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Alex McVeigh

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Staying Safe This Summer

Neighborhood Resource Center hosts safety briefing.

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department hosted a summer safety briefing Thursday, June 7 at the Neighborhood Resource Center in Herndon. Lt. Bill Vance of Station Four on Spring Street explained some of the more common summer safety hazards.

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Reward Offered In Frying Pan Attacks

$7,500 offered for information leading to arrest and conviction.

The Fairfax County Park Authority announced a $7,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons suspected of attacking animals at Frying Pan Farm Park sometime the night of May 26 or the morning of May 27. The slashing attacks left a chicken, a calf and two goats wounded.

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Closet Begins Summer Shopping Days

Monthly Thursday evening hours allow more shopping opportunities.

The Closet, a nonprofit thrift shop in downtown Herndon, will open Thursday evenings once a month, to allow potential shoppers another chance to explore the various clothes, antiques, electronics and other appliances offered.

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Herndon Celebrates 32nd Annual Festival

Tens of thousands flock to annual downtown event.

Out of all the rides, games, food, activities and vendors at this year’s Herndon Festival, Geoff Smith, 12, of Herndon, says one thing will stick out in his mind: a robot that can shoot baskets.

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Animals Assaulted at Kidwell Barn

Weekend incident is similar to nearby April 26 stabbing of three horses.

Two goats, a calf and a chicken were assaulted at Kidwell Barn at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon sometime between 5 p.m. Saturday, May 26 and 7 a.m. Sunday, May 27. Staff at Kidwell Farm at Frying Pan Park went to feed the animals the morning of Sunday, May 27 and found the animals, who were injured by an unknown assailant.

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Herndon Remembers Fallen

Chestnut Grove hosts annual observance ceremony.

The Town of Herndon hosted its annual Memorial Day observance at Chestnut Grove Cemetery Monday, May 28. Members of the American Legion joined with local officials and dozens of residents to commemorate the lives given up for their country.

Beautifying Downtown Herndon

Artist Keith Naquin paints mural on NAPA Auto Parts building.

Since April, Keith Naquin has been hard at work on a brick wall. The artist was recently contracted by the Council for the Arts of Herndon to transform the rear of the NAPA Auto Parts building in downtown Herndon into a picturesque glimpse of rural life.

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Herndon Hosts Bike-to-Work Day

Downtown one of 58 local pit stops for annual event.

Hundreds of bikers who decided to forego their cars during their commute were welcomed in downtown Herndon Friday, May 18, one of 58 pit stops around the Washington, D.C. area during the day. The day was the culmination of National Bike to Work Week, and last year’s Bike to Work Day featured more than 11,000 participants locally.

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Supporting Friendly, Instant, Sympathetic Help

Herndon-Reston FISH hosts annual fundraiser.

Most guests at the annual Herndon-Reston FISH Fling Saturday, May 19 were already familiar with the work done by Friendly Instant Sympathetic Help. George Buckfield of Centreville wasn’t very familiar, but it didn’t take long into dinner for him to realize their impact.

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Herndon Hosts Annual Festival May 31-June 3

Festival Features free Entertainment, fireworks and carnival.

Herndon will host its 32nd annual Herndon Festival May 31 to June 3, attracting more than 80,000 metropolitan Washington, D.C. residents to one of the area’s largest admission free festivals.

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Families Fight For Northern Virginia Training Center

Center provides care to more than 150 residents with disabilities.

Susan Infeld, a registered nurse, remembers vividly the night she knew she had to get involved with the Northern Virginia Training Center. She was working as a hospice nurse at a local hospital when a patient from NVTC came in suffering from pneumonia in the middle of the night.

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Reston Smart Market Returns

Market features guaranteed producer-only products.

The Reston Smart Market, featuring guaranteed producer-only produce, meats, dairy and other goods has kicked off for the summer season. This year’s incarnation has a few new vendors, and Jean Janssen of Smart Markets says the new additions help fulfill some of their goals.

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Merkel Elected Mayor of Herndon

2012-14 Council features three incumbents, two past councilmembers.

Lisa Merkel was elected Mayor of Herndon Tuesday, May 1, and Connie Hutchinson, Melissa Jonas, Dave Kirby, Sheila Olem, Charlie Waddell and Grace Wolf were elected to the Herndon Town Council for the 2012-14 term.

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Worldgate Hosts Women’s Racquetball

World tournament takes place over three days at Sport and Health.

Worldgate Sport and Health hosted more than 20 of the world’s top-ranked professional racquetball players last weekend, welcoming the Women’s Professional Racquetball Tour for the second year in a row.

