Stories for September 2015

Editorial: Changing Perspective on Death Penalty

Evolving standards will eclipse the death penalty entirely at some point in the future.

It’s sad to see senseless death as a response to senseless death. Alfred R. Prieto is not a sympathetic figure, a serial killer who was on death row in California when DNA connected him to murders and rapes in Reston and Arlington that took place in 1988. He is scheduled for execution this week, at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1.

Reston: First Celebration of Founder

Hundreds turn out to express gratitude for Robert E. Simon.

Bob Simon’s wife Cheryl Terio-Simon wrote a letter that was read aloud at the candlelight vigil held Friday, Sept. 26 at Lake Anne Plaza in honor of Reston’s founder who died earlier in week.

Reston: Dedicated to Bob Simon

A year in planning, Simon will not be in front row for concert, but will be in hearts.

Robert E. Simon was a founding member of The Reston Chorale in 1967.

The Marcy & Zina Show Arriving at Reston’s CenterStage

Get ready for a winning musical evening with songs ranging from humorous tales of an unforeseen crush at a local Starbucks, to whom not to date, along with numbers about profound pangs of caring and affecting love ballads.

Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - Sept. 25-Oct. 4, 2015

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

Reston Home Sales: August, 2015

In August, 2015, 108 Reston homes sold between $1,500,000-$110,000.

Reston Home Sales: August, 2015

Fairfax County NAACP hosts 70th Freedom Fund Awards

‘Your Vote, Your Power’

J.E.B. Stuart High School seniors Anna Rowan, Cassie Marcotty, Marley Finley, Abby Conde and Lidia Amanuel were bothered by the Confederate legacy of their school. Inspired by a history class with teacher Keith Bropst on the Massive Resistance anti-segregation policy, the girls set out to change Stuart’s name, mascot and colors.

Fairfax NAACP To Host Rally Seeking ‘Justice for Natasha McKenna’

Fairfax County NCAAP president Shirley Ginwright announced a rally will be held Sept. 27 to demand justice for Natasha McKenna, a 37-year-old woman with mental illness who died in February after she had been held in the Adult Detention Center.

Herndon: Teacher Honored

Beloved Herndon High School Latin teacher Christine Sleeper, who died Feb. 15, 2015 at 98, kept a Trojan Horse in her Herndon High School classroom and the Latin word “gaude” on her license plate.

Obituary: Mary Tindal Rainey, of Reston, Dies

Mary Tindal Rainey - geophysicist, nature lover, sports enthusiast and artist – passed away on Aug. 17, 2015 after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Robert E. Simon, 101, Reston Founder, Dies

Reston founder’s legacy remains immortal.

Paul Hartke invited Bob Simon on his pontoon boat on Lake Audubon when Simon was in his 90s. “He stood on the back of the pontoon boat and we revved the motor and he beamed, ‘This makes you feel like a kid.’ That’s what kept him going I think.'”

Column: Treatment Denied Syndrome

Natasha McKenna’s blood is on all of our hands.

Natasha McKenna did not die from excited delirium. She died from Treatment Denied Syndrome.*

Ending Bullying

Back to School: Local educators offer advice for parents on how to deal with bullying as school resumes.

When Carol Baker cried, no one heard her. She and a classmate were alone in the girls locker room, and as Baker, then an eighth grade student, tried to leave, her classmate grabbed her gym shirt and pushed her into a locker. They weren’t fighting over anything in particular and Baker didn’t sustain any physical injuries.

Help for Long-Term Caregivers

AARP Virginia and the Organization of Chinese American Women will sponsor event next week.

Those embarking on a long-term caregiving journey will have an opportunity to receive support and learn about the services available to them in Northern Virginia. AARP Virginia and the Organization of Chinese American Women will sponsor an event called, “Caregiving Wisdom from an Ancient Sage,” on Sept. 22, 7 p.m., at the Shirlington Library in Arlington and again on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 7.p.m., at the George Mason Regional Library in Annandale.

Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - Sept. 18-27

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

Herndon: Remembering Christine Sleeper

Sunday, gathering in memory of Herndon Latin teacher.

Beloved Herndon High School Latin teacher Christine Sleeper, who died Feb. 15, 2015 at 98, kept a Trojan horse in her classroom and a Latin word on her license plate.

Fairfax County: ‘Reports and Tears Are Not Enough’

Protesters demonstrate for Natasha McKenna, social justice and improved mental health services at ad hoc police review commission public hearing.

Cayce Utley of Centreville said Natasha McKenna, the 37-year-old African American woman with mental illness who died in the Sheriff’s Office custody in February, must be “more than just a mistake, more than an accident. Black women aren’t your ‘Oops,’ they aren’t your teachable moments.”

Fairfax County School Board Reflects on First Day of Later Start Times

James Madison High School senior Ben Press provided firsthand testimony for the positive effect of new later start times for Fairfax County high school students. “Your investment in our health paid off, as can be seen in the better-rested faces of thousands of high school students across the county,” said Press, addressing the Fairfax County School Board in his new role as student representative at their Sept. 10 meeting.

