Virginia Raises Minimum Wage on May Day — Effective Saturday (May 1), Virginia’s minimum wage went up from $7.25 per hour to $9.50, the state’s first increase since 2009. Wages could rise to $15 in 2026, if approved by the General Assembly in 2024. Localities now also have the authority to adopt ordinances allowing collective bargaining with public employees. [DCist]
Twin Sheep Born at Frying Pan Farm Park — “Frying Pan Farm Park’s Suffolk ewe, Bristol, delivered the last of the sheep births that the farm will see this spring. Her twin ewes arrived April 11.” [Fairfax County Park Authority/Twitter]
Dulles Greenway Hosts First “Run the Greenway” Races — The first annual “Run the Greenway” race in Loudoun County attracted more than 1,400 runners and raised over $156,000 for 27 different area nonprofits on Saturday. The event featured 5K, 10K, and 800-meter Kids Fun Run races with staggered start times for social distancing as well as a virtual option. [Loudoun Now]
Porcupine Quills Seized at Dulles Airport — Customs and Border Protection seized 100 porcupine quills from a U.S. citizen who came to Dulles International Airport from Africa on April 21. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told CBP to seize the quills, because they are a potential vector for the monkeypox virus. [CBP]
The Water Mine Seeking New Lifeguards — The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole in Reston is hiring more than 150 lifeguards for the upcoming summer season. Several drive-thru, socially distanced job fairs will be held on site (1400 Lake Fairfax Drive) throughout May, with the first event coming on Friday (May 7) from 4-6 p.m. [Fairfax County Park Authority]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Friends of Frying Pan Park, a local park in Herndon, will host its first NASCOW race next Friday (Oct. 16)
This event will race 11 of the park’s cows in efforts to replace revenues lost by the COVID-19-related cancellation of the park’s annual Farm Harvest Days fundraiser, the event ad said.
“Farm Harvest Days usually bring in 8,000 people per day,” said Yvonne Johnson, Manager of Friends of Frying Pan Park. “Due to COVID-19, we found a different way to generate revenue to support the farm and park.”
The cows that will race are of different ages from nine-months to four-years-old:
- Bandit (Age: 1)
- Brandy (Age: 3)
- Evee (Age: 3)
- Florence (Age: 2)
- Guinness (Age: 9 months)
- Helene (Age: 2)
- Hokie (Age: 3)
- Marybelle (Age: 4)
- Rain (Age: 3)
- Skipper (Age: 9 months)
- Smokey (Age: 1)
The race will be videotaped and aired online.
Sponsors for the NASCOW race can use this form to pick their cow and donate. So far the park has raised $8,000 of its $10,000 goal.
Photo via Friends of Frying Pan Park/Facebook
A Reston resident is headed to the Netherlands next fall to represent Team USA at the World Aquabike Championship.
By coming in sixth place at the Triathlon Multisport National Championships earlier this month, Paul Hartke earned his spot in two upcoming competitions. He will participate in the National Olympic Triathlon Championship in Cleveland next August before he heads to Almere, Netherlands in September to represent the U.S. at the World Aquabike Championship.
The championships in the Netherlands will consist of a 2.5-mile-long swim and 112-mile-long bike race against competitors from across the globe, according to a press release.
“The opening ceremonies and athlete parade will precede the week of world endurance events sanctioned by the International Triathlon Union,” the press release said.
Hartke is a long-time member of the Reston community, the press release added. He and his brother run the National Realty group in Reston. When not working, he and his wife spend time with the Reston Runners community.
Photos courtesy Paul Hartke
Mark your calendars for April 13 if you plan to break a sweat in the Nature Center 5K Run and Walk.
Registration for the annual run — now in its 16th year — recently opened. The price increases by $5 for kids and adults on Monday, April 1. (Currently, it is $25 for adults and $15 for kids.)
Online registration closes on Wednesday, April 10, but participants can still sign up at the 7 a.m. walk-in registration on race day. While walkers are welcome, pets and strollers are not.
The race, which begins and ends at the Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive), is set to start at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 13.
