Reston Community Center will hold a series of events this weekend to kick-off the 33rd annual Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday celebration.
Tamika Mallory, co-chair of the 2017 Women’s March on Washington, will deliver a keynote address on Monday at noon at RCC Hunters Woods (2310 Colts Neck Road). Tickets are $5 for Reston residents and $10 for all others. A community lunch will follow the speech.
Mallory, a nationally recognized advocate for social justice, worked closely with the Obama administration to push for civil rights, health care, equal rights for women and ending gun violence.
Leila Gordon, RCC’s executive director, said Mallory is among the “new and urgent voices” pushing the country toward realizing Dr. King’s vision.
“Reston’s annual celebration of his birthday has always been designed to reinvigorate our commitments to the goals of the civil rights movement and the values of Reston’s founding. We look forward to Ms. Mallory’s visit and her call to action,” Gordon wrote in a statement.
Tickets are available for purchase at CenterStage box office or online.
A breakdown of events scheduled for the celebration weekend is below.
Metro Considers Outsourcing Silver Line Service — A plan to privatize station operation on the western stretch of the Silver Line through Wiehle-Reston gained traction this week. The Washington Post reports that Metro officials have sent a formal request for information from potential contractors. [The Washington Post]
Evocative Acquires Reston Data Center — The company, a provider of internet infrastructure services, has acquired data center operations from Lincoln Rackhouse, the data center division of Lincoln Property Company. The data center is located at 1807 Michael Faraday Court. [Evocative via Cision]
Reston Caterer Recognized for Excellent Food Safety — Simply Elegant, a catering and event planning company was awarded a “14 Carrot Gold Food Safety Excellence Award” from the Fairfax County Health Dept. The cafe has committed no violations since November 2015. [Reston Patch]
Trader Joe’s will remain closed today after a vehicle crashed into the building on 11958 Killingsworth Avenue, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
A woman’s vehicle struck the side of the building. Local police responded to the incident after receiving a call at 1:28 p.m.
The building’s bricks sustained some damages, but the extent of the damage is unclear, Officer Kent Bailey told Reston Now.
No injuries have been reported, he said.
An assessment of the building is ongoing, a store representative said. The store is expected to open tomorrow with regular business hours.
This post was updated at 5:23 p.m.
Several items were taken from a business on the 10100 block of Colvin Run Road on Wednesday, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
Police believe the business was broken into around 4:15 a.m.
In a separate incident last week, Reston Now readers reported police activity near Great Owl Circle late last week, including a white evidence collection van and several unmarked police cars.
Detectives were in the area on Friday for an ongoing investigation. There was no threat to public safety, according to a spokesperson for the police department.
As we reported yesterday, police are investigating an incident where a 15-year-old boy reported being filmed while using the bathroom at Red Robin in Fair Lakes Shopping Center.
Charges are pending against a 17-year-old Herndon boy, who police believe works at the restaurant.
LARCENIES:
1600 block of Autumn Wood Drive, laptop computer from vehicle
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, cell phones from residence
2400 block of Clover Field Circle, property from residence
1800 block of Cold Creek Court, passport and jewelry from residence
13100 block of Fox Hunt Lane, laptop computer from residence
1800 block of Oracle Way, wallet from construction site
11800 block of Spectrum Center, beer from business
1800 block of Town Center Parkway, property from business
1500 block of Youngs Point Place, watch from residence
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported.
Anyone with information about any of the crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
A plan to increase population density in Reston’s Planned Residential Community (PRC) districts will head to the county’s Board of Supervisors in March.
County officials have set dates for upcoming hearings on the zoning ordinance amendment package, which drew fervent opposition during community meetings last year. The zoning change would increase the cap on the population per acre in the PRC from 13 to 16 people.
The amendment could also open up Reston’s village centers to increased major residential development. The proposal would allow the Board of Supervisors to approve developments above 50 residential units per acre within the district’s Transit Station Areas (TSAs) — so long as the projects comply with the area’s master plan that guides development.
The schedule for hearings is as follows:
- Board of Supervisors Authorization Item on March 6: The board will officially introduce the zoning ordinance amendment to its agenda.
- Planning Commission Public Hearing on April 5: The group will hear public testimony on the package. Verbal or written testimony will be taken. The applicant will be given the opportunity to respond to questions and issues raised by the commission and citizens. Registered associations have 10 minutes to speak, registered individuals have five minutes and unregistered individuals have three minutes.
- Board of Supervisors Public Hearing on May 15: The board will hear testimony from the public. Individuals are given three minutes to speak while organizations have five minutes. The board suggests bringing 15 copies of any materials for distribution. Individuals may sign up online.
The hearings are expected to last for several hours. At a late October public meeting at Reston’s South Lakes High School, passionate residents spoke out for roughly two hours against the proposal. The auditorium’s 600+ seats were full, with a solid perimeter of standing audience members as well, plus an overflow room nearby was full of even more people, following along on video.
County officials have said the zoning change implements updates to Reston’s Comprehensive Plan in 2014 and 2015 that calls for targeted, increased growth in Reston Town Center, the village centers and TSAs around the three Metro Stations.
