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Reston Connection ❖ July 26 - August 1, 2017 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Court Date Set inMurder of Reston TeenNews, Page 2
Seeing the WorldThrough NuEyesNews, Page 10
Meet the Best FriendsPet Connection, Page 6
Court Date Set inMurder of Reston TeenNews, Page 2
Seeing the WorldThrough NuEyesNews, Page 10
Meet the Best Friends
Opinio
n, Page 4
❖
Entertainm
ent, Page 9
❖
C
lassifieds, Page 10
Pho
to
by Jo
an Brady
July 26 - August 1, 2017 online at www.connectionnewspapers.com
RestonReston
In his prime, Fred of Great Fallsloved to travel, traversing theUnited States twice before he was7. Fred has enjoyed the best ofwhat this country has to offer;national parks, historical sites,kitsch destinations, food-filledcity streets and the company of awide range of citizens. Here he isin front of the world’s largestbeagles at the Dog Bark Park Innin Cottonwood, Idaho.
In his prime, Fred of Great Fallsloved to travel, traversing theUnited States twice before he was7. Fred has enjoyed the best ofwhat this country has to offer;national parks, historical sites,kitsch destinations, food-filledcity streets and the company of awide range of citizens. Here he isin front of the world’s largestbeagles at the Dog Bark Park Innin Cottonwood, Idaho.
Pet ConnectionPet Connection
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2 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ July 26 - August 1, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
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News
By Fallon Forbush
The Connection
A preliminary hearing forthe Office of theC o m m o n w e a l t h ’ sAttorney’s prosecution
of murder suspect DarwinMartinez Torres, 22, will be onFriday, Oct. 13, in Fairfax CountyJuvenile and Domestic RelationsDistrict Court.
Judge Kimberly Daniel will pre-side over the hearing for the court,which has jurisdiction over juve-nile matters, including offensescommitted by adults against juve-niles under the age of 18, accord-ing to Rae Ann Stein, who worksfor the Fairfax County Court Ser-vices Administration in recordsmanagement. Torres was chargedwith killing 17-year-old NabraHassanen of Reston in June forwhat the Fairfax County PoliceDepartment called a deadly caseof road rage, according to police.
HASSANEN, A SOPHOMOREat South Lakes High School, wasreported missing on Sunday, June
18, around 4 a.m. near Dranesvilleand Woodson roads in Herndonwithin Fairfax County.
She and a group of as many as15 teenagers were walking andriding bikes on Dranesville Roadafter attending an overnight eventfor Ramadan at a mosque in Ster-ling, which is in Loudoun County.The teenagers were traveling fromthe All Dulles Area Muslim Soci-ety, known as the ADAMS Center,to a restaurant, according to po-lice. As the teenagers were return-ing to the mosque from the res-taurant, some were on the side-walk while others were on theroad, according to police.
Detectives believe Torres cameupon the group in a car when ateenaged boy on a bike in thegroup began arguing with the
driver. Torres then drove his caronto the curb as the group scat-tered. Witnesses say Torres caughtup with the group in a nearbyparking lot and got out of his cararmed with a baseball bat. He thencaught up to Hassanen, whompolice believe was on foot, andassaulted her with the bat, accord-ing to police.
After Torres’s initial assault, hetook Hassanen in his car to a sec-ond location nearby in LoudounCounty where another assault tookplace, according to police.
Torres, who is a citizen of El Sal-vador and was living in Sterlingwithout legal permission, had adetainer request lodged againsthim by the U.S. Immigration andCustoms Enforcement agency, anarm of the U.S. Department ofHomeland Security, according toCarissa Cutrell, a spokesperson forthe agency.
ICE lodges detainers on peopleliving in the country without legalpermission who have been ar-rested on local criminal chargeswhen the agency has probable
cause to deport them, accordingto Cutrell.
Torres had no prior encounterswith ICE, according to Cutrell.
DESPITE THE FEDERALagency’s desire to deport Torres,the FCPD announced that it willcontinue to lead the murder inves-tigation. Previously, the depart-ment was unsure whether it or theLoudoun County Sheriff ’s Officewould try the criminal case be-cause assaults were committedagainst Hassanen in both Fairfaxand Loudoun counties, accordingto police. Homicide detectives in-vestigating the murder looked intowhether Torres is a gang memberor affiliated with gangs, but foundno credible information to supportany connection, according to po-lice. Hassanen was laid to rest asa martyr of her Muslim commu-nity on Wednesday, June 21, thesame day the community flockedto Lake Anne Plaza in Reston forher vigil. Torres remains at theFairfax County Adult DetentionCenter in Fairfax without bail, ac-cording to police.
Court Date Set in Murder of Reston TeenNabra Hassanen was killed after attending an overnight event during Ramadan.
Photo courtesy
of Khadijah
Abdullah-Lardas
NabraHassanen, 17,of Reston wasa sophomoreat SouthLakes High School.
Photo by Fallon Forbush/The Connection
Safeia Ali, 13, of Reston wipes away tears as a prayer isrecited from the Quran during a vigil for Nabra Hassanenat Lake Anne Plaza on Wednesday, June 21.
Reston Connection ❖ July 26 - August 1, 2017 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
News
By Andrea Worker
The Connection
Part exhibition, part symposium,and part networking opportunity— there was something for every-one even vaguely interested in
environmental issues at the EnvironmentalShowcase, hosted by Fairfax County Boardof Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova onSaturday, July 22 at the county’s Govern-ment Center.
The Fairfax County Environmental Visionwas first adopted by the Board of Supervi-sors in 2004, when U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly(D-11) was the board’s chair. Working withthen-Supervisor Bulova and others like Su-pervisor Penny Gross (Mason District), anenvironmental advisory committee was es-tablished to help develop and direct theregion’s environmental agenda.
The board recently updated the Visiondocument, so the event provided the com-munity with some insight into the revisions.It also acknowledged the achievements oflocal government departments and non-profit organizations and civic groups, whilerecommitting to the task of protecting thelocal environment and developing modelsof sustainability as the county continues togrow.
There were kudos enough to go around.Bulova noted Fairfax County reduced its
per capita emissions by 10 percent from2005 to 2012 and reduced greenhouse gasemissions from public buildings by 21 per-cent from 2006 to 2015 — at the same timethat county properties have grown in squarefootage.
More than 60 percent of the county’sFairfax Connector buses are “mini-hybrids”which utilize engine cooling systems to re-duce emissions and save on fuel bills.
BOTH BULOVA AND CONNOLLY notedthe county’s goal to increase tree cover inFairfax County by 45 percent by 2037 hasalready been met — and exceeded. In ad-dition, according to the Park Authority, saidConnolly, the goal of preserving 10 percentof all land in the county is well within reach.“9.26 percent there,” said Connolly. “Only1,864 acres more to go.”
Connolly also praised the board for “onceagain taking a leadership role” and adopt-ing a resolution to sign on to the NationalClimate Action Agenda to uphold the stan-dards agreed upon by 195 nations at theParis Climate Summit. “President Trump haswithdrawn us from the agreement,” saidConnolly. “Congratulations. We’ve joinedthe ranks of Nicaragua and Syria, the onlytwo other countries who refused to sign …and Nicaragua only declined because theythought it didn’t go far enough.”
