Celebrating Many Cultures — Thousands flocked to Lake Anne Plaza Saturday for the annual Reston Multicultural Festival on Saturday. Modern Reston captured all the action in some great photos. [Modern Reston]
Reston’s Transit Neighborhoods — Several development representatives were on hand for the Reston Historic Trust’s panel discussion on the future of the Reston Station area. Couldn’t make it in person? The whole thing is on video for you to enjoy. [You Tube]
Park Authority Wants Your Thoughts — What amenities are lacking in the Fairfax County park system? The Park Authority is conducting a need assessment over the next 18 months. It will offer the opportunity for you to give feedback in person, online and in small group meetings. [Fairfax County Park Authority]
Supervisors Seek to Serve Aging Population — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has outlined plans to better serve the county’s 50-and-over population. The supervisors say the number of residents over 70 will increase by 88 percent by 2030. [Fairfax Times]
Photo of Reston Town Center by Brendan Ross via Flickr
Fairfax County Election Day Officers Needed — The county needs nearly 3,000 people to work Election Day Nov. 4. Qualifications include being a registered voter in Virginia and available to work on Election Day. Each election officer is required to complete documentation for employment eligibility in-person at the Fairfax County Office of Elections and attend a training class prior to Election Day. They will be compensated $175 for the full day. [Fairfax County]
Paintball Time — Fairfax County may be getting its own paintball course after a county staff report recommends approval of a proposal for one in Clifton. [Washington Business Journal]
Good Neighbors — Woodworkers from Reston Community Center’s Age 55+ woodworking group recently donated 50 handmade toys to the kids at Laurel Learning Center. [RCC]
Drop Off Drugs Saturday — Saturday is DEA Prescription Dug Take Back Day, where citizens can safely turn in unwanted and unused drugs so they will be safely disposed. Locations nearby include Fairfax County Police’s Reston District Station and the Herndon Police Department. Drop-off is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. [DEA]
Art And Bikes — Reston Association is sponsoring the Tour d’Art, a bike ride past Reston’s public art works. The ride begins at 9:45 a.m. at Brown’s Chapel and will take participants past 13 works. [Reston Association]
Photo: SLHS Band at Bands of America Championships Sept. 20/Credit: Melissa Gifford via Facebook
Big Book Sale — Reston Friends fall book sale at the Reston Regional Library begins today and will run through Sunday. Thousands of books start at 50 cents. This sale will not include children’s books. Children’s books will be sold at an upcoming event. Proceeds support the Reston Regional Library and the Fairfax County Public Library system. [Reston Friends]
Metro Chief To Resign — Metro General Manager Richard Sarles announced on Wednesday he will step down in January. Sarles has led the agency since 2011. [NBC Washington]
Free E-Z Passes — The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which manages and operates the Dulles Toll road, will be giving away preloaded E-Z Pass transponders as part of its 30th birthday celebration. MWAA iwill hold a drawing for 30 E-Z Pass transponders preloaded with $15 in toll credits. Winners of the Oct. 1 drawing who register their transponder online will get an additional $20 in toll credits. Current E-ZPass holders can enter a bonus drawing for a $30 credit to their accounts. [Washington Post]
Photo: Reston Association workers install new swings in meadow area near Lake Thoreau.
Food Truck Wednesday Today — Feel like lunch outdoors? Visit Reston Town Center today for DC Empanadas, Captain Cookie, Doug the Food Dude, PassionFish on the Patio and more. [Modern Reston]
It’s Voter Registration Week — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors have designated this week as Voter Registration Week. Check your voter registration status — and register to vote if you need to — by Oct. 14 for the Nov. 4 election. [Fairfax County]
Still Time To Pick The Bird — The deadline for the poll to pick the official Reston bird is Sept. 30. Have you voted? There are five choices. [Survey Monkey]
Fun In The Nearby Sky — Leesburg Executive Airport is hosting the 2014 Leesburg Airshow on Saturday. The fifth annual event features sky divers, stunt airplanes and many other aviation activities for the whole family. [Ashburn Rising]
Farewell To The Pharmacy — Monday was the last day for Lakeside Pharmacy at Lake Anne Plaza. Restonian has sort of an obit/homage to the store. [Restonian]
Empty Buildings In Northern Virginia — The Washington Post takes an in-depth look at commercial and office space, and finds high vacancies in Fairfax County. [Washington Post]
Development Coming Soon — Developers The Peterson Cos. and Brandywine Realty Trust have formed a joint venture to develop a 300,000-square-foot mixed-use town center on Sunrise Valley Drive in Herndon near the existing Woodland Park Crossing. The town center will include residential units built atop retail and restaurants, entertainment venues [Washington Post]
Reston Association’s A Healthy Place — Reston Association ranks No. 3 on the 2014 Washington Business Journal’s “Healthiest Employers” list. RA scored high marks for its wellness initiatives and available information for employees. [Reston Association]
Help The Homeless Walk Oct. 2 — Cornerstones’ Reston Town Center Help the Homeless Walk returns next week. The event is a lunchtime walk on a Thursday from Mayflowers at RTC to the Embry Walker Community Shelter and back. [Cornerstones]W
Hornets Pummel Seahawks — Senior quarterback Ryan McLaughlin passed for three touchdowns and ran in another one as Herndon defeated South Lakes 49-0 in football’s annual Baron Cameron Bowl. The Hornets improve to 2-1. South Lakes falls to 0-4.
