This and That: A Much-Delayed Walk Through Reston News, and a Wetland

As the RA Board elections grind to a merciful halt -- polls close on Friday, if you can call mail-in ballots or a Web site a "poll" -- we hear this:

Reston Association President Robin Smyers said she had no idea a letter she wrote endorsing three of the 10 candidates in this month's Board of Directors race would cause such a backlash.

"It's been common practice for many years" for sitting board members to endorse their favorites in the race, said Smyers, whose term ends in April and is not seeking re-election. "When I ran, I was endorsed by board members."

Will there be a look at the election rules? Probably.

Elections Committee member Dave Edwards said the post-game huddle on this year's election will certainly include discussion on endorsements made by board members.

"It's perfectly authorized under the standards of conduct, but I think we need to tighten up the wording," Edwards said. "I've been hearing complaints, but as long as a person is acting completely as an individual, [it is technically allowed]." He said the ugly tone of this election has detracted from issues facing Reston.

We couldn't agree more.

With SOCIALIST Barack Obama signing a SOCIALIST health care bill that also happened to SOCIALIZE the federal student loan program, Reston-based non-SOCIALIST Sallie Mae has said it will have to cut one-third of its work force. So good if you're a college student or SOCIALIST, but bad if you work at non-SOCIALIST Sallie Mae. Maybe they can all get jobs at Accenture, which after rounds of layoffs, is now hiring nearly 400 people in Reston. SOCIALISTS!

Ever wanted to tromp through a wetland? The Reston Association is offering a Very Special Walk through the wetland near the proposed Herndon-Monroe Metro station at 5pm today.

Hey now, the fancy Washington Post "news-paper" figured out that Reston stands to lose much of its bus service.

The Hunter Mill Democratic Committee is holding its 34th annual lasagna dinner on April 10 at the Reston Community Center, featuring its "famous layered pasta caserole feast." Learn more here.

Reston resident Meghan Ridgley won her first major marathon, but said the wind was a factor in keeping her from a goal.

"I was shooting for a 2:46 so I could make the Olympic tryouts," she said. "But wind is wind and there's nothing you can do about it."

Take that, Alan Webb!

A memorial service for James S. Rossant, Reston's original master planner, will be held April 16 in New York City. More information is available here.

Speaking of which, have you finished up all your Founder's Day shopping yet? It's slated for April 10, featuring a presentation by urban planner Alex Garvin.

Finally, the most important news you'll read here -- or anywhere else -- anytime soon. Twyla Mooner, a blue Abyssinian cat from Reston, got a lot of attention at the "Western Pennsylvania Cat Fanciers" show. Read this breathless account:

Twyla charmed spectators as she strutted around the arena -- on a leash attached to a little harness. She walked nicer than most dogs, never pulling or lunging. With her tail and head held high, Twyla made eye contact with strangers and sniffed inquisitively at cat toys and treats sold at vendors booths.

About 350 cats competed at the show, sanctioned by the Cat Fanciers' Association Inc., and held at the Iceoplex at Southpointe in Canonsburg. Twyla Mooner was the only one that leash walked. When polite people asked if they could pet her, owner Lisa-Maria Padilla always said, "of course!" Twyla clearly enjoyed the kindness of strangers.

When Ms. Padilla gave the command, "Roll over!" the cat complied, much to the delight of her audience. Then she got a treat -- freeze-dried chicken.

Ms. Padilla swears anyone can train cats to do tricks for treats. She says it takes patience and positive reinforcement. Apparently cats won't respond well to negative reinforcement such as "NO!" or "bad cat!"

Neither do many public officials.

Rotoviral Marketing: Who Keeps Putting Up These 'Google Restonian' Signs?

Several confidential operatives, including your Restonian himself, have spotted these shockingly Banksy-esque signs stapled to signposts around Reston in recent days. We'd like to say we're creative enough to have come up with this idea ourselves... but sadly, no. We're somewhat confused, actually. But as one of our confidential operatives pointed out, there is an upside:

At least your secret admirer had the aesthetic good taste to use a muted shade of lemon meringue-toned yellow that probably would pass muster with the DRB.

That's one less headache to worry about, anyway.

This Week in Crime: Murder Charge in October Shooting

Police have arrested a Reston man on murder charges stemming from the October shooting of a Reston woman in his Winterthur Apartment. Karen Deck, 42, was shot in Ronald Robertson's apartment on Oct. 24 -- an incident that was not classified as a homicide until January.

On March 27, police arrested Ronald Robertson, 45, of 11900 Winterthur Lane #PH-3, and charged him with murder. Police believe Robertson and Deck were acquaintances.

Here's the Washington Post's take:

According to court records Robertson, 45, had called his parents to report that "he had accidentally shot and killed his girlfriend," and his parents called 911.

Police officers who arrived at Robertson's apartment "heard banging coming from inside," according to an affidavit by Fairfax homicide Detective Brian S. Colligan. The apartment door was closed but unlocked, Colligan wrote, so officers entered and found Robertson inside, along with Deck and a weapon on the floor.

Robertson was not charged immediately with the homicide, but he was charged four days later with being a violent felon in possession of a gun, court records show. A preliminary hearing in that case was held last week, and the charge was sent to the grand jury for possible indictment.

Court records show that Robertson pleaded guilty in 1989 to shooting at an occupied vehicle. He received a five-year suspended sentence.

We're not sure why it took so long for the charges to be filed, given the seemingly open-and-shut nature of the circumstances. Then again, if we were lawyers, we'd be busy racking up the billable hours instead of posting on this "web log."

This Week in Crime: Police Would Like You To Stop Forwarding E-Mails About the 'East Coast Rapist'

As stated here last week, police have not linked the series of creepy incidents on the paths in South Reston and the "East Coast Rapist." Now the head of the Reston division of the Fairfax County Police has issued a statement saying there is "absolutely no information" linking the Reston incidents.

In the past week and a half, there has been a malicious and erroneous e-mail circulating in our community which is causing undue alarm and hysteria. This e-mail has the subject line “Serial rapist spotted in Reston” and has many inaccuracies, false information and presumptions which have caused much concern in our community.

As a result of this e-mail being circulated to our schools, HOAs, other jurisdictions, etc. my office, our dispatch center, and the police Public Information Office have been inundated with calls and e-mails referencing the rapist loose on the Reston pathways.

The facts are that on Saturday morning March 13, we had two reports of a suspicious male on the pathway along Glade Drive between Soapstone Dr and Twin Branches Road. Based on these reports, I directed additional patrol and resources to the pathway in an attempt to identify the subject along with providing a sense of security to the users of the pathways. The subject did not commit any crime nor was there any physical contact made.

On Monday March 15, the Washington Post had a detailed report of an East Coast Serial Rapist. Based on this article, the circulating e-mail erroneously made the leap that our suspicious person report was somehow linked. First, let me state there is ABSOLUTELY no information which remotely ties the suspicious male/incident to the East Coast Rapist.

"If you receive such an e-mail, it would be best not to forward the information," the statement concludes.

Restonian The Movie 2: Electric Boogaloo Kicks Off Yet Another Open Comment Thread

We here at Restonian World Headquarters are feeling the love, so we thought we'd share the sequel to the blockbuster smash that had people weeping in the aisles. Listen to the wise words of one of our commenters, as reenacted by an indoor tennis enthusiast in front of a classic Reston single-family house, before enjoying another open comment thread. Warning: House color palette is definitely NSFDRB.

Wiehle Metro Development Decision Deferred to April 14

During its meeting last night, the Fairfax County Planning Commission deferred a decision on the proposed Comstock Wiehle Metro development until April 14. One of our commenters has shared traffic studies involving the project.

Update: And here are the remarks from the Reston Citizens Association and Reston 2020, as read by Richard Stillson. He identified the "excessive" 6,000-space parking garage, the shadow-inducing height of the buildings on the south side of the plaza, and the presence of traffic within the plaza as the "worst problems" of the Comstock proposal, and offered suggestions to address them.

Treepocalypse Now: Another Meeting, Another Massive PDF to Enjoy

As the massive stream deforestation restoration project prepares to move north of the Toll Road, the Reston Association and Wetland Studies and Solutions Inc. is holding another meeting from 9:30-noon on Saturday at Lake Anne Elementary.