Much of Connolly’s remarks centered onthe redevelopment of Tysons Corner.
“Consider the revolutionary provisions
developed by the citizens Tysons TaskForce. America’s Next Great City is be-ing built in a transit-oriented manner …ensuring for the first time in FairfaxCounty that transit, biking and walkingwill be the safest, most convenient modesof transportation.”
Connolly listed a number of additionalachievements that had been made, andpointed out that all had been accom-plished in partnership with the businesscommunity. He also paid tribute to the“unsung heroes in much of our environ-mental progress,” referring to the hun-dreds of individuals and civic groups whohave not only advocated in support ofenvironmental protection, but also putin the hours and added their expertisefor the good of the whole community,today and for the future.
A diverse panel of government employ-ees and business leaders made presenta-tions highlighting the partnership thatConnolly spoke of. Kambiz Agazi, whoBulova introduced as the “EnvironmentalOrchestra Conductor,” is the county’s envi-ronmental coordinator. Agazi mentionedsome of the changes in “Vision 2.0” and alsoinformed the audience that a new “environ-mental inventory” measuring environmen-tal impact and improvements would be soonforthcoming.
Also present from Fairfax County govern-ment were James Hart, planning commis-sioner, and Susan Hafeli, senior utility ana-lyst.
Tom Fleury, executive vice president ofBowman Consulting; Dr. Dann Sklarew,Ph.D. from George Mason University; andSteve Smith, principal with Cooper Carryarchitects, all spoke of innovations withintheir various disciplines that were aimed atmarrying profitability with efficiency andenvironmental stewardship.
Smith had the assembly particularly in-terested in the description of his company’spilot project, re-designing a test floor in ahotel to align with “wellness building con-cepts.” “In these rooms, even the shower isthinking about your health” with a VitaminC infused water flow, he said. Before andafter the speakers’ presentations and ques-tions for the panel, an estimated crowd ofabout 200 visited booths set up in the confer-ence center lobby and in the main forum.
In the week ahead Reston Association willbe reviewing its first major “RASER” –Reston Association State of the EnvironmentReport. The work for the 190-page docu-ment was conducted over the last year byDoug Britt and a nine-person volunteerarmy who donated more than 1,000 hoursto the task of unbundling information froma variety of sources and physically viewing,monitoring, testing and observing the natu-ral environment in the area. The Restonbooth drew quite a crowd, including Joan
Kaspbowicz of Vienna (“just over the Restonline”) who was impressed by the quantityof information being gathered and the workplanned to restore and protect those re-sources.
Patrick Keenan, hotel operations projectmanager with Maryland-based B. F. SaulCompany, Hospitality Group, stopped by tovisit with Raea Jean Leinster, self-described“Chief Yuck Officer,” of Yuck Old Paint re-cycling company. B. F. Saul is a client ofYuck. “Everybody can do their part,” saidKeenan.
THE YOUNGER GENERATION made itspresence felt at the Showcase, as well. Mem-bers of ESLI – Eco-Schools Leadership Ini-tiative – were also on hand. SophiaApplegate, a rising senior at Oakton HighSchool, joined Madison High School risingjunior Kathryn Hammond and VCU fresh-man Archana Nakkara of Vienna to talk
about the program that helps other youthslearn about environmental issues and starttheir own environmental initiatives. Thethree met at an ESLI Conference, and theirmutual interest in environmental protectionhas brought them together to help spreadthe word. “We love to do the programs es-pecially in the middle schools and evenyounger. It’s great to get kids started early,knowing how important it is to protect theEarth we live on and the community we livein,” said Applegate.
There was no disagreement among thosegathered. The work needed to be done onenvironmental issues and on combining thegoals of growth and sustainability will prob-ably never be done. “Things keep chang-ing. People, technologies, the world aroundus, and we need to keep looking ahead tobe ready,” said Bulova.
The Fairfax County Environmental Visioncan be reviewed at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment/sustainability/.
Fairfax County Board of Supervi-sors Chairman Sharon Bulova wasthe host of the EnvironmentalShowcase at the GovernmentCenter: “We’ve come along waysince the adoption of the firstEnvironmental Vision, butthere’s always work to be done.”
U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11)was a guest speaker at the event.Connolly was the board chairwhen the first EnvironmentalVision for Fairfax County wasdeveloped and adopted.
From left: Reston Association CEO Cate Fulkerson, Vienna residentJoan Kaspbowicz, Sara Fulkerson and Restonian Doug Britt gatherin front of the association’s booth. Britt and his nine-person volun-teer team are getting ready to present the first comprehensiveinventory of the environment and natural resources of Reston tothe association’s board on July 27.
Bulova hosts County Environmental Showcase.
County Pursuing Environmental Goals
Reston Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic
703-778-9414 or [email protected]
Pho
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ndrea W
orker/T
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4 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ July 26 - August 1, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Opinion
By John C. Cook
District Supervisor (Braddock-R)
Strong families are held together by love,support, and commitment. They are thevery foundation of a strong society. If the
core of the family is replaced by violence, thenall of society is weakened.
Domestic violence affects one in four Fairfaxfamilies and causes nearly 1,600 arrests inFairfax every year. It is almost guaranteed thatanyone reading this knows a victim of domes-tic violence, even if they are unaware of it.These statistics alone paint a dire picture. How-ever, there is a way you can make a positivedifference.
Fairfax County’s DomesticViolence Prevention Council,which I chair, rolled out the“Make the Call” campaign ear-lier this year. Its purpose is to
encourage victims and witnesses of domesticviolence to call Fairfax County’s 24-hour do-mestic and sexual violence hotline at 703-360-7273. This number is completely safe and con-fidential. The hotline is staffed by experts al-ways ready to offer information, counsel, andresources to victims and concerned citizens.Callers can receive vital information on where
to find shelter, legalresources, financialaid, and even a safehaven for their ani-mals. Anyone can callto learn about thesigns of domestic vio-lence and even con-firm possible inci-dents.
The hotline is prov-ing to be highly effective and even lifesaving.The Fairfax County Office for Women received1,483 hotline calls with an average of 124 callsper month in 2016. At least 98 percent of thosewho called for services said the hotline betterprepared them to make a safety plan. This callcan mean the difference between life and deathfor those escaping abuse.
Domestic violence is sometimes difficult toidentify for bystanders, as well as victims.Abusers will often convince their victims that
Help End Domestic Violence
Victims and witnesses of domestic violence cancall Fairfax County’s 24-hour domestic and
sexual violence hotline at 703-360-7273.
There were 1,483 calls to the domestic violencehotline in 2016, averaging 124 calls per month.
they deserve the abuse, which shames victimsinto hiding the problem instead of speakingout. Many abusers threaten their victims withharsher, deadlier punishments if they look forhelp. These and other factors make domesticviolence more difficult to recognize without thehelp of a seasoned professional. This is whywe need more people to make the call whenthey have that gut feeling that something isamiss.
For bystanders, it could be a black eye, apassing reference, or even a loud argumentoverheard next door. You do not have to besure. If you think domestic violence maybehappening, make the call and let profession-als help.
