Calendar, page 7 ❖ Sports, page 8 ❖ Home Sales, page 6 ❖ Classifieds, page 9 online at www.connectionnewspapers.com Attention Postmaster: Time sensitive material. Requested in home 12-3-09 PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Martinsburg, WV PERMIT #86 Ashburn Brambleton ❖ Broadlands ❖ Lansdowne Ashburn Brambleton ❖ Broadlands ❖ Lansdowne Photo by Craig Sterbutzel /The Connection December 2-15, 2009 ❖ Volume VI, Number 25 Bulldogs Won’t Let Go Sports, page 8 Saving Christmas News, page 3 Serving Neighbors In Need News, page 3 Mims ‘Comes Home’ News, page 3 Lee High defenders try to bring down Marcus Harris of Stone Bridge during last Friday’s Div. 5 Northern Region championship football game in Ashburn. The Bulldogs won the title contest, 21- 10, their third straight region crown. Harris led the way with all three of his team’s touchdowns. Next up for Stone Bridge is Massaponax High (Fredericksburg), which will visit Bulldog Stadium for a State AAA semifinals game this Saturday afternoon at 1:30.
Transcript
Loudoun/Ashburn Connection ❖ December 2-8, 2009 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Calendar, page 7
❖
Spo
rts, page 8
❖
H
om
e Sales, page 6
❖
C
lassifieds, page 9
online at www.connectionnewspapers.com
Attention Postmaster:
Time sensitive material.
Requested in home 12-3-09
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Martinsburg, WV
PERMIT #86
AshburnBrambleton ❖ Broadlands ❖ Lansdowne
AshburnBrambleton ❖ Broadlands ❖ Lansdowne
Pho
to
by C
raig Sterbutzel
/T
he C
onnectio
n
December 2-15, 2009 ❖ Volume VI, Number 25
BulldogsWon’tLet GoSports, page 8
SavingChristmas
News, page 3
ServingNeighborsIn NeedNews, page 3
Mims‘Comes Home’
News, page 3
Lee High defenders try to bring down MarcusHarris of Stone Bridge during last Friday’s Div. 5Northern Region championship football game inAshburn. The Bulldogs won the title contest, 21-10, their third straight region crown. Harris led
the way with all three of his team’s touchdowns.Next up for Stone Bridge is Massaponax High
(Fredericksburg), which will visit BulldogStadium for a State AAA semifinals game
this Saturday afternoon at 1:30.
2 ❖ Loudoun/Ashburn Connection ❖ December 2-8, 2009 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Loudoun County supervisors votedTuesday, Dec. 1, to essentially“save Christmas,” several said, byvoting to reverse action by its
Courthouse Facilities and Grounds Commit-tee last week to simply deny all requestsfor seasonal display space on the Leesburgcourthouse grounds.
The Board of Supervisors voted 7-1-1 todirect the committee “to re-implement itsoriginal grounds policy.” Supervisors alsoacted to assure that the committee does notunilaterally amend its rules without priorapproval of the board.
Leesburg Supervisor Kelly Burk made themotion, seconded by Sterling SupervisorEugene Delgaudio.
Blue Ridge Supervisor Jim Burton was thelone “no” vote, noting that “free speech is-sues are complex” and that such an issuehad earlier cost the county $1 million. BoardChairman Scott York was not present forthe vote.
Delgaudio had pushed the issue hard,launching an e-mail attack against the“Sneak Attack on Christmas” and urging hisconstituents and other Loudoun Countyresidents to demand reversal of the deci-sion at Monday night’s regular public hear-ing, and numerous citizens did so.
Traditionally, a manger scene has been setup at the corner of King and Market streetsin Leesburg just inside the courthousegrounds. The scene has become controver-sial in some years, and a Menorah has alsobeen allowed on the property. Throughoutthe year, the committee has approved, and
sometimes denied, requests to promote vari-ous causes with gatherings on the court-house grounds. For example, a parade onMartin Luther King Day normally begins onthe courthouse grounds and marches easton Market Street to the Douglass Commu-nity Center.
But last week, Ben Lawrence, chairmanof the courthouse committee, said that re-quests to place things on the courthousegrounds were simply becoming too numer-ous, noting the difficulty of choosing be-tween applications for available space.
The Rotary Club of Leesburg has a longtradition of placing a Christmas tree onthe courthouse grounds, and club mem-bers were chagrined to learn last weekthat all displays on the courthousegrounds, holiday related or not, were nowprohibited.
“I do not understand the rationale for thisdecision but I do know it flies in the face ofany holiday or Christmas spirit,” said oneclub member who has led the placing of the
tree on the courthouse grounds the past fiveyears. “We are a traditional county and townfounded on the freedoms that include free-dom of religion,” he commented.
The heretofore traditional nativity crechepermit was also rejected by the courthousecommittee, along with all others.
Delgaudio noted that a petition had beenposted online last Saturday and that morethan 465 people signed it within the first24 hours.
“Pro-Christmas Americans are taking timefrom family Thanksgiving events and er-rands to sign the petition condemning thewrongful act of a Board of Supervisors Ad-visory Committee action taken last weekagainst a group seeking to continue a 50-year tradition of placing a Nativity, aMenorah or a Christmas Tree at theLeesburg Courthouse,” wrote Delgaudio.
The petition, entitled “Keep LeesburgCourthouse Nativity Scene” was posted byBarbara Curtis, at www.ipetitions.com/pe-tition/leesburgnativity.
Supervisors Act to ‘Save Christmas’Board overrules advisory committee’sprohibition on seasonal displays at courthouse.
See Serving, Page 11
By Martin Casey
The Connection
LINK, the distribution arm of GoodShepherd Alliance which distrib-utes food and warm coats to fami-
lies in need through eastern LoudounCounty and Herndon, again fielded asmall army of volunteers Nov. 21 atChrist the Redeemer Roman CatholicChurch in Sterling, and at Trinity Pres-
byterian Church in Dranesville, to pro-vide food for Thanksgiving to 672 fami-lies in area neighborhoods, comprisingabout 3,500 individuals, about 2,000 ofthem children. Included were some$14,760 in gift certificates.
