The Tysons Community Alliance's beautification project for the Route 7 and Route 123 interchange is underway (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
The Tysons Community Alliance (TCA) is turning to the Virginia Department of Transportation for support in its effort to spruce up the area’s highway interchanges.
Building on an ongoing pilot project focused on the Route 7 and Route 123 interchange, the booster organization plans to apply for the state’s Comprehensive Roadside Management Program (CRMP), which lets sponsors landscape and maintain in areas within VDOT’s right-of-way.
A 10-week-old maltipoo puppy was taken from the Chantilly pet store XO Pups (via XO Pups/Instagram)
Two men walked into a pet store in Chantilly last month and left with a puppy they didn’t pay for, police say.
The Fairfax County Police Department released photos pulled from security camera footage today (Friday) that show the reported larceny, which occurred on Oct. 16.
Developer Pulte Homes is seeking to add residential buildings to the Caywood at Woodland Park office park in Herndon (via Fairfax County)
A proposal for new housing in the Woodland Park community near Herndon is moving to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday (Nov. 13) to approve the plan by Pulte Homes to put two five-story buildings with 72 total residential units on a parcel near the intersection of the Dulles Access Road and Centreville Road, just north of Sunrise Valley Drive.
Fentanyl pills designed to resemble oxycodone, a prescription drug (via DEA)
A Maryland man will spend the next decade in federal prison for selling fentanyl to a buyer who was actually an undercover officer with the Fairfax County Police Department.
U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff sentenced Jahrulle Terrence Whyte t0 10 years or 120 months in prison yesterday (Thursday) after the 29-year-old Glen Burnie resident pleaded guilty earlier this year to distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl.
Drivers head east on Route 29 near Fair Oaks (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
McKay Worried About Trump’s Impact on Local Economy — “A second Trump presidency could have a devastating effect on the Fairfax County economy, Board of Supervisors Chair Jeffrey McKay warns.” He’s also concerned about potential cuts to federal health and housing programs, but says the county’s Trust Policy provides some protection for undocumented immigrants, as Trump promises mass deportations. [Annandale Today]
Man Gets Life in Prison for 2022 Shootings — Jordan Cochran was sentenced to life in prison yesterday (Thursday) after being “convicted in August of fatally shooting 18-year-old Kebbren Leigh-Gaye at a bus stop in the Hybla Valley area of Richmond Highway in a disagreement that began over a pair of shoes.” He then shot a man who declined to give him a ride, permanently blinding him. [Washington Post]
Uptick in Pneumonia Cases Reported — “D.C.-area urgent care centers are reporting a big uptick in ‘walking pneumonia’ cases … According to MedStar, which operates 33 urgent care centers in the D.C. region, it saw 1,758 cases this October — a 358% increase from the 391 cases seen in October of last year.” [WTOP]
Cybersecurity Firm Opens Tysons Office — Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Censys has signed a four-and-a-half-year lease for 4,471 square feet at 8260 Greensboro Drive in Tysons. Expected to have 20 workers, the new office is the company’s first in the D.C. area, bringing it closer to federal customers like the defense and homeland security departments. [Washington Business Journal]
Retired Firefighter With Cancer Honored by Friends — “On a pristine Saturday along Pohick Bay in Fairfax County, Va. a parking lot full of first responders and military dignitaries gathered in unison. They weren’t there for an emergency, but to honor a gifted colleague who was forced to retire after 25 years of service to focus on the fight of his life.” [WJLA]
Nonprofit Launches Annual Holiday Donation Drive — “Britepaths, a Fairfax-based nonprofit, is seeking donations from the community to provide holiday meals and gifts for children of Fairfax County area families in need. Last year, Britepath’s holiday program helped 265 children during the holiday season.” [Patch]
How N. Va. Private Schools Are Using A.I. — “Many independent K-12 schools are … forming policies and educational standards that aim to utilize AI’s potential benefits without compromising the quality of instruction students receive. Here’s how some members of NoVA’s private-school community are addressing AI now and for the future.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Lorton Neighborhood Working to Add EV Chargers — “This past summer, the Mount Vernon District registered its first participant in Charge Up Fairfax — the county’s program designed to help residents of community associations more easily access electric vehicle (EV) chargers.” The Shepherd Hills Homeowners Association hopes to have its charging stations in place next spring. [On the MoVe]
It’s Friday — With patchy fog clearing by 9am, the sky will transition from cloudy to mostly sunny, with temperatures reaching a high near 56 degrees. There is a 30% chance of precipitation. Night will be mostly clear, with a low temperature around 45 degrees. [NWS]
The Virginia Department of Transportation is studying Walker Road in Great Falls for potential safety improvements (via VDOT)
The Virginia Department of Transportation has a plan to improve safety along Walker Road in Great Falls, targeting persistent concerns with visibility, speed and overall road design.
The proposed changes — detailed in a safety assessment finalized in October — address high-risk areas identified by residents, who flagged specific trouble spots where conditions are particularly dangerous.
Metrobus going to Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
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 leaders and supporters cut a ribbon to celebrate an expansion of its Fairfax hospital's emergency room (courtesy Inova Health System)
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.
Dunn Loring Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
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.
Davenport Senior Vice President Kyle Laux presents a proposed financing plan for Comstock's downtown redevelopment project to the Herndon Town Council (via Town of Herndon)
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.