Yesterday was the first day of autumn.

In typical Northern Virginia fashion, that means its is warm enough for shorts, a few pools are still open and trees are all green.

Boots and pumpkin patches seem so far away right now. We thought of a few uniquely Reston things that say “a change of seasons” though. We’ll know fall when we see it. Take our poll and tell us your favorite sign.

With its pools and paths and other amenities, you may think Reston is a great place to live. Money magazine, not so much.

After two top-10 finishes in the last four years (No. 10 in 2014 and No. 7 in 2012), Money came out with its annual rankings on Monday and Reston is not to be found in the top 50.

But that’s not that new – Reston was off the list last year as well. It was, however, lumped in with “Hunter Mill District” (say what?) at No. 28 this year.

Money says it analyzes 60 key factors: taxes, education, health care, housing affordability and more when making its list.

If you plus Reston’s stats into Money’s “How Does Your Town Stack Up” calculator, Reston fares well: 65 percent of residents have at least a Bachelor’s Degree (the national average is 28 percent); the average commute time is 25 minutes (exactly average); median family income is $126,000, double the national average; and unemployment is an anemic 3.2 percent.

On the downside, the average home price is $415,000 and property taxes are about $5,000 annually (twice the national average). Job Growth is expected to only be about 2 percent in the next year.

“This is not to say Reston is not a great place to live, it is,” says Money’s Editor-at-Large Marc Peyser. “It has made our list several times. But we are obviously very sensitive to financial factors, the median home price in Reston is not cheap.”

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Capital Bikeshare’s first Fairfax County locations are still on track to open in the next few months in Reston and Tysons, says Fairfax County Bicycle Program Coordinator Adam Lind.

Lind said this week the county is in the process of “finalizing the contract with the Capital Bikeshare operator, Motivate.”

“Once the contract is signed installations will begin soon after,” he said. “We don’t have a specific launch date yet, but the target is still Fall 2016.”

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the $1.7 million program for Reston and Tyson in January. In late 2015, the supervisors OKed the county’s application for the Virginia Department of Transportation’s FY 2017 Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Grant Application, which gives $400,000 as seed money for bike share program. That money will go to pay for needed equipment such as bicycles and station hardware.

There are plans for 132 bicycles in Reston at 15 stations located between the Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail Station and Reston Town Center; and 80 bicycles available in Tysons at 11 stations located east of Route 7, north of Route 123, and south of the Dulles Toll Road.

Lind said Fairfax County Department of Transportation staff will be at Friday’s New Belgium Clips Beer & Film Tour at Reston Town Center. That event is also a fundraiser for Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling. Capital Bikeshare will have bikeshare bikes available for test rides.

See the map below to see where the Reston bikeshare stations will be located.

Reston Bike Share Station Locations by Karen Goldberg Goff on Scribd

A London Underground station has been taken over by cats.

Well, pictures of cats, anyway. And among the now-famous felines is one Allie, a pet from Reston.

The photos of cats are a project of Citizens Advertising Takeover Service: C.A.T.S, which purchased up all the ad space at Clapham Common on London’s Underground. The cats will line the walls and entry gates for two weeks.

So how did Allie from Reston wind up on the wall?

Washington Post columnist John Kelly explains:

Allie’s owner, Randy Cepuch, saw info about the effort organized by Glimpse, an organization that promotes social consciousness in advertising, in a previous John Kelly column. C.A.T.S. was trying to raise $33,000 to replace every ad in the station with pictures of cats.

Cepuch was among the people who donated 100 pounds (about $140 U.S.) to have a small image of his cat included on a poster. Larger posters feature cats from two rescue charities, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and Cats Protection.

“One thing I especially like about this project is that it features a number of homeless cats — and with luck they won’t be homeless much longer,” Cepuch told the Post. “Also, as I understand it the Glimpse people hope to use this experience to open the door for unusual efforts to help remedy more serious causes. Fortunately, it’s possible to try to take on serious stuff and do something on the lighter side!”

Project organizer James Turner of Glimpse said this:

“We tried to imagine a world where public spaces made you feel good. We hope people will enjoy being in the station and maybe think a bit differently about the world around them.

“Instead of asking you to buy something, we’re asking you to think about what’s really valuable in your life. It might not be cats, but it’s probably something you can’t find in the shops.”

