Fairfax County is refreshing its website.
A website redesign is currently underway as the county looks to update “the look and feel based on new design trends to serve our community better,” the county’s digital content lead Greg Licamele told FFXnow in an email.
The Fairfax Health District saw an uptick in COVID-19 cases in Thanksgiving’s wake, a reminder that the coronavirus hasn’t disappeared even if the face masks and other health protocols aimed at limiting its spread mostly have.
The district, which includes Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, is averaging 238 cases per day for the past week, as of yesterday, according to Virginia Department of Health data.
Woman Charged in Bailey’s Crossroads Pedestrian Crash — Yaraliza Rivera Rosado, a 26-year-old Alexandria resident, has been charged with felony hit and run for fatally striking 40-year-old Elise Ballard on Leesburg Pike near the Carlin Springs Road intersection on Oct. 26. Police say Rivera Rosado drove to a parking lot before calling for help, and Ballard was subsequently hit by a second car before officers arrived. [FCPD]
Route 7 Traffic Changes in Wolf Trap Start Today — “On or about Tuesday, Dec. 6, drivers on Route 7 eastbound will experience a lane shift to the south (away from the median) and access changes between Lucky Estates Drive and Lewinsville Road…On or about Dec. 15, the median crossover at Wolftrap Run Road will close permanently, and the median crossover at Lucky Estate Drive will open.” [VDOT]
I-66 HOV Change Starts Today — “The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) reminds travelers that starting Monday, Dec. 5, vehicles will need three or more occupants to qualify as a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) on I-66 in Northern Virginia. This change from HOV-2+ to HOV-3+ will apply across the entire I-66 corridor in Northern Virginia from Haymarket to the D.C. line.” [VDOT]
FCPD Officer Arrested for DUI — “An officer assigned to the Mount Vernon District was arrested in Prince William County for driving under the influence. The officer was off-duty and driving his personal vehicle at the time of the arrest. PFC Nathan Jones, an 8-year veteran, has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an Internal Affairs Bureau investigation.” [FCPD]
Fairfax County Public Schools could require parental notifications for class materials deemed sexually explicit, but in a deviation from the state, the proposed policy directly addresses concerns about censorship, specifically for LGBTQ-related content.
Introduced at the Fairfax County School Board meeting last night, the policy requires teachers to maintain lists of books, videos, and other instructional materials with “sexually explicit content.” Schools must notify parents at least 30 days before the materials are used and provide alternatives if sought by a parent or student.
(Updated at 1:25 p.m.) The service and staffing challenges plaguing trash collectors throughout Fairfax County have prompted one company to call it quits, leaving thousands of residents in limbo with little notice.
Haulin’ Trash LLC has permanently shuttered, informing customers by email Wednesday (Nov. 30) that it will cease operations effective yesterday.
Suspect in Mount Vernon Fatal Shooting Arrested — Fairfax County police arrested Kyjuan Omar Braxton Trott-McLean, of Mount Vernon in the 3800 block of Colonial Avenue yesterday after a brief vehicle pursuit. The search for Trott-McLean took nearly two months after police identified him as “a suspect in the Oct. 2 killing of Brandon Wims, 31, of Maryland.” [The Washington Post]
Lego Discovery Center Groundbreaking Soon — “A new Lego Discovery Center is set to open in Springfield Town Center in Summer 2023. Officials from PREIT (the parent company of Springfield Town Center) and Merlin Entertainments will break ground on the project next week, with a ceremonial brick drop to signify the beginning of the new space.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
With the 2022 elections now in the rearview mirror, five Fairfax County supervisors have already confirmed that they will be seeking re-election in 2023.
All 10 Board of Supervisors seats will be on the ballot come Nov. 7, 2023, along with the entire school board, General Assembly members, and other local elected offices.
With a high office and commercial vacancy rate and over 1,000 locals experiencing homelessness, Fairfax County is considering a zoning change that could use one problem to help solve the other.
The proposal would allow unused commercial spaces, including office and hotel space, to be used as emergency shelters for those experiencing homelessness.
Fairfax County Public Schools failed to give needed educational services to “thousands” of students with disabilities when it pivoted to virtual learning due to COVID-19 in 2020, federal officials say.
FCPS must compensate all affected students for the lost services as part of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, which was investigating reports that the school system had violated students’ right to a free, appropriate public education (FAPE).
