Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

A $650K tennis court renovation at Lewinsville Park could include permanent pickleball courts

Published April 26, 2022 at 10:30AM | Updated May 4, 2022 at 8:00PM

The Lewinsville Park tennis courts are in need of repair (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Fairfax County Park Authority is seeking $650,000 to renovate the aging tennis courts at Lewinsville Park in McLean.

The proposed project will restore the surfacing and fencing at all six existing courts at the park, and one of the courts will be converted into four dedicated pickleball courts.

Countywide

Victim in Herndon shooting recovers, as police investigation continues

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 26, 2022 at 9:00AM

Fairfax County police car (file photo)

A shooting in Herndon earlier this month remains under investigation, the Fairfax County Police Department says.

Several community members reported hearing gunshots around 5:31 a.m. on April 16, drawing police to the 2100 block of Astoria Circle, just outside the Town of Herndon’s limits. Upon arriving, officers found a man suffering from gunshot wounds.

Countywide

Robot helpers planned for upcoming senior living high-rise in Tysons

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 25, 2022 at 3:45PM

Mather Director of Culinary Operations Thad Parton with a food-running robot that the senior living facility operator is testing in Arizona (courtesy Mather)

When The Mather Tysons opens in 2024, the senior living facility might employ some workers of the artificial intelligence variety.

Rest assured, these robots won’t be capable of planning a HAL 9000-style takeover. Instead, they will perform simple, repetitive tasks, such as delivering food to tables and apartments and cleaning hallways.

Countywide

Covid cases in Fairfax County rise to mid-February levels

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 25, 2022 at 1:30PM

Based on case and testing positivity numbers, Fairfax County is seeing "high" COVID-19 community transmission, as of April 25, 2022 (via CDC)

Officially, Fairfax County’s COVID-19 community level remains low, but when the county last saw this many cases, Fairfax County Public Schools was still fighting to keep masks in place.

The Fairfax Health District, which also includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, is now averaging 270 cases a day for the past week — the highest seven-day average since Feb. 13 (274 cases) — after adding more than 300 cases each on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (April 21-23).

News

Ceiling exhaust fanned fire in West Falls Church house

By Angela Woolsey

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.