Restonian: News blog from Reston, Virginia, the mauve-colored New Town (tm)

A Thanksgiving Miracle: Compare Foods to Open at Tall Oaks on Nov. 20

2009-11-09T14:37:00.001-05:00

Hey, remember that time Giant closed its grocery store at Tall Oaks Shopping Center right around Thanksgiving 2007, and then after bleach-intensive Food Lion spinoff Bloom passed, a place called Fresh World sold live eels and seaweed and whatnot until it, too, went out of business earlier this year?

Well, we've received word that the new international grocery store slated to take its place, Compare Foods, will open its doors on Nov. 20, just in time for Thanksgiving! We went by Tall Oaks the other day, and work is proceeding apace on the interior of the store, though the only posted signs outside were all in Spanish, so we couldn't figure them out. But hey -- hopefully we'll have a new source for seaweed and hot peppers just in time for our annual turkey day dinner after all!

New Restaurants Popping Up Like an Earth-Toned Wack-a-Mole Game in Lake Anne Village Center

2009-11-06T09:27:00.001-05:00

It's been more than a year since the microwave tapas joint in the Lake Anne Village Center that replaced the Italian restaurant that went under after replacing the other Italian restaurant that went under went under. Now there are new signs of life, with one new eatery open and two others possibly following soon.

Roti Grill, a kebob house, opened its doors on Saturday, offering freshly prepared food in the Pakistani Punjab tradition, as well as some more Americanized meals, such as the charga chicken, a rotisserie chicken with tandoori spices. "It’s not fast food, but it’s food fast," said owner Naveed Ahmad, noting that it was a casual dining spot where a meal could be had for $10.

Meanwhile, work is being done in a unit next to the Reston Museum, where a sign reading, "sushi" now hangs in the window. And "for sale" signs are still displayed in the windows of the space formerly occupied by the Tavern on the Lake, but on Oct. 9, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control posted notice that a group called American Restaurant and Lounge Concepts Inc. had applied for a liquor license for the location.

"Lounge Concepts" sounds like something out of a '70s stag film, but we'll take it. Roti Grill takes the place of a decent Moroccan joint that went under earlier this year. And we can only hope the "sushi" place serves raw fish straight out of Lake Anne. Who's hungry?

Alphabet Soup: FBI Not Involved in Ongoing Jewelry Burglaries, But DOJ Might Be

2009-11-06T09:16:00.001-05:00

Earlier suggestions to the contrary, the FBI has not gotten involved in the ongoing series of daytime burglaries targeting Indian families. But a shadowy figure from the Department of Justice attended last week's community meeting where Fairfax County Police Chief David M. Rohrer discussed the response to the thefts.

Despite potential national security concerns, Rohrer told the meeting attendees that the FBI was "not being brought in" since "burglaries are considered local crimes."

Nonetheless, a U.S. Department of Justice representative — who would not allow himself to be interviewed or photographed — attended Thursday's meeting. Knight Sor, of the Justice Department's Community Relations Service, spoke individually with victims and briefly addressed all the attendees, mentioning that the CRS division deals specifically with "hate crimes."

According to its Web site, CRS is the Justice Department's "peacemaker" for community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, color and national origin. Created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, CRS is a federal agency that assists state and local units of government, private and public organizations, and community groups with preventing and resolving racial and ethnic tensions, incidents, and civil disorders, and in restoring racial stability and harmony.

Sor's presence accented the underlying sentiment of many residents, who feel their ethnicity makes them vulnerable. "I have been a 10-year resident of Fairfax County, which has always been a safe community but now there is doubt," said Ajay Laheri, of the Fair Lakes area, addressing the group. "I feel targeted."

One question raised by meeting attendees: is the stolen gold being used to fund a terrorist organization? Probably not, but who knows?

Perpetrators have stolen gold, jewelry, family heirlooms, passports and other personal documents, so far exclusively targeting Indian and Middle Eastern homeowners across Northern Virginia. Break-ins have become more brazen and frequent over the last month.

Cindy McAllister, commander of the county's Sully District police station, assured everyone that "we'll throw all the resources we need at this until it is solved," but also said that "we're not dealing with someone just out for a little gold," after being asked by Elanchezhian Sivagan Anam if the culprits were attempting to fund a terrorist organization with all the stolen gold.

More than 200 residents listened as Fairfax Police Chief David M. Rohrer insisted that the string of burglaries was being taken very seriously. "I understand your anger and angst," Rohrer told the crowd. "I have to disavow the notion that we are taking this any less seriously than any other robberies .... Justice is colorblind in Fairfax County."

