Here’s a nod to your sweet tooth: A new gourmet cookie chain that has taken social media by storm is coming to Reston.
Crumbl Cookies, a gourmet cookie chain, plans to open a location at 11686 Plaza America Drive, a county permit shows. It appears to be the location occupied by Sprint.
The Reston location is expected to open on Jan. 14, a company spokesperson tells Reston Now.
Two Utah cousins started the company in 2017. Since then, the company has slingshotted across the country with more than 263 locations in 36 states.
Cookies are made from scratch in the store and delivered or sold in the store. Customers have 60 different flavors to choose from, but flavors are available only on a rotating basis every week.
Cousins Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley hoped to create a business that would allow customers to see their cookies being mixed, balled, baked and dressed in real-time. Cookies are packaged in a pink box that has become iconic on social media.
Photo via Crumbl Cookies/Facebook
A Warning About Building Fires — The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is encouraging residents to take an active role in practicing and promoting safe behavior during Get in STEP, which stands for Safety Takes Every Person, with FCFRD this week. This week’s highlight is heating safety. [FCFRD]
Plastic Bag Tax Goes into Effect Soon — A five-cent tax on disposable plastic bags provided by retailers in grocery stores, convenience stores, and drugstores will go into effect on Jan. 1. The county’s board passed the tax on Sept. 14. [Fairfax County Government]
Deep Dive into Effects of Segregation in Northern Virginia — A new report by the Northern Virginia Health Foundation and the Center on Society and Health at Virginia Commonwealth University offers new insights on the history of exclusion and segregation in Northern Virginia. [Reston Patch]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
Local police are looking for a man who reportedly fired a gun at Sully’s Pour House in the Town of Herndon on Nov. 6.
The man allegedly flashed a gun in the pour house after a bouncer told him the business could not seat his party of 10 people — which included three children — after 10 p.m. All guests must also be above the age of 21 after 10 p.m.
According to Sully’s Pour House, staff attempted to call the police after a woman in the party assaulted the manager. The man reportedly flashed his weapon and was taken off of the property.
The man and woman reportedly then ran on Elden Street and fired a gun into the crowded restaurant, which is located at 754 Elden Street in the heart of downtown Herndon.
No injuries were reported. The pour house closed during the night of the incident and reopened the following day.
In a Facebook post detailing the incident, the business posted the following after describing the incident:
Please note this is the Spark Notes Version and only the information the public needs to know at this moment- this is still under investigation with the police department )
Thankfully NOT A SINGLE PERSON WAS INJURED. This is NOT BEHAVIOR WE TOLERANT. This is NOT acceptable.
We love Herndon. We Love our Sully’s Family. This is NOT who we are- This is NOT who HERNDON is.
Be Kind, Spread Joy.
Please help us Figure out who this person is. Please contact Herndon Police if you know anything- even if you *Might* know something. Not only did this person endanger EVERY SINGLE PERSON in our establishment that night. They endangered the children they were with as well.
Please share. Please help us find out who this is.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Herndon Police Department at 703-435-6846.
HPD is seeking the public’s help in identifying the subject in these photos; he is suspected a firing a gun into an occupied business in the 700-block of Elden Street last Saturday, Nov 6. If you can ID the subject or you were there when it happened, call HPD at 703-435-6846. https://t.co/zEvhkYdwq9
— Herndon Police (@HerndonPolice) November 14, 2021
Photo via Herndon Police Department
Barton Hill Funding Moved Up — Reston Association plans to begin the nearly $851,000 in renovations for the Barton Hill Recreation Area by late 2022. Original plans called for completing the project sometime in 2023. [RA]
Three People Injured in Group Fight — Two people were treated for injuries at a local hospital after a fight between two groups broke out in a business on the 2400 block of Centreville Road on Nov. 6. Police officers found one victim with a gunshot wound and two others with stab wounds when they arrived on the scene shortly before 2 a.m. All of the injuries were not serious. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Missing Terrier Dies at Reston Golf Course — Baby, a 15-year-old Yorkie who went missing on Nov. 1, died Thursday afternoon in a creek at Reston National Golf Course. [Reston Patch]
Vaccine Clinics at Schools Launched — The Fairfax Health District and Fairfax County Public Schools will begin offering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for kids between the ages of 5 and 11 at nine clinics starting tomorrow. Clinics will be held after school hours, evenings and weekends at nine school sites. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
Reston Man Arrested in Connection with Regional Robberies — Police have arrested a Reston man in connection with a series of robberies at convenience stores in Loudoun and Fairfax counties. Bresner Porres, 30, was arrested after a multi-jurisdictional effort and was charged with three counts of robbery at 7-Eleven stores in Sterling. [Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office]
Search Underway for Missing Herndon Woman — Local police are seeking the public’s help to find a woman who went missing on Nov. 9. Joey Sitek, 28, is 5’5” and roughly 120 pounds. Police believe there is an immediate concern for her well-being. [Herndon Police Department]
Tephra Hires New Associate Curator — The Tephra Institute of Contemporary art has hired a new associate curator and festival director. Hannah Barco had a similar position at the School of Art Institute of Chicago. [Tephra]
Photo by Majrorie Copson
County Considers Expanding Tax Relief Program — The county is considering a real estate tax relief program for seniors and people with disabilities. The tweaks are the first in 16 years and would expand eligibility for people with higher incomes and net worth. If approved, the changes would be phased out over two years. A public hearing is set for Dec. 7. [Fairfax County Government]
Herndon Company Ranks High in ‘Best for Vets’ –ManTech International, a Herndon-based company, came in at number two for Military Times’ “Best for Vets: Employers” list. The company topped the ranking in the state and also in the defense and aerospace company category. [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Bob Simon’s Widow Cited for Assault — A former Lake Anne condominium association president has accused Cheryl Terio Simon, the widow of Reston’s founder, of assault. The incident happened on Oct. 27 outside Reston Community Center at Lake Anne, according to police records. [Patch]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
A government building is closed in Reston because a power outage.
