Summer Fun at Creekside Village

Vol. 15 No. 28
Serving Mount Vernon, Lee, and Alexandria
August 3, 2016 50 Cents
Confusion at Mount Vernon Traffic Circle
Council Suggests Two Safety Improvements at Bottleneck
By STEVE HUNT
Staff Writer
Anyone who has recently driven
through the traffic circle at the
southernmost end of the George
Washington Memorial Parkway
where it meets Route 235 and the
Mount Vernon Memorial Highway at Mount Vernon Estate has
likely noted that it has become a
potentially dangerous situation.
And that includes members of
the Mount Vernon Council of Citizens Associations.
Last week, the MVCCA passed
a resolution urging Mount Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck to
contact the superintendent of the
parkway to propose that a study
be instituted to determine if a stop
sign might be more appropriate to
replace the existing yield sign on
the traffic circle.
The resolution notes that it is normal practice for vehicles in a traffic circle to have the right of way
over vehicles entering the circle.
Staff photos/Steve Hunt
Two issues being debated by the MVCCA are the efficacies of the Yield Sign and possible addition of a crossing guard at the
Stop sign at Mount Vernon Circle at the junction of the GW Memorial Parkway, Mount Vernon Memorial Highway and Route 235.
However, “an unusual situation
exists at the traffic circle ... that
warrants providing priority to
traffic entering the circle, since
only a trickle of traffic is ever on
the circle while the preponderance of traffic is the continuous
flow of northbound traffic ap-
proaching the circle.”
The resolution continues, “the
existing ‘yield’ sign is frequently
violated, causing close-call accidents as heard from commuters
and a serious accident can easily
occur under these circumstances,
where each driver believes he has
priority.
“A ‘stop’ sign is deemed to carry
more respect for obedience and
will certainly catch the attention
of drivers on the circle, more so
than a ‘yield’ sign,” the resolution
states.
MVCCA transportation com-
mittee member Frank Cohn said
many drivers who witness these
“close-calls” may believe they
are isolated events, but that is not
the case.
“This thing is much more prevalent that you might think,” Cohn
See Circle Page 10
Restoration of Local Degraded Stream Starts Monday
Quander Road Stream Restoration Revised Concept Design
FCDPWES
By MARY PADEN
Contributing Writer
The restoration of a highly degraded stream in
Mount Vernon District Park near Quander Road
and Dartmouth Drive that has been dumping tons
of sediment into Dyke Marsh will begin Monday
after a couple years of planning by Fairfax County
and the Park Authority.
Residents along Quander Road and nearby
streets in the Bucknell Manor neighborhood are
being notified that over the next six months dozens of trees will be taken out and a parade of dump
trucks will come through with fill for a “canyon”
that is 20 feet deep, 50 feet wide, and 200 feet long
formed by water from an outfall pipe near Dartmouth Drive.
The gully will be filled to within five feet of the
surface and the banks sloped to allow overflow.
Stormwater will be slowed by a series of riffles,
stone step pools and other devices to prevent erosion.
Trails in the park will be improved and invasive
species removed.
The 930-foot outfall stream flows west to east
through Mount Vernon Park behind the Mount
See Stream Page 10
Pets of the Week
Bo Boxer is a senior male
boxer. He is a relaxed older
dog, looking for a special
home to to spend his golden
years in. He loves being
around people, but doesn’t
always feel the same way
about other dogs. For this
reason, he would be best off
as the only dog in the home.
Animal ID #A067037
Don’t Forget
to Register
Bo Boxer
Harper
Jack
Jack is an adult male
domestic medium hair.
Animal ID #A068162
Harper is an adult female
domestic short hair. She gets
EXTREMELY nervous when
she first sees and meets new
people. That means if you
visit her cage at the shelter,
she will likely hiss at you
a little bit at first, but she
doesn’t really mean it. She
loves people, she just gets a
little scared at first. If you give
her enough time to warm up
to you, you will see that she
is a huge sweetheart who is
really hoping someone will
take the time to get to know
her and give her a great
home. Animal ID A066866
Staff photo/Steve Hunt
Mount Vernon resident John Tolleris was busy volunteering his time Friday afternoon
outside the post office at the Mount Vernon Plaza in Hybla Valley. Tolleris, who was
working a two-hour shift, said he had registered two voters that afternoon. The
deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 8 general election is Monday, Oct. 17.
Ad
Salespeople
Needed
Max
Max is an adult male black
Labrador retriever.
Animal ID #A067753
The Hollin Hall Animal Hospital is proud to sponsor the
Animal Welfare League of Alexandria’s Pets of the Week.
For information on adopting this week’s pets go to
www.alexandriaanimals.org. (703) 746-4774
The Mount Vernon
Voice is looking
for people to sell
advertising in the
Mount Vernon, Lee
and Alexandria
areas.
* Work on your own
time.
* Great opportunity for
self-starters.
* Be a part of the Voice
of your community.
* Must have own car.
* Knowledge of the area
a huge plus.
We offer an
EXCELLENT
commission.
For more information, e-mail
mountvernonvoice@aol.com
www.hollinhallanimalhospital.com
2
August 3, 2016
Arrest Made in Heroin Dealing on Corridor
A Washington, DC, man has
been arrested by the Fairfax
County police Street Crimes Unit
(part of the Organized Crime and
Narcotics Division) for allegedly
selling heroin in several areas of
the county, including the Richmond Highway corridor.
The department’s Organized
Crime Narcotics Division (OCN)
has been conducting a long-term
investigation into the distribution
of heroin in the county.
