Gentrification fears fuel debate in Arlandria

Transcription

Vol. 7, No. 50
December 15, 2011
www.alextimes.com
Students in
Kabul have
iPads, too
Crossing the borders of misconception, G.W. class unites Alexandria
and Afghanistan students
By Derrick Perkins
George Washington Middle School
eighth-grader Zoe Gage held an iPad 2
up to a video camera Tuesday morning,
showing her digital pen pals in Afghanistan the kind of technology her classmates
regularly use at school.
Her jaw dropped and her classmates giggled a minute later. The teacher in Kabul,
shown on a monitor at the front of the classroom, had translated Gage’s description
and pulled out an iPad of her own to give
her students in Kabul a better idea of what
the American student was talking about.
Later, the 14-year-old said her assumption about her Afghani peers’ lack of technology was just another misconception
about the war-torn nation and its people
SEE Students | 6
Image/CORE Architecture and Design
If approved, Arlandria Center, depicted in a rendering above, will tower six stories over the low-lying neighborhood of
Arlandria-Chirilagua.
Gentrification fears fuel
debate in Arlandria
Residents believe
urban renewal
project will build
wall between rich
and poor
By David Sachs
Photo/Derrick Perkins
George Washington Middle School students
meet their counterparts in Kabul via videoconference.
City planners and
developers have long
viewed Arlandria as a
neighborhood in need of
a facelift, but as two massive, six-story buildings
move closer to reality,
local residents worry gentrification is on the horizon.
Arlandria, a workingclass neighborhood also
called Chirilagua,
is known for its
diverse immigrant popula-
gifts that make them say “wow”:
The Holiday Gift Guide - 15
tion. Residents from Latin
America, Africa and Asia
comprise the bulk of the
district, living alongside
lifelong Alexandrians on
the northern edge of the
city.
It won’t be that way
for long, say opponents
of the buildings, which
would house 478 apartments — including 28
“affordable market-rate”
units — and ground-level shops. Totaling about
636,000 square feet on
five acres of Mount Vernon Avenue, Arlandria
Center, if approved, will
replace Mount Vernon
Village, a low-lying
strip mall from the
1940s.
Gabriel
Rojo, executive director
of the Arlandria community organization Tenants and Workers United,
says the mixed-use buildings would replace the
neighborhood’s current
residents with wealthier
ones. He believes market
forces will drive up real
estate values and force
out low-income residents
whose paychecks suddenly won’t go as far.
“We never said that we
didn’t want development
in Arlandria,” Rojo said.
“We want the community
to be a better place. But
the plan right now is not
going make things better for the local community. It’s going to make it
worse.”
jake shimabukuro
at the birchmere - 18
Rojo, who has headed
TWU for about a month,
claims community outreach from the city government was lackluster.
City Hall was too technocratic — using email and
other online modes — in
reaching out to a lowincome, mostly Spanishspeaking population, he
said.
SEE Arlandria | 9
2 | December 15, 2011
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
Christine Roland Garner
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ALEXANDRIA TIMES December 15, 2011 | 3
THE WEEKLY BRIEFING
Wilson declares ’12 city council run
Former Alexandria City and council members Frank
Councilman Justin Wilson Fannon and Alicia Hughes joinwill try to rejoin
ing the governing
his former colbody.
Wilson
is
leagues at City
on the board of
Hall next year,
the Del Ray resiDASH Bus, the
Northern
Virdent announced
Monday.
ginia
Regional
Park Authority,
Wilson,
a
the Alexandria
Democrat,
beTr a n s p o r t a t i o n
came the youngCommission and
est ever council
Hopkins House.
member
when
“While
I
he was elected
as a 29-year-old
have contributed
through my serin 2007. He was
vice on these
ousted in May
Justin Wilson
boards and com2009 after a
crowded race that concluded missions, I believe I can only
with Vice Mayor Kerry Donley accomplish so much outside
of public office,” Wilson said
in a statement to prospective voters. “That is why I’m
thrilled to share the news with
you that I have decided to run
for Alexandria City Council.”
An employee of Amtrak,
transportation was one of Wilson’s specialties during his
three years on council.
Wilson lives in Del Ray
with his wife, Alex, and their
children Eli and Lena. He
joins Republican Scott Gordon as a challenger in the
2012 race but will first have
to win a Democratic primary
June 12 to compete.
No matter how long it’s been since your loved
one died, grief can make the holidays a painful
time. But there’s hope. Join us for a Biblicallybased workshop, including a video and discussion for coping with the loss of a loved one.
Location: Downtown Baptist Church
Fellowship Hall
Date: Saturday, December 17
Time: 10:00 a.m. - Noon
More information? Call 703.549.5080
www.downtownbaptist.org
- David Sachs
DASH officials showcase new hybrid buses, trolleys
DASH officials unveiled the city’s
newest addition to its transit fleet December 8, showcasing a pair of the
clean diesel hybrid electric buses and
King Street trolleys by Market Square.
Ten of the buses, manufactured by
California-based GILLIG Corp., will
go into service in the coming months.
The public can expect to see the new
trolleys rolling down King Street in
April.
Bought with a mix of state and
federal dollars, the buses cost about
$600,000 each. The trolleys cost an
additional $55,000 per vehicle.
Officials expect the hybrid buses
will burn about 2,000 fewer gallons of
diesel annually than the older models
and boast more spacious interiors for
riders.
- Derrick Perkins
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One of 10 new hybrid buses was on display last week at
Market Square.
City council addresses post office closings
Note to the U.S. Postal Service: When facing a $20-billion shortfall, don’t close a
post office that actually turns a
profit.
A decline in snail mail has
caused the USPS to look into
closing offices around the
country, including the Mount
Vernon Avenue and Seminary
Road offices in Alexandria.
But, as Councilwoman Alicia
Hughes pointed out Tuesday
night at City Hall, the latter actually makes the federal government money.
The Virginia Theological Seminary owns the Seminary Road branch and doesn’t
charge rent, creating years of
profits for the USPS locale.
“[The USPS] is making
money off of a post office
that they’re looking to close,”
Hughes said. “It doesn’t really
make sense to cut out a post
office that’s turning a profit for
you.”
Mayor Bill Euille directed
city staff to draft a letter to the
postmaster general to save the
post offices from closure. A
decision is expected in May
2012.
- David Sachs
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4 | December 15, 2011
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
CRIME
Commuter
sexually assaulted
An unidentified man who
sexually assaulted a homeward bound commuter December 8 may be connected
to a similar attack on a female
jogger in November, city police say.
The victim in the latest
incident was walking home
near the intersection of Little
Street and East Maple Avenue
in Rosemont about 9:10 p.m.
when a man approached her
from behind and pushed her
to the ground. He then “inappropriately touched her,” said
Jody Donaldson, department
spokesman.
The woman screamed and
the suspect fled on foot, heading toward Walnut Street, authorities said. He is described
as 25 to 30 years old, clean
shaven, and wearing a dark
jacket and red-striped knit cap.
The victim did not suffer
any injuries.
It’s too early to say if the
assault is related to a similar
attack on a jogger running
along the 200 block of E. Del
Ray Ave. on November 21,
but the suspects used matching tactics, Donaldson said.
That attack marked the
city’s first random sexual assault of the year, according to
authorities. The suspect in the
incident is described only as
wearing dark paints, a black
skullcap and a puffy, thighlength coat.
Police are giving commuters largely the same advice
they gave joggers after the November attack: travel in welllit areas, keep a cellular phone
handy for emergencies, let others know their route and stay
aware of their surroundings.
Convenience store Pedestrian injured Spitting in the eye
of authority
employee assaulted in mugging
No one was injured after a
nighttime shoving match between an unidentified suspect
and a South Jordan Street
convenience store employee
December 4, city police say.
The victim was emptying
trash at 8:12 p.m. when the suspect approached him and asked
for $5, according to police reports. Shortly after the victim
said he didn’t have any money,
the two began to tussle.
Authorities did not say
who started the fight.
Sometime during the altercation, the suspect was thrown
off balance and the victim retreated to the store, said Ashley Hildebrandt, department
spokeswoman. No one was
injured during the fight.
The suspect did not get any
money. He remains at large.
A pedestrian walking near
the intersection of East Taylor
Run Parkway and South View
Terrace suffered minor injuries after three men attacked
and robbed him earlier this
month.
City police say the trio
approached the victim from
behind at 5:21 p.m. They
proceeded to punch and kick
him. The victim surrendered
his cash but not before sustaining injuries, said Ashley Hildebrandt, department
spokeswoman.
There were no other witnesses to the incident, she
said.
Authorities do not have
descriptions of the suspects,
and the trio have yet to be arrested.
Alexandria police say a
thief spat at a convenience
store employee as he made
his escape with a stolen pack
of cigarillos in Monday’s early morning hours.
The suspect, described as a
black man in his 30s, reached
around the 3400 block Mount
Vernon Ave. convenience
store’s counter to swipe the
narrow cigars at 12:14 a.m.
He then spat at the nearby
employee, who saw the theft,
said department spokeswoman Ashley Hildebrandt, and
then fled the store.
The suspect remains at
large, Hildebrandt said.
ship or were known to each other.
more people who had a prior relationship or were known to each other.
7:14 p.m.
Assault occurred between two or
- Derrick Perkins
POLICE BEAT
The following is a selection of incidents
reported by the Alexandria Police
Department. For a full crime blotter,
log on to www.crimereports.com.
December 12
3000 block Duke St.
3:32 a.m.
Shoplifting offense occurred at this
location.
ASSAULT
100 block S. Whiting St.
7:28 p.m.
No further information.
LARCENY
5100 block Grimm Drive
7:14 p.m.
6000 block Tower Court
12:04 p.m.
5400 block Bradford Court
1:40 p.m.
December 11
ASSAULT
3800 block Old Dominion Blvd.
6:26 p.m.
LARCENY
600 block N. Ripley St.
7:51 p.m.
Victim reported that unknown
suspects stole a credit card and
cash from her purse, which was left
unattended on a living room chair at
victim’s place of residence.
December 10
ASSAULT
1300 block Madison St.
2:21 p.m.
North Ripley Street and Taney
Avenue
11:49 p.m.
more people who had a prior relation-
LARCENY
2600 block Mount Vernon Ave.
9:15 p.m.
Two subjects stole a purse from a
woman sitting on a bench at this
location. Both subjects were caught
and identified by the victim as those
involved in stealing the purse.
5700 block Duke St.
6:26 p.m.
Shoplifting offense occurred at this
location.
LIQUOR
2100 block Mount Vernon Ave.
1:24 a.m.
Suspect was charged with illegal
possession of alcohol.
December 9
ASSAULT
4600 block Seminary Road
4:29 p.m.
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100 block Normandy Hill Drive
11:48 p.m.
LARCENY
4300 block Wheeler Ave.
8:56 a.m.
Commonwealth Avenue and King
Street
3:20 a.m.
LIQUOR
3400 block King St.
9:40 a.m.
Suspect was charged with illegal
possession of alcohol.
December 8
ASSAULT
LARCENY
100 block S. Van Dorn St.
3:24 p.m.
Unknown suspects stole victim’s
purse as she was placing purchased
items into her vehicle in the parking
lot at this location.
5700 block Edsall Road
8:30 p.m.
1100 block Colonial Ave.
4:59 p.m.
Three boxes were found in this area
and turned in to the police.
December 7
ASSAULT
4600 block Seminary Road
2:39 p.m.
100 block S. Bragg St.
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City Hall knew about embezzler’s prior red flags
Background checks
cleared Timothy
Wanamaker despite
federal investigation
By Derrick perkins
The full extent of Timothy
Wanamaker’s criminal activity wasn’t known until late
November, but top officials
in Buffalo, N.Y., publically
raised questions about his
work habits long before he
took a key position at Alexandria City Hall.
Wanamaker, who has since
resigned as the city’s general
services department’s deputy
director, pleaded guilty to
stealing about $30,000 in
taxpayer funds while heading Buffalo’s strategic planning office between 2004 and
2008. The post gave Wanamaker purview over the Buffalo Economic Renaissance
Corp. and the Buffalo Urban
Renewal Agency.
Wanamaker admitted No-
vember 29 to using a cityissued credit card for lavish
personal travel and entertainment expenses during the
four-year stretch. While there
was little indication about
criminal wrongdoing at the
which kind of raised some
red flags,” LoCurto said. “We
were concerned with it, but I
don’t think anyone suspected
that he was using it to pay for
family members and expensive hotels or anything like
If anyone did a simple Google
search, they would have seen
articles that were written
when this came up [in 2008].
- Michael Kearns, Buffalo city councilman
time, his travel habits drew
scrutiny, said Buffalo Councilman Michael LoCurto.
Buffalo’s common council requested a report of the
agency’s travel expenses in
March 2008, but it didn’t receive the review until later
in the year, after Wanamaker
had left for a city manager
position in California.
“He was not around a lot,
that — that he was using the
[government] credit card as a
personal credit card.”
Those trips included stays
in Las Vegas, Washington,
D.C., and Miami, according
to Wanamaker’s plea deal
with federal prosecutors.
“The running joke was:
What, was he going on job interviews?” said LoCurto.
Fellow common coun-
cil member Michael Kearns
wasn’t surprised by the revelations in Wanamaker’s
plea deal. Like LoCurto, he
was concerned about Wanamaker’s traveling habits. And
like LoCurto, he believes Wanamaker’s record in Buffalo
raised “red flags.”
