Have you entered Reston Now’s Gift Local Contest?

The holidays are a time for giving, and we’re giving you a weekly chance to win some great gifts from local businesses this month. Keep them for yourself or gift them to a friend, coworker or family member.

To enter the contest, free of charge, all you need to do is sign up for our daily email newsletter. The newsletter delivers Reston Now headlines to your inbox on weekday (and some weekend) afternoons. No spam, we promise.

If you’re one of our more than 1,000 existing newsletter subscribers, you’re automatically eligible to win. See our official contest rules for an alternate means of entry and other sweepstakes details.

We’ll conduct a drawing every Friday through the end of December. Today’s drawing features some of our best prizes. Among them:

• Apple iPad Air 16GB from RestonNow.com
• One month of free swim lessons from Goldfish Swim School
• $109 gift card for artisan flower arrangements from Bloompop
• Two seats on a public winery tour from Reston Limousine

Next week (Dec. 26) we will give away:

• Exercise class from The Harrison Apartments
• $150 donation to Cornerstones on your behalf from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate

Please join us in supporting these and other local businesses when making your holiday shopping plans and New Year’s resolutions.

A year after approving plans for a bocce court at Cabots Point Recreation Area, the Reston Association board of directors finally voted on Thursday to kill the idea.

It was not a quick task, as the idea of a 60-by-12 foot court on RA property off of South Lakes Drive was controversial from the start.

For months — and even as late as the public comment session at Thursday’s meeting — the board heard testimony and received written complaints from residents of South Bay and Cabots Point clusters, who were concerned about everything from parking to noise to garbage, public drinking and loss of green space for other activities.

There also was concern from some residents that the proposal was approved without any public input or notice.

Twice this year, the RA board voted down motions to rescind the approved plan and start over.

In the end, money was the deciding factor. The original estimate to build the court was $2,500, which would be paid for the Friends of Reston and not Reston Association.

However, an engineering firm estimate recently received by the board said the site review would cost $14,000.

“What should have been so simple is now so complex,” said South Lakes Director Richard Chew, who originally proposed the bocce plan, adding that he and former director Andy Sigle saw little downside in proposing the what they thought would be a “low-cost, high-benefit amenity for members.”

“RA is now estimating getting external estimates to be $14,000, bringing the total cost to $20,000,” said Chew. “It is clear to me spending $20,000 for a single bocce court is not in the cards nor should it be.”

The board on Thursday was set to vote on RA President Ken Knueven’s proposal to “direct staff, in light of the new cost information presented, to discontinue efforts in preparing a resubmission application to the Design Review Board for the installation of a bocce court and related accessible facilities at the Cabots Point Recreation Area.

However, Chew amended that motion to one that at least holds on to slim chance that bocce could someday come to Reston if the price and location is right.

Chew made a new motion to “move to rescind the board’s 2013 decision to authorize construction [of bocce at Cabots Point]. It is further moved to direct RA staff to explore more practical and more cost effective approaches to bring bocce to Reston.”

The motion passed unanimously.

Photo: Cabots Point Recreation Area/file photo

Now Hiring: Red’s Table —  The new restaurant at South Lakes Village Center is now hiring for all positions. If you are interested, email [email protected] to be sent an application. Red’s Table is still on track to open in February.

Herndon Player Tops In Field Hockey — Meet Taylor Stone, Region 6A’s Field Hockey player of the year. She will play for Louisville next year. [Reston Connection]

There’s No Place Like Home — Herndon basketball coach Gary Hall and his wife have opened their home to student athletes for a unique weekly dinner and study hall [Reston Connection]

Saturday Holiday Fun at Reston Town Center — Dec. 20, the final Saturday before Christmas, has a full schedule of activities at Reston Town Center. The day begins with Breakfast with Santa at McCormick & Schmick’s and continues with entertainment and horse drawn carriage rides. [Reston Town Center]

Fairfax County closed on a $403 million federal loan on Thursday, ensuring that the county will be able to pay for its portion of Phase 2 of Metro’s Silver Line.

Fairfax County, which obtained the loan through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan program, received the second- lowest interest rate in the history of the federal TIFIA loan program — a 2.73 percent interest rate.

The loan will also help keep tolls stable for Dulles Toll Road users through 2018. Without it, there was fear a greater portion of rail costs would be borne by toll road users.

