A Metro train on elevated tracks above Route 7 in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
In the D.C. area, the summer solstice has brought a reminder that heat doesn’t just make people sluggish. It can affect transportation infrastructure too.
Metro has instituted a systemwide speed restriction, limiting all trains to a maximum of 35 mph when they’re above ground due to rail temperatures exceeding 135 degrees Fahrenheit. The limit took effect today (Thursday) at 2 p.m.
Rainbow-colored lights illuminate Reston Town Center’s Mercury fountain for Pride Month (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Va. Attorney General Race Gets First Candidate — “Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor announced Wednesday she will seek the Democratic nomination for Virginia attorney general, emphasizing her track record as a prosecutor in what is likely to be a competitive primary contest for the job now held by Republican Jason S. Miyares.” [Washington Post]
Push for Inclusive Sex-Ed Continues — “Some parents and community members are calling for an overhaul of Fairfax County Public Schools’ sex education curriculum.” Speakers at a recent board meeting urged FCPS to consider coed classes, a proposal that got put on hold in 2022 and wasn’t included in the Family Life Education Advisory Committee’s latest recommendations. [WTOP]
Assault on Security Guard Reported in Reston — “Fairfax County Police are investigating an assault that occurred late Tuesday afternoon in Reston Town Center.” Police say two people approached and assaulted a security guard in the 11900 block of Market Street, though the guard “was not injured.” [Patch]
Montessori Plan for Groveton SchoolPaused — “Quick action by parent leaders at Bucknell Elementary School in Groveton last week led Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to put a hold on plans to transform Bucknell into a magnet public Montessori school.” A requested $15 million grant would’ve created a “lottery-based process” targeted toward parents who might otherwise send their kids to private early education centers. [On the MoVe]
Former Governor Hosts Biden Fundraiser in McLean — “Hosted by former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) in his McLean backyard, Tuesday’s event [was] the largest non-auditorium Biden fundraiser of this election cycle. It sold out in seven days, according to Democratic officials.” It was expected to raise $8 million for President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign. [Axios]
New Gunston Fire Station Will Reroute Trail — “A segment of multiuse trail connecting two parks on opposite sides of Gunston Road in Lorton will be displaced by the new Gunston Fire Station, requiring the trail to be rerouted around the building, according to the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES).” Some worry the new location will be too close to the station. [On the MoVe]
Dulles Airport Wants to Be a Cargo Hub — Dulles International Airport and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership are seeking a consultant to conduct a 12-week feasibility study “to identify specific businesses and industries that could benefit from expanded cargo operations at IAD.” Manager Richard Golinowski says Dulles is better positioned now than it was a decade ago “thanks to business growth not just in Virginia and Maryland, but also in states likely to use a Dulles hub, such as West Virginia and Kentucky.” [Washington Business Journal]
Local Credit Unions Propose Merger — “Apple Federal Credit Union, with $4.4 billion in assets, and $532 million-asset NextMark Credit Union recently announced their intent to merge later this year, with Apple FCU being the surviving institution. Terms weren’t disclosed but the merger agreement is expected to close by November, pending approval from regulators and NextMark’s members.” [WBJ]
It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny conditions and a high near 91 today, with calm winds picking up from the south at around 6 mph in the afternoon. For Thursday night, the sky will be partly cloudy, with temperatures cooling down to around 70, accompanied by a 6 mph south wind. [NWS]
Campaign signs for the June 2024 primaries outside the North County Governmental Center in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
With no local or state races on the ballot, Fairfax County voters turned out in a trickle today (Tuesday) for relatively low-key primary elections.
In the lone Fairfax County-only race, Rep. Gerry Connolly remains on track for a ninth term representing Virginia’s 11th Congressional District after handily securing the Democratic nomination over challenger Ahsan Nasar.
George Mason University College of Science associate professor and Observatory Director Peter Plavchan will serve as principal investigator for NASA's Landolt Mission (courtesy Ron Aira/Creative Services/ George Mason University)
In half a decade, George Mason University students and faculty will help NASA launch an “artificial star” into space.
The university’s Fairfax campus will serve as mission control for the Landolt NASA Space Mission, which will send a laser-pointing satellite into Earth’s orbit in 2029, GMU announced on June 10. The artificial star created by the satellite will help scientists more accurately calculate the brightness of real stars.
