Yard Waste Piles Up in Fairfax County — Fairfax County collects solid waste and recycling for about 10 percent of its residents. Some residents say the job just isn’t getting done. The county says an unprecedented labor shortage is to blame. [NBC4]

Herndon Police Investigate Burglary — Someone broke into a home on the 1000 block of Elden Street on Sept. 25 some time between 3-11:30 p.m. The case is under investigation. [Herndon Police Department]

Town of Herndon Releases Annual Report — Town Manager Bill Ashton presented the town’s annual report for the fiscal year. He offers details on how the town responded to the pandemic. “From a town operations perspective, COVID-19 forced us to quickly adapt and pivot to new ways of doing things,” Ashton writes. [Town of Herndon]

Local Pumpkin Patch Options — Michael O’Connell from Patch rounds up some local options for visiting pumpkins patches, including Reston Farm Market and Cox Farms. [Reston Patch]

The Fourth of July is coming up this weekend, and with Monday (July 5) as a designated federal holiday, many public facilities and services will be shaking up their schedules.

The Fairfax County Health Department announced today (Friday) that all of its COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be closed on Independence Day, but walk-in services will be available at the Fairfax County Government Center and the former Safeway at Mount Vernon Square in Alexandria on Saturday.

A vaccine site at Springfield Town Center will also be open for walk-ins on Monday.

Here are some other closures that county residents should keep in mind this holiday weekend:

Fairfax County Government

• County government offices will be closed on July 5th

Fairfax County Courts

• The Fairfax Circuit, General District, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District courts will be closed all day on July 5.

County Libraries, Recreation Centers, Parks

• All Fairfax County library branches will be closed.
• All Fairfax County RECenters will operate at their regular hours.
• Colvin Run Mill, Sully Historic Site, Hidden Oaks, Hidden Pond, E.C. Lawrence and Huntley Meadows nature centers will be closed.
• The Riverbend Park visitor center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Green Spring Garden’s horticultural center and historic house will be closed.

Public Transit

• Fairfax Connector buses will operate on a Saturday service schedule on Monday. Check the link for details on specific routes.
• WMATA Metrorail service will operate from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday. Details on routes and closed stations can be found on the Metro website.
• WMATA Metrobus will operate on a Saturday service schedule on Monday.

County Trash and Recycling

• There will be no change in the county’s trash and recycling collection.
• The recycling and disposal centers at the I-66 Transfer Station and I-95 Landfill Complex will be closed.

Reston

• The Reston Community Center Hunters Woods will open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m on Sunday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday.
• Reston Community Center Lake Anne will be closed all day Sunday and Monday.
• All Reston Association offices, including the central services facility and the Walker Nature Center’s Nature House, will be closed on July 5.

Herndon

• Town offices and the Herndon Community Center will be closed on Sunday and Monday.
• Recycling will be collected on Monday as normal.
• The farm at Frying Pan Park and the indoor arena will be open, but the visitor center will be closed.

 

Hunters Woods Neighborhood Coalition and the Fairfax County Police Department Crime and Prevention Unit are planning to clean the Reston Association trails and Hunters Woods Village Center later this month.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the event description said.

Volunteers are asked to meet at the Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road), wearing gloves, sturdy shoes, and dressed appropriately for the weather – rain or shine.

Further questions can be emailed to Katy Defoe, [email protected].

Photo via Reston Community Center/Facebook

Local residents can expect changes to their trash and recycling starting today (March 30).

Fairfax County announced on Friday that the Solid Waste Management Program is making some changes to trash and recycling collection to minimize the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

“These changes will remain in effect until the public health emergency passes,” the county said. “Additional changes may be announced if the situation worsens in our area.”

The county says that administrative buildings and donation stations are closed, along with the household hazardous waste and e-waste stations at the I-95 landfill complex. People can still find those stations at the I-66 transfer station.

The glass recycling drop-off bins have been temporarily suspended, and people are now asked to bring their glass recycling to the I-66 transfer station and I-95 landfill complex or to place the glass items in the trash.

