Overnight I-66 Closures in January
All lanes of Interstate 66 in one direction will close intermittently between midnight and 5 a.m. on several dates in January for the installation of gantries. Each closure will last up to 30 minutes.

Children's Connection 2014
This week, the Connection turns over its pages to the youth and students.
Column: Level Best
If I wanted to rationalize the benefit of delaying my heretofore every-three-week chemotherapy infusion from three weeks to four and now on to five, possibly six – and that’s dependent on improved results from a second/maybe even third retest upcoming (this retest a bit more involved than drawing blood) – I would say it’s only fitting that I should have a break/brake; after all, it is the holiday season when all good things; yada, yada, yada. If only it were that simple.
Column: The New Normal
Loosey goosey, I suppose. As much as one might prefer some predictability in their life (certainly a cancer patient would – I know I would), I may be entering a cycle of permanent unpredictability.
Letter: Do Fairfax County Police Act with Impunity?
Fifteen months, after the shooting of John Geer, no officer has been identified, no charges have been filed, no grand jury has been convened and no reason has been given to the family or the public.
I would like to begin by saying that I have always and still do support the police as a whole. I appreciate the job that they do and the risks they take on a daily basis in an effort to keep the public safe. The ongoing policy in Fairfax County of police self-investigation, when officers are involved in possible crimes, has to change.
Loudoun Company Donates Free Roof to Cornerstones
DryHome Roofing and Siding, a Sterling-based roofing company, has selected Cornerstones (formerly Reston Interfaith) as the recipient of a new roof through its annual Free Roof for the Holidays program.
State and Local Politics in 2015
Independent Progressive
I am happy to wave goodbye to political year 2014. It was not a good year for progressives, and a worse year for America. Defying logic, the party of no and dysfunction at the federal level and a root cause of the collapse of the middle class won broad victories in the ballyhooed midterms of 2014.

Gifts for the Home
Local shop owners offer suggestions to make holiday shopping easier.
While holiday shopping is part of the spirit of the season, for some choosing a present for everyone on their list can be overwhelming. Local small business owners come to the rescue with gift ideas for the home.

Irresistible? How Karen Garza Creates Change in Fairfax County Schools
Karen Garza is a good listener. And once she’s listened, she is, admittedly, not very patient. “If there's a real issue, I don't think it has to be debated for 10 or 15 years,” Garza said in an interview. “Either we're going to do something about it or not.”

FCPS Chief Karen Garza and Her Previous Life in Texas
“When I hired Karen in 2005,” former Superintendent of Houston Independent School District (HISD) Dr. Abelardo Saavedra said, “the position of chief academic officer had been open several months. I went looking for her. I’d never met her but I’d heard about her. There is a big difference between a mid-sized district and a larger one; the dynamics are completely different. I was taking a risk because she came from a mid-sized one of about 40,000 in Corpus Christi, and ours was much bigger. She adjusted very quickly.”

2014 in Reston: Metro Comes to Town
Metro brings change on community’s 50th anniversary.
Reston has gone through historic changes in the past year. 2014 brought Phase One of the Metro’s Silver Line and community input to redevelop all of Robert’s Simon’s village center visions on the 50th anniversary of his namesake.
2015 New Year Remodeling Resolutions
Improving long-term living needs and future home value.
After all the holiday festivities have passed and the ball has dropped to ring in the New Year, many homeowners are inspired to tackle resolutions that relate to their living space. 2015 may be the year you want to remodel your home to allow for the changes occurring in your life.
Fairfax County Public Schools Needing Community’s Help
Superintendent Karen Garza begins and ends her Listening Tour meetings with a plea to those in the room — parents, teachers, employees, unions — to help her achieve what needs to be done for their school system. “I am going to need your help,” she says to audiences who voice concerns about class size, resources for special education, and teacher salaries.
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza Bio
Current Position: Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent
Timeline of Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza’s career in education.
1986-1991: Elementary School Teacher, Yoakum, Texas (1,539 students, 38% white and 50% Latino and spends about $8,000 per pupil).
Editorial: Merry Christmas
A message of peace and joy.
Merry Christmas. It’s a magical time of year, and perhaps Connection Newspapers has over indulged in displaying the many rituals of Christmas on our pages in the past few weeks. In events around the area, a sense of community has infused holiday parades, Christmas tree lightings, menorah lightings, choral performances, singing of carols and other traditional events with warmth and joy.

Reston Garden Club Hosts Decoration Workshop
Garden club creates holiday decorations for Reston community.
December usually brings a holiday decorations workshop of some kind. The Reston Garden Club, an active community organization, held their decoration workshop at the Walker Nature Center in December on Glade Drive.

End Of the Year Fun in Reston and Herndon
Winter entertainment at various locations in Northern Virginia.
At the end of December and early days of January, residents in the Reston and Herndon area have a variety of local options for fun and entertainment. Some of these include the local art galleries, as well as options at the local community centers and regional parks.

Reston South Lakes Hosts Winter Concert
Students perform “Sounds of the Season.”
Reston’s South Lakes High School choral department presented their free winter concert “Sounds of the Season” at the school auditorium on Dec. 11. Music preformed included both sacred and secular selection, and was an opportunity for family members and friends to hear the results of many hours of practice and rehearsal.
When Dad (or Mom) Is High School Sports Coach
Local coaches and athletes share their feelings about the relationship between parent/coach and child/athlete.