In the meantime, take a gander at this fancy PDF on your PDF machine. Sadly for those of us without plans on Friday night, it's not another 355-page document like the magnum opus involving the Comstock Wiehle Metro development we shared earlier in the week. Clocking in at a svelte 73 pages, this document is perfect for happy hour!

Anyhoo, like 99 percent of people who are forced to endure a PowerPoint presentation, we mostly looked at the pictures. Here are some of our favorite NSFT (Not Safe For Trees) images from the presentation:

A before and after shot of one of the South Reston "reaches." Something seems to be missing in the shot on the right.

This is one of many shots showing exposed utility pipes, manholes and other damage around Colvin Run. And also the roving packs of feral dog-beasts prepared to pounce on safety blaze-wearing victims without warning.

This shows how the streams have changed since Reston was built. The streams must be a mess -- look at how all that water pooled into a foul, brackish mess in the picture on the right!

Here's a before and after shot that gives you a real sense of the work that's done in the restoration process.

And here's the money shot -- literally -- of the financial benefit of the process to Reston.

– Phase I: $70 million Restoration
– $450,000 to Reston Association
– $950,000 to Friends of Reston
– $3 million of new bridges for Reston
– Reduced dredging costs for RA lakes
– $5 million Catastrophic Event Fund

We've never seen all the benefits of the process spelled out so explicitly. And if we didn't know, chances are critics of the process didn't either.

Random Silver Line Metro Proposal Not Nearly as Crazy as the Reason Reston is Losing Most of Its Bus Service

Here, courtesy of the Googles Maps and this site, is a modest proposal: rerouting the Metro Silver Line from the median of the Toll Road to the old W&OD line, which would run the Metro through the actual existing urban cores of Reston and Herndon -- our beloved Fake Downtown, Herndon's slightly less fake downtown, and the Clocktower shopping center, which has a variety of international eateries under a faux Swiss chalet roof. A perfect spot for a Metro station!

Of course, this would never work, given the land-rights issues and the irate runners and cyclists who would find it hard to ride or run on their favorite trail without hitting the 900-volt third rail, plus the fact that we can't even afford to put a tunnel through Tysons Corner, an area with much higher present -- and planned -- density. But it's still a heck of a lot less crazy than this: the reason why Reston is likely to lose a good chunk of its bus service. Apparently the airport authority wants to use the money instead to build a "mini-Beltway" through the fertile particleboard McMansions of Loudoun County to create a loop around the airport! No, really:

Late last year, the county discovered, from materials that the Airports Authority provided to the public to solicit comments on proposed toll increases, that the agency planned to spend toll revenues instead on improvements to Route 606 in Loudoun County, according to a sharp-toned letter the Board of Supervisors sent to MWAA on Sept. 14 of last year.

Route 606, the Loudoun portion of which is called Old Ox Road, along with routes 50 and 28, is under consideration for creating a mini-beltway, or "Dulles Loop," around the airport. Routes 606 and 50 are considered inadequate in this capacity, although some state funding has been approved for the Route 50 segment.

The Board of Supervisors pointed out in its Sept. 14 letter that it had contributed $50,000 to planning for the Dulles Loop in 2007 on the condition that Dulles Toll Road revenue not be used to fund the project, and the board also argued that Route 606 was outside the Dulles Corridor, where toll revenue is to be spent.

In an Oct. 19 letter, however, the Airports Authority contended that its permit and operating agreement with the state defined the Dulles Corridor as extending to Ryan Road, west of the Loudoun County Parkway, which would authorize the agency to spend toll road revenue farther west than the last stop on the planned Silver Line.

The Connector bus grant has helped to pay for routes 552, 553, 554 and 557, which collect riders from Reston neighborhoods and take them to the West Falls Church Metro Station, as well as routes 929, 951 and 952, which are "reverse-commuter" routes, serving people who work in Reston and live elsewhere.

Yeah, that makes sense.

'Generation Next' Must Either Be About a) Pepsi or b) New Blood in Reston Leadership

Given all the abuse that's been flung around of late, we're not sure why anyone would want to be a "future Reston leader," but if that's your bag, here's something that just might help.

Generation Next: Reston Leadership Development Dialogue

Thursday, March 25, 2010
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
RCC Community Room
2310 Colts Neck Road, 20191
Hosted and sponsored by Reston Community Center in cooperation with Reston Historic Trust.

Come take your place in Reston's Future!

Representatives of Reston’s civic and community organizations will be discussing leadership and getting involved. This is an opportunity to learn about how different types of organizations groom their boards, elect representation, or otherwise select people to guide their efforts toward making Reston the special place it is.

Young people are encouraged to attend and share the challenges they confront in giving their time and expertise to organizations. Lively discussion and question/answer segments will offer you a chance to match your time and talent to the right approach to service. Government, Educational, Cultural/Arts, Human Services and Sports are among the types of community efforts represented.
Refreshments will be provided.

We're guessing that the official refreshment of Generation Next is none other than Pepsi. And a personal shout out to a regular commenter -- BiCO, you might want to check this out.

RA Board Elections: A Shockingly Astute View of the Current State of Affairs

As the "mainstream news media" (meaning places that run mattress ads and whatnot) has finally caught wind of how acrimonious the Reston Association Board election has become and people are now criticizing youth sports leaders as well as current RA Board members for endorsements, we'll confess some of the comments on this filthy "web log" have strayed into the realm of the personal and the ad hominem. Much like an avuncular sitcom dad, we even had to issue a stern warning! But amid all the noise, at times people have made astonishingly astute comments about the state of affairs at the RA. Consider this:

There are nuggets of wisdom to be found here. There is also a motherlode of b.s. However, on the whole it is delightful to see at least a few RA members taking an interest in what goes on around us. Judging from watching previous RA boards, it is reasonable to conclude that no matter who wins in the current cesspool of campaigning, little will be done by the next board to help or hurt the RA. (Assuming that lack of inspired leadership is viewed as in the "no hurt" category.)

The Smyers adminstration faced four major issues. The headquarters fiasco was doomed by a late start. Too much time passed after the first (successful) referendum to buy office space. By the time the RA got serious about a purchase and learned what the market offered, there was a mad rush to "sell" the new plan to the community. Many felt they had been had. Many felt left out of this important decision. So, in the midst of a great buyers' market and extraordinarily low mortgage rates, the voters shot themselves in the foot. Understandable, but sad.

Then came the rec center. For years the community asked, why is it that the RA and the RCC can't get together in meeting the rec needs of Reston? One has money and the other has land and both are there to serve us. So, the two boards got together (in public) and agreed to partner on something at long last. At a cost of less than $2.00 per resident, they did a study. So far, so good. Then they foolishly reduced it to a concept plan, picked a concept site that was dead on arrival, and found themselves in a predictable war with nearby residents. This effort was ill-managed, but not evil as opponents chose to paint it. And that's all we will remember.

Issue three, indoor tennis. Another issue that had the general consent of the membership for many years, always having been posed as self-sustaining. Now, I doubt that would have been how it worked out, but I allow that the planners believed it would be so. Timing will kill this project. Again, current market conditions are not likely to be this good for a long time to come. Lower construction costs, great financing. But on the heels of the rec center explosion, there is no stomach to consider rationally the benefits of RA doing that hundreds of other communities have done. Breaking from tradition, the RA board decided not to be a do-nothing body. Instead, they became a do-something-dumb body.

Issue four: Master Plan. It's a bit early to comment, but it appears that they might just have done something right for a change. Yes, some will not be pleased and when they do not get their way, they will skewer the Smyers administration. I hope that some objectivity will prevail as we judge the RA's performance.

The next board? I am not encouraged. Reacting to failures 1, 2, and 3, candidates came out of the woodwork. Some would hurl us back 20 years. Some would strangle the prospect to advance. This whole silly discussion of partisianship, endorsements, and ethical lapses is intellectual mud-slinging. The next board will be paralyzed as a result. As you fire up your keyboard to share your unique insight into the sinister motivation of the RA board and staff, pat yourself on the back for adding to this pitiful state of affairs. It's in your hands.

What he (or she) said. Feel free to respond -- civilly -- in the comments.

This Week in Crime: Reston Doc Snared in Steroids Bust, and E-Mail Rumors About the 'East Coast Rapist'

A Reston doctor with ties to the Washington Capitals has been arrested on steroids charges.

