On Fridays, we take a moment to thank our sponsors and advertisers:
Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, the business community for the vibrant region.
BLVD, Comstock’s new apartments at Reston Station.
The Harrison, luxury apartments near Reston Town Center.
Berry & Berry, PLLC, Reston law firm specializing in federal employment, retirement, labor union, and security clearance matters.
Reston Real Estate, Eve Thompson of Long & Foster Real Estate specializes in Reston homes.
Becky’s Pet Care, offering friendly pet services in Northern Virginia.
Reston Community Center, Serving Reston’s recreational and cultural needs.
MakeOffices, shared work spaces with five area locations, including Reston.
Lake Anne Nursery Kindergarten, educating Reston’s young minds for more than 50 years.
Boofie O’Gorman, Top Producer Realtor at Long & Foster Reston.
Goldfish Swim School, specializing in children’s swim lessons year-round.
Small Change Consignment, serving Reston’s kids for more than 30 years.
A Cleaning Service, professional residential and commercial cleaning.
BASIS Independent McLean, Independent school for K-12 located in McLean.
Greater Reston Arts Center, Reston’s visual arts center.
This is an Op-Ed by Reston Association President Ellen Graves. It does not represent the opinion of Reston Now.
Reston Association offers an inspiring array of ways to get involved in the community. From volunteering to serve on a committee to helping beautify natural areas through working with Habitat Heroes, Reston residents have always answered the call to donate their time and efforts for good causes.
Sometimes, however, it’s the little things that count the most in the quest to make Reston the best it can be. Voting in the RA Board of Directors’ election is perhaps the single most significant way members can make a difference in the community without having to dedicate hours of their time.
The voting period for the board election opened March 7 and runs through April 4. Voters can vote online or through the mail. Two of this year’s three races are uncontested, but making your voice heard through voting is nonetheless important in the election process. Read More
This is an op-ed by nonprofit executive Amanda Andere, who formerly served on the Reston Association Board of Directors. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
Reston Association members have already received their ballots for board elections. Several people have asked me who I will be supporting in the At-Large race.
There is really only one choice if we want a community leader committed to engaging members, bringing together diverse groups to solve problems; who is dedicated to good governance, and community. Eve Thompson.
I have spent the last 12 years living and working in Reston. For the last eight years as a homeowner, and for all of those years working as a staff or volunteer for nonprofits concerned about living out Bob Simon’s dream that this be an economic inclusive community. Eve Thompson is a person I first met when she was honored as a Best of Reston awardee, and she continues to live out that vision of a place where people don’t just live, but feel part of the community.
I served on the Reston Association board with Eve and admired her dedication to our members and her ability to bring people together, even when they disagreed, to do what was best for Reston.
In the next few years Reston Association will have to make some critical decisions about how we offer the best value and services to residents during a period of unprecedented growth. How we engage a diversity of voices in those decisions and balance our needs versus our wants with the highest amount fiscal responsibility and fiduciary oversight.
Eve has proven to have those skills in her role as a current board member and her leadership in reviving Lake Anne as the former president of the Lake Anne Merchant’s Association and active member/leader of many Reston task forces and coalitions that have addressed the critical sustainability and viability issues facing our community.
Eve is the choice for the Reston Association At-Large seat if you want all of the qualities of what makes Reston a wonderful place to live. A leader who understands where we have been, but can see how we need to change in the future.
Amanda Misiko Andere, MPA
On Fridays, we take a moment to thank our sponsors and advertisers:
Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, the business community for the vibrant region.
BLVD, Comstock’s new apartments at Reston Station.
The Harrison, luxury apartments near Reston Town Center.
Berry & Berry, PLLC, Reston law firm specializing in federal employment, retirement, labor union, and security clearance matters.
Reston Real Estate, Eve Thompson of Long & Foster Real Estate specializes in Reston homes.
Becky’s Pet Care, offering friendly pet services in Northern Virginia.
Reston Community Center, Serving Reston’s recreational and cultural needs.
