Immigration Fraud Alert
An imposter pretending to be an immigrations officer has targeted Herndon in the latest fraud to hit northern Virginia. The fraudulent immigration officer has called two residents over the weekend, threatening to deport them over information in their immigration papers unless they give them a large sum of money, according to the Herndon Police Department.
Jude, Reporting for Duty
Herndon PD’s new bomb-sniffing dog a friendly workaholic.
Herndon Police Department’s newest officer is charismatic, ambitious and, well, a little furry. Jude, the department’s new explosive-detecting English Springer Spaniel, is a lovable pup who will be used to snuff out bomb threats in the town and beyond. The town acquired him in February after he received six weeks of training. His partner-in-law, HPD Officer Lee Trawick, was chosen to be his handler and had to receive six more weeks of training together. Both will have some type of training each month. “My training was to learn how to read him and handle him,” said Officer Trawick. Chief of Police Maggie DeBoard said there were many good candidates to handle the dog.
Going Into Lyrical Woods
NextStop Theatre Company presents ‘Into the Woods.’
There was a cheerful bustle taking place as NextStop Theatre company members were rehearsing Stephen Sondheim's striking musical "Into the Woods." Smooth voices were warming up as the keyboard began to bring musical life into the rehearsal hall. "Into the Woods" is a big 17-member cast production directed by Evan Hoffman, with a 10-piece orchestra and a score of nearly 30 numbers, under the musical direction of Elisa Rosman. The show continues NextStop's poised move into its first year as Northern Virginia's newest professional theater company. The cast includes top notch musical theater talent who have performed at Signature, Ford's, Keegan, Toby's and many others.
Area Students Win Scholarships
MLK Cultural Foundation Dream Makers Gala raises money for students.
Fifteen northern Virginia students received scholarships to follow their dreams last week. The Martin Luther King Cultural Foundation Dream Makers Award Gala drew in hundreds of people to raise money and hand out college scholarships on Thursday. “It’s something like this that will make me go to work tomorrow and want to make the world a better place for our children,” said Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam during a speech.
Where Am I?
"I’m sitting in the rocking chair, good buddy," (a "Smokey and The Bandit" reference, if you’re not of a certain vintage), between two 18-wheelers where the police radar can’t find me – further referencing the C.B. radio days. Updating to the "Kenny-with-cancer" days, I’m a month or so past my last very encouraging CT Scan, the one I wrote about when my oncologist offered me a congratulatory handshake, a gesture he had not made in the five-plus years since we’ve been tangling with this damn disease; and I’m approximately seven weeks away from my next CT scan, "intervaled" every three months at present. Seven weeks is far enough away where I’m not even thinking about it, or the possibility of its discouraging results that I’ll know about on or about June 9th. I am cruising, emotionally, and savoring the excellent results from the last scan and not yet worrying, wondering, hoping, praying (too much) about my next scan. This means, at the moment – or moments, I should say, I am enjoying a relatively stress-free and blissful ignorance to what may – or hopefully may not, be happening in my lungs. I am, to quote a Three Stooges line: "as safe as in my mother’s arms."
Entrants Sought for Anti-Alcohol Awards
A Vienna-based, alcohol-education group wants to honor local, high school groups for their efforts in fighting underage drinking. To recognize high-school students for "doing the right thing," the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) will present its 2014 GEICO Student Awards at a May 16 ceremony in Washington, D.C., and is accepting applications for the honors through Monday, April 28, at http://www.wrap.org/files/youthOutreach.htm. Entry is free.
Editorial: Past Time for Later Start Times
Teenagers are sleep deprived, and sleep deprivation takes a significant toll on safety, health and learning. We’ve known this for decades. But for decades, literally, Fairfax County Public Schools (and Montgomery County, Md.) have let a combination of reactionary blabber ("buck up and get moving;" "just tell them to go to bed earlier") and organizational resistance prevent implementing a solution to this very real problem. Getting up at 5:30 or 6 a.m. to hop on a school bus at 5:45 a.m. or even as late at 6:30 a.m. to get to school by 7:20 a.m. is not healthy for teenagers. It is nearly impossible for teenagers to go to sleep before 11 p.m. or midnight. Fairfax County high school students average six hours of sleep a night on weeknights. Research shows they need nine hours of sleep. Research has also quantified the costs of sleep deprivation.
