Tower Crane To Be Removed Next Weekend — Crews will remove a tower crane from the median of the Dulles International Airport Access Highway between the Fairfax County Parkway overpass and the Reston Parkway overpass, June 2-5. The crane has been working on the future Reston Town Center Metro station. [Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project]
VideoBlocks Moving to Arlington — After announcing last year that the company would be moving from Reston to Arlington, subscription stock video service VideoBlocks has settled on a location. [Washington Business Journal]
Fairfax 275 Committee To Meet Here — The 275th Commemoration Steering Committee will meet at Lake Anne Brew House on June 1, celebrating the county’s official anniversary month and gearing up for the Historically Fairfax: 275th Celebration Fair, June 17. [Facebook]
Church Celebrating Centenarian’s Birthday — Virginia M. Calloway, the oldest member of the Heritage Fellowship Church on Fox Mill Road, will turn 104 on June 4. [Reston Connection]
Pair of Meetings Set for Tonight — The third community meeting on the County’s proposed zoning ordinance amendment to increase the density cap in Reston’s Planned Residential Community District is tonight at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at Lake Anne Elementary School (11510 North Shore Drive). In addition, the Hunters Woods/Dogwood District meeting with RA Board Director Victoria White is tonight from 7-8:30 p.m. at Southgate Community Center (12125 Pinecrest Road).
RTC Rooftop Video Being Investigated — Boston Properties says it is working with police to investigate after a video posted to YouTube shows someone sneaking onto the roof of the One Freedom Square building at Reston Town Center. The individual is also seen in the video going into rooms that appear to be for staff only. [Reston Patch]
Sobriety Checkpoint Scheduled — County police will have a checkpoint set up within the boundaries of the Reston District on Friday night, from 11:15 p.m. to 2:15 a.m. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Pool To Be Closed for Four Days — In an emailed announcement, Reston Community Center says the Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center will be closed from Tuesday, June 6 to Friday, June 9 in order to conduct soil testing around the pool. According to the announcement, “this testing is necessary for proper maintenance and improvement of the aquatics center. The pool and spa will resume their regular schedule of rentals, classes and drop-in programs on Saturday, June 10. Reston Community Center Hunter Woods will remain open for non-pool activities during the closure.”
LeAnn Rimes Headlining Tysons Concert Series — Nine concerts are planned in June and July at The Plaza at Tysons Corner Center. Highlights include LeAnn Rimes (July 28) and James Arthur (June 22). [Tysons Corner Center]
SLHS Sports Teams Have Big Week — Boys tennis and boys soccer both have playoff matchups tonight, while varsity baseball and outdoor track and field have their regional events later this week. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
New Herndon Official to Start June 1 — Tammy L. Chastain has been hired as the town’s new deputy director of Public Works. [Town of Herndon]
Real Estate Professional Marks 40 Years — Carol Welsh marked the anniversary with Long & Foster’s Reston office last week. She is an active member of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors. She is a lifetime member of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors’ Million Dollar Sales Club and Top Producers Club. She is also a member of the Founder’s Club of the Long & Foster Gold Team, and she is an accredited staging professional. [Long & Foster]
County Libraries Sharing Backpacks — The packs include a parking pass for Virginia State Parks, items to help kids explore the outdoors and much more. There are 32 available for loan from the county’s library branches. [Fairfax County]
No Charges Against Officer In Herndon Shooting — The Fairfax County police officer who shot and killed 32-year-old Mohammad Azim Doudzai, ending a chaotic hostage/barricade situation in January, will not face charges. The Fairfax County Police Department will conduct an internal investigation in accordance with its standard operating procedures. [Fairfax County]
Firm Invests in Breast Milk — Reston-based venture firm PROOF and its investors are putting $3.25 million into Prolacta Bioscience Inc., which uses breast milk to make products for premature, critically ill babies. PROOF has also invested in drone delivery company Zipline, legal research and publishing startup Casetext, and beauty products data and marketing company Memebox. [Washington Business Journal]
