(Updated 10:07 a.m.) Reston National Golf Course officially has a new manager: KemperSports, a national golf course management company.
KemperSports states that they are seeking to make the golf course a “must-play in the region,” according to Steve Skinner, the CEO of the company.
In the past, the golf course has faced controversy around new ownership.
Rescue Reston, a group that formed in 2012 to protect Reston’s open space and golf courses, has been fighting off developers for years. They declared a “war” to save Reston National after it was purchased by Baltimore developers in 2019. However, the developers stated that they had “no set plans” to do anything with the property at the time, according to Club and Resort Business.
Reston National has been a staple of the area since 1970. The course overlooks the Chesapeake Bay watershed and spans more 6,800 yards. There are several amenities including a grill room, practice facility, driving range and a covered pavilion.
Reston National is also a certified Audobon International Cooperative Sanctuary.
KemperSports did not return Reston Now’s requests to comment.
Corrects description of the overlook
Photo by Bill Burton
Reston Association’s Lake Thoreau Pool Project will officially be discussed in a meeting via Zoom on Aug. 25 at 6:30 p.m.
An in-person discussion was initially set for March 26, however, it was postponed due to COVID-19.
Kimley-Horn, RA’s planning and design consultant, will hold the meeting and discuss pool concept discussions, according to a statement released by the RA.
The Lake Thoreau Pool Project is a result of the 2020-2021 Board of Directors’ decision to renovate and re-imagine the pool. The site initially announced its closing in December with a tentative timeline of planning in 2020, construction in 2021 and completion of the new facility by 2022.
A presentation video will be posted on the project’s website on July 21 to provide information in advance to the Zoom meeting in August. Members can send in comments to [email protected] by Aug. 7.
Photo via Reston Association
The Reston Community Center is looking for candidates to run for seats on the Board of Governors.
The position is available for citizens 18 or older from Small District 5. The Board of Governors is in charge of the oversight of RCC and consists of nine members.
Interested candidates must fill out a Candidacy Statement and have it completed by 5 p.m. on August 5. The statements will become available online on the community center website on August 1 at 9 a.m., according to a statement released by the RCC. Filling out the Candidacy Statement allows candidates’ names to appear on the Preference poll ballot.
The Preference Poll, an annual community event held to guide the selection of Board members, will fill three positions with three-year terms this year, according to the statement. Voters consist of residents and businesses of Small District 5. Online and mail-in voting, as well as walk-in voting, will be available September 11 until October 2 at 5 p.m. Mail-in ballots must be received by October 1 at 5 p.m.
The Preference Poll event also includes the establishment of RCC policies for its programs and budget.
The RCC Board of Governors was initially created by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to “represent the interests of taxpayers” when deciding policies and financial oversight, according to the statement. RCC Board members also represent RCC at social, recreational, cultural and educational events throughout Reston.
All votes from the preference poll go to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to make the official RCC Board appointments.
Two Reston companies were recognized in D.C. Inno’s 2020 Inno on Fire, which recognizes people, companies, initiatives and organizations driving innovations in the area.
SOC Telemed is a Reston telemedicine provider that found new success with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and the increased need for telehealth, according to the writer of the article, Sara Gilgore. By March, SOC Telemed had 600 health systems and counting looking to start emergency medicine programs. As a result, the company continued to grow its team. SOC is run by interim CEO Paul Ricci.
Parabon NanoLabs is a small Reston DNA company that has been involved in identifying suspects and aiding in police cases, according to Gilgore. This year, the company got its own TV docuseries called “The Genetic Detective” on ABC. The show follows the genetic genealogy division and the head of the unit, CeCe Moore. Two years ago, Moore was hired to build the division, and since then the company has helped in about 500 police cases and has identified 109 positive suspects, according to Gilgore.
D.C. Inno finalists are found from nominations and editorial coverage and then selected by the D.C. Inno team, according to Gilgore.
Photo via Parabon NanoLabs
American Real Estate Partners (AREP) is bringing in muralist Kelsey Montague to paint the face of the Reston International Center parking garage.
The painting of the mural will take place over three days, and will be commemorated on July 17 from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m, according to a statement released by AREP.
