Fairfax County let loose its archery program aimed at controlling the local white-tailed deer population this past Saturday (Sept. 7).
The Fairfax County Deer Management Archery Program allows qualified bowhunters to hunt deer in areas where firearm use is restricted or not an effective or sustainable method. The program started in 2010 to minimize the impacts of an overabundance of deer.
Flooring Stores to Shut Down — “Just weeks after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announcing it was seeking a buyer, LL Flooring says it will close all of its stores and cease operations.” Closing sales began last Friday (Sept. 6) at all 424 stores, including ones in Lorton (8245 Backlick Road, Suite I) and Chantilly (14310 Sullyfield Circle). [Washington Business Journal]
Longstanding Herndon Deli Gets Support — “Community members and local businesses have been posting messages encouraging people to take their sandwich business to The Deli Herndon at 480 Elden St. as it experiences financial hardships. On September 3, an anonymous patron posted a plea on Next Door for members of the community to patronize The Deli.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
School Board Allocates Unspent Funds — “Fairfax County Public Schools is spending millions in previously unused funds to support security upgrades, new sports and bonuses for substitute teachers.” Approved by the school board at its Aug. 29 meeting, the year-end budget review also replenished the staffing reserve with $16 million and included another $200,000 for Woodson High School’s renaming. [WTOP]
Funds Available for Affordable Housing Development — “The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) has issued a request for proposals for affordable housing with a notice of more than $50 million in local funding available for affordable housing projects.” [FCRHA]
GMU Announces Fall Visual Arts Exhibits — “Through exhibitions and inclusive programming in seven galleries across George Mason’s three Northern Virginia campuses, Mason Exhibitions engages community members around current issues and new ideas through visual art.” This fall’s signature exhibition “Nothing Personal: A Collaboration in Black and White” is on view on the Fairfax campus until Nov. 15. [Gazette Leader]
Toll Lanes Operator Donates to Nonprofit — I-66 Express Mobility Partners (I-66 EMP), the private builder and operator of the I-66 Express Lanes, recently donated $10,000 to the Merrifield-based nonprofit Food for Others. Employees also gathered at the food pantry’s warehouse to pack 660 Power Packs for local school-aged children. [I-66 EMP]
Local Police Captain Wins Award — “The FCPD is proud to announce Captain Hudson Bull has been recognized as one of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) 40 Under 40 Award recipients for 2024. This prestigious award honors law enforcement professionals under 40 who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to public safety.” [FCPD]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and a high of around 78 degrees, accompanied by a southwest wind at 5 to 7 mph. Monday night will be clear, with the temperature dropping to around 56 degrees and the southwest wind maintaining a speed of approximately 6 mph. [NWS]
Dulles Greenway Toll Hike Rejected — Drivers who use the Dulles Greenway will not have to pay higher tolls to use the privately owned 14-mile road” after Virginia’s State Corporation Commission rejected proposed increases. “The commission issued a final order Wednesday, denying the request, saying it would ‘materially discourage’ the public’s use of the Greenway.” [WTOP]
Lt. Gov. Announces Gubernatorial Candidacy — “Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the first Black woman to hold statewide office in Virginia’s long history, has officially set her sights on the state’s top political office.” She is the first Republican to join the 2025 race for governor, while Rep. Abigail Spanberger is currently the only person seeking the Democratic nomination. [NBC4]
Community Center Library Dedicated to Police Shooting Victim — “On Wednesday, Bijan Ghaisar’s family and friends dedicated a library to his memory on what would have been his 32nd birthday. The quiet, reflective space of books and art has been established inside the Iranian American Community Center in Tysons.” [WTOP]
Lawsuit Filed Over Reston Station Development — Tokyo-based Daito Trust Construction filed a federal lawsuit on Aug. 30 alleging that Reston Station developer Comstock “breached its contract by wrongly reducing Daito’s ownership share” in the BLVD apartments at 1908 Reston Metro Plaza. Seeking $10 million in damages, the complaint centers on whether Comstock met a condition that would’ve required Daito to contribute $40 million to the project. [Washington Business Journal]
Arrests Made for Reported Tysons Larceny — Detectives with the Fairfax County Police Department’s Tysons Urban Team arrested three people on Sept. 1 for a larceny reported in the 8300 block of Leesburg Pike around 3:30 p.m. Police say the trio had over $1,700 in stolen merchandise in their possession and an additional $20,000 worth in their vehicle and hotel room. [FCPD]
Mason District Gets Its Own Restaurant Week — “Mason District’s first-ever Restaurant Week starts Sunday, Sept. 8, and runs through Sept. 15. Nine restaurants are participating, and a few more might be added. Some restaurants will offer limited set meals and others will have discounts and special deals.” [Annandale Today]
Fire Department Finishes Muscular Dystrophy Fundraiser — “#FCFRD is thrilled to announce another successful Fill the Boot campaign for MDA, which raised an amazing $174,855.51! We thank our community, donors, volunteers, and partners for their support!” [FCFRD/Twitter]
It’s Friday — Expect partly sunny skies and a high near 81, accompanied by a 6 mph east wind. Friday night will see mostly cloudy conditions and a low around 66, with a southeast wind of the same speed. [NWS]
Commissioner of Elections Susan Beals on Wednesday expressed concerns with the operational performance of the U.S. Postal Service ahead of the 2024 presidential election in Virginia, warning that mail-in ballots may not be processed in time to be counted.