A London tube rider takes a selfie with some of the cats. Among them is a feline from Reston/Credit: Catsnotads.org.

If the Washington Redskins relocate to Virginia, they will most likely play near, but not in, Reston.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe said in early August that the commonwealth was in “very serious” negotiations to build a new NFL stadium somewhere along the Silver Line. He mentioned Tysons, Reston and points west in Loudoun.

But with no suitable space for that size project in Reston, McAuliffe was likely generalizing. A Washington Post report last week said the most likely spot for the new stadium would be in Loudoun County close to Dulles International Airport.

“If Virginia beats out the District and Maryland to get the new stadium, Loudoun appears to be the only county that has enough undeveloped space near a Metro station to accommodate it,” the Post story said.

Fairfax County apparently does not want the project, anyway. At a summit of Northern Virginia leaders last week, representatives from Fairfax, Prince William and Arlington counties and the city of Alexandria were unanimous in saying that they wouldn’t want the team in their own jurisdictions. Read More

Thanks for being a reader of Reston Now. As we head toward our three-year anniversary in Reston, we just want to make sure you know all the ways to get the most up-to-date news here.

There are a few ways this site can be even better for you. Reston Now is a great place to stay updated on your area, publicize an event and talk to your neighbors.

Here are five things to know to make Reston Now work for you.

1. The Newsletter Comes Out Every Afternoon — Want the news of the day to come directly to you? Sign up for our daily newsletter. It will arrive in your inbox every weekday at about 3 p.m. with the news that has been posted so far that day.

Sign up and get the news deleivered to you. We won’t spam you with anything else.

2. Want News as It Happens? — Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to read our stories all day long. You can leave comments and messages, and speak with editor Karen Goff directly.

3. Something on Your Mind? Let Us Know! — We have lots of ways for you to speak your mind. You can send a letter to the editor to [email protected]. You can comment on every story to engage in discussion with your neighbors. You can answer one of our poll questions. And you can send us an anonymous tip. Coming very soon: Reston Now Forums where you can discuss any topic.

4. Want to Share Your Photos of Reston? — We would love to see them and maybe use them on the site. Visit our Reston Now Flickr Page to upload your pictures, or email a few to [email protected]. You can also tag us on Twitter or Facebook and we will see it right away.

5. Mark Our Calendar — Reston Now has a free events calendar, and we will gladly publish information on your fundraiser, performance or any other event around town. Just click on our events page to submit your event.

Berthold Academy for the Gifted and Talented
www.bertholdacademy.com
[email protected]
703.336.2563
11480 Sunset Hills Road, Reston

Garrett Wilhelm and Rodney Berthold want to “disrupt education.”

They mean that in the most forward-thinking way as they get ready to open Berthold Academy for the Gifted and Talented, a new school in Reston, in September.

Wilhelm and Berthold have decades of Montessori teaching and administration experience between them. The two most recently worked at nearby The Boyd School, and then decided to create a visionary school that would serve a population that needed it.

The Berthold Academy will serve grades 1 to 8, with plans to add a high school in coming years, said Wilhelm. The school has a renovated facility at 11480 Sunset Hills Road.

Montessori education is an approach developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori that emphasizes independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural psychological, physical, and social development.

“There are 57 Montessori schools in Northern Virginia,” Wilhelm said. “Four or five have elementary programs. Two have middle schools, and there are no high schools. This will be the only first-through-eighth grade program in Northern Virginia.”

What sets Berthold Academy apart is the attention to educating the whole child, says Berthold. Read More

With paid parking set to go into effect at Reston Town Center on Sept. 12, Reston Now last week asked readers to name some of their favorite restaurants located elsewhere in Reston.

We got 80 comments on that post (and more than 100 on the Reston Now Facebook page), with many great suggestions. Here are some of the spots readers gave lots of mention:

• Cafesano (South Lakes Village Center)
• Red’s Table (South Lakes Village Center)
• Glory Days (North Point Village Center; Fox Mill Shopping Center)
• Gregorio’s Trattoria (North Point Shopping Center)
• Kalypso’s (Lake Anne Plaza)
• Ariake (Hunters Woods Village Center)
• La Ong (Fox Mill Shopping Center)
• Cafe Montmartre (Lake Anne Plaza)
• Silver Diner (Reston)
• Amphora (Herndon)
• A Taste of the World (Herndon)

Which brings us to this weekend’s discussion: Where to go for a drink?

