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Representing Reston, Vienna in Winter OlympicsCommentary, Page 4
Session Brings Sea ChangeNews, Page 3
Reston Couple Remembered As ‘Earth Angels’
News, Page 2
WellbeingPage 7
Scott Fricker and his wife, Buckley Kuhn Fricker, the Reston couple who lost their lives in a senseless act of violence on
Friday, Dec. 22, 2017, while protecting their family.
2 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ January 3-9, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
News
By Mercia Hobson
The Connection
Condolences and remembrancespoured in verbally, by email,and through online condo-lences sites recognizing the
positive spirit and giving hearts of BuckleyAnne Kuhn Fricker, Esq. and Scott SpillaneFricker, Ph.D., the Reston couple who losttheir lives in a senseless act of violence onFriday, Dec. 22, 2017, while protecting theirfamily.
Buckley Kuhn Fricker left behind her par-ents, Janet Kuhn and Ira F. Kuhn Jr., andher brother, Reed Calvert Kuhn. KuhnFricker was an attorney with a backgroundin Elder Law and Estate Planning. Shefounded Buckley’s for Seniors, LLC and ac-cording to the company website put hername in the company title because shewanted the business to reflect her standardsof excellence.
Her obituary states: “Rather than pursu-ing an active law practice, Buckley foundedBuckley’s for Seniors, a company that pro-vides services for homebound seniors, al-lowing them to continue to reside in thecommunity.”
Scott Fricker was the son of John andSandy Fricker of Burlington, N.C., thebrother of Jason Fricker of Charleston, S.C., the father of Elliot Auden Fricker, andstepfather to Kelly Sizemore Kuhn andAmelia Sizemore Kuhn Fricker. Profession-ally, Fricker was a senior research psycholo-gist for the United States Bureau of LaborStatistics, but as written in his obituary,“Scott’s greatest enjoyment was being a lov-ing and involved family member.”
AMONG MANY CONDOLENCES, twocommon phrases stood out describing theReston couple: always going the extra mileand radiating smiles.
Sharon Rainey worked with Buckley KuhnFricker. When asked to comment aboutKuhn Fricker, Rainey described by emailthat she was “...kind, open, giving, compas-sionate, bright, knowledgeable, of serviceto anyone and everyone she met...Buckleydidn’t have an unkind word or thought foranyone...Her smile radiated... Buckley wasa source of light, of good, of kindness. Shewas an earth angel.”
Karen M. McPhail, managing director,Eldementals, LLC Geriatric Care Manage-
ment, Care Advisor, Healthcare Consultingand Advocacy Services wrote: “As an aginglife care manager, I knew Buckley person-ally and professionally... Buckley was anamazing support, advocate, andresource...Our lives were truly changed andimpacted positively due to her kindness,compassion, and expertise.”
Susan Smit of Chantilly wrote in her con-dolences: “Buckley was such a MiracleWorker for the people she represented andcared for. She had the gift of compassionand honesty that made the situation shineeven when things were out of control. Welost a true Angel.”
In his condolences Jeff Costantino of Den-ver, Colorado wrote, “I knew Scott in highschool when we both worked at Erol’s inMcLean. He was very friendly and kind, plusfun to hang out with when things got a littleboring at the store.” Ann Brown-Collier,McLean, wrote that she and her family havewonderful memories of Scott from theirMcLean days — from the early Lewinsville...“Now our hearts are broken with you.”
Kathi Brown, OF Oakton, wrote that whenshe saw his name at a recent conference,she immediately recalled Scott playing soc-cer with her brothers. “Although I didn’treally know Scott, he was so friendly andgracious when I recognized his name at aconference a few years ago, and introducedmyself. I’m glad that I had a chance to brieflyexperience the fun, warm charisma thateveryone here seems to be recalling.”
In an email exchange, Julie Lopez, Dis-trict of Columbia shared: “Scott Fricker wasa person who stood out. He was alwayssmiling and laughing a lot. He and I wereon a very competitive Division 1 summerswim team together in McLean for our en-tire childhood... As we got older, Scott grewinto a leader. He encouraged younger swim-mers... I remember many instances whenhe would take extra efforts... He did thatkind of thing for a lot of people...I’m notsurprised in his efforts to protect his fam-ily.”
INSTEAD OF FLOWERS, the Fricker fam-ily suggested that a prayer be said for allaffected by this tragedy and to treasure themoments we have with one another.
Kuhn Fricker’s family suggested that in-stead of flowers, a donation is made to theNational Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)in the name of Buckley and Scott Fricker.
Reston Couple Remembered As ‘Earth Angels’Family, friends, and neighbors mourn Scott Fricker and Buckley Kuhn Fricker.
Photo courtesy of Adams Green Funeral Home and Crematorium
Scott Fricker and his wife, Buckley Kuhn Fricker.
Homicide detectives obtained petitionscharging a 17-year-old Lorton boy withthe murders of Scott Fricker and his wife,Buckley Kuhn-Fricker.
The suspect was the third person shotat the scene of the Dec. 22 double mur-der in the 2600 block of Black Fir Courtin Reston. His injuries were self-inflictedand he remains in the hospital in life-threatening condition. He is under po-lice guard, according to Fairfax CountyPolice Department.
The preliminary investigation deter-mined the suspect, who knows the resi-dents of the home, got inside and was
then confronted by the couple. The sus-pect shot them both and then himself.
Four other family members who werehome at the time of the shooting werenot hurt. Victim Services Section hasbeen assisting them as needed.
The petitions will be served on the sus-pect at a time yet to be determined, de-pending on his medical condition. Hisidentity is not being revealed due to hisage.
As detectives continue to investigatethis double homicide, they ask anyonewith information to call non-emergencyline at 703-691-2131.
See Bulletin, Page 5
Submit civic/community announce-ments at ConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos and artwork wel-come. Deadline is Thursday at noon, atleast two weeks before event.
WEDNESDAY/JAN. 24Public Hearing – Planning
Commission. 7:30 p.m. in theBoard Auditorium of the FairfaxCounty Government Center,
12000 Government Center Parkway,Fairfax. The Board of Supervisorsauthorized the consideration of aComprehensive Plan amendment forthe Sunset Hills Road realignment.The adopted plan for this arearecommends three different optionsfor how the intersection of SunsetHills Road and Hunter Mill Roadcould be modified. The Board ofSupervisors requested that staffconsider a realignment of Sunset
Hills Road to Crowell Road as areplacement to these three options.The proposed Plan Amendmentrecommends that Sunset Hills Roadbe realigned to Crowell Road andthat a roundabout be considered asthe intersection control. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/planning-zoning/plan-amendments/current/sunset-hills-realignment orwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/planningcommission/.
TUESDAY/MARCH 6Public Hearing – Board of
Supervisors. 4 p.m. in the BoardAuditorium of the Fairfax CountyGovernment Center, 12000Government Center Parkway, Fairfax.The Board of Supervisors authorizedthe consideration of a ComprehensivePlan amendment for the Sunset HillsRoad realignment. The adopted planfor this area recommends three
different options for how theintersection of Sunset Hills Road andHunter Mill Road could be modified.The Board of Supervisors requestedthat staff consider a realignment ofSunset Hills Road to Crowell Road asa replacement to these three options.The proposed Plan Amendmentrecommends that Sunset Hills Roadbe realigned to Crowell Road and
Bulletin Board
Lorton Teen Charged withMurdering Reston Couple
Reston Connection ❖ January 3-9, 2018 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic
703-778-9414 or [email protected]
News
By Michael Lee Pope
The Connection
This year’s General Assemblywill be like no other. For start-ers, the members walking thehalls of the Capitol will not look
the same. The crop of freshman includes thefirst transgender woman to serve in the Vir-ginia General Assembly, the first lesbian, thefirst Asian-American woman and the firsttwo Latinas. Gone are the 12 Republicanmembers who were unseated, all whitemales. Also gone are the three members whogot out before the bloodbath that flippedtheir seats from red to blue, also all whitemales. In their place is a diverse and younggroup of new members who are eager tomake their mark on the commonwealth.
At the top of the agenda for the Demo-cratic freshmen is expanding Medicaid to400,000 people who would be eligible un-der the Affordable Care Act.
“I think what’s really important for us, asDemocrats, is to identify on the other sidewho we could have come over and join us,”said Kathy Tran, who flipped a formerlyRepublican seat held by Del. Dave Albo (D-42) for more than 20 years. “We’re going tohave to reach out and basically identifywho’s really vulnerable and who’s going tobe in a position where they’re going to haveto be supporting the progressive values thatwere voted in as a wave across the com-monwealth.”
