A two-alarm fire that injured four people and displaced three residents Saturday evening was caused by a spark from a toaster, according to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.
The fire happened in apartments on the 1600 block of Becontree Lane. Four people were taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
Two residents were at home at the time of the fire. One resident evacuated from the house when she saw flames coming from the toaster in the kitchen. Local emergency crews arrived on the scene at around 5:30 p.m.
Crews contained the fire and rescued two occupants from the stairwell from the building. Neighbors had already evacuated another occupant form the building before the fire department arrived.
Fire investigators said the fire was caused by an accident. Three residents displaced by the fire were offered temporary shelter near Forest Edge Elementary School. Red Cross assistance was declined.
Damages are estimated at $150,000. Previous statements from local fire and rescue personnel indicated the fire displaced 30 Reston residents.
Photo via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department
Town of Herndon residents will be asked to select candidates for the Herndon Town Council on the ballot tomorrow. But language on the ballot states that voters are only required to select up to six candidates, leaving voters with the option to select candidates they feel particularly passionate about without filling out all available slots.
The option, which has garnered questions from voters, prompted Town of Herndon Mayor Lisa Merkel to address the issue earlier today. Merkel, who is running unopposed, is backing only four candidates: Jennifer Baker, Bill McKenna, Grace Wolf Cunningham and Joseph Plummer.
There are several ways to look at that. Voting for just the candidates you believe in may make sense in this kind of election when the top six vote getters are the winners. Recent elections have been very close. (Even the Virginia House of Delegates was essentially decided by one vote in one house district!) At times in the past Council seats have been decided by as few as 4 votes. What if you voted for the four or five candidates you really believe in, but then felt like you had to use up your last vote or two, and cast votes for candidates that you weren’t 100% behind? And then one of the “second choices” manages to beat one of your top choices by a vote or two? In essence you contributed to your favorite actually losing the seat. Sounds crazy, but it could happen. Food for thought, I guess.
Town of Herndon residents, take the following poll to indicate how you plan to handle the issue on Election Day.
A cow’s lunchtime stroll raised some eyebrows last week when the Black Angus cow, named Hokie, sped off onto a Route 28 exit ramp from her new home in Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon.
The 1,200-pound heifer, which had been purchased by the park from Virginia Tech just two days before the incident, was under routine quarantine at the farm when she suddenly jumped over a 3.5-foot tall wagon during stall cleaning and bolted through the Herndon area, surprising onlookers as she jumped over guard rails and jersey walls to evade capture.
According to the Fairfax County Park Authority, the help of some “agile” drivers resulted in the capture of the cow on an exit ramp roughly 2.5 miles from the park. Drivers used their cars to help emergency personnel corner the cow on the ramp, with one driver raising his hands on the opposite side of the ramp to prevent Hokie from jumping over the wall.
Help was also lassoed in from the Fairfax County Police Department and the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, who promptly joined in the hot pursuit.
The Fairfax County Park Authority offered the following thanks in a Facebook post following the incident:
“Thanks to the entire community for coming together to ensure the safe return of our newest cow. Farm staff is working to acclimate Hokie to her new home and have increased security measures to prevent the surprisingly nimble cow from escaping again.
Photos via Fairfax County Park Authority
With steady rain expected throughout the day, local emergency personnel are encouraging drivers to avoid flooded roadways at all times.
At around 9:40 a.m. today, a driver evacuated from a car stuck in the 2700 block of Fox Mill Road in Reston.
When units arrived on the scene, the driver had already evacuated from the car. No injuries were reported.
