Reston Citizen

Originally uploaded by Joshua Davis (articnomad).

Not really much to say about this one. Obviously taken a while back before it had gotten cold. And sitting in my freezing cold basement I can’t appreciate the warm summer colors.

A sign marks an entrance to Sprint’s, Reston, Virginia headquarters.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Sprint is going to lay off thousands, and possibly move it’s headquarters back to Overland Park, Kansas. This follows a string of business relocations from the Dulles Technology Corridor in 2007 including PRA leaving for North Carolina, and AOL moving to New York.

The tip comes from an anonymous source. As usual a Sprint spokesman said, “We don’t comment on rumors.”

The 59,000 strong company would pink slip about 5,000 people. As customers have run from low quality service, and non interoperability between Sprint and Nextel’s network, corporate income has taken a serious decline. Sprint leadership has taken drastic measure to shore up revenues including an announcement in early 2007 about job layoffs. In todays trading Sprint’s share price fell 3 cents to $12.33.

Sprint currently maintains operational headquarters in Overland Park. Almost 13,000 work in the Kansas location, while a little less than 5000 work in the Washington, DC area. Reston only became Sprint’s headquarters after its 2005 takeover of Nextel.

Statue of Martin Luther King Jr. in Kelly Ingram Park, Birmingham Alabama.

The Reston Community Center invites everyone to come and honor the sacrifice of Dr Martin Luther King. Events start on Janurary 19th with a concert, and continue on the 20th with another free concert.

On January 21st a commemorative march is planned to start at the Southgate Center, and terminates at the Hunter Woods RCC location.

Schedule of Events:
Saturday, January 19, 6:00pm - 8:00pm: RCC Hunters Woods

Reston Community Orchestra, conducted byMaestro Dingwall Fleary. MetroSingers and encore performances by Reston’s own, Beverly Cosham, Song Stylist, and Ellyn Lomak Crawford, Soprano.

Sunday, January 20, 4:00pm: Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation

Community Concert sponsored by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Monday, January 21, 7:30am: Southgate Community Center
Commemorative march, shuttles will be provided back to the Southgate location.
Read the rest of this entry »

covered in books, originally uploaded by justadd_ monsters.

Reston Citizen would agree with the photographer that the Reston Used Book Store is an “Adorable 2nd hand book store.” We particularly loved the sepia colors which gives a strong impression of used books.

The Reston International Center and other JBG properties are seen in this photo on Sunrise Valley Drive.

Approval of a conceptual plan (used by developers to test the waters) has been pushed back until the next board of supervisors meeting.

Supervisor Hudgins delayed approval until last minute details in the plan can be worked out. These include additions like pursuing LEED status for their buildings. LEED status indicates how green a building is and sets goals for how large a footprint of water, electricity, and pollution is generated by the building.

Reston Heights includes nearly 500 condo units, 400,000 square feet of office space, and 2800 above ground parking garage spaces.

The Reston Observer reports that citizens are concerned about additional traffic:

However, three of the four residents who spoke at the public hearing said they had concerns about traffic problems the development would create along Sunrise Valley Drive. Reston resident Marie Huhtala, who ran unsuccessfully for the Hunter Mill district seat on the board last year, said the Reston Heights project would generate thousands of new trips each day on the already-congested Sunrise Valley Drive.

But they did let JBG defend their project:

Ben Tompkins, who represented The JBG Companies at Monday’s board meeting, said the project would provide a “much-needed amenity basis for south Reston.” […]Responding to the public comments, Tompkins said JBG has completed a traffic study that showed Sunrise Valley Drive could accommodate the additional traffic, but he knows transportation improvements will be needed.

Attempted Robbery:
Two men attempted to rob a 43-year-old Herndon-area woman on Wednesday, January 8. The victim was walking to her house in the 2200 block of Saunders Drive around 8:45 p.m., when two men walked past her in the opposite direction. She turned to look back at them and one demanded her purse. The victim ran to a nearby house, screaming and the suspects fled. There were no injuries. The suspects were described as wearing dark, hooded sweat shirts concealing their faces and blue jeans. One suspect was about 6 feet tall and weighed about 175 pounds.