On the Twitters: Career Crises, Scam-o-ramas, and Looking for Love in All The Wrong Places

2009-11-05T12:51:00.001-05:00

The Twitters is so much more than random people babbling inanities in 160-character bursts on their fancy Internet telephones. It's random people babbling inanities about our favorite planned real estate development in 160-character bursts on their fancy Internet telephones! Without further ado, here's the awesome from the past week:

Someone had a career crisis.

Nothing scamtastic at all here, folks. Just move along.

Well, maybe if you had shown your candidate what a mojito was, maybe he would have pulled it off.

No argument here.

Someone didn't get the message about the dress code.

Someone else is looking for love in all the wrong places.

We think someone's being just a teensy bit sarcastic.

Nah, that would never work.

Tysons Redevelopment and Toll Road Hikes: Now the Price is Really Gonna Wow Ya!

2009-11-05T10:38:00.001-05:00

Hey, remember that time they were going to transform craptacular Tysons Corner, with its beautiful, urban-chic array of awful-looking office buildings and car lots into a sparkling new downtown, only they realized it would cost $15 billion and change to do so?

Yeah, that was awesome. Well, it turns out that number was totally off track, as it included the costs of such worthless projects as extending Metro out to some backwater called "Res-ton." Depending on who you ask, the real cost of urbanizing Tysons might be a mere $1.5 billion. Or maybe it's $2.7 billion, which when amortized over the 40-year span of the "plan," comes out to mere pennies a day, like that life insurance they hawk during daytime TV! Or maybe developers will pay for everything, forever, including the giant, gilded 60-foot-tall statue of Crystal Koons that will loom over the new urban enclave. It's gonna wow ya!

Taking a trip on the awesome Dulles Toll Road will also wow ya after Jan. 1, when tolls will increase to $1 at the main plaza and 75 cents at each off-ramp, as expected.

AAA Mid-Atlantic criticized the vote, calling the increases "patently unfair" for motorists in Loudoun County and for workers with low-paying jobs.

"We continue to be very concerned about the funding mechanism for the construction of rail to Dulles International Airport," Mahlon G. Anderson, the organization's director of public and government affairs, said in a statement. "The burden for funding is falling on the shoulders of a very small number of motorists."

Board members have shown no sign of wavering. After Wednesday's vote, H.R. Crawford, the chairman, said most people see the increases as modest. These people are practical and understand that the board needs the toll revenue to build the Metro line, he said.

"We had three meetings; there were no more than 35 people at every meeting," Crawford said. "There was no great outpouring of opposition."

But what about the novelty oversized pig?

Layoffs, Swine Flu, and a Mystery Bomb Scare: A Random Jig Through Reston News

2009-11-04T12:31:00.001-05:00

Fellow "web logger" Robin Smyers, who just happens to be RA President, has written another "blog post," this one about Newcomers Night on Nov. 12 and the dedication of the fancy new green Nature House on Nov. 21. Unlike this blogger, however, there was nary one use of the word "awesome" in her post.
Reston-based ComScore, which uses high-tech abacuses to count "Web traffic" and whatnot, is cutting its workforce by 50 jobs, or about 8 percent of its total staff, all part of a "realignment of resources." It also acquired a Latin American company called Certifica. But that's okay, as they're hiring in China, and all you have to do is go to the Reston Town Center to get one of their fancy jobs. (You'll probably have to wait until they have another job fair, though.)
Fairfax County's holding another mass H1N1 vaccination clinic at the county's government center this Saturday. Meanwhile, schools in Reston and Herndon -- and those across Fairfax County -- are seeing 6-7 percent absentee rates, about double the usual amount. PANIC
There was a lot of talk about this on the Twitters, the lazy blogger's friend, but still no official word about the alleged bomb scare that shut down part of Sunrise Valley last Friday. Here's one eyewitness account:
On Friday, October 30th, 2009, there was a Police cordon of the area around Sunrise Valley Drive, and Glade Drive. I found out through a source that there was a "Bomb Incident" with a truck at the very intersection mentioned. All of Sunrise Valley Drive was blocked off, and the Police Mobile Command Unit was set-up. Since the area is around government offices, I have no doubt that the FBI could have also very well been involved. This was around lunch hour, and there is no doubt that anyone passing by saw this activity. I know of a few people who in fact did see it in person, but the odd thing is, there is no mention of it in the news as of yet. Given the fact that school buses were re-routed and certain school officials were notified, I am amazed at how this story was never picked up.
Anyone know anything? This isn't the sort of thing the police like to send out press releases about.
Nonprofit thrift store The Closet is celebrating its 35th anniversary, and its founders were recently honored. Good on them.
It's been a good week for state Del. Ken Plum (D-Mauve). Not only did he win his first contested election in a decade, but he got a fancy adult and community education center in Springfield named after him.
Ann Rodriguez, president of the Arts Council of Fairfax County and a longtime Reston resident, passed away last week after a battle with cancer. She was one of the founders of the group that would become the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, was former vice chair of the Greater Reston Arts Center board of directors, served as interim executive director of GRACE and as a trustee of Reston Hospital. Rodriguez also hosted health education and business focused shows on Comcast. A public memorial will be held from 11:30-2 on Dec. 2 at the Reston Community Center's Hunter Woods facility. Nothing funny here, but at times it's worth highlighting how one person can make such a sustained distance in a community over time.

