A Reston man is facing a number of charges — and recovering from a bite from a police K9 — after trying to elude a Fairfax County Police officer.
The man, 20-year-old Devante Harris of Reston, was at a red light at Wiehle Avenue and North Shore Drive Tuesday at 10:48 p.m.
An officer was behind Harris at the light as he turned right on red in violation of a posted sign. The officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop but the Honda fled and a brief pursuit ensued, police said.
Harris lost control and crashed near Association Drive; he then fled on foot. The Fairfax 1 helicopter and a K9 team responded to assist in the search for the fleeing suspect.
When K9 located the suspect, he “was combative, refused to comply with the officer’s commands, and was bitten by the K9 dog,” police said.
Harris was transported to Reston Hospital Center for treatment. Upon his release, he was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and charged with felony speed to elude, reckless driving, disregarding a highway sign, driving on a suspended license and improper registration.
Photo: Devante Harris/FCPD
Weigh In On Transportation — The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority’s TransAction, the long-range transportation plan for Northern Virginia, has an online survey for you to take that will help shape transportation planning for Northern Virginia for the next 25 years. [NVTA]
Dump Your Drugs — It’s Drug Take Back Day Saturday. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, you can drop off unused or expired prescription drugs at Fairfax County Police’s Reston Station (1801 Cameron Glen Dr.) or the Herndon Police Station (397 Herndon Pkwy), among other Northern Virginia locations. Police will safely dispose of the meds. [Fairfax County]
Kudos for Tall Oaks Director — Eileen Anatra, recently named as Executive Director of Tall Oaks Assisted Living, Coordinated Services Management senior community in Reston, was named “Administrator of the Year” for 2016 by the D.C., Maryland and Delaware Chapter of the Association of Nutrition and Food Service Professionals. [Reston Connection]
The 2016 Presidential election is less than three weeks away — who is getting your vote?
Are you voting along party lines? Have you switched over? Do you want to see Hillary Clinton (D) or Donald Trump (R) in the White House? Are you picking an independent candidate? Or maybe you are still undecided.
By the way, absentee voting continues in Fairfax County until Nov. 5.
Whether you are heading to the polls on Nov. 8, mailed your ballot in or will vote absentee in person, please vote. Meanwhile, take our poll (Note: this is not a scientific poll).
Roer’s Zoofari (formerly The Reston Zoo) is holding a fall festival with a twist this weekend and next.
Oct. 22-23 and Oct. 29-30 are Roer’s Giraffe-Tober Fest. For a $20 admission, visitors can meet Roer’s newest animal, Waffles the giraffe, and participate in some fall farm fun, including:
- Pick-Your-Own Pumpkin Patch
- Kids Zone w/Bounce House
- Giraffe Feeding
- Safari Wagon Ride
- Scarecrow Competition
- Carnival Games
Giraffe-Tober Fest’s Kids Zone is sponsored by the Russian School of Mathematics. Part of the proceeds will go to giraffe conservation efforts.
Roer’s is also holding a trick-or-treat event Oct. 29 to 31.
Kids can come “enjoy a very-not-scary Halloween at the zoo” from 5 to 7 p.m. The bounce house will be open, and there will be games and trick-or-treating. Adults and kids under 2: Free; $10 for kids over age 2. Half price for season pass holders.
Roer’s Zoofari, which was purchased and renamed in March, is located at 1228 Hunter Mill Road.
Purchase advance tickets to Giraffe-Tober Fest online.
Photo:Â Waffles the Giraffe and a young visitor/Credit: Roer’s Zoofari
The sixth annual Washington West Film Festival returns to Reston and other area locations today with its message “Story Can Change the World.”
On tap are more than 50 films — long, short, documentaries and more. Special event VIPS include Oscar winner Robert Duvall; journalist Bob Woodward; and actor Ed Asner, a consistent supporter of the festival.
Today’s presentations will take place in Arlington. The Reston schedule begins Thursday with Life Animated, a documentary about Owen Suskind, a young man with autism who was unable to speak as a child until he and his family discovered a unique way to communicate by immersing themselves in the world of classic Disney animated films. The screening is at 7 p.m. at Bow Tie Cinemas at Reston Town Center.
Check the Washington West schedule for Thursday’s other film screenings.
On Friday, there is a family-friendly screening of SNOWTIME!, an animated movie. That event is free and outdoors in the RTC pavilion. Bring chairs or blankets.
You can also catch Almost Sunrise, the epic journey of ex-soldiers, who battle the moral injuries of war, and the temptation to escape through suicide, as they walk across America; and Endless Night starring Juliette Binoche.
Saturday’s highlights include a George Mason University student film showcase; Midsummer in Newtown, a doc about children in Newtown putting on a play in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shootings; and Win From Within, a presentation of three short films, including one about Maryland tennis star Francis Tiafoe, an immigrant from Sierra Leone.
Also Saturday, a 40th anniversary screening of All the Presidents’ Men, the panel discussion with Woodward; and a VIP party in the Pavilion and the In Conversation and red carpet event with Duvall.
