Fourth of July is this Monday. Do you have plans? Here is what is going on around here to celebrate the holiday.
Reston
Lake Fairfax Park will have its annul evening of fun, capped by fireworks.
There will be live music from 4 to 8 p.m., as well as food vendors, and other activities.
Get there early to enjoy the Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole water park.
There is a $5 per car admission fee on July 4 (walkers and cyclists will be let in free).
Fireworks begin at dark, about 9:30 p.m.
Lake Fairfax Park is located at 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive in Reston. For more information call 703-471-5414.
Note: Many smaller fireworks celebrations usually take place at Reston’s lakes, where boaters set displays off from the water. Head over to a lake and you are sure to see some sparkle.
Herndon
Join the Town of Herndon on July 4 for a family-fun event featuring games, patriotic arts & craft activities, live music, family games, bingo, food, balloon artists and more. Events take place in Bready Park at the Herndon Community Center, 814 Ferndale Ave.
Schedule of Events:
6:30 p.m. – Games, bingo and children’s arts & crafts begin – all for free. Festival foods will be available for sale.
7:15 p.m. – Whiskey Rebellion takes the stage to play its mix of bluegrass, jazz and rock and roll.
9:30 pm – Fireworks show is choreographed to music and begins at dark.
Please note traffic will be rerouted. Motorists should expect detours and alteration of traffic routes throughout town at the conclusion of the fireworks display at Bready Park for up to 60 minutes, or until traffic clears. Those parked at Herndon Community Center may not exit until the officials give the all clear, which can be as much as 60 minutes following the fireworks show.
Ferndale Avenue will close to through traffic from Vine Street to Barton Oaks Place once the event parking lots are full, and will remain closed until the conclusion of the fireworks. (Herndon Centennial golf course access is available until the course closes at dusk)
Vienna
Vienna’s celebration at Yeonas Park features fun for the whole family beginning at 4 p.m. Th day includes the 2nd Annual Vienna Inn Chili Dog Eating Contest (4 p.m.); Old Bay Circus Company (one-ring circus act) featuring Michael Rosman (5:30 and 6:30 p.m.); Fat Chance with live music (7 p.m.); Fireworks begin at dark (approximately 9:30 p.m.)
Kids’ games and moon bounces will be on the upper fields, and the Little League concession stand will be open.
Fireworks are at Southside Park at about 9:30 p.m. (viewing available at Yeonas Park; some seating will be available near the playground at Southside Park.
Vienna’s fireworks rain date is July 5. For more information and directions to parks, visit Vienna’s website.
Reston Swim Team Association and Herndon High swimmer Emily Meilus swam the women’s 100M backstroke in 1:03.47 at the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in Omaha yesterday.
That mark was 3.75 seconds off the top time of 1.01.80, but far short of the time needed to make the semifinals.
Swimmers in today’s finals for a spot on the 2016 Olympic team include event U.S. record holder and 2012 Olympic gold medal winner Missy Franklin and two-time event gold medalist (and three-time Olympian) Natalie Coughlin.
Meilus, a rising senior at HHS and a previous Washington Post All-Met selection, will try again in the 200m backstroke on Friday.
Meilus swims for Reston Swim Team Association’s Lake Anne Stingrays and competed in Saturday’s meet against Lake Audubon before leaving for Omaha.
The FedEx Office location at Reston Town Center is moving a couple blocks away.
FedEx Office, current located at 11811 Freedom Dr., has filed permits to renovate 11904 Market St. The Market Street address is currently home to Davelle Clothiers.
Davelle, meanwhile, is moving to a new space in the same building. The storefront will face the parking garages rather than the Mercury Fountain.
Fed Ex’s move is the latest in a series of vacancies near Market Street/Presidents Street as it prepares for demolition.
The AT&T Store on that part of Market Street recently moved to Library Street at Reston Town Center, and Brighton Collectibles closed its doors in May.
Boston Properties plans to construct a 17-story office building with ground-floor retail and underground parking at Market and Presidents Streets.
The redevelopment was approved last year. A Boston Properties spokesman said the start date for the project has not yet been determined.