Even if they’re successful navigating thediminished House Republican caucus,House Democrats will still have to deal witha Republican-controlled Senate. But theculture in the Senate is more moderate, andRepublican senators have a history of sup-porting bills that have been routinelyblocked in the House.
For example, Senate Republicans have ahistory of supporting the effort raising thethreshold for grand larceny. That’s an issuethat Democrats have been pushing unsuc-cessfully for years that may now finally havea chance in 2018.
“We heard during the gubernatorial cam-paign, Ed Gillespie was supporting an in-crease so this is one of those issues that —especially with the outcome of the election— I think you can see some support behind,”said Del. Patrick Hope (D-47), who is in-troducing a bill that raises the thresholdfrom $200 to $500. “If someone makes adumb mistake and walks out of a store withsomething small we shouldn’t make a felon
out of them.”
THE WAVE ELECTION of 2017 waswidely seen as a reacting to the Trump ad-ministration, and some of the bills that arenow being crafted are also a reaction to theRepublican agenda in Washington. StateSen. Dave Marsden (D-37) is putting to-gether a tax reform plan as a Virginia an-swer to federal tax reform that gives tax cutsfor the wealthy and corporations. Marsdenwants to eliminate the food tax, reinstitutethe inheritance tax and increase the gas tax.His tax-reform plan also taxes some servicesfor the first time. For example lawn careand dry cleaning would be taxed but law-yers and doctors would not.
“Ever since I’ve been in the legislature I’veheard complaints that we have a 19th cen-tury agriculture and manufacturing tax basebut we’re now a service economy. So thiswill start to tax some of those services,” saidMarsden. “We’re trying to draw a distinc-tion and get the discussion going aroundwhich services are optional for people andwhich ones are really necessary that weshouldn’t burden them with taxes on.”
Democrats are also eager to finally getsome traction on gun control, which HouseRepublicans have blocked for years. Backin 2015, Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffewas able to forge a deal with Republicansto make state police available for voluntarybackground checks at gun shows. NowDemocrats are hoping that newly reconsti-tuted House committees and subcommitteesmight give them a chance to at least getgun control legislation on the floor ratherthan having it killed in subcommittee, astrategy Republicans used that allowedthem to avoid being on the record voting
against banning assault weapons, for ex-ample. State Sen. George Barker (D-39) isintroducing a bill that would allow judgesto confiscate firearms from individuals theyconsider dangerous.
“It would have to go to court, and a judgewould have to issue a ruling that there’sprobable cause and it’s a serious situationand the gun should be temporarily re-moved,” said Barker. “In some states, it al-lows police officers to confiscate it. But thebills that we are putting in do not. Youwould have to go to court.”
MANY OF THE BILLS lawmakers areworking on involve unfinished businessfrom previous sessions. State Sen. ScottSurovell (D-36) is working on a bill thatwould force Dominion to clean up decadesof pollution at several coal ash pondsthroughout Virginia. Dominion Energyplans to seal the pollution in place and puta cap on the ponds, which is significantlycheaper than cleaning up the pollution. ButSurovell wants to require that the utilityrecycle the coal ash into concrete or ceram-ics. And, Surovell adds, it won’t actually bemore expensive for Dominion at all becausethe utility will end up passing along the costto people who are paying for electricity .
“You eliminate the possibility that thistoxic gunk will continue to leak arsenic, leadand other chemicals into our groundwaterforever,” said Surovell. “Landfilling is theshort-term cheap solution. But long-term ithas the worst potential effects because thestuff continues to leach out chemicals andgive people cancer and poison fish and birdsand ruin our groundwater.”
State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-30) is also re-turning to a familiar theme: decriminaliz-
ing marijuana. Several states across thecountry have already done this, and nowthat California has legalized pot for recre-ational use many feel that the tide may beturning on this issue. According to a recentreport by the Virginia State Crime Commis-sion, law enforcement officers have arrestedmore than 130,000 people for possessionof marijuana in the last decade — 84 per-cent of them first-time offenders.
“I think people are realizing how inap-propriate it is to give people a criminal pen-alty for a drug that so many people havetried and used and is arguably less signifi-cant and harmful than alcohol,” said Ebbin.“It’s still a tough fight. But we’ve got Sen-ate Majority Leader Tommy Norment sup-porting it generally. And we’ve got Govenor-elect Ralph Northam supporting it, gener-ally.”
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL last year,Republicans and Democrats both supportedseveral key agenda items — an indicationthat members from both sides of the aislemay end up working together this year oncertain issues. One of those is ethics reform,a hot topic in Virginia since former Repub-lican Gov. Bob McDonnell was convicted ofcorruption then cleared of wrongdoing bythe U.S. Supreme Court. During the cam-paign last year, Republican candidate forgovernor Ed Gillespie and Republican can-didate for lieutenant governor Jill Vogelboth talked about closing a loophole thatallows candidates to use campaign moneyfor personal use. That’s an issue that alreadyhas support among Democrats, althoughdrawing a distinction between official useand personal use can be a gray area.
“I think we’ve got a consensus that weneed to do something,” said Del. MarcusSimon (D-53). “Whether we make it a weakban or a strong ban — a civil violation or acriminal act — I think we’re going to out-law it one way or another.”
Another issue where Republicans andDemocrats are in agreement is expandingbroadband to rural areas. Of course thedetails of how to make that happen and whobenefits are where lawmakers get divided,although this is one of those issues whereparty ideology is less important than re-gional ties. Last year, for example, Republi-cans were divided about whether to createnew hurdles for local governments to setup broadband networks in places wherethat might create competition for privateproviders. This year, the issue of broadbandwill once again be an important topic ofconversation.
“I’m looking at ways to reduce regulatoryburdens,” said Del. Jennifer Boysko (D-86).“So I’m talking about including broadbandin your municipal comprehensive plan, set-ting up a dig-once policy and creating a datagovernance board for smart communities.”
Session Brings Sea Change
Photo contributed
Republicans were unseated in 12 House districts, and Democrats flippedthree seats where GOP incumbents decided against running in a yearthat ended up being a Democratic wave.
Wave electionswamps Richmondwith freshmanmembers eager tomake their mark.
See Assembly, Page 11
4 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ January 3-9, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Opinion
Virginia’s election last November, justtwo months ago, was the first in thenation since the current administra-tion took over in Washington.
Here in Virginia there was some anxiety anduncertainty rolling into Election Day. First, atleast one race will not be decided until laterthis week. Second, the Democrats swept the
statewide races, Governor,Lieutenant Governor, and At-torney General.
Democrats hoped to makegains in the House of Delegates. It’s fair to sayno one anticipated the Democrats taking theHouse. After all, Republicans held held a 66-34 majority, a nearly insurmountable advan-tage.
Democrats gained at least 15 seats in a turn-about that could leave the House split 50-50.
New members include the first transgenderwoman to serve in the Virginia General Assem-bly, the first lesbian delegate, the first Asian-American woman delegate and the first twoLatina delegates.
2018 A Happy New Year? At leastsome cause for hope .…
Virginia’s success has generated buzz aboutpursuing sweeping change in other state leg-islatures around the country.
Del. Marcus Simon said it well recently (onFacebook): “If someone had told me on Jan.1, 2017 that one year later Democrats wouldhave picked up no fewer than 15 and prob-ably as many as 17 seats in the Virginia Houseof Delegates I would have said, ‘Love your op-timism, but don’t get carried away.’
“My advice to anyone running for office orthinking about running for office, or workingfor people running for office in 2018: Get car-ried away.”
The new look and balance in the GeneralAssembly could provide progress on some longstalled issues. (More Democrats in office donot equate to progress in all of these areas, it’simportant to note.)
❖ Expanding Medicaid under the AffordableCare Act to cover hundreds of thousands ofpoor people without coverage
❖ Nonpartisan redistricting and use of na-tional best practices when it comes to drawing
political district boundaries after the next cen-sus.
❖ Progress in transparency, and making pub-lic information public. This includes lawmak-ers killing most proposed legislation with un-recorded voice votes in subcommittee, with noaccountability or record of how membersvoted. It should also include rolling back someof the many exemptions to the Freedom of In-formation Act passed by the General Assem-bly.
