After weeks of speculation and reported angst within the Democratic Party, President Joe Biden announced yesterday (Sunday) that he will no longer seek a second term, instead endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his party’s nominee.
Reps. Gerry Connolly and Don Beyer, who represent parts of Fairfax County in the House, and Virginia senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner quickly expressed support for Biden’s “difficult decision” and joined him in backing Harris.
Man Found Dead in Oakton — Fairfax County police were called to the 9500 block of Route 29 in Oakton on Saturday (July 27) for an unresponsive person who was later declared dead. The death is being investigated as a homicide, and as of yesterday (Sunday) morning, the scene at a commercial townhouse complex just east of Fairfax City remained blocked by police tape. [Patch]
Springfield Man Sentenced to Jail for Jan. 6 Assault — “A 24-year-old Fairfax County man was sentenced in federal court on Friday to 18 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol Building. He also was ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.” [Patch]
Man Arrested for Child Exploitation in Fairfax City — “A man from Centreville, Virginia, is under arrest after police say he coerced a teenager in Minnesota to send sexually explicit photographs of herself to him and then tried to meet her in person.” The 41-year-old man “was arrested in Fairfax City on Monday after a grand jury indicted him” on counts of producing and receiving child pornography and coercing a minor. [WTOP]
Dunkin’ Donuts Under Construction in Annandale — “Dunkin’ Donuts is expected to open on Columbia Pike in Annandale the first week of August, according to the general contractor working on renovating the building…The Annandale location, at 7025 Columbia Pike, is the site of a former flower shop. The building has been vacant since it was heavily damaged in a fire two years ago.” [Annandale Today]
McLean Softball Team Wins State Title — “With a 6-0 record, the McLean Little League age 9-11 All-Stars won recent District 4 and state tournaments, dominating the competition along the way. McLean outscored its opponents, 84-7 with two shutouts. McLean was 2-0 in the district tourney, defeating Great Falls by 12-1 and 13-2 scores.” [Gazette Leader]
Mount Vernon Police Station Has a New Commander — “The Mount Vernon Police District has a new station commander — Maj. Matthew Luik. Luik comes to the Mount Vernon District Police Station after having served as Major of the Criminal Investigations Division within the Major Crimes Bureau of the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD).” [On the MoVe]
Reston Tech Company Plans West Coast Expansion — Neovera Inc., a cybersecurity and cloud services provider based in RTC West, “is eyeing national expansion” after aquiring Emagined Security Inc., a California-based company. The deal “will allow it to extend its security operations center, which is primarily located on the East Coast, to one that can better handle clients throughout the whole country.” [DC Inno]
Merrifield T-Shirt Maker Hires New CEO — “Custom Ink LLC’s Marc Katz is stepping down as CEO at the printed shirt and swag maker he co-founded nearly 25 years ago with his Harvard University classmates after graduating. David Doctorow, the former CEO of Realtor.com parent company Move Inc., has been tapped to succeed Katz, who will remain chairman of Custom Ink’s board.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Monday — Expect showers and thunderstorms mainly before 5 p.m., with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 83°F. At night, there’s a 60% chance of precipitation, particularly before 11 p.m., with a low temperature around 72°F with southeast winds at 3-6 mph. [NWS]
National Ice Cream Day is coming up this Sunday, and several shops around Fairfax County will celebrate with free scoops and other deals.
Like many food-related “holidays,” the occasion originated as essentially a promotion, in this case for the ice cream industry and dairy farmers. The first National Ice Cream Day was set for July 15, 1984 by then-president Ronald Reagan, who also declared July to be National Ice Cream Month.
A technical issue stemming from a cybersecurity update has thrown computer systems around the world into chaos, but Fairfax County appears to have been largely spared.
The county government says it’s monitoring the disruptions caused by a deficient software update sent to Microsoft Windows systems by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, though only “a very small number” of its agencies use the platform through third-party vendors.
Fairfax County has revised its workforce housing program in the hopes of making for-sale units viable in more locations.
The Board of Supervisors voted 9-0 on Tuesday (July 16) to change its workforce dwelling units (WDU) policy, which aims to incentivize affordable housing in mixed-use centers such as Tysons by awarding additional density to developers who participate.
