Author: FFXnow.com

Man Fatally Shot by Police on Columbia Pike — “A police standoff inside a Columbia Pike 7-Eleven ended with gunfire” last Friday (May 8). A man who had barricaded himself in the convenience store and was reportedly armed with a knife “was shot and killed after officers tried to take him into custody,” Arlington County police said. [ARLnow]

Road Closures in Fairfax, West Springfield — “Willowmeade Drive (Route 5407) between Route 29 and Knight Arch Road (Route 7699) will be closed from 7 a.m. Monday, May 11, until 7 a.m. Thursday, May 14, for Route 29 intersection work as part of the Route 29 widening project.” In addition, a portion of Taft Drive is going to be closed for about a month, starting at 9 a.m. today, for the Rolling Road widening project. [VDOT]

Vehicle Sales Approved for Office Site — “The Board of Supervisors on May 5 authorized a new use for a property in a hidden corner of Mason District with two vacant office buildings. The board passed a motion to rezone the property [at 6850 Versar Center in Springfield] from I-5 to the C-8 [district] to allow the sale of passenger vehicles.” [Annandale Today]

Some Skepticism of DOJ Investigation — “The Department of Justice says it formally launched a new investigation [last] week into Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano … But former federal prosecutor Gene Rossi is skeptical. He says the point may be the announcement rather than the investigation.” [WVTF]

Man Faces Federal Gun Charges — “A Woodbridge man faces federal firearms charges after a Feb. 18 domestic dispute in Herndon … Federal authorities took over prosecution after state-level charges of carrying a concealed weapon and obstruction of justice were dropped in Fairfax County General District Court on May 5.” [Patch]

Fairfax Native Leads Softball Team to First Title — “At the center of the breakthrough season is head coach Maggie Mrowka, a Fairfax County native who became the youngest head coach in Division I college softball when she took over the program last year. Now, in her first season leading the Cougars, Mrowka has guided Charleston to one of the biggest accomplishments in program history.” [WJLA]

Falls Church Plans Cemetery Tours — “A series of monthly walking tours will explore Oakwood Cemetery and the lives of some of those interred there,” starting at 4 p.m. on May 24. “The tours are part of Falls Church’s commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026 and are a welcome addition, said Jim Coyle, who chairs the Falls Church250 Committee.” [ARLnow]

VR Tool Offers Caregivers Insight Into Aging — “Taking care of a loved one at the end of their life can often be a stressful and confusing task, so Fairfax County wants to help. The Virginia county is offering a new virtual training series, developed by Embodied Labs, called Exploring the Dimensions of Aging through Virtual Reality.” [WTOP]

It’s Monday — Expect a 40% chance of rain before 2 PM. The weather will start cloudy but should gradually become mostly sunny, with a high near 67°F and a north wind at 7 to 9 mph. Night will be mostly clear with a low around 45°F. [NWS]

Man Charged in Reston Assaults Arrested Again — “A man who last month entered pleas in connection with a series of assaults in Reston is facing new charges after an abduction attempt in Pentagon City last night. The latest incident happened just before 8 p.m. Wednesday on the 1400 block of S. Hayes Street.” [ARLnow]

Fire Limited in West Falls Church Business — A fire that broke out in Mavana Nails & Waxing, a nail salon in Graham Park Plaza, around 10:35 p.m. on April 28 was limited by the activation of ceiling sprinklers, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department says. “Fire Investigators determined the fire was caused by the discharge of a lithium-ion battery.” [FCFRD]

Double Murder Case Draws True Crime Interest — “The Northern Virginia au pair who had an affair with her boss and helped scheme to kill his wife and a stranger may have a good chance of selling her story. But the law limits whether she can cash in.” During Brendan Banfield’s double murder trial in January, Juliana Peres Magalhães “told jurors she was fielding calls from producers from behind bars.” [NBC4]

Opposition to Proposed Annandale Development — “Residents of Willow Run and nearby neighborhoods filled a conference room at the Mason Government Center on May 6 to confront the developer of a proposed 120-unit multifamily building at 6675 Little River Turnpike.” They argued that the building would be “inappropriate for the property.” Developer George Hong wasn’t present at the meeting. [Annandale Today]

McLean Man Sentenced for Ponzi Scheme — Warith Deen Muhammad, 39, was sentenced Wednesday (May 6) “to four years and two months in federal prison for running a $1.5 million Ponzi scheme” involving a precious metals investment business he owned and operated in Alexandria. “In addition to paying earlier investors, Muhammad used investor funds to finance what prosecutors described as a lavish lifestyle.” [Alexandria Brief]

Virginian Part of Deadly Viral Outbreak — “The Virginia Department of Health says one Virginia traveler who was aboard a cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has returned home and is under public health monitoring … The traveler ‘is currently in good health, not showing any signs of infection,’ the department said.” [FOX5]