Photo: FedEx Office at Reston Town Center/Credit: Joe Bissmeyer
Metro Downsizing — Metro GM Paul Weidefeld says 500 Metro jobs will be eliminated in a cost-savings measure. [Washington Post]
New FCPS Grading Policy Will Help Struggling Students — “No Zero” will attempt to eliminate zeros from grades. Students who make an attempt will be given no lower than a 50, according to new guideline. [WTOP]
Congrats, HHS Class of 2016 — Here is a recap of Hornet graduation ceremonies held at George Mason University. [Connection]
Photo: First day of Reston Association Camps 2016/Credit: RA
Will Hunter Mill Road change from a country road into a more significant — and efficient — traffic artery?
Find out the Fairfax County Department of Transportation’s (FCDOT) progress on that at a community meeting on Wednesday, June 29, 2016, 7 p.m., at the North County Government Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston).
Fairfax County has been studying traffic mitigation options on Hunter Mill from Sunrise Valley Drive to the Colvin Run Bridge for several years.
There is heavy congestion during morning and evening peak hours. The congestion is heavily concentrated at the intersections of Sunset Hills Road and the westbound Dulles Toll Road ramps at Hunter Mill Road.
Says Fairfax County:
These two intersections are closely spaced and constrained by the existing bridge. The number of vehicles using Hunter Mill Road is forecasted to increase in the future.
With the opening of the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station, new development anticipated in Reston, and an increase in background traffic associated with development elsewhere in the region, vehicular traffic is expected to increase in this area. This study will look at alternatives to mitigate the existing and future conditions to ensure traffic can move efficiently through the intersections.
Meanwhile, the county suggested last winter that the best place to build a septic dumping station was on Fairfax County Park Authority land that is on the much-congested route. It is estimated sewage haulers would make 22 trips a day on the two-lane road, which features a 25-mph speed limit and a one-lane bridge.
After a community outcry, the county is looking at other alternatives before moving forward in that spot.
Here’s what’s happened in the process so far:
During the first half of 2015, FCDOT conducted the Hunter Mill Road and Sunset Hills Road Study to evaluate operational issues on Hunter Mill Road between Sunrise Valley Drive and Colvin Run.
In July of 2015, FCDOT deferred the Hunter Mill Road Study at the request of the community in order to allow for new capacity analysis methodologies for roundabouts to be adopted by the Transportation Research Board in January 2016 at their annual meeting.
FCDOT is now ready to restart the Hunter Mill Road Study and apply these new methodologies to the developed alternatives, and any newly developed alternatives. The project reboot will also provide an opportunity to integrate comments heard at the last public meeting into an expanded scope of work.
At community meetings last year, residents said they did not want Wiehle Avenue traffic diverted onto Hunter Mill. They also said Hunter Mill should keep the same character, but the county should look at roundabouts as a traffic mitigation option.
See the presentation below to look at community feedback, road-widening options and other considerations.
Fairfax County Police have located a man reported missing from Herndon last week.
Kenneth R Hirsh and his dog were found dead Saturday about 8 p.m. in a wooded area near the 12200 block of Parkstream Terrace, police said.
Hirsch was reported missing on June 22. He voluntarily left a residence in the 1400 block of Kingstream Drive in Herndon on Tuesday, June 21 around 4:45 p.m. with his dog.
Hirsch was believed to be experiencing emotional distress and be in possession of a firearm.
Police said there are no apparent suspicious circumstances related to this case.
Photo: Kenneth Hirsch/FCPD
Reston Swim Team Association and Herndon High swimmers will have their eyes on the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in Omaha today and Friday, where swimmer Emily Meilus is competing for a spot on the team.
Meilus, a rising senior at HHS and a previous Washington Post All-Met selection, swims for the Lake Anne Stingrays.
Meilus will be competing in the 100m backstroke (Monday) and the 200m backstroke (Friday).
Meilus swam in the Lake Anne vs. Lake Audubon meet in Reston on Saturday before leaving for Omaha.
Soapstone Cleaners will close its doors on June 30.
The dry cleaners, located at the Soapstone convenience center, has a sign posted in the window:
CLOSING
It is with a heavy heart that I must inform after nearly three years in business, Soapstone Cleaners will be closing and shutting down on June 30.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS
If you have cleaning at Soapstone Cleaners, pick it up by Thursday or call the business at (571) 323-0400.
