‘The Game’s Afoot’ Gets Thumbs Up — The Maryland Theatre Guide gave Ken Ludwig’s production by Reston Community Players high praises, noting that the director’s “affection for his subject matter is palpable in this nearly farcical murder mystery.” [Maryland Theatre Guide]
Juice Bar Coming Soon to Junction Square — Vb Juice Bar plans to open up soon in Herndon’s Junction Square neighborhood. The business has been posting frequent updates on Facebook, including a recent video of a store tour. Still, there’s no official word on the opening date. [Vb Juice Bar/Facebook]
Stateside: Senate Moves to Scrap Lee-Jackson Holiday — “The Virginia Senate has advanced legislation to scrap the state’s Lee-Jackson holiday celebrating two Confederate generals. The Democratic-led Senate voted largely along party lines Tuesday to pass legislation that would make Election Day a state holiday instead of Lee-Jackson Day.” [NBC4]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
A small fire broke out at the Signature apartments in Reston Town Center this afternoon.
Local fire and rescue crews put out the fire, which started on a stovetop around 4 p.m. today (Tuesday).
No injuries were reported.
Units on scene of building fire in the 11800 block of Freedom Drive in the Reston area. Small fire on stove top. Fire sprinkler has extinguished the fire. Crews checking for extension. #FCFRD #FairfaxCounty pic.twitter.com/iYj9gZP2hY
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) January 21, 2020
A Loudoun County couple plans to debut a new food truck that offers a selection of Afghan Tex-Mex in Herndon and Reston later this month.
Zainab Shoja and her husband Yousef plan to serve puffy tacos — a concept created in San Antonio — at the Sprint Campus (12525 Sunrise Valley Drive) on Jan. 27 and at Century Link (2900 Towerview Road) on Jan. 30. The food truck, called “Zainy’s Flyin’ Grill” will be on-site from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Inspired by their Afghan heritage, Shoja says the food truck will also serve “kabobco” — a cross between a taco and kabob roll — bowls — and quesadillas. Meat options include chicken kabob, steak kabob, and gyro.
The food truck, which is registered to run in Loudoun and Fairfax counties, will first debut in Lansdowne at the Camden Apartments from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday (Jan. 25).
Shoja says she hopes the business adds a unique product to the local food scene.
“We grew up eating kabobs. We both love Mexican food,” Shoja said. “We wanted to stand out.”
Customers can track the food truck’s schedule online.
Photo via Zainab Shoja
The Herndon Town Council will consider increasing fees for indoor tennis programs and cremation at Chestnut Grove Cemetery later this year.
The council will consider a motion to increase fees for cremation at the park cremation garden and ground areas due to an increase in demand for cremation sites.
“While the site fees for the park area were reduced in 2017 due to underperformance, that adjustment achieved the desired result and salves have increased,” wrote Cindy Roeder, the town’s Director of Parks & Recreation. “It is now appropriate to make a modest upward adjustment to those rates to continue to maintain sufficient balance between costs, desirability, and long-term upkeep of the cemetery itself.”
If approved, fees would increase from $2,195 to $2,700 on July 1. The proposed fee schedule is available online.
The council will also consider a $2 increase for all hourly fees for residents and non-residents.
In a memo to the council, Roeder wrote that the increase would help the department “continue to offset all operating and personnel costs.” Fee increases for tennis programs are expected to go into effect in September.
The council meet’s tonight (Tuesday) at 7 p.m. in the Herndon Council Chambers building.
Image via Google Maps
LA Fitness plans to open in Herndon by late February, according to a company representative.
The gym, which has more than 700 across the country and Canada, originally expected to open by Feb. 1 in the Herndon Centre. But the opening date was delayed due hiccups in the permitting process.
Equipment — which is expected to arrive in early February — will require one week for set-up, the representative said.
The business expects to open between Feb. 15 and 26. Pre-sale rates are expected to end on Feb. 1.
