MANASSAS, Va. — Summer is almost here. Before temperatures soar, the Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative encourages consumers to prepare now to beat the heat and control cooling costs.

Bob Cornwell, NOVEC energy services representative, says, “Our long winter brought record-cold temperatures. It even snowed on March 30! Along with polar vortexes came high heating bills for consumers. We’re hoping summer temperatures won’t be as extreme or costly, so that’s why we’re encouraging Co-op customer-owners to prepare now.”

NOVEC’s beat-the-heat checklist

§     Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) or light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. Incandescent bulbs create 90 percent heat and just 10 percent light.

§     Install window treatments that block the sun’s heat effectively. White or lightly colored blinds and shades, and curtains with white liners reflect sunlight better than darker treatments. Layer treatments, such as lined curtains over blinds, for better blockage. Window   awnings work even better by blocking heat before it reaches windows.

§     Apply sun-control glazing or other reflective films on southern- and western-facing windows.

§     Close a fireplace flue damper tightly, along with glass doors, to prevent air-conditioned air from escaping up the chimney.

§     Stop air leaks by: caulking around windows and doors; applying weather-stripping on exterior doors; and spraying insulation foam in openings and cracks.

§ Make sure an attic and crawl space have sufficient insulation. Call in an insulation specialist to add insulation inside exterior walls. Learn how to seal a home properly at www.energystar.gov.

§ Cook on an outdoor grill. Cooking indoors with a conventional stove or oven can raise kitchen temperatures as much as 10 degrees. Or use a microwave or convection oven instead of a conventional oven.

§ Move a spare refrigerator out of the garage to an insulated basement or spare room where the unit won’t have to work as hard to keep food cold.

Air Conditioners and Fans

§ Install a programmable thermostat and set it at 76-78 degrees F.  Setting it cooler when arriving home on a hot day won’t cool a home faster, but it will increase cooling expenses unnecessarily.

§ Clean or change the air-conditioner filter once a month: follow manufacturers’ instructions. Write the installation date on the replacement filter. Dirty filters reduce airflow and cause air conditioners to work harder and use more energy.

§ Keep tall grass and landscaping at least two feet away from outdoor air-conditioner units.

§ Have a qualified air-conditioner professional inspect the unit annually to make sure it runs efficiently.

§ For a window air conditioner, seal the opening around the unit tightly. Clean or replace the filter regularly.

§ When using an air conditioner, close storm windows and lock regular windows to seal in cool air.

§ Adjust ceiling fans to run counterclockwise. Ceiling and portable fans can make people feel 3 to 4 degrees cooler, but running them in unoccupied rooms wastes energy dollars.

§ Check and clean kitchen and bathroom vent fans. Run them just long enough to vent humidity – not cooled air.

§ Make sure furniture or drapes do not block supply and return air registers. Vacuum dust from registers.

Manassas City Utilities received the Century Award from the American Public Power Association (APPA) for its 100-year anniversary. Established in 1987, the APPA Century Award is given each year to public power utilities that have served their customers and community for 100 years.  For details, go to manassascity.org or call 703-257-8276.

To commemorate the milestone, Manassas City Utilities hosted a 100-year anniversary event in October, 2013 that was attended by more than 600 people. At the event, they ceremoniously buried a time capsule containing memorable utility items from the past century and also raised more than $3,000 to donate to the American Cancer Society.

“We’re honored to receive this prestigious honor,” said Mike Moon, Manassas City director of public works and utilities. “Since 1913, Manassas City has provided dependable electricity to the Manassas community and we look forward to serving them another 100 years,” said Moon.

Today, 47 million Americans receive electricity from more than 2,000 not-for-profit community-owned electric utilities. As of 2010, one out of every three public power systems has celebrated a centennial.

MANASSAS, Va. – On May 25, 2014 at 8 a.m., 60 Virginia and DC World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG) members will team up with Birmingham Green to help lay out the landscape around its centers, paint the interiors of the centers, and spend time with the senior residents.

Birmingham Green is comprised of residential and health care facilities that provide assisted living and senior care services to those with limited resources. The Church of God members from DC and Virginia have been serving Birmingham Green throughout the week and are even more enthusiastic to volunteer this Sunday. During this courtyard-landscaping project, volunteers will plant flowers, lay down mulch, sow plants and install garden boxes for the center’s seven courtyards. Simultaneously, another group of volunteers will help paint the interior of the facilities while another group dedicates quality time to the senior residents. Once this project series is complete, the members plan to do a mass cleanup of the facilities.