“Election officials depend on the U.S. mail service to deliver ballots to voters and to return ballots to election officials,” Beals told members of the Virginia House of Delegates Privileges and Elections Committee at a meeting in Richmond. “What I am hoping to change is the expectation of voters, that if I put my ballot in the mail five days before election day that it is going to get there. You need to plan further out than that.”
Drought Watch Resurrected — “The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), in coordination with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, has expanded the drought watch advisory to now include 22 counties.” Northern Virginia, including Fairfax County, has seen below normal precipitation with “focused dryness” since remnants of Tropical Storm Debby enabled DEQ to lift a drought warning last month. [DEQ]
American Legion Bridge Overhaul Faces Delay — “For the second year in a row, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s administration is proposing to delay expansion of the heavily congested American Legion Bridge and other infrastructure projects because of a transportation budget shortfall of over a billion dollars, according to a new spending plan released Tuesday.” [Washington Post]
Man Linked to Multiple Deaths Faces Trial — The first of two murder cases charging Anthony Eugene Robinson with the killings of two women in Harrisonburg is set for a five-day trial starting Sept. 23. A judge ruled this week that prosecutors can call witnesses in the deaths of two other women whose remains were found near a Huntington motel in 2021 and another woman in D.C. [WTOP]
Reston Bar to Host Football Post-Game Show — “Reston Town Center’s Crafthouse will be hosting the Washington Commanders’ post-game radio show every Sunday throughout the 2024-25 season. Stating this Sunday, the BIG100-FM post-game show…will be broadcasting live from Crafthouse’s performance stage.” [Patch]
Dog Spa to Launch in Belle View — “A couple of new businesses are slated to open in the next few months at shopping centers around the Mount Vernon area. Sept. 7-8 marks the soft launch of the Pampered Pet Bark Bath” at Belle View Shopping Center, while Club Pilates is expected to open a studio in Mount Vernon Plaza this winter. [On the MoVe]
Volkswagen America Moves into Reston HQ — Volkswagen Group completed its headquarters move to Reston Town Center’s new office tower at 1950 Opportunity Way in October, consolidating operations that “used to spread over three locations…in Herndon and Reston.” Though employees only work in the office three days a week, the company’s leaders say the space has been a success “with better amenities and tech than the old buildings.” [Washington Business Journal]
McLean HS Band Tunes Up for Fundraiser — “Over 200 dedicated McLean High Band (MHS) students and members of the Color Guard will be out in the community on Saturday, Sept. 7, canvassing neighborhoods and performing at local shopping centers while collecting donations during Tag Day,” the band’s largest annual fundraiser. [Gazette Leader]
It’s Thursday — Expect partly sunny skies with a high of around 79 degrees, accompanied by a northeast breeze of about 7 mph. As night falls, the skies will turn mostly cloudy and the temperature will drop to approximately 62 degrees. The east wind will persist, blowing at a gentle 3 to 6 mph. [NWS]
The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is preparing for the possibility of significant service reductions as part of a countywide effort to close an expected budget shortfall.
During a Park Authority Board budget committee meeting last Wednesday (Aug. 28, park officials outlined proposed cuts that could include shorter hours and fewer services at rec centers, less frequent grounds maintenance, cancellation of seasonal programs, reduced staffing and postponed facility upgrades.
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]
After two years of meticulous data collection and analysis, Fairfax County’s Department of Transportation (FCDOT) is moving into the second phase of its ActiveFairfax Transportation Plan.
Starting today (Tuesday) at 6 p.m. at the Graham Road Community Center in West Falls Church, FCDOT will host a series of in-person and virtual open houses throughout the fall to gather input from residents on enhancing the county’s extensive network of pedestrian trails and bicycle pathways.
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]
