McLean Location, Location, Locationconnectionarchives.com/PDF/2010/092210/McLean.pdf · couldn’t, that the space would instead be turned into office space for the bank’s expansion

McLean Connection ❖ September 22-28, 2010 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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September 22-28, 2010 ❖ Volume XXIV, Number 38

Location, Location,Location

News, Page 3

Burglar HitsThe Area

News, Page 4

BrowsingThrough

Old TomesNews, Page 3

Patrons of the Star Nut Gourmet enjoy a morning on thepatio. The Star Nut was in danger of being forced to move,

but due to community support looks to be staying put.

2 ❖ McLean Connection ❖ September 22-28, 2010 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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NewsMcLean Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

By Alex McVeigh

The Connection

When Joe andD e n i s eS h e h a d e hmoved their

business to the Palladium complexoff Laughlin Avenue in McLean,they thought they had found ahome. As owners of the Star NutGourmet, an International-stylecafé, they found the setup to beperfect for their community gath-ering place.

That was five years ago. A few weeks ago, JoeShehadeh went to the property’s owners, the adja-cent Chain Bridge Bank, to renew his lease. ChainBridge Bank purchased the property two-and-a-halfyears ago from the original developers, who signedthe Star Nut to its original lease. When Shehadehwent to renew his lease, he was told that theycouldn’t, that the space would instead be turned intooffice space for the bank’s expansion.

Since then, the community has rallied around theStar Nut, collecting more than 400 signatures in threedays for a petition asking to let them stay. The sud-den groundswell of community feedback seems tohave worked. Last week Joe Shehadeh was informedthat they would allow him to renew his lease.

“The terms of the new lease are a little differentthan the terms established by the developers, butthe important thing is that the Star Nut will staywhere it is,” said John Brough, president of the ChainBridge Bank. “We’re happy that we can extend thelease, they’ve been good tenants, and good for thiscommunity.”

Brough says that an agreement for a five-year ex-tension of the lease — which was set to expire inOctober — has been reached in principle, and willlikely be official soon.

“We were overwhelmed by the support we’ve got-ten from the community, not in my wildest dreamscould I imagine something like this,” Joe Shehadehsaid. “We had accepted the fact that the bank

wouldn’t renew our lease.”“The response we got made us feel like we really

brought the community together, and that was thegoal when we started,” Denise Shehadeh said. “I thinkthe community gets it, and it reflects the town wehave here. There are local people, as well as visitorsfrom other states and countries, and we welcomethem all. We wanted to be the place everyone cancome.”

THE SHEHADEHS have lived in McLean off andon for the past 34 years. After spending years in thecorporate world, which led them to locations acrossthe world, they decided to become entrepreneurs.They recalled the cafes they saw in Europe and South-east Asia, and the idea for the Star Nut was born.

“McLean didn’t have a community gathering placeor specialty gift store, and that’s what we tried tobring,” Joe Shehadeh said.

The Shehadehs are very involved in the local com-munity, they pride themselves on never saying nowhen it comes to donating to various charitablecauses, sponsoring local teams and other commu-nity functions. They have twice received beautifica-tion awards from McLean, and came in second-placefor a Fairfax County beautification award.

The Star Nut hosts a wide variety of communitymeetings on a weekly basis, everything from bookclubs to local student study groups. They serve gelato,

All last weekend, thousands of books weresold for $2 or less at the

McLean Community Center atthe American Association ofUniversity Women’s 41st An-nual Used Book Sale. The event,which is organized every yearin McLean, raises money fortheir Educational OpportunitiesFund, Legal Advocacy Fund andlocal scholarships. It is the larg-est provider of funding forgraduate women in the world.

“We live in an area that readsa lot of books,” said BetsyReddaway, a chairwoman of thelocal AAUW branch. Last year,the organization raised about$57,000 at the Used Book Sale.This year’s tally is estimated tobe $40,000. Buyers could walkthrough three rooms and ex-plore, looking through boxes ofevery genre from children’sbooks to travel.

“Some people come in andbuy their yearly supply of ro-mance novels in one purchase,”

said Reddaway.According to Reddaway, vol-

unteers logged 1,333 hoursover the summer. In that time,the AAUW conducted five bookdrives to collect donations.From there, the books areboxed and kept at the SunTrustbank in Vienna.

“Our volunteers are verydedicated,” said Reddaway. Forinstance, Laurie Warhol drivesfrom Leesburg every Saturdayto help the northern Virginiabranch.

The AAUW’s annual sale is animportant tradition in McLean.It is an opportunity for middleschool students to earn volun-teer hours, book dealers togather rare treasures and, mostimportant for the AAUW, raisesthousands of dollars for femalegraduate students. The saletakes place every year aroundthe first or second week of Sep-tember.

— Sean McCalley

Browsing ThroughOld TomesAssociation of University Womenconducts 41st Annual Used Book.

Jane Filerman of McLean browses through boxes ofused books.

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What were you looking for at the book sale?“There’s some good children’s books to help my nephews and

nieces learn how to read.” Linda DaRocha, Great Falls“It’s about half and half between exploring and looking for spe-

cifics. There’s lots of options to look at.” Michael Greene, McLeanHow often do you attend the book sale?

“How many years have they been doing this? Forty-one? This ismy fifth time. It’s great.” Jane Filerman, McLeanDo you prefer buying used books instead of newbooks?

“I definitely do. I really like how used books are low cost andare part of a recycling process.” Linda DaRocha, Great Falls

“They’re cheaper.” Jane Filerman, McLean

From left, ChristineDunn, Kaitlin Dunn, 10months, PamCulvahouse and LeahGansler are regulars atthe Star Nut Gourmet,and were active intheir support to keep itat its current location.

Diners enjoy a morning on the patio at the Star Nut Gour-met. The Star Nut, which is modeled after European andSoutheast Asian cafes, offers an international atmospherefor dining, socializing and other community events.

Location, Location, LocationCommunity ralliesto keep Star NutGourmet incurrent location.

Photos by

Alex McVeigh/

The Connection

See Extension, Page 12


News

By Alex McVeigh

The Connection

The Fairfax County Police Department is investigating a series ofburglaries and larceniesthroughout the county. There

have been 44 reported incidents that po-lice have linked to the same suspect.

Of the 44, 24 were burglaries, 13 werelarcenies from vehicles and two were un-lawful entries. Police believe the first suchincident was Aug. 24 in Clifton.

The suspect is attempting to enter homesthrough unlocked doors or windows, tak-ing cash, purses and other property frominside. Residents have reported findingpurses in their yards that were taken fromneighboring homes with all of the cash miss-ing. So far, no violence has been reported.

On the morning of Sept. 7, on the 300block of Walker Road, north of River BendCountry Club, police responded to a 911call about an intruder coming out of a resi-dence. The residence was equipped with asecurity system, which was tripped whenthe suspect opened the garage door.

The security system featured cameras,which captured a suspect dressed in allblack, wearing a mask and gloves and car-rying a flashlight and a bag. Upon hearingthe alarm, the suspect went down the roadto another house and tried to force entryinto the front door.

After finding that front door locked, thesuspect moved to the back door of anotherhome, whose resident was awakened by theintruder on her back deck.

A K-9 unit tracked the suspect’s path be-tween the houses, and police dispatched ahelicopter unit to search the nearby area,

but were unable to find anyone.Fifteen burglaries have been reported in

McLean in the past two weeks, includingthree Sept. 15, said Capt. Steve Thompson,commander of the McLean District PoliceStation.

Residents in the McLean neighborhoodsof Summerwood, McLean Hundred andTimberly among others, have reported aman riding a bicycle through the neighbor-hood, looking into car and home windows.

While the suspect is still on the loose, lo-cal residents say they have been reassuredby the police’s response to the incidents.

“On [Sept. 7] they responded with sev-eral police cars, the K-9 unit and their heli-copter, and spent almost two hours search-ing various properties trying to locate theperson,” said Michael Malesardi, a GreatFalls resident whose home the suspect triedto enter. “It makes me feel much betterabout safety in this area when I see thatthey take these incidents very seriously.”

The suspect has been described as a male,between 5’8” and 5’10” and 150 to 175pounds. All incidents have taken place be-tween 10:15 p.m. and 4:15 a.m.

“Residents are encouraged to ensure theirdoors are locked while unattended and thatno personal items of value are left inside orin plain view,” said the Fairfax County Po-lice Department in a press release. “In ad-dition, make sure doors and windows areclosed and locked at home; this includesgarage doors. When returning home, try notto leave purses, wallets or keys near anentryway.”

String of burglaries andlarcenies hits McLean,Great Falls area.

Burglar Hits the AreaHow To Help

Anyone with information about these in-cidents or the suspect is asked to contactFairfax County Crime Solvers by phone at866-411-TIPS (8477), online atwww.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org, or text TIP187and a message to CRIMES (274637) A$1,000 cash reward will be paid for informa-tion that leads to an arrest. Tipsters do nothave to give their names or appear in court.

