Stafford Magazine | December 2023/January 2024

Stafford D E C E M B E R

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MAGAZINE

MEET A GIANT OF GERMANNA HUSBANDAND-WIFE ENTREPRENEURS

INSIDENOVA

LOCAL STAR HEADING TO OHIO STATE

EYEBROW RAISING

Local woman finishes third in world makeup competition

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Stafford Stafford Stafford MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS

PUBLISHER MAGAZINE

Bruce Potter bpotter@insidenova.com 571-333-1538

MAGAZINE

DIGITAL EDITOR

Kari Pugh karipugh@insidenova.com ADVERTISING

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Kara Thorpe STAFF REPORTER

Dave Fawcett CONTRIBUTORS

Eric Althoff Tracy Bell Bill Kamenjar David S. Kerr Tavan Smith PUBLISHED BY:

Rappahannock Media LLC / InsideNoVa 1360 Old Bridge Road Woodbridge VA 22192 (703) 318-1386 PRESIDENT

Dennis Brack dbrack@rappnews.com BUSINESS OFFICE

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cwheat@insidenova.com ON THE WEB

www.staffordmagazine.com Stafford Magazine is published every other month and distributed to over 9,000 selected addresses. While reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to Stafford Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to any such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. While ensuring that all published information is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or omissions. Reproduction in whole or part of any of the text, illustrations or photographs is strictly forbidden. ©2023 Rappahannock Media LLC.

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NEIGHBORS

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COMMUNITY

30

VOICES

Germanna’s Giant

Puzzles on Tap

Jack Rowley honored for helping to drive college’s growth in Stafford

Local chapter of worldwide brainteaser group meets monthly

I’m dreaming of…

Christmas music

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24

ON THE COVER:

AMAZING KIDS

Scouting Success Local teens complete Eagle projects

14

BUSINESS

Hair and Repair Marine Corpsinspired couple runs neighboring businesses

18

COVER STORY

EyebrowRaising Local woman finishes third in world makeup competition

SPORTS

Standing Out From the Start Mountain View’s Eric Mensah will take his football talents to Ohio State

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Specialty schools, Hot Chicken and more local tidbits

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Anna Ezzaidi owns Silver Fox Permanent Makeup Studio in North Stafford and recently finished third at an international competition for creating top-notch eyebrows. Photo by Tavan Smith

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NEIGHBORS

Germanna’s Giant Rowley honored for helping to drive college’s growth in Stafford

BY T R ACY B EL L

W

hen Jack Rowley moved to Stafford County with his wife, Pat, 23 years ago, he knew he wanted to make a difference in his community.

“It was my personal desire to be involved in the community and make a positive difference in people’s lives,” said Rowley, who has become an unwavering advocate for Germanna Community College.

Germanna’s progress, especially in Stafford, is in large part thanks to Rowley – president of the college’s Real Estate Foundation, a component of Germanna’s Educational Foundation board with which he’s been involved for a quarter-century.

“Germanna Community College is such a fine organization and it has been a privilege to serve,” Rowley said. He noted that Germanna is currently doubling the size of its nursing and health sciences programs and expanding offerings in information technology and cybersecurity.

In April, Rowley was honored in Richmond with a chancellor’s award for leadership in philanthropy. He was among 24 individuals, families and organizations honored at the 17th annual awards presentation.

Hosted by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education, the event recognizes philanthropists from each of Virginia’s 23 community colleges and the statewide foundation.

Rowley and the rest of the winners were nominated for their outstanding commitment to the growth and development of Virginia’s community colleges and their respective foundations.

This year’s honorees have contributed $14 million in total to Virginia’s

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Jack Rowley has been a supporter of Germanna Community College for nearly a quarter-century.

community colleges.

David Doré, chancellor of the Virginia Community College System, told the honorees: “Were it not for your generosity, some of our students would have to put their hopes and dreams on hold, while others might have to abandon them altogether. …We are extremely grateful.”

Rowley said he was honored to receive

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the award and believes in Germanna’s mission and values. “We provide young people outstanding academic and vocational opportunities, and the college’s commitment to affordability gives everyone a chance to embark on their desired path in life without a financial burden.”

Over the years, Rowley’s driving force has helped Germanna presidents Frank

Financial aid makes learning at Germanna even more affordable.

SCAN HERE

Right: Jack Rowley (center) with other honorees at the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education awards this spring. Below: Rowley and his wife, Pat, have lived in Stafford for 23 years.

Turnage, David Sam and Janet Gullickson as they worked to meet the demand for quality, accessible and affordable higher education and workforce training in Stafford.

Rowley was involved with the Stafford Economic Development Authority when it helped fund Germanna’s first center in Stafford in 2009, said Bruce Davis, head of the Germanna Educational Foundation.

The small facility was overwhelmed with students within three months of opening, Davis said, and Rowley was a key figure in getting Germanna set up at a larger rental facility, which served the school well until the present.

“Jack Rowley has worked fiercely and tirelessly for Germanna as a whole, especially in Stafford,” Davis said.

Rowley has been an Economic Development Authority board member since 2001 and is the Stafford appointee on Germanna’s advisory Local College Board.

When he’s not advocating for Germanna, Rowley spends time with his family, including his wife and their four grown children, five grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren.

Did You Know?

Germanna held its first classes in October 1970.

The name Germanna is taken from settlers at Germanna Ford on the Rapidan River.

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Part-timers make up 78% of Germanna’s nearly 12,000 students. 63% are females.

Last school year, the most popular programs for Stafford-based Germanna students were general studies, business administration, cybersecurity, introduction to nursing and health preparation.

He also has a passion for classic American cars.

