The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will get its first salary increase in eight years, starting next January.
The current board voted 8-2 last night (Tuesday) to raise the pay to $123,283 for a supervisor position and to $138,283 for the chairman — slightly lower than the ranges that were proposed on March 7.
Based on staff calculations, the approved increase for board members is in line with what general county employees received, on average, in merit and market rate adjustments since the board last got a raise in 2015, according to Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust.
“Supervisor compensation should be set at a level that would enable anyone to serve regardless of personal circumstances. To advance that goal, I think, is appropriate,” Foust said before putting the motion up for a vote.
The vote came after a public hearing that lasted over two hours, with some speakers becoming emotional as they shared stories of how they’ve struggled with the area’s rising cost-of-living or how employee vacancies and hiring challenges have affected county services, from parks to support for foster care families.
Aside from one Braddock District resident who suggested they would “not be out of line,” considering inflation over the past eight years, all the speakers voiced opposition to the originally proposed raises that could’ve increased supervisor salaries up to $130,000 and the chairman’s up to $145,000.
“Too many are just getting by, and others are on the verge of falling into crisis,” Carolyn Bivens said. “Respectfully, in my opinion, the case has not been made for making the Board of Supervisors positions full time. More importantly, a 35 to 45% increase would be viewed as tone-deaf in this environment.”
Some said they support the board getting pay raises, but the amounts advertised were “insulting” when the county is only proposing 2% market rate adjustments for workers in its next budget, rather than the 5% that was forecast.
Other jurisdictions in Virginia are advertising MRA increases of up to 6-9%, according to Fairfax Workers Coalition Executive Director David Lyons.
He acknowledged that Virginia law requires a different process for adjusting the compensation of elected officials than for other public employees, but the proposal created a perception “that you care more about yourselves than you do your workers.”
“What we do have is a shortage of human service workers. We have a shortage of cops. We have a shortage in solid waste collection that is causing the county to contract out good jobs,” he said. “And in the case of all these jobs, citizens will suffer as the vacancies grow, as the quality drops and as real experience keeps going out the door. That’s why this proposal struck people as wrong.” Read More
Inova Gets Go-Ahead for Springfield Hospital — “Inova Health System just got the Virginia Department of Health’s green light to proceed with plans to bring a new hospital to Springfield — despite VHC Health’s attempt to block the project. The Falls Church-based health system secured the certificate of public need Tuesday afternoon for the nearly 1 million-square-foot hospital” [Washington Business Journal]
State Police Add Red Lights to Vehicles — “Virginia State Police are equipping the newest vehicles in their fleet with emergency light bars that also include red lights to improve visibility and safety…The enhanced emergency lights are on the road now in new police vehicles, which will gradually replace the older vehicles in the fleet.” [WTOP]
Street Safety “a Disaster” in Fairfax County, Advocates Say — “When Karen McCluskey of Northern Virginia Families for Safer Streets first began compiling the 2022 pedestrian crash data for Fairfax County last November on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, she never expected the carnage to be so catastrophic.” [Greater Greater Washington]
Labor Groups Call for Investigation of Tysons Contractor — “The coalition asked for a probe into whether ‘stark discrepancies’ between the race and gender of Maximus’s employees and its upper management could violate federal policies. Maximus has worked with federal agencies including the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.” [The Washington Post]
Metro Spending Big to Combat Fare Evasion — “Metro says it will spend up to $40 million to redesign its new faregates, making it harder to jump over them and evade paying the fare. The transit agency released new data Monday saying 13% of Metrorail riders did not tap in and pay for their rides, amounting to 40,000 fare evasions each weekday during the first two-and-a-half months of 2023.” [DCist]
Founder of Major Fairfax Real Estate Firm Dies — “Wesley ‘Wes’ Foster, who co-founded real estate giant Long & Foster, died Friday at age 89…Foster launched the real estate firm, whose red signs have become ubiquitous throughout the mid-Atlantic, in 1968 with then-partner Henry Long.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Infant Formula Recalled Due to Possible Bacteria — “Perrigo Company plc is issuing a voluntary recall of certain lots of Gerber® Good Start® SootheProTM Powdered Infant Formula in the U.S., that were manufactured at the Company’s Gateway Eau Claire, Wisconsin manufacturing facility from January 02, 2023 to January 18, 2023.” [Fairfax County Health Department]
Wolf Trap Park Adds More Summer Performances — “There are more performances to look forward to this summer at Wolf Trap’s outdoor Filene Center venue…The new shows include well-known performers like James Taylor, Diana Ross, Juanes, Ms. Lauryn Hill and John Fogerty.” [Patch]
How One Tysons Company Navigated Silicon Valley Bank Collapse — “That Thursday evening, [CEO Joe Saunders] had a stark decision to make: to take RunSafe Security’s money out or keep it in the bank…RunSafe Security was one of the scores of companies regionally and nationally left in limbo after SVB quickly cratered in the past week, as many of its tech customers pulled out their deposits at once.” [DC Inno]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 60 and low of 44. Sunrise at 7:10 am and sunset at 7:23 pm. [Weather.gov]
Spring is here, and despite a cold snap over the weekend, cherry trees around the D.C. area are rapidly approaching full bloom.
