Reston Association to Set Budget for Next Year — On Thursday, RA’s board of directors will set the annual membership assessment rate and approve a new budget. The meeting will air live on YouTube at 6:30 p.m. [Reston Association]

South Lakes High School to Hold Dinner for Veterans — The school’s JROTC program is hosting an appreciation for 400 honorees on Dec. 9 from 6 – 9 p.m at 11400 South Lakes Drive. The dinner will include cadet demonstrations and music by the school orchestra. [South Lakes High School]

Reston Association Club Features Weekly Themes for Children — This week’s Reston Today video looks at RA’s Fit Kids Enrichment Club, which allows children to explore their talents and abilities.  [Reston Today]

South Lakes’ Seahawks Advance to Second Round of Class 6 Playoffs — On Friday, the high school’s varsity football team advanced to the second round of playoffs with a decisive 49-14 win. [Seahawks Athletics]

Herndon High School Hosts Holiday Vendor Sale — On Saturday, the school will host a sale that will include cake, cotton candy, crafts, face paint and more. The event is at the high school’s cafeteria (700 Bennett St.) from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. [Herndon High School]

It’s the end of another week, but before we head out for the weekend, these were our most read stories this week.

1. Crime Round Up: Man Involved in Indecent Exposure Incident in Reston
2. Reston’s 2017 Election Day Guide
3. Man Beaten, Robbed at Reston Laundromat
4. FCPD: Sobriety Checkpoint in Reston Tomorrow

Feel free to discuss anything of local interest below or send story ideas to [email protected].

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Have a great and warm weekend!

Entrepreneurs, technology companies and students are invited to tackle one of the county’s most pressing challenges on November: historically gridlocked transportation.

The county and the Virginia Department of Transportation are partnering to present the Transportation and Mobility Hackathon on Nov. 16 and 17 at the Refraction in Reston. Registration ends on Monday at 5 p.m. Space is limited and the event begins at 10:30.

Participants will have the opportunity to pitch projects for future collaborations with public and private partners. Cash prizes for ideas range between $1,500 and $3,000. The hackathon is designed to open doors for creative, new technologies that will relieve congestion, boost safety and improve mobility especially for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

In a statement, the county indicated the event is intended to “spur the development of innovative new technologies and grow and diversify our economy.”

The event is sponsored by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, George Mason University, 1776, Virginia Tech and Refraction.

Email Eta Davis for more information.

Temperatures are expected to drop this weekend, but there’s still plenty to do outside for all ages ahead of Thanksgiving weekend.

Editor’s Note: This is just a limited list of all the 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.

• Children between ages 3 and 5 can dabble in the joy of nature through the Walker Nature Center’s “Nutty for Nuts” program on Saturday from 10:30 – 11:30 p.m. at the center. Staff will guide participants through hikes, craft projects and other activities. Parents and caregivers must supervise their children. Tickets start at $6.
• Need to jumpstart Christmas shopping? Check out the 1st Baptist Church of Herndon’s sale at The Closet (681 Elden St.), a non-profit thrift shop that was founded in 1974. The sale takes place on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
• Author Melissa Scholes Young will hold a book reading and signing featuring her book “Flood” on Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m at Scrawl Books (11862 Market St.). The book, which is set in Mark Twain’s neighborhood town.
• Experience “All-American All the Way,” a free patriotic concert at the Hunters Woods Community Center on 2310 Colts Neck Road on Saturday from 4 to 5 p.m. The concert will include military hymns and will conclude with an appreciation reception.
• Dive into fall with a harvest-themed wagon ride at Frying Pan Farm Park. The event will include hot cocoa and s’mores around a campfire. Programs begin at 4, 5 and 6 p.m. The cost is $10 and a registered adult must accompany children. Call 703-437-9101 for more information.
• The Reston Farmers Market will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center.
• The Reston Community Players’ 2017-18 season continues their presentation of Elton John and Tim Rice’s musical “Aida.” The show, winner of four Tony Awards, will be performed through Saturday at Reston Community Center’s CenterStage (2310 Colts Neck Road). This weekend, the show is being performed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $27, with student/senior tickets available for $23.
• Dancers of all skills levels can participate in an afternoon of dance at the Reston Community Center on Sunday between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. The program will include three mini-lessons, door prizes and light refreshments. Dance partners are not required, but you have to be at least 18 years old to participate. The cost if $5 for Reston-residents and $10 for all others.
• Bird lovers are invited to search for birds in this Bird Walk at the Lower Grade Stream Valley on Sunday from 7:30 – 10:30 a.m. Participants will meet near Glade Drive and Twin Branches Road. No registration is required for this adults-only activity. Walks are sponsored by the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia and The Bird Feeder store.
• Learn about the years spanning between World War I and World War II during Dr. Harry Butowsky’s six-part part lecture series at the Reston Regional Library from 2 – 4 p.m. on Sunday.
• The exhibit, Reston: The Art of Community, will continue at the Reston Museum (1639 Washington Plaza) this weekend. Produced by Public Art Reston in collaboration with the Reston Historic Trust & Museum, the display showcases the legacy of public art in Reston. The exhibition will be on display through Nov. 26.

