25 years ago. “She has been a force of generosity and compassion in this community for decades and believed in the power of individuals to make a difference in our community.”

Column: Senior Law Day Teaches How To Avoid Scams

Senior Services of Alexandria

Last June, Senior Services of Alexandria ended our second annual Speaker Series with a discussion about local scams targeting seniors. Ever since, I seem to hear more and more stories from friends and neighbors about someone who has been the victim to this type of predatory behavior. So I guess it shouldn't have come as a surprise when we received one of those "too good to be true" calls at home last Saturday. The recorded message promised that the Affordable Health Care Act entitled anyone over 60 to receive a $3,000 cash food benefit and a free life alert system. All I had to do was "press 1" to get started! Fortunately, I remembered learning that just pressing "1" would send me into a maze of scam artists, waiting for someone to identify themselves as a senior willing to listen to their latest scheme.

Library Opens at Mount Vernon Estate

$106.4 million building dedicated.

The $106.4 million Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington opened in Mount Vernon last Friday, Sept. 27, with much fanfare. Fred W. Smith, chairman of The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, the largest donor, gave $70 million, including a $38 million lead gift, which was the largest single donation in Mount Vernon’s history. It was seed money to create the museum, foundation and education center. Funds were also collected by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, which came from 7,000 individuals, foundations and corporations from across America — not from any federal, state or local governments. “This is a place where scholars and leaders can visit from all over the world,” said Gov. Bob McDonnell, who referred to George Washington as only having a sixth-grade education — a man of “quiet faith, humility, and civility.” And one of the best whiskey makers in America.

Commentary: Help Fight Breast Cancer

Pam Baker’s attention to detail saves lives. As a nurse and quality consultant here at Inova Alexandria Hospital, Pam diligently ensures our staff follow evidence-based guidelines and practices that promote the best outcomes for our patients. She also practices what she preaches: Pam follows guidelines from the American Cancer Society, which recommend that women over 40 get a mammogram every year. Eight years ago, her annual mammogram detected a lump in one of her breasts. “I wasn’t worried about dying of breast cancer. [The lump] was small. Because of my yearly exams, I knew it wasn’t there the year before,” Baker said. Fortunately, her mammogram flagged her breast cancer at an early stage. Baker underwent a mastectomy and hormone treatment at Inova Alexandria Hospital. Today, she’s a survivor.

Costumed Dolls Aid MetroArts

From ballerinas to Barbies.

Alexandria resident Virginia Britton has come up with a creative way to raise funds for the Metropolitan Arts Collaborate (MetroArts), a non-profit organization that she started in June 2012. The mission of MetroArts, which is currently in the process of becoming a 5019(C)(3), is to provide affordable fine arts education to local students. By taking classic Barbies and selling them as transformed, artfully-costumed custom dolls, Britton is using her own fine arts skills to raise money for the budding foundation. Currently, she sells her dolls at the gift store, A Show of Hands. She also takes requests. She will also be selling the dolls at the Detroit Urban Craft Fair at the Masonic Temple on Dec. 7 and 8. As a ballet director, she has designed her fair share of ballet costumes, so she had plenty of doll-sized costumes for different themes.

The Arlington Players Presents ‘A Chorus Line’

Talented cast of 24 actors reveal their souls through song and dance.

Under the direction of Susan Devine, 56, of Fairfax, The Arlington Players is staging the iconic dance-musical “A Chorus Line,” through Oct. 12 at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center off Glebe Road in Arlington. The complex show features a cast of 24 actors, singers and dancers on a bare stage with only a wall-length mirror during their audition for a musical. The director Zach, played by formidable real-life director and actor Blakeman Brophy, moves freely through the audience, while running the auditions and putting actors through their paces. As the play progresses, Zach gets them to reveal their souls through song (“What I Did for Love,” and “I Can Do That”) and dance. Devine wanted to convey the feeling of Zach directing from an empty auditorium — even though he was moving around the audience. She said, “I wanted to make this feel like this was as real an audition as possible.”

Week in Vienna

Town of Vienna Offices to Observe Columbus Day Town of Vienna offices will be closed on Monday, Oct. 14, in observance of the Columbus Day holiday. The Vienna Community Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; no classes or drop-in programs will be held. Refuse collection will operate as normal on Monday, Oct. 14. Public safety services will not be impacted.

Offering Special Needs Training

Christ Presbyterian Church holds autism workshops for lay people on Oct. 18-19.

Christ Presbyterian Church is offering a free Special Needs Ministry Training Workshop Oct. 18-19, for Sunday School teachers, lay people, and volunteers who minister to children and youth with autism and other conditions. It features presentations from local ministry leaders, DVDs by experts, and training in classroom management. The workshops are at 12410 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway, Fairfax. “The goal is to bring awareness to the unique opportunity people have in ministering to families of special needs,” said Pastor Geoff McLean, 40. “We’re looking to build a cadre of folks to support each other in this kind of ministry.” McLean said a lot of people come to church and they find it an unwelcoming place if they have special needs. And because most folks are going through their own individual struggles, he wants to bring them together to be resources for each other. “So if they have an issue, they can talk to others and find ways to connect,” he said.

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