Melanie Meren won the endorsement of the Hunter Mill District Democratic Committee for school board with 80 percent of the vote on Wednesday.
The self-described Fairfax County parent leader, whose platform centers around “strong education,” is one of three candidates that were seeking the Hunter Mill District seat on the Fairfax County School Board.
“We are excited to support Melanie’s campaign for School Board and thank outgoing School Board member Pat Hynes for her many years of service to Hunter Mill, to our students and teachers,” wrote Gordon Simonett and Denver Supinger, co-chairs of the HMDDC.
Andy Sigle, former president of Reston Association’s Board of Directors, and Laura Ramirez Drain, whose campaign focuses on Family Life Education and the budget, were also running for the board seat. The seat was vacated by longtime Hunter Mill District Representative Pat Hynes in January. Meren’s endorsement bumps other candidates out of the race.
Paul Berry, Meren’s campaign manager, wrote the following about the endorsement:
Meren and her husband Drew are 14 year residents of Hunter Mill District, where their two children attend public school. After graduating with a Master’s degree in Public Policy she worked in early childhood education at the US Department of Education’s Title 1 office managing a $15 million grant program for the nation’s most underfunded schools. After leaving the Dept. of Ed she founded her own education policy firm that advocates in particular for environmental education in public schools. Her professional and personal lives overlapped in 2016 when budget cuts threatened a multi-million dollar reduction in school funding. She responded by successfully advocating for and recovering $60 million through community activism and organizing parents in Hunter Mill.
Meren won with an overwhelming 109 votes, while Sigle had 27 votes.
An official endorsement by the Fairfax County Democratic Committee is expected on May 21. Meren’s name will be on the November ballot without party identification.
Photo via Melanie Meren website
Lunchtime with the Arts at Mason — Performers from George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts offer free lunchtime concerts in Reston Town Square Park. The first performance kicks off today from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. [Reston Community Center]
Fish Survey Underway in Reston — The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries will be out and about to conduct a fish survey of Reston’s lakes. The effort is in partnership with Reston Association. [Reston Association]
Reston Has a Problem — In this opinion piece, Michael Freedman-Schnapp argues that the community’s founding vision of inclusion has “begun to slip into the background.” [Greater Greater Washington]
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Painter Trisha Adams has opened up a gallery at Herndon’s Junction Square neighborhood, bringing some life to vacant storefronts in the new property at 708a Elden Street.
Adams, a Californian who started painting when she was 44, set up shop on May 1. She is known for her bright and colorful landscapes and still paintings.
“I love the look and location of Junction Square,” Adams told Reston Now. “The front windows are great to display new paintings.”
She says it took six months to complete build-out and she’s still in the process of outfitting the building.
Junction Square is a 55,000-square-foot mixed-use development that includes 20 luxury town homes and storefronts. It is located at the central intersection of Elden and Monroe streets.
Work continues on a new beauty and barber shop planned in the neighborhood. So far, there’s been limited activity where a new juice bar is planned to open at 702 Elden Street.
Visitors are encouraged to call 540-454-5922 before dropping in, Adams said. The gallery is typically open between noon and 6 p.m. on weekdays.
Photo via Trisha Adams
Reston Community Orchestra is closing out its 2018-2019 season with a Boston Pops-style concert.
The finale, titled “Delicious & Delectable,” is set for Sunday (May 19) at 4 p.m. at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods.
The highlight of the show is the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 with soloist Thomas Pandolfi. Light snacks and beverages will be offered during the show.
The first 36 patrons to make an advance donation of $15 to the RCO can reserve a table with refreshments close to the orchestra. A $90 donation holds a table for six.
Reservations are due by May 13 and can be submitted online.
RCO is funded in part by the Arts Council of Fairfax County, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Photo via RCC
Comstock’s redevelopment plans for downtown Herndon are headed to the town’s Heritage Preservation Review for a possible vote this month.
The HPRB dove into details of the proposal on May 1, setting the stage for a May 15 public hearing.
At the May 1 meeting, HPRB members encouraged Comstock to ensure it provides proper notice of public events and activities to residents neighboring the property as the development proceeds.
Members also asked Comstock to look into the visibility of shafts from public streets and the Washington & Old Dominion Trail.
Staff have recommended approval of the project. A public hearing is set for May 15 at 7 p.m. in the Herndon Town Council Chambers.