Investigators interviewed several Washington Capitals players Tuesday after a chiropractor with ties to the Capitals and Washington Nationals was arrested at his home in Reston and charged with obtaining steroids and other illegal performance-enhancing drugs from an alleged steroids dealer in Lakeland, Fla.

Douglas Owen Nagel, who has treated several Capitals players and promoted himself as the team chiropractor, is being charged with purchasing steroids for at least a year from Richard "Andy" Thomas, who is awaiting federal sentencing in Florida on a variety of steroids possession and distribution charges. Investigators have found no "conclusive evidence or proof" that Nagel distributed steroids to any professional athletes, according to Polk County (Fla.) Sheriff Grady Judd.

In an interview with Polk County detectives last Sept. 28, Nagel, who claims on his Web site to have competed in national bodybuilding qualifying events, said the steroids he ordered from Thomas were for personal use and not provided to any athletes, but the package weight of two of the shipments -- 14 and 9 ounces -- indicated quantities large enough for distribution, according to Judd. Judd said the packages contained nandrolone and testosterone.

After Nagel was arrested Tuesday, two Polk County investigators visited Kettler Capitals Iceplex, accompanied by at least one member of the U.S. Marshal's Office, and interviewed Capitals head athletic trainer Greg Smith and three players who had been treated by Nagel, individuals with direct knowledge of the investigation said on condition of anonymity. Forwards Matt Bradley and Eric Fehr and defenseman Shaone Morrisonn were interviewed, the individuals said.

Judd, who did not confirm the identities of the players interviewed, said no Nationals were being interviewed because Nagel's connection to the baseball team seemed more tenuous.

Nagel's office, which is located in the same building that houses the Capitals' front office and practice facility in Arlington, was closed for business Tuesday, but a sign on the glass door read "Dr. Doug Nagel Chiropractor, Washington Capitals."

The Capitals quickly issued a statement disavowing any official connection to Nagel, while acknowledging several players had visited him for "standard chiropractic services."

Meanwhile, e-mails are circulating around Reston alleging that the man believed to be involved in several suspicious incidents in South Reston two weekends ago may be the same person as the 13-year fugitive from justice known as the "East Coast Rapist," who had coincidentally been profiled in the Washington Post at around the same time. Here's the key part of one such e-mail:

The police officer called in the detective who is handling this case (the one who contributed to the Washington Post article), and explained to her the magnitude of the situation. My mom's description of the suspect (African-American, 5'11", 200 lbs, stocky build, broad face, no facial hair, wearing a blue hoodie), as well as her account of how it happened (man spots his victim, disappears in another direction, then suddenly reappears behind his victim), all match the East Coast Rapist's description and M.O., as well as the other sightings and near-attacks that have been experienced in our area within the past week.

Please forward this on to anyone you know in the area (particularly women) who walk their dog, go on runs, etc. Please encourage them not to go on the paths by themselves, and to use the main roads if they are by themselves. Apparently this rapist has been spotted all over the Northern Virginia area in recent weeks so he is not just isolated to Reston.

Police have said they are taking the incidents seriously but have not made a public statement linking the incidents in Reston to the East Coast Rapist.

Wiehle Metro Development: We Make Wildly Uneducated Guesses After Skimming a 355-Page Planning Document

Reston's answer to the Mariana Trench goes under the spotlight this week. Tonight's master plan meeting, scheduled for 7pm at South Lakes High School, will focus on input from community meetings for both Wiehle Avenue and Herndon-Monroe. Then Thursday, the Fairfax County Planning Commission takes a stab at the awesome Grand Canyon of the Toll Road Comstock Wiehle Metro development. Fairfax County's fancy "web site" doesn't make it easy to find, but here's what we think are the final plans for the development (long, slow-loading PDF, especially when using the Atari 800 connected to a 300-baud modem here at Restonian World Headquarters). The county planning staff recommends denial of the proposal "as submitted," but includes two lengthy "development conditions" in appendices, on the assumption it'll get approved anyway.

The proposal includes something called a "tree pit," so yay nature! Also, it looks like Comstock is emphasizing its plan to block off most of what it's calling the "Civic Plaza" -- the narrow, canyon-like space between several buildings -- to automobile traffic, with a subterranean level providing what it calls "multi-modal" access to cars and buses and trolls and whatnot.

So that's exciting. But the even better news? It sounds like our exhortations for more rad '80s art have not fallen on deaf ears! It's in black and white, but check out this drawring:

Awesome! Add a few pastel colors, and doesn't this look like it would have been right at home on the second Tubes album, if there ever had been one?

Anyway, don't take our word for any of this -- we skimmed through all 355 pages of the document in about 3 minutes. Read the docs for yourself and share in the comments.

This Week in Crime: Third MS-13 Conviction in Fall 2008 Shooting

A 20-year-old Reston MS-13 gang member was sentenced to 60 years in prison for his role in a October 2008 gang-related shooting in South Reston.

Antonio Neftali Urrutia-Barrera, 20, of Reston, Va., was sentenced today to 720 months in prison, followed by a 5 year term of supervised release, for his use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence... Barrera had previously pled guilty on January 5, 2010.

According to court documents, Antonio Urrutia Barrera, a.k.a. ADuende@ was a full member of the transnational Hispanic street gang Mara Salvatrucha Thirteen (AMS-13@), and as a member of MS-13, the defendant abided by certain gang rules that included attacking rival gang members and supporting or backing up fellow gang members. During his active membership with MS-13, the defendant engaged in multiple acts of violence on behalf of the gang. First, on September 17, 2008, in Loudoun County, Virginia, the defendant, while riding as a passenger in a vehicle with another MS-13 member, observed what he perceived to be rival gang members on the side of a suburban street. The defendant brandished a revolver and fired multiple shots out of the vehicle at the group of individuals. The defendant wounded three individuals, one of whom now remains paralyzed from the waist down.

On October 6, 2008, the defendant was present at a second, violent MS-13 attack that took place in Reston, Virginia. In this instance, the defendant, along with fellow MS-13 members Jose Aguilar Orantes and Dennis L. Gil Bernardez, approached two rival gang members in a suburban park during the middle of the day. The defendant and his two fellow gang members approached the two rivals and a third, unaffiliated bystander, at which point Dennis Bernardez began to shoot at the two rival gang members and finally at the third individual. Two of the victims, including the unaffiliated bystander, were critically injured and transported to Fairfax Hospital=s trauma center, each suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Both critically injured victims suffered permanent injuries.

In July 2009, Bernardez and Aguilar were tried and convicted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia for their roles in the October 6, 2008, triple shooting. Bernardez was sentenced to 80 years in prison, while Aguilar received 55 years.

Police claim that the convictions are causing MS-13 membership to decline:

The notoriously violent MS-13 gang is starting to shed members in the Washington region because gang members fear prosecution and stiff prison terms, federal prosecutors said in recently filed court documents.

Sentences like Barrera's are starting to have an effect on MS-13 members in Northern Virginia, prosecutors said. "In recent months, multiple MS-13 members from the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area have stated that their reason for severing ties from the gang is because of the prosecution and lengthy incarceration of their fellow gang members who committed and supported violent acts," assistant U.S. attorneys in Alexandria wrote in court documents.

The office declined to comment further.

The two MS-13 members who participated in an Oct. 6, 2008, Reston shooting with Barrera also received stiff sentences after a jury convicted them of their roles in July.

Dennis Gil Bernandez, who opened fire at two rival gang members and an innocent bystander in a Reston park on Oct. 6, 2008, was sentenced to 80 years in prison. The shots permanently injured the bystander and one of the rival gang members.

Barrera and Jose Aguilar Orantes were with Bernandez when he started shooting. Orantes was sentenced to 55 years in prison.

Flashback Monday: 'Reston' and 'Bloomingdales': Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together

This charming, cartoon-like map isn't of some fancy "transit-oriented development" slated to crop up along the Toll Road, but our own beloved earth-toned community back in 1982, when it was part of a model home blitz sponsored in part by Bloomingdales, that department store your grandmother might have liked, except that the unmentionables got "too racy" at times.

Let's go back to the era of A Flock of Seagulls and E.T., when some marketing genius at Bloomies apparently bolted up in bed in the middle of the night shouting, "Pastels and earth tones! Together! We'll make millions!" Then, after he was sedated and institutionalized, they decided to do it anyway.