Fairfax Man Killed in Stabbing — “A man died after a stabbing in broad daylight in the parking garage of a Safeway in D.C.’s Glover Park neighborhood. Anvar Guliyev, of Fairfax, Virginia, was the man who died, the Metropolitan Police Department said. He was 36.” Officers responded around noon on Wednesday (July 17) after a reported fight. [NBC4]
Tire Slashings Reported in West Falls Church — “Police are investigating after more than two dozen cars were found with slashed tires early Wednesday morning in Fairfax County…Fairfax County Police confirmed to WUSA9 Wednesday night, that the tires on at least 27 cars were slashed” in the West Falls Church area. [WUSA9]
Incumbents Raise More in Va. Congressional Races — “Money is flowing into Virginia’s most competitive congressional races this year, with the latest campaign finance reports showing a cash advantage for incumbents but Democrats outpacing Republicans in a pair of open seats in Northern Virginia.” [Washington Post]
Investigation into Huntley Meadows Fire Continues — “The cause of the July 6 brush fire at Huntley Meadows Park is still under investigation, according to Ashley Hildebrandt, director of public information at Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD). The fire burned around three acres of wooded area in a remote section of the park.” [On the MoVe]
Herndon Contractor to Be Sold — “Chicago private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners said Tuesday it has reached an agreement to sell Herndon’s LinQuest Corp. to Houston technology giant KBR Inc. for $737 million…LinQuest specializes in digital transformation and other mission systems work in the national security sector.” [DC Inno]
Inova Tops Va. Hospital Rankings Again — “For the fourth consecutive year, Falls Church-area based Inova Fairfax Hospital has taken the No. 1 spot in Virginia on the U.S. News and World Report’s annual list of best hospitals in the nation, released Tuesday. The Inova Health System hospital also ranked first in the Washington, D.C., metro area for the fourth straight year.” [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Study Questions Metro Escalator Etiquette — “It might be the biggest unwritten rule of Metro — when you’re on the escalators, you stand to the right, and walk to the left. It’s a message we holler at tourists and make memes about. But a professor from the University of Maryland just released some research that suggests ‘stand right, walk left’ isn’t actually always the best idea.” [NBC4]
Taste of Annandale Festival Seeks Vendors — “The Taste of Annandale is just two months away and spaces for sponsors and vendors are filling up fast. The Taste is happening on Sept. 21, at a new location — the Eileen Garnett Civic Space, at 7200 Columbia Pike and the Annandale Fire Station’s social hall next door. The 2024 event will also have extended hours, 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high temperature near 88°F during the day. As for Friday night, it will be partly cloudy with a low temperature around 72°F and a gentle south wind of 3-6 mph. [NWS]
Covid Cases on the Rise — “COVID-19 activity is increasing across the U.S. and Virginia, including in the Fairfax Health District. Emergency department visits for individuals who are diagnosed with COVID-19 have increased to 3.3% of all emergency department visits — up from 1.2% in early June. Although still low overall, this is the highest proportion reported since late January 2024.” [Fairfax County Health Department]
Compass Coffee Workers Vote in Union Election — “All 22 workers whose ballots went unchallenged voted in favor of a union, according to tallies from the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday. But union organizers and Compass representatives challenged 101 ballots, which puts the issue in the NLRB’s hands.” [Washington Post]
Reston Contractors Engage in Court Battle — “CACI International Inc. sued Science Applications International Corp. in Fairfax County Circuit Court on July 8, alleging SAIC did not fulfill its commitments as the prime contractor on an Air Force contract…CACI is seeking monetary damages of $16.8 million plus interest for the lost revenue and $25,546 per employee per month for each CACI employee” who was “solicited” by SAIC. [Washington Business Journal]
Fairfax City Plan to Reduce Water Pollution Approved — “The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality reviewed and approved Fairfax City’s draft third-phase Chesapeake Bay TMDL (total maximum daily load) Action Plan. The action plan outlines the city’s strategies to reduce pollutant discharges to the Chesapeake Bay watershed.” [City of Fairfax]
New Summer Programs at Mount Vernon — With its education center closed for renovations on top of an ongoing preservation project for its main mansion, George Washington’s Mount Vernon is shaking up its programming with “a series of themed weekends, each one highlighting a specific aspect of 18th century life.” [Washingtonian]
