Three Herndon residents were arrested last month on charges of attempting to exploit children in Loudoun County The men — identified as 45-year-old Ravi Shankar Reddy Gunipalli 29-year-old Thomas Ian Wallace and 28-year-old Ruben Oben Nouta — were among eight people arrested by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office during the week of April 21 as part of an “internet chat operation,” according to a press release Each of the eight men believed they were chatting with minors no older than 15 on social media and other internet platforms, the sheriff’s office said Charges were later obtained on the eight individuals as part of a joint investigation between the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and the Northern Virginia/Washington DC Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force “These disturbing cases underscore the importance of parents actively monitoring what their children do online and on messaging platforms and teaching them how to stay safe,” Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman said Seven of the men are in custody at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center while the eighth is currently in custody in Maryland All of the men have been charged with using a communications system to solicit children, which is classified in Virginia as a felony Gunipalli and Wallace are both facing two counts of the charge Image via Google Maps 2025 at 6:09 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Fairfax County Fire & Rescue personnel were at the scene of a red sedan crashing into a local diner on Thursday No information was available about injuries or the extent of damage caused by the crash VA — Virginia Kitchen in Herndon was packed with the usual lunchtime crowd Thursday when a woman drove her Toyota Camry into the side of the restaurant “All the customers were great,” said Julie Krueger who owns the popular Elden Street diner with her husband so we immediately went over to where the car had come through the window to make sure everybody was OK." because she didn't know if there was any structure damage “Everybody was lending a helping hand and the fire department or the woman who had been driving the Toyota “What we think happened is that a woman was exiting the shopping plaza here and she lost control of the car,” Krueger said “Her car hopped up over the median and into the side of the building.” The crash forced Virginia Kitchen to close for the rest of the day but the good news was the restoration team was already making repairs a couple of hours later Krueger said the diner would be open for business as usual at 8 a.m “It is a blessing no one was injured,” she said “I think it probably looks a lot worse than it is We're going to be excited to be open for business tomorrow.” Herndon Police cited the Toyota driver for reckless driving and one person who was sitting in a booth near the crash was taken to the hospital to be evaluated with 13 restaurants in operation from West Virginia down to South Carolina When he decided to divest his restaurant business Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Cody Segraves moved into the Trellis Herndon Apartments in April he noticed the unit’s HVAC was leaking and having other issues a leasing office staff member came and changed the filter his wife got sick and has had pneumonia since mid-September Segraves said he was in the apartment and had an asthma attack That prompted him to look in the HVAC closet He discovered what he suspected to be mold complex said they’ve uncovered something similar in their units But when the issue gets raised to building management “They’re saying none of this is real that we’re making it up and that we don’t know what we’re talking about and they’re actively attempting to intimidate us into being silent,” Segraves said The issue isn’t only confined to apartment units it’s also at the bottom of building staircases and along the walls of apartments that share a wall with a closet one-bathroom unit in the complex costs between $1,925 and $2,125 per month Building maintenance workers are painting over the mold instead of fixing it said the company takes mold complaints seriously The group took steps “to determine whether there was an accumulation of moisture and growth of mold in the area reported as alleged by any tenants,” Green said “Even when the alleged affected area was very small we immediately engaged the services of an industrial hygienist to conduct the investigation,” Green told WTOP in an email Green said they’ll follow their obligations under Virginia law Segraves moved into a different apartment and said he found mold in that HVAC closet too and it’s already grown through a week and a half later,” Segraves said Fearing his concerns wouldn’t be taken seriously Segraves sent a sample of the substance to a Florida-based lab here long enough that it’s physically fuzzy Green sent an email to another resident of the complex “We have been in touch with our industrial hygienist and legal counsel and have determined that there is no safety issue to the property or residents,” Green wrote in the message Green also offered the resident to have her unit inspected who asked not to be identified because they’re considering legal action said there’s decoloration in their apartment and “they replaced some of the pieces and are pretending that there is no mold.” shared the sample results with Eugene Gravette a building inspector with the Town of Herndon Gravette wrote that the town is in contact with apartment management regarding complaints of mold town officials cannot enter mechanical rooms and is hoping other concerned residents do too Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area Scott Gelman is a digital editor and writer for WTOP Scott graduated from the University of Maryland in 2019 Former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will return June 27 in a 10-round bout vs promoters Nelson Lopez and Joshua Chasse of Global Combat Collective told ESPN on Friday Wilder, 39, has won only one of his past five fights. He was brutally knocked out by heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang in June and prior to that was routed by former champion Joseph Parker over 12 rounds 42 KOs) is regarded as one of the heavyweight division's most fearsome punchers ever His championship trilogy with Tyson Fury was memorable; despite going 0-2-1, Wilder floored Fury twice in each of the first and third meetings. In the second bout, Wilder was stopped in Round 7 Now, Wilder will look to notch his first win since October 2022 (a first-round KO of Robert Helenius) with this fight against Herndon a 37-year-old journeyman from San Antonio with a record of 24-5 (with 15 KOs) Herndon has won three fights since a second-round TKO loss to undefeated Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez in October 2023 Herndon's last fight was a six-round split-decision in May 2024 he's still one of the hardest punchers in boxing," Chasse said "He's on the road back to becoming the heavyweight champion of the world This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Fairfax County transportation staff are developing plans to fill in sidewalk gaps along a neighborhood road just outside the Town of Herndon Details of the Crestview Drive Walkway project will be shared with the public for the first time at a community meeting next Wednesday (May 7) at 6 p.m in the Clearview Elementary School cafeteria (12635 Builders Road) Hosted by the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) and Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman “The project also includes new curb and gutter on the western side of Crestview Drive an 8′ wide pedestrian refuge island and ADA ramps.” Staff are currently just over halfway through the process of designing the planned walkway and other pedestrian improvements according to a schedule on FCDOT’s project page The county anticipates commencing any land acquisitions and utility relocations this December though construction isn’t scheduled to begin until March 2027 According to FCDOT, the walkway project is being locally funded with revenue from the county’s commercial and industrial property taxes “The total estimated cost for the project is $1.55 million,” FCDOT said to FFXnow To the south, the Town of Herndon has been studying whether to add a signal at Crestview Drive’s intersection with Sterling Road as part of a substantial reconfiguration of that street from Elden Street to Herndon Parkway The Sterling Road multi-modal project was put on hold in late 2023 due to pandemic-related delays and a need to find additional funding, prompting the town to add a road diet as an interim safety measure The project is still included in the town’s proposed capital improvement program for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 which estimates a total cost of $7.8 million Design and engineering work aren’t expected to begin until fiscal year 2027 Construction is underway to redevelop the longstanding Kohl’s store in Herndon as construction crews work to accommodate three new tenants in the space Though it is unclear when construction will be completed the three forthcoming tenants appear to be finalized Starting in 1999, Kohl’s occupied the space — more than 100,000 square feet — as the sole tenant until its store closed in January of this year Lidl, the German grocery store chain, was the first tenant to sign on to the space, as the Washington Business Journal reported in 2024 The grocer leased the full 105,700-square-foot building but doesn’t plan to use all of that space instead subleasing portions to other businesses A spokesperson speaking on behalf of Lidl confirmed that the brand is anticipating opening a Herndon store but didn’t provide any additional information According to a commercial alteration permit the grocery store will occupy around 28,988 square feet of the building — less than a third of the total space Lidl’s portfolio