About The Connection Newspapers
Connection Newspapers is a locally owned media company which dates its origin from 1784 and publishes 15 weekly community newspapers reaching and audience of more than 100,000 through our hard copies, digital editions, social media channels and websites in select suburban communities in the Washington metropolitan area.
In the last few years alone, The Connection Newspapers have won more than 200 editorial awards in news, sports, entertainment, business, special projects, design, graphics, photography, ad design and more.
Our newspapers are the premier publications serving their markets and are distributed to the most affluent neighborhoods in each community by mail and carrier. Each of our award-winning newspapers focuses on community news and features of intense interest and relevance to our readers. They are highly read. Our papers are consistently rated in independent surveys of readers as the community's favorite community newspapers.
The papers we publish are: the Alexandria Gazette Packet, the Arlington Connection, the Burke Connection, the Chantilly Connection, Centre View, the Great Falls Connection, the Fairfax Connection, the Fairfax Station/Clifton/ Lorton Connection, the Oak Hill/Herndon Connection, the McLean Connection, the Mount Vernon Gazette, the Potomac Almanac, the Reston Connection, the Springfield Connection and the Vienna/Oakton Connection.
Our mission is to serve our readers with local news, issues and dialogue, to provide information for them to enjoy the best of their communities, to advocate for the communities we serve and to celebrate and record milestones and events within the community and people’s lives.
Part of our mission is to advocate for the success of local businesses and organizations, and to partner with businesses and real estate communities, while building the businesses of our advertisers through multimedia marketing and micro-targeted advertising. Over the years, thousands of businesses have used the Connection Newspapers to grow and succeed.
We are the only local publication in the Washington suburbs offering micro-targeting, a hyper-local approach that ensures high local readership and offers very cost effective options for advertisers.
Local newspapers and websites serving the following communities: In Northern Virginia, counties of Fairfax, Virginia; Arlington County, Virginia; the City of Alexandria, Virginia; Alexandria, Va.; Arlington, Va.; Burke, Va.; Centreville, Va.; Chantilly, Va.; Clifton, Va.; City of Fairfax, Va.; Fairfax Station, Va.; Fair Oaks, Va.; Fair Lakes, Va.; Great Falls, Va.; Herndon, Va.; Laurel Hill, Va.; Lorton, Va.; McLean, Va.; Mount Vernon, Va.; Oak Hill, Va.; Oakton, Va.; Reston, Va.; Springfield, Va.; Vienna, Va. and in Montgomery County, Maryland: Potomac, Md.
Comments
For immediate release:
Departmental Progressive Club, Inc.
411 Gibbon Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
August 7, 2020
The Honorable Cindy M. Anderson, Chairperson
Members of the Alexandria City Public Schools Board
Alexandria City Public Schools
1340 Braddock Place
Alexandria, VA 22314
Dear Chairperson Anderson and School Board Members:
On behalf of the membership of the Departmental Progressive Club (DPC) which includes many T.C. Williams High School alumni, we strongly and urgently request that the Alexandria School Board adopt and unanimously pass a resolution at its AUGUST 10, 2020 meeting TO REMOVE the name of T.C. Williams from Alexandria’s public high school effective IMMEDIATELY. It is insulting and hurtful that the Alexandria School Board would require the students of one of the most culturally diverse schools in the nation to spend another day in a building named in honor of a blatant racist and segregationist.
The DPC was founded in 1927 in response to a government sponsored discriminatory law mandating racial segregation in all places of public entertainment and assembly effectively barring African Americans from all public facilities which also included the LIBRARY! Among the many things our institution provided was safe harbor for African American parents and children of Alexandria to read and to study.
During the course of its 93 years, our membership has witnessed and participated in the transformation of the City. Our members have been trailblazers in the fight for equality and civil rights. It includes current and past members of Alexandria’s City Council and School Board. Our building sits in a community that was once home to the families of the majority of our membership. Alexandria has made progress since 1927. It is time for the School Board to join in this change and progress.
