caroline wittich of springfield, snow...

Springfield Connection ❖ January 28 - February 3, 2016 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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January 28 - February 3, 2016

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Franconia ❖ KingstowneNewington

SpringfieldSpringfield

Franconia ❖ KingstowneNewington

Snow PlaceLike Home

News, Page 3

NeighborhoodDevelopmentOutlook UpdateNews, Page 4

Area Athletes DiscussBlizzard Days

Sports, Page 12

Inside

Community Outlook &

Winter Fun Guide

Bereft of a pool that is open,Caroline Wittich of Springfield,

also a member of the WestSpringfield Spartan Swim andDive team, works on her start.

2 ❖ Springfield Connection ❖ January 28 - February 3, 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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News

By Tim Peterson

The Connection

Compared to Wednesday night’ssneak-attack dusting thatcaught Virginia Department ofTransportation crews unpre-

pared and commuters stuck in hours of slickrush hour gridlock, Fairfax County Super-visors think the full force of Winter StormJonas was weathered about as well as pos-sible.

For one thing, projections of the snowbeginning in earnest around 3 p.m. Fridayand continuing, mostly uninterrupted untilSunday morning while depositing nearlytwo feet of the white stuff, were pretty spot-on.

“This is one of the first I remember wherethey got the projections basically right,” saidSupervisor Dan Storck (D-Mount Vernon).“Timing and everything else was basicallyas projected. That was really very helpfulfor all of us to be able to respond.”

Storck said he was pleased to hear of“only a fluttering of power outages” com-pared to the extended lack of power thataccompanied the “Snowmageddon” stormof 2010. “That’s absolutely the best news,”he said.

After receiving reports about lack of plow-ing service that he then relayed to VDOT,Storck made a few house calls Tuesday tosee if crews had responded.

Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield)said as many as 200 people in Chantillyand Centreville lost power during thestorm, but that it was restored in a shortperiod of time.

GIVEN THE VOLUME of snow thatfell, Herrity said he was generally posi-tive on the job VDOT did digging outFairfax County.

“This was clearly a big improvement overthe dusting we had Wednesday night,” hesaid.

Herrity himself got behind a neighbor’ssnow-blower and worked with neighbors inLittle Rocky Run to clear a number of drive-ways and sidewalks for people who eitherweren’t home or had difficulty digging outthemselves.

“The happiest thing I’ve seen, everywhereI’ve gone, is everyone out helping everyone,just a lot of neighbors helping neighbors,”said Herrity. “It’s always a good thing whenpeople can come together and help otherfolks.”

Elsewhere in the county, numerous non-profit organizations, Fairfax County staffand faith communities helped homeless in-dividuals weather the storm, bringing themin from the cold.

Margi Preston, executive director of theFairfax-based nonprofit FACETS, said herorganization and volunteers at two differ-ent faith communities served more than 77people during the storm.

“The volunteers from both St. Mary’s andSt. John Neumann were amazing and tookexcellent care of our hypothermia programparticipants,” Preston said in an email.

Normally, their hypothermia shelterwould only be available overnight, onenight at a time. For Winter Storm Jonas,FACETS extended the hours.

“There was enough food, planned activi-ties and things to do to keep people enter-tained for the duration of the storm,” saidPreston. FACETS shelters were open from3 p.m. Friday until closing Tuesday morn-ing at 8:30 a.m. They opened back up at 2p.m. Tuesday and transitioned to new faith

communities Monday afternoon.“This is a lifesaving service that’s is a true

community-wide effort to address the criti-cal needs of those individuals experiencinghomelessness in Fairfax County. The healthand safety of these individuals is always ournumber one concern and we’re grateful tohave such amazing partners to enable ourcommunity to come together for the greatergood of our neighbors in need.”

DEAN KLEIN, director of the FairfaxCounty Office to Prevent and EndHomelessness, said volunteers and stafffrom 55 faith communities, FACETS andother nonprofits including Cornerstones inReston, Northern Virginia Family Service inFalls Church and New Hope Housing Inc.in Mount Vernon “really went above andbeyond to ensure homeless individuals weresafe.”

Klein said staffs at shelters were very wellprepared and scheduled experienced indi-viduals who would be able to managespending several days in close quarters withhomeless guests and engage with them in ameaningful way.

“This took a different level of commit-ment,” said Klein. “It was so impressive tosee people coming together during this typeof storm.”

“It’s a reminder when you see so many inneed of more permanent housing solutionsthat it’s important to push for more afford-able, safe housing options,” Klein added.“We still have people living in the woodswho had to come in from the cold. Theyneed opportunities to allow them to be in-dependent.”

Anyone without at least one “passable”lane for traffic in their neighborhood by 6a.m. Wednesday morning, Jan. 27, can re-port to VDOT at 1-800-FOR-ROAD or [email protected].

Residents, volunteers come together todig out after Jonas drops over 20 inches.Snow Place Like Home

Bayard Breen of Springfield takes a break from helping dig out multipledriveways to enjoy the snow cave he worked on with his brothers Nigeland Cedric, and friend Kyle.

Photos contributed

Crowds flocked to the hill at Washington Irving Middle School in Spring-field to sled in the aftermath of Winter Storm Jonas.

Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Spring-field) borrowed the snowblower ofhis Little Rocky Run neighborCheryl Tweedie Belloli to help digout others in the neighborhood.

Supervisor Jeff McKay’s (D-Lee)children Leann (left) and Aidan(right) aren’t in any hurry toreturn to school.

Springfield Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]


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By Tim Peterson

1 Bonefish Grille parking lot area5920 Kingstowne Town Center, Alexandria

The Bonefish Grille parking lot area hasbeen approved for the construction offour office structures, but will require anapproved request for rezoning to makeway for ground-level retail buildings withresidential space above. A presentation tothe Fairfax County Land Use Committee isexpected in the next two months.

2 Corbet Manor subdivisionAround 7717 Gambrill Road

Seven single-family homes are goinginto 4.5 acres of what were previouslyunconsolidated parcels of land. Theproject has been approved and construc-tion is pending.

3 Corridor study of Van DornStreet From Kingstowne to Alexandriacity

Supervisor Jeff McKay (D-Lee) isinterested in tapping into an Alexandriastudy of the corridor, extending it toKingstowne and potentially bringing a busrapid transit system to Van Dorn. TheCounty is working with Alexandria tomake sure the stretch is part of theconversation.

4 GSA Warehouse 6808 LoisdaleRoad, Building A

The large warehouse off Loisdale Roadin Springfield continues to be a candidatefor home of the new headquarters of theFBI. The building, owned by the GeneralServices Administration (GSA) is compet-ing with sites in Greenbelt and Landoverfor the highly coveted candidate. Environ-mental impact statements for the threesites have been completed and the finalcontract is scheduled to be awardedaround fall 2016.

5 Keene Mill Elementary SchoolRenovation 6310 Bardu Ave

An 18-month renovation of the schoolincludes a two-story addition on the leftside of the building in the rear, an addi-tion for administration in the front and anaddition for a cafe-kitchen in the rear onthe right side. The project is estimated tobe finished by summer 2016.

6 Liberty View 13.45-acre site nearBeulah Street and the Fairfax CountyParkway

This was approved for single familyhome neighborhoods, four office build-ings and fifth structure that would beeither a hotel or office building. It wasrezoned in 2011 and previous structureshave been demolished.

7 Park Pointe subdivision East sideof Gambrill Road, near the Fairfax CountyPkwy

Development has started on 18 single-family homes spread across 7.7 acres.Paving should be taking place this spring,weather-permitting.

8 Piney Run by Elm Street Devel-opment Area of Telegraph Road andPiney Run Drive, Alexandria

Demolition of the Hill Top Golf facilityis set to begin soon, making way for a259-unit residential development specifi-cally for individuals 55 and older. Whencompleted, the development shouldinclude 32 single family units, 103townhouses and 124 multi-family condo-miniums and apartments.

