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Great Falls DiscoverDiscover AreaArea ParksParks Jordan Libera, 22, and his sister Anna Libera, 18, both of Guide, Page 20 Vienna, fish from a kayak in River Bend Park. Classifieds, Page 29 Classifieds, ❖ CommunityCommunity MeetsMeets Sports, Page 27 ❖ AtAt OldOld BrogueBrogue News, Page 3 Entertainment, Page 19 ❖ Opinion, Page 8 TheThe StoryStory ofof OurOur PlacePlace –– GreatGreat Falls,Falls, VirginiaVirginia News, Page 6 /The Connection Photo by Craig Sterbutzel www.ConnectionNewspapers.comAugust 22-28, 2012 onlineGreat at www.connectionnewspapers.com Falls Connection ❖ August 22-28, 2012 ❖ 1 Sizzling Summer Specials! Extensive Excellent Superior Expert Selection Value Service Craftsmen WALL-TO-WALL CARPET SALE! HARDWOOD FLOOR SALE! Unique Reflection of Quality Unique Reflection of Quality Unique Reflection of Quality AREA RUG SALE! STAIR RUNNER SALE! Custom Stair Rods Available SERVING YOU SINCE 1998 EXCELLENT REPUTATION FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE & SUPERIOR CRAFTSMANSHIP Great Falls OPEN Leesburg Floors GREAT FALLS Calico SUNDAYS Rt. 193 Georgetown Pike Rte. 7 and Georgetown Pike (Route 193) . Rd. Old DominionMcLean Dr . Seneca Square (Next to Calico Corners) Dranesville Pkwy Rt. 7 Fairfax Co. 703-759-9200 1025-K Seneca Road RestonPkwy Monday through Saturday 10-6 • Sunday 12-4 • VISA • Master Card • Discover • AMEX Herndon Reston Tysons Corner 2 ❖ Great Falls Connection ❖ August 22-28, 2012 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Newcomers & Community Guide 2012~13 Photo by Photo Guests dine on Alex McVeigh the patio at the Old Brogue, which has been serving local residents /The Connection since 1981. The Weck family, from left, Karen, Frederick, Jennifer and Christopher, sit along the river at Riverbend Park. Photos by Great Falls Has Alex McVeigh/ The Connection Development Standards Comprehensive plan, community Community Meets at involvement, designed to keep Old Brogue semi-rural character. By Alex McVeigh Supervisor John Foust (D- The Connection Dranesville), said that develop- Katie’s Coffee House, Cars and Coffee, traditional Irish ment in Great Falls comes with fare are signatures of local restaurant. ith an area of just a lot of community input. Wunder 18 square “Great Falls has a very com- miles and one of the munity-driven land-use review By Alex McVeigh Brogue, where local (and sometimes not so local) lowest densities in the county, process,” he said. “Any appli- The Connection people come to get a cup of coffee, open their hoods Great Falls is designed to have cant that comes in, we ask that and exchange information, stories and chat casually. a semi-rural character. The they meet with the GFCA, but n most Saturday mornings, Matt “I drive from Montclair, New Jersey to Naples, Great Falls Citizens Association, there are very few applications Borland of Falls Church is up before Florida twice a year, in February and August, to visit a non-partisan committee made that come in because there isn’t O sunrise, washing and waxing his red my brother and his family. It’s a 22-hour drive, and up of residents, has as a primary much zoning in place to accom- and white 1965 Mustang. Though Sat- over the years I’ve cut down on as many stops as goal to “preserve the historic, modate new development.” urday is only one of two mornings during the week possible, so I only make one, right here in Virginia,” low density semi-rural charac- He cited the new Great Falls Borland doesn’t have to be in Washington, D.C. by 8 said Martin Diego of Montclair, who drives a 2004 ter of Great Falls and its natu- Fire Station as an example of a.m., he doesn’t mind getting up early, he has a pur- Nissan 350Z. “I found out about Cars and Coffee on ral resources.” locally inspired design. pose. one of my 350Z discussion boards, and after my first Great Falls is zoned as a mix- “The fire station is a good “During the summer I try and stop, I was hooked. Every single ture of residential and commer- example of how the community drive the Mustang during the time I’m here I see a car I’ve never cial, located at the areas around played a huge part in working week, not into the city, but back seen in real life before, and I speak the intersections of Walker with the county, finalizing the and forth on errands. So by the to someone that knows more about Road and Georgetown Pike and look to fit into the semi-rural end of the week, it’s getting a little cars than I ever could.” Walker Road and Colvin Run character here,” he said. dusty,” he said. “And Saturday While Cars and Coffee is an in- Road. Bill Harvey, chair of the mornings are really the day it formal event, its regularity makes GFCA’s Land Use and Zoning A SOLUTION to the wastewa- needs to look its best.” it a popular draw from