Hybla Valley Park Renovation Complete — “The Fairfax County Park Authority will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate recent improvements at Hybla Valley Park, located at 3431 Lockheed Blvd. in Alexandria, on Friday, May 8, at 4:30 p.m. … Recent improvements transformed underused areas into vibrant community spaces.” [FCPA]

County Appoints New HR Director — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has appointed Christina Peterson as director of the Department of Human Resources. Her appointment is effective Monday, May 18.” The board has also appointed Nicole Rawlings as the next director of the county’s Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs. [Fairfax County Government]

It’s Friday — Expect increasing clouds with temperatures reaching a high of around 70°F. Light winds from the northwest will shift to the southwest at 5 to 10 mph in the morning, with possible gusts up to 20 mph. Overnight, the weather will be mostly cloudy with a low around 54°F. [NWS]

Help Wanted With Fire Investigation — Investigators are seeking tips from the public about anyone who might’ve been in the area of a vacant, one-story building in the 11100 block of Popes Head Road near Fairfax Station on or before the weekend of May 3, when it caught fire. “There was evidence that the location had been used previously by trespassers starting campfires or performing general vandalism.” [FCFRD]

FBI Raid on Va. Senate Leader’s Office — The FBI searched the Virginia Senate President L. Louise Lucas’s “hometown office and her neighboring cannabis shop Wednesday, bringing into public view what two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press was a corruption investigation. One of the people said the investigation … was opened during Democratic former President Joe Biden’s administration.” [Associated Press]

Kayaker Who Died in Potomac River Identified — “The kayaker who died after falling out of his boat in the Potomac River [near Great Falls] on Sunday has been identified as 22-year-old William Lankford from Lynchburg … Maryland Natural Resources Police are leading the investigation; an autopsy will be conducted to determine cause of death.” [WTOP]

Town Hall on Ranked Choice Voting — “As ranked choice voting becomes increasingly more popular, Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn will hold a town hall meeting on May 11 to discuss this voting method and what it could mean for Fairfax County.” The town hall at the North County Governmental Center in Reston will feature Arlington’s elections director and the executive director of the democracy reform organization UpVote Virginia. [Hunter Mill District Office]

Reston Cybersecurity Business Closing — NeoSystems, a cybersecurity firm that supports defense contractors, “is shutting down, raising concerns about impacts on companies that depend on it to maintain Pentagon compliance.” Jeff Huckle, president of the 26-year-old company, told employees in a letter last Friday (May 1) that a “deteriorating financial condition” left “no viable options” for continuing operations. [Washington Business Journal]

Reston Space Company Plans New Facility — “Scout Space, a Reston developer of in-space observation systems, said Wednesday it has raised $18 million in Series A funding to support expansion of its manufacturing, including the buildout of new Northern Virginia facility … The company said its new manufacturing facility will span 2,600 square feet” but didn’t share the location. [WBJ]

County Rec Centers Host Open House — “Bring friends and family to tour and try out any of the Park Authority’s Rec Centers all day [today] for free with sign up. Stop by between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. for special programming, such as fitness demonstrations, sample classes, a membership table with arts and crafts, and other fun activities depending on the location.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]

Dog Celebration Returns to Chantilly — “Dog lovers, mark your calendars: Park and Bark returns Saturday, May 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly. The free, dog- and family-friendly festival takes place on the lawn outside the Walney Visitor Center at 5040 Walney Rd.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Thursday — There is a 30% chance of showers in the afternoon, with cloudy skies transitioning to mostly sunny and a high near 65°F. Thursday night will see mostly cloudy conditions clearing to a low around 48°F. [NWS]

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Elevated Gas Prices Continue — “Virginia drivers are feeling more pressure at the gas pump. And fuel prices continue to rise. The average fuel cost in Virginia has risen to above $4 per gallon, according to AAA data. Prices are the highest they’ve been since late July 2022,” driven by the ongoing war in Iran. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Potomac Water Quality Improving After Spill — “Heading into the summer, environmental advocates are stressing the importance of continued water quality monitoring along the Potomac River, even as months of testing has shown E. coli levels are back to normal following January’s massive sewage spill.” [WTOP]

Va. Opposes USPS Gun Mailing Plan — “Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones on Tuesday joined 21 other states in opposing a proposed United States Postal Service rule that would allow certain firearms to be sent through the mail, warning the change could undermine state gun laws and make it easier for prohibited individuals to obtain weapons.” [Virginia Mercury]

Millions Dropped From SNAP Benefits — “At least 2.5 million low-income people quickly lost help affording groceries under a Republican-passed law that added new requirements for the nation’s largest nutrition program and shifted hundreds of millions of dollars in costs from the federal government to states, according to a study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.” [Maryland Matters]

