Artists of all ages and skill levels can now save the date for ChalkFest at Reston Town Center.
The annual event, which challenges artists to create chalk drawings on Market Street, is set for Saturday, September 14 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Registration is open in the following categories:
- Professional artist: $25
- Amateur artist: $25
- Families and kids: $15
Prizes will be given to winning artists in each category. Participants will also get the chance to vote in the “audience choice awards.”
ChalkFest is presented by Public Art Reston and Reston Town Center. All proceeds from the event will benefit Public Art Reston’s projects and programs.
Last year’s event was cancelled due to the forecasted rain, but in 2017, the event drew more than 4,000 people.
Photo by Public Art Reston
This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
Four hundred years ago yesterday, July 30, 1619, a group of 22 colonists met in the wooden and mud church on Jamestowne Island as instructed by the investors of the colony “to establish one equal and uniform government over all Virginia” and to provide “just laws for the happy guiding and governing of the people there inhabiting.” They adjourned on August 4. That event is variously described as the beginning of representative government in America and as the beginning of the oldest continuous law-making body in the western hemisphere. It merits the commemoration it is receiving.
In order to fully understand the importance of a signature event as this one, I believe it is important to put it into perspective as our knowledge of what happened afterwards allows us to do. While termed the beginning of representative government, the first legislative meeting was anything but representative. Only white males could vote or serve in the Assembly. The indigenous people — called Indians because one of the purposes of sailing to this new world was to find a shorter route to India — were not able to participate even though they had inhabited the land for at least 15,000 years. Not only were they kept out of the Assembly, they were forced off their lands where they had their homes, governance, religion, and farms. In less than a half century the immigrants had taken over the land and displaced the indigenous people.
Nor could women take part in that first Assembly because they did not arrive in Virginia until 1619 and did not secure the vote until three centuries later! Enslaved people from Africa did not arrive in the colony until 1619 and not only were they not in the First Assembly but they were the subject of laws in subsequent sessions of oppressive slave codes that denied them basic human rights. It was necessary in the beginnings of the Assembly to belong to and pay taxes to the established church.
The history of Virginia and of America has been to move from this humble beginning and through decades and centuries of events to evolve into what is more closely a representative government. The planners of the events surrounding 1619 have correctly I believe termed it “evolution.” Contrary to what some may have us believe, our state and our country did not start out meeting the ideals and vision that we have. We have built on a humble beginning to evolve into the country we are today.
I trust that this important celebration will not be allowed to be taken over by an ignorance of what happened at Jamestowne and turned into a biased partisan view to justify the terrible actions of government today against people of color, people from other lands, and people in the LGBTQ communities. We do not need to try to return to a past that was much more imperfect than we sometimes care to admit. I am attending the Commemorative Session of the General Assembly to learn more about the past and how we can learn from our experiences and evolve further into a more perfect union. I will not be attending the session with POTUS.
A house fire on the 600 block of Pemberton Court in the Town of Herndon on Tuesday (July 30) caused nearly $50,000 in damages.
The homeowner and the homeowner’s son — who were at home during the incident — evacuated the area before the fire department arrived. No injuries were reported.
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s investigators believe a malfunctioning ceiling fan in a covered screen porch caused the fire.
“The cause of the fire involved an electrical event in the junction box of a ceiling fan,” the department wrote.
Three residents were displaced because of the fire. Red Cross Services were accepted by the family.
Photos via FCFRD
Frying Pan Farm Park 4-H Fair and Carnival Kicks Off — The 71st annual carnival and fair begins today (Thursday) through Sunday. More information on scheduled events is available on the event’s website. [Fairfax County Government]
Hunter Mill Road between Mt. Sunapee Road and Hunting Crest Lane Closed — The road is closed for an extended period as crews repair downed wires. It’s unclear when the road is expected to reopen. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Take a Break Concert Series at Lake Anne Plaza Tonight — IONI, a band that plays Celtic music, performs at the plaza from 7-9 p.m. today (Thursday). The concert is free and open for all ages. [Reston Community Center]
Photo by Dario Piparo
Great Falls Village Green Day School, a private preschool in Great Falls, is expanding its enrollment ages in order to address the growing need for child care in the area.
The school, which has operated in the area for 40 years, has received the Fairfax County Board of Supervisor’s approval to enroll babies as young as three months. Previously, the child care center only provided care to children as young as two. The cap on ages — children of 12 years — remains the same..
At the board’s meeting on Tuesday (June 30), Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said the change offers a much needed service in the area.
Foust noted that the special exemption sought by the school to expand enrollment ages was a minor decision and did not require much discussion.
