start thinking spring now -...

Home Life StylePage 9

Hidden in Plain SitesNews, Page 3

Holocaust Survivor Shares Her StoryNews, Page 2

Start Thinking Spring Now

News, Page 3

Andre Manapsal chooses reusable plastic spoon at the Arlington Food Assistance

Center Plot Against Hunger’s 2018 Spring Garden Kick-Off on Feb. 10 at St.

Andrew’s Episcopal Church.

online at www.connectionnewspapers.com February 14-20, 2018

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2 ❖ Arlington Connection ❖ February 14-20, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

“Flourishing After 55” from Arlington Office ofSenior Adult Programs for Feb. 26- March 3.

Senior centers: Lee, 5722 Lee Hwy.;Langston-Brown Senior Center, 2121 N.Culpeper St.; Walter Reed, 2909 S. 16th St.;Arlington Mill, 909 S. Dinwiddie St.; AuroraHills, 735 S. 18th St.

Senior trips: Dover Downs Casino, Del.,Monday, Feb. 26, $28; African American WarMuseum, Tuesday, Feb. 27, $9; Riverside Din-ner Theatre, Fredericksburg, “Mama Mia,”Wednesday, Feb. 28, $61; Franklin Institute,Philadelphia, Pa., Terracotta Warriors Ex-

hibit, Saturday, March 3, $68.Call ArlingtonCounty 55+ Travel, 703-228-4748. Registrationrequired.

NEW PROGRAMS:Common foot problems with Dr. Greg Car-

dinal, Monday, Feb. 26, 1 a.m., Langston-Brown.Details, 703-228-6300.

Karaoke time, Monday, Feb. 26, 1:30 p.m.,Lee. Details, 703-228-0555.

Garden Group to meet Monday, Feb. 26, 1p.m., Walter Reed. Details, 703-228-0955.

Free legal assistance for eligible seniors,Tuesday, Feb. 27, 1 p.m., Walter Reed. Call for

appointment, 703-778-6800.Genealogy 101, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 11:30 a.m.,

Lee. Details, 703-228-0555.Recycling demonstration, Wednesday, Feb.

28, 1:30 p.m., Aurora Hills. Register, 703-2228-5722.

Art swap, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 6-8 p.m., Ar-lington Mill. Details, 703-228-7369.

Arlington Walking Club will walk in LBJPark, Arl., Wednesday, Feb. 21, 9:30 a.m., $4.Register, 703-228-4403.

Beginners line dancing, Thursday, March 1,1 p.m., Arlington Mill. Register, 703-228-7369.

Drop-in badminton games, Thursday,

March 1, 10 a.m., Walter Reed. Details, 703-228-0955.

55 + Book Club, to discuss “White Trash:by Nancy Isenberg, Friday, March 2, 12 p.m.,Central Library. Details, 703-228-4403.

Discuss four plays by Shakespeare’scontemporaries, Fridays beginning March 2,1:30 p.m., Aurora Hills. Register, 703-228-5722.

Ballroom Dance, Friday, March 2, 1 p.m.,Lee. Details, 703-228-0555.

Lee Walkers will walk in LBJ Park, Arling-ton, Friday, March 2, 10 a.m., $3. Register,703-228-0555.

“Flourishing After 55”

By Jennifer Kaye

The Connection

More than 1,100 people gath-ered in The George MasonUniversity Center For TheArts in Fairfax on Wednes-

day night, Feb. 7, for “A Historic EveningWith Eva Schloss.” Schloss, the 88-year-oldstep-sister of Anne Frank and Holocaust sur-vivor, discussed her wartime experiences,stories of loss, and her hope for future gen-erations and the World. The presentation,put on by the Chabad Lubavitch Centers ofNorthern Virginia, also included a videopresentation and a musical tribute of AniMaamin by oboist and conductor EugeneSidorov.

Before the presentation, VIP guests gath-ered for a reception with guitar musicplayed by Stanley Albert, and also were ableto sit down and speak with Schloss one-on-one while getting her book, “Eva’s Story,”signed. There was a steady flow of peoplegathering around her the entire time, tell-ing their childhood stories, discussing rela-tives they lost in the Holocaust, and askingher many questions about her experiences.

Eli Rosenbaum, U.S. Department ofJustice’s Office of Special Investigations, ledthe talk and Schloss started off with a storyabout her first encounter with anti-Semitism.

She was 9 years old and went to play withher Catholic friend after school. When shearrived at her friend’s house, the motherslammed the door in her face and told herthat she never wanted to see her thereagain.

A confused Schloss ran home to hermother hoping she could shed some lighton the situation, and her mother repliedwith “This is how life is going to be now.”

She then went on to describe in detail theyears her family was in hiding, the separa-tion of her and her mother from her fatherand brother, and the Dutch nurse who in1944 pretended to help them hide, but wasin the end a Nazi who turned them in toauthorities.

With the audience silent and enthralledthroughout the presentation, Schloss de-tailed her nine months spent in Auschwitz-

Birkenau and the last moments she saw herfather and brother. She ended her talk dis-cussing the importance of education foreveryone, and by telling the audience thatall need to look after the planet. Schlosssaid, “It’s a wonderful gift from God for usto enjoy.”

The closing remarks by Rabbi LeibelFajnland, director Chabad of Reston-Herndon, echoed these thoughts by saying,“We must become better not bitter.”

Schloss stayed quiet about her Holocaustexperiences for 40 years, and it was not until1985 that she decided to devote herself toHolocaust education and world peace. Sincethen, she has written three books, deliveredmore than 1,000 speeches and had a playwritten about her life.

Schloss is currently on a speaking touraround the United States sharing her andher step-sisters stories, hoping to educateand help end the violence and bigotry thatshe sees in the world today.

Holocaust Survivor Shares Her StoryEva Schloss, the 88-year-old step-sister of Anne Frank, speaks at GMU.

Eva Schloss answers one of Eli Rosenbaum’s questions about her lifeand experiences during the Holocaust.

Rabbi Sholom Deitsch, director ofChabad Lubavitch of NorthernVirginia, delivers the openingremarks to the audience.

Eva Schloss thanks the crowd afterthe presentation.

Eugene Sidorov takes a bow afterhis musical tribute, Ani Maamin.

Photos by Jennifer Kaye/The Connection

Arlington Connection ❖ February 14-20, 2018 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

NewsArlington Connection Editor Steven Mauren

703-778-9415 or [email protected]

By Shirley Ruhe

The Connection

The Arlington Food Assistance Cen-ter (AFAC) Plot Against Hungerheld its 2018 Spring Garden Kick-

Off on Feb. 10 at St. Andrew’s EpiscopalChurch with a morning of presentations anda social hall full of information tables andliterature. Just inside the door MarymountUniversity students were painting purpleturnips, bright yellow carrots and lush straw-berries on rain barrels for the Arlington Cen-tral Library and AFAC’s Walter Reed Garden.

