It’s summer’s last stand this weekend. If you are sticking around, there are a couple of big events to put on your calendar.

The Lake Anne Jazz and Blues Festival takes place Saturday from 1 to 9:30 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza. See this previous Reston Now story for the full lineup of performers at the free event.

Virginia-based pianist, composer and singer Adrian Duke is the festival headliner. His set begins at 7 p.m.

On Monday, the Herndon Labor Day Festival is happening on the Herndon Town Green (777 Lynn Street) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The festival will include Virginia wine tastings, craft beers, live music, a craft show, sponsor gallery, and delicious food vendors.

The festival features Dancing Dream, an ABBA tribute band, on the green at 3:30 p.m.

Admission

Wine, Craft Brew Tastings and Entertainment – $20
(ID required to purchase tastings)
Concert only or designated driver – $5
Extra beer tastings – $2 per ticket

• Cash only at gate; Children 12 and under free
• Sorry, no pets allowed
• Wine and craft beer tasting and selling of open containers  ends at 4 p.m.

2015 Participating Virginia Wineries

• Cardamon Family Vineyards
• Chateau O’Brien
• Desert Rose Ranch and Winery
• Horton Vineyards
• Mattaponi Winery
• Mountain Cove Vineyards
• Rebec Vineyards
• Rogers Ford Farm Winery
• Thistle Gate Vineyard
• Two Twisted Posts Winery

Featured Craft Beers

• Forge Brew Works, Belgian Blonde
• Mad Fox Brewery, Kӧlsch
• South Street Brewery, Satan’s Pony – Amber Ale
• O’Conner Brewing Co., El Guapo – IPA
• Brothers Craft Brewing, Great Outdoors- Pale Ale
• Devils Backbone Brewing Co., Vienna Lager

Food Vendors

• International Grill
• Island Smoothies and Coffee
• JR’s Italian Ice
• Rito Loco
• Sherri’s Crab Cakes
• Tender Rib

Photo: Adrian Duke at previous Lake Anne Jazz and Blues Festival/file photo

Monday, Sept. 7 is Labor Day. Here is a look at some of the area closings for the holiday:

Most Fairfax County Parks are open. Frying Pan Park is open but the visitors center is closed.

Reston Community Centers at Hunters Woods and Lake Anne are closed.

Fairfax County Public Libraries are closed Sunday and Monday

Fairfax County courts are closed.

To see more county services, visit Fairfax County’s holiday schedule page.

Banks and the U.S. Post Office are closed.

Reston Association offices are closed.

Reston Association pools are on a holiday schedule (and it is the last day for all but Ridge Heights and North Shore Pools. See pool hours on RA’s website.

A Las Vegas jury convicted a former firefighter Thursday in the planning of the murder of his wife, 1984 South Lakes High School graduate Shauna Castleton Tiaffay.

Shauna Tiaffay was found bludgeoned to death in her Las Vegas-area home in 2012. Prosecutors said her estranged husband, George Tiaffay, paid a drifter $600 to kill her.

“Shauna was brutally murdered,” Shauna Tiaffay’s sister, Paula Stokes-Richards told reporters. “So many people loved Shauna. We’re just happy and satisfied the jury saw the truth.”

After a week-long trial, the jury found George Tiaffay guilty on seven counts: Murder with Use of a Deadly Weapon; Conspiracy to Commit Murder; Robbery with a Deadly Weapon; Burglary while in Possession of a Deadly Weapon; Conspiracy to Commit Robbery; Conspiracy to Commit Burglary; and Possession of Burglary Tools.

The sentencing phase will begin Friday. George Tiaffay, 43, could face anywhere from 20 years to life without the possibility of parole, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported.

Friends and family of Shauna Tiaffay had packed the courtroom all week, many wearing pink in support and unity of Shauna. They cried and hugged when the verdict was read, the Review-Journal reported.

George Tiaffay was a 1994 West Point graduate who was arrested within weeks of his wife’s death. In the meantime, he had driven his truck into a wall in a suicide attempt when it was clear he was becoming the prime suspect, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Also arrested on murder charges at that time was Noel “Greyhound” Stevens. Police said Stevens, who lived in a tent in the mountains near Las Vegas, was the hitman Tiaffay hired.

Stevens at first denied any involvement in Shauna Tiaffay’s death. But Shauna Tiaffay’s clothes were found in one of Stevens’ tents, and Stevens attempted to pawn on of her rings, police said.

George Tiaffay and Stevens were linked to the crime using cellphone records that indicated the men met a few hours after the killing, police said. They were also seen on a store surveillance camera together buying a hammer, knife and gloves.