Here's how it was described at the time in a "news-letter," which were kind of like the "web logs" of the time, minus the hypercaffienated commenters.

Bloomingdale's Opens Six New Locations In Reston

All the excitement, color and innovation discovered in a Bloomingdale store can now be found at six model home locations in Reston.

Harnessing the success of Blooniingdale's current Americana theme, and the excitement of their "Spring In Living Color" campaign, participating Reston builders are combining their design and construction savvy with Bloomingdale's interior design skills.

Special events, designer workshops, fashion shows, cooking demonstrations, and state-of-the-art design seminars produced by Bloomingdale's resource experts are part of the colorful Reston pageant.

The model homes involved, if you can squint really hard and read the numbers on the map were: 1) Bennington Square, 2) Collaborative Phase One, 3) Waterford Square, 4) Koury/Tipton, 5) Deck House and 6) Audobon Terrace. The "news-letter" called one house "posh living for those on a tighter budget." And what did these spectacular model homes look like? Glad you asked:

Rattan sofas and glass furniture -- the two great tastes that taste great together! Not coincidentally, we think we now know where all the invasive bamboo in Reston came from. Trying to maneuver those chairs under the table must have been an entertaining project for a dinner party of four, and the fun must have only continued when the primitive halogen lamp in the background suddenly burst into flames.

But wait! There's more!

This was a fancy "art deco" bathroom in Waterford Square, which fulfilled the signature 1980s fantasy of taking a bath in a forest... a shiny metallic forest.

If Hugh Hefner and Ansel Adams had a love child, this would have been its bathroom.

High-Low: Everyone's Favorite Game of Reston Real Estate

Hey kids! Grab your parents' checkbooks and dust off their FICO reports, because it's time to play everyone's favorite game of real estate wheelin' and dealin' where it's always time to BUY BUY BUY -- the Reston High-Low Game (tm)!

We're always happy when the toniest house on the market in Reston isn't a penthouse aerie or a particleboard McMansion that only has a Zip code in common with our beloved earth-toned community. For a mere $1.25 million, this home on Upper Lake Drive offers stunning views of Lake Thoreau, plus all the various fancy you'd expect in a high-end home. Actually, it's really nice. We could actually see ourselves living here, once we start getting the mad crazy page views and become one of the millions of highly paid "web loggers" out there. Here's the breathless Realtor (tm) description:

LAKE FRONT HOME. This incredible home sits right on Lake Thoreau. with fantastic views of lake from virtually every room, private dock. This large custom designed and remodeled home is ready for move in. Spacious living areas with Cathedral ceilings, hard wood floors through out most of home, too many luxurious items to mention. Home also includes office with loft, screened in porch, and studio.

Wow. Who wouldn't like to live in a house with too many luxurious items to mention! Though we wonder if the teddy bear in this picture is one of them. Who knows, maybe it's stuffed with shredded $100 bills or something.

The sad thing? Some "stager" probably got paid to suggest sticking the teddy bear on that chair, then went out to have a sandwich and called it a day.

On the other end of the price spectrum is this charmer on Northgate Square near Lake Anne. At $144,900, it's the cheapest townhouse available in Reston -- and shockingly, it's located north of the Toll Road, unlike so many of our past High-Low winners. For that low, low, price, you get what appears to be the most bitchin' party wall we've seen in some time, plus so much more!

2bedrm 1.5 bath townhome in good condition, has washer and dryer in unit, walk-in closets, backs to common area. Fenced in backyard w/ wood patio and storage shed. Minutes to Reston Town Center and Toll Road

In a more entrepreneurial frame of mind? Lakeside Pharmacy at Lake Anne Village Center is still on the market for $900,000, and the 'ole distillery is still available for a mere $799,900. Buy both, and sell hangover remedies at one place for the hootch you produce at the other. Robber barons used to politely call this "horizontal integration," and you could become the Rockefeller of Reston!

Well, that's all the time we have this week. Thanks as always for playing the Reston real estate game -- where everyone's a winner!

Mark Your Calendar: Wiehle Metro Community Meeting

A "community meeting" on the Wiehle Avenue Metro station will be held tomorrow morning.

On Saturday, March 20, at 9 a.m. Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D- Hunter Mill) and the Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) will host a community meeting to provide the community an opportunity to generate ideas for the Wiehle Avenue Transit station. The meeting takes place at Langston Hughes Middle School, Cafeteria, 11401 Ridge Heights Road, Reston.

DPZ will also be reporting on the results for the Brainstorming Activity for the Herndon/Monroe station area.

Hudgins encourages all Reston residents to come out and participate in the planning process for the Wiehle station. “The whole community should be involved in the process,” Hudgins said. “We all want to retain Reston’s existing natural beauty, vibrancy and sense of community. Working together, I know we can do that.”

Questions regarding the meeting may be forwarded to Heidi Merkel of Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-324-1380.

We're hoping for more rad '80s art, but that's just us.

RA Board Elections: They Get Letters

Guy Rando, one of the candidates running for the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks seat on the Reston Association Board of Directors, has called for the election to be halted. Along with the well-documented questions about endorsements by current board members, Rando alleges there are issues with the balloting process:

In addition, it has come to my attention that there are irregularities with the way the ballots have been distributed this election. Cate Fulkerson has stated that some of the codes were incorrect and extra ballots were sent out to some condominium owner/occupants. How many of these extra ballots were sent out? Ms. Fulkerson says that it will be sorted out by the next election. I don’t think that is reasonable. We need an investigation of the ballot process now.

Because of my concerns, I am asking that the election be halted. I am asking that an investigation of the balloting process be undertaken and the election process begun over from scratch.

The full text of Rando's letter is in the comments. Remind us when this election is over again?

Unlike College, We Think We Have This Essay Question Nailed

The Reston Town Center has its own fancy "web log," and they're asking people to share their favorite memories of everyone's favorite 7/8-scale downtown. We were going to talk about that time we wanted to totally take pictures, but settled for this heartfelt story instead. We bet you guys can do better, though.

What, You're Still Not Tired of the RA Board Elections?

That's good because there's yet another Q&A forum with candidates tonight at 7pm at the Nature House, 11450 Glade Drive. Be there with your snow shovels.

In the meantime, you can read two articles the Connection "news-paper" wrote about the ARCH candidates forum and a follow-up interview with the three candidates that did not attend. Or, two letters to the editor in the Fairfax Times "news-paper" that neatly cancel each other out!

The Times also did a story about how contentious this election has been, at least by Reston standards. But it largely glossed over how the whole issue of development looms over this election. Consider this paragraph in the letter from Amy Justice of Save Brown's Chapel, who urges residents to look at Dear Leader's current vision of Reston:

Simon's vision for Reston is firmly focused on increasing density. In a recent letter to the editor, "Advice to Density Deniers," Simon states, "It is bad manners, to say the least, for a resident to lobby to prevent development that a developer has 'by right' to develop." Simon sees the future of Reston from a developer's perspective, having been one for more years than many of us have been alive, while homeowners see it from a resident's perspective. What Simon and the other developers need to understand is that residents live with the results, while developers move on.

We personally believe that some degree of redevelopment is necessary and desirable -- to us, the question is what it winds up looking like (we don't need any more off-the-shelf architectural dreck lining the Toll Road, or ugly above-ground parking garages becoming the signature landmark of the Reston skyline) and how it functions within the context of the existing infrastructure. But it's good to see that people are realizing how high the stakes are in this election.

The Gift of the Blarney Stone: Another Open Thread

Or, on St. Patrick's Day, would that be an O'Pen thread? Complain about the quality of the pun, or just have at it, in the comments.

On St. Patrick's Day, Let's Meet Reston's Irish Doppelganger

Ah, St. Patrick's Day... the perfect day to don our greenest-hued clothes that fall within the spectrum of earth tones permitted by the DRB and visit yet another Restonian doppelganger... this one on the Emerald Isle itself.

