About 235 employees in Sprint Corporation’s Reston office will be laid off, says a spokesman for the company.
Sprint notified Virginia officials of the layoffs under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, or WARN Act, spokeswoman Melinda Tiemeyer said.
The company, based in Overland Park, Kan., has about 1,800 employees in the Washington area.
There will also be layoffs at the offices near Kansas City, the Kansas City Star reported. Sprint similarly notified Kansas officials about 452 layoffs among its 7,500 Kansas City employees.
The cutbacks are part of a continuing review of Sprint’s information technology, network, portfolio management and technology groups. The Star reports there may be additional layoffs are expected in Overland Park and in Reston.
Reston became the headquarters of Sprint Nextel Corp. when it formed from the merger of Sprint and Nextel Communications a decade ago. The main headquarters moved from Reston to Overland Park shortly after.
New CEO Marcelo Claure said last year that cost-cutting would be a priority for the wireless company.
A statement from Sprint said:
The layoff notices in Virginia and Overland Park offer only a partial look at Sprint’s job cutbacks. The WARN Act requires notices only under specific circumstances that can leave many job cuts unreported.
Sprint employees who have gotten notices generally will continue to work for two weeks, but some may remain on the job longer. Companies often tie broad layoffs to their financial reporting calendar, and Sprint’s business operates on a fiscal year that ends March 31 rather than Dec. 31.
Job cuts are only one area where the struggling wireless company is trying to cut costs and operate more efficiently. It has been cutting prices for customers, which makes the need to cut costs more evident.
Photo: Sprint Reston Campus/Credit: Reston 2020 via Flickr
The Reston community continues to chime in on what to do with the largely empty Tall Oaks Village Center. One answer pops up often: “I’d love to see a Wegmans there.”
Ah, Wegmans. It’s a happy place. With 11 kinds of salmon, a coffee bar, cheese so rare it’s kept in a locked case and a chef custom-making your lunchtime stir-fry. Restonians are clearly fans — but must travel to Sterling or Fair Lakes to get an $18 artisan fruit tart.
Could it be that the mostly available space at Wiehle Avenue and North Shore Drive would make gourmet grocery dreams come true?
Sorry, no.
“We are not considering this location,” Jo Natale, Wegmans Director of Media Relations for the Rochester, N.Y., based chain wrote in an email.
Wegmans didn’t become Wegmans by squeezing the stores into any old space. The company has requirements of 150,000 square feet for the store alone, along with 800 surface parking spots, says a local land use attorney.
That means Wegmans needs about 15 acres to be Wegmans. The Tall Oaks site is about seven acres — and the anchor store, which used to house a Giant Food, is only about 38,000 square feet.
And that’s before the discussion would even begin on the traffic pattern and access from Wiehle Avenue.
So to review — Wegmans is not interested and the site is not appropriate.
You’re still going to have to head to Loudoun County or Fair Lakes for the hand-silced Nova lox or a wine selection curated by someone who knows a Syrah from a Cabernet.
Photo: Wegmans/Credit: Wegmans
Chili Winner — Fairfax County Police office Darren Tran was the winner of the Guns n’ Hoses Chili Cookoff at Oktoberfest Reston earlier this month. He shares his secret recipe. [WJLA]
Costumes in the Stands — The South Lakes HS Athletic Boosters are sponsoring a Halloween Contest at this Friday’s football game. There will be two winners chosen by the Boosters and Concession stand volunteers: winner of Best costume will win SLHS apparel, and winner of Scariest costume will win a full box of candy of choice and a 12 pack of soda of choice. Costumes must be appropriate for a school event (e.g. no fake weapons).
Election Day Chips — On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, California Tortilla restaurants, including the Reston store at North Point, will be be gviing out free chips and queso — no purchase necessary! To redeem your Election Day freebie, just say the secret password “I VOTED,” or show the cashier your “I Voted” sticker.
Blankets for Refugees — Fairfax County Supervisor Sharon Bulova and other local leaders have kicked off a blanket drive to help Syrian refugees. Blankets will be collected at various locations throughout Northern Virginia and will be shipped to refugees who have recently landed in Turkey. Last year, local municipalities and faith groups collected 18,000 blankets. [Help Syrian Refugees]
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday in favor of the county’s first Bicycle Master Plan.
