Family and friends gathered on Sunday evening at the spot where 16-year-old Marvin Daniel Cruz Serrano was killed Saturday.
They placed a white wooden cross with “Daniel” near the intersection where the South Lakes High School sophomore was struck by a vehicle while returning home from work at Reston’s Cafesano, WJLA reported.
The memorial continues to grow with several bouquets of flowers and a stuffed animal for the teen who friends called “kind and selfless.” Serrano leaves behind his mother and a 2-year-old brother.
In a message sent to the school community Monday evening, Principal Kim Retzer said funeral arrangements are still being planned.
Fairfax County Police are still looking for the driver, who fled the scene. Detectives believe the sedan involved “may possibly be gray or silver, and it likely has significant front end damage.”
“At about 5:40, officers responded to the report of a pedestrian hit-and-run crash on South Lakes Drive and Castle Rock Square in Reston,” police said in a press release. “The teen was attempting to cross South Lakes Drive… when he was hit by a vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.”
The fatal hit-and-run was the 44th road death in Fairfax County in 2018 — the most for any county in Virginia last year, according to DCist.
Police are asking anyone with information about the fatal hit-and-run to contact the Crash Reconstruction Unit witness phone line at 703-280-0543 or to submit a tip anonymously through Crime Solvers.
16-year-old Daniel Serrano’s grief-stricken mother nearly collapsed during the vigil for her son who was killed by a hit and run driver. This was an incredibly emotional story to cover. I broke down in tears.
Fairfax County Police are searching for the driver. pic.twitter.com/1098jCvFAD— Victoria Sanchez (@VictoriaSanchez) December 31, 2018
The memorial for 16-year-old Daniel Serrano continues to grow. pic.twitter.com/AMVBupkGw7
— Victoria Sanchez (@VictoriaSanchez) December 31, 2018
Family & friends tell us 16yo Daniel Serrano was a cashier at a restaurant in Reston. He worked hard to help his family. They say he was coming home from work and crossing South Lakes Dr. when police say a driver hit him/didn’t stop. Serrano didn’t survive. @fox5dc pic.twitter.com/SfEelex8xP
— Evan Lambert (@EvanLambertTV) December 31, 2018
Photo via Madison Grace Shannon/Facebook
Updated at 10:05 a.m. — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue provided more information about the fire.
A fire that broke out in the garage of a two-story house in Reston early this morning (Dec. 28) was caused by an overcurrent from an electric space heater plugged into an extension cord.
The smoke alarm alerted the three people in the house, according to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue.
Firefighters responded to the fire at the 1800 block of Cranberry Lane around 3:27 a.m. and had it extinguished by 3:35 a.m., the fire department tweeted.
No one was injured and damage totaled $250, according to the tweet.
UPDATE-House fire in 1800 block of Cranberry Lane in Reston this morning: 3 occupants alerted to fire by smoke alarms. Fire started in garage. Cause was an overcurrent created by electric space heater being powered through an extension cord. No injuries. Damages of $250. #fcfrd pic.twitter.com/jO1gQozxUg
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 28, 2018
Map via Google Maps
This story has been updated
Firefighters put out a “small” fire in an exhaust fan at the 11600 block of Stoneview Square.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue responded to the fire around 2:59 p.m. and extinguished it by 3:04 p.m. today (Dec. 27). The units responded to “light smoke showing in the front of the building,” the fire department tweeted.
UPDATE – 11600 block of Stoneview Square in Reston area: small fire in exhaust fan. Fire is out. Crews checking for extension. Several units going in back in service. #fcfrd #news #fairfaxcounty https://t.co/hOFfGNCM47
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 27, 2018
This post will be updated
Map via Google Maps
Updated at 4:35 p.m. on Jan. 2 — A person was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Firefighters responded to an apartment fire on Christmas Day (Dec. 25).
