alexandria gazette packet - ellington...

Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ January 17-23, 2019 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Address Service Requested

To: 1604 King St.,

Alexandria, VA 22314

Attention

Postmaster:

Time-sensitive

material.

PRSRT STD

U.S. Postage

PAID

Alexandria, VA

Permit #482

25 Cents

Gazette PacketAlexandria

Serving Alexandria for over 200 years • A Connection Newspaper January 17, 2019Page, 1

6

See Showcase for, Page 4

See City Compensation, Page 8

See Public Schools, 2

By Jeanne Theismann

Gazette Packet

As self-driving vehicles were taking to thestreets of Las Vegas, one local vehicle wasgetting some attention of its own during

the recently concluded 2019 CES technology show.“This is a one-of-a-kind Ford Mustang,” said

Vince Grecznaik of the Alexandria-based NationalInventors Hall of Fame. “This custom split-modelcar demonstrates the progress of automotive de-sign and technology over the course of 50 yearsand is a centerpiece of our museum inside theU.S. Patent and Trademark Office.”

The NIHF collaborated with the USPTO, the

By Dan Brendel

Gazette Packet

Overall, city government employees makeless than the workforce at large, althoughtheir benefit packages add a lot of value.

On average, city employees make $69,400 per year,based on a roster of some 2,800 city employees ob-tained in September. That compares to about $90,100citywide and $70,200 regionwide, according to theAmerican Community Survey and Bureau of Labor

Statistics, respectively.The city’s compensation philosophy aims “to be

competitive at a minimum with the average pay” ofneighboring local governments.

For a rough comparison to the private sectorregionwide, here’s a sampling of annual wage aver-ages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

❖ Chief executive: $240,100❖ Financial manager: $166,000❖ Human resources manager: $148,800

By Dan Brendel

Gazette Packet

The public schools’ su-perintendent last weekproposed a $285 million FY 2020 operating

budget, 4 percent over last year,driven especially by growing stu-dent enrollment and employee payand benefits.

Roughly $232 million wouldcome from City Council, whichexercises the power of the purselocally; $48 mil-lion from thestate; and $6million fromdrawing downon the schooldivision’s fundbalance.

Superinten-dent Dr. Gre-gory C.Hutchings, Jr.also proposed a$15 milliongrants-and-spe-c i a l -p ro j e c t sbudget, whichmostly usesstate and fed-eral funding; and an $11 millionschool nutrition budget, whichuses self-generated revenues. Intotal, the schools’ FY 2020 the tri-

partite “combined funds budget,”of which the operating budgetcomprises 92 percent, wouldweigh in at $311 million.

Overall enrollment increased by40 percent between FY 2009 andFY 2019, according to Hutchings’presentation to the School Boardlast Thursday, Jan. 10. Pre-kinder-garten and elementary school en-rollment increased by 42 percent;middle school by 52 percent; highschool by 33 percent. The schoolsproject division-wide enrollment

to increase byanother 17 per-cent, for a totalof 18,700 stu-dents, by FY2028.

“What wehave to remem-ber when we areasking for cer-tain services inour schools —such as nurses…, counselors…, additionalsupport staffwithin ourschools — [isthat] … our kids

are bringing some additional ob-stacles to the table,” said

Schools FaceGrowing CostsGrowing enrollment, student and staffcosts drive superintendent’s budget.

“What we have toremember when weare asking forcertain services …our kids arebringing someadditional obstaclesto the table.”

— SuperintendentDr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr.

Vince Grecznaik, of the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum in Alexandria,stands next to the museum’s custom Ford Mustang Jan. 11 at the CES 2019 technol-ogy show in Las Vegas. The vehicle – a split-model car that merges a 1965 and 2015model Mustang - demonstrates the progress of automotive design and technologyover the course of 50 years. It is scheduled to return to its normal exhibit locationinside the museum later this week.

Local companies exhibit atworld’s largest technology show.CES 2019

Pho

to

by Jo

hn

Bo

rdn

er/G

azette Packet

Modest Pay, Good BenefitsA look city government employees’ total compensation.

2 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ January 17-23, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com


News

By Dan Brendel

Gazette Packet

“Diversity” features large inAlexandria’s politicalvernacular, both as a cel-

ebrated and sought after characteristic ofthe city’s population. For instance, ViceMayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker said at herinstallation that she’s proud to be among“the most diverse council ever elected,”emphasizing “race, gender and age.” But

what about other characteristics, likewealth?

The Urban Institute, a research organi-zation, deems the nation’s growing wealthinequality “greater and potentially moredevastating than income inequality.”

Income contributes to wealth, but wealthmeans more than paycheck size. Wealth (ornet worth) is the net of assets and debts.Many assets — such as savings, investments,

Diversity in Elected Bodies A look at council, School Boardmembers’ economic interests.

See Economic Interests, Page 15


See More Photos & Floor Plans at www.partnersinrealestate.com

Licensed Brokers in DC, VA & MD

OPEN SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, 1-4 PMDir: GW Pkwy. S. from Old Town, R on Tulane & follow Partners Signs.

David W. Spires703-765-3500 • Cell: 703-850-4256

Marjorie J. Spires703-660-6789 • Cell: 703-472-7713

7920 Bainbridge Road


$799,000*Fully Updated All-Brick Rambler in Hollin Hall Village *Three Bedrooms *3 Full Baths, 2 Half Baths *Main Level Hardwoods *Recessed Lighting *Generous Living Room with Stacked-Stone Fireplace *Remodeled Kitchen with Stainless Appliances, Quartz Countertops & Slide-Out Pantry *Dining Area *Large Main Level Family Room with Recessed Tray Ceiling. Cove Moulding Lighting & French Doors to Rear Side Deck *Main Level Laundry adjacent to Hall Tub Bath with Linen Closet *Master Bedroom with Full Tub Shower Bath *Lower Level Rec Room w/Wet Bar;Laundry area & Power Room *Lower Level Bedroom with Full en Suite Shower Bath *A GEM! Directions: From Old Town, GW Parkway South, R. on Morningside, L. on Fort Hunt Rd., R. on Paul Springs Parkway, L. on Bainbridge to 7920 on Right.

7406 Admiral Drive


$850,000*Villamay All-Brick Colonial *Unique Contemporary See-through Fireplace services Living Room and Family Room *4 Bedrooms *3 Full Remodeled Baths *Separate Dining Room *Eat-In Kitchen *New Roof & Walkway, Water Heater, HVAC, & Insulation *Upper Level Balcony *Screened Sunroom with Cathedral Ceiling & Fan *Oversized 2-Car Garage *Whole House Generator *MORE!

7400 Gatewood Court


$1,050,000*Custom All-Brick Colonial in Villamay *Hardwoods Throughout *Three Masonry Fireplace *Remodeled Main Level Powder Room & Upper Level Bathrooms *Custom Chef’s Designer Island Kitchen featuring Sub Zero & Wolf & Granite Counters *Formal Living Room with Built-ins *Formal Dining Room *Master Bedroom with Full Marble walk-in Shower *Full Upper Level Shower Bath & Adjacent Linen Closet *Numerous recent Upgrades & Improvements include Both HVAC units, Water Heater, Roof, Driveway, Steel Chimney Liner & Built-ins *Climate-controlled Attic Storage Room & Additional Attic Storage with Pull-down Stairs *Two-car Garage with Custom StoreWall™ System & Epoxy Flooring *Spacious Garden Shed *Extensive Hardscapes in Rear Yard

7508 Park Terrace Drive


$969,000*Large Three-Level Colonial in Wellington Heights (Villamay) *5 Bedrooms *3.5 Baths *2 Car Garage *Walkout Basement *Enormous Rear backing to County Park *Remodeled Island Kitchen & Baths* Custom Built-ins *Freshly Painted Throughout

COM

ING SO

ON

OPEN

OPEN

OPEN

1116 Greenway Road

Alexandria, VA 22308 *Custom Home in Waynewood School District on Cul de Sac *One-of-a-kind Floorplan *4 BRs, 3.5 BAs *Covered Porch Entry *Remodeled Maple & Granite Kitchen & Brkfst Rm w/Built-in Pantry & Sliding Drs. to Private Patio *Large Dining Rm w/Wood-burning Fplc. *Great Rm w/Gas Fplc. *Office, Den & Sunroom w/Cathedral Ceiling *Rear Cvrd. Patio *Master BR w/2 Walk-in Closets, Luxury Bath & Sunroom

UNDER

CONTRACT

News

Consumer Technology Association CEO GaryShapiro, left, chats with John Cabeca of the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office Jan. 11 during CES2019 in Las Vegas.

Local entrepreneurSkip West in hisMAXSA Innovationsbooth at CES 2019 inLas Vegas. West hasbeen exhibiting atCES for 35 years.

The Bread Bot by the Wilkinson Baking Companyis a fully automated bread-making machine thatmixes, kneads, bakes and sells bread like avending machine. The device is meant to beleased by retailers and groceries and can make10 loaves of bread per hour.

Dubbed the“Nespresso for cock-tails,” Bartesian is asingle serve, capsule-based cocktail ma-chine and will beavailable in March.

The Hyundai Mobis deploys 3Dgame technology and camerasensors to increase safety forautonomous driving vehicles.

Barely bigger than a microwavethe ultra-compact dishwasher“Bob” from French company DaanTech cleans and dries dishes in 20minutes using only three litres ofwater.

Showcase for TechnologyFrom Page 1

National Science Foundation and the SmallBusiness Administration to share space atthe technology show, which attracts morethan 188,000 industry attendees fromaround the world.

“By collaborating we have been able toshowcase some start-ups that would other-wise not have the opportunity to be here,”said John Cabeca of the USPTO.

With more than 4,500 exhibiting compa-nies and exhibit space of more than 2.9million net square feet, CES 2019 show-cased the world’s biggest companies in ad-dition to hosting more than 1,200 startupsat an area called the Eureka Park Market-place. “[Artificial Intelligence] pervades theshow,” said Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Ar-lington-based Consumer Technology Asso-

ciation that runs CES. “Almost every majorcompany is showing AI and applicationsthat are just truly jaw-dropping.”

Skip West, an Alexandria native andfounder of MAXSA Innovations, has beenexhibiting at CES for 35 years.

“I’m a small company,” said West. “Wedon’t have the big flashy displays. We haveproducts that solve everyday problems. Andmy mother understands them.”

CES is one of several trade shows thatWest attends each year and despite the cost,is worth the investment.

“Seeing the emerging technology here isreally incredible,” West added. “We do OKin sales but CES is more about the network-ing. I am able to get some great ideas formy next generation of products so it is to-tally worth it to be here.”

Pho

to

s by Jo

hn

Bo

rdn

er/G

azette Packet


How To Live To Be 100with Dr. John Whyte

Saturday, February 9, 2019 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Physician John Whyte has become a popular Smithsonian Associates speaker in recent years, empowering audiences to be better advocates for their own health. With his trademark clarity and humor, Whyte explains how to sort through conflicting advice, sensational headlines, and short-lived fads to make yourself stronger, healthier, and better educated about your own body.Now Whyte gathers all his best advice in a one-day seminar, designed to guide you through a comprehensive look at critical aspects of personal health. Participants leave educated, engaged, and entertained and with new tools to approach the job of staying healthy.Whyte, a board-certified internist and author of several books on health, is the chief medical officer at WebMD.

Tickets: $80 Member / $130 Non-Memberhttps://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets

SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATESENTERTAINING. INFORMATIVE. ECLECTIC. INSIGHTFUL.

For more information please call 202-633-3030

10 –11 a.m. ................................................ Memory and Brain Fitness11 a.m.–12 p.m. ........................................... Boost Your Nutrition IQ12–1 p.m. ............................... Lunch (participants provide their own)1–2 p.m. ................................................. Exercise Myths and Realities2–3 p.m. ............................................................... How To Live To Be 100

S. Dillon Ripley Center1100 Jefferson Drive SW, Washington, DC 20560

Metro: Smithsonian (Mall exit)

News

See Bulletin, Page 7

Our Revolution Arlington and Our Revo-lution Northern Virginia are cosponsoring“Amazon Town Hall: A Deeper Dive,” a two-hour Town Hall forum Sunday, Jan. 20, 2-4p.m., to address the questions and concernscitizens have about Amazon coming toNorthern Virginia.

Elected officials from both Alexandria andArlington have been invited, as well asgroups interested in presenting on specifictopics. It will start with 4-5 speakers whowill lay the groundwork for the discussion,followed by a panel, moderated by VirginiaNPR reporter Michael Lee Pope. At the end,45 minutes will be devoted to questions

from the audience.The forum will be held in the gymnasium

at Charles Houston Rec Center, 901 WytheSt. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2181521642109078/

Confirmed speakers and panelists in-clude state Sen. Adam Ebbin, Del. MarkLevine, Arlington County Board ChairChristian Dorsey, Del. Lee Carter, OurRevolution Arlington Steering Committeemember Roshan Abraham, 31st SenateDistrict Candidate Nicole Merlene, NeriCanahui, from the Carpenters Union, andSandra J. Klassen, Our Revolution North-ern Virginia chair.

‘Amazon Town Hall: A Deeper Dive’

VICTIM SUPPORT SERVICESResources Available to Support Sexual

Assault Victims. The City of Alexandriareminds the community of resources availablefor survivors of sexual assault and thosesupporting survivors. It is important forsurvivors to know that it is not their fault andhelp is available.

❖ In case of an emergency, and for life-threateningsituations, always call 911.

❖ The City’s Sexual Assault Center offers servicesincluding a 24/7 hotline at 703-683-7273,individual counseling, support groups, familysupport and information and referral services.Call the hotline to access these and additionalservices, or visit the website atalexandriava.gov/SexualViolence.

❖ Free presentations are also available on topicsincluding prevention, awareness, healthyrelationships, sexual harassment and bystanderintervention. To schedule a presentation for aschool, youth group, civic organization or otherAlexandria group, call 703-746-3118.

