Fairfax County police apprehended two boys during a pursuit on Baron Cameron Avenue and Cameron Health Drive just before midnight on Sunday (March 18).
Police believe the driver ran a traffic light at around 11:40 p.m. A pursuit followed when the officer tried to stop the vehicle. Officers then chased and caught the two boys as they exited the car and ran away.
Petitions for felony speed to elude, unauthorized use, disregarding a traffic signal, and no license will be sought, police said.
In a separate incident, 25-year-old Reston man was arrested and charged with drinking in public on Friday at around 8:37 p.m. Police said Raheel Aijaz and Amber Hartzell, 23, of Springfield, were sitting in a car in a parking lot. Police officers approached the car after receiving a report of a suspected drunk driver.
The driver, Hartzell, drove off, forcing police to pursue the car. She was charged for driving while intoxicated.
As we reported earlier this week, a 61-year-old Reston man arrested for shooting his dog and dumping the body near a Fairfax County park.
FCPD also reported the following incidents:
LARCENIES:
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, laptop computer from vehicle
2400 block of Centreville Road, property from business
11900 block of Market Street, coat from business
2200 block of Monaghan Drive, license plate from vehicle
10500 block of Leesburg Pike, cash from business
2500 block of Woodrow Wilson Drive, license plates from vehicle
2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, food from business.
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
Photo via FCPD
This is a commentary from Lynne Mulston, director on the Reston Citizens Association Board, the Coalition for a Planned Reston, and chair of Rescue Reston’s North Course Committee. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
Please, citizens of Reston and members of Reston Association. The real issues are those that we hold dear to our hearts.
These attacks within our own ranks weaken our strength as a community. I refer to the recent activities within the Reston Association that attack staff and our elected board, resulting resignations of competent leaders, and negative campaigning tactics. The Reston Association staff and elected officials who should be looking out for our community, and protecting the ideals that Reston was built upon. I view this turmoil as a distraction of our attention away from the real risks our community is facing: developers purchasing our open space, Fairfax County’s Department of Planning and Zoning attempts to amend our PRC zoning, the County’s ongoing deference to developers when it comes to amending the comprehensive plan, etc. We need to be fighting the REAL issues at hand that threaten our community, our way of life, the Reston that Bob Simon envisioned and we have come to love and cherish.
Don’t think that the County’s deferral of the PRC Zoning Amendment constitutes a “win,” it is not. The County will continue with their standard M.O. – add community meetings to the agenda, allow citizens to believe they have input, that their voices are heard. With a placated citizenry, the County then steamrolls their desired outcomes (or the desired outcomes of the developers) despite the inputs of the community.
We’ve got a fight on our hands and it is not inward facing, but outward facing. Please let’s put all this infighting aside and focus on the real issues. We need RA leaders who are willing to stand up for the citizens of Reston and advocate for the issues that the community needs in terms of representation, motivation and advocacy. This is not us!
Get involved!
Reston Citizens Association (RCA) needs your help! We are an integral part of the Coalition for a Planned Reston (CPR) as we defend Reston’s current 13-persons per acre density zoning limitations for PRC zoned areas, and the need for infrastructure build-outs to support the building that has already occurred. RCA needs your talent and time to help affect positive change. RCA’s President, Dennis Hays observed: “RCA is the incubator for just about everyone involved in leadership positions in other organizations in and around Reston. We provide the opportunity to get involved in serious issues and teach people how to interact with our state and local governments.” RCA includes all of Reston, including those who live in Reston Town Center, Deepwood and other parts of Reston that are not part of RA. Learn more about RCA Committees and how to get involved here.
Rescue Reston needs your help to protect and defend the Open Space that we call Reston’s “lungs,” the North and South Golf Courses, and the removal of the Road from Nowhere from the County’s “Conceptual” grid of streets that threatens Reston’s North Course. You can join by sending an email to [email protected] and/or donate to Rescue Reston by visiting www.rescuereston.org/donate and check out easy ways to help with our current fundraisers.
A public hearing for Boston Properties’ Reston Gateway project, which is designed to bridge the future Reston Town Center Metro Station with the community’s urban core is set for June 27 before the Fairfax County Planning Commission.
Boston Properties has proposed to include up to 3.5 million square feet of transit-oriented development on 33 acres immediately north of the future RTC Metro Station.
The Reston Planning & Zoning Committee will receive a presentation on the proposal at 7:30 p.m. today in the North County Government Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive).
Fannie Mae will lease roughly 850,000 square feet of the property. At full buildout, Reston Gateway may include up to 1,700 residential units, 570 hotel rooms, 200,000 square feet of retail and nearly 2 million square feet of office space.
Town of Herndon officials are seeking feedback from residents and business on satisfaction with town services and programs through next month.
The town is working with Priority Metrics Group, a market research and consulting firm based in South Carolina, to seek opinions on the conditions of streets and parks, satisfaction with special events, amenities, and town facilities.
Surveys of businesses will be conducted in the same time frame and will include questions on the town’s commercial sector.