MakeOffices, shared work spaces with five area locations, including Reston.
Lake Anne Nursery Kindergarten, educating Reston’s young minds for more than 50 years.
Boofie O’Gorman, Top Producer Realtor at Long & Foster Reston.
Goldfish Swim School, specializing in children’s swim lessons year-round.
Small Change Consignment, serving Reston’s kids for more than 30 years.
A Cleaning Service, professional residential and commercial cleaning.
BASIS Independent McLean, Independent school for K-12 located in McLean.
Greater Reston Arts Center, Reston’s visual arts center.
On Fridays, we take a moment to thank our sponsors and advertisers:
Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, the business community for the vibrant region.
BLVD, Comstock’s new apartments at Reston Station.
The Harrison, luxury apartments near Reston Town Center.
Berry & Berry, PLLC, Reston law firm specializing in federal employment, retirement, labor union, and security clearance matters.
Reston Real Estate, Eve Thompson of Long & Foster Real Estate specializes in Reston homes.
Becky’s Pet Care, offering friendly pet services in Northern Virginia.
Reston Community Center, Serving Reston’s recreational and cultural needs.
MakeOffices, shared work spaces with five area locations, including Reston.
Lake Anne Nursery Kindergarten, educating Reston’s young minds for more than 50 years.
Boofie O’Gorman, Top Producer Realtor at Long & Foster Reston.
Goldfish Swim School, specializing in children’s swim lessons year-round.
Small Change Consignment, serving Reston’s kids for more than 30 years.
A Cleaning Service, professional residential and commercial cleaning.
BASIS Independent McLean, Independent school for K-12 located in McLean.
Greater Reston Arts Center, Reston’s visual arts center.
This is an op-ed from Reston resident Colin Mills. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
It seems like you can’t open your computer or turn on your TV these days without hearing about this year’s presidential election. If you follow the news at all, you’ve been bombarded with stories about the candidates and their plans for the country.
But there’s another election going on right now, one that has a direct impact on our community, and you’ve probably barely heard about it at all. I’m referring to the Reston Association Board of Directors’ election taking place this month.
They say that decisions are made by the people who show up. And when it comes to deciding who’s on the RA board, far too few Restonians are showing up with their vote.
Even though the ballot and electronic information are mailed or emailed right to you, and even though voting online or by mail takes just a couple of minutes, turnout in these elections usually hovers in the 15-percent to 20-percent range.
It seems that a lot of Restonians don’t know about the election or think it’s important enough to vote. That’s a shame, because who represents us on the RA board matters a great deal to the future of our community.
There are countless ways in which the RA board affects the future of Reston, but today I’ll focus on one: the development and redevelopment of our community.
For better or for worse, Reston is changing. The Silver Line is a reality now, and every time you drive past the Wiehle-Reston East station or over by the Reston International Center, you can see that change is underway.
The new development sparked by the Silver Line will bring a lot of opportunities and challenges here in Reston. On the positive side, it will bring new jobs, an influx of younger residents, and exciting new shops and restaurants. On the other hand, it will also bring more traffic, more pollution, and more demands on our facilities, our infrastructure, our open space. Read More
This is an op-ed from Reston resident Terry Maynard. It does not represent the opinion of Reston Now.
It is time for that annual RA ritual: The election of members to the RA Board of Directors. There are three positions up for election this year, one At-Large position and two district seats.
The only contested election is the At-Large race among three candidates. I recommend voting for John Bowman, whom I have known and worked with for nearly a decade on the RCA Board, the Reston Master Plan Task Force, and Reston 20/20. He has also worked on RA’s Transportation Committee for several years.
I have found John to have an uncanny ability to look at Reston’s many issues from diverse angles and balance those considerations in making decisions that served all Reston, not just a single faction or location. In doing so, he communicates openly and listens to all points of view, values that need greater attention on the RA Board.
He also appreciates the financial burden we share in making Reston a better place, and he would oppose unwise future RA investments or expenditures, such as the exorbitant Tetra purchase. In brief, John believes in the principles that make Reston a unique master planned community, and he will work to advance them wisely and openly.