Each year, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation assesses lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer inclusion in major companies and law firms across the country.

In this year’s Corporate Equality Index, a tool used for 15 years, the organization found a record number of companies are “advancing vital policies” to protect LGBTQ workers around the world, including several in Reston. The foundation is the largest LGBT civil rights advocacy group and lobbying organization.

In a new record, 609 businesses received the top score of 100, up by 18 percent over last year. 947 businesses and firms were rated during the assessment. In Virginia, the average score of the 32 companies ranked was 87 percent. 19 received 100 points, 21 received 90 points and above, and 26 received 80 points and above.

The following companies in Reston were rated:

• Leidos Holdings: 100 percent
• Rolls-Royce North America (USA) Holdings Co.: 100 percent
• Science Applications International Corp.: 85 percent
• Software AG USA Inc.: 60 percent

Each firm was rated across the following categories, according to the release:

• Non-discrimination policies
• Employment benefits
• Demonstrated organizational competency and accountability around LGBTQ diversity and inclusion
• Public commitment to LGBTQ equality
• Responsible citizenship

For the complete assessment, visit the foundation’s website.

Photo via the Human Rights Campaign Foundation

Donations for Thanksgiving Food Drive Needed Through Nov. 20 — The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, Reston Community Center and Cornerstones is seeking non-perishable food and items for a food drive. Drop off locations are dispersed throughout Reston. All donations will benefit Cornerstones, a non-profit organization that aims to help neighbors overtime tough economic times. For a complete list of items needed and drop off-locations visit the center’s website.  [Reston Community Center]

Reston Town Center’s Ice Skating Pavilion To Open for the Season — Lace up your skates and get ready for the opening of RTC’s ice skating pavilion on 1818 Discovery St. The pavilion will be open today at 11. Admission for adults is $10 and $9 for children under 12. Skate rentals cost $6. [Reston Town Center via Facebook]

Meals on Wheels Needs Drivers Countywide –– Drivers are needed throughout to pick up and deliver meals to individuals on specific routes. Deliveries are made midday Monday, Wednesday ad Friday. Each route is a maximum of two hours. [Fairfax County Government]

‘Death at the Place Theater’ Showing Continues This Weekend — Watch the saga of Vaudeville at Café Montmartre at Lake Anne tomorrow and next Saturday at 8:15 p.m. The show opened to a packed house earlier this month. [Fairfax County Times]

The access road to the Herndon-Monroe commuter garage, which runs from Sunrise Valley Drive to the Herndon-Monroe park and ride facility, will shut down from Friday through Sunday, Nov. 26.

Access is limited due to the construction of a new parking garage for the future Metro Silver Line Herndon station. To use the current garage, commuters can enter through the Dulles Toll Road, a detour that requires a payment of $1, according to a county press release.

The roughly $45 million project is expected to cause major delays on routes that serve the park-and-ride facility. The following stops served by routes924, 926, 927, 937, 950, 951 and 551 will be missed:

• Stop #3495 at Colt Brook Drive

• Stop #3541 at Milburn Lane

• Stop #3566 at Thunder Chase Drive

Commuters using these stops take buses at the Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride facility. Bus bays are still accessible through the garage entrance.

The new 2,007-space garage includes a pedestrian bridge to the Metrorail Silver Line station, connections the existing 1,745-space Herndon-Monroe parking garage and bicycle storage facilities. The project is expected to be complete in the spring of 2019.

A groundbreaking ceremony last year celebrated the launch of the project, which is managed by Fairfax County. HGA Architects is the firm designing the project.

For more information on the impact of the project, call 703-339-7200 or 703-339-1608. Questions can also be addressed to [email protected].

Rendering courtesy of Fairfax County

Ideaventions Academy for Mathematics and Science, a Reston-based school for gifted children between  grades 4 and 12, received an award recognizing the school’s emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

The school is the first in Virginia to receive the certification, called AdvancED STEM, from AdvancedED, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that involves educational professionals around the world.

