Author: FFXnow.com

Turkey Earthquake Rescue Worker Shares Experience — “Dr. Murteza Shahkolahi has helped to pull survivors from the rubble several days after the quake first hit…Shahkolahi is with Virginia Task Force 1, the team from Fairfax County, Virginia, which gets deployed around the world to respond to natural disasters.” [WTOP]

Politicians Pitch Springfield for FBI HQ — “A bipartisan group of Virginia’s federal, state and local leaders met in Springfield Wednesday, calling on the General Services Administration to choose the 58 acres of federally-owned land at the GSA Franconia Warehouse Complex for the new FBI headquarters.” [Inside NoVA]

Architect of the Capitol Fired After Reckless Driving Probe — “President Joe Biden has fired the embattled Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, following a scathing inspector general report on his personal and professional management and calls for his removal.” The inspector general found that Blanton’s family was misusing his work vehicle after a 2021 reckless driving incident involving his daughter near the Tysons Walmart. [NBC4]

Springfield Lego Center Chooses Master Builder — “Andrew Litterst’s [most impressive LEGO creation] is a bunch of LEGO Star Wars spaceships mounted on an electric LEGO train so that they chase each other on tracks around the room. So it’s no wonder he was just named LEGO’s Master Builder in the D.C. region — the first to hold that title at the soon-to-open LEGO Discovery Center” [DCist]

Key Tysons Developer Dies — “Theodore N. ‘Ted’ Lerner, a self-made billionaire developer who became principal owner of the Washington Nationals and oversaw the team’s rise to prominence, capped by its victory in the 2019 World Series, died Feb. 12 at his home in Chevy Chase, Md. He was 97.” [The Washington Post]

Emergency SNAP Benefits End This Week — “During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government passed a law to temporarily increase SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits to support families. The law has recently changed, and the benefits will end Feb.16. Effective in March, SNAP benefits will return to normal, without the added supplement.” [Fairfax County Government]

Super Bowl Flyover Includes Springfield Pilot — “After months of planning and multiple training sessions, an all-women crew is ready to fly over the State Farm Stadium in Arizona on Super Bowl Sunday in honor of 50 years of women in naval aviation. Among them is a woman from Springfield, Virginia who said she was ecstatic to get the call that she would be joining the crew.” [WUSA9]

Oak Marr Rec Center Closed This Morning — “Due to a temporary water service disruption, Oak Marr Rec Center will open at Noon on Feb. 13. New water heaters are being installed at the center. The building will also be without hot water from Feb. 13-16.” [FCPA/Twitter]

ICYMI: Speed Camera Program Launches Today — Speed cameras will be installed near eight schools across Fairfax County today (Friday). For the first 30 days, drivers who go 10 mph or more over the speed limit will get a warning with no citation. After that, fines could go up to $100. [FFXnow]

How to Help Victims of Turkey Earthquake — “While our Fairfax County @VATF1 continues their efforts in #Türkiye, you may be wondering if there are ways we can help out. The Turkish Embassy is collecting donations now through Sunday!” Donations can be taken directly to the embassy in D.C., but there will also be a collection box in the Target lobby at the Mosaic District until Feb. 26. [Jeff McKay/Twitter, Dalia Palchik]