The installation of a “Watch for Children” sign is planned at Pinoak Lane in Reston in order to help calm residential traffic in the area.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on the mitigation technique at a board meeting on Nov. 17, according to draft meeting materials.

The project is expected to cost $400 as is part of the county’s Residential Traffic Administration Program (RTAP). The program allows the county to install similar signs at the primary entrances of residential neighborhoods or in areas where there are areas where more children may congregate, including playgrounds, community centers, and daycares. 

In a memo, county staff noted that the community wants the sign to be installed. Each request is reviewed by the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, which verifies that proposed signs will not conflict with any other traffic control devices.

Once the sign is approved by the board, installation is expected by the end of the year.

Image via Google Maps

Covenants Staff Aim to Improve Service — Reston Association’s covenants team is working to improve its covenants process. Staff is currently handling a spike in requests for exterior modifications and other applications due to stay-at-home orders. The team is working on improving communications. [RA]

Nearby: Police Investigate Shootings —Major crime detectives continue to investigate three sheetings that happened over the last 36 hours in Fairfax County, including a shooting at a Motel 6 in Springfield, a shooting involving a juvenile victim, and another shooting in Lorton that left two men with serious injuries. [FCPD]

County Offers Tips on Celebrating Diwali Safely — The county is encouraging residents to celebrate the five-day festival of lights safely due to COVID-19. This year’s festival starts tomorrow (Saturday). [Fairfax County Government]

Photo by Marjorie Copson

Microsoft Corp. plans to expand with about 45,000 square feet in Reston Town Center, according to a recent earnings call by landlord Boston Properties.

The expansion is an addition to the 400,000-square-foot tech hub that is planned for the development.

Here’s more from the Washington Business Journal on the expansion:

The new space adds to what Redwood, Washington-based Microsoft is already leasing at Two Discovery Square, which stands at 12012 Sunset Hills Road. It’s also separately establishing a tech hub at Two Freedom Square, at 11955 Freedom Drive, bringing its total footprint across those two buildings to above 600,000 square feet, according to earnings data and company officials familiar with the situation.

In late May, Microsoft announced that it would invest $64 million to establish a new tub hub that would bring 2,500 new jobs to the area.

Photo by Franck V./Unsplash

A ghostly rainbow formed entirely out of fog descended over Lake Fairfax on Monday as a dense fog advisory blanketed most of the region.

The fogbow was spotted by a Twitter user who was surprised by its strange appearance. The Capital Weather Gang chimed in to offer some clues on its cloudy appearance.

Rainbows form when lights enters a water droplet. Each beam of sunlight travels at a different speed, slowing down at different rates when hitting a raindrop. Light is refracted and cast into an arc of color.

Fogbows, however, form from extremely small droplets, resulting in less refraction.

"Fogbow" this morning over Lake Fairfax in Reston, Va. I have never seen one before. Can someone explain the phenomenon? @capitalweather @WeatherNation @WeatherGeeks pic.twitter.com/mcKhDQTT8G

— Rob Gates (@rjgatesontheweb) November 9, 2020

In the 2020 presidential election, Fairfax County voters cast a record number of votes — 600,238 — but the overall turnout was not record-breaking.

This year, 78.8 percent of the county’s 761,753 active registered voters took part in the election,  down from the 2016 presidential election when turnout was 82.5 percent and roughly 563,000 votes were cast. 

In the 2012 general election, the turnout rate was 80.5 percent

“This election year was unlike any other we have ever seen,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said. “Our turnout throughout the process was truly encouraging and spoke to our residents’ faith in the democratic process.”

Fairfax County voters strongly favored Democrats in this year’s election, supporting Joe Biden over incumbent President Donald Trump and reelecting Sen. Mark Warner, Rep. Don Beyer (8th District), Rep. Jennifer Wexton (10th District), and Rep. Gerry Connolly (11th District) to Congress. Precinct-level reporting offering some variation.

It’s important to note that while turnout did not break records, the number of registered voters went up significantly from around 683,000 in 2016 to 761,573 this year. More than two-thirds of votes cast were absentee votes due to no-excuse absentee voting.

