Valentine Treats Thursday — Instead of celebrating Valentine’s Day on the traditional Feb. 14, California Tortilla restaurants will celebrate on Thursday, Feb. 12 by giving every customer a FREE order of Love Chips and Nutella with their purchase. Reston’s Cal Tort is located at North Point Village Center. [California Tortilla]
Preparing Your Loved Ones — Know what makes a great Valentine’s Day gift? Some emergency preparedness supplies, says the Fairfax County Department of Emergency Management. [Fairfax County]
Will Inova Expansion Boost Regional Economy? — Inova announced plans to lease the former Exxon Mobil Campus in Fairfax for a cancer center and medical hub. Will it be a major boost to Fairfax County economy? [Washington Post]
RCC Community Meeting Tonight — Do you have ideas and opinions about RCC programs, services and facilities? Patrons and partners are invited to attend the Community Relations and Program/Policy Joint Committee Meeting to share your thoughts. Meeting is Monday at 6:30 p.m. at RCC Hunters Woods. [Reston Community Center]
Presidents Day Schedule — Here is what is open and closed next Monday, Feb. 16, in Fairfax County. [Fairfax County]
Big Building, Big Plans — Bisnow has more info on the $35 million sale of the Reston International Center. [Bisnow]
Geer’s Family Wants Internal Police Files — The family of John Geer, who was shot by Fairfax County Police in 2013, say they want to see more than the 10,000+ pages of county documents that were recently released. [Fairfax Times]
Photo: Reston Sunset, Saturday, Feb. 6/Credit: Joy Every
TOP Soccer Coming to Reston — TOP Soccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer), a training and team placement program for young athletes with mental or physical disabilities, is starting a Reston chapter. The Reston startup is the International Baccalaureate Middle Years project of two SLHS students. [InSports]
Divas Return — The Reston Divas — singers Beverly Cosham, Menda Ahart, and Felicia Kessel-Crawley — perform their third annual Diva Night performance at the Reston Museum on Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. RSVPs recommended. [Reston Museum]
Park Authority Goes Mobile — The Fairfax County Park Authority has a new Smartphone feature. Similar to an app, the search tool that lets you find parks, learn which facilities and programs each park has, where the closest one is to you, Google Maps directions and more. [WTOP]
Virginia Leads in LEED — Virginia is among the top 5 states when it comes to LEED Green Building Per Capita in commercial and institutional green projects that were certified in 2014. [Washington Business Journal]
Seahawks Have Talent — The South Lakes Leadership Development Class is hosting the annual Seahawk Talent Show on Thursday, Feb.12. Students will be singing, dancing, stepping, and more. Among the judges will be current School Board Member At-Large Ryan McElveen. Tickets are $3 at the door. Silent auction begins at 6 p.m. and the show is at 7 p.m. Proceeds will go to support the leadership class programs.
Herndon Coach Pens Guide to Avoiding Injuries — Area coach Wendy LeBolt Ph.D. has published a book, “Fit 2 Finish – Keeping Your Soccer Players in the Game,” on how to keep young athletes injury free and successful on the field [Reston Connection]
Two SLHS Athletes Sign for Soccer — Soccer players Elise Andrich (Lipscomb University) and Sara Vigen (William and Mary) signed National Letters of Intent on national signing day Wednesday.
Save The Date For Dems Dinner — The Hunter Mill Democrats will host their 40th Annual Lasagna Dinner and Auction on Saturday, March 21 at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods. Tickets start at $50. [Hunter Mill Democrats Facebook]
Photo of Lake Audubon/Credit: Mary Dominiak via Twitter
SLHS Sports Boosters: Save Date — The South Lakes High School Sports Boosters is hosting a casino night fundraiser March 13 at RCC Hunters Woods. There will be games, food, raffles and a cash bar. The organization can also use donations of items for a silent auction. [Seahawk Boosters]
Teacher Pay To Rise? — Virginia ranks in the bottom third among teacher pay, but one state report says salaries are expected to rise. [Daily Progress]
Swim School Grand Opening — Goldfish Swim School in Reston will hold a Grand Opening Party Saturday from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Stop by the pool at 12340 Pinecrest Rd. for free swimming, snacks and family fun. [Reston Now]
Stopping Teen Sex Trafficking — Fairfax County Police say Northern Virginia is one of the top five places in the United States for sex trafficking, and has had more gang-related prosecutions for that crime than any other jurisdiction in America. [Fairfax Times]
Photo: Snowy Reston National/Credit: Annika Bohn
Seventh Parks Term For Bouie — Reston’s Bill Bouie has been elected chairman of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board for his seventh straight term. Bouie represents the Hunter Mill District. Providence District rep Ken Quincy was elected to serve as vice chairman. At-large member Kala Leggett Quintana will serve as secretary and Sully rep Harold Strickland will be treasurer. [Fairfax County Park Authority]
New At Reston Art Gallery — Lake Anne’s Reston Art Gallery and Studios (RAGS) has a new exhibit, “Little Gems,” which runs from Feb. 2 to March 5. There will be an artists’ reception on Sunday, Feb.8 from at 2 p.m. The gallery is located at 11400 Washington Plaza West.