No changes to existing hours of operations, restriction on activities at the school or physical changes to the site were proposed.
The expanded program is expected to open its doors on August 26. The school is located at 790 Walker Road.
Photo via Jason Lody
A Herndon man was sentenced to one year in prison last week for cyberstalking a woman in New York for more than three years.
Brandon Theresa, 21, used the woman’s online accounts without her permission, created fake accounts using her name and sent information from her account in order to embarrass her, according to court documents.
Investigators said that when the victim tried to cut off communication with Theresa, the man made U.S. Postal Service delivery accounts in the names of her friends and family to receive updates on the victim’s activities and the people in her life.
“He used this information to track down the victim, using anonymizing technologies that made it difficult for the victim to block the communications,” according to a release by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
He continued to stalk the victim until federal authorities searched his home after receiving a search warrant in December last year.
Investigators believe Theresa stalked the woman between May 2015 and December 2018.
For more than two months, Reston Town Center’s Vapiano has been closed amid allegations of an international money laundering scheme.
The case, which was filed in May in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California, continues to rattle the company. The RTC location’s doors have been shuttered for more than two months.
A spokesperson for Vapiano said the company has not announced a reopening date. The new owners — Plutos Sama Holdings, Inc. (PSH) — are expected to provide an update soon.
Representatives of PSH alleged that individuals attempted to take over the chain and intentionally thwart PSH’s attempts to maintain operation of three Vapiano locations.
According to court documents, the complaint alleges the individuals — including one man known as the “King of Ports” — attempted to launder money through the restaurant chain, including funds amassed through questionable shipping transactions in Guatemala.
So far, little to no movement has been made in court. According to the docket, the case was assigned to a local judge, but no updates from the accused parties have come forward.
In early June, an attorney representing PSH expected the restaurant to open within a month. That attorney has not returned repeated calls and emails from Reston Now over the last three weeks.
Prior to the extended temporary closure that began in late May, the RTC location closed sporadically throughout the year. Prior to the release of the suit, company officials told Reston Now the company was undergoing major restructuring, training, and managing payroll delays.
A Flash Flood Watch is in effect until 8 p.m. in Reston and surrounding areas.
The National Weather Service expects showers and thunderstorms to produce areas of localized flooding.
Here’s more from the alert:
* SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING. THIS HEAVY RAIN MAY LEAD TO LOCALIZED TOTAL
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO 3 INCHES. MUCH OF THIS RAIN MAY FALL IN SHORT PERIODS OF TIME IN ANY GIVEN LOCATION, RESULTING IN THE
RISK FOR FLASH FLOODING.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
Severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon into early evening, with damaging winds being the primary threat. Heavy rainfall will also be possible, potentially leading to isolated instances of flash flooding. pic.twitter.com/U7FdAoJ0iX
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) July 31, 2019
Author Peter Kageyama dives into his love of Reston during a special event at Reston Community Center’s CenterStage in September.
Kageyama, the author of “For the Love of Cities: The Love Affair Between People and Their Place,” will discuss how Reston exemplifies his ideal.
The event is set for Saturday, September 7 at 8 p.m.
Kayegama’s book explores the “mutual love affair between people and their places,” according to the book’s descriptions.
Here’s more about the book:
“The mutual love affair between people and their place is one of the most powerful influences in our lives, yet rarely thought of in terms of a relationship. As cities begin thinking of themselves as engaged in a relationship with their citizens, and citizens begin to consider their emotional connections with their places, we open up new possibilities in community, social and economic development by including the most powerful of motivators–the human heart–in our toolkit of city-making. The book explores what makes cities lovable, what motivates ordinary citizens to do extraordinary things for their places and how some cities, such as New Orleans, Detroit, and Cleveland are using that energy to fill in the gaps that “official” city makers have left as resources have disappeared. Meet those amazing people who are truly “in love” with their cities and learn how they are key to the future development of our communities.”
Tickets are $15 for Reston residents and $20 for all others. The box office is open from 4-9 p.m. on Thursday, August 1 for residents and employees of business in Small District 5 to purchase tickets. Sales will open up to the public and online on Thursday, August 8 at 4 p.m.
Photo via Reston Community Center
A major project to widen Elden Street from four to six lanes between Herndon Parkway and Fairfax County Parkway will likely break ground in early 2023.
The project is expected to cost roughly $51 million, including $6 million for preliminary engineering, $20 million for right of way acquisition and utility relocation, and nearly $25 million for construction.
A spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Transportation said that the state is currently in the process of right of way acquisition. Construction could begin sooner if additional funding becomes available.
