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 — Mar 18, 2024.
- 8:15 am: Morning Notes | 🗣️ Comments
- 9:30 am: Route 29 survey highlights pedestrian and bicyclist safety concerns, traffic woes | 🗣️ Comments
- 10:15 am: Great Falls man pleads guilty to $1.8M in tax fraud | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:00 am: Vienna to celebrate new pedestrian bridge to historic Freeman Store | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:45 am: FCPD: Fairfax County is ‘safest’ jurisdiction of its size, but shoplifting, officer assaults on the rise in 2023 | 🗣️ Comments
- 2:30 pm: Pimmit Hills man arrested after being found with missing teen, police say | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:15 pm: Driver of allegedly stolen vehicle charged with assaulting Virginia State Police during chase | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:45 pm: Chase Bank hopes to add drive-thru lane for branch in Herndon | 🗣️ Comments
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Tuesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
☀️ Tuesday’s forecast
The weather will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching around 55°F and west winds blowing at 11-14 mph, gusting up to 23 mph. During Tuesday night, expect partly cloudy skies and a low temperature of around 40°F, accompanied by a southwest wind at about 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
Woman Fatally Shot Near Inova Fairfax Hospital — “A man shot and killed his ex-girlfriend in a parking lot in Northern Virginia, and police arrested the suspect in Maryland after a short manhunt Friday evening, police said. The victim had a protective order against the suspect, but he showed up outside the medical office in Annandale where she worked, police said.” [NBC4, WUSA9]
Metro Police Start Fare Evasion Crackdown in D.C. — “Metro police will crack down on fare evasion in the District starting Monday, issuing fines of up to $100 or arresting people who refuse to pay for rides. Until now, Metro Transit Police officers have only been able to ask fare evaders to pay their fare or leave the station, according to Metro.” [Washington Post]
Warm Weather Leads to More Pollen — “This year, abnormally warm weather has boosted average tree pollen counts to near-record levels in the D.C. area. The counts have already climbed into the high range on eight days this year. So far, the peak daily count was 1,171 pollen grains per cubic meter of air measured in early March.” [Washington Post]
County Seeks Input on Bicycle Parking Updates — “The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will host a virtual meeting on the updated Bicycle Parking Guidelines on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at 6 p.m.” The county is developing guidelines for “rate of short-term to long-term bike parking spaces, acceptable rack and facility design and location guidance, and optional enhancements to improve user comfort.” [FCDOT]
Senators Warn Against Adding Long National Airport Flights — “The four U.S. senators from Virginia and Maryland are urging Congress to keep the current rules for long distance flights from Reagan National Airport (DCA) as they are.” The senators reiterated that the airport is “already overburdened” and adding more long-distance flights could affect the larger Dulles and Baltimore airports. [WTOP]
Transportation Officials Give Update on Richmond Highway Projects — “Vanessa Aguayo, project manager of the Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, and Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Dan Reinhard, lead project manager for the Richmond Highway Corridor Improvements project, provided updates March 14 at the Mount Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast.” [On the MoVe]
Former McLean HS Student Publishes Debut Novel — “Small-town skullduggery, eccentric characters, humor and a gritty tone are staples of Southern crime fiction and former Great Falls resident Peter Malone Elliott was happy to indulge in them all in his debut novel, ‘Blue Ridge.'” [Gazette Leader]
Local Volunteers Bonded by Helping Feed People — “It may look like Mona Tatum works at an outdoor market along Route 1 in Alexandria. But the bounty in front of her of fresh fruits, vegetables, protein, and so much more, stems from a remarkable story of friendship between Ed Moore and Deacon James Myers…A friendship that blossomed four years ago during the pandemic’s darkest days.” [WJLA]
It’s Monday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 51, with a west wind blowing between 9 and 14 mph, gusting up to 23 mph. In the evening, the sky remains mostly clear with a low temperature around 34. A northwest wind of 11 to 13 mph will continue, gusting as high as 22 mph. [Weather.gov]
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 — Mar 15, 2024.
- 8:15 am: Morning Notes | 🗣️ Comments
- 9:30 am: Fairfax County board approves Top Golf redevelopment in Kingstowne | 🗣️ Comments
- 10:15 am: Women’s fashion boutique makes move to Tysons after 36 years in Arlington | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:00 am: Bounce house business expands to Reston | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:45 am: Brunch-focused cafe First Watch opening in Franconia with free coffee | 🗣️ Comments
- 1:30 pm: Health and fitness expo warms up for return to Vienna this spring | 🗣️ Comments
- 2:30 pm: Spring celebration to take over Frying Pan Farm Park next month | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:50 pm: Man sentenced to life in prison for Seven Corners murder, arson | 🗣️ Comments
Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.
