Homeowners in several Burke neighborhoods have a lot of work ahead of them after trees, branches and downed power lines slammed into homes, cars and fences during a severe thunderstorm on Monday (June 22).
But as residents waited for the power to come back on the next day, the disaster relief nonprofit founded by celebrity chef José Andrés made sure that there was at least one thing they wouldn’t have to worry about: dinner.
Construction work is underway on a summertime effort to reinvigorate Gateway Regional Park in the City of Fairfax.
Avon Corp., which received the contract for the project, has started work that’s expected to run through September. The park will remain closed through November for the construction and subsequent fall plantings, according to NOVA Parks, which manages the site.
Update — The Virginia Department of Transportation announced on Thursday, June 25 that the Dulles Toll Road lane split will be postponed until after the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
“We will send out an update once everything is confirmed,” a VDOT spokesperson told FFXnow.
Storm Hit Burke With 90 MPH Winds — “Teams from the National Weather Service surveyed storm damage Tuesday morning in Burke following Monday evening’s severe storms across the region and determined the cause: A one-mile long, 500-foot wide ‘microburst’ carrying 90 mph winds.” [Inside NoVA]
Arrest in Annandale Abduction Case — “On Tuesday, the Fairfax County Police Department said the suspect who exposed his genitals and then tried to grab a woman and pull her into the woods was taken into custody … Police said there was no threat to the community.” [DC News Now]
Military Flyovers Planned for America 250 — “The U.S. military notified D.C. that it will conduct aircraft flyovers near the National Mall from Wednesday, June 24, through Friday, July 10, as part of America’s 250th-anniversary celebrations, according to AlertDC … The latest round anchors the Great American State Fair, a 16-day exposition on the Mall running June 25 to July 10 and organized by Freedom 250.” [ARLnow]
ACLU Seeks to Speed Up Ex-Felon Voting Registration — “As thousands of Virginians with certain past felony convictions remain in a voting registration limbo, a civil rights group filed a motion on June 18 seeking an expedited remedy. The group accused election officials of violating a voting rights lawsuit previously won earlier this year.” [Virginia Mercury]
Child Support System Update Shut Down — “After already spending millions, Virginia’s Department of Social Services shut down a two-year long IT project to overhaul the state’s outdated child support enforcement system … State officials are now trying to figure out what to do with the system,” which was already considered “antiquated” back in 1998. [VPM News]
Fairfax City Local Candidates List Finalized — “On Thursday afternoon, Fairfax City’s Office of Elections released the official list of candidates who have qualified to run for city offices in the Nov. 3 General and Special Election … In the mayor’s race, incumbent City Council Member Tom Peterson is running against Kirsten Sides Lockhart” after current Mayor Catherine Read announced she won’t seek reelection. [Patch]
Former RA CEO Takes Job in Austin — “Austin has named its next head of economic development initiatives, as city leaders back a renewed push to attract and support more local economic investment. The city announced the appointment of Michael ‘Mac’ Cummins as Austin Economic Development’s next director June 16.” Cummins, who resigned as CEO of Reston Association in January, will officially step into his new position on July 27. [Community Impact]
McLean Home on Market for Nearly $6M — “Just a short walk from Scott’s Run Nature Preserve, this single-family home offers modern living amongst nature. With six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, 938 Saigon Rd., McLean is situated on 1.4 acres. The custom residence features a home theater, golf simulator, fire pit patio, and elevator.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Wednesday — Sunny with a high of 81°F and a northwest wind at 7 mph. At night, expect mostly clear skies and a low of 62°F, with calm winds. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
Springfield Town Center has been deemed safe after shoppers and workers were evacuated due to a bomb threat.
Officers were dispatched to the mall (6500 Springfield Mall) at around 4:28 p.m. today (Tuesday) after an unknown person called in a threat, the Fairfax County Police Department said.
A man arrested last year after allegedly speeding, fleeing from police and subsequently attempting to carjack another driver on I-95 in Lorton will serve time in federal prison for gun possession.
Jamarion Dawon Jackson, 23, was sentenced today (Tuesday) to four years in prison after pleading guilty in April to possessing a machine gun during the police chase and carjacking incident, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced.
Fairfax County leaders are about to take steps to address the likelihood of an increasing penny shortage in the nation’s future.
At its meeting today, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized a public hearing on Tuesday, July 14 to consider revisions to how change is provided to those paying by cash for local government services.
Virginia lawmakers want to examine consolidating Northern Virginia’s transit agencies to assess potential cost savings and service improvements.
The proposal, which is included in the two-year budget lawmakers passed Monday, directs the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to include in its report not only the cost savings and long-term financial impacts of merging multiple systems, but also how potential changes would affect riders through fare structures, service reliability and accessibility.
Thousands of residents in Fairfax County, particularly the Burke area, are grappling with the aftermath of yesterday’s thunderstorm.
As of 11 a.m., more than 1,400 homes and businesses in the county were still without electricity, including about 700 customers in the Burke, Springfield and Fairfax area south of George Mason University’s campus, according to Dominion Energy.
Community engagement sessions are on the horizon to gather public input on the future of the David R. Pinn and Huntington community centers.
Both centers are slated to close as county-run facilities after the summer. Fairfax County officials say a combination of a challenging budget environment and declining attendance trends led to the decisions.
