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Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ January 10-16, 2019 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Serving Alexandria for over 200 years • A Connection Newspaper January 10, 2019

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By Dan Brendel

Gazette Packet

City staff are solicitingfeedback this monthfrom the Planning Com-

mission and City Council on along-range planning program,which will inform the citymanager’s FY 2020 budget pro-posal.

Every year the city’s departmentof planning and zoning puts for-

ward the Interdepartmental Long-Range Planning Work Program,which prioritizes city planning ef-forts, especially as they relate toland use. The FY 2020 draft de-scribes and sequences 69 projects,plans, studies and policy initiativesthrough FY 2021. These itemscross departmental boundaries —especially between planning andzoning, transportation and envi

City government’s draft planningdocument will influence FY 2020budget and beyond.

Prioritizing Planning Efforts

City government planning efforts over coming years — including in relation to Ama-zon and Virginia Tech coming to National Landing — focus on neighborhoods in the“Growth Crescent.”

See Prioritizing, Page 9

See Newly Elected, Page 20

By Dan Brendel

Gazette Packet

The 16 members of the City Coun-cil and School Board, who to-gether exercise local legislativeauthority, began their terms with

the New Year.The new council, including three incum-

bents and four freshmen, all Democrats,

took their oaths of office at an installationceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 2.

“We have really, really big things aheadof this council and ahead of this commu-nity,” including major infrastructure invest-ments, said Mayor Justin Wilson. He out-lined three principles that he hopes willguide the new council’s decision-making:

❖ First, growth that benefits everybody.“Conflict about growth and development is

really the lifeblood of controversy in localgovernment. For us in Alexandria, this isnot really a choice about whether or wegrow or not. … The question for us iswhether we can chart a path of inclusivegrowth.”

❖ Second, economic sustainability. “Wemust build an economy in Alexandria thatcan provide for the services that our resi-dents expect and demand. … A develop-

ment decision is also a decision about pub-lic safety, … schools, … human services.”

❖ Third, bold experimentation. “We don’tchart the course of inclusive growth with-out trying things differently. We don’t re-calibrate an economy that’s been predicatedon a steady growth of federal spending thatis not occurring anymore without trying

Newly elected City Council andSchool Board members take their posts.Taking Control

After taking the oath of office, the new City Council take an Ethics Pledge. From right to left: Mohamed “Mo” Seifeldein, Amy Jackson, Vice MayorElizabeth Bennett-Parker, Mayor Justin Wilson, Redella “Del” Pepper, John Taylor Chapman, Canek Aguirre.

2 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ January 10-16, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com


NewsAlexandria Gazette Editor Steven Mauren

703-778-9415 or [email protected]

By Jeanne Theismann

Gazette Packet

If bigger is better, thenCES 2019 is the placeto be. Taking placeJan. 8-11 in Las Vegas,

the world’s largest technol-ogy show debuted a 219-inch MicroLED display fromSamsung, the diminutive bycomparison 98-inch 8k TVfrom Sony, and a flexibleOLED screen from LG.

Early show buzz centeredaround concept vehicles likethe Hyundai Elevate, a con-cept “walking car” that usesarticulated legs to navigateoff road, and the Bell Nexus,a concept design for a hybridair taxi, while the battle be-tween the artificial intelli-gence devices from Amazonand Google heated up.

“AI is opening up a lot ofpossibilities in accessibletechnology, “said Alexandriaresident Douglas Goist.Goist, who is blind, servedfor many years on the city’sCommission on Persons WithDisabilities, and uses tech-nology to navigate a varietyof daily tasks.

“From screen readers to ar-tificial intelligence andsmartphone software, tech-nology will continue to im-prove the lives of those withdisabilities,” he added. “I justarrived but am excited to see

By Dan Brendel

Gazette Packet

City Council filled three openseats on the Planning Commis-sion with two incumbents and

one new face, out of a pool of 17 appli-cants, on Tuesday, Jan. 8.

Planning Commission “is one of themost important appointments that the

council makes,” said Mayor Justin Wilson.The commission comprises seven citizens,

who influence development and land usedecisions; make recommendations to coun-cil; and exercise approval authority overproperty subdivisions and “by right” devel-opment site plans. The commissioners servestaggered four-years terms.

Council unanimously re-appointed incum-bents David Brown and Stephen Koenig.

Brown is a lawyer who’s lived in Alexandriafor 33 years. Koenig is an architect who’slived in Alexandria for 37 years. Both com-missioners now enter their second terms.

Council appointed John Goebel by a 6-1 voteto fill the third vacancy. Mary Lyman, the in-cumbent who had filled that seat, reached herterm limit and so could not reapply.

Goebel is an architect with a LEED ac-creditation who’s lived in Alexandria for 7

years and served two partial terms onthe Old and Historic Alexandria DistrictBoard of Architectural Review.

Councilman John Chapman gave histhird vote to James Spencer, an architectwho’s lived in Alexandria for 17 years.

Other applicants included architects,lawyers, a retired professor, a retiredjournalist, the head of a religious non-profit, and various other professionals,especially government-related.

For more, visitwww.alexandriava.gov/Planning.

Brown, Koenig reappointed; Goebel fills third vacancy.

City Council Fills Planning Commission Seats

what is new in accessibility tech-nology this year.”

According to Gary Shapiro,president and CEO of the Arling-ton-based Consumer TechnologyAssociation, which produces CES,the technology trends to watchthis year include AI, or artificial in-telligence, Smart Home technol-ogy, digital health, Esports andsports technology, and Smart Cit-ies resilience.

“The U.S. is beginning a trans-formation that will create lucrativebusiness opportunities for many,”Shapiro said in his opening re-marks. “5G is coming, which willallow a fast data stream andincentivize new services that crossthe borders of all tech sectors.”

Shapiro noted that 5G, which isexpected to become available inlate 2019 and early 2020, will bethe backbone for the smart cityinfrastructure that will help cities

be more resilient in copingwith unforeseen disasters.

“5G will also fuel the con-nected home, transform digi-tal healthcare and createimmersive experiences forglobal sports fans,” he added.

Google Assistant unveiledits new Interpreter Mode,which translates live voices

into different languages with adegree of accuracy that surpassesGoogle Translate. And whileBlackberry may be out when itsome to smartphone devices, it isleading the way in security andwill license its Blackberry Securetechnology to smart device manu-facturers in a bid to make smartspeakers like Google Home andAmazon Echo, more secure.

“There’s no place like CES to seewhat the future of technologylooks like,” Goist said. “It bringsto reality previously unimaginedpossibilities that will improve thelives of people around the world.”

Welcome to the Future CES looks to the future of technology.

Samsung debuted The Wall, an ultra-wide219" MicroLED display with no bezels,during opening day of CES in Las Vegas.

The Hyundai Elevate, a concept vehicledubbed the “walking car,” uses articu-lated legs to navigate off-road followingfloods, fires, earthquakes and othernatural disasters.

Alexandria resident Douglas Goist, right,checks out an Alexa-enabled communica-tions handset from Richard Hall-Smith ofSGW Global at the Showstoppers pressevent on opening day of CES 2019. Theannual technology show runs through Jan.11 in Las Vegas.

Kwilt CEO Marc-Antoine Benglia demon-strates the interface that turns any harddrive into a personal cloud server Jan. 8 atthe Showstoppers press event at CES inLas Vegas.

The BellNexus is aconceptdesign for ahybrid elec-tric air taxi.

“AI is opening up a lotof possibilities inaccessible technology.”

— Alexandria residentDouglas Goist

Photos by John Bordner/Gazette Packet


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See Cash Bail, Page 22

News

The Alexandria Police Department isinvestigating a bomb threat atFrancis Hammond Middle School

in the 4600 block of Seminary Road. As itoccurred during arrival on Tuesday, Jan. 8,buses were rerouted to another location.

The Alexandria Police Department andthe Alexandria City Public Schools havebeen dealing with a series of these 911

hang-up calls recently. While this call wassimilar to previous calls, police response isthe same: full investigation of the property.

By 11:37 a.m., police finished checkingthe school and released the scene back toAlexandria City Public Schools personnel.Students were set to return to Hammondafter being fed lunch at T.C. Williams HighSchool.

