Stories for October 2012

Classified Advertising Oct 31, 2012

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Editorial: In Wake of Sandy, Still Plan to Vote

Variety of choices in political landscape.

Hurricane Sandy means that the week preceding the election will not be what we were expecting. This editorial is being written Sunday night, Oct. 28, as forecasters predict five inches of rain and 65-mile-per-hour winds over the next two days. With some predicting that power could take a week or more to restore, we have to worry about the likely condition of the Eastern seaboard will be on Election Day, Nov. 6. Absentee voting in person had been cancelled for Monday, and most government offices were closed in anticipation of the storm. What will this mean for voter turnout, for access to voting places on Election Day?

George Allen v. Timothy Kaine for Senate

Voters have stark choice between candidates to replace U.S. Sen. Jim Webb (D).

Candidates for U.S. Senate George Allen and his Democratic challenger Timothy M. Kaine have powerful things in common. Both were popular governors of the Commonwealth of Virginia; both have long political resumes; and both men are passionate about the success of their adopted home state.

Happy Halloween

Haunting events to round out your trick-and-treat filled evening.

Get all the treats and tricks, fright-in-the-night and boo!-filled fun to be had out of Halloween this fall with a little help from some Fairfax County seasonal events.

Skate Park Opens at Lake Fairfax

New park is 15,000 square feet, offers variety of features.

The Fairfax County Park Authority opened the Lake Fairfax Skatepark Saturday, Oct. 27, welcoming hundreds of skaters to one of the biggest parks in the area. The 15,000 square-foot features a large bowl on one end, and more than a dozen other features made of concrete with steel edges.

Local Horrors at Haunted House

Bradley Farm hosts annual haunted house fundraiser.

Charlie Bowen came to the Bradley Farm clubhouse expecting to see some people in zombie makeup, maybe with some gruesome props. He didn’t expect to spend what felt like the longest 120 seconds of his life jumping at every single sound.

Discussing Budget Morality

United Christian Parish hosts discussion on intersection of budgets and social services.

The United Christian Parish in Reston hosted a forum featuring one of the “Nuns on the Bus” Thursday, Oct. 25 for a discussion on the intersection of morality and budgets: Sister Marge Clark, one of a group of nuns that have toured the U.S. meeting with elected officials and locals about morality and budgeting. Clark is the author of the Faithful Budget, which is created by an inter-religious group that determines basic domestic human needs.

Robotics Team Shows Off Hardware

Herndon High School Robotics demonstrate at Udvar-Hazy Center.

The Herndon High School Robotics Team showed off its hardware at the Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center Saturday, Oct. 27, as part of the center’s Air and Scare event.

Eat, Drink and Be Scary!

Children carve pumpkins for a good cause at Wildfire in McLean.

Armed with knives and other sharp implements, more than 50 children butchered, chopped, gouged and chiseled with glee at Wildfire restaurant on Saturday, leaving a slimy trail of orange guts across the tables.

After the Storm

Thousands of residents without power as clean-up efforts continue and residents deal with downed trees, closed roads and schools in wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Hurricane Sandy battered the region Monday night, shutting down Fairfax County schools, governments, roads and voting precincts.

Fairfax County Braces for Sandy’s Arrival

Threat of flooding and high winds prompts officials to close schools, government offices and absentee voting.

As Hurricane Sandy barreled down the East Coast on Sunday, it’s beginning to look like the weather – not politics – will deliver the biggest October surprise this year.

Storm Related Closings

Current list of weather related closings that Connection Newspapers is aware of.

Area Schools Closing in Face of Weather Threat

Threat of flooding, high winds from Hurricane Sandy prompts decision.

Better safe than sorry. Based on that philosophy, Fairfax County Public Schools announced early Sunday afternoon that all FCPS schools will be closed Monday and Tuesday because of the continuing threat of flooding and hurricane-force winds from Hurricane Sandy, a “rare hybrid storm” expected to make landfall on Monday.

