Democrats Lead in Polls as Voters Head to the Polls for Election Day
Hotly contested race for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.
Democrats have the wind at their backs heading into Election Day next week, as Republican gubernatorial candidates Ken Cuccinelli struggles to overcome a deficit in the polls.
Hollywood comes to Alexandria
Bringing a little taste of Hollywood to Old Town, the seventh annual Alexandria Film Festival kicks off Nov. 7.
It might be Patti North's favorite time of year, but it's certainly one of the most stressful. As chair of the Alexandria Film Festival, North has spent moths preparing for this year's event, pulling together movies ranging from a few minutes to an hour or more in length from around the world and helping to line up Q&A sessions with as many filmmakers as possible during the festivals' four-day run.
Brief: Police Launch @ArlingtonVaPD
The Arlington County Police Department has expanded its social media presence by joining Twitter. @ArlingtonVaPD will be a permanent tool for the department to share breaking news, stories, photos, crime tips and events.
Week in Reston
Ice Skating Season Begins
The Reston Town Center Ice Skating Pavilion officially opens for the 2013-2014 season with its annual fundraiser for the local non-profit organization, Reston Character Counts Coalition. On opening weekend, Nov. 2 and 3, the charity will receive 50 percent of skating rink proceeds. (Rain date: Nov. 9 and 10.) This benefit will help fund development programs offered by Reston Character Counts! Coalition, including the annual Essay and Poster Contest and sponsorship of Ethics Day at South Lakes High School. Reston Town Center Ice Skating Pavilion weekend hours are Saturday, 11 a.m. until 11 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Adult admission is $10, and for children under 12 and adults over 55, admission is $8. Skate rental is $5. The Reston Town Center Ice Skating Pavilion is located at 1800 Discovery Street, Reston, and will be open every day, including all holidays, until March. Schedules, fees, and more information are available on the skating hotline, 703-709-6300, and online at www.restontowncenter.com/skating.
Potomac Youth of the Year, 2013
Marissa Michaels of Holton Arms and Matthew Schick of Landon named Potomac’s Youth of the Year.
Marissa Michaels of Holton Arms and Matthew Schick of Landon named Potomac’s Youth of the Year.
Brief: Board Promotes Public Safety Communications in Construction
The County Board unanimously adopted a resolution on Oct. 22 to advance new public safety technology in construction within Arlington County. In recent years, new construction materials have degraded the ability of public safety personnel to communicate with radios within buildings.
Reston Ice Skater Wins Regional Championships
Local figure skater Christina Cleveland topped the competition in the recent 2014 Regional Figure Skating Championships. A junior lady, Christie won both the short and the long programs in the championships, held in Louisville, Ky. The top four skaters in each division progress to the Sectional Championships, which will be held in East Lansing, Mich. in November. From there, the top four earn a spot in the 2014 US National Championships in Boston, Mass. This year, the national competition will also be the United States Olympic Trials for the Sochi Olympics in mid-winter. Christie is a junior at Herndon High School and skates under Rashid Kadyrkaev at the Ashburn Ice House. Her team of coaches helps her to succeed. She does stretching, cardio, ballet, strength training and trampoline, as well as her on-ice regimen, as her daily fitness activities.
Time to Pay Attention to the Master Plan
The 4-year planning process for a new Reston is reaching its conclusion and the news is not good for those who value Reston traditions and values. Now is the time to pay attention to this slow-moving effort. Although there are positive elements in the new plan, particularly its stress on mixed residential and commercial redevelopment, it promises to bring in 40,000 new residents and 60,000 new office employees to the already congested areas around the new Metro stations. Reston Association and the Reston Community Association have each made pleas to Fairfax County that the plan provide for sensible re-development. Unfortunately, some of their points made have been dismissed and most ignored by a county apparently bent on getting more tax money from the property owners.
The Issues Are Power and Politics
To the Editor: In response to my friend John Lovaas’ opinion piece "Draft Plan Jeopardizes Urban Reston" [Reston Connection, Oct. 23-29, 2013], the real issues are power and politics. The community groups have no real approval power and the Fairfax County Board can completely ignore any and all concerns. This lack of power is directly related to politics because that is the only way to exert any power over the master plans and the serious concerns John expresses, and I agree with (except for his use of the word "urban" since I did not move to Reston 42 years ago to be in an urban setting.) So, unless and until we are all ready to make these issues our only concern when voting for all of local elected officials- Hudgins, Plum, and Howell—we will have no power. We should disregard social, budget and other issues and become single-issue voters. Otherwise we are talking into the wind. Bruce Kirschenbaum Reston
Attorney General Needs to Uphold Justice
To The Editor: As Delegate Ken Plum knows, The chief law enforcement officer of Virginia is the governor. The attorney general serves as the action officer to carry out the governor's duties ["Science Goes on Trial in Virginia,” Reston Connection, Oct. 16-22]. The attorney general is obligated to enforce the laws of the commonwealth. However, all commonwealth attorneys do have discretionary powers on which possible violations of the law to prosecute; e.g., whether or not to prosecute a Class Four felony. Attorney generals also have a duty to bring justice and prove innocence when there is evidence of a miscarriage of justice. Del. Plum cites the case of a University of Virginia professor who appears to have violated a Commonwealth Law. The situation demanded an investigation into the possible use of proven, faulty research on climate change of which there are substantial reams of examples. Judges, not necessarily expert in science, decided that state taxpayer funds could be expended on research without oversight. Climate change has been politicized; rational discussion has been forced to take a back seat. Extreme, radical solutions have been proposed by the EPA; e.g., the War on Coal without consideration for the moral, economic and cultural values.
