Great Falls, McLean, Oakton & Vienna Sun Gazette

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‘REINDOGS’ RING IN THE HOLIDAYS IN McLEAN

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NO. 13

DECEMBER 20-26, 2018

Smyth Preps For ‘19 Supervisor Plans for Busy Year as Tenure Nears End BRIAN TROMPETER Staff Writer

U.S. Rep.-elect Jennifer Wexton (D-10th) tells the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce Dec. 13 about her preparations before taking office in January. Wexton defeated Republican Barbara Comstock and will be the first Democrat to hold the seat in 38 years.

PHOTO BY BRIAN TROMPETER

Wexton in ‘Whirlwind’ as She Readies for Office BRIAN TROMPETER Staff Writer

U.S. Rep-elect Jennifer Wexton (D-10th) on Nov. 6 finished a grueling campaign to unseat incumbent Barbara Comstock (R), but the new representative has had little time to rest before taking office.

“It’s been a whirlwind month since that time,” Wexton told Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce members at a Dec. 13 breakfast meeting.

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Incoming members of Congress have undergone three weeks of orientation on Capitol Hill, followed by a week of policy training at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. After being sworn in Jan. 3, they will undergo another week of policy orientation in Williamsburg, conducted by the Congressional Research Service.

Wexton contrasted this extensive preparation with her bare-bones orientation in the state Senate, which occurred two weeks

into the 2014 session.

“Here’s your desk. Green is yea, red is nay, yellow is abstain. Welcome to Richmond,” she said.

The new freshman class includes the House’s first-ever pair of Muslim-American women, the first two Latina women from Texas and its two youngest members are 29-year-old women, said Wexton, who was among two female law-school gradu-

After nearly two decades of handling some of Fairfax County’s largest and most nettlesome land-use cases, Supervisor Linda Smyth (DProvidence) is ready to let someone else handle the burden.

Smyth announced at the board’s Dec. 4 meeting that she would not seek another term next year.

“It just seemed like a reasonable time,” she said. “My husband’s ready to retire. We will do all the things we’ve been putting off: traveling, things around the house. People don’t realize how much time a job like this consumes.”

A former civic activist and Planning Commission member,

Continued on Page 17

Continued on Page 17

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December 20, 2018

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Town Bestows Sustainability-Challenge Honors BRIAN TROMPETER Staff Writer

The Vienna Community Enhancement Commission on Dec. 10 bestowed its 2018 Sustainability Challenge Awards on businesses and organizations that have implemented environmentally friendly policies, and honored a pair of native-plant gardens as well.

The awards, given out at the start of the Vienna Town Council’s meeting at Town Hall, honor people who “want to lead by setting a great example on how to make this community more sustainable,” said commission chairman Susan Stillman. “This challenge has a whole list of things people need to accomplish to qualify.”

Stillman thanked Community Enhancement Commission member Desireé DiMauro for spearheading the Sustainability Challenge Awards initiative.

This year’s winners were: • The Insight Shop, which saves money and reduces waste by encouraging the reuse of cups, plates and silverware. The business also offers beekeeping classes to bolster pollination.

• Joanne Ehreth Burke, CPA PLLC, for installing low-flow toilets to reduce water consumption and costs; replacing an old, wooden door with a Fiberglas one to save on heating-and-cooling costs; and using electronic documents and recycled

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• The Sustainability Guys, for seeking affordable, proven energy-saving solutions that give the greatest returns on investment, such as insulation and energyefficient windows.

• Purple Onion Catering Co. for reducing the use of office paper and purchasing items in bulk, rather than as single products, to lower packaging and supply costs.

• Cycle Chi, for supplying reusable towels throughout the facility and cutting energy use through the installation of light-emitting diode (LED) lights and rechargeable bike batteries.

• Social Burger, for saving on transpor-

tation costs by buying beef from a local supplier, furnishing the restaurant with recycled-wood tables and using EcoCraft sustainable packaging.

• Caffè Amouri, for adding bicycle racks for employees and customers, bundling deliveries to maximize efficiency and maintaining a robust recycling program. These activities helped the business win the 2015 Virginia Green Restaurant of the Year Award.

• Caboose Brewing Co., for donating grain from the brewing process to feed animals at a local farm, using the spent grain to make crackers that are sold by the business, installing air hand dryers to cut paper-towel waste, offering reusable water bottles to be used by guests and grow-

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The commission also honored nativeplant gardens installed by Victor Mendes and Vienna Vintner; Michael and Jessica Plowgian, who live on Battle Street, S.W.; and Chae Gilmer, who lives on Cottage Street, S.W.

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December 20, 2018 3

‘Reindogs’ Help Bark –’er, Ring – in Holidays

Joshua and Leo Massery won the “Best Pet and Owner Combo” prize at the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce’s annual Reindog celebration, for their Grinch-themed sleigh led by their dog Grace.

Grant and Barret Kinzler, with parents David and Ashley and baby Iris, joined up with Remi, their Newfoundland, for a prize-winning entry.

Dogs of all sizes were into the holiday spirit!

Forget Dasher, Dancer and Prancer: Koda is taking on the job of delivering Santa and his sleigh this holiday season.

Canines of all shapes and sizes came out for the Reindog celebration, held Dec. 1 at the Langley Shopping Center.

Kodia and Leilani were snuggled together in a “sleigh on wheels” at the annual McLean Reindog festival.

PHOTOS BY DEB KOLT

Sophie sported an elegant Reindog jacket.

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December 20, 2018

Even during his busiest time of year, Santa was able to stop by.

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Opinion

Find more letters and an archive of editorials at www.insidenova.com/ news/fairfax (Click on “Opinion”)

Our View: Come 2020, We’re Going to Miss Them The list of members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors who have decided to retire rather than embark on re-election bids has grown in recent weeks, and it would be worthwhile to pause and remark on two we have covered extensively in recent times.

Both Supervisor Linda Smyth (D-Providence) and Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova (D) have provided, through their tenure in office, a degree of fiscal sanity and common-sense prudence.

Smyth was serving on the Planning Commission when, in 2003, she won the seat being vacated by Providence District supervisor Gerald Connolly, who was elected to chair the board.

In the ensuing 15 years, she has often been a beacon of good sense on issues ranging from planning to the budget. Hers is a voice that resonates, no matter the issue, and Smyth is one who does not consider the Board of Supervisors to be a political position, but one of public service.

Bulova’s path to the top of the Fairfax County political chain is an interesting one. She was an aide to Supervisor Audrey Moore (D-Annandale) when, in

1987, slow-growth Moore took on pro-growth Republican incumbent Jack Herrity for board chairman in a campaign that, even three decades later, remains a battle-royale among those who witnessed it.

Moore won that at-large race and Bulova won the race to represent the Annandale (later renamed Braddock) District. And in 2009, when Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald Connolly was elected to Congress, Bulova defeated Republican Patrick Herrity (son of Jack) and has held the post ever since.

We disagree with Bulova on a number of issues – we suspect she wears that as a badge of honor – but we do not question her integrity or her focus on common-sense solutions that transcend partisanship.

As we noted in an editorial some weeks back, we fear the next crop of supervisors, along with some who are staying in office, will be far more politically doctrinaire. Which is a pity: What Fairfax needs is leaders who are not social-justice happy warriors, but nuts-and-bolts supervisors who focus on constituent service and put needs of the overall community (read: taxpayers) ahead of special interests.

Public-Safety Notes MOVING-COMPANY WORKER ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGED THEFT: A Vienna

resident living in the 700 block of Hillcrest Drive, S.W., on Dec. 6 between 12:30 and 2:15 p.m. hired movers to assist in moving items in one of the rooms in the home.

The resident noticed one of the movers acting suspiciously, and after the movers left, the resident discovered jewelry was missing from another room in the home, Vienna police said.

Vienna police on Dec. 12 obtained a warrant for one of the employees of the moving company. Police arrested the 23year-old Ashburn man and transported him to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, where authorities served him with a warrant charging him with grand larceny.

SENIOR ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGED FRAUDULENT BANK TRANSACTION:

Employees at SunTrust Bank, 501 Maple Ave., W., told Vienna police on Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. that a woman in the bank was attempting to commit a fraudulent transaction.

Officers responded and verified that the woman was using a false identification in an attempt to cash a fraudulent check, police said.

Police arrested the 70-year-old New York City woman and transported her to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Cen-

ter, where authorities charged her with felony forgery and uttering and misdemeanor possession of false identification.

VIENNA RESIDENT REPORTS PAINTBALLS SHOT AT HOME: A man living in

the 700 block of Kingsley Road, S.W., told Vienna police that sometime between Dec. 10 at 10 p.m. and Dec. 11 at 7:30 a.m., an unknown person had shot paintballs at his house.

McLEAN HOME BURGLARIZED: Fairfax

County police officers responded Dec. 12 at 4:20 p.m. for the report of an open door at a residence in the 1200 block of Raymond Avenue in McLean. Officers found someone had broken into the home and ransacked the residence.

It is unknown if anything was stolen, police said.

JEWELRY, OTHER ITEMS TAKEN IN OAKTON HOME BURGLARY: Fairfax

County police on the afternoon of Dec. 12 dispatched officers to a residential alarm in the 3500 block of St. Augustine Lane in Oakton and found someone had broken into the home and stolen jewelry and personal items.

ITEMS TAKEN DURING McLEAN HOME BURGLARY: A family member of a hom-

eowner living in the 8200 block of Falstaff

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Road in McLean came to the residence Dec. 11 at 7:11 a.m. after receiving a smoke-alarm alert, Fairfax County police said.

The family member contacted police after noticing property was missing from the residence and the rear glass door had been broken.

VIENNA WOMAN FACES CHARGES AFTER VEHICLE CRASH: A motorist was

turning left from Kingsley Road, S.W., to go southbound on Nutley Street, S.W., on Dec. 11 at 1 p.m. when her vehicle struck another that was traveling southbound on Nutley Street, Vienna police said.

The drivers exchanged information at the scene, but did not summon police. The following day, the driver whose vehicle had been struck reported the crash because of discrepancies with the other motorist’s insurance.

Police obtained warrants charging the driver of the striking vehicle with driving on a suspended license and having no insurance.

Police arrested the 63-year-old Vienna woman and transported her to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, where authorities served her the warrants.

Items are compiled from information reported by public-safety agencies across the region.

Former Council Member Completes His Long Trek BRIAN TROMPETER Staff Writer

About 1,700 miles and 4.25 million steps after he set out from Denver Aug. 2, former Vienna Town Council member Robert McCormick made good on his commitment Dec. 9 to walk all the way the U.S. Capitol.

McCormick, 69, braved lousy weather, mountains and vehicles whooshing past on freeways so he could boost public awareness of “intergenerational justice,” the idea that people living today must leave the planet in good shape for its future inhabitants.

