Westfield Band Is Pasadena Bound
Will march in the 2014 Tournament of Roses Parade.
Tuesday morning, Jan. 1, Westfield High marching band members and their parents watched the 124th annual Tournament of Roses Parade on a big screen in the school auditorium. Next year, they’ll be in it.
Bite Me Cancer Kickoff Is Jan. 3
While still in high school, Nikki Ferraro was diagnosed with a rare form of thyroid cancer.
Focusing on Drinking and Driving
Plans underway to reduce alcohol-related crashes here.
According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, from 2006-11, Fairfax County had 1,941 alcohol-related crashes involving drivers ages 15-24. Some 54 percent happened between midnight and 3:59 a.m., and 10 percent more occurred in January than in other months.
Now Comes the Fundraising
Now that Westfield’s marching band has been accepted to participate in next year’s Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, it must get busy raising the money needed for the trip.
Local Venue Serves Up Laughs
Westfield grad is in Sully’s comedy show.
Sully’s Restaurant is the place to be on Friday, Jan. 4, at 8 p.m., when Westfield High grad Allison Wruk joins headlining comedian Rob Maher in an evening of comedy.
Family Services Gives Christmas Presents to Families
Santa’s elves come in several forms; and in the local area, many of them are Northern Virginia Family Services volunteers. And this week, they’ll deliver Christmas presents to 589 families — some 2,100 people — in Fairfax and Prince William counties.
Federal Porn Charges for Former Teacher
In June, Fairfax County police charged a special-education teacher at Poplar Tree Elementary with 10 counts of possession of child pornography. He was immediately suspended without pay, and the school system assured parents that no images of students were found on his computer and school computers were not used.
A Time for Giving
FACETS helps children give presents to siblings.
All year ’round, FACETS helps people in poverty in Fairfax County. It works with families living in public-housing communities and having an average income under $20,000 for a family of four. It also aids those who are, or recently were, homeless.
Another Arrested in Handyman’s Death
Victim worked for local business-owner.
In June, Reynard Prather was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. On Dec. 7, Tasheik Champean, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and use of a firearm in a crime of violence causing death.
Fundraiser in Honor Of Ryan Lopynski
Goal is to purchase EKG machines
On April 26, 2009, Ryan Lopynski was a freshman at Virginia Tech with his whole life ahead of him. He’d come home to Clifton’s Hampton Chase community to see his family and look for a summer job. But while showering before going to see his sister’s basketball game, he suffered a fatal heart attack. The specific cause of his death is still unknown, although it was discovered posthumously that Ryan had an enlarged heart.
Guilty Plea in Handyman’s Death
Second person convicted in May 2010 Centreville homicide.
Nothing will restore Jose Cardona to life or return him to his family. But his loved ones will at least have a measure of justice now that the second of the three men involved in his death has been convicted. In June, Reynard Prather was sentenced to 30 years in prison. And last Friday, Dec. 7, in federal court, Tasheik Ashanti Champean, 46, of Suitland, Md., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and use of a firearm in a crime of violence causing death.
Making Spirits Bright 12/12/2012
FACETS helps children give presents to their siblings.
No matter people’s income levels, their children still want presents at Christmastime. So each year, FACETS holds Sibling Shops, enabling children to peruse a variety of toys, games and other items, select gifts for their brothers and sisters and have them wrapped.
Helping Families in Need
Our Neighbor’s Child collecting toys, clothing.
With only a week left until packaging day, the volunteers of Our Neighbor’s Child are working to make sure local children’s Christmas wishes come true.
Our Neighbor’s Child Toy Drives Yield Many Gifts
Our Neighbor’s Child (ONC) held toy drives last Saturday, Dec. 1, outside two local Walmarts and both were big successes. Holly Cameron organized the one staffed by Creative Dance Center’s (CDC) competitive dance team at the Dulles Expo Center store, and Phyllis White organized the one at the Fair Lakes store manned by members of Phase Cheer & Dance. And both volunteers were delighted with the results.
Ho-Ho Holiday Show
Westfield High presents annual children’s program.
The Grinch, Charlie Brown, Frosty the Snowman — these characters and more will be onstage to delight children during Westfield High’s 13th annual Ho-Ho Holiday Show. Entirely student-directed by seniors in the theater program, it’ll be presented Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 15-16, at 2 p.m. in the school theater. Tickets are $5/person and $12/groups of four.
‘The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow’
Stone Middle presents iconic musical, “Annie.”
