In just three days, the moon will cross right in front of the sun, creating a total solar eclipse that will be visible from more than a dozen states.
Virginia isn’t one of those states, but in Fairfax County, an estimated 87.4% of the sun will still be blocked when the eclipse peaks around 3:20 p.m. — a bigger percentage than the 2017 event, according to the Fairfax County Park Authority.
The prospect of a total solar eclipse that scientists say could be even more exciting than the last one has sparked tourism booms in rural towns and states in the path of totality, which is home to about 31 million people. At least one projection suggests that as many as 3.7 million people will travel to see the total eclipse.
Splurging on a rare celestial event comes with risks, though, as forecasts currently indicate that storms may obscure the eclipse in the central U.S.
County residents who decide to stay local will have plenty of viewing options, including events at county parks, Reston Station and the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly. Students at Daniels Run Elementary School will take an “Eclipse Walk.”
We’re curious about how you’re preparing for the solar eclipse on Monday (April 8). Have you snagged a pair of the glasses needed to safely watch a partial eclipse, or are you opting for a pinhole projector? Is anyone traveling into the path of totality?
Five Vehicles Crash on Route 123 in Lorton — Non-life-threatening injuries were reported in a five-vehicle crash on Ox Road near Silverbrook Road in Lorton, Fairfax County police reported at 7:18 p.m. yesterday (Thursday). One lane in each direction was open, but police advised drivers to use an alternate route. [FCPD/Twitter]
Case Against Suspect in 1994 Murder Advances — “Prosecutors argue that [Stephan] Smerk fatally slashed Robin Warr Lawrence, 37, in her West Springfield, Va., home in November 1994. On Thursday, Judge Gary H. Moliken in Fairfax General District Court found probable cause that Smerk killed Lawrence and allowed the case to proceed to a grand jury.” [Washington Post]
New Crosswalk Planned on Route 1 After Fatal Crashes — “This spring, VDOT is slated to install a new signalized crosswalk under the traffic signal at the intersection of Buckman Road/Radford Avenue and Richmond Highway.” Fairfax County is also reviewing whether an “existing utility pole at the intersection of Belfield Road and Richmond Highway in Belle Haven can be retrofitted with a streetlight fixture to improve local lighting.” [On the MoVe]
Vienna Road to Partly Close for Sidewalk Construction — “Beginning April 8 at 9 a.m., there will be no through traffic allowed on Beulah Road NE between Church Street and Ayr Hill Avenue due to the construction of a Robinson Trust sidewalk project. Traffic will be detoured and parking on Ayr Hill Avenue will be restricted. The work will take place 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday-Friday, and is expected to last until mid-June.” [Town of Vienna/Instagram]
Herndon Company to Expand Satellite Network — HawkEye 360 “has scored a $40 million investment to increase the constellation of satellites it uses to detect and convert radio frequencies on Earth into geospatial insights for defense and commercial interests.” After successfully launching 21 satellites, it hopes to “have 60 satellites…orbiting at about 360 miles above Earth’s surface by 2025.” [DC Inno]
Spring Cleaning Begins at County Parks — “Cleanups have been scheduled at various locations throughout the county and offer a diverse array of activities to be involved in. From collecting and bagging trash to tackling other projects, volunteers will have the chance to contribute to the beautification and preservation of our natural spaces.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]
Vienna Businesses Partner for Boozy Book Fair — “Bards Alley Bookshop and Caboose Brewing Co. in Vienna will join forces this weekend for Books ‘n Brews, an inaugural boozy bookfair full of books, beer, and literary fun. The event is set for 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 7, at Caboose Tavern.” The fair is scheduled to return on June 2 and Sept. 8. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Friday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high of about 54 degrees and a 20% chance of showers after 3pm. In the evening, the sky will be mostly clear, and the temperature will drop to around 37 degrees. The 11 to 14 mph northwest wind is expected to gust as high as 21 mph. [NWS]
Reston Regional Library is slated for a complete renovation as part of the overall redevelopment of Reston Town Center North.
But after the potential RTC North developer unexpectedly withdrew from the project last year, Fairfax County is now looking at making some interim upgrades to the library at 11925 Bowman Towne Drive. The improvements are expected to extend the building’s lifespan for the next seven to ten years.
“While the planned future Reston Regional Library is still in the land acquisition and design phase, this brief and necessary refresh will enhance library visitors’ experiences and complete important facility modernizations to ensure that it remains useable, clean, and safe for the duration of the building’s lifespan,” Fairfax County Public Library Deputy Director Kevin Osborne told FFXnow.
According to a permit application, the library’s bathrooms will be demolished, removing the existing floor, tile, toilets, toilet partitions and lighting. The renovated bathrooms will be up to county standards, including automatic flush toilets, LED lights, hand dryers and drinking fountains.
The redesign is also intended to minimize “unwanted behavior” by removing doors and improving lighting.
