Four Northern Virginia Senators Targeted
Redistricting effort puts Fairfax County seats in the spotlight.
Four Northern Virginia state Senators are targets of a Republican-led effort to draw new districts — Sen. George Barker (D-39), Sen. Dave Marsden (D-37), Sen. Toddy Puller (D-36) and Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34). Democrats say the redistricting effort is a cynical attempt to take advantage of the absence of Sen. Henry Marsh (D-16), a prominent civil rights veteran, who was in Washington, D.C. for the inauguration on Monday. But state Sen. John Watkins (R-10) of Powhatan defended the effort as a way to create a sixth majority black Senate district in Southside. It passed the Senate on a 20-to-19 vote.
Making Schools Safer
Two Northern Virginia Democrats take part in panel to consider school security.
Do Virginia schools need more guns? That question is at the heart of a debate that’s now reaching a fever pitch in the commonwealth, especially after a man with a Bushmaster assault rifle blasted his way into a Connecticut elementary school and killed 20 children and six adults before killing himself. Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell responded to the tragedy by creating a School Safety Task Force, which is considering a proposal for every school in Virginia to have an armed school resource officer.
Week in Herndon
Hutchison Elementary Receives Donation From Time Warner Cable
Students and teachers at Hutchison Elementary School will be able to purchase and use additional supplies for their STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) initiatives as a result of a $70,000 donation from Time Warner Cable
Hundreds Gather to Give
Volunteer Fairfax holds Give Together Day.
On Monday, Jan. 21, over 300 volunteers spent their day at the Herndon Community Center to support several nonprofit organizations from the area by making holiday crafts for the infirm, toiletry kits for the homeless, and fleece toys for homeless dogs. The event was one of several taking place in Fairfax County as part of Volunteer Fairfax’s Give Together day.
Oakton Rules the Pool
Oakton High School’s Varsity Swim and Drive teams continued their undefeated season with a win over Herndon High School Friday night, Jan. 11. The girls won with a score of 197 points over Herndon’s 112. The boys won 194 to 121.
Fairfax Families4Kids
Fostering bonds with children.
Nationwide, more than 463,000 children live in foster care. In many states, including Virginia, the number of foster youth has tripled in the last 25 years. As of Sept. 30, 2011, nearly 5,000 youth were in foster care in Virginia, according to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. Physical abuse is the most common reason children enter foster, but it’s not the only reason. Often there’s emotional abuse, sexual abuse and the parent or caretaker’s inability to provide a safe environment due to substance abuse.
A Family Made Whole
After a tragic loss, Reston couple creates a family through adoption.
The Granvilles look like a made-for-TV family. On a bright October afternoon, Chris, a computer engineer, is teasing his teenage son, Kenny, about what kind of pet to adopt, while Tiffany sits on a sofa, cradling Elijah, Kenny’s baby brother, who has just woken up from an afternoon nap. “Fish? No way,” Kenny, 15, says. “They just go ‘round and ‘round in a bowl.” Kenny is lobbying hard for a dog or—at the very least—a guinea pig or hamster.
Week in Herndon
The Town of Herndon is accepting grant proposals of up to $5,000 through the Virginia Commission for the Arts Local Government Challenge Grant Program for projects to be implemented in FY2014.
Colorful, Satirical Musical Revue
Elden Street Players to present “Tom Foolery.”
Be inspired as "Tom Foolery" takes audiences into the world of Tom Lehrer who delighted so many with his musically-based attacks and banter on everything, both high-brow and low. The time is the 1960s, when there were "few if any restrictions to what could be said about life, but always with tongue-in-cheek" said Adriana Hardy, director of the Elden Street Players (ESP) production.
Town Launches Customer Service Initiative
Town services to be more customer friendly, new feedback methods created.
The Town of Herndon announces a new customer service initiative Monday, Jan. 14, called “Count ON Us.” Named to connect with the town’s new branding strategy, the initiative will focus on increasing customer satisfaction with the town’s services.
Rust Speaks on Current Session
Transportation high among priorities for residents.
Del. Tom Rust (R-86) addressed his constituents at the Herndon Municipal Center Saturday, Jan. 12 to give an update on the current General Assembly session.
Week in Herndon
Martin Luther King Holiday schedule, Herndon MOMS Club to hold open house, and Senior Center needs a volunteer musician
My Year in The USA
Why are we doing this? Why are we going away from our families for one year and move into a family's house we don't know? We are exchange students and we wanted to learn more about another country, about the culture, the language and the people.
Herndon High Cadets Go to National Championship
Herndon High’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) cadets are actively preparing for the Orienteering National Championship, to be held on Feb. 16 and 17 at the Patuxent River Park in Upper Marlboro, Md.
Federal Porn Charges for Former Teacher
In June, Fairfax County police charged a special education teacher at Poplar Tree Elementary with 10 counts of possession of child pornography. He was immediately suspended without pay, and the school system assured parents that no images of students were found on his computer and school computers were not used.