Author: FFXnow.com

Northern Lights Visible in Fairfax County — Thanks to a strong geomagnetic storm, the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, became visible across the D.C. area last night (Thursday), with sightings reported from Reston and Herndon to Fairfax Station, Lincolnia and neighboring Arlington County. Thank you to everyone who shared photos with FFXnow! [FFXnow/Twitter]

Fairfax Nonprofit Joins Hurricane Milton Response — “Members of the nonprofit, Tidewater Disaster Response, had been working to ease suffering in western North Carolina but rushed down to Florida this week to be in the path of Milton.” The civilian organization deployed a four-person “swift water rescue team that’s been cross trained with chain saw and route clearance operations.” [WTOP]

Beyer Family’s Auto Dealerships Acquired — “A Fairfax-based investment group has acquired a majority stake in Beyer Auto Group. Open Road Capital closed a deal today (Thursday) on the family business of U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), the congressman confirmed with ARLnow.” [ARLnow]

Global Earthquake Drill Coming Up — “Knowing what to do before a big earthquake can determine how well you survive and recover. Join in and participate in the world’s largest earthquake drill at 10:17 a.m. on Oct. 17. Register today so that you or your organization will be counted.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Army to Study D.C. Area Water Supply Alternatives — “The District and its Virginia and Maryland suburbs are dependent on the Potomac River as the main — or sole — source of drinking water … The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is set to begin a three-year feasibility study of ways to bolster the resilience of the area’s water supply.” [WTOP]

Playground Near Fairfax Station Closed for Construction — “The Fairfax County Park Authority will soon begin work on replacing the wooden border that surrounds the playground at Country Club View Park. Active construction activities are scheduled to begin on October 10. Weather depending, work is anticipated to be completed by October 18.” [FCPA]

N. Va. Houses Go All Out for Halloween — “If you’re looking for more than jack-o-lanterns and scarecrows, visit the houses that have some of the best Halloween decorations across Northern Virginia.” Options include The Historic Herndon Halloween House, which teamed up with The Beastro at Queens Row to create a “space alien-themed display.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Friday — Expect sunshine and a high of around 68 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind between 5 and 8 mph. In the evening, the sky will remain clear with temperatures dropping to approximately 48 degrees, and a southwest wind of around 6 mph. [NWS]

MS-13 Member on Trial for Murders — Elmer Alas Candray, allegedly a key leader for the gang’s Reston crew, “faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison if convicted. Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia say it is the biggest murder case they have taken to trial in recent years, with five victims in Fairfax County and one in Massachusetts killed between 2018 and 2022.” [Washington Post]

Two Injured in Vehicle Crash — “First responders took two people to the hospital after a serious multi-vehicle crash Wednesday at the intersection of Roberts Road and Collingham Drive in the Kings Park West area.” In one case, the injuries are considered life-threatening, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department said. [FOX5]

Dulles Airport Access Highway Entrance Closes — “Starting Thursday, October 10, the first entrance to the @Dulles_Airport Access Highway west of I-495 will close 24/7 for paving. Westbound airport traffic should keep left and follow signs. All local traffic should keep right.” The closure will be in place through Sunday (Oct. 13). [Dulles Toll Road/Twitter]

Stir-Fry Chain to Expand Fairfax Presence — “Philadelphia-based fast-casual restaurant honeygrow recently announced that it had signed leases with two locations in Northern Virginia, one on Old Keene Mill Road in Springfield and the other at 9650 Main St. in Fairfax City. The Fair City Mall location is scheduled to open in spring 2025.” [Patch]

Look Out for Spotted Lanternflies — “It’s spotted lanternfly season … If you see adult spotted lanternflies, stomp/kill them immediately. If they evade you, then scrape them into the bottom of a cut plastic water bottle, shake it to disorient them, then dump them on the ground and stomp on them.” [Fairfax County government]

Local Schools Awarded by State — “Five Fairfax County public schools have been awarded a 2024 Virginia Board of Education Exemplar Award,” which are based on academic, attendance and graduation criteria. Sangster Elementary and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology won achievement awards, while Lewis, South Lakes and West Potomac high schools were recognized for improvement. [FCPS]

Virginia Wineries Showcase Native Grape — “Nearly two dozen vineyards and wineries are embracing the only grape native to Virginia, sharing best practices about growing Norton and turning it into wine — and getting wine enthusiasts to try it.” A wine tour organized by the new Norton Network will include events at Paradise Springs Winery in Clifton and The Winery at Bull Run in Centreville on Nov. 8-10. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny conditions and a high temperature near 63 degrees, accompanied by a north wind blowing at 6 to 10 mph. The evening will remain clear with temperatures dropping to around 42 degrees, and the north wind will decrease to 3 to 5 mph. [NWS]

Victims of Fake Immigration Attorney Testify — Immigrants defrauded by a woman who posed as an attorney and threatened to report them to immigration officials when questioned shared their stories to a Fairfax County judge on Monday (Oct. 7). Jasmine Moawad will be sentenced next month after pleading “guilty in February to one felony count of obtaining money by false pretenses.” [NBC4]

