Fairfax Water customers weren’t affected by the recent Boil Water Advisory that went out to D.C. and Arlington County residents before Independence Day.
The utility, which serves almost 2 million people in Northern Virginia, suspended its use of the Washington Aqueduct early on Wednesday (July 3) before the advisory was issued later that day. Though D.C. and Arlington both lifted the advisory yesterday (Thursday), Fairfax Water says it hasn’t yet resumed getting water from the aqueduct.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Gets Grant for Witness Protection — “Fairfax County is getting a $25,000 grant that the top prosecutor in the Virginia suburb said will be used to offer security and support to victims and witnesses in criminal trials. The funding is from a $1 million grant program from Virginia’s Department of Criminal Justice Services.” [WTOP]
NATO Summit to Disrupt D.C. Travel — “Washington, DC, will host international leaders next week for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit, setting off a number of disruptions and restrictions downtown…Traffic is expected to pile up, and the closures may change as the summit progresses.” [Washingtonian]
Crosswalks Added in Richmond Highway Corridor — “Part two of VDOT’s pedestrian improvement project in Woodlawn got underway July 2 with the installation of pedestrian crossing signals at newly striped crosswalks at Richmond Highway and Buckman Road near Radford Avenue.” The project’s first phase added accessible ramps to the sidewalks on both sides of Route 1. [On the MoVe]
Learn About Suffragists Jailed at Lorton Prison — Burke Centre Library hosts former history professor and Lucy Burns Museum consultant Alice Reagan tomorrow (Saturday) for a discussion about the National Women’s Party members who were incarcerated the Women’s Workhouse in Occoquan for picketing the White House in 1917. [Fairfax County Public Library]
Artists Wanted for Gardening Event — “The Garden Plot, the Mount Vernon area garden center…has put out a ‘Call for Local Artists’ for a special event next month. The business is planning an outdoor art and gardening event Aug. 17-18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at which artists of all kinds can set up their own booths or tables to highlight and sell their crafts.” [On the MoVe]
Falls Church Soccer Team Competes for Championship — “Falls Church City’s semi-pro soccer team, Virginia Dream FC, are in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) Postseason Championship Game for the second consecutive season…They will play in, and host, the championship match this coming Saturday, July 6, at 7:30 p.m. at Meridian High School.” [Gazette Leader]
Local Parks Host July Golf Tournaments — “Bring the heat at upcoming golf tournaments hosted by Golf Fairfax this July. Celebrate the patriotic vibes and light up the greens to celebrate July Fourth at two Red, White and Blue Tournaments.” The games start this weekend with a tournament tomorrow at Burke Lake Golf Center and on Sunday (July 7) at Pinecrest Golf Course in Lincolnia. [Fairfax County Park Authority]
It’s Friday — There’s a 40% chance of precipitation after 2pm, accompanied by a high temperature near 94°F alongside heat index values reaching up to 105°F. Heading into Friday night, showers and thunderstorms could linger until 2am. The sky will be mostly cloudy with a low temperature of 77°F and a 30% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
This year’s Independence Day is shaping up to be a hot one in the D.C. region.
Fairfax County has activated its heat plan for tomorrow (Thursday) in response to a Heat Advisory from the National Weather Service, which predicts that warm temperatures and humidity will lead to a heat index of 100 to 105.