The Yoshino cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin remain on track with the National Park Service’s prediction that they will reach peak bloom — meaning that 70% of the flowers will be open — between Wednesday and Saturday (March 22-25).
Accordingly, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is now underway, though the official opening ceremony isn’t until this coming Saturday.
Since launching in the 1920s, the annual festival has expanded beyond D.C.’s borders, including to Fairfax County. For those who’d prefer not to endure the downtown crowds and traffic, there are plenty of events to catch closer to home when not taking in the flowers at local viewing spots like Meadowlark Botanical Gardens.
Celebration at the Lab
The Children’s Science Center has “transformed” its lab at Fair Oaks Mall into a scavenger hunt with various experiments to teach kids about the history and science of cherry blossoms.
Tickets are available for two-hour time slots at the lab between 10 a.m. and noon, and 2-4 p.m. from Saturday (March 25) through April 8. They cost $15 each, but there is a $2 discount for registering online.
Art Blooms at Mosaic
The Mosaic District in Merrifield has again partnered with the D.C. festival for a two-day celebration of its own that will feature live music on two different stages, crafts and farmers markets, and family-friendly activities, including a game corner and a “glamor” tent with hair-braiding and face-painting.
We're blooming with excitement for Art Blooms on April 1 and 2, featuring:
🛍️ A market of handmade and vintage vendors from URBN Market
🧺 Fresh produce from local vendors presented by Fresh Farm VA
🎯 Fun activities by Vienna Singing Princesses
🎼 Live music on two stages pic.twitter.com/UAf3KxYxDl— Mosaic (@mosaicdistrict) March 1, 2023
For adults, some restaurants in the neighborhood allow alcoholic beverages outside. A full list of Sip and Stroll participants and the festival’s performance schedule can be found on the Mosaic District website.
Complimentary shuttle service will be provided from the Dunn Loring Metro station to the festival, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on April 1 and 2. Read More
The Fairfax County Park Authority is going to need a bigger budget to handle its running bamboo.
The agency has requested an additional $500,000 and a new, full-time staff position for an ecologist to help manage bamboo removal projects now that the county requires property owners to contain the species.
The park authority has 185 bamboo patches on its property, covering 250 acres of land — exceeding an earlier estimate and any other county agency, according to a Feb. 28 memo to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ environmental committee.
“Due to the excessive cost, bamboo management on an estimated 250 acres of Park Authority land will be a long-term management issue,” FCPA Public Information Officer Benjamin Boxer said.
While no removals have been conducted yet this year, the park authority has developed a “protocol” for prioritizing projects based on:
- Site conditions, such as the bamboo patch’s size, accessibility and proximity to rare resources
- Cooperation from neighboring landowners
- The county’s vulnerability index in terms of the impact on resources, restoration areas, high-quality natural areas, and the community
However, the county’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2024 doesn’t include funding for either the bamboo removal projects or the ecologist, who would be dedicated specifically to this issue, Boxer confirmed.
The park authority instead hopes to get the funds as part of the county’s fiscal year 2023 third-quarter review, which was presented to the Board of Supervisors today (Tuesday).
The package proposes allocating $400,000 “as initial funding” for bamboo mitigation, falling short of the FCPA’s request. It also doesn’t add any new positions, though staff identified nearly $10.7 million that the board could devote to non-recurring priorities.
“The Park Authority has requested recurring and dedicated funds for contracted bamboo removal and suppression projects on FCPA property and will proceed following the prioritization protocol with available resources as they are identified,” Boxer said.
The county’s running bamboo ordinance took effect on Jan. 1, requiring property owners to prevent the invasive species from spreading to other properties or risk getting fined.