The county expects to officially certify election results on Nov. 16.

The Hunter Mill District boasted the highest turnout for the election. More than 81 percent of the Hunter Mill District’s 93,193 active registered voters cast a ballot in the Nov. 3 election, either in person on Election Day or absentee. The district is also the only one in the county with over 90,000 active registered voters as of Oct. 30. Springfield District had the second highest turnout at 80.8%

In the Town of Herndon, Vice Mayor Sheila Olem swept up the Mayoral election with a resounding 61 percent of total votes. Roland Taylor took. 38 percent of the total vote.

The winners of the Herndon Town Council election were separated by a handful of votes. Town spokesperson Anne Curtis said the town is expected to announce results once they are certified by the county. On election night, early election results changed dramatically due to a data entry error.

Reston Association Encourages Residents to Take Pledge —  “Reston became a member of the Biophilic Cities Network in 2018 and continues its efforts to advocate for the natural environment that is the centerpiece of our community. Part of those efforts to raise awareness of our environment includes asking Reston Association members take the Biophilic Pledge.” [RA]

DMV Black Restaurant Week Includes NoVa Participants — “DMV Black Restaurant Week kicked off Sunday and will be held through Nov. 15, showcasing specials at Black-owned food and beverage establishments in the DMV, Emily Leahman of Patch writes. Reston’s Makers Union is taking part in the week. [Reston Patch]

Applications Accepted for Energy Assistance — The county is offering eligible households with low-income help to cover expenses associated with heating or cooling their homes. [Fairfax County Government]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Two suspects have been taken into custody during an early morning robbery today in Herndon.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the incident happened on the 2000 block of Rock Hill Road around 4:47 am.

A victim is being treated at a local hospital for injuries that are not life threatening.

FCPD urges residents to avoid the area as the investigation continues.

Officers are in the 2000 blk of Rock Hill Road in Herndon for a robbery that happened at 4:47am. 2 suspects are in custody. The victim was taken to the hospital with injuries that are not life threatening. Please avoid the area as officers continue to investigate. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/xkb7m8ZK8F

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) November 10, 2020

In what’s become a familiar storyline, the number of COVID-19 cases continues to climb as the week of Nov. 8 saw the highest weekly average of cases since June 7.

The county also reported that 11 people died from COVID-19 on Nov. 7, the highest number of deaths reported in a single day since May 27, when 24 deaths were reported. For most of August and September, the number of deaths remained under five per day. In October, 13 deaths were reported throughout the whole month.

On Nov. 8, the county also saw the highest number of reported cases in one day. A total of 209 cases were reported in the largest single-day spike since early June, when a whopping 399 cases were reported.

But the number of hospitalized patients has not significantly increased — which suggests that individuals who contract the coronavirus do not need major or critical care.

The Fairfax Health District is averaging more than 100 new cases per day, more than any time since mid-June, according to the county. A surge is not yet apparent.

“Based on the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) pandemic metrics dashboard, our community transmission level, which had been low since July, has increased to moderate. We must remain vigilant to return to low community transmission,” the county wrote in a statement today.

Case investigators have found hotspots of exposure at work sites, celebratory events and gatherings, and within households.

The county offered the following tips to avoid community transmission:

If someone in your household is ill, immediately take precautions such as wearing masks when in common areas, avoiding shared utensils, and staying 6 feet apart.  

Limit indoor social gatherings, and choose lower risk activities for holiday celebrations.  

Avoid travel as much as possible, particularly to areas of the U.S. experiencing surges of cases. For necessary travel, follow CDC’s guidance to lower risk of COVID-19.  

Photo via Unsplash

The Town of Herndon and Comstock Companies are set to close on the redevelopment of downtown Herndon on Dec. 15, bringing a long-anticipated project mired by nearly a year of delays to fruition.

In a memo to the Herndon Town Council, which will discuss the matter on a Nov. 10 work session, staff attributed delays to a “significant rise in labor and material costs” in the DC construction market since 2016, an issue that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This week is a lesson in patience for Americans….  and for Herndon patience is paying off,” said Mayor Lisa Merkel, whose eight-year time as mayor has revolved around the redevelopment project.