Georgia Rangel, a Master Gardener internwith Virginia Cooperative Extension Ser-vice, explained the advantages of having acold frame for growing vegetables. “I caneat fresh vegetables all year round. Peoplewho are low income like I am especiallyappreciate it.” Pamphlets nearby show howto build one’s own cold frame from woodor cement block.

Tom Hayes from Edible Landscapes dem-onstrated mushroom logs. A table piled highwith seed packets encouraged visitors togrow a few extra vegetables for AFAC fami-lies. Volunteers handed out plastic reusablespoons and knives as part of their focus onrecycling yard waste and trash and on elimi-nating waste. Five-year old Andre Manapsaltook a blue spoon and then wondered,

“Where is my plate” as he spots the break-fast rolls and fruit on the nearby table.

Downstairs the speakers moved from “0-50 Starting the Garden from Scratch” to “Ir-rigation and Best Watering Practices.” Themorning concluded with an outdoor sessionin the orchard on apple tree grafting and

pruning. AFAC’s Plot Against Hunger pro-vides 2,200 families with supplemental foodeach week including fresh produce donated

by local gardeners, schools, faith-based or-ganizations and farmer’s markets who growor gather harvests for the food pantry.

Start Thinking Spring Now AFAC holds springgarden kick-off.

By Vernon Miles

The Connection

Everyone knows the highlights ofArlington’s tourist attractions:The Marine Corps and Air ForceMemorials, Arlington National

Cemetery, etc. But beneath the surface ofArlington County are countless fascinatingpieces of local history. No tourist bus willtake you to the scene of Arlington’s motor-cycle gang shootout. There’s no tourist pam-phlets commemorating how Military High-way was built over three days.

At a public lecture in Arlington’s CentralLibrary, local historian and reporter CharlieClark promoted his new book “Hidden His-tory of Arlington” and talked to a full houseabout some of his favorite stories stashedaway across the county.

“History in Arlington is a little less for-mal than in Alexandria,” said Clark. “Mostof the history here is reading between thelines.”

Clark said the county’s Civil War historyis a perfect example. While Alexandria wasoccupied by Union troops and played a sub-stantial role in the national drama, Arling-ton was more of a pass through, with a fewof its own famous residents and brief skir-mishes like the recently memorialized Battleof Arlington Mill.

Clark was born in D.C., but was raised in

Arlington and graduated from YorktownHigh School in 1971. Clark admitted someNorth Arlington bias in his writing, particu-larly around the neighborhoods where hegrew up. There are stories from around

there not marked on any official signposts,but that only the residents know. There areplaces like “Speed Hill” on Nellie CustisDrive, where teen drivers since the ‘60s havetested their speedometers on what was re-portedly the steepest hill in Arlington.

Many of the places Clark noted weren’tsecret, but were off the beaten paths.Powhatan Springs, for instance, was a vitalwatering hole throughout the county’s his-tory. According to legend, Chief Powhatan,for whom the springs are named, once heldfestivals there. It was noted on a map byJohn Smith. George Washington’s troopsdisbanded there after General Braddock’sdefeat in the French and Indian War. Butcurrently the springs are obscured and thesprings themselves are largely uncared for.

But Arlington is more than just its loca-tions. Clark also talked a bit about whatmakes Arlingtonians unique.

“Arlington is unusual,” said Clark, notingthat it was the only jurisdiction in Virginiato oppose secession and was the first to in-tegrate its schools. “It’s southern enough toidentify, but northern enough that [the DeepSouth] is exotic.”

Clark compared the local population tothe cast of the NBC show “Parks and Recre-ation,” a group of honest, do-gooders whotry their best but things still go awry. They’rea body of citizens that aren’t afraid to chal-lenge their local governance on issues,

pointing in particular to the struggle put upby local citizens last year when Arlingtonworked to relocate Fire Station 8.

During the talk, Clark also ran the gamutof minor celebrities with a connection tothe county — like Nicholas Hammond, oneof the Von Trapp children in the Sound ofMusic, who grew up in Arlington County,or Warren Beatty, Shirley MacLaine, andSandra Bullock, who all graduated fromWashington-Lee High School. One personalnote of pride for Clark was tracking downstories that golfer and tea-lemonade mixerArnold Palmer had been married in Arling-ton, despite most of his public records say-ing he was married in Falls Church. Palmerhad eloped with his wife Winnie Walzerafter her father refused to give his consent.They drove south out of Pennsylvania andClark was able to find the original marriagedocuments in the Resurrection LutheranChurch: in Arlington.

During a question and answer sessionwith the audience, several local residentsasked Clark to weigh in on various localhistorical topics. Debbie Berry asked aboutan infamous motorcycle gang shootout thattook place in 1966. It was a topic that Clark,and others in the audience, rememberedpersonally from when they were growingup locally.

Photos by Shirley Ruhe/The Connection

Marymount students decorateAFAC rain barrels.

Georgia Rangel, Virginia Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardenerintern, explains the advantages of cold frame gardening at the ArlingtonFood Assistance Center Spring Garden Kick-off on Feb. 10.

Hidden in Plain Sites Buried stories in Arlington’s pastcome to life at public lecture.

See Hidden, Page 11

Vernon Miles/Connection Newspapers

Charlie Clark


Opinion

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ArlingtonThe

Connection

2018-19 Decal DesignSchuyler Workmaster, an 11thgrader at Bishop Denis J.O’Connell High School, won the2018-19 Decal Design Competi-tion for her design, “The Arling-ton Skyline and Potomac River.”Workmaster’s design will appearon more than 160,000 vehicles inArlington County. In her DecalCompetition application, Work-master noted that her piece, “…fuses both the nature and cityaspects of Arlington. The juxta-position of the serenity of natureand the bustling city behind itshows that Arlington is bothbeautiful and cosmopolitan. Mypiece represents how differentparts of Arlington come togetherto form one community.”

NeedlessControversyTo the Editor:

The decision of the Arlington School Boardto develop criteria for the renaming of the “newelementary school at the Drew Model Schoolsite” is a most curious one.

When asked about the rationale for that de-cision, a School Board member informed theNauck Civic Association the renaming of Drewwas in accordance with board policy for nam-ing new programs. Unlike the new middleschool, new Montessori school, and the Wil-

son site building, there is no new or improvedfacility proposed for Drew … merely a varia-tion of its decades-long status as a neighbor-hood school.

More to the point, a review of board docu-ments available online revealed no mention ofa requirement/tradition for renaming new pro-grams. What was revealed was the recommen-dation by the School for Conflict Analysis andResolution at George Mason University to sepa-rate processes for renaming and naming up-coming structures: The facilitated meetingsrevealed a strong desire for continued conver-sation around these topics with an overwhelm-ing consensus that the process for renaming aschool and naming upcoming schools be sepa-rate. The community expressed, both in thesurveys and during the facilitated dialogues,combining these two topics is nearly impos-sible as these issues involved two different ide-ologies. It would appear the School Board hasdetermined the wise recommendation shouldbe ignored in favor of “doing the impossible.”