Bomb Threat Re-routes Students

Bryan Porter, Commonwealth’s Attor-ney for the City of Alexandria, saidthat, effective immediately, his assis-

tants will no longer recommend that cashbail be required in any misdemeanor case.Instead, his assistants will recommend thatthe accused be released on personal recog-nizance with attendant conditions such aspretrial supervision unless the person pre-sents a substantial danger to the commu-nity or there is significant evidence that theperson is unlikely to appear for trial.

“There is no reason why an accused citi-zen should be required to post a cash bondfor a low-level, non- violent offense,” Por-ter said. “For example, an indigent citizencharged with trespassing should not lan-guish in jail before trial because he cannotafford to pay a bondsman to post a $500cash bond on his behalf. In these cases, thelaw prefers that the accused citizen be re-

leased on his or her promise to appear.“I note that my office has a duty to pro-

tect the citizenry. In cases where the accusedposes a significant risk to the community,such as stalking, sexual battery or offensesinvolving a firearm, or in cases where theaccused has demonstrated that he or she isunlikely to appear for trial, my office re-tains the ability to recommend that bail notbe granted pending trial.

“I am particularly interested in review-ing the forthcoming report on the pretrialprocess that is being prepared by the Vir-ginia Crime Commission, which is describedas a ‘comprehensive’ study. I will consideradditional changes to our bail practices af-ter this report is released.

“I also note that a robust, well-fundedpretrial supervision program is a requisitepart of our new policy. While I commend

Change in Cash Bail Policy


People

Sam Mondry-Cohen, director of Re-search and Development for theWashington Nationals, will be the

featured speaker at the AlexandriaSportsman’s Club annual Baseball NightJan. 16 at the Old Dominion Boat Club.

Mondry-Cohen enters his 11th seasonwith the Washington Nationals in 2019and fifth season in his current position.As director of Research and Develop-ment, he leads the front office’s analysisof baseball data, working with the R&Dgroup of analysts and developers on

batboy in the visiting clubhouse of the SanFrancisco Giants. The San Francisco nativeresides in Washington, D.C. where he sits onthe board of directors for the WashingtonLegal Clinic for the Homeless.

The annual ASC Baseball Night is free andopen to the public. It will be held Jan. 16 atthe Old Dominion Boat Club in Old Town(200 Strand St.). Complimentary light din-ner and refreshments begin at 6:30 p.m. Themeeting starts at 7:15 p.m. with awards forthe Athletes of the Month followed by apresentation and Q&A with Mondry-Cohen.www.alexandriavasports.org.

— Jeanne Theismann

Nats’ Mondry-Cohen to be guest speaker.

ASC Baseball Night Set for Jan. 16

By Jeanne Theismann

Gazette Packet

The National Inventors Hall ofFame used the opening day ofCES, the world’s largest celebration of technology and innova-

tion, to announce its class of 2019 honor-ees Jan. 8 in Las Vegas.

The Alexandria-based organization re-vealed the names of 19 individuals repre-senting 12 different inventions who will behonored May 1-2 at a formal induction cer-emony in partnership with the United StatesPatent and Trademark Office.

From the landing craft used in the D-Dayinvasion to the portable handheld powerdrill and fluoride toothpaste, the inventions

Sam Mondry-Cohen, director ofBaseball Research and Develop-ment for the Washington Nation-als, will be the featured speakerat the Alexandria Sportsman’sClub annual Baseball Nightmeeting Jan. 16 at the OldDominion Boat Club.

projects including projection of player per-formance, strategic planning and depart-ment-wide baseball systems.

Mondry-Cohen was promoted to his cur-rent role after spending the 2014 season asthe manager of baseball analytics. He spentfour seasons (2010-2013) as an analyst inbaseball operations working directly forAdam Cromie.

A 2010 graduate of the University of Penn-sylvania, Mondry-Cohen began his career withWashington as an intern in baseball opera-tions in 2009. From 2004-08, he worked as a

Pho

to

co

ntributed

represent innovations that have signifi-cantly impacted technology around theworld.

Attending the event were 2019 inducteeWilliam Warner, inventor of digital non-lin-ear video editing; Nicole Black, winner ofthe recent Collegiate Inventor Competition;and Steve Sasson, inventor of the digitalcamera and a 2011 NIHF inductee.

This year’s inductees include: ChiekoAsakawa - Home Page Reader Web Browserfor the Blind and Visually Impaired; JeffKodosky and James Truchard - Virtual In-strumentation – LabVIEW; RebeccaRichards-Kortum - Medical Devices for Low-Resource Settings; Dennis Ritchie (Posthu-mous) and Ken Thompson - UNIX Operat-ing System; Edmund O. Schweitzer III -

Digital ProtectiveRelay; David Walt- Microwell Arrays(genetic analysis);William J. Warner- Digital NonlinearEditing System;John Baer, Karl H.Beyer Jr., FrederickNovello and JamesSprague — Thiaz-ide Diuretics/Ch loro th iaz ide

NIHF announces 2019 inductees.Inspiring Minds

Chieko Asakawa John Baer Karl Beyer Duncan Black Alonzo Decker Andrew Higgins Jeff Kodosky Joseph Lee

Joseph Muhler WilliamNebergall

FrederickNovello

RebeccaRichards-Kortum

Dennis Ritchie EdmundSchweitzer

James Sprague Ken Thompson

Bread Machines (posthumous); JosephMuhler and William Nebergall — StannousFluoride Toothpaste (posthumous).

For more information on the inducteesand their inventions, visit www. Invent.org.

James Truchard David Walt William Warner

Photos contributed

(posthumous); S. Duncan Black and AlonzoG. Decker - Portable Hand-Held ElectricDrill (posthumous); Andrew Higgins -Higgins Boats LCVP Landing Craft, Vehicle,Personnel (posthumous); Joseph Lee -


See Where State, Page 13

News

By Dan Brendel

Gazette Packet

Alexandria’s state delegation andCity Council are pushing legisla-tion for school investment, voting reform, and gun restrictions,

among other initiatives, at the state’s 2019

General Assembly, which convened thisweek.

The General Assembly kicked off onWednesday, Jan 9 and will conclude on Sat-urday, Feb. 23. Legislators will decide onGov. Ralph Northam’s (D) proposed amend-ments to the FY 2019-2020 biennial bud-get. Northam’s proposed adjustments in-

clude numerous that are “of interest” toAlexandria, according to a memo from CityManager Mark Jinks. For instance: $25 mil-lion in state bonds for Alexandria’s sewerupgrades; a 2 percent pay bump for publicschool teachers; about $160 million for vari-ous education investments; $19 million inone-time money to the state’s Housing Trust

Fund.The assembly will also decide on some

500 bills and resolutions submitted so farby state senators and house delegates. Thethree senators and two delegates whosedistricts include parts of Alexandria havetogether so far introduced 44 bills or reso

General Assembly convenes;state and local legislators weigh in.Where State and City Intersect

Shaping the City: How Planning Commission VotedHere’s what the Planning Commission decided at its January meeting, held Thursday Jan. 3. All commissioners were present. For more, visitwww.alexandriava.gov/Planning.


ronmental services, parks and recreationand housing.

“This is probably one of the most impor-tant items we hear all year, because it re-ally does specify where the priorities aregoing to be in terms of placing an emphasison planning activities,” said Nathan Macek,the Planning Commission’s vice chair, attheir meeting on Thursday, Jan. 3.

The FY 2020 draft highlights priority ef-forts under four headings:

❖ Amazon HQ2 & Virginia Tech Innova-tion Campus: includes updating plans forOakville Triable, North Potomac Yard, DelRay and Arlandria, in preparation for Ama-zon and Virginia Tech to Crystal City andAlexandria;

❖ Equity & Affordable Housing: includesstudying the potential for inclusionary zon-ing (flat rate affordability requirements fornew development) and accessory dwellingunit (“granny flat”) policies;

❖ Mobility Initiatives: includes optimiz-ing the city’s bus system, updating the city’sTransportation Master Plan (chapters onstreets, traffic management and parking),and installing “smart” transportation tech,such as adaptive traffic signals;

❖ Continuation of transit corridor &growth crescent planning: includes plan-ning for development near Metro stations

and dedicated bus lanes, especially as pend-ing on Duke Street.

