Monday, May 14, 2012
In tough times, we rally together, lean on friends and family, and reach out to our pets for comfort
Sunday was a Mother's Day to remember: It was my first Mother's Day in 50 years without my mom. None of us were prepared for her sudden stroke in mid-April, and certainly not for her passing two weeks later. As they say, no matter how much you prepare, you are never really prepared. My father, after 56 years together, was probably the least prepared of all. The two weeks in ICU at Fairfax Hospital and hospice care at home are still a bit of a blur. However, there are moments of clarity, tiny details and infinitesimal surprises that I will never forget. While the massive stroke left my mother fairly paralyzed, unable to speak or eat or care for herself, we were all certain that she was still "in there." Sitting by her bedside in ICU, we …
Thursday, May 10, 2012
May is nationally celebrated as Bike Month, and Arlington’s in on the action. From events encouraging commuting by bike to lazy recreational rides through the city, there’s something for everyone.
The first major Bike Month event in Arlington was Bike to School Day, which took place on Wednesday this year. Across Arlington County, some kids did what they do every day — they rode to school. Others joined with their peers to form bike trains to school. Arlington’s generally compact school districts and multiuse paths make getting to school by bike a smart option for lots of students. This Sunday, Bike DC will provide a chance for a car-free ride through both Washington and Arlington. Several thousand cyclists will roll along a closed circuit that starts near the National Mall, heads up Rock Creek Parkway, comes back down and across the Roosevelt Bridge, heads up the George Washington Parkway, and drops back down to the Air Force …
Will Obama's announcement hurt his chances to carry Virginia in 2012 as he did in 2008?
Facing pressure to take a stand, President Barack Obama on Wednesday said he supports same-sex marriage. In an interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts, Obama (D) described his “evolution” on the issue through talks with friends, and reflection on military personnel and members of his own staff who, he said, “are not able to commit themselves in a marriage,” adding that “at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.” Excerpts of the interview are scheduled to appear on ABC’s World News with Diane Sawyer on Wednesday evening. The full interview is scheduled to appear on ABC’s Good Morning America on Thursday morning. …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
By Max Johnson/McLean High School
Charlie Baker is far from a people person. Yet despite his crippling shyness, his close friend has decided to give him a “vacation” in a personalized torture chamber - a cabin full of strangers with whom he will be forced to exchange introductions, give pleasantries, and most terribly of all, respond to during conversation. Just when this ordeal seems too much for Charlie to handle, an alarmingly perfect opportunity presents itself. By introducing Charlie as a foreigner who doesn’t speak a word of English, Charlie is no longer required to talk at all. However, when his exotic flair becomes the focus of the lodge, Charlie’s struggle to maintain his façade grows more involved than he ever planned it to be. H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program's …
Monday, May 7, 2012
Around town and around the nation, you can be sure there's something pet-centric in the news that relates to you
What do thousands of happy people, hundreds of excited dogs, music and one pink ferret have in common? They all came together at the 12th annual Pet Fiesta on Saturday at Reston Town Center. The weather cooperated with a hot, sunny day, and although there were a few threats of a thunderstorm, none materialized. The Tails on Trails Dog Walk brought 150+ walkers and dogs out in the morning. And throughout the day, the 40 rescue organizations were kept busy answering questions about adoptable dogs and trying to make happy matches between potential adopters and eager foster dogs. It is not too late to adopt, just visit the website of any of the rescue organizations. Thank you to all the GoodDogz.org volunteers who helped make the event another…
Thursday, May 3, 2012
For a chance to win a $50 gift certificate, upload a photo of your mom and a note about why she rocks.
Poets write about them. Strong men cry in their presence. We honor them each year with a special day punctuated by hearts and flowers, and perhaps even breakfast in bed. Don't just settle for all the customary ways to celebrate how awesome your mom is. Instead, upload a photograph of her to this article and write a caption telling us what's so great about the moms of Arlington County. At noon next Friday, May 11, we'll randomly pick a winner and call her the "Best Mom of Arlington County." Now that's a gift. But if that's not enough, we'll also award you a $50 gift certificate to spend any way you want on mom. (C'mon, dads, if your kids can't upload a photo of your wife, do it with them!) The contest rules are attached. Patch will also …
Monday, April 30, 2012
The annual Pet Fiesta just happens to fall on Cinco de Mayo, which means more fun for the family
This Saturday, May 5, is guaranteed to be a fiesta like no other! The calendar's cooperation in bringing together two very special and important occasions means fun for all, including your furry friends. First, the 12th annual Pet Fiesta will take place at the Reston Town Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The event kicks off with the Tails on Trails Dog Walk at 10 a.m. This leisurely 1-mile walk for people and their pets around the town center, neighborhoods and wooded walking trails raises funds to help support GoodDogz.org's two major annual adoption events: the Pet Fiesta and Home 4 the Holidays. The Pet Fiesta brings together nearly 40 rescue groups with hundreds of adoptable dogs and cats, pet-centric vendors, entertainers, …
The Redskins used a valued selection on a luxury item and inadvertently opened the door to a potentially awkward training camp.
Addressing the receiving corps in free agency and drafting multiple guards count as positive steps in the new Robert Griffin III (RG3) era. Passing on a needed tackle, running back or safety in the fourth round for another quarterback – Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins - in RG3’s first season does not. From the moment the Washington Redskins shipped three first-round picks plus a second-round selection to the St. Louis Rams last month, the plan should have been — and in the eyes of the staff, presumably is — to maximize their new asset’s potential. I am stumped how adding another passer does that. As always, team comes first and smart organizations draft talent over need, but within reason. In this case, special consideration should have gone…
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Grad 'proud' of how school community has rallied to support teacher who was fired.
The following op-ed was submitted to Clarendon Patch last week. Links and photo added by Patch. After the controversial decision this month to fire a highly respected member of the Bishop Denis J. O’Connell High School faculty, the administration has received numerous complaints and is being criticized by thousands from the O’Connell community. A protest on April 19 received local media attention, but officials have remained relatively silent on the reason behind the decision. The school, on Little Falls Road in Arlington, is a private Catholic school of roughly 1,200 students. The firing of history teacher John Harrison follows a string of recent controversial decisions to let go of other greatly appreciated faculty members. The pattern …
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Arlington's schools already teach our students about safe cycling. But there's an opportunity to do so much more.
Arlington’s cycling advocates frequently focus on things like infrastructure, bike sharing and enforcement. To be sure, these are all important parts of the larger picture, and deserve attention. But so do future cyclists, and there’s no better place to focus on them than in our schools. Right now, Arlington Public Schools provides a unit of cycling safety instruction through physical education classes at the high school level. The curriculum is part of a statewide effort called Bike Smart, and is taught by PE teachers who have attended a 12-hour training on cycling instruction. Getting every APS student into a Bike Smart class is a solid start. But there’s so much more the school system could gain from cycling. First, on the matter of …
Robin Baxter
11:07 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
Amen. more ›