The dynamics so prevalent in Arlington areacute in Nauck — a neighborhood that is highlydesirable to newcomers with far more wealththan its traditional residents. And more oftenthan not, the newer residents are of a differ-ent race/culture than traditional residents.

Since its inception Nauck has been a com-munity that welcomes newcomers, regardlessof their resources or race. But it is also a com-munity that treasures its precious heritage.When so few Arlington schools are named af-ter African-American heroes, how curious thatthe School Board would deem it appropriateto rename one of them (especially since thatschool will simply house a “new” programrather than be a new building). While the na-tion is revisiting the appropriateness of honor-ing slave owners, the Arlington School Boardis revisiting the appropriateness of honoringblack folk. When Arlington integrated itsschools, only black kids were bused. Most spentmore than two-hours being bused to their newschools, which had a devastating impact on theNauck community and its children. How ironicthat now that Drew is about to regain its statusas the heart of the community, a name that hasstood since 1952 has been placed on the draw-ing board. The goal of the School Board shouldbe to ameliorate tensions between old and newresidents … not needlessly exacerbate them.

Jacqueline CoachmanArlington

ControllingPollutionTo the Editor:

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer just introduced a billthat would do two things that we can all cheer:Cut dangerous pollution and put money backin our pockets.

The Healthy Climate and Family Security Actof 2018 would limit emissions from fossil fu-els while also making sure that benefits go toU.S. households. The bill would require energycompanies to buy a permit for each ton of car-bon pollution they emit — with the number ofpermits shrinking over time. The revenue fromauctioning permits would then be divvied upinto equal shares and sent to every householdin a check each quarter.

Elements of this policy already exist in partsof the United States. For example, Californiahas a system for capping its carbon pollutionand auctioning permits. Here in Virginia, Gov.Ralph Northam is moving

in a similar direction to cut emissions frompower plants. And in Alaska, residents receivean annual payment from the Alaska PermanentFund, which is funded by oil revenues.

I hope Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warnertake a close look at the Senate version of Rep.Beyer’s bill and consider supporting it. We canall agree – Virginia families want clean air, asafe climate, and more money in their pockets.

Stephanie BurnsArlington

Lives AreAt StakeTo the Editor:

In Virginia, 2018 started off with the historicswearing in of Virginia’s first openlytransgender lawmaker, Danica Roem. This wasquickly followed by the approval of two non-discrimination bills by the Virginia Senate. Thetrain of progress and equality was clearlychurning for the LGBTQ+ community. How-ever, this has quickly come to a halt, as theVirginia House of Delegates subcommitteevoted down an extension of hate crimes pro-tections to include sexual orientation, genderidentity, disability or immigration status.

Letters to the Editor

See Letters, Page 10

The Pet Connection, a twice-yearlyspecial edition, will publish thelast week of February, and photos and stories of your pets with

you and your family should be submitted byFriday, Feb. 23.

We invite you to send stories about your pets,photos of you and your family with your cats,dogs, llamas, alpacas, ponies, hamsters, snakes,

lizards, frogs, rabbits, or what-ever other creatures share yourlife with you.

Tell us the story of a specialbond between a child and a dog, the story of

how you came to adopt your pet, or examplesof amazing feats of your creatures.

Do you volunteer at an animal shelter ortherapeutic riding center or take your pet tovisit people in a nursing home? Does your busi-ness have a managing pet? Is your businessabout pets? Have you helped to train an assis-tance dog? Do you or someone in your familydepend on an assistance dog?

Or take this opportunity to memorialize abeloved pet you have lost.

Just a cute photo is fine too. Our favoritepictures include both pets and humans.

Please tell us a little bit about your creature,

Send in Pet Photos Now

Editorial

identify everyone in the photo, give a brief de-scription what is happening in the photo, andinclude address and phone number (we willnot publish your address or phone number, justyour town name).

Email [email protected] orsubmit online at www.connectionnewspapers.com/pets.

For advertising information, [email protected] or call703-778-9431.

— Mary Kimm

[email protected]


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To highlight your Faith Community, call Don at 703-778-9420

DAILY EUCHARIST:WeekdaysMonday-Friday, 8:30 AMSaturday, 8:30 AM

SUNDAY LITURGY SCHEDULE:Saturday Vigil: 5:30 PMSunday: 7:30, 9:00, and 11:00 AM1:30 PM Spanish Liturgy

5312 North 10th Street,Arlington, Virginia 22205Parish Office: 703-528-6276

PARISH WEBSITE:www.stannchurch.org

All AreWelcome!

News

Construction has startedon the next phase of theWashington Boulevard Trailproject. Phase 2 will con-struct a 10-foot-wide pavedbicycle and pedestrian trailalong the west side of Wash-ington Boulevard (Route 27).The new trail section will linkwith the Phase 1 trail sectionbuilt between Arlington Bou-levard and Walter ReedDrive.

Night and weekend workis expected periodicallythroughout the project andwill take place between 10p.m. and 5 a.m. These hourswill occasionally be ex-tended.

Partial lane closures will bein place at night, reducingtraffic to one lane in thesouthbound direction. Therewill be no impacts to north-bound traffic.

For more information, visit https://

Phase 2 Begins on Trail Project

Phase 1 of the Washington Boulevard Trail, built in 2010,links the Arlington Boulevard Trail to the Penrose neighbor-hood near the Sequoia Plaza office center.

Officers from the Arlington County Police Depart-ment responded to Yorktown High School at approxi-mately 9 a.m. on Feb. 9 for the report of a CPR inprogress. Upon arrival, it was determined that a stu-dent was found unresponsive in a restroom. Arling-ton County Fire Department medics transported thestudent to Virginia Hospital Center in critical condi-tion. This incident is being investigated as self-in-flicted.

While this remains an active investigation, police

said there is no known threat to the school commu-nity. The police requests that anyone with informa-tion regarding this incident contact Detective R.Munizza at 703-228-4171 [email protected]. To report informationanonymously, contact the Arlington County CrimeSolvers at 866-411-TIPS (8477).

If you or someone you know is struggling or incrisis, help is available through the Crisis Link Hotlineat 703-527-4077.

Police Investigate Incident at Yorktown High School

Police responded to Arlington County Fire Station#2, located in the 4800 block of Wilson Boulevard,at approximately 4:25 a.m. on Feb. 11 for the reportof a narcotics violation. Upon arrival, it was deter-mined that prescribed medication had been removedfrom the victim’s personal belongings within the firestation.

During the course of the investigation, a suspectdescription was developed based on evidence locatedat the scene and witness interviews. Following aninterview with police, Stephanie Desai, 36, of Alex-

andria, was arrested and charged with possession ofSchedule II narcotic, possession of Schedule IV nar-cotic and petit larceny. She was released on an unse-cured bond.

Representatives with the Arlington County FireDepartment continue to cooperate with the ongoingpolice investigation. Firefighter Desai, a two-year vet-eran of the agency, has been placed on administra-tive leave without pay pending the outcome of thecriminal investigation and an internal investigationconducted by the Fire Department.

