SAIC Acquires Reston’s Scitor — Science Applications International Corp. has purchased Reston-based Scitor for $790 million. [Washington Post]
Big Deal For Urgent.ly — Local start up Urgent.ly, a roadside assistance app, has struck a deal with AT&T. The service will be part of AT&T’s connected car platform. Urgent.ly’s app (built into the car’s dashboard computer) will allow drivers to request service for their stranded car by pressing one button. [Bisnow]
County Plan Focuses on Economy — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a county economic plan. [Fairfax County]
New Sponsor For Arts Festival — Herndon-based Volkswagen of America, Inc., will be the title sponsor of this year’s Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, the Greater Reston Arts Center announced. Volkswagen signed a two-year deal for 2015 and ’16, with a third-year option. This year’s festival is May 16 and 17.
County Commission To Look At Use Of Force — A new task force will examine use of force and community relations policies for the Fairfax County Police Department. [WTOP]
Local Peeps Contest — In the tradition of The Washington Post’s Peeps contest, Chesapeake Chocolates at Lake Anne Plaza will be holding its own competition. Celebrate Reston with your original Peeps diorama. Represent your favorite view of Reston with the confections in a shoebox-sized creation. Drop it off at the store at 11426 Washington Plaza West, and they will display it through April 4 in their store. One diorama, chosen by a panel of judges, will win a basket of goodies from Chesapeake Chocolates.
Four Finalists For NOVA Post — Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) has chosen four finalists for the president’s post that was vacated when Robert Templin retired in January. [Fairfax Times]
More Tolls To Take Greenway — The State Corporation Commission has approved a 2.8-percent toll increase for the Dulles Greenway. [NBC4]
Raise Taxes For Better Schools? — The Fairfax County Council of PTAs issued a “call to action” message to parents and residents cautioning that “excellence is at risk” unless the county board of supervisors raises the average tax bill in the county by $100 per household. [Washington Post]
Ice on Lake Audubon/Credit: Joy Every
FCPS Wants More From Supervisors — Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza last week asked the county Board of Supervisors for more money than the $2 billion proposed for next year’s budget. The school system is already slated to get $67 million more than in FY 2015, but falls $14 million short of what the school system needs to cover expanding enrollment, full day Mondays and teacher raises, among others. [Washington Post]
ICYMI: County Budget Chat — Fairfax County Executive Ed Long recently held an online chat to talk about the county’s FY 2016 budget, real estate taxes, and other issues facing the county. [Fairfax County]
Nearby: Great Falls Grange Hall Reopens — The Great Falls Historical Society is marking the re-opening of the renovated Great Falls Grange Building with a special history program March 11. [Reston Connection]
Give Us More Library Info — Library advocate Kathy Kaplan wants more transparency when it comes to the plans for the new Reston Regional Library. [Reston Connection]
On To The Basketball Regionals — The South Lakes High School girls basketball team moves onto regional action tonight at Battlefield High (Haymarket) at 5:45 p.m. The boys team will start regional play at Osbourn Park (Manassas) at 7 p.m. Herndon’s boys basketball hosts Lake Braddock tonight at 7 p.m. in regional action.
Reston Summer Swim League Signups Next Week — It may feel like winter, but if you have a swimmer, think summer. Reston Swim Team Association (RSTA) registration for returning families opens March 3. New families can sign up May 5 or after. [RSTA]
Metro: No Fare Hike — Metro says it is committed to keeping fares from rising. [WMATA]
Photo: Snowy Lake Thoreau at dawn/Credit: Leslie Sogandares
Buy A Brick — It’s the annual call for commemorative bricks at Lake Anne Plaza. If you buy one by Feb. 28, it will be ready for installation by Founders Day on April 11. A three-line brick is $100. [Reston Museum]
Auction for SLHS Band — South Lakes High School’s marching band boosters are auctioning off an emerald and diamond necklace donated by Aspen Jewelry Designs and valued at more than $1,400. To see the necklace and purchase $5 (5 for $20) raffle tickets, visit the boosters’ website. The drawing is March 5. [South Lakes Band Boosters]
Honors For Reston Financial Planners — Eric Wightman and Gregory S. Smith, CFP of The Wise Investor Group in Reston have been named to Barron’s Top 1200 Financial Advisors list for 2015. This is the seventh consecutive year that The Wise Investor Group has appeared on the list.
Kudos to Herndon’s Meilus — Herndon High sophomore swimmer Emily Meilus won last weekend’s state championship in the 100 backstroke for the second straight year. Meilus set a new school record and earned an All-American time; she also placed seventh in the 200 freestyle.
