News | FFXnow - Part 467

Morning Notes

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]

Groveton man pleads guilty to stealing $1.5 million in PPP loans, unemployment benefits

By James Cullum

Published November 6, 2023 at 3:30PM

Albert V. Bryan U.S. Courthouse in Alexandria (via Google Maps)

A 32-year-old man from Groveton pleaded guilty on Thursday (Nov. 2) to defrauding the government of more than $1.4 million in fraudulent pandemic-related Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and unemployment benefits.

George Mensah, Jr., 32, admitted in federal court to wire and mail fraud by collecting fees with two unnamed conspirators through CashApp, Zelle and bank transfers, according to court records. The scheme ran from Oct. 2020 to Sept. 2021, during which time Mensah admitted to preparing dozens of fake PPP loans and unemployment insurance claims under the CARES Act.

Reston Community Center seeks donations for annual Thanksgiving food drive

By Fatimah Waseem

Published November 6, 2023 at 2:30PM

The food drive will end on Dec. 23 (Photo via Reston Community Center).

Several Reston organizations are partnering once again for an annual Thanksgiving food drive.

Reston Community Center, the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce and the nonprofit Cornerstones are collecting donations of non-perishable food and other items through Nov. 20.

Vienna Police: Men assault neighbor over dog poop, Popeyes customer upset

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 6, 2023 at 1:30PM

Popeyes at Maple Avenue Shopping Center in Vienna (via Google Maps)

This Halloween brought neither trick nor treat for two men in Vienna who got served instead with assault charges.

Police officers were called to the Vienna Park apartments in the 200 block of Cedar Lane SE around 9:40 a.m. on Oct. 30 after one resident declined to pick up his dog’s feces and another took umbrage, the Vienna Police Department said in its crime recap for the week of Oct. 28 to Nov. 2.