Like Reston, Shannon, Ireland, was built as a planed community in the 1960s. But scanning its Wikipedia entry reveals a town that has less in common with the land of poets and saints than with our own fair planned community. Consider these eerily familiar passages, as discovered by our favorite correspondent, The Peasant From Less Sought After South Reston:

* "Until 2003 the main dual-carriageway to the airport divided the town"

* "The town's shopping centre was also of dubious design"

* "There is a marked difference too between the early low-cost housing (tower block flats located in Drumgeely near the airport and terraced housing) and high-cost housing (large detached housing)"

* "There is also a lobby for railway services"

Almost uncanny, isn't it? Let's take a look at some photos of our sister "new town," shall we? Keep your eyes peeled for leprechauns!

An architect's rendering of Shannon's proposed town center, ca. 1965. Note the oddly familiar brutalist concrete adornments and the people milling around, presumably waiting to enjoy microwaved tapas at a local eatery.

What Shannon's retail center looks like today. Hey, lookit, they're driving on the wrong side of the road!

We haven't a clue what this architectural monstrosity, presumably built from discarded toothpicks, is supposed to be. We're wondering whether the trash truck in the foreground is preparing to haul the entire thing away.

 

Look, a picturesque bit of Ole' Ireland. Perhaps this is what's left of their Brown's Chapel (or is it O'Brown's Chapel?) after they built a giant rec center in its place, the end.

Wiehle Metro Development: They Still Get Letters

Both the Reston Planning & Zoning Commission and the Reston Association have sent official letters to Fairfax County officials about the Grand Canyon of the East, better known as the Comstock Wiehle Metro development.

In its letter, Reston P&Z recommends approval of the project, provided the county conducts a "shadow study," which turns out to be not as cool as it sounds.

If the shadow study results demonstrate the need for lower heights of the buildings on the south side of the plaza so as to admit more light and air, the square footage removed from the south side buildings could be transferred to the buildings on the north side of the plaza. This would call for a load factor study of the columns used to support the buildings on the north side. If it is not feasible to transfer the square footage to the north side plaza buildings, perhaps that footage could be reserved for additional expansion of building #6 or the existing Comstock Building. An appropriate design guideline for purposes of the shadow study would be one that says between the months of November and March, 60% of the plaza must receive sunlight for a minimum of 6 hours a day.

P&Z also wants workforce housing, a minimum LEED silver certification, more green space, public art, roadway improvements, and some "added architectural treatment" to the massive, partially above-ground parking garage that otherwise could become Reston's newest signature architectural landmark. (We suggest rad '80s art to complement the nearby Metro station, but that's just us.)

P&Z then says something shockingly realistic.

While P&Z has many reservations as expressed in this letter, we expect many will be satisfactorily resolved. Also, while we wish there were more time to consider more options, we do believe that the current proposal by the Comstock group, which is before us with improvements, is far better for Reston than the apparent alternative of a solitary 8 story above ground Metro garage on the site. Time presses with the ongoing construction of the Silver line and we understand that the County must provide a site plan which includes the Metro garage to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority soon.

Meanwhile, RA President Robin Smyers sent the RA's official response to the Wiehle development, supporting the project but calling for "world-class development."

The Reston community has an international reputation as being a location of world class development; therefore, it is absolutely essential that this tradition of design excellence is continued.

As previously expected, the RA also urged work to extend Soapstone across the Toll Road to alleviate traffic concerns, workforce housing, an off-ramp from the Toll Road into the aforementioned parking garage, and coordination with other developers. Here's hoping the developers listen and do the right things, or at least create a "plaza" that receives sunlight more often than this uncannily similar architectural wonder.

This Week in Crime: Like Swallows at San Capistrano, Perverts Return to South Reston, Plus a North Shore Drug Bust

A sure sign that winter's finally over and we won't be surprised by another three feet of snow? The perverts are back out and about on the trails. At least two women have reported a creepy dude wearing latex gloves lurking about the trails near Glade, and police are reportedly involved.

Here's the first of two accounts that have been making the "electronic mail" rounds:

I'm still shaking, unsettled, and somewhat terrified. I was walking back from Twin Branches along the trail that runs along the stream, between the houses on Glade and Howland. Because my dog stalled and looked back, I looked and saw that someone was behind me. His appearance made me nervous, and I didn't like that he was coming up behind me, so I pulled my dog over to the side and let him pass. I looked him in the face and said hi, he said hi and kept going. I intended on continuing to walk behind him, but I noticed that he slowed his pace and kept looking back ... so I stalled. It all happened so fast, but at some point as he walked ahead of me, I noticed that his hands came out of his pockets and he had on latex gloves. That struck me as odd and within a few seconds elevated to frightened. When he had gone around a bend in the trail and I couldn't see him anymore, I was frightened enough that I decided to turn around to head back toward Twin Branches. I kept checking over my shoulder, and few moments later I noticed that he had also turned around and was now running toward me. I was terrified. I ran toward a house where I knew there was a break in the wire fence that I could get through. I called 911, afraid that he would still be following me and what if no one was home at the house. I feel terribly lucky and fortunate that I got to that house safely and that someone answered the door and let me in. But I can't stop thinking about what could have happened.

The man was large, as in "built" not "fat", with broad shoulders and a broad face. Big and strong-looking. No facial hair that I can recall. African-American. Probably around 6ft tall, 200 lbs? When I saw him, he had on a hooded sweatshirt, with the hood over his head and hands in his pockets. Until he later took them out and I saw the gloves. He didn't look familiar. You see the same people over and over again out there, and it was not a familiar person. Until later I realized I may have seen someone similar-looking out there before, but I can't be sure." As you can see our neighbor was in danger and lucky enough to get away, and everyone who goes on the path needs to be aware of this problem. Please be careful and report anything suspicious to the police.

And the second account:

The same thing happened to me! At about 7-8am Saturday morning I was walking my dog on the trail west of Soapstone where they have just finished the newest stream restoration work. I was on my way back toward Soapstone and I saw an African American guy (same build as the person described below) with a navy blue sweatshirt, hood up, walking past the second bridge on the Lawyer's Road side of the stream. I turned and went across the bridge to go back up toward Glade. About halfway on the path to the hill up to Glade at the end of the path loop, my dog started pulling so I brought him around my back and turned around to see this same guy almost right in back of me. It startled me because I didn't hear him at all and I said, "Oh, I'm sorry." I looked right at him and then said, "It's a nasty morning for a walk." He replied, "Yes, it is." We walked for a few feet and then he dropped back. I quickened my pace and kept turning around to look to see where he was. I didn't see his hands to see if he had latex gloves on. I felt it was really odd and did feel frightened when I started to think about it on my way home. I have never felt afraid walking/running on the paths for all the fifteen years we have lived here---but this time was different---the guy was right in back of me and he was very quiet coming up....I feel so fortunate now that I hear this other story. I didn't report this to the police or to RA....I thought maybe it was paranoia, but now I'm going to call them in the morning.

Meanwhile, an 18-year-old Reston woman has been arrested for attempting to elude police after a traffic stop.

A patrol officer attempted to stop the driver of a 2005 Volkswagen GTI for traffic charges on Sunday, March 7 at 11:34 p.m. The driver fled and a short pursuit ensued. The suspect crashed into a fire hydrant at North Shore Drive and Wiehle Avenue. She was charged with felony speed to elude and possession of marijuana.

Dude, where's her car?

Flashback Monday: England Fights Back

Who knew you could feed 8mm film directly into the You Tubes? (We're guessing one of those fancy "routers" was involved.) Anyhoo, this video home movie, dating back to sometime in the 1960s or 1970s, purports to show a "Mr. David England" on "Tumbletree Way" in Reston taking matters into his own hands after a bunch of punk kids pretend to destroy his lawn. There's a hot-air balloon! And some unsettling noose action! And while grainy and of dubious thespianic quality, the scenes on the bulldozer eerily predict the stream restoration process nearly three decades early.

Does anyone know the real story behind this little morality play? Please share in the comments. In the meantime, we'll be trying to stuff our 35mm Ektachrome slides into our CD-ROM drive to upload them to Flickr.

(Thanks to our favorite correspondent, The Peasant From Less Sought After South Reston, for unearthing this rare gem.)

RA Election Committee Member, VP Criticize Election Behavior, Insult Elementary School Children in Process

A member of the Reston Association Election Committee and the current vice president of the RA Board have called for changes in RA rules following recent endorsements and non-endorsements and whatnot during the not at all controversial RA board elections, which took a fun new turn over the weekend when "electronic messages" went out alleging that one group of candidates were a sleeper cell of a reviled terrorist organization, or maybe just the Republican party -- which is just as insidious an allegation in our beloved earth-toned community.