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units were at the scene at 7:03 p.m. of a fire in a bedroom closet of an apartment in the 1700 block of Ascot Way. An electrical event with the light fixture in the closet started the fire.
Smoke was spotted in the front of the two-story, condominium building. One person in the apartment self-evacuated after the smoke alarm went off and was transported to an area hospital with minor, non-life-threatening injuries, according to the fire department.
More from a fire department press release:
On Tuesday, December 25 at approximately 6:40 p.m., units were dispatched for a reported fire in a condominium in the 1700 block of Ascot Way in the Reston section of Fairfax County.
Units arrived on scene with smoke showing from the front of a two-story, condominium building. Crews quickly extinguished a fire in a bedroom of one of the units. There were no reports of firefighter injuries. One occupant was treated and transported to an area hospital with minor, non-life-threatening injuries.
There was one occupant home at the time of the fire. The fire was discovered by the occupant after a smoke alarm sounded. The occupant was able to self-evacuate and call 9-1-1.
Fire Investigators determined that the fire was accidental in nature and started in a bedroom closet. The cause of this fire was an electrical event involving the light fixture in the closet.
No one was displaced because of the fire. Red Cross assistance was offered but was declined. Damages as a result of the fire were approximately $18,750.
This story will be updated.
Units on scene of garden apartment fire in the 1700 Ascot Way in Reston with smoke showing from front. Report of fire in closet. #fcfrd #news #fairfaxcounty pic.twitter.com/1whjhEzdJ9
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 26, 2018
Map via Google Maps
The South Lakes High School Clothing Closet is asking for new and gently used clothing to help stock up today (Dec. 20) during its grand opening.
The store aims to have clothing available for its students “free of charge and of judgment,” according to the South Lakes High School Parent Teacher Student Association.
School leadership and the Distributive Education Clubs of America created the store to build off of the success of the food pantry at the school, according to the SLHS PTSA. Reston Now previously reported that since April 2017, the pantry has filled more than 2,500 orders and weekly order averages are also increasing.
Locals can drop off new or gently used clothing from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. today and tomorrow (Dec. 21).
The following clothing items are needed:
- jackets
- shirts
- pants
- “interview attire”
- school spirit clothing
- warm weather clothing
Drop-offs will be accepted in the main office at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive).
File photo
Loudoun County police arrested a Herndon resident after he drove into a concrete barrier on Sunday morning in Sterling.
A sheriff’s deputy spotted a vehicle that had crashed into a concrete barrier at the 21000 block of N. Sterling Road at 3:23 a.m. on Dec. 16, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
The 26-year-old driver, Jose M. Herrera was arrested and charged with driving under the influence and driving without a license. A 22-year-old passenger, Alejandro Brizo-Calix of Falls Church, was arrested and charged with public intoxication, the report said.
Both men have been released from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on unsecured bonds.
In a separate incident, Loudoun County police arrested and charged a 45-year-old Reston woman for being drunk in public last Thursday (Dec. 13) in Sterling.
Deputies responded to a call for a female screaming and attempting to open car doors at 2 a.m. Deputies found Katharine M. Lilly lying on the sidewalk in the 100 block of Drury Circle and arrested her, according to the report.
She was released on a personal recognizance bond, according to police.
The Fairfax County Police Department’s Reston District Station reported the following incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
2300 block of Generation Drive, property from residence
1800 block of Michael Faraday Court, wallet and purse from vehicle
1400 block of North Point Village Center, merchandise from business
11100 block of Saffold Way, jewelry from residence
12000 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, bicycle from location
12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, merchandise from business
1800 block of Wiehle Avenue, merchandise from business
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
Fairfax County police are searching for a man who robbed the Sunoco in Herndon last Wednesday (Dec. 12), previously reported by Reston Now.
File photo
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) is gearing up to study parking management options, which could add paid parking in Reston and Tysons.
FCDOT hopes to hire a professional parking consultant to explore parking management, which FCDOT says would fulfill the vision of the Comprehensive Plan for each area.