Opinion: Be Part of the Children's Connection

Call for student artwork and writing; deadline Dec. 3.

During the last week of each year, The Connection devotes its entire issue to the creativity of local students and children. The results are always remarkable. It is a keepsake edition for many families.

Lawmakers Debate Eminent Domain Ballot Question

Some argue amendment fails to increase property owner’s protections, but may shut down popular parades.

"A shop owner could complain they lost revenue, that festival vendors are taking their business away….What if someone decided to make that an issue and seek compensation for lost profits under (the amendment)? The Town of Vienna can’t afford to reimburse every shop owner..." — Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova (D-at-large) "(The amendment) is fair…If they run a road and cut off your driveway to the point that no one can get into your restaurant and ruin your business, you should be compensated." —Del. Dave Albo (R-42)

Obama Fires Up Fairfax Crowd With ‘Romnesia’ Quips

President delivers second GMU gender-pitch aimed at women voters.

Lillie Reynolds, a single mother from Herndon with four daughters, stood in line for nearly five hours to hear President Barack Obama speak for 25 minutes at a campaign rally at George Mason University on Friday, Oct. 19.

Week in Reston

Police are investigating the death of a Reston-area woman as a homicide. Officers were called to a home in the 11300 block of Geddys Court around 9:40 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16, for the report of a shot person. They located an adult female with an apparent gunshot wound inside the home. She was transported to Reston Hospital Center and succumbed to her injuries.

County Board Names RCC Board Members

On Tuesday, Oct. 16, at the request of Supervisor Catherine M. Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors appointed three Reston residents to the nine-member Reston Community Center Board of Governors: returning Board member William G. Bouie, and new Board members Lisa Ehrhardt and Gerald Zavala.

Voters to Determine Fate of Amendment to Limit Use of Eminent Domain

Measure will allow property owners to seek damages for loss of profits and access.

Nowhere is the debate about eminent domain more intense than the foot of King Street in Alexandria, where city officials threatened to take land owned by the Old Dominion Boat Club using the power of eminent domain for flood mitigation.

The Passover Amendment: Should Legislators Meet on Religious Holidays?

Former Del. David Englin (D-45) was behind amendment now before voters.

Every year, the Virginia General Assembly convenes several weeks after the session to react to the governor’s vetoes.

Commentary: Also on the Ballot

With all the buzz about the presidential election, some voters may be surprised to learn that there are other electoral contests and issues on the ballot. At the request of many people, each year I write about the ballot facing voters and share my intentions on how I will be voting. It will come as no surprise to anyone that I will be voting for President Obama for re-election. This campaign as much as any has been about the clear role of government, and President Obama reflects views that I hold that our society must be open to opportunity for all and not to a privileged few. There is no reason to stay home from this vote. It does not get any more fundamental than this one.

Langston Hughes Prepares for Earthquakes

Middle school participates in USGS ShakeOut drills.

Students at Langston Hughes Middle School participated in the U.S. Geological Survey’s ShakeOut Thursday, Oct. 18, to prepare themselves in the event of another earthquake like the one that shook a large portion of the east coast on Aug. 23, 2011.

Reston Town Center Lights the Night

Annual walk raises funds for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Thousands of blood cancer patients, survivors, caretakers, and family and friends of those who have passed away from the disease gathered at Reston Town Center Saturday, Oct. 20 to take part in the annual Light the Night Walk, held by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Bach to Rock Opens in Herndon

Music studio features lessons, recording equipment, DJ school.

Bach to Rock, a music school for students of all ages, has opened its newest location at Worldgate Centre in Herndon. The school features lessons for a variety of instruments, as well as recording facilities and the Beat Refinery, Bach to Rock’s instructional DJ school.

Shelter House Holds Annual Sleep Out

More than 40 people spend night outdoors to support homeless.