9 Safford Car Dealerships onLoisdale Loisdale Road

Following the 2015 opening of JenningsToyota at 7601 Loisdale and a newartificial turf field at Loisdale Park,Safford Hyundai is scheduled to open inthe first quarter of 2016 with SaffordChrysler/Jeep/Dodge/Ram set to followin the second quarter of 2016.

10 Springfield Town Center 6500Springfield Mall

Since January 2015, another 30 shopsand restaurants occupying 87,000 square-feet have joined the 1.35 million square-foot retail space of Springfield TownCenter, according to owner PennsylvaniaReal Estate Investment Trust. Some of thenewest tenants include Nordstrom Rack,Francesca’s, Finish Line, New York andCo., Wood Ranch BBQ and Grill and Daveand Buster’s, which opened Dec. 21,2015. The renovated shopping destina-tion reopened in October 2014 after yearsof decline as the Springfield Mall. Laterstages of redevelopment planning for thearea include residential, office and hotelspace. But their execution will be dictatedby market performance of the SpringfieldTown Center market. A release fromPREIT said another 73,000 square-feet ofspace is already committed for 2016.

11 U-Haul Warehouse 5285 Port RoyalRoad

U-Haul is repurposing a previouslyvacant personal storage facility for a truckrental business. The Board of Supervisorsapproved amending the zoning ordinanceand special exception application in itsJune 23 meeting. All permits have beengranted and construction is underway.

12 West Springfield High School6100 Rolling Road

Renovation construction is scheduled tobegin in May 2016 and take three and ahalf to four years to complete, accordingto Fairfax County Public Schools Designand Construction Capital Projects Coordi-nator Brady Rauch. The renovation willinclude upgrades to windows, flooring,HVAC, power and lighting of the currentstructure, and additions for music,science, library and administration. Costis estimated in the Capital ImprovementProgram at $82,958,090.

Sources: Supervisor Jeff McKay (D-Lee) andland use aide, Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) and land use aide, Supervisor JohnCook (R-Braddock) and land use aide.

News

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The vast un-dergroundarcade andrestaurantDave &Buster’sopened atSpringfieldTown Centerthe week ofChristmas2015.


By Bonnie Hobbs

The Connection

When it comes to chocolate,the City of Fairfax does it upright. Featuring everythingfrom cakes to cookies, cup-

cakes, candy, ice cream and fudge, its 24thannual Chocolate Lovers Festival will beheld Saturday, Feb. 6, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.,and Sunday, Feb. 7, from noon-4 p.m.

“After a tough snowstorm, nothing willput a smile on the faces of children andadults alike than chocolate,” said FairfaxMayor Scott Silverthorne. “The City’s an-nual Chocolate Lovers Festival has becomea must-attend event and was recognized lastyear as one of the best food festivals in Vir-ginia by Virginia Living Magazine. If you’relooking for fun, great food and a special wayto celebrate Valentine’s Day early, the Cityof Fairfax is the place to be.”

One of the highlights is the Taste ofChocolate, where attendees purchasesamples of a multitude of mouthwatering,chocolate treats from two floors full of ven-dors in Old Town Hall. Another is theChocolate Challenge in which both profes-sionals and home cooks compete to see whocan make the most beautiful and creativechocolate sculptures, cakes and cupcakes.

There is even a chocolate-themed movie,plus chocolate-chip pancakes at the fire sta-tion and a slew of fun-filled activities forboth children and adults, all day long. Andthe first event actually begins a week inadvance. It is the Sweet History WalkingTour, this Saturday, Jan. 30, from 4:30-6p.m., in Old Town Fairfax’s Historic District.

It starts at the Ratcliffe Allison House,10209 Main St., and includes Old TownHall, Historic Fairfax County Courthouseand the Ford House and ends at De ClieuCoffee with complimentary hot chocolate.

Cost is $10/person and participants shouldbring flashlights. With one paying adult, onechild 5 and under is free. Pre-registrationis required; go towww.chocolatefestival.net; click on “Sched-ule of Events” and then “Sweet HistoryWalking Tour.”

Then on Feb. 6-7 will be a full slate ofactivities including face-painting, musicalperformances, fairytales, a fire-safety pup-pet show, a Chocolate Caper mock trial,cupcake-decorating, magic, juggling andopen houses in historic buildings. All ven-ues are handicap-accessible, and the Choco-late Express will provide free, shuttle ser-vice between event locations. It will run Feb.6, from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and Feb. 7,from 11:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Pancakes, TasteOf Chocolate

The fun kicks off Saturday, Feb. 6, at FireStation 3, at 4081 University Drive, withthe annual, Kiwanis Club of Fairfax PancakeBreakfast. From 8 a.m.-1 p.m., enjoy regu-lar or chocolate-chip pancakes, plus sau-sage, coffee, juice and milk. Cost is $8,adults; $4, children ages 4-10. Children 3and under eat free with a paying adult (limittwo children per adult). Face painting willbe available for $2/child.

The festival’s centerpiece, the Taste ofChocolate, will be held Feb. 6, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Feb. 7, from noon-4 p.m., inOld Town Hall, 3999 University Drive (cor-ner of Main Street and University Drive).Strollers may be left on the building’s frontporch; a fully accessible entrance is at thedoor on Main Street.

Admission is free; visitors buy pogs for$1 each and then browse the vendors’ tablesto see the wide array of chocolate treats

being offered. They pay for their treats inpogs and may buy as many pogs as theywant from roaming volunteers in redaprons.

The variety of goodies is a chocolatelover’s dream-come-true. There are choco-late candies, bars, cakes and fudge, choco-late-covered strawberries and ice cream.And one of the biggest hits each year arethe chocolate fountains into which custom-ers may dip fruit, cream-filled doughnutholes or marshmallows.

This year’s vendors include: C & D Sweets,CakeLove, Cakes by Shelby, Cameron’s Cof-fee & Chocolates, Capitol Chocolate Foun-tains; Chocotenago, Confection Connection,Dave’s Candy Kitchen, El Ceibo Chocolate,Fair Trade Winds, Fluffy Thoughts Cakes,Le Papiyon Chocolatier, Mike’s Fudge, SugarMama’s Ice Cream, The Capital Candy Jar,The Chocolatier’s Palette, Virginia Choco-late Co. and Xtreme Ice Cream.

Chocolate ChallengeThe Chocolate Challenge is a display of

creative, whimsical and imaginative choco-late cakes, cupcakes and sculptures. It takesplace at the Nutrition Kitchen, 3950 Uni-versity Drive, and runs Feb. 6, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Feb. 7, from noon-4 p.m. Ad-mission is $1/adult; children under 18 arefree. A designated stroller-parking area isoutside the building.

Both professionals and amateurs partici-pate, and judges and visitors judge them invarious categories. Visitors may use theiradmission ticket to vote for the People’sChoice Award winner and also participatein the silent action of challenge entries, plusitems from local businesses. Donated cakesand other items will be open for silent-auc-tion bidding through Feb. 7 at 2:30 p.m. To

enter the Chocolate Challenge, go towww.chocolatefestival.net and click on “ap-plications” by Feb. 3.

Grant RecipientsEach year, the Chocolate Lovers Festival

Committee donates part of the proceedsraised during the festival to charity. Thisyear’s four grant recipients are:

❖ City of Fairfax Police Cops & Kids Day:It is focused on building stronger relation-ships between members of the police de-partment and families within the commu-nity. Children and parents watch demon-strations conducted by the Criminal Inves-tigation Division, Emergency Services Team,K9 Unit, Bike Patrol Unit, and Animal Con-trol Officers.

❖ City of Fairfax Police Kids Safety Sat-urday: It is a fun-filled afternoon involvinglessons in pedestrian, skateboard and be-ginner driver-safety awareness for childrenand parents. Bicycle-cone safety courses ledby certified, mountain-bike officers areavailable, as are bike-safety inspections andminor equipment adjustments.

❖ Fairfax Lions Club: It has provided ser-vices to local people in need, especiallythose with impaired vision. A recent visionscreening at a City of Fairfax school discov-ered school children with reduced vision,but their parents can’t afford correctiveglasses for them. So the Lions are helpingout.

