Stories for June 2016

Stories for June 2016

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Thursday, June 30

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Fairfax County: Former Police Officer Torres sentenced to 12 months for killing John Geer

Torres released five days following sentencing due to time already served

For the first time in its three-quarters of a century in existence, a Fairfax County Police officer has been convicted and sentenced after an officer-involved shooting death.

Wednesday, June 29

Fairfax County Public Library Kicks Off Summer Reading Program

The Fairfax County Public Library began its Summer Reading Challenge on June 23, with this year’s theme being “Read for the Win.”

Fairfax County: Torres Walks Free

Former police officer released five days after sentencing for killing John Geer

Former Fairfax County Police Officer Adam Torres walked free Wednesday morning, June 29.

Tuesday, June 28

Weekend Fun: June 30 to July 4

Weekend fun in Reston and Herndon

Week in Reston

Free Webinar on Intrusion Detection

Weekly happenings in Reston.

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Uke Tunes Return to Lake Anne

Seventh annual Ukulele Festival set for Saturday, July 9.

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Restonian Takes 72-Hour Tennis Marathon Challenge

From the kayakers to the trail runners at her Lake Anne residence, tennis marathon challenger Bonnie Vona sees workout opportunities abounding.

Commentary: Police Push-back on Commission Recommendations

The Fairfax County Commission on Police Practices submitted its unanimous report to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BOS) over eight months ago.

Commentary: The Right to Bear Arms

The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is one sentence long: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

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Reston: Chamber Recognizes Excellence

Awards for chamber excellence winners announced, greater reston chamber of commerce board of directors installed.

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Reston: Program Encourages Children to ‘Read for the Win!'

Reston Regional Library’s annual summer reading program keeps minds fresh during the summer months.

Letter: Gross Misreading of the Second Amendment

To the Editor

This is in response to U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly's opinion piece titled "Stem Gun Violence Epidemic" (The Connection, June 22-28).

Connection Families and Pet Connection

The Pet Connection, a twice-yearly special edition, will publish on July 27, and photos and stories of your pets with you and your family should be submitted by July 17.

Editorial: Getting Home Safely on Independence Day

Independence Day is a national celebration, and for many, that celebration includes alcohol. The summer overall and July 4 in particular are times of greater risk for drinking and driving.

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Hope in the Fight Against Drug Dependency

Meeting highlights battles in every neighborhood.

Fairfax County experiences heroin overdoses every day, according to county officials. To help raise awareness, a second county-wide Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse Town Hall was held June 14 at Centreville High School.

Monday, June 27

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Online Classes Offer Flexible Options for Earning Credentials Outside the Classroom

Interested in learning to landscape your yard using sustainable practices?

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Tips for Memorable Family Vacations

As summer gets underway, vacation-bound families are packing their bags and heading out of town. Vacations often fly by — months of planning and anticipating can be over in the blink of an eye. With a little advanced planning and forethought, however, even a quick weekend trip or a visit to relatives can become meaningful and memorable.

Friday, June 24

Reston and Herndon Weekend Fun: June 24-26

Weekend fun in the area.

Wednesday, June 22

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Herndon and Reston: Celebrating the Fourth of July 2016

Celebrating Independence Day

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Supervisors Endorse Police ‘Re-engineering’

Action items approved include use of force and communications recommendations from Ad Hoc commission.

The possibility of body cameras being worn by Fairfax County Police officers and the release of officers’ names involved with critical use of force incidents dominated discussion during two action items in the Board of Supervisors June 21 meeting.

Tuesday, June 21

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Taste of Reston Draws Big Crowds

Food festival in Reston

Letter: Harmful House Bill

To the Editor

Last week, the US House decided that keep our air safe is not important and passed a bill to restrict implementation of the new standards for nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and lead.

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Reston Hospital Center Medical Staff Awards Scholarships

The Medical Staff of Reston Hospital Center awarded scholarships to 19 Fairfax and Loudoun County High School seniors in recognition of their academic excellence and excitement for pursuing a career in healthcare.

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Reston: Go Big, Class of 2016

“Think of this as the morning announcements for the rest of your life,” said senior Meaghan Elizabeth Nally, now a graduate of South Lakes High School Class of 2016.

Reston: South Lakes Student Wins Film Festival Awards

Carlos Lenz Wins Best Documentary and Best Commercial-Public Service Announcement at the Virginia High School League Film Festival.

Commentary: Being Among the Happiest

Technologists have applied their big data and computer-crunching to determine where in the world and where in the United States are the happiest places to live.

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Reston District Police Station Hosts Community Open House

Residents toured exhibits and the new station.

Reston: North County Governmental Center Opens to Public

The new center nearly doubles the available space for offices, public meetings.

Commentary: Congress Must Act to Stem Gun Violence Epidemic

Last week, America woke to what has become an all-too-common nightmare. A man driven by hate and armed with assault weapons carried out our nation’s worst mass shooting.

Free Independence Day Cab Rides Offered

Preparing to combat that U.S. holiday when, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 41 percent of all U.S. traffic deaths involve drunk drivers, free cab rides will be offered to would-be drunk drivers throughout the Washington Metropolitan area on Independence Day, July 4.

Friday, June 17

Reston Home Sales: May, 2016

In May, 2016, 138 Reston homes sold between $1,347,500-$125,000.

Reston Home Sales: May, 2016

Thursday, June 16

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Natasha McKenna’s Mother Files $15 Million Wrongful Death Suit

Woman with mental illness died after being tased while in Sheriff’s custody.

