Thanks, Coach…
…my Certified Holistic Health Coach, Rebecca Nenner, that is. (Visit www.healthcoachdiva.com for information leading to a healthier lifestyle.) More than a coach, Rebecca is my friend – and has been for many years. A former co-worker at the Connection Newspapers, Rebecca is as passionate about health and fitness as I am about the Boston Red Sox. She has been my guiding hand now for over five years, most especially when I was first diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer back in February, 2009. Although there are no whistles involved in her coaching, there are phone calls, e-mails, YouTube videos, Webinars and miscellaneous other advisories regularly landing in my in box. To say Rebecca has saved my life might be an overstatement, given that I am being treated by an oncologist; however, she has given me an alternate perspective on what I can do to help my body survive my treatment and live like I have a present and a future, a gift if ever there was one.
The Northern Virginia Problem
Top Virginia Universities are harder to get into: checking why and how to help.
Many Northern Virginian students are biting their nails, waiting for their college admission letters this week. But in a sea of overachievers, NoVa students are coming across a pervasive issue with in-state colleges—what is being dubbed the "the Northern Virginia Problem." Many residents of Fairfax, Alexandria City, Loudon, Fauquier, Prince William and Arlington counties are spreading the word that top Virginia universities—the University of Virginia, Washington and Lee and William and Mary are becoming harder and harder to get into.
Comic Satire With a Big Heart
‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ at the 1st Stage.
Tysons' 1st Stage is giving audiences a terrific evening's entertainment with a talented, engaging cast. The 1st Stage "The Cripple of Inishmaan" is a gem of a production.
Hosting Community on Passover
March 21 reception recognized donation of 100-plus Haggadot from Mike Berger of Vienna.
Passover or Pesach celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. The sacred holiday begins sunset of Monday, April 14, and ends nightfall of Tuesday, April 22. The commemoration begins with the Passover ritual, the Seder, in which followers of the Jewish faith read from the family Haggadah, breaking for a traditional feast. At its core, the Haggadah narrates the story of the Exodus from Egypt. On March 21, the Chabad Tysons Jewish Center, in Vienna, recognized a donation of more than 100 Haggadot [Jewish texts] from Mike Berger, a Vienna resident whose father collected the versions throughout his lifetime.
Spring Fun Starts Now
From food to live entertainment, a bit of something for everyone is available.
Daffodils are peeking through ground snow and the days grow a bit longer each day. It must be spring. The Connection offers this diversity of springtime fun to its readers.
Freeman House Celebrates ‘The Country Store’
Exhibit showcases history of bygone era.
For a hundred years, towns and cities across America depended on their "general" stores – or "country" stores – for food provisions, clothing and dry goods, animal feed and seeds, and small equipment to sustain the community.
Bringing LOVE to Vienna for 2015
sh>Resident proposes a life-sized work of art for the town.
The state slogan is "Virginia is for Lovers" and, as far as Suzanne Zolldan is concerned, "LOVE" is exactly what the Town of Vienna needs. Specifically, she’d like to see the word spelled out in letters somewhere in town. Toward that end, she addressed the Vienna Town Council at its March 17 meeting and explained her idea.
‘The Best High-School Musicians in Virginia’
Three Madison students to play in All-State Band.
Three Madison High students will be performing this weekend in Blacksburg with the Virginia All-State Band. The talented musicians are senior Go Eun Jeong, junior Daniel Schwartz and sophomore Mike Niebergall. Only the top musicians in their district bands got to audition for All-State Band. Auditions were held Feb. 22 at JMU, with hundreds of students from across Virginia vying for a spot. Each had to play various scales, plus an excerpt from a song written solely for that audition. They also had to sight-read new music and play it on the spot.
Robinson Baseball Rallies to Beat Marshall
Rams score three in the seventh for walk-off win.
The Robinson baseball team improved to 3-0 Thursday with a 6-5 win over Marshall.
Classified Advertising March 26, 2014
Read the latest ads here!
In Search of ‘Game Changing’ Ideas
Local legislators reflect on social issues addressed by Virginia General Assembly in 2014.
At a presentation hosted by SALT [Social Action Linking Together) on March 22, more than 50 community activists gathered to hear local legislators offer brief comments on social progress in the Commonwealth of Virginia’s 2014 General Assembly session. The presentation was hosted at American Legion 180.
