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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. 👋

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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]

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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.

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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]

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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.

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Morning Notes

Reston Town Center’s Colonial parking garage is decorated with a mural at the intersection of Freedom and Fountain drives (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Dulles Airport in Record-Long Snowless Streak — “From southern Virginia to New York City, nearly two years have elapsed since the last time an inch or more of snow fell on a calendar day. In several locations, the snow drought is the longest on record. The lack of snow has occurred during abnormally warm winters and amid a trend toward declining amounts of snow — both probable consequences of human-caused climate change.” [Washington Post]

Attack on Rep. Connolly Staff Gets Court Hearing — “A Congressional staff member who was struck in the head with a baseball bat in May continues to undergo therapy for the aftereffects of the concussion she suffered in the attack at Rep. Gerry Connolly’s city of Fairfax district office, the staffer testified Monday.” [Patch]

Three Men Arrested for Stealing From Tysons Galleria Stores — “At approximately 4:45 p.m. [Monday], detectives received a call from loss prevention at Sak’s Fifth Avenue for suspects actively involved in credit card fraud…Through the investigation, detectives uncovered that the suspects successfully made purchases at Neiman Marcus for over $8,000 before attempting to use stolen credit cards at Sak’s Fifth Avenue.” [FCPD]

First Reston Winterfest Starts Tomorrow — “A new holiday tradition is about to begin in Northern Virginia. Check out the inaugural ‘Winterfest’ in Reston this Thursday through Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. ‘This is a brand new event for Reston and we are really excited,’ Cara O’Donnell of the Reston Association told WTOP.” [WTOP]

Health Food Restaurant Opens Early in Hybla Valley — “The new honeygrow restaurant at Mount Vernon Plaza…opened its doors to the public Nov. 27 after a private ribbon-cutting ceremony with company management. Originally scheduled to open in early 2024, the restaurant got a jump start thanks to an accelerated construction timeline.” [On the MoVe]

McLean Book Store Plans Grand Opening — “Fonts Books & Gifts is holding a grand opening celebration on Dec. 2 at its location in Chesterbrook Plaza in McLean. The celebration begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday…The store’s website is open for online orders for in-store pickup only. Fonts plans to start shipping books in January.” [Patch]

County Library Adds Air Quality Monitors to Stock — Fairfax County Public Library launched a new service on Monday (Nov. 27), offering air quality monitors, battery testers and other meters and readers that can be used to measure everything from carbon monoxide levels to soil acidity. The free devices can be checked out for three-week periods from any branch. [FCPL]

Metro Rolls Out Gingerbread-Themed Train — “Tis the season for holiday joy! We come bearing gifts. Check out our wrapped train that entered service early. Don’t worry, there’s more where that came from! Metrobus up next, starting Dec. 1. Happy holidays!” [WMATA/Twitter]

It’s Wednesday — Expect sunshine and a high around 39 degrees, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 7 to 10 mph. The night will be mostly clear and cooler with a low temperature of 28 degrees, while the southwest wind continues at 6 to 10 mph. [Weather.gov]

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FFXnow Daily Debrief for Nov 28, 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 — Nov 28, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Wednesday’s forecast

Sunny conditions are expected with a high around 39 and a south wind of 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to approximately 27 degrees and a southwest wind of 6 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.

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Morning Notes

The Vienna Presbyterian Church opened for visitors during the town’s annual Church Street Holiday Stroll (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Apple Store to Leave Fair Oaks Mall — “Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is expected to relocate its Fair Oaks Mall store to nearby Fairfax Corner as soon as late 2024, joining upscale furniture retailer Arhaus in a new building currently under construction…The move represents another big win for the open-air Fairfax Corner, which recently debuted a 12-story, 228-unit multifamily building, The Vista, and landed” a small-format Ikea store. [Washington Business Journal]

FCPS Accused of Revealing Rape Victim’s Identity — “A former Fairfax County Public Schools student who accuses the Virginia district of ignoring allegations that she was repeatedly raped, tortured and threatened when she was in middle school is demanding to know how officials accidentally revealed her identity last month.” [The 74]

County Creates Workforce Readiness Task Force — “Seeking to boost the talent pool for Fairfax County’s economy, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay (D) on Nov. 21 announced he was creating a Workforce Readiness Working Group…The group, which McKay hopes will be in place before the board’s first meeting next year, will provide its report to county supervisors by the end of 2024.” [Gazette Leader]

Violent Crime Down in Mount Vernon District — “Based on data provided by the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD), the amount of violent crime in the Mount Vernon Police District fell across most categories from January to September 2023 over the same time period last year…FCPD also shared that year to date, the county as a whole has had 25 carjackings versus 26 during the same time period last year.” [On the MoVe]

