Simple Luxuries Not Everyone Can Afford
Helping organizations need help year round.
After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, taxpayers begin scramble to get that end-of-the year charitable donation so they claim it on their tax returns. For people who want to benefit while helping people, two Oakton based organizations, Northern Virginia Family Service and The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia offer two ways to give.
Vienna Celebrates the Season
Vienna’s holiday season runs through New Year’s Eve. The social highlight is the second annual First Night Vienna celebration, sponsored and hosted by the Vienna Business Association and the Town of Vienna Department of Parks and Recreation. The family-friendly five-hour festival offers free entertainment at five venues.
2014 in Vienna: A Year in Review
Year of loss and successes.
This year started off on a sad note for the Vienna area. M. Jane Seeman, then mayor, died of lung cancer on Feb. 23, 2014, and the community mourned the loss of a friend and Vienna’s most dedicated supporter.
Students Think Twice About Spending
Eighth graders learn the cost of financial responsibility.
That Christmas check from grandma will probably be spent on the latest video game or that trendy pair of boots a typical teenager has been saving to buy. But for eighth graders in Fairfax County, they might think twice before splurging on that one luxury item.
Gifts for the Home
Local shop owners offer suggestions to make holiday shopping easier.
While holiday shopping is part of the spirit of the season, for some choosing a present for everyone on their list can be overwhelming. Local small business owners come to the rescue with gift ideas for the home.
Irresistible? How Karen Garza Creates Change in Fairfax County Schools
Karen Garza is a good listener. And once she’s listened, she is, admittedly, not very patient. “If there's a real issue, I don't think it has to be debated for 10 or 15 years,” Garza said in an interview. “Either we're going to do something about it or not.”
FCPS Chief Karen Garza and Her Previous Life in Texas
“When I hired Karen in 2005,” former Superintendent of Houston Independent School District (HISD) Dr. Abelardo Saavedra said, “the position of chief academic officer had been open several months. I went looking for her. I’d never met her but I’d heard about her. There is a big difference between a mid-sized district and a larger one; the dynamics are completely different. I was taking a risk because she came from a mid-sized one of about 40,000 in Corpus Christi, and ours was much bigger. She adjusted very quickly.”
Saving Historic Homes
Residents could live virtually rent-free in exchange for repairing and maintaining homes.
Fairfax County might soon breathe life into historic homes that have fallen into disrepair. If an ordinance adopted by the County Board of Supervisors last month becomes law, the county will be one step closer to establishing a resident curator program.
2015 New Year Remodeling Resolutions
Improving long-term living needs and future home value.
After all the holiday festivities have passed and the ball has dropped to ring in the New Year, many homeowners are inspired to tackle resolutions that relate to their living space. 2015 may be the year you want to remodel your home to allow for the changes occurring in your life.
Fairfax County Public Schools Needing Community’s Help
Superintendent Karen Garza begins and ends her Listening Tour meetings with a plea to those in the room — parents, teachers, employees, unions — to help her achieve what needs to be done for their school system. “I am going to need your help,” she says to audiences who voice concerns about class size, resources for special education, and teacher salaries.
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza Bio
Current Position: Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent
Timeline of Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza’s career in education.
1986-1991: Elementary School Teacher, Yoakum, Texas (1,539 students, 38% white and 50% Latino and spends about $8,000 per pupil).
Editorial: Merry Christmas
A message of peace and joy.
Merry Christmas. It’s a magical time of year, and perhaps Connection Newspapers has over indulged in displaying the many rituals of Christmas on our pages in the past few weeks. In events around the area, a sense of community has infused holiday parades, Christmas tree lightings, menorah lightings, choral performances, singing of carols and other traditional events with warmth and joy.
When Dad (or Mom) Is High School Sports Coach
Local coaches and athletes share their feelings about the relationship between parent/coach and child/athlete.
Vienna, Oakton Home Sales: November, 2014
In November 2014, 70 homes sold between $2,000,106-$250,000 in the Vienna and Oakton area.
Vienna, Oakton Home Sales: November, 2014
Column: A Level That’s Anything But
This is not a home improvement reference, but this is most definitely a do-it-yourself column.
‘Santa Run’ Brings Joy to Vienna Neighborhoods
Vienna fire department volunteers cruise through community with Santa and candy canes.
When Santa Claus cruises through Vienna-area neighborhoods on an antique fire truck, siren and holiday music blaring through loudspeakers, when North Pole elves dress up as Vienna Volunteer Fire Department [VVFD] EMTs handing out candy canes and dog biscuits, it marks the season of VVFD’s annual week-long Santa Run in the days running up to Christmas.
Dream Team Vienna Wins State Trophy
At the recent First Lego League VA/DC Robotics ChampionshipTournament, a team of sixth graders, named Dream Team Vienna, won the FLL Championship Research Project Award.
Arts Council, Fairfax Symphony Orchestra Move to a New Home
The Arts Council of Fairfax County and the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra have moved to Merrifield, thanks to a space proffered by HITT Contracting, Inc. to the County.
Food, Supplies for Children in Need in Vienna
Madison High language honor societies help those who go hungry.
Members of the Spanish and French Honor Societies at James Madison High School collected non-perishable foods to distribute to 20 children at Marshall Road Elementary School.