SpringfieldSpringfield Classified, Page 12 Classified, ❖ FranconiaFranconia ❖❖ KingstowneKingstowne ❖❖ NewingtonNewington Election Night Blues News, Page 3 Home Sales, Page 11 ❖ GOP Scores Sports, Page 10 ❖ Big Wins News, Page 3 Calendar, Page 8 Sam Cornbrooks, a sixth grader at Garfield Elementary, holds up the sign he made for the school’s Walk for the Homeless. online at www.connectionnewspapers.com Let’s Get Requested in home 11-6-09 home in Requested Time sensitive material. sensitive Time Attention Postmaster: Attention Walking #86 PERMIT Martinsburg, WV Martinsburg, PAID News, Page 4 Postage U.S. PRSRT STD PRSRT Photo by Michael O’Connell/The Connection Photo www.ConnectionNewspapers.comNovember 5-11, 2009 ❖ Volume XXIII, Number 44 Springfield Connection ❖ November 5-11, 2009 ❖ 1 News Forestdale Says Goodbye to Pullar Assistant Principal Cathy Pullar moves on to new job in Virginia Beach. By Justin Fanizzi welcome to all every morning will be sorely The Connection missed.” Pullar is taking the position in Virginia fter 6 1/2 years, Cathy Pullar’s Beach due to her engagement, as her compassion, hard work and com- fiancée lives in the Hampton Roads area. mitment to her students have When she got engaged last February, Pullar A Contributed Photo made her more than a typical ad- said that she and her fiancée agreed that ministrator at Forestdale Elementary she would relocate. Though she had origi- School. She lovingly calls them her “chil- nally hoped to move in July after the wed- dren,” serving as not only their assistant ding so that she would not have to leave principal, but as another shoulder to lean Forestdale during the school year, the posi- on, another set of ears to listen and per- tion that she applied to required her to move haps most importantly, another voice of immediately. encouragement and belief. “It was the plan [when we got engaged] Cathy Pullar with Forestdale Principal Cheryl Toth. On Friday, Oct, 30, however, Pullar’s “chil- that I would relocate,” Pullar said. “I had dren” and peers were bid a bittersweet fare- hoped to move after the school year, but to the Northern Virginia area when she ap- County Public Schools to join their Learn- well to Pullar, as she accepted the assistant this position came open, and I applied and plied for, and got a position as a preschool ing, Empowering, Assessing and Develop- principal position at Pembroke Meadows ended up getting the position, so I had to teacher in Prince George’s County, on the ing (LEAD) program, which cultivates ad- Elementary School in Virginia Beach, effec- leave, but I will miss the warm environment border on Southeast Washington, D.C. ministrators for the school system. As part tive Monday, Nov. 2. of the school and the community. It will al- While there, the school’s principal, whom of the program, Pullar was given a one-year “Cathy was an exceptional assistant prin- ways be my home and they will always be Pullar called a “mentor,” encouraged her to administrative internship at Woodburn El- cipal who will be dearly missed,” said Spe- my family.” go back to school and get an administra- ementary School, where she served as an cial Education Teacher Donna Murphy. “Her Pullar, a New York native, began her ca- tive degree, so Pullar heeded the advice and assistant principal, as Woodburn did not dedication to the Forestdale community reer in education immediately following her enrolled at George Mason University. have one at the time. When the internship over the past seven years surpassed all ex- graduation from Green Mountain College After receiving her degree and following was completed, she returned to Franconia pectations and responsibilities of an assis- in Vermont. She taught preschool at a school a short stint as a teacher at Franconia El- Elementary, but was quickly hired as assis- tant principal. Her cheerful smile and warm in New York for three years, but then moved ementary, Pullar was chosen by Fairfax tant principal at Forestdale. ApothecaryThe Pharmacy Voters Approve Bond School bond passes Patrick Herrity (R-Springfield). Herrity, whose constituents are particu- by 70 percent. larly concerned about the new South Local family owned and operated pharmacy County Middle School, said he intends to in the Springfield area since 1973! pproximately 70 percent of Fairfax question Fairfax County election officials ACounty residents who went to the about why the school bond was the only polls Nov. 3 voted in favor of Fairfax item on the backside of the ballot. Some of our many services: County acquiring approximately $232 mil- Fairfax County Public Schools chief oper- • Auto-Fill and deliver your monthly medications FREE!