State Gov. Ralph Northam has appointed Robert Goudie, board chair of the Greater Reston Arts Center to take part in the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
The commission is state agency tenant supports the arts by seeking funding from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Goudie is also the executive director of the Reston Town Center Association, where he expanded the RTCA’s programming. He also helped found Public Art Reston and serves on its Board of Directors. He is also a member of ArtsFairfax’s advocacy committee.
GRACE wrote the following about Goudie:
In the six years that Mr. Goudie has served as GRACE Board Chair, GRACE has built out its exhibition and educational content and Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival in service of a new vision to identify GRACE as an important cultural destination along Metro’s Silver Line and grow its voice in the DC metropolitan region’s cultural conversation; added to its board depth and diversity; grown its financial capacity; forged new partnerships with prestigious downtown institutions like the National Gallery of Art and others; built a strong strategic partnership with George Mason University and added collaborations with other educational institutions; added a satellite gallery at the Signature building in Reston Town Center; and was recognized as one of only four visual arts institutions in the entire Commonwealth to receive a VCA 50th anniversary award.
In a statement, Goudie described the appointment as an “institutional honor.”
“We have a very dedicated and talented Board of Directors, a superb staff led by our Executive Director and Curator, Lily Siegel, and fantastic supporters,” he said.
Photo via GRACE
Reston Association Board to Discuss Budget — RA’s Board of Directors will discuss the first draft of the upcoming budget at a meeting today (Thursday) at RA headquarters. Issues related to boat and dock policies, as well as path lighting near Hunters Woods Village Center, will also be discussed at the meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. [Reston Association]
Burglary Reported at Forest Edge Elementary School — Police believe some broke into a school trailer and damaged property. The incident happened between Sept. 20 and Sept. 23. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Spots Available on Fairfax County Chaplain Corp. — The Fairfax County Community Chaplain Corps works as part of an emergency disaster team to provide chaplain care to community members impacted by the effects of a disaster or emergency. Register for an orientation session to meet current community chaplains, learn more about what it means to serve as a community chaplain and learn how to apply. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo by Jay Westcott
A Lorton teenager will stand trial as an adult for allegedly shooting and killing his girlfriend’s parents before Christmas three years ago.
Nicholas Giampa, 19, will be tried as an adult after a Fairfax County juvenile court judge found there was enough evidence to move the case to a grand jury in the county’s circuit court, the Washington Post reported yesterday (Tuesday).
Police believe Giampa, who was 17 at the time, shot and killed Scott Fricker, 48, and Buckley Kuhn-Fricker, in their Reston home. Giampa then shot himself in the head.
The case gained national attention after Giampa’s social media accounts indicated he espoused neo-Nazi views.
During the hearing on Tuesday, detectives said they found Giampa in the daughter’s bedroom. When Scott Fricker told Giampa to get out of the house, Giamp pulled out a gun and shot both parents, the Post reports.
The daughter, who is now 17, testified at Tuesday’s hearing about the shooting.
Here’s more from the report:
Janet Kuhn has said the events were set in motion earlier that week. Kuhn-Fricker, who owned an elder-care business and had a law degree, sent the email to the principal at the Dominion School laying out her concerns about Giampa on the Sunday before the killings.
Kuhn-Fricker discovered Giampa’s Twitter account, which has since been deleted, while looking at her daughter’s phone. The account featured tweets praising Adolf Hitler, supporting Nazi book burnings, calling for “white revolution,” making derogatory comments about Jews and featuring an illustration of a man hanging from a noose beneath a slur for gay people. The tweets also featured Atomwaffen, a white-nationalist group whose members have been tied to a handful of killings.
Kuhn-Fricker wrote in the email to the principal that their daughter told her over the previous summer that the boyfriend was very good at history and that her daughter asked, “Did you know that Jews are partly to blame for World War II?”
Giampa’s attorneys did not comment during the hearing.
ThreatQuotient, a Reston-based cybersecurity firm, has a new creature under its wing: baby rhino Mtetho.
In honor of World Rhino Day on Sunday (Sept. 22), The company recently adopted the rhino in order to bring awareness to conversation efforts and raise money for initiatives that will protect endangered species.