LIBRARYNew Library Website. The Alexandria Library is

pleased to unveil its redesigned website, nowlive at alexlibraryva.org. The new website ismore user-centered, with a focus on the tools,resources and information that matter most toAlexandria Library users.

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

Bulletin Board


People

Gretchen M.Bulova wasappointed

director of the Officeof Historic Alexan-dria (OHA), effectiveJan. 12.

Bulova served asacting director ofOHA since the retire-ment of her prede-cessor on Nov. 30,2018. She was ap-pointed OHA’s first deputy director in2015, following more than 20 years ofservice with the city. She joined Alexan-dria in 1991 as a part-time collectionsmanager for the Gadsby’s Tavern Mu-seum, left for two years to work as a cu-rator of ceramics and glass for the Daugh-ters of the American Revolution Museumin Washington, D.C., and returned in1995 to become the city’s records admin-istrator and archivist. Bulova becameassistant director of Gadsby’s Tavern in1995, served as that museum’s directorfrom 1996 to 2015, and also became di-rector of the Stabler-Leadbeater Apoth-ecary Museum when the site was do-nated to the city in 2006.

In 2012, OHA became only thethird municipal museum systemin Virginia and the eighth in theUnited States to be accredited bythe American Alliance of Muse-ums (AAM), an effort Bulova co-ordinated.

Since becoming acting direc-tor, she has overseen the award-winning conservation of threehistoric ships discovered at theRobinson Landing constructionsite and the city’s partnership

with the Northern Virginia UrbanLeague to operate the Freedom HouseMuseum.

Bulova holds a master’s degree in mu-seum studies from The George Washing-ton University and a bachelor’s degreein anthropology and classical studiesfrom the College of William & Mary.

She is president of the Virginia Asso-ciation of Museums, president of theHistoric House Museum Consortium ofWashington, D.C., and a former chair ofthe Fairfax County History Commission.

Bulova is a longtime peer reviewer forAAM’s accreditation programs and is theauthor or curator of more than 50 pub-lications, exhibitions, and lectures.

Bulova Appointed DirectorOf the Office of Historic Alexandria.

T.C. Williams High School TeacherKimberly Wilson has been namedthe 2019 Virginia Career and Tech-

nical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Yearfor inspiring others to lovethe work of education.

The early childhood edu-cation program coordina-tor has set up more than ahundred placements in in-ternships and field assign-ments, and full-time jobsfor those who have earnedtheir Childhood Develop-ment Associate Credentialthrough her class.

Wilson received theaward at the Virginia Asso-ciation for Career andTechnical Education lastweekend at a time when CTE is becomingmore recognized as a critical part of highschool programing at T.C. Williams.

While a few years ago, CTE was associ-ated with auto shop, it is now connected tocareers that go way beyond the basic offer-ings. Last summer ACPS launched the

Wilson Receives State AwardSpotlight onCareer andTechnical Education.

Bulova

By Shirley Ruhe

Gazette Packet

Kevin Harris, president of the Al-exandria Redevelopment andHousing Authority (ARHA) Resident Association (ARA) says one

of the major goals they have achieved sincehe has been president has been to engagein the city’s political process.

“For the first time we held forums beforethe City of Alexandria elec-tions with the candidates forCity Council and the SchoolBoard and later a town hallwith the newly-elected mayor

so that ARHA residents could express theirconcerns,” he said. “We had a good turn-out, about 100 residents, for the City Coun-cil forum. Residents were concerned aboutshould the city have more affordable hous-ing and Resolution 830 that made a com-mitment to replace housing. The agreementwas one-to-one but what did that mean —the same number of units or exactly thesame unit?”

Another issue was parking. He explainssome ARHA (low income housing) proper-ties are located across the street from houseswith garages but their residents sometimes

choose to park on the street anyway, thususing up available spaces for ARHA resi-dents. Another question asked of the can-didates was: “Did you knock on the doorsof ARHA residents.” Sometimes the answerwas yes, sometimes no.

Harris said that one of the things residentsexpressed in the School Board forum wasconfusion about the grading system for el-ementary school students that didn’t allowparents to gauge their children’s progress.In addition, they questioned why African-American students were suspended threetimes more often than other students andasked for the reasons for the disparity rates.Parents also indicated African-American stu-dents were more likely identified for reme-dial classes than chosen for TAG.

Harris says one of his goals is to empowerresidents civically and financially to helpthem get jobs. “At some point I’d like to seeARHA residents on the City Council andSchool Board. We’re working on that.” Hesays it’s a two-way street “because the cityis also coming to us to get our participa-tion.”

Harris says his job is to kind of overseeall of the different ARHA properties and tocome up with vision and strategies and helpit happen. He points out that ARHA has thegreatest concentration of any property com-pany in the city with 16-18 properties andover 1,500 households. For the first timethere is now a volunteer tenant representa-tive at each ARHA site who helps spread

the word about flu shots, special programsand job opportunities available to residentsand to connect with the community throughparticipation in local events.

Part of the vision is to develop programsfor children as well as scholarships andtraining and to work on resident businessdevelopment. “We work on job opportuni-ties through Section 3 which says that togreatest extent possible you go to residentsfirst to offer jobs if you are getting money

from HUD.”Another part of the job is acting as a liai-

son fielding resident concerns that can’t getresolved. “I can ‘cut to the chase’ because Iknow all of the case workers and officers. Ido a lot of advocacy.”

“I would like to see the lives of residentsto be better, their quality of life.” He con-tinued, “I also want to see their voices re-flected so that people hear them. There havebeen times when people were speaking forthem but we didn’t speak for ourselves.”

President of ARA is a volunteer job “whereI spend many hours” when he’s not runninghis Hoop Life business which provides bas-ketball services such as camps, clinics,classes and after-school programs for theCity of Alexandria, the Springfield YouthClub and Annandale. Harris said, “I am anARHA resident so I can empathize with thesituations of people who live here. I wantto make things better for people than whenI came in. ARA was established in 2010 toprovide input to the agency on the needs ofresidents and to determine how residentscan become engaged in their community aspart of ARHA’s development of a long-termStrategic Plan.

“If you see the opportunity to make thingsbetter and you have the capacity to bringchange, it doesn’t make sense to just standby. Bringing everything together and mak-ing a difference is important. Getting thingsdone — it’s a matter of seasons and timesbeing right, the stars aligning.”

Harris Works to Empower ARHA ResidentsOpening up thepolitical process.

Kevin Harris, president of Alexan-dria Redevelopment and HousingAuthority Resident Association.

People

At Work

Pho

to

by Sh

irley R

uh

e/T

he G

azette

Health Sciences Academy, in partnershipwith The George Washington University,that offers students the opportunity to earn18 college credits before they leave highschool.

In the fall, ACPS announced a partner-ship with Virginia Tech where students takecourses in the tech field linked to VT’s In-novation Campus as part of Amazon’s ar-rival to the D.C. area.

As the early childhoodeducation program coor-dinator for co-op and dualenrollment, Wilson putsstudent teachers throughinternship programs andoffers them the chance toparticipate in programswhere they can gainhands-on, real-life experi-ence that extends theirlearning beyond the class-room.

Wilson helps studentslearn how to conduct re-search and solve prob-lems, communicate effec-

tively, think critically and manage theirtime. She also leverages relationships she’sformed in her 27 years of teaching withcommunity organizations, colleges and uni-versities to create opportunities for stu-dents.

Wilson


Let us make an impression on you!Join author and

Washingtonian Top Dentist

Dr. Kathleen MullaneyFor an exclusive evening to learn

more about iTero scanning, smile

enhancements and Invisalign.

Join us Thursday, January 24th

From 4pm - 7pmA limited number of

free scans will be provided.

Call and reserve your space NOW

Let us show you the latest in digital impressions!

700 N. Fairfax Street #230


www.kathleenmullaneydds.com

Call to make your reservation 703-650-9320

VARIETYSTORE

Est. 1958

Experiencethe Nostalgiaof an old-time

Five & Dime Store

“If we don’t have it,you don’t need it.”

Hollin HallShopping Center

7902 Fort Hunt Rd.,Alexandria, VA 22308

[email protected]

From Page 5

People

THURSDAY/JAN. 17Community Open House. 6-8 p.m. in

Room 2000 of City Hall, 301 King St.The community is invited to aninformal open house to learn about aproposed Zoning Ordinance textamendment for a new residentialzone that incentivizes thepreservation of long-term housingaffordability. All material provided atthe open house will be posted on theproject webpage along withinformation related to the Strategyimplementation. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov/Planning.

Email questions [email protected] orcall 703-746-3850.

Public Hearing. 7 p.m. at the CharlesHouston Recreation Center, 901Wythe St. The Park and RecreationCommission will hold a publichearing on the Natural ResourceManagement Plan (NRMP) whichrepresents the City’s development ofa strategic course of action forpreserving, protecting, andsustainability in managingAlexandria’s natural resources andnative biodiversity. Following thepublic hearing, the Commission willhold its regular monthly meeting.

Visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreation/info/default.aspx?id=106918, [email protected] orcall 703-746-4688.

THURSDAY/JAN. 24Alexandria GOP Women’s

Meeting. 7 p.m. social; 7:30program at 3600 Wheeler Ave.,Community Room. TheCommonwealth Republican Women’sClub (CRWC) monthly meeting willfeature Kendra Martello (Chair) andLiz Johnson (Commissioner) fromAlexandria’s Commission for Womendiscussing the recently-released

Status of Women Report. Visitwww.alexandriacrwc.org for more.

SATURDAY/JAN. 26Community Workshop. 10 a.m.-2

p.m. at at Hermitage NorthernVirginia, 5000 Fairbanks Ave. ACommunity Workshop will be held towork with the community to furtherdevelop potential refinements to the2009 Landmark Van Dorn CorridorPlan as it relates to the LandmarkMall site. Visit alexandriava.gov/Landmark for nformation about howto watch/participate online in realtime or RSVP for the workshop.

Bulletin Board

T.C. Williams High School seniorsDenay Taylor, recipient of a PosseFoundation Scholarship to BucknellUniversity, and Jefrey Lopez

Henao, recipient of a Posse Foundation Schol-arship to Lafayette College, will receive full-tuition, four-year leadership scholarships.

Both Taylor and Lopez Henao worked with TheScholarship Fund of Alexandria and T.C. Williamscounselors and staff to apply for and prepare forthe Posse Foundation application and selectionprocess. The students were selected from nearly20,000 applicants across the country.

Taylor has lived in Alexandria for 10 yearsand will be the first generation in her familyto pursue a college degree. She has been aleader at T.C. Williams serving as class presi-dent for the Class of 2019, running track for

four years and serving as a section leader, play-ing piccolo, in the Titan Marching Band. Shehas also helped plan and host the “Dance forAll Ages” in Alexandria, a dance held to cel-ebrate Alexandria’s senior population.

Lopez Henao has been an Alexandria resi-dent for 5 years and will be the first in his fam-ily to attend college. He has been active in allthings theater at T.C. Williams appearing indrama productions, including the recent pro-duction of “Noises Off,” along with outsideproductions in the local area. He plans to studypsychology and social work at Lafayette.

The Posse Foundation is a national initiative,with chapters in major cities like Atlanta, Bos-ton, Miami, New Orleans, New York City, andWashington, D.C., Posse hopes to make collegeaccessible and inspire diverse leaders.

TC Students Earn Foundation Scholarships

Photo Contributed

T.C. Williams seniors Jefrey LopezHenao (left) and Denay Taylor wereawarded full-tuition college scholar-ships during the Posse Foundationceremony at the Lincoln Theater inD.C. on Wednesday, Jan. 9.


From Page 1

City Compensation: Modest Pay, Good Benefits❖ Budget analyst: $98,000❖ Network and computer systems admin-

istrator: $101,700❖ Civil or environmental engineer:

$98,000

❖ Lawyer: $178,000❖ Computer programmer: $99,400Here are some rules of thumb that esti-

mate the value, on top of salary, of city-paidbenefits (FICA, health, pension, disability,life insurance), according to city spokesper-

son Craig Fifer:❖ General schedule employees: add 36

percent,❖ Sheriff’s deputies and medics: add 53

percent,❖ Fire and police: add 74 percent.

These averages don’t apply uniformly toevery employee. A given compensationpackage depends on variables specific to theindividual.

