CIRS Mold Toxicity Treatment in Reston, VA

There was screaming, crying and hands covering eyes and mouths at the Winter Olympics watch party hosted by SkateQuest in Reston, Virginia, on Friday.

They were all in disbelief as they watched Fairfax-native Ilia Malinin’s Olympic dreams crash to the ice from his home rink.

Malinin’s eighth place showing in the Olympic free skate final seemed impossible to everyone in the room; and to most everyone else watching around the world, he was supposed to bring home the gold.

There were so many people in attendance at the watch party that a movie screen had to be set up on one of the ice rinks.

When you walk into SkateQuest, a giant image of the “Quad God” from his 2024 World Championship welcomes you into the building.

Anthony Lamirata started working at SkateQuest as Zamboni driver 18 years ago, and is now the general manager.

“I’ve known (Malinin) since he was seven years old when he started skating here,” Lamirata said. “I just felt so bad for him.”

When asked what he would say to Malinin, Lamirata’s voice cracked a bit: “I’d just give him a hug. That’s it.”

Emily Desjardins, who said she’s skated with Malinin from time to time, said he is a lovely person.

“He’s wonderful to skate with. He’s super kind to everyone here and it makes my heart break,” Desjardins said.

Desjardins pointed out that the public saw his four minute-long routine, but everyone at SkateQuest sees the hard work put in day after day, year after year since he was a little boy.

One of the people sitting front row that looked physically pained by Friday afternoon’s results was 17-year-old Lucius Kazanecki.

The 2025 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist was trained by Malinin‘s parents.

“Horrible. Just horrible,” Kazanecki said of the disappointing dual falls. “Not what any of us expected at all. He’s been thinking about this for years. … I feel horrible for him.“

Around the room, two teenage girls held up a sign as Malinin gave an interview, almost like they were trying to tell him everything was going to be OK.

The handmade sign read, “Ilia. Keep calm and quad on.”

Dakota Flood, a teenage figure skater, couldn’t have agreed with that message more.

“We’re so incredibly proud of him,” Flood said. “This isn’t the end.”

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RESTON, VA — Baristas at the Starbucks located in Plaza America voted 11-5 to join Starbucks Workers United, according to a company statement released on Friday.

This decision adds the Reston location to a national movement of Starbucks employees seeking union representation. The vote makes the Plaza America store the 25th unionized Starbucks in Virginia, contributing to a total of over 570 locations nationwide represented by the union.

Workers joining the union are advocating for improved working conditions, including better pay, staffing levels, and scheduling practices. Baristas have reported issues such as chronic understaffing and difficulty securing enough hours to qualify for benefits.

“After being at Plaza America for 6 years, today feels like the first day that our voices have been heard," said barista Robin Fox. "Partners that are the backbone of the coffeehouse experience will be able to work with dignity knowing that we're only growing stronger in our fight for better.”

Fox added that the organizing efforts are driven by a belief in Starbucks' potential for better pay, staffing, scheduling, and respect.

“This vote to unionize is a vote to be heard," said Liv Galvin, a barista of three years. "It’s harder for the company to ignore us when we stand together in our goal for better treatment.”

Galvin also noted that workers want fair treatment and for the company to recognize the contributions of its employees.

“At Starbucks, our success starts and ends with our partners (employees)," said Jaci Anderson, a Starbucks spokesperson. "We respect our partners right to choose, through a fair and democratic process, to be represented by a union or not to be represented by a union. Any agreement needs to reflect the reality that Starbucks already offers the best job in retail, including more than $30 an hour on average in pay and benefits for hourly partners. The facts show people like working at Starbucks. Partner engagement is up, turnover is nearly half the industry average, and we get more than 1 million job applications a year."

Since the campaign began in late 2021, workers have won, on average, a union election every other day. Last year, more than 2,000 workers joined Workers United, achieving an 82 percent win rate. Baristas are now focused on finalizing a fair union contract that addresses concerns about hours, take-home pay, and the resolution of hundreds of unfair labor practice charges. The National Labor Relations Board has found Starbucks guilty of more than 400 labor law violations.

Umbra, a U.S. space technology company specializing in remote sensing and satellite systems, plans to invest $6.75 million in a Northern Virginia expansion, creating more than 100 jobs in Fairfax County, Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced Thursday.

Umbra plans to add a 20,000-square-foot office in Reston to go with its existing Arlington County headquarters.