It would also reduce traffic congestion and vehicle emissions from drivers circling blocks to find free street parking and create a new revenue stream, FCDOT argues.
Henri Stein McCartney, a transportation planner for FCDOT, updated the county’s Transportation Committee yesterday (Dec. 11) on the proposal and gave examples of managed parking: pay for parking and time restricted parking.
The paid parking model can support different technologies — space occupancy sensors, space finding systems, smartphone apps, kiosks, etc. — that can help people find a spot, while also assisting enforcement, she said.
The other option is time restricted parking, which can limit parking during certain times of the days or set a certain allotted time for each car. While FCDOT expects the second option would pose more enforcement challenges, license plate readers, street cameras and space occupancy sensors can assist with policing the parking.
The consultant could measure existing on-street and off-street parking supply and demand in Reston and Tysons and then model future parking supply and demand. The consultant could also recommend appropriate strategies to the board and also put forward implementation and outreach plans.
McCartney highlighted one potential challenge: designing a parking plan that does not push cars into nearby neighborhoods with free parking. “That’s a scenario we want to avoid,” she said.
With the project in its “preliminary stages,” McCartney said the study — which FCDOT estimates will cost $100,000 — will help figure out what the projected revenue could be from paid parking and citations from parking tickets.
“I’m sure there will be interest in what kind of money it makes,” Providence District Supervisor Linda Smyth said at the meeting. “We need to keep that in mind.”
Some of the supervisors raised concerns about the proposal.
Braddock District Supervisor John Cook cautioned against spending the money on the study without a “functional purpose we are clearly stating.”
“We need to be clear about why we want to do this,” he said, noting that urban areas may need parking management. “I don’t think you get the consultant to come up with the reason.”
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity stressed that parking availability and fees drive behavior, mentioning the “angst,” loss in revenue for businesses and the complexity surrounding Reston Town Center’s paid parking system.
“It does have an impact on businesses,” Herrity said, adding that he supports hiring a consultant to conduct the study. “You have some good ideas in here.”
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins responded by saying that the “problem in Reston” stemmed from unclear goals. “I think the mistakes that were made in the past can be a helpful learning process,” she said.
She stressed that the purpose of the “needed proposal” should not focus on collecting money, but instead on helping transportation in an urban setting, especially Tysons.
FCDOT plans to update and consult with the board as the process continues.
While the plan does not have a timeline yet, McCartney said FCDOT “would move fairly quickly” to hire a consultant for the study acquires funding.
After board approval, FCDOT would work with stakeholders — the Office of County Attorney, Fairfax County Police Department, the Office of Community Revitalization, the Department of Planning and Zoning, Land Development Services and others. Together, they would update ordinances, set meter rates, select vendors and begin outreach efforts to businesses and the community.
“The last thing you want is employees and Metro riders parking on the street during the day, but short term-term customers don’t have a place to park,” the board’s Chairman Sharon Bulova said. “I think we’re doing the right thing starting out with a study.”
The County is looking at parking management, including paid parking, on grid streets in Tysons & Reston. I urged the Board to proceed very cautiously & reminded them of the Reston paid parking fiasco that resulted in a lot of angst & loss of business. Much more to come. pic.twitter.com/A8olM6KCrl
— Supervisor Pat Herrity (@PatHerrity) December 11, 2018
A fire broke out in a Reston townhouse on Sunday evening after an electrical malfunction with the wiring leading to a ceiling heat lamp fixture in the bathroom.
The four people in the house saw smoke appear from a vent in the bathroom, shortly after 8:35 p.m. on Dec. 9, according to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue.
Firefighters extinguished the fire, which had spread to the walls and the attic, but because of the damage, the four people were not able to stay in the house.
More from a fire department press release:
On Sunday, December 9, at approximately 8:35 p.m., units were dispatched for a reported townhouse fire in the 11100 block of Saffold Way in the Reston area of Fairfax County.
