Author: FFXnow.com

Truck Driver Charged for Fatal Chantilly Crash — “Detectives from our Crash Reconstruction Unit have charged the driver from the December 23 fatal pedestrian crash in Chantilly with Failure to Maintain Control.” Police say the 44-year-old man from Maryland “drifted over the solid white line” on Sully Road before hitting Centreville resident Amin Emad-Eldin Hammoud, who was on the road shoulder after his vehicle got disabled. [FCPD]

Inauguration to Close I-395 Ramps — “The Virginia Department of Transportation will support Virginia State Police for bridge and ramp closures from Virginia into Washington, D.C. on Jan. 20. Drivers should plan now to use alternate routes during this time. Portable and overhead message signs will remind drivers of the closures.” [VDOT]

Bill Increases Penalties for Striking Pedestrians — “State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) plans to introduce legislation this year that would sidestep debate over what counts as ‘careless’ or ‘distracted’ by punishing any driver who seriously injures or kills somebody who is in a crosswalk or otherwise legally on a roadway with up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.” [Washington Post]

GOP Pushes to Ban Transgender Student-Athletes — “Republican lawmakers, joined by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, Attorney General Jason Miyares and student athletes, gathered on Wednesday to support legislation that would bar transgender students from participating in school sport teams inconsistent with their biological sex.” [Virginia Mercury]

Local Events to Celebrate MLK Day — “To commemorate King’s legacy, below is a list of events that highlight the importance of community service, reflection and dialogue, musical performances, children’s activities and more. Note: Fairfax County Government offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20.” [Fairfax County Government]

Hearing Set on Cut-Through Permit Program — “Fairfax County is considering adding a permit component to the ‘residential cut-through traffic mitigation program.’ At its Jan. 14 meeting, the Board of Supervisors agreed to hold a public hearing on the permit proposal. The hearing is scheduled for Feb. 18 at 4 p.m.” [Annandale Today]

First Hike Photo Public Vote Winner Unveiled — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is thrilled to announce Rena Schild as the winner of the People’s Choice Award for the 2025 First Hike Fairfax Photo Contest. Rena’s captivating photo, taken at Huntley Meadows Park, received the highest number of online votes submitted by residents from across the county.” [FCPA]

It’s Friday — Expect sunshine and a high around 40 degrees, with west winds at 5 to 9 mph shifting to southern winds in the afternoon. By Friday night, clouds will increase and temperatures will drop to around 30 degrees, accompanied by a southerly wind at 5 to 8 mph. [NWS]

Conviction of FCPD Officer in Tysons Shooting Upheld — “A Fairfax County judge has denied a motion to dismiss the guilty verdict for former police officer Wesley Shifflett, who was convicted in October for reckless handling of a firearm” after fatally shooting Timothy Johnson outside Tysons Corner Center on Feb. 22, 2023. [WUSA9]

How Inauguration Will Affect Travel — “Anyone driving, riding the Metro or taking the bus in Washington, D.C., on Inauguration Day can expect changes and plenty of closures. Here’s everything to know about getting around in D.C. on Monday — including what travelers can expect at D.C.-area airports.” [NBC4]

Former Falls Church Youth Minister Accused of Sexual Abuse — “The alumnus was one of three Falls Church Episcopal youth group members who an independent investigation revealed in April were allegedly sexually abused by [Jeff] Taylor in the 1990s or the early 2000s when they attended the church.” Taylor, now the subject of an FBI investigation, left Falls Church Episcopal in 2001 to work at churches in Atlanta, where he faced more allegations. [Washington Post]

Tysons Casino Opponents Speak Out — Members of the No Fairfax Casino Coalition voiced their concerns about the proposed legislation at a press conference in Richmond yesterday. “Virginia state Sens. Jennifer Boysko and Saddam Salim joined the group, along with Fairfax County Supervisors Walter Alcorn and Jimmy Bierman.” [WTOP]

Capital One Hit With Federal Lawsuit — “The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has sued Capital One and its McLean holding company, Capital One Financial, alleging the companies cheated millions of consumers out of more than $2 billion in interest payments, the federal agency announced Tuesday.” [Virginia Business]

Herndon Roofing Company Eyed for Acquisition — “A Connecticut building products company is attempting a hostile takeover of Herndon’s Beacon Roofing Supply Inc. (NASDAQ: BECN), offering to acquire the fast-growing Fortune 500 company for $11 billion in cash.” Beacon said it reviewed the offer, which was proposed in November and publicly confirmed yesterday (Wednesday), but “found it lacking.” [Washington Business Journal]

Data Dashboard Shows County Energy Use — “By making its buildings energy efficient, installing solar panels for clean energy, and electrifying its vehicle fleet, Fairfax County has also cut its greenhouse gas emissions by almost 28% since fiscal year 2018, according to new data from the county’s energy dashboard.” [Fairfax County Government]

Franconia Supervisor to Chair Key Regional Group — “The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors today elected Fairfax County Supervisor Rodney Lusk as its Chair for 2025.” Lusk will lead the regional planning body as it prepares for potential changes to the federal government and finalizes transit funding recommendations. [COG]

It’s Thursday — There’s a 30% chance of snow showers after 1pm, with increasing clouds and a high near 34 degrees. Expect a south wind of 3 to 8 mph. In the evening, it’ll be cloudy before gradually clearing, and the temperature will drop to around 25 degrees. A calm wind will become northwest at 5 to 8 mph later in the night. [NWS]

Park Police Officers in Bijan Ghaisar Shooting Reinstated — “The two U.S. Park Police officers who shot and killed Bijan Ghaisar are back on the job after federal investigators cleared them in the case.” Lucas Vinyard and Alejandro Amaya had been on paid administrative duty and then paid leave since the Nov. 17, 2017 shooting. [NBC4]

Person Critically Injured in Springfield House Fire — “#FairfaxBravest are on scene of a house fire in the 7500 block of Long Pine Dr. Crews arrived with fire showing. The fire is under control. One civilian was transported with life-threatening injuries. No firefighter injuries.” [FCFRD/Twitter]

Lawsuit Alleges Fraud by Compass Coffee Owner — “The co-founders of the popular Compass Coffee chain in Washington have severed ties, with the company’s former chief executive accusing its owner of fraudulently misusing pandemic relief funds in a lawsuit filed Monday.” The chain’s 20 D.C.-area shops include locations in Fairfax City and West Falls Church. [Washington Post]

Police Make Arrest in Business Burglaries — A 32-year-old man was arrested and charged on Monday (Jan. 13) for allegedly burglarizing a business in the 9400 block of Mathy Drive in Mantua the previous day. Police say they found the man outside a business in Annandale that had reported a larceny and recognized him from surveillance footage. [FCPD]

Japanese Grocery Store Sets Opening Date — Marufuji Japanese Market will celebrate the grand opening of its new store in Tysons starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25. Plans for the event are still being finalized, but expect plenty of giveaways, deals and demonstrations, Fuji Mart Corp. Vice President Joshua Nakama says. [FFXnow]

Stream Restoration Planned at Lincolnia Park — “The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is planning a major stream restoration project at Turkeycock Run in Bren Mar Park. The design is expected to be completed in late summer or early fall of 2025.” [Annandale Today]

New Fairfax City School Board Sworn In — “The five members of Fairfax City’s new school board were officially sworn in during a ceremony at City Hall on Monday night. Lauren A. Bartelme, Kristina M. Cecere, Amit S. Hickman, Sarah M. Kelsey and Carolyn S. Pitches were elected during the Nov. 5, 2024 general elections.” [Patch]

GMU Professor Shares Vision for Use of A.I. — In a podcast interview, Dr. Amarda Shehu, George Mason University’s inaugural chief artificial intelligence officer, “discusses her groundbreaking role at Mason, the university’s proactive approach to AI, and the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on education, the workforce, and the economy.” [Potomac Local News]

It’s Wednesday — Expect a sunny day with highs near 30 and northwest winds of 14 to 16 mph, gusting up to 31 mph. The night will be mostly clear with lows around 17, as northwest winds decrease to 6 to 11 mph, turning light westerly after midnight, and potentially gusting up to 18 mph. [NWS]

D.C. Area on ‘High Alert’ for Bird Flu — “Bird flu outbreaks have been detected at three poultry operations in Maryland and Delaware, impacting more than 500,000 chickens and leading to heightened alert among officials in the Washington region.” The Maryland H5N1 case was reported on Friday (Jan. 10) and detected in a chicken in Caroline County. [Washington Post]

FCPS Not Affected by Data Breach — “K-12 education vendor PowerSchool experienced a data breach. While FCPS is a customer of PowerSchool, we do not utilize their Student Information System product, which was the system impacted by the data breach.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]