The baby rhino’s name means justice in the isiXhosa language, which is one of the official languages of South Africa.
John Czupak, ThreatQuotient’s CEO, told Reston Now that rhino culture its a central part of the company’s identity and culture.
“Our goal is to contribute positive change for the fortunes of the species, which mirrors our goals for our customers and mission within the cybersecurity industry,” Czupak said.
Nearly seven years ago, ThreatQuotient selected the rhino as its official mascot in order to evoke the values of strength and steadiness. Rhino decor is common in the Reston-based office and employees receive a stuffed toy rhino on their first day of work.
The company also whips up an internal newsletter called “The Rhino Reader” to update employees about important news related to the company
Mtetho was adopted through Helping Rhinos, a charity based in the United Kingdom and the United States that helps develop new habitats for rhinos and protects them from poaching and illegal wildlife trade.
The company plans to donate $1 to Helping Rhinos for every event attendee at 11 national and international conferences who scans their badges at its booth.
Photo via ThreatQuotient
CertiPath, a company that offers assurance credentialling in the federal government and commercial industry, is moving its headquarters from Reston Town Center to Reston Station.
The company announced that it has signed a 7,000-square-foot lease at Comstock’s 1900 Reston Metro Plaza. Company officials said the move brings employees and customers immediate access to the Silver Line and creates an office environment “equipped for the company’s continued growth.”
“CertiPath serves a broad range of clientele requiring the highest assurance digital identity solutions,” said Jeff Nigriny, CertiPath’s President. “Our services and products are collaborations with our customers. It is essential that our headquarters environment enable and enhance this collaboration while serving to instill confidence for first-time customers.”
CertiPath is the latest company to join a growing number of tenants at the first of three office towers at Reston Station. Google is setting up offices in the office tower, which was designed by internationally renowned architect Helmut Jahn.
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
Comscore, a media measurement and analytics firm headquartered in Reston Town Center, and its former CEO Serge Matta have been charged by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for defrauding investors and making false and misleading statements about the company’s performance.
In a Tuesday release, the SEC stated that Comscore and Mata agreed to pay $5.7 million in penalties. Matta will also reimburse Comscore $2.1 million.
“As the SEC orders find, Comscore and its former CEO manipulated the accounting for non-monetary and other transactions in an effort to chase revenue targets and deceive investors about the performance of Comscore’s business,” said Melissa R. Hodgman, Associate Director in the SEC’s Enforcement Division. “We will continue to hold issuers and executives accountable for such serious breaches of their fundamental duty to make accurate disclosures to the investing public while giving appropriate credit for a company’s prompt remedial acts and cooperation.”
The investigation revealed that the company — which measures audience engagement across different platforms — overstated revenue by roughly $50 million. Between February 2014 and February 2016, the company attempted to increase its reported revenue by exchanging data sets with another party by inflating revenue, according to the release.
The SEC also said Comscore and Matta create an “illusion of smooth and steady growth in Comscore’s business” by making false and misleading public disclosures about the company’s customer base and products. Specifically, the SEC found that Matta lied to the company’s internal accountant and external audit firm, allowing the company to artificially exceeds its analysis’ revenue target in seven consecutive quarters.
The last few months have been rocky for the media measurement firm. In April, the Wall Street Journal reported the company’s chief executive, Bryan Wiener, left the company after less than a year due to disagreements over the board’s execution of the company’s strategy.
Comscore is located in the heart of Reston Town Center at 11950 Democracy Drive.
Image via Google Maps
After flagging a number of schools with Confederate ties, the Fairfax County School Board is considering aligning its school renaming and naming policy with the county’s commitment to building an inclusive, respectful learning environment.
At a Thursday meeting, the school board is expected to vote on a proposal to ensure school are named “appropriately.” Seven Fairfax County schools, including Robert E. Lee High School and Mosby Woods Elementary School, have ties to Confederate soldiers and and other individuals with Confederate ties.
The school board has been discussing the issue over the past year. At a recent meeting, school board members noted that “Confederate values are ones that do not align with our community.”
If the proposal is approved, the board can proceed with changing the name of a school or facility if it conflicts with One Fairfax, a county-wide policy that aims to ensure the county considers equity when making policies or delivering program and services. Additionally, school names and mascots associated with those names should be consistent with that policy.
