PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Elkton, MD McLean PERMIT #31 Attention Postmaster: Time sensitive material. Requested in home 9-4-08 GradingGrading PolicyPolicy ChallengedChallenged News, Page 3 Sports, Page 23 ❖ Classifieds, Page 25 Classifieds, ❖ Faith, Page 21 ❖ Calendar, Page 14 Calendar, ❖ Opinion, Page 8 FinanciallyFinancially CloseClose RaceRace News, Page 3 Incident Strengthens Community Bonds Panelist and FAIRGRADE co-founder Megan McLaughlin News, Page 5 speaks with school board member Janie Strauss (Dranesville) after the grading policy round table Aug. 25. Photo by Julia O’Donoghue/The Connection by Julia O’Donoghue/The Photo www.ConnectionNewspapers.comSeptember 3-9, 2008 ❖ Volume XXII, Number 36 McLean Connectionwww.connectionnewspapers.com ❖ Month September 3-9, 2008 ❖ 1 2 ❖ McLean Connection ❖ September 3-9, 2008 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com McLean Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic News 703-917-6428 or [email protected] Incident Financially Close Race Strengthens Wolf, Feder have Top Contributors Bonds equal financial footing. The financial information accounts for fund-raising from January 2007 through June 2008. The organizations themselves do not donate. Rather, the donations are a compilation of money given By Julia O’Donoghue through a group’s political action committee, members, employees, owners and the immediate fam- Incident prompts The Connection ily of those who are members, employees and owners. Information provided by the Center for Responsive Politics at www.opensecrets.org. Frank Wolf (R)*: new relationships .S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10) and Organizations Industry Contribution Democrat Judy Feder’s political NVR, Inc. (Reston) Homebuilders/Banking $18,650 and strengthens campaigns had approximately Orbital Sciences Corp. (Dulles) Satellites/Technology $17,800 U Peterson Companies (Fairfax) Real Estate Development $16,300 existing ones. the same amount of cash avail- SAIC, Inc. (San Diego) Technology/Government Contractor $11,750 able at the end of June, in spite of the fund- Wiley, Rein & Fielding Law Firm $10,400 raising advantages incumbents typically Judy Feder (D): By Mirza Kurspahic Georgetown University** Higher Education $37,035 The Connection enjoy over a challenger. ActBlue Democratic PAC $20,999 Wolf, who was first elected in 1980, has George Washington University Higher Education $13,350 raised approximately $1.4 million. With Columbia University Higher Education $11,050 or 43 years Deloris Evans lived $1.2 million in donations, Feder had col- Harvard University Higher Education $10,600 in the area near the First Bap * incumbent F tist Church of Chesterbrook. lected slightly less but she also spent less, ** candidate’s former employer according to the Federal Election Commis- Although she recently moved, Evans sion. came back to McLean to visit the In terms of “cash on hand” — money that pendent candidate. I don’t have a ready- church that had been defaced with a the campaign has not spent yet — the two made group that is going to support me,” racial slur on Aug. 17. candidates were locked in a virtual tie at said Nigam. “It’s been a shock,” said Evans about the end of June. Wolf had $849,391 avail- the incident. She said she wanted the able and Feder $812,122, according to the FEDER’S ability to raise money may be existing relationships in the McLean Federal Election Commission. getting her campaign some attention. community to not be harmed. “We are way ahead of schedule and way At the beginning of the month, the Demo- “It was truly a shock,” said the Rev. ahead of where we were in 2006. We have cratic Congressional Campaign Committee Todd Brown, the church’s pastor. been doing extremely well and we are go- added Virginia’s 10th congressional district When he was first told of the incident, ing to have the budget it takes to win,” said to its competitive “Red to Blue” program — Brown thought that he did not think Luke McFarland, Feder’s campaign manager. which highlights the Democrat’s most prom- it possible that An independent candidate, Neeraj Nigam, ising challengers and candidates — in part Frank Wolf (R) Judy Feder (D) the “N word” “Even though is also running for office in the Virginia’s because of Feder’s ability to collect cash. data and the number of issues on which a would be th 10 congressional district. Nigam has raised “Red to Blue” candidates are those who Republican opponent like Wolf is considered sprayed on a this was a bad between $5,000 and $6,000 for his cam- “are putting together significant resources “out of touch,” are also factors in the church in paign and intends to contribute some per- and have political support in the district,” committee’s picks for the “Red to Blue” pro McLean. “Not event, so much sonal money to his election efforts. said Kyra Jennings, a spokesperson for the