Herndon Graduate Continues Cancer Treatment — “Chelsea Proctor, the Herndon resident diagnosed last year with a rare and painful form of cancer, is continuing chemotherapy treatment.” [Reston Patch] 

Local Company Pivots to New Target — “Parabon NanoLabs, the small Reston company helping law enforcement crack cold cases across the country, has big priorities for 2021: Cancer therapeutics, VR software, diagnostics and more. [Washington Business Journal]

Herndon Tech Company to Buy Reston Contractor — “Herndon-based tech company Serco Inc. (a subsidiary of United Kingdom-based Serco Group plc) announced Tuesday it will acquire Reston-based H.I.G. Capital affiliate Whitney, Bradley & Brown for $295 million.” [Virginia Business]

Photo by Marjorie Copson

More snow is expected later this week.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for most of the region from late Wednesday night through late Thursday night.

Snow accumulations of five or more inches and total ice accumulations of more are possible.

More from the alert is below.

IMPACTS…Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the ice. Travel could be nearly impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation.

Winter Storm Watches have been issued for the entire region for heavy wintry precipitation starting late Wednesday night and continuing through Thursday night. Visit https://t.co/ZOlvESgJ2H for more details. #DCwx #MDwx #VAwx #WVwx pic.twitter.com/ieYFLd2lqL

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) February 16, 2021

Photo by Marjorie Copson

FCPS to Host Annual Special Education Conference — The school system’s sixteenth annual special education conference will be held virtually on Saturday, April 17th. [FCPS]

Local Town Halls Set for This Week — Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn is hosting a town hall tonight and Thursday. The first meeting is with the Reston district police station commanders and the second is with Alcorn. [Fairfax County Government]

Northern Virginia Returns to In-person Schooling — ”The case numbers of the new variants in Virginia are increasing as some school systems in Northern Virginia prepare to resume in-person instruction this week. The counties are returning to in-classroom learning before all teachers have received their COVID-19 vaccine.” [Reston Patch]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

A 20-year-old Reston man has been arrested and charged with killing a former classmate from South Lakes High School, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

Police arrested Jalenn Maurtiece Keene on Friday night in the shooting death of Samuel Onyeuka. The 20-year-old was killed near the 2300 block of Branleigh Park Court after 2 p.m. on Feb. 11. The suspect fled the scene immediately after the shooting, according to FCPD.

Keene was charged with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He was arrested hours away in Newport News. Local police worked with the Newport News Police Department to coordinate his arrest. He was found based on a review of financial records and surveillance footage.

Police also believe they found the Nissan Rogue that they believe the suspect fled the scene in. A gun was found in the car, but it is currently unclear if that gun was used to kill Onyeuka.

He will be extradited to Fairfax County and currently remains in custody in Newport News.

This is the first homicide of the year in Fairfax County.

Anyone with additional information is encouraged to use the following means to contact FCPD:

Detectives are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call our Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 2. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone – 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), by text – Type “FCCS” plus tip to 847411, and by web – Click HERE. Download our Mobile tip411 App “Fairfax Co Crime Solvers”. Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards of $100 to $1,000 dollars if their information leads to an arrest.

Photo via FCPD

Local police have identified the victim who was killed in a shooting on Wednesday in Reston. <

Samuel Onyeuka, 20, of Reston, was killed after he was shot multiple times in his upper body, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

Police believe Onyeuka was deliberately targeted as he was walking on a sidewalk near his home on the 2300 block of Branleigh Park shortly after 2 p.m.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

An autopsy ruled the death a homicide yesterday.

The suspect reportedly left the area in a silver SUV moments after the shooting. Police believe the suspect is a light-skinned black male, slim, roughly six feet tall, and has dark hair in braids or twists.

Authorities also believe he was likely driving a vehicle similar to a Nissan Rogue.

Anyone with information is encouraged to use the following methods to contact FCPD.

Detectives are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call our Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 2. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone – 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), by text – Type “FCCS” plus tip to 847411, and by web – Click HERE. Download our Mobile tip411 App “Fairfax Co Crime Solvers”. Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards of $100 to $1,000 dollars if their information leads to an arrest. 

A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for the region this weekend.

The National Weather Service says that heavy ice is possible from Saturday morning through Sunday morning.

More from the alert is below.

* WHAT…Heavy icing possible. Total snow accumulations of up to one inch and ice accumulations of one quarter of an inch possible.

* WHERE…The District of Columbia, portions of central and southern Maryland and northern Virginia.

* WHEN…From Saturday morning through Sunday morning.

* IMPACTS…Power outages and tree damage are possible due to the ice. Travel could be nearly impossible.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation.

