Two men from China, including one from Herndon, have pleaded guilty to involvement in a $1.1 million fraud scheme involving gift cards. 

One of the men, Shoming Sun, a 41-year-old from Herndon, was sentenced to seven months in prison yesterday, according to a statement from the Department of Justice’s Eastern District of Virginia office.

Court documents say the two men were part of a wire fraud conspiracy. Members of the conspiracy contacted victims by telephone or social media and assumed fictitious identities, claiming to be apart of the Internal Revenue Service or an employee of a financial institution.

The release mentioned they also told victims they were entitled to money or were under a form of immediate financial threat, tricking victims into purchasing gift cards and sending them the redemption codes.

The conspirators used the codes from the gift cards to purchase goods totaling approximately $1.15 million, said the release. 

The other man involved in the incident, Yuchen Zhang, a 23-year-old from Manassas, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and will know sentencing on Feb. 10, 2021.

The Plank Family Foundation donated $20,000 to Cornerstones 50 to aid with safety-net and human services programs for families and individuals affected by COVID-19.

Scott Plank, an impact investor and philanthropist, celebrated the donation made by he and his family in June at a recent employee gathering at Reston National Golf Course, according to a press release by Cornerstones. 

The donation will benefit many local families across Northern Virginia who have been struggling to keep a roof over their heads, feed their families and afford quality medical care. 

“For 50 years, Cornerstones has worked with valuable community advocates, like Scott Plank and his family, to empower people living in crisis today with resources to rebuild their stability and resiliency for living healthy, connected lives,” said Kerrie Wilson, the CEO of Cornerstones.

The celebration at the golf course kicked off their latest employee service day through assembling critically needed PPE kits from Cornerstones’ Thanksgiving Food and Gifts for Kids seasonal drives and community food distribution events.

The Plank Family Foundation also hosted a summertime “Stuff the Bus Campaign” at the golf course to collect donations for a Back-to-School backpack and PPE drive and donation from the golf club members. Donations from this event supported Cornerstones’ distribution of 110 PPE kits, almost 900 boxes of produce and 1,000 gas and grocery gift cards in August, which helped support 844 local households, according to the release. 

“My family and I are thankful to have the opportunity to support a community that is so full of life!” said Plank. “Cornerstones provides an excellent opportunity for short-term assistance, which turns into long-term success for individuals and their community.”

Photo courtesy of Cornerstones 50

Another season of the coronavirus pandemic has brought on the second semester of remote and hybrid education. And for students without desks, the switch means they must look for alternative school setups.

Alisa Harriot, Lisa Merkel and Tracy Converse, three local Reston and Herndon community members, brainstormed a solution to the alternative setups: they and a hefty group with over one hundred members would find, build, or recycle desks to deliver to the students. 

On Sept. 11, after discovering a group of families in need of desks, the women decided to start a desk collection to benefit these families. They each posted on their individual Facebook pages asking if their circle of friends had any desks to donate. Immediately, the project took off. 

The posts prompted a major community effort to help support these families in need, from people at home building desks from scratch to the donation of surplus desks from the schools in the county.

In addition to an outpour of desks, the women were able to partner with local food pantries to aid with the distribution. They were also given a storage unit at South Lakes High School to help hold a larger number of desks. 

“It’s been a really quick-moving and exciting project that takes a lot of people and a lot of help from the community,” said Harriot. “We have yet to be in a position where we didn’t find that help.”

The story that mobilized the women was that of a local girl who, with the onset of virtual learning, didn’t have anywhere sufficient to set up a workspace and as a result, had to flip a toilet seat into a modified desk. After hearing this girl’s story, they launched into action to help other students in similar situations. 

“If you want to see a bunch of community members activate, you let them know that there’s a little girl somewhere using a toilet as a desk,” said Harriot. 

As of last week, 107 desks have been delivered to students in need. The project has gained the support and participation of about 147 volunteers from the Reston and Herndon communities in the last month. 

They are currently looking to work with The CORE Foundation to become one of their core causes to begin taking financial donations for the project, according to Harriot. Harriot also is thinking about continuing the effort even after school resumes in-person. 

“At a time where everything seems so divisive and uncertain, it’s been really nice to see a bunch of people … all of a sudden working together and doing great things,” said Merkel.

Those interested in donating desks can drop them off at their storage pod at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive). Individuals in need of a desk are encouraged to reach out to their school counselor, who will work with them to find the best way to pick them up. For more information, email [email protected]. 

