Reston | FFXnow - Part 539

Morning Notes

Published July 29, 2022 at 7:30AM

A family hits the mini golf course at Jefferson District Park in Idylwood (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Metro Promises Relief for Train Riders Next Month — Starting Monday (Aug. 1), the addition of more rail cars will speed up service on the Orange, Blue and Silver lines to every 15 minutes on weekdays instead of the current wait times, which can reach up to 20 minutes. Metro says it anticipates expanding those service adjustments to weekends in September. [WMATA]

Man to Plead Guilty to Herndon Murder — A Virginia man told a Fairfax County judge he wants to plead guilty to the 1987 killing of 37-year-old Eige Sober-Adler in Herndon after being indicted in the case in January. Charles Helem is already serving life in prison for strangling and killing his ex-girlfriend, Patricia Bentley, in Chantilly in 2002. [WTOP]

News

Firefighters take over vacated Lake Anne Fellowship House in Reston for training

By Fatimah Waseem

Published July 28, 2022 at 1:30PM

The vacated Lake Anne Fellowship House is slated for demolition in the first week of November (Photo via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department).

The demolition of the vacated Lake Anne Fellowship House is still several months away.

In the interim, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department crews are using the vacated building — which previously housed more than 300 older adult residents — as a training location for local fire departments.

News

Big fitness facility inks deal for next phase of Reston Station

By Fatimah Waseem

Published July 28, 2022 at 10:15AM

A rendering of Reston Row, Reston Station's newest district (courtesy Comstock)

Reston Station’s newest district — Reston Row — will be home to a major fitness facility.

VIDA Fitness Brands plans to open a flagship facility at 1845 Reston Row Plaza, taking up roughly 50,000 square feet across three levels of the office tower. The office tower is the fourth in Reston Station and the first building that will be built at as part of Comstock’s mixed-use development.

Countywide

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published July 28, 2022 at 7:30AM

A flock of birds flies over Route 123 in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Real Estate Taxes Due Today — For Fairfax County property owners, it’s the final day to send in the first installment of your annual real estate taxes, which saw significant increases this year even with a 3-cent reduction in the county’s rate. Payments can be made to the Department of Tax Administration by phone, mail, drop box, mobile app and online. [DTA]

Springfield Man Convicted in 2020 Murder — A jury convicted Carlington Fitz Auther Campbell yesterday (Wednesday) for shooting and killing Anthony Sullivan outside a West Springfield apartment in November 2020, Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced. Campbell was found guilty of second-degree murder and a weapons charge, which carry possible prison sentences of five to 40 years and three years, respectively. [WUSA9]

Countywide

After joining FCPS during pandemic, new teachers upbeat about futures in education

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 27, 2022 at 3:00PM

Riverside Elementary School teacher Shelby Press with students in Fairfax County Public Schools' Young Scholars summer program (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Amelia Carr’s first year working for Fairfax County Public Schools was miles apart from what she had imagined when she declared that she wanted to become a teacher in her sixth-grade yearbook.

The Bucknell Elementary School kindergarten teacher began her career as an educator in the unpredictable world of September 2020, when classes were confined to the computer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

News

Verizon scouting for replacement site in Lake Anne area after cell service slows

By Fatimah Waseem

Published July 27, 2022 at 1:30PM

Verizon truck drives through water while turning from Baron Cameron Avenue to Reston Parkway after rain (photo by Ed Schudel)

Verizon may soon have a solution for slow cell service in the Lake Anne area.

The cell phone provider is actively looking for sites of a new cell tower after its facility at Lake Anne Fellowship House was removed in anticipation of the building’s demolition.

Countywide

Plastic bag tax could raise over $1M for Fairfax County in first year

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 27, 2022 at 11:45AM

A plastic grocery bag (via Christopher Vega on Unsplash)

Fairfax County is on track to bring in more than $1 million in revenue from the first year of its plastic bag tax.

In the first five months after the tax took effect on Jan. 1, the county government received over $500,000, the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination said in a memo to the Board of Supervisors.

News

One injured during Herndon assault and carjacking over the weekend

By Fatimah Waseem

Published July 27, 2022 at 10:15AM

Town of Herndon police (courtesy Herndon Police Department)

A man was injured during a carjacking and shooting in Herndon over the weekend, the Herndon Police Department said in its weekly recap.

The man said that someone he knew assaulted him, fired a gun at him and stole his car in the 500 block of Fairfax Lane on July 23 around 9 p.m.

Countywide

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published July 27, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated December 9, 2022 at 2:11PM

A tiger swallowtail butterfly rests on a bergamot plant (photo by Marjorie Copson)

Funds Sought to Assist With Police Camera Footage — “Faced with a tsunami of digital evidence from body-worn and in-car video cameras, high-tech forensic tools and other devices, Fairfax County officials are seeking a $1 million grant to pay for staff to manage the data flow and ensure timely accessibility.” [Sun Gazette]

Reston Meal Delivery Service to Expand — “A Northern Virginia meal-delivery startup has raised $1.8 million in fresh capital and is using the funds to expand service into D.C. and beyond. Reston’s Frolick Inc…partners with local commercial kitchens to prepare full meals for under $15, with no fees or minimum orders.” [Washington Business Journal]

News

First pieces of Reston’s Isaac Newton Square development in the works

By Fatimah Waseem

Published July 26, 2022 at 2:15PM

The design of the townhouses is similar to others in Reston (via Fairfax County)

The first and smallest pieces of a massive new neighborhood near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station are formally in the works.

At a Reston Planning and Zoning Committee earlier this month, Peter Lawrence Company and development partner MRP Realty said they plan to introduce a final development plan for mostly townhouses and stacked units at Isaac Newton Square.