Newcomers & Community Guide

Newcomers & Community Guide

Subscribe

Celebrating Opening Day for Fort Hunt Softball

Fort Hunt Softball held its Opening Day Celebration on Sunday, April 14 at the Walt Whitman softball complex. Approximately 600 people including players, family members and volunteers were in attendance to celebrate.

Housing Market: ‘Sell and Buy’

Sustained low interest rates and rising prices have energized the marketplace.

The local real estate market is thriving, with Realtors reporting multiple offers on homes in some areas and dwindling inventory of homes for sale. At least two things are contributing to this change in the market. First, interest rates have been in the basement: Freddie Mac reported a 30-year fixed-rate of 3.57 percent for March this year, as opposed to 3.95 percent in March 2012 and 4.84 percent in 2011 (for reference, March 2005 was 5.93 percent).

Raising Money for Police Unity Tour

Centreville’s Kevin Whalen is bicycling 230 miles, May 10-12, in the Police Unity Tour (PUT) Virginia ride. It raises money and awareness for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial fund and the National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, D.C., honoring and remembering officers who’ve died in the line of duty.

Roundups

Sexual Assault and Burglary Fairfax County Police are investigating the sexual assault of a 27-year-old Centreville woman. The incident occurred Sunday, April 21, around 3 a.m. Police say the woman was asleep inside her home in the 13000 block of Winding Oak Circle when she was awoken by a man sexually assaulting her. But she fought him off and he fled on foot. Investigation also revealed that electronic equipment had been stolen from her residence. Entry was apparently gained through an unlocked door. The suspect was described as possibly Hispanic, 25-35, about 5 feet 7 inches, with a medium build and wearing a dark hoodie and dark pants. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477, e-mail www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org, text “TIP187” plus a message to CRIMES/274637 or call police at 703-691-2131.

Celebrating Creative Spirit, Sharing Experiences

Commentary

For the third year in a row, Alexandria will celebrate the connection between the creative spirit and mental health by displaying the art works of people whose lives have been affected by mental illness, substance abuse disorders or intellectual disabilities. Some of these works of art are playful, some stark, some beautiful, and some so sad and disturbing, they stop the viewer in his or her tracks. Through their pieces, these artists are sharing not only their hopes and dreams, but their pain and fear and their own personal stories. The telling of their stories is just part of what should be a community-wide conversation about mental health and the often long and bumpy road to recovery.

Bulletin Board

Absentee Voting Opens On Tuesday June 11, there will be a Democratic Primary for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General. Absentee voting for the primary begins on Friday, April 26. Many Alexandria voters are eligible to vote absentee, but relatively few take advantage of this option. Qualifying circumstances: commute and work for 11 of the 13 hours the polls are open; caregiver for a confined family member; unable to go to the polls in person on Election Day because of an illness or disability; or will be absent from Alexandria on Election Day because of personal business, work, school, or vacation. To learn more about these, and other circumstances in which absentee voting is an appropriate option, visit alexandriava.gov/Elections and click on “Absentee Voting,” or call 703-746-4050.

Songs, Dances and a Message 4/24/2013

Westfield High presents ‘Urinetown: The Musical.’

Westfield High’s new show, “Urinetown: The Musical,” is about a future time when a severe water shortage forces citizens to pay to pee. And, no pun intended, Director Susie Pike says her actors are “rarin’ to go.”

Bulletin Board P 4/24/2013

Saturday/April 27 Free Workshop. “Clicker Train Your Dog to Behave” from 10 a.m.-noon at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 6030 Grosvenor Lane. Speaker Laurie Luck, trainer and instructor at Karen Pryor Academy, will teach you all the ins and outs of how to use the clicker. We will also do some myth-busting. Come see just how fast (and easy) clicker training works and how you can use it with your dog to teach manners or change a behavior. Leave your dog at home. To register, go to http://yourdogsfriend.org/blog/free-workshops/or call 301-983-5913.

“Flourishing After 55"

“Flourishing After 55” from Arlington’s Office of Senior Adult Programs for May 6-11. Arlington senior centers: Aurora Hills, 735 S. 18th St.; Walter Reed, 2909 S. 16th St.; Culpepper Garden, 4435 N. Pershing Dr.; Langston-Brown, 2121 N. Culpeper St.; Lee, 5722 Lee Hwy.; Arlington Mill at Fairlington, 3308 S. Stafford St.; also Madison Community Center, 3829 N. Stafford St.; TJ Comm. Center, 3501 S. 2nd St.

Entertainment P 4/24/2013

Traditional, Folk Dance at Strathmore Choreographer Asanga Domask brings a collection of Sri Lankan traditional and folk dance to the CityDance Studio Theater at Strathmore on Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 28 at 6 p.m. Nruthya Manjarie will premiere original choreography of several group and solo works that are dedicated to the preservation of Sri Lanka's traditional Kandyan, low country, and folk dance. To purchase Tickets, visit www.strathmore.org, call 301-581-5100 or stop by the Music Center at Strathmore Ticket Office at 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD. All tickets are $25.

Entertainment ARL 4/24/2013

Calendar

Move Me Bowen McCauley Dance presents the 4th Annual Move Me Festival on Saturday, April 27, 2-5 p.m. at Kenmore Middle School, with the support of The JBG Companies, honorary hosts Senator Barbara Favola and Delegate Patrick Hope, and master of ceremony WUSA9 evening anchor Anita Brikman. Move Me is a free family-friendly celebration of the arts and culture, promoting healthy lifestyles through movement and the arts, and featuring performances and artistic activities by local arts partners. This year, the festival focuses on the need to “Get Active, Get Creative, Get Involved.” Participating arts partners will offer performances, demonstrations, and activities including Latin dance, clogging, theater workshops, orchestra performances, an instrument petting zoo, yoga, face painting, magic tricks, arts and crafts and more. Visit www.bmdc.org.

Calendar

Artisphere Yarn Bomb Brightens Rosslyn's Streets Wilson Blvd. between Rosslyn Metro and Artisphere Cupid's Garden Sculpture (intersection of Wilson Blvd., Nash St. and Oak St.) The Artisphere Yarn Bomb is here! More than 1,000 colorful, hand-stitched geometric shapes adorn six trees along Wilson Blvd., between the Rosslyn Metro and Artisphere, Arlington’s visual and performing arts center. An additional installation, featuring vines, flowers and 19 animals of all shapes and sizes, surrounds Cupid's Garden at the intersection of Wilson Blvd., Nash St. and Oak St.

Celebrating Earth Day

Energy conservation, eco-friendly commuting, healthy homes, and sustainable living were just some of the items on the menu for the Green Living Expo and Arlington Earth Week Community Fair that took place this Earth Day at Founders Hall in the Arlington Campus of the George Mason University. The vendor hall showcased more than 50 exhibitors with a variety of planet friendly services and products. The Sunday Earth Day Celebration was sponsored by Arlingtonians for Clean Environment (ACE).

2013 Black Opal: Celebrating New Generation of Leaders

The Northern Virginia Urban League Young Professionals Network held its awards ceremony on April 6 at the Artisphere. Black Opal, an awards gala/black-tie reception, serves as the primary fundraiser for the organization. The funds raised by Black Opal support its programs including College Survival, Political Forum, and Opportunity to Thrive.

Bulletin Board

Every Friday in April 5k Fridays Race Series. 6:30 p.m. in Crystal City. Organized by Pacers Running Store, runners can enjoy a professionally timed and certified course. $20/race or $60/series. Visit http://runpacers.com/race/crystal-run-5k-fridays/ to register.

Video