❖ Pets Bring Joy: Its mission is to pro-vide help and hope to small, grassroots,animal rescuers in Fairfax County and thesurrounding area by finding loving, perma-nent homes for previously at-risk homelessanimals in their care.

And PBJ’s Fuzzies for Seniors programsponsors placement of companion animalswith senior citizens.

Lily Mae Hamilton, 5, happily dips a treat into the chocolate fountainwhile mom Lora Ann and brother Jack, 1, watch.

Paradise for Chocolate LoversFairfax’s annual festival is Feb. 6-7. Chocolate Lovers Festival 2016 map.

Winter Entertainment and Fun Guide

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Opinion

Have you ever paid 36 percent in-terest on a loan or credit card?Not likely. It’s an outrageous rate,especially given that the actual

cost of money is close to zero right now.But right now, some people in Northern Vir-

ginia are paying more than 200 percent onloans secured by their car title. These arepeople who are both financially desperate andfinancially unsophisticated, who likely assumethat regulation would keep a lender frombleeding them dry with unrestricted interestrates.

Predatory lending is a local issue, with cartitle lenders congregating in lower income ar-eas like along Route 1 in the Mount Vernonarea, and also queuing up near the border withPrince George’s County, Md., where car titlelending is illegal.

Earlier this week, a Virginia Senate commit-tee killed a bill that would have capped con-sumer loan interest rates at 36 percent. It’s hardto believe, but right now there are no limits tothe interest rates that can be charged in Vir-

ginia. And car title lenders, which are not con-sumer loans, often have effective interest ratesof more than 200 percent.

“Predatory lending is a major problem in theU.S. 1 Corridor,” said Sen. Scott Surovell (D-36), who introduced the failed legislation tocurb predatory lending. “Car title lenders havebeen abusing this loophole by charging ratesover 200 percent. ... To rein in car title lenderbait and switch tactics, I am proposing to limitinterest rates on consumer finance loans at 36percent.” But that effort died in a Virginia Sen-ate Committee this week.

Between 2010, when the Virginia GeneralAssembly gave the green light to the car titlelending industry, the total number of locationsmore than doubled from 184 to 395.

Some legislators claim this is a free marketand personal responsibility issue, that peoplewho have no other options should be able toturn to high interest lending as a last resort.But most people who turn to these loans wouldbe better off without this last resort.

“It’s a trap, and although it’s presented as aloan it’s really loan-sharking,” said Jay Speech,executive director of the Virginia Poverty LawCenter. “People who get into this end up muchworse off than when they started.”

We all pay the price when an industry preyson the poor. People who lose their cars can losetheir jobs, then relying on the frayed and in-

adequate safety net.Michael Pope, who wrote about car title lend-

ing abuses when he worked for the Connec-tion and Gazette Packet, recently completed amulti-part investigative series on predatorylending for WAMU, which you can listen tohere: http://wamu.org/the_debt_trap

When his series concluded, the message ofthe damage of predatory lending seemed toresonate. Legislation to rein in the abuses of200 percent interest seemed destined to makea difference.

This year, it will not.Attorney General Mark Herring tweeted,

“disappointing, not surprising” on Monday inresponse to the news that all four bills thatsought to limit predatory lending were voteddown in committee. Disappointing, but not sur-prising. A sad commentary.

— Mary Kimm

[email protected]

‘Disappointing, Not Surprising’Bills to rein in preda-tory lending die inSenate committee.

Listen to MichaelPope’s reports onpredatory lendingon WAMU

http://wamu.org/the_debt_trap

Pet Photosfor the PetConnection

The Pet Connection, a twice-yearlyspecial edition, will publish on Feb. 24,and photos and stories of your pets withyou and your family should be submit-ted by Feb. 17.

We invite you to send us stories aboutyour pets, photos of you and/or yourfamily with your cats, dogs, llamas, al-pacas, hamsters, snakes, lizards, frogs,rabbits, or whatever other creaturesshare your home or yard with you.

Tell us the story of a special bond be-tween a child and a dog, the story of howyou came to adopt your pet, or examplesof amazing feats of your creatures. Doyou volunteer at an animal shelter ortherapeutic riding center or take yourpet to visit people in a nursing home?Does your business have a pet? Is yourbusiness about pets? Have you helped totrain an assistance dog? Do you or some-one in your family depend on anassistance dog?

Or take this opportunity to memorial-ize a beloved pet you have lost.

Just a cute photo is fine too. Our fa-vorite pictures include both pets andhumans.

Please tell us a little bit about yourcreature, identify everyone in the photo,give a brief description what is happen-ing in the photo, and include addressand phone number (we will not publishyour address or phone number, just yourtown name).

Email [email protected] oronline atwww.connectionnewspapers.com/pets.

For advertising information, [email protected] orcall 703-778-9431.

To the Editor:Your article, “Money, Lax Laws

Draw Sex Traffickers” (Connec-tion, January 21-27) states “Lastyear, before the state of Virginiapassed its first sex traffickinglaws, SB 1188 and HB 1964, itwas the last state in the UnitedStates with any sex traffickinglegislation.” The headline andthis second paragraph wouldmake one think that sex traffick-ing was not illegal in Virginia.This notion is utterly false. It hasbeen illegal for hundreds ofyears. Just look at the VirginiaCode: Article 2.1 Crimes byGangs, Article 3 Kidnapping andRelated Offenses, Article 4 As-saults and Bodily Woundings,Article 6 Extortion and OtherThreats, and Article 7 CriminalSexual Assault. Also remember,in 1994, Virginia eliminated pa-

role. I can assure you that any-one convicted of human traffick-ing related felonies under thesearticles does lots and lots ofprison time.

Human trafficking has alwaysbeen illegal. In fact, a numberof years ago, an organizationmade a ridiculous accusationthat Virginia’s laws were weakon human trafficking. I commis-sioned a study by the VirginiaState Crime Commission to lookat every act this organization al-leged was involved in humantrafficking to see if there wereany gaps in our laws. The resultof the study showed that everysingle act was already illegal ex-cept for withholding a passportto force a person into prostitu-tion. So we made that a felony.

The article says that HB 1964and SB 1188 were our first hu-

man trafficking laws. Our firsthuman trafficking laws werepassed in the 1600s. What thesetwo bills did was increase pun-ishments on certain crimes thatcan be labeled as “human traf-ficking.” We were very proud tohave passed them. But all theacts were already illegal.

People can castigate Virginiaon a number of issues. We don’thave the same welfare benefitsas other states, and because ofour low tax rate, we don’t havethe same level of services asother states.

However, I can assure you thatbeing weak on crime is certainlynot a claim that applies to Vir-ginia.

Del. Dave Albo (R-42)Chairman, Courts of

Justice Committee

Letters to the Editor

Sex Trafficking Was Illegal for Hundreds of Years

To the Editor:I am writing to express my

concern that the bike trails in ourcommunity are not being prop-erly maintained by the county ofFairfax.

Part of what makes Fairfax Sta-tion a great place to live is thebiking trails, they encouragepeople to be active and enjoy

nature.I attended a public meeting

where I asked how much moneythe county is spending on main-taining bike trails. I was sur-prised to hear that the budgetdoesn’t include money for main-taining of the bike trails. Overthe years I have noticed the biketrails have become more

cracked and bumpy due to nor-mal wear and tear. If they be-come deteriorated to the pointof not being able to enjoy bikingand walking on them then ourquality of life will suffer.

John KliemStudent, South

County High School

Maintaining Bike Trails

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Springfield


CelebrateValentine’sWeekend

Feb. 12–14Reservations Recommended

Visit our Website to viewour specials

9000 Lorton Station Blvd., Lorton, VA703-372-1923 • firesidegrillva.com

Thursday–Saturday 4–9 p.m.

Peak ofthe SeasonOyster Bar

Blizzard 2016

Photo contributed

Elise Roberts, 16, of Springfield enjoys asnow day in a beautiful way.

