Registration for 12th Annual Reston Sprint Triathlon Opens Today — Beginning at 7:30 p.m. today, individuals can begin registering for the race, which will take place on June 3. [Reston Sprint Triathlon]
Local Police Crack Down on Drivers — According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the DWI squad made 513 DWI-related arrests last year, concluding the squad’s first full year. The nine-officer unit was created in December 2016 to reduce impairment-related crashes through increase DWI enforcement [Fairfax County Police Department]
Police Radio Conversation Sheds Information on Fatal Shooting — Local news outlets have released police dispatch calls that show the couple’s daughter called 911 to report that her parents were shot inside their Reston home. [NBC4]
New Year’s Eve Glow Skate at Reston Town Center — Glow sticks will be available from 6 – 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve at the RTC Ice Skating Pavilion’s ‘Glow Skate.’ [Reston Town Center via Facebook]
‘Color Me Happy’ at Reston Regional Library on Jan. 10 — Relax, unwind and color your cares away at the library’s adult coloring session. Coloring pages and pencils will be provided. The session takes place from 7 – 8:30 p.m. in Reston Meeting Room 2. [Fairfax County Government]
A Look Inside: One Reston Town Center — Akridge, a commerical real estate company, plans to deliver an “iconic landmark” at 1760 Reston Parkway that include a six-story atrium lobby, an outdoor plaza on the seventh floor and a rooftop lounge and terrance. [Washington Business Journal]
Where to Eat, Shop and Explore in Reston and Herndon — The Washingtonian breaks down the best place to have a bite or swing by shopping the local area. Top picks include ArtSpace Herndon, Frying Pan Farm Park, Herndon Historic Walking Trail and Scrawl Books. [The Washingtonian]
How Family Tried to Keep Suspected Neo-Nazi from their Daughter — People magazine published an in-depth piece about the Reston double murder on Friday, including details on how the family attempted to keep the suspect, who turned the gun on himself, away from their daughter. [People]
Escape Herndon Donates Tickets for Charity — The business is donating proceeds from all tickets sold for New Year’s Eve to Starlight, an organization that aims to bring joy and comfort to hospitalized children and their families. [Escape Herndon]
Reston Library Holds One-Hour Sessions to Build Computer Skills — Adults seeking to improve their computer skills can register for a one-hour session with a technology volunteer to improve their computer skills and get help with navigating the Internet and e-books. Individuals interested in participating should call the library to make an appointment. The session will take place from 6 – 8 p.m. today. [Fairfax County Government]
Abused Dog Found in Lake Anne — Local police found an abused dog in Reston last week in the area of Chatham Colony Court and Moorings Drive. The dog was barely recognizable and had nearly two pounds of matted hair covering its face and body, according to the report. Police continue to search for the owner. [FCPD]
NBC4’s Angie Goff Reflects on Growing Up in Herndon — In an interview with Washingtonian, an anchor and reporter on NBC4 reflects on growing up at Herndon High School and working at a local Chuck E. Cheese’s. [Washingtonian]
Safe Trade Zone Coordinated by Herndon Police Department — Individuals seeking to make a secure and safe transaction can take advantage of the police department’s safe trade zone, which includes 24-hour video surveillance, outside the police department’s offices at 397 Herndon Parkway. [Herndon Police Department via Twitter]
Last Day to Donate for Toys for Tots Campaign — Today is the last day to donate for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s toys for tots campaign. Donations are accepted at all fire stations in Fairfax County. [FCPD via Twitter]
Photo via FCPD
Nominations Open for Volunteer Service Awards — Reston Association is seeking nominations for its annual Volunteer Reston Service Awards which recognize individuals, groups, families and businesses that are contributing to the community through volunteer service. Award winners will be announced at a ceremony at The Lake House on April 19. Nominations are due by Feb. 9. [Reston Association]
Artwork Available for Purchase from Monster Drawing Rally — Greater Reston Arts Center is selling remaining artwork from its live monster drawing valley event and fundraiser. During the program, more than 50 artists created artwork on site. Pieces are available online. To purchase, email [email protected] or stop by the gallery. All proceeds benefit the center. [Greater Reston Arts Center]
Election Information Session Set for Jan. 3 — Individuals interested in running for an open seat on RA’s board of directors can attend the information session, which will provide an overview of the elections process and candidates’ roles and responsibilities. The session will take place at RA headquarter (12002 Sunrise Valley Drive) from 7 – 8 p.m. [Reston Association]
South Lakes High School Collaborates with Lake Anne Service Center — The high school’s Parent Teacher Student Association has partnered with the center on 11410 North Shore Drive. For every gallon of gas pumped, the service center will donate $0.005 to the PTSA. Customers should save their receipt and drop it off at the school’s main office. [South Lakes High School PTSA]
Donate New or Gentled Used Coats and Winter Clothes Through Jan 31. — The office of Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins is collected new or gently used men’s, women’s and children’s coats, hats, gloves, scarves and mittens at the office on 1801 Cameron Glen Drive. Items can be donated in a 24-hour drop off box or during operating hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 – 7 p.m. [Cornerstones]
