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Reston Connection ❖ September 13-19, 2017 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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September 13-19, 2017 online at www.connectionnewspapers.com

RestonReston HomeLifeStyleHomeLifeStylePage 7

HomeLifeStylePage 7

Fairfax County Zoning Administrator LeslieJohnson addresses the community during anopen house about zMod, the county’s initiativeto modernize its Zoning Ordinance.

Short-Term Rentals DebatedNews, Page 3

Short-Term Rentals DebatedNews, Page 3

A Taste of Napa Valley in RestonDining, Page 8

Rosh Hashanah —Not Just a New YearFaith, Page 12

A Taste of Napa Valley in RestonDining, Page 8

Rosh Hashanah —Not Just a New YearFaith, Page 12

2 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ September 13-19, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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NewsReston Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

By Fallon Forbush

The Connection

As Fairfax County works to regu-late the use of short-term rentalproperties, disputes betweenneighbors continue to flare up.

STRs, or spaces that are rented by ten-ants for fewer than 30 consecutive days, canbe accessed through lodging reservationwebsites like Airbnb and other companies,like Craigslist, HomeAway and FlipKey.However, operating such a rental is illegalin the county because the zoning ordinancedoes not account for their existence andtherefore does not permit them.

“Localities have always had the author-ity to regulate short-term rentals,” said stateSen. Scott Surovell (D-36). “I’m not surewhy Fairfax County had never acted beforethis year, but many localities in Virginiahave.”

Surovell voted for Senate Bill 1578,“Short-term rental property; registration ofpersons offering property for rental,” whichwas signed into law on March 24, takingeffect on July 1. The new legislation autho-rizes localities in the commonwealth toadopt an ordinance to require people to reg-ister annually in a short-term rental regis-try.

“When the legislature decided to step in,it created some uncertainty about where wewere going to go with the subject, but be-fore we acted, it was always thought thatlocalities could regulate Airbnb-type rent-als all they wanted to,” he said.

The legislation solidifies what localitiesalready had the power to do and will en-courage those that have not addressed theissue to do so, according to Surovell.

The legislation has motivated FairfaxCounty to act, but not before disputesstarted brewing in residential neighbor-hoods.

TWO ROOMS of the Herrity Building inFairfax were filled to standing room onlyon July 26, during an open house about thecounty’s proposed zoning changes.

“This is our first foray into what we’recalling an open house,” said Leslie Johnson,zoning administrator for the county. “Wehave a lot of different topic areas that we’reworking on as part of the amending of thezoning ordinance. We thought it was a goodopportunity to bring people in to talk to ourstaff, to be able to ask questions on whatwe’re doing and just let people know thatwe are working on modernizing our zon-ing ordinance.”

The Zoning Administration Division of theFairfax County Department of Planning andZoning launched the Modernization ofFairfax County’s Zoning Ordinance initia-tive, or zMod, after the plan was presentedto the Board of Supervisors in March.

“Our ordinance is 40 years old and it doesneed some rebooting,” Johnson said. “We’relooking at not only updating some of theprovisions, but more importantly, we’re alsolooking at updating the format and kind ofrestructuring it; maybe bucketing uses sothey’re more in categories, so as useschange, we have a better ability to put newuses into a category.”

There are 14 provisions being draftedunder the modernization plan, according toJohnson, including adding more genericguidelines for restaurants, which have notbeen updated since 1981. The definitionsfor restaurants would be more genericallydefined in three categories: general restau-rant; restaurant with a drive-through; or acarryout restaurant. Locations for restau-rants would also be revised to reflect thenewly defined uses and use limitationswould be simplified. Parking for restaurantswould also be changed by converting thebasis for restaurant parking requirementsfrom the number of seats and employees to

the square feet of a restaurant’s gross floorarea.

Also being drafted is an increase to thepercentage allowed for residentialhomeowners to cover their backyards withpatios, pool decking and other man-madefeatures. Current provisions only allow forup to 30 percent of a backyard of a single-family dwelling to be covered. The changescould allow for up to 60 percent of cover-age.

The county’s Sign Ordinance is also be-ing rewritten in response to a U.S. SupremeCourt decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert inJune 2015, which clarified when munici-palities may impose content-based restric-tions on signage. The rewrite of the zoningrules for signs will make them content-neu-tral.

Among all of the proposed updates, short-term rentals are the hot topic, says Johnson.

“There were people that have concernsabout short-term rentals that are creatingproblems for them in their neighborhoods,”said Lily Yegazu, who works for the Depart-

ment of Planning and Zoning and mannedthe STR booth at the open house. “Thereare also people that wanted to know howto do it [list property for short-term rental].”

Whether people support STRs or not, theyare currently illegal in the county.

“We do not allow for transient occupancyof a dwelling unit, unless it’s a bed andbreakfast, which requires special exceptionapproval [from the Board of Supervisors],”Johnson said during the meeting.

Amanda Staudt and Peggy Hillman ofNorth Reston, who have an Airbnb prop-erty operating on their street in a residen-tial neighborhood, were vocal about theiropposition to STRs at the meeting.

“We have a small cul-de-sac with 21 kids18 and younger,” Staudt said. “One of thehouses on our street, the owner moved in ayear and a half ago, moved into the base-ment and started renting out individualrooms at about $35 a night. So basically, itwas a small hotel.”

The women’s anxiety over safety concernswith their transient neighbors was madereal.

“We have had incidents where we’ve hadto contact the police because of some of theresidents, or customers — whatever youwant to call them — were giving undesiredattention to teenage girls in the neighbor-hood,” Staudt said.

“We don’t know how many people are inthe house at any one time in each room,”Hillman added. “We don’t know how manypeople can stay in a room. There’s multiplecars, which disrupt our street, which is nota wide street.”

The two women said they have com-plained to the county non-stop over theirconcerns of the illegal activity on theirstreet.

“They’ve been semi-responsive, butthey’ve basically said that they are limitedin what they can do on enforcement,”Staudt said.

“They’re having trouble enforcing theirexisting regulations,” Hillman added.

See County, Page 6

State Sen. Scott Surovell: Countylate to regulate short-term rentals.

Short-Term Rentals Debated

Photos by Fallon Forbush/The Connection

Amanda Staudt and Sean Willson, who both live in Reston, are opposedto permitting short-term rentals in residential areas of the county.

Michelle Minstrell of Falls Church (center) and John McEwan (right)speak to Fairfax County Zoning Administrator Leslie Johnson (left) abouttheir experience operating Airbnb rentals in the county.

“Our ordinance is 40 years old,”Leslie Johnson, zoning administra-tor for the county, said during theopen house. “It was adopted in1978 and it has been amended 467times, so we think it’s time to kindof bring us forward into the 21st

century and update it.”


Opinion

By Joel Kobersteen

Fairfax County Fire and

Rescue Department

After the first day of collection, it wasapparent that this would be no or-dinary campaign. The $173,686.56collected by B-Shift was the second

highest one day total in Fairfax County Fill theBoot history (by only $2,000!). Needless to say,the $50,000 to disaster relief goal was quicklyaccomplished and we began work on the$500,000 goal for Greater Washington MDA.

The second day brought rain and chill. C-Shift put personal comfort aside and made apoint to stay out as much as safely possible.Fire Station 5, Franconia, personnel came inwith $28,251 collected. That is the highestamount collected in one day by one shift inFairfax County Fill the Boot history. A tip ofthe fire helmet to C-Shift personnel who didnot let the weather conditions get in the wayof collecting $155,629.66.

