Driver Hits, Injures Woman and Two Kids in Herndon — A motorist crashed into a woman and her two children in Herndon yesterday evening. The collision happened near the intersection of Centreville Road and McNair Farms Drive around 3:22 p.m. yesterday. The woman and her kids all sustained non-life-threatening injuries. [WJLA]
Reston Station Development Gets Top Floor — The OB1 office tower going up at Reston Station has finally topped out at the 16th floor. The structural engineers at Thornton Tomasetti posted photos of the progress on its blog this week. Once complete, the building will have space for offices, a restaurant and eight floors of below-ground parking, right next to the Metro stop. [Thorton Tomasetti]
Record Number of Degrees and Certificates Earned in 2016 in Virginia — According to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, Virginians earned the largest number of higher-education degrees and certificates Virginia institutions this year than in any other period in history. That’s 49,726 from public institutions plus 7,179 from private institutions, for an increase of nearly 4 percent over last year. [Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce]
How Reston Compares to Rest of Virginia in Commute Time — The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest American Community Survey examines the average commute length of areas across the country. Reston Patch took the 76 areas of Virginia the survey reported on and ranked them from best to worst. Are you surprised that both Herndon and Reston ranked in the top 10 best, with averages of only 25 to 29 minutes? Nearby Dulles ranked in the bottom third with 37 minutes. [Reston Patch]
Fairfax County Home Sales Flat, Unemployment Slightly Up — Between July and October of this year, home sales saw a tiny bump of 0.4 percent, homes were on the market for eight fewer days and home prices were up about 1.5 percent on average when compared to the same period last year. One area that went down, however, was jobs. September’s unemployment rate in the county was up about 0.1 percentage point from this time last year, bringing it to 3.3 percent. [Fairfax County]
Someone is Stealing Holiday Decorations in Reston — Someone is stealing Christmas decorations in one Reston neighborhood. Could it be the Grinch? [Reston Patch]
U.S. Attorney General Speaks at Interfaith Event — U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch delivered a keynote address during a meeting of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Monday morning. The gathering included included Muslims, Christians, Jews, Sikhs, Buddhists and Hindus. “When one is threatened, we are all threatened,” Lync said. “That’s the pledge we made as citizens.” [Reston Connection]
Fairfax Police Respond to Stabbing at Dunn Loring Metro Stop — Someone stabbed a person and then hopped aboard an eastbound Orange Line train at the Dunn Loring Metro stop in Vienna earlier this morning, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. [Washington Post]
Ice to Meet You — The Reston area saw some ice over the weekend. Did the wintry weather affect your Saturday at all? [Twitter]
Local Home Sales Boosted –– Home sales in Reston and the surrounding areas were up 22 percent over the same month last year, according to a recent report from a realty company. The median home price dropped by about 1 percent, but with inventory down, homes were snatched up quickly. [Reston Patch]
Metro Finalizes New Hours — Metro is set to have new operating hours that are scheduled to go into effect after SafeTrack safety work is complete in July. Trains will run until 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 p.m. Sundays. [WTOP]
Will Snow Pummel Reston This Winter? — Long-range weather forecasts are indicating that Reston could have a snowy winter. [Reston Patch]
Reston Authors Discuss Books — Local website Modern Reston recently sat down with Reston authors Eric MacDicken and Kristina Alcorn, who authored a biography of Reston founder Bob Simon, as well as the new book, “Myths and Monsters of Reston, Virginia.” [Modern Reston]
Aviation Company Releases Aerial Footage of Reston — Vienna-based helicopter flight company Bussmann Aviation has put out an aerial video of Reston, apparently using a GoPro camera strapped to a drone. [Reston Patch]
Access to 911 Temporarily Blocked for Fairfax County Sprint Customers — Fairfax County Sprint cellphone users were unable to call 911 for several hours yesterday due to technical problems, though texts to the phone number still were working. [Fairfax County]
RA Fiscal Committee to Meet Monday — Reston Association’s Fiscal Committee will meet on Monday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at RA Headquarters (120001 Sunrise Valley Drive). The Fiscal Committee is tasked with reviewing many of the RA’s financial matters, including member assessments, investments and insurance policies, and participates in meetings regarding preparation of the annual budget. The meeting is open to the public. [Reston Association]
