(Updated at 4:45 pm) Local police have arrested a man suspected of crashing a stolen car into a Lorton home earlier this morning at around 4:40 a.m.
Nico Anthony Doublet, 32, was arrested today (Thursday), after a community-led search.
The car drove into a home in the area of Cumbria Valley Drive and Derwent Valley Court. The suspect was wearing dark clothing and a surgical mask. He is described as a Black male in his 20s.
Police said the man was seen taking things from various cars in the neighborhood. Police attempted to stop the man in the act, but he sped away in the stolen car — which was taken from the neighborhood.
Officers followed him on foot, after which the man crashed into an electrical transformer near the house. The house and car then caught fire.
No injuries were reported, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
Officers are in the area of Cumbria Valley Dr. and Derwent Valley Ct. in Lorton, for a stolen car that drove into a house. The suspect is described as a B/M in his 20s, wearing dark clothing and a surgical mask. There are no injuries at this time. Call 911 w/ info. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/O0SYYL3Qom
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) September 7, 2023
Fairfax County is making another push to fund pedestrian safety improvements at Shrevewood Elementary School in Idylwood.
The long-gestating crosswalks project is one of five that the Fairfax County Department of Transportation intends to submit to the state for funding consideration under the federal Transportation Alternatives grant program.
“This program invests in community-based projects that expand non-motorized travel choices and enhance the transportation experience by improving the cultural, historical and environmental aspect of the transportation infrastructure,” FCDOT said in a press release last week.
For fiscal year 2025, which starts July 1, 2024, the department will request a total of $9.2 million to fill walkway gaps to the Mason Neck Trail in Lorton, add a shared-use path on Compton Road in Centreville, and support three Safe Routes to Schools projects — a program that encourages students to walk and bike to school.
Shrevewood Elementary School — Safe Routes to School
- Total estimated cost: $2.99 million
- Grant request: $1.14 million
Part of a larger effort to improve safety in the Shreve Road corridor after a fatal crash in 2019, this project will add marked crosswalks at Fairwood Lane, the school’s eastern driveway and across Virginia Lane at Virginia Avenue. The Fairwood Lane crosswalk will include a pedestrian refuge island.
FCDOT says the crosswalks “will provide neighborhood access to school amenities” and the nearby Washington & Old Dominion Trail.
Bush Hill Elementary School — Safe Routes to School
- Total estimated cost: $3.66 million
- Grant request: $1.86 million
Approximately 850 feet of sidewalk will be added on Bush Hill Drive between Ninian Avenue and Larno Avenue in Rose Hill.
“Completing this missing sidewalk link will improve safety and accessibility for children walking and bicycling to school,” FCDOT said.
Lake Braddock Secondary School — Safe Routes to School
- Total estimated cost: $2.55 million
- Grant request: $2.04 million
Crosswalks and a pedestrian signal will be constructed at the school’s entrance on Burke Lake Road. The project will also reconstruct a sidewalk on the road’s south side to be 6 feet wide and bring six ramps up to ADA standards.
Mason Neck Trail
- Total estimated cost: $13.96 million
- Grant request: $1.7 million
The project will build missing pieces of the walkway along Gunston Road from Richmond Highway (Route 1) to the existing trail.
Compton Road Walkway
- Total estimated cost: $9.3 million
- Grant request: $2.5 million
Approximately 550 feet of a 10-foot-wide, paved shared use path will be added on the east side of Compton Road, connecting the Cub Run Stream Valley Trail with an existing path crossing to the Bull Run Regional Events Center’s entrance.
The project will also widen a bridge over Cub Run to accommodate the shared use path.
FCDOT Communications Specialist Lynn Krolowitz noted that the grant request amounts could be revised if the project cost estimates changed before the applications are finalized in October.
“FCDOT select projects based on several factors such as program eligibility criteria and project readiness requirements, the need of continued funding for existing projects, and previous Board approval/consideration, which assumes some level of public involvement,” Krolowitz said in an email to FFXnow.
To be eligible for Transportation Alternatives grants, projects must have already gotten public feedback, be ready for design, require less than four years of construction, have a “logical” endpoint — such as an existing sidewalk or a road intersection — and be beneficial even if no other improvements are made in the area, according to FCDOT.
Three of the projects under consideration in this round, including the Shrevewood project, have previously gotten the grants, giving them priority in the selection process, Krolowtiz says.
FCDOT will host a virtual public input meeting to discuss the proposed projects at 6 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday).
Image via Google Maps
Updated at 4:45 p.m. — The Tornado Warning was terminated early at 4:33 p.m., but Severe Thunderstorm and Flash Flood warnings remain in effect until around 5 p.m. and 7:45 p.m., respectively.
Updated at 4:25 p.m. — A Tornado Warning has also been issued until 4:45 p.m.
“At 418 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Franconia, or over Springfield, moving northeast at 25 mph,” the National Weather Service said.
Updated at 4:20 p.m. — The Flash Flood Warning has been expanded to include the Tysons area, Vienna and Annandale.
Earlier: This afternoon’s rush-hour commute will be a wet one.
A thunderstorm has reached Fairfax County, and it could bring some flooding, according to the National Weather Service.
The agency has issued a Flash Flood Warning specifically for the southern half of the county and the Fairfax City area. The alert will be in effect until 8 p.m.
“Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads,” the NWS said. “Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Basement flooding can occur quickly and create a life-threatening situation. If you are in a basement, or a residence below street level, move to a higher floor immediately.”
[8/14/23 3:57P M] Fairfax County is currently in a FLASH FLOOD WARNING until 8:00 PM EDT. pic.twitter.com/jN2YCPJtLB
— Ready Fairfax (@ReadyFairfax) August 14, 2023
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is also in effect until 4:30 p.m., affecting the Fort Belvoir, Mount Vernon and Lorton areas.