The two district representative candidates are running unopposed, but, yes, they both need your vote! Read More
Reston Now is running Q-and-As with the 2016 candidates of Reston Association’s Board of Directors. Voting opens March 7. Today’s chat is with John Bowman, who is seeking an At-Large spot.
Reston Now: What makes you want to serve on the RA Board?
John Bowman: I view the opportunity to participate on the RA Board of Directors as a naturalprogression from my previous community service efforts.
I have been a Reston resident since 1985 and have followed a typical member behavior of progressing from: 1) not really being aware of issues that impact the RA community due to career and family focus; 2) to having awareness only to the amount of increases in the RA assessment; and 3) finally to having a sense of community responsibility the desire to give back.
My desire to give back to the community was aroused first by land use issues impacting south Reston and grew as I immersed myself into the county and state processes by which land use is controlled. I found that the average RA member who might have interest in an issue is ill-equipped to meaningfully influence land use outcomes. Read More
Reston Now is running Q-and-As with the Reston Association Board of Directors candidates as the 2016 board election begin March. 7. Today’s chat is with April Tan, who is one of three candidates running for the At-Large Seat.
Reston Now: What makes you want to serve on the RA Board?
April Tan: As a leader in her career, church and community in New York, my adopted grandmother, Peggy Joyce, taught me about volunteer leadership in the 1980s. Read More
Reston Now will run Q-and-As with the five candidates running for Reston Association Board seats this spring. The election opens on March 7.
Today’s Q-and-A is with Sherri Hebert, who is running unopposed for the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks seat.
Reston Now: What makes you want to serve on the RA Board?
Sherri Hebert: The simple answer is the old cliché — “I want to make a difference” — meaning I want to look back in 20 years and say “I am proud to have been a part of making Reston an even better place to live, work, and play.”
I want to preserve the very things that make Reston great — its village centers, its open space and recreational facilities, and its walkable and bike-able neighborhoods–and help make them even better in the future.
I also want more community involvement in RA and the Board’s activities. As a district representative, my responsibility would include informing residents of issues facing the Board and listen to and bring issues from them to the Board’s attention. Read More
The South Lakes Boys Track indoor track and field team finished second overall in the 6A North Region Championship Thursday at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Md.
Other highlights from the meet were victories in the boys’ and girls’ hurdle events, two school records, a second-place team finish and qualifying all six relay teams for the state meet.
The boys finished second to Alexandria’s T.C. Williams High School in the 26-team field while the girls were sixth. The top six finishers in each event earned a spot in next weekend’s 6A State Championship Feb. 26-27 in Hampton.
Senior Anas Fain successfully defended his regional title in the 55 meter hurdles in winning the event in 7.63, a personal best. He also teamed with seniors Alex Rudison, Eric Kirlew and Timiebi Ogobri for second in the 4×200 meter relay (1:33.79). Ogobri was fourth in the 55 meters (6.65 prelims, 6.66 finals) and Kirlew finished fourth in the triple jump (43-11.25) followed by senior Skander Ballard (43-09.00).
The triple jump was one of three individual events Ballard had state meet qualifying finishes. He was third in the 300 meters (35.85) and fourth in the 500 meters (1:06.24). Senior Nikolai Waithe was fourth in the 500 (1:08.76). Ballard, Waithe and seniors Connor Smith and John LeBerre finished second in the 4×400 meter relay with a 3:27.54.
LeBerre was also fourth in the 100 meters (2:35.96) and anchored the 4×800 meter relay team of Smith and juniors Peter Sepulveda and Jack Watkins to fourth in that event (8:19.13).
Junior Devyn Jones is also a region champion, winning the 55 hurdles in 8.40. Junior Nikayla Hoyte and sophomore Olivia Beckner advanced to states in individual events with school-record breaking performances:
Hoyte ran a 7.28 in the preliminaries of the 55 meters and advance to the finals, where she finished sixth (7.35). The previous record of 7.31 was set by Lachelle Wallace during the 2008-2009 season.