Here’s what else has been suspended:

• yard waste collection
• 30-day prior notice requirements for change of collection schedule or services
• support for community clean-ups
• bulk/brush and electronic waste collection
• support for the litter removal program
• secure document shredding events

“These changes apply to all private haulers (90 percent of county) and county collections customers (10 percent),” the county said.

To help protect sanitation workers and residents from the coronavirus, the county asks that people reduce the amount of waste they generate, bag all trash and refuse, empty and clean containers that contained liquids and residue from food and regularly disinfect cart handles and lids.

Photo via City of Falls Church

Lane and Ramp Closures This Week — Several roads including parts of the Dulles Toll Road will be closed through Saturday, April 4 as work on phase two of the Silver Line continues. [Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority]

New Trash and Recycling Rules in Effect — “Effective Monday, March 30, 2020, the Solid Waste Management Program is changing collection requirements for trash and recycling haulers and changing service levels at the county’s two disposal sites. These changes will remain in effect until the public health emergency passes. Additional changes may be announced if the situation worsens in our area.” So far, yard waste collection, community clean-ups, and bulk pickup have been suspended. [Fairfax County Government]

Reston Association Extends Assessment Due Dates — Members now have until April 30 to pay the annual assessment fee “because of the hardships created for our members by the coronavirus pandemic.” [Reston Association]

Deadline for Reston Association Workgroup Approaches — Members interested in applying for the Recreation Facilities Working Group must submit materials by tomorrow (March 31). The organization’s board operations committee will conduct interviews on May 4 at 6:30 p.m. [Reston Association]

Photo by Eddie/Twitter

Fairfax County residents are no longer required to place glass bottles, jars, and other glass items in curbside recycling bins.

The change, which went into effect on Tuesday (Oct. 1), was made at the request of private recycling sorting centers and Covanta Fairfax, Inc., which operates the area’s waste-to-energy plant.

In the past, county officials say single-stream recycling has caused major problems. Glass recyclables often break during collection and transport to recycling centers, contaminating other more valuable recycled items like cardboard and metals.

In recent years, China, the largest customer of recycled materials, has begun imposing strict standards on the quality of accepted recycled materials.

County officials also say glass has damaged machinery and is often heavy, adding costs to transporting recyclables to centers.

Residents can deliver glass containers to one of 21 purple recycling bins in the county. Recently, a new bin was added to the Reston South Park and Ride lot.

All colors of clean glass bottles and jars are accepted at purple containers. Light bulbs, lamps, ceramics, porcelain, mirrors, window, and sheet glass cannot be recycled at the sites.

Collected glass will be processed by the region’s only glass processing plant in Lorton. Recycled materials will be used for pipe bedding, filter material, and other purposes.

Photo via Fairfax County Government

Residents can drop off glass for recycling at a new purple dumpster at the Reston South Park and Ride lot. The bin, which is located on the southeast corner of the lot, is part of the county’s efforts to encourage glass recycling.

Most recycled glass in curbside recycling bins ends up in landfills because the glass breaks during transportation to the county’s recycling facility and mixes with other recyclable materials, according to the county. Collected glass will be used for construction materials.

All colors of emptied glass — including bottles and jars — are acceptable. Residue should be removed from the material before recycling.

Items that include food, plastic bags, lamps or light bulbs, ceramics, mirrors, windows, porcelain and glass sheets will not be accepted. Glass recyclable will also be accepted for collection in curbside pickup.

The regional glass recycling program, which is called Purple Can Club, kicked off in April. The county partnered with the City of Alexandria, Prince William County, and Arlington County to bring several glass-only bins to Northern Virginia.

Updated Plans for Reston Crossing — The project has changed slightly since it was introduced, though many of the basics have remained the same. The biggest difference is that the developer is now envisioning seven buildings for the site instead of six, and they’ve now firmed up the planned mix of residential, office and retail space planned for the area. [The Washington Business Journal]

College Planning Event Today — Experts from OneCommonwealth Advisors share tips on how to make colleges more affordable and help families plan ahead at Reston Regional Library from 7-8 p.m. [Reston Regional Library]

Trash Pickup Problems in Fairfax County — “Fairfax County is investigating reports of missed trash pick-ups by a solid waste and recycling collection company in preparation to take legal action. During the county’s Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday (May 7), John Cook and Kathy Smith, the district supervisors for Braddock and Sully, respectively, presented a board matter prompting the investigation into whether American Disposal Services has violated any consumer protection laws. [Tysons Reporter]

Photo by Lauren Pao

In case you were planning to visit these government facilities around Fairfax County during the holiday season, check to see whether or not they will be closed on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), Christmas (Dec. 25), New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) and Jan. 1.

