A plethora of administrative and logistical issues led to the Town of Herndon’s decision to permanently put the Herndon Festival to bed after a 43-year run, staff say.
At a Herndon Town Council meeting on Tuesday (Dec. 12), Town Manager Bill Ashton II laid out several issues that nearly derailed the festival in previous years and ultimately prompted the permanent cancellation of the four-day event, announced earlier this week.
Elected County Officials Sworn In — “Family, friends and area leaders all came together to mark new terms of office for our Board of Supervisors, constitutional officers and Soil and Water Conservation District directors. The inauguration ceremony was held at the Government Center on Dec. 13 for these local officials, who will guide the county for the next four years.” [Fairfax County Government]
Fairfax Delegate Proposes Discrimination Protections for Ethnicity — “With the recent spike in reports of antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias, lawmakers will soon consider whether to add ethnicity to Virginia’s hate crimes and discrimination law. Del. Dan Helmer…introduced a bill — HB 18 — that would expand the groups protected against unlawful discrimination.” [WTOP]
Town of Herndon officials are seeking $1.5 million in federal funds for major improvements along Sterling Road.
At a Herndon Town Council work session on Dec. 5, town staff noted that no local match is required to proceed with the project. The town is also requesting $500,000 for ADA-compliant sidewalk and trails improvements throughout Herndon.
Dark smoke was seen wafting over Route 7 near the Tysons Commerce Center office building (8219 Leesburg Pike) earlier this afternoon.
Alan Henney, a local crime and public safety watcher, reported hearing an “explosion [that] sounded like a transformer with fire” in the 8200 block of Leesburg Pike around 12:30 p.m. Photos and videos of the scene showed black smoke billowing up from near the office building, which is across the street from PetSmart.
A man was arrested in Maryland earlier this week for allegedly following a woman, assaulting her and trying to break into her house in Bailey’s Crossroads.
Fairfax County police officers and detectives were called to the home in the 5700 block of Poplar Lane near Bailey’s Crossroads at 12:31 a.m. on Dec. 8 for an assault and burglary, according to a news release.
Holiday decorations will look a little different this year in the Town of Herndon.
The town will not install its usual holiday wreaths on Elden Street’s poles because the process poses significant safety risks to the town’s workers, Town Manager Bill Ashton II told the Herndon Town Council at a meeting on Tuesday (Dec. 12).
(Updated at 9:25 a.m. on 12/15/2023) The long-running effort to bring bus rapid transit (BRT) service to Route 7 is about to enter a new stage of planning, but for some Fairfax County leaders, the milestone doubles as a reminder of how much more still needs to be done to turn Northern Virginia’s vision into a reality.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement at its Dec. 5 meeting to help fund an engineering study and environmental analysis required to implement the bus system, which will serve the corridor from the Spring Hill Metro station in Tysons to the Mark Center in Alexandria.
A Woodbridge man died Tuesday (Dec. 12) after getting shot in the Kingstowne area earlier that afternoon.
Fairfax County police officers were called to the 5300 block of Harbor Court Drive at 1:47 p.m. for a report of a shooting. A 911 caller said they saw someone pull out a gun and shoot at a black Dodge Charger, which drove off, according to the dispatch on Open MHz.
Mixed Reactions to N. Va. Move for Wizards and Capitals — “Officials announced plans to bring the Washington Capitals and the Washington Wizards to a new arena in Alexandria’s Potomac Yard neighborhood. The new $2 billion arena, leased to Monumental Sports & Entertainment, is scheduled to break ground in 2025 and open sometime in late 2028.” [ALXnow]
Fundraiser Supports Family of McLean Man Found in House Fire — “The fire broke out Monday morning at a home on the 4000 block of Ridgeview Circle in McLean…A GoFundMe campaign for his family was launched Tuesday and has already raised more than $10,000.” [ARLnow]
Work is underway to restore the waterways around the Fairfax County Government Center.
To support the Difficult Run stream restoration project, which began in October, the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) worked with a consultant to relocate over 200 fish and eels to the pond outside the Herrity Building (12055 Government Center Parkway).