JOB TITLE ................... ANNUAL PAY (ROUNDED)CITY MANAGER ........................................................... $277,800CITY ATTORNEY .......................................................... $260,300MEDICAL SUPERVISOR ............................................... $250,000SR CLINICAL PSYCHIATRIST x2 ................................. $220,000COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY .................................. $202,500CLINICAL PSYCHIATRIST............................................ $202,100SHERIFF ....................................................................... $197,500CLINICAL PSYCHIATRIST............................................ $194,400DEPUTY CITY MANAGER x3 ....................................... $193,600FIRE CHIEF .................................................................. $184,400MH/HR/SA EXEC DIR & CS DIR ................................. $184,400POLICE CHIEF ............................................................. $179,800RECREATION DIRECTOR ............................................ $177,000CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER ....................... $174,500LIBRARY DIRECTOR .................................................... $172,300FINANCE DIRECTOR ................................................... $170,400OFFICE OF MGT & BUDGT DIRECTOR ....................... $170,400PLANNING & ZONING DIRECTOR .............................. $170,400TRANSPORTATION & ENVI DIRECTOR ...................... $170,400CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER/ITS .......................... $169,200COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR ................................. $165,800SPECIAL CITY ARCHITECT.......................................... $165,800DIR-DEPT PROJCT IMPLEMENTATION ...................... $165,100DIRECTOR CODE ADMINISTRATION ......................... $165,100OFFICE OF HOUSING DIRECTOR ............................... $165,100EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS DIR ...................... $164,000GENERAL SERVICES DIRECTOR ................................. $163,800PUBLIC DEFENDER ..................................................... $162,300CHIEF DEP COMMONWEALTH’S ATTY ...................... $159,300CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT ................................ $159,000OFFICE HUMAN RIGHTS DIRECTOR .......................... $157,500CHIEF DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY ................................ $155,700ATC GENERAL MGR .................................................... $154,500DEPUTY TES ENVIRON QUALITY DIR ........................ $152,900DEPUTY SHERIFF - CHIEF x3 ...................................... $152,700DEPUTY INFO TECH SRVS DIRECTOR ....................... $151,100DPTY DIR-PROJECT IMPLEMENTAT .......................... $150,700ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF .............................................. $149,600DEPUTY GENERAL SERVICES DIR x2 ......................... $149,400ASST DIRECTOR OF FIN-REAL ESTA .......................... $149,100DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF .................................................... $148,900POLICE CAPTAIN ......................................................... $148,800ASST ADULT SERVICES DIRECTOR ............................ $148,700ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF .............................................. $148,100POLICE CAPTAIN ......................................................... $147,400DEPUTY DIR OF FINANCE ........................................... $146,100CHIEF PERFORMANCE OFFICER ................................ $145,800DEPUTY DIR RECR/PARKS/NAT RES x2 .................... $145,700DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF .................................................... $145,500ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY V x3 ............................. $144,500DEP DIRECTOR OFC HISTORIC ALEX ........................ $143,900DEPUTY TES OPERATIONS DIR .................................. $142,800DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF .................................................... $142,300DEPUTY PLANNING & ZONING DIR ........................... $142,300FIRE BATTALION CHIEF x2 ......................................... $141,800DEPUTY COMMONWEALTH’S ATTORNEY ................. $141,700ASST CHILDREN & FAMILIES DIR .............................. $140,000DEP DIR/TES ROW & DEVELOP SRV .......................... $139,800DEPUTY DIR TES TRANS & TRNST ............................ $139,800ASSISTANT FIRE MARSHAL ........................................ $138,500DEPUTY SHERIFF - CAPTAIN x4 ................................. $138,500POLICE CAPTAIN x6 .................................................... $137,700APPLICATIONS DIVISIO CHIEF ................................... $137,600DEPUTY EXTENDED CARE SRVS DIR ......................... $137,600ITS-ENTERPRISE SUPPORT DIV CHF ......................... $137,600ASST DIRECTOR OF FIN-REVENUE ............................ $137,500DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF .................................................... $136,000ASST DIRECTOR OF FIN-TREASURY .......................... $135,500FIRE BATTALION CHIEF ............................................. $135,500DEPUTY SHERIFF - CAPTAIN ...................................... $135,400DEPUTY CULTURAL ARTS DIRECTOR ........................ $134,900JUVENILE & DOMESTI REL CRT DIR .......................... $134,000ASST DIR, CTR FOR OPERATIONS ............................. $133,800ASST ECONOMIC SUPPORT DIRECTOR ..................... $132,700ASSISTANT FIRE MARSHAL ........................................ $132,300DEP ACUTE & EMERG SRVS DIR ................................ $131,500DIV CHF INFRA & NETWORK MGMT ......................... $131,500TECHNO/DATA/ANALYSIS DIV CHF .......................... $131,400DEPUTY EMERGENCY COMM DIRECTOR .................. $130,400ASST HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR ...................... $129,900DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF .................................................... $129,900POLICE CAPTAIN ......................................................... $128,600BEHAVIORAL DIVISION CHIEF ................................... $128,500FIRE BATTALION CHIEF ............................................. $126,600ACCOUNTING DIV COMPTROLLER ............................ $125,900ADMINISTRATIVE SRVS DIV CHIEF ........................... $125,200ASST DIR PLANNING ZONING .................................... $125,200CITY ARCHITECT ........................................................ $125,200CONSTRUCTION DIVISION CHIEF ............................. $125,200COURT ADMINISTRATOR ........................................... $125,200

DESIGN DIVISION CHIEF ............................................ $125,200ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY DIV CHF ........................ $125,200FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS SPRV ............................ $125,200PERMIT CENTER DIVISION CHIEF ............................. $125,200PLANNING & ZONING DIV CHIEF x2 .......................... $125,200RECREATION DIVISION CHIEF x3 .............................. $125,200SOLID WASTE DIVISION CHIEF .................................. $125,200TRANSPORTATION DIVISION CHIEF ......................... $125,200FIRE BATTALION CHIEF x3 ......................................... $123,700EMS OPERATONS MANAGER ..................................... $123,600CITY CLERK & CLERK OF COUNCIL ........................... $123,400ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY V .................................. $123,200ADMINISTRATIVE SRVS DIV CHIEF ........................... $122,400ASST ACUTE CARE EMERG SRVS DIR ........................ $122,400ASST EXTENDED CARE SRVS DIR .............................. $122,400DIV CHF/CAPITAL IMPROVE PROJTS ........................ $122,400ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY DIV CHF ........................ $122,400FISCAL OFFICER III ..................................................... $121,500MGR/INFO TECH SECURITY ....................................... $120,100LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR ............................................ $120,000ADMINISTRATIVE SRVS DIV CHIEF ........................... $119,600FISCAL OFFICER III ..................................................... $119,600RECREATION DIVISION CHIEF ................................... $119,600TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DIV CHF ................................ $119,600POLICE LIEUTENANT x11 ........................................... $119,300CAPITAL PROJECTS MANAGER .................................. $119,200CIVIL ENGINEER IV ..................................................... $119,200COMPUTER PROGRAMMER ANALYST IV x3 .............. $119,200CUST. ENGAGEMENT CENTER MGR. ......................... $119,200DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR II x3 ............................ $119,200ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM MANAGER .................. $119,200HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER II x4 ....................... $119,200LANDLORD/TENANT RLTN DIV CHIEF ...................... $119,200PRINCIPAL PLANNER x4 ............................................. $119,200TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM MGR ................ $119,200FIRE BATTALION CHIEF x2 ......................................... $118,200ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY IV ................................. $117,400DEPUTY LIBRARY DIRECTOR ..................................... $117,300DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER ....................................... $117,300FIRE CAPTAIN x8 ........................................................ $117,000PURCHASING AGENT .................................................. $117,000ADMINISTRATIVE SRVS DIV CHIEF ........................... $116,900DIV CHF, ORG DEV & EQUITY .................................... $116,900POLICE LIEUTENANT .................................................. $116,600CAPITAL PROJECTS MANAGER .................................. $116,500ENERGY MANAGER ..................................................... $116,500HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER II ............................ $116,500MENTAL HEALTH TEAM SUPERVISOR ...................... $116,500ASST DIR OFFICE MGT & BUDGET ............................ $115,700ASST COMMONWEALTH’S ATTY V ............................ $115,100FIRE CAPTAIN ............................................................. $114,400ADMINISTRATIVE SRVS DIV CHIEF ........................... $114,300DEPUTY SHERIFF - LIEUTENANT x3 .......................... $114,300EARLY CHILDHOOD DIVISION CHIEF ........................ $114,300EMS CAPTAIN x2 ......................................................... $114,300FISCAL OFFICER III x2 ................................................ $114,300MAINTENANCE DIVISION CHIEF ............................... $114,300RECREATION DIVISION CHIEF ................................... $114,300TRANSIT SERVICES DIV CHIEF .................................. $114,300POLICE LIEUTENANT .................................................. $114,000ASST PUBLIC DEFENDER ATTY IV ............................. $113,900COMPUTER PROGRAMMER ANALYST IV x2 .............. $113,900DOMEST & SEXUAL VIOLEN DIV CHF ........................ $113,900FLEET SERVICES DIVISION CHIEF ............................. $113,900NETWORK ENGINEER III x2 ....................................... $113,900PRINCIPAL PLANNER .................................................. $113,900PROPERTY MAINT CODE DIV CHF ............................. $113,900ADMIN SRVCS MGR x2 ............................................... $113,500ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER ......................... $113,500CIVIL ENGINEER III ..................................................... $113,500DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR I ................................... $113,500LONG-TERM CARE SERVICES COOR .......................... $113,500PHARMACIST II ........................................................... $113,500PLANS EXAMINER IV ................................................... $113,500RADIO SYSTEM MANAGER ......................................... $113,500RETIREMENT ADMINISTRATOR ................................ $112,700FAMILY SERVICES SUPRV/CHIEF ............................... $112,100FIRE CAPTAIN x4 ........................................................ $111,800ADMINISTRATIVE SRVS DIV CHIEF ........................... $111,700DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL III ........................................ $111,700EMS CAPTAIN .............................................................. $111,700FISCAL OFFICER III x2 ................................................ $111,700RESEARCH & EVALUATION DIV CHF ......................... $111,700TRANSPORTATION DIVISION CHIEF ......................... $111,700CIVIL ENGINEER IV x2 ................................................ $111,400FACILITY OPERATIONS MANAGER ............................ $111,400ITS DIVISION CHIEF .................................................... $111,400MENTAL HEALTH TEAM SUPERVISOR x2 ................. $111,400NETWORK ENGINEER III x2 ....................................... $111,400POLICE LIEUTENANT .................................................. $111,400

PRINCIPAL PLANNER .................................................. $111,400CIVIL ENGINEER III ..................................................... $111,000FAMILY SERVICES SUPERVISOR x2 ........................... $111,000ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY IV ................................. $109,600FIRE CAPTAIN ............................................................. $109,300ADMINISTRATIVE SRVS DIV CHIEF x2 ...................... $109,200ASST EXTENDED CARE SRVS DIR .............................. $109,200EMS CAPTAIN x2 ......................................................... $109,200CIVIL ENGINEER IV x5 ................................................ $108,900COMPUTER PROGRAMMER ANALYST IV .................. $108,900COURT SERVICES DIRECTOR ..................................... $108,900MENTAL HEALTH TEAM SUPERVISOR x3 ................. $108,900NETWORK ENGINEER III ............................................ $108,900POLICE LIEUTENANT .................................................. $108,900PRINCIPAL GIS ANALYST ............................................ $108,900CIVIL ENGINEER III ..................................................... $108,500DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR I ................................... $108,500FAMILY SERVICES SUPERVISOR x3 ........................... $108,500NURSE PRACTITIONER SUPERVISOR ........................ $108,500PLANS EXAMINER IV x2 .............................................. $108,500AGING-ADULT SRVCS DIV CHF .................................. $108,400ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS MANAGER ...................... $108,100PLANS EXAMINER III .................................................. $108,100PROGRAM ANALYST SUPERVISORY .......................... $108,100DEPUTY SHERIFF - LIEUTENANT ............................... $106,700DIV CHF, INMATE SRV ALT PROG .............................. $106,700DIV CHF/PLANS REVIEW SRVCS ................................ $106,700EMS CAPTAIN .............................................................. $106,700FISCAL OFFICER III ..................................................... $106,700PLANNING & ZONING DIV CHIEF .............................. $106,700COMPUTER PROGRAMMER ANALYST IV .................. $106,400ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM MANAGER x2 ............. $106,400HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER II x2 ....................... $106,400HUMAN RESOURCES TRN DIV CHIEF ........................ $106,400MENTAL HEALTH TEAM SUPERVISOR x4 ................. $106,400NETWORK ENGINEER III ............................................ $106,400PRINCIPAL PLANNER x3 ............................................. $106,400CIVIL ENGINEER III ..................................................... $106,100COMPUTER PROGRAMMER ANALYT III .................... $106,100FAMILY SERVICES SUPERVISOR x3 ........................... $106,100FIRE LIEUTENANT x5 .................................................. $106,100DEPUTY SHERIFF - SERGEANT ................................... $106,000ASST COMMONWEALTH’S ATTY IV x2 ...................... $105,900FINANCIAL RPTING/BANK REC SPRV x2 ................... $105,700INTERNAL AUDITOR III .............................................. $105,700THERAPIST SUPERVISOR ........................................... $105,700FIRE CAPTAIN ............................................................. $104,400ASST COMMNTY SUPPRT PRG ................................... $104,300DEPUTY SHERIFF - LIEUTENANT ............................... $104,300GENERAL REGISTRAR ................................................. $104,300RECREATION DIVISION CHIEF ................................... $104,300CITY ARCHAEOLOGIST ............................................... $104,000MENTAL HEALTH TEAM SUPERVISOR x3 ................. $104,000PRINCIPAL GIS ANALYST ............................................ $104,000PRINCIPAL PLANNER x5 ............................................. $104,000CIVIL ENGINEER III ..................................................... $103,700COMPUTER PROGRAMMER ANALYT III .................... $103,700DAY SUPPORT SERVICES COOR ................................. $103,700PROJECT MANAGER ................................................... $103,700DEPUTY SHERIFF - SERGEANT x4 .............................. $103,600CONTRACT SPECIALIST SUPERVISOR ....................... $103,300COMMUNICATION CONTENT DEVELOPE .................. $103,000COMPUTER PROGRAMMER ANALYST II x3 ............... $103,000FISCAL OFFICER II x2 ................................................. $103,000MUSEUM DIRECTOR x2 .............................................. $103,000POLICE SERGEANT x14 ............................................... $103,000PSYCHIATRIC NURSE .................................................. $103,000SENIOR THERAPIST x4 ............................................... $103,000TELECOMMUNICATIONS PRGM/ANALYS.................. $103,000WATCH OFFICER ......................................................... $103,000FIRE CAPTAIN x6 ........................................................ $102,100ADMINISTRATIVE SRVS DIV CHIEF ........................... $102,000DEPUTY SHERIFF - LIEUTENANT ............................... $102,000ENTERPRISE BUSINESS SYS ANALYS ........................ $102,000HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM MANAGER ................. $102,000DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR II ................................. $101,700PRINCIPAL PLANNER .................................................. $101,700CIVIL ENGINEER III x2 ................................................ $101,300DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR I ................................... $101,300DAY SUPPORT SERVICES COOR ................................. $101,300DEPUTY SHERIFF - SERGEANT x2 .............................. $101,300RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM MANAGER ......................... $101,300ASST COMMONWEALTH’S ATTY III ........................... $101,200GANG PREVENTION & INTERV COOR ....................... $101,000INFORMATION OFFICER ............................................ $101,000THERAPIST SUPERVISOR ........................................... $101,000COMPUTER PROGRAMMER ANALYST II x2 ............... $100,700SENIOR THERAPIST .................................................... $100,700COURT SERVICES I SUPERVISOR x2 .......................... $100,600

JOB TITLE ................... ANNUAL PAY (ROUNDED) JOB TITLE ................... ANNUAL PAY (ROUNDED)

City Government Salaries Over 100,000See Modest Pay, Page 12


Opinion

A week is already completed in theshort (45-day) session of the Vir-ginia General Assembly, and somany important things are in the

works, in danger of happening or not happen-ing, that no one can have a clear view of it all.

