Tuesday, June 30
July 4th Safety
From swimming to fireworks, safety precautions for a festive Independence Day.
It was a near accident at camp last summer that sparked action by one parent. Elementary school-aged campers splashed in the pool. Everyone was having fun. Then tragedy almost struck.
Fairfax County: Deferring to Noise
New standards will wait until after the November election.
The Board of Supervisors wants to spend more time with noise. Last Tuesday, June 23, the Board deferred action on the proposed changes to the county’s noise ordinance until Nov. 17, 2015.
Editorial: Open Letter to Elected Officials and Candidates
Spend some of your campaign dollars in newspapers.
Here at the Connection, our email boxes are filling up with messages from people running for office. It’s not surprising, since in November, virtually every state and local office in the commonwealth is on the ballot.
Friday, June 26
Health Curriculum To More Closely Align with State
School Board approves recommendations from advisers, with amendments.
Though it was the second packed house in as many months, it may be early yet to call crowded Fairfax County School Board meetings a trend.
Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - June 26-28, 2015
A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.
A roundup of fun things to do this weekend in Fairfax county.
Thursday, June 25
Fairfax County: Police Release Use of Force Review
Review explained at latest Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission meeting.
Nearly a year ago, Fairfax County sought an outside opinion on its police department’s use of force. That July 2014 assignment went to the Washington, D.C.-based Police Executive Research Forum.
Wednesday, June 24
Column: Gone But Always Remembered
As Father’s Day approaches, (written Thursday, June 18th) I am reminded of one of my father’s standard lines which characterize his positive attitude on life, for which I am eternally grateful – because I inherited it.
Herndon Hosts Korean American Sports Festival
18th Korean American Sports Festival hosted in Herndon.
From June 19 - 21, Herndon helped host the 18th Annual Korean American Sports Festival. The 18th Korean American National Sports Festival (KASF) is a semi-annual national event where Korean American's celebrate heritage through sports. Festival President Ahn Kyung-ho said Washington D.C., had been the host to eight successful events. “Korean-American’s are the only minority to have multi-sports events in the USA and I am very proud to host this year’s event in D.C.,” said Sam Chung, chair of the 2015 KASF Organization Committee.
Tuesday, June 23
Call for Pet Connection Photos
The Pet Connection, a twice-yearly special edition, will publish on July 22, and photos and stories of your pets with you and your family should be submitted by July 15. Our favorite pictures include both pets and humans. We welcome short stories about how you got your pet, a noteworthy talent or anecdote about your pet, tales of the bonds between your family and your pet, plus drawings, paintings or other artwork of your pet by children or adults Please tell us a little bit about your creature, identify everyone in the photo, give a brief description what is happening in the photo, and include address and phone number (we will not publish your address or phone number, just your town name).
Editorial: Safe Planning for Independence
Talking and planning about celebrating July 4, and throughout the summer months.
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.
Herndon: ‘World Is Counting on You’
Herndon High School’s Class of 2015: “To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.”
“Hope is a feeling that everybody understands. It means the same thing in every language,” said Herndon High School senior Fatma Gdoura.
Reston: ‘Blessed to Be a Part of It’
546 students graduated from South Lakes High School on Thursday, June 18.
English teacher Valerie Padgett sometimes consulted an urban dictionary to understand her South Lakes High School students. “You all made me laugh,” she said. “I have been blessed to be a part of it.” The senior class chose her to be the faculty member to give the commencement address at their once-in-a-lifetime commencement ceremony.
Friday, June 19
Oak Hill and Herndon Home Sales: May, 2015
In May, 2015, 109 homes sold between $1,315,000-$174,000 in the Oak Hill and Herndon area.
Oak Hill and Herndon Home Sales: May, 2015
Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - June 19-21, 2015
A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.
A roundup of fun things to do this weekend in Fairfax county.
Thursday, June 18
Ideas for Summer Learning
Experts offer suggestions for avoiding summer brain drain.
