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

First Watch expands with new cafes coming to Fairfax County

By Angela Woolsey
The daytime cafe First Watch will open in Franconia and Fair Lakes in 2024 (courtesy First Watch)

First Watch is bringing its avocado toast and million dollar bacon to more spots around Fairfax County.

The fast-casual cafe, which serves made-to-order food and drinks for breakfast, brunch and lunch, will open at least two more locations in the county next year — with a third potentially also in the works.

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News

Remaking of Hunters Woods ballfield as neighborhood park completed in Reston

By Angela Woolsey
Trees and native plants grow in the new rain garden at the former Hunters Woods ballfield (courtesy RA)

Reston’s Hunters Woods ballfield has finished its transformation from an underutilized baseball diamond into a park with walking paths, new trees and other features is now complete.

Construction on the redevelopment started on Aug. 11 and wrapped up last week, coming in not only four months ahead of schedule, but also about 10% under approximately $400,000 budget, according to Reston Association, which owns the park.

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News

FCPD: Recent ATM thefts, armed robbery in Lincolnia may be related

By Angela Woolsey
Police say these ATMs were damaged in a reported theft attempt and an armed robbery in Lincolnia on Nov. 7 (courtesy FCPD)

Fairfax County police are investigating potential connections between some recent ATM break-ins and armed robberies in the Lincolnia area.

Officers responded to the TD Bank in Pinecrest Plaza at 6566 Little River Turnpike around 3:08 a.m. yesterday (Tuesday) after getting a call that three people were attempting to “forcibly access” the ATM, according to a news release from the Fairfax County Police Department.

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Countywide

BREAKING: Herrity is lone GOP victor as Democrats dominate Fairfax County elections

By Angela Woolsey
Fairfax County voters went to the polls today for the 2023 general election (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 12:35 a.m. on 11/8/2023) The Democratic Party’s hold in Fairfax County remains strong, despite Republican efforts to make headway by centering issues from high taxes and “parental rights” in public education to highway tolls.

Preliminary general election results show that candidates supported by the Democrats, either officially or through endorsements, are in line to win every seat on this year’s lengthy ballot — except for Springfield District supervisor.

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News

UPDATED: Firefighters face explosion while responding to ‘utility emergency’ at Bailey’s Crossroads

By Angela Woolsey
The Fairfax County Fire and Department responds to a utility emergency at Build America Plaza in Bailey's Crossroads (via FCFRD/Twitter)

(Updated at 8:45 p.m.) An explosion occurred while Fairfax County firefighters were addressing “a utility emergency” at Build America Plaza in Bailey’s Crossroads earlier this evening (Monday).

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department personnel, including an investigator, were dispatched to the shopping center at 3819 South George Mason Drive around 4:30 p.m., according to scanner traffic on Open MHz.

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Around Town

McLean Project for the Arts to celebrate art and jazz at potential second location

By Angela Woolsey
MPA Inspires will take place in the McLean Project for the Arts' planned new space in The Signet (via Google Maps)

The McLean Project for the Arts is going downtown, at least for a weekend, though it hopes to stay longer.

The nonprofit will launch an inaugural “MPA Inspires” celebration of art and jazz on Nov. 18-19 that will also serve as its introduction to a new space at The Signet (6910 Fleetwood Road), a seven-story condominium building with some ground-floor retail space.

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Around Town

Sixty Vines to open next month in former Clyde’s at Reston Town Center

By Angela Woolsey
The restaurant Sixty Vines is set to open at Reston Town Center in December (courtesy Sixty Vines)

A restaurant with five dozen wines on tap is on track to fill the void left by Clyde’s of Reston before the end of this year.

Sixty Vines, a Texas-based concept that pitches itself as a “wine lover’s restaurant,” will open its first Virginia location in 11905 Market Street at Reston Town Center this December, though an exact launch date remains to be determined.

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News

Free meals truck seeks to stay long-term at Lewinsville Senior Center in McLean

By Angela Woolsey
SevaTruck provides free meals at the Annandale Community Center in March 2023 (courtesy Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services)

A nonprofit that has been serving free meals made at Lewinsville Senior Center throughout the COVID-19 pandemic hopes to establish a permanent presence at the McLean facility.

Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS), which operates the senior center at 1613 Great Falls Street, applied in late 2022 for a special exception amendment that would let SevaTruck Foundation keep using the center’s kitchen to cook, store and package food.

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Around Town

First-ever Winterfest to light up Reston this holiday season

By Angela Woolsey
Reston Association will host Winterfest at Browns Chapel on Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 (via RA)

Reston Association hopes to start a new holiday tradition this year with its first-ever Winterfest.

The three-day “holiday extravaganza” will take place at the Brown’s Chapel Park recreation area (1575 Browns Chapel Road) from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, RA announced in its weekly “Reston Today” newsletter on Friday (Nov. 3).

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Countywide

Longtime ArtsFairfax leader to retire after expanding nonprofit’s role in community

By Angela Woolsey
With former board chairs John Mason and Shelly Hazel, and current chair Scott Cryer, ArtsFairfax president and CEO Linda Sullivan announces at the 2023 ArtsFairfax Awards that she will retire (courtesy A.E. Landes Photography/ArtsFairfax)

The woman who oversaw ArtsFairfax’s transformation from an events programmer into the top advocate for Fairfax County’s arts and culture community will soon step down as leader of the nonprofit.

Linda Sullivan announced her plan to retire after 14 years as president and CEO on Oct. 26 at the 2023 ArtsFairfax Awards, an annual celebration and fundraiser that she established to honor notable local artists, arts and cultural organizations and their supporters.

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