Fairfax County will soon begin shutting down a homeless encampment that has occupied woods near the Inova Emergency Room in Reston for years.
The county’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness announced today (Thursday) that “no trespassing” signs will be posted around the site known informally as “The Hill” next Tuesday (Aug. 27). A fence will be constructed on Sept. 10 to formally close the property.
A damaged natural gas pipeline has shut down Route 29 approaching Centreville.
The road’s southbound lanes are currently closed at Stringfellow Road. Efforts to repair the leak are expected to drag into the afternoon rush hour today (Thursday), according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Police have made another arrest in connection to the theft of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from Chanel’s store in Tysons Galleria.
The Fairfax County Police Department previously identified three individuals as suspects in the June 25 robbery. One man was arrested in Pennsylvania on Aug. 7, but two others — a 27-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man, also from Pennsylvania — were still being located.
After considering applicants from around the country, Reston Community Center (RCC) has decided to promote from within for its next executive director.
The community center announced yesterday (Wednesday) that its board of governors has selected current RCC Deputy Director BeBe Nguyen to succeed Leila Gordon, who will retire after 16 years with RCC on Dec. 13.
The Fairfax County Animal Shelter (FCAS) will waive adoption fees this Friday through Sunday (Aug. 23-25).
The shelter has more than 160 animals waiting for adoption, it said in a press release. That includes cats, dogs, guinea pigs, mice and rabbits.
A Vienna man who came under FBI scrutiny for allegedly suggesting a militia make explosives could serve prison time for having a deadly toxin.
Russell Richardson Vane IV, 42, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday (Wednesday) to possessing ricin — a poison derived from castor beans that can be fatal to people exposed to it — without a registration, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced.
Police Search for Kingstowne Robbery Suspects — A worker was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after a commercial robbery in the 5700 block of Kingstowne Blvd on Aug. 7. Police say the employee “attempted to stop” a man and woman from leaving the store after they took merchadise without paying. The woman then “discharged pepper spray at the employee.” [FCPD]
Circus Coming to GMU — “Tickets for the upcoming performances of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus in Fairfax are now on sale. Billed as The Greatest Show on Earth, Ringling Bros. will be bringing more than 75 performers from 18 countries and presenting 50 circus acts from March 23 to April 6, 2025 at EagleBank Arena” on George Mason University’s Fairfax campus. [Patch]
Metro Workers Secure New Contract — “Metro workers will have to take at least 10 hours off between shifts and see some caps to their raises, under the terms of a new union contract signed Wednesday…The changes address long-standing concerns over worker exhaustion as well as high labor costs.” [Washington Post]
State Police Release Annual Crime Data — “Virginia had fewer homicides, but more vehicle thefts and drug arrests, during 2023, according to the annual statewide report released Aug. 20 by Virginia State Police…There were 20,824 violent-crime offenses reported last year versus 20,549 in 2022, a 1.3 percent increase.” [Gazette Leader]
Events Venue Opens in Hybla Valley — “Tucked away toward the rear of an unassuming Richmond Highway strip mall, a former mattress and furniture store has been transformed into a high-end event and meeting space. Known as Vista Banquet Hall, the new facility has been a labor of love for its owner, Lydia Kassa, who first started searching for a space to open it four years ago.” [On the MoVe]
Learn About Fairfax City School Bond Projects — “There will be a school bond referendum on the city ballot for the Nov. 5, 2024, General Election — and you can learn more about it at community engagement sessions on Aug. 22, Sept. 30, and Oct. 15.” The requested $220 million in bonds will be used to renovate the Providence and Daniels Run elementary schools and replace Fairfax High School’s roof. [City of Fairfax]
Kristin Chenoweth Teases Wolf Trap Show — “You’ve seen her on Broadway and on TV. Ahead of her September 13 show at Wolf Trap, this Emmy- and Tony Award–winning actress talks about what she’s been up to and the magic you’ll see on stage,” where she’ll perform with fellow movie, TV and theater actor Alan Cumming. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunshine and a high around 79°F with a northwest wind at 5 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear, reaching a low of approximately 58°F with calm winds. [NWS]
Eventually, Ferndale Avenue will get curb bump outs, additional crosswalks and marked parking lanes, changes intended to slow down traffic and protect pedestrians.
First, though, Town of Herndon staff are reviewing options for temporary, more immediate safety measures that can be implemented ahead of the long-term traffic calming project, which has no set funding or completion date yet.
Fairfax County is taking a new approach to economic development, one that it hopes will place a greater emphasis on results rather than process.
By replacing the long-standing Economic Advisory Commission (EAC) with a Council for Economic Opportunity (CEO), the county’s Board of Supervisors can modernize its efforts to encourage county-wide economic growth, Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck says.
Fairfax County police have determined there’s no threat posed by a “suspicious device” that was reportedly seen near the Innovation Center Metro station in the Herndon area.
Officers were dispatched to the area around 10:34 a.m. after a caller reported “a strange package that looks like a pressure cooker” near Sunrise Valley Drive, according to scanner traffic on Open MHz.