“It was concerning to me
that he was difficult to get
hold of,” Kearns said. “There
were rumors — that he wasn’t
happy, he was looking to travel and used that opportunity
to meet with prospective employers and that was concerning to me.”
In the meantime, Wanamaker spent two years in
Inglewood, Calif., leaving in
2010 to take the general services department post in Alexandria, which paid about
$112,000 annually. He applied for the job and was not
recruited, said Tony Castrilli,
Alexandria city spokesman.
The city hired Walters
Consulting to perform crimi-
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nal and credit history checks
on Wanamaker — both came
up clean — and contacted
his references, Castrilli said.
The company received about
$18,000 from the city to perform similar duties during a
two-year period, though officials cut ties with the company earlier this year.
Officials were aware of
Wanamaker’s traveling habits, Castrilli said, which is
why they performed an “extensive” reference and background check using consultants. Everything came back
clear.
Former general services
department head Ed Manley,
who has since retired, had the
final say in hiring Wanamaker, according to Castrilli.
Kearns believes a quick
Internet search would have
raised questions about Wanamaker soon after he left
Buffalo. He recalls saying as
SEE Embezzler | 29
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6 | December 15, 2011
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
Students
FROM | 1
she had before taking teacher
Kelly Mayer’s contemporary global issues and service
learning course.
“I didn’t know much, just
the basics of the war and
that [Afghanistan] was underdeveloped,” Gage said. “I
think that we didn’t give them
enough credit. Not knowing,
we assumed things about
them.”
Gage was one of several
George Washington students
to speak directly with school
children in Kabul for Mayer’s
class. It was the first of several scheduled videoconfer-
ences between the two groups
of students through a program
known as Youth LINKS, run
jointly by the State Department and the Global Nomads
Group.
The hope is to turn the
group of 18 girls — the class
is off-limits to boys to comply with the Kabul school’s
mixed-gender rules — into
more active global citizens.
They are studying Afghanistan’s culture, leadership, activism, international change,
conflict and conflict mitigation as well as the media’s
role in both, just to name a
few of the curriculum topics,
Mayer said.
“I’m really hoping that
they begin to develop some
of the skills necessary to be
Old Town
leaders in the 21st century,” Another said people outside
Mayer said. “Like becom- of Afghanistan assumed they
ing critical thinkers, problem were constantly warring,
solvers and … active citizens; which is not the case.
developing an appreciation The names of the Afghanifor cultural differences; de- stan students nor their school
veloping the ability to re- were released to the press bespectfully discuss significant cause of security concerns.
topics; considering multiple Gage’s iPad was the first
perspectives and seeing con- of several show-and-tell demnections among ideas and onstrations. An American sturecommending solutions.”
dent showed off her lacrosse
The children, separated by skills; an Afghan peer donned
an ocean but linked through a bride’s traditional wedding
technology, asked and an- hat.
swered questions about their Local student Olivia Braun
lives, schools, cultures and showcased her guitar-playing
the war. One Afghani child skills, performing Coldplay’s
said the constant fighting has “Lost” to the applause of the
come at the cost of educa- Afghani students. It wasn’t
tional opportunities and left easy at first, she admitted afliteral scars on the nation in terward.
the form
ofLineruined
buildings.
“They said to choose
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I chose [my guitar] because
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said. “I kind of was nervous.
There were people from a different country watching. It’s
just nerve-wracking.”
The daughter of a photojournalist, Braun came to the
class with prior knowledge
of Afghanistan, but she’s enjoyed getting to know citizens
of a country more likely to
pop up on the evening news
than in a classroom.
“You’re not just seeing
people from other countries,
but learning about them,”
the 13-year-old said. “I’ve
learned a lot about how they
live and how their country is.
It’s really cool.”
Aside from offering a “really cool” class, Mayer hopes
her students, who arrived
more than an hour before
school started to participate,
leave the class better prepared for globalization.
“I think we need to be an
education system focusing
more on preparing students
for being active citizens in
their global communities …
really preparing students for
the future,” she said. “They’re
going to be more interdependent and they need to be prepared for that.”
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School officials: adult education program will continue
Reorganization
under way, officials say
By Derrick perkins
Alexandria City Public
School officials have moved
swiftly to quell rumors an
overhaul of the district’s adult
learning program will ultimately leave it on the cutting
room floor.
Elizabeth Vodola, a volunteer teacher with the program,
first heard rumblings about the
possible end to the program,
which offers adult English and
high school equivalency degree classes for city residents,
around December 1.
It left her shocked, she
said.
Let’s Eat |
“I was told that the school
department had made the decision to close the school at
the end of December and that
was it,” Vodola said.
She wasn’t the only resident stunned by the scuttlebutt. Rowshan Zabi’s mother
takes ELL courses to continue
polishing her English, and the
two were deeply upset to hear
ACPS would no longer hold
classes after December 31.
As word spread, ACPS officials went into overdrive to
squelch the rumors, including
email blasts from the district’s
communications department,
School Board Chairwoman
Sheryl Gorsuch and Superintendent Morton Sherman.
“[The adult education pro-
gram] was never proposed
to go away,” Sherman said.
“That was not part of my
agenda. My agenda has always been to improve and
expand how we support our
high school students and our
adult population.”
District officials are proSEE Adult Education | 31
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8 | December 15, 2011
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
City attorney won’t help waterfront opponents sue city
Banks refuses to advise
former Vice Mayor
Andrew Macdonald
By Derrick perkins
City Attorney Jim Banks says
threats of a lawsuit against the
city’s proposed waterfront plan
kept him from advising former
Vice Mayor Andrew Macdonald on
how to block rezoning of the Potomac shoreline.
Macdonald, co-founder of Citizens for an Alternative Alexandria
Waterfront Plan, wrote officials
December 7 asking for clarification
of city ordinances outlining the
way by which residents could require a supermajority vote by city
council. In his reply, Banks said
he was “ethically precluded” from
answering the question and advised
Macdonald to find an attorney.
Were CAAWP or other residents
to sue, which the group has publicly suggested as a tactic to forestall
the city’s contentious waterfront
plan, a good lawyer would immediately file a motion to disqualify
the city attorney’s office from the
case, Banks said.
Either Macdonald is “naive” or
it’s a cunning legal maneuver, the
city attorney said. Banks assumes
the latter.
“It is a clever way to keep me
from representing my client [the
City of Alexandria],” Banks said.
“There is clearly sufficient evidence to conclude he is going to
sue … I’ve got to operate on the
assumption they are going to do
what they said they are going to do.
I cannot allow myself, and my office, to fall for a clever maneuver
by Mr. Macdonald and that is what
it comes down to.”
File photo
City Attorney Jim Banks says former Vice Mayor Andrew Macdonald asked for help interpreting zoning ordinances, which would have kept Banks’ office from defending the city
were the waterfront plan to end up in court.
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Alexandria Times
2x6” (3.89”x6”) 4c
photo/David Sachs
Old Town Boutique District co-founder Elizabeth Todd, left, Mayor Bill
Euille and Kim Putens, co-founder of the Boutique District, award Walker Home owner Rose Woodford, center left, for her shop’s holiday ornamentation Saturday.
Window shoppers have
a reason to walk into
Walker Home, an antique store at 1125 King
St. It won the Old Town
Boutique District’s Winter Wonderland window
decorating contest Saturday.
Mayor Bill Euille
took notice of the shop’s
holiday ornamentation
and stopped by to congratulate Rose Woodford, Walker Home’s
owner.
More than 2,500 voters participated in the
contest via social media
and a public poll, said
Elizabeth Todd, cofounder of the Boutique
District and owner of the
Shoe Hive.
Fiber space, a shop
dedicated to all things
knitting, nabbed second
place. Organizers hope
the contest will boost
boutiques’ presence on
commercial streets in
Old Town during the
holiday season.
- David Sachs
Arlandria
FROM | 1
City officials say planning
has been inclusive since 2003
when the Arlandria urban renewal concept was approved.
“I don’t buy the argument
that people weren’t included,
because there have been meetings … for a long time,” said
City Councilman Rob Krupicka. “Actually, there’s a more
regular process about what’s
happening in that neighborhood than in other neighborhoods in the city.”
The developer, PMI, has
agreed to add 28 “affordable”
apartments to the stock of new
rentals in exchange for the
right to build two extra stories.
Residents making $51,000
a year will be able to afford
them, according to the city’s
formula. Most Arlandria residents make between $25,000
and $50,000 annually, according to Rojo.
The other 450 rental units
don’t have price tag yet but are
not considered “luxury” apartments by Alexandria’s standards, city officials said. The
median household income in
the city is about $80,000, according to the U.S. Census
Bureau.
“This plan is going to make
Arlandria a better place? For
who? Not the current community,” Rojo said.
FEELING MARGINALIZED
Arlandria residents and
sympathizers occupied City
Hall last week for a planning
commission meeting where
officials recommended city
council approve the development. Despite the city’s efforts
to reach out to the community,
many of its members felt disenfranchised.
“Wherever we go, you take
our roots and you keep moving us. Where do we go?”
Arlandria resident Sheila Bell
Cliffords asked. “We’re just
asking to be involved. We
want to live just like everybody else. And it’s so unfair
that we’re being treated this
way in Alexandria in 2011.”
Former City Council-
woman Joyce Woodson, who
helped conceptualize the future of Arlandria in the ’90s,
said Arlandria Center does
not represent the work she did
while on council.
“I have some lingering
doubts about the agendas for
Arlandria,” Woodson said.
“… And I have to ask you, are
we going to end up as just one,
homogonous group as we just
dismiss anyone who doesn’t
really fit into that group, and
just have a few specimens that
we can point to and say, ‘Yay
for us?’ Because that’s the direction we’re headed.”
mogenous city, Krupicka
admitted. But trying to kill
development altogether won’t
help ensure that, he said. He
supports the residents of Arlandria but believes working
within the framework to preserve affordable housing —
and culture — is better than
trying to kill development all
together.
“I don’t buy the argument that
we don’t want investment in
the neighborhood because
we don’t want the population
to change,” Krupicka said.
“We’re not going to tell residents that we don’t want them
to invest in their property.
“But I do think we have to
be really careful about taking
advantage of the things we
have, to preserve diversity in
Arlandria. I agree with the
issue [Tenants and Workers
United] is fighting. I just don’t
agree this is the right way to
tackle it.”
The project goes before the
city council for a public hearing and possibly a vote Saturday.
Making an
IMPACT!
MANAGING GENTRIFICATION
City officials say they are
— and have been — protecting against gentrification by
securing the affordable housFor 25 years, Rebuilding Together Alexandria has
ing units.
provided free home repairs to low-income homeowners,
The city also has forincluding elderly, disabled, veterans and families with
given loans to the ArlandriaChirilagua Housing Coopchildren. Through our volunteers, we have provided
erative and contributes to
$5.5M worth of in-kind contributions to 1,400 Alexandria
government-subsidized houshomeowners and non-profits serving those in need. With
ing in the neighborhood,
which shows City Hall’s senyour help, even more families will be able to remain safely
sitivity to retaining the neighin their homes. Donate today!
borhood’s culture, said Gwen
Wright, a top planner with the
city.
When all is said and done,
Help
urban planners want Arlandria
to be a lively, safe, mixedUs Raise
income, mixed-race neighborhood. Redevelopment is
the spark to make it happen,
This Year!
Wright said. The alternative is
to do nothing at all.
“The diversity of the resiWe need
dents of Arlandria is a wonyour help
derful thing and it’s something
to serve more
that the city, I believe very
strongly, wants to retain,”
residents in
Wright said. “On the other
need.
ars!
side of the coin, are we sayingCelebra
ti n g 2 5 Ye
we don’t want to have a desirRepairing one home won’t change the world but surely
Make your
able place to live? I think the
THe woRld will cHange
tax-deductible
goal is that we need to find a
for that one homeowner.
contribution online at
middle ground.”
986!
Serving
Wright believes redevelAlex RebuildingTogetheralex.org
ce 1
a n d r i a Sin
opment in and of itself won’t
or mail a check to
“magically” gentrify ArlandRTa
ria. She points to Adams Mor700 Princess Street
gan in D.C., where a Harris
Mezzanine 2
Teeter grocery store anchored
alexandria, Va 22314
development of the neighborhood and diversified the popuCeleb
s!
lation without gentrifying it.
rati n g 2 5 Year
City Hall must tread carewww.RebuildingTogetherAlex.org • 703.836.1021
fully to protect against a ho-
$25,000
Servi
986!
10 | December 15, 2011
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
Dealing in the business of small business
Business Bank specializes in the backbone
of Alexandria’s economy
By Derrick perkins
Local businessman William Cromley readily admits
he takes on “unique” building projects and that requires
a “unique” bank. Enter The
Business Bank.
“For me, I’m sort of a boutique builder,” Cromley said.
“I like to do projects other
people won’t want to do. A traditional bank will look at that
and say, ‘It’s too dangerous.
It’s not a standard deal, not a
money maker.’ I can make my
case with a smaller bank.”
The advantageous flexibility of a small, local bank
— not to mention the personal
ties forged through years of
working together — has kept
Cromely coming back to The
Business Bank for about 15
years. A subsidiary of the
United Financial Banking
Companies, Inc., The Business Bank recently opened
its eighth Northern Virginia
branch on the 600 block of N.
Washington St.
While it handles personal
accounts, the bank is geared
toward working with small
businesses, said Harold Rauner, president and CEO. Found-
ed in 1981, the bank has expanded at the rate of roughly
one new location every two
years since 1999.
It primarily looks for areas with a vibrant small business community, Rauner said.
