Labor Day is this Monday, Sept. 7, and with the holiday comes closures throughout Fairfax County.
Fairfax County Government offices will be closed, according to the government website, as well as Herndon town offices. The Herndon Community Center, while finally open again with reservations, will be closed on Labor Day. The Reston Community Center will also be closed.
Fairfax County Public Schools will be observing the holiday, with school starting on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
All parks in Fairfax County will be closed except for the Frying Pan Farm Park Farm and the Frying Pan Farm Park Indoor Area.
Recyclables will not be collected in Herndon, according to a message from the Town of Herndon. Any recyclables normally collected on Mondays will instead be collected on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
The Fairfax Connector will be open and operating on Sunday service.
The Herndon Centennial Golf Course will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
The Metrorail will operate from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m., and the Metrobus will run on a Sunday schedule.
Photo by Aral Tasher/Unsplash
In Forbes’ second annual ranking of America’s Best Employers by State, several Fairfax County businesses topped the list.
In the Virginia state ranking, Reston’s Science Applications International Corporation, or SAIC, ranked #55 (12010 Sunset Hills Road).
Peraton, the Herndon based IT company founded in 2017, was ranked #78 (12975 Worldgate Dr.).
Reston’s Leidos, a holding company involved in defense, intelligence, civil and health markets ranked #87 (1750 Presidents St.).
The list was compiled by surveying 80,000 Americans, according to Vicky Valet’s article on Forbes. Surveys were conducted on a rolling basis from October 2019 through May 2020.
Additionally, responses about the same employers were compared to make up for any variation before and after the onset of the coronavirus, according to Valet.
Photo by Peraton via Google Images
Escape Room Herndon was named one of TripAdvisor’s 2020 Travelers’ Choice Award winners for Fun & Games.
The winners are decided based on a full year of reviews and are known for constantly receiving great player feedback that places them in the top 10 percent of hospitality businesses around the world, according to a press release.
Escape Room Herndon is located at 406 Elden St., and was also rated the #1 Escape Room in Virginia by TripAdvisor, according to their website. The business closed its doors on March 16th with the onset of COVID-19 but was able to reopen to the public on July 3rd after restrictions eased.
The facility has put new protocols in place to ensure safety when playing, including restricting the number of groups at a time, glove and mask requirements and more time between games to clean.
“We put in a one hour gap between games so we can extensively clean as much as possible, as well as allowing the room to ‘breathe,'” said Omar Aru, the owner of Escape Room Herndon.
Since reopening, business has been slower than in past summers, according to Aru, with numbers at about 30 percent of that of last year. Fewer players and fewer games each day contribute to the downturn. However, Aru said guests report feeling safe the whole time.
In addition to in-person fun, Escape Room Herndon also offers an online game called Back To The Present with 5-10 minute puzzles to play from home.
“I think it’s more important than ever to find fun and safe activities to break away from screens and the current monotony for everyday life to create positive memories we can hold onto,” said Aru. “Escape Rooms present an immersive engaging game that gives you a chance to forget about the outside world just for a little bit and have a fun shared adventure.”
Photo courtesy of Omar Aru
With the prevalence of COVID-19 and an upcoming flu season, local pharmacies are now offering the flu vaccine to preemptively reduce the number of flu cases and ease the burden on the healthcare system.
“The convergence of COVID-19 and flu season means that flu vaccinations are critical to reduce the overall burden of respiratory illnesses on the healthcare system and help protect communities,” said Kevin Ban, M.D., the Chief Medical Officer of Walgreens, in a press release.
Giant Food is now offering the flu shot with no appointment necessary. They recommend that customers fill out their vaccine consent form before coming in to save time.
“COVID-19 has presented challenges that we have not encountered before, and medical professionals around the world advise that getting the annual your flu shot is of vital importance to your health and wellness during this global pandemic,” said Paul Zvaleny, the Giant Food Director of Pharmacy Operations, in a press release.
Safeway is also offering flu shots for free with most insurances.
Here are some of the local grocery store pharmacies offering the vaccine:
- Giant: 1450 North Point Village Center, Reston
- Safeway: 11120 S Lakes Dr., Reston
- Safeway: 2304 Hunter’s Woods Plaza, Reston
- Safeway: 413 Elden St., Herndon
- Safeway: 9881 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls
The grocery stores, in addition to Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid, are offering the flu shot for free with most insurances.
