Live Fairfax is a bi-weekly column exploring Fairfax County. This recurring column is sponsored and written by Sharmane Medaris of McEnearney Associates. Questions? Reach Sharmane at 813-504-4479.

Sold by Sharmane and Style by Valentine teamed up to bring you some quick and easy tips to ease into your summer style without the stress.

“More than any other season, summer style can be a struggle for just about everyone.” Says personal stylist Katie Valentine, from Style by Valentine.

We start out with the best intentions, but heat, humidity, bugs, and pit stains tend to throw a damper on even the most ardent summer fans. Summer is also a time when a lot of our favorite style tricks stop working. Katie says clients often wonder how to look pulled together when wearing a third piece feels out of the question. But just because the sun won’t quit, doesn’t mean your style has to.

Here are 3 easy ways to transition your style from spring to summer:

1. Change your shoes. Instead of sneakers or heels, grab sandals and instantly cool off your feet, but not your style. “For this trick you want to think transitioning from closed to open toes,” suggests Katie. Pro tip, she suggests using color to unify the seasons. So, if you love to wear your white sneakers or flats in the spring, invest in a pair of white sandals. That way you don’t have to rethink your outfits. You are literally just changing your shoes.
2. Accessories: Belts, purses, hats, and shoes made of raffia, weaves, and canvas are killer summer accessories to own and will instantly change the look and feel of your outfits. “Leather goods are still fine, as leather is breathable,” says Katie. But make sure you reach for warmer and neutral toned leather accessories.
3. Third piece magic but make it summer. “Third pieces are one of the easiest ways to pull your look together AND flatter your figure,” says Katie. But who wants to wear a third piece when it’s 90 degrees out? She recommends investing in a summer blazer if your work life requires it, or a jean jacket or short sleeve cardigan if you lead a more casual lifestyle. Linen and open weaves are both trendy and will keep you cool. And remember, a shirt can be a third piece if it is worn open over a tank or dress.

Sharmane Medaris | Live Fairfax | www.soldbysharmane.com | Sharmane@mcenearney.com | @soldbysharmane | 813-504-4479 | 374 Maple Avenue Suite 202, Vienna, VA 22180

The cost of riding Metro trains and buses will go up, starting July 1, when the transit agency’s new budget takes effect.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) board of directors approved a $4.8 billion fiscal year 2025 budget yesterday (Thursday) that will increase fares by 12.5%, including by ending the flat $2 rate for weekend and late-night rides introduced in 2021 and expanded in 2022.

Going forward, riders will be charged between $2.25 and $2.50 during those times, depending on how far they travel. The new budget also raises the base fare for both buses and rail from $2 to $2.25, the cap for MetroAccess service from $4 to $4.50, and the price of rail and bus passes.

The increases will keep fares “in line with inflation,” WMATA said in a press release.

The transit authority also hopes to generate some more revenue by introducing a 5-cent hourly rental fee for its bicycle lockers, capped at $1 per day, though vehicle parking rates will be unchanged.

In a statement, Metro Board Chair Paul Smedberg acknowledged that the budget “asks for a shared sacrifice from our employees and customers,” but WMATA stressed it was able to avoid the “catastrophic” cuts proposed last year, when it projected a $750 million funding deficit.

“We appreciate the collaboration of our regional partners on this board-approved budget that will keep our community moving,” Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke said. “This region is a great place to live, work, and play, and our recent ridership reflects the vital role Metro plays in getting people where they need to go.”

Some “targeted” service reductions will still be implemented, including “modest” headway increases for the Orange Line on both weekdays and weekends and for the Green and Yellow lines on weekends, according to a staff report. Metro also plans to utilize more six-car trains and a two-hour peak period.

Metro says it averted more drastic moves like station closures and worker layoffs by identifying $50 million in “cost efficiencies” — including a wage freeze for non-union positions — and securing increased funding commitments from D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

However, the amount of money headed to the transit agency from Virginia remains up in the air. The General Assembly passed a two-year budget in March with an additional $149.5 million for Metro, but Gov. Glenn Youngkin proposed an amendment earlier this month that would allocate $133.7 million — most of it redirected from the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC).

Last week, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors urged state lawmakers to reject Youngkin’s proposal, noting that funding is already running low for NVTC, which manages funding for transit systems throughout the region, including Metro.

The ongoing wrangling over the state spending plan has created some uncertainty for the county, which is considering an additional $10 million for Metro in its proposed FY 2025 budget.