Alexandria, already home to
dozens of Business Bank customers, was the natural next
step.
“[Alexandria] has all of
the demographics we like, and
first and foremost, it’s a readily identifiable business community,” Rauner said. “We
don’t think it’s an overbanked
community.”
Though the Alexandria
branch has officially been
open just about one month,
it’s already shown signs of
success, he said. The Business
Bank is already eyeing other
locales for future expansions
but won’t make any announcement until after bank officials
are sure the Alexandria branch
is fully serving its clientele.
The bank’s success is due
in part to the regional economy. The Washington metro-
The Business Bank at 697 Washington St. specializes in the finances of small business owners.
politan area weathered the recession better than most. And
though bankers have received
a black eye in recent years,
Rauner believes its through
thick and thin relationship
with local customers and 16th
consecutive quarterly 5-Star
rating from BauerFinancial
Inc. have kept clients returning.
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Val Hawkins, president
and CEO of Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, called The Business
Bank’s new branch a positive
sign for Alexandria.
“They obviously think Alexandria is a good market for
them and we’re very pleased,”
Hawkins said, noting AEDP’s
office is near the new branch.
“I just think it’s very positive
to have another healthy bank
in town, especially a growing
bank. We’re pleased.”
The bank’s strength is its
flexibility, Rauner said. It
can adapt to the needs of one
community without making
company-wide policy shifts.
The decision-making is local,
based on the needs of the community.
While Cromley doesn’t
deal exclusively with The
Business Bank, he welcomes
its new Alexandria location.
It might sound touchy-feely,
but he has the impression the
bank’s as interested in him and
his projects as it is in making
money.
“It seems symbiotic,” he
said. “What’s good for me is
good for them. I don’t want
to trash any huge banks, but
you have the sense their bottom line is their bottom line.
A smaller bank looks at it like
we’re a team. They’re interested in me. It seems like a fair
business relationship.”
Shop Around the Corner
A special advertising feature of the Alexandria Times
BW Arts, Antiques and Jewelry
throws 15-percent-off holiday sale
There is no better
spot for holiday shopping than BW Arts,
Antiques and Jewelry,
especially when it’s
holding an end-of-theyear, storewide 15-percent-off sale.
Owner
Barbara
specializes in jewelry,
American art, estate
pieces and designer
handbags. Unlike many
antique stores, she offers a selection of items
in the $10-to-$500
range. Her exquisite
taste and 30 years of
meticulous collection
are the reasons customers return again
and again. Her patrons
know antique items
have stood the test of
time and are a much
better value than buying disposable, massmanufactured goods.
BW, at 108 N. Fayette St., is known for
its collection of items
with unique Alexandria and Washington,
D.C., history. Barbara
finds items with beauty,
quality, lasting value
and relevance, such as
unique political memorabilia, paintings of
the Capitol and federal
buildings, and hundreds
of local collectables.
It’s thrilling to discover
these treasures within
the store.
In addition, BW has
an astounding assortment of vintage jewelry
in special jewelry dressers labeled by style,
metal content, color
and stones, as well as
type of jewelry. This
system makes finding
your favorite jewelry
pieces simple and easy.
And the selection is
crazy good as the store
has “just about any type
of jewelry item and antique piece your heart
might desire,” according to a favorable Yelp
review. Not only that,
but BW’s expert staff
makes the shopping ex-
perience fun.
With such a vast selection of one-of-a-kind
items at affordable prices, BW Arts, Antiques
and Jewelry is definitely a must-stop during the holiday season.
And be sure to mention
this ad while visiting
for 15-percent off your
holiday purchases.
BW Arts, Antiques
and Jewelry opens from
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and stays open
until 8 p.m. weekends.
For more information,
call 703-518-8464 or
visit bwantiques.net.
BW Art, Antiques,
and Jewelry
Visit BW Art, Antiques and Jewelry for
exquisite paintings, bronzes, period furniture,
Herand, Wedgewood, designer clothing,
handbags, accessories, estate jewelry, and
Alexandria's finest selection of costume
jewelry, organized by color and category.
www.bwantiques.net
108 N. Fayette Street (One block from King St)
(703) 518 - 8464
Bring a copy of this ad to get a 10%
discount on jewelry until December 24th
325 Cameron Street at corner of N. Royal
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12 | December 15, 2011
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
Sports
Wolverines keep clawing, hand
Titans first loss with buzzer-beater
Roundball
roundup
Maroon fall in clash of regional
powerhouses
Paul VI Catholic handed the Episcopal Maroon their first loss of the season,
trumping the boarding school 67-59 Sunday afternoon.
Though the Maroon entered the locker
room at the half with a 10-point lead, No. 3 Paul VI rebounded with a strong offensive showing, culminating
with a 24-point fourth-quarter performance. The two
teams came into the game undefeated.
Senior forward Coleman Johnson and junior guard
Standford Robinson led the Panthers in scoring, racking
up 16 points each.
For Episcopal, senior guard Kethan Savage had a
standout night, netting 18 points. Teammate Arnaud
Adala Moto, a veteran senior forward, came away with
16 points.
The 3-1 Maroon, ranked No. 9 in the region by the
Washington Post, hope to rebound against Good Counsel on the road Friday night before embarking on a
lengthy holiday break.
Panthers snap Ireton’s win streak
West Potomac proved unstoppable in a 51-50 victory against the T.C. Williams Titans on Tuesday night.
T.C. Williams falls to 3-1
on the season
By Derrick Perkins
Words were hard to come
by after a last-second, lastgasp shot by West Potomac fell
through the hoop to cement
T.C. Williams’ first loss of the
season Tuesday.
“It’s frustrating,” said a
shaken Landon Moss, the Titans’ 6-foot-5 small forward.
“We got to come back
hard,” said a barely audible
T.J. Huggins, one of the team’s
few seniors with varsity experience.
“We got our butts kicked
tonight,” said coach Julian
King.
The Titans, 3-1, are a team
known for their slow starts,
able to shift into high gear
when the moment calls for it —
generally well into the second
half. Against a 3-1 conference
rival at home, T.C. never quite
got their game going. Even in
a desperate battle for the lead
in the final minutes, the Titans
fell short in dramatic fashion.
The Wolverines drew first
blood, scoring an easy basket in the first minute of play.
Though T.C. would match
West Potomac several times,
they did not enjoy their first
lead until more than midway
through the third quarter.
“It’s frustrating, because
we know we’re a better team
than what showed up,” Moss
said afterward. “We didn’t
come out ready.”
It wasn’t the squad’s first
close game of the season.
They narrowly beat Edison on
Friday, a nail-biter to the very
end, and trumped South County by single digits a day later.
But facing West Potomac,
the then undefeated Titans
looked something they had not
in several years: vulnerable.
Wolverines senior forward
Bryant Fultz was particularly
vexing, making plays out of
nothing, seemingly untouchable on the court.
The Wolverines moved —
and scored — at will, leaving
the Titans playing a catch-asSEE Titans | 13
After stringing together a series of impressive wins, the Bishop Ireton Cardinals
came up short Tuesday night against Paul
VI Catholic, the region’s No. 3 ranked
team.
The Cardinals kept the game tight, even breaking out
to an early, first-quarter lead, but they couldn’t keep the
Panthers at bay for long. A monstrous fourth-quarter effort, which saw 31 points go up on the board, put 6-0 Paul
VI over the top.
Freshmen forward Marcus Derrickson led the Panthers in scoring, netting 16 points in the 71-58 victory
against the 4-2 Cardinals.
Prior to the loss, Ireton had squeaked by John Paul
the Great in a 65-56 overtime win and pummeled Trinity
Christian 111-66. The Cardinals face Wilson on Tuesday.
Saints look for first win
The St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes Saints
remain winless after their scheduled
matchup with John Paul the Great was cancelled. They’ll have to wait until a Saturday
matchup with St. James to get a victory.
The Saints opened the season with a 58-36 loss to
backyard rival Bishop Ireton. Just days later, St. Stephen’s fell to Flint Hill in a 75-59 home court drubbing.
Following their Saturday contest with St. James, the
Saints will head across town to face No. 9 Episcopal.
- Derrick Perkins
sports shorts
Cheerleading
Lacrosse
A little holiday cheer
Episcopal alum
honored
Alexandria is getting a
bit cheerier just in time for
the holiday season. Regional
youth cheerleading teams are
set to descend upon the city
for the annual competition.
The Holiday Invitational
Cheerleading
Competition
will be held at T.C. Williams
on Saturday. Squads from the
city’s recreation centers will
face off against one another
as well as groups hailing from
across the Washington metropolitan region.
Event tickets are on sale
at the Charles Houston, Cora
Kelly, Patrick Henry and
William Ramsay recreation
centers and at the city’s recreation services division office at 1108 Jefferson St. The
competition is set to get under
way at 11 a.m.
Tickets purchased in advance cost $2 for children,
6 to 12, and $5 for ages 13
and older. Tickets bought at
the door will cost $3 and $6.
Children, 5 and younger, are
admitted for free.
Wrestling
Ireton senior shines at tournament
Competing against a field
of 32 area schools in the annual Northern Region wrestling tournament, the Bishop
Ireton Cardinals celebrated
an eighth place finish last
weekend.
Senior Andrew Lutterloh proved to be the turning
point for Ireton, beating Annandale’s Ali Musa 2-1 to
secure the Cardinals top-10
finish. While Musa fell narrowly to Lutterloh, his teammates helped Annandale finish second in the competition.
Fauquier proved untouchable, winning the tournament
handily.
Among Ireton’s standouts, Nick Womack earned a
fourth-place finish and Darcy
Gomez placed fifth. Mike Rodriguez and Andrew Bladen
earned sixth-place finishes
for the team as well.
But Lutterloh, the tournament champion, stole the
show. He enjoyed two pins
on the way to the title match
with Musa. Lutterloh is the
second Ireton wrestler to
nab the individual title in as
many years. Elliot Mondragon clinched the award in the
2010 tournament.
Titans
Episcopal graduate Lindsey deButts, a senior at Princeton University, has been
named to Inside Lacrosse’s
Face-Off Yearbook’s inaugural women’s section.
The former Maroon was
anointed as one of the 20 top
women’s college lacrosse
players in the country by the
ESPN affiliate earlier this
month. Her squad, the Princeton Tigers, was ranked as the
No. 7 college program heading into the 2012 season.
The defenseman served as
captain of the girls lacrosse,
basketball and field hockey
teams at Episcopal before
graduating from the boarding
school in 2008. That year, deButts was honored as a member of the U.S. Lacrosse and
Under Armour All-American
teams, among other distinctions.
A native of Alexandria, deButts is studying politics.
- Derrick Perkins
FROM | 12
catch-can style of offense,
dependent on fast breaks,
lucky steals and the occasional West Potomac
miscue. They showed
glimmers of stealing the
show late in the game: going up on the Wolverines
by a single point with 39
seconds left on the clock.
Back on defense and
time running out, the Titans capitalized on a bit
of sloppiness by West
Potomac to retake possession. Driving down the
court to cushion their lead,
senior shooting guard Jordan Byrd took a foul.
And that’s when things
took a turn for the worse
for the Titans. Byrd, with
a chance to extend T.C.’s
lead, missed both free
throws. The Wolverines,
a good, clean shot short
of certain victory, had a
second chance. As the
seconds clicked off the
clock, one shot bounced
off the rim, then another,
and another, before the
ball slipped past the T.C.
defenders to the sound of
the buzzer.
Final score: West Potomac 51, T.C. 50.
“It was a lack of effort,
a lack of intensity and
execution,” Moss said.
“We’ve just got to pick it
up and get into the right
mindset going into [the
rest of the season].”
That’s the real test,
said King. They expected a loss — though not
this early in the season
— eventually. There’s a
possibility King’s leading
men — Huggins, Byrd,
Moss, senior Daquan Kerman and newcomer Malik
Smith — will learn from
this and use it as fuel later
in the season. It’s just not
a sure thing, he said.
“I have to see how my
guys respond,” King said.
They’ve got a week to
ponder the loss. T.C. takes
the court against W.T.
Woodson on Tuesday.
Classes begin January 11
14 | December 15, 2011
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
Brea
with kfast
www tickets Sant
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a
wnbo vailable a a
d
Presented by old town boutique district
in partnership with Meals on wheels association of aMerica
t
utiqu
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edist
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outh blic housem
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0 adu
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come meet santa every saturday and sunday until christmas eve
at 210 s. union st. in old town, alexandria
december 10th–11th and 17th–18th; saturdays, 10am–5pm; sundays, 12 noon–5pm.
$15 — includes photo with santa
sPonsored by:
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This program was made possible Through The supporT of The alexandria markeTing fund.
OTBD ad 9.3x10.5 times wk4.indd 1
11/27/11 2:31:09 PM
Holiday Gift Guide
Wow your friends and family
with these amazing gifts
By Marty Devine
Sometimes, there’s one
goal in mind with a present:
making the recipient say,
“Wow!”
The three-letter word may
slip out from the price tag or
the thoughtfulness of the gift.
Either way, it’s amazing to see
their eyes light up like Christmas lights. Find a variety of
gift ideas below to make that
special moment come true for
your family and loved ones.
SOMETHING NEW
AND DIFFERENT
Give your significant other
a gift certificate to an introduction to knitting class (and yes,
men knit) from fiber space at
102 N. Fayette St. There also
is the $60 deluxe knitting kit,
which comes complete with
two balls of wool, bamboo
needles, a learn-to-knit book,
a notions kit and a project
bag.
In addition to knitting,
there are painting, drawing,
sculpting and photography
classes available at the Alexandria Art League (www.
theartleague.org).