“Throughout the pandemic, Walgreens continues to make the health and safety of its team members and customers a top priority,” said Dr. Ban in the release. “We want our patients to know that we are there to help them and are taking precautions necessary to keep our communities safe.”
Photo by the CDC via Unsplash
As Fairfax County Public Schools prepares for virtual classes, some private schools in Reston and Tysons are bringing students back into classrooms.
Four private and parochial school administrators told Reston Now a high demand for in-person instruction and their ability to socially distance students are the main reasons they are offering in-person learning.
At Ideaventions in Reston, admissions staff noticed an increase in applications over the summer that they attribute to their in-person opening. The school serves students in fourth through 12th grades. The academy gained five extra students, bringing their student population for the 2020-2021 school year to 62 students as opposed to last year’s 56, Juliana Heitz, the admissions director at Ideavations, said.
“The summer was surprising in terms of admissions,” according to Heitz.”We had to reopen admissions because so many people were looking for that in-person instruction.”
Green Hedges School in Vienna also noted an increase in enrollment interest for the 2020-21 school year, according to Jennifer Bohnen, who is the head of the school.
After initially planning for a hybrid of in-person and online classes, FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand announced in July that the public school system, which is the largest one in Virginia, would open virtually on Sept. 8 for the fall. Concerns about public health safety and staffing levels prompted the switch to fully online classes.
Unlike big public schools with larger class sizes, the private school administrators Reston Now spoke to said that they will be able to keep students spaced out.
Oakcrest School plans to move classes with 20 or more students outside, weather permitting. The school is looking to use its 23-acre campus near the Reston Presbyterian Church to keep its approximately 260 students safely spread out.
“We’re trying to implement as many safety precautions as possible without disrupting the normal rhythm of the school day,” said Miriam Buono, who heads up operations at Oakcrest.
To further ensure social distancing, Oakcrest is implementing unilateral stairways to avoid overcrowding in the halls. The school is also extending passing periods from five to 10 minutes to compensate for the stairways and to allow students to step outside for mask breaks.
In addition to figuring out how to keep students physically distanced, school administrators are also finding ways to deal with another new element: getting kids to wear face coverings for several hours.
“It’s a learning curve,” Kristen Rogers, the head of Academy of Christian Education in Reston, said. “We have little footprint stickers on the floor to remind them even when they’re lining up to go to the bathroom to stand 6 feet apart.”
To address the issue of mask fatigue, St. Joseph Catholic School in Herndon is allowing teachers and students to pull down face coverings when 6 feet apart or when alone. Additionally, the school is allowing students to remove masks while eating.
Even while many private schools in the Fairfax County area are planning for in-person learning, some are offering a virtual option for families with health concerns. The school administrators Reston Now spoke to also said that they have to remain flexible if new state guidelines or a COVID-19 surge require a switch to fully-virtual learning.
In addition to following Gov. Ralph’s Northam Phase 3 guidance, Heitz noted that Ideavations is also using Fairfax County’s COVID-19 dashboard and Harvard’s dashboard assessing COVID-19 risks levels.
Administrators want parents to know they are tracking the ongoing conditions to determine whether or not in-person classes are safe.
Photos via Oakcrest School/Facebook
Herndon’s AMC Worldgate 9 will be reopening on Aug. 27 following AMC Theaters’ announcement to reopen more than 100 of its theaters last Thursday.
The movie theater chain announced the plans today, adding that AMC will celebrate its 100th anniversary by selling 15 cent tickets, mimicking prices from the 1920s. This discount will take place on Aug. 20 to locations expected to open by then.
AMC Theaters will open another 300 movie theaters in anticipation of the release of Disney’s “The New Mutants” and Warner Bros. “Tenet” on Sept. 3, according to a statement from AMC.
Guests will be required to wear facemasks in the theaters at all times except for when eating and drinking. Auditorium capacities will also be reduced to accommodate social distancing, menus will be simplified to reduce lines and there will be fewer touchpoints.