FCPL also plans to replace the library’s front and rear entry carpet. LED lighting is planned throughout the building to reduce the library’s energy costs and increase its light levels.
There’s no established timeline yet for when construction might begin, and Osborne noted that the scope of the interim renovations might change.
RTC North’s redevelopment lost steam when developer Folger-Pratt pulled out from the project in February 2023. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors then created a task force to come up with a new plan and asked the county executive to expedite a land exchange with Inova Health System to move the project forward.
Inova owns parcels in RTC North that are currently developed with an emergency room, the North County Human Services Center and Sunrise Senior Living.
The redevelopment project will replace the library and the Embry Rucker Shelter, which will be supplemented by affordable housing. The RTC North task force released a plan in November that also recommended sites for a future school, athletic field and recreation center.
During a media call last week, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn reported that county staff and Inova “are working to start pulling together the documentation” needed to submit a zoning application for the redevelopment.
Designs for the new homeless shelter and library will be shared with the task force for feedback, he pledged.
“That’ll be the next step, but there’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes,” Alcorn said. “Frankly, I’m pushing the county because our new shelter and that permanent supportive housing couldn’t come too soon, and the library, that’s important as well.”
A grocery store that is a subsidiary of the third-largest retailer in Mexico is set to open soon in Reston.
El Super, a supermarket that also includes a restaurant, will open at 11503 Sunrise Valley Drive in Suite 10, according to Fairfax County permits. The building in the Sunrise Valley Center commercial park was previously a Fusion Dental.
The location is expected to open sometime within the next four or five weeks, a company representative tells FFXnow.
Part of Chedraui USA, whose other brands include Fiesta Mart, El Super opened its first store in California in 1997. Since then, the company accumulated 64 stores operating in California, Nevada, Arizona and Texas.
The venture into Northern Virginia is a first for the company, which is a subsidiary of Mexico’s Grupo Commercial Chedraui.
The grocery store sells Latin American products, including fresh bread and tortillas from in-store bakery, and it has a full-service meat department. The in-store restaurant sells items like chile relleno, shrimp fried rice and pupusas.
Image via Google Maps
In the latest round of action on bills, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed 100 bills passed by the Virginia General Assembly, including one to protect Virginians from unlawful discrimination, hate crimes and antisemitism. The governor vetoed four others, including one to create civil penalties for shop owners who fail to advertise they are selling invasive plants that could harm other species.
Among the 100 bills signed is a measure that will codify a recommendation by the Commission to Combat Antisemitism that Virginia revise its laws to better protect Jewish citizens from hate crimes, along with Muslims, Sikhs and other ethnic-religious groups.
Youngkin said the legislation aligns with one of his top priorities: combating antisemitism.
“As the first state to weave religious freedom into the fabric of our nation, Virginia is leading once again and sending a clear message that Virginians should not be the victim of a crime simply because of their religion, race, or ethnicity,” the governor said in an April 2 press release.
Sen. Bryce Reeves, R-Spotsylvania, and Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, carried the legislation, Senate Bill 7 and House Bill 18.
“I’m thankful for the governor’s signature and the bipartisan co-patrons of this important bill,” said Reeves in a statement. He added that legislation outlawing antisemitism isn’t just about protecting a particular group, but about “defending the fundamental values of equality, justice, and human dignity for all.”
Helmer, a descendant of Holocaust survivors and a Jewish man whose children “confronted antisemitism” in school, Helmer said the legislation is important to him.
“Hate has no place in our communities,” Helmer said in a statement, adding that he is grateful for the governor’s signature to “protect people of every ethnicity across the commonwealth.”
Other interesting pieces of legislation the governor signed into law include House Bill 143, which directs the Virginia Department of Transportation to create a publicly-accessible utility work database and map that details projects within state-maintained areas, excluding emergency maintenance and services to private properties. Another measure, House Bill 322, will create a Cosmetology Compact, which will allow people to be licensed to provide barbering, hair styling and other cosmetic services in Virginia and other states that join the compact initiative.
Vetoed legislation
The governor also vetoed four bills that would have required the state to adopt model public education policies on climate change and environmental literacy, permitted college instructors to request non confidential garnishment data for research purposes, and created penalties for shop owners who fail to identify invasive plants they sell.
In explaining why he rejected the bill on adopting model policies for climate change, the governor said the measure is already included in the Standards of Learning for students, and the proposal “imposes a significant and redundant task” on the Department of Education and the Board of Education.
He said the proposal also mandates separate and independent reviews of the science Standards of Learning and instructional material; school divisions would also need to integrate new resources into their curriculum outside the standard process, requiring additional funding for materials and reallocating instructional time.
The governor also vetoed legislation allowing college and university faculty members to request district court records for eviction research.
Youngkin said the legislation “infringes” upon the rights of Virginians who have faced an unlawful detainer, garnishment or warrant in debt action.