Units arrived on scene of a two-story, middle unit townhouse and observed fire showing from a vent in the roof. Crews entered the home and quickly located a fire in the walls and attic. The fire was extinguished. There were no reported civilian or firefighter injuries.
Four occupants were in the home at the time of the fire. The occupants called 9-1-1 when they saw smoke coming from a vent in the bathroom. Smoke alarms were present but did not activate due to the location of the fire. The occupants safely self-evacuated prior to fire department arrival.
Fire Investigators determined that the fire was accidental in nature and started in the attic space above a second-floor bathroom. The cause of the fire was an electrical malfunction with the wiring circuitry to a ceiling heat lamp fixture in the bathroom.
Four occupants were displaced because of the fire. Red Cross assistance was offered and accepted. Damage as a result of the fire is estimated to be $92,500.
Map via Google Maps
Reston’s Children of Fallen Patriots (Fallen Patriots) received a large donation raised from a radio talk show host’s jewelry sales.
Laura Schlessinger, the host of “The Dr. Laura Program” on SiriusXM and the artist in residence for this Fallen Patriots’ Foundation Boutique, raised $32,000 from selling jewelry through her holiday boutique.
The boutique includes original jewelry and glass designs all handcrafted by Schlessinger.
The donation will help send children of fallen servicemembers to college, according to a press release.
“It’s truly an honor to have her partnership and the amazing support of her listeners,” Fallen Patriots Co-Founder Cynthia Kim said in a press release. “The mission of Fallen Patriots would not be possible without wonderful patriots like Dr. Laura.”
Schlessinger started supporting Fallen Patriot in 2017. Since 2002, Fallen Patriots (1818 Library Street, Suite 500) has provided roughly $26 million for college scholarships and educational counseling to more than 1,280 military children who have lost a parent in the line of duty.
The currently closed boutique will reopen for Valentine’s Day. People can still make donations online or by mail to the cause.
Photos via Children of Fallen Patriots
(Updated 12:20 p.m.) Reston is home for Charles and Julie McCool, but more often than not you’ll find them on the road.
The Reston couple runs the travel blogs McCool Travel and Fun in Fairfax VA. Charles’ blog is dedicated to maximum travel with minimum expenses. Charles currently has 21,594 followers on Twitter, while Julie has 12,057 followers.
Emailing from a chair once occupied by Jimmy Buffet in Pascagoula, Charles shared some travel tips for Restonians hoping to see the world on a shoestring budget.
Charles said he worked in a cubicle office space in downtown Washington D.C. until 2.5 years ago. Since then, Charles says he’s been traveling full-time and working remotely.
“My personal budget was tight so I heavily researched ways to stretch my dollar but optimize my travel opportunities,” said Charles. “This year my wife and I have flown to Copenhagen and Ecuador for free (using credit card points).”
Charles also notes on the blog that links in the articles may be affiliate links which pay a commission, and that the site is an affiliate of Amazon’s advertising program, meaning the site earns advertising fees for links to Amazon.
Recent features on the McCool Travel blog include dining recommendations around Gettysburg and website recommendations to help prepare for trips. Julie McCool’s blog features more local free outings, like Ten Free and Fun things in Washington D.C.
One of Charles’ top recommendations is for travelers to be flexible.
“Being flexible is my number one rule of travel,” said Charles. “When someone locks in the idea of taking a certain trip at a certain time, that inflexibility often leads to higher prices. For instance, going to Disney World in mid-June (after school is out) or the Caribbean for Spring Break; those are peak travel experiences. Being flexible means, in these cases, maybe doing a road trip to US National Parks.”
On some of the more bare-bones trips, Charles says little touches like getting food from grocery stores instead of fine restaurants can help make a difference in the travel budget.