Local Students Honored at FBLA Conference — At the recent 2017 Virginia Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) State Leadership Conference, held in Reston, a number of local student took home accolades. Among the winners were South Lakes High School students Davi Meran (first place, securities and investments); Ian Hughes (third place, economics); Ayah Elnafe, Jennifer Alvarez and Rabia Mohamednur (third place, public service announcement); Juhi Chandrabhatha, Rachel Kessler and Jesse Lynch (third place, global business); Conor Gill, Jarius Johnson and Noah Goldstein (fourth place, business ethics); and Ahmed Rabani (fifth place, sales presentation). From Herndon High School, winners were Adam Asif (first place, advertising), Cyril Antoney (second place, organizational leadership) and Rahbar Chowdhury (second place, spreadsheet applications). [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Board President Addresses Pool Schedule — Sherri Hebert, president of the Reston Association Board of Directors, says RA’s pool schedule is broken into six sessions this year in the effort to maximize association resources. She says the board will be looking at each line item in the 2017-18 budget “to identify ways to shift funds to meet the community’s requests as they apply to pools and other matters.” [Reston Association]
Television Interview at RTC Cut Short — When a local television crew came to Reston Town Center to do a story on the effects of paid parking, they had to move across the street after security told them “photography is no longer allowed on the Town Center’s site.” [WHAG]
Bojangles’ Coming to Northern Virginia — The restaurant chain has a multiunit development agreement with a new franchisee that will bring its Southern-style chicken joints to the area. No news yet on how many are coming or where they will be. [Washington Business Journal]
Registration Open for Women’s 5K — Reston Runners will put on the “Seize the Day” women’s 5K on Saturday, June 17. The course is on Reston Association pathways. [Reston Runners]
Hot Weather Continues Today — The DC area had weather hotter than nearly anywhere else in the country Wednesday, including a record high of 91 at Dulles International Airport. Temperatures are expected to be similar today and Friday. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue has issued information to help people avoid heat-related illness. [Washington Post]
Bicycle Commuting Up in DC, But Not Here — A report shows that the nation’s capital now has the third-highest percentage of bicycle commuters among major cities in the nation, 4 percent. The number has nearly doubled from 2010. However, in Fairfax County, only about 0.3 percent of commuters ride to work. The difference is in part due to lacking infrastructure, says the Fairfax Alliance for Better Biking. [WTOP]
Cicadas Making Early Entrance — Thousands of the bugs have already turned up in the region, four years ahead of their regular schedule. The 17-year cycle on Brood X means this is just a precursor of a major emergence in 2021. [WAMU]
SLHS Track Teams Tops Again — The boys and girls track teams at South Lakes High School have won their conference championships. It’s the seventh title in a row for the girls and the fourth for the boys. [Press Release]
Commentary: Increased Class Sizes Will Hurt — An advocate for Class Size Matters says Fairfax County Public Schools’ plan to increase average class size by half a student per room will have “a negative impact on students’ ability to learn and succeed, and on teachers’ ability to teach.” An online petition is opposing the increase. [Reston Connection]
Record Highs Possible Today — The National Weather Service is predicting high temperatures in the low 90s for the entire region today. The record high at Dulles International Airport for this day in history is 89, set in 1986. [National Weather Service/Twitter]
First RA Board District Meeting Tonight — Residents of the South Lakes District are invited to attend a meeting with their representative on the Reston Association Board of Directors, Julie Bitzer, tonight from 7-8:30 p.m. at Terraset Elementary School (11411 Ridge Heights Road). [Reston Association]
SLHS Grad Honored for Social Activism — Ainsley Eakins, a 2014 graduate of South Lakes High School, has been honored with the Wesleyan University’s Social Activism Award. It is given for exemplifying the spirit of social activism and helping constructive social change happen. According to her LinkedIn page, Eakins is a member of a Student Advisory Committee task force assigned to develop a student resource center for marginalized groups on campus. [Wesleyan University]