Units just responded to potential water rescue in the 2700 block of Fox Mill Road in the Reston area. Car stuck in flooded roadway. Driver had evacuated car prior to arrival. PLEASE, all drivers remember to #TurnAroundDontDrown! Do not enter a flooded roadway! #fcfrd #news pic.twitter.com/Ue8mz9BZn0
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) November 5, 2018
Fox Mill Road a little south of Reston is closed due to flooding in the roadway. It’s roughly the 2700/2800 block that is closed. pic.twitter.com/49KKtunt1M
— Tom Roussey (@tomroussey7news) November 5, 2018
Fire displaces 30 Reston residents on Saturday — A fire on the 1600 block of Becontree Lane on Saturday displaced 30 people. Local firefighters rescued two people who were in the building and residents rescued two others who were in the vicinity. All injuries were not life-threatening. We’ll have an update for you on the incident later today. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
No room to park at Wiehle-Reston East — Parking at the Wiehle-Reston East garage, which was once plentiful, has now become scarce. Citations by the county for illegal parking are also on the rise. [The Washington Post]
Crystal City and Amazon HQ2 — Amazon.com Inc. is moving forward with discussions about bringing HQ2 to Crystal City. Talking points include how to move employees into Arlington County neighborhoods and the bid also includes sites in the adjacent Potomac Yard neighborhood in Alexandria. [The Washington Post, Washington Business Journal]
Fall festival extended to tomorrow — The Reston Farm Market has extended its fall festival to Tuesday. The festival includes a train ride, moon bounces and other activities. [Reston Farm Market]
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.
- Giant Food is Coming to Centreville Road in Herndon
- Famous Toastery Coming to RTC West Early Next Year
- Crime Roundup: Parking Lot Fight Ends in Arrest of Herndon Man
- Photos: Demolition of Tall Oaks Village Center Underway
- Reston Association Board Mulls Assessment Increase, Employee Benefits
If you have ideas on stories we should cover, email us at [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip. We’re also looking for photos of Reston submitted by readers.
Feel free to discuss these topics, your weekend plans or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.
File photo
The Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously approved the Midline, a mixed-use project near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station Thursday night.
The approval sets the project, which would bring 1.8 million square feet of development across 17..5 acres east of Wiehle Avenue and south of Sunset Hills Road, in motion for a Board of Supervisors’ vote on Dec. 4.
John Carter, the Planning Commissioner for the Hunter Mill District, lauded the development team, JBG Smith, EYA and Chevy Chase Land Co., for bringing a diverse mix of low-rise housing to the area, a feature that he said is lacking in other projects recently approved in Reston.
Four blocks with several buildings are proposed on land that is currently used for low-rise office buildings and surface parking. The plan includes 127 independent units, a 33-bed assisted living facility, a 225-unit multi-family building and a mix of townhouses. A 14-story office building and retail is also planned on the site nearer to the Metro Station.
Carter said the mix of affordable and workforce housing units, which is integrated throughout the site, is not intended to serve as a precedent for other projects. Due to the variety of housing options proposed, the developer has integrated several affordable units in the townhouse area and the multi-family building, creating a dispersed mix of affordable housing throughout the project, Carter said. Parking will be offered at a cost reduced by 70 percent of the price for market-rate units. The affordability tiers are also 70, 80, and 100 percent of the area median income — a distribution lower than the typical county requirement of 80, 100 and 120 percent of the AMI. Independent living and affordable units will have shared access for several amenities.
Following concern about limited public amenities, the development team also added additional dog parks, playing areas for children, and agreed to work with area developers to install street lights, updated curbs, and signage along Reston Station Boulevard. That road will extend into the Midline project and pedestrian and bicyclist access to the Washington and Old Dominion Trail will also be provided.
The commission deferred a decision on Woodfield Acquisition’s plan to replace office buildings on Roland Clarke Place with residential units to Nov. 15 in order to allow the developer to devise a better way to create a grid of streets in the area.
Photo via handout/Fairfax County Government
The Hindu Festival of Lights, known as Diwali, lights up Reston Regional Library with a cultural fair on Saturday.
The event will include games, music, food, arts and crafts and other activities. Attendees of all ages are invited to the fair, which runs from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Below is a limited list of other events taking place in the Reston area this weekend. If you have an event you would like to ensure is listed on the website, be sure to submit it to our Events Calendar.
