The Fairfax County Police Department has increased its presence around Lake Anne Plaza after receiving multiple complaints about men aggressively panhandling in the parking lot.
The department tells Reston Now that officers have responded to three separate calls about panhandling in the plaza’s parking lot within the past week.
“Those men have left the area prior to officers’ arrival on each occasion,” the FCPD said by email. “Commanders at the Reston District Station have directed officers to increase their presence in the area.”
The recent incidents have gone beyond basic panhandling, with people reporting being approached by men who ask for money and threaten violence when refused, according to posts in private community groups on social media, including NextDoor and Facebook, that were shared with Reston Now.
New Trail Cycling & Strength (1641B Washington Plaza N.) said in an email to patrons that one of its riders recently “had an unfortunate incident with someone asking for money in an aggressive way in the commercial lot.”
The indoor bicycling studio says both police and Lake Anne’s condominium management team were made aware of the incident, and officers will be patrolling the area more frequently.
“We wanted to remind everyone to be vigilant as you walk to your car,” New Trail said. “Always keep your eyes open and look around for people who may approach you. We encourage you to walk out with another rider. If you’re unable to do that, someone on staff is always happy to accompany you to your car.”
The FCPD advises community members to call its non-emergency phone line at 703-691-2131 if they encounter anyone “acting suspicious or aggressive.”
Police say the panhandling issues do not appear to be related to the spate of vehicle thefts that have been under investigation since early June. The majority of stolen vehicle reports have occurred in the McLean District, with just two incidents coming in Reston.
“At this time, there is no nexus between the panhandlers and the stolen vehicles,” the FCPD said.
While panhandling in public spaces is legal in Virginia, Fairfax County discourages people from giving money to individuals who ask for it, saying that they should instead be directed to social services that can provide more long-term assistance.
“While we may get a good feeling by providing money to directly to someone in need, the reality is that people in need require more resources than small amounts of money,” the Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness says.
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
The Encore Chorale of Reston will be back in person this fall after shifting to a virtual environment last year.
A branch of Encore Creativity for Older Adults, the largest choral organization for adults over 55 in the U.S., the community singing group announced last week that it has now opened registration for the fall semester, which will begin on Sept. 7 and conclude with a free public concert in December.
“We are thrilled to return to in-person singing and live performances in Reston, ” said Jeanne Kelly, Encore Creativity’s founder and artistic director. “Our singers not only learn about the craft of singing and improve their technique, but they can now enjoy socializing and bonding with a new community of friends, which is so important.”
The Encore Chorale of Reston meets on Tuesdays from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at Heritage Fellowship Church (2501 Fox Mill Road). It is directed by David Lang, who has led the group since it formed in 2015 and also serves as director of the Reston Chorale.
No audition is necessary, as Encore’s mission is to “provide an excellent and accessible artistic environment for older adults, regardless of experience or ability,” according to the Encore website.
There will also still be online rehearsals and classes through Encore University, which was founded in the summer of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“During the pandemic, we reinvented Encore so we could continue to engage and enrich older adults during an unprecedented time for choral singing,” Kelly said. “Our virtual Encore University drew singers from 28 states who enjoyed a creative assortment of classes, virtual concerts and choral singing in a totally new way.”
Encore University will offer seven classes this fall, starting on Sept. 7:
- Chorale Sings/Rehearsals
- ROCKS Sings/Rehearsals
- Vocal Technique
- A History of Jazz
- Great Operatic Tenors
- Music & Your Brain
- #1 Hits of the 60s & 70s
Singers can choose to attend exclusively in-person rehearsals, only online rehearsals and classes, or a hybrid of in-person rehearsals and online classes.
Interested participants ages 55 and older can register through the Encore Creativity website or by calling 301-261-5747.
As the world awakens from its plague-induced slumber, Reston Town Center and a Herndon theater company have been conjuring the forms of things unknown and working to turn them into shapes.
The town center and NextStop Theatre Co. are collaborating on a new Theater in the Park initiative that will launch next spring with a production of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the amphitheater at Reston Town Square Park.