Clad in a light-blue winter coat, gray hiking pants, sneakers, gloves and a navyblue Optimist baseball cap, McCormick began the final leg’s 16-mile hike from the old caboose in Vienna along the Washington & Old Dominion trail.

Supporters gathered on the west steps of the U.S. Capitol building to welcome McCormick. Claire Liston, who provided logistical support and handled his socialmedia efforts during the walk, monitored McCormick’s progress by telephone as he made his way east along the National Mall.

McCormick had plenty of energy left, fairly charging up the steep sidewalks leading up to the Capitol. He was pushing two young children in the three-wheeled, double-wide baby stroller that had held about 100 pounds of gear during the trip.

His face reddened from the day’s wintry cold and wind, McCormick pumped his fist during the final few yards and hugged more than a dozen friends and family members who came out to support him. He and the crowd, many of whom carried placards, posed behind a banner calling for intergenerational justice.

His wife, Sherri Moore, met him in the field twice during the journey’s early stages and was there at the finish.

“It’s been up and down,” she said of the experience. “He woke up one morning and said, ‘I’m walking.’ We have such a tight community where we live in Denver that we all helped him get ready to meet the task.”

The couple agreed on two non-nego-

Former Vienna Town Council member Robert McCorkmick (left, with stroller) poses at the U.S. Capitol Building Dec. 9 with more than a dozen people supporting his effort on behalf of interPHOTO BY BRIAN TROMPETER generational justice.

tiable promises: McCormick would have a Global Positioning System tracker with him at all times and notify search-andrescue personnel immediately if anything happened.

Moore said she hoped the outcome of his trek would be increased public awareness about humanity’s responsibilities are toward future generations.

Moore predicted her husband would write a book about his experiences on the walk. McCormick already has plenty of material, having posted photos and blog entries throughout the trip on his Website, www.awalkforchange.org. He also previously published “Don’t Drink the Water: A Citizen’s Story,” which delved into his views on global problems.

McCormick had both hips and a knee replaced before he began his march, but he still suffered injuries. He was unable to walk for a week in Richmond, Ind., because of a leg problem. McCormick also had to have a new axle made after the one for his cart broke.

His toughest section of the walk: traversing the Allegheny Mountains, according to McCormick.

His decision to walk was a spur-of-themoment thing, Liston said.

“He told me about it on a Tuesday and he left on Thursday,” she said. “I’m so inspired by his commitment to do some-

thing about something that he really believes in.”

McCormick and Liston debated whether to post his current location on the Web site, but decided in favor.

“One day, he woke up and there was $20 slipped under a Gatorade outside his tent,” she said. “He said people chased him down to hand over their lunches. He’s had people pay for a night in a hotel when it was really cold or hot.”

McCormick experienced nothing but kindness on the journey and in many cases the generosity came from people who

had little to give, Liston said.

“He saw poverty walking across the country that he said he’s never seen before,” she said. “And not just one instance.

Generations of poverty.”

His sister, Linda McCormick, came down from Albany, N.Y., to cheer on her brother.

“It’s been an eye-opener, from the things he’s told me about his walk,” she said, adding she only worried about her brother’s proximity to passing trucks on narrow roads.

“Pretty emotional” was how Robert McCormick summed up his feelings about the journey’s end. “I’m glad it’s over. I know it’s been a long walk, so I’m feeling better now.”

Any cravings? “Probably a cold beer.”

McCormick, who served on the Vienna Town Council from 1997 to 2002 and spearheaded the mural project across from the town’s historic train station, plans to stay in the D.C. area until Dec. 13 and will meet with U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) before heading home to Denver.

The hiker pondered intergenerational justice plenty on the trip.

“I’m not done,” he said. “We added more carbon into the atmosphere this year than any prior year. So all of our efforts to try to reduce global warming are losing ground. We have to take another approach.”

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Latest McLean Redevelopment Plan Is Detailed BRIAN TROMPETER Staff Writer

Downtown McLean would look considerably different in the next decade if recommendations from a new “vision” plan come to fruition.

Under the McLean Community Business Center (CBC) Vision Plan, central McLean within 10 years could receive an additional 120,000 square feet of retail space, 960 residential units, 100,000 square feet of office space and between 100 and 150 hotel rooms.

Colin Greene, urban-design director for the consulting firm Streetsense, unveiled the plan Dec. 17 at a community meeting at Longfellow Middle School.

The vision plan, crafted at three public meetings in June and two open houses this fall, will be used to update McLean’s comprehensive plan over the next year.

Ten applications already have been filed that seek amendments to that comprehensive plan, said Supervisor John Foust (D-Dranesville).

The proposed vision plan recommends concentrating different kinds of growth in three zones, which would be stepped down in density as they neared surrounding neighborhoods.

The “Center” zone would have the heaviest development, featuring residential, office, hotel and civic space and buildings up to seven stories tall. The plan also

would grant bonus density for structures up to 10 stories tall if developers provided at least two-thirds of an acre of public open space. Concept plans place such a park at Elm Street and Beverly Road.

Office and residential space would be located adjacent to each other to ensure the area would not be “emptied out at night,” Greene said. Structured parking would be prevalent, and surface parking less so, in the Center area.

The “General” zone would have buildings up to five stories tall, with mostly office, hotel and civic uses. Residential space would be allowed, but not encouraged.

The “Edge” zone would offer residential space in buildings two or three stories tall and have solid connections to the Center area.

“The entire place should not be the center,” Greene said. “Nor should the entire place be the edge.”

The plan aims to give McLean’s commercial core things it now lacks: open space, a walkable shopping and dining district, a diverse mix of housing and identity as the community’s center, Green said.

“People literally told us they didn’t have a place to take guests from out of town,” he said.

The vision plan calls for a series of new street connections in the area bounded by Dolley Madison Boulevard, Old Dominion Drive and Chain Bridge Road.

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McLean leaders were crestfallen in June 2017 when that developer decided not to move ahead with a “Main Street” proposal that would have brought a major mixed-use project with residential, commercial and office space to the same area.

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Vienna Council Seeking Marco Polo’s Demolition BRIAN TROMPETER Staff Writer

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development northeast toward Elm Street and Beverly Road.

Scores of local residents attended the meeting and some expressed concerns about the new plans.

McLean resident Bill Byrnes wanted to see more of the commercial mix shifted to retail, adding he was “not enthusiastic” about a huge increase in office space, given the vast reservoir of it growing in Tysons.

“We don’t foresee a long and deep demand for office space,” Greene responded, adding that such areas likely would be for medical uses.

Other residents questioned what would become of the many small businesses located in the areas to be redeveloped.

Some residents questioned whether county officials were pushing the plan because of potential new tax revenues, but Foust demurred.

“It’s not going to be a huge financial windfall for the county, one way or the other,” he said.

The next public discussion on plans for McLean’s CBC will be held Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. at the McLean Governmental Center. The public appears to support the planning process so far, within limits, Foust said.

“We need to make McLean more attractive, robust and pedestrian-friendly,” he said. “I feel like there’s support for doing something good, but not overboard.”

The vacated Marco Polo Restaurant fell into disrepair before it burned down Oct. 14 in a blaze allegedly set by a pair of teenage arsonists. Vienna Town Council members on Dec. 10 urged town officials to step up their efforts to have the building’s charred remains demolished and removed.

“We are ready to move forward with initiating the blight proceedings,” said Vienna Planning and Zoning Director Cindy Petkac told the Council.

The restaurant property is part of a nearly 2-acre site slated to be redeveloped as the Vienna Market mixed-use project, the second approved under the town’s Maple Avenue Commercial ordinance.

Developer Doug D’Alexander plans to build 44 townhouse-style condominiums and 8,200 square feet of commercial space on the property.

The site is owned by a limited-liability corporation, Vienna Vision LLC, but town officials said D’Alexander has been their primary contact. D’Alexander has told officials he has a couple of demolition bids for the burned-down restaurant, but has not had the site’s utilities capped off or filed for a demolition permit, Pet-

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kac said.

Addressing blighted properties is a “very formal process” in Virginia that must be followed strictly, Town Attorney Steven Briglia told the Council. Town officials first would send a letter to the property owner – Town Manager Mercury Payton promised to do so that same week – and that would give the owner 30 days to remedy the blighted site or provide a reasonable plan to do so.

If the property owner did not take sufficient action to remedy the problem, the town manager would appear before the Council and ask it to pass a spot-blight ordinance against the property. The ordinance would need to be advertised twice before the Council could hold a public hearing and adopt it.

The town government then could demolish the building, roughly regrade the site and charge those incurred expenses as a lien against the property, Briglia said.

The process likely would take until late March or early April next year to complete, he said.

Council member Douglas Noble approved of using spot-blight proceedings to force the property owner to clear away the burned former restaurant.

“This sounds like a very useful stick to use,” he said.

Log Cabin Coming Down to Make Way for 2 Homes BRIAN TROMPETER Staff Writer

History advocates in Vienna did what they could, but the log cabin at 307 Cabin Road, S.E., will come down to make way for the two-house Jennie Lynne subdivision.

The Vienna Town Council on Dec. 10 approved the subdivision on a 5-2 vote, with members Pasha Majdi and Douglas Noble voting nay.

Signature Properties will build two single-family homes on the 0.52-acre property, using equal-sized lots of 11,250 square feet. The developer also will install a sidewalk and other frontage improvements and contribute $17,500 for the town to loop an existing 6-inch-diameter water main, which now dead-ends near the site’s front, into the existing water main on Glyndon Street, S.E. The site’s cabin likely was built in the late 1930s, according to town officials’ best guess.

The structure is not listed under the town’s register of historic buildings, and an inspection revealed many of the cabin’s timbers are in poor condition.

“I don’t believe the logs were oldgrowth timber,” Vienna Planning Commission member David Miller said at a joint work session Dec. 3 with the Town Council. “The history is not quite as rich as we may have hoped.”

Even the cabin’s date of origin was in dispute. Fairfax County records listed a structure at the site as having been built in 1925, but 1937 aerial photos of property do not show any buildings, said Vienna Planning and Zoning Director Cindy Petkac.

Leaders of Historic Vienna Inc. have asked that an archeological survey be performed at the site and a plaque installed to inform the public about the property’s history.

Vienna resident John Runyon, whose wife, Gloria, serves on Historic Vienna Inc.’s board, suggested high-quality photos of the cabin could be displayed along with historical information at the Freeman Store and Museum.

A developer’s representative said the builder would be willing to allow some of the logs to be preserved. Council member Carey Sienicki suggested some timbers from the cabin that remain in decent condition could be used to build a smaller structure for children at a nearby tot lot.

Vienna Buys 8 Radar Signs to Alert Motorists of Speed: Motorists plying Vienna’s streets soon will encounter more radar signs that display their vehicles’ speeds.