Pedestrian walkway between office buildings in Capital One Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Brace for Heat This Week — “The National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts a prolonged period of hot weather this week with temperatures in the 90s, with increasing humidity and high temperatures. The combination of heat and humidity could result in heat indices above 100 degrees.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]
Driver Dies After Crashing Into House — “On May 13, around 10 a.m., officers responded to View Lane and Bold Lion Lane in Newington for a single-vehicle crash into a house.” Ellsworth Jackson Jr., 69, of Alexandria died at a hospital on May 22. A medical examiner determined that he died as a result of injuries from the crash, which occurred when he experienced a medical emergency. [FCPD]
Polls Open for Congressional Primaries — Polls across Fairfax County opened at 6 a.m. today (Tuesday) for a primary election that will determine “representatives for Virginia’s 10th and 11th Congressional districts, as well as the Republican who will challenge Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine this fall.” Polls will close at 7 p.m. [FFXnow]
Pizza Shop Opens in Annandale — “Jet’s Pizza opens [Monday] at 7026 Columbia Pike in the Annandale Shopping Center. Jet’s features Detroit-style deep-dish pizza, which is similar to Chicago pizza but is baked in a rectangular pan. That tends to make a better crust, says General Manager Bronson Parry.” [Annandale Today]
Vienna to Host Naturalization Ceremony — “On Saturday, June 29, 2024, 15 people from all walks of life will take that oath during a naturalization ceremony at 5 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center…The new U.S. citizens will be granted full voting rights and liberties granted to all native-born Americans.” The town previously hosted a ceremony in 2022. [Town of Vienna]
Oakton Rec Center Getting Facility Improvements — “The Fairfax County Park Authority will close Oakmont RECenter in Oakton from Aug. 19 through Sept. 14 to conduct several improvements following the close of summer camps. The agency will perform several building-maintenance projects and upgrades simultaneously to minimize the length of the closure.” [Gazette Leader]
New Principals Named for ElementarySchools — “Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has announced new administrative leadership at two elementary schools that feed into West Potomac High School: Fort Hunt Elementary School (ES) and Hollin Meadows ES.” Jean Consolla will be the new principal for Fort Hunt, starting Aug. 1, and Jasibi Crews will get the position at Hollin Meadows. [On the MoVe]
Reston Pool Scheduled to Close onFriday — “The Hunters Woods Pool Facility will be closed for maintenance on Friday, June 21. It is expected to reopen on Saturday, June 22. In the meantime, pass holders are advised to visit nearby pool facilities, including Dogwood, Shadowood, and Glade.” [Reston Association/Twitter]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies and a high around 93 degrees with south winds at 8 to 10 mph. Tuesday night will be partly cloudy, with lows near 68. For Juneteenth on Wednesday, June 19, the weather will be mostly sunny, reaching a high near 91 degrees. [NWS]
In front of the Fairfax County Government Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
One of Fairfax County’s top administrative officials is stepping down from her post.
Deputy County Executive Rachel Flynn will retire on July 5, a county spokesperson says. A Google employee before she joined Fairfax County in 2019, Flynn oversees the public works, transportation, code compliance, and planning and development departments, along with the park authority.
Strawberry Lane was closed in Merrifield on Saturday, June 15 for the Mosaic District’s first Philippine Independence Day Festival (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Missing Woman Found Dead inSpringfield — “Officers responded to the 7600 block of Highland Street in Springfield [on Friday, June 14] for a death investigation. A community member alerted officers to a body that was found near a wooded area. Officers located and identified Fayra Desiree Bonilla-Rubi, 26, of Springfield. She was reported missing on June 10 by family members.” [FCPD]
Pickleball Players Stage Sit-In at Annandale Courts — “The Fairfax County Park Authority has followed through on its decision to shut down pickleball at Kendale Woods Park…but the players have not given up on their fight to save the courts. As a Park Authority staff member and contractors showed up at the courts before 7 a.m. on June 14, they were met with a handful of players staging a sit-in.” [Annandale Today]
FCPS to Add More Early-Release Mondays — “Fairfax County Public Schools is adding seven early release days to its elementary school calendar for the 2024-25 school year so teachers have enough time to finish required Virginia trainings. At Thursday’s school board meeting, Superintendent Michelle Reid unveiled the plan to add the three-hour early release days on seven Mondays.” [WTOP]
Vienna Police Stop Ice Cream Truck — Vienna police officers stopped an ice cream truck on Ayr Hill Avenue NE around 3:43 p.m. on June 6 for “violating the noise ordinance and soliciting without a permit.” After the officers found that the truck’s tags were expired and the driver lacked a required solicitor permit, the driver agreed to stop operating it until he got the permit and updated the vehicle’s registration. [Vienna Police]
