Suicide Loss ‘Club’
Commentary
When I was 15 years old, I received my first “membership card” to suicide loss. I got the platinum membership card because not only was my loss to suicide, but it was also a parent.
Reston Letter: Tall Oaks: More Than Just a Village Center
Letter to the Editor
The Fairfax County Planning Commission clearly showed that unless a court tells them differently, they can dictate Reston’s future. Robert Simon’s vision, decades of planning and careful growth have now been taken over by Fairfax County. They know what’s best for Reston.
Reston Letter: Out-of-Scope Lighting
Letter to the Editor
I am writing to voice my concern, disappointment and disapproval for the installation of the out-of-scope lighting on Cross School Road by Sunrise Valley Elementary School. The lighting is not suitable for the size of the road and seems to be done without advisement and consult of the community. The lights are very large - highway size lights that, again, are out of scope for the nature of the road and residential community. In comparison - there are no lights on the far more traveled road - Sunrise Valley - that carries far more traffic through South Reston.
Letter: Does He Bite?
Letter to the Editor
Well, they're finally over! Suffering through the breathless NBC "coverage" of Olympic "sports," many of which few of us have ever heard of, involving Zika-virus and Rio-mugging avoidance tips, inane commentary, and tedious "up-close and personals" punctuated by the occasional showing of an actual event and immediate post-race interviews with "heroes" gasping for breath, I wondered about the origins of the ridiculous habit of winning athletes appearing to take a bite out of their medal before the cameras.
Column: Protecting Our Families
Commentary
In the week that I was in Chicago for the annual Legislative Summit of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), there was a record 100 people shot in the city in less than a week.
Editorial: Take One Action to Prevent Suicide
Suicide Prevention Week is Sept. 5-13, #MindsMatter
As school begins, we are accustomed to safety warnings. Slow down driving, watch for students along the roads, near schools and perhaps behaving unpredictably near intersections. Buckle seat belts. Wear bicycle helmets. Avoid distracted driving.
Reston Column: Leaving Vacation Behind, Into the Campaign
Independent Progressive
Hard to believe that August is almost done. Does that mean the wall-to-wall 90 to 100 degree days are about to end? Does it also mean that Labor Day is upon us and the U.S. presidential campaign is about to officially begin?! I can’t wait!
Reston Column: No Time to Lose
Commentary
“Our Nation is at risk,” thus began a report on schools given to President Ronald Reagan in 1983.
About the Connection
As your local, weekly newspaper, the Connection’s mission is to deliver the local news you need, to try to make sense of what is happening in your community, to gather information about the best things in and around your community, to advocate for community good, to provide a forum for dialogue on local concerns, and to celebrate and record achievements, milestones and events in the community and people’s lives.
Column: #MindsMatter: Lifesaving Conversations Every Day
Take one action for awareness of National Suicide Prevention week #MindsMatter.
It’s 3 p.m. School’s out. Like clockwork, alerts start ringing, letting our crisis workers know that young people are out of class, and they need to talk.
Editorial – Election 2016: Much at Stake Nationally, Locally
Possible record turnout should motivate more early voting.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8, and in some ways that seems like it can’t possibly come soon enough.
Column: Solar Coming to Reston—At Last?
Independent Progressive
Do you ever wonder why there seem to be almost no solar panels in Reston? You’d think that this generally progressive planned community inspired by visionary Robert Simon would in fact be a leader in using solar technology.
Column: Slow but Steady Course of Human Rights
Commentary
Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment [ERA] was already being hotly debated in the Virginia General Assembly when I became a member of the House of Delegates in 1978.
Commentary: Responding to the Zika Threat
There have been 50 reported cases of Zika in Virginia, all linked to foreign travel, as of early August.
Last week, for the first time ever, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was forced to issue a domestic travel warning to pregnant women planning to visit Miami, a popular getaway destination.
Editorial: Laser Focus on Safety
While Metro lapses can’t be excused, it’s much safer than driving; maintenance-related safety issues also plague area bridges and roads.
Intense scrutiny on the safety and maintenance record of the Washington region’s Metro system is resulting in continuing revelation of lapses, and ongoing inconvenience with repair schedules shutting down entire lines and the end of late night service.