Some Politics Are Local: French Fry Enthusiasts, Mojitos, and Neighborhood Watch Big Winners of Election '09

2009-11-03T23:15:00.001-05:00

Rhyming signs and vaguely menacing attack ads weren't enough to propel Republican challenger Hugh "Mac" Cannon over incumbent state delegate Ken Plum (D-Mauve). With something like 93 percent of the vote in, Plum won reelection by nearly a 60-40 percent margin. The state legislature's loss is the neighborhood watch's gain.

Fairfax County School construction bonds also appeared to be sailing to easy approval, meaning there will be plenty of fancy buildings to not have all-day kindergarten and language immersion in.

Also, that one southern dude with the funny name lost the governor's race to the guy from Fairfax County who apparently wants women to cover their arms and ankles with shawls when out in public. While Deeds, embarrassingly, appeared to have lost Fairfax County, he swept the Reston precincts by considerable, if predictable, margins. Let the pundits analyze the race to death; we know it all came down to Mojitogate, which happened right in our own fake downtown.

No word yet on the most anticipated statistic of the night, though -- the number of people who got free cheesy fries as their reward for contributing to democracy.

Some Politics are Local: Shock the Vote, Plus Free Cheesy Fries!

2009-11-03T14:52:00.001-05:00

Is this a gathering of Tea Party devotees or ACORN thugs hanging out menacingly in front of this Reston polling place? We're not sure, but this "telephone photo" sent in by an anonymous operative shows the scene of chaos at the polls today, as throngs of people gathered to vote for, whazzit, the neighborhood watch guy with the scary ads or the dude with the name that sounds like a fruit, plus for some "governor" dude whose powers dwarf that of our own unelected DRB. One bit of good news, though, courtesy of the lazy blogger's friend, the Twitters:

FREE Parmesan Fries at The Counter in Reston all day if you wear your "I voted" sticker.

Awesome! Promoting democracy, one strand of polysaturated fat-soaked potato at the time.

Some Politics are Local: Cannon's Willie Horton Moment

2009-11-02T11:04:00.001-05:00

Well played, Hugh "Mac" Cannon. After failing to win a single endorsement and unsuccessfully trying to drag the Reston Association into your campaign to unseat Del. Ken Plum (D-Mauve), you resort to the usual bag of sleazy campaign tricks. You only forgot to mention your awesome crime-fighting powers as the head of a neighborhood watch.

Crime and Punishment for the Twin Scourges of Humanity: MS-13 Gang-Bangers, Tax Planners

2009-11-02T08:28:00.001-05:00

With several MS-13 members sentenced for their part in a shooting off Glade Drive last October and a Reston executive agreeing to plead guilty as part of a conspiracy to defraud the IRS by $240 million, we can safely say that criminal activity in Reston runs the gamut. It's like we're living in a Tom Wolfe novel, only without the delightful Tom Hanks and Wil Smith!

First, the MS-13 sentencing, which stems from last October's shooting of two men sitting outside an apartment building on Freetown Court in South Reston. The whole incident had something to do with a beef between MS-13 and the 18th Street gang, two rival gangs which apparently hew to codes as rigid and unyeiling as the DRB's.

A member of the Mara Salvatrucha street gang was sentenced to 80 years in prison and another received a 55-year term Friday for their roles in attempting to murder rival gang members in Reston.

The 80-year sentence was handed down in U.S. District Court in Alexandria to Dennis L. Gil Bernardez, 33, of Landover. He was the gunman in a series of gang-related shootings last October in a Reston park.

Jose M. Aguilar Orantes, 18, of Reston, was sentenced to 55 years for providing the firearm.

A third member of the gang also known as MS-13, Carlos B. Guzman Cruz, 25, of Richmond, was sentenced to 144 months in prison for disposing of the gun.

"This case should send a clear signal that MS-13 -- despite its strict rules against cooperating with law enforcement -- can be investigated and that would-be murderers can be brought to justice,'' said Neil H. MacBride, the U.S. attorney in Alexandria.

Meanwhile, Michael Parker, chief operating officer of Reston-based investment company TransCapital, was charged with conspiracy to defraud the IRS through some fancy tax shelter with the highly credible-sounding name of SLOTS. Gambling metaphors always work well when (allegedly) trying to circumvent tax law, right? Anyhoo, Parker has agreed to plead guilty, according to court documents.

