Fairfax: Holidays Come to City Concerts, Plays, Santa and S’mores
City of Fairfax ushers in the holiday season.
Christmas in the City of Fairfax is always special. And a full slate of activities from Dec. 3-19 is sure to make holiday spirits bright.
Herndon: Tough Underground Work Underway on Silver Line Phase 2
Hand mining used to dig tunnels through granite.
"Imagine crawling under your desk and digging through solid rock in that tight space on your knees for eight or more hours every day," Kearney said. Further, it's a job the public cannot see and therefore cannot appreciate.
Meet young chef Ryan Spicknell.
McLean: Fabulous Offers at Earls Kitchen + Bar
Spicknell had dinner at the Vancouver location of the Earls group, and learned that management was looking for summer help. So he jumped at the chance, and from dishwasher to kitchen help, the youngster, perhaps unintentionally, launched his culinary career.
Great Falls Classical Ballet Performs Revamped Nutcracker This Weekend
Fifty-five dancers will be performing in the show on Saturday, Nov. 26, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at McLean High School.
The Margaret Haddad Studio of Classical Ballet in Great Falls has performed the Nutcracker ballet for decades. Though the studio’s founder –Margaret Haddad— retired last year, her 50-year legacy of teaching classical ballet in the community will continue through one of her students: Casey Jones. Jones started dancing under Margaret Haddad’s instruction in 1994. By 2001, Haddad inducted her into the studio’s teacher training program.
Great Falls: Route 7 Under Construction For 6 Years
The main challenge of the project: Maintaining the traffic while VDOT widens the road.
The Virginia Department of Transportation plans to spend $234 million on improvements to nearly seven miles of Route 7, which include widening it from four to six lanes between Reston Avenue and Jarrett Valley Drive. The project will be awarded to a contractor by January 2018 with construction starting by March 2019 and finishing in late 2025—a total of six years.
Herndon: Citizen Committee Rejects Cellphone Tower Next to Crossfield Elementary
Committee Denies Cell Tower Application
On Tuesday, Nov. 15, the Hunter Mill District Land Use Committee voted 3-2 to deny an application to build a cellphone tower on Crossfield Elementary School property on Fox Mill Road in Herndon. "This is about money, not anything else,” says Griffin, who is a father of a fourth grader who attends the elementary school.Milestone Communications towers on county school properties has generated more than $13 million of income over the last 20 years for the school system, says Forkas. The proposed tower would generate approximately $40,000 of revenue a year for the school system once at least three carriers agree to use the tower, he says.
H-Mart Opens in Burke
On Nov. 9, Burke Village Center officially welcomed a new tenant, H-Mart, an international grocery store specializing in Asian food. "Having H-Mart here in Burke, further exposes our community to different cultures, food and traditions," said Del. Filler-Corn.
Reston: Reston Association Board Members Divided; Pools on Chopping Block
Board Divided Over Budget
Reston Association’s 2017 proposed budget was hotly debated during a public hearing that left both residents and board directors in disagreement.
A Violation of the Comprehensive Plan
Reston resident analyzes Saint John’s Wood redevelopment proposal.
A group of determined neighbors are holding steadfast in their opposition to the proposed redevelopment plans for the St. Johns Wood (SJW) apartment complex. John Mooney is a member of Reclaim Reston. He added his signature to those of more than 675 locals who signed Reston resident Susanne Andersson-Tosado’s on-line petition opposing the project.
Herndon Has High Turnout; Mayor Wins Re-Election
Town Council Elections Held
Herndon Mayor Lisa Merkel won re-election last week from an engaged town of voters. “The election was a great experience,” says Merkel. “Seeing so many people out and excited to cast their ballots … the atmosphere was very positive and neighborly at each of the three precincts I visited.”
Vienna: New Town of Vienna Police Officer Graduates from Academy
Officer Rachel E. Rohr graduated from the 67th Session of the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy. The Academy curriculum includes, but is not limited to, 320 hours of academic studies including crisis intervention, assisting individuals with mental illness, de-escalation techniques and first aid training; 94 hours of firearms training; 84 hours of emergency vehicle operation; 110 hours of physical training and 130 hours of defensive tactics training.
McLean: Kirby Road Sidewalk in Three Years
Two preliminary designs for new sidewalk on Kirby Road connecting pedestrians to Chesterbrook Elementary School were presented to the community on Wednesday, Nov. 9, at a public meeting in the school’s cafeteria. The final design will be completed in 2017, land required for the projects will be acquired in 2018 and construction will start and finish in 2019.
Council gives go-ahead to Rust Curve project.
Rust Curve Project Gets ‘Green Light’
The Rust Curve proposal is controversial, with residents on both sides of the issue. But, believing in the many benefits it’ll bring, the Fairfax City Council has given it a green light. The project entails building a continuous brick sidewalk on the west side of Route 123/Chain Bridge Road between Old Town Fairfax and Rust Hill Place. It also replaces the drainage ditch and deteriorating sidewalk along Chain Bridge Road with a new, at-grade curb, gutter and sidewalk.
Vienna: Madison High Students Collect Food for Others
Food Drive
Madison High School is running its annual canned food drive from Oct. 31 to Nov. 22.
McLean WinterFest – Registration now open.
Holiday parade on Sunday, December 4
Mark your calendars for McLean WinterFest parade Sunday, December 4th. To register to be in the parade, go to the WinterFest site at www.mcleanwinterfest.org. It’s fun to relive last year’s parade with the slideshow of entries while planning for WinterFest 2016, McLean’s only community parade.
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