Reston Home Tour Returns This Weekend — The Reston Historic Trust & Museum is hosting its annual home tour on Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. [Reston Museum]

Free Halloween Lyft Rides for Halloween — Halloween Lyft rides will be offered to help reduce the likelihood of impaired driving. The program is offered through the Washington Regional Alcohol program. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that 41 percent of all traffic fatalities during Halloween between 2015 and 2019 involved drunk drivers. [WRAP]

Frying Pan Farm Park to Celebrate 60th Anniversary — The farm, which is located in Herndon, is celebrating its 60th anniversary on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. [Fairfax County Government]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Local Company Uses Virtual Reality to Train Space Force Guardians — The U.S. Space Form is working with Reston-based company SAIC in order to use virtual reality to train space force guardians. The platform allows armed forces to respond to missile-warning scenarios and collaborate in cyberspace. [The Washington Post]

French Cafe and Bakery Opens in Herndon — Le Vingt Trois Cafe and Bakery recently opened at 311 Sunset Park Drive in Herndon. The owners hopes the business will be similar to French cafe that she encountered while growing up in Australia. [Reston Patch]

Paving and Re-striping Meeting Set for April 6 — State and county transportation officials are holding a virtual public meeting on April 6 p.m. to discuss the latest paving and re-striping project set for the Hunter Mill District this year. [Fairfax County Government]

Free Lyft Rides Available for St. Patrick’s Day — Residents can get a free Lyft ride home on St. Patrick’s day. Codes are valid from 4 p.m. today through 2 a.m. on Thursday. [Fairfax County Police Department]

Photo by Marjorie Copson

Local nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) and ridesharing app Lyft are again partnering to offer free rides during the holiday season.

As part of an effort to combat drunk driving, WRAP will be sponsoring free Lyft rides starting next Friday (Dec. 20).

From 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., rides up to $15 are free with the use of a promo code. The user is responsible for any costs over $15. The offer will continue until Jan. 1.

Weekly codes will be posted on the Sober Rides website at noon on Dec. 20, 27, and 31. The weekly code is only valid for one ride.

According to the Virginia Highway Safety Office, there were 621 alcohol-related crashes in Fairfax in 2017, resulting in 331 injuries and 12 fatalities.

“More than a third of all U.S. traffic fatalities during the holiday season in 2018 involved drunk drivers according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,” WRAP’s President Kurt Gregory Erickson said in the press release.

As the program is aimed at preventing alcohol related crashes, Lyft riders must be at least 21 years old to claim the offer. The code is valid for any rides inside the D.C. coverage area, which includes all of Fairfax County.

The SoberRide program operates during the December/January holiday season, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Independence Day and Halloween.

Image via Washington Regional Alcohol Program

Local nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) and ridesharing app Lyft are again partnering to offer free rides during the holiday season.

As part of an effort to combat drunk driving, WRAP will be sponsoring free Lyft rides starting this Friday (Dec. 14).

From 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., rides up to $15 are free with the use of a promo code. The user is responsible for any costs over $15. The offer will continue until Jan. 1.

Weekly codes will be posted at the Sober Rides website at noon on Dec. 14, 22, and 31. The weekly code is only valid for one ride.

According to the Virginia Highway Safety Office, there were 621 alcohol-related crashes in Fairfax in 2017, resulting in 331 injuries and 12 fatalities.

As the program is aimed at preventing alcohol related crashes, Lyft riders must be at least 21 years old to claim the offer. The code is valid for any rides inside the D.C. coverage area, which includes all of Fairfax County.

The SoberRide program operates during the December/January holiday season, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Independence Day and Halloween.

