Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Whether you're a business owner holding an event or just someone with something to say, here's how to share it with everyone in town.
No, as far as I've heard, there are no zombies at Walmart or anywhere else in town. But that, of course, doesn't mean you have nothing to tell your neighbors. And if you do, I'm here to help. Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Jessie Biele, and I'm your Community Engagement Editor. What do I do? I help you reach your neighbors, right here on Patch. And why do I do that? Because Patch doesn't just talk to you; Patch gets neighbors talking to each other, too. So, if you're a business owner with an event to announce, a school teacher who wants to highlight student achievement, a gardener who wants to share tips to get the whole city blooming or a photographer who wants to share some great pix, I'm here to help. Posting announcements, …
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Patch is happy to consider opinion articles for publication. We reserve the right to edit for accuracy, clarity and brevity.
The following opinion column was submitted by U.S. Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va. Moran is a member of the Congressional Autism Caucus. We recognize the month of April as Autism Awareness and Understanding month. Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, is the fastest growing serious developmental disorder in the United States, affecting nearly two million Americans. One in 88 children is on the autism spectrum by age 8, and boys are five times more likely to have an ASD. A new survey by the Centers for Disease Control indicates that the instance of ASD may actually be higher. And here in Northern Virginia, we are experiencing the prevalence of ASD firsthand. Arlington Public Schools released a report showing a 52 percent increase in enrollment of …
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Rated R for language, violence, nudity.
Director Danny Boyle, fresh off being dubbed a national hero for his triumph directing the Olympic ceremonies in London, took another big directorial risk with his new release Trance. It's a frenetic, haunting genre-bender that grabs hold of and keeps your attention from its first moments to its last with such force you'll feel like you're falling through Alice's rabbit hole after being hurled into it by two burly six-foot bunnies in kilts. This cinematic journey is one filled with confusion, illusions, violence and moral ambiguities, and not a head trip everyone will be willing to surrender to or appreciate. Much like the somewhat similarly convoluted Inception, it is a love it or hate it kind of flick. Whether it will be enjoyable for …
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust sent the following to his constituents for comment on the Fairfax County FY2014 Budget.
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Saturday, March 30
Dear Dranesville Resident, It is budget season in Fairfax County. On February 26, County Executive Ed Long submitted his FY 2014 Advertised Budget proposal to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Attached you will find a document with a summary description of his proposed FY 2014 Advertised Budget Plan, along with a calendar of budget-related events and a summary of the Plan (see the media box at the right and click on the pdf). For details about the FY 2014 Advertised Budget, visit the County website at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dmb. The Board of Supervisors is currently conducting an extensive review of the proposed budget plan leading up to the Budget Adoption on April 30. This is the fifth year I have convened the Dranesville …
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Dale Whitesell of McLean attended the Great Falls Citizens Association's event featuring Foust, Favola and Comstock.
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Thursday, March 28
I would like to thank the Great Falls Citizens Association for sponsoring a very informative evening at the Grange this past week. We heard from Supervisor John Foust, state Sen. Barbara Favola and state Del. Barbara Comstock, and they provided a lot of information about the recent legislative session and how it affects us. In her presentation, Comstock spoke at length about the initiative to provide information to women about breast density and its impact on cancer risk. Comstock is justly proud of this legislation, which serves a definite need. However, I have to ask, where are women to receive that information? Comstock has also been in the forefront of legislation to defund Planned Parenthood and close down clinics providing health …
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Delegate Comstock highlights work done to keep the region, Loudoun in particular, responsive to the industry.
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Tuesday, March 19
by Delegate Barbara Comstock The Northern Virginia region clearly faces economic threats and challenges as a result of sequestration and government downsizing. The national economy continues to stagnate. If you are looking for a bright sign on our local horizon, the data center industry – which is expected to still grow by hundreds of millions over the near future – is a sector to double down on. That is why, once again this year, I worked with the Northern Virginia Technology Council and local business leaders to pass another bill to promote this important industry that is thriving in Northern Virginia and throughout the Commonwealth – and particularly in Loudoun County. Our aim is to be one of the most “Data Center Friendly” places in …
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Laurel A. Gainor talks about her experience with Lyme disease.
To the editor: The passing of the Lyme Disease Testing Awareness Act by Gov. McDonnell this week really hit home for me. Because I didn’t see a tick or have the bulls-eye rash, my Lyme disease diagnosis was not an easy one. I had to go to three different medical practices before some took my symptoms and suspicions of Lyme disease seriously. The first doctor ordered an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) test, which came back negative. The next two tests I had done were called the Western Blot, which is considered a very sensitive testing method. My test results showed only two bands, and the Center for Disease Control requires three bands for a positive diagnosis of Lyme disease. The blood sample test works most effectively when …
Monday, March 4, 2013
Jane Pyrak of Annandale shares with Patch a project making a difference.
To the Editor: As I began reading the Patch article titled “Fairfax County Libraries Prepared for Cuts if Necessary,” posted Feb. 28, I decided to share with your readers one way communities can pull together to help those in need during these tight fiscal times. On Friday morning, I was able to share in the presentation of 1,000 books that were collected for the Pimmit Hills Adult High School Center in Falls Church. The Fairfax County Republican Committee organized the book drive after the new executive director of the committee, Daniel Tillson, visited the school and saw how bare the shelves in the school’s library were. This became the first project as a part of the new Fairfax Republicans “Sponsoring the American Dream” project. …
Thursday, February 21, 2013
John D. White II, president of the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association, on the Virginia High School League's decision to remove crew as a covered activity.
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Thursday, February 21
The following is a letter a from John D. White II, president of the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association, regarding the Virginia High School League's decision Wednesday to remove crew/rowing and men's gymnastics from its forms. Read more about the VHSL decision and how local crew team parents are reacting here. The VHSL Executive Committee voted yesterday on the motion to reinstate crew on the list of VHSL activities … it failed, 9 yes, 10 no, 4 abstentions. A principal argument against rowing was it does not have a “50% plus 1” participation within the state. Another was VHSL does not sponsor playoffs/state championship for rowing. When the statement was made to treat crew like lacrosse as an emerging sport, that was countered that a …
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Favola on the federal Health Benefits Exchange program (or virtual marketplace) for insurance.
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Wednesday, February 20
The following opinion column was submitted by state Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington. Patch is happy to consider opinion articles for publication. We reserve the right to edit for accuracy, clarity and brevity. Email your letters to the editor to mclean@patch.com. The Virginia General Assembly will soon enact legislation that directs the State Corporation Commission to perform plan management functions for participation in a federal health benefits exchange (HBE) program. The exchange will function as a virtual marketplace where families can shop and compare insurance policies, with the help of a consumer navigator, to find the appropriate policy for their needs. Thanks to new rules, shoppers in the exchange can be assured that any …
Jessie Biele
3:28 pm on Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Thank you Michael!! more ›