Meanwhile, more than 1,075 good,used, warm winter coats were distributedat Sterling United Methodist Church inSterling Park.
The annual activities will be repeatedfor Christmas on Dec. 19, when toys willbe distributed for children, as well asfood. LINK has issued a new call formore volunteers and contributions to
More donations,volunteerswelcome at LINK.
Serving Neighbors in Need
Sterling United Methodist youth gather to sort winter coats for theNov. 21 distribution.
By Julia O’Donoghue
The Connection
Like a party on New Year’s
Eve, patrons at O’Faolains Irish Puband Grill in Sterling counted down
the last new seconds of Nov. 30.When the clock stuck midnight, the crowd
cheered (and booed) as the restaurant’soperations manager Kevin Kahoe climbed
on top of a counter top to stick the official“No Smoking” sign above the bar.
As of Dec. 1, Virginia’s new smoking re-strictions took effect and several restau-rants, including O’Faolains, are abolishingindoor smoking altogether.
The new smoking regulations fall shortof an outright ban and the Virginia GeneralAssembly left more room for restaurantsand bar to accommodate indoor smokingthan Maryland or Washington D.C. cur-rently allows.
Though nearly restaurants and bars mustoffer a non-smoking section and non-smok-ing entrance, they are also allowed to build
Local reaction torestaurants goingsmoke free.
New Smoking Law in Effect
By Martin Casey
The Connection
Virginia Attorney General Bill Mimstold the Loudoun Crime Commis-sion on Friday, Nov. 20, that he felt
like he was “coming home” when he madethe drive here from Richmond.
Mims went to Richmond in 1992 repre-senting Sterling and Ashburn voters in the32nd House of Delegates District. He waselected to the Virginia Senate fromLoudoun’s 33rd District in 1998, where heserved until resigning in December of 2005
to become assistant attorney general to thennewly elected Attorney General BobMcDonnell. When McDonnell resigned ear-lier this year to campaign for governor,Mims became Attorney General, where heserves until recently-elected Ken Cuccinellitakes office in January.
Mims practiced law for many years inLoudoun County; he and his family lived inCountrySide for many years; his childrengraduated from Potomac Falls High School.
So it’s understandable that Mims felt likehe was coming home, and his visit drewmany first-time attendees to crime commis-sion meetings, a non-profit organizationformed four years ago.
Mims, a Republican, naturally drew many
Mims ‘Comes Home’But he’s staying inRichmond.
See Mims, Page 9
See Reactions, Page 9
4 ❖ Loudoun/Ashburn Connection ❖ December 2-8, 2009 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
News
Where Research and Donations Make a DifferenceCure rate for acutelymphoblastic leuke-mia keeps improving.
Bill Hughes is the head coach of Ashburn Xtreme and his son Andrew isin the middle with the blue “Survivor” shirt. The team created its own“sub-team” for fund-raising purposes and then supported October’s“Light the Night” walk in person.
Andrew in hishockey uniform.
“It’s hard toimagine a
cause moreworthy
devotingtime and
money to.”— Bill Hughes
By Barbara E. Boland
The Connection
For the participants in the annualLeukemia and LymphomaSociety’s “Light the Night” walk,there are often painful, but ulti-
mately triumphant personal stories motivat-ing them to donate their time and moneyto this cause.
Five years ago, Bill and Karen Hugheswere preparing to celebrate the Christmasholiday. They had noticed that their young-est son, Andrew, was lethargic and com-plaining of leg pain, but as the mother of
three young chil-dren, Karen didn’tthink it was tooserious until visit-ing relatives sug-gested that per-haps they shouldtake him to thehospital. Theytook him onChristmas Eve,and on the day af-ter Christmas,they were told theresults of theblood tests: three-and-a-half-year-
old Andrew was diagnosed with acute lym-phoblastic leukemia.
In the 1960s, the cure rate for this typeof cancer was 4 percent. Leukemia suffer-ers of previous decades would enduremonths locked inside hospitals sufferingthrough rounds and rounds of treatments,isolated from their classmates and friends.If the leukemia patients were in the tinyminority lucky enough to survive thesetreatments, they would return to schooloverweight and without hair, behind their
peers in classes by at least a year, addingsocial ostracization to their already untoldsuffering. When Bill and Karen Hughesheard that their son had leukemia, theybraced themselves for the worst.
Like many families in the metro D.C. area,the Hughes did not have close family nearbyto lean on for support. Instead they turnedto the supportive community of Ashburn,where they live. Neighbors rallied around thefamily and were eager to do everything theycould to support them. A year after Andrew’sdiagnosis, Bill Hughes began speaking forthe Leukemia and Lymphoma Society andparticipating in the fund-raising walks. Thecommunity helped, starting their own teamand raising $100,000 in five years.
AT THE TIME of Andrew’s diagnosis, thecure rate for acute lymphoblastic leukemiawas at 80 percent. Andrew would spend thenext three years and two months going to
chemotherapy treatments and enduringeight to 10 spinal taps. Unlike in the pastwhere patients were hospitalized, today’schildren go for chemo treatments once aweek at first, and then once a month. Inbetween treatments they take daily medi-cines, allowing them to remain in schoolmost days right alongside their peers. Thismakes the transition of high-energy childto a sick one less obvious to outsiders andkeeps classmates, teachers, and the com-munity actively involved in the patient’soutcome.
Today Andrew is a happy and healthylittle boy who loves sports and participatesin the AA travel hockey team with his coachdad. According to Bill Hughes, Andrew’shockey team was astonished when theyheard his story and were delighted to helpraise money for the Leukemia Society.
Because of the advances in treatment forleukemia, most people know a child who
has had it, and like Andrew’s hockeyteam, they are unaware of the littlesurvivor in their midst. No cause isdearer to Bill Hughes’ heart because,as he puts it, “it’s hard to imagine acause more worthy devoting time andmoney to.” His firm,MorganFranklin,also started a teamtaking this year’stotal donationsfrom teams Bill wasinvolved in to$24,000.