Photo courtesy of Alisa Harriot

The arrival of October usually means the beginning of a month full of fall and Halloween festivities. However, in pandemic times, the seasonal celebration might look a little bit different — trick-or-treating in particular. 

Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted a list of guidelines to take when planning for fall and winter holidays, including Halloween at the end of this month. Festivities were ranked low-risk to high-risk, allowing people to gauge what level of risk they are comfortable taking when participating in the holiday. 

Some low-risk Halloween ideas include carving pumpkins with family, having a virtual costume contest or holding a trick-or-treat style scavenger hunt around your home. 

One-way trick-or-treating with pre-wrapped goodie bags was recommended by the CDC as a moderate-risk activity. Traditional trick-or-treating, however, was listed as a higher-risk activity. 

Considering recommendations regarding pandemic trick-or-treating and the likelihood of children hunting for candy, will you be handing out goodies this year? Will you be doing so traditionally, modifying the candy giveaway, or skipping the activity altogether?

Photo by NeONBRAND/Unsplash

The 17th annual Friends of Reston run/walk fundraiser for the Walker Nature Center, the Virtual Nature Center Walk-or-Run, is officially set to begin Friday, Oct. 9, and end Sunday, Oct. 18.

The fundraiser has run every year since April 2004, and it benefits the Walker Nature Center and its Nature House. After initially being postponed in April due to the coronavirus, the event is now a virtual run/walk event and is aiming to attract participation from more ages and abilities, according to a statement from the non-profit.

Participants can select a 5K, 10K, or one-mile route to complete over a 10-day time span. The distance can be completed from anywhere, from one of Reston’s trails to a treadmill at home. 

“Reston’s 55 miles of trails have received all the more use and appreciation since pandemic-distancing began in March,” said Carol Nahorniak, the president of Friends of Reston. “This event is an excellent opportunity to put all those extra walks and runs toward a good cause.”

Participants will receive a commemorative T-shirt if registered by Friday, Sept. 25. Registration is open now through Oct. 2. T-shirts will be available for contactless pick-up at the Walker Nature Center’s Nature House (1140 Glade Drive) on Mondays through Fridays beginning Oct. 5 until Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Additionally, those who post photos on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #WalkerRun2020 will be eligible for prize drawings. 

Friends of Reston is a non-profit organization aiming to support the Reston Association with charitable, educational and scientific activities. They offer various programs, projects and scholarships to engage the Reston community.

Photo via the Friends of Reston website

The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce has opened registration for its Annual Pumpkin 5K and Movement Challenge. 

The month-long fitness celebration offers four different challenges encouraging good health for the community to participate in: a one-mile run/walk, a 5K run/walk, the “Halloween 13” consisting of a 13-mile virtual run around Reston, and several moving minutes challenges of 500, 700 or 1,000 minutes, according to the event’s website. 

The 5K challenge can be completed by run, walk, swim or bike. Additionally, after registering for one event, all events are unlocked — meaning those who want to participate in multiple challenges can. Registration is available on the website for $30. 

For those who aren’t interested in the races, the three different moving minutes challenges log exercise activity over the course of the month until reaching one of the time goals. Participants can choose any physical activity of their choice to log, from golf, to yoga, to a game of pickleball. 

Participants are also able to create teams to go head-to-head with their neighbors, according to the website. The challenge is also handing out gear, including a commemorative short-sleeved shirt, a commemorative medal, a printable custom bib and more. 

Local businesses looking to promote their products are encouraged to sponsor the 5K, and can do through the website. 

Photo via the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce

Reston will soon have its own destination for South Korean double-fried chicken. 

Bonchon Chicken, a global South Korean restaurant chain, is holding its grand opening in on Sept. 28 at 11652 Plaza America Drive.

As a part of the grand opening festivities, the restaurant will be offering specials including complimentary fries with any order of chicken strips. 

According to the website, Bonchon has more than 340 restaurant locations worldwide, with more than 100 across the United States. 

The restaurant’s hours are Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., and Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Bonchon is offering dine-in, take-out, and delivery. 

Photo via bonchonchicken/Instagram

Cornerstones has opened registration for its annual Gifts for Kids drive. The program is running concurrently with the Thanksgiving Food Drive this year to reduce interactions in the midst of the pandemic. 

Gifts for Kids aims to provide gifts for underprivileged kids in the community during the holiday season. In COVID-19 times, their mission to deliver holiday spirit remains especially important. 

In lieu of physical gifts, families will be receiving gift cards instead to ensure the safety of donors, volunteers, recipients and staff, according to the organization’s website. The drive will also be running five days, giving donors more time to donate and reducing the number of people dropping off at one time. 