“Based on evidence obtained
during the investigation a suspect
was identified as “Nephew” who
was allegedly selling heroin in
several areas of Fairfax County,”
police stated.
As the investigation progressed,
“Nephew” was identified as Clarence Dickerson, 39, and a confi-
FCPD photo
Clarence Dickerson
dential informant was developed
and the purchases of heroin were
made in various locations throughout the county, police reported.
OCN utilized Fairfax 1, the
FCPD’s helicopter, to assist with
surveillance during the investiga-
tion which led to the discovery
of a consistent pattern in Dickerson’s alleged distribution habits.
“A buyer was identified in the
Town of Vienna as well as a business on Richmond Highway,
where Dickerson was also dealing,” police stated.
As a result of this investigation,
arrest warrants were obtained for
Dickerson charging him with five
counts of distribution of heroin,
police reported.
On July 20, Dickerson was stopped
by police and arrested in the Reston
area. A subsequent search of his
vehicle revealed heroin, crack cocaine, scales, packaging material
and other items commonly used in
the distribution of illegal narcotics,
according to police.
As part of the investigation, offi-
cers with the U.S. Park Police executed a search warrant for OCN
at Dickerson’s residence that evening where they seized cocaine, a
9mm handgun and an undisclosed
amount of cash, police reported.
The investigation also revealed
that Dickerson had multiple heroin
customers throughout the county,
including the Town of Vienna.
He was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center where the initial five warrants
were served. Two additional warrants were obtained and served,
charging Dickerson with possession with the intent to distribute
cocaine and heroin.
Additional charges are being
considered, including federal
charges, according to police.
— FCPD report
Street in the Franconia area and
had been allegedly touched inappropriately on May 8.
The victim reported the incident
to police the following day.
On May 24, officers obtained a
criminal warrant for Currie, charing him with sexual battery.
In the more recently reported
case involving the 2015 incident,
the woman alleged that the same
therapist touched her inappropriately, police reported.
On July 26, officers obtained a
warrant Currie with sexual battery. The next day, Currie turned
himself in at the Fairfax County
Adult Detention Center where the
warrant was served.
Police are asking that anyone
who could have had an inappropriate contact with Currie or who
has information about a similar incident to contact Detective
Struthers at 703-246-7870.
— FCPD report
Recent Case Prompts Belated Battery Charge
On July 27, Fairfax County police charged a 25-year-old man
who had been formerly employed
as a massage therapist for allegedly inappropriately touching a
25-year-old woman in December,
2015, at a Franconia business.
The victim reported the incident
to police June 25, 2016, after
learning about another case which
had occurred in May 2016.
In the May 2016 case, police
arrested Nicholas Currie of Alexandria after an investigation
determined that a 36-year-old
woman who had visited Massage
Envy, located at 6465 Old Beulah
FCPD photo
Nicholas Currie
Arrest in 2015 Killing
Fairfax County police homicide
detectives have arrested a Hybla Valley man in the murder of a
34-year-old man in Hybla Valley
in October, 2015.
On Oct. 4, officers responded to
the 7100 block of Groveton Gardens Road shortly after 3 a.m.
when someone reported the sound
of a gunshot and a man lying in
the road.
Upon arrival, officers located
the man with an apparent gunshot
wound to the upper body. The victim, later identified as Jose Anibar
Cisneros of the 7200 block of
Harrison Lane, was transported to
a local hospital and pronounced
dead a short time later.
At the time, the only suspect information police had was that two
men were seen running from the
area after the gunshot was heard.
As a result of a lengthy and intense investigation, police have
charged Charles Kibler, 31, of
Primary Care Doctors Group
Mount Vernon Office
(adjacent to Mount Vernon Hospital)
2616 Sherwood Hall Lane, Ste. 303
703-799-1118
Bejjenki S. Chary, MD
Board Certified
(Internal Medicine)
FCPD photo
Charles Kibler
Sausalito Place with second-degree murder in Cisneros’ death.
The warrant was served on
Kibler on July 25 at the Fairfax
County Detention Center where
he was incarcerated on unrelated
charges, police reported.
There are no other suspects in
this case, according to police.
— FCPD report
Aladdin Bolad, MD
Board Certified
(Internal Medicine)
Dedicated
to providing
personalized
and comprehensive
medical care:
t Preventive care
t Immunizations
t Physicals
t Elder Care
Now accepting new patients
and same-day appointments.
703-799-1118
Treat yourself !
Hollin Hall Pastry Shop
7920 Fort Hunt Road,
Alexandria, VA 22308
703-768-9643
info@hollinhallpastry.com
www.hollinhallpastry.com
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August 3, 2016
3
COMMUNITY NOTES
UCM Seeks School
Supplies by Aug. 5
United Community Ministries
has a goal of outfitting 800 area
students with backpacks and
school supplies during this year’s
Back to School campaign.
Your gift of $40 will outfit one
child with a new backpack and
basic school supplies, or new
backpacks and drop them off at
UCM’s main office at 7511 Fordson Road weekdays between 9
a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Backpacks
may also be purchased through
the UCM “Back to School” Amazon Wish List which will ship
your purchase directly to UCM.
Other needed itms are 10-pack
thick markers, 12-pack colored
pencils, 24-pack crayons, collegeruled loose leaf and composition
notebooks.
Donations are needed by Friday,
Aug. 5.