“We are very excited about it,” Reston Town Center Association executive director Robert Goudie said in an email, noting it will complement other programming, such as Sunday Art in the Park with the Shenandoah Conservatory and Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art, Lunchtime with the Arts at Mason, and family entertainment on Saturday mornings.
Scheduled to run from April 29 to May 1, 2022, the initiative’s inaugural performances have been in the works since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Back then, the RTCA, NextStop, and Reston Community Center envisioned staging a contemporary version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” that families can enjoy.
“We all love the way this play can be interwoven with the audience, and the park amphitheater setting seemed the perfect forest,” Goudie wrote.
With the pandemic wiping out performance plans for fall 2020, organizers realized the outdoor setting could help provide a better environment for the show amid COVID-19 concerns. NextStop’s first indoor production with a live audience since the pandemic began premiered June 25.
“Theatres were one of the first types of businesses that had to close…and we are still only starting to crawl back,” said Evan Hoffmann, NextStop’s producing artistic director.
Hoffmann said the Reston Town Center project’s location and timing make the expected performance big, fun, and serendipitously exciting. Casting has not yet started, but the extended planning time is helping organizers get a head start.
The new initiative will kick off springtime cultural programming at Reston Town Center that typically includes the Tephra Fine Arts Festival in the third week of May, though it was rescheduled this year for Sept. 10-12. Last month, the town center held its first movie in the park.
“All of this reflects RTCA’s mission of, in part, supporting the arts (all consistent with Bob Simon‘s original vision for a completely community), something that we think helps differentiate Reston Town Center as a compelling destination,” Goudie wrote.
Photo via Google Maps
New Police Chief Talks Reform at Reston Meeting — In a meeting at Reston Community Center on Tuesday (July 6), Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis expressed a commitment to reform and community policing, citing plans to diversify the department and encourage non-enforcement-related interactions between officers and the people they’re supposed to serve. Davis and the county have been under scrutiny for past uses of force, particularly when it comes to people of color. [Patch]
Herndon Resident Arrested for Rape — Milton Ernesto Alvarez Martinez, 26, was arrested on June 30 in the 1100 block of Criton Street on “three counts of forcible rape, three counts of sodomy, and three counts of aggravated sexual battery against a juvenile victim that is known to him.” He is being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond. [Herndon Police Department]
Fellowship House Work to Close Lane, Block Parking — “Bozzuto Construction plans to remove the construction crane being used at the Lake Anne Fellowship House construction site, July 9-12. In order to remove the crane safely, a lane will be closed and no parking allowed along North Shore, from Village Road up to the construction site entrance.” [Hunter Mill District News]
Reston Park to Host Free Racquetball Clinic — The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour and Fairfax County Park Authority will provide free racquetball lessons on July 24, 31, and Aug. 7 from 8:30 until 9:30 a.m. at Stratton Woods Park (2431 Fox Mill Road). The clinics will be open to youths from the ages of 7 to 17. [FCPA]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Traveling in Herndon north of the Dulles Toll Road, whether by car, bicycle, or as a pedestrian, could get easier after a $19 million project is completed in 2023.
The Virginia Department of Transportation is currently working on plans to widen Spring Street from four to six lanes between Herndon Parkway and Fairfax County Parkway (Route 286). The project will add more turn lanes on and around East Spring Street, create a cycle track on Herndon Parkway, and improve the area’s sidewalk infrastructure.
The changes seek to address traffic volume that’s projected to increase to an average of over 47,000 vehicles each day on East Spring Street in 2042, up from 38,000 vehicles on that stretch of road and 18,000 vehicles on Herndon Parkway today, according to VDOT’s project page.
Construction is slated to begin this winter with completion anticipated in fall 2023.
According to the Town of Herndon, the roadway widening involves:
- Expanding and reconstructing Spring Street from four to six lanes between Route 286 and Herndon Parkway
- Adding turn lanes on approaches to the Herndon Parkway and Spring Street intersection, including dedicated northbound right turn lanes on Herndon Parkway and a second left turn lane on southbound Herndon Parkway
- Adding a turn lane on the southbound Fairfax County Parkway off-ramp at Spring Street that’s solely for left turns
The cycle track will consist of an eight-foot-wide bicycle path separated from vehicular traffic as well as a six-foot-wide sidewalk that would replace the existing walkway on the east side of Herndon Parkway.