Stevens later pled guilty to six charges, including first-degree murder. He testified to a grand jury that he hit Shauna, a cocktail waitress at The Palms in Las Vegas, in the head 17 times with a hammer. He testified for the prosecution at the trial and will be sentenced soon.

Looking for a new home? Even though it’s a holiday weekend, there area still plenty of Reston open houses this weekend.

1575 Inlet Court
5 BR, 3.5 BA TH
$615,000
Open Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.

2308 Saint Bedes Court
4 BR, 2.5 BA SFH
$499,000
Open Sunday 2 to 4 p.m.

12207 Hounds Lane
5 BR, 3.5 BA SFH
$775,000
Open Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.

1460 Park Garden Lane
3 BR, 3.5 BA TH
$545,000
Open Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.

12083 Kinsley Place
3 BR, 3.5 BA TH
$912,500
Open Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.

11559 Links Drive
4 BR, 2.5 BA TH
$537,000
Open Saturday 1 to 3 p.m.

11602 Windbluff Court
3 BR, 2.5 BA TH
$299,999
Open Saturday 2 to 4 p.m.

South Lakes High School will be the site of the first of two countywide community meetings on Fairfax County Public School’s cost-savings options for the 2016-17 fiscal year.

The meeting is Wednesday, Sept. 9, 7 to 9 p.m. The other meeting is Sept. 12 at Mount Vernon High School. Register to attend on the FCPS website.

FCPS Superintendent Karen Garza says that the school system — which serves more than 180,000 students — may face a $100 million deficit if drastic action is not taken.

The school system often faces a deficit — this year’s was $7 million — and usually meets its budget without making major cuts and by compromising with the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on funding for the schools.

However, Garza said the upcoming fiscal year is different — with cost drivers that are out of FCPS’ control. Among them: a growing student population with diverse needs;  increased state-required retirement contributions rates; increased health insurance costs; and increased compensation for teachers.

“We have an enormous challenge facing us as a school system,” Garza said in an FCPS interview.

A task force of community stakeholders — including school board members, citizen representatives, employee organizations, and FCPS employees, among others, has been meeting this summer to identify potential savings.

The Task Force will be asked to prioritize items for reduction in scenarios of a $50 million deficit, a $75 million deficit, and a $100 million deficit. Garza says she expects to get the task force’s report in October, and a preliminary budget should be formulated by December.

FCPS has also been asking for online suggestions from citizens on its “What Are Your Ideas” page. Particular hot topics are eliminating some sports and arts activities; cutting down on late buses and transportation to Advanced Academic Programs; and forgoing the recent raise (to $20,000 annually) for school board members.

“The school board recently voted to give itself an 85 percent salary raise in the midst of a major budget crisis,” wrote one commenter. “This is a terrible idea and only makes the problem worse, and makes the school board look out of touch with the needs of the community.”

Said another: “Please continue arts and music programs. While this seems like an easy cut, these programs stimulate the mind and help the students learn important skills such as good listening, patience, focus and diligence.”

Starting Sept. 9, community members will be able to submit specific proposals for how to balance the budget using a “Budget Proposal Tool” available at www.fcps.edu/SaveFCPS.

The proposals submitted via the Budget Proposal Tool will be shared with the Budget Task Force for their review prior to making a recommendation to the Superintendent in October. The information will also be shared with the Superintendent and School Board.

The task force has outlined potential cost savings for consideration. Among them:

• Raising class sizes by one student for K-12 ($26.2 million)
• Reducing late buses by one day per week ($1.3 million)
• Eliminating some sports (freshman, junior varsity and varsity sports) and cutting high school athletic trainers ($10.9 million).
• Eliminating school extracurriculars such as yearbook, It’s Academic, newspaper, debate and student council, as well as cutting supplemental funding for music and drama programs ($12.3 million).
• Reducing number of high school assistant principals ($1.2 million).
• Reducing number of custodian positions ($2.4 million),
• Reducing Central Support positions (ie, Human Resources, Instructional Services, IT) ($1.7 million to $8.4 million).

Learn more about the 2017-budget on FCPS’ website. See the task force’s 12-page menu of budget-cutting ideas in the document below.

Cost-Savings Ideas from FCPS Task Force by Karen Goldberg Goff

Summer Wrapup — Sad to see summer go? Modern Reston has some highlights in pictures. [Modern Reston]

Grant Hill Rocking A Reston Shirt — Check out Reston native Grant Hill in a “Straight Outta Reston” T-shirt. A friend sent it to the  former Duke and NBA player, who graduated from South Lakes High School in 1990. [Facebook]

Storytelling For A Cause — Join storytelling troupe Better Said Than Done on Sept. 19 at Nature House for a night of true, personal stories about things that burn, simmer and make us suspicious. The show, geared toward adults, is a fundraiser for Friends of Reston, which supports community projects. Tickets are $15. [EventBrite]

Y Closed Until Monday — The Fairfax County YMCA Reston will be closed Sept. 4 and 7 for maintenance.

