Brx American Bistro Robbed — The restaurant, which is located at 1025 Seneca Road in Great Falls, was robbed. The incident happened on Dec. 6 at around 9:30 a.m. [Fairfax County Police Department]

Boosters Now Available for Teens — Teens between the ages of 16 and 17 can now receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. Appoints in the county can be made online through the state’s vaccine administration management system. [Fairfax County Government]

Search for Schools Superintendent Underway — The school system has recruited GR Recruiting to help hire a new superintendent. Community engagement opportunities are planned for this month, including a school board work session today to discuss the process and timeline moving forward. [Fairfax County Public Schools]

Photo by Marjorie Copson

Reston Company Adds New Domains — Public Interest Registry is adding .giving, .charity, and .foundation to its network. The Reston-based company hopes to give more options for nonprofits, mission-driven organizations, and other entities. [Technical.ly]

Where to Find the Best Holiday Trees — There are many options to find the biggest and brightest trees in Northern Virginia. One local option is Reston Town Center, which is also hosting horse-drawn carriage rides and min train rides. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

County Issues Guidance on COVID-19 — The county is encouraging residents to maintain social distancing as the holidays draw near. Cases of COVID-19 are increasing. Northern Virginia has returned to a high transmission level this week, although the Omicron variant has not been identified locally. [Fairfax County Government]

Photo by Marjorie Copson

Reston Businessman Convicted of Bankruptcy Fraud — A Reston businessman was convicted on a series of fraud charges related to a bankruptcy case. Alan Russel Cook Sr., CEO of Metropolitan Aviation, discharged over is six million in personal debt when he file for bankruptcy. He reportedly transferred more than $350,000 to his former girlfriend and directed her to open accounts in her name and in the name of a fake company in anticipation of the filing. [U.S. Department of Justice]

NextStop Theatre Announces 2022 Schedule — The Herndon-based theatre has announced its line-up for the first half of 2022. Artistic director Evan Hoffman said the theatre company is excited to take programming to the next level after a gradual return to smaller productions this year. [Broadway World]

TransUnion Acquires Reston-based Company — TransUnion has acquired Neustar for $3.1 billion. The company’s CEO says he looks forward to the smooth integration of the businesses. Neustar is a network security company. [Cyber Wire]

Jingle on the Lake Returns — Hundreds of people attended the 50th anniversary of Jingle on the Lake at Lake Anne Plaza earlier this month. Santa arrived by a pontoon boat at the annual event. [The Connnection]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

New School Vaccine Clinics in Reston — The county and the school system have added new school-based clinics for COVID-19 vaccines in the area. A school-based vaccine clinic is scheduled for Dec. 11 and Jan. 6 at Hunters Woods Elementary School. [Fairfax County Government]

County Adopts New Redistricting Plan — The county has adopted a new redistricting plan. Seven precincts were shifted to new districts. The Virginia Attorney General will certify the new map. [Fairfax County Government]

A Reminder to Decorate Safely — With the holiday season quickly approaching, local fire and rescue personnel are reminding risks to decorate with safety in mind. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]

Photo by Marjorie Copson

Double Stabbing Under Investigation — Officers obtained arrest warrants recently against a woman they believe stabbed two men last month near Hunters Woods Plaza. [Reston Patch]

Redistricting, Tax Relief Options On Board Agenda — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will meet today to discuss big items like a tax relief package and a redistricting proposal. [Reston Patch]

Local Vaccine-hesitant Mom Gets Answers — WUSA 9 connected a Reston mom with a local hospital doctor and the head of the FDA’s vaccine committee to get her questions answered about the COVID-19 vaccine. [WUSA 9]

Big Donation Effort for Park Avenue Victims — The Herndon Police Department is no longer accepting donations for victims of the Park Avenue fire. Gift cards, however, are still being accepted. [HPD]

Robbery Under Investigation on Centreville Road — Two men stole personal property from someone on th 2400 block of Centerville Road on Nov. 30 shortly before 8 p.m. No injuries were reported, although the suspects threatened the victim with a knife. [Fairfax County Police Department]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Fairfax County Sees Record Tax Haul — Fairfax County saw a record tax haul in 2021. The assessed value of taxable property in the county rose by roughly $10 billion between fiscal years 2020 and 2021. [Washington Business Journal]

Booster Shots Encouraged — The Fairfax County Health Department is encouraging residents to get their booster shots, particularly as the Omicron variant emerges. [Fairfax County Government]

County Considers Big Pay Increases — The county is considering giving county and school staff big pay raises to make up for staff lost last year due to the pandemic. [Sun Gazette]

Tennis Courts to Close in Reston Next Week — Beginning Monday, tennis courts at Glade and North Hills will be closed for the season. The courts are expected to reopen in early April. Hard courts remain open year-round. [Reston Association]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Park Authority Snags Honors — The Fairfax County Park Authority won three GIS excellence awards during the county’s annual Geographic Information System Day contest. The park authority was one of 19 government agencies competing. [Fairfax County Government]

Local Holiday Celebrations Begin in Reston Town Center — The annual Reston Holiday Parade returned in late November to Reston Town Center. The Connection provides an update on the festivities, including comments from one of the emcees, Angie Goff, a news anchor at FOX 5. [The Connection]

County Hypothermia Program Now Open — The county’s hypothermia prevention program is open through March 31. Shelters are available for individual adults and adults with children at several locations across the county. [Fairfax County Government]

