Call for Absentee Votes — The county is opening 14 locations for in-person absentee voting starting Oct. 14. Residents can also apply for an absentee ballot via mail. [Fairfax County Government]
Metro to Restore Service in August — “Metro is increasing service for Metrorail starting Aug. 16 and Metrobus starting Aug. 23. It’s part of the transit agency’s plan to ramp up service throughout the coronavirus pandemic and return to full service in spring 2021.” [DCist]
White Fairfax County police officer formally indicted — “Prosecutors have formally indicted a white Fairfax County police officer charged with assault after firing a stun gun at an African American man. The procedural move means Fairfax County prosecutors are dropping three assault charges against officer Tyler Timberlake in General District Court and instead opting for a grand jury indictment that will allow him to be tried by a jury in Circuit Court.” [WJLA]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Heat Advisory in Effect — Hot temperatures and high humidity are expected from noon to 8 p.m. today (Monday). Forecasters encourage residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, and stay out of the sun. [National Weather Service]
Input Sought on Route 28 Improvements — “The Virginia Department of Transportation wants the public’s input for a study on improving the Route 28 corridor. The goal is to ease congestion and improve safety around the Dulles Greenway interchange. VDOT has created a survey people can take online until Aug. 3.” [VDOT]
RA Offers Discounts for Recreation Passes, Rebates — “The Reston Association Board of Directors voted to discount the purchase price of member recreation passes by 50 percent starting July 15. The board also decided to offer 50 percent retroactive rebates to members and non-members who have already paid the full price for their 2020 passes. The decisions came during a special virtual meeting of the board on July 13.” [Reston Association]
Herndon Man Arrested in Assault Case — Davon Anthony Perry, 22, of Herndon was charged with aggravated assault, brandishing a firearm and destruction of property after he turned himself in. Police believe Perry shot a woman he knew with a BB gun multiple times. [Herndon Police Department]
Virtual Career Fairs Connect Job Seekers — “Despite the pandemic, Northern Virginia’s robust job market remains strong–with more than 60,000 job openings in the region, including 34,000 in Fairfax County. But interviewing and hiring can be a challenge because of social-distancing protocols in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) has stepped in with virtual job fairs that connect job-seekers with companies that cannot hold in-person events.” [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Second Summer Set Down End in Sight — “Metro tells ABC7 work is going faster than expected at some of the nine stations that shut down this summer as part of its second ‘summer shutdown.’In addition to the entire Silver Line, Metro shut down four Orange Line stations in Virginia back on Memorial Day weekend. The Orange Line stations were shut down in order to do platform reconstruction work.” [WJLA]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Background Checks on Gun Sales — “A Virginia judge has ruled that most of the state’s new law requiring background checks on all gun sales does not violate constitutional rights, except for a wrinkle that effectively bans people between the ages of 18 and 21 from buying handguns.” [Inside NoVa]
Free COVID-19 Testing in Herndon — The Fairfax County Health Department is offering free testing on Thursday, July 23 at Holly Cross Lutheran Church in Herndon from 2-8 p.m. Various time slots are available. No doctor referral is needed and identification is not necessary. [Fairfax County Health Department]
Slower Sales for Scout & Molly’s in Reston — “Like many small business owners, Jane Abraham has had to make some hard decisions this year due to the coronavirus pandemic just to try and keep her business afloat. Abraham and her daughter, Betsy, own and operate two Scout & Molly’s dress franchises, one at Reston Town Center and the other at Ballston Quarter in Arlington. When Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam ordered all non-essential businesses to close in March, Abraham was forced to lay off her four employees.” [Reston Patch]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Public Comment Sought for Reaccreditation Process — The Town of Herndon’s police department is seeking public comment on the department’s ability to meet with established accreditation standards. [Herndon Police Department]
Reservations Relocated for Golf Course Island — All reservations for Golf Course Island pool are being relocated to Tall Oaks pool as repairs are being completed. All reservation holders will be notified via email. [Reston Association]
FCPD Switches to Weekly Roundup — The department was pivoted from a daily roundup of crime incidents to a weekly roundup, which will be posted on Friday afternoons. [FCPD]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
Sergeant Involved in Reston Shooting — “A Reston resident, who D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham identified as a veteran sergeant in his department, shot and killed an armed man standing in the doorway of his apartment late Friday night, according to Fairfax County police.” [The Washington Post]