A Winter Storm Watch has been issued for Saturday and Saturday night for locations where significant icing from freezing rain is most likely. Outside of the watch, lesser amounts of ice will still likely result in travel difficulties. Check the latest at https://t.co/5RyZgoXicj pic.twitter.com/HxZ9M2tUNd

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) February 11, 2021

Photo by Marjorie Copson

Updated at 4:35 pm to clarify information about the board election

Since Dec. 1, Robin Jordan warms water in two large stock pots, waits for the water to heat up, and crouches over the pots in her shower to give herself a bath with a washcloth.

“We have no idea what’s going on,” Jordan, said.

That’s because between 20 units — twelve condominium units and eight commercial units — — haven’t had hot water since Dec. 1. Some go to local gyms to take showers while others turn to relatives and friends for help.

The aging building, which was built in 1963, is losing roughly 300 gallons of water per hour. And it’s unclear where the water is going, although recent assessments by maintenance staff suggest it is pooling underground. Pipes are corroding and leaking in multiple areas.

After weeks of attempting to address the issue with the Lake Anne Reston Condominium Association (LARCA), residents’ frustrations are boiling over.

Jordan, who has lived at the condominiums for eight years with her husband, hung a sign above her balcony alerting the public about the issue. Others question where condominiums fees of around $1,000 are going.

LARCA has been consumed by political in-fighting after the results of an election for board president were disputed by two groups within the board. Board President Jason Romano and owner of the Lake Anne Brewhouse was certified as the winner over George Hadjikyriakou, the owner of Kalypso’s. But the results of the election are still contested by board member Senzel Schaefer and others on the board.

Romano says resolving the hot water issue is the board’s top priority. Last night, the board approved a plan to install a $35,000 hot water heater by the end of next week. Residents can also shower at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods, if needed.

“You would think that you can replace a hot water heater and you’re back up and running. But that’s just not the case. It has taken a long time to troubleshoot the problem and find out what the actual cause is.”

But that fix is only a band-aid. Recent engineering and structural analyses have shown that a major replacement — likely of the building’s underground trunk line — is needed as soon as possible.

The latest water heater replaces one that was installed roughly a month ago. That heater was not powerful enough to service the entire building, which has leaking and corroding pipes in multiple areas.

“We’re looking for a creative solution that will be the most cost-effective and least impactful for the community,” he told Reston Now.

The hot water issue is emblematic of maintenance issues that are popping up all over Lake Anne Plaza — often at the same time.

“We have a situation where we’re really trying to replace and fix the aging infrastructure all around us. It’s had a wonderful lifespan until this point and we want it to continue for another 50, 100 plus years and keep this community going,”Romano said.

Board members like Schaefer allege their efforts to address the hot water issue have been stalled by intentional efforts to thwart progress.

“The Lake Anne of Reston issue is a microcosm of our national politics, this is why elections matter,’ she said. “Jason Romano who lost in the October 2020 LARCA election refused to respect the will of the members.”

She too has been attempting to address the issue with the help of two other board members.

Basil Shakarchi, a resident at the condominium building, resorted to installing a $2,000 tankless hot water machine in his apartment — an addition that was only possible because he renovated his unit.

Other units in the aging building, which was built in the early 1960s, do not have that luxury. The units simply cannot handle that much electric current.

Shakarchi wants the board and the building’s property manager to find a long-term solution.

So far, it’s unclear what that long-term solution — which would will likely cost hundreds of thousands of dollars — is. Romano says the board has contracted with an engineering firm to explore available options.

He hopes the installation of the new hot water heater will buy LARCA time to find a long-term solution.

Jordan, who recently began washing her hair in the sink of her hair salon in Sterling, says she wants the board to be more responsive and transparent to residents.

“I’ve been here for eight years and we’re all pretty outraged,” Jordan said, noting that the need to replace the building’s aging trunk line did not arise overnight.

Shakarchi has a simple plea for himself and residents: “Please send help.”

Photo via Robin Jordan

More than 180,000 people are on the county’s waiting list for the COVID-19 vaccine.

In order to improve transparency, Fairfax County plans to launch a new queuing system that would provide information about vaccine registration status tomorrow.

At a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting earlier this week, County Executive Bryan Hill said the system would be followed by a dashboard with real-time information about vaccine distribution.

The improvements come after Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust and Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn called on the county to move forward with the dashboard and queuing system through a formal board matter.

“They know that the county has information about where they are in the queue and that the county currently is not sharing that information with them. They believe the county should be more transparent. They want to know, and I believe they deserve to know, how many people are ahead of them to be called to be vaccinated,” Foust said at a board meeting on Feb. 9.

While the registration process is relatively smooth, Foust said that residents ought to know where they are in the registration line. Currently, the health department only sends a notification confirming registration.

As of Wednesday, 131,479 in Fairfax County have received the first dose of the vaccine and 31,421 people have been fully vaccinated.

Officials continue to caution that vaccine supply is extremely limited. Roughly 11 percent of the total population has been vaccinated with at least one dose.