An example: The Senate Courts of JusticeCommittee voted for a bill 8-6 that would barthe execution of people with serious mentalillnesses. Possibly you didn’t realize that it is

legal to execute someone withserious mental illness, becauseit makes no sense. But this bill

failed last year.Another success for the moment: increasing

the minimum wage to $15 over several yearsalso cleared Senate committee.

Do you know who your Virginia delegate andsenator are? Every resident of Virginia gets oneof each. Enter your address here: https://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/ to findout all of your representatives, plus contactinformation. Call and tell them, or leave amessage, about what matters to you. Send anemail. Connect to them on Facebook and watchfor live Q&A sessions.

Here you can search legislation by bill num-ber or keyword, find video and streaming:https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/

Last week’s editorial, a long legislative wishlist, http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2019/jan/08/opinion-editorial-wish-list-things-session-general/ still omitted many im-portant actions, despite its length. One in par-ticular made it into some editions and not oth-

ers: To establish equal rights for LGBT Virgin-ians, especially in housing and public employ-ment.

Here are a few more important items:The Virginia State Conference NAACP Crimi-

nal Justice Committee supports the passage ofthe following bills that are up for debate inthis legislative session:

❖ HB 1651 - Raises grand larceny limit from$500 to $750 (Del Hayes)

❖ HB 1642 - Increases data collection on useof solitary confinement (Del Hope)

❖ SB 1013 - Repeals suspension of driverslicences for not paying fines (Sen Stanley; DelKory)

❖ SB 1053 and HB 1745 - Makes juvenileoffenders sentenced to life automatically eli-gible for parole after serving 25 years. (SenMarsden; Del Lindsey)

❖ HB 2616 - Raises the minimum age a childcan be tried as an adult from 14 to 16 (DelGuzman) (And this is still far too low.)

❖ SB 1551, HB 1685, HB 1873 and HB 1688- Limits the scope of what School Resource Of-ficers can get involved, prohibits students frombeing charged with disorderly conduct, andmandates data collection of use of force againststudents. (Sen Surovell, Del Schuyler T.VanValkenburg, Del Bourne; Del Mullin)

❖ SB 997 - Decriminalizes simple marijuanapossession. (Sen Ebbin)

❖ SB 1008 - Bans mechanical devices de-signed to increase rate of bullets firing. (SenEbbin)

❖ SB 1013 - Repeals the requirement that

the driver’s license of a person convicted ofany violation of the law who fails or refuses toprovide payment of fines be suspended. (SenStanley)

❖ SB 1034 - Prohibits any person who is nota licensed firearms dealer from purchasingmore than one handgun in a 30-day period.(Sen Locke)

❖ HB 1991 - Labels violent hate groups asdomestic terrorists (Del Price)

❖ HB 2472 - Adds gender, disability, genderidentity, and sexual orientation to the catego-ries of victims whose intentional selection fora hate crime results in a higher criminal pen-alty for the offense. (Del. Kenneth R. Plum)

House Courts of Justice members: Robert B.Bell (chairman), Leftwich (vice chair), Kilgore,Gilbert, L.R. Adams, J.L. Campbell, Collins,Miyares, Ransone, R.R. Campbell, Watts,Toscano, Herring, Hope, Mullin, Bourne,Simon, Carroll Foy.

Senate Courts of Justice members:Obenshain (chairman), Saslaw, Norment,Howell, Lucas, Edwards, McDougle, Stuart,Stanley, Reeves, Chafin, Deeds, Sturtevant,Petersen, and Peake.Find contact information https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/

See our website www.ConnectionNewspa-pers.com for many stories from the GeneralAssembly from the Capital News Service,written by journalism students from VCU.

— Mary Kimm

[email protected]

Thousands of bills considered over 45 days could havea big impact on your life, for better or for worse.

Pay Attention, State Legislature Not Gridlocked www.AlexandriaGazette.com

@AlexGazette

An independent, locally owned weeklynewspaper delivered

to homes and businesses.Published by

Local Media Connection LLC

1606 King StreetAlexandria, Virginia 22314

Free digital edition delivered toyour email box. Go to

connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe

NEWS DEPARTMENT:[email protected]

Steven MaurenEditor, 703-778-9415

[email protected]

Jean CardProduction Editor

[email protected]

Dan BrendelReporter, 757-472-3435

[email protected]

Jeanne [email protected]

@TheismannMedia

John Bordner, Mark MogleContributing Photographers

[email protected]

Shirley RuheContributing Photographer and [email protected]

Eden BrownContributing Writer

[email protected]

ADVERTISING:For advertising information

[email protected]

Debbie FunkDisply Advertising/National Sales

[email protected]

Julie FerrillDisplay Advertising, 703-927-1364

[email protected]

Tara LloydDisplay Advertising, 703-740-7128

[email protected]

David GriffinMarketing Assistant

[email protected]

Classified & EmploymentAdvertising703-778-9431

PublisherJerry Vernon

[email protected]

Editor & PublisherMary Kimm

[email protected]@MaryKimm

Editor in ChiefSteven MaurenArt/Design:

Laurence Foong, John Heinly,Ali Khaligh

Production Manager:Geovani Flores

Editor Emeritus:Mary Anne Weber

CIRCULATIONCirculation Manager:

Ann [email protected]

A Connection Newspaper

The Alexandria Gazette Packet is distributed weeklyto selected homes in the City of Alexandria.

Any owners or occupants of premises that do notwish to receive the paper can notify the publisher

by telephone at 703-778-9426 or by email [email protected], and thedistributor will be notified to discontinue service.

Gazette PacketAlexandria

Thank YouTo NonprofitsTo the Editor:

We, like many Alexandria residents, try togive generously to Alexandria’s nonprofits.Most organizations send us thank you lettersfor our support.

We appreciate these letters, or phone calls,particularly if they relate, in enthusiastic, pas-sionate ways, the impact of our gifts in real,human terms How the organization is usingthis money to make lives better in a specificway. And, in so doing, make Alexandria an evenbetter place to live so that all our residents areable to lead good lives.

But the thank you also needs to go the otherway — from donors to our nonprofits. Thankyou, Alexandria nonprofits, for being our armsand legs to change the world. While you can-not make lives better without our support, wealso can’t reach our hopes and dreams of mak-ing the

world, and specifically Alexandria, a betterplace without you, on the ground, doing thehard work of creating and implementing pro-grams that help people in their daily lives.

Our heartfelt thank you to all Alexandria’snonprofits for helping us change the world!

Louise and Mike KennyAlexandria

Limits to Congestion?To the Editor:

Housing affordability is the new clarion cryfor public and private sector problem-solvers.The impending Invasion of the Amazonians hasgalvanized them like never before. Where-oh-where will these well-paid Amazonians live ifthere’s not enough affordable housing for themin Alexandria?

No one seems to appreciate that theAmazonians may not want to reside in Alex-andria. But for those that do, why does theirchoice have to trigger worry that our housingstock is affordable? If housing is too expen-sive, the only sure fire way to reduce its cost isto increase supply.

Since Alexandria is space constrained, highrises are the best option to maximize the num-ber of people per square foot. But since mostpeople don’t want to live in a high rise, shouldAlexandria encourage their construction byrelaxing its zoning?

The lack of affordable housing in Alexandriais a condition for which there is no satisfyingsolution. It affects a fair number of city em-ployees as well. Many simply cannot afford tolive in Alexandria. I commend those who haveposited how they would solve this vexing prob-lem.

However, of the solutions I’ve read, they

Letters to the Editor

Snapshot

Pho

to

by H

al H

ardaw

ay

See Letters, Page 13

Editorial

Sunday morning,Jan. 13. The Na-

tional Weather Services reported8-10 inches of snow fell in theregion.


FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS, PLEASE VISIT SIMPSONDEV.COM OR CALL 703-299-0029

Commercial Leasing * Property Management * Development

100 N. PITT STREET (1,470sf-4,500sf) 320 KING STREET (3,007sf) 413 N. LEE STREET (10,130sf)

Entire Building with

ample parking!

333 N. FAIRFAX STREET (2,090sf-12,270sf) 2331 MILL ROAD (4,594sf-6,905sf) 2111 EISENHOWER AVE (1,636sf-3,113sf)

Entire Floor!

Opinion

By Adam Ebbin

State Senate (D-30)

The annualG e n e r a lAssemblysession is

well underway. Whatbegan in a Jamestownchurch in 1619 as a six-day meeting of theHouse of Burgesses, comprised of 22 whiteBritish male settlers, has evolved into the

modern Virginia Houseof Delegates and Vir-ginia Senate that ismeeting currently for its

46-day “short” session. The issues havevastly changed but history is still beingmade.

Eileen Filler-Corn of Fairfax, the newDemocratic Leader in the House, is the firstwoman to lead on either side of the aisle ineither body. Charniele Herring of Alexan-dria continues in her role as the House Cau-cus Chair and Mamie Locke of Hamptonremains the Senate Democratic CaucusChair. This is also the first year that theCommonwealth’s voters elected threewomen (all Democrats) to the U.S. Houseof Representatives. At no time in Virginia’shistory have women held more power thantoday.

This session marks Virginia’s chance tobecome the 38th (and final) state to ratifythe Equal Rights Amendment to the USConstitution. I was honored to speak on andvote for ratification as a member of thePrivileges and Elections Committee, andwill do the same when it heads to the Sen-ate floor. The Burgesses certainly did noteven conceive of the fundamental equalityof women and minorities and would haveflabbergasted that we will be consideringsports and casino gambling in this year. Af-ter all, it was in 1619 when Burgesses out-lawed games of chance with the penalty ofa 10 shilling fine — one shilling would goto the man who caught the gambler andthe rest to “charitable and pious causes.”Other 1619 legislation required every set-tler to plant six mulberry trees.

Flash forward 400 years and we are con-sidering non-partisan redistricting, how bestto allocate $1.2 billion in prospective addi-tional revenue and the fairest way to fundtransportation improvements in SouthwestVirginia. We’ll also be considering thegovernor’s incentive plan for Amazon tolocate one of its HQ2 sites in Arlington andfor Virginia Tech to locate a $1 billion-plusInnovation Campus in Alexandria whichwill grow the tech talent pipeline to attracthigh-wage 21st Century jobs to Virginia.

I’ve introduced 25 pieces of legislation on

a variety of topics ranging from marijuanadecriminalization and domestic violenceprotections to campaign finance reform ande-cigarette taxation. My constitutionalamendment to allow Virginia’s Governor toseek election to a second consecutive four-year term passed the Senate Privileges andElections Committee 8-6, and 6 of 6 of mybills heard on Monday in the Senate Courtsof Justice and General laws committee aremoving on. The bills include legislation tocodify non-discrimination protections forLGBT people in public employment (passed11-3) and housing (passed 13-1). Bills tostop the destructive cycle of debt caused bylicense suspension for non-driving relatedoffenses (passed 13-0 with one abstention)and for the non-payment of court costs andfees (passed 14 to 0) advanced to the Sen-ate Finance Committee for consideration.

The process to consider the governor’samendments to the existing biennial bud-get has begun as members also introduceamendments. I’ve introduced several withan eye to modernizing our election systemsand one to provide some funding for theTask Force Commemorating the CentennialAnniversary of Women’s Right to Vote, onwhich I serve. The Centennial will occur in2020 and I believe the state should be ob-serving it with a museum exhibit, travelingexhibits for different regions, lectures, pub-

lications and a school curriculum as well.Though the past of our state is complex,

and its legacies are often mired in injustice,I am confident that our future is bright, andthe history of tomorrow will be that ofprogress and inclusion. It is an honor to bea small part of building this path forward. Ihope you’ll be able to join me at one of myfour town hall meetings to help me bestrepresent the people of the 30th District inthis duty:

❖ Mount Vernon: Saturday, Jan. 19, 9:30-11:15 a.m. at Walt Whitman Middle School(2500 Parkers Lane), with Senator Surovelland Delegate Krizek.

❖ Lee District: Saturday, Jan. 19, noon-2p.m. at Hayfield Elementary School (7633Telegraph Road), with Senators Barker andSurovell and Delegates Mark Sickles and PaulKrizek.

❖ Alexandria: Saturday, Jan. 26, 10:30a.m.-noon at Minnie Howard School Campus(3801 W Braddock Road) with Del. MarkLevine

❖ Arlington: Saturday, Jan. 26, 2-3:30 p.m.at the Walter Reed Community Center (290916th Street South) with Del. Alfonso Lopez

In case of severe weather please visitadamebbin.com or my twitter account@adamebbin for updates.

It remains my honor to serve the peopleof the 30th Senate District.

Four Hundred Years and Counting …

Commentary


News

Public Schools Face Growing CostsFrom Page 1

Hutchings.Regionally, Alexandria has ab-

sorbed a disproportionate share ofEnglish learners and students eli-gible for subsidized meals (a proxymeasure of poverty), who requireadditional services and costs. En-rollment for these subgroups inAlexandria grew by 21 percent and8 percent between FY 2015 andFY 2019.

English learners comprise 32percent of Alexandria’s studentbody in FY 2019, according to theFY 2019 Washington Area Boardsof Education Guide, an annualpublication. That’s the highest pro-portion among 10 regional juris-dictions, and nearly double the 19percent share in both Arlingtonand Fairfax.

Students eligible for subsidizedmeals comprise 59 percent on av-erage in Alexandria, although thatproportion varies drastically fromschool to school. It ranged in FY2018 from less than 20 percent atLyles Crouch to nearly 90 percentat William Ramsay, the city’s east-ernmost and westernmost elemen-tary schools, respectively.Alexandria’s overall proportion offree and reduced price meal stu-dents is the third highest in theregion, and again double the 29percent share in Arlington andFairfax.