DEER MANAGEMENTA new Archery Program was implemented

last year as part of the Fairfax County DeerManagement Program. The Archery Programwas developed with the recognition that archeryis a safe, efficient, and sustainable deermanagement tool in urbanized regions such asFairfax County. The Archery Program will beimplemented from Saturday, Oct. 16 untilSaturday, Feb. 12. Selected parks will not beclosed to park patrons during this time and signswill be posted on trails informing visitors of thisdeer management activity. All hunting will beconducted from elevated tree stands and locatedat least 100 feet from park property lines and 50feet from trails. The Archery Program isconducted at selected park sites by a qualifiedarchery group selected via archery hunt lotto.For more information contact Victoria Monroe,Fairfax County Wildlife Biologist at 703-246-6868 or [email protected]. Visit theFairfax County website for more informationabout local wildlife species and wildlifemanagement at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/animals/wildlife.

DISTRACTED DRIVING CAMPAIGNIf you’re texting, eating, applying make up or

getting dressed while behind the wheel,you may want to reconsider: Fairfax County Policewill be watching. They’re kicking off a newdistracted driving campaign aimed at keepingmotorists and county roadways safer. A recentstudy by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institutepoints out that nearly 80 percent of all crashes and65 percent of all near-crashes involved driverinattention due to distraction. The new campaigncombines public education and awareness withstrict, innovative, enforcement techniques. Officerswill be posted at intersections and along roadswhere there is high volume and high number ofcrash incidents, such as the Route 28 corridor andthe Tyson’s Corner area. The online survey is nowposted for public participation atwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/police. School resourceofficers are also encouraging teen drivers toparticipate. In partnership with Fairfax CountyPublic Schools, police will distribute a new texting-awareness poster throughout schools across thecounty as well. The campaign is slated to runthrough June 2011; with updates on educationand enforcement efforts to be shared with thepublic. For more information on the newcampaign or distracted driving issues, contact theTraffic Safety Division at 703-280- 0500.

Crime Report

Activities reported by the McLean police depart-ment through Sept. 17.


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News

The Greater McLean Chamber ofCommerce (GMCC) will host its first“Suits & Sneakers Extravaganza” onThursday, Oct. 7, 6 -9 p.m. at theClaude Moore Colonial Farm.

The event will benefit theClaude Moore Colonial Farm’s fa-cilities and activities as well asprograms of the GMCC.

McLean area restaurants, in-cluding Assaggi Osteria, CaféOggi, Evo Bistro, Fluffy ThoughtCakes, J. Gilbert’s Wood FiredSteak and Seafood, JR’S CustomCatering and the Pavilions of Tur-key Run, La Sandia, and Wildfire,will provide the gourmet fare.

The evening will also feature livemusic from the McLean Orchestra,a cigar-tasting tent, and the oppor-tunity to sample fine wines recom-mended by a sommelier. Sponsorsof the event will have the chanceto imbibe cocktails by ToddThrasher, the celebrity mixologistfamed for his innovative cocktailsat Restaurant Eve in Alexandria.

“Chamber supported eventssuch as this serve to bring togethermembers of the community to sup-port one another – by showcasingwhat McLean has to offer,” said

Marcia Twomey, President of theGMCC. “We anticipate a greatturnout for this excellent event –for a great community treasure.”

The GMCC, which strives tobuild community by offering pro-fessional development opportuni-ties, is encouraging guests to pairbusiness attire with sneakers forthe festivities. Local retailers havedonated door prizes and silentauction items.

Additionally, the GMCC will col-lect donations of new and gentlyused sneakers for local childrenand adult charities.

U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (VA-10th)and his wife Carolyn Wolf willserve as honorary chairs.

Members of the McLean Fire andPolice departments, the McLeanCommunity Center and theMcLean Project for the Arts alsowill be on hand to provide infor-mation about their activities.

Tickets are $125 per person, andcan be purchased by visitingwww.mcleanchamber.org or bycalling 703-356-5424. Sponsor-ships are still available; contactMarcia Twomey or Leigh Bowes atthe GMCC for more information.

Chamber Extravaganza to BenefitClaude Moore Farm


Under different circumstances,Josh Anderson would havebeen headed to college this fall,likely joining a college football

team.His parents, Tim and Sue Anderson, had

been looking forward to this time in theirlives. Josh was the youngest of their fourchildren, leaving Tim and Sue Anderson asempty nesters.

Instead of planning trips to watch Joshplay his first season of college football, theAndersons are left with sadness and despair.

One morning in March 2009, Sue Ander-son went to rouse her son from bed andfound him dead in their Vienna home. Josh,then a junior at South Lakes High School,died of suicide the day before he was to faceexpulsion from the Fairfax County schoolsystem at a disciplinary hearing.

Earlier that month, Josh and his friendsmoked marijuana on a car ride back toschool from lunch at Taco Bell. A SouthLakes assistant principal smelled marijuanaon the students when they arrived back oncampus and Josh was immediately placedon home suspension.

This was Josh’s second violation. In 2008,he had been kicked out of Langley HighSchool when a school official found a smallamount of marijuana in his bag.

A lawyer told Josh and his mother that itwas unlikely Fairfax County Public Schoolswould allow him to return to South Lakesor another general education program.

His best hope was to be offered a pro-gram at one of the county’s alternative highschools. Otherwise, his parents would haveto consider moving, sending him to a mili-tary academy or enrolling him in anothertype of private school, said Sue Anderson.

In a statement written immediately afterthe incident, Josh wrote: “I’m honestly go-ing to try my hardest to fix this, help myparents, they haven’t raised me to be likethis in any way. I’m so scared for the fu-ture, this wasn’t worth any of it at all. I’veonly recently been thinking I could makecollege football and I’ve gotten so excitedabout it and now everything is ruined.”

Tim and Sue Anderson took Josh’s firstmarijuana offense seriously as a mentalhealth matter. After the incident at Langley,he also enrolled in drug counseling and at-tended regular appointments with a thera-pist and psychiatrist.

The Andersons agreed with the schoolsystem on some levels. What Josh did waswrong. His actions should have had conse-quences.

South Lakes Junior Josh Anderson died of suicide the nightbefore he faced expulsion from the school system in 2009.

Consequences:Marijuana verses Alcohol

The consequences for Fairfax County Public Schools’ stu-dents caught with alcohol are not as severe as those relatedto marijuana in many cases. According to the Fairfax CountyPublic Schools website, students who are caught:❖ in possession of alcohol and nonalcoholic beer,

must serve a minimum suspension of five days and amaximum suspension of 10 days; prohibited fromparticipating in student activities, including sports, clubsand the performing arts, for 30 days; must participate in asubstance abuse prevention program.

❖ in possession of alcohol and nonalcoholic beer forthe second time in 12 months, serve a suspension of10 days and prohibited from participating in studentactivities, including sports, clubs and the performing arts,for one year.

❖ distributing or manufacturing alcohol, serve asuspension of at least 10 days and automaticallyrecommended for expulsion from the school system.

❖ under the influence of marijuana but not inpossession of the drug, serve a minimum suspensionof five days and a maximum suspension of 10 days;prohibited from participating in student activities,including sports, clubs and the performing arts, for 30days; must participate in a substance abuse preventionprogram.

❖ under the influence of marijuana (withoutpossession) for the second time in 12 months,serve a 10-day suspension and removal from studentactivities for one year. They are also automaticallyrecommended for expulsion from the school system.

❖ in possession of marijuana or imitationmarijuana, serve a 10-day suspension and an automaticrecommendation for expulsion.

❖ distributing marijuana or imitation marijuana,serve a 10-day suspension and recommended for expulsionfrom the school system.

What Happens?SOURCE: Fairfax County Public Schools website.❖ If school administrators catch a child engag-

ing in behavior that warrants a disciplinaryhearing, they contact Superintendent Jack Dale’soffice. The school principal then forwards a packetof information, including details about the incidentconcerning your child and the student’s overalldisciplinary record, to the hearing office.

❖ If a child has been recommended for expulsionfrom the school system, he or she will have to servean automatic 10-day suspension in the days lead-ing up to the disciplinary hearing.

❖ A child recommended for expulsion cannot setfoot on any Fairfax County public school campusand cannot attend school functions while they areserving their suspension.

❖ The school principal and assistant principalusually attend disciplinary hearings. The parentsand child are permitted to bring one other witness,such as a clergy member, psychiatrist or familyfriend, to the event. Families are discouraged frombringing a lawyer.

❖ The school system notifies the family about achild’s punishment through a letter following thedisciplinary hearing.

❖ If the hearing officers have endorsed the ex-pulsion recommendation, then the student’s caseis automatically forwarded to the school board forconsideration.

❖ Panels of three school board members typi-cally hear and vote on individual disciplinary cases.In cases where all three school board members votein favor of expulsion, the family is not allowed toappeal the decision. However, if the school boardpanel voted in favor of expulsion though not unani-mously, the family can request that the full schoolboard hear the case.

One Strike, They’re OutSome call the schoolsystem’s polices onmarijuana punitiveand ineffective.

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Josh may have used marijuana, but hewas not accused of trying to sell or distrib-ute it to other students. Yet the Andersons’son was treated as if he was a dangerouscriminal, they said.

“The school system doesn’t distinguishbetween a bad kid and dumb kid when itcomes to these types of cases. Josh was adumb kid making a dumb mistake,” saidTim Anderson, who thought obligatorycommunity service, perhaps cleaning thecafeteria at school for awhile, would havebeen a more appropriate punishment.

Several school administrators consideredJosh an asset, not a threat, to the schoolcommunity, said the Andersons.