On a post about lodging, Charles recommends looking for house-sitting opportunities, volunteering, or working at a place that offers residence. Charles noted that farms, lighthouses, and resorts can all offer lodging for work in off-seasons.
If you have to pay for lodging, Charles says identifying which locations offer breakfast can help reduce meal costs, and inquiring about a refrigerator to store groceries can reduce that further.
Charles said his next big trip planned won’t be until a June cruise, but he’s looking into bicycling from Houston to Key West in March or April.
“You do not have to invent, or re-invent, the wheel,” said Charles. “No matter where you want to go, and how you want to do it, there is undoubtedly someone who has already done so (and most likely has a travel blog to talk about it). General suggestions include reading various travel blogs and websites (like mine), be involved in Facebook and Twitter discussions, find people doing what you want to do and ask them for advice.”
Photo via Twitter
Reston-based IT services provider Carahsoft will partner with Google Cloud to boost a National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative.
The partnership will provide Google Cloud services to support the NIH’s Science and Technology Research Infrastructure for Discovery, Experimentation, and Sustainability (STRIDES) Initiative, Carahsoft announced today (Nov. 29).
The initiative aims to reduce economic and technological barriers for accessing and computing on large biomedical datasets.
The NIH Institutes and Centers support researchers at more than 2,500 academic and research institutions.
The institutions’ data have traditionally been stored and made available via public repositories or at local institutions — a model that has become straining as data from research projects grows. “This makes it difficult for the research community attempting to integrate, analyze and share biomedical data sets,” according to the press release.
Carahsoft’s work with Google Cloud is meant to address those challenges by making high-value data more accessible through the cloud.
Google Cloud computing solutions will be available to the NIH and its designated recipients, and the NIH will work with the research community to develop policies utilizing the solutions.
The partnership to support the initiative will help accelerate the research institutions’ goal of enhancing health, lengthening life and reducing illness and disability, Terry Drinkwine, vice president of the Google Cloud team at Carahsoft, said in a statement.
Founded in 2004, the company is located at 1860 Michael Faraday Drive #100.
Photo via Google Maps
(Updated at 10:05 a.m.) Don’t expect Reston’s recent population boom to slow anytime soon.
Fairfax County’s Demographic Reports 2018 project high levels of residential growth throughout Reston over the next 27 years and the Hunter Mill District leads the county in new housing in development to match.
Reston, divided across the 20190, 20191, and 20194 zip codes, currently has a total population of 64,546 people. By 2045, the population is anticipated to reach 103,989.
To the south, 20191 is projected to increase to a population of 30,512 by 2020 and 31,995 by 2025. The 20190 zip code north of the Toll Road is also expected to grow and, by 2045, will start to close the population gap with its southern neighbor. Much of the growth in Reston’s core is likely spurred by plans to continue expansion on the Silver Line.
Further to the north though, the more suburban 20194 area code shows very little growth.
The demographics report also breaks down the type of housing throughout Reston. The 20191 area code south of the Toll Road leads in single family homes and townhomes, with 3,694 and 4,225 respectively. However, Reston north of the Toll Road contains most of the area’s multifamily housing, with 7,701 multifamily apartment units. Both sides of the road are expected to continue adding housing at about the same rate for the foreseeable future.
To deal with the increasing development, Hunter Mill also leads the county in housing development. Of the 4,354 housing projects in the county currently under construction, 3,052 are in Hunter Mill.
The Hunter Mill District overall is among the County’s most affluent areas. Income in Hunter Mill is more concentrated at the higher end than income range than the Fairfax average. The unemployment rate in Hunter Mill is approximately half a percent lower in Reston than in the rest of Fairfax County.
The cost of living is also higher in the Hunter Mill District. The median market value of an owned home throughout Fairfax County is $519,560. In Hunter Mill, it’s $584,094. Average housing rent in the County is $1,789. In Hunter Mill, it’s $1,907.