The queuing system would confirm if registrants are in the queue, describe progress made so far, and inform registrants of where they are in the line.

The county also plans to launch a self-cancellation form if people receive a vaccine from another health care provider, as well as a registration validation form for residents to confirm their registration and see where they fall in the queue.

Hill said that his staff and the county’s health and IT departments began working on improving the process in early January, but the process was stalled by coordination with the Virginia Department of Health.

“A lot of our delay is predicated on working and talking with the state’s systems,” Hill said, adding that the state’s protocol is the ‘Bible for COVID vaccinations.“

Board Chairman Jeff McKay also noted that coordination with the state has been “frustrating” to the county’s efforts.

“It is not acceptable for someone to register for a vaccination and go an entire month with ought hearing potentially anything from the county,’ he said.

Through improvements to its system, the county determined that roughly 20,000 duplicate registrants on the waiting list. The county was able to weed out duplicates and trim down the waiting list to around 180,000 registrants.

Still, other board members lauded the county for developing a smooth administering system for vaccines.

Penny Gross noted that some residents who were frustrated with the registration process said the actual administration of the vaccine was easy and well-done.

The county’s vaccine dashboard will likely go live on Friday, but it could take up to Tuesday, Feb. 16 to iron out any issues, Hill said.

Fairfax County government workers whose jobs put them at high risk of exposure to COVID-19 will now receive $2,000 in hazard pay, an increase from the $1,500 that county staff initially recommended in January.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the one-time bonuses on Tuesday (Feb. 9) before directing staff to look for additional funding to cover bonuses for all employees.

“It has been something to watch the response of our county employees over the past year to this pandemic,” Board Chairman Jeff McKay said after introducing the motion. “To be able to do this and have the resources available to reward these employees and thank them is absolutely critical.”

While the board expanded the program to include limited-term employees as well as merit employees, it backed staff’s suggestion of using the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health COVID-19 risk assessment to determine workers’ eligibility for hazard pay.

When the proposal first came to the board during its budget committee meeting on Jan. 12, some supervisors expressed concern about leaving out workers who could contract COVID-19 while on the job but don’t meet the VOSH standards for their risk level to be classified as “high” or “very high.”

The board planned to vote on hazard pay on Jan. 26, but the decision was postponed so that county staff could continue talks with the Fairfax County government employees’ union, SEIU Virginia 512, and other workers’ groups, which were advocating for hazard pay to be available to all employees.

Because the hazard pay comes from CARES Act relief funds, Fairfax County staff say federal guidelines dictate that the money must be limited to employees whose duties involve physical hardship directly related to pandemic emergency response efforts.

The approved proposal will cost an estimated $9.2 million, keeping it within the $10 million allocation that the Board of Supervisors set aside from the county’s coronavirus relief fund for hazard pay.

A broader hazard pay plan would have to use county funds, which McKay previously told Tysons Reporter would be “unlikely” to happen with the fiscal year 2022 budget. County Executive Bryan Hill will present an FY 2022 budget proposal to the board on Feb. 23.

The Board of Supervisors instead hopes to find the money for more bonuses in its FY 2021 budget through a third-quarter review that will be approved when the FY 2022 budget is marked up on Apr. 27.

“I think this is exactly the type of environment that we’re in right now that contributes to making bonuses a practical, doable solution to really value the work of all of our county employees at a time when we can’t do all of the things we’d like to do,” McKay said.

For the FY 2021 third-quarter review, staff have also been asked to evaluate the county’s leave programs and determine if new options can be provided to employees who have been unable to take advantage of existing programs due to the nature of their job.

SEIU Virginia 512 Executive Board President Tammie Wondong says the union was glad that Fairfax County ultimately included limited-term employees in its hazard pay plan.

“We are headed in the right direction, because the fact is we were heard, and we got their attention,” Wondong said. “That’s the most important thing, that they heard us and they responded. It’s not fixed. We’ve still got a lot more work to do, but…now we’re able to continue to lift our voices and talk about how it continues to impact us, with the pandemic that’s going on and how people are risking their lives just to be out there.”

Staff photo by Jay Westcott

Lake Thoreau Pool Work Begins — Contractors will be on-site at Lake Thoreau pool later this week for soil sampling. This step is necessary to begin the engineering and design of the pool’s retaining walls and parking lot. [Reston Association]

County Executive Releases Podcast — County Executive Bryan Hill discusses the COVID-19 pandemic, the search for a new police chief, and the upcoming fiscal year 2022 budget in his latest podcast. [Fairfax County Government]

Reston Songwriter Releases New Single — Singer and songwriter Amanda Cunningham has released a new single about breaking free from bad relationships. [Reston Patch]

Photo by Marjorie Copson

(Updated at 4 p.m.) Local police are searching for a suspect who may have been involved in a homicide in Reston.

