Get ready to dance at Reston Station on Sunday, October 9 at the first-ever Silent Dance Party!
Reston Community Center and Comstock at Reston Station are partnering to create a dance party like you’ve never heard before — in fact, only each individual dancer will be hearing the music.
Here’s how it works: DJs will spin music that you alone can hear through a headset. The community voted via Facebook in August on the genres of music — from Latin to Hip-Hop, to music from the 1960s to today.
The party will feature the top three styles that voters chose. Dancers can change from one style to another — only they will know what’s on their own personal playlist. To dance, please bring a driver’s license to exchange for the headset.
“It’s hard to say what will be more fun — dancing to music you’ve selected or watching people dance to their music without hearing a sound,” said RCC Executive Director Leila Gordon. “Comstock is excited to host this unique event at the Reston Metro Plaza. It’s fun to try something new and exciting in Reston,” noted Tracy Schar, Comstock’s SVP of Marketing.
The party runs from 5-8 p.m. on October 9 at Reston Metro Plaza (atop the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station).
Admission is free. The party will also feature family-friendly activities for all ages, so bring the kids for this special event.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
In Fairfax County, the battle for control of Congress starts tomorrow (Friday).
The county will open three early voting sites and start mailing out absentee ballots for the Nov. 8 general election, which will decide three seats in the House of Representatives as well as the Town of Herndon’s leadership.
Incumbents Don Beyer (8th Congressional District), Jennifer Wexton (10th CD) and Gerry Connolly (11th CD) are seeking reelection against
Turnout is tough to predict, but early voting and voting by mail “seem to be growing in popularity” after Virginia made both options available to all in 2020, Fairfax County Office of Elections spokesperson Brian Worthy says.
Early voting for the congressional #midterms starts tomorrow, Sept. 23! Our poll workers are getting ready for you, and you can cast your ballot at any of three #earlyvoting on weekdays. Find locations and hours: https://t.co/Oe75Nf9lJr#voteearly #Election2022 #electiontwitter pic.twitter.com/GCfTGITL94
— Fairfax County Votes (@fairfaxvotes) September 22, 2022
Nearly 70% of registered voters participated in the last midterm elections in 2018, but no individual House race saw a turnout over 37%, according to Worthy. Last November’s election, which anointed Glenn Youngkin as Virginia’s governor, drew a 60.2% turnout.
“Because the Office of Elections always prepare for high turnout, they will be ready to manage turnout greater than the recent gubernatorial election,” Worthy said.
He says the county has filled all of the 2,300 election officer positions needed for Nov. 8, but there is always a demand for bilingual poll workers, especially people who speak both Korean and English.
What’s New This Year
Voters may see different candidates than they anticipate on their ballot, thanks to last year’s redistricting process, which altered federal and state electoral boundaries in Virginia.
Polling sites will stay the same for 96% of voters in the county, but everyone should double check their district through the Virginia Department of Elections before voting in person, Worthy says. There have also been a few precinct changes unrelated to redistricting.
To limit confusion, the county elections office sent every voter a mailer with information about their legislative districts and polling place earlier this year.
“The office will be mailing voters a sample ballot with this same information, and the state is also sending a redistricting mailing to voters,” Worthy said.
In addition, Virginia will now let new voters register and cast a ballot up to and on Election Day. The General Assembly approved the change in 2020, but the law won’t take effect until Oct. 1.
While the new flexibility will be welcome for anyone who misses the Oct. 17 deadline, election officials don’t recommend waiting until the last minute to register. Voters who register Oct. 18 or later will get provisional ballots to allow “additional time to verify” their paperwork, according to WTOP.
Provisional ballots aren’t reviewed until after Election Day, and the state electoral board determines whether each of them can be counted.
“Because same day registration is a new law, the Office of Elections is uncertain of the impact, but they are prepared to manage a large number of same day registrants at early voting sites and polling places on Election Day, as well as to process these registrations,” Worthy said.
How to Vote
Starting tomorrow, in-person voting will be available on weekdays at the Fairfax County, Mount Vernon and North County government centers:
- Fairfax County Government Center: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Mount Vernon Governmental Center: 1-7 p.m.
- North County Governmental Center: 1-7 p.m.