The Fairfax County Department of Code Compliance has received 44 complaints about running bamboo since the ordinance took effect, but no fines have been imposed yet.
“We are focused on working with property owners to gain voluntary compliance. At this point no fines or litigation have been sought,” DCC Director Gabriel Zakkak said.
When the ordinance was adopted last year, Zakkak’s predecessor suggested the county may not resort to fines until cases have continued for a year or longer.
In addition to the bamboo on park authority land, the county’s Facilities Management Department identified about 1.5 acres of bamboo on eight of its properties, led by 43,000 square feet at the Mason District Government Center, according to a staff presentation.
The department said it has removed that bamboo and is in the process of treating the sites, stating that it doesn’t anticipate needing more funding to manage bamboo.
While Fairfax County Public Schools found no issues on school properties, Rose Hill and Hunt Valley elementary schools have adjacent properties with bamboo, according to FCPS spokesperson Julie Moult.
“Grounds has met with both owners and are working collaboratively to ensure that, if a small amount is on FCPS property, it is properly removed and also ensure that it does not spread onto FCPS property in the future,” Moult said.
Public hearings on the FY 2023 third quarter review package will be held on April 11, 12 and 13 — along with the proposed FY 2024 budget — before it’s adopted on May 2.
Metro Adds Trains to Speed Up Service — “Metro is ramping up service across much of the rail system starting [Monday], promising ‘an infusion of trains.’ This comes as ridership has been on the upswing, hitting new post-pandemic records, and as the transit system has been allowed to bring back more 7000-series railcars.” [DCist]
County Launches Fund for Tech Startups — “The Fairfax Founders Fund (FFF), a grant and technical assistance program providing funds to early-stage Fairfax County-based startups, will begin accepting applications on April 10. FFF will provide up to $50,000 in capital to help start-ups develop their business and prepare for later-stage investment.” [Department of Economic Initiatives]
Local Parents Indicted After Infant Fatally Overdoses — “Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced Tuesday that a grand jury had indicted 19-year-old Juan Oliva-Ruiz and 23-year-old Shantica Tillery on involuntary manslaughter and child cruelty charges, after their 11-month-old allegedly ingested a fentanyl pill found on the floor of their Alexandria home in June 2022.” [WTOP]
Man Arrested for Reported Fairfax Knife Attack — “On March 11, 2023 at 2:45 P.M. City of Fairfax Police responded to 7-Eleven, located at 10140 Fairfax Boulevard, for a malicious wounding. Investigation revealed that during a verbal altercation, the suspect, Anibal-Guzman, assaulted the victim with a knife causing injuries to their head, neck and hands.” [City of Fairfax Police]
Halal South Asian Restaurant Now Open in Mount Vernon — “Food Flame, a restaurant specializing in Indian and Pakistani cuisine, opened March 3 at Engleside Plaza shopping center in Alexandria. Located in a space formerly occupied by Wing Zone, Food Flame is owned and operated by Zafar Khan and family.” [On the MoVe]
Reston Theater Company Cleans Up at Regional Awards — “Reston Community Players was the big winner Sunday night at the 2023 Washington Area Theatre Community Honors Awards ceremony at the The Birchmere in Alexandria. RCP racked up a combined total of 13 awards for its productions of ‘A Little Night Music,’ ‘The Game’s A Foot’ and ‘Bright Star.'” [Patch]
Herndon Thrift Store Boosts Nonprofits, Students — “The Closet of The Greater Herndon Area Inc., a nonprofit thrift store, distributed over $273,000 worth of 2022 grants, scholarships, and vouchers to local nonprofits, students and community residents.” [Inside NoVA]
Vienna Bassist Selected for National Orchestra — “A Vienna teen will be part of a residency and tour with the 2023 National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America. Joshua Thrush, 16, is a double bassist who was chosen for the National Youth Orchestra, a prestigious free summer program for the nation’s promising young musicians.” [Patch]
It’s Tuesday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 59 and low of 35. Sunrise at 7:11 am and sunset at 7:22 pm. [Weather.gov]
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors got a first look last week at a new plan that it hopes can help turn the county into a hub for the arts.
At an economic initiatives committee meeting on March 14, Fairfax County Arts Committee Chair Leila Gordon said the new Master Arts Plan shows that some of the county’s revitalization zones — like the one in the works for downtown McLean — need to do more to prioritize the arts and add more supporting facilities.
“Beyond what are traditionally characterized as ‘major arts venues,’ the County needs multiple other support facilities and spaces to complement existing arts venues,” a presentation on the plan said.