The first phase of the Silver Line, which opened in July, runs from McLean to Reston’s Wiehle Avenue. The second phase of the $5.6 billion project, set to open in 2018, will have stops at Reston Parkway, Herndon, Route 28, Dulles International Airport and Ashburn.

The loan will cover about 45 percent of the county’s total estimated $915 million share for building Silver Line Phase 2. It offers a competitive interest rate and flexible repayment terms. The county may defer payments for five years after the project is finished. Because the Silver Line is expected to be completed in 2018, the county anticipates making payments starting in 2023.

 “With Phase 1 on track to meet or even exceed ridership projections, I am very pleased to have approved low-interest federal financing for Phase 2,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova said yesterday.

“The funds made available through the TIFIA loan keep the project on target for completion in 2018 and reduce costs for toll road users and taxpayers. The Silver Line is vital to the economic growth of Fairfax County, the region and the Commonwealth, and I am proud of the work we’ve done to make it a reality.”

Fairfax plans to use two county sources to repay the loan: money from the Dulles Rail Phase 2 Transportation Improvement District and Commercial and Industrial Tax Fund. The county will apply $218.2 million from this voluntary tax district and $185.1 million in commercial and industrial taxes.

Loudoun County also closed on its $195 million TIFIA loan on Thursday. In August, the metropolitan Washington Airports Authority closed on its $1.28 billion portion.

“Today marks another significant milestone for Rail to Dulles as we finalize a very complex financing package for the project,” Sen. Mark Warner said in a statement. “I congratulate all of our partners on this successful step.  Now we can shift our focus to completing construction as soon, as efficiently and as safely as possible.”

Romano’s Macaroni Grill at the Spectrum has closed its doors.

The restaurant, located at 1845 Fountain Dr., closed Thursday, a company spokesman said after the closure was first reported by Restonian.org. The spokesman did not give a reason why.

Macaroni Grill was acquired by Ignite Restaurant Group this year, and many branches nationwide have been closed in a cost-cutting measure.

Also, The Spectrum, like several other Reston shopping centers, is scheduled to undergo a major renovation in the next few years. The Spectrum is owned by Lerner Enterprises.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the overhaul in early 2013.

The future plan for The Spectrum includes 774,879 square feet of non-residential use; 1,422 multifamily residential units (with 12 percent set aside for affordable housing) in seven new residential buildings; 38 percent open space; underground and structure parking; LEED certifications; two new east-west streets and expanded bike trails and pedestrian access.

It will be divided this way:

Land Bay A (where Best Buy and The Container Store are located) is planned for 546 dwelling units, 255 hotel rooms, 172,000 square feet of office, and 62,500 square feet of retail uses.

Land Bay B (where PetSmart and On the Border are located) is planned for 643 dwelling units, 270 hotel rooms, and 48,650 square feet of retail uses.

Land Bay C (where Harris Teeter is located) is planned for 237 residential units and 134,896 square feet of retail and bank uses. Only Harris Teeter will remain — and expand into the current Office Depot space — in the redevelopment.

Additionally, Land Bay B will wrap around the planned 23-story office tower at Bowman Towne Drive and Reston Parkway. That building, which will contain retail and 18 stories of offices, was approved by the supervisors in September 2012.

A real estate source previously said that The Spectrum redevelopment could take 10 years, and that stand-alone buildings such as Macaroni Grill’s would likely be the first to go.

Macaroni Grill was one of the original tenants of The Spectrum, which opened in the mid-1990s.

A plan to provide extra lighting on the Reston Association paths near Hunters Woods Village Center is going to cost much more than originally anticipated, RA CEO Cate Fulkerson says.

RA has been talking about adding additional lighting on the paths for more than a year in the hopes that it would deter loitering, graffiti and crime. The association budgeted about $125,000 for the project.

However, the lighting has not been installed after new estimates show RA’s portion would be closer to $190,000, according to RA’s carryover budget for 2015.

Fulkerson said that RA is hoping Edens, the owners of the village center, would help share the new and hefty cost.

“The actual total cost is closer to $300,000,” Fulkerson said in an email. “We have not installed pathway lighting in many years, and the original estimate used in building the 2014/2015 Capital Budgets did not account for expenses related to Dominion Power’s engineering and equipment costs, which have increased considerably since the last time the Association installed pathways lighting.”

Fulkerson said RA is working on several ways to offset the costs.

“We continue to work with Edens to obtain their support in covering the costs associated with the installation,” she said. “In addition, we are exploring available grant opportunities to assist with or offset the cost.”