“Currently there are 12 cars in my collection, including three Thunderbirds, three Mustangs and two Corvettes,” Rowley said. “We built a nice garage at our home that can store up to 14 cars.”

Through Germanna, Rowley is witnessing the result of his colleagues’ and his own hard work.

With the “spectacular growth in Stafford,” Davis said, Rowley has led the Germanna Real Estate Foundation in acquiring two office buildings for Germanna in North Stafford. They will include 70,000 square feet of new educational space and open in 2024. The offices will be repurposed into classrooms and educational laboratories.

One building will be dedicated to the college’s nursing and health sciences program, doubling its number of graduates by 2027. The other building will be dedicated to the Germanna cybersecurity program, allowing students to work on their degree while interning for defense and intelligence contractors in Stafford.

The internships are expected to speed up the critical process of students receiving federal security clearances as well.

Rowley is eager to welcome the new additions for students. “We plan to be staffed up and ready to go in 2024.”

Tracy Bell is a freelancer who lives in Stafford County.

For more information on Germanna Community College, visit germanna.edu.

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AMAZING KIDS

Scouting Success

between the volunteers and the athletes – and by lunch, they were all sitting together having a great time.”

Local teens complete Eagle projects

SPORTS USED FOR PROJECT

BY TR ACY BE LL

Basketball, powerlifting, tennis, flag football, soccer and bocce

A

fter a stint coaching Special Olympics golf, Benjamin Meinert found an Eagle Scout project close to his heart and set it in action earlier this fall.

The 17-year-old Stafford resident, a member of Troop 317, planned, promoted and led a six-hour multi-sport day camp for local athletes from the Special Olympics. And he has now completed all the requirements to be an Eagle Scout, scouting’s highest honor.

The camp was in September at Mountain View High School, where Meinert is a student.

“The overall project went amazing,” Meinert said. “We had about 40 athletes participate and about 30 stayed the entire day.”

At the sports camp, he and his assistants rotated the athletes through stations, exposing them to seven different sports.

Two of the sports at the camp – bocce and flag football – were new to the athletes of Area 11 Special Olympics, while the rest were sports they typically compete in.

Meinert’s goal was to expose the athletes to some sports they may not have tried before and to add other sports to encourage wider participation and interest in the

Special Olympics.

In his quest to become an Eagle Scout, Meinert met rank and participation qualifications, submitted a project proposal and consulted with Tim Doyle, a longtime coordinator for Area 11 Special Olympics.

Doyle first got involved with the Special Olympics because his son, Matthew, participated over the years as an athlete. An adult now, Matthew Doyle also became an ambassador for the organization.

Although the majority of Scouts do not become Eagle Scouts, those who don’t still learn to apply the Scouts’ values of character and citizenship.

Mike Haas of the Aquia District of the National Capital Area Council pointed out that earning any rank, even one as

Benjamin Meinert planned and led a multi-sport day camp for local Special Olympics athletes. impressive as Eagle Scout, cannot be overvalued at the expense of what scouting offers participants for life.

“Advancement in rank is only one method of scouting and isn’t the sole demarcation of the program,” he said.

Haas acknowledged that the book, “Four Percent” highlights that percentage as representative of those who earn the Eagle rank among all youth in scouting.

He added that there are also studies – notably one at Tufts University – that focus on the impact on lifetime values, service ethic and citizenship for scouts versus nonscouts, regardless of rank or longevity in the Scouts BSA program – traditionally known

Q&A With a Scout

SCHOOL

“My dad [Dean Meinert, a committee chair for Troop 317], was an Eagle Scout, and I always wanted to follow in his footsteps.

Additionally, as a new scout, I got to watch many of my friends in the troop go through the ranks and earn their Eagle award and I wanted to do the same.

I am currently waiting on approval from national for my Eagle Scout award.”

Mountain View High School

FAVORITE MEMORY AS A SCOUT

TIME AS A SCOUT

“My favorite memory of being in scouts is the Ultimate Frisbee games we used to play on campouts.

Whenever we had free time, we would be out in a field playing Ultimate Frisbee, and those games would get very intense.

We were able to have fun and it was cool to see the different strategies we came up with as time went on.”

Benjamin Meinert AGE

17 SCOUT TROOP

Aquia Troop 317 of the National Capital Area Council

10 years TROOP MEETS AT

Stafford County Christian Church EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT

One-day sports camp for Special Olympics athletes WHAT INSPIRED YOUR EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT?

“I selected the project after coaching Special Olympics golf the prior year. I wanted to do something a little different for my project, and the special-needs community has always been close to my heart. I started messing around with various ideas and landed on the multi-sport camp to give athletes exposure to sports they have not tried before. My favorite part was watching the interactions

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WHY DID YOU WANT TO TAKE ON THIS CHALLENGE?

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS/GOALS?

“After high school, I want to attend a four-year university while pursuing a mechanical or nuclear engineering degree. I am looking at various schools such as Purdue, the University of Virginia, Carnegie Mellon and Villanova.”

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autism spectrum, those with limited language skills or those who are nonverbal.”

WHAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART?

“Leading the execution of the project. It felt different as usually I am the one helping other scouts with their projects, but I figured out along the way to take a step back and lead others.”

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Q&A With a Scout Jacob Fisher AGE

15 RESIDES IN

North Stafford SCHOOL

North Stafford High School TROOP

Troop 26, sponsored by Mt. Ararat Baptist Church EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT

Communications board for the autistic and languagedelayed HOW DID THE PROJECT GO?

“The project turned out great and is being used every day by students with autism or limited-language skills.”

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CHOOSE THIS PROJECT?

“This would help many young people within the

WHAT WAS THE MOST FUN?

“Completing the project was the most fun for me, as I had felt a sense of accomplishment, and I knew this would help out people for years to come.”