File photo via Fabio Rossi/Flickr
SLHS Students Help at ‘Senior’ Prom — Members of Interact (pictured) recently volunteered at the Senior Senior prom, an annual dance and lunch for senior citizens, and a favorite club activity. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Water Main Break Still Affecting Herndon Parkway — A water main break Monday afternoon on Herndon Parkway between Spring and Grove streets is still being patched this morning. The inner loop is open to one-way traffic; the outer loop remains closed. Water service restoration is underway and is expected to be completed later this morning. Drivers are advised to use alternate routes. [Town of Herndon/Facebook]
Lake Fairfax Picnic Areas Closed Weekdays — Several picnic areas at Lake Fairfax Park will not be available on weekdays through June 30 because of the ongoing stream restoration project at the park, which has been delayed by weather. Rental areas will remain available on weekends. [Fairfax County Park Authority]
Photo courtesy Fairfax County Public Schools
Tenants Unhappy at Cosmopolitan — Residents of the luxury apartment building in Reston Town Center (1855 St. Francis St.) say the property management company is slow to respond to complaints and address safety concerns. They are organizing in the attempt to get the building’s owners to treat them better. [Fairfax County Times]
SLHS Alumnus Named to Virginia High School Hall of Fame — Among the inductees this year is Alan Webb, a 2001 graduate of South Lakes. Webb, who competed in the men’s 1,500-meter competition at the 2004 Summer Olympics, set a new U.S. high school record for the 2,000-meter race while at South Lakes, and was the first high school student to run a sub-4 minute mile in indoor track. In his senior year, he was named High School Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Great Falls Fire Department Marks 75 Years — A product of civil defense in World War II, the volunteer fire department was founded May 5, 1942. There were 29 founding members, mostly farmers and shopkeepers. Great Falls historian Karen Washburn shares more details about its history in a 4-minute video. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]
SoccerFest Coming to Lake Fairfax — The tournament, June 24-25, is open to children and adults of all skill levels. Early-bird registration pricing is available through May 26, and registration will close June 16. [Fairfax County Park Authority]
(Updated at 12:10 p.m. after Reston Association’s annual Community Yard Sale was postponed.)
Another SafeTrack Surge Starts Next Week — Metro’s latest round of work will have five stations on the east end of the Orange Line closed, which will also affect Silver Line traffic. Tuesday through June 15, trains will operate between Wiehle-Reston East and Stadium-Armory only every 12 minutes. This means more than 50 percent fewer trains during morning peak hours. Fairfax County is suggesting alternatives for commuters, including car pooling and buses. [WMATA]
League of American Cyclists Honors County — Fairfax County has been recognized with Bronze-level status as a Bicycle Friendly Community. It is one of 416 communities nationwide that have been honored. [Fairfax County]
Community Yard Sale Postponed to Sunday — With rain in the forecast, Reston Association’s annual Community Yard Sale has been postponed from Saturday. It will now be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon Sunday at 1900 Campus Commons Drive, at the corner of Sunrise Valley Drive and Wiehle Avenue. Those planning to attend are still encouraged to call 703-435-6577 after 4:30 a.m. Sunday to check the event’s status. [Reston Association]
County Embracing Driverless Future — Fairfax County is the testing ground for self-driving cars and connected infrastructure in Virginia. Officials recently brought in autonomous-vehicle experts, policymakers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs to share their research. [Fairfax County]
Reston Couple Share Love Story — Roger and Anita Lowen are approaching 50 years of marriage. It all started, they remember, with a prank call. [Washington Post]
‘BrouHaHa’ Returns to Reston — For one night only, Happenstance Theater Company will bring the funny and poignant show “BrouHaha” back to CenterStage at the Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road). RCC staff describe the show as “a funny and poetic escapade inspired by images of refugees fleeing on foot, Edwardian workers, cinematic treasures like ‘La Strada’ and ‘The Seventh Seal,’ and the existential comedy of Samuel Beckett.” The curtain rises at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. [Reston Community Center]
