Kids Museum — The long-awaited Children’s Science Center will open this month at Fair Oaks Mall. [Family Fun Blog]
Record For SLHS — The South Lakes High School girls 4×400 meter relay team eclipsed a 28-year-old meet record at the Region 6A North Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday. Seniors Jordan Lozama (58.1), Claire Nieusma (57.7), junior Golden Kumi-Darfour (56.5) and sophomore Devyn Jones (59.7) ran a 3:52.50 in winning the event and setting the record. The previous mark of 3:54.01 was set by Hayfield Secondary School in 1987.
Inside FCPD — The Fairfax County Police Department’s 2014 Annual Report is now online and ready to view. [FCPD]
Herndon High School was hit with several incidents of graffiti, school officials and students discovered on Monday.
The school’s football field and nearby outdoor areas were defaced, including using anti-semitic and racial slurs and offensive sexual images.
Fairfax County Police said a morning incident in which the police helicopter was nearby the school on Bennett Street was unrelated to the graffiti incident. In the helicopter search, police were looking for a man who was involved in illegal activity, possibly drug-related, at Dranesville Road and Route 7.
Police did not catch the suspect, Officer Don Gotthardt said.
Herndon Principal William Bates says the school is working with police to catch the vandals.
“We have taken steps to begin the process to clean the surfaces that were vandalized,” he said. “This is a criminal act and we will be working closely with law enforcement to hold the perpetrator(s) accountable. “
Anyone with information is asked to contact Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will discuss and most likely decide on Tuesday whether the proposed changes to the Reston Master Plan will be the blueprint for Reston’s future.
Planning staff has been working on the Reston Master Plan Phase 2 since June 2014. Phase 2 changes deal with development in and near Reston’s village centers, as well as in neighborhoods, should they be redeveloped.
This is the final step before changes would go into effect. There will be a public hearing at Tuesday’s meeting beginning at 4 p.m. You can register in advance if you wish to speak.
Phase 1, approved by the ssupervisors in early 2014, guides development in the areas close to Reston’s transit centers.
Fairfax County’s Planning Commission held a public hearing in April and recommended the draft changes, with a few caveats, for approval in May.
The county planning staff used Phase I as the framework for the second part of the master plan changes, saying that 1) Future residential and commercial growth was to be concentrated in the Town Center, the Transit Station Areas and the Village Centers; and, 2) the Vision and Planning Principles created in Phase 1 should apply to the whole of Reston.
Some of the basic themes the staff came up with over the last year, in which citizen input was received via email and at a series of community meetings.
Village Centers should be unique and reflect the needs and desires of the surrounding neighborhoods. The master plan changes will also reflect, however, willingness to adapt or alter existing village centers (for example, adding residences). This is currently being discussed for Tall Oaks Village Center, whose new owners would like to redevelop the nearly-empty retail center to 154 new residences and a small amount of retail.
The Baron Cameron retail area (Home Depot) serves as an important regional retail and service center that, if redeveloped, could have a limited mix of uses.
Pedestrian connectivity is a key planning principle. The network of trails and pedestrian connections is a unique characteristic of Reston. The Comprehensive Plan should enhance pedestrian connectivity, particularly near Village Centers, schools and at intersections.
Residential neighborhoods will stay as they are, both in character and density. However, there is structure in place should a majority of a cluster wish to sell to a developer.
At the April public hearing, the planning commission heard from citizens on concerns about a planned traffic interchange on Sunrise Valley Drive, changes at Tall Oaks Village Center and Reston’s future in general. Read More
Severe weather is expected to hit Reston, Northern Virginia and most of the Washington, D.C. area Monday afternoon.
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch that will be in effect until late Monday night. The heaviest rains will occur between 5 and 9 p.m.
From the NWS:
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE THIS
AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH THROUGH MOST OF TONIGHT.SOME OF THE STORMS WILL CONTAIN TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS, WHICH MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING.
