Pioneering Change For Autism
University of Virginia seminar studies tension between “The Science & Lived Experience of Autism.”
Despite a recent surge in attention and research over the past decade about autism, controversy exists.
Q&A with David Harris, Reston Association’s New Chief Financial Officer
Reston Association has hired longtime Northern Virginia resident and public accounting professional David Harris as their new chief financial officer. Harris took a few minutes on Friday afternoon to discuss his background and what his plans are for managing RA’s finances and information technology department as he settles into his new role.
Project BEST Brings Fun Science to Middle Schools
The nonprofit started last year by five Thomas Jefferson High School students brings its youth conference to Langston Hughes Middle School.
Thomas Jefferson High School senior Robert Young peered over a table of middle-schoolers gathered in a cafeteria on Saturday morning to observe their progress dissecting a brain made of Jell-O. The students’ mission in this activity was to simulate a precise act of brain surgery, using only tweezers and the steadiness of their hands.
ArtSpace to Announce Photo Competition Winners
The competition pool, narrowed down from 87 entrants to 37 finalists, features photographers from the DMV area.
Those who turn out to ArtSpace Herndon on Saturday, March 8 from 7-9 p.m., will have a chance to see a colorful exhibition of images by 37 photographers from Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. In addition to the exhibition, longtime photographer and competition juror D.B. Stovall will announce the first, second, and third place winners of ArtSpace’s 2014 Fine Art Photography Competition during an awards ceremony. Stovall narrowed down the competition pool of 400 submissions by 87 photographers to 37 finalists in a difficult process of elimination that he described as a "series of difficult cuts."
Supervisors Clear the Way for Oakcrest School Relocation
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approves a special exception amendment Feb. 25.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a special exception amendment from the Oakcrest School on Tuesday, Feb. 25, providing for a traffic light at the intersection of Hunter Mill Road and Crowell. The decision ended a four-year back-and-forth between the McLean-based Oakcrest School, landowners near the intersection of Hunter Mill and Crowell roads, and the board of supervisors. With the approval of its special exception amendment, Oakcrest School can now begin building its new facility, which will include a heavily disputed driveway entrance on Crowell Road.
A Sweet Lesson at Colvin Run Mill
Hundreds turned out to learn how maple syrup is made.
How much sap does it take to make maple syrup? For Colvin Run Mill Park’s miller Mason Maddox, the average answer is about 60 gallons.
RA Proposes Covenant Changes for RELAC Service
Lake Anne residents are divided over a proposed amendment.
Lake Anne residents may soon be required to fulfill additional requirement if they wish to switch their air conditioning service from the Lake-centered Reston Lake Anne Air Conditioning Corporation (RELAC) system to their own home units. Language in a new amendment proposed by the Reston Association requires that residents obtain recertification of their medical excuse from a doctor every year after requesting to switch. The change to Covenant 15, which sets standards for Lake Anne residents’ air conditioning usage, bars removal of RELAC equipment from homes if they are not first inspected by a RELAC-certified professional - something that current residents say does not exist.
Young Musicians Dazzle at the Alden Theater
The “Young Soloists Recital” at the Alden Theater featured four talented pianists and one violinist.
Five young musicians spanning an age range of seven years were given the chance to shine in front of a large crowd at the Alden Theater on Sunday, Feb. 23. While the audience heard lovely renditions of Chopin and Beethoven’s works, the performers were able to relax a bit performing in a non-competition setting. “Usually in competitions you perform for judges, but it’s very rare that you actually get to play for people who have just come here to listen to your music,” said 13-year old Kevin Wang, a student at Rachel Carson Middle School. Wang was joined by fellow pianists Victor Pan, 10, Evan Hu, 11, and Adam Heins, 17, as well as violinist Shankar Balasubramanian,16.
Volkswagen Donates Van to Children’s Science Center
The Children’s Science Center will use the van for its traveling Museum Without Walls programs in Northern Virginia.
The Children’s Science Center is now the owner of a brand new 2014 Volkswagen Routan minivan thanks to a donation by the Volkswagen Group of America. Volkswagen executives handed over the keys to the 2014 Routan to Children’s Science Center board members on Monday, Jan. 17 in front of the company’s headquarters in Herndon.
Additional Delays Slow Handover of Silver Line to Metro
Performance issues and unmet safety testing requirements cited as reasons for the continued delay.
Phase I of the Silver Line is still not quite ready for final testing by Metro authorities, according to a Monday statement issued by Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority (MWAA). With the handover of the Silver Line project to Metro authorities looming, Northern Virginia residents will have to be patient despite their readiness to hop on the train at new Tysons Corner and Reston Metro stations.
Board of Supervisors Approves Reston Master Plan
The Board’s Approval of the Revised Master Plan on Feb. 12 cleared the way for an expansive 50-year vision for Reston.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the Comprehensive Reston Master Plan on Tuesday, Feb. 12, adopting the vision for Reston’s growth for the next 50 years. Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill) motioned for the Board to approve the revised plan’s vision for Reston with founder Bob Simon’s original 1962 goals in mind.
Capitol Steps Help Cornerstones
The 31st annual benefit performance and live auction raises $152,605 for affordable housing programs in Reston.
More than 600 Reston residents came out to the 31st Annual Capitol Steps Benefit Performance at the Hyatt Regency Reston to raise money for Cornerstones’ affordable housing programs. The event, held on Sunday, Feb. 16 and sponsored by Long and Foster Real Estate, raised a total of $152,605 for Cornerstones.
Delegates Rust, Plum Provide Richmond Updates
Delegates Tom Rust (R-86) and Kenneth Plum (D-36) recap successes and missed opportunities in the first part of this year’s General Assembly session.
Herndon and Reston Delegates Tom Rust (R-86) and Kenneth Plum (D-36) ended the first half of the 2014 General Assembly session happy with the House of Delegates’ passage of transportation, education and absentee military voting bills. Tuesday, Feb. 11 marked the "crossover" point for this year’s General Assembly session, when both houses of the General Assembly must vote on all non-budget related legislation or allow those bills to die.
Winter Storm Hits Northern Virginia
Fairfax County residents took shelter as over a foot of snow shutdown power, school, and roads.
Northern Virginia residents took shelter from a snow storm that began the evening of Wednesday, Feb. 12 and lasted until the Thursday night. Fairfax County felt the lasting effects well into the weekend, with schools unable to clear parking lots and county offices closed through the weekend. Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency Tuesday, Feb. 11, giving state authorities and utility companies time to prepare for the storm.
Supporting McLean Community Foundation
Color Wheel donates $3,362.
Color Wheel in McLean presented a check for $3,362 to the McLean Community Foundation on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Residents Discuss Route 7 Widening, Effects on Neighborhoods
Great Falls and Reston residents discuss how Route 7 construction would impact their neighborhoods.
Great Falls and Reston residents met at The Grange in Great Falls on Tuesday, Feb. 11 to voice their concerns about the 6.9-mile project along Route 7 that will widen the road from four to six lanes. A presentation led by Great Falls Citizens Association board members went into great detail about the impending changes to each intersection along the stretch, extending from Seneca Road at the edge of Reston to Jarrett Valley Drive just before Tysons Corner.
Great Falls Elementary Holds STEM Career Night
Parents teamed up with local high schools and volunteers from the Children’s Science Center for an evening full of fun.
Students packed the Great Falls Elementary gymnasium on the evening of Monday, Feb. 3, to learn the answers to questions such as "What is a polymer?" and "How is a vortex ring made?"