Mardi Gras is next week, and a celebration this weekend at a Reston restaurant wants to get locals ready for the annual carnival.

On Sunday (March 3), Kalypso’s Sports Tavern (1617 Washington Plaza) will hold a Mardis Gras celebration with the Reston Historic Trust and Museum.

Local band Catchin’ Toads is set to perform, and a Mardi Gras mask parade will take place around 6:30 p.m.

The event runs from 4-7 p.m. and has a suggested donation of $20, which will go to the Reston Historic Trust and Museum’s Lakeside Pharmacy Icon Preservation Project.

Tomorrow (March 2)

• Town Hall on Fiscal Year 2020 Budget (8:30-11 a.m.) — Locals in the Hunter Mill District can attend a town hall at Frying Pan Farm Park Visitor Center (2709 West Ox Road) to get more information on the proposed budget plan. Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, County Executive Bryan Hill and Fairfax County Public Schools staff will give the presentations.
• Herndon Community Roundtable (9-11 a.m.) — The Town of Herndon wants residents to share their thoughts and ask questions at a community roundtable at the Herndon Municipal Center (777 Lynn Street) this Saturday (March 2).
• Spring Flea Market (9 a.m.-noon) — Looking for small appliances, books, jewelry, clothing, tools or toys? Find hidden gems to be take home at RCC Hunters Woods (2310 Colts Neck Road).
• Colvin Run Mill During Special Tour (10:30 a.m.) — Go to Great Falls for a hike around the 200-year-old working mill. The “Four Floor Tour Class” involves climbing steep stairs get to spots not seen on the regular mill tours. The tour may last up to two hours and costs $10 per person.

Sunday (March 3)

• Reston 10-Miler (8 a.m.) — Head to the South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive) for the run. Friday (March 1) is the last day for the regular pricing at $50 before it increases to $55 this weekend.
• “Through the Eye of the Needle II” (all day) — A group exhibit by the Cotting Quilters at the Jo Ann Rose Gallery (1609-A Washington Plaza) ends Sunday.

Photo via Facebook

Updated at 3:55 p.m. — A spokesman for the fire department said it was a “small car fire.”

A fire was reported around 11:50 a.m. today (Feb. 28) in Great Falls.

The fire is reportedly at 608 Innsbruck Avenue, according to the police scanner.

Image via Google Maps 

Great Falls road now open — A fallen tree closed Walker Road for most of yesterday. The road opened back up sometime before 10 p.m., according to a list tracking the status of road closures. [Fairfax County Police Department]

News for theatre fans — The Reston Community Players recently announced their 2019-2020 season, which includes “Mamma Mia” and “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love to Murder.” [Reston Community Players]

PJ party — Wear your pajamas and listen to bedtime stories while making crafts at the Herndon Fortnightly Library from 6:15-7:30 p.m. [Fairfax County]

Updated at 11:45 a.m. — Most of the power was restored at 7 p.m. with some customers getting their power back around 4 p.m., Charles Penn, Sr., a spokesman for Dominion Energy, told Reston Now. 

Penn said that one outage is “particularly labor-intensive involving five broken poles” and is affecting 12 customers — power is expected to be back by 5 p.m. today (Feb. 26). 

Earlier: Nearly 2,000 customers are affected by three power outages covering a majority of Great Falls, according to a Dominion Energy power outage map.

The power outages span from east of Utterback Store Road to the Potomac River, stretching down to the Georgetown Pike in the northwest and nearly reaching Difficult Run in the southeast.

The two outages by Shady Oak, which are affecting roughly 1,500 customers, are estimated to have power restored sometime between 7 p.m. and midnight. Meanwhile, crews just got dispatched to the power outage by Leigh Mill Road, which is impacting 492 customers, according to the map.

The causes for all three outages are “pending investigation.”

Earlier today, the National Weather Service issued a High Wind Warning and then replaced it with a Wind Advisory for Fairfax County. The strong winds are expected to continue for the rest of the afternoon with sustained winds whipping across the county at 25 to 35 miles per hour. Gusts may reach up to 55 mph, according to NWS.

Great Falls also has a closure caused by a fallen tree at 715 Walker Road.

Image via Dominion Energy 

Updated at 8:45 a.m. — The road opened back up sometime before 10 p.m., according to FCPD. 

Earlier: A fallen tree at 715 Walker Road currently has the Great Falls road closed as strong winds threaten to create hazards across Fairfax County.

The road in Great Falls is the only one reported for the Reston area in a released list of road closures from the Fairfax County Police Department. FCPD will update the list throughout the day.

The National Weather Service issued a High Wind Warning that is set to last until 6 p.m. tonight (Feb. 25).

More from NWS:

HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING… The National Weather Service in Baltimore MD/Washington has issued a High Wind Warning, which is in effect until 6 PM EST
this evening. The Wind Advisory is no longer in effect.

* TIMING…Strong winds will continue through this afternoon.

* WINDS…West 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 50 to 60 mph. The strongest winds are expected this morning.

* IMPACTS…Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. Power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.