The two-way cycle track will run from the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, past the Spring Street intersection, and farther south to Hyatt House.
The dedicated bicycle path will support the Fairbrook Park redevelopment and other development projects expected to come with the eventual opening of the Herndon Metro station. It will ultimately extend to the Herndon Parkway and Van Buren Street intersection, where it will connect with a trail and bicycle lanes on Van Buren Street, according to the town.
The project will also introduce five-foot-wide, ADA-compliant sidewalks along Spring Street, according to a VDOT document.
While VDOT will be responsible for the project’s design and construction, maintenance of the completed bicycle path will be overseen by the Town of Herndon under a proposed license agreement with the state transportation department and the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NOVA Parks), which owns the W&OD Trail.
If approved, the agreement would run through the end of 2060 but could be extended. VDOT would be required to give NOVA Parks $5,000 to cover potential expenses related to construction on the W&OD Trail, though the money will be returned within six months after the work is completed.
Once construction is finished, the licensing agreement would be transferred to the town.
The Herndon Town Council discussed the agreement during a work session yesterday (July 7) and is slated to address the item again at its next regular meeting on Tuesday (July 13).
Photo via Google Maps
A majority of Fairfax County’s senior centers have reopened, allowing residents to come in to workout, play games, and use the computers.
Eight of the county’s 14 senior centers opened their doors on June 29 for the first time since March 2020 for “self-directed activities,” meaning those that are not led by staff like card games, ping-pong, billiards, working out in the fitness room, and using the computer labs.
The centers that are now open are:
- Herndon Senior Center (873 Grace Street, Herndon)
- Kingstowne Center for Active Adults (6488 Landsdowne Center, Alexandria)
- Lewinsville Senior Center (1613 Great Falls Street, McLean)
- Lincolnia Senior Center (4710 North Chambliss Street, Alexandria)
- Little River Glen Senior Center (4001 Barker Court, Fairfax)
- Lorton Senior Center (7722 Gunston Plaza, Lorton)
- Sully Senior Center (14426 Albemarle Point Place, Chantilly)
- Wakefield Senior Center at Audrey Moore RECenter (8100 Braddock Road, Annandale)
Residents can use any of the centers, even if it’s not their usual one. Lunch and bus service can also be provided by calling the individual center.
However, the centers currently have limited hours, operating from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday.
Residents also have to sign a liability waiver prior to visiting. Masks are still required for those who are not fully vaccinated, but are optional for those who are.
The remaining six centers will reopen on Sept. 7, with the exception of Hollin Hall in Alexandria, which is undergoing renovations.
At that time, all of the centers will revert to “full capacity,” including bringing back instructor and staff-led activities, a spokesperson for the county’s Neighborhood & Community Services says.
The senior centers cater to residents 50 years and older.
Three quarters of the Fairfax Health District’s population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, and those rates are even higher for those residents over the age of 55. About 93% of residents 65 to 84 years old have received at least one dose.
Vaccination efforts have allowed more and more county services and facilities to open back up.
“The county’s senior centers are a lifeline for our older residents, providing them with opportunities to exercise, play games, take classes and most importantly socialize with each other,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said by email. “The pandemic was especially isolating for older adults, taking a toll on both mental and physical health. It is a very welcome step forward to open up several of the senior centers now and have the full reopening in September.”
Virtual activities, classes, and programs will continue to be offered throughout the summer for those who prefer to remain at home or want to participate in a staff-led activity. These include Tai Chi, crossword puzzling, and crafts.
Photo via Google Maps
Swim caps, swimming goggles, and smiles returned to local pools last month after an unprecedented halt to the Reston area’s primary swimming program in 2020.
After the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the Reston Swim Team Association last year, the first hiatus in its 50-plus years of existence, the league has now resumed practices as well as competitions and opened up new programming.
“We are thrilled to be back in the water this summer,” Debbie Wagner, the group’s president, said in an email.
Changes this year include the introduction of a program called New Wave for those with basic swimming skills but who weren’t quite ready for a swim team. Wagner noted that the goal is for participants to join a team mid-season.
