Four teenage boys robbed a man in Herndon walking home from a local restaurant on Friday night (Dec. 28).
The teens approached the man around 3 a.m. at the 2500 block of John Eppes Road and asked him for a cigarette. Then, one of the boys kicked the man in the leg, which caused him to fall to the ground, and the teens got away with his wallet, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
The man was taken a local hospital. One of the boys, a 17-year-old, was found, and a petition was obtained for robbery.
In a separate incident, a man struck several trees in Reston after driving off of the road at the 11000 block of Glade Drive around 5:20 a.m. on Saturday (Dec. 29).
The trapped 35-year-old driver, Luke Gullekson of Herndon, was eventually removed by the fire department and taken to a local hospital for treatment. Police gave Gullekson a summons for driving while intoxicated, according to the report.
The Fairfax County Police Department’s Reston District Station reported the following incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
11300 block of Baron Cameron Avenue, merchandise from vehicle
2100 block of Centreville Road, merchandise from business
13400 block of Coppermine Road, jewelry from residence
1800 block of Cranberry Lane, property from vehicle
800 block of Crews Road, decorations from residence
2000 block of Hunter Mill Road, appliances from residence
2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, groceries from business
11900 block of Market Street, merchandise from business
2500 block of Oakhampton Plaza, packages and mail from residence
10700 block of Oldfield Drive, wallet from vehicle
1700 block of Port Place, merchandise from residence
1900 block of Sagewood Lane, wallet from residence
11100 block of South Lakes Drive, liquor from business
12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, merchandise from business
1800 block of Wiehle Avenue, merchandise from business
STOLEN VEHICLES:
2100 block of Astoria Circle, 2003 Toyota Camry
12000 block of Greywing Square, 2003 Toyota 4Runner
10800 block of Winter Corn Lane, 2010 Ford Goldline F150XLT
Last Friday, a woman assaulted a police officer shortly before 3 a.m. at Reston Hospital after she became irate while police investigated whether or not she was under the influence of alcohol at the time of a car crash. Fairfax County police arrested and charged Elizabeth Wendt, 27, of Ashburn with assault on a law enforcement officer and driving while intoxicated, according to FCPD.
On Sunday (Dec. 30), police responded at 9:40 p.m. to residents’ reports of hearing multiple gunshots at the 2200 block of Castle Rock Square. Police searched the area and found shell casings on the ground. They are still investigating, according to the report.
Meanwhile, three commercial burglaries hit Herndon last week.
Employees at a business in the 1100 block of Elden Street noticed shortly after 6 a.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 26) that an undisclosed amount of cash was taken and that an entry appeared to have been forced through the back door. Herndon police are investigating that burglary along with one that occurred on Nov. 30.
After a different burglary, employees noticed an undisclosed amount of cash missing from the office safe around 9 a.m. last Friday in the 13000 block of Worldgate Drive. There was no sign of forced entry, according to police.
In a separate incident, employees noticed after 6 a.m. on Saturday (Dec. 29) that there was a forced entry into the business in the 1100 block of Elden Street. Police said that nothing was taken.
File photo
Ice House Cafe will raise a glass to toast to more than 40 years in Herndon before its Jan. 1 closing.
Two celebrations are set this weekend for the cafe and bar (760 Elden Street).
Locals can make reservations for the Sunday Dinner, which will include live jazz by E & Me Contemporary Jazz, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Dec. 30.
The next day marks the restaurant’s grand finale on New Year’s Eve. The party kicks off at 6 p.m. and will last until 12:30 a.m. The Mary Shaver and the Smokin’ Polecats are set to perform.
Resverations for both events will be by phone only.