South Lakes High School Indoor Track Team Earns Third Place — At The Freedom Games in New York, the school’s indoor track team had seven state qualifying performances. Sophomore Hannah Waller won the 300 meters and anchored the winning 4×200 relay team with recording breaking performances. More than 4,000 athletes from 130 schools competed in the meet. [SLHS via Twitter]
Fairfax Coin Club Delves into The Secrets of Coin Conservation — The group will meet at 7 p.m. in Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road) for a discussion on how to best conserve coins. [Fairfax Coin Club via Twitter]
Curator’s Talk at Greater Reston Arts Center on Saturday — Lily Seigel, executive director of GRACE, will discuss the exhibition of Paulina Peavy by examining the artist’s life and relationship to the art of her time on Saturday at 3 p.m. The talk is free and open to the public. Peavy’s work is on display at the center through Feb. 18. [GRACE]
Photo via Milestat
The Hunter Mill District Supervisor’s Office (1801 Cameron Glen Drive) will be collecting winter coats and cold weather items for the annual Winter Coat Closet drive this month.
Donations will be accepted through Jan. 31 at the office. Acceptable donations include new or clean, gently used men’s, women’s and children’s coats, hats, gloves and scarves.
The closet will remain open through March 8 in the community room of the North County Government Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive) on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 4 to 7 p.m.
The drive is in partnership with Cornerstones, a non-profit organization that promotes self-sufficiency by providing support and advocacy for people in need of shelter, affordable housing, food, childcare and other services.
For more information, contact Andy Sigle at 571-323-9553.
The Fairfax County Police Department is investigating an incident where a 15-year-old boy reported being filmed while using the bathroom at Red Robin in Fair Lakes Shopping Center in late December.
Charges are pending against a 17-year-old Herndon teenager who police believe was involved in the incident. He has not been identified by police due to his age.
The victim told police that he saw a figure over his head with a cell phone pointing at the urinal. He then confronted the boy, who worked at the restaurant. The teenager then told his mother about the incident. She notified the restaurant and called police after leaving the facility, police said.
When police attempted to get more information from the restaurant, staff refused to provide information about the staff member. Police than obtained a search warrant the following day after the case was turned over to the police department’s child exploitation unit.
Police are seeking information to determine if other individuals were filmed at the restaurant. Anyone with information by call the department’s major crime bureau at 703-246-7800.
Freezing rain is expected to hit Reston and surrounding areas beginning this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
NWS issued a winter weather advisory that will remain in effect from 3 to 9 p.m. today. Freezing rain or rain that will freeze upon contact with cold surfaces. Sidewalks, roads and bridges are expected to very slippery.
“Even if temperatures rise above freezing, the ground and other surfaces are still extremely cold due to the recent Arctic blast. This increases the likelihood of a glaze of ice on surfaces,” according to the advisory.
All Reston Community Center programs have been cancelled. Fairfax County Public Schools closed today because of the possibility of freezing rain.
A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect today for a light wintry mix expected to impact this evenings commute. Latest: https://t.co/ZOlvESgJ2H. #WVwx #MDwx #VAwx #DCwx pic.twitter.com/0gpbQWOvmX
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) January 8, 2018
Rollicking Roundup Playtime at Frying Pan Farm Park — Children and their caregivers can attend a free morning session of playtime at the park on 2709 West Ox Road tomorrow from 10 a.m. to noon tomorrow. This session’s theme is vehicles. For more information, call 703-437-9101. [Fairfax County Government]
Free Screening of McFarland, USA Today at 10 a.m. — CenterStage Cinema (2310 Colts Neck Road) presents a free screening of McFarland, USA, a movie based on the 1987 true story of novice runners from an economically challenged town in California’s Central Valley who attempt to build a cross-country team. A free continental breakfast will begin at 9:30 a.m. [Reston Community Center]
Reston’s Used Book Shop Celebrates 40 Years — The book store held an anniversary open house on Sunday to celebrate 40 years of operation in Reston. The shop is currently located at 1623 Washington Plaza and first opened on Jan. 7, 1978. [Reston’s Used Book Shop via Facebook]
Reston Association has officially paid off its million loan for the purchase of The Lake House. The board of directors elected to pay off nearly $2.42 million of the remaining balance.
Formerly Tetra, The Lake House has been hit with financial difficulties since it was purchased for $2.6 million — about twice its assessed value — in 2015. RA showed a cost overrun of $430,000 last spring, due in part to a six-figure expected rent back from former owner/tenant Tetra that did not happen. Renovations on the property to transform it into a community building have cost three times more than expected. An independent audit was requested.
RA is looking into new ways to make the facility a reliable source of income — a concern that was raised in previous RA meetings where some board members expressed dismay that RA was losing money on the project.
This year, the facility is expected to produce $224,000 in rental income. According to an RA statement, paying off the loan early will allow each member to save $8.66 on their assessment. If the facility produces target rental incomes, members can receive another $6.17 in savings, according to RA.
