Herndon High Principal William Bates says he will step down from his job on July 30 to take an administrative post with the Baltimore County Public Schools.
Bates has been with Fairfax County Public Schools for 17 years, and has led HHS since 2009.
He was named FCPS’ Principal of the Year in 2015.
A Reston woman accused of sending money to a Somalian terrorist group is standing trial in federal court in Alexandria this week.
Muna Osman Jama, 36, was arrested in Reston in 2014. She was one of several people charged with providing material support to al-Shabaab, “a designated foreign terrorist organization that is conducting an insurgency campaign in Somalia,” U.S. Department of Justice officials said.
Authorities said Osman Jama and Hinda Osman Dhirane, 44, of Kent, Wash., funneled small amounts of money to the group, which became affiliated with Al-Qaeda in 2012.
The trial is expected to take two weeks.
WUSA9’s Great Day Washington morning show was at Lake Anne Plaza on Tuesday morning for a segment on Stand Up Paddleboarding.
Steve Gurney, owner of Surf Reston SUP, as well as many paddleboard and paddleboard yoga enthusiasts were on the water for the broadcast.
The segment was supposed to air live, but there were issues with the satellite link. The segment will air later in the week. Great Day Washington airs on WUSA (Channel 9) weekdays from 9 to 10 a.m.
Photos by Charlotte Geary for Modern Reston.
Fairfax County Adopts Social Equity Resolution — The county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday adopted a “One Fairfax” resolution, which directs the development of a racial and social equity policy to ensure all individuals in Fairfax have an opportunity to reach their highest level of personal achievement. Said Board Chairman Sharon Bulova said: “This is a formal declaration that will help shape decisions regarding education, land use, zoning and public-private partnerships.” [Fairfax County]
Zika Meetings — The Fairfax County Public Health Department will hold a Town Hall on the Zika Virus Tuesday July 19 at 7 p.m. in Herndon. There will be several other town halls around the county next week. [Fairfax County]
Taking Guard Against Gunfire — A resident of the Herndon home that has been hit by bullets twice in the last week shows what he is doing to protect himself (and the child who was nearly hit in the first incident). [NBC4]
Reston Woman on State Educational Committee – Reston’s Anne-Marie Twohie, Director of the Fairfax County Office for Children, was recently appointed to the Virginia School Readiness Committee. The School Readiness Committee was established by the 2016 General Assembly in order to better equip the next generation of early childhood educators with skills that will ensure student success. [Office of the Virginia Governor]
The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) has earned national recognition for its environmental stewardship.
FCPS has been named the winner of the National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPA) 2016 Barb King Environmental Stewardship Award, which recognizes a parks and recreation agency that has achieved excellence in environmental stewardship.
This national recognition pays tribute to the Park Authority’s growing commitment to protection of natural resources in Fairfax County, says a release from FCPA.
From the FCPA:
Enhancing Stewardship is listed first among the seven values that guide the FCPA, and the agency has a long list of stewardship accomplishments that were included in its award application.
The nomination noted that parkland in the county grew from just 14 acres to more than 23,500 acres over the agency’s 65-year history. It cited environmental design practices, such as the renovation of the Oak Marr RECenter which earned LEED Silver Certification.
Also noted was the agency’s emphasis on community outreach, through teacher-student programs such as the Meaningful Watershed Education Experience (MWEE) program, the production of popular, award-winning stewardship publications, volunteer environmental clean-up days at park sites, summer camp education programs, and Leave No Trace workshops.
Other actions considered by the NRPA include the FCPA’s support of the “buy local” environmental movement as evidenced by sponsorship of 11 community farmers markets, its work in establishing an environmentally preferable purchasing policy, and the 2015 Needs Assessment that surveyed 15,000 randomly selected Fairfax County households to assess how the Park Authority is meeting community needs, including the preservation of open space and protection of our parklands.
The Barb King Environmental Stewardship Award will be presented at the NRPA Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, on Oct. 6 at the Best of the Best Ceremony.
A Virginia native who founded a company that helps women artisans in developing countries will soon bring her store to Reston Town Center.
