Reston’s Giving Circle of HOPE has given out $45,000 to support three local organizations in its 2020 grant cycle.
The non-profit organization awarded the grants to support organizations that are meeting “critical community needs amidst the financial and operational challenges of a pandemic,” according to an announcement.
The following organizations received grants:
Food Pantry: Dulles South Food Pantry, providing nutritious food and personal supplies to those in need in the Dulles South and surrounding areas
Rental Assistance: Herndon-Reston FISH, providing help to Northern Virginians in short-term financial crisis with rental assistance, paying utilities, and other needs
Emerging Needs: Culmore Clinic, offering low-cost services to patients in the Culmore-Bailey’s Crossroads community who would not otherwise have access to any kind of medical care
Giving Circle of HOPE is a grassroots organization that started in 2004 to support volunteerism and philanthropy. So far, the organization has dispersed $1 million with 159 grants to 66 nonprofit organizations, according to a company release.
Photo courtesy of Giving Circle
Work on a new walkway for Innovation Center Metro Station to Dulles Green Boulevard has been completed.
Roughly 270 linear feet of sidewalk were installed at the site, including a handrail and a two-curb ramp.
The project connects with the existing sidewalk from the new Metro station. A community review process was jumpstarted in 2017 by the Fairfax County Department of Transportation.
Work on ensuring other Silver Line Metro Station continues to support pedestrian walkability is also underway.
Recently, Fairfax County completed the construction of a 10-foot wide concrete walkway along Dolley Madison Boulevard in Tysons. The project added 2,400 feet of liner walkway and allows for a safer connection between downtown McLean and area Metro stations.
Photo via FCDOT
Reston Community Center’s CenterStage will come to life once again with three performances in the fall.
A limited number of tickets will go on sale on September 1 for Reston residents and employees and the general public on September 8.
CenterStage has adopted new safety protocols in order to maximize safety for the Professional Touring Artist series. Audience members are requested to wear masks and no intermissions will take place.
In order to facilitate social distancing, audience capacity will be limited to 43 pairs of tickets.
Shows may be live-streamed in the community room if a show sells out of CenterStage seating.
The following shows are planned for the fall:
Sunday, November 22, 3:00 p.m.
$10 Reston/$20 Non-RestonThis Grammy-nominated music act returns to Reston to entertain audiences of all ages.
Mark Brutsché is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Saturday, December 5, 3:00 p.m.
$5 Reston/$10 Non-RestonMark Brutsché brings his unique spin on this childhood favorite that will be fun for the whole family.
Special Guest Daoirí Farrell. Opening with MALINDA
Thursday, December 17, 8:00 p.m.
$25 Reston/$50 Non-RestonIrish band Lúnasa brings its holiday show to the CenterStage, along with Dublin-born bouzouki player Daoirí Farrell and rising star MALINDA.
RCC also plans to continue its winter and spring line-up as well, which will include shows from Regina Carter, Reduced Shakespeare Company, and mutts Gone Nuts. Tickets for the 2021 portion of the schedule go on sale on December for Reston residents and December 8 for all others. The center noted that all decisions are “pending public health status and performer traveler restrictions.”
Unless otherwise noted, all performances take place at CenterStage, which is located at RCC Hunters Woods.
More information on how to purchase tickets is available online.
Photo via RCC
Flu Shots Available at Giant Food Stores in Reston — “Giant Food announced Monday flu shots are available at in-store pharmacies, including locations in the Reston area. The flu vaccines are administered by Giant pharmacists and do not require an appointment.” [Reston Patch]
County Fire Chief Selected for Award — “Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Fire Chief John Butler has been selected as a recipient of the 2020 International Association of Fire Chiefs President’s Awards of Recognition.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
Underwhelming Response to Sale of Comscore — “ComScore, based at Reston Town Center, has been pursuing a sale since late 2019. Comscore Inc.’s attempt to sell itself has hit some snags — its potential suitors’ offers thus far have been underwhelming, it said in new Securities and Exchange Commission filings.” [Washington Business Journal]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
A small algae bloom has taken over some parts of Lake Audubon.
Reston Association is asking members to avoid contact with the water, which could contain algae that is “potentially harmful.” Pet owners should also make sure their pets avoid ingesting or coming into contact with the water.
