The Fourth of July is coming up this weekend, and with Monday (July 5) as a designated federal holiday, many public facilities and services will be shaking up their schedules.

The Fairfax County Health Department announced today (Friday) that all of its COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be closed on Independence Day, but walk-in services will be available at the Fairfax County Government Center and the former Safeway at Mount Vernon Square in Alexandria on Saturday.

A vaccine site at Springfield Town Center will also be open for walk-ins on Monday.

Here are some other closures that county residents should keep in mind this holiday weekend:

Fairfax County Government

• County government offices will be closed on July 5th

Fairfax County Courts

• The Fairfax Circuit, General District, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District courts will be closed all day on July 5.

County Libraries, Recreation Centers, Parks

• All Fairfax County library branches will be closed.
• All Fairfax County RECenters will operate at their regular hours.
• Colvin Run Mill, Sully Historic Site, Hidden Oaks, Hidden Pond, E.C. Lawrence and Huntley Meadows nature centers will be closed.
• The Riverbend Park visitor center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Green Spring Garden’s horticultural center and historic house will be closed.

Public Transit

• Fairfax Connector buses will operate on a Saturday service schedule on Monday. Check the link for details on specific routes.
• WMATA Metrorail service will operate from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday. Details on routes and closed stations can be found on the Metro website.
• WMATA Metrobus will operate on a Saturday service schedule on Monday.

County Trash and Recycling

• There will be no change in the county’s trash and recycling collection.
• The recycling and disposal centers at the I-66 Transfer Station and I-95 Landfill Complex will be closed.

Reston

• The Reston Community Center Hunters Woods will open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m on Sunday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday.
• Reston Community Center Lake Anne will be closed all day Sunday and Monday.
• All Reston Association offices, including the central services facility and the Walker Nature Center’s Nature House, will be closed on July 5.

Herndon

• Town offices and the Herndon Community Center will be closed on Sunday and Monday.
• Recycling will be collected on Monday as normal.
• The farm at Frying Pan Park and the indoor arena will be open, but the visitor center will be closed.

Herndon residents looking to clean out old documents, magazines, and other assorted papers will soon have a convenient opportunity to do so, courtesy of Herndon Senior Center.

The senior center at 873 Grace Street will host a free community paper-shredding event on May 8 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event is being organized in partnership with the nonprofit Herndon Village Network and the independent living facility Herndon Harbor House.

Herndon Village Network, which provides free transportation to senior citizens in the Herndon area, shared instructions for the upcoming event in a press release issued yesterday (Tuesday):

• Don your face mask and place items to be shredded into disposable, cardboard boxes. You don’t need to remove staples.
• Put the boxes into the trunk of your car.
• Drive to Park Avenue, and, from Park Avenue, turn onto Jorss Place.
• Turn left into the Herndon Harbor House parking lot, where cars will line up for the shred event.
• Stay in your car and follow directions from volunteers. Traffic flow will eventually take you into the Herndon Senior Center parking lot, where the shred truck will be parked.
• When it’s your turn, put your car in park, stay in your car, and pop your trunk. Someone will remove your items for the shredder.
• Exit the Herndon Senior Center parking lot as directed by volunteers.

Residents can also get rid of large, non-paper-based items later this month at the Town of Herndon’s annual spring clean-up, which will take place on April 21-23 this year.

Photo via Google Maps

Despite forecasts indicating rainy, chilly weather to come later this week, spring has officially arrived, and for many people, that means it’s time to do some spring cleaning.

The Town of Herndon will hold its annual spring clean-up on April 21-23, allowing residents to leave out large and bulky items on the curb for pick-up. Eligible items include:

• Appliances with their doors removed
• Furniture
• Vehicle parts and plumbing fixtures up to 50 pounds
• Tires (maximum 2 per household)
• Limited amount of building materials (approximately one cubic yard, lengths not to exceed four feet)

Trash collectors will not pick up loose yard waste, auto parts in excess of 50 pounds, large quantities of building materials, bricks and blocks, electronics (including televisions, stereos, computers & peripheral), or household hazardous waste.

Pick-ups will take place on residents’ regularly scheduled trash collection days.

“Items should be placed curbside by 6am on your trash day only, but no earlier than 24 hours prior to pickup,” the Town of Herndon said in a news release. “Please place items away from containers used for regular trash collection.”

Questions can be directed to the Department of Public Works by phone at (703) 435-6856 or by email at [email protected]. More information can also be found on the town’s website.

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Herndon residents looking to throw away any unwanted pieces of furniture, car parts, appliances or other large items will have the opportunity to do so Oct. 21 to 23, during the city’s annual Fall Clean-up.

The Fall Clean-up allows Herndon residents to avoid a trip to the dump by having a day where sanitization workers will collect large trash items. Items for collection should be left on the curbside before 6 a.m. on any day from Oct. 21 to 23, but no earlier than 24 hours before pick-up, according to a press release from the town.

