Online Access for All – Is there a digital divide among Virginia public school students? Virginia Del. Scott Surovell thinks so. That is why the he has proposed a bill that would require — and aid students in getting — a computer at home by 2017. [WUSA9]
Virginia Education Getting Its Own Progress Report? — The Virginia Board of Education is requesting that the state General Assembly approve $600,000 in the next biennial budget to pay for extra testing and administration fees so Virginia can get its own state-level results in the next administration of the international test known as PISA, which compares performance in math, science and reading for students around the world. [Washington Post]
Why No Women in Top Offices? — Does the commonwealth have a glass ceiling? Maybe. Virginia has never elected a woman as governor or U.S. senator, and only one woman, former Attorney General Mary Sue Terry, has ever won statewide office. [Washington Post].
More Delays for Silver Line? Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority announced Monday that there will be additional delays to completion of the first phase of the $5.6 billion Silver Line rail extension that will run from Tysons Corner to Reston’s Wiehle Avenue. Officials said additional tests related to the Automatic Train Control System need to be completed before the project can be turned over to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. This is the second delay in recent months. [Washington Post]
Kudos, FCPS — Fairfax County Public Schools were given a Meritorious Budget Award for excellence in the preparation and issuance of the FY 2014 budget from the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International. This is the 17th year in a row the school system has been honored by ASBO. FCPS is still looking at a $140 million budget shortfall next year. [FCPS]
GMU Students Aid Homeless — A pair of students at George Mason University are starting a program to donate unused meal card space to homeless students on campus. [Washington Post]
Big Mixup at Fairfax Funeral Home — A local family says Everly Funeral Home had the wrong body at what was supposed to be the funeral of Joseph Chapman, 80. [WJLA]
Check Out GRACE — Greater Reston Arts Center has a new exhibit featuring mixed-media works by Jungmin Park and Ajay Leister. The exhibit runs through Jan. 1. [GRACE]
Cyber Monday Stats — Who is shopping online today? Take a look at Cyber Monday by the numbers [Herndon Patch]
FCPS Budget Deja Vu — While new Fairfax schools superintendent Karen Garza is warning of an extreme budget crisis for 2014-15, some say it’s the same old story as every year. Others are warning this time the shortfall could have real consequences. “We’re not crying wolf,” says school board member Ted Velkoff. [Washington Post]
Cap for College? — Should the University of Virginia have a limit on out-of-state students? Would it enable more more students from competitive Northern Virginia get into the school? Some lawmakers think so. [Washington Post]
Family Fun: Thanksgiving Day Bike Ride — Looking for something to do on Turkey Day? Join one of several family bike rides in Reston. [Cycling in Reston blog]
Mental Health System to Blame? — Virginia state Sen. Creigh Deeds says the state mental health system is partly to blame for his son’s death. He says he’ll work to make sure other families don’t experience what his family has. Gus Deeds, 24, attacked his father with a knife, stabbing him in the face and chest, before taking his own life last week. [WTOP]
Record Enrollment at Mason — George Mason University has hit peak enrollment with 33,917 students enrolled this fall. That includes 3,011 first-time freshmen, up from 2,694 in 2012. [GMU Newsdesk]
Dancing in the Streets — Why was Jimmy Cirrito, owner of Herndon’s Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern, dancing in his underwear in the streets on Sunday? Because Jimmy’s was crowned “King of the Wings” in Northern Virginia magazine’s annual contest. [Herndon Patch]
Parade Planning — Going to the Reston Holiday Parade at Reston Town Center on Friday? Take a peek at the parade route and plan your best viewing spot ahead of time. [Reston Town Center]
Traffic Woes Will Continue Despite Influx of Money — Fairfax County is set to receive more than $1.2 billion to alleviate traffic issues over the next six years. However, with so many more cars clogging the roads, that will only fix about half the problems, officials say [Washington Post]
Help Syrian Refugees — Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors are offering their offices as drop-off points for a blanket drive for Syrian refugees in Turkey. They are hoping to fill a shipping container that will be delivered to a local relief agency overseas.
Blankets should be new or gently used. Donations should be made by Dec. 7. Nearest drop off location: Office of Chairman Sharon Bulova, Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 530, Fairfax, VA 22035. [Fairfax County Government]
Virginia Unemployment Still Low — October unemployment in Virginia held steady at 5.6 percent, but the state also shed jobs. [Washington Business Journal]
Victory For Oakton Neighbors — Residents of an Oakton neighborhood who were protesting the Girl Scouts’ plans to build a 6,000-square -foot warehouse on the site of Camp Crowell were relieved that the Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals rules in their favor Wednesday. The board voted 5-1 that the building was not in keeping with the scouts’ mission. The Girl Scouts still plan to present their plans to the county planning board in 2014. [Washington Post]
Heavy Toll — Jason Bourcier of Reston owes the Virginia Department of Transportation $200,000 for taking the Dulles Toll Road. The 33-year-old says he thought the toll booths were unmanned — and toll-free — after 11:30 p.m., so he sped right through them on his commute from D.C.. For three years. He racked up $440, which ballooned to more than $200,000 with interest and fees, as well as a court summons. What is he going to do? [NBC Washington]
Kudos For SLHS Scribes – South Lakes High School’s student newspaper, The Sentinel, took first place honors in the special edition category in the National Scholastic Press Association-Journalism Education Association (NSPA-JEA) convention, held last weekend in Boston. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
(Rendering of proposed Girl Scouts warehouse courtesy of Stop Industrial Oakton)
Space view — Miss the Minotaur launch over Reston Wednesday night? Here are some great photos that captured the spectacle around the Washington area. [Washington Post]
Thanks for your support — The South Lakes Marching Band wants to thank the community for supporting them at their annual Tag Day collection in September. They will show their appreciation with a free concert at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26 in the school’s Little Theatre. [South Lakes Band Boosters]
Talking transportation — The Fairfax County Department of Transportation wants your feedback. Take an online survey about county transportation projects. Deadline is Friday, so visit the site soon. [FCDOT]
Kudos, Hunters Woods Lego teams — Three Lego League teams from HWES have qualified for state competition. [Hunters Woods ES blog]
Safe Routes to School Needs Feedback — The Greater Washington DC Region Safe Routes to School network is seeking feedback from residents. The goal of Safe Routes to School is to build partnerships and resources in the region to support students walking and biking to school. FCPS recently received a grant to hire a SRTS coordinator. [Safe Routes to School Greater Washington DC]
New at the Top — Fairfax County Park Authority has appointed a new director, Kirk W. Kincannon.
