Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

County family services worker under arrest for reported rape

Published July 5, 2023 at 10:15AM | Updated July 5, 2023 at 10:35AM

The Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (file photo)

(Updated at 10:35 a.m.) An employee of the Fairfax County Department of Family Services has been arrested for allegedly raping and sexually assaulting a woman last week.

Detectives with the Fairfax County Police Department’s Major Crimes Bureau arrested Ernest Melo, 35, of Centreville on Sunday (July 2) after the victim reported the June 28 assault to police a day earlier.

News

JUST IN: Lake Accotink closed due to potential sewage contamination

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 30, 2023 at 2:45PM | Updated June 30, 2023 at 4:05PM

Lake Accotink Park paddle boats (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) Lake Accotink is off limits entering the Fourth of July holiday weekend after an upstream sewage spill potentially contaminated the water.

Fairfax County has shut down all activities on the North Springfield lake, including fishing and boating, while the water is tested for bacteria.

News

Construction on Idylwood park trail, playground and more to begin in July

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 30, 2023 at 2:15PM

The conceptual development plan for Ruckstuhl Park, from a master plan approved in 2015 (via Fairfax County Park Authority)

Residents near Ruckstuhl Park in Idylwood will soon have a trail, playground and other amenities to explore, but first, they must endure some construction.

Active site work to implement the master plan for the 7.2-acre park at 2445 Idylwood Road is expected to begin by early July, the Fairfax County County Park Authority said yesterday (Thursday).

News

Town of Vienna’s remaining trees are unusually healthy, inventory finds

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 30, 2023 at 11:00AM

Trees and a bench in Vienna's Wildwood Park (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Vienna’s tree canopy may be shrinking, but the trees still standing are actually doing quite well, a recently released town-wide inventory found.

About 88% of the 7,224 trees on public land examined by PlanIT Geo are in “fair” or “good” condition, the consultant told the Vienna Town Council when presenting its findings on June 20.

Countywide

UPDATED: Walgreens extends test of one-hour deliveries from D.C. area stores

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 29, 2023 at 3:00PM | Updated July 5, 2023 at 5:52PM

Walgreens has been testing one-hour deliveries in the D.C. area (courtesy Walgreens)

Updated at 5:50 p.m. on 7/5/2023 — Walgreens has extended its one-hour delivery promotion through July, citing a positive response to the D.C. area pilot in June.

“We know summer is a busy time for our customers and that they’re looking for easy, quick and convenient solutions,” the company said.

News

Emergency repairs needed to prevent Shreve Road sewer pipe collapse

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 29, 2023 at 2:15PM

The location of a sewer pipe on Shreve Road undergoing emergency repairs (via Dalia Palchik/Twitter)

A hole was recently found in a sewer pipe along Shreve Road in Idylwood, necessitating emergency repairs that started yesterday (Wednesday).

The issue was discovered during a “routine inspection” of the pipe, which carries wastewater from 34 homes and Shrevewood Elementary School, according to the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services.

News

West Falls Church Metro mixed-use development approved, but parking decision still to come

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 29, 2023 at 11:00AM

West Falls Church Metro redevelopment rendering (via EYA)

A plan to transform the West Falls Church Metro station’s parking lot into a mixed-use neighborhood has gotten Fairfax County’s approval, but a requested parking reduction — perhaps the most contentious element of the project — won’t be settled until July.

After a public hearing on Tuesday (June 27), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors gave its support to the proposal from developers EYA, Rushmark Properties, and Hoffman & Associates, known collectively as FGCP-Metro LLC.

Countywide

Metro to electrify Fairfax County bus facility with federal grant

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 29, 2023 at 9:30AM

Metro plans to convert all of its buses to zero emissions by 2042 (courtesy Metro)

Metro’s bus facility in Franconia is a step closer to going electric, thanks to a big infusion of funding from the federal government.

The Federal Transit Administration has awarded Metro a $104 million grant to convert its Cinder Bed Road Bus Division garage at 7901 Cinder Bed Road into a fully electric facility, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced Monday (June 26).

Countywide

JUST IN: Code Red air quality from Canada wildfires possible tomorrow

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 28, 2023 at 5:00PM | Updated June 28, 2023 at 9:26PM

Haze seen over I-66 in Oakton on June 7 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 9:30 p.m.) A Code Red Air Quality alert has been issued for the D.C. region.

In Fairfax County, conditions are expected to worsen to an air quality index (AQI) rating of 164 tomorrow (Thursday), due primarily to particulate matter drifting down to the U.S. from ongoing wildfires in Canada, according to AirNow’s air quality forecast.

Around Town

A new gym might be moving into Tysons West

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 28, 2023 at 2:15PM | Updated June 29, 2023 at 2:16PM

Entrance to the former 24 Hour Fitness in Tysons West (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Updated at 2:15 p.m. on 6/29/2023 — The new gym tenant coming to Tysons West appears to be Club Studio Fitness, a new brand recently started by Fitness International, the same company that owns LA Fitness.

Earlier: Another gym appears to be angling for the former 24 Hour Fitness spot in Tysons West.