Reston may see its first snowfall of 2015 — and really, of the entire winter so far — on Tuesday, National Weather Service forecasters said.

A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for Reston, Northern Virginia and most of the DC area from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday.

A Winter Weather Advisory means periods of snow will cause primarily travel difficulties, the NWS said.

Temperatures will drop into the low 20s Monday night with a 30 percent chance of snow. Early Tuesday, there is a 90 percent chance of flakes falling.

The snow will begin about 5 a.m., so beware before you commute on Tuesday.

Most of the snow will fall before 1 p.m., the NWS says, with accumulations here expected to be 1 to 2 inches. The high will be about 35 degrees.

Whatever falls may stick around as temperatures are expected to remain below normal Wednesday, with a high of 27 and a low of 11.

Reston Now will keep you apprised of any closings or delays due to snow.

Snow in Reston/file photo

Fairfax County Police have arrested a suspect in two recent Reston bank robberies.

Jason Sharpe, 30, of Blueberry Lane in Fairfax has been charged in relation to crimes that took place on Dec. 10 and 15, police said.

Sharpe was arrested around noon on Wednesday, Dec. 31 while leaving a friend’s home in the Reston area.

In addition to the bank robbery warrants, he was also charged with probation violation, and forgery and identity theft, stemming from warrants in Fredericksburg, Va. in October 2014, police said.

Detectives are continuing to investigate; Sharpe is being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Sharpe was identified after a joint investigation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshal’s Service, and the FCPD Robbery Section.

The Dec. 10 incident was a robbery at the Wells Fargo Branch at Reston Town Center.

The Dec. 15 robbery took place at the Sun Trust Branch inside the Safeway at Hunters Woods Village Center.

There were two other recent bank robberies in Reston — Nov. 26 at Presidential Bank on Reston Parkway and Dec. 29 at the PNC Branch inside the North Point Giant. Police have not charged Sharpe in those robberies.

There were a total of eight bank robberies in December 2014, Fairfax County Police said. There were 20 in all of 2014 and one so far in the county in 2015.

Actress and playwright Anne Deavere Smith will be the keynote speaker at Reston Community Center’s 30th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Day Jr. Birthday Celebration on Jan. 19.

The address, “Reclaiming Grace in the Face of Adversity,” is at noon on Jan. 19 and is part of  three days of events to mark life and legacy of King.

Here is the schedule of community events:

Saturday, Jan. 17

9:00 a.m. —  Community Service Projects at Southgate Community Center.

Take part in a variety of projects, including sorting donations at The Closet, making meals for Embry Rucker Community Shelter, and cleaning up outdoor areas. Reston Community Center is partnering with Reston Association, Southgate Community Center, Cornerstones, and The Closet on community service projects. Registration is required through Reston Association.

4:00 p.m. — Musical Salute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at RCC Hunters Woods

Maestro Dingwall Fleary will lead the Reston Community Orchestra in the ninth annual musical salute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Concert will feature the works of African-American composers, as well as works inspired by the civil rights movement for which Dr. King gave his life. New this year is an inspiring performance of Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech by students from Reston’s Al Fatih Academy. The performance is free for all ages, and donations are appreciated.

Sunday, Jan. 18

1:30 p.m. — Art Reception, RCC Hunters Woods

Reston children have created works with themes centered on the history of King and the civil rights movement,  art will be on display from early January through the end of the month.

3 p.m. — Community March — Lake Anne Plaza

Community members will assemble at Lake Anne Plaza, where Rev. David North will teach a brief history of songs used in the civil rights movement and then lead everyone marching and singing songs to Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation. A shuttle bus will run between the two sites from 2:30 p.m. until after the Voices of Inspiration program concludes.

4 p.m. — Voices of Inspiration Program at Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation, 1441 Wiehle Ave. 

All ages are welcome to the free program. This is the 25th Anniversary program honoring Dr. King, which is sponsored by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Christian Church.

8 p.m. —  “Snapshots: Portrait of a World In Transition,” at CenterStage

Anna Deavere Smith performs her one woman show, “Snapshots: Portrait of a World In Transition,” at CenterStage at the Reston Community Center Hunters Woods. Smith slips in and out of character recreating a diversity of emotions and points of view on controversial issues. Tickets are $25 for Reston residents and employees, and $50 for non Reston, and are available through the CenterStage box office.