QUANTICO, Va. — The Town of Quantico is proud to announce it will be hosting the Quantico Tactical Memorial Day Weekend Fireworks Show on Saturday May 24 at 9 p.m.

Since incorporating in 1927 the Town of Quantico has enjoyed a special relationship with the United States Marine Corps and members of the United States Armed Forces.  Being the only town in the country completely surrounded by a military base, the Town of Quantico has had the privilege of serving those who serve and protect this great nation.

This event is being held in honor of the men and women who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

The fireworks show will be preceded by a live music concert starting at 7pm located at the town’s recently renovated Raftelis Potomac River Park at 408 River Road Quantico Virginia 22134.

For the second year in a row, the fireworks are being sponsored by Quantico Tactical.  “We are pleased to present this year’s fireworks display,” said David Hensley, founder and CEO of the company. “This community has a special place in our history and hearts, and we are proud to join our Quantico customers and friends in honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to our nation.”

DALE CITY, Va. — Chase “Spencer” Langston decided a year ago that he wanted to help in a big way for his church, and boy did he!

Spencer (15), an Eagle Scout with Troop 857, found out that Holy Family Catholic Church in Dale City wanted a new way to teach the Rosary in its religious education program. The young Scout did some research and discovered another local church had performed what was called a “Living Rosary”, where schoolchildren lined up in the order of the beads of a Rosary and recited the prayers for each bead. To Spencer, this sounded like a perfect Eagle Scout project.

A traditional Rosary consists of a Crucifix, fifty-nine beads, and a “shield” (typically displaying an image of Mary). Each bead has its own prayer including the Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary, Glory Be to The Father, and twenty prayers pondering the Mystery of the Faith. Catholics use this material object as an aid for saying these prayers in order.

Normally this string of beads is small enough to fit in a pocket.

Spencer took this idea and went big to help the schoolchildren understand the enormity of God’s love. His final project was an enormous 130 foot long version of the religious device.

The Crucifix was over three feet tall. Each of the beads were hewn from 4×4 and 6×6 timbers all strung onto thick rope. Spencer’s symbolism didn’t end with the scale of the project.

Each section of the project was tied with intricate figure eight follow throughs. This knot is used to tie off a Scout while rappelling and thereby holds his life. The last component, the Shield, a slab of nearly two inch thick white oak, was laser engraved with an image of Mary.

In order to involve the entire church in this Eagle Project Spencer labeled each bead with the name of a family member from the church. Spencer set up a table outside the parish and spent the weekend taking names and special messages that the parishioners wanted put on the Rosary.

He was also invited to attend the Spanish prayer group which helped him to fill the 212 spots on the Rosary. All the while Spencer steadfastly refused to accept any donations. “This is my gift to the church, I can’t take anything for it,” he repeated to parishioners eager to donate.

Spencer’s Eagle Project was the capstone to a long and arduous climb from the lowest Cub Scout rank, Tiger Cub. His nine-year journey included adventures such as whitewater rafting, rappelling, archery, rifle shooting, multiple summer camps and countless camping trips to scenic forests.

Along the way Spencer earned over 35 merit badges, was inducted in the Order of the Arrow and learned valuable skills including CPR which came into use on August 26th 2010, when he rescued an elderly man suffering a seizure by clearing his airway and leading first responders to his position.

The project will be dedicated to Holy Family’s Education Department at the Children’s Mass at 9:00am on June 13. Spencer will receive his Eagle Scout badge at a formal ceremony at 8:15pm.

On May 17, Women’s Council of REALTORS NOVA Metro Chapter receives Silver Award at National Conference in D.C. The local chapter meets for educational purposes at the Prince William Association of Realtors each month.

The National Silver Award is an excellence award for 2013, Zonia Garcia, Immediate Past President and members. The 2014 President, Rebecca Straley was previously with the Frederickburg Chapter who also received National Awards for excellence.

The Award was received by Peggy Burke, and also in attendance from the local chapter was Phyllis Robinson Shrader and Elizabeth Grant and Rebecca Straley.

The next meeting will be held June 19th at PWAR on Thursday at 9:30 with free breakfast. We are a network of successful REALTORS®, advancing women as professionals and leaders in business, the industry and the communities we serve.

The Women’s Council has over 10,000 members nationwide, and this is the 5th year for our local Chapter Active in Prince William.

WOODBRIGDE, Va.  – The Salvation Army Prince William Corps recently moved to a new location.

