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.


News

More than a year after it launched, Fairfax County’s program to help neighborhoods introduce communal electric vehicle charging stations has resulted in its first installations.

County officials joined residents of the Harpers Square cluster in Reston on Dec. 18 for a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the addition of two EV chargers, making it the first community to successfully get through the Charge Up Fairfax program.


Around Town

Tysons Corner Center is closing out 2024 with the addition of a few new dining options.

Though it was dark when FFXnow visited the mall around lunch time this past Sunday (Dec. 22), Popeyes has indeed opened its new stall on the first floor between Panda Express and Chef Lin, a Tysons Corner Center spokesperson confirmed.


Event

Flowers, Fine Art & Fashion is an immersive cultural experience presented by People of The Garden LLC, where nature, creativity, and modest couture converge in a breathtaking indoor garden setting.

Guests will journey through a living landscape featuring dramatic floral installations, botanical art, and a one-of-a-kind rectangular runway designed around lush greenery and sculptural plantings. Throughout the evening, attendees will experience a curated runway presentation showcasing modest fashion designers, alongside original fine art, artisan vendors, and interactive floral experiences.


Countywide

At its final meeting of 2024, the Fairfax County School Board unanimously approved a policy revision that it hopes will lead to more consistent grading policies countywide.

The measure represents “a huge improvement from what was there before,” according to Mason District School Board Representative Ricardy Anderson.


Countywide
Bushes outside Vienna Town Hall with Christmas lights (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fort Hunt Man Revived Elaborate Christmas Display — “Christmas displays that inspire awe take effort. But arguably none put up this year took as much effort as the one that [Bill] Vaughan has spent nearly four years working on while recovering from a devastating injury that occurred the last time he tried to put up his display.” [Washington Post]

Woman Injured in Newington Crash — Fairfax County police officers responded around noon on Tuesday (Dec. 24) to “a single vehicle crash on Pohick Road near Havenbrook Way in Newington. The driver, an adult female, was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.” Pohick Road was closed for a couple of hours while detectives investigated. [FCPD/Twitter]

Fairfax City Names Acting Police Chief — “City of Fairfax Police Captain Natalie Hinesley has been selected to serve as acting police chief for the City of Fairfax Police Department … She will assume the acting police chief’s duties on Jan. 3, 2025. The need to select an acting police chief arose when current City of Fairfax Police Chief Erin Schaible announced her retirement earlier this month.” [City of Fairfax]

Annandale to Get New Cafe — “A coffee and sandwich shop, called Coffee & Bread, is expected to open in Annandale in January. The standalone building, at 7109 Columbia Pike, has been empty since December 2023 when Tobacco Luxe closed.” [Annandale Today]

N. Va. Nonprofit Gives Holiday Gifts and Meals — Once a teen struggling with homelessness and hunger, Elizabeth Ford recently “founded a nonprofit called BetterALife that provides children and their families in Loudoun and Fairfax counties with a variety of services … At their annual event called ‘A Child’s Wish,’ her group gave away gifts last weekend to 800 children and their parents.” [Washington Post]

Vienna Hires Economic Development Head From Fairfax — “After the departure of Vienna’s first economic development director, a new director was chosen from Fairfax City Economic Development. The town announced Nicole Toulouse will be the next economic development director, effective Jan. 13. 2025.” [Patch]

Chef Peter Chang’s Rise in the D.C. Area — “Just as Disney devotees make pilgrimages to the legendary theme parks worldwide, Chang fans visit his Sichuan-laden eateries across the DMV and beyond. Though diners are bound to find a cohesive culinary dynamic among his restaurants, various X factors set each apart.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Thursday — The weather will transition from mostly cloudy to sunny, having a high close to 42 degrees and calm wind conditions. By Thursday night, expect partly cloudy skies with a low near 29 degrees and a continued calm breeze. [NWS]


Around Town

Good Tuesday 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 24, 2024.

📅 Upcoming events

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

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

🌦️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect mostly sunny skies with scattered showers and a high of 78°F and a low of 63°F. Wind coming in from the east-northeast at 10-15 mph paired with relative humidity ranging from 50-70%. UV index will be at a moderate level of 5. Remember to stay hydrated and wear sun protection during peak sunlight hours, and carry an umbrella in case of unexpected heavier showers. 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.


Around Town

With Christmas nearly upon us, FFXnow is signing off for the holiday.

Barring breaking news, we will be taking a break from publishing this afternoon and on Christmas Day. Regular publishing will resume on Thursday, Dec. 26.


News

Fairfax County leaders gathered earlier this month to break ground on a new apartment complex that will provide nearly 300 units of affordable housing right next to the Fairfax County Government Center.

The 279-unit Residences at Government Center II will occupy land that previously had been a little-used, 340-space surface parking lot on 4.5 acres between Post Forest Drive and the county government’s headquarters.