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Towne Square Singers Celebrate 30th Anniversary

Group performs ‘Down Memory Lane,’ a look at concerts of the past.

When it came time for the Herndon Towne Square Singers to celebrate their 30th anniversary, they knew they wanted to look to the past. The problem was, with three decades worth of shows to pull from, it wasn’t easy.

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Herndon High Hosts Youth Drinking Forum

Panel discussion, video highlight latest trends in teenage drinking.

Herndon High School hosted "The Perils of the College Drinking Culture" Tuesday, April 24, a forum discussing the consequences of alcohol use with students and parents in the community. The event, hosted by the Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County, featured facts about the social, legal and physical consequences of alcohol use.

Three Run for Mayor

Vice Mayor Lisa Merkel, Councilmembers Jasbinder Singh, Bill Tirrell seek election.

With current Herndon Mayor Steve DeBenedittis deciding not to seek re-election, three current councilmembers will seek his spot in the town’s May 1 election. Vice Mayor Lisa Merkel and Councilmembers Jasbinder Singh and Bill Tirrell look to succeed DeBendittis, who was first elected in 2006.

Nine Run for Town Council

Candidates seek six seats on Town Council for two-year term.

Nine candidates will vie for six seats on the Herndon Town Council in the May 1 election. With three current councilmembers declaring their candidacy for mayor, three current members as well as five new candidates will run.

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Taste of the Town Celebrated

Annual restaurant showcase benefits Council for the Arts of Herndon.

Samantha Hendrie of Herndon knew she didn’t have to worry about dinner for her family Thursday, April 19, she just had to bring them to Worldgate.

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Community Aims to Fill Empty Bowls

Floris United Methodist Church hosts annual Food For Others event.

More than 500 people gathered at the Floris United Methodist Church Friday, April 13 to help raise money and awareness for hungry people in the area. The annual Empty Bowls event, which raised money for local food bank Food For Others and hosted by the Giving Circle of HOPE, allowed guests to enjoy soups, snacks and deserts from local eateries, as well as take home a handmade bowl made by local potters, all for a $20 donation.

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ADAMS Hosts Interfaith Seder

Event brings together people of faith to discuss faith, freedom.

Andrea Barron was part of the first Jewish-Arab Seder 25 years ago, which was held in Washington, D.C. organized by local Jewish leaders to promote peace.

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Cleaning Herndon’s Streams and Paths

Herndon Environmental Network hosts first group cleanup.

Charlotte Anderson, 12, knew there would be plenty to pick up while picking up trash along the stream in downtown Herndon, near the Fortnightly Library. But Anderson didn’t expect the first thing found to be a shopping cart, considering the site is almost a mile away from the closest grocery store.

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County Aims to Prevent Substance Use and Abuse

Alcohol use down, painkiller and inhalant use on the rise.

Twenty-one questions in the 2010 Fairfax County Youth Survey dealt with substance abuse. The survey asked about lifetime use of alcohol, marijuana and cigarettes, as well as use in the past month of 13 different substances.

Council Responds to County Water Ordinance

Councilmembers decide to address legislative ordinance issues with county.

The Herndon Town Council unanimously passed a response to the Dec. 6, 2011 Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ decision to regulate water sales and rates from non-county providers.

Arts Council Offers Taste of Spring

Taste of the Town brings restaurants to the forefront.

This Spring, the annual Taste of the Town festival will celebrate many of Herndon’s signature restaurants by giving visitors a chance to sample their signature items. Hosted by the Council for the Arts of Herndon, the 21st annual event has long been known as a showcase for destination dining.

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Classical Ballet Theatre Dancers On the Move

Nonprofit dance studio hosts annual fundraiser, prepares for move to Reston.

When Cynthia Donavin, executive director of the Classical Ballet Theatre, was searching for inspiration to find a new location for the studio, she turned to one of the area’s most famous patrons of the arts: Reston founder Robert Simon.

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Risky Behavior by the Numbers

Youth Survey highlights risks, assets for students.

Periodically, Fairfax County conducts a youth survey which polls thousands of students to get a glimpse into issues of substance abuse, antisocial behaviors as well as factors such as mental health and civic engagements.

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Herndon Seniors Create Exhibit

ArtSpace hosts second annual senior art show.

Last Fall, Herndon High School senior Baback Chiniforoushan was with some friends and his dog next to the Washington Monument when they performed a familiar ritual.

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Herndon Welcomes New Chief

Col. Maggie A. DeBoard sworn in as chief of police.

The Town of Herndon welcomed Col. Maggie A. DeBoard as chief of police Tuesday, March 6, when she was officially sworn in at the Ingram Council Chambers. DeBoard, a 25-year veteran of the Fairfax County Police Department, has previously served as captain of the Franconia District Station, commander of the county’s helicopter division, commander of the Special Operations division and deputy chief of investigations.