For the more adventurous type, Sportrock (www.
sportrock.com) offers climb-
ing classes starting at $25. Or
check out the sailing lessons
at Belle Haven Marina’s Mariner Sailing School (www.
saildc.com), located south
of Old Town on the George
Washington Parkway.
WINE LOVERS
Alexandria features some
wonderful wine shops, with
staff ready to help you find the
perfect bottle at the perfect
price. And there’s more than
likely a great store near you:
Au Domaine at 802 N. Fairfax St.; Grape and Bean at 118
S. Royal St.; Daily Planet at
2000 Mount Vernon Ave.; The
Winery at 317 S. Washington
St.; Rick’s Wine and Gourmet
at 3117 Duke St.; and Fern
Street Gourmet at 1708 Fern
St.
While at the store, consider
complementing the bottle of
wine with a deluxe corkscrew,
wine rack or book about the
vintage. Or maybe go all out
and buy plane tickets for a trip
to California’s vineyards.
PAMPER AND ENHANCE THE
BODY
You can never go wrong
with a gift from a day spa,
especially at Circe Salon and
Day Spa at 123 N. Washing-
ton St. Any gift certificate
with spa and/or salon offerings makes for a fantastic gift.
At the corner of North
Fairfax and Madison, Serenity Day Spa offers the special
“12 Massages of Christmas”
package. The special gives
your loved one a massage for
every month of 2012: five serenity massages, which combine multiple techniques to
encourage deep relaxation;
five aromatherapy massages;
and two hot stone massages.
The festive package costs
$940, a savings of $218 compared to buying the massages
individually. The Sport and
Health Club is nearby in case
a gym membership may be a
better present.
And speaking of gyms,
Fitness Together, at 300 N.
Washington St., proffers customized personal training and
small group classes. The personal trainers focus on each
individual’s specific fitness
goals rather than following
the same workout routine for
everyone.
SOMETHING FOR THE WALLS
Purchasing artwork as a
gift can be tricky. What apSEE Gift Guide | 16
The Lamplighter
When your “favorite”
uncle comes over this
holiday season
show off that prize
portrait or painting
with a picture light
from
The Lamplighter
1207 King Street
Alexandria, VA
703-549-4040
www.lamplighterlamps.com
2011-12_shumans_alextimes.pdf
16 | December 15, 2011
1
12/5/11
11:48 AM
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
Gift Guide
FROM | 15
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Exclusive provider of the Shuman’s Jelly Cake
An Alexandria tradition since 1876
Order online or by phone:
www.ShumansBakery.com
(703) 683-1876
Free delivery to zip codes 22301-22315
peals to one person may not
appeal to the next. But at the
same time, artwork can be
such a moving, special present.
And Alexandria boasts quite a
few art stores so you can shop
around.
A couple of the best art places include the Torpedo Factory,
at 105 N. Union St., and Old
Colony Shop, at 222 S. Washington St. Torpedo Factory
contains 82 artist studios and
six galleries, while Old Colony
Shop has antique prints, paintings and artifacts. Old Colony
also does exceptional, highquality framing; it’s affordable,
too.
Over on King Street, there
are fine art galleries like Principle Gallery, at 208 King, and
Mindful Hands and Traditions
de France, at 1113 King. The
latter boasts more than 1,000
oil paintings on canvas, starting at $140, as well as gorgeous
furniture. A block over at 1213
King St. stands Gallery West.
A short distance away in
Del Ray, the art shops include
A Show of Hands, at 2301
Mount Vernon Ave., and Artfully Chocolate, at 2003A Mount
Vernon Ave. Artfully Chocolate
not only sells fine chocolate, but
also the lovely artwork adorning the store’s walls. For more
unique, original art, there’s Del
Ray Artisans at 2704 Mount
Vernon Ave.
After buying the perfect art
piece, don’t forget to frame the
work to top it off. As such, stop
by National Art and Framing in
the Bradley Shopping Center at
3620 King St.
BANGLES AND BLING
Jewelry always wows.
The Silver Parrot, at 113
King St., features unique, stunningly designed silver jewelry,
as well as more simple, affordable pieces. Nearby is Mystique
Jewelers, at 211 The Strand.
Gorgeous Gifts
Delivered Nationwide!
Gorgeous flowers,
fragrant greens, fruit
baskets, blooming
plants, gourmet
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2100 Jefferson Davis Hwy
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703-299-9000
703-695-0800
Save $5 on any holiday centerpiece!
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Holiday Gift Guide
Strolling up the main drag,
King’s Jewelry can be found
at 609 King St. It has gorgeous
jewelry at many different price
points. In addition, there’s quite
a few other superb jewelry
stores: The Bishop Boutique
at 815B King St.; Zoe, at 130
S. Union St.; and Gossypia at
325 Cameron St. Each store
features spectacular, classy and
fun jewelry pieces.
CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES
Many stores sell clothing in
Alexandria. But only a select
few offer high-quality clothing
and accessory selections with
enough breadth. These special
stores also employ staff members eager to help customers
find the right size and fit.
These fine shops include
Zoe Boutique, at 130 S. Union
St.; Bishop Boutique, at 815B
King St.; Hysteria, at 125 S.
Fairfax St.; Shoe Hive at 127
S. Fairfax St.; Periwinkle, at
1557 Potomac Greens Drive;
and Kiskadee, at 2205 Mount
Vernon Ave.
BRINGING THE LOOK
AND FEEL OF INDIA
TO OLD TOWN!
Mention this ad for 25% off
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old town
703-349-1115
Give something truly one of a kind
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fibre space™ is a full service knit
& crochet shop that offers a wide
selection of yarns, needles and
notions in a wide range of prices,
with an emphasis in indie and US
made companies.
102 n. fayette st, alexandria, va 22314
703.664.0344 fibrespace.com
OTHER WOW IDEAS
Furniture may be just the
ticket for a surprise gift. If so,
Conrad’s Furniture, at the corner of King and North Union
streets, is definitely a must-stop.
The store features comfortable
and well-designed pieces.
Nearby, Decorium, at 116
King St., sells many wowworthy items. The store marries
home and gift items with classic designs of yesterday and
the modern styles of today in
an artful and whimsical way as
brilliant as it is fantastic.
Indus Imports, at 1010 King
St., has hand-knotted rugs from
Kashmir and throughout India. In addition, the store also
sells a wonderful assortment of
fine pashmina, wool, and silk
shawls, bedding, wall hangings,
fine art, jewelry and apparel.
On the same block stands
one of the most unique and special stores in Alexandria — The
Hour Shop. The 1015 King St.
store offers gifts and accessories for the perfect cocktail
hour, such as spectacular wine
glasses, decanters, trays, pitchers, ice buckets and corkscrews.
There also is a fine selection of
vintage jewelry.
For something different,
drop by Lee Design and Interiors. The 1020 King St. store
celebrates 25 years in business
this year and offers beautiful
accessories on sale to mark the
occasion.
Last but not least is BW Arts,
Antiques and Jewelry. The owner who heads the 108 N. Fayette
St. shop acquires and sells jewelry, American art, estate pieces
and designer handbags. You
can’t go wrong at BW, where
gifts range from $10 to $500.
WOW ‘EM
Each Alexandria shop features presents to wow your
loved ones. And the gift ideas
prove the cost doesn’t have to
hit astronomical levels. So drop
by and check out these wonderful local shops to find that truly
memorable and thoughtful gift.

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18 | December 15, 2011
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
Calendar of
SCENE AROUND TOWN
Events
To have your event considered
for our calendar listings, please
email [email protected].
You can also post your event
directly to our online calendar
by visiting www.alextimes.com.
Now to December 18
‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ A
delicious cross between the classic
Charles Dickens’ tale and uproarious
song parodies of favorite Broadway
show tunes. This performance is rollin-the-aisles funny.
Time: 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday;
3 and 8 p.m. Saturday; and 3 and 7
p.m. Sunday
Location: MetroStage, 1201 N.
Royal St.
Information: 703-548-9044 or
www.metrostage.org
Now to December 24
CHRISTMAS ATTIC’S HOLIDAY
ADVENT ART EVENT As part
of the store’s 40th anniversary, The
Christmas Attic has partnered with
area schools, churches and community groups to help produce illuminated
canvases of art in each of the store’s
windows. Each day at sundown, the
store will reveal advent art featuring a
variety of local holiday creations.
Time: Sundown
Location: Christmas Attic, 125 S.
Union St.
www.christmasattic.com
Now to December 31
Image/Danny Clinch
Jake Shimabukuro brings his pioneering and unique ukulele sound to the Birchmere on Tuesday as part of his “Peace Love Ukulele” tour.
The renaissance of the ukulele
By David Sachs
Jake
Shimabukuro
brings his
unorthodox
style to the
Birchmere
Constantly overshadowed by
its bigger, louder cousin the guitar, the ukulele doesn’t get much
love. But Jake Shimabukuro is
trying to change that.
The uke virtuoso takes a pioneering approach to his art —
he covers Queen’s “Bohemian
Rhapsody,” for one — that infuses rock and blues into what many
view as an unassuming string instrument. One listen to Shimabukuro’s sound and it’s obvious the
ukulele was meant for more than
Hawaiian luaus.
He comes to the Birchmere
on Tuesday as part of his “Peace
Love Ukulele” tour.
Alexandria Times: Tell me
about ‘Peace Love Ukulele,’
your newest album.
Jake Shimabukuro: “Peace Love
Ukulele” is an album compiled
of songs that I hope will bring joy
and happiness to listeners near
and far. I hope the emotions expressed in the music will connect
people and make them realize
that we all feel the same things
— we just express them differently. Music is the greatest gift
and the ukulele is the friendliest
way to present that gift to the
world. A few favorites are “143,”
a song inspired by the pager
code 143 which simply means
I love you and “Go For Broke,”
a song written for the Japanese-
American veterans who served in
World War II.
How does this album differ
from your last studio album?
“Peace Love Ukulele” is my first
independent release. I had a lot
of fun putting things together for
this album. I really took my time
with this one and tried to present the ukulele in ways that were
fresh and exciting. What do you want people to
take away from your music?
I hope listeners experience the
same joy that I’m experiencing
SEE Ukulele | 21
MARSHALL HOUSE INCIDENT
EXHIBITION The deaths of Union
Col. Elmer Ellsworth and secessionist
James Jackson at the Marshall House
Hotel along King Street during the
Federal occupation of Alexandria on
May 24, 1861, stirred patriotic fervor
in the north and south. This exhibit at
Fort Ward features objects from the
museum collection — like a star from
the flag which had flown over Marshall
House and loan items from the Mary
Custis Lee chapter of the Daughters of
the Confederacy — to tell this notable
story about the event that launched
the Civil War in Alexandria.
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday
through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m.
Sunday
Location: Fort Ward Museum, 4301
W. Braddock Road
www.fortward.org
‘IN BLACK AND WHITE’ This
exhibition brings together two friends
whose work explores African-American culture. Nina Tisara of Alexandria
and Peggy Fleming of Washington,
D.C., present their findings in the medium of black-and-white photographs.
“In Black and White” highlights two
very different aspects of AfricanAmerican life and culture. Tisara’s
series, “United in the Spirit,” focuses
on worship in Alexandria’s AfricanAmerican community, while Fleming’s
ALEXANDRIA TIMES work, “Crown Me!” looks at the social
life of one group of African-American
men and a traditional American pastime. Suggested admission is $2.
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday
through Saturday
Location: Alexandria Black History
Museum, 902 Wythe St.
www.alexblackhistory.org
TARGET GALLERY’S ‘PETRI
DISH’ This is a national, all-media,
small-works exhibition with a primary
focus of artist experimentation. The
work in the exhibition fits within a
standard Petri dish. Out of 142 works
to choose from, juror Jesse Cohen
selected 52 for the exhibition. The artists hail from across the country, with
five D.C.-area artists in the exhibition.
Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (until 9 p.m.
Thursdays)
Location: Target Gallery at Torpedo
Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St.
Information: www.torpedofactory.org
Now to February 12
ROCK YOUR PARK The City of
Alexandria Department of Recreation,
Parks and Cultural Activities offers
free community open play days
and nights at Ben Brenman Park’s
synthetic turf field. Families, friends
and neighbors of all ages can visit the
field to play soccer, lacrosse, touch
football, rugby and toss a Frisbee.
Time: 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; noon to 5 p.m. Saturday; and 1
to 5 p.m. Sunday
Location: Ben Brenman Park Field,
4800 Brenman Park Drive
Information: Contact Mac Slover
at 703-746-5402 or mac.slover@
alexandriava.gov
December 15
GREAT BOOKS DISCUSSION
GROUP The group will discuss the
chapter, Bright and Morning Star,
from author Richard Write’s “Uncle
Tom’s Children.”
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Charles E. Beatley Jr.
Central Library, 5005 Duke St.
Information: Contact Bill Scouton
at 703-931-3559
DWELE The Detroit artist, whose latest album was “What’s Not to Love,”
is a devotee of jazz and R&B. Tickets
are $45.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: The Birchmere, 3701
Mount Vernon Ave.
www.birchmere.com
December 16
INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
PLAYGROUP Children learn valu-
able social skills and work on their
developmental skills through play.
Parents and caregivers will interact
with their child in stimulating activities that reinforce physical, cognitive
and social development. The playgroup is free.
Time: 10:30 a.m. to noon
Location: Cora Kelly Recreation
Center, 25 W. Reed Ave.
Information: Contact Deatrice Williams at 703-746-3430 or deatrice.
