Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

Man arrested for assault, break-in attempt at Bailey’s Crossroads home

Published December 14, 2023 at 11:45AM

Fairfax County police car with lights on (file photo)

A man was arrested in Maryland earlier this week for allegedly following a woman, assaulting her and trying to break into her house in Bailey’s Crossroads.

Fairfax County police officers and detectives were called to the home in the 5700 block of Poplar Lane near Bailey’s Crossroads at 12:31 a.m. on Dec. 8 for an assault and burglary, according to a news release.

News

County board seeks answers on uncertain timeline for Route 7 bus rapid transit

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 14, 2023 at 10:15AM | Updated June 24, 2024 at 6:29PM

Bus shelters at the Spring Hill Metro station, which will be the northern terminus of the planned Route 7 bus rapid transit system (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 9:25 a.m. on 12/15/2023) The long-running effort to bring bus rapid transit (BRT) service to Route 7 is about to enter a new stage of planning, but for some Fairfax County leaders, the milestone doubles as a reminder of how much more still needs to be done to turn Northern Virginia’s vision into a reality.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement at its Dec. 5 meeting to help fund an engineering study and environmental analysis required to implement the bus system, which will serve the corridor from the Spring Hill Metro station in Tysons to the Mark Center in Alexandria.

News

Police identify Woodbridge man killed in shooting near Kingstowne

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 14, 2023 at 9:30AM

Fairfax County police (file photo)

A Woodbridge man died Tuesday (Dec. 12) after getting shot in the Kingstowne area earlier that afternoon.

Fairfax County police officers were called to the 5300 block of Harbor Court Drive at 1:47 p.m. for a report of a shooting. A 911 caller said they saw someone pull out a gun and shoot at a black Dodge Charger, which drove off, according to the dispatch on Open MHz.

News

Fairfax County relocates fish, eels affected by government center pond dredging

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 13, 2023 at 3:30PM

A golden shiner is relocated from a Difficult Run pond outside the Fairfax County Government Center (courtesy DPWES)

Work is underway to restore the waterways around the Fairfax County Government Center.

To support the Difficult Run stream restoration project, which began in October, the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) worked with a consultant to relocate over 200 fish and eels to the pond outside the Herrity Building (12055 Government Center Parkway).

News

Residential conversion of office building near Freedom Hill Elementary advances

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 13, 2023 at 2:30PM

The owner of 8221 Old Courthouse Road is seeking to repurpose the office building as multi-family apartments (via Walter L. Phillips Inc./Fairfax County)

The owner of 8221 Old Courthouse Road has received the Fairfax County Planning Commission’s support for its plan to convert the 1980s-era Tysons office building into multi-family housing.

The proposal filed by 8221 Old Courthouse Road LC — an affiliate of residential developer Dittmar Company — seeks to repurpose the existing, three-story building as one and two-bedroom rental apartments. Up to 55 units are planned, including six workforce dwelling units.

News

Culprit sought in fatal stabbing of pit bull on Centreville trail

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 13, 2023 at 11:45AM

The area in Centreville where a pit bull was found dead after being stabbed (via Google Maps)

Local police are turning to the public for help identifying the person who stabbed and killed a dog in Centreville earlier this month.

A community member found the dead pit bull mix on Dec. 3 near a wooded trail that connects Route 29 and South Barros Court behind the Barros South townhomes, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

Around Town

Six eateries with Fairfax County ties among favorites chosen by Washingtonian readers

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 13, 2023 at 11:00AM

Andy's Pizza in Tysons Galleria (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The District dominates Washingtonian’s 2023 survey of its readers’ favorite restaurants, but a couple of the highlighted establishments can be found right in Fairfax County.

Looking at eateries that came out on top in the poll’s 21 categories, readers picked Andy’s Pizza as their favorite place for pizza in the D.C. area and Call Your Mother as their favorite spot for breakfast.

News

NEW: Indoor pickleball facilities coming to Fairfax City, Annandale

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 13, 2023 at 9:30AM | Updated December 13, 2023 at 11:47AM

A rendering of Down the Line Sports Center's planned Annandale pickleball facility (via Down the Line Sports Center)

(Updated at 11:45 a.m.) Pickleball devotees will soon have new places to play in the Fairfax area.

The Fairfax City Council voted last night (Tuesday) to grant a special use permit to Down the Line Sports Center, which will build an indoor pickleball facility to replace the vacated CVS in Courthouse Plaza (10390 Willard Way).

Around Town

Asian street food restaurant to replace Four Sisters, Oath Pizza closed in Merrifield

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 12, 2023 at 2:30PM

Hawkers Asian Street Food, seen in Arlington, is planning a restaurant in the Mosaic District (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A growing, Florida-based Asian street food chain has its sights set on Merrifield.

Hawkers is planning to open a restaurant in the Mosaic District next year, an employee at the company’s Arlington location confirmed to FFXnow.

Countywide

Fairfax County seeks to regulate ‘high-pressure’ gas pipelines in residential areas

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 12, 2023 at 11:00AM

Pimmit Hills community members rally against Washington Gas' proposed natural gas pipeline in 2020 (courtesy Devin Buries)

Fairfax County is exploring avenues for regulating or even prohibiting the construction of high-pressure natural gas pipelines under residential streets.

The county’s Board of Supervisors directed staff last week (Dec. 5) to evaluate options for “Board evaluation of, or possible prohibition of” gas pipelines that utilize local street rights-of-way based on their size, the type of pipe used and other operational factors.