“We are thrilled to once again open our doors to American moviegoers who are looking for an opportunity to get out of their houses and apartments and escape into the magic of the movies,” said Adam Aron, CEO and president of AMC Theatres, according to the statement.
Bowtie Cinemas has reopened their Richmond, VA location. However, their Reston Town Center location appears to remain closed.
Photo by Leonard Cooker/Google Maps
Herndon High School third-place finishers in Real Food for Kids’ annual culinary contest were given the opportunity to replicate their winning recipe for community members in need.
The team consisted of Liam Owens, Eli Shifflett, Alex Chang and Ivonne Claros-Vigil. Their recipe, Carne Asada Tacos with Asian Slaw, was replicated for the Chefs Feeding Families’ Mighty Meals Program to feed those in need, according to a statement from Fairfax County Public Schools.
The four students were invited to help with the distribution of meals at Harvey Hall Apartments in Arlington earlier this summer, according to the statement.
“When I found out that our recipe was going to help out with people in need, it made it more exciting and more nerve-racking because it’s a really good feeling knowing that you’re helping people and you’re helping the community,” said Claros-Vigil in the statement.
Claros-Vigil credits her Gourmet Foods class with her success because of the wide variety of spices, foods and traditions they learned. Her background also includes lots of cooking with her mom, which gave her experience cooking new things.
The competition gave students the opportunity to experience how they can create change in a community while innovating in the kitchen, according to Mary Porter of RFFK in the statement. Connecting the competition to Chefs Feeding Families and helping families in need allowed the students to see their work come “full circle,” said Porter.
“You ever want to grow a relationship with someone? Cook, bake etc., just hop into the kitchen and let your maker mind go to work,” said Owens in the statement. “The goal and challenge of the meal is what was fun.”
Photo via Fairfax County Public Schools website
Herndon welcomed Cardamom Cupcakes, a new Indian dessert vendor, to the community last month.
Nehad Javid, the founder of Cardamom Cupcakes, came up with the idea during the pandemic. She wanted to take classic Indian desserts and converting them into something more Western, such as a cake.
“It’s a new and interesting twist. It’s a nice introduction to Indian culture and Indian food,” said Javid.
The cake flavors include ras malai, gulab jamun, jalebi, and mango kulfi. All desserts are made from scratch, according to Javid’s comment on her Facebook post.
Javid runs her business from her home in Herndon and offers both pick-up and delivery. She requires that customers wear a mask when receiving, and she will wear a mask as well.
The opening happened “completely by surprise.” The idea for the business came out of her family’s inability to celebrate Eid due to the pandemic. She wanted to do something nice for her friends and family and decided to make cupcakes with an Indian twist. After receiving good feedback from her friends and family, she decided to create a business out of it.
At the same time, Javid works at a gym experiencing setbacks due to the pandemic.
“Our hours have been really affected, and we have to take a lot of precautions into account,” said Javid about the adjustments.
Javid said she doesn’t plan on adding new items to the menu right now, but that is subject to change.
“You never know what the future holds,” said Javid.
Photo courtesy of Nehad Javid
Herndon Rocks’ Friday Night Live! concerts are returning on a virtual platform this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The first virtual concert will take place on July 24 from 7:30-9:30 p.m., and they will return again on July 31 at the same time. The July 24 show will feature 8 Track Jones, and the July 31 show will feature The Reflex.
The live streams will be available on the event’s Facebook page, website and Youtube channel.
The organizers are still working on safely getting the event back to the Town Green this summer, according to their website.
To keep people engaged, Herndon Rocks is planning to include giveaways and donation opportunities to help the non-profits and schools normally supported by the concerts, according to their website.
The virtual concert series is presented by the Volkswagen Group of America and produced by the Herndon Chamber Committee of the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Herndon.
Photo via Herndon Rocks/Facebook
Herndon-FISH Inc. reopened its thrift store, The Bargain Loft, this week to the public.
The thrift store (336 Victory Drive) temporarily closed mid-March due to COVID-19 but is now open to the public again under safety protocol.
The store is requiring that every customer and employee wear a mask and maintain proper social distancing at all times. Hand sanitizer will be readily available and no more than 10 shoppers will be allowed in the store at a time, according to a statement from the company.
