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Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ January 31 - February 6, 2019 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

January 31, 2019Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A Connection Newspaper

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Senior LivingSenior Living

See New Tradition, 4

Browne Academy started a new tradition atthe school on Martin Luther King Day. In-stead of taking Monday, Jan. 21, as a holiday, Browne honored King’s legacy by hav-

ing a school-wide day of service. All students frompreschool through 8th grade gave back to the com-munity.

The youngest students (preschool-kindergarten)headed to Goodwin House, a local retirement com-munity, where entertained residents with musical

performances and made Valentine’s decorations.The 1st and 2nd grades assembled Browne Bags

of Love (packed lunches) for the Carpenter’s Shel-ter, a local homeless shelter that provides temporaryhousing for women and children in need.

Leading up to the day of service, the school par-ticipated in a coat and canned food drive. The 3rdand 4th graders traveled to the Harbor Light Salva-tion Army in Washington, D.C., to deliver the do

By Owen FitzGerald

Capital News Service

Virginia and private partnerTransurban will invest-over $1 billion in four

transportation projects in North-ern Virginia and Fredericksburg,state officials announced Tuesday,Jan. 29. The projects are designedto reduce traffic congestion andimprove connectivity onInterstates 495 and 95.

“Creating opportunity for all Vir-ginians no matter who they are orwhere they live depends on hav-ing a safe, reliable transportationnetwork,” Gov. Ralph Northamsaid. “People need good transpor-tation — be it road, transit or otheroptions — to get to work and busi-nesses need it to move goods.”

Secretary of Transportation Sh-annon Valentine said the projectsinclude a two-and-a-half mile ex-tension of the express lanes of I-495 north to the American LegionBridge and the Maryland border.The Capital Beltway Express LanesNorthern Extensions, or ProjectNEXT, will require no public fund-ing from the state, Valentine said.

She said the project will addressone of the “worst bottlenecks inthe region” and reduce cut-through traffic in nearby McLeanneighborhoods. Valentine, whooversees the Virginia Departmentof Transportation, said ProjectNEXT will connect Virginia toMaryland by creating direct accessto the American Legion Bridge, theGeorge Washington Parkway andthe Dulles Toll Road.

Officials also announced a newauxiliary lane that would seek toreduce bottleneck traffic on theOccoquan Bridge.

“The I-95 bottleneck at theOccoquan Bridge has been asource of personal frustration andtime stuck in traffic — valuabletime that could be spent with fam-ily,” said Sen. Jeremy McPike ofPrince William County. “Withfunding now in place, VDOT willbegin the design and constructionthat our community has sought foryears.” The Occoquan AuxiliaryLane will connect the southboundRoute 123 ramp onto I-95 with thewestbound off-ramp of Prince Wil-liam Parkway.

Also announced was the addi-tion of a new reversible ramp thatwould improve access PotomacMills and Sentara Virginia Medi-cal Center. The ramp would con-nect existing I-95 express lanesdirectly to Opitz Boulevard wherethe facility is located.

Lastly, a plan was finalized toextend the I-95 express lanes inFredericksburg — a 10-mile exten-sion expected to increase thehighway’s capacity by 66 percentduring peak hours. TheFredericksburg Extension Project,or Fred Ex, was initially an-nounced in January 2018. Con-struction will begin later this yearand is expected to be finished bythe fall of 2022.

Transurban President JenniferAument spoke about hercompany’s long history workingwith Virginia to solve “major trans-portation challenges.”

“With expanded capacity andnew connections to commuterroutes and commercial centers,”Aument said, “we are committedto delivering transportation solu-tions that keep travelers movingfaster and safer throughout North-ern Virginia.”

$1 Billion for RoadsProjects to improve I-495 and I-95.

Browne Academy’s preschool, junior kindergarten, and kindergarten students per-formed at Good House in Alexandria.

Browne Academy 8th graders and teacher Danielle Gerbermake scarves for the homeless.

Browne Academy 1st and2nd graders assembledBrowne Bags of Love(packed lunches) for theCarpenter’s Shelter.

Starting New TraditionBrowne Academy turns holiday into day of service.

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2 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ January 31 - February 6, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com


NewsMount Vernon Gazette Editor Steven Mauren

703-778-9415 or [email protected]

Providing Supper and Entertainment to Furloughed WorkersM

ore than 20 furloughedFederal governmentworkers and their fami-

lies enjoyed supper and entertain-ment as the guests of Spring Hills Mt.Vernon Assisted Living served in partby seniors on Thursday, Jan. 24. Itwas a gesture of giving back andsharing their appreciation of govern-ment employees who may be expe-riencing hardships during the recentshutdown. Saxophonist Keith Kool-K Wilson entertained the diners.

Dinner was three courses includingloaded potato skins and meatballs forhors d’oeuvres, beef lasagna, coconutshrimp, baked ziti, salad choices andmore for the entrée course, and des-serts. Spring Hills Mount Vernon, lo-cated at 3709 Shannons Green Wayin Alexandria, provides assisted livingand memory care. Seewww.springhillsmountvernon.com.

Preparing food in the kitchen for furloughed Federalgovernment workers and their families.

Lolita Robinson and her family are photographedwith saxophonist Keith Kool-K Wilson entertainingthe group.

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By Mike Salmon

The Gazette

The cheesesteaks at Al’s SteakHouse in Del Ray were on thetop of the storyboard for Bran-don Frye, also known as the

“Food Dude,” as his video crew jockeyed forposition in the tight kitchen along MountVernon Avenue. Chef Mark Williamschopped a mound of steak on the fryer,which would later turn into about 50cheesesteak sandwiches that has made Al’sa go-to spot on Mount Vernon Avenue since1955.

Frye kept the conversation going as thecameras rolled. “That’s a lot of meat man,how many subs?” he asked. Then Fryesegued into the history of the cheesesteaksandwich, and the cameras cut back to thepile of meat being chopped.

That’s life on the set with the Food Dude,a native of Alexandria who travels aroundwith a film crew of Cheryl Anders of Restonand Keri Cannistraro from Burke, captur-ing the culinary art at its best. Cannistrarohas a video company called VideoMagic.They’ve been to a number of places on theeast coast, such as the Nordic Lodge inRhode Island, Bill’s Gyro Souvlaki AtlanticCity and others, and been featured on NBCand CBS, producing more than 50 foodshows in their climb to the top of the foodshow heap. The format is similar to Diners,“Drive ins and Dives” but Frye isn’t con-cerned. “If it works, it works,” he said.

Frye grew up on Route 1 in Alexandria,where his family worked at the Cow Pal-ace, a bar and grill, where Frye’s memoriesof that were crawling around on the floorwhen they opened in the morning, lookingfor change from night before. He went toWoodley Hills Elementary School at that

time.Fast forward several years, and now he’s

the focus of his own show that is big onsocial media, which he hopes is a first step.“I’m pretty knowledgeable about food, I’mnot into fancy food too,” mentioning theterm “hoity toity,” with a scowl. He has hissights on the food network and more.

Back at the grill, Frye talks with Williamsabout the process for a cheesesteak, butwhen it comes to the secret ingredients inthe marinade, Williams didn’t budge. Fryeplayed it up for the sake of suspense. “Can’tget it out of him, man,” he said to the cam-eras.

It was getting close to lunchtime and theregulars started coming in, so DorothyBreeding, one of the owners, kept answer-ing the phone and dealing with the walk-up orders at the counter, like “Curly,” fromthe neighborhood. He was ordering a latebreakfast. “They’ve got great everything,don’t leave the pizza out,” Curly said.

Frye approached Breeding about the ideaa few weeks ago after he heard about thecheesesteaks, and she was skeptical at firstuntil she looked at his clips. “He’s donesome pretty reputable restaurants, we fig-ured we’d give it a try,” Breeding said.

Al’s Steak House opened in 1955, and

changed hands a couple of times before theBreedings took over. There was a fire onJuly 6, 2016 that put it out of commissionfor a short time while they rebuilt and re-designed the kitchen.

