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Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ December 14-20, 2016 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.com

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ViennaViennaand Oaktonand Oakton

Santa Run Takes OverVienna Neighborhoods

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Santa Run Takes OverVienna Neighborhoods

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Wellness Week Heldat Madison High

News, Page 6

2016 Ending withJoyful Noise

Holiday Calendar, Page

Wellness Week Heldat Madison High

News, Page 6

2016 Ending withJoyful Noise

Holiday Calendar, Page

The annual all-volunteer Vienna Volunteer Fire Department Santa Runkicked off on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 1 p.m. On the kick-off run weredriver Matt Jones, Chief Elf Adam Searle, elf-in-training Chris Jones, 7,Luisa Schwarzott, Lauren Colon, Victoria Thai, and Cameron Davis.A jolly man-in-red stood perched aboard his antique fire truck.

HomeLifeStylePage 7

HomeLifeStyleHomeLifeStylePage 7

2 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ December 14-20, 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF VIENNA450 ORCHARD STREET, NW

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Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ December 14-20, 2016 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

NewsVienna/Oakton Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

By Donna Manz

The Connection

It’s December ... it’s cold and blustery;it’s dark late afternoon … it’s time forthe Vienna Volunteer FireDepartment’s annual one-week Santa

Run through the streets of Vienna. Ten shiftsmanned by Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, and ateam of elves direct from the North Polebrave frigid temps even as their faces freezeas the wind slaps their cheeks.

As the 1946 antique fire truck makes itsway through neighborhoods, its sirens

Antique fire truck brings Santa and his elvesto Vienna streets in annual tradition.

Santa Run Takes Over Vienna Neighborhoods

blare, holiday music booms, and bells jingle-a-lingle, announcing its arrival. Santa wavesas he rides — to cars honking a greeting, tochildren and their parents running out tothe curb, to grandmas and grandpas — per-haps, remembering the childhoods of theirown grown children — standing outsidetheir doorways, smiling, and to landscap-ers and construction workers happy to seeSanta in person. Even family dogs racearound their yards — presumably, in glee— as the siren neared.

As children race outside their homes, the

fire truck stops, the elves — dressed in firegear — jump off to give the children candycanes, and Santa leans over the side of thetruck, waving. Chief Elf Adam Searle rec-ommends that children come to the curb assoon as their parents hear the sirens andmusic on the street.

Write to Santa at [email protected]. A veryhip Santa has his own Twitter account, too:@vvfdsanta.

Follow him and his touring fire truck as herides through Vienna on Twitter, on theGlympse app (which his designated driver ac-tivates as Santa begins his runs), or at Santa’stemporary-home page, http://vvfd.org/santa.html. Weather, mechanical issues, orimmediacy at the North Pole, may prompt adeviation from Santa’s run schedule.

Photo by Matt Jones/Vienna Volunteer Fire Department

Santa and his elves prepare for the night ride through Vienna on Dec.10, the second Santa Run of the day. The Santa Run is an annual tradi-tion run by the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department; volunteers brave thefrigid temperatures to ensure Vienna children meet Santa in-person.

Photo by Sara Sonntag

Honorary firefighter Bill Sonntag joins Santa at the helm of the antiquefire truck cruising through Vienna neighborhoods on Dec. 10.

Matt Jones/Vienna Volunteer Fire Dept

As the first night-time Santa Runbegins, Santa himself waves to hisfriends at the Vienna VolunteerFire Department station house.

Photo by Donna Manz/The Connection

Dogs aren’t the only living crea-tures chasing fire trucks; parentswith their young children in theircars do as well, sometimes. Whenthe elves became aware that amom was trying to catch up to theSanta ride, Santa had the fire truckstop and wait. An elf jumped offand made the children inside thecar happy.

Photo by Donna Manz/The Connection

Children and their parents run to the curb to meet Santa in-person asNorth Pole elves hand out candy canes.

Santa Run Schedule[SE Vienna and NW1 between Lawyers Road

and W&OD completed]❖ Thursday, Dec 15, 5 p.m. - SW1, between

Park and Hillcrest;❖ Friday, Dec 16, 5 p.m. - NE1, between W&OD

and Beulah;❖ Saturday, Dec 17, 1 p.m. - NW2, west of

Madison HS and Laywers;❖ Monday, Dec 19, 5 p.m. - NE2, east of

Beulah. See map at http://vvfd.org/santa.html.Write to Santa at [email protected]. A very hip

Santa has his own Twitter account, too:@vvfdsanta.

Follow him and his touring fire truck as herides through Vienna on Twitter, on the Glympseapp (which his designated driver activates asSanta begins his runs), or at Santa’s temporary-home page, http://vvfd.org/santa.html.


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Vienna & OaktonOpinion

Last week, the Fairfax County Boardof Supervisors voted to establish aCivilian Review Panel, part of a two-pronged concept of independent

oversight of law enforcement recommendedunanimously by the Ad Hoc Police PracticesReview Commission.