First, Dave Edwards, a member of the 2010 RA Election Committee, called the actions of certain board members akin to "elementary school election behavior," which is an insult to hard-working elementary school student body leaders everywhere. Here's his "electronic message" on this subject:

Subject: Re: Board Standards of Conduct/ Robin's emails

All -

I believe that the RA Election Committee must meet with the RA Board immediately after the current election is over to present draft changes to the current Standards of Conduct for use in future elections. The Election Committee either should be empowered to rigorously enforce these standards, or it should go out of business. Flagrant or multiple violations of these standards should disqualify a candidate from becoming a member of the Board, and, in the case of sitting Board members should lead to their dismissal from the Board. RA's legal counsel needs to determine what, if any, changes are required in the RA Bylaws to accomplish this.

The current elementary school election behavior by candidates and sitting Board members is not necessary in a community election of this type, and it should not be tolerated.

Dave Edwards, Member
2010 RA Election Committee

Meanwhile, Kathleen Driscoll McKee, the current vice president of the RA Board, also weighed in over the weekend, denying "rumors" that she had endorsed anyone on the current slate of candidates -- which is NOT something we've heard. (Only the president, at least one other board member and the CEO of the organization she leads have done that.) Like Edwards, she is calling for new rules once the election is over. Here's her "electronic message."

The community of Reston is so fortunate to have ten individual candidates volunteering to serve on the Reston Association Board of Directors.
No question about it, we all love Reston – each in our own way. It is these various interpretations of how to best serve the community that make this RA election so thought-provoking. And even, at times, controversial.
Recently I became aware of a rumor alleging my personal endorsement of certain candidates in the current RA election. This kind of idle chatter undermines the significance of the work of the Reston Association Board, lowering the public character of the election to the level of a popularity contest. Furthermore, such an unpleasant political atmosphere could actually discourage future volunteers from joining the process at all.
While I am hesitant to validate to this fallacious allegation by acknowledging it—especially as a sitting Board member—I feel that this raises a bigger issue about which I am quite passionate. That issue is Board Standards of Conduct, as I suggested to the Board President last spring.
RA Board members may not endorse or campaign for their own personally selected candidate(s). Board interference violates the principals of election fairness and creates an insidious advantage for the favored candidates. For any sitting RA Board member or officer, it is impossible to shed their public identity, most especially during the Board election. It is confusing and disingenuous to pretend otherwise. This election cycle has been tainted with charges of stacking the board, back-room deals and cronyism that should have no place in any election of a community volunteer organization. Given appropriate Board fairness, respect, objectivity and proper distance, then these current charges would be spurious.
Our exclusive, mutual interest must focus on electing the best candidates through a creditable and trustworthy procedure, unhampered by gossip and innuendo.
Going forward, I propose that the RA Board thoughtfully consider, define and publicize Board Standards of Conduct that govern our behavior at all times, and, particularly during the election campaign. As the Reston Association Board, we owe it to our members, and we owe it to ourselves.
We are, after all, neighbors.

These are the first official statements from anyone involved with the RA that haven't involved glib self-justification or disingenuous, self-serving comments masquerading as concern. In case you're wondering, this is what leadership looks like. And we hope whoever wins this godforsaken election has the cajones to follow through with what these two are suggesting.

On the YouTubes: Everyone Loves Puppies -- Especially This Guy

Thank goodness we managed to find the YouTubes video for the local Comcasts channel, or we'd never be able to share quality programming like this! Listen to Lloyd Aguero, a local "Applied Canine Problem Behavior Consultant," talk about "children and puppies, or just adults and puppies, or just puppies and puppies." Hey, whatever floats your boat, we always say.

As an added bonus, children with comical hats read to a puppy wearing some sort of harness. It must be Friday, because nothing's making sense right now.

Diver Down: Wetsuit-Clad Former Reston Resident Convicted in 2008 Taxicab Murder

Evan D. Garguilo, the wetsuit-clad Reston man on trial for the 2008 slaying of a taxicab driver in Tysons Corner, was convicted of second-degree murder today. Update: Garguilo was sentenced to 15 years in prison; 12 years for the murder charge, three for using the gun.

A Fairfax County jury Friday convicted Evan Gargiulo of second-degree murder in the 2008 slaying of cab driver Mazhar Nazir, rejecting his claims of self-defense and insanity at the time of the shooting.

The verdict came in at noon, after the jury had spent six hours deliberating. Gargiulo showed no emotion as the verdict was read.

A sentencing hearing was set to begin soon after the verdict, but defense lawyer Steven Garver told the judge he wasn't expecting the next phase to begin Friday and had sent some of Gargiulo's family members back to New Jersey, where Gargiulo, 23, grew up. Lead attorney Barry Helfand wasn't present for the verdict, and none of Gargiulo's family was in the courtroom when it was read.

"I'm stunned at what you're telling me," Fairfax Circuit Court Judge Bruce D. White told Garver, when Garver could not even produce the names of witnesses who were unavailable, and that the defense was "not prepared." White said he will reconvene at 1:30 p.m. and decide whether to have the hearing with whatever witnesses are available, which include Gargiulo's parents, who wept in the hallway after the verdict.

Most of Nazir's friends were pleased with the verdict, though some wanted a finding of first-degree murder, which carries a penalty of 20 years to life. Second-degree murder carries a term of five to 40 years. The jury will hear evidence and then set a penalty, which White can later impose or reduce.

"I'm happy with this, " said Nasrullah Khan, who emigrated to the United States and first stayed with Nazir in 1986. "It could have been worse."

So much for the best expert witness money could buy. Actually, the prosecution lost the opportunity to have its own star witness:

Most of the facts of the case were not in dispute. What is: whether the Gargiulo, a recent Penn State graduate and second lieutenant in the U.S. Army National Guard was acting in self-defense after allegedly informing Nazir he didn't have the $130 he agreed to pay for a long cab ride around Northern Virginia.

But in trying to determine Gargiulo's intent and actions, the jury didn't hear one alleged piece of possibly incendiary evidence: a comment to his old college roommate shortly after the shooting that he had just achieved his "first civilian kill," Rodway said in court on Wednesday.

Gargiulo said in his videotaped statement to police that he'd been very upset after shooting Nazir, a 49-year-old married father of one. He said Nazir had turned around from the driver's seat to grab him, so he pushed his arm away, then pulled out his 9mm pistol and shot him. He acknowledged not calling 911, driving home and calling his father and his Penn State roommate, Francis Roman, while using Nazir's phone.

Gargiulo said he called Roman to commiserate and calm down. Roman reportedly told police that Gargiulo commented that he had made "his first civilian kill," Rodway said, and prosecutors wanted to call Roman as a rebuttal witness.

Roman now lives in West Virginia, wasn't thrilled about being a witness against his friend and had to be subpoenaed as an out-of-state witness. Prosecutors filed the required paperwork last month, but in a bureaucratic mixup in either Virginia or West Virginia, the paperwork was lost and Roman wasn't subpoenaed.

A rush process was started again during the trial this week, and copies of the original documents were faxed to West Virginia, Rodway said.

But in a Wednesday hearing, a West Virginia judge told Roman he didn't have to abide by faxed documents if he didn't want to. He didn't want to, Rodway said. And so, although Fairfax Circuit Court Judge Bruce D. White had given Rodway an extra day to get Roman to Fairfax, it wasn't enough.

That testimony might have been the difference between a first- or second-degree murder conviction, but at least the shifting insanity/self-defense claims of the defense didn't wind up holding water with the jury.

Update: Nazir's widow isn't happy about the 15-year sentence, saying the jury "didn't actually look for justice."

And Now For Something Completely Different: An Open Thread

My, have there been a lot of comments on this filthy "web log" of late! If you squint hard enough as you read them, you'd think there was a healthy debate about the future of our beloved beige community going on round these here parts. So, instead of taking up time arguing over whether comments are on- or off-topic, we're going to experiment with what other "web loggers" like to call open threads, where any topic is open game. You know, like every other post on this site, except more so.

