Runners Marathon Returns in April — Registration for the April 10 Runners Marathon of Reston is now open. [Runners Marathon]
Star Player For Herndon High — Meet Herndon Girls Basketball player Indeya Sanders, a junior point guard who is drawing attention from NCAA Division I programs. [Washington Post]
Kwame Alexander’s Literary Recommendations — Giving kids books as holiday gifts? Here are five of the favorites of Reston resident Kwame Alexander, a recent Newberry Award winner for his novel The Crossover. [Washington Post]
Photo: Herndon High’s “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”/Courtesy Karen Harrison
NextStop Theatre’s holiday production of Seussical The Musical opens Friday.
Seussical, which features, Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, all the Whos down in Whoville and a host of Dr. Suess characters, is performed by actors ages 8 to 16, as well as artists from NextStop’s professional company.
Here is what you need to know:
- Shows are Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 20.
- Tickets are $25. Purchase online.
- NextStop Theatre is located at 269 Sunset Park Dr. in Herndon
This is the second year Herndon’s NextStop has performed a holiday production.
The cast includes Katie McManus as the Sour Kangaro0; Matthew Thompson as Horton the Elephant; and Jaclyn Young as Gertrude McFuzz. The production team includes Director Jen Lambert, Music Director Evie Korovesis, Co-Choreographer Katie McManus, Scenic Designer Jack Golden, Costume Designer Kristina Martin, Lighting Designer Brian Stefaniak, Production Stage Manager Kyle Dannahey, and Photographer Traci J. Brooks Studios.
Photo: Jaclyn Young and Ben Cherington in Seussical at NextStop Theatre. Credit: Traci J. Brooks Studios.
Two men forced their way into a home near Reston Town Center and fled in the resident’s vehicle, Fairfax County Police said.
The 67-year-old woman who was the victim of the home invasion robbery told police two suspects forced their way into her townhouse in the 12000 block of Edgmere Circle about 8:41 p.m. Thursday.
The suspects took property and fled in the victim’s vehicle, which was later recovered near Reston Town Center, police said. The victim did not require medical attention.
The victim described one suspect as a black male, 20 to 30 years old.
Detectives do not believe this was a random event or that there is any threat to the public.
Anyone with information is asked to contact 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.
(Updated with more details, Friday 1:45 p.m.
A woman suffered serious injuries when fire broke out in a Reston townhouse about 3:20 a.m. Friday morning.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue crews were called to 11853 St. Trinians Court in the Deepwood neighborhood. Fire was showing from all three levels of the middle-row townhouse. Firefighters issued a second alarm, and about 60 firefighters were at the scene battling the blaze.
Officials said the woman self-evacuated. She was the only person home at the time. She was flown to Washington Hospital Center’s burn unit.
Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire.
There was also a car that was vandalized near the house, which fronts to Glade Drive. An investigator said they were not yet sure if the car damage was related to the fire.
Santa is here and he is ready to run. Are you?
The Cap Tech Run With Santa 5K takes place Sunday at Reston Town Center.
Here is what you need to know:
Race begins at 8:30 a.m. You can run as an individual or a team.
Online registration is closed. Register in person at packet pickups or race day morning. Fee: $40.
Packet pickup is at the Potomac River Running Store at Reston Town Center, on Friday 3 to 8 p.m. and Saturday 1 to 4 p.m.
The course starts and finishes on Market Street near Fountain Square. Affected roads include Town Center Parkway, Cameron Glen Drive, Fountain Drive, Reston Parkway, Sunset Hills Road, Market Street and Explorer Street. Roads will not be completely closed, but lane closures may affect traffic.
Kids Run for Free: There will be a free kids fun run (a few hundred yards). Registration will take place on race day for the kids fun run. Participants in the kids run will receive a finisher medal. The fun run will take place around 9:30 am, after the 5k and just before the awards ceremony.
Come in costume: Want to run as one of Santa’s elves or a reindeer? Go for it. There will be a costume contest with prizes.
