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Phase II Conversation Begins

Master Plan open house scheduled.

Restonians will have the chance to take a peek at new development ideas for their town. Reston’s Phase II Open House will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 7 at United Christian Parish Church to introduce plans for town center redevelopment and some residential areas.

Reston Advisor Wins Women’s Choice Award

As the leading advocate for female consumers, WomenCertified, Inc. has announced that Judy L. Redpath, CFP AIF, Founder of VISTA Wealth Strategies LLC has received the Women’s Choice Award for Financial Advisors based on rigorous research, 17 objective criteria including a client survey to obtain feedback regarding service and practices.

Column: Lake Anne—Farewell and Change

Last Friday, Lake Anne residents and hundreds of other Restonians came to Washington Plaza to bid a fond farewell to Larry Cohn, our community pharmacist and proprietor of the Lakeside Pharmacy for the last 46 years. Larry recently sold his Pharmacy to an “investor” who may, or may not, continue the pharmacy, snack bar and post office arrangement that many residents hoped would never change. Alfredo Melendez, owner/operator of La Villa, Lake Anne Coffee House, and the Lakeside Café, prepared a scrumptious finger food buffet for all, and Larry’s pharmacist sidekick Beverly Gilbert presented heartfelt memory gifts to the teary-eyed Mr. Cohn before a cheering crowd of well-wishers. Everyone it seems has special memories of this self-effacing man who touched so many lives. A painful change. Hoped for change?

Column: A Moral Imperative

Recently the New York Times editorial board wrote about the “health care showdown in Virginia.” Their comments were not favorable. “In Virginia, there are 400,000 low-income people who can’t afford health care coverage but don’t qualify for federal subsidies,” they wrote. “If they lived across the state line in Maryland, West Virginia or Kentucky, which have expanded their Medicaid programs, they could get the coverage they need.” The reason they cannot; “a group of recalcitrant Republicans in the House of Delegates” have blocked Medicaid expansion at every opportunity. Highly regarded retired editorial writer for the Virginia Pilot, Margaret Edds, wrote about the current impasse in Virginia two weeks ago.

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Sharing Burden of PTSD

Sharing Burden of PTSD

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Trained in Prison, Healing in N. Virginia

Healing power of dogs creates ties between prisoners, veterans, children with disabilities.

When I first started going inside prisons for paws4people.org, my job was three-fold: to capture, through photography, the connection between the dogs and their inmate trainers, to provide images that reflected the accomplishments of months of training and to document the moment that veterans, children and young adults were matched with their assistance dogs.

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Reston Association Holds May Yard Sale

Participants enjoy good weather at yard sale event.

“I heard about this yard sale from a co-worker,” said Alfred Carter, a resident of Alexandria. Carter was one of 95 participants in the May biannual yard sale hosted by the Reston Association. The yard sale was held at the parking lot near the organization’s office at 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive the morning of Saturday, May 17. Shoppers and vendors mingled from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., enjoying the nice weather. “It is very nice and well organized,” said Carter, who brought an assortment of items to the yard sale.

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Fine Arts Festival Brings Art to the Community

Signature local art event enriches community life.

“I think the opening night could not be better,” said Derryl Harris, a board member of Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE). Harris attended the Friday opening night event for the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival. The festival, an annual event produced by GRACE, is a competitive, juried, outdoor event showcasing some of the finest contemporary fine art and craft. Each year the Festival features over 200 skilled artisans who utilize both traditional and unconventional materials and techniques to create, hand-crafted, original works of art available for purchase. The diversity of fine art and fine craft at the Festival, now in its 23rd year, ensures there were many tastes. A highlight of the Festival is the opportunity to interact directly with the artists.

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Reston Community Orchestra Holds Season Finale

Concert features two young pianists.

The afternoon of Sunday, May 18, at Reston Community Center CenterStage, the Reston Community Orchestra (RCO) preformed their final concert of the 2013-2014 with a performance featuring two young pianists. Pianists Mark Dang and Matthew Geier performed Haydn’s “Piano Concerto in D Major.” The program also included Grieg’s “Peer Gynt Suite #2” and selections from “Forest Gump.” Conducting the orchestra was Dingwall Fleary, a maestro who has directed Reston Community Orchestra for 16 years.

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Giving Circle of Hope Honors 2013 Nonprofit Partners

Connections for Hope Partnership of Herndon receives first ever Impact Grant Award of $25,000.

Hidden Creek Country Club in Reston was the venue on May 14 for the Giving Circle of Hope’s annual gathering to showcase the nonprofit partners to whom the organization’s members have chosen to award grants for the coming year. Each fall, eligible members of the Circle – persons who have contributed at least $1 per day for the year to the Grant Fund – review applications and vote to award grants for specific projects that help people in need in Northern Virginia.

Column: Post-Game Analysis

While I enjoy watching college athletic competitions, I do not watch many professional sports on television. For sure I do not watch any of the post-game shows. Panels for these shows seem carefully selected to ensure controversy and banter to fill the time slot.

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Rebranding Their Passion

10th annual Technology and the Arts Awards presented.

Think S.T.E.A.M, not S.T.E.M. That was the message Leidos Director of Advertising, Branding and Creative Chris Green told a group of student artists at the 10th Annual Technology and the Arts Competition Awards at the ASCE World Headquarters in Reston on May 14.

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Sullivan, Paine Lead McLean Past South Lakes in Conference 6 Baseball Quarterfinals

No. 7 Highlanders secure regional berth win over No. 2 Seahawks.

The McLean baseball team defeated South Lakes 5-0 on Saturday.

Reston Home Sales: April, 2014

In April 2014, 108 Reston homes sold between $1,080,000-$165,000.

Reston Home Sales: April, 2014

Letter: Not the Answer

To the Editor: Delegate Ken Plum (D-36) tries to make the argument for expanded Medicaid rolls (“Contrasting Views,” Reston Connection, May 7-13, 2014), touting “free” government money, but inhibits rational argument with his inability to resist cheap partisan invective.