On Sept. 20, 2016, the board voted to estab-lish the Office of the Independent Auditor, theother piece of oversight. The twobranches of oversight would not over-lap.

The Independent Police Auditor willreport directly to the Board of Supervisors andprovide oversight in cases of police use offorce that lead to serious injury or death, in-cluding officer-involved shootings. The Civil-ian Review Panel will respond to communityconcerns or complaints about alleged inci-dents of abuse of authority by FCPD by re-viewing the investigations conducted by thedepartment.

The vote by the Board of Supervisors for theOffice of Auditor was unanimous, and for theCivilian Review Panel, 9-1, indicating thestrong commitment to independent oversightand the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Com-mission. The experiences from other commu-nities with civilian oversight have shown thatstrong, independent oversight builds legiti-macy and public trust through increased po-lice transparency and accountability to thepublic served. Oversight provides a meaning-ful voice or forum for the public and forms acrucial bridge between the public and the po-lice. Increased transparency, trust, and com-munication between the police and the public

can lead to greater community cooperation inachieving the ultimate goal of decreased crimeand increased public safety.

This very positive outcome seemed nearlyimpossible in the wake of the death of JohnGeer in August 2013, shot by then Fairfax Po-lice Officer Adam Torres while standing un-armed in the doorway to his own home. Offi-cials had long opposed consideration of a Ci-vilian Review Panel.

Board of Supervisor Chairman SharonBulova deserves tremendous kudos, first forestablishing the Ad Hoc Commission in thewake of public outrage over the shooting andthe blackout of information that followed, andthen for her unwavering support of the rec-

ommendations that emerged.In voting for the Civilian Review

Panel, Supervisor Linda Smyth said:“We all know it’s time to put this in

place. This is what the public has really askedus to do.”

John Cook (R-Braddock), chairman of thePublic Safety Committee, has been relentlessin moving the recommendations forward fordiscussion and approval by the board. Havingboth the auditor and the panel approved in2016 is no small accomplishment.

The recommendations for oversight alsohave the enthusiastic support of Police ChiefEdwin Roessler, whose support overall forchange in the FCPD has been admirable andessential.

Every member of the Board of Supervisorsdeserves credit for engaging on the details andsupporting recommendations of the commis-sion.

Other changes brought about by the Ad HocCommission’s recommendations include theimplementation of Diversion First, which pro-vides treatment rather than jail for nonviolentpeople with mental illness, resulting in some350 diversions from potential criminal arrest,and in police transporting more than 1,000

people in mental health crisis to the MerrifieldCenter for treatment; an emphasis on de-esca-lation and on crisis intervention training; therevamping of the order of officer training toemphasize the role of policing in a democracyand the sanctity of life ahead of firearms train-ing; and the significant amendment of Gen-eral Order 540 on the use of force. The FCPDhas been a leading force in these changes, andits leadership has played a pivotal role in seek-ing out and implementing best practices.

There are still miles to go, but evidence isthat county and police leadership are preparedto traverse those miles.

— Mary Kimm

[email protected]

Mary Kimm served on the Ad Hoc PolicePractices Review Commission and continues toadvocate for ongoing implementation.

SoberRide Safety Netfor HolidayCelebrations

The annual Holiday SoberRide program, of-fering free rides home to locals over 21 whohave been celebrating with alcohol, will oper-ate between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. each eveningbetween Friday, Dec. 16, 2016 and Sunday, Jan.1, 2017 as a way to keep local roads safe fromimpaired drivers during this traditionally high-risk, holiday period. SoberRide is organized bythe nonprofit Washington Regional AlcoholProject. Area residents celebrating with alco-hol may call the toll-free SoberRide phonenumber 1–800–200–TAXI for a no-cost (up to$ 30 fare), safe way home. Last December,nearly 1,500 people took advantage of the pro-gram.

More information about WRAP’s SoberRideinitiative can be found at www.soberride.com.

Civilian Review Panel— and they said itcouldn’t be done ….

History in Police Reform Part 2

Editorial

Letters to the Editor

Standing with VeteransTo the Editor:

The challenges soldiers face often do notconclude when they return home from thebattlefield. Many suffer permanent disabilitiesand find completing once simple tasks diffi-cult, if not impossible. To remedy this prob-lem, last week, the House passed H.R. 3471,the Veterans Mobility Safety Act. This bill willrequire the Department of Veterans Affairs toset standards for providers of automobileequipment to ensure those vehicles are adaptedin order to accommodate veterans’ disabilities.H.R. 3471 will help disabled veterans relyingon mobility equipment by ensuring they receivethe best quality, performance, and safety. I wasproud to see that our congresswoman, BarbaraComstock, voted for this important piece of leg-islation.

Barbara has been a leader in Congress onveterans’ issues. From cosponsoring the HireMore Heroes Act to the SALUTE Act, she hasbeen at the forefront of passing several majorpieces of legislation benefiting veterans. Istrongly support and appreciate all Barbara has

done for veterans — she stands with us.