Firefighter Charged with Narcotics Offenses

projects.arlingtonva.us/projects/washington-boule-vard-trail/


Entertainment

By Steve Hibbard

The Connection

Encore Stage & Studio is present-ing its production of Disney’s “TheLion King Jr.,” running Feb. 16-25, at Kenmore Middle School

Theatre. In this adaptation of the Disneyanimated film, 32 cast members bring thestory of Simba and his friends to life withthe aid of puppets. The young and carefreelion cub faces serious consequences thatforce him to flee his kingdom, leaving hiscruel uncle Scar to rule in his place. Withthe help of his new friends Timon andPumbaa, Simba learns the joys of “HakunaMatata,” or “no worries,” until his pastcatches up with him.

“It’s all about the family and the Circle ofLife in the first song, so it begins the playand ends the play,” said co-director SusanKeady who co-directed with Martha GraceMoore. “It’s about growing up, the family,and the responsibilities to the family —learning about responsibility to others. Un-derstanding good and evil.” In this “Jr.” ver-sion, she said the musical keys get adjustedbut the time stays the same.

Keady said the show appeals to audiencesranging in age from 4 to 90. “There’s a cer-tain appeal to everybody to watch the chil-dren develop a piece about good and evil,making responsible choices, learning frommistakes, learning why parents tell them notto do things — because the lion cubs goagainst the boundaries that are set for them.Like a lot of children, they have to sufferthe consequences and they learn from theirmistakes,” she said.

She said the show is a large-scale Disneyproduction, but they have limited resources,so they had had to be creative with whatthey present; they started rehearsals in Oc-tober. “There’s 32 cast members and all ofthem have costume changes, so there’s over100 costume pieces,” she said. “Our cos-tume designer is very resourceful and able

Encore Stages ‘The Lion King Jr.’32 young actors toperform Disneyclassic Feb. 16-25.

The cast of Encore Stage & Studio’s production of Disney’s “The Lion King Jr.,” which runs from Feb. 16-25 atKenmore Middle School.

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

ONGOING“Lay of the Land.” Through Feb. 26,

various times at at The Barry Gallery,in the Reinsch Library at Marymount,2807 North Glebe Road. Featuringthe art of Victor Ekpuk, Shané K.Gooding and Rujunko Pugh will befeatured, along with the historicalexhibit of James Parks andcalligraphy from the series “YourState of Mind” by Felecia BriceMcFail. Admission is free. Access forindividuals with disabilities isavailable. Visit

www.marymount.edu/barrygallery.“Light Years.” Through March 4 at

Signature Theatre, 4200 CampbellAve. Eddie From Ohio’s RobbieSchaefer crafts a touching and funnyworld premiere musical portraitfeaturing Bobby Smith. A masterstoryteller, Robbie journeys from hischildhood in India to the joys andstruggles of growing up, pursuing hispassion and raising a family.Entwined throughout is his cherishedrelationship with his father– and hisfather’s haunted past. Visitsigtheatre.org/events/2017-18/light-years/ for tickets.

CAMPSArlington’s summer camp

registration starts Wednesday, Feb.

14, 7 a.m. Children can become aWellness Warrior or explore a fullday of gymnastics fun while teensenhance nutrition skills in theFabulous Fun Fixin’ Foods camp orcompletes nature adventures. And ofcourse, Arlington offers classiccamps. Arlington County hasofferings to fit different skills,hobbies and interests for a variety ofages and abilities. Learn more aboutArlington’s summer camps atparks.arlingtonva.us/programs/summer-camps/.

WEDNESDAY/FEB. 14Singing Valentunes. Potomac

Harmony Chorus is delivering singingValentine phone grams. Quartets areavailable to sing two lively

Valentunes from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and6-9 p.m. $20 for two songs. Call 703-764-3896 to schedule.

We Love Animals. 4-5 p.m. at GulfBranch Nature Center, 3608 N.Military Road. Ages 6-10. HappyValentine’s Day! Which animal at thenature centers – or in the wholeworld – do you love the most? Comeshow your love by making them avalentine, and learn ways you canhelp them in the wild. Forinformation: 703-228-3403. $5.#622828-G. Register atregistration.arlingtonva.us.

“Princess Bride” and LiveComedy. 7 and 9:45 p.m. atArlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse,2903 Columbia Pike. Join ACDH forone of the classic cult love stories,“The Princess Bride” plus live comedy

for an ‘inconceivable’ Valentine’s Day.$10. Visitacdh.arlingtondrafthouse.com/.

FRIDAY/FEB. 16Celebrate the Chinese New Year.

6-7:30 p.m. at Long Branch NatureCenter, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road.Register children and adults; childrenmust be accompanied by a registeredadult. Meet some live animals, makeNew Years and dragon crafts, thentake a short hike with paper popper“firecrackers” to chase away the NewYear’s beast Nian. $7. #622958-Q.Register atregistration.arlingtonva.us, or call703-228-6535.

to pull appropriate pieces from our costumestorage and come up with all kinds of cre-ative costumes on a small budget.”

The technical director does the same thing— she cruises Craig’s List for props, she said.“One parent found a climbing wall that weturned into a piece of scenery. We have alot of great parents who are resourceful;their contributions are very thoughtful,” shesaid.

She said the music and dancing are someof the most difficult and complex pieces thechildren have ever approached. “They’vehad to learn the phonetics of how to sing inSwahili,” she said. “The dancing has to havean African style, so the choreographer diddevelop dance that the students could stilldo … The other thing is the cast membersare animals. We had to teach movementexercises. It’s understanding how the mu-sic and dance fit together. There’s a lot ofwork that they have to take home and bringback to us.”

Jillian Michelson, 14, of Fairfax, is play-ing the role of Mufasa, the King who rulesthe Pride Lands or the savannah setting. “Hehas a strong regal personality and a lot ofthings don’t phase him. He’s very fearless,”she said.

She said it was difficult to present herselfin a fashion where she was intimidating andcaring, and to incorporate that kingly man-ner where she’s both strong and passion-ate. “My dad’s in the military, and I lookedup to him a lot because he’s able to be strongand authoritative as well as kind and car-ing,” she said.

Hannah Knittig, 14, of Arlington plays therole of Scar. “He is the evil nemesis ofMufasa and brother, and Simba is Mufasa’sson and Scar’s enemy,” she said. “Scar basi-cally wants the throne and will do anythingto get that throne include killing his enemy,his nephew and his brother.”

She said her challenge was getting intothe character of an evil animal because shedoesn’t consider herself that way. “So thatwas a little difficult to put myself into thevillain of the show. This is the first time I’mthe main villain and causing all the prob-lems and the whole story,” she said.

Amelia Williams, 13, of Arlington is play-ing the role of Rafiki. “I don’t know if Rafikiis a male or female, but she’s very mysticaland very wise and she always has a senseof playfulness to her,” she said. “She kindof looks over all the animals in the PrideLand. She’s a helper to the King that he

doesn’t know that he has.”She’s played mystical storytelling charac-

ters before but they’ve been toned down.“She has bigger actions and she’s very out-going and all over the place. Rafiki is muchbigger in that she’s not afraid to show her-self. That’s a challenge for me personally,”she said.

