About 40% of Fairfax County voters have now cast a ballot in Virginia’s 2021 general election, which will determine the next occupants of the governor’s mansion and the House of Delegates.
More than 170,000 of those ballots came in before Election Day, accounting for 23.3% of the county’s 730,300 active voters, according to the Fairfax County Office of Elections’ last early voting report.
The county registrar is anticipating a 50 to 60% total turnout for this election, Office of Elections spokesperson Brian Worthy confirmed.
With the introduction of no-excuse absentee voting last year, the county has seen a dramatic increase in early voting compared to the last gubernatorial election in 2017, resulting in fewer crowds and lines on Election Day itself.
The Office of Elections estimates that, as of 1:10 p.m., it has seen a nearly 18% turnout since polls opened at 6 a.m. today (Tuesday). Polling sites in different areas of the county reported steady but not overwhelming streams of voters showing up before noon.
We've now had an estimated turnout of 17.89% at polling places today. Combined with our previous 23% turnout from early votes already cast, we're at approximately 40% turnout overall in Fairfax County. Polls are open until 7 p.m.#VAGov #Vote #GOTV #Virginia pic.twitter.com/4JviKDMh7H
— Fairfax County Votes (@fairfaxvotes) November 2, 2021
Around 300 voters had passed through Reston Community Center’s Hunters Woods facility by 10:30 a.m., and Marshall High School in Idylwood saw over 600 voters before 11:30 a.m., according to elections officials at those precincts.
An elections chief at Coates Elementary School in Herndon told FFXnow that more than 500 people had voted there this morning. A volunteer suggested the rainy weather, which forecasts indicate will continue through the afternoon, could be affecting turnout.
One resident who stopped by Coates to vote with his daughter cited his desire to support local schools as a motivating factor, with a bond referendum that would enable Fairfax County Public Schools to spend $365 million on renovation projects on the ballot.
Kishore Sadala, who has lived near Coates Elementary for over a decade, said she wanted to vote out of a sense of civic duty.
After moving back to Virginia from Maryland to care for her parents, Indya Gordon says she felt it was important to vote due to the more unpredictable nature of Virginia’s elections, with this year’s gubernatorial contest expected to be a nail-biter.
“I think this is one of the most important elections of our time,” she said after voting at Coates Elementary School.
One of only two states with statewide offices on the ballot this year, Virginia is being treated as a bellwether for the national political mood and potential foreshadowing for next year’s Congressional mid-term elections by both Democrats and Republicans.
In addition to choosing either Terry McAuliffe or Glenn Youngkin as governor, voters are deciding the state’s next lieutenant governor, attorney general, and House of Delegates, where all 100 seats are up for election.
Polls remain open until 7 p.m.
The Fairfax County Office of Elections notes that results will be reported slightly differently than they have been in the past.
In accordance with a new state law, results from mail-in ballots will be released first, followed by early vote totals. The results will be updated throughout the night as precincts tally votes cast in-person on Election Day.
While the majority of votes are expected to be included in tonight’s unofficial results, mail-in absentee votes are accepted as long as they arrive by noon on Friday (Nov. 5), so the results will be incomplete.
In addition, the Office of Elections will only be reporting countywide vote totals for each candidate, rather than breaking the results down by precinct. Precinct-level results can be found instead through the Virginia Department of Elections.
“Because precinct level results are still available on the state’s website, we’re focusing on what most people are interested in: the total votes for each candidate — in other words, who’s won and lost,” Worthy said. “However you’ll also see the breakout for each candidate for early and mail-in votes.”
David Taube and Jay Westcott contributed to this report.
A new assisted living development called “The Canopy” is coming to Reston by 2023.
Silverstone Senior Living, a Dallas-based company, plans to build a three-story assisted living development at 10819 Leesburg Pike. The project, which will include 135 apartments and four levels of care for seniors, is expected to break ground later this year.
A spokesperson for the company said Reston was chosen because of its “deep roots.”
