Car Tax Payments Due Today — Today is the last day to pay the county’s personal property tax — also known as the car tax. Tax relief is available for some residents. [Fairfax County Government]

School Bond Referendum Moves Forward — The school bond referendum on county ballots calls for $360 million for school renovations, planning and design, and one site acquisition. [Reston Patch]

County Upgrades App — The county’s latest app now includes on-screen notifications. It also allows users to pay taxes, receive permits, arrange inspections and get access to the county’s calendar. [Fairfax County Government]

Transportation Career Fair This Week — The Virginia Department of Transportation’s Northern Virginia office is hosting a transportation workforce career fair on Oct. 7. The event is virtual. [VDOT]

Body of Missing Man Found — The body of Ganesh Chandrabhata, 60, who was last seen in the area of River Bend Park in Great Falls, was found over the weekend along the shore of the Potomac River in Prince George’s County in Maryland. [Fairfax County Police Department]

Reston Garden Club Celebrates 50 Years — The club celebrated its anniversary with three gifts, including a bench next to The Lake House and $500 for native plants at the Walker Nature Center. [Reston Association]

Attempted Robbery in Reston — A man and a woman attempted to rob a man while was he walking his dog on Sept. 21 along the 1200 block of Exbury Street. No injuries were reported. [FCPD]

Stuff the Bus Returns — The county government and local nonprofit organizations are collecting nonperishable food donations for the annual drive. The next drive takes place on Saturday at various locations between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]

Yard Waste Piles Up in Fairfax County — Fairfax County collects solid waste and recycling for about 10 percent of its residents. Some residents say the job just isn’t getting done. The county says an unprecedented labor shortage is to blame. [NBC4]

Herndon Police Investigate Burglary — Someone broke into a home on the 1000 block of Elden Street on Sept. 25 some time between 3-11:30 p.m. The case is under investigation. [Herndon Police Department]

Town of Herndon Releases Annual Report — Town Manager Bill Ashton presented the town’s annual report for the fiscal year. He offers details on how the town responded to the pandemic. “From a town operations perspective, COVID-19 forced us to quickly adapt and pivot to new ways of doing things,” Ashton writes. [Town of Herndon]

Local Pumpkin Patch Options — Michael O’Connell from Patch rounds up some local options for visiting pumpkins patches, including Reston Farm Market and Cox Farms. [Reston Patch]

Cornerstones Celebrates 50 Years — The nonprofit organization will celebrate its 50th anniversary at Reston Community Center tonight. The event begins at 6 p.m. [Cornerstones]

Reston Community Players Launches New Program — The organization has launched a new apprenticeship program for students between the ages of 12 and 18. The opportunity involves 10 performances at Reston Community Center’s CenterStage. [Reston Patch]

Fire Department Cancels Fill the Boot Event — The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has once again canceled its in-person “Fill the Boot” event for muscular dystrophy this year. The decision was made due to increasing cases of COVID-19. [FCFRD]

County Stops Using Blotter Due to Data Concerns — The Fairfax County Police Department has stopped using an arrest blotter following concerns that the data could be used to deport immigrants. [The Washington Post]

More on Yesterday’s Loud Boom — An enormous loud boom that reverberated throughout Northern Virginia was most certainly caused by lightning, according to a radar snapshot of thundershowers. [The Washington Post]

Reston Company Lands Big Contract — Noblis, a Reston-based company, has secured a five-year, $263 million contract from the Department of Defense’s defense threat reduction agency. [Virginia Business Monthly]

Pfizer Booster Shots Now Available — Beginning today, the Fairfax County Health Department will begin providing booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine. Four groups of people are eligible for the dose. [Fairfax County Government]

Reston-based Company Makes List of Top Employers – Maximus, a government service provider, was included in Forbes’ annual list of America’s best employers for diversity. JLL, a business services and supplies company, topped the list. [Forbes]

Local Tennis Courts Closed — The tennis courts at Lake Anne will be closed today and tomorrow due to court painting, according to Reston Association. [RA]

Public Hearings on RA Budget Set — The Board of Directors will hold public hearings on its proposed budget on Oct. 13 and Nov. 10. The budget is currently under development. [RA]

Reston Company Helps Dump Data — A Reston-based data privacy and governance software provider company called ActiveNav wants to help companies dump extra data. The company created a new tool that helps others analyze what data is toxic or vulnerable. [Technical.ly]

Proposed Plea Deal in Alleged Child Rapist Case Rejected — A Fairfax County judge rejected a proposed plea deal between prosecutors and a man accused of repeatedly raping a girl — a rare step that cast some doubt on evidence presented by the Herndon Police Department’s investigators. The three-year sentence was perceived as too lenient. [The Washington Post]

County Health Department Waits for Guidance on Booster Shots — The county’s health department is waiting on federal and state partners to determine when to begin offering booster shots to residents who have already received the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19. [Fairfax County Government]