The Vienna Town Council on Dec. 10 unanimously approved a $59,478 contract with All Traffic Solutions, which will include eight portable SpeedAlert signs and Traffic Suite management equipment built by the firm’s parent company, Intui-

tive Control Systems LLC. The equipment will use proprietary software to collect traffic data as well as inform drivers how fast they are traveling, said Public Works Director Michael Gallagher.

“It’s a much more powerful piece of equipment than we currently have,” he said, adding that the signs will have flashing lights to alert drivers who are speeding.

Three of the signs will be somewhat larger than the others and can be programmed with messages, Gallagher said.

Town officials will pay for the project using $30,000 in capital-improvement funds, $17,200 from Vienna’s traffic-engineering operating budget and $12,800 from the Virginia Department of Transportation.

The Council supported the radar signs’ purchase enthusiastically.

“People like them,” said Council member Howard Springsteen. “The more we have of them, the better.”

“On a per-dollar basis, this might be one of the best expenditures we have,” agreed Council member Pasha Majdi.

Vienna Council OKs Spending for Audio-Visual Upgrades: Vienna Town Council members on Dec. 10 approved a $164,187 contract with Human Circuit to provide upgraded audio-visual capabilities for the town government’s cable channel.

Four years have elapsed since the town did a major upgrade of its audio-visual equipment, said Information Technology Director Tony Mull.

The town will ride a Virginia Association of State College and University Purchasing Professionals contract and finance it entirely with revenues from cabletelevision-franchise fees.

Town officials hope to obtain better sound quality at meetings by obtaining improved control of televisions and microphones in the Council chambers; upgrading the audio system for better processing and sound quality; and replacing existing stand-alone microphones and obtaining additional ones.

Officials also want the capability to allow people to participate in meetings remotely by using Skype. In addition, they wish to upgrade the existing timer clock so it has a larger display for the public (hint, hint, so residents will be able to see they need to wrap up their remarks) and obtain better character generation for scrolling text on the screen.

Town staffers also are seeking an additional podium from which they could do presentations, but Council member Carey Sienicki wondered if that expenditure could not be reduced.

“It seems a little too much,” she said.

Vienna Planning and Zoning Director Cindy Petkac said an alternative would be for town staff to work from a standing desk.

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December 20, 2018 9

Senators Ask for Cooling-Off Period at Claude Moore BRIAN TROMPETER Staff Writer

As operations wind down at Claude Moore Colonial Farm following a contract dispute between the National Park Service (NPS) and the farm’s friends group, both of Virginia’s U.S. senators are asking for an yearlong extension so the parties can try to hammer out an agreement.

NPS officials this spring told leaders of the friends group that because the organization had refused to sign an updated operating agreement, it would have to conclude its programs and operations at the farm by Dec. 21.

The friends group since 1981 has operated an authentic, circa-1771 working farm at the site, complete with livestock, rustic cabin, vegetable gardens and a tobacco-drying shed.

Friends group leaders said the proposed 10-year NPS agreement was too restrictive and too short for proper capital-improvement planning. Park Service officials countered that the farm needs to operate under current federal regulations.

U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both Democrats) sent a joint letter Dec. 10 to the National Park Service’s acting director, Dan Smith, and its director-designate, David Vela, asking them to grant a one-year extension of the agency’s cooperative agreement with the friends

group so that the organizations could try to iron out their differences.

The senators cited a June 2015 NPS operations evaluation of the Claude Moore site that found the friends group was contracting with a for-profit caterer, which was not in accordance with the Park Service’s standard procurement rules. NPS officials also had objected to climbing walls and zip lines at the 77-acre property, saying those activities exceeded appropriate uses at a Park Service property.

Kaine and Warner also acknowledged the friends group’s position, which is that the farm costs taxpayers nothing, has not received Park Service funds for many years and has no permanent NPS employees on-site.

With Vela set to take over as NPS director following U.S. Senate confirmation and Charles Cuvelier in late January to succeed departed George Washington Memorial Parkway Superintendent Alexcy Romero, “we believe there is an opportunity for this relationship [at Claude Moore] to start fresh,” the senators wrote.

“Despite these challenges, there still is a reasonable path to compromise,” Warner and Kaine wrote, adding, “Closing this site would be not only a loss for the local community but also a financial/logistical one – requiring live animals to be relocated, equipment removed, buildings

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demolished, personnel to supervise this process, and ultimately new federal investments associated with reopening the site in a future form.”

The senators encouraged both parties in the Claude Moore dispute to reopen lines of communications, negotiate faceto-face and seek a mutually beneficial agreement. Ideally, NPS officials would grant the one-year extension on their own, wrote Kaine and Warner, who added this would be a one-time deal and “not a delaying tactic simply to maintain status quo from year to year.”

“We strongly believe a win-win solution is possible here – allowing Claude Moore Colonial Farm to continue serving the community, while requiring it to follow the rules that all national parks must follow,” the senators wrote.

Vienna/Oakton Notes TOWN GOVERNMENT SETS HOLIDAY CLOSINGS: Vienna town government of-

fices will be closed beginning at noon on Monday, Dec. 24 and all day on Tuesday, Dec. 25 in observance of Christmas.

Monday’s town-government refuse collection will occur, but there will be no collection on Tuesday.

Town offices will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 1, in observance of New Year’s Day, and there will be no town-government refuse collection that day.

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December 20, 2018

That hope may prove elusive, given recent statements from NPS and the friends group. NPS officials said the agency is “preparing for the next chapter of the Claude Moore farm area of Turkey Run Park” and early next year will “invite the community, the farm’s volunteers and any interested parties to share their vision for the park’s future.”

Park Service officials reaffirmed that they will not sell the property or pursue any kind of commercial development there.

The agency also offered to work with the friends group to “ensure a safe and orderly close-out,” but that organization’s leaders are asking to be allowed access to the property through March 30 next year to remove 37 years’ worth of accumulated property.

oil embargo in the wake of the Yom Kippur war.

Vienna officials took other steps to conserve energy, including lowering the winter temperature at Town Hall to 68 and purchasing compact cars, town officials said in the December 2018 issue of the Vienna Voice newsletter.

SANTA RECORDS SPECIAL GREETING FOR VIENNA YOUTH: Santa Claus may

cil recently reappointed Sharon Baum to the Planning Commission and Gloria Runyon to Historic Vienna Inc.

be a busy guy this time of year, but he stopped off in Vienna recently to record a very special greeting for local youth.

The Vienna town government has established a hotline – (703) 255-6333 – for those who are on Santa’s “nice” list to check in and hear the special greeting.

VIENNA OFFICIALS LOOK BACK ON A YEAR WITHOUT HOLIDAY LIGHTS: It

SHEPHERD’S CENTER PREPS FOR WINTER EDUCATION SERIES: The

VIENNA TOWN COUNCIL MAKES APPOINTMENTS: The Vienna Town Coun-

was 45 years ago this holiday season that Vienna went holiday-light-free to conserve energy.

According to town officials, in December 1973 the town government opted to install, but then not light, Christmas street decorations, while Town Council members asked residents and businesses to keep Christmas lighting to a minimum and decorate with non-lighted outdoor displays.

The requests came in response to the nation’s first major oil crisis, which had hit in October 1973 in part due to an Arab

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Shepherd’s Center of Oakton-Vienna will hold an open house to preview its winter 2019 Adventures in Learning series of classes on Thursday, Jan. 10 from 10 a.m. to noon at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Road.

More than 40 different courses will be offered during the winter session. Participants can attend as few as one class or all of them.

For additional information on Shepherd’s Center programming, see the Web site at www.scov.org.

T:4.7”

MCA Asks County Officials to Use Warmer LED Lights In Upcoming Installations BRIAN TROMPETER Staff Writer

The Fairfax County government photo shows an example of LED streetlights that the government plans to install to reduce energy costs.

“The changes align with county’s sustainability goals of reducing energy usage and creating fewer greenhouse gases,” said Matthew Kaiser, a spokesman for the county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services.

The county has not determined yet exactly where the new lights will be installed, how the project will be financed or whether lights with warmer color output will be used, Kaiser said. The agreement with Dominion Energy takes into account some of the concerns expressed by MCA, he added.

“Shoebox” lights, which have a comparatively flat horizontal profile, are a leading candidate to replace the standard “cobra” lights, Kaiser said. The new LED lamps likely will have shielding to prevent light spillover, he said.

The county’s LED fixtures will be equipped with fins so heat may safely disperse. The lights “have chips and boards just like a computer’s and need heat dissipation,” Kaiser said.

Merrily Piece, who serves with Monroe on MCA’s Environment, Parks and Recreation Committee, said bright LED lights already have had some negative impacts locally.

“A friend said that LED lights installed at the indoor pool at her club were so bright that the manager installed shields over the lights to block the glare after complaints from members,” Pierce said.

“Indoors or outdoors, the county at some point is going to have to address the issue of LED-light intensity.”

Despite those issues, LED lights do have some advantages, Monroe said.

“LEDs are invaluable in reducing energy usage and costs, provide a variety of options in their management and offer a clear, crisp tone,” he said.

The Sun Gazette will not publish next week due to the holidays, but stay on top of breaking news at www.insidenova.com/news/fairfax and check out our new Website at www.sungazette.news. We look forward to serving our readers in 2019 and beyond!

T:13”

McLean Citizens Association (MCA) board members on Dec. 5 passed a resolution encouraging Fairfax County officials to take measures that would mitigate possible negative aspects of light-emittingdiode (LED) streetlights that the county soon will install.

The association’s resolution, which according to Environment, Parks and Recreation Committee chairman Ed Monroe passed by an “overwhelming” margin, cited research showing artificial lighting with color temperatures above 3,000 degrees Kelvin (K) can harm human sleep patterns, disorient animals and create glare.

(For comparison’s sake, a candle flame’s color temperature is 1,850 K, daylight is 5,000 to 6,500 K and clear, blue skies at the Earth’s poles clock in at 15,000 K and higher.)

“The other side of the visible light spectrum, towards the red end, is more commonly associated with our natural nighttime colors, reducing the possibility for scattering and glare, and [being] relaxing to the human eye,” Monroe said.

MCA’s resolution asked the county to install streetlights with color temperatures of about 2,700 K; use shielding to prevent light from spilling upward into the night sky; use timers, dimmers and motion sensors, when possible, to reduce the time LED lights are activated; and review research on how emissions of artificial blue light may affect eye health, circadian rhythms and animal species.

The American Medical Association, National Institutes of Health, International Dark Sky Association and National Optic Astronomy Observatory have adopted guidance or sponsored research encouraging communities to minimize blue-light emissions from LEDs, Monroe said.

The MCA board decided to take a position on the issue after receiving comments from the association’s membership and other local residents, he said.

Fairfax County officials in August entered into a regional pact with Dominion Energy to reduce energy use and costs.

Toward that end, the county starting next summer will begin to 58,000 streetlights with LED versions.