currently features more than a dozen stores across Northern Virginia Hobby Lobby is expected to occupy more than 54,000 square feet of the building according to proposed building plans reviewed by FFXnow A request for comment sent to a company spokesperson went unanswered The new store will be the brand’s third in Fairfax County following stores in Fair Lakes and Franconia Exercise center chain Planet Fitness will be the tenant with the smallest space “The location is a great fit for our spacious clubs and we look forward to bringing the surrounding community a high-value and affordable fitness experience,” a company spokesperson said “We look forward to being part of this community and will continue to look for new opportunities of growth in the area.” A targeted opening date was not provided ahead of publication Planet Fitness currently boasts 64 locations across Virginia With an entrance flanked by a Little Free Art Gallery and a colorful “LOVE” sign, Arts Herndon brings visible energy to a block of downtown Herndon otherwise dominated by an asphalt parking lot After this month, however, there will only be the parking lot and an empty concrete building, even though the development project that necessitated a temporary displacement of the art groups on the property has ground to a halt The Town of Herndon, which is currently looking to take back ownership of the development site from Comstock Companies won’t extend a license agreement that has allowed Arts Herndon to stay at 750 Center Street who chairs the nonprofit arts organization’s board of directors If the agreement isn’t reauthorized, Arts Herndon will have to vacate the premises by March 31. Other tenants included Next Stop Theatre Company, which was using space for storage and has already moved out, and the independent bookstore A Thousand Stories, which shuttered in December “The town has indicated that they believe it’s time for us to leave,” O’Reilly told FFXnow “In my conversation with the town attorney she indicated that the town wasn’t going to provide or wasn’t willing to provide any support as far as managing the building or housing a tenant in the building.” Development promised permanent arts center The approximately 6,000-square-foot building at 750 Center Street has been operating as ArtSpace Herndon since 2008 The facility was conceived by Herndon Foundation for the Cultural Arts — one of two arts organizations along with the Council for the Arts of Herndon that later merged to form Arts Herndon — as a showcase for local visual and performing artists With demand and its ambitions quickly outgrowing the space, Arts Herndon secured support for a future public art center on the site, as designated in a downtown master plan adopted by the Herndon Town Council in February 2011 enabling the nonprofit to continue renting the space until construction started But after numerous delays and compromises, including a significant downsizing of the planned arts center, Comstock notified the town on Dec. 6, 2024 that it was withdrawing from the project which would’ve also delivered 273 apartments 17,600 square feet of retail space and a 761-space public parking garage Prior to that announcement, Comstock leaders had expressed hope that they would be able to begin construction on the parking garage in April 2025, prompting the Herndon Town Council to extend the sublicense agreement with Arts Herndon from Nov Even though construction is no longer imminent Herndon doesn’t want to continue investing in the maintenance and upkeep needed to preserve an old building still marked for eventual demolition citing recent discussions with Town Attorney Lisa Yeatts There’s no question about that,” O’Reilly said it’s a relatively small cost for the value that the community gets a Town of Herndon spokesperson said they have “no additional comment,” including on why the town isn’t considering extending Arts Herndon’s lease and whether it has a time frame in mind for demolishing the building Herndon Mayor Keven LeBlanc emphasized that Herndon values art and culture, noting that the town has an established arts district that offers fee waivers and other incentives to businesses that move to and stay in its downtown “Arts and culture are vital to Herndon’s identity as evidenced by our Arts District tax incentives organizations such as Arts Herndon and Next Stop Theatre and a community-focused arts education program at Parks and Recreation,” LeBlanc said “We are working with Arts Herndon and are deeply committed to working with them — and all of our arts organizations — to foster a thriving arts scene in Herndon.” Arts Herndon hopes to continue community support Arts Herndon has been actively searching for a new space but options are “extremely limited,” particularly in the downtown area The town had offered to let the organization use a portion of the Herndon Police Department’s station at 397 Herndon Parkway as a temporary location during construction committing $343,000 to prepare the 2,000-square-foot space O’Reilly says it won’t accommodate many needs beyond storage “We’ve been trying to make the downtown a little more vibrant,” he said “The space that they’ve offered is much smaller It’s not conducive to holding events where people would congregate There’s no way there would ever be any walk-up traffic There’s no visibility … It really wouldn’t work.” Barring any last-minute intervention or sudden freeing up of space Arts Herndon will move forward without an official O’Reilly says the nonprofit hopes to continue promoting the arts and supporting events around Herndon whether it’s finding one-time space for a small arts show getting involved in an outdoor festival or providing scholarships and grants it won’t be able to offer classes and other programs that require a fixed location it likely can’t retain president and CEO Joanna Ormesher without the revenue needed to fund a full-time position “She’s extremely valuable,” O’Reilly said of Ormesher she’s worth every penny that she’s paid and I would highly recommend her to anybody that has an opening for someone who can pick up a ball and run with it without much direction from the top.” who once served as mayor and on the town council says he’s “not sure I understand that logic” with the town allowing a building that has served as a small but dedicated arts center in the heart of its downtown to become vacant he’s confident that the local arts community and the residents and visitors who support it and we’ve been through a number of things over the years so I’ve seen a lot of them,” O’Reilly said “… I just consider this not a problem We’ll look forward to finding new and different ways to continue to bring the arts to the residents of the town.” Maggie DeBoard is officially out as head of the Herndon Police Department The Town of Herndon announced yesterday (Thursday) that Captain Steven T. Pihonak has been appointed as its new police chief, just over a month after DeBoard was placed on administrative leave for reasons the town declined to disclose Pihonak was serving in the role on an acting basis since Feb “Chief Pihonak is a highly skilled command-level law enforcement officer who is uniquely qualified to lead the Herndon Police Department,” interim town manager Chris Martino said experience and expertise have already earned the respect of the men and women of the department and I am confident in his ability to excel in this critical role.” She also served as president of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police & Foundation, which gave an award in 2021 for recommending police reforms to then-Virginia Gov Ralph Northam in response to George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin The Town of Herndon initiated an “external review” of the incident but hasn’t confirmed whether DeBoard’s exit now is connected A town spokesperson told FFXnow that they don’t comment on personnel matters FFXnow has reached out to DeBoard for comment but didn’t hear back by press time “The Town is grateful to DeBoard for her many years of service and wishes her all the best in her future endeavors,” the Town of Herndon said in its press release announcing its new police chief A veteran HPD officer who joined the department in 1999 Pihonak was promoted to captain in 2020 and has earned “many accolades” throughout his career “I’m deeply grateful for the chance to serve as Chief,” Pihonak said “This opportunity is not just about my efforts — it reflects the hard work and dedication of every member of HPD I’m looking forward to serving as Chief and continuing our unwavering commitment to the safety and security of Herndon’s residents.” A Latin chicken restaurant chain is looking to redevelop a long-vacant property in Herndon for a new location but they’ll need some help from town officials first Pollo Campero has proposed taking over the 28,000-square-foot site at 1131 Elden Street But town officials need to sign off on the restaurant’s plans before that can happen In an application submitted to Herndon’s Architectural Review Board, Pollo Campero proposes erecting a new building that would include a drive-thru — something the brand’s nearby location doesn’t have The application, which has been under review in some form since 2021 says the redevelopment would result in a new parking lot and landscaping The new building would also feature a front outdoor seating area The architectural review board was scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposal on Wednesday (March 19) but the meeting had to be postponed when only one member of the five-person board attended the town staff had already recommended giving Pollo Campero additional time to make revisions Lingering concerns include an “over-reliance” on an “off-the-shelf corporate design,” an overly complicated mix of exterior materials and an accent tower over the entrance that staff deemed “unnecessary and awkward.” “Staff recommends a continuance of this item to the April regular meeting to provide