Annie, Daddy Warbucks, even Sandy the dog — they’ll all be on stage when Stone Middle School presents the much-loved musical, “Annie Jr.” Show times are Thursday, Dec. 13, at 3 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 14, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Dec. 15, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $7 at the door, except for the Dec. 13 show, which is pre-sale only during school lunches, Dec. 10-12.
Joyful Noise at Chantilly High
School presents Holiday Spectacular and Tiny Tots show.
A musical feast for the ears and eyes, Chantilly High’s Holiday Spectacular will take the stage Thursday-Friday, Dec. 13-14, at 7 p.m. in the school theater. Living up to its name, this annual event features more than 300 choral, band, orchestra and theater students joining together to entertain the community.
School Opens Family Center
Bull Run Elementary creates welcoming climate for parents.
On the surface, it’s a beige trailer in a parking lot outside Bull Run Elementary. But inside, it’s both a haven and a source of information for parents. And on Nov. 12, it was officially dedicated as the Bull Run Family Center.
Paying It Forward
Leukemia survivor raises money for hospital that helped him.
When Centreville’s Daniel Shank-Rowe was 9, he was diagnosed with leukemia. But he was successfully treated at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., and is now in remission.
Centre View Roundups, Dec. 5, 2012
Roundups: Two Hospital ATMs Skimmed; Chantilly High Craft Fair; Encore’s Christmas Show;; Police Collect Children’s Gifts; CAC: Holiday Safety Tips; Free Carseat Inspections; Centreville Elementary Seeks Grant; Holiday Lighting Safety Tips; Adopt a Shelter Animal; Christmas Tree Fire Safety; Home Child-Care Facilities; WFCM Seeks Food, Volunteers; Meals on Wheels Volunteers; and Women's Self Defense Program.
2012 Turkey Trot Yields Success
Just like the Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie, this year’s Virginia Run Turkey Trot is history. But the good it’ll do for others will last a long time into the future.
‘All I Want for Christmas’
A great way to kick off the holiday season is by seeing Encore Theatrical Arts Project’s new show, “All I Want for Christmas.” This song-and-dance extravaganza aims to delight audiences of all ages.
Boundary Changes Affect Local Students
Parents learn about what’s planned.
School boundary changes are never easy and, no matter how they end up, somebody’s always unhappy. But when schools are projected to be at 125 percent and 109 percent of their building capacities in just a few more years, something has to be done in advance to prevent it.
Fundraisers Set for Centreville Family
Husband severely injured in accident.
Debbie Harrison is a kindergarten teacher at London Towne Elementary and has taught school for nearly 30 years. She’s also a wife and mother. But in April, her life and that of her husband Frank changed forever.
Making the Holidays Bright for Needy Children
Our Neighbor’s Child collecting toys, clothing.
For many local families, the holiday season isn’t about Christmas carols and pretty decorations. It’s about worrying how they’ll keep their children warm in the coming winter and explain to them why Santa can’t bring them any presents this year. And that’s where the all-volunteer, nonprofit Our Neighbor’s Child comes in, working to make sure that no child in need in Centreville, Chantilly, Clifton, Fair Oaks and Fair Lakes goes without holiday gifts.
Centre View Roundups, Nov. 29, 2012
Centre View Roundups for Nov. 29, 2012: Sexual Battery Is Charged; Man Charged with Embezzling; Free Carseat Inspections ; Clifton Horse Parade; CLRC Open House Dec. 1; FCPS Superintendent Search; Police Collect Children’s Gifts; Adopt a Shelter Animal; Centreville Elementary Seeks Grant; Christmas Tree Fire Safety; WFCM Seeks Food, Volunteers; Meals on Wheels Volunteers; Women's Self Defense Program
Westfield Wins VTA Competition
School’s first victory in statewide acting contest.
The local community knows how talented Westfield High’s theater students are; now, so do people in the rest of the state. The young thespians won the school’s first-ever Virginia Theatre Association (VTA) competition, beating out 44 other schools statewide.
Boy Scout Food Drive Successful
The annual, Boy Scout “Scouting for Food” Drive was Saturday, Nov. 10.
40 Years Prison for Centreville Murder
Man killed his ex-girlfriend’s sister.
Despite the fact that Man Ha Park left his wife and daughter to run off with another woman, they both testified on his behalf before he was sentenced for murdering that woman’s sister. But neither their pleas nor tears could save him from being sentenced to 40 years in prison for a killing so brutal that the prosecutor called the crime scene “a blood bath — worse than in many horror movies.”