Police: Herndon Shoplifter Fights Officer — Police say a 48-year-old Fairfax County woman started a physical fight with the officer who tried to detain her when she was caught trying to steal merchandise from a Kohl’s department store in Herndon on Tuesday. The incident earned her a trip to jail, and charges of grand larceny and resisting arrest. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Reston Chorale Plans 50th-Anniversary Retrospective — In celebration of the group’s 50th anniversary, the Reston Chorale will present a special concert entitled “A Season to Remember” this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive). Musical numbers will include past favorites as well as works composed especially for The Reston Chorale. Alumni and friends of the group are invited to bring sheet music and join in for Handel’s “Messiah.” Adult tickets range from $20-$30. Youth under 17 and active military are free, but need to reserve tickets. [Reston Chorale]
Woman in Viral Trader Joe’s Video Speaks to Local TV Station — Fox5 DC said Tuesday that a woman claiming to be the one in a viral video making strong anti-Muslim statements to an American-born Muslim woman at the Reston Trader Joe’s had called the station to discuss the incident. Though the woman declined to give her name or to be recorded, the reporter who spoke with the caller said the woman said she has been “very upset” since the video came out, and that her side of the conversation had been “taken out of context.” The woman reportedly said that a portion of the conversation that took place before filming began was left out, and that the Muslim woman she was speaking to had actually started the conversation by making strong statements against the U.S. The woman said she and her family have been seeking legal counsel because they have received threats since the video was posted online. [Fox 5]
All High Schools in Fairfax County Make List of Country’s Best — All high schools in the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) District made the Washington Post’s 2017 list of the top high schools in the U.S. Criteria included how rigorous and demanding the school’s curriculum is, along with how well the schools challenge the average student. Rankings were determined by the number of college-level tests given to students compared with the number of graduates each year. Oakton High ranked the highest among all of the FCPS high schools, coming in at No. 168 out of 2,300 schools. Reston’s South Lakes High ranked No. 702, and nearby Herndon High ranked No. 422. [Washington Post]
Officials Say Metro’s Silver Line Extension is Halfway Complete — Loudoun County officials said this week that Phase 2 of construction of the Silver Line extension is now 50-percent complete. The extension will add six more stations to the Silver Line – three of which will be located in Fairfax County, and three in Loudoun, including stations at Dulles Airport, at Loudoun Gateway/Route 606, and in Ashburn. The extension will bring the Silver Line to a total of 23.1 miles. Loudoun Supervisors reportedly awarded the final $51,000 for Phase 2 to S.B. Ballard Construction Company last week to design and build the final Metro parking structures for the extension. [Loudoun Times-Mirror]
Reston Family Yard Sale Taking Place Saturday — At least 90 families are signed up to sell their use treasures this Saturday, May 13 for the massive Reston Family Yard Sale at 1900 Campus Commons Dr., at the corner of Sunrise Valley and Wiehle Avenue. The shopping frenzy is slated to begin at 8:30 a.m. when the gates open. If the weather looks questionable Saturday morning, call 703-435-6577 for a recorded message. Rain date is May 14. All vendor spaces are sold out. [Reston Now Events]
Congress Ponies Up $150 Million Again For Metro — According to a statement from Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-10th), Congress late last week reaffirmed its yearly promise for 2017 to give the D.C. Metro system $150 million, matching the sum of the $50-million contributions each made by Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. The matching grant agreement dates back to 2008, when Congress voted to create the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) by which Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia each contribute $50 million annually for Metro’s capital needs, which is then matched by $150 million in federal funds. Each year since, Congress has followed through and presented its share of the funds. [Loudoun Times-Mirror]
