News

A Springfield woman accused of embezzling more than $250,000 from her employer pleaded guilty to wire fraud in federal court today (Thursday).

Jennifer Giorffino, 53, faces up to 20 years in prison after misappropriating the funds from her employer, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia announced, identifying the organization only as one “dedicated to accounting for prisoners of war.”


Countywide

New payment options, from 24-hour kiosks to cryptocurrency, could be on the way for those paying taxes and fees to the Fairfax County government.

If one county leader has his way, there also could be lower surcharges for those paying by credit and debit cards.


News

A beauty supply donation drive organized by the Fairfax County Police Department to support individuals who have experienced domestic violence is coming to a close.

Set to end after today (Thursday), the campaign got a boost earlier this week from the Great Clips hair salons in Reston and Fairfax City, which contributed “several hundred dollars” worth of beauty supplies, according to a press release.


News

Two people have been taken to a hospital following a crash involving three vehicles on Fairfax County Parkway in Burke.

The parkway’s southbound lanes are closed at Lee Chapel Road, while the northbound lanes are closed at Huntsman Blvd in the wake of the crash, the Fairfax County Police Department announced at 9:16 a.m.


Event

Local author and Fairfax County Public Library librarian Luis D. Aponte invites parents and community leaders to an empowering discussion inspired by his book “A Safe Place: How to Prevent the Next School Shooting.” Drawing on seven years of research into more than 1,200 U.S. school shooting incidents, he shares practical, nonpartisan, research‑based steps families and schools can use to strengthen safety and emotional well‑being. Discover hopeful, community‑building solutions that help every child feel supported and able to thrive. Attendees receive two free ebooks, with a paperback signing to follow.

Adults. No registration required. Free event. For more information, visit ASafePlaceBook.com.


Around Town

A French-inspired chain of breakfast cafes is going to say “bonjour” to Merrifield.

The Mosaic District will become home to the first Virginia location of Maman, a New York-based brand offering coffee, pastries and other bites.


Countywide

Halloween has arrived, but this year, the real scares might still be lurking around the corner, as Election Day approaches.

Thousands of Fairfax County voters have already cast a ballot, either in person at one of the county’s 16 early voting sites or by mail.


News

A new charge has been filed in connection to a teacher’s reported assaults of students at a Burke elementary school.

Dana Chen, an assistant principal at White Oaks Elementary School (6130 Shiplett Blvd), has been charged with failing to report assault allegations against special education teacher Elizabeth Yoshimi Nagagata, the Fairfax County Police Department announced yesterday (Wednesday).


Countywide
An inflatable ghost with skulls and a tombstone erected for Halloween in Great Falls (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Regional Campaign Urges Drivers to Slow Down — “As part of National Pedestrian Safety Month, the [Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments] is launching a new Street Smart safety campaign with the slogan, ‘Slow Down, Life Ahead.’ The campaign aims to cut down on distracted and impaired driving this fall and winter, when there’s fewer daylight hours and decreased visibility on the road.” [WTOP]

Driver Rescued From Potomac River — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue responded to a vehicle crash “into the Potomac River in the area of Waynewood Blvd/George Washington Memorial Pkwy. Bystanders were able to extricate the occupant prior to firefighter arrival. The occupant was transported to a local hospital.” [FCFRD/Twitter]

Hazmat Response Company Opens New HQ — CHEMTREC, which provides hazardous materials emergency response services, celebrated the grand opening of its global headquarters at 3130 Fairview Park Drive on Tuesday (Oct. 29). After 12 years in Fairfax County, the company will spend the next 13 years at “its new 25,000-square-foot headquarters, which will accommodate 100 full-time employees. [Fairfax County EDA]

Halloween Safety Tips — “Halloween is one of the most highly anticipated holidays, especially for children. Dressing up in costumes, going trick-or-treating and collecting loads of candy is a highlight for kids every Oct. 31. However, it’s important for both parents and children to prioritize safety during the spooky festivities.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Reston Town Center Classified as Business District — BXP classified Reston Town Center as a “central business district” asset in a third-quarter report released Tuesday (Oct. 29). The categorization suggests the developer views RTC as more like urban properties in D.C., Boston and other cities than “suburban” sites like Kingstowne Towne Center’s movie theater. [Washington Business Journal]

New Park Proposed in Falls Church — The Falls Church City Council appears supportive of plans to allocate $1.5 million of $5.3 million in unspent fiscal year 2024 funds “to complete design and move forward with construction on what they call the Fellows site.” The planned park will be on a 1.9-acre property near Oak Street Elementary School that the city acquired in 2019. [ARLnow]

GMU Expands Work with Reston Contractor — “George Mason University and General Dynamics recently expanded an existing partnership to give students more access to career development in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, cloud, and software development.” The space and defense company will offer recruitment, mentorship and other initiatives. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Yoga Studio Opening in Belle View — “Jess Purtell Yoga will hold its first classes Nov. 1 at its new space at Belle View Shopping Center.” Meanwhile, a butcher shop is coming to Fort Hunt, possibly early next year, and the international supermarket Fresh World has bumped back its expectations for opening in Mount Vernon to December or January. [On the MoVe]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunshine, a high around 79 degrees and a southwest wind between 7 and 11 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. At night, there will be a 20% chance of showers after 2am, with mostly cloudy skies and a low of 64 degrees. The southwest wind will continue at 11 to 14 mph with gusts as high as 22 mph. [NWS]


Around Town

Good Wednesday 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 — Oct 30, 2024.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect sunshine and a high of around 79 degrees, accompanied by a southwest wind of 6 to 11 mph and gusts reaching 20 mph. On Thursday night, there will be a low of approximately 64 degrees and a slight chance of showers after 2 am. The southwest wind will blow at around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. The chance of precipitation stands at 20%. 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.