Author: FFXnow.com

Metro Plans Holiday Rail Closures — “If you’re planning on taking Metro over the holiday season, you might want to plan ahead for some scheduled track construction that could cause delays. Metro will close several stations on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines starting Friday, Dec. 20.” [WTOP]

Gov. Proposes Ending State Taxes on Tips — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin says eliminating state taxes on tipped employees will be a “foundational piece” of his proposed budget. The move could provide tax relief to “an estimated 250,000 people working in food service and hospitality,” but some worry it will lead employers to shift “more of a worker’s compensation to tips rather than wages.” [Virginia Mercury]

Vienna to Allow Accessory Living Units — The Vienna Town Council signaled on Dec. 9 that it will adopt a measure to allow accessory living units for the first time “in areas zoned for single-unit detached homes, which are RS-16, RS-12.5 and RS-10. Accessory living units may often be referred to as in-law suite or granny suite, as they may accommodate relatives, caregivers and sometimes renters.” [Patch]

Panel Highlights Route 1 Development Potential — Developers recently got an update on revitalization efforts and opportunities in the Richmond Highway corridor. “The ‘Spotlight on Richmond Highway’ event, held Dec. 10 at the Belle Haven Country Club, was the first time since 2016 that the corridor was highlighted for members of NAIOP Northern Virginia.” [On the MoVe]

Boutique Gift Shop Opens in Vienna — “Nutcrackers, gingerbread houses, and sweet pink Christmas trees are nestled amid jewelry, stuffed animals, and cozy winter hats in Vienna’s new boutique gift shop, Cherry Lane. Sarah Randall opened her shop at 115 Church St. NW just in time for the holidays, following a year of preparation.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Bitcoin-Happy Tysons Company to Join Nasdaq — “MicroStrategy shares briefly surged on Monday before faltering to end nearly unchanged, after the software company and bitcoin stockpiler was selected to join the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index, further brightening the prospects of the stock.” [Reuters/Yahoo Finance]

County to Consider New Sites for Land Use Changes Next Year — “The nomination process for site-specific plan amendments to Fairfax County’s Comprehensive Plan will start Jan. 13 and run through Feb. 13. The Comprehensive Plan is the guiding document for land use and development decisions and sets forth the community’s vision for the future.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Tuesday — Patchy fog will make way for an initially cloudy morning that will turn sunny with a high around 62. Southwest winds at 6-9 mph shift to the northwest in the afternoon. At night, the sky will be partly cloudy, and the temperature will drop to around 37. [NWS]

Two Injured in Two-Alarm Apartment Fire — A two-alarm fire at a “garden-style” apartment building in the 4200 block of Buckman Road in Woodlawn yesterday (Sunday) led to a civilian and a firefighter being taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. “Units arrived to fire showing from the lower level of the 3-story building. Firefighters rescued multiple people.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Oakton Condo Residents Report Drone Sightings — “Groups of drones seen flying around the suburbs of Washington, D.C., in recent days are leaving many people perplexed and wondering what — if anything — they should do. Residents of the Hawthorne Village Condominiums in Fairfax, Virginia, say drones began flying nearby about 8 p.m. and stuck around for a few hours.” [NBC4]

Reston Office Buildings Get New Owner — “Bernstein Management Corp. purchased Reston Crossing, a 334K SF property next to the Dulles Toll Road, for an undisclosed price, it announced this week. The two-property complex is 54% leased, it said.” Seller “Tishman Speyer had been planning to redevelop the 14-acre site next to the Silver Line since January 2018.” [Bisnow]

Gun Confiscated at Dulles Airport — “Authorities at Washington Dulles International Airport intercepted the 26th firearm of the year, breaking the record for most guns TSA has detected in a single year, according to the Transportation Security Administration. The previous record of 25 was set in 2022.” [Patch]

Korean BBQ Restaurant Opens in Fairfax City — “Chosun Hwaro, a Korean barbecue restaurant that first opened in Ellicott City, Maryland, is coming to Fairfax City. The restaurant began its soft opening … December 12. The new location is at 10790 Fairgrounds Dr. in the new Boulevard VI development.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Falls Church Movie Theater Anticipates Spring Launch — “The seven-screen Paragon Theaters will be located at 112 Founders Row in a mixed-use building with multifamily housing, restaurants, and underground parking. Jared Comess, a vice president at Paragon Entertainment Holdings LLC, anticipates it will open the first week of May with several special events.” [Annandale Today]