❖ Ethics reform, campaign finance reform.❖ Making it easier, not harder, to vote.❖ More control over utility rates and pollu-
tion.❖ Criminal justice reform, including raising
the threshold for a felony from $200 to $500.❖ Tax reform.A “wish list” could go on at some length.The 2018 session of the Virginia General
Assembly begins Jan. 10.
— Mary Kimm
Editorial
By Supervisor Cathy
Hudgins
(D-Hunter Mill District)
As the year 2017 draws to aclose, I would like to takea moment to reflect on
three community values that wereparticularly evident this year. Wehave invested enormous time andenergy creating our values andthey can be seen in the implemen-tation of the One Fairfax Resolu-tion.
With the July 2016 adoption ofthe One Fairfax Resolution, theFairfax County Board of Supervi-sors laid the foundation of a ra-cial and social equity policy to en-sure all individuals have an oppor-tunity to reach their highest levelof personal achievement. The reso-lution is a public commitment toachieving racial and social equitythrough county policy which in-clude collective leadership, com-munity engagement, equity toolsand infrastructure to sustain sys-temic changes, and shared ac-countability.
One Fairfax moves us beyondembracing our growing diversepopulation to implementing agrowth model driven by equity.Actions introduced by One Fairfax
and completed in 2017 would bethe establishment of the PoliceReview Panel and the hiring of anindependent police auditor, Juve-nile Justice Reform and the Pre-Kinitiative.
I am excited about building onthese initial accomplishments in2018.
Fostering andExpandingCommunity
Crafting anything starts withVision and Planning. Which re-minds me that nothing occurs in a
vacuum because Nature alwaysrushes in willy-nilly to fill it. In thecase of a Vision Vacuum, input andinformation are critical to the for-mation of a Plan. Together thosefundamentals can nurture and ex-pand community. To be successful,however, requires good publicpolicy, community engagement,and professional expertise. Goodneighborhoods don’t just happen;they result from vision, planningand community support.
Last year witnessed multipleexamples of diverse groups ofstakeholders gathering in a publicmeetings. Thank you for voicingyour concerns, contributing yourideas. I recognize that is a special
kind of civic service demandingtime, talent and treasure from usall. In the final analysis, it is notthe loudest voices or the mostmassive audience but that whichis of the most long term benefit tothe community that defines theright Vision and Planning.
Belief in aBright Future
Two remarkable young women– Maame Biney and Veronica Day– boldly remind us that the bestmay be yet to come.
See Hudgins, Page 10
Maame Biney (center, in pink) received recognition from the Board of Supervisors forher U.S. Speedskating Short Track National Championship in 2012. At the time of thepresentation, Maame was a sixth grader at Terraset Elementary School in Reston.
Pho
to
co
ntributed
Representing Reston, Vienna in Winter OlympicsWhat to lookforward toin 2018?
See Hudgins, Page 6
www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
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Reston
Reston Connection ❖ January 3-9, 2018 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
News
Reston PhotographicSociety Presents‘Flower Photography’
The Reston Photographic Society invitesphotography enthusiasts to attend PattyHankins’ presentation on how to take fabu-lous photographs of flowers, both in thegarden and in the wild.
Hankins is the author of “WildflowerMeditations: A Gift for the Spirit” andBeautifulFlowerPictures.com.
Join fellow photographers on Monday,Jan. 22 from 7:30–9:30 p.m. in Room 6 atthe Reston Community Center HuntersWoods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston.
RPS is a special-interest group of theLeague of Reston Artists and holds meet-ings once a month, from January-May andSeptember-November. Photographers of allskill levels are invited to share informationand enjoy guest speakers, workshops and
group critiques.Nonmembers are welcome. Visit
www.leagueofrestonartists.org for more in-formation on this and other events.
League of Reston Art-ists Hosts Exhibit andReception
Members of the League of Reston Artistsdisplay paintings, drawings, mixed media,photographs and two-dimensional workssuitable for wall hanging from Feb. 2-27 atthe Reston Community Center HuntersWoods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston. Thisshow is free and open to the public duringthe center’s regular operating hours.
Meet the artists and find out who receivedawards during the free reception on Satur-day, Feb. 10 from 3-4 p.m. Visitwww.leagueofrestonartists.org to find moreinformation on this and other events.
that a roundabout be considered as theintersection control. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/planning-zoning/plan-amendments/current/sunset-hills-realignment or www.fairfaxcounty.gov/boardofsupervisors/.
ONGOINGHerndon High School Library needs
volunteers. Training available to help withre-shelving books, pulling books for teacheruse, helping to check passes, or other specialprojects. To learn more, [email protected].
RSVP, a volunteer network for seniors seekingservice opportunities in and around FairfaxCounty, Arlington County and the City ofAlexandria, offers a wide array ofopportunities for volunteers 55 and older.
From Page 2
Bulletin Board
See Bulletin, Page 6
6 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ January 3-9, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
See Obituary, Page 8
By Kenneth R. “Ken”
Plum
State Delegate (D-36)
For many years into thefuture the example ofone vote making a dif-ference will be the
House of Delegates election inthe 94th House district in Vir-ginia. After all legal issues areresolved, a winner will be fi-nally announced. The winner will have wonby a single vote or by a drawing of lots asVirginia law prescribes. You simply cannotget an election outcome closer than that.Every vote does count. But the importanceof that one vote goes beyond deciding whowill represent the people in that district; itwill also decide which of the two partieswill have a majority in the House of Del-egates or whether the parties will be tied.Too bad for the people who might have aninterest in the outcome but did not botherto vote.
The one-vote outcome along with a waveof voter participation transformed theCommonwealth’s legislative control in the
House from Republican domi-nance of 66 members to 34Democratic legislators to aneven division or an advantageof one depending on that onefinal vote. Legislation of impor-tance like expanding health in-surance to those in need to ad-equately funding schools andencouraging gun safety thatcould not make it through themajority party that has been
dominated by ultra-conservatives is muchmore likely to receive a hearing with agreater chance of a favorable hearing.
I do not sense an appetite from the peoplewith whom I have talked for political pos-turing and grandstanding. To the contrary,I believe there is a public expectation thatwe work out whatever we need in order toproceed with the business of the legislatureand to resolving issues that have been leftunaddressed for too long. The one-upmanship that too often dominates thepolitical world needs to be set aside. Thereis important work that needs to get done.
A study by the National Conference ofState Legislatures found that between 1970
and 2003 there have been 32 tied legisla-tures in 22 states. The report described vari-ous ways that states have dealt with the situ-ation.
The North Carolina House of Represen-tatives resolved a tie in 2002 by having twospeakers of the house, one from each partywho alternated each day. Similar agree-ments were used in the Indiana House in1988, the Michigan House in 1992 and theNevada Assembly in 1994. Wyoming’s lawprovides for a coin toss to pick the majorityparty. Indiana, Montana and South Dakotabreak a tie by selecting the party of a topofficial like the governor, the NCSL reportsaid. Washington State had co-speakers fora session that was described as cumbersomebut workable. When the Florida Senate tied,one party’s leader served as chamber presi-dent for the first year of the term, followedby the other party’s leader the second year.
The people have made their voices heardin a historic election turnout in 2017. Cam-paigning has ended; it is time to start gov-erning. A power-sharing agreement can beworked out. Virginians will be the winnerswhen a power-sharing agreement is inplace.
Commentary
Virginians Can Be the Winners
By John Lovaas
Reston Impact Producer/Host
Flipping over pages of the calendar asI go from 2017 to 2018, I have toremind myself that it is time to look
ahead, not backwards to nightmarish 2017.I must put aside the scene of devastationacross our entire national landscape — na-tional security undermined, health care fad-ing for millions, income inequality likenever before, corruption on a grand scalebeginning with a pillaging first family, en-vironmental destruction as a new nationalsport, our constitution being shredded, andmuch more.
Let’s step back and look closer to home.It wasn’t until November that we saw aglimmer of light or hope. The ray of sun-shine occurred — lo and behold — in Vir-ginia of all places. A moderate Democrat,Ralph Northam, handily won the race forgovernor. Further, his slate mates, rising starJustin Fairfax and incumbent Mark Herring,swept the lieutenant governor and attorneygeneral posts. Pundits and polls alike hadexpected a tighter race. The stench ofDonald Trump nearby no doubt gave theDems a boost in Virginia.
To everyone’s surprise, Democrats alsorolled up huge victories in House of Del-egates elections. Holding just 34 of 100seats going in, Democrats won an additional15, possibly 16 seats (one is still unde-cided). With 49 or 50 seats, a power shar-ing arrangement may be necessary! Themost Dems had hoped to pick up was fiveor six seats. Not only did they win far morethan expected, but they knocked off sev-eral long-time, hard-right incumbents in do-ing so.