For more information contact
Emily Griffin, volunteer and
community relations coordinator
at Emily.Griffin@ucmagency.org Aug. 11, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
or 571-255-8973.
at the Belle Haven Country Club,
6023 Fort Hunt Road.
Lorton Family Day Aug. 6
Bill Boasberg, general manager
at Inova Healthplex
for the MGM National Harbor,
will be the featured speaker. He is
Inova HealthPlex — Lorton will
responsible for providing stratepresent Lorton Family Fun Day
gic guidance and oversight for the
on Saturday, Aug. 6, from 11 a.m.
day-to-day operations of MGM
to 2 p.m. at the healthplex located
National Harbor and will proat 9321 Sanger St.
vide an update on the new resort
The free event for the entire famscheduled to open this fall.
ily features a moon bounce, fun
The cost is $25 for chamber
bus, a Fairfax County fire truck,
members and guests and $35 for
photo booth with props, face
non-chamber members.
painting, a petting zoo, and other
kids’ activities including sidewalk
Dunkin’ Donuts, Red Cross
chalk art, bubbles, toys, corn hole
Team Up This Month
games and more.
The event also includes free food,
Through the month of August,
health awareness for all ages, and
participating Dunkin’ Donuts loKids ID — provided by the Faircations will be partnering with the
fax County Sheriff’s Department.
American Red Cross by providing
coupons for a free medium iced
MGM National Harbor Topic
coffee and donut for Red Cross
of Chamber Breakfast Aug. 11
blood donors in the Washington,
The Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber DC, metro region, including Fairof Commerce will host its monthly fax County. For more information,
business breakfast on Thursday, go to www.DunkinDonuts.com.
Tax Holiday on Back-to-School Supplies, Emergency Preparedness,
and Energy Savings This Weekend, Aug. 5-7
Virginia will offer a sales tax
holiday from Friday, Aug. 5
through Sunday, Aug. 7 so that
shoppers can purchase qualifying school supplies, clothing and
footwear, emergency preparedness items, and certain energyefficient products without paying state and local sales tax.
Qualified school supplies must
cost $20 or less per item; quali-
fied clothing and footwear, $100
or less per item.
Examples of qualified emergency preparedness items include
portable generators which cost
$1,000 or less per item, gas-powered chain saws which cost $350
or less per item, chainsaw accessories which cost $60 or less per
item, and other specified hurricane
preparedness items with a sales
price of $60 or less per item.
Qualified Energy Star items
include dishwashers, clothes
washers, air conditioners, ceiling
fans, and refrigerators. Qualified
WaterSense items include bathroom sink faucets, toilets, and
landscape irrigation controllers.
For more detailed information
go to http://www.tax.virginia.
gov/content/sales-tax-holiday.
CRIME LOG
The following incidents were reported by the Mount Vernon District Station of the Fairfax County
Police Department for the period
July 29 — 25.
ASSAULT ON LAW
ENFORCEMENT/ ESCAPE /
WARRANT SERVICE/ARREST
*Pipit Drive 3400 block — July
28, 4 p.m. Officers responded to
the residence to attempt to serve
an outstanding warrant. An officer
recognized the wanted man outside
of the residence. The officer made
contact with Deris Enrique Vargas
Diaz, 20, of Alexandria and attempted to take him into custody.
Vargas Diaz assaulted the officer
then fled on foot. He was located
4
August 3, 2016
nearby and was taken into custody.
Vargas Diaz was charged with assault on law enforcement, providing false identification, escape by
force, and resisting arrest. The outstanding warrant for auto theft was
also served on Vargas Diaz.
were able to locate the vehicle and
conduct a traffic stop. Four juvenile
males were taken into custody and
charges are pending.
COMMERCIAL ROBBERY
*Janna Lee Avenue 7900 block —
July 28, 4:44 p.m. A resident reported finding two teenaged boys inside
her apartment. Nothing was taken.
Charges are pending.
*North Kings Highway 6100 block
— July 25, 2:53 a.m. A man entered
a convenience store, displayed a
gun, and demanded money. The suspect took cash and fled. The victim
did not require medical attention.
The suspect was described as black,
mid 30s, with a medium build.
STOLEN VEHICLE/ARREST
MALICIOUS WOUNDING
TRESPASSING
*Richmond Highway 7900 block *Lockheed Boulevard 3100 block
— July 25, 6:44 p.m. Officers be- — July 25, 2:35 a.m. The victim was
came aware of a stolen vehicle and
See Crime Log Page 10
DELEGATE REPORT
Beat the Heat
in Museums
By Del. PAUL KRIZEK
(D-44th)
Normally, summer is a time to
enjoy the outdoors, but with record-setting heat broiling the region, many of us may be looking
for indoor activities. Thankfully,
Mount Vernon and Lee residents
have access to several local museums that can help us escape the
heat and learn more about our interesting history.
Museums play a key role in
education, job creation, tourism,
economic development, historic
preservation, environmental conservation, heritage preservation
and global competitiveness.
Mount Vernon is our most famous locale when it comes to
historic places, and I don’t need
to tell you that it is well worth a
visit anytime of year. And some
exciting news, opening Oct. 1,
we can visit the ground-breaking
new major exhibit, “Lives Bound
Together: Slavery at George
Washington’s Mount Vernon”,
and learn about the lives of the enslaved during the time of our first
President. This exhibit has been in
the works for a while now and is
sure to be a major draw to Mount
Vernon.
Another good local museum
where you can learn about our
region’s first freed black community is the Gum Springs Museum
(open 6 pm - 8 pm M-F, 1-3 pm
Tuesday and Saturday).
And, down the road and once a
part of Mount Vernon, is the Federal-style house, Woodlawn, designed by the architect of the U.S.
Capitol, Dr. William Thornton,
constructed in 1805 for George
Washington’s nephew, Major
Lawrence Lewis and his wife,
Eleanor “Nelly” Custis Lewis.