“As Silverstone expands its portfolio in the D.C. region, we wanted to provide the next generation of assisted living and memory care in a community with deep roots such as Reston. Reston was ranked as the Best Place to Live in Virginia by Money magazine for its expanses of parks, lakes, golf courses, and bridle paths,” the company spokesperson said
The Canopy was chosen to reflect the area’s tree canopy and the parks and woodlands that the company says make Reston a “highly desirable place to live.” The design attempts to emphasize outdoor living and includes pickleball courts, an indoor and outdoor fitness facility, and access to 22 acres of walking paths and gardens.
Levels of care include active assisted living, traditional assisted living, living for people with mild cognitive impairment, and memory care.
Silverstone is working on a larger facility at The Boro in Tysons. That development includes a new 15-story building with 198 units. The company is also behind The Providence in Fairfax’s MetroWest neighborhood.
Construction would wrap up by the third quarter of 2023.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic did not change the construction timeline, the design of the new facility is intended to help limit the spread of the pandemic. Touchless door openers, bleach-cleanable fabrics in dining rooms, and special filtration systems will be installed to limit the spread of COVID-19.
The building includes six units that are considered affordable by standards set by the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services.
The company declined to release information about monthly rents, noting that the figure would be set based on market rates when the property opens.
Photo via Silverstone Living
Today is a big election day for Virginia and Fairfax County, with the eyes of the nation on the Commonwealth as voters select a new governor and other state leaders.
Polls opened at 6 a.m. this morning and will close at 7 p.m. at 247 precincts across the county.
What’s on the Ballot
Voters will determine the state’s next governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general as well as all 100 delegates in the General Assembly. Fairfax County also has a school bond referendum.
Governor
- Terry McAuliffe (D)
- Glenn Youngkin (R)
Polls suggest a tight contest between McAuliffe and Youngkin, with a final survey by the marketing research firm Trafalger Group giving the Republican a very slight lead.
Lieutenant Governor
- Hala Ayala (D)
- Winsome Sears (R)
No matter who is elected, the winner will make history as the first woman of color to hold the second-highest office in the Commonwealth.
Attorney General
- Mark Herring (D)
- Jason Miyares (R)
Herring is vying for a third term, while Miyares could become the first Latino to hold the post in Virginia.
General Assembly
All 100 seats in Virginia’s House of Delegates are up for election, giving Republicans a chance to wrest control of the legislative chamber back from the Democrats.
In races covered by FFXnow sister sites Reston Now and Tysons Reporter, long-time incumbent Ken Plum (D) is being challenged by Matt Lang (R) to represent Reston in the 36th District. At one point this summer, Lang was outraising Plum, but that seems to no longer be the case.
In the 86th District, which runs from Chantilly through Herndon to Route 7, Irene Shin (D) is taking on Julie Perry (R) after ousting incumbent Ibraheem Samirah by just 230 votes in June. Perry is a high school history teacher who was accused of making anti-transgender remarks earlier this fall.
Incumbent Kathleen Murphy (D), first elected in 2015, is again being challenged by Gary Pan (R) in the 34th District, which contains Wolf Trap, Great Falls, McLean, and part of Loudoun County. This is a rematch from 2019, when Murphy won with about 58% of the vote.
While the 48th District is primarily in Arlington, it also includes southern McLean. There, incumbent Rip Sullivan (D) is being challenged for the first time since he was elected in 2014 by Republican nominee Edward Monroe (R).
Del. Mark Keam (D) is facing his first challenge in several years for the 35th District, including Vienna and part of Tysons. Republican nominee Kevin McGrath used to work for the CIA.
For City of Falls Church voters, the choice for the 53rd District’s next delegate comes between incumbent Marcus Simon (D) and restaurant manager Sarah White (R).
Other Fairfax County delegate races include:
- District 37: David Bulova (D), Kenny Meteiver (R)
- District 38: Kaye Kory (D), Tom Pafford (R)
- District 39: Vivian Watts (D), Maureen Brody (R)
- District 40: Dan Helmer (D), Harold Pyon (R)
- District 41: Eileen Filler-Corn (D), John Wolfe (R)
- District 42: Kathy Tran (D), Edward McGovern (R)
- District 43: Mark Sickles (D), Brenton Hammond (R)
- District 44: Paul Krizek (D), Richard Hayden (R)
- District 45: Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D), Justin Maddox (R)
- District 49: Alfonso Lopez (D), Timothy Kilcullen (R), Terry Modglin (I)
- District 67: Karrie Delaney (D), Bob Frizzelle (R)
A $360 million school bond is also on the ballot in Fairfax County. If voters approve it, the money will go towards the renovations of more than a dozen schools.