Those arts-supporting uses include creating residential zoning for live/work studios, more small-scale venues, and better temporary use of vacant facilities.
Supervisors at the meeting shared positive feedback on the plan, but many had individual areas they wanted to see more fully explored.
“We’re not doing public art well in this county at all, regardless of how many times we’ve tried to do it,” said Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross. “On Richmond Highway they’ve had some success with some murals, but trying to get permits for murals and trying to explain to the planning and development department that this is not a sign…that’s a wonderful way to grab people really quickly.”
Gross said as the process goes on, she’d like to see more public art worked into the plan.
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik expressed hope to see more descriptions of how art uses should be managed and governed.
“We can build the spaces, we can permit the spaces, we can transform the spaces, but I think the question is…place-based governance,” Palchik said. “We are a large county. We have a lot of initiatives as well as priorities. We can build all the spaces we want, but they have to be run, they have to be activated, they have to be managed.”
Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay said the arts across Fairfax County are currently plagued by waste and unequal distribution, two topics he hopes to see the plan tackle.
“There’s also a lot of waste in the arts,” McKay said. “When props are done, they’re trashed. When costumes are done, they don’t get stored. I know there are a lot of private arts organizations — dance schools are familiar with this — that spend a lot of money on props, a lot of money on costumes, and when the show is over, they go in the trash.”
McKay said the Master Arts Plan is a chance to organize the local arts community and get organizations on the same page when it comes to sharing resources. McKay said he hoped to see a “huge inventory” of items that can be recycled across multiple shows. From the county leadership side, that may involve financing storage space.
“One thing we should be looking at in terms of facilities [is] if the county can provide a centralized warehouse of arts materials,” McKay said. “There is quite a bit of waste in the arts and it doesn’t need to be that way. A lot of high school theater groups do the same rotating shows but a lot of times, they’re starting from scratch for props, and finding out they’re discarded from another school that did the same show. That can be very costly.”
McKay also said part of the plan should focus on distributing arts venues around Fairfax County, noting that many arts spaces are being built where there is already an abundance of facilities.
According to a draft plan, there are several potential venues in the works, including proposed arts centers at Reston Town Center and in downtown Herndon, but a lack of funding is cited as an obstacle in multiple cases.
“Unfortunately where [there’s] the greatest art advocacy is where there are already facilities,” McKay said. “There are parts of the county that just don’t have the same access. Looking at that through gap analysis is going to be really important.”
The plan also notes that cost and availability limitations lead many organizations in Fairfax County to use venues not intended for arts programming, like schools or churches, or to go outside the county.
The Master Arts Plan for cultural facilities is under review and will be fully released sometime this spring. A broader Public Art Master Plan is scheduled for completion in early 2024.
Developers Seek to Add More Housing in Fair Lakes — “Proposed updates to Fairfax County’s land use regulations, preliminarily earmarked for the county staff’s highest priority, signal that the sea-changing real estate market wants to see Fair Lakes, like elsewhere in the county, shift away from suburban office and toward new residential development.” [Washington Business Journal]
Reston Fire Station Introduces New Engine — “Thursday, Station 25. Reston, A-Shift placed new Engine 425 in service. A ‘push In’ ceremony was conducted by the shift. This tradition dates back to the days of horse-drawn equipment when firefighters had to push the equipment back into the station. E425 responded on its first call, an outside fire, a short time later.” [FCFRD/Facebook]
New Italian Deli Gets Ribbon-Cutting in Fairfax — “After selling his first restaurant in Manassas, Kapoor opened a new one in Arlington, but he was forced to close it due to the impact of the pandemic. Kapoor began his new venture in Fairfax City with a soft launch on Feb. 14. Friday’s ceremony marked the restaurant’s official opening.” [Patch]
D.C. Poaches Tysons Architecture Firm — “D.C. is turning to its recently created Vitality Fund, a pot of incentives to lure more businesses to its downtown, to…offer undisclosed cash grants to architecture firm KTGY to move its office from Tysons, as well as branding and marketing consultancy Quadrant Strategies to triple its D.C. office, so long as they both meet certain annual performance targets.” [WBJ]
Historical Marker Unveiled for Vienna Preschool — “Beautiful day [Saturday] for unveiling a new historical marker at Marshall Road and Ware Street commemorating Parkwood School and its legendary founder, Clarene Vickery, who educated thousands of preschool children here in Vienna.” [Town of Vienna/Twitter]