Anders and Cannistrare will take the foot-age back to their studio, edit it and releaseit initially on the FoodDudeUSA Facebookpage. From there, people will see it andshare it via the internet, and it grows fromthere in social media fashion. Frye noted tothe folks at Al’s that they’ll see an increasein sales after the show hits the web. Thenit’s on to the next restaurant for Frye andthe crew.

Food Dude’s Show Films at Al’s Steak HouseFamous cheesesteak sandwiches are focus for upcoming cooking show.

Chef Mark Williams prepares a pile of steak which will make nearly 50sandwiches.

Brandon Frye and the famouscheesesteak sandwich at Al’s.

Keri Cannistraro is one of thecamera operators at the FoodDude shoot.

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Obituary

Amy Jo Southard, 63, wife ofThomas N. Southard for morethan 40 years, died on Janu-

ary 23, 2019. She is preceded by herfather John Paton Blake, mother E.Arloa Blake, her brother Scot Blake,and sister, Sue Mitchell. She is sur-vived by her daughter, Casey B.Hutcherson, son-in-law, Kerry B.Hutcherson, her two grandsons,Emmitt F. and James WrennHutcherson, all of which reside inAshland, Va., as well as her brother,Tom Blake, of Yorktown, Va., and hersister, Lyn Schwartz, of Waterford,Mich.

Amy graduated from Ferguson High School andVirginia Commonwealth University where she stud-ied interior design. She started her career as an inte-rior designer and later got her builder’s license. Shelived with her husband and daughter in Alexandriafor 30 years and helped hundreds of people to beau-tify their homes by designing kitchens and bath-rooms.

After moving to the Northern Neck in 2009, shefocused on a career in real estate with IsaBell K.Horsley Real Estate, Ltd. and loved working side byside with Neena Rodgers.

She was a devout Christian, and was a member ofthe Christian Science Society in Kilmarnock, Va. Shelived an active lifestyle and enjoyed going to the

YMCA to play pickleball with herfriends. She also enjoyed kayaking,traveling, and spending time with herfamily and close friends.

People who knew her have de-scribed her as calm, patient, loving,determined, certain of what shewanted to do and how she was goingto do it, and always active. One longtime friend of Amy’s wrote of her: “Iloved Amy’s confidence in who shewas, to have embraced her religionand lived it in a time when most ofus had put God on the backburner.Amy was such a beautiful soul andwonderful friend.

She embraced everyone she met and helped ev-eryone who needed it. Amy was the most welcom-ing person and she made friends wherever she went.She really embraced life and had such a talent.” Shewill forever be in our hearts as a kind, wonderful,and beautiful soul.

To send your condolences, visit http://www.qeepr.com/profile/AmyJoSouthard/

In lieu of flowers, please be kind to each other andlove one another unconditionally, help those in need,and know that God is Love. This is what Amy Jowould want.

“Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of goodcomfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the Godof love and peace shall be with you.” II Cor 13:11

Amy Jo Southard


Crime

The following incidents were reportedby the Mount Vernon District Police Sta-tion.

COMMERCIAL ROBBERY: 4300block of Pembrook Village Drive, Jan.25, 7:30 p.m. The victim was deliveringfood to a townhouse when he was ap-proached by a man brandishing ahandgun. The suspect demanded thevictim’s phone, cash and food, and toldhim to run away. The victim borroweda cellphone to call 9-1-1. The suspectwas described as a black man, mediumcomplexion, 6‘2", late 30‘s to early 40‘s,clean-shaven, stocky build, wearinglight-colored blue jeans, dark jacket anda black cotton hat.

ROBBERY / MALICIOUSWOUNDING: 2800 block of CamelliaDrive, Jan. 26, 11:08 p.m. The victimwas walking near his home when he wasjumped by three men, all armed withhandguns. The suspects assaulted andpistol-whipped the victim during therobbery. They took his wallet, phoneand cash before he was able to run awayand call 9-1-1 from his home. He wastaken to a local hospital to be treated forinjuries that were not life threatening. Ashort time later, officers stopped a car ata local hospital for numerous traffic vio-lations and found a person in the carhad an accidental self-inflicted gunshotwound to the arm. Officers determinedthe vehicle and suspects were involvedin the robbery. A 25-year-old man fromAnnandale was charged with robbery,firearm use in commission of a felony,contributing to the delinquency of aminor and felonious assault in the com-mission of a felony. A 19-year-old manfrom Annandale was charged with rob-bery, firearm use in commission of afelony, contributing to the delinquencyof a minor, felonious assault in the com-mission of a felony and concealedweapon. A 25-year-old man fromFairfax was charged with robbery, fire-arm use in commission of a felony,contributing to the delinquency of aminor and felonious assault in the com-mission of a felony. All are being heldwithout bond. A 17-year-old juvenilewas charged with robbery and maliciouswounding.

STRONG ARM ROBBERY: JannaLee Avenue/Tamarind Street, Jan. 18,4:30 p.m. The victim was approached bya man who displayed a weapon anddemanded money. The victim didn’tmove so the suspect searched thevictim’s pockets. When the suspect dis-covered an empty wallet, he walkedaway. The suspect is described as alight-skinned man wearing a full-facemask and a red-hooded sweatshirt.

STRONG ARM ROBBERY: 8000block of Fordson Road, Jan. 18, 6:19p.m. The victim was standing outside his

house talking with someone when aman came up from behind him and puta gun to his back, demanding money.When the victim said he didn’t have anymoney, the suspect shot a round nearthe victim’s foot. The suspect ran away.The suspect is described as a black man,wearing a red coat, jeans and a black skimask.

ROBBERY: 4300 block of PembrookVillage Drive, Jan. 19, 10:05 p.m. Apizza delivery driver was delivering foodto a house. The homeowner denied or-dering pizza and when the driver waswalking back to his car a man bran-dished a handgun and announced arobbery. The suspect took the pizza,cash and a cellphone from the victim.The suspect is described as a 30 to 40-year-old black man, 6’, 175 pounds,wearing black clothing and a monkeymask.

COMMERCIAL ROBBERY: 5638Mount Vernon Memorial Highway (7-Eleven), Jan. 20, 3 a.m. A man enteredthe store and displayed a knife to theemployee. The suspect took cash andcigarettes and left in a red, older modelpickup truck. No one was injured. Thesuspect was described as white, in his20s, approximately 6’, 165 pounds,wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt,green pants and tan boots.

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY: 6100block of Edgewood Terrace, Jan. 20, 9a.m. Someone entered the residenceand took jewelry.

JAN. 28LARCENIES3100 block of Lockheed Boulevard,

merchandise from business7700 block of Fordson Road, mer-

chandise from business2900 block of Arlington Drive, mer-

chandise from business7300 block of Richmond Highway,

merchandise from business7700 block of Richmond Highway,

merchandise from business7900 block of Flamingo Drive, mer-

chandise from business1500 block of Anderson Road, lug-

gage from residence

JAN. 23LARCENIES4400 block of Longworthe Square, li-

cense plate from vehicle2900 block of Popkins Lane, purse

from location5900 block of Richmond Highway,

liquor from business6300 block of Richmond Highway,

license plates from vehicle7700 block of Richmond Highway,

wallet, keys and cell phone from loca-tion

6900 block of Telegraph Road, licenseplates from vehicle

JAN. 22LARCENIES3300 block of Clayborne Avenue,

doors from vehicle2400 block of Fairhaven Avenue, beer

from business8400 block of Frye Road, wine from

business2000 block of Huntington Avenue,

credit card from residence7900 block of Janna Lee Avenue,

wallet from vehicle3100 block of Lockheed Boulevard,

beer from business3100 block of Lockheed Boulevard,

merchandise from business2000 block of Mason Hill Drive, prop-

erty from residence


Opinion

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A Connection Newspaper

By Scott Surovell

State Senator (D-36)

The third weekof the GeneralA s s e m b l ybrought action

on many of my bills. First,the Equal Rights Amend-ment was killed in House Committee at thebeginning of the week. It was the first timethe House of Delegates has ever held a hear-ing on the amendment. The official statementsfrom members who opposed indicated that

they felt women had equalrights and the amendmentwas no longer necessary.However, the conservative

activist community has attempted to make theamendment all about abortion which is inac-curate — the right to contraception and re-productive freedom is already recognized inthe U.S. Constitution.