The Town of Herndon will sell 4.7 acres of town-owned land for $10 million to Comstock, which will develop the area into a mixed-use neighborhood with 273 apartments, a 787-space parking garage, an  18,000-square-foot arts center, and 17,000 square feet of retail space.  The town purchased the land for $5.8 million and will pitch an additional $3.6 million for the project to cover the following:

• Environmental remediation:  $500,000
• Transitional public parking: $500,000
• Arts center relocation: $250,000
• Culvert repair: $100,000

The Herndon Town Council will consider the matter at a work session on Nov. 10.

To close, both parties negotiated a new comprehensive agreement that was finalized after months of deliberation and few answers on why the project was stalled. The previous agreement was signed by the town in 2017. The council will vote on the proposed agreement.

“In the interest of the continued forward movement of the project the Town and Comstock now desire to amend the Comprehensive Agreement in order to better address the changes in the market, unforeseen effects of COVID-19 and to provide both parties maximum advantage,” the memo states.

Per the agreement, Comstock must begin construction of the project by Dec. 31 of 2021 after a closing date of Dec. 15. The company will also pitch in $10 million instead of $5 million to cover costs associated with the arts center and parking. Among other changes, appropriation for the project will be required before closing and Comstock will be allowed to pause construction due to market conditions and other delays caused by the pandemic.

Additionally, Comstock will receive several tax breaks, which were recently established by the Herndon Town Council.

The company will have to pay $2.5 million less in fees for water, sewer, and building permits than typically allowed. At the time, the town declined to indicate if the recently-passed tax rebates were designed for the redevelopment project in downtown Herndon.

So far, the town says that it’s very confident the agreement will result in a big return for the town.

“All together the financial investment plus development incentives for the project are approximately $16 million and the town anticipates the value of its capital return on the project to be over $16.6 million,” according to a memo by town manager Bill Ashton and town attorney Lesa Yeatts.

Image via Comstock

Dense Fog Advisory In Effect — The National Weather Service has issued a dense fog advisory for the area until 10 am. today. If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance between you and other vehicles. [NWS]

Delivery Times for FCPS Meal Sites, Bus Stops Change — “Beginning Monday, 11/9, delivery times and some bus stops for grab and go meals distributed on bus routes will change. These changes are due to the need for more buses to transport students returning to school for in-person learning.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]

Update from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department on COVID-19 — As of this Sunday, four people in the department have tested positive. So far, 64 personnel have fully recovered.  [FCFRD]

Photo by Ray Copson

Before we head off into another weekend with COVID-19 abound, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now in recent days.

1. Fairfax County Sees Continued COVID-19 Rise as Virginia Hits New High
2. UPDATE: After ‘Data Entry Error,’ Results of Herndon Mayoral, Town Council Race Change Dramatically
3. As Ballots Pour In, Fairfax County Boasts High Turnout
4. Biden Secures Sweep in Herndon and Reston Precincts on Election Day
5. Boston Properties Still Performing ‘Well’ Despite Pandemic

If you have ideas on stories we should cover, email us at [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip.

Feel free to discuss these topics, your social distancing plans, or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.

Pet Valu, a retailer of pet food and supplies, is closing its operations, including its two Reston location,

Both locations along with the company’s 358 stores in the United States will close over the next several days, the company announced earlier this week.

Canada locations will remain open, which are run by separate service that simply licenses its names and contracts from Pet Valu. Pet Valu has locations at 1442 North Point Village Center and 11160 South Lakes Drive.

Jamie Gould, the company’s Chief Restructuring Officer, attributed the closure to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Pet Valu U.S. team is proud to have met the needs of our devoted pet lover customers in the U.S. for more than 25 years. However, the Company’s stores have been significantly impacted by the protracted COVID-19-related restrictions. After a thorough review of all available alternatives, we made the difficult but necessary decision to commence this orderly wind down,” she said.

Customers can continue to shop at the stores, but orders can no longer be placed online.

A Reston man has been charged in connection with a double homicide that took place at a party in Dale City on Sunday, according to the Prince William County Police Department.

