Local activist group Herndon-Reston Indivisible has planned an “issues fair” as part of its public meeting Tuesday.

According to information provided by the group:

Herndon-Reston Indivisible is hosting an Issues Fair to give current and prospective volunteers the opportunity to explore the more than 10 groups that exist within Herndon-Reston Indivisible that are focused on following and taking action on specific issues (for example, healthcare, science & the environment). Attendees can find out what these groups have been doing, what they are planning for the future, and how to can get involved.

According to the organization’s summer newsletter, HRI’s issues groups include the Russian Influence group, the Informed Public group, the Immigration Issues group, the Election Issues group, the Economy Issues group, and the Science and Environment group.

The meeting and fair will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Sunset Hills Montessori School (11180 Ridge Heights Road). Snacks and soft drinks will be provided.

Herndon-Reston Indivisible describes itself as “a local organization of like-minded citizens who are resisting the Trump administration and his hateful policies.” The group has had several hundred people attend past meetings.

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

The following articles were the five most-clicked links on Reston Now this past week.

1. Police: Reston Man Surprised to Find Woman Had Entered His House, Found His Pizza
2. Bikers on W&OD Trail Plagued by Unexpected Problem: Tacks
3. Gunfire Exchanged in Saturday Afternoon Fight; Vehicles Damaged by Bullets
4. New Owners Have High Hopes for Reston Farm Market, Which Opens Next Week
5. Two Dozen Sites for Potential Added Residential Development Listed in Zoning Ordinance Amendment Plan

Just missing the Top 5 was our chat with Capt. Ron Manzo, commander of the Fairfax County Police Department’s Reston District Station. Manzo said that while there are increased reports of nighttime gunshots and larcenies from vehicles, Reston on the whole remains a safe place to live. What do you think?

Feel free to discuss these topics, your weekend plans (there’s a lot going on around here!) or anything else that’s happening locally. Have a great weekend!

The sound of guitar, mandolin and the cello will fill ArtSpace Herndon (750 Center St.) on Saturday as traditional music trio Lulu’s Fate performs.

According to a bio provided by ArtSpace:

Lulu’s Fate is a trio based in the Washington, DC area, performing a variety of traditional American music as well as original and “new traditional” songs and tunes. The group is comprised of Tom Espinola (guitar, mandolin & vocals), Kristen Jones (cello & vocals) and Kara Bolling (vocals). Lulu’s Fate combines virtuosic instrumentals with tight three-part harmonies to create new interpretations of traditional Appalachian music. They also mix in a variety of country blues, Dixieland, sea chanteys, southern string band tunes, and covers ranging from Hank Williams to Tom Waits. In addition to several original songs and instrumental tunes by Tom Espinola, Lulu’s Fate also features songs by other contemporary “new traditional” performers.

The band regularly throughout the DC Metro area, including at tthe Washington Folk Festival, Takoma Park Folk Festival, Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival, and the Institute of Musical Traditions.

Tickets for the show, slated for 4-6 p.m. Saturday, are $15 and can be purchased online.

For more information about this and other shows at ArtSpace Herndon, call 703-956-6590 or email [email protected].

Image courtesy Lulu’s Fate

A fight escalated to the point of gunfire Saturday afternoon in South Reston.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the incident took place at about 5:45 p.m. in the 2200 block of Stone Wheel Drive. Police say groups of people were arguing in a parking lot near the Southgate Community Center. At some point, people in each group pulled out guns and shots were exchanged.

No one was hurt; however, police say “several vehicles” were damaged by bullets. Evidence was collected and the investigation in ongoing, FCPD says.

Anyone with information should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).

The 34th annual Reston Triathlon is in the books, and here are the winners from Sunday morning’s event.

Overall winners in the male division were:

• First place: Jacob Gilden (29, Arlington) — 2 hours, 5 minutes, 16 seconds
• Second place: Sean Pinkney (33, Reston) — 2:09:47
• Third place: Brady Dehoust (42, Reston) — 2:11:05

In the female division, overall winners were:

• First place: Rachel McCarthy (41, Vienna) — 2 hours, 22 minutes, 12 seconds
• Second place: Theresa Ferry (38, Vienna) — 2:23:12
• Third place: Bev Dobrenz (24, Vienna) — 2:33:09

In individual age groups, winners were:

• Male, 15-19: Ryan Luczek (16, Herndon) — 2:26:20
• Female, 15-19: Jennifer Zheng (15, Herndon) — 2:37:25
• Male, 20-24: Noah Kennedy (20, Arlington) — 2:15:06
• Female, 20-24: Amanda Presgraves (23, Leesburg) — 2:38:15
• Male, 25-29: Teagen Miller (26, Reston) — 2:31:07
• Female, 25-29: Jennifer Dipp (27, Oak Hill) — 2:46:35
• Male, 30-34: Mike Schulz (34, Ashburn) — 2:35:37
• Female, 30-34: Anna Cadin (33, Reston) — 2:55:16
• Male, 35-39: Thomas McWalters (35, Hartford) — 2:20:57
• Female, 35-39: Joleen Catania (35, Gainesville) — 2:35:49
• Male, 40-44: Andrew Adamson (41, Alexandria) — 2:22:24
• Female, 40-44: Erika Carlson (40, Reston) — 2:40:48
• Male, 45-49: Matt Gentile (45, Great Falls) — 2:18:01
• Female, 45-49: Nicole Rayson (46, Herndon) — 2:34:48
• Male, 50-54: Theo Haast (50, Lansdowne) — 2:27:37
• Female, 50-54: Juda McGannon (51, Scottsdale, Arizona) — 2:40:41
• Male, 55-59: Jean-Paul Martin (57, Oakton) — 2:18:45
• Female, 55-59: Linda Kennedy (57, Alexandria) — 2:47:43
• Male, 60-64: Jeff Oxman (60, Rockville, Maryland) — 2:34:05
• Female, 60-64: Justine Goodman (63, Reston) — 3:01:25
• Male, 65-69: Joseph O’Gorman (69, Reston) — 2:48:55
• Female, 65-69: Rachel Muir (65, Arden, North Carolina) — 3:32:48
• Male, 70-74: David Breese (71, Reston) — 3:12:16

In the Athena division, first place went to Lisa Sechrest-Ehrha (57, Reston) with a time of 3:34:25. In the Clydesdale division, first place was won by Michael Skeele (42, Arlington) with a time of 2:39:27.

Full results from each division are also available via Amazing Race Timing.

The event’s 381 competitors swam 1,500 meters in Lake Audubon, biked 40 kilometers on area roadways and ran 10 kilometers on Reston pathways.

Del. Ken Plum (D-Fairfax) was on hand to help present the awards for each category.

All photos via Reston Triathlon on Facebook

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

The following articles were the five most-clicked links on Reston Now this past week.

1. Permit Processed to Demolish North Point Burger King Building, Make Way for Chick-fil-A
2. At-Large Director Ray Wedell Steps Down from Reston Association Board
3. New Owners Have Big Plans for Reston Farm Market, Which Opens Next Week
4. Crime Roundup: Police Say Herndon Man Used Pepper Spray on Kids on W&OD Trail
5. Crosswalks or Bridge Considered for Pedestrians, Bikes Over Eastbound Toll Road Ramp

Related to the No. 2 story about Wedell, the Reston Association Board of Directors is seeking candidates to fill the seat through April’s election. Interested members must submit their statements of candidacy by Sept. 22.

Feel free to discuss these topics and anything else that happened locally this week. Have a great weekend!

A Nokesville man who worked as the controller for Reston’s NCI Inc. has been sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison for embezzling about $19.4 million from the information technology company.

Jon Frank, 48, pleaded guilty to a wire fraud charge in June. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia:

From 2007 until January 2017, he used his position to initiate transfers of approximately more than $19 million from the company’s bank account to his personal accounts. He created false documents to make it appear that the money was being sent as reimbursement to another company that was administering the health insurance plan for Frank’s employer. Relying upon his knowledge and the altered documents, he was able to mislead the individuals performing audits of the company’s financial records. Frank spent the money on expensive automobiles and real estate, among other things.

In addition to his prison sentence, Frank has been ordered to pay the full amount — $19,440,331 — back in restitution.

Frank’s sentence was handed down Friday morning by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Hanly prosecuted the case.

It will be another busy weekend in the Reston/Herndon area.

Among the highlights will be the 34th annual Reston Triathlon, which will start at 7 a.m. Sunday at Lake Audubon. Those taking part will swim 1,500 meters in Lake Audubon, bike 40 kilometers on area roadways and run 10 kilometers on Reston pathways, ending at the South Lakes High School stadium.

Some traffic in South Reston will be affected by the event. Take note of the attached map of which roads will have bike traffic during the event, which is scheduled to last until about 11 a.m.

Volunteers are still needed for the event, as well.

Even if you aren’t taking part in the triathlon, though, there is plenty else to do around the area this weekend too. Listed below are some other events that you can enjoy.

(Editor’s Note: This is just a limited list of all the events taking place in the Reston area this weekend. If you have an event you would like to ensure is listed on the website, be sure to submit it to our Events Calendar.)

