As we head into Labor Day weekend, here’s a look at some area closings and schedule adjustments for the holiday.

Public schools, library, county offices, the county’s animal shelter, General District Court, and Reston Community Center Hunters Woods and Lake Anne will be closed.

The Fairfax Connector will be operating on a Sunday schedule. Metrorail and Metrobus will also operate on a Sunday schedule, with off-peak fares in effect all day. Parking will be free at all Metrorail facilities.

Frying Pan Farm Park’s farm and indoor arena will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but its visitors center will remain closed. More information about county closures is available online.

Reston Association offices, the Central Services Facility and the nature house will close at noon today (Friday) and remain closed on Monday.

The pool schedule for the holiday weekend is below:

Glade, Lake Audubon, Lake Newport: Noon to 7 p.m.

North Shore, Ridge Heights: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In the town of Herndon, government offices will be closed. Recycling collection will be postponed from Monday to Tuesday. The town’s Labor Day festival is set from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the town green.

Photo via Ben White/Unsplash

Since the first United States Census in 1790, the U.S. Census Bureau has recorded the mean center of the population as it moves west and south.

Baltimore-based artist Nate Larson’s explores these centroid towns in the next chapter of his project. The upcoming exhibit, “Centroid Towns: Like a Passing Shadow,” features the town of Waterford, Va., the centroid town of 1810. The exhibit will run from September 28 through January 4.

GRACE wrote the following about Larson:

Nate Larson works with photographic media, artist books, and digital video. His projects have been widely shown across the US and internationally as well as featured in numerous publications and media outlets, including Wired, The Guardian, NPR, Hyperallergic, New York Times, The Washington Post, and Art Papers. His artwork is included in the permanent collections of the High Museum Atlanta, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Orlando Museum of Art, Portland Art Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and the Museum of Contemporary Photography Chicago. Larson is currently serving as Chair of the Photography Department at MICA / Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore.

Larson’s previous work featured communities like Ellicott City, Md., Bloomington, In., and Mascoutah, Ill.

The exhibit is supported by Virginia McGehee Friend.

The opening reception is set for September 28 from 5-7 p.m. at Reston Community Center. Larson and GRACE’s executive director and curator Lily Siegel will discuss the exhibit. Creative responses are set for October 3 and 24 at 7 p.m.

Photo via Nate Larson/GRACE

County to Host Zoning Open House — “Sheds, home-based businesses, and outdoor lighting on residential properties are some of the topics that will be discussed at the upcoming Zoning Open House on Tuesday, September 10, from 7 to 9 p.m. It will be held in the South County Center Main Conference Room, 8350 Richmond Highway, Alexandria.” [Fairfax County Government]

Hourly Wages to Rent in Reston — “They say home is where the heart is, but a new report by affordable housing advocates also shows that home is where the money is. The typical household in Fairfax County must earn $32.02 an hour to afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment at fair market rate, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. In the report, “Out of Reach,” Virginia is said to have the 13th highest ‘housing wage’ in the country.” [Reston Patch]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Lululemon, a Canadian athletic apparel retailer, is launching a weekly fitness program in Reston Town Center next week.

Participants in the program, which is called Run RTC, will meet every Thursday at 6 a.m. outside its RTC location (11957 Market Street).

Each run will be between 25 to 45 minutes in the area.

The event is free and open to all. Registration is open online.

Photo via lululemon

Local police are still looking for the driver of a car who hit and killed Marvin Daniel Cruz Serrano, 16, of Reston in December.

Police said the vehicle was likely a sedan, according to witness accounts. The make, model and driver of the car are unknown.

The Fairfax County Police Department requests any with information to call the department’s crash reconstruction unit at 703-280-0543. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling 1-866-411-TIPS or by text by sending “fccs” to 847411.

Seranno was killed while walking across South Lakes Drive towards Castle Rock Square on December 31.

