Reston Now will be taking the day off. So will lots of other places. Here is a look at what is open and what is closed:

Open

Fairfax County Public Schools are in session (snow day makeup). Elementary schools will not have an early-release Monday.

Closed everywhere: 

Federal government offices.

Most banks.

Post offices (no mail delivery except for Express Mail.)

Fairfax County:

County Government – Closed.

Courts – Closed.

Library – Closed.

Fairfax Connector – Routes with weekday service operate according to the weekday schedule except routes 335, 394, 395, 585, 595, and 597, which will not operate. Routes 335,394, 395, 585, 595, and 597 do not operate when a holiday weekday schedule is in effect.

Fastran – Not in service.

Park Authority – RECenters open on regular schedules. Nature centers, historic sites and Green Spring Gardens will be closed. Frying Pan Farm Park will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; visitor center open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Teen and Senior Centers – Closed.

Community Centers – Closed.

McLean Community Center – Closed; Old Firehouse Teen Center – Open and operating after-school program.

Reston Community Center Hunters Woods – Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Reston Community Center Lake Anne – Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

County Trash and Recycling Collection – County residents should contact their trash and recycling collector directly for service schedule changes due to the holiday.

• Private Collection Service Providers
• Fairfax County Collection Customers: Trash and recyclables will be collected as scheduled on Monday, Feb. 17. Please have your materials to the curb no later than 6 a.m. to ensure collection. Any questions may be directed to the Customer Service Center at 703-802-3322, TTY 711.

Recycling and Disposal Facilities:

• I-66 Transfer Station – Open
• I-95 Landfill Complex – Open

A record-setting performance in the boys 4×800 meter relay and outstanding performances by its seniors led South Lakes High School to Liberty Conference Championships in both the boys and girls divisions Thursday at the Prince George’s Sportsplex in Landover, Md.

SLHS boys scored 147 points for their sixth consecutive title. James Madison High School finished second with 80. The girls team won its third consecutive crown by scoring 141.50 points. Arlington’s Washington and Lee High School was second with 101.

Seniors Michael Kerr, Daniel Johnsen, Michael Uhrig and Luis Rivas won the 4×800 meter relay in a record 8:10.71. The previous mark of 8:12.03 was set in 2007 by Thomas Jefferson High School.

South Lakes won all three relays in the boys division: Seniors Ben O’Connor, Marcus Harell Anthony Mayo and Khayri Denny won the 4×200 meter relay in 1:35.47. Harrell and Rivas teamed with juniors Sam Arpee and John Frauenheim in winning the 4×400 meter relay in 3:36.42.

In the girls 4×400 meter relay, juniors Sydney Crutcher, Maya Rodriguez, Delaney Wickman and sophomore Golden Kumi-Darfour won the event in 4:11.70. Seniors Abby Reinhold, Grace Gillen, junior Claire Nieusma and Kumi-Darfour finished second in the 4×800 (9:50.38) and the team of senior Danielle Hale and juniors Ozioma Chinaka, Jordan Lozama and Comfort Reed ran a 1:48.12 for third in the 4×200.

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Fourteen students from South Lakes High School have earned All District Band Honors for Virginia Band & Orchestra Directors Association (VBODA) District 12.

Places in the All District Bands were awarded to the following students based on competitive audition:

• Alex Arshadi (Junior, Percussion)
• Kat Edmiston (Sophomore, Bass Clarinet)
• Samantha Gifford (Junior, Trombone)
• Anna Gosling (Senior, Baritone)
• Joel Ladwig (Senior, Contra-Bass Clarinet)
• Ellen Lee (Senior, Clarinet)
• Jacob Loehr (Junior, Trumpet)
• Mason Moy (Freshman, Tuba)
• Max Onozuka (Sophomore, Clarinet)
• Gary Quaresima (Freshman, French Horn)
• Dylan Reiser (Senior, Flute)

SLHS’ Sean Bermingham (Junior, Percussion), Rafi Goldsmith (Junior, Percussion) and Brendan Martin (Senior, Baritone) earned alternate positions.

The South Lakes representatives will join students from more than 14 public and private high schools located in Arlington and Fairfax County for the All District Band event at Oakton High School on Jan. 30 and Feb. 1. The event will culminate with a concert, which is free and open to the public, on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 3:30 p.m. in the Oakton HS auditorium.

For more information about the South Lakes HS band program, visit the band’s website at www.southlakesband.org.

Alex McVeigh, the editor of Reston Patch, announced that Wednesday would be his last day with the news website.

