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.

Countywide

Lane on I-495 North to permanently close in preparation for express lane construction

By Angela Woolsey
The current end of the I-495 North Express Lanes in Tysons (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A lane closure is coming for I-495 in McLean, the first of what will likely be many similar changes to the roadway over the next few years.

The left-shoulder lane on northbound I-495, also known as the Capital Beltway, will close permanently between Old Dominion Drive and the George Washington Memorial Parkway interchange as soon as next Tuesday (May 31), the Virginia Department of Transportation announced yesterday (Wednesday).

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Countywide

Morning Poll: Have you watched the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial?

By Angela Woolsey
The Fairfax County Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

One of the most prominent court trials in recent Fairfax County history is drawing to a close.

Drawing celebrities, media, and an eclectic assortment of fans, actor Johnny Depp’s defamation lawsuit against fellow actor and ex-wife Amber Heard has unfolded in sobering, sometimes bizarre detail at the Fairfax County Courthouse since April 11.

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Countywide

JUST IN: Man arrested for alleged sexual assault of kid at Lake Accotink Park

By Angela Woolsey
The Lake Accotink dam in Springfield (staff photo by David Taube)

A 42-year-old man from Lorton faces criminal charges after allegedly sexually assaulting a kid at Lake Accotink Park, the Fairfax County Police Department announced today (Wednesday).

According to police, Louis C. Allen approached the victim at a playground in the park (7500 Accotink Park Road) around 6 p.m. on Saturday (May 21). He “unlawfully touched” her multiple times, first while talking to her in the play area and again after following her into the water when she left to avoid him.

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Around Town

Memorial Day weekend brings events solemn and festive to Fairfax County

By Angela Woolsey
The National Museum of the U.S. Army will be open to the public for Memorial Day for the first time (courtesy NMUSA/Flickr)

As a holiday, Memorial Day is a bit of a contradiction.

Coming on Monday (May 30), the actual day is a somber occasion, tracing its origins back to the post-Civil War era as a way to honor military service members killed in war. With the weather heating up and schools winding down, however, Memorial Day has long also been treated as an unofficial kick-off for summer.

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Countywide

County board passes “anti-Port-a-John” measure seeking permanent bathrooms in school stadiums

By Angela Woolsey
Justice High School is one of 15 Fairfax County public high schools without permanent stadium restrooms (via FCPS/Facebook)

More than half of Fairfax County’s public high schools have no permanent restrooms for their outdoor athletic facilities, leaving players and spectators to endure the stench and claustrophobia of port-a-potties.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors hopes to rectify the situation, unanimously approving a board matter to consider funding for new bathrooms at 15 schools in the coming fiscal year 2023, which starts July 1.

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News

Disrupted by pandemic, plan to fix Dolley Madison traffic resurfaces

By Angela Woolsey
Traffic on eastbound Dolley Madison Boulevard at the Great Falls Street intersection in McLean (via Google Maps)

Fairfax County has some ideas for short-term fixes that could ease congestion on Dolley Madison Blvd. through McLean, but if traffic grows significantly further down the road, a more substantial overhaul may be needed.

For the first time in almost three years, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation returned to the community with updates on its efforts to address gridlock in the corridor between the Dulles Toll Road and Old Dominion Drive.

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Countywide

After Texas mass shooting, Fairfax County School Board member proposes new security measure

By Angela Woolsey
Members of the advocacy group Moms Demand Action join the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to designate June 3 as Gun Violence Awareness Day (via Fairfax County/Flickr)

(Updated at 3:15 p.m.) A Fairfax County School Board member plans to advocate for adding security vestibules at schools in the wake of the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. in nearly a decade.

Melanie Meren, who represents Hunter Mill District on the board, will introduce a motion at a meeting tomorrow (Thursday) requesting that Fairfax County Public Schools develop a plan to fund and install vestibules at all facilities, she said in social media posts last night (Tuesday).

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Countywide

Tysons emergency room nears launch, giving area new health services

By Angela Woolsey
Reston Hospital Center is opening a standalone emergency room in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Updated on 6/8/2022 — Tysons Emergency is now in service after a grand opening on Friday, June 3.

Earlier: There’s nothing like a two-year-long pandemic to drive home the importance of access to quality health care services.

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News

McLean Community Center reports strong turnout for 2022 board election

By Angela Woolsey
Voters cast ballots in the McLean Community Center's 2018 governing board election (courtesy MCC)

(Updated at 12:15 a.m. on 5/25/2022) The McLean Community Center saw a noticeable uptick in participation for its latest governing board election.

A total of 2,504 ballots were cast to determine three new adult board members and two teen members, MCC reported in its preliminary results. That is roughly four times the 606 voters who turned out for last year’s election.

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Countywide

ArtsFairfax to award Capital One Hall, GMU book festival, and more

By Angela Woolsey
A visitor walks into Capital One Hall in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

For a second year in a row, ArtsFairfax will hold its annual celebration of the local arts community on Oct. 28 at Capital One Hall, which also happens to be one of this year’s award recipients.

The Tysons performing arts venue will receive the Jinx Hazel Arts Award, the top honor from ArtsFairfax, the nonprofit Fairfax County arts agency announced last Tuesday (May 17).

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