Cornerstones will have social distancing measures and other COVID-19 safety protocols in place for the drives, including cutting down the number of volunteers at a time, requiring masks and temperature checks for volunteers, and having much of the work done outside. 

Additionally, families will drop off items by a drive-through instead of dropping off donations inside. 

The organization will be accepting gift card donations at St. John Neumann Catholic Church (11900 Lawyers Road) on November 16 through November 19 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., and November 20 from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. 

Those interested in donating can fill out the registration form on their website. Cornerstones will be distributing personalized gift card wish lists during the week of Oct. 1. 

Photo by Element 5 Digital/Unsplash

Tandem Product Academy is looking for 20 existing Northern Virginia technology companies to guide and help succeed in the COVID-19 economy.

Amplifier Advisors, as well as a group of university, government and community partners, helped Tandem Innovation Alliance’s Academy launch a new cohort mentoring these technology companies on Sept. 14.

The academy will help the selected businesses find a business model that will sustain them throughout the pandemic and long after, according to a statement from the Academy. The program will commence on Oct. 21, 2020.

The professionally-run program will run virtually over a four-month period, alternating between all-cohort classes and individual company mentor sessions, according to the statement.

“The post COVID-19 economy is punishing for technology businesses that do not have the right product market fit, but as we can see from regional and national successes, when a technology business has the right fit, this is a great time to be in the technology industry,” said Jonathan Aberman, the founder of Amplifier Advisors.

“We want to help a group of promising technology businesses find their best opportunities to pivot what they have built into a market that will be rewarding for the current economy and what’s next,” said Aberman.

Amplifier Advisors is an innovation business led by Aberman, George Mason University’s Center for Regional Analysis and Marymount University’s Marymount Intrapreneurship Initiative, according to the statement.

The cohort’s teaching team includes Marymount University faculty and well-known technology entrepreneurs and investors, including Mark Walsh, Gene Riechers, Ben Foster, Erich Baumgarter, Tien Wong, Pat Sheridan, Elizabeth Shea and Jonathan Aberman.

Participants must be senior leaders of a business that has a technology product that has achieved some commercial adoption, according to the statement, and whose company has done any of the following over the past year:

• Had gross revenue of $500,000;
• Obtained at least $500,000 in capital from sources other than the founder’s immediate friends or family; or
• Received at least $500,000 in federal research and development funding.

Those interested can view more information and apply at the Tandem Innovation Alliance website.

Photo by Alesia Kazantceva/Unsplash

Early voting in Fairfax County is scheduled to begin on Friday, Sept. 18 at the Fairfax County Government Center Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Voting will also be available on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Sept. 19, and on Oct. 14 through Oct. 31. 

Any registered Fairfax County voter can vote early, according to a statement from the Fairfax County Government. 

Starting Oct. 14, 13 additional early voting locations will open up across the county. These locations include the Herndon Fortnightly Library and North County Governmental Center. Great Falls Library will open for early voting on Oct. 17 and is only open on Saturdays.

Early voting will end on Oct. 31 at 5 p.m., according to the statement. There will be social distancing and enhanced cleaning measures to protect voters and poll workers. 

Polls are now allowing multiple different forms of identification in place of a photo ID, including a copy of a voter’s current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or any other government document with the voter’s name and address. Expired Virginia drivers’ licenses are also allowed, according to the statement. 

If a voter requested a mail-in ballot but now wants to vote early, they can bring their uncast mail-in ballot to the polling location and surrender it in exchange for a new, in-person ballot. 

Those voters don’t want to mail in their cast ballot can return it at a drop-off box at any early voting site during open hours. Additionally, starting Sept. 21 the Fairfax County Government Center will have a 24-hour secure drop-off box at the government center.

Drug take-back boxes have been placed at all eight police stations in Fairfax County, including its Reston station. 

The eight stations include Reston District Station, Sully District Station, Mount Vernon District Station, McLean District Station, Mason District Station, Franconia District Station, West Springfield District Station and Fair Oaks District Station. 

According to a statement from the Fairfax County Police Department, the boxes placed at each local station are geared to be a safe place to responsibly and conveniently drop off unused or unneeded medications. 

The stations are accepting schedule II-V controlled and non-controlled prescription medication, prescription ointments, over-the-counter medications and medications for pets. 

The stations are prohibiting needles, liquids of any kind, illegal drugs, non-prescription ointments and lotions, aerosol cans and inhalers, according to the statement. 

The district stations are open to the public 24 hours each day, seven days each week. Those with questions can contact the Property and Evidence Section Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. at 703-246-2786.