the applicant additional time to revise the design to address the comments raised by staff and the board,” one document said Pollo Campero is a Guatemalan fast food chain offering both fried chicken and grilled chicken in a variety of ways Pollo Campero has more than 400 locations worldwide Pollo Campero has Fairfax County restaurants in Bailey’s Crossroads It is unclear whether the proposed restaurant would replace the current Herndon restaurant at 496 Elden Street — approximately 1.3 miles away An inquiry sent to a restaurant spokesperson went unanswered The Herndon Architectural Review Board is expected to discuss the restaurant’s proposal again next month, with meetings scheduled for April 2 and April 16 Herndon Police Chief Maggie DeBoard was quietly placed on administrative leave last month and it’s unclear when — or if — she’s expected to return The Herndon Police Department’s assistant chief has been serving as acting chief “until her return,” the spokesperson told FFXnow though she didn’t elaborate when asked if that means DeBoard will definitely return “The town does not comment on personnel matters,” the spokesperson said As noted by WUSA9, DeBoard has faced some challenges during her time as police chief — including a discrimination lawsuit filed by a former officer in 2023 that was settled before trial More recently, the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy cut ties with the Herndon Police Department over a dispute between DeBoard and Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis about signatures on graduation certificates After DeBoard took FCPD Major Wilson Lee, the academy’s director, signing the certificates in Chinese, Davis allegedly confronted her at a graduation ceremony on March 7, 2024, calling DeBoard’s complaints racist, she told NBC4 Fairfax Deputy County Executive for Safety and Security Tom Arnold informed DeBoard on March 18, 2024 that the academy was terminating its affiliation with the Herndon department “We thank you for your agency’s contributions to the Academy and wish you and your officers well in their future law enforcement training endeavors,” Arnold said in the letter The letter didn’t specify why the academy decided to cut ties with Herndon, but according to the Washington Post another email indicated that the county felt DeBoard’s actions were “inconsistent” with its “One Fairfax” policy promoting racial and social equity In response, Herndon’s then-town manager Bill Ashton announced that an “external review” of the incident would be conducted, but the town was still working “to resolve the issue” when the criminal justice academy’s termination took effect last June creating uncertainty about how the HPD would train  new recruits The town spokesperson declined to comment further when asked if the external review has been completed Herndon Mayor Keven LeBlanc also said he’s unable to comment on the matter A Herndon Town Council member told FFXnow that the conflict with Fairfax County was “unfortunate” but didn’t confirm any connection to DeBoard’s current status While limited in what he could say regarding personnel matters he described the situation as “not a trivial matter.” “We need to trust the process,” he said “… It has to be fair to everyone.” The search for a permanent town manager is still underway. The town council held a closed meeting on Tuesday (March 4) to discuss prospective candidates Screenshot via Town of Herndon Police Department/Facebook   She was the loving wife of over forty years to the late Mr Bazzle and the late Minnie Lee Colson Bazzle.  She was a devoted homemaker and was a member of Oakley Road Ministries.  Wilfred Cambron (Connie) of Hanahan and Donald Cheever Bea Coker of Hanahan; seven grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren.   She was preceded in death by a sister Funeral services will be conducted at 12 noon Thursday afternoon from the Chapel of Carolina Memorial Funeral Home North Charleston.  Pastor Lacy Jones officiating.    Interment will follow in Carolina Memorial Park located on the grounds of the funeral home.   The family will receive friends prior to the funeral ceremony that morning beginning at 11 o’clock at the funeral home.  HERNDON AND SONS FUNERAL HOMES AND CREMATORY 843.538.5408.  Visit the registry online at: www.briceherndonfuneralhome.com Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application It was there that she met the love of her life and high school sweetheart a testament to true love and companionship where she raised her family and built a life filled with wonderful memories Susan dedicated over 30 years of her professional career to IBM where she was a loyal employee and cherished colleague she regularly volunteered her time at the Center for Food Action in Mahwah Her warmth and generosity touched the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing her an incredible cook and the quintessential “hostess with the mostest.” But she will most be remembered as a loving mom and grandmother Affectionately known as "Nana,” she is survived by her two beloved daughters six cherished grandchildren and one great grandchild: Colleen (Brent Penhall) and Aiden and Ashley (Jeff Turitz) and Andrew (great grandchild Asher) where she found a welcoming community and formed lasting friendships at Bailey's Glenn She was deeply grateful for the support and camaraderie she found there thoughtfulness and sense of humor will forever be remembered by her family A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday in the Bailey’s Glenn community ballroom In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in her honor to either the Vietnam Veterans of America (vva.org/donate) or to Levine & Dickson Hospice House in Huntersville, N.C. (www.viagiving.org/donating) Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors The proposed fiscal year 2026 budget released yesterday (Monday) by interim town manager Christopher Martino bumps up the property tax rate by 1 cent — from 26 cents to 27 cents per $100 of assessed value — and the tax rate on prepared food and beverages from 3.75% to 4% If approved, the real estate tax rate increase would be the town’s first since 2011, per a chart in Martino’s proposed budget. After a 10-cent reduction in 2012, Herndon held its rate at 26.5 cents until 2023 when the town council took a half-cent off to acknowledge the rising costs of living faced by many residents most residential property owners have seen their tax bill climb in recent years as a result of rising housing values Residential real estate assessments are projected to jump by 6.63% for an average value of $560,939, according to a press release with commercial property values expected to tick up by just 0.62% in FY 2026 increased residential assessments alone won’t be enough to cover the town’s expenses “Due to rising personnel and operational costs and planning for further capital investments the overall cost to provide the base level of services and programs to the community has risen further than what town revenues can support at current rates,” Martino said in a letter to Mayor Keven LeBlanc and the Herndon Town Council A 1-cent real estate tax rate increase would add $133 to the average homeowner’s bill and generate an additional $562,089 in revenue for the town The suggested 0.25% increase in the meals tax rate would bring in another $300,000 Martino recommends raising the business license tax for retail merchants and repair services to match Fairfax County’s rates generating over $100,000 in additional revenue Increases are also proposed for the sewer and water service rates as well as the recycling fee which will be renamed the “solid waste fee”: Increased from $8.93 in FY 2025 to $9.64 per 1,000 gallons of water consumption in FY 2026 The quarterly service charge per bill rendered shall be $15.95 Increased from $4.08 in FY 2025 to $4.79 per 1,000 gallons of water consumption in FY 2026 The quarterly service charge per bill rendered shall be $21.24 All water consumed during the peak use periods in excess of the average consumption of the preceding two winter quarter billing periods shall be charged an additional amount of $8.15 per 1,000 gallons The proposed FY 2026 budget includes a fee increase of $5.00 per quarter and will be billed under the updated name “Solid Waste Fee.” The proposed budget totals $95.6 million — a 28.1% increase in spending from the existing one for fiscal year 2025 — but the growth is mostly driven by rising personnel In his letter, Martino noted that crafting the budget plan was challenging, as Herndon and other local governments try to gauge the potential impact of federal worker layoffs and other actions by the Trump administration expenses related to the delivery of core municipal services have continued to rise due to increases in the cost of materials the extent of potential economic impacts the town and region may face from actions at the federal level and how they will affect the town’s revenue projections is uncertain.” More than half (65.6%) of the proposed budget is devoted to personnel costs which will be nearly $3 million higher than the current budget The increase stems from a 12% jump in health care premiums as well as employee raises that will average 4.5% “It is critical for the town to remain competitive in the marketplace through continued investment in its workforce,” the document says in alignment with the town’s Total Compensation Philosophy development and retention of an engaged and committed workforce through competitive compensation and investment.” With some roles getting consolidated or repurposed the budget only adds one net new position: a sergeant for the Herndon Police Department’s planned Special Enforcement and Engagement Team A vacant parking enforcement role will also be replaced by an additional police officer position to support the new team The police department describes the Special Enforcement and Engagement Team as a “high-visiblity” unit with officers