Visuals in the mural will include two colorful wings to celebrate the people of Reston. However, that’s not the only symbol in the painting. The mural will also include elements honoring the COVID-19 frontline, recognition of the community’s dedication to wellness, inclusion and racial equality, according to the statement.
The project was created in an effort to provide joy and hope to future community members, visitors and tenants of Reston.
Montague is a world-renowned muralist, and has over 270 large-scale murals across the world, according to the statement. Her signature “What Lifts You” wing mural was used in the launch of Taylor Swift’s “ME!” in Nashville. Montague was also the only female artist selected by the NFL to create art for Superbowl LIV.
Photo via American Real Estate Partners
The Reduced Shakespeare Company is returning to Reston — at a distance. On July 12 at 3 p.m., the company will be holding a remote live-streamed event called “An Afternoon with the Remote Shakespeare Company.”
The show will consist of the directors, Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor, who plan to tell stories about Reduced Shakespeare Company, take audience questions, and give behind the scenes footage from the company. The experience will be interactive and is geared towards anyone interested in the company or theater.
They will also include a scene from Hamlet’s Big Adventure (a prequel), which was supposed to perform on July 12, and has been rescheduled for March 23 and 24, 2021, according to a statement by the company
“The RSC has performed at the CenterStage every single year since 1987,” said the Reston Community Center Arts and Events Director Paul Douglas Michnewicz. Tichenor also stated that the community center and RSC have a long relationship, one of the “best relationships in showbiz history.”
One of their performances, The Complete Works of the Reduced Shakespeare Company (abridged), included seven of their nine shows and lasted for two whole weeks.
“The show must go on… line,” quipped Tichenor in a Youtube video promoting the event.
The two directors said that “a good, socially distanced time will be had by all.”
Photo via Reduced Shakespeare Company
With Virginia’s transition into Phase 3, Reston Association pools are further opening to the public today (Monday). Those interested in swimming can begin making reservations and can reserve as far ahead as August 6, according to a statement from Reston Aquatics.
The pools open include Lake Newport Pool, Golf Course Island Pool, North Hills Pool, Glade Pool, Newbridge Pool and Dogwood Pool. To make a reservation, click on the link for the desired facility. Reservations are made through Sign-Up Genius, which does not require an account to set up.
There are limited activities allowed at the pools due to extra safety precautions. Swimmers can use the lap pools, go diving, free swim and exercise. Swim lessons and fitness classes are open for instruction, and in certain locations, self-guided exercise spaces are now available.
However, spas, wading pools and play features are still closed, according to Reston Aquatics. Pool goers must also provide their own swim equipment such as goggles and lifejackets since the facilities are not loaning equipment to the public.
Health questionnaires will be provided to each patron upon entrance to the pool with questions regarding symptoms and the likelihood of having the virus.
Pools are requiring face coverings when patrons are within 10 feet of each other but are not to be worn in the water. Additionally, 10 feet of space is required at all times indoors. Patrons must bring their own water, as all water fountains will be closed to the public.
Locker storage is also closed to the public, so patrons must plan on storing their belongings on the pool deck. Lounge chairs will be sanitized after each reservation to ensure cleanliness.
Photo via Reston Association/YouTube
Last night’s town hall with Fairfax County’s police chief covered a variety of issues related to police reform, from progress on the demands made by Fairfax County NAACP to body-worn cameras.
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn hosted the meeting last night to give locals a chance to provide input and ask questions. The conflict-free town hall mainly focused on Police Chief Edwin Roessler Jr. answering questions from audience members and explaining FCPD’s policies in detail.
Roessler highlighted the reforms made by FCPD since the shooting of John Geer, an unarmed Springfield man, in 2013. They have shifted towards a “co-production” method of policing, which emphasizes the importance of community engagement by bringing in advocates to review issues and discuss police report narratives.
A big goal of the police department is to increase diversion of tasks, including sending mental health or substance abuse cases away from the police. Lee District Supervisor Rodney Lusk, who is the chair of the county’s Public Safety Committee, also emphasized that the current range of issues diverted to the police is “too much to ask of them” and is in support of the Diversion First model.
The chief addressed terminology that the public wanted to be defined, including the FCPD’s definition of the use of force as “anything beyond a guide or escort, or above putting handcuffs on.” Roessler said that anything beyond that is subject to investigation. Additionally, he clarified that chokeholds are prohibited in Fairfax County.
