Morning Notes

County Expands Electric Vehicle Pilot — The Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination recently picked five new communities to join its Charge Up Fairfax pilot program, which helps neighborhoods install electric vehicle charging equipment. The latest participants are the Colonies at McLean, Strathmeade Square Community, Villa Ridge Condominium, Washington Plaza Cluster Association and Waterford Square Condominium Unit Owners Association. [WTOP]

School Board Members Share Identity Through Books for Inauguration — “Four returning members and eight newcomers were sworn onto the board at the ceremony Wednesday evening. Some members brought sentimental Bibles, some brought stacks of books they connected with and others used no book at all. A number of members saw the ceremony as an opportunity to demonstrate their stance on the rise of book challenges.” [Washington Post]

Fairfax Man Gets Prison for Cyberstalking — “A man from Fairfax was sentenced on Monday to over three years in federal prison for cyberstalking a man and a woman.” Michael Ghali, 35, pleaded guilty to sending “sexually explicit and threatening text messages” to a Maryland woman starting in June 2020, and he also sent emails threatening a former coworker around that same time. [DC News Now]

Transit Advocate Laments Vienna’s Lack of New Housing — “[Fairfax County] estimates that Vienna’s zoning policies will only lead to 250 new residents between now and 2050. So to try to make up for Vienna and other jurisdictions’ refusal to do their part, the county is trying to jam as much housing as it can into the one place that can’t say no because it’s not a city: Tysons.” [Greater Greater Washington]

Bailey’s Crossroads Shopping Center Adds Furniture Store, Restaurant — “Two new businesses are coming to the Crossroads Place Shopping Center in Bailey’s Crossroads — Charleys Cheesesteaks and Wings and Fortunoff Backyard Store. The companies just signed leases with the owner, Levin Management Corp., so it’s too soon to set opening dates, says Sandy Crisafulli of Caryl Communications.” [Annandale Today]

Art Projects Enliven Annandale Commercial Spaces — “The ‘Art in Daily Spaces’ initiative invites 10 local artists to showcase their Pop Art creations in commercial spaces throughout Annandale. The artworks will be displayed in such places as restaurants, coffee shops, stores, hair salons, laundromats, or office lobbies.” [Annandale Today]

N. Va. Pizza Chain Named One of World’s Best — “Arlington’s Pupatella has been recognized by an international pizza ranking guide as one of the premier pizza chains worldwide…The pizza chain has expanded to seven additional locations across the D.C. area,” including ones in Reston, Merrifield and Springfield. [ARLnow]

McLean Group Gets “Visit” From Former First Lady — “A woman who helped steer the ship of state during her husband’s incapacitation visited with the McLean Historical Society at its Dec. 12 meeting. Phyllis Verhalen portrayed First Lady Edith Wilson, the wife of President Woodrow Wilson, at the event, discussing her life and role during the final years of her husband’s presidency.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Tuesday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 40 degrees, accompanied by a breezy northwest wind. In the evening, the sky will remain clear with temperatures dropping to around 27 degrees, while the northwest wind decreases to 7 to 11 mph. [Weather.gov]