School officials said the certification demonstrates the school’s commitment to preparing students for future opportunities. In order to earn the certification, the school had to demonstrate it meets STEM standards across 11 indicators. The organization also interview stakeholders to verify the school’s commitment to connecting learning from the classroom to the local community and the world.

In a statement, Ryan Heitz, head of school, said the certification was a boost for the independent school:

This certification is a reflection of Ideaventions Academy’s commitment to preparing students for top colleges and universities and to becoming the leaders of tomorrow. In this age of tremendous technological revolution, struggling educational systems, and changing workforce needs, the STEM certification acknowledges us as an international model for preparing students for the future with real-world skills and experiences to succeed. It also signals the private-sector that we are committed to exceptional levels of student ability and achievement for their STEM pipeline.

Ideaventions Academy is located on 12340 Pinecrest Road. The academy has small class sizes of 10 students per class or less. To learn more about the certification, email [email protected].

Images courtesy of Dee Donavik

Drive carefully tomorrow as Fairfax County Police will be holding a sobriety checkpoint in the Reston District on Friday.

According to police spokeswoman, the checkpoint will take place from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Police did not give advance notice of the exact checkpoint location.

FCPD regularly holds checkpoints in various parts of the county in order to monitor for intoxicated drivers.

Officers from the Reston District Station will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint this Friday. Don't drink and drive! pic.twitter.com/xkkzm5FSRJ

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) November 7, 2017

The 56-mile Reston District covers Reston, Great Falls, and parts of Vienna, Oak Hill and Herndon.

The National Weather Service issued a freeze watch today for Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. In Reston, the freeze watch is in effect from Friday evening through Saturday morning.

Temperatures are expected to fall below freezing after sunset Friday night and through Saturday morning at around 10 a.m.

Freezing temperatures may kill or damage sensitive vegetation like outdoor plants, according to NWS.

Freeze Watches are in effect for those portions of our region which are still considered to have an active growing season. Northern Maryland may see a freeze tonight, while they and the rest of the region will definitely see a freeze Friday night! pic.twitter.com/vGQXkRAu2W

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) November 9, 2017

The Farmers Almanac provides the following tips to protect your plants from frost:

If a frost is predicted, cover your plants, both to retain as much soil heat and moisture as possible and to protect them against strong winds, which can hasten drying and cooling. You can use newspapers, baskets, tarps, straw, and other materials to cover your plants. Cover the whole plant before sunset to trap any remaining heat. Be sure to anchor lightweight coverings to prevent them from blowing away.

Keep the soil moist by watering your plants the day a frost is predicted.

The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program, which offers a trans-disciplinary framework could come to Dogwood Elementary School (12300 State Route 4721) soon.

The school has been named a candidate for the program, effective March 1 2018, according to a new release issued by the school system. According to the program’s website, IB classes aim to nurture and develop students between 3 and 12 into “caring, active participants in a lifelong journey of learning.”

Two years ago, Belvedere Elementary School (6540 Columbia Pike) was the first Fairfax County public school authorized as an IB PYP school.

According to the school system, schools selected to participate in the program are driven by a common vision: a commitment to high-quality, challenging and international education.

The school will receive on-and-off-site consultation from the program. Teachers will have access to IB’s online curriculum center, which includes teaching materials and participation in online forums. Since its introduction in 1997, the program is taught in over 109 countries around the world. Students are encouraged to strengthen their knowledge and skills across and beyond subject areas. Studies are guided by six themes of global significance.

For more information, contact the school’s principal, Mie Devers.

File photo.

Plans to extend Soapstone Drive could move forward as Fairfax County officials seek public comment tonight on the project, which would create an additional crossing on the Dulles Toll Road for cars, pedestrians and cyclists.

At Dogwood Elementary School (12300 Glade Drive) from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., the floor will be open for the public to comment on a environmental assessment completed as part of a multi-step process since the Board of Supervisors approved the project in 2014. The study examines the potential effects of the project for properties listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historical Places, the country’s official list of historic sites worthy of preservation.

The new roadway will provide a half-mile extension between Sunrise Valley Drive and Sunset Hills Road and a new crossing over the Dulles Corridor. County officials have said the project is necessary to tackle congestion on Wiehle Avenue, limited access for buses to Wiehle-Reston East Station and the lack of connectivity for pedestrians and bicyclists in the area.