For victims, the hotline is available when-ever you need it. If you feel threatened, alone,or unsafe in your own home, please make thecall. You do not have to go through this diffi-cult time alone. The staff at the hotline is herefor you at any hour of the day and will do ev-erything they can to help secure you and yourfamily’s safety.
Again, the number is 703-360-7273. Please,make the call, it could save a life.
Guest
Editorial
To the Editor:I am a senior citizen and I have
read about the situation withhealth care or lack of in this coun-try. Your article mentioned manyfactors that the general public isignorant of. I personally believethat a country’s strength andgreatness is reflected in how theytreat the least of their people.
We have failed on an epic levelas a people. No person wants tobe on welfare, Medicaid, publicassistance or food stamps. The pre-vailing ignorant opinion by thevastly uninformed public is that itis an easy ride and that the indi-viduals on welfare want to live offthe state.
The truth of the matter is that“catastrophic events” can happento anyone and it only takes the lossof employment and devastatingmedical bills to suddenly be forcedto be on state assistance. It is a truenightmare. It is a degrading hu-miliating process and I honestlycannot think of anyone who trulywanted to be on Medicaid or wel-fare. It puts a person in a negativelife-altering position where the
judgment by people is harsh andunsympathetic. People make as-sumptions that those on assistanceare no good lazy bums getting a“free ride.”
The truth is that PresidentJohnson and his “great society”brought about the demise of so-cial security. He opened the doorsto the looting of the program fornon-related financial projects.
I am an independent voter. I ama senior. I used to be an employeeof United Airlines. I lost all mybenefits and do not have any re-tirement. I also was a part timeteacher. I have no teacher’s pen-sion. I have no savings and no re-tirement to fall back on and amliving on S.S.I. of $735 a monthand that is my sole income. It isimpossible to live on this. I haveno money by the middle of themonth.
I injured myself in a freak acci-dent at Dulles airport. I lost myjob. it was a devastating loss forme. I could not find any work. Iwas forced out of desperation toapply for Medicaid. I do not likeMedicaid because the types of cli-
ents I have to associate with andchoice of doctors is very limited.
Having grown up in a familywhere my mother was a Democratand my father a Republican I have
had two viewpoints. My maternalgrandfather was with theBurlington Northern Railroad 30-
“Victor the Vulture is our new office pet. While he’snot very cuddly, we enjoy his visits to our officebalcony, which he uses to ‘scope’ out the area. Fromtime to time we get to watch him dive bomb from thefifth floor of the Government Center. Although weare unsure of his success rate. Victor is bigger thanmost cats and I wouldn’t want him near mine!”— Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova
Letters to the Editor
See Letters, Page 11
‘Catastrophic Events’Can Happen to Anyone
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Reston Connection ❖ July 26 - August 1, 2017 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
By Kenneth R.
“Ken” Plum
State Delegate (D-36)
Any report by the Unionof Concerned Scientists(UCS) is met with skep-
ticism in some quarters becausethese were the same peoplewhose findings found that cli-mate is changing and that hu-man behavior is one of thecauses. The so-called “climate change de-niers” continue to insist, regardless of thescientific evidence to the contrary, that hu-mans are not to blame if there is any changein the climate. We can deny the latest re-port of the UCS, “When Rising Seas HitHome,” at our own peril especially in Vir-ginia (www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/global-warming-impacts/when-rising-seas-hit-home-chronic-inundation-from-sea-level-rise#.WXFlqoTytdg)
The scientists found that “important con-sequences of climate change are more subtleand slower moving than disasters. One suchconsequence is sea level rise. Unlike thecatastrophic flooding that can accompanyhurricanes, sea level rise impacts can taketime to manifest. The final result, late thiscentury and beyond, may be neighborhoodsunderwater.”
In a state like Virginia with a major re-gion named “Tidewater” the impact can beespecially great. UCS has identified threeVirginia communities that will face chronicinundation by 2035 and 21 more by 2100.In the highest level scenario considered bythe scientists, 38 communities would be ex-posed to chronic inundation by the end ofthe century. Visit the website to see a list ofcommunities that will be hardest hit. Oflittle surprise is the finding that in the high-est scenario by 2080 Norfolk, VirginiaBeach, and Hampton and the Naval Air Sta-
tion would have up to a quar-ter of their land chronicallyflooded.
These findings should comeas no surprise to Virginians. In2015 the Virginia Institute ofMarine Science (VIMS) com-pleted a study on this issue atthe request of the General As-sembly. Its report, “RecurrentFlooding Study for TidewaterVirginia,” found that “recurrent
flooding already impacts all localities inVirginia’s coastal zone and is predicted toworsen over reasonable planning horizonsof 20 to 50 years due to sea level rise, landsubsidence, and other factors.” The scien-tists wisely did not use the term “climatechange” that continues to be politicallycharged among some of Virginia’s politicalleaders.
Earlier this month the National Oceanicand Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)awarded a grant to VIMS that along withits match will total $1.25 million to sup-port “nature-based infrastructure” to helpcoastal Virginia counter and recover fromflood events. Nature-based infrastructureincludes tidal wetlands and living shorelinesthat can help to blunt and even absorb theeffects of rising seas and recurrent flood-ing.
These efforts are important, but the UCSfound even bolder policy changes and en-hanced coordination among all levels ofgovernment must happen to protect ourcoastal areas.
UCS concluded its report, “And even asthe Trump administration seeks to withdrawfrom the Paris Agreement, we must workat state and local levels and with other na-tions to cut global warming emissions ag-gressively in order to help slow the pace ofsea level rise.” Maybe then we can keep ourheads above water!
Commentary
Keeping Our HeadsAbove Water
Send school notes to [email protected] by noon on Friday.
Taylor Wreath, of Reston, was awarded the9th Grade Honors English Top Researcher Out-standing Performance Certificate for the2016-17 school year at Randolph-Macon Acad-emy. Taylor was a freshman at the Academy.Taylor is the daughter of Doug and HeatherWreath of Vienna.
Alexander Rudison, a 2016 South LakesHigh School graduate, graduated from the Na-val Academy Preparatory School aftercompleting a 10-month curriculum. Alex re-ported to the United States Naval Academy June27, 2017. He joins approximately 1,250 youngmen and women from throughout the countryand internationally as they were sworn on June29,2017.
Paige L. Truitt , of Reston, has beenawarded academic honors at Clemson Univer-sity (Clemson, S.C.) for the spring 2017semester. Truitt is majoring in marketing.
School Notes
Alexander Rudison
6 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ July 26 - August 1, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Meet the Best Friends of Herndon
Joe Caso, 62, director ofpresales, Patti Aston,
satellite operator, andher daughter Hunter, 8,third grader attempt topose for a picture with
their dogs Dixie andBarry Allan. They are
Herndon residents.Barry, the greyhound is
5 years old and is namedafter the Flash from
Marvel’s Justice League.Barry is a retired racer.Dixie is also 5 years old
and is a rescued bluenosed Pitbull. “They are
companions, they loveme and they don’t talk
back,” said Patti Aston.
Herndon resident BrianGagne, 55, fisherman,
poses for a picture with hisdog Papa. “He’s a 4-year-
old black lab,” he said.“He’s my best friend.” He
was getting some exercisewith papa at Herndon dogpark. “They have running
water and strict rulesabout picking up after your
dog. It’s a great place tobring them,” said Gagne.