Just A Drill — Here is how that full-scale emergency drill on the Silver Line turned out Sunday. [WTOP]
Startup Spotlight — Meet the people behind Reston-based TwoMinute Feedback, which wants to change the face of performance reviews. [Washington Business Journal]
Shoring Up Soapstone Sidewalks — After falling on uneven sidewalk on Soapstone Drive, one resident is inspired to organize volunteers to fix the concrete. [Fairfax Times]
Herndon Police Looking for Two Missing Teens 15-Year-Olds — Girls are likely runaways, but have been missing for months. [NBC4 Washington]
This is a promoted post by a Reston homeowner.
- Listing Price: $444,900
- Address: 11975 Greywing Ct, Reston, VA 20191
Now available for sale by owner: three-bedroom, 2.5 bath townhouse with loft, carport and storage.
This 1,725-square-foot townhouse features a walkout kitchen to a deck, as well as a second walk out from living room to a patio.
The townhouse, built in 1972, is located in a very quiet neighborhood. It has gas heat, all new double pane windows, a 5-year-old year and fresh paint.
The house also had has new bathrooms and a new washer and dryer.
Please call or email Gia Walker 703-587-4675, [email protected] for more information.
It’s only a drill: Metro Transit Police and Fairfax County will conduct a full-scale response exercise Sunday at the Greensboro Metro Station.
The drill will allow emergency personnel to practice the evacuation of a train during a simulated smoke and fire incident.
The exercise, which will take place inside the tunnel between Greensboro and Tysons Corner stations, will simulate real-world conditions to test coordination and communication between on-scene responders, Metro operations staff, Metro Transit Police and support personnel.
Metrobus operations staff will also use this drill as an opportunity to activate and test an agreement with Fairfax County to provide shuttle bus service via Fairfax Connector between Greensboro and Spring Hill stations.
The exercise will begin at 8:30 a.m. and is expected to conclude no later than 11 a.m. More than 100 emergency responders from various agencies, as well as volunteers, are expected to participate.
Customer Information
Free shuttle buses will replace Silver Line trains between Greensboro and Spring Hill stations Sunday until approximately 2 p.m.
Greensboro Station will be closed to the public from 7 a.m. until approximately 2 p.m. Metro will notify customers when the station reopens via email, text message and social media.
Members of the public in the area of Greensboro Station may notice a large number of emergency vehicles on site.
Adam Torres, the former Fairfax County police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man at his home in 2013 was sentenced Friday to a year in jail for involuntary manslaughter.
Since Torres has already served more than 10 months in jail, he will be released next week, Fairfax County sheriff’s officials said.
In April, Torres, 33, pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter just as his second-degree murder trial was about to begin.
The victim, John Geer, then 46, was in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend at his Springfield home in August of 2013. Police spoke with him for about 45 minutes in the doorway and seemingly had the situation under control when Torres fired a shot at Geer from about 17 feet away.
Torres told investigators he thought Geer was reaching for a gun. When police later went into the home, they found the gun on the floor several feet away.
Fairfax County Police did not release many details — including the name of the shooting officer — on the incident for more than a year. After a civil suit was filed by Geer’s family, the department was forced to release information about it in January 2015. The case prompted the county to form a special commission to review the police policies and practices.
“The death of John Geer was a tragic event and a painful chapter in Fairfax County history,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova. “With today’s sentencing, the justice system has done its part. Although Adam Torres’ act cannot be undone, there are many things Fairfax County can do to ensure future tragedies such as this never happen again. … We are committed to promoting community trust and making our Police Department a national model moving forward.” Read More
Reston Association’s Board of Directors is going to conduct an independent review of the Lake House budget development process.
But first it will call on people in the community to help review and hire an auditing firm.
The board voted on Thursday to establish a Tetra Review Request for Proposal (RFP) Selection Committee comprised of three RA members to work with RA’s Board Governance Committee to review RFPs and help hire a professional firm to do the review.
RA’s Board Governance Committee recommended last week that the independent review be done to determine exactly what caused RA’s 2016 budgeting for Tetra/Lake House to have a $430,000 cost overrun.
RA Attorney Ken Chadwick advised the board Thursday that for the review to be truly independent, it has to be done with committee members who are not on RA’s staff or board.