Now that Metro has finalized its budget, the county anticipates adjusting its contribution, but the final numbers are contingent on what the state does. Read More

The continued development of Tysons doesn’t have to come at the expense of its remaining natural green space, argues a recent report on ways to preserve 65 acres of forest in the urban center.

A community task force has recommended two dozen actions that could help preserve and even enhance wooded areas collectively known as Tysons Forest, including tree plantings and clean-up efforts. Dated March 24, the report was formally accepted by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on April 16.

“Usually, task forces are not looking at preserving natural areas like this and enhancing them, but it was a really wonderful and very positive community-led effort,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said at the board meeting.

Alcorn assembled the Tysons Forest Community Task Force last September to craft a plan for protecting the woods along Tysons’ southwestern edge. Spanning the Dulles Toll Road to Gosnell Road, the expanse includes the 33-acre Old Courthouse Spring Branch Stream Valley, the Ash Grove Historic Site and Raglan Road and Freedom Hill parks.

Chaired by resident Jack Russell, the task force counted residents, local building owners, office tenants, Fairfax County Park Authority staff and other county representatives, and conservation experts among its 23 members.

After meeting throughout the fall and winter, the group solidified recommendations that it hopes will enable humans and wildlife to coexist, while making Tysons Forest “sustainable and emerald green forever.”

Leading the proposals is the need for the county to officially recognize the stream valley corridor as Tysons Forest, including by adding wayfinding signage, and incorporate a pledge to protect the habitat in its Tysons Comprehensive Plan.

The task force also highlighted the importance of replenishing the area’s tree canopy, which it reported has declined by approximately 20-25% in the past five years. In addition to planting 200 wire-guarded trees and seedlings annually, the report suggests cutting down on the amount of invasive plants by at least 50% by 2028 and conducting counts of birds, bees and other wildlife to measure the area’s biodiversity.

Other notable recommendations include:

• Revive the Ashgrove Trail extension project and evaluate options for connecting it to the Vesper Trail south of Spring Hill Road
• Expand Tysons Forest by securing proffer contributions from developers and encouraging property owners to adopt ecologically friendly practices
• Maintain a safe and clean forest by requiring developers to mitigate run-off into streams, adding trash cans along walking trails and conducting regular trash cleanups
• Enlist local students as “green champions” by offering volunteer opportunities and including youth on future task force teams
• Create a website and events calendar for Tysons Forest

Read More

Planned facility upgrades will require the Reston Regional Library to close for an extended period this summer.

Friday, June 28, will be the last day of public operations for the aging building at 11925 Bowman Towne Drive before construction on interim renovations starts on July 1, Fairfax County Public Library announced yesterday (Thursday).

“This brief and necessary refresh will enhance library visitors’ experiences and complete important facility modernizations to ensure that it remains usable, clean and safe for the duration of the building’s lifespan,” FCPL said in a news release.

According to the county library system, work on the project is expected to take about 10 weeks and will include:

• Full ADA updates and refurbishment of the main public restrooms;
• Updates to all public and staff area lighting fixtures;
• Replacement of carpet in key areas such as the entry way and teen area;
• Cleaning and updates to the public meeting rooms;
• Paint, cleaning, blind repair, etc; and
• Replacement of the drinking fountain and addition of a bottle filling station

During the closure, FCPL will encourage Reston patrons to visit other libraries in the area, including the Herndon Fortnightly Library, Great Falls Library and Chantilly Regional Library. Reston Regional Library staff will be relocated to other branches.

FCPL previously told FFXnow that the facility updates will extend the existing Reston library’s lifespan for the next seven to 10 years, as planning for a brand-new building continues.

The county hopes to replace the library as part of a sweeping overhaul of Reston Town Center North, an area bounded by Baron Cameron Avenue, Town Center Parkway, Bowman Towne Drive and Fountain Drive.

As recommended by a task force in November, the future redevelopment will also deliver a new homeless shelter and county human services building, affordable housing, Inova health facilities, an athletic field, a recreation center and a future school site.

The county spent months working on an earlier development plan with Foulger-Pratt, but the private developer abruptly withdrew its proposal in February 2023, citing escalating costs related to construction and interest rates.

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn then assembled a task force to revise the county’s vision for RTC North, and a land swap with Inova Health System is in the works, which would allow the project to move forward.

FCPL confirmed plans for a new library are still “moving forward,” noting that voters authorized the county to pay for the facility with bond sales in a 2012 referendum.

“It is planned to be constructed in the next few years,” the county library said. “Land acquisition and design of the new facility is in the development phase.”

