More
Email signup

Morning Notes

A vehicle passes 1676 International, an office building in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Justice HS Student Dies From Drug Overdose — “Officials notified the community of the fatal overdose involving a Justice High School student on Tuesday afternoon…FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid provided resources for parents and families on substance abuse,” stating that “we all play a role in reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorders, while also focusing on substance misuse.” [WJLA]

Vienna Town Council Opposes Idea of Casino — “Faced with rumblings that some state legislators again might try to authorize a gambling casino in Fairfax County, Vienna Town Council members on Dec. 4 formally signaled their opposition to that prospect…Council member Nisha Patel…successfully moved to have the casino-opposition statement placed within the 19-item legislative agenda’s Top 5 priorities.” [Gazette Leader]

South Lakes Student Among Area Basketball Players to Watch — “[Jordan] Scott is widely viewed as the best Northern Virginia public school prospect in at least the past decade, and schools are falling over themselves trying to recruit the 6-7 junior. Behind Scott’s three-level scoring and intrepid defense, the Seahawks will eye an accomplishment even Grant Hill couldn’t muster — the first state championship in program history.” [Washington Post]

Nonprofit Housing Provider Opens New HQ in Lorton — “Good Shepherd Housing (GSH), a nonprofit focused on reducing homelessness, held a ribbon cutting and reception at its new Lorton-based headquarters Dec. 5.” It’s the first time that the nonprofit has moved from its previous base on Richmond Highway “in over 20 years,” interim executive director Candice Bennett said. [On the MoVe]

Reston Robotics Team Wins National Competition — “Daeadelus, the robotics team from Reston’s Ideaventions Academy, won First Place Overall in the Bell Advanced Vertical Robotics competition in Dallas, Texas on Saturday.” The team will now be one of seven participants in an exhibition match at the global XPONENTIAL 2024 conference and exhibition in San Diego. [Patch]

County Animal Shelter to Waive Adoption Fees — “Fairfax County Animal Shelter wants all shelter pets to find loving homes for the holidays, so it’s partnering with BISSELL Pet Foundation for the ‘Empty the Shelters – Holiday Hope’ adoption event. Thanks to the foundation’s generous support, the shelter will offer fee-waived adoptions for cats and dogs from Friday through Sunday, Dec. 8 through 10.” [Fairfax County Animal Shelter]

Tysons Corner Center Owner Obtains New Loan on Mall — “Tysons Corner Center owner The Macerich Co. (NYSE: MAC) has closed a massive refinancing of the region’s largest, most valuable shopping center just weeks before a prior loan was scheduled to mature…The new CMBS loan has fixed 6.6% interest-only payments throughout the loan term, the company said, and matures on Dec. 6, 2028.” [Washington Business Journal]

Bailey’s Crossroads Choir Seeks New Members — “Like many choral groups in the area, NoVA Lights Chorale suffered during the Covid pandemic and is now seeking new members to rebuild to pre-pandemic levels. NoVA Lights Chorale is an amateur chorus that accepts anyone who wants to sing. There are no auditions and no charge to join.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Wednesday — There’s a 40% chance of precipitation, with scattered rain and snow showers in the morning, transitioning to rain showers between 11am and 4pm. Expect mostly cloudy skies and a high near 44. At night, enjoy mostly clear conditions with a low around 29. [Weather.gov]

0 Comments

FFXnow Daily Debrief for Dec 5, 2023

Good Tuesday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Dec 5, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Wednesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

🌨️ Wednesday’s forecast

Scattered rain and snow showers are expected before 11am, followed by a slight chance of rain showers between 11am and 1pm. The day will be mostly cloudy with a high near 43, accompanied by a northwest wind of 6 to 14 mph and gusts up to 22 mph. The chance of precipitation is 40%. For Wednesday night, the weather will be partly cloudy with a low around 28 and a northwest wind of 7 to 13 mph, gusting up to 21 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

0 Comments

Morning Notes

Sunset over Fair City Mall in Fairfax City (photo by Susan Woolsey)

FCPD Steps Up DUI Enforcement for Holiday Season — “During this campaign, running from December 4 to December 29 the squad will increase their staffing and focus on ensuring our roadways remain safe this holiday season. These initiatives are aimed at promoting sober driving, pinpointing impaired drivers, and increasing officer presence on the roads.” [FCPD]

ICYMI: Pedestrian Hit by Metrobus in Annandale — A woman was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries last night (Monday) from a crash on Little River Turnpike and Hummer Road. First responders found her trapped under the front axle of a Metrobus, shutting down eastbound Little River, per scanner traffic. [FFXnow]

Future Unclear for Hoped-for Springfield FBI Site — “After decades of effort, a much longed-for economic recovery in the Springfield area of Fairfax County is slowly happening…But the future remains uncertain for a 58-acre site owned by the General Service Administration, which has long been a local eyesore.” [Washington Post]