Monday, Jan. 19

11:30 a.m. — Children’s Activities at RCC Hunters Woods

Children in first through sixth grades are invited to take part in a series of activities based on the history of King and the civil rights movement.

Noon — Anna Deavere Smith’s Keynote Address, “Reclaiming Grace in the Face of Adversity” at CenterStage

A Community Lunch immediately follows. Tickets are $5 for Reston residents and employees, and $10 for others.

For volunteer opportunities, visit RCC’s website.

Photo: Anna Deavere Smith/Credit: CBS

The plans for massive redevelopment in the Lake Anne area are ready to move forward in 2015. The first step: a Fairfax County Planning Commission public hearing on Jan. 8.

A 350-page staff report issued by the county planning commission in late December recommends approval of the redevelopment, provided developers Lake Anne Development Partners meet proffer and other conditions.

Lake Anne Development Partners was chosen by the county in the summer of 2013 to redevelop the area, including the 16-acre site of the county-owned Crescent Apartments.

LADP’s plans for the area include 1,037 residential units, including replacement of the 181 affordable units at Crescent; 60,000 square feet of retail; a 15,800-square-foot grocery store; and 78,000 square feet of office space.

The project will also have a 1.1 acre central park, an outdoor amphitheater, a bike share station and 12 public art works, according to the report.

See the entire report on Fairfax County’s website.

Among some of the staff report conditions:

• LADP must contribute $100,000 in four installments to the Fairfax County Park Authority. Additionally, Fairfax County recommends $893 per new resident as a proffer guideline, which means that LADP should eventually contribute more than $1.4 million to the park authority. 
• LADP must contribute $1,006,725 to Fairfax County Public Schools
• Road improvements will include widening Village Road from North Shore to Baron Cameron, with three northbound and two southbound lanes.
• Build an elevated walkway from the Crescent Apartments area and a 10-foot-wide Crescent Trail.

In December, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved comprehensive plan changes for Lake Anne-area revitalization.

The changes approved in December mostly tweaked densities and added continuity to the six separate land bays, including the county-owned Crescent Apartments, that comprise the Lake Anne revitalization area.

The interior of Lake Anne Plaza is under historic designation and will not be altered. However, Lake Anne merchants and Republic Development (LADP’s parent company) President and CEO David Peter have said they hoped added density and additional retail nearby will bring new life to the plaza.

Several Lake Anne Plaza businesses closed in 2014. Among them: Lakeside Pharmacy, Jasmine Cafe, The CupCake Ladi and New Family Naturals.

A new pet supply store, PetMAC, has taken over The CupCake Ladi space. Singh Thai restaurant at Lake Anne will move into the Jasmine space. A dry cleaner has signed a lease for the New Family Naturals vacancy. The large Lakeside Pharmacy space remains vacant and the Lake Anne Coffee House and Lake Anne Florist are both for sale.

The Reston Association Design Review Board approved LADP’s concept in October.

The county planning commission discussion and hearing will take place at the Fairfax County Government Center on Jan. 8 at 8:15 pm. If recommended for approval, the plan will go to the Board of Supervisors for a Jan. 27 public hearing.

Peter said the entire project should take at least 10 years to complete.

The staff report says the project will take place in three phases:

• Phase 1: Demolish the Association of School Business Officials’ building, the Lake Anne Service Station and three buildings at Crescent. Replace the 181 existing affordable housing units, realign Village Road and build grocery store.
• Phase 2: Demolish two Crescent buildings. Construct townhouses at Crescent.
• Phase 3A, 3B, 3C: Demolish Millennium Bank building, currently housing Just Cats Clinic. Demolish convenience store building. Develop residential tower and more multifamily construction.

Pay Your Tolls — A Virginia woman lost her license after failure to pay more than $10,000 in I-495 Express Lane tolls. [WTOP]

DMV2Go Returns — Need DMV services? Mark your calendars for Jan. 14. The mobile unit will be at Reston Town Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is a chance to apply or renew ID card and driver’s license; get driving records, vehicle titles, license plates, decals; order disabled plates; and more — without long lines. [VA DMV]

MWAA Cutting Back — Members of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board, which includes representatives from Northern Virginia, have largely curtailed their travel and spending. [Washington Post]

Photo: Credit/Reston Town Center via Facebook

PetMAC — the Marketplace and Adoption Center, opened its doors at Lake Anne Plaza on Friday.