Three local businessmen have been indicted on a charge of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service of more than $240 million.

According to the indictment filed in federal court on Oct. 22, two of the men allegedly attempted to defraud the IRS by making several "false and misleading statements" concerning a corporate tax shelter that was implemented by them.

Daryl J. Haynor, a partner in KPMG's federal tax practice for the mid-Atlantic Area, based in Tysons Corner; and Jon Flask, a Vienna-based attorney, are both named in the suit.

"Mr. Haynor has been placed on administrative leave pending a review of the situation," said George Ledwith, a spokesman for KPMG, on Monday.

A third party, Michael Parker, who was the chief operating officer of Reston-based investment company TransCapital, has also been charged with conspiracy to defraud the IRS.

According to court documents, Parker has agreed to plead guilty to his conspiracy count.

According to the federal indictment, Flask, Haynor and Parker implemented and marketed a tax shelter named "Sale Leaseback of Tenant Improvements Strategy (SLOTS)," from 1998 through 2006.

The shelter enabled various U.S. corporations to claim tax deductions totaling more than $240 million on corporate income tax returns.

The indictment alleges that Flask, along with Haynor and Parker, misled and deceived the IRS by misrepresenting facts concerning the SLOTS tax shelter during IRS audits of companies claiming tax losses generated by the shelter in the years 2002 through 2004.

If convicted, Haynor and Flask each face up to eight years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Parker faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

No word on whether that would be in a cushy minimum-security prison with therapeutic tennis and archery and whatnot... or the kind of prison the MS-13 folks are almost certainly going to:

Tysons Redevelopment: The Price is Gonna Wow Ya

2009-10-30T10:21:00.001-04:00

After scaling back plans to transform bucolic Tysons Corner from its current configuration of jumbled office parks, endless seas of parking lots and sprawling car dealerships into a walkable city center, much like Paris with fewer French people, Fairfax County planners have come up with the price tag for this vision of urban bliss: a mere $15 billion. Krystal Koons will not be pleased!

Remaking Tysons Corner into the second city of Washington will take a lot more than a new Metro line and a downtown of tightly clustered buildings designed for walking. It will take almost $15 billion in new roads and public transportation.

That jaw-dropping sum, a preliminary estimate released by Fairfax County planners this week, will be crucial to a redevelopment that envisions more than twice the 44 million square feet of offices, malls and housing now in Tysons -- a commercial and residential hub intended to draw thousands of new workers who will leave their cars at home. But planners fear thousands more will drive and overwhelm the area's already clogged road network.

The costs include $2.6 billion allocated for the first leg of the Silver Line, now under construction to Wiehle Avenue in Reston. Seven billion dollars for roads, bus service and two additional rail lines would not be spent until after 2030. And it's assumed that landowners who stand to profit from dense development near the four Tysons train stations will donate property for much of a planned grid of narrow, city-like streets.

But that still leaves billions of dollars for roads, sidewalks, interchanges and new bus routes over the next 20 years that have no source of funding and are crucial to the success of what Tysons is planned to become.

In the coming months, planners expect to outline which roads would be built first -- and whether developers can start reworking Tysons before that happens.

The sheer cost of reworking the transportation network, combined with earlier talk of scaling back the ambitious plans for Tysons, make us wonder, once again, what to expect for redevelopment efforts in Reston. If the county winds up spending $15 billion there, by our count that would leave approximately $2.94 and whatever change they can find in the couches in the RA headquarters to address infrastructure improvements here. That may not sound like a lot, but at least it'll pay for an air freshener for the car you'll be endlessly sitting in!

This Week in Crime: Jewelry Bandits Strike Again

2009-10-30T10:16:00.001-04:00

The burglars that have been targeting the homes of Indian families in search of gold and jewelry for months are at it again. On Tuesday, jewelry was stolen from four more homes, including one in Reston.

Fairfax County Crime Solvers is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the suspects of a series of burglaries that have been occurring in the Sully, Fair Oaks, Reston, and West Springfield police districts. On Tuesday, October 27, four homes were broken into; the 5300 block of Poplar Valley Court, the 12700 block of Lady Summerset Lane, the 9300 block of Cumbria Valley Drive, and the 8400 block of White Haven Circle. All the burglaries have occurred in the daytime hours and the suspects are primarily seeking gold jewelry. Other items including electronics have also been reported stolen.
There are over 20 burglary cases which have been linked to these and possibly more that police are looking for connections. Detectives are investigating several leads but remind homeowners to call police regarding any strangers going door to door or acting suspiciously in their neighborhoods.
The suspects have been described as two Hispanic or Middle Eastern men in their late 20s to early 30s and one Hispanic woman.