How to Vote
Go to the Virginia Department of Elections website to look up your polling place and a sample ballot. Voters must present an accepted form of identification, though photo proof is no longer required.
ExpressVote, a touchscreen system that the county has used for early voting since 2014, is available for those with disabilities but not for the general public today, Fairfax County Office of Elections spokesperson Brian Worthy says.
Masks are still required for voters and staff at polling places. However, those who are not wearing masks will still be able to vote, Worthy confirms.
The polls could seem less crowded today than previous years due to the increase in early voting, which kicked off on Sept. 17 and concluded on Saturday (Oct 30).
About 165,000 votes were cast early by mail or in-person, according to Worthy. That’s approximately 22.5% of the 730,000 active voters in Fairfax County.
It’s a high rate of early voting, Worthy says, though the county is still expecting turnout overall to be about 50% as initially predicted in September. The county elections office is preparing, however, for a potential turnout of 75%.
In 2017, Virginia’s last gubernatorial election, voter turnout was approximately 56%.
Man Suffers Serious Injuries in Reston Crash —The driver of a car that crashed in the 1700 block of Fountain Drive in Reston was taken to the hospital for life-threatening injuries. The single-vehicle crash happened around 8 p.m. last night. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Winners In for Pumpkin Contest — Reston Association has selected the winners for its annual pumpkin carving contest. Entrants transformed pumpkins into eyeballs, a fat-o-lantern, and a zombie apocalypse. [RA]
Last Day for Farmers Market in Herndon — This Thursday is the last farmers’ market of the season in Herndon. The market is located on Lynn Street in front of the red caboose on Thursday between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
Plans to replace Shadowood pool with a different use or new facility are officially out the door.
A community survey found that most residents want Reston Association to upgrade and renovate the aging pool, which has been closed because major repairs are needed.
“The general conclusion is that the community wants to keep the pool,” said committee member John Farrell.
A resounding 77 percent of the survey’s 467 respondents said they want the pool to reopen as or with renovations. Respondents also want RA to clean up the pool — debris and pine needs often float at the surface — and improve its curb appeal. Other options for improvements include ensuring there’s enough area for shade and sun and adding lap lanes.
At a board meeting last week, RA’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a motion directing staff to begin preliminary engineering and feasibility studies for the renovation project.
A tentative completion date for the renovation project was set for the summer of 2023. Board member Caren Anton cautioned that this date was an estimate.
In September, RA courted public input on the future of the pool and recreation area. The pool is one of four pools that are on the bill for repurposing because of low usage.
The board and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee have also discussed the issue. Board members lauded parks and recreation staff for what they said was extensive outreach.
Outreach was conducted by volunteers and staff, not data analysis or professional researchers.
The discussion follows a long-anticipated evaluation of RA’s recreational facilities. The study by the Recreational Facility Work Group found a major increase in funding is needed to address capital improvement work at decades-old facilities.
A motion by board member Sarah Selvaraj-D’souza directing staff to move the project forward was unanimously approved by the board Thursday.
RA has been sitting on the funds in order to ensure adequate opportunity for community feedback was afforded, said acting CEO Larry Butler.
Selvaraj-D’souza noted that money has already been allocated in the 2021 budget and also wrapped into current budget talks.
“Just a repair will not really hold us through,” she said.
After a grim 2020, a more festive winter holiday season could be in store this year, as Fairfax County’s third COVID-19 wave continues to ebb.
The 57 new cases reported today (Monday) are the fewest that the Fairfax Health District has seen in a single day since July 27, when there were 52 new cases and the Delta variant was just starting to emerge locally.
The current weekly average of 83.3 cases is the lowest since July 31, when it was at 75.1 cases.
In fact, the county’s community transmission level has nearly dropped from substantial to moderate for the first time since Aug. 3. Virginia Department of Health data shows that the county saw 50.2 new cases for every 100,000 residents and a 2.3% testing positivity rate during the week of Oct. 24-30.
