Before we head off into another weekend with a stay-at-home order in effect, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now in recent days.
- On Day One of Reopening, Customer Leaves $1,000 Tip at Reston Restaurant (24.5k)
- Roundup: Town of Herndon Restaurants Now Open for Expanded Outdoor Dining (3.5k)
- ‘Demonstration of Solidarity’ Planned in Reston for George Floyd
- Stanley Martin Proposes Redeveloping Herndon Parkway Offices into Residential Development
- PHOTOS: Community Car Parade Honors South Lakes High School’s Class of 2020
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.
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
Gov. Ralph Northam said today that Northern Virginia localities may start to roll back COVID-19 restrictions on Friday.
The rest of Virginia has already started phase 1 of the state’s reopening plan, but Northern Virginia officials asked for a delay, which Northam granted.
Now, Northam is pointing to the latest data on the virus, highlighting that the numbers have been “directionally correct” since Friday (May 22).
A joint letter from head officials in Northern Virginia, including Fairfax County, sent to Northam on Monday (May 25) said that they are preparing to start the first phase on Friday, including a note from their corresponding health directors.
“[The public health directors] have noted the regional attainment of four of the critical metrics and assessed the need for continued focus on expanding our contact tracing capacity and developing sustainable supplies of PPE,” the letter said.
Additionally, Jeff McKay, the chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, released the following statement:
Northern Virginia’s Health Directors tell me that we have met four of the critical criteria required to move forward to Phase I of Governor Northam’s plan to reopen. One of the two areas we don’t meet is contact tracing, but we are finalizing a contract hopefully this week to provide recruitment and staffing for the hundreds of contact tracers and investigators that we will need to increase our capacity of contract tracing. The other is PPE and we have sufficient supply for hospitals, but are working to increase in other areas and hope the Governor will be able to help us do that. My colleagues and I have provided this information to the Governor and look forward to hearing his decision based on that data.
I share our community’s desire to reopen our businesses in the safest way possible. Fairfax County has made significant preparations should the Governor decide that Northern Virginia has met his criteria to reopen this Friday. Regardless, we will continue to monitor our local statistics to ensure Fairfax County doesn’t see spikes in cases and be transparent with the public on our progress.
Northam said that he has been communicating with the Northern Virginia officials.
“The virus clearly is still here, but overall, these numbers are trending in the right direction,” Northam said. “That is the assessment of our state team and it is the assessment of the health district directors across Northern Virginia.”
Northam said that he is “not comfortable” starting the second phase yet for the state and will reevaluate later this week.
“I want to emphasize that while phase 1 loosens some restrictions, it does not require any business or place of worship to open until they are comfortable that they can do so safely,” Northam said. “Just because you can open doesn’t mean that you have to open.”
Mask Controversy
Northam also responded to criticisms after photos surfaced of him without a mask at Virginia Beach this weekend, which intensified due to Northam saying on Friday that he planned to announce a statewide mask policy soon.
“People held me accountable, and I appreciate that,” Northam said. “In the future when I am out in the public, I will be better prepared.”
Northam said that “well-wishers” asked to take pictures with him while he was en route to speak to reporters. “I was not prepared because my mask was in the car,” he said.
Northam announced the face-covering rules today.
Starting this Friday (May 29), people age 10 and older will need to wear face-coverings when they are inside a public place, including retailers, barbershops, restaurants, public transportation, government building and place where people congregate. Exceptions include people who are exercising, eating or drinking or have a health condition that makes wearing a face-covering difficult.
“This is a matter of public health,” Northam said.
Image via Governor of Virginia/Facebook
Before we head off into another weekend with a stay-at-home order in effect, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now in recent days.
- Body Found Near Lake Anne Plaza
- UPDATED: Swastikas Discovered at North Point Village Center
- Cause of Reston Townhouse Fire Under Investigation
- Reston Association Reconsiders Finances, Priorities Due to Pandemic
- County Seeks $69 Million for Critical Soapstone Connector
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. Our regular publishing schedule will resume on Tuesday due to Memorial Day.
Photo via Chalk Hooligans/Twitter
Calling all local photographers: Reston Now is looking for your photos of Reston, Herndon and Great Falls.
Whether you’re a photography pro or just love snapping pictures with your smartphone, we are always looking to include seasonal photos in our Morning Notes on weekdays or reshare pictures on our social media accounts.
As we also followed the advice of public health experts, we’re especially interested to see your photos of social distancing (or lack thereof) in the area.
To send us your photos, email us at [email protected], tag us in your photo on social media or join our Reston Now Flickr page.
You will always receive credit for the photo — either with your username or actual name.
Thank you to photographers who have already sent us photos.
Before we head off into another weekend with a stay-at-home order in effect, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now in recent days.
- Fairfax County Releases More Zip Code Data on COVID-19 Cases
- Reports: Bear Spotted in Reston
- Airbags Stolen from a Dozen Cars in Herndon Apartment Complex
- JUST IN: Northam to Delay Northern Va.’s First Reopening Phase
- Northam: Northern Va. May Ease Restrictions ‘More Slowly’ as Virginia Reopens
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 Megan Marie
Since emergency orders in Virginia went into effect several weeks ago, most local and county bodies have opted for online meetings.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors dove into its budget for the coming year and courted public comments virtually. Reston Association also transitioned its annual members’ meeting to an online platform, with members given the chance to provide live comments almost seamlessly. After sorting through kinks and technical issues, other bodies and organizations will continue online meetings in the coming weeks.