patroling on foot and by bicycle “to address specific community concerns and areas of high activity.” “They will also serve as a community engagement unit focusing on neighborhoods and the W&OD Trail,” Herndon Police spokesperson Lisa Herndon said “In addition to their regular duties they will assist our patrol and investigation sections as needed.” Other town priorities addressed by the budget include: The Herndon Town Council will discuss the proposed budget at a work session tonight (Tuesday) and on March 18 Public hearings are scheduled for April 8 and 22 in the council chambers at 765 Lynn Street Community members can also submit comments about the budget online and by email at budget@herndon-va.gov The town council must adopt a final FY 2026 budget by June 30 A brewery that has achieved cult status in its home state of Pennsylvania hopes to soon cast the same spell on Fairfax County Voodoo Brewing Company will open a restaurant — its first in the D.C. region — at the Makers Rise apartment building near the Innovation Center Metro station property developer Crimson Partners announced yesterday (Tuesday) The brewery has signed a lease for an approximately 3,750-square-foot space on the ground floor of the apartment building at 2311 Dulles Station Blvd construction is expected to start in a few months and VOODOO plans to be open by the end of this year,” Crimson Partners said Based in the appropriately named city of Meadville Voodoo Brewing was founded by Matt Allyn in 2005 but its first taproom didn’t open until head brewer Curt Rachocki and his brother Matteo Located in the Dulles Station neighborhood, Voodoo’s Herndon restaurant won’t have any on-site brewing, but it will serve food and a variety of beers and cocktails with quirky names like Voodoo Love Child, Kinda Hot in These Rhinos and Names are Hard “Whether you’re in the mood for a juicy burger our menu offers a range of mouth-watering options,” the company says on its website “So gather your friends and family for a memorable dining experience that satisfies both your taste buds and thirst for exceptional brews.” has been working in the brewing industry for about seven years now after developing a passion for craft beer He was taking business courses at Virginia Tech with dreams of starting his own brewery when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Noticing a call for franchisees from Voodoo he got in touch with the business and ultimately got invited to Pittsburgh for an “approval day,” where the owners meet with potential franchisees to determine whether they’re a good fit “The importance of the product and culture along with their passion for the brand are the things that really solidified it for me,” Curry told FFXnow by email “It also didn’t hurt that their aesthetic matches my interests and tastes.” The experience of working with both Voodoo to identify the right location for his restaurant and the landlord at Makers Rise has been “fantastic,” Curry says “This support is one of the reasons I think it’s really going to be something special is going to really make for an unforgettable experience for everyone — customers and those of us on the other side of the bar.” Voodoo will fill one of two available retail spaces in Makers Rise, a seven-story building with 356 apartment units that welcomed its first residents in September 2023 Crimson Partners says it’s “diligently” scouting for a tenant to lease the remaining 1,794-square-foot suite at the corner of Dulles Station Blvd and Makers Way Existing retailers at Dulles Station include the restaurants Alo Vietnam and Kabobi by The Helmand as well as Neo Smiles Dental Makers Rise was the fourth apartment building to open in the development which is also home to the six-story Dulles Station East office building and a Courtyard by Marriott hotel Herndon leaders past and present are surveying the aftermath of Comstock’s decision to officially pull the plug on its long-percolating downtown redevelopment project With details of its separation from Comstock still being worked out, including the fate of the Arts Herndon building that would’ve been demolished the Town of Herndon declined to comment beyond interim town manager Chris Martinez’s announcement last Tuesday (Dec believe the seeds of the project’s demise were rooted in decisions made years earlier The planned development — which would’ve transformed 4.7 acres of Herndon’s historic downtown with apartments retail space and a parking garage — was a top priority for former mayor Lisa Merkel during her decade in office who served one two-year term on the Herndon Town Council before becoming mayor in 2012 says she’s “devastated” to see the town in its current position “This revitalization wasn’t just another project for me — it was the very reason I ran for office and ultimately served as your mayor,” she said in a statement to FFXnow that she also shared on Facebook “I spent ten years on Council — my children’s entire childhood — working to make our downtown vision a reality.” Comstock’s proposed development grew out of a downtown master plan adopted by the town council in February 2011 That vision included a public arts center on the Center Street block where Arts Herndon is currently located and a parking garage surrounded by mixed-use buildings with retail and restaurants on the northeast quadrant of Elden and Center streets The town council solidified an agreement with Comstock in November 2017 for 281 apartments an 18,000-square-foot arts center and plaza Merkel says the town was “all but certain construction would begin in 2021,” meeting a Dec “The project continued to meet all major milestones through the end of my term with Comstock enthusiastically reaffirming their commitment to moving forward with construction in late 2020,” Merkel said “What I do know is that we had everything in place for this project to succeed.” However, at least one current council member believes the original agreement with Comstock was flawed undermined by a lack of hard delivery and milestone dates as well as insufficient protections for the town The structure of the agreement “didn’t allow for the town to have any real leverage or recourse,” says Councilmember Cesar del Aguila who told FFXnow that he’s “not pointing fingers at Comstock.” “I think it was naive of the council at the time … to think a for-profit entity had the power or capacity to give more than what they could “I think [Comstock] made a business decision based upon their levers that they define as success for their company and it did not align ultimately with what the town wanted The latest amendment that the town was negotiating and hoped to have approved by the town council on Dec 10 would’ve required Comstock to close on financing for its development by March 31 noting that it was unanimously approved by the town council and got the backing of both independent experts and “residents with development experience.” “When we adopted the Comprehensive Agreement one resident with extensive real estate development experience testified that the deal was so favorable to the town he would have advised Comstock not to sign it,” she said and we had structured a deal that protected Herndon’s interests while moving us toward the vibrant downtown our community deserved.” Though she hasn’t been privy to internal discussions since leaving office, the former mayor argues that the deal was doomed by a nearly year-long delay that came after three property owners adjacent to the site appealed the Heritage Preservation Review Board’s approval in 2018 The appeal led Comstock to withdraw its development plan. The board ultimately approved a resubmitted application in May 2019 and none of the residents who filed appeals still live in the Vinehaven neighborhood today “That appeal cost us over a year of precious time and in my opinion is ultimately what killed this deal,” Merkel wrote we would today be enjoying not just our new Arts Center and Arts Walk but the vibrant community gathering spaces and economic benefits that downtown residents have wanted for decades.” Confidence in downtown’s development potential remains While they may disagree on factors that led to the Comstock agreement’s collapse both Merkel and del Aguila maintained confidence in downtown Herndon’s viability for redevelopment — a sentiment shared by other town officials and even Comstock itself The current economic climate prevented the developer from moving forward with its planned project right now but Comstock CEO Chris Clemente says his company supports the town’s vision and hasn’t closed the door on a future partnership The Town of Herndon has been a great partner throughout our collaboration and we deeply value the efforts made to bring this project to fruition current market conditions — including the cost of financing a project design that reflects the character and history of downtown Herndon — continue to impact the viability of initiating this project at this time we look forward to exploring possibilities with Herndon’s incoming leadership We remain committed to ensuring that the vision for this project becomes a reality and aligns with the community’s aspirations While our team is enthusiastic about contributing to the project’s success we acknowledge the potential need for an additional partner who can build upon the groundwork we have laid with the Town to achieve this shared goal We appreciate the continued support and collaboration of the Herndon community and look forward to seeing the historic downtown thrive with this project’s future development Whether town leaders would be open to working with Comstock again remains to be seen Merkel believes Herndon will have the right person at the helm to make those decisions praising the “strong leadership and renewed focus on executing community-supported projects” of council member and incoming mayor Keven LeBlanc Keven is focused on the people who live here and their desires for our town — he listens to residents and puts their