[email protected]
December 15, 2011 | 19
SPANISH STORY TIME The folks
at Language Stars are back for another fun story time. The native-speaking
teachers fully immerse children in a
foreign language through an engaging
mix of games and songs. This story
time is for children 4 and younger.
Time: 1:30 to 2 p.m.
Location: Hooray for Books!, 1555
King St.
Information: 703-548-4092
PAJAMA STORY TIME Put on pajamas and join Hooray for Books! for a
warm story time. The store will have
quiet and loud stories for all ages.
Please RSVP for this free event.
Time: 7 to 8 p.m.
Location: Hooray for Books!, 1555
King St.
email [email protected]
SPARKLERS ‘Tis the season for
toasting! Come taste the Butcher’s
Block’s fantastic selection of
sparkling wine and champagne. The
restaurant will have values as well as
beautiful grower’s champagne available. The event is free.
Time: 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: The Butcher’s Block,
1600 King St.
TANK The R&B singer, songwriter
and producer will perform live at the
Birchmere. Tickets are $45.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Mount Vernon Ave.
www.birchmere.com
December 17 - 18
CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL Alfred
Street Baptist Church will host its
annual Christmas Festival with guest
artist Joseph Joubert, a pianist and
composer. The church will present
“Great Joy — A Gospel Christmas.”
The event is free.
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: T.C. Williams High School,
3330 King St.
www.alfredstreet.org
Location: St. Andrew and St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican Catholic
Church, 402 E. Monroe Ave.
www.standrewandstmargaret.org
CHRISTMAS DINNER WINE
TASTING Christmas dinner is spe-
cial and a perfect wine is needed to
set it off. Taste and discover the best
pairing for any Christmas feast at the
Butcher’s Block. The event is free.
1600 King St.
PIECES OF A DREAM The R&B
and jazz group from Philadelphia will
come to Alexandria to perform at the
Birchmere. Pieces of a Dream’s latest
album was “Soul Intent.” Tickets are
$35.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Mount Vernon Ave.
www.birchmere.com
December 18
TEA WITH SANTA Mrs. B, of Tea
with Mrs. B and a well-renowned local
celebrity, will guide families and children, 10 and younger, through a winter
wonderland of tea, goodies and holiday
arts and crafts. The splendid holiday decor of the Morrison House will create a
beautiful setting for photos with Santa.
Proceeds will benefit the Child and Family Network Centers. Tickets are $150
for adults and $50 for children.
Time: Noon to 3 p.m.
Location: Morrison House Hotel,
116 S. Alfred St.
Information: Contact Anna Berke
at 703-836-0214 or [email protected]
CIVIL WAR SUNDAY Explore the
Civil War in Alexandria with Civil War
Sundays, a showcase of an original May
26, 1861, edition New York Tribune
detailing Col. Elmer Ellsworth’s death in
Alexandria; a Peeps diorama illustrating
Ellsworth’s death; a TimeTravelers
Passport exhibit featuring the Civil War
drummer boy; a diorama of a heating
system constructed in Alexandria to
warm Civil War hospital tents during the
winter of 1861; a cocked-and-loaded
Wickham musket discarded in a privy
during the 1860s; and an exhibit on
the Lee Street site during the Civil War.
The event is free.
Time: 1 to 5 p.m.
Location: Alexandria Archaeology
Museum, 105 N. Union St.
HOLIDAY FAVORITES WITH
THE COLONIAL HANDBELL
RINGERS Join the Colonial Hand-
bell Ringers as they present their festive holiday musical show. Get into the
holiday spirit and listen — as well as
sing along — with their performance
of holiday classics using a long set of
Whitechapel bells. The event is free.
Time: 2 to 3 p.m. and 4 to 5 p.m.
Location: The Lyceum, 201 S.
Washington St.
alexandriava.gov/lyceum
WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN
PHILHARMONIC CONCERT
Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic will present Tchaikovsky’s “Swan
Lake” suite; Ellen Taaffe Zwillich’s
Planning a Family Reunion?
Let us help you today!
December 17
CHRISTMAS CAROL SINGALONG AND BRUNCH St.
Andrew and St. Margaret of Scotland
Anglican Catholic Church will hold
a free Christmas carol sing-along
and brunch. Visitors are welcome to
join members in singing traditional
Christmas carols, along with musical
accompaniment. A festive fellowship
brunch will follow the carol singing.
Time: 10:30 a.m.
December 19
WORLD SHORT STORY
DISCUSSION GROUP The group
will discuss stories in “Short Shorts:
An Anthology of the Shortest Stories,”
by Irving and Ilana W. Howe.
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Ellen Coolidge Burke
Branch Library, 4701 Seminary Road
Information: Contact Mark
Schwartz at 703-746-1770
SEE Calendar | 22
DEC 30th
Doc Scantlin’s
Pre-New Year’s
Eve Celebration
Dinner from 6:30, Show at 8:00pm
DEC 31st
Joe Coleman & Friends
JAN 6th
Swing Machine Big Band
JAN 13th
MOUNT VERNON BY CANDLELIGHT Mrs. Washington will host an
enchanting evening of candlelit tours,
fireside Christmas caroling, and hot
cider and ginger cookies. Tickets are
$20 for adults and $11 for children,
11 and younger.
Location: Mount Vernon Estate and
Gardens, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway
www.mountvernon.org
“Bassoon Concerto” with bassoonist Arnold Irchai; William McDaniel’s
“Variations”; and a short work from
one of three Washington Metropolitan
Philharmonic composition competition finalists. There is free parking
at the school. Tickets are $20 and
attendees younger than 19 are free.
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Bishop Ireton High
School, 201 Cambridge Road
www.wmpamusic.org
Bad Juju
JAN 20th
On-Site planning for all events
Complimentary hospitality room
Customized menus for meal functions
Packages are available to include: opening night
welcome reception, second evening dinner service,
and closing morning brunch
To book, call Tracie at 703-740-4217
The Fabulous Hubcaps
411 John Carlyle St.
alexandria, Va 22314
Holiday Inn
At Hoffman Town Center
2460 Eisenhower Ave.
Alexandria, Va 22314
(703) 960-3400 • holidayinn.com
703-548-8899
theCarlyleClub . Com
20 | December 15, 2011
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
Ukulele
What musicians have
inspired you?
FROM | 18
when I’m strumming the ukulele. The ukulele is probably
one of the easiest instruments
to play … anyone can pick it
up for the first time, learn a
couple chords and immediately start strumming songs.
It’s so relaxing. I always tell
people that playing the ukulele
is like an entire yoga session
in one strum.
All the greats of course. But
a lot of my inspiration comes
from figures outside of the music world — people like Bruce
Lee, Bill Cosby, Michael Jordan, Joe Montana and other artists who are passionate about
what they do. Bruce Lee and
Bill Cosby were my heroes
when I was growing up. I loved
Lee’s philosophy and applied a
lot of his ideas to my approach
in music. He embraced all
forms of martial arts and didn’t
believe in having just one style.
I love all forms of music and
try not to get locked into one
genre. Bill Cosby’s HBO performance of “Bill Cosby —
Himself” inspired me to be a
solo performer. Cosby could
simply sit in a chair with a microphone, tell stories and entertain millions. He’s the greatest.
When did you first pick up
the ukulele?
I first picked up the ukulele at
the age of 4. My mom played
and taught me my first few
chords. I started out strumming mainly traditional Hawaiian music as a child. But
later I enjoyed the challenge
of trying to play other styles
of music on the four string,
two octave instrument — like
rock, jazz and classical.
After taking on covers of
“While My Guitar Gently
Weeps” and “Bohemian
Rhapsody,” are there any
other songs or artists you’d
consider covering?
There are so many great tunes
out there. I love covering tunes
that were written or performed
by my favorite artists. Covering a song of your favorite artist is like wearing your favorite basketball player’s jersey.
Jake Shimabukuro plays the
Brichmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., on Tuesday at 7:30
p.m. Tickets are $29.50. Visit
www.birchmere.com for more
information.
‘‘THE
MOST
FUN
YOU’LL HAVE AT THE MOVIES THIS YEAR!”
“ CHARLIZE THERON PLAYS MEAN TO PERFECTION.
“IT’S EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST MOVIE.”
ABSOLUTELY MESMERIZING ABOUT
Joel D. Amos, MOVIEFANATIC.COM
Tom Snyder, MOVIEGUIDE
“ROBERT DOWNEY JR. AND JUDE LAW
ARE AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME.”
Betsy Sharkey
IN ‘ YOUNG ADULT’ THERE IS SOMETHING
WATCHING A TRAIN WRECK UNFOLD ON SCREEN.”
Patrick Stoner, PBS FLICKS
“EXTRAORDINARILY BRILLIANT!”
Sandra Varner,
CELEBRITY PROFILES
“AWE-INSPIRING
ACTION AND
RAZOR-SHARP
HUMOR.
THIS IS WHY
WE GO TO
THE MOVIES!”
Jake Hamilton,
FOX-TV
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF UP IN THE AIR
AND THE WRITER OF JUNO
Claudia Puig
“GUTSY
SPECIAL MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15
EVERYWHERE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16
CHECK DIRECTORIES FOR LISTINGS
PERFORMANCE.”
“
Mick LaSalle
HHHHH”
EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENTS STARTS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16
22 | December 15, 2011
CAlendar
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
December 20
LIVING NATIVITY SHOW Come
FROM | 19
CHRIS ISAAK The American rock
musician is best known for “Wicked
Game” and “Baby Did a Bad, Bad
Thing.” Chris Isaak’s latest album
is “Beyond the Sun,” which was
released in October. Tickets are
$89.50.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Mount Vernon Ave.
www.birchmere.com
and visit the Living Nativity Show on
the front lawn of the Hermitage. The
event is free.
Time: 2 to 4 p.m.
Location: Hermitage, 5000 Fairbanks Ave.
Information: www.hermitage-nova.
com
JAKE SHIMABUKURO The
34-year-old artist is a master of
the ukulele. Jake Shimabukuro effortlessly mixes the sounds of jazz,
rock, classical, traditional Hawaiian
music and folk. His latest album was
“Peace Love Ukulele.” Tickets are
$29.50.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Mount Vernon Ave.
www.birchmere.com
December 21
SPARKLERS This is a second
opportunity to taste the Butcher’s
Block’s amazing sparkling wine and
champagne collection. New Year’s
Eve is on the way, so ring it in right
with the perfect celebration sparkler.
The event is free.
Time: 5 to 8 p.m.
1600 King St.
“THE
PERFECT FAMILY
HOLIDAY COMEDY.”
JOEL AMOS, MOVIEFANATIC.COM
DUNCAN BOOK DISCUSSION
GROUP The group will discuss “Un-
broken,” by Laura Hillenbrand.
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: James M. Duncan Branch
Library, 2501 Commonwealth Ave.
Information: Contact Ruth Hailu at
703-746-1705x3
December 22
JEWMONGOUS FEATURING
SEAN ALTMAN Jewmongous is
a comedy song concert from Sean
Altman, who is most famously known
from his role on “Where in the World
is Carmen Sandiego?” He co-wrote
the theme and is a former member
of Rockapella, which performed the
song. Tickets are $25.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Mount Vernon Ave.
www.birchmere.com
December 23 - 26
CITY OFFICES CLOSED City offices will be closed for the Christmas
holiday.
Time: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Location: Various
Information: www.alexandriava.gov
December 23
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA The
Old Town Boutique District will cap off
the holiday season with Breakfast with
Santa. This will be the last opportunity
for children to share their Christmas
wishes with Santa before he heads
back to the North Pole. The event includes a breakfast buffet, craft stations
and cookie decorating. Tickets are $20
for adults and $10 for children.
Time: 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Location: Union Street Public
House, 121 S. Union St.
www.oldtownboutiquedistrict.com
The Little Theatre of Alexandria presents
A Christmas Carol December 8 - 18
Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly Victorian humbug, travels
with ghostly guides through Christmas past, present,
and future to find the true meaning of the holidays.
Complete with special effects, Victorian carols, and Tiny
Tim, A Christmas Carol is a must for the entire family.
600 Wolfe St, Alexandria • 701.638.0496 • www.thelittletheatre.com
CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATRES AND SHOWTIMES
Mobile Users: For Showtimes - Text Message CHIPWRECKED and your ZIP CODE to 43KIX (43549)
HOLIDAY DINNER PAIRING
Alexandria Times’
Come taste several wines perfect
for holiday and winter foods at the
Butcher’s Block. The event is free.
1600 King St.
Cause of the Month
Alexandria Times will donate a portion of every
paid display ad in December to our Cause of the Month. Please join us in contributing to this worthy cause.
January 9
December’s cause:
PARTNERS IN ART GROUP
Looking for a chance to get together
with creative people to discuss art
and exchange ideas? Join a meeting
of the Del Ray Artisans’ cooperatively
led Partners in Art group. Guests may
find the group engaged in a creativity
exercise, enjoying a short demonstration or in a lively art-related discussion. Free and open to the public.
Time: 2 to 4 p.m.
Location: Del Ray Artisans, 2704
Mount Vernon Ave.
Information: Contact Millie Mateu
at globaleducationsolutions@gmail.
com or Katherine Rand at katherine@
katherinerand.com
First Night Alexandria is a
family-friendly, affordable, accessible celebration of the New
Year that annually occupies
approximately 20 venues in Old
Town. First Night Alexandria
routinely provides complimentary admission to active military personnel and to disadvantaged families in this City.
