Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

New historical marker tells story of long-standing Black church in McLean

Published September 26, 2024 at 1:15PM

A historical marker commemorating Gunnell's Chapel is unveiled at Clemyjontri Park in McLean (courtesy Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services/Flickr)

A historical marker now stands in McLean’s Clemyjontri Park as a monument to the site’s past as a center of social and spiritual activity for the local Black community.

Fairfax County officials, historians, students and present-day community leaders unveiled the marker commemorating Gunnell’s Chapel and its founder, Robert Gunnell, at a dedication ceremony last Saturday (Sept. 21).

News

Pedestrian killed in hit-and-run on Richmond Highway, fourth fatality in a week

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 26, 2024 at 9:30AM | Updated September 26, 2024 at 12:22PM

Southbound Richmond Highway at Woodlawn Trail in Hybla Valley (via Google Maps)

A pedestrian was killed by a driver who fled on Richmond Highway near Mount Vernon Plaza this morning (Thursday).

Fairfax County police officers were dispatched around 6:47 a.m. to Richmond Highway at Woodlawn Trail in Hybla Valley for a crash that left a man on the ground with “serious head trauma,” according to scanner traffic.

Around Town

Mosaic District fall festival adds petting zoo for 2024 return

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 26, 2024 at 8:15AM

A crowd at the 2023 Mosaic Fall Festival (photo courtesy of EDENS)

With the autumnal equinox now in the rearview mirror, the Mosaic Fall Festival is waiting to sweep back into Merrifield.

The annual seasonal celebration will bring food, music and animals to the Mosaic District this weekend (Sept. 28-29) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

News

County funds approved for future arts center in downtown McLean

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 25, 2024 at 2:30PM | Updated September 25, 2024 at 2:53PM

The McLean Project for the Arts hopes to build a new arts and education center at the Signet condominiums (rendering by CannonDesign)

A campaign to bring an arts center to downtown McLean will get a sizable contribution from Fairfax County.

The county’s Board of Supervisors voted 9-0 yesterday (Tuesday) to invest $500,000 from its Economic Opportunity Reserve (EOR) in the future arts and education center proposed by the nonprofit McLean Project for the Arts (MPA).

Countywide

JUST IN: Another person has died at Fairfax County’s jail

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 25, 2024 at 11:30AM | Updated September 25, 2024 at 1:13PM

Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A man held in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center died last weekend.

John Boos, 37, was found “unresponsive” in his cell by a sheriff’s deputy Saturday night (Sept. 21), prompting the deputy to call a medical emergency, the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) announced on Monday (Sept. 23).

Countywide

NEW: Former Fairfax County sheriff’s sergeant charged with assaulting arrested man

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 25, 2024 at 8:15AM

Fairfax County sheriff logo (file photo)

A former sergeant with the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) has been charged with assaulting a man during an arrest earlier this month.

Joshua Silver was arrested yesterday (Tuesday) and charged with assault and battery after appearing to punch the man in the head multiple times when he was brought to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center on Sept. 11, according to in-car video shared by the sheriff’s office.

Around Town

Popeyes, smoothie cafe and more coming to Tysons Corner Center

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 24, 2024 at 2:30PM

Popeyes is coming to Tysons Corner Center's first-floor food court (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Some new dining and shopping options are in development at Tysons Corner Center.

Fried chicken connoisseurs may be interested to know that the D.C. region’s biggest mall will soon be home to a Popeyes. Temporary signage wrapped around the fast food restaurant’s future space in the first-floor food court notes that it’ll be open Sundays — perhaps a cheeky shot at its rival in the chicken sandwich wars of 2019.

Around Town

Kevin Bacon coming to Fairfax County for Washington West Film Festival

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 24, 2024 at 9:45AM | Updated September 24, 2024 at 5:00PM

The Washington West Film Festival will return to Tysons and Reston in October 2024 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Washington West Film Festival will be cooking with Kevin Bacon when it returns to Fairfax County next month for its 13th year.

The “Footloose” star is set to visit the county both virtually and in-person as part of the philanthropic festival, which announced a varied lineup of movies this week that will screen from Oct. 10-13 at Look Dine-In Cinemas in Reston (11940 Market Street) and Tysons (1667 Silver Hill Drive).

News

Local Catholic churches collect winter coat donations for those in need

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 24, 2024 at 8:15AM

Students help Holy Spirit Catholic Church pastor Rev. John O'Donohue sort winter coat donations (photo by Patty Tang/Holy Spirit Catholic Church)

As the heat of summer starts to fade, some Fairfax County churches are refocusing their charitable efforts on the community’s needs for the coming winter.

With support from the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington, four churches in the county launched a winter coat drive earlier this month with the goal of collecting 10,000 coats for refugees, people experiencing homelessness and other community members in need.

News

VHC Health promises new medical option, pedestrian upgrades with Graham Center overhaul

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 23, 2024 at 2:30PM

VHC Health and Intuitive Health are looking to redevelop Graham Center in West Falls Church with a combined emergency room and urgent care facility (via Fairfax County)

A joint emergency room and urgent care center that Virginia Hospital Center (VHC) says will be the first facility of its kind in Virginia took a step closer to becoming a reality last week.

The Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval on Wednesday, Sept. 18 of VHC Health’s proposal to redevelop Graham Center (7234 Arlington Blvd) in West Falls Church with a new medical facility — a project that county staff agreed will “significantly improve pedestrian safety” compared to the existing, aging shopping center.