A rendering of Armstrong Elementary School's main entrance after planned renovation (via FCPS)
Fairfax County School Board members hope an infusion of $3 million in additional cash will help create an objective evaluation of public school facilities as new renovation timetables are developed.
Board members voted 11-0, with one abstention, on Thursday (Nov. 14) to add the funding to $2 million previously appropriated. It will support upcoming work by consultants evaluating the conditions of all schools, athletic facilities and administrative buildings.
A person fills a glass with tap water (photo by Eric Vance/U.S. EPA)
Fairfax Water has sent about 137,000 letters to customers to help determine whether their pipes might contain traces of lead.
The utility says its source water from the Potomac River and Occoquan Reservoir has no detectable lead and maintains it has “always been in compliance” with federal drinking water guidelines.
The walkway from the Tysons Metro station to the Plaza at Tysons Corner Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Va. Attorney General to SeekReelection — “Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican who has embraced prosecutions against election fraud and other conservative causes, said Monday that he will seek reelection next year, dispelling speculation of a potential gubernatorial bid.” [Associated Press]
School Boards Seek Delay in Accountability Changes — “Northern Virginia’s school systems are urging the Virginia Board of Education and the Virginia Department of Education to delay for at least a year the implementation of the state’s new School Performance and Supports Framework,” which was approved in August and is intended to reflect how well schools are meeting academic expectations. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Man Charged With Voter Intimidation — “A 23-year-old Woodbridge man was arrested for voter intimidation on Election Day outside a Fairfax City polling place, according to the City of Fairfax Police. Officers responded around 4:17 p.m. on Nov. 5 for the report of a man making hand gestures and verbally threatening people outside the polls at the Sherwood Center at 3740 Blenheim Blvd.” [Patch]
Chantilly Office Depot to Close — “The Office Depot store in the Chantilly Crossing shopping center is closing its doors next month… The Burn confirmed with employees that Office Depot is expected to close in mid-December, on or around Saturday, December 14.” [The Burn]
Former D.C. Area Radio Anchor Dies — “Evan Haning, whose 50-year radio career included almost a decade as an anchor and reporter at WTOP, has died at the age of 74 after a long battle with cancer.” His daughter, Amber, says working at the Chevy Chase-based radio station, which covers the D.C. region, was his favorite job. [WTOP]
Asian Food Hall Expects to Open Soon — “After three years in the works, Pop-Up District, a new food hall and lounge at Eden Center, plans to open for business sometime next month… The food hall has confirmed five restaurants and a bar across its 8,000 square feet.” [ARLnow]
Child Care Center Proposed in West Falls Church — “The Gardner School has proposed building a childcare center at 6637 South Street next to Annandale Road.” The single-story building would replace a structure that’s temporarily hosting the Fort Buffalo Fire Station during construction on a permanent station in Seven Corners. [Annandale Today]
Real Time Crime Center Helped Make Arrest — “The Fairfax County Police Department’s (FCPD) license plate reading technologies and new Real Time Crime Center enabled officers from the Mount Vernon District Station to make a key arrest last week.” The Nov. 11 incident began when a Flock camera flagged a vehicle with a stolen license plate at Walmart in Belle Haven. [On the Move]
It’s Tuesday — Expect partly sunny skies with a high of around 63 and light winds shifting to the southeast at 6 mph in the afternoon. Night brings a 20% chance of showers, mostly cloudy conditions, and a low of about 51 with light southeast winds. [NWS]
Inova Fairfax Medical Campus patient drop-off (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Inova has agreed to pay nearly $2.4 million to settle allegations that it falsified Medicaid reimbursement claims tied to sterilization and hysterectomy procedures.
The settlement comes after Inova voluntarily disclosed issues to federal and state authorities, revealing that some Medicaid claims were improperly modified by employees between January and August 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced on Friday (Nov. 15).