While police initially struggled with large caseloads in attempting to deal with the string of robberies -- not to mention having to track down a map to identify the location of India as somewhere other than the "Middle East" -- they now are reaching out to the community. Fairfax Police Chief David M. Rohrer will discuss the burglaries during a public meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. at Colin Powell Elementary School in Centreville.

On the Twitters: Getting With the Program, Celebrity Sightings, and Feeling the Love

2009-10-29T11:07:00.001-04:00

We might have to get one of those "cell telephones" everyone's talking about, because the Twitters are just scorching the airwaves with potentially cancer-causing 160-character transmissions about our beloved planned real estate development. Some of our favorites from the past week:

Someone finally got with the program. Resistance is futile, you know.

Waiting in line for swine flu shots can be frustrating, but it allows time for a refresher of basic math skills.

Another celebrity sighting! Reston's becoming the East Coast mecca for right-wing actors and asparagus-loving rockers.

Good question! Maybe we'll see a press release about this in a week or never.

We know someone who's qualified on all fronts.

Sounds like someone who has one of those fancy "jobs" we keep hearing about.

Our BFFs at scrapeware site Reston.com are feeling the love from the local media.

A play group? It's always nice to set up a time for the kids to get together and OH MY GOD THE ICON IT BURNS

This and That: A Random Pegleg Through Reston News

2009-10-29T10:43:00.001-04:00

Residents raised school budget concerns at a public hearing at the Reston Regional Library on Saturday, as described in a highly perceptive article called "Residents Raise School Budget Concerns." Said article did not discuss the plans to cut language immersion programs like the one at Lake Anne Elementary, full-day kindergarten, and other programs, but that's what's on the table. Another public hearing is being held tonight at 7pm in the South Lakes High School cafeteria; visit fairfaxcounty.gov/budget for details.
Reston-Herndon is one of five sites where Fairfax County health officials are giving the swine flu vaccine, but supplies are limited. Check the Twitters all the kids are talking about for updates on availability.
Speaking of which, you may think we have problems with the swine flu, but in the Philippines, our very own hometown pathogen, Ebola Reston, has jumped from pigs to fruit bats. PANIC
Ten fancy low-power LED streetlights will be installed in Reston as part of a pilot project, thereby solving the energy crisis forever. As a result, part of Bluemont Street will forever be known as the Reston Demonstration Lighting Area, and future generations of school children will be forced to visit it on field trips, assuming enough oil still exists to power school buses.
Don't get too excited about recent progress on Metro's awesome Silver Line, as some ~~grassroots organizers~~ developers are still trying to derail it (get it?) in court.
The ice skating rink at Reston Town Center opens this weekend, just in time for that famous winter holiday, Halloween. Or you could celebrate All Hallow's Eve by attending another seasonally appropriate event -- the Reston Association's public hearing on its proposed 2010-11 budget at 10am this Saturday. Spills and chills promised for all!
The Reston Community Players debut their new fully clothed play, Curtains, one of them fancy "play within a plays" that make our heads hurt. Whatever happened to crowd-pleasers like dancing cats?

On The YouTubes: Caught on Video! Reston Association Newscast Features Shocking Violation of RA Rules

2009-10-28T12:22:00.001-04:00

We so look forward to the twice-monthly airings of Andy Sigle's soothing dulcet tones, and in that regard, this new "vi-deo" from the Reston Association doesn't disappoint. But re-airing its previous -- and terrifying -- video about deadly copperhead snakes was somewhat disappointing. It's too early in the fall for reruns! Even this filthy "web log" is still in the midst of sweeps!

However, we did notice something far more terrifying than some stupid snake upon our second viewing. Study this image from the video's B-roll footage carefully. What's wrong with this picture?

You guessed it: white stone. Ruh-roh.

But this flagrant violation of DRB regulations only scratches the surface of this bimonthly video offering! There's a "nature tip," including shots of eight verboten invasive plants, plus a short story about how South Lakes High School students are getting involved in monitoring the results of the stream ~~deforestation~~ restoration process in Snakeden Branch. They would have gotten away with it, if it wasn't for those meddling kids!

Reston Woman Becomes County's 27th Traffic Fatality

2009-10-28T12:20:00.001-04:00

A 79-year-old Reston woman has died from injuries sustained during an accident on Baron Cameron Avenue on Oct. 14.

One week after a crash in the Reston area, a 79-year-old woman has died. On Wednesday, October 14, Mary Stack-Dunne was driving a 1996 Pontiac Sunfire south on North Village Road around 7:25 p.m. She did not stop for the stop sign and pulled into the path of a 46-year-old woman in a 2000 Lincoln Navigator, who was driving west on Baron Cameron Avenue. The impact caused severe injuries to Stack-Dunne and she was medevaced to Inova Fairfax Hospital where she died on Wednesday, October 21. She lived in the 1500 block of Twisted Oak Drive in Reston. Speed and alcohol were not factors.