As she prepared to go to sleep in the front seat of her pickup truck, Jewell Mikula thought about what had led her here, to a night sleeping in her car on a cold October evening.

Classified Advertising Oct 24, 2012

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Fairfax Station's Tom Wimer Opens Reston Business

There's a new business slated to open in Reston.

“Hey Beez; Beez, It’s Me”

It was my father all right – in a dream. Standing five feet away, approximately, in a well-lit, local convenience store with which I am extremely familiar. This was no case of mistaken identity. Besides, he was wearing those blue, terrycloth shorts of his that my mother always hated. So yes, I called out to him, surprised as I was to see him, locally as it were.

What Would $155 Million Bond Package Buy?

New fire stations, library renovations, park improvements and more on Nov. 6 ballot.

On a recent Saturday afternoon, Monique Bell of Oakton was helping her 5-year-old daughter McKenzie sort through a dozen Halloween craft books at the Reston Regional Library. The library, one of the busiest branches in Fairfax County, has a collection of more than 215,000 volumes and circulates more than a million books a year.

Classified Advertising Oct. 17, 2012

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Two Poor Teachers Expand in Area

A kitchen and bath remodeling company brings a one-stop-shop right to customers' front doors.

On a sunny afternoon in the parking lot of a Fairfax County shopping center, Jeff Pregman is giving a tour of his mobile showroom, a $100,000 former bookmobile that now houses an impressive selection of tiles, counter tops, faucets, flooring, light fixtures and more. Pregman is the General Manager of Two Poor Teachers, a Class A contracting company founded in 1999 that specializes in kitchen and bath remodeling. The tour is interrupted on several occasions over the course of an hour by folks peering in the windows or knocking on the door. “I love it,” says Pregman. “People see this big vehicle that says it’s a design center. They come up to see what’s what and they are blown away by what’s inside. We do get a bit of business this way.”

Editorial: Pick Your Own Election Day

It's called “absentee voting in person,” and there are a lot of reasons why you should.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. The deadline to register to vote is past, although in Northern Virginia, it's clear that a very high percentage of eligible voters are registered. Four years ago in the presidential election of 2008, there were 5,034,660 voters registered in Virginia, and 3,752,858 actually voted. Just in the month of September 2012, Fairfax County saw more than 6,000 newly registered voters, for a total of 646,881 active voters. Arlington registered more than 3,300 new voters in September, with more than 130,000 active voters total. Alexandria added more than 1,300 new voters last month alone, with 81,847 active voters.

Letter: Vote Yes for Area Parks

As Connection readers know, the upcoming election is a pivotal one. What readers may not be aware of is that a park bond referendum question is on the ballot for Fairfax County residents. I'm writing to ask readers to vote YES for the 2012 park bond.

Herndon/Reston Events Calendar, Oct. 17 - Oct. 31

Get out and about with these great events in Herndon and Reston.

Week in Reston

Discussion on the inventory of public art in Reston, South Lakes teacher recognized as an emerging leader, UnCommon Sense at the Jo Ann Rose Gallery, and Photography by Rene Ramos will be featured at Hunter Woods

Commentary: Moral Consequences of Our Votes

Columnist E.J. Dionne, Jr. wrote in The Washington Post this past week that we should not be afraid to remind voters that elections and budgets have moral consequences.

Reston National in Retreat or Stalling?

Suddenly, Reston National Golf Club’s corporate masters have pulled back from the Oct. 24 hearing they demanded as a matter of urgency before the Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals.

IPAR Recognized by County Arts Council

Arts Impact Award given for IPAR's public art outreach.

The Initiative for Public Art-Reston was recognized by the Arts Council of Fairfax County Friday, Oct. 12 with the Arts Impact Award for their commission and placement of art in public places around the community. Founded in 2007 by local civic organizations and residents, the group created a Public Art Master Plan in 2008 to guide the future of public art.

Simon Hosts Connolly Fundraiser

Reston founder welcomes congressman, supporters to his Lake Anne home.