- Fairfax County police uncover drugs and guns at homes in Reston (5679 views)
- NEW: Fairfax County planning error puts Reston Deli Italiano’s future in question (4613 views)
- Three pedestrians killed in separate crashes in Fairfax County on Sunday (3719 views)
- Housing proposed to replace vacant office building in Westfields business park (2869 views)
- Solar eclipse viewing glasses now available at Fairfax County Public Library branches (2681 views)
- New federal budget funds Fairfax County homeless shelter, pedestrian projects (2281 views)
- Proposed Hilton hotel in Tysons encounters skepticism from county staff (1915 views)
- AT&T leases full office building in Chantilly (1851 views)
- New Chinese dumpling restaurant to open in Springfield this summer (1663 views)
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Saturday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
- 11:00 am: Diva Central Shopping Event
- 2:00 pm: Personal Preparedness Using the Community Emergency Response Guide (CERG)
- 5:00 pm: Opening Reception & Artist Talk: Pressing
- 6:00 pm: St. Patrick’s Day Roller Skating and Dance Night
- 7:30 pm: Virginia Opera: Madama Butterfly
Here are the events planned for Sunday:
- 2:00 pm: Virginia Opera: Madama Butterfly
- 4:00 pm: Orchestra Concert – Get London on the Horn
- 4:00 pm: Get London on the Horn
☀️ Saturday’s forecast
Expect sunny skies and a high temperature of around 65 degrees, with northwest winds of 7 to 9 mph shifting to the west during the afternoon. Saturday night will be partly cloudy, with lows near 49 degrees and south winds at 6 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
We hope you have a great weekend! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋
Pilot on Flight to Dulles Tried to Open Airplane Door — “A student pilot tried to open the door of an Alaska Airlines cockpit multiple times while the plane was in the air…The flight was traveling from California to Virginia on March 3, according to an affidavit filed by federal air marshal Thomas G. Pattinson and reviewed by CBS News.” [CBS News]
Senior Living Apartments Now Open in Tysons — “Mather…earlier in March opened the doors on its eponymous The Mather, 670,000 square feet of side-by-side glass towers rising as high as 27 stories at 7929 Westpark Drive.” The Chicago-based not-for-profit organization is “actively reviewing sites” for a possible expansion in Northern Virginia, but CEO Mary Leary “wouldn’t say precisely where.” [Washington Business Journal]
Condo Project in McLean Gets Endorsement — “A proposal to rezone and redevelop McLean Professional Park with a 104-unit condominium building received strong support March 6 from the McLean Citizens Association’s (MCA) board of directors…The proposed development would straighten out the site’s entranceway, which is shared with adjacent Sunrise of McLean Village,” according to MCA’s planning and zoning committee chair. [Gazette Leader]
D.C. Region Population Growing After Pandemic — “The D.C. area’s rebound from the pandemic continued last year as the District and its surrounding counties continued to see steady growth — and their most significant population gains since 2018 — even as other major American cities contracted, according to estimates released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.” [Washington Post]
Park Authority Introduces Summer Intern Program — The Fairfax County Park Authority is seeking applicants for its new summer internship program, which is open to high school and college students, recent graduates, people looking for a career change and anyone else interested in gaining experience in marketing, history, nature and other areas. It could lead to seasonal, part-time or full-time employment. [FCPA]
Reston Climate Tech Firm Partners With Panda Express — “GridPoint Inc., a Reston company that develops technology to help businesses reduce their energy costs, has brought in three new executives to help guide it through its next growth phase…GridPoint recently expanded its partnership with Panda Express from a 200-store pilot program to a national rollout of about 2,500 locations in the coming years.” [DC Inno]
Fairfax HS Reverses Plan for Graduation — “After an apparent backlash from Fairfax High School families over a change in venue and the number [of] tickets that would be available for the school’s June 4 graduation, Principal Georgina Aye announced that the ceremony would be held at the school’s football stadium.” City of Fairfax Public Schools said earlier that the ceremony would be “moved inside due to construction at Stalnaker Field.” [Patch]
Reston Software Company Celebrates 20th Anniversary — “ScienceLogic recently celebrated its 20th anniversary at an event for employees, customers, and partners. At the event, co-founders Dave Link and Richard Chart shared some of their favorite memories, looking back at two decades of ScienceLogic’s success as a pioneering software and services provider.” [Fairfax County EDA]
It’s Friday — Expect showers with a possible thunderstorm after 2pm and a high around 74°F. An 80% chance of precipitation is forecast with less than a tenth of an inch of rain. At night, anticipate showers and potentially a thunderstorm before 8pm. Nighttime lows will be around 48°F. [Weather.gov]
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 — Mar 14, 2024.