Results of Vienna Police Stop-Sign Crackdown — “In one of their yearly targeted-enforcement campaigns, officers with the Vienna Police Department Operations Division this past month cracked down on stop-sign violations within the community and issued 236 stop-sign citations and 153 citations for various other traffic violations, officials announced July 16.” [Gazette Leader]
McLean Restaurant Owner Discusses Journey — “Fahrenheit Asian is steeped in the Szechuan traditions that owner and chef Lilly Qin grew up with in her parents’ restaurant in Chantilly. But she is also charting a new path, constantly experimenting with new riffs on classic dishes.” [Washington Post]
Area Country Clubs Report Revenue Increases — In the D.C. area, International Country Club in Chantilly reported the biggest revenue jump (54.5%) from 2020 to 2022, though the Belle Haven (49%), Springfield (28.9%) and Army Navy (27%) country clubs also saw increases. However, “for many clubs nationwide, the pandemic-era revenue surge came along with skyrocketing expenses.” [WBJ]
It’s Thursday — Skies will be partly sunny with a high near 89 before thunderstorms potentially arrive after 5pm. At night, skies will be partly cloudy with a low around 69 and a 30% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
The future of data center development in Fairfax County remains in limbo after the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously last night (Tuesday) to delay their decision on a contentious zoning amendment another two weeks.
The supervisors said they needed more time to consider the input provided by 65 residents, attorneys, environmental activists and other community members during a public hearing that lasted nearly five hours.
When the 2024 Olympic Games begin in Paris, France, next week, there will be a few athletes competing to bring a medal back to their homes in Fairfax County.
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee announced on July 10 that 529 athletes have qualified to represent Team USA at the Olympics, including McLean rower Claire Collins, Clifton soccer player Griffin Yow, and diver Greg Duncan and fencer Hadley Husisian, who are both from Oakton.
County Activates Heat Plan — With a Heat Advisory issued for 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., “Fairfax County has activated its Heat Plan for Wednesday, July 17. When Fairfax County’s heat plan is activated, cooling centers around the county will be available during normal operating hours for individuals needing relief from the heat.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]
Police Department Shares Quarterly Crime Report — The Fairfax County Police Department has issued its First Quarter 2024 Crime Report for the period from Jan. 1 through March 31. Notable findings include an increase in traffic fatalities, declines in motor vehicle part thefts and carjackings, and an uptick in assaults. [FCPD]
Youngkin Speaks at Republican Convention — “With the 2024 talk fully behind him, the 74th governor of Virginia started anew — by appearing to lay the groundwork for a potential run in 2028. At least that’s how political analysts saw his speeches Tuesday to party activists in South Carolina and California over breakfast at their suburban Milwaukee hotels.” [Washington Post]
Virginia Backs Challenge to Transgender Rights — “Attorney General Jason Miyares is spearheading an amicus brief requesting the U.S. Supreme Court hear a case centered on protecting parental rights to ‘make decisions concerning the care, custody, and control of their children.'” A group of Wisconsin parents filed the lawsuit in a bid to overturn a school division’s policy “allowing students to change their gender identity at school without parental consent or notification.” [Virginia Mercury]
Route 28 Project Gets More Funding — “Transportation planners have approved a second round of funding in long-range plans to improve the commute on Virginia Route 28 between Manassas Park and Fairfax County.” The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority has allocated $40 million for road improvements between Manassas and Yorkshire. [WTOP]
County’s First Black High School Marks 70th Anniversary — “Reaves and Taylor were among the alumni who came to Luther Jackson Middle School on July 14 for the school’s 70th anniversary celebration.” The occasion featured a “living wax museum,” a student art exhibit, music, games and “discussions of the school’s history.” [Annandale Today]
Langley HS Hires New Baseball Coach — Rob Hahne, who led the Westfield Bulldogs to a regional championship last year, was hired on July 11 as the new head coach for Langley High School’s baseball team. “Hahne had unique interest in the position because he graduated from Langley in 1987, where he was a standout player, plus he grew up in that neighborhood.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Wednesday — Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms starting at noon, with a high near 97 and heat index values up to 107. At night, the low will be around 74, with southwest winds at 5-7 mph. The chance of precipitation is 80%. [NWS]
