Reston woke up to 18 inches of snow Saturday morning, which made for an eerie, snow-covered Reston Town Center.

Reston resident Don Renner took some of these shots as RTC came back to life about 10 a.m. Grounds crews have been busy clearing streets and sidewalks.

Many stores and restaurants are closed, but a few — including Barcelona, bartaco and Tavern 64 — say they will be open today. Call ahead if you are thinking of skiing over.

Meanwhile, another foot of snow is expected to fall by Sunday morning.

Photos by Don Renner

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue crews were called to a partially frozen lake to make a rescue just as the storm picked up Friday night. The citizen in peril was a large dog that had fallen through the ice.

The rescue happened on the other side of the county in Fairfax Station, but we’re posting it here to show the skills and heart of all Fairfax County Fire Rescue medics.

Milo, a Saint Bernard, walked out onto the ice at Woodglen Lake in Fairfax Station as his owners were tubing nearby, firefighters said. At the time of rescue the temperature was 21 degrees with a wind chill of 8 degrees and blowing snow.

When firefighters arrived, the found the dog about 30 feet from shore, so they formulated a rescue plan that included rescuers jumping into the icy water.

Fairfax County medics and firefighters routinely train for ice rescues. They can sometimes be seen on Reston’s lakes (if they are frozen) practicing drills.

The dog was rescued from the freezing pond and placed in the medic unit for drying and re-warming. After about 30 minutes, the dog and owners were taken home and warming efforts continued.

Firefighters said late Friday that the dog is doing well. After rewarming the dog appears healthy and in no distress, they said.

Check out video of the rescue on Fire Rescue’s Facebook page.

Photo: Fairfax County Firefighters recused a St. Bernard from an icy lake/Credit: Fairfax County

The Blizzard of 2016 is delivering what the forecasters said it would: heavy snow, strong drifts and empty streets at daybreak on Saturday.

Here’s an update:

Snow totals in Reston, measured by three residents, range from 15 to 18 inches as of 8 a.m.

18 inches measured away from bldgs and trees in south Reston at 8AM. @capitalweather @RestonNow pic.twitter.com/zWX7CI0Qae

— Bill Burton (@burtonwc) January 23, 2016

Here’s a deserted Baron Cameron Avenue Saturday morning.

@RestonNow Don’t go out there!!! PLOWS are getting STUCK! pic.twitter.com/WrY9rt7R0Q

— Eddie (@WFOcom) January 23, 2016

What’s still on the way? The Capital Weather Gang says an ADDITIONAL 20 inches is expected to fall across the area 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday.

That would put the storm at over 30 inches, making it one of the biggest snowfalls in Washington-area history.

So far, Dominion Virginia Power is reporting fewer than a dozen customers in Fairfax County without power.

Want to venture out? Here are a couple of restaurants that said they would be open for the duration, but call ahead to make sure that is still the case:

Kalypso’s at Lake Anne Plaza; Barcelona, bartaco and McCormick & Schmicks at Reston Town Center; Red’s Table at South Lakes Village Center; and Tavern 64 at the Hyatt Regency Reston.

Fairfax County public safety officials are urging businesses to close for the day.

“We recognize the blizzard’s adverse impact on livelihoods, but we encourage businesses and other non-essential entities to remain CLOSED,” it tweeted Saturday morning.

The Virginia Department of Transportation is also urging people to stay off roads. Check out VDOT’s http://www.511virginia.org site to see live traffic cameras and the check which roads are passable.

Meanwhile, enjoy some photos from your neighbors. Keep sending us more through Twitter @RestonNow or on Reston Now’s Facebook.

Stay safe and stay warm!

Top photo: Snowfall 8 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 23/Credit: Kurt Rose

Reston Now readers are witty folks. So let’s have some fun and give this giant snowstorm heading here a name.

The Weather Channel is calling it Jonas. The Washington Post, after asking for reader suggestions, is calling Snowzilla.

Past DC big deals have been the Knickerbocker blizzard of 1922, the Presidents’ Day snowstorm of ’79, Snowmageddon. But Jonas? That’s a name for your new baby, not the storm that swept Reston shelves of bread and toilet paper four days in advance.

Here are a few suggestions, so take our poll and/or suggest a name in the comments.

Stay warm, Reston.

