This post sponsored by: Steve’s Auto Repair

As a consumer you do not always have the ability to know what your car will need other than the visual items that you can see but here are some things to keep in mind prior to going to the state inspection station.

Look at your tires to check the tread depth, turn your wheels to the side and look for inside and outside tire wear, run your hands over the surface of the tire and see if they are wearing evenly. If there is more wear on either the inside or outside, chances are that your car is out of alignment, if the tires treads are the wear bars in three locations, your tires will most likely fail state inspection. Use a Penny to gauge the tread depth, if you can see Lincoln’s Head, they are too low on tread and will most likely fail.

Check all of your lights, have a family member operate all of the lights to confirm if any bulbs are not working. Look at the tag lights (these lights illuminate the license plate) this is often overlooked by the car owner, they must be in working condition and are very inexpensive replacements. Check the reverse lights, marker lights (the orange ones located on the sides of the vehicle) brakes lights, including the third brake light. Also condensation in the headlight assemblies that affect the light pattern can cause you to fail as well. Making sure all bulbs are in good working order can save you from a rejection sticker at the inspection station.

Make sure the mirrors are not cracked or missing, the horn works and works correctly (not muffled) and if you hear a loud exhaust noise from under the car that is not normally there you may want to get that looked at before you go for inspection.

Another overlooked item is the seat belts, check to see if they work properly and latch. Check that the drivers window works, the other ones do not have to but this one does.

Now for a confusing one: lights on the dash. These go back and forth depending on the State Police manual. As of February 2014, the ABS (antilock brake system) light CAN be on, The Airbag light has to come on for a bulb check then go OFF. The parking brake light has to work when the parking brake is applied and the high beam indicator has to work.

These are some of the items you can check in your driveway before taking you vehicle in for a Virginia State Inspection

Here are some state inspection items that are more easily checked at a shop:

Suspension system. At Steve’s Auto, we do a free inspection of these items every time you bring your car in for service with us. If you see any fluids in your driveway, take note of the color and get it checked out. If your rack and pinion is leaking (this is your steering component) you will fail inspection.

Ball Joints and other suspension items are also part of a state inspection. Even though as a consumer you cannot tell if they are bad, there are some tell tale signs to listen for. Clunking coming from the front end is a good indication that they may be getting worn out. Loose tie rod ends are also a wearable item and it does affect your alignment and tire wear as well.

Brakes are also one of the items the state inspector will be looking at. If you have noticed any squealing or grinding you may need brakes, have a pre-brake inspection done so there are no surprises when you go to get it inspected. It requires removing at least 2 of the wheels and getting a measurement of thickness on the pads and rotors to determine if it will pass. The state legal limit is 2/32nds, if it’s below the 2/32nds specification, it will fail.

This post sponsored by Powerhouse Gym Woodbridge

For those of you that struggle with maintaining a regular fitness routine, things always seem to come up and knock you down just as you were getting into a rhythm. Here are three simple ways to help you get that workout in.

1. Make it a date

Write your workout down in your day calendar. This simple act shows that fitness is a priority for you and you’ll adhere to it as you would a client meeting or doctor appointment. When scheduling other engagements, treat that block with the same amount of importance and you’ll always have a window open to exercise.

2. Forget the ‘all or none’ attitude

Even gym buffs committed to five-day weekly workouts have things that come up and either cut a workout short or prevent them from going at all for a day or two. The attitude with those who regularly workout, however, is to get it in when and where they can.

If you’re stuck at home on a snow day, pop on a quick workout video. If you’re running late in the morning, spend twenty-five minutes doing high-intensity intervals at the gym instead of your usual hour-long weight and cardio combination. This simple practice will help you to be more flexible and find creative ways to stay active and keep exercising.

3. Reevaluate your exercise routine

Sticking to a plan that’s challenging, doesn’t constitute instant gratification and is boring and difficult isn’t easy for most people. Sit back and take an objective look at your program to see if you need to make some tweaks. If walking on the treadmill bores you to tears, try a group exercise class or some interval cardio instead. The key is to push yourself just out of your comfort zone, not so far past it that it’s impossible to stick with.