Keady concluded: “We picked challeng-ing pieces for this season, our 50th season,so we wanted to appeal to all the folks whohave supported us. We have original par-ents in the community who started this whostill attend our productions and we wantedthem to be happy with how we’ve come in50 years because we started our first showwith Theater in the Park at Lubber Run Parkin Arlington.”

Encore Stage & Studio presents “The LionKing Jr.” from Feb. 16-25. Show times areFridays, Feb. 16 and 23 at 7:30 p.m.; Satur-days, Feb. 17 and 24 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.;and Sundays, Feb 18 and 25 at 3 p.m. Tick-ets are $15/adults; $10/children, students,military and seniors. The venue is KenmoreMiddle School, 200 S. Carlin Springs Road.Visit the website at www.encorestage.org orcall the box office at 703-548-1154.

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Calendar


Entertainment

FRIDAY-SATURDAY/FEB. 16-17Sarah Colonna Live. Friday, 10 p.m.;

Saturday, 7 and 9:30 p.m. atArlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse,2903 Columbia Pike. Sarah Colonnafrom Netflix’s “Insatiable”, ChelseaLately and “After Lately.” $25-30.Visit acdh.arlingtondrafthouse.com/.

SATURDAY/FEB. 17Winter Babies. 10-11 a.m. at Gulf

Branch Nature Center, 3608 N.Military Road. Ages 6-10. Discoverwhy some animals lay eggs or havebabies in the cold of winter. Whoooare they? Bear with us and find outas we celebrate winter birthdays. Forinformation: 703-228-3403. $5.#622828-H. Register atregistration.arlingtonva.us.

Pola Negri Movie Afternoon. 1-3p.m. at Gulf Branch Nature Center,3608 N. Military Road. Adults. PolaNegri was a famous silent screensiren who took Hollywood by storm.Legend has it she lived at GulfBranch when it was a private home.Teens ages 14 and up are welcomed,but must be accompanied by aregistered adult. For information:703-228-3403. $5. #622848-I.Register atregistration.arlingtonva.us.

Learn To Build a Cold Frame. 1-4p.m. at Walter Reed CommunityCenter, 2909 S. 16th St. Come learnhow to get close to year-roundgardening. Participants will be ableto make their own Cold Frame andtake it home. $65 per person wishingto take home a cold frame that isready to use. Reserve space by Feb.9, 2018. Contact the VCE Hotline at703-228-6414 [email protected].

Animal Costume Theater. 2-3 p.m.at Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S.Carlin Springs Road. Ages 3 to 6.Register child only, but caretakersmust attend. Be the star of the showwhile wearing animal costumes. Actout fun and magical stories whiledisguised as favorite creatures. Forinformation: 703-228-6535. Free.#622918-Y. Register atregistration.arlingtonva.us.

Poetry Reading. 6 p.m. at One MorePage Books, 2200 N WestmorelandSt. Poets Jodie Hollander and RobertMezey in conversation. Hollanderwill read from her debut collection,“My Dark Horses.” Visitwww.onemorepagebooks.com/.

Winter Challenge Trivia Night. 7-9p.m. at St. Michael’s EpiscopalChurch, 1132 N. Ivanhoe St. Bringfriends and form a team toparticipate in an evening of trivia funand light refreshments. Non-perishable food donations and entryfees will benefit the Arlington FoodAssistance Center (AFAC). $10. Call703-241-2474 or visitstmichaelsarlington.org.

SUNDAY/FEB. 18Presidents’ Day Celebration. 12:30-

3:30 p.m. at Market CommonClarendon, 2800 Clarendon Blvd.The Nats mascots are taking overMarket Common Clarendon. Take aselfie with the Mascots and cheer asthey race on The Loop at 3 p.m. Takea free photo booth pic, enjoy freeNicecream hot cocoa, and childrencan try to win a $5 bill. Free. Call703-442-4341 or visitwww.facebook.com/events/2122237181331322/.

Lego Play Day. 1-2:30 p.m. at KinderHaus Toys, 1220 N. Fillmore St.Legos and Duplos galore spread outon tables in the new activity room forfree play. Come join the fun. Everychild must be with an adult for entiretime they are at Lego play. Adultscan play too. No babies please due tosmall pieces. Visitwww.kinderhaus.com.

Remove Invasive Plants. 2-4 p.m. atLong Branch Nature Center, 625 S.Carlin Springs Road. Adults, teens,and families ages 8 and up. Monthlywork parties are making a realdifference, with the return of fernsand wildflowers, and the animalsthat depend on them, in areas oncecovered in destructive invasiveplants. No registration required. Forinformation: 703-228-6535. Free.

Hanssen Spy Talk. 2:30-4 p.m. atLong Branch Nature Center, 625 S.Carlin Springs Road. Adults. Theinfamous spy and traitor RobertHanssen worked in secrecy allaround the nation’s capital for yearsbefore being discovered. Some ofthose clandestine affairs wereconducted in the woods of the LongBranch Nature Center. Teens ages 16and up are welcomed, but must beaccompanied by a registered adult.For information: 703-228-6535. $7.#622948-D. Register atregistration.arlingtonva.us.

Flying Squirrel Lore & More. 6-7p.m. at Long Branch Nature Center,625 S. Carlin Springs Road. Familiesages 4 and up. Register children andadults; children must beaccompanied by a registered adult.After an indoor presentation, tiptoeoutside to see these little pixies glidein for an evening meal. Forinformation: 703-228-6535. $5.#622958-F. Register atregistration.arlingtonva.us.

FEB. 22-25Fundraising: Citrus Sale. 9 a.m.-5

p.m. at the Overlee Community Pool- Bath House (Lower Level), 6030Lee Highway, lower entrance offJohn Marshall Drive. Fresh citrus,pecans, and maple syrup for sale tosupport Northwest Arlington LionsClub/Charities. Call 703-528-1130.

SATURDAY/FEB. 24Pilates with a Purpose. 10 a.m.-

noon at Body Dynamics, Inc, 410 S.Maple Ave., Suite 100, Falls Church.Body Dynamics, Inc. presents Pilateswith a Purpose to benefit ArlingtonFree Clinic. In addition to Pilates,enjoy a Kendra Scott trunk show andsome morning refreshments. $75.Register at 501auctions.com/afcgala/item/773420.

Vegetable Gardening. 10:30 a.m.-noon at Westover Branch Library,1644 N. McKinley Road. VegetableGardening Part 2: Planning andPreparation for the beginninggardener. Learn easy-to-implementpractices for selecting the best siteand evaluating and improving soil,including which plants grow best in

thisarea. Free. Advance registrationrequested at mgnv.org. Questions,telephone 703-228-6414 [email protected].

