Vienna Church Plans ‘Drive-Thru Ashes’ News, Page 3

Vienna Police ReportNews, Page 5

Gun Violence PreventionActivist Remembered

News, Page 3

Bob Hatfi eld of Vienna protests gun violence at the National Rifl e Associ-ation Feb. 14, 2019 on the anniversary of a Valentine’s Day massacre that

killed 17 people and injured 17 more in 2018 at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Fla. For seven years, the 80-year-old re-

tired management consultant was a pillar in the local gun violence preven-tion community. He died Jan. 16 from complications of cancer treatment.

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2 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ February 19-25, 2020 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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

WEDNESDAY/FEB. 19Volunteer for the Environment.

6:30-8:30 p.m. At ProvidenceCommunity Center, 3001 VadenDrive, Fairfax. Join in working tocombat climate change and globalwarming. Activities includecampaigning on massive data centersand fighting oil and gas pipelines inVirginia. Come be part of thesolutions. Free. Emailsbonney001@aol.com.

THURSDAY/FEB. 20Brain and Breathing. 10-11 a.m. At

Vienna Community Center, 120Cherry Street, Vienna. In this course,you will learn breathing exercisesdesigned to help support brainfunction. Instructor: Dr. CharlesMasarsky of Vienna Chiropractic.Free. Call 701-255-7801.

Adventures in Learning. 10 a.m. AtUnitarian Universalist Congregationof Fairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Road,Oakton. “Let it Go-Dealing With theEmotional Connection to Items” -Terri Blanchette. Cost is $45 persemester. To Register/Questions:Call 703-281-0538. View theschedule of classes and registrationform at http://www.scov.org/ail-open-house.

Acoustic Autumn Live Music. 6:30-9 p.m. At Blend 111, 111 ChurchStreet, NW, Vienna. Laissez Foure isan acoustic swing quartet playingclassics from the ‘30s and ‘40s. Thegroup consists of acoustic bass, swingrhythm guitar, saxophone/clarinet,and trumpet. In the tradition of NewOrleans jazz, the quartet emphasizesan acoustic sound when feasible andplays charts by Armstrong, Ellington,Count Basie and others from the era.

The ABCs of CBD and MedicalMarijuana. 7:30-9 p.m. At PatrickHenry Library, 101 Maple Ave., E,Vienna.The discussion will providemedical information about CBD/THC, the differences between CBDand medical marijuana, and howpeople can legally obtain medicalmarijuana in Virginia. Free. Visit thewebsite: https://librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov/event/5843108

FEB. 20 TO MARCH 1ReelAbilities Film Festival. The 8th

Annual ReelAbilities Film Festival:Northern Virginia, powered by thePozez Jewish Community Center ofNorthern Virginia, will present alineup of 17 films in select venuesacross Northern Virginia, Maryland,and the District from Feb. 20–March1. The festival is comprised ofcontemporary international films andpost-film programs as well as a finearts exhibit, all selected to beengaging, empowering, andchampioning the lives, stories, andartistic expressions of people withdifferent abilities. Visit the websitehttps://www.thej.org/reel-abilities/reelabilities-film-festival-northern-virginia/

FRIDAY/FEB. 21Karate for Kids. 5 p.m. At Oakton

Library, 10304 Lynnhaven Place,Oakton. Join the Karate to gainpowerful tools for self-defense, inner-strength and a strong, healthy body.Ages 4 and up.

Young Adult Game Night. 7:30 p.m.At Lewinsville Presbyterian Church,1724 Chain Bridge Road, McLean.Guests will gather in the chapel forsome games, snacks, and fellowship.Please bring friends and games youare interested in playing. We can’twait for a little healthy competition.Call 703-356-7200. Visit the website:

https://www.lewinsville.org/events/

young-adult-game-night/Nora Jane Struthers Concert. 8

p.m. At Jammin Java, 227 MapleAve., E, Vienna. Nashville-basedsinger/songwriter Nora JaneStruthers is a rootsy artist with a benttoward mixing traditional countryand contemporary rock stylings intoher passionate Americana sound.Also on stage, Sarah Borges and theBroken Singles. Tickets $15-$25.Visit www.jamminjava.com

SATURDAY/FEB. 22

Storytime with Officer Twombly.11 a.m. At Oakton Library, 10304Lynnhaven Place, Oakton. Enjoystories read by a real life policeofficer! All ages.