Other major efforts include LandmarkMall re-planning, slated for a public hear-ing in April; revising Resolution 830 (pub-lic housing preser-vation and tenantrelocation), the En-vironmental ActionPlan and GreenBuilding Policy, allslated for publichearings in June;revising zoning re-quirements foropen space in newd e v e l o p m e n t ,slated for a publichearing next win-ter; and the JointCity-Schools Facili-ties Master Plan,which would aimto align and potentially consolidate wherefeasible the two bodies’ public facilities in-vestments, slated for a public hearing in thefall of 2020.

Certain efforts would require new fund-ing — $800,000 in total — in what the draftcautions is “a very fiscally challenging bud-get environment.” It’s too early to predictwhich initiatives would likely make the FY2020 budget cut, according to planning and

zoning’s Karl Moritz. City Manager MarkJinks is reviewing all city departments’ bud-get submissions. The Planning Commission’sand council’s input this month on the draftlong-range program will inform Jinks’

prioritization in hisforthcoming bud-get proposal, saidMoritz.

Discussion at lastThursday’s Plan-ning Commissionmeeting touchedrepeatedly on theissue of housingaffordability. Re-lated feasibilitystudies in the FY2020 draft areamong those thatwould require newmoney.

“There is a lot ofinterest in whether or not there is a con-strained supply of approvable, buildablehousing units in the region, compared tothe number of jobs that are expected. Theplanning directors and housing directorsthroughout the region are studying thatright now through the Council of Govern-ments,” a regional body, said Moritz.

The metropolitan area must add 690,000housing units — 115,000 over what’s cur-

rently assumed — by 2040 to accommodateworkers for forecasted new jobs, accordingto Council of Government figures releaselast fall. For its part, Alexandria would haveto add some 35,000 new units — around50 percent more than its current supply.

While housing supply for jobs “is a dis-tinctly different question than the supplyof housing affordability” specifically, “sup-ply constraints can drive up the cost, andthat’s a negative,” said Moritz.

“The affordability challenges we have inthis city are among our greatest, and if wehave the option to be exploring new toolsto address that, … we would really wantto,” said Planning Commissioner StephenKoenig.

“I’m particularly concerned aboutArlandria,” said outgoing Planning Commis-sion Chair Mary Lyman. “Now that it hasAmazon looming over it, that concern is in-creased. It has been a nice little nest of af-fordable housing in the city. … It also addsto the city’s diversity. It’s got a real bit of eth-nic flavor to it that you don’t find in otherparts of the city, and I think it would be ashame if it got overdeveloped and gentrified.”

City Council will discuss the draft long-range program at a retreat tentativelyscheduled for Saturday, Jan. 26. Council willconsider the final work program for ap-proval in May. Find more atwww.alexandriava.gov/Planning.

From Page 1

Prioritizing City Planning Efforts, ResourcesNews

“The affordabilitychallenges we have in thiscity are among ourgreatest, and if we have theoption to be exploring newtools to address that, …we would really want to.”

— Planning CommissionerStephen Koenig.


Wish ListOpinion

See Letters, Page 11

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Gazette PacketAlexandria

SnapshotConcrete was poured at the end of King Street on Wednesday, Dec. 26 ascrews rebuilt sidewalk and curb on the waterfront.

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ike Salm

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azette Packet

Before this session, every year for thebetter part of a decade, the most pro-found wish for the Virginia GeneralAssembly session was the expansion

of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act,which could provide healthcare to as many as400,000 poor Virginians who otherwise wereliving without coverage. Partisan obstructionprevented those people from gaining coveragefor many years.

But coverage began this month for 200,000new enrollees after Medic-aid expansion came to Vir-ginia in the last session. Itarrived with the November

2017 election and Democrats taking 15 addi-tional seats in Virginia’s House of Delegates.The prospect for more awaits in thisNovember’s election with all seats in the Gen-eral Assembly, both the House of Delegates andthe Senate, on the ballot.

So we’ll begin this year’s wish list with grati-tude that the entire Commonwealth will be

healthier for providing healthcare to the pre-viously uninsured. And a wish that we not com-plicate the coverage with work reporting re-quirements. Please.

So in the new era of new hope for action inthe General Assembly, here are some (not somodest) wishes for this session, acknowledg-ing that some may wait another year for seri-ous consideration.

❖ Establish a nonpartisan redistricting com-mission. This is urgent, as the General Assem-bly would have to act in this session to get aconstitutional amendment on the ballot in timefor a commission to be ready for redistrictingafter the 2020 census.

❖ Greater transparency everywhere. Moveto allow fewer, not more, FOIA exemptions.Require that a reason be given for any FOIAdenial.

❖ End suspension of driver’s licenses for non-payment of court costs and fines.

❖ Pass the Equal Rights Amendment.❖ Fund Community Services Board budgets.

Expand Medicaid waivers; clear the waitinglist.

❖ Fund education fairly, Northern Virginianeeds more help.

❖ Restrict predatory lending.❖ Think about reform and civil rights when

considering votes on law enforcement.❖ Involve local officials in fixing proffer regu-

lation.❖ Implement no-excuse absentee voting.❖ Limit large campaign contributions.❖ Prohibit personal use of campaign funds.❖ Require reporting on solitary confinement .❖ Push jails and prisons to adopt best prac-

tices for prisoners with mental health issues.❖ Provide a tax credit for family caregivers,

with income limits if needed.Comments? Additions? Email

[email protected] is an infinite amount of information

at Virginiageneralassembly.gov Click on “mem-bers and session” for quick links.

— Mary Kimm

Things this session of the General Assembly,beginning Jan. 9., could/should accomplish.

Commentary

OmbudsmanNeededTo the Editor:

Allison Silberberg, the outgoing mayor ofAlexandria, recently suggested that a perma-nent ethics commission should be establishedby the incoming City Council, which is some-thing the City Council refused to do during theprevious term.

Based on this past, it is unlikely that the newmayor will entertain a Citizen’s Ethics Com-mission, or (even better) an Ombudsman, sohow will Alexandria provide ethics oversight?Other jurisdictions have faced up to this chal-lenge, yet Alexandria remains mired in timid-ity, indifference and hesitation concerning

oversight of ethics.It is unfathomable that the City Council, city

staff and various boards and commissions havenever encountered ethics dilemmas, especiallyconcerning management of new developments.As an example, although there are zoning lawsthat have been in existence for years, a devel-oper need only make a quid pro quo “proffer”of $100,000 or so to Bikeshare in order to builda structure that is at variance from the origi-nally enacted zoning layout of the community.This “pay to play” brings up a number of po-tential ethics concerns, yet no one seems tocurb this business practice that has been toler-ated over the years. As the late civic activistTom Witte once said, “it is not that the CityCouncil sells out, it is that they sell out socheaply.”

For many years, I have stated that Alexan-dria needs an Ombudsman to investigate po-tential fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagementand corruption. This office would operate asan independent directorate. The head shouldbe elected to this job in a non-partisan man-ner for at least a period of 5 years. The Om-budsman should demonstrate a high degreeof integrity, and have professional credentialsin accounting, auditing, investigations andpublic administration. I would envision thatthe Ombudsman would be performing audit-ing, inspecting and generally conducting indepth investigations of the city’s programs.There is no doubt that millions of dollars ofthe taxpayers money could be saved annually.

The website of the Toronto, Canada ombuds-man says it all: “We promote fairness in Cityservices. We help the public resolve problemswith the City. We help the City serve the publicbetter. We investigate, we mediate, we findsolutions and recommend system improve-ments. We help the City to hold itself account-able in its duty to provide services that workfor people. Our work makes Toronto a betterplace to live, work, play and do business.” Isthere any reason why we deserve less?

Townsend A. “Van” Van FleetAlexandria

Vision ZeroZero BenefitsTo the Editor:

Let me introduce you to the city’s latest planfor traffic management and safety in our city.Vision Zero is an organizational concept thatstates serious traffic deaths and injuries arepreventable through proper engineering, en-forcement of rules and education of thepopulus. Their purpose is noble – namely theelimination of traffic deaths and serious inju-ries. The city of Alexandria has adopted this

Letters to the Editor


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See Letters, Page 16

Opinion

By Mary Giordano

Director, Friendly Visitor Program

For over five years, Senior Services of Alexan-dria has coordinated the Friendly Visitor Pro-gram, where on any given week, more than

60 volunteers visit a senior for an hour in their home,apartment, assisted living, or healthcare community.This program is designed to enhance the quality of

life of socially isolated seniors byproviding social interaction, men-tal stimulation, and emotional sup-port.