Due to the work schedule, personnel fromA-Shift had only one day of collection andmade the most of it. A-Shift collected a totalof $140,193.28 on what was a beautiful Sun-day.

Coming into the last day of the campaign,C-Shift knew they only needed roughly$76,000 to accomplish the $500,000 collectedgoal for the Greater Washington MDA. Person-nel collected $152,059 for the last day of thecampaign which meant another $71,954.06was added to the disaster relief fund for a to-tal of $131,278.65. Part of that total was$4,476.36 from the 142nd Recruit School,$220 from the Logistics Distribution Center,$4,291 from the 9-1-1 Center, $252 from theFire Prevention Office and $60 from the localoffice.

When all was said and done, we collected

$631,278.65 total for Fill the Boot 2017. Neverhas any municipality collected that muchmoney ... ever.

Thanks to the following for their support:❖ Chairman Sharon Bulova and the Fairfax

County Board of Supervisors,❖ Fire Chief Richard Bowers and the Fairfax

County Fire & Rescue Department,❖ President John Niemiec and Local 2068,❖ Chief John Morrison, Vienna Volunteer FD,

and all volunteer canteen units,❖ Director Bill Kang and all the members of

the Department of Public Safety Communica-tions,

❖ Colonel Ed Roessler, Sergeant Tom Bailey,PFC Jared Warner and the Fairfax County Po-

lice Department,❖ President John Harris and the Fairfax

County Fire & Rescue Retirement Association,❖ All career and volunteer Fire and Rescue

members and their families who helped outduring the campaign.

Last, I would like to thank the residents andguests of Fairfax County who, by opening theircar window and generously donating, madethis year’s Fill the Boot a tremendous success.We could not do this without you.

The author is a master technician at FireStation 40, Fairfax Center, B-Shift, andcoordinator for the Fairfax County Fill theBoot Campaign.

Fill the Boot 2017: One For The Record Books

Photo by Marti Moore/The Connection

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Master Technician JohnathanMacquilliam and Capt. Matthew C. Burns hold their boots high as theywork a Labor Day crowd of generous motorists at a Fairfax traffic signalon Waples Mill Road and U.S. Route 50.

To the Editor:Re: Mr. Crawford’s response

(“Fomenting Disunity and Hate”Sept. 6-12) to the letter by agroup of Democrat politicians(“American Values” Aug. 30.)

You reference “Mr. Trump’s ini-tial response” to the tragic eventsat Charlottesville. You are correctin defending this well-scriptedstatement of the President, deliv-ered on Aug. 14. In fact, most “fair-minded persons,” as you say, wishhe had left it at that.

Instead, the “American Values”letter refers to the President’s fol-low-up comments to the press thefollowing day (Aug. 15), in whichhe talked about “the very finepeople” in the group of protesters.While the fine print of the law maynot agree, there is no denying thatanyone marching alongside peoplebrandishing torches and wavingNazi swastika flags, shouting “Jewswill not replace us” and “Blood

and Soil,” is implicitly supportingthe very neo-Nazis and white su-premacists the President initiallycondemned. They are guilty byassociation.

Hence, it is legitimate for theJewish members of the VirginiaGeneral Assembly to question theRepublican gubernatorial candi-date for not openly denouncingthe very symbols of genocide thatso many brave Americans wentoverseas to Europe to stamp outduring World War II. How did thissea of swastikas and Nazi flagsever wash up on our shiningshores? Who are these people wholoudly and proudly resurrect Nazislogans?

We can parse words and chooseto only see/hear what we want tosee/hear, but there is no denyingour great country is deeply di-vided. And a house divided neverstands. As the mother of a childwho was the target of racism on

the school bus, I take solace in thefact that the boys worked out theirdifferences and, now, years later,the instigator is one of my son’sclosest friends!

Maybe we should take a pageout of our kids’ playbook and seebeyond our skin-deep differences.Perhaps, far be it from us adultsbeing an example to our children,

it behooves us to acknowledge, inthe words of one of the world’sgreatest wordsmiths, WilliamWordsworth: The child is the fa-ther of the man. Let’s put ourhouse in order and put the unitedback in the “United” States.

Shaila MuralidharGreat Falls

Letters to the Editor

Putting United Back in ‘United’ States

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Reston


By Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum

State Delegate (D-36)

A Kentucky school administratorrecently ex-pressed sentimentsthat I feel but could not write asclearly as she did. In an op-ed

piece in the Lexington (Kentucky) HeraldLeader she wrote, “Social justice, civil dis-course, empathy, historical context and civicengagement are at the heart of preventingand resolving instances like the one we wit-nessed there (in Charlottesville)…If we sub-scribe to the belief that hate is a learnedbehavior, we must also take ownership forfailing to provide an educational space tocombat the inequality that haunts minori-ties every day and that paralyzes our na-tion in times of tragedy…History matters.Civic engagement matters. And, because oftheir decline, social justice, civil discourse,and empathy have become lost arts in anation of people who can no longer talk toone another…”

As a former teacher of history and gov-ernment, I especially appreciated her callfor “a strong social studies curriculum thatprovides equitable opportunities for civicengagement, civil discourse and historicalcontext.” The ignorance of history shownby those who have been leading the oppo-sition to removing Confederate statues isappalling. The statues were erected during

times when white su-premacy efforts termedthe “Lost Cause” wereat their strongest. Be-ginning in the latenineteenth centurythere were manymovements to glorifythe Old South and tojustify the Civil War, orthe “War of Northern

Aggression” as they called it, and the erec-tion of statues was part of it. Parallelingthose activities was the passage of legisla-tion that virtually took away the right ofAfrican Americans to vote and that sepa-rated the races in public schools and mostevery aspect of society. The second surge oferecting statues came when the white su-premacists were opposing the Civil Rightsmovement in the 1960s. Viewed in theirhistoric context these statutes representeda repression of social justice, failure of civildiscourse and lack of empathy on the partof those supporting them.

Equally as appalling is the lack of knowl-edge or the unwillingness to admit the cen-tral role that immigrants have played in ourhistory. The history of the land we now callVirginia did not begin when the Englisharrived in 1607; a civilization existed here

We Should Know BetterCommentary

See Plum, Page 12

See Lovaas, Page 12

By John Lovaas

Reston Impact Producer/Host

It’s true! The two civilian oversight bod-ies recommended by the Ad Hoc Com-mission on Police Practices in October

2015 have been established and are nowup and ready to function. The two organi-zations were created by the Fairfax CountyBoard of Supervisors which accepted theCommission’s recommendations with modi-fications reducing their scope and author-ity. Still, establishment of the IndependentPolice Auditor and the Civilian Review Panel(CRP) is a major departure for the Countyand a police department hitherto account-able only to itself.

The recently appointed Independent Po-lice Auditor (IPA), Richard Schott, reportsdirectly to the Board of Supervisors. Alongwith the Civilian Review Panel, the IPA isintended to restore trust between residentsand the Police Department. He is respon-sible for monitoring and reviewing inter-nal investigations of police officer-involvedshootings, in-custody deaths, and the useof force in which person/s are killed or se-riously injured.

