Reston Association’s Board of Directors will meet next week to review findings by a brand strategy company hired by the organization.
The board is set to hold a special meeting on findings by The Brand Consultancy, a DC-based brand strategy company selected by RA to conduct a “multi-phase brand positioning and research project” for the association.
The company is expected to provide a final report of its findings and the meeting.
The meeting takes place on Wednesday, Dec. 4 from 7-8:30 p.m. at RA headquarters.
The company organized an online survey to assess members’ opinions of RA and its services over the summer.
County’s New Glass Recycling Program Shatters Expectations — “In just a few months, Fairfax County’s new glass-recycling program is reportedly getting great results. Since the county started its “Purple Can Club” last spring, 2.8 million pounds of glass have been dropped off in special collection bins, one official said.” [WTOP]
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Accepts Toys for Donation — The department is participating in the region-wide toys for tons campaign. Children served by this campaign include toddlers and youth through age 17. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
County Launches Dog Park Study — The Fairfax County Park Authority is conducting a comprehensive study of off-leash dog areas in the county in order to assess current and future needs and opportunities for dog parts throughout the county. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Commuters can expect more changes to service at the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station through the end of the year.
The station, which was closed this week, will be closed on the following weekends:
- Nov. 30 to Dec. 1
- Dec. 7 to Dec. 8
- Dec. 14 to Dec. 15
- Dec. 21 to Dec. 22
- Dec. 28 to Dec. 29
The closers are required to continue Silver Line tie-in work. More information on closures planned through the end of the year is available online.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has officially OK’d the sale of a one-acre parcel of land to Comstock, the developer of Reston Station.
Last week, the board approved the sale of the land for roughly $3 million., in addition to a density transfer of roughly 147,690 square feet to the plaza area near the county-owned Wiehle-Reston Station East garage.
The sale of the land, which is valued at roughly $10.8 million, also includes other conditions.
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins noted that keeping the land has no value for the board. The parcel will be incorporated into Reston Station.
County officials estimate the transfer will bring in additional rental stream from Comstock, which currently pays an annual base rent of $2.9 million. The rent is expected to increase as more phases of the mixed-use development project move forward.
The agreement also includes a requirement to allow campaign and voter registration activities on the plaza.
Photo via handout/Fairfax County Government
The Herndon Police Department has updated its grooming standards to “change with times.”
In a statement on Twitter, Chief Maggie DeBoard said that the police department should evolve with the time.
“What is most important to me as a chief is not whether our officers have facial hair, but how they treat, interact with and serve the community,” DeBoard wrote. “Policing has evolved, and so too should the stereotypical image of our police officers, while still maintaining uniform standards that change with the times.”
Police departments around the country often prescribe grooming standards in an effort to keep officers professional and uniform.
Photo via Herndon Police Department/Twitter
Silver Line Extension May Open in September — “The opening of the Silver Line extension could come as soon as September if all things go according to plan, Metro officials said. But with a sprawling $6 billion project, that’s not always guaranteed. The extension is being completed in two phases. The first was opened in 2014 and added five new stations to the Silver Line: McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill and Wiehle-Reston East.” [WAMU]
Metro Board Delays Naming Rights Bid — The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has withdrawn an item from its board meeting involving potential naming rights for the Innovation Center Metro Station. [Washington Business Journal]
Self-Driving Trucks are in Town — “The vehicle manufacturer Daimler Trucks and the technology firm Torc Robotics are now testing self-driving trucks on U.S. public roads for the first time with Interstate 81 in southwest Virginia as the initial target, CNBC reported in September.” [Fairfax County Times]
Last Day for Thanksgiving Food Drive Locations — Today (Monday) is the last day to drop off donations for the drive, which is organized by the Reston Community Center, the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce and Cornerstones. [Reston Community Center]
Photo by Jay Westcott
Reston Association member assessments will increase by 2.2 percent next year after the organization’s board adopted next year’s budget last night (Thursday).
The board voted to increase the annual assessment fee from $693 to $708 — a major departure from the nearly five percent increase initially proposed in September. The budget includes across-the-board increases in staff compensation and a net increase of five positions, including staff for social media, covenants administration, IT, and business engagement and sales.
Board director Ven Iyer was the only board member to vote against the budget, which he said grants RA’s staff everything on their wishlist and exhibits the board’s failure to exercise due diligence.
Iyer said the board “failed miserably” by making budgetary decisions that will be called into question in the future.
Board director John Mooney pushed back against Iyer’s comments, noting that he and other board members have worked with staff extensively to finalize the budget.
“It is very sad that that amount of work on all our parts is being called into question,” Mooney said.
This year’s budget accounts for expenses like a $418,000 increase in computer support expenses over last, a $77,000 increase in aquatics, and additional expenses for staff training and development, according to RA’s CEO Hank Lynch.
The budget also anticipates more than $200,000 in revenue from communications initiatives, led in part by the new business engagement and sales manager. RA also hopes that enhancing existing activities like pickleball and Lake Anne Plaza will generate $275,000 in non-assessment revenue. The Walker Nature Center is also expected to grow revenue by 25 percent by offering more educational programs.
Photo via YouTube/Reston Association
The Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station will be closed this weekend due to ongoing track work.
Buses will be available to replace trains to and from the Spring Hill Metro Station.
