🌱 High Winds Destroy Art Sculpture + Fairfax Schools Pilot New Course

Hi all. I'm back in your inbox this morning with your new copy of the Reston Patch newsletter. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening locally.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: A couple of afternoon showers. High: 48 Low: 39.
• Tuesday: Breezy in the afternoon. High: 61 Low: 33.

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Here are the top three stories today in Reston:

1. Cerebral, a public art piece created by South Lakes High School’s STEAM club on the Lake Thoreau spillway, has been destroyed by high winds, and there are no plans to reinstall it. The sculpture was designed to withstand extreme elements using hurricane ties, but the winds damaged some of the joints, causing its pieces to fall into the lake. The team is now working on a new concept, "Rise," that will be more structurally sound to withstand the erratic weather conditions that have become common with climate change. (Reston Now)
2. Fairfax County Public Schools will offer Advanced Placement African American Studies at three high schools in a pilot program this fall, while the state reviews the course. The College Board released a framework for its new African American Studies course on Feb. 1, which has been criticized by some educators and advocacy organizations for shifting away from certain subjects and texts. Virginia is one of four states reviewing the course, and Gov. Glenn Youngkin has directed Education Secretary Aimee Rogstad Guidera to see if the course violates his executive order prohibiting "inherently divisive concepts" in public schools. (Reston Now)
3. Five new homes have been listed for sale in the Reston area. Available properties range from a 1,073-square-foot, two-bed, one-bath home for $299,000 to a $760,000 home with two beds, two baths, and 1,641 square feet. Get all the property details at the link. (Reston Patch)

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Today and tomorrow in and around Reston:

Monday, February 27

• DeRisking Your Retirement Dinner Seminar At Davio's (6:00 PM)
• Open Mic Event At Old Brogue Irish Pub (9:00 PM)

Tuesday, February 28

• Ice Skating At Reston Town Center (11:30 AM)

From my notebook:

• A gas leak in Reston caused road closures in the area on Friday, but the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has reported that the leak has been stopped and the situation has stabilized. (Reston Now)
• Congratulations to Captain Charles Henderson, who has now served 25 years on the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department crew! Henderson received a plaque from the department for his service. (Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department via Facebook)
• Are you looking for a new family member with four paws? Check out the list of adoption-ready pets in the Fairfax County area at the link! (Fairfax County Animal Shelter)

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Featured events:

• FREE WEBINAR | "The Beauty of Botticelli" (February 28)
• Color Trends and Setting the Right Mood for your Home (March 3)
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You're all caught up for today! I'll see you soon.

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is a freelance copywriter for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. She is a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.