A bill to raise Virginia’s minimum wage got the ax in Richmond despite the support of three Fairfax County state senators.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed legislation on March 28 that would’ve increased the minimum wage from $12 to $15 an hour by 2026. Sens. Jennifer Boysko, Saddam Salim and Adam Ebbin, who all represent parts of Fairfax County, were among several Democrats to sponsor the bill.
In just three days, the moon will cross right in front of the sun, creating a total solar eclipse that will be visible from more than a dozen states.
Virginia isn’t one of those states, but in Fairfax County, an estimated 87.4% of the sun will still be blocked when the eclipse peaks around 3:20 p.m. — a bigger percentage than the 2017 event, according to the Fairfax County Park Authority.
Five Vehicles Crash on Route 123 in Lorton — Non-life-threatening injuries were reported in a five-vehicle crash on Ox Road near Silverbrook Road in Lorton, Fairfax County police reported at 7:18 p.m. yesterday (Thursday). One lane in each direction was open, but police advised drivers to use an alternate route. [FCPD/Twitter]
Case Against Suspect in 1994 Murder Advances — “Prosecutors argue that [Stephan] Smerk fatally slashed Robin Warr Lawrence, 37, in her West Springfield, Va., home in November 1994. On Thursday, Judge Gary H. Moliken in Fairfax General District Court found probable cause that Smerk killed Lawrence and allowed the case to proceed to a grand jury.” [Washington Post]
In the latest round of action on bills, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed 100 bills passed by the Virginia General Assembly, including one to protect Virginians from unlawful discrimination, hate crimes and antisemitism. The governor vetoed four others, including one to create civil penalties for shop owners who fail to advertise they are selling invasive plants that could harm other species.
Among the 100 bills signed is a measure that will codify a recommendation by the Commission to Combat Antisemitism that Virginia revise its laws to better protect Jewish citizens from hate crimes, along with Muslims, Sikhs and other ethnic-religious groups.
County Cuts Herndon Police From Training Academy — “In a March 18 letter…Deputy County Executive Thomas Arnold, who oversees public safety, said he had decided ‘to terminate the Town of Herndon Police Department’s affiliation with the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy effective June 1.'” The move came after Herndon Police Chief Maggie DeBoard objected to the academy’s director signing graduation certificates in Chinese. [Washington Post]
Five Men Arrested in Online Child Solicitation Sting — “Five men have been arrested after a multi-day operation to bring down online predators, the Fairfax County Police Department announced on Wednesday…Those people then came to Fairfax County with the intention of committing a sex act with the minor, but instead found detectives waiting for them.” [WUSA9]
National Poetry Month has arrived, bringing a new slate of free poetry readings and other events at Fairfax County parks.
For the final year of her tenure, Fairfax County Poet Laureate Danielle Badra has organized a second “Poetry in the Parks” initiative, inviting community members to experience linguistic and natural beauty at the same time.
Republicans Propose Renaming Dulles Airport After Trump — “Several Republican members of Congress introduced a bill to rename Washington Dulles International Airport for former President Trump. HR 7845, which is apparently a real thing, would make Dulles the second DC-area airport named for a President who was broadly unpopular in the region.” [Washingtonian]
Aspiring Casino Developer Denies Arena Interference — “Comstock CEO Chris Clemente told AP the idea of pairing the casino with the arena had been bandied about by lawmakers of both parties. He rejected the notion that there was any kind of coordinated attempt to hold off the initial arena deal in favor of an arena-casino pairing.” [Associated Press]
Paving and re-striping season has descended upon Fairfax County once again, ushering in a series of public meetings later this month on proposed projects that include bicycle lanes and improved crosswalks.
Hundreds of miles of roadway will be repaved and re-striped by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) as part of the program throughout the state.
Fairfax County is gearing up for the return of its 10 farmers’ markets this spring, with some locations set to return later this month and others in May.
The 2024 season starts on April 17 with the McCutcheon/Mount Vernon Farmers Market outside the Sherwood Regional Library (2501 Sherwood Hall Lane), the Fairfax County Park Authority announced last week.
Vehicle Crashes into Centreville Apartment — “#FCFRD are on the scene of a vehicle into a building in the 13000 Blk of Orchard Dr. Firefighters arrived with one vehicle into a garden-style apartment building. FCFRD TROT is working to stabilize the building. The building investigator is on scene. No reported injuries.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter]
Art Studio Eyes Reston Location — “An unusual new paint-and-sip style art studio is working on its first location in the state and it will be right here in Northern Virginia. It’s called Hawaii Fluid Art and they have announced the signing of a franchisee to bring a location to Reston. The actual location hasn’t been revealed” and may not have been identified yet. [The Burn]