The North County Governmental Center closed around 3:30 pm due to the issue. Dominion Energy crews are on the scene to investigate.
It appears that only the county building is impacted by the outage, according to the company’s outage map.
The time of restoration is unknown.
⚠️The North County Governmental Center in Reston is closed due to a power outage in the area. There is no current ETA on when power will be restored, but Dominion is working on the issue.
— Fairfax County Government 🇺🇸 (@fairfaxcounty) November 9, 2021
To date, the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) has been running fare collection at the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station — a county-owned facility — without compensation.
As a hand-off date for the 11.5-mile extension comes close to fruition, officials are now contemplating the best way for fare collections to continue. In a proposed agreement that goes before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors today, the county is hoping to compensate WMATA for its efforts by paying roughly $45 per parking space per year.
The county does not own any other garages, a spokesperson for the Fairfax County Department of Transportation told Reston Now.
“We are paying for WMATA to operate the fare collection system in those garages so it is the same for all customers in the county,” said Robin Geiger, FCDOT’s spokesperson.
The yearly payment would amount to around $366,000, with funds largely being offset by parking fees collected at the facilities.
WMATA’s board is expected to take up the matter in a few months.
Wiehle-Reston East has the county’s first county-owned parking facility. With 2,300 spaces, it is the second largest of the new station. The Herndon station will have a 3,751 parking space garage while Innovation Center will have a 2,072-space parking garage.
The parking garage at Innovation Center Metro Station is located on the south side of the station. The $52 million facility was sinking in 2019 and has since been repaired.
The Herndon Metro Station will serve the Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride garage, which has parking for roughly 3,500 cars. The new facility, constructed by Manhattan Construction Co., cost roughly $44.5 million.
The Wiehle-Reston East garage has 2,300 spaces, but some commuters have reported difficulty snagging spots and navigating signs in the garage, especially during early morning hours.
The county’s Board of Supervisors is expected to discuss the issue at a meeting today.
Metro Restores More Service — After the Oct. 12 derailment of a 7000-series train in Virginia, Metro is increasing service on the red and yellow lines. Blue, Orange, and Silver lines will continue to run every 30 minutes while the Green line runs every 20 minutes. [Reston Patch]
Tennis Courts Closed for Repairs — The tennis courts at Lake Newport will be closed today. The closure impacts courts three to six and not courts one and two. [Reston Association]
Herndon Company Raises $145 Million — HawkEye 360 raised $145 million in series d round funding. The last round was led by New York-based global private equity and venture capital firm Insight Partners and Seraphim Space Investment Trust. [PR Newswire]
Cloudpermit Chooses Reston — The Finnish software company has made Reston its North American headquarters. The business employs 10 people and already has a small office in Reston. It hopes to double that headcount by the end of the year. [Washington Business Journal]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
The Town of Herndon is seeking roughly $4.6 million in regional funds for planned improvements at the future intersection of Herndon Parkway and Worldgate Drive.
The $6.5 million project includes a new traffic signal at the intersection and the addition of a new dedicated turning lane, according to a staff memo.
The lanes, cycle tracks and sidewalks would connect with ongoing projects at the Herndon Parkway and Van Buren intersection and at the bus bay drop off and pick-up area, according to the application.
The new road will include a fore-lane divided road with eight-foot-wide sidewalks, a 10-foot trail and sidewalk lighting.
At a meeting tomorrow, Herndon’s Town Council will consider submission of the application to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority for its FY26-FY27 regional funding program.
