Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

BREAKING: Del. Mark Keam resigns from General Assembly, triggering special election

Published September 6, 2022 at 1:30PM | Updated September 7, 2022 at 1:29PM

Mark Keam has resigned as delegate for Virginia's 35th House District after 12 years (courtesy Mark Keam)

(Updated at 1:30 p.m. on 9/7/2022) Del. Mark Keam (D-35) has stepped down from his seat in the Virginia General Assembly after representing Tysons, Vienna, and Oakton for over a decade.

In an email message to supporters, Keam announced this morning (Tuesday) that he has submitted his resignation to Speaker of the House Todd Gilbert in order to work in President Joe Biden’s administration.

News

UPDATED: Two people and dog die from house fire in West Falls Church area

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 6, 2022 at 11:45AM | Updated September 7, 2022 at 8:36AM

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue engine (file photo)

Updated at 8:35 a.m. on 9/7/2022 — The second occupant in yesterday’s house fire — identified as Patricia Stodrl, 67, of Falls Church — died last night, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department announced.

Earlier: A kid died at the hospital this morning (Tuesday) after a house fire in the West Falls Church area, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reported.

News

Vienna Town Council punts on roof fixes for former Faith Baptist Church

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 6, 2022 at 10:15AM

The cross on the former Faith Baptist Church in Vienna will be removed (file photo)

The cross atop the former Faith Baptist Church in Vienna will come down, but otherwise, the town has opted for a “wait and see” approach to the 3-acre property it purchased in 2020.

The Vienna Town Council unanimously voted on Aug. 29 to indefinitely postpone repairs to the roof of the aging building at 301 Center Street South.

News

Husband charged with murder after woman killed in Mount Vernon home shooting

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 6, 2022 at 9:30AM

Fairfax County police car (file photo)

A 59-year-old woman died Sunday (Sept. 4) after she and her husband were found shot at a townhouse in the Mount Vernon area that morning.

The Fairfax County Police Department believes Daphne Saunders-Johnson was shot by her husband, James Johnson, who then shot himself in a “domestic-related incident.”

Countywide

Most-read Fairfax County stories of the week: Aug. 29-Sept. 2

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 2, 2022 at 3:00PM

A summer day on the W&OD Trail (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Labor Day weekend is almost here. Before you soak in the last summer rays before leaf-gathering season arrives or head to bed for some much-needed sleep, let’s revisit the past week of news in Fairfax County.

Here are the 10 most-read stories on FFXnow this week:

News

Police: Stolen vehicle leads trooper on crash-filled chase from Beltway into Groveton

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 2, 2022 at 11:00AM

A Virginia State Police vehicle (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A driver nearly hit one vehicle, rammed into a Virginia State Police trooper’s vehicle, and crashed into a third vehicle head-on during a police pursuit last night (Thursday) that extended from I-395 in Arlington to South Kings Highway in Groveton.

According to state police, a trooper saw a vehicle headed northbound on I-395 nearly hit another vehicle traveling in the same direction around 10:27 p.m. yesterday. When the trooper attempted to make a traffic stop, the vehicle instead “sped away,” a news release says.

News

Vienna’s Southside Park will get new trail with planned stream restoration

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 2, 2022 at 10:15AM

A worker stands next to 13 feet of exposed stream bank along Bear Branch in Southside Park (via Town of Vienna)

The Vienna Town Council dedicated over half a million dollars on Monday (Aug. 29) to an ongoing project to restore Bear Branch tributary, a stream that runs through Southside Park to I-66.

With no discussion, the council awarded a $543,258 design contract to A. Morton Thomas and Associates, Inc. (AMT), one of five engineering firms that submitted proposals for this second phase of a two-part project this past spring.

Countywide

Morning Poll: Have you had trouble getting trash collected lately?

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 2, 2022 at 9:30AM

Emptied trash and recycling bins by the street (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Trash collection has become a hot mess in Fairfax County of late.

After FFXnow reported earlier this week on local officials’ efforts to address an avalanche of complaints, many community members added their tales of woe to the ongoing saga of late or entirely neglected pickups, ineffectual communication, and reductions in service without accompanying decreases in fees.

Countywide

JUST IN: Police pursuit ends in car flip on Route 1 south of the Beltway

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 1, 2022 at 6:15PM | Updated September 2, 2022 at 10:13AM

Fairfax County police car lights flashing (file photo)

(Updated at 10:15 a.m. on 9/2/2022) Fairfax County police have arrested four people after chasing a vehicle on Route 1 that was allegedly stolen.

The north left shoulder, left lane, and center lane of Route 1 (also known as Richmond Highway) were closed today (Thursday) at the Fort Hunt Road intersection in Belle Haven, just south of the Capital Beltway, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation’s traffic information site.

Around Town

Revolving Kura Sushi bar now open in Tysons, its first in Virginia

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 1, 2022 at 2:15PM

Dishes like the pictured tuna nigiri are delivered to customers on conveyor belts (photo by Emily J. Davis for Kura Sushi)

A new sushi restaurant is rolling out in Tysons.

Kura Sushi welcomed dine-in customers to its 40th U.S. location and first in Virginia at noon today (Thursday). It initially opened its doors at 8461 Leesburg Pike, Suite C, last night (Wednesday) exclusively for takeout service.