The $124,916 set aside for the project will carry over into next year. In total, RA will carryover $961,830 for the Hunters Woods lighting project, as well as a Fannie Mae pathway extension, Twin Branches connector and the South Lakes pathway connector. RA says the latter are in varying stages of completion.

Other carryovers include:

• $184,962 for grading at Brown’s Chapel ball fields
• $500,000 for Lake Anne Dam upgrades (delayed until 2016)
• $135,000 for an outreach management project
• $26,710 for renovations or replacement of the Pony Barn

Three bank robberies in Reston in the last month have made some residents a little on edge.

One reader wrote to Reston Now yesterday saying this:

I’d originally planned on renting in Reston before moving to Virginia, but the posts on this page have more than changed my mind. 

I have to wonder if you’re aware of the perception outsiders have, looking in at Reston. From my view, based on this page, Reston is losing business, experiencing all types of crime, and has little if any highlights aside from the natural scenery. 

Fairfax County Police say crime in Reston is actually quite low.

For instance, FCPD’s Reston Station reported 654 assault incidents in 2013 (the most recent full year for which stats are available). That’s down from 765 in 2012, and the second lowest number of assaults among FCPD’s eight districts.

Reston’s relatively low crime rate, along with access to good jobs and schools, were among the criteria that earned it a spot in Money Magazine’s 2014 Top 10 Best Places to Live.

That is not to say Reston is crime-free. Other stats:

There were two homicides in the Reston District in 2013, the same as in 2012. In both 2013 cases, they were domestic in nature and not random crime.

Sex offenses: 32 in 2013, (30 in 2012)

Weapons charges: 58 (58 in 2012)

Property crimes: 2,527 in 2013, down from 2,705 in 2012. The 2013 number make it the second-lowest (behind the Sully District) in the county.

Some of the highlights:

• Vandalism: 703 (899 in 2012)
• Larceny 1,239 (1,274 in 2012)
• Stolen cars 48 (59 in 2012)
• Robbery 37 (27 in 2012)
• Burglary 107 (79)

Do you feel Reston is a safe place to live? Are you concerned about crime? Take our poll.

Photo: Fairfax County Police cars converge at Safeway Hunters Woods after robbery of Sun Trust inside on Thursday/Credit: Tim Boone

It has been more than a year since the Reston Association Board of Directors approved a bocce court for Cabots Point Recreation Area. For nearly as long, the RA Board has been trying to start the process over — or abandon it all together.

RA President Ken Knueven has proposed to “direct staff, in light of the new cost information presented, to discontinue efforts in preparing a resubmission application to the Design Review Board for the installation of a bocce court and related accessible facilities at the Cabots Point Recreation Area.”

The board will discuss and vote on the proposal at its regular meeting — the last one of 2014 — Thursday evening at RA Headquarters.

The new cost information, as reported in Reston Now last week, is an estimate from a civil engineering firm. The says it will cost $14,000 to for a site review for the park.

Costs include:

• Establishing survey control and accurate topography on site: $2,000
• Developing a minor site plan for submission to Fairfax County. Requirements include, but are not limited to: siting of elements, grading (existing and proposed topography), possibly erosion and sediment control plan and narrative, stormwater management calculations and narrative, possible landscaping requirements: $10,000
• Plan submittal and review to Fairfax County: $2,000

Additionally, RA documents say that materials to build the court will cost most than $4,000. However, RA says it can donate the 80 hours of labor costs ($1,884).

The RA Board voted unanimously on Dec 12, 2013 to authorize the construction of the 60-by-12-foot court at Cabots Point, which is RA Common Area land. However, there were conditions:

• Final design and location of the court is to be reviewed and approved by the RA staff and the Design Review Board. The DRB approved the application in June.
• Funding for the construction of the facility including but not limited to landscape materials, benches and a picnic table is to be provided by the Friends of Reston for Community Projects, Inc. The original estimate was the total cost would be $2,500, to be paid for by the Friends of Reston, which so far has allocated $1,500 for the project. RA has not earmarked any money for the bocce court.
• Once the above required approvals and funding have been obtained, further move to authorize RA staff to: 1) perform the necessary site preparation and associated court construction, including the expenditure of costs associated with materials and labor; 2) provide ongoing maintenance of the facility; and, 3) promote bocce as a new recreational amenity for Reston.

Meanwhile, there has been considerable negative reaction from RA members, particularly those who live in clusters close to Cabots Point. Those residents say bocce will bring noise, traffic and garbage to the area off of South Lakes Drive, as well as impede on open space used for a variety of purposes.

