Countywide

Fairfax County residents will now get a 48-hour grace period before towing

By Scott McCaffrey
A-1 Towing truck in Rose Hill (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Those parking in certain residential lots across Fairfax County with expired registration decals or inspection stickers now have a grace period before facing the possibility of a tow.

Fairfax County supervisors moved on Tuesday (Oct. 22) to bring the county code into compliance with a new state law that requires towing operators to give vehicle owners written notice before any towing action. The vote by supervisors was unanimous and came after a public hearing that didn’t draw any community or board comment.

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Around Town

Major ice cream chain to open store in Fairfax City shopping center

By Jared Serre
The forthcoming Cold Stone Creamery at Turnpike Shopping Center (staff photo by Jared Serre)

One year since a nearby Cold Stone Creamery location shuttered, the chain is again returning to the Fairfax area.

A new location of the international ice cream brand is coming to 9548 Main Street, replacing the former Flippin’ Pizza restaurant in Fairfax City’s Turnpike Shopping Center.

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Around Town

Winter Lantern Festival to light up Tysons, starting on Halloween

By Angela Woolsey
The Winter Lantern Festival will return to Tysons for 2024 with a "pandas" theme (courtesy Winter Lantern Festival)

For a third consecutive winter, Lerner Town Square at Tysons II (8025 Galleria Drive) will be illuminated by a thousand handmade Chinese lanterns.

The Winter Lantern Festival will return to Tysons for an over-two-month run, starting next Thursday, Oct. 31 until Jan. 12, 2025. The event will be open to visitors from 5-9:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Sundays.

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Countywide

Morning Notes for October 24, 2024

By FFXnow.com
A fall-themed LOVE sign sits in front of Mercury Fountain at Reston Town Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Building Burning for Firefighter Training — “On Thursday, 10/24, 8:30am-1:00pm, #FCFRD will be conducting live burn training at an acquired structure in the 3000 blk of Popkins Ln in the [Groveton area] of @fairfaxcounty. Expect to see smoke and FCFRD apparatus and personnel in the area.” [FCFRD/Twitter]

Judge to Hear Lawsuit over Virginia Voter Removals — “More than 1,600 Virginians have had their voter registrations canceled since August under a state program that the Justice Department and advocacy groups contend is illegal.” The Justice Department will make its case for blocking Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s effort to drop people flagged as “noncitizens” from voter rolls at a hearing today (Thursday). [Associated Press]

Metro to Open Early for Marathon — All Metro stations will open two hours early at 5 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27 for the 2024 Marine Corps Marathon, which will start and end near Arlington National Cemetery. “All lines will operate frequent all-day service and fares are up to $2.50 flat rate for any one-way trip.” [WMATA]

Huntington Club Development May Restart — After stalling due to financing challenges, developer IDI Group says there’s a “strong possibility” it can resume work on plans for a mixed-use community in 2025, thanks to falling interest rates. Fairfax County officials have discussed making the Huntington area eligible for economic incentives to encourage revitalization. [Washington Business Journal]

Fairfax Veterinary Clinic Nears Grand Opening — “Bond Vet, the new veterinarian clinic in the Scout on the Circle development in Fairfax City, is celebrating its grand opening with a Halloween-themed open house event. The Fairfax City community is invited to join the celebration from 12 to 2 p.m. on Saturday.” [Patch]

Turkish Dessert Shop Coming to Annandale — “Pasha Castle, a dessert, ice cream, and tea shop in Georgetown, is opening a second location in Annandale. The café will open in a building being renovated at 7228 Columbia Pike.” [Annandale Today]

GMU Students Research Language Barriers at Courthouse — “Members of a team of 15 volunteer students from the Jurisprudence Learning Community (JPLC) … are spending time in the hallways and offices of the busy [Fairfax County] court complex conducting a survey project aimed at helping the court understand the accessibility needs of court users.” [GMU]

McLean Library to Host Local Author Talk — Writer Mark Aldrich, who has also acted on Broadway and TV, will visit Dolley Madison Library at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26 to discuss his fantasy book series “The Peripherals.” Advance registration is required for the event, which still had seats available, as of press time. [Fairfax County Public Library]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 65 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 14 to 16 mph and gusts reaching up to 25 mph. As for Thursday night, it will be clear with a low temperature around 43 degrees, and a northwest wind at 5 to 7 mph. [NWS]

Event

A Safe Place: How to Prevent the Next School Shooting by local author

Poster advertising book 'A Safe Place' about preventing the next school shooting; features book cover and event details at Centreville Regional Library.

Centreville Regional Library

14200 St. Germain Dr.

Centreville, Virginia 20121

Website Contact

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.

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Around Town

FFXnow Daily Debrief for Oct 23, 2024

By FFXnow.com

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 23, 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 around 64 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind of 15 to 18 mph, gusting up to 25 mph. Thursday night will be clear, with temperatures dropping to around 40 degrees, and a northwest wind of 6 to 8 mph. 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

Herndon High’s football team records third shutout of fall season

By Dave Facinoli
The Herndon Hornets gather after a win (courtesy of Herndon athletics)

With a 30-0 road victory over the McLean Highlanders on Oct. 18, the Herndon Hornets recorded their third shutout of the high-school football season.

The Hornets improved to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the Liberty District with the win over McLean (3-5, 0-3). The victory also snapped a two-game losing streak.

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Sports

Multiple local golfers qualify for Girls State Open tournament

By Dave Facinoli
Raquel Walker will play in the Girls State Open (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

By shooting rounds in the 70s, eight golfers from Fairfax County high school teams earned berths at a qualifying competition to play in the upcoming Girls State Open.

Resulting from their strong play, three players from Robinson and one each from Fairfax, Langley, West Potomac, Woodson and Lake Braddock will participate in the 18-hole Virginia High School League tournament Oct. 28 at Heritage Oaks Golf Course in Harrisonburg.

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Countywide

Elevated fire danger alert issued, as D.C. area dry spell continues

By Angela Woolsey
The sun shines through trees along a street in McLean (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The D.C. area is facing an increased risk of fires tonight into tomorrow (Thursday) morning, the National Weather Service says.

The NWS has issued a reminder that there’s an “elevated fire danger” until 4 a.m. for Northern and Central Virginia, eastern West Virginia, D.C. and Maryland due to “persistent dry conditions” and “increasing winds,” followed by a cold front tomorrow.

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Around Town

Tysons Corner Center ponders the nature of time with new art exhibit

By Angela Woolsey
Canvas prints in "Time: A Contemplative Exhibit" were installed at Tysons Corner Center in mid-October (courtesy Tysons Corner Center)

The latest artworks to grace the walls of Tysons Corner Center aim to remind shoppers of a concept that malls are designed to make them forget: the passage of time.

Tysons Corner Center announced last Thursday (Oct. 17) that it has installed seven framed canvas prints created by artists from around the U.S., all centered around the theme of “Time.” The exhibit wraps up the second year of the mall’s “The Collection: Where Art Meets Fashion” program, which brings artwork from around the world to Tysons.

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