Friends of Reston has launched an annual fundraising campaign for camp scholarships. The nonprofit organization that supports Reston Association is seeking to raise $12,000 to send at least 22 students with a demonstrated financial need to RA camps this summer.
On July 18 (Wednesday), 20 percent of all frozen yogurt purchases at SweetFrog in North Point Village Center will go toward the camp scholarship fund.
Over the past 17 years, the organization has launched similar campaigns to raise funds for children seeking to attend summer camps.
“Summer is such an important time for children to stay engaged, make new friends, explore their community, learn new skills – camp is the perfect place to do all of that,” said FOR Executive Director, Katie Shaw. “We are thankful for all of the donors who make this possible for children whose families could not afford this experience.”
Thus far, the scholarship fund has received $5,731 from the Realtors of Long and Foster, $750 from Reston Historic Trust’s board of directors and $2,270 from residents of the Paramount Condominiums.
Photo via RA
A gas station clerk was killed in a possible robbery attempt in Herndon on Wednesday (July 4).
According to Fairfax County Police, Resham Bajgain, 40, of Herndon, was killed inside the Sunoco where he worked in the Franklin Farms Shopping Center (13348 Franklin Farm Road).
Police responded to the scene within three minutes of receiving the report at 1:15 a.m. Officers spotted a person matching the description of the suspect in the parking lot. Mohamed Abdullahi, 19, of Herndon, was arrested and charged with murder.
Police are seeking information about the incident, especially about the driver of a Pontiac GTO that was near the gas station around the time of the murder.
Abdullahi is being held at the adult detention center without bond.
Anyone with information should call the Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800 or text “TIP187” plus your message to 274637.
Photo via FCPD
Building worlds — A group exhibition of artists who explore the role of science fiction and fantasy in informing our fears and ideals is set to run from August 1 through September 15 at Greater Reston Arts Center. [Reston Town Center]
Herndon teen found — A 12-year-old from Herndon who went missing Tuesday night was found yesterday. She returned home and is safe and sound. [Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office]
Showing their teeth — “In the first meet of the Northern Virginia Swimming League season, the Hunter Mill Sharks took a bite out of the Lee Graham Dolphins, with a final score of 269-151.” [Fairfax County Times]
Squeeze Bayou concert — This week’s “Take a Break” concert series features music folk music tied to the Cajuns. The event at Lake Anne Plaza is free and open to all ages. [Reston Community Center]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
Fairfax County government offices and libraries are closed tomorrow (July 4) for the independence day holiday. Here’s a roundup of what you need to know as we head into the holiday:
- Reston Community Center Hunters Woods: Open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Reston Association headquarters: Closed
- Reston Association Central Services Facility: Closed
- Reston Association pools: Open
- Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center: Open from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Reston Community Center Lake Anne: Closed
- Frying Pan Farm Park: Open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Fairfax Connector: Operates on Saturday schedule
- Circuit Court: Closed
- General District Court: Closed
- Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court: Closed
- County trash and recycling collection: Contact trash and recycling collector directly for service schedule changes
There are plenty of local options to catch fireworks shows in the area.
File photo
Maintenance work to clear sediment and debris caught in the channels of Lake Thoreau could be complete this month.
Lake dredging began in early April and was delayed after a recent failure of dredging equipment. Reston Association anticipates the part that malfunctioned will be delivered and installed soon. Once the cove is dredged, RA’s contractor, Lake Services, Inc., will clean up the staging area next to the Lake Thoreau dam.
Dredging helps maintain the depth of channels and reduces the exposure of fish, wildlife and people to contaminants, according to the National Ocean Service.
RA expects to remove about 848,290 liquid gallons or 4,200 cubic yards worth of material. The project was initially expected to be complete by the end of June.
Photo by vantagehill
Local law enforcement officials arrested three individuals, including a Reston resident, on June 29 after receiving a report that the car they were in hit another car in a parking lot.