WHEN DID YOU JOIN SCOUTS?

“I joined Cub Scouts when I was 5 years old when I started kindergarten.”

Jacob Fisher created a communications board for a playground at North Star Early Childhood Development Center.

as Boy Scouts of America.

Carlos Rodriguez, chair of the Advancement and Recognition Committee for the Aquia District scouts, said that in 2022 51 scouts in the district earned their Eagle Scout badge. Throughout the history of Scouting, fewer than 8% of all Scouts have earned that rank.

Eagle Scout project ideas run the gamut, but all are intended to showcase leadership and be helpful in some way to a community, school, park, church or other similar institution.

Another local scout working toward his

UGH!!

Eagle, Jacob Fisher of Troop 26, created a communications board for use at a playground at North Star Early Childhood Development Center in Stafford. The board displays 40 tiles in the form of photos, symbols and illustrations to help people with autism or limited-language skills stay safe and express themselves to specialeducation teachers or one another.

Some other common Eagle Scout projects include constructing a garden at a park, making birdhouses, conducting a blood drive, expanding a playground area or cleaning up a hiking trail.

“For most Eagle Scouts, the journey was a life-long endeavor that started for them in Cub Scouts,” Rodriguez said. “Eagle Scouts have the self-confidence to establish and achieve lofty goals for themselves and for the betterment of their communities."

Tracy Bell is a freelancer who lives in Stafford County.

For more information on scouting, visit beascout.org

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WHY DID YOU WANT TO BECOME AN EAGLE SCOUT?

“I enjoy helping out others and learning leadership and character skills.”

WHAT SCOUTING ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN YOUR FAVORITE?

“Going to summer camps; the troop lock-ins, where we spend a night over at a building – such as the Izaak Walton League in Stafford – playing games and such; and the Iron Chef campout, where we had a cook-off between two different patrols.”

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BUSINESS

Hair and Repair Marine Corps-inspired couple runs neighboring businesses

BY TR ACY B EL L | P H OTOS BY TAVAN S MIT H

T

J and NiTorya Summerlin met while serving in the Marine Corps. And the North Stafford couple says their military background still shapes who they are now that they’ve become local entrepreneurs.

They each run their own business – TJ a technology repair shop and NiTorya a hair salon – nestled as neighbors in a Garrisonville Road plaza.

The situation is unique, acknowledged NiTorya, owner of 4 Tresses Ñ Serenity Natural Hair Care Salon.

“It’s two independent businesses, but we work together as husband and wife and teamwork with our children,” she said. “We tag-team at our stores and on the home front.

It’s a challenge, especially when the kids have extracurriculars, but we make it work. The Marine Corps prepared us for that.”

TJ Summerlin IV owns uBreakiFix

by Asurion. He became an entrepreneur in 2019, just a month after retiring from serving 20 years in the military.

NiTorya said that after her retirement from the military in 2018, she was “nice and comfortable” running her natural hair care business from her basement. It wasn’t until November 2022 that she moved to a commercial space – just steps from her husband’s tech-repair store.

“I talked her into it,” TJ said.

The Summerlins both came from military families and met in North Carolina

early in their careers as Marines. He is from Brooklyn, N.Y., and she hails from Memphis, Tenn.

“The Marine Corps forces you to meet people from all kinds of places and find commonalities,” said TJ, who retired as a master sergeant last stationed at Marine Corps Base Quantico.

He has always been one to fix things, even as a small child – tinkering with gadgets only to realize there are five screws left over. During his last five years in the Marines, Summerlin ran a garage fix-it business on the side.

Noting that the Marine Corps “breeds leaders,” Summerlin attributes many of his entrepreneurial skills to his time in the service.

Summerlin said that growing up in a military family, he respected his parents’ service but didn’t plan on following the same path; however, he changed his mind after sitting in college classrooms without a true interest or passion for what he was learning.

He entered the Marine Corps and was a natural fit, ultimately laying the foundation for his next chapter in life.

Founded in 2009, uBreakiFix is a chain of electronic repair shops with more than 830 locations across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. After several branding changes, it was acquired in 2019 by the insurance company Asurion LLC and became uBreakiFix by Asurion.

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Summerlin’s shop can repair cell phones, tablets, computers, game consoles, vintage arcade machines and even light-up Christmas sweaters.

“We like to say we fix just about anything with a power button,” he said.

While cracked screens and battery replacements are a big part of the business, the store also offers tech support, such as personal computer tune-ups, virus removal and device cleanings.

In the fall, Summerlin launched two store programs: “Future Fixers” for children ages 12 to 17 and “Senior Source” to help senior citizens.

Future Fixers is held in five-week sessions on Saturdays before the store opens. It allows pre-teens and teenagers to learn the repair process by using their own kits to fix old desktop computers, cell phones, game consoles and more.

Graduates can then help friends and family fix common tech issues, Summerlin said.

The cost is $750 per student and includes a personal tool kit and a magnetic mat.

Senior Source is a free tech-support program for the people aged 60 years and up – and it follows Future Fixers on Saturdays. Seniors can make an appointment for assistance and then show up at 10 a.m. for help.

Summerlin said he sees a lot of older residents with questions about how to

TJ and NiTorya Summerlin own neighboring businesses in a Garrisonville Road shopping plaza.

navigate their cell phones or avoid phishing scams. Each week, he added, he helps people with concerns about lost photos or how to retrieve images from an old device.

“If there’s a way that we can help people recover some of their most prized memories, we want to do that,” he said.

At both his shop and his wife’s, the couple’s four daughters – Tsariah,12; Tzianh, 11; Txekiah, 9, and Tzorah, 7 – play a key role, particularly the older two.