Photo via Ice House Cafe/Facebook
Holiday movie time at the library — Christmas and Hanukkah might be over, but locals can still enjoy the Disney holiday movie “Frozen” starting at 10:30 a.m. today at the Herndon Fortnightly Library. [Herndon Fortnightly Library]
Dulles Toll Road hikes start next week — Starting Jan. 1, prices are scheduled to increase from $2.50 to $3.25 at the main toll plaza and from $1 to $1.50 on ramps, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. [Tysons Reporter]
Beware of burglaries — Fairfax County Police are reminding residents to lock their doors after a wave of burglaries hit the McLean, Reston and Fair Oaks Districts. [Tysons Reporter]
Vote for Reston, Herndon theatre — The Reston Community Players and NextStop Theatre Company have several nominations for the BroadwayWorld Washington, D.C. Awards, including “Best Actor ina Community Theatre Production.” Voters have until Dec. 31 to pick the winners. [BroadwayWorld]
Last day to apply for the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival 2019 — Applicants can submit up to two applications by midnight tonight consisting of “original, well-conceived and expertly executed” works made within the last five years for the festival, which will be held in Reston. Art categories include ceramics, digital & multimedia art, furniture and more. The late fee is $60. [Zapplication]
Bobby Cadabra magic show — Head to the Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon for the magic show, which starts at 11 a.m. Tickets cost $5. [Fairfax County]
Dollars and Sense — The free monthly group at Reston Regional Library focuses on business leaders and markets. Tonight’s 7 p.m. discussion will be about Ric Edelman’s book “The Truth About Your Future.” [Fairfax County]
Money pouring into liquor stores — The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority said in a new report that its total sales were $983.3 million this fiscal year. The agency attributes the sales increase in part to opening five new stores across the state. [U.S. News & World Report]
Photo via David Toms
Shoppers at Herndon Centre might have noticed a few recent changes to its food offerings.
Several locations in the shopping center have welcomed new grocery stores and restaurants this year — some of which relocated there — along with closures.
Mayuri Indian Restaurant moved to Herndon Centre in July to 390 Elden Street after it closed its Hunters Woods Village Center location in 2016. The restaurant closed its original spot of 10 years after the lease ended, according to the restaurant’s website.
Mayuri’s Herndon Centre spot used to belong to Baker’s Inn Indian Bistro & Cafe, which opened in 2016, according to its Facebook page. While its closing date is unknown, the restaurant was still open in late June, according to Yelp reviews.
Tipicos Gloria relocated about 150 feet from its spot at 482 Elden Street to 470 Elden Street about five months ago, an employee told Reston Now. The Central American eatery’s vacated spot is slated to open early next year as Ramen and Rice, Reston Now previously reported.
As for grocery options, ethnic grocer Lotte Plaza Market opened Dec. 7 at 490 Elden Street.
Sprouts Farmers Market grocery store is expected to take over part of the former Kmart space at 494 Elden Street. Demolition is still underway for that site.
Florida-based real estate investment firm Sterling Organization is dividing the former Kmart spot, Reston Now previously reported. Renderings of the project submitted to the Town of Herndon show the site will be the future home of LA Fitness, MOD Pizza and IHOP.
Curry Leaf Fresh Market closed at 378 Elden Street earlier this year. A sign on the door, as of Dec. 17, indicates that the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority “is considering establishing a retail store at this location.”
380 Elden Street, which used to be a Sprint store, has signs indicating the space is available for retailers.
The special election on Jan. 8 will determine who will replace the State Senate seat of Congresswoman-elect Jennifer Wexton.
Democrat Del. Jennifer Boysko, who currently represents the 86th District, will face former state Del. Joe May, a Republican who is the chairman of the board and chief technology officer for Leesburg-based tech firm EIT.
The deadline to register to vote is 5 p.m. in person and 11:59 p.m. online on Jan. 2. For locals who want to absentee vote via mail, the registration deadline is 5 p.m. on Jan. 2. Absentee ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. on Jan. 8.
Absentee voting in person will take place on Saturday, Jan. 5, at the Herndon Fortnightly Library (786 Center Street) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If Fairfax County Government Offices close due to inclement weather, absentee voting will get canceled.
Herndon residents can vote on election day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 8.
Voters located in Herndon’s first precinct, which stretches from Park Ave and Elden Street to Grant Street, will vote at Herndon Elementary School (630 Dranesville Road).
Voters in the second precinct, which is west of Elden Street and between Monaghan Drive and Park Ave, vote at the Herndon Community Center (814 Ferndale Ave).
Herndon Middle School (901 Locust Street) is the polling place for voters in the third precinct, which is southeast of Elden Street and above the Dulles Access Road.
File photo
Kabobi by the Helmand, a restaurant serving Afghan cuisine, plans to open early next year in Herndon.
Owner Khaleeq Ahmad told Reston Now that he is aiming for an opening in February. Right now the restaurant is in the construction phase and waiting for the build out, he said.
