Thursday, May 17, 2012
Realizing the full effect of what I had just done, I started uttering every word that George Carlin had implored us never to use on TV.
I did a number of foolish things in my youth. Jumping out of a perfectly good airplane five times probably belongs somewhere on the list. I was 22, had just finished my Army Adjutant General (AG) Corps Officer’s Basic Course at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind., and was in transit to Bad Kreuznach, West Germany, for my first duty assignment with the 8th Infantry Division. But little did I know that my branch manager had other plans for me. Being both a young woman and a personnel (AG) officer heading into an infantry division, laden with crusty combat arms soldiers, my branch manager thought I needed some street cred before reporting to my new unit. His advice: Arrive in Germany with jump wings sewn on your uniform. He was either really …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
A summary of the 2012 legislative session.
Well, it’s over. The 2012 General Assembly ended on May 15, 2012 at 2:00 a.m. after a 13-hour House of Delegates’ session involving 117 of Governor Bob McDonnell’s amendments and the election of 40 judges. It was a fitting end to a very contentious session. The day was not without controversy. This year, we authorized a bonus and raises for state employees for the first time in five years to be funded with unanticipated revenues. These state employees include state troopers, corrections employees and people who work for the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC), Department of Transportation (VDOT), judges, court clerks, game wardens, and colleges. On a zero to 95 vote, the House of Delegates rejected the …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Rep. Jim Moran now represents some Mount Vernon residents in the 8th District.
A few days ago I received in the mail a new Voter Registration Card. I wasn’t sure why I was getting a new one until I finally noticed that the congressional district I live in had changed. For years, I’ve been in the 10th district, which is represented by Rep. Gerry Connolly. Now, I’m in the 8th district, which is represented by Rep. Jim Moran. Figuring that a number of other voters in Mount Vernon are changing as well, I thought I would use my world-famous column to share a little information about the guy we call “Jimbo.” First of all, a disclaimer: Jim is a good friend. I got to know him years ago when we both lived in the fashionable Del Ray section of Alexandria. I worked on his campaigns for City Council and then when he ran …
Welcome pollinators to your garden.
It’s May, and gardeners are heading to local garden centers in search of brightly colored annuals to add a quick pop of color to their gardens, as well as pots of cucumbers, tomatoes and other vegetables in hope of a bountiful harvest. But if you truly want heaps of flowers and a plentiful harvest, you must attract pollinators to your garden — bloom-buster fertilizers alone won’t do the trick. Ninety percent of all flowering plants rely on pollinators from the animal kingdom: bees, butterflies, beetles, birds, bats and moths, among others. How do you attract these beneficial pollinators? As described below, each of them is drawn to different types of plants. These busy pollinators are also thirsty, so give them a source of shallow water to…
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Share your favorite prom memories with Patch.
Welcome to the time of year ripe for awkward photos, broken curfews, ill-fitting tuxedoes and long, strapless gowns. It’s prom season in America, and there’s photographic evidence of it all over Facebook. Prom marks the culmination of the high school experience and is one of the most eagerly anticipated social occasions in a teen’s life. It’s the last hurrah before graduation and a chance to cavort with friends while donning beautiful (in most cases, but I’ve seen a couple of doozies, too) attire. It’s believed the first prom occurred in the mid-1800s and was actually called a promenade, or formal introductory parading of party guests. In the 1890s, this event was shortened to “the prom.” History suggests that prom, for the masses, was …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Whether your mom is a designer, a photographer, artist or moviemaker--the right tools are often the best gifts
As a mom myself, I generally don't recommend getting tech tools as Mother's Day gifts. Seriously, unless mom specifically requests a new vacuum cleaner, socket set or ironing board, she want gifts that are more personal and less task-oriented. Giving her a present that allows her to further her skills, or discovering new means of expression can be the most meaningful gift you can give. There are many non-technical tools that can help her develop her creative side, of course (flowers and a card), but as more and more artistic expression is digital, giving the right gift means looking to technology. Here are some great ideas for creatives of all sorts--mom or not. For the Photographer While a digital SLR would be an ideal gift for someone …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
An insider's look at MVC Late Night DVD.
WARNING: CONTENT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR OLD PEOPLE We here in Mount Vernon are fortunate to have so many landmarks in our midst. The Mount Vernon Estate, Grist Mill Park, Woodlawn Plantation, Gunston Hall. Everywhere you turn there is another reminder of our rich history. But there is another landmark that does not get the recognition it deserves. I am talking, of course, about MVC Late Night DVD — our local porn shop. There, I said it. And the telephone lines are burning up already. Calls for my resignation are flooding the Patch offices – wherever those offices are. But, c’mon folks, chill out and be honest. We all know the building well. It sits out there on Richmond Highway, all by its lonesome, proudly strutting its stuff…
Prune perennials to extend bloom times.
It’s time to be courageous and cut back your perennials to extend their bloom time and encourage repeat blooming. Because we have had such a warm winter, and an even warmer spring, perennials in this area are about three weeks ahead in growth than normal. Therefore, traditional June tasks need to be done in the next few days of May. Pruning back summer- and autumn-flowering perennials before flowering is essential to maintaining their health and to extending bloom time into late fall. Perennials such as blackeyed Susan (rudbeckia), bee balm (monarda), tall-growing asters, sedum (particularly "Autumn Joy"), coneflower (echinacea), Shasta daisies (leucanthemum) and tall-growing forms of goldenrod (solidago) are good subjects for this …
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Restaurant will offer breakfast, hot dogs, and more.
This month, Keith Williams-Parker and best friend, Patrick Thompson, plan to launch The Bottom Dollar Dog at 723 Wilkes St. in Alexandria. The restaurant already has a pedigree: Keith's grandfather, Walter Williams, once ran a carryout—Williams Sandwich Shop—on the very same spot for nearly 60 years. Keith's new version takes its name from the surrounding neighborhood's former nickname, "The Bottom." Walter's passing in February 2011 inspired Keith to restore the neighborhood institution, offering the same simple, no-frills food that made his grandfather's shop so popular. Keith will provide an alternative to the more common expensive lunch options in the Old Town area by offering food priced in the range of $3 to $6. Breakfast items will…
Friday, May 4, 2012
A local teen's plea to save a local equestrian facility.
(Editor's Note: This letter was submitted by 14-year-old Grace Callahan of Alexandria.) If the currently favored plan to “improve” Route 1 wins approval, it will destroy Woodlawn Stables. That breaks my heart. I could not wait to be eight. Eight was going to be the best year, because that was the year when I could finally ride horses at Woodlawn. Every time we passed the stables, my face was glued to the window, staring the horses in the field, wishing it took longer to drive by. I was excited just to be close to something so magical right there on Route 1. I’ve now been riding at Woodlawn for six years, getting to know the horses and the people. It has been everything I imagined it would be. The summer I was 13, I got my first job …
Jody
9:59 am on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Aren't our public employee pension funds underfunded as in so many other states? more ›