Herndon: Santa Visits Herndon Library
Holiday
Despite their no doubt very hectic schedule at this time of the year, Santa, Mrs. Claus, and two of his favorite elves managed to fit in a visit to the Winter Open House at the Herndon Fortnightly Library on Saturday.
Herndon Votes 2016: Election Day ‘Block Party’
"… everyone has been pretty upbeat and friendly. Too bad the whole election wasn’t more like this.” — Keith Magnusson
Mayor Lisa Merkel was on hand to welcome the first wave of voters at the Herndon Community Center, although she was not the first one to show up at the front doors.
Shining A Light on the Arts of Herndon
An “Arts Crawl” around historic downtown was a perfect mid-point for Herndon Arts Week, an annual celebration that started its 2016 run with “Kids Day” at Frying Pan Park and ended appropriately with a performance by child prodigy pianist Jose Andre Montano at ArtSpace in the town.
Debating Pro & Con on Meals Tax
League of Women Voters hosts forum on Meals Tax issue.
The League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area sponsored a debate-style panel discussion on the Meals Tax issue which will go before county voters in the Nov. 8 General Election.
Vienna, Reston, Herndon: Improving the Road, Maintaining Its Character
County holds Hunter Mill Road Study Community Meeting.
On Sept. 15, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) held Community Meeting #5 to bring the public up to date and continue soliciting feedback on its studies to improve traffic flow along Hunter Mill Road, primarily north of Route 267.
Herndon Celebrates
Herndon Labor Day Festival: Great weather, great event.
The sponsors, vendors, performers and the army of volunteers who produced the 2016 Herndon Labor Day Festival no doubt worked up a sweat during the 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. event, but for the festival goers it wasn’t hard work to have a lot of fun.
Herndon: Building a Family for 25 Years
Herndon Children’s Center celebrates 25th anniversary.
The Herndon Children’s Center (HCC), caring for and educating area kids from 3 months to pre-school, has been “building a family” for 25 years in the same location off of Spring St. in Herndon.
Dragon Boating
It’s been called the fastest growing water sport in the world – although it took more than 2,000 years to recently take aim at that title.
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).
Lady Luck Shines on Herndon
Festivities went on without a hitch at Herndon Festival 2016
Lady Luck – if not the sun – shone down on the 36th annual Herndon Festival.
State of the County Presented Over Breakfast
Leadership Fairfax hosts 25th Annual Board of Supervisors State of the County Breakfast and presents Hanley Award to Bill Bouie for Public Service.
With the number and types of commitments made on their daily schedules, it takes a special occasion to gather the entire roster of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in one place at one time outside the walls of their meeting chambers.
Progress Made, Challenges Remain on Ending Homelessness
HomeAid NoVA hosts ‘Keep the Homeless Housed’ Forum.
In 2008, Fairfax County partnered with the City of Falls Church to adopt an ambitious strategic plan to address the issue of homelessness in the region.
Finding Fun in Science
Area youth turn out for Project BEST Science and Technology Fun.
What could possibly have lured some 100 and more middle school youngsters back to a school building on a Saturday, especially if that school isn’t theirs and they had to get up extra early just to get there?
Herndon: Speaking Japanese at Fox Mill Elementary
The school showcases Japanese Immersion Program.
Two hundred forty-six first through sixth graders at the Herndon school are enrolled in the Japanese Immersion program at Fox Mill Elementary. That 246 represents an impressive 40 percent of the entire student population.
Herndon’s ‘Coffee with a Cop’
Virginia Attorney General highlights the event at Amphora.
No doubt the safest place you could have been anywhere near Herndon on Friday morning was in the private dining room at Amphora’s Diner Deluxe on Elden Street.
Encouraging STEM-curious Youth
Third Annual STEM Symposium draws a crowd at the Nysmith School.
“We need people in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields today, tomorrow and as far as we can envision.”
No E-Z Answers on I-66
VDOT’s Transform I-66 Inside the Beltway meeting leaves public waiting for answers.
There were also questions and comments of a financial nature.
Buying or Selling?
A primer for doing either and avoiding pitfalls.
Here we are, once again right on the heels of the spring/summer real estate season when it seems like “For Sale” signs become the most common lawn ornament or condo window decoration.
Reston, Herndon Polls See Steady Stream of Voters on Super Tuesday
“I believe this really is one of the most important elections in our lives.
Touching Many Hearts
Minecraft for a Mission – Touching Heart and their “Kids on a Mission” raise funds for children in foster care.
They say that charity begins at home. Helen Yi and Taylor, the mother and daughter co-founders of Touching Heart, a nonprofit aimed at educating and inspiring children to empathize with the needs of others and to take action to assist them, have no argument with that statement.
Positive 2015 Real Estate Market Spurs Upbeat Outlook for New Year
Experts predict continuing positive trend.
