Yes, Tax Day is traditionally April 15. But since that fell on a Friday this year, today is the deadline for filing 2015 taxes.
A bunch of places are helping you celebrate (or prepare to pay up) your 1040 with discounts and freebies.
Among them:
Pei Wei Asian Diner (Woodland Crossing, Herndon) is offering $5 off $20.
Noodles & Company (Plaza America) will give your “little deductibles” (kids!) a free meal when you purchase a regular entree. For those filing digitally this year, Noodles & Company is also offering an online promotion of $4 off any $10 purchase placed through order.noodles.com using the code TAXDAY at checkout.
Boston Market (North Point Village Center) is offering a Tax Day Special of a Half Chicken Individual Meal with two sides and cornbread, plus a regular fountain drink and a cookie, for $10.40.
World of Beer (Reston Town Center) will give you $5 off your check.
Check out this list on WTOP.com for more Tax Day specials.
Fairfax County Supervisors are taking another look at a county meals tax, so advocates on both sides of the issue are gearing up for a fight.
Several restaurant companies that have outposts in Reston have joined together to oppose the proposed 4-percent tax. At Clyde’s at Reston Town Center, for instance, there is a large sign in the restaurant’s lobby voicing Clyde’s Restaurant Group’s disapproval of the proposal.
Joining Clyde’s in the fight are Glory Days Grill Restaurants (North Point, Fox Mill and Great American Restaurants (Jackson’s).
“In a recent meeting, Fairfax County Supervisors went back to the well of bad ideas to bring back a rerun that almost nobody in Fairfax County wants to watch,” reps from the three companies wrote in a recent letter to the editor of The Fairfax Times.
“The ‘meals tax’ would levy up to a 4-percent tax for consumers to pay on all food and drinks purchased at restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, doughnut and coffee shops, and convenience stores across the county. It is taxation without justification at its worst.”
The restauranteurs say the meals tax is an unfair burden on residents who are also likely to see a 4-cent rise in real estate taxes next year.
In Reston, visitors to Reston Town Center resturants will also be paying to park starting in August.
Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins suggested last month that the supervisors look again at a meals tax. With the county feeling strain on its $3.99 billion Fiscal Year 2017 budget and the Fairfax County Public Schools facing a multimillion dollar shortfall, the supervisors are discussing putting a meals tax on the ballot this fall.
Hudgins said a 4-percent meals tax, similar to rates in nearby jurisdictions such as Vienna, Fairfax City, Arlington County and Alexandria, would provide close to $90 million for Fairfax County in annual revenue.
“You can’t keep services up if you are always trying to juggle this one revenue source [real estate taxes] up and down,” said Hudgins. “You can’t rely on one revenue source and be sure it gets to where you want to be.”
The supervisors discussed a meals tax in 2014 but did not move forward. It was last on the ballot in 1992. It failed.
The supervisors will discuss on April 26 whether to move forward.
A grassroots group has recently launched to support the meals tax. “Fairfax Meals Tax Dine Out” has a Facebook page, and is encouraging residents to patronize restaurants that support a meals tax and leave a flyer outlining what a meals tax can do for residents.
Photos: Jackson’s at Reston Town Center, top; Flyer for Fairfax Meals Tax Dine Out, bottom
FISH Fling April 23 — The annual gala to support Herndon Reston FISH (Friendly Instant Sympathetic Help) is April 23. FISH provides emergency funds for area families in need and hope to raise $50,000 at the event. [FISH]
State Unemployment Down — Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe says Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined by 0.1 percent in March and is now at 4.0 percent, the lowest rate since the June 2008 rate of 3.9 percent. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remains below the national rate, which increased in March to 5.0 percent.
Fairfax Police Shooting Trial Begins — The trial of former Fairfax County Police Officer Adam Torres, who fatally shot an unarmed man in 2013, begins today. Torres is the first officer ever charged with a shooting in the 75-year history of the Fairfax police. [Washington Post]
Fairfax County Police said overall crime decreased in the county in 2015, but rose in a couple areas within the Reston District Station.
