Efforts to upgrade bus service along the Route 7 corridor from Tysons to Alexandria continue to roll steadily forward, albeit with no recent headline-grabbing advances.
The $518 million initiative dubbed Envision Route 7 appears to be “moving along well,” Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) chair Matt de Ferranti said at the organization’s Nov. 7 meeting.
Inova Fairfax Hospital plans to open the region’s first EmPATH (Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing) unit for those experiencing a mental health crisis.
The unit, which opens to patients Nov. 19, was created in response to community need for enhanced behavioral health services, Inova said in a news release.
Final consideration of Fairfax County Public Schools’ proposal to build a new elementary school to serve the Dunn Loring area has been delayed until 2025.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission voted unanimously yesterday (Wednesday) to defer a vote on its recommendation for the proposal until Jan. 15, which also postpones any final action by the Board of Supervisors.
Herndon leaders indicated this week that they’re confident enough in the town’s financial reputation to put it on the line for the sake of Comstock’s long-awaited downtown redevelopment project.
As discussions continue on a new agreement with the developer that must be finalized by Dec. 10, the town is starting to hammer out a financing plan for the public portions of the project that could involve borrowing money through the issuance of municipal bonds.
By MATTHEW BARAKAT Associated Press
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A Marine Corps veteran who pleaded guilty to making ricin after his contacts with a Virginia militia prompted a federal investigation was sentenced Wednesday to time served after the probe concluded he had no intent to harm others.
McLean Mansion Allegedly Bought with Stolen Money — “The way Nigerian authorities tell it, their country’s former national security adviser misappropriated more than $2 billion from his own government, routing some of it to a family friend — the man who bought the mansion in McLean. In the United States, according to Nigerian authorities, the man sought to launder the money in part by purchasing homes.” [Washington Post]
Congressman Arrested for Being Drunk at Dulles Airport — “House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul was detained by police at Dulles International Airport earlier this month in an incident that he described as ‘the result of a poor decision’ to mix Ambien and alcohol.” He has been charged with being drunk in public for the Nov. 4 incident. [Semafor]
Suspect Wanted in Armed Tysons Robbery — “On October 25, at 5:14 p.m., officers responded to the 2000 block of Chain Bridge Road in Tysons for a robbery call. The victim reported that a suspect entered the business with a firearm and demanded money. The suspect then fled out of the business with cash from the register and into a vehicle. The victim was not harmed.” [FCPD]
FCPS to Address Crowding at Lincolnia School — “Community meetings have been scheduled to discuss options for easing overcrowding at Parklawn Elementary School, Mason school board member Ricardy Anderson announced.” A virtual meeting is planned for Nov. 25, followed by an in-person forum on Dec. 11 in the school’s cafeteria. [Annandale Today]
Fairfax Connector Gives Riders Safety Lights — “Be Smart. Be Safe. Be Seen. We’re lighting up Fairfax County by providing bus and rail riders with safety lights. Our Fairfax Connector team handed out dozens at the Huntington Metro this evening.” [Fairfax Connector/Twitter]
Animal Shelter Seeks Owners of Found Pets — “Do you recognize these found pets? Please help us find their families by sharing this post!” The Fairfax County Animal Shelter is looking to get several dogs, a cat, two rabbits and one parakeet found around the county between Nov. 4 and 12 to their proper homes. [FCAS/Facebook]
Mediterranean Restaurant Lands in Falls Church — “Cafe Zevian, a Mediterranean concept by Adem Kaplan, will be located at the bottom of The Kensington senior living facility at 700 W. Broad Street … The new eatery will open in the former space of Famille, a French-inspired restaurant that closed in 2022. It’s scheduled to open for business by the end of the week.” [ARLnow]
FFXnow Has Joined Bluesky — While FFXnow isn’t joining outlets like NPR and The Guardian in fully leaving Twitter (at least for the time being), we’ve added Bluesky and Threads to our growing roster of active social media platforms, which also includes Facebook and Instagram. To keep up with all our stories, you can also sign up for our email newsletter.
It’s Thursday — Expect rain in the afternoon, with cloudy skies and a high of 52. Rain will continue until 4am, accompanied by patchy fog and a low of 45. The chance of precipitation increases from 70% to 90% at night, with potential amounts between a quarter and half an inch. [NWS]
Design work is progressing on a planned redevelopment that will combine Fairfax County’s Joseph Willard Health Center and Fairfax City’s Stacy Sherwood Community Center.
Staff working on the approximately $130 million effort — a joint project of the county and city governments — will detail plans for the final design and construction phase at a forum on Saturday (Nov. 16) from 9 to 11 a.m. at the community center (3740 Blenheim Blvd).
A nearly 3-mile stretch of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail has been out of commission this week, but pedestrians and bicyclists should be able to return soon.
Dominion Energy closed the trail from Mill Street NE in Vienna to Sandburg Street in Dunn Loring on Monday, Nov. 11 as part of its ongoing project to replace electric power lines between the Clark and Idylwood substations.
Cost, distance and limited awareness are keeping many Fairfax County residents from taking advantage of county parks and recreation programs, a recent survey by the Fairfax County Park Authority found.
In response, the park authority is drafting a strategy to bridge the gaps and improve accessibility for underserved communities, focusing on both immediate and long-term solutions.
Almost seven years after his death, federal officials have determined that the two U.S. Park Police officers who pursued and shot McLean resident Bijan Ghaisar complied with department policies.
The report released yesterday (Tuesday) concludes officers Alejandro Amaya and Lucas Vinyard were reasonable in their belief that Ghaisar “presented a clear and immediate threat to public safety” when he fled after being rear-ended by a rideshare driver on the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Alexandria on Nov. 17, 2017.