FCPS Students Earn 27 National Scholastic Awards
Fairfax County Public Schools students earned 27 national awards in the National Scholastic Art Awards program sponsored by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. Nima Jeizan of Marshall High School earned an American Visions Medal—equivalent to a best in show for the nation—and Elisabeth Hughes of Oakton High School earned a Gold Medal and Best in Grade Award. Gold Key award-winning entries from the Fairfax region were judged at the national level against winning artwork from across the country where they earned Gold Medals, Silver Medals, American Visions Medals, and Best in Grade Awards. National medalists will be celebrated at an award ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City in May. Select national award winning work will be included in an exhibition in New York, and a traveling exhibition over the coming year.
Giving Haitians New Smiles
It has been nearly four years since an earthquake killed hundreds of thousands in Haiti. Much aid has been given to Haiti, yet the country still struggles with security and health care issues. Pastor Randy Beeman recently led a group of 16 people from the Antioch Christian Church, 1860 Beulah Road in Vienna on the latest mission trip to Delmas, Haiti, the largest suburb of Port-au-Prince. Robert Morabito, a dentist in Falls Church, his staff, and family, took more than $10,000 worth of supplies and toothbrushes. Their information can be found at www.morabitodds.com.
Fire Ball Auction Hottest Ticket in Town
First-responders volunteered to raise funds for Vienna Volunteer Fire Department.
More than 100 friends and citizens came out on March 21 to support the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department’s fundraiser, the 2nd Annual Fire Ball Auction. Community businesses donated prizes for the silent auction and the raffle, and dedicated firefighters and EMTs donated themselves in a live auction. Bidding for an organized group dinner-date with a first-responder started at $40 and guests sent the bidding in the hundreds of dollars. Twelve firefighters and EMTs volunteered as auction prizes.
‘We Felt Like We Deserved It’
Vienna teen competed in synchronized ice skating Nationals.
Since age 5, ice skating has been a huge part of Brynn Thomas’s life – and the Madison High freshman wouldn’t have it any other way. She does synchronized skating and, she said, “The thought of going on slippery ice on tiny, thin blades is thrilling to me.” In synchronized skating, team members skate to music in unison while demonstrating their teamwork, speed and ability to perform intricate formations and challenging step sequences. And Thomas and her teammates on the Arlington-based Capitol Steps competed recently in the Synchronized Skating National Competition in Colorado Springs.
Creek Restoration Project Honored
The Community Appearance Alliance of Northern Virginia (CAA) last week honored the Wolftrap Creek restoration project. Town of Vienna and Fairfax County representatives accepted an award recognizing the two entities’ partnership that transformed a section of Wolftrap Creek in Vienna’s Wildwood Park. Because of it, the creek was changed from a deeply incised channel with eroding banks to an environmental benefit for people and animals. The work restored more than 2,500 feet of the Creek by reshaping the stream banks to a gentle slope and planting vegetation.
Wolftrap Elementary Wins Odyssey of the Mind Competition
Students from Wolftrap Elementary School competed at the NoVa North Odyssey of the Mind Region 9 Tournament, which took place at Oakton High School on March 8. Wolftrap Elementary's Division II Team competing for Problem #3,“It's How We Rule” placed first for the second year in a row, and will advance to the State Tournament in Rocky Mount, Va. on April 26. This was the first year that the sixth grade team participated in Division II where they competed against sixth, seventh and eighth grade teams from across the region. Team members are: Kiran Gowda, Wendy McHone, Ruhi Mehta, Valerie Nayak, Michael Shi, Katarina Stefanik and Lauen Van Stone, coached by Rachelle Stefanik and Tracy McHone.
East All-Stars Beat West All-Stars in 10th Suburban Classic
McLean’s Prock named East MVP; South Lakes’ Jensen scores 22.
McLean's Cami Prock and South Lakes' Caitlin Jensen had big afternoons during the Suburban Classic.
Editorial: Challenging Budgets
Local Government should be able to access income taxes to give relief on real estate taxes.
Northern Virginia governments are facing shortfalls in the classic budget sense: projected revenues are less than last year’s expenditures plus increases in costs.
Another Milestone
March 30, 2014. My age 59 and a half (9/30/54 is my date of birth). The age at which money deposited into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) can be withdrawn without incurring a 10 percent early-withdrawal penalty from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Not that I’m retiring. I am remembering though when this cancer-centric life of mine began.