He also wrote that the proposal, carried by Sen. Ghazmi Hashmi, D-Richmond, “does not effectively address the issue of incomplete eviction data, as garnishments and warrants in debt actions can involve various transactions, such as credit card or business-to-business disputes.”
Last year, Youngkin signed legislation requiring the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia to report to the General Assembly the number of writs of eviction by Sept. 1. He said that report would provide information to address gaps in eviction-related data.
According to the report filed in January, 41 petitions were filed and 33 were disposed of in 2023.
As for the legislation regarding harmful plants, Youngkin said he opposed placing additional requirements and penalties on small businesses for selling plants with “low levels of invasiveness, such as periwinkle and winter honeysuckle.”
Youngkin said the Department of Conservation and Recreation already shares information with the public about invasive plant species and why planting native species is beneficial.
He also said the department’s list would essential act as a “legally binding authority” regarding invasive plants and override the Administrative Process Act, which mandates public notice and a period where the public can give feedback.
Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim, D-Fairfax, who carried the bill, along with Del. Holly Seibold, D-Fairfax, wrote on X the legislation was a “common-sense compromise” supported by the nursery industry, stores and anti-invasive plant advocates.
“Once again, the governor has chosen politics over common sense policies,” Salim wrote. “It’s incredibly disappointing to see the governor go back on his words from just a few weeks ago.”
The governor has until Monday to act on any remaining bills passed by the General Assembly, including legislation to lift Virginia’s ban on skill games, a hot button topic in this year’s session.
There’s also a possibility the governor could veto the legislature’s budget, which axed many of Youngkin’s key priorities, including a pro sports arena proposal and income tax cuts. Youngkin has said he hopes to avoid that step.
Lawmakers will return to Richmond on April 17 to take up the governor’s legislation and budget amendments.
This article was reported and written by the Virginia Mercury, and has been reprinted under a Creative Commons license. Mercury editor Samantha Willis contributed to this report.
County Cuts Herndon Police From Training Academy — “In a March 18 letter…Deputy County Executive Thomas Arnold, who oversees public safety, said he had decided ‘to terminate the Town of Herndon Police Department’s affiliation with the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy effective June 1.'” The move came after Herndon Police Chief Maggie DeBoard objected to the academy’s director signing graduation certificates in Chinese. [Washington Post]
Five Men Arrested in Online Child Solicitation Sting — “Five men have been arrested after a multi-day operation to bring down online predators, the Fairfax County Police Department announced on Wednesday…Those people then came to Fairfax County with the intention of committing a sex act with the minor, but instead found detectives waiting for them.” [WUSA9]
Reston Town Center Reports Strong Leasing — Boston Properties recently reported that 96% of its offices at Reston Town Center are leased, despite a 20% vacancy rate in Reston overall. Jake Stroman, co-head of the developer’s D.C. area office, attributes that success to RTC’s “scale and suburban location,” along with the mix of residents, retail, amenities and events. [Washington Business Journal]
Longtime Hybla Valley Dry Cleaner to Close — “South Valley Cleaners, a longtime tenant at Mount Vernon Plaza in Hybla Valley, is closing for good and urging customers to pick up their dry-cleaned garments April 6-7 from noon to 4 p.m.” An employee says business has been hampered by rent increases, inflation and staff shortages. [On the MoVe]
Dog Daycare Expanding to Lincolnia — “Playful Pack, a place offering dog daycare, boarding, and washing, is coming to Barcroft Plaza. The facility is expected to open at the end of the summer or early fall, depending on when the permits are approved, said Tyler Parker, a co-owner of Playful Pack LLC, along with his wife Alyssa and his brother, Scott.” [Annandale Today]
Centreville Students Open Prom Dress Shop — “Marketing students from Centreville High School and the Fair Oaks Classroom on the Mall program will open their Prom Dress Shop for the prom season on Friday, April 5, at Centreville High School…Any area student — not just those from Fairfax County Public Schools — who do not have the funds to purchase a prom dress may choose from hundreds of new dresses donated by Macy’s.” [FCPS]
Mobile Art Exhibit Coming to Tysons — “Capital One Hall is proud to host the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) for a FREE mobile exhibit [on] April 9th 11am-7pm and April 10th 9am-1pm…This dynamic compilation of paintings, prints, photographs, and film, by artists from a range of cultures and time periods, illustrates the universality of human emotions.” [Capital One Center]
Vienna’s Zero Waste Store Highlighted — “A zero waste store in Vienna, Virginia, is a shining example of how small businesses can make a big difference in building a more sustainable future. Through its innovative approach, Trace — The Zero Waste Store, at 140 Church St. Northwest, inspires customers to embrace a lifestyle that is not only mindful of the planet, but also enriching for the community.” [WTOP]
It’s Thursday — Showers are likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm, with some storms potentially producing small hail. The high will near 56, and the chance of precipitation is 60%. Night will be partly cloudy with a low around 39 and a chance of showers until 2 am. [NWS]
Reston’s central air-conditioning service is officially returning to keep hundreds of residents and businesses cool this summer.