Transmission Upgrades Slowing Energy Projects — “Costs and delays related to upgrading transmission infrastructure are blocking new power sources from getting onto the grid in Virginia, according to a new analysis … It found that 103 power plants in Virginia have withdrawn or been significantly delayed by network upgrade bottlenecks since 2018, mostly clean energy projects.” [VPM News]

Italian Restaurant Expanding to Herndon — “Exciting news for the team at a popular Italian restaurant in Loudoun County – they are expanding and opening a new location in Herndon … The owners of Urbano Modern Italian announced they will be bringing a new restaurant to the Woodland Park Crossing shopping center.” [The Burn]

Teacher Wins Lottery Jackpot — “A Fairfax County teacher won a $986,399 jackpot in the Virginia Lottery’s The Lamp: Dark Arts online game after deciding to play on his wife’s birthday, according to a Virginia Lottery press release. The winner, who was not identified, later told his wife during a walk that he had a gift for her,” calling the winnings “truly life changing.” [Patch]

Scholarships Awarded to Local Students — “Some of the students honored at the Hispanic Leadership Alliance awards ceremony on May 4 are the first in their families to go to college, others came to the U.S. alone, and some just learned English a couple of years ago.” The organization “presented $1,000 scholarships to 29 Fairfax County seniors at a banquet at the FCPS Willow Oaks Administrative Center.” [Annandale Today]

New Legal Notice — Restaurant seeks ABC license for wine and beer, on/off-premises. [Public Notices]

It’s Wednesday — There’s an 80% chance of rain with showers and possible thunderstorms likely after 5 pm, with a high near 77°F, and south winds at 15 mph, gusting up to 30 mph. At night, showers and possibly thunderstorms will continue. The low will be around 55°F. [NWS]

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Kayaker Died After Great Falls Capsizing — “A kayaker who was rescued Sunday afternoon from the Potomac River died at Inova Fairfax Hospital, according to authorities. Emergency rescue personnel from both Fairfax County and Montgomery County, Maryland responded” around 2 p.m. on May 3 to a report of three people becoming separated from their boats near Great Falls. [Patch]

Firefighters Battle Groveton House Fire — Fairfax County firefighters responded yesterday (Monday) just after 11 a.m. to a house fire in the 6500 block of Enfield Drive in the Groveton area. “First-arriving crews arrived with heavy fire showing from a single-family home. All occupants were confirmed out prior to arrival.” No injuries were reported, and an investigation into the cause is underway. [FCFRD/Facebook]

Police Share Initial ‘Road Shark’ Results — “Between April 20 and 26, the Fairfax County Police Department worked in conjunction with the Virginia State Police (VSP) to enforce traffic laws throughout the county. In the first week, officers and troopers issued 781 citations for speeding, 294 citations for reckless driving, and 244 hands-free citations.” [FCPD]

New Family Leave Program Addresses Domestic Violence — “Virginia is the first Southern state to pass a statewide paid family and medical leave program, and it goes beyond new parents or serious illness. The law broadens eligibility by allowing paid leave for workers dealing with domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault.” [Axios Richmond]

Bill Would Allow Class Action Lawsuits — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger is weighing whether to sign or veto legislation that would, for the first time, allow Virginians to file class action lawsuits in state courts — a shift advocates say would expand access to justice, but one that has drawn pushback over how far the change should go.” [Virginia Mercury]

Dogs Found in Fairfax City Reclaimed — “City of Fairfax police released a photo Monday of two small dogs that were found walking together on Sunday in the city. The two dogs can be claimed at the Michael R. Frey campus of the Fairfax County Animal Services at 4500 West Ox Road.” Police shared at 2:48 p.m. today (Tuesday) that the dogs have now been reunited with their family. [Patch]

Shuttle Added to Mount Vernon — “A new shuttle service will soon make it easier to travel to George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate from the King Street Metro station in Old Town. Starting this Friday, May 8, $10 roundtrip shuttle tickets will be available with service to Mount Vernon on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through June.” [ALXnow]

National Mall Refreshing Concessions Kiosks — “A new concessions operator for the National Park Service is planning to give [food kiosks around the National Mall] a big upgrade. Between now and Memorial Day, they’ll transform the Mall’s eight kiosks into different cafe concepts—some themed around nearby museums and monuments — and add 25 food carts.” [Washingtonian]

It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny conditions with a high near 84°F, accompanied by breezy southwest winds at 10 to 20 mph and gusts reaching up to 33 mph. Night will bring increasing clouds, a low around 64°F, and a 30% chance of showers after 2 a.m. [NWS]

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