• The JamBrew series continues tonight in Herndon. Aslin Beer Co. will be pouring frosty mugs, Weird Brothers Coffee will be offering tasty drinks, Nordic Knot Pretzels will provide tasty snacks, and there will be much more. Live music will be offered from MK Skillz, Shane Gamble and Burn the Ballroom. The free event is slated for 6-10 p.m. at the Herndon Town Green (777 Lynn St.).
• North Point Village Center will celebrate the arrival of fall Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a Fall Kick-Off event. Washington Redskins great and former All-Pro defensive end Dexter Manley will meet fans at Glory Days Grill (1400 North Point Village Center) from noon to 2 p.m., while the event will also feature carnival games, roaming characters for kids, a DJ playing music, a moon bounce and more.
• DogFest Walk ‘n Roll, a charity event to benefit Canine Companions for Independence, will be at Reston Town Center on Sunday. Admission and parking are free.
• The next exhibition at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.), featuring the work of D.C.-based artist Sue Wrbican, opens Saturday with a free public reception Saturday from 5-7 p.m. at the gallery. “Sue Wrbican: Well Past the Echo” will be on view through Nov. 18.
• The Reston Farmers Market will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center.
• Lake Anne is also hosting Sunday Yoga on the Plaza each week, at 9:30 a.m.
• There will be a ChalkFest workshop Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Reston Town Center (11900 Market St.). The free event will be hosted by Public Art Reston.
• Pulitzer Prize-winner display “Disgraced,” exploring Muslim assimilation and identity in America, will be performed at NextStop Theatre Company (269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon) tonight at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 7 p.m.; and at a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee. Tickets range in price from $17.50 to $55.
• The Water Mine (1400 Lake Fairfax Drive) will “go to the dogs” Sunday for its annual Dog Daze event. Suggested donation is $10 per dog. In addition to the doggie splashing, there will be a canine resource fair, door prizes, demonstrations and more.
• The Herndon Garden Tour, slated for Sunday, will feature five private gardens, as well as the Monarch butterfly waystation at Runnymede Park. Painting demos, garden music and more will also be offered. Gardeners will be on hand during the self-guided tour to discuss their gardens and answer questions. Cost is $15; children 12 and under can participate for free.
• An open house at The Lake House (11450 Baron Cameron Drive) is planned for 10 a.m. to noon Sunday.
• At Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive), the movie “Musicals” will be shown from 2-4 p.m. Saturday.
• United Christian Parish (11508 North Shore Drive) will host a panel of community and faith leaders on Sunday at 2 p.m. for what it is calling a “post-Charlottesville town hall.” According to information provided by the church, residents are invited to take part in the “[discussion of] bigotry and unconscious bias as we seek to work together to heal the wounds.”
• Many restaurants and bars in Reston will have live music this weekend. These include: Vinifera Wine Bar and Bistro (11750 Sunrise Valley Drive) from 7-10 p.m every Friday and Saturday night; Crafthouse (1888 Explorer St.) every Friday and Saturday night from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.; and Tavern64 (1800 Presidents St.) every Friday from 6-10 p.m.
• Kalypso’s Sports Tavern (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music from Catchin’ Toads tonight from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.; and DJ Kram will play Top 40 hits during those hours Saturday night.

NextStop Theatre Company (269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon) is hoping to spark open dialogue about Muslim assimilation and identity in America with the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Disgraced,” which opens Thursday.

According to a press release from NextStop, several recent incidents have made this an issue of great relevance locally:

Not only did a viral video of an anti-Islam encounter in a Reston grocery store recently sweep the internet, with more than 3 million viewers watching the shocking incident, but the family of a recently murdered [Reston] teen believes their daughter was targeted because of her religion. Additionally, incidents of vandalism have also shaken residents recently, with the Northern Virginia Jewish Community Center being targeted and graffiti found on a highway wall of Baron Cameron Drive near Fairfax County Parkway espousing hate messages.

In the play, “Amir” (portrayed by Jesse Bhamrah) is a Pakistani-American who has hidden his Muslim background as he finds success as a Manhattan corporate lawyer. He struggles with his identity and America’s complex attitudes about Muslims and Islam throughout the play.

“This is an opportunity to have conversations with people about identity and open up and explore who you are,” said Thembi Duncan, the play’s director, in the release. “That doesn’t necessarily sound pretty in marketing language, but you’re learning more about yourself by seeing these other people … and the only way that we move forward as a society is by making human connections across lines of difference.”

In addition to Bhamrah, the cast includes other professional actors from the DC area including Nahm Darr, Jordan Friend, Chaela Phillips and Jenna Rossman. The production team includes Jack Golden, set designer; Kristina Martin, costume designer; Jonathan Alexander, lighting designer; Kevin Alexander, sound designer; Keta Newborn, stage manager; Jessica Dubish, assistant director; Cheyanne Christopher, assistant stage manager; Marilyn Lopes, costume design apprentice; Jonathan Abolins, master electrician; and Kristin Pilgrim, fight choreographer.

