Neighborhood Outlook: 1,400 Residents Oppose Brooks Farm Redevelopment
What's coming in Great Falls.
Budget Gets Marked Up
Supervisors scheduled to adopt budget next Tuesday, April 28.
The Board of Supervisors marked up the proposed budget Tuesday, April 21, by increasing school funding, adding key economic growth positions and restoring money to suggested cuts to "critical" human service programs Tuesday morning, April 21, according to its Chairman Sharon Bulova.
Reston Golf: Mulligan or Bogey?
Reston homes and golf course still up in the air.
Some Reston homeowners are left lamenting at the 19th hole, RN Golf Management is left deciding if it has the stamina to play an extra round, and the Board of Zoning and Appeals gave both sides a mulligan. Whether either side wanted one or not.
Citizen Kaufman, Attorney Yeatts
Herndon's 20 year town attorney to retire in June.
Lesa J. Yeatts will replace Richard B. Kaufman as Herndon's Town Attorney in June.
One-Arm Bandit, Artificial Turf, Meals Tax and Metro
Public hearing on proposed budget next Tuesday, April 28.
Herndon's Town Council will host a public hearing next Tuesday, April 28 to give residents the opportunity to speak on all matters in this year's proposed budget and town plans.
Week in Herndon
Weekly happenings in Herndon.
Langley Case Day Seniors to Attend United States Supreme Court Tuesday
Langley senior Eryney Marrogi sat on the judicial bench four seats from U.S. Supreme Court Clerk Gen. William K. Suter, retired. Suter and Marrogi grilled Langley seniors Katherine Cassidy, Madeline Shaw, Cameron Davis and Paul Dell for 15 minutes each.
Contemporary Overhaul for McLean Community Center
Center renovation, adding 7,750 square feet, is scheduled for completion in 2018.
When the McLean Community Center was built in 1974, community centers were designed similar to schools, said architect Greg Lukmire, "institutional facilities that could withstand all sorts of abuse."
22 Houses on 52 Acres Proposed for Brooks Farm in Great Falls
Public hearing on Brooks Farm proposal scheduled for June 10 at Planning and Zoning.
Basheer/Edgemoore, a builder, wants to build 22 houses on the 51.97 acre Brooks Farm property. The Department of Planning and Zoning received the fourth and latest iteration of the proposal last week.
Mount Vernon Woods Elementary Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Supervisors congratulate Mount Vernon Woods on 50-year milestone.
Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School students turned the Board of Supervisors auditorium into a concert hall Tuesday morning, April 7.
'101 and Tons of Fun' for Reston's Founder Bob Simon
Founders Day celebrates Reston's first 51 years and Simon's first 101 years.
After Bob Simon cut his 101st birthday cake, Jo Marshall and the band Natural Selection sang, "You're Still the One."
Board of Supervisors Honored Langley Swim and Dive
Sheriff Stacey Kincaid gave Langley High School Girls Swim and Dive team an extra splash of praise Tuesday, April 7 while the Board of Supervisors were recognizing the team for winning the VHSL 6A state championship this past winter, the sixth time in the school's history.
McLean Gymnastics: Remarkable Season
The Board of Supervisors honored McLean High School's girls gymnastics team for winning the Virginia High School League 6A state championship, the team's first.
Hate Vandalism Swiftly Purged
Spray painted swastikas were quickly purged from two power boxes along Seneca Road in Great Falls this week.
Volunteers Honored
Mayor Lisa Merkel greeted each Herndon volunteer individually as they entered Herndon's 31st Annual Mayor's Volunteer Appreciation Awards.
Lift Me Up Honored for 40th Anniversary
The Board of Supervisors told Laura Smith she can bring a real horse with her for Lift Me Up!'s 50th anniversary ceremony.
14 Hours, Three Days, 200 Speakers
Schools, libraries, economic development authority and others seek more funding while tax-hawks call for reductions.
The Board of Supervisors listened to more than 14 and a half hours of testimony from approximately 200 speakers Tuesday through Thursday, April 7-9.
Holocaust Remembrance Day in Fairfax County
"One of the most important things we do."
Holocaust survivor Michel Margosis spoke before the Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, April 7, when the Board of Supervisors made a proclamation declaring April 16 as Holocaust Remembrance Day in Fairfax County.
More Than 200 Attend First Fairfax County Budget Hearing
Schools, libraries, economic development authorites and others seek more funding while tax-hawks call for reductions.
