News | FFXnow - Part 780

Fairfax County Democrats plan vigil at NRA HQ after Texas school shooting

Published May 25, 2022 at 4:30PM

The exterior of the NRA building in Fairfax (via Google Maps)

Following yesterday’s mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas, Fairfax Democrats plan to host a vigil tonight (Wednesday) at the National Rifle Association’s building in Fairfax.

“Nearly ten years after Sandy Hook, little children and teachers are mass murdered in their classrooms,” the Fairfax County Democratic Committee’s event site reads. “Another young adult male with easy access to assault weapons matches the suburban teen who murdered with racist rage in Buffalo. Take action now. Join us tonight.”

County board passes “anti-Port-a-John” measure seeking permanent bathrooms in school stadiums

By Angela Woolsey

Published May 25, 2022 at 3:00PM

Justice High School is one of 15 Fairfax County public high schools without permanent stadium restrooms (via FCPS/Facebook)

More than half of Fairfax County’s public high schools have no permanent restrooms for their outdoor athletic facilities, leaving players and spectators to endure the stench and claustrophobia of port-a-potties.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors hopes to rectify the situation, unanimously approving a board matter to consider funding for new bathrooms at 15 schools in the coming fiscal year 2023, which starts July 1.

Disrupted by pandemic, plan to fix Dolley Madison traffic resurfaces

By Angela Woolsey

Published May 25, 2022 at 2:15PM

Traffic on eastbound Dolley Madison Boulevard at the Great Falls Street intersection in McLean (via Google Maps)

Fairfax County has some ideas for short-term fixes that could ease congestion on Dolley Madison Blvd. through McLean, but if traffic grows significantly further down the road, a more substantial overhaul may be needed.

For the first time in almost three years, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation returned to the community with updates on its efforts to address gridlock in the corridor between the Dulles Toll Road and Old Dominion Drive.

Master plan underway for Reston Town Center North redevelopment

By Fatimah Waseem

Published May 25, 2022 at 1:30PM

Reston Regional Library (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Various pieces to redevelop land at the intersection of Bowman Towne Drive and Town Center Parkway — known as Reston Town Center North — are moving along as Fairfax County seeks applications for the project.

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn directed staff at a Board of Supervisors meeting yesterday (Tuesday) to conduct a master plan study for the county-owned land in RTC North.

Lorton man sentenced to 22 years in prison for giving woman drugs and covering up her death

By David Taube

Published May 25, 2022 at 12:45PM | Updated May 25, 2022 at 1:43PM

The Justice Department logo (via DOJ)

(Updated at 1:40 p.m.) A man from Lorton has been sentenced to 22 years in prison after he gave a young woman a Xanax pill laced with fentanyl and tried to hide evidence of her death in a storage shed, court documents show.

Julian A. Velasquez, 36, was sentenced yesterday (Tuesday) following a plea deal in federal court. It came after authorities found he provided the woman with the drugs, sold heroin to a man before calling 911, and lied to emergency responders, according to court documents.

After Texas mass shooting, Fairfax County School Board member proposes new security measure

By Angela Woolsey

Published May 25, 2022 at 11:15AM | Updated May 25, 2022 at 3:16PM

Members of the advocacy group Moms Demand Action join the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to designate June 3 as Gun Violence Awareness Day (via Fairfax County/Flickr)

(Updated at 3:15 p.m.) A Fairfax County School Board member plans to advocate for adding security vestibules at schools in the wake of the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. in nearly a decade.

Melanie Meren, who represents Hunter Mill District on the board, will introduce a motion at a meeting tomorrow (Thursday) requesting that Fairfax County Public Schools develop a plan to fund and install vestibules at all facilities, she said in social media posts last night (Tuesday).

Reston dive bar, Local VA, shutters at Lake Anne Plaza

By Fatimah Waseem

Published May 25, 2022 at 10:30AM

The gourmet dive bar Local VA prided itself on neighborhood appeal (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

After nearly three years of business, a locally-curated restaurant at Lake Anne Plaza has officially closed its doors.

Local VA, a gourmet dive bar that opened in 2019, permanently closed earlier this month, the business confirmed in a statement to FFXnow.

Tysons emergency room nears launch, giving area new health services

By Angela Woolsey

Published May 25, 2022 at 9:45AM | Updated June 8, 2022 at 8:07PM

Reston Hospital Center is opening a standalone emergency room in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Updated on 6/8/2022 — Tysons Emergency is now in service after a grand opening on Friday, June 3.

Earlier: There’s nothing like a two-year-long pandemic to drive home the importance of access to quality health care services.

County board dives deeper into quest for supportive housing for homeless

By Fatimah Waseem

Published May 25, 2022 at 9:00AM

Reston Strong is raising awareness about homelessness in the community through a tents campaign (Photo via Reston Strong).

Fairfax County is looking for more ways to bring more people into supportive and permanent housing beyond what some consider the band-aid approach to tackling homelessness — temporary shelters.

At a meeting yesterday (Tuesday), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously moved a board matter directing staff to complete a comprehensive evaluation of ways to boost supportive housing, the evaluation of current options, and protocol for emergency shelter in commercial and industrial districts.

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published May 25, 2022 at 7:30AM

Reston Town Center set up for theTephra ICA Arts Festival (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

What to Know About Monkeypox — “More monkeypox cases have been reported in the United States since the first illness was reported in Massachusetts last week. But there’s no need for Virginia residents to panic, health officials say as they learn more about how the viral disease is spread.” [Patch]

County to Talk About Youth Mental Health Issues and Drug Use — “As a parent, our kids’ wellbeing is my top priority. Today, the Board supported my motion to convene a roundtable with reps from [Department of Family Services], our Opioid Task Force, clinical pros, the BOS and school board to directly tackle youth mental health & substance use.” [Jeff McKay/Twitter]