While many large appliances, furniture and other items are available for pick up during the annual clean up, loose yard waste, auto parts heavier than 50 pounds, large quantities of building materials household hazardous items and electronic waste such as computers, televisions, printers and stereos will not be picked up, according to the press release.

Those with questions can contact the Reston Department of Public Works at (703) 435-6856 or email [email protected].

Photo via Town of Herndon website

The Town of Herndon is proposing to double recycling fees, which are paid quarterly, from $8 to $16.

The Herndon Town Council will consider the proposal at a meeting tonight (Tuesday). The fee was last increased 2019 from $4 to $8 per quarter.

But since then, the recycling industry has suffered dramatic changes.

“Commodity prices are no longer as they once were and processing costs have continued to increase, while tonnages have either remained the same or increased,” Tammy Chastain, deputy director public works, wrote in a memo.

If approved, the increase would offset roughly 83 percent of recycling costs that the town bears. Currently, the recycling fee only covers 42 percent of the cost of recycling.

The fee increase would go into effect on July 1.

Photo via Patricia Valerio/Unsplash

In an effort to protects its workforce during the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Town of Herndon is suspending curbside pick-up of yard waste.

Residents can also expect delays in normal collection times because crews are working on rotational schedules in order to maintain social distancing requirements.

“This change allows crews to prioritize and safely collect residential refuse and recycling,” according to a statement from the town.

Residents should comprise their yard waste at home or “wait to place it curbside until service returns to normal.”

“We appreciate your understanding. We are working to protect our workforce during the current public health emergency while ensuring that trash and recyclables are collected.”

The town offered the following tips to create better working conditions for its workforce:

1. REDUCE THE WASTE YOU GENERATE- During this unprecedented time, residents should be mindful of the quantity of waste they generate, so as not to overwhelm the collection system. For example, this is not the best time to clean out the garage/do spring cleaning.

2. STOP SETTING OUT YARD WASTE AT THE CURB. Start grasscycling, backyard composting, and limit generation of yard waste if possible. Residents may take their Yard waste to the I-66 transfer station and I-95 landfill complex.

3. BAG ALL TRASH and REFUSE – Bagged trash limits exposure to potentially harmful materials, such as used tissue that could spread viruses and bacteria.

4. KEEP ALL RECYCLING CLEAN AND LOOSE – When recycling is loose in the bin, not in bags, it is easier to process. Removing food and liquid residue from recyclables minimizes the spread of viruses and bacteria. Only place plastic bottles and jugs, paper, cardboard, cartons and metal cans in the bin.

5. EMPTY ALL LIQUIDS – Liquids in bottles, cans, and other containers can carry viruses and bacteria and can splash onto collectors when trash and recyclables are emptied.

6. WIPE/DISINFECT CART HANDLES AND LIDS – The two main touch points on a cart for collectors are the lid and the handles. By wiping those areas down with disinfectant or soapy water, you minimize the danger of shared contact areas.

7. SEAL AND MARK ALL SHARPS/NEEDLES – Properly dispose of medical sharp objects such as syringes by placing them in a sealed, rigid plastic container. Seal the container with sturdy tape, clearly mark it as “Sharps,” and place in the trash.

New trash recycling rules also went into effect in Fairfax County on Monday (March 30).

Photo via Patricia Valerio/Unsplash

Later in April, Herndon residents can get rid of large or unusually shaped items during the annual spring cleaning event.

From April 22-24, Herndon residents will be able to place appliances, furniture, building materials, vehicle parts or tires on their curb for collection, according to a press release, which added that items should be placed outside by 6 a.m. on pickup day.

Collection crews request that the weight of vehicle parts be under 50 pounds and that doors be removed from appliances. People can only put out a maximum of two tires per household.

“Loose yard waste, auto parts in excess of 50 lbs., large quantities of building materials, brick and block, electronics (including televisions, stereos, computers and peripheral) and household hazardous waste will NOT be picked up,” the press release said.

More information on garbage collection and recycling can be found online, through the Town of Herndon’s website.

Photo via v2osk on Unsplash

Fairfax County residents are no longer required to place glass bottles, jars, and other glass items in curbside recycling bins.

The change, which went into effect on Tuesday (Oct. 1), was made at the request of private recycling sorting centers and Covanta Fairfax, Inc., which operates the area’s waste-to-energy plant.

In the past, county officials say single-stream recycling has caused major problems. Glass recyclables often break during collection and transport to recycling centers, contaminating other more valuable recycled items like cardboard and metals.

In recent years, China, the largest customer of recycled materials, has begun imposing strict standards on the quality of accepted recycled materials.

County officials also say glass has damaged machinery and is often heavy, adding costs to transporting recyclables to centers.

Residents can deliver glass containers to one of 21 purple recycling bins in the county. Recently, a new bin was added to the Reston South Park and Ride lot.

All colors of clean glass bottles and jars are accepted at purple containers. Light bulbs, lamps, ceramics, porcelain, mirrors, window, and sheet glass cannot be recycled at the sites.

Collected glass will be processed by the region’s only glass processing plant in Lorton. Recycled materials will be used for pipe bedding, filter material, and other purposes.

