Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

Fairfax County libraries run out of COVID-19 tests, with timing of next shipment unknown

Published December 21, 2021 at 3:30PM

Fairfax County Public Library is all out of COVID-19 rapid tests once again.

The library system has received 34,652 test kits since Dec. 1 as part of the Virginia Department of Health’s free testing kit pilot program, but as of 10:30 a.m. today (Tuesday), they have all been distributed.

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FCPS starts effort to allow collective bargaining for school workers

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 20, 2021 at 3:30PM

Tina Williams, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, speaks at a rally prior to a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to allow collective bargaining of county government workers (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Fairfax County Public Schools is moving to give its workers collective bargaining powers.

An FCPS webpage launched Friday (Dec. 17) explains that the school system is developing an ordinance establishing the scope and rules of collective bargaining, which will enable labor unions to negotiate pay, benefits, and working conditions for their members.

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With omicron in the air, Fairfax County’s COVID-19 surge reaches new heights

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 20, 2021 at 2:00PM

The novel coronavirus is spreading exponentially in Fairfax County, outpacing even last winter’s surge.

The Fairfax County Health Department reported 569 COVID-19 cases this morning (Monday) for the Fairfax Health District, which includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, pushing the total for the pandemic up to 102,362 cases.

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UPDATED: Fairfax County police find two possible victims of “shopping cart killer,” suspect in custody

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 17, 2021 at 11:00AM | Updated December 9, 2022 at 2:29PM

Fairfax County Public Safety Headquarters (via FCPD)

(Updated at 2:35 p.m.) A plastic container found in the Huntington area near Route 1 on Wednesday (Dec. 15) contained the remains of two people that Fairfax County police believe to be the victims of a serial killer.

While not scientifically confirmed yet, police have determined based on a distinctive tattoo that one of the individuals found is likely Cheyenne Brown, a 29-year-old D.C. resident who went missing after taking the Metro to Huntington on Sept. 30.

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Fairfax County’s COVID-19 case rate hits highest mark since February

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 13, 2021 at 2:00PM

Fairfax County’s current COVID-19 surge has now surpassed the late summer wave fueled by the delta variant’s arrival.

The county is averaging 216.7 new cases per day for the past week — the most since Feb. 19, when the weekly average was at 228.9 cases, according to Virginia Department of Health data.

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Brace for strong winds this weekend, National Weather Service advises

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 10, 2021 at 12:30PM

Fairfax County could be hit by wind gusts of up to 55 miles per hour this weekend, courtesy of stormy weather that could pass through the D.C. region ahead of an expected cold front.

A Wind Advisory has been issued for the area, starting at 4 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday) and continuing until 1 a.m. Sunday (Dec. 12).

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NEW: Police investigate reported threats of violence at Herndon schools

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 9, 2021 at 4:30PM | Updated December 9, 2022 at 2:25PM

Herndon Middle School (via Google Maps)

Fairfax County police are investigating two threats of violence reported at schools in the county earlier this week.

Both threats concerned schools in the Herndon area and were determined to be unfounded, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

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Fairfax County will add online option for paying police record request fees

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 7, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated December 9, 2022 at 2:26PM

The Fairfax County logo is shown on the front of the Fairfax County Government Center building at 12000 Government Center Parkway (Staff photo by David Taube)

(Updated at 7:05 p.m. on 12/8/2021) The Fairfax County Police Department is about to bring its public records request system a little closer to the 21st century.

Starting early next year, the many people who request Fairfax County police records every year through the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) will be able to pay the attached fees online, the county’s FOIA office confirmed to FFXnow.

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Fairfax County has tripled COVID-19 case rate over past month

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 6, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated December 6, 2021 at 6:43PM

An illustration of a coronavirus (via CDC/Unsplash)

(Updated at 6:40 p.m.) Like the rest of the country, Fairfax County continues to see increasing levels of COVID-19 transmission.

The county is now averaging about three times as many new cases per day as it was less than a month ago, with a seven-day average of 189.4 cases today (Monday), according to Virginia Department of Health data.

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Fairfax County Public Library runs out of COVID-19 tests in first hour of availability

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 3, 2021 at 2:00PM | Updated March 15, 2024 at 3:10PM

An at-home rapid COVID-19 test (via sarah b/Unsplash)

Fairfax County Public Library offered at-home COVID-19 test kits to the community for the first time this morning (Friday). An hour later, they were all gone.

The county announced on Monday (Nov. 29) that it would join a pilot program that the Virginia Department of Health launched last month to distribute free COVID-19 tests through participating public libraries.