Outstanding Service
At the Reston Lions Club Holiday party held on Dec. 19, at the Hidden Creek Country Club, five members of the club were presented Melvin Jones Fellow plaques for dedicated humanitarian services. The awards were by the Lions Clubs International Foundation. The recipients with Club President Don Leas, are, from left, Gerry Washburn, Bob Meissner, Leas, Jim Ryan, Mike Moseley and Jack Gazlay. Melvin Jones was one of the founders in 1917 of Lions Clubs International which now has 1.35 million members in 206 countries. The Reston Lions Club supports sight and hearing programs and more in the Reston and Herndon areas
Reston Home Sales: December, 2013
In December 2013, 79 Reston homes sold between $1,475,000-$120,000.
Reston Home Sales: December, 2013
Virginia Supreme Court Opens Access to Audio Recordings of Oral Arguments
Policy change overturns blackout instituted in 2008.
Members of the Virginia Supreme Court have a New Year’s Resolution — become more transparent.
South Lakes’ Aghayere, Rendle Dominate Boards in Victory
Madison’s Koshuta scores 28 points in defeat.
The South Lakes girls' basketball team defeated Madison 60-52 on Jan. 10.
Week in Reston
January 25 at 10 a.m. is the date to mark on your calendars. That is when the American Association of University Women of Reston and Herndon jointly with the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) will offer a special presentation on human sex trafficking in our communities.
A Musical Keynote
Sweet Honey in the Rock to highlight Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday celebration.
Reston Community Center presents the 29th Annual Reston Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration on Jan. 18-20. The highlight of this community-wide celebration will be a keynote address by Sweet Honey in the Rock. Audience members will enjoy a community lunch served family-style followed by a keynote address that explores how music and activism have contributed to civil rights movements over the years. The performance will also be sign-language interpreted. Rooted in a deeply held commitment to create music from the rich textures of the African American legacy and traditions, Sweet Honey in the Rock possesses a stunning vocal prowess that captures the complex sounds of blues, spirituals, traditional gospel hymns, rap, reggae, African chants, hip hop, ancient lullabies, and jazz improvisation. Sweet Honey’s collective voice, occasionally accompanied by hand percussion instruments, produces a sound filled with soulful harmonies and intricate rhythms. The metaphor of "Sweet Honey in the Rock" captures completely the essence of these African American women whose repertoire is steeped in the sacred music of the Black church, the clarion calls of the civil rights movement, and songs rising out of the struggle for justice everywhere.
Reston Author Releases Third Book in ‘The Taker’ Trilogy
Alma Katsu speaks on her newest book, ‘The Descent,’ and beginning her second career as a writer.
Reston author Alma Katsu’s newest book, “The Descent,” published by Simon & Schuster’s Gallery Books division, hit bookstore shelves on Jan. 7. The book is the third installment in “The Taker” trilogy, a series of paranormal fantasy novels set in both 19th century and modern New England.
Commentary
Five Million Dollars a Day
Virginia taxpayer dollars not returned to them has amounted to five million dollars each day since Jan. 1, and will continue at that rate each day that Virginia refuses to expand its Medicaid program. In addition, at least 400,000 working Virginians will continue to be uninsured.
Reston Shelter Hosts Homeless on Coldest Days
Large numbers of Reston’s homeless at risk of contracting severe frostbite or hypothermia from subzero wind chills sought refuge at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter this past week. On Jan. 7, temperatures dropped to a record low of three degrees, with wind chills as low as 10 degrees below zero, according to a National Weather Service advisory from that day. The official record low for Reston on Jan. 7 was previously set at 8 degrees in 1988. Frigid conditions caused many to pack into the shelter from Jan. 6 to Jan. 8 due to sub-freezing daytime temperatures.
A Warm Day at Lake Anne
Enjoying a warmer-than-usual winter weekend the Letteri family, of Reston, took these pictures at Lake Anne. In the first photo (from left) Paul, Joseph, 14, Aaron, 10, and Raba Letteri pose with the Bronze Bob, a statute of the Reston founder Bob Simon. In the second photo: Joseph, Aaron and Raba Letteri, and Fred the dog.
Historic Figures Come to Area Schools
Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry impersonators visit Reston and Herndon elementary schools.
Two unlikely historical celebrities paid a visit to Fox Mill Elementary School students on Wednesday, Jan. 8, for a special assembly. When Principal Mie Devers announced that Thomas Jefferson would be a guest at their school that day, the cafeteria filled with sitting children began buzzing with excitement; at the mention of his friend, Patrick Henry, a large number of the sitting students shouted excitedly. Jefferson, played by Bill Barker, and Henry, played by Richard Schumann, arrived at the school cafeteria at 1:30 p.m. Mr. Henry arrived first. After he introduced himself, he spoke of his undying love for the state of Virginia, as well as his recent visit to his good friend George Mason at his “Academy” just up the road. Just as he began to disparage the highly federalized country of France as compared to the United States’ new republic, President Jefferson interrupted, “I beg your pardon!” as he stepped into the cafeteria.
Sen. Warner, Rep. Wolf Meet Reston Business Leaders
Cyber security, budget cuts and national debt levels discussed at a Tech Town Hall on Friday, Jan. 10.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and U.S. Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-10) spoke at a Tech Town Hall in Reston on Friday, Jan. 10, about the impacts of sequestration and the recently passed budget deal on North Virginia’s information technology and government services industries. Many of Reston’s technology industry executives attended the morning event, which was co-hosted by the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) and the Professional Services Council (PSC).
Obituary
Mae Balboni of Reston Dies
Mae Balboni died Jan. 8 in her home. Mae was a resident of Reston for 13 years. She is survived by her daughters Mary Balboni and husband Chuck Norris of Reston; Anita Balboni and partner Steve Cooke of Schwenksville, Pa.; Lynda DiPasquale and husband Philip of Collegeville, Pa.; Catherine Balboni of Hatfield, Pa.; and her sons Joseph M. Balboni and wife Tammy of Eagleville, Pa. and Anthony V. Balboni of Cinnaminson, N. J.; her sisters Jane Ricci of South Weymouth, Mass.; Dorothy Wilson and husband Jimmy of Allison Park, Pa.; her brother George Goolsby and partner Rosalee Wiswall of Peobody, Mass; her sister-in-law Beatrice Birt of McKinney, Texas; her brother-in-law Al Rusas of Long Beach, Calif. Local Virginia memorial service is Friday Jan. 17, at 5 p.m. at Adams Green Funeral Home, 721 Elden Street, Herndon. Her final resting place will be in Norristown, Pa. on Saturday Jan. 25, at St Patrick Cemetery where she will be buried with her husband Joseph J. Balboni.
Independent Progressive
2014 More Interesting Than 2013
Apart from the Democrats’ sweep of Virginia’s top three executive branch jobs, 2013 wasn’t a very good year. Reston’s long-awaited rail service failed to make it to Wiehle Avenue on time. Not to be outdone, Supervisor Hudgins’ Task Force writing Phase One of the new Comprehensive/Master Plan for life with rail in Reston also failed to arrive on time—it was due for completion in 2010! And, the Reston Association Board veered off its tracks. It failed a test of its natural areas stewardship role in a deal so lacking in merit and transparency that most of RA’s own distinguished Environmental Advisory Committee resigned in protest.
Caroling at Talk Oaks
On Dec. 7, a group of families (Gregory, Hansing, Miller, and Roggeband), from the community visited the Assisted Living place at Talk Oaks in Reston for Caroling. In addition to the Caroling the kids presented individual pieces of music on piano, flute and violin. The seniors enjoyed it and they were happy to see so many smiling faces at the end of the Caroling/Concert.