Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon has become the temporary home for nine horses affected by Hurricane Florence.
The park is on the Virginia Equine Evacuation Site List, allowing the Friends of Frying Pan Farm Park to notify 6,000 members on the list that the park was available to lend a hand.
The nine horses are from southern Virginia and North Carolinas. Horse owners do not incur any costs for using the stalls at Frying Pan Farm Park and can visit their horses while they’re at the park.
Equestrian manager Meghan Look is working with Visit Fairfax, a nonprofit organization that promotes the county as a tourist destination, to find lodging and food for the horse owners while they’re in the area.
The state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services waived inspection requirements typically required to transfer a horse across state lines. Look said there was no time to schedule an appointment with a veterinarian to receive the certificate due to the hurricane.
The horses will remain at the park until it is safe to return to their homes. At least 17 people have died in storm-related incidents since Hurricane Florence sprawls over six states, with North and South Carolina in the bull’s eye. The hurricane is expected to produce widespread heavy rains.
Photos via Cristin Bratt
Community remembers Ellen Moyer — Moyer, a lifelong Reston resident, a prominent community member, a graduate of South Lakes High School and a local agent, passed away suddenly while celebrating Rosh Hashanah with her family. [Around Reston]
The end is near — Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced that the location of the company’s second headquarters would be revealed by the end of the year. [The Hill]
Family splash tonight at Reston Community Center — Take a dip in the pool and enjoy a night of family fun at the Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center. The entry fee is $13 for Reston residents and $26 for all others. Groups of six or more must pre-register by calling 703-390-6150. [Reston Community Center]
Not out of the woods yet — Although forecast models show Hurricane Florence may not bring excessive rain to the area, county officials urge residents to continue monitoring the storm, which could dump rain in the area over the weekend and early into the week. [Fairfax County Government]
Nearby: A local police officer’s suicide — In order to spread awareness about postpartum depression disorders and suicide, the local police department shared a story about late Detective Shelane Gaydos, a mom of four who killed herself in late 2015. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
ChalkFest at Reston Town Center has been canceled due to Hurricane Florence. The event, which challenges professional artists, amateur artists, businesses, families, and kids of all ages to design chalk drawings, was set to take place on Saturday.
Public Art Reston, which organizes the event, posted the following update about the cancellation earlier today:
With Hurricane Florence approaching the East Coast and the heavy rain predictions we have decided for safety reasons to cancel ChalkFest at Reston Town Center. The event will not be rescheduled.
We wish to thank our sponsors: Reston Town Center, Boston Properties, Reston Community Center, Leidos, Cooley, and Reston Association.
Hurricane Florence is expected to bring between four and eight inches of rain beginning late Thursday and into early Friday. County officials warn that the hurricane could bring potential flooding over the weekend.
“Rain and flooding impacts could last into early next week as flood waters from areas north and west of the county will move our way even after Florence passes. This is a potentially long-term flooding event for Fairfax County, so please pay attention to trusted sources for information,” the county wrote in a statement.
The county is providing sandbags for residents at Reston Regional Library today until 7 p.m. and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday).
File photo
‘Dog Days of Summer’ is today — Dogs and their owners can frolic in the pavilion as it’s transformed into an off-leash play area from 4-7 p.m. The dog days of summer event will take place every Wednesday through September 26 at the Reston Town Center pavilion. [Reston Town Center]
Florence is coming — Invited or not, Hurricane Florence continues to barrel its way towards us. Four to eight inches are expected to begin late Thursday into early Friday. Here’s what you need to know to prepare. [Fairfax County Government]
Crime update in Herndon — In early September, Jose Quintanilla Romero, 25, of Herndon, was arrested on five felony accounts of sexual abuse against a victim known to him. In a separate incident, a man said he was robbed by several suspects on September 6 near the 600 block of Center Street around 11 p.m. [Herndon Police Department]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
Walmart Labs adds jobs — The company is planning to double its workforce at its Reston office and is seeking software engineers and data scientists to build new platforms for the company. [DC Inno]
Voting now open for Reston Community Center preference poll — Five candidates are running for three positions on the nine-member Board of Governors. A candidates’ forum will be held tonight at 6:30 p.m. at RCC Hunters Woods. [Reston Community Center]
Two men arrested in connection with a string of larcenies — “Two northern Virginia men are in custody after a multi-jurisdictional investigation, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office authorities announced Friday afternoon. The men, Edward L. Campbell, Jr., 25, of Ashburn, and Craig Nipper-Duval, 22, of Herndon, are suspected of being involved in a rash of larcenies from vehicles in Loudoun County and the Town of Herndon.” [Loudoun Times-Mirror]
Flooding threat in Northern Virginia late in the week — “Hurricane Florence is expected to become a major hurricane on Monday as Virginia prepares for a major flooding threat later this week. As of 5 a.m. Monday, Florence was 625 miles southeast of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. Rapid strengthening is expected, and Florence could become a major hurricane Monday morning. It is expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane through Thursday.” [Inside NOVA]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
Scattered rain showers are expected to swing through Reston this week as the former Hurricane Nate slogs through the region.
The storm was downgraded over the weekend from a hurricane to a tropical storm and later to a tropical depression, but it will still send a wave of rain across the East Coast. Nate sped through the Gulf Coast over the weekend as a Category 1 Storm, leaving more than 100,000 customers without electricity in the region. The hurricane was also the first to make landfall in Mississippi since Katrina in 2005.
In Reston, the National Weather Service expects a break from the rain on Tuesday, followed by back-to-back showers on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Although #Nate is less of a factor to our weather this PM – it's HUMID & an isolated shower/storm possible. @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/tvbbIUyQno
— Melissa Nord (@MelissaNordWx) October 9, 2017
On Tuesday, the chance of rain is 20 percent, with temperatures hovering in the low 60s in the evening. On Wednesday and Thursday, the chance of showers is 50 percent. Skies will remain cloudy through Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
The Weather Channel provides a 10-day snapshot of the forecast here.
