In the market to buy a home? Or just want to take a look around?

There are 169 homes currently for sale in Reston, according to Homesnap. Breaking it down, that’s 92 condos, 33 detached homes and 44 townhomes. Additionally, as of June 6, 72 new listings have hit the market in the past four weeks.

Find number of open houses in Reston this weekend — particularly for townhomes — including:

• 12154 Tryton Way
  3 BD/3.5 BA townhome
  Listed: $995,000
  Open: Sunday, 1-3 p.m.
• 11532 Hemingway Drive
  4 BD/3.5 BA townhome
  Listed: $850,000
  Open: Sunday, 1-4 p.m.
• 12136 Chancery Station Circle
  3 BD/2.5 BA townhome
  Listed: $785,000
  Open: Sunday, 2-4 p.m.
• 11727 Arbor Glen Way
  3 BD/3.5 BA townhome
  Listed: $649,900
  Open: Saturday and Sunday, 1-3 p.m.
• 1605 Fieldthorn Drive
  2 BD/2 BA townhome
  Listed: $400,000
  Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m.

Photo via James Lee on Unsplash

For months, there’s been a lot of buzz about homes across the country selling for over asking price. Why? It has to do with low inventory and high demand, thanks, in part, to the low interest rates.

Reston is no different with homes regularly selling for over asking. In the past four weeks, there were 141 home sales, according to Homesnap. Take a look at a few of the Reston homes that sold for over asking this month:

• 2108 Owls Cove Lane
  List price: $930,000
  Sales price: $1,026,551
  $96,551 over asking
• 2645 Black Fir Court
  List price: $900,000
  Sales price: $1,009,001
  $109,001 over asking
• 1651 Bandit Loop
  List price: $893,990
  Sales price: $942,180
  $48,190 over asking
• 1333 Buttermilk Lane
  List price: $740,000
  Sales price: $876,000
  $136,000 over asking
• 1924 Lakeport Way
  List price: $689,000
  Sales price: $760,000
  $71,000 over asking

Want more? Check out the latest in Reston real estate.

Photo via Google Maps

Meet Grace, this week’s Pet of the Week. Grace is a playful, talkative kitty who’s ready to show her new human lots of affection.

Here’s what Grace’s friends at Fancy Cats Rescue Team have to say about her:

Grace is a playful, energetic and lovable cat. She enjoys tossing her play mice in the air and leaping up to catch them. She is incredibly chatty and loves to meow for treats, attention and pets. Her favorite place to snuggle up is right beside you on the couch or in bed. She is a sucker for cat nip and loves to eat it and roll around in it.

Grace is very affectionate and often head butts for ear rubs and chin scratches. She enjoys sitting near a window and chirping at birds as they fly by. She is very acrobatic and loves to leap onto her cat tree and other high places to be the queen of her castle. Grace thrives in an environment where she can be the only kitty to receive all the love and affection.

Are you and Grace the perfect match?

The real estate market has been hot in 2021, and there were no signs of slowing down in May.

According to Homesnap, nearly 160 homes were sold in the past month, with 76 new listings hitting the market. The median list price was $450,000, while the median sales price was $495,000.

Take a look at a few of the most expensive homes that sold in the past month:

• 2566 Yonder Hills Way — 5 BD/5.5+ BA single-family home — $1,875,000
• 11264 Stones Throw Drive — 5 BD/4.5 BA single-family home — $1,462,500
• 11990 Market Street #1912 — 3 BD/3 BA condo — $1,267,500
• 1308 Stamford Way — 6 BD/4.5 BA single-family home — $1,225,000
• 12116 Walnut Branch Road — 6 BD/4.5 BA single-family home — $1,200,000
• 11990 Market Street #1714 — 3 BD/2.5 BA condo — $1,150,000

In the market? Check out the latest in Reston real estate.

Photo via Google Maps 

(Updated at 9:55 p.m.) A man was fatally shot at the Winterthur Apartments in Reston tonight (Thursday).

The shooting happened around 5:30 p.m. on the 2200 block of Winterthur Court. Officers arrived and found a man suffering from gunshot wounds in the entryway of one of the buildings, according to Fairfax County Police Department spokesman Sgt. Hudson Bull.

The man was pronounced dead on scene. Another person had minor injuries, Bull said.

A suspect was seen fleeing the scene in a dark-colored car following the shooting.

“The suspect is described as a black male who left in a black car with tinted windows,” FCPD said via social media. As Thursday night, he remains at large.

