School Buildings Closed — All Fairfax County Public School buildings are closed until further notice. Beginning today (Monday), grab-and-go food distribution sites will be set up at 18 locations. Breakfast is served from 8-10:30 a.m. and lunch from 10:30 a.m.t o 2 p.m.[Fairfax County Public Schools]
Local Parks, Libraries Closed — The Fairfax County Public Library System and local parks will be closed for due weeks to the novel coronavirus threat. [Patch]
Telecom Entrepreneur Dies — John McDonnell Jr., who started Recon-Based Transaction Network Services, died in March at a hospital in Florida. He was 82. [The Washington Post]
Boston Properties Sell Properties — The company has sold its New Dominion Park property, including 499 Grove St., in Herndon to an affiliate of USAA Real Estate. [Washington Business Journal]
Photo by Cbreezy
Submission Call: Mary B. Howard Invitational — Greater Reston Arts Center and ‘sindikit invite artist to submit proposals for an upcoming exhibition. The submission should involve the creation of a new project that references an artwork the artist has made in the past. The deadline for proposals is March 15. [Greater Reston Arts Center]
Reminder: Look Out for Census 2020 Mail –Residents should check their mail to see if they’ve received a Census invitation, which could arrive anytime between today and April 1. [Fairfax County Government]
In Case You Missed It: Schools Close Today — Fairfax County Public Schools will close today (Friday). At a press conference yesterday evening, FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand initially said there was no plan to close schools due to the limited spread of coronavirus.
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Reston Association Steps Up Cleaning Efforts — “To deter the spread of the virus, our building management service has implemented new cleaning guidelines that include regularly wiping down high touchpoints such as door handles, water fountain buttons and elevator panels.” [Reston Association]
Deadline for Fairfax Parks Poetry Contest Extended — Students in elementary through middle school have until Tuesday, March 17 to submit entries for the contest. [Fairfax County Parks]
Herndon Police Department Cancels Fingerprinting Event — In an effort to protect volunteers, the department canceled Friday’s fingerprinting services until further notice. HPD wrote that the cancellation is “strictly a precautionary measure.” [Herndon Police Department]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Reminder: Voting Underway for Reston Association Election — Voting is open through April 3 for RA’s Board of Directors election. Votes will be accepted through 5 p.m. that day. [Reston Association]
FCPS Superintendent Provides Update — Monday will be a student holiday, but all after-school extracurricular activities will proceed as scheduled. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Reston Association Offers First Aid Certification Classes — The organization is offering certification courses for First Aid, CPR and AED. Registration is $105 for RA members and $120 for all others. [Reston Association]
Schools Superintendent Offers Coronavirus Update — In a letter to the community yesterday (Monday), Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand says the school system is implementing a travel history questionnaire and presented two scenarios in case schools are closed. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Meets Today — The board will receive an update on the coronavirus. In the Hunter Mill District, the board will consider a 20 percent drop in parking at Reston Gateway. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo by Mike Reyes
County Schools to Remain Open — So far, all Fairfax County Public Schools are open and will remain on a normal schedule following the outbreak of the coronavirus. A second case of the virus in Virginia was confirmed yesterday. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Barricade Resolved at Cameron Glen Drive — A barricade situation was resolved earlier this morning on the 1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive. A man barricaded himself in a van. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Herndon Town Council Meets Tonight — The town council meets tonight in the Herndon Council Chambers Building at 7 p.m. to discuss a number of matters, including power utility easements for and the town’s good neighbor awards. [Town of Herndon]
Photo by Michael Reyes Photography
Vote on Herndon HS Monopole Delayed — “The Fairfax County Planning Commission voted Wednesday, March 4, to postpone its decision on whether to approve an application to install a telecommunications monopole on the grounds of Herndon High School until later in the month.” [Reston Patch]
New Mobile Forensics Lab for Fairfax County Police — “Fairfax County police can potentially identify murder suspects much quicker with their new mobile forensics lab. Maj. Christian Quinn said the idea to build the mobile lab started at a crime scene in 2017.” [NBC Washington]
Dulles Customs and Border Protection Seize Date Rape Drug Shipment — “U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers on Monday seized five large bottles of gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) that arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport in international mail from China. The DEA says GBL is known as a precursor of date rape drug gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB).” [Fairfax County Times]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Local Companies Rank in Fastest-Growing Private Companies List — Inc. magazine’s first list of the DC-area’s fastest-growing companies includes Herndon-based B3 Group (#5) and SmartEdge IT (#9). [Inc.]
