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.

Around Town

Smashburger to open first restaurant with bar in Kingstowne this weekend

By Angela Woolsey
Smashburger will open its newest location at Kingstowne Towne Center on Saturday, Sept. 23 (courtesy Smashburger)

Patties and patrons alike can get smashed at the new Smashburger in Kingstowne.

Set for a grand opening celebration this Saturday (Sept. 23), the burger chain’s new location at 5920 Kingstowne Center will be its first with a full bar, selling beer and cocktails with names like Blackberry Smash, Smoke & Spice Margarita, Smash Rum Punch and Coconut Mule.

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News

School board proposes changing namesake of Woodson High School

By Angela Woolsey
Sign for W.T. Woodson High School (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Woodson High School may soon drop “W.T.” from the beginning of its name.

The Fairfax County School Board launched a formal process last week to consider renaming the school just outside Fairfax City, adding it to a growing list of local institutions and landmarks whose monikers have been reevaluated in recent years.

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News

Merrifield sewer upgrade inches closer to construction, despite land rights holdout

By Angela Woolsey
Fairfax County plans to install a 20-inch sewer pipe under seven properties at the corner of Route 29 and Eskridge Road in Merrifield (via Fairfax County)

The value of an office building just outside the Mosaic District will determine whether Fairfax County has to go to court to boost a Merrifield sewer’s capacity.

The owner of 8315 Lee Highway is the lone remaining holdout in land rights negotiations with the county, which has reached agreements for six of the seven properties that will be affected by the project, land acquisition staff reported to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors last week.

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News

FCPD: Man sexually assaulted girl in Burke, may be linked to more cases

By Angela Woolsey
Police are investigating assaults against minors that occurred in September around trails in the Burke area (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 12:20 p.m.) Fairfax County police believe a single man may be responsible for a series of assaults on minors in the Burke area.

A 65-year-old Burke man has been arrested and charged with sexual battery of a minor in connection to an incident that occurred on Sept. 7, the Fairfax County Police Department announced today (Monday).

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News

Vienna Police: Man arrested for reporting vehicle involved in crashes as stolen

By Angela Woolsey
Vienna Police (file photo)

(Updated at 10 a.m.) An Arlington man faces criminal charges after Vienna police learned that a vehicle he reported as stolen had, in fact, been involved in a hit-and-run crash.

The Vienna Police Department got a report on July 30 from a supposed resident who said his vehicle had been stolen out of his garage on Battle Street SE sometime between midnight on July 29 and 9 a.m. on July 30.

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News

FCPD: Young bicyclist seriously injured in Dunn Loring crash

By Angela Woolsey
Fairfax County police car with lights on (file photo)

A child has been hospitalized with serious injuries after he was hit by a sedan while riding his bicycle on Idylwood Road, police say.

“Officers are on scene of a serious crash involving a cyclist at Idylwood Rd and Greenbrier Way in Dunn Loring,” the Fairfax County Police Department said in a tweet at 1:04 p.m. “A juvenile male was taken to the hospital in serious condition.”

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Countywide

Langley HS student and others lauded by county for working to improve environment

By Angela Woolsey
Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck (via Fairfax County)

A senior at Langley High School, a county planner who helped craft an environmental plan for Reston, and a local business dedicated to reducing waste are among the recipients of this year’s Fairfax County Environmental Excellence Awards.

Handed out annually since 2000, the awards recognize residents, county staff, businesses and other organizations “who demonstrate extraordinary leadership within the community and exceptional dedication to the preservation and enhancement of the county’s natural resources,” according to the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination.

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News

Vienna and Fairfax City cook up program to help staff local restaurants

By Angela Woolsey
A restaurant worker looks at order tickets (via Daniel Bradley/Unsplash)

The Town of Vienna and Fairfax City believe two cooks would be better than one when it comes to concocting a culinary workforce program to support their local restaurants.

The economic development teams from both localities have joined forces to develop a program that could provide job training or help businesses identify prospective, qualified employees.

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Countywide

Fairfax County to get updated COVID-19 vaccines amid surge in illness

By Angela Woolsey
COVID-19 cases reported in the Fairfax Health District over the past year, as of Sept. 14, 2023 (via VDH)

(Updated at 4:45 p.m.) A new batch of COVID-19 vaccines is on the way, as the disease appears to be surging once again.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday (Sept. 14) that it recommends everyone 6 months and older get the shots, which have been updated to provide improved protection against the variants fueling the current rise in illness and hospitalizations.

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Around Town

McLean Project for the Arts unveils return of regional painting showcase

By Angela Woolsey
McLean Community Center (file photo)

The newest exhibition curated by the McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) is all about painting.

The local arts organization will launch the 14th iteration of “(Not) Strictly Painting” — its biennial showcase of work from artists based in the Mid-Atlantic region — with an opening reception from 7-9 p.m. tonight (Thursday).

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