RELAC Water Cooling announced on Sunday (March 31) that it has received enough community donations to be able to provide chilled water for air-conditioning to roughly 635 residential and commercial properties in the Lake Anne area.
Now run as a community-driven, volunteer nonprofit, the organization says the infrastructure and operations of its cooling plant will be “significantly enhanced.”
“This project has been made possible only with your and the community’s support,” the RELAC team said. “We will be able to refurbish much of our plant, upgrade equipment, and provide seamless service starting May 22, 2024, or as soon as temperatures hit 80°F for two consecutive days in May.”
The announcement came just a couple of weeks after a failed referendum conducted by Reston Association that would’ve revoked a provision in the Reston deed requiring homeowners to use central air-conditioning service if it’s available to their lot line.
Established in the mid-1960s and regulated by the State Corporation Commission, the Reston Lake Anne Air Conditioning Corporation (RELAC) uses cooled water from Lake Anne to provide air conditioning to Washington Plaza, Waterview and four other residential clusters in the area.
The utility abruptly announced in December that it would no longer provide cooling services after 2023, reporting that increased electrical costs, an inability to get a loan for a new chiller and some customers refusing to pay their bills made it unable to continue operating.
In its announcement, RELAC said it had considered increasing its tariff but anticipated that would drive more customers to seek medical exemptions, since rates would increase by up to 30%.
As some members worked to restructure RELAC as a co-op, RA held a referendum vote from Feb. 13 to March 8 to repeal the provision requiring residents to use the central AC service. If passed, the repeal would’ve allowed those residents to instead install individual AC units, with the approval of RA’s Design Review Board.
The measure fell short of the two-thirds of voters needed for approval. Similar referendums failed in 2008 and 2015.
Now led by residents on a steering committee, RELAC Water Cooling was registered as a non-stock corporation with the SCC on Feb. 5. The new organization still ultimately hopes to become an official cooperative run by members but was unable to make that happen in time to prepare for this year’s cooling season, according to its website.
In order to resume operations this summer, RELAC solicited community donations to cover $296,000 in equipment repairs and replacements, including new motors and filters. Plans to obtain a new chiller have been deferred to 2025, when the organization says it will more likely be able to “obtain funding…and in turn reduce cost[s] to users.”
RELAC says its tariff for the 2024 cooling season will remain the same as they were in 2023. Rates are regulated by the SCC.
A total of 461 residential units will take the place of two vacant office buildings on Worldgate Drive in Herndon.
The Herndon Town Council unanimously approved the redevelopment proposal from Boston Properties on March 26, allowing a five-story apartment building on the western half of the property along with a two-floor parking garage, four-story townhouses and two-over-two stacked residential units.
The project will be located at 13100 and 13150 Worldgate Drive and has been under review by the town for almost two years.
The 10.4-acre site will be accessed from an entrance on Wiltshire Lane and a new right-in only entrance along Worldgate Drive. The development itself includes a street grid of private streets and alleys.
A new trail that is accessible to the public will provide a missing link to the existing trail network that connects Elden Street to the Herndon Metro station.
Two public bus stops will be relocated and upgraded with shelters, benches and trash cans. The stop along Elden Street will also have a bus pull-off bay to minimize the impact on traffic.
Lisa Gilleran, director of the town’s department of community development, told the town council that the housing development will have a significantly lower impact on traffic than the office buildings would if they were fully leased.
“Although they are empty right now, if they were to have tenants in them, [it] would actually create a much more significant traffic issue than the proposed development,” Gilleran said.
A traffic study found that the development is expected to reduce traffic by 1,448 daily trips during peak hours compared to the existing office use.
Boston Properties successfully sought a 15% reduction in the number of parking spaces required for the multi-family building, which will have 359 units. The 49 planned townhouses will be 20 and 22 feet wide for end units instead of the required 22 feet and 24 feet for end units.
David Gill, a land use attorney representing Boston Properties, said the company is excited to create a gateway community in the Town of Herndon.
“We think Worldgate has had a lot of challenges as the office market has changed under its feet,” he said.
Councilmember Donielle Scherff urged the developer to continue to conduct its due diligence as the project moves forward, drawing specifically from her experience with Boston Properties shifting Reston Town Center from free to paid parking.
“I hope that everything that happened in Reston will shed a different light with how you handle Herndon,” she said.
Sean Sullivan, the company’s vice president of development, responded that “lessons have been learned from Reston so we take that to heart.”
The townhouse portion of the project will have 35 visitor spaces allotted on the street. Garage parking is set aside for the multi-family building, whose visitors will receive a temporary key. Bicycle parking, including public racks on the street, will be provided.
National Poetry Month has arrived, bringing a new slate of free poetry readings and other events at Fairfax County parks.
For the final year of her tenure, Fairfax County Poet Laureate Danielle Badra has organized a second “Poetry in the Parks” initiative, inviting community members to experience linguistic and natural beauty at the same time.