Living Threads Co. will open July 19 in the space formerly occupied by Brighton Collectibles, which closed its store at 11858 Market St. in May. The store will be a pop-up with a six-month lease, says founder Amanda Zehner.
That section of Market Street is slated for demolition and the rebuilding of an office tower, but a construction start date has not been set. The storefronts may end up housing several pop-up shops, starting with Living Threads Co.
Zehner, an Alexandria native, Virginia Tech grad and former Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa, started her company while living in Maine in 2014. The store has done online sales and operates a seasonal shop near Bar Harbor. Zehner experimented with a pop up at D.C.’s Union Market over the 2015 holiday season.
She said Reston will be a good spot to try the concept as well, even at Reston Town Center, which has an abundance of corporate retail.
“There is more a consciousness here,” said Zehner. “I think people are willing to get away from the big brands.”
Living Threads Co. sells eco-friendly housewares such as blankets and tableware; clothing such as a scarves and ponchos; and children’s toys. The goods are made by artisans in Nicaragua, India, Guatemala and Nepal.
Ten percent of company profits go to a microcredit and training program for the artisans and 30 percent goes to the weavers themselves, says Zehner.
She says the impact is noticeable in improving the lives of the artisans.
“The weavers in Nicaragua have increased their income threefold,” said Zehner. “They had an income of less than $100 month and now are making $300 a month.”
Living Threads Co. will be open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
The store will host a community open house with wine and snacks on Saturday, July 23 from 3 to 6 p.m.
Photo: Amanda Zehner/Credit: Living Threads Co.
A gas leak in the 1100 block of Elden Street in Herndon has closed traffic in both directions, Fairfax County officials said.
Elden Street is closed in both directions from Herndon Parkway to Alabama Drive as of 1 p.m. and will be closed for about five hours, officials said.
Herndon Police have not said how the gas leak started.
As Reston Association gets ready to hire a firm to conduct an independent audit of how the Lake House project incurred a $430,000 cost overrun, advocacy group Reston 2020 has an eight-point plan it wants the RA Board of Directors to keep in mind.
The purchase of the former Reston Visitors Center and office space for Tetra Partners commercial real estate was approved by voter referendum in May of 2015. RA told members renovation costs for the 33-year-old building would be about $259,000. That number quickly grew to more than $600,000 as RA made improvements to turn the office space into flexible community space.
While RA’s Board of Directors has moved money from its operating fund to cover the deficit, it has also voted to discover exactly what went wrong — but that independent investigation may cost an additional six figures (depending on the length of the audit and the fees charged by a professional firm).
Meanwhile, the Lake House is now open for business. Renovations are complete and RA is charging rental fees for community events, as well as getting ready for an after-school care program this fall. All of those things will earn revenue for the project, RA projections show.
But Reston 2020 says that is too little too late.
“The issues begin with disclosing the details of discussions that led to the secret deal with Tetra Properties to the near tripling of the property’s renovation costs in 2016,” Reston 2020 officials said in a statement. Read More
Reston voters who previously voted at Terraset Elementary will now be part of the Hughes Precinct.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is expected to approve the name change at Tuesday’s meeting. That procedure must be followed under Virginia voting laws.
Voters had been casting ballots at Terraset since 1976, but their polling place was moved next door to Hughes Middle School in 2014 to make way for construction at Terraset.
Even though the extensive renovations are expected to be completed soon, it looks as though the voting at Hughes, 11401 Ridge Heights Rd., is there to stay.
The name change does not alter the precinct boundaries (see map above) or the voting representation (it is still the 11th Congressional District; 32nd Virginia House District; and 36th Virginia Senate District).
Now available for free download: ParkRTC, an app you are going to need in a few weeks.
Reston Town Center is planning to begin paid parking in its seven garages on Aug. 1. It is encouraging town center visitors to get the free app from Apple or Google Play.
The app, which RTC owners Boston Properties calls a “significant enhancement” for customers, will store your credit card info and will be able to automatically pay for parking, which will cost $2 an hour on weekdays, say Reston Town Center representatives. Weekends, holidays and special events will remain free.
