(Updated 11:00 a.m.) Visitors to Fairfax County’s website may have noticed that it recently got a digitized makeover.
Going live on Friday, July 7, the website update offers a range of upgraded services, including a bilingual virtual assistant with added Spanish language features and a “more readily available” language translation tool. Plans for the update were announced late last year.
Army Acquisition of Mason Neck Land Halted — The Army had recommended a transfer of 50 acres of public land in the Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area “for long-term usage” by horses in its Caisson Platoon, which supports military funerals at Arlington National Cemetery. Congress dropped the language from its draft defense budget after an outcry from the community. [On the MoVe]
Overhaul of Virginia Education Funding Recommended — “Virginia’s complicated formula for funding K-12 schools needs an overhaul in order for the state to adequately fund public education, according to the results of a major legislative study presented Monday…School divisions receive 14% less funding from the state than the 50-state average, JLARC found, equal to about $1,900 less per student.” [Virginia Mercury]
Overnight Traffic Stops Coming to I-495 — The southbound I-495 collector-distributor road near Georgetown Pike (exit 44) in McLean will be closed in 30-minute increments between midnight to 5 a.m. today (Wednesday) through Friday (July 14). “Following each stoppage, one lane will reopen to clear traffic before the next stoppage is implemented…These traffic stoppages are necessary for crews to remove overhead roadway signs.” [VDOT]
Youngkin Pushes Early Voting for Republicans — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) on Tuesday rolled out a web portal aimed at encouraging Republicans to register for absentee ballots and vote early in this fall’s legislative elections, embracing many of the voter-access policies enacted by Democrats in the past few years.” [The Washington Post]
The Fairfax County Park Authority is asking people to stop fighting with kites.
Last week, the park authority issued a warning about the dangers and harm caused by kite fighting, which is prohibited at county parks.
For many, a cake on their birthday is a given. However, for others, it’s a quiet luxury that they are unable to attain.
Recognizing this unfortunate reality, Cake4Kids — a national organization with a Fairfax County chapter founded by Mary Campbell in 2019 — seeks to make birthday cakes accessible for all.
Thefts at retail businesses in Fairfax County dropped sharply in June after spiking this spring, local police say.
The Fairfax County Police Department reported on Thursday (July 6) that there were 573 shoplifting offenses last month, down from 642 offenses in May and 603 in April. The department attributes the decline to its increased focus on retail thefts as part of a 2023 summer crime prevention initiative.
Third Week of Traffic Safety Campaign Underway — “Road Shark is a high-visibility and coordinated enforcement and education effort to deter aggressive driving, reduce crashes, and change driving behavior…Last campaign, officers along with our Virginia State Police partners issued over 5,000 citations and warnings.” [FCPD]
Old Commanders Facility in Herndon Sold — “The Washington Commanders’ former Herndon practice facility, which the team left 31 years ago for Ashburn, has sold to the owner of a planned data center campus across the street.” The property at 13832 Redskin Drive was purchased for $25 million by “an affiliate of Starwood Capital Group, which in 2021 earned Fairfax County’s OK to develop a 2.2 million-square-foot, four-building data center campus on adjacent…land.” [Washington Business Journal]
(Updated at 8 p.m. on 7/11/2023) Fairfax County Public Schools went 2-for-2 in Major League Baseball’s 2023 draft last night (Sunday), as a pair of its standout players snagged coveted first-round slots.
Ranked as the 23rd top prospect in the country by MLB, James Madison High School graduate Bryce Eldridge was selected by the San Francisco Giants as the 16th overall pick of the draft, thanks to his formidable skills as both a hitter and a pitcher.
Over 20,000 Speeders Caught by School Zone Cameras — “Thousands of drivers have been caught speeding in the months since speed cameras were placed in school zones near eight Fairfax County…schools, according to police data obtained by WTOP. In total, 23,431 cars were caught going 10 or more miles per hour above the speed limit in April, May and June combined.” [WTOP]
Walt Whitman MS Assistant Punched Student, Police Say — “A 58-year-old teacher’s assistant in Fairfax County is charged with simple assault after allegedly punching a student in the face during an altercation…Investigators claim on the day of the assault, the student began arguing with the teacher and flicked his glasses.” [WUSA9]
A Flood Watch is now in effect for the D.C. area, including Fairfax County.
The National Weather Service describes the chances of “slow-moving showers and thunderstorms” this afternoon into the early evening as “likely.”