Photo contributed

Supervisor Jeff McKay’s (D-Lee) daughterLeann lends a hand clearing the family’sdriveway.

Photo by Marissa Beale/The Connection

Springfield residents Ally Lother, MaddieLother and Briana Beale jump for joy inthe snow on Forrester Boulevard.

Photo contributed

Regina Paik of Springfield shares a photoof her dog Mr. Digby playing in the snow.

Sure-footedSilviaMurphy, ofSpringfield,shovels snowoff the roof ofher Spring-field home,almost losingher shovel atone point.

Photo by

Abigail

Constantino

The Connection

8 ❖ Springfield Connection ❖ January 28 - February 3, 2016 Springfield Connection ❖ January 28 - February 3, 2016 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

The GreatOutdoors

Campfires aren’t just for summernights. Lake Accotink Park inSpringfield invites everyone wholoves the outdoors to CampfireSaturdays. Adventure awaits asyou explore the woodlands andLake Accotink spots where wildlifehides and resides. Program endswith a cozy campfire. Bring what-ever you like to roast. S’mores pro-vided. Scheduled campfires startbetween 6:30 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 27,March 26, April 16 and May 14.Topics vary each month. Cost is $8and $10. Lake Accotink Park is lo-cated at 7500 Accotink Park Road,Springfield. Register at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/lake-accotink/.

Not to be outdone, Royal LakePark also offers Campfire Sat-urdays on Feb. 20, March 12 andApril 30. It starts between 6:30 to7 p.m. Royal Lake Park is locatedat 5344 Gainsborough Drive,Fairfax. After a nature program,come to the campfire with deli-cious things to roast. S’mores pro-vided. Cost is $8 and $10. Registerat http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/press/html/psa067-15.htm.

Take a Night Hike at BurkeLake Park, 7315 Ox Road, FairfaxStation, on Sunday, Feb. 21. Anaturalist will guide you in a searchfor wildlife. Warm up with camp-fire and s’mores after perambulat-ing the winter woods. The hikestarts at 6:30 p.m. Children mustbe accompanied by an adult regis-tered in the program. Cost is $8.To register, go to http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/burkelakepark/rides.htm.

If you’ve had your fill of terres-trial creatures, see some celestialsights at Burke Lake Park’s As-tronomy Campfire on SundayFeb. 7 and Campfire Saturday:Stargazing on Saturday, March 5.Enjoy a stroll along the shores ofthe lake and learn about the con-stellations, their stories and otherfeatures of the night sky. Learnwhat ancient cultures saw in thestars. An astronomical naturalistwill identify the stars for you, alongwith having some telescopes onhand for folks to try out. After theprogram gather around the firewhere s’mores are provided. Bringhot dogs, if you like. Program startsat 6:30 p.m. Cost is $8. The park islocated at 7315 Ox Road, FairfaxStation. Children must be accom-panied by an adult registered in theprogram. To register, go towww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/burkelakepark/rides.htm.

For more active pursuits, theSpring Backyard Burn TrailRunning Series takes place insome of the best trail networks inthe area—Laurel Hill and PohickBay in Lorton and Hemlock Over-look in Clifton. This is a four seriesrace and they are scheduled onMarch 6, 13 and April 17. Thefourth race will be in Lake FairfaxPark in Reston on May 1. For moreinformation, visit http://www.ex2adventures.com/byb-spring.php.

CelebrationsHappy New Year! Nope, it’s not

late, it’s just in time to celebratethe Lunar New Year. On Saturdayand Sunday, Feb. 6 and 7, Fair OaksMall will hold the 13th AnnualLunar New Year Festival from

1 to 5 p.m. Presented by the Wash-ington Hai Hua Community Cen-ter, the event is one of the largestof its kind with free performances,ceremonies and exhibitions. Themall is located at 11750 Fair Oaksmall, Fairfax. For more informa-tion, go to http://www.shopfairoaksmall .com/events.

For more lunar new year celebra-tions head on over to NWBI 2016Chinese New Year Celebra-tions on Sunday, Feb. 7 from 1 to4 p.m. at Johnson Center NewberryHall at George Mason Universitylocated at 4400 University Drive,Fairfax. There will be dragondances, dumpling cooking lesson,riddles, Chinese painting. Cost is$2 to $6. For more information,contact [email protected].

Another beginning is Lent butbefore that there is Mardi Gras2016 at Fat Tuesday’s on Tuesday,Feb. 9. Doors open at noon. Ninebands beginning at 3 p.m. and aspecial Mardi Gras menu will be onhand. Fat Tuesday’s is located at10673 Braddock Road, Fairfax.Find out more at http://www.fatsfairfax.com/.

Ah, love is in the air at the An-nual Valentine’s Day Banquetsponsored by the Family Ministryof the Greater Little Zion BaptistChurch in Fairfax. The celebrationis from 6:30 to 11 p.m. on Satur-day, Feb. 13 at Waterford Recep-tions, 6715 Commerce St., Spring-field. All couples and singles areinvited to fellowship and enjoy anevening of fine dining, music,dancing and featured entertain-ment. Cost is $60 due by Feb. 7.Call 703-763-9111 to reserve.

Out of theFrozen Earth

Just in time for Valentine’s Day,Merrifield Garden Center-Fair Oakspresents Fun with Roses. Enjoyan interactive demonstration ofdesign secrets for romantic andfriendship inspired rose creationson Sunday, Jan. 31 from 2 to 4 p.m.The garden center is located at12101 Lee Highway, Fairfax. Re-freshments will be served. Call703-371-9351 for more informa-tion.

For less ornamental flora, thereis Grow Your Health, a homegardening, sourcing organic andlocal food, and nutrition andwellness event that will be held onSaturday, March 5 at Fairfax HighSchool from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.This is a family focused event thatincludes education and entertain-ment for children of all ages. Theschool is located at 3501 RebelRun, Fairfax. For more information,go to http://www.growyourhealthnova.com/.

Sights andSounds

George Mason University pre-sents performances that will enter-tain, amuse and enlighten. Beloware some highlights of the winterseason.

❖ Shhh! At Mummenschanz,artists perform in complete silenceon a blackened stage with commonhousehold objects and simpleforms to create ingenious illusionsand amusing narratives that pro-vide light-hearted insights on life.The show will be at GMU’s Centerfor the Arts, 4373 Mason PondDrive, Fairfax on Friday, Feb. 5 at8 p.m. Tickets are from $29 to $48and are available by calling 703-

993-2787 or going to cfa.gmu.edu.

❖ Be in the presence of greatnesswhen the Fairfax Symphony Or-chestra and piano prodigy GeorgeLi come to GMU’s Center for theArts on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m.Twenty-year-old George Li was asilver medalist in the 2015 Inter-national Tchaikovsky Competitionand winner of the prestigious XIVConcours International Grand PrixAnimato 2014 Paris. He joins theFairfax Symphony Orchestra aspart of their series featuring all ofBeethoven’s Piano Concertos. Theprogram includes Kernis: MusicaCelestis, Beethoven: Piano Con-certo No. 1 featuring George Li,and Mozart: Symphony No. 41 “Ju-piter.” Tickets are $34 to $58 andcan be purchased by calling 703-993-2787 or going to cfa.gmu.edu.GMU’s Center for the Arts is at4373 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax.

❖ A photojournalist’s firsthandreflections while covering war isthe subject of the film “KandaharJournals.” Filmmaker Louie Paluwill hold a question and answerand share his experiences with sev-eral Canadian and American regi-ments in Afghanistan. This freescreening on Monday, Feb. 22 willbe at 7:30 p.m. at GMU’s JohnsonCenter Cinema, 4400 UniversityDrive, Fairfax. For more informa-tion, go to http://fams.gmu.edu/events/5705.

Finally, “A Touch of Irish” willremind you that spring is almosthere. Part of the Bonita LestinaPerformance Series at the OldTown Hall—3999 University Drive,Fairfax—The Woodbridge FluteChoir has twenty-five memberswho play flute, piccolo, alto flute,bass flute and contrabass flute. Thewoodwind extravaganza will be onFriday, March 11 at 8 p.m. For in-formation go to www.fairfaxva.gov.