The project area — which is around one mile — would bring bike lanes from Monroe Street to Herndon Parkway. It also includes cycle tracks from Herndon Parkway to Fairfax County Parkway — which combine the infrastructure of a separated path and on-street infrastructure with a conventional bike lane.
Culverts over Sugarland Run will be replaced, along with a new bridge to improve stream flow and reduce potential flooding. So far, the project is on track.
Map via VDOT/website
Elections Officers Sought Throughout the County — The county is seeking elections officers for the upcoming election. The application is available online. [Fairfax County Office of Elections]
Dog Days of Summer Today in Reston Town Center — Dogs and their owners can take advantage of a special play zone today in RTC’s pavilion from 5-7:30 p.m. The event will be held weekly until September 4. [Reston Town Center]
Take Advantage of Savings During Virginia Annual Sales Tax Holiday — Virginia’s annual sales tax holiday runs from Friday (August 2) through Sunday (August 4). Customers will no longer have to pay the state sales tax on several items. [Fairfax County Emergency Information]
Photo via Dario Piparo/Flickr
Lake Anne Brew House and Great Falls Reston Soccer are partnering up on Sunday, August 4 for a special event.
From noon to 5 p.m., residents will get the chance to take part in a meet and greet with Washington Spirit, an American professional soccer club based in Germantown, Md.
The event, which will take place at the brew house, is being held to celebrate Great Falls Reston Soccer Club Day.
Participants can also donate used soccer gear to the club, which will be selling spirit wear.
The meet and greet will also include a raffle.
Photo via Lake Anne Brew House/Facebook
A Reston man was arrested when a homeowner spotted him from his home from his security cameras on Monday (July 29).
Andre Irick, 23, was arrested near the home on the 12000 block of Fox View Way around 12:07 a.m. that day, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
The homeowner saw the man from his security camera and also heard noise coming from downstairs. Police believe Irick ran away as the homeowner shouted at him to leave his home.
Irick was charged with unlawful entry.
In an unrelated incident, a home on the 13000 block of Shea Place was ransacked sometime in mid-to-late July. FCPD released no other information about the incident.
FCPD’s Reston District Station also reported the following minor incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
1700 block of Business Center Drive, cell phone from business
7100 block of Capitol View Drive, tool from location
1600 block of Chimney House Road, cash from location
1300 block of Cold Harbor Court, package from residence
13400 block of Farm Crest Court, bicycle from residence
1800 block of Fountain Drive, cash from business
11400 block of Isaac Newton Square, wallet and keys from location
2200 block of Gunsmith Square, cash from vehicle
11600 block of Hunters Green Court, license plate from vehicle
13000 block of Laurel Tree Lane, wallet from vehicle
11900 block of Market Street, merchandise from business
13300 block of Misty Dawn Drive, purse from vehicle
1600 block of Reston Parkway, merchandise from business
11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, golf cart from location
12500 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, cell phone from location
12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, purse and cell phone from vehicle
12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, wallet from vehicle
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
As we reported earlier in the week, a Reston man was charged with obstrucion of justice on Thursday (July 25).
At a public meeting on Monday (July 29), local police turned to the community for help as it investigates a suspicious death that happened behind Hunters Woods Plaza in late June.
Local law enforcement and Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins met with the community Monday night to discuss the ongoing investigation.
Jose Lorenzo Guillen Mejia, 24, of Reston, was found dead near a walking trail on Sunday, June 24 near a wooded area between Hunters Woods Plaza and Breton Court. Mejia was found with trauma to his upper body and was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Remember, the information you have, regardless of how trivial it may be, could be the critical link in solving this case,” according to handouts distributed during the meeting.
Police encouraged anyone with information about the incident to contact the Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800. Tips can be submitted by calling 1-866-311-TIPS or by texting “TIP187 plus the messages CRIMES.”
Photo via handout/FCPD
After more than 20 years of business-as-usual, changes are underway to the Town of Herndon’s trash and recycling collection schedule.
Beginning on August 5, recycling collection days will change for all residents, while trash collection days will change for some residents.
The changes are “needed to increase collection efficiency, balance routes, consolidate collection areas, and allow for existing and future development,” according to the town’s website.
No changes to the level of service offered by the town’s curbside collection program are proposed.
All recycling days will change to either Monday or Tuesday. Trash collections days will be on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.
Residents can visit the town’s website to see their new schedule. All containers must be at the curb by no later than 6 a.m. on the scheduled collection day.
More information about the changes are available online. Residents with questions can contact the town’s Department of Public Works at [email protected].
Photo via Patricia Valerio/Unsplash