While “technically” there are no standalone bars according to Virginia law (only restaurants that serve alcohol), there are places in Reston, Herndon and nearby areas that are more popular for cocktails/beer/wine than for their meals.

Weekend parking will remain free at town center, so many drinking spots will see see do a brisk business. But what about a weekday drink? “Monday Night Football” viewing? Let us know where you will grab a pint if you want to park for free come September.

Photo: Beer taps at Red’s Table

Starting today, Restonians can order a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream from Amazon.com and get it while it’s still frozen.

Amazon announced this morning that it has launched its Prime Now service for parts of Northern Virginia, including Reston and Herndon. (Users can check to see if the service is available by typing in their ZIP code.)

Prime Now allows Amazon Prime members (link goes to a 30-day free Prime trial offer) to order more than 10,000 everyday items, from groceries to household essentials to electronics to school and pet supplies, and get it delivered in 1-2 hours.

One hour delivery costs $7.99, while two-hour delivery is free. There is a $20 minimum for delivery. (Note: One reader tried it today and said they were told only two hour delivery is available to get from the warehouse in Annandale to Reston).

“This is the latest benefit of being a Prime member,” Amazon spokeswoman Amanda Ip told our sister publication, ARLnow.com. She said the company plans to extend Prime Now service to the District of Columbia in October.

The service is available via a dedicated Prime Now website and smartphone app for Android and iPhone.

More from a press release:

Amazon announced today that its Prime Now one-hour delivery service is expanding to Northern Virginia from Springfield to Arlington to Alexandria. The ultra-fast service, offered exclusively as a benefit to Prime members, provides one-hour delivery on tens of thousands of daily essentials from staples like paper towels, milk or ice cream, to electronics such as laptops and Kindle devices.

In Virginia, Prime Now is also available in Richmond and Virginia Beach. Since launching in these areas, top items purchased for superfast delivery through the service include Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, bananas, Haribo gummy bears and eggs.

Prime members can shop on www.primenow.com and can also download the Prime Now app, available on iOS and Android devices.

In Northern Virginia, Prime Now is available from 8 a.m. to midnight seven days a week. Two-hour delivery is free and one-hour delivery is available for $7.99.

A Reston Dermatology practice has been the victim of a serious hacking incident that may have compromised thousands of patients’ personal information.

Professional Dermatology Care, located at 1801 Robert Fulton Dr., said in a letter to patients on its website last week that it recently discovered that “criminals encrypted patient data via ‘ransomware.’ “

More than 13,000 patient records — including patient names, addresses, dates of birth, social security and Medicare numbers, and medical and billing records — may have been compromised, the Washington Business Journal reports. Read More

Jacob Sartorius has 7 million followers on Instagram, Vine, Snapchat (JacobSartorius) and Twitter. More than a million people subscribe to his YouTube channel. And if you are a tween with Musical.ly, chances are you are familiar with his lip-synching/singing work — 8 million kids subscribe to his account.

Jacob is 13. He lives in Reston, where he got his start both in local theatre productions and making videos on his block and in his basement.

Some compare Jacob to a young Justin Beiber — he’s got the good hair and the boy-next-door looks. He can sing — and he certainly knows how to work it.

Jacob Tweets daily affirmations that have struck a chord with tweens seeking a positive message in a critical world, such as “Hey, be yourself,” or “Girl, you’ve got something special.”

Girl you got something special 😘

— Jacob Sartorius (@jacobsartorius) July 26, 2016

Jacob was up at the offices of Seventeen magazine in New York City this week as his latest video, “Hit or Miss” was released.

Here are some of the highlights:

What was the inspiration behind “Hit or Miss?”

Ultimately, it was written about just having a great time. You can’t worry about the next day. If you’re going through something hard, just remember that tomorrow could be 10 times better. It’s about not taking life too seriously and just being able to let go and have a great time.

You’re very popular on social media, especially musical.ly. How did you initially get into making musical.ly videos?

I was in my bedroom and my friend from Baltimore told me about this app called musical.ly, and I went straight to the app store and downloaded it. I had no clue what it was. I just downloaded it. I think I was one of the first people on the app. My friend recorded it and I was just goofing off in my room and it really took off. That took like a minute to film. The bigger that my musical.ly got, the more effort I put in, because I wanted people to see the best content and I tried to work the hardest I could for them.