The incident occurred on the 600 block of West Church Road in Sterling. Neema Rezaee, 22, of Reston, Kara Donaldson, 21, of Sterling, and James Dunford, 34, of Sterling were arrested, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
The three occupants in the car were charged with public intoxication and Rezaee and Dunford were released from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on unsecured bonds. It is unclear who was driving the car.
Donaldson was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries and was released on a summons.
LARCENIES:
1400 block of Cellar Creek Way, credit card from residence
2400 block of Centreville Road, purse from business
12300 block of Coleraine Court, tools from vehicle
11100 block of Georgetown Pike, property from business
11700 block of Great Owl Circle, jewelry from residence
2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, beverage from business
1300 block of Pellow Circle Trail, bicycle from residence
8700 block of Potomac Hills Street, wallet from vehicle
11800 block of Shaker Meadows Court, package from residence
2200 block of White Cornus Lane, tools from vehicle
STOLEN VEHICLES:
11000 block of Sunset Hills Road, 2001 Toyota Corolla
File photo
The Greater Reston Arts Center is seeking funds to help finance a new 50-foot steel sculpture in Reston Town Center.
The sculpture by artist Sue Wrbican is inspired by the work of Kay Sage, an American surrealist who was known for her paintings of scaffolded structure and furled fabric in barren landscapes.
Wrbican’s work was previously featured by GRACE last fall. Installation and an opening ceremony are expected in August. Donations can be made online.
Less than half of the required funds needed to make the project possible have been raised from Reston Town Center Association, Reston Community Center, ArtsFairfax and Public Art Reston.
Photos via Greater Reston Arts Center
Behind the video — In this follow-up story, the man who recorded a video of a former Reston Association employee yelling racial slurs tells his side of the story. [WJLA]
Heat advisory continues today — The National Weather Service has issued an advisory from noon to 8 p.m. today. Residents are encouraged to limit outdoor activity, wear loose-fitting clothing and hydrate as much as possible. [National Weather Service]
It’s not too late — Slots in select Frying Pan Farm Park camps are still open. The park offers camps for children between the ages of 3 and 14. [Frying Pan Farm Park]
Nearby: funding for transportation — Fairfax County projects will get more than 40 percent of the more than $1 billion allocated for regional transportation projects. Several proposals for Reston projects didn’t make the cut. [Fairfax County Times]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce hosted their annual Awards for Chamber Excellence (ACE) luncheon late last week. The awards recognize companies and people who demonstrated excellence as chamber and community members.
This year’s honorees are as follows:
- Committee of the Year: NoVA B2G Matchmaking Conference Steering Committee
- Small Business of the Year: Tagence
- Medium Business of the Year: AOC Key Solutions
- Large Business of the Year: SOS International (SOSi)
- Member of the Year: Dave and Joanne Adams, Dave and Joanne Adams Group
- New Member of the Year: Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant
- Volunteer of the Year: Omicron Kappa Kappa (OKK) Foundation
- Young Professional of the Year: Colin May, KME.digital
- President’s Award: Tom Madden, Visual Impact Productions
- Pinnacle Award: Charles Kapur, Access National Bank
Photo by Chip McCrea Photography
If you missed fireworks shows over the weekend, there are several opportunities to catch the skies light up on Wednesday (July 4):
Reston
The ninth annual Firecracker 5K for the Troops will take place in Reston Town Center from 8-10 a.m. This year’s event is sponsored by Leidos. Live music and post-race refreshments will be offered. The top three overall male and female finishers and the top three fastest team will also win cash prizes.
Herndon
The Town of Herndon’s celebration on Wednesday brings live music, arts and crafts activities and family games to Bready Park (814 Ferndale Avenue) from 6:30 to 10 p.m. The fireworks show begins at 9:30 p.m. No pets, fireworks, alcohol or grills are allowed.
Vienna
Enjoy water slides, water games, magic shows and music at Vienna’s celebration at 7 p.m. in Yeonas Park (1319 Ross Drive). Fireworks begin at dark around 9:30 p.m. Sprinklers and sparklers will be available at the Vienna Community Center Grounds.