Media are gathering along nearby Colts Neck Road as police continue to collect evidence and investigate the shooting.

Officers are investigating a shooting in the 2200 block of Winterthur Ct. in Reston. One person is deceased, the suspect is described as a black male who left in a black car with tinted windows. Updates to follow. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/cntEFdXueU

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) March 11, 2021

(Updated at 9:40 p.m.) A barn fire at Roer’s Zoofari has left two giraffes dead.

The fire was first reported at the private zoo at 1228 Hunter Mill Road around 6 p.m. In a photo posted by Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, smoke could be seen rising from the roof of the two story building.

Later, after the blaze was brought under control, the fire department announced that two giraffes were found deceased. No other animals were reported hurt.

The zoo had a popular, seven-year-old giraffe named Waffles, who children could feed with their bare hands. It was Waffles and his companion that died in the fire, the zoo confirmed Monday night in a statement posted on social media.

Unfortunately, we have very sad news to share.

Tonight the Roer’s Zoofari staff and family are devastated following a barn fire that claimed the life of our beloved giraffe, “Waffles” and his new giraffe companion yet to be named.

Zoofari owner, Vanessa Roer, received the call at 5:30 PM from Fairfax County dispatch that the barn where the giraffes was housed in caught fire. Staff and the zoo’s veterinarian arrived within minutes to help rescue and care for approximately 20 other animals housed in the same area. We are grateful that no staff members or other Zoofari animals were injured or lost.

Grief counselors are being made available for staff, who are devastated by this tragedy and who cared deeply for these members of the Zoofari family.

Please note that Zoofari will be closed until further notice. Thank you for all of your support and condolences to our zoo family during this time.

Thank you to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department for responding so quickly.

Investigators are now on scene, trying to determine how the fire started.

Roer’s Zoofari, located near Lake Fairfax Park, was formerly known as Reston Zoo before its current owners took over in 2016. The new ownership followed a controversy in which the former zoo director pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges.

Units are currently on the scene of a barn fire in the 1200 block of Hunter Mill Rd in Reston.
First arriving reported fire from the roof and on two floors of a 2-story barn. Unknown at this time if any animals in barn. Hunter Mill Rd/Cobble Mill Rd closed. Avoid area. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/HjjvvP4bTa

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) March 8, 2021

UPDATE: 1200 block of Hunter Mill Road: The fire is under control. Tragically, two giraffes were found deceased. No other animals injured, and all are being attended to by zoo staff. No reported firefighter injuries at this time. Fire investigators on scene. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/uT1ND7lnvD

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) March 9, 2021

No more than once a year, Reston Now surveys readers about potential changes to the site.

This year might be one of the more important years for the survey. Our eight-question 2021 Reston Now Reader Survey asks about potential new features, adjustments to our news coverage, and your satisfaction with our Reston reporting.

The survey should only take about 5 minutes to fill out. We would greatly appreciate if you would take the time to do so, and to help Reston Now better serve you in the process.

Thank you!

Before we head off into another weekend with COVID-19 abound, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now in recent days.

1. Confusion on COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Remains After County Opts Out of State System
2. Reston Town Center May Face Trial Over Woman’s Severe Fall
3. New Fitness Gym Opens in Reston Town Center
4. Fairfax County’s COVID-19 Case Count Continues to Dip
5. Reston Association Migrates to Cloud Infrastructure Amid IT Security Concerns

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 social distancing plans, or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.

Photo via F45 Training

Voting in the 2021 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 1 through April 2. This week, we will begin posting profiles on each of the candidates. The complete election schedule is available online.

Featured here is Vincent Dory who is running against three other people for one of two at-large seats. 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 for two years. I decided to set my roots down here because of the unique design and architectural philosophy that governs the design of this place and for the great location in regards to jobs in the area.

What inspired you to run for the board? 

I was inspired to run for the board out of my great appreciation for Reston’s history and design, desire to serve a greater community, and because of the fact that I am a self-driven person. The local activism in regards to the preservation of Reston’s green spaces has also inspired me to run.

What are three of the biggest concerns you have for Reston?

Finally, I would be an important asset in the work to ensure reston.org‘s current redesign is the best possible for our member’s usage. I am a professional software developer, which gives me knowledge in being able to assist the Association with any technology issues. I also have certifications in cloud computing, which our IT infrastructure recently transferred to. All of this will be valuable for making our technology the best it can be in this time of transition.

What do you hope to accomplish by being on the board?