This is the 27th fatal crash in Fairfax County. Last year at this time, there were 19 fatal crashes.

Reston! The Magazine to Take on Reston! The Planned Real Estate Development

2009-10-27T09:59:00.001-04:00

The holiday season just started a little early! Having singlehandedly redefined the direct-to-YouTube video medium, the Reston Association is now turning its attention to the magazine world, with a slick new publication which will replace the A to Z Guide and Reston Resource. But don't take our word for it:

Reston will contain the full program guide for camps, aquatics, tennis, home maintenance, events and member service news you’ve come to expect in the A to Z Guide.

PLUS

All the news and information from the Reston Resource -- profiles of people, interviews with the newsmakers, in depth reporting on issues that affect the Reston community along with volunteer opportunities.

Not only that, but the quarterly publication will replace seven issues of the other two things the RA used to fling into our mailboxes, meaning "there will be a savings on postage and the cost of producing each issue will be no more than the two publications were."

And, if the cover mockup pictured above is any indication, the inaugural cover story will be about Bob Simon's forays into skydiving. We can't wait until January!

Breaking: Woman Found Dead in Winterthur Apartment Identified

2009-10-26T16:35:00.001-04:00

Police have identified the woman who was found dead in the Winterthur Apartment complex in South Reston on Saturday as 42-year-old Karen Deck. Though the cause of death was a gunshot wound, the case is still under investigation. From the official release:

On Saturday, October 24, officers were called to an apartment in the 11900 block of Winterthur Lane around 3:40 p.m. to check on the welfare of an adult man. They located a man sitting inside. The body of a woman was also found inside the apartment. An investigation determined the victim, Karen Deck, of 1599 Inlet Court in Reston, suffered a gunshot wound to the upper body.
Homicide detectives are still investigating. No charges have
been placed at this time.

Update: The Post has (slightly) more.

This Week in Crime: Body Found in Winterthur

2009-10-26T09:45:00.001-04:00

A woman was found dead in the Winterthur apartment complex in South Reston on Saturday afternoon.

Police discovered the body of a woman inside a Reston apartment Saturday afternoon and are questioning a man who was there with her. The incident was reported around 3:40 p.m. at the Winterthur Apartment complex at 11900 Winterthur Ln.

Police say both are in their 40s, and the death appears to be domestic related. Police are calling this a death investigation pending the outcome of their investigation.

It's not the first time an altercation of this sort has happened in Winterthur. Maybe it's something in the water.

Also last week, cell phones were brazenly stolen from the T-Mobile store in the Reston Town Center.

Three men allegedly stole cell phones from the T-Mobile store, located at 1837 Fountain Drive. On Friday, October 16 just before noon, the men entered the store and began questioning the employee regarding prices. One of the suspects left and the other suspects grabbed a total of four cell phones. They fled in an older model sedan, possibly a Ford. There were no injuries. The suspects were described as black, in their 20s. This first suspect was described as 6 feet tall, 170 pounds with a goatee. He wore a black jacket, jeans, and sneakers. The second suspect was around 5 feet 11 inches tall, 155 pounds, and wore his hair in dreadlocks. He also wore a black jacket, jeans, and sneakers. The third suspect was about 6 feet tall, 190 pounds, and had long dreadlocks. He wore a gray pullover jacket, sweat pants, and black sneakers.

Given T-Mobile's subscriber base at this point, we'd say anyone who enters one of their stores ought to be considered suspicious right from the get-go, the end.

Hometown Hotties, Nudity, the DRB and You: The Nearly NSFW Restonian Post

2009-10-23T11:38:00.001-04:00

It's a shame that filthy "web logs" don't have sweep weeks the way that network television does, as this post would totally rock us over the top.

First of all, Maxim, the "mens" magazine of choice for the overcompensating and/or slightly balding crowd, named "Renee," a bartender from Reston, one of its "Hometown Hotties." (Link not really NSFW, unless you work for the Taliban.) But "Renee" is more than a pretty... face! Let's learn more about her:

Favorite Sports Team: I only watch Mma

First Job: Jamba Juice!

Piercings/Tattoos (How many? Where?): Two tattoos. One starting at my right hip and going midway down my thigh, and the other up my left ribcage. Used to have quite a few piercings, just took my last one out in Oct... that one was pretty south of the border...

What fun fact, talent, or mutant superpower of yours should guys know about?: I'm a total Pc video game nerd. I can school most guys at any Fps and I'm totally addicted to World of Warcraft!