Fairfax Fire and Rescue has tips for locals who face issues caused by the sustained winds of 25 to 35 miles per high, with possible gusts up to 60 mph. The fire department wants residents to be mindful of any downed power lines or trees and to use battery powered lighting instead of candles if a power outage occurs.

“It is especially important to understand that downed lines can energize other objects, including fences, cars, trucks, buildings, bushes, trees and telephone and cable TV cables,” according to the post, adding that people should assume that any downed power lines are “live and dangerous.”

Photos via Google Maps

FCPS delays opening — The county’s public schools will open two hours late today after being closed yesterday as a snowstorm hit. [FCPS]

Dogs in the snow — ICYMI: “Locals put their photography skills to use for the snow-covered landscape, with some catching pets and cross-country skiing on camera.” [Reston Now, Reston Now Instagram]

Spruced up Safeway — “The Great Falls Safeway at 9881 Georgetown Pike reopened after renovations with a ribbon cutting on Saturday, Feb. 16.” [McLean Patch]

Blood pressure PSA — Did you know kids can have high blood pressure? The American Heart Association has a short video about health screenings to protect kids. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]

Photo via @greatfallsva/Instagram

Fatal Herndon car crash on Saturday — “Detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying two victims from this morning’s [Feb. 16] fatal single vehicle crash.  Officers responded to the crash around 4:26 a.m. on southbound Route 28 near the McLearen Road exit.” [Fairfax County Police Department]

Winter storm on its way — Heads up for tomorrow: expect sleet, ice and several inches of snow. The National Weather Service’s Winter Storm Warning will be in effect from 1 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday (Feb. 20). [National Weather Service]

Bus meeting tonight — The rescheduled meeting for public input on local bus service provided by Fairfax Connector in the Herndon-Reston area will take place from 6-8 p.m. tonight at the Herndon Senior Center (873 Grace Street). [DC Commute Times]

Election for 86th District seat — Voting today will decide the replacement for now-State Sen. Jennifer Boysko’s former seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. The county has information about where, when and how to vote in the special election. [Fairfax County]

Interactive show at Great Falls Senior Center — The Great Falls Senior Center welcomes back Mary Ann Jung’s interactive show today. Jung, who has been recreating historical women for more than 30 years, will portray Margaret Brent, a colonial woman who was America’s first female landowner, lawyer and first to demand the vote in the 1640s. Lunch will be provided. [Great Falls Senior Center]

Rolling in the money — “[Reston-based] Sequoia Holdings Inc., a leading provider of software and cloud engineering services for the U.S. intelligence community, has received an equity investment from Chart National, L.P., a New York-based private equity fund with deep relationships within the intelligence community and the U.S. Department of Defense.” [Business Wire]

Open chair — Want to run the Reston Association’s Fiscal Committee? The chair position is open and accepting applications. [Reston Association]

Northam appoints Reston man — Gov. Ralph Northam recently announced more appointments to his administration, which include Michael Rush, a Reston resident and senior vice president of the Association of American Railroads, to the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission. [Virginia Governor]

Great Falls historian and civic activist dies — “Kathleen J. Murphy brought her intellect and passion to initiatives that improved the community, friends said. Murphy, who died Jan. 2 at age 71, was president of the Great Falls Historical Society from 2011 to 2017 and was ‘absolutely dedicated to preserving the history of Great Falls, which is a very historical area,’ Supervisor John Foust (D-Dranesville) said” at a recent Board of Supervisors meeting. [Inside NoVa]

Read to a therapy dog — Head to the Reston Regional Library this evening for kids to read to a therapy dog during 15-minute sessions. [Fairfax County]

Great Falls residents will be able to get their questions about a proposed assisted living facility answered at a community meeting tomorrow (Feb. 12).

The 62-unit assisted living facility would open in 2020 at 1131 Walker Road and be run by IntegraCare, according to the Great Falls Citizen Association (GFCA). The site is above the Leesburg Pike and close to Colvin Run Mill.

IntegraCare is seeking a special exception to the county’s zoning laws. For the exception to be granted, the plan must satisfy several zoning requirements, such as showing that the application aligns with the Comprehensive Plan. Public hearings are also required before the county’s Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.

Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust is holding the meeting in coordination with citizens association to give locals in the area the opportunity to ask questions and express their opinions on the proposal. County staff from the Fairfax County Department of Zoning Evaluation will be on hand to answer questions.

“Before deciding whether to approve deny the application, the Board of Supervisors will consider whether the proposed use is compatible with existing or proposed developments in the area,” according to Foust’s newsletter to his constituents, adding that the board “may impose conditions and restrictions to address any negative impacts.”

The community meeting, which will include a presentation by the applicant on revisions to their proposal, will start at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at the Great Falls Elementary School (701 Walker Road).

County staff reviewed the application and suggested approval of the special exception in the staff report released last week. The Planning Commission will consider the proposal at its Feb. 20 meeting.

Image via Google Maps, rendering via Great Falls Citizen Association

Updated at 9:05 a.m. — “STRETCH” closes Saturday (Feb. 9).

