Newcomers & Community Guide

Newcomers & Community Guide

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Networking for Good

WEBA Happy Hour raises funds for Laboy family.

The West End Business Association turned its April 4 monthly networking Happy Hour into a fundraiser for Alexandria Police Officer Peter Laboy and presented a check for $500 to Suzanne Laboy to kick off a year-long commitment to raise money for the injured officer and his family. “My family and I are overwhelmed at the generosity of the community,” said Suzanne Laboy after being presented a check from WEBA president Peter Baldwin at the Hawthorn Suites Hotel.

Second Chances

The right thing to do.

Consider these facts: One in 31 Americans is in prison or jail or on probation or parole. Some 2,000 citizens have managed to find jobs in northern Virginia and this is a low seven percent increase over last year.

80th Annual Historic Garden Week Tour

Eight local homes and gardens will open as part of statewide fundraiser.

Owners of eight Old Town Alexandria's private homes and gardens will open their doors to the public, as part of the 80th Historic Garden Week, the oldest and largest house and garden tour in the nation on April 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour covers the northern portion of Old Town and includes houses dating as far back as 1795, all within walking distance of each other.

Bulletin Board AX

Email announcements to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Thursday by noon. Photos welcome. National Child Abuse Prevention Month Events SafeAssured Child Identification. SafeAssured ID Kits provide families with vital information needed by law enforcement and the media to immediately broadcast information unique to a missing child. Open to the public. For more information, visit http://www.safeassured-id.com/. Saturday, April 13, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at William Ramsey Recreation Center Saturday, April 27, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at Charles Houston Recreation Center. Darkness to Light’s (D2L) Stewards of Children. Training for parents and caregivers in the ways to better prevent, recognize and respond to child sexual abuse. Childcare and pizza provided. Reservations limited. To register, go to: cacstewardsofchildrentraining.eventbrite.com/ Friday, April 19, 3- 6 p.m. at The Center for Alexandria’s Children, 1900 N. Beauregard St., Suite 200 Tuesday, April 30, 3– 6 p.m. at The Center for Alexandria’s Children, 1900 N. Beauregard St., Suite 200

Saluting ‘Allies in Prevention’

Lori Morris honored for child abuse prevention work.

Alexandria's Lori Morris was honored by Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) at the 11th Annual Allies in Prevention Awards luncheon April 2 at Maggiano's at Tysons Galleria. Morris was one of five Northern Virginia individuals recognized by SCAN and its Allies in Prevention Coalition as a local hero for her commitment to prevent child abuse and neglect.

Grandest Congress at Historic Carlyle House

British flags fluttered against the façade of the historic Carlyle House as re-enactors set the stage for a living history dramatization of the meeting held here on April 14, 1755. Inside the house 258 years ago, Major General Edward Braddock, Commander of His Majesty’s Forces in North America met with governors of the five colonies, Massachusetts Bay, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia to plan and finance a military campaign to defeat the French forces at the forks of the Ohio River near Fort Duquesne.

60th Opening Day at Little Simpson Field

Alexandria Little League held its 2013 opening day ceremony on Saturday morning, April 6, at Little Simpson Field. In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Alexandria League, the Washington Nationals mascot Screech the Eagle was on hand to greet the players and coaches as they entered the field.

Letter: Letters to the Editor-Libraries, Parks And Bikes

To the Editor: The City of Alexandria intends to expand the Bikeshare program at the expense of libraries and parks that benefit all residents. It is expected that 960,000 people will visit Alexandria’s libraries in 2014; this is 53 times the number of Bikeshare members in the region. Yet, the city is cutting libraries by $93,000 and giving Bikeshare $120,000.

Road-Widening Project Details and Timeline

During the first year of construction, crews will build a northbound detour road parallel to Stringfellow Road between Melville Lane and Point Pleasant Drive. Because of utility relocation, a temporary pedestrian bridge is currently in place over Big Rocky Run on the east side near Greenbriar Park. Phase 1- through Aug. 2014 * Fair Lakes Boulevard to Big Rocky Run: Construct southbound lanes while maintaining traffic on existing roadway. Crews will start in the north and work south.

‘There’ll Be Some Impact to You’

VDOT gears up to begin Stringfellow Road construction phase.

The good thing about Stringfellow Road is that it connects Route 50 in Chantilly to Route 29 in Centreville — and even links to the Town of Clifton. It also provides access to four elementary schools, a middle school and a high school, a regional library, two parks, several athletic fields, churches, shopping centers and highly populated residential areas.

AM Calendar 4/10/2013

‘Pacific Pulse’ Nicholaus Aman attempts to express the nature of the Pacific coast through his solo exhibition, Pacific Pulse, at Alexandria's Artspace 109 Gallery. The Pacific Pulse exhibition will be on display through May 11. Artspace 109 is located at 109 North Fairfax Street, 3rd Floor Alexandria. Gallery hours are: Tuesday through Friday noon-5 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sundays noon-5 p.m.

Risky Business

City taxpayers are about to assume financial risk for new Metro station.

Alexandria taxpayers are about to gamble on the future, rolling the dice on development at a former railroad yard to fund a new Metro station. City officials are expecting Potomac Yard to generate $1 billion worth of revenue in the next three decades, an expansion of the tax base that would help fund construction of a Metro station that could open its doors as early as 2018. But that plan comes with significant risk.

Bulletin Board MV

Email announcements to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Thursday at noon. Saturday/April 13 “Striving for a Healthier Way” Prevention Conference. At Falls Church High School, the conference will feature an Ideas and Resource Fair and promotes alternatives for youth to manage stress and to deter use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Register online at www.unifiedpreventioncoalition.org.

Hunting Towers Sold

New owners tell city leaders they will preserve affordable housing.

For years, people who live in the twin towers at the southern edge of Old Town have lived with a sense of dread. That's because their landlord is the Virginia Department of Transportation, which purchased the buildings during construction of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

Entertainment

Email announcements to centreview@connectionnewspapers.com. Photos welcome. Ongoing The Airbus IMAX Theater at National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center, 14390 Air & Space Museum Parkway, is showing movies including “Hubble,” “Fighter Pilot,” “Space Junk,” “Air Racers” and “The Dream is Alive” through May 23. “Oblivion” will begin with a midnight show Thursday, April 18. Visit http://airandspace.si.edu/udvarhazy/ or call 703-572-4118 for the movie schedule. Throughout the month of April, Our Military Kids has partnered with Glory Days restaurant at 13850 Braddock Road, Centreville. The restaurant is participating, and is donating 10 percent of diners' total receipt to the charity. Diners need only to submit receipts to Our Military Kids, 6861 Elm Street, Suite 2A, McLean, VA 22101. Visit www.ourmilitarykids.org.

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