To donate please contact: Ann M. Dorman, CMP
Meetings & Events of Distinction
(703) 626.1266 • www.MeetingsandEventsofDistinction.com
January 10
COLLAGE CUT UPS Feel
overwhelmed by the deluge of junk
mail and magazines arriving in the
mail? Take those scraps and have
fun. Play with the Collage Cut Ups in
a supportive environment promoting
an exchange of ideas, creativity and
networking with beginner and experienced collage artists. RSVP by 9 a.m.
Time: 1 to 4 p.m.
Location: Del Ray Artisans, 2704
Mount Vernon Ave.
Information: Contact the outreach
director at [email protected]
Local Pros
Directory
Introduce your team of
professionals to your
Alexandria neighbors
in the Local Pros
Directory published by
the Alexandria Times.
The Local Pros Directory
is a categorical listing
designed to provide
our readers with an
easy-to-use guide of
service professionals
and organizations in and
around Alexandria.
The Local Pros Directory
provides your company
with an effective
communication tool
delivered monthly
in a quality editorial
environment to
Alexandria’s highestincome residents for less
than 2 cents per copy.
SEE IT FIRST FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16 IN
AND SELECT THEATRES
Visit www.alextimes.com
WASHINGTON SUBURBAN PRESS
FRIDAY 12.16
3.61x8
EN
all.mig-3-61x8-4c.1216.wsp.
24 | December 15, 2011
Our View
Protect Alexandria
from homogony
If the Alexandria City Council wants to practice
random enforcement of justice, it will vote to approve
the mammoth, sprawling, six-story Arlandria Center
nearing fruition in the Arlandria-Chirilagua neighborhood. If it wants to take an egalitarian, democratic
track, it will defer the decision, listen to neighborhood
stakeholders and work with the developer to re-plan the
urban renewal project.
The situation in Arlandria hardly differs from the
development war waging on the city’s riverfront. Residents there believe plans to commercialize the Potomac
River shoreline will devastate their quality of life. Despite good-faith efforts by City Hall to include them in
the planning process, many residents did not participate
or speak up until the plan’s approval was imminent.
They were late, but loud. The city government delayed a final decision and began working with stakeholders on a compromise.
Likewise, in the mostly low-income minority neighborhood of Arlandria, residents and business owners
woke up one day to find their quality of life at risk. If
approved, Arlandria Center will tower over the community’s low-lying skyline, price-out residents and business owners and change Arlandria’s dynamic, in some
cases for the better.
But gentrification is a valid and imminent concern.
City officials are on record saying gentrifying Arlandria is not ideal, but they cannot guarantee protection
against it. Why? Because it is an uncontrollable phenomenon of the open market. You cannot micromanage
gentrification; it cannot be stopped once it starts.
What City Hall can do is reset. Officials should
work with residents who feel marginalized, just as they
did with Old Town residents who felt disenfranchised
during the waterfront planning process. Anything less
would be blatantly inequitable. The only difference between the two situations is the developer in Arlandria,
PMI, has its shovel halfway in the ground. This situation is extremely urgent and more difficult to resolve.
Residents and elected officials must act now.
“Quality of life” is a subjective term. Some Arlandrian residents struggling to make ends meet don’t think
a 636,000-square-foot development will enhance their
quality of life. On the contrary, it would likely raise
their rent. In wealthier Old Town, residents worry their
quality of life will be stampeded by hotels. The council
must treat Arlandria stakeholders as they did Old Town
residents.
The only way to realize the city’s vision of an inclusive, socioeconomically diverse Arlandria is to include
every sect of city in the decision-making process. The
City of Alexandria doesn’t have unilateral control over
the property in question, but this is not City Hall’s first
rodeo with developers. The government has influence
but must choose to use it. It should start by deferring
approval and compromising with Arlandria stakeholders
as it did with Old Town residents.
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
Opinion
“Where the press is free and every man is able to read, all is safe.”
- Thomas Jefferson
Your Views
Five cheers for new mercury standards
To the editor:
On Friday, the Environmental Protection Agency is
expected (operative word) to
pass one of the most important
safeguards in the last decade
when it finalizes a rule to limit
the amount of toxic mercury
coming from power plants.
I emphasize the word “expected” because action could
be delayed due to opposition
from some states and power
companies. As the outgoing chair of the Metropolitan
Washington Air Quality Committee and a longtime opponent of the Potomac River
Generating Station, I have
come to know the danger mer-
cury poses to the health of our
families and the importance of
this proposed rule.
Mercury emissions are
transported through the air and
deposited on water and land,
where they enter the food supply exposing humans and
wildlife. Mercury has been
linked to reproductive health
problems, heart attacks and
developmental disabilities. It
can adversely affect neurological development in fetuses,
infants and children. Mercury
exposure in the womb can occur through a mother’s consumption of contaminated fish
and shellfish. This can affect
a baby’s brain and nervous
system, impacting his or her
cognitive thinking, memory,
attention, language and fine
motor skills. Much smaller sources of
mercury emissions, such as
waste-to-energy plants, were
required to install state-ofthe-art mercury controls more
than a decade ago. It is about
time that larger sources, such
as power plants, be required
to install these controls. Five
cheers for the new rule.
- Del Pepper
Alexandria City
Council member
Vote no on pricing out immigrants in Arlandria-Chirilagua
To the editor:
Arlandria is one of the last
neighborhoods in Alexandria
comprised of low-income immigrants. Developers have
had their scopes set on developing Arlandia for years, and
this Saturday Alexandria City
Council will decide the fate
of a plan that proposes transforming Arlandria’s Mount
Vernon Shopping Center into
a massive five-acre, 636,000
-square-foot complex that
includes 478 dwelling units,
commercial space, parking
garages and host of other
amenities.
The problem is not redevelopment, but rather this
particular plan. This redevelopment plan is wrong for
Arlandria, and it should be
rejected by the city council.
Most important is the issue of fairness. The owners
can redevelop this site as
a “matter of right,” meaning they can build within
the confines of what’s legally permitted without ask-
ing special permission from
the city. However, the owner
and developers are requesting
the approval of five separate
permits that include a host of
“proffers” including: (1.) permission to build two levels
courts, farther away from the
proposed project.
In exchange, the owners
and developers are giving up
28 units of “affordable” housing at 60 percent of the area’s
average income. Because
The problem
is not
redevelopment, but
rather this particular
plan.
higher than legal in order to
build above-ground parking
(it’s more expensive to build
underground parking); (2.)
permission to build compact
car parking spaces allowing
for additional parking spots;
and (3.) permission to move
existing recreational space,
i.e. basketball and soccer
most of Arlandria’s families’
incomes range from $25,000
to $50,000, these units will be
out of their reach. In practice,
the community is getting zero
proffers.
Second, the plan simply
needs improvement. For example, this plan ignores the
traffic and parking impact
on Bruce Street, a one-lane
street on the north side of the
proposed complex with public parking on both sides, and
in turn, the residents of the
120-unit Arlandia-Chirilagua
Housing Cooperative located
across the street. This redevelopment would lead to a
significant increase in Bruce
Street traffic: 3,200 automobiles per day. Bruce Street
needs to be widened enough
to make it a two-lane street.
The existing plan keeps Bruce
Street as a single lane.
In addition, there is no
Bruce Street turning analysis in the plan so it’s uncertain if fire trucks, trash trucks
and 50-foot moving vehicles
could make turns in and out
of Bruce Street without causing traffic backups. And the
proposed complex has an
entrance/exit on that side of
the building that service and
emergency vehicles will need
to use.
Furthermore, the redevelopment will lead to less park-
ing in a neighborhood where
public parking already is
limited, and there is no plan
to help the residents of the
ACHC with parking.
Lastly, transportation also
is a concern, given that the
redevelopment will lead to
more than 2,000 new residents in Arlandria. A housing project of this magnitude
is usually built near a Metro
station, but Arlandria doesn’t
have one. At the very least, a
transportation plan including
a shuttle dedicated to transporting people directly to the
closest Metro station should
be furnished. The plan includes no such shuttle.
If the owners and developers would reach out in good
faith to Arlandria’s community, we would be more than
happy to share our views for
how to make this plan work.
This one doesn’t.
- L. Gabriel Rojo
Executive director, Tenants
and Workers United
Legal liability and the internet: Are you being too social?
Morning news shows talk ating legal problems for usabout it. We read about it in ers, too, like eHarmony and
newspapers. We talk about it other dating sites. Here are a
with “friends.”
couple of examples of what I
It is how to get in trouble mean.
using social media.
The electronic era has LAWSUITS
brought many changes in our Be careful about deletability to access information ing stuff from Facebook if
rapidly. We can
you are involved
get more inforin a lawsuit. For
mation than we
example, a man
ever knew existed
sued the driver
from sources so
whose
vehicle
varied our heads
struck and killed
spin. And, we get
his wife. Photos
that information
on the husband’s
with just a few
Facebook
page
clicks on the keyshowed him in a
board. We also
T-shirt that said
MyView “I ♥ Hot Moms.”
have new challenges, including Sandra Rohrstaff The husband and
how to safely use
his lawyer got in
social media.
trouble for removing the pic The big gorilla is Face- tures — and then lying about
book. It has something like it.
800 million active users. But
there are other online social DIVORCES
gathering places ripe for cre- A person involved in a
divorce proceeding had been
posting on Facebook, eHarmony and other social media
about seeing other people.
Not smart. The spouse, of
course, asked for the other
spouse’s passwords to all social media. The judge ordered
both sides to exchange that
information.
REVEALING TOO MUCH Last spring, I spoke to
high school classes about
how to use (and get in trouble
by using) social media. Here
are some of the things we
talked about.
Unlike Las Vegas, what
goes on Facebook and other
social media sites stays there.
Forever. Even if you “delete”
it. Job applicants can be sure
prospective employers will
go find you on Facebook.
I recently did not hire a
bookkeeper applicant after
checking her out on Facebook. She spent a lot of time
playing a Las Vegas gambling
game. Someone who played
gambling games handle my
firm’s money? No thanks.
She never got a chance to
convince me otherwise.
“Sexting” (teens exchanging pictures of each other in
various stages of undress)
seems harmless to teens and
some parents. Young people
have natural curiosity about
what other people’s body
parts look like, but it is unlawful to possess pictures of
nude minors. They may be
considered child pornography. (Sometimes pictures are
taken without the subjects’
knowing they’ve been photographed.) The teenagers
wanted to know whether they
could get in trouble even if a
nude picture of someone appeared on their phone without their asking for it. The answer is, technically, yes. And
they could be in more trouble
if they send it on, since that
would be distribution of child
pornography.
DON’T CHEAT
I saw a recent news story
about an insurance company
that denied a workers’ compensation claim because of
the pictures he put on Facebook, and another story about
a woman whose injury claim
ended when the insurance
company saw pictures of her
on Facebook doing things she
shouldn’t have been able to
do if she were really injured.
For better and for worse,
the rules have changed; the
world is a different place than
it was a decade ago. It’s up to
us to learn how to be socially
safe — and to teach others, as
well.
The writer is an attorney at
Rohrstaff Law Firm
in Alexandria.
26 | December 15, 2011
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
Remove politics from waterfront equation,
build consensus by delaying the plan
To the editor:
Last week’s editorial
(“Sprinting toward an arbitrary finish line on the waterfront”) asks the proverbial $64 question (or more
likely the $64 million question): Why exactly does city
council have to approve a
waterfront plan now? Why
can’t it wait for consensus
to develop?
Moreover, the local
Democrat Party’s decision to hold a June primary
means the city council will
vote during the election
season. In terms of accountability, this is good, but
what happens if the city’s
waterfront plan’s supporters are voted out in the
June primary or November election. Will there be
any meaningful opportunity
to undo the plan if it’s approved next month?
If a consensus can’t be
reached and city council
approves its plan, either it
should have an effective
date 15 months hence to afford time for repeal if plan
supporters are voted out of
office or it should be set for
contingent referendum in
the June primary or November election. Otherwise, all
the high-blown rhetoric in
2009 about moving the city
election to November to
make it “more democratic”
was merely a subterfuge to
buy enough time to do a
sleazy deal on a controversial waterfront plan.
Maybe right now isn’t
the right time to approve a
plan? Maybe waiting will
produce a consensus. Under Dolan v. Tigard, cities
are not supposed to exact
unrelated amenities in exchange for zoning waivers,
so the city’s fear the property owners might win “byright” development in court
might mean losing less leverage than what city hall
believes. Making property
owners provide amenities
in exchange for effectively
repealing current zoning, if
those property owners are
right about the 1992 zoning
being illegal, is tantamount
to extortion. And if the
property owners are wrong,
why should we give up on
the 1992 zoning when there
An Alexandria waterfront
for the wealthy, by the wealthy
is not a consensus to revise
it? Why not instead let
the high-stakes game play
out? Let the property owners
pursue their court case and
let the courts decide. Give
Citizens for an Alternative
Alexandria Waterfront Plan
“intervener” status or find
some other way to involve
the CAAWP in the litigation. If the property owners
prevail in court and win byright development, an entire
generation of civic leadership will stand discredited
and will no longer be taken
seriously.
When confronted with
this prospect, they might
agree to some compromise. And if the property
owners lose in court, they
might have to voluntarily
offer more amenities than
otherwise, such as a river
walk, maritime museum,
boat-building or a secondary school as part of their
boutique hotels.
- Dino Drudi
Alexandria
To the editor:
I’ve grown weary of the
fight over the waterfront too,
though for very different reasons than those expressed by
Alexandria Chamber of Commerce co-chair-elect Andrew
Palmieri and Dennis Auld, a
lead spokesperson for Waterfront for All, a group composed of wealthy business
people who support the city’s
waterfront plan.