According to Reston Town Center’s FAQs on the subject:
“Reston Town Center has invested in this state of the art, virtual system which will allow you to quickly arrive at your destination and return to your car simply by entering a few digits on your mobile device. The ticketless parking system is based on license plate recognition, making it easier for you to enter and exit Reston Town Center.
A parking guidance system which uses red and green LED-based space indicators and electronic display boards will also guide you to available parking spaces.” Read More
Cookout Tonight — Reston Community Center and Reston Association are sponsoring a free cookout at the Ridge Heights Pool tonight from 5 to 7 p.m. Free food, entertainment, and, of course, swimming. [Facebook]
Meals Tax Opinion — This editorial in the Connection papers says Fairfax County needs more diversified sources of revenue, including a meals tax. County residents will vote on the 4-percent meals tax in the November election. [Connection]
Reston Couple Makes Major Gift to Alma Mater — Reston residents Pete and Kathi Stevenson have made a $250,000 donation to their alma mater, St. Francis (Pa.) University. The donation will go towards renovation of the building that will house the health sciences department. In appreciation, the university will name the Physician Assistant Examination Laboratory and the Physical Therapy Research Laboratory in their honor. [St. Francis University]
If you see people with their heads down staring at their phones around Reston, chances are they are doing more than reading a text.
They are playing a new game called Pokemon Go, which was released late last week and is the craze of the minute among some smartphone-toting age groups.
Over the weekend, it was heads down looking for Pokemon all over Reston. There were Pokemon reported on the paths and at the town center.
Not really, but virtually.
Players have to walk around their area to “find” Pokemon or visit “Pokestops” that have free items like pokeballs and potions. When they come across a pokemon, it appears on their iPhone screen as if it were in the real world, and players flick a pokeball at the monster to capture it.
So there are Pokemon in the lakes and Pokemon in the streets. Have you found any?
Still not sure what Pokemon Go involves? Ask your kids or read this Washington Post story. Here is some fun Restonian had with the little animated creatures. And here are some tips from people who spent all weekend playing it.
Photo via Restonian
Presumptive Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will be in Fairfax County on Thursday, where she will campaign with Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine.
The appearance is from 1:15 to 4:30 p.m. at Ernst Gymnasium at Northern Virginia Community College, 8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale.
Want to attend? Go to Clinton’s website and RSVP to get more details.
The Clinton campaign says the two “will discuss their shared commitment to building an America that is stronger together, while emphasizing that Donald Trump’s divisive agenda would be dangerous for America.”
Kaine, 58, is the junior senator from Virginia (elected in 2012) and was formerly Virginia’s governor. He has been mentioned by several national news sources as a possible vice presidential pick for Clinton.
Clinton should be making her pick for VP anytime between the end of the Republican National Convention July 21 and the start of the Democratic National Convention July 25.
It’s free Slurpee day!
Today is July 11 (7/11), and also the day 7-Eleven stores nationwide offer free treats for all.
The chain is celebrating its 89th birthday by giving away free 12-ounce Slurpees between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. today. No other purchase is necessary.
In Reston, 7-Elevens are located at 2303 Soapstone Road and 11714 Sunset Hills Road. There are also 7-Elevens nearby in Herndon at 1111 Elden Street, 701 Van Buren Street and at the Clocktower Shopping Center.
Or check 7-Eleven’s website to find your nearest 7-Eleven location.
Photo Courtesy 7-Eleven.
July was supposed to be a big month for Reston development and redevelopment applications, with about a half dozen scheduled for public hearings and other review by the Fairfax County Planning Commission.
Many of those have been postponed at the developers’ request. This often happens in the summer months.
Here is a look at what is on the docket and what’s been moved forward a few months:
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints — The church goes before the Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals on Wednesday, July 13 at 9 a.m. The church is seeking to permit for a place of worship on land zoned residential at Hunter Mill and Crowell Roads.
Tall Oaks Village Center — As previously reported by Reston Now, The Jefferson Apartment Group’s plans to redevelop the mostly vacant retail center into 156 homes and 8,500 square feet of retail has a public hearing on Thursday, July 14 at 8:15 p.m. Read about it in this previous story and also check out the planning staff report. Read More