Man Who Shot at Police in West Falls Church Indicted by Arlington Jury — “A grand jury has returned an indictment for a man on felony charges in connection to a wild police chase in October 2022. The indictment against Ricardo Singleton, returned last Monday, included charges for eluding police and shooting a firearm from a vehicle within 1,000 feet of a school.” [ARLnow]

Springfield Town Center Owner Close to Bankruptcy — “Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust is on the verge of its second bankruptcy since 2020, Bloomberg reports, citing anonymous sources close to the matter. The company is also seeking funding to facilitate the process, which would be a Chapter 11 reorganization.” [Bisnow]

Man Arrested After Shoplifting $3,500 Coat in Tysons — A 41-year-old Maryland man was arrested Friday (Dec. 1) after allegedly shoplifting a coat worth over $3,500 from Sak’s Fifth Avenue at Tysons Galleria. Police say he had been stealing from the store for more than a month, recovering over $49,000 in merchandise and “burglarious tools” in a home search. [FCPD]

Reston AI Startup Raises $15M — “Rohirrim, a Reston artificial intelligence company, has raised $15 million to continue working on its ChatGPT-like tool that helps companies speed the process of bidding on jobs…Its software product — dubbed Rohan — uses a customer’s secure data to help proposal writers more efficiently collect internal information to write [request for proposal] responses.” [DC Inno]

Longtime Reston Farmers Market Manager Retires — Saturday (Dec. 2) was the final day of this year’s Reston Farmers Market at Lake Anne Village Center — and the last day managing it for John Lovaas. The retired foreign service worker has been involved in the seasonal event ever since it was proposed to the Reston Association board in 1997. [Patch]

Tysons Company to Provide Airplane WiFi — “Tysons, Virginia-based Intelsat will outfit hundreds of American Airlines regional jets with high-speed Wi-Fi, as part of American’s ongoing in-flight streaming upgrades throughout its fleet. Beginning early next year, Intelsat will begin installing equipment on nearly 500 dual-class regional jets.” [WTOP]

It’s Tuesday — Clouds will increase throughout the day, with temperatures reaching a high of 46. At night, scattered rain and snow showers are possible before 1am, when the weather will shift to rain before returning to a mix of rain and snow after 4am. The night will be mostly cloudy with a low temperature of around 36. There is a 40% chance of precipitation. [Weather.gov]

0 Comments

FFXnow Daily Debrief for Dec 4, 2023

Good Monday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Dec 4, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Tuesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

🌦️ Tuesday’s forecast

Expect partly sunny skies and a high near 47, accompanied by a northwest wind at 3 to 7 mph. As night falls on Tuesday, scattered rain and snow showers may occur, primarily after 1am, with mostly cloudy conditions and a low around 35. Calm wind will shift to north at around 6 mph after midnight, and there will be a 40% chance of precipitation. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

0 Comments

Morning Notes

A bicyclist on the W&OD Trail in fog (photo by Amy Woolsey)

Local Family Mourns Loved Ones Killed in Gaza — Hani Almadhoun and his family are “numb with grief” after his brother, sister-in-law and their four children were all killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza the morning after Thanksgiving — just before a pause in attacks that resumed Friday (Dec. 1). A memorial service was recently held in Franconia. [NBC4]

Lumber Yard Closes After Two Centuries in Business — Smoot Lumber yard shut down Friday after operating for more than 200 years. Located in Springfield at the border with Alexandria City, the “supplier of mouldings, doors and windows has been a staple for local builders since it was founded in 1822.” [ALXnow]

Police Rescue Dog Stuck in Air Vent — “A 17-year-old Shih Tzu named Maya had to be rescued after somehow getting herself stuck in an air duct last weekend in Fairfax County, Virginia. The rescue and reunion with her owner played out on police bodycam footage posted on social media Friday by the Fairfax County Police Department.” [WTOP]

County’s Hypothermia Shelter Program Underway — “Our Hypothermia Prevention Program is in place to ensure no one experiencing homelessness sleeps outside during the winter. The program provides warm shelter, food, clothing, connections to supportive services and more for unhoused individuals.” [Fairfax County Government]

N. Va. Officials Concerned by Transportation Funding Changes — “Some Northern Virginia elected leaders and transit advocates are expressing concern over plans to change SMART SCALE, the commonwealth’s transportation funding program. They say the proposals could make standalone bike and pedestrian projects less competitive for funding, and could also hurt support for transit.” [DCist]

Fairfax City Adopts Non-Discrimination Program — “The Fairfax City Council affirmed the city’s commitment to non-discrimination when it adopted the city’s first formal Title VI program on Nov. 28…Title VI provides that no person shall be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin,” later expanding to include “disability, age, income status, sexual orientation, gender identification, and persons with limited English proficiency.” [City of Fairfax]