Candytopia Opens in Tysons Corner Center — “After weeks of anticipation, Candytopia at Tysons Corner Center…is finally open! The candy museum is a sweet experience for children and a colorful one for adults. Decked out with an art salon, Candytopia has crafted pieces using different arrangements of your favorite flavors of candy.” [WTOP]
Metro Gets Overall High Marks in Poll — “Commuters have abandoned the system not because they dislike Metro, the survey suggests, but because they are working from home more frequently. The survey of a random sample of more than 1,600 D.C., suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia residents shows that despite Metro’s high-profile struggles…3 in 4 riders rate Metrorail ‘excellent’ or ‘good.'” [The Washington Post]
Great Falls Resident Competes in Netflix’s “Dance Monsters” — “A professional dancer and the owner of a modeling agency, Chelsea Cushing knows how to put her best face forward, so it’s ironic that the Great Falls resident’s most public appearances have happened behind face- and body-concealing CGI and motion-capture technology.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Reston Woman Wins WaPo Poetry Contest — “Even without a calendar, you know when spring has arrived. You can feel it in the air. And Vicki Elsbernd’s poem about something recently in the air — and in the news — tickled me enough to choose it as my favorite entry in this year’s Springtime in Washington Haiku Contest.” [The Washington Post]
It’s Monday — Clear throughout the day. High of 51 and low of 29. Sunrise at 7:13 am and sunset at 7:21 pm. [Weather.gov]
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors isn’t holding a public hearing on its proposed salary increases until Tuesday (March 21), but some county workers have already made their opposition known.
A union representing over 2,000 county government employees criticized the proposal as a blow to workers, whose projected pay raises aren’t expected to be fully funded in the county’s next budget.
“Despite our calls for wage fairness for county employees, it appears the County has another priority — raises for politicians,” SEIU Virginia 512 Fairfax President Tammie Wondong said. “A meager 2% raise combined with the crushing weight of wage compression has left us feeling devalued. When employees have to work multiple jobs to get by or can’t afford to live in the county, it’s clear change is needed.”
With 33 years of work for the county under her belt, Wondong says the disparity between what the board is considering for itself compared to employees illustrates the need for “a union contract to achieve pay fairness.”
The Board of Supervisors approved collective bargaining in October 2021, but the Fire and Rescue Department is the only unit to officially elect a union representative so far.
Put forward by Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust on March 7, the raises would push the salaries for board members up from $95,000 to $124,000-130,000 per year and from $100,000 to $140,000-145,000 a year for the board chair.
The high end of those ranges would amount to pay bumps of nearly 37% for supervisors and 45% for the chair. Both positions last got raises in 2015.
Foust, who’s retiring at the end of December, says higher compensation will encourage candidates to run for supervisor, a position that carries full-time commitments but is treated as a part-time job in Virginia.
As I leave, I know it is critically important that we continue to attract great candidates from all backgrounds and stages of life to serve on the Board. The opportunity to serve is itself very rewarding. However, I believe it is in the best interest of the County that Supervisor compensation be set at a level that will enable anyone to serve regardless of their personal circumstances, and not just those who are wealthy or have other sources of income. I believe that increasing Supervisor pay for the first time in 8 years will advance that goal. I recognize that others have raised concerns and I look forward to the public hearing that will be held on March 21.
“I hope that through my service I have demonstrated that I care very much about the residents and employees of Fairfax County,” he said in a statement to FFXnow.
However, the challenge of affording housing, child care and other living expenses that some supervisors mentioned during their March 7 meeting also poses an obstacle to other county workers, like teachers and police, Fairfax County Federation of Teachers President David Walrod said.
About 1 in 7 Fairfax County employees can’t afford to live where they work, according to a 2021 analysis by The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis (TCI), a Richmond-based think tank. Read More
(Updated at 1:30 p.m. on 3/20/2023) Fairfax County is in the midst of deciding where nearly $25 million in funding for pedestrian and bicyclists improvements will be allocated.
After combing through more than 2,000 possible projects, staff have develop a draft list of prioritized projects, according to Michael Guarino, head of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation’s capital projects division.
At a Board of Supervisors transportation committee meeting on Tuesday (March 14), Guarino said the county is using spatial analysis tools to help sift through roughly 2,800 unfunded projects and project requests. The list was then further pared down by examining network connectivity and trip generators.
“We’re using technology as best as we can. I think are areas where we can do it more. Overall, the process is working the way we want it to, it’s just taking longer than we want it to,” Guarino said.