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
Early Reston Resident, Lawyer Dies — Calvin Larson, a lawyer who practiced bankruptcy law in Fairfax County, died last month. He was a civic activist and one of the early residents of the new town of Reston. Larson — who delivered copies of The Washington Post early in the morning until he was 85 — was also a founder of the Reston Community Association and the Reston Music Center. [The Washington Post]
Reston Community Players Receive Honors — The group was nominated for the 20th annual Washington Area Theatre Community Honors for several productions, including “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” and “Time Stands Still.” [Maryland Theatre Guide]
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
The second snow 2020 may be on its way this weekend. A winter weather advisory is in effect for the area tomorrow (Saturday) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The National Weather Service says that snow, sleet, and freezing rain is possible.
Here’s more from the alert:
* WHAT…Snow, sleet and freezing rain expected. Total snow and sleet accumulations of up to one inch and ice accumulations of up to one tenth of an inch.
* WHERE…Portions of central Maryland, northern and northwest Virginia and eastern West Virginia.
* WHEN…From 7 AM to 7 PM EST Saturday. Precipitation will begin as snow before transitioning to sleet and freezing rain. Precipitation will change to rain late in the day.
* IMPACTS…Plan on slippery road conditions.
Residents should slow down and exercise caution while traveling.
Photo via NWS
The latest tenant to open near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station is celebrating its opening at an event next week.
M&T Bank, which is located at 1886 Metro Center Drive, plans to hold a grand opening on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
The company says the new location will “include more business bankers to meet the needs of local small-business customers and feature a new design intended to improve the customer experience by removing barriers between customers and bank employees.”
Customers of the M&T’s former branch at Wiehle Avenue are encouraged to visit the larger branch at Reston Station, the company says.
Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce President Charles Kapur will attend to share a few remarks.
Image via Google Maps
Dominion Energy plans to roll out eight new electric school buses in Fairfax County Public Schools by the end of the year.
FCPS is one of 16 districts chosen by the company, which will cover the difference between the cost of diesel-fueled and electric buses. Dominion Energy’s vendor, Thomas Built Buses, will provide 50 buses for the first phase of the project.
“This is an innovative, sustainable solution that will help the environment, protect children’s health, make the electric grid stronger, and free up money for our schools,” Dominion Energy Chairman, President and CEO Thomas Farrell, II, said in the press release.
Here’s more from Dominion Energy:
The buses also provide environmental and health benefits through reduced emissions and reduce operation and maintenance costs for schools by up to 60 percent.
Phase two of the project, with state approval, would expand the program to bring at least 1,000 additional electric school buses online by 2025. Once phase two is fully implemented, the buses’ batteries could provide enough energy to power more than 10,000 homes.
Phase three would set the goal to have 50 percent of all diesel bus replacements in Dominion Energy’s footprint be electric by 2025 and 100 percent by 2030.
“Adding electric school buses in our fleet is consistent with the environmental focus of Fairfax County and the school division,” FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand said in the FCPS press release.
Photo via Unplash
Editor’s note: A press release from the company previously misstated a location was planned at Reston Station.
Australian fitness company F45 Training will open a location in Reston Town Center, according to a company news release.
F45 Training plans to open at 11840 Freedom Drive in Reston Town Center by May this year.
Here’s more from the company about the expansion in Reston:
The rapid growth of F45 Training indicates that F45 is filling the gap left in the fitness industry by traditional gyms, where members commit to a cheap membership fee to work out individually, but pay for high-cost personal training sessions.
“We are very excited to have F45 Training as a part of Reston,” says Tariq Mojadidi, Studio Manager of F45 Reston Town Center and F45 Reston Station. “What we will bring to the Reston community is very unique and unlike anything else that is offered in terms of boutique fitness. F45 offers a unique concept, where personal training is offered in a group team environment, and trainers will work with you to correct your form, prevent injuries and offer nutritional support. The concept is a perfect fit for the Reston community.”
F45 Training combines elements of three separate cutting-edge fitness training styles: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Circuit Training, and Functional Training. The blend of these three training concepts offers a variety of different 45 minute workout experiences, keeping F45 members challenged, eager to grow and set to have fun. This combination of cardiovascular, strength and resistance training has been proven to be most effective in burning fat and building lean muscle.
The business will begin offering limited memberships on March 1. Membership reservations — which include discounted month-to-month rates — are available online.
F45 also plans to open a location in South Riding in April.