Photo via Madison Grace Shannon/Facebook

Five candidates will participate in Reston Community Center’s candidate forum on September 11. The forum, which will guide voters on their preferences on who should fill three seats on RCC’s Board of Governors, takes place at RCC Hunters Woods at 6:30 p.m.

Voting in the annual preference poll will take place from September 6 through 27.  Ballots will be delivered via mail to Small District 5 residential and commercial addresses after September 5. Voting requires a user ID and PIN to vote online, in-person or by mail.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will appoint members to the three three-year positions based on preferences stated by participants in the poll. RCC’s board is designed to bring social, recreational, cultural and educational activities throughout the district.

First-time candidates Laurie Dodd and Robert Petrine join incumbents Beverly Cosham, Michelle Moyer and Paul Thomas in the race for three positions.

Photos via RCC

The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole at Lake Fairfax Park has been named one of the region’s best waterparks by Washingtonian Magazine.

The publication, which made different selections based on the type of waterpark, wrote that the water mine was one of the best in the area for children between ages 7 and 11.

“Older children beeline for the three lengthy, winding water slides standing three stories tall,” the magazine wrote. “There’s also a log walk, a lazy river, more slides, and a splash area for younger kids.”

The Fairfax County Park Authority wrote the following about the waterpark:

The Water Mine captures the excitement of the Old West’s Gold Rush with themed attractions including more than an acre of slides, flumes, sprays, showers, floatables, and an interactive water playground. Kids can careen off covered wagons, float on wild animals, dash through showers tipped from water-filled ore carts, or float along the Rattlesnake River, a 725-foot lazy river. The centerpiece is Pete’s Peak, a craggy mountain featuring water slides of various size and intensity. 

Although the water mine will be open tomorrow (Friday) from noon to 6 p.m., it goes to the dogs with a season-ending event on Saturday (September 7) to benefit the Fairfax County Animal Shelter and the Fairfax County Park Foundation.

Photo via FCPA

More than 50 artists will converge at the Greater Reston Art Center’s gallery in Reston Town Center next month for the annual Monster Drawing Fundraiser.

The rally turns the gallery into a public performance space as artists create artworks on-site using the media of choice from 4-8 p.m.

Completed works are hung on the wall and are available for purchase at $75 each. If more than one person is interested in an artwork, the buyer will be determined through a drawing.

All proceeds from the event will benefit GRACE’s exhibition programs.

The event, which is sponsored by Collective Arts Brewing, is free and open for all.

Volunteers can sign up online to help with the event.

Photo via GRACE

A new nursery school and day care program could be coming to Dranesville United Methodist Church.

The church, which already has a permit for a private school, is seeking to replace the current private school with a nursery school and day care program.

In an application submitted to Fairfax County on June 19, William Bliven, chairman of the church’s board of trustees, said the switch would “more broadly serve the surrounding community.”

The church is proposing no changes to its facilities, grounds or telecommunications facilities. However, 19 spaces for staff and parents — which are available on site — will be needed. The nursery and childcare program would have a maximum enrollment of 99 — 51 seats less than the previously approved private school.

The hours of the church would be tweaked slightly to accommodate working parents. The new program would be open on weekday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The application was accepted by the county earlier this month. Dates for future county meetings have not yet been docketed.

The church is located at 1089 Liberty Meeting Court in Herndon.

Photo via Google Maps

The Town of Herndon is celebrating 30 years of keeping green with its Herndon Farmers’ Market and the town’s arborist program.

Although the local farmers market has gotten slightly smaller over the years, the weekday market has seen an increase in the variety of products sold, including empanadas, fresh pasta and pickles. Other vendors are not offering different types of fruits, vegetables, meats and breads. Nearby competition from other markets has strained the reach of the local market.

John Dudzinsky, the town’s community forester, says the town is looking to find “value added” vendors as well as more organic options.

Last week, the town distributed reusable totes and coasters to celebrate the milestone.

The town is also celebrating Dudzinsky’s position, which aims to maintain the health of the town’s trees and urban forest. Although this duty has remained the forester’s central task for the last three decades, the forester now manages the market, offers horticulture services to town residents and helps with environmental tasks like stream monitoring.