More than 200 people packed the Fairfax County Government auditorium Tuesday, April 7, and 60 speakers were scheduled to testify before the Board of Supervisors on the advertised budget. The hearing began with a presentation by School Board Chairman Tamara Derenak Kaufax. Members of the Fairfax County School Board sat in the front row, gave a standing ovation, and remained standing as Kaufax finished her testimony to begin the budget hearings.
Mount Vernon: Hundreds Attend Budget Hearing
Schools, libraries, economic development authority and others seek more funding while tax-hawks call for reductions.
More than 200 people packed the Fairfax County Government auditorium Tuesday, April 7, and 60 speakers were scheduled to testify before the Board of Supervisors on the advertised budget. The hearing began with a presentation by School Board Chairman Tamara Derenak Kaufax.
McLean Citizens Association Hosts Meeting on Protecting Community’s Tree Cover
Supervisor John Foust remembers learning that 119 trees would be removed for his planned office in McLean. It wasn't a decision without controversy, Foust said, when he told authorities to halt those plans.
Great Falls' Legacy White Oak Project
Great Falls seeks to restore a thinning legacy.
Great Falls Citizens Association (GFCA) has dug into its new goal of planting 15 more white oaks this spring around the library, Colvin Run Mill, Riverbend Park, Nike Park, Turner Farm, Grange and Lockmead Park.
Nysmith School Students Interview War Veterans
Richard Graff didn't hesitate to describe his darkest days while serving in World War II. "Every combat soldier has to get used to the bodies," he said. "Whenever I think back to that one day when I didn't think I would have another day, you bet, I'm glad to be here," Graff said.
RA Members to Vote April 13- May 8 on Tetra Purchase
Reston Association members will vote on whether to purchase the 3.47 acre Tetra property located at 11450 Baron Cameron Ave. for $2.65 million.
Girl Scouts Troop 3651 Raise Money for Honor Flights
Film and presentations explain the importance of getting veterans to Washington D.C. to see their monuments.
Girl Scout Troop 3651 organized a screening of the moving Honor Flight, and invited two World War II veterans, Howard Jester and George Hanna, to speak to the audience after the film.
Lift Me Up Celebrates its 40th Anniversary in Great Falls
Horses assisted Camron Saba's preparation for Langley High School's crew team. "I love horses, I just like riding," said Camron, 15, a sophomore.
Herndon Election Changed for Good
Herndon's next town election will take place Nov. 8, 2016.
Arthur Nachman told Herndon's Town Council that their actions after Tuesday's council hearing would be just as important to the Town's future as their vote Tuesday night, March 10.
Dynamic Father-son Duo Contributes to Educating Families About Type I Diabetes
Michael Sevila shares the same field as Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Like Cutler, who also has Type I diabetes, Michael is the one in charge.
McLean Officer Saves Life, Possibly Twice
Car engulfed in flames when officer leads man to safety.
Officer Sharif Issa "didn't run away from a fire, he ran into a fire," said Lucy Caldwell, public information officer with the Fairfax County Police Department.
Utility Player: Giving Her All
Herndon’s Rotary Club names Lisa Lombardozzi Citizen of the Year.
For the next three to four weeks, Lisa Lombardozzi will have one eye on spring training in Florida. Lombardozzi’s nephew, Stephen Paul Lombardozzi Jr., a former Washington National and former Baltimore Oriole, is fighting to earn a spot on the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Back to the Future
Community celebrates the renovations of The Grange.
The 13 steps of The Grange blocked the historic community center from one of its original purposes “as a symbol of commitment to community involvement and progress.” On Saturday, March 7, about 75 members of the community gathered to celebrate the renovations to the 1929 building and grounds that now make it accessible to all of Great Falls.
Class Sizes, McLean Day, Cookies and Noise
Look at McLean Citizens Association Board by the numbers.
The McLean Citizens Association Board passed a resolution on March 4 “addressing longstanding McLean community concerns about inequitable and large class sizes in elementary, middle and high schools located in the greater McLean and other similar areas,” according to Sally Horn, MCA president.
My Pit’s The Pit
Freshman’s funny film about McLean High School Band featured in Bethesda Film Fest.
About 100 people submitted films, and Josh Leong, 14, of McLean, is $500 richer for earning one of five spots in an upcoming Film Festival for a comedy film sketch about his high school marching band.
Week in Reston
News in the Reston area.
Great Falls Community Celebrates the Renovations of The Grange
The 13 steps of The Grange blocked the historic community center from one of its original purposes “as a symbol of commitment to community involvement and progress.”
Herndon’s Rotary Club Names Lisa Lombardozzi Citizen of the Year
For the next three to four weeks, Lisa Lombardozzi will have one eye on spring training in Florida.
Class Sizes, McLean Day, Cookies and Noise
Look at McLean Citizens Association Board by the numbers.
The McLean Citizens Association Board passed a resolution on March 4 “addressing longstanding McLean community concerns about inequitable and large class sizes in elementary, middle and high schools located in the greater McLean and other similar areas,” according to Sally Horn, MCA president.
McLean Student's Film Featured at Bethesda Film Fest
About 100 people submitted films, and Josh Leong, 14, of McLean, is $500 richer for earning one of five spots in an upcoming Film Festival for a comedy film sketch about his high school marching band. Well, no, not his marching band, said Leong. The percussion section of the McLean High School marching band.
Tom Rust to Retire from General Assembly
Rust improved life for Herndon, and for Virginia, say many.
Right after she was elected mayor, Lisa Merkel invited Del. Tom Rust to lunch. “I said, ‘How do you get things done?’ He said, ‘You have a vision and you stick with it and you keep pressing ahead,’” Merkel said. “It was a great lunch.”
Rewind, Replay, or Redo?
November Town Election? Additional public hearing set for March 10.
The majority was not enough for Councilmember Steve Mitchell. Mitchell believes the change to move Herndon’s election to the fall needs to be decided by referendum not the Council. “Personally, I do not believe this decision should be made with the support of only four councilmembers,” Mitchell said during last week’s Town Council meeting Feb. 24. “I urge this Council to move this to referendum so we can have all of our citizens' voices heard.”
Public Commission To Review Police Policy
Over some objections, Bulova launches ad hoc commission in wake of police shooting and obfuscation.
Supervisor Michael Frey did not mince words when voicing opposition to Chairman Sharon Bulova’s establishment of an ad hoc police commission on Tuesday, March 3.
Week in McLean
Weekly happenings in McLean.
Special Screening of Honor
Film screening March 16 to help WWII veterans travel to their monument.
The Honor Flight Network transports aging veterans to visit memorials built in Washington D.C. in their honor.
Special Screening of Honor
Film screening March 16 to help WWII veterans travel to their monument.
The Honor Flight Network transports aging veterans to visit memorials built in Washington D.C. in their honor. Caroline Healy and 11 of her peers in Girl Scout Troop 3651 based in Great Falls are hosting a screening of "Honor Flight" at AMC Worldgate 9 Theaters in Herndon on March 16 at 5:30 p.m.
Lake Anne Revitalization Poised for Approval
County Board to vote March 3 on plan that includes 1,000 new residences and 193,000 square feet of retail and office space.
Ana Carranza, a single mother of two daughters, told Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors Tuesday, Feb. 17 what the Crescent Apartments has meant to her family and to her neighbors. One of Carranza’s neighbors earns $32,000 a year and still manages to pay for her son’s college tuition, some semesters with a credit card, she said.
Celebrating Black History Month
This week in Reston.
Herndon Forbidden to Govern Itself?
Virginia House squashes Town’s move to November elections.
The Virginia House of Delegates blocked the Town of Herndon’s plan to move town elections from May to November. The change would have begun in 2016. Despite passage through the Virginia Senate with a unanimous 39-0 vote on Jan. 26, the House of Delegates never voted on Herndon’s bill. After the bill cleared the Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns, the House voted to sent it to the Committee on Privileges and Elections on Feb. 20.
Every Generation Under Two Roofs
Approval for new Lewinsville Center expected March 3.
The Board of Supervisors is expected to approve the long-planned renovation of the Lewinsville Center on March 3, 2015. "The existing facility needs to be replaced; it's very old and our senior citizens deserve a better senior center," said Dranesville Supervisor John Foust.
Stalled Labor Market Slows County Budget
Proposed budget calls for no real estate tax rate increase, but average homeowner would pay $184 more.
Supervisor Jeff McKay pointed out an irony in County Executive Ed Long’s proposed $3.8 billion budget. Three planning positions would be eliminated from the budget even though Long suggested the county needs more efforts to raise revenue from commercial and industrial venues.
Oh Deer! What Can the Matter Be?
The county Park Authority used aerial infrared surveys via fixed-wing airplanes to count the number of deer inside parks and within a small distance in the surrounding neighborhoods on Feb. 6, 2014 and Dec. 27, 2013, according to the 2014 Annual Report on the Environment for Fairfax County.