Photo courtesy F45/Facebook
Fairfax County Park Authority Seeks Comment on Fee Increases — “The Fairfax County Park Authority will hold its annual public comment meeting on the agency’s proposed fee adjustments. The public is invited to share their perspectives on the proposals with the Park Authority Board either at the meeting, via correspondence or by email.” [Fairfax County Government]
New Trail Cycling Teen Ride Kicks Off with Free Class — “New Trail Cycling Studio, located at Lake Anne in Reston, is launching its teen program on January 22. Classes will be offered every Wednesday at 4pm for teens ages 12-17. ” [Patch]
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
County officials estimated that the demolition, which would make way for a new and larger fire station, would begin in early December. Due to construction delays, it is likely the project will not begin until at least February.
Until then, a spokesperson for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department said that firefighters will not move into the temporary station until late January.
The $13 million project calls for replacing Reston Fire and Rescue Station 25, which was built in 1972 and last upgraded in 1986, with a two-story station more than double the size of the current site.
The new 17,150-square-foot station will include four bays and is designed to have a more contemporary look.
Local police deemed that a “possible threat” directed at Herndon High School earlier this week was not credible, according to school officials.
In an email to parents, Herndon HS Principal Liz Noto stated that police discovered the possible threat on social media.
Police interviewed the student who posted the message and determined there was no risk to the school or students.
The administration did not release any other details about the incident due to piracy restrictions.
For precautionary purposes, the school had extra security present on Wednesday (Jan. 15).
Photo via Fairfax County Public Schools
A local eighth-grade student earned the highest possible ACT composite score.
Anika Gulati, a student at Rachel Carson Middle School (13618 McLearen Road), is one of less than 0.5 percent of students to earn a top score. In last year’s high school graduating class in the United States, only 4,879 of the 1.8 million students who take the test earn the top score.
Aparajita De, Gulati’s mother, said her 13-year-old daughter took the test “out of curiosity.”
” She wanted to see how the test is and how she fares in each of the different sections of the test,” De said.
Composite scores are derived from the average of test scores in English, math, reading and science.
Photo courtesy Aparajita De
This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
Virginia’s government has been termed representative since its start-up in the church in Jamestown in 1619. It took 400 years to achieve true representation as it has this year–more persons of color than ever before, a multi-fold increase in women to 41 of 140, and more ethnic diversity than ever before. While the flip from red to blue partisan control is often mentioned, the more dramatic change is the shift from male to female dominance in leadership. Making up the leadership is the first woman Speaker of the House who happens to also be the first Jewish speaker, the first woman floor leader of either party who happens also to be a woman of color, the first woman clerk of the House of Delegates, the first woman President of the Senate who happens also to be a woman of color, and the first woman chair of the Senate Finance Committee who happens to be my good friend Senator Janet Howell. What a way to start a new session and a new era! We are making herstory!
My committee assignments have changed reflecting the fact that I am once again after two decades serving in the majority party. I will continue to serve on the Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee as I have for 38 years except that now I will be chairing the committee. I expect significant environmental protection legislation will be forthcoming this year. I am returning to the budget-writing Appropriations Committee on which I served for many years before being removed when partisan control of the House changed. I will continue to serve on the renamed Communications, Technology and Innovation Committee of which I was co-chair when it was first organized as the Science and Technology Committee a couple of decades ago. I will also be serving on the newly designated Public Safety Committee taking over the jurisdiction of the former Militia, Police, and Public Safety Committee. I am on the Gun Safety subcommittee that I know will be passing meaningful gun safety laws including my universal background checks bill.
Social media posts indicate that there will be more people coming to Capitol grounds this year especially on January 20 to protest the bills that have been introduced to end gun violence. Under rules adopted by the new majority, guns will not be allowed in the Capitol or the Pocahontas Building where legislative offices are. More security measures have been put into place than ever before. Be aware that your visit to the Capitol may take more time with the additional security precautions that are being taken.
There are multiple ways to keep up with what is happening during the session. Daily meetings of the full legislative sessions are live-streamed at House Chamber Stream and Senate Stream. Progress of legislation can be tracked at http://lis.virginia.gov/. Clips of newspaper articles from news sources around the state can be found by signing up at the Virginia Public Access Project website, https://www.vpap.org/about-us/ subscribe/. Communicate with me at [email protected] or 804.698.1036.
