Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

Published October 10, 2023 at 11:45AM

My Market is stocked with both perishable and nonperishable food (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Finding sufficient, quality food remains a challenge for many people across the D.C. area, even with the immediate economic disruptions triggered by the pandemic in the rear view mirror, the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) says in a new report.

Released last month, the nonprofit’s 2023 Hunger Report found that the region is still seeing elevated levels of food insecurity that are nearly identical to what was reported a year earlier. In Fairfax County, 24% of residents are food insecure — the exact same percentage as in 2022.

Around Town

Sneakers sculpted from ‘high-end trash’ will set foot in Tysons Corner Center this week

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 10, 2023 at 11:00AM

Falls Church artist Andy Yoder's sneaker sculpture exhibit "Overboard" is coming to Tysons Corner Center (courtesy Overboard)

Take a seat, Ben Affleck. A new artistic statement about Nike’s trendy Air Jordans is coming to town.

Falls Church artist Andy Yoder’s well-traveled exhibit “Overboard” will take up residence at Tysons Corner Center starting this Friday (Oct. 13), the latest installation resulting from the mall’s ongoing collaboration with local arts agency ArtsFairfax.

Countywide

Morning Notes

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 10, 2023 at 8:15AM

A seating area on Wilkins Plaza at George Mason University's Fairfax campus (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

GMU’s Fall for the Book Kicks Off Today — After a week of preview events, George Mason University’s annual book festival officially returns today for its 25th anniversary. The festivities will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a talk by roller derby skater Gabe Montesanti about her new memoir and continue through Saturday (Oct. 14). [Fall for the Book]

Police Investigate Linked Thefts and Vehicle Break-Ins — “Detectives from our Major Crimes Bureau, Criminal Investigations Division, are investigating a series of vehicle break-ins and package thefts that occurred between October 3-4. The suspect is believed to be responsible for breaking into several vehicles and stealing items during the late-night hours in both the Fair Oaks and Reston police districts.” [FCPD]

Around Town

Halal hot chicken chain coming to Vienna in first step of N. Va. expansion

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 9, 2023 at 2:30PM | Updated October 11, 2023 at 10:36AM

The Red Bird, a hot chicken chain, is coming soon to Vienna's Cedar Park Shopping Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 10:35 a.m. on 10/11/2023) A fledgling hot chicken chain with ambitions of becoming “the next Chick-fil-A” is flocking to Northern Virginia, starting with the Town of Vienna.

Signs for The Red Bird recently emerged in the windows of the former McDonald’s at the Cedar Park Shopping Center, which hasn’t yet identified the new tenant on its site plan. Mickey D’s abruptly vacated the 1,353-square-foot space last summer after more than a decade there.

News

Developer of Oakton’s AT&T campus scales back housing, preserves more trees

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 9, 2023 at 11:45AM | Updated October 9, 2023 at 1:48PM

The existing AT&T campus at 3033 Chain Bridge Road in Oakton (via EYA)

(Updated at 1:45 p.m.) A proposal to redevelop AT&T’s campus in Oakton with housing and retail has undergone some changes since it went before the Fairfax County Planning Commission in March.

Joined by county planners, developer EYA presented a revised concept to the community on Oct. 2 that cut back slightly on the number of proposed apartments, while tweaking the site layout to allow more open and green space.

News

Route 29 pedestrian path in Merrifield no longer ends at ditch

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 9, 2023 at 10:15AM

There's now a continuous shared-use path along northbound Route 29 between Vaden Drive and Nutley Street (courtesy VDOT)

A ditch will no longer force pedestrians and bicyclists to ditch the shared path along Route 29 in Merrifield.

Construction has been substantially completed on a new, unbroken shared-use path spanning about one-third of a mile between Vaden Drive and Nutley Street, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced on Friday (Oct. 6).

News

Pedestrian killed in hit-and-run crash on Richmond Highway

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 7, 2023 at 11:00AM | Updated October 7, 2023 at 1:18PM

Richmond Highway at Brevard Court in Mount Vernon (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 1:20 p.m.) A pedestrian died last night (Friday) after a hit-and-run crash on Richmond Highway (Route 1) in the Woodlawn area of Mount Vernon.

Police officers were called to Richmond Highway near Brevard Court at 10:10 p.m., followed by emergency medical services with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department around 10:12 p.m.

News

UPDATED: Man arrested in Florida after stabbing woman in Lorton

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 6, 2023 at 3:50PM | Updated October 8, 2023 at 5:44PM

Fairfax County police car lights flashing (file photo)

Updated at 5:45 p.m. on 10/8/2023 — Police have identified the suspect in Friday’s Lorton stabbing as 27-year-old Jorge Andres Esquivel Rivera, the son of the victim.

Updated at 10:25 a.m. on 10/7/2023 — The man suspected of stabbing a woman in Lorton was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol in Jacksonville last night (Friday), the Fairfax County Police Department announced today.

Countywide

Oakton nonprofit launches crisis services to help LGBTQ youth

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 6, 2023 at 11:45AM

The Oakton-based nonprofit PRS is adding specialized crisis services for LGBTQ youth (courtesy PRS CrisisLink)

The Oakton-based nonprofit that runs Northern Virginia’s suicide and crisis hotline is now offering mental health services specifically geared toward young, LGBTQ people.

PRS announced yesterday (Thursday) that it’s hiring 40 new crisis workers who have specialized training and experience to handle calls and texts from LGBTQ individuals who are 25 or younger.

News

Vienna’s former Faith Baptist Church to be demolished early next year

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 6, 2023 at 10:15AM | Updated October 31, 2023 at 2:24PM

The former Faith Baptist Church building in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 2:20 p.m. on 10/31/2023) The end is nigh for Vienna’s former Faith Baptist Church.

The Vienna Town Council gave town staff the green light on Monday (Oct. 2) to pay a contractor $327,608 to demolish the building at 301 Center Street South, where it has stood since the 1950s and remained vacant since the police department finished moving out in January.