Kids & Family

Good News: Million-Dollar New Year, Romance Writer Published, Resolution Tips and a 2014 Baby has a 2013 Twin!

Plus, a city treasurer of more than four decades has his eyes set on building a botanical garden in retirement.

By Patch Staff

Editor's Note: Patch has 31 sites in Virginia and D.C., and not a day goes by that we don’t have an inspirational or encouraging story somewhere in the area. Here's a look back at some good news over the past week.

Lucky Number 2014: Most of us are hoping that the new year will bring good tidings. One Northern Virginia resident doesn’t have to wait to find out. On New Year’s Day, the Virginia Lottery announced three $1 million winners in a statewide raffle. One of those tickets was purchased at a 7-Eleven on Occoquan Road in Woodbridge. A ticket purchased in Alexandria was one of six $25,000 winners.

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New Year’s Babies: In Washington, D.C., a couple is celebratingthe birth of twins — but only one is a New Year’s baby. Lorraine Yaleni Begazo was born in the final minutes of New Year’s Eve and Brandon Ferdinando Begazo was born three minutes later, on New Year's Day. A Manassas couple welcomed that city’s first baby of 2014 at 1:21 a.m. on Jan. 1.


Treasurer’s New Mission, After 44 Years: Fredericksburg City Treasurer Jim Haney has retired after 44 years of service. Haney first took office Jan. 1, 1970, and faced opposition only once in his career. In his retirement, Haney plans to bring a botanical garden to Fredericksburg — a project that was recently a finalist in the Made in FredVA business plan competition.

Find out what's happening in Herndonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Tech Writer Gets Romantic: Woodbridge author Katie Oliver has published her first book —  the London-based contemporary romance Prada and Prejudice — with Carina UK, a division of Harlequin and a digital-first publisher. The book is the first of a trilogy, with the next two installments, all based loosely on Jane Austen novels, to follow in February and March. Oliver, a lifelong resident of Northern Virginia, is a technical writer by trade and works for a military contractor.


Not Good News, Yet: Many people are working on some tough resolutions this year — at the top is that perennial resolution: working out. Patch writer Catherine Crawford is dusting off her 2013 resolution to see if she can make a go of it — this time with four tips to help us all keep our resolutions.


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