“The guidance counselor and the footballcoach, even the guy who caught him, weretotally devastated,” said Tim Anderson.

School officials cannot comment on in-dividual students’ records, which makes itdifficult for the school system to defend itsapproach to cases like Josh’s, or respondpublicly to complaints like the Anderson’s,said Paul Renier, spokesperson for FairfaxCounty Public Schools.

JOSH ANDERSON was among 154 stu-dents who faced expulsion from FairfaxCounty Public Schools for marijuana dur-ing the 2008-09 school year alone.

Possession of marijuana was, by far, themost common reason students faced expul-sion. The second most frequent offense —an umbrella category called “prohibitedconduct” that includes fighting, causing adisruption and defying staff — resulted in84 recommendations for expulsion during2008-09.

The vast majority of students recom-

mended for expulsion are not kicked out ofthe school system entirely, though thosecharged with violations related to drugsalmost always face stiff consequences.

Violators frequently are removed fromtheir base school, subjected to random drugtests and required to attend counseling, saidSchool Board members familiar with theprocess. Some parents believe that punish-ment, particularly for those students whoare caught with marijuana for personal useand not intending to sell it, is too harsh andmore consideration should be given to thestudent’s overall conduct and communitysupport.

CHARACTER REFERENCES, personalaccomplishments and endorsements fromthe community appear to have little bear-ing on the outcome of disciplinary hearings,particularly in matters related to drugs, ac-cording to the Andersons and some otherfamilies who have encountered the process.

The cases of students facing serious con-sequences, like a long-term suspension orexpulsion, are typically reviewed during adisciplinary hearing, when members of theschool system’s central administration staffrecommend a punishment for the student.The School Board also reviews and voteson all expulsions individually.

But some parents complain the hearingofficers largely ignore the testimony of thestudent and his or her supporters.

When Josh first faced removal from Lan-gley High School, the Andersons worriedtheir son had given a bad impression at hishearing because he was intimidated by thesituation, they said.

Tim Anderson called a school official the

EducationMore at www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

See Punishment, Page 7

next day to express concern. “We had thehearing and we felt like Josh hadn’t beenheard,” he said. The official told him not toworry about the impression Josh made onthe officers because it was essentially a“done deal” once a student was caught onschool grounds with drugs.

“His fate was determined before the hear-ing,” said Tim Anderson.


School Board members deniedthat the outcome of student disci-plinary cases are predetermined.“In my experience as a SchoolBoard member, every case hasbeen decided on the individualfacts of that case,” said StuartGibson (Hunter Mill), who haspresided over 1,000 different dis-ciplinary proceedings.

But Gibson and other SchoolBoard members said they also tryto be consistent when it comes toconsequences for student viola-tions. They make an effort to doleout the same punishment for simi-lar offenses.

“I cannot remember a situationwhere a kid was caught with drugsat school when they were not sentto another school,” said SchoolBoard member Dan Storck (MountVernon). … “I can count on oneor two hands the number of timeswe voted for a student not to re-ceive services. The vast majorityof students stay in the system.”

FAIRFAX COUNTY PublicSchools used to take a more flex-ible approach to some drug viola-tions. Until 10 or 12 years ago, stu-dents caught with a small amountof marijuana at school were onlysubjected to a five-day suspensionand then allowed to return to theirbase school, said Gibson.

Then, Virginia enacted a newlaw that required schools to auto-matically expel students for a va-riety of offenses, including thepossession of marijuana. There arespecial circumstances SchoolBoard members can use to justifya “modified expulsion,” where thestudent is allowed to stay in theschool system with a less severepunishment.

In fact, the Fairfax CountySchool Board rarely expels stu-dents outright for drug offensesaccording to data provided by theVirginia Department of Education.From 2004 to 2009, 905 FairfaxCounty students caught with drugsat school for personal use received“modified expulsions.” Only ninestudents were expelled from theschool system entirely.

Gibson said allowing a studentto return to their classes after heor she has been caught with drugson campus could send the wrongmessage to other teenagers andchildren.

“I don’t think there is any ques-tion about whether learning cango on in an environment that isinfused with drugs,” he said.

Last year, a student from a pub-lic school in McLean who admit-

ted to smoking marijuana on aschool trip garnered support fromteachers, coaches and other stu-dents’ parents.

According to the student’s fam-ily, many members of their schoolcommunity did not think the teen-ager should be forced to transferschools for a first-time offense.

Several people wrote letters ofsupport on behalf of the studentto the hearing officers presidingover his case but the school sys-tem still removed the student fromhis base school. According to thestudent’s family, the hearing offic-ers appeared to ignore or disre-gard information about their son.

“Over 90 percent of the time, weaccept what the hearing officer hassent us,” said Storck.

This is just another indicationthat the process disenfranchisesstudents and parents, saidCaroline Hemenway, founder ofFairfax Zero Tolerance Reform, acommunity group.

“The hearings themselves are akangaroo court. Principals call thehearing officer and make a recom-mendation for expulsion or suspen-sion way before the hearing. Rightfrom the beginning, the studentsdon’t get the same opportunity topresent their case,” said Hemenway.

And there are few positive out-comes that appear to derive fromhaving harsh consequences for

marijuana use in particular,Hemenway said.

In 2008, approximately 38 per-cent of 12th graders responding tothe Fairfax County Youth Surveyreported that they had used mari-juana at least once. Seventeen per-cent said they used it at least oncein the last 30 days.

“You cannot claim that a childcaught smoking a joint is a dan-ger to the community when some-thing like 40 percent of seniorshave used it,” she said.

Removing a child from theirfriends and support network andsending them to a different schoolis not going to help those whomight have depression, low self-esteem or other mental health is-sues, she said.

But during the 2005-06 schoolyear, the Fairfax County hearingoffice considered 154 students forexpulsion related to the possessionof marijuana and just one studentfor the possession of alcohol, de-spite the fact that approximately72 percent of 12th graders whoanswered the 2008 Fairfax Countyyouth survey reported using alco-hol at least once in their lifetime.

Twice as many 12th graders (43percent) said they had used alco-hol over the past month whencompared to 12th graders who saidthey used marijuana during thesame time period.

Weighing PunishmentEducation

From Page 6 Recommended for ExpulsionFairfax County school administrators recommended 683 students for ex-

pulsion during the 2008-2009 school year. Only 161 were expelled in theend, but students who are initially recommended for expulsion often faceother types of sanctions. About 84 of these were transferred to another highschool, about 94 moved to an alternative high school and 99 were placedon long-term suspension. Several students are also enrolled in an alterna-tive learning center or program, including those at juvenile facilities.

Reasons students were brought up for expulsion during the 2008-2009school year:Violation Number of CasesPossession of Marijuana 154Prohibited Conduct (disruptions, fighting, and defiance of staff) 84Possession of a Knife, Blade More Than 3 Inches 59Possession of Other Drugs (Heroin, Cocaine, Prescription, Ecstasy) 38Assault Against Student As Part Of A Mob 37Assault Against Staff 30Threatening Staff 28Distribution Of Marijuana 27Assault Against Another Student As An Individual 26Possession Of A Razor Blade 25Possession Of Other Weapon 25Distribution of Other Drugs 19Sexual Assault 17Possession of Drug Look-A-Like 17Inappropriate Sexual Behavior 13Possession Of A Pneumatic Gun 13Gang Activity 9Outside-Of-School Court Charges Or Convictions 8Theft 8Vandalism 6Threatening Another Student 5Found Under The Influence For The Second Time 4Distribution of Alcohol 3Possession of Drug Paraphernalia 3Arson 3Possession Of A Chemical Substance That Could Be Used As A Weapon 3Distribution of Over-The-Counter Drugs 2Bomb Threat 2Possession Of A Firearm 2Possession Of Nonprescription Drugs 1Robbery 1Possession Of A Taser 1

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Managing EditorsMichael O’Connell, Kemal Kurspahic

Photography:Louise Krafft,

Craig SterbutzelArt/Design:

Geovani Flores, Laurence Foong,John Heinly, Wayne Shipp,

John SmithProduction Manager:

Jean Card

CIRCULATION: 703-778-9426Circulation Manager:

Linda [email protected]

CONNECTION NEWSPAPERS,L.L.C.

Peter LabovitzPresident/CEO

Mary KimmPublisher/Chief Operating Officer

[email protected]

Jerry VernonExecutive Vice President

[email protected]

Wesley DeBrosseController

Debbie FunkNational Sales703-778-9444

[email protected]

With political extremes on allsides getting most of the attention in this run up to midtermelections, most voters in

Northern Virginia are far more moderate. Itwould be easy to decide that this election re-ally isn’t for you if you’re not way outon one side or another. (We suspect thatthere are more than two extremes atplay this year.)

There isn’t too much on the ballot, how muchcan it matter if you just decide you’re tired ofthe hyperbole and you’ll just sit this one out?

It matters more now than ever that electionsactually demonstrate the priorities of the elec-torate. If voters who feel very strongly about afew issues turn out strongly to vote, and vot-ers whose views are more general stay home,the results could be quite surprising, even herein Northern Virginia.

Mark your calendar. Absentee ballots are al-ready available, so if you think Nov. 2 that youmight not be available to vote, you can voteabsentee, or you can vote early. See your localelections board website or call for details.There is no excuse for not voting.

Every year is an election year in Virginia. Thiscombined with a bevy of special elections insome areas can result in voter fatigue.

