Author: FFXnow.com

Schools Start Cell Phone Storage Pilot — Fairfax County Public Schools officially started requiring students at participating middle and high schools to secure their cell phones during class. At Robinson Secondary School, the policy is already getting positive reactions from teachers, parents and even students. [WAMU]

West Falls Church Homes to Be Removed — “A major stream restoration project in the planning stages is expected to reduce flooding in the Bel Air neighborhood in the Falls Church area of Mason District. The project calls for the demolition of nine homes on Barrett Road that were built on a floodplain” to allow a stormwater retention basin. [Annandale Today]

Advocates Say Help Needed for Reston Hill Residents — The local advocacy group Reston Strong “is calling on the community to contact the Hunter Mill District supervisor’s office on behalf of three elderly residents who have been told by the county they have just one week to vacate the homeless encampment on a hill near the Fairfax County Human Services Center in Reston.” [Patch]

Fries Chain From Canada Coming to D.C. Area — “New York Fries, a fast-food chain serving up NYC-style fries and hot dogs, has set its sights on the D.C. area as part of a larger U.S. expansion…The company hasn’t selected any local spots or franchise partners yet. For locations, it’s looking for space in high-traffic areas including Bethesda, Georgetown and Tysons.” [Washington Business Journal]

Stop Signs Added At Falls Church W&OD Crossings — “After a few months of construction, three intersections of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in Falls Church have new all-way stops. These stops are now in place at the intersections of Little Falls Street, N. Oak Street and N. Spring Street.” [ARLnow]

FCPS Leaders Mostly Cheered by Test Scores — “Fairfax County Public Schools students’ standardized-test scores, with a couple of exceptions, continue to exceed those recorded statewide, officials told the School Board Aug. 29.” Officials attributed the mostly positive trends to “professional development…and a concerted effort to have counselors approach students about taking more challenging classes at earlier ages.” [Gazette Leader]

Former Nats Pitcher’s McLean Home Snapped Up — “The nearly 12,000 square-foot McLean house of former Washington Nationals pitcher and World Series champion Stephen Strasburg has found a buyer. The six-bedroom home listed for just south of $10 million back in June…went under contract with contingencies late last week.” [DC Urban Turf]

It’s Wednesday — Expect a partly sunny day with temperatures reaching up to 77°F. Wednesday night will be partly cloudy, with the temperature dropping to around 58°F and a gentle northeast wind ranging from 3 to 7 mph. [NWS]

Falls Church Man in Classified Docs Case Detained — “A civilian engineer for the Air Force who is accused of mishandling more than 150 pages of classified documents will be held in jail as he awaits trial, a federal judge in Alexandria ruled Thursday…Gun, a dual citizen of Turkey and the United States, was arrested…shortly before he was scheduled to fly to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.” [Washington Post]

Tysons Rents Are Region’s Highest — “Tysons recorded the highest median apartment-rental rate across the Washington region in August, according to new data, with tenants typically spending 4 percent more than they did a year before. The median apartment-rental rate of $2,666 for the month in Tysons compares to $2,203 for the Washington region as a whole.” [Gazette Leader]

West Falls Church Restaurant Changes Owner — “Panagiotis Fotopoulos, the new owner of the region’s storied Anthony’s Restaurant on Annandale Road just outside the City of Falls Church, has been running the establishment since June 1 while the long-time previous owners” take an extended trip to Greece. The name, employees and the majority of the menu will be retained. [Falls Church News-Press]

Virtual “Stuff the Bus” Food Drive Returns — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors proclaimed September 2024 as Hunger Action Month in Fairfax County. From Sept. 1-30, 2024, individuals and community groups can make monetary donations directly to local non-profit organizations that provide food assistance in Fairfax County.” [Neighborhood and Community Services]

Airline Revives Dulles Airport Service — “Low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines will return to Dulles International Airport this fall for the first time in years, launching service to two southern destinations already served by rivals Delta and United. The Denver-based carrier…will begin service from Dulles (IAD) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta and Orlando International Airport (MCO) on Nov. 14.” [Washington Business Journal]

