Countywide

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com
A hot summer day at The Boro in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

What Was Behind Tuesday’s Storms — “Hundreds of trees were toppled and hundreds of thousands of people lost power Tuesday afternoon and evening as three storm complexes roared across the Washington region. The storms were fueled by hot and humid air that surged into the region, and were powered and sustained by strong high-altitude winds along an approaching cold front.” [Capital Weather Gang]

Firefighter Charged in Fairfax County Armed Robbery — “A D.C. firefighter has been arrested and charged with robbery after police say he brandished a gun and took someone’s property in Fairfax County, Virginia. Fairfax County Police said the robbery happened in May” [WTOP]

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Reston Strong marks 100 days of tent protest at North County Government Center

By Fatimah Waseem
100 funeral wreaths were delivered to the North County Government Center to raise awareness about homelessness (via Reston Strong)

Reston Strong, a local volunteer-run advocacy organization, is commemorating the 100th day of its Neighbors in Tents campaign to address homelessness in Fairfax County.

On Tuesday, the organization marked the 100th day of unhoused residents staying in a temporary tent community in front of the North County Government building. The tents were set up this spring as an alternative after the county’s hypothermia and COVID-19 emergency shelters wound down.

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Fairfax man sentenced in conspiracy to distribute drugs through the mail

By Brandi Bottalico
The Justice Department logo (via DOJ)

A Fairfax man was sentenced to 52 months in jail yesterday (Tuesday) for conspiring to distribute drugs through the darknet in a conspiracy that extended to other Fairfax County residents.

Tyler Pham, 39, conspired to distribute peach tablets through the U.S. mail that were advertised as Adderall but actually contained methamphetamine, according to a U.S Department of Justice press release. Six other individuals previously entered guilty pleas in connection with the conspiracy and were sentenced to over 13 years in prison combined.

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com
A rainbow at sunset over Reston Town Center (photo by Beth Allgaier)

Police Uses of Force Prompt Town Hall — Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk’s office will host a virtual town hall on July 21 to discuss recent use-of-force incidents by Fairfax County police officers. Lusk, who chairs the Board of Supervisors’ public safety committee, said he shares community concerns “about both the nature of these incidents, as well as the frequency at which they are occurring.” [Rodney Lusk/Twitter]

Possible Reston Arts Center Delayed — Reston Town Center developer Boston Properties got approval to extend the deadline for when Fairfax County has to decide whether to build a new performing arts center by six months. A proffer agreement for the next phase of the center’s development allows the county to require an arts center or a park on the site along Sunset Hills Road. [Patch]

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JUST IN: Tens of thousands in Fairfax County lose power after storm

By Angela Woolsey
More than 4,000 people lost power in the Great Falls/Wolf Trap area after a July 12 storm (via Dominion Energy)

(Updated at 7:45 p.m.) More than 16,000 people in Fairfax County are currently without power after a rainstorm with high winds passed through the D.C. area earlier this evening (Tuesday).

As of 7 p.m., a total of 16,255 electricity users in the county had lost power, including 15,480 Dominion Energy customers, according to PowerOutage.US.

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Rising living costs hurt lower income county residents more, report says

By Matt Blitz
Regional price increases over the last decade on basic needs (image via Fairfax County)

Sufficient health care, college degrees, and homeownership are becoming increasingly unattainable for Fairfax County residents with low to moderate incomes, a new report finds.

Late last month, Fairfax County released its “Needs Assessment” study, which comes out every three years with data on the current economic conditions in the county and the impact those conditions have on residents.

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Plans for affordable housing at Fairfax County Government Center unveiled

By Fatimah Waseem
The site includes a community hall called Fairfax One (via Fairfax County Government/handout)

A proposal to convert parking lots at the Fairfax County Government Center into affordable housing is officially taking shape.

The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority and Lincoln Avenue Capital have formally submitted a conceptual plan to the county for what is known as Residences at Government Center II, according to materials filed July 8.

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FCPD to review viral incident of officers pointing guns at person filming

By FFXnow.com
Fairfax County police car with lights flashing (file photo)

(Updated at 3:15 p.m.) A video has been circulating on social media showing two Fairfax County police officers pointing guns at a person who was recording as they appeared to arrest someone.

Police said they were responding to an incident at a Falls Church IHOP where they believed a weapon was involved.

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com
Bella Mack of Vienna spins and jumps on roller blades at Wakefield Skate Park in Annandale (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Underground Utilities Proposed for Route 1 — Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck has joined many residents, businesses, and state Sen. Scott Surovell (D-36) as an advocate for moving power lines along Richmond Highway underground, though that isn’t in the current designs for widening the road. Advocates say undergrounding would limit storm damage and bring economic benefits. [On the MoVe]

Metro Plans for Budget Shortfall — “Metrorail has only recovered 42% of its ridership and Metrobus has recovered about 60%. This time, Metro officials are not banking on the cavalry — in the form of a federal bailout or additional local dollars — to arrive. Later this summer, board members and new Metro General Manager Randy Clarke will begin to calculate how to plug a $356 million operating budget gap.” [DCist]

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