In fact, Mr. Schott is now monitoring fouractive police internal investigations. He isto make public reports of his findings as wellas making recommendations for changes inpolice policies and practices. In addition,his office provides administrative supportto the volunteer-staffed CRP and “acces-sible, safe, impartial, and responsive intake

for complaintsagainst the FCPDand its employees”.

The nine-mem-ber Police CivilianReview Panel con-sists of leading citi-zen volunteers withrelevant experienceappointed by, andreporting to, theBoard of Supervi-sors. Its Chairman

is Adrian Steel. CRP’s mission is to “enhancepolice legitimacy and also build and main-tain trust among citizens, the Board of Su-pervisors and the FCPD.” The CRP acts onthe basis of citizen complaints submitted tothe CRP, the IPA, or the Police Department.Unlike the IPA, the Civilian Review Paneldeals with complaints involving abuse ofauthority or serious misconduct by Policeofficers.

The CRP reviews completed internal ad-ministrative investigations to assure their“accuracy, completeness, thoroughness, ob-jectivity and impartiality”. In conducting areview following a complaint, the CRP mayinterview the police investigators and man-agement, but not the officer who is the sub-ject of the complaint. The CRP holds publicmeetings to hear from the complainant andmay “walk through with members of thecommunity how the investigation was con-

Police Oversight Begins

Independent

Progressive


Man Sentencedfor Embezzling$19 Million fromReston IT Company

A Nokesville man was sentenced to 6 1/2years in prison for embezzling approxi-mately $19.4 million from his employer, aninformation technology company headquar-tered in Reston.

Jon Frank, 48, pleaded guilty to wirefraud on June 9. According to the statement

of facts filed with the plea agreement, Frankworked at the company as the controller.From 2007 until January 2017, he used hisposition to initiate transfers of approxi-mately more than $19 million from thecompany’s bank account to his personalaccounts. He created false documents tomake it appear that the money was beingsent as reimbursement to another companythat was administering the health insuranceplan for Frank’s employer. Relying upon hisknowledge and the altered documents, hewas able to mislead the individuals perform-ing audits of the company’s financialrecords. Frank spent the money on expen-

❖ an increase in the number of personsper acre in Reston’s PRC district from 13 to16; and

❖ a significant increase in high-rise multi-family buildings.

An informational forum will be held onWednesday, Sept. 20, 7-9 p.m. at the RestonAssociation’s Conference Center, 12001Sunrise Valley Drive in Reston in prepara-tion for a meeting called by SupervisorCatherine Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill) on Sept.25.

The informational forum is sponsored by:Reston Association, Reclaim Reston, Reston20/20 and Reston Citizens Association/

Week in Reston

sive automobiles and real estate, amongother things. In addition to his prison sen-tence, Frank was also ordered to pay$19,440,331 in restitution.

Informational Forumon Reston PopulationDensity

Fairfax County is recommending changesto the Reston Planned Residential Commu-nity (PRC) zoning ordinance that wouldallow:

From Page 3

The two women worry that if thecounty cannot regulate currentlaw, then the county will not beable to enforce a potential regis-try if STRs are permitted.

“If they can’t enforce it now ef-fectively, how are they going toenforce it if they make it morecomplicated and available to morepeople?” Hillman said.

Hotels have always been regu-lated and people don’t have a rightto run hotels in residential neigh-borhoods.

“If somebody begins to use theirproperty in a way that looks like ahotel, then they’re going to findthat the government takes an in-terest in how they use their prop-erty,” Surovell said.

But he agrees with Staudt andHillman that the county’s enforce-ment has been weak.

“Fairfax County code enforce-ment in general is pretty pathetic,”Sen. Surovell said. “It tends to bemainly complaint driven.”

OVER THE PAST YEAR, theFairfax County Department ofCode Compliance received 18complaints of possible STRs oper-ating in the county, according toTony Castrilli, a spokesperson forthe county government.

“DCC staff investigated thesecomplaints and found sufficientinformation to corroborate two[short-term rentals], one in theMason District and one in theMount Vernon District, for whichnotices of violation were issued,”Castrilli said. “Some of the othercases were closed because therewas insufficient evidence thatSTRs were actually operating atthose addresses or that there wereany other zoning violations occur-ring.”

The property owners who wereissued notices of violation were:John and Mary Lou McEwan for

their property at 9319 LudgateDrive in Alexandria and Blake andSara Ratcliff for their property at3320 Grass Hill Terrace in FallsChurch, according to Castrilli.

John McEwan and Blake Ratcliffare appealing their citations andhave been scheduled to have hear-ings on Nov. 29, according toMcEwan.

McEwan said he would be ap-pealing the violation at the cost of$600 because he was told by vari-ous county employees that no ci-tations would be given while thecounty considers changes to thezoning laws.

Others in the crowd were wor-ried that the overwhelming tideagainst STRs could sway the opin-ion of officials and bar them fromparticipating in a form of incomethey have come to rely upon.

Michelle Minstrell lives in herhome in Falls Church and regularlyrents out a spare room on Airbnbto help cover the expense of hermortgage and has never receiveda complaint from her neighbors.

“We have permit parking on ourstreets and I have off-street park-ing for that additional resident andmy vehicle is off the street as well,”Minstrell said. “I’ve never had anynoise problems. Neighbors havenot mentioned issues at all.”

With Minstrell’s advice, anothersingle woman in her neighbor-hood with a mortgage has startedrenting out space in her home onAirbnb.

“There is such a huge range ofwhat the short-term rental can be,”she said. “I live in my house andI’m only renting a small portion ofit.”

“I fear that the people whomight be angry about it are see-ing the whole party houses, absen-tee homeowner situation and notrealizing that there are those of uswho are making money to pay forour mortgage off of a roommate,”she added.

County to RegulateShort-Term Rentals


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Public MeetingsFall Transportation Meeting

You are invited to participate in public meetings held by the Commonwealth Transportation Board. The meetings will begin with an open house followed by a town hall style meeting. The open house will provide information on various transportation initiatives including proposed changes to Virginia’s project prioritization process (SMART SCALE), recently funded projects in the Six-Year Improvement Program, Virginia’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, VTrans Multimodal Transportation Plan, and Scenario Planning and Freight plans. Representatives from the Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment, Departments of Transportation and Rail and Public Transportation, along with Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Planning District Commissions, and Transit organizations will be in attendance to highlight their transportation programs and to discuss your ideas and concerns on Virginia’s transportation network The open house will be followed by a town hall session, where you can engage in discussion and ask questions about the various initiatives. Comments will be accepted informally at the meeting and may also be submitted via email, or online.

Meeting Dates and Locations Open House begins at 4:00 pm in each of the locations:

Meeting materials will be available at http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/planning/fallmeetings/ beginning August 29, 2017. If you cannot attend a meeting, you may also send your comments on highway projects to Infrastructure Investment Director, VDOT, 1401 E. Broad St., Richmond, Virginia 23219, or [email protected] and on rail, public transportation and transportation demand management to Public Information Officer, DRPT, 600 E. Main St., Suite 2102, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or [email protected]. Comments will be accepted until October 20, 2017. The Commonwealth is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of its services on the basis of race, color or national origin, as protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need further information on these policies or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, please contact the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Title VI Compliance Officer at 804-786-2730 or the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s Title VI Compliance Officer at 804-786-4440 (TTY users call 711).