This bicycle master plan maps out 1,130 miles in recommended, new on- and off-road bike routes to form a connected network across the county, says county spokesman Tony Castrilli.
This is the first such plan adopted by the county, which shows the growing demand of getting places on two-wheels instead of four, says Kelley Westenhoff, Reston Association’s Pedestrian & Bicycle Advisory Committee Chair.
The plan for more than 1,000 miles of trails and other bike connections will be a boost to the 353 miles of existing bike lanes, shared-use paths and trails already in place to form a connected network across the county.
It also represents a shift in transportation planning, considering biking as an important mode of the future.
“For Fairfax County, it means stepping up to its rightful place in attracting young professionals and families who are biking more and driving less,” said Westenhoff.
“For Reston in particular, it means the county is dedicated to helping us connect our already great pathway system with the rest of the county. As our local and larger communities become more bike-friendly, traffic speeds will drop and the sense of connectivity will increase.”
The changes won’t happen overnight. Fairfax County says it could take up to 30 years to complete.
The county bicycle master plan has been in the works for several years, building off of the county’s 2008 bike route map and the 2010 Tysons Corner Bicycle Master Plan. While Reston has made great strides in bike connectivity, some parts of the county have a long way to go, the Master Plan says. Read More
Fairfax County Police are investigating a burglary that took place in the 11400 block of Sunset Hills Road on Monday.
An employee reported someone entered the business, which is located near Reston Station Boulevard and the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station, and took property.
In other crime news reported by the Reston District Station:
LARCENIES
12000 block of Town Square, merchandise from business.
700 block of Walker Road, property from residence.
1700 block of Business Center Drive, property and wallet from business.
1700 block of Business Center Drive, property, wallet and cash from business.
11800 block of Spectrum Center, merchandise from business.
Photo: Sunset Hills Road/File photo
Reston Town Center officials say Food Truck Wednesdays, which began this summer, have been a big success.
But alas, as cold weather sets in, Wednesday, Oct. 29 is the last one of the season. So if you have been meaning to get out for Captain Cookie, Doug the Food Dude and others, today’s the day.
Here is who will be parked along Town Square Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today:
More food trucks can be found weekdays on Business Center Drive off of Sunset Hills Road. It’s a rotating group, with The Bratwurst King, The Randy Radish, Turkish Kabob and Spitfire Mediterranean Flame usually appearing.
Also, a new concept — Bacon’N’Ed’s — has set up on the plaza at Reston Station from 6:30 to 10 a.m. and 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., serving all things bacon to Silver Line commuters. Watch for more info on him on Reston Now soon.
Gone Fishing — Trout season began at Lake Fairfax Park on Oct. 11 and will run through Nov. 9. The county stocks the lake with trout annually. A Virginia fishing license is required along with either a one-day or a seasonal trout fishing pass available at Lake Fairfax. [Reston Connection]
Help SLHS Girls Basketball Get New Uniforms — The SLHS Girls Basketball program needs new uniforms and has set up a Go Fund Me page for community monetary donations. The varsity team is the defending district champion and wants to start out the season looking like winners. The program’s goal is $3,000. [GoFundMe]
Chat About Transportation — Fairfax County is holding an 11 a.m. online chat Thursday to answer questions about the $100 million transportation bond on the ballot Nov.4 Of the bond, $16 million would go to road improvements to reduce congestion, $78 million to build missing sidewalks and trails and $6 million for bicycle projects. [Fairfax County]
Snow Summit Nov. 6 — Snow seems a long way off, but localities are determined to be prepared this winter. Reps from Reston Association, Fairfax County, the Virginia Department of Transportation and and Fairfax County Public Schools will all sit down together to discuss better preparation and removal processes for this winter Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at RA Headquarters. [Reston Association]
A rocket that was scheduled to take off from the Virginia coast Tuesday night exploded on the launch pad, several news sources reported.
CNN reports that no one was injured in the unmanned rocket.
“There was failure on launch,” NASA spokesman Jay Bolden told CNN. “There was no indicated loss of life.”
The launch was set to carry some 5,000 pounds of supplies and experiments to the International Space Station.
Orbital Science’s Antares rocket was originally scheduled to take off Monday at 6:45 p.m. from Wallops Island, Va., and its track would have been visible from Reston and other East Coast areas. Monday’s launch was delayed due to a boat in the area.
NASA officials are trying to determine the cause of the explosion.