William C. MooreMajor General/U.S. Army, Retired

McLean

Major Bus RoutesSlated for EliminationTo the Editor:

As part of its FY 2017 budget, Metro is rec-ommending the elimination of several majorbus lines in Fairfax County. Some of theseroutes are used heavily and are essential to agreat many people. Two routes slated for elimi-nation are Route 1C and Route 2B. Both runfrom Dunn Loring to Fair Oaks but by differ-ent routes serving different communities — 2Bhas a daily ridership of 900-plus ( 257,000-plus riders a year), The 1C has a daily rider-ship of almost 1,000 ( 320,000-plus a year).

Neither my partner nor I drive. We use the2B frequently to go to Fair Oaks, Vienna Metro,Pan Am Shopping Center, Merrifield, and toconnect to the 2A at Dunn Loring to go to the

doctor in Falls Church.This bus provides the only weekend service,

midday service, holiday service, and lateevening service in our area. For us it is essen-tial. Many low income folks who cannot af-ford cars depend upon this bus. As a regularrider I can also attest that many recent immi-grants, seniors on fixed incomes or who can-not drive and disabled persons ride thesebuses. The loss of this service would be a tre-mendous blow to our daily lives.

Charles KeenerVienna

WriteThe Connection welcomes views on any

public issue. The deadline for all material isnoon Friday. Send to:

Letters to the EditorThe Connection

1606 King St., Alexandria VA 22314Call: 703-917-6444.

By e-mail: [email protected]


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The annual Wellness Week at MadisonHigh School was held Dec. 5-9 with a vari-ety of activities focused on promoting men-tal and physical wellness. The Student Ser-vices Department, in conjunction with thePE department, held de-stressing activitieseach day to encourage the students to re-lax and orient their thoughts aroundwellness. Each day of the week is assigneda spirit wear activity ranging from pajamaday to ugly sweater day.

During the school’s intervention period,a 30-minute period each day, events arehosted simultaneously throughout thebuilding. In the gym on Monday, a FacultyVs. Senior Human Foosball game was held(the seniors won).

Multiple times throughout the week, ki-nesthetic relaxation activities such as col-oring, board games and Play-doh construc-tion is available for the students.

On Wednesday, the Veterans Moving For-ward organization brought five therapydogs to school for the students to interactwith during their lunch period. Overallmental wellness is a year-long initiative atthe school.

Each grade level is screened once a yearfor depression and public service announce-ments are shared with the students and staffto continually educate the community onthe importance of mental health.

— Francesca Branson

Photos by Francesca Branson

The annual Wellness Week atMadison High School was held Dec.5-9.

Multiple times throughout theweek, kinesthetic relaxation activi-ties such as coloring, board gamesand Play-doh construction is avail-able for the students.

The Veterans Moving Forwardorganization brought 5 therapydogs to school for the students tointeract with during their lunchperiod.

Wellness Week Held at Madison High

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HomeLifeStyle

By John Byrd

It’s one thing to talk a good game; quite another to put your ideas to the test by inviting along list of perceptive critics to inspect yourwares.

“We like to see how well our plans work first handwhenever we can,” Bob Gallagher said, as he de-scribes a holiday tour his home remodeling firm heldat one of this client’s homes last Saturday.

“Our designers spend a lot of time conferring withclients on specific needs and learning from case his-tories — but what really counts is seeing your planin action. A holiday tour is a test drive, but it’s also achance to explore ideas, brainstorm on breakingtrends — and just enjoy being around people whoare enjoying what we create.”

Case in point, the Arlington home of Steve andLouise Brooks.

Two years ago, the Brooks hired Sun Design toconvert the primary living area of their raised ram-bler into space that would serve a multitude of pur-poses, including a place for frequent gatherings offriends and family.

Last weekend, the remodeler hosted an open housefor anyone who wanted to see how their freshly-minted new space plan would perform under reallife home entertainment conditions.

There were about 50 visitors in all. Standing inone corner, one could see fluidly organic pockets ofrevelers — but all flows smoothly, a far cry from thepast.

In the past, one’s guests were usually in anotherroom.

The original small kitchen with its adjacent livingroom and dining room actually felt crowded when-ever the head-count exceeded six or seven.

The eight-foot ceiling and small-scale windowsdidn’t help either; ditto, the “builder grade” interiorfinishes and restricted space-use options.

“We’re a host site for our church, so we wanted aplace that would allow us to comfortably meet withfriends,” said Louise Brooks. “We just weren’t at allsure how to make that happen within our existingfloor plan.”

Fortunately, Gallagher and team knew the way. Infact, Gallagher notes that there’s been something of

a revolution in how homeowners are now configur-ing living space: Emergent interior design styles nowallow for well-articulated activity zones integratedinto a visually distinctive spatial continuum. “Theend result feels generously-sized, yet unified.”