Tunes 4 Tots Music Class. 11 a.m. atKinder Haus Toys, 1220 N. FillmoreSt. Tunes 4 Tots teaches actual musicconcepts to even the youngest ofchildren in a fun and interactive way.Ages 6 months to 3 years and siblingsare welcome. Sign up at the desk orcome as a walk-in and join us, ifthere is room, in our activity. Free.Visit www.tunes4tots.com.

SATURDAY/FEB. 24Civil War Forts Van Tour. noon-3

p.m. at Fort C.F. Smith Park, 2411 N.24th St. Union forts in NorthArlington were built to protectWashington and the bridges acrossthe Potomac River. Begin at Fort C.F.Smith and travel by van to FortsBennett, Marcy and Ethan Allen.Teens ages 12 and up are welcomed,but must be accompanied by aregistered adult. For information:703-228-7033. $15. #622748-A.Register atregistration.arlingtonva.us.

2018 Feel the Heritage Festival. 1-6 p.m. at Charles Drew CommunityCenter, 3500 23rd St. S. CelebrateBlack History Month at the 26thannual Feel the Heritage Festivalwith live music, dance and spokenword, dozens of community andartisan vendors, delicious foodoptions, free kids’ activities andmore. Cook-Off Competition: Callingall cooks – sign up to enter dish(es)in the first-ever Cook-Off. Appetizers,entrees, side dishes and desserts willbe accepted. Complete the onlineform. Visit parks.arlingtonva.us/events/feel-the-heritage-festival/.

Meet Our Animals. 1:30-3 p.m. atLong Branch Nature Center, 625 S.Carlin Springs Road. Families ages 3and up. Register children and adults;children must be accompanied by aregistered adult. Meet residentanimals up close: turtles, frogs,snakes, birds and even a chipmunk.For information: 703-228-6535. Free.#622958-R. Register atregistration.arlingtonva.us.

Concert: The Arlington Chorale.7:30 p.m. at Westover BaptistChurch, 1125 Patrick Henry Drive.The Arlington Chorale will performMozart’s Requiem (Requiem in Dminor, K.626), the powerful choralmasterpiece composed as Mozartapproached his own death. Theconcert “Mozart Last’s Notes,”features an orchestra and soloists. AllTAC concerts are free and open tothe public, with donations gratefullyaccepted. Visit arlingtonchorale.org.

Barry GalleryReception

Marymount University’s Barry Gal-lery presents “Lay of the Land”featuring the art of Victor Ekpuk,Shané K. Gooding and Rujunko Pughwill be featured, along with the his-torical exhibit of James Parks andcalligraphy from the series “YourState of Mind” by Felecia BriceMcFail, owner of the FOHTA (FromOne Hand to Another) Gallery. Theexhibition runs through Feb. 26. TheBarry Gallery, located in the ReinschLibrary at Marymount, 2807 NorthGlebe Road, is open from 10 a.m. to8 p.m. Monday through Thursday,and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday andSaturday. Admission is free. Accessfor individuals with disabilities isavailable. Visit marymount.edu/barrygallery.

Keiko,2017, byRujunkoPugh.Screenprint withacrylicdetail, 28x 40inches


News

By Michael Lee Pope

The Connection

As a freshman delegate in 1978,Ken Plum was assigned a desk inthe far corner on the Democraticside of the House of Delegates —

seat 17. It wasn’t the best vantage point inthe House because about a third of the Re-publican members were totally out of view.The senior members took the seats at theback of the chamber near the center, stick-ing Plum in the corner.

“In my very first session on my very firstday, Speaker John Warren Cooke said, ‘Thespeaker recognizes the gentleman fromFairfax, Mr. Plum, for a motion,’” recalledPlum, currently the senior member of theHouse. “I had no idea what he was doing,but I later learned it was to dispense withthe reading of the journal. Everybodylaughed their heads off as I was trying toget myself out of it.”

It was a trial-by-fire for the freshman del-egate from Reston, who would soon learnthat he was occupying a rarified spot on theHouse floor — Coffin Corner. The termdates to the early 1970s, when a freshmanDel. Dickie Cranwell arrived as a freshmanDemocrat from Roanoke. He created theterm to underscore a generational dividein the House of Delegates.

“I would say that we were probably anewer breed of Democrats in Virginia thansome of the older guard,” said Cranwell,who later went on to be the Democraticleader before retiring in 2000. “A lot of timesthere would be close votes and we wouldcarry the day in killing something, and wejust decided that we were the corner thatwas putting a lot of stuff to sleep.”

By Vernon Miles

The Connection

According to nearby resi-dents, and several mem-bers of the Planning Com-

mission, the project at 1031 NorthVermont St. has three problems: it’stoo big, it’s too high, and it’s tooclose. At the Feb. 12 Planning Com-mission meeting, the project wasthe only item on the docket, buttestimony from concerned localresidents and proposed alternativesolutions from the commission stillstretched the debate over the project outfor hours. But when the dust settled, de-spite the commission’s concerns, the projectwas unanimously approved with conditionsand passed on to the County Board.

The subject of discussion were three itemsassociated with the property listed as 11thand Vermont. One was an amendment tochange the project from low-medium resi-dential to high-medium residential, another

changing the zoning from two family dwell-ings to multiple family dwellings, and a siteplan for 72 units of multi-family condomini-ums and townhouses. The new building willbe seven stories tall with a 22 foot and eightinch separation from the abutting WestviewCondominium Building. For many residentsof Westview, as well as the Ballston-VirginiaSquare Civic Association and Westview Con-dominium Association, it’s too tall and too

close for comfort.Planning Commission member Nancy

Iacomini said she had concerns about theprecedent the new building would set forthe area. Iacomini filed a motion for thetallest building to the limited to six storiesand a motion for at least 30 feet of separa-tion from surrounding neighbors.

“There has always been embedded in thisproject the fatal flaw of being taller than

six stories and the building separa-tion,” said Iacomini. “No amount ofimproving the surface really gets tothat.”

The motion to limit the buildingheight to six stories failed, but themotion for 30 feet of separationpassed. Another motion was pro-posed to direct county staff to pro-vide additional opportunities forneighbors in adjoining properties tocontinue working with developerson a neighborhood list of issues,including pedestrian circulationand opportunities for open space,

but others said this fell outside of the scopeof work expected of county staff and themotion failed.

“It had been my intent not to vote forproject,” said Iacomini, “but after myamendment was accepted, it would bechurlish of me not to.”

The project was unanimously approvedby the Planning Commission and will go tothe County Board for final approval.

THE 1970S SAW a massive shift in Vir-ginia politics, not necessarily from one partyto the next. But within the Democratic Partyas young members like Cranwell and Plumwere moving the party to the left, away fromthe conservative racial politics of massiveresistance that was the hallmark of the ByrdMachine that ran Virginia politics for half acentury.

“We voted pretty much in block, so if therewas a tight issue we would have 25 votes,”said Cranwell. “The rest of that group waslike throwing a firecracker in a covey ofquail, they’d go everywhere.”

The expression Coffin Corner was not justa reference to the ability of the junior law-makers who sat there to kill a bill they didn’tlike. It was also a reference to Cranwell’stime as a punter at Virginia Tech, when hewould kick the ball into the Coffin Cornerout of bounds and place the opposing team

deep into their own territory. The namestuck and the corner of junior seats took ona cache all its own.