This year, every voter in Virginia will votefor a candidate for U.S. House of Representa-tives plus vote yes or no on three statewideconstitutional questions.

Voters in Fairfax will also vote yes or no on atransportation bond referendum.

Voters in Arlington will also choose one mem-ber of Arlington County Board, one member ofthe Arlington School Board and vote yes or noon four bond questions, one for Metro fund-

ing, one for “county infrastructure,”onefor schools and one for parks.

SportsmanshipOK, it’s not a standard local issue. But it had

local implications on Sunday.If Roger Goodell is serious about improving

the reputation of the NFL, one place to startmight be to stop icing the kicker at the lastmillisecond, and promote good sportsmanshipinstead.

OK, maybe this is more about the having anexcruciating time-out taken by the HoustonTexans negate Graham Gano’s beautiful 51-yard field goal in overtime that would havewon the game.

Gano missed on his next attempt, whichshould not have been necessary. The Texanswent on to win, in case you’ve been in isola-tion since Sunday.

Time to change the rules on this one. Time-outs should come with time enough to stopplay before the snap.

— Mary Kimm,

[email protected]

Vote Nov. 2 In an unpredictable year, all themore important to turn out to vote,no matter what your beliefs.

Register by Oct. 11You must be registered to vote at least 22

days before the General Election.The deadline to register to vote or update

your address for the Nov. 2 election isMonday, Oct. 11. To register to vote, down-load a form from: www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/Forms_Publications/Index.html

Fill it out and mail it to your local electionsoffice. You can also register in person at theelections office during business hours, or pickup a form in a library or other public places.

After you register, you will receive confir-mation and a voting card in the mail. You cancall the elections office to verify that you areregistered. If you are already registered tovote at your current address, you do not needto register again.

To find your polling place, go towww.sbe.virginia.gov and click on “voterinformation.” Polling places will be open from6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Check withyour local elections office for information onabsentee and early voting. Absentee ballotsare available now.

IN FAIRFAX COUNTYFairfax County Office of Elections12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 323Fairfax, VA 22035-0081http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/eb/703-222-0776 phone703-324-2205 fax703-324-4700 for 24-hour recorded information

Editorial

President and Chairman of the Board ofTrustees for the McLean Orchestra, WayneWinston Sharp said he was “delighted tosupport the community and the ‘musicaltreasures’ of greater McLean.” With the pro-ceeds going both to Clemyjontri and to theMcLean Orchestra, Sharp hopes to use themoney going to the Orchestra to expandthe program. “We only perform five timesa year right now,” he said. “We want more,and to hopefully extend across the countyor nationally. We’d like to go on tour andperform at Wolftrap, and maybe performat the Kennedy Center,” he said, smiling.

“It’s all a question of funding.”

Concert for Clemyjontri Park:Great Event for a Great Cause

Wayne WinstonSharp

Alan Sierichs

Alan G. Merten, president ofGeorge Mason University andan attendee at the event, de-scribed the importance of theevent as the mix of art with pur-pose. “The key is to bring artsinto the center of communitylife,” he said. “Northern Virginiadoes the arts in the right way.It’s the center of any infrastruc-ture, and it’s important to con-tinue to support the arts in goodtimes or bad. In the midst ofeconomic downturn, we stillmanaged to open a performinghouse in Fairfax and an operahouse in Prince William.”

— Nikki Cheshire

A professional conductor for the past 25years, USAF Lt. Col. Alan Sierichs said itwas a special treat for him and his wife toattend the Concert in the Park, adding thatit was his first time conducting the McLeanOrchestra. “It was great meeting the musi-cians,” he said. He described the fundraiseras being a “glorious reason for us all to gettogether this evening.”

Alan G. Merten

Viewpoints

Send School Notes to [email protected]. Deadline isFriday.

A Mad 5K Run and One MileWalk is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday,Sept. 18, at James Madison HighSchool, 2500 James Madison Drive inVienna. The race will benefit the JamesMadison High School track team andraise money for a new track/cross coun-try facility. Awards will be presented tothe top 3 male and female finishers, aswell as age group awards. $15 for stu-dents, $20 for adults. Register atwww.fcps.edu/MadisonHS [email protected].

Gillian R. Hunt of McLean will at-tend St. Lawrence University in Canton,New York, as a member of the class of2014.

Kevin Cameron Wade Jr. ofMcLean has enrolled at Hampden-Sydney College as a Venable Scholar.The McLean High School graduate is theson of Kevin and Andrea Wade ofMcLean.

Patrick Bardsley of Great Falls hasbeen named to the 2010 dean’s list forboth semesters at John Paul the GreatCatholic School.

Rachel Burger of Great Falls wasawarded a Charles A. Dana Scholarshipfor the 2010-11 academic year at AgnesScott College of Atlanta, Ga. Burger isthe daughter of Eric Burger andDeborah Spear.

School Notes


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Guilty Plea in 37 Gold Burglariesin Northern Virginia

Melinda Marie Soto, 34, of New York, N.Y., pled guilty to con-spiring to steal at least $500,000 worth of gold and other valu-ables from 37 residences in Northern Virginia, and to transportthat stolen property to New York.

Soto was indicted on July 15, 2010, by a federal grand jury forconspiracy. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prisonwhen she is sentenced on Dec. 3, 2010.

According to court records, from January to November 2009,Soto and at least two others — her husband, Dagoberto Ramirez-Soto and Francisco Gray, 40, both from New York — agreed totravel to Northern Virginia to burglarize residences belonging toSouth Asians, whom they believed kept large amounts of gold intheir homes. Soto admitted she was a member of the conspiracyby booking motel rooms for the conspirators to stay in while inNorthern Virginia, helping to locate names and residences of po-tential victims, and monitoring police scanners while her co-con-spirators carried out the burglaries.

Soto admitted in court that she and her conspirators burglar-ized 37 residences in Fairfax and Loudoun counties during 2009,stealing property worth more than $500,000. They then trans-ported that property to New York, where they sold it.

Ramirez-Soto and Gray were also indicted with Soto on July15, 2010. Ramirez-Soto is scheduled for trial by jury on Oct. 4,2010, and Gray remains a fugitive at large.

This case was investigated by the Fairfax County Police Depart-ment, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI’s Washing-ton Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Richand Special Assistant United States Attorney Paul Rosen are pros-ecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

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Send announcements [email protected] is Thursday for the followingweek’s paper. Photos/artwork encouraged.For additional listings, visitwww.connectionnewspapers.com

THURSDAY/SEPT. 23Mark Olson CD Release and

Vandaveer. 8 p.m. Jammin’ Java,227 Maple Ave. E., Vienna.jamminjava.com.

FRIDAY/SEPT. 24‘The Frost/Nixon Tapes’. 8 p.m. at

McLean Community Center, 1234Ingleside Ave., McLean. 703-790-0123.

“Mauritius”. 8 p.m. at 1st Stage, 1524Spring Hill Road, Tysons Corner.Estranged sisters discover a book ofrare stamps after their mother’sdeath, then three seedy collectorsarrive. $25 adults, $15 students.www.1stStageTysons.org/mauritiusor 703-854-1856.

Dia, Mista Forty and Socz. 10 p.m.Jammin’ Java, 227 Maple Ave. E.,Vienna. jamminjava.com.

Chamber Music Concert. 8 p.m. atthe Vienna Presbyterian Church, 124Park Street, Vienna. Clarinetist Jean-Francois Bescond, cellist IgorZubkovsky, pianist Diane Winter Pylesand soprano Danielle Talamantesperform works by Beethoven,Schumann, Franck and D’Rivera.Donations accepted. 703-255-2576.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 25‘The Frost/Nixon Tapes’. 8 p.m. at

McLean Community Center, 1234Ingleside Ave., McLean. 703-790-0123.

“Mauritius”. 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at 1stStage, 1524 Spring Hill Road, TysonsCorner. Estranged sisters discover abook of rare stamps after theirmother’s death, then three seedycollectors arrive. $25 adults, $15students. www.1stStageTysons.org/mauritius or 703-854-1856.

Think Outside the Breadbox. 10:30a.m. at Colvin Run Mill, 10017 ColvinRun Road, Great Falls. Learn how toevaluate different types of breads,sample up to eight types of bread withaccompaniments such as spreads,veggies and fruit to evaluate scent,color, texture, taste, complexity andaftertaste. $22 per person. Register at703-759-2771.www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/crm.

Caroline Herring at 7 p.m., JasonReeves and Trent Hancock at 10p.m. Jammin’ Java, 227 Maple Ave.E., Vienna. jamminjava.com.

Propagating and Growing Salvias.10 a.m. at Meadowlark BotanicalGardens, 9570 Meadowlark GardensCourt, Vienna. Join Tammy Burke,Horticulturist, as you tour theextensive Salvia Collection and learnabout their care, propagation and usein the garden. $5. Reserve at 703-255-3631.

Dulles Day Family Festival and18th Annual Plane Pull. 11 a.m.-4p.m. at Washington DullesInternational Airport. The Plane Pullpits teams of 25 people in a game of“tug of war” against a FedEx jet.Proceeds benefit Special OlympicsVirginia. Kids’ Bus Pull, a similarevent where teams of children pull ayellow school bus; $10 donation perkids’ pull. Children’s games andactivities. Live music. Car show,including top 30 and “Best in Class”people’s choice awards for classic,street rod, truck, motorcycle andimport. Military, civilian and WorldWar II-era aircraft on display. Freeadmission and parking. 703-359-4301or www.planepull.com.