The final figures are in, and it looks like the 2015 local housing market was a modest winner.
Teaching Empathy at Floris
Floris students complete 8-week young philanthropists workshop.
At 8:15 a.m. on a drizzly Thursday morning, fifteen youngsters from the fourth, fifth and sixth grades at Floris Elementary School in Herndon gathered in the school’s “Little Theater” to receive certificates for the successful completion of their 8-week Touching Heart (TH) young philanthropists workshop.
Herndon All Heart for Season of Giving
Where to give, how to help in Herndon area?
Last year in this special “season of giving section” we introduced you to “Arleta,” a Herndon mother of 8-year-old twins who had lost her husband to cancer earlier in the year.
CyberPatriots Meet FireEye Experts
Most school field trips take in a museum, maybe a visit to a historic house or possibly a kid-centric performance of some kind.
Transportation Strategy Update Launched
NVTA launches work on a six-year TransAction program.
Members of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) chose an appropriate location to announce the launch of the organization’s TransAction update efforts last week.
Holiday Happenings in Herndon
What to do, where to shop in Herndon this holiday season?
Next-door neighbors Carmen Rodriguez, 9, and Alyson Peralta, 8, are ready for the holidays. Carmen is excited that her cousins from Texas will be joining the Herndon branch of the family for Thanksgiving and best of all they will be here in time for one of Carmen’s favorite holiday events – the annual 5k Turkey Trot, on Saturday, Nov. 21, starting at 4 p.m.
Democrats Claim Victories in Local Elections
But General Assembly stays in the red column.
“We didn’t win the war tonight, but we did come out ahead in some of the important local battles, and that’s a good start.”
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
Herndon Celebrates National Night Out
Neither intermittent downpours, nor recent confrontations that have sparked tensions and even violence between communities and law enforcement nationwide seemed to dampen the positive spirits of the hundreds of diverse Herndon residents who participated in the town’s August 5 National Night Out events
Nysmith ‘Know Brainers’ Keep on Competing
Eighth graders take “You Be the Chemist” and Odyssey of the Mind challenges.
The school year is coming to a close – but that doesn’t mean there isn’t time for the students at the Nysmith School in Herndon to squeeze in a few more competitions and maybe a trophy or two before that last bell rings.
Transportation Forum Discusses Options and Obstacles
High Level forum discusses regional transit options and obstacles.
Local, state and federal elected and appointed officials, business leaders, researchers and directors and staff from transportation and economic development agencies gathered on Friday morning, May 8, at the Greensboro Conference Center in he heart of Tysons.
Rachel Carson Middle School Wins ‘We The People’ Nationals
Herndon middle schoolers crowned national champions.
They did it! In February, The Connection reported that the students of Cynthia Burgett’s special Civics class at Rachel Carson Middle School in Herndon had won the State Championship of the “We The People Competition” and were determined to bring home the gold at the National Invitationals.
Local Nonprofit Group Presents 'Perils of the College Drinking Culture' Program
The final quarter of the 2014-2015 school year has arrived. For thousands of area high school seniors that means time to say farewells to friends, teachers, and the familiarity of the routines and activities of the past four years. For many of them, it also means time to prepare for that first year of college, and possibly their first time away from home and daily parental guidance.
Outlook Optimistic for Local 2015 Real Estate Market
After what seemed to be an endless winter, spring has finally come calling, signaling the start of the year’s first real estate high season. Homes trade hands all year long, but spring is often for buyers, seller, agents, brokers and lenders like those weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas; buyers at full speed searching out the best bargains and sellers looking to move their wares without having to resort to price-slashing sales tactics.
‘Your Life Is Today and Tomorrow’
Residents of local senior living communities share their experiences.
“I didn’t want to come here,” said Bill Woessner, referring to Brightview Assisted Living Community in Great Falls. “That’s right,” agreed Sheila, his wife of more than 50 years, with plenty of her native Scottish brogue to be heard in her voice. “He really didn’t. We have a lovely house here in Great Falls and I don’t think he was ready to budge. But how long after we got here did that change?” she turned to her husband and asked. “At least a day,” he laughingly replied. “Seriously,” said Bill Woessner, “it probably wasn’t more than the first 48 hours.”
Virginia Housing Expo Draws Crowds
Home-ownership, rental opportunities and related services dominate the event at Herndon High.
“Those most in need of these services and resources benefit the most when we can bring so many providers and organizations together in this one-stop shop format.”
Leadership Fairfax Hosts Supervisors Breakfast
State of the County Address, supervisors’ questions and an award ceremony top the agenda.
The agenda and the speakers have to be of significant interest to get some 300 people to brave local traffic and attend a meeting that started at 7:30 a.m. Leadership Fairfax (LFI) apparently succeeded in offering both in the ballroom of the Fairview Park Marriott on Friday morning, March 13, hosting its 24th Annual Board of Supervisors Breakfast.
