Author: FFXnow.com

Western D.C. Area Now in Drought — “Few locations in the D.C. area have seen more than a ground-dampening so far this month, and drought concerns are mounting yet again. The District has received just 0.02 inches of rain in September, while Dulles Airport hasn’t even received a trace.” [Washington Post]

Indian Restaurant Opens in Herndon — Maharani Palace Fine Indian Cuisine and Lounge, an “upscale Indian restaurant and banquet hall,” opened yesterday (Thursday) at 1030 Elden Street in the space previously filled by Mellow Mushroom. “Spice Holdings…is behind the new venture. This is the group’s first Virginia location.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Vienna Sidewalk Projects Approved — “The Vienna Town Council has approved two new sidewalk projects. With time running out for spending funds from the Maud Ferris Robinson Charitable Trust, Vienna Town Council members voted Sept. 9 to award” construction contracts for sidewalks on Frederick Street SW and Kingsley Road SE. [Gazette Leader]

Budweiser Horses to Appear at Frying Pan Park — “You’ve seen the Budweiser Clydesdales in Super Bowl ads, but now you can meet in person at Frying Pan Farm Park on Tuesday, Sept 17 from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Grab a selfie with them and you’ll be a star at your next Super Bowl party.” [Supervisor Walter Alcorn/Twitter]

Repairs Starting Soon on Mason Neck Courts — “The Fairfax County Park Authority will soon be repairing the tennis court and basketball court at Mason Neck West Park. Weather pending, active construction is expected to conclude the second week of October 2024.” [FCPA]

Bird Advocates Warn About Light Pollution — “The Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, formerly known as the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, is raising awareness about the impacts of light pollution on birds. DarkSky International is partnering with the National Audubon Society on a Lights Out [campaign] to protect migrating birds.” [Patch]

Taste of Annandale Offers Entertainment Preview — “The Taste of Annandale will feature a packed entertainment schedule all day. The Taste is a free community festival on Sept. 21, 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m., at 7200 Columbia Pike. The lineup hasn’t been finalized yet, but here’s a preview of the expected performers.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Friday — Expect mostly cloudy skies with a high of around 82. Friday night is anticipated to be partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to a low of 64. [NWS]

D.C. Area to Get More EV Charging Stations — “A few dozen electric vehicle charging stations are coming into disadvantaged communities in Maryland and Virginia, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments announced.” Fairfax County and city will benefit from the nearly $4 million grant awarded to COG by the Federal Highway Administration. [WTOP]

Virginia Shares Respiratory Illness Data — “Tuesday, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) launched a new Respiratory Illness Dashboard, which replaces several older dashboards. This dashboard provides key insights into respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, influenza (flu), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).” [VDH]

West Falls Development Prepares for Residents — “Phase One of the West Falls Development Project…is nearing completion,” developer Hoffman & Associates shared on Monday (Sept. 9). An apartment building has begun accepting tenant applications, while a condo building “celebrated a grand opening on Sunday after its condos went on sale in March.” [ARLnow]

Deer Management Debate Emerges in Vienna — Vienna Town Council member Charles Anderson suggested exploring ways to control invasive species, including deer, in the town’s monthly newsletter. At the council’s meeting on Monday (Sept. 9), he said he was surprised to receive “15 or so e-mails” in response, and some residents shared their opinions. [Gazette Leader]

FCPS Releases Family Survey Results — “The results of FCPS’ Family Engagement Survey are now available. A key finding showed that 92% of respondents say they ‘feel welcome’ at their child’s school, an increase from 89% in the 2021-22 survey…Thank you to the more than 26,000 parents and guardians who participated!” [FCPS]

FCPD Hosts Mental Health Conference — “The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) hosted a Public Safety Suicide Prevention Conference, drawing over 130 first responders from across the National Capital area. Held on World Suicide Prevention Day, the event highlighted the importance of mental health support for those on the front lines of public safety.” [FCPD]

Celebrate Moon Festival at Oakton Library — “Celebrate the Mid Autumn Festival (The Moon Festival) with Oakton library! Listen to stories and learn some unique Taiwan Moon Festival traditions. There will also be crafts and activities to celebrate the Moon.” The event will take place this Saturday (Sept. 14) from 3-5 p.m. [Fairfax County Public Library]

It’s Thursday — Patchy fog will clear by 9am, making way for a mostly sunny day and a high near 81, accompanied by an east wind of 3 to 8 mph. Thursday night will be partly cloudy as temperatures drop to around 63, with the southeast wind blowing at 3 to 6 mph. [NWS]

Person Rescued From Sewer — The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department was called to the 4100 block of Wadsworth Court in the Annandale area around noon yesterday (Tuesday) after a person “fell 15-feet down a storm sewer. Technical rescue resources have successfully packaged and extricated the patient.” [FCFRD/Twitter]