Women do not have equal rights. There arenumerous pieces of legislation that are regu-larly passed across the country that have a dis-parate impact on women. Unfortunately, theseare very difficult to challenge in court becausegovernment actions that differentiate on sexare not given the same scrutiny as governmentactions that differentiate based on race. I havecarried this bill for seven years and we willcontinue to fight to enshrine equality in theU.S. Constitution.

My legislation has started to move. The new“gig economy” has created challenges withsome of our old systems. For example, VirginiaLaw does not allow child support to be with-held from anyone who is paid by 1099. Somechild support payees have used jobs at entitieslike Uber and Lyft to avoid making payments.My legislation to close this loophole clearedthe Senate Courts Committee.

Next, my bills to regulate predatory lendingstrangely failed. I introduced legislation to puta 36 percent rate cap on consumer financeloans. My legislation was supported by theconsumer finance industry, but was opposedby internet lenders who want to use Virginia’sconsumer finance laws to allow them to makeloans over the internet at over 400 percent.Five senators changed their votes from last yearand my bill that passed the full Senate 38-2failed in committee by two votes. I will be backnext year.

My legislation providing more transparencywith homeowners associations cleared commit-tee. First, my legislation would require all ho-meowner and condominium associations toactually publish their budget to members onan annual basis (this is not currently required).Next, association will be required to tell theirmembers exactly how much reserves for capi-tal investments are recommended by their re-serve study and exactly how short they are.Associations frequently do not raise dues tosave enough money which leaves sidewalks,pools, and parking lots in a decrepit state.

Next, homeowner association of childcarehas been a regular problem. Home-basedchildcare is entry level employment for manyimmigrant families and provides a useful ser-vice given that childcare in the D.C. Metropoli-tan Area is the most expensive in the UnitedStates.

Many associations try to use “home-basedbusiness” prohibitions to prohibit unsophisti-cated homeowners who have already receivedcountry approval for their childcare service. Mylegislation says associations can only prohibithome-based childcare if they pass a specificrule about home-based childcare. This will helpavoid disputes.

My legislation to amend the Town ofDumfries Charter to require elections to be heldin November instead of May also passed com-mittee. This will save taxpayer dollars and in-crease turnout. More people voting makes forbetter elections.

Finally, we have seen zero movement onreaching tax conformity with the federal gov-ernment. Because of this, Virginians still can-not file a tax return. This is becoming a crisis,but the Republican majority has refused toreach out for input to us even though confor-mity legislation cannot pass without 12 Demo-cratic votes as emergency legislation. We needto get this done immediately.

Please complete my constituent surveyonline and email me at [email protected] you have any feedback. It is an honor to serveas your state senator.

Some Bills Die, Others Progress

Commentary

By Paul Krizek

State Delegate (D-44)

As we enter thefourth week of theVirginia General

Assembly, it is important toprovide you with an updateon my legislation. As ofTuesday morning, 12 of my14 bills have been given at least an initial hear-ing. Last week, I highlighted six pieces of leg-islation including three that have passed theHouse. Below, I have provided a brief update

on changes to some ofthose bills along with leg-islation that was broughtbefore sub and full commit-

tees this past week.HB 1710, which requires seat belts on school

buses, passed 6-4 in Education Subcommittee#2 and was referred to the full Committee onEducation. Full Committee voted in support13-8 on this bill, on Jan. 21, and further re-ferred it to the Appropriations Elementary andSecondary Education Subcommittee. Unfortu-nately, this subcommittee voted the bill down.Critics viewed it as an unfunded mandate onlocalities. However, the seat belts would havebeen phased in only on new buses over thenext 20 years which is the average lifespan ofa bus. Additionally, seat belts on school busesonly account for a small increases in the totalcost of buses while providing additional safety

for our children.HB 2576, a bill that establishes a Sex Traf-

ficking Response Coordinator, was referred toCourts of Justice Subcommittee #1 and passedunanimously with an 8-0 vote. It was then re-ported to full Courts of Justice and passedunanimously, 18-0. It is now referred to Ap-propriations Public Safety Subcommittee andis awaiting a hearing. As a unanimous recom-mendation of the Crime Commission, I amhopeful this important bill will pass, especiallysince I serve on the Public Safety Subcommit-tee.

HB 2498, a bill which would codify the cur-rent practice that the Virginia State Police is-sue a public or media alert regarding a miss-ing and endangered child who does not meetthe definition of an abducted child, was as-signed to Militia, Police, and Public Subcom-mittee #2. I am regretful to say this bill failedto move to full Committee with the vote 3-2against.

HB 2264, which would require all passen-gers, front seat and back seat, to wear seatbelts, was assigned to Transportation Subcom-mittee #1 and defeated on a party line vote.Republicans see this bill as government over-reach but I remain hopeful to pass this legisla-tion in the future to ensure the safety of allVirginians.

HB 2263, which updates the Code of Virginiaso that no firefighter can be fired unjustly, wasassigned to Courts of Justice Subcommittee #2and passed unanimously with a substitute. The

bill requires that no evidence can be usedagainst a firefighter in an interrogation thatviolates the Firefight Conduct of Interrogation.It moved to full Courts of Justice and alsopassed unanimously. The bill was on its firstfloor reading on Tuesday.

HB 2009, a bill that establishes a rankingprocedure for Virginia Land ConservationFoundation proposals, was first referred toAgriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Re-sources Subcommittee #1 and passed unani-mously with a substitute. This substitutestreamlines the procedure into one step, whichwas previously two. It was then voted unani-mously from full Agriculture, Chesapeake, andNatural Resources and referred to Committeeon Appropriations.

HB 1936, which allows dependents of For-eign Service Officers to receive a one-year resi-dency waiver for in-state tuition, was first as-signed to Appropriations Higher EducationSubcommittee and passed unanimously witha substitution. This substitute lays out a 90-day residency requirement before qualifyingfor the one-year residency waiver. It was thenpassed unanimously, 20-0, from full Appropria-tions Committee. HB 1936 has passed throughits second reading and was on its third read-ing on Tuesday, Jan. 29.

HB 1790, a bill which provides that a per-son who is line to cast a ballot for in-personabsentee voting shall be permitted to vote, isassigned to Privilege and Election Subcommit

Commentary

Update on Bills’ Passage in the House

See Update, Page 13


By Marilyn Campbell

Richard Foley of McLean says hehits the gym at 7:30 five morn-ings a week. He spends about40 minutes lifting weights fol-

lowed by 40 minutes of walking on the tread-mill and 10 minutes of sit-ups and crunches.

“I’ve always been physically active,” hesaid. “I’ve actually slowed down a little, butit’s important to me to keep going for aslong as I can.”

A National Institutes of Health (NIH)study of Americans over the age of 60showed that strength training, such as lift-ing weights, reduced the risk of osteoporo-sis and chronic conditions such as heart dis-ease and diabetes. It also found thatstrength-training exercises has the abilityto increase muscles strength and mass andallows seniors to stay mobile longer, whilealso combating weakness and frailty.

“Improving and increasing the muscles inyour legs for example, makes them stron-ger, which means that you’ll be able to main-tain your ability to walk without assistancelonger than you might otherwise,” said RitaDays, RN, a gerontological nurse in FallsChurch who was not involved in the study.“For seniors who enjoy traveling, shopping

or any activity that requires walking, hav-ing strong quadricep and hamstring musclesmeans that you’ll be able to enjoy thoseactivities longer. It also means that you’llhave the strength and endurance to navi-gate difficult terrain during vacations andother activities that involve walking.