Tzianh assists with minor repairs at the tech-repair shop, while Tsariah helps wash hair and tend to customers at the salon.

TJ said the older girls were actually the first tech-repair students he taught, representing the birth of his current youth program. “They are kind of my guinea pigs who received instruction from the start.”

At her salon, NiTorya offers hair styling, braiding, twists and ponytails with a focus on healthy natural hair without chemicals or coloring. The salon also offers sister locks, which require a precise technique and are similar to dreadlocks but smaller, she said.

Since moving to the storefront, the salon’s business has blossomed, she added.

“It’s a journey being business owners, but it’s a blessing,” NiTorya said. “My clientele has increased, and I can offer my skillset to more people.”

Among the services, pricing can greatly vary depending on a client’s length of hair and need, so NiTorya offers $50 consultations. She is also looking to add

Below: TJ Summerlin’s uBreakiFix by Asurion store repairs cell phones, computers and other devices.

Right: NiTorya Summerlin offers hair styling, braids and more at her salon.

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Her family consists of not only military service members, but hair-care professionals, too.

“Since I was 9 years old, I’ve done hair,” she said. “I watched my mother braid hair and my father cut hair. He was a barber for a long time. It’s in the family – my brother is a barber, too.”

In fact, NiTorya’s mother can also be found at the salon, offering services such as braiding, microlocs and interlocks.

During their Marine Corps service, NiTorya was deployed more often than TJ. “It prepared us to adapt,” she said.

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NiTorya said her “babies are military brats,” resilient to the core.

“They’ve become their own little entrepreneurs,” who love coming to the shops, greeting customers and devouring all the snacks.

It’s important to both of the Summerlins to contribute to their community and they enjoy having one another nearby.

“It’s great,” TJ said. “To be able to go next door and have lunch with your wife and not in D.C. somewhere is a plus – and the kids coming in to help, that’s also cool.”

Tracy Bell is a freelancer who lives in Stafford County.

364 Garrisonville Road, Suite 123 Call (540) 426-3332 or visit ubreakifix.com To register for Future Fixers or secure an appointment for senior technology assistance, visit futurefixersprogram.com.

For more information, email info@futurefixersprogram.com or call (540) 628-0499.

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EYEBROW

Local makeup maven finishes third in world competition

BY TR ACY BE LL PHOTOS BY TAVAN SM I TH

M

akeup artist Anna Ezzaidi combines her love of art and aesthetics to help her clients achieve a masterpiece face.

And she’s been successful – on a global scale. The owner of Silver Fox Permanent Makeup Studio in North Stafford, Ezzaidi is fresh off finishing third at an international competition for creating top-notch eyebrows after winning a national contest.

The permanent makeup contest and conference in Antalya, Turkey, was held Nov. 6-13 by the World Universal League of Permanent Makeup, also known as WULOP. Ezzaidi placed third in the powder-brow category, becoming the first U.S. champion to medal at the competition, which began in 2020 and this year drew makeup artists from 46 countries.

In September, Ezzaidi, representing Virginia, won first place in the brows category at WULOP’s national permanent-makeup championship in

RAISING

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COMMUNITY

BEFORE

Images from Silver Fox’s Facebook page show results of Anna Ezzaidi’s work.

Puzzles on Tap

Local chapter of worldwide brainteaser group meets monthly

AFTER

Miami. She was among five makeup artists from the United States who qualified for the international competition.

Silver Fox, located inside Winning Image Salon & Day Spa, has been open for two years with a “committed team,” said Ezzaidi, originally from Russia.

In 2019, she and her family moved to North Stafford from Germany, where they had lived for six years – her husband, Omar, works for a U.S. defense contractor. The couple has two children.

Ezzaidi called Stafford “a welcoming and vibrant community.”

At Silver Fox, a powder-brow appointment – her specialty – typically takes up to 3½ hours and involves a thorough consultation, precise measurements and expert application to create the perfect brows, she explained.

Powder-brow pricing, based on the expertise of the technician performing the

procedure, is $700 for Ezzaidi and $450 for one of her staff members.

Omar Ezzaidi said he’s had the privilege of observing incredible changes in the studio’s clients.

“Anna’s remarkable skill in permanent makeup truly stands out, and both of us are passionate about conveying the message that it extends beyond mere aesthetics,” he said. “It's about elevating self-confidence and aiding individuals in feeling their absolute best.”

He noted that permanent makeup can also play a significant role in recovery for cancer survivors and chemotherapy patients – including treatments such as microblading, permanent eyeliner, lash enhancement and scar camouflage.

Besides powder brows – also known as ombre brows – Silver Fox offers a wide range of permanent-makeup services, including a lipstick effect called lip blush.

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At a cost of $600, lip blushing is semipermanent makeup – essentially a cosmetic tattoo of the lips. It enhances natural color, improving the shape and definition of the lips and giving the impression of fullness.

Lash-line enhancement, at $500, gives the subtle illusion of a fuller lash line, without going as far as the look of permanent shaded eyeliner, available for $600.

For each of the procedures, a touch-up is included – and annual touch-ups are half off the regular prices of the services.

Anna Ezzaidi said she wants to help clients not just look their best, but also feel their best.

For that, she draws from her creative roots, love of fine arts and even a webdesign background. The notion of elevating inherent beauty through permanent makeup is something she said has long captivated her imagination.

As she builds her business and reputation, Ezzaidi is gaining a growing clientele.

Even the studio’s name, Silver Fox, was carefully chosen for its symbolism, according to Ezzaidi.

“It symbolizes the fusion of elegance with the concept that our clients depart our studio radiating confidence – just like a stunning fox.”