Getting out of Debt. 2 p.m. AtOakton Library, 10304 LynnhavenPlace, Oakton. Are you 100% surethat you will have a great retirement,or do you have some doubt? Theycan show you how to get out of debtincluding your mortgage andpersonal loans in 9 years or lesswithout spending any additionalmoney. Adults.

Calendar

Nora Jane Struthers ConcertNashville-based singer/songwriter Nora Jane Strutherswith Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles.

FRIDAY/FEB. 21Nora Jane Struthers Concert. 8 p.m. At Jammin Java, 227 Maple Ave., E,

Vienna. Nashville-based singer/songwriter Nora Jane Struthers is a rootsy artistwith a bent toward mixing traditional country and contemporary rock stylingsinto her passionate Americana sound. Also on stage, Sarah Borges and the BrokenSingles. Tickets $15-$25. Visit www.jamminjava.com

WEDNESDAY/FEB. 26Ash Wednesday Worship. 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. At the Vienna Metro Station. Holy

Comforter brings church to you! If you don’t have time to attend an AshWednesday worship service, but would like to have ashes imposed on you, tryAshes to Go on Ash Wednesday at the Vienna Metro Station in Fairfax Virginia.The Rev. Jon Strand and the Rev. Ann Gillespie will be there from 6:30 to 7:30a.m. with ashes and blessings to go.

Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ February 19-25, 2020 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

Commuters and area resi-dents are invited to take part inthe “Drive-Thru Ashes” event onAsh Wednesday, Feb. 26 at TheChurch of the Good Shepherd(United Methodist) in Vienna.Pastor Eric Song will be avail-able from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. inthe parking lot of the church at2351 Hunter Mill Rd., to admin-ister ashes and distribute cop-ies of the church’s 21st annualDevotions for Lent publication.

“Ash Wednesday is a reminderof our humanity as we beginour Lenten journey,” Song said.“We want to provide the com-munity a convenient way toparticipate in the imposition ofashes, and our ‘drive-thru ashes’is open to all. We’ll also servecoffee and cookies and handout our 2020 Lenten devotionalbooklets.”

Good Shepherd will hold atraditional Ash Wednesday ser-vice at the church at 7:30 p.m.

Members of the church alsowill be on hand in the morningand evening to distribute cop-ies of its Lenten devotionalbooklet.

“We understand that not ev-eryone shares the same faithtradition,” said Song in a letterin the booklet. “Our hope forthis devotional is to be a good

neighbor to you and to sharestories that have helped us inour lives. Our friends and fami-lies have graciously spent theirtime to submit short daily de-votions that reflect a loving Godin their lives. We have includedbeautiful artwork from our chil-dren as well.”

The 21st annual Devotionsfor Lent will be available on thechurch’s website atwww.GoodShepherdVA.com.The church also will post eachday’s devotion on its Facebookpage at www.Facebook.com/goodshepherdvienna. Printedcopies will be mailed to neigh-borhoods surrounding thechurch, and a limited numberof copies will be available at thechurch. Additionally, the churchholds weekly gatherings inmembers’ homes to discuss thedevotionals.

The Church of the GoodShepherd’s Sunday worship ser-vice is at 10:15 a.m., and Sun-day school for children andadults is at 9 a.m.

For more information, call thechurch office at 703-281-3987or visit the church website atwww.GoodShepherdVA.com orits Facebook page atw w w . F a c e b o o k . c o m /goodshepherdvienna.

Vienna Church to Hold‘Drive-Thru Ashes’

Photo contributed

A photo from last year’s event.

THURSDAY/FEB. 20Adventures in Learning. At

Unitarian Universalist Congregationof Fairfax, Program Building, 2709Hunter Mill Road, Oakton.

10 - 10:55 a.m. “Let it Go-Dealing Withthe Emotional Connection to Items” -Terri Blanchette;

11 – 11:55 a.m. “History of PopularMusic - South of the Potomac” - KenAvis “Real Downton Abbey andSurrounding Neighborhood”- JohnCapps;

1-2 p.m. “Media Bias and Impact ofTechnology”- Steve Miska;

Cost is $45 per semester. To Register/Questions: Call 703-281-0538.

View the schedule of classes andregistration form at http://www.scov.org/ail-open-house.