Remembering Bonnie Huneke
Virginia Run Turkey Trot to be run in her honor.
Each year, the Virginia Run Turkey Trot is run in honor of a community resident who’s died of cancer, and this year’s Thanksgiving Day event is in memory of Bonnie Huneke. She died Oct. 27, 2011 of breast cancer at age 50.
Handling ‘Everything under the Sun’
Animal Control officer talks about his job.
Andy Sanderson has been a police officer for 20 years and an animal control officer for 15, and he recently shared his knowledge and expertise with members of the Sully District Station’s Citizens Advisory Committee.
Westfield Wins VTA Competition
School’s first victory in statewide acting contest.
The local community knows how talented Westfield High’s theater students are; now, so do people in the rest of the state. The young thespians won the school’s first-ever Virginia Theatre Association (VTA) competition, beating out 44 other schools statewide. The event was held Oct. 26-28 at the Reston Hyatt, and Westfield’s victory propels its actors to sectional competition, March 6-10, in Louisville, Ky. There, they’ll vie against some 30 other first-place winners from across the Southeastern U.S. Westfield performed the one-act play, “The Hothouse,” by Harold Pinter and were onstage 45 minutes. And besides the overall championship, students Mitchell Buckley and Madeleine Bloxam took home All-Star Acting awards. “I’m very proud of the work the students did, especially since it was a student-directed piece,” said Westfield Theater Director Susie Pike. “They tackled difficult material — absurdist theater, which is very mature. So it was a great learning experience, and one of my goals here in the department is to provide as many learning and leadership opportunities as I can.”
Boy Scout Food Drive Successful
The annual, Boy Scout “Scouting for Food” Drive was Saturday, Nov. 10. Locally, Scouts collected food donated by residents, sorted it and brought it to WFCM (Western Fairfax Christian Ministries) for its food pantry. Some 58,691 pounds of food was collected in the Sully District – which is 1,700 pounds more than last year.
Remembering Bonnie Huneke - Virginia Run Turkey Trot To Be Run in Huneke’s Honor
Time doesn’t heal — you just call it the new normal.” - Stephen Huneke, widower
Each year, the Virginia Run Turkey Trot is run in honor of a community resident who’s died of cancer, and this year’s Thanksgiving Day event is in memory of Bonnie Huneke. She died Oct. 27, 2011 of breast cancer at age 50. Sixteen-year residents of Centreville’s Virginia Run community, she and her husband Stephen, a government contractor and retired Army major, were married 21 years; their children are Elizabeth, 31, Craig, 26 and Mary, 19. Bonnie’s first husband, Army CWO3 Billy Bolin, preceded her in death. “She was one of those super-friendly people who never met someone she didn’t like,” said Stephen Huneke. “Every day, she’d be out walking our golden retriever and met a lot of neighbors that way.” Bonnie also loved planting flowers and gardening; and as the children grew, she and Stephen enjoyed attending their athletic events in SYA and in high school. She also volunteered at Virginia Run Elementary, Stone Middle and Westfield High and worked at Westfield’s blood drives, too. An active person, she used to be an avid runner until a bone tumor on her right knee, 18 years ago, forced her to have a prosthetic knee. Because of that, several times over the last 15 years, doctors had to remove scar tissue on her knee.
Remembering Bonnie Huneke - Virginia Run Turkey Trot To Be Run in Huneke’s Honor
Time doesn’t heal — you just call it the new normal.” - Stephen Huneke, widower
Each year, the Virginia Run Turkey Trot is run in honor of a community resident who’s died of cancer, and this year’s Thanksgiving Day event is in memory of Bonnie Huneke. She died Oct. 27, 2011 of breast cancer at age 50. Sixteen-year residents of Centreville’s Virginia Run community, she and her husband Stephen, a government contractor and retired Army major, were married 21 years; their children are Elizabeth, 31, Craig, 26 and Mary, 19. Bonnie’s first husband, Army CWO3 Billy Bolin, preceded her in death. “She was one of those super-friendly people who never met someone she didn’t like,” said Stephen Huneke. “Every day, she’d be out walking our golden retriever and met a lot of neighbors that way.” Bonnie also loved planting flowers and gardening; and as the children grew, she and Stephen enjoyed attending their athletic events in SYA and in high school. She also volunteered at Virginia Run Elementary, Stone Middle and Westfield High and worked at Westfield’s blood drives, too. An active person, she used to be an avid runner until a bone tumor on her right knee, 18 years ago, forced her to have a prosthetic knee. Because of that, several times over the last 15 years, doctors had to remove scar tissue on her knee.