“Umbra’s expansion in Fairfax County underscores Virginia’s growing role as a hub for the nation’s space and defense industries,” Spanberger said in a statement. “By adding new space in Reston to support more than 100 new Virginia jobs, Umbra is deepening its commitment to the commonwealth and to the mission‑critical work that keeps our nation secure.”

Founded in Santa Barbara, California, in 2015, Umbra makes advanced systems, from sensors to spacecraft, to provide high-resolution radar data from space to its commercial and military customers, according to a news release.

“As demand increases for high-performance, U.S.-built space systems, Umbra is proud to expand our operations in Northern Virginia,” Umbra CEO David Langan said in a statement. “A decade ago, we set out to transform how remote sensing data is delivered, and we have consistently raised the bar for speed, quality and reliability. …

“This expansion strengthens our ability to grow our team, hire top talent across the region and build on our track record of delivering resilient systems faster and more cost-effectively,” he continued.

Umbra did not immediately respond to a question about the location of its new office.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority to secure the project for Virginia. Spanberger approved a $500,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Fairfax County with the expansion. VEDP will provide funding and consulting services to support the company’s employee training activities through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

“Fairfax County has quietly become home to one of the nation’s most concentrated space ecosystems, with more than 150 companies supporting space-related missions, and over half of them choosing to expand or relocate here in just the past few years,” Jeffrey C. McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, said in Thursday’s news release.

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Fairfax County Public Schools has updated its schedule for students and employees on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 5 and 6.

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Fairfax County Public Schools will open on a two-hour delay on both Thursday and Friday, Feb. 5 and 6, Superintendent Michelle C. Reid said in an email sent to FCPS families on Wednesday.

With the delay, students will travel during daylight hours, which will be safer, according to Reid.

"As we look to the rest of the week and the persistent presence of snow and ice on many of our sidewalks and bus stops, we feel the safest thing to do for our students and staff is to continue with our delayed start times," she said.

Central and school offices will open on time Thursday and Friday. FCPS plans to open schools on time next week, with updated information provided on Sunday afternoon.

These activities in schools and on school grounds are canceled or delayed:

In addition, School Age Child Care and Beyond the Bell centers will open at 8 a.m. Afternoon preschool classes will start on their regular schedule, and Adult and Community Education classes will start on time.

FCPS’ Office of Transportation Services will notify families of any changes to bus stops due to road conditions. There may be some delays.

"We ask families to monitor the Bus Delay website to get up-to-date information on the route status," Reid said. "The website will record if a bus is running more than 10 minutes late. Parents will also receive an email if a bus is more than 30 minutes late."

Families that feel staying home is safer are asked to call their child’s school to get an excused absence. Additional updates will be available on the FCPS website and the FCPS mobile app.

An adult from Northern Virginia has come down with the measles, marking the commonwealth’s fifth case of the contagious virus this year.

While the latest case was confirmed in an adult, the prior four patients have been children ages 4 or younger, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

Virginia health officials have warned that people who were around the patient late last month should take precautions and fill out a survey online to report the possible exposure to the Fairfax County Health Department.

The person with measles visited several spots around Herndon: an apartment complex, a restaurant and a grocery store. Other potential exposure sites include a Reston supermarket and an animal shelter in Fairfax.

These are the sites where Virginia health officials said people could have been exposed and the times the patient visited:

The case in Northern Virginia comes as measles surges in the Americas, with the highest numbers in the U.S. being reported in South Carolina.

South Carolina has been combating a measles outbreak since early October 2025. The state’s health department has reported 875 cases of the illness related to the outbreak, as of Feb. 3.

What to do if you’ve potentially been exposed

If there’s a chance you were exposed to measles, Virginia health officials recommend you confirm whether you’re up to date on measles vaccines.

Virginians can request their immunization status online.

People who may have been exposed should start by filling out the survey, according to the health department. Health officials said they will reach out to people who need to take additional steps.

For people who are not fully vaccinated and have never had measles in the past, health officials recommend contacting your health care provider or calling your local health department with any questions.

Virginia health officials said if you were potentially exposed, watch for measles symptoms for 21 days — until Feb. 21.

Anyone who suspects they may have measles should stay home and contact a health care provider. Symptoms of measles could include a runny nose, fever over 101 degrees, cough, red or watery eyes and a rash.

Infants, who are too young to receive the MMR vaccine, and people who are not vaccinated for measles are at the highest risk of catching the virus. Health officials recommend that infants 6 to 11 months of age get a dose of the vaccine before traveling internationally or to an area with an outbreak.

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