To effect the changes Brooks sought, Sun Designconcentrated on strategic improvements inside theenvelope of the existing structure: a nearly 800-square-foot great room was formed by eliminatingwalls separating the kitchen, dining room, livingroom and foyer; to create the 14-foot cathedral ceil-ing, the new interior incorporated a seldom-usedattic.

A granite-surfaced food preparation island anddining counter now facilitates the easy circulationneeded for entertaining; the “built-in” was custom-designed to support a wide-range of storage, cook-ing and clean-up requirements.

The plan also increased natural light. A south-fac-ing trapezoidal-shaped window provides a hilltopview of the neighborhood. Distinctive finish workdetails delineate key activity zones within a warmlycohesive ambiance that features sight-lines in all di-rections.

Meanwhile, back at the tour, Bob Gallagher is talk-ing to a drop-in guest about how the new space isused on an everyday basis.

“It works extremely well,” he said. “The open planallows people to happily pursue different tasks withinthe same continuum without loss of personal space.You have privacy, but you’re in eye-contact. It’s a verypopular trend.”

Gallagher also stresses the value of an open houseto homeowners looking for ideas.

“We’ve been doing tours of newly remodeled homesfor about 10 years,” he said. “We’ve found that theopen houses often become neighborhood meet-upopportunities where people naturally start explor-ing matters of mutual interest.”

Sun Design Remodeling frequently sponsors toursof recently remodeled homes as well as workshopson home remodeling topics. Headquartered in Burke,the firm recently has a second office in McLean. Forinformation, call 703-425-5588 or visitwww.SunDesignInc.com.

John Byrd ([email protected]) has been writing abouthome improvement for 30 years.

Open house helps homeowners looking for ideas.

Open Floorplan Eases Entertaining

The changesincreasednatural light.A south-facingtrapezoidal-shaped win-dow in thedining roomprovides ahilltop view ofthe neighbor-hood.

Photo by

Greg Hadley


ONGOINGCHO Food, New Toy, and Bike

Drive Nov. 1-Dec. 31 at variouslocations around Vienna. Dish soap,canned fruit, chili, canned beef stew,diapers and wipes, canned salmon,Spam, tuna, tomato sauce, andlaundry detergent are in particularneed. CHO requests that no food beexpired.

Inaugural Christmas Village atMcLean Bible Church SundayDec. 11 - Friday Dec. 16 McLeanBible Church Tysons Campus 8925Leesburg Pike Vienna. ChristmasVillage is a walk-through attractioncomplete with family-friendly rides,indoor skating, live entertainment,and so much more. We’retransforming the twelve corridors ofMBC Tysons for six days of Christmasfun. Consider bringing a donation ofa new, small or medium sized toy.The gifts will be used to bless needychildren in the DMV. Admission: Freehttps://www.mcleanbible.org/events/christmas-village-2016

Weekly Storytime. Wednesday andSaturday. 11 a.m. Barnes & Noble,7851 L Tysons Corner Center,McLean. Themes and Titles vary.Free admission.

WEDNESDAY/DEC. 14Giant’s In-Store Nutritionists

Promote Community Wellness6 p.m. Vienna Giant at ViennaShopping Center, 359 Maple AvenueEast, Vienna. Giant nutritionistAmanda Barnes invites residents tocommunity wellness classes, storeevents and in-store consultations. Ina world full of food options anddifferent diet trends, a nutritionisthas the training and expertise neededto sort through individual

information to provide their clientswith a plan that suits their needs. Anutritionist’s primary job is to helpadvise customers when it comes totheir health and what they consume.Through setting up consultations andcreating specialized diets,nutritionists can help with variousconcerns, like weight loss, diabetesand other health issues where diet isparticularly important.

SATURDAY/DEC. 17Puppy Nativity Vienna Church 10 -

2 p.m. in the parking lot of thechurch at 2351 Hunter Mill Road,Vienna. Bring your puppies and dogsto take part in the Live PuppyNativity. This will be fun for thecommunity and may make greatholiday pictures. Costumes and treatswill be provided for pets. Hotchocolate will be served, and thechurch’s youth group will be on handto accept community donations forthe Britepaths Holiday Program tohelp needy families https://britepaths.org/our-programs/holiday-program

Holiday Express and Visit withSanta at Clemyjontri Park 10 - 3p.m. Clemyjontri Park is located at6317 Georgetown Pike, McLean. Visitwith Santa, go for a ride on theHoliday Express train, and take aspin on the unique carousel that’swheelchair accessible. There will alsobe holiday pictures for children tocolor. Stay for a while and let thekids play on the specially-designedplayground that allows children of allabilities to have fun side-by-side.Train rides: $5 Carousel rides: $3.Photo with Santa: $5 http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/clemyjontri/.