Hey folks, we’re giving way two 4-packs of tickets to Cool Cow Comedy Presents Alex Koll at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton or the Courtyard by Marriot on Caroline Street in Fredericksburg. You can bring your friends for a night of laughs on Saturday, Feb. 8 or Sunday, Feb. 9.

All you have to do to win is comment below and tell us why you want to go. We’ll pick the best responses and award the tickets this afternoon.

Please comment by 5 p.m. today to win. We’ll email the winners and tell them how they can grab their free tickets. 

Here’s some biographical info on Koll:

Developing a taste for the absurd at an early age, Alex Koll’s comedy has grown organically to reflect a far-reaching creativity that has two sneakers planted firmly on the ground. His act dips and weaves between what’s right in front of us all and unexpected forays into the strange.

Alex has appeared on TBS’s Conan, Comedy Central’s “Live At Gotham,” and performed at the prestigious Montreal Just For Laughs Festival, garnering a “Best of New Faces” nod. He has also performed at the SXSW festival, ComedyFest Vancouver, The Bridgetown Comedy Festival, and SF SketchFest. Alex has created award-winning comedic videos for IFC.com and Revision3, and his sketch group Boomtime has been featured on PBS. His debut album titled “Wizard Hello” on Rooftop Comedy’s label is currently available on iTunes. Alex is also the two-time winner of the San Francisco Regional Air Guitar Championship; No kidding.

ADMISSION IS FREE – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND CHILDREN OF ALL AGES

SAVE THE DATE: Celebrate the importance of family and meet the regions premier summer camps, family activity programs and business that serve your family.

The Northern Virginia Mom & Dad of the Year: Summer Camp & Family Expo is taking place

March 8 (next to Potomac Mills Mall off I-95 in Woodbridge) 

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

We have plenty of prizes, games and excitement for children of all ages. At the same time speak with industry experts about new child safety laws, education options, anti-bullying, technology safety and ways to save money for today’s modern family.

Camp directors and other interested exhibitors, this is a great opportunity to engage with hundreds of families and reach thousands of families online. Download the 2014 Exhibitor/Sponsorship Form or contact our event organizers today at Philanthropic@PotomacLocal.com

Overnight Camps, Day Camps, Sports Camps, Science Camps, Day Cares , Arts Camps, Education Camps, Family Enrichment Organizations and other local family friendly business!

Become a Sponsor and meet your community while promoting your business! 

Several workshops for real estate professionals will be held this week where leads will be given and valuable information shared.

The sessions are called “Real Estate Building Blocks for Success 2014” and will be in Woodbridge, Gainesville, Manassas, and Fredericksburg.

Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014, 10 a.m.

Media Day is Every Day: The truth about social media and agents, presented by Markita Woods, the queen of mortgages, at 3350 Commission Court in Woodbridge.

Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014, 1 to 2 p.m.

Building your legacy, presented by B. Doyle Mitchell, Jr., president and chief executive office at Industrial Bank, and Patricia Mitchell, executive vice-president of retail and sales operation at Industrial Bank.

Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014, 5 to 7 p.m.

Real Estate Happy Hour: Pictures & Profits: How your Personal Brand and Home Photos Matter, presented by Kathy Strauss, co-founder of Imagewerks, at Bar Louie at the Promenade of Virginia Gateway.

Friday, Jan. 10, 10 – 11 a.m.

The Art & Science of Cultivating Real Estate Leads, presented by Joe Vance, vice-president of Advance Title & Settlements, at 4920 Southpoint Drive in Fredericksburg.

“This should be an awesome workshop series that will benefit everyone that attends with the hope of having a great new year of business,” said Eric Williams, with Exit Realty and the Prince William Realtors Association. “We are looking forward to sharing information from area professionals in the real estate industry that will add some new perspective to the old way of doing business. If you’re a real estate agent and you didn’t have the kind of 2013 you thought you were going to have, you don’t want to miss out this week.”