While we're on the subject of comments, we'll say for the record that we don't want to have a DRB-like Star Chamber that vets comment posts or decides whether they're sufficiently on-topic, in much the same way that that august group checks paint swatches to see if they're sufficiently earth-toned. Aside from the occasional helpful commenter trying to guide people to low-cost offshore pharmacies or gambling opportunities, there's very little in the way of comments that we'll consider deleting. The only times we've felt posters have crossed the line to the point we've actually gone through the incredibly convoluted process of deleting comments (which involves the vintage Commodore 64 that's at the heart of the Restonian World Headquarters mainframe, a pair of pliers and some WD-40) is when they've attacked members of RA staff -- not elected or other semi-public officials. Otherwise, pretty much anything is fair game.

So have at it. But be excellent to each other.

Buspocalypse Now: Grassroots Effort to 'Save Our Buses,' Or At Least Have Transit Serving Our Transit-Oriented Developments

Apparently some Reston residents aren't taking the proposed elimination of most Fairfax Connector bus routes serving Reston sitting down. (Not that they could, given that the buses are usually standing-room only during rush hour, but you get the idea.) Instead, they've started a fancy "web site" and a "Facebooks group" to organize and fight the changes.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is proposing to eliminate over half of the routes servicing Reston and Herndon. This includes Routes 552 and 554, servicing North Reston, 553 and 557, servicing South Reston, 929, servicing Centreville Road, and Reston/Herndon reverse commute buses 951 and 952. A grassroots campaign has been started to fight these changes and save our buses. A petition (http://www.gopetition.com/online/34495.html), Web page (http://home.comcast.net/~saveourbuses/site), Facebook Group (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=232970044978), and e-mail address (saveourbuses@comcast.net) have been created to provide collaboration and communication tools, announcements of upcoming events, and links to important information. A number of people will be attending the Fairfax County Budget Hearing on April 7 at the Fairfax County Government Center in hopes of persuading the board to vote against these cuts.

As we continue to debate other important issues for the future of Reston, such as the Wiehle Metro development, the implications of this decision are clear – the Fairfax County board shows no commitment to anything other than a park-and-ride future, where cars are the only viable form of transportation for the majority of residents. These unsustainable policies will continue urban sprawl, increase traffic (e.g. 66, 95), and negatively impact our quality of life. Major corporations looking to relocate, such as Northrop Grumman, will be taking this off-putting environment into account, and may soon be looking elsewhere.

Even those not affected directly by these bus cuts will feel the impact of these eliminations. Traffic will be worse, with hundreds more cars on the Toll Road. Park and ride facilities at Wiehle, Monroe, and South Reston, which already fill up well before 8 am, will become more crowded, and buses to and from more packed. Housing values, without a viable bus system, may also decrease as perspective [sic] buyers see only one way to make their morning commute into the city.

So far the online petition has more than 50 signatures, or about half the capacity of an overcrowded 557 bus. They're right about the contradiction in promoting transit-oriented development like the awesome Wiehle Metro development and then cutting the transit that's supposed to serve it, though. It's shortsighted and hurts the people who have the most to lose through any kind of redevelopment.

At Vantage Hill, Cleanliness Leads to Shoelessness

A wacky, sitcom-like mishap at Vantage Hill Condominiums in Reston has left a number of residents shoeless.

A Salvation Army collection in Reston, Va., netted some shoes not intended for donation.

It's not uncommon for the residents at Vantage Hill Condominiums to leave their shoes outside to keep their homes clean, but when the Salvation Army asked for donations to be left out for pick up, some shoes were mistaken charitable gifts.

"The people from Salvation Army came through and basically took everything that wasn't nailed down," said resident Ben Plater.

A volunteer took the Randos' cedar chest along with the shoes and boots inside.

"So my husband called to complain about that," Ellie Rando said. "The gentleman that was there at the Salvation Army -- what I guess was their warehouse -- has suggested that he go to Manassas and pick up the shoes if he wanted them back."

Now, those shoes are among hundreds of others in two 3-foot-deep bins. The Salvation Army will return the shoes if their proper owners drive to the Manassas facility to claim them -- about a half-hour drive from the shoes' rightful home.

And then they'll have to face the elite Salvation Army itself, what with its tanks and machine gun nests and bellringers and kettles and whatnot. War is hell!

(As a fun side note, do NOT do a Google image search for "bare feet" unless you want to be scarred for life, the end.)

Diver Down: Defense Rests in Murder Trial of Wetsuit-Wearing Reston Resident

A psychologist hired by Evan Garguilo's defense attorneys testified on behalf of the former Reston resident, charged in the November 2008 murder of a taxi driver in Tysons Corner.

Stanton E. Samenow, who has written numerous books and articles on criminal psychology, said he agreed to testify on behalf of Evan D. Gargiulo after interviewing him for a potential sentencing hearing. Gargiulo, 23, is charged with murder in the November 2008 killing of Mazhar Nazir, 49, inside Nazir's cab. He has claimed that the shooting was in self-defense.

After spending more than 28 hours with the jailed defendant, Samenow concluded that Gargiulo had led such a sheltered life, and had developed such an exaggerated paranoia, that he could not distinguish right from wrong when he shot Nazir in the back of the head.

Samenow said Gargiulo's dismay at being robbed and his "enormous fear" of Nazir caused him to shoot without thinking of the consequences. "I haven't encountered somebody with this level of fear," Samenow said. He said there is no formal definition of Gargiulo's mental condition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the accepted reference book for courts trying to parse mental illness and criminal culpability.

Samenow said later that his first appearance for the defense in an insanity case in 40 years showed that he has an open mind after decades of examining mentally ill defendants and finding them criminally responsible. He testified that he was paid $25,000 by the defense, which rested with Samenow as its only witness.

Of course, if the situation was reversed, we doubt Nazir's family could have scraped together $25,000 for an expert witness.

Reston's Most Selfish Cluster, Redeemed

Secret Restonian operative "Sean" sent us this exciting photographic proof that Moorings Cluster, which earned the much sought-after moniker of Reston's Most Selfish Cluster (tm) for tearing down its picturesque lakefront tot lot, has redeemed itself by installing two shiny new swing sets, though the tubercular rusted metal ducky ride seems unlikely to be replaced.

All we can say is good on them. We're officially retiring the Most Selfish Cluster designation, though we're still wondering if the metal frame has been designed to deliver 10,000 volts of electricity when an unworthy, non-Moorings child sits on a swing. But maybe that's just the generic murky black "green" tea talking.

Another Week, Another Non-Partisan Partisan RA Board Endorsement

Several secret Restonian operatives forwarded us this "electronic message" encouraging people to vote for three "non-partisan" candidates and calling another unnamed endorsed slate of candidates -- presumably the Gang of Three endorsed by Save Brown's Chapel -- "a partisan slate of candidates who, if elected, could cause much harm to Reston."

Smyers endorsed David Robinson, Kevin Danaher, and Mike Collins, who coincidentally were the same three candidates mentioned in another "non-partisan" e-mail about snow removal sent by the RA. Well, knock us over with a feather! Smyers' "electronic message" is below:

Date: March 5, 2010 10:16:23 PM EST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Good Candidates to Support - Please VOTE

Dear Friends and Fellow RA Members, The RA Board of Directors candidates‚ ballots have been mailed and it is very important that those whom we elect are people of integrity. There have been unfounded attacks on RA recently, led by a special interest group looking out for its own agenda, rather than looking out for Reston as a whole.
This coalition has put forth a partisan slate of candidates who, if elected, could cause much harm to Reston.
Please give your consideration to the following non-partisan candidates who have experiences that would make them thoughtful and contributing board members and who are enthusiastic about Reston and willing to put in the work needed to guide us in the years ahead.

If you live in Lake Anne/Tall Oaks or in North Point, you have the opportunity to vote for two of these three excellent candidates.
If you live in South Lakes or Hunters Woods/Dogwood, you can only vote for David, but he‚s terrific!

*On a personal note, even though I will soon be leaving Reston, my heart and passion for this community will never fade. This community is worthy of the enthusiasm these fine candidates are willing to dedicate to our members and your vote counts!! This community deserves leaders who have no personal agendas, vendettas, but bring educated ideas and openness to this important time.

For the record, we think Smyers has every right to endorse candidates she supports, particularly since this message was not sent through official RA channels. Other board members have done the same in the past, and we suspect they always will. We just can't recall a RA Board election that's generated this level of emotion.