Read the whole Seventeen interview on Seventeen’s website.

But, like any Internet star, Jacob faces backlash too. Read this Buzzfeed story on on the online bullying Jacob has to endure as well. Yes, an Instagram post may get thousands of comments, but not all of them are positive.

And there is this bizarre game where kids post phone numbers in the Instagram comments and swear it’s Jacob’s phone number — “just talked to Jacob — he is so nice!” Somewhere out there, some random phones are getting inundated with calls looking for Jacob.

YouTube: “Sweatshirt,” by Jacob Sartorius. Photo: Jacob Sartorius/Twitter

Reston is among 12 test markets nationwide selected by Google to test its new high-speed wireless broadband.

Google recently filed with the FCC to test a new product, Google Fiber, in the locations for a period of two years.

Reston will join California locales Atwater, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Bruno, San Francisco and San Jose, as well as Boulder, Colo., Kansas City, Mo.; Omaha, Neb.; Raleigh, NC and Provo, Utah, the filing said.

The company chose those cities for their “radio propagation environment, buildings and foliage to test interference, pre-existing Google infrastructure and “existence of partners who may participate in the tests,” according to the filing and reported by Engadget.

Says Engadget:

In telecommunications development, one of the biggest bottlenecks is often the “last mile,” or the piece of a network required to deliver service to a consumer or business. In fiber optic deployments, like Google Fiber, that often involves laying additional cables to connect homes or offices to the network.

Google Fiber is likely to cause competitors like Verizon and Comcast to up their game, tech analysts say.

Google notes in the filing that these tests won’t involve the average user. Only Google employees, contractors and “trusted testers” under close supervision will get to try out the wireless fiber.

Read more about the high-speed fiber in this San Jose Mercury News story.

Two dogs perished in a Reston townhouse fire on Friday night, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue officials said.

Firefighters were called to the 11200 block of  Silentwood Lane about 9:44 p.m. for reports of a townhouse on fire.

Upon arrival, firefighters observed smoke and fire showing from a three-story townhouse. An aggressive attack was conducted and the fire was brought under control. There were no firefighter or civilian injuries. The house did not have working smoke alarms, officials said. The fire was discovered by a neighbor.

The two occupants were not home at the time of the fire. Two adults have been displaced. Red Cross assistance was declined. Total property loss is estimated at $93,750.

Friends of the young couple who lived at the townhouse have set up a Go Fund Me account to help them. the dogs who died were named Prim and Finn, according to the Go Fund Me page.

Investigation revealed that the fire originated on the kitchen counter. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

Photos courtesy Kurt Rose

Construction on Phase 2 of Metrorail’s Silver Line is now 30 percent complete, Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project officials say.

The line, which will stretch from Wiehle-Reston East to a Reston Town Center station, then stops at Herndon, Route 28, Dulles International Airport and two in Ashburn, is scheduled to open in early 2020.

That 2020 date is about 13 months later than originally forecast. Metro officials announced about a year ago that design modifications for safety and reliability would delay the project by a little over a year. It would also add cost to the project, according to The Washington Post.

If you have driven down the Dulles Toll Road lately — or looked to the Reston sky, where cranes are seemingly everywhere — you will see crews at work on the $5.6 billion extension. More than 2 million hours have been spent so far constructing Silver Line Phase 2, officials said.

Here is what is coming up around here in the next two months:

Dulles Toll Road/Airport Access Highway: Lane shifts, paving and striping will continue.

Reston Town Center Station: Concrete foundation and concrete barrier wall construction.

Herndon Station: Pre-cast building ongoing.

Innovation Center Station (Route 28): Ongoing steel work and assembly of pedestrian bridges begins.

Dulles Airport Station: Column construction continues; pre-cast erection will begin.

Additionally, at Dulles Airport:

• Station column construction continues.
• Cross girder installation will be ongoing.
• Pre-cast erection will begin.
• Fiber support steel will be installed.
• Removal of the pedestrian tunnel roof will start.
• Girder installation and deck construction is scheduled to return to Autopilot
• Drive at the Dulles Airport and continues south through the cargo area.
  34.5kV duct bank work continues along Rudder Road and moves to Autopilot Drive and the cargo area.