“This time of year sets the tone for Realtors, mortgage lenders and attorneys to set goals and develop the action plans they need to be successful. This series is intended to give them a jump start,” said Joe Vance, of Advance Title & Settlements. “Millions of real estate professionals national are trying to find their market edge in 2014. Our goal is to equip them with professional development knowledge from experts in their fields, effective networking and most importantly high quality real estate leads to grow their business. That’s not being offered anywhere in our region in a 60 min session.”

Admission is free but space inside the venue is limited. Call 571-308-8636 or email advancemycommunity@closeithere.com for more information.

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If you are still searching for that one of a kind Halloween costume at a fraction of the cost you’d normally spend in a costume store, you may want to consider buying in a consignment shop.

Consignment shops offer an alternative to pricey costumes, as the items are gently worn, unique, and budget friendly for the entire family.

“The government shutdown really impacted us as we were planning to dress up as the royal family,” said Debbie Myers. “This is a onetime use, I bought a ball gown costume there’s no need to break the bank.”

According to the National Retail Federation, cooler fall weather may bring cooler sales this Halloween, as fewer Americans plan to celebrate the spooktacular holiday. However, Halloween will be far from a bust, as the fall season of festivals and activities puts consumers in the spirit to celebrate and spend.

On average, 43.6 percent of people plan to dress up and will spend a total of $2.6 billion on traditional and awe-inspiring costumes. Specifically, consumers will shell out $1.04 billion on children’s costumes, and $1.22 billion on adult costumes. The NRF survey also included pets as 13.8 percent of those celebrating will take the extra time to find the perfect costume for their favorite four-legged friend, spending approximately $330 million.

“I shop secondhand stores for Halloween and for the holiday season and in general,” said Mary Stewart, a bargain hunter searching for Halloween accessories and hats. “It’s not practical for me to spend $40 or $50 on a costume when I can spend $5”

Whether you are a prudent shopper or looking for a one time deal, consider consignment stores first since you can potentially save huge amounts of money while avoiding the mad dash to the picked over and full-priced retail racks.

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Dr. Babur Lateef and his staff at Advanced Ophthalmology in Woodbridge wish everyone a happy and safe Halloween. They’re offering 25% off glasses for customers who come visit them today. For more information, call 703-494-1766 or visit lateefeye.com.

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If you are facing long-term loss of income and tried to modify your loan and was unsuccessful you may want to consider reaching out to a professional to educate yourself about all of your alternatives. One alternative to a homeowner is the short sale transaction. The homeowner can hire a licensed Realtor at no up-front fees to market and sell ones house for what it worth – not what they owe at current market value.

Short Sale

If a homeowner owes more on their property than it is currently worth, then they can hire a qualified real estate agent to market and sell their property through the negotiation of a short sale with their lender. This typically requires the property to be on the market and the homeowner must have a financial hardship to qualify. Hardship can be simply defined as a material change in the financial stability of the homeowner between the date of the home purchase and the date of the short sale negotiation. Acceptable hardships include but are not limited to: mortgage payment increase, job loss, divorce, excessive debt, forced or unplanned relocation, and more.

Benefit: A short sale allows the homeowner to avoid foreclosure and salvage some of their credit rating. This also keeps foreclosure off the individual’s public record, and in many cases will allow the homeowner to avoid a deficiency judgment. Borrower may qualify for another mortgage in as little as 24 months (as opposed to five years for a foreclosure).

Drawback: Short sales can be a trying process in which a homeowner is best served by contracting with a qualified real estate agent to guide the way.

It is best to work with a Realtor that is well versed with short sale transactions to ensure their success. Find out more about how to get started by contacting Eric Willams and his short sale team today! They have negotiated and successfully closed over two thousand short sale transactions and they can help you too!

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When you purchase a home, you are really purchasing the title to the property — which is the right to occupy and use the property. That legal right is usually documented in the form of a deed recorded at the local courthouse. A title may be contested based upon past rights and claims asserted by others. These types of claims can complicate your purchase of the property, or challenge your ownership later on, and potentially cause you to lose money.