More amazing — all but twoof the insurgent winners arewomen! This is Virginia we aretalking about. As it stands, theDemocratic contingent in theHouse of Delegates now standsat 25 men and 24 women.These broad-based victories setthe stage for making my topwish for 2018 come true— Democrats seizing con-trol of the U.S. Congress,starting by winning a ma-jority of 11 Virginia seats in the Congress.(Republicans now have seven of 11.) Bignational implications here.
What about Reston you say? The top is-sue rocking the community in 2017, was azoning change to include upping Reston’sceiling of people per acre from 13 to 16.Supervisor Cathy Hudgins first told us therewas an urgent need to make this change inearly 2017. Following community meetingsattended by hundreds of residents hotly op-posing the changes which a Reston 2020analysis indicated could lead to growth froma current 62,000 to as many as 180,000,Ms. Hudgins and the County have gone si-lent. But, I doubt they’ll be able to resistpressure from developers on one side andan angry community on the other much
longer.My wish for 2018 is a
straightforward decision by theCounty: 1) to lock in a ceilingat the lower end, maybe 14,and cap Reston’s population atunder 100,000; and, 2) To re-quire supporting infrastructure(transportation, schools, parks
and open space, etc.) beapproved and completedin step with all new devel-opment. Perhaps Supervi-
sor Hudgins’ new planning commissioner,John Carter, will have a positive influenceon this troubled process. The recently re-tired Chief of Community Planning forMontgomery County should be a major plusbecause of his experience and his genuinelycommunity outlook. Lastly, I wish theReston Association Board continued successin straightening out the management andfinances of RA. President Sherri Hebert andthe majority have made a great start. Let’scontinue it in 2018 by stopping the finan-cial bleed from Tetra/Lake House; hiring acompetent in-house attorney and slashingnon-essential legal fees; finalizing a codeof ethics with teeth; and, instituting bud-get and fiscal controls to prevent, inter alia,recurrence of the Tetra debacle.
What to Wish For in 2018
Independent Progressive
John Marshall Aaron, III died onNov. 20, 2017 following a briefillness. He was 81.
The son of John M. “Marshall”Aaron and Marga-ret KimbroughAaron, Mr. Aaronwas born inWilmington, Del.,on June 7, 1936,and grew up inChadds Ford, Pa.He earned his B.S.in geology fromFranklin &Marshall College,and his Ph.D. ingeology from the Pennsylvania StateUniversity.
Mr. Aaron served his entire profes-sional career as a geologist for the U.S.Geological Survey (USGS). During hiscareer, he conducted geologic researchin Antarctica, Puerto Rico, and on theU.S. Atlantic Continental Slope. In1960-61 and 1961-62, he was as amember of USGS field parties thatsurveyed the remote Thiel Mountainrange in Antarctica. The Aaron Gla-cier, located in the Thiel Mountains,is named for him. He also served asChief Scientist on four deep-seaoceanographic research cruises, sur-veying the Atlantic Continental Slope.
Later in his career, he returned toUSGS headquarters in Reston and wasnamed director of the Office of Scien-tific Publications, where he managedscientific publishing and informationdissemination activities. There, he ledthe agency’s transition from paper-based publishing to digital media, andoversaw the creation of a digital pub-lishing group that became a model forother federal agencies. Mr. Aaron alsoheld leadership positions with the In-ternational Union of Geological Sci-ences, including years of service as themanaging editor of its quarterly sci-entific journal.
Mr. Aaron had many passions inaddition to his love of science. He wasa prolific gardener and horticulturistwho raised native orchids in PuertoRico; an enthusiastic oenophile who,after retirement, held a part-time po-sition as a sales advisor in the winedepartment of a local gourmet shop;and a lifelong student of classicalmusic who played the French horn asa young man.
He learned to play ice hockey in his60s, and played for more than 10years on a recreational hockey teambefore finally hanging up his skatesat the age of 75. He was an avid birderwho, for more than 30 years, led ateam of spotters on the lower Potomac
John MarshallAaron III
JohnMarshallAaron III
Obituary
RSVP volunteers enjoy flexible schedules, freeaccident and liability insurance while serving,optional mileage and meal reimbursement andare invited to volunteer group projects andsocial gatherings. To sign up for an upcomingorientation, email Carly Hubicki at
[email protected] or call RSVPat 703-403- 5360. To learn more aboutRSVP, visit www.rsvpnova.org.
Sunrise at Reston Town Center offers amonthly Caregiver Support Group on thefourth Wednesday of the month, 6:30-8 p.m.
From Page 5
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Reston Connection ❖ January 3-9, 2018 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
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By Marilyn Campbell
Frigid temperatures and the chill ofwinter can usher in dangerous healthconditions, particularly for those
most vulnerable: the elderly and young chil-dren. Two of the most prevalent cold-weather ills are hypothermia and frostbite.For those who have to be outside when it isdangerously cold, knowing the warningsigns and prevention techniques for theseconditions are the keys to keeping them atbay, say health care providers.
“Even a typical winter in this area can bedangerous,” said Amy Talbot, Ph.D, ofGeorge Mason University. “But extreme con-ditions can make it even worse for thosemost vulnerable.”
Hypothermia, which occurs when one’sbody core temperature drops, can developmore quickly than many people realize, saysTalbot. “Obviously feeling very cold is awarning sign, but also shivering and expe-riencing signs that the cold is affecting yourbrain, so feeling disoriented, stumbling orlosing balance easily, unusual speech pat-tern or changes in personality.”
Frostbite is when the skin and underly-ing tissue are damaged by cold tempera-tures, says Beth Lowe, RN, a private-dutynurse in Arlington. “During the beginning
in order to avoid advancing the seriousnessof the condition, move your body by doingjumping jacks or some other vigorous move-ment and get out of the frigid elements.“There’s no set amount of time that it takesfor [hypothermia or frostbite] to develop,so it’s important to keep an eye on thosewho are most vulnerable. But once you no-tice the warning signs you can try to stopthe conditions before they advance, bydrinking plenty of fluids, eating carbs andgetting inside to a warmer temperature.”
Ready for the Cold Preventing, recognizing and treatinghypothermia and frostbite.
Photo by Marilyn Campbell
Record cold temperatures can leadto frostbite and hypothermia.
stages of frostbite, you might see your skinturn red and you’ll feel numb or tingling orstinging,” she said. “The main thing to re-member is not to try to re-warm your ownskin, because you can do more damage. It’sbest to seek emergency medical treatment.”
Dressing in layers and wearing shoes thatare appropriate for extreme cold are keysto preventing hypothermia and frostbite,advises Carolyn Johnson, Ph.D. of Mont-gomery College. “When it’s extremely coldyou want to wear clothing that traps yourbody temperature and protects you fromcold air and wind,” she said. “A basic for-mula to keep in mind: a base layer thatshould be made from a fabric that wicksaway moisture. The second layer shouldtrap heat so it should be made of a polyes-ter fleece over something similar. The toplayer should be waterproof and windproof.”
Lowe recommends avoiding cotton cloth-ing during the extreme cold because if itgets wet, it can make you cold. “Many ofthese preventative measure are things thatmost people already know, but may notthink about until it’s too late,” she said.
Another preventative component, saysTalbot, is nutrition. Both food and liquidscan help keep one’s body warm. “Skippinga meal can make you more susceptible tohypothermia and frostbite,” she said. “It’simportant to eat carbs and protein for en-ergy when you’re going to be outside for aprolonged period of time, like if you’re hik-ing or playing sports.”
If you believe that you are beginning todevelop frostbite or hypothermia, Lowe says
Local Shelters
For those who are not able to seek shel-ter, social service providers in Virginia andMaryland are ramping up efforts to provideshelter to those who need to get out of thecold. For more information:
Fairfax County703-691-2131 or fairfaxcounty.gov
City of Alexandria703-548-7500 or alexandriava.gov
Montgomery County240-777-3289 ormontgomerycountymd.gov
Arlington County703-228-1300 or 703-228-1010publicassistance.arlingtoncounty.gov
Wellbeing
Faith Notes are for announcementsand events in the faith community, in-cluding special holiday services. Sendto [email protected]. Deadline is Thursday.
HAVEN of Northern Virginiaoffers a variety of free bereavementsupport groups, meeting on a weeklybasis. Call 703-941-7000 or visitwww.havenofnova.org for schedulesand registration information.
