Here are some Open Houses in Reston to check out this weekend:

1716 Lake Shore Crest Drive
2BR, 1.5 BA Condo
$294,900
Long & Foster Realtors
Diane Bird, 703-435-4900
Open Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.

1305 H Windleaf Dr.
2 BR, 2 BA Condo
$425,000
Keller Williams Realty
Jennifer Pogoda, 703-564-4000
Open Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.

1704 Lake Shore Crest Dr.
2 BR, 1.5 BA Condo
$297,500
Keller Williams Realty
Wayne Evans, 703-679-1700
Open Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.

2304 Glade Bank Way
3 BR, 3.5 BA TH
$424,900
Keller Williams Realty
Robert Chevez, 703-679-1700
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.

For more real estate listing and information, check out Reston Now’s Real Estate section.

This is a sponsored article from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. She writes twice weekly on Reston Now

Inventory is slowing beginning to rise with new properties hitting the market every day.

Pent up demand has buyers moving quickly as new listing hit the market. Here are a few of the 17 properties that have been listed in the past 7 days bringing the total inventory to a slim 87 properties.

• 11500 FAIRWAY DR #207 2BR 2 Bath  $450,000
• 2354 SOFT WIND CT 4BR 2 Full 2 Half Bath  $444,975
• 11977 GREYWING CT 4 BR 2.5 Bath  $425,000
• 1236 WEATHERSTONE CT 3BR 2 Full 2 Half Bath  $519,900
• 10995 THRUSH RIDGE RD 3BR 2.5 Baths  $459,900
• 11483 HERITAGE COMMONS WAY 2BR 3.5 Baths  $459,900
• 2304 GLADE BANK WAY 3BR 3.5 Baths  $424,900
• 1300 WINDLEAF DR #160 2BR 2.5 Baths  $359,900

Reston Real Estate would like to thank everyone who liked our Facebook page during the month of December. We pledged to donate $1 to Cornerstones (formerly Reston Interfaith) for every new “like” on our page- we will (happily) wrote a check for $275.

A four-car crash closed the southbound lanes of the Fairfax County Parkway at Sunrise Valley Drive for more than 60 minutes during Friday rush hour.

Police said they did not yet know whether weather was a factor in the crash. Roads around Reston were slippery Friday morning after several inches of snow fell in the area Thursday night.

Officers were on the scene from about 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., when all lanes were reopened.

Two people were reportedly taken to the hospital, but the injuries appeared non life threatening, police said.

A Thursday evening snowstorm dumped about two inches of snow on Reston, making it slow going for those who have to get somewhere Friday morning.

The snow will stick around for a bit too. Friday is expected to be unusually cold and windy. The high is 22 degrees, but with strong winds it should feel like the single digits.

Here is what you need to know:

FCPS is still closed for winter break, but all school activities such as sports practices or community events held in the schools) are cancelled.

Fairfax County Government has declared unscheduled leave for employees.

The Fairfax County Circuit Court, General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court are open on time.

Check road conditions on the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Virginia511 website. To see if a plow is headed to your neighborhood, check the VDOT Plows site.

As of 8:15 a.m., Dominion Virginia Power reported more than 1,700 customers in Fairfax County without power, but it seems Reston was unaffected by outages.

Photo of snowy Lake Anne Thursday night courtesy of Ken Knueven

Fairfax County Police are investigating a burglary that took place near North Point Village Center last week.

A resident in the 1400 block of  North Point Village Center reported someone entered the residence and took property on Dec. 19. Police did not name the items stolen.

In other recent crime news reported by the FCPD:

UNLAWFUL ENTRY, 2500 block of Brofferton Court (Herndon), Dec. 26, 2:22 p.m. A resident reported someone entered the home but nothing was taken.

LARCENIES:

1900 block of Crescent Park, cash and jewelry from residence

2400 block of Dew Meadow Court, cash from residence

1800 block of Fountain Drive, headphones from business

11700 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, purse from business

11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, beer from business

1800 block of Sycamore Valley Drive, items from residence

1500 block of Trails Edge Lane, items from vehicle

1400 block of Wiehle Avenue, jewelry from business

800 block of Broad Oaks Drive, property from residence

1200 block of Tweed Court, cell phone from business

1800 block of Old Reston Avenue, wallet from business

1800 block of Presidents Street, GPS from vehicle

12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, wine from business

2500 block of Centreville Road, food from business

STOLEN VEHICLE:

9500 block of Center Street, Honda Pilot

Enjoy your day off no matter how you celebrate.

Reston Now will be back tomorrow with more news and events for you.

Thanks for reading. As always, send news tips, photos, story ideas and general thoughts to [email protected].