FCPS Electric School Buses Reach Milestone — “Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) recognized a milestone during an event on Tuesday [Nov. 28] — a combined one million miles driven by Virginia electric school buses. Employees with the school district and Dominion Energy gathered in Lorton, Virginia at 11 a.m. to celebrate the achievement.” [WJLA]

Fire Department Shares Hannukah Safety Reminder — “Hanukkah starts this week! To keep safe and festive, consider using battery-operated flameless candles. If using traditional candles – ensure your menorah is on a sturdy surface & keep at least 1ft from anything that can burn. Don’t forget to blow out all candles!” [FCFRD/Twitter]

It’s Monday — Expect a partly sunny day with a high temperature of around 52 degrees and a northwest wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph. As evening approaches, the skies will be partly cloudy and the temperature will drop to around 36 degrees. [Weather.gov]

0 Comments

FFXnow Daily Debrief for Dec 1, 2023

Good Friday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Dec 1, 2023.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. Replacement of Lee, Lee-Jackson highway street signs underway (9779 views)
  2. Police investigate reports of multiple gunshots in Reston (5671 views)
  3. FCPS reveals more details of planned Dunn Loring Elementary School (4778 views)
  4. Man suffers life-threatening injuries after scooter crash near Reston Hospital (4356 views)
  5. Paris Baguette is now open in Herndon’s Arrowbrook Centre (3783 views)
  6. Steak and seafood restaurant with bar opens in Vienna at former Amphora diner (3760 views)
  7. Reston Association approves fee increases in 2024 budget (3369 views)
  8. Saudi-inspired coffee shop Shotted expands with second Tysons location (3197 views)
  9. Korean fried chicken eatery, bb.q Chicken, is now open in Tysons (2727 views)
  10. Redevelopment of Food Star site in Bailey’s Crossroads approved (2376 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Saturday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

🌧️ Saturday’s forecast

Rain may occur after 1pm, with patchy fog clearing by 10am and a high temperature near 60°F. Winds will be calm, and the chance of precipitation is 30%. For Saturday night, expect rain, primarily after 1am, and patchy fog after 10pm. The temperature will drop to around 53°F, with a wind shift to the northeast and a 60% chance of precipitation. New rainfall amounts could range between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋

0 Comments

Morning Notes

Behind the Rotunda Condominiums in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Low Interest in Virginia’s Medical Cannabis Program — “A new study that takes a close look at Virginia’s medical marijuana program showed that many marijuana users are simply ignoring the program and finding the drug elsewhere…The average price per gram for marijuana flower in Virginia is around $14, the study found,” which is more expensive than both D.C. and Maryland. [WTOP]

Fair Oaks Mall Owners Miss Loan Deadline — “The owners of Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax — the region’s second-largest shopping center — have missed an extended payoff deadline on distressed loans totaling about $239 million…Notes to bondholders indicate negotiations and efforts to stabilize the property are underway, but they also note that foreclosure proceedings could be on the table as early as February.” [Washington Business Journal]

Great Falls Residents Challenge Mental Health Group Home — “A Great Falls group home has drawn the ire of neighbors who say the facility offers services exceeding those approved by the Fairfax County government and lets its charges wander around the vicinity.” After Mission for Michael officials didn’t testify on Nov. 15, the county’s Board of Zoning Appeals “set a new public hearing for Jan. 31 next year, but demanded a representative of the group home be present.” [Gazette Leader]

Annandale Getting Another Hot Chicken Restaurant — “Crimson Coward Nashville Hot Chicken is coming to the vacant storefront at 7004 Columbia Pike in the Annandale Shopping Center between Collector’s World and Sweet Frog…The chicken is prepared with a ‘crimson rub’ consisting of dozens of spices. There are five levels of heat.” [Annandale Today]

Renovated Hotel Near Fort Belvoir Celebrates Reopening — “The Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Belvoir Alexandria South, which broke ground along the Richmond Highway Corridor 15 years ago and opened in 2009, held a grand reopening celebration Nov. 29 after a complete interior and exterior renovation earlier this year.” [On the MoVe]

Santa Events Coming to County Parks — “Enjoy the spirit of the holidays with Santa at Fairfax County Parks beginning this weekend.” The “jolly old elf” will appear at Sully Historic Site tomorrow (Saturday), Frying Pan Farm Park on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the month, and at Burke Lake on Saturdays and Sundays. [Fairfax County Park Authority]

Santa Fire Truck Rides Start in McLean — Continuing a decades-long tradition, the McLean Volunteer Fire Department will transform its antique fire truck into a sleigh for Santa, who will hand out free candy canes throughout McLean. The sleigh will visit different neighborhoods, starting at 5 p.m., from Dec. 2-6 and can be tracked in real time on the department’s website. [McLean VFD/Facebook]

