Examining Tall Oaks — Former Reston Citizens Association board member Dick Rogers takes a look at the pros and cons of what’s planned for Tall Oaks Village Center. [Reston 2020]
Worst Holiday Traffic Today — Heading out for the long Memorial Day Weekend? Today (Thursday) is actually the worst time to travel, according to this regional study. [Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments]
Reston Company Founder Donates Big — Dwight Schar, founder of Reston-based homebuilder NVR, along with his wife Martha, will give $50 million to Inova to develop a cancer research institute. [Washington Post]
Tolls For A Cause — Today is the annual Dulles Greenway Day, where collected tolls go to benefit charity. [Dulles Greenway]
Reston’s Creative Class Rank — This graphic shows U.S. “cities” with the highest clusters of the “creative class.” That means artists and writers but also scientists and software developers. Reston is in the top 20, along with Cupertino, Calif. and locally, Bethesda and McLean. [Washington Post]
The bricks of Lake Anne Plaza will be colorful murals when the Second Annual Chalk on the Water Festival returns June 13-14.
Chalk on the Water is a two-day street-painting festival where participants of all ages can create street art. Festival-goers purchase a “plot” of brick space on the plaza in which to create their chalk masterpiece.
Cost for spaces are $5 for children, $10 for adults, and $15 for professional artists. Registration of available online at www.chalkonthewater.com. Registration is now open and there are only 100 spaces available for this event.
There will be cash prizes for various categories, which will be judged by notable community members.
The festival will also include food, a live DJ, and a wine garden.
To close out the family fun weekend, My Big, Fat Greek Wedding, the second movie in the free Lake Anne Summer Film Festival will be shown Sunday, June 14 at sundown.
Money raised from Chalk on the Water will benefit the Initiative for Public Art-Reston (IPAR).
The festival is sponsored by the Friends of Lake Anne (FOLA), Reston Art Gallery, and Washington Parent Magazine.
Photos: Chalk on the Water 2014
Reston Association and Comstock are hosting a happy hour outdoor party for a good cause on Thursday.
The Backyard at Reston Station will be held on the outdoor plaza from 4 to 7 p.m.
There will be live music by Gina DeSimone & The Moaners, plus food trucks, including EatCarolinaQ, Feelin’ Crabby Food Truck , South Meets East and Sweetz Cheesecake.
All beer and wine sales benefit Friends of Reston. Friends of Reston is the non-profit that assists Reston Association with camp scholarships, bike racks, recycling bins, community gardens, nature education and tree plantings throughout the community.
Reston Station is the complex adjacent to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station at Wiehle Aveue and Sunset Hills Road. There is free parking in the surface lot across the street or at paid garage parking for under $5.
Photo: Reston Station Plaza/Courtesy Comstock
A husband and wife on Triple Crown Road in Reston were the victims of a burglary Tuesday evening — while they were home.
Fairfax County Police said the call came in about 10:05 p.m. The couple told police they were in the lower level of their single family home when they heard footsteps above.
The couple went upstairs to find an unknown man leaving through the sliding glass door, said police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell.
Police called out the K9 unit and the helicopter, and a search for the suspect in the Glade Drive area ensued.
The suspect, who got away with cash and some other household items, has not yet been located. The homeowners were not injured, Caldwell said.
Police said the intruder may have entered through an unlocked door, so FCPD wants to remind residents to always keep doors locked and their eyes open.
A Reston woman was arrested on Saturday after police said she displayed a gun during an argument.
Fairfax County Police were called to the Clocktower Shopping Center in the 2400 block of Centreville Road in unincorporated Herndon after reports that a woman pulled a gun on another woman.
The 39-year-old woman with the gun was charged with brandishing a firearm. The investigation determined the gun was not real but similar in appearance to a real one. No word whether the charges have been dropped.
Other recent crime news reported by the Reston District Station:
LARCENIES
- 11900 block of Market Street, property stolen from business
- 2200 block of Wakerobin Lane, property stolen from residence
- 10500 block of Leesburg Pike, merchandise stolen from business
- 2400 block of Fox Mill Road, merchandise stolen from business
- 2200 block of Gunsmith Square, property stolen from vehicle
- 700 block of Bennett Street, property stolen from school
- 2400 block of Centreville Road, merchandise stolen from business
- 11700 block of Sunset Hills Road, merchandise stolen from business
- 11600 block of Plaza America Drive, property stolen from business
- 2200 block of Colts Neck Road, property stolen from vehicle
- 13000 block of Elm Tree Drive, property stolen from residence
Military Appreciation Day — Chick-fil-A restaurants in the area, including the one on Sunset Hills Road in Reston, will have Military Appreciation Night Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. All active military personnel and those who have honorably served are invited, along with their immediate family members, to enjoy a free meal at a local Chick-fil-A restaurant. The offer is valid with a military ID or proof of service and is only available for dine-in customers.
