News | FFXnow - Part 411

Democrats retake control of Virginia House, hold state Senate

Published November 8, 2023 at 11:45AM

Vote dividers at a Fairfax County polling place for the 2023 general election (file photo)

Propelled by a near-sweep of races in Northern Virginia, Democrats have retaken control of the Virginia House of Delegates and retained control of the state Senate.

With a few races still to be called early Wednesday, Democrats appear to have won at least 51 seats in the 100-member House and 21 seats in the 40-member state Senate, according to results compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project. This will mark the third consecutive election that control of the House has shifted — Democrats wrested it away from Republicans in 2019 but lost it in 2021.

Remaking of Hunters Woods ballfield as neighborhood park completed in Reston

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 8, 2023 at 10:15AM | Updated September 13, 2024 at 11:14AM

Trees and native plants grow in the new rain garden at the former Hunters Woods ballfield (courtesy RA)

Reston’s Hunters Woods ballfield has finished its transformation from an underutilized baseball diamond into a park with walking paths, new trees and other features is now complete.

Construction on the redevelopment started on Aug. 11 and wrapped up last week, coming in not only four months ahead of schedule, but also about 10% under approximately $400,000 budget, according to Reston Association, which owns the park.

FCPD: Recent ATM thefts, armed robbery in Lincolnia may be related

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 8, 2023 at 9:30AM

Police say these ATMs were damaged in a reported theft attempt and an armed robbery in Lincolnia on Nov. 7 (courtesy FCPD)

Fairfax County police are investigating potential connections between some recent ATM break-ins and armed robberies in the Lincolnia area.

Officers responded to the TD Bank in Pinecrest Plaza at 6566 Little River Turnpike around 3:08 a.m. yesterday (Tuesday) after getting a call that three people were attempting to “forcibly access” the ATM, according to a news release from the Fairfax County Police Department.

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published November 8, 2023 at 8:15AM

A Fairfax Connector bus passes campaign signs in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

FCPD Touts License Plate Reader Tech — “Fairfax County Police launched its license plate readers in November 2022 using technology from Flock Safety and Axon to help solve crimes and find missing persons. According to police department data, 335 cases have involved license plate reader technology in the first year of the program.” [Patch]

Urgent Care Center Coming to Penn Daw — “The South Alex mixed-use development in Penn Daw has landed its second retail tenant with the signing of a lease earlier this year between Combined Properties and Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care. The urgent care center will occupy a vacant space near the Aldi supermarket, which opened this past March.” [On the MoVe]

BREAKING: Herrity is lone GOP victor as Democrats dominate Fairfax County elections

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 7, 2023 at 10:30PM | Updated November 8, 2023 at 12:39AM

Fairfax County voters went to the polls today for the 2023 general election (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 12:35 a.m. on 11/8/2023) The Democratic Party’s hold in Fairfax County remains strong, despite Republican efforts to make headway by centering issues from high taxes and “parental rights” in public education to highway tolls.

Preliminary general election results show that candidates supported by the Democrats, either officially or through endorsements, are in line to win every seat on this year’s lengthy ballot — except for Springfield District supervisor.

UPDATED: Firefighters face explosion while responding to ‘utility emergency’ at Bailey’s Crossroads

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 7, 2023 at 6:10PM | Updated November 7, 2023 at 8:48PM

The Fairfax County Fire and Department responds to a utility emergency at Build America Plaza in Bailey's Crossroads (via FCFRD/Twitter)

(Updated at 8:45 p.m.) An explosion occurred while Fairfax County firefighters were addressing “a utility emergency” at Build America Plaza in Bailey’s Crossroads earlier this evening (Monday).

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department personnel, including an investigator, were dispatched to the shopping center at 3819 South George Mason Drive around 4:30 p.m., according to scanner traffic on Open MHz.

Mount Vernon man sentenced to prison for filing fake tax returns

By James Cullum

Published November 7, 2023 at 1:30PM

U.S. Attorneys Office in Alexandria (via Google Maps)

A 58-year-old tax preparer from Mount Vernon was sentenced to 18 months in prison last week for filing fake tax returns for his “unsuspecting” clients, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Lawrence Appiah-Osei pleaded guilty in June to operating the scheme from 2017 to 2020 from his Mount Vernon home, defrauding the U.S. government of more than $1.4 million, according to a release published Friday (Nov. 3) by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Free meals truck seeks to stay long-term at Lewinsville Senior Center in McLean

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 7, 2023 at 11:30AM

SevaTruck provides free meals at the Annandale Community Center in March 2023 (courtesy Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services)

A nonprofit that has been serving free meals made at Lewinsville Senior Center throughout the COVID-19 pandemic hopes to establish a permanent presence at the McLean facility.

Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS), which operates the senior center at 1613 Great Falls Street, applied in late 2022 for a special exception amendment that would let SevaTruck Foundation keep using the center’s kitchen to cook, store and package food.

Longtime ArtsFairfax leader to retire after expanding nonprofit’s role in community

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 7, 2023 at 9:30AM

With former board chairs John Mason and Shelly Hazel, and current chair Scott Cryer, ArtsFairfax president and CEO Linda Sullivan announces at the 2023 ArtsFairfax Awards that she will retire (courtesy A.E. Landes Photography/ArtsFairfax)

The woman who oversaw ArtsFairfax’s transformation from an events programmer into the top advocate for Fairfax County’s arts and culture community will soon step down as leader of the nonprofit.

Linda Sullivan announced her plan to retire after 14 years as president and CEO on Oct. 26 at the 2023 ArtsFairfax Awards, an annual celebration and fundraiser that she established to honor notable local artists, arts and cultural organizations and their supporters.

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published November 7, 2023 at 8:15AM

A pedestrian bridge over Route 50 in Seven Corners (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Abortion Rights at Center of Key Election Day Races — “The most-watched races in Tuesday’s off-year general election have all been dominated by the ongoing debate over abortion rights. From a reelection bid for governor in Kentucky to a statewide ballot measure in Ohio to state legislative elections in Virginia, access to abortion has been a frequent topic in campaign debates and advertising.” [Associated Press/WTOP]

Police Investigate Shooting in Bailey’s Crossroads — “Saturday at 4:50 p.m., officers responded to the 3300 block of Glen Carlyn Drive in Bailey’s Crossroads for the report of a shot person. Officers responded and found the victim, an adult man, with two gunshot wounds to his upper body. The man was transported to the hospital for injuries not considered to be life-threatening.” [FCPD]