Roessler also touched on the development of body-worn cameras. He said that the idea has been in the works since June 2015, and he wants to adopt the co-production model of community engagement in this development.
He says they are making “great progress” on this project and that the policies regarding the cameras are addressed online in an American University pilot program testing the same model of body camera policies. They plan to evaluate the body cameras again in-person in September to ensure the policies are exceeding community expectations.
Roessler discussed the evaluation and promotion process of officers, saying that evaluation begins upon application. He described a thorough path of training that officers go through before assignments. Additionally, they value community engagement when evaluating candidates for senior staff positions to ensure officers “embody the spirit of what the community needs for the future.”
“We want our officers to engage with the community members in a positive fashion, not just calls for service,” Roessler said in describing what they look for upon officer evaluation.
Other issues covered included the presence of the MS-13 gang, to which Roessler said they “will be relentless on gang activity in Fairfax County.”
When asked how the police department addresses domestic and sexual violence, Roessler said they use the Lethality Assessment Program — Maryland Model to assess the situation and connect victims with immediate help, such as counselors, attorneys or volunteers from the community.
Photo via Youtube Live
The Closet of the Greater Herndon Area, Inc. has awarded 22 local high school students $45,000 worth of college scholarships. The students span across five high schools in the community, according to a statement released by the organization.
“We are so proud of these youth and their families and are happy to continue supporting this important educational need in our community,” said Gene Wiley, The Closet’s board president
According to the statement, The Closet thrift shop has awarded more than $500,000 in college scholarships to more than 500 students since 1974. They have also distributed almost $3 million in direct cash grants to local service groups.
A breakdown of the awardees is below:
- From Herndon High School, the recipients are Lucilla Antwie, Karen Ayala-Bonilla, Caleb Calderwood, Sean Frias, Maryum Khan and Judith Velasquez.
- From Mountain View High School, the recipients are Doris Alvarado, Abonesh Tadese and Tenzin Tsering.
- From Oakton High School, the recipients are Olohi Anteyi, Monica Alexandra Castellanos and Maria S. Rivera.
- From Park View High School, the recipients are Ebanneh Atabe, Charlotte Edwards, Kimberly Fuentes-Galvez, Kimberly Molina Rivas, Kaitlyn Smith, and Melana Washington.
- From South Lakes High School, the recipients are Rhema Ebna Konadu, Nicol Katherin Salinas Perez, Daniel Mebratu Tolessa and Nia Jordan Winston.
The thrift shop is a non-profit group based on faith-based congregations. They hold a small staff, with volunteers helping out the store as well.
Those looking to donate can drop off clothing and small household items on Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Additionally, those interested in volunteering can contact the store owner, Patricia Rhodes, at 703-437-7652.
Photo courtesy of The Closet of the Greater Herndon Area, Inc.
The Virginia State Bar president-elect for 2020-2021 is Jay B. Myerson of Reston.
Myerson is set to serve as president in 2021-2022, and is succeeding Brian L. Buvia, the current president of the VSB. Myerson will assume the president-elect position on July 1 and is the first attorney whose law firm is based in Reston to serve in this statewide capacity, according to a statement from The Myerson Law Group.
The VSB is an administrative agency of the Supreme Court of Virginia, and the president regulates and supports more than 50,000 Virginia lawyers, according to the statement.
“It will be a real privilege to work with the many talented attorneys across the Commonwealth,” said Myerson.
Myerson graduated from Georgetown University and Georgetown University Law Center. From there, he founded The Myerson Law Group, P.C. where he supervises a six-attorney domestic, criminal and civil litigation practice, said the statement. The practice is located in Fairfax County.
Myerson is a five-time recipient of the Fairfax Bar Association’s President’s Award and was the 2018 recipient of the Local Bar Leader Award. He was past president of the FBA, where he led efforts for judicial funding, according to the statement.
The attorney was also elected to the state Bar Council in 2014, just completing his second term. He has also served for the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates.
Myerson and his family are longtime Reston residents.
“I’m especially looking forward to working with the wonderful VSB staff, the Chief Justice and other justices on Virginia’s Supreme Court,” said Myerson.
Photo courtesy of The Myerson Law Group, P.C.
