Supervisors Pass County Budget
Three supervisors vote against the $3.7 billion budget.
Educators are not happy that the school district will receive $64 million less than they asked for next year. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors passed the county’s Fiscal Year 2015 budget, which includes a 3 percent increase in the School Fund Transfer, at the April 29 meeting.
Going into Business with Mom
Mother-daughter Realtor teams say working together can work.
Allison Goodhart has a vivid childhood memory: pulling a wagon filled with pumpkins and her younger sister around her family’s Del Ray neighborhood in Alexandria, helping to promote her parents’ real estate business. Today Allison Goodhart works alongside her mother as part of Old Town Alexandria-based Goodhart Group of McEnearney Associates Inc., Realtors.
Reston Langston Hughes Middle Celebrates Poetry
Poetry contest raises awareness about creativity
At the end of April, Langston Hughes Middle School held an after school award ceremony for the annual poetry contest. Approximately 80 poems by students were entered this year’s annual poetry contest, and winners were announced. The contest, sponsored by Northwest Federal Credit Union (NWFCU) and the school’s PTA, offered students an arena to express ideas poetically. Representing NWFCU was Nicolette Watkins. “It has been a wonderful opportunity for the credit union to work with this school,” said Watkins.
Reston National Golf Course to Host Annual Junior Golf Day Saturday, May 10
Free Admission, Contests, Prizes, Inflatable Dinosaur ‘Golfzilla’ Among Highlights
(VIENNA, VA) – Reston National Golf Course – managed by Billy Casper Golf (BCG), the largest owner-operator of golf courses, country clubs and resorts in the U.S. – will host its annual Junior Golf Day on Saturday, May 10 from 2 to 4 p.m. Attendees will enjoy free admission, instructional clinics conducted by PGA Professionals, contests and prizes, and even the chance to witness “Golfzilla,” a 19-foot tall inflatable dinosaur. Golfers can demo the latest Nike Golf clubs on Reston National’s driving range.
Contrasting Views
Commentary
Last week I had the honor of meeting Stan Brock, the legendary “Wild Kingdom” TV star and founder and president of Remote Area Medical (RAM). He held a press conference in Richmond to announce the details of expanding the Remote Area Medical program in Virginia. (www.RAMUSA.org) Already RAM sponsors a once-a-year health clinic in Wise County in Southwest Virginia where thousands come on a weekend for the only medical care they will receive all year. The expanded effort in Virginia will be headed by Dr. Vicki Weiss who has been providing volunteer eye care with RAM for over 15 years. Also participating in the press conference was Dr. Teresa Gardiner who serves on the Health Wagon in the region that was featured on 60 Minutes recently.
Celebrating Spring with Dance
Classical Ballet Theatre (CBT) celebrates this spring by sharing its love of dance with the community. In late March, it hosted children and their families at its Herndon studios for shorter, narrated Children’s Series performances of The Sleeping Beauty, and, in early April, it took the full classic ballet to the big stage at the Ernst Theater. There, dancers performed before hundreds of enthusiastic audience members. In addition to friends and family, these included military personnel and Fairfax County teachers who received complimentary tickets in honor of CBT’s Silver Anniversary.
Pet Fiesta Held At Reston Town Center
Thousands attend pet focused May 3 event.
Visitors and participants of the annual Reston Pet Fiesta enjoyed sunny mild weather on Saturday, May 3. One of the signature events of Reston Town Center, this outdoor event was open to the public and brought together local businesses, animal rescue groups and pet owners for a day of activities and demonstrations. The event was also an opportunity to put in volunteer hours with animal adoption groups.
Farmers Come Back to Lake Anne
Reston opens 17th Farmers Market season.
They’re back! And judging by the crowds wandering the stalls at the Reston Famers Market (RFM) at Lake Anne on Saturday, May 3, quite a lot of folks could barely wait. “There are other markets open during the winter, but this is the one we really enjoy,” said Sue Anne Miller of Burke, who arrived just after things got under way at 8 a.m. “Bringing the family to Opening Day is like the official start to Spring for us,” said Miller, juggling her coffee cup, a yummy from vendor Grace’s Pastries and a handful of reuseable shopping bags.
Reliving Musical Memories
The Reston Chorale presents ‘Feelin' Groovy: Reston's Early Years.’
When & Where The Reston Chorale’s spring Pops Concert celebrates Reston’s 50th Anniversary with a musical flashback to the 60s and 70s. Saturday, May 10, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m., Reston Community Center, Hunters Woods. Tickets are now available at www.restonchorale.org.