Preschool Open House — United Christian Parish Preschool is holding an open house Feb, 4, 5, and 6 from 9:30-11:00 am. Priority registration for the 2015-16 school year is due by noon on February 6; Community registration is due Feb. 10. [United Christian Parish]
Two RCC Staffers Earn Credentials — RCC staff members Karen Brutsché and Debbie Heron recently attained the status of Certified Park and Recreation Professionals (CPRP) as governed by the National Certification Board (NCB) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).
RCC Camp Registration Now Underway — Registration for Reston Community Center’s camp programs began on Feb. 1. There are a wide a variety of general and speciality programs for all ages, and some fill up quickly so act soon. [RCC]
Fairfax Residents Demand Change in Wake of Geer Shooting — Citizens voiced their dissatisfaction at police transparency at a weekend town hall. [WTOP]
Reston Limo Trying New Tactics — Kristina Bouweiri, president and CEO of Reston Limousine, explains how companies like hers have had to diversify and add programs such as winery tours as services like Uber and Lyft have grown. [Washington Post]
Become A Reserve Sheriff — Are you interested in the challenges of public safety and the satisfaction of providing a service to the community? The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office invites you to join our team as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff. The 10-week training academy begins April 1, 2015, and meets Wednesday evenings and all day on Saturdays. [Fairfax County]
Major Kudos for Sunrise Valley’s Rossbach — Mary Anne Rossbach, a sixth-grade and lead math teacher at Sunrise Valley Elementary School, has been named the 2015 William C. Lowry Mathematics Educator of the Year for the Elementary School Level by the Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics (VCTM). [FCPS]
In Memoriam for ScienceLogic COO — Reston’s ScienceLogic, where Don Pyle served as Chief Operating Officer, is collecting memories and condolences to be put into a post to share with his family. Pyle, his wife Sandy and four of their grandchildren were recently killed in a fire at Pyle’s Annapolis home. [ScienceLogic]
Special RA Meeting Feb. 9 — The Reston Association Board of Directors will hold a special meeting on Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. to announce the results of the RELAC Air-conditioning Unit Covenant Referendum; Consider the draft Tetra Property Purchase Referendum Question/Factsheet and related draft Letter of Intent (LOI) to purchase the property; and receive an update from RA Land Use Counsel on Reston Master Plan, Phase 2 Comprehensive Plan Amendments.
RELAC Referendum — Restonian has some fun with the RELAC referendum. Votes must be in by 5 p.m. Friday. [Restonian]
Excessive For Policing Poker? — Fairfax County SWAT team members raided a poker game in a private home in Great Falls. [Washington Post]
Tax Help Available at RCC — Need help filing taxes? Reston Community Center and AARP are teaming to offer the Tax Aide program on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays Feb. 3 through April 14 at RCC Hunters Woods. The program is open to adults 40 and over and anyone with low to middle incomes who needs help maximizing deductions. [Reston Now]
Save the Date for Hunter Mill Summit — Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins is hosting the Hunter Mill Community Summit Saturday, Feb. 28, 8:30 a.m. at Frying Pan Park in Herndon. Highlights for this year’s program are discussions on the FY2016 County Budget, the FY2016 School Budget and human services planning for the Hunter Mill District.
