News | FFXnow - Part 651

Morning Notes

Published February 23, 2023 at 7:30AM

Dulles Toll Road traffic by the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fire at Commercial Building in Merrifield — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units responded to a building fire in the 2800 block of Dorr Avenue in Merrifield around 6 p.m. yesterday (Wednesday) that reached two alarms. The fire was extinguished after about an hour, and no injuries were reported. [FCFRD/Twitter]

Ribbon Cut on Penn Daw Development — “I was thrilled to speak at the South Alex ribbon cutting ceremony. In 2020 this entire building complex fell victim to a devastating fire, and now just three years later, we are here celebrating the completion of the renovations!” The grocery store Aldi is set to open at the development next week. [Jeff McKay/Twitter]

Bid to Unseat Single-Term Commonwealth’s Attorney Picks Up Some Key Supporters

By GazetteLeader

Published February 23, 2023 at 6:00AM

By Brian Trompeter

Citing what he said is too much politics and too few experienced prosecutors in the Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, trial attorney Ed Nuttall is challenging incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano (D) in the June 20 primary.

Former Regional-Park Authority Spokesman Dies at 55

By GazetteLeader

Published February 23, 2023 at 6:00AM

By Brian Trompeter

Mark Riddell, an Oakton High School and George Mason University alumnus who spent much of his career doing public-relations work for entertainment firms, died Feb. 12 in Fairfax at age 55.

Rare Bipartisanship in Quest to Land New FBI HQ

By GazetteLeader

Published February 23, 2023 at 6:00AM

By Brian Trompeter

Virginia’s top leaders – from the governor and members of Congress to county supervisors – formed a united front Feb. 15 to urge the General Services Administration (GSA) to pick a federally owned site in Springfield for the FBI’s new headquarters.

Porta Nickles Is Oldest Resident at Brightview, and Likely Most Beloved

By GazetteLeader

Published February 23, 2023 at 6:00AM

By Brian Trompeter

“Aged to Perfection” read Porta Nickles’ white-and-gold sash, and it was hard to argue otherwise on her 107th birthday.

Despite Rising Assessments, County Executive Seeks No Cut in Overall Tax Rate

By GazetteLeader

Published February 23, 2023 at 6:00AM

By Brian Trompeter

Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill on Feb. 21 recommended no increase in the county’s real-estate-tax rate as part of his proposed fiscal year 2024 budget, which if approved by Board of Supervisors still would cost the average homeowner about $520 more this year because of higher assessment values.

Supervisors Plan to Create New Voting Precincts and Move Others

By GazetteLeader

Published February 23, 2023 at 6:00AM

By Brian Trompeter

Fairfax County supervisors on Feb. 21 are expected to authorize a March 7 public hearing to discuss the possible renaming and creation of some voting precincts and the relocation of others.

84 Local Responders on Scene Following a Devastating Quake

By GazetteLeader

Published February 23, 2023 at 6:00AM

By Brian Trompeter

Treading carefully among unstable rubble and wearing face masks against choking dust from pulverized concrete, Virginia Task Force 1 members in Turkey now find themselves in a familiar role: trying to find and tend to survivors in the midst of devastation.

Things Soon May Be Looking Up for Fairfax Home Sales

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 23, 2023 at 6:00AM

They stumbled and they tumbled in January, but things might be looking up for home sales across Fairfax County as spring approaches.

A total of 552 properties went to closing during what traditionally is one of the slowest months of the year in local real estate, according to new figures.

N.Va., State Realtors Looking Optimistically to Springtime

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 23, 2023 at 6:00AM

Despite a chilly home-sales report for January, leaders of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors (NVAR) are upbeat on the market’s prospects going into springtime.

“The buyers and sellers I work with are motivated and adjusting to higher mortgage rates,” said Peter Bixby of Compass, a member of the NVAR board of directors.