Using metrics recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, VDH defines moderate transmission as 10 to 49 cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days or a positivity rate of 5 to 8%.
The Fairfax Health District, which includes the cities of Falls Church and Fairfax, has recorded a total of 93,373 cases of the novel coronavirus, which has hospitalized 4,373 residents and killed 1,213, according to the Fairfax County Health Department.
Further fueling hope of a relatively risk-free winter is the promise that children could become eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations as soon as this week.
The Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization allowing children ages 5 to 11 to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Friday (Oct. 29), stating that smaller doses than the ones given to adolescents and adults have proven to be safe and effective for the younger age group.
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to vote on recommendations for pediatric vaccinations tomorrow (Tuesday). Appointments for kids could become available as soon as the CDC gives its approval, according to VDH, which says it has been planning its rollout for months.
“There’s light at the end of this pandemic tunnel sooner rather than later,” Virginia state vaccination liaison Dr. Danny Avula said last week in a statement.
The Fairfax County Health Department says vaccinations will be available through its clinics, pediatric and family medical practices, local pharmacies, and the Tysons Community Vaccination Center for the approximately 97,000 children expected to become eligible in the Fairfax Health District.
In the meantime, the district hit a new vaccination milestone today, with 70.1% of all residents now having received at least one dose — a total of 830,017 people. That includes 82.9% of individuals 18 and older.
757,568 residents — 75.9% of adults and 64% of the total population — are fully vaccinated.
According to VDH, 9.2% of Fairfax County residents have gotten booster shots, which are now available to many adults. The county health department is encouraging people who are eligible to get a booster ahead of the holidays, noting that providers may get busy once vaccines roll out to children.
Plans for Herndon’s first beer garden are beginning to materialize, a sign of the brewing revitalization of the town’s downtown area.
The town’s Historic District Review Board is set to review a plan to demolish a two-story commercial building at 771 Center Street, the future home of the Herndon Biergarten. The meeting is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Owner Matt Rafougaran had hoped to open the business sometime this year. He was not immediately available for comment on why the project was stalled and when the new concept is expected to open.
The building was previously home to Herndon Ornamental Iron Works.
The beer garden will include a full-size garage door. Two seating areas are planned on the first floor.
Customers will be able to see through an open kitchen area. Wood paneling interlocked with vines will lead up to stairs, which are made of wood and metal.
Barn doors will open to the rooftop bar area and greenhouse room. The first dining area is described as a rooftop bar with a green vinyl-wrapped banquette. A second dining area with standard bar tables and stools is also planned.
The project is in its early stages. Only a pre-application has been filed for review.
Like the Tysons location — which closed in 2019 due to property redevelopment — the Herndon Biergarten will have daily activities, family-friendly games, events, and beer festivals.
Photo via handout/Town of Herndon
Monday, Nov. 1
- RCC Thanksgiving Food Drive (through Nov. 22) — Patrons, businesses and organizations can drop off non-perishable food and other items at various drop-off points throughout the community to benefit the social services nonprofit Cornerstones.
Tuesday, Nov. 2
- Grades K-2 Makerclass (4:30-6 p.m., runs weekly through Dec. 14) — Kids will work on creative projects that make use of skills ranging from art to engineering and technology. There’s no class on Thanksgiving week. Presented by Nova Labs. Cost is $100.
Wednesday, Nov. 3
- Reston Farmers Market (3-7 p.m.) — Stop by for some fresh produce at the parking lot of St. John Neumann Catholic Church.
Thursday, Nov. 4
- Anna Balakerskaia (2:15-3:30 p.m.) — “Dr. Anna” will perform with her George Mason University students as well as Levine Music pianist Dasha Gabay. Free, but registration is required.
Friday, Nov. 5
- “The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)” (8 p.m.) — A satirical performance reminiscent of musical theater greats ranging from Andrew Lloyd Webber to Rodgers and Hammerstein kicks off at Reston Community Center’s CenterStage. Finale is 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets cost $20 for adults, but discounts are available.
Saturday, Nov. 6
- Appraisal Roadshow (11 a.m. to noon) — Have an expert appraise one of your personal items, from jewelry to coins and more, at the Reston Association headquarters. Private appointments with appraisers may be scheduled after the show, too. Cost starts at $15.