Supporters of Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11) ascended to the top of Lake Anne Plaza, as Reston founder Robert Simon hosted a fundraising event Sunday, Oct. 13 at his home. Due to the 2010 redistricting, the 11th district includes Reston in its entirety.

Home Tour Shows Life on the Edge

Annual home tour features homes next to Reston's features.

This year’s Reston Homes Tour featured the usual assortment of houses featuring exceptional architecture, interior design and other unique designs, but this year’s theme also focused on the adjacent areas. “Living on the Edge,” the theme, was designed to highlight how various Reston residents are making do while living near some kind of community feature.

“Subjectively Speaking”

In my opinion. It’s what I think. It’s what I feel. It’s what I think I feel. It may not be something I know, but it’s certainly something that I hope I know. And if it’s not exactly something that I know, then I hope it’s something I believe.

Classified Advertising Oct 10, 2012

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Reston Community Center Wins Two Awards

Over 450 delegates from around the state gathered at the 58th Annual Conference of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society held Sept. 8-11 at Wintergreen. The conference is education-focused and provides an opportunity for recreation and park professionals to discuss areas of common interest.

Commentary: Time to Act on the DREAM

Congress needs to act on the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, or the DREAM Act, as soon as it reconvenes after the elections. The act which was first introduced in 2001 would provide a path to citizenship for people brought to this country at a very young age.

Week in Reston

Reston Heights to Host Festival on the Square

Reston Heights announces the 4th annual Festival on the Square on Sunday, Oct. 14, noon-4 p.m.

'Amazing Talent' Featured at Lake Anne

Jazz Festival coordinators disappointed by sparse turn out.

“Something about Lake Anne and music go together,” said Reston resident and Lake Anne Jazz Festival co-coordinator Eve Thompson. Saturday was the Sixth Annual Lake Anne Jazz Festival. Thompson along with Mykle Lyons, a Reston resident and founder of the Mykle Lyons Trio, started the festival out of love for music and for Lake Anne Plaza, said Thompson.

Reston Town Center Hosts Oktoberfest

Annual event features fall beer, food, children’s carnival.

A cold, rainy day couldn’t keep George Mitchell and his friends away from Reston’s Oktoberfest Sunday, Oct. 6.

New Downtown Herndon Mural Under Construction

Commissioned by Arts Council, Keith Naquin prepares mural on Ice House Café.

Downtown Herndon has been a bit more colorful in recent months, and artist Keith Naquin is a major reason why. Over the summer, the retired Herndon High School teacher turned the gray wall behind the NAPA Auto Parts building into a scenic, pastoral mural. Now he’s moved onto his second project, transforming the red brick wall of the Ice House Café.

Editorial: Cancer Awareness

Success with breast cancer awareness should help other cancers.

October is breast cancer awareness month. Anyone connected to media of any variety already knows this. A massive marketing success, we all know that pink shows support for breast cancer prevention, especially in October.

TJ Goalie Seetharaman Shuts Out South Lakes

Herndon resident leads Colonials to first district win.

The Thomas Jefferson field hockey team defeated South Lakes, 2-0, on Oct. 5.

Fairfax Crowd Gives Obama Enthusiastic Welcome

President scores points talking about jobs, women’s rights … and Big Bird.

After a bruising debate with GOP challenger Mitt Romney, President Barack Obama did some boasting Friday, Oct. 5 at a campaign rally at George Mason University.

Column: “Less Fluid, Most Nodules Stable, Minimal Growth.”

Given how I feel now, three-plus years later, and considering the results of this most recent scan, the future may simply be what it is: not now, but later. At least, that’s the way I see it, subjectively speaking. (Now whether “subjectively speaking” is just a euphemism for “unrealistic” is likely a topic for a “future” column.)