The Mount Pleasant BaptistChurch of Herndon invites the com-munity to join them for praise andworship followed by a stirring mes-sage from the Word of God onSundays starting at 8:30 and 10:30a.m. (with Sunday school at 7:30
and 9:30 a.m.). Visitwww.mtpleasantbaptist.org or call 703-793-1196.
The Jewish Federation ofGreater Washington and the Jew-ish Outreach Institute offer theMothers/Parents Circle, an umbrella offree educational events and resources.Jewish rituals, ethics and the creation ofa Jewish home, regular meetings andgroup Shabbats and holidays. Partici-pants include Sha’are Shalom,Congregation Beth Emeth, TempleRodef Shalom and the Jewish Commu-nity Center of Northern Virginia. VisitShalomDC.org.
Hope Fellowship Church willtemporarily be meeting at Hyatt Place,21481 Ridgetop Circle, Sterling. Sunday
worship services are Sundays at 9:30and 10:45 a.m., a Bible Study is onWednesdays at 7:30 p.m. and a weeklyprayer conference call is Thursdays at 9p.m. The public is invited to join a Biblebelieving, multi-ethnic/multi-culturalcongregation, with Bible-based sermonsand uplifting music. Call 703-599-3527or visitwww.hopefellowshipchurchloudoun.org.
Epiphany United Methodist Pre-school, 1014 Country Club Drive, N.E.in Vienna, is now enrolling 3- to 4-year-old students. Call 703-938-2391 or visitwww.epiphanypreschool.com.
Washington Plaza BaptistChurch will hold Adult Bible Study at9:30 a.m. Sundays at Lake Anne Village
Center. The group is studying the Gos-pel of Mark. Services follow at 11 a.m.
St. Timothy’s Episcopal Churchneeds knitters the first and thirdWednesdays of the month at 7 p.m., at432 Van Buren St., Herndon. Thechurch’s Prayer Shawl Ministry is offer-ing free knitting instruction whileproviding shawls, blankets and otherknitted items for people in need. No costand yarn can be provided. [email protected] or visit thePastoral Care page at www.saint-timothys.org.
Nondenominational Christianbusinessmen meet for prayer, Biblicaldiscussion and fellowship 7 p.m. Fridaysat Anita’s, 1051 Elden St., Herndon andnoon Thursdays at 555 Grove St., Suite
200, Herndon. Call 703-795-1257.
Trinity Presbyterian Church,651 Dranesville Road, Herndon, hasSunday worship services at 10 a.m.during the summer. Nursery andchildcare are provided starting at 8a.m. until the end of the service. Call703-437-5500 or visitwww.trinityherndon.org.
Vajrayogini Buddhist Center,Unitarian Universalist Church, 1625Wiehle Ave., Reston, holds weeklyclasses starting Sept. 12, Thursdays7:30-8:30 p.m., for the general pub-lic which use Buddhist teachings topractice meditation. $12 or $6 forstudents, seniors and unemployed.Call 202-986-2257 or visitwww.meditation-dc.org.
Faith Notes
8 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ January 3-9, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
From Page 6
ObituaryRiver every December for the
Audubon Society’s annual Christ-mas Bird Count. In 2012, Mr.Aaron, who was also a devotedstudent of American history, joinedthe Christian Sanderson Museumin his hometown of Chadds Ford,first as a museum guide, then asan elected member of the board.
He also managed the museum’sweb site.
Mr. Aaron leaves two daughters,
Anne Aaron of Annapolis, Md.,and Jennifer Aaron of Ashburn,Va.; a sister, Missie Bauman ofWilmington, Del.; two grandchil-dren, Matthew and Lauren Price;and many cousins, including AnnWillis of Alexandria, Va. His wifeof 42 years, Barbara RobinsonAaron, died in 2006.
A memorial service will be heldSunday, Jan. 21 at noon at theHidden Creek Country Club inReston.
The Greater RestonChamber of Com-merce hosted a lun-
cheon with donations frommore than 40 restaurants andbusinesses to thank local EMT,Fire & Rescue and Police Depart-ments. This annual traditionstarted 10 years ago as a simplethank you with a handful of res-taurants participating.
“This appreciation luncheon isimportant for so many reasonsparticularly in these trying timesfor our country. We started thisluncheon to take time out of ourbusy schedules to thank thosewho keep our businesses andresidences safe. As a growingdistrict in our county, we arenever really cognizant of whatthese first responders do everyday, so the business communitywanted to thank them for whatthey do and recognize thesemen and women who put theirlives on the line every day toensure we are safe,” says MarkIngrao, President and CEO ofthe Greater Reston Chamber ofCommerce.
During this time of camarade-rie, Acting EMS TechnicianDavid Bulman of the FairfaxCounty Fire & Rescue depart-ment was named the First Re-sponder of the Quarter. Bulmanhas been employed by the de-partment for three years and iscurrently stationed at Fire Sta-tion 404 in the Town ofHerndon. In this short time spanhe has been promoted from anentry FireMedic to an ActingEMS Technician. On June 24,2017, Bulman’s unit was one ofmany dispatched into LoudounCounty for a report of a drown-ing. A Loudoun County Fire &Rescue unit was first to arriveand confirmed two pediatricpatients in cardiac arrest fromprolonged submersion in a pool.Bulman’s Unit (M404) was the
first arriving medic unit (para-medic capabilities) from Fairfaxand Bulman had to reactquickly as “lead provider” todivvy up staffing and resourceson a double cardiac arrest. Forthose that have never been ex-posed to such an emergencythis is an extremely dynamiccall with some of the highestlevel of stress because it con-tains pediatric patients.Bulman showed tact in manag-ing the CPR efforts and main-tained a stable scene until ad-ditional resources arrived.Upon the arrival of additionalresources, Bulman relinquishedone of the pediatric patients toanother medic and redirectedfocus on single patient in car-diac arrest. M404 performedmany higher level didacticskills on the patients with lim-ited success. “Dave pushedhimself to the highest profes-sional medic level whichhelped maintain a very stableemergency scene. Bulman hasonly three short years on theDepartment, however, his skillsand abilities show the age of‘senior’ medic. Dave’s love ofthe job shows every shift help-ing maintain readiness, prepar-ing drills, and pride in makinga difference on emergency in-cidents,” says Battalion ChiefKit R. Hessel, Fairfax CountyFire & Rescue.
South Lakes High School’sVarsity Swim and Diveteams emerged victorious
in their first league match-upagainst Herndon High School onFriday, Dec. 15, at the HerndonCommunity Center. The girls teamwon with 177.5 points overHerndon’s 136.5. The South Lakesboys gained their first win of theseason with 199 points toHerndon’s 115. The boys domi-nated from the start with one-twofinishes in the 200 yard MedleyRelay and the 200 yard IndividualMedley. The 200 medley relayteam of Hunter Ellis, Jacob Lewis,Jack Edgemond, and SolomonBlackmon came in first with KyleDiederich, Will Dunne, MatthewFritz, and Kyle Thomas taking sec-ond. In the IM, Edgemond swam a state-qualifyingtime of 1:56.44 for first, with Diederich coming insecond.
Other highlights for the boys included:❖ A sweep of the 50 yard Freestyle by Blackmon
(first), Ellis (second), Thomas (third), and DirkStassinos (fourth)
❖ A sweep of the 100 yard Butterfly by Edgemond(first) with a state-qualifying time, Fritz (second),Matthew Beach (third), and Lewis (fourth)
❖ A first place finish for the 200 yard FreestyleRelay team of Ellis, Thomas, Edgemond, andBlackmon
❖ A one-two finish in the 100 yard Backstroke forEllis (first) and Connor Lewis (second)
❖ A first place finish in the 400 yard Freestyle Re-lay for Diederich, Fritz, Beach, and Connor Lewis.
For the girls, one-two finishes in the 200 yard In-
Greater Reston ChamberRecognizes First Responders
David Bulman
Pho
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South Lakes’ Emily Fritz moves to pass her Herndonopponent to win the 100 yard Breaststroke in thematchup between the teams on Dec. 15.
Pho
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South Lakes Swim & Dive Triumphs Over Herndon
dividual Medley and the 500 yard Freestyle, alongwith a sweep of Diving were highlights. Anna Redicantouched first in the IM with Emily Fritz coming insecond. In the 500, Hannah Lane finished first withRachel Mietlicki second. In diving, Emma Bulger(first), Devon Allesandrino (second), AggieAllesandrino (third), and SJ Brown (fourth) got thesweep.
