Celebrating our Hometown!      
It’s the Place to Be since 1915! 

Join us for McLean’s biggest annual community party, and come spend some quality family time!

Saturday, May 18, 2013                                                 
Lewinsville Park 1659 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean

Festival and Rides
11 a.m.–5 p.m.

MCC Governing Board Elections Tent — at the main entrance
10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Vote for your favorite adults and youth member on the community center’s policy board.

More fun! More food! More rides! More Exhibitors!

View the McLean Day Map

• Free Field & Sports Games on the baseball field, such as Booger Wars
• Free Tennis Lessons on the tennis courts
• Free pony rides, kiddie rides, balloons, fun activities, and more…….
• Octopus bounce, sponsored by Drs. Luposello & Marzban, DMD, PC

Community Stage
(Subject to Change)
11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

11-11:30 a.m.                  Joy of Dance
12:45-1:15 p.m.               Davison
1:30-2:15 p.m.                 Seth Kibel Bay Jazz Project
3-3:15 p.m.                     Teen Awards
3:30-4 p.m.                     McLean HS jazz combo
4:30-5 p.m.                     Joy of Dance
Two ATM machines this year! Located at the Park house and at the ride ticket booth.

Shuttle Bus Parking Sites

• McLean Community Center: 1234 Ingleside Avenue, McLean, VA 22101
• McLean Baptist Church: 1367 Chain Bridge Road, McLean VA 22101
• Redeemer Lutheran Church: 1545 Chain Bridge Road, McLean VA 22101
• Shuttle Cart Pick Up:  Park at rear of Lewinsville Senior Center for cut through to Evers Drive shuttle cart pick up site to the festival.

International Food Court
11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Bring your appetites to McLean Day!

We have some of your old favorites back offering you Baltimore-style Pit Beef, scrumptious Crab cakes, popcorn and barbecue, a healthy fare selection, cotton candy, sno cones, and the ever-popular funnel cakes. Also featured will be the McLean Rotary Club with their hotdogs and pizza.

General exhibit space is sold out. Food concession space is sold out. Volunteers are no longer needed.

Prescription Medicine Collection
Sponsored by the Safe Community Coalition
On McLean Day, May 18, during the hours of 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., the Safe Community Coalition will be collecting unused or expired medications for free and safe disposal at the Center’s main facility, located at 1234 Ingleside Avenue. For more information, contact SCC at scc@safecommunitycoalition.net.  

Past McLean Day Photos

May has been proclaimed Parents Who Host, Lose the Most Month by the Fairfax County School Board and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in support of a countywide initiative that aims to reduce underage drinking as prom and graduation season approaches. The School Board passed a resolution in support of the Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County (UPC) at its business meeting on Thursday, April 18, and a proclamation supporting the campaign was adopted at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, April 3.

The Parents Who Host, Lose the Most: Don’t Be a Party to Teenage Drinking public awareness campaign informs parents and other adults about the legal ramifications and health and safety risks of serving alcohol to teens. This year marks the seventh year Fairfax County officials have supported this campaign. More than 300,000 fact cards with the Virginia law on one side and tips for parents on the other have been distributed throughout the county.  UPC and its high school Youth Council also urges parents and county residents to report underage drinking parties by calling the police department’s non-emergency number, 703-691-2131.

“Prevention efforts, including parents talking to their teens and modeling appropriate behavior are critical, particularly during prom and graduation season,” the school board resolution notes.

In the 2011-12 Fairfax County Youth Survey, 37.1 percent of high school seniors reported they had consumed alcohol in the last 30 days, and 20.7 percent of seniors had engaged in binge drinking in the last two weeks. The survey also revealed that 21.1 percent of 10th grade students consumed alcohol in the last 30 days. Alcohol is the most commonly used illegal drug by Fairfax County students.