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December 20, 2018 11

McLean Chamber Lauds First-Responders, Veterans ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRIAN TROMPETER

The Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce on Dec. 4 honored local police officers and firefighters and paid tribute to the service of military veterans at the organization’s first-ever Honors Luncheon, held at Vinson Hall Retirement Community.

The chamber previously honored first responders at its annual fall “Suits & Sneakers” event, but this year decided to hold a separate ceremony for those workers and veterans.

Chamber leaders honored two officers from the Fairfax County Police Department’s McLean District Station.

Officer Ingrid Palencia-Membreno, who was named Police Officer of the Year, was honored for her thorough reports and investigations, solid rapport with and ea-

ger assistance to colleagues, and her work as a Spanish translator with the department’s Language Support Services Unit, said Capt. Alan Hanson, the station’s commander.

Paulo Mourao, named Auxiliary Police Officer of the Year, began working at the station in June 2011 and has logged more than 2,500 volunteer hours of service, Hanson said. Mourao has updated the station’s records regarding permission for officers to patrol in some private-property locations, focused on citing motorists who illegally park in handicapped spaces and provided free financial-planning assistance for officers and auxiliaries alike, Hanson said.

Other honorees at the event were: • Rekha Patil, named the McLean

Mike Paris (second from right) of the McLean Volunteer Fire Department receives the Administrative Volunteer of the Year award Dec. 4 at the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce’s Honors Luncheon, held at Vinson Hall Retirement Community. Also pictured (from left) are the fire department’s chief, Lt. John Hootman; chamber president Paul Kohlenberger; Del. Marcus Simon; and fire department president Kay Hartgrove.

Volunteer Fire Department’s Operational Volunteer of the Year.

• Mike Paris, honored as the McLean Volunteer Fire Department’s Administrative Volunteer of the Year.

The chamber also bestowed awards on these top performers with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department: • Firefighter Marcus Woods of Station 1 in McLean.

• Technician Felix Clement of Station 13 in Dunn Loring.

• Technician Brian Hallahan of Station 29 in Tysons.

• Technician Andrew Rose of Station 42 (Wolf Trap).

Chamber leaders also gave a VeteranOwned Business of the Year Award to Ideamatics, which was accepted by com-

pany president David Danner, and bestowed a Lifetime Business Achievement Award on longtime Northern Virginia developer John “Til” Hazel.

The guest speaker, retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Donald Loren, compared veterans and first responders to the Minutemen who fought in the Revolutionary War and said Americans “have always responded to the call” for service.

The sense of responsibility and interconnectedness felt by first responders and veterans “helps us face the dangers of everyday life and a threatening world,” Loren said.

••• See a slide show of photos from the Chamber event at www.insidenova.com/ news/fairfax.

Rekha Patil (second from right) of the McLean Volunteer Fire Department receives the Operational Volunteer of the Year award Dec. 4 at the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce’s Honors Luncheon, held at Vinson Hall Retirement Community. Also pictured (from left) are the fire department’s chief, Lt. John Hootman; chamber president Paul Kohlenberger; Del. Marcus Simon; and fire department president Kay Hartgrove.

Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce president Paul Kohlenberger and Del. Marcus Simon present an award to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department firefighter Marcus Woods of Station 1 in McLean Dec. 4 at the chamber’s Honors Luncheon.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Battalion Chief Ryland Kendrick, Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce president Paul Kohlenberger and Del. Marcus Simon present an award to Technician Brian Hallahan of Station 29 in Tysons Dec. 4 at the chamber’s Honors Luncheon

Officer Ingrid Palencia-Membreno of the Fairfax County Police Department receives the McLean District Station’s Police Officer of the Year Award from Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce president Paul Kohlenberger, Del. Marcus Simon and Capt. Alan Hanson on Dec. 4 at the chamber’s Honors Luncheon

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Battalion Chief Ryland Kendrick, Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce president Paul Kohlenberger and Del. Marcus Simon present an award to Technician Felix Clement of Station 13 in Dunn Loring Dec. 4 at the chamber’s Honors Luncheon.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Battalion Chief Ryland Kendrick, Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce president Paul Kohlenberger and Del. Marcus Simon present an award to Technician Andrew Rose of Station 42, Wolf Trap, on Dec. 4 at the chamber’s Honors Luncheon.

Paulo Mourao (second from right) receives the McLean District Station’s Auxiliary Police Officer of the Year Award from Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce president Paul Kohlenberger, Del. Marcus Simon and Fairfax County police Capt. Alan Hanson.

12

December 20, 2018

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Fairfax Homes Market Soft, But Strength Looms Fairfax County’s real-estate market showed a little softness in November, with sales down and prices flat, but data on the short-term future of the market look good.

For the month, a total of 1,068 properties went to closing, according to figures reported by RealEstate Business Intelligence, based on data from Bright MLS. That’s down 4.1 percent from the 1,114 sales that occurred in November 2017.

The average sales price for all properties that sold during the month was down 1.3 percent to $560,604, with the singlefamily market leading the decline: • The average price of single-family homes declined 2.7 percent to $735,931.

• The average price of attached homes, such as townhouses, was up 4 percent to $387,165.

• The average price of condominiums was up 1.3 percent to $289,001.

Add it all up, and the total sales volume for the month stood at $598.7 million, a decline of 5.4 percent.

(A total of 75 properties sold for more than $1 million, including three with sales prices of more than $2.5 million.)

Conventional mortgages represented the method of transacting sales in 743 cases, followed by cash (128) and VAbacked loans (99).

At the end of the month, there were 2,182 properties on the market across the county, a decline of 2.8 percent from a

year before.

Good news for the short-term market: The number of homes coming under contract in November was up a whopping 60 percent from a year before, while the number of pending sales also was in positive territory.

Figures represent most, but not all, homes on the market. All figures are preliminary, and are subject to revision.

D.C. Core Again Sees Fewer Sales, Higher Prices: November saw the fourth consecutive month of declining year-overyear home sales figures across the Washington inner suburbs, but median prices continued to rise, according to new data.

A total of 3,602 properties went to closing last month, down 11.8 percent from a year before, according to figures reported Dec. 11 by MarketStats by ShowingTime based on listing activity from Bright MLS (www.brightmlshomes.com).

That dropoff was described as “significant” by Elliot Eisenberg, a MarketStats analyst, and the percentage year-over-year drop is almost twice what was reported a month before.

Sales were up in the city of Falls Church and flat in the city of Fairfax, but posted declines in every other jurisdiction: Alexandria; the District of Columbia; and Fairfax, Arlington, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. And they were down in all sectors of the market, dropping 10.7 percent in the single-family sec-

tor; 13.8 percent among townhomes; and 11.7 percent among condominiums.

But the median sales price for properties continued to rise, up 5.9 percent to $449,900, with increases in all three market sectors: • The median sales price of single-family homes rose 6.4 percent to $553,500.

• The median sales price of attached homes, such as townhouses, rose 4.9 percent to $430,000.

• The median sales price of condominiums rose 1 percent to $307,000.

Median sales prices for November ranged from $287,750 in Prince George’s County to $831,000 in the city of Falls Church, with prices rising in every jurisdiction except Arlington and the city of Fairfax.

(Year to date, the median sales price of $440,000 was up 3.4 percent from the same 11-month period in 2017.)

The number of pending sales reported in November totaled 4,215, down slightly from a year ago. Meanwhile, the number of homes coming onto the market in November was up 0.3 percent from a year before, while the number of active listings available for prospective purchasers was up 2.1 percent – the second month in a row that year-over-year inventory has risen after more than two years of declines.

While the overall regional inventory is up, it remains lower than a year before in Fairfax County (and city) along with Ar-

lington and Alexandria.

Homes that sold in November across the region garnered 97.4 percent of original listing price, unchanged from a month before and close to the 10-year high for any November in the region.

Figures represent most, but not all, homes on the market. All figures are preliminary and are subject to revision.

The Sun Gazette has been covering the Northern Virginia real-estate scene for generations – as far back as the 1930s, in fact – so we have some knowledge of the local marketplace!

EHO PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap.

All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.”

Focused On Quality Vision Care For The Whole Family This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law.

Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-9753. Email: fairhousing@dpor. virginia.gov. Web site: www.fairhousing.vipnet.org

With warm wishes to our clients, friends and associates this holiday season! We value your trust and thank you for seeing us this past year!

We will be OPEN Mon. 12/24 from 9-1; CLOSED Tues. 12/25; OPEN 12/26 9-6. We will be OPEN New Year’s Eve 12/31 from 9-1; We will be CLOSED New Year’s Day 1/1 and Open 1/2 from 9-6

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December 20, 2018 13

Senior LIVING

REPORT: Positive mental health improves well-being

A

positive sense of mental wellbeing is related to better brain health among older adults, according to a new report issued by the Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH).

Research shows our sense of mental well-being tends to increase after middle age and there are steps we can take to help improve it, regardless of age.

Mental well-being is defined as a person’s experience of feeling good, functioning well, and coping adequately with life’s challenges. Functioning well means being able to think and reason sufficiently to conduct daily activities, but also the ability to function socially with others and to cope with life’s challenges.

“Many things can affect our sense of mental well-being, like our genetics, personality, life experiences, environmental factors and our personal relationships,” said Sarah Lenz Lock, AARP’s senior vice president for policy and GCBH’s executive director. “But mental well-being is something that we can improve and maintain as we age by living a healthy lifestyle, learning how to manage stress and anxiety, and engaging in things that

give us a sense of purpose.”

Based on the available evidence, the GCBH says that: • Greater mental well-being is associated with reduced risk of dementia.

• Multiple medications taken together can negatively affect mental well-being and cognitive health.

• It is possible to improve your sense of mental well-being, regardless of age or physical condition.

• Relating well to others and having good emotional control are key to mental wellbeing.

The GCBH experts recommend a variety of activities that can help people preserve a positive sense of mental wellbeing. A few of these activities include: strengthening relationships with family and friends, getting regular exercise, finding ways to relieve mental and physical stress, regularly reviewing your medications and their interactions that may be clouding your thinking and feelings, and getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.

Here are just a few specific practical tips the GCBH offers that people can do to help improve and maintain their

sense of mental well-being: • Find things that make you laugh, such as humorous movies, books or online videos. Laughter relieves stress, reduces tension and anxiety, and even lessens pain.

• Take deliberate breaks from social media – by avoiding smart phones during meals,

for instance.

• Establish meaningful connections with people in your community, such as your neighbors.

• Become a regular volunteer. Volunteering helps provide a sense of purpose in life, which may ward off anxiety, depression, loneliness, and social isolation.

Baby Boomers

weekend road trip or an international vacation, Boomers are eager to travel in 2019 and are planning earlier and spending more than in years past.”

Key findings from “2019 Boomer Travel Trends:” • Boomers continue to be avid travelers, planning to take a total of four to five leisure trips in 2019.