Other highlights for the girls included:❖ A first place finish for the 200 yard Freestyle
Relay team of Katie Nguyen, Megan Slater, Redican,and Sophia Landeryou
❖ A regional’s-qualifying time and first place fin-ish in the 100 yard Backstroke for Redican
❖ A first place finish for Fritz in the 100 yardBreaststroke. South Lakes returns to the pool at 6:30on Friday, Jan. 5 to take on Washington & Lee HighSchool at Spring Hill RECenter.
Penny DriveTo Help Puerto Rico
Third grade students at Aldrin Elementary Schoolrecently held a penny drive to support and helpthe victims devastated by the Hurricane Maria in
Puerto Rico. They collected $868.44 that will be donatedto Direct Relief (www.directrelief.org). Not only did thestudents fulfill a key component of the FCPS Strategic Plan— Caring Community, they also used the exercise as acurriculum project, learning coin denominations and howto count higher numbers.
AldrinElementaryPenny Driveraised$868.44 tohelp PuertoRico.
Aldrin Elementary Principal, ShaneWolfe, with students who won anauction for a fire truck ride with
Ashburn volunteer, Jimmy Olevson.
Photos
contributed
Reston Connection ❖ January 3-9, 2018 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Submit entertainment announcementsat www.connectionnewspapers.com/Cal-endar/. The deadline is noon on Friday.Photos/artwork encouraged.
ONGOINGGingerbread Village. Through Jan. 4,
various times at at the Hyatt RegencyReston, Reston Town Center, 11900Market St. See the annual display inthe hotel lobby. Call 703-709-1234 orvisit reston.hyatt.com for more.
Art Exhibit. Through Feb. 17, varioustimes at the Greater Reston ArtsCenter, 11900 Market St. Featuringthe work of Paulina Peavy, namesakeof “Paulina Peavy: A Message toPaulina,” the first exhibition to bringtogether a selection of Peavy’s worksacross disciplines including works onpaper, paintings, films, texts, andnumerous mixed media masks. Visitwww.restonarts.org for more.
All-comers’ Group Fun Run atPotomac River Running.Tuesdays and Thursdays. RestonTown Center, 11900 Market St.,Reston. For beginners or competitiverunners, come out for a fun, low-keyrun that is safe and social. Call 703-689-0999 potomacriverrunning.com.
Over-40 Softball League. A Fairfax-based league is looking for enoughplayers to form another team. Playersmust be at last 40 years of age to beeligible. All games are doubleheaders- played on Sundays at Bready Parkin Herndon between 11 a.m. and 6p.m. If interested, [email protected] for moreinformation.
Art Exhibit through Jan. 8 at Artsights,Reston Town Center, 11900 MarketSt. “Drag, Disney, Art Insights andArt Outsiders: The Art of TennesseeLoveless,” see the new collection byTennessee Loveless including hisretrospective book 10x10x10 andimages from his projects. Call 703-709-6720 or visitrestontowncenter.com for more.
DEADLINE JAN. 5, 20182018 Fine Art Photography
Competition. Fine Art Photographyof any subject is welcome; there is norequired theme for entries. Call 703-956-9560 or visitwww.artspaceherndon.com for more.
FRIDAY/JAN. 5Open Mic Poetry Night. 7-9 p.m. at
ArtSpace Herndon, 750 Center St.,Herndon. Featured members of thePoetry Society of Virginia will bepresent to share their poetry. Anopen mic will follow, allowing foranyone attending to have a momenton stage. This event is free and opento the public Visitwww.artspaceherndon.org/ for more.
SATURDAY/JAN. 6Meet the Author. 2-6 p.m. at ArtSpace
Herndon, 750 Center St., Herndon.Eileen Curtis recently retired afterserving as the Dulles Chamber ofCommerce President and CEO for 23years. She discusses her book“Chamber Tales: A Memoir ofCommerce.” Visitwww.artspaceherndon.org/ for more.
Pop Up Tea Shop. 2-6 p.m. atArtSpace Herndon, 750 Center St.,Herndon. Sip Elden Street Tea andenjoy a variety of locally made snacksand pastries while enjoying the latestart installations in the gallery. Visitwww.artspaceherndon.org/ for more.
SUNDAY/JAN. 7Book Store Anniversary. 1-4 p.m. at
Reston Used Books, 1623Washington Plaza N. Open house tocelebrate 40 years of being inbusiness. Call 703-435-9772 formore.
MONDAY/JAN. 8Yoga Storytime with Little
Twisters. 10:30 a.m. at RestonRegional Library, 11925 BowmanTowne Drive. Read a classicchildren’s book, then act it out usingyoga moves and poses. Cosponsoredby the Friends of Reston Library. Age3-5 with adult. Call 703-689-2700 formore.
TUESDAY/JAN. 9Baby Lapsit. 7 p.m. at Reston Regional
Library, 11925 Bowman TowneDrive. Enjoy nursery rhymes andsongs while building early literacyskills for the child. Birth-11 monthswith adult. Call 703-689-2700 formore.
THURSDAY/JAN. 11Yoga at the Library. 7 p.m. at Reston
Regional Library, 11925 BowmanTowne Drive. Local yoga instructorMadhavi Rao will lead this yogasession. Water provided. Bring a mat.Sponsored by the Friends of theReston Regional Library. Call 703-689-2700 for more.
SATURDAY/JAN. 13Musical Commemorative. 3-4 p.m.
at the Reston Community Center,Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts NeckRoad, Reston. Reston CommunityOrchestra celebrates the life andwork of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.through symphonic works, spirituals,and songs inspired by his legacy.Featured performers will includestudents from Al Fatih Academy, theMen’s Chorus of Martin Luther KingChristian Church of Reston, songstylist Beverly Cosham and BryanJackson. Visitwww.leagueofrestonartists.org formore
MONDAY/JAN. 15Social Justice Advocate Speech.
noon at at Reston CommunityCenter, Hunters Woods, 2310 ColtsNeck Road, Reston. Tamika D.Mallory keynote address is at noon,followed by a community lunch. $5for Reston residents and employees,and $10 for all others. Visitwww.restoncommunitycenter.com orcall 703-476-4500.
TUESDAY/JAN. 16Sam’s Book Club. 7 p.m. at Reston
Regional Library, 11925 BowmanTowne Drive. Join former librarydirector Sam Clay as he leads a bookdiscussion. January’s title is “GodBless the Child” by Toni Morrison.Call 703-689-2700 for more.
THURSDAY/JAN. 18Yoga Storytime with Little
Twisters. 10:30 a.m. at RestonRegional Library, 11925 BowmanTowne Drive. Read a classicchildren’s book, then act it out usingyoga moves and poses. Cosponsoredby the Friends of Reston Library. Age3-5 with adult. Call 703-689-2700 for
more.Community Food Packing. 10-11:30
a.m. at Dominion Energy, 3072Centreville Road, Herndon.Assistance League of NorthernVirginia will hold its next monthlyWeekend Food for Kids packing. Forfurther information contact LynnBarron: [email protected] orvisitnorthernvirginia.assistanceleague.org.
FRIDAY/JAN. 19Improv-Extravaganza. 7-9 p.m. at
ArtSpace Herndon, 750 Center St.,Herndon. For one-night-only, TheAlden’s (the) Unruly Theatre Projectand Loudoun County High School’sImprovasaurus will bring theirsignature improv styles to ArtSpaceHerndon. Suggested Donation of$10. Visit www.artspaceherndon.org/for more.
SATURDAY/JAN. 20French Cooking Class. 10 a.m.-noon
at Mon Ami Gabi, 11950 DemocracyDrive. Join Chef Phil Frederick andlearn to prepare wild mushroomtartare with cheese toast, Merquezburger with cream cheese spread andhand-cut frites, and malted chocolatechip cookie ice cream sandwiches fordessert. Recipe booklet included. $55per person. Call 703-707-0233 orvisit monamigabi.com/news.
Meet the Tattoo Artist. 7-9 p.m. atArtSpace Herndon, 750 Center St.,Herndon. Meet Gilda Acosta andexplore getting a tattoo. Her workwill be on display Jan. 9-Feb. 10.Visit www.artspaceherndon.org/ formore.
Flower Photography Expert. 7:30-9:30 p.m. in Room 6 at the RestonCommunity Center Hunters Woods,2310 Colts Neck Road. The RestonPhotographic Society invitesphotography enthusiasts to attendPatty Hankins’ presentation on howto take fabulous photographs offlowers, both in the garden and inthe wild. Hankins is the author of“Wildflower Meditations: A Gift forthe Spirit” andBeautifulFlowerPictures.com. Visitwww.leagueofrestonartists.org.