In addition:

• 65 percent of underage youth say they get alcohol from family and friends, even though it is illegal in Virginia for a person under 21 years of age to consume or possess alcohol, and it is illegal for an adult to provide alcohol to a person under 21 years of age.
• Underage alcohol use is associated with traffic crashes and fatalities, other drug use, violence and gang involvement, rape, depression and suicide, and educational failure.
• Regular alcohol consumption, especially binge or high-risk drinking, impairs learning and memory during critical academic years as the brain continues to develop into the mid-20s.

The Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County is a nonprofit organization that partners with more than 50 community organizations to keep youth and young adults safe and drug free.

Parents Who Host, Lose the Most is a program of the Drug-Free Action Alliance.

The Board of Supervisors proclaimed May 2013 as Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Fairfax County.

This month, take time to learn how you can limit your exposure to ticks. Preventing tick bites is the best way to prevent tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease.

It is important to be extra vigilant during the warm months when ticks are most active and people spend more time outdoors.

Tick and Lyme Disease Facts

Protect Yourself & Your Family

• Avoid direct contact with ticks. Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter and walk in the center of trails. Learn how to maintain a tick-free yard.
• Use a repellent containing DEET. Repellents with DEET can be applied to exposed skin to help repel ticks. Follow the label instructions.
• Wear long, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants so ticks don’t have easy access to your skin. It’s easier to see ticks when they are crawling on light-colored clothes.
• Use permethrin on clothing. Permethrin kills ticks and there are formulations to treat your clothes sold at sporting goods stores. Follow the instructions on the label.
• Check for ticks. While outside, take breaks to check yourself for ticks. Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that are crawling on you. Do a thorough check at the end of the day; use a mirror or have someone help you check the hard-to-see places on your body.
• Promptly remove any attached ticks. Don’t panic if you find an attached tick. Learn how to remove ticks properly.
• Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine animals, coats, and backpacks.
• More prevention tips: Download our free reference guide.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease

It’s important to know the symptoms of Lyme disease so you can seek early treatment when necessary. Symptoms include, but are not limited to:

• A bull’s-eye rash. (Not every person infected with the Lyme disease bacteria gets this rash.)
• Fever
• Headache
• Achy muscles and joints
• Fatigue

If you think you have Lyme disease or are concerned that you may have contracted a tick-borne illness, consult your physician as soon as possible.

Learn more about the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Learn about other tickborne diseases found in Virginia and Fairfax County.

On April 16 the victim, a 63 year old City of Fairfax man, reported that at about 11:20 AM he was assaulted by an unknown male subject in the parking lot of the Fair City Mall at 9600 Main Street.  The suspect then left the area in a vehicle.  A short time later the victim was transported to a medical facility and hospitalized for treatment of a head injury.

On April 18, Librado Cena, 57, of 9820 Saint Cloud CT, Fairfax, was taken into custody after an officer recognized the suspect vehicle from a lookout given.  Cena was interviewed and transported to the Adult Detention Center where he was charged with aggravated malicious wounding.  He is currently released on bond pending trial.

On April 26, the City of Fairfax Police received notification that the victim of the assault, William Hays O’Brien, age 63, had died.  An autopsy was performed by the Office of the Medical Examiner and the death was ruled a homicide.  The Criminal Investigations Division has notified the Commonwealth Attorney’s office and the criminal investigation is continuing.

The last homicide in the City of Fairfax was on August 16, 2008.

Zohra Haideri is a very lucky person. The Reston woman matched the first five numbers in the April 5 Mega Millions drawing to win $250,000. She bought the ticket at the 7-Eleven at 8498 Euclid Avenue in Manassas Park. The winning numbers for that drawing were 8-15-23-36-41,Mega Ball 5. She used Easy Pick and let the computer select her numbers at random.Ms. Haideri’s ticket was one of just five nationwide to match the first five numbers in that drawing,and the only one in Virginia. Had she matched that final number,the Mega Ball number,she would have won a jackpot estimated at $50 million. Mega Millions drawings are held Tuesday and Friday nights at 11:00. Drawings are broadcast on TV stations across Virginia and streamed live at www.valottery.com and on the Lottery’s Facebook page. The odds of winning the $250,000 prize in Mega Millions are 1 in 3,904,701.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Andrew Choi, 35, of Springfield, Va., was arrested today on charges of production and possession of child pornography. Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Chief of Police Douglas W. Keen of the Manassas City Police Department made the announcement after Choi’s initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Theresa C. Buchanan.According to court documents and court proceedings today, Choi engaged in online video chats with underage boys between May 2012 and January 2013. The underage boys performed sex acts on camera and Choi recorded it using a screen capture program. In addition, hundreds of other images and videos of child pornography were also discovered on Choi’s computers.