Governor Announces Funding for Treatments for Mental Health Issues, Substance Abuse — Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Wednesday announced an increase to next year’s state budget to invest more than $30 million in treatments for mental and behavior health issues and combat substance abuse, including opioid addiction. McAuliffe said it is important to learn to treat problems, rather than just respond to crises. [Virginia.gov]
Reston 2020 Recaps MediaWorld Meeting — Reston 2020, a local citizens’ group that advocates on community planning, published a lengthy post on its website recapping last week’s Reston Association board meeting on contract negotiations with MediaWorld to review the Tetra/Lake House budget overrun. [Reston 2020]
McAuliffe Proposes Pay Increase for Virginia Teachers, State Workers — Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Tuesday announced that he is proposing a 1.5 percent pay increase that would go into effect for Virginia teachers and state workers beginning in December 2017, if approved by the General Assembly. The merit increase would come with a $130 million price tag. [Reston Patch]
Reston Pastor: Church Attendance Up Since Election Day — Rev. Debra Haffner of Reston’s Unitarian Universalist Church was recently interviewed by The Atlantic about how the atmosphere during her services has become more like “a funeral” since Donald Trump was elected president on Nov. 8, with a significant increase in attendance. [The Atlantic]
Car Crash Injures Fairfax County Police Chief — Fairfax County police chief Edwin C. Roessler Jr. received minor injuries in a car crash at Lee Highway and Stone Road last night. A motorist, who is “is being charged with DWI,” hit Roessler’s stopped cruiser after a police awards event, according to FCPD spokeswoman Julie Parker. [Washington Post]
New Development Coming Near Herndon Metro Station — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved last week the Woodland Park Waterview development near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station. Woodland Park Waterview will consist of 295 apartments in a five-story building, 56 townhomes and 32 attached four-story townhomes. [Fairfax County NewsWire]
Reston Association Board to Evaluate RA’s CEO Tonight — The Reston Association Board of Directors is set to hold a special meeting tonight at 7 p.m. at RA Headquarters (12001 Sunrise Valley Drive) to “review and evaluate the performance of the CEO on the goals established by the Board of Directors for 2016, and to consider the Board’s and CEO’s goals for 2017,” according to the panel. [Reston.org]
Hunters Woods, Forest Edge to Host Winter Break SACC Program — Fairfax County’s School-Age Child Care program will hold two weeks of a special winter break camp with the history theme, “Tangled Up Time.” The camps are set for the first four days of the weeks of Dec. 19 and Dec. 27. Twenty-three sites in the county will host the camps, including Reston’s Hunters Woods Community Center and Forest Edge Elementary School. [Fairfax County SACC]
Last Week to Donate to Toys For Tots — It’s down to the last few days to make a donation of new, unwrapped toys to the Fairfax County’s Toys For Tots program. The county’s fire and police stations will collect the gifts through Friday. [Fairfax County Fire & Rescue]
Reston 20/20 Lobbies for Open Sessions for MediaWorld Contract Negotiations — Reston 20/20, a local advocacy group focused on community planning, urged the Reston Association Board to conduct open sessions for contract negotiations with MediaWorld, the firm chosen to review the Tetra/Lake House budget overrun. The board decided to have a closed meeting to conduct contract discussions with the RA’s legal counsel. [Reston 20/20]
South Lakes Beats Herndon in Boys Basketball — The South Lakes High School boys varsity basketball team took on rival Herndon Hornets Friday evening and won, 79-67, bringing the squad to a 2-2 record this season. The Seahawks next will face Langley High School on Tuesday night. [South Lakes Athletics]
Former SkateQuest Cook Opens Restaurant — Nery Hernandez, who was the cook behind the counter at Reston’s SkateQuest Cafe, has opened Nery’s Pupuseria in Purcellville. She cooks up pupusas, flautas, curtido and her other favorites from her home country of El Salvador. [Fairfax Connection]
Senior Advisory Committee Seeks New Ideas – Reston Association’s 55+ Advisory Committee is looking for new ideas and fresh perspectives on the best programs, activities and services to benefit local senior citizens. Join the committee for its latest meeting this Tuesday from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at RA Headquarters (12001 Sunrise Valley Dive). [Reston.org]
Reston Native Stars in History Channel Show — Britt Ahart, who attended South Lakes High School and lived in the area for more than 30 years, is starring in the latest season of “Alone,” a show about stranding people in the middle of nowhere to see how they survive. [Reston Patch]