Fire Department: Sink It or Soak It — After two recent fires were caused by improperly discarded smoking materials, the county’s fire department is reminding residents to either “sink it or soak it” and prevent careless fires. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
More Time for Metro Budget Comments — Metro has extended the public comment period for the next fiscal year’s budget by one week. Feedback will be accepted online or by mail through 9 a.m. on Monday, March 9. [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority]
Search for Lifeguards Underway — Reston Association is actively recruiting lifeguards for the summer. Information on the position and the application is available online. [Reston Association]
Local Students Compete in International Conference — A total of 226 students from 14 Fairfax County Public Schools were selected as finalists for the DECA International Career Development Conference in Nashville. [FCPS]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Voting Underway for Reston Association Election — The last day to vote is April 3 for RA’s 2020 election for the Board of Directors. Voting information is available online. [Reston Association]
Charges Pending for Home Burglary — A burglary was reported on the 1600 block of Hiddenbrook Drive on Feb. 29 at around 3:44 a.m. The homeowners said they were awakened by the sound of knocking on their front door. Two juveniles were located a short distance away. Charges are pending. [Fairfax County Police Department]
South Lakes Girls Finish Second — “Senior Hannah Waller finished her final season on the South Lakes High School girls indoor track team as a state champion, finishing first in the 55 meters with a winning time of 6.95. This effort helped to lift the South Lakes girls indoor track team to its third consecutive second place finish Feb. 28-29, at the 6A State Championships, at the Boo Williams Sportsplex.” [Reston Patch]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
Reston Man Charged with Aldie Assault — “A man was arrested in Aldie Thursday morning after allegedly assaulting a coworker at the workplace, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded to the 41000 block of Collaboration Drive around 8:06 a.m. for reports of the incident.” [Loudoun Times-Mirror]
Surviving Tax Season — The county offers several resources on how to navigate rules and filing procedures. The Board of Supervisors is also hosting a series of free tax relief workshops through the county. [Fairfax County Government]
Endorsements for Reston Association Board Election — The Coalition for a Planned Reston endorsed Bob Petrine, a candidate for an at-large seat of three years, and Sarah Selvaraj-Dsouza, a candidate for an at-large seat for one year. [Reston 20/20]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Spring Flea Market Set for March 7 — The flea market takes place at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods at 9 a.m. to noon. The event is free and open to all. [Reston Community Center]
County Minority-owned Business Employ 80,000 — “According to the last Economic Census, African-Americans own nearly 9,000 companies in Fairfax County. In addition, the county is home to 25,000 Asian-owned businesses, 14,000 Hispanic-Latino businesses, 42,000 woman-owned companies and 12,000 veteran-owned firms in the county. Together these firms employ 80,000 people in the county and have total annual revenue of $14.4 billion.” [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Nearby: Concerns Over Pet Shop Owner — “A Virginia man who is charged with animal cruelty told WTOP that he is innocent, and plans to move forward opening a pet shop in Fairfax County. But there is already a similarly named business in Northern Virginia, and a trademark question led to greater concerns.” [WTOP]
What You Need to Know for Super Tuesday — “There are 14 candidates on the ballot. While a number of Democratic Party presidential candidates have suspended their campaigns, these candidates will remain on the ballot unless they officially withdraw from the race with the state. The names of any candidates who withdraw will be posted at the polls. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Apartment Fire in Greywing Square — A fire started in the kitchen of an apartment unit on the 12000 block of Greywing Square yesterday evening. The cause of the fire is under investigation. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
Reston Association Meeting Moved — Next week’s Board Governance Committee has been moved to March 3 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting takes place at the Walker Nature Center. [Reston Association]
Submission Sought for Mary B. Howard Invitational — The Greater Reston Arts Center invites artists to submit a proposal for the new exhibition, “An Excellent Thought About a Quality Idea.” Submissions are due by March 15. [Greater Reston Arts Center]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Reston Baker Builds Granola Empire — Reston resident Dania Abimourched recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of her business, Dano’s Granola. [Reston Patch]
Virginia Heads Toward Peer-to-Peer Auto Rental Law — “Virginia lawmakers are considering a bill that would establish rules for peer-to-peer car rentals, in which a car owner could rent a vehicle to a stranger, for a fee. Unlike traditional car rental companies that monopolize airport rentals, and established ride-sharing companies that enable a driver to rent a car by the hour, in peer-to-peer rentals, the car owner lists a vehicle for rent in an online, searchable marketplace.” [WTOP]
Reston-based Company Signs with CBS — Comscore, a digital audience measurement firm, signed a multi-year renewal with all 27 local television stations owned by CBS. [Potomac Tech Wire]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Burglary Reported on Friday — A burglar broke into a home on the 1500 block of Cameron Crescent Drive on Friday and stole personal property. Information about the incident was released yesterday. [Fairfax County Police Department]
High Honors for School Psychology Services — “Fairfax County Public Schools School Psychology Services has been recognized in the Excellence in School Psychological Services Recognition Program with an Exemplary rating from the National Association of School Psychologists. FCPS was the only school district in the U.S. to receive an Exemplary rating, the highest rating available.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]
County Board to Dive into Budget — The county executive will present his budget proposal to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at a meeting today (Tuesday). The meeting will be televised on Channel 16 and streamed live online. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