I hope to accomplish the aforementioned goals, and help govern the RA in a measured, effective manner.

How will your personal or professional experience help you in your role with RA?

In addition to my aforementioned skills with technology, I also was the president of my fraternity during university. I am also active in many local political and activist organizations in my spare time. This all gives me experience in managing organizations effectively, dealing with and utilizing personnel to their best abilities, and having a smooth management of finances and assets. You can find more about me at my website, vincentdory.com.

Photo via Reston Association

Voting in the 2021 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 1 through April 2. This week, we will begin posting profiles on each of the candidates. The complete election schedule is available online.

Featured here is Sarah Selvaraj-Dsouza who is running against three other people for one of two at-large seats. 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 been fortunate to call Reston my home for the past 13 years. What brought me here was fate, but what has kept me here is a love and appreciation for Reston and its many wonderful offerings, the nature, the amenities, the attractions, and most of all the people who make our community so vibrant and unique.

When I came to Reston, I brought with me a business degree, ideas, and dreams. In 2013, I launched a small business in Northern Virginia. The Reston community helped me realize this dream. Ceramic classes and studio offerings at the Reston Community Center were an intricate part of my growth. I spent countless hours with the amazing instructors there, playing with clay. And as a mom, I have thoroughly enjoyed all that Reston has to offer from museums, art galleries, trails, parks, lakes, even a zoo, kids classes, ice-skating, pools, tennis courts, shopping, and so much more.

Each of our stories on what brought us to Reston and what keeps us here is unique and what makes this area an amazing place to live work and play. I want to hear about your story. Visit me on SARAH4RESTON.com so we can get to know each other and chat, I would love to talk, text, email or simply good ol’fashioned meet for coffee.

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). 

This year on the board, I championed several initiatives including:

• resisting substantial increases to our dues,
• offering pool pass discounts and refunds to members whose enjoyment of our facilities had been impacted by COVID
• encouraging RA to take a very public stance in support of our golf courses
• insisting on greater transparency from the association, board, and staff
• improving cluster communications
• advocating for an IT committee to help RA staff with strategy and oversight to protect members’ data and address several technology concerns that have plagued us over the years.

But Reston we’ve got a lot more work to do.

I am committed to ensuring RA’s primary focus is our membership – YOU.

Please vote for me to represent you for a full 3-year term so together we can see Reston flourish. Please visit me at Sarah4Reston.com for more info.

What are three of the biggest concerns you have for Reston?

• Affordability – From affordable housing to affordable RA assessments, affordability is KEY to all of us. We need to ensure our assessments are affordable. Being a mom and a small business owner I know every dollar spent towards an assessment is a dollar not spent on my family or my business.

• Density and Redevelopment – RA must be an advocate for Restonians on Land Use issues. We need a strong board that can effectively represent us to the county on plans that conflict with our members’ best interests. New development must be part of RA. Many of these developments tout RA’s wonderful offerings like our amenities, lakes, and trails to entice new owners but are not members of RA and do not contribute to the upkeep.

• Climate Change – The urgency of climate change cannot be ignored. Reston under the RA Environmental Advisory Committee(EAC)’s leadership is working towards being a leader on this front. We can and must do more. This year as liaison to the EAC I advocated for more visibility and input from this amazing group of volunteers on RA operations that impact the environment. I invite you to learn about and take the biophilic pledge with me and to visit Reston Today’s informative video.

These are big issues and need lots of conversations with the community and voices to find the right solutions for Reston. I want to start/continue these conversations. If you would like to join in, visit SARAH4RESTON.com

What do you hope to accomplish by being on the board?

I had the honor to serve as one of your At-Large Representatives on the board this year. I am asking for your vote again because I want to continue to advocate for fiscal responsibility, transparency, two-way communications, and action-oriented leadership.

• Greater Fiscal Responsibility: I believe smart money management does not mean raising assessments or pay cuts for hard-working RA staff. Smart money management means the efficient and effective use of available resources, including the knowledge and experience of the RA Fiscal Committee. It also means exploring the possibility of public/private partnerships and other non-assessment revenue streams to meet membership needs.

• Greater Transparency and Communication: The RA Board must be committed to transparency and empowering the membership through meaningful engagement. We can achieve this by disseminating necessary documents and reports sufficiently prior to board/committee meetings to allow member participation and comment.

• Action-Oriented Leadership: I will use my skill set as a successful business owner for creative problem-solving, where consensus building, communication, and firm deadlines will be key. I will encourage implementing action items in a timely manner.

