As your local, weekly newspaper, the Connection’s mission is to deliver the local news you need, to try to make sense of what is happening in your community, to gather information about the best things in and around your community, to advocate for community good, to provide a forum for dialogue on local concerns, and to celebrate and record achievements, milestones and events in the community and people’s lives.

Here in our Newcomers and Community Guide, we’ve included an updated version of our award-winning Insider’s Guide to the Parks, plus details of how to vote in the upcoming elections, information on local government, nonprofits and business organizations, plus tips and tidbits from the community.

We invite newcomers and long-time residents alike to let us know how we're doing and let us know what is going on in your part of the community. If you have questions or ideas, send us an email or call us, contact us on Facebook or send us a tweet. We invite you to send letters to the editor or to send an email with feedback about our coverage.

We want to know if someone in your family or your community published a book, started a business, became an Eagle Scout, raised money for a good cause, accomplished some feat like running a marathon, supporting a cause or having art included in an art show. We publish photos and notes about personal milestones and community events, including births, engagements, weddings, anniversaries, awards and obituaries.

We are also interested in events at your church, mosque, synagogue, community center, pool, school, club, etc. Email us a note about the event, being sure to include when and where the photo was taken and the names of all the people who are in a photo.

We also publish notes about news and events from local businesses. Notes about openings, new employees and anniversaries are welcome. It is especially important to us to let people know about events ahead of time in our calendar of events. We appreciate getting notice at least two weeks ahead of the event, and we encourage photos.

Your community Connection newspaper is one of 15 papers published by the independent, locally owned Local Media Connection LLC, serving the suburbs of Metropolitan Washington in Northern Virginia and Potomac, Md.

Our flagship paper, the Alexandria Gazette Packet, is one of the oldest continuously publishing papers in the country, beginning publication in 1784.

CONTACT

Editors@connectionnewspapers.com

Alexandria Gazette Packet and the Mount Vernon Gazette: gazette@connectionnewspapers.com

Arlington Connection: arlington@connectionnewspapers.com

Burke Connection: burke@connectionnewspapers.com

Centre View: centreview@connectionnewspapers.com

Fairfax Connection: fairfax@connectionnewspapers.com

Fairfax Station/Clifton/Lorton Connection: fairfaxstation@connectionnewspapers.com

Great Falls Connection: greatfalls@connectionnewspapers.com

McLean Connection: mclean@connectionnewspapers.com

Herndon Connection: herndon@connectionnewspapers.com

Potomac Almanac: almanac@connectionnewspapers.com

Reston Connection: reston@connectionnewspapers.com

Springfield Connection: springfield@connectionnewspapers.com

Vienna-Oakton Connection: vienna@connectionnewspapers.com

For advertising and marketing information, see www.connectionnewspapers.com/advertising email sales@connectionnewspapers.com or call 703-778-9431.

Friend Us On Facebook: www.facebook.com/ConnectionNewspapers

Follow Us on Twitter—

Connection Newspapers: www.twitter.com/FollowFairfax; @FollowFairfax

Alexandria Gazette Packet: www.twitter.com/AlexGazette; @AlexGazette

Arlington Connection: www.twitter.com/ArlConnection; @ArlConnection

Burke Connection: www.twitter.com/BurkeConnection @BurkeConnection

Centre View: www.twitter.com/CentreView; @CentreView

Chantilly Connection: www.twitter.com/ChantillyConnec; @ChantillyConnec

Fairfax Connection www.twitter.com/FFXConnection @FFXConnection

Fairfax Station-Clifton-Lorton Connection: www.twitter.com/LFSCConnection; @LFSCConnection

Great Falls Connection: www.twitter.com/GFConnection; @GFConnection

McLean Connection: www.twitter.com/McLeanConnect; @McLeanConnect

Mount Vernon Gazette: www.twitter.com/MtVernonGazette; @MtVernonGazette

Oak Hill/Herndon: www.twitter.com/HerndonConnect; @HerndonConnect

Potomac Almanac: www.twitter.com/PotomacAlmanac; @PotomacAlmanac

Reston Connection: www.twitter.com/RestonConnect; @RestonConnect

Springfield Connection: www.twitter.com/SprConnect; @SprConnect

Vienna and Oakton Connection: www.twitter.com/ViennaConnect @ViennaConnect

Keep in Touch

• LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Email to editors@connectionnewspapers.com or submit online at www.connectionnewspapers.com/contact/letter/

• Digital replica editions of this week's papers are available at www.ConnectionNewspapers.com/PDFs

• Past issues of the Connection back to 2008 are available at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/

• Advertising information, Special Section details here www.connectionnewspapers.com/advertising

• Sign up for a free digital subscription at www.ConnectionNewspapers.com/subscribe

Call 703-778-9431

— Mary Kimm, mkimm@connectionnewspapers.com, www.twitter.com/marykimm @marykimm