While summer is opportunity for fun, it can also be a breeding ground for stagnation.
YouthQuest Runs ThinkLink
Experts say 3D printing can open a world of imagination and critical thinking.
Adonis Gonzales had always wanted to become a master electrician, but when he was asked to leave high school at 16 because of a poor attendance record, his prospects looked bleak.
Wednesday, June 17
Herndon Week By Numbers
Herndon’s 2035 Vision Strategic Plan is on the agenda for Town Council’s July meeting.
Herndon: Gratitude Expressed Two Ways
Pablo E. Hollstein “brought something special to the Town,” said Lisa Gilleran, director of community development. Hollstein, who is scheduled to retire on July 1, 2015, has worked with the Department of Community Development since 2008 and started employment with Herndon with the Office of Neighborhood Resources in Oct. 23, 2000.
Herndon: ‘We the People’
Supervisors Michael R. Frey and Cathy Hudgins, issued a proclamation from the entire Board on Tuesday, June 2 to recognize students at Rachel Carson Middle School in Herndon.
‘Put the Lights on Flash’
Herndon Town Council honored Robert S. Wilson, of the Department of Public Works, Tuesday, June 9 at the Herndon Municipal Center. Wilson is the chief of the traffic maintenance crew and has worked for the town since Dec. 10, 2001.
Column: No Joke, But Funny Nonetheless
Not that I ever want to use my having cancer as an excuse, but you have to admit, it’s a doozy. And it’s probably the best thing about the diagnosis/prognosis. However, it’s not as if there are a number of other advantages to the disease.
Tuesday, June 16
Letter: What Can We Learn from Europeans?
To the Editor
When people hear the word sustainability, they often shy away from it. To some, it is about creating resilient infrastructure and systems that will last for many future generations.
Area Students Named Apple Scholars
The following graduating high school seniors from the Fairfax County communities were honored as Apple Scholars by the Apple Federal Credit Union
Thursday, June 11
Fairfax Station: 200 Walk Burke Lake for Nepal Earthquake Victims
When the 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Nepal in April this year, Madhu and Yashoda Bhandari of Lorton felt the shocks in their United States home. Both are originally from the Nuwakot district, one that was hit violently.
Supervising Public Safety
First meeting since 2011 includes packed agenda, full house.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee, chaired by Gerry Hyland (D-Mount Vernon), met on Tuesday, June 9 for the first time since June 2011. Since then, there have been six officer-involved shootings in Fairfax County, including the August 2013 shooting death of John Geer. Police handling of the communications and investigation of that shooting led to the formation in March 2015 of the Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission.
Wednesday, June 10
Column: Philosophically Speaking
Recently I attended a “Celebration of Life” event, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, created to bring attention to, and educate the public on, cancer. As a long-time cancer survivor, nearly six and a half years now – and one treated by doctors at Kaiser, I was asked, along with a cervical cancer survivor, to sit on a “survivor panel”; to share our cancer experiences, and offer, along with two oncologists and a pulmonologist, our respective insights as “treater” and “treatee.”
Obituary: Samuel Parvez Mall, 74, Dies
Well known Washingtonian, Samuel Parvez Mall entered into eternal rest on May 22, 2015. Born Jan. 29, 1941 in Lahore, Pakistan, Mall was the son of an Anglican Priest and the youngest of four children.
Letter: Vandalism at Herndon High School
Letter to the Editor
To the Editor: Last weekend, vile hate speech and derogatory symbols were found defacing property at Herndon High School.
Herndon High Choir Holds Pops Concert
School year ends with choral shows.
Herndon High School Choir presented the Pops Concert on Thursday, June 4 at Herndon High auditorium. This was one of the final concert shows for the year for students.
Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - June 12-14, 2015
A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.
A roundup of fun things to do this weekend in Fairfax county.