Reston Planner Anthony P. DeVito Dies — Anthony P. DeVito, 89, who had a central role in the planning and design of Reston in the 1960s, died Aug. 30 at his home in Washington. He had Parkinson’s disease, said his wife, Mary Ann Hancock. DeVito was born in Brooklyn and began his career as an architect and planner in New York and New Jersey. He worked on the development of Reston from 1963 to 1965. He later participated in the planning for Columbia, Md. and worked as a Department of Housing and Urban Development Official. [Washington Post]
Jaguars on display Sunday at Celebrating Jaguars – 50th Golden Anniversary Jaguar Club Car Show/Credit: Reston Town Center
Weddings Affordable Here? — The site NerdWallet says Fairfax County is the third most affordable place in the United States to throw a wedding. Now, before you show us your catering hall credit card bill, one caveat: it’s “affordable” compared to income level. With a median household income of $109,000 and the average cost ofa wedding just under $50,000, it’s a match. [NerdWallet]
Baron Cameron Bowl Tonight — South Lakes High School football will try for its third straight “Baron Cameron Bowl” victory against Herndon High at Herndon at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The schools play in different conferences (South Lakes, former Liberty now VHSL Conference 6; Herndon, former Concorde, now Conference 5), but many of the players grew up playing youth sports together, and, of course, a good portion of Herndon High students live in Reston. The Hornets (1-1) hold a historical advantage, winning most meetings over the last 10 years, but South Lakes(0-3) won in 2012 and ’13.
Police Chief Wants Beefed-Up School Traffic Safety — Fairfax County Police Chief Ed Roessler says he has heard the community’s concerns about traffic and safety near schools and has directed extra patrols and extra crossing guard training. [Fairfax County Police]
Photo: Eagle lands at Forest Edge ES/Credit: Martha Furniss
Animals For You — Fairfax County Animal Shelter staff says September is a peak time for available animals. Is there a pet waiting for you? [YouTube]
A Field On Top — A developer is pitching a mixed use project with athletic fields on the roof at Tysons Corner. Might such a design be right for Reston, which is planning for more development and needs more fields? [Washington Business Journal]
The Gun Control Vigil Continues — Members of the Reston-Herndon Alliance to End Gun Violence have been picketing at National Rifle Association headquarters every 14th of the month since 20 were killed in the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 12, 2012. [Reston Connection]
Enterovirus Alert — Fairfax County officials are on the lookout for the illness that is drastically affecting children in the Midwest. [Fairfax Times]
Phone Scammers Back — The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office says phone scammers that hit area residents in July are back again. They claim to be sheriff’s deputies who demand money after they threaten arrest. Don’t fall for it. [Fairfax County]
Schools Falling Short — Virginia Department of Education officials say more than 30 percent of schools in the commonwealth failed to meet accreditation standards last year. That is actually a decrease from the previous two years, but DOE officials say the drop also has to do with changes in tests. Fairfax County Public Schools says 89 percent of its schools reached full accreditation. [WTOP, FCPS]
Dulles Plane Pull Saturday — More than 70 teams are registered for the Annual Dulles Day Plane Pull to benefit Virginia Special Olympics. The event is Saturday at Dulles International Airport. [Dulles Day]
New Police HQ Will Have LEED Features — Fairfax County officials broke ground on a new police and fire headquarters in Fairfax on Tuesday. The new building will seek LEED Silver certification with eco-smart environmental controls, green roofs, permeable pavement and more. [Fairfax County]
Groundbreaking For New County Police HQ — Fairfax County officials, including Supervisor Chair Sharon Bulova and Police Chief Edwin Roessler will break ground Tuesday on the new joint headquarters for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue and Police Departments. The new headquarters will rise next to the Herrity Building at Monument Drive and Government Center Parkway. It will replace the 44-year-old Massey Building in the City of Fairfax that houses first responders now. The headquarters is slated to open in 2017.
Peek At New Voting Machines Today — Reston-area residents are invited to look at Fairfax County’s new voting machines and apply for a photo ID if they need one at Reston Regional Library Tuesday from 3 to 5 p.m. The county has purchased more than 1,100 new integrated machines. [Fairfax County]
Reston’s StreetShares Matching Investors, Business Owners — A new Reston-based online lending platform to connect investors and small business owners, calls itself “Shark Tank meets eBay.” The new company has made 14 commercial loans since June totaling about $200,000. [Washington Business Journal]
Support SLHS at Chipotle — If you eat at the South Lakes Village Center Chipotle Tuesday between 4 and 8 p.m., 50 percent of the proceeds will go to Seahawk Athletics. Mention to the cashier you are with the Seahawks.