Sunday, Nov. 7
- “The Turn of the Screw” (2 p.m.) — A finale gives audiences one last chance to attend, following performances on Friday and Saturday. Adapted from the classic Henry James horror story, this play follows the journey of a governess caring for two kids when she begins to wonder if the home is haunted. Tickets are $25.
Attempted Robbery, Abduction in Reston — On Sept. 28, an attempted robbery was reported on the 22000 block of Colts Neck Road. Police believe a man grabbed the victim and demanded property. In a separate incident, police believe a man demanded property and car keys from an individual around 11:46 a.m. on the 11800 block of Breton Court. The man drove away in the victim’s car. The victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. [FCPD]
A Look at the District 36 Race — Democrat Ken Plum is the incumbent candidate in 36th district for the Virginia House of Delegates. He faces Republican challengers Matthew Lang. [Reston Patch]
Metro to Add More Trains Today — Metro plans to have 39 trains in shrive today. Seven trains were added after major service cuts last month. Metro removed all of its 7000-series railcars from service as part of its investigation into the derailment of a Bue Line train on Oct. 12. [Popville]
Schools Seek Substitutes — The Fairfax County Public School system is seeking substitute teachers. Once a candidate’s application, orientation and background check is approved, hiring can begin within one week. [FCPS]
Increased Police Presence Still In Effect — Northern Virginia police departments continue to increase their presence at shopping malls and high-volume roads and transit areas in response to a purported threat from ISIS. The move was made out an abundance of caution, according to Fairfax County Police Department’s police chief Kevin Davis. [WTOP]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
(Updated, 3:50 p.m.) Work to tie-in Silver Line Phase 2 to Phase 1 was completed this past weekend, a Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) spokesperson tells Reston Now.
“The tie-in was a success and the Automatic Train Control System has been connected,” says spokesperson Marcia McAllister.
The work nessicated a shutdown of the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station.
One of the main goals was to finish the automatic train control system and it was completed, says McAllister. Additionally, signal infrastructure tests were done and those are still being reviewed.
There remains one or items that need to be finished, but those items can be completed without service outages, says McAllister.
However, MWAA is not committing to a date or specific timeframe for substantial completion and for when the $2.8 billion public transportation project could be handed over to Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
“We are now following procedures set forth in the contract so we can move forward with what needs to be done to keep this project moving forward,” wrote McAllister when asked about a specific timetable.
In September, WMATA scheduled a weekend shutdown of Wiehle-Reston East Metro station in order to allow MWAA and the contractor Capital Rail Contractors (CRC) to connect the first and second phase of the Silver Line as well as perform tests related to signal infrastructure.
This work was crucial to keeping the opening of Silver Line Phase 2 on track and originally was supposed to be finished in June, but that didn’t happen as expected and necessitated a second shutdown.
All of this comes at a particularly fraught time for Metro as service has been drastically reduced to at least mid-November due to ongoing investigations into 7000-series cars related to the Blue Line train derailment in Arlington earlier this month.
Constant delays and missed deadlines on the multi-billion dollar Silver Line Phase 2 project have constantly frustrated residents, business owners, and government officials alike.
Recently, MWAA has continued to insist that substantial completion is coming soon, despite disagreements with the contractor on the timeline.
“The Airports Authority, WMATA and lead contractor Capital Rail Constructors worked together to make this a success,” reiterated McAllister.
Reston Now has reached to CRC about how the tie-in work this past weekend may impact their own assessment of a timeline for substantial completion, but have to yet to hear back as of publication.
Early last month, WMATA officials noted that it could be done and handed over to them in November.
However, there now seems to be some hedging on this timeline. At the Fairfax County Transportation Committee meeting at the end of September, it was announced that MWAA was “holding, at the moment, to the fourth quarter of 2021.”
A clearly-frustrated Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn responded at the meeting that it better be done prior to the Christmas holiday.
“Our next meeting of the transportation committee is December 14,” he said. “We better have substantial completion by then.”
Be prepared: A science-related night under the star is getting ready for liftoff.