Metro Shakes Up Social Media Approach — “When [Whitney Nichels] was hired as Metro’s vice president of communications late last year, it wasn’t to make viral videos. But as part of her role overseeing the agency’s messaging on everything from police interventions to long-term financing, she has also casually revolutionized its Instagram and TikTok accounts.” [Washington Post]

Quantum Tech Conference Coming to Tysons — “Registration is open for the third annual Quantum World Congress, set for September 9-11, 2024, at Capital One Hall in Tysons…This year’s theme, ‘Convergence,’ focuses on exploring the value at the intersection of quantum technologies and adjacent fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, photonics, optics, and cryogenics.” [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]

Tysons Library Book Sale This Week — “Friends of the Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library will host its next quarterly book and media sale Sept. 5-8 at the library, 7584 Leesburg Pike. A wide array of items will be available for purchase from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Donations of items are welcomed in advance of the sale, and volunteers also are needed.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Tuesday — Expect sunshine and a high near 75, accompanied by a gentle 6-8 mph northeast wind. As nighttime falls on Tuesday, watch for increasing clouds and a low around 56. An east wind at 5 mph will become calm later in the evening. [NWS]

Great Falls Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud — “The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia announced on Thursday that a Great Falls man pleaded guilty on July 23 to wire fraud. Court documents revealed 56-year-old Rick Tariq Rahim, deceived customers who wanted to invest using his automated trading bots,” losing over $300,000 of his clients’ money in stock trades. [DC News Now]

Adult Learners Get Free Laptops — “A hundred local adult learners enrolled in workforce development classes received free refurbished laptops at an Aug. 24 special event at the Workforce Innovation Skills Hub (WISH) in Hybla Valley. The giveaway was made possible by a partnership between business and nonprofits.” [On the MoVe]

How Luggage Is Handled at Dulles Airport — “Ever wonder exactly how your checked baggage gets to your destination? WTOP can take you on a behind-the-scenes tour of how United Airlines handles luggage for the 53,000 passengers flying in and out of Dulles International Airport this Labor Day weekend.” [WTOP]

Historic Annandale House to Open for Tours — “Take a tour historic Oak Hill, one of the oldest homes in Fairfax County, on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This annual open house provides a wonderful occasion to go back in time and rediscover our community roots.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]

McLean Nonprofit Seeks Volunteer Drivers — “Shepherd’s Center of McLean-Arlington-Falls Church is seeking additional volunteers to support its mission of providing free transportation to seniors for medical and dental appointments or to run errands to grocery stores and pharmacies…The center has added 43 new riders this year, so there’s a continued need for additional volunteers.” [Gazette Leader]

Fairfax City Junk Hauler to Expand — Last year, George Mason University graduates Jacob Weigel and Jeremiah Hankerson “got some money together, bought a truck and started Junk Runners, a Fairfax-based junk removal business.” The pair recently “received a $10,000 national grant from Jobber, which they’re going to use to grow Junk Runners by purchasing a second truck.” [Patch]

County Wins Awards for Boosting Economy — “Department of Economic Initiatives (DEI) programs were awarded three 2024 Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).” The Fairfax Founders Fund, which gives grants to tech startups, was recognized, as was Visit Fairfax for a multimedia video brochure and a campaign to draw visitors from Philadelphia. [DEI] 

It’s Friday — The sky will be cloudy heading into Labor Day weekend with a high temperature near 78 and a 30% chance of precipitation. At night, there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm. The low temperature will be around 70. [NWS]

FCPS Investigation Finds No Issues with Football Team — “A monthslong investigation into allegations that Hayfield Secondary School’s football coaches improperly recruited players didn’t verify any of the accusations, Fairfax County Superintendent Michelle Reid said Tuesday night.” [WTOP]

Break-Ins Reported at Local Businesses — “Stores spent Tuesday cleaning up after a series of smash-and-grab break-ins across the D.C. area overnight. Starting just after 1 a.m., there were a series of at least 10 break-ins in Northwest D.C., Montgomery County and Fairfax County,” including at a nail salon and European Wax Center in Pimmit Hills’ Tysons Station shopping center. [NBC4]