- 8:15 am: Morning Notes | 🗣️ Comments
- 9:30 am: Taste of NoVA food festival coming to Army Museum in Fort Belvoir | 🗣️ Comments
- 10:15 am: Flat real estate tax rate, new paid family leave policy proposed in Vienna budget | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:00 am: Reston Association referendum to repeal central cooling system requirement fails | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:45 am: Driver charged with DUI, manslaughter after fatal pedestrian crash on Beltway | 🗣️ Comments
- 1:30 pm: Proposed Hilton hotel in Tysons encounters skepticism from county staff | 🗣️ Comments
- 2:30 pm: German military office in Reston donates funds to feed teens facing food insecurity | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:45 pm: FCPD: Driver dies after head-on collision with Tesla in Fairfax Station | 🗣️ Comments
- 4:45 pm: Most and least expensive condos sold in Fairfax County (February 2024) | 🗣️ Comments
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Friday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
- No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.
🌧️ Friday’s forecast
Expect showers after 2pm with a high near 73 and southwest winds at 9 mph, accompanied by an 80% chance of precipitation and possible new amounts ranging from a tenth to a quarter of an inch. For Friday night, showers mainly before 8pm, low around 47, north wind 8-11 mph, with an 80% chance of precipitation and new amounts less than a tenth of an inch. See more from Weather.gov.
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
Man Charged in Beltway Tractor-Trailer Crash — “A 28-year-old man has been charged after a multi-vehicle crash shut down a portion of southbound Interstate 495 in Fairfax County for several hours Wednesday morning…Troopers responded to a crash in the southbound lanes of I-495 where a passenger vehicle and two tractor-trailers collided near Exit 45.” [WJLA]
Annandale Man Killed in Maryland Robbery — “Annandale resident Mohammad Hanif, 50, was murdered following a robbery at the convenience store he owned in the 900 block of Larchmont Avenue in Capitol Heights, Md., on March 5. The Prince George’s County Police Department is offering up to $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.” [Annandale Today]
Regional Cycling Group Rolls Out Crash Tracker — “The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) announced a new crash tracker that lets Alexandrians and residents of other nearby localities track and report dangerous situations.” Northern Virginia, Prince George’s County, Montgomery County and D.C. residents can report traffic crashes, near-misses, cars parked in bicycle lanes and “dangerous street locations. [ALXnow]
D.C. Cherry Trees to Be Cut Down for Repairs — “As part of a multimillion dollar rehabilitation project to address flooding issues, officials say 140 of D.C.’s famed cherry trees will be cut down along the Tidal Basin and Potomac River.” The project won’t affect the upcoming 2024 National Cherry Blossom Festival, but the National Park Service “is encouraging visitors to come see the flowers before construction kicks off later this spring.” [WTOP]
Fort Hunt ES to Launch Principal Search — “Fort Hunt Elementary School is about to start the search process for a new principal following the departure of the school’s top administrator, Lawrence Caines…Mattie Fallen has stepped in as interim principal effective March 6…and Fallen will remain the school’s top administrator until further notice.” [On the MoVe]
McLean Group Calls for Look at County Pensions — “Worried about increasing unfunded liabilities for Fairfax County’s three pension plans despite increased county contributions each year, the McLean Citizens Association’s (MCA) board of directors on March 6 passed a resolution calling on county officials to submit those plans to independent, in-depth ‘stress tests.'” [Gazette Leader]
Students and Sheep Help Clean McLean Park — “A huge shoutout to the student volunteers from Mclean High School’s History Honors Society for rolling up their sleeves and helping us remove invasive plants from the grounds of Clemyjontri Park…Thanks to LambMowers.com for bringing their sheep to provide natural lawn care!” [Fairfax County Park Authority/Facebook]
County Puts Out Call for Summer Workers — “Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) is now hiring summer leaders! Positions include a $500 sign-on bonus, up to $500 in retention bonuses and the opportunity to transition to year-round employment.” Available positions include summer camp, recreation and food access program leaders. [NCS]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny conditions and a high temperature around 77 degrees, with a calm morning wind turning southwest at around 6 mph. As evening approaches, the sky will be partly cloudy and the temperature will dip to a low of around 58 degrees. [Weather.gov]
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 — Mar 13, 2024.
