Del. Ken Plum, who represents the 36th district, has introduced a state bill that would institute universal background checks.
His proposal, which was filed on Monday, is part of a push by Democrats — who clinched the majority in the Commonwealth of Virginia for the first time in 26 years — to introduce gun safety bills.
Plum’s measure requires background checks for any firearm transfer and directs the state’s police department to create a process for transferors to obtain background checks from licensed firearms dealers.
Additionally, a transferee that receives a firearm from another person without undergoing a background check will be considered guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. A number of exceptions are outlined in the proposed legislation.
State Sen. Richard Saslaw filed four bills in the Senate to limit handgun purchases by establishing an age requirement for gun use, prohibiting the sale or possession of an assault firearm and enforcing background checks.
Plum’s bill has been prefiled. Referral to a house committee is pending.
File photo
17Fifty — the newest office tower in Reston Town Center is nearing completion. Leidos, the full-building tenant of the 17-story building located at 1750 Presidents Street, is gearing up to move into its new headquarters by March 2020.
A spokesperson for Boston Properties told Reston Now that the top of the building has been topped off and the the work to enclose the building has been completed.
The company is now working to construct the interior space for Leidos, a Reston-based information technology contractor.
The new building has roughly 276,000 square feet. The tower is designed by Shalom Baranes Associates.
County permits for the building’s sprinkler system were recently processed.
Photos by Jay Westcott
Restonians have banded together to launch “Light Up Reston,” a community-wide initiative that aims to encourage residents to support charities and decorate homes for the holidays.
The initiative aims to show residents’ community spirit and raise funds for Public Art Reston, Friends of Reston, and Cornerstones. It draws inspiration from Lake Thoreau Entertainment Associations’ “Festival of Lights,” which raises money for local charities and brings lights to the lake.
This year, residents — some friends and others strangers — decided to spread the initiative throughout the.
“With expanding this effort across Reston, we are hoping to raise holiday spirit as well as awareness of these wonderful Reston based charities by raising $25,000,” said Mary Prochnow, one of the organizers.
So far, $400 has been raised as the initiative kicks off. Last year’s “Festival of Lights” raised more than $8,500 for local charities.
Residents can donate funds to charities by contributing the dollar amount used to put up holiday decorations, the number of homes decorated in your neighborhood, or the number of times residents’ have thought about falling off a ladder while putting up lights.
Melissa Romano, who is also helping organize the initiative, said Restonians involved in lighting up Reston were drawn by their common desire to promote “great events in Reston.”
Photo via Charlotte Geary Photography
Motorcyclist Deaths at Decade High — State officials are reminding motorcyclists to wear their helmets. This year, seven motorcyclist deaths occurred in cases where the rider was not wearing a helmet. [Virginia of Department Motor Vehicles]
Herndon-based Company Secures $50 Million Loan — BlackSky, a satellite imaging company, has secured a loan from Tysons-based firm Intelsat. The two companies are also establishing a commercial partnership to develop data and imagery products. [Space News]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
In the third quarter of this year, more than a dozen companies in the county brought more than 450 jobs to the county.
Two Information Technology companies based in Herndon added roughly 35 jobs. Learning Tree International, which provides IT training, certification and management courses, is adding 25 jobs. BITS, an IT company that is classified as an Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business, brought 10 jobs to the area.
Ranstand Technologies, which is based in Tysons, topped this list by adding 300 IT jobs in fiscal year 2020.
Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, said most of the companies were highly focused on technology.
“Technology is the backbone of the Fairfax County economy, and we are proud to have companies growing in a wide variety of tech sectors – and throughout many areas of the county too,” Hoskins wrote in a statement. “The diversity of these companies also is keeping Northern Virginia globally competitive.”
Tysons-based companies dominated the list of 14 companies.
Photo via Unsplash
The Lake Anne Merchant Professionals Association will once again host Jingle on the lake on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Attendees can enjoy holiday music, take part in cookie decorating and participate in other activities around the plaza. Santa Clause is expected to arrive by boat at noon and he’ll stay at the Reston Used Books Store to hear the wishes of tiny tots and take photos.