The state provides dispropor-tionately low funding for thesesubgroups. According to the bud-get proposal document: “Virginiaviews Alexandria as a wealthycommunity in comparison to otherjurisdictions in the state. When theState determines the amount offunding it will provide to ACPS[Alexandria City Public Schools],it takes into consideration thiswealth factor … and adjusts allo-cations down, based on the calcu-lation of financial resources avail-able in the City. As a result, theState provides ACPS with less di-rect aid support on a per pupilbasis than other Virginia schooldivisions.”

About 87 percent of the pro-posed operating budget would gotoward employee salaries and ben-efits. That includes a proposed fullstep (pay grade) salary increaseand a one percent market rateadjustment. But Hutchings wouldadjust health care benefits by in-creasing deductibles, copays forspecialist visits, and contributionpercentages for certain employees.These recommendations wouldmake Alexandria’s health benefitsalign more closely withArlington’s.

“Right now, we have a zero de-

ductible for our employees, whichis really not heard of in, not justschool systems, but in businessesand organizations across the coun-try. That’s why they [insurers] labelus as ‘platinum plus,’” saidHutchings.

Alexandria’s teachers currently re-ceive the third highest total compen-sation package of 10 regional juris-dictions, behind Montgomery andArlington, according to a staff pre-sentation to the School Board in No-vember.

The proposed budget would adda net 4.5 full time equivalent posi-tions, bringing the total payroll to2,590. Custodial positions, most ofwhich would be outsourced, wouldshrink the most. Major staff addi-tions would include a variety of both“core” and “enrichment and elec-tive” instructors. New positionswould also include a substanceabuse counselor to help address “arise with some [student] substanceabuse,” indicated in student surveys,said Hutchings; special educationprofessionals; and facilities-relatedprofessionals, including an in-houseHVAC project manager. New opera-tions and maintenance staff wouldhelp the schools shift from a “reac-tive mode” to a “proactive mode,”such as by ensuring “preventativemaintenance plans” and “quality as-surances,” said Hutchings.

The proposed budget would im-pose a new a seven-year cycle oftextbook replacement.

This would include over $6 mil-lion for phased replacement throughFY 2026 of current textbooks, andthereafter $1 million in annual in-cremental savings for the next cycle.

This year’s proposed use of $6 mil-lion in fund balances to close bud-get gaps would be the third and larg-est such drawdown in five years,since FY 2016.

According to the budget proposaldocument, fund balance serves “tosupport the following year’s budget(currently limited to no more thantwo percent of proposed operatingexpenditures). The remainder isheld as a cushion against extraordi-nary circumstances that might causesignificant, one-time increases in ex-penditures or decreases in revenue.”

The School Board will discuss theproposed operating and other bud-gets at work session scheduled forthe next three Thursdays, Jan. 17,24 and 31. The public may weigh inat the public hearing on Thursday,Feb. 7, or by contacting the SchoolBoard using the online form atwww.acps.k12.va.us/domain/853.The School Board will adopted thecombined funds budget on Thurs-day, Feb. 21. Find budget materialsat www.acps.k12.va.us/budget.

In particular, the city’s health insurance con-tributions vary widely, depending on the cho-sen plan (if any) and the number of people cov-ered.

According to Frank Shafroth of George Ma-son University’s Center for State and Local Gov-ernment Leadership: “In general, Alexandria is— and tries to be — competitive with regard tohealth and retirement benefits to neighboring

jurisdictions in Virginia.” Comparing benefits be-tween the public and private sector is difficult.Nationwide, private industry paid workers 43 per-cent on top of salary for benefits, according torecent figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.But the bureau cautions against direct compari-son between the public and private sectors becausecontribution percentages differ between occupa-tion types, which in turn differ between sectors.

Learn more about city compensation atwww.alexandriava.gov/6436.

From Page 8

Modest Pay, Good Benefits


overlook one phenomena: limits. Just as aglass can hold only so much fluid, Alexan-dria can hold only accommodate so manystructures, people and vehicles. Too many— me included — feel Alexandria is alreadytoo dense. Congestion has blemished thecharm and quality of living here.

And without limits, evermore congestionis inevitable. There can be no more roadsin Alexandria but, without limits, there willbe evermore traffic. With no more inexpen-sive land on which to build houses, therewill be fewer affordable houses for purchaseor for rent by families, especially those ofmodest means. And more housing, afford-able or not, means more congestion.

It will be enlightening when our new CityCouncil and mayor articulate their densitygoals for the city of Alexandria. Is it onemillion residents? Half a million cars? Twiceas many structures as there are now? Myguess: they’ll permit density limits for ev-erything but for the number of structures,people and vehicles that can be placedwithin the 55 square miles of Alexandria.

Pity. Selecting desired densities allows usto prepare, to marshal resources, to be ready— not surprised — by future costs, hous-ing needs and congestion consequences,especially in schools and public facilities.Without limits for structures, people and

From Page 10

Letters to the Editor

By Char McCargo Bah

On Sept. 6, 1909, there weretwo important events thattook place that caught the eyeof the African Americans in

Alexandria. One event was that a telegramby two explorers, Robert Peary and MatthewHenson, arrived on Sept. 6 stating they haddiscovered the North Pole five months ear-lier. The other was a local event – the GrandChapter of the Order of the Eastern Star ofVirginia issued by Grand Worthy Patron, Dr.H.L. Harris and Grand Worthy Matron,Fannie C. Wilkerson, of Petersburg, Va. with

other officers issued aCharter to Esther Chapter#23 of Alexandria, Va.The title of Worthy Ma-tron is the highest office

in the Chapter for a woman after she servesin that position, and Worthy Patron is thehighest office in the Chapter for a man af-ter he serves in that position.

The year before the Charter, 20 peoplewere initiated for benevolent assistance inthe City of Alexandria on Thanksgiving Day.They were initiated by the Order of the East-ern Star by members of the Grand Chapterof the State of Virginia, Prince Hall Affilia-tion. The Grand Chapter gave the name ofEsther Chapter #23 which laid the ground-work for their Charter on Sept. 6, 1909. ThisChapter provided assistance to the AfricanAmerican community in Alexandria withfood during Thanksgiving, clothes, food andgifts during the Christmas holiday. Through-

Chapter #23 continues its community ser-vices under its leaders, Worthy Matron,Aquila Biddle and Worthy Patron, TomRobinson. One of the rules in being an East-ern Star member is that they must have amale relative that is a member of the Ma-sonic Lodge Prince Hall Affiliation.Throughout the years, this Chapter has hadseveral family members who held member-ship at the same time. In the 1920s, LauraDorsey and her sister, Mary Dorsey weremembers. Laura Dorsey was a well-knownteacher at Parker-Gray School and MaryDorsey had multi-careers as a domestic andhair-dresser.

Presently, Mrs. Josephine Ford and herthree daughters, Pamela Ford-Moore,Deborah Ford-Nelson and Rosie Ford aremembers of Esther Chapter #23. There are32 members but three of them are Chartermembers who hold the longest membershipin this Chapter: Laverne V. Lewis has beena member for over 50 years; Josephine Fordhas been a member for 45 years; and LillianWilliams has been a member for 43 years.

The Esther Chapter #23 Prince Hall Af-filiation is the oldest chapter in NorthernVirginia. When Chapter #23 formed in 1908and became a Charter in 1909, it immedi-ately started serving their Alexandria Afri-can American community through faith,hope and charity.

Char McCargo Bah is a freelance writer,independent historian, genealogist and a LivingLegend of Alexandria. Visit her blog at http://www.theotheralexandria.com for more about “TheOther Alexandria.”

Esther Chapter #23: Over 100 Years of Service

By Charniele Herring

Delegate (D-46)

The 2019 Virginia Gen-eral Assembly sessionis in full swing. There

are measures regarding equal-ity, voting, and even taxes upfor debate this year. We haveseen the Equal Rights Amend-ment pass Senate Committee,though it has not yet been heard in theHouse of Delegates.

Once again, I am joining others to spon-sor legislation to make sure that voting isboth easy and secure. My bill HB1641would make a simple, but powerful, change

in the way people canvote in Virginia. Itwould allow people tovote absentee without

an “excuse” or reason that they need to voteabsentee (before Election Day). Like manyin other states where this is law, no excuseabsentee voting would ease lines on Elec-tion Day and has a beneficial impact forworking people, the elderly, and the physi-cally challenged. This measure joins a hostof other bills including same day voter reg-istration and automatic voter registration.

In addition to the Equal Rights Amend-

ment, we are going to see leg-islation this year that addresseshousing and employment dis-crimination. We will also seebills that protect women’shealth and promote fair pay.

Of course, one of the largestdebates we will see in the com-ing weeks is the response to theTrump Tax Plan and the effectthat it will have on the Com-monwealth. Governor Northam

has proposed a plan that helps working Vir-ginians, most of whom are not seeing sub-stantial benefit from the new law, by mak-ing the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)refundable. This is an ongoing debate withongoing negotiations. Despite the Governormaking his intentions clear about his plan,Republicans have only recently offered oneof their own. Despite what partisan spin youmight believe, there is no tax increase onthe table right now, just responses to thenew Federal law.

Making sure Virginia is a place that worksfor everyone is very important to me. TheEITC has been proven to encourage workand has helped many increase their earn-ings more rapidly over time. According tothe Commonwealth Institute for FiscalAnalysis the EITC helps over 600,000 low

and moderate income Virginia families ev-ery year. It is most effective for families withchildren. Moving to a refundable EITCwould also help balance out Virginia’s some-what regressive state tax system, where lowincome and middle class families pay alarger percentage of their income in taxesthan those who are more affluent. Moreimportantly, we would help families givetheir children the building blocks they needto be successful while their parents dem-onstrate the value of hard work. Many fami-lies who receive federal and state EITCs nolonger claim the credits within two yearsbecause they earn more money than theeligibility cutoff. The benefits of the EITCare wide ranging — helping families withhealth, education, and meeting their basicneeds.

I look forward to the ongoing debate andencourage my constituents to reach out withtheir thoughts on how we should proceedin dealing with the consequences of theTrump Tax Plan.

Del. Charniele Herring represents AlexandriaCity’s 46th District in the Virginia GeneralAssembly where she serves as House MinorityCaucus Chair and on the Courts of Justice,Counties, Cities, & Towns, and Agriculture,Chesapeake & Natural Resources Committees.Follow Herring online atwww.charnieleherring.com.

Legislature: From ERA to No Excuse Voting

Photo Courtesy of Deborah Ford-Nelson

First row, from left, Pamela Moore, Aquila Biddle, Lillian Williams,Josephine Ford, Michelle Baldwin, Annette Fletcher, Rosie Ford; secondrow, Deborah Nelson, Linda Payton, Barbara Williams, Omeara Banks;third row, Lisa Logan, LaVerne Lewis, Shirley Ross, Lenore Biddle, LorrieSmith, Tom Robinson, Joseph Parker (not picture).

The Other

Alexandria

out the year, they assisted the African Ameri-cans in their time of need and during natu-

ral disasters.Today, more than a century later, Esther

Commentary

See Letters, Page 22

History


Select yourproducts from

our MobileShowroomand Design

CenterFully Insured &

Class A LicensedSince 1999

Free Estimates703-214-8384 Visit our website: www.twopoorteachers.com

TWO POOR TEACHERSKitchen and Bathroom Remodeling

10% downnothing until the jobis complete for the

past 17 years

10% downnothing until the jobis complete for the

past 17 years

Same Company, Same Employees,Same Great Value - Now Celebrating 20 Years! Learn About Adver� sing

in the Connec� onand Digital Op� ons!

Adver� sing in the Connec� onAdver� sing in the Connec� on and upcoming special sec� ons: and upcoming special sec� ons:

connectionnewspapers.com/advertisingconnectionnewspapers.com/advertising

or call 703.778.9431

News

By Jeanne Theismann

Gazette Packet

The Alexandria Chamber of Com-merce officially welcomed Char-lotte Hall as its 2019 board chairJan. 11 at the “Rockin’ on the

Rivah” celebration at the Old DominionBoat Club.

Hall, formerly of the Potomac RiverboatCompany, outlined her goals for the com-ing year, which include strengthening therelationship between small neighborhoodbusiness associations and large businesses,and supporting important business issuesbefore City Council.

“We have come a long way,” Hall told thecrowd. “To all the developers here tonight,thank you for your patience and your per-sistence in putting up with all of us.”

Hall noted the importance of volunteersin the business community, signaling out theDel Ray Business Association as an examplein her remarks.

“While the Chamber is the anchor of thebusiness community, we need our neighbor-hood business associations,” Hall said. “Weneed to continue working together in a posi-tive and productive manner.”

Hall succeeds Gin Kinneman, owner ofKinneman Insurance, as board chair. Seewww.alexchamber.com.

Hall takes helm as chamber board chair.‘Rockin’ on the Rivah’

Chamber of Commerce board chair Charlotte Hall, left,with Stephanie Landrum, Elizabeth Moon and CathyPuskar at the Jan. 11 Chairman’s Reception at the OldDominion Boat Club.Ann Dorman, Mike and Donna Anderson and Roger Parks Reuben and Deborah

Johnson

Adron Krekeler, Tammy Mann, Rebecca Mahoodand Cedric Mann

Stephanie Beyer Kirby, Marcia Call andLonnie Rich

Mark Garmon, Melonie Johnson and Chamberof Commerce CEO Joe Haggerty

Mitch Opalski,Sue Kovalsky,SeanMcEnearneyand GayleReuter

Photos by Janet Barnett


From Page 3

News

property, inheritance, etc., though probablynot vehicles — can yield capital gains and/or income, like dividends or rents. In par-ticular, many tout homeownership as a keymeans of building wealth.

To get an idea, albeit limited, of local leg-islators’ wealth, data were compiled fromstate-mandated disclosure forms filed dur-ing their candidacies or previous terms, aswell as Alexandria’s public tax assessmentdatabase.

