Need a minute? — Drivers paying tolls on I-66 inside the Beltway can save a lot of money by leaving just a few minutes earlier, according to a new study. [WTOP]
It’s summer restaurant week soon — So far, three restaurants are taking part in the Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week. [Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington]
Nearby: McLean residents push for Beltway on-ramp closure — “The ramp from Virginia Route 193/Georgetown Pike to the Inner Loop, just before the American Legion Bridge into Maryland, would be closed from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.” [WTOP]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
Bryce Harper, an outfielder for the Nationals, dedicated a baseball complex in Fred Crabtree Park named after him on Monday (July 16).
The Bryce Harper All-Star Complex, located at 2801 Fox Mill Road, includes two renovated fields and is the second baseball facility for youth named after Harper in the area. Another field is located at Takoma Community Center in the District.
“I felt like this not only adds to the community but also achieves my objective of making sure this game continues to grow and is left in a better place than when I entered it,” Harper said at the dedication ceremony.
A video of the complete ceremony is available online.
More from social media:
.@Bharper3407 gave some lucky kids the first look of his 🔥 cleats during the Bryce Harper All-Star Complex dedication at Fred Crabtree Park in Virginia. pic.twitter.com/POrVBu04Sv
— MLB (@MLB) July 16, 2018
All-star Bryce Harper is dedicated. And now, so is the Bryce Harper All-Star Complex in Herndon, VA. Great morning celebrating baseball, teamwork and future all-stars! ⚾️⭐️@MLB @Nationals @Bharper3407 @UnderArmour @ScottsLawnCare @RestonHerndonLL #allstarweek #allstargame pic.twitter.com/JhdVDJDaJ8
— Fairfax County Parks (@fairfaxparks) July 16, 2018
A special day for Reston Herndon Little League. Introducing the Bryce Harper All-Star Complex at Fred Crabtree Park — at Fred Crabtree Park https://t.co/Sf5n4S7ewk
— Reston Herndon LL (@RestonHerndonLL) July 16, 2018
Photos via Twitter user @fairfaxparks
Cash was taken from two businesses over the weekend. On Saturday (July 14), an employee entered Ariake Restaurant (12184 State Route 4721) around 11:39 p.m. and discovered the door was unlocked and the cash register was missing.
At around 12:07 a.m. the next day, officers discovered a broke window on the storefront of Kung Fu Tea in Hunters Woods Plaza. The owner confirmed an undisclosed amount of cash was taken, along with a small cash box.
The Fairfax County Police Department also reported the following incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
13300 block of Apgar Place, cell phone and sunglasses from vehicle
2400 block of Centreville Road, cell phone from business
2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, liquor from business
2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, liquor from business
11900 block of Democracy Drive, wallet from business
12000 block of Market Street, purse from business
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
Meanwhile. a bank robbery at BB&T in Herndon remains under investigation. No arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
Conviction upheld for Reston woman — A federal appeals court upheld convictions and prison sentences of two women, including a Reston resident, for using an internet chat room to raise money for al-Shabab, a Somali militant group. [The Inquirer]
Nearby: Transparency concerns — “School resource officers have become a familiar sight in Fairfax County middle and high schools over the past two decades, but questions about how they should balance their dual role as school administrators and law enforcement officials.” [Fairfax County Times]
Nearby: Lip sync challenge — Local police participate in a lip sync challenge for Bebe Rexha’s song “Mean to Be.” Since it was released late last week, the video has more than 24,000+ views. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Photo submitted by Gail Crockett
A public hearing before the Herndon Town Council is planned as three appeals surface against Comstock’s plans to redevelop downtown Herndon.
Three property owners filed appeals last month disputing the Heritage Preservation Review Board’s approval of Comstock’s application for new construction. The property owners, who live near the 4.6-acre site, challenged the construction of the structure and specific features of the site.
