Fairfax County is under several Severe Thunderstorm Warnings this afternoon.
Strong, slow-moving storms popped up over the county shortly before 4 p.m. and have continued to overspread the area. The warnings cover Tysons, Centreville, Vienna, Oakton and other areas.
The upcoming Labor Day weekend is anticipated to be a busy one for travel, including at Dulles International Airport.
United Airlines, the airport’s biggest carrier, says it will average more than 240 nonstop flights per day to and from Dulles over the holiday weekend, starting today (Thursday) through Monday (Sept. 3). The number of departing flights will be up 10% compared to last year’s Labor Day weekend.
The Virginia Board of Education on Wednesday approved the final touches on the state’s Every Student Succeeds Act plan, designed to address concerns with how schools were rated and student performance was measured to determine better how to direct state resources.
During the special meeting in Richmond, the board approved Virginia’s ESSA plan, readiness weighting for different grade levels, and the overall school performance and support framework proposal as part of its package of accountability system changes.
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]
One of Fairfax County’s congressional representatives wants a public accounting of reported clash between presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign and staff at Arlington National Cemetery.
This morning (Wednesday), Rep. Gerry Connolly called for the cemetery to “publicly release all that transpired” during the former president and current Republican presidential nominee’s visit on Monday (Aug. 26).
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]
This summer is closing out with one final heat wave that’s expected to peak in the D.C. area tomorrow (Wednesday).
The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory that’s scheduled to take effect from 1-7 p.m. tomorrow. On top of that, the air quality is expected to enter Code Orange territory for a second straight day, meaning it’ll be unhealthy for people with lung and heart disease, outdoor workers and other sensitive groups to spend time outside.
Fairfax County Public Schools is giving the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) a demerit for its recent reveal of annual student test scores.
The results released last week omitted assessments outside of the Standards of Learning (SOL) tests that students take statewide, creating a misleading impression of how FCPS is doing, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid said in an Aug. 23 letter to state officials, including Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Man Behind Connolly Staff Assault Enters Insanity Plea — “Xuan-Kha Tran Pham appeared in court Monday and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity after the attack in [Rep. Gerry] Connolly’s district office in Fairfax on May 15, 2023…The judge accepted Pham’s plea and said two doctors who evaluated him concluded he was insane at the time of the attacks.” [NBC4]
Murder Suspect Arrested at Dulles Airport — “A 15-year-old Silver Spring teen has been arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with a double homicide that occurred over Memorial Day weekend. Onyx Santana Austin was arrested on Monday, August 26, 2024, at Dulles International Airport.” [MoCo Show]
Air Quality Alert Issued — “Code Orange Air Quality day for the region today. Air pollution concentrations may become unhealthy for children, people suffering from asthma, heart disease or other lung diseases, and the elderly. Avoid strenuous activity and exercising outdoors.” [Ready Fairfax/Twitter]
Trump Campaign Stops by Eden Center — Yesterday, former president and current Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump “made an appearance at Truong Tien Restaurant at the Eden Center, alongside Vietnamese-American U.S. Senate candidate Hung Cao (R).” Trump ordered about $60 worth of food, a consultant for the restaurant told the Washington Post. [ARLnow]
Inova LGBTQ Clinic Reports Growth — “A little more than two years after opening its doors, a Northern Virginia clinic for LGBTQ+ patients is seeing its client list and services expand, outpacing projected growth goals. So far, doctors at the Inova Pride Clinic have treated more than 1,100 patients, which is well beyond what they initially expected.” [WTOP]
Company Gives Tours of Annandale’s Korean Cuisine — “Soomin Kim’s Korean restaurant tours in Annandale have been selling out since she launched Virginialicious earlier this year. The tours bring people to four to six restaurants within walking distance of one another, where they can sample different kinds of Korean specialties while learning about Korean cuisine and culinary history.” [Annandale Today]
Oakton Volleyball Team to Defend State Title — “The Flint Hill Huskies begin the 2024 volleyball in a position the girls high-school team has been in for a long time now — defending state champions. The Huskies won last season’s Division I private-school state championship for the 12th time in program history and the sixth time overall.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Tuesday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 91 and light, variable winds during the day. In contrast, Tuesday night will be partly cloudy with a low temperature around 74 degrees and a gentle south wind at approximately 5 mph. [NWS]
Woman Grazed by Bullet in Franconia — “A suspect was taken into custody after what police are calling a ‘domestic-related shooting’ where a woman was grazed by a bullet in her head Friday night. According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the shooting happened in Franconia in the 5900 block of Saint Giles Way.” [WUSA9]
New Georgetown Pike Bridge Opens — “Great news! All lanes on Georgetown Pike are open and shifted to the new northern span of the Georgetown Pike bridge. Also, all Beltway ramps have reopened. The work was completed ahead of schedule. Thanks for helping us by ‘staying away’ this weekend!” [VDOT/Twitter]
Reston Apartment Building Sold — “Three years after delivering a 352-unit apartment building to its Halley Rise development in Reston, Brookfield has offloaded the property. The developer sold The Edmund at 2025 Fulton St. to Harbor Group International for $133M late last month, according to Fairfax property records.” [Bisnow]
Man Convicted in Sexual Assault Case Arrested by ICE — “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested a convicted sex offender in Annandale on Aug. 19…Fairfax County Police arrested Veizaga on May 3 for the sexual assault of a child aged 13 or 14.” He was later convicted of a misdemeanor in the case, and the court suspended his six-month jail sentence. [Annandale Today]
Local House-Hunting TV Show to Return — “The popular WETA local house-hunting series, If You Lived Here, returns for Season 4 to spotlight an all-new collection of 12 neighborhoods throughout the national capital area. The season premiere will air on Monday, October 28 at 9 p.m.” with new hosts taking over from Christine Louise and the late John Begeny. [Gazette Leader]
Herndon IT Firm Makes Acquisition — “Herndon’s ePlus Technology Inc. has acquired IT services company Bailiwick Services LLC from Minneapolis private equity firm Norwest Equity Partners.” EPlus says the purchase, announced Tuesday (Aug. 20), “will strengthen its client offerings in its business services and is part of the firm’s growth strategy.” [Washington Business Journal]
Fairfax City Solid Waste Specialist Awarded — “In three short years, Fairfax City’s environmental sustainability specialist, Melissa Pennett, has made a major impact on how the city manages its solid waste…For her efforts the Solid Waste Association of North America is honoring her with the 2024 Young Professional of the Year Award.” [City of Fairfax]
It’s Monday — The day will be mostly sunny and the temperature will reach a high near 90 degrees. During the night, partially cloudy conditions are predicted with a low temperature around 71 degrees. There’s a 30% chance of rain around 2 and 11 pm. [NWS]