AVERAGE RAINFALL AMOUNTS BETWEEN ONE TO TWO INCHES ARE EXPECTED…BUT LOCALIZED AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF THREE
INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS.RAINFALL RATES AROUND ONE TO TWO INCHES PER HOUR ARE EXPECTED IN HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS. RECENT RAINFALL HAS SATURATED SOILS WHICH WILL ALSO INCREASE THE THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING DURING THIS TIME.
HEAVY RAINFALL IN SHORT PERIODS OF TIME MAY CAUSE RAPID RISES ON
CREEKS AND STREAMS AS WELL AS FLASH FLOODING IN URBAN AREAS.A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.
Fairfax County Fire Rescue said improperly discarded smoking materials caused a fire on the deck of a Reston townhouse on Sunday.
Units responded to 11708 Great Owl Circle about 4:40 p.m. They encountered smoke and fire coming from the rear deck of the two-story townhouse. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire.
Three people were home when the fire broke out and escaped safely and there were no injuries, firefighters said.
Damage is estimated at $2,000.
The smoking materials had been discarded in a flower pot on the deck.
Fairfax County Fire Rescue says smokers should always follow these tips to avoid fire:
- Completely douse butts and ashes with water before throwing them away, as they can smolder and cause a fire.
- Never smoke in bed.
- Provide large, deep ashtrays with a center support for smokers. Check furniture for any dropped ashes before going to bed. Empty ashes into a fireproof container with water and sand.
- Keep smoking materials away from anything that can burn (i.e., mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture, draperies, etc.).
- Never smoke in a home where oxygen is being used.
- If you smoke, choose fire-safe cigarettes. They are less likely to cause fires.
- To prevent a deadly cigarette fire, you must be alert. You won’t be if you are sleepy, have been drinking, or have taken medicine or other drugs.
- Keep matches and lighters up high, out of children’s sight and reach.
New Charges For Escapee — Prisoner who escaped from Inova Fairfax Hospital and led authorities on a huge, countywide search in March now facing many more charges. [Washington Post]
Robot Aiding Surgery At Reston Hospital — Reston Hospital is the only facility in the area using a robot for spinal surgery. [Fairfax Times]
RA OKs Tall Oaks Residential — Reston Association’s Board of Directors approved a motion that redevelopment at Tall Oaks Village Center should include residential as well as retail. [Reston Association]
Fairfax County Police said that the string of car break-ins along Glade Drive near Hunters Woods Village Center has abated in the last several weeks.
Speaking at a community meeting at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods on Thursday, Lt. Lance Schaible said there were 20 larcenies in the area in April and only four in May.
Police said they recently arrested two adults on stolen credit card charges. Since those two suspects entered custody, nearby larceny incidents have also plummeted, they said.
While those suspects were adults, car break-ins are most often crimes of opportunity committed by teenagers, Schaible said.
“Larcenies generally occur in areas where lots of people (and cars) are close together,” he said. “It occurs near all shopping centers in Reston. Those are also areas with a quick getaway.”
Occasionally, suspects will break windows to get at something of value, such as a phone or a laptop case, police said. But in most instances, they will just go down a row of cars trying to see if any are unlocked.
Police said citizens should double check that car doors are locked. They said a surprising number of people think they have locked the car doors, but in the hurry to get bags, kids and other things into the house, they often have not locked.
They also reminded people to never leave valuables in the car. Even if you are running into your house for a minute, always take your purse, phone, work bag and other valuables.
One resident in attendance asked officers if Metro’s Silver Line is to blame for any crime increase in the area.
Schaible said that has not been proven “because Metro is here but there is nothing around it.” Crime tends to be where people congregate, he added.
However, as development and population continues to grow around Reston’s eventual two Metro stations, staffing and policing needs will be reassessed, Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins said.
“The station is going to be strained,” she said. “It is a fact we are going to need staff.”
Check out these open houses this weekend in Reston. For complete real estate information, check out Reston Now’s Real Estate section.
2237 Cartwright Place
4 BR, 2.5 BA TH
$349,900
Open Sunday 1 to 3 p.m.