Announced Monday (April 1) by ArtsFairfax, the series will kick off on April 27 with a “National Poetry Month Reading” at Green Spring Gardens (4603 Green Spring Road) in Lincolnia. D.C. area writers Camisha L. Jones, Emilia Philips, Benjamin Renne and Marcielo Shirley will participate in the reading, which is scheduled for 1-2:30 p.m.
Subsequent months will see the returns of a “Pride Month Poetry Reading” and two “Poetry Beneath the Stars” events, which were both included in last year’s inaugural “Poetry in the Parks” series.
Brought back “by popular demand,” the “Poetry Beneath the Stars” writing workshops will be held on May 4 and Aug. 17 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Turner Farm Park (925 Springvale Road) in Great Falls. Attendees will craft verse about the cosmos while viewing it through telescopes in the park’s Roll Top Observatory.
This year’s Pride Month poetry reading will bring Badra, Gowri Koneswaran, Brian Teare and other LGBTQ+ poets together on June 1 from 1-2:30 p.m. to highlight the role of poetry in the queer community. The event has shifted to Green Spring Garden after previously being hosted by Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly.
“Poetry in the Parks brings together nature lovers and poetry lovers in an incredible way,” Badra said in a press release. “Last year, we had professional stargazers with a newfound admiration for poetry, and poets who were first-time visitors to a featured park creating outstanding verses. It was such a beautiful melding of worlds, which is ultimately the goal of each Poetry in the Parks event.”
The three “Poetry in the Parks” events in 2023 were attended by more than 120 people, according to ArtsFairfax, which partnered with Badra and the Fairfax County Park Authority for the program.
As part of the 2024 series, Badra will also unveil new permanent plaques with poems about nature at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park and Riverbend Park in Great Falls.
“As a long-term expression of Poetry in the Parks, the plaques will invite park visitors to reflect on their environment, with the additional opportunity to submit a poetic or artistic response to the plaque through a link on the ArtsFairfax website,” ArtsFairfax says. “Selected submissions will be featured in a digital collection.”
Appointed in November 2022, Badra became Fairfax County’s second poet laureate, following in the footsteps of “How to Prove a Theory” author and Northern Virginia Community College professor Nicole Tong. ArtsFairfax created the two-year position in 2020 as a way to promote poetry in the community.
The search for Badra’s successor will begin when applications open on April 15. ArtsFairfax will hold a virtual information session to discuss the poet laureate program from noon to 1:30 p.m. on April 23.
Republicans Propose Renaming Dulles Airport After Trump — “Several Republican members of Congress introduced a bill to rename Washington Dulles International Airport for former President Trump. HR 7845, which is apparently a real thing, would make Dulles the second DC-area airport named for a President who was broadly unpopular in the region.” [Washingtonian]
Aspiring Casino Developer Denies Arena Interference — “Comstock CEO Chris Clemente told AP the idea of pairing the casino with the arena had been bandied about by lawmakers of both parties. He rejected the notion that there was any kind of coordinated attempt to hold off the initial arena deal in favor of an arena-casino pairing.” [Associated Press]
Yellow Diner Now Open in Vienna — “The long-awaited Yellow Diner in Vienna open[ed] Monday, bringing American classics and old-school diner food to an eager clientele. Created by the Pagonis family, owners of the renowned Tysons-area Greek restaurant Nostos…the cheerful, 94-seat diner offers a modern take on classic diner cuisine, as well as a full bar.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
County Police Auditor Releases Annual Report — “Fairfax County police mostly were vindicated in the independent police auditor’s recent review of seven incidents between 2017 and 2020 in which officers pointed firearms at people, but an officer violated policy in one case and others failed significantly in another.” [Gazette Leader]
Tysons Salon Extends Stay — “Sola Salons Studios, a premier provider of salon studios, secured a lease renewal and extension at 8607 Westwood Center, Suite 100 in Tysons Corner, Virginia. The approximately 3,900 square feet space will continue to serve as a hub for Sola Salons Studios’ operations in the region.” [CityBiz]
Early Female FCPD Officer Dies — “With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of one of our first female officers, Karen Blackmon. Karen embarked on her journey with our department on January 31, 1972. With unwavering commitment, Karen served with distinction. Our thoughts & prayers are with her family & friends.” [FCPD/Twitter]
Lorton HVAC Company Gets New Owner — “United Air Temp, Air Conditioning and Heating, a fast-growing residential HVAC and plumbing company based in Lorton, has been sold to a new private equity owner.” Connecticut-based Littlejohn & Co. LLC says “it will help accelerate United Air Temp’s additional organic growth and M&A activity,” including plans to expand into Georgia. [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Wednesday — Chances of precipitation are 100%. Expect showers and thunderstorms before 4pm, followed by scattered showers and storms, with heavy rain possible. Patchy fog and a high near 59 are anticipated. At night, there is a 50% chance of showers before 2am. Conditions will be mostly cloudy with a low around 41. [NWS]
Reston Town Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
An arts-inspired Earth Day celebration is coming to Reston Town Center.