Of 16 elected officials, 13 (81 percent)own their primary residences. For compari-son, about 41 percent of Alexandrians ownthe units they live in, according to theAmerican Community Survey for the period2013-2017.

In general, rates of homeownershipcitywide are skewed by race and ethnicity.Whereas non-Hispanic whites account for60 percent of occupied housing units over-all, they account for 78 percent of owner-occupied and 47 percent of renter-occupiedunits specifically, according to the samesurvey over the same period. Whereas blackhouseholders account for 20 percent of oc-cupied housing overall, they account for 9percent of owner-occupied and 29 percentof renter-occupied units. Whereas non-white Hispanics account for 11 percent ofoccupied housing overall, they account for5 percent of owner-occupied and 16 per-

cent of renter-occupied units.Homeownership in the city similarly

skews toward older and more educatedhouseholds.

For the 11 home- andcondo-owners in the electedlineup, the average 2018 as-sessed value of their primaryresidences was about$708,000.

The citywide average as-sessed value of single-familyhomes was about $752,600,as of June 30, 2018, accord-ing the city’s FY 2018 Com-prehensive Annual FinancialReport. The citywide averageassessed value of condos was $324,000.

In addition to their primary residences,10 officials own or have an interest in abusiness or one or more other real proper-ties. Twelve own additional reportable se-curities. These might include stocks, mu-tual funds, certain bonds, IRAs and trusts;but would exclude pension plans, securi-ties issued by the U.S. government, certifi-cates of deposit, money market funds, an-nuity contracts and insurance policies.

Eight officials declared one or more per-sonal debts, nearly all for $50,000 or less.Reportable debts do not include debts un-der $5,000, owed to a government, or loans“secured by a recorded lien on property if

such lien is at least equal to the value ofthe loan.” Particularly in relation to a homemortgage, the latter basically means that ahomeowner must report a home loan only

if it’s underwater — thatis, if the debt exceedswhat the bank would re-coup if it foreclosed andsold the property, such asduring a major housingdownturn.

Asked for comment di-versity, Bennett-Parkersaid: “I absolutely be-lieve in and support allkinds of diversity inleadership …. I called

out age, race, and gender for a few reasons:speech length … and also the idea that thoseare all things you can generally tell fromlooking at a person. It’s important for peopleof all ages, including young girls and boysforming perceptions of how the world works(and what they can be when they grow up),to see people who look like them in posi-tions of power …. And the broader point Iwas making is that it’s important to have avariety of perspectives, backgrounds, andexperience.” The time demand of servingon council “is a potential barrier for women,including but not limited to single moth-ers, as well as anyone who does not worksomething akin to a 9-5 job.”

Similarly, Councilman John Chapmansays those already working more than onejob probably couldn’t afford to make thefinancial and time sacrifices necessary toserve on council. For this reason, it’d be hardfor council to gain in its membership theperspective of those who are “desperatelystruggling to stay in our city.”

Alexandria’s elected officials are consid-ered part-time positions. The mayor makes$41,500 per year and the other City Coun-cil members make $37,500 per year. That’sroughly middle-of-the-pack among five re-gional jurisdictions with part-time positions,according to a report last spring from a lo-cal ad hoc advisory committee on councilcompensation. Three counties with full-timepositions — Fairfax, Montgomery, PrinceGeorge’s — pay between $95,000 and$126,000 per year, depending on office,according to the report. The School Boardchair makes $17,000 per year and the otherboard members make $15,000 per year.

Find the elected officers’ most recent fi-nancial disclosures — called Statements ofEconomic Interest — at www.alexandriava.gov/Elections (for all non-incum-bents); www.alexandriava.gov/Council (forcity council incumbents); and by contactingthe School Board’s clerk (for School Boardincumbents). Officers must file new State-ments of Economic Interest no later thanFriday, Feb. 1, and annually thereafter.

A Look at Council, School Board Members’ Economic Interests

“... it’s important tohave a variety ofperspectives,backgrounds, andexperience.”

— Vice Mayor ElizabethBennett-Parker


By Marilyn Campbell

Jessica DeBoer’s 13-year-old son just re-turned to school after a six-day suspensionbecause he was caught vaping in the boysbathroom of his elite private school. Until

she received a call from one of the school’s adminis-trators, DeBoer was not familiar with the practiceand never dreamed her son would partake in it.

“Now I feel like I might have been naive consider-ing how widespread it seems to be,” she said. “Myson told me that many of the kids in his school havetried vaping and some even do it regularly.”

Vaping is the use of e-cigarettes to inhale and ex-hale an aerosol, often referred to as vapor, which isproduced by an e-cigarette orsimilar device. The term is usedbecause e-cigarettes produce anaerosol that consists of fine par-ticles, many of which containvarying amounts of toxic chemi-cals.

For parents like Deboer, keep-ing the line of communicationopen is a key weapon in keep-ing kids away from e-cigarettes,says therapist Lisa Baguio,LCSW. “Before talking with yourteen about vaping, or any sensitive issue for thatmatter, educate yourself and make sure you knowwhat you’re talking about,” she said. “Kids know morethan we give them credit for. Be prepared with unre-futable facts and scientific evidence because you canguarantee yourself that your kids will have their ownset of facts, which are often false.”

Once you have those facts, be prepared to sharethem during a conversation with your teen. “It’s im-portant that parents are open and honest with their

children,” said child psychologist Laurie Jones,Psy.D. “You first have to tell them your expec-tations. For example, ‘In our family, we havezero tolerance for e-cigarette or tobacco use ofany kind.’ You then should explain the dan-gers and risks involved and make sure that your

teen knows that this is not your just opinion, butproven hazards.”

A teen might be less likely to engage in vaping ifthey can connect it to negative consequences thataffect them personally, advised marriage and familycounselor Joyce McCarry, M.A. ”One thing that teensvalue is their image among their peer group,” shesaid. “If vaping a substance causes bad breath, thatwill deter a teen from using it. If getting caughtvaping means that they are kicked off a sports team,that will be a deterrent.”

A parent’s best tactic is creating an environmentwhere one’s teen feels comfortable sharing informa-tion about vaping and working with them

collaboratively to find ways toavoid it, says McCarry. “Youwant your child to let you knowif they’re vaping or have friendswho are doing it,” she said. “Youcan also let them know that ifthey’re ever in a situation wherethey’re being offered an e-ciga-rette, real cigarettes or drugs oranything dangerous, that theycan call you and you will pickthem up immediately with noquestions asked.”

“You also want you to give your child a way to getout of a risky social situation without feeling embar-rassed,” continued McCarry. “I have a patient whoseparents tell him to text them a numerical code when-ever he’s in a precarious situation with friends. Theparents know to call his cell phone and tell him thatthere’s a family emergency and he needs to comehome right away. This gives the child an excuse toleave without feeling embarrassed or like he’ll be ridi-culed for not engaging in risky behavior.”

How to Talk About VapingApproaching conversationabout dangers of e-cigarettes.

E-cigarettes come in a variety of forms.

Im

age C

ourtesy o

f Partn

ersh

ip fo

r D

rug-Free K

ids

“You also want you togive your child a way toget out of a risky socialsituation withoutfeeling embarrassed.”

— Joyce McCarry, M.A.


Entertainment

By Steve Hibbard

Aldersgate Church CommunityTheatre (ACCT) is presenting“Guys and Dolls Jr.” from Jan.18-27. Set in New York City,

“Guys and Dolls Jr.” follows gambler NathanDetroit as he tries to find the cash to set upthe biggest crap game in town while theauthorities breathe down his neck. Mean-while, his girlfriend and nightclub per-former, Adelaide, laments that they’ve beenengaged for 14 years without getting mar-ried. Nathan turns to fellow gambler SkyMasterson for the dough but Sky ends upchasing the straight-laced missionary, Sa-rah Brown.

Director Emily “EJ” Jonas said she grewup in Alexandria and loved seeing the showsas a child. “I decided to direct this musicalbecause I love the opportunity to work withstudents of all ages, and I love the risk-tak-ing theme of this musical,” she said.

She said her goal was to bring the risk-taking lifestyle of New York City in the1920s to the greater Washington, D.C., area.“Many of these classic musicals can belooked at through different eyes and frommultiple perspectives. Our production looksat the theme of risk through the eyes of thewomen. Adelaide and Sarah are commit-ted to their bets. They each take a risk tostep forward in their lives and embrace theworld they are in. They make a bet and theywin,” she said.

lief trio. “I, along with Benny Southstreetand Rusty Charlie, am there to lighten upthe atmosphere and contrast with the seri-ousness of the Sky and Sarah love-story.Nicely, as I see it, is a condescending, yetwell-meaning, know-it-all,” he said.

Mary Margaret Bargery is playing the roleof Sarah Brown. “She is organized, proper,caring, and virtuous, but she also struggleswith a judgmental mentality towards the‘sinners’ she aspires to save. Her rather se-vere exterior serves as a wall that hides heradorable innocence and potent fear of fail-ure. I interpret that Sarah is struggling withherself and who she is. She suppresses herdesire to take a risk and experience moreof what life has to offer outside of the mis-

‘Guys and Dolls Jr.:’On Taking Risks

The cast of ACCT’s production of “Guys and Dolls” in rehearsals (frombottom left): Claire Fuller (Benny); Adam Martineau (Arvide); SophiaStine (Adelaide); Nate Jones (Nathan Detroit); Ellie St. Pierre (GeneralCartwright); Catherine Weingold (Harry the Horse); Isabella Spooner(Kitty); and Joel Simpson (Rusty).

Children’s musicalabout love andgamblers set in1920s’ New York City.

Submit entertainment announcementsat www.connectionnewspapers.com/Cal-endar/. The deadline is noon on Friday.Photos/artwork encouraged.

ONGOINGGeorge Washington’s Mount

Vernon is Open. GeorgeWashington’s Mount Vernon, aprivate, non-profit organization thatdoes not accept government funding,will remain open through the partialgovernment shutdown. MountVernon visitors can tour the firstpresident’s Mansion, explore thegardens and grounds, and visitWashington’s final resting place. TheDonald W. Reynolds Museum andEducation Center, Be Washingtoninteractive theater, and the 4DRevolutionary War Theater offervisitors and immersive experience tolearn about George Washington andthe Founding Era. Specialty tours areoffered daily for an additional cost.Visit mountvernon.org.

touch to activate stories from youthin the system, their media campaignsand mobile exhibits have connectedthe dreams, stories, and policydemands of youth in the juvenilejustice system with tens of thousandsacross Virginia and beyond. Visitwww.theartleague.org.

Art Exhibit: It’s Not All Black andWhite. Through Feb. 3, 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily (Thursdays until 9p.m.) at Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery,in the Torpedo Factory Art Center,105 N. Union St., Studio 29,Alexandria. Potomac Fiber ArtsGallery announces the opening of itsjuried show, It’s Not All Black andWhite. It may be black and white(dreary) outside but Potomac FiberArts Gallery radiates with color. Inaddition to lovely neutral pieces,artists have warmed their space withcolorful creations. Themed work willbe eligible for recognition by thejurors. Non-themed work may also beexhibited. Free admission. Visitwww.potomacfiberartsgallery.com or

Producer Jennifer Saunders said she’s al-ways been passionate about musical theater.“I truly love watching young actors developtheir skills and then shine on stage. Theyare all so talented, brave and fun. A youngcast brings so much energy and excitementto the process of putting on a musical. Itwas especially fun watching them take ona classic like ‘Guys & Dolls!’ It’s been a plea-sure being a part of the backstage magicthat allows young actors to practice theircraft and then shine with joy at showtime,”she said.

Brett Medley is playing the role of SkyMasterson, who has the classic confidencefrom the golden days of Broadway. “Hischaracter arc essentially revolves aroundhow he’s changed by Sarah, and further-more by love. He starts as this respectedman at the top of the gambling game andthis comes into play in his interactions withother gamblers in the show. As he interactsmore with Sarah, we see him come out ofhis shell and open up more about how he’sfeeling, which is something he’s never donebefore,” he said.

Claire Fuller is playing the role of BennySouthstreet, one of the craps shooters whohelps Nathan with his craps game. “She defi-nitely helps him keep his craps game afloat,with the help of Nicely-Nicely Johnson andRusty Charlie. My character has been help-ing Nathan with his game for a long timeand it has helped her fill her wallet duringthe Great Depression,” she said.

Ellee St. Pierre plays the General of theMission. “I don’t believe that Sarah Brown’smission branch is successful enough to keepopen. I’m skeptical of her ability to recruitsinners, and I plan on shutting her branchof mission down if she doesn’t prove thatshe can bring people in,” she said.

Jefrey Lopez is playing the role of Nicely-Nicely Johnson who is part of a comic-re-

sion,” she said.Sophia Stine is playing the role of

Adelaide, a sassy, confident actress. “She ismadly in love with Nathan and wants thingsher way all of the time. She hates the crapgame, dreams of getting married, and isconstantly getting sick. Achoo!” she said.

❖ ❖ ❖Aldersgate Church Community Theatre is

presenting “Guys and Dolls Jr.” from Jan. 18-27. Show times are Fridays at 7:30 p.m.;Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.; and Mon-day, Jan. 21 at 2 p.m. (holiday). The venueis located at Aldersgate Church, 1301Collingwood Road, Alexandria. Visitwww.acctonline.org.

Pho

to

by H

ow

ard So

ro

os

Calendar

Art Exhibit: Bringing Words toLife. Through Jan. 27 at VCAAlexandria Animal Hospital, 2660Duke St., Alexandria. The exhibit is apart of Del Ray Artisans’ GalleryWithout Walls program inpartnership with VCA Alexandria.The show pairs a line from an artist’sfavorite song, poem, book, or speechwith the artist’s visual interpretationof that quote. Patrons may view theartwork at VCA Alexandria duringregular business hours and at thediscretion of hospital staff. VisitDelRayArtisans.org/exhibits/gww.