Fairfax County Master Gardeners.10 a.m. City of Fairfax RegionalLibrary, 10360 North St., Fairfax.Horticultural tips, information,

techniques and advice to homegardeners. Adults. 703-293-6227.

Artists’ Reception. 6-9 p.m. atApplegate Gallery & Custom Framing,101 Church St. N.W., Suite C, Vienna.Works by students of Sunset HillsMontessori School. Proceeds [email protected].

McLean Community Center’sHarvest Happenings. 11 a.m.-2p.m. McLean Community Center,1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean. Withchildren’s music group Rocknoceros,amusement and carnival games, artsand crafts projects, face painting,temporary tattoos, a moon bounce,prizes and more. $5 per person, freefor age 2 or younger. 703-790-0123or www.mcleancenter.org.

The Optimist Club of GreaterVienna’s 5th Annual Walk forGrowing Hope. 9 a.m.-12 p.m.along the W&OD trail near Church &Dominion Streets N.E. in Vienna. A 3-mile walk and fundraiser for theChildhood Cancer Campaign. Moonbounce, balloonist, “The Story Lady”,fortune teller, silent auction, livemusic, refreshments, raffle and more.All proceeds support Growing Hopeand Johns Hopkins University &Medical Center. Register [email protected] 703-281-1335.

Concert on the Lawn. 12-3 p.m. atNew Life Christian Church, 1988Kirby Road, McLean. Classic rockband Natural Selection and free [email protected].

SUNDAY/SEPT. 26BlackDiamondSkye, Alice in

Chains, Deftones and Mastodon.7 p.m. at the George MasonUniversity Patriot Center, 4400University Drive, Fairfax. Tickets$49.50-$59.50, available atticketmaster.com.www.livenation.com.

Vienna Volunteer Fire DepartmentBingo. 7 p.m. at the VVFD, 400Center St. South, Vienna. Games heldevery Sunday in the Flame Room.www.vvfd.org.

‘The Frost/Nixon Tapes’. 2 p.m. atMcLean Community Center, 1234Ingleside Ave., McLean. 703-790-0123.

“Mauritius”. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at 1stStage, 1524 Spring Hill Road, TysonsCorner. Estranged sisters discover abook of rare stamps after theirmother’s death, then three seedycollectors arrive. $25 adults, $15students. www.1stStageTysons.org/mauritius or 703-854-1856.

Joe Brooks. 7 p.m. Jammin’ Java, 227Maple Ave. E., Vienna.jamminjava.com.

Virginia Chamber Orchestra 40thAnniversary Season

Opening Concert. 4 p.m. at Ernst

Community Cultural Center, NorthernVirginia Community CollegeAnnandale Campus, 8333 Little RiverTurnpike, Annandale. Themes fromthe British Isles, including “EnochArden” by Richard Strauss in thepremiere of an arrangement forchamber orchestra by Music DirectorEmil de Cou. Tickets $10-$15,students free. 703-758-0179.

Amadeus Orchestra and PianistSara Daneshpour. 4 p.m. at St.Luke Church, 7001 Georgetown Pike,McLean. Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.20 (K. 466), Gluck’s “Overture toIphigenia in Aulis” and Beethoven’sSymphony No. 7. Admission $25, age17 and under free. Tickets available atthe event or online atwww.amadeusconcerts.com.

Birding in the Gardens. 2 p.m. atMeadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9570Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna.Search the Gardens for migratorybirds. Led by Casey Pettrizzi,Naturalist for the NVRPA. Bring fieldguides and binoculars. Free and opento the public. 703-255-3631.

MONDAY/SEPT. 27Math, Music & Mayhem Tour with

Score 24 and Eleventyseven. 7p.m. Jammin’ Java, 227 Maple Ave.E., Vienna. jamminjava.com.

Rock-a-Bye Baby. 10:30 a.m. PatrickHenry Library, 101 Maple Ave. East,Vienna. Rhymes, stories and songs.Birth-12 months with adult. 703-938-0405.

Game On Afternoon Edition. 3:30p.m. Patrick Henry Library, 101 MapleAve. East, Vienna. Wii Mario Kart orSuper Smashbros. Age 6-16. 703-938-0405.

TUESDAY/SEPT. 28Maria Muldaur and Her Red Hot

Bluesianna Band. 7:30 p.m.Jammin’ Java, 227 Maple Ave. E.,Vienna. jamminjava.com.

Great Decisions Seminar. 2 p.m.Patrick Henry Library, 101 Maple Ave.East, Vienna. Roundtable discussionof U.S. foreign policy. The subject ofthis session is the U.S. and the PersianGulf. Adults. 703-938-0405.

Drop-in Storytime. 10:30 a.m. Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library, 7584Leesburg Pike, Falls Church. Drop-instorytime. All ages. 703-790-8088.

Personalized Internet Training.2:30 p.m. Tysons-Pimmit RegionalLibrary, 7584 Leesburg Pike, FallsChurch. A 45-minute one-on-oneInternet training session with atechnology volunteer. Call forappointment. 703-790-8088.

Book Talk for Book Lovers. 7 p.m.Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library, 7584Leesburg Pike, Falls Church. Bookdiscussion. Call for title. Adults. 703-790-8088.

Calendar

Photo courtesy 1st Stage

Leigh Taylor Patton (as Mary) tries to sell her rare stampsto Roger Payano (as Phillip, left) and Edward Daniels II (asDennis) in the 1st Stage production of ‘Mauritius,’ Fridays,Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 3 at 1st Stage, 1524Spring Hill Road, Tysons Corner. $25 adults, $15 students.Contact www.1stStageTysons.org/mauritius or 703-854-1856 for tickets.

A large public wedding took placelast weekend. The ceremony, however, did not have a ring, the bridewas not wearing white and some

ribbons were handed out for good luck.At the Claude Moore Colonial Farm, visi-

tors entering the farm are submerged into1770s America. Costumed interpreters attendto the farm, living on and working the landthroughout the day to demonstrate the intri-cacies of colonial life.

Over the weekend, guests were treated toa wedding that included the ceremony, danc-ing and food. All were provided, of course, in1770s fashion.

“Colonial-era weddings seem to be an ana-logue to modern-day weddings,” said TomCole, a visitor from McLean. In other words,while the customs and traditions were differ-ent, the ceremony was still vaguely familiar.

Michael Cedrone and his family enjoyedtheir first visit to the Claude Moore Farm.“There’s lots of stuff to get the kids interested,”he said, as his children gazed into the goosepen. Off in the distance, a large pig munchedon his feed.

According to Richard Webb, one of the in-terpreters, Claude Moore Farm “is the onlynational park owned and operated by a non-profit organization.”

Take a stroll around the orchard. Listen to“John Andrews” tell stories in the shade. Enjoy somefresh cider, or play ninepins along the path. Withthe sun shining, a gentle breeze blowing and plenty

Harris Andrews, playing John Andrewsand Carol Kregloh, playing Mrs. Fox, lookinto the distance at Claude Moore Farm.

Interpreters Adam Fukimitsu and EmilyWebb pose dressed in colonial fashion.

Suzanne Cole of McLean experiencing ClaudeMoore Farm hands on.

Michael and Lucy Cedrone with their chil-dren Timothy and Elizabeth enjoy the day atClaude Moore Farm.

Timeless weddingtakes place atClaude Moore Farm.

Tying the Knot1770s-style

of fun activities to do.

— Sean McCalley

Photos by Sean McCalley/The Connection

703-281-0070132 Branch Road, S.E. • Vienna, VA

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From Page 3

ExtensionLikely

homemade sandwiches andsoups, as well as Belgian choco-late and a variety of candies. Theyalso sell gifts from places acrossthe globe, from Italy to Poland.

They strive to provide an atmo-sphere that appeals to a widerange of people, and they havecollected quite a following.

INTERNATIONAL MUSIC ispiped over the shop’s speakers,and on any given day one can hearlanguages from across the world.

“My daughters and I go to theStar Nut almost every day, and ithas become an important part oftheir lives,” said Nancy Trainer, aMcLean resident. “I don’t know ofanother place that offers foodquite this sophisticated, but alsomanages to endear itself to chil-dren.”

While the Star Nut has beengiven new life thanks to a commu-nity effort, Joe Shehadeh says theyaren’t out of the woods yet.

“At the end of the day, we don’twant to lose sight of the fact thatthe bank can do as they please,”he said. “But we’re optimistic, wehope they realize how importantit is to keep a place like this.”

To have community events listed in theConnection, send to [email protected]. Deadline isFriday.

FRIDAY/SEPT. 24McLean Art Society Meeting. 10

a.m. at the McLean CommunityCenter,1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean.With artist Rachel Collins, a realisticpainter of nature’s abstract forms.703-790-0123.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 25T’ai Chi Beginners’ Practice. 8 a.m.

on the outdoor basketball courtbehind Dolley Madison Public Libraryat 1244 Oak Ridge Ave., McLean.703-759-9141 orwww.FreeTaiChi.org.

MONDAY/SEPT. 27Northern Virginia Chapter of the

National Alliance on MentalIllness Meeting. 7 p.m. at FirstChristian Church, 6165 LeesburgPike, Falls Church. 703-256-2908.