Patch launched in Reston in August 2010 under the leadership of local editor Karen Goff, who later founded Reston Now in 2013. Reston was among one of the top-performing Patch sites in the region.

McVeigh’s departure came as part of a company-wide layoff in which as many as 90 percent of the employees were reportedly let go. Patch, owned by AOL, was sold to Hale Global two weeks ago. It was Patch’s third big layoff since August after losing hundreds of millions of dollars since its founding in 2009.

“Sorry to announce that today is my last day with Patch,” McVeigh wrote on Reston Patch’s Facebook page. “I’m not sure what the future of the site will be going forward, but I enjoyed my time here, and appreciate each and every person that followed and read the site. It was a true pleasure bringing you the news.”

Patch has about 900 hyperlocal news sites nationwide. It is unclear how many of them will remain active.

South Lakes High School’s swim team had several event winners, but it was not enough to overcome McLean on Friday at Spring Hill RECenter.  The Highlander girls edged the Seahawks 160-155; the boys topped SLHS 165-140.

South Lakes started the meet with both the girls and boys winning the first two events. In the 200 yard Medley Relay, Johnny Micka, Benjamin Gryski, Mac Sogandares, and Tyler Hutson won for the boys. Natalie Obando, Megan Carney, Sabrina Groves, and Sasha Avilov won for the girls. In the 200 yard Freestyle, freshmen Tyler Ellis for the boys and Emily Landeryou for the girls both won, with a Regionals-qualifying time for Landeryou.

Additional highlights for South Lakes included:

• A sweep of the 50 yard Freestyle event for the girls with first- through fourth-place finishes for Malina Stassinos (first), Avilov (second), Madeleine Daum (third), and Kaylyn Macaluso (fourth).

• A sweep of the 100 yard Butterfly for the boys with first- through third-place finishes for Sogandares (first, with a Regionals-qualifying time), Ellis (second), and Micka (third).

• A one-two finish in the 500 yard Freestyle for Joseph Hosi (first) and Bradley Torrington (second).

• A first-place finish for the girls 200 yard Freestyle Relay team of Landeryou, Macaluso, Daum, and Avilov.

• A one-two finish in the 100 yard Backstroke for Natalie Obando (first, with a Regionals-qualifying time), and Landeryou (second). Read More

What do you want to add to your community?

With the addition of the Silver Line and future development in Reston, our community is going to change. How it changes is something most of us are considering. In addition to the negatives, there will be positives. What do you think makes Reston stand out from other neighborhoods?

I would like to see us continue our commitment to developing walkable places.

According to a recent study conducted by Active Living Research, walkable shopping areas promote active living and have a beneficial impact on nearby housing values. The report, Walkable Shopping Areas are Good for Business, based on analysis of 70 studies and articles plus an exploratory study of 15 walkable shopping areas, also notes that the availability of mass transit is an important adjunct to the success of such commercial areas. Additional transportation and livability studies are available at Active Living Research.

What features do you want to set us apart from other Northern Virginia communities as we grow?

Lucinda Shannon
Reston

The draft master plan for Reston’s share of the Dulles Corridor and the Town Center area will be the subject of a public hearing by the Board of Supervisors next Tuesday, Jan. 28, 4:30 p.m., in the Government Center auditorium. It will be the last chance for Restonians to present its concerns, views, and suggestions on the draft plan before the Board considers amendments and approves the draft plan.

As it stands now, the draft plan overwhelmingly represents the views of developers and land use attorneys who numerically dominated the task force. Reston’s leading civic groups—RA, RCA, and ARCH—and a few other independent Restonian members of the task force have been active voices over the last four years, but their voices and votes have been drowned by the special interests of the majority developers, landowners, and attorneys. Their view is that the plan should stay out of the way as exemplified by the dozens of references to “flexibility” throughout the draft plan, attempts to limit commitments to open space, sustainable development, architectural review, controlling traffic congestion growth, and commercial vs. housing balance commitments throughout the process.

They are also dominating the preparation of the task force’s report to the Board of Supervisors. The draft task force report attempts to weaken further the language of the draft plan as it has been presented to the Board. RCA has taken the time to thoroughly review and comment on the draft task force report’s shortcomings including many more than described above. Ultimately, RCA voted “nay” on the draft task force report.