The Woodlawn Plantation is open
Friday - Monday from 11 am to 3
pm.
Soon, our area will be home to
the National Army Museum at
Fort Belvoir which will be celebrating its ground breaking September 14.
The army is the only branch of
the military without a national
museum and this one will be
awe inspiring, with over 186,000
square feet of displays with countless rare and priceless artifacts
never before seen by the public.
Overlooking the wonderful
Huntley Meadows Park (also
worth a visit!) is the Historic
Huntley house that was built for
the grandson of George Mason,
Thomas Francis Mason, open for
tours on Saturdays from April to
October.
This federal period villa, built
in 1825, has been used for many
purposes over the years including
a camp for Union troops during
the Civil War.
Museums are first and foremost
educational institutions and augment classroom education. They
often partner with libraries and
schools to provide learning experiences to people of all ages. Virginia’s museums spend over $57
million on educational programs
and activities annually to service
1.6 million visitors.
Museums like Mount Vernon are
economic engines in our community. As a whole, they contribute
more than $21.5 billion in spending to Virginia’s economy and account for over 12,000 jobs.
The Arts and Culture industry
generates over 213,000 jobs total
in the Commonwealth, including
numerous professions that support
museums and other cultural entities, such as architects, exhibit designers, materials suppliers, contractors, independent consultants,
historians and educators.
Cultural and heritage activities
account for nearly one-quarter of
domestic travel in the US. These
travelers are proven to spend more
money, do more, and stay longer
than the average tourist.
Locally, museums contribute
more than $12 billion in direct
spending to local communities
from tourists, returning almost
$1.1 billion to the state and localities in tax revenues. Governments
that support the arts on average see
a return on investment of over $7
in taxes for every $1 that the government appropriates.
I am proud the 44th district is
home to some fantastic museums
and I encourage you to get out and
explore them.
Virginia has over 1000 museums,
including 300 sites on the Virginia
Civil War Trail, over 1000 acres
of botanical gardens and arboreta,
over 100 art museums and galleries, six Smithsonian Affiliate
museums and five of the 28 National Trust for Historic Preservation sites (including locally,
Woodlawn and the Pope-Leighey
House) more than any other state.
So, go inside and experience a
museum today, it’s a great way to
beat the heat!
OPINION
What We Think
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Thoughts of a
1st-time Delegate
Dear Editor,
Last week, I had the honor of
being a Hillary Clinton delegate
from the 8th Virginia Congressional District at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Having never been a delegate before,
I was unsure of what to expect.
But I was open to the adventure
of what the process and weeks
events would bring.
On the first day we addressed the
‘nuts-and-bolts’ of the Convention
— the agenda, rules, and party
platform. My first priority, though,
was trying to meet as many of
the Sanders delegates as possible,
as I only knew a few of them. I
believe that it is through personal
connections that common ground
can best be found — and we still
had some bridges to build.
It seems Paul Simon and I were
on the same page, as he performed “Bridge over Troubled
Waters” Monday evening. I met
some amazing, committed people
this way, and we had some great
conversations that lead, I hope, to
better understanding.
The second day of the Convention was possibly the most personally moving for me. I come
from a legacy of strong, forwardthinking women;
my grandmother Josephine (for whom I’m
named) stood with the Suffragettes in Detroit, my mother Barbara served her country in WWII
in the Army Nurse Corps then
went on to obtain her Bachelors,
Masters, and PhD degrees.
Wearing tokens from each of
them, I cast my vote for the first
woman President of the United
States.
The announcers themselves were
moving; from Jerry Emmett, the
102-year-old woman from Arizona, born before all women could
vote; to Larry Sanders tearfully
recalling his parents as he announced the Vermont vote. And
Sen.Bernie Sanders, a gentleman
of grace and class, brought the
Convention to its feet by requesting that all votes be shown as
votes for Hillary Clinton.
I spoke with so many women
that day who remarked “I wish
my mom could have seen this!”
Truly a historic day!
Wednesday was a tremendous
day for Virginians, as our own
Senator, Tim Kaine, accepted the
nomination for Vice President —
the first Virginian to do so since
the 1800s. First, though, he took
the time to speak to the Virginia
delegation that morning at breakfast. It was characteristically
“Tim”—making that extra effort
to reach out.
The joy the Virginia delegation
felt seeing Sen. Kaine onstage
was palpable — folks from other
delegations told me later that it
seemed like a glow was radiating
from our place on the Convention floor. Tim’s tireless public
service makes me proud to be a
Virginian and an American.
Each night of the Convention we
heard from a variety of speakers
as well. Amidst the ‘big names’
such as Michelle Obama, Meryl
Streep, Michael Bloomberg,
Sarah Silverman, Joe Biden,
Ret. General John Allen, and (of
course!) President Obama, were
other, lesser-known people, quietly telling their stories.
It was the latter set that moved
me the most — from Karla Ortiz,
the brave young girl who feared
her parents’ deportation and was
reassured by Hillary’s promise to
‘do the worrying for her’, to Sarah McBride, now able to openly
celebrate all of whom she is, to
the fiery sermon from Rev. William Barber who called on us to
“shock the nation with the power
of love”, to the heart-wrenching,
patriotic witness of Ghazala and
Khizr Khan, whose son Humayun
gave all for his country. No one
seeing this was left unchanged.
All of this led up to the focus of
the Convention, Thursday night.
Carole King brought us together
with “You’ve Got a Friend” and
Sheila E & Family had us doing
salsa in the aisles, and Katy Perry
got the delegates dancing as she
rocked to “Roar”.