Citizens will be randomly selected for the telephone survey and results will be presented to the HerndonTown Council and on the town’s website. The last citizen survey was conducted nearly four years ago.
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Maysoon Zayid, a professional comedian and disability activist, will perform at Reston Community Center on Saturday, March 31 at 8 p.m.
Zayid has performed in New York Clubs and was a headliner on the Arabs Gone Wild Comedy Show and The Muslims Are Coming! — a documentary that follows the attempts of American Muslim comics to combat prejudice and misconceptions of Islam through humor.
In 2013, she was selected as an honoree for the United Cerebral Palsy of New York City’s Women Who Care Awards. She was also a full-time on-air contributor on Countdown with Keith Olbermann.
The show is recommended for adults ages 18 and older. Attendees under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Tickets are $15 for Reston residents and $20 for all others.
Light it up — Snag a few free LED light bulbs. The giveaway is taking place in April and May at six Fairfax County libraries. [Fairfax County Government]
“A Night in Paris” Wine Dinner — Transport yourself to France with a five-course seasonal menu at Mon Ami Gabi from 6-9 p.m. today. Each course will be paired with French boutique wines. [Mon Ami Gabi]
$15.5 Billion for Metro — Where does it go and how does Metro plan to spend it? [The Washington Post]
Job opportunity in Herndon — The Herndon Adult Day Health Care Center is looking for a Spanish instructor. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo by Ruth Sievers
A 21-year-old Herndon man was killed by an acquaintance inside Vapology101, a vape store on the 10100 block of Colvin Run Road Thursday night.
Bao Hung Van was found dead at the scene around 7:40 p.m. on Thursday, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
The suspect, Manvinder Aulakh, 22, of McLean, was at the business when police arrived and was arrested without incident, police said.
Aulakh was charged with murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He is being held at the adult detention center without bond.
Photo via FCPD
Final tweaks to a shared parking agreement are underway as Boston Properties prepares to construct the last office property available in Reston Town Center’s urban core.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will consider a proposal Tuesday to remove roughly 78,823 square feet of future office space covered under RTC’s shared parking agreement.
Some office tenants in a future office building on Block 5, home to 17Fifty (1750 Presidents Drive), which is set to open in 2020, will park in reserved spots in a below-grade garage.
The shared parking agreement serves Phase I of RTC, a 44-acre swath of land in the center’s 84-acre urban core. If the proposal is approved, 226 parking spaces will be reserved for corresponding future office space equal to 86,923 square feet and 3,000 spaces will remain for shared uses.
The request is in response to a change in the mix of uses in the area, particularly in 17Fifty, the future of home of Leidos, Instead of a mix of office and retail, the 17-story tower will be solely composed of office space.
The overall impact of the change is minimal, said Rich Ellis, vice president of Boston Properties.
“All we’re doing is a re-tabulation of what’s required as several uses have changed,” he said.
Shared parking for the theater, eating establishments, hotels and hotel function space will remain unchanged.
Ellie Codding, the county’s director of the code development and the compliance division of land development services, said the change covers proposed buildings in response to a tenant-specific request.
“Previously under this agreement, parking spaces were being shared by all office, retail, restaurant, hotel, and theatre uses. The modified agreement, if approved, would decrease the square footage of office space that shares parking under the agreement,” she said.
A parking analysis indicates 3,000 parking spaces are “sufficient to serve the mix of remaining non-residential uses” and will not reduce parking beyond 29.3 percent, a reduction approved by the county in 2014, according to county documents.
Photo via handout
Longtime Reston Town Center tenant The Bike Lane plans to relocate to 11150 Sunset Hills Road in May.
The new location will allow the business to capitalize on direct access to the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. The space will also incorporate a coffee bar and micro brewery, in addition to free parking for customers.
“We are relocating because our 10 year lease is up and we feel our new location will better serve our customers. Our new location on Sunset Hills has direct access to the W&OD trail and local mountain bike trails,” said Anne Mader, who co-owns the shop with her husband, Todd.
Mader said the store’s exact opening date is not final, but the new store will likely be open in late May.
Muse Paintbar, a wine-and-paint restaurant, will replace The Bike Lane’s location by the fall, according to a company representative.
In January 2017, The Bike Lane announced it was actively seeking a new home following RTC owner Boston Properties initiated its ParkRTC paid-parking system.
Seven finalists will be honored at a celebration reception for the 2018 Best of Reston Awards.
The event, which has been recognizing community leaders for nearly three decades, is hosted by Cornerstones and the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce.
Mark Ingrao, the chamber’s President and CEO said the event affirms the “chamber’s commitment to building a community that is not just a great place to do business – but one which offers hope and opportunity to all who live, work, play and serve here.”
An awards gala will take place on April 12 to celebrate the honorees:
- Marybeth Haneline
- Northwest Federal Credit Union Foundation
- Terry Redican
- Andy Sigle
- SOSi
- Leslie Kane
- South Lakes High School PTSA Food Pantry
Honorees were selected from a pool of a dozen finalists.
