Entertainment, Page 10 State Championsconnection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/...May 15, 2019 · Investing in people by supporting the environment, affordable housing, transpor-tation

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Meet Candidates forCounty Board ChairmanNews, Page 3

Fairfax City Council Adopts FY 2020 BudgetNews, Page 9

State ChampionsNews, Page 2

The Fairfax High School Men’s Crew Team Novice 4 boat took home Gold

medals and the State championship trophy.

2 ❖ Fairfax Connection ❖ May 16-22, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Fairfax Connection ❖ May 16-22, 2019 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

See Meet the Candidates, Page 12

Fairfax Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

Meet the Candidates forCounty Board ChairmanFour to contend in June 11Democratic Primary to seek toreplace retiring Sharon Bulova.

Photo by Andrea Worker/The Connection

The Democratic candidates for the Chair of the Fairfax County Board ofSupervisors, heading for the June 11 Primary election, debate at a live,televised event, hosted by the Fairfax Healthy Communities Coalition.Coalition member and event moderator Pastor Sarah Scherschligt isflanked by candidates Tim Chapman and Alicia Plerhoples on the left,and Jeff McKay, Lee District Supervisor, and Ryan McElveen, At-Largemember of the FC Public Schools Board on the right.

By Andrea Worker

The Connection

As Chair of the Fairfax CountyBoard of Supervisors SharonBulova prepares to retire at theend of the year, four Democrats

have come forward, looking to fill her spotas the county’s top elected official. Withmultiple candidates, election rules call for aPrimary Election to decide a winner who willgo on to the November 5 ballot, when all ofthe Board member seats will be up for grabs.

Vying for the position are:❖ Current Lee District Supervisor Jeff

C. McKay, who has served on the Board

since 2007.❖ Ryan McElveen, At-Large Member,

Fairfax County Public Schools Board since2012.

❖ Tim Chapman, Reston-based real es-tate developer and businessmen

❖ Alicia Plerhoples, tenured law profes-sor at Georgetown Law.

The Connection sent out identical ques-tionnaires to all four, asking each to pro-vide voters with some basic informationabout themselves, and then to explain whythey are running, what they see as the topissues facing the county, and in what keyways they differ from their opponents.

Here are their responses:

Jeffrey C. McKayAge: 43Education: James Madison

University (1996), SorensenInstitute for Political Leader-ship (1998)

Family: Wife, Crystal, chil-dren Leann and Aidan, re-tired racing greyhound Pas-cal.

Native of: Fairfax CountyMoved to Your District:

Lifelong Lee District residentPrior and current profes-

sional, political and civic ex-periences, community in-volvement, etc.:

❖ Fairfax County Board of Supervisors –Lee District

❖ Chairman, Budget Committee, Boardof Supervisors

❖ Chairman, Legislative Committee❖ Co-Chair, Revitalization Committee❖ Member, Successful Children and Youth

Policy Team❖ Member, Northern Virginia Regional

Commission❖ Member, Virginia Railway Express

Board❖ First VP, Virginia Assoc. of Counties

Board of Directors❖ Two-time former Chair, current Mem-

ber, Northern Virginia Transportation Com-mission

❖ Coach, Woodlawn Little League, Pio-neer Baseball League, Mount Vernon SportsClub

Q: Why are you running?A: I am a lifelong Fairfax County resident,

proudly born and raised along the RouteOne Corridor. From an early age, my grand-mother instilled in me the importance ofhelping others, especially those less fortu-nate than ourselves. Those teachings, com-

bined with my own experi-ences … are the reasons whyI ultimately sought public of-fice.

I am running for Chairmanthis year to build on the suc-cesses we’ve had and to pushus forward … I’m proud ofFairfax County and the com-munity we’ve built together.Now, more than ever, thosevalues we’ve instilled andthe work we’ve done are atrisk. We need to fight for allresidents and communities

throughout our county.Q: What are the top issues in your dis-

trict and what solutions do you propose?A:❖ Creating a Fairfax County that works

for all (One Fairfax)❖ Investing in people by supporting the

environment, affordable housing, transpor-tation infrastructure, and education

❖ Creating jobs and economic opportu-nities in all areas of the county

Q: Key ways you differ from your oppo-nents.

A: Having served on the Board of Super-visors for the past 11 years, I am the onlycandidate with Board experience and whohas been a state, regional and countywideleader. I’ve balanced budgets and createdcountywide legislative agendas that havemade us a progressive national leader ineducation, job growth, human services, andquality of life, while also ensuring we’reprotecting our environment and fighting foraffordable housing.

I have the knowledge, experience, andrelationships it takes to be a successfulchairman, and I am excited for the oppor-tunity before us.

Jeffrey C. McKay

Ryan McElveenAge: 33Education: Columbia Uni-

versity, Master of Interna-tional Affairs in HumanRights (2011); Univ. of Vir-ginia, B.A. Anthropology andEast Asian Studies (2008);George C. Marshall HighSchool (2004)

Family: Wife Xuan, daugh-ter Sierra

Native of: Raised in theVienna-Tysons area

Moved to Your District:Lifelong resident of FairfaxCounty

Prior and current professional, politicaland civic experiences, community involve-ment, etc.:

❖ At-large Member, Fairfax County SchoolBoard 2012-Present

❖ Assoc. Director, John L. Thornton ChinaCenter, the Brookings Institution, 2013 -Present

❖ International Operations and Policy, theBoeing Company

❖ Co-Chair, Revitalization Committee, FCBoard of Supervisors.

❖ Communications, Clinton Foundationand Clinton Global Initiative

❖ Researcher, Permanent Subcommitteeon Investigations, U.S. Senate

❖ Asst. Director, Univ. of Virginia Centerin Shanghai, China

Q: Why are you running?A: After spending the better part of my

time on the School Board as witness tochronically underfunded school system bud-gets, I decided to run for Chairman when Irealized that there was no one else in therace who would be as strong an advocatefor our schools and children as I would be.

Since January, I have been saying that we

are two Fairfaxes. The devel-opment patterns that havebeen promoted by pastBoards of Supervisors haveled to the stark divides be-tween the “haves” and “havenots” in Fairfax County. …

We need to turn our atten-tion to the areas and popu-lations that will benefit fromneither Amazon and a grow-ing tech sector nor higherproperty values. All of ourresidents need to have avoice. I will purposefully

work to narrow that gap and provide moreseats at the table, making sure that our di-verse community is better represented byour leadership.

Q: What are the top issues in your dis-trict and what solutions do you propose?

A: The three most important issues andopportunities that Fairfax needs to addressare in the areas of education, innovationand opportunity.

❖ Education: We need to fully fund ourschools and implement universal pre-Kin-dergarten so that our students enter schoolready to succeed.

❖ Innovation: We need to connect all resi-dents to the internet; create transportationnetworks that accommodate expanded pub-lic transit and electric and autonomous ve-hicles; and preserve green space while in-vesting in a green infrastructure that pushesFairfax toward a carbon-neutral future.

❖ Opportunity: We need to prepare ourcommunity members for the jobs of the fu-ture by creating apprenticeships and build-ing innovation labs in schools; developsmall-business incubators in vacant office

Ryan McElveen


Route 29 Northbound

Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements

Fairfax County

Find out about plans to build a continuous

shared-use path along northbound Route 29 (Lee

Highway) between Vaden Drive and Nutley Street

(Route 243) to improve safety and accessibility for

bicyclists and pedestrians. The project will also

extend the Route 29 culvert over the tributary of

Accotink Creek just west of Nutley Street to ac-

commodate the shared-use path.

Review project information at www.virginiadot.org/projects, or at VDOT’s Northern Virginia Dis-

available to answer your questions.

-

a public hearing be held by sending a written re-

quest to Ms. Hong Ha, P.E., Virginia Department of

Transportation, at the above address on or prior to

June 3, 2019. If upon receiving public comments

it is deemed necessary to hold a public hearing,

notice of date, time and place of the hearing will

be posted.

VDOT ensures nondiscrimination and equal em-

ployment in all programs and activities in accor-

dance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights

special assistance for persons with disabilities or

COMMUNITIES OF WORSHIP

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Community of Worship,Call 703-778-9418

Worship Gathering – Sunday 8:45 & 11 AMSunday School 10:10 AM

Sun. Evening – Realtime Worship & Youth 6 PMFamily Night – Wednesday 7:15 PM

Home Life Groups, College/Young AdultMinistries, and Living Free Support Groups

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News

The Fairfax High School Crew Team had adominant performance at Day 1 of the VAState Rowing Championships last Saturday.