Home LifeStyle

When a Fairfax family offive decided that their1970s-era kitchen

needed to be brought into the 21stcentury they enlisted the help ofNicely Done Kitchens and Baths.The homeowners also wantedmore space for entertaining and toaccommodate their large family.

“This was a particularly interest-ing project,” said designer CathyGoss of Nicely Done Kitchens andBaths. “It involved incorporatingfour different functions into oneuniquely-sized space.”

Two adjacent rooms were com-bined to allow space for an island,pantry, command center and a sta-tion for cooking and the subse-quent clean-up. The design team

Fairfax Kitchen Gets Makeoverremoved a wall between thekitchen and dining room to createa larger kitchen area. They also in-corporated two differentbacksplashes into the design: amarble subway tile with a marbleaccent under the range hood anda cut stone surface at the glasscabinets. LED under-cabinet light-ing accents the quartzcountertops.

“The cabinetry is a beautiful ex-ample of reverse raised panelpaired with eclipse glass doors,”said Goss. “The project resulted ina beautiful and ultra-functionalcenterpiece to this Fairfax family’shome.”

— Marilyn Campbell

ThisFairfaxkitchenwasenlargedto createa spacefor afamily offive.

Photo

courtesy of

Nicely Done

Kitchens

and Baths

The designers who willtransform the 10th An-nual DC Design House

were announced recently.Among the 23 men and women

who will give the Potomac, Md.home a makeover are Alexandria-based designers Susan Nelson andTodd Martz; Lisa Tureson ofHerndon; Margery Wedderburn ofGreat Falls; Mary Amons ofMcLean; Josh Hildreth of Reston;Keira St. Claire-Bowery of CabinJohn, Md.; and Bethesda, Md.-based designers Kelley Proxmire,Lorna Gross, Marika Meyer, EricaBurns, Karen Snyder and CamilleSaum.

The selection process is competi-tive and being chosen to designone of the home’s rooms is con-

Photo courtesy of the DC Design House

The 2017 DC Design House, located in Potomac, Md., willbe open to the public from Saturday, Sept. 30 until Sun-day, Oct. 29.

Design House Designers Revealedsidered one of the most prestigioushonors in the industry.

The Washington, DC DesignHouse, a nonprofit entity, beganin 2008 as a design show houseevent for the Washington, D.C.area. Each year, local designersdonate their time and talent tomakeover a grand home thatopens to the public for tours. Pro-ceeds raised from tour ticket salesbenefit Children’s National HealthSystem.

This year, the home is located at9004 Congressional Court inPotomac, Md., and will be openfrom Sept. 30 through Oct. 29.Tickets are $35. Visitwww.dcdesignhouse.com.

— Marilyn Campbell


By Alexandra Greeley

The Connection

With the late August openingof the ultra-glamorousCooper’s Hawk Winery andRestaurants Reston loca-

tion, upscale dining got another memberin an elite gathering of area restaurants.With its expansive dining area and bar seat-ing plus the enclosed private section,Cooper’s Hawk beckons to local wine lov-ers who seek quality wines: ultimately themenu items pair well with the wines. In-deed, at the main entrance patrons find awine-tasting room that will make peoplefeel like they have come to a Napa Valleywinery — only this is in Reston.

The brainchild ofowner/ founder -CEO Tom McEnery,Cooper’s Hawk withits numerous loca-tions, takes an un-usual approach todining out: wine andwine pairings takecenter stage.McEnery’s idea forthis extensive res-taurant group cameafter he had workedin a specialty restau-rant in Illinois.

A graduate ofPurdue with a de-gree in Restaurantand Hotel Manage-ment, McEnery had

A Taste of Napa Valley in Reston

Food & Wine

Cooper’s HawkWinery andRestaurantsoffering upscaledining experience.

Cooper’s HawkGnocchi Carbonara

The restaurant’s most popular dish, and no won-der… If you wish, add shrimp or pulled chicken tothe dish when the cream begins reducing. Serves2 to 4

Ingredients:2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons butterTwo 1/8-inch-thick slices pancetta, cut into 1/

4-inch x 10-inch slices20 ounces cooked gnocchi, precooked and

cooled2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced1/2 cup Cooper’s Hawk chardonnay1 cup fresh chicken stock2 1/2 cups heavy creamKosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to

taste2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage1/2 cup peas1/3 cup Reggiano Parmesan cheese, gratedFreshly shave Parmesan cheese

ProcedureIn a medium-hot pan, add the olive oil and but-

ter. When butter melts and turns slightly brown,add sliced pancetta. Toss until pancetta starts tobrown. Add gnocchi and toss until gnocchi brownsslightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan, and setaside. Add the garlic, and toss until garlic softens,about 1 minute. Do not brown garlic.

Add wine, and reduce by half; add chicken stock,reduce by half, and add cream, and bring to sim-mer. Begin to reduce sauce, add gnocchi, and cookover medium-low heat until the sauce coats theback of a spoon. Season to taste with kosher saltand fresh ground black pepper. Add sage, peas and1/2 of the parmesan cheese and stir to incorporate.

Remove to a platter and garnish with the remain-ing freshly shaved Parmesan Cheese.

Making Fresh GnocchiIngredients:1 Pound Golden Yukon Potatoes3 to 4 Large Egg Yolks1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese1/4 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg1/2 tsp sea salt1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

board and doughMethodBake the potatoes in a preheated 400 degrees F

oven for 1 hour until fork tender. Let sit until coolenough to handle, cut in half, and scoop out theflesh.

Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer. Makea mound of potatoes on a table or work surfacewith a well in the middle, like making pasta, add3 of the egg yolks, the cheese, nutmeg, salt, andpepper. Mix in the potatoes and mix well with fin-gers. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of flour over the mound and,using your fingers, press it into the potatoes. Foldthe dough over on itself and press down again.Sprinkle on more flour, little by little, folding andpressing the dough until it just holds together, (donot to knead it.) Work any dough clinging to yourfingers back into the dough. If the mixture is toodry, add another egg yolk or a pinch of water. Totest if the dough is the correct consistency, take apiece and roll it with your hands on a well-flouredboard into a rope 1/2-inch in diameter. If thedough holds together, it is ready. If not, add moreflour, fold and press the dough several more times,test again.

Keeping work surface and dough lightly floured,cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into arope about 1/2-inch in diameter. Cut into 1/2-inch-long pieces. Lightly flour the gnocchi as you cutthem. You can cook these as is or form them intothe classic gnocchi shape using the back of a largefork.

As you shape the gnocchi, dust them lightly withflour and scatter them on baking sheets lined withparchment paper.

When ready to cook, bring a large pot of waterto a boil and add a few TBL of salt. Drop in thegnocchi and cook for about 90 seconds from thetime they rise to the surface. Remove the cookedgnocchi with a skimmer, shake off the excess wa-ter, toss with a bit of oil and cool on a sheet pan inrefrigerator until ready to use.

soups and main course salads to assortedburgers and sandwiches (what about a pep-percorn ranch burger?); luncheon entrées;and select chicken, beef, and seafoodentrées. And, yes, pasta…and whatever elseone might want to order, never, ever skipthe gnocchi carbonara, made in-house andpaired with pancetta, chicken, peas, andsheets of Parmesan cheese.

