Author: Angela Woolsey

Angela Woolsey is the site editor for FFXnow. A graduate of George Mason University, she worked as a general assignment reporter for the Fairfax County Times before joining Local News Now as the Tysons Reporter editor in 2020.

News

Electrical fire leads to smoke, power outage on Route 7 in Tysons

By Angela Woolsey
Electrical equipment caught on fire near 8219 Leesburg Pike in Tysons (photo by Alan Henney)

Dark smoke was seen wafting over Route 7 near the Tysons Commerce Center office building (8219 Leesburg Pike) earlier this afternoon.

Alan Henney, a local crime and public safety watcher, reported hearing an “explosion [that] sounded like a transformer with fire” in the 8200 block of Leesburg Pike around 12:30 p.m. Photos and videos of the scene showed black smoke billowing up from near the office building, which is across the street from PetSmart.

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Around Town

Interactive Hot Wheels experience to take off at Tysons Corner Center tomorrow

By Angela Woolsey
Hot Wheels Champion Experience will open at Tysons Corner Center on Dec. 15 (courtesy Mattel and SEE Touring Exhibitions)

Mattel is ready to hit the gas pedal on its new Hot Wheels Champion Experience in Tysons.

The interactive exhibit will open to patrons at Tysons Corner Center at 9 a.m. tomorrow (Friday), a week later than previously anticipated. It’s located on the mall’s second floor in the former Old Navy space next to Barnes and Noble.

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News

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

By Angela Woolsey
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.

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News

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

By Angela Woolsey
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.

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News

Police identify Woodbridge man killed in shooting near Kingstowne

By Angela Woolsey
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.

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News

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

By Angela Woolsey
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).

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News

Residential conversion of office building near Freedom Hill Elementary advances

By Angela Woolsey
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.

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News

Culprit sought in fatal stabbing of pit bull on Centreville trail

By Angela Woolsey
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.

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Around Town

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

By Angela Woolsey
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.

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News

NEW: Indoor pickleball facilities coming to Fairfax City, Annandale

By Angela Woolsey
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).

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