Do you think the county and other local entities should continue virtual meetings, even after COVID-19 pandemic concerns subside? Some contend that online meetings are easier to attend and result in more streamlined decision-making. Still, online meetings represent an equity barrier for those without access to certain technology and do not allow residents and groups to fully participate in the public engagement process.
Let us know what you think in the poll below.
New PPP Data — “Small businesses across D.C., Virginia and Maryland have seen about $8.96 billion worth of loans approved so far in the second round of the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program, according to new data from the agency… Virginia businesses were approved for 54,989 loans totaling $4.34 billion.” [Washington Business Journal]
COVID-19 Cases Rise as Testing Increases — “Virginia added nearly 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the daily report Monday morning, bringing the state’s total number of cases to 25,070. The increase of 989, the second highest since the pandemic was first reported in the state in early March, came after a surge in testing, with 9,801 new tests reported.” [Inside NoVa]
Funding to Feed Kids — “Fairfax County Public Schools has received $50,000 in grant funding from No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to end childhood hunger in America, and Nationals Philanthropies, the official charitable arm of the Washington Nationals baseball team.” [Inside NoVa]
Metro May Limit Operations Until 2021 — “As states start to reopen their economies, Metro has crafted its plan to slowly ramp service back up — but don’t expect pre-pandemic levels of service until sometime in early 2021.” [DCist]
FCEDA Head Tapped for COVID-19 Group — “Victor Hoskins, President and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA), is one of 45 experts tapped to serve on the Washington, D.C.-area’s COVID-19 Strategic Renewal Task Force. Hoskins is the only member on the task force representing one of the region’s economic development organizations.” [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Photo by vantagehill/Flickr
Since 2013, Reston Now has been reporting news about the Reston and Herndon areas. Recently, we started providing additional coverage of Great Falls.
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Following more details to reopen Virginia later this week, Fairfax County’s chairman joined Northern Virginia leaders in saying that the region is not ready yet to ease restrictions.
On Sunday (May 10), McKay, along with the top officials for the City of Alexandria and Loudoun, Prince William and Arlington counties, said in a letter to the governor saying that regional threshold metrics should be used instead of statewide metrics for reopening the five localities.
“While it is certainly useful to examine statewide metrics as we gauge the success of current public health policies, we feel strongly that any changes to current policies be guided by what is occurring in our region,” the letter said.
We all want to reopen our economy in the safest, data-driven way possible. Regardless of the Governor’s decision about how we move forward, we will continue to monitor our local statistics and be fully transparent about where we stand as a region. (5/7)
— Jeff McKay (@JeffreyCMcKay) May 10, 2020
The health directors for the five localities also sent a letter to the state health commissioner. “Based on our assessment, we do not believe that the Northern Virginia region has met the criteria for moving into Phase 1 at this time,” the letter said.
Gov. Ralph Northam announced on Friday that his plans to begin the first phase on Friday (May 15) as part of his “Forward Virginia” plan include these new restrictions:
- Restaurants with open air space will be allowed to seat guests outdoors but at 50% capacity while other in-door only restaurants will be only be allowed to offer takeout and delivery.
- Residents will be under a “safer at home” suggestion.
- Retail businesses will be able to open at a 50% capacity.
- Fitness centers must remain closed unless they offer outdoor facilities.
- Entertainment and amusement centers will still be closed.
- Churches and places of worship will be allowed to gather at 50% capacity.
- Private campgrounds and specific public camping facilities will be reopened.
- A 10-person gathering limit for private parties will be still be required.
If the number of COVID-19 cases rise with the new orders, Northam said that there is a chance tighter restrictions will once again go into place.
“The virus is still in our communities and we need to continue our vigilance,” he said. “We may be living with it for months or maybe years.
Northam stressed on Friday that his proposed plan is an easement of the temporary restrictions: “We are not opening the flood gate here.”
Prior to the governor’s announcement, McKay and other local leaders had been pushing the state’s administration to provide more collaboration with the reopening plans.
For places like Fairfax County, Northam said on Friday that they may be allowed to reopen at a slower pace and that he will announce more details early this week.
“I have said from the beginning this is a dynamic-fluid process,” he said.
Catherine Douglas Moran and Ashley Hopko contributed to this report
Photo via Fairfax County Government; image via Virginia.gov
LifeFuels CEO Focused on Fitness — “Not only is his company providing free online fitness classes, he’s also hiring fitness instructors and trainers who may have lost their jobs due to the pandemic to run those classes.” [Reston Patch]
Skipping the Silver Line — “It’s too early to tell if Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) will launch a Seattle-style shuttle service for its HQ2 employees, but the company has connected its Herndon and Arlington offices via shuttle, a spokesperson told the Washington Business Journal.” [Washington Business Journal]
How’s the Local Hospital Doing? — “Several hospitals in Virginia and Washington, D.C., received top grades for safety, while others didn’t quite measure up, according to new spring 2020 ratings released by the Leapfrog Group recently.” The Reston Hospital Center received an “A” grade. [Herndon Patch]
Photo via vantage hill/Flickr
Before we head off into another weekend with a stay-at-home order in effect, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now in recent days.