Coming off of a perfect regular season, the Men’sNovice 4 boat edged out McLean by 2.0 seconds totake home Gold medals and the State championship

The Fairfax High School Men’s Crew Team Novice 4 boat took home Gold medals andthe State championship trophy.

Fairfax High Crew Wins State Championshiptrophy.The Men’s second Varsity 4 boat earned Silver med-als, narrowly missing Gold to TC Williams by a 1.3second margin.The Men’s third Varsity 4 boat earned a very respect-able second place finish in their event.

The Men’ssecondVarsity 4boatearnedSilvermedals.

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See Bulletin, Page 15

Submit civic/community announcements atConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos andartwork welcome. Deadline is Thursday at noon, atleast two weeks before event.

CAMPSArt Camp Registration. Summer Art Camp in

Burke for 5-8 year olds, 8 years and up, andteens/adults. Camp is held through BurkeCentre Conservancy at the Woods CommunityCenter, 10100 Wards Grove Circle, Burke. Campweeks run July 22-26; July 29-Aug. 2; and Aug.5-9. Call 703-250-6930 or visitwww.czartlessons.com.

❖ Fine Arts & Crafts Camp (8 years & up)❖ Drawing Camp (8 years & up)❖ Drawing Plus Color & Craft Fun Camp (5-8 year

olds)❖ Art Boot Camp for teens/adultsCAMP WEEKS: 7/22 -26, 7/29-8/2 & 8/5-9Call instructor at 703-250-6930 or visit

www.czartlessons.com.

WEDNESDAY/MAY 15Volunteers Wanted. 10:30 a.m. at the Salvation

Army Corp building, 4915 Ox Road, Fairfax. TheFairfax Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary areseeking volunteers for their upcoming events.Meetings are held monthly on the thirdWednesday, September through May. Call LoriSmith at 703-830-3520 or Sylvia Laiti at 703-830-8849.

Financial Considerations for Caregivers. 1-3p.m. at Insight Memory Care Center, 3953Pender Drive, #100, Fairfax. The financial costsof long term care and long term caregiving areenormous. Explore options for this importantaspect of caregiving. This program is a part ofInsight’s ongoing Classes for Caregivers series,held the third Wednesday of the month, allsessions are free. Respite care may be availableby request; notify when registering to confirmavailability. Register online atwww.insightmcc.org, or contact Lindsey Vajpeyiat 703-204-4664 [email protected].

FRIDAY/MAY 17Military Caregiver Workshop. 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Hope For The Warriors will host a one-daymilitary caregiver workshop in the Springfieldarea. The free event will focus on self-care andmindfulness with activities that include: arttherapy, applied theater experiential,therapeutic yoga by Pamela Stokes Eggleston ofYoga2Sleep and share time with othercaregivers. Visit www.hopeforthewarriors.org/health-wellness/military-veteran-caregiver-support-services.

Emergency Preparedness for Parents ofStudents with Disabilities. 10 a.m.-noon atDunn Loring Center for Parent Services, 2334Gallows Road, Entrance 1 – Room 100, DunnLoring. Fairfax County’s Office of EmergencyManagement is committed to the inclusion ofall. Free to parents, educators and communitymembers. Call 703-204-3941 or visitwww.fcps.edu/resources/family-engagement/parent-resource-center for more or to register.

NEXUS 2019: Fussy Minds Forum. 1-3:30 p.m.at Fairfax County Public Schools Virginia HillsCenter, 6520 Diana Lane, Alexandria.Participants discuss the effects of stress on thebrain-ways of the young and how to build theresilience needed for successful learning intoadulthood and beyond. Space is limited; registerat www.eventbrite.com/e/community-conversation-addressing-irritablity-stress-fussiness-in-todays-youth-tickets-60314231490.

SATURDAY/MAY 18“Open Mosque” Project. 7 p.m. at Masroor

Mosque, 5640 Hoadly Road, Manassas. ThroughRamadan, Muslims abstain from eating anddrinking during the daytime and focus on self-reform of habits and character. In a new “OpenMosque” project, Ahmadiyya MuslimCommunity USA will open all its mosques to thepublic for the weekly Friday Prayer services(May 17, 24 and 31) and a special Iftar (dinner)event on Saturday, May 18, featuring a HolyQuran Exhibition, breaking of fast, prayerservice, and dinner. [email protected] for more.

Bulletin Board


Letters to the Editor

Appalled byVetoesTo the Editor:

According to the National Insti-tutes of Health, deaths from

synthetic opioids such as Fenta-nyl increased 1,000 percent in Vir-ginia from 2012 to 2017. Withmore than 100 Virginians dying ofopioid overdoses every month, thehuman cost of this crisis is nearlyinconceivable. As

we continue to lose friends andfamily members to this crisis, thetime has come to say enough isenough.

To combat this crisis, I workedwith the Virginia Association of

Commonwealth’s Attorneys topass HB 2528 during the 2019 ses-sion of the General Assembly. Longsought by prosecutors, HB 2528would have allowed

drug dealers to be prosecutedfor second degree murder if thedrugs they provide directly con-tribute to the death of the user.

What many of us do not realizeis that many drug dealers undercurrent law can only be chargedwith distribution. Even if theirdrugs cause death, they are typi-cally out on bail after a few days.

A dose of Fentanyl the size of agrain of salt is all it takes to killsomeone. A drug dealer who sellssomeone drugs laced with Fenta-nyl is no less a killer than if he had

pointed a gun and pulled the trig-ger.

HB 2528 sought to give prosecu-tors another tool to combat theopioid crisis. During this past Gen-eral Assembly session, I appreci-ated the support of Attorney Gen-eral Mark Herring. Unfortunately,Governor

Northam decided this last weekthat repairing his damaged imagewas more important than gettingjustice for overdose victims andtheir families.

Adding insult to injury, the Gov-ernor also vetoed a great bill putforth by my Democratic colleagueKathleen Murphy. DelegateMurphy’s bill, HB 2042, wouldhave sentenced those convicted of

multiple abuses against afamily member within a 10 year

window to a minimum of 60 daysin jail. Spousal abuse is all toocommon, and ensuring that a wifeor husband can have a couple ofmonths without the fear of furtherabuse is critically

important.Both of these bills would have

saved lives, both of these bills werebipartisan, and both of these billsare now dead because of Gover-nor Northam. To say I am ex-tremely disappointed with theGovernor would be an understate-ment. I am appalled.

Del. Tim Hugo (R-40)Clifton

Opinion

On June 11, 2019 a revolution isscheduled. There will be noblood. Change, massive change,is inevitable, but its effects won’t

be fully in place for months.Many of the powers that be in Fairfax County

will step down at the end of the year, takingwith them decades of historic understanding

and institutional knowledge.Voters will choose their replace-ments, for the most part, onJune 11. It’s a huge opportunity

for voters in Virginia to enact the change theywant to see.

First any Virginia voter can participate in theDemocratic primary because voters in Virginiado not register by party.

Second almost every candidate is describingthemselves as progressive. There are of coursedegrees of progressive. You’ll have to tease outfor yourself what matters to you. Is the countyon the right track in the things that matter? Ifyou think the county has done enough in af-fordable housing, is on the right path in termsof criminal justice reform and racial and eco-nomic equity, then voting for the few longtimeincumbents might be right for you. If your vi-sion of a progressive county is a bit beyondthe status quo, then you have other choices.

Every Democratic primary voter in FairfaxCounty will choose candidates for two criticalcounty wide positions, Chairman of the FairfaxCounty Board of Supervisors and FairfaxCounty Commonwealth’s Attorney.

Early voting has begun already, but the cut-off to register to vote is in less than a week,May 20. You have to register (at your currentaddress) and actually vote to have a say inchoices that could define the direction of the

county for the foreseeable future. With four orfive candidates vying for quite a few seats, asmall number of votes could decide.

Don’t miss out.