NASA will be offering more info, including video and a news conference on its website.
Photo: NASA via YouTube
Gloria Addo-Ayensu, Director of Health for the Fairfax County Health Department says that the county, particularly in the wake of a scare at Inova Fairfax Hospital earlier this month, is keeping apprised daily with recommendations on controlling the deadly disease.
A woman who vomited on a tour bus near the Pentagon Oct. 17 was sent to Inova Fairfax after Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington refused to treat her. It was later determined the woman did not have Ebola.
Below is the statement from Add0-Ayensu, issued Monday:
Dear Fairfax Area Community,
The constant media coverage of the Ebola cases that were diagnosed in Texas and New York continue to fuel concerns among people in the general population and have highlighted risks in health care settings.
Adding to these concerns is the Ebola scare that occurred in the Fairfax area on Friday, October 17, which involved a suspect Ebola patient who was transported from the Pentagon to Inova Fairfax Hospital. Although it was a false alarm, I’d like use the incident to help increase public understanding about how the public health system works and also provide an update about our Ebola readiness.
One of the critical early decisions that must be made when evaluating a suspect case of any disease is whether the individual meets the case definition and therefore warrants confirmatory testing. For Ebola virus disease (EVD), the decision to test is based on the patient’s travel history, determination of exposure risk, and whether the symptoms are consistent with EVD.
The process for testing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if necessary, is facilitated by local health departments. While it took some time to validate travel history of the individual involved in the October 17 incident, fortunately, doctors at Inova gathered enough information to determine that the patient did not have any exposures to Ebola and therefore testing was not required.
Lake Anne Plaza will be filled with ghosts and witches, firefighters and ladybugs on Friday, Oct. 31.
Costume size: small, with room for a tail.
The plaza is holding a HOWL-O-WEEN celebration from 6 to 8 p.m., where pets and their owners — who are also welcome to come in costume — can celebrate the holiday.
Among the fun:
Pet Costume Contest (starting at 6:30PM)
Music
Games (for pets and people)
“Yappy” Hour at Restaurants
Treats/Tricks/Prizes from Lake Anne Merchants
HOWL-O-WEEN is free and will be held rain or shine.
Taco dog costume/Credit: Youluckydog.com
Reston Association’s Board of Directors says perhaps Tall Oaks Village Center should be re-envisioned as something else — maybe a convenience center instead of a full scale village center.
The board’s comments came in a mark up of the Reston Master Plan Phase II draft plan. The board made a series of tweaks and changes it hopes Fairfax County planners will keep in mind as it formulates a Master Plan for Reston’s village centers and neighborhoods as the community heads into its second half-century.
On Oct. 20, county planners held the second in a series of community meetings to obtain priorities and feedback on the draft proposal. The Oct. 20 meeting concentrated on the village centers — what works, what doesn’t and what should be considered for the future.
The focus groups seemed to agree — Tall Oaks has been failing for years. With storefronts sitting empty for years and no new ones opening, it may be time to rezone some of the land to something else keeping some of Tall Oaks a “convenience center” or a mini village center.
Reston Association agrees.
From notes issued by RA to the county planners:
Reston was originally planned with Village Centers serving as the focal point of activity for the surrounding neighborhoods.
FOUR of the five existing village centers – Lake Anne, Hunters Woods, South Lakes and North Point (Tall Oaks is crossed out) are planned to continue to serve this purpose in the future. They are planned to allow currently approved intensities and to densities to remain but are envisioned to also accommodate some more intense vertical use redevelopment in the future to fully achieve the goal of being vibrant centers of activity.
Other suggestions from the document:
Senior housing and universal design residences are encouraged to be located within the village centers.
Tall Oaks is the smallest of the five Village Centers. Consideration should be given as a re-designation of this center as a smaller convenience center.
Other opinions of note from RA’s comments:
Reston has, since its inception, been envisioned to be a place to live, work, play and get involved. The overriding goal of the Plan is for Reston to continue to evolve in a sustainable manner over the next four or five decades. … As Reston evolves, it is important to respect and continue the characteristics that have helped define Reston from its inception.
As Reston’s population increases, added capacity should be achieved through development of land and/or facilities to meet the demands (not needs) generated by the development or redevelopment.
Protect the headwater areas and other environmentally sensitive areas through the implementation of innovative stormwater management practices and Reston Association’s stream restoration/preservation program.