A RT IC LE A N D PH OTOS BY E R I C A LT H O F F

D

on’t look now, but the people solving word puzzles at the table next to you might actually be federal agents.

(I said don’t look!)

Given our proximity to the nation’s capital – to say nothing of the difficult business of government – it’s little wonder that, among the stable of solvers at the

monthly Stafford Puzzled Pint event are some actual government-employed decryption experts.

“One of my friends, who is a regular, works for the FBI,” said Chrissy O’Connor, who runs the local events. “She [said], ‘My codebreaker friends want to come,’ and I’m like, ‘Well, then bring them!’”

Puzzled Pint began in Pittsburgh and has

become a global phenomenon. Worldwide, on the second Tuesday of every month, puzzlers congregate in various time zones and try to unscramble some difficult brainteasers, which are the same regardless of where the event is held. The puzzles range in difficulty, from “one pint” and up – although, as is well known, alcohol (allegedly) slows down mental acuity.

“It’s not like we stress the drinking part of it; it’s more about the brainteasers,” O’Connor said. “And that it is free. They don’t want prizes, they don’t want people coming other than for the value of the community and the fun that it provides.”

There are no prizes – other than the satisfaction of solving the puzzle – and chapters share which puzzles were the most challenging for their members.

O’Connor and her boyfriend used to drive up to Arlington for Puzzled Pint

Tracy Bell is a freelancer who lives in Stafford County.

Kathleen Gallaher (center) and friends work on puzzles at November’s Puzzled Pint event.

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events. But to save on gas as well as to puzzle with fellow Stafford smarties, the couple started their own chapter – which required a vetting interview over Zoom with a national coordinator. The Stafford Puzzled Pint chapter meets at Buffalo Wild Wings in the Stafford Marketplace the second Tuesday of each month.

Puzzles are beta-tested before their unveiling come Tuesday evening.

Themes might be “Star Wars,” “Ren & Stimpy,” or even, given the day of gaming, “Taco Tuesday.” It’s not just words either: Puzzles could be ciphered in Morse code or Braille.

In November, the Stafford chapter met during a particularly busy evening at “B-Dubs.” O’Connor apologized for the noise, explaining that a rather large contingent of Marines was also hosting an event in the bar area.

“It’s not normally this crazy,” she said.

O’Connor introduced me to various players, all of whom were hyper-focused on their puzzles. (If her friend the FBI agent was on hand, I was not aware.) I met several parent-child combinations, including Katie and Dylan.

“I like coming and interacting with other

22 S TA F F O R D M AG A Z I N E • D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /J A N U A RY 2 0 24

people,” Katie said. “I like doing something different on a weeknight.”

“I just think it’s fun to do with a group,” Dylan added. “It’s hard so it’s helpful” to have others to try to solve the puzzles.

Another woman, who introduced herself as Bo, was there with her godson.

“It’s very family-oriented,” she said.

“We’re together, we’re out of the house, he’s off the computer.”

A middle-aged couple, a pair of regulars, sat at the bar together mulling over their puzzles. Asked if one particular kind of beer is better for solving than others, the woman said, “I always drink hefeweizen.”

She shared that sometimes the puzzles can be solved in an an hour, but other times it can take as long as three hours.

Another player, Kathleen Gallaher, brings her own scissors and various other supplies to cut up puzzle pieces to be rearranged. Clearly she’s done this a time or two before.

“We put this on our calendar every month and it’s like date night,” Gallaher said. “Our friends come down from Woodbridge and our neighbors come. We have only missed one since they started… probably [in] seven or eight months.”

Gallaher, an English teacher, pointed out her teammate, a math teacher.

“That gives us something of an advantage,” Gallaher said, before exhorting her teammate to “help me out here!”

“You got the words,” her friend said. “I got the numbers.”

Gallaher smiled, then reached for her pint glass.

“Everything’s more fun with beer,” she said.

O’Connor, who hopes to expand the Stafford chapter, noted that gamers in Australia are toasting one another’s scores nearly a full day ahead of those here in Virginia.

“We’ll get notice that Amsterdam had a great night, Sydney had a great night, Rutgers had a great night in New Jersey,” she said. “So it’s kind of fun to see that everybody worldwide is doing the same thing.”

PROMOTE YOUR LIVE AND VIRTUAL EVENTS VISIT INSIDENOVA.COM/CALENDAR FOR DETAILS AND A CURRENT LISTING OF EVENTS ACROSS NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Eric Alhoff is a freelance writer who lives in Stafford County.

To learn more about the next event, visit puzzledpint.com.

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SPORTS

Mountain View’s Eric Mensah will take his football talents to Ohio State

BY DAVID FAWCE T T | P HOTOS BY BILL K AMENJAR

Eric Mensah warms up before a game at Patriot High School in October.

school year.

Eric Mensah moved well for a kid his size. And he had the strength to overpower opponents. It was clear: This kid had a bright future.

The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Mensah lived up to his billing – and then some. He started for four years as a standout defensive lineman and earned a football scholarship to Ohio State, one of the country’s top programs.

“His technique is really good,” said John Brown, who as Colonial Forge High School’s head football coach had to help his team face Mensah. “If you don’t have a veteran who is big and strong at center or guard, he’s going to present problems. He gets to the ball extremely well and his motor is always going.”

Growing up, Mensah always towered over others. He started playing football in third grade and usually found himself on the offensive and or defensive line based on his size. By middle school, he established himself as a force, giving A.G. Wright a formidable one-two punch with peer Kris Jones.

The two arrived at Mountain View as ninth-graders and became immediate starters on defense. Jones played more on the edge, while Mensah battled in the interior. The duo gave opponents fits because it was hard to focus on just one of them at the expense of the other.