On the rest of the Silver Line, trains will operate on regular weekend intervals between Spring Hill. And Largo Town Center.
More service changes are expected as the work is expected to continue for several weekends, according to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Metro will also continue cable installation work on the Red Line. Single tracking is expected between Friendship Heights and Medical Center stations, with trains running every 16 minutes.
Changes are also expected on the Orange Line. The Blue, Yellow and Green lines will have regular service.
More information on weekend service changes is available online.
Photo by Fairfax Connector
A registered sex offender has been arrested after he walked into Aldrin Elementary School on Thursday.
Police believe Benjamin Garrett, 29, followed someone into the school around 3:55 p.m. that day.
He was confronted by a staff member but remained on the property.
A short while later, police arrested Garrett as he was walking away from the school. He was arrested and charged with entering school property after a violent sex offense conviction.
He is currently being held without bond.
Photo via FCPD
Panera Bread will close its doors in Reston Town Center next month.
A manager at the RTC location told Reston Now that the bakery and cafe, which serves up sandwiches, salads and other items, will close on Dec. 17. It is located at 1825 Discovery Street.
The business plans to reopen in Reston at a later point. The location has not been publicly announced yet.
County permits do not indicate what establishment will take its place.
Photo via Google Maps
Reston Company Raises $11 Million in Funding — Active Navigation, a data privacy and governance software provider, has closed on a $11 million funding round, which was led by venture capital firm Mobeus. [FinSMEs]
Comstock Recognized for Real Estate Transaction Lease — The company was awarded a regional award for securing a real estate transaction lease under 175,000 square feet. [The Commercial Real Estate Development Association]
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
Koko FitClub is gearing up for a new start in Herndon as its new location opens in January next year.
The business closed its location at 2537 John Milton Drive earlier this year. The fitness club will open at 281 Sunset Park Drive, the former spot of Saigon Pho, a Vietnamese restaurant.
A business representative told Reston Now that construction should be completed within the next three weeks.
The “digital gym” offers a three-step Koko Smartraining System, individualized coaching, personalized nutrition, 30-minute strength conditioning and 15-minute HIIT cardio training.
More than 60 locations span 20 states and Canada. The recent closures in Herndon and Reston have left Koko FitClub without any locations in Virginia.
Photo via Google Maps
A woman was arrested for assaulting a restaurant manager and police officers at Willard’s BBQ (11790 Baron Cameron Avenue).
According to the Fairfax County Police Department, Shayla Davis, 38, assaulted the restaurant’s manager when she was asked to pay on Nov. 19. Police said the woman also shoved police officers and attempted to resist arrest by kicking the officers.
Davis was charged with assault on law enforcement, simple assault, and obstruction of justice.
No further information about the incident was released.
File photo
Israel Aerospace Industries — Israel’s largest aerospace and defense company — plans to expand its North American headquarters in Herndon.
The new company will create more than 50 new jobs. State Gov. Ralph Northam made the announcement after a meeting with officials from the company during his international trade and marketing mission to Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
Local leaders said the expansion indicates the area’s value for technology companies.
“Fairfax County has long been a location of choice for major aviation and aerospace companies, and we are delighted to see that important industry cluster expand further with IAI,” said Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA).
FCEDA also has an office in Tel Aviv since 2004 to work with Israeli companies that are considering expanding U.S. operations. More than 30 Israel-based companies have a presence in Fairfax County.
Here’s more from Northam’s office:
Since 1953, IAI has provided advanced technology solutions to government and commercial customers worldwide, including air defense systems, satellites, missiles, weapons systems and munitions, unmanned systems, robotic systems, electronics, and navigation systems. IAI also designs and manufactures business jets and aerostructures, performs overhaul and maintenance on commercial aircraft and converts passenger aircraft to refueling and cargo configurations. IAI employs approximately 15,000 workers, and over 200 through its U.S. subsidiary, IAI North America.
“Virginia continues to build on its legacy of success in the aerospace industry, and IAI’s investment will create high-quality jobs in this 21st-century industry sector,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “Ensuring that our workforce is prepared for the jobs of the future is a top priority, and we are proud of IAI’s success in the Commonwealth and look forward to its growth in Fairfax County.”
“IAI North America is proud to expand our corporate headquarters at a new location in the Dulles Technology Corridor in Fairfax County,” said Swami Iyer, CEO of IAI North America. “The area is the logical choice to establish IAI North America’s new corporate HQ office–Fairfax is at the center of the aerospace and defense market here in the United States, it is close to many of our clients’ head offices, and provides the opportunity for increased coordination and synergy realization for our enterprise growth goals. The positions include the existing staff at IAI North America along with increased manpower in sales and business development areas.”
The new office is located in the Hallmark Building (12899 Park Center Road).
Photo via Google Maps
Reston Association Board to Vote on Budget Today — The organization’s Board of Directors is expected to vote on the 2020-2021 budget at a meeting tonight. A public hearing will precede budget discussions at 6:30 p.m. at RA headquarters (12001 Sunrise Valley Drive). [Reston Association]
Volunteers Meals on Wheel Drivers Needed — The county is looked for drivers along routes in Reston, Herndon, Falls Church and Franconia. [Fairfax County Government]
FallsClay Tennis Courts Now Closed — The courts at Glade and North Hills are now closed for. The season. They are expected to reopen in April next year. [Reston Association]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
