Sheltering Animals & Families Together
Initiative promotes domestic violence shelters that accept pets.
Did you know that approximately 2.3 million people, primarily women, are victims of partner violence? Did you know that over 62 percent of the American households have, at least, one pet? Approximately 48 percent of abused women do not leave an abusive situation because they will not leave their pets behind. Pets are likely to be victimized by the household abuser. The abuser’s animal cruelty is used to force compliance from the victims. “What I do to the dog is what I can do to you” is the message the abuser sends, according to Allie Phillips, founder of Sheltering Animals & Families Together [SAF-T]. “As a prosecutor in Michigan, I saw women who stayed with their abusers to protect their pets,” said Phillips. “If they leave, the abuser will turn his anger on the pet. The pet usually is the primary target used to control the victim. “I created the safety program to help get these women out of their abusive homes.”
Creating a Spooky Halloween Dinner
Local culinary experts offer ideas for turning an ordinary meal into a ghoulish adventure.
Halloween dinner in Christine Wisnewski’s Vienna home is often a balancing act between healthy and sugary. On the sweetest holiday of the year, for example, the mother and culinary instructor at Culinaria Cooking School, also in Vienna, prepares a wholesome dinner for her eager trick-or-treaters, managing candy-induced sugar highs and inevitable post-confection lows.
Clifton, Fairfax Station and Lorton Home Sales: September, 2013
In September 2013, 60 homes sold between $1,555,000-$146,250 in the Clifton, Fairfax Station and Lorton area.
Clifton, Fairfax Station and Lorton Home Sales: September, 2013
Crowd Enjoys Clifton Day 2013
Crowds flocked to the 46th annual Clifton Day, Sunday, Oct. 13.
Crowds flocked to the 46th annual Clifton Day, Sunday, Oct. 13.
Editorial: Don’t Let Negatives Keep You From Voting
Choices are stark; think about what principles should guide governance in Virginia for the next four years.
Every Virginia voter will have the option to cast a ballot for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and their member of the Virginia House of Delegates. While much of the coverage and advertising at the top of the ticket has been negative in the extreme, it will still matter who is governor. Don’t turn up your nose, hold your nose if necessary, and go vote. You can vote on Nov. 5; most likely you can vote before that.
Classified Advertising October 16, 2013
Read the latest ads here!
Beware of Creatures in the Spooky Forest
Chills and thrills await on the Clifton Haunted Trail.
Surely, the vampires, witches, goblins and ghouls lying in wait for their victims along the Clifton Haunted Trail aren’t real—or are they? One thing’s for sure—they’re deadly serious about scaring people.
Letter: The Choice Is Clear
Within one month, Virginians will head to the polls to elect another governor. The choice is clear. One candidate has no experience in public office and is a partisan operative, while Ken Cuccinelli has dedicated his life to public service by serving as a delegate and as the commonwealth’s highest legal authority, attorney general. Ken worked to improve K-12 public education, took a personal interest in releasing an innocent man from serving 27 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, and protected women on Virginia’s college campuses.
Kids Sending Smiles Around the World
Youth non-profit to hold 5K Run/Walk for Breast Cancer at Burke Lake Park.
The Court of the 2013 Lee District Lady Fairfax was in session, but there were no royal activities underway. Instead, 11-year-old Samantha Underwood and her friends were busy reminiscing about past events and planning future ones for Kids Sending Smiles (KSS)—the charitable organization they established when a friend of Philippine ancestry told Samantha about the conditions and the poverty, especially among young girls, in the native country of her family.
Westminster at Lake Ridge Celebrates 20th Anniversary
The 20th anniversary of the founding of Westminster at Lake Ridge, a continuing care non-profit community, was held on Saturday, Oct. 5 near historic Occoquan.
Pierson-El Leads West Potomac Past West Springfield
Wolverines quarterback throws 3 TDs, runs for 3.
West Potomac improved to 2-4.
Battleground Northern Virginia
What role will the region play in the election?