Organized by the Reston Town Center Association and Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art, the inaugural event on April 20 will feature a variety of activities, including a special art installation at the Mercury Fountain Plaza by Arkansas-based artist Danielle Hatch.
The installation, called “All Is in Motion, Is Growing, Is You,” is inspired by Reston’s origins and founder Bob Simon’s vision of community building.
“Art often serves as a lens to help us understand the world around us, and artists have the unique ability, through their work, to spark conversation around contemporary issues, including the earth, land, and environment,” Tephra ICA Executive Director and Curator Jaynelle Hazard said. “This collaborative event with RTCA presents a special opportunity to celebrate reverence for the natural world and the impact that art and artists can have in shaping sustainability.”
Hatch is expected to build on the installation with a performance during the Tephra ICA Arts Festival, which is scheduled to take place at Reston Town Center in May.
Other festivities include:
- Curator-led tours of the “Pressing” exhibition at Tephra ICA
- An environmentally themed concert with George Mason University professor Victor Provost’s steel pan ensemble
- Afternoon art activations in Reston Town Square Park, such as poetry readings, a meditative sound bath, plant repotting and rehabilitation, printmaking workshops, community composting and face painting
- A free screening of the documentary “Anthropocene: The Human Epoch,” with an introduction and post-film Q&A led by GMU professor Jeremy Campbell
The movie screening is sponsored by and will be held at Reston Town Center’s LOOK Dine-In Cinema (11940 Market Street).
RTCA Executive Director Robert Goudie says the Earth Day celebration aligns with the association’s desire to promote “art experiences that both enrich and educate.”
“We always welcome the chance to partner with Tephra ICA, a content leader in the DMV,” he said in a statement. “With support from Reston Community Center, ArtsFairfax, George Mason University, and LOOK Dine-In Cinemas at Reston Town Center, we think we have something that will capture the imagination and bring forward the importance of this day in a compelling way.”
An opening ceremony is set for 10 a.m. The event is free and open to all.
Paving and re-striping season has descended upon Fairfax County once again, ushering in a series of public meetings later this month on proposed projects that include bicycle lanes and improved crosswalks.
Hundreds of miles of roadway will be repaved and re-striped by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) as part of the program throughout the state.
“VDOT and the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) use this program as an opportunity to increase driver, bicyclist and pedestrian safety with road and crosswalk improvements while minimizing the financial investment in restriping work,” FCDOT says on its website.
The first meeting kicks off next Monday (April 8) at 7 p.m. for the Franconia and Mount Vernon districts.
In the Franconia District, bicycle lanes on Oakwood Road between Van Dorn Street and Crown Royal Drive are proposed, along with crosswalk improvements at Terrapin Place and at the Crown Royal Drive and Founders Hill Place intersection.
The Mount Vernon District is slated for:
- Bike lanes on Laurel Crest Drive between Silverbrook Road and Douglas Fir Drive
- Bike lanes on Old Mount Vernon Road between Drews Court and Maryland Street
- Crosswalk improvements at Laurel Crest Drive and Paper Birch Drive
The Hunter Mill District’s meeting on April 9 will focus on Center Harbor Road in Reston, where bicycle lanes are proposed between Wiehle Avenue and Reston Parkway, and crosswalk improvements proposed at the Sundial Road intersection.
The Providence District meeting is set for April 10, with bike lanes proposed on Anderson Road between Birdwood Avenue and Magarity Road. A Capital Bikeshare station is also proposed near the intersection of Anderson Road and Dartford Drive.
Meetings for the Braddock, Mason and Springfield Districts are slated for April 11. Braddock is expected to have the following projects:
- Bike lanes on Heming Avenue between Heming Place and Braddock Road
- Crosswalk improvements at Heming Avenue and Hogarth Street
- Crosswalk improvements on Heming Ave at Elgar Street and Axton Street
Springfield is only slated for one road restriping that would add crosswalk improvements on Center Road and Garden Road.
The Sully District has the most proposed changes, which will be discussed at a meeting on April 23 at 7 p.m.:
- Bike lanes on Walney Road between Westfields Boulevard and Westmore Street
- Bike lanes on Field Encampment Road between Golden Oaks Lane and Centrewood Drive
- Crosswalk improvements on Field Encampment Road at Cider Barrel Circle and St. Germain Drive
- Crosswalk improvements at Compton Village Drive and Bradenton Drive
Paving begins in the spring and concludes in November. Exact dates for each project will be available 10 days before work is expected to begin.
Work hours are usually limited to outside of rush hours, although residents can expect work vehicles in their neighborhood during the project.
Links for each web meeting are available on FCDOT’s website, along with dial-in information.
