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Transforming a Vision into Housing, Commerce
Creating an urban development, one land bay at a time.
First in a three-part series about Potomac Yard development.
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Local Man Bikes in Police Unity Tour
The motto of the Police Unity Tour (PUT) is "We Ride for Those Who Died."
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Spotlight Shines on Local Talent
Alliance Theatre To Present Musical Showcase
Shining a spotlight on the local community’s youth, The Alliance Theatre presents its inaugural Musical Showcase, Friday-Saturday, May 4-5, at Mountain View High. The event is a fund-raiser for Mountain View to purchase additional lighting, sound and window covers for its auditorium.
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Centre View Roundups -- April 25
Smoking Materials Cause Fire Fairfax County fire investigators say “discarded smoking materials” caused an accidental townhouse fire, April 12, in Centreville. The incident occurred around 3:25 p.m. at 5213 Prairie Willow Way. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy smoke and fire coming from the rear and deck area of the three-story, end unit.
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Fund-Raiser Planned for Animal Shelter
Wine-tasting event is May 5.
Like a Statue of Liberty for animals, the Fairfax County Animal Shelter is a place of refuge for animals needing care. They often arrive ill or injured, and many have been abused, neglected or abandoned.
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Come to the ‘State Fair’ at Liberty Middle School
Featuring a cast and crew of 90, Liberty Middle School presents the classic, Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, “State Fair.” Show times are Thursday-Friday-Saturday, May 3, 4 and 5, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.
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Centre View Calendar -- April 25
To have community events listed in Centre View, e-mail to centreview@connectionnewspapers.com. Call Steve Hibbard at 703-778-9412.
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Historic Huntley To Open at Last
Hybla Valley villa to become Fairfax County’s newest public park next month.
After decades of waiting, Historic Huntley will finally open its doors to the public next month. Officials with the Fairfax County Park Authority are planning a May 19 launch, a long-awaited opening for a historic property built in the 1820s by Alexandria Mayor Thomson Mason. The old house has been boarded up since being purchased by the Fairfax County Park Authority in 1989, when county leaders set out to restore the villa overlooking Hybla Valley. Since then, county voters have approved two bond referendum ballot items worth $3 million.
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Opinion: Poetry Submissions
The following poems, submitted because April is National Poetry Month, are from Mount Vernon resident John J. Finerty.
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On Their Way to Iowa
Stratford Landing Elementary School’s 5th grade Odyssey of the Mind team, coached by Terri Bell, has qualified to go to the World Finals in Ames, Iowa. Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition for students ages Kindergarten through college. The team worked on their problem in the category of Weird Science. They came in first in their division at the regional competition, which was held at West Potomac High School, and also came in first at the state finals in Newport News on April 14. The team was also the only team, out of 108 competing at the state level, that was given the Ranatra Fusca award, which is presented to a team that demonstrates exceptional creativity at the competition.
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Opinion: Will Virginia’s Health Care Improve Without Better Data?
The answer is “no.” The Virginia Health Reform Initiative Advisory Council (created by Governor McDonnell) stated the case for change in its 2010 report. “Virginia’s overall quality of care is average, with strengths in cardiac care, hospital care generally, and home health. Weaknesses in Virginia’s quality rankings include nursing home care, diabetes care, and maternal and child health. Specifically, Virginia ranks 41st in the nation in breast cancer death rates, and 35th in infant mortality. None of these statistics measure up to Virginia ranking sixth, nationwide, in median family income.”
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Letter: Adverse Actions Have Consequences
To the Editor: Martin Tillett understandably wants to avoid having the downfall of the proposed Kings Crossing Town Center as his legacy in the civic arena. In prior letters to the Gazette, I've explained the role the Spring Bank Community Association (SBCA) played, under the leadership of Mr. Tillett and SBCA President David Dale in the demise of Kings Crossing (see my letter in the August 13, 2009 Gazette) and the resulting development of a Wal-Mart store on the property.
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Letter: A Meeting Without Answers
To the Editor: Sunday April 22, at St. Stephens UMC in Burke, Fairfax County officials and elected supervisors (including Board Chair Sharon Bulova) met with over 200 volunteers from 36 church-based hypothermia shelters to ease our anxieties. We have heard rumor that the fire marshal has determined that 18 of these churches will not be able to open and operate their “hypothermia” ministry next year as they had in the past. This puts the hundreds of homeless individuals who use these facilities at risk of frostbite, hypothermia and death.
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'Witness for the Prosecution' Opens at LTA
It's 1954 and Leonard Vole stands accused of the murder of a rich elderly woman whom he befriended. His wife's testimony could save him until she suddenly becomes a “Witness for the Prosecution” in the Agatha Christie thriller now playing at The Little Theatre of Alexandria.
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Calendar for April 25
E-mail announcements to the Gazette, gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Photos and artwork are encouraged. Deadline is Thursday at noon for the following week's paper. Call Steve Hibbard at 703-778-9412 with questions.
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Poetry
The following poems, submitted because April is National Poetry Month, are from Alexandria residents.
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Building Upon Layers Of History
From Native American settlements to gentrified neighborhoods.
If you stand on the roof of a high rise apartment build in North Alexandria, you can get a sense of the extraordinary flatness of the Potomac Yard. You can see the Washington Monument and the Capitol dome across a skyline unbroken by anything but the occasional lifting off of a plane from Ronald Reagan Airport. To the left are the high rise buildings of Crystal City, but they are manmade break in the flat land which runs from the Potomac River south to below Old Town before a ridge of any significant height changes the contour of the country side.
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Neighborhoods: Taylor Run
BROADWAY SUCCESS Nancy A. Gibbs, who formerly lived in our neighborhood on W. Taylor Run, has produced a new hit in New York. "Peter and the Starcatcher" is a prequel to Peter Pan. It explains how Peter and the Lost Boys attained their eternal youth, and why Captain Hook pursued them so relentlessly. The New York Times reviewed the show most enthusiastically. Janet and David Beckmann, of Park Road, went up to New York to the opening night, which they enjoyed tremendously. "Peter is a tour-de-force of the imagination," says Janet. " The audience could not have been more elated."