A volunteer who has been visit-ing a senior since the beginning of

the program said it best when she stated that, “whatbegan as a great volunteer opportunity of weeklyvisits quickly became a special friendship.” A perfectexample of how these friendships develop is that ofMJ with her friendly visitor volunteer and SeniorServices staff member, Mary Anne, and her Grocer-ies to Go grocery delivery volunteer, Suzan. MJ haslots of interesting stories to tell about her 30-yearcareer with the Air Force supporting generals andother high-level military personnel while living inGuam, Germany, Spain, Belgium, and Washington,D.C. She recently exclaimed how happy she is to havenew, younger friends in her life.

Another example of a friendship resulting from thisprogram is Mr. G., a veteran, and Reed, a young U.S.Air Force officer. They talk about their experiencesin the military, love of travel, and watch Westernmovies together — Reed said he has learned moreabout John Wayne than he ever thought possible.They both have commented that they look forwardto their weekly time together.

If you know of a senior living in Alexandria who

Become a Friend to a Senior

Friendly Visitor/Groceries to Go trio:MaryAnne, MJ and Suzan.

Friendly Visitor pair: Mr. G and Reed.

Senior

Services of

Alexandria

would benefit from this program or have an interestin volunteering with the Friendly Visitor Program,contact me at 703-836-4414, Ext. 120 or email [email protected].


From Page 10

plan of pedestrian and bicycleimplementation to evaluate andeliminate traffic deaths and inju-ries. Citizens — we don’t need it.

The city has adopted this VisionZero program as part of the city’sattempt to remove automobilesfrom our city streets. Our streetsare congested due to poor plan-ning and misplaced development— the cut-through traffic to theBRACC stifles our roads. A drivedown the quarter-mile of Quakerlane at 2 p.m. is memorable — a

full 20 minutes to complete theroute. The city’s last resort is toremove cars from the streets bymaking the congestion even worseso residents must find other modesof transportation — the bike- thescooter- the Dash Bus or walk —these are our options. This under-taking of taking cars off the roadbegins with the elimination offour-way traffic on Seminary Road— removing one car lane in eachdirection and replacing it with afull bike lane. Because the condi-tions on Seminary Road are

“treacherous and dangerous,” theroad needs to be downsized withcyclists.

To support this decision the citystates that Seminary Road isdeadly, treacherous — havingmore collisions and injuries thanany part of the city. The city hasconspired to use this as an excusein order to remove two lanes atSeminary Road when in fact —Seminary Road is one of the saf-est roads in the city. The area fromQuaker Lane to the hospital has


See Resolved, Page 22

Opinion

By Barbara S. Moffet

Animal Welfare League of Alexandria

If you haven’t committed to a NewYear’s resolution yet, the Animal Wel-fare League of Alexandria’s furry,feathered and finned residents have

some suggestions for you. To care for morethan 2,000 animals a year, including wild-life in need, the Animal Welfare League ofAlexandria (AWLA) depends on the supportof Alexandria’s citizens every day. They con-tribute half of the shelter budget, all kinds

of supplies and thousands of vol-unteer hours, both in and outsideof the shelter, to keep the facilityhumming and the animals happy

and healthy.The AWLA offers a way for just about

everyone to help improve the lives ofAlexandria’s Animals:

Adopt: The Vola Lawson Animal Shelter,operated by the AWLA, houses all varietiesof animals seeking homes and families tocall their own. The staff takes the time toget to know the animals individually andcan help you make the right match, fromenergetic kittens to quiet senior dogs,

friendly domesticated rabbits to lively para-keets and more (iguanas, anyone?). Adop-tion fees cover medical evaluations, vacci-nations, tests and veterinary care,microchipping for identification, as well asspaying and neutering. Adoption fees arewaived for adopters aged 65 and up whoadopt senior animals (eight years andolder).

To find out about animals available foradoption, stop by the shelter during visit-ing hours or visit AlexandriaAnimals.org/Adopt.

Donate: Although the AWLA receives aportion of its budget from the City of Alex-andria, donations from the communitymake up more than half of its funding.

There are numerous ways to support theshelter, including sending a check payableto the Animal Welfare League of Alexan-dria; contributions through United Way(#8372), the Combined Federal Campaign(#92767) or other workplace-giving pro-grams (CVC #8068); gifts to commemoratethe passing of a friend, loved one or com-panion animal, or gifts in honor of a friendor pet; donating items listed on the AWLA’sAmazon Wish List; and remembering theAWLA in your will. Details on these andother ways to donate can be found onAWLA’s donation information page atAlexandriaAnimals.org/support-us.

Foster: Foster caregivers are key to pro-viding extra care and attention to animal

residents who need it the most, includingpuppies and kittens, adult animals recov-ering from surgery or illness and animalswho need a break from the shelter environ-ment. Fostering can be a short- or long-termcommitment, and the AWLA’s fostercaregivers say that preparing their chargesfor the next chapter of their lives is the bestpossible reward.

Foster caregivers receive training on howto care for their particular foster animals,and the AWLA provides all the basic sup-plies and medical care for each foster ani-mal. Foster caregivers are asked to providea clean, quiet environment for their fosteranimals, and each animal housed in the safe

Resolved: To Help Alexandria’s Animals in 2019Adopt, donate,foster, volunteer.

AWLA

One of AWLA’s newest residentsundergoes a medical evaluationupon arrival.

An adoptable hedgehog namedSonic enjoys some quality timewith ALWA staff.

An AWLA volunteer socializes a catin the adoptions area of the AWLA.

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Where State and City IntersectFrom Page 8

lutions, and have signed onto many othersas well. For instance:

❖ Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-30) introduced,and Del. Mark Levine (D-45) signed onto,legislation that would decriminalize simplemarijuana possession (SB 997); prohibitdiscrimination in public employment on thebasis of sexual orientation or gender iden-tity (SB 998); repeal prohibitions againstsame-sex marriage in light of the U.S. Su-preme Court’s 2015 ruling in Obergefell v.Hodges (SB 1007, SJ 251); and prohibit themanufacture, sale and possession of devices,including “bump stocks,” designed to in-crease the rate of fire of a semiautomaticrifle.

❖ Sen. George Barker (D-39) introducedlegislation that would nearly double the

minimum instructional hours in a schoolyear for kindergarten students (SB 1278);double the number of auxiliary grants (in-come supplements) for persons with dis-abilities in assisted living or adult foster carefacilities (SB 1286); and prohibit healthinsurance discrimination on the basis ofgender identity or transgender status (SB1287).

❖ Sen. Richard Saslaw (D-35) introducedlegislation that would ratify the EqualRights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,passed by Congress in 1972 to prohibit dis-crimination on the basis of sex, but neverratified by the requisite three-fourths ofstate legislatures (SJ 270); require back-ground checks for the purchase and trans-fer of firearms (SB 1162); increase the mini-mum age that a juvenile can be tried as anadult in circuit court for a felony from 14

to 16 (SB 1263); and restrict high-interestlending practices, especially motor vehicletitle lending (SB 1266).

❖ Del. Charniele Herring (D-46) intro-duced legislation that would remove cur-rent restrictions on voting by absentee bal-lot (HB 1641); and ease restrictions on pub-lic health practitioners to provide antibiotictherapy to the sexual partner of a patientdiagnosed with a sexually transmitted dis-ease.

City Council also weighs in, especiallythrough Sarah Taylor, the city government’slegislative director. Taylor engages state leg-islators, staff and committees throughoutthe year, especially during the General As-sembly, to support or oppose legislation inaccordance with council’s interests. Coun-cil articulated those interests in its 2019Legislative Package, adopted in November,

and subsequently in positions on 79 spe-cific bills, approved on Tuesday, Jan. 8.

Council is keeping its eye on several ini-tiatives related to school construction andmodernization, though hasn’t yet endorsedany. In addition to the governor’s proposedbudget amendments, options include asubcommittee’s proposal, spearheaded bySen. Bill Stanley’s (R-20), to use Internetsales tax revenue to back bonds for schools;and legislation introduced by Del. JamesEdmunds (R-60) that would allow addi-tional local sales and use tax for schools.