It is unclear if the school board will immediately pursue changes to the names of schools if changes to the procedural process are approved on Thursday.
In recent years, ties of public institutions, statues and public installations to the Confederacy have been scrutinized by some regional and national entities.
Photo via FCPS
Herndon-based Company Acquires Silicon Valley Company — iDirect Government, a Herndon-based unit of Singapore’s ST Engineering paid $20 million in cash to acquire Glowlink Communications Technology. [iDirect Government]
Reston Semi-Annual Book Sale Kicks Off Today — The book sale is open for Reston Friends today from 5-8 p.m. at Reston Regional Library. It will open up to the public for the rest of the week. [Reston Regional Library]
Last Week to Vote in Preference Poll — The deadline to vote in Reston Community Center’s annual preference poll for online and in-person ballots is on Friday, Sept. 27. Mailed ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26. [Reston Community Center]
‘Meet Me at the Movies’ for Seniors — Reston Association and Reston Town Center Bow Tie Cinemas presents the 25th anniversary of the movies series. This month, seniors can watch “The Best of Enemies” at 9:15 a.m. at the cinema. [Reston Town Center]
Staff Photo by Jay Westcott
Three home burglaries were reported on Sunday, Sept. 22. Police believe a burglar entered the homes the garages and stole items from vehicles parked in the garages.
The incidents happened between midnight and 7 a.m. on the 1700 block of Raleigh Hill Road, the 1700 block of Clovermeadow Drive and the 10300 block of Brittenford Drive, according to police.
A spokesperson for the Fairfax County Police Department said that the incidents — which happened in the same area and within a few hours — “may be connected.” Detectives are investigating the incidents, the spokesperson told Reston Now.
In a separate incident on Friday, Sept. 22, someone also burglarized a home on the 2500 block of Freetown Drive a few minutes before midnight.
The Fairfax County Police Department did not immediately indicate if the incidents are connected.
FCPD’s Reston District Station also reported the following incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
2200 block of Astoria Circle, license plate from vehicle
10200 block of Brittenford Drive, cash from vehicle
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, documents and cash from vehicle
11200 block of Chestnut Grove Square, wallet from location
10900 block of Clover Hunt Court, cash from vehicle
1700 block of Clover Meadow Drive, wallet from vehicle
10800 block of Crippen Vale Court, cash from vehicle
10800 block of Crippen Vale Court, knife from vehicle
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, documents and cash from vehicle
1700 block of Raleigh Hill Road, laptop computer from vehicle
1900 block of Reston Metro Plaza, keys from location
1600 block of Sadlers Wells Drive, property from residence
11200 block of Silentwood Lane, cell phone from residence
2400 block of Southgate Square, license plate from vehicle
11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, merchandise from business
STOLEN VEHICLES:
13400 block of Farm Crest Court, 2002 Yamaha R1 motorcycle
Anyone with information about any of the incidents reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
Photo via FCPD
(Update: Crisafi was found safe on Tuesday).
Local police are searching for a missing woman who was last seen on the 1800 block of Town Center Parkway today.
Annette Crisafi, 48, was last seen around 12:25 a.m. today (Tuesday) and is considered endangered due to “mental and/or physical health issues,” according the Fairfax County Police Department.
Crisafi is 5’6”, 126 pounds, and has brown hair and green eyes. She was wearing a navy blue sweater with white and blue checkered pants.
Anyone with information should call 703-6901-2131
Photo via FCPD
After a nearly two-year-long wait, Aslin Beer Company has begun construction on its new tasting room and bar in Herndon after receiving a green light from the Town of Herndon in July.
The company has begun constructing its new location — which will include a tasting room, terrace seating, and a rooftop bar — after it was told to leave its former location at Sunset Park Drive roughly four years ago. The new tasting room and bar will be located at 771 Elden Street.
The start-up left its home at 257 Sunset Park Drive after the owners were told to scale back operations due to a ruling by the county’s fire marshal, Reston Now previously reported.