“It was considered prestigious and kindof cool to be in the Coffin Corner,” saidformer House Democratic Caucus ChairmanBrian Moran, who chose to sit in the CoffinCorner even though he had enough senior-ity to get a better seat. “From the perspec-tive of having a good view of the other sideof the aisle, it was not the best seat. But itwas seen as a corner where you meldedfreshman and more senior members to-gether.”

THESE DAYS, Coffin Corner is seeing anew generation taking their seats. The cur-rent House of Delegates has about a halfdozen millennials who sit in the Coffin Cor-ner, eager to make their mark on historyand challenge the status quo. When Repub-

licans criticized an attempt to tax stream-ing video at the same rate as cable TV, theexpression “Netflix and chill” created a gen-erational fault line among House members.

“What drove many of us to run and thehigh levels of support we receive from ourpeers across the commonwealth was notcasual references to Netflix, which has be-come disturbingly popular on this floor,”said Schuyler Van Valkenburg (D-72). “Weran on jobs, health care access, educationand creating a Virginia that was open andwelcome to everybody regardless of race,faith, gender, sexual orientation or countyor origin.”

Sitting at far end of Coffin Corner, thatseat that Plum was assigned 40 years ago,is Del. Marcus Simon (D-53). He’s been inthe House long enough that he could takeone of the more senior seats at the centerof the chamber. But he chooses to sit inCoffin Corner. He says it’s an ideal locationfor leading the resistance to the Republi-cans and sometimes even against his fel-low Democrats. Last year, for example, heangered members of both parties by mak-ing a parliamentary inquiry about whethera Republican member who was facing do-mestic violence charges should be votingon changes to the code outlining assault andbattery. The Republican leadership retali-ated by delaying consideration of all Demo-cratic bills that day.

“This is where the troublemakers in theHouse sit, and it’s a place from which youcan throw bombs — to use another sportsanalogy,” said Simon. “I think it fits my per-sona here in the body, which is somebodywho’s not afraid to ask questions and some-body who’s not afraid to slow things downor disrupt the flow.”

Despite concerns about project size, townhouses at 11th &Vermont are unanimously approved by Planning Commission.Too Big To Fail

11th & Vermont project rendering

Photo by Michael Lee Pope/The Connection

Del. Marcus Simon (D-53), right, has enough seniority he could get abetter seat, but he prefers to sit in a part of the House chamber knownas Coffin Corner.

Extreme position on House floorenjoys a storied history.View from the Coffin Corner

Photo contributed


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HomeLifeStyle

By Marilyn Campbell

There’s an art to designing a liv-ing room coffee table, says lo-cal interior designer SusanTucker. In fact, when she’s help-

ing a client create a living room space, shepays particular attention to creating a styl-ish and functional table.

“It seems like such a small thing, but whendesigned the right way, a coffee table canbecome the focal point of a room and re-ally make it pop,” she said. “I believe thatthere’s a right way and a wrong way to puttogether a coffee table, but it’s not hard ifyou keep certain things in mind.”

Vary the height and scale so that each itemcan shine on its own. “If everything is thesame height, none of them will be noticed,”said Tucker. “Think a pretty vase of flowersbehind a small porcelain bowl.”

Work to create balance between small andlarge items, says Alexandria, Virginia-baseddesigner Steven Gambit. “For example, asmattering of small knick-knacks can lookcluttered on a coffee table,” he said. “Alongthe same lines, too many large items on acoffee table can be overpowering. Insteadselect a few items and group them togetherby size.”

Change items as the seasons or holidays

change. “As spring approaches, consideradding a small bouquet of fresh or silkspring flowers,” said Tucker. “If you cel-ebrate Easter, consider Easter décor, like abunny or a basket with eggs. I picked upsome elegant Easter items at a local homeaccessories store last spring. One or twosimple items can breathe fresh life in a tabledesign.”

Choose items with colors that are foundin other places in a room’s design. “If you

have a painting with bright colors, for ex-ample, choose one of the colors and findan item in the same color to add to yourcoffee table. If you have throw pillows ininteresting colors, considering using one ofthose colors on your coffee table.”

Consider only decorating one section ofthe coffee table, especially if the table islarge. “It’s a good idea to leave some spacefree, especially if you entertain a lot,” said

Gambit. “Your guests will need a place toput a drink. Don’t feel compelled to fill ev-ery inch of space.”

A serving tray can serve two purposes ona coffee table, says Gambit. “An elegant serv-ing tray can make a dramatic statement ona coffee table, and can give a table somestructure, especially if it’s holding smalleritems,” he said. “If you need to clear thecoffee table quickly, like if you’re entertain-ing, a tray makes it easy.”

Think about what the items on the coffeetable will look from different places in theroom, suggests Tucker. “Stand over yourcoffee table and get a sense of what theobjects look like gazing down at it,” she said.“Sit across the room from it. Can the itemsbe seen fully or are the most appealing partsof an item obstructed? I generally discour-age clients from putting picture frames ona coffee table because you can’t see the mainattraction — the photo — from behind.”

Be practical and sentimental. “Becausepeople tend to gather around coffee tables,don’t put a breakable family heirloom oran expensive pieces on them,” said Gam-bit. “Coffee table books are a good ideabecause they can be topics of conversation.You can use a coffee table to display thingsthat represent a part of your personality,lifestyle or a hobby.”

Using décor to make a table pop.Styling a Coffee Table

Photos courtesy of the Nest Egg

Books add visual interest and canprovide topics of conversationwhen displayed on a coffee table.

Consider placing coffee table itemson a tray, like this one from theNest Egg, says Interior DesignerSusan Tucker.


Letters to the Editor

HomeLifeStyle

The D.C. Design Houseis no more. The annualstyle event in which agrand Washington-

area home was transformed intoa showcase house has closed itsdoors for the final time.

The board of directors for DCDesign House, Inc., the nonprofitthat oversees the running of theannual show house, voted unani-mously to disband. Citing diffi-culty getting enough volunteersupport, DC Design House co-founder Skip Singleton announcedthe decision last week saying, “Weall want to proudly end the DCDesign House on a high note forwhat we collectively achieved. Weare grateful for our all-volunteerstaff working hard throughout theyears to keep costs low in an ef-

fort to maximize our annual do-nation to Children’s.”

After discussing a range of waysto continue, the board decidedthat it was time to end the annualshowhouse.

“It’s always been more than amonth-long event; it was a year-long effort for our dedicatedboard, executive committee andvolunteers,” added Singleton.“And we want to thank each andevery one of them for making theDC Design House the success itwas.”

Over the 10-year period of itsexistence, the effort attracted morethan 90,000 visitors and raisedmore than $2 millions forChildren’s National Health System.

— Marilyn Campbell

End of an EraThe 2015 DC Design House was located in McLean.