5. How will your personal or professional experience help you in your role with RA?

Making a small business grow and prosper over the last eight years has required the ability to adapt and innovate especially to survive 2020. Those skills would benefit the RA board and our community.

Diversity, innovation, and adaptation have been an integral part of my life. I grew up in India, completed my engineering degree in Singapore, obtained my MBA in Bristol, England, and moved to Reston 13 years ago to start my family.

I love that our Reston community is much more than shared zip codes. When COVID hit and the struggle for civil rights and justice came to the forefront, I founded RESTONSTRONG and organized more than 5000 neighbors for community action including a peaceful demonstration and no-contact donation pods. I serve on the GMU School of Music Board, foster for LostDogRescue.org, and now help my 5th grade Terraset Tiger with distance-learning.

Most importantly, as a homeowner, a business owner, and a mom, I know the value RA brings to our community and lives, and I am also keenly aware of the strain we can face when assessments are raised or prices for programs and amenities become more expensive. I will ensure our money is spent wisely, I will champion accountability and transparency, and I will use my experience and passion for our community to implement creative solutions.

Photo via Reston Association

Voting in the 2021 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 1 through April 2. This week, we will begin posting profiles on each of the candidates. The complete election schedule is available online.

Featured here is John Farrell who is running against three other people for one of two at-large seats. 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?

My family had the good fortune to move Reston in 1984. My 4 kids went to Terraset, Hughes and South Lakes Schools. They went to RA camps, learned to swim at RA pools and played ball on RA fields.  Our cluster has been home to many kinds of families of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.  That diversity has enriched all of us and truly makes Reston a unique and amazing place to live, work and play.

My passion for Reston actually began many years before I moved here. In 1965, like other 12 year olds, I was fascinated by coverage of the Gemini V mission sponsored by Gulf Oil.  Gulf’s ads featured Reston, a planned Virginia community.  In the midst of the Massive Resistance era, Gulf touted Reston’s housing for all socio-economic levels throughout a family’s lifecycle and the absence of racial covenants. Those ads set my life’s course: to study urban government in college and zoning and planning in law school.

Getting to raise my four children in Reston has been the fulfillment of a vision formed 55 years ago.

What inspired you to run for the board? 

I love all that Reston offers it members. Our amenities are one of the top reasons we are a nationally recognized place to live, work and play.  There is a cost and as we welcome new neighbors and as facilities age, upkeep costs will increase as well.  When I heard from RA leadership that it had not even asked the developers of the new apartments around the Metro station to join RA to help fund the upkeep of our trails, parks, lakes and ball fields that their tenants will use, it was clear the RA needs change. When I later found out that RA had not made a written demand to receive part of the recreational contributions made by those developers, it was clear that RA needed someone to advocate for its membership.

The bookshelves of the RA offices groan with one study after another, yet there is little action, advocacy or accountability by RA leadership.  It’s time for RA to take action. It’s time for RA to vigorously advocate for its members interests. It’s time for accountability by RA leadership to its members.

What are three of the biggest concerns you have for Reston?

My overriding concern is to insure that we retain what’s best about Reston and that it prospers for the next generation. Some of my specific means of advancing that intention are to:

1. Permanently preserve both golf courses;
2. Promptly reopen Lake Thoreau pool as efficiently as possible and advocate that all RA facilities are open during their intended season; and
3. Strongly advocate for the new apartment owners near the Metro stations to pay RA assessments to help pay to maintain our trails, open space and ball fields that their tenants will use.It’s only fair and will hold down our RA assessments
4. What do you hope to accomplish by being on the board?

First and foremost, I want to be your advocate.  There’s a lot to love about Reston and there’s a lot that we can do together to make living, working and playing here even better.

Here are a few of my ideas:

• Advocate for some the $25 million in recreational facility contributions from the developers of Reston’s new residential projects to be used for RA facilities and that all of it be spent in Reston;
• Do our part to protect our environment by adopting a clear plan to convert RA’s fleet to electric vehicles;
• Require all commercial properties to comply with RA’s covenants that protect our property values;
• Increase transparency and encourage member engagement by avoiding executive sessions and revising RA’s committee structure to improve members’ understanding of RA functions;
• Create a RA website that provides easily accessible information and two-way communication for all RA members at reasonable cost;
• Insist that RA engage knowledgeable people to securely protect its members personal data; and
• Preserving Reston’s legacy of inclusion of all social-economic groups at all stages of a family’s life-cycle.

