Countywide

Poll Shows Trump Lead in Virginia — “Former president Donald Trump leads President Biden in Virginia by three percentage points in a new Virginia Commonwealth University-Wilder School poll, but the numbers reflect an anemic showing for both candidates and a decline in Biden’s support instead of a surge in Trump’s.” [Washington Post]

Annandale Pickleball Advocates Plan Legal Action — “The Broyhill Crest pickleball players are still fighting for the chance to play the sport at their neighborhood courts. They are in the process of hiring legal counsel to help them advance their argument that the Park Authority didn’t follow its own guidelines and policies when it banned pickleball from Kendale Woods Park.” [Annandale Today]

TJ Students Seek to Prevent Deer-Related Crashes — “A pair of seniors at Thomas Jefferson High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, have been hard at work on a device that could steer deer away from cars. Anmol Karan and Shaurya Jain are in the process of developing a prototype incorporating artificial intelligence, ultrasonic pulses, and animal or human sounds.” [WTOP]

Man Charged in Fairfax City Stabbing — “A 37-year-old Alexandria man is facing an aggravated malicious wounding charge in connection with a stabbing that took place last December at a Fairfax City motel…A preliminary investigation revealed that the victim was stabbed by an acquaintance following an argument.” [Patch]

GMU Studies Potential Solar Flare Impacts — Researchers at George Mason University, led by astronomy and physics professor Peter Becker, and the Naval Research Laboratory “recently secured a $13.6 million federal grant to continue their work studying solar flares and so-called coronal mass ejections that can wreak havoc on Earth’s electromagnetic field.” [Washingtonian]

Herndon Police Donate Bicycles to School — “The Herndon Police Department is donating used patrol bicycles to the Herndon Middle School Bike Program, where students will disassemble, assemble and repair them for other children to ride.” [WJLA]

Vienna Theater Group Stages ‘Newsies‘ — The Vienna Youth Players will have chosen “Newsies,” the stage adaptation of Disney’s 1992 musical movie, as their summer production. “The show opens on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at 7 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center. Tickets are $18 each and can be purchased in advance online” or at the door until showtime. [Town of Vienna]

It’s Tuesday — Sunny and hot conditions marked by a high near 101 and heat index values reaching up to 108. There’s a 20% chance of precipitation, namely isolated showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. At night, there’ll be partly cloudy skies and a low around 78. [NWS]

Two Injured in Clifton Crash — “The Fairfax County Police Department responded to a crash at the intersection of Old Yates Ford Road and Henderson Road in Clifton, Virginia, on Saturday.” A driver and a passenger were taken to the hospital, with the latter, an adult man, sustaining life-threatening injuries. [WUSA9]

Sentence Reduced for Fatal Lorton Hit-and-Run — “The family of a Fairfax County, Virginia, man killed by a hit-and-run driver says they’re devastated after a judge dramatically reduced the driver’s sentence on Friday. In April, Guillermo Vasquez pleaded guilty to the hit-and-run crash that killed 28-year-old Joey Lanza outside his home in Lorton in 2020.” [NBC4]

Fire Chief Condemns Violence after Fatal Shooting at Trump Rally — As president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Fairfax County Fire Chief John Butler expressed his “deepest condolences” to the family of Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief in Buffalo, Pennsylvania who was killed in the shooting at former president Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday (July 13). [Fire Chief John Butler/Twitter]

Lost Dog Found in Sewer — “Mack is back home resting following an adventure that almost sounds too unreal to be true! After he escaped his backyard and somehow ended up in the sewer system, he traveled two miles before peeking out of a curb inlet near a police station.” [Fairfax County Animal Shelter/Facebook]

Work Group Planning 250th Independence Day — “As a young man growing up in Philadelphia, Scott Stroh was thrilled with the red-white-and-blue extravaganza celebrating the nation’s bicentennial in 1976…Stroh, who now is director of historic Gunston Hall, is leading a Fairfax County group that for three years has been gearing up” to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. [Gazette Leader]

Inside Oldest Building on CIA Campus — “When buying a house on 30 wooded acres in northern Virginia, the last thing you might expect to get is a nosy neighbor. But after Margaret Scattergood and Florence Thorne moved into their new home in 1933, they got more than they bargained for – an entire campus full of spies.” [CBS News]