THE SOCIETY isstill accepting dona-tions atwww.lightthenight.org/nca and is also gear-ing up for “Team inTraining,” a springcampaign for begin-ner to seasoned athletes. Like the“Light the Night” walks, these teamsraise money for leukemia while alsohelping participants achieve their bestat marathons, half marathons,triathlons and 100-mile bike rides.More information is available atwww.teamintraining.org/nca.
For those looking for a cause todevote money and time to, this is oneway to make a major difference in thelives of children since leukemia is thenumber one cancer in children.“There are so many charities, and ifit’s not near and dear to your heart,you can’t feel passionate about it.Many years ago this used to be adeath sentence,” Karen Hughes said.The scientific advances made in re-cent years show the direct impactone’s donation of time and money canmake. In five years the cure rate ofleukemia has gone up 10 percent.Thanks to all the northern Virginiaarea teams’ hard work, they raised$412,000 of the $450,000 the Leu-kemia and Lymphoma Society’s goal.
Crime Report
Joggers Kissed The Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday, Nov. 25,
that deputies had located a 71-year-old man who hadkissed the hands of female joggers along WhitewaterDrive near Lowes Island Elementary School.
The women each reported that an unknown man hadextended his hand to them as though he wanted to shakehands, and then kissed their hands. The separate inci-dents were reported on Nov. 20, 23 and 24. Each oc-curred between 8:45 and 9:15 a.m. Authorities addedthat the man “is suffering from an ailment” and that did“not appear to be any criminal intent.” None of thewomen wished to pursue charges in the case, accordingto authorities. The man’s named was not released be-cause no charges are pending. At least four women re-ported being kissed, according to a Sheriff’s spokesman.
Soccer VictimsSheriff’s deputies arrested two D.C. men Wednesday,
Nov. 25, for stealing items from soccer players participat-ing in a game in Claude Moore Park in Sterling.
They were charged with grand larceny and three countsof petit larceny, as well as providing authorities at first witha false name. Authorities said the stolen items were allreturned to their owners.
Arrest in Sterling TheftSheriff’s Deputies arrested a 23-year-old man for larceny,
obstruction of justice and assault Nov. 22 after respondingto an afternoon theft report at the Target store in PotomacRun Plaza on Route 7 across from NOVA Community Col-lege. The suspect, found hiding near a trailer, was caughtafter a foot chase.
SUV Driven into LakeA 16-year-old Ashburn female crashed into a lake along
Ashburn Village Boulevard near Cheltenham Circle about4:30 p.m. Nov. 22, a Sheriff’s spokesman reported.
“The SUV appears to have been intentionally drivenoff of Cheltenham Circle by jumping a curb. The vehiclethen was driven through a fence and eventually landedin the lake,” he said. “There were no signs of attemptsto break or attempt to steer clear of the lake.”
An underwater recovery unit responded to the sceneto assure that no other victims were in the SUV. Theindividual, whom authorities did not identify due to herage, was taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital.
Arrests in Ashburn BurglaryFour Maryland men have been charged in connection
with an overnight burglary of an Ashburn home.Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a burglary
in progress about 1:30 a.m. Nov. 20 on Atherton Streetnear Broadlands Village Center.
Deputies arrived in time to find signs of the burglary,including removal of two large-screen television sets anda video game system. Residents were away at the time.
See Crime Report, Page 5
Loudoun/Ashburn Connection ❖ December 2-8, 2009 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
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News
Economic Development Director Resigns
Loudoun County Eco-nomic DevelopmentDirector LarryRosenstrauch an-
nounced last week that he is re-signing effective Friday, Dec. 4.Rosenstrauch has guided the de-partment the past 13 years, dur-ing a period of significant commer-cial development.
He came to Loudoun County in1996, from Charlotte, N.C., wherehe had served eight years as di-rector of economic developmentfor the City of Charlotte.
In Loudoun County, his depart-ment has worked with private sec-tor partners to encourage continu-ing business investment and devel-opment throughout the county.During his tenure, the departmenttapped talent and expertise from
local businesses and created severaladvisory panels, including the CEOCabinet, Design Cabinet, and Sci-ence and Technology Cabinet.Rosenstrauch also was instrumen-tal in the Economic DevelopmentCommission, which brought to-gether business leaders throughoutthe county to learn more about thecounty’s developmental details andinformally advised Rosenstrauch,his department and through themthe county’s Board of Supervisors.
Rosenstrauch, 61, chose to re-sign the workday prior to the ar-rival of Tim Hemstreet, 44,Loudoun County’s new county ex-ecutive. Hemstreet’s selection wasannounced in October following asix-month nationwide search.
Rosenstrauch said Hemstreetneeded “a fresh start” with a new
economic director, and added thathe looked forward to his next op-portunity.
Interim County AdministratorLinda A. Neri, who has served asacting county manager since thedeparture of Kirby Bowers lastspring, will provide economic de-partmental leadership untilHemstreet selects a successor toRosenstrauch.
— Martin Casey
The Inova Loudoun Hos-pital Mobile Health Ser-vice offers both seasonal andH1N1 flu shots on Tuesday, Dec.8, 6-9 p.m., at the main en-trance to its medical center inLeesburg, 224 Cornwall St. Theclinic is open to the public; chil-dren aged 6 months and olderare eligible to receive a flu shot.Children must be accompaniedby a parent or legal guardian.Seniors with valid Medicarecard can also receive a flu shot.Cost is $25 per person (checkor cash).
The quarterly meetingsof the Sheriff’s Office witheastern Loudoun residents is setfor Tuesday, Dec. 8, starting at6 p.m., in the Cascades Libraryon Whitfield Place. The meet-ing will report to residents onthe status of public safety inSterling communities.