Herndon Softball Edges Marshall in Eight Innings
Herndon catcher Martire delivers two clutch doubles in victory.
The Herndon softball team made the most of its four hits against Marshall on Monday.
Classified Advertising April 23, 2014
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Classified Advertising April 16, 2014
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Oak Hill, Herndon Home Sales: March, 2014
In March 2014, 58 homes sold between $975,000-$160,000 in the Herndon and Oak Hill area.
Oak Hill, Herndon Home Sales: March, 2014
Tax Burden Targets Low-Income Workers in Northern Virginia
Average tax burden for low-income workers is highest in Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax.
Families that are struggling to make ends meet in Northern Virginia are the target of local governments in Northern Virginia, which has the highest tax burden in the region for low-income workers. Wealthy people face the highest tax burden in Prince George's County and Montgomery County. But here in Virginia, poor people face the biggest tax burden in Arlington, according to a new study by the Office of Revenue Analysis in the District of Columbia. Alexandria ranked second, and Fairfax County ranked third.
Beyer Rakes in Campaign Cash in Democratic Primary
Fundraising numbers reveal former lieutenant governor has significant edge.
Campaign finance documents released this week show Don Beyer well ahead of his competitors in the race for cash, giving the former lieutenant governor a significant edge over the nine other Democrats in the race to replace U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8).
Chess Champions
FCPS students sweep team titles at Virginia Scholastic Chess Championships.
Students from three Fairfax County public schools won team championships in all four K-12 divisions at the Virginia Scholastic Chess Championships held recently in Roanoke. Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) students also won individual championships in the K-3 and K-5 divisions.
Editorial: Celebrate Earth Day
Get outside with your family, participate in group activities, or just walk in your favorite park.
Earth Day is April 22, observed April 19-27 and beyond. Fairfax County offers many useful and educational ways to enjoy the day. Don’t miss the chance to get outside, observe the developing spring weather, flora and fauna. Here are some of the opportunities:
Challenging A Child’s Mind
Experts say reading is critical to cognitive and emotional development.
Arlington mother Holly Karapetkova reserves time for reading in the schedules of her two young children. It has become such an important part of their daily routine that it is a treasured family activity. It is also vital to her children’s development says Karapetkova.
Dying of Curiosity
As I was completing last week’s column ("I Thought I Was a Goner") and thanking my oncology nurse, Ron, in the process, for the excellent care he has provided me for nearly five years now; a week after I wrote a column thanking my Certified Holistic Health Coach, Rebecca Nenner, for the health and fitness-type knowledge she has given me over those same five years; it dawned on me that perhaps my subconscious mind knew something that my conscious mind didn’t: that I should move closer to the undertaker like Radar’s Uncle Ernest did two days before he died, in the M*A*S*H episode titled "Novacaine Mutiny" from season four.
Week in Herndon
Herndon Town Council Holds Budget Hearings A $48,827,100 budget was presented to residents to discuss at the April 8 Herndon Town Council meeting. The meeting provided residents the opportunity to gather information about the 2014-15 budget. A second hearing will be held April 22, at 7 p.m. at 765 Lynn Street. “In this climate, my proposed FY 2015 budget takes a conservative approach to allocation of town resources while continuing our focus on redevelopment of the downtown, planning for transit-oriented development near Metrorail's Herndon station and maintenance of the quality of our public facilities and infrastructure," stated Herndon Town Manager Arthur Anselene in a press release.
Eggs-ellent Pre-Easter Swim
Herndon Community Center hosts third annual Aqua Egg Hunt.
Energetic children splashed about in a pool, frantically grabbing colorful plastic eggs bobbing in the water before time ran out. Herndon Community Center’s Third Annual Aqua Egg Hunt attracted about 80 swimsuit-clad children on Saturday. “I think it’s an opportunity for both the child and parent to do something together,” said Aquatic Services Manager Kerstin Severin.
Snap Fitness Holds Grand Opening
24/7 fitness center looks forwards to serving community.
After more than three years of successful operation of a fitness location on Franklin Farm Road, in Herndon, business owner Sean Boyd decided to open a new Snap Fitness location at the Herndon Kmart Shopping Center on Elden Street. Several martial arts studios are located in the area, but there has been no fitness center serving the neighborhood since Gold’s Gym closed its location in 2008.