Photo of 2014 Run With Santa 5K/Courtesy PR Races
Greywing Square in south Reston was the site of a burglary and two stolen vehicles in the last 10 days, said Fairfax County Police.
The apartment burglary took place on Nov. 24 in the 12000 block of Greywing Square. A resident reported someone entered the home and stole property between 9 a.m. and 5:50 p.m.
Greywing Square is part of The Springs Apartment complex at South Lakes Drive and Colts Neck Road.
Also last week, two vehicles were stolen from the 12000 block of Greywing Square: a 2002 Buick and a 2014 Jeep Compass.
In other previously unreported news from Reston Station:
LARCENIES
2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, beer stolen from business
2100 block of Astoria Circle, package stolen from residence
11400 block of Isaac Newton Square, property stolen from business
11600 block of Stoneview Square, property stolen from residence
11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, license plate stolen from vehicle
12800 Wrexham Road, property stolen from vehicle
Pet Photos With Santa — Lake Anne Plaza’s PetMAC is offering pet photos with Santa Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. Cats are welcome (for their own safety) the last half hour of the event. Cost $15, which goes to a pet rescue group. Reservations: 571-325-2099.
Silver Line Phase 2 About 10 Percent Done — The second part of the Silver Line construction — from Reston to Ashburn — is on track, officials said. It still won’t open for a few years. [WTOP]
Kudos To Reston Gymnast — Caitlyn Crawford, an eighth grader at Langston Hughes Middle School, had a 14th-place showing in the 13-14 age group at the 2015 Trampoline and Tumbling World Championships in Odense, Denmark, last week. The Reston teen competes in power tumbling, which is somewhat different than the floor exercise routines popular in Olympic gymnastics. Power tumblers, using a special elevated rod-floor runway, do just the tumbling passes. The additional power from the floor springs enables them to do flips and other moves about 10 feet in the air.
Suicide Increase Means Need For Prevention Services — Social service officials gave an update to the Fairfax County Board of Services on teen suicide prevention. [WTOP]
Hyatt Helps Out — The Hyatt Regency Reston has given a $15,000 grant to Cornerstones as part of its Hyatt Community Grants philanthropic program. The Hyatt Community Grants program, which is now in its eighth year, encourages hotels around the world to identify and nominate local nonprofits for funding consideration.
Photo: Fun at the Gingerbread Man Mile at Reston Town Center/Courtesy PR Races via Flickr
How much will my Dulles Toll Road ride cost?
A new feature on DullesTollRoad.com can tell you in advance. The tool allows drivers to plan and calculate their toll on their computer, tablet and mobile devices.
Tolls are calculated after selecting an entry and exit point from drop-down menus or by clicking directly on the map, says the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which operates the toll road.
Depending on the entry and exit points, one-way rates for two-axle vehicles range from $1.00 to $3.50. Tolls are the same whether paid by cash or E-ZPass.
The resulting route is highlighted on the map and the total toll for the trip is displayed. Tolls displayed are for the Dulles Toll Road only, and do not include other adjacent toll highways.
“This new online feature makes access to toll information more convenient for the traveling public,” Cyndi Ward, Dulles Toll Road manager, said in a release. “The toll calculator is an intuitive planning tool that elevates customer service by giving travelers a predictable experience before they drive on the Dulles Toll Road.”
The rezoning for a new housing development a quarter-mile from the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station has been postponed until early next year.
“The Lofts at Reston Station,” first announced last spring, was slated to go before the Fairfax County Planning Commission Dec. 9, but has now been postponed to Feb. 18, Fairfax County documents show.
The project, by Pulte Home Corp., seeks to build 42 two-over-two townhomes on the site of what is now a one-story office area at 1825 Michael Faraday Ct.
The Pulte project would need to rezone the 1.58-acre parcel from the I-4, Medium Intensity Industrial to R-30 residential district. As part of the rezoning, Pulte is asking to modify the minimum R-30 district size from three to 1.58 acres to allow the “infill” project.
Pulte is also asking for waivers on the minimum front and side yard sizes (from 20 to 10 feet) and the amount of open space (from 40 percent to 23 percent).
