$48M OK'd for South Lakes’ Renovations
The Fairfax County School Board approved a $48.2 million bid by Hess Construction to complete the renovations of South Lakes High School. The approved amount is 20 percent more than the $40 million originally budgeted. In the 2003 school bond referendum voters approved $57.3 million for all of South Lakes’ renovations costs, $40 million of which was earmarked for construction. Last month, Hess Construction submitted the only bid of $52.96 million for the construction leg of the project, nearly $13 million over budget. The Board reduced the $52.96 million bid by nearly $5 million by making cuts in the engineering and scope of the project. The Board anticipated the project would be over budget, because of the recent increase in construction costs. To make up the difference, the board will redirect costs within the project budget and draw down the construction reserve by $3.6 million, according to the county. The school, which opened in 1979, has never been renovated.
Assisted Living on Pike
The Board of Supervisors approved Great Falls Heritage Partners' plan on Dec. 5 to construct a 64-bed assisted living facility at the intersection of Reston Parkway and Leesburg Pike.
Chesapeake Healthcare Corp had received approval to open a nearly identical facility on the 5-acre parcel in 2002. However that approval expired before the facility was constructed.
“This sort of completes the development of the area,” said Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill.) “It is indeed a necessary medical facility.”
RCC Offers ESL, Citizenship Prep
As part of its commitment to enhance opportunities for all of Reston's citizens, the Reston Community Center will offer courses in English as a Second Language (ESL), Citizenship preparation and computer literacy for Spanish speaking patrons in the upcoming Winter/Spring 2006 program season. These courses aim to support those from diverse backgrounds and cultures to work, play and share in the life of our community. RCC's ESL program offers beginner-to-advanced level classes in English conversation, writing and pronunciation. The ESL Session will run from Jan. 23 to March 20, from 7-9 p.m. This class is targeted to adults age 18 and older. The class fee is $35 for people who live or work in Reston and $70 for all others.
RCC's Citizenship Preparation class is offered to adults who are interested in becoming U.S. citizens. The class covers American history and society and prepares students for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) citizenship test. Preparation class will meet at St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Reston on Thursdays, Jan. 12 to March 9, from 7-9 p.m. This class is for persons age 16 and older. The class fee is $15 for people who live or work in Reston and $23 for all others.
RCC's Spanish-language Curso de Computacion Basica (computer basics class) requires no previous experience with computers. The course is conducted completely in Spanish. The course fee is $55 for people who live and work in Reston and $90 for all others. The six-session course will be in the RCC Computer Classroom at the Hunters Woods Facility, Mondays, March 20 to April 24, from 7-9 p.m.
SLHS Band Winter Concert
The South Lakes High School Band will perform a winter concert Wednesday Dec. 21, at 7:30 p.m., at the school’s Little Theater. The concert will feature seasonal songs, such as "Sleigh Ride" and "Christmas Festival." Admission is free and all are welcome.
'Snow White Returns' to CenterStage
The old story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with a twist will again return to the CenterStage on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 3 p.m.
Mark Brutsché will perform the one-man show about an innocent actor who discovers that the show’s cast is in Kansas City and that he has to do the story of Snow White alone. The result is a comic retelling of the classic tale for audiences of all ages.
Brutsché is an actor, writer and director and a member of the Washington, D.C. cast of Shear Madness. He is also the artistic director for the Reston Community Center's Young Actor's Theater. He developed the one-man show to demonstrate how everything he teaches his students can come together in a single show.
Tickets are $10. Tickets for all CenterStage events may be reserved by telephone, purchased every day, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Reston Community Center Information & Service Desk, or purchased in person during Box Office hours. Box Office hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 4-9 p.m.; Saturday, 1-5 p.m.; and two hours prior to curtain times. Payment with Visa or Mastercard is required at time of reservation. Call 703-476-4500
Harry Potter Art in Reston
ArtInsights in Reston is exhibiting limited editions of art by Mary GrandPre representing images from the Harry Potter book series, as well as original art created by GrandPre for other children's books. The exhibit overlaps the release of the newest film in the Harry Potter series, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." The show will be on display through Jan. 1. ArtInsights is located at 11921 Freedom Drive in Reston Town Center and is the only gallery in the Washington area authorized to present the Harry Potter limited editions. Limited edition prints will be available for sale. Call 703-478-0778.
Submit a Transportation Improvement Idea
Residents with transportation ideas from improving traffic flow to increasing pedestrian safety or otherwise making Reston intersections or roadways function better, now have a place to send them: the Reston Transportation Implementation Committee (RTIC). The Committee wants to hear ideas to help develop a priority list. The Committee was created at the urging of joint resolutions of the Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia Senate and consists of state legislators and transportation officials, the Hunter Mill Supervisor and Fairfax County transportation staff and representatives of community organizations. The Committee identifies priority transportation needs in the Reston area with the help of residents and seeks to focus state and county agencies on addressing the priorities.
Residents with suggestions for low-cost improvements, please follow the directions below:
1. Provide a brief description of the problem. 2. State the exact location of the improvement. 3. Provide a precise and concise description of the proposed improvement. 4. State the benefit that is expected. 5. Leave your name and telephone number in case further information is needed.
Send the suggestion to: RTIC, 11437 Washington Plaza West, Reston, VA 20190.
RA District Meetings on Governing Documents
To support an outreach effort, the Reston Association announced that it will hold four district meetings on the revised governing documents in the coming weeks. The meetings, which will be led by the RA board representative of the district, are being held to help answer any questions regarding the documents. The meeting times and dates are as follows:
* South Lakes District Meeting: Saturday, Dec. 10, 10 a.m.-noon, at Sunrise Elementary, 10824 Cross School Road, conducted by Director Joe Leighton.
* Hunters Woods/Dogwood District Meeting: Tuesday, Dec. 13, 7-9 p.m., at the Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods, conducted by Director Barbara Aaron.
* North Point District Meeting: Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-9 p.m., at Browns Chapel, 11300 Baron Cameron Ave., conducted by Director Doug Bushée.
* Lake Anne/Tall Oaks District Meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 17, 7-9 p.m., at Forest Edge Elementary School, conducted by Director Robin Smyers.
Calendar
Saturday, Dec. 10, 10 a.m.-noon, Reston Association South Lakes District Meeting at Sunrise Elementary, 10824 Cross School Road, hosted by Director Joe Leighton.
Tuesday, Dec. 13, 7 p.m., Reston Association Hunters Woods/Dogwood District Meeting at the Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods, hosted by Director Barbara Aaron.