FRIDAY/FEB. 21Parenting Your Teen. 10 a.m. to

noon. At Dunn Loring Center forParent Services, 2334 Gallows Road,Entrance 1, Room 100, Dunn Loring.Learn important strategies to helpform a positive relationship with yourteen. Topics include:

Understanding the development of theteen brain;

By Marti Moore

The Connection

Nearly 40 people participated in a freefilm and discussion about gun violenceon a Sunday afternoon Jan. 26 in theUnitarian Universalist Congregation of

Fairfax at 2709 Hunter Mill Road in Oakton.Led by gun violence prevention activist Andrew L.

Goddard, the film documents the recovery of a youngman — his son, Colin Goddard — who was shot fourtimes April 16, 2007 during French class at the Vir-ginia Polytechnic Institute and State University inBlacksburg:

Participants at the Jan. 26 film and discussionwatched “Living for 32” filmed in 2010. The shortdocumentary shows Colin Goddard’s survival story,long road to recovery and how easy it is to buy weap-ons at gun shows in America without showing iden-tification or undergoing background checks.

Since the Virginia Tech shooting, both Goddard menhave worked tirelessly as gun violence prevention ac-tivists. “Living for 32” shows Colin Goddard’s workfor The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Hewas the go-to guy for television news commentary inthe wake of subsequent mass shootings that have oc-curred since the Dec. 14, 2012 massacre at the SandyHook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

This presentation was very near and dear to theheart of Vienna resident Bob Hatfield, who helpedplan the Jan. 26 event. He is one of several grassrootsactivists who have met each month in a peaceful andnonviolent manner at the National Rifle Associationin Fairfax since Dec. 14, 2012 — when a 20-year-oldgunman killed 20 school children and six adults atthe Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown,Conn.

The 81-year-old retired management consultantdied Jan. 16 at the MedStar Georgetown UniversityHospital in Washington, D.C., where he underwenttreatment for pancreatic cancer. He left behind hiswife, Joy Hatfield, and their three grown children.

Bob and Joy Hatfield were married 51 years andlived in Vienna nearly 34 years. They attended UUCF,where Bob Hatfield volunteered for church’s gun vio-lence prevention committee. He helped organize abus trip each January on Martin Luther King Day to

the statehouse in Richmond for the annual anti-gunviolence rally, where fellow activists honor the slaincivil rights leader by calling on Virginia lawmakersto pass “sensible” gun legislation.

The subject was on his mind as he lay on his death-bed, his wife said Jan. 20. The last thing he saidwasn’t a word but a number, Joy Hatfield said:

“Twenty-six.”Later on, when Joy Hatfield looked at her

husband’s calendar, she realized her husband wantedher to remember the “Living for 32” film and discus-sion Jan. 26. It was her late husband’s swan songand the event started with a tribute to Bob Hatfield.UUCF minister Rev. David A. Miller told the audi-ence Bob Hatfield never stopped reminding him “theNRA is less than a half mile from my house.”

Fellow GVP activist Kris Gregory, who has workedwith Bob since the start of their seven-year protestof the NRA describes Hatfield as a pillar in their ad-vocacy.

“The arc of history is long but it bends toward jus-tice” Gregory states Jan. 20 at a candlelight vigil onMLK Day and adds: “Bob gave it a good, hard tug.”

Vienna/Oakton Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or vienna@connectionnewspapers.com

Social justice warrior missed by fellow GVP activists.

Jim Sollo, 75, of Fairfax watches a shortdocumentary Jan. 26 about Colin Goddard,who was shot four times April 16, 2007 inFrench class at the Virginia PolytechnicInstitute and State University inBlacksburg. Filmed in 2010, “Living for32” shows Goddard’s difficult road torecovery and the education he receivedworking as a gun violence preventionactivist for The Brady Campaign to PreventGun Violence.

Gun Violence PreventionActivist Remembered

Andrew Goddard leadsa question and answersegment Jan. 26 at adiscussion about gunviolence held on aSunday afternoon inthe chapel of theUnitarian UniversalistCongregation ofFairfax at 2709 HunterMill Road in Oakton.

Photos by Marti Moore/

The Connection

Submit civic/community announcements at ConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos and artwork welcome. Deadline is Thursday at noon, at least twoweeks before event.