Larcenies:
Andorra Plaza 2400: License plate stolen from vehicle.
Astoria circle 2200: GPS system stolen from vehicle.
Hunters Woods Plaza 2300: Bicycle stolen from business.
Kings Lake Drive 12400: Jewelry stolen from residence.
Redberry Court 900: License plate stolen from vehicle.
Soapstone Drive 2300: Lottery ticket stolen from business.
Washington Plaza West 11400: Money stolen from business.

Stolen Vehicles:
Olde Tiverton Circle 11500: 1995 Acura reported stolen.
Quorn Lane 12200: 1992 Subaru Legacy reported stolen.

Skating rink, originally uploaded by I Am Adam.

Flickr user I Am Adam is showing a new style of cross processed* pinhole photography. *Cross processing use to be deliberately putting the wrong chemicals in the photo lab. Assuming this is film this is some nice old school processing and none of that fake Photoshop crap I do.

Ken Plum, seen on the left participates in a rally for Stu Gibson, the school board member behind the boundary changes.

In an increasingly bitter debate on school boundary changes Virginia delegate Ken Plum (D-Reston) has contrasted the racist tones of concerned parents with the school integration debates ’70s. He also tells of South Lakes good side. While maybe exaggerated he still has a valid point:

One of the more memorable moments in recent Virginia history was recorded in a front-page New York Times photograph and story of Governor Lynwood Holton walking his daughter Tayloe into a predominately Black high school in Richmond in 1970 to enroll her for classes. His wife was at the same time enrolling their other daughter Anne and their son Woody in schools in which they were the only white children in their classes. Woody grew up to become a prominent author and historian, and his sister Anne is now First Lady of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Governor Holton took a bold leadership step to show folks that their fears about the integration of public schools were not well founded. He explained later that he felt integration of the schools was the morally right thing to do. After decades of lawsuits, our public schools are for the most part integrated. The worst fears of the consequences of integration were never realized. […]

The recent process the School Board has undertaken in our region to adjust boundaries has brought some of the feelings about our local schools into the open and exposed some biases that we may be surprised to learn continue to exist in our communities. In the process, South Lakes High School has gotten a bum rap.

Two [of our children] are school teachers, one is a lawyer, and one is an environmental inspector for local government. When we read what others are saying about Scout Lakes High School, we know they are seriously misinformed. Numerous studies have shown that the strength of a school is in its leadership, and South Lakes High School is filled with educational leaders. Principal Bruce Butler has been recognized by his peers with the Fairfax County First-Year Principal of the Year Award and has recently been named in the community as Citizen of the Year.

In other high school redistricting news, on January 14th at 7pm South Lakes will offer parents from other schools a  preview on South Lakes IB and AP offerings. The meeting will be held in the lecture hall, if you need more information contact the school.

Reston Hospital, who has long prided itself on superior service has received a Magnet status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The prestigious award is based on multiple criteria including:

· The hospital’s role in the community

· The level of engagement of nurses in hospital leadership activities

· The level of engagement of nurses in research activities and professional advancement

· The hospital’s quality of care and dedication to constant improvement

“Becoming a Magnet hospital has been a vision of the nursing department for years. Today we achieved that vision, which wasn’t only mine, but that of the hundreds of nurses who I work with everyday at Reston Hospital,” said Cindy Glover Chief Nursing Officer at Reston Hospital.

“This achievement goes beyond nursing at Reston Hospital Center. It has been an effort of every department and every staff member on our campus,” said Bill Adams, CEO at the hospital.

Magnet hospital designation serves as a benchmark for measuring a hospitals care. While in the short term it alerts patrons to good service, in the long term the best talent in nursing sees the award and comes to work for the hospital.

Talk about a bad to start the new year, two Maryland men where attacked by 10 to 15 other men as they dropped a woman off at her home near Glade Drive and Marginella Drive in Reston.

After the woman had left the mob surounded the car, reached into the back and stabbed the passenger. The stab victim was flown to INOVA Fairfax hospital. The man was not seriously injured.

One arrest has been made of the only man the victims could idenitfy. He was charged with assault by mob, destruction of property, and brandishing of a firearm. There have been no arrests for the stabbings.