Even the Planning Commission has amended the draft Plan on its way to the Board by cutting out a proposed requirement that new construction be reviewed by RA’s Design Review Board. The likely result: A developer-dominated design review board (if any) that won’t care about architectural excellence—a key Reston planning principle. For example, see the results around Wiehle and Sunset Hills from the previous RCIG Architectural Review Board (ARB). Would you like to see a high-rise version of that asphalt and concrete mess?

The situation has not been helped by the fact that County property tax revenue coffers have been stagnant for years, and the Board has been criticized by national bond rating agencies (“outlook negative”) for its overspending in a tighter economic environment as Federal tax dollars for employees and contractors has declined with the recession, sequestration, and irresponsible government shutdowns. All of this has led the Board to focus on generating more taxable property growth in its urbanizing areas—Tysons, Reston, Springfield, and others—no matter what the community costs. That is a far easier course of action for the Board than cutting budgets or increasing tax rates.

RCA’s Reston 2020 Committee has written extensively about the issues and opportunities a new Reston master plan needs to address. It has produced more than a dozen major papers, many approved by the RCA Board of Directors, available from links on its website detailing these issues and opportunities. As the task force process began steamrolling toward its conclusion last autumn, RCA’s representative called up on the task force to produce a draft plan that befit this planned community. It has not.
It is now up to you, Reston residents, to make your voice heard unless you want to see a Dulles Corridor that:

• Reminds you of Crystal City in its property line to property line, concrete and glass, cubist architecture;
• Makes it virtually impossible to drive from one side of Reston to the other—or even to/from the toll road—during rush hours with 5-6 minute delays at each key intersection the norm;
• Guarantees next-to-no new open and recreational space, including only three athletic fields for the area’s expected 40,000 new residents; and
• Fails absolutely in describing how any of its plans might be implemented;
• And other shortcomings as detailed in RCA’s Reston Master Plan Report Card.

I would ask that you each consider whether it is worth your time to attend the hearing next Tuesday to hear what your community representatives (and developers) have to say and, if you are willing, to present a short statement (three minutes is the limit) to the Board about your concerns and ideas for building a better urban Reston area. To sign up to speak at the hearing, please go to this webpage on the County website.

It is our community’s last chance to make a difference in a plan that will guide the urbanization of Reston’s core for two or more decades. We need your help. Please attend next week’s hearing and testify if you are willing.

Terry Maynard
RCA Board of Directors
RCA Representative to the Reston Task Force
Co-Chair, RCA Reston 2020 Committee

Interested in homes sales nearby? Here are some Reston sales that closed in the last week:

11793 Indian Ridge Road, 3BR, 3.5BA TH. List price: $453,000. Sold price: $427,600

2299 Hitchcock Drive, 4BR, 3.5BA SFH. List price: $614,990. Sold price: $609,000

2220 Springwood Drive #H, 2BR, 2BA Condo. List price: $265,000. Sold price: $265,000

1506 Park Glen Court, 4BR, 3.5BA TH. List price: $449,900. Sold price: $442,000

1675 Poplar Grove Drive, 2BR, 1.5BA TH. List price: $319,900. Sold price:  $315,000

11702 Indian Ridge Road, 4B$, 2.5BA TH. List price: $455,000. Sold price: $445,000

11236 Chestnut Grove Square #34, 2BR, 1.5BA TH. List price: $245,000. Sold price: $240,000

11184 Saffold Way, 3BR,2FB, 2HB TH. List price: $428,000. Sold price: $426,000

12004 Walnut Branch Road, 5BR, 4BA SFH. List price: $769,900. Sold price: $769,000

See more real estate information in Reston Now’s Real Estate section.

Wondering the sales price on that house nearby? Here are the home sales that closed in Reston in the last week:

1608 North Village Drive, 3 BR, 2.5 BA SFH. List price: $998,900. Sold price: $970,000

2291 White Cornus Lane, 4 BR, 1.5 BA TH. List price: $319,900. Sold price: $315,000

12011 Whip Drive, 4 BR, 3.5 BA SFH. List price: $615,000. Sold price: $615,000

1855 Stratford Park Place, 2 BR, 2 BA Condo. List price: $435,000. Sold price: $432,500

See complete real estate information and home listings in Reston Now’s Real Estate section.

Photo of 1608 North Village Drive courtesy MRIS

By Ken Knueven, Reston Association

Living on Lake Anne is all it is advertised to be; it is beautiful, serene and a reminder of what has made Reston special for 50 years.  And, as I sit on my deck and admire the snow-covered banks, I am thankful that sense of peace and tranquility lasts throughout the seasons.