Bulletin Board

See Bulletin, Page 7

4 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ February 19-25, 2020 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Opinion

By Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum

State Delegate (D-36)

A tradition in the House ofDelegates that has comeabout in recent years is tohave a speech at the be-

ginning of each daily session duringFebruary about a Black person. Somespeeches are about well-known historic figures;most are about lesser-known Black personswho have made contributions to their commu-nities and to the state. After all, the point ofBlack History Month is to have all of us gain agreater knowledge and appreciation of Blackpersons’ contributions to our history. The Leg-islative Black Caucus organizes the event, andI am pleased to have been invited to speak eachyear at one of the daily sessions. This year Ispoke about the late Gwen Ifill of PBSNewsHour and Washington Week in Reviewwho was the first Black woman to become anational news commentator. I always appreci-ated receiving the daily news from her in hercalm and professional manner. Not all speechesare about historic figures; one delegate spoke

this year about his experiences ofgrowing up Black.

I predict that in future years a speechwill be made on the floor of the Houseof Delegates about the 2020 VirginiaGeneral Assembly being a transforma-tive event in Black history. Black ex-perience accounts for a major portionof the story in a state that unfortu-

nately has been known for centuries for its rac-ist policies. The first enslaved Africans werebrought to Virginia in 1619, and the slave codesthat were enacted to keep them subjected asslaves were inhumane. When the tobacco fieldswere no longer productive, Virginia’s chief sourceof income became the selling of slaves into thedeep South. Even the freeing of the slaves withthe Civil War did not bring equal rights toVirginia’s Black population. Slave codes werereplaced by Jim Crow laws. Voting by Blacks wasrestricted. Their separate schools and other ac-commodations were not equal.

Supreme Court decisions and the Civil RightsAct of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965brought about changes that started Blackpeople on the way to greater freedom. A suc-

cessful lawsuit against gerrymandering in thestate along with greater voter participationbrought about a record number of Black can-didates being elected to the General Assem-bly. Black legislators took on greater roles ofresponsibility in the 2020 session of the legis-lature. The first Black woman was electedMajority Leader of the House of Delegates, andthe first Black woman was elected Presidentof the State Senate. While there had been afew Black committee chairs over the years inthe House of Delegates, half of the fourteencommittee chairs are now Black. Vestiges ofJim Crow laws that remained in the Code eventhough they had been overturned by the courtsare being stripped away. Localities are beinggiven permission to deal with Confederatemonuments that were the symbols of JimCrowism. Laws that were unevenly applied toBlack persons are being amended or repealed.Black cemeteries are being cared for as theConfederate cemeteries were for many years.A commission is going to look at the teachingof Black history in our schools to ensure that ittells the whole story. Major strides are beingmade in this month of Black history!

Black History Month 2020

By Sen. Scott Surovell

(D-36)

The sixth week of the GeneralAssembly brought us to“crossover” – the day each

chamber is required to cease workon their own bills and work on billsfrom the other chamber.

The last two days brought furious action onmany major bills. Forty-three of my own billscrossed over to the House of Delegates. Lastweek, the Senate passed my legislation creat-ing driver privilege cards for undocumentedimmigrants for the first time and on a biparti-san basis. We still have work to do in order toreconcile the House and Senate bills, but it willchange the lives of over 100,000 Virginia resi-dents.

We also passed my legislation authorizingstate-level class action lawsuits. Forty-eightother states and the District of Columbia al-ready allow similar lawsuits. The lack of suchremedies in Virginia means that corporationscan steal money from Virginians in smalleramounts and never face justice.

The Senate also approved my bill allowingpeople to expunge evictions that have beendismissed. Companies have begun to collectand disseminate eviction records to landlordsand the existence of multiple dismissed andunfounded eviction cases can present a bar-rier to property rental. My bill will allow peopleto clear unfounded lawsuits from their thirdparty data files.

We also passed my bill to create the Virginia

Efficient and Resilient BuildingsBoard. It requires each state agencyto designate an energy manager tomonitor and reduce energy consump-tion over time. Energy efficiency isAmerica’s cheapest energy resourceto access and I appreciate the col-laboration with my constituent Eliza-beth Beardsley and the United States

Green Buildings Council who brought this con-cept to my attention.

The Senate also approved my bill I am car-rying with Del. Kathleen Murphy to create twohundred $4,000 college scholarships for chil-dren in families who receive Temporary Needfor Families (TANF). The bill has passed theSenate four times but always dies in the House.This year will be different.

Beyond my own bills, we took action onmajority legislation. Sen. Adam Ebbin’s mari-juana decriminalization bill passed with a largebipartisan majority. The bill is not perfect, butan appropriate first step as we move towardslegalization.