Aslin Beer Company plans to open its doors Sept. 19, co-owner Andrew Kelley said.

The nanobrewery, just over the Reston line at 257 Sunset Park Drive, will be Herndon’s first small-batch brewery.

Kelley, a 27-year-old management consultant who lives in Clarendon, is partnering with his brother-in-law Kai  Leszkowicz, a 29-year-old Fairfax County employee who lives in Herndon, on the project. The third business partner is Richard Thompson, who will run the day-to-day operation.

Kelley and Leszkowicz have been home brewing for several years. Read more in this previous Reston Now story.

Aslin will start out serving six beers on tap, said Kelley: an IPA, Double IPA, Imperial Stout, Lime Kolsch, Rye Ale, Saison, Black IPA.

The brew house, which will have 28 seats, opens at 11 a.m. on Sept. 19. Here are the usual hours: 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 3 to 10 p.m. Fridays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays; noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Fairfax County Police are investigating the robbery of a pedestrian walking on Soapstone Drive on Monday night.

The victim told police he was walking in the 2300 block of Soapstone, near the Soapstone Convenience Center, about 10:50 p.m. The victim told police the suspect took property by force and fled. The suspect was not armed.

The victim did not require medical attention, police said.

The suspect was described as a white male, in his 20s, dreadlocks and wearing dark clothes.

In other recent crime news from FCPD’s Reston District  Station:

UNLAWFUL ENTRY/DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY, 9200 block of Georgetown Pike, Aug. 29. A resident reported someone entered the church and damaged property.

BURGLARY, 12000 block of Sugarland Valley Drive, Sept. 1m 1:51 p.m. A resident reported that someone removed the garage door opener from an unlocked car in the driveway and used it to enter the garage. Nothing was taken from the garage.

LARCENIES

13000 block of Parcher Avenue, beverage from business

12000 block of Greywing Square, cash from residence.

La Brea Bakery, a well-known California artisan bread company, is taking it baguettes on the road for an east coast visit.

La Brea’s Breaking Bread Tour will be in Reston today, making two stops:

• Food Truck Thursday at Reston Town Square Park at Reston Town Center, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Harris Teeter, 11806 Spectrum Drive, 3 to 4 p.m.

La Brea reps say the truck will have a variety of options available, such as Seedless Raspberry Jam and Almond Butter on a French Baguette;  Salami and Sharp Cheddar Cheese on Rosemary Olive Oil bread; Sriracha Aioli and Pepper Jack Cheese on Rosemary Olive Oil bread; and Tomato Herb Bruschetta atop a Tuscan Loaf.

La Brea has been baking in Los Angeles since 1989. The Breaking Bread tour will continue with more stops n the D.C. area, as well as New York, Philadelphia and Boston.

Photo: Matthew Petit/Feature Photo Service

Fairfax County Police have identified the man killed after he was struck by an SUV while riding a bicycle on Monday as Andrew Greff Gooden, 38, of St. James, Jamaica.

Gooden was a father of two with a new baby on the way, according to a Go Fund Me page set up for his wife, children and funeral expenses.

Gooden moved to the area in 2014 and was employed a lifeguard and pool manager by Community Pool Services of Maryland, which provides lifeguards to local apartment and neighborhood pools.

Police said Gooden was riding with another cyclist on Sunrise Valley Drive near Coppermine Road in unincorporated Herndon about 8 p.m. on Aug. 31.  The cyclists were riding in the northbound right-hand lane.

A 2014 Chevrolet Suburban SUV, driven by a 29-year-old Fairfax man, also traveling north on Sunrise Valley Drive, approached the bicycles from behind and struck Gooden, police said.

Gooden was taken to Reston Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead later on Monday.

The driver of the SUV remained on the scene. Speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors in this crash, police said.

Police are still investigating the crash. Anyone with information regarding this crash is asked to contact Crime Solvers electronically by visiting www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text-a-tip by texting “TIP187″ plus your message to CRIMES(274637)** or by calling 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or call Fairfax County Police at703-691-2131 .

Photo: Andrew Gooden/Credit: Go Fund Me

A new interactive public art display was put in place on the plaza at Reston Station on Tuesday.

The Courage Wall has gone up on the construction fencing near the BLVD Apartments on the plaza to capture thoughts of Metro passengers as they head to the Wiehle-Reston East station. It urges people to chalk-in the ending to the sentence “I wish I had the courage to….”