- 8:15 am: Morning Notes | 🗣️ Comments
- 9:30 am: New Chinese dumpling restaurant to open in Springfield this summer | 🗣️ Comments
- 10:15 am: FCPS superintendent advocates for federal action on cybersecurity threats to schools | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:00 am: Plan to renovate Armstrong ES heads to planning commission | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:45 am: Solar eclipse viewing glasses now available at Fairfax County Public Library branches | 🗣️ Comments
- 1:30 pm: Nonprofit’s use of McLean senior center to make and distribute free meals approved | 🗣️ Comments
- 2:30 pm: NEW: Fairfax County planning error puts Reston Deli Italiano’s future in question | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:30 pm: Fairfax County police to use AI technology to evaluate body camera footage | 🗣️ Comments
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Thursday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
- 10:30 am: Social Media Workshop for Small Businesses
- 7:00 pm: Painting Miniatures 101
☀️ Thursday’s forecast
Expect mostly sunny skies and a high temperature of around 77 degrees, along with calm winds shifting to a southwest direction at around 6 mph in the morning. Thursday night will be partly cloudy and the temperature will drop to around 58 degrees, accompanied by a south wind blowing at a speed of 7 to 11 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
County to Update Zoning for Data Centers — “Several board members expressed concern that some zoning districts currently allow for the development of data centers by right…Committee Chair Karen Smith (D-Sully) suggested that the board begin the process of updating the zoning ordinance at its next meeting on March 19, which received unanimous support from the other board members.” [Patch]
Covid Survivors Revisit Inova Fairfax Hospital — “This week marks four years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic and 7News Health and Wellness Reporter Victoria Sanchez caught up with two survivors after first sharing their stories in 2020. Titou Phommachanh and Rodrigo Valderrama greeted each other with a hug in front of Inova Fairfax Hospital. Before the two became the faces of COVID-19 in Northern Virginia four years ago, the men had never met.” [WJLA]
McLean Resident Details IVF Experience to Senator — Sen. Tim Kaine hosted a roundtable in Ballston on Friday (March 8) to hear from advocates, doctors and other stakeholders about the importance of in vitro fertilization as an option for prospective parents. Participants included McLean resident Jay Timmons, who used IVF and surrogacy to have children with his partner. [ARLnow]
Annandale Mourns Community Leaders — “Two people well-known in the community who helped make Annandale a better place passed away in recent days. Everett (Kip) Germain III, the president of the Annandale Boys & Girls Club, died suddenly on March 6 at the age of 67. Don DiSpirito, a longtime volunteer with the Annandale Christian Community for Action (ACCA), passed away on Feb. 26, at the age of 90.” [Annandale Today]
McLean Residents Meet New School Board Rep — “The McLean Citizens Association (MCA) welcomed new School Board member Robyn Lady (Dranesville District) to its March 6 board meeting and promptly peppered her with questions on school renovations, safety and enrollment.” Topics included the planned Dunn Loring elementary school. [Gazette Leader]
Warm Weather Accelerates Cherry Blossom Blooming — “Boosted by exceptionally mild weather, the cherry blossom buds continue to race toward peak bloom at near record speeds. On Tuesday afternoon, the National Park Service announced that the blossom buds reached Stage 4 out of 6, or ‘peduncle elongation’…This means we could be close to peak bloom by the weekend and hitting peak early next week.” [Washington Post]
New Vienna Restaurant Wins Over Post Critic — “Right this minute, though, the place I’m most smitten by unfolds in a former Greek diner in the Virginia suburbs. Named for the street it’s on in Vienna, the Maple Room is brought to you by real estate developer Christos Sarantis and his wife, Effie, who also own four casual SouvlakiBar establishments in the area.” [Washington Post]
Coffee Vendor Sets Up Off-Season Shop in Hybla Valley — “The McCutcheon/Mount Vernon Farmers Market won’t officially reopen until April 17, but vendor Brandon Berryhill of the Traveling Shepherd Coffee Company faithfully shows up every week in the offseason to provide customers with their favorite brews.” [On the MoVe]
It’s Wednesday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high around 71 degrees and a west wind of 5 to 8 mph. The evening will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to a low of around 47 degrees, accompanied by a southwest wind of 3 to 5 mph. [Weather.gov]
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 — Mar 12, 2024.