I helped to negotiate the Senate’s proposedminimum wage increase. The bill increasesthe state minimum wage to $9.50/hour start-ing January 1, 2021. The wage then increases$1/hour per year starting July 1, 2022 until itreaches $15/hour and then increases with theConsumer Price Index. Other parts of Virginiawould be divided into Wage Regions and thewage increased on a basis relative to theirMedian Family Income compared with North-ern Virginia. We also created an exemption fortraining employees and students employed

part-time while in college or high school. TheHouse approach is much different and mustbe reconciled.

Both chambers passed legislation allowingcollective bargaining by public employees, end-ing Virginia’s ban on project labor agreements,and allowing localities to require prevailingwages to be paid in public contracts. We alsopassed legislation creating private actions forworker misclassification, employer retaliationfor reporting illegal conduct, and wage theft.

On the energy front, we passed bills endors-ing a renewable energy portfolio standard ormandate that utilities shift to renewable en-ergy by certain deadlines. We created a frame-work to authorize a $2 billion investment inoffshore wind that will make Virginia andHampton Roads a national leader in technol-ogy deployment.

We also passed legislation to officially jointhe Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)also known as “Reggie.” Joining this compactwill give the Commonwealth greater flexibil-ity in reducing carbon emissions and net theCommonwealth $100 million per year in rev-enue given the progress we have made this farrelative to other compact states.

We also passed Senator Adam Ebbin’s legis-lation authorizing a statewide tax on plasticbags of $0.05 per bag. It only applies to bagsin grocery, convenience, and drug stores, butnot restaurants. The monies will go to the Gen-eral Fund and retailers will be allowed to keep$0.02 of the tax to defray the costs of collec-tion.

Each chambers’ proposed budgets will comeout before this goes to print and we will alsobegin work on legislation from the oppositechamber and the state budget. Please send meany feedback at scott@scottsurovell.org.

Driver privilege, minimum wage, class actionlawsuits, marijuana decriminalization ...

Arriving at Crossover with Many Bills Moving

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Vienna & Oakton

Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ February 19-25, 2020 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

The following summary con-tains various incidents of generalinterest as well as vehicularcrashes handled by the Town ofVienna, Virginia Police Depart-ment from Feb. 7 – Feb. 13, 2020.INCIDENTS

Forgery — 100 Block BattleStreet, SE Jan. 9 between 9 a.m.and 6 p.m. A resident reportedthat a check she was mailing to herlawn service was stolen from themailbox. The check was thenforged and cashed.

Civil Dispute — 101 ChurchStreet, NW Feb. 4, 12 p.m. Theproperty owner advised a citizenwas driving into the parking lotwhen she dislodged a brick planterwith her vehicle, causing damageto the brick. The owner is nowconcerned that the woman will notpay for the damages.

Fraud — 1400 Block Ross Drive,SW Feb. 6 between 9 p.m. and11:59 p.m. A resident reportedthat an unknown person hackedhis bank account and cashed sev-eral electronic checks.

Arrest – Drunk In Public —Courthouse Road and CourthouseCircle, SW Feb. 7, 5:26 a.m. Offic-ers responded to the report of awoman standing in the roadway,interfering with traffic. Upon theofficers’ interaction with the

woman, they detected signs ofimpairment. MPO Smith arrestedthe 31-year-old woman fromCourthouse Circle, SW, Vienna.She was transported to the FairfaxCounty Adult Detention Centerand charged with Drunk In Pub-lic.

Arrest – Drunk In Public — 425Maple Avenue, East Feb. 7, 1:33p.m. Officers responded to the re-port of a man bothering custom-ers at the shopping center. Uponthe officers’ interaction with theman, they detected signs of im-pairment. Ofc. Gucwa arrested the47-year-old man, who has no fixedaddress. The man was transportedto the Fairfax County Adult Deten-tion Center and charged withDrunk In Public.

Trespassing — Subway Restau-rant 222 Maple Avenue, West Feb.7, 10:02 p.m. An employee re-ported a man who was acting sus-piciously in front of the restaurant,making the staff feel uncomfort-able. Officers located the man inthe area. The man advised he washomeless and wanted a ride to thehospital to receive treatment for apre-existing injury. Rescue re-sponded to the scene and trans-ported the man to an area hospi-tal. The employee trespassed theman from the restaurant.