“John Eaton’s Holiday Songbook”

2 p.m. 1234 Ingleside Ave, McLean.Jazz pianist and musicologist JohnEaton’s first-ever holiday concert lastyear was such a hit that we’rebringing it back! Hear your GreatAmerican Songbook favorites with ayuletide twist. Admission: $35/$20MCC tax district residents. http://mcleancenter.org/alden-theatre

Pet Adoption Event. Wolf TrapAnimal Rescue hosts an adoptionevent from noon to 4 p.m. at theTysons Corner PetSmart, 8204Leesburg Pike, Vienna. There will bepuppies and kittens waiting for their“forever homes.” Make this holidayseason the beginning of their“forevers” in your home.

SUNDAY/DEC. 18McLean Symphony Family Holiday

Concert. 3 p.m. at McLeanCommunity Center, 1234 InglesideAve. McLean, VA 22101. FeaturesAntonio Vivaldi’s Winter from “TheSeasons” and highlights from Gian-Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the NightVisitors.” Admission: $25/adults,$20/seniors, $15/students.

Glorious Sounds of ChristmasConcert 4 p.m. Vienna PresbyterianChurch, 124 Park Street, Vienna.Share in the Christmas celebrationwith all of the VPC choirs and theCathedral Brass orchestra. Child careavailable with 48-hour reservation bycalling 703-938-9050, x351. http://viennapres.org/

Great Falls United MethodistChurch Living Nativity 5 - 6 p.m.Three 20 minute, one act plays willkick off the event. Come listen to thestory, sing some carols, pet theanimals, enjoy refreshments, andrekindle joy for Christmas. 10100Georgetown Pike, Great Falls.www.greatfallsumc.org

Calendar Send announcements to connectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/.Deadline is Friday at noon for the following week’s paper.Photos/artwork encouraged.


By Donna Manz

The Connection

There are not many daysleft in 2016, but whatthe community offersin way of fun is joyful

noise, from a concert of seasonalmusic to the free and family-friendly new year’s eve celebrationknown as FirstNight Vienna.

SANTA RUN is organized and runby the Vienna Volunteer Fire De-partment, Thursday, Dec. 15through Monday, Dec. 19.

Santa and his elves – dressedlike County firefighters – maketheir way through Vienna neigh-borhoods on an antique fire truck,sirens blaring and holiday musicbooming.

The Santa truck stops whereverit sees children waiting and hiselves hand out candy canes tothem. Chief Elf Adam Searle rec-ommends that kids come to thecurb as soon as their parents hearthe sirens and music on the street.

Read Santa’s Twitter account andtrack his ride there at @vvfdsanta.Download the Glympse app (whichthe designated driver activates asSanta begins his runs), or trackSanta at temporary-home page,http://vvfd.org/santa.html.Weather, mechanical issues, or im-mediacy at the North Pole, may in-terrupt Santa’s schedule. The re-maining schedule runs Thursday,Dec 15, 5p .m., SW1 between Parkand Hillcrest; Friday, Dec 16, 5p.m., NE1 between W&OD andBeulah; Saturday, Dec. 17, 1 p.m.,NW2 west of Madison HS and Law-yers’ Road; Monday, Dec 19, 5 p.m.,NE2 east of Beulah.

SOUNDS OF THE SEASON willbe performed by the Vienna Cho-ral Society, Saturday, Dec. 17; 4:30to 6:30 p.m., Vienna BaptistChurch, 541 Marshall Road SW.

Holiday music is brought aliveby 25-year-old choral group.Ticket prices are $25 per adultadmission; $20 senior admission;students 15 to 18 years old pay$20; and children 14 and underare free with paying ticketholder.

To buy tickets, go to http://viennachoralsociety.org/.

COUNTDOWN TO NONE 5Kwith the Juvenile Diabetes Re-search Foundation (JDRF) sup-ports Type 1 diabetes research.The race, founded in honor of twoyoung Vienna girls battling Type1 diabetes, begins at 4:30 p.m.,Dec. 31, as a prelude to FirstNightVienna celebration. Register ordonate at imathlete.com/events/

EventOverview.aspx?fEID=39110.

FIRST NIGHT VIENNA, a fam-ily-friendly, alcohol-free NewYear’s celebration, is sponsoredand hosted by the Vienna BusinessAssociation in partnership with theTown of Vienna on Dec. 31, 6 tomidnight.

Historic Church Street from MillStreet to Center Street closes downfor a pedestrian block party fea-turing music and entertainmentfor all ages. Food trucks, fromplate dinners to Indian, offer hotcomfort food for purchase. TheVienna Wireless Society will share

New Year Eve celebrations aroundthe world by radio with First NightVienna guests.

Performances include Kids Jam,under the Big Top, 6 to 9 p.m.:Rocknocerous, 6 to 7 p.m.; TheGreat Zuchini, 7 to 8 p.m.; andRocknocerous, 8 to 9 p.m.; NewYear’s Eve celebration, 9 p.m.

