Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

Ceiling exhaust fanned fire in West Falls Church house

Published April 25, 2022 at 11:15AM

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units respond to a basement fire in the 7000 block of Lee Park Court (via FCFRD/M. Clark)

Four people have been displaced after a ceiling exhaust fan started a fire at a house in the West Falls Church area, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reported today (Monday).

With the assistance of firefighters from Arlington County, Fairfax County units were dispatched to the 7000 block of Lee Park Court around 1:28 p.m. on Thursday (April 21) for a fire in a one-story, single-family house.

Countywide

Merrifield Starbucks becomes first in Fairfax County to unionize

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 25, 2022 at 9:45AM

Starbucks at 3046 Gatehouse Plaza in Merrifield (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A Starbucks in Merrifield has unionized.

About a month after filing a petition for an election, workers at the cafe at 3046 Gate House Plaza voted 30-2 in support of forming a union on Friday (April 22), becoming the coffee company’s first store in Fairfax County to take that step.

Countywide

Most-read Fairfax County stories of the week: April 18-22

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 22, 2022 at 3:45PM

A wall Scrabble board at Google's Reston offices (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The weekend is almost here. Before you start working on an elaborate drag costume or head to bed for some much-needed sleep after avoiding those pranksters, let’s revisit the past week of news in Fairfax County.

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

Countywide

With contest deadline approaching, students advocate for Louise Archer historical marker

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 22, 2022 at 3:00PM

Louise Archer Elementary School students research their school's namesake (via Louise Archer Fourth Grade/Twitter)

Students have one week left to submit their ideas for new markers honoring Fairfax County’s Black and African American history.

The county is set to close the submission period for its 2022 Historical Marker Project on April 30. The project is part of a larger initiative to highlight the experiences of Black and African American residents that launched in February, coinciding with Black History Month.

Countywide

Lidl readies for summer opening in McLean, with more stores coming

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 22, 2022 at 10:30AM

Lidl is coming to McLean, with Big Buns and Matchbox Pizza in tow (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Construction crews are putting the finishing touches on McLean’s upcoming Lidl.

The grocery store is on track to open this summer, the company says, putting the project slightly behind previous projections of a spring opening.

Countywide

Local breweries team up on anti-Putin ale to raise money for Ukraine refugees

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 22, 2022 at 9:00AM

Brewers from around Northern Virginia are collaborating on an ale that will be sold to raise money for Ukrainian refugees (courtesy Ornery Beer Company)

Some of Fairfax County’s top breweries are rolling up their sleeves and joining a global campaign to support Ukrainian refugees displaced by the ongoing Russian invasion.

The “Brew for Ukraine” movement emerged in early March in response to a call for support from Pravda Brewery, a company based in Lviv, Ukraine, that has shifted to brewing Molotov cocktails for the country’s defense efforts.

Countywide

Fairfax drag show goes on, relocating after Epicure cafe closure

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 21, 2022 at 3:00PM

Now at Earp's Ordinary, the Fairfax-based Palace drag show started at Epicure in May 2021 (photos by Matt Briggs)

Fairfax City’s Epicure is no more, a blow to the students and artists who had turned the independent cafe on Route 29 into the area’s go-to quirky-cool hangout spot.

Fortunately for the local LGBTQ community, the Palace still stands. The biweekly drag show, which was started last May by a pair of high school friends, has sashayed over to the Earp’s Ordinary pop-up bar at 3950 University Drive.

Countywide

Langley HS student launches book donation drive for kids in need

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 21, 2022 at 2:15PM

Langley High School student Alex Pomper delivers donated books to the Latin American Youth Center in Riverdale, Maryland (courtesy Annie Kim)

The McLean Community Center is ready and willing to accept all your spare “Dog Man” and “Magic Tree House” books.

The facility at 1234 Ingleside Avenue is serving as a drop-off site for the latest donation drive by Give a Kid a Book, an initiative started by McLean teenager Alex Pomper to collect children’s books for kids in the D.C. area who might find them hard to come by.

Around Town

Coming to Merrifield, new restaurant unites ramen and Korean BBQ

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 21, 2022 at 10:30AM | Updated July 6, 2022 at 2:39PM

The new restaurant Rateba Grill and Ramen is coming to the Pan Am Shopping Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Historically, Korea and Japan have had an uneasy relationship, to put it mildly, but that doesn’t mean their food can’t coexist.

Kibum Kim isn’t trying to heal century-old wounds with his upcoming restaurant Rateba Grill & Ramen at the Pan Am Shopping Center in Merrifield. He’s simply looking to give people what they want.

Countywide

Police: Pedestrian dies after vehicle crash in Burke

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 21, 2022 at 9:00AM | Updated April 21, 2022 at 3:35PM

Guinea Road facing Olley Lane in Burke (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 3:30 p.m.) Lloyd Ingram, a 58-year-old Burke resident, died after being hit by a vehicle yesterday (Wednesday), Fairfax County police reported.

The crash happened in Burke around 6:30 p.m., and a preliminary investigation found he was walking in the crosswalk, police said.