Unfortunately, the renaming of Alexandria’s only high school is not a new issue. For nearly twenty years, the Alexandria NAACP under the leadership of Howard Woodson and other organizations tried to right this wrong. Those organizations pleaded with the City and the School Board to find a more suitable name for our high school that properly reflected the diversity of the Alexandria community and respected the sensibilities of our students of Color. The excuses offered now are reminiscent of those offered for the past two decades. Now is the time to step away from all such excuses and correct the injustice. IF NOT NOW, WHEN?
When speaking about the proposed civil rights bill during the historic March on Washington in 1963, the late Congressman John Lewis said “we do not want our freedom gradually we want to be free now …. We are tired of being patient. We want our freedom and we want it now.” Similarly, we are tired of being patient about this issue. We have waited for decades for this matter to be addressed and the time is now for the School Board to act upon the clearly stated desires of the community and to do the right thing by abandoning the name of an acknowledged racist for this community’s only high school. The School Board has the power NOW to right an injustice and insult to Alexandria’s diverse population. The DPC implores the School Board to use its power.
Sincerely
Merrick T. Malone, President
Departmental Progressive Club
411 Gibbons Street
Alexandria, Virginia
New Normal XIV: Just When You Thought it could not Get Worst
By John Burl Smith
On Friday July 10, 2020, the coronavirus tightened its grip on America, as the grim reaper entered its 6th month of its devastating ride across America. My family and I remain hunkered down, praying for COVID-19 to finally pass over. Over that period, I began to see the black community’s current circumstances facing this pandemic, like the Hebrew Children, after God’s warning, regarding the “angel of death,” he would send against Pharaoh. Shuttered and huddled behind their doors, obeying God command to shelter in place, with “blood on their doorposts,” obedience saved most. Among the most vulnerable population, at 77 years old, I thought things couldn’t get any worse back in March.
However, last week Donald Trump did what no one was expecting, created a nightmarish scenario, as though telling kids a bedtime story. His pronouncement was the last thing parents and grandparents wanted to hear, under the current conditions. Trump’s declaration added even more anxiety to the many woes parents and grandparents throughout America had not considered just two months earlier. Riding roughshod, like a cowboy in the “old west,” Trump’s defiance of all logic was identical to Pharaoh’s when the angel of death began passing over, when Trump demanded “schools must open in September.”
Again like Pharaoh, Trump has defied all warnings from prophets, soothsayers, scientists and doctors in his administration, as well as media pundits and even the guy on the corner, warnings of the coming disaster. Plowing ahead with his “reopen the economy strategy,” Trump dropped a bomb, on most families, which have been crying out about the chaos his total lack of leadership, refusal to use the defense production act to reeve up testing, no concern for lives lost, and no scientifically based plan to fight COVID-19 has left American citizens without relief. Trump’s “no plan” will add to their already stressed and very shaky survival strategies, which give the grim ripper free rein across America.
Back in March, Democrats began talking about stimulus checks for small businesses and poorer Americans. Trump, Mitch McConnell and other Republicans railed against any plan to give money to poor Americans. Just when the American people thought help was on the way with the Democrats plan, giving money to the American people and small businesses hit hardest by the shutdown, as shelter in place and social distending orders took effect, Trump and Republicans led by McConnell, hijacked the Democrats stimulus idea and funneled trillions of dollars to their friends and cronies.
Pushing back against helping essential workers, hospitals, cities, counties and states, as they fought the pandemic, a second stimulus package, Trump, while denying the seriousness of the crisis, fought wearing masks, social distending, shutting down the economy, shifted the burden of testing to states without assistance. He followed that with a blank refusal to take any responsibility for anything related to the coronavirus. Trump’s recalcitrance increased the pain and deaths among Americans. Continuing to dodge response for COVID-19’s growing death total, Trump and Mitch McConnell hamstrung Democrats, and hijacked the second stimulus package, giving even more money to his friends and cronies. Claiming credit, Trump sent out an executive order that put his name on the stimulus checks letters. Again, after throwing trillions of dollars at big business, friends and relatives, Trump forced “opening the economy,” down Democrats and American’s throats, and walked away from the crisis the country faced.