Several RA board members spoke in agreement.
“If you want something that can be trusted, it can’t be RA members,” said At-Large Director Ray Wedell.
Said At-Large Director Jeff Thomas: “I am not sure of the value of the review. I think we have a pretty good idea of what went wrong. But we should bring someone in who knows what they are doing and do it right.”
RA CEO Cate Fulkerson has said the former owner opting not to rent back ($100,000) and construction costs that came in much higher than estimated contributed to the deficit. RA paid $2.65 million for the 33-year-old building on the banks of Lake Newport last July.
The association will put out a call for candidates to serve on the Tetra Review RFP Selection Committee soon with an application deadline of July 15, 2016. Candidate interviews will be conducted by the Board Operations Committee at a July 18 meeting.
Meanwhile, what RA will asking potential professional firms includes:
1. A breakdown of estimated charges and a total estimated cost of the contract.
2. Resumes of those professionals to be involved, as well as the hourly rate to be charged for each one.
3. Company or group experience in conducting similar reviews.
4. An outline of how you would propose to carry out the review.
5. An estimate of the amount of time required to produce a final report, with an expected end date.
6. Any other information believed to be relevant to the proposal.
RA has a deadline for RFP responses of Aug. 1. The board will hold a special meeting in August to consider the recommendations of the selection committee.
The board also discussed what the independent task force will do. The final report will include: “a review of the processes and internal controls that were followed across the organization in decision making and handling all decision-making, governance, administrative and financial aspects of RA’s purchase, including the referendum, planned use and renovation of Tetra (now known as the Lake House property) that have led to cost overruns and revenue shortfalls,” RA said in a statement.
“The review will include all materials and documents deemed necessary by the consultant and/or were shared with the RA board and the public related to the Tetra/Lake House and may include interviews with RA staff, board members, committee members and others.”
In other Lake House news, the board also voted to approve Fulkerson’s plan to replace $400,650 of the $430,000 moved out of the operating fund. The cost savings will come mostly from not filling open staff positions. The board further directed Fulkerson to come back to its July 28 meeting with savings ideas for the remaining balance of $30,000.
The board voted to direct RA staff to provide documents by July 8 on the Lake House to three RA members who have requested materials.
The Fairfax County Police have a new tool to help residents stay aware of and report crime in the community.
FCPD has teamed with CrimeReports.com, an online mapping and analysis service provided by Public Engines, Inc., for the improved system.
CrimeReports.com combines the value of police data with the ease-of-use of Google-based mapping and an analytics module so that members of the public can view police data in a high-impact map and summary format, FCPD says.
Says FCPD:
CrimeReports.com provides a convenient, web-based platform that will allow us to proactively share local, police related information with the community.
Events reported to the Fairfax County Police Department and stored in our I/LEADS records management system are automatically published in an interactive map that is free and accessible to the public on desktop or mobile device.
For over 10 years, the police department has published calls for service data through the “My Neighborhood” application available on the Fairfax County website. The new CrimeReports.com experience will now provide residents with the opportunity to view police activity at their leisure, to sign up for updates, and to instantly send secure, anonymous tips to the Fairfax County Crime Solvers network.
Functions that are currently accessed on Fairfax County’s My Neighborhood site will remain available to the public, but will now include a redirect to CrimeReports.com.
To check out Crimereports.com, visit the site and type in a Fairfax County address. FCPD also has a Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
FCPS Needs Bus Drivers — Attend this job fair on Tuesday, June 28. [FCPS]
School’s Out, But Meals Are Still In — Fairfax County Public Schools students who qualify for free and reduced lunches can still eat lunch, and in some cases, breakfast, at school this summer as part of the USDA school lunch program. [FCPS]
Pool Party Tomorrow — Reston Association and Reston Community Center are sponsoring a “School’s Out for Summer” party Saturday at Golf Course Island Pool, 11301 Links Drive. The pool party is from 4 to 7 p.m. and will have food, a DJ, entertainment, and fun for the whole family. Food will be served at 5 p.m. [Reston Now]
Herndon Basketball Coach Resigns — Gary Hall, who has coached Herndon High’s boys basketball team for 23 years, has resigned to take a job in Texas. [Washington Post]