After a moving video biography of Hillary Rodham Clinton,
Chelsea Clinton came onstage to
introduce her mom — the pride
and joy she felt radiated from the
See Spears Page 11
By Mary Paden
What did you think of the Democratic
National Convention last week?
photo not available
Ben Guzman with Josclyn
Alexandria
“It was good. I liked Hillary’s speech.
It was all in defense of our rights.”
Bruce and Kris Fredrickson
Mason Hill
“It was terrific. It captured the important
lessons and themes and was presented
very persuasively. Favorite speakers? Michelle and Barack Obama. And
Mr. Khan was totally awesome.”
Mark Angelo Napoli
Collingwood
“I didn’t watch but I heard about it.
It sounded honest and not too calculated
or scripted for the most part.”
Rachel Nohe
South Van Dorn Street
“It was really positive and it went really well.
I thought the best speakers were the man who
lost his son… Mr. Kahn, and Obama.”
Ellen Hamilton Rosemont
“Fantastic! I liked everything. Hillary was my
favorite speaker. I also liked Sarah Silverman
and Al Franken and Michelle and Barack. I
was excited and glad it brought the focus back
to the Democrats.”
Patti Mosko
Hayfield
“It had a more positive message than the
Republican Convention, but there was
still lots of mud slinging. My favorite was
Michelle Obama and I liked Steven
Colbert’s take on the Hunger Games
after the first night of the convention.”
Publishers: Marlene Miller, Steve Hunt
Editor: Marlene Miller
Writer, Photographer: Steve Hunt
7946 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria, VA 22308
Phone: (703) 360-0080
mountvernonvoice@aol.com
www.mountvernonvoice.com
Contributors
Michael Castleberry
Mary Paden
Paginator
Jo Deckert
August 3, 2016
5
Summer Fun at Creekside Village
Creekside Village
Community Center director
Deborah Finley, left, with
Rondell Patterson and her
7-year-old son, Frederick.
De’Mari, captain of the Creekside Village Future Young Men group, is excited
to have plans to build a battery-powered Lego vehicle.
Around noon Monday, the Creekside Village Community Center operated by United Community Ministries, was a hubbub of activity.
By STEVE HUNT
Staff Writer
De’Mari is only 10 years
old and a student at Riverside Elementary but he has
already made it to the rank
of captain of the Creekside
Village Community Center’s
Future Young Men Club.
At the beginning of each
meeting, the boys, i.e., future
young men, recite the pledge
“I will strive to become a
young man by developing
my social, and anger skills.
I must control these skills to
become the best man possible. I am the future!”
At age 13, Nashea, is president of the community center’s Pink and Black Club for
girls.
Her mission is to mentor
younger girls and teach them
how to change their bad attitude by becoming respectful
of others, especially adults,
through regular meetings.
Of course, kids such as
De’Mari and Nashea have
plenty of fun during the summer at the Creekside Village
Community Center while
Nashea, president of the Creekside Village Pink and Black Club for girls, standing left,
and vice president Deasiah, standing right, with other club members.
6
August 3, 2016
school is out, but as center
supervisor Deborah Finley
notes, these clubs for boys
and girls provide them with
the knowledge of life skills,
social skills and interaction.
“We just try to cover the
whole realm of child development,” said Finley.
The Creekside Village
Community Center, operated by United Community Ministries, is located
in Creekside Village Apartments on Janna Lee Avenue
in the Hybla Valley area, and
offers programs throughout
the year, including the summer youth program going on
right now.
In addition to the clubs for
boys and girls, the summer
schedule offers swim time
on Wednesdays, arts and
crafts, and field trips.
Already the kids have been
to a Microsoft store where
they were able to learn about
the latest computer hardware
and software, as well as the
National Zoo, where, according to Finley, the children had so many questions
Staff photos/Steve Hunt
about all the various animals
they saw.
Upcoming trips include going to the Museum of National History as well as the
Lincoln Memorial.
And, as Fairfax County
Public Schools don’t begin for more than a month,
there’s still plenty of time for
De’Mari to build a batterypowered Lego vehicle, while
others have plans to build a
robot.
Also in the next few weeks
the center will be transformed into a planetarium as
children place a glow-in-thedark moon, planets and stars
on the ceiling and work together to build a volcano out
of flour and water.
When it does come time for
school to begin, there will be
tutors and mentors there to
assist the children with their
homework after school.
As for De’Mari is he having fun and learning this
summer? “Yes sir.” And is
he looking forward to school
starting?
“Yes sir,” is his response.
Michael draws an animal that he saw on
a field trip to the zoo last week.
Ellena shows off the new hat she just made;
behind her Minetta looks on.
Sametta works on a keyboard.
August 3, 2016
7
ENTERTAINMENT
Enjoying a Concert
in the Park
Above and below, musicians in the 70-member band have diverse
musical and professional backgrounds and are drawn together by
their love of music, regardless of what instrument they play.
Above, Mount Vernon resident
Pete Dunn, a big promoter of
the concert series, enjoyed
the performance.
The threat of rain did little to prevent area residents from turning
out to see the Vienna Community Band perform a concert Sunday
night in the pavilion at Fort Hunt Park. The band was formed
in 1975 to assist in the celebration of the U.S. Bicentennial
and continues today offering a series of free public concerts
throughout the year. Its repertoire includes concert band
music, military marches, operatic and orchestral transcriptions,
Broadway melodies, jazz, Dixieland and popular and rock tunes.