Mensah and Jones headlined the Wildcats’ defensive line for their first three seasons before Jones announced last summer he was transferring to Fairfax High School.

“When I found out he was leaving, I thought, ‘Wow this is crazy,’” Mensah said.

“I was excited for him. But for the team here, I knew I had to step up. There would be more pressure.”

Mensah faced double- and triple-teams often this season, but he refused to let it frustrate him.

“It’s hectic, but it’s good to keep everyone calm and collected,” Mensah said.

“I knew how to handle it.”

In addition to Jones’ departure, Mountain View also lost several other key players to graduation, including four Division I signees from a team that reached the 2022 Class 5, Region D final for the second straight year.

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Under state law, the Prince William three contested general elections for the contest for Feb. 21. The seat was vacated after the Dec. 16 resignation of Cand- Board of County Supervisors cannot ap- district, Republicans have won by an average margin of 2,090 votes. point a temporary reland, a Republican first elected Although the candidates are placement ahead of in 2011. affiliated with political parties, a special or general Candland’s resignation was under state law, they will appear election. It is the only The stage is set for a February special spurred by expanded limitaon the ballot without their party local governing body election to fill the seat vacated by former tions on his voting powers by designation identified. in Virginia specificalPrince William County Supervisor Pete Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy The winner of the special elecly barred by state law Ashworth. The recommendation Candland in the Gainesville District. tion will have to run for a full from appointing a temHaymarket Town Council member Bob was tied to Candland’s involveBOB WEIR porary replacement for KERENSA SUMERS four-year term in the November Weir, who won the Republican nomina- ment as an applicant in the congeneral election, when all eight a vacancy among its tion in a contested election Monday night, troversial PW Digital Gateway

BY TIM CARRINGTON For Foothills Forum seats on the Board of Supervisors are up will face Democrat Kerensa Sumers on the proposal in his district, which includes members, with very limited exceptions. f Washington’ s buildings form Republicans will try to retain the seat, for grabs. nearly 70,000 residents. The project proballot next month. as is often said, a they would off stage set, Judge Kimberly Irving issued a writ of poses 27.6 million square feet of data cen- while Democrats hope to capture it for the backdrop to a sweeping drama er a perfect ELECTION PAGE 5 elements first time in more than 30 years. In the last special election last week scheduling the ters on 2,139 acres along Pageland Lane. mixing of renewal, uncertainty For more than and neglect. reinvented itself, four decades, the tiny town has as the Inn at Little expanded its Washington culinary and lodging lifting some two empire, lives. Meanwhile,dozen buildings from their past a parade of outsiders and renovated built homes for retreating, remote-working. retiring or Both patterns are continuing Washington’s commercial, public– investment in » NEWS, PAGE 3 structures is estimated and residential

BY JARED FORETEK to be about since 2010, with jforetek@insidenova.com half a dozen major $23 million home A new Manassas City Council was sworn See TOWN, Page into office Tuesday night, with Democrats 12 » NEWS, PAGE 4 expanding their advantage to 5-1 on the GAVEL PASSED, TIMES MAYOR GETS temporary dais at Jennie Dean Elementary TO WORK Dan Gleason, CHRIS ALO | CULPEPER owner of the School.

Sumac food truck, and his Democrat Sonia Vasquez Luna made a wife Abigail

BY LUKE CHRISTOPHER are leasing Headmaste little bit of city history Tuesday, becoming r’s space.

BY BEN PETERS » SPORTS, PAGE 15 the first Latina woman to serve on City Rappahannock nock County News staff for Marin County, Council. A labor organizer and native of El Sperryville’s California. ter’s Pub was popular Headmas- the Sumac Dan Gleason, owner of Salvador, Vasquez Luna said it was an honor sold and is closing food truck that March, but a in outside parks to be the first Hispanic person to serve on new new ownership restaurant under his wife Pen Druid Brewery, and will take its the council. soon after. place the coupleAbigail are leasing from the space where “It’s not only an honor but a responsibiliCurrent owners Jordan and Cliff master’s currently sits and Headty that I don’t take lightly … I’m really hap- Democrat Sonia Vasquez Luna was sworn into office on Manassas City Council Tuesday night. Vasquez Miller IV are plans to leaving RappahanJARED FORETEK | INSIDENOVA py,” Vasquez Luna said after being sworn Luna is the first Hispanic person to serve on the council.

New Town Mayor See PUB, Page

BY LUKE CHRISTOPHER ALSO MAKING in. “We are ready for the responsibility. I’ve on the council, Coates Ellis is the sole Re17 Mayor Fred CatlinJoe Whited honors former NEWS Manassas Council Terms New been talking to each one of you and getting publican on the council. She has historically NG era begins with in his inaugural address. a boost for business to know you. I’m looking forward to work- been one of the most conservative members WHAT’S HAPPENI Theatre 24 » Tom Osina: 2020-2024  Page 8 Dinner ing together as Manassas celebrates 150 on the council when it comes to budgeting

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issues, advocating for smaller budgets and years.”

Tuesday’s gathering was held at Jennie lower real estate and property tax rates. The Dean Elementary due to ongoing renova- council’s fiscal 2024 budgeting will start in earnest in the upcoming weeks. tions at City Hall.

“I want to welcome Sonia to the council.

Meanwhile, Democrat Ralph Smith and Republican Teresa Coates Ellis were sworn in I look forward to working closely with her for their second terms. With Vasquez Luna COUNCIL PAGE 8 replacing Republican Lynn Forkell Greene

INSIDENOVA

Standing Out A from the Start

t the end of every season, A.G. Wright Middle School’s football team played its final game at Mountain View High School.

The game gave the players a chance to compete on a larger stage. And it also gave Mountain View coach Lou Sorrentino the chance to watch up-and-coming varsity football players.

