News

Fairfax County has bumped up the amount of money developers must contribute toward public facilities in Tysons if they’re unable to deliver the goods themselves.

As of Dec. 16, the county is charging developers who submit rezoning applications for Tysons sites $2.22 per square foot of their project’s gross floor area to support the construction of roads, parks and other public spaces and infrastructure, Department of Planning and Development (DPD) staff said in a recent report to the Board of Supervisors.


News

A driver was critically injured in a crash this morning (Friday) that has completely shut down Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) near Colvin Run Mill Park.

Fairfax County police officers and Fire and Rescue responders were dispatched to eastbound Leesburg Pike at Serenity Woods Lane in Great Falls around 9:20 a.m. for a two-vehicle crash, according to scanner traffic.


News

Fairfax County has two pieces of land that it hopes will eventually host affordable housing, but first, it needs to find developers who can turn that vision into a reality.

Earlier this month, the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority began advertising a 2.93-acre parcel at 5827 Columbia Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads and a 9.6-acre parcel at 13500 Dulles Greene Drive just north of the Innovation Center Metro Station in Herndon as opportunities for affordable multifamily housing.


News

The public has a few more weeks to weigh on on two construction scenarios as Fairfax County officials work to improve safety on a deadly stretch of Lee Chapel Road.

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation proposed two options at a virtual community meeting on Dec. 10 for approaching a project that will level the narrow, two-lane roadway between Ox Road (Route 123) and the Fairfax County Parkway:


Event

Dreaming about your next vacation? Join Cruise Planners Beth Borrego and Rod Rodriguez for an inspiring day devoted to ocean and river cruises, guided tours, luxury travel and unforgettable destinations!

Meet representatives from AmaWaterways, Collette, Oceania Cruises and Premier World Discovery. Hear informative presentations, ask questions, explore exciting vacation possibilities and discover which travel experience may be the perfect fit for you.


Countywide
Construction continues on a shared-use path and other improvements on Wiehle Avenue near Reston Station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Kid-Friendly Ways to Celebrate New Year — For anyone with young kids who can’t or don’t want to stay up until midnight next Tuesday (Dec. 31), options for ringing in the new year include Rocknoceros New Year’s Eve Ball at Jammin’ Java in Vienna and Noon Year’s Eve Party at Shipgarten in Tysons. Some Fairfax County libraries are also planning “Noon Year’s Eve” celebrations. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Library Contest Offers Free Signed Books — To wrap up its 85th year of service, Fairfax County Public Library is giving out 13 free books signed by its visiting authors. Until next Tuesday, Dec. 31, patrons can enter to win a copy by sharing “how much Fairfax County Public Library has saved you this year (hint: it’s found at the bottom of your checkout receipt).” [FCPL/Instagram]

Local Mom Honors Son Lost to Drug Addiction — For Fairfax resident Debbie Zane, Christmas has become a time for mourning and remembering her son, Alex, who died in January 2022 “after a ten-year battle he had with serious mental illness and addiction.” She has written a book as “a cathartic and giving way to honor Alex while hopefully helping others.” [NBC4]

Falls Church Considers Design for ‘LOVE’ Sculpture — “It was not love at first sight, art-wise, for members of the Falls Church City Council. As a result, city staff will return early in the new year with refinements to a proposed ‘LOVE’ sculpture that will adorn the west side of the City Hall campus.” [ARLnow]

When Fairfax County Will Pick Up Christmas Trees — “Natural Christmas trees will be collected from January 6 to 17, 2025 for recycling. Lights, decorations, and stands must be removed to ensure collection. After January 17, please schedule a brush Special Pickup to have the natural Christmas tree removed.” [DPWES]

Inova Urgent Care Opens in Alexandria — “Inova opened a new urgent care center in Alexandria’s West End on Monday (Dec. 23). The Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care opened at 4600 Kenmore Avenue in the Seminary Plaza shopping center, and it’s the ninth center to open this year in Virginia.” [ALXnow]

Area Restaurants Repurpose Former Pizza Huts — “What do a taqueria, a Korean-Chinese restaurant, and a barbecue joint have in common? They all used to be Pizza Huts. The restaurant chain ditched its distinctive red-hut architecture in 2016, but you can still find the structures around the area, now housing other eateries.” [Washingtonian]

It’s Friday — Expect partly sunny skies, with temperatures reaching a high of around 43 degrees. Chances of rain will increase at night, mainly after 1 am, accompanied by patchy fog and overcast conditions, with lows around 38 degrees. There’s a 70% chance of precipitation, with new rainfall possibly accumulating between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. [NWS]


Around Town

Good Thursday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Dec 26, 2024.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

🌥️ Friday’s forecast

Expect a partly sunny day with a high near 43 and calm winds shifting to the southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Rain will likely arrive Friday night, mainly after 1am, with low temperatures around 37. Winds will be from the east at 6 mph, diminishing overnight, and there is an 80% chance of precipitation. New rainfall amounts may range between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.


Sports

The Madison Warhawks finished ranked second, seventh and ninth in three different final statewide high-school football polls for the 2024 season as compiled by MaxPreps.com.

In the public-school Class 6 (schools with the highest enrollment) poll, the Concorde District and 6D North Region champion Warhawks (14-1) were ranked second.


Sports

Players from multiple Fairfax County football teams, including the region-champion Lake Braddock Bruins and Madison Warhawks, recently were honored as Virginia High School League Class 6 first- or second-team all-state selections.

From Madison, senior slotback Dominic Knicely earned the biggest award as the Offensive Player of the Year.


News

Fairfax County police are still investigating a crash on Route 28 in Chantilly that killed a pedestrian earlier this week.

A preliminary investigation found that, on Monday (Dec. 23) morning, Amin Emad-Eldin Hammoud, 33, of Centreville was standing on the right shoulder of Route 28 (Sully Road) under Poplar Tree Road after his vehicle became disabled, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.