Week In Review: Young Hockey Star Remembered After Sudden Death; MWAA Reverses Dulles Metro Decision

At 12 years old, Evan Soggin had already made a name for himself in the local hockey community as a fast ball of energy with a versatility that gave him big-league potential.

But he also boasted a list of other accomplishments that looked like it would someday run pages long: He was a hockey star, a budding equestrian, a thespian, a musician, a scholar of Tae Kwan Do, a recent graduate of Flint Hill Elementary School headed for middle school at Thoreau. A jokester who didn't do things quite the normal way but had an uncanny ability to make tears roll down friends' cheeks as their bellies ached with laughter.

Above all those things, friends and family say, it is Soggin's smile, loyalty, humor, compassion, spirituality beyond his years and "zest for life"

Soggin was riding his horse, Calvin, on Monday at his family's Oakton home when he was bucked and caught his foot in a stirrup, his father Steve said in an email. He was dragged before his horse kicked or stepped on him, and was flown to a local hospital. He underwent surgery for several hours, but died from severe internal bleeding, Steve said.

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Fairfax County Police

Police responded around 4:15 p.m. Friday to a home in the 8600 block of Tebbs Lane in McLean, where Mark Lawrence, 71, lived and worked as a psychiatrist. Officers found his body and the body of his patient, 62-year-old Barbara Newman of Vienna, at the home.

Both died of gunshot wounds, Police said Saturday. Police said they believe Newman shot Lawrence and then herself.

Patch will have more on this story as it develops.

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The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board reversed its course on its plans for an underground station at Dulles International Airport, voting 11-1 Wednesday toThe MWAA board voted in April for the underground station, which would be more convenient for travelers but would increase costs by about $300 million.

Mame Reiley, chair of MWAA's Dulles Corridor Committee, said on Wednesday she still believes the underground station was the right thing for Dulles.

"Although the difference in cost between the two choices has no direct impact on the cost of the tolls, our decision has become a political football," Reiley said in a statement to the MWAA board. "Elected officials running for re-election want the public to believe that the  underground station = higher tolls. ...  However, during this process I've learned an unfortunate lesson: don't ever let doing the right thing stand in the way of politics.

NEWS

Town of Vienna crews early Tuesday morning, causing traffic backups into Oakton during the morning rush hour commute. Eighteen to 25 businesses between James Madison Drive and Nutley Street went without water for more than six hours while repairs were being made.

Peter Labovitz, the president and CEO of Connection Newspapers,Labovitz admitted in federal court that he collected income and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes from the company's employees, but he did not pay the IRS in a timely manner for a three-month period in 2007. The total amount owed is more than $940,000, the Justice Department said in a news release. 

A truck pulled down wires on Nutley Street as it traveled toward Fairfax on Thursday morning,

The Fairfax County Park Authority Board has approved  obtain a permit to use county athletic fields. Last week, with two members — Anthony Vellucci (Braddock) and Kala Leggett Quintana (At-large) — absent from the meeting. Marie Reinsdorf (At-large) and Linwood Gorham (Mount Vernon) dissented.

Rep. Jim Moran's fundraising for his 2012 re-election bid continued to grow during the second quarter of this year,  Democrat Moran raised $62,960.14 from April 1 to June 30, according to FEC records. In all, Moran, currently in his 11th term, has raised $345,095.69 in the first two quarters of 2011 and has cash on hand of $522,764.70, some of which is carryover from last year. 

Speaking to about 100 Greenspring residents at his Town Hall meeting on Monday, Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-11) "There's no question that we have to make the system more efficient, but the choice does not have to be all or nothing," said Connolly. Connolly said Medicare loses $60 - $80 billion every year due to waste, abuse and fraud. "I know that we can ID efficiencies to put it on solid financial footing," he said. 

