Jordan Kinslow, artist and Starbucks barista, three years in Herndon.
Favorites: “The best events? The Third Thursday Arts Crawls in the Town of Herndon on the Town Square, Jam Brew, held September and October, those are concerts on the stage at the Herndon Municipal Center and my Starbucks at Village Center Dulles, Centreville Road”
Concerns: “Honestly, I have no concerns locally. I feel safe here, and my voice is heard. It is so easy to make friends, get their stories and go from there.”
Event Notices: “I find out about happenings through the Internet. When I am out on my bike, I see so many things happening up in downtown Herndon and stop. I would like to add, come on down to the Third Thursdays Arts Crawls in front of the Old Town Hall. See my gemstone jewelry."
Photo by Mercia Hobson
Jolene Wolfanger, Human Resource Recruiter, multiple years in Herndon Pictured with her daughter, Siena White, 3, and son Matteo, 5, at Frying Pan Park.
Favorites: "Oh my goodness. We love the Herndon Fortnightly Library in the town and the W&OD Trail. We usually go to the library, and then walk down the trail. I also like the Starbucks in Herndon.
Concerns: “I wish there were more places like this (Frying Pan Park). We have to protect our parks. There's overpopulation on small lots. Please, do not sell off more land for housing. We need green space and we love it. My son went to preschool and pre-K here at the Frying Pan Farm Park Katydid program, and my daughter starts next month.”
Event Notices: “I find out about events at the Herndon Town library. There is a rack of program information sheets there. When I visit, I pick them up."
Photo by Mercia Hobson
Handan Radosh, Payroll Consultant, 13 years Town of Herndon.
Favorites: "I like the Herndon Festival and the Friday Night Live concerts. These events are so amazing. We use the W&OD Trail and hike and run the Sugarland Run Valley Stream Trail. We love it here; we know many people.”
Concerns: “Yes, because the Metro is coming. I see development everywhere. We are going to get crowded and have traffic problems, but we are going to retire here though. We want to stay. Everywhere I look, there's greenery and trees. For me, it is the best, and then there is Washington D.C.”
Event Notices: “My husband finds about events and has a map of what's happening."
Photo by Mercia Hobson
John Leach, IT, 33 years Town of Herndon resident.
Favorites: "I really like the Red Kimono Restaurant in Downtown Herndon, Rotary Club of Herndon meetings every Wednesday morning at Amphora Diner Deluxe in the town, and sitting and sipping wine on my friend’s and his wife's porch at their home on Elden Street.”
Concerns: “The high cost of housing, traffic congestion, and integrating foreigners into the mainstream of Herndon and making them feel welcome."
Photo by Mercia Hobson
Bill McKenna, Cygnacom business development director, Herndon Town Councilmember, 6-year resident Town of Herndon.
Favorites: "What do I like to do? Communicate with the residents in the Town of Herndon about what the town is currently doing. Development, both at the Metro station and in the downtown. The soul of our town will be its Downtown, its heart, its engine, the Metro. The Silver Line will be self-sustaining. There will be a circulator bus that will provide access from the Dulles Toll Road Metro Station to the Downtown. In the Town of Herndon, I like Jimmy's Old Town Tavern, Nunu's Thai Dishes and Sugarland Run Valley Stream Trail with its paved paths and bridges."
Concerns: “Transportation and traffic, working with those in the surrounding community and supervisors to have better traffic flow and better efficiencies in public transit.”
Photo by Mercia Hobson
Katie Yoshida, Stay-at-Home Mom, three months in Herndon with sons Joshua and Matteo.
Favorites: "Frying Pan Farm Park, the Japanese Immersion Program at Fox Mill Elementary School and although not in Herndon, Nova Parks Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna.”
Concerns: “I have no concerns about Herndon.”
Event Notices: “I find out about events through the websites, DullesMoms.com and Fairfax County Parktakes, word of mouth and my church, Epiphany Episcopal. I'd like to add, Fairfax County blows California out of the water. Northern Virginia and the Herndon area are amazing. We love the parks, as we love to be out in nature. Parks are everywhere.”
Photo by Mercia Hobson
Kirstin Nickerson of the Town of Herndon at a local coffee shop. Web Designer, five years in Herndon.
Favorites: “One of the best-kept secrets is the event, Elden Street Tea Shop & Board Games at ArtSpace Herndon every Saturday. I like the Town of Herndon Festival, Labor Day Festival, Homecoming Parade, Friday Night Live Concerts, Farmers Market Fun Days and Third Thursdays Arts Crawls by Arts Herndon. At Frying Pan Park, there is the 4-H Fair, equestrian events and Katydid Preschool. The preschool raises chickens in their classes and visits farm animals at the park like the baby cows.”
Concerns: “As for concerns, the Comstock Redevelopment Project in the downtown and the pending traffic increase. You add 273 more residential units, and there are traffic concerns. Also, there is the possible proposed new Catholic high school on Vine Street by St. Joseph’s Church. I feel like many of the new Downtown Redevelopment Project plans are happening behind closed doors. I wish the community had a more formal platform rather than three minutes at the Town Council Public Hearings. I feel the public hearings are just a formality, and they (Town Councilmembers) have already made their decisions.”
Event Notices: “I find out about events through Fairfax County Parktakes and emails. I also come to the local downtown coffee shop to hear what is happening, learn through word of mouth and the Connection Newspaper Calendar. I would like to add; I like the urban experience in the small town setting of Herndon. I'm looking forward to the Labor Day Festival. I drag my mom there and enjoy the wine."