There is a full lineup on Sunday, including a Sound of Music special event at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Vienna, and the headline closing film, Bleed For This, a boxing story from Academy Award-winning Producer Bruce Cohen (Silver Linings Playbook, American Beauty, Milk).
To see the full film festival schedule, see ticket prices and purchase tickets online, visit the Washington West Film Festival online.
Photo: All the Presidents’ Men/Credit: Washington West Film Festival
The Reston Community Players open their 50th season this weekend with the classic musical Gypsy.
Gypsy is based on the memoirs of famous burlesque artist Gypsy Rose Lee, and focuses on her mother Rose — the ultimate stage mom.
Theatre critic Clive Barnes once described the character of Rose as “one of the few truly complex characters in the American musical.”
The multi-Tony Award winning musical, first staged in the 1950s, has music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Arthur Laurents.
Here is what you need to know:
Performances are at CenterStage at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods.
Shows are Oct. 21 to Nov. 12. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with Sunday, Oct. 30 and Nov. 6 matinees at 2 p.m.
Tickets: $25 ($21 for seniors/students). Call 703-476-4500 or visit www.restonplayers.org.
Other productions this season include Vanya and Sonia and Masha…and Spike, Rock of Ages and Private Lives. Visit the Reston Community Players website for more information.
RCP could use volunteer ushers for the shows. Here is how to sign up.
Photos courtesy Reston Community Players
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved appointment of three Reston residents to the nine-member Reston Community Center Board of Governors.
All three candidates ran unopposed in the annual RCC Preference Poll. Residents of Small Tax District 5 (Reston) still had to cast votes for the candidates in the September Preference Poll anyway.
The three-year terms for Beverly Cosham (incumbent), Michelle Moyer (incumbent) and Paul Thomas begin on Nov. 7. and will expire in 2019.
RCC says a total of 1,568 valid ballots were cast in this year’s poll. Vote tallies by candidate were as follows:
- Beverly Cosham                                1,327
- Michelle A. Moyer                1,342
- Paul D. Thomas                                 1,378
Read more about the directors after the jump.
Office Tower Humor — Restonian has some fun with the marketing materials for Reston’s planned One Reston Town Center. [Restonian]
Spooky Spots — Some nearby places for a Halloween fright. [Modern Reston]
Voter Registration Snafu — Did you try and register to vote on Monday, the last day to do so before the Nov. 8 election? So many people did, the system crashed. A Virginia civil rights group has filed a lawsuit [Richmond.com]
SoberRide Returns For Halloween — The Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) is once again offering partiers free rides home on Halloween night. [Reston Connection]
Founding Farmers has pushed back its opening at Reston Station until mid-2017.
The Washington Business Journal reports that that the restaurant will be delayed until next summer.
It was exactly a year ago this week that Founding Farmers announced its plans to open a 10,000-square-foot restaurant in Reston.
Initial estimates from Reston Station developer Comstock and Founding Farmers said the opening would be late 2016 or early 2017, but a peek into the the space last week showed it is still empty and no work has begun.
Founding Farmers will have a large mezzanine, which is complicating the construction permits, Farmers Restaurant Group CEO Dan Simons said.
“The combination of engineering complexities (we’re building a fantastic mezzanine) and the typical permit process labyrinth combined to push the timeline longer than originally planned,” he told WBJ.
Founding Farmers Reston will be on the ground floor of a planned 200-room hotel at Reston Station. No hotel tenant has been signed yet.
Comstock, which is developing Reston Station, is also hoping to sign a large, upscale restaurant for the ground floor space of the office tower that is currently under construction on the plaza.
Farmers Restaurant Group, which has restaurants in DC, Maryland and at Tysons Corner in Virginia, is preparing to open a new property, Farmers & Distillers, in DC.
Rendering of completed Reston Station development/Credit: Comstock
Reston is changing at a fast clip — with several large development projects in progress and more than a dozen new applications in the pipeline.
Concerned Reston residents say they want to know about those projects in an equally speedy manner.
Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and representatives from the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning held a public meeting at Reston Association Monday in which they spelled out how the development process works, from application to final approval from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
Even though the development process can take years, the citizens in attendance complained about a lack of opportunities for community engagement earlier in the process.
“The planning process is making me crazy,” said longtime Reston resident Tammi Pettrine. “In reality, citizens have no power against the county.” Read More
Four developers are teaming up to turn a 17.5-acre tangle of office buildings and parking lots at Wiehle Avenue and Sunset Hills Road into more than 1 million square feet of multifamily residential, as well as significant office and retail space.
Representatives from JBG/1831 Wiehle LLC, Bethesda’s EYA Development and The Chevy Chase Land Company gave a first look at the development application to the Reston Planning and Zoning Committee on Monday night.
The plan involves taking a half dozen parcels of land from 1831 Wiehle Avenue — the office building across Wiehle from the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station — several blocks east to Michael Faraday Drive. In addition to 1831 Wiehle, the plan will include redevelopment of 1861 Wiehle, 1860 Michael Faraday and 1840 Michael Faraday.