needs first,” she wrote “His business acumen and commitment to moving Herndon forward are exactly what we need to get back on track.” LeBlanc, who was elected mayor on Nov. 5 after getting endorsed by Merkel and current Mayor Sheila Olem, acknowledged the community’s “significant frustration” with the redevelopment project, while highlighting existing downtown attractions, such as the annual Herndon Winter Markt that drew a crowd this past Saturday (Dec “I remain hopeful and committed to the vision of our downtown master plan to create a vibrant welcoming space that reflects the character and needs of our community,” LeBlanc said in a statement to FFXnow our downtown remains active with holiday and cultural events and thriving businesses as we continue to examine additional programs that make Herndon a wonderful place to live Though the Comstock project didn’t work out, planning is continuing to progress on other developments, including sites closer to the Herndon Metro station Reelected for a fourth term on the town council he sees an opportunity for the town to take a new look at what it wants out of its future downtown “I think we need to really think hard of what we want the downtown to be I think what was desired and the way it was desired apparently is not feasible financially,” del Aguila said we need to look at what we’re asking — is it realistic — and then weigh that in terms of what it is we want Rendering via Comstock Though Herndon’s downtown revitalization push has stalled a key piece of the town’s vision for development outside its Metro station reached a milestone last month The Town of Herndon Architectural Review Board (ARB) gave its approval on Nov. 20 to architectural and landscape design plans for the first phase of Fairfield Residential’s 555 Herndon Parkway project a multifamily residential building with retail that will later be complemented by an office building Replacing a 1980s-era office building, the mixed-use development is the first one in the Herndon Transit-Oriented Core (HTOC) to reach this stage of approval more than a decade after the master plan for redeveloping 38 acres of commercial properties north of the Herndon Metro Station was adopted “It’s an important project for the town,” Herndon Deputy Director of Community Development Bryce Perry told the ARB “… It certainly has a lot of visibility from Herndon Parkway and I think it is actually the highest-density project that has gone through this process.” totaling 813,637 square feet of development The town council approved the downsized plan for an approximately 414-unit residential building and a 200,000-square-foot office building on Dec. 13, 2022. Fairfield then took over the project when it acquired the 4.3-acre site from Penzance in November 2023 According to town staff, the design plans presented to the ARB last month showed a 400-unit residential building with approximately 5,300 square feet of ground-floor retail space in the northwest corner An interior parking garage will be visible from the south until the future office tower is constructed the building varies from six to eight stories in height and was designed to look like “a collection of smaller buildings as opposed to one large one,” according to Perry The general public will have access to a central courtyard at the building’s entrance on Herndon Parkway with a turf lawn along with a park near the garage with a pavilion While town staff were “very close” to fully supporting the designs, Perry noted that there were still lingering concerns about a couple of items particularly the scale of two building walls on either side of the garage and the “more cluttered composition” of the building’s eastern facade is find a way to simplify the materials here There’s five cladding materials,” he said “Staff thinks that if there’s less materials or a hierarchy that it would simplify this façade and make it more distinct as a separate architectural composition.” staff suggested lighting could help “add visual interest and customizable interactivity” on the side facing the public park and Dulles Toll Road “I do think the lighting could make that whole garage very dramatic and I’m hoping that can be enhanced and resolved,” ARB member Melody Fetske agreed the ARB decided that the application was close enough to completion that it could be approved with the condition that the developer and architect keep working with staff to address the remaining concerns “There have been years of investment by the board in this project,” ARB Chair Leslie Baker-Glass said “… I have every confidence that our staff given where the board has engaged with the team for an extended period of time is highly empowered to finish the more subjective details.” Fairfield has submitted building permits for review by the town’s building official according to Town of Herndon spokesperson Anne Papa As of this writing, the developer hasn’t returned a request for comment on a possible construction timeline, but its website lists 555 Herndon as coming in 2026 The residential units will include studio and one and two-bedroom apartments The sentencing hearing for an au pair who pleaded guilty over her role in a 2023 double murder has been rescheduled for later this year the 24-year-old au pair believed to have shot and killed a Springfield man as part of a plot with a Herndon man who allegedly wanted to get rid of his wife Magalhaes is expected to be recommended a sentence of time served for an involuntary manslaughter charge so long as she cooperates with the county’s case against co-defendant Brendan Banfield Fairfax County Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Clingan said last year As a citizen of Brazil, Magalhaes is expected to be deported after her sentencing hearing. With Banfield’s four-week trial scheduled for October, however, Magalhaes would be unable to fulfill her part of a plea agreement if she’s no longer in the U.S Banfield faces four counts of aggravated murder among seven total charges who was employed as a live-in nanny by the Banfields was engaged in an extra-marital affair with Brendan Banfield before she was recruited to play a role in the scheme Magalhaes impersonated Christine Banfield in a phone conversation with Ryan who was lured to the couple’s Stable Brook Way home on Feb 2023 under the false pretense of a sexual encounter Brendan Banfield claimed to police that he believed Ryan was an intruder who had attacked his wife with a knife Magalhaes then fired a second shot at Ryan that killed him was later pronounced dead at a local hospital Brendan Banfield had “expressed … his desire to be rid of his wife and soon thereafter began planning to kill his wife,” as early as the fall of 2022 Fairfax County Circuit Court Chief Judge Penney S. Azcarate, who presided over the 2022 civil trial between actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard The full impact of Comstock’s decision to halt its plans for a mixed-use development in downtown Herndon is still solidifying but at least one ripple effect of the project appears to be irreversible The independent bookstore A Thousand Stories announced earlier this month that Saturday the store at 750 Center Street is offering extended hours and discounts of 20% to 40% off all items until it closes “The past two years have been full of new friends and so many great books,” A Thousand Stories said in an Instagram post “We’re very grateful for this wild ride we’ve had.” Comstock notified the Town of Herndon last Friday (Dec 6) that it won’t proceed with the project which had been in the works since 2017 and would’ve transformed 4.7 acres of downtown Herndon with a new arts center Comstock’s change of plans hasn’t affected the decision to close A Thousand Stories “This was always meant to be a temporary location for us but after 2 years of looking we’ve been unable to find a larger location,” she told FFXnow by email we’ve decided that the best decision is to close our doors We’ve loved being in Herndon for the past 2 years and hope that the town is able to attract some quality businesses in the future.” Ratto and Luke opened A Thousand Stories in November 2022 in the hopes of filling a void in the Town of Herndon which didn’t have an independent bookstore of its own at the time The store offers a curated selection of books and gifts with a particular focus on items for children and young adults It also hosted book clubs and literary events Encouraging supporters to stop by for “one last shopping trip,” A Thousand Stories thanked its “wonderful customers and friends for making our little bookstore possible.” Commenters expressed disappointment and sadness at the announcement One person said attending the store’s book club was “one of the best things that has happened to me this year,” while others thanked the store for supporting local authors and the community I have loved your store!” one commenter said “Thank you for creating a beautiful and welcoming space Best wishes on your next adventure.” The collapse of Comstock’s redevelopment project has also left Arts Herndon in a murky limbo The nonprofit arts organization is leasing its 3,210-square-foot space from the Town of Herndon which in turn is licensing the building from Comstock The agreement was extended multiple times, most recently for a four-month period on Nov. 12. The town set an expiration date of March 31, 2025 in anticipation of Comstock breaking ground on its project in April The town offered a 2,790-square-foot space previously occupied by NextStop Theatre Company as an alternate storage location during construction but it’s now unclear when or if Arts Herndon will have to vacate its current site “We don’t know what’s going to happen,” Arts Herndon President and CEO Joanna Ormesher told FFXnow Created in 2016 through a merger of the Council for the Arts of Herndon and the Herndon Foundation for the Cultural Arts Arts Herndon supports visual and performing artists with a gallery Ormesher says her team has “worked really hard to build a vibrant arts community,” and they hope to keep up those efforts. Upcoming events include “Calamity: The Show,” an improv comedy night that Dark Horse Theatre Company will bring to the gallery this Saturday (Dec “It’s frustrating,” Ormesher said at Ohio Living Dorothy Love Nursing in Sidney to the late Richard Lorton and Euanna Mae (Davis) Herndon.  