Does anyone celebrate his or her birthday on the third Monday of a month? "Of course not," huffed Rep. Frank Wolf. "So why do we diminish the memory of the greatest American by turning his birthday into nothing more than a three-day weekend," Wolf asked a Congressional subcommittee today. There's a move afoot in Congress to observe the Feb. 22 birthday of George Washington, the Father of Our Country and First President of the United States, on Feb. 22 instead of on the third Monday in February. Wolf and Rep. Gerry Connolly, who represent areas of Prince William County and Manassas, and Rep. Jim Moran,, who represents the area that includes Mount Vernon, George Washington's home, are co-sponsors of the bill.

On Saturday, March 17, a Gainesville Middle School 5K Race and 1 mile Fun Run will raise funds to help start a Special Olympics group in western Prince William County VA. Steven Bailey, a mentor to the director for administration at the National Military Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan. will be with his family in spirit during the school 's 5K Race and 1 mile Fun Run. “It’s a great opportunity to show support to both the Special Olympics and GVMS,” he said. “Given the time difference, pending weather and any security issues, I hope to run [in Afghanistan] the same day [as the event in Gainesville].”

Teen musicians may think of a band as art--creating a unique sound. Playing in a band can be good training for a future life in the business world. A drummer-band manager reveals the business lessons he learned while booking and playing gigs from the time he was 15.

Lake Ridge VA resident Elizabeth Peet McIntosh, 97, a former OSS and CIA intelligence agent, is among those to be honored as Virginia Women in History in 2012.

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is accepting applications through March 31,2012 for AmeriCorpsvolunteers who will be trained to increase public awareness of Virginia's natural, historical and cultural resources at 27 of the state's 35 parks during the upcoming spring and summer.

Forrest Odend'hal completed his one-year term as president of the Prince William Association of Realtors in January. Now he is serving as immediate past president and a member of the Virginia Association of Realtors--and he is still advocating for property rights.

Virginia's senior Congressman, Frank Wolf, will kick off his 2012 reelection campaign at a birthday party Jan. 26 at Dulles Airport..

A great deal happened in 2011. The Observer newspapers picked the top 10. The top story had to be the 150th commemoration of the start of the Civil War. The top four will appear here from Jan. 3 to Jan. 6, 2012. All 10 appear in the print edition of the Observer.