IN CHARGE OF Reston’s Coopers Hawk’skitchen crew is executive chef LaurenceCohen, who comes to this job with yearsof top-class experience. And he startedcooking as a child with his mother andgrandmother, where he got to experimentwith different recipes. Cooking was not hisfirst career choice, but something he be-gan as the result of an accident elsewhere.He soon realized, however, that he lovedcooking, and attended the Baltimore In-ternational Culinary College, after whichhe went to work with a French chef in Ire-land. “The French chef taught epicureancuisines,” he said, “and he impacted mewith the basic culinary principles: pay at-tention, respect food, and understand howmaking dishes comes together and sets usapart.”

And before heading off to the kitchen toresume his cooking duties, Cohen pausedand noted, “I love food and I love cooking.It is more and more appetizing.”

Cooper’sHawk beck-ons to localwine lovers

who seekquality

wines: ulti-mately the

menu itemspair wellwith the

wines.

“The French chef taughtepicurean cuisines, andhe impacted me with thebasic culinary principles:pay attention, respectfood, and understandhow making dishescomes together and setsus apart.”

— Laurence Cohen,executive chef at Cooper’s Hawk

the restaurant training and business back-ground to initiate a unique restaurant busi-ness. This he did 12 years ago, when herealized that few wineries had their ownrestaurant. So as an ardent lover of wineand high-end cuisine, he and his wifelaunched their first restaurant in OrlandPark, Ill.

Since then, the brand has spread acrossthe Midwest and the Southeastern US:Reston’s Cooper’s Hawk makes 30 restau-rants in all. McEnery has also established a

Cooper’s Hawk wineproduction facilityin Illinois, whereabout 60 differentwines are aged andbottled. Not surpris-ingly, the Cooper’sHawk wine labelsare the only ones therestaurants sell.

But besides thecompelling wines, ofcourse, comes theoutstanding dishesserved on the exten-sive menu that fea-tures such appetiz-ers as candied baconand artisan cheesesand Mexicandrunken shrimp to

Laurence Cohen,Executive Chef,Cooper’s Hawk

Photos

contributed


Falling for Fall Arts & Crafts Show

Saturday 9/16 & Sunday 9/17(10am-6pm) (10am-5pm)

Bull un egional ParkSpecial Events Center

$100 Drawings Every 30 Minutes inCustomer Show Bucks to be used to

purchase Arts & Crafts at VendorBooths at this show.

www.TroyPromotions.com

Learn About Adver� sing in the Connec� on

and Digital Op� ons!Adver� sing in the Connec� onAdver� sing in the Connec� on

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or call 703.778.9431

Thanksgiving cruise from Baltimore Nov. 18-30 ................................$559 plus taxesIncludes 12 nights cruise on RCCL’s Grandeur of the Seas with all meals & entertainment St. Thomas, St. Lucia, St. Kitts & more.

Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day March 15-18! .................................................. $1,025Includes Motorcoach from Vienna or Rockville, 3 nights hotel on Tybee Island, 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners, Parade Brunch, private bleacher seating for parade, Beer, wine & bloody Mary’s on parade day, Sightseeing.

Aruba, Jan. 13-20 ............................................................................................... $1,848Adults only, all-inclusive, ocean front resort with all meals, beverages, entertainment &

Submit entertainment announcementsat www.connectionnewspapers.com/Cal-endar/. The deadline is noon on Friday.Photos/artwork encouraged.

ONGOINGReston Farm Market, Saturdays,

through Dec. 9, 8 a.m. - Noon, LakeAnne Village Center, 11401 NorthShore Drive, SNAP accepted, bonusdollar program. (CLOSED forMulticultural Festival Sept. 23)

Herndon Farm Market, Thursdaysthrough Nov. 9, 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.,Old Town Herndon, 700 Block ofLynn St., by the Red Caboose. SNAPaccepted, bonus dollar program

SEPT. 9-20Northern Virginia Senior

Olympics. Various times andlocations, more than 50 differentevents taking place at more than 25venues across Northern Virginia. Call703-403-5360 or visit www.nvso.us.

WEDNESDAY/SEPT. 13Contact Center Nation. 9:30 a.m.-3

p.m. at Hidden Creek Country Club,1711 Clubhouse Road, Reston.Networking and call-centerprofessionals meeting. Visitwww.contactcenternation.com.

Elections Have Consequences.7:30-9 p.m. at Hunter Mill DistrictCommunity Room B, 1801 CameronGlen Drive, Reston. League ofWomen Voters will look at the scope,history, and overall effect of thenumber of Virginians who don’tbelieve that their vote counts andstay home on election day. Free. Call703-476-5758 or visit www.lwv-fairfax.org

THURSDAY/SEPT. 14Steel Drum Sandy. 11:30 a.m.-1:30

p.m. at the pavilion, 11900 MarketSt., Reston. Musicians are one of avariety of different entertainmenteach week at Fountain Square, everyThursday, through Oct. 19. Free. Goto www.restontowncenter.com.

Lunch Bunch Thursdays. 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Reston Town Center,11900 Market St., Reston. BYO lunchand see different entertainment inthe Pavilion at Fountain Square eachweek. Rain or shine. Visitrestontowncenter.com.

Fashion Tip Thursdays. 5:30 and7:30 p.m. at Reston Town Center,11900 Market St., Reston. This week,how to wear plaid this season. Call571-526-4185 or visitrestontowncenter.scoutandmollys.com.

FRIDAY/SEPT. 15Chalkfest. noon-11 p.m. at Reston

Town Center, 11900 Market Street,Reston. Professional artists andsponsors will create chalk drawingson the pavement. Viewing is free.Call 703-467-9797 or [email protected].

Lullabye a Lamb. 7-8 p.m. at FryingPan Farm Park, 2709 West Ox Road,Herndon. Come to Kidwell Farm atFrying Pan Farm Park to see thebedtime routine for the park’s farmanimals. Bring a flashlight or lanternfor this twilight tour of the park andsee how animals on a farm settledown for the night. $8. Call 703-437-9101 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/fryingpanpark/.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 168K Race and 2K Walk/Fun Run.

8:30 a.m. at South Lakes HighSchool, 11400 South Lakes Drive,Reston. In memory of Timothy P.Susco. This race is hosted each yearby Tim’s family to honor andremember his life, as well as topromote brain aneurysm and organ

donation awareness. Visitwww2.fcps.edu/SouthLakesHS/.

ChalkFest. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at RestonTown Center, 11900 Market St. Rainor shine. Registration fee forparticipation includes supplies. Call703-467-9797 or [email protected].

Fairfax County Brewfest 2017.noon-6 p.m. at Mustang SallyBrewing Company, 14140 Parke LongCt A-C, Chantilly. Featuring livemusic from Scott Kurt and Memphis59 and The Blues Buckets. A portionof the proceeds will benefit K9 forWarriors,$10 pre-sale online; $15 atthe door (while tickets last) includesadmission and logo tasting glass.Visit www.msbrewing.com.

Lulu’s Fate in Concert. 4-6 p.m. atArt Space Herndon, 750 Center St.,Herndon. Traditional Appalachianand Americana music. Free. Visitwww.artspaceherndon.org


SUNDAY/SEPT. 17Exercise with Athleta. 11 a.m.-noon

at Reston Town Center, 11900Market St., Reston. Season finalewith RochiB Zumba. Free. Call 703-668-0256 or visit stores.athleta.net/store-4866/.

