ArtsFairfax wants you to help it keep track of all the public art popping up around Fairfax County.
The county’s designated, nonprofit local arts agency recently launched an online Public Arts Locator to identify and map out murals, sculptures and other installations placed in the community, either permanently or on a temporary basis.
Virginia Releases New Policies on Transgender Students — “The final model policies…include many of the same guidelines with an emphasis on parents’ rights ‘to make decisions with respect to their children.’ The policies, a version of which each of Virginia’s schools systems would be required to adopt, outline that teachers and other school personnel may not refer to a student by a different name or pronoun unless parents request the switch in writing.” [The Washington Post]
Northern Virginia Center Expansion Gets Support — The Fairfax County Planning Commission recommended approval last week of Virginia Tech’s proposed campus redevelopment near the West Falls Church Metro station. Proponents said the promised affordable housing and more transit-oriented focus are necessary, while some critics feared the new buildings will overshadow existing condominiums. [Gazette Leader]
(Updated at 4:10 p.m.) The long-fought activism of one local resident has culminated in the Fairfax County Police Department changing its approach to publicly identifying where crimes occur.
Arlington-based blogger Dave Statter announced on Wednesday, July 12 that Police Chief Kevin Davis has committed to having FCPD public information officers and social media channels use community names, rather than postal addresses, in public safety announcements, clearing up decades of confusion.
There has been another change in criteria for determining where the new FBI headquarters will go, prompting annoyance and even anger from several local officials.
Late last week, the General Services Administration (GSA) announced that it will now weigh cost and “advancing equity” as factors of higher importance when deciding if the new FBI headquarters will end up in Springfield or one of two sites in Prince George’s County, Maryland, per an updated site selection plan.
Canadian Wildfires Affect Local Air Quality Again — “The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has issued a Code ORANGE Air Quality Alert Tuesday for Northern Virginia. A Code Orange Air Quality Alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for sensitive groups.” [NWS]
Fairfax City Water Rescuers Assist Vermont After Floods — “The Arlington County Fire Department announced Sunday morning, that just the night before, they had teamed up with the City of Fairfax Fire Department to deploy eight swift water rescuers to Vermont to assist the state.” As of Friday (July 14), the storms that hit Vermont last week have been tied two deaths due to flooding. [WUSA9]
Man in Custody After Shots Fired Call — “Officers responded to the 13600 blk of Lee Jackson Mem Hwy in Chantilly for a shots fired call. Preliminary, there are no injuries, and all parties are accounted for. There is no apparent threat to the public at this time…Officers have one adult male in custody.” [FCPD/Twitter]
Eggs Rescued From Dumpster Result in Chicks — “More than 20 chicks have found homes with veterinary staff after being rescued from a dumpster in Fairfax County, Virginia. Late last week, Fairfax County Animal Protection Police were called to a shopping center in West Falls Church, where over 1,000 eggs had been abandoned in a dumpster.” [WTOP]
(Updated at 11:55 a.m.) Fairfax County has a new plan that could help inform arts venue development in the county for the next 20 years.
Adopted unanimously by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday (July 11), the 49-page Fairfax County Master Arts Plan: Facilities includes an inventory of the county’s arts venues, an examination of gaps in resources, options for funding new facilities and more.
Dozens of dogs at Fairfax County’s animal shelter have become infected recently by a respiratory illness known informally as “kennel cough.”
While it’s common to see some canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC) cases, the current wave has been exacerbated by more dogs staying in the shelter for longer periods of time, according to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter (FCAS).
Reston Parkway Bridge Repairs Continue — “Motorists can expect delays on Reston Parkway/Route 602 at Sunset Hills Road/Route-675E to continue until Monday afternoon due to emergency bridge work, according to VDOT. A truck traveling southbound on Reston Parkway to the eastbound entrance ramp to the Dulles Toll Road in Reston struck the bridge on Monday morning” [Patch]
Opening Date Set for Lorton Lidl — “The long-awaited Lidl supermarket in Lorton will officially open July 26 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration…The 30,000 square-foot Lidl will soon be joined by several neighboring retail businesses and a childcare center that are slated to open this fall or winter.” [On the MoVe]
The Fairfax County Park Authority wants feedback on a draft plan to make county parks more equitable and accessible.
County staff is collecting input on its Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Access (PROSA) Strategy through an online survey and two virtual workshops scheduled this month. The second round of community engagement comes as the FCPA prepares to finalize the strategy later this year.
