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Morning Notes

Published June 26, 2023 at 7:30AM

An eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly spotted in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Man Pulled From Burning Car, Gets DWI — “Police say around 2:30 am on June 15, officers responded to Annandale Rd & Gallows Rd for a single vehicle crash. The driver struck a curb, hit a telephone pole then a tree and came to a rest on its side, according to FCPD. Officers found the car engulfed in flames and rushed to safely remove the driver. The 27-year-old driver was arrested for DWI.” [ABC7]

Metro Introduces Nighttime “Courtesy Stops” — “Metrobus customers who travel at night will have the option to get off between bus stops along the route, closer to their destination to provide a safer, better bus experience…Beginning, Sunday, June 25, customers may request a courtesy stop between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.” [WMATA]

Plane flights into D.C. area diverted due to air traffic control repairs

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 25, 2023 at 7:10PM

Washington Reagan National Airport (file photo)

Issues with a communications system in Warrenton resulted in a temporary suspension of most flights coming into the D.C. area, including at Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a “ground stop” shortly after 6 p.m., pausing departures to the D.C. area so that repairs could be made to a communications system at the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control facility in Warrenton.

Fairfax County Public Schools pilots program offering students flexible school hours

By Vivian Hoang

Published June 23, 2023 at 11:45AM

Herndon High School classroom (via Fairfax County Public Schools)

This past spring, Fairfax County Public Schools launched a new Twilight Program to assist students whose “life circumstances” beyond the classroom complicated their ability to attend classes.

The program operates outside of the traditional 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. high school day with the goal of helping students graduate on time, FCPS Special Projects Administrator for the Non-Traditional Schools and Programs Joe Thompson says.

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published June 23, 2023 at 7:30AM

Greenery in the rain along the Turquoise Trail near Howland Drive in Reston (photo by Ray Copson)

Reminder: Last Day to Ride Self-Driving Shuttle — “Relay, the autonomous electric shuttle, is scheduled to take its final spin around Merrifield’s Mosaic District on Friday. The pilot project designed to test the effectiveness of driverless public transportation will be coming to an end.” [Patch]

McLean’s Spring Hill Road to Close — Spring Hill Road between Georgetown Pike and Old Dominion Drive will be closed from Monday, June 26 through Thursday, June 29 between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day “for a pipe replacement…Through traffic will be detoured via Old Dominion Drive, Towlston Road (Route 676) and Georgetown Pike” [VDOT]

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published June 22, 2023 at 7:30AM

Clouds hang over the Tysons Central office building and Lumen Apartments (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

FCPD Adopts Bean-Bag Shotguns — “Police in Fairfax County, Virginia, are repurposing a long-carried weapon in patrol cars — the shotgun. But now, those weapons are being converted to only contain ‘less-lethal’ bean bag rounds…Since March, the department has removed all 800 of its shotguns and replaced the weapons with 630 less-lethal beanbag shotguns.” [WTOP]

Workshop on Parking Overhaul Tonight — The Fairfax County Planning Commission will hold a workshop at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the “Parking Reimagined” initiative, the county’s first major overhaul of its parking regulations since 1988. Proposed changes include bicycle parking requirements and a tiered system for off-street parking. There will also be a public open house on June 29. [Zoning Administration Division]

Fairfax County Democrats oust two established senators, as incumbents prevail in local races

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 21, 2023 at 2:15PM

Stella Pekarsky and Saddam Azlan Salim defeated established senators George Barker and Chap Petersen in the 2023 Democratic primary (courtesy Stella Pekarsky for Senate, Salim for Senate)

Fairfax County’s General Assembly delegation will look drastically different next year after a pivotal Democratic primary yesterday (Tuesday) that also bolstered incumbents in most county-level races.

In two upsets, Sully District school board representative Stella Pekarsky eked out a win over veteran state Sen. George Barker for the 36th District nomination, while Fairfax Young Democrats vice president Saddam Azlan Salim ousted Sen. Chap Petersen in the 37th District.

DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival will make mouthwatering return this October

By Vivian Hoang

Published June 21, 2023 at 11:45AM | Updated June 21, 2023 at 3:32PM

This year's festival will take place in the South Hall of Dulles Expo Center (courtesy John and Lindsay Hill)

For the second year in a row, the DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival is returning to Dulles Expo Center (4320 Chantilly Shopping Center) on Oct. 7 and 8.

Tickets for the event are currently on sale for 50% off until 11:59 p.m. on June 30. With the discounted rates, general admission tickets start at $8.00, and VIP tickets are priced at $13.50.

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published June 21, 2023 at 7:30AM | Updated June 21, 2023 at 9:07AM

Flags blowing in stormy weather (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Metro Warns of $750 Million Budget Gap — “Tuesday, Metro painted a dire picture of what would happen if the problem festers: service cuts that would ‘devastate the region.’ These cuts would include eliminating two-thirds of bus and rail service resulting in worse service quality and degraded safety and accessibility.” [DCist]

County’s Auditor to Review Recent Police Shootings — “Because of the ‘dramatic uptick’ in officer-involved shootings by Fairfax County police in the past two years, the county’s Office of the Independent Police Auditor in coming months will review all 15 police shootings of people since 2017.” A nonprofit is also reviewing shootings since 2021. [Gazette Leader]

BREAKING: Descano declared winner in Commonwealth’s Attorney race

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 20, 2023 at 10:00PM | Updated October 11, 2023 at 6:13PM

Voters fill out ballots in the 2023 Democratic primary at Cunningham Park Elementary School (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 1 a.m. on 6/21/2023) The Fairfax County Democratic Committee has congratulated incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano as its nominee in one of the most closely watched races in the 2023 Democratic primary.

Descano received about 55.4% of the vote over challenger Ed Nuttall, who ended with 44.6% after shrinking a larger early deficit, according to the Virginia Department of Elections’ unofficial results.

Low voter turnout so far in Fairfax County’s Democratic primary

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 20, 2023 at 3:00PM

Voting in the 2023 Democratic primary is underway at Bailey's Community Center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Voter turnout for today’s Democratic primary has been more of a trickle than a stream, despite some pivotal races appearing on the ballot in Fairfax County.

By 1 p.m., just 2.6% of registered voters had cast a ballot today, the Fairfax County Office of Elections reported. That put the total turnout for the primary at an estimated 7.2%, including early in-person and mail voting.