Pilates Mat Class. 7:45 p.m. McLeanCommunity Center, 1234 InglesideAve., McLean. Learn to engage coreabdominal muscles, improve postureand create a longer, leaner, strongerbody. First of ten weekly sessions.$230, $170 McLean district residents.703-790-0123.

TUESDAY/SEPT. 28McLean Community Players, Inc.,

Annual Meeting. 6:30 p.m.at theMcLean Community Center, 1234Ingleside Ave., McLean. Electdirectors and more.

Bulletin

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PAINTING“Why not?” is the short answer. The long

answer is the rest of this column, and it’s notwhat you think.

I have never, in my cancer-affected life,asked this question of myself or anybody else.Nor have I ever “woe is me’d.” I have acceptedmy circumstances and attempted, through mytreatment and miscellaneous health and fitness,lifestyle and diet changes, to fight this fight andtry not to get bogged down by the physical andemotional toll a terminal disease can take.

Moreover, my mental approach in dealingwith all the medical tests, scans, appointments,chemotherapy (which continues still, everythree weeks) has been to roll with the punches;take the good with the bad and more impor-tantly, take the bad with the good. I have triedto maintain a balance in my life believing that itis nothing until it is something, rather thanbeing something until it’s nothing. Anyone whoknows me would say I’ve mostly succeeded inthis effort over the past 18 months. I can’t domuch, but this I can do.

As you regular readers know, or presumablyhave determined, I am a rather thoughtful andintrospective person. I think through my deci-sions – and assessments, rarely “knee-jerking” adecision but certainly trusting my instincts. Ifcertain options seem reasonable, all things con-sidered, I can decide quickly. As a result, mycare has not been about fits and starts orchanges in direction; it has been fairly routineand predictable, a pattern that sort of suits me.

Part of my regular, recurring role as a cancerpatient has been to be diagnostically updatedquarterly; to include a CT scan, an MRI and abone scan, to give my oncologist a current pic-ture, “radiologically” speaking, as to what mycancer is doing – or hopefully – not doing.

And amazingly, I am here to report that,according to my oncologist, my most recentscans showed no growth and no movement, ineffect: no activity. Dumbfounded – andincredulous – by what my oncologist was tellingus, and what we (my wife and I) were hearing,especially after the mention of scar tissue andmy sternum, we asked him for a simpler, morestraightforward explanation, something us laypersons might understand. Which led me to askthe doctor my “Am I still in the woods?” ques-tion (as opposed to out of the woods, meaningsafety, to me; metaphorically speaking). Sensingour confusion – or non-belief, my oncologistsaid the following: “Let me summarize for you:partial stable remission. You may be one of thelucky ones and live five years.”

WHAT?! I thought. Why is this happening tome? What did I do? Now what? As odd as itmay sound, it was a little difficult to processwhat we were hearing. But for the moment, Iwas given a reprieve. In three months, whenI’m scanned again, I could be writing a very dif-ferent column. But for the present, at least, I’moff the endangered species list. Now, as mypublisher joked, I have real problems. Every-thing else in life that I had “back-burnered,” –for obvious reasons, I may have to reposition.

And one of those problems is, I now findmyself saying something, or not being able tostop myself from saying, something, that I hadnever said the previous 18 months: “Why me?”Yet I can’t stop from saying it now. And it feelslike a betrayal of sorts, a betrayal of the self-dis-cipline I’ve maintained since Dec. 31, 2008when I first went to the Emergency Room dueto the pain in my side. There’s a Yiddish wordthat explains perfectly the confusion I feel:“farmisht,” meaning “mixed up emotionally.”

Certainly the news could have been worse.Still, I’m struggling a bit, and I find myself ask-ing, of all questions: “why me? Why me?” Idon’t mean to look a gift horse in the mouth,but apparently, I need an explanation.

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Why Me?

I'am a slow walker, but I never walk back.

-Abraham Lincoln

Now! CompletePrint EditionsOnline!

The full print editions of all 18Connection Newspapers are nowavailable on our Web Site in PDF format,page by page, identical to our weeklynewsprint editions, including printadvertising. Go towww.ConnectionNewspapers.comand click on “Print Editions.”

MPRINT EDITIONS


News

McLean Project for the Arts has an-nounced that $30,000 was raised for MPAprograms and exhibitions from the auctionof the art collection of John Deardourff,political consultant and late husband of re-cently retired Madeira Head of School, Dr.Elisabeth Griffith. The distinguished collec-tion of paintings, ceramics and sculpture wasdonated to MPA to auction as a fundraiser.

Five items remain: a painting by Willy

MPA Finance Director Lori Huffman receives payment from EllenRosenblum who won all three of her bids.

Art Auction Nets $30,000 For MPA ProgramsHeeks, one clay sculpture by Jeff Shapiro,a pink granite sculpture by Jesus Moroles,a low-fired clay ceramic vessel by PieroFenci, and a pastel by Leon Berkowitz.These will be sent to public auction, but arecurrently still available for sale from MPA.The art may be viewed atwww.mpa.smugmug.com. For more infor-mation contact Dabney Cortina at 703-790-1953 or [email protected].

21 Announcements 21 Announcements 21 Announcements

Zone 6 Ad Deadline:

Monday Noon

703-917-6400


• McLean • Vienna/OaktonClassifiedClassified



21 Announcements 21 Announcements21 Announcements

PHWCPotomac Hills Women's

Club is now welcoming new members. Expand your

social circle with a friendly group of women for monthly

meetings, speakers and other activities. You do not need to reside in Potomac

Hills. Meets the third Wed-nesday of every month,

September through May 10 to noon. For information

call Michaele Battles - 703-893-4950 or [email protected]

26 Antiques

We consign/pay top $ for antique/semi antique furn.

including mid century & danish modern Teak

furniture, sterling, mens watches, painting/art glass,

clocks, jewelry, costume jewelry, etc. Call Schefer

Antiques @ 703-241-0790.

28 Yard Sales

Multi-family Yard Sale: Saturday, 25 September, 7AM-12PM, Westwood

Estates, Hunt Valley Drive, Vienna, 22182, clothes,

toys, furniture - includes a downsizing sale

with collectibles, art work, antiques, books, and militaria. Much more.

YARD SALE, Sat, 9-25, 10-4. Tools, gardening equip, misc household items, 1837 Batten Hollow Rd, Vienna 22182

34 Pets

Mixed breed Bi lingual 40lb dog good w people & other dogs. all shots neut. Loves

dog parks and long walks. A real people dog. 713-498-8594.

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SportsMcLean Connection Sports Editor Rich Sanders


By Rich Sanders

The Connection

In an incredible week for the McLean Highgirls’ field hockey team, the Highlanderswon overtime games over private schoolpower St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School

(Alexandria) on Tuesday, Sept. 14, as well aslocal Liberty District rival Madison on Wednes-day, Sept. 15.

Going into this week, the Highlanders car-ried an impressive 8-3 overall record.

“We have 11 good players on the field whoreally trust each other, as opposed to a few su-perstars who contribute a majority of the time,”said McLean head coach Summer Vanni, of hersquad.

Vanni was not able to be at either of lastweek’s games as a result of having minor sur-gery. She was proud of her team’s success inthe wins over the Saints and the Warhawks,and credited both her players and assistantcoaches.

“The girls pulled off the wins with my assis-tant coaches,” said Vanni, who will return tothe sidelines this Wednesday evening, Sept. 22when the Highlanders travel to South CountySecondary to meet the Stallions in a non-dis-trict game. “I was very proud, of course, thatthey were able to win, despite my absence. Theysaid, of course, that they won for me.”

IN THE TUESDAY GAME, McLean pulled offa come-from-behind, 3-2 upset win over St.Stephen’s & St. Agnes. The Highlanders domi-nated play throughout the first half, but wereunable to finish numerous chances in a contestthat was scoreless at halftime. At the beginningof the second half, the Saints took charge andquickly scored two goals. The Highlanderscalled a timeout to re-group.

With 10 minutes remaining in regulationplay, McLean’s Charlotte Parkhurst scored agoal to pull the Highlanders within 2-1.Shortly after that, with only a few minutesremaining, Jordan Walker tied the game at 2-2 with a goal. That put the game into a sevenversus seven, 15-minute sudden death over-time session.

The Saints, in the OT, tried to aggressively rundown the field, but the Highlander defense of MaryD’Alesandro, Alison Wilhelm and goalie MalalaiNawabi (six saves) ended those efforts. With attack-ing speed coming from Walker, Kristina Bettner,Kristen Ahearn, Tina Anwyll and Leandi Venter, theHighlanders quickly put the pressure on the Saints.At the ninth minute of overtime, a long run by Walkerand Bettner ended with Walker beating the goalieand ending the game with a score.

McLean, for the game, earned 14 offensive cor-ners to St Stephens’ three.

The following day saw McLean win an exciting 4-3 decision over district rival Madison. The Highland-ers received two goals from Leandi Venter and oneapiece from Tina Antwyll and Jordan Walker in thetriumph. Goalie Malalai Nawabi, meanwhile, had 10saves.

