A new business is coming to the Tall Oaks Professional building (12054 North Shore Drive.
H&R Block, a tax preparation company that has locations around the world, is expected to open soon at the location, according to recently processed county permits.
The building is one of two in the Tall Oaks Village Center that is expected to remain throughout the redevelopment.
The redevelopment of the village center into a mixed-use development will include 156 homes, 8,500 square feet of retail and about 6,000 square feet of office space, as well as community space. Construction is currently in progress.
Photo via Google Maps
As phase two of the Silver Line opens early next year, Fairfax County Public Schools are looking to secure funds to begin planning for a new elementary school near the Silver Line.
On Tuesday, Nov 5., voters will consider a bond referendum for $2 million in planning funds for the project.
A site for the new school has not been finalized. A spokesperson for FCPS also declined to release the pyramid the school would be located in until a location has been selected.
“Fairfax County Public Schools is collaborating closely with Fairfax County land use and government staff to identify sites,” said Lucy Caldwell, the school system’s director of news and information.
Developer Pomeroy/Clark LLC plans to dedicate six acres of land for the school — a condition of approval for the developer’s mixed-use project at the intersection of Sunrise Valley Drive and Frying Pan Road.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the project in June, which includes 2 million square feet of residential uses and an elementary school in five separate land bays spread over 44 acres.
The plan depicts a five-story, 135,000-square-foot elementary school — details that are contingent on the future approvals of the final development plan for the school and pending discussions between the school system and land use staff.
“The applicant worked closely with Fairfax County Public Schools on the site design to ensure that adequate parking, bus circulation, and recreation space can be provided for the school,” according to the county.
School renovations and construction projects are financed through the approval of bonds.
File photo
A Reston-based company with ties to President Donald Trump’s brother was awarded a $33 million federal contract, The Washington Post reported Saturday.
An anonymous rival bidder filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice over the summer alleged that the company, CertiPath, did not disclose “one of the President’s closest living. Relatives stood to benefit financially from the transaction.”
CertiPath, which is owned by a firm with ties to Trump’s younger brother, Robert Trump, was awarded the contract from the U.S. Marshals Service to provide security for federal courthouses and cell blocks.
In a statement to the Post, CertiPath’s founder and president Jeff Bigriny said Robert Trump is “exclusively a passive investor” and does not have a management role.
In a statement published in response to the article, CertiPath wrote the following:
Aside from the obvious difficulty of trading on someone’s name without disclosing it, CertiPath categorically denies it has ever made any attempt to trade on the Trump name nor has the company made any effort to hide Mr. Robert Trump’s indirect ownership in CertiPath. Mr. Robert Trump is a minority shareholder as was disclosed on filings by the company with the General Services Administration. He is not an officer, director, or agent of CertiPath, and took no part in the negotiation or preparation of the successful bid submitted to the United States Marshals Service. CertiPath has an impeccable operating history and ethical background. Our abilities and technical expertise are well known and speak for themselves and has no need to trade on anyone’s name other than its own.
The Post reports that while the contract was awarded to CertiPath, no money has been paid out yet because another company, NMR Consulting, filed a protest against the bid with the Government Accountability Office in July. The protest led to a stop work order, according to the Post.
Second Round of Meetings on Fairfax Connector Service Changes — “Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will hold a second round of community input meetings and engagement opportunities to encourage public input on alternatives developed to provide enhanced Fairfax Connector bus service in the Reston and Herndon areas, including connections to the future Metrorail Silver Line Phase 2 stations in Herndon and Reston.” [Fairfax County Government]
Why Rush Hour Promise Was Cancelled After Crash — “The refunds were offered to registered SmarTrip cardholders who were caught up in major Blue, Orange and Silver Line delays on the morning of Monday, Oct. 7. But they were not provided to those riders in the afternoon even as the crumpled cars continued to block one of the tracks near Farragut West.” [WTOP]
Community Action Spurs. Changers to Campus Commons Plan — “Consistent with the Reston Master Plan principle of public participation in planning and zoning, Reston citizens banded together to improve a flawed redevelopment plan by TF Cornerstone, for Campus Commons, located in the Reston Transit Station Area (TSA) at Wiehle Avenue and Sunrise Valley Drive. Among several reasons, the plan failed to gain community support because it does not adequately provide safe pedestrian crossings and will add at least 6,100 daily car trips.” [Reston 2020]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
Before we head off into the weekend, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now in recent days.