The association has no immediate plans to treat the algae, which frequently makes appearances at the lake at the end of the summer.
“Forecasted rain and cooler temperatures will improve the conditions of the lake,” according to RA.
Although algae blooms are common, a major algae bloom at Lake Thoreau has raised concerns about overall lake management and environmental health. RA plans to host a special meeting about the bloom at Lake Thoreau later this month.
Photo by Marjorie Copson
Maker’s Union, which markets itself as a “pub for the people,” is officially opening its doors on Thursday in Reston Town Center.
The restaurant replaces American Tap Room on 1811 Library Street. The project was launched by Thompson Hospitality, a Reston-based company.
In a statement, business representatives recognized it is “a bit of a weird time” to open a restaurant. In fact, Maker’s Union considered passing construction until there was less uncertainty in the restaurant industry.
But the business team ultimately decided to move forward with opening the restaurant because Reston “needs a special local gathering place.”
Beginning tomorrow and Wednesday between 5-8 p.m., patrons can stop by for a preview event. Tickets are $5 for a slider and a can of craft beer or wine. The restaurant will be set up outside with six-feet spacing markers. All items will be served to-go, but patrons can take a peek into the new space.
Masks are required to take part in the preview event, a company representative told Reston Now.
Photo via Thompson Hospitality
A Falls Church man has been arrested in connection with two Reston burglaries and car theft, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
On August 12 at around 1:30 p.m., homeowners contacted police about a home burglary that happened that night on the 2200 block of Double Eagle Court. A 2011 Toyota Sienna van was also taken.
Two days after the report, police found two men near the van, which was parked on the 11700 block of Briggs Court.
One of the men, David Pugnetti Webb, 23, was connected with another burglary on Aug. 8 in the 1700 block of Chimney House Road.
Webb was charged with two counts of burglary, four counts of grand larceny, credit card theft, attempted credit card fraud and possession of narcotics.
Information about the incident was released in FCPD’s weekly crime report.
Reston Town Center Updates Information on COVID-19 Safety — The town center now has 15-minute parking spots for curbside pickup. Additional seating is also available in the pavilion and Town Square Park. RTC has also increased the frequency of cleaning in all public spaces. [Reston Town Center]
Metro Ridership Increases as Agency Begins Restoring Service — “Daily ridership during Metro’s first week of nearly normal service in five months was up by several thousand, according to preliminary agency statistics. Ridership remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels, but the consistent daily increases show that more Washington-area residents are venturing out and resuming normal activities.” [The Washington Post]
Resources for Assisted Living Concerns — The Northern Virginia Longterm Care Ombudsman Program helps longterm care residents and their families resolve quality of care and quality of life issues at no charge. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
A house fire in Great Falls has displaced two residents and caused roughly $105,450 in damages.
Units from the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department and Loudoun County Fire and Rescue battled the fire at the two-story, single-family home on the 10200 block of Forest Lake Drive Thursday night.
Due to limited fire hydrants in the area, a tanker task force was used to extinguish the fire, which ws started in the garage.
Two residents evacuated their home after the homeowner smelled smoke. Smoke alarms did not activate because the fire was isolated to the garage.
It’s unclear what caused the fire, according to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.
Photo via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department
The dog days of summer deserve a day just for the dogs before the pool season ends.
Reston Association is hosting a dog paddle next weekend. Residents can bring their dog for a dip in the pool at North Hills on Saturday, August 29 and at Dogwood on Sunday, August 30. Both events take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Access to the pool is reserved on a 45-minute visit that begins at the top of each hour. Although people are not allowing in the water with the dogs, four people can accompany each dog to the facility. Dogs must remain under control at all times or will be asked to leave without a refund. Female dogs in heat are not allowed.
Face masks — for humans only — are required at all times. The fee is $10 per dog for RA members and $15 for all others.
Registration is open via RA’s Webtrac system. Pre-registration is required and the event will be cancelled in the event of rain.
Active dog licenses are required before entering the facility. RA reserved the right to density admission to any patron or dog owner.