The locally owned pet supply shop is located at 11412 Washington Plaza West, in the space formerly occupied by The CupCake Ladi.

PetMAC is a nutrition-based pet supply shop selling all-natural pet foods, treats, toys and other supplies for dogs and cats, says owner Cindy Williams. They work closely with local animal rescue groups to host adoption fairs, and will have resident cats available for adoption at the shop.

PetMAC made the move to Lake Anne after more than nine years in the Virginia Square area of Arlington.

“I loved being in Arlington, but we were a stand-alone building and I really wanted to be a part of a community of other merchants and residents,” said Williams. “I moved from Vienna to Reston two years ago and fell in love with Lake Anne and thought it would be the perfect place for PetMAC.”

Williams is a native of the DC area who formerly worked in corporate America. She opened the shop after volunteering and working in the animal rescue field. The business began as a web-based one, and Williams did local pet food and supply deliveries.

In 2005, Williams opened the Arlington location of PetMAC, in partnership with Homeward Trails Animal Rescue. PetMAC still works closely with the animal rescue group, as well as others, to find homes for dogs and cats in need. PetMAC donates a portion of their sales to one of their partner animal rescue groups each quarter, in addition to sponsoring and donating to various fundraisers benefiting animals.

PetMAC will regularly be hosting dog and cat adoption events, as well as seminars by veterinarians and other industry experts, food tasting demos, and social events such as Yappy Hours, photos with Santa and a yearly Howl-o-Ween party for dogs.

PetMAC has a number of events scheduled for January.

Jan. 4 and 11, 12 to 2 p.m. — Cat adoptions with Homeward Trails.

Jan. 17, 10 a.m. to noon — Adoptable dogs from Homeward Trails, and a representative from Answers Raw Pet Foods will be offering samples and providing information.

For more information about PetMAC and upcoming events, go to their website at www.petmac.org and click on the Lake Anne page.

Winter operating hours are Tuesday – Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Opponents of rezoning and redevelopment at Reston National Golf Course are gearing up for another round.

After 18 months of relative quiet, RN Golf (a subsidiary of Northwestern Mutual) is again preparing for a Fairfax County’s Board of Zoning Appeals hearing on reclassifying the 166-acre public golf course as something other than open recreational space.

The hearing is Jan. 21 at 9 a.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center.

Rescue Reston, the grassroots group formed when the golf course rezoning issue first came up in the summer of 2012, is hard at work rallying opposition to rezoning.

On its website, the group has a countdown clock to the number of days, hours and minutes to the BZA hearing. It has distributed Christmas-themed flyers portraying Northwestern Mutual as both the ghost of Christmas past and Scrooge, as well as the developers of “Pottersville” — the darker, drunker alternate reality of Jimmy Stewart’s Bedford Falls in It’s a Wonderful Life.

“Northwestern Mutual has launched the most serious attack on the heritage of Reston we have witnessed in the 37 years we have lived here,” Reston Rescue founder John Pinkman wrote to golf course-area neighbors recently.

“If this destruction of open space and the concept of the planned community is allowed to proceed, the door will be open for extreme change in neighborhoods throughout Reston. NWM HAS NO COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY; except that is, to make as much profit as they can and then leave.”

To generate community support for the upcoming BZA Hearing, Rescue Reston has planned a Rally to Save open space for Jan. 10 at 2 p.m. at Langston Hughes Middle School. The group hopes as many residents as possible will attend the Jan. 21 hearing to show their support.

The group held rallies back in 2012, when RN Golf first filed the appeal with the county after an original inquiry came back that the course was zoned open space and to change it, the owners could have to go through the rezoning process.

RN Golf has asked for the appeal because it wants to be able to rezone without going through the process.

The BZA hearing was postponed about a half dozen times in 2012 and 2013 before RN Golf deferred it indefinitely in July 2013.

Since then, the Reston Master Plan Comprehensive Amendment, approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 2014, states the two Reston golf courses should remain as community assets in the face of nearby development.

Both Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and Reston Association have spoken in opposition to the rezoning.

RA says it would even consider purchasing the land to prevent development.

“It is RA’s stance that these golf courses are integral to the active lifestyle of its members,”  RA president Ken Knueven said in November when the new hearing date was announced.

Photo: Rescue Reston flyer/Courtesy Rescue Reston

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has released photos of the suspect in the robbery at PNC bank inside the North Point Village Center Giant store earlier this week.