Located at 2321 Dulles Station Blvd, Suite A, the restaurant will be near the Silver Line Innovation Center Metro station, which is scheduled to open in 2020.
Ahmad said that Kabobi by the Helmand will offer Zeke’s Coffee in the morning for commuters and locals and then serve lunch and dinner offering unique and affordable Afghan cuisine.
Ahmad said he has spent the last 16 years going back and forth to Afghanistan, with the goal of adding traditions currently lacking in Afghan cuisine in the United States.
While he doesn’t want to give away surprises on the menu, Ahmad said customers can expect kabobs, stews and “a lot of really good vegetarian options.” For libations, he plans to serve craft beer from Baltimore and wine.
The menu in Herndon will resemble the one from the restaurant’s partner, Kabobi from The Helmand, in Baltimore. The chain of Kabobi restaurants started in 1982 in San Francisco and expanded to Boston, Baltimore and Chicago, with the Chicago location now closed after 30 years, he said.
Loudoun County police arrested a Herndon resident after he drove into a concrete barrier on Sunday morning in Sterling.
A sheriff’s deputy spotted a vehicle that had crashed into a concrete barrier at the 21000 block of N. Sterling Road at 3:23 a.m. on Dec. 16, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
The 26-year-old driver, Jose M. Herrera was arrested and charged with driving under the influence and driving without a license. A 22-year-old passenger, Alejandro Brizo-Calix of Falls Church, was arrested and charged with public intoxication, the report said.
Both men have been released from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on unsecured bonds.
In a separate incident, Loudoun County police arrested and charged a 45-year-old Reston woman for being drunk in public last Thursday (Dec. 13) in Sterling.
Deputies responded to a call for a female screaming and attempting to open car doors at 2 a.m. Deputies found Katharine M. Lilly lying on the sidewalk in the 100 block of Drury Circle and arrested her, according to the report.
She was released on a personal recognizance bond, according to police.
The Fairfax County Police Department’s Reston District Station reported the following incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
2300 block of Generation Drive, property from residence
1800 block of Michael Faraday Court, wallet and purse from vehicle
1400 block of North Point Village Center, merchandise from business
11100 block of Saffold Way, jewelry from residence
12000 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, bicycle from location
12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, merchandise from business
1800 block of Wiehle Avenue, merchandise from business
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
Fairfax County police are searching for a man who robbed the Sunoco in Herndon last Wednesday (Dec. 12), previously reported by Reston Now.
File photo
Korean grocery chain H Mart will hold its grand opening this Saturday in the Elden Street Marketplace.
Located at 1228 Elden Street, H Mart is taking the spot vacated by Giant Food in November after it relocated to Centreville Road.
H Mart, which is operated by the Hanahreum Group in New Jersey, describes itself a “one-stop shop for everything Asian and more.” The grocery chain has more than 60 stores across 12 states, including California, Illinois, Georgia and New York.
The Herndon opening will mark H Mart’s seventh store in Virginia, with stores already in Falls Church, Annadale and Fairfax, according to the website.
The grand opening starts at 9 a.m. on Dec. 22 and will include free gifts for its Smart Card members and giveaways.
Photo via Google Maps
(Updated at 3:54 p.m.) Former Herndon Mayor Mike O’Reilly announced on Friday (Dec. 14) that he will vie for the Virginia House of Delegates seat representing the 86th District, which includes Herndon.
Del. Jennifer Boysko, who currently holds the seat, plans to run for the State Senate seat to replace Congresswoman-elect Jennifer Wexton in the special election on Jan. 8.
“I am running for the House of Delegates to fight for more affordable healthcare, more funding for education and transportation in Northern Virginia, protection of women’s rights, protection from gun violence and to protect the environment,” O’Reilly said in a press release.
O’Reilly was elected Mayor of Herndon in 2004. As mayor, he helped reduce the tax rate, opened a new police station, opened the Senior Center at Herndon Harbor House and completed a rewrite of Herndon’s zoning ordinance.
He is currently a lawyer and the owner and principal of the O’Reilly Law Firm at 761 Monroe Street in Herndon and a member of the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce.
O’Reilly, who has lived in Herndon for more than 35 years, is married and has four children.
