Flash Flood Watch in Effect Until 7 P.M. — Multiple rounds of rainfall will occur over the watch area, with the potential for torrential rain rates. Rainfall rates of 1 to 3 inches are expected in the strongest storms. [National Weather Service]
World Music Tonight at Lake Anne — The “Take A Break” concert series at Lake Anne Plaza will continue tonight with a performance by Mystic Warriors. [Lake Anne Plaza]
Alzheimer’s Town Hall Slated — Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) will join community organizations from across Northern Virginia on July 10 for a town hall focused on Alzheimer’s. [Rep. Gerry Connolly]
Government Contractor To Be Acquired — Reston-based government IT contractor NCI Inc., which fired a top executive this year for embezzling millions of dollars in company money, will be acquired by private investor HIG Capital for $283 million. [WTOP]
Mental Health Screenings Available — The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board now offers same day, in-person screening for mental health/and or substance use concerns to both adults and youth at its Merrifield Center (8221 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax). [Fairfax County]
Escaped Detainee Had Been Deported Five Previous Times — Marlo Danilo “Carlos” Rivas-Mendez, who temporarily escaped from ICE custody Monday while being transported, had previously been removed from the United States in 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016. [United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia]
Wastewater Treatment Plant Gets Top Score — For the 19th consecutive year, the Noman M. Cole Jr. Pollution Control Plant in Lorton has earned the Platinum Peak Performance Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. [Inside Nova]
Former Herndon Man to Run for President — In July 2013, Adam Kokesh’s Herndon home was raided by the U.S. Park Police after he called for a “Final American Revolution” and posted a YouTube video of himself loading a shotgun on DC’s Freedom Plaza. Now living in Arizona, Kokesh says he’s seeking the 2020 Libertarian presidential nomination. [Santa Fe New Mexican]
Celebrate the Fourth Today — Independence Day celebrations are taking place today in Herndon, Great Falls, Fairfax, Vienna and lots of other places in the area. [Reston Now]
Security Tight on National Mall — One of the nation’s largest fireworks shows will go off tonight on the National Mall in DC. Security will be heightened, but officials say visitors probably won’t even notice the increased efforts. [NBC Washington]
RA Marking the Holiday — Reston Association offices, including the Nature House and Central Services Facility, are closed today in observance of the Fourth of July holiday. RA will host holiday festivities at the Lake Newport Pool facility from noon-4 p.m. Registration is not required. [Reston Association]
File photo courtesy Reston Swim Team Association
Herndon Names New Town Manager — Bill Ashton had been serving as acting town manager since February, following the retirement of previous town manager Art Anselene. [Town of Herndon]
Suicide at County Detention Center — A 33-year-old man being held at the county Adult Detention Center on a malicious wounding charge hanged himself in his cell Sunday night. [Fairfax County]
Numbers to Remember Over the Summer — South Lakes High School provides a list of sources, some from the school system and some independent, that may be of assistance if family emergencies or other needs arise over the summer. [South Lakes High School]
File photo courtesy Surf Reston
Weather Report for Holiday Weekend — This Saturday, expect a high near 90 degrees, but a chance of afternoon thunderstorms might impact projected fireworks shows in the area. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday will also have highs in the low 90s, but there’s a chance of rain on the Fourth. [The Weather Channel]
Heavy Congestion Projected on Holiday Weekend — According to the Virginia Department of Transportation’s interactive traffic trends map, expect major traffic jams along Interstate 95 on Sunday as people travel for the holiday. [VDOT]
Residents Reminded to Be Safe With Fireworks — Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them, never have any portion of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse, never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not fully functioned, and never point or throw fireworks at another person. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]
New Laws Take Effect Tomorrow — Take a look at some of the new legislation that will go into effect July 1, including changes to rules about absentee voting, concealed carry permits and more. [Fairfax County]
Toll Road Ramp Work Starts After Holiday — Make sure to reevaluate the morning commute starting next next Friday. The ramp from the eastbound Dulles Toll Road to the Fairfax County Parkway will be diverted through the Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride parking lot, starting next Thursday night and lasting “through 2017.” [Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project]
Local Artist Wins Tröegs Contest — Marni Manning’s “Renaissance of Beer” painting was the big winner in the Pennsylvania craft beer company’s recent art contest. [Tröegs]
Herndon Man Admits to Bank Robberies — Bruce Wayne Higgins robbed four banks in Maryland and New Jersey last December. [WTOP]
Jazz Music Tonight at Lake Anne — The “Take A Break” concert series at Lake Anne Plaza will continue tonight with a performance by contemporary Brazilian jazz band Origem. [Lake Anne Plaza]
Metro Employees to Thank Riders Today — Nearly 700 Metro administrative employees will be at Metrorail stations during the afternoon commute today to “personally thank” customers for “their support and continued ridership” during SafeTrack. [WMATA]
Connolly Goes After Nikki Haley — The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations had to defend herself Wednesday when Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) targeted her actions at the U.N. [Washington Free Beacon]
Single Tracking to Cause Long Metro Waits — Starting Saturday until closing time Sunday, Silver Line Metro trains will operate just every 26 minutes. Fare hikes are also in effect, with $2.25 the minimum to ride the Metro. There will be no track work on the Fourth of July. [DCist]
MOM’s Organic Market to Celebrate 30th Anniversary Sunday — All MOM’s Organic Market locations will celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary with tastings and family activities. Locally, there is a store at 424 Elden St., Herndon. [PR Newswire]
Fairfax Police Inform About Snake Safety — With warm weather, snakes become more active around the area, so it’s beneficial to know which snakes are venomous and which are harmless. [Fairfax County Police Department]
File photo courtesy Carole Burnett
Torres Linked to Previous Attack, Gang — A week before Darwin Martinez Torres was arrested and charged with murdering Nabra Hassanen, a woman reported he had punched, choked and sexually assaulted her. She also claims he is a member of the MS-13 street gang. [Washington Post] (Editor’s Note: The Fairfax County Police Department later said there is “no credible information” to support gang ties.)
