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Morning Notes

Published July 26, 2022 at 7:30AM

Birds perched on a ledge in the Fair Lakes area (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

County NAACP Calls for Action on Heat — “It is Too HOT for people to be outside all day and all night. Fairfax County needs to create and publicize more cooling options for homeless and low-income residents NOW. See the full Fairfax NAACP resolution” [Fairfax County NAACP/Twitter]

Stolen Laptops Were Wiped Clean, FCPS Says — “The Fairfax County Police Department has made a number of arrests in connection to the theft of approximately 35,000 laptops from a warehouse. We want to let you know that the laptops had been stripped of all data and their hard drives in preparation for their auction and that, as a result, no student data was compromised in this theft.” [FCPS]

Fairfax County plans for new Covid vaccine, as cases hold steady

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 25, 2022 at 3:00PM

A vaccinator at the Fairfax County Government Center's COVID-19 vaccine site (via FCHD/YouTube)

A fourth vaccine has entered the fight against COVID-19.

The Gaithersburg-based company Novavax received an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration earlier this month for a two-dose vaccination designated for unvaccinated people 18 and older.

Since Lake Accotink rabid coyote attacks, residents increasingly report concerns

By Brandi Bottalico

Published July 25, 2022 at 11:45AM

Fairfax County Police Lt. Dan Spital talks to the media at Lake Accotink after a coyote bit three adults and two dogs (screenshot via Fairfax County Police Department)

Fairfax County Animal Protection has seen an increase in the number of coyote-related calls since a rabid coyote bit three adults, two dogs and an officer last month.

“The recent incident of the rabid coyote at Lake Accotink has understandably created concerns for many residents about wildlife and public health and safety,” the Animal Protection Police said.

VDOT recommends lowering speed limit on part of Richmond Highway

By Matt Blitz

Published July 25, 2022 at 9:30AM

Traffic fills Richmond Highway (via Fairfax County)

The speed limit on a 7-mile stretch of Richmond Highway should be lowered to 35 mph, the Virginia Department of Transportation says.

The road from Jeff Todd Way to the I-95/I-495 (Capital Beltway) interchange currently has a speed limit of 45 mph.

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published July 25, 2022 at 7:30AM

Insomnia Cookies has a line for its grand opening at University Mall in Fairfax (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Judge Orders Records Release in Reston Homicide Case — Fairfax County Circuit Judge Brett A. Kassabian denied a motion to seal records related to a double homicide that occurred in Reston in 2017. In a case that may not see trial until mid-2023, Nicholas Giampa has been indicted on murder charges in the shooting and killing of his girlfriend’s mother and stepfather. [The Washington Post]

Driver Charged in Route 1 Hit-and-Run — “Detectives from our Crash Reconstruction Unit have charged the driver of the 2007 Toyota Camry from the July 6 fatal pedestrian crash. The driver, Diego Juarez Gomez, 19, of Maryland was traveling south on Richmond Highway, struck McPhail in the roadway and did not stop at the scene.” [FCPD]

Most-read Fairfax County stories of the week: July 18-22

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 22, 2022 at 3:50PM

Thomas A. Edison High School along Franconia Road (staff photo by Matt Blitz)

The weekend is almost here. Before you search for relief from this weekend’s heat wave or head to bed for some much-needed sleep, let’s revisit the past week of news in Fairfax County.

Here are the 10 most-read stories on FFXnow this week:

FCPD releases footage of man shot by police at Springfield Town Center

By Brandi Bottalico

Published July 22, 2022 at 3:30PM

Springfield Town Center's parking lot was partly blocked off after a fatal police shooting yesterday (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Fairfax County Police Department released dashboard and body camera footage today (Friday) from the fatal police shooting at Springfield Town Center last month.

An approximately 9-minute and 30-second video shows footage from dash cams and body cameras edited together to show the police response from Thursday, June 30, to the shopping center parking lot.

Free food alert: Insomnia Cookies gets grand opening in Fairfax

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 22, 2022 at 11:45AM | Updated July 22, 2022 at 4:28PM

Insomnia Cookies is opening a bakery at University Mall in Fairfax City (courtesy Insomnia Cookies)

(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) Insomnia Cookies has set up shop in Fairfax County.

Tomorrow (Saturday), the late-night bakery chain will open the doors of its new location at University Mall (10669 Braddock Road, Suite D-7) with a 13-hour grand opening event — and yes, there will be free cookies.

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published July 22, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated July 22, 2022 at 8:41AM

A plane at Dulles International Airport, visible from Chantilly (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Man Arrested for Fairfax Church Thefts — “On June 28, our officers responded to the Saint Mary’s of Sorrows Catholic Church in Fairfax for a man who stole a purse from a car in the parking lot. The man used stolen credit cards from the purse at several stores nearby. On July 4, the same suspect returned to the church and stole from two donation boxes. At least one stolen check was cashed from donation box.” [FCPD]

Covid Cases Close Reston Pools — “RA is currently experiencing a lifeguard shortage due an uptick in Aquatics staff testing positive for Covid-19. As a result, the Ridge Heights and Upland pools will be closed for the next five days (Friday through Tuesday).” [Reston Association/Twitter]

JUST IN: Former Annandale church youth leader sexually assaulted teen, police say

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 21, 2022 at 4:50PM | Updated July 21, 2022 at 5:40PM

Police leave the Fairfax County Courthouse (staff photo by David Taube)

(Updated at 5:40 p.m.) A Fairfax man who once served as a youth leader at the Saint Matthews United Methodist Church in Annandale has been arrested for multiple alleged sexual assaults of a teenager, the Fairfax County Police Department said today (Thursday).

Thomas Weaver, 61, was arrested yesterday (Wednesday) and has been charged with five counts of indecent liberties of a minor by a custodian as well as 20 counts of possession of child pornography, the FCPD announced.