Now, in the eleventh hour, come this conjurer Trump, pushing another stimulus package to aid his and Republicans reelection hopes. Facing his woeful performance as president, Trump now needs a stimulus bill to rescue his failing reelection hopes. After getting snookered by Tic-Tokers and K-popers that blew up the expected attendance in Tulsa, those crafty Kids enticed Trump’s campaign, which dollar signs in their eyes, to wildly over spend to accommodate the expected 100,000 fans, who were no shows. Trump’s MAGA-vation flopped, like biscuits without yeast, which is why he is scrambling now to find funds to funnel into Republicans reelection coffers. Hence, Trump is goggle-eyed, looking at another stimulus package.
Just when you thought Trump had a change of heart, asking for another stimulus package to help poorer Americans, he has pinned his sagging reelection hopes, on paying his political supporters with another stimulus bill. However, I thought about the fact that I, along with millions of black American have not received their first stimulus check from the IRS Trump signed. Providing an interesting contrast, the Republican scuttled Trump’s impeachment back in February before the coronavirus pandemic began roaming free across America, had Mitch McConnell and his Republican game in the Senate voted to convict, the American people would have been spared these dark times and deaths today. Again, Trump boldly stood before the American people and told them “I take no responsibility” for the coronavirus’ grim reaper’s death ride across America.
The New York Times reports that COVID-19 cases are increasing in 29 states and the University of Washington computer model projected nearly 180,000 deaths by October. The rise in cases is in states that rushed to reopen on Trump's command, now some states are experiencing over 500% increases in COVID-19 cases. But, Republican’s cowardice facing impeachment and the coronavirus pandemic, as they walked in lock step with Trump, fought wearing masks and social distending, while fighting any stimulus help Democrats proposed to help Americans citizens, are now doubling back, and demanding another stimulus package.
Just when Americans thought things couldn't get any worse, red state governors, who jump the gun and onboard Trump’s grim reaper death train ride in their rush to reopen, even faster than the timid CDC guidelines are making hard u-turns. Reaping the whirlwind of their disastrous decision, now their cases are going through the roof and their citizens are dying, as a result of their noses jammed up Trump’s rectum. Hoping to please them, Trump is proposing another stimulus package, even though he fought help for cities and counties in the previous two stimulus efforts by Democrats, because Trump thought the economy gave him and Republicans a lock on the White House.
Now that the grim reaper has shredded that dream, and as a result COVID-19 is riding through the West, rolling over people, like Manifest Destiny rolled over Native People, so the US government could take their land. Looking at that picture, Trump is like a drowning swimmer, as one’s life flashes before ones’ eyes. Desperate this time around, Trump really needs another stimulus bill to slow his campaign’s freefall, heading into September. I pray Democrats, having gotten taken on past stimulus packages, have learned from Republicans, how to play real hardball? Trump’s slide in the polls, leaves him without any options that make it look like he has control of the economy and not desperate for money to pay for his high price campaign, after his Tulsa debacle.
Democrats have caved in to Trump and Mitch McConnell every time they faced a challenge. American voters will see this time whether Democrats have the guts to stand up to Trump and say no for two reasons. First, passing another stimulus package will only help Republican show that control of the Senate gives Republicans control of government, no matter who is president. Secondly, if Democrats are going to win the White House they must turn out their voters, regardless of Republicans voter suppression tactics. Democrats must hold their water, because after the election they can craft a bill that will address the needs of the poor, health care for all, essential workers, cities, and counties.