All day long, stores at the plaza will offer materials to write a letter to Santa, which can be mailed of the “North Pole Mail Service” inside Chesapeake Chocolates. The store will also offer free wine tasting and hot chocolate from noon to 3 p.m.
The Reston Farmer’s Market and Reston Craft Market will take place from 8 a.m. to noon. Cookie decorating starts at 10 a.m. at Teapot and Cake. An adult choir performance is planned from 10:30-11 a.m.
More information about the event is available online.
Photo courtesy via Jingle on Lake Anne
The Hunter Mill District’s Winter Coat Closet is open for another season through Jan. 16.
The closet, which is a partnership between the Hunter Mill District Supervisors Office and Cornerstones, offers winter coats for those in need since the program started in 2001.
Donations of new or gently-used winter coats, as well as hats, gloves, mittens and scarves are accepted. Items are needed for all ages.
The closet accepts donations at the Coat Closet, which is located at 1801 Cameron Glen Drive on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Individuals in need can get a coat from the closet at the North County Governmental Center through March 14.
For questions, email Cornerstones at [email protected] or call 571-323-1410.
Photo via Unsplash
Metro plans to sell naming rights for the Innovation Center Metro Station in Herndon, which is part of the extension to the Silver Line into Loudoun County.
The organization’s board will vote on Thursday to allow a Fortune Global 500 Company to sponsor and rename the Innovation Center Metro Station, according to meeting materials.
“A unique and time-sensitive opportunity has arisen where a Fortune Global 500 Company, currently in negotiations to lease headquarters adjacent to the new Innovation Center Metro station has expressed interest in being the corporate sponsor for this new station,” the Metro documents said.
Innovation Center is east of Virginia Route 28 near Sunrise Valley Drive and Innovation Avenue.
The move is part of the organization’s attempt to offset revenue lost from ridership declines.
Selling naming rights would be part of a one-time deal. WTOP’s Max Smith reports that a change to explicitly allow other deals is likely in the next few months.
File photo
Cops May Have Been Exposed to Data Breach — “Officials say a possible data breach may have compromised the personal information of more than 500 employees of a Virginia police department. Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin Roessler Jr. told the Washington Post that he doesn’t have any reports that officers’ personal information has been exploited.” [FOX 5]
Home Burglary Reported on Vernon Drive — Police are investigating a burglary at a home on the 9400 block of Vernon Drive on Nov. 15 and stole personal property. [Fairfax County Police Department]
FCPS Wins First Place in Virginia Energy Efficiency Competition — “Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has been awarded first place in the academic category of the 2019 Virginia Energy Efficiency Leadership Awards, sponsored by the Virginia Energy Efficiency Council. The awards showcase how organizations across Virginia save money on energy bills while reducing energy consumption and stimulating job growth and the economy.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Patrons of Lake Anne Plaza can enjoy a “Small Crawl” on Saturday, Nov. 30.
During the event, participants can join a group crawl — or walk — around the plaza to enjoy samples from several businesses.
The walk begins at the bronze sculpture of Reston’s founder Bob Simon and takes participants to the following businesses, which will offer special selections from the products they offer:
- Teapot & Cake – Snowflake cupcake $1
- Reston Historic Trust & Museum – Reston Sticker – FREE!
- Chesapeake Chocolates – Free wine tasting and Virginia treats 12 – 3pm and $1 Chocolate all day long. Write a letter to Santa at the North Pole Mailing station
- Reston Used Books Store– 50 perfect short stories
- Lake Anne Brew House – 1/2 price off of your first “Small Pour” (5oz size taster)
- Lake Anne Coffee House & Wine Bar – Small cookie for sale
The event takes place all day on Saturday in honor of Small Business Saturday.
File photo
A strike against the contractor of Metrobus could affect service by the Fairfax Connector.
The union that represents Fairfax Connector drivers indicated that a strike is possible amid an ongoing labor dispute with Transdev, the operations contractor of the Fairfax Connector service.
In a release the county warned that ongoing negotiations for a new labor agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1764 could result in service delays. Currently, no impact to service is anticipated.