2017 Sarazen Place
3 BR, 2 FB, 2 HB TH
$349,900
Open Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.
1526 Deer Point Way
2 BR, 3.5 BA TH
$524,900
Open Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.
11301 Water Pointe Circle
4 BR, 4.5 BA SFH
$945,000
Open Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.
2384 Generation Drive
3 BR, 2 FB, 2 HB TH
$415,000
Open Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.
11513 Catalpa Court
4 BR, 3 BA SFH
$650,000
Open Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.
1307 D Windleaf Drive
2 BR, 2 BA Condo
$420,000
Open Sunday 1 to 3 p.m.
Fairfax County Police said the three men who have been charged in the attempted robbery-turned-shooting death in Reston nearly two weeks ago were all visitors to the Stoneview Square apartment, but none was the shooter.
The resident of the Shadowood condo where the May 17 incident occurred apparently was the triggerman, but is not yet facing charges because “according to law, he was defending himself in his own home,” said FCPD Lt. Lance Schaible.
Virginia statute allows for use of force in relation to perceived threat, says Schiable.
“If someone is in your home … you can take the level of force you feel necessary,” he said. “Ultimately, the decision [on level of force allowed by law] is made by the Commonwealth’s Attorney.”
Schiable did not name the apartment resident.
Police said that there was a gathering of five men — one resident and four visitors to the apartment in the 11600 block of Stoneview Square. All of the men knew one another “and had been hanging out a couple of nights prior,” said Schaible.
The gathering turned into an attempted robbery, an altercation and the shooting death of Rashad Kejuan Daye, 24, of Herndon.
Three men have been charged with attempted robbery and use of firearm in commission of a felony: Eddie Rodriquez, 22, of Woodbridge; Dominique May, 18, of Reston; and Ja’lan Merrill, 21, of Herndon.
At the time of his death, Daye was on a suspended sentence for felony drug charges in 2014, court records show.
May and Rodriguez will have preliminary hearings in Fairfax County General District Court July 22. Merrill will have a preliminary hearing on July 29.
Schaible’s remarks came at a community meeting with FCPD Reston Station officers at Reston Communtiy Center Hunters Woods on Thursday. While the meeting was mainly about a rash of recent car break-ins along Glade Drive, several residents had questions about the May 17 shooting death and the general safety of the area.
Police reiterated this was not a random incident and was not a home invasion as they first reported.
Photo: Police tape off an area on Stoneview Square on May 17.
The former Reston Mini-Storage site, as well as the small commercial strip in the 11400 block of Sunset Hills Road have been razed in order to make room for the construction of apartments.
The tear-down has been happening the last two weeks and crews are working their way through the giant pile of bricks, steel and other debris.
The tenants had been moved out last year in order to make way for the construction. The five-acre parcel goes from Sunset Hills to Reston Station Boulevard, just across from Comstock’s BLVD Apartments at Reston Station, as well as the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station.
Reston developer Chuck Veatch, owner of the property, is working on the project with The Bozzuto Group.
The parcel was rezoned from Industrial to Planned Mixed Use Residential in 2010. A 421-unit building with 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail has been approved. See the county staff report for more details on the project.
South Lakes High School’s Class of 2015 will disperse to 96 different college and universities in the fall.
There will be Seahawks in such far-flung places as Stanford University, University of Michigan, Florida State University and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
By far, the majority of students will be staying in Virginia. Here are some of the schools that have the most South Lakes students enrolling for 2015-16.
- Christopher Newport University, 16
- College of William and Mary, 8
- George Mason University, 26
- James Madison University, 32
- Northern Virginia Community College, 85
- University of Mary Washington, 10
- Virginia Commonwealth University, 32
- Virginia Tech, 51
- University of Virginia, 35
To see the complete list, check out the document from the South Lakes HS career center attached to this post.
