News | FFXnow - Part 410

Morning Notes

Published November 13, 2023 at 8:15AM

A walkway at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston (photo by Marjorie Copson)

Teen Arrested for Hybla Valley Shooting — “Preliminarily, Major Crimes Bureau detectives determined the victim was walking to a nearby apartment. He was approached by the 14-year-old suspect who displayed a firearm and shot the victim. A nearby home was also struck by one round, where no one was injured.” The teen was taken into custody Saturday (Nov. 11) evening after his mother brought him to the Mount Vernon District Station. [FCPD]

Occoquan Dam Siren Will Go Off Tomorrow — “Fairfax Water has scheduled its annual siren system test for the Occoquan Dam on Tuesday, Nov.14, at 10 a.m. This is a routine test to ensure the siren system is functioning properly in the unlikely event of a dam failure.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Newly reelected State Sen. Jennifer Boysko launches campaign for Congress

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 9, 2023 at 3:30PM

State Sen. Jennifer Boysko has launched a campaign for the 10th District seat in Congress (courtesy Jennifer Boysko for Congress)

State Sen. Jennifer Boysko has joined the race to replace Rep. Jennifer Wexton as Virginia’s 10th Congressional District representative.

Boysko announced her candidacy today (Thursday), just two days after winning reelection as senator for the 38th District, which encompasses Reston, Herndon, McLean and Great Falls. The district includes portions of the former 32nd District represented by State Sen. Janet Howell, who opted not to seek reelection after redistricting paired her with Boysko.

UPDATED: Fairfax County saw dip in voter turnout for crucial state, local elections

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 9, 2023 at 11:45AM | Updated November 10, 2023 at 10:54AM

Democrats celebrate a near-sweep in the 2023 general election (courtesy Mike Beaty)

(Updated at 10:55 a.m. on 11/10/2023) About 40% of registered Fairfax County voters participated in this year’s general election, which decided state and local representatives who will shape policies on issues from abortion to land use in the coming years.

As of Friday (Nov. 10), 308,855 of the county’s 787,171 registered voters cast a ballot — a 39.2% turnout rate, according to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections.

Talks on fix for dangerous Wiehle Avenue pedestrian crossing to begin again

By Fatimah Waseem

Published November 9, 2023 at 11:00AM | Updated November 9, 2023 at 2:19PM

The existing Wiehle Avenue intersection at the Dulles Toll Road ramps in Reston (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 2:20 p.m.) Fairfax County is beginning talks for a pedestrian crossing at a dangerous intersection of Wiehle Avenue at the Dulles Toll Road ramps in Reston.

As part of its plan to redevelop the Campus Commons office complex, developer TF Cornerstones has agreed to give the county $1.65 million to build an alternative crossing for the area after a study group failed to reach consensus on a preferred alternative for the site in 2021.

Woman killed in I-495 crash near Rose Hill, motorcyclist injured in separate hit-and-run

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 9, 2023 at 10:20AM

Fairfax County police car lights (file photo)

A driver was killed and a motorcyclist seriously injured in two separate crashes in Fairfax County this morning (Thursday).

The fatal crash occurred around 12:30 a.m. on the Capital Beltway (I-495) near Eisenhower Avenue in the Rose Hill area, according to Virginia State Police.

Apartments in Tysons, Merrifield used as illegal brothels, federal prosecutors allege

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 9, 2023 at 9:30AM

The Avalon Mosaic apartments in Merrifield (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Three men have been arrested for coercing women into sex work at “high-end” brothels in Massachusetts and Virginia, the Department of Justice announced yesterday (Wednesday).

Locations used for the brothels include units in Hanover Tysons and Avalon Mosaic, apartment buildings in Tysons and Merrifield, according to a court affidavit by a Department of Homeland Security special agent.

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published November 9, 2023 at 8:15AM

Banners with fall leaves decorate Main Street Marketplace in Fairfax City (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Location Chosen for New FBI HQ — “Federal officials have decided the FBI will leave its iconic but decaying headquarters in downtown Washington for the Maryland suburbs, multiple people familiar with the decision said Wednesday…An empty 61-acre plot outside the Greenbelt Metro station” will win out over another Prince George’s County site and a Springfield warehouse favored by Virginia. [Washington Post]

Departing Pandas Pass Through Fairfax County — The Smithsonian National Zoo’s three giant pandas traveled through Fairfax County yesterday (Wednesday) on their way to Dulles International Airport. With the departure of Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji, the D.C. zoo will be panda-free for the first time in over 50 years. [Fairfax County Government/Twitter]

LGBTQ resource center opens library and headquarters in Oakton

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 8, 2023 at 3:30PM

The nonprofit NoVA Prism Center opened its headquarters in Oakton on Nov. 1 (courtesy NoVA Prism Center)

A nonprofit dedicated to providing resources for Northern Virginia’s LGBTQ community has officially chosen Oakton for its headquarters.

After operating as a pop-up for 18 months, NoVA Prism Center opened its first physical offices at 10467 White Granite Drive, Suite 322, on Nov. 1. Open by appointment from noon to 7 p.m. daily, the headquarters hosts a publicly accessible library, a clothing closet and events, along with the organization’s administrative base.

NEW: Vienna Town Council election results hinge on write-in votes

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 8, 2023 at 2:30PM

Vienna Transportation Safety Commission chair Beth Eachus ran for Vienna Town Council as a write-in candidate (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Vienna residents will have to wait a few more days for the results of the town’s first-ever November election.

While Mayor Linda Colbert was easily reelected in an uncontested race, the makeup of next year’s town council remains less clear, thanks to a slew of write-in votes that could determine one of the six open seats.

Reston IT consultant ranked as fastest-growing company in D.C. area

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 8, 2023 at 1:15PM

Women looking at laptop (via Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash)

An information technology consulting firm based in Reston is growing faster than any other company in the D.C. area, according to the Washington Business Journal.

Goldschmitt and Associates topped the newspaper’s 2023 ranking of the 50 fastest-growing companies in the region, as determined by the average percentage of revenue growth it saw from 2020 to 2021 and 2021 to 2022.