🌱 Fairfax County Home Values Up 6.97 Percent + Ken Plum Retiring

Hi there, Reston! I'm here in your inbox today to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Cooler; a little p.m. rain. High: 48 Low: 44.
• Thursday: Partly sunny. High: 82 Low: 44.

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I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top three stories today in Reston:

1. Fairfax County homeowners will see an average increase of 6.97 percent in their updated real estate assessments for 2023, which translates to an average assessment of $719,522. County Manager Bryan Hill said that the economy is recovering from the pandemic, but there is an over-reliance on real estate, especially for residential homeowners. As per the current tax rate of $1.11 per $100 of assessed value, the average tax bill will increase by just over $520. (Patch)
2. Dogma Dog Bakery is opening a new location in Clarendon at the former Loyal Companion Store starting Mar. 1. Loyal Companion is closing all its locations in Virginia and D.C. after filing for bankruptcy. Dogma already has a store in the Village at Shirlington and plans to reopen its store in Reston next month. (Patch)
3. Ken Plum, the longest-serving member of the Virginia House of Delegates who has represented Reston since 1982, will retire at the end of his term in November to spend time gardening and traveling with his wife, but he will continue to work on issues such as human rights, gun violence, and climate action. Plum will make his official retirement announcement on Feb. 26. During his tenure, Plum has been involved in numerous legislative efforts that have moved Virginia forward, including getting rail to Dulles. He plans to continue his advocacy work even after he retires. (Reston Patch)

Today and tomorrow in Reston:

Wednesday, February 22

• Tea 'N Painting At The Lake House (2:00 PM)

Thursday, February 23

• Small Batch Trivia from Geeks Who Drink At The Farm Brewery At Broad Run (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Five new homes have been listed for sale in the Reston area. Available properties range from a 939-square-foot, two-bed, one-bath home for $483,000 to a $1.1 million home with one bed, two baths, and 2,420 square feet. Get all the property details at the link. (Reston Patch)
• Full- and part-time job opportunities are available in the Reston area. Available positions include order specialist, customer service sales associate, service manager, service coordinator, and more. More details about companies hiring in the area are available at the link. (Reston Patch)
• The Fairfax County Police Department is expanding its use of automated license plate reader technology in the county, despite concerns from civil rights groups, with 25 cameras set to be installed by the spring. (Tysons Reporter via Twitter)

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Featured businesses:

• Foley Academy of Irish Dance — (Visit website)
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Featured events:

• XP League Open House (February 25)
• Color Trends and Setting the Right Mood for your Home (March 3)
• Master Singers of VA Presents Sing Her Song (March 4)
• Fairfax Choral Society’s 60th Anniversary Gala (March 11)
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• Good furniture, household, vintage & miscellaneous (Details)
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Featured housing:

• NEW all-inclusive Senior Community in Ashburn (Details)
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You're all caught up for today! I'll be in your inbox soon with a new update.

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is a freelance copywriter for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. She is a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.