Herndon: Breaking Ground for Innovation Center
Mixed-use development adjacent to Herndon’s Innovation Center Metro Station.
On Monday, June 15, members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and representatives from Nugget Joint Venture LC (Rocks Engineering) and guests will hold a ceremony to break ground for Innovation Center South, a new 1.6-million-square-foot, mixed-use development in Herndon.
Tuesday, June 9
Trending in the Garden
Local landscape architects offer suggestions for updating.
As summer gets underway, so does time spent outside. The American Society of Landscape Architects recently released the results of its 2015 Residential Landscape Architecture Survey, a list of trends in outdoor design that yields a bounty of backyard design ideas. From adding a pond to planting a garden, local landscape gurus explain how these trends can be used to transform an outdoor space into a favorite escape.
Comedy By Molière Comes to Herndon High
June production by Herndon theatre students.
On June 12 at 7:30 p.m. and June 13 at 2 p.m., Herndon High will host a production of Molière’s great comedy, “Tartuffe.”
Rachel Carson Takes Odyssey of the Mind
Two teams from Rachel Carson Middle School compete in the World’s Competition of Odyssey of the Mind.
Between school, sports and activities, there is often little time for students to express themselves or to use their minds in innovative ways.
Putting Herndon’s Pieces Together
Mixed-use, vibrant downtown in the works.
Richard Downer has been waiting almost 30 years for a tangible vision of Herndon’s downtown to take shape.
Nearly Half a Billion for Schools, Fire, Police
Reston, Merrifield fire stations would be renovated or replaced.
Voters will decide in November on nearly half a billion dollars in bond sales for schools and public safety projects.
Friday, June 5
Weekend Fun in Fairfax County - June 5-7, 2015
A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.
A roundup of fun things to do this weekend in Fairfax county.
Thursday, June 4
Make a Call; Save a Life
Petersen’s “Good Samaritan Overdose Protection” law goes into effect July 1.
Accidental overdose deaths are now the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, exceeding even motor vehicle accidents among people ages 25 to 64, according to a recently released study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Last year, an estimated 210 heroin overdoses fatalities occurred in Virginia, with the highest number in Fairfax and Prince William counties.
Fairfax County: Recognizing Enlisted High School Seniors
Our Community Salutes of Northern Virginia holds its fifth Annual Enlistee Recognition Ceremony on Thursday, June 11, at George Mason University’s Fairfax campus.
Fairfax County: Moving on ‘Move Over’
Police crackdown, educate about law protecting emergency roadside vehicles and drivers.
Fairfax County Master Police Officer Joe Moore’s front and rear-mounted radar machines whistle and beep with varying frequency as cars barrel past on Interstate 66 around the Fairfax County Parkway.
Fairfax: Northern Virginia Training Center Property Put on Market
Facility for people with disabilities scheduled for March 2016 closure.
According to the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, 63 residents still live and receive treatment at the Northern Virginia Training Center, located in Fairfax alongside Braddock Road.
Wednesday, June 3
Editorial: Overdose Deaths Are Preventable
New “safe reporting” law encourages people to seek help in time.
The death rate due to heroin overdose more than doubled between 2010 through 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), with an average increase of 37 percent per year in the United States.
Column: Weight For It; Wait
Given some post-chemotherapy eating challenges I’ve experienced during the past few months, and the subsequent weight loss which has occurred, my oncologist has prescribed Dronabinol, common brand name: Marinol.
Tuesday, June 2
Town Celebrates 35th Annual Herndon Festival
Thursday, May 28 was the first day of the 35th Annual Herndon Festival, a time-honored event for historic downtown Herndon.
Just Stopping By in Herndon
Marking business appreciation month in Herndon.
More than 1,300 businesses have made Herndon their home.
Monday, June 1
Summer Fun, Summer Safety
Tips for averting summer danger.
It’s a familiar call. The sun beams down from mid-summer sky. Temperatures rise above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, but safety conditions start to plummet.