Sandwich Shop Coming to Huntington — “JaWa Sandwich Shop, a restaurant specializing in a variety of sandwiches, will open at the former WNB Factory space at Huntington Gateway, according to owner Seung Lee…Following a soft opening in early July, Lee anticipates a grand opening for JaWa in August.” [On the MoVe]
Man Docks at Every Capital Bikeshare Station — “[Stanley] Seiden, a contractor with the State Department, spent the next two years traveling to far-flung corners of the DMV, on a quest to visit every single Capital Bikeshare station. While the app stopped giving him push notifications after about 13 percent, Seiden kept pedaling, and last Saturday he reached his goal.” [Washingtonian]
Stamps Featuring U.N. HQ Unveiled in Tysons — “The United Nations Postal Administration issued a pane of 10 stamps June 7 showing images of the U.N. headquarters in New York City…The Napex stamp show held June 7-9 at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, 7920 Jones Branch Drive in McLean, Va., hosted a first-day ceremony for the stamps.” [Linn’s Stamp News]
It’s Monday — Expect sunshine and a high temperature of around 91°F, accompanied by a south wind at about 10 mph. As night falls, the weather will be mostly clear with a low temperature near 70°F and a south wind ranging between 6 and 10 mph. [NWS]
Families browse books during the 2023 Children's Summer Reading Festival at Chantilly Regional Library (courtesy Xande Anderer/Fairfax Library Foundation)
Classes are out, and summer reading is in for Fairfax County students.
Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) officially kicked off its annual Summer Reading Program on Wednesday (June 12), encouraging youngsters and adults alike to dig into books and tackle various literary activities to earn prizes.
Great Lawn Park outside the Adaire Apartments in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Local Man Raises Money to Feed People in Gaza — “On Wednesday, the head of the World Health Organization said that thousands of people in Gaza are facing ‘catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions.’ For months, a man in Fairfax County has been raising money to provide food for starving families in his homeland.” [FOX5]
Fairfax Police Investigate Reported Gunshots — “City of Fairfax Police and Fairfax County Police responded to the report of gunshots being heard over four recent nights in the area of Arlington Boulevard and Pickett Road…The sound of gunshots were reported Wednesday-Friday, June 5-7 and Monday, June 11, according to police. No injuries have been reported.” [Patch]
Man Recognized for Upkeep of Historic Cemetery — “The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution’s Arlington House chapter recently honored Fairfax County resident Bill Muras with its Community Service Award” for his involvement in the Fairfax Villa community, his role as a local coach and his assistance in maintaining “a small historic cemetery located northwest of the Fairfax campus of George Mason University.” [Gazette Leader]
Vienna Bids Farewell to Old Merry-Go-Round — “Community members bid farewell [on June 11] to the beloved, yet broken merry-go-round at Meadow Lane Park. All of the kids and kids at heart had one last opportunity to enjoy a snack with friends by the memory-making spinning machine…A new and improved one will be installed so stay tuned for updates.” [Town of Vienna/Facebook]
New Name Proposed for Metrobus Route — “The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) 11Y bus service, otherwise known as the Mount Vernon Express, could be renamed under the WMATA’s system-wide Better Bus Network redesign.” The route would continue to offer direct service between Mount Vernon and D.C. [On the MoVe]
Bagel Shop Opens in Dulles Airport — “NOW OPEN!!! Stop into Bagels & More Cafe Bakery in Concourse C and indulge in our delightful selection of bagel sandwiches, paninis, and other mouthwatering options!” [Dulles Airport/Twitter]
Grant Approved for Annandale ParkFencing — “The Fairfax County Park Authority Board has approved matching funds in the total amount of $6,205 to support the extension of the fencing around field 6 at Pine Ridge Park.” The other half of the funding will come from the Braddock Road Youth Club (BRYC). [FCPA]
Reminder to Get Kids Vaccinated — “As the 2023-24 school year ends and summer begins, it’s a great time for children to get up to date on their immunizations. Parents and caregivers are urged to make an appointment for their child now with their health care provider to avoid the last-minute rush before the 2024-25 school year starts.” [Fairfax County Health Department]
It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny skies today, with the temperature reaching a high of around 93 degrees. Showers and thunderstorms are possible after 5pm, with a 30% chance of precipitation. Night will have mostly cloudy skies and a low of about 67 degrees. [NWS]
Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert speaks at the town's Juneteenth Celebration in 2023 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Juneteenth is just under a week away, but in many places around Fairfax County, the celebrations will start this weekend.
Officially known as Juneteenth National Independence Day, it is observed annually on June 19, the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to liberate some 250,000 enslaved people who had not been freed despite President Abraham Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.