Here’s a sampling of legislation that coun-cil supports:

❖ HB 1763: enable certain judges ormagistrates to prohibit a person who posesa substantial risk of injury to himself or oth

See Where State, Page 15


HomeLifeStyle

By Marilyn Campbell

For those who resolved to keep a neater, cleanerhome in the new year, the issue of how to keepit that way through December can be chal-

lenging. After the excitement of the fresh start thatJanuary offers, the reality of one’s day-to-day lifeemerges. How to keep that newly purged closet neatwhen rushing to get to a meeting on time? By Febru-ary, that cleaned-out sports bin might look a bombwent off at Modell’s. From shredding or recyclingunwanted mail each day to loading the dishwasherafter each meal, adopting a few daily cleaning tipscan help maintain that tidy home all year long.

“In general, I recommend keeping up with house-hold duties on a daily basis so none of them becomea bigger project,” said professional organizer SusanUnger of Clutter SOS.

One of the most basic tasks is making one’s bedfirst thing in the morning. “I think that kick startsyou into cleaning and organizing mode and sets thetone for the day,” said Preston Taylor of From Chaosto Order. “I also recommend keeping a dust clothnearby so that you can give your dresser andnightstand a quick dust off so dust accumulationwould be one less thing you have to worry about.”

Piles of clothing, whether clean or dirty can accu-mulate quickly and send a home in into disarray.

Dedicating five to 10 minutes every evening torehanging clothes and separating items that need tobe dry cleanedcan help prevent abacklog. “Be sureto put all clothesaway on a dailybasis rather thanleaving in a chairor floor,” saidUnger. “Cleanclothes should behung up or put indrawers and dirtyclothes in thelaundry basket.”

Taylor recom-mends tacklinglaundry everyevening if neces-sary. “If you starta load when youfirst arrive homefrom work, youwill have time todry and even foldit before you go tobed, so you’re notfaced with a mountain of dirty clothes at the end ofweek,” said Taylor.

When it comes to the bathroom, brief, daily atten-tion to detail can keep dirt from spiraling out of con-trol. Rehanging towels, and then wiping it down one’s

Keeping a homein order all year long.

Beyond the Resolution

Wiping down bathroomshowers, sinks andcounters each day canhelp keep a home tidy allyear long.

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“If you start a loadwhen you firstarrive home fromwork, you will havetime to dry andeven fold it beforeyou go to bed, soyou’re not facedwith a mountain ofdirty clothes at theend of week.”

— Preston Taylor of FromChaos to Order

shower each time you take a showerare suggestions from CarmenGarcia of CG Green Clean. “Keep acontainer of disinfecting wipes inyour bathroom and wipe down yourcounters and sink before going tobed each evening,” she said. “Alsoeach night, add a squirt of toiletcleaner to your toilet bowl, wipedown the seat and then flush thetoilet. It takes less than five min-utes to do all of this but you’d beamazed at the difference it makesat the end of the week, especiallyin children’s bathrooms.”


From Page 13

News

ers from purchasing, possessing,or transporting a firearm;

❖ HB 1646: permits any localschool board to offer surplus Vir-ginia Preschool Initiative slots tochildren who aren’t at risk, but fora fee;

❖ SJ 261 / SJ 262: removesfrom current state constitutionalqualifications to vote not havingbeen convicted of a felony and nothaving been adjudicated to bementally incompetent;

❖ SB 1070 / HB 1669: autho-rizes localities to impose tax oncertain disposable paper bags anddisposable plastic bags provided toconsumers by certain retailers;

❖ SB 1017 / HB 1850: increasesthe minimum wage;

❖ HB 1629: removes the re-quirement for newspaper publica-tion of Requests for Proposals forprofessional services;

❖ SJ 265: initiates a study onreducing the minimum recycling

rate for municipal solid wasteHere’s a sampling of legislation

that council opposes:❖ SB 1033 / 1052: establishes

that police body-worn camera re-cordings are not part of the publicrecord;

❖ SB 1038: requires the generalregistrars to verify that the name,date of birth, and social securitynumber provided by an applicanton the voter registration applica-tion before registering such appli-cant;

❖ HB 1667: imposes a statuteof limitations for a public body tobring action on a construction con-tract, including any warranty orguarantee, or a performance bond.

Learn more atvirginiageneralassembly.gov;watch video of House and Senatefloor and committee proceedingsby following the “Members andSession” link to the left. Track billsthrough Virginia’s Legislative In-formation System, lis.virginia.gov.

Where State andCity Intersect


News

The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria(AWLA) will have a canine competitor inthis year’s Puppy Bowl XV. The pup-to-pup competition airs Sunday, Feb. 3, at 3

p.m. on Animal Planet.AWLA’s Pirate storms the Geico gridiron as part of

Team Ruff as they compete to win the Chewy.comLombarky Trophy.

Pirate came to the AWLA in August 2018. While infoster care, he rallied a team of adolescent boys foradventures and some rough-and-tumble fun, and henever missed out on an opportunity to run a fewlaps around the yard … or to the bus stop at schoolpick-up time. Pirate was adopted in October and nowgoes by the name Min-Guk. His adopter says, “He is

a truly lovely, happy puppy who loves playing fetchand going on runs. Maybe his fetching and runningskills came from his Puppy Bowl training sessions.”He now shares his adventures on Instagram as@min_guk_ee and encourages others to visit his first“home team,” the AWLA to find their future caninecompanions (or even feline friends).

Pirate, along with the rest of the 93 adoptable pup-pies from 51 shelters and rescues across the country,go paw to paw and nose to nose for the ultimatematch up: “Team Ruff” vs. “Team Fluff.” Join theAWLA on Feb. 3 for a Puppy Bowl Watch Party atLena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap to cheer on Pirateand his teammates. Read more and register to at-tend at AlexandriaAnimals.org/PuppyBowlParty.

AWLA’s Pirate To Compete in Puppy Bowl XVMore 90 puppies pursue Most Valuable Puppy title.

Pirate poses for his Puppy Bowl debut.

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From Page 11

had a total of 21 accidents from 2015 to2018 (approximately five per year). Dur-ing this 4-year period there have been nofatalities — no serious injuries, there wasproperty damage and eight of the crasheswere the result of speeding or alcohol use.

Seminary Road is the safest major arteryin the city, it may need a couple more cross-walks but it is safe. Seminary Road is alsothe main carrier of cut-through traffic to theBRACC — a conduit for traffic from QuakerLane, Fort Williams, Jordan, Howard, andSaint Stephens. Removing two lanes onSeminary would be a prescription forgridlock.

We do not need Vision Zero — we do needfour lanes on Seminary Road. We certainlydo not need to be lied to when in fact thecity is safe.

Bill GoffAlexandria

Time forChangeTo the Editor:

Recently we were invited to an event atthe Departmental Progressive Club but wechose not to attend as we do not support acommunity organization that does not al-

low women to be equal members.We think this is a policy that should

change, especially for an organization thathas been in existence since 1927 and hasthe word “progressive” in its name. Also, asa predominantly African American organi-zation, we hope it will realize that discrimi-nation by gender is discrimination period,and should not exist in this day and age.

The website of the Departmental Progres-sive Club says: “Today’s membership con-sists of distinguished individuals represen-tative of practically all walks of life.” Allwalks of life, except women. This week weinducted a new City Council, half of whomare women, and we just completed a coun-cil led for just the second time in Alexan-dria history by a woman. Could any of thembe members? No. There are only auxiliarywomen members. Auxiliary means “a per-son or thing providing supplementary oradditional help and support.” Are womenjust helpmates there to provide support tomen? It is an insult that is unjust and has toend. We could not attend an event at anorganization that only sees women in thisrole.

Its website goes on to quote John Ruskinto “define the Club’s mission in the past andfor generations yet unborn ...” as “... thatmen will say as they look upon the laborand wrought substance of them. See, thisour fathers did for us.” What about their

mothers, their sisters, their wives? Is theirintention to never admit women as fullmembers? Does the Departmental Progres-sive Club get a pass because they do goodwork in the community. For us they do not.

They are the city’s oldest private socialclub, and they have 55 male members and15 Ladies Auxiliary members. That tells yousomething right there. I have known andworked with many members of the organi-zation, and I grew up down the block fromthe club. I knew my mom went to severalevents there when I was a kid and they haveheld several city council debates or forumsthere that I attended in the past. But I can-not support an organization today that isfor men only, with women in a secondaryrole.

2019 holds great promise to be the “Yearof the Woman.” Last year, from the Women’sMarch to the “Me Too” movement we ex-posed some of the injustices and injuriesthat have been done to women. This yearwe have the opportunity to right some ofthose wrongs.