Fairfax Connector Resumes Service to Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride Today– “Fairfax Connector will resume service to the bus loop at the Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride as construction has been completed… Other construction activity continues at the Park and Ride to prepare for Silver Line Phase 2 Metrorail service, including the Kiss and Ride lot, which will be closed until Silver Line Phase 2 Metrorail service begins next year.” [Fairfax County Government]
Golf Course Island Pool Closed — Reston Association closed the pool due to a plumbing issue over the weekend. All pass holders with reservations have been contacted via email about the change. [Reston Association]
Prosecutors to Drop Stun Gun Charges — “Prosecutors in Fairfax County, Virginia, will seek to drop misdemeanor charges and instead secure an indictment against a police officer who used a stun gun on a man he mistakenly thought he recognized.” [WTOP]
Photo by Ray Copson
More County In-person Services Open — Fairfax County residents can now take advantage of several in-person services, including tax counters, building permits, zoning applications, and health clinics. Still, residents are encouraged to take advantage of online or phone services as much as possible. Appointments are strongly encouraged. [Fairfax County Government]
Reston Association Hires Lifeguards — The association is hiring lifeguards. A certification course is also required. Applicants must be at least 15 years old and have a current American Red Cross certification in lifeguarding, among other qualification. [Reston Association]
Stateside: Virginia Eliminates Backlog of Rape Kits — “Attorney General Mark Herring announced that the state’s $3.4 million project to eliminate its backlog of 2,665 untested kits has been completed. Virginia becomes the seventh state to clear its rape kit backlog, according to the Joyful Heart Foundation, a nonprofit that runs the End the Backlog campaign.” [ABC News]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Park Foundation Board Selects New Officers — The Fairfax County Park Foundation Board of Directors has elected new officers to lead its fundraising from through June 22. [Fairfax County Government]
Special Reston Association Meetings Set for July — RA’s Board of Directors will hold special meetings on July 13 and July 23. The first meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and the second meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Agendas for both online meetings have not been released yet. [Reston Association]
FCPS Extends Enrollment Deadline — “Fairfax County Public Schools has extended the deadline for parents to choose how they want their children to return to school this fall for the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. Responses are due no later than Wednesday, July 15.” [FCPS]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Fairfax NAACP Asks Governor to Stop Funding School Police — “Fairfax County NAACP and State Del. Kaye Kory (D) sent a letter to Gov. Ralph Northam Tuesday asking him to reallocate state funding away from supporting police officers in schools and putting it toward more school counselors. Kory, who represents the 38th District in Fairfax County, and Sean Perryman, president of Fairfax County NAACP, signed a letter along with over a dozen other organizations asking Northam to defund the School Resource Officer program in the upcoming special session.” [Reston Patch]
Woman Shot Multiple Times with BB Gun — Town of Herndon police say that a female victim was shot multiple times on July 5 with what appeared to be a BB gun. The suspect is known to the victim, who was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. [Herndon Police Department]
Reston Hospital Receive Patient Safety Award — “Reston Hospital Center is a recipient of the Healthgrades 2020 Patient Safety Excellence Award™. This distinction places Reston Hospital Center among the top 5 percent of all short-term acute care hospitals reporting patient safety data as evaluated by Healthgrades, the leading resource that connects consumers, physicians and health systems.” [The Connection]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Reston Association to Host Listening Session — On Thursday, RA CEO Hank Lynch and Board President Julie Bitzer will host a virtual listening session via Zoom. Members can ask questions or give comment at 7 p.m. [Reston Association]
Free Legal Help for Small Businesses in Northern Virginia — “The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) is partnering with the Northern Virginia Pro Bono Law Center and Start Small Think Big on the COVID-19 Pro Bono Collaborative, an initiative to provide free legal assistance to small businesses in Northern Virginia during the COVID-19 pandemic, including help with federal assistance, grant and loan programs, leases and employment issues.” [FCEDA]
Virtual Meeting on Herndon-Reston Bus Changes Tomorrow — The Fairfax County Department of Transportation is seeking feedback on its proposal for bus service in the Herndon-Reston area to improve one-time performance and streamline service. A virtual meeting is set for tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
Weather Alert for Today — The work week begins with hot and humid weather. Afternoon showers and thunderstorms are also expected. Forecasters say some storms could be strong to severe, with damaging. Winds, large hail, and an isolated threat for flooding. [National Weather Service]
COVID-19 Count Begins Climb — “Both Virginia and the Northern Virginia region reported the highest daily number of new coronavirus cases in almost a month on Saturday, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Northern Virginia reported 256 new cases, and statewide 716 new cases were reported. Both numbers were the highest since June 7.” [Inside NOVA]
