A man who was convicted last year for his role in a series of murders in Reston will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Elmer De Jesus Alas Candray, 27, was sentenced by a federal judge today (Thursday) to six concurrent life prison sentences for multiple racketeering, murder and gun charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.
The Town of Herndon is taking on a new identity that it hopes will distinguish it from the rest of Northern Virginia.
The town’s years-long rebranding push reached a milestone on Tuesday (Jan. 28) when the Herndon Town Council voted unanimously to adopt “Live Differently” as the concept and tagline that will guide future marketing efforts.
The D.C. region is reeling in the aftermath of a crash involving an American Airlines passenger jet and a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport that officials say left no survivors.
Arriving from Witchita, Kansas, the airplane was making its descent when it collided with the helicopter over the Potomac River around 8:50 p.m. yesterday (Wednesday). The crash drew a massive emergency response that included personnel from Fairfax County’s police and fire departments.
Fairfax County’s plan to add protected bicycle lanes and pedestrian safety features to Prosperity Avenue is moving ahead, but a new high-density development along the Merrifield corridor could complicate the design.
At a public meeting on Monday (Jan. 27), the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) shared the latest updates on its road diet project, which would reduce the road from four to two lanes, add buffered bike lanes, and introduce pedestrian safety improvements in front of the Dunn Loring Metro station between Hilltop Road and Gallows Road.
The Trump administration’s plan to freeze federal spending could’ve disrupted free and reduced-price meals for thousands of students if it had taken effect, according to Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid.
The directive, issued Monday (Jan. 27), ordered federal agencies to halt grants, loans, and other aid and review federal financial assistance programs to ensure they align with President Donald Trump’s policy agenda, which has prioritized cutting government spending and scaling back diversity and equity efforts, among other goals.
Airplane and Helicopter Crash at National Airport — “A massive emergency response is on scene of an aircraft crash in the water near Reagan National Airport. A military helicopter and a regional jet with about 60 people on board collided mid-air, according to an FAA statement and initial reports.” A military spokesperson said the helicopter was on a training flight from the 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir. [ARLnow]
McLean Woman Killed in Ballston Crash — Arlington County police identified 32-year-old Xuewei He of McLean as the woman who died in a four-vehicle crash at the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Glebe Road on Monday (Jan. 27). Charges are pending against a pickup truck driver who was hospitalized with serious injuries from the crash. [ARLnow]
Youngkin Defends Attempted Federal Funding Freeze — “Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) had a message early Wednesday for everyone claiming President Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again, on-again freeze on trillions of dollars in federal spending would create chaos: Get over it — this is what people want.” [Washington Post]
Shrinking Federal Government Could Upend Region — “For all of the IT, education, healthcare, and service industry activity in the DMV, [GMU researcher Terry] Clower says, the region’s economy is still starkly dominated by the federal government, its contractors, and the jobs they create. Massive reductions in federal jobs could hit DC like the closure of steel mills hit Midwestern company towns.” [Washingtonian]
Surviving Dogs From Crash That Killed Pilot Find Homes — “Two dogs that survived an animal-rescue flight crash that killed the pilot have found new homes as the late aviator’s friends work to honor him by helping more pets, a shelter director said Wednesday. The Nov. 24 crash in New York’s Catskill Mountains killed Seuk Kim of Springfield, Virginia, a dedicated volunteer who transported cats and dogs from disaster areas and overcrowded shelters to rescue groups.” [Associated Press/WTOP]
Doggie Day Care Opening in Lincolnia — “Playful Pack, a new daycare and boarding center for dogs, opens in Barcroft Plaza on Feb. 3. The community is invited to an open house on Saturday, Feb. 1, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.” at the center, which will be located at 6464-C Lincolnia Road. [Annandale Today]
Doomsday Clock Ticks Closer to Midnight — “Humanity is closer than ever to catastrophe, according to the atomic scientists behind the Doomsday Clock. The ominous metaphor ticked one second closer to midnight this week. The clock now stands just 89 seconds away — its first move in two years and the closest the clock come to midnight in its nearly eight-decade history.” [NPR]
County Launches Environmental Sustainability Campaign — “A new county-sponsored public awareness campaign draws attention to actions that residents can take to foster environmental stewardship and promote sustainable practices that will ensure a greener, healthier future. The county’s ‘Sustain Fairfax’ campaign makes it easy for residents to get involved.” [Fairfax County Government]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high of 48, with light winds becoming southwest at 5-7 mph in the morning. Thursday night will bring rain, primarily after 1 am, with a low of around 40 and a south wind at 6-9 mph. There’s an 80% chance of precipitation, with potential rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. [NWS]
A woman and a child were critically injured in a crash this evening (Wednesday) on Richmond Highway in Mount Vernon, police say.
According to scanner traffic, officers and emergency medical responders were dispatched to Richmond Highway (Route 1) at Mount Vernon Highway around 8:35 p.m. for the crash, which was described by police as a hit-and-run.
Police are investigating a shooting in the area near the Worldgate Shopping Center in Herndon.
Officers with the Town of Herndon and Fairfax County police departments were dispatched to the 2100 block of Centreville Road around 2:40 p.m. Wednesday (Jan. 29), though there was some confusion about where exactly the reported shooting occurred.
Fairfax County is proposing new zoning regulations for utility substations that could limit where they can be built and impose stricter standards on projects near residential neighborhoods.
The draft amendments, discussed at a Board of Supervisors Land Use Policy Committee meeting on Tuesday (Jan. 28), aim to address community concerns about the noise and industrial appearance of substations, while accommodating the region’s growing energy needs, zoning administrative staff said.
Fairfax City hopes to advance its master plan for the 36-acre Van Dyck Park under an updated capital improvement program (CIP) for fiscal years 2026 to 2030.
Laid out in a master plan approved back in 2018, the upgrades at Van Dyck Park (3720 Blenheim Blvd) are the most substantial investment proposed in the CIP, which is heading to the Fairfax City Council after getting the city planning commission’s recommendation on Monday (Jan. 27).