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Raphael Schklowsky, a drama teacher at Herndon High School, faces 20 felony charges of possession of child pornography and one felony charge of unlawful filming.
Detectives discovered more than 3,500 videos on multiple electronic devices, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. Schklowsky, 36, was originally charged with four misdemeanor counts of unlawful filming on April 8.
He was charged with the additional offenses today when he attended a hearing at the Fairfax County Courthouse. He is now being held on no bond.
Schklowsky has been on leave since his April 8 arrest. He was initially charged in early April when a woman told police she found a hidden camera inside an air conditioning vent in a home where she was working. Detectives found evidence of unlawful filming and arrested Schklowsky.
Photo via FCPD
Commuters traveling on Fox Mill Road between Loveless Lane and Thoroughbred Road should plan detours next week.
The road will be closed Monday, May 13 through Tuesday, May 21 as crews replace a pipe in the culvert that carries Little Difficult Run under Fox Mill Road.
The complete closure begins on Monday, May 13 at 8 a.m. and ends on Thursday, May 16 at 5 p.m. After that period, the road will be closed during the daytime from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day on Friday, May 17, Monday, May 20 and Tuesday, May 21. The road will remain open on the weekend.
Residents in the closure area and emergency vehicles will have access to the closed portion of Fox Mill Road, but the area where the pipe is being replaced will be completely closed off.
The Virginia Department of Transportation directed through traffic via the following routes:
- Northbound Fox Mill Road: Folkstone Drive and Lawyers Road (Routes 602 and 665) back to Fox Mill Road.
- Southbound Fox Mill Road: Steeplechase Dr (Route 4703), Lawyers Road (Routes 673, 665 and 602) and Folkstone Drive back to Fox Mill Road.
Photo via VDOT
Kalypso’s Sports Tavern is kicking off a live music series this week.
The business, which is located on historic Lake Anne, released its lineup of bands, which will play on a dedicated stage from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. every Friday through July 28.
The complete line up is below:
- May 10: Free Soul
- May 17: Bobby Thompson & Friends
- May 24: Full Plate
- May 31: Something’s Brewing
- June 7: The Jones
- June 14: The Vandelays
- June 28: Holly Montgomery Band
- July 5: Chris Timbers Band
- July 12: Sista Pat’s One Vibe
- July 19: Free Soul
- July 28: Run For Cover
“Spring and summer is the best time of the year on Lake Anne,” says Kalypso’s owner Vicky Hadjikyriakou. “We look forward to welcoming guests, familiar and new, to enjoy this great free music lineup and our menu of flavorful Greek and Italian food.”
The tavern already offers acoustic music on the lakefront patio on most weekend afternoons and evenings. Reston Community Center’s Take a Break Concert Series also returns on Thursdays.
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Missing Reston Man Found — Steven Stoller, 59, went missing on Monday when he left Bethesda, Maryland. He was located safe and unharmed on Tuesday, according to police. [Montgomery County Police Department]
Comscore Expands into West and Southern Africa — The Reston-based company is expanding its box office measurement services to nine African countries, including Nigeria and South Africa. Company executives say the move can capture the effectiveness of the African film market — one of the “most remarkable cultural developments in recent decades.” [Comscore]
Planning Commission Vote on Prince Towne and Reston Heights Development Proposal Tonight — The panel is expected to vote on scaling back already approved plans for Reston Heights, a mixed-use development already in progress on Sunrise Valley Drive. A vote is also expected on plans for single-family homes on the north side of West Ox Road. [Fairfax County Planning Commission]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
Bike to School Day returns to Fairfax County Public Schools tomorrow (Wednesday). The annual event aims to promote physical activity and put a dent into traffic congestion and pollution near schools.
As students bike or walk to school, parents are encouraged to accompany their kids to school and organize bike trains or walking groups.
The event is part of a series of events this month, which is National Bike Month. Bike to Work Day is set for May 17. FCPS provides guidance on the safest routes to and from schools in the county.
Reston schools participating in Bike to School Day include:
- Aldrin Elementary School
- Lake Anne Elementary School
- Sunrise Valley Elementary School
- Terraset Elementary School
For more information, visit the county’s website.
Photo courtesy of Steve Gurney
No major crime incidents were reported this week in Herndon and Reston, continuing another week of lull on the crime front.
Local police did investigate a report of a gunshot on April 30.