Photo via the Fairfax County Government website 

A Wiehle Ave. Pedestrian Crossing study group has identified three possible options to install safer pedestrian crossing spaces across Wiehle Ave. 

For months, a study group has been assessing Wiehle Ave. for future pedestrian crossing installments. Recently, the group discussed three different bridge options to go across the road. They discussed two bridge options at the intersection at Dulles Toll Road, and one bridge option further midblock at Dulles Toll Road. 

The urgency around creating a safe crossing zone comes after the recent rezoning at the Campus Commons development that could bring another 2,000 people to Reston, according to Larry Butler, the Chief Operating Officer at the Reston Association. 

Butler discussed the project in a recent Reston Today video.

Additionally, the Wiehle-Reston Metrorail Station is on the other side of the road, and a lack of a safe crossing zone could create hazards for new Reston residents.

“They need a way to get over to the Metro Station safely,” said Butler. 

The study group has hired a consultant to help assist the group in assessing the various options. 

The next public group meeting is Sept. 17 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m., and Butler encouraged community members to join. Butler also predicted that the Board of Supervisors would make a decision regarding the pedestrian crossing sometime in 2020. 

Photo via the Reston Association/Youtube

The 2020 Fairfax County Deer Management Archery Program officially kicks off this Saturday, Sept. 12. The program will run through Saturday, Feb. 20.

The initiative is in collaboration with the Fairfax County Park Authority and NOVA Parks under the oversight of the Fairfax County Police Department to enforce that the program is only conducted in parks and other approved locations.

The program was created in 2010 to reduce and stabilize the population of white-tailed deer in the county, according to the statement. An overabundance of deer can lead to a series of safety and health hazards including deer-vehicle collisions, the potential spread of disease and environmental damage.

Archery is a preferred method of deer management because of its compatible use in residential areas and community parks, according to the statement. Additionally, no bystanders have been injured by an archer hunting deer since Virginia began tracking hunting injuries.

The program requires all hunters to meet state hunter licensing, education and safety requirements and must pass qualifications to demonstrate skill and marksmanship. They also must have program identification and completion of training through the International Bow Hunter Education Program to participate. Hunters must also pass a background check.

Parks will remain open to the public during hunting season, with orange signs to designate where hunting is authorized. Hunting is permitted at assigned sites Monday through Saturday, from 30 minutes prior to sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset.

Photo via the Fairfax County Police Department

Theater fans and movie-goers alike now have a private, socially-distanced movie-watching venue as an entertainment option this fall. 

NextStop Theater Company is opening the “NextStop Cinema” in Herndon, where customers can rent out the entire theater for themselves for a private viewing. 

Patrons will provide their own movie on DVD, Blu-ray or via a streaming service, and in return, the cinema will provide the full movie theater experience while still adhering to COVID-19 precautions.

“Nothing makes me sadder than seeing a theater empty,” said Evan Hoffman, the Producing Artistic Director at NextStop. “Since we do not feel the time is right yet for live performances, we thought we would try something completely different with our empty theater and let our beloved patrons make use of it for their own personal use and entertainment.”

NextStop Theater has been closed to public performances since March 12 when they canceled their final weekend showing “Ordinary Days.” However, they held a small educational program for 185 students in socially-distanced theater classes over the summer. 

The theater is also holding a major fundraising initiative called the NextStop Now Fund. The campaign’s funds will go towards keeping the theater running during the shutdown, in addition to the revenue from the Cinema. 

NextStop Cinema rentals are available for $50 per hour with a minimum of three hours, plus a $50 deposit. Those interested in making a reservation or finding more information can visit the NextStop website.

Photo courtesy of NextStop Theater Company

Labor Day is this Monday, Sept. 7, and with the holiday comes closures throughout Fairfax County. 

Fairfax County Government offices will be closed, according to the government website, as well as Herndon town offices. The Herndon Community Center, while finally open again with reservations, will be closed on Labor Day. The Reston Community Center will also be closed. 

Fairfax County Public Schools will be observing the holiday, with school starting on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

All parks in Fairfax County will be closed except for the Frying Pan Farm Park Farm and the Frying Pan Farm Park Indoor Area.

Recyclables will not be collected in Herndon, according to a message from the Town of Herndon. Any recyclables normally collected on Mondays will instead be collected on Tuesday, Sept. 8. 

The Fairfax Connector will be open and operating on Sunday service.

The Herndon Centennial Golf Course will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. 

The Metrorail will operate from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m., and the Metrobus will run on a Sunday schedule. 

Photo by Aral Tasher/Unsplash