That sound you just heard was thousands of nerdy guys inhaling sharply, knocking over their half-consumed bags of Cheetos in the process. We'll spare you her thoughts on sex and the "most unusual place you've ever hooked up." (SPOILER ALERT: It wasn't while waiting in line for her RA pool pass.)

Now on to another ribald tale, this one inspired by the guy in Springfield who was recently arrested for indecent exposure in his own home. One Restonian -- who for obvious reasons wants to remain anonymous -- figured out the problem: Springfield doesn't have a DRB! Read on:

I was told by the state's attorney a few years ago that in Virginia it is legal for you to be naked in your own home. I found that out when my new neighbor was spending a lot of time up on the hill outside our bedroom window peeking in. I was worried because my husband always goes off to his shower in the buff after he drops his clothes in the hamper. I was worried the neighbor would have him arrested. But the state's attorney said the law states it is assumed you have privacy in your own home.
In Virginia, in order to be arrested for being a peeping tom, you have to have your hand on the side of the house you are peeking into. A very bizarre law.
Something is very wrong in Virginia if a guy can't be naked in his own kitchen. What's next, we'll be told to keep our clothes on when we bathe lest our neighbors should see us naked?
And my peeping tom neighbor? We went through the whole DRB process and put up a 6 ft privacy fence.

You read that right: While annoying and arbitrary, the DRB process can help keep you from being arrested for being naked in your own home. And for that, we salute you, DRB.

Some Politics are Local: A Haiku of an Endorsement

2009-10-23T11:11:00.001-04:00

The Washington Post wasted precious little ink in endorsing incumbent Delegate Ken Plum (D-Mauve) in his race against challenger Hugh "Mac" Cannon.

Kenneth R. Plum, the conscientious, tough-minded leader of the Democratic Caucus in the House, is a 30-year veteran lawmaker, widely respected in Richmond. His Republican opponent, Hugh "Mac" Cannon, is pleasant but unschooled in state and local issues.

That's it? Next time, they should totally do it in haiku form:

Neighborhood watch chief
Dragged RA into debate spat
'Pleasant' not enough

Update: The Fairfax Times has also endorsed Plum, using just slightly more words than the Post. Bonus points though, Times, for using the phrase "down south."

School Budget Cuts Could End Language Immersion, Full-Day Kindergarten at Lake Anne Elementary and Elsewhere

2009-10-22T13:26:00.001-04:00

Massive budget cuts under consideration by the Fairfax County School Board could mean the end of full-day kindergarten and all elementary language immersion programs, including the Spanish immersion program offered at Lake Anne Elementary. Here's what the Lake Anne PTA is telling parents:

Foreign Language instruction at the Elementary level is quite likely to be cut from the schools budget. This means NO IMMERSION PROGRAM at Lake Anne.
In addition, Lake Anne's Art Focus School funding, narrowly restored last year, will likely cut as well. Our students would have reduced music and music instruction, reduced time in art class and no drama classes at all. Elementary level band and strings may be eliminated completely.
Class sizes will increase by one or two pupils per class. Services by social workers and counselors will likely be curtailed. And it is a sad possibility that teachers and aides will be laid off. (Teachers and staff did not receive any increase in pay last year and do not expect to see any increase this year as well.)
We have no idea how that would play out for Lake Anne. The enrollment would be drastically reduced if the majority of students currently enrolled in Spanish Immersion returned to their boundary or base school. Our children would lose out and the school would lose as well.

Preserving full-day kindergarten is a no-brainer, especially at schools that serve needy students. But language immersion programs are one of the hidden gems of Fairfax County's schools, something few public school systems nationwide have the resources or wherewithal to offer. Losing such an innovative program would be a tragedy for a community that's home to such a diverse population of students -- and to Lake Anne Elementary, which has seen its enrollment grow as a result of offering the program.

Here's how the PTA suggests people can make their voices heard:

* Attend the budget "Dialogues" hosted by Fairfax County and FCPS. The next one close to Lake Anne will be on Saturday October 24 (this Saturday) from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon at the Reston Regional Library and then another meeting on Thursday October 29 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The South Lakes High School cafeteria. You need to register for either or both of these events by calling 703.324.3291 or visiting www.fairfaxcounty.gov/budget. Bring your spouse, your children, your support system and make your feelings known.
* Complete the BUDGET FEEDBACK FORM at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/budget or call and express your viewpoint at 703.324.9400.
* Letters and emails can also be directed to the School Board and to the County Board of Supervisors (our Supervisor is Catherine Hudgins (hntrmill@fairfaxcounty.gov) at 703.478.0283.