New At The Top — Rolls-Royce America, headquartered at Reston Town Center, has hired Marion Blakey as its new CEO. [Washington Business Journal]
Photo: Lake Anne kindergarteners mark the 100th day of school/Credit: Sue Garrison
Cold Snap Means Energy Spike — Dominion Virginia Power’s 2.5 million customers set an all-time record for usage on Friday. Dominion supplied a peak of 21,651 megawatts of electricity at 8 a.m. Friday, Feb. 20.That is an increase of more than 1,500 megawatts over the previous peak, which was a summer mark of 20,061 megawatts set on July 22, 2011. One megawatt supplies enough electricity at peak for approximately 250 homes. The previous winter peak of 19,870 megawatts was set on Jan. 8, 2015. [Dominion Virginia Power]
Ethics Reform At County Level? — The Virginia General Assembly is working on proposed ethics legislation, but will it work in Northern Virginia government, where most jurisdictions are run at the county level? [Fairfax Times]
Herndon Firefighter Ready To Compete — Douglas Shaw, a firefighter, will compete in the World Police & Fire Games in Fairfax County this summer. He has been swimming in the biennial games since 2001. [Fairfax Times]
FISH Fling Fun Coming Soon — Tickets are now available for Herndon-Reston FISH (Friendly Instant Sympathetic Help)’s 10th Annual FISH Fling Gala & Fundraiser on Saturday, March 14 at the Hyatt Dulles. FISH helps local residents who need emergency funds for rent, utilities and other necessities. [Herndon-Reston FISH]
Photo: Reston Town Center from high above/Credit: Chris Niewinski
Local Man is Amputee Champ — Herndon’s Jason Sturm, who lost part of leg in U.S. Army training, is a world champion bobsledder. [Washington Post]
Think Summer — Reston Association members can purchase passes online and save money. Pay your assessment in full or pay the first installment by March 1 via your www.reston.org account and get a 20-percent discount on adult and child passes purchased online before April 15. Shipping and pickup fees apply. Non-members can buy passes on or before April 15 for a $50 discount on “Pool & Tennis” and “Pool Only” options or a $20 discount on “Tennis Only” options. [Reston Association]
Pricey Park — With the recent news that a group of local residents wants a county grant to move the Reston Dog Park from Baron Cameron Park to Lake Fairfax Park, check out how pricey some dog runs can be. Arlington’s James Hunter Dog Park cost nearly $2 million to build. [Washingtonian]
‘Sunset’ in Reston — Meet Katie McManus, starring as Norma Desmond in Reston Community Players’ Sunset Boulevard, which opens this weekend at CenterStage. [DC Metro Theatre Arts]
Flag Football Signups — Registration is now open for the Fairfax County Flag Association Flag Football, which begins in early March. Boys and girls ages 5 to 16 can play. [FCFLAG]
Hunter Mill Dems’ Dinner Coming Soon — The Hunter Mill Democrats 40th Annual Lasagna Dinner fundraiser is coming up on March 21 at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods. Tickets begin at $50. There will be music, food and a silent and live auction. [Hunter Mill Democrats]
More Investigation Into FCPD Shooting — The Fairfax County prosecutor is resuming his investigation into the Fairfax police department’s shooting of John Geer in 2013, obtaining the documents that police refused to give him 15 months ago and preparing to make a decision on whether to charge the officer involved. [Washington Post]
Keeping ‘Friday Night Live’ Free — A proposal by Herndon Town Council member Jasbinder Singh wants to raise the fees that Friday Night Live pays to the town of Herndon to produce the free weekly concert series. There is a grassroots campaign started by FNL founder Doug Downer to keep fees in check as the Herndon Town Council starts its budget hearings for FY 2016 on Tuesday. [Friday Night Live]
Photo: Twin Branches Trail in snow/Credit: Julie McCool, Fun in Fairfax
Leidos To Aid British Military — Reston-based Leidos is close to finalizing a $12 million contract with the British military. [Washington Business Journal]
Going Deep With Fairfax Budget — Taking a closer look at the $7.1 billion advertised budget proposed by County Executive Ed Long this week. [Fairfax Times]
NVTC March Event To Feature 3D Printing — Northern Virginia Technology Council’s March 5 Tech Titans Breakfast will feature a pioneer in 3D printing, who will explain why it will revolutionize business. [NVTC]
FCPD Investigating In-Custody Death — Fairfax County Police have released more details on the death of a woman who died in custody after being tasered last month. [FCPD]
Photo: Snowy day at Lake Fairfax Park
Supervisors Postpone Lake Anne Parking Decision — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday postponed decision on a reduction of nearly 500 parking spaces for the revitalized Crescent Apartments/Lake Anne project. They will revisit it on March 3.
Kudos to Cornerstones’ Kids — A team from Cornerstones’ Youth Program at the Herndon Neighborhood Resource Center (HNRC) recently had a second-place finish in the Regional VEX Robotics Competition held at Northern Virginia Community College. HNRC’s Robo Squad, the boys’ team, advanced to the finals and finished second. The squad moves on to the state competition this weekend in Doswell, Va. The team is coached by Tom Egan, VP for Industry Relations at PMMI.