The next Board of Super-visors and School Boardpublic hearings on theFY11 budget will be Tuesday,Dec. 8, starting at 6:30 p.m. inthe County Government Center,1 Harrison St., SE, Leesburg.Another session is set for 6:30p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10, atthe Loudoun County PublicSchools administration buildingin Ashburn on Education Courtoff Broadlands Boulevard. Signup to speak by calling 703-777-0200, or sign the register at the
meeting.
Board of Supervisorspublic hearings on theproposed County EnergyPlan begin at 7 p.m. on Mon-day, Dec. 14, in the County Gov-ernment Center, 1 Harrison St.,Leesburg. Sign up to speak bycalling 703-777-0200, or signthe register at the meeting. Acopy of the draft strategy isavailable online atwww.loudoun.gov/energy.
The Sterling ParkSeahawks Swim Teamsponsors Breakfast withSanta, 9 a.m. to noon on Sat-urday, Dec. 19, at the SterlingGolf, Swim and Tennis Club at333 S. Sterling Blvd. in SterlingPark. Parents may call 703-430-1400, ext. 1, to make reserva-tions. Breakfast will be servedbetween 9 and 11 a.m.; Santaarrives at 10 a.m. Children 2and under, free; ages 3-11,$4.95; ages 12 and up $6.95.Bring your camera. Childrenunder 12 will receive a smallgift. Menu includes pancakes,scrambled eggs, bacon, toastand coffee for adults.
The County Landfill onEvergreen Road will be closedbeginning at noon on Dec. 24,and all day Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.It will be open otherwise.
— Martin Casey
A Look Ahead
From Page 4
Crime Report
Deputies canvassed the area,locating a suspicious vehicle nearWaxpool Road and LoudounCounty Parkway, authorities re-
ported. The four occupants of thevehicle were arrested.
The four were being held in theLoudoun County Adult DetentionCenter. — Martin Casey
6 ❖ Loudoun/Ashburn Connection ❖ December 2-8, 2009 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Home Sales
Copyright 2009 Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc.For more information on MRIS, visit www.mris.com.
To search for a home online, visit www.HomesDatabase.com.
When you visit one of these Open Houses, tell the Realtor you saw it in this Connection Newspaper. For more real estatelistings and open houses visit www.ConnectionNewspapers.com, click the Real Estate links on the right side.
OPEN HOUSESOpen Houses Saturday & Sunday, December 5th & 6th
To add your FREE Realtor represented Open Houseto these weekly listings, please contact:
Loudoun/Ashburn Connection ❖ December 2-8, 2009 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Calendar
Send announcements [email protected] is Friday, two weeks prior to event;photos/artwork encouraged. For additionallistings, visit www.connectionnewspapers.com.
FRIDAY/DEC. 4Holiday Show and Sale. 6-9 p.m. Art
students at the Loudoun Academy ofthe Arts will display their work atGallery 222’s Holiday Show and Sale.Artwork will include watercolor, pasteland oil paintings, drawings andsculpture. Visitwww.loudounacademy.org orwww.gallery222.com or call 703-777-5498.
SATURDAY/DEC. 5Breakfast With Santa. 8:30 a.m. to
noon. Hosted by the Arcola-PleasantValley Volunteer Fire Department. AtArcola United Methodist Church,24757 Evergreen Mills Road, Sterling.Call 703-542-6839.
Winter Coffeehouse. 2 p.m. Anafternoon of live family-friendly music,holiday sing-alongs and a magic showfor kids presented by the SterlingLibrary Teen Advisory Board. At theSterling Library, 120 Enterprise Street,Sterling.
Preventing Diabetes. 10 a.m. to noon.Type 2 diabetes can be delayed andprevented with healthier habits duringthe pre-diabetes stage. In these two-hour classes, certified diabeteseducators will provide information onphysical activity, an improved diet andother positive lifestyle changes that canstall or prevent type 2 diabetes. $50registration. At the Diabetes Center,Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045Riverside Parkway, Leesburg. Call 703-750-8800 or go to www.inova.org/healthclasses.
Make Holiday Cards. 10 a.m. to noon.Nature and art come together in thisworkshop where children will createholiday-themed, original artwork andcards for sending to family and friends.At the Loudoun Academy of the Arts,222 South King Street in HistoricLeesburg. Cost is $20 plus $10 supplyfee. For ages 5-10. Register on-line atwww.loudounacademy.org or call 703-777-8043.
Cedar Lane Winter Festival andHoliday Shop. Free. Vendors includeSilpada, Pampered Chef, ScentimentalScents and Mary Kay. At Cedar LaneElementary School, 43700 TolamacDrive, Ashburn.
DEC. 5-6A Collection of Holiday Carols. $10
admission; $8/seniors; and $5/youth.Presented by the Loudoun Chorale.Joining the Chorale will be the SycolinCreek Elementary School 5th GradeChorus. On Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at St.David’s Episcopal Church, 43600Russell Branch Parkway, Ashburn; OnDec. 6 at 4 p.m. at Holy TrinityLutheran Church, 605 West MarketStreet, Leesburg. Call 571-236-5734 orvisit www.loudounchorale.org.
Treasures for Life Rummage Sale.8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale featuresfurniture, household items, clothing,office equipment, books, artwork,electronics, outdoor equipment, toys,and many other items for sale.Sponsored by the IYS Corporation toSupport Mothers Against DrunkDriving. At 23465 Rock Haven Way,Suite 125, Dulles. Anyone wishing toarrange for a donation and free pickupof items for the sale may call 703-779-7534. Visit: http://www.TreasuresforLife.net
SUNDAY/DEC. 6Nutcracker Tea Party. 1 p.m. Loudoun
Ballet Company performs TheNutcracker Tea Party at River CreekCountry Club, 43404 WestchesterSquare, Leesburg. Children ages 3-12is $25; adults 13 and up is $35.
Performances will be at Park ViewHigh School, 400 W. Laurel Ave.,Sterling, on Saturday, Dec. 12 and 19,at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., and Sunday,Dec. 13 and 20 at 2:30 p.m. Call 703-771-8074. Go towww.loudounballet.org/teapartytickets.
