Mount Vernon Ladies
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Vol. XXI, No. 9 Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A Connection Newspaper March 4, 2010 Nonprofit Needs Unwanted Items Retail traffic is heavy at Goodwill, but donations fail to meet expectations. By Michael Lee Pope chandise from other stores, al- The Gazette though the number of donated items has been increasing. During ince it opened in Novem- the first full month the store at ber, merchandise has 8228 Richmond Highway was Sbeen flying off the shelves open, it received about 500 items. at the new Goodwill store Then, in January, the donation in Mount Vernon. But donations center accepted about 1,000 items. have lagged behind, and now the Last month, the store received nonprofit is asking the community about 1,200 items. Porter says for their old clothes, used DVDs she’s glad to see the increase, but and extraneous furniture. the level of giving hasn’t been “Spring cleaning is coming,” said enough to sustain the retail side Aliya Porter, production manager of the operation yet. First-place winners presented by Alane Dent, president of Burke-Fairfax Chapter of at the Mount Vernon Goodwill. “We need at least twice that Jack and Jill of America, (from left to right): Kenya George, Isaiah Floyd, “And we would like people to con- amount,” said Porter. “I would say Mfonobong Emah, and Christalyn Solomon, and Dent. sider contributing items to our we would need at least 2,500 donation center this year.” items a month to meet expecta The sluggish donations have MVHS Wins Black History Forum forced the nonprofit to bring mer- See Nonprofit, Page 5 Sixteen students from four schools compete to win trophy, display prowess of African American history. County Budget Cuts By Amber Healy winning team were Mfonobong Emah and Hit Mount Vernon The Gazette Christalyn Solomon. In total, 12 students from four schools — Lake By Julia O’Donoghue ❖ Shutting down the swimming ount Vernon High School took home Braddock Secondary, Mount Vernon High, Fairfax The Gazette pool in Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Mthe trophy for the 26th annual Black High and The Flint Hill School — competed in a Residents can typically use the History Month Forum, which may have new “Jeopardy!”-style question and answer game. airfax County Executive pool for free from the time school surprised the four students from that school more Each school had three contestants and an alter- F Anthony Griffin has tar- closes until August. It draws ap- than their 12 competitors. nate, and each group of four students, one from geted a few Mount Vernon- proximately 7,500 patrons in the “I thought we lost,” said Kenya George. “The each school, competed in a 25-question round in specific programs in his proposed summer. This would save $51,393. autobiography questions were really hard.” Olsson theater at Flint Hill School in Oakton. $100 million-plus worth of cuts to ❖ Elimination of the Fairfax “I really thought Lake Braddock was going to the 2011 county budget. County Police Department’s ma- win,” said Isaiah Floyd. Other members of the See Mount Vernon High, Page 4 Fairfax faces a $257 million rine patrol, which consists of two shortfall in its $3.2 billion general officers and one marine patrol fund for next year. The Fairfax boat. This unit most serves the County Board of Supervisors can Mount Vernon area of Fairfax amend Griffin’s budget proposal County and primarily patrols Costco Considers Multiplex Site before they pass the final county along the Potomac River. Last year, spending plan in late April. the marine patrol conducted eight airfax County Supervisors Jeff McKay (D-Lee) been his first choice for Richmond Highway. Some of the cuts that would par- rescues and towed seven citizen and Gerry Hyland (D-Mount Vernon) said the “It is another big box, warehouse retailer but it ticularly affect Mount Vernon in- F See Budget, Page 25 national discount food chain Costco Whole- would bring high-quality jobs to the corridor and clude: sale has expressed interest in moving onto the old Costco would tear down the building and put in Multiplex Cinema site near the corner of Richmond something new,” he said. Highway and Sherwood Hall Lane. According to McKay, the Multiplex site is the only 3/5/10 The expansive commercial property has been va- “blighted” property on the western side of the Rich- home in Requested material. cant since the movie theater company shuttered all mond Highway. But the fact that the vacant building Time-sensitive of its operations in 2007. is at the corner of a busy intersection and has a large Postmaster: If neighbors express support for the Costco bid, sign outside makes it stand out and may be deter- Attention Permit #482 Permit McKay said the supervisors would try to put the ring potential commercial interest in the area. VA Alexandria, PAID project on a fast track for county approval, though Postage U.S. another national bargain retail chain would not have See Costco, Page 3 STD PRSRT www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ March 4-10, 2010 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ March 4-10, 2010 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com News Resident Creates, Writes, and Acts in New TV Show Q. Why is the setting for Local screenwriter’s pilot premieres the show Washington, D.C., Profile at American Film Institute. and not in the Bronx, New EDWARD ROBERT BACH York, or Lake Forest, Illi- Education: State University of New nois, or Orange County, York (SUNY), at Potsdam, and By Gerald A. Fill California? Oswego. Studied acting, dance, directing, scene design and graphic The Gazette Q. Is this TV series some- A. The producers and I hope that design. what autobiographical? we can present another side, a Parents: Robert P. Bach and Lonnie orrowed from storylines A. There is definitely some of me positive non-political side, of life Coy Current Job: Graphic design, about real life and not in the plot and character devel- in our Nation’s Capitol. A side of photographer, production of reality TV, Edward Rob- oped around Kevin. Viewers will life that we think has not been re- information materials for the U.S. B Federal Aviation Administration ert Bach’s “Hard To Be see themselves in all the charac- vealed before. Viewers locally will (FAA) as a contract employee for Me” is reminiscent of the comedy ters. Our intention is to touch on get to see themselves in positive BAE Systems, Inc. dramas of the past three decades. universal themes of life, love, suc- settings and situations which they Passion: Theater, art, dance, the The characters reveal their stories cess, disappointment, and the abil- have never seen before in a TV performing arts Most Influential: His parents about friendships, family, and life ity to overcome life’s foibles. series. We have and continue to Goals: To be successful in the in the modern world. plan on tapping into the acting performing arts Q. Is there any shows now talent in the region. Favorite Actor: Harrison Ford Favorite Actress: Meryl Streep Q. What is the TV show or in the recent past that The Washington metropolitan about? compare to “Hard to Be area has some wonderful neigh- and hopefully much longer. We A. Although I am the creator of Me”? borhoods, historic sites, art, the- still have a long way to go but I TV Preview: the show, I am actually the co- A. “Family Ties” is one show that ater, dance, outdoors, sports, and and the others of the cast and crew ‘Hard To Be Me writer with the very talented David is similar. But we are a significant high schools and colleges. Our are optimistic that we will be suc- When: Sunday, March 7, 5 p.m. Gannon. The story line revolves updating of that show. We cover show will open the door up about cessful. Where: American Film Institute, 8633 around the exploits of an art present day social technologies; that aspect of life in the D.C. area Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Md. school sophomore, Kevin the issues facing students, parents, for viewers nationwide. What others say about Cost: $10 http://Hardtobeme.com Hamilton, who is played by me. grandparents, and the community Edward Bach: Kevin prefers to express himself and institutions of today. We take Q. So what is the next step Evelyn Rice, the longtime artis- even prouder to call him my through his art, but is forced to the viewer behind the scenes to after Sunday nights’ Ameri- tic director of the Fauquier Com- friend.” face his fear of public speaking explore the vagaries of the fast- can Film Institute (AFI) munity Theater who directed Ed- Erik Cieslewicz, director of when he receives an assignment paced pressure-packed families of Preview? ward Bach in “Joseph and the “Hard To Be Me”: “Edward as a to post a weekly vlog for his Com- today. Our goal is for viewers to A. The next big step is to acquire Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” writer is not egotistical nor mar- munications 101 course. Through want to “hang out” with our char- a TV network sponsor who will get in which he played the Pharoah, ried to his work; as an actor he has this take off, we get to know Kevin, acters, to grow and learn with us on the air as a pilot TV series. said, “I think he is a terrific actor, good instincts; and as a producer his art school friends, his family, them, and to find themselves in- We are submitting our finished he takes direction very well, and he is committed to excellence and and a host of quirky characters.