Virginia Doing Away With Extra E-Z Pass Fee — Gov. Terry McAuliffe has signed bill eliminating extra fees for the E-Z Pass transponder. [Washington Post]
Big Chance For Leidos — Reston-based Leidos Holdings will be the only D.C. area company able to bid for nearly $1 billion in architect-engineering services for the Air Force. The work will support military construction, military family housing, and sustainment, restoration and modernization programs worldwide. [Washington Business Journal]
Metro Work Resumes — Metro took a four-week break for cherry blossom season, but will resume doing weekend work again beginning Friday. [WTOP]
Honoring Jail’s “Rock Stars” — Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid tells volunteers they are all “rock stars” at a ceremony in their honor. Sheriff’s Office volunteers provide inmate programs that include employability and workplace skills, financial planning, responsible parenting, anger management, impact of crime awareness, alcohol and drug addiction recovery, educational advancement and spirituality. In 2013, these volunteers contributed more than 8,000 hours and presented 5,400 classes. [Fairfax County]
Herndon High Girls Soccer Ends Epic Losing Streak — The Hornets beat Oakton 3-2 last week, the first time the team won a Conference 5 (or Concorde District) match since May of 2003. [Washington Post]
SLHS Student Freshman Headed to Gymnastics Championships — South Lakes freshman Olivia Norman of Herndon finished fourth in the Region 7 Level 9 Regional Championships in Hampton, Va. last week. She has earned a spot in the Level 9 Junior Olympic (JO) Eastern Championships to be held May 1-4 in Bradenton, Fla. Norman trains with Chantilly Academy Gymnastics.
New Security Chief For Airports — After an extensive public search, the board of directors of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has confirmed Bryan Norwood as the new vice president for public safety. Norwood has been chief of police in Richmond, Va., and a special agent for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, among other posts. Norwood will oversee the management and operations of the Authority’s Fire and Rescue Department and Police Department at Reagan National and Dulles International airports and the Dulles Toll Road.
State Science Award for South Lakes Student — SLHS’ Alina Cartwright earned first place in the Environmental Sciences category at the Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair. Cartwright’s experiments was The Effect of Fertilizer Runoff on the Metabolic Gaseous Emissions of Aquatic Plants Common to the Chesapeake Bay.
No Deal for “House of Cards” in Virginia — After the popular Netflix series’ agreement with the state of Maryland recently fell apart, the next-best place would be Virginia, right? However, Commonwealth officials said the production company’s list of demands was too long. [WAMU]
Will Bikeshare Stall Affect Reston Plan? — Fairfax County officials are looking into the feasibility of a bikeshare in Reston. However the bankruptcy of the bike manufacturing company has stalled plans for other upcoming Capital Bikeshare expansion plans. [Washington Post]
Human Trafficking An Issue In Fairfax County — Police officials say it affects all areas. They are stepping up efforts to stop it. [The Centreville Independent]
Herndon Metro Planners Need Your Input — Herndon Metrorail Stations Access Management Study is conducting a citizen survey to get ideas for pedestrian and bike access. Tell them your thoughts online [ HMSAMS ]
Kudos For John Marshall Bank — Reston’s John Marshall Bank has been ranked as the Top Community Bank in the Washington area by SNL Financial. The community bank, with total assets of $662 million and loan growth of 15.02 percent, was also ranked No. 26 in the country.
Photo of Reston founder Bob Simon taken April 10, 2014 courtesy of Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce.
Cherry Blossoms = Metro Record — Beautiful weather, peak bloom and the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade all contributed to especially high ridership on Metrorail this past weekend. On Saturday, riders took 638,474 trips on the rail system, making it the highest Saturday ridership since the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear on October 30, 2010. Saturday’s ridership was nearly double that of an average Saturday(93 percent higher). [Metro]
Ride to Provide Returns Saturday — The annual annual charity bike event hosted by NFL players Lorenzo Alexander and Kedric Golston returns to Reston Town Center this weekend. Hundreds of participants will bike ride on the W&OD Railroad Regional Park Trail to aid wounded veterans and kids in need. [Ride to Provide]
Are You Committing E-Z Pass Errors? — Faulty installation could be messing up your E-Z Pass, costing you a bundle in fees. [WTOP]
Tolls Take a Hike — Tolls on the Dulles Greenway went up on Friday. It now costs $5.10 (up from $4.90) for a one-way rush hour trip. A daily commuter using the road may spend more than $3,000 annually on tolls. [WTOP]
Petersen Wants Cutbacks on Automated License Plate Readers — State Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax) has formed a new bipartisan political caucus hoping to outlaw — or at least cut back — the use of Automated License Plate Readers by Virginia law enforcement officials. [Fairfax Times]
Herndon High Student Earns National Writing Award — Jean Jeon of Herndon High School was awarded a Silver Medal for novel writing, for “Strain,” in the 2014 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. The awards will be presented in New York City in June. [FCPS]
Two Win National Achievement Recognition — Derek Philips of South Lakes High School and Ade Samuel of Herndon High School were among 17 Fairfax County Public Schools student chosen as National Achievement Scholars. The $2,500 Achievement Scholarships are awarded to outstanding Black American high school seniors to be used for undergraduate study. [FCPS]
Photo by Charlotte Geary.