The educational event at 7 p.m. Saturday will bring hands-on activities to Turner Farm to help commemorate the Dec. 18 launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.
The hourlong event invites Girl Scouts to learn about telescopes, particularly the new Webb telescope. NASA notes that the telescope will view the universe at infrared wavelengths, helping show things never seen by any other telescope, to help study galaxy, star and planet formation.
“We are thrilled that the Park Authority is an official host site for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope launch community events,” Tammy Schwab, manager of Fairfax County’s Education and Outreach for Resource Parks, said in a news release. “People of all ages and backgrounds will find inspiration in the Webb mission, which will fundamentally change our understanding of the universe for this generation and many to come.”
Hundreds of events across the country are recognizing the upcoming launch of the telescope, which is roughly the mass of a school bus. At the Great Falls event, participants can earn Space Science badges.
The county is partnering with an educational astronomy group, the Analemma Society, to help with providing telescopes for the event. Cost is $8 per participant, and chaperones (who pay no attendance fees) are required. Register online.
Schwab said a virtual event on Nov. 20 will feature a NASA scientist.
The Reston Association has adopted standards for what electric vehicle charging stations must look like when new ones are built outside residences and businesses.
The RA’s board of directors approved a document that creates restrictions and guidance for when the devices are installed.
The association already required property owners to have plans reviewed and approved by its Design Review Board. But the new standards create formal criteria.
“We are finally bringing this before the board,” said Cam Adams, the association’s director of covenants administration, before the unanimous vote yesterday in favor of the measure. The approval marks a 10-month process that began in January.
RA referred to the new standards as a guideline, but the approved document notes several restrictions in addition to preferences. According to the association, the document is acting as a blueprint for RA’s review of projects.
The measure restricts the use of bollards, stating no more than two can be used in front of a station, and says wheel stops are encouraged over bollards. It also adds that the use of the bollard at a station will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
It also restricts the use of wooden pedestals and limits the height of stations to 6.5 feet.
Among the guidelines, the document recommends that clusters, condos and apartments installing one in a common area have a parking plan to help “prevent sporadic installations on the common area.”
The standards also state that wall-mounted units will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Interior charging stations, such as those in garages, are unaffected by the existing and new rules. And existing stations are grandfathered in, the association said previously.
The clock to begin the stalled redevelopment of downtown Herndon by the end of the year is ticking.
Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors have expressed support for providing $5 million for the delayed development of downtown Herndon — a project that faced a nearly $25 million funding gap last year.
The $109 million project would transform 4.7 acres in the town’s historic district with 273 apartments, 17,000 square feet of retail, a 16,265-square-foot arts center, and a 726-space public parking garage, 330 of which would be reserved for the town.
At a meeting with the board earlier this week, town manager Bill Ashton said a major funding gap prompted the town to turn to the county for help.
The Town of Herndon and Comstock, its private development partner, agreed to split a funding gap of roughly $24.6 million. Tax abatement efforts and several design changes — including eliminating the mezzanine of the arts center and reducing one underground level of the planning parking garage — still left a $5 million funding gap.
The project has been marred by delays since its inception. Groundbreaking was originally planned for December 2019.
The estimated price tag of the project rose from $79.4 million in 2016 to $111 million in 2019 due to increases in the cost of construction, materials and labor, Ashton said.
Comstock rebid the project in 2020 in order to leverage possible savings due to the pandemic, but a significant funding gap still remained.
The town then quickly crafted a robust tax break program, creating the mechanism to offer Comstock $2.4 million in fee reductions and $1.9 million in real estate tax abatement.
The project is expected to result in $886,500 in Fairfax County General Fund Real Estate taxes after the first year of occupancy, according to an analysis by JLL.
County staff suggested dishing out funds over a period of years in order to minimize the impact of the request on the reserve fund. The economic opportunity reserve fund is intended to purchase real estate, fund capital development projects and provide programming support for economic development activities of “strategic importance,” according to the county.
Board chairman Jeff McKay encouraged staff to ensure that the delivery of funds was tied to development milestones. County staff noted that funds would be dispersed conditionally.
The board is expected to vote on the funding request at its board meeting on Dec. 7. Groundbreaking is expected to begin in December — nearly two years after the first estimate.
