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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com
A woodpecker perches on a tree branch (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

FCPS Proposes Limiting Phone and Social Media Use — “Proposed updates to school policies in Fairfax County Public Schools would ban students from using social media sites for non-academic purposes during school hours and define when cellphones can be used during the school day.” The phone policy has already been implemented at Herndon middle and high schools. [WTOP]

Falls Church Development Under Construction — Developer Insight Property Group will break ground today (Friday) on its 2.7-acre Broad and Washington project, which has been in the works since 2015. The mixed-use development will eventually include a 50,000-square-foot Whole Foods, 339 residential units, space for the theater nonprofit Creative Cauldron, a public plaza, and ground-floor retail. [Falls Church News-Press]

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Child abuse reports increase with return of in-person school, Fairfax County says

By Angela Woolsey
The Fairfax County Government Center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Reports of child abuse and neglect in Fairfax County have fluctuated wildly during the COVID-19 pandemic — based primarily on whether students are attending school in person or remotely.

Prior to the pandemic, Fairfax County Child Protective Services conducted 2,216 family assessments and investigations in fiscal year 2019, which ran from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, according to the county’s Department of Family Services.

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Home goods retailer MINISO opens 10 N’ Under store at Fair Oaks Mall

By Fatimah Waseem
The Japanese-inspired store offers lifestyle items (Photo via MINISO).

A new store with all items $10 or less has opened at Fair Oaks Mall.

MINISO, a lifestyle product retailer from China, opened a $10 N’ Under store in the mall on April 21. The 3,568-square-foot space sells household goods, cosmetics, food and toys. It’s the second location in Fairfax County and the third in the state overall.

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Public defenders, county leaders clash over how to fund equal pay

By David Taube
Fairfax County chief public defender talks about equal pay issues during a budget hearing on April 14, 2022 (via Fairfax County)

Fairfax County’s upcoming budget won’t fully resolve funding disparities between public defenders and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

Instead, county leaders said they’ll continue working with General Assembly representatives to fix funding disparities, where Fairfax County public defenders say they’re underfunded and underpaid.

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Merrifield self-driving shuttle’s low ridership linked to glitches, Covid

By David Taube
The autonomous Relay shuttle travels between the Mosaic District and the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The autonomous Relay shuttle in Merrifield has had lower-than-expected ridership, and it’s not entirely because of COVID-19 limitations.

Since its launch in October 2020 through February 2022, the vehicle has been out of service half the time, mostly due to technical glitches.

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com
Caliburger is among the retailers coming to The Boro in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Filler-Corn Ousted as House Minority Leader — Tasked with trying to retake a majority in 2023 — or this year, pending the outcome of a court case — the Virginia House Democratic Caucus removed former Speaker of the House Eileen Filler-Corn as their leader in a secret ballot vote yesterday (Wednesday). Filler-Corn, who represents part of Fairfax County as the 41st District delegate, was the first woman and first Jewish person to serve as speaker in the chamber’s 400-year history. [Richmond Times-Dispatch]

Tysons Housing Project Lands Big Bucks — On Tuesday (May 3), officials from Fairfax County, the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing, and more will announce a $55 million investment in the Dominion Square West project. The county says the funds will allow APAH to construct two planned buildings, instead of just the one that has been approved, accelerating the delivery of over 500 units of affordable housing. [Fairfax County HCD]

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JUST IN: Teen charged in fatal crash on Georgetown Pike was speeding, police say

By Angela Woolsey
Fairfax County police badge (via FCPD/Facebook)

A teenager faces a charge of involuntary manslaughter after a woman died in a three-vehicle crash on Georgetown Pike in McLean last month.

While alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash, detectives have determined that the 16-year-old, male driver was going more than 80 mph in a section of the roadway with a 35-mile-per-hour speed limit, the Fairfax County Police Department reported today (Wednesday).

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Fairfax County supervisors increase funding for parks, the arts and more

By David Taube
Fairfax County Government Center (file photo)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors agreed yesterday (Tuesday) to advance proposed spending adjustments to help its park authority, ArtsFairfax and nonprofits.

County leaders approved the changes at a budget markup meeting, serving as a final step before the board adopts the final fiscal year 2023 budget on May 10.

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Crews to demolish Woodson High School building damaged by fire

By Fatimah Waseem
An administrative building on the Woodson High School campus is slated for demolition after a fire (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Crews are planning to demolish a building on the campus of W.T. Woodson High School that was engulfed by flames earlier this year.

An hours-long fire consumed an administrative building facing Main Street in the early morning hours of Jan. 30. Part of the roof and an external wall collapsed, WTOP previously reported.

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