Countywide | FFXnow

‘Perchfest’ brings mini-golf and bocce tournament to Capital One HQ this weekend

Published September 16, 2022 at 2:30PM

Capital One's headquarters and the upcoming "Block A" mixed-use tower provide a backdrop for The Perch (courtesy Capital One Center)

One year ago, Capital One Center launched The Perch, a 2.5 acre park with mini-golf and a biergarten adjacent to the Capital One headquarters. To celebrate the anniversary, Capital One Center is launching a weekend-long festival.

Capital One Center said guests are invited to come play elevated mini-golf at Perch Putt or drink at Starr Hill Biergarten while musicians perform at the venue’s amphitheater stage. Other features of the festival include a meet-and-greet with adoptable puppies and a pie-eating contest.

Trash troubles pile up with the county out of trash cans until later in fall

By Matt Blitz

Published September 16, 2022 at 1:30PM

Emptied trash and recycling bins by the street (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Trash troubles keep piling up with the county out of trash cans for at least another two months.

Fairfax County has “exhausted” its inventory of trash cans and won’t be able to provide new ones to residents until later this fall, Dept. of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) spokesperson Sharon North told FFXnow.

Amazon awards $2 million grant for affordable housing in Alexandria area

By Fatimah Waseem

Published September 16, 2022 at 10:30AM

The $2 million grant from Amazon will preserve Alexandria area units.

A local project will receive $2 million in funding from Amazon to secure 18 affordable housing units in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County.

Amazon has awarded Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services, an Alexandria-based nonprofit organization that offers assistive housing services, with the grant to acquire 18 homes in the Colchester Towne Condominiums community of the county.

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published September 15, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated September 15, 2022 at 8:03AM

An urban plaza depicted at Avenir Place in Dunn Loring (staff photo by Angela Woolsey).

Crews Extinguish Fire in Mount Vernon Home — A fire broke out at a house on the 8700 block of Oak Leaf Drive in the Mount Vernon area around 2:30 a.m. today (Thursday). No injuries were reported. An investigation is underway. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]

Trail Upgrades Planned Near Dulles Access Road — “In just about two weeks, a Fairfax County Park Authority trail improvement project will get underway on the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail in Difficult Run Park near the Dulles Access Road. On or around Sept. 22, 2022, site prep work will begin on a trail maintenance project that will alleviate the issue of constant standing water on the trail, reinforce the trail to protect it from washouts, and overlay the existing trail.” [Fairfax County Government]

Inova gets green light for new Springfield hospital from Fairfax County

By Fatimah Waseem

Published September 14, 2022 at 2:30PM

INOVA is proposing to expand its hospital campus (Photo via INOVA).

Construction on a new hospital next to Inova’s existing Franconia-Springfield HealthPlex is expected to begin late next year after the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the rezoning plan at a meeting yesterday (Tuesday).

The board voted unanimously to bring 985,000 square feet of medical space to the 21-acre campus on the intersection of Beulah Street and the Franconia-Springfield Parkway. Two representatives recused themselves from the vote due to their tie’s with Inova.

County board approves preferred path for Soapstone Connector in Reston

By Fatimah Waseem

Published September 14, 2022 at 1:30PM

The massive project will likely cut through a historic district (Photo via FCDOT).

After several years of discussion, the county has officially selected the likely path for the Soapstone Connector, a major $237 million connection planned between Sunrise Valley Drive and Sunset Hills Road in Reston.

At a board meeting yesterday (Tuesday), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors selected one of several options for the layout of the project. The motion was approved without any discussion.

The troubled saga of Founders Row’s movie theater

By Vernon Miles

Published September 14, 2022 at 11:45AM

Founders Row concept rendering (image via City of Falls Church)

The theater at the Founders Row mixed-use project could be scaled down from earlier plans, but the tradeoff is that Falls Church could be getting a new arcade and bowling alley.

At a meeting of the Falls Church City Council on Monday, the Council reviewed requested changes for Founders Row. The development was approved for 59,493 square feet of ground floor retail, 4,946 square feet of office space, 394 apartments and a 32,079 square foot, 2-story movie theater. That theater, though, has become something of a sticking point.

Town of Herndon Mayoral Election: Meet Mayor Sheila Olem

By Fatimah Waseem

Published September 14, 2022 at 10:15AM

Mayor Sheila Olem is running against two other candidates this November (Photo via Sheila Olem).

Mayor Sheila Olem is running against councilmembers Sean Regan and Jasbinder Singh in the upcoming mayoral race on Nov. 8. This week, FFXNow will feature candidate statements in their unedited form. Statements are published in the order in which they are received.

What are your top three priorities for the Town of Herndon?

Fairfax County board votes to rename Lee-Jackson, Lee highways

By Fatimah Waseem

Published September 14, 2022 at 9:30AM | Updated June 15, 2023 at 2:19PM

A road sign for Lee Highway, also known as Route 29, in Merrifield (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Lee and Lee-Jackson highways may officially no more.

In a 9-1 decision, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted yesterday (Tuesday) to change names of Lee and Lee-Jackson highways to Route 29 and Route 50 respectively.

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published September 14, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated September 14, 2022 at 6:29PM

Clouds over a Town of Vienna water tower (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Most Parents Believe FCPS is a Safe Environment — “Over 90% of Fairfax County, Virginia, parents who responded to a family engagement survey agreed their child feels safe at school and their child’s school is safe… the survey found 91% of the 35,109 parents and guardians who responded agreed or strongly agreed that their child feels safe at school, while 89% agreed or strongly agreed that their child’s school is safe.” [WTOP]

Advocates: County Not Doing Enough to Limit Deportations — “A Fairfax County policy aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants from deportation is not being implemented aggressively enough, a coalition of immigrant advocacy groups said — although they also acknowledge that Fairfax has been more aggressive than other jurisdictions on the issue.” [The Washington Post]