Photo: Walker Nature Center/Credit: Reston Association
Take A Free Ride — Motorists can earn free tolls on the 495 Express Lanes next week. If you register on the 495 Express Lanes website this week, you can spend the week of Sept. 22 riding the lanes for free from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. [WTOP]
Bring Your Own Device — It wasn’t that long ago that area school systems banned cellphones and other personal technology. Now they are embracing personal tech as an aid to learning. [Washington Post]
Football Wrapup — The South Lakes Seahawks dropped their third straight game, falling 34-21 to Washington-Lee on Friday at home. The Seahawks are now 0-3. Herndon is now 1-1 after the Hornets were defeated by West Springfield 51-28. Herndon hosts South Lakes on Friday.
Virginia Tourism Tops $20 Billion — Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced last week that Virginia generated $21.5 billion in revenue from tourists in 2013, a 1.4 percent increase over 2012. In 2013, tourism in Virginia supported 213,000 jobs, an increase of 1.4 percent in employment, and provided more than $1.42 billion in state and local taxes. [Office of the Governor]
Ninety Years Of Appreciating Music — The family of one Reston nonagenarian is having a musical work commissioned and performed at an October performance in honor of the big day. [Reston Connection]
Back To School Nights — In case you lost the “Save the Date” for Back to School Night (in that mountain of first day of school papers), Fairfax County Public Schools’ website can help you. Back to School Night info for all schools are listed. [FCPS]
Rally For A Cause Next Week — Reston Tennis will host its third annual Rally for a Cause tennis tournament Sept. 20-21 at Lake Newport tennis courts. The charity event will feature brackets for 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 and above players, competing in men’s and women’s doubles and singles matches. Entry is $30; proceeds will go to the charity organization of participant’s choice: USTA Serves Foundation/Wounded Warriors Program Curriculum or Cornerstones. For more information or to sign up, email [email protected].
On The Schedule At RCC — Modern Reston went through the Reston Community Center Fall catalogue and highlighted some of the most eye-catching classes. [Modern Reston]
New Land For Park Authority — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has transferred 11.7 acres of land near Dulles Station Boulevard to the Fairfax County Park Authority. The property in Herndon will be known as Dulles Rock Hill Park. A community park will be established through a developer proffer agreement in the near future. The park facilities were proffered as part of a nearby rezoning case for a 411-unit multifamily project that could not accommodate on-site recreational facilities. The applicant has agreed to spend $1.5 million to create a park on the property and maintain it in perpetuity.
Kudos To Scholars — Several local high school seniors have been named National Merit Semifinalists. Isabel Garvey, Allison Johnson, and Sahana Thirumazhusai of South Lakes High School and Robert Moore and Charlie Shen from Herndon High School are among the 205 Fairfax County Public Schools students named to the prestigious list. [FCPS]
Silver Line Executive Departs — Sam Carnaggio, one of the top executives responsible for overseeing construction of the first phase of the Silver Line rail project, is retiring. [Washington Post]
Waiting List For FCPS Renovations — Of Fairfax County’s 196 schools, 63 sit on an ordered list of schools waiting for upgrades. One reason the line moves slowly is lack of funding. [Fairfax Times]
Last Chance For Outdoor Movies — Lake Anne Plaza closes out its 2014 Summer Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 14 with Skyfall. The free movie starts at 7 p.m. Bring chairs, blankets, snacks and have a movie night on the waterfront one last time this summer.
Metro To Test Tech Entry — You soon may be able to use your smartphone or other tech gadgets as your Metro farecard. Metro says it is starting a pilot program to test the technology at 10 stations, as well as several bus depots and parking lots, beginning in January. If the program is successful, Metro envisions changing every station over by 2017. [Metro]
TJ Back On Top — Fairfax County’s Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology returns to the top of Newsweek’s Top U.S. High School’s rankings. [Newsweek]
Reston “Today” — Check out the latest from Reston Association — including the Reston Kids Triathlon and the Pony Barn replanning –in the September video. [YouTube]
Photo: Freshly painted senior wall at South Lakes High School
Governor’s Plan Helps Give 25K Healthcare — Gov. Terry McAuliffe has announced a new plan, “A Healthy Virginia,” which will expand health care to about 25,000 Virginians. McAuliffe had vowed on the campaign trail to expand Medicaid to about 400,000 eligible low-income adults, but that was blocked this year by the Republican-controlled General Assembly. [Office of Virginia Governor]
‘Lockup’ Fairfax’s Debut — The first episode of MSNBC’s Lockup: Extended Stay Fairfax aired Saturday night. The candid reality show portrays what life is like behind bars spent weeks at the Fairfax County Jail last fall. There will be six episodes total, airing 10 p.m. on Saturdays. [Washington Post]
Truland Truck Auction Raises Cash — Reston-based Truland Group held an online truck auction as part of its bankruptcy. The sale of nearly three dozen vehicles raised more than $200,000 that will go toward paying creditors. [WTOP]
Warner And Gillespie Spar in Reston — Sen. Mark Warner (D) and Republican challenger Ed Gillespie talked technology at a forum in Reston sponsored by the Northern Virginia Technology Council on Monday. The two will make a similar appearance Sept. 19 in an event sponsored by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce. [The Hill]