Swearing-In Ceremony Planned for County Officials — “The Board of Supervisors invites you to the Inauguration Ceremony for Fairfax County’s 15th Urban County Board of Supervisors, Fairfax County’s Constitutional Officers, and Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District Directors. Reception begins at 5 p.m. Ceremony begins at 6 p.m.” on Dec. 13. [Fairfax County Government]

It’s Friday — There’s an 80% chance of rain, mainly after 2pm, with a high near 51 and south winds of 5-13 mph, gusting up to 18 mph. Friday night, rain is likely before 7pm, followed by cloudiness and a low of 46. [Weather.gov]

0 Comments

FFXnow Daily Debrief for Nov 30, 2023

Good Thursday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Nov 30, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

🌧️ Friday’s forecast

Expect rain to begin mainly after 3pm with a high near 49, accompanied by south winds at 5 to 8 mph, and an 80% chance of precipitation. Friday night, rain is likely before 10pm, followed by patchy fog after 3am and mostly cloudy conditions. Lows will be around 45 with south winds at 5 to 9 mph, a 60% chance of precipitation, and less than a tenth of an inch of new rainfall. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

0 Comments

Morning Notes

The Mosaic District has put out a star-shaped sculpture and other holiday decor (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Wells Fargo Office Building in Annandale Eyed for Housing — Nicholas Development “is in early discussions with Fairfax County planning staff about a residential conversion for 7620 Little River Turnpike, says Senior Vice President Timothy Sachs. The six-story building is vacant except for a Wells Fargo bank branch on the ground floor.” [Annandale Today]

Reston Robotics Team Heads to National Championships — “Students from Reston’s Ideaventions Academy for Mathematics and Science are traveling to Arlington, Texas on Thursday to compete in the Bell Advanced Vertical Robotics national championships. This is the second year in a row that the school’s robotics team has made it to the nationals.” [Patch]

Lorton Water-Cleaning Plant Opens for Tours — “For anyone who’s ever wondered what happens to our water after we’ve used it, you can find out on Saturday. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on December 2 there will be an open house at the Noman Cole Pollution Control Plant…Visitors will learn how water is cleaned after it goes down the drain in homes and businesses, or even down sewers on County streets.” [DPWES]

Tex-Mex Grill Expanding to Hybla Valley — “El Fresco Tex-Mex Grill, whose first restaurant was opened by Iranian immigrant Steve Ganji in Chantilly, Virginia, in 2008, has turned to franchising for expansion, with a franchise-owned El Fresco opening in Alexandria next month.” The new restaurant will be at 7324 Richmond Highway. [WTOP]

Tysons Rental Rates Dip From Previous Month — “November apartment-seekers in Tysons ended up paying a little less than those on the hunt a month before, but more than those who were seeking leases a year ago. The median one-bedroom rent of $2,024 and median two-bedroom rent of $2,420 added up to a decrease of 1.1 percent month-over-month but an increase of 0.7 percent year-over-year.” [Gazette Leader]

Educational Center Now Open at Chantilly Park — “The Fairfax County Park Authority celebrated the completion of the new Woodlands Stewardship Education Center with a ribbon cutting on Saturday, Nov. 18. Designed to wow adults and children alike, this interpretive facility demonstrates principles of environmental stewardship that make a world of difference in the way we interact with and affect our natural environment.” [FCPA]

Oakton Students Craft and Launch Rocket — “Students at Oakton High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, have reached soaring heights through a student rocketry program, launching a high-powered rocket 34,195 feet into the sky…The team launched the rocket in September at a rocketry event in Kansas that included rocketeers from around the country.” [WTOP]

Holiday Artisan Market Set for Vienna Return — Dozens of local vendors will sell handmade gifts, food and art at the Town of Vienna’s Holiday Open Air Artisan Market on Sunday, Dec. 3. The market will be in the Vienna Arts Center’s parking lot at 243 Church Street NW from noon to 4 p.m. [Vienna Business Association]

It’s Thursday — The weather will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching a high of 53, accompanied by a south wind at 5 to 9 mph. As the night progresses, expect partly cloudy skies and a low of around 37, with a southwest wind blowing at 6 to 10 mph. [Weather.gov]

0 Comments

FFXnow Daily Debrief for Nov 29, 2023

Good Wednesday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Nov 29, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Thursday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

☀️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 52°F and a light southwest wind shifting south at 5 to 9 mph in the morning. For Thursday night, the skies will become partly cloudy as the temperature lowers to around 36°F, accompanied by a south wind at 6 to 10 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

0 Comments
View More Stories
×

Subscribe to our mailing list