— Mary Kimm

ON THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARYBALLOT, FAIRFAX COUNTY

Commonwealth’s AttorneyRaymond F. MorroghSteve T. Descano

Chairman Board of SupervisorsAlicia E. PlerhoplesJeff C. McKayRyan L. McElveenTimothy M. Chapman

Braddock DistrictMember Board of SupervisorsIrma M. CoradoJames R. Walkinshaw

Hunter Mill DistrictBoard of Supervisors -Laurie T. DoddMaggie D. ParkerParker K. MessickShyamali R. HauthWalter L. Alcorn

Lee District Board of Supervisors -ames MigliaccioKelly HebronLarysa M. KautzRodney L. Lusk

Providence DistrictBoard of Supervisors -Dalia PalchikEdythe F. KelleherEricka M. YalowitzLinh D. HoangPhilip A. Niedzielski-Eichner

Senate 31st DemocraticBarbara FavolaNicole K. Merlene

Senate 33rd DemocraticJennifer B. BoyskoM. Sharafat Hussain

Senate 35rd DemocraticRichard L. “Dick” SaslawYasmine P. TaebKaren Elena Torrent

Changing Political LandscapeDon’t miss vote June 11or before to have a sayin the biggest politicalchange in years.

Editorial

Upcoming ElectionsJune 11, 2019 Democratic Party Primary

Election InformationOn Election Day Vote at Your Usual Polling

Place, Open From 6 a.m. until 7 p.m.To confirm that you are eligible to vote in this

election, visit the Virginia State Board ofElections website at https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation.

GENERAL INFORMATION❖ Now:: Absentee Voting is underway at the

Office of Elections, 12000 GovernmentCenter Pkwy., Conference Rooms 2/3,Fairfax, VA

❖ May 20: Voter Registration Deadline to voteon June 11. In-person: 5 pm, online: 11:59p.m.

❖ June 4: Deadline to request an absenteeballot by mail, 5 p.m.

❖ June 8: Final day to vote absentee in-person,5 p.m.

❖ June 11: Primary Election Day. Polling Placesopen 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. Deadline to returnballots to the Office of Elections, 7 p.m. Seewww.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/upcomingfor more and to find your sample ballot forTuesday, June 11.

Write By email:[email protected]

Online:www.connectionnewspapers.com/

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factual errors.

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Kemal Kurspahic Editor ❖ 703-778-9414

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[email protected]

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[email protected]

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ADVERTISING:For advertising information

e-mail:[email protected]

703-778-9431

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Fairfax


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Celebrating Life’s Little Pleasures

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News

During an Arbor Day celebration onWednesday, April 24, Fairfax Cityofficials and School Board mem-

bers joined City Schools SuperintendentPhyllis Pajardo, plus students and teachersat Lanier Middle School, to plant a redbudtree on the school grounds. PrincipalTammara Hanna read a poem, and MayorDavid Meyer presented an Arbor Day proc-lamation. School Board member Toby

Sorenson spoke about the value of trees andnoted that Fairfax City has been officiallydeclared a “Tree City” for more than 25years. And, accordingly, James McGlonewith the Virginia Department of Forestrypresented Fairfax with a large, “Tree City”flag and declared it a “Tree City USA” forthe 32nd year. Fairfax received this honorfor the resources it spends and the laws itmakes and enforces to take care of its trees.

The City of Fairfax receives its “Tree City” flag at Lanier Middle School.

Arbor Day Celebration at Lanier Middle

From left) Council members Janice Miller and Michael DeMarco, plusMayor David Meyer, dig a hole for the redbud tree.

City and School Board members and officials, Lanier teachers and stu-dents pictured with the Arbor Day proclamation and newly plantedredbud tree.

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By Marilyn Campbell

The start of summer justaround the corner and forsome, warm weather is

synonymous with trips to a poolor beach. swimming lessons areone the minds of many parents.May is National Water SafetyMonth, an effort designed to pre-vent illness, injury and death as aresult of contact with the water.Part of a parent’s role in ensuringsafety for their children is know-ing the factors to consider whenlooking for swimming lessons.

“People are starting get out andenjoy the water,” said AleathaEzra, of The World’s Largest Swim-ming Lesson, an event on June 20designed to raise awareness of theimportance of knowing how toswim. “We want to emphasis theimportance to learning to swim,

nation but rather contamination,” said ShannonMcKeon, Environmental Health Specialist. “Ask to seewater quality reports that should be posted at everypublic pool.”

There are times when a child has an extreme fearof water, but safety experts advise continuing thelessons with an instructor who is able to assist par-ents in helping a child overcome that fear.

“To cope with swimming fears, we should first re-lax with slow, deep, nosebreathing,” said JeromeShort, Ph.D. Licensed Clini-cal Psychologist and Associ-ate Professor of Psychology atGeorge Mason University.“We can close our eyes brieflyand go to a quiet, comfort-able place. After we are re-laxed, we should watch oth-ers who enjoy swimming andimagine doing it ourselvessuccessfully. Then move for-ward in small steps to shal-low water, slowly submergethe body, and practice float-ing with someone close by tosupport you. Take a break if

there is discomfort but try again soon to make moreprogress.”

Read story books on children who were afraid toswim but were successful, advises Carol Barnaby,LCSW l. “Scared children are already tackling emo-tional burdens and don’t need to see, hear, or feeltheir parents frustration, she said. “Take your child’sfear seriously and acknowledge it. Let them knowthat you understand that they are scared. Start swimlessons out of the water so that there can be trustestablished this will make them feel safe and readyto learn.”

Barnaby continued, “Let your child know that youbelieve in them and that you have confidence theywill succeed at their goal. Praise all efforts and offerphysical reassurance when they leave the water. Chil-dren who receive positive reinforcement will try hardereven when they are scared. Give your child frequentreassurance that they are safe and help is there.”

What can parents do if child is afraid of the water.

Choosing Swimming Lessons

An instructor at Goldfish Swim School teaches youngchildren how to swim. Lessons can help ensure watersafety.

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finding lessons and taking them seriously.”When looking for lessons, parents should inquire

about the training of those who will be in charge ofteaching their children. “We require all of our swiminstructors to pass a certified lifeguard course,” saidTommy Hamilton, Regional Manager at GoldfishSwim School of Reston, Falls Church and Alexandria.“In addition to this course all of our instructors alsogo through at least 40 hours of hands on training onour proprietary curriculum.”

In order for lessons to be ef-fective, the student teacher ra-tio should be as low as possible,advises Hamilton. “We believethat this gives them suitabletime in the water practicingtheir skills as well as enoughrest in between each skill,” hesaid. “The small class sizes alsoallow us to maintain a highstandard for safety.”

The swim school should as-sess a child’s ability and have acurriculum with a clearly de-fined plan that allows a childto advance as they gain skills.“For example, we have a pro-gressive curriculum. Our beginner swim classes startwith basics like teaching kids to put their face in thewater,” said Jamel Wright, a swimming instructor forSafeSplash Swim School in Bethesda. “It movesthrough [phases] like stroke development and ad-vances through competition level as the children areassessed and their swimming skills improve.”

Parents should be allowed to observe their child’slessons, said Hamilton. “We love when parents getinvolved in the progress of their children,” he said.“We believe this to be crucial to their growth. Wekeep our pool deck at a warm 90 degrees so we havelarge glass windows in our lobby so parents can becomfortable and watch the entire lesson.”

Another factor to consider is whether or not thereis a lifeguard on duty who can watch those in thewater at all times. Water quality should be anotherconcern. “Smell to make sure there are no strongchemical smells, which is not a sign of proper chlori-

“We want to emphasisthe importance tolearning to swim,finding lessons andtaking themseriously.”

— Aleatha Ezra, of The World’sLargest Swimming Lesson


News

See City Budget, Page 12

By Bonnie Hobbs

The Connection

Before the Fairfax City Counciladopted its Fiscal Year 2020 bud-get last week, local residents had

one, last chance to express their viewsabout it during a Wednesday, May 8,public hearing.

They spoke on a variety of topics, andespecially near and dear to several oftheir hearts was Jobs for Life, a partner-ship between The Lamb Center and theCity of Fairfax. The Lamb Center is adaytime shelter for poor and homelesspeople, and its staff and the City’s Parksand Recreation Department manage thejobs program together.

It’s referred to by those involved withit as “City Jobs,” and its pilot-programfunding came from Fairfax’s budget. And

the first speaker, Lamb Center volunteerMartin Lockerd, urged the Council to ap-prove further money for this program in itsnew budget so it can continue.

“It mostly supports those who are home-less and lost,” he said. “I’ve been a LambCenter volunteer for six years, and I’ve seenthe good it does. Before going out to work,they’d tell me, ‘I used to be somebody; Imust do this.’ And after returning, they say,‘I can do this well, and I’m contributing tothe community. I’m about to become some-body again.’ This program incentivizes themto get full-time jobs and contribute to thecommunity.”