Concert. 3 p.m. Ensemble a la Carte,featuring bassoonist Robin Gelman.The group will perform Serenade, opus14, for seven winds by Julius Roentgenand the Sextet, opus 271, by CarlReinecke. At Congregation Sha’areShalom, 19357 Evergreen Mills Road,Leesburg, across from Heritage HighSchool. Call 703-737-6500 or visitwww.sha-areshalom.org.
Birding Hotspots in Loudoun. 8 a.m.to 4 p.m. Join Joe Coleman and LauraWeidner of Loudoun WildlifeConservancy on a daylong search forsparrows, hawks, waterfowl, and otherseasonal birds at some of LoudounCounty’s richest birding destinations.The group will meet at the AudubonNaturalist Society’s Rust NatureSanctuary in Leesburg. Registrationrequired. Members (ANS & LWC): $30;Non-members: $42. To register contactANS at 301-652-9188 x16.
TUESDAY/DEC. 8Holiday Open House. 11:30 a.m. to 4
p.m. Also collecting non-perishablefood for Loudoun Interfaith Relief. Atthe Visit Loudoun Office, 112-G SouthStreet, SE, Market Station, Leesburg.Snow Date: Monday, Dec. 14.
Holiday Party and Toy Drive. 3-5p.m. The east and west chapters of theMOMS Club of Sterling will host a jointannual Holiday Party and MonthlyMeeting. At the Stone House inCascades at 20670 Fernbank Court,Sterling. Visitwww.momsclubofsterlingva.org.
WEDNESDAY/DEC. 9Meet the Author. 7 p.m. Author Sharon
K. Solomon will read from herbilingual book, A Walk with Grandpa— Un Paseo con Abuelo. At AshburnLibrary, 43316 Hay Road, Ashburn.
Winter Meet and Greet. 10 a.m. Withthe MOMS Club of Ashburn Farm. Getinformation about the club and meetnew members at the Ashburn Library.They’ll be collecting mittens, gloves,scarves and hats for the LoudounCounty Holiday Coalition. Call JennyMorrill at 703-338-2732, [email protected] or visitwwwmomsclubofashburnfarm.webs.com.
a.m. to 5 p.m. At the LoudounExtension Office in Leesburg. Cost is$150, includes text, examination andcertification. Call 703-777-0373.
FRIDAY/DEC. 11Battle of the Bands.6:30 p.m. $3. TheLoudoun County YouthAdvisory Council andLoudoun Youth Inc. willhost the second in aseries of Battle of theBand events. All bandsthat want to play atYouthFest 2010 mustcompete in a Battle ofthe Bands event. To beheld at AV-COM VisualArts, 45965 Nokes Blvd.in Sterling. Visit http://www.loudounteens.orgor call 703-737-8335.
DEC. 11, 12, 13DECA HolidayHouse. Potomac FallsHigh School DECAstudents will give toursof the home of RhodaMatts who decorates 70-plus trees and every
room for the holidays. This ALS fund-raiser will take place Friday, Dec. 11from 3-9 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 12 from1-9 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 13 from 1-6p.m. House located at 234 MarkwoodDrive, Sterling.
SATURDAY/DEC. 12TubaChristmas Concert. 6 p.m. With
the Loudoun Valley High School Tubaand Euphonium Ensemble. At FranklinPark Arts Center. Tickets are $5. Visit
Loudoun Symphonic WindsConcert. 7:30 p.m. The program willinclude selections from Tchaikovsky’s“The Nutcracker,” “Silver Bells,” and“Greensleeves”. Admission is a new,unwrapped toy to be delivered to Toysfor Tots. At Dominion High School,21326 Augusta Drive in Sterling. Visitthe Loudoun Symphonic Winds website at www.lcbandinc.org or call 703-777-7985.
Birding Banshee. 8 a.m. Join theLoudoun Wildlife Conservancy and theFriends of Banshee Reeks at theBanshee Reeks Nature Preserve for amonthly bird walk. Contact JoeColeman at 540-554-2542 [email protected].
Ashburn Classics ChristmasLuncheon. 11 a.m. The AshburnClassics is a social club for seniors age50 and over in the Ashburn area. Atthe Holiday Inn, Leesburg.Reservations are required andentertainment will be provided. Call703-858-1313.
Master Singers of Virginia. 8 p.m.(7:15 p.m. lecture). Holidayperformance from chant to carol. A 34-member a cappella ensemble under thedirection of Dr. Erik Jones. Tickets are$18/adults and $15/students/seniors(65+) in advance. Go towww.msva.org or call 703-655-7809.At Our Savior’s Way Lutheran Church,43115 Waxpool Road, Ashburn.
Loudoun Symphony Performs. 8p.m. “Celebrate the Season” featuresChristmas, Hanukkah and wintermusic. At Stone Bridge High School,Claibourne Parkway and Hay Road inAshburn. For tickets, call 703-771-8287 or visitwww.loudounsymphony.org.
Pet Pictures with Santa. 1-3 p.m.Ashburn Village Animal Hospital ishosting pet pictures with Santa. At44110 Ashburn Shopping Plaza,Ashburn, in the Giant Shopping Centeracross from the Ashburn Village SportsPavilion. To schedule an appointment,call 703-729-0700.
Holiday Open House. 11 a.m. to 5p.m. Dodona Manor is decorated forthe holidays as it was during George C.Marshall’s life there in the 1950s. At217 Edwards Ferry Road Leesburg.Call 703-777-1880.
Carole McNeil, vocalist
SATURDAY/DEC. 12Loudoun Symphony Concert. 8 p.m. Tickets are $18/
door, $15/advance. Featuring jazz, pops, Broadway,Sousa March, ballet, classical and seasonal favorites.Featured solosits are Carole McNeil, vocalist, and JasonGreco, pianist. Pre-concert lecture by Maestro Mark AllenMcCoy at 7:15 p.m. At Stone Bridge High School inAshburn. Visit www.loudounsymphony.org or call 703-771-8287.