* lion of new debt through bonds to help pay ating officer Dean Tistadt said he was also for the public school system’s construction concerned that the placement of the bond • Custom compounding and flavoring of medications and renovation projects. referendum question would lead to a lower Though the Fairfax County School Board approval rating than the county is used to • Flu vaccination clinics could use the money from the bond for any seeing. He said he does not want the smaller • Wheelchair rentals school capital project, the governing body number of votes, which could be due to the tends to approve a list of projects associ- bond referendum question placement, to be • Canes, walkers, crutches & more ated with the debt they are asking the pub- interpreted as a decrease in support for new • Custom pet medications lic to acquire. school construction and renovation projects. The renovation of the Marshall High Prior to the polls closing, Tistadt said he • Custom medication packaging School ($101.8 million) is the most expen- thought it was unlikely that the school bond * In the standard delivery area sive project listed amongst those the 2009 referendum would fail to get approved, bond would fund. Another high-dollar item even if some people missed the question on 8316 Traford Lane Suite 2, Springfield, VA 22152 that is supposed to be funded through the the backside of the ballot. Fairfax County bond is the new South County Middle (703) 451-8990 has not had a school bond fail since the School ($50 million). 1970s, he said. Though approval for the school was still But one of the two organizations with the fairly high, it is markedly lower than the largest influence over elections, the Fairfax 00 Any in-store items approval rate for the bond passed in 2007, County Republican Committee, did not ac- $2. OFF with a new prescription at about 77 percent. tually come out in support of the school A few elected officials and school admin- bond referendum. Transfer or bring a prescription to The Apothecary istrators were concerned that voters may Republican volunteers were handing out and receive $2.00 off any in-store item. have overlooked the bond referendum by “sample ballots” — a list of the candidates With this coupon. Expires 12/31/09 accident because it was on the backside of the Republican Party wants voters to sup- 8316 Traford Lane Suite 2 • Springfield, VA 22152 • (703) 451-8990 the ballot. port — that listed the school bond question “I was upset to see the school bond on the back of the ballot,” said Supervisor See Back of Ballot, Page 5 2 ❖ Springfield Connection ❖ November 5-11, 2009 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Springfield Connection Editor Michael O’Connell News 703-778-9416 or [email protected] Bittersweet Night for Dems McDonnell, Cuccinelli Despite winning local “There’s no sugar coating Win State races, Democrats lose it. We lost.” top statewide races. — U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11) GOP scores wins countywide in By Justin Fanizzi The Connection by Photo high-profile races. fter sweeping victories in last By Julia O’Donoghue The Connection year’s elections, the Fairfax Fanizzi Justin ACounty populace appeared to pass a referendum on the Repub- any independent polls lican Party, and the start of a new era po- M had predicted for weeks litical dominance seemed all but assured. that former Attorney One year later, however, the Democrats /The Connection General Bob McDonnell (R) would have found themselves in a precarious po- beat Democrat Creigh Deeds in the sition once again. Though the party retained Virginia’s gubernatorial election Nov. several seats in the General Assembly, the 3. overall results of the night made for a som- But few local Republican activists ber mood at the Fairfax County Democratic expected McDonnell to carry Fairfax Committee’s election night party at Veloc- County. ity 5 in Merrifield. U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11) speaks with Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) at “Honestly? No, I did not think this “There’s no sugar coating it,” said U.S. the Fairfax Democratic Committee’s Election party on Tuesday night. would happen. We had planned as Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11). “We lost. To- if [McDonnell could win Fairfax] but night is what happens when we’re compla- “We all know what happened at the top, easily outpacing Independent Green Party realistically I didn’t think it would cent, when we take things for granted. It’s and we will be, in some sense, the oppo- candidate Anna Choi and Independent happen,” said Anthony Bedell, chair- a useful reminder that it’s not set in stone nent now,” said U.S. Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va). Christopher DeCarlo. man of the Fairfax County Republi- that we win every election.” “But there should never be an enduring ar- “It feels good to be able to pull one out can Committee, when asked about The reason for the disappointment, ac- istocracy in this country, and we will chal- [for the party],” Bulova said.