- In the mood for a little theater? Performances of Hairspray continue today and this weekend on CenterStage at RCC Hunters Woods. Tickets are $28 for adults, $24 for seniors 65 and older, and $24 for students and youth under 18.
- Junior merchants will sell a variety of gently-used toys, books, and other child-friendly items on Saturday at the Children’s Fall Flea Market at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
- You can also kickstart your morning with a beer run near Lake Anne Brewhouse from 9:45-10:30 a.m. All ages and paces are welcome.
- On Saturday, Reston Community Orchestra will kick off the season with their opening concert at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods at 4 p.m. The concert is open to attendees of all ages.
- Sing books with Miss Emily on Saturday at Reston Regional Library from 10:30 to 11 a.m. The event is co-sponsored by Friends of Reston Regional Library.
- Blue Sky Puppets present folktales with puppets Chester, Buster, and Suzy Pig on Saturday from 2-3 p.m. at Reston Regional Library. The event is also cosponsored by Friends of Reston Regional Library.
- Reston Association needs volunteers to help monitor stream conditions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. No prior experience is required and all ages are welcome.
- The Lake House will be open for community drop-in time and light refreshments from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday as part of a series of open houses.
- Maria Gianferrari reads her book “Operation Rescue Dog” at Scrawl Books on Saturday at 11 a.m. The story is about a girl who goes on a quest to find a rescue dog she plans to adopt.
- International games week kicks off on Sunday with the chance to play a few classic board games at Reston Regional Library from 1-5 p.m.
- Professor Harry Butowsky also continues his six-part lecture series on the history of World War II on Sunday at the Reston Regional Library from 2-4 p.m.
- On Sunday, Gina Clowes will perform as part of Frying Pan Farm Park’s Bluegrass Barn Series. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door.
File photo
Budget to increase Reston Association’s assessment fee by $11 — After hashing out several drafts of the 2019 operating and capital budgets, next year’s assessment fee is proposed to include an $11 increase, setting the rate of $693. [Reston Today]
A big win for the governor — Roughly 400,000 newly eligible low-income adults in Virginia can start enrolling in Medicaid, scoring a major win for the state’s Democratic governor. [WTOP]
Get your absentee votes in — Tomorrow is the last day for in-person, absentee voting. Ten locations are available for voting. [Fairfax County Government]
Daylight savings and Metro — Time changes are likely to change how you do things this weekend and that applies to Metro service as well. [WTOP]
Photo by David Toms
A body has been found on the 1500 block of Browns Chapel Road.
Detectives are investigating the scene, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
In a tweet at around 8:43 a.m., FCPD stated they preliminarily believe there is no threat to public safety.
An observer on the scene said the body was found off of the path on the dam side of Lake Newport. Access to both ends of the dam has been cut off, the observer noted.
No other information was immediately available.
This story will be updated.
Local police are searching for a Herndon man who may be endangered due to mental or physical health issues.
James Hampson, 52, was last seen on Oct. 29 near the 700 block of Center Street in Herndon. It is possible he may be in the Aldie area, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
He is roughly 6’1” and weight 180 pounds. He may also be in a Black 2002 Ford Expedition with Virginia tags VXJ -9037.
Anyone with information should call 703-691-2131.
Photo via FCPD
Reston Community Center will present its annual Children’s Fall Flea Market this Saturday from 9 a.m. through noon at RCC Hunters Woods.
Attendees can browse several tables for gently-used toys, books, games, video, and other child-friendly items. Junior merchants between the age of six and 13 will sell the items.
The event is open to all. Admission is one non-perishable item for Cornerstones’ Thanksgiving Food Drive, which kicks off today.
Vendor spots are still available. Single-size, 3’x6′ tables cost $10 for Reston residents $15 for all others. Shared tables that measure 3’x9′ with two or more merchants are $15 for Reston residents and $23 for all others. Registration is open online.