Here's the problem: Neither knee-jerk suspicion of the RA's motives or the blanket dismissal of any criticism of the RA are a good omen for the future of our beloved beige community. Let's hope whoever winds up getting elected manages to move beyond that point.

This Week in Crime: Wetsuit-Clad Reston Resident Pleads Not Guilty in 2008 Murder of Cab Driver

Reston resident Evan Gargiulo, who was charged in the November 2008 slaying of a taxi driver in Tysons Corner while wearing a wetsuit from a Halloween party, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Evan D. Gargiulo, now 23, had been at a Halloween party in the District, and claimed his wallet and keys had been stolen at the party. He convinced Nazir to drive him home to Reston, where he apparently retrieved a 9 mm handgun, then had Nazir drive him back to his car at Tysons.

Gargiulo told police that he didn't have any cash, and that Nazir heard this and tried to climb over the front seat to attack him, so Gargiulo shot him. In a pretrial hearing, prosecutors revealed that Nazir was still wearing his seat belt when he was discovered.

This morning, Gargiulo entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Lawyers told Fairfax Circuit Court Judge Bruce D. White the trial should take four or five days.

An update on Garguilo's insanity defense:

Renowned psychologist Stanton Samenow, who often testifies against defendants making an insanity claim, examined Gargiulo and found that he was "psychologically destabilized," defense attorney Steven Garver said, and "was unable to distinguish right from wrong as a result of that mental illness."

The 8 Emails the RA Sent Us This Weekend Are Nothing Compared to All the Letters About the Proposed Comstock Wiehle Metro Development

Thanks, RA, for sending us all eight copies of the weekly Upcoming Events e-mail over the weekend.... each more exciting than the last! At least there was some interesting stuff to promote (newcomers night on Thursday, a special presentation on "What Does the Master Plan Special Study Mean to Your Neighborhood?" on Wednesday night at the Nature House, and something called "Dancing Wind" which reminds us of the last time we had too many microwave burritos, etc.)

The eight e-mails didn't mention that the RA Board will meet tonight to consider sending a letter to the Fairfax County Planning Commission about Comstock's awesome proposed Wiehle Avenue Metro development. A draft of the RA letter suggests extending Soapstone Drive over the Toll Road to one end of the project -- which makes sense, given the fact that the only two bridges across the Toll Road are crowded enough as it is, even before they add shiny new buildings and parking garages and whatnot. The draft RA letter also calls for a fancy ramp into the parking garage right off the Toll Road, more work with adjacent property holders so the area is developed in some sort of consistent way, and the provision of county incentives to prod Comstock into including more than the required amount of affordable housing. Also the RA is worried about stormwater collection, but they could always just add a big long metal pipe to Lake Anne so it can help run that awesome RELAC air-conditioning system. That's what developers might call a "win-win."

But we digress. The RA isn't the only group with a twitchy e-mail finger of late. Reston 2020's Terry Maynard sent county officials a letter calling the Wiehle proposal "ghastly" and "a farce of the county's stated goals for TOD development," urging county planners to send Comstock back to the drawring board. And if you think that's a less than positive review, Kathy Kaplan and Guy Rando's letter calls the proposal "immoral" for including such limited open space when starting with a "completely blank site." Here's our favorite line:

Comstock has said it will try to attract world-class retail to the plaza, such as Gucci. This plaza will be so drab and unhealthy we doubt they could drag in a kiosk with WalMart costume jewelry to the site.

Ouch! Another letter from John and Fran Lovaas takes Comstock to task for not responding to earlier critiques:

They seem to believe that they have the county and ultimately our community over a major barrel with a sole source PPEA deal and tight timelines to meet a train coming down the track. The Reston community has no power to alter Comstock's plans. So, we must look to Fairfax County to act on our behalf and demand excellence in the plans for this site.

There's also a Tuesday evening meeting about the broader Reston Master Plan and how it relates to Wiehle development, held by the fancy task force with a long name we're too tired to even come up with a wacky acronym for (FTFWALNWTTTECUWAWAF). That's at 7pm at Lake Anne. All we can say is that if the RA Board votes to send their fancy letter along to the county, here's hoping they don't accidentally send it eight times.

Winterport Townhouse Fire Injures Firefighters, Caused by Improperly Discarded Fireplace Ashes

A Thursday morning fire in Winterport cluster in South Reston injured a firefighter and caused $180,000 in damages.

A fire in a Reston-area townhouse caused $180,000 damage after someone improperly discarded fireplace ashes Thursday.
And, a firefighter was hurt when ceiling drywall fell on him as he battled the blaze in the 1900 block of Winterport Cluster. His injuries are not life-threatening.

The two people who lived in the home managed to get out safely and are being assisted by the Red Cross.

When firefighters got on the scene, they found the rear of the two-story townhouse and deck on fire. The fire quickly spread to the attic and roof, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says.

The fire was extinguished within 30 minutes.

Herndon-Monroe Metro Station: A Toll Road Runs Through It

With all the excitement about the proposed sunless canyon Wiehle Metro development, we keep forgetting that Metro's Silver Line will eventually extend to the site of the current Herndon-Monroe park-and-ride, currently home to a crumbly garage, some bird-intensive wetlands, and Targetville's sister city.

Fortunately, the Reston Master Plan Task Force With a Ridiculously Long Name (RMPTFWARLN) hadn't forgotten, and during its meeting last weekend, brought Herndon and Reston residents together to discuss the area's future. Just check out this West Side Story-like introduction to a fancy "news paper" article about the meeting:

Ian McDonald of Herndon wondered whether more pedestrian and bicycle routes over the Dulles Toll Road were planned for the area where the Herndon-Monroe Metro station will one day be situated. Regarding the existing Monroe Street bridge, he said, "The pedestrian facilities on there are not great."

Meanwhile, Anthony Balducci of the Polo Fields neighborhood in Reston worried that in the future, drivers would park in his community and walk to the Metro station, as some already did in order to access the existing park-and-ride facility.

Both men live less than a half-mile from the planned Herndon-Monroe Metro station, but the community workshop at Langston Hughes Middle School Saturday morning, Feb. 27 represented a rare occasion when they might meet in a public forum, as residents and leaders of Reston and Herndon came together to discuss the future of the area around the Metro station they expect to share by 2016.

KNIFE FIGHT! KNIFE FIGHT! No, wait. That's not what happened:

County planner Heidi Merkel told the nearly 200 people in attendance that the areas of prime concern to the county, in accordance with Fairfax’s transit-oriented development (TOD) policies, were those within a half-mile of the stations, but she noted that some low-density, single-family-home neighborhoods crossed into those circles. "We are not proposing or planning any changes for those areas," she said.

Most of the areas around stations, though, will see increases in density, as planners attempt to mitigate future traffic congestion caused by the rapid population and job growth the area is expecting.

THE HERNDON-MONROE STATION will sit in the median of the Dulles Toll Road, near the current park-and-ride facility, with Fairfax County to the south and the town of Herndon to the north. For the county’s part, Merkel said, this station is the most problematic for transit-oriented development. According to policy, the greatest density is to be situated closest to the station, but to the immediate south of the planned Metro stop is a 1,700-space parking structure that is to double in size. And the low-density Polo Fields neighborhood is within throwing distance of the parking garage and will have to be buffered from any new development. Meanwhile, the nearby property of the Reston Arboretum office development contains a natural wetland. "Staff does not anticipate any proposals to change the wetland area," Merkel said to applause.

To the north, however, the land in Herndon closest to the station is already planned for urban development, said town planner Kay Robertson. The town has not yet established transit-oriented development goals but is seeking a consultant to develop a policy, she said.

So wetlands and single-family homes will remain on one side of the Toll Road, with giant high-rise complexes that will serve as shining monuments to tolerance on the other. Or maybe not:

Herndon Town Council member Charlie Waddell said the first reaction he usually heard from residents was that they didn’t want the area overdeveloped. But he said the council had also received suggestions that nightspots and hotels be built there, and he noted that a trolley system to serve the area and possibly even connect it to Reston Town Center could be desirable.

A booze boat-like trolley linking H-M with Reston Town Center so tipsy consultants can safely hit both Pizzeria Unos and some new Macaroni Grill-caliber good-time eatery at Herndon Monroe during the very same happy hour? Well, why didn't they say so in the first place?