Into the Budget Fray
Bulova highlights accomplishments, challenges in annual address.
Despite the lingering impact of an anemic economy, and the regional ripple effects of federal sequestration, Fairfax County residents will see some concrete signs of progress this year.
Reston Residents March to Commemorate King’s Legacy
Community joins together in weekend of music, fun, and community service.
Reston resident Denver Lovett was part of the first March on Washington on Aug. 8, 1963, while he was a student at Howard University. He also attended the 20th, 30th, and 50th anniversaries of the event in Washington D.C. But this past Sunday, Jan. 19, Lovett had a chance to spend the day marching with his Reston neighbors for a half-mile beginning at Lake Anne Village Center to commemorate the historic day. “If you get a lot of individuals taking action and trying to change things rather than sitting around complaining about how bad things are, it can create a powerful movement for good,” said Lovett.
Commentary
Independent Progressive/Master Plan for Transit Station Areas — Outgunned
It never looked like a fair fight. In the fall of 2009, when Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins assembled her Task Force of 25 or so to prepare a Comprehensive (Master) Plan for the Dulles rail corridor, it was clear the community was at a disadvantage. A handful of Reston volunteers faced a phalanx of hired gun slingers, men (100 percent men!) representing commercial developers and their lawyers. The gunslingers were pros doing their jobs, unified in a clear sense of purpose — to maximize profit. Most had worked “community” task force gigs before and knew the county staff advising the Task Force. None lived in Reston.
Richmond Diary
Governor McAuliffe Sets the Stage
Each year the Governor of Virginia addresses a joint assembly of the House of Delegates and the State Senate in a speech not unlike the President’s State of the Union address except that the Governor provides a “State of the Commonwealth” as well as his recommendations for legislative action. Last week I heard the 35th such speech since I have been a member of the House of Delegates. I think Gov. Terry McAuliffe made the best of any of the speeches I have heard over my career in the legislature.
‘Helping Hungry Kids’
Saturday food drives at Herndon and Reston grocery stores provide weekends meals for area students.
Every Saturday leading up to Feb. 17, customers walking into the Fox Mill and North Point shopping center Giant grocery stores will be able to provide food for hungry elementary school children in Herndon and Reston. The Helping Hungry Kids program kicked off its Stuff the Bus food collection program Jan. 18, at area grocery stores, complete with shopping carts and a stack of food ready to be purchased for generous customers. Volunteers at the front of the store handed out flyers to customers and asked them to help by purchasing $11 bags filled with child-sized portions of items like macaroni and cheese, granola bars and sugar-free applesauce. “A lot of the people who come here just take the bag and prepare it themselves,” said Colleen Cavitz, a Chantilly resident who has been volunteering each month for three years.
Broadway Night Comes to South Lakes High School
South Lakes students prepare for musical show.
This past weekend students in the South Lakes High School were rehearsing and preparing for the ninth annual Broadway Night show at 7 p.m. Jan. 24-25 (weather depending) at the school’s Little Theatre. Cast and crew were at the school making sure everything was ready for opening night. “This is my first year doing costume design, but my third year doing production for the play,” said South Lakes senior Allison Scheler.
Cornerstones and GRCC Reveal Best of Reston Honorees
Reston’s business and nonprofit leaders were among those gathered for 23rd Annual Best of Reston Kickoff Reception.
In a colorful, well-lit lit room of the Google Reston Town Center office, a shining bronze statue of 99-year-old Reston founder Bob Simon sat about 10 feet away from the man himself.
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
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.
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.
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.
Let Sun Shine on Virginia’s Financial Disclosure Laws
State legislators turn attention to ethics in wake of McDonnell gift scandal.
As members of the Virginia General Assembly convene for the first time since last February, legislators are stampeding to introduce ethics legislation in response to the gift scandal which engulfed then Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R). The revelations last spring about numerous undisclosed gifts and purported loans from businessman Jonnie Williams to McDonnell — including a $6,500 Rolex watch engraved to the "71st Governor of Virginia" and $35,000 in gifts and catering for his daughters’ weddings — shined a spotlight on Virginia’s porous financial disclosure laws.
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.