- Here’s a Peek at the New Historic Herndon District by Comstock
- Glass Recycling to Resume in Fairfax County Next Week
- Reston Farmers Market Vendors Offering Pre-Order Services
- Fairfax County to Evaluate Opening of Herndon Farmers Market
- Despite COVID-19 Crisis, Taco Zocalo Opens Second Location
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 Photo by Anne Preble/Unsplash
ABC Stores Now Offering Curbside Service — Of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority’s 15 stores in Northern Virginia that are now offering curbside pick-up, one is in Herndon (378 Elden Street) while another is in Reston (1454 North Point Village Shopping Center). [Inside NoVa]
Sports Stalled —“The Virginia High School League’s Executive Committee voted Thursday to cancel the spring sports season altogether for rest of the 2019-20 calendar year due to the coronavirus outbreak.” [Inside NoVa]
Hospitalizations Rising Again in Virginia — “The number of coronavirus patients in Virginia hospitalized and on ventilators has increased since Tuesday, according to the latest data from the state hospital association. Despite the increase, the number of ventilators in use in Virginia represents only 20 percent of the total number in the state.” [Patch]
Photo courtesy Marjorie Copson
(This story was updated to clarify that Reston Strong is an ongoing effort).
Several community organizations are banding together to power a no-contact donation drive in Reston.
Reston Strong, the name of the community-based action group, and the CORE Foundation, a local nonprofit organization, are collecting donations at various storage pods in the area. Community partners include Cornerstones, Helping Hungry Kids, Reston Hospital Center, and the CORE Foundation.
The no-contact storage pods were donated by UNITS, a national moving and portable storage company. Residents can drop off requested items at the pods. The locations are below:
- Cornerstones (11484 Washington Plaza West): Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- YMCA Reston (12196 Sunset Hills Road): Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- South Lakes Village Center, near Safeway (11120 South Lakes Drive): Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- North Point Village Center (1452 Reston Parkway): Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
All the collected items will be donated to Cornerstones, Reston Hospital Center and Helping Hungry Kids — which support people within the Reston community who are in need of assistance.
Individuals interested in helping manage the project at specific sites can sign up online but must abide by safety rules and precautions. Volunteer slots are available through May 31.
Ashley Hopko and Fatimah Waseem contributed reporting.
Photo via Reston Strong/Facebook
Local businesses are at the heart of a community like Reston.
But these are difficult times for those that run community-serving businesses, everything from stores to salons, dental practices to cafes.
While Reston Now’s own business has taken a hit, we want to step up and offer use of our platform to help fellow local businesses during the pandemic.
From now until whenever we see a meaningful recovery, we’re making our Community Posts feature free to all locally-owned, small businesses that have been negatively impact by the crisis.
Want to promote your business, service offering, online store or anything else, via Reston Now’s email newsletter and homepage? Submit a short post here and we’ll publish it on the site.
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Over the weekend, Fairfax County unveiled a new COVID-19 dashboard, providing more insight into the geographic and racial data.
In addition to previously available data on total case numbers, deaths, hospitalizations and age distribution, the new dashboard now offers data on:
- cases by locality
- case rates by combined zip codes grouped by the first three digits
- cases by racial and ethnic groups
- trajectory of cases to show increases or decreases
- epidemic curve “shows the number of new cases that occur by week of onset”
Fairfax County Health Director Gloria Addo-Ayensu cautioned that the data underestimate the outbreak and highlights areas where there may be disparities in the Fairfax Health District.
“Since many people with mild to moderate symptoms are not being diagnosed or tested, the data primarily represents people with more severe illness and should be interpreted with caution and not used to determine individual risk,” Addo-Ayensu said.
Rates in Northern Virginia are higher than elsewhere in the state. Although the Fairfax Health District has the most cases statewide, it does not have the highest prevalence of the disease when measured by cases per 100,000 residents.
Case rates are combined by grouping the first three digits of zip code. Reston and Herndon — which overlap over two zip code groups — have a case count of around 485. The county is presenting case counts per 100,000 residents in order to account for differences in population sizes across zip code groups.
The data are presented with several caveats. Onset dates could be inaccurate and tests may take several days to process.
As of today (Monday), Fairfax County has 3,002 cases and 100 deaths, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The cities of Fairfax and Falls Church both have just over two dozen cases and two deaths.
The Fairfax Health District, which includes the county and its towns and cities, continues to lead the state in the number of cases and deaths.
Of the 199 outbreaks in Virginia, 34 are in the Fairfax Health District with 31 at long term care facilities and one each at a healthcare setting, correctional facility and educational setting.
Statewide, there are at least 13,535 cases, 2,066 hospitalizations and 458 deaths. More than 80,000 people have been tested for the virus.
Fatimah Waseem and Catherine Douglas Moran reported this story
Image via Fairfax County