City of Fairfax
The celebration kicks off with a parade from 10 a.m. to noon in downtown Fairfax (4100 Chain Bridge Drive). When the sunset sets, the evening show will begin at Fairfax High School, featuring fireworks displays and on-stage entertainment.
Great Falls
A 5K race kicks off at 8 a.m. at the Great Falls Freedom Memorial. At the same time, an INOVA blood drive will run from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. A patriot parade for babies and toddlers up to age five will begin at 9 a.m. at the Village Centre Green. The complete day-long lineup is available online.
File photo
Heat advisory in effect — The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory from noon to 8 p.m. today. Heat index values could hit 105 degrees today. [National Weather Service]
A $30 million boost — “Reston lease accounting software firm LeaseAccelerator has raised $30 million in Series B funding from New York venture capital firm Insight Venture Partners.” [WTOP]
Fountain is back in business — The interactive fountain in Reston Town Square Park closed late last week due to emergency repairs. Repairs are now complete and the fountain is open. [Reston Town Center]
Families belong together — Residents in Reston came together for an interfaith vigil in support of the national “Families Belong Together” campaign this weekend. [Local DVM]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
Before we head off into the hot weekend, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now in recent days.
- Reston Couple Opens Winery in Leesburg
- Series of Citations Draw Ire from Residents in Birchfield Woods Cluster
- Local Police Arrest Reston Man with Bag of Marijuana
- Herndon Police Search for Critical Missing Adult with Autism
- Speeding Charges Filed After Fatal Pedestrian Crash
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. Stay hydrated as the sun beats down this weekend and have a great weekend!
Photo via Dave Williams
Amid concerns about a proposal to increase Reston’s population density in the Planned Residential Community district, the county is kicking off a series of work sessions with stakeholders this month.
The meetings will address four areas of concern highlighted by Reston Association and the Coalition for a Planned Reston, a grassroots umbrella organization. The concerns were voiced and rebuffed in letters to the Fairfax County’s Department of Planning and Zoning earlier this year.
The schedule for the work sessions, which each focus on one subject area, is below. Each session will be held at 6 p.m.:
- July 17 (Transportation): 12005 Sunrise Valley Drive
- July 18 (Parks and Recreation): 12005 Sunrise Valley Drive
- July 24 (Schools, Infrastructure, Fire and Rescue): 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive
- July 30 (Planning): 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston Association’s Board of Directors elected Andy Sigle to the position of board president Thursday night.
Over the next year, Sigle said he hopes to ensure a new CEO and CFO are hired promptly, fine-tune RA’s biannual budget, facilitate the passage of policies regarding ethics and conflicts of interest, and work with the community to ensure land use changes, particularly in the Planned Residential Community district, are implemented in a thoughtful and strategic manner.
Sigle was elected to the board earlier this year and previously served on the board between 2011 and 2014. David Bobzien, the former board president, resigned last month due to a leukemia diagnosis.
In opening remarks, Sigle also said he is committed to enhancing communication between RA staff and the board. He also hopes to ensure information is readily available so the board can make informed decisions.
Sridhar Ganesan, the board’s interim president, failed to gain enough votes to maintain the position. Board members cast private ballots and the number of votes garnered by each candidate was not made public at the meeting.
The vote follows a spirited debate during last month’s board meeting when board members failed to make a decision on the next board president. In his opening remarks, Ganesan also noted that transformational change was required to bring about a more “harmonious” tone to board meetings whilst preserving opportunities for vigorous debate.
Photo by Reston Association
Serving the Walker Nature Center — The center has several open volunteer opportunities in July. Volunteers can sign up online. [Volunteer Reston]
The little mermaid — Tickets for the performance of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” are on sale ahead of the July performance. [Herndon Drama]
Stateside: New laws begin July 1 — New state laws going into effect on Sunday would create a program for abducted adults, prohibit lunch shaming and more. [NBC4]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