Performances will be each Thursday through Sunday, through Oct. 1, with general admission tickets ranging from $17.50 to $55. The show contains adult language and situations that may not be appropriate for all audiences.

A pair of Terraset Elementary School students worked hard during their Labor Day holiday to help those in need in Texas.

Second-grader Olivia Rosengart and first-grader Kaia Rappe put together a bake sale to raise money to donate to the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Olivia’s mother, Sandi Rosengart, said they were able to raise $300 for the cause thanks to donations from neighbors and friends.

“The money will be donated to the Houston Humane Society as well as the Save The Children organization,” Sandi Rosengart said. “Both were organizations of choice by the girls.”

Olivia’s mother said both girls are thankful for the generosity of their community to help them provide some support for the kids and animals of the Houston area.

Photo courtesy Sandi Rosengart

Police say a Herndon man sprayed a group of middle-schoolers with pepper spray while on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in Ashburn last week.

According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, 47-year-old Marcos A. Catalan sprayed the kids as he passed by them on a bicycle in the area of Gloucester Parkway at about 4:05 p.m. Thursday:

A group of middle-school aged children were in the area of the Washington and Old Dominion trail. A cyclist approached and reportedly was holding a can in his hand. As the cyclist passed, he sprayed what the juveniles believed to be pepper spray in the direction of several of the children. Deputies located the cyclist in the area of the W & OD trail and Ruritan Circle.

Two girls were taken to a local hospital and treated, according to police. Catalan was charged with two counts of malicious injury by use of caustic substance, along with one count of attempted malicious injury in the same manner.

Meanwhile, the Fairfax County Police Department’s Reston District Station reported the following crimes in the past week:

LARCENIES:

2200 block of Centreville Road, wallet from residence

1400 block of Church Hill Place, property from residence

11900 block of Democracy Drive, purse from business

11500 block of Embers Court, cash from vehicle

2400 block of Fieldcreek Drive, property from vehicle

13100 block of Fox Hunt, bicycle from residence

9800 block of Georgetown Pike, wallet from business

11100 block of Glade Drive, guns from vehicle

500 block of Herndon Parkway, wallet from person

11900 block of Heathcote Court, wallet from vehicle

10800 block of Hunter Gate Way, property from vehicle

2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, merchandise from business

2000 block of Lake Audubon Court, laptop computer from vehicle

11100 block of Longwood Grove Drive, property from vehicle

11500 block of Maple Ridge Road, laptop from vehicle

11900 block of Market Street, merchandise from business

1000 block of Murphy Drive, merchandise from business

1300 block of New Bedford Lane, wallet from vehicle

1400 block of North Point Village Center, merchandise from business

1600 block of Reston Parkway, merchandise from business

11600 block of Sourwood Lane, wallet from vehicle

11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, property from residence

11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, property from residence

11000 block of Thrush Ridge Road, laptop computer from vehicle

2100 block of Whisperwood Glen Lane, property from residence

2300 block of White Tail, sunglasses from vehicle

STOLEN VEHICLES:

2000 block of Lake Audubon Court, 2015 Hyundai Tucson

2200 block of Lofty Heights Place, 2009 Chevy Silverado

FCPD also reports that a burglary took place in the 11400 block of Links Drive between Sunday and Monday. According to the report, a resident returning home from a trip found that someone had entered his residence and stolen a laptop.

Anyone with information about any of the crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).

In Herndon, HPD says a robbery took place on Aug. 28 after two people provided a ride to a pair of strangers. When they arrived at the destination, in the 500 block of Florida Avenue, three suspects robbed the victims of personal property valued at about $125. The suspects are described as tall black males; one was wearing a white tank top, one was wearing a green hoodie and the third was wearing a buttoned-down shirt. The case remains under investigation.

In Loudoun County, in addition to the above W&OD Trail incident, several other recent crimes ended with arrests of men from Herndon.

Residents looking for a place to leave items for Hurricane Harvey relief can do so at Fairfax County Supervisor Cathy Hudgins’ office at the North County Governmental Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive).

According to a statement from Hudgins:

Like you, I am in shock from seeing the devastation Hurricane Harvey has brought to the people of Houston and its surrounding counties. In an effort to help those victimized by this storm, my office [at] the North County Governmental Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive Reston, VA) will act as an American Red Cross Drop Off Center from September 5th until noon on September 15th. I ask that items are dropped out during our normal business hours, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM, and are not left in the lobby which may interfere with Police operations.

Hudgins said items that are being sought include new or gently used clothing, shoes, household items and kitchenware. In addition, she said, “there has also be a large cry for unused underwear for those of all ages and diapers.”

“I thank you for your generosity and support of your fellow human,” Hudgins said.

For a full list of items that can be accepted, follow this link.