LAMB CENTER VOLUNTEER John Rileyagreed. “The City can be really proud of CityJobs,” he said. “I work Monday morningsin the kitchen. We go there intending toserve others, but we end up being restored,ourselves, by hearing that someone need-ing a job or medication got it –and we allcelebrate. And now we celebrate City Jobs.When people come back from working,they’re inspired.” So, he told the Council,“Thank you for making it work. And the

Parks and Rec crew also deserves thanks forits enthusiastic support.”

Next speaker was Ken McMillon. “As aformer homeless person, I know how youlose your dignity when you fall so far,” heexplained. “When you’re homeless, youcan’t get an ID to get a bank account, soyou can’t cash a check.” Furthermore, hesaid, “It’s so important for people’s mentalstability to be lifted up while they’re down.And I hope your program becomes a modelfor the rest of the nation. I was consideringsuicide, and The Lamb Center saved my life,and then I got a job.”

Also speaking on behalf of City Jobs wasEric Hanneman, a former Lamb Centerguest and the current fleet supervisor forthe City Jobs crew. “I’ve seen how much theprogram improves both [the workers’] livesand the City,” he said. “And some of thesepeople – who were longtime homeless – gotpermanent jobs. One man in his 20s, whowas addicted, said it taught him there’s somuch more to look forward to in life.”

Hanneman said City Jobs helped theworkers “find their place and get back ontrack. One man also got a full-time job and

a steady income, and he’s nowmentoring others. And City Jobs madethis all possible for them. Thank you tothe City and to the Parks and Rec De-partment.”

Michael O’Dell, board president of theCity of Fairfax Theatre Co., came to thepublic hearing with a couple dozenpeople to show how much CFTC valuesreceiving some of its funding from theCity. “We’re not asking for a handout,”he said. “We’re looking to be contribut-ing members in a collaborative effort.”

IN RETURN, Mayor David Meyer said,“You share your gifts and talents withthe community in a unique way and helpmake this a vibrant community. And we’llcontinue to look for ways to support thetheater.”

Meanwhile, Joe Charlie, vice presidentof the City of Fairfax Firefighters andParamedics Union, also had a request.Said Charlie: “We support the citymanager’s proposed budget and urgeyou to consider employee compensationand benefits as a top priority.”

Residents Weigh in on Proposed BudgetSeek funding forjobs program, CFTCand firefighters.

By Bonnie Hobbs

The Connection

The Fairfax City Counciladopted its Fiscal Year2020 budget, lastWednesday, May 8,

and it contains both good and badnews for the residents. The badnews is that the real-estate tax rateis rising; but the good news is allthe things that additional moneywill enable the City to do, to bothcontinue and improve the qualityof life residents here have come toexpect.

“What’s in our budget reflectsour core values as a community,”said Mayor David Meyer. “There’sa tremendous respect for the fidu-ciary responsibility our elected of-ficials have toward managing ourresidents’ money.”

When City Manager Rob Stalzerinitially presented his proposedbudget in February, he recom-mended increasing the real-estatetax by 2.75 cents per $100 as-sessed valuation. So the adoptedbudget actually contains a smallerincrease than it could have been.

AS IT IS, the new budget raisesthe real-estate tax rate from itscurrent $1.06 to $1.075 per $100

of assessed valuation. The 1.5-centincrease will mean the averageresidential homeowner will pay$104/year, or about $8.67 amonth, more in real-estate tax.Also figuring into that amount isthe fact that homes here have seena .53-percent rise in assessedvalue. The average tax bill forcommercial-property owners willjump 2.9 percent.

The budget also includes spe-cific, tax hikes already planned aspart of the City’s ongoing obliga-tions. A 1-cent increase in theCommercial and Industrial (C&I)real-estate tax will take it from11.5 cents to 12.5 cents per $100assessed valuation. And a waste-water utility rate jump of 10 per-cent will support the City’s shareof capital project costs required forthe Noman Cole Wastewater Treat-ment Plant.

The budget further dedicates 25cents more from the real-estate tax

rate for the Stormwater Fund. Themoney will help improve the City’saging infrastructure and will alsomeet federal and state regulationsdealing with stormwater manage-ment.

In addition, the transportationtax fund will rise from 11.5 centsto 12.5 cents for commercial andindustrial properties. All residen-tial properties are excluded fromthis tax. The money is used solelyfor transportation and transit pur-poses and allows the City toqualify for matching funds for vari-ous transportation projects. Thenew rate is anticipated to gener-ate some $2,393,727 a year.

Overall, the Council adopted a$145.5 million General Fund op-erating budget – an increase of$3.5 million, or 2.5 percent. fromthe 2019 fiscal year. The total, ap-proved budget for all funds is $170million, down 1 percent from lastyear’s budget.

to keep it running.An enhanced tax-relief program

will enable more City residents toqualify for it. And a 2.6-percentcost-of-living increase (COLA) inFairfax employees’ salaries willhelp maintain regional compensa-tion parity and support the City’srecruitment and retention efforts.

During the Council’s budget-adoption meeting last week,Stalzer said, “We included$435,000 over the 12-percent, ex-cess fund balance for a budget-sta-bilization fund. And we included$185,000 for security-programdevelopment and implementationat all City facilities and a $400,000deposit for the West Drive prop-erty acquisition.”

Councilwoman Janice Millerwondered if these items could befunded later on, once the City seesif it’s getting a school-tuition re-

Fairfax City Council Adopts FY 2020 BudgetReal-estate tax raterises to $1.075.

David Meyer Sang Yi Janice Miller So Lim Michael DeMarco

Also significant is that the FY 20budget reflects the Council’s stra-tegic goals of delivering servicesmore efficiently and increasing theCity’s commercial base. As a result,the Department of Community De-velopment and Planning, the Eco-nomic Development Office, andthe Economic Development Au-thority will all receive additionalresources. It will enable them tocreate and implement plans forkey commercial centers, especiallyNorthfax and Old Town.

Public Works will get money tohire a project manager to managethe City’s transportation-construc-tion projects, help with strategicplanning, secure funding and pro-vide critical, program administra-tion. The Police Department willbe able to implement a new, e-tick-eting system to help keep neigh-borhoods safe. And the City Jobsprogram, in conjunction with theLamb Center, will receive $60,000


Submit entertainment announcements atwww.connectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/. Thedeadline is noon on Friday. Photos/artworkencouraged.

ONGOINGArt Exhibit: [Land]scape. Through May 19, in

the Art Lab Gallery, Workhouse Arts Center,Lorton. Curated by GMU MFA Candidate, EmilyFussner. The [Land]scape exhibition asksvisitors to engage the notion of landscape onmultiple levels. Featuring a range of painting,photography, mixed media, printmaking,sculpture, and video works, the exhibition itselfbecomes a landscape revealing a strata ofemerging art practices. Visitwww.workhousearts.org for more.

Group Exhibition: Degrees of Honor.Through May 19 in the Warrior Way Gallery, 1stFloor, Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton. Degreesof Honor is a group exhibition surveying theworks of artists addressing the concept of honorin different perspectives. Explore works withexpressions of separation, pain, loneliness,turmoil, stories and memories. The Warrior Wayis an exhibition space designated for artwork byactive duty, retired and veteran servicemembers. Visit www.workhousearts.org

Floating Garden. Through May 26, in the VulcanGallery, 2nd Floor, Workhouse Arts Center,Lorton. Toronto-based Artist Amanda McCavourcreates experiential, immersive environmentsthat represent places in her memory. Her threedimensional, embroidered art installations aremade up of fabric designs that float within thespace. Visit www.workhousearts.org

Creative Aging Festival. Through May 31, inlocations around Fairfax County. The CreativeAging Festival supports Fairfax County’s 50+Community Action Plan’s Arts Initiative topromote arts programming for and by olderadults. In collaboration with ARTSFAIRFAX.Visit the Creative Aging Festival site at bit.ly/FairfaxCreativeAgingFestival.

Art Exhibit: “Transcend.” Through June 2,Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at TorpedoFactory Artists @ Mosaic Gallery, 2905 DistrictAvenue, #105, Fairfax. Explore the theme oftranscendence. www.torpedofactoryartists.com

Featured Artist: Anne Hollis. Through June 2,gallery hours at Arches Gallery, Workhouse ArtsCenter, Lorton. The whimsical exhibition, titled“Cirque du Plume,” is a series of mixed mediacollage artworks that depict circus actsperformed by intrepid birds while duallyrepresenting family life. Visitarchesgallery.weebly.com for more.