Photo courtesy Sammy Monaghan for RA
A Sterling man allegedly used four corporations — including two in Reston and Herndon — in a $21 million H-1B visa fraud conspiracy.
According to court documents, Ashish Sawhney, 48, used the corporations to submit fraudulent applications for H-1B work visas. He was arrested yesterday (Thursday) on charges of conspiracy to commit visa fraud. Two of the companies include Value Software Products, Inc. in Herndon and Business Pointers Inc. in Reston.
Court documents indicate Sawhney allegedly used the companies to provide information technology staff and software development services. Authorities believe the Sterling man submitted applications for H-1B visas, which stated that the foreign workers would fill jobs that did not exist at the time of filing.
According to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Sawhney’s companies may have generated $21 million in gross profits from 2011 to 2016. The indictment also stated Sawhney, who is an Indian national, attempted to naturalize as a U.S. citizen by submitting an application with false statements.
Here’s more from the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia:
The case is being investigated by the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, which is comprised of multiple agencies including the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security that coordinate investigations into fraudulent immigration documents.
If convicted, Sawhney faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. He was charged with two counts of conspiracy, three counts of inducing an alien to come to the U.S. for commercial advantage or personal gain, and one count of attempted naturalization fraud.
Photo via Google Maps
Discussion on Lake Thoreau’s Health — Reston Association published a video detailing this year’s algae bloom and the association’s management of the Hydrilla plant. The Reston Today video features CEO Hank Lunch and COO Larry Butler. [Reston Association]
Northern Virginia Leads in Coronavirus Cases — “The Virginia Department of Health reported 863 additional coronavirus cases Thursday. The cumulative total of cases is up to 109,882. There were 17 new deaths reported Thursday, bringing the total in Virginia to 2,427. There have been 8,998 coronavirus hospitalizations to date.” [Reston Patch]
High Ratings for Va. COVID-19 App — “I often use this column to warn about the dangers of apps that track you. This time, I’m going to recommend you actually install one. There’s a new kind of app that uses your smartphone’s Bluetooth wireless signals to figure out when you’ve been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the novel coronavirus… It’s called Covidwise, and works in the state of Virginia.” [Washington Post]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Reston Association will host a meeting later this month to discuss the environmental health of Lake Thoreau.
The meeting announcement follows a major algae bloom at the lake, which prompted RA to urge residents to avoid contact with the water.
RA will meet virtually on Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom to discuss the overall health of the lake. RA CEO Hank Lynch and COO Larry Butler will discuss recent test results and the longterm plan for managing the bloom.
RA’s longtime vendor, Aquatic Environment Consultants, will present data on the treatment of the lake and data collection. The association’s Environmental Advisory Committee chair Doug Britt will also discuss issues related to the lake.
RA may also consider exploring how future management practices will impact the 2021 budget and future budgets.
Although lab results do not indicate the algae bloom contains toxic levels of microsystins, the algal species does have the ability to produce toxins if concentrations are high enough.
RA expects the dying Hydrilla plant — which the association treated in late July — will sink to the bottom of the lake as it dies over the next several weeks.
Photo by Jeannine Santoro
Local six-year-old twins were recognized this week by the Fairfax County Police Department for their heroism last summer.
The twins, Ethan and Ella, rescued a child who sank to the bottom of a pool at a house party in Reston.
FCPD said the siblings swam to the bottom and brought the child to the surface “without hesitation.” Parents began CPR on the child, who was blue and unresponsive.
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department took over and the child was resuscitated.
The police department presented the twins with a certificate of appreciation for their heroic actions.
“The twins began swimming at three years old. Their talent and determination faced the ultimate test and they succeeded,” FCPD said.
Photo via FCPD
County Seeks Election Officers — The Fairfax County Office of Elections is hiring 200 additional seasonal staff to process mailed absentee ballots, work at in-person voting locations or provide office assistance. [Fairfax County Government]
Reston Association to Host Listening Sessions — RA is hosting five district listening sessions via Zoom over the coming months. An at-large meeting is set for Oct. 15. [RA]
Look out for Jury Questionnaire — Roughly 59,000 Fairfax County or City of Fairfax residents will receive a jury questionnaire in the mail. This does not mean you are being summoned for jury duty. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