• Boomers plan on spending more, overall, on travel in 2019 ($6,600) than both Gen Xers ($5,400) and Millennials ($4,400).

• Forty-seven percent expect to only travel domestically, 48 percent hope to travel both domestically and internationally and 6 percent will travel abroad only.

• For Boomers, the top motivations for travel are to spend time with family and friends (57 percent), relax and rejuvenate (48 percent) and to get away from normal, everyday life (47 percent).

• Work is not the biggest barrier to travel for Boomers. Cost (40 percent) and health issues/concerns (32 percent) are mentioned most often.

• Thirty-two percent of grandparents have ever taken their grandkids on a skip-generation trip, leaving mom and dad at home, and 15 percent of Boomers are already planning to do so in 2019.

Seventy-seven percent of these Boomers will do most of the trip planning themselves and 76 percent will pay for most of the trip.

To read the full survey results, visit www.aarp.org/2019traveltrends

LOOKING AHEAD

to travel in 2019

Wishes from Four Sales Ltd for a Shana Tova

14

December 20, 2018

M

embers of the Baby Boomer generation are eager to travel in 2019, planning to take a total of four to five leisure trips, on which they will spend over $6,600.

AARP Travel recently released the results of its annual travel trend survey, examining travel behaviors, expectations and planning among Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials. According to the research, Travel planning is taking place earlier as compared to years past. A significant majority of Boomers (88 percent) planning domestic travel in 2019 have already selected their destination, an increase from 72 percent of 2018 domestic travelers. For Boomers traveling abroad, 31 percent had booked their 2019 trips

by September 2018, up from 23 percent

by September of the previous year in 2018 and 17 percent in 2017.

“According to this research, Boomers travel plans in 2019 are focused on spending time with family and friends, while getting away from everyday life,” said AARP’s Patty David. “Whether it’s a

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Caregivers report POSITIVE EMOTIONS in helping loved ones

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ARP’s recent survey shows that positive emotions far outweigh negative emotions for both family caregivers and care recipients. Family caregivers report more positive emotions despite half feeling stressed or worried and care recipients report more positive emotions despite 6 out of 10 feeling less independent.

The survey also found that family caregivers who felt more prepared to take on their role were more likely to report positive emotions than negative.

“Changing roles can be difficult to navigate within families, especially when those changes happen quickly with little time to prepare,” said Amy Goyer, an AARP family and caregiving expert and author of AARP’s “Juggling Life, Work and Caregiving.”

“AARP’s caregiving resources help families prepare for new roles, making the transition less stressful and allowing families to enjoy more quality time together,” Goyer said.

Key findings from the survey include: • For family caregivers, positive emotions such as being pleased about helping a loved one (91 percent) far outweigh negative feelings.

•

However, over half are stressed (51 percent) or worried (51 percent) and many are overwhelmed (40

e v a S

percent).

•

4 in 10 family caregivers say they were not prepared to take on their role.

•

Among those who were prepared, only 16 percent say they were “very prepared.”

•

Family caregivers who felt prepared for their role were more positive.

•

Seventy-nine percent of those who felt prepared were more likely to report they were happy compared with only 57 percent of those who felt unprepared.

•

Eighty-four percent of prepared respondents felt comfortable with their role versus 60 percent of unprepared respondents.

•

Most care recipients feel a sense of gratitude (89%) along with other positive emotions.

•

However, nearly six in ten (59 percent) say they feel less independent since accepting help.

AARP supports the more than 40 million family caregivers nationwide who provide unpaid short-term or long-term care to a parent, spouse, friend or other adult loved one in need.

To read the full report, visit www. aarp.org/2017roleschangesurvey.

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www.sungazette.news

December 20, 2018 15

Many older American workers say they plan on getting A NEW JOB.

A

recent AARP national survey shows that a fifth (20 percent) of 50+ workers say they looked for a new job in the last year, and a whopping 35 percent say that they will either “very likely” (18 percent) or “somewhat likely” (17 percent) look for a new position in the next three years.

At the same time, a large percentage of experienced workers admit to being a bit rusty when it comes to job searches.

Nearly half of workers surveyed (47 percent) say it has been 10 or more years since they have applied for a job, and four-in-ten (39 percent) admit that they have not updated their resume in over a similar period of time.

A further hurdle, according to twothirds (64 percent) of the 50+ workers, is that employers would see their age as a disadvantage when making hiring decisions, the survey found.

“The economy has come a long way back since the Great Recession,”

16

December 20, 2018

said AARP senior cice president Jean Setzfand in discussing the AARP study.

“Industries are growing, and experienced workers are attracted to new job opportunities.

“For employers with a labor shortage or skills gap, they should always consider turning to the experienced workforce,” Setzfand added. “Experienced workers have higher levels of engagement, motivation and applied skills.”

She noted that the AARP Work and Jobs website (aarp.org/work) provides insights and tools to help maximize mature workers’ career potential. The Work and Jobs site includes a job search engine, a list of companies that have signed a pledge saying that they recognize the value of experienced workers, and tips for workers of all experience levels who are looking for work or exploring workplace options.

65+ population is set to reach 1 billion by 2030

L

ower fertility and increased longevity have led to the rapid growth of the older population across the world and in the U.S., according to figures and projections from the U.S. Census Bureau In 2015, among the 7.3 billion people estimated worldwide, 617.1 million (9 percent) were aged 65 and older. By 2030, the older population will be about

www.sungazette.news

1 billion (12 percent of the projected total world population) and by 2050, 1.6 billion (17 percent) of the total population will be 65 and older.

The older population in Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean will grow the fastest of all regions, with Asia’s older population almost tripling in size from 341.4 million in 2015 to 975.3 million in 2050.

Wexton

Continued from Page 1

ates from the College of William and Mary to be elected.

“We are very excited,” Wexton said.

“We have a very large freshman class [with] more women than we’ve ever had in Congress. It’s an interesting group because it’s a lot of young women, a lot of women with kids, and that is leading us to have a kind of more family friendly calendar than we’ve had in years past.”

House leadership recognizes members need to be back in their districts with their families and constituents, she said.

Wexton lucked out in the lottery for Congressional office space, drawing from a box the No. 19 button out of a possible 85. She will be ensconced in the Longworth House Office Building.

Members of Congress resemble independent contractors in that they get to allot their budgets of around $1.2 million or $1.3 million any way they see fit, Wexton said.

“It’s kind of like creating a business

Smyth

Continued from Page 1

Smyth first was elected in 2003 to succeed Gerald Connolly, who successfully ran for chairman.

Smyth, a Cape Girardeau, Mo., native who holds a doctorate in American history from the University of Virginia, has been immersed for years in the ongoing redevelopments of Tysons and Merrifield and early in her tenure tackled the Fairlee/ MetroWest development just south of the Vienna Metro Station, where her district’s new office is located in the Providence Community Center.

Many condominiums and townhouses have been built as part of the Fairlee/MetroWest project, but the development’s vital commercial space just south of the Metro station still hasn’t been constructed, Smyth said.

“You can’t make a developer build,” she said.

Smyth will spend her final year in office tying up a bunch of land-use cases.

She noted that supervisors may not act on such matters between next year’s election and January 2020, when the new board takes office.

In 2017, Providence District accounted for 50 percent of the county’s overall residential-development activity and had a hefty portion of its commercial development as well, Smyth said.

Maintaining stable residential neighborhoods is critical to the county’s success, Smyth said. Her civic career began when she and her neighbors opposed having their subdivision, Briarwood, turned into high-rise office buildings.

“Our neighborhood had to learn land use in a crash course to stop a locomotive that was coming at us,” she said, adding that former Board of Supervisors Chair-

from nothing,” she said.

One of the key tasks is hiring staff.

Wexton already has hired a legislative director, but will hold off on some other key positions until she receives her committee assignments in early January.

Like many of her peers, she has asked to serve on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as well as the Science, Space and Technology Committee.

Many freshman members consider climate change a dire issue, one that could negatively affect jobs, Wexton said. Some of those members will be advocating for omnibus “Green New Deal” legislation that will push for renewable energy and seek to eliminate subsidies for oil and gas companies, she said.

Wexton will focus on renewing federal Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) funding of $150 million annually for the system. The funding otherwise will expire next summer and Wexton would like to extend it by another 10 years. She also hopes the federal government will provide money for Metrorail’s operating expenses, as it does for other transit systems.

To boost the morale of federal employ-

ees, Wexton favors eliminating the House’s “Holman Rule,” which allows provisions in appropriations bills toe eliminate certain programs and cut the salary of specific federal workers down to $1.

“Even if it’s not utilized, the message that it sends to our federal workers is terrible and it’s awful for morale,” she said.

The new House member also will pursue measures to prevent firearm-related violence, such as universal background checks, “red-flag” laws that allow authorities temporarily to take away firearms from people deemed dangerous to themselves and others.

“We have a patchwork of state laws that really do not protect the safety of our kids and our communities,” she said.

Wexton said she saw potential to work constructively with President Trump on issues of mutual importance, such as infrastructure and prescription-drug pricing.

“We all ran and felt compelled to run so we could deliver positive results for our constituents,” she said. “In order to do that, we need the House, the Senate and the White House to all be on the same page to make things happen. It’s not look-

ing super-promising, the way things have been going.”

The federal government should avoid a shutdown “at all costs” because of the impact on the its workers and programs, Wexton said.

Del. Marcus Simon (D-53rd), who first was elected in November 2013, jokingly recalled being bumped from the headlines in early 2014 after Wexton won a special election to fill the 33rd District seat of state Sen. Mark Herring, who had been elected Virginia’s attorney general. Wexton briefly worked for Simon’s company, EKKO Title, he said.

Wexton said she had received helpful advice from U.S. Reps. Donald McEachin (D-4th), Donald Beyer (D-8th) and Gerald Connolly (D-11th), whom she called “an amazing resource and supporter.”

The 10th District, which had been represented by Republicans for the past 38 years, is highly diverse, educated, informed and engaged, Wexton said.

“This is a wonderful region that is just going to grow and get stronger,” she said.

“We are very well-situated to be on the cutting edge of all of the jobs and businesses of the future.”

man Katherine Hanley (D) “was so aggravated with us!”

Supervisor John Foust (D-Dranesville), who will announce in January his bid for a fourth term, said Smyth is the board’s – and perhaps county’s – leading expert on zoning and the comprehensive plan, especially for rapidly redeveloping Tysons and Merrifield.

“I would describe her as being not very political, but quite practical in her approach,” Foust said. “I didn’t always agree with her on issues, but always felt she was voting consistent with her conscience and the best interests of the county.”

Providence District Council vice president Erika Milena Yalowitz and School Board member Dalia Palchik have announced they will seek the Democratic nomination for Smyth’s seat. Smyth, who predicted even more candidates would file to run, said her successor will need to know land use thoroughly.

Working with the Board of Supervisors is far more pleasant and productive than often is found in local government, Smyth said.