David Herndon of Jackson Center; brother-in-law Frank Faulder and numerous nieces and nephews Tim was a 1960 graduate of Jackson Center High School and a lifelong member of Grace Lutheran Church in Jackson Church Ohio where he completed data entry work and also looked forward to participating in the Special Olympics every year Tim was active in Able Disabled Club in Lima He raised and sold rabbits for many years along with other chores on the farm including mowing the lawn and helping his mother and enjoyed strumming his guitar to Elvis Presley He especially loved being around his family Tim spent his last few years at Dorothy Love nursing home where he made new friendships with his nurses Pastor Shelly Schultz will officiate a funeral service at 11:00 a.m at the church and also one hour before the service Saturday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Lutheran Church EICHHOLTZ DARING & SANFORD FUNERAL HOME JACKSON CENTER is honored to serve the Herndon family and encourages anyone to share a fond memory or message of condolence at www.edsfh.com A potential legal battle is brewing over the stalled project to revitalize Herndon’s downtown The Town of Herndon filed a declaration in Fairfax County Circuit Court last Friday (Feb. 28) terminating Comstock Companies’ rights to the nearly 5-acre block at the northeast corner of Center and Elden streets that the developer had planned to turn into an arts center After Comstock decided to withdraw from the long-gestating project in December the developer was supposed to transfer the land back to the town the town notified Comstock that it was exercising its contractual right to have the property returned,” the town said in a press release “Comstock was supposed to execute certain documents to transfer the property back to Herndon The town and Comstock, going under the name Comstock Herndon Venture LC, originally signed a comprehensive agreement in November 2017 for a redevelopment that would transform 4.7 acres of downtown Herndon with 281 residential apartments an 18,000-square-foot arts center and a 761-space public parking garage Though the agreement has been amended several times mostly to give Comstock more time to start construction one provision that hasn’t changed is the developer’s obligation to “coordinate construction of the Project in its entirety” in exchange for the town transferring rights to the land The Town of Herndon says it’s now calling on Comstock to agree to a “nonbinding” mediation led by a neutral third-party. Under the agreement if a dispute isn’t resolved within 90 days of either party requesting mediation “This mediation process will last no longer than 90 days Comstock will reconvey the property or won’t which would regrettably require that both sides spend money on litigation,” the Town of Herndon said Despite notifying Herndon on Dec 2024 that it had decided not to proceed with the project Comstock remains interested in working with the town a spokesperson said in a statement to FFXnow: Comstock believes the project as designed would be a proud addition to Herndon’s downtown retail and arts spaces while also greatly enhancing parking options We share the town’s disappointment that the 2019 appeal by certain residents could not be avoided and resulted in a delay of the planned 2020 construction start exposing the project budget to significant cost increases that began during the pandemic and continues to impact project costs today The stubbornly high interest costs that have not trended down as was widely  reported to be on the near-term horizon last fall While the project has not commenced as the parties anticipated for reasons beyond the control of Comstock or the town we remain committed to working with Herndon in whatever capacity is appropriate to bring this project to fruition and fulfill the Town’s vision for the historic downtown The developer didn’t comment on whether it’ll agree to mediation or to giving the land back to Herndon Even though it never reached construction, the redevelopment project’s collapse has left a void in downtown Herndon. Some buildings were demolished, and the short-lived bookstore A Thousand Stories moved forward with plans to close in December The future remains uncertain for Arts Herndon which had been subleasing space from the town at 750 Center Street in anticipation of a temporary relocation during construction Even though the redevelopment has been called off, the nonprofit organization hasn’t gotten any indication yet that the notice it got in October to vacate the premises before the expected start of construction in April 2025 has been lifted. Its sublease is currently set to expire on March 31 “Sadly Arts Herndon is not being allowed to stay in our building a building we have been in since 2008,” Arts Herndon President and CEO Joanna Ormesher told FFXnow that they were not currently planning to develop the land However to date we have not been told there is any change in our notice to quit.” Funeral services for 84 year old Will R. Hargrove of Herndon, KY Will be Friday, April 25, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. At Flat Lick Cumberland Presbyterian Church Visitation will be Friday from 12:00 p.m. until the funeral hour at the church Beard & Giles Funeral Home is in charge of Hargrove was the founder of Knockum Hill Barbeque in Herndon All three incumbents vying for seats on Herndon’s town council this year are on track for reelection after all Councilmember Naila Alam secured a spot on the council based on the final tally of votes from this year’s Nov. 5 general election, pushing out Herndon Board of Zoning Appeals Vice Chair Stevan Michael Porter, who had an edge in preliminary election night results The Town of Herndon announced yesterday (Tuesday) that its election results are now official after getting certified by the Fairfax County Electoral Board The certified results confirm that Councilmember Keven LeBlanc has been elected as Herndon’s next mayor after he received 4,975 votes defeating fellow Councilmember Pradip Dhakal by 1,034 votes five seats in the town council race were unchanged going to incumbent Councilmember Cesar del Aguila Arts Herndon treasurer Michael Lloyd and teacher Alexis “Alex” Reyes Lloyd got the most votes at 4,981 — over 500 more than Hedrick However, the battle for the council’s sixth open seat was a close call. The day after the election, unofficial returns gave Porter a 10-vote edge with 3,857 ballots to Alam’s 3,847 but their positions reversed after a canvass added provisional ballots and absentee ballots that arrived at the Fairfax County Office of Elections by mail before noon on Friday while Porter received 3,992 — a 34-vote difference Porter shared yesterday that he filed a petition with the Fairfax County Circuit Court on Monday The decision was made “after careful consideration and discussion with advisors and a number of supporters,” he said in a Facebook post “The next step is that a Recount Court will be established and a preliminary hearing will be scheduled within 7 days,” he wrote and other specifics for the actual ballot recount.” Porter told FFXnow that he requested a recount due to the closeness of the race but he’s not challenging the validity of any ballots or voters “I have full faith that the safeguards executed by the Fairfax County Office of Elections in regards to those types of concerns were appropriate,” Porter said by email “This is a must for future growth and new revenue streams,” Alam said of developer Comstock’s long-delayed mixed-use project The Town of Herndon established a Community Cultural Festival Donation Program that lets nonprofit organizations request public fund donations to support new events the town council had approved spending $59,300 of the $120,000 allocated to the program in fiscal years 2024 and 2025 according to quarterly memos from town staff Beneficiaries have included the town’s first-ever Herndon Pride celebration, a Juneteenth event hosted by Arts Herndon and the ¿Qué Pasa? Festival held in September to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month “We need to be more deliberate with funding items that broaden our inclusion of our diverse communities,” Alam said Alam says she also hopes to raise awareness of scams that target elderly and vulnerable residents, get a permanent Department of Motor Vehicles facility established in the town bring more electric vehicle charging stations improve green spaces and the accessibility of sidewalks and host an annual senior day and a health fair LeBlanc and the new 2025-2026 town council will assume office on Jan they will be greeted with a swearing-in ceremony at 6 p.m in the Herndon Council Chambers (765 Lynn Street) Photo via Town of Herndon son of Marjorie Murdaugh Crews and the late Billy Crews at his home surrounded by his beloved family after a valiant battle with cancer A true gentleman with an immense sense of humor and loyalty Edward touched the lives of a multitude of people.  His mischievous spirit and fluency in smack talking made for tons of laughs and an abundance of good times.  He could be silly with the best of them and definitely knew how to have fun.  He was an adventurous jokester who never met a stranger and was the life of every party.  Edward was a avid outdoorsman and a sports enthusiast Carolina Gamecock football fanatic!  He was a “tiny bit” competitive and loved to play a good game of cards.  A hardworking knowledgeable man who knew so many things.  He may have specialized in HVAC and refrigeration but he could do anything and fix nearly everything.  He was a jack of all trades.  