Completed in August, the assessment reviews impacts of the project on surrounding land. For example, the assessment finds the project rests within 200 feet of on two sites with hazardous materials and would result in increased noise for two areas near the project.

Overall, the assessment concludes the project will not “contribute substantially to cumulative impacts, particularly in light of the efforts to minimize adverse impacts of the project and other mitigation measures to be implemented.”

Following the public hearing, the county will revise the assessment as needed and submit it to the Federal Highway Administration, the body which will make a decision about the feasibility of the project.

In 2014, the county’s supervisors included $2.5 million for the preliminary design of this project as part of its Six Year Transportation Project Priorities. At that time, they also put the project — estimated to cost $91.75 million — on the county’s list of high-priority projects for 2015-20.

More information on the project is available on the county’s website. Written or oral comments may be submitted at the hearing or in writing within 10 days after the hearing to [email protected]. Include “Soapstone Connector” in the subject line.

The Virginia Department of Health has designated Reston Hospital Center (1850 Town Center Parkway) as a Level II Trauma Center, a move that makes the 187-bed facility one of 19 trauma centers in the state.

The center is the first to receive the designation in Northern Virginia in over a decade, allowing emergency responders to transfer patients for immediate trauma care when treatment is most effective.

In a release by RHC, Dr. Ranjit Pallurkat, medical director of the center’s trauma services, said the designation is a critical step to enhance the level of care the center provides.

“Expanding our services into a trauma program enables us to deliver a higher level of care to injured patients, close to their homes and families,” Pallurkat said.

In a release, John Deardorff, President and CEO of RHC said the designation is a “natural progression” for the center.

“With the rapid growth in Northern Virginia, it’s our job to ensure that Reston can provide the higher levels of necessary care in a more accessible manner for our EMS partners and our patients. Every minute counts, and our ability to provide this level of care – without transfer and close to home –  would not be possible without the partnership between our skilled medical staff and hospital employees.”

According to the Virginia Department of Health, a hospital’s designation is determined by several criteria. Level II centers have an organized trauma response and must provide definitive care regardless of the severity of the injury. On call staff are expected to promptly treat the patient. In some cases, centers must transfer complex cases to Level 1 centers. Treatment facilities with a Level I designation must provide the most comprehensive care.

The center’s surgical trauma team specializes in the following surgeries: trauma, vascular, thoracic, neurological, orthopedic, hand, plastic, maxillofacial, oral and more. The center is part of the HCA Virginia Health System, which operates 14 hospitals and more than 30 outpatient centers in the state.

Other Level II Trauma Centers in Virginia include Centra Lynchburg General Hospital, Chippenham Medical Center and Winchester Medical Center.

Democrat Ralph Northam clenched victory over Republican Ed Gillespie in the competitive race to become Virginia’s 73rd governor Tuesday — statewide results that echoed locally in a bellwether race watched around the nation as judgment on President Donald Trump.

Democrats swept statewide offices, including the lieutenant governor and attorney general. In the Hunter Mill District, Northam won in every precinct with 61 percent of all votes – slightly below the countywide average of 67 percent and above the statewide return of 54 percent. Northam took 30,201 of the 49,788 ballots cast while Gillespie grasped 45 percent of the vote. The tightest race was in the Colvin Precinct where Northam won by a 59 percent to 40 percent margin over Gillespie, who took 54 percent of the total vote statewide.

Democrat Justin Fairfax won over Republican state Sen. Jill Vogel in the race for lieutenant governor while Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring was reelected over Republican John Adams.

Overall, voters took to the polls in greater numbers this year. Turnout in the Hunter Mill District was just under 50 percent, roughly six percentage points below the statewide voter turnout of 56 percent.

The Flint Hill precinct reported the highest turnout at nearly 66 percent. The lowest turnout was reported at the McNair precinct where turnout rested at a mum 45 percent compared to the district-wide average of 60 percent.

Voters also passed a measure that would approve the sale of $315 million in bonds to fund school improvement projects throughout the county. The measure passed with 73 percent of the total vote. Locally, the funds would allow the county to move forward on renovations to one modular buildings; additions to three county high schools; renovations to 10 elementary schools, three middle schools, two high schools; and the construction of two new elementary schools.

Democrat Ken Plum, Reston’s current delegate, will also continue serving as the local delegate for the 36th district. Plum, who worked for roughly 20 years as a public school teacher an administrator prior to his role in politics, ran in an uncontested race.

To view complete election results, visit Fairfax County’s interactive map or view results online.

Photo by Fatimah Waseem.