Others have told the RA Board that they were not adequately notified of the planned project, proposed by South Lakes Director Richard Chew last December, before the board approved it. RA has since changed the process of getting member feedback before voting on a new project.

In the last year, RA Directors have twice proposed pulling the bocce plan and starting over. Both times, the board voted to move forward.

Photo: Outdoor Bocce Court/Credit: Joy of Bocce

Be Prepared — Making your holiday gift list? In honor of Winter Preparedness Week, Fairfax County has some useful ideas to keep everyone safe. [Fairfax County]

SACC Prices To Rise? — Fairfax County is considering changing the fees for School Age Child Care in its schools. A new sliding scale would increase fees for some and decrease for others, depending on income. [Fairfax Times]

Shopping Local (And Pretty) — Where to get some locally made Christmas decorations. [Modern Reston]

Give The Gift of Blood — Blood donors are needed this time of year, when donations typically dip due to people being busy with holiday plans. The Inova Bloodmobile will be at Reston Town Center on Tuesday, Dec. 23 from noon to 7 p.m. The bloodmobile will be located beside the Pavilion near Williams-Sonoma. On site registration. Schedule appointment time by calling 1-866-256-6372 or online at www.inova.org/donateblood.

South Lakes High School’s boys basketball team enters the Washington Post poll as the No. 15 team this week.

The Seahawks are 5-1 after defeated Thomas Jefferson 46-25 on Tuesday. They upset former No. 13 Woodson 75-70 last week.

The team is led by Brandon Kamga, who is averaging 26 points per game. Kamga, a senior, has committed to play at Northeastern next year.

The girls team is also 5-1 after a 71-25 victory over Jefferson on Tuesday. They are led by senior Princess Aghayere (18 ppg) and Kamga’s sister, Brenda (16.2 ppg).

Swimming – The boys and girls teams both defeated Fairfax on Friday.  The boys won 175-134; the girls, 169-145.  Next up for the Seahawks is Stone Bridge on Friday at Ida Lee Park Recreation Center in Leesburg.

Indoor Track — With 20 athletes meeting conference, regional or state qualifying standards, the South Lakes High School indoor track team opened its season by taking the top two spots at the Liberty Elite Invitational Saturday at Liberty University. SLHS scored 61 points and placed atop the 31-team boys field and second  among the 26 girls teams in the competition.

Junior Eric Kirlew, who won the triple-jump in a state meet qualifying distance of 44-3.75. Senior Comfort Reed reserved a spot in the state meet with a 36-5.25 in the triple jump, finishing second overall.

The girls 4×400 meter relay team of senior Claire Nieusma, junior Golden Kumi-Darfour and sophomores Devyn Jones and Jessica Lister finished second in the race with a regional qualifying time of 4:12.72.

Chef Ed Hardy, who owns and operates Bacon N Ed’s food trailer at Reston Station, also has another job: Food Network contestant.

Hardy will appear on the Food Network Show Kitchen Inferno on Wednesday night.

Kitchen Inferno, hosted by celebrity chef Curtis Stone, works like this: “Contestants try and “outcook” a chain of increasingly skilled chefs to advance. With each victory the contestants face a pivotal choice: Take the money and run, or risk it all for a chance to win up to $25,000.”

Hardy says he filmed the episode several months ago and is sworn to secrecy about the outcome.

The Food Network says this: Executive Chef Ed Hardy is on a fiery mission to secure $25,000 for his wife’s chocolate shop. But standing in his way are not only the Inferno’s celebrity culinary gladiators but also the only thing hotter than the Inferno — the mighty ghost pepper.

Game-show earnings or not, Hardy’s wife, Francoise Villeneuve, recently launched a confection line, Wiggly Leroux Confections. Many Wiggly Leroux items, including pumpkin spice marshmallows and brown butter sea salt caramels, are for sale at the Bacon N Ed’s truck.

Hardy launched Bacon N Ed’s at Reston Station, the plaza on top of the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station, in October. He cures the bacon onsite and adds it to a long list of speciality items for sale during morning and afternoon rush hours.

Hardy’s episode of Kitchen Inferno airs Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 10 p.m. It will re-air Thursday at 1 a.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m.

Photo: Ed Hardy at Reston Station/Courtesy of Ed Hardy

One of the most frequently asked questions of me this time of year is, “What will the General Assembly be doing when it meets?”