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An owner’s policy of title insurance protects a buyer against defects in the title of the property, either clearing up title problems or paying for your losses. For a one-time premium generally paid at closing, an owner’s title insurance policy remains in effect as long as you, or your heirs, retain an interest in the property.

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Northern Virginia Sports organizations Virginia Quest Volleyball Club and G Team Sports have partnered together to offer a series of exclusive youth sports training summer camps August 26 – 30 focused on Basketball and Volleyball development.

GTeam Sports is an all-inclusive sports company which not only supplies referees for local recreational sports events, but also provides personal training for youth who are interested in building on their athleticism and fundamentals along with orchestrating clinics and sports camps within Northern Virginia. 

“It’s more then just summer camps and training youth sports, its about being an active member of the community,” said G Team Sports President/Owner George Logan.

Earlier this month G Team Sports donated their state of the art basketball shooting machine to raise funds for injured police officer Heather Munsterman at the Hopes for Heather charity basketball event that created public awareness to support Virginia no texting while driving campaign. 

“Partnerships like this only make for higher quality instruction for our regions children. We are committed to developing student athletes ready for the next level”, said Virginia Quest Volleyball President Clarence Lee “All of the Quest athletes of High School Age have made their high school teams to include Brentsville, Garfield, Woodbridge, and Hylton high schools,” said Lee.

As it relates to their summer camp collaboration, each individual camp will offer a mix of specialized training. Virginia Quest Volleyball Club will focus on the fundamentals of volleyball for all participants while analyzing and tweaking specific components of the individual athlete’s volleyball game. While G Team Sports and their all purpose shooting machine, will focus on high repetition and jump shot accuracy. Both sports will simulate game-like situations with scrimmage games between all instructional sessions.

“We will continue to expand our programs to various locations. We are currently working with a number of neighborhood HOA’s, parks and recreation departments and schools to build out our sports programming.” says George Logan.

Both organizations will be releasing their fall and winter program schedule starting September 4th on their official websites.

Volleyball Summer Camp

Virginia Quest Volleyball Club

vqvc@comcast.net or 571-214-7396

5-Day Option Monday thru Friday

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

2-Day Option Monday and Wednesday

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

*Extended Hours Available 6 a.m. – 9 a.m. /4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

2-Day Option Monday and Wednesday

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Location:

9501 Dean Park Lane, Manassas, VA 20110

Click Here To Register

Basketball Shooting Summer Camp

G Team Sports Training

Gteamsportsva@gmail.com

5-Day Option Monday thru Friday

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

*Extended Hours Available 6 a.m. – 9 a.m. /4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Locations:

9501 Dean Park Lane, Manassas, VA 20110

5070 Dale Boulevard, Dale City, VA 22193

17565 Old Stage coach Road, Dumfries, VA 22026

Click Here To Register

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Are you looking for a new place to call home? We offer spacious one and two bedroom apartment homes starting at only $1,085. Misty Ridge is located in the heart of Woodbridge, just minutes from major highways, shopping, entertainment, and the business district.

Our platinum apartments offer upgrades which include: Granite counter tops, solid wood cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, brush nickel fixtures, vinyl wood-like flooring, wood blinds, and modern lighting. Every apartment home is equipped with brand new windows and sliding doors, washer and dryer and a patio or balcony.

Our community offers a fitness facility, which is accessible 24-hours a day for your convenience, swimming pool with sun deck, Jacuzzi, playground, tennis court, and a dog park. We welcome pets of all sizes!

Call now and ask about our current specials and monthly discounts! Your new home is only a phone call away! Phone: 703-680-0668 and email: mistyridge@kcmapts.com

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Ama Mian had never used public transportation until 2005 when she moved from Fairfax to Dumfries. These days, she’s a regular PRTC passenger who frequently rides OmniLink and Cross County Connector buses.

Being able to use public transportation to go to work and school helps her to feel independent and is less expensive than other means of travel, Ama said, adding that she doesn’t want to have to ask people for rides.

