Column: Writing What Four
As far as anniversaries go–and I hope this one “goes” a lot further; acknowledging, dare I say celebrating my four-year survival anniversary from “terminal” stage IV (inoperable, metastasized) non-small cell lung cancer, a diagnosis I initially received on Feb. 27, 2009, along with a “13-month to two-year prognosis” from my oncologist, is certainly column-worthy.
Editorial: Hybrid Hijinks
Discouraging innovation in high-tech Virginia.
Consider this as a possible scenario (although perhaps we should have saved this for April 1): Fewer people are smoking, and many of those who do are smoking less. Virginia’s cigarette tax, the lowest of any state at 30 cents a pack, is a declining revenue source. Higher cigarette taxes are proven to reduce smoking. Under current logic in the commonwealth, there would be two courses of action to raise revenue: a) cut the cigarette tax, and b) charge non-smokers a fee to make up the difference and to compensate for the fact that they don’t pay cigarette taxes.
EPA Will Not Appeal Court Decision on Accotink Watershed
EPA regulations could have cost county $300 million.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) effectively ended a two-year legal battle with Fairfax County when the agency announced last week it will not appeal a federal court decision favoring Fairfax County’s handling of the Accotink Creek watershed.
Bicyclists Pedal Onward, Despite Legislative Losses
FABB promotes extended hours on W&OD Trail.
As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, Northern Virginia bicyclists are back on the roads and trails, despite the Virginia General Assembly’s antipathy for bike safety bills this session.
Wiehle-Reston East Station 82 Percent Completed
Construction of the five stations in Phase 1 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail stations is now focusing on interior finishes, installation of elevators and systems.
Week in Vienna
This week in Vienna features many new and exciting events!
From Rail to Trail at Freeman Museum
Museum traces history of the railroad passing through Vienna in the 18th and 19th centuries.
“These are trains that used to be alive a long time ago. … Now, they’re abandoned, now they’re scrap.” —Five-year-old Charlie Wilkins, Reston
Fire Department Auxiliary Hosts Craft Fair, Taste of Vienna
Crafts show launches VVFD’s spring schedule of events.
Vienna Volunteer Fire Department [VVFD] hosts community-wide public events and fundraising events.
Classified Advertising March 6, 2013
Read the latest ads here!
Vienna Writer Selected for Poetry Publication
Bernadette Geyer of Vienna was selected for the 2012 Hilary Tham Capital Collection for her poetry manuscript, The Scabbard of Her Throat. The Tham Collection showcases outstanding poetry of writers in the greater Washington, D.C., area and beyond.
Week in Vienna
Registration for youth summer camps in Vienna is opening and filling up, a few egg hunts are coming to town and the Town of Vienna budget is ready for public view.
Letter: We Need A Real Leader in Virginia
According to a Feb. 25 article in “Politico,” two prominent Republican CEOs lambasted GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli at the Feb. 22 meeting of the Republican Governors Association, saying his hard core socially conservative policies will make Virginia less attractive for business, and he is out of the Virginia mainstream.
Vienna Musicians Rock With a Legend
Earl Slick joins School of Rock students in workshop and performance at Tysons.
A guitar rock legend is coming to the McLean-Vienna area and students from the Vienna School of Rock will be joining him onstage the weekend of March 9. Earl Slick, lead guitarist for rock-star David Bowie, will perform each set with the students. For rock-music fans, this is a big catch.
Local Esthetician Recognized Nationally
McLean resident Mali Amini of Skintelligence of Vienna does the best facials in Washington, D.C.
“If they come in late, they still get their full time. When they are with me, I give them my complete attention, focusing on them, not how much revenue I need to get for the business.” -- Mali Amini
Column: E-male
My oncologist is a man. He has e-mail. He works for an HMO that encourages/advertises its connectivity and responsiveness – electronically, to its members. If I want to get medical answers in a reasonable amount of time – save for an emergency, typing, “mousing” and clicking is the recommended methodology. No more phone calls, preferably. Though pressing keys on a keyboard rather than pressing buttons on a phone might have felt counter-intuitive at first as a means of receiving prompt replies, it has proven over these past few years to be a fairly reliable and predictable information loop. Not in minutes necessarily, but more often than not during the same day – and almost always by the very next day. In fact, I’ve received e-mails from my oncologist as late as 9:18 p.m. (time-stamped) after a sometime-during-the-day e-mail had been sent.
Putting a Face on Homelessness
462 homeless interviewed during Registry Week, an intense effort to document Fairfax County’s chronic homeless.
"We have to step up to this question. … Are we going to walk away from this tonight and say, 'That's just the way people live?’ Well, it's not the way people should live." —Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill)
The Snowquester Hits the Area
Snowstorm’s impact downgraded, but slushy roads still a problem.
The National Weather Service Wednesday downgraded its Snowquester forecast from 8-10 inches to about 4-6 inches in the region. At 3:18 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, the NWS predicted total snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches in Fairfax County before the storm fizzles out later that night, and north winds with gusts up to 45 mph in some areas, making driving hazardous.
Italian Music at Langley High
Cooper Middle School orchestras join Langley High orchestras in concert.
Students in the five Langley High School orchestras and two Cooper Middle School orchestras presented a concert of Italian music on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at Langley High School.
McLean Youth Soccer Joins Kids Helping Kids Drive
McLean Youth Soccer partners with City Year to conduct Kids Helping Kids drive at their upcoming tournament.
Week in McLean
This week McLean is featuring many different, exciting events.