O’Reilly served five years as a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority, where he negotiated the design, financing and construction of the first phase for the Silver Line project and the procurement and contract award for the second phase.
He chaired for ten years the Governing Board of the Fairfax Falls Church Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness and also chaired the Board for Arts Herndon.
He faces three other Democratic candidates — Chad Thompson, Kofi Annan and Ibraheem Samirah — for the spot at the Jan. 12 primary.
Photo via Michael O’Reilly
An architect behind Reston’s design died on Nov. 22 — William J. Conklin, who died at the age of 95, helped design the core of Lake Anne Village Center. He also worked on projects in New York, D.C. and Baltimore. [The New York Times]
Nose to toes yoga — Young kids can try out yoga poses movement while enjoying book and songs with a children’s yoga instructor from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. at the Reston Regional Library. The event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Reston Regional Library. [Reston Regional Library]
Town of Herndon employees honored last week — The town’s annual employee luncheon on Thursday (Dec. 13) honored John Johnson and Dave Higgins from the Department of Public Works, Jessica Bynaker from Information Technology and Erika Rodriguez from the Herndon Police Department, along with the Department of Finance. [Town of Herndon]
Reston resident sentenced to 30 years for rape — Joseph Coffinberger, a 33-year-old from Reston, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 years in prison for raping a 13-year-old boy, according to the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office. [WBFF Fox45]
Candle making workshop for kids — Bring your kids to the Walker Nature Center to learn where wax comes from and how to dip a pair of candles. Kids can decorate their candles while parents enjoy music and food. The event goes from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.and costs $12 for Reston Association members/$16 for non-members [Reston Association]
Free Reston and Fairfax Encore Chorales concert — The two chorales will perform holiday classics and seasonal favorites at United Christian Parish (11508 North Shore Drive) tonight at 7:30 p.m. [Encore Creativity for Older Adults]
Looking to donate to some local organizations? — This roundup has more than three dozen suggestions for Northern Virginia nonprofits to donate to, including Cornerstones in Reston and Touching Heart in Herndon. [Connection Newspapers]
Nigerian American sues Dulles Internal Airport, Reston Hospital Center — Ikechukwu “Ike” Owunna alleges he was subjected to more than 12 hours of alleged racial profiling, false imprisonment and other violations at the airport and battery and medical neglect en route to Reston Hospital Center. The hospital was dismissed in November, but the hospital employees could remain defendants in the battery allegations. [The Washington Post]
Photo via Marjorie Copson
(Updated at 8:58 a.m.) Police are searching for a man who robbed the Sunoco in Herndon yesterday night.
A man wearing a mask entered the gas station at 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 12) and displayed a handgun to the cashier, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
The man then took an unspecified amount of cash and fled the gas station at 13470 Coppermine Road.
Police said there were no injuries.
“The suspect was described as a black man, about 6 feet tall, and 200 pounds,” according to the report.
Image via Google Maps
This story has been updated
Virginia Tire and Auto may open next year at 199 Elden Street — the former Cardinal Bank branch spot.
The Herndon Town Council approved on March 13 the construction and operation of the vehicle service center nearly one year after Cardinal Bank closed its branch there during its merger with United Bank.
The vehicle service center aims to open next summer, an employee told Reston Now. Phoenix Steel Erectors’ work on the site is scheduled to begin in February, according to a Facebook post.
Virginia Tire and Auto has been expanding recently, with two other locations set to open in Richmond and Vienna. The new locations will bring the total number of dealership locations to 16.
A new tire and auto business is opening!
— Lisa Merkel (@merkette_) December 12, 2018
Maps via Google Maps
Ethnic grocer Lotte Plaza Market officially opened last Friday (Dec. 7) in Herndon Centre.
Located at 490 Elden Street, Lotte Plaza Market joins a growing number of grocery options in Herndon Centre.
The shopping plaza is also home to MOM’s Organic Market. Sprouts Farmers Market grocery store is expected to take over part of the former Kmart space.
Lotte Plaza Market describes itself as “the premier source for Asian groceries in Maryland and Virginia.” It has seven locations in Maryland, five in Virginia and one “coming soon” to Orlando, Fla. — with plans to open 50 locations by 2020, according to its site.
Reston Now previously reported that Lotte Plaza Market was set to open earlier this year.
Photo via Lotte Plaza Market/Facebook