WEDNESDAY/JAN. 24Red Cross Blood Drive. 10 a.m.-3
p.m. at Reston Regional Library,11925 Bowman Towne Drive. Call703-689-2700 for more.
Meet Me at the Movies. 10 a.m. at atBow Tie Cinemas, Reston TownCenter, 11940 Market St. RestonAssociation presents “LBJ.”Refreshments and door prizesprovided prior to movie. Free to 55+.Email [email protected] or call703-435-6577.
THURSDAY/JAN. 25Dollars and Sense. 7 p.m. at Reston
Regional Library, 11925 BowmanTowne Drive. Monthly groupdiscussion focuses on businessleaders and markets. The discussionwill focus on “Boomerang: Travels inthe New Third World” by MichaelLewis. Call 703-689-2700 for more.
By David Siegel
The Connection
The Reston communitycontinues its long-standing tradition to
commemorate the birthday andlife of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.The 2018 celebration will bethe 33rd such event. It shouldalso be noted that 2018 is the50th anniversary of the assassi-nation of Dr. King in Memphis,Tenn.
“The Reston Dr. MartinLuther King Jr. Birthday Cel-ebration includes profound ex-periences for all,” said PaulDouglas Michnewicz, arts andevents director, Reston Commu-nity Center. “You can participatein community service and at-tend celebratory concerts andarts exhibitions.”
Tamika D. Mallory, social jus-tice activist and co-chair of the2017 Women’s March on Wash-ington will be this year’s fea-tured speaker at the Restoncommunity event. Mallory isknown as an advocate for civilrights issues, equal rights forwomen, health care, eradicat-ing gun violence and eliminat-ing police misconduct.
In a recent interview, Malloryindicated she wanted to remindthe Reston audience of the vi-tal need to continue Dr. King’sfight for justice and equality;“no matter the opposition, es-pecially in these challengingtimes.” She spoke passionatelythat Dr. King’s “legacy flowsthrough the veins of others aswe strive to live up to Dr. King’sgreatness and his beliefs.”
To work for peace and equal-ity for all, requires not only“drawing on the lessons of ourpast,” said Mallory. “We need toengage one another; to havehonest conversations betweenus. The conversations are entrypoints that may be uncomfort-able and difficult, but that arenecessary.”
Open conversations “can helpus acknowledge each other aswe dig deeply in what can bepainful honesty,” said Mallory.Such conversations can helppeople “see the world through
the eyes of others.”Beyond Mallory’s keynote
presentation, there will be a fullthree-day weekend of eventsfrom Jan. 13 to 15, 2018 to cel-ebrate Dr. King. Reston willhave special performances,Community Service Projects,and the Voices of InspirationProgram sponsored by theReston Martin Luther King, Jr.Church hosted by the NorthernVirginia Hebrew Congregation.There will also be special activi-ties available for youth ages 6-12. The activities will be basedon the history of Dr. King andthe Civil Rights Movement.
“We must try our best to walkin Dr. King’s shadow, and toanswer his call,” added Mallory.And remember that Dr. Kingspoke “truth to power for every-day people and for those at themargins in our midst.”
Keynote address by TamikaMallory, Co-chair 2017 Women’sMarch on Washington.
Reston CelebratingDr. Martin LutherKing Jr’s Birthday
Where & WhenTamika D. Mallory, keynote
speaker, Reston Dr. Martin LutherKing Jr. Birthday Celebration andLuncheon at Reston CommunityCenter, 2310 Colts Neck Road,Hunters Woods, Reston onMonday, Jan. 15, 2018 at 12 noon.Ticket Price: $5, Non-Reston TicketPrice: $10. Call 703-476-4500 orvisitwww.restoncommunitycenter.com.Note: Detailed information for thefull three-day weekend of eventscelebrating Dr. King are atwww.restoncommunitycenter.com/attend-shows-events-exhibits/2018-mlk-celebration
Calendar
Tamika D. Mallory, key-note speaker, Dr. MartinLuther King Jr. BirthdayCelebration in Reston.
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Meet the ArtistOn Saturday, Jan. 20,Meet the Tattoo Artistfrom 7-9 p.m. atArtSpace Herndon, 750Center St., Herndon.Meet Gilda Acosta andexplore getting a tattoo.Her work will be ondisplay Jan. 9-Feb. 10.artspaceherndon.org.
10 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ January 3-9, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
From Page 4
The “Laugh until you can’t laugh anymore” 17-year-old Maame Biney will be representing the U.Sand her hometown, Reston, in February at the 2018Winter Olympic Games. Which speaks volumes forsomeone born in Ghana and who didn’t even graspthe concept of ice until age 6. Her sport: short trackspeed skating.
With her infectious giggle and joy at winning, sheis also the first African-American woman to join theU.S. Olympic Speed Skating Team. And after theOlympics, will she hang up her skates? Probably not.
According to Anthony Barthell, Women’s ShortTrack National (Olympic) Team Coach, “She’s a natu-ral athlete. Most natural athletes have a hard transi-tion to skating because speed skating is so unnatu-ral. It goes against everything you’re taught as anathlete. So for her, she’s learned how to skate and isable to use her natural athletic abilities... In my eyes,I feel she can be one of the top girls in the world. It’sgoing to take a little bit of time, but she has thepotential.”
Remarkably, she hasn’t lost sight of the long-rangebig picture. With a goal of becoming a chemical en-gineer, graduating on time – with her friends – is as
important a goal as short track skating and applyingto college. Now, that is a comprehensive life view.
Think for a moment: What is it when you have a64-pound, head-first, face-down toboggan withoutsteering, an engine, brakes, or seat belt, hurling alongat 90 miles per hour, through ice-covered turns? An-swer: A skeleton sled, very possibly held by Viennanative and Madison High 2007 grad, Veronica Day.She is also an Olympic hopeful for the 2018 U.S.Winter Olympic Skeleton Team.
Wait a minute, you’re probably puzzling, how didthis happen? Wasn’t she a high school track and fieldstand-out? Besides, there isn’t much snow in NorthCarolina where she graduated from college with adegree in international business and internationalstudies.
Both true – clearly, this is someone who continuesto learn and grow physically as she continues to ex-pand culturally and globally. Equally true is her spunkand determination in her growth potential: “Do Ithink I can be number one or two in the U.S.? Abso-lutely, I don’t think it’s a pipe dream at all.”
All I can say is that with strong public policy andpublic participation and local schools educating crack-erjack female student athletes, I have every confi-dence in and am looking forward to another produc-tive, successful year in 2018! With every good wishto the entire Hunter Mill community for warmerweather and a Happy New Year.
Hudgins
Opinion
The Fairfax County delegation to the GeneralAssembly will hold a hearing for public commentregarding the upcoming 2018 session on Satur-day, Jan. 6. The forum begins at 9 a.m. in theboardroom of the Fairfax County GovernmentCenter, 12000 Government Center Parkway,Fairfax with parking available in front of the Gov-ernment Center Building. Only Fairfax Countyresidents may register to speak, and individualsmay speak on their own behalf or on behalf of anorganization serving County residents.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors ChairmanSharon Bulova will welcome the delegation to theGovernment Center on behalf of the Board of Su-pervisors and deliver brief remarks. Fairfax Countyresidents who want to sign up in advance to speakat the hearing should register online using the formor contact the Office of the Clerk to the Board ofSupervisors at 703-324-3151, TTY 711, by noonon Friday, Jan. 5. Requests for ADA accommoda-tions should be made as soon as possible but nolater than 48 hours before the public hearing.
All speakers are asked to personally register fortheir speaking slot (residents needing assistancewill be helped on a case by case basis). Organiza-tions are encouraged to limit their number of
speakers to a maximum of five. Additional attend-ees in support of said organization at the publichearing may be recognized by the chair. Speakingslots will be numbered based on a first come, firstserved allocation. Point of contact for other ques-tions or requests for ADA accommodations: ArielleMcAloon (703-324-2649) or Chris Camarca (703-324-2683).
Each speaker will be allocated three minutes toaddress the delegation. Speakers must be presentwhen called to the podium, and people who misstheir turn will be added to the end of the list ofspeakers. The Chair reserves the right to modifythe guidelines on site for the smooth operation ofthe public hearing.