Here is a look at what sold in Reston in the past week:

1860 Stratford Park Place #204, 2 BR, 2 BA Condo. List price: $479,000. Sold price: $475,000

1314D Garden Wall Court, 2 BR, 2 BA Condo. List price: $299,o00. Sold price: $299,000

2237 Coquina Drive, 3 BR, 2 BA SFH. List price: $319,000. Sold price: $310,000

2522 Freetown Drive, 4 BR, 3.5 SFH. List price: $499,000. Sold price: $399,000

1351 Park Garden Drive, 3 BR, 3.5 BA TH. List price: $359,995. Sold price: $530,000

11314 Stone’s Throw Drive, 5 Br, 4.5 BA SFH. List price: $1,279,999. Sold price: $1.225,000

11717 Newbridge Drive, 3 BR, 3.5 BA TH. List price: $419,900. Sold price: $410,000

2228 Hunter’s Run Drive, 2 BR, 2 BA Condo. List price: $289,000. Sold price: $278,000

11400 Windleaf Court #35-D, 2 BR, 2 BA Condo. List price: $319,900. Sold price: $319,000

2420 Ridgehampton Court, 2 BR, 2 BA TH. List price: $325,000. Sold price: $320,000

The move to have a bikeshare system in Reston — the first such system in Fairfax County — got underway Wednesday with a meeting of principals who would like to see a network here.

About 25 stakeholders representing Reston, Fairfax County, developers, bike advocacy groups, Reston Town Center and Lake Anne Plaza met with representatives from Alta Planning & Design, the firm that developed Capital Bikeshare, said Bruce Wright, Reston resident and chairman of Fairfax Advocates for Better Biking. The next step will be a public meeting in Reston in January.

The meeting was the beginning of a feasibility study for a Reston bikeshare program. Last spring, Fairfax County applied for study funds from Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) Transportation/Land Use Connections (TLC) Technical Assistance Program.

The grant, which Wright says was under $100,000, will look at creative ways bikesharing can work in Reston, he said.

In its grant application, the county said Reston would be an ideal test case for a Fairfax County bikeshare:

“Reston area has the highest concentration of active bicyclists in the County, there is an emerging bike culture forming.  Reston embraced our first two road-diet projects which included bike lanes, and there is strong corporate and residential support to initiate bike sharing in Reston. Furthermore, the findings developed from conducting this study can assist other areas of the region in making sound decisions regarding bike sharing.”

Wright said even though Reston is already connected on more than 55 miles of bike paths, there still would be some challenges to a bikeshare program. It would take different logistics than Arlington, which now has a bikeshare that can easily connected to D.C.’s Capital Bikeshare.

“Reston is really an island,” said Wright. “It is not connected to downtown and Arlington. It is going to take different logistics,”

Wright says he envisions a bikeshare working here with stations at the Metro Silver Line stations at Wiehle Avenue and Reston Parkway, at Reston Town Center and the village centers. Also necessary, to get major employers such as Oracle, United States Geological Survey and others on board to incentive employees using bikeshare in Reston, he said.

The involvement of developers as Reston expands commercially and residentially is also key. Wright said Republic Land Development, which has been awarded the redevelopment of Crescent Apartments and the Lake Anne area, has offered recreational proffers for two bikeshare stations, which would cost $50,000-$70,000 each. Each bike station would house about 20 bikes, said Wright.

“[Bikeshare] is a crucial element in making Reston more transit-oriented and more urban,” says Wright. “If people decided to do it, pretty well situated in Reston to putting in bikeshare and making it easier for everyone.  I think it is key going to be be huge in changing people’s minds about biking.”

Photo of Capital Bikeshare at Pentagon City courtesy Mario Roberto Duran Ortiz 

Do you know a Reston native who has returned to town to live or work?

Then nominate them as a young Restonian to be recognized at Founder’s Day 2014.

As part of Reston’s big 50th Anniversary celebration on April 5, 2014, the Reston Historic Trust will recognize some of Reston’s second generation.

Nominate them by downloading and submitting this Young Restonian form.

Lots of other plans are underway for Founder’s Day, which will also celebrate Reston founder Bob Simon’s 100th birthday. Reston Now will keep you updated as the program develops.

Meanwhile, RHT is accepting Happy Birthday messages for the commemorative program. Messages begin at $25.

Want to have your birthday greetings to Bob in the program? Download this Bob Simon Birthday greetings form.

Reston’s Suli Dainkeh, a 2013 South Lakes High grad, started for the University of Maryland in the NCAA College Cup Soccer Championship on Sunday at PPL Park in Chester, Pa.

The Terps lost to Notre Dame 2-1. Dainkeh, who played midfield for the Seahawks, played in 23 of 26 matches for Maryland this season, primarily as a starting central defender.

Maryland was the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament and won 11 consecutive games before falling to the Fighting Irish.

During that streak, Dainkeh and the other defenders conceded just five goals.

Dainkeh, who played on on the U.S. Men’s U-18 team and was a member of D.C. United Academy,  was named  2103 Gatorade State Player of the Year in Virginia and was a First Team All-Met, All-Region and Liberty District selection. He helped lead the Seahawks to a 12-1 regular-season record last spring.

Read more about Dainkeh’s journey from Sierra Leone to Reston.

Update, noon: Power was restored in South Reston about 11 a.m. says Dominion Virginia power spokesman Chuck Penn.

“The problem was an underground switch,” he said. “This happens sometimes when the temperature goes low, then rises, and you have melting ice and moisture accumulates.

Original story: For at least the second time this week, Dominion Virginia Power customers along South Lakes Drive are experiencing a power outage.