8 ❖ Loudoun/Ashburn Connection ❖ December 2-8, 2009 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Sports
The Greg Wells TeamFor All Your Real Estate Needs
www.TheGregWellsTeam.com571-223-2947
Athlete of the Week Sponsored by
Adrian Flemming, a senior wide receiver for theBroad Run High football team, runs with the ballduring the Spartans’ 36-13 Region II finals win overSherando High last Saturday night in Ashburn.Flemming caught a second quarter touchdown passin the championship game victory. To read about thestate playoff-bound Spartans and their title gamewin, go to connectionnewspapers.com, then go toAshburn sports.
Athlete of the Week
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Two years ago, MickeyThompson’s StoneBridge High footballteam dominated oppo-
nents on way to capturing theprogram’s first-ever state AAAtitle. Last year, the Bulldogs werenearly as dominant, with a rostermade up of numerous collegescholarship-bound players who ledthe Ashburn team to anotherNorthern Region title and a trip tostates.
This year’s squad, with a differ-ent look as a result of key gradua-tion losses, was not supposed toreach the same heights. Neverthe-less, Stone Bridge has proven tobe, once again, the region’s bestDiv. 5 team. That became officiallast Friday afternoon when theBulldogs overwhelmedSpringfield’s Robert E. Lee High,21-10, in the Div. 5 title gameplayed at Bulldog Stadium inAshburn.
“No one expected us to go thisfar,” said Stone Bridge senior skill
position standout Kyle Gouveia.“But we practiced hard [all sea-son] and stayed with our gameplan.”
The region championship gamevictory was the third straight forthe Bulldogs and advanced themto the state AAA playoffs wherethey will host Massaponax High(Fredericksburg) of the NorthwestRegion in a semifinals contest thisSaturday afternoon at 1:30.
Since a week seven Liberty Dis-trict road loss at Madison, 28-14,Stone Bridge (12-1) has reeled offsix consecutive wins, including aconvincing 27-8 home triumphover Madison at the region semi-finals. Of those six wins, the onlygame that was close was a 17-14regular season win over district foeLangley on Oct. 23. Since then,Stone Bridge’s smallest margin ofvictory was Saturday’s gameagainst the Lancers.
Indeed, Stone Bridge hasrounded into top form at the mostimportant time of the season. TheBulldogs certainly controlled theaction in the win over Lee,outgaining the Patriot Districtteam, 268 to 201, and leadingfrom the first quarter onward.Stone Bridge ran 70 offensiveplays to Lee’s 51. In the secondhalf, the Bulldogs dominated intime of possession (16 minutes tothe Lancers’ eight). Stone Bridge’sdefensive unit was pleased withthe offensive effort.
“We basically had our offenseout there the whole game,” saidStone Bridge junior cornerbackDexter Rogers.
THE BULLDOGS were able tomove the first down chains so ef-fectively as a result of both the stir-ring play up front from its offen-sive line as well as the hard,straight ahead running of star run-ning back Marcus Harris, StoneBridge’s all-time leading careerrusher who finished with 139yards on 33 carries against theLancers. Harris, a senior, scored allthree of his team’s touchdowns inthe win, two on running plays (14and two yards out) and one on a
29-yard catch from quarterbackBrian Rody.
“That’s what we try to do —keep possession on offense,” saidGouveia. “On a few plays [over thegame] they stopped us, but we justkept pushing.”
Meanwhile, Stone Bridge’s de-fense was able, for the most part,to contain standout Lee runningback Idreis Augustus (80 yards on17 carries). The senior ballcarrier’s biggest play came midwaythrough the second quarter whenhe took a pitchout left from signalcaller Greg Lopez and outraced theStone Bridge defense down the leftsideline for a 26-yard scoring playthat got the Lancers within 14-10.That was the score at halftime.
But Stone Bridge made a hugestatement when it took the secondhalf kickoff and held on to thefootball for 19 plays and close to10 minutes. Although the posses-sion ended with a rare missed fieldgoal by left-footed kicker AbdulShaban (wide right on a 42-yardattempt), the long, non-scoringmarch ate up a ton of the secondhalf clock.
On its next possession, whichbegan in the final minute of thethird quarter, the Bulldogs put to-gether the lone scoring drive of thesecond half, moving the ball 51yards over 14 plays and getting thetouchdown on Harris’ two-yardrun up the middle with 7 minutes,13 seconds left to play in the game.Shaban’s third extra point kick ofthe game made the score 21-10Bulldogs.
Lee never seriously threatenedto score again and its final hopesall but faded when a Lopez pass,on a fourth-and-10 play from the
Lancers’ own 37 yard line, wasintercepted by senior linebackerConnor Calderwood with threeminutes left. The pass, thrown tothe right, was intended forAugustus.
“He’s their go-to guy, theirplaymaker,” said Calderwood. “Iread the quarterback the wholeway. He threw it and I steppedright in front of [Augustus].”
LEE, WHICH utilizes an optionattack out of the shotgun, mis-handled the ball throughout thegame. Poor snaps from center andmisplays on pitched balls out ofthe option resulted in numerousfumbles, one of which was loss. Onits first possession of the game, theLancers lost 23 yards as a resultof a high snap on a third downplay from their own 26 yard line.Lee had to punt the ball from itsown three. Stone Bridge, as a re-sult, began its first possession ofthe afternoon from the Lee 40 yardline. From there, the Bulldogsneeded just six plays to score, thetouchdown coming on a 14-yardrun by Harris on a fourth-and-oneplay.
Lee answered with a scoringmarch that resulted in a field goalto putt the Lancers within 7-3.
But Stone Bridge, on its secondpossession of the game, marched70 yards over 13 plays for anothertouchdown early in the secondquarter. The score came on afourth-and-11 play from the Lanc-ers’ 29. Rody dropped back to passand fired a hard pass which Har-ris, with outreached arms, caughtat the 10 before running into theend zone. Shaban’s point after kickmade it 14-3.