A man robbed the branch about 5 p.m. Monday. He told the teller he had a weapon and fled with an undisclosed amount of money, Fairfax County Police said.

The suspect is a black male, about 5-foot-7 and 170 lbs., said the FBI. He was wearing a red Nike hooded sweatshirt.

The description of the suspect is very similar to the suspect in the robbery of the Sun Trust branch inside the Safeway at Hunters Woods Village Center on Dec. 15.

There were also two other Reston bank robberies in recent weeks, Nov. 26 at Presidential Bank near the Home Depot and Dec. 10 at the Wells Fargo at Reston Town Center.

FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to the identification, arrest and conviction of the suspect.

Anyone with information can call the FBI at 202-278-2000 or Fairfax County Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477.

Chick-fil-A Breach — Chick-fil-A says its data may have been breached. The store has not says if the Reston branch was among affected locations. [WTOP]

Fairfax’s Top News Of The Year — Fairfax County says meals tax consideration and committing $1.4 in transportation and pedestrian improvements were among the top county stories of 2014. [Fairfax County]

Don’t Drunk Dial — An area man has created an app that will keep you from a bad decision like calling or texting while drunk and also retrace your steps from a night that that was too much fun. [Fairfax Times]

Calling All Young Artists — The Friends of Reston is holding an art contest for kids to draw Reston’s new official bird, the Pileated Woodpecker. The entries will be displayed at Nature House in February. [Reston Association]

Planning on attending a big New Year’s Eve bash tonight. As always, be careful out there if you’re drinking,

The Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) is offering its SoberRide program on New Year’s Eve in Fairfax County.

Here is what you need to know:

The program runs from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Customers receive a free cab ride (up to $30 fare). Callers are responsible for fares over $30.

To call for the ride: 800-200-8294 (TAXI). AT&T customers may dial #WRAP from their wireless phones. Important note:  All requests for SoberRide service must be called to and dispatched from 1-800-200-8294.  Do not call a taxi company directly for SoberRide service as the ride will not be covered under this program.

Callers must be 21 or over.

When waiting for a SoberRide, please watch for a cab from the participating taxi company in the area from which you are calling.

Participating Taxi Companies: 
Alexandria Yellow Cab (Alexandria)
Barwood, Inc. (Montgomery County)
Fairfax Yellow Cab (Fairfax County)
Loudoun Yellow Cab (Eastern Loudoun County)
Northern Virginia Checker (Prince William County)
Manassas Cab Company (Prince William County)
Red Top Cab Company (Arlington County)
Silver Cab of Prince George’s County (Prince George’s County)
Yellow Cab of District of Columbia (District of Columbia)
Yellow Cab of Prince William County (Prince William County)

For more than 20 years, WRAP’s SoberRide has helped to ensure greater Washington, DC residents have a safe way home on high-risk holidays. Since 1993, WRAP has provided over 61,002 safe rides home. Currently, SoberRide operates during the December/January holiday season, St. Patrick’s Day, Independence Day and Halloween.

Still looking for New Year’s Eve plans? Reston Now has a few ideas for you in and near Reston.

Clyde’s at Reston Town Center will host its annual New Year’s Eve Gala from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tickets are $125 and include a premium open bar with heavy hors d’oevres, a DJ, and dancing. Champagne and party favors will be provided at midnight. Black tie/cocktail attire. Reservations required.

First Night Vienna, a family friendly event, runs from 7 a.m. to midnight on Wednesday on Church Street in Vienna. Admission is free. There will be food trucks, music, kids entertainment and more.

Kalypso’s at Lake Anne is offering a three-course dinner with wine pairings beginning at 4 p.m. At 8 p.m., DJ Roman will spin dance music, and more than 30 HDTVs show the ball drop in Times Square.

Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro at the Westin Reston Heights is offering a three- or four-course meal, paired with wines by the restaurant’s sommelier. There will also be a live band and a champagne toast at midnight. Reservations required.

ArtSpace Henrdon is hosting a family friendly gala that will celebrate blues music. Events start at 7 p.m. at ArtSpace Herndon, 750 Center St. Among them: A bonfire and drum circle and a drum-making art project for kids.