This and That: A Random Slither Through Reston News

2009-10-22T13:12:00.001-04:00

SHOCKER: The proposed toll increases on the Dulles Toll Road were approved by two committees and will be put to a vote by its governing board on Nov. 4, despite public comments that ran 3 to 1 in opposition of the hike. No comment from the novelty oversized pig.
Loudoun County officials are thinking about asking the state to buy 4,100 acres of foreclosed land that was supposed to become a fancy particleboard planned community like Reston and turn it into a state park.
Reston-based Sallie Mae turned a profit for the first time in a gazillion billion years, thanks to an improving credit market. No word on whether its potty-mouthed executives offered a joyful expletive in response.
When does cutting door-to-door service and splitting a bus route translate into "increased coverage?" When you're talking about the Reston Internal Bus Service (RIBS). The proposed changes are supposed to reflect the elimination of Connector Route 556 and improve rush-hour efficiency, which even RIBS officials agree -- what's the word? -- "sucks."
Based on the ongoing series of jewelry thefts that appear to be targeting Indian families, Fairfax County Police are urging people to keep an eye on their valuables. Jewelry thefts in Reston, Sully and Fair Oaks are up 55 percent from the previous year, so that's probably a good plan.
Communications contractor Ericsson Federal Inc. is moving its headquarters -- and the extra 's' in its name -- from Texas to Reston. Expect more barbecue options to follow shortly afterwards.

Breathless Anticipation of Fast Food Chain Justifies Existence of Twitter

2009-10-21T15:46:00.001-04:00

Here's why Al Gore invented the Twitters:

You'd think 160 characters, mostly typed with thumbs and elbows while people are stuck in traffic on Reston Parkway, would scarcely suffice to capture the zeitgeist of our favorite earth-toned real estate development. But you'd be wrong.

For starters, you can totally find free stuff people are just giving away!

34 Free Floppy Disks (Reston, VA): 34 previously used but now clean assorted floppy disks.

Or if you still have one of those, whazzitcalled, "jobs" and some modicum of disposable income, you can go a bit more uptown:

Tibetan Wedding Tent for Sale

Other Twitterers share valuable fashion tips:

Story of my life! RT @bkreilly i need to remember it is ALWAYS windy in reston (and therefore shouldn't wear wrap dresses), eeek!

Still others apparently catch things we totally missed:

There's a giant monster robot marching through the streets of Reston. He's going to kill us all.(im not the only one who hears this, right?)

And others are completely clueless:

Accenture has asked me if I'd be Ok with moving to Reston, VA by mid-november. Is Reston near DC?

Here's an unintentional rebuttal:

I think claiming Short Pump as Richmond is like claiming Reston as Washington DC.

Some people need to get out of Reston a bit more often:

got a kick out of the escalator just for shopping carts at the 2-level Targets near DC. Didn't have one of those in Reston! Fancy...

Other Twitterers have something resembling a conscience:

The unemployment rate for my city is less than 3% and the median income is $84,000. Just confrims: Reston VA = Living in a bubble

Others have more pressing issues to deal with:

Stepped in human poop at the gamestop in Reston....I hope that is the only time in my life I ever tweet that.

Some folks have entered the lucrative microloan business:

Sherry, Reston VA, US has given loan amount of 950 to Clementina Danian, Lagos State, Nigeria. Reason: To purchase more foodstuffs

Others get disappointed about the wrong things:

i thought you found a Nudist Colony in Reston. Damn it...’

Finally, a comment from someone we can all agree with:

Some Politics Are Local: RA-gate May Supplant Mojitogate as Election '09 Shocker

2009-10-20T13:06:00.001-04:00

First, Mojitogate rocked the political elite from the heart of Reston Town Center, definitively shifting the momentum in Virginia's governor race. Now, an equally shocking scandal is threatening to do the same to the race between longtime state delegate Ken Plum (D-Mauve) and neighborhood watch commandant Hugh "Mac" Cannon.

It's all very confusing, but it sounds like Cannon invited Plum to another debate, and when Plum backed out, Cannon sent out a snarky press release saying that Plum was spending time at some fancy place called "Tuckahoe Plantation in Richmond" and snubbing the Reston Association's invitation to discuss the issues. Now the RA is all like, "we never were going to sponsor a debate anyway, but just offered to provide some meeting space, and maybe a dozen or so of those awesome metal folding chairs."

Here comes the smackdown, courtesy of a press release:

"We in no way wish to make this appear that Delegate Plum turned Reston Association down, because Reston Association did not organize a debate, so we could not have invited either party." [RA President] Robin Smyers reiterated. "We are non-partisan and we simply made our community meeting space available, as we would for any community group."

On the other hand, the Plum campaign has not denied the accusations that he was not present at either the Lake Anne Jazzfest or Oktoberfest and therefore should be impeached immediately, the end.