A flock of pigeons flies above Frying Pan Farm Park (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Toddler Killed by Truck Driver in Chantilly — “Officers responded to the 4200 block of Airline Pkwy in Chantilly [on Saturday, Nov. 16] where the driver of a truck had struck a 3-year-old in the roadway. The child was declared deceased on scene. The driver remained on scene.” [FCPD/Twitter]
Virginia to Fund New Workforce Housing — “Virginia will help fund housing construction near major business developments, Gov. Glenn Younkgin announced [last] week. A new executive order … sets a goal of investing $75 million towards localities that want to bolster housing supply tied to new job creation over the next five years.” [Virginia Mercury]
Silver Line Phase 2 Marks Anniversary — “Happy 2nd birthday to the Silver Line Phase 2! The extension added 11.4 miles of track outbound from Wiehle-Reston, 6 new stations, and extended service to @Dulles_Airport and Ashburn, VA. Over 8M trips later, it’s keeping the region on the move!” [WMATA/Twitter]
Falls Church HS to Get Athletic Improvements — “Many of the improvements in the Falls Church High School renovation/expansion project have been completed, but much more work needs to be done.” Mason District School Board Representative Ricardy Anderson shared on Nov. 13 that the project will now include athletic field improvements previously “cut due to cost increases.” [Annandale Today]
Children’s Art Studio to Open Fort Hunt Space — “Hooray Art! is slated to open at Hollin Hall Shopping Center in January 2025. The children’s art studio, founded in 2023 by local resident Paige Bradford, will occupy the space between the Hollin Hall Variety Store and Nature’s Nibbles at 7908 Fort Hunt Road.” [On the MoVe]
GMU ‘Body Farm’ Supports Forensic Research — “O’Toole now heads the George Mason University Forensic Science Program, which includes a facility informally called a ‘body farm’ — one of only 10 in the world… The outdoor forensic research lab provides hands-on training and research, in the blending of science and the search for justice.” [WTOP]
Chefs Reflect on First Year in Tysons — “Ometeo has carved out a niche with its Tex-Mex offerings, helmed by chefs Manuel Perez and Gabe Erales. As the restaurant celebrates its first year, the duo … reflected on the challenges and triumphs of introducing authentic Tex-Mex cuisine to a region where tastes and traditions differ.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
McLean Citizens Association Celebrates 110 Years — “Thursday night at the McLean Community Center, one of many institutions that owes its existence to the McLean Citizens Association (MCA), local luminaries mingled with dozens of McLean area residents to toast MCA on its 110th Anniversary. As the County’s oldest continuously operating civic association, MCA had plenty to celebrate.” [MCA]
It’s Monday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 67 degrees and a northwest wind ranging from 5 to 9 mph. The night will be partly cloudy with a low around 46 degrees and a slightly lighter northwest wind at 3 to 6 mph. [NWS]
The parking lot for the Virginia Railway Express Backlick Road station in Springfield (via Google Maps)
The Virginia Department of Transportation is experimenting with a mobile app that will enable commuters to find available parking spaces in real time at select lots.
The app ParkZen began collecting data at six parking lots, including three in Fairfax County, this month for an initial evaluation period slated to continue until January 2025, VDOT announced on Tuesday (Nov. 12).
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid has had her contract extended (via Fairfax County Public Schools/YouTube)
Dr. Michelle Reid is going to stick around as superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools.
Though her existing contract was set to run through June 2026, the Fairfax County School Board voted yesterday (Thursday) to give Reid a new four-year contract that could bring her annual salary close to a half-million dollars by its conclusion.
Drivers head east on Route 29 near Fair Oaks (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
McKay Worried About Trump’s Impact on Local Economy — “A second Trump presidency could have a devastating effect on the Fairfax County economy, Board of Supervisors Chair Jeffrey McKay warns.” He’s also concerned about potential cuts to federal health and housing programs, but says the county’s Trust Policy provides some protection for undocumented immigrants, as Trump promises mass deportations. [Annandale Today]
Man Gets Life in Prison for 2022 Shootings — Jordan Cochran was sentenced to life in prison yesterday (Thursday) after being “convicted in August of fatally shooting 18-year-old Kebbren Leigh-Gaye at a bus stop in the Hybla Valley area of Richmond Highway in a disagreement that began over a pair of shoes.” He then shot a man who declined to give him a ride, permanently blinding him. [Washington Post]
Uptick in Pneumonia Cases Reported — “D.C.-area urgent care centers are reporting a big uptick in ‘walking pneumonia’ cases … According to MedStar, which operates 33 urgent care centers in the D.C. region, it saw 1,758 cases this October — a 358% increase from the 391 cases seen in October of last year.” [WTOP]
Cybersecurity Firm Opens Tysons Office — Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Censys has signed a four-and-a-half-year lease for 4,471 square feet at 8260 Greensboro Drive in Tysons. Expected to have 20 workers, the new office is the company’s first in the D.C. area, bringing it closer to federal customers like the defense and homeland security departments. [Washington Business Journal]