Hunter Mill also has higher levels of education than the Fairfax County average, with 73.9 percent of men and 67.4 percent of women having a bachelor’s degree or higher, as compared to the countywide average of 62.9 percent of men and 57.8 percent of women with college degrees.
Photo courtesy Lauren Pinkston
Chart via Demographics Report 2018
This story has been updated
This Friday (Nov. 23), the Reston Town Center will host its annual Reston Holiday Parade.
The parade starts at 11 a.m. at the Reston Town Center (11900 Market St) and will feature a Macy’s-style parade of balloons, musicians, dancers and more.
The Reston Holiday Parade lasts for one hour and will travel a half-mile along Market Street. Before the parade starts, thousands of jingle bells will be handed out to the crowd to help welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus.
After the parade, visitors are invited to take photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus and enjoy a mini-train ride until 4:30.
At 6 p.m., a tree lighting ceremony will be held at Fountain Square, followed by horse-drawn carriage rides around the Reston Town Center.
The parade has been a Reston tradition since 1991.
Sameride, a ridesharing app that allows drivers and passengers to offer and request rides, has launched a new route from Herndon, Reston and Loudoun County to Arlington and the District.
More than 140 commuters are registered for the service, which allows app drivers and passengers to offer or request rides before taking off for their commute. Unlike taxi services, Sameride is an on-demand carpool service that helps connect drivers and drivers commuting on the same route.
Commuters can carpool on express lanes between Park & Ride commuter lots and their offices. The company, which first launched a route between Woodbridge and Tysons Corner, serves around 250 commuters. Company officials estimate the service can help customers who commute between the Herdon-Monroe Park & Ride lot and Rosslyn Metro Station $300 on rider’s fares or $590 on express lanes tolls on a monthly basis.
Andriy Klymchuk, a company representative for Sameride, said demand for a carpool matching service from Reston and Herndon has grown.
“This demand is due to the conversion of I-66 into high-occupancy toll express lanes, new residential constructions in the area and expansion of Herndon-Monroe Park & Ride lot. The same is true for Loudoun County commuters,” Klymchuk said. “In addition, Reston area serves as a hub for Sameride commuters coming on 267. Some commuters drive from as far as west of Leesburg and pick-up riders at the commuter lots near Reston.”
Klymchuk offered the following information about how the company differs from other ridesharing services:
Think about it as a commute sharing. You and your neighbor happen to work in the same location and you agree to ride to work together. With Sameride you do the same but through the app that allows you to create on-demand carpools. You can choose to be a driver or a rider, set your pick-up time and locations, commute once or daily, create ride requests or offers a few hours or a week before your commute. Drivers benefit from using HOT express lanes toll-free and riders benefit from getting a free commute. Both parties benefit from getting to the office and back home faster.
The app is available on iOS and Android.
Photo via Sameride
(Updated 1:36 p.m. to remove an event that has already passed)
Warming up to solar? – Fairfax County is holding a free information session today, and will be offering real estate tax credits, solar energy systems discounts, and more to home and business owners. (WTOP)
The throwback comments section – A Reston resident had their Letter To The Editor published in The Washington Post. The topic? The split between Reston and the rest of Fairfax County about density and proposed growth. (The Washington Post)
That’s a lot of butts – Reston business Waitbusters hit 50,000 customers seated since launching their software about a year ago. (Restaurant News)
Everyone’s a critic – A theater review of Reston Community Player’s Thoroughly Modern Millie. Sounds like it was a good time. (Maryland Theatre Guide)
We’re taking a hiatus – Our morning newsletter will be taking a break through May 10, as the editor is away. ARLnow’s assistant managing editor, Bridget Reed Morawski, will be stepping in to cover Reston.
The photo in the morning newsletter was provided with a caption that it is a Great Blue Heron. Another reader has chimed in to say that it is actually a Great Green Heron. Additionally, the Reston editor will be returning May 10, not May 8.
Photo courtesy of Flickr user vantagehill.