- Despite Appeal, Future of $50 Million Condo in Reston Town Center North Remains in Jeopardy
- One of Reston’s First Office Developments is Approved for Major Redevelopment
- Rolls-Royce North America to Relocate Headquarters from Reston Town Center to Reston Station
- Priest Admits to Sexual Contact with a Minor at Reston Church
- New Taco Restaurant Coming to Herndon
If you have ideas on stories we should cover, email us at [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip.
Feel free to discuss these topics, your weekend plans or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.
Photo by Jay Westcott
The South Lakes High School homecoming parade is scheduled for today (Friday).
The parade, which is set for 5-6 p.m., will feature student organizations, class councils, clubs, team, community groups, elementary schools, and the school’s marching band, The Spirit of Reston.
This year’s theme is “A Seahawk in Hollywood.”
The parade begins at 5 p.m. from Hunters Woods Shopping Center. It will continue north on Colts Neck Drive, turn east onto South Lakes Drive and finish at SLHS. Expect traffic delays along Colts Neck Road and South Lakes Drive this evening.
The football game against McLean High School begins at 7 p.m. shortly after the parade.
Photo via South Lakes High School
The 10th annual Washington West Film Festival continues through Monday with special screenings at Bow Tie Cinemas in Reston Town Center.
The festival showcases films from around the world. Tomorrow’s schedules include a panel discussion about the process of independent filmmaking at 10 a.m.
The schedule for tomorrow (Saturday) is below and tickets for each screening can be purchased online:
- 11:15 a.m.: Shorts Program, Get Creative
- Noon: Campesino
- 1:45 p.m.: Shorts Program, the Power of Art
- 3 p.m.: The Good, The Bad, The Hungry
- 4:45 p.m.: Shorts Program, Greener Grasses
- 5:45 p.m.: Burden, 17 Blocks
- 7:45 p.m.: Shorts Program, Breakthrough
The event on Saturday concludes with an annual party at the Reston Town Center pavilion.
The complete schedule is available online. All net box office proceeds help address issues like hunger and illness, according to the festival’s website.
Tomorrow (Saturday)
- Halloween Face Painting (1-3 p.m.) — Try on a festive look at Reston Regional Library. The event is open for all ages.
- Reston Friends Jigsaw Puzzle Sale (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) — Puzzle books, games, and jigsaw puzzles are available for sale at Reston Regional Library.
- Halloween Movie (11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) — Enjoy a screening of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial at Reston Regional Library. Attendees can also enjoy popcorn and hot cocoa.
- Halloween Family Day (Noon to 2. p.m.) — Come dressed in your favorite custom and enjoy family-friendly performances. The event is free. Children must be accompanied by an adult guardian.
- Trick or Treat at Reston Town Center (Noon to 4 p.m.) — Kids who wear costumes can get free treats at the town center.
Sunday (Oct. 27)
- History of World War II (2-4 p.m.) — Dr. Harry Butowsky of George Mason University continues his six-part lecture series on the history of the war.
Photo via Washington West Film Festival
Fairfax County Public Schools are looking to hire more bus drivers.
To date, the system has 80 openings for bus drivers, according to a recent release.
A job fair is set for Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Gerry Hyland Government Center (8350 Richmond Highway) in Alexandria.
“In order to qualify to work as a bus driver with FCPS, applicants must be at least 21 years old; have a good driving record; pass a physical exam, drug screening, and background check; complete a five-week training program, take the commercial driver’s license road test, and obtain a commercial driver’s license,” according to FCPS.
The current salary for a bus driver is $19.20 per hour. The position includes benefits like retirement, health, and dental plans and six paid non-working days. Drivers are also allowed to bring infant and preschool-age children on the bus with them.
Morning shifts typically run from 6-9:30 a.m. while afternoon shifts run from 1:30 to 5 p.m.
File photo
Reston Association’s Board of Directors has shaved $10 off the expected member dues increase for next year. In the latest draft proposal, the assessment would by 3.6 percent from $693 to $718.
This year, RA is considering increasing staff salaries across the board in order to ensure employees receive competitive, market-rate benefits and compensation packages, according to RA leadership.