FCPD this week released the 2015 Incident-Based Reporting (IBR) crime statistical data for Group A offenses. This report summarizes the Fairfax County Police Department’s CY2015 crime data as reported to theVirginia State Police Incident-Based Reporting System.
The IBR system was adopted in 1989 and is used to uniformly categorize reported crimes committed throughout the nation. Under Group A offenses, there are 22 categories of crimes, involving 46 different offenses.
“The police department’s multifaceted community engagement contributes to the mission of preventing and fighting crime through building stronger bonds of trust between police officers and community members,” says Edwin C. Roessler, Chief of Police.
“We are truly blessed to have an engaged community which partners with us to accomplish our vision and mission, which continues to allow all of us to make our county motto a reality: Fairfax County–a great place to live, work, play and grow old.”
According to the report, crime across all categories had an overall decrease of .66 percent in 2015 compared to 2014.
The 2015 IBR categories that cover all types of reported crimes are:
- Crimes Against Persons (increased .92% from 2014)
- Crimes Against Property (decreased 2.17% from CY2014)
- Crimes Against Society (increased 4.52% from CY2014)
(Note: Crime Against Persons are calculated based on the number of victims. Crime Against Property and Crimes Against Society are calculated based on the number of events)
Breaking it down by district, here is how the Reston District fared in 2015 as compared to 2014.
- Robberies nearly doubled. There were 24 reported robberies in 2014; 42 in 2015.
- Assaults: rose from 657 in 2014 to 715 in 2015
- Homicides: There was one in the Reston District in 2015; none in 2014.
- Abduction: 11 in both years
- Sex offenses: 21 in 2015 (down from 24 in 2014)
See the entire report, including mapping of reported incidents by district, below. See a greater breakdown of stats on the FCPD website.
The central green area planned for Reston Town Center North may not be big enough for meaningful programming — but it remains to be seen whether the county or Reston Association will look for ways to expand the outdoor space.
John McBride, Reston Association’s land use attorney, gave an overview of the potential planning issue for Town Center North to the RA Board on Wednesday.
A land swap and reorganization were approved by the county Board of Supervisors last year with a goal of eventually turning the 50-acre parcel into a new home for the Reston Regional Library, the Embry Rucker Community Shelter, recreational amenities and housing. Read More
A group of Hunter Mill-area residents is organizing against the proposed septic waste disposal site for Lake Fairfax Maintenance Area 6.
The Hunter Mill Defense League (HDML) this week sent Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins a petition with more than 500 signatures in opposition to relocating the septic dump from Colvin Run in Great Falls to the Lake Fairfax spot, located on Hunter Mill Road on the Reston/Vienna line.
About 21,000 homes in Fairfax County are not tied into the public sewer and must have their septic tanks cleaned out every five years and dumped in one of two county receiving facilities. The septage sites also receive waste from portable toilets and grease from restaurants.
Haulers make about 6,000 trips to the Colvin Run site annually — far too many for a narrow road like Hunter Mill to accommodate so many trucks, residents say.
“Since 1985, the Hunter Mill Road community has been unanimous in its desire to maintain development in the corridor in accordance with the established comprehensive plan,” wrote HMDL President David Bell in the letter to Hudgins.
“We have repeatedly voiced this opinion in battling proposals for high-density development at the Toll Road interchange, in the development of the Wiehle metro station, in developing traffic-calming measures and in negotiating in good faith the Special Exception permitting the Oakcrest School project,” the letter continues. “In each of these instances, the message from the community, your constituents, has remained the same — develop in accordance with the comprehensive plan.”
“Given that, many in the community are incredulous that this proposal, for what can best be described as an industrial use, has even been brought before the community by our elected and appointed leaders for consideration.
This week, county officials said all progress will be halted for six months while the county and consultants from Hazen and Sawyer consider other options.
A feasibility study by Hazen and Sawyer said it would cost $3.4 million to build a new, odor-controlled, secure facility at Lake Fairfax.
Meanwhile, the Colvin Run Septage Receiving Site will be temporarily closed in June for safety reasons due to the ongoing construction of the Difficult Run Pump Station. The site will be closed for about two years, Hudgins’ office said.