Herndon resident BrianTimmer, 46, was at the
Herndon dog park with hisblack lab Ranger and Chip,white with spots. “When I
bring them in Cabela’s withme, Chip likes to socialize
with people and Rangerlikes to do his own thing. I
love them both but theyhave different personali-
ties,” said Timmer. “Theyare great companions. Chipis well trained and Ranger
is mediocre on the trainingbut has more personality,”
he said.
Photos by by Colin Stoecker/The Connection
Paw-trolling theSidewalks of Herndon
Leashed and ready to start the morning: Bottom — Fergie10 1/2 years old (mini poodle); middle — a new additionpuppy Mimi, 5 months old, (maltipoo - maltese andpoodle mix); top — Raven, 13 years old (toy poodle).
Ashley Morse ofHerndon sur-rounded by herfurry kids:Fergie, Mimi,and Raven.Ashley gradu-ated fromHerndon HighSchool (2011),University ofVirginia (2015)and currently isemployed byJohns HopkinsAPL as anengineer. Fergieand Raven aregetting use tothe new addi-tion to thefamily, Mimi.Never a dullmoment!
RememberingSierra
Our lovable “Sierra” passedaway on July 5 this year aftergiving us 16 years of fun. Shewas loved in our Franklin Farmneighborhood of Herndon. Shewon everyone over with her re-trieving, her always-waggingtail, and her expressions. Wewere lucky to have her. Shewas a mix with a good amountof Jack Russell in her, also bor-der collie and who knows whatelse!?
— Mary Ann, Gary,
Eric and Greg
Amstutz
“Sierra in the snow.”
Pet Connection
Reston Connection ❖ July 26 - August 1, 2017 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Cats benefit from being in a foster home. We needlong- and short-term fosters for cats of all ages,mothers with litters and kittens on their own.
Adopt/Donate/Volunteer at www.lostdogrescue.org
Consider Fostering
You Can Make a Difference
visit our website, cl ick on Participate
Holly and her “dad”George, her “mom”Margie, holding HJ’s“niece,” Caroline, andHJ’s “sister” Lisa, holdingHJ’s “nephew” Ben.Taken at the annualBriggs alumni reunion.
HJ with Margie and meand my “kids,” Blu andDixie at Blandy Farm.
Tank and TinkerbellTank (grey male) and his sister Tinkerbell (brown brindle) are Pit Bulls.
Pits had received a bad reputation which is decidedly undeserved. I “rescued”these two from Friends of Homeless Animals. They had been surrenderedand the hope was that they could stay together. They had not been trained- they are now. They are the sweetest animals and are never more than abouttwo feet away from one another. They are great cuddlers and make sure thatI don’t stay on my computer too late in the evenings. They come into my officeand nudge me until I head to bed. Pits were know as the “Nanny Dogs.” BettyBoop’s dog was a Pit as was the dog in “Spanky and our Gang.” I consideredmyself lucky to have these two lovers in my home.
— Molly Allen, Reston
Tank and Tinkerbell
Celebrating HollyThe pictures I am submitting are to
celebrate our neighbor and pack matefor the past 14 years — Holly JoDellagiarino. HJ has been a friend to allfive of my “kids.” While she has sloweddown a bit, she still comes out to walkwith us in different parts of Reston atleast once a week as well as makes aweekly trip to the Burger King for an icecream. She now has her own “Hollytrolley” for those times when her legsgive out. HJ and my five “kids” were alladopted from the Briggs Animal Adop-tion Center in Charles Town, W.Va.— Cindy Morrow, Reston
8 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ July 26 - August 1, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
News
By Andrea Worker
The Connection
It was billed as “Celebrity Bartenders”manning the taps at Jimmy’s OldTown Tavern in Herndon. The ideawas to bring in the crowds and raise
some bucks when the celebrities’ followerscame in and added raffle tickets to their barand food tabs, all to benefit non-profitHerndon-Reston Friendly Instant Sympa-thetic Help – FISH.
The two organizers probably stretched thetruth a bit on the moniker “celebrity,” al-though they are no doubt well-knownwithin their respective industries.
Tim Kelly is Vice President of Reston-based Macedon Technologies. Sean Workeris the CEO of BridgeStreet Global Hospital-ity, a leader in serviced apartments andhomes for business, also headquartered inReston. The two have worked as businessproject partners before, and as partners insupport of FISH.
Their most recent “FISHing expedition”was sponsoring the final Bradley FarmHaunted Halloween House last Octoberwhich pulled in enormous crowds and sig-nificant financial donations for FISH. “We’vebeen looking for other activities and eventsto help replace those lost dollars for FISH,”said Kelly, “so here we are tonight.”
KELLY AND WORKER joined veteranbartenders Roy Crawford, Justin Fedorchakand occasionally tavern proprietor JimmyCirrito behind the bar. Both looked a littleshaky at the start of their “shift,” but help-ful Jimmy’s staff and good-natured andpatient bar patrons saw them quickly get-ting into the swing of things.
While the two semi-celebrities served,members of FISH worked the crowd withtheir raffle-tickets and donation buckets.
Raise a Glass and RaiseSome Funds for FISH
That’s how it’s done: BridgeStreet CEO Sean Worker gets a few tips fromreal Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern bartender Justin Fedorchak as Workerstarts his “shift” as a “celebrity” bartender to help raise funds for non-profit FISH.
Tim Kelly, VP of Reston-based Macedon Technologies, is ready to fly soloas a celebrity bartender. Kelly and Sean Worker of BridgeStreet GlobalHospitality teamed up with Jimmy’s proprietor Jimmy Cirrito to orga-nize the fundraiser.
Lisa Groves, Executive Director of Herndon-Reston Friendly InstantSympathetic Help (FISH), kept the raffle ticket sales under control, andspoke to Jimmy’s patrons about FISH’s work in the community. “We arealways touched by this kind of support and assistance.”
FISH Executive Director Lisa Groves didguard duty at the raffle table and explainedthe work of their organization as dozens ofJimmy’s customers wandered up to seewhat was going on.
FISH is a volunteer, non-profit whosemission is to help local residents in short-term crises. Since 1969 they have helpedthousands with rent, utilities, medical itemsand other short-term needs. They operatean Assistance Phone Line at 571-267-2980and run the Bargain Loft thrift shop inHerndon. The FISH folks also aid theSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Programat the Herndon’s Farmer’s Market and pro-vide hundreds of holiday food and gift bas-kets to families in need.
“We are delighted to be associated withFISH” said Worker. “They fill a critical gapneed in the community. The work they doactually helps prevent homelessness. That’ssomething worth supporting.”
The two corporate sponsors worked tire-lessly at their duties, but seemed to enjoythe job – so much so, that when a real ce-lebrity bartender arrived to start her shift,they were reluctant to be replaced.
Who was the second shift celebrity? Noneother than Virginia State Delegate andHerndon resident Jennifer Boysko (D-86).A familiar face around town, Boysko wasgreeted by many of the Jimmy’s regulars.
“I don’t have a clue what I am doing,”admitted Boysko with a laugh, “but I amwilling to give it a try for FISH. They aresuch a force for good in our community.”