These sites will also operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on three Saturdays (Sept. 24, Oct. 29, and Nov. 5) and from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30.
An additional 13 early voting sites will open on Oct. 27 with the following hours of operation:
- Weekdays: 1-7 p.m.
- Two Saturdays (Oct. 29, Nov. 5): 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- One Sunday (Oct. 30): 1-5 p.m.
While Virginia no longer requires photo identification, voters must still present a driver’s license, utility bill, or another government document with their name and address.
Mail ballots must be requested by 5 p.m. on Oct. 28 and returned in person or postmarked by Nov. 8. Drop-off boxes will be available at all early voting sites, with a 24-hour box outside the Fairfax County Government Center.
The Candidates
- Don Beyer (D)
- Karina Lipsman (R)
- Teddy Fikre (I)
- Jennifer Wexton (D)
- Hung Cao (R)
- Gerry Connolly (D)
- Jim Myles (R)
Herndon residents also have mayoral and town council races to decide. Sample ballots can be found on the county office of elections website.
After years of delays, Metro has officially passed the baton over to its general manager to set an opening date for phase two of the Silver Line.
At a board meeting today (Thursday), Metro’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a motion to have General Manager Randy Clarke set the opening date of the project.
“This is obviously a very important step and a lot is on the line,” said board chairman Paul Smedberg.
The move would set into motion the 11.4-mile project, which adds six new stations from Reston to Ashburn to the overall Silver Line.
While no actual date was announced, Clarke expects to receive safety certifications by next month. Test runs simulating service on the new line are scheduled to start in early October.
However, safety concerns that have sidelined dozens of trains since October could pose a challenge.
If efforts to restore the trains are further delayed, Clarke says it could force Metro to either reduce service when shuttered Blue Line stations reopen next month or push back the Silver Line opening, per WAMU/DCist transportation reporter Jordan Pascale.
Clarke during media availability
"We have no intention to delay the opening of Silver Line."
Based on train availability — won't be able to provide a level of service today. "A simple math equation"
Current level of trains, more tracks = less service.— Jordan Pascale
(@JWPascale) September 22, 2022
Handed to Metro in late June, the second phase of the Silver Line has been in the works under the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for almost a decade now, encountering numerous delays that have frustrated local residents, business owners, and elected officials.
The new stations are located at Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center, Dulles International Airport, Loudoun Gateway and the terminus at Ashburn. The project also includes a new Dulles Rail Yard designed for 168 Metrorail cars.
This sponsored column is written by the team at Arrowine & Cheese (4508 Cherry Hill Road in Arlington). Sign up for the email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Experience Arrowine’s Tastings & Events. Have a question? Email [email protected].
Hello again! So, many of you participated in our cleaning the glass experiment? Shocking, isn’t it?
Now you are on your way to better-tasting, terrior-driven wine. And what do I mean by that?
Well, it’s a little complicated, but I do my best. The only reason to drink wine is for pleasure, period! And that means more than just “it tastes good.” A well-made wine is a companion, a friend, sometimes an antagonist, but always a good conversationalist. So it must speak eloquently of its birthplace. When tasting it, I need to recognize the lineage, that exact spot on the globe.
Unlike our ancestors, drinking wine today is an option, not a necessity. We don’t need wine anymore to survive. Fresh water is abundant, so wine is now optional. We don’t drink wine to live. Instead, we drink fermented beverages because they enhance our culinary experiences and please us.
What gets to me is no one talks about wines’ dirty little secrets. Sometimes, I feel like Frank Serpico; I just dated myself, but I love classic movies, so who cares? It’s a good analogy. When did speaking the truth become a liability? We are talking about wine, not national security. I don’t tolerate lazy, sloppy, or greedy winemakers. If you care, you are vigilant and proactive. We deserve a clean wine that speaks to us.
Today’s wines are cleaner and fresher than we drank forty years ago. And they should be. When you embrace science, you preserve terroir, which means uniqueness. Modern science allows a bottle of wine to reflect the exact spot it came from. So a well-made wine speaks to and talks to you like you have been there.
If a wine doesn’t smell and taste like fermented pure grape juice, meaning “grapey,” you have a problem! Wine is NOT supposed to smell like leather, mushrooms, wet-basement, barnyard, burnt tire, green pepper, bandaid, cloves, nail polish, green peppers, or dirt! But, if it does run, I will expand on the causes of faults in a future column.