Reston’s Production of ‘Private Lives’ Gets Positive Review — Reston Community Players’ CenterStage production of Noel Coward’s iconic “Private Lives” opened this past weekend and is already racking up positive reviews. The D.C. Metro Theater Arts blog gave it a lengthy and complimentary review, calling it one of the group’s “classiest acts,” and praising both set designer Maggie Modig’s creations as well as William Chrapcynski’s sound design, proclaiming them “flawless.” “Private Lives” has several more show dates through May 20, including a Mother’s Day matinee. [D.C. Metro Theatre Arts]
Alexandria Schools Delayed, Locked Down Due to Armed Robbery — Fairfax County police reported Tuesday morning that several schools in the Alexandria area were on delayed start and/or were locked down after an armed robbery took place nearby in the 5900 block of Edgehill Drive, including Mt. Eagle and Cameron Run elementary schools. Air support and K9 dog units were assisting police in searching for a suspect, described as a white male in his 20s to 30s, about 6’1″ tall, wearing white shoes, dark shorts and a blue-gray jacket. [Fairfax County Police/Twitter]
South Lakes Student is Conference Player for Second Year — Matt Hughes has been named Liberty Conference Player of the Year for the second year in a row. Hughes largely credits the skills he honed with the Herndon-Reston Youth Lacrosse team. Hughes and his fellow HRYL alum, Dodson Piotrowski, were first-team All-Conference selections this year. Hughes has committed to playing Division 1 lacrosse at Mercer next year. [Fairfax Times]
Reston Firm Has Innovative Mobile Tech — After filing for bankruptcy in 2012, Reston-based LightSquared has re-emerged as a strong contender in the mobile services industry. With a new name, Ligado, the firm has promised to deliver the world’s first wireless network using ground-based airwaves, which many in the industry had long considered “unsuitable” for cellular use. Taking it one step further, Ligado says it also plans to join that capability with a satellite hovering above North America. The pairing is expected to benefit both industrial commercial customers as well as the average smartphone user. [The Ledger]
Reston Men Nabbed for Fishing Violations — Two Reston men were among nine persons caught by Maryland Natural Resources Police and charged with catching and hiding more than 150 undersized bass fish in a prohibited area — Fishing Creek Bridge in Dorchester County, Maryland — between April 27 to May 4. All nine have been charged with catching more than their share and keeping undersized bass. Each charge can carry a fine of up to $1,500. [WMDT-TV]
Invasive Plant Removal this Weekend — Join Habitat Heroes this Saturday, May 6 to help remove invasive plants from around the Glade Recreation Area (11550 Glade Dr.). Members say, “Reston’s native trees, ferns and wildflowers are under attack by invasive plants like English ivy, Japanese honeysuckle and bamboo. These fast-growing, aggressive plants escape from people’s yards and threaten local ecosystems, taking away vital food and habitat from already stressed wildlife populations.” No expertise is needed, members will teach you anything you need to know to help. Reston Association will provide some tools, gloves, snacks and water, but you can bring your own gardening gloves if you have some. [Habitat Heroes/SignUp Genius]
Lyft Offering Local Sober Rides Friday Night for Cinco de Mayo — Lyft is partnering with the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) to offer free rides of up to $15 Friday night for adults enjoying cocktails in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. The first 1,500 D.C.-area customers to enter the promo code “CINCODC” will get $15 free toward a ride. Good for both new and existing customers. Must be 21 and older. Promotion offered between 7 p.m. Friday and 4 a.m. Saturday. [WRAP/Sober Ride]
Herndon Man Charged With Sexually Abusing Teen For Four Years — Eric W. Judy, a 54-year-old Herndon man, has been arrested and charged with sexually abusing a teen boy over a period of four years. The boy, now 17 years old, recently told authorities that the man had been abusing him since May of 2013, when he was 13 years old. According to police, the man was a “family friend” who regularly spent time with the boy and took him on trips. Fairfax County police arrested Judy on Wednesday night. He is being held without bond in Loudoun County. [WJLA]