Photos by Angie Seckinger

The Republican-led subcommit-tee indicated the reason for thedenial was due to the fact that vio-lence is already a crime and add-ing any other protected classeswould make the law more compli-cated. Not extending protectionson the basis of sexual orientationand gender identity sends a mes-sage that the protection of theLGBTQ+ community is not as im-portant as that of individuals whoexperience violence on the basisof their race, religion, or nationalorigin. This very problematic con-sidering that anti-LGBT hatecrimes are on the rise, particularlyfor the transgender community,which has seen an increase ofmore than 43 percent. Addition-ally, in 2017 a record number ofdeaths of transgender people werereported due to fatal violence.

This alarming information is asign that our existing laws are notstrong enough to protect thetransgender community. For the

legislatures to not consider thespate of violence that is occurringin the transgender community istroubling. Failing to protect a com-munity that is already vulnerableis problematic, especially for youthwho identify or have yet to iden-tify as transgender. It fosters anenvironment that is not inclusiveand welcoming, which puts theseyouth at a greater risk for bully-ing, harassment, suicide, and vio-lence.

I’m sure that the House of Del-egates was not trying to send amessage that health and safety oftransgender individuals are notimportant. However, ignoring theproblem because it would compli-cate laws we already have in placeis not a step in the right direction.I think we all can agree that timecould and should be made to workout these “complications,” espe-cially when lives are at stake.

Jerome R. Hunt, Ph.D.Safe Space NOVA

From Page 4


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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

I realize that given the growth and evolu-tion of the world most of us live in, and howbusiness is transacted, there are two words, aphrase actually, whose very existence is threat-ened: “Bill me.” “C.O.D.,” “Cash on delivery”is likely itself on the precipice of extinction, adodo bird if there ever was one. However,since “Money makes the world go ‘round,” –or at least it made the hit musical “Cabaret”go ‘round in 1966, credit and one’s goodname can only stretch the dollar so far. Billshave to paid or else the world doesn’t “go‘round” so far. Moreover, if the money is miss-ing, there’s less to sing about.

Ergo an idea/system was devised wherebypeople/entities to whom you owed moneywould have semi unfettered access to yourmoney – without having to talk to you/askpermission. Once the consumer/”ower” hadsigned an authorization granting such access,the game was on and the money withdrawn(debited) regularly, as agreed to.

Occasionally, financial inducements wereoffered to entice the consumer to subject hismoney/accounts to such plundering. Buteventually, the process became all the rage.Meaning, consumers couldn’t transact busi-ness any other way, and despite any hesita-tions or objections (anger) to the contrary, itwas either debit or die. And though this sys-tem didn’t cause a revolution or become amotto on a license plate, it did change howwe bank, buy and balance.

Within the last few weeks I’ve added twomore automatic monthly debits. Paymentswhich I was given no other realisticchoice/method to pay other than all at once(not happening,) or once a month, automati-cally from my bank. And not that I felt held upby the process, but I did feel as if the highwayawaited if I didn’t pay their way.

So now I have six monthly debits draftingon five different but recurring days, save forholidays and weekends of course. In addition,I have granted additional bank access to retail-ers, service providers, Internet-only compa-nies, Amazon, pharmaceutical warehousesand on and on and on; all of whom have keys– so to speak – to my kingdom, such as it is.

Still, I think I know what’s being debited atany given time, but in the context of and con-junction with, all the other transactions that Ior my wife make, sometimes I don’t know if Ido know, actually, whether my money is com-ing in or going out or finding a new homesomewhere – and one not in this country andlikely irretrievable, or disappearing altogetherwith any other money I may haveaccumulated.

All of those worst case, possibly everydayscenarios, notwithstanding, what can I do? If Idon’t play and in turn, don’t pay, then I amlikely having to fend for myself. I may still haveplenty places to go to, but what am I going todo when I get there? My wallet (unlike GeorgeCostanza’s) isn’t big enough to hold all thecash I’d need to conclude just a few of mytransactions. I don’t like ceding control thisway, but the joke may already be on me: Idon’t have any control. It was taken away along time ago when the first authorization wassigned allowing a second/third party to with-draw money – automatically, and regularly,from the “signee’s” bank account. From thatpoint on, it was, as we say in New England:“Katie bar the door,” meaning: bad news,among a variety of other “unpleasantries.”

Regardless of how I fear all of these com-panies/”withdrawers” having a way into mybank account in order to get my money out,the reality is, there isn’t a damn thing I can doabout it. I just have to pay attention, literally –and figuratively. Otherwise, I’ll be a victim oftheir circumstance.

“AutoMadic”

From Page 3

News

“I was 13 and in junior high school, andwe all heard about it,” said Clark. “It waskind of a spooky event.”

Clark said there was a prominent motor-cycle gang that controlled the east coast atthe time; the Pagans. Many of them livedin the local area. A meat cutter at a Safewaydecided to form a temporary rival gangcalled the Avenger’s. The apostrophe, Clarknoted, was grammatical mistake. The samenight as Yorktown’s graduation, a group ofPagans went to the upstart rival’s workwhere the Lee Harris Shopping Center istoday. Police had heard about the potentialfight and moved in to arrest, but not beforeover 100 shots were fired. And yet, no onewas injured. Clark said this was likely be-cause the Pagans and rival gang were moreinterested in scaring each other than kill-ing anyone. Clark said the gang shootout,and the presence of the Pagans in general,was a relic of another time in the county’shistory, when blue collar work was stillprominent.

Clark also spoke briefly about a few ofthe ghosts rumored to haunt Arlington. Itwas one of the most commonly requestedconversation topics from the audience, andafterwards it was something some saidthey’d like to hear more about.

“I wanted to hear more of the ghost sto-ries,” said Debbie Berry. Berry said storiesof the supernatural, true or not, are alwaysfascinating as a mix of local history andcompelling dramas, “Whenever I go to his-torical places, I always go on the ghosttours. They are always interesting.”

Connie Francis, a local resident, said shefound the whole discussion about local his-tory fascinating. Of particular note to herwas Clark’s note that Arlington Hospital hadbeen segregated for years, meaning anyblack Arlingtonians born in a hospital hadto do so outside of the county lines.

“I found it all really interesting,” saidNancy Alikonis. “I’m a regular reading ofhis column and this is a very interestingtopic.”

“I read this book and the one that camebefore it,” said Bryan Deitch. “When mywife told me about this talk being held here,I had to come.”

Deitch said he and his wife have lived inArlington for 10 years and are fascinatedby some of the county’s buried notoriouspast, like the prominent local Nazis and KKKgroups that paraded in Arlington in fullforce. Deitch says it’s a reminder of howmuch things have changed in Arlington.Deitch also said he enjoyed another bookrecently by local writer Michael Lee Popecalled “Shotgun Justice,” about a common-wealth attorney in Arlington who launcheda crusade against illegal bars, bordellos andcasinos. Deitch said it was those kinds oflocal history pieces that don’t always makeit onto the historic district signs that fasci-nate him the most.

“History is one of those interests whereyou either have that interest or you don’t,”said Deitch.

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