For more information, contact RCC’s youth program director Debbie Heron at [email protected].
Photo via Reston Community Center
Herndon High School’s band program is hosting a free concert in order to honor veterans on Nov. 7 (Wednesday).
The Tag Day Concert, which is set for 7 p.m., aims to celebrate and recognize members of the American military with patriotic songs, according to event organizers.
The concert will focus on World War II as the marching band prepares to go to Normandy, France to participate in a parade marking the 75th anniversary of D-day.
The band is raising money to offset the cost of next year’s trip.
The concert is free and concert-goers should park in front of the school and enter through door 11. The event will take place in the auditorium of Herndon High School.
Photo via Herndon High School Band/Facebook
The food scene at RTC West, a small office park slated to become a major mixed-use project, is coming to life with the addition of another restaurant.
Rajiv Chopra, a chef-turned-owner, plans to open Bombay Velvet (12120 Sunset Hills Road), a fine-dining, Indian restaurant by the last week of November or the beginning of December. Chopra says the restaurant, which will be located next to Honeygrow, will offer a unique “upscale” dining experience with a full bar menu.
A grand opening will likely be held sometime near Christmas, Chopra told Reston Now. Chopra also owns three other Indian restaurants called Punjabi By Nature in Leesburg, Chantilly, and Vienna, but Bombay Velvet offers “a completely new concept” that differentiates itself from Chopra’s other businesses, he said.
The Indian restaurant adds a new mix to existing area restaurants, including Honeygrow and BGR The Burger Joint.
Photos by Fatimah Waseem
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.
The election this coming Tuesday, November 6, may be the most important in our lifetime. We will not simply decide who is elected but the future direction of our country. As is my practice in past years, I have mailed to as many voters as my resources would permit a Voter Guide 2018 that makes my recommendations on the individuals and questions on the ballot. I started doing this because of the great number of people who have asked me how they should vote as well as to educate voters on issues that will be on the ballot of which they may not be aware. You will not find any surprises in my recommendations.
Representing Virginia in the U.S. Senate I recommend the re-election of Senator Tim Kaine for the outstanding person he is and for the work he has done in the Congress and in the past in state and local government. He reflects the personal qualities of honesty and decency that I believe we want in our elected officials.
If you live in the Eleventh Congressional District, I recommend a vote for Congressman Gerry Connolly for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. He has a strong work ethic, and the personal values that guided his service in local government for many years will serve us well as he moves into a position of leadership in the new Congress. It is time for a change in the Tenth District, and I recommend a vote for Jennifer Wexton. She has shown remarkable leadership and abilities as a legislator in the Virginia Senate. Jennifer Wexton will bring leadership for the interests of the people of the Tenth District and not for a misguided administration.
Also on the ballot are constitutional questions and bond issues. Here are my recommendations:
Question 1: Should a county, city, or town be authorized to provide a partial tax exemption for real property that is subject to recurrent flooding, if flooding resiliency improvements have been made on the property?
I recommend that you vote “YES.”
Question 2: Shall the real property tax exemption for a primary residence that is currently provided to the surviving spouses of veterans who had a 100 percent service-connected, permanent, and total disability be amended to allow the surviving spouse to move to a different primary residence and still claim the exemption?
I recommend that you vote “YES.”
Public Safety Bond Question: Shall Fairfax County, Virginia, contract a debt, borrow money, and issue bonds in the maximum aggregate principal amount of $182,000,000 to provide funds, in addition to funds from public safety facilities bonds previously authorized, to finance, including reimbursement to the County for temporary financing for, the costs of public safety facilities, including the construction, reconstruction, enlargement, renovation and equipment of civil and criminal justice facilities, police training and operational facilities and stations, fire and rescue training facilities and stations, including fire and rescue stations owned by volunteer organizations, and the acquisition of necessary land?
I recommend that you vote “YES.”