The hearing will be televised live on FairfaxCounty Television Channel 16 (Channel 1016 inHD on Cox; Channel 16 on Verizon or Comcast),and can also be viewed on-line through the Chan-nel 16 stream.
Further information on the public commenthearing is available from members of the FairfaxCounty legislative delegation. Contact informationfor individual delegation members is available onthe Virginia General Assembly web page atwhosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/
General Assembly Delegation to Hold Public Hearing
Nine students at Neil Armstrong El-ementary School in Reston have beenhonored by the School PTA for partici-pation and achievement in the 2017-18National PTA Reflections arts in educa-tion program.
The reflections program honorsimagination, creativity and interpreta-tion of the theme “Within Reach.”Students were encouraged to create anoriginal work of art in one or more ofthe following categories: dance choreog-raphy, film production, literature, 3-dart, musical composition, photography,visual arts and special artist division forstudents with disabilities.
The following achievement awards
Armstrong Elementary Students Honored for Achievementwere earned for each category andgrade division:
❖ Award of Excellence: This award isgiven to a student in each arts category,in each grade level division, that bestinterprets the theme. This award ad-vances to local awards program.
Photography – Andrew Das (Interme-diate)
Literature – Asha Das (Intermediate)Visual Arts – Ben Fox (Intermediate)3D Sculpture – Evie Lenz Miller (Pri-
mary)❖ Award of Merit: This award is given
to the next highest scores for each artscategory in each grade level division.
Visual Arts – Julia Cochran (Interme-
diate)Photography – Andrew Das (Interme-
diate)Visual Arts – Asha Das (Intermediate)Visual Arts – Madeline de Clerck
(Middle School)❖ Honorable Mention: This award is
given to the next highest scores for eacharts category in each division.
Literature – Sofia Bentolila (Interme-diate)
Visual Arts – Charlotte de Clerck (Pri-mary)
Visual Arts – Matthew de Clerck (In-termediate)
For more information about the pro-gram, visit PTA.org/Reflections.
Reston Connection ❖ January 3-9, 2018 ❖ 11www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.
By KENNETH B. LOURIE
Since I don’t have to write for a deadlinethis week (12/27/17 papers have already goneto press), maybe I’ll write for pleasure. Notthat writing this column is ever not my pleas-ure, but it is time-sensitive, at least on aweekly basis. And though that “weekliness”can occasionally induce some pressure, mostlyI can manage it. Besides, it contributes towhat you read and my feelings about havingwritten. As such, my columns are rarely aboutthe past, well, only in so far as it gives the pre-sent and future concerns some context.Generally speaking however, I am writingabout extremely-current events. It’s notexactly real time, but the timing is exception-ally real.
This sort of holiday break occurs at TheConnection every year as we condense ourpublication schedule and finish/publish threeweeks of newspapers in nine business days.And even though this “condensation” is noth-ing new for any of us long-sitting employees, itdoes present its own unique set of challenges,yet it is a schedule which has stood the test oftime. Time which eventually leads to pleasure.
And time off is part of what drives this mid-to-late December rush. Because in the news-paper business, especially considering the24/7 news cycle, with which we are all famil-iar, even for a weekly publication – for botheditorial and sales, you are mostly on. So get-ting a chance to publish and then pause, givesus all an opportunity to refresh and recharge.And since I’m honeymooning, so to speak,(see column dated 12/13/17 titled “As GoodAs It Gets”), I have nothing particularly cancer-centric to write about and/or worry about,well, top of mind anyway. There’s plenty ofcancer stuff bottom of mind though. The diffi-culty is keeping it there.
The problem/reality is, even when you’remeandering around in your head, in order towrite, there is a cancer section which inevita-bly fights its way to the top. It’s not as if I havea multiple personality disorder: Kenny-without-cancer and Kenny-with-cancer (mywebsite, by the way:www.KennyWithCancer.com), but sometimesI think I must. Thinking one could totally com-partmentalize the facts and fissures that a “te-rminal” lung cancer diagnosis/”13 month totwo year” prognosis imposes is an admirable,much talked about goal but in truth, it’sprobably unrealistic and likely leads to thatdual personality. But who’s kidding whom? It’shard/IMPOSSIBLE to know.
So for the moment, I can pretend/presumethat Kenny-without-cancer is front and center,top of mind and in control, free to wanderaimlessly in print and ponder his fate as ifnothing much – other than one’s own mortal-ity, is effecting his judgment. Ah, one candream. And oddly enough, I have beendreaming more, and sleeping longer anddeeper, too. I’m sure it’s simply a coincidencethat having five weeks off from any cancer-related activities/obligations, and likewise hav-ing nine days off from any newspaper-relatedactivities has contributed to this semi peaceand quiet. A quiet which will soon end whenwe leave for two days in Pennsylvania tospend Christmas with my wife Dina’s cousins,which, along with the cheesesteak I plan oneating, provides it’s own sort of comfort andjoy.
Still, any port in the cancer storm providesa welcome respite from the – with apologiesto Shakespeare – slings and arrows of outra-geous misfortune (Shakespeare’s quote was“fortune”), however real or imagined. To besure, cancer is no joke, neither is being diag-nosed with a “terminal” form of it: non-smallcell lung cancer, stage IV, at age 54 and a half.But making fun of it and the circumstancessurrounding it, has been my stock and tradesince I first went public – in print, in June2009. The means I’ve justified to prevent mypremature end. So far, so good.
I’m Very SeldomWrong, But ThisTime I’m Write
IT MAY SEEM like the elections nevercease in Virginia, where voters go to thepolls multiple times every year. And al-though Washington is already focused onthe 2018 campaign, Richmond is alreadypreparing for an epic election in 2019. Notonly will that election include all membersof the House and the Senate, it will also setthe scene for who controls the redistrictingprocess. Both parties are eager to controlas much of the process as possible, andDemocrats have already won a major vic-tory by electing a governor who will haveveto power over the maps drawn by law-makers.
“The one piece of this that I’m interestedin doing is having a factor of competitive-ness and competition being part of the equa-tion,” said Del. Mark Keam (D-35). “Rightnow all the standards that they use for re-districting are things like partisanship, de-mographics and minority status. But there’snothing that talks about whether a districtis competitive or not.”
From Page 3
Assembly
Monthly support group offers a safe place for familycaregivers, to meet and develop a mutualsupport system and to exchange practicalinformation and possible solutions. Learn aboutresources available in the community and howto manage caregiver related stress. Call 703-956- 8930 or [email protected] to RSVP.
Exercise for Parkinson’s. Every Monday, 1:15-2:15 p.m. Reston Sport&Health, 11445 IsaacNewton Square, Reston. This program bringstogether people impacted by Parkinson’s Diseaseto participate in various physical exercises aimedat improving posture, balance and circulationand increasing strength, muscle control andmobility. Free. parkinsonfoundation.org. CallNatalie McCall
[email protected] 703-904-7600 formore.
The Herndon Adult Day Health Care Centerneeds volunteers to assist with fitness activities,arts and crafts, mealtime, entertainment andmuch more. For these and other volunteeropportunities, call 703-324-5406, TTY 711 orvisit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/olderadults andclick on Volunteer Solutions.
Master Gardener Training. The Fairfax CountyMaster Gardener Association offers plant clinics,home turf training or speakers for homeowner’smeetings. Fees vary. Visit fairfaxgardening.orgor call MG Help Desk at 703-324-8556 for more.
Hypothermia Prevention: An EmergencyProgram for the Homeless — To help ourvulnerable neighbors survive the winter, weprovide overnight shelter with a “no turn-away”policy at all emergency homeless shelters duringfreezing weather. Through the coldest months ofthe winter, we also provide the HypothermiaPrevention Program, a countywide communitynetwork of 45 overnight shelters. Through thisprogram last winter, our nonprofit and faith-based community partners served almost 1,000men and women with a safe, warm place tosleep. If you see someone at night who isunsheltered and you think could be at risk ofhypothermia, call the county’s non-emergencyphone line at 703-691-2131, TTY 711.
Passages DivorceCare. For those experiencingthe pain of separation or divorce, the caringcommunity at Vienna Presbyterian Church offersPassages DivorceCare. This 15-week programoffers a path toward healing. ViennaPresbyterian Church is located on the corner ofMaple Avenue (Rt. 123) and Park Street inVienna. Cost to cover materials is $20,scholarships available. For more information orto register call 703-938-9050, go towww.viennapres.org, or send an email [email protected].
Bulletin
From Page 6
12 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ January 3-9, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