The Michael Faraday location is surrounded by other office buildings, but is just past the office building at 1831 Wiehle Ave., where developer JBG is seeking to rezone an office building to construct 504 multifamily residential units and up to 61,000 square feet of retail.
Also nearby, the 540-unit BLVD Apartments are nearly completed, and Bozzuto is in the process of building more than 421 apartments in the 11400 block of Sunset Hills Road.
On Michael Faraday Court, the existing 11,000-square foot, one-story building has been owned by the Hardwood, Plywood & Veneer Association since 1976. Pulte would have to own the property before rezoning, and likely has a contract to buy conditional on the rezoning, commercial real estate sources said.
“The proposed development will replace a single-story office building with attractive and high-quality facades, enhance the mix of uses desired near the Wiehle Avenue East Metro Station, and facilitate the planned grid of streets for the Transit Station Area,” states the Pulte’s rezoning document.
Pulte’s plan includes residences that will be “distributed in two rows oriented east-west to align with the future grid of streets, with a central private street to provide access to the rear of the units.”
The plan will take advantage of additional pedestrian and vehicular access on new streets planned for the surrounding area. It also calls for eight-foot wide sidewalks and a pocket park in the northeast corner of the site.
Pulte has said that because the other new construction planned for Wiehle-Reston East is high-rise buildings, offering townhomes will serve a broader segment of housing needs.
Photo: 1825 Michael Faraday Dr. in Reston is currently an office building.
After two mass shootings in the last week, Fairfax County Government has embarked on a public awareness campaign on what to do if you are part of a mass shooting situation.
On Wednesday, 14 people were killed and many more injured when two shooters — a husband and wife — opened fire in a county government building in San Bernardino, Calif. Last Friday, three people, including a police officer, were killed in a shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colo.
San Bernardino was the 355th mass shooting this year, says The Washington Post.
“Just like in any other emergency situation, the best thing you can do is to be prepared with information on what to do next,” says Fairfax County materials.
“Whether it’s an incident like Wednesday’s shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., or you are in the checkout line at the mall or drafting an email in your cubicle — what would you do if you heard gun shots and realized an active shooter was nearby?”
FCPD says remember the words “Run/Hide/Fight” to get you through.
Run:
If there is an escape route, attempt to evacuate.
Leave your belongings behind.
Follow instructions of responding emergency personnel.
Hide:
Hide in an area out of the active shooter’s view.
Block entry to your hiding place and lock the doors.
Send a text message to 9-1-1 if you’re able, but ensure your safety first.
Fight:
As a last resort and only when life is in imminent danger.
Attempt to incapacitate the active shooter.
Act with physical aggression and throw items at the active shooter.
Police also say when calling 911, here is info to provide:
- Location of the active shooter.
- Number of shooters.
- Physical description of shooters.
- Number and type of weapons shooter has.
- Number of potential victims at location.
When You Are in a Safe Place:
- Remain calm and follow instructions.
- Raise hands and spread fingers.
- Keep hands visible at all times.
- Avoid making quick movements toward officers such as attempting to hold on to them for safety.
- Avoid pointing, screaming and/or yelling.
See more Run/Hide/Fight resources on Fairfax County Government’s website.
The Fairfax County Police’s Tysons Urban Team and the Christmas Anti-Theft Team arrested two New York men for larceny and possession of counterfeit money at Tysons Corner on Wednesday.
It was the third such arrest by the department’s anti-theft team in the last week. On Black Friday, two Baltimore-area men were arrested for allegedly stealing more than $10,000 in merchandise from Reston’s Best Buy. Earlier last week, two New York men were caught making large purchases with stolen credit cards at the Tysons Corner Apple Store, police said.
On Wednesday, officers were called to Macy’s at Tysons Corner Center for a report of a male suspect in the store allegedly passing suspicious U.S. currency.
Responding officers located the suspect and watched him enter a vehicle driven by another man. Officers stopped the vehicle and identified that both suspects were wanted for crimes in other states on the east coast, police said.
FCPD’s subsequent investigation produced additional counterfeit U.S. currency, along with several thousand dollars in stolen merchandise.