FRIDAY/MAY 17Bike to Work Day 2019. Pit stop times vary, all

over the region. Join more than 20,000 areacommuters for a free celebration of bicycling asa fun, healthy and environmentally-friendly wayto get to work. There are 115 Bike to Work Daypit stops to choose from.The first 20,000 toregister and attend will receive a free Bike toWork Day T-shirt, enjoy refreshments andchances to win prizes. Visitwww.biketoworkmetrodc.org.

Clifton Homes Tour and Silent Auction. 10a.m.-4 p.m. The Clifton Community Woman’sClub hosts the 47th Annual Clifton Homes Tourand Silent Auction on Friday, May 17. Proceedsare distributed to local scholarships andcharities. Tickets are $35 purchased the day ofthe tour at the Clifton Presbyterian Church,12748 Richards Lane, Clifton.

B-I-N-G-O. 7 p.m. at Fire Station 3, 4081University Drive, Fairfax. Fridays. Enjoy freecoffee, entertaining callers, a friendlyatmosphere, $1,000 guaranteed jackpot,treasure chest progressive raffles, and good foodavailable for purchase. All proceeds go topurchasing fire and rescue equipment. Visitwww.fairfaxvfd.com or call 703-273-3638

SATURDAY/MAY 18Festival to Fight Cancer. 8-11 a.m. at

Centreville High School, 6001 Union Mill Road,Clifton. The CVHS Wildcats vs. Cancer Clubhosts their third annual Festival to Fight Cancer.This year’s festival features a 1-mile fun run/race and an inflatable obstacle course. Selfiestation, vendors, raffle prize drawings, a“Minute to Win It” game station, food, andmore. Proceeds support families affected bypediatric cancer. Tickets are $20 atrunsignup.com/Race/VA/Clifton/FestivaltoFightCancer19.wildcatsvscancer.wixsite.com/wildcatsvscancer.

Burke Farmers Market. Through Dec. 21, 8a.m.-noon at the VRE parking lot, 5671 RobertsParkway, Burke. A great selection of fresh

produce, baked goods, seafood, and dairy. Allvendors make their own food or grow it locallywithin 125 miles. Call 703-642-0128 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/farmersmarkets/burke for more.

JK Community Farm’s Plantathon. 8 a.m.-6p.m. at JK Community Farm, 35516 PaxsonRoad, Purcellville. Volunteers will sow 9,000vegetable on seven acres of land to helpalleviate hunger. The farm donates the food tononprofit partners, including Food for Othersand Arlington Food Assistance Center. $25individual/ $200 team of 10. Call 703-881-6548or visit jkcommunityfarm.org/event/plantathon/

Spring Festival at Whitehall Farm. 10 a.m.-4p.m. at Whitehall Farm, 6080 Colchester Road,Fairfax. Visit the farm for lots of family friendlyfun. Meet the farm animals, and enjoy a relaxingwagon ride through the woods, play games andmore. $10 per person; 3 and under free. Call703-968-3900 or visit www.whitehall.farm/spring-festival.html for more.

Forgotten Fairfax. 10:30-noon at City of FairfaxRegional Library, 10360 North St., Fairfax.Learn about the demographic history of FairfaxCounty from 1742 to 2010, presentation fromCam Gibson, demographer. Free. Call 703-293-2142 or visit librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov/event/4845494.

Movement for Life Expo. 1-4 p.m. at TheVirginian, 9229 Arlington Blvd., Fairfax.Virginian Outpatient Therapy in Fairfax presentsa healthy living community event for seniors andtheir families. Free. Visit www.vaoptherapy.orgor call 703-227-6611.

Monica Rizzio in Concert. 6-7:30 p.m. at LivingSavior Lutheran Church, 5500 Ox Road, FairfaxStation. Monica Rizzio’s first album,“Washashore Cowgirl,” earned her nominationfor best new country artist. Free, family friendlyconcert, open to the public. Call 703-352-1421or visit www.livingsaviorlutheran.org.

Bat for Bats. 8-9 p.m. at Lake Accotink Park,7500 Accotink Park Road, Springfield. Bats havea bit of an image problem, but they are animportant part of the ecosystem. Spot some inbats at Lake Accotink Park. Walk forest edges tosee bats feeding on insects. Use a bat detector tohear echolocation. For participants age 7-adult.$8 per person. Children must be accompaniedby a registered adult. Call 703-569-3464 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/lake-accotink.

“Full Moon Boat Tour.” 8-10 p.m. at BurkeLake Park, 7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station. Takeadvantage of the full moon in May and enjoy apicturesque night out aboard the Burke Laketour boat. See nocturnal critters. Spot localwildlife with a naturalist. For participants 6-adult. $10 per person. Call 703-323-6600 orvisit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/burke-lake.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY/MAY 18-19Ballet Performance. Saturday, 7:30 p.m.;

Sunday, 4 p.m. at Centreville High School, 6001Union Mill Road, Clifton. The Fairfax BalletCompany (FBC) presents “Carnival of theAnimals,” an original story ballet, as well asother original works and excerpts from“Sleeping Beauty.” Visitfbccarnival2019.brownpapertickets.com

SUNDAY/MAY 1919th FinishLyme 5K/1K. 6:45 a.m. at Fairfax

Corner, 4100 Monument Corner Drive, Fairfax.Registration is open for DryHome’s 9th AnnualFinishLyme (formerly LoudounLyme). $35 foradults/$25 for children under 14. After May 16,registration is $40/$30. Visitwww.FinishLyme.org.

Kayak Tour at Lake Accotink. 8-10 a.m. atLake Accotink Park, 7500 Accotink Park Road,Springfield. Paddle Lake Accotink’s tranquilwaters with a naturalist guide. Glide past baldeagle nests as the park comes to life. A single-seat kayak, life preserver provided. No previouskayak experience is required. $31 per person.

Canceled in rain. Call 703-569-3464 visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/lake-accotink.

NTRAK Scale Model Train Show. 1-4 p.m. atthe Fairfax Station Railroad Museum, 11200Fairfax Station Road, Fairfax Station. Ages 16and older, $4; 5-15, $2; 4 and under, free. Visitwww.fairfax-station.org or call 703-425-9225.

Wine, Whiskers and Wags. 1-5 p.m. at ParadiseSprings Winery, 13219 Yates Ford Road, Clifton.Annual fundraising event for Friends of theFairfax County Animal Shelter. Admissionincludes hors d’oeuvres, beverages, glass of wineor a wine tasting, keepsake wine glass, dogdemos, silent auction and exhibitors. $45 atwww.ffcas.org; At the event for $55.

The Very, Very Funny Storybook Party. 2-3:30 p.m. at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 7701Royce St., Annandale. At this party, children 3-8will bring an Eric Carle story to life by acting outbeing hungry caterpillars and eating their waythrough some storybook treats. Meet ladybugs,crafts. $10 per child. Children must beaccompanied by an adult. Call 703-941-1065 orvisit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/hidden-oaks.

Burke Historical Society May Meeting. 3:30-5 p.m. at Pohick Regional Library, 6540Sydenstricker Road, Burke. Learn about thecommunity that gave Sydensticker road its nameand its central historical links today: theMethodist church and the schoolhouse. Free.Email [email protected].

Art Show. 3:30-6 p.m. at The Wine Attic, 7145Main St., Clifton. Art Show of “wet paint” workscreated by artists painting Clifton, capping fourday weekend Plein Air competition. Free. Visitwww.artguildofclifton.org/art-show—wet-paint-sale.html or call 703-409-0919

MONDAY/MAY 20Fundraiser: Golf Outing. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at

Country Club of Fairfax, 5110 Ox Road, Fairfax.The Fairfax High School Athletic Boosters areorganizing their 8th Annual Golf Tournament.Proceeds from this tournament will help fundthe Fairfax High School Athletic teams. $125.Visit fairfaxhighsports.org/page/3163

WEDNESDAY/MAY 22Charity Art Gala. 6:30-9 p.m. at American Legion

Post 177, 3939 Oak St. Fairfax. Local artistshave donated their artwork, with the proceedsgoing to MK9s Service Dogs to help pay for thepurchase and care of the dogs in training. Livemusic and refreshments will be provided.Business casual attire. $20. Call 703-594-1099or visit www.CharityArtGala.com.

