Commentary: The Battle to Insure Everyone
Last week saw the beginning of a federal government shut-down—at least a partial shut-down. Even the most ardent of the angry fringe element that subverted the Congressional legislative process to cause the partial shut-down seemed willing to admit that there were some “essential” services of government that needed to continue. To be able to use the words “essential” and “government” in the same sentence is a step forward for some people who severely criticize government for whatever it does or does not do and for whatever happens or does not happen. There is still a wide chasm to bridge between what is considered necessary for the government to do and what should be left to individuals. Health care is at that juncture. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the law of the land that has been passed by the Congress, signed by the president, reviewed and approved as constitutional by the Supreme Court, and was a key issue in a campaign in which the president was re-elected by more than five million votes. While some would argue with the details of the Affordable Care Act, it is clear that as a country we have taken a stand that each individual is entitled access to health insurance regardless of whether their employer provides it. A small but vocal minority in the Republican Party disagrees and has decided to block the ability of the federal government to pay its bills as they try to get their way on stopping a law they have been unable to overturn in 40 attempts.
Independent Progressive
Republican Shutdown—Shouldn’t We All Get a Turn?
As we walked our dog around the lake this morning, we encountered three Restonians in furlough mode—one with NASA, one a DoD contractor and one with the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, all solid citizens doing work that is needed and broadly beneficial to us all.
Running, Walking to Help Haitians
VIP 5K run/walk to be held Saturday, Oct. 12 at Lake Fairfax Park.
The Vanessa Pean Foundation is sponsoring the second annual VIP 5K run/walk in memory of Great Falls resident Vanessa Pean who died tragically in a car accident on Beach Mill Road Oct. 30, 2005 at age 16. Since 2005, the Vanessa Péan Foundation has been shaping the future of Haiti by providing scholarships to underprivileged children as well as critically needed basic services such as clean water. This 501c3 is dedicated to creating a better future for all Haitians through education and by addressing basic human needs. Over 322 scholarships have been provided and a clean spring water well now provides potable water for a town the size of Great Falls.
Great Falls Studios Explore Art’s Natural Habitat
Great Falls Studios releases book to celebrate 10th anniversary.
Great Falls Studios was founded 10 years ago by several artists who wanted to network. Now, it features more than 90 artists who work in almost every conceivable medium, and they work hard to promote arts events around the community.
Promoting Jewish Medical Awareness in Northern Virginia
The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) will present a program on ethics, “Life in the Balance: Jewish Perspectives on Everyday Medical Dilemmas,” as part of the institute’s new six-session Fall 2013 course that will begin during the week of Oct. 27.
Boy Scouts Collect Bikes for the World
Herndon Boy Scout Troop 159 held a successful bike drive for Bikes for the World on Saturday, Sept. 28, collecting 87 used bikes, as well as accessories such as helmets. Bikes for the World is an Arlington-based charity that sends used bikes around the world to help children and adults needing reliable transportation to school, work and health care. Troop 159 collected the bikes on Sept. 28 at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Herndon. The drive was conducted as the Eagle Scout service project for troop member Conor Mears, 16, of Reston. The scouts processed the bikes for shipping, provided donors with receipts, and loaded the bikes onto the trailer. The bikes will most likely be shipped to Barbados in a few weeks.
Classified Advertising Oct. 2, 2013
Read the latest ads here!
Guest Editorial: Virginia’s Easy Access to Guns
A parent asks why background checks aren’t better.
How do you respond to a 7 year old when she comes home from school and says “we did our bad man drill today Mommy, but don’t worry it was just for practice, no one really came into our school to shoot us”?
Senior Volunteers Stay Active
Fifty percent of Mount Vernon RECenter’s volunteers are senior citizens.
The Mount Vernon RECenter is known for its ice skating rink, massive indoor swimming pool and fitness center with spa and sauna. It has 46 volunteers who help greet guests, clean up the fitness room, landscape the grounds and assist people with adapted swimming and ice-skating. Exactly half of them are retired senior citizens over 50 who want to stay active while giving back to the community.
Choosing a Home for the Golden Years
Many options for retirement communities in the region.