Fourth of July Safety Tips — “As we prepare to celebrate America’s independence with fireworks, barbecues and community gatherings, we are sharing July 4th safety tips to help you have a safe and fun celebration.” The Fairfax County Police Department has advice for going to events, celebrating at home and traveling. [FCPD]
Korean Restaurant Opens in Herndon — In the works since early 2023, H Pot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot opened in Herndon Centre at 400 Elden Street in late June. Diners can “choose from a large selection of meats and other items” that can be cooked on a grill or in a simmering pot at their table. [The Burn]
Court Hearing Delayed in Fairfax City Shooting — “An Arlington man charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Fairfax City resident and DonorSee CEO Gret Glyer had his competency hearing pushed back to August, according to court records.” Joshua Danehower, 33, appeared in Fairfax County Circuit Court for a scheduled hearing on Friday (June 28), but it got postponed since the judge hadn’t gotten the results of his evaluation. [Patch]
Fireworks Light Up Lorton — “Friends and families packed the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton Saturday night for early Fourth of July festivities, including a dance party, live music, performances, food vendors and, of course, fireworks.” See photos of the scene. [Inside NoVA]
Fairfax City to Move Turtles for Pond Dredging — “Turtles in a popular City of Fairfax pond will be safely relocated in the next few days and weeks, ahead of a monthslong dredging and construction project at Ashby Pond.” The turtles will be moved this month before work to remove sediment from the stormwater pond starts in the fall. [WTOP]
Dulles Airport Revives Nonstop Flight to Mexico City — “Aeromexico had its inaugural nonstop flight from Dulles Airport to Mexico City on Monday. It is a return to the D.C. area for Aeromexico, which ended service at Dulles in 2019. The daily flights depart Dulles at 4:40 p.m. and depart Mexico City for Dulles…at 8:40 a.m.” [WTOP]
N. Va. Ice Cream Wars Has a Winner — “After a month of voting, Northern Virginians have selected Nathan’s Dairy Bar as the winner of the first-ever NoVA Wars: Ice Cream Edition. The Manassas ice cream spot was a top vote-getter each round, topping Moo Thru (which has NoVA locations in Herndon, Warrenton, and Hillsboro) in the final round.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny skies and a high of 88. As night falls, the weather will shift to partly cloudy skies with a low of approximately 72. Independence Day has a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 pm, partly sunny skies, and a high of 95. The heat index may reach 101. [NWS]
Jessica Hudson is no longer Fairfax County Public Library’s director after stepping down to take a county manager position in San Juan Islands, Washington.
Sara Prohaska, marketing and communications director for the FCPL, confirmed that Hudson vacated the position she’d held for eight years on June 14. The Library Board of Trustees has begun the search for a new director in cooperation with the county’s Department of Human Resources.
Fairfax County’s farmers markets are going plastic-free this month.
Starting tomorrow (Wednesday) through July 28, visitors to the Fairfax County Park Authority’s farmers markets are encouraged to bring reusable shopping bags in support of Plastic Free July, a global initiative fighting plastic pollution.
McLean Bank Is Go-To Funder of Republican Campaigns — “Chain Bridge Bank, privately owned and with some 70 employees, has worked with the campaign of every Republican Party presidential nominee since John McCain in 2008, including Donald Trump.” The one-branch bank on Laughlin Avenue was founded by former Republican Senator Peter Fitzgerald and announced in May that it might go public. [Reuters]
FCPS Tweaks Grading Policies — “Fairfax County schools will allow students to retake tests for full credit and will add a D-minus to their grading scale as the district and others try to rethink how to measure student performance.” Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid says the new approach to grading will create more consistency and be clearer to communicate. [Washington Post]
Hybla Valley Affordable Housing Slowly Filling — “As of June 24, 2024, the Residences at North Hill had a total of 61 occupied units (22% occupancy) with 26 more units in-process according to Ivy Dench-Carter, senior vice president of development at Pennrose, which both owns and manages the property…Their goal is to have the residences at least 95% occupied by October.” [On the MoVe]
International Grocery Store Eyes Summer Opening — “Ummah Market, an international grocery store in Bailey’s Crossroads, could have a soft opening by the end of July and a grand opening by the end of August, says owner and CEO Jawad Yousufi…Yousufi describes the store as a ‘Mediterranean version of Whole Foods,’ featuring natural and healthy items from Turkey, Afghanistan, and the Middle East.” [Annandale Today]