I’m tired of a political process that cuts off all real debate and the opportunity for
thoughtful planning, whether
it is along the waterfront or in
the West End. And I’m tired of
hearing Mayor Bill Euille say
hotels, townhomes and offices
will make the waterfront more
accessible to everyone in Alexandria.
A process that involves
senior city planners meeting
regularly, out of public view,
with property owners (and developers) to decide how the
waterfront should be rezoned,
is neither fair nor democratic.
Yet it likely was in those former meetings the real business
of deciding how to rezone the
waterfront for revenue, as op-
posed to creating a waterfront
plan that truly benefits everyone, took place. As Katy
Cannady, president of the Alexandria League of Women
Voters, has pointed out many
times, residents had little if
any opportunity to make fundamental changes to the plan.
She has attended every public
meeting since 2009.
In truth, the city’s waterfront plan is not really a plan
at all but hundreds of pages of
weak guidelines attached to a
zoning text amendment (for
several properties) that effectively turns over planning of
the waterfront to what seem
to be the city council’s real
constituents: The Washington
Post Co., developers and the
folks they work for and invest
with.
The plan’s advocates claim
more high-density development will make the waterfront a more public place at
no cost to taxpayers. In fact,
the development will further
cut the community off from
the river, will increase traffic problems, pollute the PoSEE Wealthy | 29
When independence is no longer an option for older relatives
Sue looked forward to
spending Christmas in Alexandria with her mom. Living in Arizona had its perks
— and her career was going
well — but she missed the
sights, smells and traditions
of Christmas in Old Town.
But when Sue arrived home,
she received an unexpected
surprise.
Her mother, Mary, was 86,
widowed and lived alone in
the family home. The mother
and daughter spoke by phone
daily, but it had been a year
since Sue saw Mary.
After a few days home,
Sue started getting very concerned. Her mom seemed
a little off. Mary woke up
Sue two nights in a row, because as her mom said, she
was “just looking for some-
thing.” Yet, in the morning, blood pressure medication.
Mary was tired, confused and Then one morning redenied the previous night’s ally concerned Sue. She was
events.
awake before her
Sue also nomother, and when
ticed a few other
Mary woke up,
little things. There
she was very conwas not much
fused. Mary asked
food in the house
Sue what she was
when she arrived,
doing home and
and her mom
wondered about
had not changed
the whereabouts
clothes during the
MyView of Bob, her deentire visit.
ceased husband.
“I’m fine, dear Rhonda Williams He died 10 years
… it’s just too cold, and these ago.
keep me warm,” Mary an- Sue replied: “Mom, do
swered to Sue’s concerned you mean dad? You know,
questions. he’s been dead since 2001,
In addition, there were lit- and I’m here to spend Christtle piles of the oddest things mas with you.”
around the house Mary al- Mary seemed a little
ways kept pristine. Worse startled by the response but
yet, Mary wasn’t taking her laughed it off, saying she
wasn’t fully awake yet.
Mrs. Jones, Mary’s nextdoor neighbor, saw Sue
walking and stopped her for
a brief conversation.
“How are things with your
mom?” the neighbor asked.
“It’s really good you’re here.
You know, we’re worried
about her …”
How do you know when
a loved one needs more help
or is no longer safe in his or
her home? Some of the key
signs are: increased confusion; poor medication and
medical care follow-up; poor
nutrition and self-grooming;
changes in sleep patterns;
and confusion with finances.
There are several supports
available, such as home companions, adult day care and
meals on wheels.
Most senior residents of
Alexandria want to live in
their homes. However, when
a person is no longer safe
without 24-hour supervision,
it’s time to explore other
types of support, like a live-in
family caregiver, an assisted
living facility — and if there
are severe health problems —
possibly a nursing facility.
When a family member or
friend feels concerned about
the safety of a senior, a call to
the DCHS Office on Aging is
the best way to receive information, resources and an assessment. And it makes for a
happier holiday for everyone.
The writer is a therapist
supervisor for older adult
clinical services for the City
of Alexandria.
OUT OF THE ATTIC
An ‘unusually attractive’ art deco structure on Washington Street
In the 1920s the Virginia
Public Service Co., an electrical utility company, had five
geographical division offices to serve
customers throughout the state.
In 1929, VPS announced plans to
build a new Northern Virginia office at
the northwest corner
of Prince and South
Washington streets.
That spring, Chicago architect Frank
D. Chase submitted
plans for a three-story art deco structure,
the first new building
planned along Washington Street since its designation as part of the George
Washington Parkway.
The construction contract
was awarded to a Newport
News company, and on May
emony. The VPS building,
estimated to cost $200,000,
would not only be modern
in appearance, but
in functionality and
comfort, with electricity providing heat
that could be adjusted by floor and office
and a clubroom and
kitchen with electrical appliances for
workers.
The VPS building, completed the
following year, was
described by a local paper as “unusually attractive.”
The facade featured
Photo/Library of Congress
a polished granite
29, 1929, Mayor Albert Smoot base, Indiana limestone exteturned the first shovelful of rior with a carved stone frieze
dirt at a ground-breaking cer- panels, steel frame windows,
Weekly Poll
and an ornate metal and glass
doorway with detailed grillwork topped by an iron sunburst design. The Washington
and Prince street elevations
have vertical ornamentation
beginning above the second
floor and carved medallions
near the corners below the
roofline.
VPS later merged with the
Virginia Electric and Power
Co., which remained at the
same location until 1950.
Since then the building has
been used for government
offices, military recruiting,
retail, as seen in this photo
taken around 1990, and most
recently, a bank.
Out of the Attic is
provided by the Office of
Historic Alexandria.
Should Arlandria Center, a six-story, mixed-use
development in the Arlandria-Chirilagua neighborhood, be approved by the city council despite
worries of gentrification? (See story, page 1.)
A. Yes. It will improve Arlandria.
B. No. It will force out low-income minorities.
C. Yes, but the developer should amend the
plan based on community concerns.
How did your neighbors vote?
Visit www.alextimes.com to vote and view the results.
Last Week’s Poll:
Who do you blame for the Washington Headquarters
Services (BRAC) debacle at Mark Center?
107 Votes
Thumbs UP to the late Joe
Robert, a Washington area businessman and
philanthropist,
who passed away
last week after a lengthy battle
with brain cancer. Although he
lived in McLean, not Alexandria,
Robert’s charitable efforts benefitted poor children throughout
the metropolitan area. We didn’t
know him well but were moved
by how much he loved baseball;
he was a fixture in the front row
at Nationals baseball games
throughout his battle with cancer. Rest in peace.
— Denise Dunbar
Thumbs UP to the Episcopal
and Bishop Ireton
boys basketball
teams, both off to
strong starts this
season. The Maroon, ranked No. 9 in the region
by the Washington Post, are
enjoying a 3-1 start. Their only
loss came against No. 3 Paul VI
Catholic. Bishop Ireton is 4-2,
though one of those losses also
came by way of Paul VI Catholic’s
squad. Keep up the good work!
— Denise Dunbar
[email protected]
David Sachs
Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
EDITORIAL
Derrick Perkins
Reporter &
Photographer
[email protected]
Denise Dunbar
Editorial Page Editor
[email protected]
Steven G. Artley
Editorial Cartoonist
ADVERTISING
Marty DeVine
[email protected]
Margaret Stevens
[email protected]
Karen Niedzielski
[email protected]
Quick Takes
This Week’s Poll
Patrice V. Culligan
Publisher
Thumbs UP to Walker Home
for winning the
Old Town Boutique
District’s Winter Wonderland
window decorating
contest. Congratulations also to
fibre space for placing second.
Seeing so many local shop owners getting into the holiday spirit
makes Alexandria a magical
place to shop for those special,
one-of-a-kind gifts.
— Patrice Culligan
Thumbs UP to George Washington Middle
School for its contemporary global
issues and service
learning course.
An eighth-grade, all-female
class held a videoconference
with their peers in Kabul, Afghanistan. The experience gives
these young women an opportunity to learn more about another
culture while understanding and
celebrating their differences.
This promotes “critical thinkers,
problem solvers and … active
citizens,” said teacher Kelly
Mayer.
— Patrice Culligan
Alan Baldwin
[email protected]
Pat Booth
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28 | December 15, 2011
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
At Home
Having fun with
the children’s playroom
By Mary G. Pepitone
Keeping the fun in a
child’s playroom becomes
child’s play when it’s organized and tailored to the children using it.
Setting up a dedicated
space for children is a great
way to give them a special,
safe place to play, all while
keeping toys, games and
crafts in one spot instead
of having items scattered
throughout the entire house.
With an influx of new
toys, especially during the
holidays, a home’s designated playroom can quickly go
from cute to cluttered, says
Sarah Lynam, spokeswoman
with Pottery Barn Kids and
PB Teen in San Francisco.
“As children grow, a playroom should reflect their
changing interests,” she says.
“It’s important to regularly go
through a de-cluttering process — out with the old and
in with the new.”
Lynam is a mother to an
18-month-old daughter and
says the first step to creating a
place for play is realizing that
it doesn’t have to be a fancy
space to be effective.
“A play space can be as
large as a spare room or as
cozy as a special corner of the
family room,” she says. “A
perfect play space combines
fun and function seamlessly.”
Start by painting playroom
walls a color that is pleasing
and fun. Lynam says a playroom is a space in the home
you can be free to paint stripes
or polka dots on the walls.
The use of gloss paint creates
a harder, more durable, stainresistant finish, which is also
easier to clean.
“In a larger playroom,
consider painting a wall with
chalkboard paint, which allows children the freedom to
actually draw on the walls,”
she says. “Easily personalize a playroom by dedicating
space on the wall for children
SEE PlayRoom | 29
Photo/Pottery Barn Kids
Expect a playroom to evolve as children’s interests change. A first
playroom with toddler toys can grow into a school-aged space with
sophisticated building sets or board games.
HOME OF THE WEEK
Custom home has it all
This custom home of 6,800
square feet is nestled on an
acre at the end of a circular
driveway in a secluded, luxury
enclave. Backing to woods, the
certified energy-saver home
features three finished levels,
walls of windows, hardwood
floors, high ceilings, three
zone heating and extensive
outdoor entertaining spaces.
The main level contains an
office, living and dining rooms
and an outstanding gourmet
kitchen open to a two-story
great room. With the upstairs
landing above, the sunny great
room boasts a fireplace and
custom built-ins, as well as
walks out to a beautiful sunroom.
The master suite anchors
the main level’s east wing. It
includes a walk-in closet and
a deluxe master bath with two
vanities, an expansive walk-in
shower, deep soaking tub and
bidet. The upper level has two
spacious bedrooms, a full bath,
two storage closets and a balcony.
The fully finished lower
level is supreme. Two bedrooms, a full bath and a storage
room comprise the east wing.
The floor’s other end works
well for entertaining with a
full bar area, featuring granite
counters, a sink, microwave
and dishwasher. This area
serves as one of the house’s
hubs, especially considering
its convenient location next to
the recreation room and access
to the exterior grounds.
Canopied with mature
trees, the wonderful grounds
are a private retreat. Several
balconies and decks allow
for multiple entertaining areas: One deck even includes
a built-in hot tub and another
connects to a separate 2-car
garage.
courtesy photos
This residence features a stunning open floor
plan with floor-to-ceiling windows.
At a Glance:
Location: 4833 Maury Lane,
Price: $1,595,000
Built: 1986 Style: Contemporary
This custom home rests in a quiet, wooded setting
on an acre of land.
Contact: Sue Goodhart,
McEnearney Associates, 703-3623221, [email protected]
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 4 Full, 2 Half
Parking: 2-Car Garage, Circular
Driveway
Awards: Certified Energy Saver Home.
Finest for Family Living Award Honorable
Mention for 1987 Custom homes.
ADVERTORIAL
Playroom
FROM | 28
to hang their own works of
art.”
With active children, a
playroom’s walls can easily
show wear and tear. Wainscoting is a painted or varnished decorative paneling
that can cover and protect the
lower part of the wall. Wooden storage closets, cubbies or
shelving units lined along the
wall keep playthings organized and off the floor.
In an open-air or shared
space, area rugs can help define the playroom parameters.
A rug also provides a soft
place for children to play on
the floor, whether they’re putting together a puzzle or playing a game.
As varied as this space for
each family can be, Lynam
says there are certain playroom practicalities. A few
key playroom pieces help
turn any space, no matter the
size, into a creative oasis for
children.
Wealthy
FROM | 26
tomac and Chesapeake Bay,
denigrate the historic character of Old Town, and attract
fewer tourists. The city’s plan
has no compelling vision. We
might as well all be living in
Ballston or Crystal City and
that indeed is what a majority
of the council seems to think
will improve our quality of
life in Alexandria.
Opponents of the current
Embezzler
FROM | 5
much to federal prosecutors
when they approached him
about a year ago.
“If anyone did a simple
Google search, they would
Storage Stowaways
You can never have too
much storage in a playroom.
Storage options that are low
to the ground with open
shelving allow children to not
only be able to choose their
toys, but also may encourage
them to put them away when
they’re done.
Modular wall units like
Pottery Barn Kids Cameron
Collection (pieces starting at
$199 and up) offer a variety
of options for storage needs
and can be custom-built to
fit a playroom. Lynam says
grouping certain toys in specific baskets not only organizes the space, it also gives
children the freedom to grab
a bin and go.