Jim Harkin, 81, and his wife, Phyllis, 80, have little free time these days. Jim spends his days protecting and photographing wildlife on the 60-acre campus at The Fairfax, a Sunrise Senior Living Community, in Fort Belvoir. He helped build, refurbish and maintain more than 20 birdhouses on the grounds, including homes for tree swallows and purple martins.
Active Seniors Compete for Glory
fter 11 days of more than 50 events held Sept. 7-19, the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics finished with a golf event at Forest Greens Golf Course in Triangle, Va. Other events ranged from cycling, swimming and pickle ball to Mexican train dominos and Scrabble.
Diverse Needs, Desires Drive Mobility Solutions
Seniors increasingly seek innovative plans that embrace both the present and the future.
Russ Glickman was a traditional full-service remodeler until the late 1990s when he abruptly added a host of accessibility certifications to a long list of building industry credentials. The service extension was less about opportunity than a personal call to apply what he’d learned from personal experience in helping his son, Michael, who was born with cerebral palsy.
Column: “Mor-Tality” or Less
Meaning, in my head anyway, the future and what there is left of it. More specifically, I mean life expectancy. When you’re given a “13-month to two-year” prognosis—at age 54 and a half, by a cancer doctor, your cancer doctor—the timeline between where you are and where you thought you’d be when becomes as clear as mud.
Residential Studios Put on Hold
Supervisors establish committee, plan additional public outreach.
At the recommendation of Chairman Sharon Bulova (D-At-Large) and Supervisor Michael Frey (R-Sully), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday deferred its Nov. 20 public hearing on a proposed residential studios (RSUs) amendment to conduct additional community outreach.
Now What?
Fairfax County braces for “domino effect” of federal government shutdown.
“We live in a ‘company town’ and the company is the federal government, so most of us have family and friends who are federal employees or contractors impacted by this shutdown,” Long said in a memo emailed to county employees Tuesday. Long said his biggest concern was the “domino effect” the shutdown will have on the local economy, and “the short-term uncertainty that will impact business decisions.”
Social Justice Matters
SALT forum gives candidates a chance to tell voters where they stand on social justice issues.
But one group also thinks voters should know where candidates stand on social justice issues when they go to the polls Nov. 5. “Our elected officials have a great deal of influence on the common good, so it’s reasonable that we find out where candidates stand on these issues,” said John Horejsi, founder of SALT (Social Action Linking Together), a non-partisan, faith-based advocacy group started in 1983.
Leadership Fairfax Honors Community Leaders Who Make a Difference
Leadership Fairfax (LFI) has chosen the 2013 Northern Virginia Leadership Awards (NVLA) recipients via a panel of community and business leaders evaluating nominations submitted by Leadership Fairfax alumni and the general public. The award recipients will be honored at the Northern Virginia Leadership Awards luncheon on Thursday, Nov. 7, at Westwood Country Club in Vienna.
Minority Chambers of Commerce to Host Candidates’ Forum
The recently formed alliance of Northern Virginia Minority Chambers of Commerce will give members of the fast growing minority business community the opportunity to meet with the commonwealth’s gubernatorial and statewide candidates at the first-ever joint Candidates’ Forum, Sunday, Oct. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus.
On the Job and Hot on the Trail
Finding people is fun for new, police bloodhound pups.
“We’ll get them out here and acclimate them to the noises — gunfire, [vehicle] brakes and birds,” said Masood. They’ll also be exposed to airplanes, wind, rain, heat, car horns honking, plus obstacles such as fences. And they’ll learn how it feels on their paws to walk in the woods, through brush, on cement, carpet, tile floors, etc. That way, said Clarke, “When they get out on the street, when they’re almost a year old, they’ll be ready.”
Walking to End Alzheimer’s
Reston Town Center Walk draws 1,200-plus participants.
Reston Town Center looked like it was being wrapped in a rainbow as the 1,200-plus participants in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s wound their way through the streets, dressed in a variety of colorful team t-shirts and carrying whirly-wind paper flowers with the names of afflicted loved ones written on the petals. Some 600 communities across the country have joined in the national effort to raise funds and awareness of this devastating disease, and the Alzheimer’s Association’s local National Capital Area Chapter President Susan Kudla Finn reported that more than 112 walks were held just this weekend alone, in addition to the Reston walk Sunday, Sept. 29.