Brew House To Host Beer Rally Tonight — Teams of three will run three laps around Lake Anne. Each lap is a mile and a half, and contestants can either run one lap each or all three laps together. There will be prizes raffled and a chance for free drinks. [Lake Anne Brew House/Facebook]
Reston Hospital Center Gives Out Scholarships — Last week, the medical staff of Reston Hospital Center awarded $15,000 worth of scholarships to 15 Fairfax and Loudoun County high school seniors. Hasmah Hussain, from South Lakes High School, was one of the recipients. [Reston Hospital Center]
Modified Bus Schedule for July 4 — Fairfax Connector buses will run on a Saturday schedule on July 4. [Fairfax County Goverment]
E. Ethelbert Miller at Greater Reston Arts Center — Writer and literary activist will come to the Greater Reston Arts Center at 6 p.m. Thursday. Miller has been the editor of poetry magazine Poet Lore for 10 years, and he is the author of several collections of poetry and two memoirs. [Greater Reston Arts Center]
Reston 20/20 Slams Fairfax County — In a detailed report examining Fairfax County’s proposal to allow a substantial increase in population density in Reston’s Planned Residential Community (PRC) zoning area, the Reston 20/20 Committee critiques the County’s motivation for the accelerated passage of the amendment. [Reston 20/20]
FCPS Free Lunch Program Underway — The Food for Every Child to Eat During Summer (FEEDS) program provides picnic-style summer lunches each day from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for all. Locally, they are available at Dogwood Elementary School (12300 Glade Drive). [Fairfax County Public Schools]
91 Metro Stations, 91 Songs — An Alexandria man has worked for over six years to compile a series of songs about the stops on the Metro. His completed work, which includes a song about Wiehle-Reston East, spans eight albums. [Washington Post]
Ribbon Cutting for Clothing Store — Scout & Molly’s (11944 Market St.) hosted its official ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday morning. Among attendees were Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), Del. Ken Plum (D-Fairfax), Fairfax County Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, representatives of the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce and more.
Summer Meals Program Starts Today — The Free Summer Meals for Kids Program provides free, healthy meals to children ages 5 to 18 at designated meal sites in Fairfax County. [Fairfax County]
Officials Talk Metro, Fields, More — Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova, Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and more addressed the Vienna Town Council recently to give updates on the Silver Line, placement of athletic fields and more. [The Connection]
Kids Can Earn Prizes for Reading — Kids who complete the summer reading adventure at any Fairfax County library by Sept. 2 can win a coupon book with dozens of free and discounted fun treats like ice cream and miniature golf. [Fairfax County]
Image courtesy Powers Brand Communications LLC
Last Day of School — Today is the final day of the 2016-17 Fairfax County Public Schools year. Congratulations to all the students and enjoy your time off!
