PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Alexandria, VA Permit #482 25 Cents Attention Postmaster: Time-sensitive material. Requested in home 11/5/08 Vol. XIX, No. 49 Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A Connection Paper December 4, 2008 Nick ‘Black Friday’ Not Black Enough Beltrante: Sunday’s bleak weather rained on merchant’s holiday parade. An Original By Chuck Hagee Gazette 50th anniversary of or most of the smaller retail merchants in Belle American Express View Shopping Center and Hollin Hall Shopping has local roots. FCenter “Black Friday” was not nearly as bleak as many had expected. However, it was nothing to cheer about either based on their Monday assessments. By Chuck Hagee But, the annually hyped sales day, the Friday after Gazette Thanksgiving, which many retailers depend on for a sig- nificant amount of their annual gross income does not ifty years ago a personal credit have the same impact on smaller retailers as it does on F crunch such as being experienced the large retail chain stores. This today would have been highly un- was particularly true this year likely. Why? Because there were no such “It was probably with the larger stores pushing a things as a personal credit card. Then, in myriad of sale items — well be- 1958, everything changed. better than fore Black Friday. That was the year American Express Cor- “Sales were OK this past week- poration issued the first personal credit I expected.” end but they seemed a bit lower card. And, 12,000 individuals decided to — Dorothy Trimber, than the same time last year,” by Photos take a chance on this new form of personal owner, said Patty Cover, manager, The finance. The Blossom Shop Gift Store in Hollin Hall Shop- One of those individuals was Nicholas R. ping Center. Beltrante, now a resident of Collingwood Next door, Dorothy Trimber, Louise Krafft Springs in the Mount Vernon District. To owner, The Blossom Shop, a combination florist and gift thank Beltrante, and 22 others of that first shop, also gave the weekend an “OK” grade. “It was prob- 12,000 adventuresome individuals, Ameri- ably better than I expected. I was expecting very low num- can Express has just published a book cel bers due to the economy,” she said. Trimber also has established a clientele for whom she /Gazette See 50th Anniversary, Page 4 does both in-home and business decorating which has been steadily growing over the past several years. “I didn’t get any new clients this year for deco- Homeless Man rating. People are just not spending Sheila Cianciolo trims a tree in as much decorating their homes,” the Blossom Shop at the Hollin Trimber said Hall Shopping Center Dies in Cold “People seem to be looking for nice gifts but not ones that are over the top a five-foot Santa for decorating. It is these rank James Hubert, 56, of no fixed in price. One interesting fact was that types of items that shoppers did not claim Faddress, found dead behind the we sold all but three of our Nativity this past weekend as they have in past Engleside Shopping Center, 8646 Scene sets. Maybe they’re returning to years. Richmond Highway, Nov. 27, was appar- more of the basics,” Trimber specu- The Shops at Mount Vernon had a ently the victim of hypothermia, according lated. “great Friday and Saturday” but “Sun- to Fairfax County Police. For Kevin Green, owner of the Vir- day was a disaster,” according to Julia Officers were summoned to the Shopping ginia Florist, also a combination flo- A. Mosley, director of retail, Mount Center at approximately 7 a.m. Thanksgiv- ral/gift shop in Belle View Shopping Vernon Estate & Gardens. The weather ing day where they discovered Hubert’s Center, Black Friday weekend was Sunday caused a double problem at body. Fairfax County has three shelters for only worth an “OK.” But, again most Mount Vernon. It not only impacted sales homeless adults and two for homeless fami- of his holiday business occurs closer at The Shops but also hurt the Estate’s lies with children, according to police. to Christmas. Candlelight Tour that brings visitors to Local faith communities and nonprofit “This is particularly true of the flo- The Shops. organizations, in partnership with county ral part of the business. So far the “People are being careful this year. government, provide additional hypother- decorating part of the business has They seem to be buying more items for mia prevention services and shelter during stayed solid,” he said. their homes. A big item for us was our the coldest months. Residents are asked to Green always offers a wide range three dimensional Advent Calendar. It is contact police at 703-691-2131 if they see of very unusual gift possibilities such something they can keep and enjoy year someone they believe may be at risk for as bookends of the Lincoln Memorial after year,” Mosley said. hypothermia. marking the 200th