MCLEAN OPENED the season on Aug. 26 with a4-1 home loss to perennial Northern Region powerLake Braddock. But the Highlanders came backstrong with a strong showing at the early season Vir-ginia Beach Sundevil Tournament where they wonthree of four games and finished second place over-all in a field of 16 teams.

McLean reached the Sundevil tournament finalsby defeating region opponent W.T. Woodson, 3-1.Then, in the finals, the Highlanders lost a tough 1-0game to Lakeland High (Suffolk).

“We had great success at the beginning of the sea-son at the Sundevil Virginia Beach Tournament,” saidVanni. “We have a lot of depth and experience withour starters this year.”

Other wins this season have come over visitingopponents Wakefield, 11-0, and Herndon, 4-0.

The Highlanders have a mix of older and youngerplayers within their program. Juniors Becca Latimer(forward) and Leandi Venter (midfield) are both thirdyear varsity lettermen. McLean starts eight juniorsand three seniors.

McLean is fielding a freshmen squad this season,along with the varsity and JV teams. Having a ninthgrade team should add more depth to the programand give the Highlanders a building foundation forthe future.

“I think the addition of our freshman team has cre-ated more competition within the program itself,”said Vanni.

One of the keys to McLean’s varsity success hasbeen its defensive play. The Highlanders have allowedjust 12 goals over 11 games. Vanni credited assistantcoaches Brooke McKean and Marcus Smith with di-recting the successful defensive unit.

The Highlanders’ offense has found the net 31times this season.

“Our offense is strong like it always has been andthe girls click on their passing and seem to be play-ing with a lot more maturity than in previous years,”said Vanni.

The coach is ever optimistic at her team’s chancesto make a strong run in the district and regional play-offs later this season.

“I always ‘hope’ this is our year,” she said. “Butthis year, I am thinking it might be.”

McLean’s next home game is scheduled for Wednes-day, Sept. 29 at 4 p.m., versus Marshall.

The Thomas JeffersonHigh girls’ cross countryseason got off to a great starton Saturday, Sept. 11 by win-ning the Monroe Parker Invita-tional at Burke Lake Park.Jefferson squad, made up ofnumerous local runners, scoredan impressive victory with itsfirst place finish in the 23-teamfield of Northern Regionschools.

The Colonials placed five run-ners among the top 16 andscored a meet-best 44 points tofinish well ahead of secondplace West Potomac (86points). Four Jefferson runnersearned top 15 individual med-als - Lisa Junta (third place) ofFairfax Station; Sarah Stites(fourth) of Reston; StephanieMarzen (seventh) of McLean;and Rekha Schnepf (14th) ofMcLean - while the team col-lected the championship trophy.Other competitive times forJefferson came from KellyRogers (16th) of McLean, Tay-lor Reffet of Oak Hill and Sa-rah Neilsen of Reston.

Meanwhile, the Jeffersongirls’ JV team won its respec-tive team title by placing nineof the top 11 runners, includ-ing Elizabeth Ellor (Reston),Charlotte Sheridan (Vienna),Nalini Singh (Vienna), KatieBailey (Vienna) and Jamie Kim(McLean).

The 2010 Northern Vir-ginia Senior Olympicsopened on Saturday, Sept. 18at the Thomas Jefferson Com-munity Center in Arlington toan excited crowd of participantsand supporters. NVSO chair-man, Jack Hobbs, of Alexandriaopened the ceremonies, whichincluded a flag ceremony by theGeorge Mason University PoliceHonor Guard, the national an-them sung by Arlington’s NoelWilliams and remarks by Ar-lington County Board vicechairman, Chris Zimmerman.

Hobbs recognized FauquierCounty as a new Senior Olym-pics jurisdictional sponsor. Rep-resenting Fauquier County wasClayton Lescalleet, of theFauquier County Parks and Rec-reation Board.

The opening ceremonieswere followed by seven trackevents. More than 25 otherevents were scheduled to takeplace through Sept. 28 at vari-ous venues throughout North-ern Virginia.

Track events began with a 3-mile walk. Gold medals wereawarded to the following:Arthur Skaer (men ages 50-54)of South Riding; Rob Aaront(55-59) of Centreville; VictorLitwinski (65-69) of McLean;James W.C. Chang (75-79) ofOakton; Carol Banks (women’s60-64) of Springfield; Rose-mary Hallenbeck (65-69) ofBurke; and Naoma Hesser (85-89) Fairfax.

Gold medal winners in the800 meter walk were: RobAaront (men, 55-59) ofCentreville; Gerald Cantor (60-64) of Springfield; Brian Forst(65-69) of Reston; MaryannSchwab (women’s 60-64) ofFairfax; Rosemary Hallenbeck(65-69) of Burke; JeanieLaBudie of Vienna.

Winners in the 1600 meterwalk were: Brian Forst (men,65-69) of Reston; James W.C.Chang (75-79) of Oakton;Dante Simbulan (80-84) ofBurke; and Joseph Peters (85-89) of Great Falls.

In the 60 meter dash, goldmedallists were: Ronald Sarson(men, 75-79) of Oak Hill; andMike Lowe (90-94) of Spring-field. Robert Eaheart Jr. (60-64)of Springfield won a gold medalin the 400 race.

Gold medal winners in the800 run were Arthur Skaer(men’s 50-54) of South Riding;Robert Eaheart Jr. (60-64) ofSpringfield; and Hyung Park(75-79) of Springfield.

The Jefferson girls’ varsity cross-country team ismade up of athletes from throughout Fairfax County,including Reston, McLean and Vienna.

Pho

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J Spo

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Sports Roundups

McLean Field HockeyTeam Shocks SaintsVanni’s Highlandersare playing solidacross the board.

“We have a lot of depth andexperience with our startersthis year.”

— McLean head coachSummer Vanni


The 40th InternationalChildren’s Festival,produced by the ArtsCouncil of Fairfax

County, took place on Sept. 18and 19 at Wolf Trap NationalPark for the Performing Arts.Performers came from local cul-tural and dance academies, fromthe east coast and from as faraway as Poland and Mexico.Stages were set up under tents,in the meadow pavilion, patiopavilion and in the Theatre-in-the-Woods. Families watchedmodern dance, classical dance,ethnic dance, tae kwan do set tomusic, puppets, and Mariachimusicians. There were hands-

on activities for children, from aninstrument “petting zoo” toscreen-printing art.

The weather was the kind ofweather that gives September itsgood name. The sky was blue, thesun strong, the temperature com-fortable. Five stages set through-out the park featured all-day mu-sic and culture. From jazz toAsian sounds to the Latin beat andEuropean melodies, the festivaloffered programming for everycultural taste.

For more information on theArts Council of Fairfax County, seeArtsFairfax.org.

— Donna Manz

Eight-year-old second-degree black beltSara Toner of Reston has studied with theH.K. Lee Tae Kwan Do Academy inHerndon for three years. Sara said she islearning tae kwan do to protect herselfshould she ever be attacked. With Sara isMaster Jun Hak Lee who choreographedthe school’s program at the Children’sFestival.

Eva Varghese, a Wolf Trap ElementarySchool sixth-grader, has danced withCenter Stage of Fairfax since she was threeyears old. Said Eva, ‘it’s really fun and Ilove being with the people and learningnew stuff.’

Victoria and Lily Yacobucci of Great Fallssaid they had a lot of fun at the children’sfestival. They made tissue paper flowersand screen-printed poster art.

The World Comesto Wolf TrapArts Council of Fairfax Countyproduces 40th InternationalChildren’s Festival.

Photos by Donna Manz/The Connection

Education●Learning●Fun

HUMANE SOCIETY OF FAIRFAX COUNTYHours: Monday-Friday 10-4 and Saturday 10-3 • www.hsfc.org4057 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 • 703-385-7387

THIS IS “DIAMOND”D.O.B. February 1, 2009. Shepherd Mix,spayed female, 60 lbs. Diamond is ready toshow the world what a wonderful companionshe can be. She’s very sweet and loves every-one. She’s good with other dogs, is housebro-ken, loves to play and loves attention. She isperfectly happy to be by your side and haveyou tell her what a good girl she is…and youwill be saying this often. She has the GermanShepherd personality and the devotion foundin this breed. She’s a big, incredibly beautifuldog with a huge heart. Come and meetDiamond and fall in love.Attributes: A true Gem!


When you visit one of these Open Houses, tell the Realtor you saw it in this Connection Newspaper. For more real estatelistings and open houses visit www.ConnectionNewspapers.com, click the Real Estate links on the right side.

Call Specific Agents to Confirm Dates & Times.