Campaign officials for Patrick Forrest, the Republican candidate for the 32nd District seat for state Senate, in a statement Tuesday. The Forrest campaign took issue with the Howell campaign's Freedom of Information Act request for his personal military ID number and all of his personal and military records. The Howell campaign said background research and tracking are standard practices in politics.

according to campaign finance reports.

Two new businesses opened their doors in Vienna this week and held grand opening celebrations on Saturday. Fresh Market, a Greensboro, N.C.-based supermarket chain,  Robeks, opened Monday next to Panera Bread and Magruders, and gave away free smoothies Saturday.

SCHOOLS

The Fairfax County Republican Committee endorsed three candidates for at-large seats on the Fairfax County School Board at its meeting Wednesday night. , Lin-Dai Kendall and  received the most votes from members of the committee, who previously heard pitches from six candidates at a meeting in June.

At-large contenders , Christina Gutherie and  did not receive endorsements, though Stuban — who, , launched a successful campaign this spring to  — said at a Tea Party forum July 11

The Fairfax County School Board has elected McLean resident and Dranesville school board representative Jane Strauss as chairman and Ilryong Moon (at-large) as vice chairman for the 2011-12 year. 

Patch started a series of q+as with candidates vying for an at-large seat on the Fairfax County School Board, asking each of them a series of questions on discipline policy reform - a topic fast becoming a key issue in this crowded race. The series will continue this coming week.

• Steve Stuban: 

Fairfax County Public Schools announced Friday its plan FCPS will pay for the textbook license up front and make up for the costs by reducing per-pupil textbook funding for middle and high school students by $10.93 for the next six years. The funding is projected to be replenished by 2017.

COMMUNITY/ARTS

After the old train station along the W+OD Trail in Vienna was closed because of damage from heavy winter storms, the Northern Virginia Model Railroaders reopened the space to the public, boasting a display even grander than before. Watch a video of the newly renovated stations and learn about the history of the group here. 

Mark O’Meara, owner of the six-screen Cinema Arts Theatres at Fair City Mall and the four-screen University Mall Theatres sometimes saunters through a Saturday night crowd refilling patrons’ popcorn container—for free.  “It’s all about making sure people have a good time,” he says.  that to see in the past usually meant a trip into Washington, D.C. 

Whether it was providing harmonies for Steely Dan, fronting the Doobie Brothers in the 70s with hits such as “What a Fool Believes” and “Taking it to the Streets,” or the ensuing decades as a successful solo artist, Michael McDonald has been a fixture of the American music scene for more than 35 years.Boz Scaggs has been a musical icon for just as long, both as a member of the Steve Miller Band and with his solo classics, “Silk Degrees” and “Middle Man.” On Wednesday, the two legendary performers teamed up at  i

This summer, the Town of Vienna is looking for “Vienna’s No. 1 Recreating Family." How can you earn the title? Through pictures and imagination. The Parks and Recreation department is asking local families to go out with their cameras and  To enter the hunt, families must submit photos in seven categories: play in a safe place, explore nature, celebrate the arts, Vienna hidden gem, play a sport, follow a trail, and making lasting memories.

The Heat Index made temperatures feel as high as 115 degrees this week, officials said. We offered suggestions on . The  because of the weather.

The Vienna Remission Riders held  to raise funds for this year's ride, which takes place in September.

There are hundreds of nonprofit organizations in Vienna who provide services, recreation and crucial assistance each day. Patch will take a look at those organizations in the coming weeks and months. This week: .

 on Thursday night. 

Meet our new blogger Ron Baumgarten,

SPORTS

Vienna Post 180 kicked off their first game in American Legion Baseball's 17th District tournament Monday  In the Wednesday faceoff between American Legion District 17's top two teams, the No. 1-seeded Springfield Post 176 emerged victorious,

The 14-U Vienna All-Stars have earned a berth into the Babe Ruth League Southeast Regional Tournament, where they will compete to move on to the World Series. After placing second at the state tournament Monday, the Vienna team