RA CEO Hank Lynch said his staff “literally went line by line by line” through the organization’s revenues and expenses to reach the new proposed member assessment amount. The previous draft budget proposed a five percent increase.
Lynch said the latest draft proposal represents hovers around a four percent increase in the average annual assessment increases in the last ten budgets.
Member assessments have increased by 34 percent between 2010 and 2018.
A handful of RA members who testified at last night’s public meeting raised concerns about RA’s latest budget draft.
Some said they were worried RA’s financial controls were slipping — once again referencing the organization’s $2.6 million purchase of The Lake House at double its assessed value in 2015.
“There are signs that controls are slipping again,” said John Lovaas, an RA member. Lovaas also said he was troubled by the “shaky assumption” that RA’s staff are due to inadequate compensation.
Critical financial oversight should be conducted by RA’s fiscal committee, others said.
“I’m concerned that the fiscal committee is not being consulted and shown everything,” said Tammi Petrine.
Mike Leone, RA’s spokesman, told Reston Now that the change in the proposed assessment was the result of direction and input from RA’s board and the committee.
In comments to the board, RA’s fiscal committee raised concerns about the overall budget.
“Having a one-year change in overall spending of about $3.3 million seems very aggressive and may be too hard to manage successfully,” according to documents submitted by the committee.
Here’s more from the committee:
It seems like we are trying to do everything in a very short amount of time. While the operating expense line says we’re growing $1.2M, it is net of reducing Facility Rent and eliminating Credit Card Fees (a total of about $600K). In other words, it does not count an extra $600K that we gained from the Facility Rent and adjustment to credit card fees. Nor does it count the one-time studies done in 2019 (e.g., the Branding Study, and the Compensation Study) that will not be needed in 2020. So the actual annual spending increase proposed is more like $2M. The same situation is on the Capital side. The reserve study calls for 2020 spending to be $2,954K and the budget is asking for $4,453K. Understanding that RA has a continual backlog and that it is being addressed is laudable, however, with no increase in staff on the capital side, and a mammoth increase in their budget, it is difficult to predict whether the full amount requested will be spent in 2020.
RA Board President Cathy Baum said she appreciated members for testifying at the hearing.
“Listening to comments can be challenging for both the board and staff, but it’s really nice to see members be engaged,” Baum said.
Photo via YouTube
Warning about World Series Ticket Scams — “Detectives are investigating an increasing number of online and phone scams involving the sale of World Series tickets. Fans are reminded to use caution when purchasing tickets from sources other than Major League Baseball or authorized dealers. Be sure to research the vendor and review their security protocols before providing personal information or payment.” [Fairfax County Police Department]
Burglary Reported at 11600 Block of Charter Oak Court — Someone broke into the home on Oct. 23 sometime between 11:15 a.m. and 1:38 p.m. and stole personal items. The incident is under investigation. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Washington West Film Festival Continues Today — A happy hours, three shorts programs, and two films will air as part of the festival at Bow Tie Cinemas today. The festival continues through Monday (Oct. 28). [Washington West Film Festival]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
The last thing Army veteran Paul Olsen and his brother Kenny wanted was another pretentious coffee shop in Herndon.
After spending two years learning the fine art of roasting coffee beans in Paul’s backyard, the brothers — embracing their self-described weirdness– opened the first coffee roaster in Herndon.
Their business, Weird Brothers, quickly took off after modest beginnings as a mobile coffee bar on wheels in early 2015.
Now, the locally-owned coffee shop has two brick-and-mortar locations: the first shop and roastery at 321 Sunset Park Drive and a new coffee bar that opened — at the request of the property owners — at 12825 Worldgate Drive.
But with each big step, the family-run business experienced hiccups along the way.
Shortly after the first Weird Brothers location opened, co-owner Kenny and the expert barista and go-getter of the brothers’ duo, died unexpectedly. Then, a few months before the second location’s opening, Paul’s father, Daryl, a retired businessman and teacher at a California High School who helped the business start-up, also died.
Despite difficult times in the family, Paul says the coffee shop has remained committed to brewing coffee and community spirit.
“We just keep pushing forward,” Paul said, describing the business as a family affair, “We have to make Kenny and my dad proud.”
Weird Brothers prides itself in selling a product that is unpretentious and different from corporate coffee.
