Editorial: About the Connection
As your local, weekly newspaper, the Great Falls Connection’s mission is to bring the local news you need, to gather information about the best things in and near your community, to advocate for community good, to provide a forum for dialogue on local concerns, and to celebrate and record milestones and events in the community and people’s lives.

Developments Abound in Reston
Silver Line, Master Plan task force opportunities loom.
Reston will be the first community along the Dulles Corridor to experience the Silver Line with the opening of the Wiehle Avenue Station. With stations at Reston Town Center and off Sunrise Valley Drive to come as part of Phase Two, the community is actively involved in planning for both phases.

Silver Line Brings New Opportunities
Metrorail line aims to connect Washington, D.C. with Dulles Airport by 2018.
When the first trains of Metro’s Silver Line start carrying passengers, around February 2014, it will mark a new era for Northern Virginia, particularly the northern part of Fairfax County. By 2018, riders from Ashburn, Sterling, Herndon, Reston and McLean will have access to Dulles Airport and Washington, D.C. via the Silver Line.

A Year in Fairfax County
A sampling of some of the cherished, annual events of the county.
A sampling of some of the cherished, annual events of the county.
Bob Simon’s Favorite Events, Places in Reston
Reston’s founder, Bob Simon, joins the Reston Connection’s Insiders Guide by sharing his list of top ten favorite events and places in Reston.
Reston’s founder, Bob Simon, joins the Reston Connection’s Insiders Guide by sharing his list of top ten favorite events and places in Reston.

What Makes Reston a Great Place to Live
Reston residents discuss their favorite places, activities.
Linda Holloway, a resident of Reston since 1970, calls herself ”a very part-time bookseller and a full-time lover of books,” as she stands in front of the cash register at the Reston Used Book Shop at Lake Anne. It may come as a surprise to longtime residents of Reston, but “many people don’t know where we are,” said Holloway. Even so, “I love the whole Lake Anne area. It’s where it all started…it’s a cool place and I feel like I’ve come home,” said Holloway.

Reston Insiders Perspective
What is the greatest thing about living in Reston?
Everyone knows that the best advice comes from experience--and that's true even in the small things. Newcomers and old-timers alike can find a refreshing look at what we love about Reston herein. Looking for the best place to eat? Forget yelp and find a local blog or ask a neighbor. Wondering about the places to be on the weekend? Finding an in-the-know peer can be the antidote to a all kinds of boredom. So, c'mon, you've got no excuse: do your research and get exploring.

State Senator Shares Places-to-See
Q&A With Chap Petersen
Virginia State Senator Chap Petersen (D-34) represents central and western Fairfax in the Virginia State Senate. He grew up and lives in Fairfax City.

Madeleine Steppel Finds Recipe for Success
Reston resident dines with president and first lady.
One night a few weeks ago, while she was at Camp Louise in Maryland, Madeleine Steppel, 9, of Reston headed to the administration building to wait for a call. Once she got to the building, known around camp as "the White House," the call came in: she had won a trip to the real White House for lunch with first lady Michelle Obama.

Herndon’s History on Display
Town’s rail history still major part of downtown.
Commander William L. Herndon, never actually set foot in the town that bears his name. The naval commander died 22 years before the town was founded, going down with his ship, the S.S. Central American, when it sank in Sept. 1957 off the coast of Cape Hatteras, loaded with three tons of gold.

Herndon Home to Many Popular Restaurants
More than 100 restaurants offer food from more than 30 cultures.
Herndon’s signature restaurant is, according to many locals, Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern. Owner Jimmy Cirrito, a native of upstate New York, signed his lease on Veterans Day, 1996, and has been a fixture of the community ever since.

Strategic Plan Looks to Further Simon’s Ideals
Reston Association plans for new properties, service needs to 2016.
When Robert Simon used the proceeds from the sale of Carnegie Hall to buy almost 7,000 acres of Virginia farmland in March 1961, he founded a community with a plan. A place where residents could live, work and play in a variety of housing types with a variety of recreational opportunities. For the community’s first 50 years, those principals guided the community’s development and governance.

Finding Recreation in Reston
Trails, tennis, pools offer variety of opportunities.
As avid outdoorsman, Larry Butler says he spends his vacations getting as far away from civilization as possible. As the director of Parks and Recreation for the Reston Association, he knows places in Reston offer something similar.
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