“It’s very easy to get a Weekly Pass and ride all week,” she said.

When Ama first moved to Prince William County, she noticed a bus stop sign across from her house and frequently saw buses traveling nearby. She got the Customer Service phone number from the sign and called to learn more.

“At first, I got lost many times, but now I know all of the routes,” she said.

In the future, she would like for PRTC to offer a Monthly Pass and run more weekend service – specifically on the Prince William Metro Direct and Cross County Connector buses as well as Sunday service on the eastern OmniLink routes.

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First of all – thank you.

To my family, friends, neighbors, and supporters: running for Congress was an audacious goal, you backed and encouraged me throughout the effort.

To ballot petition signers: even if you don’t end up voting for me, you saw that greater ballot choice is vital to a dynamic democracy.

To those who may vote for me: by rejecting partisan bickering and inaction, you empower all of us to move forward together as a nation.

Has this run been a little farfetched? Maybe, but it was a little farfetched when our Founding Father brought forth a new nation in the face of the tyranny. Nowadays we suffer the tyranny of the major parties that bring forth candidates with little more to offer than their continued existence and strengthening of these “recognized political parties”.

Has it been wasted effort? Definitely not. Civil discourse that focuses on the issues is never wasted effort. Nor was it wasted effort to get Congress moving – especially when the issues are great and resolutions within our reach.

I did my best to run an open campaign that got voters “inside the ropes” of the political process. I told voters that “what you see is what you get” with me and I never deviated from that promise. I accepted donations only from individual 11th District voters, never signed any pledges, and maintained my positions even if it meant losing endorsements.

As your Congressional representative, I will listen and I will lead. We may not always agree but I will do my best for our District and for the country as a whole.

Let’s challenge the status quo of inaction and rancor. Let’s do something audacious. Let’s do something great.

Sincerely, Mark

—

Mark Gibson

Independent Candidate for Congress (VA-11)

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Volleyball at the Manassas Boys & Girls Club is becoming “the number one place” for recreation volleyball in the Manassas area.

The program is proud to offer more than 10 experienced coaches that have been the key to the development and growth of the league. The club’s spoke on the importance of having strong volunteers.

“When six of my 10 volunteer coaches have been with us for almost four years, you know you have something great going. It shows parents dedication and builds trust. Parents are certain that their children are in good hands and getting excellent training,” said Athletic Director Mike Tiller.

The club now offers two indoor volleyball courts and provides numerous hours a week for girls to practice and compete in games. “The volleyball here is not only great and affordable, but it’s the friendships that I have made since coming here that bring me back,” said longtime coach Alisha James.

James went on to elaborate on those friendships.

“Not only are some of my daughter’s best friends in the league, but I have formed great relationships with the other coaches. We love to work together and help each others players together. Off court, everyone is trying to win, but the overall goal is to make sure the girls are learning and improving,” said James.

The Manassas Club offers an outstanding league that is held 3 times per year for only $80.

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Mark Gibson an independent candidate for Congress in Virginia’s 11th District serving Fairfax and Prince William counties. Learn more about Mark at Gibson4congress2012.com.

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Mark Gibson an independent candidate for Congress in Virginia’s 11th District serving Fairfax and Prince William counties. Learn more about Mark at Gibson4congress2012.com.

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Coach Marlon Ortega is back for another season of soccer.

Not only is soccer popular around the world but it is also growing in popularity at the Boys and Girls Clubs. Although soccer is still fairly new, the number of children playing soccer at the Clubs has nearly doubled and shows no signs of slowing down.

Two-years-ago Marlon was just a parent of a BGC member who wanted to get more involved. After finding out that the Clubs had never had a soccer program, Marlon took it upon himself to share his knowledge of the game and become the lead instructor of the first ever “BGC Soccer Academy.”

The first season brought in close to 15 children and practiced once a week. Marlon decided to stick with his passion and attempt to grow the program into something bigger and better.

The program now trains over 30 children twice a week and has goals of creating a competitive team to join local leagues. The BGC Soccer Academy meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m.