On the adult stages, from 7 to11:45 p.m. are Blues Jam, Con-cord Lodge, Blue Grass Jamboree,VPC Chapel, Accoustic artists,Caffe Amouri, Magic & Illusions,Cocoa Vienna, DJ Dance Party,under the Big Top – Countdownto the new year, 9 to midnight.

2016 Ending with Joyful NoiseHoliday Calendar

Children and their parents converge under the Big Top forthe children’s entertainment during First Night Vienna, thecommunity’s alcohol-free New Year’s Eve celebration.

Santa and his elves ride through Vienna neighborhoods,stopping wherever children are outside. While Santawaves and poses for photos, his elves hand out candycanes to the kids.

Photos by Donna Manz/The Connection


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21 Announcements

ABC LICENSEGong & Yuan, LLC trading as Hunan Gate, 4233 Fairfax Dr.

Arlington, VA 22203. The above establishment is

applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC)

for a Wine and Beer On Premises and Mixed Beverage on Premises license to sell or

manufacture alcoholic beverages. Zhao Feng Gong,

owner NOTE: Objections to the

issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later

than 30 days from the publish-ing date of the first of two

required legal notices. Objections should be

registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or

800-552-3200.

21 Announcements

ABC LICENSEK. Rob Krupicka, Jr. trading as

Sugar Shack Donuts, 1014 S. Glebe Rd. Arlington, VA

22204. The above establishment is applying to the

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC

BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Beer On Premises

license to sell or manufacture alcoholic

beverages. K. Rob Krupicka, Jr, Managing Member

NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later




800-552-3200.

ABC LICENSENatural Food LLC trading as

Asia Origin, 1753 Pinnacle Dr., Mclean, VA 22102. The above

establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT

OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC)

for a Wine and Beer On Premises; Mixed Beverage Restaurant license to sell or

manufacture alcoholic beverages. Chaosheng Liu

MemberNOTE: Objections to the

issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later




800-552-3200.

ABC LICENSEThai Boys Inc. trading as Tom Yum Thai, 226 Maple Ave. W, Vienna, VA 22180. The above establishment is applying to

the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Wine and Beer On Premises and

Mixed BeverageRestaurant license to sell or

manufacture alcoholic beverages. Tanitta

Diewtragulchai, PresidentNOTE: Objections to the issu-ance of this license must be

submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing

date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices.

Objections should be regis-tered at www.abc.virginia.gov

or 800-552-3200.

21 Announcements

21 Announcements

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

NoUrge

It’s not often; heck, it’s extremely rare,that I don’t write a cancer column, as I callthem. And my reaction to not having the‘urge’ to write yet another cancer column is,somewhere between simply taking abreak/brake in the action and having noneed to impose my cancer-centric self-indul-gence on you faithful readers.

I’ll be the first to acknowledge that I writethese columns because I need to, andbecause I’m allowed to; thank you MaryKimm. Not that the related purpose is toavoid therapy (however, I did go on a hand-ful of appointments with a psychologist but itseemed pointless and especially so, when thetherapist expressed that she felt I was fairlywell-adjusted). Ergo, I really didn’t see a pur-pose per se.

Oh sure, I will admit that the writing ofthese columns gets out of me some very per-sonal and occasionally painful prose outliningthe anxieties and fears of a cancer patientundergoing life-sustaining treatment that isbetter out than in, if professionals are to bebelieved. And maybe I’ll further acknowl-edge that, based on feedback I’ve receivedin the six-plus years that I’ve been writingthem, that the content is, generally speaking,much appreciated (I’m not ready to charac-terize them as having served a greater pur-pose/been for the greater good however,because it’s only me I’m writing about andthere’s a much bigger world than what I per-ceive in my head) and helpful. Nevertheless,I can’t imagine that it’s just me I’m writingabout, mostly; and a la Las Vegas, sort of: inthat what happens to me only happens tome. Hardly.

Just because I’ve made public somethingvery personal and presumably private doesn’tmake me the go-to-guy for cancer chat, itjust makes me a person willing to open thedoors wider than are typically opened. Sowhat? A little honesty never hurt anyone;self-indulgence though, can be really boringand tiresome. (I mean, sometimes, too muchof a good thing is simply too much. To quotemy deceased mother: “It’s enough already.”)And as much as I’m cognizant of possiblydroning on and wasting what attention-spanyou’ve allocated in my direction, I am tryingnot to drone on and trying not to lose you inthe process.

Possibly there is a means to my hopefully-not premature end. Perhaps admitting theerror of my ways and/or addressing the can-cer concerns as I regularly do has contrib-uted/caused my rather unexpected (based onmy oncologist’s original “13 month to two-year prognosis from FEBRUARY 2009) living“unexpectancy.” Perhaps laughing in the faceof danger extends one’s life more than givingin to it. All I know is, whatever I’vedone/been able to do emotionally wasnot/has not been thought out. I’ve just con-tinued to be me, myself and I — which hasincluded my weekly cancer columns.Moreover, the three of us, collectively, havelikely survived for so long because so muchthat could have bothered us/me, didn’t.