“STRETCH” closes today — GRACE’s third biennial exhibition closes today with a curator’s talk at 3 p.m. Co-curators Erica Harrison and Don Russell will discuss the process of organizing “STRETCH” and its major themes, followed by a Q&A. The talk is free. [GRACE]

Black History Month exhibit — The Reston Museum is celebrating Black History Month with a new exhibit showcasing how the Reston community combated racism during the 1960s and celebrated African American arts and culture with the creation of the annual Black Arts Festival. [Reston Museum]

RA is hiring — Want to join Member Services at the Reston Association? Check out the recently posted job openings. [Reston Assocation]

Cupid’s arrow hits Great Falls restaurant  — OpenTable recently unveiled its “100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America” ahead of Valentine’s Day next week. French restaurant L’Auberge Chez Francois in Great Falls made the list. [Cision]

New bank for Great Falls — “The founder and former CEO of a prominent Reston bank is building a new one. Meet Trustar Bank.” The bank, which is awaiting FDIC approval, will be based in Great Falls. [Washington Business Journal]

Jigsaw puzzle — For $15, locals ages 55 and older can enjoy Reston Association’s “Puzzle Day” with 500- and 750-piece puzzles to choose from at RA headquarters from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participants can work individually or as a member of a team as the timer ticks away. Coffee and lunch will be provided. [WebTrac]

Avoid the roads during rush hour — With rain and snow expected later today, the Virginia Department of Transportation wants commuters to stay off of the roads during rush hour. Freezing conditions will likely make the roads slick with ice. [VDOT]

Pajama party — The Herndon Fortnightly Library plans to host a pajama party storytime from 7-7:45 p.m. People of all ages can come in their PJs, listen to bedtime stories and make simple crafts. [Fairfax County]

Great Falls parcel remains untouched — Nearly 470 acres of mostly undeveloped land in the middle of northwest Great Falls will remain classified as an agricultural-and-forestal district. “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 22 unanimously granted a 10-year extension of that status to the site at 219 Seneca Road, which has been under that designation since 1981.” [Inside NoVa]

Vaping PSA — Fairfax County Public Schools now has a student-focused webpage that provides information about vaping risks, resources and videos featuring FCPS students. [FCPS]

Thomas Avenue’s days as a conduit for cut-through traffic trying to get to Route 7 might be numbered.

At a meeting next Wednesday (Jan. 16) at Dranesville Elementary School, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will host a meeting about plans to limit cut-through traffic at the congested street north of Herndon.

Currently, the narrow residential street is clogged with traffic during rush hour trying to get around congestion on Algonkian Parkway to Route 7.

At the meeting, VDOT will present potential solutions and gather feedback from locals. Proposals include restricting right turns during weekday peak morning traffic.

The meeting will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with the presentation beginning at 7 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, a meeting will be held the following Tuesday.

The public comment period will run until Jan. 28.

Photo via Google Maps

‘Turn Around, Don’t Drown’ — With heavy rains expected today and Saturday, the possibility of flash flooding exists. County officials are reminding residents that cars should not be driven through flooded roadways. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]

Police Seek Suspect in Vienna Stabbing — Fairfax County Police have been searching since Thursday morning for the suspect in a stabbing that took place near the Vienna Metro station. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect is a male of unknown race, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a medium build, and a light- to medium-brown complexion. He was wearing a black, hooded shirt pulled over his head. [Fairfax County Police Department]

Deadline for Cardboard Boat Registration Nears — The first Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Regatta is coming up Aug. 12, and the last day to get a boat registered for the event is Tuesday. [Reston Museum]

New Name Coming for J.E.B. Stuart High — By 2019, the Falls Church school named after a Confederate general will have its name changed. The Fairfax County School Board voted last night to make it happen. [NBC Washington]

Connolly: Trump’s Boy Scout Speech Shameful — In a letter to the national president of the Boy Scouts of America, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) says the BSA should denounce the speech President Trump gave recently at the National Scout Jamboree. Connolly says Trump’s politicized rhetoric “directly contradicted the spirit of Scouting and the tenets of Boy Scout Law.” [The Hill]

Synthetic Soccer Field Coming to Great Falls — The $1.3 million project at Great Falls Nike Park (1089 Utterback Store Road) includes the conversion of an existing grass field to a synthetic turf field, a trail, storm drainage facilities, landscaping, field lighting and related improvements. [Fairfax County Park Authority]

A worker was killed in a construction accident Thursday morning at a Great Falls site, police say.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the incident took place at about 10:30 a.m. at the construction site in the 10500 block of Georgetown Pike. Investigation shows that 50-year-old Pedro Banegas of Sterling was working on mechanical issues at the front of a dump truck when another worker got into the truck. Apparently unaware of what Banegas was doing, the other man began moving the truck forward.

Banegas was struck by the truck and pronounced dead at the scene. Police say no charges are expected to be filed. Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call the Crime Reconstruction Unit at 703-280-0543.

In an unrelated incident near the same site Wednesday, a dump truck overturned on Georgetown Pike.