We elected 36 new women to Congress,a women speaker was elected in Congressfor only the second time in history, and awomen, Del. Eileen Filler-Corn, was electedto be a party leader (and possible speaker)in the Virginia House of Delegates for thefirst time in the democratic body’s 400-yearhistory. But we are still far from parity in

either governing body. It is 100 years sinceCongress passed the 19th Amendment giv-ing women the right to vote, and next yearwill be 100 years since women were ableto exercise that right. The word “woman”does not appear in the Constitution, and thisyear we have the chance right here in Vir-ginia to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment,that would ensure gender equality for gen-erations to come. (Sign the petition atwww.VARatifyERA.com.)

We hope all the City Council members,and other leaders in our community, willbe part of this tremendous change, and willask the Departmental Progressive Club tochange its make up, to not only includewomen, but to hold them up as equals.

We are making this a public appeal as webelieve this is the only way to draw atten-tion to this issue. We trust many people areunaware of the discrepancy in the member-ship and will help to work to rectify thissituation.

As Martin Luther King said, “Injusticeanywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.We are caught in an inescapable networkof mutuality, tied in a single garment ofdestiny. Whatever affects one directly, af-fects us all indirectly.”

Tessa ReadBoyd Walker

Alexandria

Submit civic/community announce-ments at ConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos and artwork welcome.Deadline is Thursday at noon, at least twoweeks before event.

VICTIM SUPPORT SERVICESResources Available to Support

Sexual Assault Victims. The Cityof Alexandria reminds thecommunity of resources available forsurvivors of sexual assault and thosesupporting survivors. It is importantfor survivors to know that it is nottheir fault and help is available.

❖ In case of an emergency, and for life-threatening situations, always call911.

❖ The City’s Sexual Assault Center offersservices including a 24/7 hotline at703-683-7273, individual counseling,support groups, family support andinformation and referral services.

Call the hotline to access these andadditional services, or visit thewebsite at alexandriava.gov/SexualViolence.

❖ Free presentations are also availableon topics including prevention,awareness, healthy relationships,sexual harassment and bystanderintervention. To schedule apresentation for a school, youthgroup, civic organization or otherAlexandria group, call 703-746-3118.

THURSDAY/JAN. 10Speaker Series: Telling Your Story

- Leaving a Legacy. 10 a.m.-noonat Beatley Central Library, 5005 DukeSt. Senior Services of Alexandria iskicking off its 2019 Speaker Serieswith a fun, interactive program aboutexploring the idea of preserving yourown story. Historians and familiesused to have letters and diaries to

construct their family history. In aworld gone digital, how will theypass on experiences and life lessons?Come hear Anne Bolen, aprofessional story catcher, explainwhy a story matters and how to makesure it isn’t lost. Light refreshmentswill be served. Sign up atseniorservicesalex.org/event/speaker-series-leaving-a-legacy/ orcall 703-836-4414, ext. 110.

RunningBrooke’s Move2LearnSummit. 4-7 p.m. at T.C. WilliamsHigh School, 3330 King St. JoinRunningBrooke for an afternoon offun and informative learning on thedirect benefits and proven science ofregular physical activity before,during, and after school, and leavewith ideas and tools to implementimmediately. $45. [email protected] or visitwww.move2learn.org for more.

FRIDAY/JAN. 11Comment Period Extended. To

allow the community additional timeto provide input on the issues to beconsidered as part of the RPP Refreshproject, the deadline for feedback hasbeen extended to 5 p.m. on Friday,Jan. 11. The Residential PermitParking (RPP) Program is beingupdated and the City of Alexandrianeeds feedback on the top issues.Visit alexandriava.gov/ParkingStudies to complete theonline questionaire or contact KatyeNorth [email protected].

Nomination Deadline. The City ofAlexandria’s Office of the Arts is insearch of a Poet Laureate to promotean appreciation of poetry as an artform, promote creative writing andreading of literature, and promote

literacy through poetry. Theindividual will serve as Poet Laureatefor three years and receive a modestannual honorarium. Individuals cannominate themselves or benominated by someone else. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov/Arts formore.

SUNDAY/JAN. 13Application Deadline Extended.

The City of Alexandria’s Office of theArts is extending the applicationdeadline for Microgrants andCreative Partnership Grants. Thesetwo Community Engagement Grantswill provide opportunities to supportthe goals and recommendations ofthe City’s approved Arts and CultureMaster Plan. Microgrants will beawarded up to $1,000, no cash matchrequired. Creative Partnership Grantswill be awarded for $2,500,

Bulletin Board


Entertainment

Alexandria WinterRestaurant Week

For 10 days and two weekends(Jan. 18-27), 65 restaurants in Alex-andria, Virginia, will offer a $35three-course dinner for one or a $35dinner for two. More than 35 restau-rants will also offer lunch menus at$15 or $22 per person in addition tothe dinner specials. Brunch loverscan enjoy brunch menus for $15 or$22 per person at 14 restaurants.Learn more about restaurant weekat AlexandriaRestaurantWeek.com.

Photo by Jeremy Brandt Vorel

The dining room at the Majestic.

Mia’s Italian Kitchen

Vermilion

House of HamillFocus Alexandria presents The House of

Hamill. Rose Baldino and Brian Buchanan areboth accomplished traditional Irish style fiddleplayers and classical violinists, and despitebeing young, have over 25 years of writingand performance experience between them.Sunday, Jan. 13, 7 p.m. at George Washing-ton Masonic National Memorial, 101 CallahanDrive. Tickets are $18 in advance atwww.focusmusic.org/buy-tickets and forFocusMusic and FSGW members, $20 at thedoor.

Rose Baldino and Brian Buchanan

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

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.

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, theunexpectedness 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. Inthe 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, and

advocates to reimagine Virginia’sjuvenile justice system, thisexhibition provides the answer.Including virtual reality experiences,photography, murals, and interactiveaudio installations that use humantouch 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 the

jurors. Non-themed work may also beexhibited. Free admission. Visitwww.potomacfiberartsgallery.com orcall 703-548-0935.

Exhibit: Fax Ayres, Photography.Jan. 10-Feb. 24, gallery hours at TheAthenaeum, 201 Prince St.,Alexandria. 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. Fax Ayres livesand works in Charlottesville. Visitwww.nvfaa.org.

THROUGH FRIDAY, JAN. 11Science for Homeschoolers. 10

a.m.-noon at Huntley Meadows Park,3701 Lockheed Blvd. Looking for afun, hands-on way to supplement ahome school science unit? Eachsession meets for six classes. The feeis $108. Call 703-768-2525 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows-park/.

❖ 4-6 years old, begins Friday, Jan. 11,10 a.m.-noon: This hands-on classwill introduce early learners toSTEAM education (Science,Technology, Engineering, Art, andMath) with Naturalist-guidedsupport. These active natureexperiments will include use ofbinoculars, magnifying glasses andfield microscopes to deepen theirinvestigations.

❖ 9-12 years old, begins Wednesday,Jan. 9, 1-3 p.m.: Investigate earthcycles, ecosystems, and cellprocesses.

❖ 13-17 years old, begins Friday, Jan.11, 1-3 p.m.: Older scientists canjump into hands-on field workstudying natural sciences. This groupwill study aquatic ecosystems, soil,biodiversity, and wetlands.

THURSDAY/JAN. 10Grand Opening: GetFitStudio. 5-

7:30 p.m. At 227 S. Washington St.,#120, Alexandria. Come for food,drinks, gift bags and giveaways.GetFitStudio is a boutique fitnessstudio offering personal training and

small group training sessions. Visitwww.getfitstudiova.com.

Opening Reception: “Lift Us Up,Don’t Push Us Out.” 6:30-8 p.m.at The Art League Gallery in Studio21, Torpedo Factory, 105 NorthUnion Street, Alexandria. PerformingStatistics: a Project by ART180 andLegal Aid Justice Center – “Lift UsUp, Don’t Push Us Out” asks thequestion, how would criminal justicereform differ if it was led byincarcerated youth? Connectingincarcerated youth at the RichmondJuvenile Detention Center withartists, legal experts, and advocatesto reimagine Virginia’s juvenilejustice system, this exhibitionprovides the answer. Includingvirtual reality experiences,photography, murals, and interactiveaudio installations that use humantouch 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.