Whether it was the outlet I had/have inmy column, my personality, encouragementfrom family and friends, or my connection toThe Connection, there’s no way to know.What I do know is, the weeks when I don’twrite a cancer column are my favorites.Those are the weeks when I feel that cancerdoesn’t have a hold on me and in turn, I feelthat I have a hold on cancer. And if there’sone thing us cancer patients want to feel, it’scontrol. Even if it’s only for a week or two,here or there, the benefit is exponentiallygreater than the time we actually get toexperience it.

An expert is someone who knowssome of the

worst mistakesthat can bemade in his

subject and howto avoid them.

-WernerHeisenberg


Zone 6 Ad Deadline:

Monday Noon

703-778-9411

Zone 6: • Arlington • Great Falls

• McLean • Vienna/Oakton

Home & GardenHome & GardenCONTRACTORS.comconnectionnewspapers.com

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Remodeling Homes, Flooring,Kitchen & Bath, Windows,

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RN. CONTRACTORS, INC.

Phone: 703-887-3827E-mail: [email protected]

www.rncontractors.com

J.E.S. ServicesYour neighborhood company since 1987

703-912-6886

Landscaping & Construction

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Partial or Full. Kit. Floors, Backsplashes.Specializing in Ceramic, Porcelain, Glass Tiles

and Natural Stones. Also repair work. 35 yrs exp.

BATHROOM REMODELING

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by Brennan Bath and Tile

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Summer Cleanup...Tree removal, topping & pruning,shrubbery trimming, mulching,leaf removal, planting, hauling,gutter cleaning, retaining walls,

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ELECTRICAL ELECTRICAL

Recessed LightingCeiling FansPhone/CATVComputer Network CablingService UpgradesHot Tubs, etc…

Office 703-335-0654Mobile 703-499-0522

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Do what you can, with

what you have,where you are.

-TheodoreRoosevelt

EmploymentEmployment

Computer Opportunities Abeyon, LLC in Arlington, VA seeking for

a (1) Computer Programmer to build website & application, write techni-cal proposals, translates designs, ensuring cross browser compatibility & perform-ance. A Bachelor’s degree in Information System or equivalent w/6 months’ exp on PHP framework, HTML, CSS & responsive development, Parse API & search engine optimization are required. (2)

Software Programmer to build software & application, appropriate unit tests, integration tests deployment scripts, communicates with clients & project teams, work with the Senior Architect on product development strategies, write technical proposals for potential clients. A Master’s degree in computer science or related w/6 months’ exp on Objective C, PHP & responsive development, CentOS & Mysql are required. Please mail resume to: 2120 Washington Blvd., #200, Arlington, VA 22204.

EducationalInternships

Unusual opportunity to learn manyaspects of the newspaper business.Internships available in reporting,photography, research, graphics.Opportunities for students, and foradults considering change of career.Unpaid. E-mail [email protected]

CLASSIFIEDDEADLINESZones 1, 5, 6............................Mon @ noonZones 2, 3, 4 ...........................Tues @ noon

E-mail ad with zone choices to:[email protected]

or call Andrea @ 703-778-9411

EMPLOYMENTDEADLINESZones 1, 5, 6............................Mon @ noonZones 2, 3, 4 ...........................Tues @ noon

E-mail ad with zone choices to:[email protected] or call Andrea @ 703-778-9411

ZONESZone 1: The Reston Connection The Oak Hill/Herndon ConnectionZone 2: The Springfield Connection The Burke Connection The Fairfax Connection The Fairfax Station/Clifton/

Lorton ConnectionZone 3: The Alexandria Gazette Packet

The Mount Vernon GazetteZone 4: Centre View North Centre View SouthZone 5: The Potomac AlmanacZone 6: The Arlington Connection

The Vienna/Oakton ConnectionThe McLean ConnectionThe Great Falls Connection

Newspapers & Online

HOW TO SUBMIT ADS TO

Free Holiday Cab RidesHelp PreventDrunk Driving

Combating that holiday period which theNational Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-tration says is a “dangerous time to be onthe road due to a high number of drunkdrivers behind the wheel,” a local nonprofitorganization will offer free cab rides towould-be drunk drivers throughout theWashington-metropolitan area during thewinter holidays.

Washington Regional Alcohol Program(WRAP), operates the annual HolidaySoberRide program between 10 p.m. and 6a.m. each evening between Friday, Dec. 16,2016 and Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017 as a way tokeep local roads safe from impaired driversduring this traditionally high-risk, holidayperiod.

During the evening hours, between Dec.16 and Jan. 1, Washington-metropolitanarea residents celebrating with alcohol maycall the toll-free SoberRide phone number1–800–200–TAXI and be afforded a no-cost(up to $30 fare), safe way home.