“We have welcomed many new swimmers to the league and it always amazes me to watch them grow and develop from the first night of practice through the end of our season,” Wagner wrote.
RSTA uses Reston Association pools and targets kids ages 6 to 18.
The group’s board of directors worked throughout the winter and spring to plan for a summer season based on input from members and lessons from what local club and high school teams were doing under COVID-19 restrictions.
“With restrictions loosening and COVID case counts dropping to low levels just before the start of our season, we were able to bring back much of what we typically expect from our summer swim season,” Wagner said in the email.
In April, the RSTA noted changes to comply included 10-foot social distancing, wearing masks immediately before and upon exiting the water, and conducting health screenings, among other measures.
Since then, Virginia ended all COVID-19 capacity and social distancing requirements on May 28 in response to declining COVID-19 cases and rising vaccination numbers. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has also now been authorized for adolescents 12 and older, though no COVID-19 vaccines are available yet for younger children.
Even though Virginia has ended its public health restrictions, RSTA has continued utilizing COVID-19 precautions, such as reduced team sizes and off-deck seating areas have sought to avoid crowds on the pool deck.
The league’s return was also made possible in part by support from local businesses that have served as sponsors, including Synergy Design & Construction as a gold sponsor, Glory Days Grill as a silver sponsor, and Stang Family Orthodontics as a bronze sponsor.
The sponsorships help fund operations, including scholarship opportunities to swimmers unable to participate without the financial help.
“The season has been going well,” Wagner said, “and our swimmers and families are excited to be able to be back in the water this summer.”
Photo via Pete Wright/Unsplash
After a muted 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, live music fans have a veritable feast of options for entertainment during this year’s long, hot summer days.
In addition to Reston Community Center’s ongoing concert series, this week will bring the launch of Friday Night Live! in the Town of Herndon, which scrapped the planned July 2 kickoff due to scheduling conflicts, and the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Summer Entertainment Series.
For anyone looking to spend a full day jamming to some tunes, however, the Roots Music Festival at Lake Anne Plaza (1609 Washington Plaza) might be the right tempo.
Launched in 2017, the festival focuses on folk, bluegrass, and other genres of American roots music. This year’s event will take place on Saturday (July 10) from 1-8 p.m.
The lineup features six bands that will each play for about an hour:
- 1 p.m.: Geraldine
- 2 p.m.: Split String Soup
- 3 p.m.: The Fly Birds
- 4 p.m.: Minks Miracle Medicine
- 5 p.m.: Annie Stokes
- 6 p.m.: Two Ton Twig
As in previous years, the music will be accompanied by a beer and wine garden scheduled to open at 12:30 p.m. Viewing areas are available at all restaurants around the plaza, including the patio at Lake Anne Brew House.
The festival is sponsored by the Friends of Lake Anne, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Lake Anne Plaza with funding help from the CORE Foundation.
Friends of Lake Anne founder Eve Thompson, who serves as coordinator of the Roots Music Festival and owns the Lake Anne Coffee House and Wine Bar, says it has been gratifying to see the plaza come back to life over the past few months, as vaccines have allowed people to gather and socialize again.
“FOLA seeks to encourage vitality of the Plaza. It’s a great place to hear live music,” Thompson said by email. “It’s been a long hard year for most of the businesses on the Plaza…We are glad to see people out in the shops and restaurants again. We hope people will come out to enjoy the music!”
Man Faces Additional Charge in Herndon Sexual Battery Case — After receiving more reports from victims, the Herndon Police Department has filed an additional charge of aggravated sexual battery in a case involving a local massage therapist. Zachary Nelson Guzman Orellana of Leesburg was arrested on June 30 and is being held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center without bond. [Herndon Police Department/Twitter]
Dulles Airport to Get UV Disinfecting Tech — “The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority wants to install ultraviolet disinfection technology at Reagan National and Dulles International airports to disinfect the air in high-traffic areas…The agency is currently searching for a contractor to design and build the project, scheduled to be mostly complete by Nov. 15.” [Washington Business Journal]
Upper Lakes Tennis Courts Closed Today — “The Upper Lakes tennis courts will be closed for cleaning tomorrow, Wednesday, July 7, and will reopen on Thursday, July 8.” [Reston Association/Twitter]
Route 7 Access to Reopen in Great Falls Next Week — As part of the ongoing Route 7 widening project, drivers on westbound Leesburg Pike will encounter a line shift to the north between Baron Cameron Avenue and Great Passage Boulevard in Great Falls. Riva Ridge Drive will also regain access to Route 7. The changes will take effect on or around next Tuesday (July 13). [VDOT]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
A new report shows that minority-owned businesses in Fairfax County and Northern Virginia as a region suffered more acutely due to the COVID-19 pandemic than businesses owned by their white counterparts.