Blues Night with Meigs Hodge. 7p.m. at The Atheneum, 201 Prince St.An evening of traditional andcontemporary blues guitar andvocals. Meigs Hodge explores deltaand Chicago styles through the musicof Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters,and others; as well as contemporarystandards and original compositions.$10. Visit www.nvfaa.org or call 703-548-0035.

How Plants Move: a Talk byCharles Smith. 7:30-9 p.m. atGreen Spring Gardens, 4603 GreenSpring Road. Charles Smith exploresthe ways plants disperse across landand water and discusses reproductivestrategies, niche exploitation, plantcommunity composition and whatthe future may look like consideringthe fragmented condition of ourlandscape and climate change. VNPSprograms are free and open to thepublic. No reservations are necessaryfor lectures. Visit www.vnps.org/potowmack.

JAN. 10-FEB. 24Photograhpy Exhibit: Fax Ayres.

Thursday-Sunday, noon-4 p.m. atThe Atheneum, 201 Prince St. FaxAyres’ photography employs a‘lightpainting’ technique to embue hissubjects with an almost surrealquality. He sets up still life vignettesin the dark and then carefully paintsindividual components with light,assembling multiple images togetherto create the final photograph. Visitwww.nvfaa.org or call 703-548-0035.

FRIDAY/JAN. 11Americana Music by Leigh

Beamer. 6-8 p.m. At The Lyceum,201 South Washington St.,Alexandria. Born and raised inWytheville, Va., Leigh is one of theleading young vocalists in SouthwestVirginia and a skilled interpreter ofthe old-time music of Appalachia.Beer and wine for sale; lightrefreshments available as well. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov.

Opening Reception: “Destroy thePicture.” 6-8 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 Destroy


Entertainment

By Hope Nelson

The holidays are in the rearview anda new year has dawned. What todo with all the extra time now that

Santa has moved back to the North Pole andthe party invitations have dwindled? Hereare some of the city’s top picks to keep thefestivities rolling along.

Winter Restaurant Week,Jan. 18-27

Alexandria’s showcase of its best andbrightest restaurants returns mid-month forits winter edition. From old favorites suchas Chart House and Evening Star Café tonewer eateries such as Mia’s Italian Kitchen

and Sunday in Saigon, thecity’s food offerings run thegamut – for a reasonableprice. In most restaurants,

$35 per person gets you a three-course mealshowcasing the kitchen’s array of offerings.Many eateries have lunch specials, too,which run the gamut and are often muchmore affordable than regular prices. Makereservations early; Restaurant Week datestend to fill up quickly.

Government Shutdown Specialat Diya Indian Cuisine,through Jan. 11

In a show of support to furloughed gov-ernment employees, Old Town’s newest In-dian restaurant has opened its doors atlunch for free to those currently out of work.Flash your federal government ID and en-

Appetite

Some Days to Circle in Januaryjoy Diya’s lunchtime buffet for free throughFriday. The buffet runs the gamut from veg-etable dishes to more carnivorous fare, aswell as a variety of rice dishes and, ofcourse, dessert. 218 N. Lee St.

Oysters and Beer atPort City Brewing, Jan. 26

War Shore Oyster Company and Port CityBrewing have teamed up to bring a pairingof mollusks and beer to the brewery. Eigh-teen dollars lands you a half-dozen oystersplus a pint of beer; each additional half-dozen oysters will set you back $10. And inhomage to the environment, shells will berecycled by the Oyster Recovery Partner-ship. 3950 Wheeler Ave. 3-6 p.m.

Pajama Party Bingo atStomping Ground, Jan. 27

The holidays are over, a new year is uponus; it’s time to kick back in comfy clothesand take the reins on a Bingo game or two.Del Ray’s Stomping Ground is ready to hostits next edition of game night with a pa-jama party and breakfast for dinner. Yourticket price includes the meal as well asBingo cards; alcoholic beverages are avail-able for purchase at the restaurant. 2309Mount Vernon Ave. Dinner at 6 p.m.; Bingostarts at 7 p.m. $25. Reservations recom-mended.

Hope Nelson owns and operates the KitchenRecessionista blog, located atwww.kitchenrecessionista.com. Email her any timeat [email protected].

Calendar

the Picture: Painting the Void, written and editedby Paul Schimmel describes the exhibition ofthese works in Los Angeles at the Museum ofContemporary Art, 2012-2013. In the spring of2018, this work inspired Beverly Ryan to lead agroup of her students to explore destruction andre-creation of artworks from previouslyunresolved paintings. Visit www.bethesda.org/bethesda/gallery-b.

Family Splash Night. 6-9 p.m. At ChinquapinPark Rec Center and Aquatics Facility, 3210King St., Alexandria. Featuring St. Stephen’s &St. Agnes School. Enjoy swimming, a floatingobstacle course, games, relays, refreshments,music, diving for prizes and more. Differentschools are featured at each event but all arewelcome. Admission is $4 per person uponentry.

ASO Presents: Bach, Brandenburgers &Brews. 7-10 p.m. At St. Paul’s EpiscopalChurch, 228 South Pitt St., Alexandria. Membersof the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, led byMusic Director James Ross, present this specialevening of Brandenburg Concertos in theintimate setting of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.Hear the ASO’s rendition of concertos No. 2, 4and 5 with principals from the ASO featured assoloists. Stay after for a reception in Norton Hallto mingle with the musicians and enjoydelectable German food and beer. Foodprovided by Port City Brewery, the GermanGourmet and Pork Barrel BBQ. Tickets: $40/adults; $5/youth. Visit www.alexsym.org.

SUNDAY/JAN. 13Visit with President James Madison. 1-4 p.m.

at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 North RoyalSt. Facetime with History is an ongoing seriesthat allows guests to spend time with peoplefrom the past in an informal setting, much likemeeting at the tavern to catch up with friends.Guests touring the museum are welcome toenjoy chatting with President James Madisonnow that he is retired. This event is sponsored

by Gadsby’s Tavern Museum Society andincluded in the regular museum admission of $5per adult, $3 per child under 12. Call 703-746-4242 or visit www.gadsbystavern.org.

Gardening Lecture. 1:30-2:30 p.m. At GreenSpring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road,Alexandria. The Harry Allen Winter LectureSeries at Green Spring Gardens provides awealth of information for when the weatherstarts to warm. The lecture costs $10 in advanceor $12 at the door. Call 703-642-5173 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/green-spring.

Opening Reception: Fax Ayres,Photography. 4-6 p.m. at The Athenaeum,201 Prince St., Alexandria. Fax Ayres’photography employs a ‘lightpainting’ techniqueto embue his subjects with an almost surrealquality. He sets up still life vignettes in the darkand then carefully paints individual componentswith light, assembling multiple images togetherto create the final photograph. Fax Ayres livesand works in Charlottesville. The exhibition runsJan. 10-Feb. 24. Visit www.nvfaa.org.

Live Music: House of Hamill. 7 p.m. at GeorgeWashington Masonic National Memorial, 101Callahan Drive. Focus Alexandria presents TheHouse of Hamill. Rose Baldino and BrianBuchanan are both accomplished traditionalIrish style fiddle players and classical violinists,and have over 25 years of writing andperformance experience between them. Ticketsare $18 in advance at www.focusmusic.org/buy-tickets and for FocusMusic and FSGW members;$20 at the door.

TUESDAY/JAN. 15Federal Government Claims. 1-3 p.m. At

Hollin Hall Senior Center, 1500 ShenandoahRoad, Alexandria. Sponsored by the MountVernon Genealogical Society, Claire Prechtel-Kluskens, former Senior Archivist for theNational Archives, will speak about researchingFederal Government claims to gathergenealogical information. Free, open to public.


ALEXANDRIA’S NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT • SINCE 1904

734 North St. Asaph Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

703-548-1616RoyalRestaurantVA.com

Food fit for a kingon a family budget

Monday - 1/2 Price Burger NightTuesday - Kids 12 & under Eat Free

with accompanying adult. 1 child per adult.

Wednesday - Roast Turkey SpecialThursday - Lasagna Night

Friday - Fish FrySaturday & Sunday - Full Brunch Buffet

with Omelette Station

DAILY FEATURES FOR EVERYONE!

127 N. Washington St., Alexandria • 703-548-4661 Smoke-Free Restaurant

www.lerefugealexandria.com

Patio seating available

Happy New Year from all of us at Le Refuge!

Thank you for you patronage in 2018.We look forward to seeing you in 2019.