Increase senior housing, ensure opportunities are provided for adequate senior housing designed to suit a range of age, income and health needs.
Wherever possible, missing connections in the pedestrian and bicycle networks should be rectified with new sidewalks, bike lanes (shared or separate) or trails.
Should the Hunt Club property be redeveloped residential, it should be part of Reston Association.
The Lake Newport Convenience Center designation should be deleted and the land is planned for office use at the existing density to maintain character.
To see the entire document, visit Reston Association’s website.
(Updated, Tuesday, 8:33 a.m.)
NASA’s launch of the Antares rocket was scrubbed at the last minute Monday night because of a boat in the launch area.
The launch as been rescheduled for 6:22 p.m. on Tuesday, NASA says. It should be visible in the sky over Reston as it takes off from the Virginia coast.
NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility and Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport were set to launch Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft Monday night at 6:45 p.m.
The two-stage, 131.5-foot-tall Antares uses a liquid-fueled first stage powered by two Aerojet Rocketdyne AJ26 engines and a solid motor ATK CASTOR 30XL upper stage to boost Cygnus into orbit, says NASA.
Says NASA:
The powered launch sequence lasts about nine-and-a-half minutes from liftoff through the separation of Cygnus from the launch vehicle.
This mission, CRS-3, will carry about 5,050 pounds (2,290 kilograms) of cargo, the heaviest load yet delivered by a Cygnus to the International Space Station. (CRS-2, which launched in July, held 3,293 pounds of cargo.)
Check out this map from NASA that shows the best times to view the launch on the East Coast. NASA will again broadcast the launch live on NASA TV beginning at 5:45 p.m.
Photo Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Kudos, SLHS Debate — South Lakes High School Speech & Debate has been recognized for their outstanding achievement earning the Degree of Premier Distinction. South Lakes is ranked among the top 10 percent of schools nationwide and has earned membership in the Associations prestigious 100 Club. [South Lakes High School]
Do You Know An Outstanding RA Employee? — Each year, Reston Association honors an employee who has invested their time and taken an initiative to make significant contributions to the organization and community over the course of the year, with consideration given to past achievements and contributions. RA members are encouraged to nominate RA personnel deserving of the annual recognition. Send this nomination form to [email protected] by Nov. 21 [Reston Association]
Chamber Needs Ethics Day Volunteers — Each November, The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce teams with South Lakes High School for Ethics Day at the Sheraton Reston. The Chamber needs volunteers adults from the business world to help facilitate problem solving. Can you spare half a day to shape the next generation? [Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce]
Fine Fall Foliage Here — Modern Reston takes a trip around Lake Audubon to see some extra lovely leaves. [Modern Reston]
Let’s have a round of applause for the 92 runners from Reston who were among the field of 30,000 at the 39th Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday.
Jacob Green, 30, was the top finisher from Reston with a time of 2:55:44. Catherine Reen, 32, was the top female finisher from Reston in 3:32:32.
Pat McDonnell, 69, was the oldest Reston finisher. He completed the 26.2-mile race in 5:18:26.
For all Reston finishers, see this list on the Marine Corps Marathon website.
Overall winners were Samuel Kosgei, 30, of Junction City, Kan., (2:22:12) and Meghan Curran, 28, of Moorestown, N.J. (2:51:47).
Missed out on the race this year? The lottery for the 2015 Marine Corps Marathon begins March 13.
Looking for a relatively flat practice marathon that is close to home? The Runners Marathon of Reston is March 29. Registration is now open.
Runners at the 39th Marine Corps Marathon/Credit: MCM via Flickr
Who is ready for a quick spa getaway in South Reston?
Hand and Stone Massage has filed permits to locate at 11160B South Lakes Dr., in the South Lakes Village Center space vacated a few weeks ago by Lakeside Gallery Fast Frame.
Hand and Stone is a national franchise, with local stores in Chantilly and Alexandria, among others.
They offer massages (starting at $49.95 for an introductory rate), hot stone massages (starting at $69.95 for an introductory rate), and facials (introductory rate of $49.95).
Other services include hair removal, aromatherapy and hand therapy, according to Hand & Stone’s website.
Check out the full menu of services on the company’s website.
No opening date has been announced.
Photo: Hand & Stone Massage/Courtesy Hand & Stone