One round was shot into the ground on the 1500 block of Cameron Crescent Drive, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
No one was injured. FCPD also reported other minor incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
11400 block of Gate Hill Place, personal items from vehicle
13100 block of Kidwell Field Road, bicycle from residence
11900 block of Market Street, phone from business
11200 block of Silentwood Lane, package from residence
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
Countywide, FCPD is reminding residents to take safety precautions when they go outside after two women were assaulted on Centreville walking trails last month:
- Run, jog or walk in areas that are familiar to you.
- If you are walking in an unfamiliar location, bring a friend along with you.
- Avoid running, jogging or walking in a poorly lit or secluded area or after dark.
- Tell someone where you’ll be and share your GPS location with them.
- Do not wear headphones or earbuds.
- Switch up your route and pattern so your actions aren’t predictable.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
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For the 22nd year, Reston is preparing to host its annual Relay for Life Fundraiser to fight cancer next week.
This year’s event will be held on May 18 at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive). All proceeds raised from the event are donated to the American Cancer Society to support local community programs and research.
The event kicks off at noon with a luncheon for cancer survivors and caregivers. To RSVP, email Anna Ungar.
The opening ceremony starts at 2 p.m. by recognizing cancer survivors and organizers who helped this year’s relay season. The ceremony will be followed by a walk in honor of survivors and their caregivers. Other planned activities include zumba, a pie eating contest, a talent show, and a lip sync battle.
More information about the initiative is available online.
Photo courtesy of American Cancer Society
Prince Towne, LLC is seeking the county’s approval to replace four single-family homes on the north side of West Ox Road with nine single-family homes.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission will vote on the proposal tomorrow.
The new homes will front a new public cul-de-sac street with sidewalks on both sides. The new street, called Prince Towne Court, will intersect with West Ox Road, according to the development plan.
The applicant has proffered that 0.5 percent of the projected sales price of each unit will go toward the county’s Housing Trust Fund. The developer also plans to contribute $61,310 to Fairfax County Public Schools because the development will generate five additional students.
Planning and zoning staff recommended approval of the project, which they said “is similar to the adjacent residential development as well as surrounding residential areas.”
The Planning Commission will vote on the proposal tomorrow night. A decision on Reston Heights, a mixed-use development at 11830 Sunrise Valley Drive, is also expected.
Photo via handout/Fairfax County Government
Candidates running for Hunter Mill District Supervisor will discuss their ideas about business issues at a candidate forum next week.
The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce is hosting a forum on Friday, May 17 from 8-10 a.m. at Cooley Law Offices (11951 Freedom Drive). Candidates vying for the seat vacated by Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins will touch on issues including budget and taxation, growth and development, transportation, and affordable housing.
Tracy Baynard of McGuireWoods Consulting will moderate the event. After candidates make opening statements, Baynard will ask follow-up questions. No time is allotted to rebut other candidates’ responses.
Questions, which will not be shared in advance with candidates, will be pre-selected by GRCC’s planning committee and can be submitted to [email protected].
Four Democrats are running for Hudgins’ seat: Walter Alcorn, Laurie Dodd, Shyamali Hauth, Parker Messick, and Maggie Parker.
Photo by Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce
Connect Route 7 Public Meeting Tonight — State transportation officials are looking for feedback on their plans to widen seven miles of Route 7 between Reston Avenue and Jarrett Valley Drive from four to six lanes. A meeting is set for tonight at 7 p.m. at Forestville Elementary School in Great Falls. [Connect Route 7]
Local Investor’s Ties to Beyond Meat — “Los Angeles-based Beyond Meat Inc. had one of the most impressive initial public offerings in nearly two decades — but it was the company’s dedication to the science behind making a non-meat burger or sausage taste good that first drew in John Backus, co-founder and managing partner of Reston-based Proof.VC. [Washington Business Journal]
Deadline Extended for Fairfax County Parkway Survey — If you haven’t yet given feedback on planned improvements on the parkway, you still have a chance to do so online. State and county transportation officials have extended the deadline of an online survey to May 20. [Fairfax County Government]
Create Giant Paper Flowers Today — Scrawl Books is hosting a Reston Community Workshop on making giant paper flowers with cardstock tonight at 6 p.m. Registration is $40 for residents and $60 for all others. [Scrawl Books]
Photo by Tom J.