Sheriff, Commonwealth’s Attorney Get Pay Raises — “Fulfilling a state-code requirement, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted June 25 to raise pay rates for three constitutional officers, effective July 1.” The new annual salaries for the clerk of the circuit court, commonwealth’s attorney and sheriff are $184,141, $204,274.49 and $259,158.99, respectively. [Gazette Leader]
Fire Department Celebrates First Hires — “75th ANNIVERSARY: On July 1, 1949, the first 10 career #FCFRD firefighters were hired. They served primarily as daytime apparatus drivers. Today we are the largest fire dept in Virginia and one of the best in the nation with w/ 1,400 career FFs, 170 civilians, & 370 volunteers.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
County’s Door-to-Door Shuttle Changes Departments — The Fairfax County Department of Transportation has taken over management of Fastran from the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS). “The realignment will streamline responsibilities and eliminate redundancies, allowing for improved service delivery and enhanced collaboration.” [NCS]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny conditions, reaching a high of approximately 85°F. In the afternoon, light wind will increase to 5-7 mph from the southeast. At night, the sky will turn partly cloudy and temperatures will drop to around 65°F. [NWS]
Fairfax Car Wash Employee Killed in Crash — A customer at Flagship Carwash in Fairfax City hit a nearby car and three employees after exiting a car wash bay around 10:56 a.m. on Saturday (June 29), police say. All three workers were taken to a hospital, where one of them, 62-year-old Martha Clemencia Nguyen, died. [NBC4]
Guns Tossed From Car During Police Pursuit — “Three handguns were thrown from a car during a police pursuit in Springfield, Virginia, according to the Virginia State Police. Officials said that a Virginia State trooper was initiating a traffic stop on a Nissan allegedly traveling recklessly when it refused to stop and sped away on Route 644 near Old Keene Mill Road.” [WJLA]
Fires Reported in Vienna and Springfield — Fairfax County firefighters found grass and “multiple trees on fire” in the 8200 block of Alban Road in Springfield near the ramp to southbound I-95 yesterday (Sunday). They also battled a house fire in the 100 block of Patrick Street SE in Vienna. No injuries were reported. [FCFRD/Twitter, Statter911/Twitter]
Pro Cricket Team Still Looking for Stadium Site — “The Washington Freedom want to build a permanent stadium by the decade’s end with surge capacity up to 35,000 surrounded by some mix of hotel/conference center, retail and residential…After an earlier plan to build a cricket stadium at George Mason University died on the vine, the Freedom is now actively considering 12 to 15 sites in Greater Washington, [general manager Rohit] Anand said.” [Washington Business Journal]
Metro to Waive Evening Fares on July 4 — “Whether you take Metrorail, Metrobus, or MetroAccess, you won’t pay a dime to ride after 5 p.m. until the system closes. During the afternoon, you’ll also see us ramp up service to rush hour service levels on Metrorail to get tens of thousands of you to events safely and reliably across the region.” [WMATA]
Gum Springs Historic Marker Relocated — “One year after Gum Springs and Fairfax County officials celebrated the unveiling of a historical marker honoring Gum Springs founder West Ford, a small group of community members gathered June 21 to commemorate the sign’s placement in a new location.” [On the MoVe]
Tysons Has Region’s Highest Apartment Rents — “Tysons leads the pack in median apartment-rental prices in new data, with the cost to renters rising nearly 5 percent year-over-year. With a median monthly cost of $2,396 for one-bedroom units and $2,872 for two bedrooms, Tysons had the highest median rate of the 34 communities within the Washington metropolitan region tracked by Apartment List.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 80 accompanied by a north wind around 14 mph and gusts reaching up to 22 mph. For Monday night, the weather will be mostly clear, with temperatures dipping to around 63 degrees, and a north wind at 5 to 7 mph. [NWS]
A revised policy for adjusting school boundaries appears to have most of the Fairfax County School Board’s support ahead of a possible vote next month.
While most members agreed that the current policy needs an overhaul to address capacity issues across Fairfax County Public Schools, some expressed reservations at a work session on Tuesday (June 25).
Lake Fairfax Park isn’t the only spot in Fairfax County planning an early Fourth of July party this year.
The Fairfax County Park Authority’s Independence Day celebration in Reston will compete tomorrow (Saturday) with festivities in McLean, Lorton and Mount Vernon, where George Washington’s estate will kick off two days of fireworks tonight (Friday).