MONDAY/SEPT. 18Photography Exhibit. 7:30–9:30 p.m.

in Room 6 at the Reston CommunityCenter Hunters Woods, 2310 ColtsNeck Road, Reston. The RestonPhotographic Society invitesphotography enthusiasts of all skilllevels to attend meetings on the thirdMonday of the month. Visitwww.leagueofrestonartists.org.

WEDNESDAY/SEPT. 20“Mean to Be.” 7 p.m. in the Jo Ann

Rose Gallery at Reston CommunityCenter Lake Anne. The RestonHistoric Trust & Museum presents“Meant to Be: How Reston AlmostWasn’t” with Timothy Beatley. Free.Seating is limited, reservations arewelcome. Contact 703-709- 7700 [email protected] for moreinformation or to RSVP.

THURSDAY/SEPT. 21Food for Kids Community Packing

Event. 10-11:30 a.m. in Room 6 atat Dominion Energy, 3072Centreville Road, Herndon. [email protected] or visitwww.northernvirginia.assistanceleague.org.

Lunch Bunch Thursdays. 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Reston Town Center,11900 Market St., Reston. BYO lunchand see different entertainment inthe Pavilion at Fountain Square eachweek. Rain or shine. Visitrestontowncenter.com.

Fashion Tip Thursdays. 5:30 and7:30 p.m. at Reston Town Center,11900 Market St., Reston. This week,Victorian collars and accents. Call571-526-4185 or visitrestontowncenter.scoutandmollys.com.

Third Thursdays Art Crawl. 6 p.m.750 Center Street, Herndon.ArtSpace exhibits art throughoutHerndon. Free. Go towww.artspaceherndon.org.

FRIDAY/SEPT. 22Lullabye a Lamb. 7-8 p.m. at Frying

Pan Farm Park, 2709 West Ox Road,Herndon. Come to Kidwell Farm atFrying Pan Farm Park to see thebedtime routine for the park’s farmanimals. Bring a flashlight or lanternfor this twilight tour of the park andsee how animals on a farm settledown for the night. $8. Call 703-437-9101 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/fryingpanpark/.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 23Reston Multicultural Festival. 11

a.m.-6 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza. Acelebration of the diversity andcommunity spirit that is found inReston, featuring music,entertainment, dress, food, andcultural treasures from all over theworld. Everyone is encouraged todress in attire from their own culturalroots. All ages. Free. Rain or shine.Visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com.


SUNDAY/SEPT. 24Walk to End Alzheimer’s. 1:30-5

p.m. at Reston Town Center, 11900Market St., Reston. Join in and unitein a movement with the Alzheimer’sAssociation Register at 703-359-4440or [email protected] alz.org/walk.

Art CrawlMusic is part of the Third Thursday ArtCrawl, Sept. 17 at750 Center St., Herndon.

Entertainment


News

By Fallon Forbush

The Connection

Reston Association At-Large Director RayWedell resigned fromthe association’s

board, effective Sept. 1. His termwas to expire in April 2018.

Wedell was elected to the boardin 2015 and was a member of theBoard Operations Committee,which is responsible for reviewingand setting board agenda itemseach month.

The announcement by the RAmentioned no reasoning forWedell’s resignation. Wedell didnot respond to inquiries for com-ment from the Connection.

He is the third director to resignfrom the RA Board this year.

In June, former At-Large Direc-tor Eve Thompson resigned amidstcomplaints alleging she failed todisclose conflicts of interest dur-ing votes regarding Lake Anne,which were later dropped. The RABoard filled her vacant seat by ap-pointing Sridhar Ganesan to a voteof 6-1 — Wedell casting the onlyvote in favor of another candidate.

In December 2016, formerNorth Point District DirectorDannielle LaRosa announced thatshe would resign her seat in April2017, exactly two years before herterm was to expire in April 2019.She attributed her premature exitto the mounting time commitmentneeded for the job and her desireto spend more of her time with herthree young children who are stillliving at home.

LaRosa’s seat was added to the

spring RA election. RA membersvote each spring to elect three newindividuals to the board. The nine-member board is made up of eightdirectors chosen by the members,with four serving specific Restondistricts. The ninth member is se-lected by Reston apartment own-ers.

The resignations and springelection shook up the leadership,leaving a majority of the board tonewly-elected or appointedRestonians. Only three of the nine-member board are individualswho held their seats prior to theelection: Lake Anne/Tall Oaks Dis-trict Director Sherri Hebert, At-Large Director Michael Sanio andSouth Lakes District Director JulieBitzer. After the election, the boardmembers voted Hebert to be presi-dent of the board and Sanio —who was previously the board’svice president — to secretary.

Call For CandidatesBy unanimous consent of the

directors, the RA issued a call forcandidates who are interested inserving out the remainder of theterm for the vacant at-large seat,which runs through April 2018.

Any association member cansubmit a statement of candidacyby U.S. mail, via email to SabrinaTadele at [email protected] orin-person at RA headquarters bynoon Sept. 22. Certified candi-dates will meet with the board onSept. 28 to discuss interests andqualifications. Visit reston.org/.

At-Large Director RayWedell is the thirddirector to resign fromthe RA Board this year.

Third RA Director Resigns

Wedell

Pho

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A

Dominique Ashley Childs, 33, ofReston was charged with the abductionand attempted sexual assault of a 22-year-old woman who was walking onthe 1200 block of North Shore Drive inReston on Aug. 14, according to theFairfax County Police Department.

Childs was arrested in Manassas onMonday, Aug. 28, after FCPD detectivesreceived a tip. He was charged with abduc-tion with intent to defile and is being heldwithout bond in the Fairfax County AdultDetention Center, according to police.

The victim was walking in the after-noon of Aug. 14 when Childs allegedlyapproached her from behind, anddragged her into nearby woods, accord-ing to police. Once in the woods, hetried to remove the victim’s clothing, but

then left suddenly, according to police.Anyone with information about this

incident is asked to call Detective Chris-tian at 703-246-7866 or police at703-691-2131.

Suspect Charged in Abduction andAttempted Sexual Assault in Reston

DominiqueAshleyChilds, 33,of Reston

Photo

courtesy of

the Fairfax

County

Police

Department

ClassifiedTo Advertise in This Paper, Call by Monday 11:00 am 703-778-9411

WWW.CONNECTIONNEWSPAPERS.COM

For Sale For Sale

Announcements

We pay top $ for STERLING, MEN’S WATCHES,

JEWELRY, COSTUME JEWELRY,

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Announcements Announcements

Announcements Announcements

Senior Software Engineer – DB DevelopmentSpecialist On Call, Inc. seeks Senior Software Engineer – DB Development to work in Reston, VA & be resp. for dvlping, creating & modifying general computer app. software & specialized utility programs. Also resp. for dvlping software solutions. Must have bachelor’s degree in Comp. Sci., Math-ematics, Science or Engineering & 5 yrs of post-bacc., pro-gressively resp. exp. in rltd position. Req exp. must incl: 5 yrs in SQL query tuning, OLAP/OLTP data modeling, data mart building, ETL, BI server & reports; 5 yrs of exp. in healthcare data analysis, data reqs, healthcare data warehouse & report building; (iii) any exp. w/ Tech SME in Microsoft data server techs inclg SQL server database, SSIS, SSRS, SSAS & T-SQL; & any exp. w/ Tech SME in 1 of the market leading BI tools, i.e., Microsoft, Micro Strategy, Business Object or Tableau. Apply at www.specialistsoncall.com

Employment

Spacious 4 bedroom, 2 FB in heart of Reston for only

$2,350./mo incl. all utilities, parking spaces and amenities. Voucher holders and realtors are welcome. 703-505-8878.