Based on its currently approved permits, the business must halt building its Herndon location when the structure is built up to the original location. Additional building permits are required to complete the remainder of the project, said Bill Ashton, the Town of Herndon’s town manager.
“We’re watching them like hawks,” said Bill Ashton, who recently updated the Herndon Town Council about the developer.
Aslin Beer Company did not return requests for comment from Reston Now.
Photo by Jay Westcott
‘No Place Safe’ from Hidden Cameras — “The teen said she never gave a second thought to the iPhone that Raphael Schklowsky incorporated into his lessons at Herndon High School. But even as he was teaching drama, Schklowsky was allegedly using the device to victimize her. Fairfax County police detectives showed the 17-year-old girl a shocking display. During just one class in spring 2017, they said, Schklowsky snapped at least a dozen inappropriate photos of her body from different angles and zooms as she sat on a riser.” [The Washington Post]
INOVA Bloodmobile in Reston Town Center Today — INOVA’s blood mobile will be on-site at Reston Town Center from 1-6 p.m. today. Individuals can donate blood by registration on-site or online. [Reston Town Center]
Strategic Plan Feedback Sought — Residents who are unable to make a series of community meetings on the county’s strategic plan, which is currently in development, can provide feedback online. [Fairfax County Government]
Centroid Exhibit Opens This Weekend — “GRACE will present the next chapter of Baltimore-based artist Nate Larson’s Centroid Towns project. Since the first US census in 1790, the United States Census Bureau has been recording the mean center of population as it moves steadily west and south. The first Centroid Town recorded was Chestertown, Maryland, and the projected Centroid of the 2020 census is Hartville, Missouri.” [East City Art]
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
The Town of Herndon is kickstarting the annual fall clean-up week in October.
The week, which is designed to encourage residents to place large or bulky items outside for curbside pick-up, will happen from October 7-11.
Items that can be placed outside for curbside pick-up include appliances, furniture, vehicles parts and plumbing fixtures, tires, and a limited amount of building materials.
Only two tires can be disposed of per household and vehicle parts and plumbing fixtures must be under 50 pounds. Building materials cannot exit one cubic yard, with lengths under four feet.
The pick-up service, which is set for the same day of scheduled trash collection, does not include yard waste and electronics.
Items must be placed on the curbside by 7 a.m. on residents’ scheduled trash day.
For questions and concerns, email [email protected].
Photo via Patricia Valerio/Unsplash
Nashville-based candle company Paddywax is bring its do-it-yourself candle-making workshops to a new location in Reston Town Center.
Paddywax Candle Bar is expected to open in the winter this year, according to the storefront’s signage (1816 Library Street). Patrons can create their own candles during workshops while enjoying food and drinks.
It fills space formerly occupied by The Tasting Room Wine Bar, which left RTC in March this year.
The business has been rapidly expanding in the last year, with new locations coming to Madison, Wisc., Philadelphia, and the District. Paddywax currently has location in Texas, Tennessee and North Carolina.
Photo via The Candle Bar/Facebook
After a proffer from the developer of Hunters Woods at Trails Edge, a long-awaited project to bring path lights near Hunters Woods Village Center is coming closer to reality.
The Reston Association Board of Directors is considering installing 16 poles and lights near the village center and repurposing ball field behind Reston Community Center that is no longer used by the Reston-Herndon Little League.
RA received $81,300 via a proffer from IntegraCare, the developer of the senior living community. Plans to improve lighting in the area have been in the works since as early as 2013, but were hampered by limited funding.
The cost of the project increased over the last several years. Previous cost estimations did not account for expenses related to Dominion Energy’s engineering and equipment costs.
The first stretch of pathway lights is expected to cost around $100,000. At the request of the Hunters Woods Neighborhood Coalition, RA is also considering repurposing the ball field.
RA plans to use the remaining balance of funds to study, design and consider repurposing the ball field. Overall, RA has $124,916 to complete the overall project — after accounting for costs related to completing tree surveys and preliminary design work.
Larry Butler, RA’s Chief Operating Officer, is expected to discuss the issue at a board meeting on Thursday, Sept. 26.
In draft agenda materials, RA staff noted that the installation of the first stretch of path lights does not preclude additional projects in the future.
Photo via Reston Association/handout, File photo