Promoting STEM, Hands-on
Sen. Tim Kaine and Virginia Secretary of Education Holton headline K-12 STEM Symposium at the Nysmith School in Herndon.
With Fairfax County police officers directing the line of cars and the pedestrians crossing EDS Drive from the overflow parking lot, you would be forgiven if you thought all this activity was because of a sold out rock concert or championship sporting event. What was taking place, however, was much more important than any type of entertainment.
People and Pets Love Stories
t’s that time of year again! Nope, not a holiday - although perhaps it should be! It’s that anticipated edition when the Connection Newspapers celebrate the furry, or finned or feathered or scaled or clawed creatures that make themselves a cherished part of the family. Although Reston and Herndon probably number as many pets as people in their populations, sadly we’ve only got room to introduce you to a few – so here we go!
Competing for ‘We the People’ Title in Herndon
Rachel Carson Middle School takes aim at national title.
Rachel Carson Middle School in Herndon has every reason to be proud. For the second year in a row, History and Social Studies teacher Cynthia Burgett’s special Civics class took home first place in the “We The People Competition” (WTP) at the state level and have their eyes on the big prize at the WTP National Invitationals Title round to be held on the campus of George Mason University between April 17-20.
Super-Insulation Talk Attracts Homeowners in Reston
How to lower electric, gas and water bills?
The Rose Gallery at Reston Community Center at Lake Anne in Reston was the venue for a well-attended presentation by Rich and Marian Taschler on proper home insulation and its mostly unknown benefits. The program was offered under the auspices of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at George Mason University.
Nysmith School Students Tackle Cybersecurity in Nationwide Competition
The security of the internet is a hot topic in the news these days – think hacks into retail credit card data, student identification and information, personal correspondence a la Sony, and even more worrisome, infiltrations like the recent “CyberCaliphate” hacking into the Twitter and YouTube accounts of the U.S. Central Command. With
Herndon Author Writes New Book on Sports Training for Young Athletes
According to Wendy LeBolt, Ph.D., in her new book “Fit 2 Finish – Keeping Your Soccer Players in the Game” the cycle of success boils down to “Develop – Balance – Observe – and repeat” to keep our young athletes fit and on the field, and taking their sport as far as their interest and skill can take them. Herndon resident LeBolt has some real skin in the game of soccer – literally.
Season of Giving to Help Neighbors in Need
Communities come together to support neighbors in need in Reston, Herndon area.
2014 hasn’t been a good year for “Arleta” (name has been changed for anonymity) of Herndon. It started off with the loss of her husband to cancer, leaving her the single parent of twin 8-year-old boys.
Focus on Transportation
Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance presents regional priorities at 10th annual event.
“What You Need to Know about Transportation in Five Minutes or Less” was the working title of this year’s Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance (NVTA) seminar and reception held on Sept. 30 at Capital One’s auditorium in McLean.
Herndon Mom Chronicles Her Preemie Blessing
Michelle Stevens shares her family’s experiences in blog, book.
“We went to the NICU [Neonatal Intensive Care Unit] early that morning to learn how to mix Emily's high-calorie formula and administer her vitamins.
Sharing with Neighbors During Ramadan
Project Food Boost helps families in need in Herndon area.
For the tenth year in a row, the Foundation for Appropriate and Immediate Temporary Help (FAITH) in Herndon is organizing a food distribution event to correspond with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Silver Line: A Welcome Newcomer to Neighborhood
Reston, Herndon residents, community leaders reflect on upcoming opening of Silver Line.
Just how long have the residents of Reston and Herndon been waiting for their own rail connection to the Greater Washington Metro system?
Some Good News and a Lot of Uncertainty
Realtors discuss the mortgage market at finance summit.
The Northern Virginia Association of Realtors (NVAR) hosted Finance Summit 2014 at their Fairfax Headquarters on Wednesday, May 21. The event brought together a panel of speakers with an impressive collection of credentials and expertise. Moderator Ken Harney’s “Nation’s Housing” column is nationally syndicated. Harney is also a member of the Federal Reserve Board Consumer Advisory Council, an author and commentator on real estate and mortgage issues, and the host of CNBC’s “Real Estate Magazine” weekly television program.
A Reston Retrospective
Stories and thoughts by Reston residents as the community turns 50.
Usually, when you ask a number of people to share their thoughts and opinions on any subject, you get as many different answers as the numbers polled. In asking a rather random selection of residents for their thoughts as Reston celebrates its 50th anniversary, coincidentally with the 100th birthday of founder Robert E. Simon, you do get some interestingly different perspectives, but you get an uncanny commonality in their musings, as well. Regardless of where in Reston our commentators reside, the descriptors of "community," "beauty," "amenities," "something for everyone," "a town for all ages," and "protect our core values" were mentioned by all – and more than once during each Reston retrospective conversation.