There are tricks of the trade that remain “trade secrets,” and that’s a problem. For example, did you know your California Cabernet, Chardonnay, or Zinfandel can be technically sweet? The question I’m most frequently asked is, is it “dry?” Well, that depends, and it’s not as simple a question as you think.
Table wine should be dry unless the cuisine has a note of sweetness, which I’m sad to say is far too prevalent today. A winemaker can leave unfermented sugar in the wine to make it easier to drink — think Kendall Jackson Chardonnay, it was deliberately bottled with a slight but perceptible amount of residual sugar to make it appealing to the masses.
Classic European cooking has little, if any, sweetness. Therefore a dry wine is needed. A New World wine is in order if there is any hint of sweetness. Wines from the New World tend to be higher in alcohol from all the sun. Thus energy the vines receive. In the New World, we plant for “commercial” reasons and ensure success, so we grow grapes where we know they will ripen. If not, over-ripen.
Our ancestors weren’t so lucky. So they planted where they stood and had to figure the rest out. Unless you had well water, you couldn’t be sure the water floating downhill was pure enough to drink. Fermented beverages were necessary for survival, lucky us.
Cheers,
Doug
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
A new bikesharing station is coming soon to Reston.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation plans to install a Capital Bikeshare station at the corner of North Shore Drive and Wainwright Drive within the next six months.
The county will repurpose two parking spaces for the station, which provides a first and last-mile option to the Silver Line, Reston Town Center and other locations, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said yesterday (Wednesday) in his latest newsletter.
Two additional stations will also be installed at the end of October at the entrances of the Reston Town Center Metro Station.
Overall, the county has 54 Capital Bikeshare stations dispersed throughout Merrifield, Reston and Tysons. Work is underway to expand the system.
The program launched in October 2016 in an effort to make bicycling more accessible to the community.
Options for users include a single trip — which is $1 per every unlock of a bicycle — as well as a 24-hour pass, which is $8 per day, and an annual membership of roughly $8 per month.
County Needs More Taxing Power, McKay Says — Like other Northern Virginia leaders, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay has long pushed for Virginia to expand local authority, an uphill battle particularly under Gov. Glenn Youngkin. McKay says “he would like the option for the county to levy taxes on personal income or other services to diversify the county’s revenue, which is about 90% dependent on property taxes.” [Axios D.C.]
Democrats Plan Caucus for 35th District Nominee — The Fairfax County Democratic Committee announced yesterday (Wednesday) that it will hold a caucus on Oct. 8 to select its nominee to fill the seat vacated by Mark Keam. Voters in the district, which includes Tysons, Vienna, Dunn Loring and Oakton, will be able to participate at three locations, along with an early voting site at the FCDC headquarters. [Patch]
Tolling on New I-66 Express Lanes Looms — “Tolling and high occupancy vehicle (HOV) rules will begin this Saturday, Sept. 24, on the recently opened western section of 66 Express Lanes. Motorists will be able to use this nine-mile stretch of new Express Lanes from Route 29 in Gainesville to Route 28 in Centreville by paying a toll or can ride toll-free if traveling as an HOV with two or more people and an E-ZPass Flex.” [VDOT]
Man Convicted for Bailey’s Crossroads Drug Overdoses — “A Dumfries, Virginia, man was convicted Wednesday on charges that he caused the overdoses of six people in Fairfax County. One year ago, Michael Vaughn, 28, distributed cocaine laced with fentanyl at a party inside an apartment in the Skyline area of Fairfax County, according to court documents and evidence presented at trial.” [WTOP]
One Injured by Lake Barcroft House Fire — “One person was injured in a house fire Tuesday night in the Lake Barcroft area, according to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue…One resident was taken to the hospital for evaluation. No firefighters were injured…Damages were estimated to be around $25,000.” [Patch]
Herndon Part of Rivana Development for Sale — “Fairfax County’s portion of the gargantuan Rivana at Innovation Station mixed-use development is up for sale, meaning its owners are actively shedding the ‘at Innovation Station’ part of the project’s billing…By prevailing norms, it’s prime, transit-oriented real estate. Which makes it all the more curious that the site’s owners…are seeking to sell it. [Washington Business Journal]
Local Airports Could Add Amazon Checkout Tech — “Amazon.com Inc.’s Just Walk Out retail shopping technology, which allows customers to skip the checkout line using sensors and cameras, appears to have locked down its first third-party users in Greater Washington: Reagan National and Dulles International airports.” Both airports plan to use the tech at planned convenience stores. [WBJ]
Book Sales Galore This Weekend — The Friends of the Reston Regional Library will have over 40,000 items, albeit without kids’ books, at its Big Fall Book Sale, starting today through Sunday (Sept. 25). This weekend will also bring book sales at the Kingstowne and Patrick Henry libraries. [Fairfax County Public Library]
It’s Thursday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 78 and low of 61. Sunrise at 6:58 am and sunset at 7:07 pm. [Weather.gov]
The redevelopment of Reston’s Vantage Hill condominiums (11619 Vantage Hill Road) is barreling towards approval.
At a meeting on Monday (Sept. 19), the Reston Planning and Zoning Committee unanimously approved the project, which will include 28 townhouses on 2.5 acres of land currently taken up by an abandoned swimming pool.
Revenue from the sale of the units will help the Vantage Hill condos — a 152-unit complex that was built in 1962 — complete a backlog of critical upgrades.
Tree perservation dominated the discussion, as committee members called on Craftmark Homes to preserve an additional three to four large canopy trees of the 11 it plans to save.
Committee member Richard Kennedy said that while the applicant made “reasonable progress,” more trees could be saved.
Robbie Malm, a partner with Craftmark Homes, said that many of the remaining large trees are already leaning over or are in areas where they will likely die. He also noted the development will be pushed north and west away from the trees to allow for their preservation.
“I don’t want to devalue what large mature trees can provide,” he said.
So far, the development propsal plans to remove seven large trees.
Creating more space in the alleyways between the residential unit continued to be a topic of discussion as well.
The developer plans to maintain 23-foot-wide alleyways in response to concerns voiced by Reston Association’s Design Review Board.
Still, some remain concerned about possible tight turns along units on one portion of the property.
“I have no clue how people would turn around in that space,” committee member Tammi Petrine said, referring to a turn around four units on a portion of the property.
Price for the townhouses — which have between three and four bedrooms — start in the $700,000’s.
Plans to redevelop the community have been brewing for years, as the boxy condominium homes continue on a steady decline in maintenance.
The townhome sales are expected to help finance $4.5 million in needed upgrades. Target items include new windows and doors, upgraded heating, new plumbing, a bigger playground, and metered electrical service for each unit.
The committee also encouraged the developer to consider installing stoves without natural gas, noting that alternatives are more environmentally friendly.
The plan heads to the Fairfax County Planning Commission next month.
Fairfax County officials are exploring the possibility of promoting “home sharing” for older adults.
Home sharing lets a homeowner provide accommodation to others in exchange for rent assistance and household tasks or both. The program was discussed at the county board’s older adults committee meeting yesterday (Tuesday).
Staff noted that several complexities must be considered before moving forward with a pilot program. Other options include leaning on the private sector, with no direct involvement from the county, and boosting awareness about homesharing possibilities.
“In the context of Fairfax County, there are complexities that must be considered before going forward,” said Jacquie Woodruff, who works for the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging for the Department of Family Services.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said he would likely lean toward pushing forward a public awareness campaign about the possibility of home sharing, which requires a special permit from the county.
“I do think the private sector clearly, according to these examples, [is] playing pretty heavy in this…but I also think we have a role to play,” McKay said.
Most supervisors leaned toward option two — creating awareness about existing resources and services — and allowing the public to seek resources on their own.
Others like Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik felt more information may be needed to better evaluate how to move forward.
“I’m not even at the point of recommending an option,” Palchik said.
The discussion came following a June motion by Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity that directed staff to examine the feasibility of a pilot program, next steps and possible fiscal impacts.
He says he sees home sharing as potential solution of affordability for seniors to be able to remain in their homes.
The county’s zoning ordinance allows the program if the home is functioning as a single household for up to four people unrelated by blood or marriage, according to Woodruff.
There are varying ways of implementing a home share program. For example, a web-based model allows the owner and home seeker to collaborate through another online platform, limiting local coordination and case management.
Other approaches require more local involvement.
A matching service offers limited phone support or in-person case management support. These models would require background checks, social worker support, and rent agreements.
While the county is still deliberating over whether to advance a pilot and, if so, what form it should take, Woodruff said the risks of a program would be “no greater than other resident programs currently provided by the county.”
With a new school year underway, students will soon jockey for seats in Fairfax County’s prestigious Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ), even as a federal court considers whether its current admission system discriminates against Asians.
For now, thanks to an earlier ruling upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, the upcoming class of 2027 will be determined by the same, much-debated process that has helped diversify the magnet school’s student body over the past two years, FCPS confirmed to FFXnow.
Launching at 4 p.m. on Oct. 24, freshman student applications will consist of a student portrait sheet and a math or science-focused problem-solving essay. Other criteria include a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and consideration of a student’s English language learner, special education, or free/reduced-price lunch status — known as “experience factors.”
Those experience factors and a guarantee that all participating schools get seats equal to 1.5% of their student population are central to a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of policy, which was adopted by the Fairfax County School Board in December 2020.
The revised process — which eliminated a standardized test and application fee — doesn’t explicitly consider race when evaluating students, but a lawyer for the Coalition for TJ argued to the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on Saturday (Sept. 17) that it was designed to boost Black and Latino representation at the expense of Asian applicants.
“That’s clear in the record from the statements that the board members and other senior staff in Fairfax County Public Schools made, that Asian American students were in the way,” Erin Wilcox said to the three-judge panel. “They needed to clear out room to increase the numbers of Black and Hispanic students.”
In February, a U.S. District Court judge ruled in favor of the Coalition for TJ, agreeing that the changes amounted to “racial balancing” in violation of the Constitution’s equal protection clause, which prohibits laws from discriminating based on race.
FCPS promptly appealed the decision, maintaining that the policy is race-neutral, as stated in the school board’s adopted resolution, and backed by legal precedent. Donald Verrilli, the school board’s legal representative, cited a 2016 Supreme Court ruling that supported universities taking steps to diversify, ideally without directly looking at race.
“There are no quotas, no targets, no racial preferences of any kind, no racial classifications of any kind, and it is 100% race-blind in its administration,” he said. “No application contains any racially identifying information, so all applicants are judged on a race-blind basis.”
He noted that the number of low-income, Asian American students admitted rose from one in the year before the policy overhaul to 51 a year later — more than the 39 Black students total in a historically diverse class.
“What this plan was designed to do was to remove socioeconomic and geographic barriers that held back people of all races, including African Americans and Latinos,” Verrilli said. “So, that was one purpose, and we don’t deny it, but it benefited all races.”
Judge Allison Rushing challenged that the intentions behind a policy could still be discriminatory, even if the targeted group doesn’t see a disparate impact.
According to FCPS data, Asian students received more than half of the offers to TJ in 2021 and 2022, though they represented a smaller percentage than in previous years.
During Wilcox’s argument, judges Robert King and Toby Heytens questioned how FCPS could’ve increased Black and Latino representation at TJ — a goal that the Coalition for TJ said it supports in a deposition — without affecting other groups, given the limited number of slots offered to the school.
“You’re speaking with what they used to call back in the Indian Wars a forked tongue,” King said. “…You take a position, and then when another proposal is adopted that does pretty much what you wanted, or said you wanted, you challenge it.”
Wilcox said the coalition developed an alternative approach that it saw as a compromise. She suggested that the school board could’ve offered free test preparation, enacted a lottery — a proposal that drew parent protests — or even eliminated the magnet program.
“Any step that it takes that does not disproportionately burden a group of students because of their race would pass Constitutional muster,” she said.
Joined on a brief by 15 other states, the Commonwealth of Virginia appeared in support of the coalition. FCPS backers included the federal government, which argued that the district court’s ruling “would inappropriately freeze in place the status quo” by preventing public bodies from fixing inequities.
An assistant at Dogwood Elementary School has been arrested in connection with assaulting a special needs student earlier this month, according to police.
Fairfax County police charged Mark MacDicken, 60, of Centreville, with the assault of the juvenile student on Sept. 16. McDicken worked at the school for roughly 10 years police said.
Two teachers reportedly witnessed McDicken assaulting the student when they walked into their classroom.
He was charged with assault.
McDicken has been put on administrative leave while the case is underway, Dogwood Elementary School Principal Kate Beckner said in a message to families.
“I understand this will come as a shock to our community,” she wrote. “The primary responsibility for anyone who works in education is the safety and wellbeing of children. When that trust appears to be broken, it affects us all.”
Beckner’s full letter to the community, shared with FFXnow by Fairfax County Public Schools, is below.
Dear Dogwood Families,
I am deeply saddened this morning to share the news of a situation at Dogwood ES involving an instructional assistant.
Fairfax County Police will be sharing with the community today that an instructional assistant has been arrested and charged with assaulting a student in our school. Two staff members who allegedly witnessed the incident immediately contacted administration and we took swift action to contact the authorities. The staff member is currently on administrative leave while this case is resolved.
I understand this will come as a shock to our community. The primary responsibility for anyone who works in education is the safety and wellbeing of children. When that trust appears to be broken, it affects us all.
These situations can be upsetting and prompt a variety of emotions. When engaging in conversations with your child, listen calmly and reassuringly, and share a message that you are someone your child can talk to, even in challenging situations. If you have counseling questions or concerns, please reach out to our counselors, Angel Evins and Jen Franconeri at 703-262-3100. Please also contact Fairfax County Police Major Crimes Bureau if you have any information you would like to share at 703-246-7800, option 4.
I am here to answer your questions or concerns, and to support students in any way they need.
Sincerely,
Kate Beckner
Principal
I-66 Lane Shift in Fairfax Area Starts Today — “The travel lanes on I-66 West and East between Route 50 and Route 286 (Fairfax County Parkway) will be shifted into a new configuration during the early morning hours Wednesday, September 21, and Thursday, September 22. These temporary lane configurations are part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project.” [VDOT]
First X-Men Among Items Stolen From Local Comic Book Store — Tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of comic books were stolen from Victory Comics in Falls Church City early yesterday (Tuesday) morning, police reported. Store founder and president Jeff Weaver said the losses include rare, vintage comics and could total as much as $100,000, though police put the estimate at over $40,000. [NBC4]
Gun Law Promoted With County Bus Signage — “Fairfax County officials gathered outside of the government center Tuesday morning as part of the county’s campaign to raise awareness of Virginia’s red flag law…Last week, the county installed “Speak Up To Prevent A Gun Tragedy” signs on all 334 Connector buses. About 30,000 riders use Connector buses every day, according to a transportation official.” [Patch]
Decision on Mosaic Skating Rink Pushed Back Again — “The Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) on Sept. 14 again deferred its decision on a proposal to allow temporary roller- and ice-skating rinks in Merrifield’s Mosaic District so the applicant could get more input from nearby businesses and residents.” [Sun Gazette]
Lorton Man Arrested for Business Robberies — Fairfax County police have arrested a 19-year-old Lorton resident for three commercial robberies on Aug. 14, 25 and 27. Targeted business include a Tobacco Hut in Springfield as well as a Sunoco and 7-Eleven in Lorton, though the department is still investigating whether the man was involved in other incidents. [FCPD]
New Sully Community Center Makes Debut — “On Saturday, Sept. 17, members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services and community leaders celebrated the opening of the new Sully Community Center during a ribbon-cutting ceremony and Grand Opening Celebration.” [NCS]
Braddock Senior Housing Project Lands Funding — The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) recently issued $8 million in bonds for a project to build 80 units of affordable housing for adults 62 and older. Developed by the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing, the apartments will replace the former Northern Virginia Training Center at 9901 Braddock Road. [Fairfax County Government]
Private McLean School Opens New Building — The Langley School celebrated 80 years with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 6 for its new Crossroads Building. “The 40,000-square-foot facility was designed to support student learning, promote an inviting campus community, and position the school as a national leader in preschool-through-eighth-grade education.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Wednesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 84 and low of 64. Sunrise at 6:57 am and sunset at 7:09 pm. [Weather.gov]
This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.
By Kimberly H. Berry, Esq.
Early retirement is a consideration for many federal employees.