How will your personal or professional experience help you in your role with RA?

• I’ve spent my professional career advocating for homeowners and homeowners associations and I can use what I’ve learned to strengthen RA.
• As an attorney specializing in zoning and wetlands law, I understand the regulatory challenges to preserving our unique community.
• As President of the Fairfax Girls Softball League, I worked with others to successfully lobby the County Board of Supervisors to spend $100,000 per year for 10 years to bring the softball facilities up to the same quality as the baseball facilities.
• As National President for the 40,000-member Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation, I managed a large volunteer membership organization.
• As President of Colonial Oaks cluster, for the last 6 years, I’ve successfully dealt with the many issues facing RA clusters and learned the strengths and weaknesses of the RA covenant process.
• I’ve spent the last 20 years protecting the right to vote in Fairfax.

I hope you’ll agree that all of that is experience you can trust.

Find out more by visiting farrell4reston.com.

Photo via Reston Association

Voting in the 2021 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 1 through April 2. This week, we will begin posting profiles on each of the candidates. The complete election schedule is available online.

Featured here is Timothy Dowling who is running against three other people for one of two at-large seats. 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?

My wife, Ricarda, and I moved to Reston in 1982.  Our first home was a townhouse across the street from Hunters Woods Village Center.  As our family grew, we moved to a new home in the Tall Oaks area.  In 1992 we returned to Hunters Woods on Paddock Lane, where we have lived ever since.

We were first drawn to Reston by its trees, lakes, and beautiful natural resources.  As we learned more about Reston’s emphasis on environmental stewardship, racial and economic diversity, the arts, and recreational amenities, we knew we had found our home.  We are thankful that Bob Simon was such a visionary, and that he worked so hard to establish Reston’s core values.   After nearly forty years, my family and I understand that Reston’s ideals are not mere words, but our daily experience.

For more information on my background, visit https://www.tim4reston.com/.

What inspired you to run for the board?

It is vital to promote democracy at every level.  Apathy kills democracy.  I’m concerned so few Restonians vote in our Board elections, and I’m especially worried that candidates sometimes run unopposed.  With so many people still struggling with the pandemic and economic hardship, I decided to run this year to ensure Restonians have a clear choice.  I commend all the other candidates for their willingness to serve.

I also was inspired to run by a sense of gratitude to those who served before me. They provided my family with this wonderful community.  Although I don’t agree with every Board decision, I greatly respect the current Board Members’ commitment to Reston, their exceptional abilities, and their thoughtfulness.  I’d like to pay Reston back by offering my time, talents, and expertise.

Over the years, I’ve been impressed during my interactions with the volunteers on RA committees, as well as with RA staff.  I want to serve on the Board to support their work and provide ideas on how they can improve Reston even more.

What are three of the biggest concerns you have for Reston?

First, the biggest issue facing Reston is harmful growth.  We must preserve our existing open space, including our two golf courses.  Dysfunctional growth imposes unfair burdens on our crowded schools and roads, and undermines our core values of environmental stewardship and aesthetic harmony.  I support “Smart Growth” where appropriate, but sacrificing our open space on the altar of increased revenue would be decidedly unsmart.  The RA Board also must ensure that the county’s revisions to its zoning (zMOD) does not increase our density or threaten our core values.

Second, our pools, tennis courts, and other amenities are aging.  Every dollar of our $718 assessment must be spent wisely and efficiently so we have the funds necessary to maintain our recreational resources and other common property

Third, we must increase the trust of our RA membership.  We should improve communication and transparency.  RA’s Information Technology must fully protect our sensitive data and RA financial transactions.  We need a Code of Ethics for RA that prohibits financial conflicts, improper gifts, and other misconduct.  We should be more creative in responding to new concerns, such as solar panels and EV charging stations to address the threat of climate change.

What do you hope to accomplish by being on the board?

I’m a strong believer in Servant Leadership.  I want to serve on the Board to preserve what makes Reston so special.  My primary goal is to provide the next generation with the vibrant, diverse, and healthy community we all cherish.

I’d like to build on the work RA already has done to increase transparency and accountability through social media, and to give our CEO the resources needed to improve our quality of life.  I will make myself available to everyone to listen to their concerns and work to address them.