A Celebration of Christmas — Reston’s Washington Plaza Baptist Church (1615 Washington Plaza West) is inviting locals to come hear the choir sing festive holiday music at its annual Christmas concert Saturday from 4-5:30 p.m. A reception is scheduled to follow the free concert. The church is also collecting winter gloves for children and cans of food local charities. [WPBC/Facebook]
Know Someone Who Deserves to Be Recognized? — Cornerstones has opened nominations for its annual Best of Reston awards, which honor those who have given selflessly to the Reston/Dulles Corridor communities. This year’s awards include categories for Individual/Family, Civic/Community Group or Nonprofit, Employee-Owned Company or Small Business, Corporate/Large Business, and a special award, the Vade Bolton-Ann Rodriquez Legacy Award, with the theme “Entrusting Our Community’s Future.” [Cornerstones]
Commercial Trucks Pulled Out of Service for Safety Violations — Fairfax County Police randomly chose 10 commercial trucks operating in Reston on Tuesday and inspected them for safety compliance. Authorities found 35 safety violations, and four trucks were taken out of service for “serious safety violations.” [FCPD]
Hernon Residents Show Holiday Spirit in Annual Home Tour — Residents throughout the area showcased some of their favorite holiday decorations during the annual Holiday Homes Tour of Herndon. [Reston Connection]
What Lurks in the Woods of Reston? — Local authors Eric MacDicken and Kristina S. Alcorn will sign copies of and speak about their new book, “Myths and Monsters of Reston, Virginia,” at Scrawl Books independent bookstore (11862 Market St.) at Reston Town Center this Sunday from 3-5 p.m. The book details “the phenomenal and frightening findings” of “what lurks in the woods of Reston.” [Scrawl Books]
Winter Coat Closet Open For Residents in Need — The annual Hunter Mill District Winter Coat Closet is now open for underprivileged local residents to come and get a warm winter coat if they cannot afford to buy one. Coats are available now through March 18 in the Community Room of the North County Governmental Building (1801 Cameron Glen Drive). The Closet is also in need of donations of new as well as clean, gently-used coats, jackets, hats, gloves, mittens and scarves through Feb. 16, 2017. [Cornerstones]
Photo of sunrise over Reston via Twitter user @JGS.
In Defense of Political Theater Over the Silver Line — Metro board members Jack Evans and Corbett Price have threatened to veto the opening of the Silver Line to Dulles and Loudoun County if Virginia doesn’t help fund Metro more. In response, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) called those suggestions “parochial theater,” and labeled some board members’ comments “cheap and reckless.” Are they really? GGW’s David Alpert says maybe not. “Their argument about the Silver Line isn’t totally crazy,” he argues. “Still, it’s dangerous for one jurisdiction to block new service in another.” [Greater Greater Washington]
Beware of Package Thieves — The Fairfax County Police Department had at least 15 reports of packages being stolen from doorsteps across the county this past weekend, it said. The arrival of the holiday season generally means an uptick in package and mail theft. Whenever possible, police advise citizens to require a signature for package deliveries, ask that packages be delivered to neighbors if you will not be home, or have packages delivered to their offices. [Patch]
Reston Singing Groups to Open Registration — Two local singing groups for people over the age of 65 are opening to new members: Encore Reston Chorale, which performs classical choral music, and Encore Rocks Reston, which performs more contemporary and rock-and-roll music. Members do not need prior singing experience or know how to read music. Singers may also be seated during rehearsals and performances, if needed. Weekly rehearsals in Reston are scheduled to begin next month. [Encore Creativity]
Network, Celebrate, and Check Out New Reston Homes — The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce will host its annual holiday celebration, “Tinsle ‘n Tinis,” tomorrow from 6 to 9 p.m. in the rooftop bar at Reston Station’s BLVD apartment complex (1908 Reston Metro Plaza). Attendees can network with other local business professionals, celebrate the holiday season and enjoy festive martinis and hors d’oeuvres during the event. Proceeds from the event are slated to go toward a local education nonprofit. [Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce]
Fairfax County Police Respond to Annandale Shooting — Two women were shot and wounded after a fight outside of a home in Annandale last night. Fairfax County Police rushed to the scene of the crime around 6:30 p.m. yesterday. [NBC Washington]
A Winter Wonderland for Reston’s Young Ones — The Reston Association plans to welcome little ones to its annual Winter Wonderland celebration on Wednesday, Dec. 14, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Kids can enjoy holiday arts and crafts, games and a festive snack. Registration is $8 for RA members and $12 for non-members and must be made in advance. [Reston Association]