BEFORE “LAST CALL,” quite a few raffleprizes were won and more than $3,000 wasadded to the funds needed to help FISHcontinue their good works for so manyHerndon-Reston neighbors in need.
Find out more about FISH. Get help orgive it. Visit www.herndonrestonfish.org.
A real celebrity atthe CelebrityBartending event:Herndon residentand Delegate forVirginia’s 86th
district JenniferBoysko volunteeredto take a shift forthe worthy cause.
Photos by Andrea Worker/The Connection
Reston Connection ❖ July 26 - August 1, 2017 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Send announcements towww.connectionnewspapers.com/Calen-dar/. The deadline is noon on Friday.Photos/artwork encouraged.
ONGOINGJazz in the City Exhibit. Various
times at ArtSpace Herndon, 750Center St., Herndon. Kristine Kellerand Robert Gilbert paint with aninterest in New York. Call 703-956-9560 or visit artspaceherndon.com.
Cardboard Boat Regatta.Registration now open for race onAug. 12, 2-6 p.m. at Lake Anna,Reston. Participating teams of allages will construct and decorate theirown life-size cardboard boats. Formore information or to register ateam, visit www.restonmuseum.org/cardboard. Team sponsorships beginat $100 for adults and families or$40 for students (ages 10-18 years ofage). Contact Elizabeth Didiano [email protected] or 703-709-7700.
NextStop Theatre. Various timesthrough Aug. 20 at 269 Sunset ParkDrive (Inside the Sunset BusinessPark on Spring Street), Herndon.“Rodgers & Hammerstein’s A GrandNight for Singing” $17.50-$55. Call866-811-4111 or visitwww.nextstoptheatre.org.
Free Concerts. Through Aug. 26, 7:30-10 p.m. every Saturday night in thepavilion at Reston Town Center,11900 Market St. Call 703-912-4062or visit www.restontowncenter.com/concerts.
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.
“A Bird in the Hand” through spring2017 Reston Town Square Park,11990 Market St., Reston TownCenter. See and explore PatrickDougherty’s monumental public artsculpture made from tree saplings.Presented by GRACE in collaborationwith IPAR. 703-471-9242restonarts.org
Teen and Adult Art ClassesArtSpace Herndon Every Mondayfrom 5:30-8:30 p.m. 750 Center St.,Herndon. Drawing and Mixed Mediawith Melanie Stanley - During Falland Winter of 2016. Cost: $45/class.The class will use a variety oftechniques for drawing, painting,mark making, and collage using finearts tools and materials. Studentswill be taken down a creative path tolearn to use drawing tools andbrushes more effectively. Register byemailing Melanie, and she will sendyou the supply list and paymentoptions/information:[email protected]. 703-956-9560. www.artspaceherndon.com.
WEDNESDAY/JULY 26The Grandsons Jr. (Children
Songs). 10-11 a.m. at the VisitorCenter Pavilion, 2739 West Ox Road,Herndon. Wednesday MorningChildren’s Series. Free. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov
Meet Me at the Movies. 10 a.m. atBow Tie Cinemas, 11940 Market St.,Reston Town Center. RestonAssociation presents “Gifted.”Refreshments and door prizesprovided prior to movie. Free to 55+.Information at [email protected],703-435-6530, or reston.org.
Dog Days of Summer. 4-7 p.m. atReston Town Center Pavilion, 11900Market St., Reston Town Center.Dogs and owners can frolic in thePavilion as it is transformed weeklyinto an off-leash play area. Treats,toys, areas to cool off, pet friendlygiveaways, and more. EveryWednesday through Sept. 27. Free.
Visit restontowncenter.com.
THURSDAY/JULY 27Farmer’s Market. 8-12:30 p.m. on
Lynn St. in downtown Herndon.Fresh produce and baked goods, withlive entertainment on the Town HallSquare, 730 Elden St. through Aug.31. Visit herndon-va.gov/recreationor call 703-787-7300.
ZoosDay. 10-10:45 a.m. at RestonTown Square Park, 11990 Market St.,Reston Town Center. Animal andminiature animal petting zoo withhands-on, educational experiences.Kid-friendly giveaways plus activitieslike Legos and Play-Doh. Free. Rainor shine. Visit restontowncenter.com.
Summer Movie Series. 2 p.m. atReston Regional Library, 11925Bowman Towne Drive. Hindi musicalabout a musician who falls for anunhappy woman who is waiting forher absent love to return. In Hindi,with English subtitles. Free. Call 703-689-2700.
Jazz History Lecture. 6-7 p.m. atGreater Reston Arts Center, 12001Market St., Suite 103. Michael J.West is a jazz journalist that deliversa lecture followed by openconversation. Free. Visitrestonarts.org or call 703-471-9242.
Art Crawl. 6-9 p.m. in downtownHerndon, in and around ArtSpaceHerndon, 750 Center St. Musicians,live art demonstrations will befeatured at the Art Crawl everyThursday evening. Call 703-956-9560.
The Spiritual Rez (Reggae/Funk).7:30-8:30 p.m. at Kidwell Farm,2709 West Ox Road, Herndon.
Thursday Evening Concert Series.Free. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov.
FRIDAY/JULY 28Live Music at Tavern64. 6-10 p.m. at
Tavern64, 1800 Presidents St.,Reston Town Center. Live musicevery Friday night. Call 703-925-8250 or visit tavern64.com.
Traveling Players Ensemble. 8-10p.m. at Reston Town Center Pavilion,1818 Discovery St. The Comedy ofErrors is a performance ofShakespeare’s farce. Free. Rain orshine. Bring a lawn chair for seating.Visit travelingplayers.org.
JULY 28-30Willy Wonka. Various times at
Herndon High School Auditorium,700 Bennett St. Summer Grand castpresents play and tour of thechocolate factory. $12, tour is $3.Visit www.herndondrama.org.
SATURDAY/JULY 29Family Game Days. 10:30 a.m.-noon
at Town Hall Square, 730 Elden St.Different games each Saturday fromcorn hole to sack races. Free. [email protected] or call703-787-7300.
Blue Sky Puppet Theatre. 10-10:45a.m. at Reston Town Center Pavilion,11900 Market St., Reston TownCenter. A show filled with audienceparticipation and humor. Visitrestoncommunitycenter.com or call703-476-4500.
Dollars and Sense Book Club. 7p.m. at Reston Regional Library,
11925 Bowman Towne Drive. Topicwill be “Things a Little Bird Told Me”by Biz Stone. Free. Call 703-689-2700.
Love Canon Concert. 7:30-10 p.m. atReston Town Center, 11900 MarketSt. Bluegrass version of hits from the’80s. Call 703-912-4062 or visitwww.restontowncenter.com/concerts.
Hillbilly Gypsies Concert. 7:30 p.m.at at Arrowbrook Centre Park, FieldPoint Road, Herndon. Bluegrassmusic. Call 703-324-7469 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances.
SUNDAY/JULY 30Exercise with Athleta. 11 a.m.-noon
at Reston Town Center Pavilion,11900 Market St., Reston TownCenter. Bollywood with FitnessEquation of Ashburn, part of Athleta’sfree fitness sessions with a variety offitness instructors every Sundaymorning. Call 703-668-0256 or visitstores.athleta.net/store-4866/.