The Salvation Army Prince William is now located at 1483 Old Bridge Road, Suite 102, Woodbridge, VA. The previous space on Ridgewood Center Drive became too small. It will also help The Salvation Army meet the growing demand for services needed by struggling families living in the county.

Located only minutes from Interstate 95 at VA-123/Gordon Blvd, the new setting also paves the way for the expansion of character building and music programs for youth, and additional chapel space for Sunday worship services and church activities.

Families seeking emergency social services assistance to prevent eviction, utility termination, and hunger should continue to use the same telephone number: 703-580-8991. Clients should call first to make an appointment with the intake coordinator.

The moved was completed during the first week of this month (May 2014). Captains George and Robin Hackbarth continue to serve as the Corps Officers in charge at The Salvation Army Prince William Corps.

Each year, millions of empty toner and inkjet cartridges used in laser printers are thrown in the trash, destined for landfills and incinerators. Rather than simply throwing away your empty cartridges, donate them to the Lake Jackson/Mid-County Lions Club.

We will recycle them in accordance with EPA regulations and 100% of the proceeds will go to fund local Sight & Hearing Programs.
Do you have old prescription eyeglasses lying around the house? Why not donate them to the Lions Club.

We have collection boxes located at 50 locations in Prince William County. Eyeglasses that are collected from donation boxes are cleaned and sanitized.

The prescription is then read using a lensometer machine. After the glasses are read, they are bagged and sent to the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center of Northern Virginia (LERCNOVA) for distribution to needy individuals around the world.

Since its inception in 1998, the LERCNOVA has sent nearly 1.1 million pairs of eyeglasses to vision impaired people from Belize to Zimbabwe. Please help us in our mission to improve the lives of children and adults around the world by dropping off your old eyewear at a Lions-sponsored collection box near you.

For a complete list of collection box locations, visit our website at www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/lakejacksonva.
We are also recycling empty prescription medicine bottles for use in Haiti. Simply rinse out the bottle and remove the label.

To donate any of these items, visit us at the Lake Jackson/Mid-County Lions Park located at the intersection of Dumfries and Hoadly Roads on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month, April through October. For more information about our recycling program, contact Lion Judy at 703-791-4545.

MANASSAS, Va. — Employment Enterprises, Inc. (EE,Inc.) announces the appointment of Pauline Tomko to the role of Vice President of Business Development.

Lovey Hammel, President of EE, Inc., is excited to welcome Tomko to the company. “Pauline brings 15 years of Sales Management experience and 17+ years in the Staffing industry, which will help us achieve our growth and customer service goals.”

Tomko has worked in many start-up companies and was consistently successful in transforming them into top performing, high morale, and high retention organizations.  She has also worked in some the largest staffing organizations in the world and has been named top producer consistently throughout her career.

As the Vice President of Business Development for Employment Enterprises, Inc., Tomko will serve as a leader in developing new business and strategic partnerships for both wholly owned subsidiaries, Temporary Solutions, Inc. and Checks and Balances, Inc. She will help foster, promote and facilitate the cross-selling of company-wide services and capabilities. Additionally, she will contribute to the strategic planning and execution of all sales and public relations activities while identifying, designing and implementing market-driven strategies to achieve revenue goals and the company’s mission.

BRISTOW, Va. -– The Benedictine Sisters of Virginia broke ground today on the Place of Peace Columbarium that will be located on the grounds of the Benedictine Sisters.

A columbarium is a structure that holds urns containing cremated remains.

The first phase of the Place of Peace Columbarium will hold a total of eighty niches. Phase two and three will provide another two hundred sixteen niches.

Near the Shrine of Saint Benedict and not far from the peace silos and labyrinth, the site will be a beautiful and peaceful place for the cremated remains of loved ones. The surrounding gardens will give family members a place to visit and the columbarium will serve as a reminder of the mysteries of life, death and resurrection and be a quiet place for meditation.

Dignitaries who attended were Senator Charles Colgan, D-29th District; Senator George Barker, D-39th District; Supervisor W.S. Wally Covington III, Brentsville District; and Ryan Gallaway, Legislative Aide for Delgate Richardson L. Anderson, R-51st District.

Sister Cecilia Dwyer, OSB, Prioress of the Benedictine Sisters opened the Ceremony with prayer to bless the ground the Columbarium will be built upon. The Benedictine Sisters came to Virginia on May 1, 1868 and were also celebrating their foundation day of 146 years.

For more information on the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia and their ministries, contact Maureen O’Donnell, Development Coordinator at 571-428-2503 or [email protected].