Strength training can lead to a sense ofindependence for everyday activities likegrocery shopping or even getting up from achair, says Jay Rader, a private health andfitness coach based in Arlington. “When youstrengthen the muscles around your joints,you can prolong and even improve yourrange of motion,” he said.

Weight training for seniors, says Days,comes with caveats. “Just because it’s ben-eficial doesn’t mean that an 89-year-oldshould go out and start trying to lift 50pound weights so that he can regain theability to walk up three flights of stairs likehe could 30 years ago,” she said. “The ben-efits of strength training are tremendous,but they also come with risks and must bedone safely. You should definitely consultwith a doctor before beginning any kind ofexercise program, and it would be my strongrecommendation that any one over the ageof 50 hire a personal trainer if they’re start-ing any kind of exercise program.”

In fact, David Schwartz, a personal trainerin Bethesda says that he has four clients whoare over the age of 60, and while he per-sonalizes each client’s workout, there arespecific exercises that are particularly ben-eficial to seniors. “I have one client who is72 and began training with me when shewas 68,” he said. “The workouts that I dowith her include lunges and squats whichstrengthen the quadriceps, or the muscles

in the thigh area. It’s been interesting towatch her gain leg strength and be able towalk longer distances. But strengtheningthe quads can also protect your knees andprevent injuries and other problems.”

The bicep and tricep muscles of the armare also important to building strength. “Allyou need are a pair of light to mediumweight dumbbells,” said Kat Chetrit, a per-sonal trainer in Fairfax. “Two great exer-cises, that are also relatively simple arebicep curls where you hold the weight inyour hand and bend your arm at the elbowand curl the weight in the direction of yourshoulder; and hammer curls, which are verysimilar except that you hold the weight likeyou would a hammer. Those are both greatexercises for maintaining arm strength.”

Days however, underscores the fact thatthere are risks involved “You can strain amuscle or drop a weight on yourself or evenfracture a bone,” she said. “With the eld-erly, these injuries can take a longer timeto heal than they would in a person who ismuch younger. The benefits definitely out-weigh the risks, but you want to be safe andsmart. That includes talking with your doc-tor and getting help from a personal train-ing, especially if you’ve never or rarely ex-ercised before.”

Weight Lifting in the Golden YearsSenior Living

When done properly, strength training can have tremendous benefits for seniors.

Strength-training exercises has theability to increase musclesstrength and mass and allowsseniors to stay mobile longer.


Entertainment

Lift Us Up, Don’t Push Us OutPerforming Statistics: A Project by ART180 and Legal Aid Justice Center asks the question, how would criminal justice reform

differ if it was led by incarcerated youth? Connecting incarcerated youth at the Richmond Juvenile Detention Center withartists, legal experts, and advocates to reimagine Virginia’s juvenile justice system, this exhibition provides the answer. In-cluding virtual reality experiences, photography, murals, and interactive audio installations that use human touch to activatestories from youth in the system, their media campaigns and mobile exhibits have connected the dreams, stories, and policydemands of youth in the juvenile justice system with tens of thousands across Virginia and beyond. The exhibit runs throughFeb. 3, gallery hours at The Art League Gallery in Studio 21, Torpedo Factory, 105 North Union St., Alexandria. An openingreception is planned for Thursday, Jan. 10, 6:30-8 p.m. Visit www.theartleague.org.

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

ONGOINGArt Exhibit: “Destroy the Picture.”

Through Feb. 2, Wednesday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. at Gallery B,7700 Wisconsin Ave., Suite E,Bethesda. Beverly Ryan has been aresident artist at the Torpedo FactoryArt Center since 2001 and has taughtat The Art League School inAlexandria, Va., for 15 years. She hascurated several shows of abstractpainting, narrative painting andencaustic painting. Between 1949and 1962, numerous paintersincluding Alberto Burri, SalvatoreScarpitta and Yves Klein producedartwork that incorporated destructionin their processes. The book Destroythe Picture: Painting the Void,written and edited by Paul Schimmeldescribes the exhibition of theseworks in Los Angeles at the Museumof Contemporary Art, 2012-2013. Inthe spring of 2018, this work inspiredBeverly Ryan to lead a group of herstudents to explore destruction andre-creation of artworks frompreviously unresolved paintings. Visitwww.bethesda.org/bethesda/gallery-b for more.

Art Exhibit: “Lift Us Up, Don’tPush Us Out.” Through Feb. 3,gallery hours at The Art LeagueGallery in Studio 21, TorpedoFactory, 105 North Union St.,Alexandria. Performing Statistics: aProject by ART180 and Legal AidJustice Center – “Lift Us Up, Don’tPush Us Out” asks the question, howwould criminal justice reform differ ifit was led by incarcerated youth?Connecting incarcerated youth at theRichmond Juvenile Detention Centerwith artists, legal experts, andadvocates to reimagine Virginia’sjuvenile justice system, thisexhibition provides the answer.Including virtual reality experiences,photography, murals, and interactiveaudio installations that use humantouch to activate stories from youthin the system, their media campaignsand mobile exhibits have connectedthe dreams, stories, and policydemands of youth in the juvenilejustice system with tens of thousandsacross Virginia and beyond. Visitwww.theartleague.org.

Art Exhibit: It’s Not All Black andWhite. Through Feb. 3, 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily (Thursdays until 9p.m.) at Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery,in the Torpedo Factory Art Center,105 N. Union St., Studio 29,Alexandria. Potomac Fiber ArtsGallery announces the opening of itsjuried show, It’s Not All Black andWhite. It may be black and white(dreary) outside but Potomac FiberArts Gallery radiates with color. Inaddition to lovely neutral pieces,artists have warmed their space withcolorful creations. Themed work willbe eligible for recognition by thejurors. Non-themed work may also beexhibited. Free admission. Visitwww.potomacfiberartsgallery.com orcall 703-548-0935.

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

“Three Sistahs.” Through Feb. 24, atMetroStage, 1201 N. Royal St.,Alexandria. “Three Sistahs” is anintimate musical which exposes the

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

Art Exhibit: Ritualisms. ThroughMarch 3, gallery hours at TargetGallery, 105 N. Union St.,Alexandria. New Target GalleryExhibition contemplates theuniversality of rituals. The exhibitionjuxtaposes different artists’interpretations of rituals throughtheir work, daily routines, habits, orpersonal quirks. It also brings inbroader cultural formalities andreligious ceremonies. Visitwww.torpedofactory.org.

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

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

First Friday: “Chinese New YearCelebration.” 6-10 p.m. at theDurant Arts Center, 1605 CameronSt. The evening will include theFairfax Chinese Dance Troupedancing several traditional ChineseFolk Dances accompanied by AliceGuzheng Ensemble, Mr. Zhang on atraditional instrument called hulusi,

and a vocalist Mr. Lin. A ChineseKungfu, Martial Arts demonstrationand the City’s Mobile Art Lab leadinginteractive art activity will round offthe evening’s festivities. A “meet andgreet” begins at 6 p.m. withfestivities beginning at 6:30 p.m.Light refreshments will be availablecomplements of the Office of theArts. $9 per person. Children under 5years old are free. Children must beaccompanied by one adult. Reservetoday at www.alexandriava.gov/Artsand select Durant Arts Center.Tickets are available at the door.

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

FEB. 1-MARCH 30Art Exhibition: High School

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

SATURDAY/FEB. 215th Annual Alexandria

Warehouse Sale. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. At

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

Painting with Pastels. 10 a.m.-noonat Huntley Meadows Park, 3701Lockheed Blvd. Interested in art, butnot sure where to start? Soft pastelpainting is a fun and forgivingmedium. In this class, local pastelartist Teresa T. Brunson willdemonstrate many ways to paint withpastels and show expressive ways themedium can be used. Learn paintingtechniques, mark-making andlayering. All supplies are provided.For participants 16-adult. $35 perperson. Call 703-768-2525 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows.