Want to sign the petition or get involved? The HDML will hold a petition drive/rally at 3 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Park Lake Drive and Lake Fairfax Drive. You can also sign online.
HMDL Letter to Catherine Hudgins Supervisor HunterMill District
Photo: One-lane bridge on Hunter Mill Road near proposed septage receiving site.
Popular DIY interior design and lifestyle bloggers John and Sherry Petersik will be in Reston Friday afternoon.
The Richmond-based couple has posted about more than 3,000 home projects since starting their Young House Love blog in 2007. They will be signing books at TD Bank at 1750 Hampton Ave. N (next to Trader Joe’s) in Reston from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday.
The couple has been on a book tour with HGTV Magazine to promote its second book, Loveable Livable Home: How to Add Beauty, Get Organized, and Make Your House Work for You.
The book features makeovers from the Petersik’s own home, where they live with two small children.
From the publishers: “Your home shouldn’t just look pretty, it should make your life easier. And just because you have kids or pets doesn’t mean you’re sentenced to floors that are overrun with toys or furniture covered in plastic. Through never-before-seen makeovers in our own house, doable DIY projects, and a gallery of other inspiring spaces, Lovable Livable Home shows how beautiful homes can be functional too.”
The new book is already a New York Times bestseller.
Check out Young House Love online, as well as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.
RA’s New Officer Slate — Reston Association’s Board of Directors elected new officers on Wednesday. The slate remains the same as it did in 2015: Ellen Graves, president; Michael Sanio, VP; Eve Thompson, Secretary; and Dannielle LaRosa, Treasurer.
“Our Town” Coming to Our Town — Reston Community Players will close out their 49th season with Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” which opens next week. [Reston Connection]
“Living Well’ This Weekend — The Living Well, Aging Well Summit is Saturday, April 16, at the Fairfax County Government Center. The event is free and is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The summit will feature a Technology Expo demonstrating exciting new technologies to make your life easier;
a Transportation and Mobility Expo showcasing options for getting where you want to go; a “Venture into Volunteering” Fair; health and wellness screenings, and more.
483 Offered Admission to ‘TJ’ — Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology has offered admission to 483 students for the Class of 2020. About 71 percent of the students will come from Fairfax County. TJ received 2868 applications. [FCPS]
Update 3:33 p.m. Thursday: After single tracking for 30 minutes, Metro said the empty train car was removed and full service restored as of 3:31 p.m.
However, Metro said to expect residual delays for a while this afternoon.
Original story: Service has been stalled on Metro’s Silver, Orange and Blue lines as of about 3 p.m. because a train is stuck in a tunnel under the Potomac River near Rosslyn station.
Fox5 DC reported at 3 p.m that the train had been stuck for the last hour.
Metro said shortly after that all passengers have been offloaded in the tunnel and the train will be moved.
Meanwhile, service is disrupted in both directions. Plan ahead for your commute home.
Reston Now will have more information when it becomes available.
Now being herded to front of train. pic.twitter.com/tq4PDriJYX
— Jesse James Helfrich (@abbajabanana) April 14, 2016
BREAKING: Medics dispatched to Rosslyn Metro after train gets stuck in tunnel https://t.co/dWrMB9rJN1 pic.twitter.com/ZNwYKUO0n1 — Arlington News (@ARLnowDOTcom) April 14, 2016
Are you a college student looking for a job this summer?
There are dozens of spots available at camps run by Reston Association, Fairfax County Park Authority and other agencies.
The time to apply is now. Here are some links to follow.
Fairfax County Park Authority is looking for “creative, high-energy and motivated candidates” ages 18 and older for part-time positions in its Rec-PAC program.
Rec-PAC will be running day camps at 46 elementary school locations across the county. The program operates weekdays from July 5 through August 12, and staff will be assigned to a site and work daily from 8:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Camp leaders and site directors earn $10 to $12 per hour.
Instagram is a wonderful place to see some of the world’s best yogis doing what they do amid a backdrop of fabulous places: a beach in Bali; a yoga retreat in Mexico; a dock at Lake Anne.
Wait, Lake Anne? Yes. Check out the Insta feed of Colure Caulfield, who teaches at Herndon’s Down Dog yoga, but likes to hit some of Reston’s most scenic spots to strike a pose.