Temps at Dulles Airport Hit Record High — “Wednesday marked the fifth record high set in D.C. this summer. Dulles International Airport climbed to 99 degrees, also setting a record high Wednesday.” In the District, temperatures reached 101 degrees late in the afternoon, breaking a record for Aug. 28 set in 1948. [Washington Post]

Boxing Gym Coming to Annandale — “Z’s Boxing Gym is expected to open in mid to late October at 4119 John Marr Drive next to Goodwill. While the facility will help clients improve their fitness, the main objective is to train people for boxing matches.” [Annandale Today]

Construction Nears on Former Mount Vernon School — “In recent weeks, the lawn in front of the Original Mount Vernon High School (OMVHS) has been sectioned off and surrounded by security fencing, while excavators have begun digging up earth — all in preparation for the kickoff of internal renovations and new construction at the site this fall.” [On the MoVe]

Emergency Storm Pipe Repair Needed in Vienna — “Traffic alert! One lane of Lawyer’s Road at Blair Road, NW will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. now through Sept. 4 while Washington Gas relocates a gas main to accommodate an emergency repair to replace a collapsed metal storm drainpipe. Expect delays.” [Town of Vienna/Twitter]

Fair Lakes Developer Names New Leader — “For just the second time in its 59-year history, Fairfax real estate development firm Peterson Cos. will have a president whose last name is not Peterson…President and CEO Jon Peterson is relinquishing the president’s role,” which will be taken over by Madison Marquette Chief Operating Officer Daniel McCahan. [Washington Business Journal]

It’s Thursday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high near 88 and a 60% chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Rainfall amounts may range from a tenth to a quarter of an inch. Thursday night will be cloudy with a low around 69. [NWS]

Fairfax City Firefighter Killed in Crash — A motorcyclist who died after a car crash in Richmond on Sunday (Aug. 25) has been identified as Joseph Altorelli, a firefighter with the Fairfax City Fire Department. The 20-year-old Glen Allen resident “came to work as a temp with our department in May of 2023 and was hired full-time the following Christmas Day.” [City of Fairfax Fire Department/Facebook]

Trials Underway for Lung Cancer Vaccine — The German manufacturer BioNTech has launched a global clinical trial of a vaccine that aims to eliminate a common form of lung cancer. “Potential participants in the trial of BNT166 are being recruited in the D.C. region at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and NEXT Virginia in Fairfax.” [WTOP]

Virginia Drops Some Voters From Rolls — Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently announced that 6,303 people have been removed from Virginia’s voter rolls over the past 18 months for being “noncitizens” based on DMV and Department of Homeland Security records. However, voting and civil rights advocates say “user and data errors in the DHS system…have led to people being inaccurately flagged.” [NBC News]

Trader Joe’s Could Open Soon — “Trader Joe’s is expected to open in West Springfield next month in the spot where Whole Foods Market was…A call to the existing Trader Joe’s in Springfield Plaza indicated the new grocery store 3 miles away on Old Keene Mill Road could open around September 12, if everything at the store is completed.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Construction Continues on Hybla Valley Grocer — “Fresh World, the new international grocery store coming to Mount Vernon Square, is still under renovation and won’t open until between mid-October and early November, according to a representative from the company that owns the shopping center.” [On the MoVe]

WaPo Cuts More D.C. Area Coverage — “In another move toward shedding allegiance to local news coverage, the Washington Post has killed its only column that highlighted local artists and galleries. The Aug. 25 print edition of the ‘In the Galleries’ column by Mark Jenkins, which ran for 13 years, was the last.” [Washington City Paper]

Recycling Day Planned in Reston — “The WUSA9 team and its community partner, Reston Town Center, is co-hosting another Recycling Day and we are inviting viewers out to Reston, Virginia to join us.” People can discard electronics, eyeglasses and paper documents for shredding on Sept. 18 from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 11951 Freedom Drive. [WUSA9]

It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny and hot conditions with temperatures reaching near 100 and heat index values up to 104. Wednesday night, there’s a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms primarily between 8 pm and 2 am, accompanied by partly cloudy skies and a low around 76. [NWS]