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No More Food Waste at Dranesville Elementary

Students, faculty kick off food donation program with LINK food bank.

After watching almost 6,000 pounds of food go to waste last year, the students and faculty of Dranesville Elementary School decided to do something about it. On Monday, March 12 the school cut the ribbon on their food recovery program, which will support LINK, a local nonprofit that provides food assistance to residents of Herndon, Sterling and Ashburn.

Fire Department Seeks Artifacts

Station looking for historic memorabilia for new station lobby.

The Herndon Fire Station has a lot of history to it, and much of it will be lost forever as a new station is built over the next year. And while the original cornerstone from the station’s 1950 construction will remain with the new station, Capt. Kerwin McNamara says they are looking for plenty more.

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Herndon Council Approves Metro Amendment

Plan allows for increased density, new road network, other changes for area north of station.

The Herndon Town Council voted four to three Tuesday, Feb. 28 to approve the Comprehensive Plan Amendment that allows for redevelopment of the area north of the proposed Herndon-Monroe Metro station. The Council had been considering the plan for months, through various changes and approval from the town’s Planning Commission.

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Herndon High Step Team Kicks Off Title Defense

Herndon High School hosts 14th annual StompFest.

Fresh off a season in which they won the national championship, the Herndon High School Step Team kicked off their season by hosting the 14th annual StompFest Saturday at Herndon High. The event featured nine local teams competing for first place.

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Rail Association Takes Look Forward

Developers discuss Silver Line strategies.

The Dulles Corridor Rail Association hosted a "look forward" Friday, Feb. 24 in Herndon to examine the plans around the proposed Silver Line Metrorail Stations.

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Council Defers Metro Decision

Continuation of public hearing set for Feb. 28.

The Herndon Town Council voted Feb. 14 to defer a decision on adoption of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment that would allow for redevelopment of 38 acres between Herndon Parkway and the proposed Herndon-Monroe Metrorail station.

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Herndon Kicks Off Relay For Life

Annual American Cancer Society Fundraiser will take place June 9.

The Herndon Relay for Life kicked off planning for its ninth year of the event Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the Herndon Police Station. Herndon is one of more than 5,000 communities that hold the annual event, which features an overnight relay event that raises money for the American Cancer Society.

Fixing Park-Monroe Intersection

Council to discuss intersection at Feb. 14 meeting.

The Herndon Town Council will hold a public hearing on plans for ways to make the intersection of Park Avenue and Monroe Street on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at the Ingram Council Chambers. The angles and elevations of the intersection have made it a priority for the town for years.

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Metro Plan Goes to Herndon Town Council

Draft plan will now be considered for adoption by Town Council.

The Town of Herndon Planning Commission unanimously recommended a plan for the area north of the proposed Herndon-Monroe Metrorail station at their Monday, Feb. 6 meeting. The decision means the Comprehensive Plan Amendment that would allow for redevelopment will be passed on to the Town Council, which began discussions at their Feb. 7 work session.

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Panel Addresses College Drinking

Unified Prevention Coalition hosts event at McLean High School.

The Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County and the McLean High School PTSA presented "Perils of the College Drinking Culture" Wednesday, Jan. 11. The program featured a panel of speakers who discussed the health and legal consequences of underage and binge drinking, as well as a short film.

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Great Falls Looks Ahead to 2012

Great Falls Looks Ahead to 2012

Last year saw progress on several issues around Great Falls, issues that will affect residents for generations to come.

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Fire Station Holds Onto History

Firefighters repair historic bell in front of station.

For more than 50 years, the original Great Falls fire station housed the men and women of the Great Falls Volunteer Fire Department.

Great Falls Honors Those Who Serve

Freedom Memorial hosts annual Memorial Day Ceremony.

Langley senior Matthew Goudreau knows all about being in a military family. His mother was in the Navy and his brother is currently serving in the Marines on the USS Enterprise. So when the Thomas a Beckett Youth Choir and Ensemble, of which Goudreau is a member, was asked to perform at the Great Falls Freedom Memorial for Memorial Day, he was more than willing.

Swimmers Take to Lake Audubon

Reston Masters Swim Team hosts 24th annual lake swim.

For 24 years, the Reston Masters Swim Team has hosted a lake swim Memorial Day weekend, 22 of them taking place at Lake Audubon. The event is one of the only times each year that swimming is allowed in the lake. Shirley Loftus-Charley has participated in every one of those swims, dating back to her time living in Reston. Despite her decades of experience, this year was a first for her.

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