Alexandria Gazette Packet Page 12 25 Cents Serving Alexandria for over 200 years • A Connection Newspaper November 22, 2012 A crowd gathers for the dedication of the Kelley Cares Miracle Field Nov. 17 at New Direction the Nannie J. Lee Recreation Center. For Schools? budget office for having a “dys- Seven new School functional environment,” prompt- Board members ing Vice Mayor Kerry Donley to call for the resignation of Super- augur change. intendent Morton Sherman. Now Sherman is about to get a new boss — seven new School By Michael Lee Pope Board members. Unlike the cur- Gazette Packet rent School Board members, who rushed to defend the superinten- /Gazette Packet he past few years have dent, the newly elected School been chaotic at the Board members may take a more TBeauregard Street critical tone when they are sworn headquarters of the Al- in next year. exandria City Public School sys- “He either has to change or tem, which has struggled to cope leave,” said Bill Campbell, who Jeanne Theismann with failing test scores as a parade was elected to District A. “We’ve of administrators have come and got to have the attitude that we gone. The drama reached a cre- are all working together for the scendo earlier in March when an Photos by Photos accountants’ report blasted the See Seven, Page 26 Play Ball Chairman Moran Kelley Cares Miracle Field To Step Down dedicated for athletes with special needs. Brian Moran endorses Charniele Herring to succeed him as state By Jeanne Theismann leader of Democratic Party. Gazette Packet Bill Rivers and Mac Slover he t-shirts being react with appreciation to By Michael Lee Pope Allen. Now Moran says it’s time to T handed out by volun- the baseball gloves Gazette Packet step aside and let new leadership teers said it all: “A signed by Miracle League take over the party. miracle happened in Alexan- participants. Rivers and s chairman of the Demo- “To be frank,” said Moran. “I dria, Virginia on November 17, Slover spearheaded the Acratic Party of Virginia, need a job.” 2102” as the new Kelley Cares efforts to build the field Brian Moran couldn’t have Moran is the younger brother of Miracle Field was dedicated for individuals with had a better year. He delivered U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) and a and officially opened for play. special needs. Virginia’s 13 electoral votes to former member of the House of “This is literally a field of Barack Obama, and he helped Delegates, where he represented dreams,” said Mayor Bill Euille. therapeutic recreation programs former Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine the West End of Alexandria and “This dedication is a beginning in the city. The organization is beat back a strong challenge from and would not have been named for Kelley Swanson, a former Republican Gov. George See Moran, Page 26 achieved without the participa- volunteer with the city’s thera- tion of an entire community peutic recreation department that is inclusive of everyone, no who died within weeks of gradu- 22314 VA Alexandria, To: 1604 King St., King 1604 To: ted matter what your challenges Department of Sports and ating from T.C. Williams High Reques Service Address are.” Recreation director Mac School in 2005. material. The Miracle Field in Alexan- Slover tears up at the “Kelley Swanson chose to Time-sensitive Postmaster: dria will be called the Kelley dedication of the Kelley dedicate her life to people with Attention Cares Miracle Field in honor of Cares Miracle Field Nov. 17 special needs,” said U.S. Rep. Permit #482 Permit the Kelley Cares Foundation at the Nannie J. Lee Recre- VA Alexandria, See Dedicating, Page 30 PAID and its ongoing support of the ation Center. Postage U.S. PRSRT STD PRSRT www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ November 22-28, 2012 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ November 22-28, 2012 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Alexandria Gazette Editor Steven Mauren 703-778-9415 or [email protected] Week in Alexandria News A Lump of Bricks Looking for the perfect holiday gift? King Street Gardens Park Foundation chairman Rodger Digilio has an idea —buy a brick. In the first group of sales, which ended last year, the foundation raised about $6,000 for the city to help pay for lighting, signage, irrigation and new plantings. “It’s a great way of supporting the park and the city,” Digilio said during Saturday’s public hearing. “I like to urge people to give them to grandchildren.” “Is that similar to getting coal in your stocking,” asked Vice Mayor Kerry Donley. “ “That was unkind,” Digilio responded. “But I’ll forgive you for your years of service.” “I couldn’t resist,” Donley responded “Is it true that you’re not coming back in the spring?” Digilio asked Donley, who did not run for reelection this year. “It’s true,” responded the lame duck vice mayor. Photo by Photo A Bunch of Hot Air Look! Up in the sky. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No. It’s a balloon, Lisa Borges part of a process to help determine the location of the new Metro station at Potomac Yard. “It’s to help us visualize the exact height of each location,” said Sandra Marks, acting deputy director for the Department of Transportation and Environmental Sciences. “This is a pro- Walkers from the Westminster Presbyterian Church pose for a photo at the Ice House. cess that’s often used with cell towers.” Balloon testing is scheduled between Nov. 19 and Dec. 7. Dur- ing the tests, specialized balloons will be used so photographs Walking To Support ALIVE! House and video images can be obtained of each of the alternative sta- tion locations. Balloons may be visible above the George Wash- he second annual East End Congregations ington Memorial Parkway for about an hour. The idea is to get a TWalk supported ALIVE! House in the 25th better sense of where the station will be visible. Fannie Mae Help the Homeless program was “The Park Service is obviously interested to see if it will be held on Nov. 4. Participating congregations were: visible from the parkway,” said Marks. “So the tests will deter- Westminster Presbyterian Church, Old Presbyterian mine if the station will be visible from a number of locations.” Meeting House, Immanuel Church on the Hill, Wash- The tests are part of an environmental impact survey, which ington Street United Methodist and the Church of will help members of the Alexandria City Council determine one God and Saints of Christ Sixteenth Tabernacle. Each of three potential sites. Members of the next City Council will be contingent left their own building and walked to making a final recommendation as early as this spring. City offi- ALIVE! House. Director Nicole Goodman guided the cials say they are looking at a number of factors, including fund- visitors on a tour of the building and explained the ing, scenic easement, wetland degradation and noise. program which helps residents move from homelessness to permanent housing. Walk Coordi- nator Nataki MacMurray encouraged the walkers to Package Precautions meet each other and enjoy some refreshments be- Are you expecting package deliveries this holiday season? If fore starting their homeward trek. so, the Alexandria Police Department has a few helpful hints for the season, which traditionally sees a spike in package thefts from doorsteps and front porches during daytime hours. Between Nov. 1, 2010 and Jan. 15, 2011, for example, the police logged 12 package thefts. Last year during the same time period there were 17 package thefts.º by Photo Police officials recommend the following precautions: Consider having packages delivered to another location, where someone is more likely to be present during delivery such as a Lisa Borges workplace or a family member’s home. Encourage family, neighbors and friends to pick up delivered packages as soon as possible after they are dropped off on your Members of the congregation at the Old doorstep. Presbyterian Meeting House Anna, Char- Track deliveries online and try to meet the arrival of the pack- Walk Coordinator Nataki MacMurray lotte, Patrick and Margaret Rizzi, Jennifer age. greets walkers from Westminster Presbyte- Gladieux and Larry Williams arrive at the Leave special instructions for where to deliver the packages, rian Church. ALIVE! House after the afternoon walk. preferably out of sight from the road. Consider having any valuable items insured. Photos by Request a signature confirmation of delivery.º Louise Krafft Always lock your doors and windows when leaving your home, Gazette Packet even if just for a few hours. Be neighborly, and take a moment to get to know your neigh- Church of God and Saints of bors. Christ Sixteenth Tabernacle Most importantly, report any suspicious activity or persons in Pastor James Parker was your neighborhood immediately by calling 911 for emergencies joined by church members or 703-746-4444 for non-emergencies. Charlene Blount, Lanette and Mikaila Jones and Suzanne Arnold and walk coordinator — Michael Lee Pope Nataki MacMurray in the 2nd annual East End Congrega- tion Walk. www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ November 22-28, 2012 ❖ 3 News Annual conference offers ways students Sustainability in Action can act to improve environment. By Yuhan Xu students learned to make a differ- Gazette Packet ence for environmental sustainability in their schools, “ hat is the most en- communities and in their own vironmentally de- countries. Wstructive thing As the keynote speaker, Jordan most of us do in used photos to show the impact of our lives?” environmental activist people’s behaviors on the environ- Chris Jordan asked students at last ment.