Nathaniel Thompson, 35, and Byron Lee Giles, 35, both of Brooklyn, New York, were charged with possession of counterfeit bills, uttering false notes, and larceny by false pretense, police said.
The long and winding saga of the future of Reston National Golf Course has a date in Fairfax County Circuit Court on Friday.
When we last saw the main players — advocacy group Rescue Reston, golf course owners Reston National Golf Management (RN Golf), Reston Association, Fairfax County and others — they were in the same Fairfax County courthouse.
In early November, Judge Michael Devine granted the motion for summary judgment filed by lawyers for Rescue Reston, RA and other parties concerned about Reston’s open space. He also vacated the Board of Zoning Appeals‘ decision from earlier in 2015.
This means that golf course owners RN Golf Management would have to file a formal plan with Fairfax County in order to pursue redevelopment of the course. April’s ruling allowed RN Golf to circumvent rezoning in order to redevelop.
The issue dates back to 2012, when RN Golf asked Fairfax County if the 166-acre public course at Sunrise Valley and Colts Neck Road could be considered residential. Fairfax County Planning and Zoning said no, it’s open and recreational space. After several postponements, RN Golf filed an appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA). A BZA hearing took place in January of 2015, the final ruling in April 2015, and the newest decision on the April ruling in November.
At Friday’s hearing, the judge will enter the order (provided all parties agree on language) implementing November’s decision. It also starts the clock rolling on RN Golf’s timetable to appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court, should it choose to do so.
But even though there is a day in court, there is a chance nothing might happen at all. On Tuesday, RN Golf filed a motion asking Devine to defer issuing an order on the golf course case until “at least March 1, 2016,” reps for Rescue Reston said.
“This should not be surprising, given that RN Golf previously has pursued a strategy of delay, for example by appealing the County’s initial decision to the BZA and then postponing the BZA hearing for over a year,” said Rescue Reston president Connie Hartke. “The adjacent landowners who are opposing RN Golf will request that the court deny RN Golf’s motion for delay, and we anticipate that RA and the County will do the same.”
Scam Alert — The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents that telephone scammers, identifying themselves as sheriff’s deputies, are calling area residents claiming that they failed to appear for jury duty and will be arrested unless they pay the caller a large amount of money, usually on a money card. Sheriff’s deputies will NOT call you asking for money or threatening you with arrest. Do not give out personal information such as your Social Security number, bank account or credit card numbers, passwords or any other identifying information about yourself or your family members.
Ugly Sweater Ladies Night Dec. 8 — The Melting Pot Reston is inviting women to wear their ugliest Christmas sweaters to this special event next Tuesday. The Melting Pot will be offering its four-course Ladies Night menu with drink specials available all night. The winner of the most festive holiday sweater will be awarded a $75 gift card. Reservations recommended. [The Melting Pot]
Gifts Needed For Southgate Holiday Event — Remember that perfume gift set that you received that is still sitting unopened because it is not quite your thing? Or that tie that you received that you have never worn? Southgate Community Center is seeking them for the Elf Store. Those gifts can have a new life as children and teens at Southgate can “shop” for those gifts at an event on Saturday. Drop off items at the center, 12125 Pinecrest Rd., Thursday and Friday this week.
Fairfax County Police have arrested a 35-year-old man in connection with a commercial burglary that took place on Sunday.
Shoron Junior Wilkerson, of Fairfax, was charged with unlawful entry and burglary after he was seen on a video camera inside the building.
On Sunday, Nov.29, around 10:43 a.m., FCPD officers responded to the Astute Technology Building in the 11700 block of Bowman Green Drive for a burglary in progress call.
The owner was monitoring this location utilizing a video link that enabled him to see the inside of the building in real time, police said.
A subject was seen inside the building and police were called. The suspect moved out of view of the camera and his last known location was reported as being in the lobby.
Officers set up a perimeter outside the building and apprehended Wilkerson after he exited.
Anyone with more information is asked to contact 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: Shoron Junior Wilkerson/Credit: FCPD
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