Registration for Reston Association’s summer camps will begin on Jan. 29 at 8:30 a.m. For more than 40 years, RA camps have offered children opportunities to grow physically, emotional and socially.
Programs include exploring the outdoors, arts and crafts activities, tennis, swimming and group sports.
“We pride ourselves in offering a fun, safe environment for kids ages three to 15,” said Dan Mernick, RA’s senior program manager.
The average counselor to child ratio is 1:8, according to Mernick.
RA’s website lists the following goals for the programs:
- Operate a fun and safe camp
- Maintain a non-biased atmosphere, free from stereotypes and inclusive of a diversity of people
- Improve camper communication with peers and adults
- Build self-esteem through positive interactions and reinforcement
- Teach constructive ways to resolve conflict
- Develop new strengths and abilities in the campers while increasing self-confidence
- Foster an appreciation and respect for the natural surroundings
As the historic bomb cyclone unleashes blizzard conditions from costal Virginia to New England sends reverberations to the Reston area.
A winter weather advisory for Fairfax County and other parts of the region has been extended to 1 p.m. today due to snow-covered, slippery roads and limited visibility, according to the National Weather Service.
As of around 7 a.m. this morning, Reston received half an inch of snow. All Reston Community Center events are cancelled.
Residents are advised to take several steps as frigid temperatures continue to follow the snow:
- Avoid frozen pipes by eliminating drafts. Search for areas in the home where water supply lines are located in unheated areas and take measures to prevent the flow of cold air in these areas. Make sure the water line to outside faucets is turned off and the line is drained. Keep the thermostat at a reasonable temperature even if you are away from home to prevent water pipes from freezer. Never try to thaw a pipe with an open flame or torch due to the potential for electric shock.
- Dress warmly to avoid frostbite and hypothermia. Avoid overexertion, dress warmly in loose-fitting, layered, lightweight clothing.
- Check on vulnerable neighbors, particularly the elderly.
If you see anyone who is unsheltered and needs help, call the police department’s non-emergency number at 703-691-2131. The county has been housing between 200 and 220 people a night through its hypothermia program.
Through March 31, Cornerstones is offering housing for unsheltered homeless adults at the North County Human Services Building (1850 Cameron Glen Drive), which is near the Embry Rucker Community Shelter. The program operates every night regardless of inclement weather and on all holidays.
Just yesterday, local police found a 79-year-old woman who had been reporting missing when the temperature was just eight degrees. The woman is now recovering in a local hospital.
The long, cold winter nights are upon us.
Imagine you are spending the night sleeping outside, behind a store on Route 1 or in the woods of Burke.
This winter local nonprofits are working w/ 44 faith communities to provide safe places to sleep. Details: https://t.co/mr662OUQLj pic.twitter.com/JuOeXITt1S
— Fairfax County Government 🇺🇸 (@fairfaxcounty) January 2, 2018
Reston Community Center Programs Cancelled Today — All RCC programs are canceled due to inclement weather today. Rental activities are unaffected unless canceled by the rental client. [Reston Community Center]
Neo-Nazi Twitter Account Linked to Reston Double Homicide — On Twitter, Nicholas Giampa wrote about race war, convincing transgender people to kill themselves and using Jews as target practice, according to a news report. Police arrested Giampa in connection with the murder of Scott Fricker and his wife, Buckley Kuhn-Fricker. [The Huffington Post]
Free Friday at Greater Reston Arts Center — GRACE will open its doors on Friday for an evening of free art making, storytelling and exploration in the gallery. All ages are welcome. Register online here. [Greater Reston Arts Center]
Detectives are investigating the ransacking of a home on the 12900 block of Framingham Court. On Dec. 30, the Fairfax County Police Department responded to a report that a home was broken into between 4:50 and 6:50 p.m. and multiple rooms were ransacked. Several items were reported missing.
Meanwhile, a sixth grader ejected after a pickup truck being chased by police rammed into a mini van last week remains in critical condition. Four other children and Filsan Djama, the driver, were also in the van at the time of the crash. An online fundraising campaign with a goal of $150,000 has been set up for the family.
Brendan Stefon Vinson, 28, of Adelphi, faces multiple charges, including carjacking, speed to elude, two assaults on police officers and receiving stolen property. Police were called for back-up at the hospital where he was being treated for injuries as the suspect attempted to wrestle out of his handcuffs.
The department also reported the following crimes in the past week:
LARCENIES
1600 block of Reston Parkway, cell phone from residence
12100 block of Captiva Court, sunglasses from vehicle
2400 block of Paddock Lane, navigation system, sunglasses and cash from vehicle
1900 block of Reston Metro Plaza, jewelry from residence
11200 block of Chestnut Grove Square, cell phone from vehicle
11200 block of Chestnut Grove Square, property from vehicle
2200 block of Gunsmith Square, coat from vehicle
2300 block of Woodland Crossing Drive, purse from vehicle
STOLEN VEHICLES
None reported
Anyone with information about any of the crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
The Herndon Police Department had no major incidents to report in its weekly crime report.