Suspicious Person — 100 BlockShepherdson Lane, NE Feb. 7,10:45 p.m. A resident reportedthat a man she had recently endeda relationship with was at herhouse. While responding to thecall, officers observed the mandriving at a high rate of speed andinitiated a traffic stop. The manwas advised that the resident re-quested he has no further contactwith her.

Lost Property — Giant Food, 359Maple Avenue, East Feb. 8, 10:46p.m. An employee lost his cellphone in the store.

Arrest – Drunk In Public —Sunoco 102 Maple Avenue, WestFeb. 9, 7:16 p.m. Officers re-sponded to the report of a suspi-cious person inside the gas station.Upon the officers’ interaction withthe man, they detected signs ofimpairment. Ofc. McElhattan ar-rested the 38-year-old man fromEast Street, NE, Vienna. He wastransported to the Fairfax CountyAdult Detention Center andcharged with Drunk In Public.

Domestic Dispute — JohnsonStreet, SW Feb. 10, 10:03 p.m.Officers responded to the reportof a domestic dispute between theresidents and their teenage son.The juvenile calmed down afterspeaking with the officers.

Vienna Police Highlights

6 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ February 19-25, 2020 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

On Feb. 7, 2020,Catholic Charities ofthe Diocese of Arling-ton held its 38th An-nual Ball at The Ritz-Carlton in TysonsCorner. The eventwas sold out withmore than 1,000 at-tendees. It is the larg-est annual fundraiserfor Catholic Charities,raising a significantportion of the re-sources needed tosupport 21 programsserving those in needthroughout the 21counties and sevencities of the Diocese.This year’s themewas, “With Love andCharity.”

“I am incrediblygrateful for yet another successful Catholic Chari-ties Ball, and for the sacrifices those in attendancemade to support the many Catholic Charities minis-tries which uplift the needy and vulnerable in ourDiocese,” said Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, CatholicDiocese of Arlington. “It is inspiring to see so manypeople compelled to model Christ’s own love for usthrough generosity and faith. They have shown tre-

mendous compassion and opened their hearts to thelight of Christ’s message. The Catholic Charities Ballhas a long tradition of helping those in need throughthe generosity of those who attend. I pledge my con-tinued support for the Ball and pray that we onlyincrease the number of people we serve in years tocome.”

For more information, visit www.ccda.net.

Catholic Charities Gala Raises Funds toHelp Those in Need

Photo by Jenifer Morris Photography.

Attendees Mr. and Mrs. Ray and Laura Bennett.

Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ February 19-25, 2020 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

And so, what happens next? There’s calm and then there’s an eventual storm. The storm to which I refer is what will happen after the March 2nd meeting with my endocrinologist when she will assess and determine the next step in my post-thyroidectomy treatment. Presumably, in conjunction with my oncologist, a coordinated plan will be implemented for treating my two cancers. I can’t imagine however, that being treated for two cancers, simultaneously, will be easier than being treated for one. And I doubt, although I don’t know, that one medicine will be recommended for the treatment of both my non-small cell lung cancer and my thyroid can-cer. We’ll know soon enough.

In the interim, I intend to acknowledge and appreciate how easy these next few weeks will be. No appointments with doctors, no diagnos-tic scans, no procedures, no medicine - and no side effects, and no lab work other than as needed, to measure my calcium and magnesium levels and any other thyroid-related effects. Moreover, I am free to come and go as I please. And it does please me. Because I’ve earned it. I deserve it and I’m going to bask in it. You think being a cancer patient under constant treatment - for nearly 11 years is in any way amusing? Hardly. I make fun of it to make light of it. Oth-erwise, the weight of it would crush me. And even though my father always said I had broad shoulders, I’m always fearful that the next result

back. After all, I’m only human.But for now, February 9, as I sit and write, I

am three weeks and one day to my next reckon-ing. And since it’s early days yet to know what life will be like after that March 2nd appoint-ment (radiation and/or chemotherapy possibly), I will try to be blissfully ignorant and not think too much how easy and unencumbered my life is at the present. As a cancer patient, ceding control where you can and securing it where you thought you couldn’t are keys to manag-ing expectations and minimizing aggravation. Unfortunately, there is no one key that unlocks all doors. And there are plenty of doors, and plenty of doctors too, and plenty of fear waiting for one of your doctors to walk through any of these doors to deliver the results from your most recent cancer-related whatever.