Story Time for Little Historians. 11a.m. At The Black History Museum,902 Wythe St., Alexandria. Thismonth’s topic: Presenting Henry’sFreedom Box – A True Story from theUnderground Railroad, which waswritten by Ellen Levine andillustrated by Kadir Nelson. Bringyour little learners to the AlexandriaBlack History Museum for culturalstories and creative craft activitiesthat introduce world history andfolklore. Explore the museumexhibits afterward to learn aboutlocal black history. All ages arewelcome, but most suitable forchildren 3-6 years old. $3 per person.Visit www.alexandriava.gov.

Martin & Mahalia. 11-1:45 a.m. inthe Picture Book area at BeatleyLibrary, 5005 Duke St. Celebratewith the entire family the words and

songs of the famous Martin LutherKing, Jr. and Mahalia Jackson forBlack History Month. All ages withadult. Visit www.alexandria.lib.va.usor call 703-746-1702.

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

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

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

An Outrage: A Documentary Film.2 p.m. at The Alexandria BlackHistory Museum, 902 Wythe St. TheAlexandria Black History Museumwill screen An Outrage: ADocumentary Film on the History ofLynching in the American South.Filmed on-location at lynching sitesin six states and bolstered by thememories and perspectives ofdescendants, community activists,and scholars, this unusual historicaldocumentary seeks to educate evenas it serves as a hub for action toremember and reflect upon a long-hidden past. Admission is $5 andmust be paid in advance atalexandriava.gov/shop. Call 703-746-4356 for more.

Alexandria Oddball Cinema:Basquiat. 2-4 p.m. at the DuncanLibrary Meeting Room, 2501Commonwealth Ave. Join AlexandriaOddball Cinema in this specialscreening of Basquiat in honor ofBlack History Month. Visitwww.alexandria.lib.va.us or call 703-746-1705.

Country-Western Dance. AtLincolnia Senior Center, 4710 NorthChambliss St, Alexandria. TheNorthern Virginia Country-WesternDance Association will hold a dance.Lessons, 6-7 p.m. Open dancing, 7-9:30 p.m. A DJ provides music.Couples and singles of all ageswelcome. Admission for NVCWDAmembers $10; non-members $12;children under 18 accompanied by apaying adult $5. Smoke-free, alcohol-free. BYO refreshments. Visitwww.nvcwda.org .

SUNDAY/FEB. 3Bagels and Bach Concert Series.

11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Durant ArtsCenter, 1605 Cameron St. Enjoyclassical music and a light brunch,while children will become awareand will learn how to appreciateclassical music. This month’s concertshowcases Tyler Castrucci,trombonist with the WashingtonMetropolitan PhilharmonicOrchestra. $9 per person. Childrenunder 5 years old are free. Makereservations atwww.alexandriava.gov/Arts andselect Durant Arts Center. Tickets arealso available at the door.

Walking With Washington Tour. 2-4 p.m. at Ramsay House, AlexandriaVisitor’s Center, 221 King St.,Alexandria. Explore important sitesassociated with George Washingtonin his hometown of Alexandria. Thisguided walking tour of historic Old


Public Hearing Scheduled on E-Bike Use on Park Trails

A public hearing will be held in Lorton, Va., on Thursday, February

7, 2019, on proposed changes to regulations on the use of Elec-

trically Assisted Bicycles, or e-bikes, in Fairfax County and NOVA

Parks.

The hearing will cover proposed changes to Park Authority Reg-

e-bikes and mopeds. E-bikes would be allowed anywhere tradi-

tional pedal-powered bikes are allowed. Mopeds would be allowed

only where motor vehicles are permitted.

As part of the proposed change in regulation, draft guidelines for

the use of e-bikes within Fairfax and NOVA Parks’ will be present-

ed. These guidelines outline the type and level of performance for

e-bikes that are suitable for use within Fairfax and NOVA Parks.

with (i) pedals that allow propulsion by human power and ii) an

electric motor with an input of no more than 750 watts that reduces

mountain style (e/MTB) e-bikes.” These use guidelines will be rec-

ommendations only and will not be enforceable by law.

The guidelines for e-bike riders would call for them to yield to pe-

per hour. In addition, e-bike riders would be strongly encouraged

to operate only in areas where traditional bicycles are allowed and

to not disturb wildlife, livestock or domesticated animals on park

property. E-bike riders would be expected to follow the same reg-

ulations and rules regarding access to the parks as other visitors.

Riders would assume responsibility for the safe and respectful op-

eration of their e-bike. For more information, visit online at https://

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/e-bikes

The joint hearing to be held by the Northern Virginia Regional Park

Authority Board and the Fairfax County Park Authority Board will

-

gional Park, located at 9751 Ox Road, Lorton, VA.

or [email protected] to sign up to speak at the public hearing,

-

ers are welcome; it is not necessary to sign up in advance.

Written comments must be received by March 11, 2019 to be

either the Fairfax County Park Authority or NOVA Parks:

Email (preferred): [email protected] or

[email protected]

advance of the registration deadline or event.

By Hope Nelson

A long-vacant storefront facing Duke Street inthe King Street Station complex has new lifewith the arrival of Bistro Sancerre, a French

bistro and steakhouse that opened its doors a littlemore than a week ago.

Bistro Sancerre, the Alexandria outpost from theowners of the Arlington-based Grand Cru, came tobe when longtime – and voluminous – clientelemoved to Carlyle and began lobbying for the restau-rant to pick up stakes and move. The National Sci-ence Foundation, now stationed nearby, was a neigh-bor of Grand Cru in Ballston.

“They used to do all oftheir big meetings over atGrand Cru and told Lena(Thorpe, director of op-erations) we needed toopen a place over here,so that’s what made usstart looking over here,”owner Troy Thorpe said.“We (decided on) this lo-cation because it kind ofresembles our other loca-tion.”

But don’t expect Bistro Sancerre to simply be acarbon copy of its elder sibling. With Ravi Narayananat the helm in the kitchen as executive chef, the menuis full of French-style classics – and a bit of fun, too.Narayanan was in fact the proponent of what he callsthe “jocularity” in the menu – plays on words, a fes-tive air – and how he wants to extend that to thedining room as well as the kitchen.

“That’s the feel of the restaurant that I wanted itto be. Come as you are, welcome to the neighbor-hood, and sit back and enjoy yourself,” he said.

And Narayanan makes it easy to kick back andawait the coming meal. All the French favorites arethere – filet mignon, Parisian steak frites, duck confit

– but so too are those less-expected offerings.Narayanan doesn’t forget the small stuff – and smallplates, too.

“In terms of the starters that we have, my duckwing lollipops are very, very fun,” he said. A take onthe classic duck a l’orange, the lollipops are a succu-lent way to start a meal.

And those dishes that are now essential table stakesdon’t get short shrift, either. Consider for a momentthe lowly house salad, a mainstay on nearly everymenu but one that is largely forgettable.

“The house salad I think is something that we hereat Bistro Sancerre are very, very proud about. We’veelevated our house signature salad and made it some-

thing to be proud of,”Narayanan said. “Notthat other restaurants inWashington, D.C., andVirginia don’t, but it al-ways takes that lonelystand-in-the-corner kindof role.”

The wine selectionprocess is rather unex-pected, as well. Manyvarietals are available by

the glass, but to select a bottle, don’t expect a lengthywine list to arrive at the table. Rather, guests areinvited to peruse the shelves lining the dining roomto select a bottle that speaks to them.

After a week of dinner-only service, the restaurantis now open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.Troy Thorpe says brunch will be in the offing forspring – perhaps making use of Bistro Sancerre’s ex-tensive outdoor patio space when the weather warmsup – but for now, the restaurant is taking time tosettle into its new digs and new neighborhood.

Entertainment

Bistro Sancerre OffersCome-As-You-Are French Flair

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

If You GoBistro Sancerre, 1725 Duke St.Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Tuesday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

Wednesday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.Try This: The wine flights. “Those I will be changing ev-

ery so often … every four to six weeks,” says director ofoperations Lena Thorpe. “Any time I bring something new onthe shelf I would like to share with the guests and gather theiropinions.”