Sunday Art in the Park. 3-5 p.m. inthe Park Reston Town Square Park,11900 Market St. See local art andtalk to artists. Visitrestonarts.org orcall 703-471-9242.
Film Screening. 6 p.m. in Timothy’sEpiscopal Church, 432 Van Buren St.,Herndon. Martin Scorsese’s newestfilm about a 17th century PortugueseJesuit priest. Email [email protected] or [email protected].
THURSDAY/AUG. 3Farmer’s Market. 8-12:30 p.m. on
Lynn St. in downtown Herndon.
Fresh produce and baked goods, withlive entertainment on the Town HallSquare, 730 Elden St. through Aug.31. Visit herndon-va.gov/recreationor call 703-787-7300.
Art Crawl. 6-9 p.m. in downtownHerndon, in and around ArtSpaceHerndon, 750 Center St. Musicians,live art demonstrations will befeatured at the Art Crawl everyThursday evening. Call 703-956-9560.
SATURDAY/AUG. 5Magic of John Dodge. 10-10:45 a.m.
at Reston Town Square Park, 11990Market St. Dodge does disappearinghandkerchiefs, balloon animals andmore. Free. Visitrestontowncenter.com or call 703-476-4500.
Comfort Cuisine. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. inthe Reston Community Center, 2310Colts Neck Road. This class will teachparticipants how to prepare tasty,healthy and satisfying meals. Call703-476-4500.
THURSDAY/AUG. 10Art Crawl. 6-9 p.m. in downtown
Herndon, in and around ArtSpaceHerndon, 750 Center St. Musicians,live art demonstrations will befeatured at the Art Crawl everyThursday evening. Call 703-956-9560.
SATURDAY/AUG. 12Kids Wet and Wild Day. 10:30 a.m.-
noon at Town Hall Square, 730 EldenSt. Water balloon relays and squirtgun fights. Free. [email protected] or call703-787-7300.
Cardboard Boat Regatta. 2-6 p.m. atLake Anne, Reston. Participatingteams of all ages will construct anddecorate their own life-sizecardboard boats. For questions ormore information on gettinginvolved, contact Elizabeth Didianoat [email protected] or 703-709-7700.
Reston Concerts on the Town.7:30-10 p.m. at Reston Town Center,11900 Market St. The weeklysummer concert series presents bigband jazz with the Navy BandCommodores. Bring lawn chairs orpicnic blankets and hear live outdoormusic at the Pavilion. Free. Rain orshine. Presented by Reston TownCenter, Boston Properties, andReston Town Center Association.Alcohol permitted at restaurantsonly. Visit restontowncenter.com/concerts.
SUNDAY/AUG. 13Bird Watching. 7:30-10:30 a.m. at
Lake Newport, 1575 Brown’s ChapelRoad, Reston. Sponsored by The BirdFeeder of Reston and the RestonAssociation. Call 703-437-3335.
Meet the Reston Author. 2 p.m. atthe Fairfax Museum and VisitorCenter, 10209 Main St., Fairfax.“Reston: A Revolutionary Idea” –Author and biographer KristinaAlcorn will discuss the history ofReston and sign and sell her book,“In His Own Words: Stories from theExtraordinary Life of Reston’sFounder, Robert E. Simon, Jr. Free.Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center,10209 Main St., Fairfax. 703-385-8414.
TUESDAY/AUG. 15Baby and Me Yoga. 10-11 a.m. in the
Reston Community Center, 2310Colts Neck Road. Baby and Me Yogaclass is open to women in all stagesof postpartum, as well as fathers,relatives and caregivers. Classes arefor babies 4 weeks old to crawling.Call 703-476-4500.
Entertainment
Join the Summer Grand cast and crew as theypresent Willy Wonka, a musical that will unlockthe gates of the audience members’ imaginationand, perhaps, teach a lesson or two. Appropriatefor all ages, this celebrated classic offers an op-tional “chocolate factory” tour before Sunday’sperformance. Interested families with childrenages 3-12 should contact Renee Maxwell,[email protected], as tour space is limited.
Photo Courtesy of Robert Maxwell
Herndon High School Summer Grand 2017 will present Roald Dahl’s Willy WonkaFriday, July 28- Sunday July 30 with a special Chocolate Factory Tour on Sunday,July 30. For more information visit www.herndondrama.org.
Willy Wonka at Herndon High SchoolShow Times: Friday, July 28 and Saturday, July29 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 30 at 2 p.m.Herndon High School Auditorium, 700 BennettStreet, Herndon (Enter the school through door#6 in back.)
Tickets: $12 at www.herndondrama.org.Chocolate Factory Tour: $3 + $12 show
ticket. One adult per family may accompany chil-dren on tour at no charge.
10 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ July 26 - August 1, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
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News
By Mercia Hobson
The Connection
Felix Reges, 10, of Restonhas so many good thingsin his life: Loving adop-tive parents and four sib-
lings, an unparalleled curiosity forall things IT, a joy of reading, andnow NuEyes, a head-worn devicefor the visually impaired featuringOsterhout Design Group (ODG)Smartglasses that helps him see.
Felix has low vision. He is oneof the 246 million visually im-paired individuals worldwide, anumber estimated by the WorldHealth Organization. Felix’s visioncannot be restored or correctedwith regular eyeglasses.
Glenn and Ina Reges are Felix’sparents. Recently the Reges fam-ily met with Kristi Linz Moore, arepresentative of the IWearTec, thelocal distributor of NuEyes. Mooresaid NuEyes created proprietarysoftware for the ODG Smartglassesto benefit those with low vision.
She was there with the Regesfamily that day to review withFelix how to use the smart glassesand set up a monitor linked to the
glasses via Bluetooth which wouldallow everyone to see what Felixsaw through the glasses. WhileMoore set things up and workedwith Felix, Glenn and Ina Regesshared a bit about their son, howFelix came into their lives and thechallenges he faced.
Glenn Reges said Felix was aban-doned five days after being bornin southern China. He was placedin an orphanage where the care-takers were told not to interactwith him unless necessary. Fifteenmonths later, Glenn and Ina Regestraveled to China hoping to adoptthe baby boy.
“When they handed Felix to us,we immediately knew somethingwasn’t right.... We had 24 hoursto decide if we wanted to keep himor not,” Glenn Reges recalled. “Wekept him.”
Later, Felix was diagnosed witha condition known as ocular albi-nism, in which the pigmentationof the iris and retina, essential fornormal vision, is reduced andleads to low vision and blindness.“I can sit beside Felix, and he can-not see me,” said Glenn Reges.
“We leave nothing on the floor
for fear he will trip,” added InaReges.
FELIX WAS ALSO DIAG-NOSED with Hermansky-PudlakSyndrome (HPS), a rare geneticmetabolic disorder that causes al-binism and platelet dysfunctionwith prolonged bleeding. Addingone more diagnosis to the list,Felix was found to be autistic,which when added to his visionimpairment Glenn Reges said,“Creates additional anxiety forhim. Felix does not have a senseof his environment, what is aroundhim.”