The garage will be completed by August 2023, followed by the arts center in December of that year. The entire project is expected to close out in March 2024. The Town selected Comstock for the redevelopment project in November 2016.
It’s not the first time the town went before the board for project funding.
In 2018, the board approved $1.2 million in funding for the project. But no funds have been dispersed to date because the agreement required the town to contribute $1.2 million first.
The arts center will include a black box theater with programming by ArtsHerndon and NextStop Theatre Co.
Mason District Penny Gross urged the Town of Herndon to ensure the arts center is accessible to all, especially in a town with as much economic diversity as Herndon.
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn also said he wanted to ensure the arts center and the overall project was an asset to the public.
Ashton said that the arts center will include programmable outdoor space and a public plaza. The council will determine an operating model for the arts center once groundbreaking begins, he said.
Photo via handout/Comstock
Metro Service Reductions Continue — Metro will continue with reduced levels of service through at least November 15 as Metro works with the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission on a plan to make sure its 7000-series railcars are safe for service. [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority]
Loan Outreach Center Now Open — The U.S. Small Business Administration has opened up a temporary disaster loan outreach center in Montgomery County, Maryland to help local businesses impacted by Tropical Storm Ida. Fairfax County is an eligible jurisdiction. Residents and businesses can seek help for disaster loan assistance applications. [Fairfax County Government]
County Seeks Police Officers — The county is looking to fill a number of positions in the public safety sector. Applications are open for the Fairfax County Police Department. Salaries range from around $54,000 to $88,000. [FCPD]
What You Need to Know About Vaccines for Kids — Pediatric doses for children between ages five and 11 are expected to begin in the county in early November. As a result of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recommendation, 97,000 kids in the Fairfax Health District are now eligible for the vaccine. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo by David Taube
Waters from the Potomac River could spill over into Fairfax County, with the D.C. area expected to get almost nonstop rain tomorrow (Friday), the National Weather Service warns.
A Coastal Flood Warning will be in place for Northern Virginia, including Fairfax County, starting at 6 p.m. today (Thursday) until 8 a.m. Saturday (Oct. 30).
According to the NWS, showers and thunderstorms from the Midwest are moving east and could bring 1 to 2 inches of rain, along with the risk of flash flooding along the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.
Here is more from the NWS alert:
…COASTAL FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 AM EDT SATURDAY…
* WHAT…Two to four feet of inundation above ground level possible in low lying areas.
* WHERE…Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park, Fairfax and Stafford Counties.
* WHEN…From 6 PM this evening to 8 AM EDT Saturday, especially around the time of high tide.
* IMPACTS…Numerous roads may be closed. Low lying property including homes, businesses, and some critical infrastructure will be inundated. Some shoreline erosion will occur.
The NWS has also issued a Flood Watch that will be in effect from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow, with rainfall potentially reaching 2 to 4 inches in some areas.
“Heavy amounts of rain will cause creeks and streams to slowly rise, possibly out of their banks as well as the potential for flooding in urban areas,” the NWS said.
Several Coastal Flood Warnings have been issued along the Chesapeake Bay and Tidal Potomac River. Water levels are already on the rise and will only rise more throughout the day today and into Friday. Tidal inundation levels of 2-4 feet are expected in low-lying coastal areas. pic.twitter.com/dObvOQdto8
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) October 28, 2021
The Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management says the risk of rain will likely arrive in the county around midnight to 2 a.m. Friday, echoing the Fire and Rescue Department’s warning that flooding may lead to road closures.
“Low lying property, including homes, businesses and some critical infrastructure, may be inundated,” OEM said in a blog post. “Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property. If travel is required, do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth.”
The office also advised keeping children away from creeks or other bodies of water that may rise rapidly, and clearing leaves and other debris from downspouts and storm drains.
[10/28 at 8:35 AM] A Coastal Flood Warning will be in effect at 6 PM this evening to 8 AM Saturday.
2-4 feet of inundation above ground level possible in low lying areas
Numerous roads may be closed
Flooding will be the worst around high tide#TurnAroundDontDrown #VaWx pic.twitter.com/LDW8LfA8pw
— Ready Fairfax (@ReadyFairfax) October 28, 2021