New Police Policy? — Fairfax County is considering adopting a new policy for police shootings which would require release of the involved officers’ names within 72 hours of the incident, monthly public updates after the incident, and a public summary of facts when the case is turned over to the Fairfax prosecutor. The changes come in the wake of the controversial police shooting of John Geer in Springfield in 2013. [Washington Post]
More Snow, More Sledding — In case of more snow days, check out the best places to sled in Reston. [Modern Reston]
Photo: Frozen Lake Thoreau/Credit: Cindy Chiou-Conlin
No Real Estate Tax Increase — Fairfax County Executive Edward L. Long presented his proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Budget, including the Multi-Year FY 2016-2017 Budget Plan to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. He proposed a General Fund budget of $3.8 billion for FY 2016 (July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016), an increase of 2.61 percent over the FY 2015 Adopted Budget Plan. Long recommended no Real Estate Tax increase in his proposed Budget. [Fairfax County]
Audition for Reston Players — Reston Community Players will hold auditions for Fox on the Fairway, a Ken Ludwig farce in the style of 1930s comedies, on Friday, Feb. 20 and Sunday, Feb. 22. [Reston Players]
Madison Student Elected To School Board — Ben Press, a junior at Madison High School in Vienna, has been elected by the countywide Student Advisory Council (SAC) to serve a one-year term as student representative to the Fairfax County School Board, beginning July 1. Press will participate in School Board meetings as a nonvoting member, filling the position currently held by Harris LaTeef, a senior at Langley High School. [FCPS]
Uber, Lyft Now Totally Legal in VA — Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed SB1025 and HB1662, which established licensing procedures for transportation network companies (TNC’s) like Uber and Lyft to legally operate in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Earlier this year, Governor McAuliffe and Attorney General Herring’s offices worked with the Department of Motor Vehicles and TNC companies to find a compromise that allowed these entities to temporarily operate in Virginia until the General Assembly passed permanent legislation.
Sledding fun in Reston Tuesday/Credit: Charlotte Geary via Facebook
New (Babies) Nearby — Herndon’s Frying Pan Park has welcomed triplet lambs and a calf in the last two weeks. Visitors are welcome to come see the new arrivals. The park is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. [Fairfax County Park Authority]
School Board Rethinking Renovation Schedule — The Fairfax County school system will decide in coming months whether to revamp the renovation queue, which determines the order of schools for renovation. One-third of county schools currently sit on the list, which has frustrated some families and school board members. [Fairfax Times]
Herndon High Nominates New Hall of Fame Members — Herndon High Athletic Department has chosen its inductees for 2015. The athletes cover a variety of years and sports, including the entire boys track teams from 1965, ’66 and ’67. [Herndon High Athletics]
Fairfax County Library Survey — The Fairfax County Public Library is looking for a new director. They are asking patrons to take an online survey to help them in the process. [Fairfax County Public Library]
Scholarship In Memory Of Dave Tremaine — Reston resident Dave Tremaine, the popular principal of Hayfield Secondary School who died of cancer last year, will be honored with four college scholarships in his memory for Hayfield students. [College Access Fairfax]
Signage Up, No Opening Date Yet — Crews are a little farther along in getting Barcelona Wine Bar ready to open, but not opening date has been announced. They are hiring, though. [Craigslist]
Fairfax County Police To Train Faith Communities On Staying Safe — Fairfax County Police are implementing a new program that aims to help keep houses of worship safe and crime-free. At a workshop Feb. 28 they will show congregants how to become more involved in reducing the opportunity for crimes to occur on facility premises. [Fairfax County Police]
Photo: Signage up at Barcelona at Reston Town Center/Credit: The Avant via Twitter
Missing Teen May Be In Reston – The Herndon Police Department is searching for a 15-year-old girl who has been missing since July 2014. Police are searching for Lilian Medina Stevens, who left her home on July 29 and has not returned, officials said. Stevens may be in Reston, or possibly somewhere in Texas, police said. [WUSA9]
Ballet Event At CenterStage — Celebrate the joy of movement with a performance by the Classical Ballet Theatre Friday at Reston Community Center’s CenterStage. Tickets are$22 per Adult; $18 per Senior/Student. Complementary cocktails served at 6:30 p.m.; performance is at 7:30 p.m. [ArtsFairfax]
County Tax Assessments 101 — Your 2015 Fairfax County Property Tax Assessment should arrive any day. Here are five things to know about it. [Fairfax County]
Long Weekend On The Way — Northern Virginia Magazine has a list of some fun things to do nearby, including free admission at Great Falls National Park. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Photo: Reston Town Center at night/Credit: RTC via Facebook
Cannabis Bill Passes House — The Virginia House of Delegates unanimously passed a bill sponsored by Fairfax Republican Dave Albo that would allow children with seizures disorders to legally use cannabis oil to counteract them. A similar bill by Reston Del. Ken Plum (D) is still in committee. [Washington Post]
STEM Academies Open House — Fairfax County Public Schools high school academies will host the annual STEM-H (science, technology, engineering, math, and health and medical sciences) Expo on Saturday, Feb. 21, at Chantilly High School, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m, with registration starting at 9 a.m. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Rules For Food Trucks On VDOT Roads Could Change — A bill introduced by Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Springfield) would make it easier for food trucks to park on Fairfax County streets. [Fairfax Times]