Leidos, which hosted a celebration reception last week, presented Cornerstones with a $50,000 check — a move the organization’s CEO applauded.
Seat and table reservations for the April 12 gala can be made online at www.cornerstonesva.org/BOR.Sponsorships are also available.
Photos by Chip McCrea Photography
Woman arrested for intent to distribute narcotics — Police found marijuana, cocaine, MDMA, and THC wax during a search of the woman’s car. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Local walkouts at schools planned today — Students at Langston Hughes Middle School and South Lakes High School plan to leave class around 10 a.m. today to call for gun control legislation. Participants at SLHS will be marked for cutting class. [South Lakes High School]
Kindness rocks, coming to a place near you — Students at Aldrin Elementary School are spreading rocks they’ve designed throughout Reston. Keep an eye out for special handmade treasures. [Aldrin Elementary School]
A meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – Advanced students at South Lakes High School met briefly with Netanyahu during a visit to Capitol Hill. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
If you’re concerned about issues in Reston — The Reston Citizens Association, a civic, non-profit organization, is still looking for volunteers for various committees. [Reston Citizens Association]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill.
Last week was a particularly quiet week in crime, with the exception of a lockdown at three Reston schools on Friday. The Fairfax County Police Department reported little to no other incidents over the last several days.
On Saturday, a 19-year-old Reston resident was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, possession of alcohol under 21 and possession of marijuana.
According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Cyrus Fakhar was driving with high beams on and under the speed limit along Dry Mill Road when he was arrested. He was released from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on an unsecured bond.
FCPD reported one larceny on the 2400 block of Centreville Road. A wallet was taken from a business.
Anyone with information about any crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
This is a commentary from Eric Carr in response to an editorial published on March 9. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
Recently on these pages, an editorial appeared attacking me rather personally over a recent episode involving the RA Elections Committee. What struck me is that its author is a man I have never met and, indeed, was not involved in the issue. He did not reach out to express his concerns to me prior to putting pen to paper. If he had, he would have learned that my concerns had nothing to do with any RA member’s right to an opinion, and everything to do with tone and civility, above all from members of the RA Committee chartered to enforce that very civility.
Reflecting on this has led me to a series of thoughts about the quality and tenor of discourse here in Reston, and I submit them for your consideration.
We have entered a time in our country where attacking people, rather than ideas, has become fashionable. People have become proxy for their positions and we have collectively relinquished our interest in dialogue.
This is all the more puzzling given that the vast majority of us are likeminded on the existential issues we face here in Reston. We almost all agree that we need to preserve our open space, develop our infrastructure before we grow, and band together to advocate for Reston on a bigger stage than ever before. We all want to foster a community where we can live, raise our families, feel safe, embrace all shades of America, be treated fairly, and enjoy the fruits of our labors.
We differ, too. In some cases, we differ on how to achieve these goals, on others how to govern ourselves in pursuit of those goals, and others yet on the relative role that our elected organizations should play in achieving those things on which we agree. That’s healthy, and those are conversations well worth having.
So, I am using this space today to ask a favor: let’s make our conversations contests of ideas, not people. Let’s assume noble intent in those with whom we disagree. Let’s not rush to imagine conspiracy or an intent to hide information or to deceive.
Let’s have more conversations in person, rather than from behind a keyboard or using pseudonyms. Those of you who know me, know my standard response to disagreement: let’s get coffee or a beer and talk about it. Face to face, as Restonians who care deeply about the health of our community.
Thank you for reading this. I look forward to our next conversation.
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A new waiting area is available at the Wiehle-Reston East station.
Uber and Lyft drivers, as well as shuttle buses and vans, can use the lot, which was opened today, to drop off and pick up passengers, according to a release from Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins.
Vehicles can enter the waiting area from Reston Station Boulevard off of Wiehle Avenue. Parking is allowed for 15 minutes only. Pedestrians can use the crosswalk at Reston Station Boulevard and Wiehle Avenue to access the waiting area.
Any unattended vehicles will be towed. Vehicles stopping and standing along Reston Station Boulevard will be ticketed.
For more information, contact Connect and Ride at 703-502-9797.
Expect service reductions at Silver Line stations and some Blue Line stations this weekend from March 16 through 18 due to major problems with concrete supporting Metro’s tracks.
A slab of concrete is cracked under the rails between Benning Road and Capitol Heights stations. Metro will remove rails and fasteners to remove the existing concrete and add a new structure, a process that is expected to take three consecutive days.
Silver Line trains will run every 24 minutes during single tracking, including during rush hour. Blue Line trains will be rerouted to New Carollton instead of Largo. Service will remain unaffected between Franconia-Springfield and New Carollton.
“Unfortunately, this is a repair job that cannot wait and cannot be confined to a weekend,” said Joe Leader, Metro’s Chief Operating Officer. “To the customers at the 10 stations who will be impacted on Friday, March 16, we apologize and hope that they will consider using stations on other lines or alternate travel options that day.”
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