“I’m on [the Virginia Association of Counties’] board of directors, and we hear stories,” she said. “With as many issues as we have to deal with, the board has been very collegial and civil with each other.”

The Board of Supervisors will look significantly different when it convenes in January 2020, as some other longtime members also have announced plans to retire.

Chairman Sharon Bulova (D) issued a statement Dec. 6 saying she would be stepping down in December 2019 after 31 years’ service on the board, including nearly 11 as chairman. The board has run more smoothly under her leadership, Foust said.

“It’s quite a challenge and responsibility to herd 10 pretty strong personalities with strong opinions about many issues,”

he said. “We’ve worked very carefully and usually have been able to reach a lot of constructive solutions.”

Supervisor Jeff McKay (D-Lee) has announced plans to run for chairman, which means his district’s seat will be open next fall.Supervisor John Cook (RBraddock), who has served since winning

a 2009 special election to fill Bulova’s seat when she became chairman, has indicated he will not seek re-election.

In the Sun Gazette’s readership area, Supervisor Catherine Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill) next year will complete her 20th year in office. She has not announced whether she will seek another term.

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December 20, 2018 17

Real Estate Featured Property of the Week

Exceptional All-Brick Showplace Yeonas & Ellis Home with Pool Sits on McLean Cul-de-Sac

For our very last real-estate profile of the year, we are bringing you something truly exceptional – an all-brick Yeonas & Ellis showplace that is elegance personified both inside and out.

Located in The Reserve – that always-in-fashion McLean community – the property sits on a cul-de-sac lot that provides exceptional serenity, yet you have easy access to Old Dominion Drive and Swinks Mill Road and, from there, to all the pleasures of Northern Virginia.

With the verdant exterior – which includes a pool, spa and pavilion – matched in stylishness by a sumptuous three levels inside, the home is large but retains an exceptionally warm-hearted nature, and the interior layout is creative and versatile.

The result is an abode that is ready for its next owners to provide their own personal stamp of approval and take it into the future.

The property currently is on the market, listed at $2,895,000 by Tania Hosmer of Keller Williams Realty.

We count more than 10,500 square feet of interior space across three levels, an astounding amount that will provide marvelous opportunities for entertaining throughout the year.

The sense of luxury begins from the moment we are welcomed into the foyer, where, as we look to the rear of the home, we spy the extraordinary dual staircase that spirals upwards, complemented by two-story wall of windows that proffers a view of the breathtaking rear yard. It’s a sure-fire 11 on a scale of 1-to-10 when it comes to dramatic first impressions.

The large formal living room (with fireplace) and dining room flank the foyer, while adjacent to the dining room is the stunning and all-new kitchen area, which overlooks the front of the home and opens to the glorious family room, with a fireplace and plentiful windows showcasing the deck and rear yard.

Tucked away off the main traffic flow

are a lovely game room, ensconced in an oval space with plentiful sunlight, and a serene home office with more lush views of the rear yard.

The master retreat is the highlight of the upper level, and represents a world unto itself, with the large bedroom area separated from a sitting room by a twosided fireplace. There also are two walkin closets and two master baths that, when taken together, epitomize sumptuousness.

Three additional en-suite bedrooms are located on the upper level, one featuring its own sitting area.

Downstairs, informal amenities are plentiful, from the home theater to the billiard room to a gym. There are several bonus spaces and, rounding out the

package, you will find copious storage.

The home’s rear deck overlooks the pool/spa/pavilion area and is home to an outdoor kitchen.

Elegant touches abound, adding to the sense of delight that our last home to review in 2018 offers.

Don’t let the new year ring in without taking a look. It’s a home that is well worthy of consideration.

Articles are prepared by the Sun Gazette’s real estate advertising department on behalf of clients.

For information on the home, contact the listing agent. For information on having a house reviewed, contact the Sun Gazette’s real estate advertising department at (703)738-2521.

Facts for buyers Address: 7805 Grovemont Drive, McLean (22102).

Listed at: $2,895,000 by Tania Hosmer, Keller Williams Realty (703) 403-8225.

Schools: Churchill Road Elementary, Cooper Middle, Langley High School.

C A L L TA N I A T O B U Y O R S E L L T O D AY. KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY 6820 Elm Street McLean, VA 22101

18

December 20, 2018

Amazon Finalists Will Benefit in ‘19 Appreciation A handful of metro areas that spent the past year competing for Amazon’s second headquarters – including the Washington region, one of the winners – are expected to see their home-value growth outpace the nation in the coming year, according to the 2018 Q4 Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey.

The quarterly survey, sponsored by Zillow and conducted by Pulsenomics LLC, asked more than 100 real estate economists and investment experts for their predictions about the U.S. housing market, including which three markets they believe are most likely to outperform the U.S., and which three are most likely to underperform in 2019.

Denver, Washington, Atlanta and Dallas ranked as the four markets most likely to outperform the national average rate of home-value appreciation.

All four were on Amazon’s final list of 20 candidates before it selected the New York City and Northern Virginia to split the planned headquarters.

Boston and Nashville, two other HQ2 finalist metros, also made the respondents’ top-10 list. Denver, Boston and the Washington region so far this year have lagged behind the national average rate.

Las Vegas and Phoenix were the two non-HQ2 finalist markets deemed most likely to outperform the nation, followed by San Jose, where home values already have grown nearly 18 percent this year alone. Nationwide, home values have increased 7.7 percent through the first ten months of 2018.

But courting Amazon and its expected 50,000 jobs didn’t guarantee a rosy 2019 outlook. Chicago, also on the HQ2 short list, was considered the metro most likely to underperform against the national market.

Chicago has struggled relative to most other markets to recover from the housing bust over the past decade, with home values still more than 13 percent below their pre-recession peaks.

Baltimore was just ahead of Chicago on the list of expected underperformers.

The average expected home price appreciation rate for next year is 3.8 percent, down from 4.2 percent in the previous quarter.

Also, the panel’s expected annual growth rate over the next five years ticked down to 3.4 percent.

TANIA HOSMER

Office: 703-636-7300 Mobile: 703-403-8225 Email: TaniaHosmer@gmail.com • Web: TaniaHosmer.com

www.sungazette.news

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December 20, 2018 19

Schools & Military Gregory Blasz of Vienna, a graduate of James Madison High School, has been selected for membership in the St. Lawrence University chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon, the national mathematics honorary society. n

n Matthew Grim of McLean, a student of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, was a member of a student team that recently completed an intense, hands-on research project – “Interactive Art Exhibits” – in Santa Fe, N.M. n Madeira School junior Gabby McClellan beat out more than 3,000 other entries in a nationwide search for student ideas on technology in the future with her “Edge of Existence” essay about the colonization of Mars and the use of targeted genome editing to win the Future of Technology Summit essay contest.

The essay competition is a nationwide search for the most creative, thoughtful and well-presented student ideas on technology of the future, what problems it might solve and what problems it might create. One winner from each age group – middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) – is selected by a panel of university and corporate tech experts.

Casey Ocasal, a senior at the Madeira School, was awarded “Outstanding n

A new scholarship fund named in honor of the retiring president of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) will support students in the Honors College at George Mason University.

Members of the FCEDA Commission announced the establishment of the Dr. Gerald L. Gordon Scholarship Endowment to support undergraduate students pursuing degrees in STEM [science, technology, engineering and math], economics or other disciplines relevant to economic development in Fairfax County.

“We are so excited to be able to establish this legacy in Jerry’s name,” said Cathy Lange, chair of the FCEDA Commission.

Commission member Rocky Mitchell announced a $50,000 challenge grant from his employer, PenFed Credit Union, to support the fund.

“This challenge grant is a most appropriate way to celebrate Jerry’s legacy,” said PenFed CEO James Schenck.

Gordon served as the founding chairman of the Honors College Advisory Board beginning in 2014, introducing students to a number of important groups in the region and providing multiple internships.

“Dr. Gordon never loses sight of the important connection between education and economic development,” said Zofia Burr, dean of the Honors College. n

Madeira School students Gabby McClellan (left) and Casey Ocasal recently received accolades.

See items at left.

Delegate” at the Yale Model Government Europe (YMGE) competition in Budapest, Hungary, placing second out of 40 delegates.

Ocasal competed on the All-American Model United Nations team, which was awarded Best Large Delegation.

The All-American Model United Nations team is a highly selective National Model UN travel team that attends international conferences.

Sara Rhodin, who serves as adviser to Madeira’s Model UN team, spoke highly of Ocasal’s talent.

“Like a professional diplomat, Casey always maintains a measured tone and

calm under pressure,” Rhodin said. “Her argumentation is eloquent, informed and engaging.”

Ocasal has been heavily involved in Model UN since she arrived at Madeira, school officials said.

“As an involved debater in middle school, I joined Model UN because I thought it would be the best way to keep exercising my debate skills while fulfilling my passion for current events and international politics,” she said. “I’ve grown so much as a writer, presenter, speaker and team member. I’ve also met many of my best friends at Model UN conferences and through competing.”

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December 20, 2018 21

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McLean/G. Falls Notes

Sandra Grimes recently was presented with the Women in History Award by the Freedom Hill chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Shown from left are chapter member Jean Luning-Johnson, chapter historian Maureen Jenkins, Grimes and chapter regent Beth Boswell.

DAUGHTERS OF AMERICAN REVOLUTION CHAPTER HONORS LOCAL RESIDENT: The Freedom Hill chapter of the

Daughters of the American Revolution recently presented Sandra Grimes with its Women in American History Award, honoring her service to the country and role in national history.

The presentation was made at the chapter’s Dec. 1 meeting, in which Grimes discussed her work as a CIA agent for more than a quarter century.

Part of that time was spent conducting

the search within the CIA for a spy who turned out to be Aldrich Ames. Grimes later served as co-author with Jeanne Vertefeuille of “Circle of Treason: A CIA Account of Traitor Aldrich Ames and the Men He Betrayed.”

The award was presented by chapter regent Beth VanDoren Boswell and chapter historian Maureen Jenkins.

CHANGES COMING TO PARK-ENTRANCE FEES: Changes to entrance fees

at Great Falls National Park will take ef-

fect Jan. 1.

The current vehicle fee of $10 for three days will now cost $15 and be valid for seven days, and will include entrance to The C&O National Historical Park in Maryland as well. Fees for walkers, hikers and bicyclists and motorcyclists also will rise slightly.

The cost of an annual pass will remain at $30, and will provide access to both parks.

It will be the first change to fees at the Great Falls National Park since 2015.

Entrance fees are increasing at many national parks, in an effort to help clear up a deferred-maintenance backlog of nearly $12 billion, National Park Service officials said.

The park system has attracted 1.5 billion visitors over the past five years, according to federal officials.