auto-enthu- Committee, says his group’s ter issues at the commercial Borland’s car needs to look his siast groups to casual car fans. It agenda comes at the intersec- center could bring change to best Saturday mornings because it begins around 7 a.m. and by 9 p.m. tion of the comprehensive plan Great Falls. Currently running will be on display among dozens the last cars are making their way and the GFCA’s mission state- on septic fields, many of which of cars, many of which have been out of the Great Falls Village Cen- ment. are not functioning to full ca- as painstakingly restored as his. tre. “The types of land-use nar- pacity, alternatives such as a “Saturday mornings, after the Until 2 p.m. on weekends and 3 row the available choices for sewer line or a private, onsite car is clean, I head into Great Falls p.m. on weekdays, the Old Brogue development, there are only a treatment system have been to the Old Brogue for Cars and Cof- exists to most customers as Katie’s handful of uses that can go on considered. fee, which is one of my favorite Coffee House. Open in the restau- each piece of land,” he said. There has been much com- local traditions,” he said. “As a car rant section, it serves coffee, tea, “Ideally, each piece of land will munity debate about whether a nut, it’s really paradise, because snacks and light breakfast and be developed with what is the sewer would be a precursor to people come up asking me ques- lunch items. highest and best use, and that increased density, since the cur- tions about what I’ve done, and I Visitors to Cars and Coffee “I’ve never been much of a cof- starts with what is legally per- rent septic fields in most resi- can wander freely to ask questions at The Old Brogue admire fee shop kind of person, not missible. Barring legal action, dential properties prevent about what other people have an Austin convertible. Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts, but such as a zoning change or the dense development. done with theirs.” Katie’s Coffee House, Cars I’ve also been coming to the Old granting of a special exception, “It’s sort of the ultimate safe and Coffee, traditional Brogue since I moved here in a lot of possibilities are impos- CARS AND COFFEE has been a Irish fare are signatures of sible.” See Planning, Page 13 weekly tradition at the Old local restaurant. See Old Brogue, Page 13 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Great Falls Connection ❖ August 22-28, 2012 ❖ 3 Newcomers & Community Guide 2012~13 School System Committed to Excellence the classroom. In FY 2013, 93 per- FCPS inspires, enables and empowers students to meet high academic cent of our employees will be standards, lead ethical lives and demonstrate responsible citizenship. based in schools and a majority of the operating budget, nearly 86 percent, will be spent on instruc- By Ilryong Moon The Fairfax County by Photo tional average of 1500. For the tion. Hiring and retaining the very Chairman and Member at School Board sets gen- 2010-11 school year, FCPS’ pass best teachers and divisionwide Large, Fairfax County eral school policy and, rates for the Virginia Standards staff is also an essential compo- School Board within the framework McVeigh Alex of Learning assessments were nent of our success. of state regulations, 93 percent in English and 92 FCPS valus its diversity and a elcome to establishes guidelines percent in mathematics and the well-rounded education that goes Fairfax and rules that will en- achievement gap continued to beyond basics and encompasses the County! sure the proper ad- narrow in reading for Black stu- arts, literacy technology and prepa- W /The Connection One of the pri- ministration of the county dents and in mathematics for ration for the world of work. In mary reasons you chose to live school program. The division Hispanic students. About 92 return, the residents of Fairfax here may be the excellent reputa- superintendent works closely percent of FCPS graduates plan County embrace their schools. tion of Fairfax County Public with the deputy superintendent to continue on to postsecondary Businesses and community mem- Schools (FCPS). As chairman of and the assistant superinten- education. In the 2011 rank- bers generously volunteer their the Fairfax County School Board, dents who oversee the day-to- ing of public high schools in the time and resources to help stu- I am pleased to inform you that day operations of the schools. Members of the Langley Class of nation by the Washington Post, dents. Schools are integrated into our reputation as one of the best As a world-class school system, 2012 receive their diplomas at nearly all FCPS high schools the fabric of the community, and public school systems in the coun- FCPS inspires, enables and em- DAR Constitution Hall Thursday, were listed in the top 6 percent.