FRIDAY/MAY 24B-I-N-G-O. 7 p.m. at Fire Station 3, 4081

University Drive, Fairfax. Fridays, see last.Live Music: Lesson Zero. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. at Fat

Tuesday’s, 10673 Braddock Road, Fairfax.Lesson Zero performs. Visit www.fatsfairfax.com

SATURDAY/MAY 25Fundraiser for Fairfax Station Railroad

Museum. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Fair LakesPromenade Barnes and Noble Book Store, 12193Fair Lakes Promenade Drive, Fairfax. Localauthors will sign books Barnes and Noble. Themuseum will receive a percentage of net salesduring the day when mentioning the Station atthe checkout line. Visit www.fairfax-station.orgor call 703-425-9225.

MAY 25-JULY 20Art Exhibit: Somewhere Between You and

Me. Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. atOlly Olly, 10417 Main St., 2nd Floor, Fairfax. InSomewhere Between You and Me, youngnonbinary transgender artists seek to bringunderstanding to what it means to experiencelife as a nonbinary person. An evening receptionis planned for Saturday, May 25, 7-10 p.m. withartists Miki Beyer, Emil Melia, Sami Cola, andPaul Karcic. Call 703-789-6144 or visitollyollyart.com for more.

SUNDAY/MAY 2621st Annual “Ride of the Patriots.” After

assembling at Patriot Harley-Davidson on Leehighway in Fairfax, the parade of bikers willfollow a route to the Pentagon where it will joinwith hundreds of thousands of other bikers forthe 32nd annual “Rolling Thunder,” the massiveparade of bikes headed to the National Mall andthe Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial to pay theirrespects to their fallen comrades and toremember all those who have given their lives.Visit www.rideofthepatriots.com for more.

Reading Circle Activities. 1-4 p.m. at TheFairfax Station Railroad Museum, 11200 FairfaxStation Road, Fairfax Station. Books featuringrailroads or Civil War history are read anddiscussed and there may be a craft associatedwith the book theme that day. Ages 16 andolder, $4; 5-15, $2; 4 and under, free. Visitwww.fairfax-station.org or call 703-425-9225.

Live Music: Monica RizzioMonica Rizzio’s first album, “Washashore Cow-

girl,” earned her nomination for best new countryartist. Saturday, May 18, 6-7:30 p.m. at Living Sav-ior Lutheran Church, 5500 Ox Road, Fairfax Station.Free, family friendly concert, open to the public. Call703-352-1421 or visit www.livingsaviorlutheran.org.

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Clifton Homes Tour and Silent AuctionThe Clifton Community Woman’s Club hosts the 47th Annual Clifton Homes Tour and Silent Auc-

tion on Friday, May 17, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Proceeds are distributed to local scholarships and charities.This Clifton tradition offers guided tours of four homes and two historic churches: Clifton Baptist Church(1910) and Clifton Primitive Baptist Church (1871). The silent auction (free admission) is from 10a.m.-5 p.m. at the Clifton Presbyterian Church. Tickets are $30 in advance, $33 online, and $35 theday of the tour; $10 to tour a single home. Tour tickets may be purchased in advance at local shops,online at www.cliftoncwc.org, or purchased the day of the tour at the Clifton Presbyterian Church,12748 Richards Lane, Clifton.

Photo by Ginny Ax

The Jasien home is one of four homes on the 47th Annual Clifton HomesTour, hosted by the Clifton Community Woman’s Club on Friday, May 17.

Calendar


News

CIEE, leader in interna-tional education andexchange, has an-

nounced that DanielHillenburg, a rising junior atLake Braddock SecondarySchool, is one of 250American high schoolstudents from acrossthe United States tobe awarded the pres-tigious Congress-Bundestag Youth Ex-change (CBYX) Schol-arship for the 2019-2020 academic year.CBYX is a bi-lateral ex-change program co-sponsored by the U.S. Depart-ment of State and GermanBundestag (Parliament).

As a CBYX scholar, Daniel willspend the school year in Ger-many living with a host family,attending a German highschool, and participating in afour-week language and cul-tural immersion camp to gain abetter understanding of Ger-man culture, language, and ev-eryday life.

Additionally, there will be thechance to visit the GermanBundestag, meet with Americanand German government offi-cials, participate in interculturalseminars, and explore the coun-try through numerous excur-sions to nearby cities, historicalsites, and more.

Each year, as a U.S. Depart-ment of State partner, CIEEawards the fully-funded CBYXscholarship to 100 high-achiev-ing high school students from18 states, Washington D.C., andPuerto Rico, allowing youth

from a diverse array of commu-nities to participate in a full cul-tural immersion experience.The CBYX program, which isjointly funded by the U.S. Con-gress and the German

Bundestag, was cre-ated to foster mutualunderstanding andstrengthen ties be-tween Germany andthe U.S. through citi-zen diplomacy.

Not only do Ameri-can students goabroad to Germany,but German studentsalso come to live and

study in the U.S. in order topromote the same level of un-derstanding on both sides ofthe Atlantic. Since its inceptionin 1983, the program has al-lowed more than 26,000 stu-dents to expand their intercul-tural understanding,strengthen their leadershipskills, and become global citi-zens. Many participants go onto study at top colleges anduniversities, and all partici-pants become part of a globalnetwork of U.S. Department ofState program alumni.

Those who would like moreinformation about CBYX shouldvisit exchanges.state.gov/cbyxor contact CIEE at 800-448-9944. German language skillsare not required to apply forthe scholarship. To learn moreabout hosting an internationalhigh school exchange studentcoming to the Alexandria areafor the 2019-2020 academicyear, please visit www.ciee.org/host-families.

Local High School Student Selectedfor Exchange Program in Germany

DanielHillenburg

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The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) re-cently presented Del. David Bulova (D-37)with a 2019 Legislator of the Year award for

his leadership in restoring Virginia’s waterways.“Delegate Bulova’s longstanding dedication to the

environment has made him a Virginia leader in re-storing our waterways. While he’s had many notableachievements over the years, in 2019 DelegateBulova championed legislation that will directly helpthe Commonwealth of Virginia improve the healthof our waterways and the Chesapeake Bay,” said CBFVirginia Executive Director Rebecca Tomazin.

As a Vice-Chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commis-sion, Bulova works to ensure effective coordinationamong regional states in restoring the ChesapeakeBay.

In 2019, Bulova sponsored successful legislationto conduct much-needed assessments of the demandfor grants to help local governments reduce pollutedrunoff through the Stormwater Local AssistanceFund. A second assessment will evaluate grant fund-ing needed for sewage treatment plant upgrades.

Bulova also sponsored separate legislation this yearthat will prevent toxic contaminants from washinginto local waterways during firefighter training ex-ercises. Additional legislation will preserve wetlandsaround dams.

“I couldn’t be more honored. Protecting our envi-ronment has been a lifelong passion of mine and is amajor reason I ran for the House of Delegates. Vir-ginia is blessed to have the wonderful, dedicatedpeople at CBF who work every day to restore theChesapeake Bay — a true national treasure,” Bulovasaid.

CBF’s Legislator of the Year Awards are presentedto lawmakers who have made outstanding efforts inthe General Assembly to improve the health and re-sources of Virginia’s rivers, streams, and the Chesa-peake Bay. CBF also presented a 2019 Legislator ofthe Year award to Senator Emmett Hanger (R-Au-gusta) for his work securing historic investments infarm conservation practices, and his support for theStormwater Local Assistance Fund and other ad-vances in Chesapeake Bay restoration.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation staff present Del Bulova with the 2019 award in Richmond.

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Del Bulova Named Legislator of the Year

Small Business Expo AnniversaryBasile Lemba’s Small Business Expo will celebrate its 15th anniver-

sary serving the local business community with a special event thisFriday, May 17, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. (attendees may stop by anytime). Itwill be held at the American Legion Post 177, at 3939 Oak St. in Fairfax.RSVP via blnetworking.net, or call 571-263-4190, for more informa-tion. Keynote speaker will be international business coach Bill Walsh,CEO of Powerteam International. The event will also include more than60 exhibitors with products and services to help enhance people’s busi-nesses, plus networking opportunities, food and beverages, entertain-ment and door prizes such as a seven-day vacation anywhere in theworld.

Fairfax Academy Awards, May 21The Fairfax Academy for Communications and the Arts will celebrate

the creative achievements and accomplishments of its students at theannual Academy Awards ceremony. It’s set for Tuesday, May 21, at 7p.m., in the Fairfax High auditorium. The black-tie affair will feature avariety of student performances and will be hosted by three, distin-guished, Academy alumni.

