Around Town

Restonians looking to trade in their old phone after getting the latest model for Christmas are in luck.

Paymore, a national company, will open at 1675 Reston Parkway in Suite J on Friday (Feb. 17), a little later than previously anticipated. The grand opening event, which takes place from noon to 2 p.m., will include a giveaway for a PlayStation 5.


Around Town

A new eatery has officially landed in the Town of Herndon.

Tapioca Express, a national chain that serves bubble tee, coffee, juices and snacks, celebrated its opening on Saturday (Feb. 11) in Junction Square. The business takes up corner, ground-floor space at the residential development.


Countywide

Architect of the Capitol Fired After Reckless Driving Probe — “President Joe Biden has fired the embattled Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, following a scathing inspector general report on his personal and professional management and calls for his removal.” The inspector general found that Blanton’s family was misusing his work vehicle after a 2021 reckless driving incident involving his daughter near the Tysons Walmart. [NBC4]

Springfield Lego Center Chooses Master Builder — “Andrew Litterst’s [most impressive LEGO creation] is a bunch of LEGO Star Wars spaceships mounted on an electric LEGO train so that they chase each other on tracks around the room. So it’s no wonder he was just named LEGO’s Master Builder in the D.C. region — the first to hold that title at the soon-to-open LEGO Discovery Center” [DCist]


News

(Updated at 9:55 a.m. on 2/15/2023) A groundbreaking for a new Washington & Old Dominion Trail bridge over Wiehle Avenue is set for next month.

The event, which was originally scheduled for earlier this week, was postponed due to the unavailability of some elected officials.


Countywide

As Fairfax County pines for a better tree canopy, county staff is hoping a credit program expansion can spruce up the area’s street trees.

While developers could already a 10-Year Tree Canopy Credit for trees built on-site, trees in the public right-of-way aren’t eligible despite positive impacts on the environment and site development. At a meeting last week, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors raised no objection to an information item expanding eligibility to include trees.


News

Improperly discarded smoking material was flagged as the cause of a fire in a Reston home on Friday (Feb. 10).

Shortly after 1:20 a.m., Fairfax County Fire and Rescue crews tackled a fire at the three-story apartment-style building at the 11500 block of Stoneview Square.


Countywide

(Updated at 5:50 p.m.) A former Fairfax County prosecutor who now practices as a private defense lawyer has joined the commonwealth’s attorney race.

Ed Nuttall launched a campaign yesterday (Monday) to challenge incumbent Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano for the Democratic nomination, which will be determined by a primary election on June 20.


Countywide

Key Tysons Developer Dies — “Theodore N. ‘Ted’ Lerner, a self-made billionaire developer who became principal owner of the Washington Nationals and oversaw the team’s rise to prominence, capped by its victory in the 2019 World Series, died Feb. 12 at his home in Chevy Chase, Md. He was 97.” [The Washington Post]

Emergency SNAP Benefits End This Week — “During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government passed a law to temporarily increase SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits to support families. The law has recently changed, and the benefits will end Feb.16. Effective in March, SNAP benefits will return to normal, without the added supplement.” [Fairfax County Government]


Around Town

VIDA Fitness is slated to open its flagship facility in Reston in the second quarter of next year, a company spokesperson tells FFXnow.

The facility will open at Reston Row, Reston Station’s newest district near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station. The facility encompasses 50,000 square feet across three levels of an office tower at 1845 Reston Row Plaza.


Around Town

Paris Baguette, an internationally known bakery and cafe that serves bread, pastries, desserts and French-style sandwiches, is opening this year at Arrowbrook Centre in Herndon.

The restaurant, which has locations across the world, including one in Centreville and at The Boro in Tysons, will take up roughly 3,859 square feet of space by the third quarter of this year, according to franchisee Farooq Siddiqui.


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