Anti-Immigration Ban Rallies Held at Dulles
Demonstrators, volunteer attorneys and elected officials welcome travelers, extend help detainees.
Demonstrations sprang up at airports around the United States over the weekend, following an Executive Order by President Donald Trump that blocks travelers from seven largely Muslim countries — Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia — in the interests of more significant vetting and preventing would-be terrorists from entering the country.
Bipartisan Agreement Forged in House Panel on Reducing Suspended Driver’s Licenses
Republicans work with Cabinet officials to craft changes to let more people keep drivers licenses.
After Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe called on lawmakers to find a way to restore driver's licenses to people charged with crimes that had nothing to do with driving, Republicans responded. Now both sides are crafting a compromise that could end up being a hallmark of the 2017 session.
Party-Line Vote Protects Child Labor at Tobacco Farms in Virginia
Republican-led House panel kills effort to craft new protections for kids in unrecorded vote.
In an unrecorded party-line vote, House Republicans killed a bill that would have cracked down on child labor at tobacco farms in Virginia.
Fairfax County: Public hearing on yard waste bags follows premature administrative change
North Springfield resident Asher Grady has his leaf collecting down to a science. And with the mature trees around his quarter-acre lot, he needs to. Each fall, he said, he goes through between 60 and 80 bags of leaves, spending between eight and 12 hours to rake and bag them.
Senate Panel Kills Effort to Allow Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants
Supporters say they’ll continue to press the issue, citing concerns over safety.
Undocumented immigrants in Virginia will not be getting a driver’s license anytime soon, although advocates for the idea say they will keep pressing lawmakers on the issue.
Reston: MLK Keynote: ‘How Did We Get From Barack Obama to Donald Trump?’
Reston Community Center’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration
“It was 10:45 p.m. when we heard in our little earpieces that the network was going to call the election for Obama at 11 o’clock.” Reality set in for him. “Looking around the table, I said, ‘Oh dear. When they call the election for Obama, they’re going to go to the black guy, and so I better think of something to say,’” he said, making the audience burst into laughter.
Online Virginia Lottery Sales? Don't Bet On It
House panel rejects bill that would allow for sale of lottery tickets over the internet.
A coalition of convenience store owners and religious conservatives worked to till an effort from the Virginia Lottery to allow for online gambling, thwarting an effort aimed at increasing sales among millennial gamblers. The bill, introduced by Del. Roxann Robinson (R-27), was defeated with an overwhelming vote by a House General Laws subcommittee Tuesday afternoon.
Senate Panel Approves Crackdown on Internet Lenders in Virginia
Bill would subject unregulated loans to rules that apply to consumer-finance loans.
The Wild West of online lending is about to become a little tamer. That’s because a state Senate panel narrowly approved a bill that would subject internet loans to the same restrictions that currently exist for consumer finance loans, a move that would cramp the anything-goes culture of online loans in Virginia.
Reston: Olivia Beckner Breaks South Lakes High Record in the 1,000 Meters Race
Track & Field
South Lakes High School had a successful showing at The Ocean Breeze Freedom Games indoor track meet Saturday, Jan. 7 in Staten Island, N.Y., which was highlighted by a record-setting performance by junior Olivia Beckner in the 1,000 meters.
Visitor’s Account: A Bad Day at Town Center
I'm writing about a recent experience with the newly installed pay parking system. I realize that the entire system is new and might have "kinks" to work out, but overall I feel the experience was a disaster and an embarrassment to the parking system.
Reston Town Center Retailers, Patrons Wrestle with New Parking Fees
Reston: Viewpoints: What do you think of the new parking fees?
“Oh, I didn’t know they started charging …. I’ll stick to weekends now I guess, since that’s free.”
Reston: Company Quits Negotiations with RA on Lake House Independent Review
The company selected by a special committee of the Reston Association to review the purchase and renovation of the deficit-plagued Lake House property backed out of negotiations.
Reston: Mission Accomplished
Commentary
The Dulles Corridor Rail Association (DCRA) Board of Directors voted last week to merge with the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance (NVTA) with the Alliance going forward to represent transportation interests for the region.
Reston: Hats Off to Reston Family
The McKnight family volunteering in the Hat Project for the Women’s March on Washington.
The McKnight family of Reston may have slightly underestimated exactly what it meant to volunteer their home to serve as the area collection point for the hats being knitted for the Jan. 21 Women’s March on Washington.
Herndon: Town Mayor and Councilmembers Sworn-In for 2017-18 Terms
Politics
Herndon Mayor Lisa Merkel and town council members were sworn into office for their 2017-18 terms on Tuesday, Jan. 3, at the Herndon Municipal Center.