The course spans paved paths and woodchipped trails through the forest and neighborhoods. Runners will be greeted at the finish line with refreshments, music and prizes.
Awards will be given to overall finishers and men’s and women’s categories in 10-year increments, according to a press release. Three team categories — “Corporate,” “Friends” and “Family” — were added this year.
Racers will also have the chance to win prizes in random drawings. Kids under the age of 13 will receive a participation prize.
The funds raised by the race will help support the Walker Nature Center’s facility enhancements, educational exhibits and programming, the press release says.
Photo courtesy Ken Plum
Reston-Herndon Toastmasters — The communication skills-building group will host an open house from 7-8:30 p.m. tonight at the Herndon Neighborhood Resource Center (1086 Elden Street). [District 29 Toastmasters]
Candid candidates — The candidates running unopposed for five seats on the Reston Association’s Board of Directors will take part in a candidates’ forum tonight at 7 p.m. Restonians who can’t make it to the RA’s headquarters can stream the debate online. [Reston Association on YouTube]
Run roundup — The Reston 10-Miler, which is coming up this Sunday (March 3), was featured in a list of six D.C.-area races this spring. [DCist]
Public input on PRC — The Reston Association is urging Restonians to stay involved in the PRC zoning ordinance debate. The Fairfax County Planning Commission recently recommended that the county’s board deny the proposal. [Reston Association on YouTube]
For the second year, homemade cardboard boats will compete in the popular regatta at Lake Anne. All proceeds from the event on August 11 will go toward the Reston Historic Trust & Museum.
Participating teams of all ages will construct and decorate a life-size cardboard boat, which will compete in timed heats. Team members will row to a designated buoy and back to the docks.
Last year, 20 teams and more than 65 individuals participated in the event. The event is presented by the museum and the lead sponsor is Griffin-Owens Insurance. Other sponsors include Reston Association and Aperture.
Registration for the event is not open yet. During last year’s regatta, 30 preregistration slots were filled for this year’s event. A waiting list with 20 additional slots is available online. Registration will be opened to the public when the number of maximum competing teams is determined by organizers.
More information about the event is available online.
Image via Nova Labs/Facebook
There is still time to register for Saturday’s Susco 8K: Running with Tim.
The race is an annual event that honors Tim Susco, a 1999 South Lakes High School graduate who died of a bran aneurysm in 2007.
The race benefits both brain aneurysm and organ donor awareness. Susco was an organ donor, and his parents have, over the years, met several recipients of Tim’s otherwise-healthy organs.
The race begins at South Lakes High School at 8:30 a.m. There is also a 2K fun run/walk that starts at 8:35 a.m.
Online registration is closed, but you can register at packet pickup at SLHS ($35) Friday night or at the race ($40) Saturday morning starting at 7 a.m.
The course will go through streets near SLHS. Roads will not be completely blocked, but certain lanes will be for runners only. So plan ahead and use caution.
Affected streets include Ridge Heights Road, South Lakes Drive, Twin Branches Road, Glade Drive and Soapstone Drive.
See the full course on the race website.
Spring running season is nearly here. If you have been training all winter, challenge yourself to the Reston 10-Miler Sunday at 8 a.m.
Here is what you need to know:
The race starts and ends at South Lakes High School
Runners must complete the course in 2 hours, 15 minutes.
Online registration closes Thursday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. Cost: $45
Late registration is also available at packet pickup at Potomac River Running at Reston Town Center Friday and Saturday ($50)
The course takes runners thorough South Reston. Streets involved include South Lakes Drive, Sunrise Valley Drive, Soapstone Drive, Colt’s Neck Road, Twin Branches Road, Ridge Heights Road and Glade Drive. Roads won’t be closed, but lanes may be blocked off, so plan accordingly if you are driving somewhere early Sunday. See the course map on the race’s website.
All 10-Miler finishers will receive an original design finishers medal.
Proceeds will benefit South Lakes High School’s Track and Field program.
Photo: Finisher at 2014 Reston 10-Miler/Credit: Potomac River Running