It will remind you of Reston’s beauty — and inspire you if you are working towards a side crow pose.
A girl & her horse. 🐴❤️ — #reston #publicart #yogaeverywhere
A photo posted by colure (@colure) on
Doubling-down on #babyfirsts today: Baby’s first #snowday + baby’s first #stopdropandyoga ❄️⛄️🙏 — #blizzard2016 #babywearing #yogamom #snowga #snowyoga A photo posted by colure (@colure) on
A photo posted by colure (@colure) on
The project to move a septage receiving site from Great Falls to Hunter Mill Road is on hold for at least six months, Fairfax County officials said on Wednesday.
The county told residents in mid-February that the ideal location for a facility to pump septic tank waste from northern Fairfax County homes and restaurant grease from area restaurants would be Lake Fairfax Maintenance Area 6, a parcel on the Reston/Vienna line owned by the Fairfax County Park Authority.
The current septage receiving site is located on Colvin Run Road near Great Falls. That site has been operating since 1970 and has many issues, county officials said, including flooding, odor and poor accessibility for large trucks.
The proposed move did not sit well with area residents, who spoke up at a contentious community meeting. They told county Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) and consultants from Hazen and Sawyer that the Maintenance Area 6 spot, located on Hunter Mill Road near a one-lane bridge, was a poor choice because of proximity to homes, increased traffic on a country road and environmental hazards.
The county said it had looked at six sites before deciding Lake Fairfax was the best one. The citizens told the county to go back and find a space better accessible to a main road like Route 7. Read More
Now Playing: Snow White in Herndon — Check out this review of NextStop Theatre’s offbeat production of Snow White, which runs through April 24. [Mdtheatreguide.com]
Fairfax County Now Recycles Cartons — New program lets you add milk cartons and juice boxes to your recycling bin. [Fairfax County]
Reston Woman Cycling Cross Country — Reston resident and bicycling advocate Kelley Westenhoff is part of a team of riders cycling from Seattle to Washington, DC, to raise money for the Fuller Center for Housing, which helps people experiencing homelessness. [Fuller Center]
Beer Dinner at Red’s Table — Fair Winds Brewing is hosting a four-course beer dinner April 20 at Red’s Table. Taste craft beer and food pairings. $58 per person. For reservations, call (571) 375-7755 or email [email protected].
The Reston Bicycle Club has gifted Fairfax County with a new automatic bicycle and pedestrian traffic counter for the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in REston
Officials from Fairfax County and the Reston Bicycle Club will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, April 27. The event will be held near the intersection of the W&OD and Old Reston Avenue at 10 a.m.
The counter, valued at $7,000, was purchased to help collect information about pedestrian and bicyclist traffic, Fairfax County officials said.
“The counter provides an opportunity to better document the usage of these modes of transportation, and will support the county’s planning and investment in future bicycle and pedestrian improvements,” said Adam Lind, Fairfax County Bicycle Program Manager.
“We really appreciate this generous donation and look forward to monitoring the growth in bicycle and pedestrian trips for years to come.”
The county is in the process of planning pedestrian and bike improvements for Reston as it morphs into a transit-oriented community. One of those improvements is to take the W&OD over the congested intersection at Wiehle Avenue via a bridge. The plan has been approved but will not open for about five years.
Reston will also welcome Fairfax County’s first bikeshare system later this year.
Graphic courtesy of Fairfax County
Madewell is opening at Reston Town Center on April 27, but fans of the J Crew-owned jeans and accessories store can get a sneak peek at a special event on Tuesday, April 26.
The grand opening party is from 6 to 8 p.m. at the new store at 11928 Market Street at Reston Town Center.
There will be food and drinks, a DJ, and a complimentary Bien Fait tote with purchase (while supplies last), a store spokeswoman said.
RSVP online on Madewell’s Facebook event page.
Madewell is considered a younger, hipper version of J. Crew. Madewell specializes in jeans, leather jackets and totes, and other casual clothes.
Madewell recently opened a branch at the Mosiac District in Fairfax. It also has nearby locations at Tysons Corner Center and Georgetown in D.C.
