News | FFXnow - Part 352

Morning Notes

Published April 2, 2024 at 8:15AM | Updated April 2, 2024 at 12:36PM

Turtles in a small pond off Hunter Green Court in Reston (photo by Peter Flanagan)

Vehicle Crashes into Centreville Apartment — “#FCFRD are on the scene of a vehicle into a building in the 13000 Blk of Orchard Dr. Firefighters arrived with one vehicle into a garden-style apartment building. FCFRD TROT is working to stabilize the building. The building investigator is on scene. No reported injuries.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter]

Art Studio Eyes Reston Location — “An unusual new paint-and-sip style art studio is working on its first location in the state and it will be right here in Northern Virginia. It’s called Hawaii Fluid Art and they have announced the signing of a franchisee to bring a location to Reston. The actual location hasn’t been revealed” and may not have been identified yet. [The Burn]

Reston Association to court feedback on renaming of Shadowood Recreation Area

By Fatimah Waseem

Published April 1, 2024 at 3:30PM

The Shadowood Recreation Area in Reston (file photo)

Reston residents will soon get a chance to share their thoughts on a proposed name change for the Shadowood Recreation Area.

Reston Association plans to host a town hall meeting in early May after its Board of Directors voted last week to defer the initial date of April 15.

Fairfax County questions Dominion over cost of connecting renewable energy to grid

By James Jarvis

Published April 1, 2024 at 1:30PM | Updated July 16, 2024 at 7:58PM

Workers install solar panels on Reston Fire Station 25 (courtesy Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination)

Fearing that new interconnection rules from Dominion Energy could derail its carbon reduction targets, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has asked Virginia’s utility regulator to step in.

In a near-unanimous vote, supervisors authorized Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw on March 19 to send a letter asking the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to evaluate whether the new regulations create unnecessary hurdles for small renewable energy projects attempting to join the power grid.

State police intervene in race on I-395, leading to chase and multi-vehicle crash

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 1, 2024 at 11:45AM

Southbound I-395 approaching the exit to Edsall Road in Springfield (via Google Maps)

Multiple people were taken to the hospital early yesterday morning (Sunday) after an attempted drag race on I-395 turned into a police pursuit, resulting in a crash.

According to the Virginia State Police, troopers responded to southbound I-395 around 12:16 a.m. in response to an alert that two drivers were trying to race each other along the interstate in the Springfield area.

Water, sewer rates to increase in Herndon’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget

By Fatimah Waseem

Published April 1, 2024 at 11:00AM

Herndon Municipal Center (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Water and sewer rates are set to increase as part of the Town of Herndon’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2025.

Released on Friday (March 29) by Town Manager Bill Ashton II, the proposed budget leaves the real estate tax rate unchanged at $0.26 per $100 of assessed value, though bills are still expected to go up due to rising property assessments.

Proposed condos in office park fit vision for downtown McLean, planning commission says

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 1, 2024 at 10:15AM

A condominium building could replace some of the McLean Professional Park's offices (via MV&A/Fairfax County)

A proposal to replace some office buildings in McLean Professional Park with condominiums won a unanimous recommendation from the Fairfax County Planning Commission on March 20.

During the public hearing, Dranesville District Commissioner John Ulfelder lauded property owner T&M McLean Venture’s partial redevelopment plan as “a great opportunity” that will further the county’s efforts to rejuvenate downtown McLean.

Mother of motorcyclist killed in West Ox Road crash ‘saddened’ by $50 fine for driver

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 1, 2024 at 9:30AM

Andrew Dearing, a 27-year-old fitness manager at Gold's Gym in Reston, was killed in a vehicle crash on Oct. 25, 2022 (photo by Cason Kimura/Golds Gym)

When Andrea Brubaker entered the Fairfax County Courthouse on Feb. 27, she expected to see a trial with witnesses testifying and evidence presented against the driver who had crashed into her son, killing him, almost one-and-a-half years earlier.

Instead, she watched the driver leave the courtroom after a brief talk with a judge through his son, who translated, to pay a $50 fine for failing to yield on a left turn.

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published April 1, 2024 at 8:15AM

The Falls Church Episcopal with cherry tree (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fatal Shooting Reported in Mosby Woods — Mohammad Zekria, 37, of Fairfax was found dead in a vehicle on Friday (March 29) after a woman told police that her husband had shot someone and was threatening her and her family. Waisuddin Quraishi, 50, was taken into custody early Saturday morning and has been charged with second-degree murder. [FCPD]

Teens Driving Stolen Vehicle in Reston Arrested — “Three teenagers are in custody for evading police in a stolen car in Fairfax County. On March 19, just after 9 p.m., officers from the Reston Patrol Unit allegedly located a stolen car near the intersection of Centreville Road and Parcher Avenue. When they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, two teens hopped out of the car and began running away.” [WUSA9]

Assisted stretching studio Stretch Zone to open next week in Vienna

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 29, 2024 at 10:15AM | Updated April 1, 2024 at 11:18AM

The assisted stretching studio Stretch Zone is opening a franchise in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Updated at 11:15 a.m. on 4/1/2024 — Stretch Zone opened in Vienna today (Monday), but the ribbon-cutting has been postponed to 9 a.m. on Thursday (April 4).

Earlier: A fitness studio that offers to assisted stretching services is extending its reach into Vienna.

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published March 29, 2024 at 8:15AM

People cross Gallows Road at Avenir Place near the Dunn Loring Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Highway Lane Closures Lifted for Easter — “To help motorists get to their destinations without hassle, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will suspend most highway work zones and lift most lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia for the Easter holiday from noon Friday, March 29, until noon Tuesday, April 2.” [VDOT]

Minimum Wage and Marijuana Sales Bills Vetoed — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed legislation Thursday that would have established a retail marijuana market in Virginia and raised the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour, torpedoing two top Democratic priorities from the 2024 General Assembly session.” [Virginia Mercury]