Where to Commemorate 9/11 in N. Va. — “A number of events are planned around Northern Virginia to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.” In Fairfax County, there are ceremonies this morning in Great Falls, Vienna, Fort Belvoir and Legato. [Inside NoVA]

Fairfax City Man Charged with Abduction — A 54-year-old Fairfax City man was charged with abduction after City of Fairfax police got a report around 6:53 a.m. on Sept. 5 for “a man acting erratically in the common area in the 10200 block of Aspen Willow Drive.” A person who was at the man’s home when police knocked later said “they were intimidated by the suspect, who told them to not answer it.” [Patch]

Fairfax City Extends Restaurant Week — “The city’s Restaurant Week has been extended until Sunday, Sept. 15 with 20 eateries and options to choose from.” The promotional campaign’s popularity inspired Fairfax City Economic Development and other organizers to continue it beyond its original end date of last Sunday (Sept. 8). [DC News Now]

Vienna Students Surprise Custodian With Car — “A group of sophomore students at James Madison High School in Vienna, Virginia, stunned their beloved school custodian Monday afternoon, by presenting him with something he’s dreamed about — a Jeep Wrangler.” Francis Apraku was greeted with the vehicle, which was made possible through community fundraising, at Vienna Inn. [WTOP]

New Film Festival to Offer Free Screenings — “In commemoration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October, the National Park Service plans to screen several movies at Fort Hunt Park next month involving World War II and featuring characters with disabilities.” [On the MoVe]

Sign Unveiled for 50 Years of W&OD Trail — “September 1974 also brought the opening of the first segment of the Washington & Old Dominion Regional Trail. To mark the occasion, NOVA Parks (the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority) held a special event Sept. 7, unveiling a permanent sign about the history of the W&OD Trail and its many enhancements over its first half-century.” [Gazette Leader]

Moon Gate Completed in Lincolnia Park — Construction a new moon gate, a circular stone structure, was completed at Green Spring Gardens in August. Conceived in 2020 to mark the park’s 20th anniversary, “the rest of the project – including a permanent path, an Asian-inspired garden, a bench, and plaques – is under development.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Wednesday — Expect sunshine and a high of 84 during the day, with light winds turning east at 5 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to a low of 62. [NWS]

Construction Begins on Pickleball Facility — “Construction has started on the Down the Line indoor pickleball center in the long-vacant Kid’s Choice building. The facility, at 4317 Ravensworth Road, Annandale, will have 18 full-size pickleball courts, seven state-of-the-art golf simulators, and a sports bar, says developer Jenni Bae. She anticipates opening in 2025.” [Annandale Today]

Poll Shows Support for Nonpartisan Fairfax City Elections — “Fairfax Commonsense PAC, a political action committee formed in 2021 by former Democratic State Sen. Chap Petersen, commissioned the poll to determine how much support there was for the city to continue its tradition of nonpartisan elections.” Most respondents (67%) said city elections should stay nonpartisan. [Patch]

Lawmakers Divided Over Dulles Greenway’s Future — “Greenway critics, including former Republican state delegate David Ramadan and current Democratic state Sen. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Loudoun), now want to push the SCC to force Greenway tolls down and ideally force its owners to sell the road to the commonwealth.” [Washington Post]

Tysons Play Among D.C. Theatre Week Options — “Theatre Week brings shows by more than DC-area companies under their umbrella with discounted prices” from Sept. 26 through Oct. 13. Ticket sales began yesterday (Monday), including “The Waverly Gallery” from the Tysons-based company 1st Stage. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Flooring Stores Might Stay Open After All — “Richmond, Virginia-based LL Flooring, the former Lumber Liquidators, which announced plans to liquidate and close all stores last week, has agreed to a last minute deal that will save thousands of jobs and keep hundreds of its stores open.” The private equity firm F9 Investments will buy 219 stores, their inventory and a distribution center. [WTOP]

Sculpture Exhibition Coming to McLean — “The McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) and Washington Sculpture Group are collaborating on the upcoming ‘Sculpture NOW 2024’ exhibition, to be held Sept. 12 to Oct. 26″ inside the McLean Community Center.” The exhibit will feature works finished within the past two years by over 60 sculptors. [Gazette Leader]

Oktoberfest Celebrations Along Richmond Highway –“In two weeks, the 189th Oktoberfest kicks off in Munich, Germany. Around the Richmond Highway Corridor meanwhile, preparations are underway for several local celebrations. Following are some details on the festivities, listed in order by date.” [On the MoVe]

It’s Tuesday — Expect sunshine and a high temperature close to 85 degrees. Night will be mostly clear with a low temperature near 59 degrees; the northeast wind at approximately 5 mph will become calm during the evening. [NWS]