Snow in Reston 2013/file photo

The National Weather Service’s Blizzard Warning for Reston and the entire DC area began at 3 p.m. It will stay in effect until early Sunday morning.

The snow started falling here about 1 p.m. and is coming down at a steady — if not blizzardly — clip. Forecasters say the snowfall will pick up through the evening, with one to three inches an hour coming down.

When it’s over, we may see two feet of snow or more.

But it seems Reston is prepared — grocery store shelves picked clean, cars off the roads, many businesses closed.

Reston Association is seeking members to serve on the Design Review Board in three volunteer leadership positions. All terms are for three years.

The nine-member Design Review Board (DRB) interprets, administers and renders decisions involving the design covenants in accordance with the Design Guidelines of Reston Association.

Open positions include:

Design professional (2 seats): Architect, land planner, or landscape architect.

Lay Member (1 seat): Need not be a design professional.

If you are interested in applying to be a member of the DRB, please fill out the Committee Volunteer Application form and submit it via email to [email protected] by 5 p.m. March 4.

Responsibilities of the DRB include:

• Interpret, administer and render decisions involving the Design Covenants in the Reston Deed of Dedication
• Propose amendments to the Design Guidelines to the Board of Directors
• Developing administrative and application procedures
• Review and render decisions on applications for improvements and alterations to property
• Consider and decide appeals from applicants and affected parties
• Consider requests for temporary exception permits

The DRB meets on the first, second and fourth Tuesday evening of each month in groups of three (panels), and as the Full DRB once a month.

Home in Reston/file photo

An alleged Reston prostitution ring run by a man using the alias “Ron Burgundy,” was broken up by Fairfax County Police this week, police said.

Detectives from the FCPD Street Crimes Unit received information regarding a tip in December 2015 that there was an alleged prostitution ring operating in the Reston area.

After a comprehensive investigation, detectives learned than an unknown person was using the alias of “Ron Burgundy” and operating a “sex club” out of an apartment on Northgate Square in Reston.

Ron Burgundy is the name of actor Will Farrell’s character in the Anchorman movies.

Police said “Ron Burgundy” was advertising online and charging a fee to engage in various sexual acts with a prostitute.

The FCPD Street Crimes Unit executed a search warrant at 1411 Northgate Square on Monday. Police arrested Michael Tillman, 33 (who used the Ron Burgundy name) and charged him with pandering and maintaining a bawdy house.

Another person in the home, Jill Faustin, 26, was also arrested and charged with prostitution and frequenting a bawdy house.

Photo: Michael Tillman/Credit: FCPD

Ready for the big storm?

Here is the latest forecast, along with some other updates.

Timeline: The snow may start in the Reston area a bit earlier than expected, possibly by 1 p.m., according to The Capital Weather Gang.

The CWG adds that there is almost no chance of a last-minute fizzle-out, as many a predicted DC-area storm has done in the past. This is a real deal, and Reston may get more than two feet of snow.

A Blizzard Warning begins at 3 p.m. today as high winds and whiteout conditions are expected. The warning will be in effect until early Sunday morning.

Says the CWG:

Confidence is quite high for a crippling snowstorm. Underscoring one of many impacts in our region: do not assume emergency services will be reliably available this weekend. Make all efforts to complete preparations this morning so roads (which may slow/halt by this afternoon or evening) are not blocked. Be safe. Help those around you. Most of us will likely be immobile through at least Sunday and perhaps into early next week.

Transportation: In a rare move, Metro will suspend all operations beginning at 11 p.m. Friday and remain closed all day Saturday and Sunday. Read More

Fairfax County officials say they do not have an explanation about what went wrong on area roads when an inch or so of snow fell during Wednesday night’s rush hour.

People reported being stuck in their cars for hours as they tried to get home. Twenty-minute commutes turned into two-hour ordeals all around the Beltway.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and not the county, is responsible for treating most area roads.

Since VDOT — as well as Northern Virginia residents — have had about five days of preparation and warning about the storm expected to begin Friday afternoon, road treatment should be much more effective than on Wednesday, officials said.