RENOVATED MCC PREPS FOR OPEN HOUSE: The McLean Community Cen-

ter will show off its renovations at a community open house slated for Saturday, Jan. 5 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

As part of the event, a free “Be Fit” health fare will provide screenings and information on health-care issues and preventive practices.

The center is located at 1234 Ingleside Ave. For information, call (703) 790-0123 or see the Web site at www.mcleancenter. org.

McLEAN NEWCOMERS, NEIGHBORS HOSTS COFFEE: McLean Newcom-

ers and Neighbors will host a coffee for members and prospective members on Wednesday, Jan. 2 at 11 a.m. at TysonsPimmit Regional Library. For information, see the Web site at www.mcleannewcomers.org.

TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOP IS FOCUSED ON SENIORS: The Great Falls

Senior Center will host a technology workshop on Monday, Jan. 14 at 1 p.m. at Great Falls Library.

Space is limited and registration is required by Jan. 9 at gfsctech@gmail.com.

EX-KGB OFFICER TO SPEAK TO LOCAL SENIORS: Great Falls Senior Center

will host a presentation by former KGB intelligence officer Gennadiv Vasilienko on Tuesday, Jan. 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Great Falls.

The presentation will look at unlikely friendships formed in the wake of the Cold War. The program is free, but registration is required. To register and for information, e-mail Polly Fitzgerald at pollyfitz1@verizon.net.

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December 20, 2018 23

Sports

More on the Web n High-school roundup. n Youth sports results.

For more sports, visit:

www.insidenova.com/sports/Fairfax

Madison Executes A Key Win

Teeing Off

Where Were Football Fans During the Fall Campaign?

Hopefully, what so far has been good fan attendance at local varsity high-school basketball and other indoor events this winter will continue, making up for a disappointing and anemic showing in that regard during the fall’s outdoor football campaign.

Girls Team Downs A Perennial Power

Dave Facinoli

A Staff Report

The Madison Warhawks (6-3) snapped a three-game losing streak in grand fashion last week – rallying from 11-5 deficit BASKETBALL an after the first period to defeat perennial private-school power Georgetown Visitation, 51-35, in girls high-school hoop action.

Madison, a public-school team that began the season 4-0, changed the momentum by outscoring Visitation 20-6 in the second quarter to lead 25-17 at halftime in a physical contest.

Tedi Makrigiorgos led Madison with 16 points, making four three-pointers.

Grace Arnolie scored nine for Madison and Carolina Brusch seven with a three.

The next night, Madison won on the road, 41-37, at South Lakes in another non-district win. Arnolie led the way with 16 points, making a trio of three-s and Sam Glowasky scored seven.

Prior to facing Georgetown Visitation, Madison lost to South County, 49-41, in non-district action. The Warhawks led 33-31 after three periods.

Caroline Trotter led Madison with 11 points, Brusch and Alayna Arnolie scored seven and Glowasky six.

Madison High School’s Grace Arnolie drives to the basket during a Dec. 13 home game against perennial private-school power Georgetown Visitation.

PHOTO BY DEB KOLT

Huskies’ Offense Has Been Highly Productive DAVE FACINOLI Staff Writer

Scoring has not been a problem so far this season for the Flint Hill Huskies in their six victories.

The boys high-school basketball team amassed 85 points in each of its recent BASKETBALL most two wins, including an 85-81 seesaw home triumph over the Episcopal Maroon on Dec. 12.

The Huskies average 81.2 points per game – scoring 85 three times.

If Flint Hill has an issue with its strong 6-1 start, according to head coach Rico Reed, it’s with defense and 24

December 20, 2018

allowing too many points at times. Episcopal made 17 three-pointers in the loss, including 10 in the second half.

“Seventeen threes. St. James made 13 against us. That’s on us,” Reed said. “We can score on offense, but we have to be better on the defensive end, and we can.

It’s about talking and communication.”

There were five lead changes and three ties between Flint Hill and Episcopal (4-2), regarded as two of the top Division I private-school teams in the state. The last tie was at 55 with 1:13 left in the third quarter.

Flint Hill took the lead for good at 57-55 on a 12-foot jumper in the lane by forward Dowar Jioklow (15 points,

seven rebounds) and led 60-55 at period’s end. But the Huskies could never shake sharp-shooting Episcopal despite building a 10-point fourth-quarter lead at 80-70.

The Maroon would rally behind three-pointers, seven made by Tymu Chenery and four added bby Darius Johnson. Each made a trio of fourthquarter three-pointers.

There were 25 threes made in the game, with Flint Hill hitting eight – six by senior guard Jordan Hairston. He finished with 27 points, five assists and four steals.

www.sungazette.news

Continued on Page 27

For various reasons – with the consistent wet and bad weather on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons a factor – football attendance was very poor during the fall. Even the usually large student sections were smaller.

All of that was a concern to school leaders. Gate receipts from football games is a big money maker for schools. If there are no fans, there is far less money.

What was striking was the small home crowd at a region semifinal playoff game between host Centreville and Madison on one of the few dry nights.

Cold a bit, but otherwise the weather was no issue that evening.

The Centreville stands were maybe a third full, with the student section way below par. Not long ago, such a playoff game at that same venue would have drawn standing-roomonly masses on the home side.

So what might be reasons for the reduced attendance?

Ticket prices haven’t skyrocketed, so that’s probably not an issue. Maybe the longer game times are a turnoff.

High-school grid contests last closer to three hours now than two, challenging those young attention spans.

Some coaches and athletic administrators worry that high-school football no longer has the same appeal.

“We’ve seen this downward trend in recent years. Students have other interests now,” said Jeff Ferrell, Robinson Secondary School’s director of student activities.

Other possibilities are changing demographics, further travel and confusion over which team is playing whered brought on by the many district and region realignments in recent yeares that have led to some lost rivalries.

Find daily updates on the Web at www.insidenova.com. Stay in touch through Twitter (@sungazettespts) and www.facebook.com/sungazettenews.

Warhawks Emerge Victorious in Non-District Action

Madison High School’s Sarah Conforti, right, defends Taylor Webster of Georgetown Visitation during a recent game.

Madison’s Carolina Trotter is double teamed while attempting a shot under the basket against Georgetown Visitation.

Madison High School head coach Kirsten Stone talks to her players during a timeout.

Madison’s Tedi Makrigiorgos drives to the basket to make a layup during a game against Georgetown Visitation.

Madison’s Alayna Arnolie dribbles down the court against Georgetown Visitation.

Far left: Madison High School’s Grace Arnolie drives to the basket past Georgetown Visitation’s Blaise Castro during non-district girls prep basketball action last week in Vienna. Host Madison won, 41-35, over the team from Washington, D.C. Middle: Madison’s Amalia Makrigiorgos gets tangled up with Ellie Mitchell and Molly McCarthy of Visitation as she attempts to advance the ball.

Left: Madison’s Alayna Arnolie attempts a three-pointer against Visitation.

PHOTOS BY DEB KOLT www.sungazette.news

December 20, 2018 25

High-School Roundup SWIM AND DIVE: The Madison boys and girls swept meets against Edison and Mount Vernon on Dec. 14.

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Marshall has three games this week, including a key district contest against the Wakefield Warriors. Those teams annual battle for the district cham-

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pionship. For results from that game and others, visit www.insidenova.com/ sports/fairfax. n The Madison Warhawks (4-4) defeated the South Lakes Seahawks, 56-49, in non-district boys action Dec. 14 for their third win in four games.

John Finney scored 14 points for Madison and Soren Almquist 12. n The McLean Highlanders improved to records of 5-1 and 4-2 in girls and boys basketball, respectively, with wins over Centreville last week. The boys won 55-40 and the girls 67-66.

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For the McLean girls, who have won five in a row, Elizabeth Dufrane scored 26, Elly Glenn 10 and Sophie Smith and Natalie Hedrick nine each.

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defeat Falls Church, 54-27, in National District games last week.

Marshall plays two district contests this week. n After losing their first three games, the Langley Saxons, last season’s Class 6 state runner-up, bounced back to win three of their next four contests in girls action. Last week Langley nipped the Chantilly Chargers, 40-38, then downed the Oakton Cougars, 39-24.

Against Chantilly, Lauren Maloney had 12 points, Marya Mufti 11 and Lily Kleinknecht and Kylie Allen seven each. In the win over Oakton, Maloney scored 13, Mufti eight and Kleinknecht six, making to three-pointers.

www.sungazette.news

Flint Hill Football Coach Steps Down After Seven Seasons DAVE FACINOLI Staff Writer

Tom Verbanic, one of the most successful head coaches in the history of high-school footFOOTBALL ball in Northern Virginia and throughout the commonwealth, has stepped down from that position at the Flint Hill School.

Verbanic will remain as the school’s head baseball coach and assistant athletic director. He was Flint Hill’s head football coach for seven seasons, leading the Huskies to back-to-back 11-0 Division I state private-school championships in 2017 and 2018.

“I think it’s the right time,” Verbanic said. “I’ve been coaching football for 40

Huskies Continued from Page 24

Flint Hill’s 6-foot-10 senior center Qudus Wahab had his typical doubledouble with 20 points and 14 rebounds to go with two blocks and two assists.

Also for the Huskies, guard Justice Ellison had 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, and guard Ethan Jones had three points and five assists.

years and I look forward to having a fall off to see what that is like. I don’t want to be one of those guys who keeps hanging on. Maybe coaching Tom Verbanic football is getting to be not as fun for me as it used to be.”

Verbanic has been a head football coach for 29 seasons at three different schools, accumulating 234 career victories and four state championships, all

with undefeated records.

His public-school Westfield Bulldogs teams won two Virginia High School League Group AAA state championships. That gave Verbanic the rare distinction of winning state crowns on both the private and public levels – in the highest classification at each.

His Westfield teams also won district and region crowns, with Flint Hill winning conference championships.

Verbanic’s teams were known for being well prepared, playing hard and making few mistakes.

Flint Hill won 52 games under Verbanic. At Westfield for 10 years from 2000 to 2010, the Bulldogs won 100 games. Prior to that, he coached Fairfax High from 1989 to 1999, winning 82

times and multiple district championships. In those 29 seasons, his teams had just four losing seasons.

Verbanic did not rule out coaching football again in some capacity in the future, if the situation was right.

In baseball, Verbanic has 385 career wins coming at Flint Hill, Fairfax and Langley. He wants to continue coaching baseball for a number of seasons yet.

Flint Hill athletic director Diana Parente said the school plans to have Verbanic replacement as football coach hired by early summer at the latest.

NOTE: Only Northern Virginia head football coaches Mickey Thompson at Stone Bridge High and Bruce Hanson at Yorktown, each still active, have more victories than Verbanic.

Christian Turner and Ronald Ayers, players among the Huskies’ rotation, were sick and did not play.

“We have a lot of offensive talent,” Reed said. “When we are disciplined and get the ball into Q [Wahab], then we have Jordan outside, we can score points.”