Of course, as close as Lake Anne is to my version of Utopia, I do understand it comes with a few challenges.  And yes, RELAC is one of those challenges.

The Reston Association Board of Directors is currently reviewing changes to the Use & Maintenance Standards Resolution 15; Air-Conditioning Units/RELAC HVAC System and is still accepting public comment on these issues.  Amendments have been made to constitute what establishes a member has “worked with RELAC” to correct/address problems with the system.

As well, new language has been added to clarify the term and conditions under which temporary exemptions from the covenant are to be granted.  These changes are not designed to make it more difficult to be removed from the system, but instead are intended to decrease the ambiguity associated with how one does get an exemption.

While RELAC has its detractors and critics, the community did have a chance to remove it as the cooling system for Lake Anne through a referendum a few years ago.  The community spoke, however, and chose to keep RELAC.  Those who own and operate the system need to ensure it is efficient for all who use it.  And, those who use the system need to discuss coming together and possibly resurrecting the community committee which existed years ago to look at the sustainability and viability of the system.

In the meantime; as with all RA board activities, the board needs your input on the rules allowing for temporary exemptions to use alternate methods of air-conditioning when needed for medical reasons.  The public comment period is open and we look forward to hearing from you.  You can email [email protected]  or attend an RA board meeting.  Board agendas will be available on www.reston.org prior to the meetings.

Ken Knueven is a Lake Anne resident and the president of  Reston Association.

The South Lakes High School girls basketball team rebounded after its first loss of the season to defeat Bishop McNamara 48-44 and take third place in the Silver Division in the Boo Williams Christmas Classic in Hampton, Va.

The 9-1 Seahawks, ranked sixth last week by The Washington Post, entered the tournament undefeated and beating the previous eight teams by an average of 29 points per game. After topping St. Frances Academy 59-42, the girls lost to Central Bucks West (Pa.) 62-41 in the second round.

In the final game, South Lakes went on a 14-4 fourth-quarter run to seal the victory. Senior Abigail Rendle led all scorers with 19 points and 5 rebounds. Rendle, who has signed with William & Mary, was named to the all tournament team after amassing 48 points, 17 rebounds, and 11 blocks in the three games.

Junior forward Princess Aghayere added  9 points, 17 rebounds and 1 assist, falling one point shy of a double-double for the third straight game.

Boys Basketball — The Seahawks went 2-1 at the Wakefield Holiday Tournament. They defeated Centreville 61-48 on Dec. 26, then fell 71-48 to host Wakefield. South Lakes came back to defeat Annandale 61-48 on Saturday. The boys are now 4-5 and play at Woodson on Friday.

Indoor Track — The South Lakes High School indoor track team spent the first half of the winter break with athletes meeting district and regional qualifying meets during two meets in Landover, Md.

Junior Andrew McCool ran District Qualifying Standards in the 1,000 meters (2:47.59) and 1,600 meters (4:36.04) at the PR Holiday Invitational Dec. 21 at the Prince George’s Sportsplex. He followed that up with a personal record of 9:53.28 in the 3,200 meters at the F.I.T. (Friends of Indoor Track) Invitation on Saturday (Dec. 28), which qualified him for districts in that event.

Senior Daniel Johnsen and sophomore Monica Lannen exceeded district standards in two events each during the PR Holiday Invitational. Johnsen finished the 300 meters in 36.79 for seventh overall and was second in the 500 meters with a 1:06.92. Lannen’s double was in the 1,000 meters (3:14.75, 7th) and 1,600 meters (5:30.47, 5th).

Seniors Khayri Denny, Danielle Hale and freshman Nikayla Hoyte had district qualifying standards in events at the PR Holiday Invitational as well as the F.I.T. (Friends of Indoor Track) Invitational, which was held Saturday, Dec. 28 at the Sportsplex. Denny, who has met district standards in the 55 and 300 meters, added a regional qualifier in the long jump (21-10.5) at the PR Holiday Invitational and a district standard in the triple jump (39-9) this past weekend at FIT.

Hale also had a regional qualifying jump of 35-3.5 in the triple jump at the PR Holiday Invitational and added a 44.84 district qualifying time in the 300 meters at the FIT Invitational. She already has regional qualifying standards in the 4×200 meter relay and high jump as well as district standards in the 55 meters, high jump and shot put, all of which she accomplished at the Liberty Elite Invitational earlier this month (Dec. 7).

Hoyte ran a 7.69 in the 55 meters at PR Holiday Invitational and 44.56 in the 300 meters at FIT Invitational, both district standards.

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