A Fairfax County judge has ruled there’s enough evidence to proceed with charges against a Reston au pair linked to a fatal shooting over a year ago.
Circuit Court Judge Michael Lindner found probable cause yesterday (Monday) to charge Juliana Peres Magalhaes, 23, in the Feb. 24, 2023, deadly shooting of Joseph Ryan, 39, at her employer’s Herndon-area home in the 13200 block of Stable Brook Way.
Police discovered Christine Banfield with stab wounds to her upper body and Ryan with two gunshot wounds to his upper body. Banfield was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Ryan was declared dead at the scene.
Though the shooting and stabbing occurred in February, Magalhaes wasn’t arrested until October. She remained employed by Brendan Banfield, Christine Banfield’s husband, throughout that period. The investigation into Christine Banfield’s death is ongoing, and no charges have been filed yet.
Although the judge determined there was a “fair probability” that Magalhaes had used a firearm to fatally shoot Ryan, yesterday’s hearing was just an initial step to assess whether there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial.
The hearing
Magalhaes faces charges of second-degree murder, meaning the killing was intentional but not planned. However, at the preliminary hearing, prosecutors outlined events leading to Ryan’s death and introduced new evidence they said suggests the killing might have been premeditated.
Witnessess summoned for the four-hour hearing by Fairfax County Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Clingan included Fairfax County Police Detective Stephen Carter, who testified that, on the morning of Feb. 24, Magalhaes left the Banfield residence to take their 4-year-old daughter to a zoo.
Brendan Banfield left earlier that morning and was allegedly at a nearby McDonald’s when he received a call from Magalhaes. She reported seeing a stranger’s car in the Banfield’s driveway when she returned to the house to get their daughter’s lunch.
Brendan Banfield allegedly drove back home and went inside with Magalhaes. Upon entering the bedroom, they encountered Ryan, who was fully dressed and allegedly holding a knife to an undressed Christine Banfield.
An initial 911 call was made from Magalhaes’s phone at 7:47 a.m. A second call at 8:02 a.m. came from both her and Brendan Banfield, who allegedly told the dispatcher that he shot Ryan after seeing his wife get stabbed multiple times.
According to prosecutors, Banfield shot Ryan in the head before the first 911 call was placed. Magalhaes told investigators that he instructed her to grab another gun from a closet several feet away that she then fired at Ryan. Assistant Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Meghan Kessler confirmed the second gunshot wound was the cause of death.
Magalhaes’s lawyers argue she acted in self-defense. However, Kessler testified that Ryan’s head wound likely left him incapacitated, hindering his movement and vision. Prosecutors contended that, given Ryan’s condition after the first shot, there was no need for a second one.
Carter alleges that, when he interrogated Magalhaes, she admitted to firing a second shot at Ryan but couldn’t recall if it struck him. Although Portuguese is Magalhaes’s first language, the interrogation was in English. According to Carter, Magalhaes didn’t request an interpreter and asked for only one term — “aluminum foil” — to be translated.
An alleged plot
Prosecutors didn’t submit evidence of the murder weapon, but they said Brendan Banfield possessed two firearms: a government-issued one for his job as an IRS criminal investigative division agent and a pistol purchased from the Silver Eagle Group Shooting Range in Ashburn.
Documents indicate that Magalhaes and Brendan Banfield visited the Silver Eagle range on Dec. 23, 2023, and Banfield returned on Jan. 28, when he bought a Glock pistol for $558, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors also alleged that Brendan Banfield and Magalhaes exchanged their personal cell phones for new ones four days before the shooting.
At a bond hearing in December, prosecutors argued that Magalhaes and Brendan Banfield were having an affair, citing evidence purportedly found in photos on the au pair’s cellphone, according to the Washington Post.
On Monday, prosecutors displayed photos of Brendan Banfield’s bedroom, captured in October 2023 following Magalhaes’ arrest, that showed three framed pictures of him and Magalhaes embracing. One of the photos depicted what looked like a silk robe nightgown hanging from a dresser, though there was no evidence tying it to Magalhaes.
Brendan Banfield took the stand but exercised his right against self-incrimination, declining to answer the prosecution’s questions about his relationship with Magalhaes, the alleged visits to the gun range and new phone purchases, and why he reportedly went to McDonald’s instead of going to work the day of the shooting.
Defense argues prosecutors lack evidence
Magalhaes’s attorney Ryan Campbell contended that the prosecution’s case hinges solely on her statement to the detective without any additional evidence to prove she shot and killed Ryan.
Campbell said there’s also no evidence proving that the firearm Brendan Banfield bought at Silver Eagle was the one used in the shooting, who fired the first shot, or that Magalhaes and Brendan Banfield were engaged in an affair.
Still, the judge noted that the prosecution isn’t obligated to produce evidence in a preliminary hearing, merely to demonstrate probable cause — which he said was established by Magalhaes admitting she shot at Ryan at all.
“I’m only considering what I’ve heard,” Lindner said.