Governor Highlights Priorities for Final Year — “Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin launched his priorities in his State of the Commonwealth speech Monday morning. The speech, and the start of the 2025 Virginia General Assembly, was postponed until after the water crisis in Richmond could be resolved.” [WTOP]

High School Stadium Bathrooms Expected This Summer — “The long-awaited permanent restroom facilities at several high school athletic stadiums around the Richmond Highway Corridor are expected to be ready this summer, according to leaders at Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).” [On the MoVe]

Proposed Bill Would Make School Breakfasts Free — “Public school students across Virginia would soon be getting free breakfasts under a newly proposed bill by Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) and Sen. Danica Roem (D-30) … The new bill only covers breakfast and costs $43 million, Bennett-Parker said.” [ALXnow]

Annandale Cancer Patient Finds Solace in Singer — “It’s been an incredibly tough year for Cassidy Rajala, an Annandale sixth-grader who’s spent months in the hospital since being diagnosed with leukemia in December 2023. One of the bright spots has been her discovery of pop singer Benson Boone.” [Annandale Today]

N. Va. Social Services Nonprofits Merge — “Northern Virginia Family Service, which offers a variety of help to those in need, last week announced its merger with Alexandria-based Stop Child Abuse Now of Northern Virginia. The entities will be combined under the Northern Virginia Family Service, or NVFS, name and will broaden services to better aid children in the region, a spokeswoman for NVFS said.” [Inside NoVA]

It’s Tuesday — Scattered flurries are expected after 4pm, accompanied by increasing clouds and a high near 32. Winds will be from the northwest at 9 to 11 mph, gusting up to 23 mph. For Tuesday night, expect scattered flurries to cease before 9pm, leading to partly cloudy skies and a low around 19. Northwest winds will be stronger, at 13 to 16 mph, and may gust as high as 30 mph. [NWS]

Fundraiser Set Up for Drowning Victims’ Families — “Community members have raised thousands of dollars Saturday night for the funeral expenses for two men who were killed after their car was submerged” in a Chantilly pond. Driver Karna Kadka had three children, while passenger Nischal Bhatta had left his native Nepal about six months ago to live in the U.S. on a student visa, per a Gofundme page. [WUSA9]

FCPS Reopens Schools on Time — For the first time since winter break began in mid-December, Fairfax County Public Schools started classes in line with its regular schedule today (Monday) after a week of weather-related closures and delays. “Thank you again for your trust and patience during last week’s challenges,” Superintendent Michelle Reid said when announcing the decision. [FCPS]

Former TGI Friday’s Restaurant Has Been Leased — “DLC, the relatively new owner of the Springfield Commons shopping center, recently updated its site plan to show Jason’s Crab House in the 6,300-square-foot space formerly occupied by the troubled Fridays chain.” State corporation filings suggest the new tenant is affiliated with a series of businesses that includes 54 Restaurant at nearby Springfield Town Center. [Washington Business Journal]

Pricey Home Sales Tied to Incoming Trump Admin — “Last year, the Washington area experienced its highest number of homes selling for $5 million or more in over a decade, with a significant spike in sales during November and December ahead of the new administration, according to Bright MLS data.” [Axios DC]

Stir-Fry Chain Expanding to Barcroft Plaza — “Honeygrow, a fast-casual restaurant specializing in stir-fry bowls and salads, is coming to Barcroft Plaza. It will be located at 6464-A Lincolnia Road in the space formerly occupied by Chico’s Natural Pet Market. It’s expected to open in July, says Issa Abuelhawa, manager of the Honeygrow in Tysons.” [Annandale Today]

Newington-Area Trail Maintenance Delayed — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is providing an update on the ongoing trail maintenance project in South Run Stream Valley Park … Unfortunately, the colder-than-anticipated December temperatures have necessitated postponing the remaining repairs until the spring, when warmer weather will allow for proper paving and completion of the work.” [FCPA]

Head of Kevin Bacon’s Local Nonprofit Shares Story — “Fast forward to 2007 when Kevin Bacon decided to launch a Northern Virginia-based nonprofit organization supporting impactful initiatives to sustain and enrich local communities … Now at the helm of SixDegrees.org is Stacy Huston, Executive Director,” who spoke to the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority about making the transition from business development to the nonprofit world. [FCEDA]

It’s Monday — Expect a sunny day with a high around 40°F and calm winds shifting to the west at about 5 mph in the afternoon. The night will be mostly clear, with the temperature dropping to around 20°F and a northwest wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]