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Politics Taking Sides in 47 th Race It used to be an unspoken rule within the tight-knit Arlington County Democratic community that elected officials were not to make public endorsements in a primary race. In recent years, this rule has been tested, as the County’s leaders waded into intra-party contests. Last week, the rule was obliterated. County Board Members Barbara Favola (D) and Mary Hynes (D) announced their support for Patrick Hope, a local activist and chair of Arlington’s Community Services Board who is running in Arlington’s 47 th district for a seat in the House of Delegates. Patrick Hope Hope has four competitors in the race — Miles Grant, Adam Parkhomenko, Andres Tobar and Alan Howze — who are all vying to win the June 9 Democratic primary. But thus far, Hope is the only one to have received the backing of a local elected official. “I think it just builds momentum,” Hope said about the endorsement. “It also gives me credibility.” The endorsements of Favola and Hynes are not unprecedented. Last year’s School Board race saw several School Board members pick sides in a six-way race for the Democratic endorsement. In 2007, former School Board member Frank Wilson was highly involved in the primary campaign of Bob James, who unsuccessfully sought to oust Treasurer Frank O’Leary (D). But it is unusual for someone on the County Board to take sides in a primary, especially this early in the race. Favola said she came out for Hope because of her work with him on human services issues, which is her area of expertise. “I have known Patrick for many years now,” she said. “I believe he is the best qualified to be an advocate for the most vulnerable in the area.” “I think he’s the real deal,” Hynes said. “This is someone who has worked to make people’s lives better here in Arlington. … I think he is a phenomenally well-qualified person to send to Richmond.” Favola said she has not received flak from any party insiders who might see her as interfering with the race. “I don’t mean to alienate anybody,” she said. “I’m coming at this as a human services advocate. People who know me are not surprised that I’m supporting Patrick.” Potential Candidates Waver Thus far, there are five candidates fighting to succeed Del. Al Eisenberg (D-47). Many local political watchers assumed there would be more candidates vying for the Democratic nomination. But several of those who were considering entering the race have, in recent weeks, changed their minds. Ted Bilich, the president of the Ashton Heights Civic Association, was thinking about a candidacy. But last week, he announced he would stay out of the race to support Hope, his close friend in the neighborhood. Many were certain that Alfonso Lopez would enter the race. However, in an interview last week, Lopez said he is seriously considering sitting this one out. To enter the race, he would have to quit his job as Virginia’s top lobbyist on Capitol Hill and, with the recent passage of the economic stimulus bill, Lopez is not sure he wants to do that. “I’m doing a lot of good right now,” he said. “I think I’d be an asset to Arlington [in Richmond], but I think I’m an asset to Arlington right now.” Local attorney Mike McCarthy is all but out of the race at this point. McCarthy, a 25-year-old who graduated from George Mason University Law School last year, was scheduled to formally announce his candidacy earlier this month but postponed it at the last minute, saying he wanted to “give it a few more weeks of thought and preparation.” Since then, he has not responded to repeated phone and email requests for comment. — David Schultz Photo courtesy News 50 Years On From Page 3 beginning in 1959 instead of integrating. “Fifty years ago it was a more important value to separate people and keep them apart because of the color of their skin then it was to educate them,” Kaine said. “That’s a strange thing to think about.” The four students did more than just integrate Virginia schools, said Kaine — followed later that day by a group of black students in Norfolk — but they also dragged Virginia into the modern age. “It wasn’t just about equality and it wasn’t just about education — we were a backwards state and we were behind,” Kaine said. Walking through the front doors of Stratford wasn’t that difficult to do as relatively unaware 12-year-olds, said Deskins. They knew what was going on, to be certain, but it was their parents who had a more complete grasp of the situation and who made the bold decision to send their children forth. “They had the courage to stand on principle knowing there was danger for their children,” he said. ONCE THEY GOT INSIDE and settled down to class that morning 50 years ago, things were about as normal as they can be for any new student in a new school, said Michael Jones. The surroundings and their fellow students were new, but on the whole people were relatively friendly to them, Jones said. The school’s teachers and administrators, though, were well aware of the enormity of the situation at the time. Joe Macekura, a Stratford guidance counselor, remembered walking into the school with the students to ensure that all went well, walking them to their classes, and monitoring them throughout that first From Page 3 in value over the last year. The owners of these homes would experience a tax bill increase of greater than $4.25 per month under Carlee’s budget. Carlee also proposed the postponement of the Arlington Mill Community Center reconstruction project, which would have included a new affordable housing apartment complex. County Board Chair Barbara Favola (D) has said that she does not want to decrease funding for affordable housing in this year’s budget. The County Board will consider Carlee’s budget over From Page 3 dren to connect to their classrooms via the Internet. The laptop is outfitted with a video camera, as well as the Internet telephone software Skype. The hospitalized students can log on and communicate with their classmates, both verbally and visually. “This is a turning point in the lives of children with cancer,” Becky’s oncologist at the hospital, Dr. Aziza Shad, said. “Typically, children with cancer are isolated from friends and school. … It’s just not been possible to get them to interact with their friends the way this webcam will.” GEORGETOWN University Hospital now has six webcam-ready laptops in its Pediatric Oncology department. The computers were purchased with $23,000 in funds raised by the National Capital Area chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Donna McKelvey, the chapter’s executive director, said that the webcams don’t just help the patients. “The classmates get to see that they’re OK,” she said. In a special presentation before the