The Community Foundation of Northern Virginia released a report in late June detailing findings and recommendations from their minority-owned business working group.
They found that at the end of 2019, there were 128,000 minority-owned businesses in Northern Virginia, which encompasses five counties, including Fairfax. That’s approximately 42% of all establishments in the region, well above the national average of 29%.
Of the 128,000 minority-owned businesses in Northern Virginia, about 55,000 are in Fairfax County, according to statistics provided by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (EDA).
More than 8,000 non-farm businesses with paid employees in the county are owned by people of color, representing about a third of all such businesses in the county.
“It’s turned out to be one of our winning hands,” says EDA’s CEO and President Victor Hoskins about the number and contributions of minority-owned businesses in the county. “It’s something grown up here over time…just part of the DNA of not just Fairfax, but Northern Virginia.”
While the number of minority-owned businesses remained essentially flat throughout 2020, revenue and staffing at those businesses has decreased dramatically, while unemployment insurance claims have gone up.
According to the report, minority-owned businesses are more likely to be smaller in size, concentrated in high-risk industries such as accommodation and food service, and face more difficulties in securing capital. Due to these factors, minority-owned businesses are more likely to have “poor or fair” financial health.
Consistent with the rest of the region, Fairfax County minority-owned businesses have also suffered more acutely due to the pandemic. Because these businesses tend to be smaller in size, they simply have had less ability to overcome the economic hardships brought by the pandemic.
“Smaller businesses were disproportionately impacted by not having the financial wherewithal to weather the storm that this pandemic caused,” said Stephen Tarditi, EDA’s director of marketing intelligence. “They tend to be concentrated in industries more adversely…impacted by the pandemic.”
The report offered a number of recommendations for ways to better support these businesses, including better tracking of data and information to understand more specifically which businesses need help and when.
It also notes that more financial help is needed, including with grant funding and better strategies to improve access to capital for these businesses.
Officials agree with the report that more can be done. For example, specific data, like numbers related to revenue and number of paid staff, can drive policy, but there’s often a lack of up-to-date information.
“I was just surprised at how little…or regularly updated data that we have on hand to make these decisions,” Tarditi said. “I’m having a tough time knowing what the pandemic’s impact has been on our minority business community. This data drives the decisions and drives the strategy, which is extremely important, especially in this past year.”
EDA officials say the plan going forward is to disseminate more surveys more often with better outreach to be able to compile more and better data.
Last year, Fairfax County distributed more than $52 million in relief funding to small businesses through its RISE program, about half of which went to minority-owned businesses.
“We actually designed the RISE program to target a portion of small and minority-owned businesses,” says Hoskins. “I think the target was 30%, but we ended up [with] 72% [going to] women, veteran, or minority-owned businesses.”
The county is currently accepting applications for its new PIVOT program, but that doesn’t have any provisions directly dedicating a certain portion of funds to minority-owned businesses.
The Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce told Reston Now last month that they’ve felt neglected in the development of some of Fairfax County’s major business grant programs.
When asked about this, Hoskins said the EDA works with the Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce all the time and are located in the same building. Beyond that, he wasn’t familiar with the details of their comments or complaints.
Photo via Tim Mossholder/Unsplash
With the Fourth of July now in the rearview mirror, community transmission of the novel coronavirus remains low in Fairfax County, but some indicators suggest COVID-19 levels could be on the rise again.
With the addition of four new cases today (Tuesday), the Fairfax Health District has reported exactly 100 new cases over the past week — almost as many as the entire month of June — bringing to the total for Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church to 78,204 cases.