A man was found killed shortly after 2 p.m. in the 23000 block of Branleigh Park Court, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

The suspect likely left the area in a silver Nissan Rogue, according to FCPD.

Police stated that the incident was not a random act of violence.

Detectives are responding to a homicide that occurred shortly after 2 p.m. in the 2300 block of Branleigh Park Court in Reston. Suspect believed to have left the area in a silver Nissan Rogue. Updates to follow. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/Eq2sO0QzeG

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) February 10, 2021

Last year, Reston Association’s website was abruptly taken down because of outdated technology and stability issues.  The loss of some financial records and limited backups was also cited as an issue in previous board meetings.

These challenges, along with other IT security needs, have prompted a call by four board members to create a board IT committee. If approved, the volunteer-run committee would be tasked with reviewing RA’s technology landscape, advising the association on procurement, data security and privacy, as well as other hands-on solutions. Board members Sarah Selvaraj-D’Souza, Bob Petrine, and Tom Mulkerin also worked on the plan.

Board member Ven Iyer, who described himself as an expert in security and IT infrastructure with 19 years of experience, said RA’s IT systems are “unfit”for conducting financial and Personally Identifiable data.

“If you were a bank or you were somebody handling PI data, you would be shut down. And you thoroughly need the help,” Iyer said at a special board meeting earlier this week.

He says RA’s IT issues are so severe that the institution of a board committee is necessary in order to make “RA capable of conducting business.”

But the proposal was met with some skepticism by other board members. Board president Julie Bitzer said the proposal needed a more thorough review before a board vote.

Four board members and RA’s legal counsel will revise the proposal in advance of another board special meeting on Monday, Feb. 15. The move was suggested by board member John Mooney and backed by Bitzer, Mike Collins, Caren Anton, and Aaron Webb.

“You don’t rush something important like this,”Mooney said.

Some board members questioned if it was appropriate to set up a board committee – which has more authority than an advisory or working group – to manage and advise RA on IT issues. Other board committees like RA’s Board Governance Committee and Board Advisory Committee have more authority than working groups or advisory committees. 

Others simply said immediate action was necessary, especially since IT-related spending is a big-ticket spending item.

“The feeling was that you need to have the strength of the board like the fiscal committee does,” said D’Szousa.

Iyer, who said he has pushed for the creation of an IT committee for years, said the urgency of the need should not be underestimated.

Irwin Flashman, an RA member, said that residents would be more than willing to help support RA’s IT efforts and guide decision-making with expert advice.

“Reston is a technology center and many of those who work in the industry live in Reston and would be well qualified and willing, I feel certain, to lend a guiding hand to such an IT Committee and RA,”Flashman said.

‘We urge the board to act diligently and seriously. You hold the security of RA information in your hands. It is a great and serious responsibility.’

Within one day, RA staff quickly created a temporary website in July after the association’s IT team learned that the old website created a “potential security risk” to RA members and the DotNetNuke platform was no longer ‘technically supportable,’ according to past meeting materials.

Planning is underway to launch a new website with enhanced communication features later this year.

Alcorn Plans Virtual Town Halls for Next Week — Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn will host two town halls on Feb. 16 and 18. The first discussion is with Reston District Police Station commanders and the second is with Alcorn. [Fairfax County Government]

Body Worn Camera Program Expands in Fairfax County — Phase two of the program is complete as officers from the police department’s Franconia and McLean District Stations received training and are now fully equipped with the devices. [Fairfax County Police Department]

CVS in Annandale to Distribute Vaccine — CVS will offer the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible 1a and 1b populations through a federal program. So far, the only participating location in Virginia is located at Little River Turnpike in Annandale. Supply is limited, but more locations will begin to offer the vaccine soon. [Fairfax County Government]

Photo by Marjorie Copson

Prepare for more snow in the region later tonight and into tomorrow.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for most of the region. The advisory is in effect from 7 p.m. today through 10 a.m. tomorrow.

NWS expects snow accumulations of between one to three inches. More from the alert is below.

IMPACTS…Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… Slow down and use caution while traveling.

When venturing outside, watch your first few steps taken on steps, sidewalks, and driveways, which could be icy and slippery increasing your risk of a fall and injury.

Winter Weather Advisories are now up for much of the area for tonight's winter storm. Generally looking at 2 to 4 inches of snow across the advisory area, with a light glaze of ice expected across central VA. pic.twitter.com/fIMrJu6rbB

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) February 10, 2021

Winter Weather Advisory for Fairfax County beginning tonight(2-10) at 7 PM and ending Thursday at 10 AM. Currently 1 – 3 inches are expected. Be aware and be prepared. Remain weather aware and monitor updates throughout the day. #FCFRD #FFXSnow #WinterWeather #weather pic.twitter.com/8UMoNpuk74

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) February 10, 2021

Photo by Marjorie Copson