The piece, sponsored in Reston by Comstock Partners, is similar to the “Before I Die” project, which had a brief stay at Lake Anne Plaza last year.

“Reston Station is delighted to host the Courage Wall,” said Comstock spokeswoman Maggie Parker. “This is the start of the community conversation about who we are and what makes us tick.”

Parker said the wall will remain up until Sept. 26, when it will be replaced with the Reston Station portion of the “We Make Reston” photo project.

The Courage Wall is 80 feet long and features seven languages, including English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese, Arabic and Hindi.

The Courage Wall project started in May in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria. People of all ages participate in the wall to share their thoughts such as  “Forgive my mother…Start a coffee shop…Run for office…Skydive…Be the man she thinks I am…Love my body…Adopt a child…”

In July,  the Courage Wall moved to Ballston, where it stayed for two months.

Alexandria’s Nancy Belmont, owner of the branding agency, Belmont, Inc., started the wall in order to spark a conversation on courage. She says it is her hope is that the Courage Wall helps people make declarations that will lead to live bigger, bolder, more authentic lives.

There will be a special event at Reston Station hosted by Belmont on Thursday, Sept. 24. at 7 p.m. Belmont will interview three people who displayed courage to make changes in their lives as part of a “Conversations in Courage” discussion.

Photo: Courage Wall/Credit: Nancy Belmont

Kudos, in Latin — Eight Herndon High Latin students traveled to the National Junior Classical League Convention in San Antonio and came away with the school’s first National Certamen Title in five years. Junior Kyle Nielsen placed first in novice Certamen, and was a top-10 finisher in the Roman history test and the Latin derivatives test.

Back to School Nights — Wondering when your schools’ are holding info nights? Here’s all the Reston/Herndon area events in one list. [FCPS]

Chain In, Chain Out — Restonian finally comes to terms with the loss of the Macaroni Grill. [Restonian]

Silver Line Woes — An alleged bomb threat led to major Silver Line delays on Tuesday. [Washington Post]

Startup Spotlight — A Visit to quirky Reston firm Zoomdata. [DCInno]

AAA Mid-Atlantic says that 850,700 Washington-area residents will head out of town for Labor Day weekend.

Despite low gas prices ($2.69 to $2.73 per gallon in Reston, according to Gas Buddy.com), that’s just a 0.4 percent increase from last year. AAA says 743,200 residents expected to drive to their vacation destinations, 62,500 expected to fly and the rest expected to take trains and other modes of transportation.

AAA says there would have been more people traveling this year, had Labor Day not fallen on Sept. 7, the latest possible day it can occur. Historically, that curtails holiday travel.

“While increasing travel volume is great news for the industry and economy, our survey shows a decidedly ‘un-laboring’ take on the Labor Day holiday,” AAA’s John Townsend II said in a press release.

“Many would rather spend the holiday at cookouts, relaxing or simply at home to avoid heavy holiday traffic congestion or additional spending, especially if they have already taken a vacation this summer.”

Plus, school starts the next day in Fairfax County.

Are you planning on hitting the road one more summer trip? Or are you staying right here and getting ready for fall?

Fairfax County officials said Wiehle Avenue at Reston Avenue “will be completely blocked for at least six hours.”

Officials said a dump truck hooked a power line at the north Reston location shortly after 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

It is not yet known whether the affected power line has caused power outages.

There are two locally owned food businesses coming to Lake Anne Plaza this fall. The Reston Historic Trust is holding a discussion on Thursday, Sept. 17 for residents to come meet the owners, find out what’s in store and why they feel strongly about investing in Reston’s original village center.

The “Locally Owned and Operated” program is at 7 p.m. at the Jo Ann Rose Gallery at Reston Community Center Lake Anne.

Speakers include Melissa and Jason Romano, who will open the Lake Anne Brew House this fall, and Eve and Rick Thompson, who recently purchased the Lake Anne Coffee House.

Earlier this year, the Romanos, who live near Lake Anne, purchased space at 11424 Washington Plaza, which formerly housed Singh Thai restaurant. The Romanos are turning a homebrewing passion into a nanobrewery business. They will sell beer made on the premises, as well as simple snacks.

The Lake Anne Brew House space is nearing the end of renovations and installation of brewing tanks and mid-century modern furniture. Expected opening is early October.

Lake Anne Coffee House, meanwhile, will officially change hands next week. It will close for major remodeling until November, said co-owner Eve Thompson, who lives at Lake Anne Plaza.

The patio will be open on Saturday mornings beginning Sept. 12. Patrons can sample blends from Monument Roasters and pastries from Baguette Republic, both of which will be featured when the coffee house is fully open.

Both business owners say owning a small business on the plaza shows they are committed to the “Live-Work-Play” motto of Reston.