Mary Riley Styles Public Library Announces 125th Anniversary Open House
Mary Riley Styles Public Library (MRSPL, 120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church) announced that they will hold an Open House on Saturday, January 13, from 11:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m., to kick off a year long celebration of its 125-year anniversary.
“We’re honored to share this anniversary with our library patrons,” said MRSPL Acting Director Marshall Webster. “The library has a long, rich history and continues to be the heart of the City of Falls Church. We’re looking forward to seeing community members at our open house and we’ll continue a year of celebration at the library with special programming.”
Registration is requested for the 1:00 p.m. Kick-Off Ceremony, which includes a reading of the 125th Anniversary Proclamation, an unveiling of a new portrait of the library’s namesake, Mary Riley Styles, and remarks from the Acting Library Director, members of the Library Board, and a representative from the MRSPL Foundation.
Registration is not needed for the 11:00 a.m. Birthday Party Story Time for children 2 to 11 years old, which is in honor of Mary Riley Styles, who was born in January 1869. The Open House includes light refreshments like candies that were popular in 1899.
ttendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the library’s history, view books from the library’s original collection, and visit the Falls Church History Room.
Parking is free in the Kaiser Permanente Garage (201 N. Washington St., Falls Church), which is a short, two-block walk to the library. Limited street parking is also available.
English and Citizenship Classes: Registration Deadline January 11
Today (Thursday, January 11), is the last chance for in-person registration for English and citizenship classes at St. Mark Catholic Church’s school (9972 Vale Rd., Vienna, VA). New students must come to St. Mark’s on January 11 between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to take a 60-minute placement test.
The classes take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, January 16 through May 2. English classes are 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and registration is $25, plus $15 or $20 for the book, depending on level. Conversation, Writing and Citizenship classes are 7:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., and registration is $10 plus the cost of the book.
Little City Concerts Announces Second Concert January 20
On Saturday, January 20, Little City Concerts will present soprano Celine Mogielnicki and pianist Tatiana Loisha performing “SPEAK,” a program for voice and piano inspired by voices connected to the LGBTQ+ community. The program will include the premiere of Stephen Gorbos’s “Whitman Fragments,” along with works by Marlene Dietrich/Friedrich Hollander, Aaron Copland, Julius Eastman, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. 50 percent of all ticket sales will be donated to SMYAL, a nonprofit that supports and empowers LGBTQ+ youth in the D.C. region. The performance will be at 7:30 p.m. at The Falls Church Episcopal (166 E. Broad St., Falls Church). General admission is $20, or free for students and youth. For more or to buy tickets, visit littlecityconcerts.org.
Goodwin Living Launches Employee Student Loan Repayment Program
Goodwin Living, a local, faith-based, not-for-profit senior living and healthcare services organization, has launched a new Student Loan Repayment Program, offering clinical team members up to $5,250 in loan repayment annually with no lifetime cap. The program aims to increase retention in the field of senior living, address the challenges of income and inflation as professionals pay back their loans, and promote senior care as a viable long-term career path.
As the population continues to age and the healthcare industry addresses staffing shortages across service lines, Goodwin Living recognized they needed to support not only their current team members, but the clinical talent pipeline for years to come. In addition, the program looks to address the senior healthcare staffing shortage. The baby boomer generation is rapidly aging and has significant needs in the healthcare space that the industry is not equipped to staff. Currently, there is about one nurse for every 18 older adults in the DMV area.
“My first thought process when finding out that Goodwin Living was helping with student loan repayment was excitement and gratitude,” said Olivia Muro, a Goodwin Living physical therapist. “It validated my decision to work here at Goodwin Living.” Olivia is one of the clinical team members at Goodwin Living who will apply for the student loan repayment program.
Chesapeake Bay Commission Welcomes Virginia Leadership
Delegate David Bulova, who represents part of Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax in the Virginia House of Delegates (District 11) and is Chair of the House General Laws Committee, has been elected to chair the tri-state Chesapeake Bay Commission for 2024.
As Chairman, Bulova will oversee the policy making efforts of the 21-member Commission, whose members are Senators and House members from Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, along with heads of the natural resources agencies, and a prominent citizen member, from each member state.
Bulova takes over leadership from Pennsylvania Senator Scott Martin, who represents District 13 consisting of Lancaster and Berks Counties and is Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
As he took over the gavel, Bulova announced his intent to have the Commission sharpen its focus on strengthening the Bay Partnership and paving the path forward for beyond 2025. He stressed the need for Commissioners to serve as champions for the Chesapeake Bay in their respective chambers.
“The Commission plays a unique role by fostering relationships among our three states. Our relationships are crucial as we come together to shape the future of Bay restoration. None of us can do this alone. I am honored to work with my fellow Commissioners who are all dedicated to ensuring future generations can enjoy the national treasure that is the Chesapeake Bay,” stated Bulova.
Added Senator Martin, “The past year has included a great deal of work to protect the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, and I am proud of all we have achieved by working together in a bipartisan manner for the goal of clean water in our communities. I look forward to the Commission maintaining that spirit of cooperation with Delegate Bulova as Chair in 2024.”
NVLAA Announces Seven Free Workshops for Artists and Arts Organizations
The alliance known as the Northern Virginia Local Arts Agencies (NVLAA) announced seven free workshops for artists and arts organizations throughout the region. The 2024 professional development offerings will cover topics such as gallery and agent representation, cultural intelligence, arts marketing insights, creating content in a digital world, and more.
Created to make professional development learning more accessible and equitable in Northern Virginia, NVLAA is comprised of staff from Alexandria Office of the Arts, Arlington Cultural Affairs, and ArtsFairfax. The goals of the collective are to share resources and offer local artists and arts organizations a series of free workshops and opportunities for networking.
The NVLAA 2024 Workshops are “Inside Representation: Paths to Working with Dealers and Agents” on January 18, “Cultural Intelligence for Arts Organizations & Artists” on February 8, “Nailing the Application: A Guide to Artist Open Calls” on February 22, “Promotional Partnerships: Creative Ways to Attract New Audiences” on March 7, “Marketing Tools of the Trade” on March 21, “Creating Content in a Digital World” on April 4, and “Community Engagement” on May 2.
All workshops are available for free and require advance registration. To register or learn more, visit eventbrite.com/cc/northern-virginia-local-arts-2024-workshops-2824779.