Staff photos/Steve Hunt
8
August 3, 2016
ENTERTAINMENT
Bourne Wears Out His Welcome
STAY IN THE LOOP!
MOVIE TALK
Give your absent family members
an email subscription to the
Mount Vernon Voice.
By MICHAEL CASTLEBERRY
Contributing Writer
If you read this column you already know that Mr. Movie is a
huge fan of writer Robert Ludlum,
author of the Bourne series among
other spy/thriller/mayhem novels
he wrote. And you’d also know
that Matt Damon is among Mr.
Movie’s favorite actors/individuals. Especially memorable is his
stoic confusion and emotional intensity in The Bourne Identity.
There’s a new Bourne out there
and, if you’re a fan of the books
or movie series you’ll probably
be considering it for you movie
viewing this summer. Do so with
caution.
It’s not as though they brought in
a lot of new folks to jazz things
up. Matt Damon is back after
turning the role over to Jeremy
Renner in the last outing, director
Paul Greengrass is back for his
third Bourne, you’d think these
guys would have everything
down pat.
Alas, no. Despite the presence
of some old reliables (Damon and
Julia Stiles as Nicky Parsons) and
some new additions (Tommy Lee
Jones as the CIA director, Alicia
Vikander, of The Danish Girl, as
Heather, Vincent Cassel as As-
set), all of whom are very good in
their roles, the film suffers from
over-direction by the veteran
Greengrass. Yes, all of the films have a frenetic pace but this is the first one
to have frenetic camerawork. The
effect is so dizzying you’ll want
to close your eyes to maintain
your sanity. And it’s so clearly an
‘effect’ that it detracts, rather than
adds to, the total film.
Having said that, it’s still a
Bourne film, with all the tensions and perceived and unperceived threats. The acting and
action events are what you’d
expect from such a high-rolling
franchise. What you wouldn’t
expect is the disorienting camerawork. To say it ‘detracts’ from the
total film doesn’t do justice to the
word ‘detract’!!!
The Bourne series has used
frenetic pacing, surprise after surprise even though Jason
somehow escapes them all, and
they’re engaging. This is the first
of the series that has been hard
to sit through and one where you
checked your watch to see how
much longer you’d have to deal
with the disorientation of the
camerawork. Yeah, it was that
off-putting!
Tommy Lee Jones intoned his
way through his pronouncements
from on high, Julia Stiles is loyal
and lucky as ever (how does anyone who stands that close to Jason Bourne not get wiped out by
the second movie at least???!!!),
Asset is a credible opponent. It’s
simply that, for this viewer, the
film was almost unwatchable.
Who to blame? Well, cinematographer Barry
Ackroyd also worked with director Greengrass on Captain
Phillips and that was a great
film. This has to be part of the
‘look’ Greengrass wanted and, to
this viewer, he certainly got what
he asked for.
You decide. The Bourne series
is one of the best and most dependable action series up to this
most recent effort. Maybe it was
a bad day at the office for Mr.
Movie. Maybe you’ll like having
your head twisted in thousands of
directions to follow what’s happening.
Or maybe, like me, you’ll go
home and take two aspirin and
load up Bambi to rest your eyes.
Free Summer Concert Series
Continue in Mount Vernon & Lee
Lee District Nights are held
Wednesday evenings from
7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the
Lee District Park Amphitheater,
6601 Telegraph Road.
The United States Navy “Sea
Chanters” (Chorale) on Aug.
3; Hard Swimmin’ Fish (Blues/
Jazz/Funk) on Aug. 10; Patty
Resse Band (Blues/Roots Rock)
on Aug. 17; Swing Shift (Big
Band/Swing) on Aug. 24; The
Nighthawks (Blues) on Aug. 31.
Mount Vernon Nights at
Grist Mill Park, 4710 Mount
Vernon Memorial Highway,
are held Friday evenings from
7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The
Annandale
Brass
(American Popular Music) on
Aug. 5; Rain Follows the Plow
(A Dust Opera) on Aug. 12; The
Ransom Notes (Folk/Bluegrass)
on Aug. 19; Scythian (Irish/
Rock) on Aug. 26.
Mount Vernon Nights at
the Workhouse Arts Center at
Lorton, 9601 Ox Road, are
held Saturday evenings from
7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Barefoot Movement (Bluegrass) on Aug. 6; The Claire
Lynch Band (Bluegrass) on
Aug. 13 — (Come to the Workhouse Brewfest 10 am - 6 pm followed by free concert at 7 pm);
The Trongone Band (Southern
Rock) on Aug. 20; The Taters
(Roots/Pop) on Aug. 27.
The Fort Hunt Park Concert Series in the A pavilion at
the park are held on Sunday evenings at 7 p.m.
Nitehawks
Swing
on
Aug. 7; Mount Vernon Concert Band on Aug. 14; Alte
Kameraden on Aug. 21; Lesson
Zero on Aug. 28.
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August 3, 2016
9
MVCCA Offers Safety Suggestions for Traffic Circle
Circle from Page 1
told the Voice.
In fact, on late Tuesday morning
when traffic flow was light, in the
span of about 15 minutes there
were at least two such close calls,
resulting in cars honking. when
motorists in the circle failed to
yield to northbound traffic on the
parkway directly in from of the
Mount Vernon Inn and gift shops.
Cohn said at the meeting, several
members said they routinely witness such near miss crashes.
The council also passed a second
transportation resolution also re-
lated to the traffic circle at Mount
Vernon Estate.
For the past several months, the
committee has been discussing
ways of easing the traffic backups
which occur there daily during
rush hours.