If he couldn’t fix it – it couldn’t be fixed Ed retired from the Federal Bureau of Prisons after working at FCI Estill for 25 years.  While there he forged friendships that will never be forgotten Edward’s journey on this earth was marked by integrity and wisdom and he leaves a legacy of love behind Valorie (Drayton) Kinard; his son; Colton (Kaley) Crews; his bonus children and Dawson Glick; ten grandchildren that he truly adored James “Stump” Mixson and Scott Terry; his devoted dog Lucky; and his one and only cat Funeral services will be held 2 o’clock Varnville-Hampton Chapel.  Interment will follow in Deep Branch Baptist Church Cemetery The family will receive friends for a time of visitation Friday evening from 5 until 8 at THE BRICE W 803.943.5016  Visit the registry online at: www.briceherndonfuneralhome.com Spring is in the air, which means another Friday Night Live! season is on the horizon The free outdoor concert series will return to the Town of Herndon for its 31st year on May 2. Highlights of the upcoming season include the first-ever introduction of a non-alcoholic beer option and a “special reunion show” by the D.C. area party band Gonzo’s Nose The 16 musical acts scheduled to perform in 2025 include a mix of returning favorites and newcomers to the series pleased to offer an exciting lineup for our 31st season,” Poindexter said in a press release “… We invite everyone to come out to the Town Green with your friends and family and enjoy the unique sense of community Friday Night Live Produced by the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce, Friday Night Live! was founded by Doug Downer in the 1990s as an economic development initiative aimed at attracting people to and promoting downtown Herndon The chamber says it has now become the longest-running free outdoor concert series in the D.C. area. Community members highlighted Friday Night Live as a key feature of the town in surveys conducted last year by a branding consultant shows will take place at the Herndon Town Green (777 Lynn Street) every Friday from May 2 through Aug when the series will take the night off to allow for the Town of Herndon’s Independence Day celebration at Bready Park rock cover bands are a heavy focus of the lineup Organizers have previously said the genre has proven to draw the biggest The full schedule is below patrons can buy food onsite from local restaurants including the aforementioned non-alcoholic option Proceeds from the food and drink sales will go to the Dulles Chamber of Commerce and a portion of the tip money for alcohol will be used to support Herndon High School’s (alcohol-free) All Night Grad Party Beneficiaries in previous years have included local PTAs the Herndon Woman’s Club and the Herndon Fraternal Order of Police “This event is a summer highlight in Herndon offering a wonderful opportunity to enjoy great music and lively entertainment with friends and family,” Dulles Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Sheila Dixon said “We extend our gratitude to our dedicated volunteers and generous sponsors who make this event possible embodies the spirit of community and collaboration fostering a vibrant and connected community.” The Town of Herndon has elected a new mayor and town council Councilmember Keven LeBlanc will be Herndon’s first openly gay mayor after defeating fellow Councilmember Pradip Dhakal with 55.3% of the vote to his opponent’s 43.5%, according to unofficial returns from the Virginia Department of Elections In a town with 24,935 residents, per Census estimates just 1,014 votes separated the two mayoral candidates while Dhakal got 3,746 with a total of 8,605 ballots cast in the race Currently in his first term on the town council, LeBlanc will succeed Mayor Sheila Olem, who endorsed his candidacy after deciding not to seek reelection “I’m incredibly honored and humbled to be elected as Herndon’s first openly LGBTQ+ Mayor,” LeBlanc said in a statement “This victory represents our town’s commitment to inclusivity and preserving our unique charm as we move toward a bright future together I look forward to serving our residents and supporting our local businesses as we walk forward He told FFXnow he hopes to continue furthering the goals in the 2024-2029 strategic plan adopted by the current town council proposing to introduce roundtables and a mayor’s advisory group to increase communication with the public Other priorities include evaluating options for affordable and workforce housing promoting “a vibrant local economy,” reviewing the budget and funding sources managing growth around the Herndon Metro station and addressing police and staff compensation to support worker recruitment and retention Thanking his supporters and congratulating LeBlanc on his victory Dhakal expressed hope that the new mayor will support policies that recognize diversity as one of Herndon’s “greatest strengths,” including ones that streamline bureaucratic processes for starting new businesses and building homes “I wish him every success in his new role and hope he serves all parts of our town from historic downtown to every neighborhood,” Dhakal said in a statement to FFXnow “My hope is that he will focus not only on appearances but on the well-being of our workforce ensuring Herndon remains a place where those who keep our community running can afford to live and thrive.” Over in the town council race, which saw nine candidates vying for six seats, Arts Herndon Treasurer Michael Lloyd led the way with 4,821 votes, according to the unofficial results He will be joined by two incumbents — Vice Mayor Clark Hedrick who got 3,931 votes — as well as three other newcomers: The role of political parties in Herndon’s officially nonpartisan election became a source of controversy after the Fairfax County Democratic Committee endorsed Dhakal and five town council candidates — Alam Garcia and Herndon Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee Vice Chair Soma Ramesh — in an August caucus LeBlanc argued that the FCDC weighing in would “unfairly and unduly influence” the election but campaigned for an endorsement because he didn’t want it to back his opponent “without any challenge at all.” Dhakal reflected on the hard-fought battle for mayor by calling for future candidates to focus on ideas “not on personal attacks or misinformation.” “Upholding truth and integrity should be the standard for all who seek to serve,” Dhakal said “Herndon doesn’t want to set negative campaigns and misrepresentation as the precedence for winning election Let’s change that course going forward.” Herndon’s mayor and town council members serve two-year terms, though there was a briefly entertained discussion in recent years of advocating for an increase in term lengths Years of work to redevelop the core of downtown Herndon have officially fizzled out Developer Comstock informed town leaders last Friday (Dec. 6) that it will no longer move forward with a long-awaited project that promised apartments, retail, an arts center and a public parking garage, interim town manager Chris Martinez announced at the Herndon Town Council meeting tonight (Tuesday) “Although this development agreement did not work out as planned we continue to believe in the significant redevelopment potential of Herndon’s downtown,” Martinez said “We will take some time to evaluate how we go about the redevelopment of downtown Herndon consistent with the town council’s adopted strategic plan.” The announcement brought an audible gasp from some members of the public in the council chambers During the public comments section earlier in the meeting one resident expressed her frustration at walking by empty lots some of them wrapped with a banner notoriously proclaiming that “excitement is building” for the project It’s an eye sore to the town,” resident Michelle Boone said “We should just turn it into a dog park at this point so it’s frustrating because I’ve seen high rises go up in Reston and it’s still a pile of dirt … Everyone’s beyond frustrated I’m really looking forward to either making progress with that or taking a different route and doing another project or something else.” Comstock’s withdrawal from the project came after years of stalling and just months after expressing confidence that it would be able to break ground on construction next April Elden and Station streets and the Washington & Old Dominion Trail citing an uncertain economic climate due to cost increases supply chain disruptions and other fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic Since the two-year hiatus ran out on April 30 the town and developer have continued to push back a deadline for finalizing an amended agreement In September, town staff indicated that Dec. 10 would be a hard deadline, reporting that they had agreed to scale back the planned arts center to just 4,265 square feet in the hopes of making the project more feasible and attractive to lenders The number of residential units had also changed over the years to 273 apartments Last month, Town of Herndon staff proposed a financing plan that would’ve involved borrowing an estimated $15 to $20 million through the Fairfax City Economic Development Authority mostly to fund the arts center and parking garage Comstock would’ve been responsible for making lease payments to the town until its costs were recovered Comstock didn’t immediately return a request for comment, but in its letter notifying the town of its withdrawal the developer said the project had become “economically unfeasible” due to increased material costs and difficulties obtaining “commercially reasonable financing,” and the legal structure “overly complicated.” “The decision to deliver this Notice Not to Proceed was very difficult for Comstock after years of planning and efforts but unfortunately the current market has not yet rebounded sufficiently to move forward,” Comstock founder and CEO Christopher Clemente wrote The full implications of the developer’s withdrawal remain to