evening’s program, Ubaldo Sanchez presented Gov. Timothy Kaine with one of his original art works. Kaine said that the piece would hang at the DNC headquarters in Washington D.C. day. The doors they walked through that morning were more than just those to their junior high school, they were doors to public facilities, institutions, and opportunities that had until then been closed to them and to countless others, Macekura said, doors that they helped to open. Thompson said that they were prepared by their families, friends, neighbors, churches for the challenge that they were given, and that preparation helped them to succeed. The remembrance of that day was an opportunity to reflect, but also to look at the challenges that still lay ahead, said Elizabeth Weile, who was the president of the Women League of Voters during Virginia’s battle to integrate its schools, and she said that the battle to bridge remaining socio-economic and racial achievement gaps was not yet over. “Since I am 94-years-old, I will leave the job to you and you and you,” Weile said, pointing around the capacity crowd in the H-B Woodlawn auditorium. “Will you accept the challenge?” The hundreds gathered loudly cheered an affirmative response. Manager Proposes Tax Increases the next several months and will adopt its own finalized version in late April. Board Member Walter Tejada (D) bristled at Carlee’s proposal to eliminate the Neighborhood Day parade and called on Arlingtonians to email the County Board with their thoughts on whether the annual event should be continued. Board Member Chris Zimmerman (D) said that more spending cuts may be coming. “We’re not done scrubbing the budget yet,” he said. David Schultz can also be heard on WAMU 88.5 FM. Cancer-Stricken First Grader Uses Webcam “This is a huge deal,” Dr. David Nelson, chairman of the pediatrics department at Georgetown University Hospital, said. “How a child feels about themselves affects their treatment. … Losing contact is a big problem. This enables them to stay connected.” SPORTING pink shoes, apple-print stockings and a bushy head of hair, Becky dialed into Helaine Ortiz’s first-grade classroom — with some help from the hospital staff. She took notes as her classmates informed her of what they were learning: literary genres, ancient China, weather disasters. She told them about the books she’s been reading and the playground she’s building for her toy bear. “Don’t be shy!” Becky told her friends as they began to crowd the camera. The first graders in Ortiz’s classroom seemed almost as excited as Becky to be able to use this new technology. “You sound better,” one of her classmates said. “Do you know when you can come back?” another asked. “Not yet,” Becky replied, the only point during the demonstration when her voice betrayed a hint of sadness. 4 ❖ Arlington Connection ❖ February 25 - March 3, 2009 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Photo by Louise Krafft/Connection
News Show To Benefit SIDS Research From Page -2 a similar ordeal. On Friday, Feb. 27 Heiner and his band, will play a benefit concert to raise money for SIDS research. The show will take place at Rhodeside Grill, 1836 Wilson Blvd., in Arlington. As the lead vocalist and songwriter — as well as rhythm guitarist — Heiner says that his loss informs all his music. He described the band’s latest album, “Admonition,” which will officially be released at the concert, as “a warning about what can happen in life when you’re not paying attention.” “There’s a song called “Ominous Peace” about dealing with emotion, and depression certainly, relating to the loss of my son,” he said. “There’s also a song written about a friend of ours who killed someone in a crazy love triangle. We chose the name “Admonition” to portray the seriousness [of life].” Heiner said the band began planning the benefit last September. “It’s just taken us a little while to get comfortable with doing something like [the benefit concert], it’s just taken us to this point to feel like we could do something,” he said. “We were all really close to it, obviously — me in particular — but we’ve reached the point where we feel like this is something we can do to help other people, whether it’s preventing further SIDS deaths from happening or just awareness and research, it doesn’t matter to us, we just want to help.” Doctors know relatively little about what causes SIDS which is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for infants aged one month to one year. Ex- www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Get Involved Heather’s Headache will play a benefit concert Feb. 27 to raise money for SIDS research. The show will take place at Rhodeside Grill, 1836 Wilson Blvd., in Arlington. Tickets start at $12 and can be purchased at the door or by calling 202-262-9342. perts have been able to determine a few common characteristics amongst SIDS victims: stomachsleeping, low birth-weight and inadequate prenatal care among them. It is more common in boys, and is more likely to happen during colder months. “It was a — I hate to use the word classic — but it was a very typical SIDS case,” Heiner said. “It was a boy, it happened in winter, all things that they say, that the statistics show. It occurred in his first week at daycare, during a nap. He was on his back, which is a big thing with SIDS, but it happened anyway. “It’s difficult to ever say what exactly caused it, but it doesn’t change the fact that it happened and that there are people who are going to experience and are experiencing the same thing we went through.” When he’s not on stage or in the studio, Heiner works in government affairs for an association in D.C. A Mt. Vernon native, Heiner and his wife of 15 years, Rachael, now have a set of two-year-old twins, one boy and one girl; as well as an eight-year-old daughter. Tickets, which start at $12, can be purchased at the door, or by calling 202-262-9342. Offering THE CARLIN The Best in Senior Living Starting at 55 years • Rents Starting at $950 • All Utilities Included • And Just Two Blocks from Ballston Metro • Frost-Free Refrigerator • Underground Garage Parking • Spacious Kitchens and Bathrooms • Wellness Programs • Full-Time Social Services Coordinator • Prices are Subject to Change 703-243-4300 Call Today Home Improvements and Repairs that Always Get an A+ Fully Insured Class A Contractor 4300 N. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington, VA 22203 BIOTECHNOLOGY One year program with rolling admission Fall 2009 deadline is July 1, 2009 Contact the Program Coordinator for details 202-687-1070 E-mail: biotechprogram@georgetown.edu Website: http://biotechnology.georgetown.edu Arlington Connection ❖ February 25 - March 3, 2009 ❖ 5
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