Tour de Lights Holiday Bike Road on Saturday — Reston’s Multimodal Transportation Committee will take a bike tour around north Reston to experience the holidays lights on Saturday from 5 – 7 p.m. Participants must be able to keep a pace of around 10 miles per hour over a 1.5-hour drive. [Reston Association]
Members Needed for Hunter Mill District Citizen Budget Advisory Committee – Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins is seeking members for the committee which meets from January through March to offer recommendations to the supervisor about the budget. Hudgins will appoint several members. To express interest, send a resume to [email protected]. [Fairfax County Government]
Ellucian Picks New CEO — The Reston-based company, which provides software and services for higher education management, selected Laura Ipsen as the CEO. Ipsen previously worked as a general manager and senior president for Oracle Corp.’s cloud marketing division. [Washington Business Journal]
Community Holiday Performances at Fountain Square Tonight — Musical performances continue today at Fountain Square. Sunrise Valley Elementary School’s chorus will perform carols today from 6:30 – 7: p.m. Fountain Square is a 760,000 square foot mixed used project located in Reston Town Center. [Reston Town Center]
Reston-based Leidos Offering Bonuses to Find New IT Hires — The company, which is the largest IT services contractor for the federal government, is offering a $2,000 bonus for every referral that results in a new IT hire. The company posted a third-quarter operating income of $151 million in revenue, a 34 percent jump in sales. [Washington Business Journal]
Coalition for a Planned Reston Holds “One Reston” Community Meeting — The coalition mobilized Monday night in opposition to a zoning amendment that would increase Reston’s population density, among other changes. After a discussion with attendees during the open floor meeting, the group plans to submit 10 suggested changes to the legislative package before the county by Christmas in order to better manage infrastructure and development. According to Terry Maynard, President of Reston 20/20, said the meeting attracted more than 130 attendees. “A key theme throughout was the necessity of the entire Reston community working together as ‘One Reston’ to meet the challenges of shaping the Reston plan and assuring individual development proposals meet the expectations of the community,” Maynard said. [Coalition for a Planned Reston via Youtube]
Herndon Middle School Bike Shop to Give Away Bikes on Saturday — Bicycles refurbished by the after school program that meets on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, will be distribute to 10 children at the school. Recipients were provided by Cornerstones’ Neighborhood Resource Center in Herndon. Members of the club will provide and fit free helmets for recipients. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Photo by Fatimah Waseem
Group Opposing Zoning Changes Meets Today –– The Coalition for a Planned Reston is meeting today at Reston Association headquarters on 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive at 7 p.m. The group will discuss a proposal before the county that would increase population density in some parts of Reston and discuss amendments to the overall proposal. [Coalition for a Planned Reston]
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins Features Police Civilian Review Panel — In this month’s Channel 16 program, Hudgins discusses the benefits and goals of a new civilian review panel and an independent police auditor.
Training in Reston Focuses on Heroin Epidemic — Ginny Atwood Lovitt held a training in Reston on Friday detailing how to administer Narcan. Lovitt runs the Chris Atwood Foundation in Reston in memory of her brother who died of a heroin overdose nearly four years ago. [WUSA]
Photo by Fatimah Waseem
Owner of Koko FitClub Celebrates First Year of Ownership Today — The club, which is located in North point Shopping Center, will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony today from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. to celebrate the owner’s first year of ownership. The club was recently renovated to create a lighter and brighter environment, according to the owner. [Koko FitClub]
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Reunite with Trauma Patients at Reston Hospital Center — In a blog post on the department’s website, Battalion Chief Bill Betz and Captain Wayne Wentzel detail an event in late November during which crews met with three trauma patients that were treated and transported to the hospital by the department’s firefighters and paramedics. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
Make Sushi Rolls at Obi Sushi in Reston Town Center — The restaurant, which is located on 1771 Library St., is offering classes on how to make sushi rolls on Saturday from 2 – 4 p.m. The cost is $50 per person. Register by calling 703-766-7874. [Reston Town Center via Facebook]
Photo courtesy of Koko FitClub
Fairfax County Planning Commission to Decide On Proposal for Assisted Living Facility — The body will review a proposal by Kensington Senior Development LLC to bring a 70-unit assisted living facility to 11501 Sunrise Valley Drive. The proposal drew opposition from nearby residents at a public hearing last week. The commission will vote on the project at its 8:15 p.m. meeting today in the Fairfax County Government Center board auditorium. An online stream is on the county’s website. [Fairfax County Planning Commission]