Glenn Reges recalled how herecently searched the internet try-ing to find something to help theirson see, to level the educationalplaying field. “I consideredbraille,” he said stopping to watchFelix as he tried out different con-trols on the smart glasses withMoore. Continuing, Glenn Regestold how it was during one of hismany internet searches, lookingfor a low vision app to help Felix,that he came across an applicationfor the Dr. Sam Genensky VideoMagnification Award offered bythe Council of Citizens with LowVision International. Glenn Regessaid he completed the application
and then waited.As the school year drew to a
close, they received notificationFelix had been selected as one ofthree individuals to receive a pairof the innovative electronicglasses, NuEyes, the head-wornvisual prosthetic.
As Moore continued to instructFelix on how to use the smartglasses, Glenn Reges asked abouttheir durability. Moore explainedthe device features technologyoriginally designed for the mili-tary. “They are nearly indestruc-tible, except for water, and theyare packed with high tech gadgetsthat will help Felix see,” she saidas Felix grabbed a book and set iton the table in front of him.
Moore described some of smartglasses’ features. “NuEyes has a setof lenses, a digital camera, a com-puter with 64 GB storage,Bluetooth and a light,” she said.“I like it because it’s voice acti-vated,” Felix called out looking athis book. “Glasses make bigger,”Felix said.
Everyone looked at the monitor.On the screen was the text, mag-nified. Moore noted there is asmall handheld wireless control-ler if Felix preferred to use that,rather than voice commands.
Moore described how the cam-era located on the nose bridgeworked. She explained the cam-era live-streams what’s going onaround Felix, then plays it back onthe lenses he sees but with abrighter, sharper, and larger im-age. “The camera can focus at alldistances, near, mid, and far,”Moore said.
With that, Ina Reges asked Felixto go upstairs and check on hisbrother. Felix darted off wearingthe glasses. Via the monitor, every-one followed Felix, seeing whatFelix saw through the monitor –the walls of the kitchen, the steps,down the hall, through a doorway,and into his brother’s room, andthe bed where Felix looked downand at his brother. “He’s here,”Felix called.
According to the manufacturer’swebsite, NuEyes are the first everwireless, lightweight head-worndevice that is voice activated andincludes text-to-speech recogni-tion, OCR. In other words, theglasses can read aloud any printseen through the lenses.
Also, unlike magnifiers com-monly set up on tables for thosewith eye diseases such as maculardegeneration, diabetic retinopa-thy, or retinitis pigmentosa, a per-son using NuEyes is not tetheredto a screen.
Instead, the head worn visualprosthetic can go anywhere – inthe car, to restaurants, the mall,out and about because there areno wires, no screen to carry. Thesmart glasses hold the computerin their frames with the screen lo-cated on the inside lens, in frontof the viewer’s eyes.
“The first time Felix put thesmart glasses on, he jumped upand down,” Glenn Reges said.“Then he ran upstairs and gotthree books. Never did that be-fore... My hope is that Felix willbe able to go into the regular class-room with these glasses.”
REACHED FOR COMMENT af-ter the training session and askedhow she thought the meetingwent, Moore answered, “Whilebeing adopted by the Reges’ wasclearly a blessing, a second strokeof good fortune, if not a miraclehas found its way to Felix.... Hewill now be able to enter a roomfull of people and see who’s there.Enhance his school involvementby participating in regular classsessions and walk across the streetand experience his neighborhood.And, for the first time be able tosee the faces of his mother, fatherand brothers, and sisters from fur-ther than two feet away.”
Seeing the World Through NuEyes Reston 10-year-old boy receivesdevice enabling him to see.
Felix Reges, 10 of Reston has a visual impairment.Regular eyeglasses do not correct or restore his vision,but with the magnification and freedom capacity of hisNuEyes visual prosthetics, he can see to read andnavigate at home and in school.
Pho
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by M
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Reston Connection ❖ July 26 - August 1, 2017 ❖ 11www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
plus years and was vice presidentat one time of the railroad unionso my mother was very workersrights oriented and my father’sfamily were bankers. My paternalgrandfather was vice president ofNational Boulevard Bank in Chi-cago. So I get an interesting per-spective.
It does not make sense to methat they are going after thisfailsafe program for the most dis-advantaged of our country. This isa safety net. There are so manyother programs that need to be ex-amined. But I cannot understandthis assault on the human condi-tion of our citizens. There areblack ops programs that get un-limited funding. The waste is inthese special interest programs.No one is investigating the $100toothpicks. Somehow the healthand welfare programs are the tar-get for cutting when in actualitygovernment waste in these otherpet projects should be addressed.We have projects that have no ac-countability.
Valerie BensonBurke
From Page 4
Letter
To have community events listed inthe Connection, send toconnectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/by noon on Friday.
THROUGH JULY 28Vendor Application Deadline.
Reston Community Center is seekingarts and crafts vendors, food vendorsand civic organizations of all culturesfor the 17th Annual RestonMulticultural Festival. The festival willbe held Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017 atLake Anne Plaza in Reston. Interestedgroups or individuals should fill outthe appropriate Vendor ApplicationForm, available atwww.restoncommunitycenter.com/mcf.
THROUGH JULY 31Backpacks for Students. Various
times at Christ the King LutheranChurch, 10550 Georgetown Pike,Great Falls. Christ the King’s TeamService is collaborating with Reston’said to families organizationCornerstones and school suppliescollection organization Kids R First tohelp youngsters in the community.Collections will run through July;drop off in the church lobby. Visitwww.gflutheran.org or call 703-759-6068.
TUESDAY/AUG. 15Candidate Filing Deadline. Reston
Community Center (RCC) is seekinginterested candidates to run for seatson its Board of Governors. The Boardof Governors is a nine-member bodyresponsible for oversight of RCC. Allresidents of Small District 5, age 18 orolder, are eligible to run. Candidatesmust complete a Candidacy Statementin order to have their names placedon the Preference Poll ballot.Candidacy Statements will beavailable at RCC facilities or online atwww.restoncommunitycenter.combeginning at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday,Aug. 1. The deadline for candidacyfiling is 5 p.m.on Tuesday, Aug. 15.
Bulletin Board
Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.
By KENNETH B. LOURIE
The cats. The car. The dentist. The pancre-atic enzymes. It was a week that typically isn’t.As often as my credit card was swiped thesepast few days, I’m amazed its magnetic strip isstill magnetized. To quote my deceased mother,Celia: “It’s enough already.”
Oh well, what’s done is done, though itdefinitely needed doing. And aside from thefact that I didn’t have the actual money, fortu-nately I had the available credit, which I wasgrateful to have had. I mean, how long can youput off necessary evils/expenditures before theyrear their ugly consequences? And thoughmoney doesn’t grow on trees (linen actually),credit seems to, and so the to-do list now hassome cross-outs/”has-dones” finally.
Now the anxiety about neglecting the “to-dos” is replaced by the worry about thecost/needing-to-pay the “having-dones.”Nevertheless, the cats have had their vaccina-tions shot current.
The car now has a passenger window thatgoes down – and back up, a check-engine lightthat no longer illuminates, a blower that willnow provide heat in the winter and a defoggerwhen needed, and as it turns out a bit of unex-pected air conditioning.
The dentist has referred me to an oral sur-geon (since the teeth were both “unresto-rable”/not root canal candidates) who willextract two teeth from my mouth and hundredsmore from my bank account/probably creditcard – again, but no doubt get me back on acourse of dental correction.