Natasha McKenna’s mother is seeking more than $15 million in a wrongful death and gross negligence suit filed against Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid and five deputies.

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Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Added to Fairfax County Student Handbook

School Board members debate whether students should be held accountable.

Students in Fairfax County Public Schools started the 2015-2016 school year without the words “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” as part of the nondiscrimination guide within their student handbook.

Wednesday, June 15

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Taste of Reston Returns Friday and Saturday, June 16-17

Taste of Reston is expected to draw record crowds to Reston Town Center Friday and Saturday, June 16-17.

Reston: Neil Kothari, 15, Leads Odyssey of the Mind Team to World Finals

Kothari has coached a sixth grade team of Hunters Woods students for 8 months leading up to the World Finals.

Commentary: Selective Accounting

The Commonwealth of Virginia prepares its budget on a biennial schedule. The budget proposed this year by the Governor and adopted by the General Assembly will become effective July 1, 2016, and extend to June 30, 2018.

Commentary: TetraGate Review or Audit

There is a bit of a frenzy going on at the Reston Association.

Arno’s Pastries Come to Reston

Meet pastry chef Arnaud Herodet.

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Reston: Yoga at the Pavilion

The Love Your Body Yoga Festival gives back and urges community to love their bodies.

The Pavilion at Reston Town Center filled with yogis on Sunday, June 12 for the eighth Love Your Body Yoga Festival.

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Reston: Development of a Solution?

Can the former American Press Institute building, architectural gem, still be saved?

The vacant American Press Institute Building at 11690 Sunrise Valley Drive drew international attention this week, days before a scheduled rezoning hearing at the Fairfax County Planning Commission this Thursday, June 16, 2016.

Classified Advertising June 15, 2016

Read the lastest ads here!

Editorial: Support for Police in Reforms

Police commission recommendations come to Board of Supervisors for approval, implementation.

In some ways, the Fairfax County Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission, brainchild of Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova, was a bit of a miracle.

Tuesday, June 14

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Leadership Fairfax Honors 2016 Graduates

The Pavilion at Reston Town Center was a most fitting venue for the graduation ceremony of the 2016 classes of the non-profit Leadership Fairfax Institute (LFI).

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Considering Private School?

Small steps this summer can minimize stress of application process.

The school year has just come to an end … which means it’s the ideal time to prepare to apply to leading independent schools.

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The Gap Year Trend

The pros and cons of taking a break in academic studies before college.

2016 Lord and Lady Fairfax Honorees Selected

Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. named the 2016 Lords and Ladies Fairfax at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, June 7 at the Fairfax County Government Center.

Saturday, June 11

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State Tournament Roundup

W-L boys' soccer, Robinson girls', boys' lax among teams competing for titles.

The 6A state championships are being held today at Robinson and Lake Braddock.

Wednesday, June 8

Week in Reston

Weekly happenings in Reston

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Yogis to Fill Reston with Gratitude

Thousands to join Reston’s Beloved Yoga at 8th annual yoga festival this Sunday at Reston Town Center.

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Street-painting Festival at Lake Anne Plaza

Lake Anne Plaza is hosting its Third Annual Chalk on the Water Festival taking place the weekend of June 11-12.

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‘Concerts on the Town’ Return to Reston Town Center

David Akers and the Soul Shakers kick off the summer series running from June 4 to Aug. 27 at the Reston Town Center Pavilion.

Commentary: Lifelong Learning, Endless Possibilities

In 1956 the then appointed Fairfax County School Board appropriated fifty dollars per month to be paid as a supplement to a school administrator to start an adult education program.

Metro SafeTrack Surge Begins on Orange and Silver Lines

Metro's first SafeTrack work on the Orange and Silver line trains began on Sunday, June 4 and will last until June 16.

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Octagonal Dream Home on the Market

Home's shape and large windows make it a sun-drenched space.

It was during a trip to California almost 20 years that McLean resident Susan Jordano first laid eyes on her dream home.

Classified Advertising June 8, 2016

Read the latest ads here!

Thursday, June 2

Volunteers Needed for Reston Sprint Triathlon

Volunteers needed

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Reston: Science Night at Dogwood Elementary

The schools hosts Science Night with Children’s Science Center.

Commentary: TetraGate—A Million Here, A Million There

Tetra is back. Remember the big brouhaha in Reston last year when the Reston Association acquired the modest office building on the corner of the dam holding Lake Newport’s water?

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Fairfax County: High School Senior Addresses School Board on LGBT Issues

Board conducting community review of Family Life Education curriculum recommendations.

Bennett Shoop remembers first being bullied in second grade. He liked to dress all in black, wear weird shirts, be alternative in his outward expression.

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Fairfax County: School Board Adopts $2.7 Billion Budget

FY 2017 budget aims to raise teacher salaries, lower class sizes.

The Fairfax County School Board has made good on Superintendent Dr. Karen Garza’s promise when she introduced a FY 2017 budget for the school system.

Wednesday, June 1

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Vienna: Joel’s Story

After foster care experience: Architecting his own path.

Joel was taken into foster care when he was a high school junior, after reporting to a coach what was going on at home. Schools are “mandatory reporters,” and, as such, they are legally compelled to call social services in a case like Joel’s.

Classified Advertising June 1 , 2016

Read the latest ads here!

Staying Safe This Summer

Tips and precautions for avoiding warm-weather hazards.

The start of summer means pools and backyard grilling. It also means an increased risk of accidents and injuries.

Talk to Your Teens

Editorial

So much at stake as teens approach graduation and summer.