New Cafe Serves Tea and Pastries in Falls Church — “A cozy cafe serving Japanese matcha and French pastries opened its doors last month in Falls Church. Offerings at Midori Tea House include sparkling fruit drinks, hot tea, petite desserts — and of course, the cafe’s specialty, matcha.” [ARLnow]

It’s Monday — The day will be cloudy with a high near 50 and a 40% chance of rain, along with possible patchy fog before 10am. Cloudy conditions continue in the evening with a low around 48, and south wind at 7-13 mph. The chances of precipitation are 40% in the day and 60% at night. [NWS]

Reston Native Engaged to Selena Gomez — “While Gomez, a global superstar, and [Benny] Blanco, a chart-topping producer, have captured worldwide attention, it’s Blanco’s Northern Virginia roots that make this romance even more special for NoVA fans.” Born in Reston, Blanco attended Langston Hughes Middle School and South Lakes High School. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Fairfax City Police Chief to Retire — “Erin Schaible announced on Thursday that she was retiring as the chief of police for the City of Fairfax Police Department. Schaible was hired as Fairfax City’s first female chief in January 2019.” The news came after the Fairfax City Council voted to terminate City Manager Laszlo Palko on Tuesday (Dec. 10), but a police spokesperson says the timing is coincidental. [Patch]

Boundary Adjustment Considered for Lincolnia School — “The Parklawn Elementary School community came together Dec. 11 to hear Fairfax County Public School’s plans for a boundary study to relieve overcrowding … The Parklawn boundary study is separate from the ongoing FCPS district-wide boundary study, which is looking at all county schools.” [Annandale Today]

Park Authority Releases Call for Farmers’ Market Vendors — “Calling all local farmers and food producers! Applications are now open for food producers to participate in the wildly popular Fairfax County Park Authority Farmers Markets in 2025. If you’re passionate about what you grow or make, this is your chance to share it with the community!” [FCPA]

Police Station Hosts Winter Clothing Donation Drive — “The Fair Oaks District Station is hosting a Winter Coat, Hat, and Glove Drive to support local children in need this winter season. [The] drive ends: Saturday, Jan. 4. Your donations will make a huge difference by keeping kids in our community warm throughout the colder months.” [Fairfax County Government/Twitter]

Pricey McLean Mansions Land Buyers — A 16,000-square-foot home at 1113 Langley Lane with “an indoor sports court that doubles as an entertainment pavilion” has a buyer who’s expected to pay over $11 million. Another mansion in the Langley Farms neighborhood — a 14,000-square-foot house at 1150 Chain Bridge Road with a sauna, tea house and outdoor koi pond — is also now under contract after being listed for over $22 million. [Washington Business Journal]

Where to See Christmas Lights in N. Va. — “Looking for the best and brightest neighborhood Christmas lights? Check out our annual list of some of Northern Virginia’s most popular neighborhood holiday light displays, plus a few professional twinkling winter wonderlands.” [Inside NoVA]

It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny skies during the day with a high temperature close to 41°F and a gentle breeze from the northeast. Heading into Friday night, the skies will turn mostly cloudy with temperatures dipping to about 28°F, accompanied by a 6 mph northeast wind. [NWS]

How N. Va. Has Changed Over Six Decades — “Any time a group of Northern Virginians get together, there’s a good chance the conversation will turn to how much the area has changed since they’ve been living here … A look back at the last 60-plus years shows the remarkable speed of the region’s transformation.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Falls Church Senior Living Complex Begins Construction — “A forthcoming senior living development with 215 apartments has broken ground in Falls Church. The Reserve — part of the expansive West Falls development project — will offer both independent living and assisted living, as well as memory care, through operator Experience Senior Living.” [ARLnow]

Metro to Reintroduce Automated Trains — “For the first time in 15 years, a computer instead of a human will be the primary controller of riders’ Metro trains. The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC) — which oversees and enforces safety practices on the D.C. area’s Metrorail system — gave Metro the final approval to switch to an automatic train operation (ATO) system at a meeting Tuesday.” [NBC4]

Hot Chicken Restaurant Nears Grand Opening — The Red Bird will celebrate the grand opening of its Bailey’s Crossroads location this Saturday (Dec 14) from noon to 4 p.m. “We will have the music bumping with a Live DJ and food flowing! Get your free sandwich or bowl ticket by following this post and tagging one friend and then check your DM! Free hats, shirts and merch until out!” [The Red Bird/Instagram]

Wiehle Avenue Pedestrian Bridge Celebrated — Officials and community members gathered yesterday (Wednesday) for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail pedestrian bridge over Wiehle Avenue in Reston. Remaining construction on Wiehle is expected to wrap up next spring. [FCDOT]