Potomac River Experiencing ‘Flash Drought’ — “The probability of releases from backup reservoirs to ensure an adequate drinking water supply in the Potomac River is higher than normal this year, according to the group that coordinates the three major water providers in the Washington, D.C. area.” [WTOP]

Annandale Office Building Sold — “Windows Plus has sold its building at 4321 Markham Street in Annandale. The buyer paid $1.72 million for the two-story, 3,600-square-foot commercial building, says Chris Bernard, a real estate broker with CRES Inc…The buyers, who wish to remain anonymous, do not have immediate plans to redevelop the property, Bernard said.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Monday — Showers and thunderstorms may develop after 2pm, accompanied by sunny, hot conditions with a high temperature near 100°F and heat index values reaching up to 109°F. Monday night will be mostly clear with a low temperature around 75°F. [NWS]

Scam Warning From County Animal Shelter — “SCAM ALERT! We’ve become aware of scammers falsely claiming to represent our shelter, calling pet owners alleging that we have their pets and requesting funds for urgent medical expenses. If you receive any suspicious communications, please hang up and contact us directly.” [Fairfax County Animal Shelter/Twitter]

McLean Rower Has Qualified for Olympics — “Fifteen athletes from Virginia have qualified for the Paris Summer Olympic Games as Team USA continues to take shape. Among those 15 Virginians is 27-year-old Claire Collins of McLean, who is a member of the U.S. Women’s Rowing Team.” [Patch]

Culmore Library Renaming Approved — “The Fairfax County Library Board of Trustees voted on July 10 to rename the Woodrow Wilson Library the Culmore Community Library…Over the past few months, the Library Board received numerous comments from the community urging the board to change the name citing Wilson’s support for racial segregation.” [Annandale Today]

Dulles Ranked Among World’s Best Airports — “Dulles International Airport ranks as the 11th best airport in the world, a ranking by AirHelp finds. AirHelp, a passenger rights tech company that assists passengers with flight disruptions, crunched data for 239 of the world’s busiest airports in 69 countries.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Local Delegate Reflects on General Assembly Session — “Active, highly partisan and ultimately productive are how Del. Rip Sullivan (D-McLean) described this year’s General Assembly session at the McLean Citizens Association’s July 3 board meeting.” His adopted bills included ones that address tree preservation and allergic reaction awareness training. [Gazette Leader]

Park Authority Recognizes Top Volunteers — “At its meeting on July 10, the Fairfax County Park Authority Board approved a resolution honoring 23 individuals as outstanding volunteers. These peer-nominated individuals were recognized for their dedication to their community and their invaluable service to the Fairfax County park system.” [FCPA]

Virginia Named No. 1 State for Business — “With the nation’s best education system and policies that give companies room — both literally and figuratively — to grow, Virginia is America’s Top State for Business in 2024. This is the Old Dominion’s sixth time at the top of CNBC’s rankings, and its third win in five years.” [CNBC]

It’s Friday — Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms, increasing after 7am with a high near 81. Precipitation likelihood is 90%, with new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half an inch. Friday night brings a 70% chance of showers. Temperatures dip to around 73, and another quarter to half an inch of rain is expected. [NWS]

Heat-Related Deaths Reported — “Seven people have died as a result of heat in the Washington region, authorities confirmed Wednesday, as blistering temperatures have forced elected officials to cancel public events, close down athletic fields and encourage residents to stay indoors.” That includes one person in Virginia, though state officials didn’t provide details. [Washington Post]

Domestic Assault in Reston Under Investigation — “Fairfax County Police are investigating an assault that took place early Tuesday morning in Reston.” Officers were called to the 2300 block of Freetown Court for a report of a stabbing, but upon arriving, they found a man with injuries that “weren’t consistent with a stabbing,” police say. No hospital visit was needed. [Patch]

Funding Recommended for Transportation Projects — “The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority will present its ranked recommendations Thursday, for funding nearly $700 million in projects to advance the region’s multimodal transportation network.” Traffic signal improvements on Route 7 by Falls Church came out on top for its congestion relief potential relative to cost. [WTOP]

Middle Eastern Cafe Opens in Barcroft Plaza — “The new MQR Café in Barcroft Plaza serves breakfast, sandwiches, and coffee drinks all day. The café opened on July 6 at 6343-E Columbia Pike. Much of the food features Mediterranean/Middle Eastern flavors.” [Annandale Today]