The pancreatic enzymes, the most expen-sive bottle of pills I buy (I consume upwards of55 pills per day) is an expense I incur everythree months and does something to help myimmune system keep the lung cancer in-check,a priority if there ever was one.
Paying to keep on playing (so to speak), bymaintaining this kind of normalcy enhances thefeeling that life is indeed still being played. Andnot that my attitude/philosophy in such respon-sibilities is totally affected by yours truly havingbeen diagnosed with a “terminal” form of can-cer: non-small cell lung cancer, stage IV, to bespecific, but as the old punchline says: “It does-n’t hurt.” And avoiding hurt is definitely part ofthe fighting-cancer strategy; along with avoidingstress, eating healthy, exercising and boostingone’s immune system.
I guess what I’m realizing that I have twolives, sort of, the usual and customary life:work, play, day-to-day stuff and the cancer life:lab work, chemotherapy, scans, oncologist, pills,lifestyle changes, etc. On some days, they areparallel. On other days, they intersect. Andthough they may be separate, they are inter-related. What benefits one is likely to positivelyaffect the other.
Additionally, a negative in one life will like-wise have an adverse consequence in the other.However, the requirements to maintain theirrespective lives is different. Yet balance/co-exis-tence must be maintained in order for one toremain “twogether.”
Two separate halves will not make for aresponsible whole, but rather lead to an emo-tional one. And if there’s one attribute that acancer patient/survivor must have, it is emo-tional wherewithal. Failure to do so in one’scancer life will likely spill over into the non-can-cer life (and vice-versa) and cause a kind of anadult version of failure to thrive.
Cancer might win the battle in the end butyou can’t let it win the battle in the interim.Fulfilling your every-day responsibilities helpsgive that life the kind of accomplishment thataids and abets in your fight against your cancerlife. Moreover, handling your cancer life givesyou the confidence and optimism to live yournon-cancer life.
Granted, the two lives might not exactly bethe best of friends, but they must be partners ofa sort. The sort that is independent, apprecia-tive, respectful and considerate.
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12 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ July 26 - August 1, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
News
The Fairfax County Circuit Courtgranted a preliminary injunctionagainst Boston Properties sub-sidiary South of Market, LLC,
and its Park RTC smartphone app and park-ing system for the Reston Town Center.
The injunction restricts Boston Propertiesfrom enforcing its pay-to-park system onguests who visit Jackson’s Mighty Fine Food& Lucky Lounge on Democracy Drive andpark in the town center’s Orange Garage.
The preliminary injunction was issued onJune 13 in a lawsuit that Jackson’s filedagainst Boston Properties in the FairfaxCounty Circuit Court: “Jacksons MFF RTCLLC v. BP South of Market, LLC et. al.”
The restaurant filed the lawsuit on Thurs-day, March 23, and is seeking to force Bos-ton Properties to pay $500,000 in damagesthe restaurant suffered from the towncenter’s paid parking system. The lawsuitalso demands the system be scrapped.
“The question presented is whether a dis-pute over the installation of a paid parkingsystem between a commercial landlord anda tenant, who had been promised free park-ing, supports the granting of a preliminaryinjunction,” Judge John Tran wrote in a let-ter to attorneys involved in the lawsuit. “Apreliminary injunction is an extraordinaryremedy. It is a
temporary determination of rights beforethe final judgment of the merits of a case.It commands the enjoined party to eitherrefrain from taking certain actions or to takespecific actions. It is granted by a court inits sound discretion only after taking intoconsideration well-established equitableprinciples.”
As a condition to the injunction going intoeffect, Jackson’s was required to post a$25,000 bond payable to South of Market,LLC should it lose the lawsuit, according tothe preliminary injunction order.
A FINAL DETERMINATION and rulinghas yet to be made by the court. The nexttrial date is set for February 2018, accord-ing to Katherine Kanner, a spokesperson forJackson’s.
“We are pleased with the ruling … grant-ing a preliminary injunction and reinforc-ing Jackson’s view that the current Park RTCsystem creates confusion and concerns forour guests,” Jon Norton, CEO of GreatAmerican Restaurants, said in a press re-lease. “Jackson’s puts its guests first and weare delighted that they will no longer beforced to use the cumbersome Park RTC appor the current pay-to-park system in theOrange Garage.”
“From the beginning, we have asked Bos-ton Properties to uphold our lease rights andthe ruling is a step in the right direction,”Norton added.
The official statement from Boston Prop-erties after the injunction was issued, ac-cording to its spokesperson, Kathy Walsh,was: “Boston Properties is reviewing thecourt’s opinion and considering their op-tions.”
The paid parking system that was imple-
mented in January has been met with re-sistance from both merchants and shoppers,including this lawsuit, a Change.org peti-tion, the formation of a Merchant’s Asso-ciation comprising town center proprietorsagainst the parking system and a “Park FreeRTC” march on Saturday, March 4, that at-tracted hundreds of people who walkedaround the town center’s grounds for nearlytwo hours in protest.
The Reston Merchant’s Association, led byAaron Gordon of the Gordon Food Groupand the owner of the Red Velvet Cupcakeryin the town center, issued a press releaseon March 27 that said merchants have seena precipitous drop-off in foot traffic andsales during weekdays.
“The community has spoken and they arefed up with paid parking,” Gordon said inthe press release. “People don’t want tohand over their license plate number andcredit card information to Boston Proper-ties.
As a result of all of this, we see that manyof our best customers are boycotting RTCaltogether and others have said they willnever come back.”
SEVERAL RESTAURANTS AND RETAILowners and general managers shared theirlatest sales data in the MerchantAssociation’s press release:
❖ Red Velvet Cupcakery: March saleswere down 19 percent and projected ayearly drop of 25 percent.
❖ Big Bowl: March sales were down 26percent and down 4,500 customers over lastyear.
❖ Busara: March sales were down 18 per-cent.
❖ The Counter Burger: March sales weredown approximately 24 percent.
❖ Dawn Price Baby: February sales weredown 18 percent, while all other locationswere up an average of 20 percent for thesame month.
❖ The Eyewear Gallery: February saleswere down 29 percent.
❖ Potomac River Running: March salesare down 37 percent, while its seven otherlocations sales were higher.
❖ Edibles Incredible Desserts: Februarysales were down 28 percent.
❖ Ted’s Bulletin: Sales are down signifi-cantly on the year, while other locationshave even or higher sales compared to lastyear.
Boston Properties implemented severalchanges to its parking regulations on June5, which allowed one hour of free parkingfor all guests who start a parking session inthe town center’s garages on weekdays andfree parking within the garages for all guestson weekdays after 5 p.m.
The garages are free on weekends andstreet parking is free on Sundays.
As Jackson’s continues to pursue its claimfor a breach of its lease rights, parking willremain free at all times for Jackson’s guestsin the Orange Garage.
— Fallon Forbush
Preliminary Injunction Granted In LawsuitOver Reston Town Center Parking
SnapshotDouble Rainbow over Lake Anne at 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 23.
Pho
to
by Jo
hn
Lo
vaas
Where Have All the Flowers Gone?“With view in Mind” — Lake Anne Quayside July 2016; Lake AnneQuayside July 2017, by Christine Waleski, Waterview Cluster,Reston.