Sentencing of Driver in Fatal Oakton Crash Delayed — “The sentencing hearing in the manslaughter case of two Oakton High School students killed in a June 7, 2022, crash abruptly stopped Thursday morning after a member of the courtroom audience collapsed during the testimony of one of the victim’s mothers. A jury convicted Usman Shahid on two counts of involuntary manslaughter” on Wednesday (April 24). [Patch]

Affordable Housing Waitlists to Open — “Those interested in applying to affordable housing waitlists can do so beginning Monday, April 29, 2024, at 8:00 a.m. through Sunday, May 5, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. for select properties,” including family and senior housing complexes in Idylwood, Herndon, Lorton and Arlington. [Fairfax County]

GMU Unveils Redesigned Logo — “George Mason on Thursday unveiled a new streamlined logo for the university and its athletics department, replacing a pair of separate marks the Fairfax school had used for the last 20 years. The new logo features an interlocking ‘GM’ in George Mason’s traditional green and gold colors.” [Washington Post]

County Raises Fine for Illegally Placed Signs — “Fairfax County supervisors on April 16 unanimously agreed to quintuple the Department of Code Compliance’s administrative fee for abating and removing signs illegally placed within highway limits from $10 to $50 per sign. That fee, which will take effect July 1, is in addition to the $100-per-sign civil penalty.” [Gazette Leader]

Virginia Rail System Plots Expansion — “While 2050 is more than a quarter century away, The Virginia Railway Express wants to start transforming its commuter rail operations much sooner by offering Saturday services as it considers its System Plan 2050, part of holistic, multi-agency efforts to transform rail services in the commonwealth.” [Virginia Mercury]

Woodlawn Launches New History Exhibits — “April 25 marks the opening of two new exhibits at Woodlawn, the historic 126-acre plantation that once was part of George Washington’s Mount Vernon. For the staff at Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey House, the exhibits also mark the debut of a new phase in which the historic site collaborates with all people associated with the property — including indigenous people and descendants of enslaved people — to tell fuller and more inclusive stories.” [On the MoVe]

Where to Find Free Concerts This Summer — “Throughout the warmer seasons, parks and towns throughout NoVA host free concerts where you can relax and listen to some local tunes under the warm summer skies, free of charge.” Local options include Herndon’s Friday Night Live and series in Reston, Fairfax City and Fort Hunt. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high of around 63 degrees, accompanied by a southeast wind at 6 to 8 mph. As night falls, the clouds will increase, leading to a low of about 48 degrees. [NWS]

Good Thursday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Apr 25, 2024.

• 8:15 am: Morning Notes | 🗣️ Comments
• 9:30 am: New Route 7 shared-use path featured in upcoming ‘Tour de Hunter Mill’ bicycle ride | 🗣️ Comments
• 10:15 am: Motorcyclist killed in crash with car on Old Keene Mill Road | 🗣️ Comments
• 11:00 am: Stellina Pizzeria to open at Capital One Center in Tysons this month | 🗣️ Comments
• 11:45 am: W&OD Trail’s 50th anniversary celebration kicks off this weekend with cleanup | 🗣️ Comments
• 1:30 pm: Celebree School to open second location in Reston area with spring carnival | 🗣️ Comments
• 2:30 pm: Solar panels activated atop Spring Hill Rec Center as energy project nears finish | 🗣️ Comments
• 3:30 pm: School board members, mayor collaborate to repurpose Clifton Elementary School sign | 🗣️ Comments

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

• 10:00 am: ValeArts spring art show and sale
• 7:00 pm: Peter and the Starcatcher

🌤️ Friday’s forecast

Expect mostly sunny skies and a high of around 64 degrees, accompanied by a mild east wind at 6 to 8 mph. As for Friday night, the skies will turn mostly cloudy and temperatures will dip to around 46 degrees, while a southeast wind at 7 to 9 mph persists. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

Nearly 14 years after Clifton Elementary School shuttered, its sign has been repurposed.

The sign now serves as a bulletin for local organizations, businesses, and community groups to promote events such as farmers markets, cultural celebrations and educational workshops.

The Fairfax County School Board voted 9-2 on July 8, 2010 to close Clifton Elementary School, citing declining enrollment, high renovation costs and poor well-water quality.

Clifton-area residents filed a lawsuit to keep the school open, arguing that the school board’s decision was arbitrary and based on misrepresented facts.

After a year of legal battles, the Virginia State Supreme Court sided with the school board, allowing the elementary school to officially close on June 21, 2011 — a few years shy of its 60th anniversary.