Calendar

Towne covers significant people andevents in Washington’s life and inAmerican history, with stops atRamsay House, Market Square,Carlyle House, Wise’s Tavern, DuvallTavern/Charles Lee House, Gadsby’sTavern, Washington’s townhouse,The Lord Fairfax House, the “Light-Horse” Harry Lee house and ChristChurch. Sponsored by the City ofAlexandria’s George WashingtonBirthday Celebration Committee.Free. Visit washingtonbirthday.comfor more.

Tell Me Your Name. 3:30 p.m. atCarlyle House Historic Park, 121 N.Fairfax St., Alexandria. Aconversation about identifyingenslaved individuals and theircommunities and putting that into ahistorical and genealogical context.In 2017 Carlyle House Historic Parkundertook a new research project toimprove its knowledge andinterpretation of the site’s enslavedpopulation. Join Maddy McCoy,founder of Slavery InventoryDatabase, LLC, for an illuminatingtour on the new research of theenslaved community at CarlyleHouse. Cost is $10. Tickets availableat apm.activecommunities.com/novaparks/Activity_Search/2516.

MONDAY/FEB. 4School Holiday Camp. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

at Huntley Meadows Park, 3701Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria. Thecountry may have been in adepression, but kids were still findingways to have fun in the 1930s.Today’s kids will discover new waysto have old-fashioned fun in the “PlayLike It’s 1935” camp at HuntleyMeadows Park. Children age 6-12 areinvited to the park to play games likethe Alcorn children did when theymoved to Huntley during the GreatDepression. Kids will make a simpletoy to take home, too. It’s a full dayof fun while school’s out. $65. Call703-768-2525 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows.

Talk on Microgreens. 7-8:30 p.m. atBarrett Branch Library, 717 QueenSt., Alexandria. Discussion onMicrogreens: What Are They, WhyAre They So Fabulous, and How toGrow Them. This class is offered byExtension Master Gardeners with theVirginia Cooperative Extension,Master Gardeners of NorthernVirginia. Free. Advance registrationrequested at mgnv.org. Call 703-228-6414 or email [email protected].

TUESDAY/FEB. 5Tuesday Tots. 11 a.m.-noon at Burke

Branch Library Meeting Room, 4701Seminary Road. Astory with apainting craft based on the art ofartist Alma Woodsey Thomas.Children should wear something theycan paint in. Ages 1-4 with an adult.Visit www.alexandria.lib.va.us or call703-746-1704.

Film: Loving. 2-4:30 p.m. at BurkeBranch Library, 4701 Seminary Road.The story of Richard and MildredLoving, a couple whose arrest forinterracial marriage in 1960s Virginiabegan a legal battle that would endwith the Supreme Court’s historic1967 decision. Visitwww.alexandria.lib.va.us or call 703-746-1704.

WEDNESDAY/FEB. 6Family Storytime Class: Books by

African American Authors.10:30-11:10 a.m. at Beatley Library,5005 Duke St. Family Story Timecelebrates Black History Month. Withbooks written and illustrated byAfrican Americans and depictingchildren of color. All ages with adult.Visit www.alexandria.lib.va.us or call703-746-1702.


Entertainment

Dominion Brass ConcertBenefit concert for Rising Hope Mission Church with Dominion Brass, a large brass and percussion ensemble of profes-

sional musicians. Sunday, Feb. 17, 3-4:30 p.m. At Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 1301 Collingwood Road, Alexandria.Free. Donations to support Rising Hope will be collected during the concert. Call 703-300-0985.

Amazing African AmericanSTEAM. 4-4:45 p.m. at BarrettBranch Library - First Floor, 717Queen St. Hands on art and scienceprojects for ages 5 and older. Noregistration required. Visitwww.alexandria.lib.va.us or call 703-746-1703.

I Protest! 5-6:30 p.m. at BarrettBranch Library - Second Floor, 717Queen St. Protest unfair laws andrules today and remember thestruggle of the past by makingprotest signs. Poster board, suppliesand inspiration will be provided. Visitwww.alexandria.lib.va.us or call 703-746-1703.

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

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

THURSDAY/FEB. 7The Snowy Day - A Story Time

Adventure for Black HistoryMonth. 4-4:45 p.m. at BarrettBranch Library - Story Room, 717Queen St. Celebrating the immortalstory by Ezra Jack Keats with storyand art. Ages 3 and up. Noregistration required. Visitwww.alexandria.lib.va.us or call 703-746-1703.

Evening of French Love Songs. 7p.m. at The Lyceum, 201 S.Washington St., Alexandria. TheAlexandria-Caen Sister CitiesCommittee invites you to Chansonsd’Amour: An evening of French lovesongs. In anticipation of Valentine’sDay, spend an evening learningabout French Love Songs andlistening to curated selections of“Chansons d’Amour” with event MC,Joseph Gueron. Gueron is theProducer and Host of GloBeat, the

world music radio show on WERA96.7 FM. The event includes music,dancing, and a wine and dessertreception. Cost is $10. Ticketsavailable onsite or online atshop.alexandriava.gov. [email protected] questions.

FRIDAY/FEB. 8Movie Matinee: Chi-Raq. 3:30-6

p.m. at Burke Branch Library MeetingRoom, 4701 Seminary Road.Screening of the film “Chi-Raq.”Teens, adults. Visitwww.alexandria.lib.va.us or call 703-746-1704.

The Alligator Pears. 6-8 p.m. At TheLyceum, 201 South Washington St.,Alexandria. The Alligator Pearsfeatures Piedmont Blues music. Beerand wine for sale; light refreshmentsavailable as well. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov.

Family Splash Night. 6-9 p.m. AtChinquapin Park Rec Center andAquatics Facility, 3210 King St.,Alexandria. Featuring George Masonand Matthew Maury schools. Enjoyswimming, a floating obstacle course,games, relays, refreshments, music,diving for prizes and more. Differentschools are featured at each eventbut all are welcome. Admission is $4per person upon entry. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov/Recreationfor more.

Gunston Hall Game Night. 6-9 p.m.at Gunston Hall, 10709 GunstonRoad, Mason Neck. Gunston Hall isopening its doors after-hours towelcome game enthusiasts toimmerse themselves in a variety of18th-century card, board, and dicegames. $35 registration includesbeverages and heavy hors devours,including some items made from18th-century recipes. Visitwww.gunstonhall.org for more.

History by the Glass. 7-9 p.m. atGadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 NorthRoyal St., Alexandria. Enjoy a nightout that brings the history of ice andthe tavern together through cocktails.Sip inspired drinks created by a localmixologist, examine ice-relatedartifacts rarely on display, and find

out first-hand how the historic tavernpreserved ice for months withoutelectricity. $50 per person. Priceincludes two drink tickets and lighthors d’oeuvres. Tickets can bepurchased at alexandriava.gov/shopor 703-746-4242.

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

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

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

Outfitting Billy Yank Program. 11a.m.-3 p.m. at Fort Ward Museum,4301 West Braddock Road,Alexandria. Learn about the clothingand equipment used by Unionsoldiers during the Civil War in “Kepito Cartridge Box: Outfitting BillyYank,” at Fort Ward Museum. Free.Call 703-746-4848, or visitwww.fortward.org.

Locals’ Alley Saturdays. 12:30-2:30p.m. at The Old Town Shop, 105 S.Union St. at King Street. Meet themakers of local goods, featuring:Truly-Life soaps and bath products.Call 703-684-4682 or visitwww.TheOldTownShop.com.

Workshop on Valentine Topiary. 2-

Calendar


Entertainment

ASO Presents: Mozart’s Prague SymphonyNew and old traditions collide in February with an exploration of the Classical-era symphony. The program centers on

Mozart’s Symphony No. 38 “Prague,” juxtaposed with Prokofiev’s Symphony No.1 “Classical.” The program will also featuresoloists from the ASO for Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 and Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks. Saturday, Feb. 9, 8-10 p.m.at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall, 4915 East Campus Drive. Adult, $20-$80; youth, $5; student, $10. Call 703-548-0885or visit www.alexsym.org for more.