“We can see a large piece of property and a big opportunity at the Wiehle Metro,” said land use lawyer Brian Winterhalter, who is working with the applicants. “It is smack dab in between the W&OD Trail and the Silver Line. We see it as “the gateway to Reston.”
Bailey Edelson, JBG Vice President of Development, said the principals of the plan include high quality design; pedestrian and bike connectivity; urban parks and recreation; strategic office and mix of uses; and public art.
The development will be about 78 percent residential, with the remaining retail and commercial. Read More
Beer Dinner at Red’s Table — Red’s Table at South Lakes Village Center is holding a four-course beer dinner ($65 per person) Wednesday. Red’s is teaming with Lorton’s Forge New Works to spotlight owner Matt Rose’s return to brewing. Rose has been raising his 1-year-old son the last year after his wife/ business partner succumbed to cancer. [Red’s Table]
Local Transplant Story On Big Screen — The saga of a Fairfax County woman suffering from kidney failure and the man who donated a kidney to her is chronicled in a short documentary, 1-800-Give-Us-Your-Kidney, which will be screened at The Washington West Film Festival beginning Oct. 21. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Honor For Reston School — Reston’s Berthold Academy has been selected to partner with AltSchool, a Silicon Valley educational technology company founded by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg. Berthold will be the first school to test AltSchool’s education technology platform that offers a personalized experience for each child.
Cartersville Baptist Church’s Place In History — Cartersville Baptist Church, on Hunter Mill Road where Reston meets Vienna, is holding a fundraiser this weekend to make necessary repairs to its building. Learn more about the 153-year-old congregation that has remained while development has gone up all around it. [Fairfax Times]
South Lakes Moves Up — South Lakes High School’s football team, boosted by its 21-13 victory over Madison Friday, is ranked No. 8 in this week’s Washington Post Top 20. [Washington Post]
Save the time and hassle of filling your gas tank yourself by using Gas-e, an app-based service that delivers gas directly to your car.
Today’s Deal of the Day will get you $1.99 / gallon gas delivered to your home, condo, or office!
Purchase Today’s Deal Now
No Discount Code Needed: Simply download the app for iOS or Android and order gas between now and 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21.
WHEN: Now until Friday at 6 p.m.
WHERE: All of Reston
WHAT: Share with your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors — Seriously, who wouldn’t like gas conveniently delivered straight to their car on their time?
When you download the Gas-e app, you have the power and convenience of your own personal gas station wherever you go. Delivery takes roughly 30 minutes to 2 hours between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. (weekend and night hours COMING SOON!)
Reston Hospital Center is turning 30. The whole community is invited to celebrate at Reston Rocks 30 Family Fall Festival on Oct. 29.
Here is what you need to know:
The party is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Reston Hospital Center, 1850 Town Center Parkway.
There will be a Biggest Birthday Bash Cake Cutting at noon.
Bring the kids. They can:
- Hang out with Doc McStuffins and McGruff the Crime Dog.
- Participate in a dance party.
- Check out police cars, a police helicopter and firetrucks.
- Bring their stuffed friends to the Teddy Bear Clinic.
- Get a jump on Trick or Treating (Halloween costumes encouraged).
There will also be fingerprinting, car seat checks, games and prizes, plus food for purchase from local food trucks.
Reston Association is seeking to add back in 2017 more than $335,000 in staffing positions that were put on hold as the association paid back the Lake House overrun this year.
The Reston Association will discuss this and other needs for the 2017 budget at a special meeting Wednesday at RA, 12001 Sunrise Valley Dr. The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. and will include a member comment period.
RA is seeking to hire a land use assistant ($98,000 annual salary) and a geenral ledger accountant ($82,000); promote someone to capital projects administration coordinator ($36,000); and hire many seasonal employees ($181,000).
It also wants to promote a staff member to capital projects administrative manager ($84,000) and give current employees a total of $233,000 in merit raises, according to RA documents.
RA is estimating it will need $14.7 for the 2017 budget. The RA Fiscal Committee is recommending the Reserve, Repair and Replacement fund receive $2.9 million in funding, even though RA Treasurer Dannielle LaRosa recently pointed out the balance in the RRRF account has grown to more than $6 million in the last year. Meanwhile, RA has been spending just about $2 million annually on RRRF projects.
The RRRF is funded with a combination of assessment money, surplus cash and investment income. It must maintain a balance of $3.1 million, according to RA bylaws.
The board has the option to accept the fiscal committees recommendation or fund the RRRF at a lower amount.
Funding the RRRF with various sources will increase assessments in a variety of ways (see accompanying chart).
RA assessments were $657 per household in 2016. That amount was offset by an extra $1 million moved from operating fund reserves. RA members have been getting a service level as if they paid $705 in 2016, La Rosa said at RA’s September meeting.
RA assessments could top the $700 mark — which would be a $70 increase since since 2014 — depending on what the directors keep as budget needs.
See more information about budget needs on the meeting agenda.
Chart: RA
