Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

FCPD: Springfield man charged with attempted sexual assault

Published February 5, 2025 at 8:15AM

Police have charged Yapheth Ably Emiru with allegedly attempting to sexually assault a woman in Springfield (courtesy Fairfax County Police Department)

A man who tried to sexually assault a woman near the Springfield Crossing apartments late last month has been arrested, Fairfax County police announced yesterday (Tuesday).

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, officers were called to the 6700 block of Metropolitan Center Drive shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 27 for a report of an abduction and an attempted sexual assault.

Countywide

BREAKING: Fairfax County casino bill passes Virginia Senate

By Angela Woolsey

Published February 4, 2025 at 2:15PM | Updated February 4, 2025 at 4:22PM

State Sen. Scott Surovell speaks to Senate Bill 982, which would make Fairfax County eligible for a casino (via Senate of Virginia)

Legislation that would give Fairfax County the authority to ask voters to allow a casino is heading to the Virginia House of Delegates.

After a passionate debate that split Fairfax County’s typically unified delegation, the contentious bill from Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34) to add the county to the short list of localities eligible to host a casino passed the state Senate today (Tuesday) by a 24-16 vote.

News

Dozens of species spotted in annual Reston winter bird count

By Angela Woolsey

Published February 4, 2025 at 11:15AM

A snow goose on the water in Reston (photo by Ed Hass)

Even with increased development in the area, Reston’s bird population has remained steady — at least according to Reston Association’s annual bird counts.

The organization’s environmental staff and volunteers identified 1,685 individual birds from 52 different species during their 2025 Reston Winter Bird Count, which was conducted on a Saturday in early January.

News

Report: Costs of relocating FBI HQ to Springfield site were overstated

By Angela Woolsey

Published February 4, 2025 at 9:45AM

The General Services Administration Warehouse in Springfield, potential site of the FBI's new headquarters (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The federal agency that led the search for a new FBI headquarters site provided some inaccurate estimates of the costs associated with a Springfield relocation, possibly hampering Fairfax County’s bid for the project, a new report found.

The inaccurate cost information was one of a few issues with the site selection process identified by the inspector general for the General Services Administration (GSA), which began a review in late 2023 in response to complaints from Northern Virginia’s Congressional delegation and concerns raised by the FBI.

News

Patrick Henry Library staff readies for move ahead of new facility’s construction

By Angela Woolsey

Published February 4, 2025 at 9:00AM

Inside Patrick Henry Library in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

After years of planning, the start of construction on a new library for the Town of Vienna is almost within sight.

Staff at Patrick Henry Library have started preparing to relocate to a temporary site in the Cedar Park Shopping Center, where some services will be offered while the new facility is being built, Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) announced in an alert to patrons on Friday (Jan. 31).

News

NOW: Fairfax County police officer stabbed in Fair Lakes area

By Angela Woolsey

Published February 3, 2025 at 4:50PM

Fairfax County police car with lights flashing (file photo)

A man has been arrested after allegedly stabbing a Fairfax County police officer.

Officers responded to the 12800 block of Fair Lakes Pkwy at around 2:47 p.m. for a “suspicious person” after 911 received “several calls” from someone who was rambling, according to scanner traffic.

News

Developer proposes ‘reimagining’ of Reston’s Lake Fairfax Business Center

By Angela Woolsey

Published February 3, 2025 at 1:15PM

EYA is seeking to redevelop the Lake Fairfax Business Center in Reston with housing, including townhomes (via Poole & Poole Architecture/Fairfax County)

Fairfax County has received an official plan for the proposed redevelopment of the Lake Fairfax Business Center in Reston.

EYA Development hopes to “revitalize” the suburban commercial campus by replacing several mostly vacant office buildings with housing that it anticipates will encourage more around-the-clock activity, taking advantage of the property’s proximity to the Wiehle Metro station, according to a rezoning application submitted on Friday, Jan. 31.

Countywide

Relief fund launches to support DCA crash victims’ families, recovery efforts

By Angela Woolsey

Published February 3, 2025 at 11:15AM

Police and fire boats search the Potomac River after the Jan. 29 mid-air airplane and helicopter collision near Reagan National Airport with the crash site visible in the background (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A new relief fund has emerged to supplement the patchwork of GoFundMe pages and meal trains created to support the families of those who died in last week’s airplane and helicopter crash into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport.

The Capital Area Community Foundations, a partnership of D.C.-area nonprofits that includes the Oakton-based Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, launched a DCA Together Relief Fund on Friday (Jan. 31) to raise money for the families, first responders and organizations providing mental health services and other recovery resources.

News

Substitute teacher charged with assaulting student at Reston school

By Angela Woolsey

Published February 3, 2025 at 9:00AM

Dogwood Elementary School sign (via Google Maps)

A Fairfax County Public Schools substitute teacher has been arrested and dismissed from her job for allegedly assaulting a student at Dogwood Elementary School (12300 Glade Drive).

The county’s Child Protective Services received a referral on Sept. 25, 2024 indicating that a substitute teacher had assaulted a student at the Reston school, the Fairfax County Police Department said in a press release on Saturday (Feb. 1).

Countywide

JUST IN: Army identifies soldiers on Fort Belvoir helicopter in DCA crash

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 31, 2025 at 3:55PM | Updated January 31, 2025 at 5:21PM

An American Airlines flight passes over nearly two dozen crosses near Gravelly Point, a tribute to the 67 victims of the mid-air collision over the Potomac River (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Two of the three soldiers on the Army helicopter that collided with an American Airlines passenger jet over the Potomac River on Wednesday (Jan. 29) have been identified.

One of the bodies that has been recovered so far appears to be that of Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, a 28-year-old Lilburn, Georgia, native who had served in the Army as a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot since 2017, the Department of the Army announced today (Friday).