Little League Honors 10 — Eight players and two umpires have earned Reston Little League’s annual Leadership Awards and a scholarship for “sportsmanship during past seasons, their potential for continued leadership development as they graduate on to new teams and schools, and their love of the game.” Awardees are: Jack Thompson (Athletics), Aiden O’Donovan (Phillies), Josh Meade (Yankees), Sully Gholson (Nationals), Vikrant Magadi (Rays), Shea Huntington (Pirates), Nick Gryski (Red Sox), Braden Huebsch (Mets), Owen Walker (Umpire), and Kyle Sather (Umpire).
What Will Happen to “Margaret’s Garden?” — A developer wants to purchase the land on Lawyers Road/Reston Parkway that for more than 50 years was the home and iris garden of Margaret Wilson Thomas. Thomas, who died two years ago, grew thousands of flowers on her property. There is an effort underway to move the flowers to various lots in Herndon. [Fairfax Times]
Reston’s Getting A Splatter Run — Mark your calendars for May 10. That’s when the Splatter Run 5K to benefit Young Life Fairfax will take place at Reston’s Lake Fairfax Park. A splatter race (also called a color run) is where runners don white for the race and are pelted from the sidelines with color powder, finishing up looking like they ran through a rainbow. Younglife is a Christian non profit that hosts summer camps for children in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties. [Young Life]
Photo courtesy Reston Little League
No Comment On Silver Line — Sources say the issues with Metro’s Silver Line may be repaired in two weeks and handed over to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority soon after. Metro, however, has no comment on that timeline. [WTOP]
Today: Virginia Education Secretary Here –Virginia Secretary of Education Ann Holton will meet with the Fairfax County School Board and Superintendent Karen K. Garza from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday to discuss topics in education. FCPS is in the middle of hashing out the FY 2015 budget.
July 4 or 12th Of Never? — Silver Line may be ready by July 4. Restonian says these things will happen first, including a ferret run at Baron Cameron Park, Hell Freezing Over and a mini-Wegmans at Tall Oaks. [Restonian]
Peep Tarts! — Ted’s Bulletin has its own spongy, sweet take on the Easter treat. [Eater DC]
Former Virginia Transportation Secretary Gets Health Care Post — The selection of former McDonnell administration transportation chief Sean Connaughton as president of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association surprised and upset some people on both sides of the Medicaid debate. [Washington Post]
Photo of Lake Anne Elementary Students performing in “Annie” courtesy of Grace Yakubisin.
Help SLHS Seniors — Are you a local business looking to give back? The South Lakes High School Class of 2014 can use donations for its annual All Night Grad Party. Donations can be made online or checks can be mailed to ANGP, South Lakes High School, 11400 South Lakes Drive, Reston VA 20191. [SLHS PSTA]
Founder’s Day Wrap Up In Print, On TV — Restonian has pulled together all the media sources that covered Reston’s big Founder’s Day Saturday. [Restonian]
Kudos for Music in Schools — Fairfax County Public Schools has been recognized as one of 376 school districts nationwide as a 2014 Best Community for Music Education by the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Foundation. The recognition cites school districts that have demonstrated exceptional efforts toward maintaining music education as part of the schools’ core curriculum. [FCPS]
Reston Representing — Reston’s Raba Letteri, an instructional aide at Forest Edge Elementary School, has been selected to the Fairfax County Public Schools’ Support Services Advisory Council. [FCPS]
Photo by Melissa Gifford.
Fifty Trees For 50 Years Planting Monday — In honor of Reston’s 50th anniversary, Friends of Reston will give 50 trees to the community to be planted on Arbor Day, Monday, April 7 from 9:30 a.m. until 12 p.m., rain or shine. [Reston Association]
Fewer Virginia SOL Tests — A bill passed in Richmond last month and signed by the governor Friday cuts the number of standardized tests that third-graders take in half, eliminating the social studies and science tests. School districts will be required to develop alternative assessments that are project-based to show that students are learning the same material. [Washington Post]
Fill Those Potholes — Spring is here, but a few traces of winter remain. One annoying one: potholes. Potholes are created when moisture seeps into the pavement, freezes, expands and then thaws, says the Virginia Department of Transportation. Who to call with a heads up depends on who maintains the road. Most primary and secondary roads are maintained by VDOT. Call them at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (1-800-367-7623).
“Our” Reston — More thoughts on Reston’s big anniversary, these from people who have lived here for many years. [Reston Connection]
Photo of Reston Little League Parade by Melissa Gifford.
Opening Day for Reston Little League — Sign of Spring: Saturday is the Reston Little League Opening Day Parade. The players will march down Market Street starting at 9 a.m.