The decision is part of the county’s $100 million commitment to support active or non-motorized transportation access and safety improvements.
The first $5 million in funding, approved in November 2022, included $2 million for trail maintenance, $2.7 million for crosswalk projects, and $200,000 for a safe routes project near Bush Hill Elementary School. An additional $100,000 was allocated to speed feedback signs for the Fairfax County Police Department.
As part of the next cycle, $2.3 million for crosswalk projects has already been approved, along with $400,000 to repair and replace existing rapid flashing beacons through fiscal year 2028.
Board members lauded staff for the methodology used to create the draft list.
“It was very well done the way you pulled this all together,” Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said.
The county plans to seek additional money for pedestrian intersection improvements at Blake Lane and Bushman Drive in Oakton as well as Beverly Road at Old Dominion Drive and Elm Street at Old Dominion Drive in McLean after missing out on a federal grant.
The county did not receive the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant due to a lack of needed data to back up claims for the need for the projects, along with the projects not being ready to build yet, Guarino said.
Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross noted that some projects can take years to come to fruition. She said it took nearly 37 years to install sidewalks on Sleepy Hollow Road — a project that is currently under construction.
“It wasn’t all the county’s fault,” Gross said, adding that an iterative process will ensure that projects are shovel-ready.
The proposed list of active transportation projects includes: Read More
Strep Throat Diagnoses Rise in Fairfax County — “Data from emergency departments and urgent care centers in the community have shown an increase in the number of people who have been diagnosed with strep throat since late January 2023. For the week of March 5-11, there were more visits to ED and urgent care facilities for strep throat than at any time in the past 3 years” [Fairfax County Health Department]
BB Gun Appears During Fight at Annandale HS — “Video obtained by 7News captured a fight at Annandale High School in Fairfax County Wednesday where a BB gun ended up falling to the floor…Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) also confirmed to 7News the presence of the BB gun following the fight during a ‘class change.'” [ABC7]
Tysons Developers Pivot Away From Office — “Cityline Partners still has 4M SF of office space planned at its Scotts Run development in Tysons, but the only projects moving ahead at the vast site near the McLean Metro station are multifamily and hotel. With the region’s already weak office market not expected to recover in the near future, that trend is poised to continue.” [Bisnow]
West Springfield Student Wins Landmark Wrestling Title — “Elaina Primozic won the first Virginia girls wrestling state meet. Elaina entered the wrestling team as a manager, but after a few weeks, she emailed the coach to join the team. Elaina finished the season by winning the 156-pound title at the first Virginia High School League girls’ championships.” [FCPS/Facebook]
Board Chair Frustrated by Maryland’s Beltway Project Delays — “Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay (D) called Transurban’s decision in Maryland a setback to needed improvements at the American Legion Bridge, one of Fairfax County’s biggest traffic bottlenecks, and said the outcome was not in the long-term interest of Virginia or Maryland.” [Gazette Leader]
Mount Vernon Post Office Stays in Place — “The post office at Mount Vernon Plaza will remain in business at its current location, a spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) confirmed March 15 to On the MoVe.” The Washington Business Journal reported in December that the shopping center’s property manager had “filed suit against the USPS for unpaid rent,” giving the post office until Feb. 28 to vacate. [On the MoVe]
Herndon Library Gets “Maker Lab” — “The Maker Lab @ Herndon is a space designed for people who love to learn, discover, and explore…You will have access to a variety of tools and equipment, including a 3D printer, sewing machines, robots and more.” The facility’s grand opening will be celebrated tomorrow (Saturday) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. [Fairfax County Public Library]
Fairfax Woman Competes in Beauty Pageant — “On Saturday, Fairfax City resident Amini Bonane will be pursuing her quest to become the first Congolese woman to be crowned Miss Africa USA…Patch recently interviewed Bonane to find out about her experience growing up in Fairfax City and what led up to her becoming a Miss Africa USA contestant.” [Patch]
Nearby: Baby Bald Eagle Hatches in Loudoun — “On Tuesday, the eaglet hatched in the nest along the Dulles Greenway. The eaglet’s parents — Rosa and Martin — have two more eggs they’re incubating in the nest in a wetlands area of Leesburg, so wildlife experts are watching closely for those to hatch sometime this week.” [The Washington Post]
It’s Friday — Possible light rain in the afternoon and evening. High of 60 and low of 45. Sunrise at 7:18 am and sunset at 7:18 pm. [Weather.gov]