At 10 p.m., there will be a concert and dance party (tickets: $50 per couple/$30 per person) featuring the blues music of Herbie D & the Dangermen. Refreshments will include barbeque by Herndon’s JJ’s Deli, and a complimentary tasting of Lost Rhino microbrews. A cash bar will include microbrews and sparkling wines for toasting throughout the evening. 

Footage of Metro Riders Ends Up On Porn Site — Metro Transit Police said they are investigating a report of women being secretly videotaped on the rail system after videos turned up on a pornographic Web site. The videos show women, typically wearing shorts or skirts, who don’t appear to be aware that they’re being filmed. [Washington Post]

FCPS Calls For More State Funding — The Fairfax County School Board has passed a resolution calling on the Virginia General Assembly to increase the state’s share of funding for public education immediately.  The resolution states that state direct aid to K-12 education has been reduced from 35 percent of the general fund in FY 2009 to below 30 percent in FY 2014. [FCPS]

No Snow December — December is ending with no measurable snowfall in Northern Virginia. How does that bode for the rest of winter 2014-15? [Washington Post]

A home on Freetown Drive in Reston was burglarized on Monday, Fairfax County Police reported.

A resident of the 2400 block told police someone entered the residence and took property.

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

LARCENIES

12500 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, cash from residence.

1800 block of Wiehle Avenue, merchandise from business.

2400 block of Centreville Road, wallets from business.

11900 block of Democracy Drive, phone from business.

2500 block of Isham Randolph Drive, purse from vehicle.

2400 block of Pyrenees Court, cash from vehicle.

12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, merchandise from business.

12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, property from business.

STOLEN VEHICLES

11800 block of Coopers Court, 1992 Subaru.

It was a milestone year in 2014: Reston turned 50, founder Bob Simon turned 100 and Metro’s Silver Line finally came to town. Those were the two biggest ongoing stories of the year.

All year long, there were celebrations and ceremonies marking Reston’s banner year.

The biggest party came at April’s Founder’s Day at Lake Anne Plaza, where Chuck Veatch, Reston resident and one of Reston’s original developers, put the last 50 years into perspective.

He read words from Simon in the original Reston deed that still ring true in 2014.

“The deed of Reston celebrates not the completion of this new town, but symbolizes its beginning,” Simon said in 1964. “It is a place where people will come to live, work, play and call their own. We have just begun to build — there is very much more to come. But from this day forward, Reston is its people.”

Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) were among the well-wishers at Reston’s big day. President Barack Obama also sent his regards in a letter to Simon.

“You are part of a generation that helped guide our country through uncertain and extraordinary times, and the energy and creativity you have shown over the years serve as an inspiration,” wrote the president. “As you celebrate a century of memories, I hope you take tremendous pride in the community you founded 50 years ago and all you have done to ensure our neighborhoods are vibrant places to live and work.”

Simon left Reston in 1967, when the project was turned over to Gulf Oil. He returned in the early 1990s, though. He lives in Heron House at Lake Anne and is out and about on a daily basis in the “new town” he envisioned when he purchased farmland in the Virginia countryside more than a half-century ago.

He will turn 101 on April 10, 2015.

The Silver Line

After years of anticipation and months of delays, Reston entered a new, transit-oriented era when Metro’s Silver Line opened here on July 26.

The $2.6 billion-Phase I of the project runs from Tysons Corner to Reston’s Wiehle Avenue, which will be the end of the line until Phase II of the rail opens in 2018.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx compared getting to Silver Line opening day to that of building medieval cathedrals. Often, builders did not know what they finished product would look like until they got there decades later.

“What I’m reminded of is that the work of transportation is really the work of generations,” Foxx said. “And if we’re not putting those cornerstones in place as a nation, we’re not building for the generations to come afterward. So this is a time to celebrate the voices of ‘yes’ sounding louder than the voices of ‘no.’ ”

Within a few weeks, about 20,000 daily trips started or ended at Wiehle-Reston East’s shiny, new station. That made the station the busiest by far of the new Silver Line stations. The station’s reached Metro’s usage predictions for the year within just a few months.

Coming in 2015: More work on Phase II, which has received nearly $2 billion in federal loans to complete the project. Phase II will have a stop at Reston Parkway near Reston Town Center, as well as take the line to Herndon, Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County.

There will also be a retail and food hall — the Stock Market @ Reston Station — opening at Reston Station, Comstock’s development on top of the Wiehle-Reston East parking garage. Comstock’s BLVD Apartments at Reston Station will also begin leasing in 2015.