Food Truck Bill Includes State Roads — Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed a bill Monday that allows food trucks on state-maintained roads, which has been a point of contention in Fairfax County. The bill, introduced by Fairfax County Del. Eileen Filler-Corn, becomes a law on July 1. [WTOP]
Former FCPD Cop Indicted in Gas Heist — A former Fairfax County Police officer allegedly stole more than 2,500 gallons of gas when he was with the department. The officer resigned when he was charged on Monday. [Washington Post]
Help Find Ace — This dog has been missing from Reston for nearly three weeks. Have you seen him? Check out the Bring Ace Home Facebook page, which says he may now be in Sterling. [Facebook]
What do Reston founder Bob Simon, a 5-year-old cow named Turtle and a crew of several dozen have in common?
They were all at Lake Anne Plaza on Tuesday for the filming of a television commercial.
The regional spot will air sometime later this year. The film crew asked Reston Now not say the name of the high-profile company, but its TV ads are known for being among the wittiest.
Simon, 101, sat through several takes in the sweltering heat. He said the wardrobe department even provided him with two new fisherman’s caps, his signature look.
The crew was also slated to film this week in Old Town Alexandria and in D.C.
A shop that had its start in Reston is moving back to the area.
Home Specialty Store, which had a space at Reston’s Spectrum Center from 1996 to 2006, left Reston for Leesburg.
Now owners Wayne and Lynn Baker are shutting the doors of the Leesburg store and opening a new space at 1137 Walker Rd. in Great Falls.
“Most of our customers are in Reston, Great Falls, and we are doing a lot of business in Arlington,” said Lynn Baker. “We are just too far out here.”
Home Speciality Store has all kinds of home decor, including art, lamps and furnishings. They also have a huge selection of decorative hardware items such as drawer pulls, cabinet pulls, light switch plates and other fixtures.
The Great Falls store is expected to open by July 1.
Prospective, Inc., a Reston commercial real estate brokerage company, and its founder, Joe Ritchey, have been named a BCA 10: Best Businesses Partnering with the Arts in America honorees for 2015.
Prospective, Inc. has worked on large-scale mixed-use developments in Fairfax County for more than 30 years. The Arts Council of Fairfax County says the thriving arts scene in Reston Town Center is part of Prospective’s brand and integrated into marketing and business development activities.
Ritchey is the driving force behind Prospective’s commitment to the arts. He has donated more than $1.1 million over the past 23 years to arts-related nonprofit organizations.
He is currently serving as chairman on the Board of Directors at the Arts Council of Fairfax County and the Initiative for Public Art – Reston (IPAR).
Ritchey founded IPAR in 2007, and his company underwrote IPAR’s initial funding and the cost for a consultant team to aid with the creation of the Public Art Master Plan. This resulted in Reston in 2008 becoming the first non-incorporated jurisdiction in the United States to complete a public art master plan. The plan is now a part of Fairfax County’s Master Development Plan for Reston.
IPAR has helped bring the Reston Rondo sculpture to Reston Town Center, as well as the temporary Patrick Dougherty installation that opened last month.
Ritchey has also served on the arts boards of the Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE), Wolf Trap Foundation, and multiple committees including as Co-Chair on the Fairfax County Master Art Plan Task Force.
“I believe that a community’s economic vitality and quality of life are directly proportionate to its commitment to and investment in arts and culture,” Ritchey said in a statement. “Pedestrian-friendly and aesthetic public spaces, permanent and temporary public art, galleries, concerts, arts festivals, and theatre all enrich communities.”
“Frequently under-recognized but equally important is the impact of the arts on demand for office, retail, and residential real estate, resulting in higher valuations of commercial and residential properties and increased tax revenues to local, county and state government. Based on my urban development experience, I have seen firsthand how investment in the arts provides a powerful economic return.”
Presented every year by the Business Committee for the Arts (BCA), part of Americans for the Arts, the BCA 10 awards honor 10 U.S. companies for their exceptional commitment to the arts through grants, local partnerships, volunteer programs, matching gifts, sponsorships, and board membership.
The national BCA 10 Awards will be presented by Americans for the Arts on Oct. 6 at a black-tie gala at the Central Park Boathouse in New York City.
The 2015 honorees are:
Ameriprise Financial (Minneapolis, MN)
AutoZone, Inc. (Memphis, TN)
BNY Mellon (New York, NY)
Corning Incorporated (Corning, NY)
GE’s FirstBuild (Louisville, KY)
NV Energy and the NV Energy Foundation (Reno, NV)
Prospective Inc. (Reston, VA)
Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods (Houston, TX)
The Trust Company of Kansas (Wichita, KS)
U.S. Bank (Minneapolis, MN)
Joe Ritchey/file photo
Reston Association says it will be “substantially impacted” if the Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals decision on Reston National Golf Course is allowed to stand.
Reston Association, as well as the county Board of Supervisors and citizens advocacy group Rescue Reston have filed appeals in Fairfax County Circuit Court after the BZA ruled in April that potential development at the 166-acre course does not necessarily have to go through a comprehensive plan amendment.
That ruling could open the door to the public golf course eventually being redeveloped as residential, RA, along with many citizens, say would be unfortunate for Reston’s open space.