Winter Fun & Entertainment Guide

Photo by Christian Steiner

Piano prodigy George Lijoins the Fairfax SymphonyOrchestra at GMU’s Centerfor the Arts on Saturday,Feb. 6.

Photo courtesy of Cami Music

A show in complete silence on a blackened stage,Mummenschanz will be at GMU’s Center for the Arts onFriday, Feb. 5.

The Annual Lunar New Year Festival at Fair Oaks Mall isone of the largest of its kind. The 13th Annual Lunar NewYear Festival will be on Feb. 6 and 7 from 1-5 p.m.

The West Springfield gymnastics team won a meet atWest Potomac High School on Jan. 20, producing ascore of 133.675. Spartan gymnast Abbie Levineplaced second in the all-around with a total of 36.075.She won floor (9.45) and bars (9.025), took second onbeam (9) and finished fourth on vault (8.6). Team-mate Alex Marsden took second on vault (9.2). TheConference 7 meet is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thurs-day, Feb. 4 at West Potomac.

Photo by Richard Maple

West Springfield GymnastsWin West Potomac Meet

Looking for UmpiresNorthern Virginia Baseball Umpires Association is in need of umpires

for youth leagues, high schools, and collegiate-level baseball and vol-leyball games. Experience is helpful, but not required. Will give class-room and field training to aid you in acquiring skills needed. ContactJohn Porter at 703-978-3601 or [email protected].

Potomac Field Hockey RegistrationRegistration is now open for Potomac Field Hockey’s spring

FUNdamental program for Pre-K through second grade and Youth Recleague program for grades 3-8. No experience necessary. Once-weeklyteam practices with games on Saturdays. Technical skills sessions in-cluded. Season begins March 28 and runs through June 4. For moreinformation or to register, visit www.potomacfieldhockey.org or [email protected].

Field Hockey Coaches,Umpires Needed

Coaches and umpires are needed for our upcoming spring season.Umpires needed for youth games on Saturdays. Send coach inquiry [email protected]; send umpire inquiry [email protected].

Field Hockey Open HouseLearn more about field hockey. Potomac Field Hockey will be holding

open houses on March 1 and March 3 from 5-7 p.m. Drop in any time.Equipment provided. For more information and to RSVP, visitwww.potomacfieldhockey.org.

Sports Roundups


See Calendar, Page 15

THURSDAY-SUNDAY/JAN. 28-31”Beauty and the Beast.” Check for

times. Lake Braddock SecondarySchool, 9200 Burke Lake Road,Burke. Bring the family to enjoythe “tale as old as time” told firstas a Disney cartoon musical andthen became a smash hit onBroadway.$12. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2478480.

SATURDAY/JAN. 30Polish Baltic Philharmonic

Orchestra. 8 p.m. GMU Centerfor the Arts, 4373 Mason PondDrive, Fairfax. This distinguishedensemble from the historic portcity of GdaDsk on the coast of theBaltic Sea brings a splendidevening of classical musicfavorites. $30-$50. cfa.gmu.edu.

SUNDAY/JAN. 31Hands On Activities Day. 1-4

p.m. Fairfax Station RailroadMuseum, 11200 Fairfax StationRoad, Fairfax Station. Crafts, trainscenery modeling and otherhands-on activities may be amongthe activities featured that day.Free-$4. www.fairfax-station.org.703-425-9225.

Burke Historical SocietyMeeting. 4:30 p.m. FellowshipHall, Abiding Presence LutheranChurch, 6304 Lee Chapel Road,Burke. BHS member Mary Lipseywill give a presentation entitled,“This Old House.” The meetingwill begin with some business anda “State of the Society” address.

Fun with Roses. 2-4 p.m.Merrifield Garden Center-FairOaks, 12101 Lee Highway,Fairfax. Enjoy an Interactivedemonstration of design secretsfor romantic and friendshipinspired rose creations.Refreshments. 703-371-9351.

Charity Fun Run. 8-11 a.m. BurkeLake Park, 7315 Ox Road, FairfaxStation. Help cure cancer and stayfit! Join the 5k “Red Run” fun runorganized to benefit the Leukemiaand Lymphoma Society. $25.Information and registration athttp://tinyurl.com/LLSFUNRUN.

Jessica Fechtor. 4:15 p.m. GMU,Nutrition Kitchen, 3950University Drive, Fairfax. Authorof “Stir: My Broken Brain and theMeals That Brought Me Home.”$8-$12. 703-537-3000.jccnvarts.org.

Burke Historical Society. 4:30p.m. Abiding Presence LutheranChurch, 6304 Lee Chapel Road,

Burke. Have you ever wanted tolearn the stories behind some ofour longstanding localresidences? Perhaps there aresome you don’t even know about,or that no longer exist. In “ThisOld House,” Mary Lipsey will givea virtual tour of the most historichomes of the Burke andAnnandale areas, with MountVernon included for goodmeasure. 703-451-2047.

FRIDAY/FEB. 5Mummenschanz. 8 p.m. GMU

Center for the Arts, 4373 MasonPond Drive, Fairfax. These uniqueartists perform in completesilence on a blackened stage withcommon household objects andsimple forms to create ingeniousillusions and amusing narrativesthat provide light-hearted insightson life. $29-$48. cfa.gmu.edu.

SATURDAY/FEB. 6Fairfax Symphony Orchestra,

George Li, Piano. 8 p.m. GMUCenter for the Arts, 4373 MasonPond Drive, Fairfax. Award-winning pianist. $34-$58.cfa.gmu.edu.

The Sometimes CD Release. 8-11:30 p.m. Dogfish HeadAlehouse, 13041 Lee JacksonMemorial Highway, Fairfax. TheFairfax based band Sometimescelebrates their CD release withlive music and food. Free andopen to the public. http://www.thesometimesrocks.com.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY/FEB. 6-713th Annual Lunar New Year

Festival. 1-5 p.m. Fair OaksMall, 11750 Fair Oaks Mall,Fairfax. Presented by theWashington Hai Hua CommunityCenter, the event is one of thelargest of its kind with freeperformances, ceremonies andexhibitions. http://www.shopfairoaksmall.com/events.

SUNDAY/FEB. 7NWBI 2016 Chinese New Year

Celebrations. 1-4 p.m. JohnsonCenter Dewberry Hall, GeorgeMason University, 4400University Drive, Fairfax. Dragondance, dumpling cooking lesson,riddles, Chinese painting. [email protected].

Astronomy Campfire. 6 p.m.

Calendar

Photo contributed

Celebrate the Year of the Monkey with the New WorldBilingual Institute on Sunday, Feb. 7 at George MasonUniversity.

Send notes to the Connection at [email protected] or call703-778-9416. The deadline is the Friday prior to the next paper’s publication.Dated announcements should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event.

Community

The Springfield Art Guild (SAG) made apresentation about all of its many offer-ings to the Springfield Civic Associationat its Tuesday, Jan. 19 meeting at

Crestwood Elementary School. Showing a display ofartwork by SAG artists, acting president LydiaJechoreck gave a PowerPoint presentation of the 47-year-old guild. For anyone who has an interest inart, the nonprofit guild meets at the Richard ByrdLibrary, 7250 Commerce Street, Springfield, and isopen to both hobbyists and professional artists. Thatincludes any of the 100 artists who specialize in paint-ings, murals, photography, watercolor, mixed media,film, sculpture, ceramics, fashion design, pottery andother media, including one artist who paints on arock. The guild sponsors three to four shows a yearand has guest speakers who give presentations ev-ery second Wednesday of the month, starting at 6p.m., at the library. They also publish a monthly news-letter with art tips, offer art classes and fund schol-arships for students in the local community. Mem-bership is $25/year.

“The art guild is for anyone with an interest in art.It’s a group that if you came in, you are welcome,”

Springfield Art Guild Speaks atCivic Association

said Jechoreck. “It’s a great, friendly group and art-ists are quick to share their art. There’s also a lot oflearning curve to the business side of art.”