The owners were inspired by the coffee culture on the West Coast and Paul’s experience traveling the world in the Army. After retiring from the Army in 2009 and with six years of government contracting experience, Paul decided to launch the business.
Having little roasting experience of their own, the brothers, who grew up in California with their parents, worked on their technique.
Now, as the business expands, they hope to create a place where people can experience the whole process of coffee from the bean to the cup.
For the Weird Brothers, coffee has always been about fostering community and personal connections. Olsen and his family — including three children — live in Herndon.
“We take our coffee seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously,” Paul says.
Every Sunday, 15 percent of the day’s proceeds are donated to the charity of the day.
Even though Paul prides the now growing list of flavors the business serves, he concedes a simple truth that he often tells customers about:
“The best coffee is the coffee that you enjoy the most,” he says.
Photos by Jay Westcott
This story is part of a recurring feature on independent businesses in Herndon and Reston. To submit suggestions on businesses to profile, email us at [email protected].
Town of Herndon officials are looking for ways to improve pedestrian safety and mobility.
At a Tuesday meeting, Herndon Town Council members reviewed the Herndon Pedestrian Plan, a strategic document that identifies deficiencies in the town’s pedestrian infrastructure and creates a framework to improve pedestrian safety.
The plan highlights the following challenges to create a walkable community:
- Poor connectivity between neighborhoods
- Vehicle-oriented site design and separated land uses
- Existing streetscape with low attention to pedestrian comfort
- A lack of crosswalks across blocks
- Existing pedestrian paths with accessibility issues
Roughly 12 percent of right-of-way areas in Herndon do not have sidewalks, largely due to the result of piecemeal development and physical obstructions, according to the plan.
“Herndon has largely been fully developed so the best opportunity for any significant changes to its street pattern can only occur through coordinated redevelopment,” the plan states.
Like in other jurisdictions, almost all pedestrian injuries happen at crosswalks. In the Town of Herndon, nine in every ten accidents involved a pedestrian within vehicle travel ways.
The plan hones in on several areas in the town that need improvements, including installing missing sidewalks and ensuring existing sidewalks are ADA-compliant on both sides of Locust Street.
Bryce Perry, the town’s Deputy Director of Community Development, said the plan is intended to serve as a guiding document for developers, staff and other interested stakeholders as they contemplate pedestrian improvements.
Some council members expressed the need for town staff to incorporate additional projects. For example, while the plan includes suggested improvements to Nash Street’s sidewalks, it does not directly address the intersection of Nash and Spring streets.
Perry noted that specific requests for improvements can also be discussed as part of the capital improvements budget.
A draft of the plan is available online.
Photo via Town of Herndon
A pedestrian was involved in an accident at the intersection of Grant Street and Grove Street in Herndon.
The incident happened around noon today (Thursday). Police have not yet indicated how the accident happened or if a vehicle was involved.
The pedestrian was taken to a local hospital to treat non-life-threatening injuries.
Photo via HPD
Businesses at the intersection of Herndon Parkway and Elden Street have been evacuated after a gas leak was reported around noon today (Thursday).
According to the Herndon Police Department, eastbound Herndon Parkway between Elden Street and Campbell Way is closed to a break in a gas line.
Repair crews are on the scene. It is unclear when the road will reopen. Residents should use an alternate route and avoid the area.
INCIDENT ALERT/GAS LINE LEAK: EB Herndon Pkwy between Elden St and Campbell Way is closed do a break in the gas line. Repair crews are on the scene. Businesses at Herndon Pkwy and Elden St have been evacuated. Use an alternate route/avoid area. Updates as available. #herndonpd pic.twitter.com/OLh7K2lh5r
— Herndon Police (@HerndonPolice) October 24, 2019
Several local schools were acknowledged by Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand and the Fairfax County School Board for bridging achievement gaps in English and math.
Aldrin and Armstrong Elementary School were among the top ten schools in the county to achieve the highest average increase across all reporting groups in English.
Armstrong Elementary School, Herndon Middle School and Herndon High School earned the excellence in equity award for the highest average increase in math.
Lake Anne Elementary School was one of the top schools in the county to achieve the greatest reduction in the English achievement gap.
Awards were given based on school performance in the 2018-2019 school year and revised accreditation standards approved by the Virginia Board of Education in 2017.
Photo via Facebook