Handling ‘Everything under the Sun’
Animal Control officer talks about his job.
Although Fairfax County is a bustling, suburban area with lots businesses, homes and concrete, it still has its share of animals — many of them wild. And both they and people’s pets keeps the police department’s animal control officers busy. Andy Sanderson has been a police officer for 20 years and an animal control officer for 15, and he recently shared his knowledge and expertise with members of the Sully District Station’s Citizens Advisory Committee. He said residents may call 703-691-2131 to report an incident and that animal-control officers are on call from 6-12:30 a.m. for emergencies.
‘Thank You for Risking Your Lives’
Colin Powell Elementary honors veterans.
America officially celebrated Veterans Day on Monday, Nov. 12, and so did the students, teachers and staff of Colin Powell Elementary. They invited local veterans to the school, plus fire and police personnel, for their eighth annual Veterans Day Celebration.
It’s Time for Turkey Trot
Raises money for Life with Cancer.
Each year around this time, many people’s thoughts turn to turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie — and the Virginia Run Turkey Trot. This year’s 24th annual 5K run and 2K walk will be held Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22, at 8 a.m. at the Virginia Run Community Center in Centreville.
ONC Questions and Answers
ONC’s Founder and Executive Director, Kelly Lavin, has put together a list of answers to some frequently asked questions:
Gearing Up for Holidays
Our Neighbor’s Child needs community’s help.
Now in its 21st year, the all-volunteer, nonprofit group has already started on its massive mission of providing holiday happiness for people in need in Centreville, Chantilly, Clifton, Fair Oaks and Fair Lakes.
Looking Back and Going Forward
CIF celebrates achievements, past director and future goals.
The Oct. 23 annual meeting of the Centreville Immigration Forum (CIF) came full circle. Members honored the past year’s accomplishments and the former director of its labor resource center, heard a budget update, installed four board of directors members and planned for the future.
Drug-Dealing Conspiracy Yields Prison Sentences
Pain clinic’s Boccone given 15 years; Brown gets five.
Before Paul Boccone was sentenced last week to 15 years in prison for crimes including distributing narcotics out of the Chantilly Pain Clinic, his attorney John Iweanoge tried rewriting history.
Chantilly Pain Clinic: The Case’s Background
Oxycodone distribution, healthcare, tax fraud.
On Aug. 3, the owner and president of a pain clinic in Chantilly was convicted in Federal Court of conspiring to distribute and actually distributing oxycodone, a controlled drug.
Help Provide Holiday Food Baskets
WFCM serves those in need in Centreville, Chantilly, Clifton, Fair Oaks and Fairfax Station. And with so many people struggling financially in these tough, economic times, more and more families are coming to WFCM for help.
Community Turns Out to Vote
Economy, jobs, health care important issues.
Tuesday’s weather was cold, but sunny, and people in the local community turned out in droves to vote in the presidential election. At Colin Powell Elementary, the line to vote was steady.
‘This Play Is Satirical and Hilarious’
Rocky Run to perform “The Election.”
Anyone accusing this election’s candidates of acting like schoolchildren would be right. That’s because the characters in Rocky Run Middle School’s play, “The Election,” are high-school students.
‘Things … Work Out in the End’
Westfield High presents “Laughing Stock.”
When The Moose River Playhouse in New Hampshire schedules “Dracula,” “Hamlet” and “Charley's Aunt” for its summer-stock season, something’s bound to go wrong — and it does, hilariously. That’s the premise of Westfield High’s new play, “Laughing Stock,” a comic farce and affectionate glimpse into the world of theater.
Lee Kaiser Is Honored
Named Elementary School Counselor of the Year.
A boyhood tragedy and its aftermath helped shape Lee Kaiser’s life. It influenced him to become a school counselor, and he’s held that job at Centreville Elementary for eight years. He also does it quite well and was recently named Fairfax County Public Schools’ Elementary School Counselor of the Year for 2011-12.
The Daily Life of a School Counselor
It’s not easy being an elementary-school counselor — especially in an ever-changing world — but Centreville Elementary’s Lee Kaiser relishes every challenge.
‘A Win-Win for Everyone’
Traffic signal for Willow Springs Elementary.
The evening of Sept. 6, a group of parents, politicians, a Fairfax County School Board representative, a police captain and two VDOT representatives gathered in Willow Springs Elementary’s cafeteria.