Multiple Vehicles Broken Into in Town of Herndon — On Saturday, someone broke into at least eleven vehicles and took items. All vehicles were unlocked. [Herndon Police Department]

County Executive and Health Director Honored by Park Board — The Fairfax County Park Authority Board honored Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill and the health department’s director Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu with the Chairman’s Choice Awards. [Fairfax County Government]

Statewide Showcase of Bands Comes to Herndon HS — Herndon High School will host the kick-off of the annual marching band competition season at a special event n Saturday. Over 25 bands from the region will perform throughout the day. [The Pride of Herndon]

Flood Watch in Effect — A flood watch is in effect though the afternoon today. So be on the lookout for potential flooding. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]

Herndon Man Allegedly Uses Belt to Restrain Student — A music teacher from Herndon tried to restrain a disruptive student with his belt at an elementary school Sept. 15 in Fauquier County, police said. The 23-year-old was charged Monday with assault, battery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and he was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. [Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office]

Reston Multicultural Festival Returns — The annual festival, which is organized by Reston Community Center, returns to Lake Anne Plaza on Saturday. [WUSA9]

Feedback on Bus Service Sought — The county’s Department of Transportation is seeking the public’s feedback as it explores ways to improve the Fairfax Connector’s bus service. [Patch]

Senior Movie Day Returns — Reston Association’s senior movie day returns to Bow Tie Cinema in Reston Town Center today. Doors open at 9:15 a.m. and the movie — Queen Bees — begins at 10 a.m. The event began in 1994 and was paused roughly 18 months ago due to the pandemic. [Reston Today]

Police Chief Issues Alert After Overdoses — The Fairfax County Police Department’s police chief alerted the community yesterday after six people overdosed in one morning in Falls Church. All six adults ranged from 23 to 35 years of age. [Fairfax County Police Department]

County Community Transmission Still High — COVID-19 transmission in the county is still high, although more than 62 percent of the county’s population is fully vaccinated. The county’s health department offered an update to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors this week. [Fairfax County Government]

An Update on Early Voting — So far, more than 2,600 people have voted in person so far during the first three days of early voting. Three voting sites are open during weekdays in the county. [Fairfax County Government]

Vaccine Mandate In Effect for Chamber Events — The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce is requiring attendees of in-person events to show proof of vaccination. Fully vaccinated attendees will not be required to wear a face mask. While some exceptions may be made, attendees who are not vaccinated can provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of the event. [Reston Patch]

Polo Tennis Court Closed — The tennis court will be closed for refurbishments beginning today. Repairs are expected to take between two and three weeks. [Reston Association]

Local Elementary School Earns High Honors — Sunrise Valley Elementary School has been named the 14th best elementary school in Fairfax County, according to a national ranking. [Reston Patch]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

County to Deploy Mobile COVID-19 Testing — The county is deploying a mobile lab to provide testing in several locations beginning tomorrow. Individuals who have COVID-19 symptoms can get tested. Sites selected to boost access to testing in areas with a higher number of cases. [Fairfax County Government]

Volunteers Needed for Multicultural Festival — Reston Community Center is looking for volunteers to help set up the Set. 24 event, along with parking attendants, activity assistants, and survey takers. [Reston Association]

Fairfax County Police Chief Tap Executive Deputy — Brian Reilly, formerly of the Prince George’s County Police Department is officially Fairfax County’s executive deputy police. [Fairfax County Police Department]

Photo via vantagheill/Flickr

Herndon Prepares for Metro — Town officials reflect on how they’re preparing for Metro’s arrival. The town has 38 acres of developable land north of the new Metro station. [Washington Business Journal]

Aslin Beer Co. to Expand — The brewery, which has locations in Alexandria and Herndon, is opening a 7,000-square-foot taproom in The Terminal, a large redevelopment of Pittsburg. [Washington Business Journal]

QR Codes Now Available to Verify Vaccine Status — The state’s health department has announced that QR codes are now available to verify an individual’s vaccination status. Virginia is now the fifth state in the country to adopt the QR code method. [Fairfax County Government]

Sweetgreen Temporarily Closed in Reston Town Center — Sweetgreen has temporarily closed its location at 1824 Library Street because of water damage. The company expects to reopen its doors soon, but no word yet on exactly when that might happen. [Sweetgreen]

Reston Multicultural Festival Returns Later This Month — After a pause last year due to the pandemic, the Reston Multicultural Festival is back this year on Sept. 25. Organized by Reston Community Center, the festival will include arts and crafts, entertainment, food, a global market and family activities. [RCC]

State Issues Notice About Measles Cases in Northern Virginia — Five people were diagnosed with measles in the area, prompting the Virginia Department of Health to issue an alert about possible exposure. The individuals recently traveled from Afghanistan. Most U.S. residents receive measles vaccinations during childhood. [Virginia Department of Health]

Reston Company Announces Merger — Reston-based education technology giant Blackboard is merging with a Florida-based software company called Anthology. The terms of the deal were not publicly disclosed. [Technical.ly]