“The BZA decision in this manner will directly contribute to unplanned residential development of 166 acres that has clearly been identified as, and designated for, open space and golf course uses on the detailed development plans approved by the Board of Supervisors,” RA says in its appeal.
“If upheld, the BZA decision will have significant adverse impacts to the RA. Unplanned residential development of the golf course will substantially impact the RA’s financial and management resources, by increasing its burden to operate and maintain a sufficient number of environmental and recreational facilities to serve the appropriate number of residential dwellings. More frequent stream restoration and lake dredging will be required — at significant cost to RA.”
The golf course’s owners, RN Golf Management, first inquired with Fairfax County Zoning whether the course is considered open and community space or residential in 2012. After the county affirmed open and community space, RN Golf appealed the ruling. After delays of more than a year, the BZA finally heard testimony in a January hearing and issued its decision in April.
The golf course owners have not shown any plans for what, if anything, they intend to build at the course.
Other key points of RA’s filing:
The BZA decision will affect more than just the course. It will affect any redevelopment within about 450 acres, including the golf course, private residences and RA common property such as lakes and streams. Residential development would have a serious negative affect on stormwater management, RA says. The 450 acres is the area covered by the three development plans from the early 1970s that include the Reston National and the houses that surround it.
Allowing residential development would harm the “interconnected balance of recreational, open space and residential uses .. specifically approved by the Board of Supervisors in 1971.
Any change in a development plan normally requires the consent or inclusion of landowners. “RN Golf maintains that no development plan amendment is required to convert the golf course to residential use, therby depriving property owners such as the RA of the aforementioned protections against an unplanned change to their common scheme of development.”
See the entire filing on RA’s website.
Promoting Reston — Boston Properties, which owns most of Reston Town Center and many office buildings nearby, is planning to launch a nationwide campaign to promote space in areas such as Reston to major employers. [Washington Business Journal]
Honors For Fairfax County Fire Rescue — Fairfax County firefighters were honored with the highest safety rating. [YouTube]
Will Police Games Deliver? — Fairfax County is counting on a big economic payoff in the World Police & Fire Games, which will be held Reston, other spots in the county and at RFK Stadium. Will the games be a moneymaker? [Washington Post]
Fairfax County Police said a more than 30 animals were recovered from a Reston home on Sunday.
Animal Control officers were called to the 2200 block of Southgate Square on Sunday when a neighbor called about a strong odor.
Police said an investigation discovered more than 30 cats and two dogs at the townhouse.
The investigation is continuing. The animals were taken to Pender Veterinary Centre for evaluation, police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell said.
“One of the cats, ‘Mr. Toes,’ scratched an employee while being captured,” she said. “No other injuries were reported.”
Fairfax County Police say the man who was killed in the Sunday afternoon robbery attempt in Reston is Rashad Kejuan Daye, 24, of the Herndon area.
Daye, whom acquaintances said usually went by his middle name Kejuan, was one of the visitors to the Stoneview Square apartment.
The incident occurred in the 11600 block of Stoneview Square about 2:50 p.m. on Sunday. Police said there was a gathering of men in an apartment, there was a robbery attempt and an altercation, and Daye was a killed. Another man was injured when a bullet grazed him.
Police have arrested two men and charged them with attempted robbery and use of firearm in commission of a felony: Eddie Rodriquez, 22, of Woodbridge and Dominique May, 18, of Reston.
May is a student at South Lakes High School, FCPS officials confirmed Monday.
The investigation is continuing and additional charges may be placed in the case as detectives proceed, police said.
Police originally said the incident was a home invasion that ended in a shooting, though the suspects and victim knew one another. They later corrected it to a robbery attempt.
Photos: Top, Eddie Rodriguez; Bottom, Dominique May /Credit: FCPD
Reston Town Center was turned into equal parts extensive gallery, performing arts stage, and craft room as the 24th annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival came to town Saturday and Sunday.
More than 200 artists from across the nation had booths at the show, which attracted tens of thousands of visitors. The event was fun for the whole family, as kids could get crafty at the Family Art Park set up in the pavilion.
Fairfax County Police say the incident that resulted in a shooting death Sunday in Reston was not a home invasion, as they initially reported.
Detectives said the shooting, which took place about 2:50 p.m. on Sunday at the 11600 block of Stoneview Square and Shadowood Condos, took place after a gathering of men ended in a robbery attempt, an altercation and the shooting death of a 24-year-old Reston man.
Originally, police said the incident stemmed from a home invasion (though the residents and the suspect knew one another) and that they were looking for two suspects who fled the scene.
By Sunday evening, police said they were no longer looking for two additional suspects.
In addition to the fatality, another man was injured when he was grazed by a bullet, police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell said. His injuries are not life-threatening.
Police have recovered the weapons, said Caldwell. She said multiple shots were fired.
Police are still investigating. They have not released the name of the man who was killed or identified whether anyone has been charged.
There has not been a homicide in Reston since 2013. There were two that year, but both stemmed from domestic incidents.
Photo: Police tape at Stoneview Square crime scene Sunday.