Save the Date For SLHS Band On The Run 5K — The South Lakes High School Band on the Run returns on April 26. Run a 5K accompanied by live music from South Lakes pyramid band students and help the SLHS band raise money at the same time [PR Racing]
Watershed Cleanup This Weekend — Help the environment in Reston Saturday at the 26th Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup organized by the Alice Ferguson Foundation and Reston Association. This is part of a multi-state effort that will take place locally along Snakeden Branch and Colvin Run, two tributaries to the Potomac River. [Reston Now]
Herndon Studying Metro Options — Fairfax County has begun seeking public input on bike and pedestrian access to Herndon’s Silver Line Metro station, starting with a forum at Herndon Middle School last week. Phase 2 of the Silver Line, which will include the Herndon station, is expected to open in 2018. [Herndon Connection]
Transformer Blows At Reston District Station — The Fairfax County Police’s Reston District Station was briefly evacuated Tuesday night after a transformer sparked. There was no fire and there were no injuries. [Reston Patch]
Lots of Distracted Drivers in Reston — The Fairfax County Police say three of the five top spots for Distracted Driving are in or near Reston, including Sunrise Valley Drive at Fairfax County Parkway. [Fairfax County Police]
Ballpark Bus Back in Business — It’s baseball season! Avoid traffic and parking fees when you take the Ballpark Bus. The bus is operated in conjunction with Reston Limousine and leaves from Tavern 64 at Reston Town Center. [Ballpark Bus]
Herndon High Artists At Work — A juried art show for Herndon High senior artists opens April 10 at ArtSpace Herndon. This exhibition enables student artists to experience a real-world situation as their artwork is viewed by professional artists.
Photo by Mark Toner
Winter Was Worst, And Now It Is Over? — It wasn’t an exaggeration. It did snow way more than usual this winter. Dulles Airport recorded its snowiest and coldest March of all (records go back to 1963) as well as matching its coldest March temperature (-1F). [Capital Weather Gang]
Can I Borrow The Car? — The son of a Fairfax County police officer has been arrested for taking his father’s cruiser out for a high-speed drive and activating the emergency lights, wearing a police uniform shirt and firing a gun, authorities said. James Michael Puebla Berling, 27, of Centreville, were charged by Virginia State Police in Centreville. [Washington Post]
Honors For FCPS Tech Program Manager — Tony Casipit, Fairfax County Public Schools Technology and Engineering Education program manager, has been recognized by the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) with the Distinguished Technology and Engineering (DTE) Professional designation. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Help A SLHS Student — South Lakes High School is still raising money for this year’s Laptops for Success program. The program is 100 percent funded by community donations. Each year, several deserving students are given a new laptop to take to college. [South Lakes High School]
Photo of Lake Anne at dusk by Mark Toner.
Getting Closer to Ending Homelessness Here — The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness has reached its first-year goal under the 100,000 Homes Fairfax Campaign to house 50 of the individuals in the county identified as most vulnerable. The group also housed 98 more individuals identified as chronically homeless. [Fairfax County]
Kudos for Reston Hospital Center — Reston Hospital is a good place for new nursing moms. The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners and International Lactation Consultant Association have recognized Reston Hospital Center for excellence in lactation care. [Reston Hospital Center]
School’s In, At Home — On April 7, students at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will attend virtual classes. The school is holding what it calls a “telelearn day,” with students checking in and completing work online rather than in classrooms. TJ has done this before, and with April 7 a teacher workday that is now a snow day make-up this is a good chance to try it again, school officials said. [Fairfax Times]
Virginia Moving Left? — A Quinnipiac Poll says that 50 percent of Virginia residents approve of gay marriage and 84 percent support medical marijuana. [Richmond Times Dispatch]
Go, Kids, Go — Hundreds of young runners ran through the fog at Reston Town Center at the 2o4 Mighty Mile Race. Race sponsor Potomac River Running has full results and pictures. [PR Running]
Last Day To Vote For RA — Monday is the last day to vote in Reston Association’s 2014 Board of Directors election. To review the candidates, visit Reston.org. Voting is available online. [Reston Association]
Free Coffee at McDonald’s –McDonald’s all over the area will be offering free coffee during breakfast time to its customers starting Monday. The promotion, which will run for two weeks, is part of a “Make Friends with McCafé.” Reston’s McDonald’s is located at the intersection of Sunset Hills Road and Wiehle Avenue.
Photo of Mighty Mile Race/Credit: PR Running
Metro Fares Will Rise — The Metro board voted Thursday to raise fares for Metrorail and Metrobus. The new fares, which will take effect July 1, increase the cost of riding Metrorail by an average of 3 percent. [Washington Post]
Big Night For Jensen — South Lakes guard Caitlin Jensen scored a game-high 22 points and hit four three-pointers in the 10th Annual Suburban Classic on Sunday. The all-star game, held at Oakton High School and sponsored by the Northern Virginia Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association, featured 20 of the best seniors in the Northern Region from the 6A and 5A North regions. Jensen has committed to play at William & Mary next season. [Washington Post]
GRACE Exhibition Features High School Works — Young artists from area high schools, including South Lakes, Herndon and Oakton, have projects on display at Greater Reston Arts Center as part of the Emerging Visions: Complexities exhibition through April 5. [Fairfax Times]