Image via Washington Regional Alcohol Program

New leads in 1995 sexual assault case — A 49-year-old Florida man was charged for the assault of four female roommates living in Reston. [The Washington Post]

If you’re in love with Metro — Dying to snag a Metro-branded gift, t-shirt or souvenir? The M Shop, Metro’s new pop-up retail stores, opens today at Metro Center Station. [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority]

The fight with Lyft and Uber —  A Sterling-based company called Reston Limousine is fighting off its competition by giving its drivers huge referral bonuses. [The Washington Business Journal]

Reston Association assessments due tomorrow — RA extended the deadline to pay dues by a week after phone lines went down last week. [Reston Association]

Photo by Ruth Seviers

Ridesharing services Uber and Lyft can legally operate in Virginia again, Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced on Wednesday.

McAuliffe and Attorney General Mark Herring said the commonwealth has reached an agreement with the new transportation companies with stipulations that will allow them to operate in Virginia. The companies had been operating in spite of  a June cease-and-desist order after complaints from taxi companies.

McAuliffe said in a statement that having smartphone-driven ride companies is necessary for Virginia’s economy.

“In order for Virginia to remain economically competitive, it is important that we welcome innovative companies like Uber and Lyft and provide them with the resources they need to safely and effectively operate in the Commonwealth,” he said.  “Technology — specifically related to smart phones — continues to advance at a rapid pace, and I am pleased that we were able to work together to find a swift solution that will provide Virginia’s workers, students, and families with more transportation options.”

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles issued the cease-and-desist order to the companies on June 5 for doing business in Virginia without an operating permit. Uber and Lyft have continued to operate in the state, which has led to protests from taxi drivers and a lawsuit from taxi companies.

To welcome Metro’s Silver Line to Reston two weeks ago, Uber offered two free rides to users in this area.

McAuliffe’s office says it will study how best to permanently allow Uber and Lyft to operate in Virginia without disrupting competitive balance with taxi companies or scarificing rider safety. The study is expected to conclude by the 2015 legislative session, McAuliffe’s office said.

Going forward, Uber and Lyft must adhere to conditions set by the Commonwealth.  In order to keep their transportation broker’s licenses and temporary operating authority, the companies must comply or the Department of Motor Vehicles can revoke the temporary operating authority.

The conditions:

• Extensive background checks of drivers, with immediate disqualifiers including convictions for any felony, fraud, sexual offenses, or violent crimes, or registration as a sex offender.
• A review of driving history, with disqualification for drivers convicted of three or more moving violations in the last three years, DUI, underage drinking, refusal to submit to a breathalyzer, hit and run, or eluding law-enforcement, or a revocation of a driver’s license.
• Zero tolerance for the use of drugs or alcohol by any drivers, and a suspension pending investigation of any driver accused of violating the zero tolerance policy.
• Only employing drivers who are properly licensed and over 21, and vehicles that carry a maximum of seven passengers and are properly registered and inspected for safety and emissions, where applicable.
• Rigorous insurance requirements, including requiring drivers to maintain automobile liability insurance, maintaining on behalf of all drivers an additional $1,000,000 of coverage from the moment a driver accepts a trip request until the passenger leaves the vehicle, and liability insurance for drivers who are logged onto the companies’ software but not providing services.
• Maintaining documentation for each driver of his or her background check, sex offender registry check, driving record, proof of insurance, valid driver’s license, Social Security number, vehicle registration, and proof of vehicle safety inspection. Documentation must be available to DMV on demand to investigate any complaints, and must be available for periodic audits to ensure compliance.
• Paying any previously assessed civil penalties for non-compliance and dropping any appeals, which both companies have already done.
• Features to help customers identify their driver and vehicle, including from the outside of the vehicle.
• Drivers notifying the companies of any change in their license status, vehicle registration, insurance, or any arrest for a crime that would disqualify them from being a driver.
• Rate transparency and documentation.
• Companies advising drivers of their need to comply with applicable tax laws.
• Only accepting rides booked through the companies’ mobile device apps, not street hails.
• Companies maintaining a Virginia transportation broker’s license.

Uber and Lyft authorities said they are looking forward to resuming a relationship with Virginia.

“Thanks to the leadership of Governor McAuliffe and Attorney General Herring for putting consumers first and embracing innovation, choice and opportunity,” said Justin Kintz, Uber’s public policy representative.

File photo of UberX car