A regional staple in the arts community is returning to Reston Town Center this May.
Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art is organizing the Tephra ICA Arts Festival — formerly known as Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival — on May 18 and 19, bringing more than 200 artists from across the country to RTC.
South Lakes HS Wins State Basketball Title — South Lakes High School’s varsity boys team handily defeated Patriot High School 65-39 on Saturday (March 9) to win the Class 6 state boys basketball championship. The Seahawks won with a “stellar supporting cast” led by junior guard Jordan Scott, who scored a game-high 23 points. [Washington Post, Inside NoVA]
Virginia’s Prison Population Drops — “Virginia’s prison population shrank 10.5% between 2021 and 2022, per the latest Justice Department data…That’s the greatest decline of any state during a period when the U.S. was seeing its prison population increase for the first time in nearly a decade.” [Axios Richmond]
(Updated at 3:35 p.m.) Congress has passed another short-term budget package, averting a partial shutdown of the federal government just hours before a midnight deadline.
In addition to funding the Justice Department, Housing and Urban Development, and other key agencies, the slate of bills passed 75-22 by the Senate on Friday (March 8) includes $12.7 billion in “pork” — money designated for local projects requested by lawmakers for their constituents.
Local police have uncovered a drug operation in Reston that involved the discovery of 1,800 THC vape cartidges, 36 pounds of marijuana and other narcotics, along with guns.
The Fairfax County Police Department says its Gang Intelligence Unit uncovered the stash after they were alerted in February to a juvenile suspected of dealing narcotics and illegally possessing firearms.
Two Reston men are facing multiple charges — including attempted murder in one case — after allegedly getting involved in police pursuits on the Capital Beltway last Thursday (March 7).
The first chase began around 9:54 p.m. when a Virginia State Police trooper moved to stop a Jeep Cherokee SRT for reckless driving on I-495 near S. Van Dorn Street in Rose Hill, according to the VSP.
General Assembly Approves State Budget — “Virginia lawmakers wrapped up their 60-day legislative session Saturday by approving a two-year budget that includes pay raises for teachers and state employees, increases education funding and extends the state sales tax to cover digital services.” [Associated Press]
Man Gets Prison for Killing Lorton Landlord — “A Prince William County man was sentenced Friday to 25 years in prison for slaying his 72-year-old landlord in Lorton. Brian Sayrs Jr., 28, pleaded guilty in August to second-degree murder and concealing a body in the June 2021 killing of Emily Lu, who was found dead about 50 days after she vanished following what authorities said was a rent dispute with Sayrs.” [Washington Post]
An Indian restaurant appears to be taking over space in Herndon vacated by Mellow Mushroom last year.
As first reported by The Burn, Maharani Palace — which does not appear to have an online presence yet — expects to open at 1030 Elden Street, according to a sign posted at the door.
Hopes that Gov. Glenn Youngkin might sign a bill legalizing retail sales of marijuana in Virginia faded fast this week as Democrats blocked one of the governor’s top priorities: the plan to bring a professional sports arena to Northern Virginia.
As recently as Wednesday, according to multiple Capitol sources, the cannabis bill was being raised in closed-door budget talks with the governor as one of several Democratic priorities that could conceivably have been part of a package deal with the arena.
It’s been 20 years since an iconic sculpture honoring Reston’s founder Robert E. Simon was unveiled at Lake Anne Plaza.
To celebrate the anniversary of the sculpture’s installation, Reston Museum is hosting an event featuring its creator, artist Zachary Oxman. The event will take place at Reston Community Center Lake Anne (1609-A Washington Plaza North) next Wednesday, March 13 at 7 p.m.
After updating its parking standards last fall, Fairfax County is conducting an online survey seeking feedback from the community on its current supply of accessible/ADA parking spaces.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted new parking standards last September for the first time in 35 years through its Parking Reimagined initiative. Among other changes, the amendment created a tiered system for parking requirements based on a development’s density and proximity to transit.