Week in Fairfax

Five Juveniles Chargedwith Child Pornography

Five juveniles are facing charges for illicit imagesof teenage girls found on a social media account.The five boys all live in Fairfax, with two attendingRobinson Secondary School, two attending LakeBraddock Secondary School, and one attending W.T.Woodson High School.

On Feb. 13, two victims from Robinson High Schooltold their school administrator they discovered nudeimages of themselves on an anonymous Snapchat ac-count. The school resource officer then contacted ChildExploitation Unit, which conducted a lengthy investi-gation culminating in identifying and charging the fivejuveniles with a total of 10 felony charges on May 8.Nine charges were for possession of child pornogra-phy, one charge was for unlawful filming. The victimsattended West Springfield High School, Lake BraddockHigh School, Robinson High School, and South CountyHigh School. Although detectives were able to identify

and notify some of the victims, many are still unidenti-fiable. If images of a pornographic nature appear to beof a person under the age of 18, it is a crime. If youreceive unsolicited sexting messages, you should con-tact police non-emergency number 703-691-2131.

In-custody DeathDetectives are investigating the in-custody death of

38-year-old inmate Hector Escobar Romero. Romerowas taken from the Fairfax County Adult DetentionCenter (ADC) to the hospital for medical attention onSunday, May 5 after being found unresponsive in hiscell. He remained in the hospital where he died onMay 13. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner willexamine the body, but preliminarily, there are no signsof foul play. The inmate had been incarcerated at theADC since March 5. The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Officeand FCPD are working collectively to gather all infor-mation and to thoroughly document the situation. FCPDinvestigates all Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office in-cus-tody deaths.

Area Roundups


From Page 3

News

space; and build affordable housing throughout ourcommunity.

Q: Key ways you differ from your opponents.A: I am the only candidate in this race who has

experience as an elected official representing allFairfax residents and overseeing 53 percent of thecounty budget as a School Board member. I am alsothe only candidate who, through years of working

Meet the Candidatesin international business and think tank environ-ments, has built global networks that can help ourcounty become a model for international businessdevelopment and investment. Perhaps most impor-tantly, I am an outsider to the Board of Supervisors.

My roles as a FCPS graduate, a Fairfax parent, aSchool Board member, a global thinker and candi-date for Chair have one thread: a dedication to thecounty that I love. I want to make sure everyone whocalls this place home is able to give back to it as Ihave sought to do and achieve the American Dream.

Alicia PlerhoplesAge:Education: Harvard College (B.A.)

Yale Law School (J.D.)Princeton University,

Woodrow Wilson School (M.P.A)Family: DaughtersNative of:Moved to Your District:

Prior and current professional, politi-cal and civic experiences, communityinvolvement, etc.:

❖ Tenured law professor,Georgetown Law

❖ Founder of a public interest lawcenter, advising small businesses, so-cial enterprises, startups and nonprofits

❖ Formerly a corporate finance attorney at CooleyLLP

❖ Formerly a real estate finance attorney at DLAPiper LLP

❖ Recipient of the American Bar Association’s 2017Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer Award

❖ Elected member of the Governing Board of theMcLean Community Center

❖ PTA president at daughters’ public school❖ Member, FCPS Board’s Human Resources Advi-

sory Committee

Q: Why are you running?A: I am running to improve the qual-

ity of life for every Fairfax County resi-dent. I see other municipalities pass-ing us by, whether on environmentalaction, public transit, living wages,affordable housing, or educational in-vestment.

Q: What are the top issues in yourdistrict and what solutions do youpropose:

❖ To foster liveable, affordable com-munities where people who work herecan afford to live here

❖ To develop a vibrant economythat creates quality jobs and restores a clean, sus-tainable environment

❖ To ensure our high quality public schools meetthe needs of students in every part of the county, nomatter one’s zip code.

Q: Key ways you differ from your opponents?A: I am the only candidate committed to putting

voters first by refusing to accept political contribu-tions from real estate developers. That is a conflict ofinterest.

I am the only lawyer, experienced in bringing pri-vate sector, small business to the table.

Alicia Plerhoples

Tim ChapmanAge:Education: Emerson High SchoolFamily: Wife, Julianna, 5 childrenNative of: MarylandMoved to Your District: 2005Prior and current professional, po-

litical and civic experiences, commu-nity involvement, etc.:

❖ Real Estate developer❖ Appointee to Virginia Housing

Development Authority (VHDA) byGov. McAuliffe

❖ Elected Chair of VHDA. Duringmy tenure at the VHDA, I helped in-vest billions of dollars into affordablehousing projects, and helped thousands of familiesbuy their first homes.

❖ Board member homeless shelter in Washington,D.C.

❖ Veteran United States Army Presidential GuardQ: Why are you running?A: I am running for Chair of the Fairfax County

Board of Supervisors because I want to extend theopportunities for success I’ve had to all of our FairfaxCounty neighbors. I love living in Fairfax County,but our community, like the bottom side of a pan-cake, is not perfect. We are one of the wealthiestcounties in the United States, but deep-rooted in-equality remains.

These inequalities are rooted in a closed politicalsystem that for decades has served only the wealthyand well-connected...stifling competition from out-

siders and has relegated the Board ofSupervisors to a land use and zoningreview board. We can do better.

I want to give a voice to the work-ing class families and underservedcommunities in Fairfax County, and toaddress problems that affect everyone.Together, we can create a more equi-table prosperity in Fairfax County.

Q: Key ways you differ from youropponents?

A: ❖ Background in business, de-velopment and managing large enter-prises

❖ I’m no stranger to hard work. Mymother and I were homeless for a por-

tion of my childhood. You don’t go from youthhomelessness to managing a $13 billion agency over-night. I have spent my life building things, solvingproblems, and serving my community.

❖ I have the real world experience that it will taketo help Fairfax County move forward, and I am pre-pared to take my service to a new level as Chair ofthe Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

❖ I have spent my career building affordablehousing...with the VHDA we made it possible for thou-sands of moderate income Virginians to buy ahome.ºThese experiences uniquely position me tolead Fairfax County towards a brighter future.

Please note: Mr. Chapman’s responses to the Connectionquestionnaire were not received by press time. The informa-tion above is taken from his campaign website atchapmanforchair.com.

Tim Chapman

From Page 9

City Budget Adoptedfund from Fairfax County. “Butthe tuition number keeps fluc-tuating,” replied Stalzer. “The$435,000 is a hedge againstwhat we anticipate as we buildthe budget for FY 21.”

He also said the $185,000 isan estimate, but he urged theCouncil to approve it. “We’veexperienced security chal-lenges, and I want our employ-ees to feel safe and focused onwhat they do,” explainedStalzer.

Councilwoman So Lim wasdisappointed that “some itemsworthy of funding were cutfrom the budget, but the real-estate tax would still rise.”Stalzer said he felt bad aboutit, too, but said funding themwould have required an evenhigher tax rate.

Councilman Sang Yi made amotion to reduce the COLAfrom 2.6 percent to 1.3 percent,but it failed. He also moved toset the real-estate tax rate at$1.055, but it failed, too. TheCouncil then voted 4-2 to ap-prove the budget and the$1.075 real-estate tax rate, withMiller and Yi voting no on both.

Afterward, Yi commentedthat the Council received“changes at the last minute andlast-minute priorities, such asfunding for 12-hour police shifts– which we didn’t discuss untillast night. And looking at 10years of budget adoptions, Ican’t see how this processworks. Every year since 2012,City staff received pay in-creases, [but] an across-the-board pay increase doesn’t ad-dress income inequalities be-tween the highest- and lowest-paid employees.”

Furthermore, he said, “Weneed to monitor our grant pro-grams and keep them account-able. I want documentation [oftheir results]. And I’d like anyduplicate programs and spend-ing in our budget reduced. I fearthat raising the tax rate will bea slippery slope and hurt theCity’s affordability – especiallynow that we’ve adopted ourhighest tax rate in the City.”

However, Councilwoman Jen-nifer Passey said, “I’m fully en-ergized by our budget, whichinvests in economic develop-ment, commitment to City staffand planning for the future.”And she thanked the residents,Council and mayor for their in-put and efforts. CouncilmanMichael DeMarco was pleasedthat City Jobs was funded andliked Stalzer’s idea of immedi-ately beginning work on nextyear’s budget. And while some

believed the City’s surplus was$2.2 million, he stressed thatit was actually just $765,000 –60 percent of which went intothe budget-stabilization fund.About the COLA, he said, “Westill have a fair amount to dofor our public-safety employ-ees.”