Connolly Town Hall — Rep. Gerry Connolly will hold a telephone town hall on Monday, June 1 at 8 p.m. He will be calling, but you can sign up in advance if you want to be certain to get on the line. [Gerry Connolly]
Smart Savers — Students in FCPS’ Class of 2015 are the first to graduate with the Virginia-mandated financial literacy course. [Fairfax Times]
NextStop Takes on Henry VIII — Herndon’s NextStop Theatre opens “A Man For All Seasons,” this weekend. It’s the story of King Henry VIII’s battle with the Church of England in the 1600s. [Fairfax Times]
Herndon’s Plans for Downtown Progress — The Herndon Town Council voted this week to purchase additional land at Elden and Center Streets that will likely be redeveloped. [Washington Post]
A Reston man has been sentenced to 29 years in prison plus probation for life for one count of rape involving a minor.
Julio C. Saravia, 33, was sentenced Thursday in the Circuit Court of Loudoun County.
The Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney said between February 2013 and August 2013, Saravia engaged in sexual intercourse with a minor child on several occasions. In the early fall of 2013, the victim disclosed to a family member that Saravia had sex with her. The family member contacted law enforcement, who subsequently interviewed Saravia. In a recorded interview, Saravia admitted to having
sex with the victim on multiple occasions.
Saravia pleaded guilty to one count of rape last November.
In addition to the total active sentence of 29 years, Saravia will be placed on supervised probation for life and is ordered to have no contact with minors.
Saravia, a native of El Salvador, may be subject to a Federal Immigration Detainer, which would direct his removal from the United States upon his release, officials said.
Photo: Julio Saravia/Credit: Loudoun Commonwealth’s Attorney
David Conn, chef/managing partner of Nomad Grill & Hookah Bar, wants to make his new Herndon business the finest Southern/American/Middle Eastern restaurant and hookah bar around.
That’s because it is the only Southern/American/Middle Eastern restaurant and hookah bar around.
Conn and partners opened Nomad in early May at 137 Spring St. in Herndon, just over the border from Reston. They took over where Sphinx, another hookah bar, used to be located.
But Conn says the total decor and menu makeover is indicative of Nomad’s outlook.
“The biggest difference is we are a chef-driven place with thoughtful combinations,” said Conn. “We’ve got unique ideas and diverse ingredients.”
Take the butterbean hummus, for instance, which combines Conn’s training in Tennessee with the flavors of of North Africa. Same with the black-eyed pea felafel and the Moroccan meat loaf on the menu.
There are still strictly American favorites too. Conn says he wants to make the best burger for lunch. He is also proud of the grilled cheese sandwich with Cooper’s Sharp American cheese, which he searched for to get the flavor exactly correct, he says.
If hookah is your thing, Nomad is offering opening specials of $12 rounds, featuring more than a dozen flavors, including grape, watermelon, strawberry and mint. A special air filtration system keeps the space from getting to smokey, says Conn.
Conn took the long route to get the Nomad. A former professional musician, conductor and music professor at Cornell University, Conn worked his way through kitchens in New York City, Chicago, Savannah and Nashville before opening Kitty’s Saloon on H Street NE in Washington, D.C. last year.
Nomad owner Anise Amri also has an outpost in the H Street Corridor. Conn says Amri came into Kitty’s Saloon often, and the two decided to expand into the suburbs.
Nomad, 137 Spring St. (Sunset Park Center), is open 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday; 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday; 5 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Sunday. The restaurant features a full bar.
Athletes will take to the streets and paths of North Reston Sunday at the ninth annual Reston Sprint Triathlon.
Proceeds from the event will benefit Reston nonprofit Cornerstones.
The race begins at 7 a.m. with a quarter-mile swim at the Lake Newport Pool. The biking portion is a 12-mile loop that involves Reston Parkway, Wiehle Avenue, and Baron Cameron Avenue. See the course map on the race website.
The 5K run course goes on bike paths in the Center Harbor/Lake Newport/North Village/Wiehle Avenue area. The start and finish area is adjacent to the Lake Newport Pool.
Affected streets will not be closed, but lanes may be blocked and traffic slowed. As always, watch for participants in the road.
The last participants should wrap up by 9 a.m.
2012 Reston Sprint Triathlon/file photo by Charlotte Geary