“We are delighted to reopen our store and look forward to serving our customers again,” said Mary Jo Baedecker, the Chair of The Bargain Loft Committee and a member of the FISH Board of Directors, and Barbara Williams, the manager of Bargain Loft.
The thrift shop sells household items, furniture, collectibles, toys, women’s clothing, and other treasures.
The Bargain Loft is also accepting donations. Donations can be dropped off at the store’s back door. All donations will go through a two to three-day quarantine period before going up on the shelves for sale.
The store is open from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturday.
Photo via The Bargain Loft/Facebook
In an attempt to embrace the new normal, Herndon co-working space Office Evolution (205 Van Buren Street Suite) made serious changes around the facility that are intended to keep people safe as they return to an office environment.
Martin Gruszka, the location’s owner, said that he only lost around 5 percent of total revenue because of COVID-19. The remainder of his 120 customers is slowly preparing to return.
To maintain his customer base, while the COVID-19 pandemic shut down many non-essential businesses, Gruszka allowed people to freeze their memberships for three months so they wouldn’t have to pay for space they couldn’t use.
Gruszka said he worked through the last months to institute “’emergency operation” procedures to keep tenants safe.
Changes include:
- thinning out seats in board rooms
- getting rid of certain furniture items
- spreading out desk
- putting up whiteboards between workspaces that act as dividers
- creating “sanitation stations” that offer cleaning products and hand sanitizer
- putting up traffic direction signs
- UV air sterilization systems
In addition to all the layout changes, Gruszka said that crews are coming in more frequently to dee-clean common areas in the space as well.
Though the co-working space didn’t host many virtual events because Gruszka said people didn’t really find value in them, he also said that the staff at the space work to create a welcoming “family” environment.
“We’ve had some networking groups that have been using our center,” he said.
As a national chain, Office Evolutions has locations around the United States and typically caters to mid-career adults who want a quiet, mature space to work, according to Gruszka.
To help its members, Office Evolution has used social media to promote things like small business loans, safety information, and other ways to help stay afloat during this crisis, Gruszka said.
Photos courtesy Office Evolution
When Metro stations started shutting down and people grew uncertain about other modes of public transit after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Green Lizard Cycling co-owner Beth Meyer said that people turned to cycling for their transportation needs.
Green Lizard Cycling, a locally owned Herndon-based business that is known for customizable bicycles and an on-site cafe, has been out of family-style and entry-level road bikes for over a month, according to Meyer.
“Instantly out commuter base tripled at least,” she said, adding that this has been the case for almost all locally owned bike stores.
“Everyone all over the country has sold out their bicycles basically,” according to Meyer. “You can still get high-end road bikes and mountain bikes but I don’t think we have a bike under $1,400 right now.”
To make up for the shortage, people have been bringing older, antiquated bikes in for repair, Meyer said, adding the shop also asked suppliers if they’d consider releasing their 2021 models earlier.
She said that the vendors agreed to move up their release dates and people can expect new lines to appear in the store by mid-July.
Because of high demand for service, anyone who brings in a bicycle for repair should expect longer wait times, she said.
As of Sunday (June 14) the average wait time for a typical repair at Green Lizard is about 10 days but Meyer said that she’s heard that some weeks backlogged by seven weeks.
Since many shops around the area are experiencing similar trends, the bicycle shop supports each other whenever possible by trading parts.
Despite the wait, Meyer asked that customers be patient with the shop and mechanics — since they’ve never seen demand like this and are working diligently to fill requests.
People are nervous about the pandemic and uncertain about the future, she said, adding that everyone processes these emotions differently and it can lead to inpatient and agitated customers.
Online reviews have dipped because new customers are frustrated that sometimes the shop has to source parts from across the country to fit niche needs — which takes time, according to Meyer.
“We want to do the work and we want to do it correctly,” she said. “If you’re going down a hill at a high speed, that’s your life in our mechanic’s hands. Our guys take that very seriously.”
Since the shop’s founding seven years ago, Meyer said that most of the shop’s mechanics have worked there since the beginning and are extremely knowledgeable.
One of the techs was once on the Brazilian Olympic Cycling Team and another mechanic worked for the US Paralympics, US Olympic Team and UnitedHealthcare Professional Women’s Cycling Team.