- 8:15 am: Morning Notes | 🗣️ Comments
- 9:30 am: Police charge West Falls Church man with assault, abduction after 7-hour barricade | 🗣️ Comments
- 10:15 am: Tephra ICA Arts Festival and Reston Town Center summer concerts set return date | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:15 am: Motorcyclist killed in Bailey’s Crossroads crash on Leesburg Pike | 🗣️ Comments
- 12:15 pm: Housing proposed to replace vacant office building in Westfields business park | 🗣️ Comments
- 1:30 pm: Funding for new tree plantings approved by Vienna Town Council | 🗣️ Comments
- 2:30 pm: Great Falls firefighters to bartend to raise funds for Sterling house fire victims | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:30 pm: Women’s Storytelling Festival to celebrate power of spoken word in Fairfax City | 🗣️ Comments
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Wednesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
- 5:00 pm: GMU Visiting Filmmakers Series: NANNY with filmmaker Nikyatu Jusu
- 7:00 pm: Artist Talk with Zachary Oxman
🌤️ Wednesday’s forecast
Expect partly sunny skies and a high around 74°F along with a gentle westward breeze at 7 mph. The night will be mostly clear, with the temperature dropping to around 48°F. A southwest wind at 5 mph will shift to the west after midnight. See more from Weather.gov.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
South Lakes HS Wins State Basketball Title — South Lakes High School’s varsity boys team handily defeated Patriot High School 65-39 on Saturday (March 9) to win the Class 6 state boys basketball championship. The Seahawks won with a “stellar supporting cast” led by junior guard Jordan Scott, who scored a game-high 23 points. [Washington Post, Inside NoVA]
Virginia’s Prison Population Drops — “Virginia’s prison population shrank 10.5% between 2021 and 2022, per the latest Justice Department data…That’s the greatest decline of any state during a period when the U.S. was seeing its prison population increase for the first time in nearly a decade.” [Axios Richmond]
Justice HS Searches for New Principal — “Fairfax County Public Schools has begun the process of finding a new principal for Justice High School, following the announcement that Tiffany Narcisse is leaving. FCPS Region 2 Assistant Superintendent Megan Vroman will host a virtual meeting for staff and community members on Tuesday, March 12, at 6 p.m., to discuss the hiring process and answer questions.” [Annandale Today]
Elected Representatives Highlight Legislative Wins — “Several members of the U.S. Congress and Virginia General Assembly who represent local districts recently highlighted their legislative successes,” including funding for a “Mason Neck Trail — Northern Segment” project in Lorton and a bill signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin that codifies the right of LGBTQ Virginians to marry. [On the MoVe]
Former Congressman Buys McLean Mansion — “A former Missouri congressman who made the successful leap to lobbyist life recently plunked down $2.95 million for a 10,000-square-foot McLean mansion. Alan Wheat, chairman of D.C.-based Wheat Shroyer Government Relations, acquired a seven-bedroom, 10-bath home on Alvermar Ridge Drive in late February.” [Washington Business Journal]
Area Restaurants Offer Special Meals for Ramadan — “Ramadan just began and several D.C. restaurants are serving special meals” through April 9, including Fava Pot in the Shops at West Falls Church. Ticketed dinners at Joon in Tysons and the Marriott in West Falls Church will, respectively, raise money to help Syrians in need and provide aid in Gaza. [Axios DC]
Reston Association Corrects Board Candidate Statements — “Reston Association Elections Committee Chair Ed Abbott today issued a statement regarding candidate profiles in the current 2024 Board of Directors Election.” A sentence in one profile “was inadvertently omitted in candidate information that was sent to RA voters in their ballot packets,” Abbott said. [RA]
Meet Dulles Airport Security Dogs — “Airport security dogs play a vital role in maintaining the safety and security of airports everywhere, including at Dulles International Airport in Virginia. They have a remarkable sense of smell, allowing them to sniff out even the faintest traces of explosives, narcotics or other prohibited substances.” [WTOP]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunshine and a high around 68 degrees, accompanied by west winds ranging from 9 to 14 mph and gusts reaching 22 mph. Tuesday night will be partly cloudy with a low near 45 degrees, as west winds decrease to 3 to 6 mph. [Weather.gov]