Hybla Valley Mural Design Up for Vote — “Franconia Supervisor Rodney Lusk and the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services invite community input on a mural design for the exterior wall on the east side of Hybla Valley Community Center.” Voting on designs submitted by artists is open until 5 p.m. on July 26. [NCS]

McLean Group Calls for Ambulance Upgrades — “The McLean Citizens Association’s board of directors adopted a resolution July 3 urging Fairfax County officials to purchase power-load cots for the county government’s entire fleet of medical-transport vehicles to reduce injuries to patients and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel.” [Gazette Leader]

County Seeks Input on Disability Services — “The Fairfax Area Commission on Aging (COA) and the Fairfax Area Disability Services Board (FA-DSB) are seeking community input to identify systemic gaps in service and/or barriers Fairfax County residents with disabilities face.” Registration is open for virtual community forums on July 31 and Aug. 2. [FA-DSB]

Permitting Underway for High School Stadium Bathrooms — “Permanent restroom facilities for Mount Vernon, West Potomac, Edison, Hayfield and 11 other public high school athletic stadiums in Fairfax County are expected to be in place by the 2025-2026 school year.” A modular has arrived at Justice High School, but permits for the other sites are still being reviewed. [On the MoVe]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high of around 91 degrees with a westerly wind at about 6 mph. Thursday night will be mostly cloudy with a low near 73, as the northwest wind of around 5 mph becomes calm in the evening. There is a 50% chance of showers during the night. [NWS]

Idylwood Apartment Residents Struggle With Lack of AC — “Amid a severe summer heat wave, residents of the eaves Fairfax Towers apartments in Falls Church, Virginia, report enduring indoor temperatures as high as 93 degrees for more than two weeks…Residents say management provided temporary air-conditioning units, but they have not been effective.” [NBC4]

New Graves Found at Bull Run Park — “A few hundred yards from the popular Atlantis Waterpark at Bull Run Regional Park, in Centreville, Virginia, researchers identified nine graves Monday, using ground penetrating radar in a recently discovered cemetery of African Americans who were likely freed or enslaved.” [WTOP]

Fairfax City Police Investigate Bullet Hole — A resident reported hearing two gunshots at 9:49 p.m. on Monday (July 8), and police later found a bullet hole at the back of their home on Cardinal Road. Other residents later told detectives they had also heard shots but thought the sounds were fireworks. Fairfax City police officers have increased patrols in the area amid an active investigation. [Fairfax City Police/Twitter]

Arlington Chef Opens Restaurant in McLean — “Chef David Guas, a 24-year culinary vet by way of New Orleans, finally has a full-service restaurant to call his own. Neutral Ground Bar + Kitchen quietly opened for dinner service last month in the downtown McLean space that formerly housed Assaggi Osteria & Pizzeria.” [Eater DC]

Springfield Man Found Guilty for Liquor Thefts — “A Springfield man was found guilty of stealing thousands of dollars of liquor from ABC stores in [Alexandria City], and is scheduled to appear again for other suspected incidents in Arlington and Fairfax Counties.” A Sept. 11 court hearing in Fairfax County involves charges of larceny, shoplifting, assaulting a law enforcement officer and more. [ALXnow]

Ramen and Taco Restaurants Heading for Richmond Highway Corridor — Yido Ramen and Sushi in Tysons is expanding to the Belle View Shopping Center, where it’s expected to open in January or February 2025. In Groveton, a tenant list for the South Alex apartments shows Big Papi’s Tacos coming to “the end unit directly across from the Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care clinic.” [On the MoVe]

Manager Chosen for Reston Marriott — “Crescent Hotels & Resorts has entered into a management agreement with an affiliate of Comstock Holding Companies, Inc. (Nasdaq: CHCI) (“Comstock”) covering the JW Marriott at Reston Station.” The 28-story high-rise will include a 12-floor, 243-room hotel expected to open in mid-2025 and 94 condominiums that recently opened for sale. [Crescent Hotels and Resorts]

It’s Wednesday — Showers and thunderstorms are possible after 5pm, with mostly sunny conditions and a high near 95, and a heat index reaching up to 105. Wednesday night, storms may occur mainly before 2am, while partly cloudy skies bring a low of 77. The chance of precipitation rises from 30% to 50%. [NWS]