Although Lee would answerwith a touchdown drive on its en-suing possession, the Lancerswould not score again thereafterover the remaining 30-plus min-utes of the game.
Stone Bridge, once again, wasthe region champion when the fi-nal whistle blew.
“I’m glad we could keep theStone Bridge tradition alive,” saidCalderwood, who along with hislate game interception also recov-ered a fumble in the championshipgame win. “We had a great teameffort. The offense controlled theball great and everyone did theirjob.”
This year’s Stone Bridge team,young overall and less experiencedthan recent Bulldog squads, hascome a long way.
“This year we’ve had a bunch ofyoung guys who have stepped upand kept the winning traditiongoing,” said Rogers.
Bulldogs Capture Another Region Football CrownStone Bridge defeatsLee in finals; next stop,the state playoffs.
Loudoun/Ashburn Connection ❖ December 2-8, 2009 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
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From Page 3
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From Page 3
a smoking lounge, as long as it is sepa-rately ventilated and physically closed offfrom the nonsmoking areas.
IN ADDITION to O’Faolain’s, SweetwaterTavern in Sterling also opted to go entirelysmoke free inside.
In the spring, Sweetwater may allowsmoking at its outdoor bar area, which iscurrently closed for the winter season, saidDave Omar, one of the restaurant’s manag-ers. “We haven’t made a decision on thatyet,” he said.
O’Faolains will allow people to smoke ontheir outdoor patio and plans to providedeck chairs and heat lamps in that area, saidstaff.
At least one local restaurant, Ned Devine’sIrish Bar & Restaurant in Herndon, is con-sidering accommodating smoking inside.
Residents in general expressed mixed feel-ings about the new restrictions.
Potomac Falls resident Patrick MichaelO’Shea has never smoked but is uncomfort-able with society deciding which vices areacceptable and which are not.
“When was the last time you worriedabout driving home late at night and some-one crashing their car into you because theyhad too many cigarettes? Why is smokingbad and drinking not?” said O’Shea, whowas enjoying at alcoholic beverage at the
Irish bar.“For me, nonsmoking is great but that
doesn’t make it right,” he added.
BUT KAHOE, for one, is delighted by thepartial smoking ban. The Ashburn resident,who has worked at the bar for three and ahalf years, said a similar prohibition onsmoking had a positive effect in Ireland.
“It improved business for the likes of res-taurants and bars that were focused onfood,” said Kahoe, an Irish immigrant wholived in the country when the smoking banwent into effect.
Kahoe said he does not think the smok-ing ban will have a large impact on busi-ness at O’Faolain’s or other local restaurantsand bars as some people fear.
“I don’t think a lot of people are going togo away and not come back. People in Ire-land said that too and it didn’t happen. Ev-eryone got over it,” said Kahoe.
Trina Medford, an Ashburn resident whotends bar at Ned Devine’s, agrees withKahoe.
“If it is a bar that a person goes to regu-larly, I don’t think that is going to changemuch,” she said.
Medford said she does not mind going outto smoke and is generally ambivalent aboutthe new smoking restrictions.
“If I can’t smoke in a bar, I will probablysmoke less and that is good thing,” she said.
Reacting to New Smoking Law
of Loudoun’s most visible Republican ac-tivists, including Patricia Phillips, who con-firmed that she plans to again seek Mims’old senate seat. That seat is now held byDemocrat Mark Herring, who defeatedPhillips in the 2007 election. The senaterace won’t come before voters until 2011.
BUT MIMS WON’T be returning toLoudoun when he steps away from publicoffice in January. He told well-wishers thathe would go “from the state’s third largestlaw firm” (the Attorney General’s Office)“to the state’s largest law firm,” becominga partner in the Richmond firm of Hunton& Williams. He will also serve as co-chair-man of McDonnell’s gubernatorial transi-tion team.
Early in his remarks to the commission,Mims congratulated Republican TagGreason of Ashburn on his November elec-tion to Mims’ old delegate seat.
Mims explained in detail the work of theAG’s office, describing the office as “the lawfirm for the Commonwealth” with attorneys“practicing in every jurisdiction.” He notedthe office handles all of the appeals from
prosecutions by local counties and cities,and handles prison system matters.
He stressed that another part of the job isnot merely to defend the state in court.
“We defend the state, and if we see thestate being sued and we feel the case mayhave merit, we pro-actively go to our client... and say ‘Let’s do something about this’.”
Mims, who served on the congressionalstaff of U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf early in hiscareer, credited Wolf for his initiation in1997 in forming a regional Gang Reductionand Interdiction Program (GRIP) in North-ern Virginia that has raised awareness tothe gang activities and unified the variousjurisdictions into a concerted and continu-ing effort to combat gang violence.
Mims noted that young people aged 10to 12 — “not just those 17 and 18” — arejoining gangs, adding that it is importantto deal with challenges from gangs “in theschools” and not just on the streets.
On another issue, Mims noted that Demo-crat Gov. Tim Kaine, “with McDonnell’s sup-port” from the AG’s office, has moved toimprove the state’s laws on mental healthand civil commitment, adding, “McDonnellhas plans to go forward with that.”
Mims ‘Comes Home’ to Loudoun
The City Towns, Van Metre’s first sectionof homes to open in Brambleton, will maketheir debut this Saturday, Dec. 5, during agrand opening from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.at the Van Metre sales center at the TownCenter. Refreshments will be available, and
Section of New Homes in Brambleton To Openthe architect and sales representatives willbe on hand to answer questions. Locatedin the Overlook neighborhood ofBrambleton, these townhomes range from2,000 to 2,200 square feet, and sell for pre-construction pricing from $329,990.
10 ❖ Loudoun/Ashburn Connection ❖ December 2-8, 2009 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
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MPRINT EDITIONSPRINT EDITIONS
I'am a slow walker, but I never walk back.