Virtual Town Hall for Return to School — The Fairfax County Public Schools System is hosting a downhill to discuss return to school options on today (Monday). A meeting in Spanish will be held on Wednesday. [FCPS]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
County Releases Police Arrest and Traffic Data — The Fairfax County Police Department has released data on traffic citations and arrests by race and gender. The data were provided in “our continued commitment to full transparency to our community and continuous participation in conversation on improving law enforcement,” FCPD said. [FCPD]
Cleaning Work on Underpasses Underway — Reston Association’s crews have been cleaning up underpasses around the community. Yesterday (Tuesday), the team completed the Soapstone to Terraset underpass and “are actively working to take care of all the underpasses.” [Reston Association]
On the Lookout for Destructive Beetle — “It has not yet been detected in Fairfax County, but the county government is asking local residents to be on the lookout for the Asian longhorned beetle, which has been found in other areas of the country and is very destructive to hardwood trees. This beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) has blue feet, a black body and white spots on its back. It is seen as a major problem as it has no natural predators in the U.S.” [WTOP]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
County to Enter Phase Three Tomorrow — As health metrics continue to stabilize, the county will move into phase three along with the rest of the state beginning tomorrow. Social gatherings of up to 250 people will be allowed. New guidelines also end the cap on the number of customers allowed inside non-essential retail stores, restaurants and bars. Face coverings are still required inside public places. [Fairfax County Government]
Trio of Business Burglaries Reported — Three businesses were burglarized over the weekend. Two were located at the 2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza while the third was located at 11800 block of Baron Cameron Avenue. All incidents are under investigation. [Fairfax County Police Department]
State Court Upholds Face Mask Requirement — “A winery’s challenge against Gov. Ralph Northam and State Health Commissioner Norm Oliver’s face mask requirement has not succeeded in court. Fauquier County’s Philip Carter Winery and its owner filed suit earlier in June challenging executive order 63, which took effect on May 29. The executive order applies to indoor public places, including food and beverage establishments. There are exemptions for individuals eating and drinking, among other reasons.” [Reston Patch]
Feedback Sought on Title VI Program — The Fairfax County Department of Transportation is seeking feedback on its Title VI program, which aims to ensure equitable distribution of transit services. Comments on the updated policy will be accepted through July 31. [Fairfax County Government]
Last Day to Vote for Thoreau’s Ensemble — Today is the last day to vote for Thoreau’s Ensemble, which is up for an international art award. The artwork, designed by Philadelphia-based artist Ben Volta, is located at the Colts Neck Underpass. [CODAwards]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
Reston Association Resumes Youth Swimming Lessons — The association is resting swimming lessons for children between the ages of three and 12. Registration is $80 for RA members and $95 for all others. [Reston Association]
Measuring the Impact of the Silver Line — “The Silver Line has caused some riders to change their routes and others to leave Metrorail entirely. Not every Silver Line rider is a new Metrorail customer. Once it opened, some Orange Line riders who frequented the Vienna, Dunn Loring, and West Falls Church stations switched to using the Silver Line for convenience.” [Greater Greater Washington]
Town of Herndon Resumes Inspections — After offering a brief grace period, town officials are resuming the enforcement of motor vehicle safety inspections. The state’s executive order does not apply to local municipalities within the state. [Herndon Police Department]
Around Town: Fairfax County Teachers Revolt — “A day after one of the nation’s largest school systems announced its proposal for fall learning, teachers within Fairfax County Public Schools rose in revolt and refused to teach in-person, as the plan demands, until officials revise their strategy.” [Washington Post]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
Planning for Reston’s Ultimate Population — “In discussing the need for the plan study, Alcorn acknowledged that most of the initial planning of Reston was based on the master plan Robert Simon created when he established the community in the 1960s. It’s only been in the last decade or so, as Reston has undergone redevelopment, that comprehensive plan language has been updated.” [Reston Patch]
Man Assaulted on North Shore Drive — A man was treated for injuries at a local hospital after two men assaulted him on the 11400 block of North Shore Drive at around 1:11 a.m. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Reston Firm Acquired by French Company — “Reston-based managed security firm Paladion will be acquired by Bezons, France-based information technology company Atos. A transaction amount was not disclosed.” [Virginia Business]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