New Dashboard Shows Health Data and Trends — The county’s “Healthy Communities” data dashboard will update annually with information about “physical and behavioral conditions,” health insurance coverage, food insecurity and other health-related topics. Initial findings include an overall increase in food insecurity, as of 2021, and more adults reporting mental health struggles. [Fairfax County Government]

Air and Space Museum to Celebrate 20 Years in Chantilly — The National Air and Space Museum opened its Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly on Dec. 15, 2003. The facility, which “showcases some of the world’s rarest and most historic air and space artifacts,” will celebrate its 20th anniversary from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

New Tourism Initiatives Boost South Fairfax County — “A year and a half after the unveiling of the Potomac Banks–Explore Fairfax South tourism brand for Southeast Fairfax County, Visit Fairfax has rolled out some new initiatives to promote attractions and hospitality-oriented businesses around the greater Richmond Highway Corridor.” [On the MoVe]

McLean Elementary School Encourages Students to Get Fit — “For 12 years, dozens of kids at Chesterbrook Elementary School in McLean, Virginia, have hit the gym an hour before class to get their energy up and learn lifelong fitness habits and skills…Principal Stacy Kirkpatrick said the ‘Fitness Warriors’ program is extremely popular with every grade, which get one morning a week in the gym.” [WTOP]

It’s Tuesday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 37 degrees. Wind gusts could reach up to 29 mph. As for Tuesday night, it should be primarily clear with lows near 22 degrees. [Weather.gov]

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FFXnow Daily Debrief for Nov 27, 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 — Nov 27, 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 a mostly sunny day with a high near 36 degrees, accompanied by breezy conditions as northwest winds of 8 to 13 mph increase to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon, possibly gusting up to 30 mph. The night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 21 degrees and west winds of 8 to 15 mph, gusting up to 20 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

Runners participating in a Turkey Trot on Glade Drive in Reston (photo by Ray Copson)

“Free Palestine” Protest Disrupts Black Friday in Tysons — “Outside Tysons Corner Center in McLean, another group marched and chanted. A line of vehicles could be seen with Palestinian flags waving…Some posted on social media that they had been stuck in traffic for hours. One X user posted that they were stuck in the Tysons parking garage because of the protest.” [WUSA9]

Fairfax County Firefighter Dies Off-Duty — “With great sadness, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department announces the death of Lieutenant Travis Traynham. Lt. Traynham passed away while off-duty on Thursday, November 23, 2023. Lt. Traynham has been a valued member of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department since joining in 2004.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Reston Station Foot Traffic Down Post-Pandemic — Comstock CEO Chris Clemente says Reston Station is seeing about 4,000 visitors a day compared to “something like 16,000 people a day” before the pandemic, a decline he partly attributes to low Metro ridership. He envisions Reston Station and Reston Town Center becoming “one large integrated employment center” with no visible difference between the two from an aerial perspective. [Washington Business Journal]

Prosecutors Share More Details in Brothel Investigation — “New evidence was revealed in court documents Wednesday in the case against two of the three people accused of trafficking women and running brothels in Massachusetts and Virginia. Investigators said ring leader Han Lee kept detailed records, which could be her undoing.” [CBS News]

Car Fire Put Out in Fair Lakes — “Just after 2:30pm [on Saturday, Nov. 25] units from Station 21, Fair Oaks, responded to the 13000 blk of Fair Lakes Shopping Center for an auto fire in a parking lot. Crews arrived with one vehicle on fire. Fire is out. No civilian or firefighters injuries reported.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Vaping Customer Trespassed From Vienna Panera — Panera employees requested police assistance on Nov. 20 with a customer who “became verbally aggressive and began vaping again” when told that vaping wasn’t allowed in the restaurant. “An officer advised the customer he was trespassed from the premises and would be charged with trespassing if he returned.” [Vienna Police]

Annandale Gets New Thai Restaurant — “A new restaurant in the Bradlick Shopping Center in Annandale specializes in the cuisine of northeastern Thailand. Mae Ornnit opened Nov. 18 in the space previously occupied by Loopy’s at the intersection of Braddock and Backlick roads.” [Annandale Today]

Trail Planned in Gum Springs — “Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) representatives joined community members and elected officials at Martin Luther King Jr. Park Nov. 18 for an update on the Gum Springs Trail Project, which will eventually connect Gum Springs residents with Little Hunting Creek.” [On the MoVe]

It’s Monday — Expect sunshine and a high of around 49 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind of 8 to 17 mph, and gusts reaching up to 28 mph. For Monday night, the skies will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to approximately 27 degrees. [Weather.gov]

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