Choi is charged with production of child pornography, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and maximum of 30 years in prison, if convicted. He is also charged with possession of child pornography, and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, if convicted. Criminal complaints are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation was conducted by the Manassas City Police Department and the Northern Virginia/DC Internet Crimes against Children Task Force. Special Assistant United States Attorney Alicia J. Yass, a Trial Attorney with the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal,
state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit hildren via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

RICHMOND—Any amount of sun exposure can increase the risk of developing skin cancer, but for farmers and others who frequently work outdoors, that risk is even greater.

“Farmers often have a lifetime of sun exposure, which places them at an increased risk of developing skin cancers. They should make it a habit to make sun safety practices a part of their daily routine,” said Jimmy Maass, safety manager for Virginia Farm Bureau and a part-time farmer.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. More than 3.5 million skin cancers in more than 2 million people are diagnosed annually. Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of breast, lung, colon and prostate cancers.

But because skin cancer is a lifestyle disease, it is highly preventable with extra precaution.

Try to stay in the shade when possible between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to avoid sunburn, the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends. The risk for melanoma doubles for a person who has had five or more sunburns at any point in his or her life.

“Make sure, when you purchase sunglasses, that they say they protect against UVA and UVB rays,” Maass said. “Sometimes cheaper sunglasses may be dark, but they will allow the pupil to open wider and can let in damaging rays.”

Clothing is often the most effective form of sun protection, so make the most of it with densely woven and bright- or dark-colored fabrics and a broad-brimmed hat.
“The more skin you cover, the better, so I usually choose long sleeves and long pants, even though it is warm outside,” Maass said.

Wear a water- and sweat-resistant broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 15 or greater. For extended outdoor activity, an SPF of 30 or greater is recommended. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes prior to going outdoors, and reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.

For more information, visit skincancer.org.

FAIRFAX – The Virginia Department of Transportation is installing two temporary traffic signals on either end of the bridge on Beulah Road that crosses the  Dulles Toll Road.  The signals will help control traffic while the bridge is reduced to one lane for ongoing construction.

Laura Jeanne Snyder-Gardner, 48, 3103 Manor Drive, Falls Church, has been identified as one of the victims in the house fire, January 23, 2013. Positive identification of the other victim, a female, continues. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Two Fatalities in Falls Church House Fire

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department units responded to a house fire, Wednesday, January 23, 2013, at approximately 3:25 a.m., in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County. The single family home is located at 3103 Manor Road.

Firefighters encountered a ranch style home fully engulfed in flames upon arrival. Firefighters conducted an exterior fire attack due to the overwhelming volume of fire surrounding all four sides of the home. Additionally, power lines on the right side of the home came down while fighting the fire. The fire was brought under control in approximately 30 minutes. Firefighters conducted primary search operations and found a deceased body. Firefighters continued secondary search operations and discovered a second body. A dog and cat also perished in the fire.

The home is a complete loss.

Fire and police are both investigating. The names of the deceased will be withheld until notification of next of kin. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death. Fire investigators are investigating the cause of the fire.