Here’s more from the county:
The Fairfax Connector operations contractor, Transdev, is currently negotiating a new labor agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1764, which represents Fairfax Connector drivers and mechanics.Even though Fairfax County is not a party to any labor negotiations between Transdev and labor unions, Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) has encouraged negotiations in good faith with the goal of completing a new contract prior to the expiration of the current one on November 30, 2019.
FCDOT strives to provide effective communications and excellent customer service to our customers. We understand that you depend on us to take you where you need to go with reliable service. If the current negotiations are not successful and labor action occurs, FCDOT will communicate with passengers about service impacts and travel alternatives.
The county offers updates about Fairfax Connector service online. Residents can also sign up for email service alerts through the county’s BusTracker.
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
The county is planning to sell a roughly one-acre parcel of land north of Reston Station Boulevard.
Under the proposal, which will be considered by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors tomorrow (Tuesday) will consider selling off the land so it can be integrated in the rezoning of Reston Station Promenade, a mixed-use project by Comstock that was approved in April last year.
The sale of the land would “enable a more efficient redevelopment” of that project, according to the county.
If approved, the developer would pay roughly $3 million for the parcel and offer a density transfer of roughly 147,690 square feet to the plaza area near the county-owned Wiehle-Reston East garage.
County officials estimate that transfer would bring in a rental stream of roughly $8.6 million from Comstock, which currently pays an annual base rent of $2.9 million for its leases with the board at Reston Station.
Rents will increase as Comstock builds more pieces of its mixed-use project under a 99-year lease between the developer and the county.
An appraisal states the sale area has a value of roughly $10.8 million.
County staff recommend approval the sale, which would result in more density near the Metro Station, simplify the ownership structure of Reston Station Promenade.
Approval of the sale will require amending the lease with Comstock.
One major change in the lease includes a requirement for Comstock to permit electoral campaign and voter registration activities on the plaza near the entry to the north entrance of the Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail Station.
Earlier this year, free speech advocates and candidates seeking office raised concerns about Comstock’s restrictions on campaigning and electioneering at the plaza, which is considered a public space. County Concerned about civil rights violations, Board Chairwoman Sharon Bulova threatened legal action if Comstock did not take steps to allow campaign activities on the plaza.
The board is expected to make a decision on the sale tomorrow. More information about the proposal is available online.
Photo via handout/Fairfax County Government
Traffic Changes on Dulles Toll Road and Sunset Hill Road This Week — Lane closures are scheduled beginning today (Monday) through Friday, Nov. 22, along the eastbound and northbound Dulles Toll Road and eastbound Sunset Hills Road near the future Reston Town Center Metro Station. [Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project]
Owner of Public Interest Registry to Sell Organization — The owner of Reston-based Public Internet Registry, which oversees customers in the .org domain, is set to sell the organization to a private equity company. [Washington Business Journal]
Free Locking Devices Available for Medications, Firearms — The county is offering free cable and trigger locks ad locking medication boxes. Individuals interested in the items can email [email protected] for more information. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Great Falls Library has reopened after a one-day closure yesterday (Thursday).
According to Fairfax County’s website, the library was closed due to lack of heat. Normal operations have now resumed.
The library is open today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is located at 9830 Georgetown Pike in Great Falls.
Photo via Fairfax County Government
The NOVA Relief Center is hosting a blanket and coat drive for Syrian refugees. The Hunter Mill District Office is once again collecting blankets and coats for the drive beginning Nov. 23 through Dec. 9.
All items will be shipped free of charge to three refugee camps in Jordan this winter.
Locally, donations can be dropped off at the Hunter Mill District Office (1801 Cameron Glen Drive), as well as at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints(1515 Poplar Grove Drive in Reston and 2727 Centreville Road in Herndon).
Other drop-off locations are also available online.
The center accepted clean items that are new or in gently-used condition. Sweaters and sweatshirts are also welcome. Gloves, hats and scarves must be in new condition only.
More information about the drive is available online.
Photo via NOVA Relief Center
