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Morning Notes

Published March 7, 2022 at 7:30AM

I-495 South under Route 7 overpass in Pimmit Hills (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Woman Dies in Crash on I-495 — Virginia State Police are investigating a fatal crash on I-495 near the Eisenhower Avenue Connector in the Rose Hill area. The crash occurred at 9:27 p.m. on Saturday (March 5) when a sedan hit a disabled vehicle, causing it to catch fire. The driver of the disabled vehicle died at the scene, while the sedan driver suffered minor injuries and was arrested on multiple charges, including driving under the influence. [Virginia State Police, InsideNova]

Trial for McLean Murder Suspect Begins — “Fairfax County police quickly announced that what unfolded inside the large, yellow home in McLean in 2017 appeared to be a tragic murder-suicide…But after a 16-month investigation, police offered a stunning turnabout: what initially appeared to be a murder-suicide was allegedly a double killing. They claimed the scene had been carefully staged by the real perpetrator.” [The Washington Post]

JUST IN: FCPS seeks pause in TJ admissions changes, pending appeal

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 4, 2022 at 5:25PM

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (via Google Maps)

Fairfax County Public Schools has asked a federal court to let its current Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology admissions process stay in place while a legal battle over the new system continues.

U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton issued an order last Friday (Feb. 25) invalidating the school system’s overhaul, calling the elimination of a standardized test and other changes intended to increase student diversity at the magnet school discriminatory against Asian Americans.

Most-read Fairfax County stories of the week: Feb. 28-March 4

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 4, 2022 at 3:45PM

The extension could open in time for Thanksgiving travel.

The weekend is almost here. Before truck convoys potentially disrupt traffic in the D.C. area or you 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:

Tysons Galleria’s Urbanspace food hall to officially relaunch this month

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 4, 2022 at 3:00PM | Updated March 4, 2022 at 5:56PM

The D.C. area food truck has opened a permanent space in Urbanspace at Tysons Galleria (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 5:55 p.m.) This spring will bring a wealth of new dining options to Tysons Galleria.

The mall’s Urbanspace food hall will officially relaunch on March 22 after going into a kind of hibernation mode during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, a news release announced yesterday (Thursday).

Popeyes wants to bring new life to Fairfax site destroyed by fire

By Fatimah Waseem

Published March 4, 2022 at 2:15PM

The company has filed plans with the county for a new 42-seat restaurant (Photo via handout/Fairfax County Government).

Popeyes is hoping to rekindle a different kind of warmth into a Fairfax site that was destroyed by a fire in 2018.

The fried chicken spot has filed plans with the county to bring a 2,265-square-foot location to Fair Lakes Shopping Center. If approved, the restaurant would occupy space that was home to United Bank.

Police: Tysons Nordstrom worker scammed into putting over $10K on gift cards

By David Taube

Published March 4, 2022 at 1:30PM

Nordstrom storefront at Tysons Corner Center (via Google Maps)

A Nordstrom worker at Tysons Corner Center was allegedly scammed into providing thousands of dollars worth of gift cards by someone who claimed to work for the retailer’s IT department.

The Fairfax County Police Department began investigating the incident, which occurred on Feb. 7 and 8, after a man had the store employee make purchases, perform returns onto Nordstrom gift cards, and add money to the cards, a police affidavit said.

Jeff Bezos’ moon mission is landing in Reston

By Matt Blitz

Published March 4, 2022 at 12:45PM | Updated March 4, 2022 at 1:01PM

Blue Origin jobs open house flyer (Image via screenshot/Facebook)

Jeff Bezos’ mysterious moon mission is landing in Reston.

The space flight company is opening a facility and office in Reston sometime in the “first half of the year,” reads the website.

County will seek funding, project manager for ‘Safe Streets’ program

By Rick Horner

Published March 4, 2022 at 11:15AM | Updated December 9, 2022 at 2:03PM

Fairfax County is developing a program to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety (staff photo by Scott Fields)

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation intends to pursue funding next year to expand a budding program to improve street safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other forms of active, or non-motorized, transportation.

The money would be used to hire a program manager and implement priorities, such as speed reduction measures and improved road design standards, FCDOT Active Transportation Engineer Lauren Delmare told the county Board of Supervisors at its transportation committee meeting on Tuesday (March 1).

Firefighter followed in his dad’s footsteps joining county fire department

By David Taube

Published March 4, 2022 at 9:00AM

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Lt. Vernon "Ty" Corbin Jr. (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A firefighter is noting how his dad, who served in the same fire department, helped pave the way for him and others.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Lt. Vernon “Ty” Corbin Jr. recently reflected on the moment, noting how his father, Vernon Corbin Sr., started in 1980 when only a handful of other Black firefighters were there.

Morning Notes

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 4, 2022 at 7:30AM

The Tysons Metro station across Chain Bridge Road at night (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Metro Gets More ARPA Funding — “Another $120 million in federal pandemic relief money is being released to Metro to keep the transit system running and its front-line workers on the job, congressional leaders announced Thursday.” [The Washington Post]

Multiple I-66 Closures Start Today — Construction on a new I-66 East access ramp will reduce the highway to a single travel lane approaching Cedar Lane in the Dunn Loring area during overnight hours, starting at 10 p.m. today (Friday) through Wednesday (March 9). Construction will also close the I-66 West ramp to Nutley Street in Vienna from 10 p.m. tonight until 5 a.m. Monday (March 7). [VDOT, Town of Vienna/Twitter]