For many years, Northern Virginia has been written off by both parties as a Democratic stronghold — a place where Republicans simply try to cut their losses while they focus on the rest of the commonwealth. But this election cycle may be different. All three of the gubernatorial candidates are from Fairfax County. And recent statewide candidates have not been able to win without picking off selected jurisdictions in Northern Virginia. "As you look at Northern Virginia that's further from Washington, you see a more Republican area — Prince William, western Fairfax, Fauquier," said Stephen Farnsworth, professor at University of Mary Washington. "That's where the real action is in Northern Virginia politics." As Election Day draws closer and television becomes a virtual battlefield for attention, a real battle is brewing on the ground here in Northern Virginia. Candidates and their advisors are looking at the path to victory back in 2009 for Republican Bob McDonnell, who won Prince William County, Fairfax County and Fauquier County. Although this race is likely to be closer than 2009, the importance of Northern Virginia is looming larger than ever.
What’s in a Name?
Virginia legislators work with Korean American groups to push for “East Sea” in textbooks.
Virginia’s gubernatorial candidates Ken Cuccinelli (R) and Terry McAuliffe (D) may be light years apart on most issues, but on one issue they’ve reached a consensus. Last month, they both pledged support to Virginia’s growing population of Korean Americans to use the dual names of “East Sea” and “Sea of Japan” to denote the body of water between Korea and Japan in Virginia’s textbooks. Koreans view the “Sea of Japan” designation as a legacy of Japanese colonial rule. Currently, more than 2.5 million Korean-Americans reside in the U.S. and nearly 150,000 of them live in Virginia. “As governor, going forward, I will wholeheartedly support the effort … to have our textbooks and other teaching materials reflect the concurrent names as we pursue education excellence in Virginia,” Cuccinelli wrote in a Sept. 16 letter to the Korean Community of Virginia. “As governor, I will ensure that as new texts are purchased or downloaded, they reflect this important historical truth …,” McAuliffe wrote to the Korean Community of Virginia on Sept. 25. For the past year, state Sen. Dave Marsden (D-37) has been leading Virginia’s legislative efforts to add the “East Sea” in public school textbooks.
'Undisciplined' South County Holds on to Beat T.C. Williams
Stallions improve to 5-1 with 44-37 victory
South County QB Symmes throws two touchdown passes to Quigley.
Editorial: Get a Flu Shot, Register to Vote
Getting a flu shot has never been easier.
Clifton Wine Shop Expands
“America Reworked” store and showcase moves in as wine moves upstairs.
If the only thing better than one bottle of wine is two bottles, Clifton resident and owner of Clifton Wine Shop & Tasting Room Lucinda Lawson has not only taken the message to heart, she’s expanded on it. On Friday, Oct. 4, she and a multitude of customers and friends celebrated the grand opening of the shop’s new location that boasts more than twice the interior space of the previous shop.
Railroad Museum Becomes Wildlife Habitat
With the help of the Clifton Community Woman’s Club (CCWC), The Fairfax Station Railroad Museum has been certified as one of the National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitats. The NWF is encouraging everyone to pursue turning their backyards into habitats. This is the 40th year for the program and over 150,000 habitats have been certified.
Clifton Community Woman's Club Honors Sherry Slawski
The Clifton Community Woman's Club (CCWC) awarded Sherry Slawski with the 2013 Gold Medallion Award for outstanding service to their club and community at their September meeting. Slawski is a long-time volunteer on the board of directors for the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum. The CCWC has been holding their monthly meetings at the museum for many years.
Classified Advertising October 9, 2013
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United States Air Force Hits the Mark at Paul VI
Not all assemblies are the same, and Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax recently hosted one for the record books. By 11 a.m. on Sept. 25, Air Force trucks and vans had converged to the school’s back parking lot, and AF personnel were busy moving equipment in bags and anvil cases into the school. Meanwhile, PVI’s Music Boosters set out a reception for the 75 arriving Air Force personnel. In the Student Activity Center, mats were laid out, chairs and stands placed, sound system checked and rechecked, and soon it was time. At 1:15, the Air Force Band from Bolling Air Force Base D.C. began an awe-inspiring concert for participating teachers and classes.