Going Green, All Year Long
As part of the second annual Green Apple Day of Service, Dianne Rose and her Hunters Woods Preschool students created the class's first recycling bin to be used for the entire school year.
Reston Rotary Gives 3rd Graders Dictionaries
Sonia Castillo-Smith from the Rotary Club of Reston visits Aldrin Elementary. She presented dictionaries to all Aldrin third grade students on behalf of Rotary.
Commentary
Our Special Community
Recently I was asked to participate in a workshop for a group of leaders who were planning a future for their organization. Specifically I was asked to discuss the characteristics of our community of Reston. While I try to stay on top of trends and am out in the community on a daily basis, I learned a lot preparing for the presentation at the workshop.
Week in Herndon
Leaf Collection Begins in Herndon
Annual collection of leaves has begun in Herndon. Residents should rake leaves as close to the curb as possible without blocking storm drains, sidewalks or mailboxes and without impeding vehicular traffic. During leaf collection, grass clippings, shrub clippings and weeds must be placed in 30-gallon kraft, recyclable bags and should continue to be placed out only on your regular trash day. Following the scheduled fall collection, leaves must be placed in 30-gallon kraft recyclable bags and will be picked up on regular trash/yard waste collection days.
John Burkarth Wins Special Olympics Gold Medal
John Burkarth of Herndon won his first national tournament and became the Virginia gold medallist in the Special Olympics 2013 held in Galloway, N.J., Oct. 18-20. Burkarth was tested in six different shot-making skills and scored 64-86-59 for a total score of 209, first place in the top division of the individual skills competition. Burkarth celebrated with medals, smiles and high fives at the end of the three-day Special Olympics North America Golf Invitational Tournament at the Stockton Seaview Hotel & Golf Club in Galloway. A field of 176 golfers from 23 programs representing the United States and Canada competed in one of five levels of competition—individual skills (Level I), 9- and 18-hole alternate shot team play (Levels II & III), and 9- and 18-hole individual stroke play (Levels IV & V).
A Candidate With No Baggage
To the Editor: Tom Rust has enthusiastically endorsed the entire Rupublican slate. He has done so because he is a Republican. It doesn't surprise me that he endorsed Cuccinelli, but I find it very difficult to accept that, in his heart, he could endorse the candidate for lieutenant governor, Rev. Jackson. Jackson's comments about gays and those who aren't strong Christians and other comments he has made, are of the kind that Rust would not, normally, accept.
Supporting Boysko
To the Editor: It is time to take back Virginia from the Republican extremists in the House of Delegates. One way we can do that is to vote for Jennifer Boysko for House of Delegates in the 86th District.
Boysko for 86th
To the Editor: Jennifer Boysko is a Democrat with a long record of experience and integrity that will serve us well in the Virginia House of Delegates for the 86th district. In our district she has worked tirelessly—most recently as Supervisors Foust’s aide—deeply involved in constituent services and spending several years at the table with elected officials, community representatives, business leaders and inner jurisdictional staff, identifying and planning the best land use and transportation solutions in and around our Herndon/Sterling area. She has worked on tasks large and small, working with the local PTSAs to identify educational solutions, working with county staff to help coordinate the planning of Herndon’s new fire station, and coordinating all the players involved in bringing synthetic turf to the Herndon High School athletic fields.
Two Herndon Students in Children’s Show
The Alliance Theatre presents “The Little Mermaid Jr.”
Ariel, Prince Eric, Flounder, Sebastian the Crab and all the other characters from the popular story and movie are in The Alliance Theatre’s production of “The Little Mermaid Jr.” And two Herndon students are among the featured actors.
Burke History Day Revisited
Burke Historical Society President Jon Vrana hopes to make it an annual event once again.
On Saturday, Oct. 12, grey skies and light rain didn’t put a damper on the first Burke History Day since the 1990s. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., a steady stream of visitors ventured into the large hall of the Burke Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department facility as costumed members of the Burke Historical Society revived a former community event—albeit with a few modifications.