House Rental

ABC LICENSESodexo Operations, LLC trading as

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above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOL-

IC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Mixed Beverage Caterer license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Lorna Donatone, President. NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days

required newspaper legal notices.Objections should be registered at www.

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Submit civic/community announcements atConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos andartwork welcome. Deadline is Thursday at noon, atleast two weeks before event.

IN-PERSON, TV DEBATESThe League of Women Voters of the Fairfax

Area (LWVFA) will hold four in-person forumsand three televised forums for the public and thepress to learn about the candidates who arerunning for election to the Virginia House ofDelegates. The League invited all certifiedcandidates campaigning for office in theirrespective districts. At the in-person forums,question-and-answer sessions will be followedby an opportunity for informal conversationswith individual candidates. The public and pressare encouraged to attend. For more informationabout the candidates’ priorities and positions,visit www.vote411.org.

In-person forums:❖ Sunday, Sept. 17 at 2:30 p.m. at Reston

Community Center: Hunters Woods VillageCenter, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston.

❖ Thursday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. at ProvidenceCommunity Center: 3001 Vaden Drive, Fairfax.

❖ Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at SullyGovernment Center: 4900 Stonecroft Blvd.,Chantilly.

The televised forums at Fairfax County PublicAccess are on Channel 10 or livestreamed onYouTube “Inside Scoop Livestream.” The publiccan submit questions by email [email protected] or call 571-749-1142 between 7-8:30 p.m. Tune in on:Monday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m.; Monday, Sept.18 at 8 p.m.; and Monday, Oct. 2 at 8 p.m.

SENIOR VOLUNTEERSRSVP, a volunteer network for seniors seeking

service opportunities in and around FairfaxCounty, Arlington County and the City ofAlexandria, offers a wide array of opportunitiesfor volunteers 55 and older. RSVP volunteersenjoy flexible schedules, free accident andliability insurance while serving, optionalmileage and meal reimbursement and areinvited to volunteer group projects and socialgatherings. To sign up for an upcomingorientation, email Carly Hubicki [email protected] or call RSVP at703-403- 5360. To learn more about RSVP, visitwww.rsvpnova.org.

ONGOINGSunrise at Reston Town Center offers a

monthly Caregiver Support Group on the fourthWednesday of the month, 6:30-8 p.m. Monthlysupport 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 circulation andincreasing strength, muscle control and mobility.Free. parkinsonfoundation.org. Call Natalie McCall

[email protected] 703-904-7600 for more.Master Gardener Training. The Fairfax County

Master 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.

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].

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.

Bulletin

Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Ordinarily I wouldn’t have given the Lyricatelevision commercial too much attention. Butthere sat a spokesperson named Kenny, his nameclearly printed in red script on top of a white ovallocated above his right breast pocket on hiscustom-work shirt, a middle-aged white man likeme, holding his left foot across his right knee talk-ing about a medical problem that we both feel:the “shooting, burning, pins and needles of dia-betic nerve pain.” It was odd seeing someonenamed Kenny on television referring to a problemthat not-on-television Kenny also has, though mysymptoms are not from diabetes; they’re fromeight and half years of chemotherapy.Nevertheless, as Babe Ruth said about the soundof his throat-cancer-ravaged voice on “Babe RuthDay” at Yankee Stadium on April 27, 1947: “Itfeels just as bad.”

Campaign to date, according to ISpot.tv,within the last 30 days, “Kenny’s Story,” as it’sidentified, has had “74 commercial airings.” Andthough I don’t think for a moment that this Kennycould be confused with that Kenny, consideringthat he’s an auto mechanic who “grew into afree-wheeling kid” and “enjoyed every step offatherhood,” and I’m not ‘free-wheeling,’ not afather and know zero about cars, I do feel hispain – literally.

Now the fact that the words of advice arecoming from someone named Kenny does giveme pause however. Not that all Kennys haveidentical personalities or life’s experiences butknowing how little familiarity I have with thisproduct makes me distrust him somehow. Myname is Kenny and I’m not prepared to makethose statements. How can he?

It reminds me of a long-ago M*A*S*H epi-sode when Major Frank Burns was feeling para-noid (as he said: “I’m only paranoid becauseevery one’s out to get me”) because he thought“someone else is using my face.” None of whichmakes any more sense than my not believingspokesperson-Kenny just because his name hap-pens to be Kenny.

But there’s no accounting for viewer reaction,probably. That’s likely why there were a total“1,271 airings” of Lyrica diabetic nerve pain com-mercials nationally over the last 30 days. “Kenny’sStory,” at 74 airings, was a small percentage of atleast a dozen variations on this theme as well as aparallel campaign to address Fibromyalgia, a simi-lar condition also treated by Lyrica.

It’s odd, of the multiple spots that haveappeared on television, all of which show peopleliving active lives – and being grateful for usingLyrica, only three: “Kim’s Salon,” “Michael,” andyours truly are “given-named.” All the others:“Coach,” “Grandpa,” “School Teacher,” “Keepthe Beat Going,” “Helping Others”, as a fewexamples, are not.

I’m wondering if “naming”/invoking names inthese spots does in fact personalize the experi-ence for viewers in a way that the pharmaceuticalcompanies think is counter productive? Maybenaming the spokesperson/sufferer causes a reac-tion among Kims and Michaels that yours truly isfeeling/writing about?

Moreover, given that “Big Pharma” probablydoesn’t want to limit its reach by excluding a seg-ment of the market because of name recognitionpossibly lends some credence to the presumptionthat using a name to identify the individual in oneof these spots is rare because it’s unhelpful. As itrelates to these spots and their names, perhapsless is more, given how many research/clinicaldollars (hundreds of millions of dollars we’reoften told) are invested in the process of bringingFDA-approved products to market? Accordingly, Isuppose “Big Pharma” can’t afford to leave anypotential stone/”presrciptee” unturned.

I certainly don’t know the answers to any ofthese questions. I can only wander – and wonderwhat is it that makes sense here and where I fitinto their universe. The commercials have hittheir intended target: me, a patient with “shoo-ting, burning, pins and needles ... , but I have totell you: I don’t like “Kenny.”

“Kenny’sStory”Business Directory

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takes that can be made in his subject and how to avoid them.-Werner Heisenberg


Faith

By Rabbi Leibel Fajnland

Director of Chabad of Reston-

Herndon

Rosh Hashanah is not just theJewish New Year. It is the firststep in a month long process of

self-discovery, a month which guides ustowards a deeper place within ourselves,our universe, and our Creator.

What is Rosh Hashanah? RoshHashanah is a reality check.

Instinctively, we are wrapped up inwhat we need, what we want, where we need to goand what we need to do. Not in a bad way necessar-ily, but life — when left to its own devices — is me,me, me. We need to work with that. Life is supposedto be about our responsibilities — the responsibili-ties we have to ourselves, and to our loves ones.

But ultimately, life is a gift, and it is granted for areason: To lead a meaningful life, and strive towardsa higher purpose than simply fulfilling our own needsand wants. And that ought to be our North Star.