Entertainment

Americana MusicBorn and raised in Wytheville, Va., Beamer is one of the leading young vocalists

in Southwest Virginia and a skilled interpreter of the old-time music of Appalachia.Beer and wine for sale; light refreshments available as well. Friday, Jan. 11, 6-8p.m. at The Lyceum, 201 South Washington St., Alexandria. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov.

Visit www.hollinhallseniorcenter.org.Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Program. 7:30 p.m. At FairlingtonPresbyterian Church, 3846 King St.,Alexandria. The City of Alexandriawill honor the life and legacy of Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. in thecommunity program, Dr. King: WeAre All One Humanity: Where Do WeGo From Here. It will be presented bythe Martin Luther King Jr. MemorialPlanning Committee and will includewelcome remarks by Mayor JustinWilson; a keynote address by PaulGlist, chairman of the Bahá’í SpiritualAssembly; and music by the ShilohBaptist Church Men of Victory. Thisevent is free and open to the public.Visit www.fpcusa.org.

WEDNESDAY/JAN. 16Antiques Club Program. 9:30 a.m. at

Hollin Hall Center, Room 216, 1500Shenandoah Road. Joyce Ramsey willpresent a program on collectablematch holders at the Alexandria-Mt.Vernon Antique Club. She will showsome of her collections and tellingthe history of tabletop and wallmatch holders. Visitors are welcomedand may bring any match holdersthey have to show and tell. Call 703-960-4973.

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. Visitwww.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 35restaurants 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.

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.

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 attracted

many 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 at DelRayArtisans.org/event/new-beginnings.


things a little differently …. Andwe certainly don’t narrow the gapof achievement that our childrenexperience in this city withoutshaking things up a little bit. Butat the same time, we can be boldwithout pushing aside the voicesof dissent. We have to be able toagree and disagree with a smile onour face.”

“We must strive to make surethat our board and commissionsreflect our population with respectto race, gender and age, becausepolicy affects different groups indifferent ways and all voices mustbe heard,” said freshman ViceMayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker.

“It is simply a wish list, withoutthe proper funding,” said fresh-man Councilman Mohamed “Mo”Seifeldein. He says Alexandrianeeds to “make itself more attrac-

From Page 1

News

Newly Elected City Council, School Board Take Their Posts

Justin Wilson, after taking theoath of office as Alexandria’snew mayor.

tive to do business.” At the sametime, he gave a nod to labor, call-ing the unionization of local busdrivers a “victory.”

“A lot of the issues we’re facingare regional in nature. … I’m look-ing forward to, not only represent-ing Alexandria, but making surewe have a strong voice on a lot ofthese regional commissions thatwe have,” said freshman Council-man Canek Aguirre.

The new council approved theirappointments to 42 committees,boards and commissions, both lo-cal and regional, which decide orinfluence policy and funding de-cisions. Some of the more signifi-cant appointments include incum-bent Councilman John Chapmanto the Alexandria Economic Devel-opment Partnership Board of Di-rectors; Wilson and incumbentCouncilwoman Redella “Del” Pep-per to the Metropolitan Washing-

Alexandria’s new School Board: From right to left, top row:Chairwoman Cindy Anderson, Heather Thornton, Jacinta Greene, Christopher Suarez,Vice Chairwoman Veronica Nolan, and Meagan Alderton; bottom row: Ramee Gentry,Margaret Lorber, and Michelle Rief.

For more infor-mation or tocontact electedofficials usingonline forms, visitwww.alexandriava.gov/Council andwww.acps.k12.va.us/domain/852.

Veronica Nolan,over School BoardMember MichelleRief’s lone dissent.Rief said later thatshe remained con-cerned aboutNolan’s late report-ing in 2018 of cam-paign contributionsfrom 2015.

The School Boardhas not yet made itscommittee assign-ments.

ton Council of GovernmentsBoard of Directors; Aguirreand Seifeldein to the Coun-cil of Governments’ RegionalTransportation PlanningBoard; Wilson and Bennett-Parker to the Northern Vir-ginia Transportation Author-ity; and Aguirre and Bennett-Parker to the Northern Vir-ginia Transportation Com-mission.

The new School Board, in-cluding four incumbents andfive freshmen, who serve asindependents, took theiroaths of office at an installa-tion ceremony on Monday,Jan. 7.

They unanimously electedas their chair School BoardMember Cindy Anderson.They elected as their vicechair School Board Member


News

From Page 5

Cash Bailthe Sheriff for the professionalism of hisprogram, I will continue to advocate foradditional resources for pretrial supervi-sion.”

From Page 12

Resolvedand loving home of a foster caregiver meansthere is space for one more animal at theVola Lawson Animal Shelter. For those whocan’t make a long-term commitment, thefoster sleepover program offers the oppor-tunity to foster for a night or two. You canread the story of one foster caregiver’s ex-periences with weekend sleepovers on theAWLA blog at AlexandriaAnimals.org/news.

Volunteer: The AWLA is assisted by a vi-brant corps of volunteers — now number-ing more than 550 — who help with every-thing from walking dogs to socializing catsto wildlife transport and even gardeningand laundry. Volunteers provide all the “ex-tras” needed to keep the animals contentand the shelter functioning smoothly. Vol-unteering at the AWLA is a two-way street:Volunteers give their time and talent andreceive the love and affection of hundredsof animals (and humans) in return.

Onsite volunteers must be at least 18years old, although the AWLA also offersyouth volunteer opportunities, such as BookBuddies and a variety of at-home activitiesthat support the shelter animals. Frequentlyasked questions about volunteering at theAWLA are answered online atAlexandriaAnimals.org/volunteer-faqs.More information about volunteering canbe found at AlexandriaAnimals.org/volun-teer.

Still have questions about how you canhelp enrich the lives of Alexandria’s Ani-mals? Call the shelter at 703-746-4774 formore information.

The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria is alocal 501(c)(3) organization. Operating the VolaLawson Animal Shelter, which is Alexandria’s onlyopen-access animal shelter, the AWLA touches thelives of more than 6,000 animals every year, in-cluding strays, lost pets, local wildlife, rescuedanimals and animals surrendered by their owners.The AWLA is committed to addressing animalhomelessness, promoting animal welfare and serv-ing as an educational resource for the community.More information can be found atAlexandriaAnimals.org.

Bonded bunny pair Apple andBanana enjoy a bite to eat beforegreeting potential adopters.

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Not that I haven’t been down this road before, random though its occurrence may have been, but when schedules collide: 24-hour urine col-lection, pre-chemotherapy lab work, every-three-week infusion, quarterly CT scan and semi annual brain MRI; and of course the follow-up appoint-ment with my oncologist a week or so later to

More like nightmares, actually; certainly sleepless

But as you regular readers know from previous

I mean, what’s done is done (what’s scanned is scanned) and though I may not want the chips to

Not to be fatalistic, but sometimes, as a cancer patient, ceding control to the realities (you’ll note I didn’t say “inevitable realities”) is part of the

enough and if the news is discouraging, I’ll deal -

Still, all of these diagnostic demands occur-

there’s nothing to be done other than to grin (a -

ule with which my life has become all too famil-iar (I’m also not saying “consumed”), can hardly

Wanting circumstances to be different serves no

cancer-patient responsibilities into your routine

A few years into my cancer treatment, I remember meeting some of the staff at an off-

pleasantries, one staff member commended me as

Not being completely sure what she meant,

appointments inferring that some cancer patients

half-snickered and said I’d be surprised, which of

She offered no statistics or anything empiri-cal, but from her reaction, it was not an unusual

be compliant when doctors are working to save

After my initial diagnosis, I felt I had been given an assignment, so to speak; to save (at least

over the years, I’ve integrated many non-Western alternatives into my routine, so far as my primary care team (internal medicine doctor and oncol-ogist) was concerned, I’ve supplemented rather

All of which leads me to where I am today: waiting to hear from my oncologist about last week’s scans, while swallowing 60-odd pills a day, drinking alkaline water, standing in front of

possible in the hope that together, conventional and non-conventional pursuits will make my im-mune system stronger and create an environment less hospitable to the growth and movement of the cancer cells that have already been triggered

The only persistent problem I have is com-partmentalizing the presumptive fact that since I

2009, how is it that I just keep on keepin’ on? Life goes on, generally, I realize, but that’s not

The Road Very Much Traveled


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