Kincannon begins Jan. 27. He is currently the director of parks and recreation for the City of Boulder, Colo. Kincannon began his park and recreation career in Fairfax County, first serving as a recreation coordinator with the Town of Herndon for four years before coming to the Fairfax County Park Authority for 10 years from 1985-1995. [Fairfax County Government website]
New at the Top II — Herndon High alum Paul Reagan will be governor-elect Terry McAuliffe’s Chief of Staff. [Herndon Patch]
Remembering Lakeside Inn – One Reston woman produced a YouTube video of good memories had at the Lakeside Inn over the last 22 years. Are you a face in the crowd? [YouTube]
How’s the food? — Not so good, say Fairfax County Public School students.
FCPS conducted a seven-month survey (to the tune of $180,000), which revealed about 77 percent of 1,300 high school students surveyed said that they did not like the food, and about half said they ate school lunch two days a week or less. [Washington Post]
Today’s the day — That a satellite built by students at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will be launched into space. [Burke Patch]
Who knew? How is Reston part of Partridge Family history? Restonian clues us in.[Restonian]
Season Ends for South Lakes Football — The Seahawks’ first postseason appearance since 2010 was quick as South Lakes lost 35-0 to top seed Centreville on Friday night in the VHSL Division 6A Playoffs.
Hill Reflects on Retirement — The Washington Post caught up with former South Lakes, Duke and NBA star Grant Hill, who is the new host of TV’s “NBA Inside Stuff.” Hill, 41, announced his retirement from the NBA after 19 seasons earlier this year. [Washington Post]
Did You Know — that student parking fees at Fairfax County Public Schools high schools are a big moneymaker for some locations and not for others? [Washington Post]
Saturday Night Spring — Catch the Bowen McCauley Dance Company and the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchesstra pay tribute the 100th Anniversary of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring Saturday night at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods. Tickets are $25 for residents/$50 for non residents. [Reston Community Center]
Run for Office — it is almost election season for Reston Association Board of Directors. Want to run? Two at-large seats, the Hunters Woods/Dogwood seat and the Apartment Owners seat are all coming open for three-year terms. [Reston Association]
Crime in our County — Fairfax County Chief of Police Edwin Roessler was online last week to talk area crime with citizens. Among the questions from residents: are there too many burglaries and why are there fewer Neighborhood Watch groups? [Fairfax County Government]
(Photo courtesy of Reston Community Center)
Kudos, Reston Hospital — Reston Hospital Center earns Top Performer status from the Joint Commission, the leading accrediting group for health care facilities. [Reston Hospital]
Keep the Access — Seven members of the Fairfax County Public Schools board, including Hunter Mill rep Pat Hynes, have written to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors to ask them to reconsider the elimination the Access UVA No-Loan program. The program aids lower income students who otherwise might not be abel to afford college. [Board member Ryan McElveen’s Blog]
Drivers take note — Stay off the Dulles Airport Road, authorities warn. “Backtrackers” who drive it to avoid the Dulles Toll Road are stepping up enforcement. [Ashburn Patch]
Ron Kirby, the director of transportation planning for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, was shot to death in his Alexandria home Monday, police said. [Washingtonian]
Nearly Naked But Not Freezing — Check out this gallery from last weekend’s Narly Naked Mile at Reston Town Center [Capital Weather Gang Blog]
International Disaster, Local Relief — The National Capital Chapter of the American Red Cross is organizing aid to victims of Typhoon Haiyan. You can donate money on the Red Cross website. [American Red Cross]
Metro alert — Metro will be doing major rebuilding work this weekend. Plan accordingly. [Metro]
(Photo of Metro station courtesy of Metro)
Reston Woman Family First To File Suit in Navy Yard Shooting — The family of Mary DeLorenzo Knight, a Navy Yard cybersecurity specialist who was killed in the Sept. 16 mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard, has filed a $37.5 million lawsuit against the government. The family says saying the Navy and Department of Veterans Affairs ignored red flags about the killer’s mental health. [WJLA]
Military Friendly Firms — Several national companies with a big Northern Virginia presence made Victory Media’s list of Top 100 Military Friendly Employers. High ranking: Booz Allen Hamilton (No. 7); DynCorp International (No. 18); Northrop Grumman (No. 45); BAE Systems (No. 62); and SAIC (No. 83). [Washington Business Journal]
Still No Virginia Attorney General – Officials are still counting provisional ballots — and there still may be a December recount in the race between Mark Obenshain (R) and Mark Herring (D). The Fairfax County Board of Elections will have a provisional ballot review Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. [Politico]
(Photo of Mary Knight courtesy of Everly Funeral Home)
