Arlington Residents Suing Over “Missing Middle” Look to zMOD Ruling — “The Virginia Supreme Court forced Fairfax to revert to an older zoning code because of this procedural misstep prior to the new laws taking effect. The 10 plaintiffs in the Missing Middle suit say it is a point in their favor, arguing the state Supreme Court signaled it takes seriously procedural violations.” [ARLnow]

New Signage Installed on GW Parkway — A temporary traffic pattern on the George Washington Parkway “has led to some confusion among drivers.” The National Park Service said new signs and barriers would be added to address issues, mostly in the afternoon rush hour, with northbound drivers trying to use the new center lane. [WTOP]


Spurred by the pandemic, outdoor dining in Fairfax County is likely here to stay.

The county is considering a proposal to formalize standards and regulations for outdoor dining in parking areas that were first introduced during the pandemic.


Housing a Focus of County Board Chair Race — Primary challenger Lisa Downing “cited as her chief concern the shortage of homes in the county that are large enough and also affordable to middle-income families in the region.” Chairman Jeff McKay says there are 4,000 units of affordable housing “in the development pipeline and in the past year invested $94 million toward its goal” of 10,000 new units by 2034. [Washington Post]

County Resident Arrested in Alexandria Shooting — “A 28-year-old Fairfax County man wanted for a Jan. 4 shooting incident faces numerous charges after allegedly striking an Alexandria Police Department cruiser in the Landmark area earlier this month.” [ALXnow]


Going forward, all Fairfax County Public Schools workers will be required to undergo regular background checks and notify the school system of any arrests while they’re employed.

The expanded background check policies will be implemented after an investigation last year found “systemic gaps” in the hiring process, FCPS announced yesterday (Tuesday).


Narcan Distributed at FCPS Opioid Town Hall — “At Woodson High School on Monday night, health officials, educators, and police addressed the issue at a town hall…Additionally, families were trained in how to use Narcan, and then dozens lined up outside the town hall to receive their own doses.” [DC News Now]

New Plan to Reduce Helicopter Noise Announced — “Helicopters will fly at higher altitudes and flight paths over Northern Virginia will soon be altered to reduce helicopter noise, US Representative Don Beyer announced Tuesday alongside representatives from the federal government, the aeronautics industry, and elected officials from Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, and Fairfax.” [Washingtonian]


The primary for Fairfax County commonwealth’s attorney may be the most cutthroat race on the ballot in a year when local voters will also choose representatives on the Board of Supervisors, school board and General Assembly.

On Friday (April 21), Democratic incumbent Steve Descano and challenger Ed Nuttall appeared together on WAMU’s “The Politics Hour,” the weekly radio show hosted by Kojo Nnamdi and Tom Sherwood, and the conversation got spicy.


County’s Last Bed Bath & Beyond to Close — After three Fairfax County locations closed earlier this year, Bed Bath & Beyond’s recent bankruptcy filing means the last holdout in Bailey’s Crossroads will soon follow suit. With all 360 remaining stores shuttering by June 30, sales after tomorrow (Wednesday) will be final, and stores will stop accepting gift cards on May 8. [Annandale Today]

Motorcyclist Dies in Crash on I-66 — “A 29-year-old motorcyclist died late Friday night after a crash on Interstate 66 in Fairfax County, Virginia State Police say. Jeffrey R. Armstrong, of Sterling, was driving a 2006 Suzuki GSX east on I-66 near mile marker 50 at around 11:25 p.m. Friday when police said the cycle rear ended a 2003 Honda Odyssey, ejecting him from the bike.” [WTOP]


Reston Hospital Center collected the most drugs during the Fairfax County Police Department’s annual national prescription drug take back day on Saturday (April 22).

The hospital’s location, one of eight drop-off sites, collected a whopping 226 pounds — far more than the 127 pounds collected by the second-place sites: West Springfield and Fair Oaks.


A 12.5% salary increase for police officers will be under discussion later this week for inclusion in Fairfax County’s upcoming budget.

Other items under consideration in the mark-up package include more money for ArtsFairfax, funding for girls’ softball facilities, and establishing a self-help resource center in the Fairfax Courthouse library.


Bijan Ghaisar’s Family to Settle Lawsuit Over Shooting — “The family of Bijan Ghaisar, shot dead by two U.S. Park Police officers as he slowly drove his Jeep Grand Cherokee away from them in 2017, agreed to settle their lawsuit against the agency for $5 million, according to a court filing Friday.” The agreement still needs to be approved by a judge. [The Washington Post]

Fatal Crash in Chantilly Under Investigation — “A 39-year-old man died in a car crash in Chantilly, Virginia Saturday morning after speeding away from a DWI checkpoint, according to Fairfax County Police. Around 1:15 a.m. officers responded to a two-car crash near the intersection of Lee Highway and Bull Run Post Office Road. Once on scene, they found a man, later identified as Ashton Robinson, who had been thrown from his car.” [WUSA9]


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