Photo by David Taube

Commercial Buildings Win Awards — Projects in Fairfax County received 10 honors at the NAIOP Northern Virginia awards earlier this month. College Board in Reston received the award of excellence for tenant space of over 50,000 square feet and the expansion of Reston Town Center received the office award of excellence. [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]

Last Weeks for Leaf Collection in Town of Herndon — The last weeks for leaf collection are closing in for the Town of Herndon. North of the bike trail, the collection ends on Dec. 3, and south of the bike trail, collection ends on Dec. 10. Leaves must be bagged and will be collected only on trash days. [Town of Herndon]

Reston Students Earn Honors — Two Reston students received honors from their colleges. [Reston Patch]

Blood Drive in Reston This Friday — INOVA Blood Donor Services is holding a blood drive on Friday at 1700 Wainwright Drive from 1-5:30 p.m.  Appointments can be made online. [INOVA]

Photo via vantaghill/Flickr

Confederate Names Task Force to Meet — The task force, which was established by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, will meet today to recommend whether or not to rename Lee and Lee-Jackson highways. [Fairfax County Government]

Reston Association’s Holiday Fest Returns — Holiday Fest will return to Walker Nature Center on Sunday. Guests can enjoy live music, hot cocoa, and a gingerbread contest. [Reston Association]

Libraries to Offer COVID-19 Test Kits — Fairfax County Public Library branches will begin distributing free COVID-19 rapid antigen at-home test kits as part of pilot program that begins Dec. 3. Quantities are limited. Tests should be taken at home, not in a library branch. [Fairfax County Government]

Photo by Marjorie Copson

Fairfax Schools Settle Lawsuit — Fairfax County Public Schools has reached a settlement with parents and advocacy groups over a lawsuit that alleged students with disabilities experience discrimination, trauma, and physical harm through the improper use of seclusion and physical restraint. The agreement ends a lawsuit that lasted for more than two years. [Washington Post]

Ramp Closures Along Multiple I-66 Interchanges In Effect — Overnight ramp closures are expected from today through Dec. 4 for the Transform 66 outside the Beltway project. Several ramps will be impacted as part of the project. [Virginia Department of Transportation]

A Cyber Monday Reminder from FCPD — The Fairfax County Police Department is reminding residents of its package theft prevention tips. Some suggestions include closely tracking delivery so that dates and times are known and asking a neighbor to watch for your deliveries. [FCPD]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Juvenile Arrested in Connection with Robbery — A 16-year-old was arrested on charges of robbery and weapons offenses in connection with a robbery that happened on Nov. 16. Police said the suspect allegedly demanded a victim’s backpack while displaying a gun and then left the scene on the victim’s bike. The incident happened on the 800 block of Ferndale Avenue. [Herndon Police Department]

Reston Association Receives Award — The association was recognized for excellence in programming for its parks and recreation department’s camps in a box program. The award recognized innovative programs that contributed to the betterment of the community. [RA]

A Discussion with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department — Fire Chief John Butler told the McLean Citizens Association that the department is preparing for the future by stepping recruitment and enhancing community partnerships. [Inside NOVA]

Why You Should Leave Leaves Alone — The Fairfax County Park Authority c=enncourages residents to leave leaves on the ground in order to help hibernating insects like caterpillars and to improve the health of your lawn. [Fairfax County Government]

A Decision on Renaming Lee and Lee Jackson Memorial Highways — The Confederate Names Task Force will meet on Tuesday to determine if the highways should be renamed. [Fairfax County Government]

Photo by David Taube

Seed Money Dedicated to Clean Up Lake Anne Plaza — A local foundation has donated $25,000 in seed money to help clean up Lake Anne Plaza. The beautification project is called “Lake Anne Rising.” [Reston Patch]

Reduced Metro Service to Remain — Metro plans to continue reducing service through Dec. 31 because it has not established a timeline to return the 7000-series fleet in the interest of safety. Nearly 75 percent of Metrorail stations have trains arriving at least every 10-12 minutes. Testing to determine if new inspection intervals are sufficient to safely return trains to service is underway this month. [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority]

Updates to County COVID-19 Dashboard Expected — The Fairfax County Health Department has updated its COVID-19 dashboard after it discovered that roughly 200 reported cases — mostly from last year — were incorrectly marked as hospitalized. While the individuals were seen at emergency department, they were not hospitalized. [Fairfax County Government]

Photo by David Taube

All Adults Eligible for Booster Shot — Any adult who received a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at least six months earlier is eligible to receive a booster dose. The recommendations come after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded the eligibility criteria for both vaccines. [Fairfax County Government]

Reston Board Adopts New Budget — Reston Association’s Board of Directors has approved a $19.8 million budget for 2022. The assessment was set at $740. [RA]

Local Ways to Give This Holiday Season — Local residents can embrace the spirit of giving this holiday season by donating toys, clothes, gift cards, and more. Options in the county include toys for tots by the fire and rescue department and the Reston Winter Coat Closet. [Fairfax County Government]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Reston Lease Gets Best Transaction Award — Boston Properties received the best transaction lease award for executing a lease with Volkswagen Group of America, which is headquartered in Reston. The award was given by the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. [NAIOP Northern Virginia]

Santa Comes to Town — Reston Association has set up a Santa-for-hire event. Residents can book Santa for a 30 or 60 minutes this holiday season. Bookings can be made through Dec. 31. [RA]

Fairfax County Police Department Collects Toys — The department is collecting toys for Santa’s Ride, which delivers toys to children in area hospitals and local charities. New and unwrapped toys, books, or games can be dropped off at any district station now through 9 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 13. [FCPD]

Photo by Marjorie Copson