Photo via Fairfax County Government

The Town of Herndon is kickstarting the annual fall clean-up week in October.

The week, which is designed to encourage residents to place large or bulky items outside for curbside pick-up, will happen from October 7-11.

Items that can be placed outside for curbside pick-up include appliances, furniture, vehicles parts and plumbing fixtures, tires, and a limited amount of building materials.

Only two tires can be disposed of per household and vehicle parts and plumbing fixtures must be under 50 pounds. Building materials cannot exit one cubic yard, with lengths under four feet.

The pick-up service, which is set for the same day of scheduled trash collection, does not include yard waste and electronics.

Items must be placed on the curbside by 7 a.m. on residents’ scheduled trash day.

For questions and concerns, email [email protected].

Photo via Patricia Valerio/Unsplash

After more than 20 years of business-as-usual, changes are underway to the Town of Herndon’s trash and recycling collection schedule.

Beginning on August 5, recycling collection days will change for all residents, while trash collection days will change for some residents.

The changes are “needed to increase collection efficiency, balance routes, consolidate collection areas, and allow for existing and future development,” according to the town’s website.

No changes to the level of service offered by the town’s curbside collection program are proposed.

All recycling days will change to either Monday or Tuesday. Trash collections days will be on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.

Residents can visit the town’s website to see their new schedule. All containers must be at the curb by no later than 6 a.m. on the scheduled collection day.

More information about the changes are available online. Residents with questions can contact the town’s Department of Public Works at [email protected].

Photo via Patricia Valerio/Unsplash

Now that winter is gone, the Town of Herndon has made plans for its annual spring clean-up.

The town-wide spring clean-up week is set to run from Monday, April 8, to Friday, April 12. Residents will be able to discard large or bulky items on the curb for pick-up on their scheduled trash collection day.

Items that will get picked up include:

• appliances without their doors
• furniture
• vehicle parts and plumbing fixtures under 50 pounds
• tires
• some smaller building materials

Residents should not place loose yard waste, auto parts weighing more than 50 pounds, large quantities of building materials, brick, electronics and household hazardous waste outside — those items will not get picked up.

Photo via Google Maps

Many of the collection days for trash and all of the ones for recycling in the Town of Herndon are set to change starting in August.

The changes are set to start the week of August 5. Recycling days will change to either Monday or Tuesday and some trash collection days will shift to Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.

The types of services will not be affected.

The changes are meant to increase collection efficiency, balance routes, consolidate collection areas, and allow for existing and future development, according to the Town of Herndon.

Town Manager Bill Ashton told the Herndon Town Council at its public session last night (March 12) that public outreach is the first step of the process.

“We have a very comprehensive plan to do public outreach in this regard because it is changing how things have been done for about the past 25 years so that is always a difficult thing,” Ashton said.

Ashton said that Herdon residents can expect a letter in their mailboxes soon from the Department of Public Works outlining the changes.

Image via Sheila Olem/Facebook

In case you were planning to visit these government facilities around Fairfax County during the holiday season, check to see whether or not they will be closed on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), Christmas (Dec. 25), New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) and Jan. 1.

Fairfax County 

Fairfax County’s government offices, libraries and courts will be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas and Jan. 1.

The county’s public schools will be on winter break from Monday, Dec. 24, until Friday, Jan. 4.

The Fairfax Connector will be running on a holiday weekday schedule for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. A full list of routes running in the Reston area is available online. The next day, the bus will operate on a Sunday schedule for Christmas and Jan. 1.

Frying Pan Farm Park and Colvin Run Mill Historic Site will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Jan. 1.

County trash and recycling collection will not happen on Christmas. The updated collection schedule for next week is:

• Tuesday customers will have collection on Wednesday (Dec. 26)
• Wednesday customers will have collection on Thursday (Dec. 27)
• Thursday customers will have collection on Friday (Dec. 28)
• Friday customers will have collection on Saturday (Dec. 29)

Reston

The Reston Association offices will be closed for Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Jan. 1.

Nature House will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Reston Community Center Lake Anne will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Jan. 1.

Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods will be closed on Christmas. It will have modified hours from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and from noon to 5 p.m. on Jan. 1.

The Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center will be closed on Christmas. It will have modified hours from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and from noon to 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 1.

Herndon

Town of Herndon government offices will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas and Jan. 1.

Refuse will be collected on Christmas Eve, but refuse normally collected on Tuesdays will be collected on Thursday (Dec. 27) and New Year’s Eve.

The Herndon Community Center will be closed on Christmas and Jan. 1.

The Herndon Centennial Golf Course will only be closed for Christmas.

Metro, DMV and more

All Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) customer service centers will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Jan. 1.

The Metro and Metrobus will be running a Sunday schedule on Christmas and Jan. 1, operating from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Metro will provide special late-night rail service on New Year’s Eve with trains running until 2 a.m. on Jan. 1.

Speaking of closed offices, Reston Now will be on breaks for Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Jan. 1.

File photo