The MVCCA unanimously
passed a resolution noting that
visitors to Mount Vernon who
park in the parking lot to the west
of traffic circle at Route 235 and
the highway “walk leisurely from
the parking lot to cross the highway” in order to reach the entrance of the estate.
Pedestrians have the right-of-way
at the three-way stop where there
is a crosswalk, but “during rush
hours and when the estate has special events, the continuous trickle
of visitors stop the traffic which
has entered the traffic circle from
the north as well as the southbound
traffic at the stop sign on the Mount
Vernon Memorial Highway the
build-up those cars waiting to proceed can amount to close to 100
cars,” the resolution states.
“The time it takes for cars to
cross the intersection under those
circumstances can amount to
over five minutes of waiting, to
the frustration of the commuting
drivers,” it adds.
The resolution asserts that if the
visitors could be stopped by a
crossing guard until a small cluster of pedestrians forms during
critical commuting hours and the
traffic is only stopped to permit
this cluster of pedestrians to cross
the highway, the build-up of cars
waiting to proceed to negotiate the
intersection will be much reduced
and the stress of the affected drivers will thereby be alleviated.
The MVCCA’s solution?
“The stationing of a crossing
guard will preserve the good will
of the estate’s supporting neigh-
bors as well as the frequent commuters who attempt to head towards Alexandria and the District
to go to work or to shop.”
The resolution requests that
Storck contact the administrator of Mount Vernon Estate and
urge him to institute a study to
determine the precise times when
pedestrian visitors cause major
traffic back-ups at the traffic circle for either or both northbound
and southbound traffic in order
to place trained crossing guards
at that location at the established
critical times to control pedestrian visitor traffic.
ment slows runoff to prevent
erosion and allow stream life to
develop.
The restoration project was initiated after River Towers residents
and Friends of Dyke Marsh called
attention to heavy sedimentation
in 2014. At a community meeting
in April 2015, Fairfax stormwater
officials presented plans for the
stream restoration, but did not yet
have the funding.
Dyke Marsh was recently awarded a $27 million federal grant for
its own restoration of eroded marsh
land on the river side. Restoration
of the outfall stream will help Dyke
Marsh by preventing sedimenta-
tion on its eastern edge. The outfall
stream restoration is expected to
cost about $1.3 million.
“The Friends of Dyke Marsh appreciate Fairfax County’s responsiveness and the project to stop
the volumes of sediment flowing
into Dyke Marsh during storms,”
said Glenda Booth, president of
the organization. “These discharges into Dyke
Marsh are yet another insult to
what remains of an important natural and national asset, a wetland
battered by pollution, trash, invasives and other threats.
“The U.S. Geological Survey
concluded that Dyke Marsh will be
gone by 2035 without action. The
county’s work can complement the
National Park Service’s marsh restoration project.”
At the April 2015 meeting the
now-20-foot-deep gully was described as 13 feet deep indicating that erosion into Dyke Marsh
has continued while the county
sought funding and contracted for
the work.
Mount Vernon Supervisor Dan
Storck, who toured the site last
week, said, “Increased county
investment to address this severe
erosion and environmental impact are crucial to the renewal of
our heritage and community. We
must accelerate these types of
investments to protect our areas
rivers, creeks, streams and lands.
The Quander Road Outfall Restoration project is another step forward in stormwater management
best practices.”
Mount Vernon Park is a rich
coastal woods with cherry, oak,
sassafras, and pick azaleas honeycombed with trails and a popular
local spot for dog walking and
hiking. Trails will be improved
as part of the project. Bucknell
Manor residents were agreeable
to stream restoration and park
improvement efforts at the community meeting.
Restoration to Begin on Sediment-Clogged Stream
Stream from Page 1
Vernon Recreation Center, under
Fort Hunt Road, through Westview Park and River Towers
property and into Dyke Marsh.
In the 1950s, when many neighborhoods were built, engineers
developed methods to get stormwater off the streets and into
nearby rivers as quickly as possible to avoid flooding. However,
the intensity of the storm runoff
degraded streams leaving Mount
Vernon District with the poorest
quality streams in the county according to a recent county report.
Modern stormwater manage-
Crime Log from Page 4
walking when he was approached
by a man who allegedly assaulted
him with a blunt object. The suspect
fled in an unknown direction and the
victim was taken to a local hospital
with non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect was described as black
and wearing dark clothing.
BURGLARY
*Janna Lee Avenue 7900 block —
July 22, 2 p.m. A resident reported
someone entered their residence and
took property.
LARCENIES
*2100 block of Belle Haven Road,
watch from residence
*8300 block of Brockham Drive,
property from vehicle
*1900 block of Elkin Street, beer
from business
*8400 block of Frye Road, snacks
from business
*3100 block of Furman Lane, lap-
10
August 3, 2016
CRIME LOG
top computer from residence
*7500 block of Lindberg Drive,
items from vehicle
*6500 block of Quander Road,
phone from school
*6600 block of Richmond Highway, merchandise from business
*8600 block of Richmond Highway, liquor from business
*6300 block of South Kings Highway, beer from business
*8500 block of Southlawn Court,
credit cards from residence
*6600 block of Wakefield Drive,
property from residence
*3800 block of Monte Vista Place,
wallet from vehicle
*6600 block of Richmond Highway, purse from business
*7900 block of Janna Lee Avenue,
phone from residence
*8400 block of Richmond Highway, cash from residence
*2500 block of Parkers Lane, cash
from residence
*7800 block of Richmond Highway, merchandise from business
*3900 block of Sonora Place, items
from residence
*1500 block of Belle View Boulevard, guitar from residence
*2400 block of Fairhaven Avenue,
beer from business
*7900 block of Flamingo Drive,
items from vehicle
*4300 block of Gramercy Circle,
phone from residence
*2500 block of Parkers Lane, purse
from business
*7600 block of Richmond Highway, cash from residence
the business and took property.