Under normal circumstances, incoming freshmen would work toward a varsity spot by their sophomore year at the earliest.

On this particular day, though, one eighthgrader stood out enough for Sorrentino to pencil him in as an immediate varsity starter after he enrolled at Mountain View the next

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Meet us at the intersection of hope and health.

Defensive lineman Eric Mensah helped Mountain View to an 11-1 record this season.

The losses left the Wildcats facing what could have been a rebuilding season. But Mensah helped make sure that didn’t happen.

Mountain View went 11-1 in its first season at Class 6, the state’s highest classification.

“During our first game, I knew we were going to make it really far,” said Mensah, who was a team captain. “I have not

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stopped working. You handle the adversity and persevere.”

Before he left, Jones’ presence at Mountain View helped Mensah’s recruiting.

When college coaches came to see Jones, who has committed to Georgia, Sorrentino made sure they saw Mensah as well.

Over the summer, Mensah committed to Virginia Tech. He liked the coaches and players and being close to home. But he still planned to take an official visit to Ohio State in September.

While in Columbus, Ohio, Mensah felt a strong connection with the school and the football program. Before he returned home, Mensah committed instead to the Buckeyes.

Mensah said he plans to graduate in December and enroll in Ohio State in January.

“I could see myself getting better in the future,” Mensah said. “They would prep me for the pros and for life.”

For all his success in football, Mensah stands out even more for his personality and his leadership.

“The best thing about him is that smile on his face,” Sorrentino said.

An extrovert, Mensah loves to have fun.

He drew attention for his dancing during his official recruiting visit to the University of Maryland. The recruits took a ride on a boat, which had a dance floor. After singing “Candy Rain” during karaoke, Mensah got things started by flashing his moves.

“If the dance floor is open, I won’t be sitting around,” Mensah said.

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David Fawcett is sports editor of InsideNoVa and lives in Stafford. He can be reached at dfawcett@insidenova.com.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Academy of Technology and Innovation at UMW opens applications

T

he Academy of Technology and Innovation at the University of Mary Washington has been approved to open in fall 2024 on the university’s Stafford campus.

The regional high school and lab school will serve students from Stafford, King George and Caroline counties as well as the city of Fredericksburg. It pools the expertise of local school districts with UMW’s College of Education, creating a public high school focused on computer and data science, teaching excellence and career readiness.

In the fall, the school will enroll up to 100 ninth-graders from the partner school districts. Applications opened Nov. 15 and close in early January for current eighthgraders interested in computer science, data science, cybersecurity, digital design and related fields. Students will be selected via a lottery in January.

The school passes on no additional costs to students or families. The South Building at UMW’s Stafford campus will be reimagined as a high school and demonstration site, according to a news release. Students will attend for their full school day but return to their home high school for athletic and extracurricular activities.

Rebecca Towery, executive director of the academy, said students will learn how to incorporate computer science and data science into whatever they are passionate Rebecca Towery about. “Through personalized pathways, we’ll equip students to own their learning, build portfolios and collaborate to solve real world challenges.”

More information: atiumw.org

Work begins on sixth high school

E

School system will open three specialty centers

F

ollowing approval by the Stafford County School Board in November, Stafford schools will launch three Specialty Centers in the fall of 2024, with more to follow in future years.

Centers will provide enhanced four-year courses of study, while preserving and integrating existing high school programs and providing career pathways for students, according to a news release. The selection process is based on a lottery.

“The introduction of Specialty Centers further solidifies our commitment to ensuring that every student has access to rigorous and robust opportunities leading to high quality post-secondary outcomes,” said Superintendent Thomas W. Taylor.

The new centers are: • The Community Health and Medical Professions Center, at Brooke Point High School, which will prepare students for careers in the medical profession.

• The Leadership, Education, and Public Service Center, at Mountain View High School, which will allow students to explore careers and post-secondary education in areas of community service and advocacy, education, law and criminal justice and leadership.

• The Engineering Professions and Industries of Construction Center, at Stafford High School, which will allow students to explore careers and post-secondary education in areas such as carpentry, drafting, electricity, engineering, HVAC, masonry and plumbing.

Students who are selected will be transferred to the Specialty Center’s school location at the beginning of ninth grade. Transportation will be provided to and from the student’s home to the Specialty Center.

New sign installed at Armed Services Memorial

S

tafford County has installed a new sign at the Stafford County Armed Services Memorial to help visitors locate the bricks they have donated to honor their loved ones who served in the armed forces.

The Armed Services Memorial is a place where friends and families gather to pay their respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Over the years, the Memorial has grown, with more and more bricks inscribed with the names of veterans and their supporters, according to a news release. Finding a specific brick can be a challenge.

The new sign aims to make the memorial more accessible and visitor-friendly. The sign features a map with a link to the website, which helps visitors locate a specific brick. Visitors can also locate bricks ahead of time by visiting www.staffordcountyva.gov/brickmap.

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11 students honored in National Merit Scholarship Program

A

n official groundbreaking ceremony was held in November for Stafford County’s sixth high school, to be built on Truslow Road.

The new school, set to open in August 2026, is the county’s first new high school since 2008.

High School 6 is planned to house up to 2,150 students in grades 9-12. The nearly 300,000-square-foot facility will include a theater that will allow Stafford schools to host drama and musical competitions.

“We are not only addressing growth through construction of High School 6, we are also addressing the need for modern facilities capable of providing amenities that align with our students’ educational interests,” said Superintendent Thomas W. Taylor.