She added, “We want to let other artists in the areaknow that we are a very diverse group with differentbackgrounds. We want to get our names out to otherartists in the area.”

The website is www.Springfieldartguild.org and itincludes an online gallery, Artists of the Month, andnew members “spotlighted.”

— Steve Hibbard

Members of the SpringfieldArt Guild stand in front ofsamples of their artwork atthe meeting of the Spring-field Civic Association onJan. 19.

SAG Acting President Lydia Jechoreckshows off her original art work.

Artwork fromthe SpringfieldArt Guildhangs atCrestwoodElementarySchool duringthe Jan. 19meeting of theSpringfieldCivic Associa-tion.

Photos by

Steve Hibbard/

The Connection


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News

Thrown out smoking materials caused afire in a Springfield home the morning ofSunday, Jan. 24.

The materials had been improperly dis-carded in the master bathroom of the sec-ond floor, Fairfax County Fire and Rescuesaid. Investigators determined the fire wasaccidental.

Both occupants of the home escapedsafely after one of them discovered the fire.They are being supported by the Red Cross.

Firefighters were able to extinguish theflames and damage is estimated at$163,750.

The Fire and Rescue Department offeredthese additional tips for discarding smok-ing materials:

❖ Completely douse butts and ashes withwater before throwing them away, as theycan smolder and cause a fire.

❖ Never smoke in bed.

❖ Provide large, deep ashtrays with a cen-ter support for smokers. Check furniture forany dropped ashes before going to bed.Empty ashes into a fireproof container withwater and sand.

❖ Keep smoking materials away fromanything that can burn, such as mattresses,bedding, upholstered furniture, draperies,etc.).

❖ Never smoke in a home where oxygenis being used.

❖ If you smoke, choose fire-safe ciga-rettes. They are less likely to cause fires.

❖ To prevent a deadly cigarette fire, youmust be alert. You won’t be if you are sleepy,have been drinking, or have taken medi-cine or other drugs.

❖ Keep matches and lighters up high, outof children’s sight and reach.

—Tim Peterson

Smoking Materials Cause AccidentalHouse Fire in Springfield

Discarded smokingmaterials caused afire Sunday morningat a Springfield Homeon Roundabout Way.

Photo courtesy of

Fairfax County Fire and

Rescue Department

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Sports

Woodson senior guard SeamusMaloney who scored 14points in an overtime loss to T.C.

Williams on Jan. 19.Q: In what city do you live?A: Fairfax.Q: How did the amount of snowfall in

your neighborhood compare to what youthought would fall?

A: It was more than I expected.Q: What, if any, preparations did you and

your family make for the storm?A: We stacked up on food and made sure

we were shoveling every few hours so thesnow didn’t build up.

Q: What did you do to pass the time dur-ing the storm?

Woodson’s Maloney Went Sledding

Craig Sterbutzel/The Connection

Senior guard Seamus Maloney andthe Woodson boys’ basketball teamwill look to snap a three-gamelosing skid when games resumefollowing the recent snowstorm.

Lake Braddock senior Caroline Jones, a two-time second-team all-region catcher,will play softball at Villanova University.

Q: In what city do you live?A: Fairfax Station.Q: How did the amount of snowfall in your neigh-

borhood compare to what you thought would fall?A: I am always the person that underestimates how

much snowfall we are actually going to get, so I guessit didn’t really register with me that we had a bliz-zard coming and that we were going to be gettingthis much snow. I was expecting around a foot or so,but when it kept snowing and I watched it pile upon my back deck, I knew I was way off on how muchwe were actually going to get.

Q: What, if any, preparations did you and your fam-ily make for the storm?

A: My family went to the gas station and filled upall of our cars and got gas for the snow blower aswell. Also, my mom went to the grocery store andbought the necessities, while also stocking up on myfavorites: Dr. Pepper, oatmeal and bananas.

Q: What did you do to pass the time during thestorm?

A: To pass the time during the snowstorm I spentmost of my time on homework as I had a govern-ment project that had to be submitted electronicallyon Monday. But when I wasn’t doing homework, Iwas helping to clear off my driveway of all the snowand spending time with my family.

Q: Did you play in the snow? If so, what did youdo?

A: I did play in the snow! I have two elementary-aged kids that live across the street from me, so Iwent sledding with them down my street, made snowangels, and had a snowball fight. One of my favoriteparts of a snowstorm is when it is over and all theneighbors are outside clearing off their driveways. Itis so great to see everyone coming together to helpone another and to catch up with people you haven’ttalked to in a while.

Q: Were you able to exercise/practice during thestorm? If so, what did you do?

A: The Wednesday before the blizzard hit, about 1inch of snow fell and I was at practice out past DullesAirport when that started falling. So it took me about2 1/2 hours to get home that night and that was thefirst time I had ever driven in snow before, so that

was definitely an adventure I will never forget. Whenthe blizzard hit I was limited on what I could do asfar as softball goes because I don’t have a place in-side my house that I could throw or hit. But once mydriveway was clear, I was back outside doing tee workand preparing for the spring season.

Q: Do you play a winter sport at Lake Braddock? Ifnot, are you preparing for the softball season?

A: I played varsity basketball for Lake Braddockmy freshman and sophomore year, but decided jun-ior year that I was going to focus all my efforts onsoftball. I am very excited about this spring seasonand am working hard to be the best teammate andplayer I can be. I have spent a lot of time in the cagesthis winter working on my swing and also am work-ing to develop my outfield skills as well. When I’mnot training, I go to Zumba to have fun and keep mycardio up. I know all the girls on the Lake Braddockteam have worked extremely hard this offseason andwe are excited to take the field together this springand compete for a championship.

— Jon Roetman

LB’s Jones Had First SnowDriving Experience

Photo by Craig Sterbutzel/The Connection

Lake Braddock catcher Caroline Jones issigned to play softball at Villanova Univer-sity.

Snowstorm Q&AA snowstorm caused Fairfax County Public Schools to can-

cel classes and athletic events from Thursday, Jan. 21 throughWednesday, Jan. 27. Some areas received more than 20 inchesof snow during the weekend, according to the NationalWeather Service, creating a break from competition for localhigh school athletes. Some of them shared their storm expe-rience via email Q&A with The Connection.

A: I went sledding a decent amount withsome of my teammates and friends. Thatwas pretty fun.

Q: Were you able to exercise/practiceduring the storm? If so, what did you do?

A: My friends and I got shots up Fridaynight when the storm began. For the nextfew days I couldn’t get to a gym so I justlifted and worked on my handles in mybasement. On Sunday I got shots up withmy friend Andrew Dinh and Matt Ayoub atMatt’s house.

Q: Are you interested in playing collegebasketball? What are your college plans?

A: I’m talking to a few schools right nowbut I’m not 100 percent sure what I wantto do yet.

Q: This is your first season as a varsitystarter, correct? What has the transitionbeen like moving from reserve to starter?

A: I’ve had to take more of a leadershiprole this year. Last year I was solely a roleplayer, but this year I’ve had to become moreof a scorer and distributor on the court.

Q: What will it take for the team to comeback strong after the storm layoff?

A: We’ve got to be ready to play rightwhen we get back because we will prob-ably have back-to-back games next week.Most of the guys have been working out tooso we should be ready.

— Jon Roetman

Hayfield junior softball playerBrittany Wieland, a second-team all-region secondbaseman for the Hawks in2015, will move to catcher thisyear.

Q: In what city do you live?A: I live in Fairfax (or Alex-

andria).Q: How did the amount of

snowfall in your neighborhoodcompare to what you thoughtwould fall?

A: I never expected this muchsnow to fall, and while theremay be only 1 or 2 feet talkedabout, since the plows camethrough (due to the lack ofopen space in my neighbor-hood) there’s hardly any areasthat aren’t a good 3-4 feet deep.

Q: What, if any, preparationsdid you and your family makefor the storm?

A: My family keeps a prettygood stock of food around allthe time so we were well pre-pared for this storm.