This is not to suggest that we do not partake of theworld, and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Yet simulta-neously we must ask ourselves why? How? Are ourmotives purposeful? Am I divorced from the worldaround me?

Rosh Hashanah is about setting our self-image, ourdesires, our neuroses and our various gravitationalpulls to the side, and affirming that we will endeavorin this new year to lead a more meaningful life, evenwhen it is uncomfortable.

That is Rosh Hashanah. But that is only the begin-ning.

Real commitment is not an easy thing.Genuine, full-bodied commitmentdoesn’t come from a simple conversa-tion with oneself. Rosh Hashanah beginsa 10-day process of trying to find au-thentic connectedness, a genuine bond,with those around us, and ultimatelywith the Divine. Day by day, we peelaway layer after layer of our own egoand self-interest.

Until the 10th day: Yom Kippur.At that point, we’re ready for Oneness.

We set aside our physical needs — ourfood and drink — and we zero in on the core of ourlives, the central point of our existence and the NorthStar by which we will find a life of meaning.

We connect. For real.Once we have done that, Sukkot — the Festival of

Tabernacles, the next holiday of the month — is anatural consequence. We can resume life. But it isdone within a simple wooden hut under the wideopen sky called a Sukkah. Surrounded by its flimsywalls and leafy roof, we are enveloped in a divinecosmic embrace.

At one with the vulnerability around us. Not en-sconced away from it. Aware of our responsibility torepair our broken world.

So now you have the Tishrei journey, the spiritualpath of this month. And perhaps we never needed itmore urgently than now.

The call of the Shofar nudges us toward findingan authentic sense of bonding with something loftierand greater than us.

With best wishes for a Happy New Year for theJewish calendar year of 5778.

Rosh Hashanah — Not Just a New Year

Rabbi LeibelFajnland

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ntributed

High Holiday Services ScheduleIn anticipation of the upcoming

Jewish New Year, Chabad of Reston-Herndon has announced its HighHoliday Services schedule.

For information on Chabad’s opento the community services for RoshHashanah (Sept. 20-22) and YomKippur (Sept. 29-30), as well as toreserve, visit www.chabadrh.org.

Membership is not required tojoin. All are welcome, regardless of

background or affiliation. We do ask foryou to make a reservation however sothat seating can be assured.

The services will be user-friendly,with a Hebrew-English Prayer Book(Machzor) making it enjoyable andmeaningful for both the seasoned andthe unversed.

The services will be traditional, yetthoroughly contemporary, interspersedwith traditional and modern Jewish

tunes, English readings and a run-ning commentary led by RabbiFajnland.

In addition, a special children’sprogram will accompany the adultservices.

For more information on theabove event, call Rabbi LeibelFajnland at 703-476-1829 , visitwww.chabadrh.org , or write [email protected].

Faith Notes are for announcements andevents in the faith community, includingspecial holiday services. Send [email protected] is Thursday.

The Mount Pleasant BaptistChurch of Herndon invites the commu-nity to join them for praise and worshipfollowed by a stirring message from theWord of God on Sundays starting at8:30 and 10:30 a.m. (with Sundayschool 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. Sundayworship 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 VillageCenter.

The group is studying the Gospel ofMark. Services follow at 11 a.m.

St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church

needs 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., Suite200, Herndon. Call 703-795-1257.

Vajrayogini Buddhist Center,Unitarian Universalist Church, 1625Wiehle Ave., Reston, holds weeklyclasses starting Sept. 12, Thursdays7:30-8:30 p.m., for the general publicwhich use Buddhist teachings to prac-tice meditation.

$12 or $6 for students, seniors andunemployed. Call 202-986-2257 or visitwww.meditation-dc.org.

Faith Notes

Evan Hershey Helmuthpassed away in Los Angeles,Calif. on July 18, 2017 of com-plications from a stroke. Bornin 1977, Evan lived in Restonuntil age 10, when he movedwith his family to Ames, Iowa.For many summers, he at-tended the Interlochen ArtsCamp in northern Michigan,followed by three years of highschool at the year-roundInterlochen Arts Academy. Hegraduated from the Academy in1995 as a theater major, receiv-ing the school’s highest awardfor an individual arts graduate.He further pursued his dra-matic studies at the Universityof Southern California Schoolof Dramatic Arts, where he re-ceived numerous awards andgraduated in 1999 with theJack Nicholson Award for out-standing actor. He lived in LosAngeles since that time.

Helmuth’s film credits in-clude the Farrelly Brothers’ “Fe-ver Pitch” where he appearedopposite Jimmy Fallon and

Drew Barrymore as Fallon’s RedSox-loving sidekick Troy; Will-iam Brent Bell’s 2012 horrormovie “The Devil Inside” as Fa-ther David; and Joshua MichaelStern’s 2013 Steve Jobs biopic“Jobs” starring Ashton Kutcher.His TV credits spanned the likesof ABC’s “Alias,” CBS’ NCIS,Fox’s “Bones,” TNT’s “Rizzoli &Isles” and more recently CBS’comedic drama “Battle Creek.”

Evan is remembered as awarm, kind, generous, and tal-ented person by family andfriends. He is survived by hissister, Erika Fairchild HelmuthSaunders of Hershey, Pa.; hisstepmother, Paula Forrest ofAmes, Iowa; and his beloveddog Sasha. He was preceded indeath by his father John Will-iam Helmuth and his motherKerry O’Brien Helmuth. Memo-rial contributions can be sent inEvan’s name to the Universityof Southern California Schoolof Dramatic Arts and theInterlochen Center for the Arts,Theatre Division.

Obituary

Evan Hershey Helmuth

ducted, including findings of fact,evidence collected and witnessstatements.”

The Panel will hold public meet-ings on issues within their juris-diction and police policies andpractices. At these meeting, pub-lic comment is invited to assist thepanel in making their reports forimproved policies and practices tothe Chief of Police and the Boardof Supervisors.

To find out how they work, i.e.,the specific authorities and proce-dures of the Independent PoliceAuditor or the Civilian Review

Panel, go to their respectivewebsites:

❖ IPA —www.fairfaxcounty.gov/govern-ment/board/policeauditor/

❖ CRP —www.fairfaxcounty.gov/policecivilianreviewpanel/

Both the IPA and the CRP maybe contacted via email [email protected] by telephone at 703-324-3459. If you are interested, youmight contact them and ask to beput on the mailing list for theirreports and schedules of theirmeetings.

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for at least 15,000 years beforethat time. That makes all of usexcept for Native Americans de-scendent of immigrants. There isseldom a day that passes that I donot meet someone who may bebrand new or first or second gen-eration Americans who are mak-ing our communities, society andeconomy stronger and better.Many choose to ignore the historyof immigrants especially most re-cently that of dependent children.They may be undocumented, butthey are not “illegals” — peopleare not illegal. Certainly our im-

migration system needs work.Endless paperwork, complex bu-reaucracy and an entanglement oflaws sometime stand in the wayof people who should be given apath to citizenship that can benavigated. I thought that RichardCohen, head of the Southern Pov-erty Law Center, expressed it bestwhen he said of the decision torescind DACA that it was “one ofthe most senseless, heartless, in-humane acts of any president inrecent memory.”

We should know better and cer-tainly we must insist that all actbetter!

Plum

Lovaas

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