FCPD: Keep Your Faith-based Organization Safe — The Fairfax County Police Department is hosting two worship watch seminars in the coming weeks. During seminars, officers share crime prevention tips and training specific to protecting congregants’ place of worship. The first seminar is on Dec. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Springfield. The second is on Jan. 3 at the county’s new Public Safety Headquarters in Fairfax from 6 to 9 p.m. Registration is required. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Hook Road Working Groups Meet This Week — The group will meet tomorrow from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. to discuss the Hook Road Recreation Area project at Reston Association headquarters (12001 Sunrise Valley Drive). [Reston Association]
Holiday Performances at Fountain Square on Wednesday –– Enjoy musical performances on Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m. at Foundation Square, including presentations by the Fairfax School Choir and the Drum and Fife Company. [Reston Town Center]
Swimmers from South Lakes High School Split Win with Langley High School — Varsity swim and dive teams from SLHS came out strong at their opening meet on Friday. The girls’ team won with 161-151 while the boys’ team lost 134-181. The team is scheduled to compete against Centreville High School on Dec. 8 at 8:30 a.m. [SLHS Swim and Dive]
Herndon Man Charged with Involuntary Slaughter in Sterling Crash — Julio Rivera, 39, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, DUI and driving on a suspended license on Friday after he hit a parked car and a townhouse on the 700 block of Colonial Avenue. A passenger in the car was taken to Reston Hospital, where he later died. [LoudounNow]
Reston Association Covenants Staff in Training — RA covenants staff will be in training today and for half-day on Tuesday. Staff will do their best to return all messages by the end of today. [Reston Association]
Photo courtesy of SLHS Swim and Dive
Reston Grandmother Fighting For Pay Hired After Being Fired— Swartha, Tujare, 67, lost her job as a wheelchair attendant at Dulles International Airport after she participated in a strike demanding higher wages. Huntleigh Corporation, an airport contractor, fired her; but after a settlement, agreed to give Tujare her job back along with more than $4,000 in lost wages and benefits. [WUSA 9]
Barnes & Noble Kitchen Opens in Ashburn — Four years after the closure of the Barnes & Noble in Reston, the company has opened a new location in Ashburn’s One Loudoun. The new location is a Barnes & Noble Kitchen that includes an in-house restaurant. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
A 4.1 Magnitude Earthquake Rumbles D.C. Area — Shocks from an earthquake centered in Dover, Delaware were felt throughout the D.C. area, including Reston on Thursday. The location of the quake was near the Doer Air Force Base, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. [NBC Washington]
Gingerbread Man Race Takes Place at Reston Town Center — The 17th annual Gingerbread Man Mile took place last Friday. The event is sponsored by Potomac River and was featured by The Connection. [The Connection]
Festival of Lights and Carols Set for Saturday — The festival, which will take place at Old Town Square on Saturday, includes a pancake breakfast with Santa, a Holiday market, visits with Santa, performances by Lanier Middle School and more. [Fairfax County Government]
Whitney, Bradley & Brown, Inc. Acquired by H.I.G. Capital — The Reston-based firm, which provides program management and consulting services to federal agencies, was acquired by the private equity firm, H.I.G. Capital. Financial terms were not disclosed. The acquisition is H.I.G.’s second major government market acquisition this year. It recently acquired IT contractor NCI Inc. through a $283 million deal. [Washington Exec]
Reston Lab Provides Clues on Murder Investigation from 31 Years Ago — The battered body of Roberta Walls was found on a baseball field in Virginia Beach more than two decades ago. Now, a lab in Reston has created two composite sketches of a person of interest that provide new hope in the case. [The Virginian-Pilot]
Early Education Discussed in ‘Connecting with Supervisor Hudgins’ Show — In this month’s Channel 16 program, Cathy Hudgins discusses the importance of pre-K programs to help children get a head start in school. [Channel 16]
Fairfax County Economic Development Authority Creates Reston Profile — The organization created a profile for Reston, which lists the community as the second-largest commercial market in Fairfax County and indicates 66 percent of the population has a bachelor’s degree or higher. Major employers in the area include Fortune 500 firms like Leidos and NVR. [Fairfax County EDA]
Herndon Restaurant Fire Caused By Unattended Cooking — A fire on Saturday in the late afternoon on the 1000 block of Eldon St. in Herndon was caused by unattended cooking. A wok filled with cooking oil was left on the stove. A violation notice was issued for the restaurant’s commercial fire suppression system. Crews from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue and Loudoun County Fire and Rescue responded to the scene. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
Herndon High School and Herndon Middle School Partner to Provide Thanksgiving and Holiday Meals — The schools are partnering to raise money for 210 meals for students who struggle with food insecurity. A goal of $10,500 has been set for the initiative, which is run through a partnership with Food For Neighbors. Donations can be made online. [Food for Neighbors]
Photo via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department