Exhibit: “Hard Wired.” Through Jan.31 at Touchstone Gallery, 901 NewYork Ave. NW Washington, D.C. ToryCowles of Potomac is represented byTouchstone Gallery, a resident artistin Studio 7 at Alexandria’s TorpedoFactory, and an abstract paintinginstructor at Glen Echo Park’s YellowBarn. Her work evolves out of aspontaneous abstract expressionistprocess which depends on therawness of the materials, the

unexpectedness of the composition,and the mystery of how materials aretransformed. Artist talk, Saturday,Jan. 19, 4-6 p.m. Call 202-347-3787or visit www.touchstonegallery.com.

Art Exhibit: “Destroy the Picture.”Through Feb. 2, Wednesday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. at Gallery B,7700 Wisconsin Ave., Suite E,Bethesda. Beverly Ryan has been aresident artist at the Torpedo FactoryArt Center since 2001 and has taughtat The Art League School inAlexandria, Va., for 15 years. She hascurated several shows of abstractpainting, narrative painting andencaustic painting. Between 1949and 1962, numerous paintersincluding Alberto Burri, SalvatoreScarpitta and Yves Klein producedartwork that incorporated destructionin their processes. The book Destroythe Picture: Painting the Void,written and edited by Paul Schimmeldescribes the exhibition of theseworks in Los Angeles at the Museumof Contemporary Art, 2012-2013. In

the spring of 2018, this work inspiredBeverly Ryan to lead a group of herstudents to explore destruction andre-creation of artworks frompreviously unresolved paintings. Visitwww.bethesda.org/bethesda/gallery-b.

Art Exhibit: “Lift Us Up, Don’tPush Us Out.” Through Feb. 3,gallery hours at The Art LeagueGallery in Studio 21, TorpedoFactory, 105 North Union Street,Alexandria. Performing Statistics: aProject by ART180 and Legal AidJustice Center – “Lift Us Up, Don’tPush Us Out” asks the question, howwould criminal justice reform differ ifit was led by incarcerated youth?Connecting incarcerated youth at theRichmond Juvenile Detention Centerwith artists, legal experts, andadvocates to reimagine Virginia’sjuvenile justice system, thisexhibition provides the answer.Including virtual reality experiences,photography, murals, and interactiveaudio installations that use human


Entertainment

call 703-548-0935.Photograhpy Exhibit: Fax Ayres.

Through Feb. 24, Thursday-Sunday,noon-4 p.m. at The Atheneum, 201Prince St. Fax Ayres’ photographyemploys a ‘lightpainting’ technique toembue his subjects with an almostsurreal quality. He sets up still lifevignettes in the dark and thencarefully paints individualcomponents with light, assemblingmultiple images together to createthe final photograph. Visitwww.nvfaa.org or call 703-548-0035.

Beginner Square Dance Lessons.Through March 27, 7:30-9 p.m. atthe Lincolnia Senior Center, 4710 N.Chambliss St. Keep up with NewYear’s resolutions and enjoy bothmental and physical exercise withSquare Dance Lessons. $30 for eachfour-week session. Open to couples,singles and groups. [email protected] or call571-210-5480.

FRIDAY/JAN. 18Traveling by Pullman. 7:30-9 p.m. At

The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St.,Alexandria. The name Pullman issynonymous with first class railtravel. Join Kevin Tankersley for anoverview of the Pullman Company,and learn how the D.C. NationalRailway Historical Society chapterinterprets the Pullman experience byoperating the Pullman car DoverHarbor today. Free. Visit dcnrhs.org.

JAN. 18-27Alexandria Winter Restaurant

Week. For 10 days and twoweekends, 65 restaurants inAlexandria, Virginia, will offer a $35three-course dinner for one or a $35dinner for two. More than 35

restaurants will also offer lunchmenus at $15 or $22 per person inaddition to the dinner specials.Brunch lovers can enjoy brunchmenus for $15 or $22 per person at14 restaurants. Visitwww.AlexandriaRestaurantWeek.com.

SATURDAY/JAN. 19Children’s Program on Deer. 10-11

a.m. At Huntley Meadows Park, 3701Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria. White-tailed deer are our largest mammalneighbors, and kids can learn allabout these graceful animals in the“Dashing Deer” program. Childrenage 2-6 can join a park naturalist andlearn to appreciate the wonderful lifeof a deer from fawn to doe or buck.There will be hands-on activities,songs and a guided walk in search ofdeer and their tracks. Participantswill also create a craft to take home.Cost is $10 per child. Call 703-768-2525 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows.

Artist Talk: “Hard Wired.” 4-6 p.m.at Touchstone Gallery, 901 New YorkAve. NW Washington, D.C. ToryCowles of Potomac is represented byTouchstone Gallery, a resident artistin Studio 7 at Alexandria’s TorpedoFactory, and an abstract paintinginstructor at Glen Echo Park’s YellowBarn. Her work evolves out of aspontaneous abstract expressionistprocess which depends on therawness of the materials, theunexpectedness of the composition,and the mystery of how materials aretransformed. Call 202-347-3787 orvisit www.touchstonegallery.com.

JAN. 19-MARCH 3Art Exhibit: Ritualisms. Gallery

hours at Target Gallery, 105 N.

Union St., Alexandria. New TargetGallery Exhibition contemplates theuniversality of rituals. The exhibitionjuxtaposes different artists’interpretations of rituals throughtheir work, daily routines, habits, orpersonal quirks. It also brings inbroader cultural formalities andreligious ceremonies. Visitwww.torpedofactory.org.

SUNDAY/JAN. 20What’s Buggin’ You? 1:30-2:30 p.m.

At Green Springs Gardens, 4603Green Spring Road, Alexandria. Bringyour bug questions and stories forentomologist Nate Erwin who willpresent a colorful slide show aboutinsects and their associated plants.Find out how to attract butterfliesand fireflies or put a name to thatcurious bug in the garden last year.Cost is $10 in advance or $12 at thedoor. Call 703-642-5173 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/green-spring.

THURSDAY/JAN. 24Play “House Detective.” 1-2 p.m. At

Historic Huntley, 6918 HarrisonLane, Alexandria. Adults are invitedto come to Historic Huntley todiscover some of the clues that helphistorians unravel the mysterysurrounding a property. What canarchitectural details and styles tellhistorians? Examine photographs,artifacts and the buildings of HistoricHuntley to resolve some of itsunexplained past. $5. Call 703-768-2525 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/historic-huntley.

JAN. 24-FEB. 24“Three Sistahs.” At MetroStage, 1201


Entertainment

N. Royal St., Alexandria. “Three Sistahs”is an intimate musical which exposesthe souls of three strong independentwomen as they gather together in thefamily home one last time. Theyreflect on the past, present and theirhope for the future with powerfulmusic and insights about their livesand relationships. Performances willbe Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m.,Saturdays at 3 p.m., and 8 p.m.,Sundays at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Jan24- Feb 24, 2019. Tickets are $55with student and active military andgroup discounts available. Four ormore tickets are $50 each. Call thetheatre at 703-548-9044 or go onlineto www.metrostage.org.

FRIDAY/JAN. 25Container Gardens for the

Yardless. 1:30-2:30 p.m. At GreenSprings Gardens, 4603 Green SpringRoad, Alexandria. Just because youdon’t have a yard doesn’t mean youcan’t have a garden. Learn how tobrighten your home with plants andflowers. Whether in flower pots,hanging baskets or window boxes,container gardens are beautiful, easyand rewarding. At this Garden Talkwith Extension Master Gardeners,learn how to create a dazzlingdisplay with eye-catching perennialsand annuals. Get information andinspiration to design your owncontainer gardens. Cost is $10. Call703-642-5173 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/green-spring.

Family Splash Night. 6-9 p.m. AtChinquapin Park Rec Center andAquatics Facility, 3210 King St.,Alexandria. Featuring James K. Polkand William Ramsay Schools. Enjoyswimming, a floating obstacle course,games, relays, refreshments, music,

diving for prizes and more. Differentschools are featured at each eventbut all are welcome. Admission is $4per person upon entry. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov/Recreation.

SUNDAY/JAN. 27Wild Women of Washington. 1-3:30

p.m. At Green Spring Gardens, 4603Green Spring Road, Alexandria. Fromnewspaperwomen and suffragettes torebellious first ladies and socialites,the nation’s capital has attractedmany unladylike ladies over theyears. Hear their stories as authorCanden Schwantes discusses herbook, “Wild Women of Washington,D.C.: A History of Disorderly Conductfrom the Ladies of the District.”Reservations are required. $42 forthe program and tea; $18 for theprogram only. To make reservationsfor tea, call 703-941-7987, or tolearn more about the historic site,visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/green-spring.

MONDAY/JAN. 28Bullying and Lockdowns:

Perspectives on SchoolSecurity. 7:15 p.m. At TheHermitage Auditorium, 5000Fairbanks Ave., Alexandria. Part ofthe Agenda:Alexandria program,which falls on the fourth Monday ofthe month, begin at 7:15 p.m.Programs are $5 each or free withyour $35 membership, payable on-line at www.AgendaAlexandria.org/sign-up page or at the door by checkor credit. All are invited to a pre-program dinner if desired. Dinner is6:45-7:15 p.m., prices starting at $32with reservations by the Friday priorto the program. Visitwww.Agenda:Alexandria.com.

FRIDAY/FEB. 1Family Splash Night. 6-9 p.m. At

Chinquapin Park Rec Center andAquatics Facility, 3210 King St.,Alexandria. Featuring Ferdinand T.Day and Samuel W. Tucker schools.Enjoy swimming, a floating obstaclecourse, games, relays, refreshments,music, diving for prizes and more.Different schools are featured at eachevent but all are welcome. Admissionis $4 per person upon entry. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov/Recreation.

“New Beginnings” OpeningReception. 7-9 p.m. At Del RayArtisans Gallery, 2704 Mount VernonAve., Alexandria. See artwork createdby reuse. These creations incorporatefound objects, recycled materials orolder works of art. The exhibit runsfrom Feb. 1-24. Exhibit details, plusinformation on four specialworkshops atwww.DelRayArtisans.org/event/new-beginnings.

FEB. 1-MARCH 30Art Exhibition: High School

Students. At The Gallery atConvergence, 1801 N. Quaker Lane,Alexandria. The Alexandria All CityHigh School Art Exhibition hosted bythe Convergence Arts Initiativereturns for its fourth year. This year’sexperience features more than 90Alexandria high school studentsrepresenting six high schoolsincluding public, private, andindependent. Returning for 2019’scollaborative event are students fromBishop Ireton, Episcopal High School,T.C. Williams, St. Stephen’s and St.Agnes School, CommonwealthAcademy, and The Howard Gardner


Entertainment

By Hope Nelson

Just in time for your new year’s resolutions tohave bitten the dust, Alexandria’s Winter Res-taurant Week takes center stage, allowing din-

ers from across the region to taste some of the city’sfavorite menus for a fraction of the price.

Sunday in Saigon, 682 N. St. Asaph St.The upscale Vietnamese restaurant in the shadow

of Trader Joe’s has several tricks up its sleeve for athorough Restaurant Week spread. Take a tour

through Vietnam with a three-course$35 dinner or two-course $15 lunch,both of which sport an array of optionsfor nearly any palate. Lunch comes with

a choice of three appetizers, from chicken andwoodear mushroom rolls to shrimp fritters, and aselection of four entrée options, including a veganyellow curry and a lemongrass beef noodle soup. Atdinner, the selections widen even more; with threeappetizers, four entrees and two desserts to choosefrom, diners won’t go home hungry.

Sonoma Cellar, 207 King St.The cute little tasting room and restaurant nestled

on lower King Street isn’t just a wine bar. Rather, itoffers a full-fledged menu – and during RestaurantWeek, the kitchen really struts its stuff. Diners havetwo options – a $35-per-person dinner or a $15 week-end brunch. For brunch, kick things off with a bellini,mimosa or salad; for an entrée, pick between suchtreats as a monte cristo, tater tot waffle or fajitastacos. For dinner, start off with the likes of a quinoasalad with peppers and chickpeas or a chicken torti-

lla soup to warm things up. Then onto mains yougo, selecting from such wintry comforts as beefbourguignon, crab-stuffed salmon or mushroom ri-sotto. Then finish everything off with devil’s foodcake, key lime pie or tres leches cake – or a three-ounce pour of dessert wine.

Tequila and Taco, 540 John Carlyle St.The Carlyle neighborhood’s newest taco-slinging

neighbor is entering the Winter Restaurant Weekgame strong with a three-course, dinner-for-two op-tion. Order up a margarita – not part of the special –and peruse the menu. For $35, two diners will feaston guacamole or queso to start, then move on to achoice of fajitas or any three tacos from the dinnermenu. Dessert brings with it a difficult decision: Tresleches cake, key lime pie or churros with ice cream?

Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza and Tap,401 E. Braddock Road

Del Ray’s top pizza purveyor is back for anotherRestaurant Week deal. But don’t get complacent –Lena’s special menu strays from the wood-fired pizzaand focuses more heavily on the pasta side of theequation. After a choice of four starters (includingLena’s famous giant meatball), choose from a half-dozen entrees, which range from grilled chickenalfredo to lasagna Bolognese to eggplant parmesan.To end things up on a sweet note, select from fourdesserts including tiramisu or house-made dough-nuts.

Appetite

4 Reservations to Make forWinter Restaurant Week

Hope Nelson owns and operates the Kitchen Recessionistablog, located at www.kitchenrecessionista.com. Email her anytime at [email protected].

School. Visit www.ourconvergence.org.

SATURDAY/FEB. 215th Annual Alexandria

Warehouse Sale. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. AtThe Westin Alexandria, 400Courthouse Square, Alexandria.Deemed the “Super Bowl of ShoppingEvents” (always occurring theSaturday of Super Bowl weekend),the winter deals event is free to enterand will include a variety of newboutiques and retailers not onlylocated in Alexandria, but throughoutthe Metro region. The event was thebrainchild of Elizabeth Todd (co-founder of the Old Town BoutiqueDistrict and owner of The ShoeHive). Visitwww.oldtownboutiquedistrict.com orwww.AlexandriaWarehouseSale.com.