Reminder: GRACE to Unveil New Art Exhibition This Week — The Greater Reston Arts Center is slated to debut a new art show featuring the work of six visual artists this Friday. During the new art show, six artists will showcase work that explores “spirituality, modern life, and ecological concerns through a variety of delicate and precisely crafted cut paper.” [Reston Now]
Members of Congress Slammed Metro Board Friday — Members of the Metro Board appeared before Congress Friday and were not met with a warm welcome. In particular, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) called board member Corbett Price’s suggestion to cancel Virginia’s Silver Line extension “parochial theater,” and labeled some board members’ comments as “cheap and reckless.” [Washington Post]
Fairfax County to Settle Overtime Pay Lawsuit — The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that fire captains are due the overtime pay that they have been denied for years. The county had reportedly long been denying overtime to fire captains, arguing that they are “executives and administrators” that are not owed overtime pay according to law. A number of Fairfax County fire captains filed a lawsuit in 2014 saying they deserve overtime pay because they are first-responders that do not operate solely as supervisors. The court has awarded Fairfax County fire captains a total of $7.85 million in back overtime pay. [Washington Post]
South Lakes Football Season Comes to An End — It has been a long and exciting season for the South Lakes High varsity football team, but unfortunately, the Seahawks lost to defending state champs the Westfield Bulldogs in the Region 6A semi-finals at Westfield Saturday. The Seahawks, which lost 42 to 12, entered Saturday’s game with a winning record of 12-1. [Reston Patch]
Get Photos In For Your 2017 Tennis and Pool Passes Now – Reston Association members must provide a photo for each member of their household that wants to have a pass for pools and tennis courts. RA says, you can start emailing those photos now to [email protected] with the subject line “Pass Photos.” Be sure to label each photo with the person’s name, and include the name of the primary person and address on the household account. Passes go on sale Dec. 15 through the RA’s new WebTrac system. [Reston Association/WebTrac]
Photo by David Cordts: South Lakes Seahawks varsity football, October 2016
Metro Aware of Track Problems Before Silver Line Derailment, NTSB Says — Metro was aware of track issues that could cause cause a derailment before a Silver Line train went off the tracks outside of the East Falls Church Metro station in July, according to the he National Transportation Safety Board. [Washington Post]
Reston Chorale and Symphonic Brass to Hold Holiday Concert This Weekend — The Washington Symphonic Brass is set once again to join the Reston Chorale for their annual holiday concert. The performance is scheduled for Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. at CenterStage at RCC Hunters Woods (2310 Colts Neck Road). Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for seniors 62 and older. Military personnel and children 17 years old and younger are free. [Reston Community Center]
South Lakes to Face Westfield in Finals Saturday — South Lakes High School’s varsity football team is set take on defending state champion Westfield High School tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the Region 6A Finals. The winner of this game will go on to the state finals in Hampton. South Lakes is currently ranked No. 5, and Westfield is ranked No. 10. [Washington Post]
Holiday Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides Begin This Weekend — Reston Town Center will start having horse-drawn carriage rides this Saturday. They generally will run from 4 to 9 p.m. Pickup is in front of Clyde’s on Market Street. A donation of $5 per person, to benefit local charities, is asked of any riders age 5 and older. [Reston Town Center]
Fairfax County Preschools Will Get More Money — Virginia officials announced yesterday that the commonwealth has secured $17.5 million in federal funding for expanding access to high-quality pre-kindergarten classes for at-risk 4-year-olds. A portion of that money is earmarked for Fairfax County preschools. The U.S. Department of Education gave the preschool grants to eighteen states in total. [Virginia.gov]
Fight Over Silver Line Funding Continues — Metro Board member Corbett Price engaged in “naive political theater” when he suggested scrapping that the second phase of the Silver Line extension in order to save money, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) said in a radio interview yesterday. The governor also said the board as a whole was a “joke.” [Washington Post]
Where’s the Best Place to Get a Christmas Tree Near Reston? — Besides the lot at Home Depot, Reston Patch points out a few of the closest spots to Reston where you can pick out the perfect tree for your Christmas celebration. If you prefer to go the traditional versus artificial tree route, tell us in the comments where your favorite place to get a tree is. [Reston Patch]