With previous stimulus packages, Democrats were nickel and dimed by Republicans, so they will not have enough money to fund a comprehensive package to address the major needs of the Nation. Democrats need to have some backbone and stand up to Republicans; they need to stop playing into Republicans hands. These times remind me of when Pres. Barak H. Obama, entered the White House, after Republicans’ reckless tax cuts and deficit spending to pay for them caused the “financial crisis,” by Republicans before 2008, now deficit hawk, they will come out of the woodwork, claiming there was no money, as they did with Pres. Obama. Today Republicans are up to their old tricks, trying to spend America into a hold, as they did Pres. Obama, and with Joe Biden in the White House, they will stream again there is no money for any programs Biden proposes.
On the other hand, Democrats should not do anything to help Trump cover up his atrocious record, as president, especially over the next 31/2 months. Another stimulus package will help only Trump and Mitch McConnell, both of whom reelection hopes are in the toilet. Amy McGrath in Kentucky, in my opinion, needs to break out of her fumbling and folding, while cozying up to conservatives trying to “out Trump” Mitch McConnell, which is impossible.
I take one last look back to April, when New York was the coronavirus’ worst case scenario, but the dire situation in the “Big Apple” has turned around, due to the strong and decisive leadership of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Trump, on the other hand, dumped all responsibility for COVID-19 on governors and his Monday morning quarterbacking from the White House has recently made reopening schools his new target. The nation has seen that tragedy, and pray we will not be forced to sit through reruns of that horror movie.
Pushing to reopen the economy against everyone with courage and scientific knowledge, Trump demanded “full speed ahead, damn the torpedoes,’” when opening up the economy. Now, “come hell or high water,” Trump wants to throw our children under the school bus, rather than providing a safe environment for them. But, just as things seemed to be getting worse, the “Hope Revolution '' is gaining new life with Joe Biden’s campaign, while Donald Trump’s campaign has been in freefall, since Tulsa. I know many black voters say they do not see much difference between Joe Biden and Trump. However, I point to one vital truth, Joe Biden is the only American patriot standing between Trump and another 4 years of what we are living through presently. If that is what you want, vote for him. However, if you are hoping for change, something different, Joe is your guy!!!!
Just as American parents and grandparents’ struggled, sheltering in place, the bomb Trump dropped on us; wiped out the small amount of stability we were managing in this almost impossible situation, and will worsen, if Trump’s demand for our children to return to school next month goes forward. Without Donald Trump providing a real plan, parents and grandparents’ backs will be against the wall. Trump's actions fly in the face of every bit of sanity, scientists and medical personnel have offered. Still today just when you thought you had seen the worst from Trump, after the coronavirus has overwhelmed the “coronavirus pandemic taskforce” and all associated with it, Trump’s feeble attempt at mitigation and testing, has allowed the nation to its destress, witness a President of the United Stated waved a white flag before an enemy.
I need only one point to highlight the sinister nature of Trump’s demand that schools open for fall classes. The public schools are the only schools Trump is demanding open, and the thing is upwards of 80% of public schools students are African American. I will venture to say in urban areas 65% of whites attend private schools, which Trump said nothing about. So Trump’s intent here is to expose the black community to a higher level of COVID-19 than it currently faces. With 60% of the coronavirus pandemic victims who die in the US are African American that number will certainly go up. In some locations that number is lower and in others it is higher, while my point is whites are dying less than blacks, even though blacks supposedly make up only 23 % of the population in the US.
Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, American citizens are witnessing another poltroonish display of Trump’s racist approach to governing. Trumps mad rush to force black children back into school signaled he has no strategy and does not plan to do anything beyond, forcing our children into death traps, like gas chambers in Nazi concentration camps. In essence he is telling black children to learn to live with losing parents and grandparents and even some classmates. Trump implies that they should be glad it is not them. This was the psychology Adolf Hitler used to slaughter millions of Jews. Trump is saying to the American people, as Hitler told Germans, just “LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT!!!!” However, what he is really saying is, “LEARN TO DIE WITH IT!!!!”
Connection Newspapers is a locally-owned media company founded in 1784, that publishes 15 weekly community newspapers reaching more than 100,000 households in select communities in the Washington metropolitan area with print and Web editions.