The Town has also maintained its Tree City status, which is given to comunities that meet standards of sound urban forestry management.

“The Town’s leadership has always been supportive of the Community Forestry program.  Along with the support of our town citizens.  With everyone’s’ support and assistance the Town has been able to maintain our Tree City USA status,” Dudzinsky said.

The designation is given by the Arbor Day Foundation, which is a nonprofit conservation and education organization founded in 1972.

The market is held on Thursdays from April to November from 8 a.m. to 12:30 on Lynn Street. Information about this year’s vendors is available online.

Photo via Town of Herndon/Facebook

The annual Reston Pumpkin 5K and Kids’ Pumpkin Dash is set for Sunday, October 13.

Although the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce dropped its plans to host the annual Flavors of Fall festival, the pumpkin dash is expected to feature the same activities and programs as in previous years.

Participants are encouraged to debut their Halloween costumes the event, which start at 8:15 a.m. at Reston Town Center.

Registration for the 5K is $20 per person through October 11 and $25 per person from October 12 to October 13. Registration for the kids’ event is $10 per person until October 11 and $15 per person from October 12 to October 13.

All runners will receive a T-shirt, race bib, and post-race refreshments.

Awards will be given baed. On several age groups to the top male and female participants.

More information about the event is available online.

Photo via Don Renner

Local residents and family members are remembering South Lakes High School teacher Simon Chang — who was killed in a motorcycle crash last week — for his spirited energy, enthusiasm and caring personality.

Friends and family have launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Chang’s son Benaiah.

Chang, 38, of Ashburn, died after his motorcycle crashed near a wooded area along Alliance Drive in Fairfax. A groundskeeper discovered his body on August 22. He was reported missing on August 19.

So far, the campaign has collected nearly $13,000.

“Simon will be remembered for his spirited energy and enthusiasm. He had a gift of blessing those around him with his encouraging words and humor. His laugh was contagious and brought people together,” wrote Greg Lee, the campaign’s organizer. “He served God with passion and sacrifice wholeheartedly as a missionary for International House of Prayer. He had a passion for positivity influencing the youth as a teacher and basketball coach for South Lakes High School. He was dearly loved by those who knew him.”

Chang was an emotional disabilities teacher and basketball coach at SLHS. Kim Retzer, the school’s principal told Reston Now that Chang will be remembered for his caring personality.

“Mr. Chang was a beloved staff member who touched the lives of the students he taught and coached. He will be remembered by students and staff alike for his caring nature and he will always be a part of the Seahawk family,” Retzer said.

Although Chang had only been with the basketball program for a short time, Andrew Duggan, the school’s assistant director of student activities said he had a big impact on the time.

“He was a valuable person in our program for the last three seasons. While his time in our program was short, he had a big impact on our players.  His contribution on the court and classroom will be missed at South Lakes,” Duggan said.

Proceeds from the GoFundMe will facilitate Benaiah’s “healthy growth and development.”

Photo via GoFundMe

‘Overlooked’ Exhibit Ends This Week — “Join Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE) this Thursday to hear Jean Badalamenti respond to the current exhibition Overlooked (closing August 31). DC-based Jean Badalamenti is a licensed social worker with more than 25 years of experience and DC Public Library’s first health and human services coordinator. She received a master’s degree in social work from Howard University and has spent her career advocating for people without homes or jobs, as well as those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.” [Greater Reston Arts Center]

A ‘Jade’ Way of Looking at Your Neighborhood — “Explore your neighborhood in great detail w/ our new mapping application called Jade. It features 170+ layers to view, combine and analyze. It also includes, for the first time, current and historical aerial imagery.” [Fairfax County Government]

Assault Reported Near Florida Avenue — Kawser Ibrahim, 28, of Herndon was arrested for malicious wounding and assault on August 22. Police believe Ibrahim assaulted a man, who was taken to a local hospital for treatment. [Herndon Police Department]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr