Reston appears to have become a frequent destination for vehicle part thefts.
The Reston District Station has seen a record 16 thefts of auto parts this year alone, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. Last year, the station reported just two incidents.
Heading into this weekend, here are the top stories on Reston Now from this week.
- UPDATE: Death in Town of Herndon ruled a homicide
- Clyde’s in Reston Town Center is closing after 31 years
- UPDATE: More details released on new steak house in Reston
- A new ‘sacred’ roller skate shop is opening in the Town of Herndon
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UPDATED: Fairfax County Board to consider bus service changes for Silver Line extension
If you have ideas on stories we should cover, email us at [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip.
Feel free to discuss these topics, your plans, or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.
Voting in the 2022 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 1 through April 1. This week, we will begin posting profiles on each of the candidates. The complete election schedule is available online. All races are uncontested, but a 10-percent quorum must be met.
Featured here is Irwin Flashman, who is running for Lake Anne/Tall Oaks District Director With the exception of minor formatting edits, profiles are published in unedited form. Each candidate had an opportunity to answer the same questions in their own words.
How long have you lived in Reston? What brought you here?
My wife and I moved to Reston in 2009. I had lived in Puerto Rico for forty years and we were looking for a place to live following my retirement. We took several trips to the Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia area. One of my friends mentioned Reston to us. We visited and were attracted by its environment, its lovely treed setting and wooded areas, its trails, lakes and streams. The availability of many facilities in the area and its proximity to Washington, D.C. were clear pluses.
What inspired you to run for the board?
In 2013, the RA Board proposed trading RA land for other land that would be useless to it. I went before the Board and explained in detail my reasons for opposing the proposal. The Board did not change its mind. Since then, I have followed the Board’s and several committees’ activities closely. I served on the Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) for 9 years, 6 of them as its Vice Chair. I have also supported candidates running for the Board. This time, some friends urged me to run for the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks seat and thus become a full participant. I agreed that by being on the Board I could do more than by commenting at its meetings for three minutes.
What are three of the biggest concerns you have for Reston and what do you hope to accomplish by being on the board?
The preservation and enhancement of Reston’s environment is paramount, especially in the face of the existential challenge presented by climate change. It is well past time for Reston to take the environment and climate change fully into account as it considers its actions. Additionally, RA needs to minimize its contribution to climate change by becoming energy conservation conscious and avoiding the production of CO2. Among other things, RA can plan to convert its fleet of vehicles to electric vehicles over the next few years. Of course, the preservation of the open space is an essential part of this approach, not only of RA land, but also the land of the two golf courses that have been dedicated as such since the inception of Reston.
Another point of concern is the protection of RA’s interests in the Reston Comprehensive Plan, whose draft revision is currently being finished up and will be placed before the public for comment. Due recognition of RA’s contribution to recreational facilities and amenities, including its trails, should be given in the Plan. New developments already constructed and to be constructed, especially in the TSA, should be encouraged to join RA and participate fully as members. Additionally, the County should provide that some portion of the proffers from developers should be granted to RA for the continued maintenance and creation of adequate facilities which are and will be used by the residents of these new housing units. The growth contemplated for Reston should be accompanied by adequate and timely infrastructure to meet the increasing demands from that growth. At the same time, the characteristics which make Reston Reston should be preserved.
The third issue is the need for greater transparency from the Board. RA is a membership organization. Its obligations are to protect and enhance the value of real property covered under the Deed, as well as to maintain it, the recreational facilities and common areas for the benefit and use primarily of its members, and to promote the peace, health, comfort, safety and general welfare of its members. To do so, the Board needs to have consistent and meaningful two way communication with the RA membership. The Board has done this at a basic level, but on some matters, it has been less than open. It can improve its transparency by keeping the membership timely apprised of not only the good things it does, but also of the issues which arise and present problems.
I want to work with other members of the Board to address these concerns in meaningful ways for the benefit of the membership.
How will your personal or professional experience help you in your role with RA?
During my service on the EAC, it evolved into a group with expertise in many areas. This resulted in the creation of the Reston Association State of the Environment Report (RASER) and the later inclusion in it of an initially separate report on Climate Change. The report examines impacts on Reston, and ways to reduce its contribution to and enhance its resilience to climate change. This experience and knowledge will assist me making things happen regarding the first item of concern noted above. I have over many years closely followed the Board’s and some of the committees’ work and am aware of how things get done or not. I have been on other membership corporation boards. Communication is a basic element of getting things done. I am aware of the importance of good clear communication, not only with Board members, but also with the RA members. I will listen to the members from my district and keep their concerns in mind while looking for solutions to the issues they may bring to the fore.
Photo via Reston Association
Voting in the 2022 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 1 through April 1. This week, we will begin posting profiles on each of the candidates. The complete election schedule is available online. All races are uncontested, but a 10 percent quorum must be met.
Featured here is Glenn Small, who is running for an at-large seat. The profiles are in a Q-and-A format. With the exception of minor formatting edits, profiles are published in unedited form. Each candidate had an opportunity to answer the same questions in their own words.
How long have you lived in Reston? What brought you here?
I have lived in Reston since 2007, the year my wife and I got married and bought a home here. My wife grew up in Reston and teaches at South Lakes High School. Even before we bought our home, we enjoyed the pools, tennis courts and trails of Reston.
What inspired you to run for the board? (Note: If you are currently on the board or have held a previous position on the board, emphasize why you are running again).
I suppose the idea for running and potentially serving on the RA Board had been brewing for some time, with just the thought that the RA Board has a tough job with many new and ongoing challenges and serving on the Board is a way of giving back to this great community. I decided to run after seeing that it looked like there was a need for qualified candidates this election cycle.
What are three of the biggest concerns you have for Reston?
My concerns align with my goals which include: 1) Understanding the fiscal challenges of RA and working to help address them, such as aging infrastructure; 2) Promoting outreach and transparency to our membership, seeking to engage and involve more of our members in using and benefiting from RA and Reston but also in serving the community; 3) Identifying ways to protect recreational and open space.
If elected, I will bring an experienced, common-sense approach, first seeking to understand more deeply how RA operates, and then identifying ways to be helpful while respecting others and looking for ways to involve and include the most perspectives to help drive us to better decisions and better plans that will serve all of us.
What do you hope to accomplish by being on the board?
My overall goal is to get immersed in the board to understand more specifically what the current and future challenges are and then to be a voice for helping to address those challenges. The more we involve people and a diversity of perspectives in our problem-solving approaches, the better and more sustainable will be our solutions. That’s the kind of mindset and approach I would bring to serving on the board.
How will your personal or professional experience help you in your role with RA?
As a consulting executive and business owner, I work with non-profit universities and colleges to help them achieve transformational change in rethinking and reimplementing systems and processes to serve their constituents. As an RA Board member, I would bring the skills and perspectives of improving operations and identifying and resolving our toughest challenges, keeping our members’ interests top of mind. My approach will be active and engaged, always seeking to understand and address our members concerns.
Photo via Glenn Small
The weekly planner is a roundup of interesting events over the next week in the Herndon and Reston area.
We’ve searched the web for events of note. Want to submit a listing? Submit your pitch here!
Monday, Feb. 14
- Valentine’s Day at Kalypso’s — all day, with a special music performance from 6-9 p.m. — Enjoy a four-course meal for $45 per person.
Tuesday, Feb. 15
- Herndon Teen Book Club — 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Herndon Fortnightly Library — Teens discuss the next book they’ve read, “The Lie Tree.”
Wednesday, Feb. 16
- Black Inventors Scavenger Hunt — all day at Great Falls Library — Use a scavenger hunt sheet to look through the children’s area for inventions by Black inventors. Prizes will be given to those who complete the game. Repeats Thursday.
Thursday, Feb. 17
- Toddlers & Twos — 10:30-11 a.m. at Herndon Fortnightly Library — Help kids gain early literacy skills and enjoy other activities.
Friday, Feb. 18
- “Every Brilliant Thing” — 8 p.m. at NextStop Theatre — An interactive show takes audiences on a journey in which a boy looks to help his mother while she faces depression. Tickets start at $25. Show runs through March 13.
Saturday, Feb. 19
- Board Games for Adults — Noon to 5:30 p.m. at Herndon library — Play modern designer board games with other adults.
Sunday, Feb. 20
- The Miró Quartet — 3 p.m. at The Barns — A classical quartet returns to Wolf Trap to perform the works of Joseph Haydn, Kevin Puts and Maurice Ravel. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Tickets start at $44.
Reston’s Pet of the Week is Sky, a loving and curious pup looking for a new home.
Here’s what his friends at Safe Haven Puppy Rescue had to say about him:
Meet adorable Sky, one of a litter of five along with siblings Al, Ardi, Siri and Star who have been adopted. Sky had a home too but her people had a complication and wanted her to find her family as soon as possible.. These beautiful little pups are likely a mixture of retriever and shepherd although there may be other breeds in the mix as well. Sky is now in foster care in the greater DC area and doing extremely well- a meet and greet can be easily arranged with approved applicants. She is just 9 to 10 weeks old right now and weighs about 7 or 8 lbs and we think they’ll be in the 55 pound range when grown give or take. All these pups are delightful and will make their adopters terrific companions. Sky is up to date on her shots and dewormings and carries an adoption fee of $389 which includes microchipping.
Are you and Sky a match made in heaven?
Reston’s Pet of the Week is Radiant Raj, a beagle ad hound mix who is just eight weeks old.
Here’s what his friends at Safe Haven Puppy Rescue had to say about him:
I am Radiant Raj and I’m a beagle/hound mix with a little Jack Russell terrier thrown in for good measure. I’m just 8 weeks old and going on 5 lbs! I am a snuggly little guy and love to give kisses and play! I have sister named Navya and brother named Aarav who are both also available in separate listings.
Are you and Radiant Raj the perfect match?
We’re counting down the top 20 most-read articles of 2021 this year. Kicking off the list today is #16-20.
20. A dive into the history of Great Falls Nike Park — one of three county parks once home to missiles designed to fight Russian projectiles — earned spot 20.
19. A suspect in the killing of a man at Branleigh Park Court in mid-February remained at-large, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
18. State transportation officials offered a first look at designs for the future of Town Center Parkway’s extension.
17. A story about the events that transpired before Michael Delaney went missing from Reston Hospital Center gained some attention. His remains were recovered several months later.
16. A weekly article about the death toll of COVID-19 in Fairfax County noted that 802 people have been killed by the novel coronavirus. That article was published in February.
Tomorrow, we’ll publish stories that ranked #9-15.
With Thanksgiving this Thursday (Nov. 25), families are preparing to travel and gather, but COVID-19 concerns continue to persist for another holiday season, following the Delta variant and changes in vaccinations.
The vaccine is now commonplace and even available to children as young as 5. But individual preferences on social distancing and getting the vaccine are continuing to affect the holiday season.
Over 228 million people have received at least one dose. That includes millions of kids who weren’t able to get the vaccine prior to Nov. 2 — when around 28 million children became eligible.
It comes following the spread of the coronavirus across countries throughout the world.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has further noted that booster shots, currently only eligible for certain at-risk groups for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines (but all adults for the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine), can help boost immune response, based on small clinical trials.
Meanwhile, travel is poised to make one of its biggest rebounds, notably with flights coming close to 2019 levels, AAA has projected.
A $5.5 million project to replace an aging pool at the Reston Community Center has earned another award for its environmental stewardship.
The Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council, an advisory group appointed by the Board of Supervisors, has recognized the Reston Community Center with its 2021 Environmental Excellence Awards. The awards recognize people, organizations and businesses who advance or support the county’s environmental efforts, go above and beyond their typical civic responsibilities and demonstrate leadership in the community.
The project involved the Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center. RCC previously noted the renovation “replaced a 40-year-old pool and its aging infrastructure with two new, state-of-the-art pools: a 25-yard lap pool and a warm water exercise pool.” It opened in January 2020 after a year of construction.
“This year’s awardees have done far more than just demonstrate their passion for environmental issues. They have changed the face of our community by giving their time, energy, and expertise during an exceptionally challenging year,” Stella Koch, chair of the Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council, said in a statement.
The awards, announced Nov. 9, noted the following for the pool project:
In 2020, the Reston Community Center (RCC) unveiled a completely renovated aquatics center, replacing the aging infrastructure of the original pool with two new pools and other physical improvements. This $5.5 million project incorporated a number of environmentally friendly features, consistent with RCC’s commitment to environmental stewardship. More than 177 tons of construction materials were recycled over the course of the project, natatorium-rated LED light fixtures were installed, and the HVAC and pool systems were replaced with more efficient equipment.
Other awardees ranged from former Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council member Debra Ann Jacobson, who died in September 2021, to county workers including landscape architect Suzanne Foster and counselor/therapist Sarah King.
Details on their environmental leadership as well as records of previous winners from earlier years are available online.
Last month, the nonprofit Virginia Recreation and Park Society recognized the RCC renovation in its bricks and mortar awards category during an annual awards ceremony.
The nonprofit Virginia Recreation and Park Society recently recognized Reston’s multimillion-dollar pool renovation of the Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center along with community leader Bill Bouie.
The statewide group applauded the $5.5 million Reston pool project as the best new renovation of bricks and mortar projects in the state in 2020, and it presented Bouie with a Distinguished Volunteer Service award.
The organization handed out awards Tuesday in Harrisonburg during its annual conference.
Bouie, a telecommunications executive, coach, athlete and youth sports advocate, is the vice chair of the nine-member Reston Community Center board and has helped in key roles for the organization. He’s been with the RCC Board of Governors since 2003.
“No one has embodied Reston values more than Bill Bouie,” Leila Gordon, RCC executive director, said in a news release. “He gives and engenders respect; he believes in the power of each individual to contribute to the common good if they are given the tools to realize their potential. Bill makes us all better by showing us the example of someone who is a true servant leader and who loves building community.”
He was instrumental in advising RCC on a National Recreation and Park Association accreditation in 2020 and an enthusiastic participant in RCC’s “Equity Matters” film discussions created in response to the police murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 and renewed community focus on racial justice, the organization noted in a news release.
Bouie also serves as chair of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board, and he has served in leadership roles for the YMCA Fairfax County Reston, the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Leadership Fairfax, Public Art Reston, and Reston Herndon Little League, among others.
Regarding the pool renovation, RCC board chair Beverly Cosham noted how patrons love the new pools, and she says the organization shares pride with its colleagues at Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services who oversaw the project.
The RCC noted the pool project “replaced a 40-year-old pool and its aging infrastructure with two new, state-of-the-art pools: a 25-yard lap pool and a warm water exercise pool.” It opened in January 2020 after a year of construction.
RCC also noted the project included improvements for water- and electricity-savings, updated locker rooms, a new roof, recycling of materials and custom mosaic public art. And it was completed under budget, allowing more than $800,000 in unused contingencies to be returned to RCC’s reserves.
Zoomph, a Reston-based tech company that started in 2016 is continuing to build national partnerships.
Its digital platform provides social media post metrics for sports clients along with detailed demographic information about fans.
Zoomph clients have ranged from the Washington Football Team to the Chicago White Sox and the Golden State Warriors as well as others, including leagues like NASCAR.
The company started as a team within Reston-based MetroStar Systems as a social media monitoring project with the State Department, Zoomph President Amir Zonozi told the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.
‘We were looking at the reaction in areas of the Arab Spring when people like Secretary Hillary Clinton would make a speech,’ Zonozi explained. ‘But that capability wasn’t really possible in social media. So we had to build things to make that happen. They loved what we built and then they wanted more of it.’
Zoomph eventually pivoted to focusing on partnerships, business intelligence and research around digital marketing at sports, e-sports teams, leagues, brands and agencies. To gather this business intelligence, Zoomph utilizes innovative processes, such as artificial intelligence (AI).
‘We have AI that tracks all of the media content, whether it’s an image, a video, a GIF,’ Zonozi said. ‘We can also capture the assets. So we’re training AI to look at physical objects and understand the value of that physical object digitally.’
The company has around 25 employees.
Zoomph also provided a video interview with the FCEDA in an effort to help highlight the region’s potential for business and jobs.
The company didn’t respond to a media inquiry yesterday by the time this article published.
Meet Morris, Reston’s latest Pet of the Week. This big guy may look macho, but he’s really a gentle sweetheart.
Here’s what his friends at Fancy Cats Rescue Team had to say about him:
Morris looks like a burly macho man, but he’s really a lover boy. You can pick him up and cuddle with him; he will sit on your lap and make biscuits. In short, he’s an absolute sweetheart!
In addition to hanging out with people, he also loves to play with cat teasers. He came to us from the Tri-County Animal Shelter.
Are you and Morris the perfect match?
After eight years of living alone outside, Bear is eager to be part of a family. He loves to snuggle, lie in the sun and play with stuffed animals.
Here’s what Bear and his friends at Puppy Paws Rescue had to say about him:
Hi! I’m Bear! I’m a 9-year-old dog with a youthful, playful personality who will win you over with my snuggle skills. If there were cuddle championships, everyone would need to watch out!
I have three favorite hobbies: my daily walks where I get to sniff all the things, my snuggle sessions (I will straight up launch myself into that couch) and, of course, dinnertime. I have a little extra heft, or “love” as my foster family calls it. I’ve been working it off, but it makes for even better snuggles. Did I mention how good I am at cuddling?
I would fit best in a house with other dogs, or by myself (as long as I have company). I am very tolerant and have no aggression. I think kids are great, I’m awesome with strangersm, and I don’t really bark — I love everyone.
I am a big dufus who can sometimes forget just how strong I am, and I would not want to knock down your little ones, so a home with adults or older kids might be best. I’ve never been around cats (but have never shown aggression toward them), and on two occasions I was frightened by a loud, small dog I saw at a distance.
If you’ve made it this far (of course you have, I’m the best), here is my backstory: I lived outside, penned up, with no family of my own for over eight years. I’ve been living with my foster family for a few months, and I’ve learned that I absolutely love stuffed animals, soft doggy beds, sunning myself and walks, but now all I want is my own family and stability.
Could Bear be the cuddle bug for your home?
In the market for a job? Whether you’re looking for a part-time gig or full-time role, there are plenty of openings around Reston.
We scoured job boards and company sites to find new opportunities. Companies hiring locally include Salesforce, Whole Foods Market, Deloitte and CACI.
Take a look:
- Veterinary assistant — Banfield Pet Hospital
- Patient financial counselor — Reston Hospital Center
- Director, growth and development — CACI
- Data scientist — Sparks Group
- Bakery team member (part-time) — Whole Foods Market
- Global IT communication specialist — Software AG
- Technical account executive, health insurance — Salesforce
- Signature research analyst — KBR
- Customer service consultant — Promotional Solutions Inc.
- Financial management consultant — Deloitte
- Manager on duty at Reston Town Center Ice Skating Pavilion — Rink Management Services Corporation
- Registrar PRN — StoneSprings Hospital Center
- Activities assistant — Sunrise Senior Living
- Buyer specialist — NCI Information Systems
Are you a business owner or manager who’s hiring? Get your opening in front of more local job seekers with our featured Job of the Day posts. Reach out to [email protected] or give us a call at 703-348-0583 for more details.