“Do they [VDOT] need to do better? Absolutely,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova said at a press conference Thursday afternoon. Read More

#Snowmaggedon, Or Whatever — Restonian takes a look at the “Storm of the Century” about to head towards Reston. [Restonian]

Storm On The Slopes — Want to ride out this upcoming storm where snow is a bonus? Here is a guide to nearby ski areas. [Patch]

Darn It! — The ban on cursing in public in Virginia will be upheld. [Virginian-Pilot]

Storm In Pictures — As we get through the blizzard of the next few days, Reston Now would love to see your pictures and social media of you, your kids, your dogs and all things snow related (both good and bad) for possible publication. You can reach us by email at [email protected], on Facebook and @Restonnow on Twitter. Stay safe out there!

Photo: Snow at North Point Wednesday/Credit: Robbie Nolan

The National Weather Service says its Blizzard Watch issued yesterday will become a Blizzard Warning beginning Friday afternoon.

The Blizzard Warning for Reston, Northern Virginia and the Washington, DC area goes into effect Friday at 3 p.m. and will remain in effect through 6 a.m. Sunday, the NWS said.

A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. There will be  falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor visibility, including whiteout conditions, the NWS says.

The forecast for the Reston area is 24 to 30 inches of snow. Read More

Fairfax County Police are asking for assistance in locating a Reston woman suffering from dementia who has been missing since Thursday.

Alice L. Smith, 70, was reported missing on Thursday, police said.

She was last seen driving her 2000 blue Ford Escort on Fairfax Boulevard in Fairfax City on Jan. 19.

Smith suffers from dementia and may be in need of medical attention. She is known to frequent the Reston, Seven Corners and Merrifield areas to include churches, shelters and The Lamb Center on Lee Highway.

Smith was last seen wearing a purple coat, maroon long sleeve shirt, blue jeans and a blue and white scarf. She is 5 feet tall and weighs approximately 135 pounds, and has brown eyes and black hair.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Connie Morris at 703-856-8543 or Crime Solvers electronically by visiting http://www. fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text-a-tip by texting “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES (274637)** or by calling 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.

Photo: Alice Smith/Credit: FCPD

Due to the upcoming blizzard, Fairfax County Public Schools have canceled school Friday. Activities on school grounds will also be canceled and Saturday and Sunday.

This includes:

• extracurricular activities
• interscholastic contests
• team practices
• field trips
• middle school after-school programs
• professional learning and training courses
• adult and community education classes
• recreation programs and community use by outside groups not affiliated with FCPS

School age child care (SACC) centers are closed.

This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum, who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the views of Reston Now.

After the usual business of organizing for a new legislative session, the Virginia General Assembly got underway last week without major incident.

The House of Delegates has 11 new members, with Republicans clearly in power with 66 members and Democrats 34. The House leadership remains the same with Speaker William Howell in charge. The Senate moved to Republican control 21-19. As is the custom, the Governor spoke to a joint session of the House and Senate in the evening of the opening day.

Among the very likeable traits of Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) are his enthusiasm and positive outlook, and these were never more evident than in his speech to the General Assembly. A recovering economy that is providing more money for programs and services helps fuel the Governor’s optimism. Read More

Gov declares a state of emergency in response to winter storm – VAians urged to prepare now. https://t.co/2WHbxAlM7N pic.twitter.com/8pXfhO3m0y

— Terry McAuliffe (@GovernorVA) January 21, 2016

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency for Virginia because of the winter storm expected to slam the region tomorrow and Saturday.

McAuliffe declared the state of emergency around 8 a.m. Thursday to allow Virginia businesses, residents and officials to prepare for the impending snow, and urged them to prepare right away.

“Keeping Virginians safe in the event of severe weather is our top concern – that is why Virginia began preparing for severe winter weather yesterday by ordering more than 500 vehicles out to pretreat roads in Northern Virginia,” McAuliffe said in a press release. “All Virginians should take the threat of this storm seriously and take necessary precautions now to ensure they are prepared for travel disruptions and possible power outages during a cold weather period.”

A Blizzard Watch was issued by the National National Weather Service Wednesday, well in advance of the storm that could bring up to two feet of snow in Reston.

The Blizzard Watch begins Friday at noon and will be in effect until Sunday morning. The NWS says to expect 40 mph winds and below-freezing temperatures.

Virginia road crews were not as vigilant Wednesday night, when an inch or two fell in DC and Northern Virginia, snarling traffic on main roads for hours.

Virginia officials issued the following tips for staying safe during the storm (after the jump).

Read More