A motion to reconsider Magalhaes’ bond is being heard in court today (Tuesday), and the judge set an initial court date for April 18 to determine the trial schedule.
Fairfax County is gearing up for the return of its 10 farmers’ markets this spring, with some locations set to return later this month and others in May.
The 2024 season starts on April 17 with the McCutcheon/Mount Vernon Farmers Market outside the Sherwood Regional Library (2501 Sherwood Hall Lane), the Fairfax County Park Authority announced last week.
Farmers and producers are only allowed to sell what they raise on their farms or make from scratch and come from within a 125-mile radius of Fairfax County, with a few exceptions for hard-to-find products, according to the county website.
“This year, you can expect to find locally grown produce, delicious baked goods, and prepared foods at our farmers markets,” the Fairfax County Park Authority said in a news release. “Additionally, enjoy a variety of family-friendly activities from musical performances, games — and don’t forget to bring your food scraps to support our community composting efforts.”
A list of vendors can be found on each market’s webpage, and SNAP will be accepted at the Mount Vernon, Annandale, Lorton, Reston and Wakefield locations.
Three farmers markets are coming back later in April, all operating from 8 a.m. to noon:
- April 17: McCutcheon/Mount Vernon on Wednesdays
- April 20: Burke at Burke Centre Field (5671 Roberts Parkway) on Saturdays
- April 27: Reston at Lake Anne Plaza (1608 Washington Plaza North) on Saturdays
The seven remaining farmers markets will open in May:
- May 1: Oakton at the recently renamed Oakmont Rec Center (3200 Jermantown Road) on Wednesdays 8 a.m.-noon, Wakefield at the Audrey Moore Rec Center (8100 Braddock Road) in Annandale on Wednesdays 2-6 p.m.
- May 2: Annandale at Mason District Park (6621 Columbia Pike) and Herndon outside the Herndon Municipal Center (765 Lynn Street) on Thursdays 8 a.m.-noon
- May 3: McLean at Lewinsville Park (1659 Chain Bridge Road) on Fridays 8 a.m.-noon, Kingstowne (5844-5862 Kingstowne Center) on Fridays 3-7 p.m.
- May 5: Lorton at Lorton Station Town Center (8994 Potomac Bend) on Sundays 8 a.m.-noon
Vehicle Crashes into Centreville Apartment — “#FCFRD are on the scene of a vehicle into a building in the 13000 Blk of Orchard Dr. Firefighters arrived with one vehicle into a garden-style apartment building. FCFRD TROT is working to stabilize the building. The building investigator is on scene. No reported injuries.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter]
Art Studio Eyes Reston Location — “An unusual new paint-and-sip style art studio is working on its first location in the state and it will be right here in Northern Virginia. It’s called Hawaii Fluid Art and they have announced the signing of a franchisee to bring a location to Reston. The actual location hasn’t been revealed” and may not have been identified yet. [The Burn]
Mural Planned for Mount Vernon Church — “Public art continues to proliferate along the Richmond Highway Corridor in Fairfax County. The latest building about to get its façade painted is Rising Hope Mission Church on Russell Road. Soon, a nature-themed mural will adorn the side of the church facing Richmond Highway.” Painting will begin this month. [On the MoVe]
Safeway Employee Assaulted with Shopping Cart — Fairfax City police arrested a 31-year-old man last Friday (March 29) after he allegedly threw a shopping cart at a Safeway employee after an argument in the grocery store at 10350 Willard Way. During his arrest, the man “assaulted an officer,” police say. [Fairfax City Police/Twitter]
Singers at Wolf Trap Reflect on Beyoncé Album — “‘Well, happy Beyoncé Day,’ said Roberta Lea to cheers from a sold-out crowd at the Barns at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Va. — coincidentally on the same day that Beyoncé released her new country-themed album, ‘Cowboy Carter.’” Lea and other artists in the Black Opry Revue hope the album will expand the genre to new listeners. [Washington Post]
Reston Company Warns About Robocall Tax Scams — “Transaction Network Services, which regularly analyzes more than 1.5 billion daily call events across hundreds of carrier networks to identify robocall trends, said residents in the D.C. metro have already received nearly 400,000 tax-related robocalls since the start of the year. Some of those calls pretend, convincingly, to be a real person.” [WTOP]
Local Nonprofit to Match Donations — “FACETS, a Fairfax-based social-safety-net provider that helps those affected by poverty, hunger and homelessness in Fairfax County, has launched a new website (www.FacetsCares.org) with a $10,000 match donation challenge. Every donation made through the new site will be doubled up to $10,000.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Tuesday — Expect showers and potential thunderstorms mainly before 2pm, followed by a chance of storms after 2pm. Patchy fog may occur before 2pm. The high will be around 57, and there’s a 90% chance of precipitation. Night showers and thunderstorms are likely, along with patchy fog, especially after 8pm. The low will be around 50. [NWS]