McLean3039 Franklin Park Rd.....$1,589,000...Sun 2-4....JD Callender ................Weichert....................703-606-7901

Great Falls11109 Farm Rd..................$739,000...Sun 1-4....John Murray................Long & Foster...........703-608-4004

Vienna1577 Leeds Castle Dr. #102...$428,500...Sun 12-3...Bill Garrett....................MLS Connect ............703-466-0576

1511 Gingerwood Ct..........$639,950...Sun 1-4....Eugene Curtin..............Weichert....................703-856-3416

9602 Counsellor Drive........$649,300...Sun 1-4....Melissa Dabney............Long & Foster...........703-795-5923

2022 Carrhill Road.............$875,000...Sun 1-4....Betsy Carson................McEnearney..............703-599-9494

Oakton10528 Elmsway Court........$639,900...Sun 1-4....Ray Leahey..................Weichert....................703-403-2579

Oak Hill/Herndon1011 Charlton Pl, ...............$389,999...Sun. 1-4...Robert Collo.................Global LInk................703-619-5019

12828 Kettering Drive........$469,850...Sun. 1-4...Kathleen Tuthill ...........Long&Foster............703- 945-4966

13210 Windy Oak Way.......$522,500...Sun. 1-4...Priti Malhotra...............Weichert....................703-536-5800

12407 Myterra Way............$549,000...Sun. 1-4...Bernice Maddox...........Long&Foster.............703-328-1205

12007 Meadowville Ct........$765,000...Sun. 1-4...Irene Schiffman, ..........Weichert....................703-593-7848

11917 Richland Lane .........$997,000...Sun. 1-4...Eddie Seymour ............Samson Properties ... 703-989-1598

12833 Rose Grove Dr......$1,399,900...Sun. 1-4...Sue Chong...................Countrywide..............703-941-8575

Reston11608 Ivystone Court.........$315,000...Sun. 1-4...Carol Ellickson.............Weichert...................703- 862-2135

11500 Fairway Drive, Unit 208...$429,900...Sun. 1-4...Abbey Siciliano............Long&Foster.............703-861-4024

11559 Brass Lantern Ct ..... $534,950...Sun. 1-4...Judy Gruner.................Long&Foster............703- 517-2464

Sterling302 Lillard Road ................$350,000...Sun. 1-4...Young Yim...................Century 21................571-215-9417

46605 Hampshire Stn Dr ... $479,900...Sun 1-4....John McCambridge......Samson Properties ... 703-906-7067

10865 Monticello Ct...........$539,900...Sun 1-4....Betty Plashal................Long & Foster...........703-926-8177

46991 Bainbridge Pl...........$599,900...Sun 1-4....John McCambridge......Samson Properties ... 703-906-7067

OPEN HOUSESSaturday & Sunday, Sept. 25th & 26th

3039 Franklin Park Rd, McLean • $1,589,000 • Open Sunday 2-4JD Callender, Weichert, 703-606-7901

To add your FREE Realtor representedOpen House to these weekly listings,

please contact Trisha at 703-778-9419, [email protected]

All listings are due by Monday at 3 p.m.

To have real estate information listedin the Connection, send to [email protected]. Deadline isFriday.

The Belt Team, led by CEOTerry Belt of Keller WilliamsRealty’s McLean office, was justnamed one of America’s top real estateteams for 2009 by the Wall Street Jour-nal and REAL Trends. The Belt Teamranked in the Top 100 Residential RealEstate Teams by Sales Volume which isa component of the “Top 400 Real Es-tate Professionals,” a prestigiousnational awards ranking sponsored by

the two respected publications. The BeltTeam is now ranked #95 out of morethan 1.1 million realtors nationwide.

“Being a member of such an elitegroup as the Top 100 Teams by SalesVolume is an incredible accomplish-ment,” said Ron Cathell, OperatingPrincipal of Keller Williams McLean.“The Belt Team continually demonstratesthat it is possible to deliver the highestlevel of customer service in one of thetoughest real estate markets on record.”

The Belt Team was also named as aTop Ten Team for Keller Williams Realtyin North America for the first half of2010. Keller Williams Realty has more

than 78,000 associates in NorthAmerica.

The Belt Team includes Terry Belt(CEO), Gail Belt (Founding Partner), fouradditional Realtor Partners (PaulineKnipe, Kevin Kleifges, Mary Jane Perry,Susan Hussey), Christy Grossman (ChiefOperating Officer), Jerry Belt (SpecialServices) and Tara Miller (Client CareManager). The Belt Team serves all ofNorthern Virginia and specializes inVienna and Oakton where it has sold morehomes than any other Realtor since 1972.For more information, visit http://www.TheBeltTeam.com Phone: 703-242-3975 Email: [email protected]

Real Estate


Visit These Houses of WorshipJoin A Club, Make New Friends, or Expand Your Horizons...

Assemblies of God Arlington Assembly of God...703-524-1667

Calvary Gospel Church...703-525-6636

BaptistBon Air Baptist Church...703-525-8079

McLean Baptist Church...703-356-8080

BuddhismThe Vajrayogini Buddhist Center

202-331-2122

Churches- CatholicSt. Agnes Catholic Church...703-525-1166

Cathedral of St Thomas More...703-525-1300Holy Transfiguration Melkite Greek

Catholic Church... 703-734-9566Our Lady of Lourdes...703-684-9261Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic

703-979-5580St Ann Catholic Church...703-528-6276

St. Charles Catholic Church...703-527-5500

Vatican II Catholic CommunityNOVA Catholic Community...703-852-7907

Church of ChristArlington Church of Christ...703-528-0535

Church of God- Anderson, IndianaChurch of God...703-671-6726

Churches-EpiscopalSt Andrew Episcopal Church...703-522-1600

St George Episcopal Church...703- 525-8286

St Johns Episcopal Church...703-671-6834

St Mary Episcopal Church...703-527-6800

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703-241-2474

St Paul Episcopal Church...703-820-2625

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St Thomas Episcopal Church...703-442-0330

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Churches Lutheran(ELCA)Advent Lutheran Church...703-521-7010

Faith Lutheran Church...703-525-9283

German Lutheran Church...703-276-8952

Lutheran Church of The Redeemer

703-356-3346

Resurrection Lutheran Church

703-532-5991

Churches Lutheran(Missouri, Synod)Our Savior Lutheran Church...703-892-4846

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the Nazarene... 703-525-2516

Church- BrethrenChurch of The Brethren...703-524-4100

Churches-Baptist Arlington Baptist Church...703-979-7344

Cherrydale Baptist Church...703-525-8210

First Baptist of Ballston...703-525-7824

Mt. Zion Baptist Church...703-979-7411

Churches -Baptist-Free Will Bloss Memorial Free Will

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Churches -Christian ScienceMcLean-First Church of Christ, Scientist...

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Church of Covenant ...703-524-

4115

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703-538-5230

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Unitarian Universalist Church

To highlight your Faith Community call Karen at 703-778-9422

DAILY EUCHARIST:WeekdaysMonday-Friday, 6:30 AM & 8:30 AMSaturday, 8:30 AM

SUNDAY LITURGY SCHEDULE:Saturday Vigil: 5:30 PMSunday: 8:00, 9:30, 11:00 AM1:30 PM Spanish Liturgy5312 North 10th StreetArlington Virginia 22205Parish Office: (703) 528-6276

PARISH WEBSITE:www.rc.net/arlington/stann

All AreWelcome!

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Churches-United MethodistTrinity United Methodist Church

of McLean...703-356-3312

Charles Wesley United Methdist

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Calvary United Methdist...703-892-5185

Cherrydale United Methodist...703-527-2621

Chesterbrook United Methodist

...703-356-7100

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Community United Methodist...703-527-1085

Mt. Olivet United Methodist...703-527-3934

Walker Chapel United Methodist

...703-538-5200

Churches- United Church of ChristBethel United Church of Christ

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Rock Spring Congregational

United Church of Christ...703-538-4886

Non-Denominational New Life Christian Church - McLean Campus

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Metaphysical Arlington Metaphysical Chapel ...703-276-8738

Presbyterian Churchin America Churches

Christ Church of Arlington

703-527-0420

Synagogues - Conservative Congregation Etz Hayim...703-979-4466

Synagogues - OrthodoxFort Myer Minyan...703-863-4520

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Do You Long for a Fresh Start?Discover Spiritual Solutions at the

News

On the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, FirstLady Michelle Obama

joined approximately 150 volunteersfor a day of remembrance and par-ticipated in a day of community ser-vice at Vinson Hall Retirement Com-munity in McLean.

The volunteers provided supportincluding assisting in cleaning andmaintaining the grounds and build-ing, washing cars, and refurbishingand painting a loading dock. Aftergreeting the volunteers with highfives, Mrs. Obama grabbed a paint-brush and contributed to the efforts while chatting withvolunteers. Later, she moved to a shaded area whereVinson Hall residents were waiting to speak with her.

Retired Col. Bruce Gibson was delighted to receivea quick kiss on the cheek from the First Lady, andRetired Navy CDR Verner Utke-Ramsing sharedGibson’s enthusiasm, saying he was “thrilled” to meetthe first lady.

CDR Ramsing also praised the volunteers saying,“They’re doing a wonderful job. I’m so very proud ofour young people. These GWU students have spentmany hours on projects here at Vinson Hall, beyond

the Day of Service.” He continued to marvel at theday’s project. “It’s beautiful – veterans helping vet-erans.”

September 11 was officially recognized as a Na-tional Day of Service and Remembrance when theEdward M. Kennedy Serve America Act was signedinto law in early 2009. Obama and Dr. Jill Biden,wife of Vice President Joe Biden, helped promote themission and vision of the National Day of Serviceand Remembrance and placed an emphasis on bring-ing together civilian and military communitiesthrough service and volunteerism.

First Lady meets Vinson Hall residents, volunteers.

Michelle Obama commemorates 9/11, Day of Servicein McLean.

First Lady Comes to Vinson Hall

Co

ntributed


Documents

McLean Location, Location, Locationconnectionarchives.com/PDF/2010/092210/McLean.pdf · couldn’t, that the space would instead be turned into office space for the bank’s expansion