Herndon High Drama Produces ‘Blithe Spirit’
Herndon spring play begins May 1.
“It is hilarious how witty and comical this play can be, I am looking forward to performing with my classmates,” said Jessie Jorgensen, a Herndon High sophomore. Jorgensen is performing as the character Ruth in the May spring production of “Blithe Spirit” a play by Noël Coward. Herndon High junior Bonnie Sasseen has the role of Elvira Condomine. “I had read the play before and the character is very fun,” said Sasseen. “She is a very physical character, she is both exciting and amusing to play.” Taking the role of Charles Condomine is Herndon senior Hunter Robinson. “The whole show is a very witty fast paced comedy,” said Robinson.
Herndon-Reston FISH, Inc. Holds Fish Fling
Event honors volunteers who contribute to FISH’s efforts.
Herndon-Reston FISH, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families meet emergencies and short-term needs, held its 9th Annual Fish Fling Gala at the Crowne Plaza Dulles Airport Hotel on Saturday, April 26, from 6 to 11 p.m. The gala was FISH’s largest fundraising event to acquire the financial support for its Family Assistance Program. In 2013 FISH worked with over 1,300 area families.
13 Vie for Herndon Council Seats
Town election for mayor, council on May 6.
Herndon’s seats for mayor and council will be left up to voters on Tuesday, May 6. The town elections, between two mayoral candidates and 11 council candidates, will be held at Herndon Community Center at 814 Ferndale Ave. Lisa Merkel, current mayor, will face contender Connie Hutchinson, current vice mayor. “I think she has a different vision for the town,” said Hutchinson. “I think she wants Herndon to be different from the way it is now. I’d like it to stay true to its unique identity.” Merkel agrees they have different visions for the town. “I ran for council and for mayor because I really think Herndon can have it all,” she said.
Comstock Wins 10th District GOP Canvass
Sole female Republican candidate sweeps party polls, will face John Foust in November election.
Del. Barbara Comstock (R-34) is the 10th Congressional District Republican pick for Congressman Frank Wolf’s open seat. The current delegate reined in more than 7,000 votes at the party canvass on Saturday. “It is an honor and a privilege to win my party's nomination for Virginia's 10th Congressional District and follow in the footsteps of my mentor, Congressman Frank Wolf,” she said in a press release.
Herndon Holds Taste of The Town
Town fundraising event showcases local restaurants.
Herndon’s annual Taste of the Town event was celebrated April 24 at the Herndon Worldgate Center. The annual event has been known as a showcase for destination dining, but was not held in 2013. “I am thrilled that this event is back, it is a great opportunity to try food from around the town,” said Herndon Mayor Lisa Merkel. “I am extremely happy with the turnout, it was missed when it was not held last year,” said Herndon resident Linda Downer. “It is good to have Taste of the Town back again,” said Jimmy Cirrito, owner of Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern. Cirrito along with other local restaurant owners had food samples ready for guests attending the ticketed event. There were 19 food vendors participating in the event including JJ Deli, Matsutake Japanese Restaurant, Vocelli’s Pizza, The Chocolate Chick, Pizzanese, Chantel’s Cakes and Pastries, and others. Several sponsors helped with the event including MEDA, Herndon Florist, Rappaport Companies, XOXO Photos, and Meadows Farms Nurseries.
Officer Presgrave Hangs Up His Hat
HPD Captain retires after 41 years of service.
In 1972, American soldiers were fighting in the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal broke and NASA received their first pictures from Mars from an orbiting probe. That August was also Police Captain Robert Presgrave’s first month as an officer for the Herndon Police Department. More than 41 years later, he is retiring from the everyday business of keeping the town a safer place. “There are a thousand stories I can write,” he said. “If I could write like an author, I’d write a book.”
Obituary
Joseph Iannucci, 87, of Herndon, Dies
Joseph Iannucci, 87, originally of Millbrook, N.Y. died Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at his home in Herndon. Born in Fondi, Italy on October 12, 1926, he was the son of Giuseppe and Assunta Pannozzo Iannucci. Joe served his country during WW-II with the US Army from March 1945 - December 1946. He graduated from Millbrook High School in 1947 after being discharged from the Army. He was Class President and President of the Student Council. After the Army, Joe attended Niagara University, and was captain of the golf team. Joe graduated in 1951 with a degree in chemistry. His years following graduation were spent working as a chemist for Squibb, McKesson & Robbins, and Chesebrough Ponds/Unilever. After retiring from Unilever, Joe worked part-time at Imaginative Research Associates as a consultant.
Who is Trailing Don Beyer in Hotly Contested Democratic Primary?
Candidates elbow each other out of the way to secure second place.
Campaign finance documents show that former Lt. Gov. Don Beyer crushed the nine other candidates in the hotly contested Democratic primary.
Alone on the Road: 7 out of 10 Northern Virginia Workers Use Single-Occupancy Vehicles
Study raises concerns about amount of time drivers spend commuting alone.
Despite the decades-long war against the single-occupancy vehicle, seven out of 10 workers in Northern Virginia drive to work alone every workday.
Week in Herndon
Herndon-Reston FISH to Hold Annual Fundraising Event Herndon-Reston FISH, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicating to help families meet emergencies and short-term needs, will hold its 9th Annual Fish Fling Gala at the Crowne Plaza Dulles Airport Hotel on Saturday, April 26, from 6 to 11 p.m. This gala is FISH’s largest fundraising event to acquire the financial support for its Family Assistance Program. In 2013 FISH worked with over 1300 area families.
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.
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.