]]> http://www.news.synavista.com/one-falls-church-fire-victim-is-identified/35625/feed/ 0 http://www.news.synavista.com/governor-proclaims-2013-the-year-of-the-teacher/35536/ http://www.news.synavista.com/governor-proclaims-2013-the-year-of-the-teacher/35536/#comments Thu, 03 Jan 2013 07:00:00 +0000 News Staff http://www.governor.virginia.gov/News/viewRelease.cfm?id=1581

“Virginia’s teachers demonstrate selfless leadership day after day in classrooms across the Commonwealth,” said Governor McDonnell. “Everyone knows a teacher who’s stayed after school to support students; who’s buying their own supplies; who’s grading homework until 10, 11, or 12 at night then getting up early to put together the next day’s lesson plan. This is amazing dedication. We must do more to recognize and appreciate these professionals. Teachers are charged with the responsibility of passing on traditions, knowledge and character to the next generation. They instill a love for learning, a respect for fellow mankind and a belief that the American dream is achievable by all, regardless of ZIP code or station in life. Today, I am pleased to announce that we will recognize teachers throughout the year for their commitment to excellence in education.”

In 2010, Virginia’s “Opportunity to Learn” legislation passed with broad bi-partisan support, further enhanced in 2011 and 2012, to offer options and innovation for all Virginia schoolchildren, especially those in at-risk or in underperforming school systems. The package focused on improving public charter school applications, developing criteria for virtual school programs, and establishing college partnership laboratory schools, and included a proposal to implement a groundbreaking pilot program to provide performance pay incentives of up to $5,000 to teachers in school divisions identified as hard-to-staff. The governor also advanced legislation to establish a tax credit for companies donating to nonprofit organizations that provide scholarships to help lower income students attend nonpublic schools.

Last month, Governor McDonnell announced proposals to advance professional development and continue Virginia’s focus on excellent teaching, calling for a 2 percent pay increase for all teachers – the first in 5 years; incentives for teachers in STEM-H subjects, strategic compensation grants for teachers and other measures to recruit, retain and reward excellent teachers.

“An effective teacher at the front of the classroom is critical to the development and learning of our young people,” said Secretary of Education Laura Fornash. The Governor’s Year of the Teacher declaration shows his continuing commitment to highlighting the significant contributions our teachers make every day. We must recognize their daily dedication to learning and mentoring our children and look for ways to continue to honor their efforts.”

As part of the “Year of the Teacher,” Governor McDonnell invited citizens to share stories about an excellent teacher who inspires them to learn. Applicants are encouraged to send an up to 100 word essay to K12Education@governor.virginia.gov on why their favorite teacher should be recognized. The “My Favorite Teacher” contest will run through January 30th at 5:00pm. Submissions submitted by email will be shared throughout the month at http://www.facebook.com/AllStudentsVirginia.

“I remember my third grade teacher, Mrs. Gikas,” said Governor McDonnell. “She was a stickler for making sure that work was done on time without excuses, but she did it in a way that was encouraging and uplifting. She truly believed that her students could do anything if they put their mind to it. Mrs. Gikas was a teacher and mentor who both inspired and demanded excellence.”

Former Secretary of Education Jim Dyke said, “I have personally been able to see an excellent teacher up close. My mother was a public school teacher for more than 30 years, and she imbued me with a love for learning, as well as showing me first-hand that an excellent teacher can make all the difference in the world in a student’s success.”

In addition to the “My Favorite Teacher” contest, further events and proposals will be announced in the weeks and months ahead.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department units responded to a house fire, Wednesday, December 12, 2012, at approximately 6:50 a.m., in the West Springfield area of Fairfax County. The single-family home is located at 8733 Sheridan Farms Court.

HANOVER CO. – A Hanover County woman has been charged in last month’s death of Virginia State Police Trooper Andrew D. Fox. At the direction of the Hanover County Commonwealth’s Attorney, state police Wednesday (Nov. 7) charged Angelica C. Valencia, 27, of Doswell, Va., with one count of reckless driving.

Valencia was driving the 1992 Jeep Cherokee that struck and killed Trooper Fox on the night of Oct. 5, 2012. Fox was directing traffic on Route 30 at Theme Park Way in Hanover County.