The application concerns the demolition of buildings on 770 Elden Street and 750 Center Street, as well as the development’s architecture. At a June 18 HPRB meeting, town officials defended the approvals.
Due to the appeals, the council will hold a public hearing to allow appellants to justify their appeals. The approval under question by the HPRB — known in planning jargon as the Certificate of Appropriateness for New Construction — is rendered void due to the appeals.
The HPRB can reverse or change its decision if evidence is presented that the approval was not correct. Through a public-private partnership with the town, Comstock plans to build 274 residential units, 17,000 square feet of retail and a 761-space garage.
File photo
Fairfax County officials begin small workgroup sessions with representatives this week to discuss a controversial plan to increase Reston’s population density in areas targeted for growth.
The sessions are hosted by the Coalition for a Planned Reston, a grassroots organization and Reston Association. Staff from the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning and Fairfax County Public Schools will be on hand to discuss questions.
The plan would increase density in Reston’s Planned Residential Community areas from 13 to 16 persons per acre. CPR and RA have opposed the plan, as proposed, amid concerns about the overall impact on infrastructure.
The schedule for the meetings is below. All workgroup meetings start at 6 p.m.
- July 17 – Transportation – 12005 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston – Terrace Level (Live stream is not available. Recording will be uploaded).
- July 18 – Parks and Open Space – 12005 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston – Terrace Level
- July 24, 2018 – Schools/Public Facilities – 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston – Conference Center
- July 30 – Planning and Zoning -12001 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston – Conference Center
RTC West+ — JBG Smith plans major additions to RTC West, which, for now, is essentially an office park with a touch of retail. [Washington Business Journal]
Death ruled a drowning – An autopsy determined that Kevin Ruby’s cause of death was drowning, with the contributing cause of cardiovascular disease. Ruby drowned during a popular race on Lake Audubon in late May. [Fairfax County Police Department]
First PRC work session tomorrow — The first workgroup meeting regarding transportation as the county considers a plan to increase Reston’s population density is set for tomorrow at 12005 Sunrise Valley Drive. [Reston Today]
Twitter user @MrErrett
Two people were killed and two others were injured after an early morning crash on Fairfax County Parkway near Walnut Branch Road yesterday.
Tonnisha McCoy, 21 and Joselyn Herndon, 23, were killed in the crash.
Detectives are looking for witnesses to help with the investigation. Alcohol and speed may have been factors that caused the crash around 2 a.m. on Sunday.
Police believe the driver lost control of the car as it traveled northbound on Fairfax County Parkway. The car rotated and left the roadway.
At least one other car was on the scene during the crash and remained on-site when officers arrived.
Due to the complex nature of the investigation, detectives are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has information to call 703-280-0564.
Photo via Fairfax County Police Department
Before we head off into the weekend, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now in recent days.
- Data Centers to Replace Office Buildings on Sunrise Valley Drive
- Developing: Bank Robbery Investigation Underway in Herndon
- Pedestrian Bridge Project at Wiehle Avenue and W&OD Trail Moves Forward
- Herndon Man Charged In Connection with Prostitution Ring Operating in Sterling Home
- Decision on Reston Crescent Project Deferred to July 12
If you have ideas on stories we should cover, email us at [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip. We’re also looking for photos of Reston submitted by readers. Feel free to discuss these topics, your weekend plans or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.
Handout via Fairfax County Government
Reston Community Center has issued a call for candidates to run for seats on the Board of Governors, a nine-member body that oversees RCC.
Candidates for one of three open positions with three-year terms must complete candidacy filings by 5 p.m. on August 15 (Wednesday).
Each year, candidates are selected through a community preference poll with votes cast by residents and businesses located in Small District 5, a geographical area that broadly applies to Reston zip codes.
Online and mail-in balloting and walk-in voting will run from September 7 through September 29 until 5 p.m. Mail-in ballots must be received before 5 p.m. on September 27.
The Board of Governors establishes RCC policies, sets priorities for programs and makes decisions about the budget. The body was established by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, which will appoint board members based on votes cast.