The town anticipates that the final engineering and construction of the project will be financed through private development.
The Town of Herndon’s Metrorail Herndon Station Area Plan identified the areas as a transit-oriented core where the project is deemed of critical importance, according to the town’s capital improvements plan.
The Worldgate Drive Extension is a keystone infrastructure improvement for the Herndon Transit-Oriented Core as included in the Metrorail Station Area Plan,’ the plan states.
The council approved a concept plan for the project in 2017.
Business Robbed in Reston — A man robbed the Exxon gas station on 11854 Sunrise Valley Drive on Nov. 1 one minute after midnight. No injuries were reported. [Fairfax County Police Department]
New Members for Lake Anne Board — Lake Anne property owners voted in a trio of new candidates who hope to turn around the beleaguered condominium association, which has been bogged down by politics and infighting. [Reston Patch]
Good News for Unemployment Rate — The county’s unemployment rate declined to 2.7 percent in September and appears to be approaching pre-COVID levels. [Sun Gazette]
Photo by Ray Copson
Three people were injured in a shooting and stabbing in Herndon around 3 a.m. today.
The incident happened in the 2400 block of Centreville Road. No arrests have made and a description of the suspect was not available, police said.
All three of the individuals are being treated for injuries that are not considering life threatening, police said.
Officers continue to investigate this shooting & stabbing. Follow our blog, https://t.co/PBMfNnRMp0, for any updates. https://t.co/BlObNRDWo0
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) November 6, 2021
Before we head into a weekend, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on the site in recent days.
- BREAKING: Herndon MS lockdown lifted after fight between middle schoolers
- New Outback Steakhouse on Elden Street to open next year
- Herndon teen John Gluck takes his star turn on NBC’s “Ordinary Joe”
- JUST IN: Silver Line Phase 2 has finally reached substantial completion
- Silver Line Phase 2 work was completed this past weekend, completion date still unknown
If you have ideas on stories we should cover, email us at [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip. Photos from around the Reston and Herndon area are also welcome, with credit always given to the photographer.
Feel free to discuss these topics, your socially distanced weekend plans, or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.
Image via Google Maps
The Herndon Police Department faces a storyline similar to that experienced by law enforcement agencies statewide and throughout the country. Police officers are leaving and staff shortages are reaching historic highs.
This year, the police department is short 10 officers of its force of 55 sworn officers, a staffing shortage that is “significantly higher than in years past,” according to police chief Maggie DeBoard. The issue has escalated over the last two years as more officers leave for non-law enforcement-related career changes or early retirement.
“This has been due largely to the negative portrayal of our profession by the media, efforts at defunding the police, legislative efforts that have made our job more difficult and more dangerous, and the targeting of law enforcement officers,” she said.
DeBoard says that shortages have significantly hampered the police department’s ability to conductive proactive policing and take part in prevention programs.
The Fairfax County Police Department and other law enforcement agencies face similar staffing shortages. Agencies are also competing with each other to attract and retain candidates.
While the police department did not release specific compensation information, an HPD spokesperson said that Herndon’s benefits, pay and employee perks are on par with neighboring agencies.
The police department is currently conducting a pay parity study in order to ensure its compensation package is competitive and properly compensates officers when they are promoted or given additional responsibilities.
“While we typically don’t lose officers to neighboring agencies, we thrive on hiring sworn officers from other agencies who are looking for a change and are attracted to what the Herndon Police Department has to offer,” she said.
HPD has adjusted its shift configuration in order to account for limited sworn officers.
“We continue to ensure we are fully responsive, however, to emergency calls for service at all time.’ The spokesperson declined to specify how shifts are changed for safety and tactical reasons.
“Our goal is to continue to make the Herndon Police Department a desirable place to work so that we remain highly attractive to new hires due to our positive culture and caring and supportive community,” she added.
Just yesterday, the police department put out a call for applicants. The social media post touted the police department’s take-home car program, in-house dry cleaning, and the availability of a town prosecutor for traffic and misdemeanor crimes.
Reston-based Company Makes Acquisition — CACI International, a Reston-based company, has acquired a California-based company for $275 million. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year for SA Photonics Inc. [Virginia Business]
Reston Next Moves Forward — Boston Properties has officially delivered the first 285,000 square feet of its Reston Next development, which is anchored by Fannie Mae. The project is 85 percent leased overall. [Washington Business Journal]
Town of Herndon Budget Earns Honors — Government Finance Officers Association recognized the Town of Herndon with its budget presentation award. The honor recognizes budgets that work well as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide and communications device. [Town of Herndon]
This Sunday: Change Your Clock — When you move your clock back one hour early on Sunday morning, don’t forget to also check your smoke alarms to make sure they’re working. The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department issues a reminder to residents. [FCRD]
Photo by David Taube