Snow Day Play — Here is a great guide to all indoor kid-friendly places to play from D.C. to Loudoun. [Modern Reston]
Entry Increase at Great Falls? — The National Park Service is thinking about raising entry fees for Great Falls National Park in 2015. The rates, which have not been increased since 2006, would go from $5 per vehicle to $15. The NPS is interested in your feedback. [National Park Service]
Hot Property — Noblis, a contracting company that signed a large lease on two office buildings on Edmund Halley Drive, says major headquarters relocating in Reston but not at the Town Center may be the start of a trend. [Washington Business Journal]
Photo: Ice on Lake Audubon/Credit Joy Every
Save RA Money; Opt In To Online Balloting — Reston Association spends $2 per household to mail ballots for the annual Board of Directors election. You can can opt-in to online balloting my emailing RA at [email protected] with your name and property address, whether you are an owner or renter and and your email address. [Reston Association]
Keeping The Buses Running — A look at the crew who keeps the Fairfax County Public Schools’ fleet of 1,610 school buses running even in the dead of winter. [Fairfax Times]
Teachers Earn National Board Certification — Many teachers at Reston-area schools were recently among the group of Fairfax County Public Schools teachers that earned certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). [Fairfax County Public Schools]
New Digs For Chamber — The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce will have a new home by the end of the week. The Chamber will move from its offices at the Spectrum to new offices at 1886 Metro Center Dr., near the Wiehle-Reston East Silver Line station. The new office will open on Monday, Feb. 2.
RA Camp Signups Start Today — Think summer! Reston Association summer camp registration begins today for RA members. [Reston Association]
Kudos For Midtown Jewelers — Reston Town Center’s Midtown Jewelers is a winner of WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards 2015 for engagement rings and wedding bands. The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards 2015 recognizes the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire Network. [WBTW TV]
Big Lease For Noblis — Federal contractor Noblis Inc. has signed on for a full building and part of a second at 2000 and 2002 Edmund Halley Drive in Reston. Noblis will lease 160,000 square feet from JBG. [Washington Business Journal]
Bill Could Alter Happy Hour Rules — Bill in Virginia General Assembly could unlock some of the “must remain secret” details of Happy Hours in the commonwealth. [Washington Post]
Firefighters Filled the Boot — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue collected the most money of any department in the country in 2014’s Fill The Boot fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. FCFD raised $489,444 in the Labor Day weekend campaign, officials said.
Invisible Ink? — Restonian has some fun with the saga of the missing signatures and unofficial stamps testimony that went on for hours at Wednesday’s Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals hearing on Reston National Golf Course. [Restonian]
Theatre Camp Moving to Lake Fairfax — Traveling Players Ensemble, a summer theatre camp formerly located at The Madeira School in McLean, will relocate to Lake Fairfax Park this summer. [Reston Patch]
Camp Expo Saturday — Think summer! Visit Reston Community Center Saturday for the 2015 Camp Expo, where reps from more than a dozen area programs will be on hand to show off their summer opportunities. Expo is free and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. [Reston Community Center]
Photo: Snow Wednesday at Lake Anne/Credit KPJDCA via Twitter
Kudos for Herndon High Athletes — Herndon field hockey players Taylor Stone, Sofia Palacios and Alexis Duke earned VHSL Group 6A all-state honors. Stone, a senior midfielder, and Palacios, a senior forward, were named first-team all-state. Duke, a senior defender, earned second-team honors.
Leidos Diversifying Sports Support — Reston-based Leidos, the government contractor that is DC United’s major sponsor, is also working with the Washington Wizards. Leidos ‘ “Defending the Rim” promotion will donate $100 for every blocked shot to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. [Washington Business Journal]
Superintendent Is Listening — Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza will hold two additional listening tours in February and March. If you missed the recent one in Reston, visit the 2015 meetings to make your voice heard. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Two Bodies Recovered At ScienceLogic COO’s Home – Anne Arundel County Fire investigators finally could enter the home of Donald Pyle, COO of Reston’s ScienceLogic, to look for victims of Monday’s fire that destroyed Pyle’s 16,000 square foot home. Pyle, his wife, and four grandchildren were believed to be in the home at the time. Two bodies were recovered late Wednesday. [NBC4 Washington]
Fairfax Connector Wants Your Input — The bus service is making changes that will affect Reston this spring. Come to a public meeting Jan. 28 to learn more and offer your opinion. [Fairfax County]
Supervisor Frey Retiring — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will have a new face later this year as Michael Frey (R-Sully) announced he is retiring and will not seek re-election in the fall. [Centreville Independent]
No Fees, Say Photographers — Area photographers are trying to convince the Fairfax County Park Authority Board to remove or lower a permit fee for professional photographers doing photo shoots in county parks. The park system instituted the permit in 2011 after problems at one park, Green Spring Gardens, that was very popular with wedding photographers. [Fairfax Times]
Photo: Construction at Barcelona/bartaco at Reston Town Center