Wahab had 28 points and 15 rebounds in Flint Hill’s 85-70 win over Georgetown Day in its previous game.

Hairston scored 14, Jones 10 with six assists, and Saxby Sunderland scored seven. Wahab had 24 points and 11 boards

in a 70-60 win over Bishop Ireton.

He averages 17.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game and has 20 blocked shots.

Flint Hill’s next game is at home on Saturday, Dec. 22 at 4:45 p.m. against a good St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes squad (3-1), the team that eliminated the Huskies from last season’s state tournament.

“That will be another strong test for us,” Reed said. “They are very good and return most of their players from last season.”

After that Flint Hill plays three games in the George Long Tournament at Wakefield High School from Dec. 27 to 29.

NOTES: Of Episcopal’s eight fourth-quarter field goals, seven were three-pointers. Ten of the team’s 13 second-half field goals were threes. Chenery’s last five field goals were threes. He was 7 of 8 for threes for the game. The Maroon attempted 32 threes, shooting 53 percent from beyond the circle . . .

Hairston was 6 of 12 from three land in the win.

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Very Reasonable Prices Licensed & Insured • Free Estimates

with MM in your subject line

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More than 10 years experience.

Free Estimates

Interior & Exterior Basement Finishing Crown Molding Power Wash Drywall

Bathroom Remodeling Wood Replacement Hardwood Flooring Carpet Installation

(703) 597-6163 w

AngelOchoa1103@yahoo.com Licensed & Insured

PAINTING

CARLOS PAINTING, INC.

Millennium USA Painting LLC

Special Price for Empty Houses!

•Interior & Exterior •Plaster Repair •Water Damage •Pressure Washing •Crown/Chair Molding •References •Guaranteed Work •Handyman Services

•Drywall •Textured Ceiling •Deck Sealing •Wall Paper Removal •Rotton Wood •Window Seals •Trim Repair •Home Improvement

571-233-7667

carlosfpainting@yahoo.com

Quality Workmanship

• Great Refs & Prices • Quality Service • Lic/Ins 20% DISCOUNT FOR NEW CUSTOMERS 25% DISCOUNT FOR MILITARY & SENIORS!

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ROOFING

Chesapeake Powerwashing Family Owned & Operated for 30 Years Gentle, low-pressure thorough turbo washing wand ensures no damage to brick, stone, wood, concrete or siding. We use a soft hand-brushing method before spraying to remove embedded dirt that the powerwasher won’t get.

Working Owners Assures Quality Licensed, Bonded & Insured

703-356-4459

Roofing Painting & Remodeling

Give us a call!

703-232-1434

Your Storm Damage Specialist

www.painterroofing.com

The Staff at the

Potomac Window Cleaning Co. Window Cleaning - Inside & Outside, By Hand, Residental Specialist.

Knowledgeable workmanship by working owners assures quality. 30 years experience, Family Owned/Operated

Sun Gazette would like to

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

703-356-4459

wish you and your family

Ask us about our window sash rope, broken glass & screen repair services

SunGazette

a Happy Holiday Season!

703-771-8831 December 20, 2018

Call 703-761-4095 Email: info@capitolhilloffices.com

PAINTING

WINDOWS / FLOORS

30

28 years of experience in high end properties.

A division of ACI Building Services Licensed and Bonded

Martin Thibault

POWERWASHING

Syd’s Plumbing & Repairs

Mansion Maintenance, Cleaning and Lawn Care

PAINTING

PAINTING

Pat's Masonry LLC

HOME MAINTENANCE

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS

8. Billy Joel’s “____ the Good

Items taken from the archives of the Northern Virginia Sun.

© StatePoint Media

9. The Colosseum, e.g.

ACROSS

December 23, 1942: n Firefighters are being hampered by the extremely cold conditions across the region. n A car-sharing drive, aimed at conserving rubber for the war effort, is coming locally in January. n The Sun’s editor says the recent cold snap should remind Northern Virginians about the situations faced by our men fighting the Japanese in the Aleutians, and our Soviet allies battling the Nazis.

12. Not aria nor recitative

1. Snap up

13. Landscaper’s tool 14. *Welcomed with a count

Local history

December 23, 1958: n Light rain or snow is predicted for Christmas Eve across the region. n Pope John XXIII will give his first Christmas message as pontiff. n George Preston Marshall says he is willing to sell the Redskins, but only if the new owner allows him to run the team for the next 10 years.

December 23, 1963: n A White Christmas is likely across Northern Virginia, forecasters say. n At a ceremony last night at the Lincoln Memorial, President Johnson officially ended the national mourning period for John F. Kennedy. n Lawyers for Jack Ruby are attempting to get the alleged killer of Lee Harvey Oswald out on bail so they can obtain psychological evaluations. n Pending congressional business may keep President Johnson in town, but he still hopes to get to his Texas ranch for Christmas. n Pope Paul VI plans to stress Christian unity in his first Christmas message as pontiff.

December 23, 1970: n Gov. Holton says he wants legislation passed to allow 18-year-olds to vote in state elections. n A Fairfax committee is mulling whether to reduce the number of seats on the Board of Supervisors. n The FAA has awarded a $900,000 grant to study whether Dulles Airport’s main terminal should be expanded. n A state Senate committee has failed to come up with a workable redistricting plan for Virginia’s congressional districts. n At the movies: “Dirty Dingus Magee,” “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever” and “The Out of Towners.”

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

Die Young” 10. *____ the season!

5. Ship pronoun 8. Table scrap 11. Not happening

down

12. Call to matey

19. Weight of refuse and chaff, pl.

13. Boredom

22. Driving hazard

15. Decant

23. Does like a crane

16. Pilaf grain

24. About to explode

17. Charcuterie stores

25. Celiac disease,

18. *“A ____ for the rest of

colloquially

us!”- from “Seinfeld” 20. Gwyneth, to friends 21. Thing to bear?

22. Comedian Tina 23. *Warmest or holiday follower 26. Feeling of disinterest 30. Sculptor Hans/Jean ___ 31. Chief 34. Assistant 35. Used in cricket or 301 37. *Feast of the Seven Fishes seafood 38. Tanks and such 39. Purse for a formal affair 40. All together 42. Make a mistake 43. Green bean or peanut 45. Infamous ____ Knoll 47. Charge carrier 48. *____ Navidad!

50. Hindu princess 52. *This theme wouldn’t exist without them 55. Swines, in Old English 56. Dashing style

26. ____ weevil 27. March of ____ 28. Emanations from incense and frankincense 29. *Christmas predecessor 32. Be undecided 33. Cotillion ball’s main attraction 36. *Good follower 38. Like smell of burning rubber, e.g.

40. Long time 41. Staring amorously 44. Coolness and composure 46. Popular flowering shrub 48. Shakespeare’s “First ____” 49. African antelope 50. RBG’s garb 51. Matured like cheese 52. SOS 53. Quotable Berra 54. What DJs do 55. Reporter’s question 58. Is in Paris

57. Between a trot and a gallop 59. Corpulent 60. Ding-a-____ 61. Knight’s breastplate 62. “I Thee ____” 63. Pea container 64. Not a word?

DOWN 1. Econ. measure 2. *Where Santa’s sleigh lands 3. Malaria symptom 4. Russian soup 5. Prison weapon, pl.

6. Bette Midler’s “____ Pocus” 7. *“Tiny tots with their ____ all aglow”

Transportation Notes N.VA. TRANSPORTATION BODY CRITICAL OF D.C. CITY COUNCIL ACTION ON FARE EVASION: The Northern Vir-

ginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) is not happy with legislation approved by the D.C. City Council to decriminalize fare evasion (“turnstile-hopping”) on the Metro system.

Decriminalization “sends the wrong message and is unfair to the overwhelming majority of WMATA’s riders who pay their fares,” NVTC’s executive committee said in a Dec. 11 letter to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

“It also places an undue financial burden on our taxpayers and riders – shifts a portion of the burden of tens of millions of dollars in projected additional expense for [Metro] to Virginia taxpayers and riders,” the organization said in urging Bowser to either veto the legislation or press the D.C. City Council to reconsider its vote.

If the District of Columbia moves forward alone on eliminating criminal sanctions for fare evasion, it could “weaken our regional relationship” and put in jeopardy the funding agreement between Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia,

NVTC said in the letter, signed by chairman Paul Smedberg, a member of the Alexandria City Council.

Currently, those who use Metro – rail or bus – in the District of Columbia without paying face a fine of up to $300 and up to 10 days in jail. The D.C. City Council on Dec. 4 voted 10-2 to remove criminal sanctions for using Metro without paying, dropping it to a civil matter with a maximum $50 fine.

The decriminalization measure has been opposed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, but was supported by groups that said a criminal conviction for fare evasion represents a disproportionately high penalty.

NEW CROP OF ‘BEST WORKPLACE FOR COMMUTERS’ ANNOUNCED: The Fair-

fax County Board of Supervisors recently honored 14 employers as “Best Workplace for Commuters” recipients, bringing to 93 the total number of designees since the county government began participation in the initiative.

“These employers support commute options like taking the bus, walking, bik-

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ing, telework, compressed workweeks or carpooling,” said Julie Bond, program manager of the Best Workplaces for Commuters, an initiative of the National Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida.

Fairfax County recipients for 2018 included AbleVets LLC (Chantilly); Bart & Associates (McLean); KeyW Corp.

(Herndon); Logistics Management Institute (Tysons); Merritt Group (McLean); MorganFranklin Consulting (McLean); and Northwest Federal Credit Union (Herndon).

Also, Odin, Feldman & Pittleman P.C. (Reston); Qore Performance (McLean); Revature (Reston); Schneider Electric (Fairfax); SeKON Enterprise (Reston); TeraThink Corp. (Reston); and Tesla Government (Vienna).

The Sun Gazette welcomes your submission of items for inclusion in the newspaper. Find contact information on Page 6 of each week’s edition. We’re happy to help spread the word of news of interest throughout the community!

December 20, 2018 31

703.861.5548 tracydillard.com

McLean | $1,995,000 | For Sale

Vienna | $1,695,000 | For Sale

Oakton | $1,620,000 | For Sale

McLean | $799,000 | For Sale

McLean | $1,030,000 | Just Sold

McLean | $949,000 | Just Sold

Great Falls | $1,395,000 | Just Sold

Arlington | $1,198,000 | Represented the Buyer

Alexandria | $360,900 | Under Contract

Over $230 Million Sold Top 1% RealtorsÂŽ Nationwide Best of Washingtonian 2018

Tracy Dillard Senior Vice President MBA | RealtorÂŽ VA/DC/MD 703.861.5548 tracy@compass.com

Contact us for help buying or selling a home!

Compass is a licensed real estate brokerage that abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. All measurements and square footages are approximate.

This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland. 6849 Old Dominion Drive, Suite 360, McLean, VA 22101 | 703.310.6111

32

December 20, 2018

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