Q: What did you do to passthe time during the storm?

A: During the storm I spent alot of time doing homework,spending time with friends, andwatching Netflix (maybe morethan I should have).

Q: Did you play in the snow?If so, what did you do?

A: My teammate/friend, Si-

enna Williams, and I threw acouple snowballs around, butnothing big. We took some coolpictures also, but I haven’t got-ten a chance to go sledding.

Q: Were you able to exercise/practice during the storm? If so,what did you do?

A: On Wednesday night whenthe original snowfall fell, I wasactually at a travel softball prac-tice for my organization, theVienna Stars. Once we got agood workout in, we were quickto get home and safe before thereal danger started. Since then,however, I haven’t been able todo much working out or prac-ticing besides a few swings inthe mirror every day.

Q: Do you play a winter sportat Hayfield? If not, are you pre-paring for the softball season?

A: I do not play a winter sportat Hayfield, but our softballteam has been doing workoutsall winter with the baseballteam and we had some greendays in the fall so it’s been along road of preparations.

Q: Are you interested in play-ing college softball? If so, areyou committed anywhere?

A: I am interested in playingsoftball in college. No, I am notcommitted anywhere.

— Jon Roetman

Hayfield’s Wieland Passed Timewith Netflix

Hayfield soft-ball playerBrittanyWieland wasselected first-team All-Conference 6and second-team All-6ANorth regionas a secondbaseman in2015.

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EmploymentEmployment

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Historic TradesLearn a trade working for the Historic Tradesdepartment at the Gristmill, Distillery, PioneerFarm & Blacksmith Shop! Help tell the storyof George Washington the entrepreneur.Prior interpretive experience preferred.Contact Sam Murphy [email protected] for more information.

Guest Services AssociatesProvide meaningful learning opportunities forMount Vernon’s one million annual guests!Through interpretive experiences, public pro-grams, services and events, we expand eachguest’s understanding of, and appreciationfor, our nation’s Founding Father. Applyonline today for immediate consideration!

Mansion Tour GuidesWelcome guests to the most visited historichome in America and give engaging walkingtours around the historic area. Call JeremyRay, Manager, Interpretive Operations, at703-799-8629 or email [email protected]

Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association is anEqual Opportunity Employer.

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We pay top $ for STERLING, MEN'S WATCHES,

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JENNIFER SMITH ❖ Serving the Area Since 1995

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ABC LICENSECasa Tequila Bar and Grill

Lorton, LLC trading as Casa Tequila Bar and Grill, 9620 Lorton Station Blvd. Ste E,

Lorton, VA 22079. 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 premiselicense to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Julio

Meledez, OwnerNOTE: Objections to the issu-ance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 dates from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Ob-jections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200

ABC NOTICE MWB Development II, LLC trading as World of Beer,

11861 Palace Way, Fairfax Virginia 22030 is applying to the Virginia Department of

Alcoholic Beverage Control for Mixed Beverage on Premise AND Wine & Beer On & Off Premises and Keg license to sell or manufacture alcoholic

beverages. Evan Matz, Managing Member NOTE: Ob-jections to the issuance 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 registered at

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From Page 10

Calendar

Burke Lake Park, 7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station.Enjoy a campfire and learn what ancientcultures saw in the stars. Make s’mores overthe embers after hearing tales of theconstellations. Children must beaccompanied by an adult registered in theprogram. $8. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/burkelakepark/rides.htm.

TUESDAY/FEB. 9Mardi Gras 2016. Doors open at noon. Fat

Tuesday’s, 10673 Braddock Road, Fairfax.Nine bands beginning at 3 p.m. SpecialMardi Gras menu. http://www.fatsfairfax.com/.

WEDNESDAY/FEB. 10”She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry.”

7:30-9:30 p.m. W-3 Theatre, 9518Workhouse Way, Lorton. A documentary filmthat resurrects the buried history of theoutrageous, often brilliant women, whofounded the modern women’s movementfrom 1966 to 1971. www.workhousearts.org.703-584-2900.

Luncheon Springfield Christian Women’sConnection. 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.Springfield Golf and Country Club, 8301 OldKeene Mill Road, Springfield. Maria DelmyVialpando, a CPR and First Aid instructor,from Healthy Happy Heart CPR, LLC, willdemonstrate how an Automated ExternalDefibrillator (AED) can help activate theheart of a loved one. Learn about the life-saving advantages provided by and AED.Reserve by Friday, Feb. 5. [email protected].

FRIDAY/FEB. 12Old Town Hall Performance Series-U.S.

Navy Country Current. 8 p.m. Old Town

Hall, 3999 University Drive, Fairfax. TheUnited States Navy Band Country Current isthe Navy’s premiere country-bluegrassensemble. Under the direction of SeniorChief Musician Keith Arneson, CountryCurrent is nationally renowned for itsversatility and “eye-popping” musicianship,performing a blend of modern country musicand cutting-edge bluegrass.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY/FEB. 13-14”Romeo and Juliet.” Saturday, 8 p.m.

Sunday, 2 p.m. George Mason UniversityCenter for the Arts, 4373 Mason Pond Drive,Fairfax. Director Bernard Uzan andconductor James Meena leads a cast ofinternationally renowned singers. A VirginiaOpera production. $48-$98. cfa.gmu.edu.888-945-2468.

SATURDAY/FEB. 13Fairfax Art League Member Meeting and

Demo. 10 a.m.-Noon. The Village Gallery,3950 University Drive, Fairfax. An artdemonstration by Richard McMurray. Free.www.fairfaxartleague.net. 703 587-9481.

Annual Valentine’s Day Banquet. 6:30-11p.m. Waterford Receptions, 6715 CommerceSt., Springfield. The Family Ministry of theGreater Little Zion Baptist Church in Fairfaxis sponsoring their Annual Valentine’s DayBanquet. All couples and singles are invitedto fellowship with us and enjoy an evening offine dining, music, dancing and featuredentertainment. $60 by Feb. 7. 703-763-9111.

Author Appearance. 1-3 p.m. Felix andOscar. 6671 Backlick Road, Springfield.Ingrid King will be signing copies of her book“Tortitude: the Big Book About Cats with aBig Attitude” and will be answering cathealth and behavior questions. Lightrefreshments will be provided. 703-866-0222.

THURSDAY/JAN. 28Aldi Hiring Event. 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Aldi, 11001 Lee

Highway, Fairfax. Openings for store associate,manager trainee and shift manager. http://aldistorejobs.com/how-to-apply.

THURDAYS/JAN. 28-MARCH 3Job Seekers Seminar. 7-8:30 p.m. Immanuel

Bible Church, 6991 Braddock Road, Springfield.Looking for a job? Are you confident on how tosearch for one? IBC’s Job Seeker Seminar willequip attendees with the knowledge necessary.$15. 703-220-5165. http://immanuelbible.net/stewardship/job-seekers.

SUNDAY/JAN. 31Human Trafficking: Get the Facts and Take

Action. Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center,3740 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax. http://www.fairfaxva.gov/host/women/events.html.

MONDAY/FEB. 1Vision Boards: Intentional Body Mapping.

5-6 p.m. Green Acres Center, 4401 SideburnRoad, Fairfax. Create intentions of what youwould like to draw into your life. Ages 16 andup. $20. 703-359-2487. 312-988-2254.

TUESDAY/FEB. 2St. John’s Center for Early Childhood

Education, 5312 Backlick Road, Springfield.CECE is taking registrations. They offerpreschool classes. [email protected].

SUNDAY/FEB. 14Seventh Annual Valentine Blood Drive. 9

a.m.-4:30 p.m. Woods Community Center, 10100Wards Grove Circle, Burke. The blood drive willinclude a bake sale to benefit The Truth 365, anorganization dedicated to raising awareness and

funds for pediatric cancer research. Appointmentsare available now by contacting Inova BloodDonor Services at 1-866-BLOODSAVES (1-866-256-6372), sponsor code 7637. Free childcare isavailable during your appointment. Visitwww.friendsofsadie.org for more information.