Fairfax City Awards Grants to Nonprofits — “The City of Fairfax has awarded grants totaling $217,827 to eight nonprofit human services organizations through the city’s new nonprofit grant program.” The city allocated $300,000 in its budget to create the program, which offered mini-grants of up to $10,000 and standard grants of up to $50,000. [City of Fairfax]

D.C. Region’s Most Expensive Zip Codes Ranked — The ZIP code 21056 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, is the most expensive in the D.C. region with a median home selling price near $3.4 million, according to an annual list from RealtyHop. Coming in second and third are 22066 (Great Falls) with a median sales price of $2.4 million and 22101 (McLean) with a median price of $2.2 million. [WTOP]

Artists Invited to Display Work in Annandale Businesses — “Local artists are invited to participate in the second round of Art in Daily Spaces, a project that transforms Annandale businesses into temporary art galleries. Art in Daily Spaces is organized by Community Art For Everyone (CAFE) with support from ArtsFairfax. Fifteen artists will be selected to display their works.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high of 41 degrees, accompanied by a southwest wind blowing at 10-14 mph and gusts reaching up to 22 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear with a low of 26 degrees. The northwest wind at 6 mph will become calm during the evening. [NWS]

One Injured in Fairfax Connector Electric Bus Crash — “Around 6:30 pm, #FCFRD responded to reports of a bus into a building in the 12000 blk of Government Center Parkway in the Fair Lakes area. Units arrived to find a bus crashed into a parking structure and on fire. The fire is under control. Firefighters contained the fire to the electric bus. One civilian was transported with non life-threatening injuries.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Fairfax City Motel Demolished — “On Monday, an excavator began the demolition of the Hy-Way Motel at 9640 Fairfax Blvd. Expected to last two weeks, the demolition is the first step in the construction of a new permanent supportive housing facility by The Lamb Center and Wesley Housing.” [Patch]

ICYMI: Comstock Withdraws From Downtown Herndon Project — Town of Herndon officials shared last night (Tuesday) that developer Comstock has decided not to proceed with its long-stalled downtown redevelopment project. Staff said they still believe in the 5-acre site’s potential but “will take some time to evaluate” what to do next. [FFXnow]

Local Restaurants Voted Favorites in D.C. Area — Washingtonian’s 2024 poll of its readers’ favorite restaurants in the region is light on Fairfax County establishments, but Aslin Beer Company, which has a taproom in Herndon, came out on top for “favorite local beer restaurant.” Andy’s Pizza, which can be found in Tysons, also repeated as the no. 1 spot for pizza. [Washingtonian]

Electronics Stolen From Pohick Library — “On October 28, at 9:46 a.m., officers responded to the 6400 block of Sydenstricker Road in Burke for a burglary report. The complainant reported that multiple electronics were missing from the library. Officers reviewed surveillance footage and observed an unidentified man entering the library at 3:00 a.m. that morning.” [FCPD]

More FCPS Teachers Sticking Around — “Fairfax County Public Schools is retaining over 90% of teachers for the first time in four years, a promising sign that teachers may not be leaving the school division at the rate they were in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic … Special education retention rates are also showing positive trends, [Superintendent Michelle] Reid said.” [WTOP]

Metro Set to Revive Automated Train System — “Starting on the Red Line, trains will be spaced and timed based on computer rather than human operation. Officials say the switch could be made as soon as this Sunday … The savings, Metro says, could be used to open an hour earlier and stay open an hour later on the weekend.” [Washington Post]

Chantilly Bakery to Close Permanently — Firehook Bakery has announced that it will close all three of its locations in Chantilly, Alexandria and Dupont Circle on Dec. 24 to focus on the “rapid growth and expansion” of its nationwide Firehook Cracker business. The bakery has been a “favorite among pastry lovers” since 1992. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Immigrant Advocates Brace for Trump Return — “Facing the threat of mass deportations, local immigrant rights groups are stepping up their rapid response activities to protect vulnerable community members.” Advocates discussed their plans for responding to president-elect Donald Trump’s threats “at a forum Dec. 6 in Annandale sponsored by the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Wednesday — Heavy rain and patchy fog are expected, with temperatures rising to 63°F by 10am. Winds will increase in the afternoon, gusting up to 33 mph. Total precipitation of 1-2 inches is possible. At night, there’s a 40% chance of rain before 10pm, followed by cloudy skies that will gradually clear with a low of 32°F. [NWS]