Metro Proposes New Funding Model — “Leaders at the D.C. Metro system have been touting a huge drop in fare evasion at train stations since new, higher gates were installed. But only 30 percent of bus riders pay for the service, and the agency is considering a dramatic change to its funding model that would reduce the cost for jurisdictions whose riders pay their fares.” [Washington Post]

Hurricanes Send More Animals to Fairfax Shelter — “More animals are coming. Homeward Trails expects 30 pets from an affected shelter in Galax, Virginia, to arrive Wednesday, right before Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida. The rescue anticipates even more pets will arrive in the DC area later in the week.” [Washingtonian]

County Expands WiFi to Parking Lots — In time for Digital Inclusion Week from Oct. 7-11, the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services has expanded free Wi-Fi to the parking lots of over 20 community, senior, teen and adult day health centers. It also now offers iPads, 3D printers and robotics kits at some senior and community centers. [NCS]

Speakeasy-Style Restaurant Opens in Fairfax City — “Chef Jon Krinn’s restaurant Elyse in Fairfax officially opens on Wednesday, October 9. Until now, the 29-seat restaurant on Fairfax Boulevard has been ‘invitation-only’…Krinn describes the restaurant as having a speakeasy vibe with a tasting menu format paired with wine and spirits.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Women-Owned Businesses Awarded Grants — Six women-owned business in Fairfax City won grants totaling $27,859 from Fairfax City Economic Development (FCED). The inaugural recipients of the Women’s Entrepreneur Grant Opportunity were announced at the Women’s Entrepreneur Empowerment Luncheon on Sept. 25. [FCED]

Snake Meat Found in Bag at Dulles Airport — “A 4-year-old beagle working as a detector dog at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia discovered two pounds of snake meat inside a traveler’s baggage recently…Although the meat is a routine protein source in Equatorial Guinea, it is one of the animal products that is illegal to import into the U.S.” [Patch]

It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 71 degrees, accompanied by a west wind at 5 to 10 mph. At night, the sky will be clear, with the temperature dipping to a low of around 47 degrees. A northwest wind of approximately 7 mph will persist. [NWS]

McLean Bank Makes Public Debut — “Chain Bridge Bancorp (CBNA.N), was valued at $138 million after its shares fell 2% in their NYSE debut on Friday, marking a grim start to its stint as a public company…While some analysts had lauded timing the IPO just a month ahead of the presidential election, the lukewarm reception highlights the challenges of attracting investors to a less recognizable conservative-leaning brand.” [Reuters]

Vienna Student Reported for Assaults and Threat — Vienna Adventist Academy’s principal reported a Sept. 26 incident where “a student had a violent emotional breakdown in class that resulted in them striking multiple other students and faculty members before being separated from the class. During the incident, the student made an additional physical threat.” [Vienna Police]

Fairfax Dunkin’ Donuts Robbed — A 21-year-old Fairfax man was arrested last week and charged with petit larceny in connection to a reported robbery of Dunkin’ Donuts (10020 Main Street) on Oct. 3. Police say “a male subject approached the victim, punched the victim, stole the victim’s electric scooter and cell phone, and fled the area. The victim sustained minor injuries.” [City of Fairfax Police]

N. Va. Unemployment Rate Rises — Northern Virginia’s jobless rate of 3.1% in August was up from 2.8% a year before, according to new state data, with 1.68 million employed and 54,500 seeking jobs. Fairfax County’s unemployment rate for the month was 3.1% with 20,132 people without jobs, up from 2.9% in July and 2.7% in August 2023. [Virginia Employment Commission]

Franconia Metro Station Getting New Escalators — “On October 7, 2024, Metro will begin a major capital project replacing two entrance escalators and three platform escalators at Franconia-Springfield. The five escalators will be replaced with brand-new ones that are more durable and reliable.” Expected to finish in July 2025, the work is part of a system-wide effort to update the transit agency’s escalators. [WMATA]

WaPo Critic Impressed by Fairfax City Restaurant — Southeast Impressions, which opened in Fairfax City’s Scout on the Circle development last year, serves Singaporean and Malaysian favorites as well as “a hit parade of Thai choices.” Critic Tom Sietsema says it’s an exception to the adage that “plastic, pages-long menus with photographs are typically a sign of a restaurant to avoid.” [Washington Post]

Dulles Airport to Offer New Flights — “United Airlines Inc. plans to add two nonstop destinations to its lineup of flights out of Dulles International Airport (IAD) later this fall, further cementing its status as the airport’s largest carrier.” Daily nonstop flights will be available to South Bend International Airport in Indiana starting Dec. 3 and to Morgantown Municipal Airport in West Virginia on Dec. 13 [Washington Business Journal]

It’s Monday — Expect sunny weather with temperatures reaching up to 70°F. Northwest winds will be blowing at 8-13 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. As for Monday night, the sky will be mostly clear, and the temperature will drop to around 50°F, accompanied by a northwest wind of 6-8 mph. [NWS]