Miller was glad this budgetprovided money for education,economic development, com-munications, public-safetyneeds, plus recreational, cul-tural and historical activities.But, she added, “I think wecould have maintained the$1.06 [tax rate] by digging alittle deeper. And I’m concernedwe’re going to bond on a num-ber of issues we haven’t dis-cussed yet.”

Before adopting the nextbudget, said Councilman JonStehle, “How we handle grantsis something we should dis-cuss.” And while Lim likedmoney going toward economicdevelopment and City Jobs, shesaid Fairfax should have a planfor helping other nonprofits, inaddition to The Lamb Center.

MEYER noted that, as the Citychanges, so do the demands onit. For example, with 29 percentof the population born else-where, he said, school employ-ees, police and firefighters needto speak different languages.Plus, Fairfax is required to helpclean up the Chesapeake Bay.And with more people buyingthings online, many of theCity’s retail buildings needrenovation or replacement.

Also important, he said, isdesigning new commercial ar-eas without adversely affectingtraffic. Some 38 percent ofFairfax’s tax dollars goes toeducation. But, said Meyer,“The revenue sources – includ-ing federal and state govern-ment – to cover all thosechanges are declining. Newrevenue sources are needed,and new commercial projectswill help create these sources.”

“For the first time, we havesignificant funding for eco-nomic development inNorthfax and downtown,”Meyer continued. “We’re mov-ing forward on relocating theCity property yard on WestDrive, working with the countyto do so, so we can get this in-dustrial use and its trucks outof the City. And COLA for ouremployees isn’t a raise, but away [to help them keep place]with rising costs. It’s also tokeep our salaries competitiveand retain our high-performingemployees.”


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Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Concerning the three ‘weaks’ during which this arc will publish: last week’s “The Weak Before,” this week’s “The Weak Of” and next week’s “The Weak After,” this week’s “The Weak Of” when I actually lie down for my bi-monthly CT scan (and as it coincides occasionally, my semiannual brain MRI), is the easiest.

The worry of its occurrence is over, since I’m on site and “gowned up” waiting to hear my name called. And the worry of the results has not yet seeped in because the scanning process has barely begun and nothing will happen and/or be expected to be communicated in the next few days anyway.

Next week – when I know the results are somewhere and I’ve not received any feedback

when I’ll begin to stress for all the reasons with which you regular readers are familiar.

What this “The Weak Of” means to me is progress. And even though that ‘progress’ could mean disappointing news, it could also mean that my status is quo.

showed growth and/or the brain MRI showed something more, at least we’d gain some knowl-edge that we didn’t have previously, and that new knowledge will be crucial as new treatment options are considered.

However, it’s not as if I feel I’m in the dark during the intervals between scans. Hardly. It’s more that I’m in a situation where knowledge is a powerful tool and the more of it my doctors, particularly my oncologist, have about me, the better.

The only problem? The frequency of these recurring diagnostic scans means nearly every week, bi-weekly immunotherapy infusions not-withstanding, I’m in some kind of ‘weak.’

As you all know, I can compartmentalize but,

up. Ten-plus years of surviving cancer will do that.

The CT scan and MRI appointments, in

though. Having had over 50 of them by now, I’m unaffected. Moreover I drive the same route to the same facility and are tended to by the same technicians; my good luck charms, as I tell them.

They always greet me by name, smile and ask how I’m doing. I likewise reply in a positive way and thank them for the many good results I’ve had and encourage them to keep up the good work (I realize they have nothing to do with the actual results, good or bad, but I still like to prime the pump, so to speak).

And when the process is complete, I’ll leave feeling more upbeat than when I arrived. A feeling which continues until the next week, ‘the weak after.’ That’s when I’ll feel the same kind of emotional jitters I experienced during ‘the weak before.’

So, as I begin ‘the weak of,’ I begin it with hope and humor, my stock-in-trade. Hope for all the obvious reasons and humor because what-ever happens, I’ll likely make some joke about it and try to lighten the weight of it all with as light a touch as I can muster.

But for the time/’weak’ being, I will enjoy the not-knowing the results and bask in the presumptive naivete. Because, if and when there

beginning to take on water, there might not be too much funny that I can say or do at that point to turn the tide.

Nevertheless, I’d like to think I’ll be up to the challenge. One never knows. These three ‘weaks’ I can manage. We’ll see about the next one.

The Weak OfFrom Page 5

Bulletin Board

TUESDAY/MAY 21Professionals Caring for Parents Support

Group. 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Dogfish HeadAlehouse, Private Dining Room, 13041 LeeJackson Memorial Highway, Fairfax. Forprofessionals in the long-term care or agingfields who are also personal caregivers. Join thefirst meeting of this professional support groupto build connection and find support with otherswho are also caregivers at work and at home.Visit insightmcc.org to register, or contactChristi Clark at 703-204-4664 [email protected].

FCPS Career Switcher Information Session.5:30-7:30 p.m. at Willow Oaks AdministrativeCenter, Room 1000A, 8270 Willow OaksCorporate Drive, Fairfax. The informationsession will begin with presentations from thefour approved Virginia Department of Education(VDOE) career switcher programs, EducateVirginia, Old Dominion University, RegentUniversity and Shenandoah University. FCPSeducators will hold a Q&A, followed by anopportunity to network with the five presenters,the FCPS licensure team and the substituteoffice. Register at https://tinyurl.com/y66g4syc.

TUESDAY/MAY 23Park Authority Summer Jobs. 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

at the Herrity Building, 12055 GovernmentCenter Parkway, Fairfax. This year the FairfaxCounty Park Authority’s Rec-PAC summer campprogram will operate at 45 elementary schoollocations around Fairfax County on weekdaysfrom July 1-Aug.8, 8:15 a.m.-3:45 p.m.Applicants are required to bring an originalSocial Security Card and a DMV photo ID. Onlythose who are 18 years of age and older will beconsidered. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/rec-pac/jobs; email [email protected].

MAY 25-SEPT. 8Metro Station Closures. Starting Saturday, May

25, the six Blue and Yellow line stations south ofRonald Reagan Washington National Airport(Braddock Road, King Street, Eisenhower Ave.,Huntington, Van Dorn Street and Franconia-Springfield) will be closed for full platformreconstruction and major station improvements.The following stations will remain closedthrough Sunday, September 8, 2019. Read moreat www.wmata.com/service/rail/PlatformProject/.

THURSDAY/MAY 30Interfaith Ramadan Dinner. 7:30 p.m.

(registration); 8 p.m. (program starts) at FairfaxCounty Government Center – Cafeteria, 12000Government Center Parkway, Fairfax. Join foran Interfaith Ramadan Dinner hosted by FairfaxCounty Chairwoman Sharon Bulova. Call toprayer and dinner are at 8:30 p.m. Register atbit.ly/fxcounty2019.

SATURDAY/JUNE 1Peripheral Neuropathy Support Group. 2-4

p.m. at Mason District Governmental Center,6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale. The PeripheralNeuropathy Support Group for greaterWashington meets the first Saturday of themonth. All are welcome. RSVP for availableseating. Call 301-263-0616 or visitwww.dcpnsupport.org for more.

MONDAY/JUNE 3Mind and Body Workshop: Travelogue

Session. 4:15-6:30 p.m. at Insight MemoryCare Center, 3953 Pender Drive, #100, Fairfax.A new session of the Mind and Body Workshop,runs Mondays, June 3-24. The workshop is amulti-session program series for both thecaregiver and the recently diagnosed individualto participate, promoting social engagement andpeer support, while adjusting to life with a newdiagnosis. www.insightmcc.org, or contactLindsey Vajpeyi at 703-204-4664 [email protected].

Phillips Right Response. 6-8 p.m. at Phillips’Annandale Campus, 7010 Braddock Road,Annandale. Phillips Programs for Children andFamilies, a nonprofit helping youth withbehavioral challenges. Right Response is aproactive and evidence-based approach for de-escalation, intervention, prevention and positivebehavior support. A two-session training helpsparents remain in control during stressfulsituations, support a child through challengingbehaviors. $25 per session or $40 for two. [email protected] or visitwww.phillipsprograms.org/right-response-training-for-parents.


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