Retired Firefighter With Cancer Honored by Friends — “On a pristine Saturday along Pohick Bay in Fairfax County, Va. a parking lot full of first responders and military dignitaries gathered in unison. They weren’t there for an emergency, but to honor a gifted colleague who was forced to retire after 25 years of service to focus on the fight of his life.” [WJLA]
Nonprofit Launches Annual Holiday Donation Drive — “Britepaths, a Fairfax-based nonprofit, is seeking donations from the community to provide holiday meals and gifts for children of Fairfax County area families in need. Last year, Britepath’s holiday program helped 265 children during the holiday season.” [Patch]
How N. Va. Private Schools Are Using A.I. — “Many independent K-12 schools are … forming policies and educational standards that aim to utilize AI’s potential benefits without compromising the quality of instruction students receive. Here’s how some members of NoVA’s private-school community are addressing AI now and for the future.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Lorton Neighborhood Working to Add EV Chargers — “This past summer, the Mount Vernon District registered its first participant in Charge Up Fairfax — the county’s program designed to help residents of community associations more easily access electric vehicle (EV) chargers.” The Shepherd Hills Homeowners Association hopes to have its charging stations in place next spring. [On the MoVe]
It’s Friday — With patchy fog clearing by 9am, the sky will transition from cloudy to mostly sunny, with temperatures reaching a high near 56 degrees. There is a 30% chance of precipitation. Night will be mostly clear, with a low temperature around 45 degrees. [NWS]
Inova leaders and supporters cut a ribbon to celebrate an expansion of its Fairfax hospital's emergency room (courtesy Inova Health System)
Inova Fairfax Hospital plans to open the region’s first EmPATH (Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing) unit for those experiencing a mental health crisis.
The unit, which opens to patients Nov. 19, was created in response to community need for enhanced behavioral health services, Inova said in a news release.
Workers clean up the landscaping around a pedestrian bridge from Reston Town Center to Discovery Square (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
McLean Mansion Allegedly Bought with Stolen Money — “The way Nigerian authorities tell it, their country’s former national security adviser misappropriated more than $2 billion from his own government, routing some of it to a family friend — the man who bought the mansion in McLean. In the United States, according to Nigerian authorities, the man sought to launder the money in part by purchasing homes.” [Washington Post]
Congressman Arrested for Being Drunk at Dulles Airport — “House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul was detained by police at Dulles International Airport earlier this month in an incident that he described as ‘the result of a poor decision’ to mix Ambien and alcohol.” He has been charged with being drunk in public for the Nov. 4 incident. [Semafor]
Suspect Wanted in Armed Tysons Robbery — “On October 25, at 5:14 p.m., officers responded to the 2000 block of Chain Bridge Road in Tysons for a robbery call. The victim reported that a suspect entered the business with a firearm and demanded money. The suspect then fled out of the business with cash from the register and into a vehicle. The victim was not harmed.” [FCPD]
FCPS to Address Crowding at Lincolnia School — “Community meetings have been scheduled to discuss options for easing overcrowding at Parklawn Elementary School, Mason school board member Ricardy Anderson announced.” A virtual meeting is planned for Nov. 25, followed by an in-person forum on Dec. 11 in the school’s cafeteria. [Annandale Today]
Fairfax Connector Gives Riders Safety Lights — “Be Smart. Be Safe. Be Seen. We’re lighting up Fairfax County by providing bus and rail riders with safety lights. Our Fairfax Connector team handed out dozens at the Huntington Metro this evening.” [Fairfax Connector/Twitter]
Animal Shelter Seeks Owners of Found Pets — “Do you recognize these found pets? Please help us find their families by sharing this post!” The Fairfax County Animal Shelter is looking to get several dogs, a cat, two rabbits and one parakeet found around the county between Nov. 4 and 12 to their proper homes. [FCAS/Facebook]
Mediterranean Restaurant Lands in FallsChurch — “Cafe Zevian, a Mediterranean concept by Adem Kaplan, will be located at the bottom of The Kensington senior living facility at 700 W. Broad Street … The new eatery will open in the former space of Famille, a French-inspired restaurant that closed in 2022. It’s scheduled to open for business by the end of the week.” [ARLnow]
FFXnow Has Joined Bluesky — While FFXnow isn’t joining outlets like NPR and The Guardian in fully leaving Twitter (at least for the time being), we’ve added Bluesky and Threads to our growing roster of active social media platforms, which also includes Facebook and Instagram. To keep up with all our stories, you can also sign up for our email newsletter.
It’s Thursday — Expect rain in the afternoon, with cloudy skies and a high of 52. Rain will continue until 4am, accompanied by patchy fog and a low of 45. The chance of precipitation increases from 70% to 90% at night, with potential amounts between a quarter and half an inch. [NWS]