The question is understandable, with the regular session of the legislature scheduled to begin on Jan. 14. The answer is not simple, however, even at this late date. There is unfinished business left over from previous sessions, hot issues that have come to our attention, and recent events that warrant the legislature’s response.

Although the General Assembly passes a two-year budget in the even-numbered years, there are always adjustments that must be made in the odd-numbered years. In stable economic times, these adjustments can be fairly technical and minor. In recent years with the uncertainty in the economy, adjustments can be major. That’s the way it will be this session. Already $1.5 billion has been reduced in the budget passed for this biennium, and additional reductions exceeding $300 million must be made to keep the budget in balance.

Since this will constitute a second round of budget reductions, the choices are not clear or easy. Higher education will likely get a second round of cuts with higher tuitions being available to make up the difference. There seems to be agreement not to reduce state aid to schools which is very important since schools are already funded by the state at a level below 2007. With all 140 members of the House and Senate up for re-election in November, 2015, you can be sure that there will be no discussion of revenue enhancements.

An issue that the Republican majority will try to keep in the background is the expansion of Medicaid that under the Affordable Care Act would provide health insurance coverage for nearly 400,000 of the working poor in the state. The Tea Party wing of the Party vehemently opposes the expansion.

Ironically, expansion of Medicaid would provide about $200 million in federal monies to supplant state monies and help reduce the budget deficit by two-thirds. Moderate Republicans in gerrymandered districts who fear a primary challenge from the right more than a general election opponent will not want to deal with Medicaid expansion. It is too important to delay further. I will continue pushing for expansion.

The ethical lapses under former Governor McDonnell resulted in some tightening of disclosure and ethics laws, but more recent events require the General Assembly to do more work on this issue.

There is some competition between the parties as to who wants to be the toughest. Other breaking news stories like the rape and sexual assault reports at the University of Virginia will result in some legislation to address a concern that has been ignored too long.

Headlines not yet written may well add other issues to the 2015 agenda of the General Assembly. One thing is clear: the agenda will be full. There is much work to be done.

Please share your views on the upcoming legislative session with me on my constituent survey that can be completed online at www.kenplum.com.

Ken Plum represents Reston in the Virginia House of Delegates. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of Reston Now.

Chili’s Bar and Grill will be closing its Reston location sooner than expected, a store spokesman has confirmed.

The restaurant’s last day will be Dec. 28, says Mike Huffman, director of operations for Chesapeake Restaurants, Chili’s parent company.

Huffman told Reston Now last week that the Chili’s, located at 11840 Sunrise Valley Dr., would close “sometime this spring.”

Chili’s has been in its spot near the International Center for more than 20 years. However, that whole area is slated for a major redevelopment.

The redevelopment plan includes 145,000 square feet of above-grade retail, 100,00 square feet of below-grade retail, 428,225 square feet of office and 498 residential units in mid-rise buildings.

Developer JBG has not said when redevelopment is slated to begin. A Wells Fargo branch closed in August and sits empty as well.

The rest of the small strip mall retail is slated to be torn down as part of the redevelopment. Only the Exxon station and free-standing Popeyes restaurant are slated to remain.

Read more about JBG’s plans in this previous Reston Now story.

An addition to South Lakes High School, renovations at Herndon High School and a redistricting of some of Reston’s elementary schools are among the plans for Fairfax County Public Schools Area 1 in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for the Fiscal Years 2016-2020.

FCPS plans out where improvement money will be spent in five-year cycles. FCPS Superintendent Karen Garza will discuss the next cycle with the school board at a meeting Thursday. There will be public hearing on Jan. 6, and the school board will vote on the five-year CIP on Jan. 22.

To see the entire report, visit the FCPS website.

Garza said the school system, which has grown by about 2,000 students annually the last several years, continues “to contend with growing enrollment and limited capital funding.”

“This version of the CIP includes potential capacity and capital solutions to schools which are currently or projected to be over capacity. The intent of the solutions was to provide relief through surplus capacity at adjacent facilities as well as taking advantage of projects which have already been identified in previous CIPs.”

Garza said FCPS has grown by about 22,000 students since 2006 and may have as many as 198,000 students by 2019-20. Growing Hispanic and Asian student populations have comprised a large part of the increasing enrollment within FCPS, she said.

However, FCPS may be past its growth peak for elementary schools, says Garza. Kindergarten enrollment for 2014-15 is actually down for the first time since 2007-08. Read More