anniversary of The Virginia Florist in the Belle For information about the county’s home- Abraham Lincoln’s birth in 2009 and View Shopping Center. See Sunday‘s Weather, Page 4 less shelters, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ dfs/factsheets/emershelter.htm. www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ December 4-10, 2008 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ December 4-10, 2008 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com This Week in Mount Vernon News Teacher Charged With Indecent Liberties Dan Hegarty, 39, of Pratt Street in the Franconia area, turned himself in to police on the evening of Tues- day, Nov. 25, 15 days after he alleg- edly touched an 8-year-old McLean boy in the locker room of Spring Hill Recreation Center, according to po- lice news releases. He had been identified with help from the public after flyers and a composite sketch had been distrib- uted. Hegarty was charged with tak- Police Photo ing indecent liberties with a child Dan Hegarty under the age of 15. Police spokesman Don Gotthardt said Hegarty had been a teacher at the Browne Academy, a private day school on Tele- graph Road. Gotthardt said the man was also a hockey coach, although it is unknown in what league he coached. The incident, as reported by the police, took place at about 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 10. The child was changing after swimming when a naked man allegedly approached him and touched him in a sexual manner. The child was uninjured and reported the incident to his parents later that evening. Parent volunteers Becky Waitt and Shawn Bloom help to serve the nearly 900 — Mike DiCicco participants in the annual Thanksgiving tradition. Fritts Resigns as Feasting on Their SFDC Executive Director Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (SFDC)’s execu- Own Raised Food tive director, Lara Fritts, has resigned effective Jan. 2, 2009. or the third year, Hollin Meadows Science She has served in that position since June 2005. F& Math Focus students enjoyed a Thanks- Under Fritt’s direction, the agency has seen more than giving lunch from the school’s classroom $433,990,000 in development along Richmond Highway that gardens. The feast includes a salad made with included the completion of such projects as Mount Vernon Plaza lettuce, which was planted and harvested by the Shopping Center, the addition of national retailers and res- students. Parent volunteers served the school- taurants and preparations being undertaken as a result of the grown salads and traditional Thanksgiving lunch transformation of Fort Belvoir resulting from the 2005 Base with all the “fixin’s” to nearly 900 students, fam- Realignment and Closure Report (BRAC), according to an SFDC ily and friends. news release issued Tuesday, Dec. 2, During her time with SFDC, Fritts also served on the Board Fourth grader Khalif Nashid enjoys the of the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce, contributed salad he helped grow and harvest. After her expertise to the economic redevelopment of New Orleans the classes harvested the lettuce, they after Hurricane Katrina, and regularly attended the BRAC weighed what they picked and then Board of Advisor meetings at Fort Belvoir representing SFDC. graphed their class totals. The agency will conduct a search for a new executive direc- tor. Job description and application information is available at www.sfdc.org. Resumes will be accepted through Dec. 23. They can be sent Thanksgiving Brought to Shelter to [email protected] or to SFDC, 8850 Richmond Highway, Suite 105, Alexandria, VA 22309. Ft. Belvoir and local Kiwanis Key Clubs groups provide dinner. Commence Holiday Tree Sale ort Belvoir joined the efforts of New Hope Mount Vernon and West Potomac high school Kiwanis Key FHousing in providing Thanksgiving dinner to Club students kicked off the holiday season last Saturday morn- the Eleanor U. Kennedy Shelter on Route 1. ing, Nov. 29, by pitching in to help Mount Vernon Kiwanis Ft. Belvoir Installation Commander Col. Jerry Blixt Club members unload and set up 750 Fraser fir trees in the personally delivered turkey, ham, and all the trim- parking lot of the Belle View Shopping Center. mings for the shelter’s holiday meal along with mem- The trees, on sale through Dec. 23, or as long as they last, bers of his staff. serve as the Kiwanis Club’s main annual fund-raiser, accord- “We are tremendously appreciative of the many ing to Club President Bruce Malkin. Tree sales take place from ways Fort Belvoir supports the residents at the noon to 8 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays Kennedy Shelter. Thanksgiving dinner is only one and Sundays. part of their generous support that includes special All proceeds will be used to improve the lives of needy fami- dinners and events throughout the year.