The weekly average has ticked back up since mid-June, climbing from zero cases over the preceding week on June 19 to 13.3 cases today, as has the testing positivity rate, which went from a moving seven-day average of 0.7% on June 27 to 0.9% as of July 2, according to Virginia Department of Health data.
These trends reflect the state of the pandemic in Virginia as a whole, which saw May’s steady decline in cases level out in June and now has a weekly average of 180 cases, up from an all-time low of 129 cases on June 20.
Fairfax County’s primary metrics of a 0.9% testing positivity rate and 1.2 new daily cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days are still well within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s thresholds for a low level of community transmission, which is defined as fewer than 10 cases per 100,000 people and a positivity rate under 5%.
In addition, the severity of cases has been reduced from earlier in the pandemic. The Fairfax Health District reported one hospitalization in the past week for a total of 4,138 people and four deaths for 1,145 deaths overall.
In a blog post published on Friday (July 2), the Fairfax County Health Department attributed the continued low levels of COVID-19 transmission to its ability to identify and isolate individuals who are sick with the respiratory disease and the success of the ongoing vaccination campaign.
According to the FCHD vaccine data dashboard, 743,038 Fairfax Health District residents have gotten at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. That is 62.8% of the overall population and three out of every four adults (75.1%). 651,344 residents — 66.5% of adults and 55% of the total population — have been fully vaccinated.
“While we still have work to do and need those unvaccinated to continue to be diligent and wear masks, Fairfax County has made incredible strides in our vaccination efforts,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said in a newsletter on Friday, reporting that there is only one zip code in the county with a vaccination rate under 70%.
McKay announced that the county flag outside the Fairfax County Government Center has returned to full mast to reflect the end of Virginia’s COVID-19 State of Emergency at the beginning of July. The county’s state of emergency remains in place, however.
County health officials also warn that COVID-19 case levels could surge, particularly among people who have not been vaccinated, due to the spread of variants. The Delta variant first detected in India is considered the biggest current threat.
As of July 2, Northern Virginia had recorded 596 infections caused by variants of concern, including 17 cases confirmed to come from the Delta variant. That variant, which has proven especially contagious, now accounts for more than one in every five cases nationwide, according to the FCHD.
The county health department says studies suggest that the COVID-19 vaccines that have been authorized in the U.S. “remain very effective against the Delta variant.”
“Vaccination remains the best tool in preventing a Delta surge,” Fairfax County Director of Epidemiology and Population Health Director Dr. Benjamin Schwartz said in a statement. “This virus can take advantage of any cracks in our defenses. For those who have not yet gotten vaccinated, I urge you to do so. Your actions will keep us on the road to recovery from the pandemic.”
Fairfax County residents can find sites offering COVID-19 vaccinations through vaccines.gov or the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS).
Tuesday, July 6
- Meet the Chief (7 p.m.) — Recently-appointed Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis is meeting with community members and taking questions at the Reston Community Center. Those who can’t attend in-person are welcome to join via Zoom.
Wednesday, July 7
- 123 Andrés (10 a.m.) — Head out to Frying Pan Park in Herndon for a sing-along with this Latin Grammy-winning music duo. Catchy songs will be in both English and Spanish which will surely get the whole family dancing.
Thursday, July 8
- Drive-In Movie Night (8 p.m.) — Take in a flick pool-side at Reston’s Autumnwood Recreation Area. This week’s movie is Disney’s “Raya & The Last Dragon.” Each ticket includes movie, pool time, movie-themed swag, popcorn, and a drink.
Friday, July 9
- Friday Night Live! (6:30 p.m.) — Herndon’s summer tradition is back after a year (and week) off. Join local party band Turtle Recall for a night of fun and music on the Herndon Town Green.
- White Rabbit, Red Rabbit (8 p.m.) — Witness an unrehearsed and undirected one-person show at NextStop Theater Company in Herndon. It will feature a veteran actor reading the script of a well-known play for the first time. This week, Katelyn Manfre will tackle 2019’s version of “Pride & Prejudice.”
Saturday, July 10
- Blue Sky Puppet Theater (10 a.m.) — Help Rufus, a shy little dog, find his owners in this puppet performance for the whole family at Wakefield Park in Annandale.