Play Table
Having a kid-sized table
gives children a place to do
arts and crafts, or to piece
together a puzzle. No matter which style of table you
choose, consider a tabletop
craft caddy for art projects
and up the fun factor by purchasing
different-colored
chairs.
Bookshelves
Easy access to books will
encourage children to be lifelong readers. Consider bookshelves — Pottery Barn Kids’
Madison bookshelf ($99)
or Catalina Magazine Rack
($124) — that scale the wall
and don’t sprawl along the
floor.
Pretend play area
Imaginations can run wild
in this part of the playroom.
Consider a play kitchen filled
with pots and pans, a costume
trunk for dress-up or a small
indoor tent.
As children grow and their
playing preferences change,
expect the space to evolve.
What may start as a haven for
toddler toys can grow into a
school-aged space with sophisticated building sets or
board games.
“A playroom is a space
children can call their own,”
Lynam says. “And since
many parents are still kids at
heart, it should be a fun place
for adults to hang out with
their children, too.”
plan, including Citizens for
an Alternative Alexandria
Waterfront Plan, have offered
the seeds of compromise only
to be told by Councilman Rob
Krupicka and others that our
plan is unrealistic and takes
resources away from other
projects. The facts suggest
quite the reverse: that the city
has failed to seriously look at
any other alternatives, failed
to conduct a thorough costbenefit analysis of all the alternatives, has not developed
a waterfront plan at all and
has not engaged the commu-
nity in a serious visioning
process.
I strongly oppose the proposed rezoning of the waterfront. It closes the door on
a waterfront that should be
open to all Alexandrians. Tell
the city council to vote no to
rezoning and yes to alternatives January 21. Take back
your waterfront! We all live
along the river!
have seen articles that were
written when this came up [in
2008],” Kearns said. “Obviously, someone didn’t do a
Google search.”
Alexandria officials are reviewing Wanamaker’s fiscal
history with the city, though
Wanamaker did not have access to a city-issued credit
card and did not engage in
business travel. The final report will be made public.
Alexandria officials also
are reviewing the city’s hiring processes, including
considering new policies for
examining a prospective applicant’s work history.
- Andrew Macdonald
Co-founder of Citizens for
an Alternative Alexandria
Waterfront Plan
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Save the Date
The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce presents:
n’s
a
The Chairm
an d A uction
February 11, 2012
The Westin Alexandria
Featuring:
Auction with a Twist
The Most Giving People in Alexandria
VIP Champagne Reception 5:30pm — 6:30pm
Cocktails 6:30pm — 7:30pm
Presentation of Chairman’s Chamber Charity Award
Dinner Dancing and Live Auction 7:30pm to Midnight
Designed By Yellow Dot Designs
30 | December 15, 2011
ALEXANDRIA TIMES
Classifieds
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
HELP WANTED
Christmas Pageant
Old Town Alexandria. $569,900. Architect’s Penthouse. Soaring, bright, impeccable, walkable, 1478sf. Foyer, Great
Room w/Fplc, 2 Mbr, 2.5 Ba, Granite Kit,
Hw Flrs, Kaufman Paint, 200sf Bonus
Storage, Balc, E/S/W Views, 2 Gar Sp,
Metro. See www.ForSaleByOwner.com ID
23173575. Call 703-548-0660 to view.
Project Manager/Designer for Alexandria VA. Prfrm schematic design/dvlpmnt/contract documents/bidding/negotiation & construction admin. Supervise jr. staff. Implement store design
initiatives w/Vendors, Fabricators & Contractors.
Exp must incl 2 yrs in retail design & graphics &
store planning, design & construction for major
retail companies f/t, M-F. Reqts: Bachelor’s or
equiv in Architecture or related field & 5 yrs progressive exp in job or related jobs. Resume to:
Architects Group Practice Ltd., 415 North Alfred
St., Alexandria, VA 22314, Attn: Carlos Dorado.
Join Emmanuel Episcopal Church’s
Christmas Eve Service and No-Rehearsal Christmas Pageant! Every
child can play a part! Christmas
music for kids and adults, children’s choir, professional singers,
heartwarming alternative Christmas story instead of a sermon.
Enjoy a candle-lit singing of Silent
Night and get home for Christmas
Eve supper. 12/24, 4pm, 1608
Russell Rd, Alexandria
ATTN: What are YOU Going To Do About
YOUR Future? Check This Out!!
www.PlaceOfFreedom.com
Stockbroker
Recent College Graduates
DMG Securities Inc.,
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Full service broker.
Personalized in-house
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Entry Level/all majors.
Please call James Scullen
at 703-309-9404 for
possible interview.
Weekly Words
78 Barely gets by (with “out”)
79 Proactiv target
80 Fall display
83 Be a snoop
84 Earth pigment
85 “Meet Joe Black” star Brad
87 Imperial soldiers of film
92 It may be attached to an old
butt
93 Clock setting at 0 degrees
longitude (Abbr.)
94 Periods of history
95 Actress-director Lupino
96 Blood classification letters
99 Dress with elaborate care
101 Liveliness of mind
104 “Dig in!”
105 Wet/dry ___ (shop accessory)
106 Topmost point
107Spontaneous
111 “Thank you, monsieur!”
112 Language spoken by
Amazonian natives
113 Call to a mate
114 Kitchen appliance
115 Lotion additives
116 “The Last Command” Oscar
winner Jannings
117 Traditional teaching
118 Fort Knox block
119 Vocal cords, informally
120 Count (on)
121 Ilsa ___ (“Casablanca”
character)
122 Some court hearings
across
1
6
10
14
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Some choir voices
Military outpost
One of 12 at Alcoholics
Anonymous
Borrower’s burdens
“Donnie ___” (2001 cult film)
Andy’s old radio partner
Words said with a sigh,
perhaps
Sneak ___ (look quickly)
Greek poet saved by a dolphin
Valley of vineyards
___ and fortune
Unlike a rolling stone?
Top dog, so to speak
30 Every Shakespeare play has
five
31 ___ chi (exercise system)
32 Make a little ___ long way
33 ___ up (kicker’s job)
34 Furnished with footgear
36 B&O stop (Abbr.)
37 Turn bad, as meat
38 “Jurassic Park” co-star Laura
39 Long-haired wild ox
41 To and ___ (back and forth)
42 French or Italian, e.g.
46 Mormon state
47 The appendix extends from it
50 Tampa Bay baseballer
51Spiteful
53 High on the Mohs scale
54
56
58
60
61
62
63
66
67
70
71
73
74
75
76
77
Kill, as a dragon
Period of prosperity
Bassoon or clarinet
Father of Fear, Panic and
Trembling
One with a sticking point
Really long time (Var.)
Foundation for a train track
It’s in all living cells
Everyone’s discussing it
ET’s ride
Shakespeare play (with “The”)
Reason for parental scolding
“To a Mouse” or “To a Skylark”
Bad mood
Bakery product
Not stuffy
DOWN
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Changes to fit
Cattle-catching rope
Nixon’s daughter
“All right, I heard you already!”
Early baby picture?
Bach composition
Indian au pair
Be sulky
Lyre’s old cousin
Starts to melt
“You’re the One ___ Want”
(“Grease” song)
Netherlands commune
Henrik Ibsen drama
Twilled linen
Period of history
16 Top choice from several
options
17 Mosaic tile
18 Where to aim a telescope
28 April 1 victim
29 “Able was ___ ...” (middle of
a palindrome)
35 Outburst from Homer Simpson
38 WWII turning point
40 Ten-percenter (Abbr.)
42 Beer topping
43 Didn’t pass the bar?
44 Biscuit at teatime
45 “___ Sam” (Sean Penn
movie)
46 Took advantage of
47Graph
48 Salary recipient
49Elite
52 Tehran is its largest city
54 Hydrotherapy locales
55 Airy melody
56 Ross of flag fame
57 Sounds of amazement
59 Give the meaning of
62 Way off in the distance
63 Decided not to walk
64 Has a balance due
65 Grandparent, stereotypically
67
68
69
72
75
77
78
81
82
83
84
85
86
88
89
90
91
93
96
97
98
100
102
103
108
109
110
111
“Ask me no questions and
I’ll ___ ...”
Flexible weaving material
City attacked by Godzilla
Whodunit component
Biological pouches
Way back when
Amorous deity
Suffix with “critic” or “manner”
One giving testimony
Slapstick antic
Handel work
Mushy food
Hailing from Haifa
One way to row a boat
Group of three people
Drunk as a skunk
Product encased in red wax
Banded rock
Exact retribution for
Maine town
Double foursomes?
Person with a mike
Sea froth
School attendee
Start of a Commandment
Car signal
Quite a few
Visitors’ center handout
Last Week’s Solution:
Obituaries
GLENN C. BECKER (50), of
Alexandria, December 6, 2011
SALEH H. DIRIR (74), of
Alexandria, October 13, 2011
YAN KUCHEROV (60), of
MARY E. BURKE-BAKER (91),
of Alexandria, December 8, 2011
MARY E. EARMAN, of
WILHELMINA L. LOOMIS, of
FRANCES CAPPS (92), of
Alexandria, November 7, 2011
ELIZABETH A. FISCHER (77),
GEORGE W. COLLINS JR., of
MARTHA E. FRITH (93),
formerly of Alexandria,
November 27, 2011
NORRIS M. CONRAD (70),
formerly of Alexandria,
December 5, 2011
ALICE DADE, of Alexandria,
December 3, 2011
GLENN JOYCE (72), of
MARION H. KOUNS, of
GLORIA S. MEYERS (71), of
CATHERINE M. RICE, of
GEORGE K. ROWLAND, of
Alexandria, October 25, 2011
MARJORIE T. SMOLKA, of
PRIESTLEY C. TOULMIN (42),
Adult Education
FROM | 7
OF THE
THE WEEK
WEEK
ADOPTABLE PET OF
posing key changes to the
program. ELL and GED
help will remain, but the
program’s focus will shift
to getting students between
15- and 22-years-old a
standard or advanced high
school diploma, Sherman
said.
Older students looking
for a GED would no longer
receive as much face-toface help but would be instead directed to take online
classes. Officials recognize
many of those students
might not have regular access to the Internet, Sherman said, so the district
will add computers at its
family and community engagement centers across the
city.
ELL classes, likewise,
will be offered at the district’s FACE centers.
“We’re going to continue providing services for
[ELL students],” said Sherman, who did not say if he
knew who started the rumors. “That word that went
out was just misleading. We
know we need to support
our families and our students.”
The Alexandria School
Board will weigh in on the
proposed changes at Thursday’s meeting.
ADOPTABLE PET OF THE WEEK
Love
is in the
air and theseof
twoMy
lovely
Orange
Tabbies~are
~ I’m
Dreaming
New
Home
looking
for
someone
to
share
it
with!
A white Christmas is nice, but I’m hoping that Santa
Love
is in
the
these
two
lovely
Orange
Tabbies
are
picks
me
upair
atand
the
shelter,
and
flies
the sleigh
to my
Meet
Roger
and
Rabbit,
these
extremely
handsome
looking
forhome
someone
to share
it with!
new
for
the
holidays!
gentlemen are 2 year old neutered males who are very
MeettoRoger
and
Rabbit,
these
extremely
handsome
bonded
other.
They
are fun
loving,
loving
cats
My name
iseach
Amelia!
I’m
a puppy-girl,
in lovelife
with
life, and
gentlemen
are
2
year
old
neutered
males
who
aresuper
very laid
and
havetoquickly
become
staff affection
favorites!and
They
are
looking
share my
boundless
energy
with my
bonded to each other. They are fun loving, life loving cats
back
and haveI love
beentogreat
with
kids,and
dogs
andmy
other
cats!
new
human.
runstaff
and
jump
chase
toys;
and have
quickly become
favorites!
They
are super
laidso
myback
human
better
get
ready
for
a
work
out!
We
can
take
been
with kids,
dogs to
and
other cats!
Forand
thehave
Month
ofgreat
February
we want
spread
the long
walks together,
and
I
can
practice
learning
lessons
whenever
love
around
are waiving
our adoption
fees
For the
Monthand
of February
we want
to spread the
you want to give
me
a treat,pairs
which
Icats!
hope will be often.
on
bonded
of
love around and are waiving our adoption fees
I weigh abouton
40bonded
pounds,pairs
andofwith
cats!daily trips to the
For Dog-Park,
more information
about
and IRabbit
I hope to stay
this Roger
way. Aren’t
cute? or
For
more
information
about Roger
Rabbit
or
any
of our
winter
adoption
promotions
please
That’s
what
they tell
me...come
andand
meet
me
and
any ofthe
ourAnimal
promotions
please
contact
Welfare
League
of Alexandria
see
ifwinter
we’re aadoption
match made
in heaven!
contact the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria
at 703-746-4774
or visit us on FOR
the web
at:
TO MAKE
AN ONLINE
A at:
HOLIDAY
at 703-746-4774
or DONATION
visit us on the web
www.alexandriaanimals.org
MEAL FOR
A HOMELESS PET, PLEASE VISIT
www.alexandriaanimals.org
Thankyou.
you.
Thank
WWW.ALEXANDRIAANIMALS.ORG.
703-746-4774.
Alexandria’s
Pet of
ofthe
theweek
week
Alexandria’s Pet
sponsored by Diann
isissponsored
DiannHicks.
Hicks.
Diann
DiannHicks
Hicks
703-628-2440
703-628-2440
www.diannhicks.com
www.diannhicks.com
32 | December 15, 2011
ALEXANDRIA TIMES

Gentrification fears fuel debate in Arlandria

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