My top priorities will be:

• Preserving our open space, including our two golf courses;
• Ensuring that the county’s revision of its zoning does not increase our density or undermine our core values;
• Addressing our aging infrastructure, and eliminating waste to ensure the efficient use of RA assessments;
• Promoting measures to address the threat of climate change, such as solar panels, vehicle charging stations, and updating RA’s vehicle fleet;
• Improving RA’s Information Technology to achieve full protection of sensitive data and financial transactions;
• and Establishing an enforceable Code of Ethics for RA that prohibits financial conflicts, improper gifts, and other misconduct.

How will your personal or professional experience help you in your role with RA?

I’m an attorney with extensive experience relevant to the work of the Board.  For ten years, I served as Chief Counsel of a public interest law firm that defended local communities in challenges to their land use laws.  I worked closely with groups like the National League of Cities, National Association of Counties, and the American Planning Association.  I’ve written books and articles on how to defend community protections.  I co-taught a class at Georgetown on how local communities can advance their values, consistent with the Constitution.  I was a Judicial Officer at U.S. EPA, and a policy advisor at the Justice Department’s Environment Division.  My expertise and experience will serve Reston well as it seeks to protect its core values.

For ten years, I was a supervisor in the office charged with ensuring that FBI personnel meet the highest standards of ethics and integrity.  I know the importance of transparency and avoiding of conflicts of interest.

My recent volunteer work includes teaching a weekly class at Reston Library to help immigrants pass their citizenship exam.  My students’ commitment to Reston and our country is so inspiring.  They taught me anew the vitality of Reston’s founding principle of diversity.

Photo via Reston Association

Before we head off into another weekend with COVID-19 abound, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now in recent days.

1. Fairfax County to Launch Queuing System Tomorrow, Improve Vaccine Rollout
2. COVID-19 Cases Level Out as Fairfax County Works Through Vaccine Waitlist
3. Victim Identified in Fatal Reston Shooting
4. Frustrations Boil Over As Lake Anne Residents Grapple With No Hot Water Since Dec. 1
5. Reston Man Charged in Killing of Former SLHS Classmate

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 social distancing plans, or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.

The D.C. area is hunkered down for another winter storm today (Thursday) that could last into Friday morning.

At 1:05 p.m., the National Weather Service downgraded its earlier winter storm warning to a Winter Weather Advisory. As of 8:30 this morning, the NWS had projected one to three inches of snow, a drop down from previous forecasts of three to six inches of accumulation.

However, with the addition of freezing rain and ice, the roads are still going to be slippery, making travel a challenge.

In previous years, icy road conditions would have made for treacherous commutes to work and school, but the novel coronavirus pandemic has forced many to work and learn from home. Still, the frequency of winter weather events over the past few weeks can feel disruptive, even if not much snow has actually materialized so far this year.

How do you feel about all this winter weather? Do you wish there was more snow, or are you comfortable with the amount that Fairfax County has gotten? Are you ready for warmer weather yet?

Photo via Fairfax County Police Department

The Virginia Department of Health launched a new, statewide registration system for the COVID-19 vaccine today, but Fairfax County won’t be taking part.

The county is encouraging residents to continue using its own registration system. Local health districts have been directed to close their existing registration forms so that data can be cleaned up, consolidated, and transferred to the new system.

The FCHD says it will not participate in the statewide system at this time and will instead continue to manage vaccine appointments for everyone in the Fairfax Health District, which includes Fairfax County, the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, and the towns of Vienna, Herndon, and Clifton.

“For those already on the waitlist, do not register again on the new statewide system,” the county health department said.

Fairfax County’s vaccine call center at 703-324-7404 will also continue to be operational, even with the state launching a new call center.

Fairfax County decided to stick with its own registration system because officials believed it would be less confusing for residents, and because the county has “invested a lot of resources” into the system, Fairfax County Health Department spokesperson Tina Dale said.

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay also noted that the county invested resources and time into working out the kinks of its current system.

“At this point, I am glad we can maintain our system that residents are familiar with to cut down on confusion. We will continue to have conversations with the state about registration as the vaccine process rolls out,” he said.

The news comes as Fairfax County’s promised dashboard with COVID-19 vaccine and registration data goes live.

So far, the county is currently making appointments for people registered on Jan. 18. Residents can verify if they are registered to receive the first dose of the vaccine online.

Roughly 228,145 people have registered for the vaccine in the Fairfax Health District and 106,371 people remain on the waiting list as of data released Sunday night.

The health department cautions that it may take several weeks to schedule appointments for registered residents due to limited vaccine supply. The county has received 114,923 doses from VDH.