The U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force took Karriem Angelo Jackson, 26, into custody on Thursday after he was identified as a suspect.

Police believe the Reston man fire multiple rounds at a large house party on the 3300 Block of Bristol Court in Dale City around 2 a.m. on Nov. 1. The incident occurred after a fight at the home, according to the police department.

Two men — Christopher Alan Johnson, 24, of Alexandria, and Frank Chineji Sapele, 25, of Arlington —  were killed. One woman and one man were injured in the incident are expected to recover from their injuries.

Jackson was found in Reston and charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of aggravated malicious wounding, and for counts of use of a firearm. In commission of a felony.

While Virginia’s U.S. Congressional delegation looks like it will remain largely unchanged after the 2020 general election, voters approved a state constitutional amendment that will reshape the process for how their representatives will be chosen in the future.

One of two statewide referendums on the ballot, Constitutional Amendment 1 shifts responsibility for drawing congressional and state legislative district lines from the Virginia General Assembly to a redistricting commission made up of eight legislators and eight appointed citizens.

According to the Virginia Department of Elections unofficial returns, Amendment 1 passed with 65.91% of voters casting their ballot in favor of it, though a few precincts had not yet reported results by Wednesday night and the results will not be official until they are certified on Nov. 16.

Fairfax County approved the measure by a smaller margin than the overall state, with 53.69% of voters supporting it and 46.31% opposing.

“From the start, this movement has been about putting the voices of citizens above politicians and political parties. Today, Virginia voters spoke loud and clear in approving Amendment 1,” Fair Maps VA executive director Brian Cannon and campaign co-chairs Wyatt Durrette and Bobby Vassar said in a joint statement on Wednesday (Nov. 4).

Fair Maps VA is a nonprofit advocacy organization formed in July by OneVirginia2021, the coalition of policymakers and citizens that spearheaded the redistricting commission proposal.

With Virginia set to redraw district lines next year, Fair Maps VA says the proposed commission will combat partisan gerrymandering by giving members of the public “a seat at the table” instead of leaving redistricting exclusively in the hands of legislators, as previously dictated by the Constitution of Virginia.

The General Assembly will vote on new district maps, but it will not be able to change them. If new maps are not approved by set deadlines, the Supreme Court of Virginia will draw them.

“In creating a bipartisan redistricting commission…[voters] said they want a transparent redistricting process,” Cannon, Durrette, and Vassar said. “They want civil rights protections to be added to the state constitution for the very first time. And they said that they want to end partisan gerrymandering in Virginia once and for all.”

However, opponents argue the proposed commission still gives lawmakers too much authority in the once-a-decade redistricting process, allowing them to shape district boundaries to benefit themselves or their party.

Some are wary of the role judges will play in the new process. In addition to giving the Supreme Court the power to draw district maps if necessary, the amendment puts retired circuit court judges in charge of selecting citizens that legislators will ultimately appoint to the commission.

Members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus criticized the amendment for not guaranteeing representation on the commission for people of color, who are often targeted by gerrymandering.

“I was a little surprised at the lopsidedness of the outcome,” Del. Marcus Simon (D-53^rd District) said of Amendment 1’s passage. “I hoped we would’ve done a better job at communicating some of the flaws with the constitutional amendment and convincing folks that we can do a better job of redistricting reform without the amendment than with it.”

Like many other Democrats, Simon initially supported the amendment when legislation to put it on the ballot passed the General Assembly in 2019, but he reversed his position when the issue came up again, as required by state law, during the 2020 session.

Now that the amendment has passed, however, Simon says the General Assembly can craft legislation to address the issues that people have raised, such as bills to establish qualifications for citizens appointed to the commission, ensure diverse representation, and limit the Supreme Court’s discretion.

With the General Assembly still in a special session first convened in August to address the state budget and criminal justice reform, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam will likely introduce the first set of enabling legislation for the redistricting commission by the end of this week, and state lawmakers could vote on the proposals early next week, according to Simon.

“I think we can continue to work on a better constitutional amendment for 2031,” Simon said. “So, I plan to start working right away to try to get us to achieve truly independent and nonpartisan redistricting, if not in time for this redistricting, then for the future.”