Federal agencies that are undergoing major organizational changes such as reorganization, reduction in force (RIF), reshaping, or downsizing can be given the option to offer federal employees voluntary early retirement based on the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA). The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) provides guidance on VERA here. VERA is the legal authority given to specific federal agencies so that they may offer early retirement options to employees.
VERA authority can provide a federal employee an opportunity to retire early with better financial options. In addition to VERA, federal agencies may also be given Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP), which can range up to $25,000. OPM has published guidance on VSIP payments here.
VERA and VSIP were designed to assist agencies that need to implement organizational changes while also making it possible for federal employees to receive an immediate annuity payment years before they would normally be eligible. The voluntary early retirement provisions are the same under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).
Federal Employee Requirements for Early Retirement for FERS and CSRS
In order to generally be eligible to retire under VERA, a federal employee must usually meet the following types of requirements:
- The VERA minimum age and service requirements set by statutes in the U.S. Code for CSRS and FERS employees (i.e., the employee has completed at least 20 years of creditable service and is at least 50 years of age or has completed at least 25 years of creditable service regardless of age)
- Continuous employment by a federal agency for at least 31 days prior to the date that the agency initially requested the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approval of VERA
- The federal employee may not have received a final removal decision based upon misconduct or unacceptable performance
- The federal employee must hold a position covered by the agency’s VERA authority or program
- The federal employee must exercise their option under the VERA option during the agency’s VERA acceptance period
Other requirements can apply, but these are the major ones. It is very important for federal employees considering a VERA/VSIP offer to seek the advice of an attorney regarding their retirement issues prior to initiating the VERA process.
Our law firm represents federal employees that are considering early retirement and other federal retirement matters. Sometimes VERA or VSIP considerations can come up during settlement discussions involving a proposed removal or removal action. Our website has additional information on retirement options.
Contact Us
If you are in need of federal employee retirement law representation or guidance regarding VERA (early retirement) or VSIP (early retirement incentives), please contact our office at 703-668-0070 or through our contact page to schedule a consultation.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Another dessert shop has officially opened at 332 Elden Street in Herndon.
Nothing Bundt Cakes is slated for a grand opening on Oct. 7 and 8 following a soft opening that happened in early September.
The first 75 guests on grand opening day will receive a free coupon for one mini bundt cake — known as a bundtlet — every month for a year, along with drawings for other prizes.
Store owner France Saunders also plans to have balloon art and face painting for children.
“Our goal is to create a cake that not only reminds you of home, but also opens you to a new world,” Saunders said. “All of our cakes and frosting are made in each bakery. Each of our recipes uses the freshest of ingredients to include real eggs, butter and cream cheese.”
The bakery first opened in 1997 in Las Vegas and has since expanded to over 400 locations across the U.S. and Canada.
Saunders also owns the company’s Dulles franchise, which opened in 2017.
Against the backdrop of post-9/11 community policing, the Fairfax County Police Department has selected its first-ever liaison for the local Muslim community.
Lt. Wahid Alam, who has served in the department for more than 18 years, hopes to build upon the relationship that already exists between the local Muslim community and the police department.
“I want to be the conduit to all the resources the police department has to offer and encourage Muslims to consider a career in policing,” he told FFXnow in a statement.
Alam, who was born and raised as Muslim, says his faith and background in policing makes him a good fit for this role. He also hopes to meet with Muslim faith and business leaders to “networking within this unique community and build even more inroads with the department.”
When asked if the Muslim community faces any unique challenges, Alam noted that many Muslim seems to face many of the same struggles as the community at-large.
“We are all concerned about keeping kids safe from cyber threats, traffic safety, staying safe in our neighborhoods and keeping from becoming a victim of crime. Identity theft, larceny from motor vehicles and street robberies are common concerns throughout Fairfax County,” he said.
Mistrust of police and concerns about community surveillance has been flagged by some Muslim organizations as issues, particularly in the years since 9/11.
Alam says the local Muslim community has strong support for law enforcement — which sometimes isn’t the case in other communities.
“The Muslim community needs to know how the Fairfax County Police Department conducts policing and surveillance in response to crime and dangerous threats,” he said. “FCPD does not conduct targeted surveillance to Muslims or any specific community. Building relationships and being transparent in our policing strategies and practices will build trust with the Muslim community.”