The male suspect was described
as 17 to 19 years old, with an olive complexion, 5 feet 5 inches
to 5 feet 8 inches tall, and 120 to
140 pounds. He was wearing black
shorts, black T-shirt, black shoes,
black hat, and carrying a black
backpack.
7000 block of Old Keene Mill
Road, backpack from business
6100 block of Rose Hill Drive,
beer from business
6900 block of South Van Dorn
Street, property from residence
6500 block of Springfield Towne
Center, phone from business
6500 block of Springfield Towne
Center, shoes from business
*Stoddard Court 6000 block — 6500 block of Springfield Towne
July 22, 4:00 p.m. A resident report- Center, sunglasses from business
ed someone entered their residence 6600 block of Springfield Towne
Center, items from vehicle
The following incidents were re- and took property.
4800 block of Wilby Court, cash
ported by the Franconia District
from residence
LARCENIES
Station of the FCPD.
BURGLARIES
10300 block of Belmont Boulevard, property from residence
6300 block of Dunn Court, wallet
from vehicle
7700 block of Gunston Plaza, liquor from business
7300 block of Hogarth Street, wallet from residence
5600 block of Industrial Drive,
phone from vehicle
7400 block of Jervis Street, lawn
mower from residence
*Harrington Falls Lane 5600
block — July 28, 6:45 a.m. A resident reported someone entered the
residence and took property. The
residents’ vehicles were also entered
and property was taken.
*Vincent Gate Terrace 5500
block — July 28, 8:54 a.m. An employee reported someone entered
LARCENIES
*5700 block of Kingstowne Boulevard, merchandise from business
*7100 block of Rock Ridge Lane,
cash from vehicle
*6900 block of Sandra Marie Circle, GPS from vehicle
*6600 block of Springfield Towne
Center, merchandise from business
*7200 block of Telegraph Square
Drive, copper from business
CLASSIFIED
EMPLOYMENT
TAXI SERVICE
Experienced Officers
Needed
Thank You For Riding
www.whitetopcab.com
by Alexandria Security Patrol.
Armed and unarmed patrol.
DCJS 11-1027
Call 703-765-0407
FAIRFAX WHITE TOP CAB
(703) 644-4500
(703) 683-4379
Each Cab Independently
Owned & Operated
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Mount Vernon Voice
classifieds
Courtesy photo
Deadline: Noon, the Friday before the
upcoming Wednesday issue.
$19/column inch.
Call today to place your order: 703-360-0080
Attending the Democratic National Convention with Spears, center, were,
from left, Fatima Argun, Annette Morin, Chris Ambrose and Dan Lagana.
Local Dems Attend Convention
Spears from Page 5
stage. And then Hillary took the
stage.
As with most such speeches,
she spoke of her goals and her
hopes for the country. But then,
unusually, she also took the time
to speak to those who may not
yet support her: Reassuring them
that as President she would work
for all Americans, not just Democrats. It is that generosity of spirit,
a recognition that not everyone
agrees with her (and that it’s OK!)
that makes her the Stateswoman
she is, and someone I’m proud to
support as our next president.
The finale of fireworks, confetti, and the biggest balloon drop
I’ve ever seen was the icing on
the cake! Even the Secret Service folks couldn’t help cracking
smiles as they (quietly) kicked or
nudged the balloons away.
It was Democracy in action, and
I am a better person for having
participated in it!
— Kate Spears, Mt. Vernon Dist.
Democratic Chair
Business Directory
2108 Shenandoah Road
Alexandria, Virginia 22308
n jodeckert@gmail.com n 703.768.2091
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Specializing in print products
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Photo/Mary Paden
Convention Watching in Kingstowne
Area Democrats turned out in force at a convention watch party at Fiona’s Irish
Pub in Kingstowne Thursday. About 150 from Lee and Mount Vernon Districts
watched Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton’s acceptance
speech in two rooms. Campaign organizers were there to sign up volunteers.
Advertise
in the
Mount Vernon Voice
Business Directory
2 inches by 2 columns
(approximately a business card size) at a
very reasonable price.
Ad must run for 8 weeks for $320
($40 each printing).
Call today to place your order: 703-360-0080
August 3, 2016 11
Join our social network.
(No Internet required.)
Reserve
your seat for
dinner and a tour
followed by a concert of
Vintage Entertainment
Thursday, August 11
Contact Bryan Lamartin
at 703-768-0234
Everyone’s talking about Paul Spring,
try us out and learn why.
Reconnect with old friends and make new ones at Paul
Spring. It’s the perfect environment to enjoy life with family
and friends as part of Paul Spring’s socially active and
inclusive community. Follow us on Facebook to see more
of what is happening here.
We offer a month-to-month lease with no entry fee for a
private apartment, all three meals included along with a
full recreation and entertainment calendar. Fully Furnished
apartments are available, at no extra cost, for stays of three
months or longer. To learn more call (703) 768-0234.
Scheduled Transportation
All Utilities Included
Delicious on site Dining
Exercise Classes
Social Activities
Walking Trail
Theater & Putting Green
7116 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria, VA 22307 • 703/768-0234 • Fax: 703/768-4529
A Retirement Unlimited, Inc. Community
PS_connect-061216B.indd 1
12
August 3, 2016
For further information visit us at www.rui.net
6/12/16 6:28 PM