James Rossconducts theAlexandriaSymphonyOrchestra.

Photo by

P.J. Barbour

3:30 p.m. at Green Springs Gardens,4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria.Branch out and give the gift oftopiary this Valentine’s Day. FloralDesign Workshop: Valentine Topiary”with floral designer Chuck Masonwho will lead you through this fun,floral project that you can keep foryourself or give away. $39 for theprogram, plus $30 for supplies. Call703-642-5173 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/green-spring.

Tips on Taking the Story. 3-4 p.m.at Duncan Library Meeting Room,2501 Commonwealth Ave. AnneBolen of Anne B. History will giveyou tips on how to collect familymemories with oral historyinterviews. Visitwww.alexandria.lib.va.us or call 703-746-1705.

Yale University WiffenpoofsChorus. 3 p.m. at the GeorgeWashington Masonic NationalMemorial on Callahan Drive. TheAlexandria Harmonizers BarbershopChorus will be hosting the YaleUniversity Wiffenpoofs Chorus, theoldest continuously performing acapella chorus in the United States.This performance will be opened byselections by the AlexandriaHarmonizers, followed by TheWiffenpoofs. $30 at the door ordirectly from members of theAlexandria Harmonizers BarbershopChorus prior to the event. Visitwww.harmonizers.org for more.

Read Write Now: A Craft Talk. 5:30p.m. at The Athenaeum, 201 PrinceSt. “Read Write Now” is an eventseries focused on the craft of writing.Join Old Town Books and NationalBook Award-nominated writerCarmen Maria Machado inconversation with bestselling writerand editor Nicole Chung. (The talk

will be followed by a book signing ofCarmen Machado’s short storycollection Her Body and Other Parties(Graywolf, 2017) and Nicole Chung’sAll You Can Ever Know (Catapult,2018). $26. Ticket price includes onepre-order for a signed copy ofMachado’s “In the Dream House,”which will be published and availablefor pick up at Old Town Books in fall2019. Visit www.nvfaa.org or call703-548-0035.

Chili Cook Off and Bingo Night. 6-9p.m. at Historic Pohick EpiscopalChurch, 9301 Richmond Highway,Lorton. The Ann Mason Guild ofPohick Church will hold their annualChili Cook Off and Bingo event.Tickets are $10 per person (without achili entry) and $5 per person (withchili entry). Children 10 and underare free. Hot dogs will also beavailable. Contact: Wendy Remaly [email protected] or AngelaEdgemon at [email protected], orcall 703-339-6572 or visitwww.pohick.org.

SUNDAY/FEB. 10Harry Allen Winter Lecture Series.

1:30-2:30 p.m. at Green SpringGardens, 4603 Green Spring Road.Get “Ideas from Europe for U.S.Gardeners” when garden designerand international traveler CarolynMullet shares design ideas from herEuropean garden travels and showshow to modify these inspirations infun and functional ways at home.Adults. $10 in advance; $12 at thedoor. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/green-spring or call 703-642-5173.

Walking With Washington Tour. 2-4 p.m. at Ramsay House, AlexandriaVisitor’s Center, 221 King St.,Alexandria. Explore important sites

associated with George Washingtonin his hometown of Alexandria. Thisguided walking tour of historic OldTowne covers significant people andevents in Washington’s life and inAmerican history, with stops atRamsay House, Market Square,Carlyle House, Wise’s Tavern, DuvallTavern/Charles Lee House, Gadsby’sTavern, Washington’s townhouse,The Lord Fairfax House, the “Light-Horse” Harry Lee house and Christ

Church. Sponsored by the City ofAlexandria’s George WashingtonBirthday Celebration Committee.Free. Visit washingtonbirthday.comfor more.

Tell Me Your Name. 3:30 p.m. atCarlyle House Historic Park, 121 N.Fairfax St., Alexandria. Aconversation about identifyingenslaved individuals and theircommunities and putting that into ahistorical and genealogical context.

In 2017 Carlyle House Historic Parkundertook a new research project toimprove its knowledge andinterpretation of the site’s enslavedpopulation. Join Maddy McCoy,founder of Slavery InventoryDatabase, LLC, for an illuminatingtour on the new research of theenslaved community at CarlyleHouse. $10. Tickets available atapm.activecommunities.com/novaparks/Activity_Search/2517.


Opinion

By Adam Ebbin

State Senator (D-30)

Last week, two of my com-mittees: the General Lawsand Technology Commit-

tee and the Privileges and Elec-tions Committee, heard aplethora of bills addressing re-form for several pressing issues affecting many Vir-ginians, including nonpartisan redistricting and evic-tion law.

This is the final session to begin the process for aconstitutional amendment to require a nonpartisanapproach in time for the 2021 redistricting. Redis-tricting occurs every 10 years after the completion

of the federal census. Virginialaw requires that a constitutionalamendment be passed twice bythe General Assembly before and

after a state election and be passed via a “referen-dum” process by the voters. Nonpartisan redistrict-ing is critical because, for years, politicians havemade a practice of picking their voters, rather thantheir voters picking them. Last year, federal courtsrequired a number of House of Delegates Districtsbe redrawn due to racial gerrymandering. The 4thDistrict US Court of Appeals introduced a plan forthe 2019 election, changing the borders of 26 dis-tricts from Richmond to Hampton Roads, shiftingthe partisan makeup of many, some dramatically,including those of Speaker Kirk Cox (R-Chesterfield)and House Appropriations Chair Chris Jones (R-Suf-folk).

The Privileges and Elections Committee heard sev-eral possible constitutional resolutions to addressnonpartisan redistricting last week including pro-posed legislation presented by Senator Mamie Locke(D-Hampton) and Senator Emmett Hanger (R-Au-gusta) which I co-sponsored. That bill would haverequired full transparency in the process, prohibitedany criteria that supports a political party, and fo-cused on maintaining existing communities when-ever possible. While that resolution died on a 9-5vote, we eventually passed out of committee Sena-tor George Barker’s (D-Fairfax) bill which will en-sure bipartisan consensus by balancing membershipon the commission and including citizen members.

In the General Laws and Technology Committeewe heard a number of bills regarding eviction, anissue which has come to light in the last year as oneof the greatest issues of inequality in Virginia. In arecent study by the New York Times, it was revealedthat five of the top 10 cities in the nation in whichevictions are filed are in our state. These cities in-clude: Richmond, Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk,and Chesapeake. Eviction has many serious effectson low income communities including making itmore difficult to find future housing, preventingfamilies from building support systems like child careand a steady learning environment, and creating ad-ditional costs because often keeping basic householdnecessities like furniture and cooking supplies is im-possible during evictions. It sows long-term insta-bility in our most marginalized communities andkeeps many locked in the cycle of poverty.

Over the last year, the Virginia Housing Commis-sion met with a group of stakeholders to identifypossible solutions to this issue. The commission en-dorsed a number of bills including ones to ensure awritten lease, extending the period in which a ten-ant may pay back rent before the sheriff arrives toevict them, and creating a diversion pilot programwhich will require landlords and tenants in high evic-

tion areas to participate in a payment plan createdby the court. I supported these bills, but co-sponsoreda more comprehensive bill introduced by SenatorJennifer McClellan (D-Richmond), which includedthe commission’s recommendations and added theability for a tenant to reclaim legal fees if they wintheir case and extended the time in which they canpay rent before an eviction is even filed. This morecomprehensive approach takes the necessary step oftruly expanding tenant rights in the courtroom.

This adjustment is important because low incometenants can rarely afford quality legal representationagainst unfair housing practices. Considering that weface an affordable housing crisis across the state,ensuring tenants’ rights is a must.

