Scarton: It's my town

Manassas, Va. - Getting an inside look...

Taking a break from his duties in the Virginia General Assembly, Del. Richard Anderson, R-51st District, is spending time reacquainting himself with local issues not so visible from the geographic confines of Richmond.

While visiting the Virginia Cooperative Extension-Prince William at the Sudley North Government Center recently, Anderson and his wife, Ruth, ran into several unexpected visitors.

After introductions by Terry McCarty, public relations chairman of 4-H Advisory Council, horticulture agent Paige Thacker presented her overview of the overall extension program, its nutrition education initia-tive, its financial initiative and its agriculture and natural resource programs, Anderson and his wife were introduced to some surprise visitors -- two new 4-H chicks that were actually hatched right there in the conference room.

The chicks were all a part of the countrywide embryology project with elementary school-aged chil-dren.

Linda King, 4-H extension agent, explained the hatching chicks were part of the countrywide embryology project where more than 150 children are learning by doing -- actually hatching baby chicks in their indi-vidual 4-H clubs.

Shortly after becoming acquainted with the newborn chicks, the Andersons were introduced to 10-year-old Fox Wilson, a member the 4-H VEX Robotics Club in Gainesville.

Wilson is the main computer programmer who makes the robots dynamically respond to changing envi-ronments and appear to think.

Blake Ross, the Robotics 4-H Club leader, explained how Lockheed Martin company in Manassas provides support for the students as they build robots and enter their 4-H projects into local and national competi-tions, learning technology, leadership and team building skills that will carry them into their adult years.

"Today we use the robots like we used to use the campfire. It's the physical entity they circle around and concentrate on, but it is the camaraderie, team building and sharing of life's experiences that are the real learning processes we are promoting," said Ross.

The robot had hardly finished running through its autonomous demonstration on the conference table when the announcement came--there were two new visitors awaiting the Andersons in the courtyard just outside the 4-H headquarters building.

Upon exiting the office and entering the courtyard, the Andersons were introduced to 'Elk's Spinner" and "Hollycroft Farm's Prince Charles, two young alpacas living at the Dou-ble-O-Good Alpaca Farm where members of the Alpacas-R-Us 4-H club learn how to raise, groom and show their prized alpaca animals.

Fred Obenchain and B. J. Ellis introduced Marjorie Elizabeth Karnicki and Rebecca Yuette Karnicki, two 4-H members who led the alpacas around on halters, demonstrating showmanship and graceful move-ment.

Obenchain, an Alpacas-R-Us 4-H club co-leader, explained alpacas sere recently classified by the federal government as livestock, joining the ranks of horses, chickens, goats, and rabbits as prime contributors to the agricultural training provided through 4-H programs to the Northern Virginia school-aged children in their largely urban communities.

The visit culminated with a greeting from Prince William Board of County Supervisor John T. Stirrup, R-Gainesville staff members Scott Chambers and Gail Mockaitis who joined the "Alpaca Garden Party."

As a cost-saving measure, the General Assembly had studied the possibility of closing Extension offices around the state. Anderson wanted to get a closer look on the workings of the office, thus the reason for the visit.

Prince William Little Theatre has announced its 2010-2011 season which will take place in a new venue.

The 26-year-old award-winning group will be performing at the new Hylton Performing Arts center at the George Mason University' Prince William Campus in the 300-seat Gregory Family Theater.

The troupe will open its season with Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," directed by Don Peterson. It will run two weekends, opening Oct. 15.

Next the group will feature the local area debut of the "The Wedding Singer," a musical based on the 1998 film of the same name. It opens Feb. 11 for two weekends and will be directed by Melissa Jo York-Tilley.

Closing out the season will be the dark comic classic "The Woman" by Clare Booth Luce and directed by Scott Olson. It opens June 3 for two weekends.

... more information is available at 703-330-7796.