“It’s been such a crazy time for us,” Meyer said. “Don’t get frustrated with your local bike shop. We are trying our best.”
For those hoping to get outdoors and beat the “depression doldrums that 2020 is causing,” cycling is a great option, according to Meyer, who added that there is a great regional community for cyclists in the area.
Photo via Green Lizard Cycling/Facebook
Car Rally in Herndon Yesterday Evening — Local residents gathered in the Town of Herndon for a car rally in support of the black community and justice. The event was titled, “Justice for Black Lives” and was organized by local community organizers. Close t0 200 cars took part. [Ibrahim Samirah]
What’s Next in the COVID-19 Response — The county’s epidemiology and population health director says residents needs to continue practicing “protective behaviors which includes social distancing, wearing face coverings and good hand hygiene.” [Fairfax County Government]
Herndon Girl Scouts Bake Friendship Bread — “While many Fairfax County students have been stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic trying to keep themselves from being bored, a troop of Herndon Girl Scouts have been busy doing something positive for the community. The eight girls of Cadette Troop 1105 are participating in what they call the “Cinnamon Bread Project,” baking loaves of cinnamon bread for LINK, which provides emergency food and financial assistance for people in need.” [Reston Patch]
Reston Community Center Issues Statement on Racism — “During these troubled and troubling times, Reston Community Center recommits our leadership, staff and resources to work that is antiracist, equity-driven, accessible and meaningful in the pursuit of our mission and vision. We pledge ourselves to learning from and listening to the voices of black people and all minorities experiencing racism.” [Reston Community Center]
Photo via Deborah Smith Reilly/Facebook
As Northern Virginia enters phase one of the reopening plan, Town of Herndon restaurants are starting to reopen with social distance guidelines.
Per Gov. Ralph Northam’s order, people must be at least six feet apart and restaurants can allow dining at 50 percent of their indoor capacity.
Unlike the rest of the county, local businesses had to apply for permits to allow temporary outdoor dining. Many businesses received approval from the town to expand outdoor seating over the weekend.
Taste of the World, which serves a variety of Phillipino, Indian, Thai and other cuisines, is open from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturdays, according to the Facebook page.
Russia House Restaurant announced on its Facebook page that it also reopened for outdoor dining. The location offers covered seating for guests and will continue to serve traditional Russian fare according to the eatery’s website.
It is open on Mondays from 5:30 to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m., Saturdays from 5:30 p.m. and Sundays from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m., the Facebook page said.
After Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon lost income from visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a fundraiser is working to provide care for the animals.
The park, known around the community as a public, livestock-friendly facility, offers classes and camps for kids, has an on-site equestrian center and hosts field trips and similar events, according to Fairfax County.
But since the annual Farm Day, which was scheduled to take place (May 2), was canceled, people are rallying to make up for this significant source of income, according to the fundraiser page.
Roughly 100 animals live on the property, according to Yvonne Johnson, the manager of Frying Pan Farm Park.
Community members have donated $27,062 of the $30,000 that is required yearly to feed the animals living on the property, the page said, adding that the budget to feed the animals doesn’t come from Fairfax County. Friends of Frying Pan Farm Park is hosting the fundraiser.
“The Friends of Frying Pan Farm Park own the farm animals and contribute significantly to the cost of their feed and care,” the fundraising page said. “The Park Authority operates and staffs Frying Pan Farm Park.”
The $30,000 includes things like vet bills, equipment to grow food and other necessities, according to Johnson.
Despite the revenue loss, the animals are still well cared for and “having babies left and right,” Johnson said, but added that the animals and the staff are missing the typical interaction from guests.
Since Northern Virginia started the first reopening phase that is easing COVID-19 restrictions, Johnson said that the parking lots and trails are open for visitors who want to view the animals from the “peripheral fields.”
On the donation page, one contributor commented: “Visited there many times when my son was growing up. It is a part of our community. Love the 4-H Fair and the concerts.” A kids’ book has even been written about the center and its relation to the area’s history.
As of today, 322 people have contributed to the fundraiser. It will run for another 30 days in case anyone would still like to donate.
https://twitter.com/FriendsOfFPFP/status/1266348575799287808?s=20
Photo via Friends of Frying Pan Park/Facebook