Fourth of July Schedule in Herndon — It’s only a couple weeks away. Get ready for the July 4 celebration in Herndon, which will take place at the Herndon Community Center and will culminate with fireworks choreographed to music. [Town of Herndon]
SLHS Students Get Arduino Kits — STEM Engineering students at the school recently received Arduino kits. An Arduino consists of a physical programmable circuit board and a piece of software that is used to write and upload computer code. The kits were funded by a $4,000 grant from AIS Inc. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
‘Field Guide’ to Ticks — Fairfax County has provided a list of need-to-know information about ticks, which have been out with great force this season. [Fairfax County]
Metro Work in Evening Hours — After 10 p.m. tonight, Saturday and Sunday, the Silver Line will only run from Wiehle-Reston East to Ballston. This is due to work on the Orange and Silver lines. [WTOP]
Folk Music Tonight at Lake Anne — The “Take A Break” concert series at Lake Anne Plaza will continue tonight with a performance by contemporary folk artists Sweater Set. [Lake Anne Plaza]
Car Hits Pole in Reston — A Wednesday evening crash on Lawyers Road at Soapstone Drive took out power and closed the road. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Fireworks Safety Urged — Fireworks can turn a holiday into a tragedy within seconds when illegal and dangerous fireworks are being used. Fire officials have released a video to promote fireworks safety this July Fourth. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/YouTube]
Shared-Use Path Planned — A meeting June 29 will discuss a proposed path from the future Innovation Station Metro station kiss-and-ride on the north side of the Dulles Toll Road. [Fairfax County Department of Transportation]
Photo via @butler_law on Twitter
Volunteers Needed for Kids’ Triathlon — Help is needed for many different aspects of the annual Reston Kids’ Triathlon, scheduled for the morning of Sunday, Aug. 6. [Sign Up Genius]
Great Falls Woman Dies in Crash — Mai-Huong Nguyen, a 73-year-old woman from Great Falls, died Tuesday after her car ran off the road and struck a utility pole on Riverbend Road. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Reston Businesses Named to ‘Top Workplace’ Lists — The Washington Post has released its annual “Top Workplace” lists, and numerous businesses with ties to Reston are on them. [Washington Post]
Dulles Corridor Committee Meets Soon — The Dulles Corridor Advisory Committee will meet Friday, June 30 at 9:30 a.m. at the Center for Innovative Technology (2214 Rock Hill Road, Herndon). The public is invited. [Dulles Toll Road]
Local Man Wins Bay Swim — Andrew Gyenis, a 22-year-old from Herndon, scored the best time in the recent 26th Annual Great Chesapeake Bay Swim. He crossed the bay in 1 hour, 29 minutes. [Bay Weekly]
Photo via @maddy_davison on Twitter
SLHS Class of 2017 Graduates Tonight — The event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Eagle Bank Arena on the campus of George Mason University. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Nationwide Vigils for Nabra Hassanen — The Women’s Initiative for Self Empowerment has planned numerous vigils across the nation in honor of Nabra Hassanen, the Reston teen who was killed Sunday. Events are scheduled in DC, New York, Philadelphia, Boston and more. [WISE/Facebook]
Connolly Talks Issues — Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) held a town-hall meeting Monday night in Reston. Check out his Twitter feed to see what was discussed. [Gerry Connolly/Twitter]
Volunteers Sought for Century Ride — The 35th annual ride is scheduled for Aug. 27, and helpers are needed for planning, rest stops and cleanup. [Reston Bike Club]
Photo of Reston sunset courtesy Lizette Badillo Ryan
Update: Police Not Looking at Teen’s Death as Hate Crime — The Fairfax County Police Department says the killing of a 17-year-old Muslim girl from Reston is not being investigated as bias-motivated. We are continuing to follow this story and will provide more information as it becomes available. [Fairfax County Police Department/Twitter]
Connolly Hosting Town Hall Tonight — Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) will host a town-hall meeting at Sunset Hills Montessori School (11180 Ridge Heights Road) from 7-8:30 p.m. tonight. The congressman will provide a congressional update and then take audience questions. [Eventbrite]
County Seeks Volunteers for Attack Prep — The Fairfax County Health Department has robust plans in place to respond to a wide-scale bioterrorism attack. Volunteers are needed to help with a training exercise Saturday, July 29. [Fairfax County Health Department]
County Office for Children Gets Grant — The grant will allow the office to work with high-quality family child care programs in areas of Fairfax County with concentrated poverty to provide preschool services for eligible children. [Gov. Terry McAuliffe]
Herndon Woman Sees Central Asia — Cathy Alifrangis says her special birthday journey to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan was filled with culture, history and pleasant surprises. [Washington Post]
Colts Neck Tennis Courts Closed — Drainage work and resurfacing at the courts will have them closed for about a month. [Reston Association/Twitter]
More Work on Toll Road This Weekend — Overnight work is planned tonight through Monday between Fairfax County Parkway and Reston Parkway, as crews continue construction of the Reston Town Center Metrorail station in the median of the Dulles Access Highway. [Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project]
Free Smoothie for National Flip Flop Day — Tropical Smoothie Café (11684 Plaza America Drive) is giving a free Sunshine Smoothie to anyone who comes in wearing flip flops between 2 and 7 p.m. today. Blaire from “The Jack Diamond Morning Show” will be there as well. [Mix 107.3/Twitter]
Teen Star Talks About Growing Up in Reston — Jacob Sartorius says he faced a lot of bullying in school. The 14-year-old is becoming a sensation, though, with 14 million followers on the app Musical.ly, 7 million followers on Instagram and more than 2 million subscribers to his YouTube channel. [Asbury Park Press]