be seen. Among other impacts, the downtown redevelopment was poised to temporarily displace Arts Herndon which subleases space in a commercial building at 750 Center Street The town council approved an agreement on Nov 12 to continue letting the arts organization use the space until March 31 a date chosen to precede the expected start of construction The town had planned to let Arts Herndon use a space previously occupied by NextStop Theatre Company during construction Upper Arlington hockey player Mason Herndon is the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Athlete of the Week for March 3-9 Herndon recorded 34 saves in a 5-2 win over Cleveland St He made 15 saves in a 7-2 win over Mentor in a semifinal Related article: Here's how to nominate OSU Wexner Medical Center high school Athletes of Week in 2024-25 He received 48.3% of the vote and was followed by Granville bowler Kamryn Dixon and Thomas Worthington track and field athlete Jenna Olsen (7.3%) Dixon finished 10th in the Division I state tournament with a career-high 626 series Olsen won the OATCCC Division I Indoor state championship in the weight throw with a school-record and personal-record toss of 55-7.50 She is ranked first in the state (all divisions) and is ranked seventh in the country while also having the ninth-best performance all-time at the state meet She also posted two personal-record throws in the shot put en route to finishing on the podium in sixth place with a distance of 35-11.75 The other nominees for Athlete of the Week were Watterson wrestler Michael Boyle Northridge track and field athlete Isabel Evans Columbus Academy basketball player Jason Singleton Pickerington Central basketball player Zoe Coleman Jonathan Alder bowler Drew Damron and Reynoldsburg basketball player Toby Nwokolo The Athlete of the Week voting recognizes athletes across all sports Nominations are due Monday mornings for competitions that took place the previous week Anyone can nominate an athlete by email to bwhite1@dispatch.com or through X (formerly Twitter) tagging @BrianWhite13 Once athletes win during the regular season they're not eligible to be back on the ballot until the postseason Athletes who have not been a recipient of one of the weekly awards can be nominated more than once Have any questions? Email sports editor Brian White at bwhite1@dispatch.com Texas to David Herndon and Martha (Luman) McDonald He was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps Jeffrey worked as a distribution salesman for Little Debbie’s He was a strong Christian who loved the lord and loved spending time with his family Jeffrey was a member of the Faith Fellowship Ministry.  Gary McDonald and wife Caryn; and numerous nieces and nephews.  Jeffrey was preceded in death by his father  My NewsSign Out Sign InCreate your free profileSections news Alerts onUP NEXTRemembering Anita Knutson02:44Remembering Simeonette03:02Remembering Michael Cochran01:54Missing in America: Kit Mora02:55Learn more about the LAPD’s Special Investigation Section02:40Remembering Fabio Sementilli02:44Get more newsLiveonBest of NBC News The Town of Herndon is considering adding more than a dozen infrastructure and facility projects to its capital improvement plan (CIP) Presented to the Herndon Planning Commission at a work session on Jan. 13, the proposed fiscal years 2026-2031 CIP features a total of 40 projects — 16 of them new — that would cost an estimated $268.6 million over the next five years including more than $32.3 million for the upcoming fiscal year that will start on July 1 “Current projects reflect the urgency for safety and resiliency,” town staff said in a report for the planning commission the priciest addition is a reconstruction of Center Street from Elden Street to Florida Avenue and Nash Street that could include resurfacing the replacement of a culvert about 350 feet south of Locust Street a partial Spring Branch stream restoration and pedestrian facility updates including $3.5 million for two years of construction and maintenance the project was developed after a water line replacement found that it “lacks substantial foundation leading to accelerated running surface failure and unstable roadway conditions.” it would reduce long-term maintenance costs and allow for new more accessible infrastructure that “provides a more comfortable experience for pedestrians and motorists,” according to the CIP “A roadway rebuild will also lessen the risk of roadway failure in a culvert,” the CIP says “Improvements to the streetscape will also enhance the vibrancy of the corridor adjacent to the downtown area Restoration of a portion of Spring Branch will improve ecological conditions of the stream.” Other newly proposed transportation projects include: Under the CIP’s government facilities infrastructure section, the town has proposed replacing computers on a five-year life cycle and its cloud computing software VMWare. It’s also looking at demolishing the Atkins house at Runnymede Park (195 Herndon Parkway) stating that the brick structure has “fallen into disrepair.” “This house was previously a rental property for the Town of Herndon but has been vacant for more than a year,” the CIP said “Major building upgrades would be needed to bring this dwelling up to code and to make it suitable for rental These costs along with future maintenance costs would significantly exceed the cost for demolition.” After adding a parking gate replacement and infrastructure improvements to the CIP last year the Herndon Police Department is now also seeking new 911 dispatcher radio consoles and a wellness facility that take over 1,900 square feet of available space in the existing gym in the town-owned building at 397 Herndon Parkway Other additions to the proposed CIP include storm sewer facility repairs and vehicles a refurbishment of the Herndon Community Center lighting along the Washington & Old Dominion Trail and “passive” environmental education amenities at Runnymede Park Aiming to encourage visitors to connect with nature, the passive environmental education initiative would replace a previous plan for a nature center at the park Some of the elements include a teaching stage and seating area and model landscape elements demonstrating what native and pollinator plants could look like in their own yard space These spaces invite individuals and families to experience nature without the staffing or facility overhead of a nature center It also provides spaces where staff and volunteers can provide planned or pop-up programming for our community in our largest nature-based park The Herndon Community Center improvements would similarly be a retooling of a plan to expand the facility, which celebrated its 45th anniversary last year town staff believe the existing project has become “outdated.” The new proposal calls for locker room upgrades to support the swimming pool along with a feasibility and marketing study “One of the reasons that the previous proposal was removed is that it did not reflect current community needs and conditions,” the CIP said “As the community is projected to continue to increase in population there is a need to survey the entire community to ensure that we provide facilities and services that reflect the new recreational and community needs that might be requested.” The locker room upgrades are expected to cost $2.2 million for design and construction while the anticipated costs for the feasibility study are about $175,000 The Herndon Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed CIP and consider a resolution endorsing it next Monday The plan will then be considered in the development of a new budget for fiscal year 2026 The 2024 Christmas shopping season is the last one that Kohl’s will spend in Herndon The department store will permanently close on Jan. 18 after over two decades at 2100 Centreville Road, a Kohl’s spokesperson says, confirming a report by The Burn shoppers can visit nearby Kohl’s stores or shop online at Kohls.com,” Kohl’s communications coordinator Megan Regenfuss said by email Kohl’s also has a store at the Burke Centre Shopping Center (5793 Burke Centre Parkway). Regenfuss didn’t comment on why the retailer decided to not to stay in Herndon, but outgoing CEO Tom Kingsbury reported a decline in sales for the third quarter in an earnings call on Nov Kohl’s opened in Herndon on April 16, 1999, making it one of seven locations around the U.S. where it expanded on that date, the Milwaukee Business Journal reported at the time According to Fairfax County property records standalone commercial buildings currently occupied by Truist Bank and 7-Eleven The 105,700-square-foot Kohl’s building is slated to be filled by Lidl after the German grocer signed a lease in late March while creating two additional spaces totaling 54,672 square feet and 17,679 square feet that will be subleased to other future tenants according to a commercial alteration permit application currently under review by Fairfax County staff The grocer implemented a similar subleasing arrangement in McLean, where it’s paired with the eateries Big Buns Damn Good Burgers and Matchbox Pizza A public relations representative for Lidl didn’t comment on the planned Herndon store or possible takers for the subleases stating only that the company announces store openings a month in advance the building plan being reviewed by the county suggests that the 54,672-square-foot space may be going to Hobby Lobby The Oklahoma-based arts and crafts retailer which has stores in Fair Lakes and Plaza at Landmark in Lincolnia didn’t respond to a request for comment by press time The Fairfax County Department of Land Development Services says it hasn’t received any plans or permits specifically for Hobby Lobby so the signage shown in the building plan could be a stand-in for whichever will ultimately fill the space The chain currently has 10 stores in Fairfax County though the closest one to the Reston and Herndon area is at Sugarland Crossing in Sterling