“Last December, nearly 1,500 (1,456)Greater Washington residents did the rightthing and availed themselves of this life-saving service rather than possibly drivinghome impaired,” said Kurt GregoryErickson, WRAP’s president. “ForSoberRide’s hours of operation during justlast New Year’s Eve, alone, such ridership(580) translated into the removal of awould-be drunk driver from our sharedroadways every 49-seconds.”

Since 1993, WRAP’s SoberRide programhas provided 65,385 free cab rides home towould-be drunk drivers in the GreaterWashington area.

More information about WRAP’sSoberRide initiative can be found atwww.soberride.com.

To have community events listed in the Connec-tion, send to connectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/. The deadline for submissions is noon on Friday.

THROUGH DEC. 18The Container Store Annual Holiday Hugs

Program in Partnership with Children’sNational Health System Collections aregoing on now through December 18th and giftswill be delivered to the hospital the week ofDecember 19th. The Container Store is thrilled tocontinue its annual, nationwide signature givingprogram, Holiday Hugs. In each of ourWashington, DC-area stores, we are partneringwith Children’s National Health System tocollect and deliver new, unwrapped gifts to theiryoung patients who are spending the holidays inthe hospital. Customers can participate in theHoliday Hugs program by dropping off new,unwrapped books, small toys and games,toiletries, gift cards and kid-friendly stockingstuffers in collection bins at our Washington,DC, Arlington, VA, Reston, Tysons Corner andRockville locations

ONGOINGThe Northern Virginia Long Term Care

Ombudsman Program needs volunteeradvocates for residents in nursing homes andassisted living facilities. Contact Lisa Callahan at703-324-5861, TTY 711 or [email protected]. Also visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/olderadultservices/ltcombudsman/.

Fairfax County needs volunteers to drive olderadults to medical appointments andwellness programs. For these and othervolunteer opportunities, call 703-324-5406, TTY711 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/olderadultsand click on Volunteer Solutions.

Bulletin Board


News

Flint Hill Cemetery (FHC),under the authorizationof Fairfax County, is plan-ning to construct a

columbarium to house human cre-mains in 2017. Three hundredburial niches will be available in

the columbarium.The Flint Hill Cemetery Associa-

tion (FHCA), the organization thatoversees the burial ground, is rais-ing money for construction costsby offering pavers and benches tothe public for placement in the

cemetery. Pavers and benches canbe engraved with names or mes-sages in honor of loved ones,whether they are buried in FHC orelsewhere. In addition, niches areavailable for purchase at a special,pre-construction price.

FHC dates to 1852, or earlier,and abuts a Civil War-era fort.Many local dignitaries fromVienna and surrounding commu-nities are laid to rest in FHC. Thecolumbarium is designed with alow profile and will feature cul-tured stone so the structure blendsin with the cemetery.

“Land is scarce, and we have lessthan 250 spaces available for pur-chase for in-ground burials in thecemetery,” said David Farmer,president of the Flint Hill Cem-etery Association. “More peopleare considering cremation as analternative to traditional burial, sowe are responding to that trendwith a columbarium that will ac-commodate the needs of the com-munity for years to come.”

The public can purchase paversor benches on the FHCA website,www.flinthillcemetery.org or con-tact them by email to inquireabout purchasing burial niches arepre-construction prices.

Flint Hill Cemetery, located inOakton, is believed to be one of theoldest community cemeteries inFairfax County. Dating back to1852, it was originally known as theFlint Hill Burial Ground, whenOakton was known as Flint Hill.Flint Hill Cemetery is managed byvolunteers that make up the FlintHill Cemetery Association. The FlintHill Cemetery Association is a501(c)(13) nonprofit organization.

Flint Hill Cemetery to ConstructColumbarium in 2017Area residents have opportunity tohonor loved ones.

Photo by Jim Lewis

Flint Hill Cemetery: A well-known, historic cemetery thatdates to 1852, or earlier, and abuts a Civil War-era fort.

Faith Notes are for announcements andevents in the faith community. Send [email protected] is Friday at noon.

Chabad Tysons Jewish Center isholding a Menorah workshop at TheHome Depot at Merrifeld, 2815 MerrileeDrive in Fairfax on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2p.m. Open for all. They are also havinga Chanukah Wonderland Dec. 25 tillDec. 30 in Vienna at 226 W. Maple Ave.from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. every day and aMenorah lighting at the first nightVienna.Great Falls United MethodistChurch will be holding its annual Liv-ing Nativity on Dec.18. Three 20minute, one act plays of this gloriousevent will begin at 5 p.m. and end at 6p.m. Come listen to the story, sing somecarols, pet the animals, enjoy refresh-ments, and rekindle your joy forChristmas. 10100 Georgetown PikeGreat Falls www.greatfallsumc.orgQuestions? Call 703-759-3705.Church of the Holy Comforter, 543Beulah Road, NE, Vienna offers amonthly Healing Eucharist with the Lay-ing on of Hands and Anointing forHealing (first Sunday of the month, 5

Faith Notes

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