A $139 million contract was awarded to Howard Shockey & Sons Inc. for construction of the school. Grimm and Parker, lead architects for the project, have partnered with the school division on multiple projects, including the county’s other high schools. MBP Construction will provide construction administration and project management.

leven Stafford County Public School students have been named Commended Students in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program.

In addition to division-wide recognition at the Oct. 10 School Board meeting, the students received a Letter of Commendation from the school and additional recognition from the National Merit Scholarship program.

The Commended Students are: • Brooke Point High School: Samuel Chapman • Colonial Forge High School: Aditya Biswas, Kelly Grady, Abena Opoku, Sebastian Rao and Charlotte Vorder Bruegge • Mountain View High School: Delainey Hinson and Aaron Viens • Stafford High School: Darby Redman, Tiernan Saleigh and Cassandra Urann About 34,000 Commended Students were recognized throughout the nation as placing among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2024 competition by taking the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

In addition to the Commended Students, Stafford High School seniors Evan Hall and Mailynn Nguyen were named as semifinalists in this year’s National Merit Scholarship Program.

Hot Chicken coming to Embrey Mill

C

rimson Coward Nashville Hot Chicken is preparing to open its second Virginia location by the end of the year at Embrey Mill Town Center.

The chain opened its first Virginia restaurant in Woodbridge earlier this year. The fast-casual franchise offers chicken, tenders and wings with a blend of spices and sides.

The Stafford location will be owned by Nabil Asad, a partner in Restaurant Management GroupMid Atlantic, which is leading the brand’s expansion on the East Coast.

“We’ve really been embraced by the community in Woodbridge and are excited to introduce more people to our made-to-order, mouth-watering menu,” Asad said.

Aquia Harbour Host Lions support Household Hazardous Waste day

T

he Aquia Harbour Host Lions supported Household Hazardous Waste day this fall by collecting over 3,900 pounds of electronics, cell phones, laptops and ink cartridges to be recycled.

Students from Brooke Point High School were on hand to work with the Lions, disabling items while identifying multiple desktop computers and monitors that they will be able to wipe and refurbish to provide to area residents who cannot afford a home computer.

Mike Shepherd of the Aquia Harbour Host Lions took over managing the electrical and electronic waste recycling at both the landfill and the Belman Road recycling center in June. Items can still be dropped off at both locations during normal landfill and recycling center hours.

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VOICES

I’m dreaming of…

Christmas music THE GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY

BY DAVID S. KE RR

S

everal radio stations start playing Christmas music non-stop immediately after Thanksgiving. Sirius XM (the satellite radio guys) have a channel that started a week before that. And they all run right up until Christmas.

At which point – I guess it’s a Federal Communications Commission rule or something – all Christmas music stops for the next 11 months or so.

However, someone always likes to buck the system. One Winchester station occasionally does Christmas in July. Why? I have no idea, but I always try to tune in. That’s because, no matter the time of year, I enjoy Christmas music. It’s cheerful, it’s moving, it’s festive and, for many of us, it has a deep and abiding meaning.

So, like anyone hooked on Christmas music, at this time of year I try to get in as much of it as I can, while I can.

My favorites are what most people would consider the traditional carols. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” a carol

My recollection of listening to Christmas carols in Trafalgar Square in London goes back about 45 years. This is a more modern picture. Carols in the Square is a longtime tradition in London. As many as 40 groups serenade the public in the evenings before Christmas. mentioned in Charles Dickens’ famous novelette, “A Christmas Carol,” is my No. 1 pick. I can listen to it over and over. If I close my eyes, I am at Trafalgar Square a very long time ago on a snowy Christmas Eve listening to carolers offer their rendition of this famous song.

“Silent Night” is another of my favorites. It was written in 1818 with the German title “Stille Nacht.” On Christmas Eve 1914, during the early months of World War I, Allied soldiers heard the song from the other side of “no man’s land,” being sung in German. It didn’t take long before they realized it also was one of their favorite Christmas carols as well.

The simple beauty of this

30 S TA F F O R D M AG A Z I N E • D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /J A N U A RY 2 0 24

song pierced the night and led to what has become known as the “Christmas Truce of 1914.”

That short cessation in the fighting began with a Christmas carol.

I also tend to like the songs that give us a view of the lighter side of Christmas. “Jingle Bells,” which I think I first sang with the rest of Mrs. Billick’s class in the second grade at Belvedere Elementary School, is one song I know all the words to.

And yes, I can almost, but not quite, do the same for “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Rudolph might have started out as an advertising gimmick for Montgomery Ward, but his story – along with the TV special that has aired

every Christmas since 1964 – has made this song an icon of an American Christmas.

However, there are some Christmas songs that even I would prefer to go away, never to be sung or played anywhere again. It’s not a long list. For instance, there is “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.”

Although it was cute when first released, I would be pleased if I never heard it again. I would probably put Alvin and the Chipmunks’ Christmas Carols on that list, too. But, alas, both songs seem to make the radio playlists every year.

Perhaps one of the most famous Christmas songs was written by Irving Berlin – “White Christmas.” The song was first sung by Bing Crosby in 1942 during World War II and is one of the best-selling songs in history. It also has an uncanny ability, even for people who grew up in places where it never snows, to bring back memories and a longing for home.

On my dad’s ship in World War II, the captain, at Christmastime, if conditions allowed, was fond of playing holiday music over the ship’s public address system. It was a nice touch. However, he had to issue a special order: He forbade playing “White Christmas” because it was making some of the most seasoned sailors cry.

That, in a way, probably sums up why I find the songs of the season, both religious and secular, so compelling. They tell a story, warm the heart and sometimes, in a few stanzas, bring back some wonderful memories.

David Kerr is a Stafford resident and an adjunct professor of political science at VCU. He worked on Capitol Hill and for various federal agencies for many years.

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