Fairfax County 

Fairfax County’s government offices, libraries and courts will be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas and Jan. 1.

The county’s public schools will be on winter break from Monday, Dec. 24, until Friday, Jan. 4.

The Fairfax Connector will be running on a holiday weekday schedule for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. A full list of routes running in the Reston area is available online. The next day, the bus will operate on a Sunday schedule for Christmas and Jan. 1.

Frying Pan Farm Park and Colvin Run Mill Historic Site will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Jan. 1.

County trash and recycling collection will not happen on Christmas. The updated collection schedule for next week is:

• Tuesday customers will have collection on Wednesday (Dec. 26)
• Wednesday customers will have collection on Thursday (Dec. 27)
• Thursday customers will have collection on Friday (Dec. 28)
• Friday customers will have collection on Saturday (Dec. 29)

Reston

The Reston Association offices will be closed for Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Jan. 1.

Nature House will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Reston Community Center Lake Anne will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Jan. 1.

Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods will be closed on Christmas. It will have modified hours from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and from noon to 5 p.m. on Jan. 1.

The Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center will be closed on Christmas. It will have modified hours from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and from noon to 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 1.

Herndon

Town of Herndon government offices will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas and Jan. 1.

Refuse will be collected on Christmas Eve, but refuse normally collected on Tuesdays will be collected on Thursday (Dec. 27) and New Year’s Eve.

The Herndon Community Center will be closed on Christmas and Jan. 1.

The Herndon Centennial Golf Course will only be closed for Christmas.

Metro, DMV and more

All Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) customer service centers will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Jan. 1.

The Metro and Metrobus will be running a Sunday schedule on Christmas and Jan. 1, operating from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Metro will provide special late-night rail service on New Year’s Eve with trains running until 2 a.m. on Jan. 1.

Speaking of closed offices, Reston Now will be on breaks for Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Jan. 1.

File photo

Reston Trash, which has been servicing the area for more than 40 years, announced it will shut down on Oct. 1 due to the health of president John Hasle.

“I have been dealing with steadily worsening health problems for more than 15 years,” Hasle wrote in a letter to customers. “Results of recent testing and evaluations dictate that my condition requires me to stop working and seek the most advanced treatments possible without delay.”

Reston Trash, founded by Hasle in 1974, serves more than 500 homes in Reston. Hasle said the accounts will be turned over to American Disposal Trash Services, another local company. Reston Trash’s customers will begin service with American Oct. 1, said Hasle.

In 2011, Reston Trash customers stood with Hasle when American allegedly launched a door-to-door sales campaign encouraging homeowners to switch to their company. ADTS reps were apparently telling homeowners that Reston Trash was selling to another company, AAA Trash, according to a Reston Patch story.

One Reston Trash client said on Tuesday he is upset that Reston Trash “unilaterally moved all of their accounts over to American Disposal.”

“This is a cause of considerable concern as I see it,” homeowner Chris Lamb said in an email to Reston Now. “First, neither Reston Trash nor American Disposal enjoys power of attorney over any former Reston Trash customer. Once Reston Trash ends operations, my contract with them ends. I found this out when I called Republic and American to obtain competing bids. American told me I was already a customer and ‘locked’ into a rate.”

“After I explained they have no right to unilaterally sign a service agreement on my behalf they agreed to cancel my account. … I can’t imaging Cox cable going out of business and unilaterally signing their customers up for Comcast.”

Lamb, who said he was pleased with Reston Trash’s service and does not believe it did anything intentionally wrong, said he was able to negotiate a rate with Republic that was lower than both the locked-in rate he had with Reston Trash and the new rate with American.

Photo: John Hasle, 2011/Elizabeth Vandenburg for Reston Patch