Virginia has, for far too long, failed to put enoughemphasis on providing affordable housing for theworking class. This year I am excited that GovernorNortham proposed to nearly quadruple the fundingin the state’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund (flex-ible funds that often serve to supply gap funding thatcan be used to bring projects to fruition) from $5million to $19 million in his budget. These additionalfunds are a start, but much more is needed. Addi-tionally, the Virginia Housing Development Author-ity has put forward $15 million per year for five yearsin R.E.A.C.H. (Resources Enabling Affordable Com-munity Housing) funding for Northern Virginia. Thesefunds go to loans and grants that support those inthe lowest income brackets. We must refocus our ef-forts on vulnerable populations and enable them tostay in the communities they have developed and inthe homes that they have created. This will be anongoing struggle. As our population continues togrow we have to create affordable housing that growswith it.

Though these issues are complex, and our state isbehind the mark in finding appropriate fixes, the billsheaded to the Senate floor will move us forward.

Please consider taking the time to fill out my con-stituent survey to let me know your priorities:www.adamebbin.com/survey

Pursuing Nonpartisan Redistricting

Commentary

tee #1 and awaiting its first hearing.HB 1687 provides a private cause of action against

employers who fail to pay their employees theirwages, is referred to Commerce and Labor Subcom-mittee #2 and is awaiting a vote.

HJ 597, a bill which requests the Department ofEnvironmental Quality to study the impact of litter-ing, had its first hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 29.

Additionally, I introduced a budget amendment(Item 136 #22h) to increase state share of educa-tion costs. The state direct aid for public schools hasfallen while the student population has been increas-ing. Local governments are experiencing a largeamount of this burden and the budget amendmentaimed to alleviate this problem by increasing theState’s share of funding. Unfortunately, the 2 percentincrease I requested was turned down in Appropria-tions.

It is hard to believe we are almost halfway throughthis year’s legislative session. It has been a great ses-sion so far as we have had three bills already passthrough the House. During the remainder of session,I remain hopeful that I can pass additional pieces oflegislation, many generated from our community andthat will be good for our Commonwealth, and con-tinue my work on the budget as a member of theAppropriations Committee.

From Page 6

Update on Bills


News

From Page 1

New Traditionnated food and some of the coats. Whilethere, they helped clean the building’schapel.

Once all the lower school students wereback on campus, they gathered to eat andhear a presentation by Nate Woldu, fromthe P.U.S.O. Foundation and also a formerBrowne student, who accepted the rest ofthe donated coats to help those in need lo-cally and abroad. P.U.S.O. stands for thePurposeful Unconditional Service to Others.The students also screened a movie that the3rd grade produced about kindness.

On the middle school side, Browne’s 5th,6th, and 7th graders attended VolunteerArlington’s opening activities. Afterward,the 5th and 7th graders traveled to St.Mary’s Episcopal Church in Arlington wherethey participated in a Youth Service Americatraining about leading service projects. The6th graders visited Culpepper Garden Af-fordable Senior Living where they playedboard games and made welcome kits withthe residents.

Finally, 8th graders went to Ron BrownHigh School in Washington, D.C. to attendan opening program from City Year beforemaking scarves and putting together essen-tials kits for the homeless. These items willbe distributed via Thrive DC.

Browne Academy’s Head of School PeggyOtey was pleased with the inaugural day ofservice: “Browne Academy’s mission andcore values of excellence, diversity, charac-ter, and community align wonderfully withDr. King’s beliefs. What better way is thereto honor him than to come together to helpthose in need? Browne Academy looks for-ward to making our MLK day of service anannual, eagerly anticipated tradition.”

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

DONATIONS NEEDEDUCM Needs Help. United Community Ministries

(UCM), 7511 Fordson Road, Alexandria.Inventory is low on disposable diapers especiallysizes 4, 5, 6; canned tuna and other cannedmeats like chicken; and low-sugar breakfastcereals. Shop and donate with their AmazonWish List at: bit.ly/UCM_FoodPantry_AmazonWishList. EmailAssistant Food Pantry Manager Von [email protected] or visit atwww.ucmagency.org.

SATURDAY/FEB. 2Mount Vernon Town Meeting. 7:45 a.m.-noon

at Mount Vernon High School, 8515 Old Mt.Vernon Road. Meet Mount Vernon DistrictSupervisor Dan Storck and many county, stateand federal leaders at the 32nd Annual MountVernon Town Meeting. Have questionsanswered, learn about important issuesimportant, connect with county agencies andservice providers and mingle with neighbors.The highlight of the morning will be taking a“virtual tour” of the District with “pilot”Supervisor Storck. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/mountvernon/32nd-annual-town-meeting-2019.

Town Hall Meeting. 1 p.m. at South CountyHigh School, 8501 Silverbrook Road, Lorton.State Sen. Scott Surovell and Del. Kathy Tranwill host a town hall meeting. Individuals willhave the opportunity to hear about progress inRichmond and ask questions about legislation asthe legislative process happens.

Bulletin Board

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

As my white cat, Twinkle, continues to walk left to right and right to left across my writing pad with various stops in between for scratching, nudging, belly-rubbing and paw patty cakes, I can’t help wondering if there’s a method to her non-madness. She doesn’t appear to be the least bit agitated. She’s not meowing her presence or seemingly demanding anything – other than attention, that is. In fact, she’s purring and seems quite pleased with herself.

What’s puzzling to me is exactly what the at-traction/need is here? I don’t have any treats. Her food and water bowls are not here. Neither is her litter box. It’s in the adjacent room. Yet here she sits and rolls and scratches herself with what appears to be not a care or concern in the world. She seems extremely content with her situation.

I would have expected her to be sleeping in the house somewhere like our other four cats. I mean, it is 2:15 in the afternoon, many hours after her 6:30 breakfast and hours still to go before her 5:30 dinner. Heck, I’ve even dozed off myself for a bit before I sat down to try and write this column. But here she is, wide awake, and back and forth.

My wife, Dina, maintains that cats and dogs have a sixth sense when it comes to people be-

with something or other, providing aid and comfort, if you will.

And so, she gets nervous when multiple cats surround me when we’re sitting on the couch watching television: a black cat, usually “Sleeky,” lays on top of the couch behind where I’m sitting; Twinkle, sits on the couch next to me and cuddles up against my left thigh; and Biscuit (one of our two buff-colored brothers) “sphyinxs” on the coffee table staring at me while I’m hav-ing to stare through him to watch television. The other two cats, “Chino” and Andrew are usually sleeping in their spots, out of sight, but never out of mind.

A shift change, apparently. “Chino” has just jumped on my desk and Twinkle has jumped off,

to dream. Chino is now laying on his side/back – partially on my writing pad, with his rear end pressed up against my left forearm with all four paws raised up in the air not exactly in my direc-

This cat exchange sort of reminds of how my brother and I would alternate our visiting time with our parents on Sundays, splitting the day so that one of us was always present and accounted for.

But I’m not sick (OKAY, diseased then), and I don’t feel as if I need 24/7-type cat compan-ionship. Though I am home alone a lot – and left with my own thoughts, I don’t view the cats shifting around me as anything more than there considering me as a big toy.

A toy whose movements and appearance are stimulating to them, sort of like a giant scratch-ing post infused with catnip. A combination they couldn’t possibly ignore, like peanut butter and chocolate is to me.

So as much as I feel nurtured and loved and comforted by this cat behavior, I don’t feel it’s because I’m sick, or rather about to be sick (again, their sixth sense at work), I feel simply that we have some very affectionate cats whose indoor-only lives have caused them to become dependent and appreciative of those who feed and water them. (We won’t mention that we’re also the ones who stuff them into cat carriers and drive them to the vet, an experience which they collectively hate.)

But if I do get sick (I guess I should be honest: get sicker, I do have cancer) I know I can count on “Chino,” Biscuit, Twinkle, Andrew and “Sleeky” to always keep me company. I don’t know how much better their presence will make me feel, but I do know their presence will keep me from feeling worse.

Cat It Again


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