The site has since remained empty, which didn’t sit well with recently elected At-Large School Board Member Kyle McDaniel. So, he teamed up with his colleague on the board, Sandy Anderson, as well as Clifton Mayor Tom Peterson and Fairfax County Public Schools staff to turn the school’s old sign into a community notice board.

“It was a simple thing to do that didn’t cost us any money and helped the community,” he told FFXnow. “It also was a gesture to start trying to mend fences with the community that is still upset about the school closure.”

Anderson, who represents the Springfield District on the school board, expressed gratitude for the community’s support and enthusiasm for the sign’s revival.

“I’m so glad that FCPS has been able to take the small first step to reintegrate this property back into the Clifton community,” she said in a press release. “I look forward to continued progress.”

“Clifton is a special community, and I am proud to represent it on the school board,” McDaniel remarked. “This is a first step on a journey to repurposing more of the Clifton Elementary School site for more community use.”

The Spring Hill Rec Center in McLean is now being partly powered by the sun.

The Fairfax County Park Authority announced today (Thursday) that it has turned on a new, 307-kilowatt solar panel array on the roofs of the recreation center’s gym and indoor swimming pool at 1239 Spring Hill Road.

The largest array installed on a park authority facility to date, the solar panels will generate enough energy annually to power 33 homes and reduce the rec center’s electricity needs by 13%, according to the press release.

“Turning the switch at this solar project represents another step in our journey away from fossil fuels and toward a more sustainable future,” John Morrill, director of Fairfax County’s Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination, said. “Not only will this solar array save money in electricity costs over time, it confirms the county’s commitment to meeting the goals in our Operational Energy Strategy.”

Adopted by the Board of Supervisors in July 2021, the county’s Operational Energy Strategy laid out a plan for achieving carbon neutrality — when it absorbs or removes the same amount of carbon emissions as it releases — by 2040. By that year, the county aims to generate 50% of its electricity with renewable sources, among other goals.

The solar panel launch represents a key step forward in a larger push by the FCPA to make the Spring Hill Rec Center more energy efficient. Under construction since July 2023, the project will also install a geothermal HVAC system, replace the pool’s dehumidification units, add LED lights and improve the building’s automation system.

Work on all of the improvements is expected to wrap up this summer.

“We decided, when it was time to make improvements to the rec center, that we would be intentional about installing fixtures and infrastructure that would minimize the impact on our environment, enhance user experience, and save money in the long run,” FCPA Director Jai Cole said. “This is doable, and it’s the right thing to do.”

Other park authority facilities that have undergone similar retrofits include the Cub Run and South Run rec centers.

The county unveiled its first major solar photovoltaic arrays on the Reston and Woodlawn fire stations last September and anticipates completing 12 installations this year in addition to the Spring Hill project.

A Maryland-based early childhood education company is opening a second location in the Reston-Herndon area.

Celebree School will celebrate the grand opening of its newest location at 12700 Sunrise Valley Drive with a spring carnival on Saturday, April 27. The event, which will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., will feature magic shows, a bubble station and various food vendors.

The new school is owned and operated by Manmeet Sarang, a local entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry.

“We are so excited for the opportunity to work with and assist in the education of children here in the Herndon and Fairfax County area,” Sarang said in a press release. It’s extremely fulfilling to be able to help children grow and develop, but now through Celebree Schools’ high-quality standards. My team is looking forward to raising the bar for early childhood education in the community.”

Celebree School’s programs cater to infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children up to 12 years old, emphasizing a blend of curriculum-based education and play to promote social skills and values.

According to the release, the school adheres to Virginia’s early education standards and offers both part-time and full-time care, with parents welcome to visit anytime.

Originally called Enchanted Child Care, the company was founded by current CEO Richard Huffman in 1994 in Ellicott City, Maryland, according to Celebree’s website. In 2002, Enchanted Child Care was rebranded to Celebree Schools.

Since beginning its franchising efforts in 2019, Celebree School has expanded to 44 schools and enlisted 54 owners for over 100 sites, including three in Fairfax County, across 14 states. The brand currently serves more than 4,570 children.

Celebree locations can also be found in Reston on Sunset Hills Road and at Valo Park in Tysons.

“We take great pride in supporting exceptional entrepreneurs like Manmeet in achieving their business aspirations,” Huffman said in the release. “In our ongoing efforts to grow the reach of our brand through franchising, it is crucial to collaborate with dedicated community leaders who share a deep commitment to early childhood education. Witnessing the establishment of these schools fills me with immense satisfaction and happiness. I am confident that she is the ideal franchisee to propel our mission to new heights.”