-Abraham Lincoln
A club whose membership you don’t wantin. Heck, a club whose membership you don’tever want to be considered for. A club,though, that can make the ideal claim, asbeing truly indiscriminate. A club that will, infact, not discriminate based on race, creed,color, ethnic or religious background or belief,country of origin, level of education (or lackthereof), sexual orientation or any other pref-erence/persuasion one can imagine/create.However, it is a club that will not exactly inviteyou to join as much as it will tell you that youare a member. To sort of quote Groucho Marx,you might become a member regardless ofwhether you would refuse to join such a clubsimply because they invited you to join. Inreality, you have no control, well, not totalcontrol. You’re either in or you’re out. And inmy brief experience/membership, it is muchbetter to be out than in.
Now that I’m in, though, it is indeed a club.One without walls and secret handshakes, buta club nonetheless. There aren’t exactly meet-ings per se (although there are support groups)and there aren’t exactly dues (although thereare a lot of don’ts and shouldn’t-anymores);nor are there membership drives or incentivesto upgrade your membership. However,unlike many other clubs, once in, you’re in forlife; whether you’re an active, under-treat-ment member or a formerly under treat-ment/inactive member. Moreover: member-ship, participation, attendance does not haveits advantages. It’s been my experience, diag-nosis to date (nine months, approximately)that membership only offers disadvantages.
Sure, you meet wonderful, caring, nurtur-ing, well-meaning health care professionals; aswell as supportive, empathetic, similarly-strug-gling, cancer-diagnosed patients – some ofwhom you see regularly (depending on yourinfusion schedule). Others you see less fre-quently, sort of in passing (no pun intended),when scheduled appointments, scans, labwork, etc., cause you to be in the same placeat the same time. And, of course, there iscomfort in sharing, and knowing that you arenot alone, and seeing familiar faces, even ifthey are faces you’ve seen when visiting (I usethat term loosely) your oncologist or afterreceiving treatment, is soothing, sort of.
However, as important as feeling a part ofsomething (that is so much bigger than you)and part of a group of similarly affected indi-viduals is concerned, still, it’s the being-alonetime that can’t be prevented. Being left withyour own thoughts, in your own personalspace – and time, is when the rubber reallymeets the road. Diversions and interactionswith other cancer patients certainly help passsome of that time, and make that time lesslonely and scary, but it’s hard to hide fromyourself (and you know where you live).
It’s at the end of the day, literally and figu-ratively, when whatever you’ve gained orabsorbed from these fellow club membersneeds to take root once again. Rememberingwhat was said, what shared experience wasrecounted, what encouragement wasexpressed, what explanations and characteri-zations of treatments, protocols, procedures,etc. was discussed and most importantly, whatappreciation of some of the pain and sufferingyou’ve endured, physically and mentally wasunderstood, which is so helpful and sorewarding that, if I wasn’t already a member,I’d try to form a club whose members were solikewise engaged.
Cancer is certainly not for everybody (thankGod!), but for those of us already in the club,membership matters. I wouldn’t say there areprivileges, but there are possibilities.
Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.
The CancerClubBy KENNETH B. LOURIE
Loudoun/Ashburn Connection ❖ December 2-8, 2009 ❖ 11www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
9:00 a.m. Family Service, Holy Eucharist Rite II11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II
5:00 p.m. Come as You Are ContemporaryService with Communion
The Rev. James Papile, RectorThe Rev. Jacqueline Thomson
The Rev. Denise Trogdon703-437-6530
www.stannes-reston.org1700 Wainwright Dr., Reston
ST. ANNE’SEPISCOPALCHURCH- Reston
Progressive & Welcoming
8:00 and 11:00 amSunday School: 9:30 am
From Page 3
News
serve an expected larger number of fami-lies in need by Christmas time. In addition,LINK reports that it has a severe need formore Spanish-English translators to ac-company needy families as they are beingserved at the churches involved. The needfor translators includes fielding telephonecalls as well as helping families on the dayof distribution.
The food, coats and toys are collectedthrough the generosity of community resi-dents and the many churches of all faiths,who participate in the LINK program.
Volunteers also came from Lockheed Mar-tin, among other companies that ask theiremployees to help LINK, and area girl andboy scouting troops.
On Saturday, some 30,000 pounds of foodand about 1,000 coats and sweaters weredistributed to the registered families, andthen to walk-in residents as long as sup-plies lasted.
During the Dec. 19 Christmas distribu-tion, toys will be distributed at HerndonUnited Methodist Church on DranesvilleRoad.
LINK issued an urgent call Nov. 29 to fillthe organization’s needs for 20,000 morepounds of non-perishable foods, such ashearty soups, spaghettis sauce, jelly, cannedmeats and cereal.
Volunteers and donations are also needed.In preparation for the Dec. 19 distribution,Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church andTrinity Presbyterian Church will be open forreceiving and sorting contributions on Mon-day, Dec. 14, 9 a.m.-noon and 7-9 p.m. —also Thursday, Dec. 17, during the sametimes at the same churches. Sorting will becontinued Friday, Dec. 18, until finished tobe ready for distribution Dec. 19.
More volunteers will be needed on Sat-urday, Dec. 19, during distribution, 7:30a.m. to 4 p.m. at both churches. In addi-tion, drivers will be needed that day to servehome-bound families and individualsthrough Trinity Presbyterian Church.
Toy donations distributed from HerndonUnited Methodist Church will also needvolunteers: on Tuesday, Dec. 15 to sort toyscontributions, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sorting con-tinues during the same hours on Thursday,Dec. 17; and Friday, Dec. 18, until 7 p.m.,with final sorting and serving recipients onSaturday, Dec. 19, starting at 8 a.m. andending by 1 p.m.
To volunteer, call LINK at 703-973-4444.All donations should be received by earlySaturday, Dec. 19.
Meanwhile, Ashburn Presbyterian Churchraised $13,268 to help support the GoodShepherd Alliance’s homeless shelters bysponsoring a fund-raiser Oct. 24 includinga dinner, silent auction and pie auction.