South Lakes High School and South Lakes Village Center were among areas without electricity Friday morning. Some of the stores at South Lakes Village Center are closed, so check with individual stores if you are heading there.

SLHS principal Kim Retzer sent an email to parents at 10:43 a.m. that said the power had been out since 10:15 a.m. and that students would stay in classrooms until power was restored.

A similar outage affected SLHS Wednesday afternoon.

Dominion Virginia’s outage map shows fewer than 50 customers in Reston without power. Reston Now is awaiting word from the power company for a cause of the outage or an estimated time that power will be restored.

 Winter has come early this season! Being a snow lover, I welcome this early taste of the white stuff.

Certainly, it’s a welcome change from the largely barren winters we’ve had the last couple of years. The snow and ice meant a surprise four-day weekend for my daughter Leslie. For my wife and me, this meant working from home.

While I was tapping away on my computer and watching the flakes fall, I thought about the phenomenon of telecommuting. It’s pretty remarkable that technology has advanced to the point where we can be practically as productive outside the office as in it.

One of Bob Simon’s founding principles for Reston was that “the people be able to live and work in the same community.” In a way, telecommuting is the ultimate version of that goal: people living and working in the same house. And there are people who think that this is the future: widespread telecommuting will be what saves us from traffic paralysis and environmental degradation.

Maybe they’re right. But the move toward telecommuting is emblematic of a troubling trend in our society, toward less face-to-face human interaction. That trend runs the risk of damaging our sense of community.

We live in an increasingly atomized society; we spend less and less time in the company of others. For a lot of folks, life is a continuous cycle: from home to work to shopping and back home again. With the new self-checkout feature at grocery stores, you can get in and get out without having to talk to another person at all. It’s a lonely way to live.

Civic and fellowship organizations are a lot less popular than they used to be; so is going out for bridge night. Many of today’s leisure activities can be done at home alone (video games, surfing the
Internet, etc.). Lots of people work out at the gym, but that’s a solitary pursuit too, a time to plug in the headphones and unwind from (or get ready for) the day.

The office is one of the few places where we really spend time with people outside of our families anymore. If we’re no longer going into the office every day, what happens then? We are social creatures; instant messaging and video conferencing aren’t a real substitute for face-to-face contact as our primary source of human interaction.

Read More

Update, 10:34 a.m. Thursday — Candice Duggar says the family has some immediate needs as they are staying with her temporarily. If those wishing to contribute could help today, donations could be dropped off at 11585 Southington Lane, Herndon.

The family, who wishes to remain anonymous, needs: Pajamas (boys 10-12, girls, 10-12, women’s M-L), toiletries, pillows, blankets and towels. Gift cards to local stores are also welcome.

“She literally left her house with the clothes on her back,” says Duggar.

Original story: Two groups have organized fundraising and supply drives to help a Reston family whose home suffered extensive damage in a fire on Tuesday.

Firefighters say a candle that was accidentally knocked over in the garage sparked the blaze, which caused $260,000 in damage. The first and second floors of the townhouse at 11410 Summer House Ct., as well as the family car, were burned. The family rented the North Reston townhouse and did not have insurance.

“A Reston single mom with two young children, ages 9 and 8, lost everything they have in a house fire on Dec. 10 in Reston,” writes Candice Duggar, a family friend who started a GoFundMe page. “Her friends are trying to help he rebuild her life with the immediate need of housing, clothes and food. There is no insurance to help with expenses and everything they have left can fit in one trash bag. Please consider making a donation to help with a first month rent and security deposit, first months rent, food money, and clothes. Their car was also destroyed in the fire. Thank you for any support you can give no amount is too small.”

Duggar is hoping to raise $15,000. Go to Duggar’s Go Fund Me Page for more information and to make a donation.

Another local group, Our Love Project: Hope Restored, has organized a supply drive for the family, which needs everything from clothing (women’s size 10-12, Boy size 10-2, Girl size 10-12) to toys (Pokemon cards, Barbies), to blankets and toiletries. A complete list of supplies can be found here.

The organizer of the Hope Restored project  is hoping to have  relief supplies organized by this coming Sunday, Dec. 15, 3 p.m. Donations will be accepted until Dec. 22 at 3 p.m. You may drop-off your items in a drop box at 506 Sherry Ann Court, Leesburg, VA 20175 or contact them for other arrangements by emailing [email protected].

Photo: Our Love Project

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue investigators say a candle that was accidentally knocked over in the garage sparked a townhouse fire at 11410 Summer House Ct. on Tuesday.

Units were called to the fire about 1:25 p.m. and found heavy smoke and fire coming from the garage and first floor living area of the three-story, middle unit townhouse.

Firefighters conducted an aggressive fire attack and brought the fire under control in approximately 15 minutes, a fire rescue spokesman said. Firefighters kept the fire in check  and it did not  extend to adjacent units.

The fire caused extensive damage to the first and second stories of the home, and minor damage to the top floor.

An adult and two children were home when the fire broke out. They escaped unharmed. The occupants have been displaced. Red Cross support was offered but declined .

Smoke alarms did activate inside the home. There were no injuries.

Damage is estimated at $260,000.