The Jeep was traveling east on Route 30 through the intersection when it struck Fox. Troopers and several bystanders ran to the SUV and lifted it off the trooper. Two troopers immediately began providing first aid and administering CPR.

Fox, 27, was transported to VCU Medical Center in Richmond, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Fox was wearing his reflective, traffic safety vest and was standing with other troopers directing traffic through the intersection. West and eastbound traffic had blinking yellow traffic lights in the intersection and the troopers were using their issued illuminated, baton flashlights to direct traffic through the intersection.

Neither Valencia nor her juvenile passenger was injured in the crash. The incident remains under investigation at this time.

Shortly before 11 a.m., 81-year-old Beverly Sargent was in her car in her driveway getting ready to head to a local service station. She had arranged for another driver to follow her and bring her home. Police say that the victim got out and walked to the rear of her car to make sure the other car, a 2002 Toyota Camry, was behind her. The 86-year-old man driving the Camry started his car and put it in gear but when his car started to roll forward and he was not able to stop before striking Sargent.

She was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead shortly after 3 p.m.

Speed and alcohol are not factors in this crash.

The suit was filed today in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division. It challenges the EPA’s recently established rule governing Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) limits for Accotink Creek. The county believes the proposed TMDL limits on stormwater flow provide no reasonable assurance that targets can be attained or that they will correct the underlying problem. Left unchallenged, EPA’s new stormwater rule will require Fairfax County to sharply and substantially reduce all stormwater runoff across the Accotink Creek watershed.

“Fairfax County has demonstrated a strong and unwavering commitment to water quality and environmental stewardship during the last six decades,” says Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova. “We are absolutely committed to maintaining and improving, water quality in Fairfax County and the Chesapeake Bay.  However, we believe that regulations, whether federally or state imposed, must effectively address the targeted problem and be fiscally sound and realistic.”

“We don’t want regulations that set us up for failure,” emphasizes Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman and Environment Committee Chair Penelope Gross. “The county believes that a more comprehensive approach will provide the sustainable improvements needed to improve the habitat of our streams and lead to restoration of the bay. We continue to work together with the environmental community, homeowners and builders toward that.”

This rule also will directly affect homeowners and commercial property owners. To achieve the approximately 50 percent flow reduction called for in the TMDL rules for a developed watershed such as Accotink, homeowners as well as commercial property owners will be required to capture and retain, reuse and/or infiltrate stormwater runoff from their roof, driveway and other impervious areas on their property. Any new impervious areas, such as home additions or new development, could be required to retain all stormwater runoff from any expanded impervious area.

“This is a new type of stormwater enforcement action,” says James Patteson, director of Public Works and Environmental Services. “While we are not sure why we and a handful of localities in the country were selected, we feel an obligation to other municipalities, businesses and entities to ensure that enacted regulations are fair, attainable and environmentally sound.”

Fairfax County’s record includes more than $300 million in wastewater system improvements and dedicated annual funding for stormwater system improvements since 2006. In 2009 the county instituted a dedicated tax for stormwater and has since increased it to a current rate of $.02/$100 assessed value or $100/year for the median home. The countywide tax funds the $40 million budgeted stormwater program in Fiscal Year 2013. Fairfax County has been recognized at the state and national levels for outstanding water quality facilities, staff and programs.

Fairfax County has filed suit at this time because it must make any objections to the TMDL limits known before the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (VA DCR) issues its stormwater permit to the county, which is likely to occur soon. If the county had not filed the lawsuit prior to VA DCR issuing the stormwater permit, case law indicates that the county may have lost its ability to object to the unattainable TMDL limits.

All preliminary hearings scheduled for 2 p.m. in the General District Court are canceled and will be rescheduled.

All court cases in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court will be continued at a later date.

All juvenile intake services will be relocated to the Juvenile Detention Center, 10650 Page Ave., Fairfax.

The juvenile drivers license ceremony scheduled for this afternoon has been canceled and will be rescheduled.

The Circuit Court is also closed for the day.