Classified Advertising Oct. 3, 2012

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Editorial: Last Week to Register to Vote

To vote on Election Day, you must be registered at your current address no later than Oct. 15, 2012. Registered voters should have received a new voter card in the mail by now. You can check your registration status online by visiting the State Board of Elections website at www.sbe.virginia.gov. There you can also download a voter registration form and mail or fax it to your elections office address.

Week in Reston

The Preference Poll seeks community guidance to fill three three-year positions on the Reston Community Center Board of Governors. Voting began officially on Sept. 28. Ballots were mailed to each property in small district 5, and may be submitted via mail, online, or at either RCC location.

Oktoberfest Reston Set for Oct. 5-7

The beer and wine will be flowing at Oktoberfest Reston produced by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, www.OktoberfestReston.com, the largest fall festival in Northern Virginia drawing crowds of up to 85,000 over three days. This event features the best in fall brews with traditional Oktoberfest fare from area restaurants.

Letter: With Great Confusion

It was with great confusion that I read John Lovaas' recent column (Opinion: Who is Running to Represent You in Congress, Sept 20). Mr. Lovaas, whom I consider a friend, helpfully reminds us that Congressman Jim Moran no longer represents Reston in the House of Representatives because redistricting shifted Reston into the 11th Congressional District, currently represented by Congressman Gerry Connolly. Mr. Connolly faces three opponents from across the political spectrum. That much I understood, but several other points in the column confused me.

South Lakes Teacher Selected as Emerging Leader

Daina S. Lieberman, a teacher at South Lakes High School in Reston, has been recognized as an emerging leader by PDK International, a global association of education professionals.

Swept Along by ‘Legally Blonde’

Reston Community Player present “Legally Blonde: The Musical”

"An adrenalin rush of a musical with lots of fun. Yet a show that the audience can get into finding its essential message behind the sweetness," said award-winning musical director David Rohde of the Reston Community Player's (RCP) production of "Legally Blonde: The Musical."

Playing by the Rules

We teach our children that they have to play by the rules, but sometimes we as adults find ways to bend the rules when it suits our purpose.

A True Green Progressive—Paul Hughes

A couple of weeks ago, we lost a very special man. Paul Hughes, a long-time environmental activist and green business entrepreneur, died from a massive heart attack.

County Lays Out Crescent Timeline

Office of Community Revitalization plans for redevelopment around Lake Anne.

The Fairfax County Office of Community Revitalization released the latest timetable for the redevelopment of the Crescent Apartments near the Lake Anne Village Center.

Rescue Reston, RA Ramp Up Golf Course Efforts

Groups organize community response, retain legal counsel.

Donna Robuck and her husband Robert have lived in a house that overlooks the 10th hole at the Reston National Golf Course for the past 14 years. She can still recall: “I walked in the house, walked straight through to the balcony, and me and my husband thought, ‘this is it. This is the perfect house,’” she said. “The very next day my mother-in-law called and asked what the kitchen looked like, and I had no idea.” Since then, she described living in their house as a dream, but in recent months that dream has been threatened.

Walking to End Alzheimer’s

More than 1,200 sign up for Reston walk.

As participants gathered at the pavilion at Reston Town Center Sunday in preparation for the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s, dark clouds began to roll in and many of those present looked skyward.

Inova Provides ‘Link to Pink’

To celebrate the growing awareness around breast cancer, Inova Breast Care Institute is hosting several events throughout October.

County Gets Election Ready

Fairfax County prepares voters for new election measures.

"The good news in Fairfax County is that almost everyone who is eligible is registered to vote," said Cameron Quinn, Fairfax County’s chief election official. "Our problem in Fairfax County is not voter apathy, and it’s not getting people to register. What we don't have is every registered voter registered at their correct address."

South Lakes Volleyball Coach Eyes Top-Four District Finish

Seahawks reach Hayfield tournament semifinals.

South Lakes volleyball coach Cheri Hostetler has her sights set on finishing in the top half of the eight-team Liberty District.