here, these “It is harder to raise money as an inde- campaign. She added that recent polling See Feder, Page 19 people are good has come nice,” he said. As the initial out of it.” shock of dis- — The Rev. Does Fairfax Give Fair Grades? covering a ra- Todd Brown, First cial slur Baptist Church of Panel discusses sprayed onto the church’s Chesterbrook Pastor whether tougher grad- façade wanes, Brown reflected on an opportunity to ing scale put students strengthen community bonds the church enjoys in McLean. “Relation- at a disadvantage. ships are the most important thing you can have,” he said. “I’m appre- By Julia O’Donoghue ciative of the relationships we have The Connection that are being strengthened” and the new ones forming as members of the f a high school student earns a 92 per McLean community continue to ex- cent average in the fall semester of their press solidarity with the church that I was defaced with the “N word” on honors calculus course, what grade do they receive? Sunday, Aug. 17. Well, it depends on where they live. “Even though this was a bad event, If the student attends a Fairfax County so much good has come out of it,” said Public School, she earns a B plus. If she goes Brown. to a school across the Potomac River in The outpouring of support for the Montgomery County, Md., the student re- First Baptist Church of Chesterbrook ceives an A. parishioners has come from other The discrepancy in grade point averages McLean faith communities and indi- (GPA) for the same grade in an honors class Photo by Julia O’Donoghue/The Connection viduals alike. Brown said one of the is even wider. Panelist and FAIRGRADE co-founder Megan McLaughlin speaks with most touching examples of support In Fairfax County, a 92 percent in an hon school board member Janie Strauss (Dranesville) after the grading came from a “white gentleman” who See Grading, Page 22 policy round table Aug. 25. See Taught, Page 22 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com McLean Connection ❖ Month September 3-9, 2008 ❖ 3 4 ❖ McLean Connection ❖ September 3-9, 2008 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com News Waiting for logo Teen Convicted of Assault Complete Professional Nail & Waxing Originally charged with aggravated malicious Under New Management Specials wounding for Christmas Eve attack, 20% Off teen found guilty of misdemeanor assault. Services of $30.00+ 6725 Curran Street # 100, McLean, Va. 22101 By Mike DiCicco And Ken Moore Clarke and his friend, Anthony Nelli, who is 703-883-1880 The Connection charged as the principal assailant and is scheduled Behind Boston Market & Three Doors Down Sushi Miyagi for trial in September, were certified as adults be- or months, 16-year-old James Clarke had a cause of the seriousness of the initial charge. Offer good until further notice. Two per Customer. May not be combined with any other special offers. No cash or Credit Value sentence of 20 years to life in prison hang But when Klein sentences Clarke for assault on Oct. Fing over his head, although he was not the 31, the judge has the option to sentence him as an one who threw the punch that knocked three adult or a juvenile. teeth out of a 14-year-old McLean Clarke now faces a possible sen- boy’s mouth last Christmas Eve. tence of zero days to one year in Disenchanted With The Stress Of Travel? On Wednesday, Aug. 27, Fairfax “One of the boys jail and a fine up to $2,500 if Klein Discouraged By The Cost? County Circuit Court Judge sentences him as an adult, or a Here’s An Alternative Stanley P. Klein ended the first day said, ‘Dude, you maximum 30-day sentence in the of Clarke’s trial by reducing knocked his teeth juvenile detention center if Klein Stay Home! Clarke’s felony charge of aggra- sentences him as a juvenile. Take up horseback riding again vated malicious wounding to a out. Let’s go.’” Klein wanted to hear the proba- misdemeanor charge of assault tion department’s pre-sentence Dean Brundage’s stable in Great Falls, VA and battery. — Assault victim report — to be prepared by the ju- is famous for it’s magnificent horses “Counsel says, ‘Now all you have venile justice system — before Trailriding on scenic trails is assault and battery,’” Assistant Commonwealth’s making that decision. Refresher course for adults Attorney Gregory O. Holt told the jury during clos- Klein warned Clarke that there is to be no contact all-day rides & moonlight rides. Riders must be 18 or older ing arguments of the trial the next day. “Does it make directly or indirectly between him and the victim or with some experience it right? Does it make it less significant, the injuries any member of the victim’s family. Call that [the victim] suffered on Dec. 24?” Dean Brundage The Fairfax jury found Clarke guilty of assault af- ON CHRISTMAS EVE, about 4 p.m., the 14-year- 703-759-2474 ter deliberating for an hour and a half on Thursday, www.deanbrundagetrailriding.com Aug.