Shelter House Names New Director
Joe Meyer worked with organization for nine years.
The new executive director for Shelter House isn’t new to the organization at all. Joe Meyer, who has worked with Shelter House for the past nine years, was named the head of the nonprofit helping to put an end to homelessness and fight domestic violence in Reston and beyond. “My main focus and goal is to serve the staff at Shelter Homes and provide the support they need to get the job done,” he said. Shelter House Board President Denise Miller said he was chosen from a pool of 50 applicants. The board hired an outside search firm and put together a task force to whittle the pool down to their final choices. Many of the board members were involved in the process to find a new executive director.
A Little Team That Could
Forest Edge Elementary team goes to the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals.
In March an intrepid group of third and fifth graders from a Reston elementary school entered a regional competition and pulled off a surprise win against students twice their age. On April 26, they doubled down at the state tournament. The Red Hot Chili Puddings are a team of rookies led by rookie coaches. Their pursuit, Odyssey of the Mind, is a world-wide creative problem-solving competition involving students of all ages. It pits bright and creative kids against each other in both spontaneous and long-term tests of intellect and creativity. This little team with the long odds won first place in their division at the regional competition — and then some.
Fundraising for Lake Anne Elementary
Lake Anne Elementary PTA held a fundraiser called the ‘Dolphin Dash’ after the school’s mascot. In this fundraising dash the children go out and receive pledges (or a simple donation) for every lap they make around the parking lot. To date, they have raised upwards of $13,000 for the school. Pictured: Principal Brendan Menuey, Ed.D. and the parent who spearheaded this, Michelle Brennan, along with the dolphin and the students -- Bahran; Jinan and Martha, all fourth graders.
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Choosing a Summer Camp
Camp experts offer advice on selecting a camp, but now is the time to register.
Many families with school age children will plan to have their children spend some of the much-anticipated summer season in camp. If you haven’t yet selected camps for your children, now is the time.
Many Ideas for Summer Activities
Avoid those dreaded words: ‘I’m bored.’
Molly McAlister enjoys the freedom of summer, but there are three words she dreads hearing: “Mom, I’m bored.” Creating activities to keep her three children busy during the summer is a task she enjoys, but it isn’t always easy.
Fairfax County School Board Examining Later Start Times
High schools could start as late as 9:15.
Two years after the Fairfax County School Board adopted a resolution in favor of later start times, exhausted teenagers are one step closer to getting a full night’s sleep. The Children’s National Medical Center recently presented the school board with options for later start times, of which the school board selected four for public discussion. The new start times could be implemented as early as the 2015-2016 school year.
Protecting Youths Against Substance Abuse
Panel shares stories and advice.
Fairfax County's Unified Prevention Coalition sponsored a forum on the effects of substance abuse on the county's middle and high school children. The resource fair and panel discussion was led by parents, young adults and professionals from the coalition's PROTECT (Parents Reaching Out To Educate Communities Together) task force. "It's been so long, I'll still be emotional about it," said Greg Lannes about his daughter's heroin overdose in 2008. Alicia Lannes had been 19 when she died and had always been a model student with straight A's. He pointed to the lone framed photo of her on the table and asked the audience, "Does that look like a heroin addict? How did she get to that point?"
Protecting Driver’s License Information Becomes Law
Del. David Bulova’s legislation (House Bill 1072) to protect personal information on driver’s licenses was enacted into law during the reconvened session of the General Assembly on April 23. The new law, which will be effective on July 1, limits the ability of a business to electronically scan the bar code on a driver’s license and then store and use that data. State Sen. David Marsden (D-37) carried the companion legislation (Senate Bill 40), which has also been enacted into law.
County Budget Markup Passes
Three supervisors still oppose the budget.
Fairfax County is another step closer to having an approved budget for the next fiscal year. The Board of Supervisors approved the 2015 budget markup at its April 22 meeting at the county Government Center. Supervisors Linda Smyth (D-Providence), Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) and John Cook (R-Braddock) opposed the markup.
Fairfax County Honors ‘Superheroes’
22nd Annual Fairfax County Service Awards presented.
Maybe they don’t wear capes and flashy uniforms, but local volunteers are superheroes. That was the theme for the 22nd Annual Fairfax County Service Awards, where more than 100 volunteers were recognized for their work with breakfast Friday, April 25, at The Waterford in Springfield. More specifically, this year’s theme was "Ordinary People, Extraordinary Impact," which was reflected in the comic book-inspired table decor and introductions by master of ceremonies Jeff Goldberg, Virginia Bureau Chief for ABC7 and News Channel 8.