Story Time for Little Historians. 11a.m. at the Alexandria Black HistoryMuseum, 902 Wythe St., Alexandria.Enjoy cultural stories and creativecraft activities that introduce worldhistory and folklore. Afterwards,explore the museum exhibits to learnabout local Black history. All ageswelcome, but most suitable forchildren 4 and older. Admission is $3per person. All children must beaccompanied by an adult. Call 703-746-4356.

Happy Birthday, John Carlyle: A1770s Celebration. 12-4 p.m. atCarlyle House, 121 N. Fairfax St.,Alexandria. Help wish a happybirthday to Alexandria town founder,Col. John Carlyle. Festivities willinclude 18th-century dancing, livemusic, and a birthday treat.Admission is free, but donations arewelcome. Visit www.novaparks.com.

Locals’ Alley Saturdays. 12:30-2:30p.m. at The Old Town Shop, 105 S.Union St. at King Street. Meet themakers of local goods, featuring:Ester’s Granola tasting. Call 703-684-4682 or visitwww.TheOldTownShop.com.

Seed Exchange. 12:30-4 p.m. at GreenSpring Gardens in Alexandria. Theseseed swaps are in-person and face-to-face. Bring extra seeds and swapthem with other gardeners. Everyonewill leave with a bag full of seeds,new garden friends, and expertplanting advice. $20 per person.Registration is now open atWGSeedExchange-GSG.brownpapertickets.com.

SUNDAY/FEB. 3Walking With Washington Tour. 2-

4 p.m. at Ramsay House, AlexandriaVisitor’s Center, 221 King St.,Alexandria. Explore important sitesassociated with George Washingtonin his hometown of Alexandria. Thisguided walking tour of historic OldTowne covers significant people andevents in Washington’s life and inAmerican history, with stops atRamsay House, Market Square,Carlyle House, Wise’s Tavern, DuvallTavern/Charles Lee House, Gadsby’sTavern, Washington’s townhouse,The Lord Fairfax House, the “Light-Horse” Harry Lee house and ChristChurch. Sponsored by the City ofAlexandria’s George WashingtonBirthday Celebration Committee.Free. Visit washingtonbirthday.com.

Tell Me Your Name. 3:30 p.m. atCarlyle House, 121 N. Fairfax St.,Alexandria. In 2017 Carlyle HouseHistoric Park undertook a newresearch project to improve theirknowledge and interpretation of thesite’s enslaved population. JoinMaddy McCoy, founder of SlaveryInventory Database, LLC, for anilluminating tour on the newresearch of the enslaved communityat Carlyle House. Conversation aboutidentifying enslaved individuals andtheir communities and putting thatinto a historical and genealogicalcontext. Cost is $10. Visitapm.activecommunities.com/novaparks/Activity_Search/2516 for

tickets.

MONDAY/FEB. 4Talk on Microgreens. 7-8:30 p.m. at

Barrett Branch Library, 717 QueenSt., Alexandria. Discussion onMicrogreens: What Are They, WhyAre They So Fabulous, and How toGrow Them. This class is offered byExtension Master Gardeners with theVirginia Cooperative Extension,Master Gardeners of NorthernVirginia. Free. Advance registrationrequested at mgnv.org. Call 703-228-6414 or email [email protected].

FEB. 6-MARCH 10“Opposites Attract.” At Potomac

Fiber Arts Gallery, Torpedo FactoryArt Center, Studio 29, 105 NorthUnion St., Alexandria. Showfeaturing everything Quiet and Loud,Large and Small, Smooth and Rough,Bright and Dull, Stiff and Flowing,Smiles and Frowns – the list goes onand the artists had a great timeincorporating this theme into theirwork. Visitwww.Potomacfiberartsgallery.com.

FRIDAY/FEB. 8Family Splash Night. 6-9 p.m. At

Chinquapin Park Rec Center andAquatics Facility, 3210 King St.,Alexandria. Featuring George Masonand Matthew Maury schools. Enjoyswimming, a floating obstacle course,games, relays, refreshments, music,diving for prizes and more. Differentschools are featured at each eventbut all are welcome. Admission is $4per person upon entry. Visit

www.alexandriava.gov/Recreation.The Alligator Pears. 6-8 p.m. At The

Lyceum, 201 South Washington St.,Alexandria. The Alligator Pearsfeatures Piedmont Blues music. Beerand wine for sale; light refreshmentsavailable as well. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov.

Reception and Gallery Talk:Ritualisms. 7-10 p.m. at TargetGallery, 105 N. Union St.,Alexandria. New Target GalleryExhibition contemplates theuniversality of rituals. The exhibitionjuxtaposes different artists’interpretations of rituals throughtheir work, daily routines, habits, orpersonal quirks. It also brings inbroader cultural formalities andreligious ceremonies. Visitwww.torpedofactory.org.

SATURDAY/FEB. 9ASO Presents: Mozart’s Prague

Symphony. 8-10 p.m. at Rachel M.Schlesinger Concert Hall, 4915 EastCampus Drive. New and oldtraditions collide in February with anexploration of the Classical-erasymphony. The program centers onMozart’s Symphony No. 38 “Prague,”juxtaposed with Prokofiev’sSymphony No.1 “Classical.” Theprogram will also feature soloistsfrom the ASO for Bach’s BrandenburgConcerto No. 1 and Stravinsky’sDumbarton Oaks. Adult, $20-$80;youth, $5; student, $10. Call 703-548-0885 or visit www.alexsym.org.

Locals’ Alley Saturdays. 12:30-2:30p.m. at The Old Town Shop, 105 S.Union St. at King Street. Meet themakers of local goods, featuring:Truly-Life soaps and bath products.

Call 703-684-4682 or visitwww.TheOldTownShop.com.

SUNDAY/FEB. 10Walking With Washington Tour. 2-

4 p.m. at Ramsay House, AlexandriaVisitor’s Center, 221 King St.,Alexandria. Explore important sitesassociated with George Washingtonin his hometown of Alexandria. Thisguided walking tour of historic OldTowne covers significant people andevents in Washington’s life and inAmerican history, with stops atRamsay House, Market Square,Carlyle House, Wise’s Tavern, DuvallTavern/Charles Lee House, Gadsby’sTavern, Washington’s townhouse,The Lord Fairfax House, the “Light-Horse” Harry Lee house and ChristChurch. Sponsored by the City ofAlexandria’s George WashingtonBirthday Celebration Committee.Free. Visit washingtonbirthday.com.

Tell Me Your Name. 3:30 p.m. atCarlyle House, 121 N. Fairfax St.,Alexandria. In 2017 Carlyle HouseHistoric Park undertook a newresearch project to improve theirknowledge and interpretation of thesite’s enslaved population. JoinMaddy McCoy, founder of SlaveryInventory Database, LLC, for anilluminating tour on the newresearch of the enslaved communityat Carlyle House. Conversation aboutidentifying enslaved individuals andtheir communities and putting thatinto a historical and genealogicalcontext. Cost is $10. Visitapm.activecommunities.com/novaparks/Activity_Search/2517 fortickets.

Front: IlyanaRose as the

boy Mute, andunder the

sign (fromleft): Janice

Zucker asHucklebee;

Luis “Matty”Montes as

Matt; RachelHogan as

Luisa; andStephen P.

Yednock asBellomy.

Photo by

Michael deBlois

‘The Fantasticks’The Tom Jones musical from 1960 is a tale of a boy, a girl, and their meddle-

some fathers pushing the pair together by pretending to keep them apart. The LittleTheatre of Alexandria is presenting “The Fantasticks” from through Feb. 2. Showtimes are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are$29 to $34. The venue is located at 600 Wolfe Street, Alexandria. Visitwww.thelittletheatre.com.

Calendar


News

Go Blue!In recognition of National Slavery

and Human Trafficking PreventionMonth, the City of Alexandria, De-partment of Recreation has gone“Blue.” During the month of January,“going blue” draws attention to theimportance of protecting the basicrights of freedom and to bring thosewho exploit human lives to justice.Human trafficking is the third larg-est international crime industry andthe fastest growing crime industry athome and abroad.


vehicles, Alexandria will simply morph overtime into Calcutta on the Potomac hope-lessly dense, dirty and impassible.

Jimm RobertsAlexandria

From Page 13

Letters

Noting Lee’sAccomplishmentsTo the Editor:

One of Alexandria’s most illustrious citi-zens, Robert E. Lee, was born on Jan. 19,1807, at Stratford Hall. When he was three,his father moved the family to Alexandria.His death when Robert was 11 left the fam-ily with few resources.

As a schoolboy, Robert cared for his in-valid mother and did household chores, in-cluding shopping in Market Square. The Leefamily pew at Christ Church has a silvermarker with a replica of his signature. Hisimpoverished mother could not afford col-lege tuition so he sought a free educationat West Point, where he excelled. He had adistinguished career as an engineer, evenchanging the Mississippi River’s course tokeep St. Louis a port, after others had failedto do so. He was the hero of Veracruz in theMexican War.

He married the heiress of Arlington, MaryAnna Randolph Custis. When her fatherdied in 1857, his will left the entire estateto her for her lifetime and then to their el-dest son. Lee did not inherit any slaves. Hewas named an executor of the heavily in-debted estate whose slaves were to be freedwithin five years. Without selling anyone,he cleared the debts and freed them by 1862despite other heavy war responsibilities.

Lee owned no slaves. However, Gen.Grant’s wife owned slaves until 1865.Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamationwas carefully crafted to free no slaves inUnion states or Union controlled areas ofthe South.

At its outset Lincoln declared the war wasabout saving the Union, not about slavery.Virginians had voted to remain in the Union,but after Lincoln’s call for 75,000 troops toinvade the South, they voted for secession.In 1861 the state was the primary unit ofgovernment and focus of citizens’ alle-giance, including Lee’s, although he op-posed slavery and secession.

Despite serving admirably in the US armyfor 36 years, Lee is best known as a generalin the Confederate army. Because secessionwas legal, he was not a traitor any morethan Washington who also fought for inde-pendence. Because Lee is an Alexandrian,it is especially regrettable that public offi-cials, clergy, teachers and citizens misstatethe facts about him. We all should knowand disseminate the truth.

Lee’s name is synonymous with integrity.One example is his refusal to accept $10,000from the New York Life Insurance Co.merely for use of his name; at the time hewas destitute and the sole support of hisinvalid wife and three adult daughters.American and European military academiesstill study his innovative battle strategies.He is one of only two men in recorded West-ern history to have been offered a top com-mand by opposing sides in the same war.Read a biography to celebrate his birthday!

Ellen Latane Tabb/Alexandria

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Today, Jan. 12, 2019 is National Glazed Donut Day and the day after my most recent post-scan appointment with my oncologist. A day when, if I’m lucky – as I have been for the past 10 years – my world will change for the better (donut consumption notwithstanding). However, the ‘world’ to which I refer is one fraught with danger and offers no more guarantees than I’ve been accustomed to.

To invoke the late, great Rod Serling: I am now entering “The Immunotherapy Zone.”

Yes, a brand new – for me – treatment protocol: new drug, new side effects, new frequency, new lifestyle/fewer hassles (potentially), and most impor-tantly: shrinkage (possibly), of my tumors, especially my “Adams Apple” tumor, as I’ve come to nickname the mass just below my Adams Apple (which is sort of bothering me, if you want to know the truth).

The nature of cancer treatment as I’ve experi-enced it – and learned from my oncologist is – if the drug is working, you continue it until it isn’t (sounds simple I know). When it stops working, you change

-cer cells are smart that way.)

Generally speaking, the cancer drug doesn’t start working (shrinking, stabilizing) after it has stopped working (growth). Over my nearly 10 years, I have switched drugs upwards of a dozen times.

Now, I am switching again: to Opdivo, an immu-notherapy drug, a class of drugs that didn’t even

and one that has only been approved for the treatment of lung cancer since 2015. A drug that, to quote the television advertisement: “offers a chance at longer life.”

And so, Team Lourie, two-thirds of it anyway,

Friday, I will be infused into the great unknown.From what my oncologist explained yester-

some potentially unpleasant side effects. However, continuing with my present infusion drug, Alimta, now that there’s been some growth, is also likely to produce some unpleasant side effects: growth and movement.

And more growth/movement is the worst side effect, relatively and comparatively speaking. So we

cancer works). If we opt for Opdivo, maybe there won’t be growth, and maybe there might even be some shrinkage (the good kind).

As for lifestyle changes, there are, according to my oncologist, some quality of life improvements as well, or at least, more weeks in the month when potentially I’ll be less impacted by my disease/treatment. Which along with my quality of life has always been a concern of my oncologist.

And, without getting into the details, I’m ready for a change.

-age and fewer/different side effects (some patients report few side effects from Opdivo), I wouldn’t say switching to an immunotherapy drug was enticing/a “no-brainer,” but it does offer an alternative of sorts. And given where I’ve been treated from and where I’ll be treated now, I am ready for something different.

improve my life or it could make matters worse, a ‘worse’ from which quite frankly I might not recover (do you remember my yo-yo down-the-stairs visual from a few columns ago?). And I am familiar, unfor-tunately, with some less-than-encouraging accounts of patients not faring so well.

I just hope there’s not a hole in my thinking. Oh wait. That’s a hole in my donut. No worries. I’m happy to buy the donut and I never complain about the hole. That’s the trade-off. I’m hoping, given the

trade-off with side effects. My philosophy has always been to take the good

with the bad – and vice versa, and after almost 10 years of rolling with the punches, I see no reason to change now.

What To Right About


ALEXANDRIA TOYOTA

FOR YOUR TOYOTA

WELCOME TO ALEXANDRIA TOYOTA’SPERSONALIZED CAR CARE EXPERIENCE

SPECIAL SAVINGS

1/31/19.

1/31/19.

1/31/19.

1/31/19. 1/31/19.

1/31/19.

1/31/19.

1/31/19.

1/31/19. 1/31/19.

alexandria gazette packet - ellington...

Documents