- Mindful Drawing (10 a.m.) — Learn to use drawing as meditation, to calm your spirit and become one with nature. The program will take place at Huntley Meadows Park.
- Max Weinberg’s Jukebox (8 p.m.) — The former “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” band leader takes to the Wolf Trap stage to perform hits the audience wants and requests. It’s not a concert, it’s a party!
Sunday, July 11
- Fairfax Station Railroad Museum Reopening (12-3 p.m.) — After being closed for more than a year, the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum is reopening with free admission, tours, and refreshments. Docents will be on hand to describe the new exhibits, additions, and artifacts added to the museum.
Bb.q Chicken has officially arrived in Reston.
The Korean fried chicken eatery opened its doors at North Point Village Center on June 27, and its first week of business has been a success, according to franchise manager Sabina Cho.
Occupying a space previously filled by Jerry’s Subs, this is bb.q Chicken’s first franchise in Reston, but the chain has established more than 2,000 locations nationwide since coming to the U.S. in 2014.
A spokesperson told Reston Now in May that the company is working to expand its presence in Northern Virginia, which also includes restaurants in Centreville and Falls Church.
“It’s definitely a very good area,” Cho said of Reston.
Bb.q Chicken’s arrival was fortuitously timed as spreading COVID-19 vaccinations led Virginia to ease its public health restrictions last month, ushering in a gradual resurgence of in-person dining.
Because of its relatively small size, bb.q Chicken’s Reston location was actually designed to cater more to takeout customers, Cho says, but it has a few tables for patrons who would prefer a sit-down meal.
“We would love to have more dine-in customers,” she told Reston Now.
The menu includes about a dozen different flavors for the restaurant’s signature chicken wings, from the golden original version to soy garlic and a galbi flavor intended to evoke the Korean-style barbecued ribs. There are also other Korean dishes, such as kimchi fried rice, and various side dishes.
Other food-oriented tenants at North Point Village Center include Glory Days Grill, Gregorio’s Trattoria, and Finn Thai. The sushi joint Matsutake Sushi is expected to fill the vacancy left two years ago by Boston Market in November.
Metro Reports Pandemic Ridership High for Fourth of July — “The transit agency said it saw a pandemic-record high ridership during the [Independence Day] holiday. As of 10 p.m. Sunday, about 174,000 trips were taken on the rail system, Metro tweeted Sunday night. That’s the highest single-day ridership since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.” [WTOP]
Man Arrested for Attempted Robbery in Reston — “Officers from the Reston District Station of the Fairfax County Police arrested a Centreville man Thursday [July 1] in connection with an attempted robbery in Reston…The victim returned to his car, which was parked near the intersection of Clubhouse Road and North Shore Drive around 4:53 a.m., when he found a man rummaging around inside it, police say.” [Patch]
Leidos Offers Employees a Year’s Pay to Get COVID-19 Vaccine — In an effort to counter slowing inoculation rates, the Reston-based information technology contractor has set aside $1 million to give 10 randomly selected employees a year’s worth of pay if they get the COVID-19 vaccine. Eight Leidos workers have died from the virus, including one D.C. area resident. [The Washington Post]
Virginia’s Death Row Officially Vacant — “With the death penalty formally abolished in Virginia as of this week, death row is now officially vacant, according to prison officials. Department of Corrections spokeswoman Lisa Kinney said the two remaining prisoners facing death sentences were moved off death row after the legislation was signed earlier this year.” [Virginia Mercury]
Before we head into Independence Day weekend, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on the site in recent days.
- UPDATED: No injuries reported after gas leak at Reston Town Center
- Reston Association to seek feedback about potential repurposing of pools
- Fairfax County eases rules for home conversions as new zoning code takes effect Thursday
- Wiehle-Reston East Metro station closes this weekend to connect Silver Line Phases 1 and 2
- JUST IN: Hundreds in Reston Town Center face natural gas outage after leak
If you have ideas on stories we should cover, email us at [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip. Photos from around the Reston and Herndon area are also welcome, with credit always given to the photographer.
Feel free to discuss these topics, your socially distanced weekend plans, or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.