Elected Officials Discuss Ways to Support Fairfax County’s Residents in Need

“We can’t do enough to spread the word that in the midst of affluent Fairfax County there is another, ‘hidden Fairfax’ that needs our urgent attention.” T

Column: Tradition of Keeping Voters Informed

Virginians can access state government programs and services through a single internet portal, www.virginia.gov that is nationally recognized as one of the best among the states.

DockDogs Demonstration Highlights Lake Anne Pet Event

PetMAC Marketplace and Adoption Center in Lake Anne Plaza, Reston, hosted another Pet Event on Saturday, Sept. 12.

Courage Wall At Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station

Public has opportunity to participate in art project.

From Sept. 2 to Sept. 26, visitors at the Reston Silver Line Station are able to see an interactive art project, a chalkboard called the Courage Wall.

Reston: Shelter, Library, and an 11-page Plan

Move shelter into Cameron Glen and library into the shelter, RCA proposes.

Reston Citizens Association has an 11-page, seven-step plan for Reston Town Center North, its library and Embry Rucker Community Shelter.

Herndon High Latin’s Certamen Team Wins National Championship

Eight Herndon High School Latin students won the National Certamen championship in the National Junior Classical League Convention in San Antonio, Texas.

Fairfax County: More Open Space

Survey about parks shows more households using the parks, lower satisfaction.

Fairfax County residents say preservation of open space is the most important service that the Park Authority can provide.

NOVA’s New President Celebrates First Week in New Role

Dr. Scott Ralls officially took the helm, on Sept. 8, as the fifth president of Northern Virginia Community College. Ralls joins one of the largest community colleges in the nation after seven years as president of the 58-campus North Carolina Community College System.

Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - Sept. 11-20

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

Reston: Wicket Club Aims to Make Cricket the New Baseball

Popularity of cricket soaring in Northern Virginia.

Wicket Club in Sterling is a magnet for young cricket players from Northern Virginia. It’s one of the few indoor cricket facilities on the east coast and immediately found an audience with the Southeast Asian cricket community when it opened in 2012.

Reston: Lake Anne Jazz Festival a Hit with the Crowd

The first-ever Lake Anne Jazz Week was held the week of Aug. 30-Sept. 5 at Lake Anne Plaza (Waterfront) in Reston.

Column: Police Reform Now A Distinct Possibility

The Fairfax County Ad Hoc Commission to Review Police Practices is completing its final recommendations to reforms of Fairfax County law enforcement.

Column: Redistricting Reform Needed

A federal court found Virginia’s congressional redistricting to be unconstitutional because it diluted the strength of minorities in elections.

‘Remodeled Home Tour’

A 3,700-square-foot, four-bedroom center hall Colonial renovated in phases over nearly two decades will be featured in a “Remodeled Home Tour” sponsored by Sun Design Remodeling.

Thinking of Downsizing?

Free seminar will focus on moving to a smaller place without sacrificing style.

Homeowners considering a move from a large home to a smaller dwelling will have an opportunity to receive expert advice on their transition later this month.

Editorial: Focusing on Suicide Prevention

Help is a phone call away.

This week is Suicide Prevention Week. Preventing suicide means paying attention to mental health and treating depression, and there is no better time to focus on that than the first week of school.

Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - Sept. 4-13

A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.

Workplace Fitness

Employer-based health and wellness programs are good for business.

It’s Wednesday afternoon and a cohort of George Mason University staff, students and faculty hit the pavement. Clad in attire ranging from running shorts and brightly colored sneakers to neutral walking shoes and business suits, the group takes part in “Who’s Walking Wednesdays,” part of an initiative to get moving for health and wellness.

Editorial: How to Vote; It Matters

Voting begins in two weeks, Sept. 18.

Election Day is Nov. 3, and on that day, virtually every state and local office is on the ballot. In-person absentee voting begins Sept. 18, barely two weeks from now.

Tournament and Nature Walk for Reston National

Rescue Reston plans Oct. 5 events on the golf course to raise money and awareness.

Ed Hass knows where the foxes keep their dens along the Reston National Golf Course. He found an occupied den this spring, and when the kits were born he took more than 100 photos.

Reston Restaurants Rearrange

Several Reston restaurants undergo renovations, new businesses come to town.

With summer ending, business will be back to usual once schools return to session. There will be some changes to the dining selection, including the anticipated arrival of the restaurant Red’s Table.

Metro Needs an Overhaul

Problems shake confidence of WMATA Metro.

Traffic is almost always hectic in Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. suburbs. It may have been no surprise according to a nationwide traffic study, Washington, D.C., obtained the honor of worst rush hour congestion in the country.

Reston: South Lakes Volleyball Finishes Fourth at NVVA Invitational

The South Lakes volleyball team has two star hitters, a new head coach and some lofty goals. On Saturday, that combination earned fourth place at the NVVA Invitational.

Fairfax County: Historic Sites - Resident Curators?

In exchange for rehabilitating the property, the curator gains use of the property and pays no rent.

The Virginia General Assembly enacted legislation in January 2011 to ensure that local jurisdictions establish a Resident Curator Project.