The Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) has chosen a new executive director after a national search.
Jonell Logan, a curator, arts advocate and nonprofit leader, will take over the position effective next Monday (Oct. 28), just as the Reston-based institute celebrates its 50th anniversary.
An abundance of Halloween-inspired events are being held around Fairfax County.
In the run-up to the ever-popular holiday, events ranging from parades to haunted houses and everything in between will welcome visitors.
Town of Herndon officials are exploring ways to build more affordable housing in a jurisdiction that has few legal options for boosting its housing stock.
In an effort to fill the void of affordable housing, the town hopes a third party consultant can help it analyze and develop a policy plan for affordable housing.
Metro to Discuss Earlier Weekend Trains — “Metro is considering running trains earlier on the weekends, starting them at 6 a.m. instead of 7 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.” The proposal will be discussed at the Metro board meeting on Thursday (Oct. 24), which will also look at options for addressing the transit agency’s “long-term funding needs.” [NBC4]
County Hopes to Lure Korean Tech Firms — “Aiming to reinforce its reputation as the ‘Silicon Valley of the East,’ Fairfax County … is seeking to bring in more Korean tech firms specializing in emerging technologies such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence and aerospace, David Kelley, the vice president of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, said.” [Korea Herald]
Lawsuit Challenges Police Use of License Plate Readers — “A civil liberties organization has filed a federal lawsuit in Virginia arguing that widespread surveillance enabled by Flock, a company that sells networks of automated license plate readers, is unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment.” The complaint targets Norfolk, but the Fairfax County Police Department has also adopted the technology. [404 Media]
Veterinary Clinic Approved for Fort Belvoir — “Military working dogs and other government-owned canines around the National Capital Region will have a more expansive place to get preventive and surgical care in the future with the recent approval of a new veterinary clinic at Fort Belvoir.” The facility “will be more than three times the size of the current veterinary facility located nearby.” [On the MoVe]
When Fall Foliage Might Peak — “Western parts of Virginia and Maryland are already awash in vibrant colors, but the states’ forestry officials said this year, with a hotter than average summer, it’s been particularly difficult to predict the color change in foliage.” In Northern Virginia, trees might develop more color in the first week of November. [WTOP]
New Furniture Shop Open in Annandale — “A new shop in Annandale, Elegant Snob, offers carefully curated furniture, art, clothing, and accessories … The shop is located on the first floor of an office building at 7620 Little River Turnpike, next to Wells Fargo Bank.” [Annandale Today]
Volunteers Wanted for Nonprofit Boards — “Leadership Fairfax is looking for people passionate about helping others to serve on the board of a nonprofit organization. On Wednesday, from 5:30-8:30 p.m., Leadership Fairfax is hosting Board and Brew at the Lake House located at 11450 Baron Cameron Ave. in Reston.” [Patch]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies and a high temperature of around 81°F, with light south winds of around 5 mph picking up in the afternoon. Tuesday night will be mostly clear, with lows near 51°F, and south winds remaining at about 5 mph. [NWS]
A new juice shop is still in the works at North Point Village Center (1432 North Point Village Center) in Reston.
A representative for Greenheart Juice says an estimate of the opening date will become clearer by the end of the month, but didn’t provide an explanation for the delay. The business was previously expected to open in August.
Fairfax County residents may soon get to provide input on the public school system’s boundary review process.
After amending its boundary adjustment policy over the summer, Fairfax County Public Schools awarded a $546,953 contract in September to the Connecticut-based K-12 education consultancy firm Thru Consultants for a comprehensive review of its boundaries.
A townhome development is now under construction on Fannie Mae’s former office campus in Reston.
When setting the stage for construction, which began in August, developer Wheelock Communities enlisted the nonprofit Tanya’s Turtle Project to relocate turtles inhabiting the ponds in the area. The ponds were dewatered to manage water quality and remove invasive plants in and around the ponds.
What to Expect This Winter in N. Va. — “According to NOAA’s latest Winter Outlook, Virginia residents should prepare for some interesting weather patterns this upcoming winter season. The forecast, which covers December 2024 through February 2025, shows that La Nina conditions will play a major role in shaping our winter weather.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]
Reston Woman Charged with Child Abuse — “A 9-year-old boy told police he was locked in a room, forced to urinate in a bottle and repeatedly beaten in a Reston, Virginia, apartment by a woman who was supposed to be caring for him, court documents say … An anonymous call to the Department of Family Services prompted the investigation in mid-August.” [NBC4]
Nearby: Loudoun Seeks to Boost Water Supply — “With most of the D.C. area dependent on the Potomac River, and an ongoing study to seek an alternative to D.C.’s drinking water supply, Loudoun County, Virginia, is taking steps to make sure it doesn’t get caught short … Loudoun Water is in the midst of converting a now-empty Luck Stone quarry into a raw water storage facility.” [WTOP]
Puppy Stolen From Chantilly Pet Store — “The search is on for a puppy allegedly taken from a pet store in Northern Virginia. It happened this week at the XO Pups store in Chantilly. Fairfax County Police are reviewing surveillance video after the store owner reported a 10-week-old Maltipoo stolen.” [NBC4]
Affordable Housing Waitlists Open — “Affordable housing waitlist applications will open on Monday, October 21, 2024, at 8:00 a.m. and will remain open through Sunday, October 27, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. for select properties.” Options include Coralain Gardens in West Falls Church, the Residences at North Hill in Hybla Valley and, for seniors, Little River Glen in the Fairfax area. [Fairfax County Housing and Community Development]
Fairfax City Gets New Korean BBQ Restaurant — The Woo Korean BBQ & Cuisine opened in Fairfax City’s West Fairfax Centre near Lowes at 4070 Jermantown Road on Oct. 9. Featuring the tabletop grills typical for Korean barbecue restaurants, the 2,500-square-foot space “has an upscale feel to it” and “appears to be the first location for the brand.” [The Burn]
McLean Startup Launches Online Housebuying Platform — “Sellona Inc., a three-person startup, debuted its built-from-scratch, zero-commission ‘digital platform’ on Oct. 9, joining a variety of other home-buying and -selling apps. Its founders say it differs from the competition in that it doesn’t charge users any commissions, subscription or other fees whatsoever.” [Washington Business Journal]
Artist Opens Pop-Up Shop at Reston Town Center — The Ovissi Foundation opened a pop-up concept called the Ovissi Boutique “at the former home of Lou Lou at 11955 Freedom Drive in Reston Town Center” over the weekend. Through Nov. 17, visitors can buy “the work of 90-year-old Nasser Ovissi, who has lived in Reston for more that 40 years.” [Patch]
It’s Monday — Expect sunshine and a comfortable high of about 77°F, accompanied by a light northwest wind at around 6 mph. As night falls, the skies will remain clear and the temperature will drop to a cool 51°F with calm winds. [NWS]
Herndon Town Councilmember Naila Alam’s attendance record is under fire from one of Fairfax County’s Congressional representatives.
In a tweet sent on Sunday (Oct. 13), Rep. Gerry Connolly said Alam has had the worst attendance in the council, missing more than 25% of all public meeting since she took office in 2020.
A battle is brewing once again over the prospect of a casino in Fairfax County.
As opponents continue to organize, including under a No Fairfax Casino Coalition that mostly consists of homeowners’ and citizen associations, several labor unions have now come out in support of the casino and entertainment district envisioned in Tysons by the developer Comstock Companies.