SATURDAY/APRIL 2Breathe Out. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Fairfax United

Methodist Church, 10300 Stratford Ave.,Fairfax. Breathe Out has been developed toaddress teen stress. Registration required.breatheoutnow.wix.com/goldaward.

ONGOINGBurke Rotary Club Meeting. Tuesdays from

7:15-8:30 a.m. Anita’s Restaurant, 9278 OldKeene Mill Road, Burke. Meetings with breakfastand program. www.burkerotary.org.

Burke Lake Seniors Golf League seeks members.Interested golfers are invited to join the BurkeLake Seniors Golf League. Must be 55 and older,enjoy playing golf, meeting new people and havingan all–-around good time. Reserved tee times onTuesday and Thursday mornings at the Par 3Burke Lake Golf Course on Ox Road. Annual duesfor the season – April 1 through October 31 – are$20 plus green fees. For more information, callCharlie Ryan 703-690-4227.

Fairfax County needs volunteers to drive olderadults to medical appointments and wellnessprograms. For these and other volunteeropportunities, call 703-324-5406, TTY 711 orvisit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/olderadults andclick on Volunteer Solutions.

Respite Care volunteers give family caregivers ofa frail older adult a well-deserved break so theycan go shopping, attend a doctor’s appointmentor just have coffee with a friend. Volunteers visitand oversee the safety of the older adult for afew hours each month. Support and training areprovided. Contact 703-324-7577, TTY 711, [email protected].

Send notes to the Connection at [email protected] or call 703-778-9416.The deadline for submissions is the Friday prior to publication. Dated announcements shouldbe submitted at least two weeks prior to the event.

Bulletin Board


Outlook 2016

By Andrea Worker

The Connection

The final figures are in, and itlooks like the 2015 local hous-ing market was a modest win-ner. Coming off a banner 2013,

the 2014 market left buyers, sellers, agents,brokers and lenders all feeling a bit edgywhen the previous year’s successes did notspill over into the next year. But despite abit of a rollercoaster ride, 2015 closed withannual regional sales 9.4 percent higherthan 2014 – their highest since 2006. Datafor the region, that includes the generalMetro area, as well as specifics for Fairfaxand Arlington counties, the cities of Fairfax,Falls Church and Alexandria, and the townsof Herndon, Vienna and Clifton is suppliedby RealEstate Business Intelligence, L.L.C.(RBI), an arm of the local MLS system.

In the first half of the year the normalbuying pattern was disrupted by a numberof factors, not the least being the long anddifficult winter which pushed the start ofthe spring market from late January or Feb-ruary to mid-March.

“The hottest real estate season lost a solidmonth of sales,” said Reston-based KellerWilliams agent Andy Krumholz. “Then itended earlier than normal, as well,” headded.

“Normally lasting until late June beforethe summer slowdown, this past year themarket went to sleep in May and stayed thatway through Labor Day.”

TO EVERYONE’S RELIEF, the second halfof the year saw a real pick up in real estateaction. Virgil Frizzell, the Northern VirginiaAssociation of Realtors (NVAR) chairmanof the board noted “a strong fall market andsometimes a flurry of bidding wars” thathelped overcome the slow start, even withthe jitters that came as the world waitedfor the anticipated increase in the Fed FundsRate by the Federal Reserve, and the ad-justments to be made as new closing lawswent into effect.

According to the RBI data, Fairfax Countyhad the most closed sales in 2015, increas-ing 9.6 percent over 2014. Alexandria camein with a 9.4 percent increase, Fairfax Citywith 7.9 percent, Arlington with 3.9 per-cent and Falls Church with 3.8 percent.

Among the jurisdictions, Fairfax Countyalso saw the highest increase in new list-ings, up 14.6 percent over the previous year,a trend that Anita Lasansky, CRB, manag-ing broker-vice president Long and FosterRealtors in North Reston can attest to.“We’re a 60 percent/40 percent listing ver-sus sales organization and it was a brisk yearfor us,” she said, although at the moment“there’s not a lot of inventory.” Chairman

Frizzell agrees that “our region could alwaysbenefit from affordably priced new homesthat will help our renter population makethe move to home ownership.”

In terms of sales pricing, Lasansky’s opin-ion is that it was an almost neutral marketyear. “Buyers couldn’t ‘steal’ a house, butsellers couldn’t easily sell a property not ingood condition.

There was quite a bit of negotiating dur-ing many of the transactions.” Krumholzagreed with that assessment. “Even as in-ventory increased and some sellers wereadjusting their sales price expectations,buyers were remaining selective. Homesthat needed repairs or improvements lan-guished on the market.”

The RBI numbers show that bothLasansky and Krumholz were right in theirthoughts about pricing and the average dayson the market (DOM) of a given property.The region saw only a 1.1 percent increasein the median sales price. Behind D.C., Ar-lington County and Alexandria City led theway, with increases over 4 percent. InFairfax County median sales prices were 3.2percent higher in 2015 than in 2014. OnlyFalls Church saw a year-over-year decrease,dropping 1.4 percent, but keeping the “mostexpensive location crown” among theNorthern Virginia locales with a 2015 me-dian sales price of $690,000. At 22, dayson the market increased slightly for all ofthe areas analyzed, but even those increases

did not depress the overall sense of markethealth, since the two-day increase in themedian DOM from 2014 is still an impres-sive 41 days less than the DOM high of 68in 2008, and not far off the lowest DOMlevel recorded in the past decade of 15 daysin 2013.

SO WHAT DO THE EXPERTS take fromthis plethora of information as they look tothe 2016 market? NVAR CEO Ryan T.Conrad believes the positive trends will con-tinue throughout the year.“Our region’s sales pace last year reflectedthat there was homebuyer confidence,” hestated in a recent NVAR press release, and“serious homebuyers will understand thattheir buying power will be strongest in theearly part of the year” considering furtherexpected rate hikes from the Federal Re-serve.

Lasansky, with her 40 years of local ex-perience, is looking at 2016 to be “as good,if not better, than 2015.” Asked if she sawthe current Wall Street woes as a challengeto the market, she replied the effect mightjust be the opposite. “With interest rates stillso low, the volatility of the stock marketmight just steer people more toward realestate as the safer bet.” Lasansky also feelsthat the recent easing of some of the regu-lations and requirements could make home-buying more of a possibility, especially foryounger and first-time buyers.

Frizzell is equally positive about the 2016outlook. “Millenials are starting to make themove,” he stated. Several of his rental cli-ents are now on the hunt for homes of theirown.

Armed with the RBI data, his own exper-tise, and encouraging information providedfrom the George Mason University Centerfor Regional Analysis, Frizzell thinks thatcontinued employment growth and a morebalanced economy in the region might make2016 “one of the best years ever.”

Links to data and analysis by locale canbe found on the NVAR website,www.nvar.com. Readers interested in com-prehensive date on the region includinghousing, job growth by sector and wagesand more, can visit the George Mason Uni-versity Center for Regional Analysis websiteat www.cra.gmu.edu.

Positive 2015 Real Estate MarketSpurs Upbeat Outlook for the New YearExperts predict con-tinuing positive trend.

AndyKrumholz,Agent KellerWilliamsReston: “Theimprovingeconomicmetrics havemany punditsfeeling opti-mistic about2016. I expect

most areas to experience a 3–4percent price improvement.”

AnitaLasansky, CRBmanagingbroker-vicepresident,Long andFoster NorthReston: “Thecurrent stockmarket fluc-tuations could

be a good thing for the local realestate market. Housing is lookinglike a pretty good bet.”

Virgil Frizzell,Chairman ofthe BoardNorthernVirginiaAssociation ofRealtors: “The2016 marketis a dynamicsituation, butI think all theindicators are

there for a positive year.”

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FACETS Provides Warmth and a Warm MealGuests enjoy warmth and a warm meal at a hypothermia shel-ter operated by Fairfax-based nonprofit FACETS during WinterStorm Jonas.

caroline wittich of springfield, snow...

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