Signature at Reston Town Center, viewed from Reston Parkway (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Lane Closures Lifted for Holiday Weekend — “VDOT will be suspending many highway work zones and lifting most lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia from noon on Friday, May 24, until noon on Tuesday, May 28. While lane closures will be lifted in most locations, motorists may encounter semi-permanent work zones that remain in place during this time.” [VDOT]

D.C. Man Charged With Belle Haven Shooting — “A 44-year-old D.C. man has been charged with murder after a Tuesday morning argument at a gas pump in Fairfax County, Virginia, escalated into a fatal shooting, according to police.” The man is “charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in the shooting death of 38-year-old Arthur Edward Mann II.” [WTOP]

Busy Hurricane Season Expected — “The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released its forecast for the upcoming 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. According to NOAA, conditions are favorable for above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin this year.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Burke Resident Wins Big in Lottery — “A construction worker from Burke, Virginia was the winner of $1 million from a Powerball ticket purchased April 1 at the Safeway supermarket at Engleside Plaza. Virginia Lottery announced the news May 23, noting that the man, Nicholas Perez,” was one of only six people in the U.S. to match the first five numbers. [On the MoVe]

Lincolnia Taco Restaurant Now Open — Taco Zocalo, which started in Reston in 2017, officially opened its new Lake Barcroft Plaza location yesterday (Thursday). “The menu features chimichangas, tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, and salads. Diners select among several types of meat, shrimp, or grilled veggies.” [Annandale Today]

Franconia Park Courts to Be Refurbished — “The Fairfax County Park Authority expects to begin athletic court revitalization work at the Franconia District Park on May 28.” The project will level out the asphalt, adjust gates and fencing as needed, and apply new seal and color coats and playing lines for the basketball and shared pickleball/tennis courts. [FCPA]

Herndon Mayoral Candidate Kicks Off Campaign — Councilmember Pradip Dhakal kicked off his campaign to become the town’s next mayor last Saturday (May 18). “We had more than 100 people attend our campaign kickoff at Arts Herndon despite the challenging weather!” he said in a follow-up Facebook post, thanking supporters. [Pradip for Herndon Mayor/Facebook]

Actors Wanted for Film in McLean — “A not-for-profit trilingual Japanese/Korean/English movie is being filmed in McLean and looking for Japanese actors ages 17-25 yrs old especially males who look like students. Also looking for locals to be a part of the large audience during the Jpop vs. Kpop competition scene.” [Patch]

It’s Friday — Expect a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms early in the day between 8am-11am. Later, mostly cloudy skies will slightly clear up, reaching a high near 82°F. Precipitation chance is 20%. In the evening, partly cloudy skies and a low around 65°F are anticipated. [NWS]


News

A construction contractor that worked on Inova Fairfax Hospital and Amazon’s second headquarters in Arlington recently took over an office building in Reston for its new base.

Muller Companies officially moved into its new 30,000-square-foot headquarters at 1910 Association Drive on April 15, according to owner and CEO David Muller.


Countywide

Following a budget compromise between Gov. Glenn Youngkin and the Virginia General Assembly, Fairfax County Public Schools is set to receive an additional $35.5 million for fiscal year 2025.

Superintendent Michelle Reid has proposed using most of the extra funds to boost school employee pay raises from 3% to 4% in the budget that the school board is set to adopt tonight (Thursday).


Countywide

Completion of Route 7 Widening Celebrated — Local and state officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday (Wednesday) to celebrate the completion of “driver, bicycle and pedestrian improvements along seven miles of Route 7 (Leesburg Pike)…The project widened Route 7 from four to six lanes between Reston Avenue and Jarrett Valley Drive” and added a shared-use trail. [VDOT]

Tree Falls on Car in Lake Barcroft — “It’s been more than a week, yet still, giant chunks of tree trunk remain embedded in a car in Lake Barcroft. The tree fell, according to neighbors, around 6 p.m. last Tuesday.” The vehicle’s owner “told WUSA9 that first responders arrived quickly, and luckily no one was injured, but several vehicles were destroyed.” [WUSA9]


News

Reston Association is working to update its capital improvement plan (CIP), which will prioritize facility maintenance, renovation and development projects over the next five years.

In a shift from previous years, projects in the 2025-2029 CIP will be ranked based on criteria identified through the recently adopted strategic plan, last year’s community survey and other sources of feedback, including a study of the condition of existing amenities that started on April 22, staff told the Board of Directors at a work session on May 9.


Around Town

Reston will usher in Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer by celebrating the grand reopening of Lake Thoreau pool.

The swimming pool at 2040 Upper Lake Drive will welcome its first patrons since closing in 2020 for renovations with a party this Friday (May 24) from 4-7 p.m.


Countywide

Fairfax County is once again chewing on the possibility of a meals tax — and this time, it won’t need a public vote for approval.

The Board of Supervisors voted 9-1 yesterday (Tuesday) to instruct County Executive Bryan Hill and his staff to develop strategies for broadening the county’s revenue sources as it seeks to reduce the growing tax burden on homeowners. One option could be a tax on food and drink sales.


Countywide

Audit Identifies Metro Safety Issues — “Metro has deployed rail cars that failed operations tests and neglected to follow occupational safety guidelines, according to an audit the transit agency’s regulator released Tuesday. The audit…provides a damning portrait of Metro operations, though it doesn’t suggest the system poses a significant danger to riders.” [Washington Post]

Dulles Greenway Toll Hike Discouraged — “A State Corporation Commission senior hearing examiner recommends the agency deny a proposed toll hike on the Dulles Greenway that would increase the toll to $8.10 during peak hours.” A report found that the toll road operator hadn’t proven that the proposed increases “are reasonable to the user in relation to the benefit obtained.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]


Around Town

Reston has a busy summer of music and movies ahead that will include the revival of a dormant Lake Anne Plaza tradition, an expanded entertainment line-up at Reston Station, and the addition of the area’s newest neighborhood.

Halley Rise, which remains under construction, will host the Reston Community Center’s long-running “Take a Break” series — one of six planned for sites around Reston this year — outside The Edmund apartment building (2025 Fulton Place).


Countywide

Fairfax County’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) is working to develop a new 20-year plan for managing solid waste.

The county produces roughly 1.2 million tons of trash every year, processing about 630,000 tons as municipal solid waste (MSW). Currently, about 43.9% of waste is diverted from incineration. However, the county adopted a Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) that set a goal of 90% diversion by 2040.


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