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Morning Notes

Published April 8, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated December 9, 2022 at 1:48PM

The new South County Police Station and Animal Shelter under construction in Lorton (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

County Elections Director Resigns — “Fairfax County’s general registrar has resigned after less than a year on the job and now the former election manager will serve as registrar until the term expires on June 30, 2023, county officials said. Scott Konopasek announced his intention to resign as general registrar during a closed session of the Electoral Board on March 24.” [Sun Gazette/Inside NoVA]

Depp-Heard Defamation Trial Will Be Televised — “Court TV will carry the televised feed of the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial, which is scheduled to begin next week in Fairfax County, VA. The network will be the pool feed provider for the trial, and plans to provide coverage of the proceedings.” [Deadline]

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published April 7, 2022 at 7:30AM

A grassy field outside Wolf Trap National Park's Filene Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Annandale Chick-fil-A Opens Today — “Chick-fil-A will open Thursday, April 7, at 7130 Little River Turnpike, Annandale…To celebrate the grand opening, the restaurant will surprise ‘100 local heroes making an impact in Annandale with free Chick-fil-A for a year.'” [Annandale Today]

Starkist HQ in Reston Now Open — Relocating from Pittsburgh, the tuna manufacturer opened its new corporate and administrative headquarters at 1875 Explorer Street in Reston Town Center on Tuesday (April 5). The office can accommodate more than 70 employees, and the company is marking its arrival with a community distribution event for the Reston-based nonprofit Feed the Children. [Starkist]

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Most expensive Fairfax County homes sold in March

By FFXnow.com

Published April 7, 2022 at 5:00AM

7800 Meritage Lane

There are homes you can actually afford, and then there are homes that are just fun to look at.

Our list of the most expensive recently-sold homes in Fairfax County, below, is definitely the latter for all but the most well heeled.

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Morning Poll: Should Fairfax County mandate recess in middle school?

By FFXnow.com

Published April 6, 2022 at 9:00AM

Fairfax County Public Schools plans to start requiring recess for middle school students (courtesy FCPS Office of Communication and Community Relations)

The Fairfax County School Board is set to require recess at the middle school level for the first time starting next school year.

Under a health and wellness policy revision to be voted on this month, middle schools would be required to have a 15-minute supervised recess break, and elementary school students will get two recess breaks per day, totaling at least 30 minutes.

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published April 6, 2022 at 7:30AM

The planets Venus, Mars, and Saturn spotted over Lake Audubon in Reston (photo by Terry Baranski)

Franconia Townhouse Fire Under Investigation — Fairfax County fire investigators are still working to determine the cause of a townhouse fire that occurred in the 6500 block of Gildar Street on Saturday (April 2). The blaze didn’t cause any injuries, but four people have been displaced, and there was an estimated $93,750 in damages. [FCFRD]

Fairfax City Police Search for Missing Woman — “Fairfax City Police are still searching for information Tuesday on the disappearance of Amanda Childress, 43, who may have also been the victim of an assault…Investigators said the assault may have happened in the 10400 block of Eaton Place on March 6.” [ABC7]

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published April 5, 2022 at 7:30AM

Waiting at McLean Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Defamation Trial Over Domestic Violence Op-Ed Starts Next Monday — “Johnny Depp, 58, and Amber Heard, 35, who were briefly married from 2015 to 2017, are set to begin their long-anticipated defamation trial with jury selection that day. The trial is expected to last through the end of May, and the case has drawn national and international attention.” [Inside NoVA]

D.C. Area TV News Anchor Dies — “For decades, Bruce Johnson’s voice could be heard emanating from TV sets around the Washington region, delivering the day’s news with both gravitas and humor. Johnson, who spent 44 years at local CBS affiliate WUSA9, died of heart failure Sunday morning, according to the station.” [DCist]

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published April 4, 2022 at 7:30AM

A guard tower on the former Lorton Prison grounds, now turned into the Workhouse Arts Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Man Dies After Crash in Oakton — “A 78-year-old man has died from injuries sustained in a single-vehicle crash that occurred at 2:01 p.m. on March 30 in Oakton. Thomas Peregoy of Alexandria was driving eastbound on Lawyers Road near Kedge Drive when his 2014 Toyota Tacoma drifted off the roadway to the right, striking a tree head on.” [FCPD]

Genomic Sequencing Could Help ID “Christmas Tree Lady” — “For 25 years, the Fairfax County police have tried and failed to identify ‘the Christmas Tree Lady,’ so named because she placed an 8-inch Christmas tree with gold balls and red ribbons on the clear plastic sheet she put on the ground…She is the only person to die by suicide in Fairfax whom authorities have been unable to identify, before or since.” [The Washington Post]

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published April 1, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated April 1, 2022 at 8:50AM

The Tysons skyline (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Electrical Event Caused Chantilly House Fire — “Fire Investigators determined that the fire was accidental in nature and started in the electrical panel box located in the basement. The cause of the fire was an electrical event involving wiring in the electrical panel box.” [FCFRD]

Sheriff’s Office Donates Ballistic Vests to Ukraine — “Due to the dire situation in Ukraine and the scarcity of body armor, the Sheriff’s Office and our Supply section, led by 2nd Lt. Kim, are proud to be able to donate 110 ballistic vests for the Lift Up Ukraine campaign. We hope our equipment will help protect the lives of Ukrainians as they defend their country from the Russian invasion.” [Fairfax County Sheriff Facebook]

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BREAKING: Possible tornado touchdown in Tysons after warnings issued for Fairfax County

By FFXnow.com

Published March 31, 2022 at 8:35PM | Updated March 31, 2022 at 9:56PM

Tornado Warning for Fairfax County

Update at 9:15 p.m. — The earlier Tornado Warning, and one issued subsequently, have both been cancelled. It appears that a rotating storm — possibly a weak tornado — passed by Tysons Corner Center mall, according to video posted on social media. There are also reports of damage near the Tysons Corner Metro station.

Note that the video below contains strong language.

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published March 31, 2022 at 7:30AM

Looking south to Falls Church over Washington Blvd. (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Health Department Updates Covid Data — The county’s dashboard for COVID-19 data will report the 7-day average number of daily cases instead of the number of new cases, and two other metrics were added to the dashboard. The additions are the 7-day average number of daily new deaths, and the current community level, including the metrics that determine the level (hospitalizations, hospital capacity and cases within a community). [Fairfax County Government]

FBI Relaunches New HQ Search — “President Joe Biden’s administration made it clear that the federal government would be consolidating the FBI’s headquarters outside of D.C. in the General Services Administration’s fiscal year 2023 budget request…The move has been in limbo for years. During then-President Barack Obama’s administration, the GSA had narrowed down potential locations to Greenbelt, Landover and Springfield.” [Bisnow]