None of which concerns me right now, or rather it shouldn’t. And if there’s any port in this

-cally, magically, unexpectedly, I should jump at the chance. I am reminded of a conversation I had with my oncologist years ago when I experi-enced a similar interval between treatment. The medicine I was on had stopped working so we needed to start another, another with unknown

-gested that since I felt good, perhaps we should delay the beginning of the next infusion and that I should take that trip I had always dreamed of because I might never feel this good again. I didn’t then and I won’t now. When I jump how-ever, I can barely get off the ground.

I haven’t exactly been presented this time, with this kind of do-before-you-die opportunity, but there is an erie familiarity to my circum-stances. And though I’ve been down this road

to what kind of twists and turns await. The last thing a cancer diagnosis provides is a guarantee. Actually, that’s wrong. A cancer diagnosis does provide a guarantee: that there are no guaran-tees. And so, as I prepare for the next phase of my life, the one that begins 11 years after being diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer, stage IV and being given a 13 month to two-year prognosis to boot, I will quote the late, great Satchel Paige: “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.”

One Step Forward, Hopefully Not Two

Steps BackwardFrom Page 3

Recognizing ways to create a positive climate in thehome;

Identifying constructive discipline approaches;Increasing more productive and effective

communication strategies;Presented by Michele Tureaud, FCPS Behavior

Intervention Teacher.

SATURDAY/FEB. 22Career and Transition Meeting. 8:30 a.m. to

12:15 p.m. At Luther Jackson Middle School,3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church. It is never tooearly or too late to start planning for asuccessful transition from school life to life as ayoung adult. Learn about Career and TransitionServices (CTS) programming and course optionsfor students with disabilities. Breakout sessionswill cover:

In-school as well as postsecondary support services.Employment and postsecondary education

considerations.Student self-determination as an evidence-based

predictor of post school success.

MONDAY/FEB. 24Possible Arts Center at Clemyjontri Park. 7

p.m. The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA)and the McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) willhost a public open house to discuss the potentialfor development of an arts and education centerat Clemyjontri Park. The meeting will take placein MPA’s Emerson Gallery at the McLean

Community Center, located at 1234 InglesideAvenue in McLean.

WEDNESDAY/FEB. 26Town Hall Meeting. 7-9 p.m. At James Madison

High School, Lecture Hall, 2500 James MadisonDr., Vienna. With Hunter Mill DistrictSupervisor Walter Alcorn.

THURSDAY/FEB. 27Adventures in Learning. At Unitarian

Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, ProgramBuilding, 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton.

10- 10:55 a.m. “The Joy of Planning Ahead” -Rachel McLean;

11 – 11:55 a.m. “Generational Differences forPersonality Traits” - Bill Weech;

1-2 p.m. “Journey to the Top of the World”- ColonelPhil Walsh;

Cost is $45 per semester. To Register/Questions:Call 703-281-0538. View the schedule of classesand registration form at http://www.scov.org/ail-open-house.

TUESDAY/MARCH 3Resident Curator Proposal for Lahey Lost

Valley. 7 p.m. The Resident Curator EvaluationTeam for the Lahey Lost Valley property willhold a public meeting at the Oakton Library,10304 Lynnehaven Place in Oakton. Thismeeting provides an opportunity for theapplicant to present a proposal to the evaluationteam in a public forum. This will be theevaluation team’s opportunity to ask questions,provide feedback to the applicant, and to receivepublic comment on each proposal. The LaheyLost Valley House is a mid-18th-century brickhall-parlor house with a 1940s brick addition.The house is located on land granted to WilliamGunnell in 1730. His son Henry Gunnell,together with Henry’s wife, Catherine, built aworking plantation on the site by 1760. TheGunnell family were leaders in Fairfax Countythroughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Thefamily continued to own the property throughthe 1930s. Call 703-324-8791.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL COMPLETEA new traffic signal aimed at improving safety for

drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians is complete atWestpark Drive and Westbranch Drive inTysons, according to the Virginia Department ofTransportation. The project’s other safetyimprovements include:

❖ Four Accessible Pedestrian Signal (APS) crossings(expected to be active in the coming weeks);

❖ Bicycle detection;❖ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant

curb ramp upgrades;❖ Pavement markings;❖ Signage.

Bulletin

8 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ February 19-25, 2020 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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