Beckner finished third in the 1,000 meter run with a time of 2:58.47 breaking the school record of 2:59.64 set by Anne Evans during the1987-1988 season. Senior Golden Kumi-Darfour was fourth with a 2:58.65.
Jones and Hoyte teamed with freshman Cara Hutson and Lena Weimerskirch for fourth in the 4×200 meter relay (1:47.47), qualifying the team for the state meet. Jones, Beckner, Kumi-Darfour and freshman Sophie Halkett ran a 4:03.77 for second in the 4×400 meter relay.
Photo: SLHS hurdler Anas Fain is regional 55-meter hurdle champion/Credit: Ed Lull
Eight rock bands featuring Reston-area elementary, middle and high schoolers will compete for cash prizes — and bragging rights — Sunday at Ned Devine’s in Herndon.
The 2016 Battle of the Bands is a fundraiser for the South Lakes High School Band Boosters. Proceeds will help pay for scholarships, instrument purchase and repair and uniforms.
Competing are Catchin’ Toads; Citizen’s Arrest; Cymbalize; Insolence; Fourth Electric; The Generics; The Runner’s Up; The Unexpected.
The bands will be judged on sound, musicianship, stage presence and originality as they play sets of 15 minutes.
The panel of judges includes Karen Goff (Reston Now Editor); Ryan McIlveen (FCPS School Board Member); Bruce Butler (Former SLHS Principal); Michael Pereira (Drummer from Sub-Radio Standard); David Lang (Artistic Director of Reston Chorale); and Vinny Roth (Songwriter and Guitar Play, The Vinny Roth Band).
Tickets are $10 in advance online or $12 at the door.
Ned Devine’s is located at 2465 Centreville Rd, Herndon (Clocktower Shopping Center). Doors open at 4 p.m.
The Virginia Presidential Primary is a little more than two weeks away.
Registered voters in the Commonwealth go to the polls March 1, along with 111 other states.
Have you decided who gets your vote? Take our poll and let’s see which way Reston is leaning. Don’t worry, it’s confidential. No one is selling any info to campaigns. Also, candidate names were generated in random order by the polling software and show no bias on the part of Reston Now.
Also, check out this info from Fairfax County about Primary Day and to locate your polling place.
Nominations for Reston Citizens Association’s 2015 Reston Citizen of the Year Award are now open.
The RCA gives the award annually to a dedicated citizen whose volunteer and civic efforts deserve the recognition and appreciation they have earned through their hard work and dedication to the Reston community.
Nominations are open through Friday, Feb. 19. Nominations may be submitted online or by downloading the nomination form and submitting via postal mail or email as indicated on the nomination form.
RCA Citizen of the Year Nomination Criteria
- The nominee has been a Reston resident for at least 5 years.
- The nominee’s actions are consistent with the goals of Reston, and of RCA.
- The nominee’s actions have contributed to the quality of life in Reston.
- People in need of help have benefited from the nominee’s actions.
- The nominee’s deeds were done without thought of personal benefit or recognition.
- The nominee is not currently serving as an elected public official or a member of the Board of a major community organization (RA, RCA, or RCC).
The Reston Citizen of the Year will be honored at a special reception this spring.
Due to road temperatures forecast below freezing in parts of Fairfax County this evening, facilities and school grounds will be closed starting at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday night, Fairfax County Public Schools announced.
All activities scheduled in Fairfax County public schools or on school grounds for this evening must be completed by 6:15 p.m. or are canceled, including:
- extracurricular activities
- interscholastic contests
- team practices
- field trips
- professional learning and training courses
- adult and community education classes
- recreation programs and community use by outside groups not affiliated with FCPS
SACC centers will remain open until 6:15 p.m. SACC Administration requests parents make every effort to pick up children earlier, if possible.
Superintendent Karen Garza’s listening tour was scheduled to have its Hunter Mill session at Madison High School at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. That event will be be held at a later date.