Photo via Reston Community Center
County and state officials will present the findings of an architectural survey of ten parcels on Association Drive that could be impacted by the Soapstone Connector project on July 19.
The Soapstone Connector, approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 2014, would connect Sunset Hills Road and the Sunrise Valley Drive crossing over the Dulles Toll Road. The half-mile road would cut through the western side of an office park and require the removal of properties on 1904 Association Drive.
The building is currently home to the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
The latest architectural survey — called the Supplemental Phase 1 Architectural Survey in planning jargon — makes recommendations about whether or not specific sites are eligible to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
During the meeting on July 19, officials from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the Fairfax County Department of Transportation will seek public input on the survey.
The meeting will take place at the Hunter Mill District Office (1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston, VA 20190). An open house at 6:30 p.m. will be followed by a formal presentation at 7:15 p.m.
In order to qualify for listing in the historical register, buildings must be at least 50 years old or have “exceptional merit.” Buildings’ architectural value may also be considered in groups, not merely as individual properties.
The project is expected to cost $169.2 million.
Discovering hidden gems — There’s a lot to discover at Reston Association’s trails, each of which is color-coded. [Reston Association]
Oasis Island Sounds concert tonight — In this week’s “Summerbration” concert, enjoy Reggae on the open-air plaza atop Wiehle-Reston East Metro. Parking is free from 6:30-9:30 p.m. for these concerts. [Reston Community Center]
Parked — July is National Parks and Recreation month, but Restonians actually live in a park 12 months of the year. [The Connection]
Nearby: New fire chief — John Butler, former chief of the Department of Fire and Rescue Services in Howard County will take on his new role. he hopes to address complaints that management isn’t doing enough to address sexual harassment and discrimination in county firehouses. [WTOP]
Flickr pool photo via vantagehill
An otherworldly exhibition that explores the intersection of science fiction, fantasy and science with fears, ideals and being human is coming to Greater Reston Arts Center this month.
The exhibit, slated for July 21 through September 15, will feature the work of Michael Booker, Rachel Guardiola, Timothy Harper, Laura Beth Konopinski, and Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann.
An opening reception and curator’s talk, free and open to the public, is set for July 21 from 5-7 p.m.
In a statement, GRACE issued the following description of the exhibit:
Recognizing that our retelling of the past changes constantly and opening ourselves to new possibilities can help to identify the biases of our accepted histories. The artists in this exhibition create their own worlds, including cultural references and artifacts, to question the assumptions of history-making and truth-telling.
Photos via GRACE
Six bands are on the lineup for the second annual Lake Anne Roots Music Festival.
The event, set for Saturday (July 14), will take place from 1-7 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza.
Event-goers will get to take advantage of a full day of bluegrass and contemporary roots music from around the region. A plaza-wide beer garden is also part of the event, which is free and open to all.
The schedule for the festival is below:
- 1 p.m.: Bobby Thompson
- 2 p.m.: Morgan, Finch & Young
- 3 p.m.: Jeff Welsch
- 4 p.m.: Snakehead Run
- 5 p.m.: Splitt String Soup
- 6 p.m.: The Jakobs Ferry Stragglers
Photo via Lake Anne Plaza
Capital savings — Fairfax County residents can save 50 percent off their annual capital bikeshare membership. Members must be county residents and have new memberships. [Fairfax County Government]
Opinion: unfair treatment — An opinion piece alleges that the Fairfax County library system treats Friends groups, including the Friends of Reston Library, unfairly. [InsideNOVA]
‘Take a Break’ concert tonight — In this week’s “Take a Break” concert, Bad Influence brings audiences blues and roots. The concert at Lake Anne Plaza is open to all ages. [Reston Community Center]
Soaring to national heights — Austin Miller, a pole vaulter from Herndon, placed eighth at the 2018 USA Track & Field outdoor championships. [The Connection]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