According to the NWS, radar showed “a severe thunderstorm” moving northeast at 20 mph from Quantico at 4:02 p.m. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph are possible.
“Damaging winds will cause some trees and large branches to fall,” the agency warns. “This could injure those outdoors, as well as damage homes and vehicles. Roadways may become blocked by downed trees. Localized power outages are possible. Unsecured light objects may become projectiles.”
The full Flash Flood Warning is below:
* Flash Flood Warning for…Southern Fairfax County in northern Virginia…Prince William County in northern Virginia…The City of Fairfax in northern Virginia…
* Until 800 PM EDT.
* At 353 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain developing across the warned area. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash
flooding is expected to begin shortly.HAZARD…Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE…Radar.
IMPACT…Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include…
Centreville…Dale City… Annandale…Springfield… Fairfax…Fort Hunt… Groveton…Huntington… Mantua…Fort Belvoir… Woodbridge…Quantico… Lake Ridge…Burke… Oakton…Lincolnia… Montclair…
Lorton… Franconia…This includes the following Flood Prone Roads:
Woodburn Road at Accotink Creek…Fairfax Boulevard at Oak Street…Fairfax Boulevard at University Drive…Pickett Rd at Accotink Creek near Old Pickett Rd… Mine Road and Cameron Street…
Oakton residents will have a new Tex-Mex restaurant in their stretch of Fairfax County at the end of the month.
Taco Rock will be moving into a 3,206-square-foot space at the Oakton Shopping Center (2930 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 102) by the end of August, Divaris Real Estate Assistant Vice President Christopher Saa confirmed via email.
“If you’re looking for a great atmosphere, amazing cocktails and hands down the best tacos and street food, Taco Rock is where you want to be,” Saa said in a February press release. “Mike and his team have created a super cool concept that has proved itself in the market. We are excited to see what the future holds and are in expansion mode as we speak.”
Last year, Taco Rock told FFXnow that it would also be opening a new location at Liberty Market, a mixed-use development in Lorton, occupying approximately 2,770 square feet of space at the center that also houses grocer Lidl.
The press release from Feb. 13 notes that the Lorton storefront is set to open this fall, which will make it the fifth Taco Rock to hit Northern Virginia, alongside locations in Rosslyn, Alexandria and Falls Church.
Founded in 2019 by Chef Mike Cordero, his sons Nick and Anthony Cordero and partner Chef Stefano Marzano, Taco Rock is best known for its blue corn tortilla tacos and ice cream churro sandwiches accompanied by rock and roll music.
Cordero Hospitality employs over 300 people in Northern Virginia, the press release says.
The arrival of one of the largest indoor ski facilities in the world to Fairfax County is still up in the air.
Alpine-X, a Tysons-based company, had hoped to file plans late last year to lease land at the county-owned I-95 landfill in Lorton for the public-private project called Fairfax Peak.
“Market changes” pushed that goal back, according to Alpine-X Chief Financial Officer Jim Calder.
“We’re hoping to have a better sense of timing in the next three months,” Calder said.
“The current markets/inflationary construction costs have impacted our timeline,” a spokesperson for the company told FFXnow. “However, our goal is to transition to rapid development as soon as these factors improve.”
Alpine-X filed a proposal in 2018 to build the 450,000-square-foot snow sports facility with a 1,700-foot ski slope.
Other features of the proposed snow sports complex might include multiple ski slopes, a water park, gravity ropes course, areas for skiing and snowboarding, restaurants, a gondola, a luxury hotel and a gravity-powered mountain coaster, according to the submitted proposal.
In December 2021, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted to extend the negotiation period between the county and the company until Dec. 31, 2023.
A vacant property along I-95 near Lorton Marketplace may not be vacant for much longer.
Milestone Properties is pitching either a recycling center or storage facility for the nearly three-acre site at 9420 Gunston Cove Road, which is currently home to a 75-foot retaining wall that will remain on the property.
The applicant is considering three options for the property: a recycling center, storage yard, or storage for building materials and sales purposes.
The recycling center operation would involve buying scrap metal from demolition and construction projects in the area. Metal would be consolidated and sold wholesale to users. A dozen employees would work at the site, with roughly 10 to 15 daily deliveries from contractors dropping off scrap metal.
The second option would also require up to 15 employees but would only involve the storage of construction and landscaping equipment, along with other large items. No sales of goods will occur on site, according to the application.
The final use would involve storage and sales of lumber, rock, gravel, landscaping and other materials. Sales would be allowed but not to the general public.
So far, Milestone Properties wants to phase the uses. In the first phase, a trailer with an office, two 90-foot truck scales, and outdoor storage in three locations would be provided. The plan calls for 21 parking spaces and three loading spots.
The second phase will consist of a nearly 16,000-square-foot building. The 40-foot-tall building would contain most of the storage areas.
The application is in the early phases of Fairfax County’s proposal process and has not yet been formally accepted for review.
Photo via Google Maps
(Updated at 12:40 p.m.) A massive fire broke out last night (Monday) at the Rainwater Landfill on Richmond Highway in Lorton, occupying Fairfax County firefighters for hours.
As of 9 a.m., the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department remains on scene in the 9900 block of Richmond Highway after units were dispatched to a reported outside fire at 11:03 p.m.
The department reported at 5:47 a.m. that the fire had been contained, but smoke was still visible from Route 1 and I-95.
Given the size of the fire, it will be at least 24 hours before investigators can determine a cause, FCFRD spokesperson Ashley Hildebrandt told FFXnow.
“The fire was contained to the landfill,” Hildebrandt said, describing the site as an area for construction debris rather than a trash landfill.
Established in 1969, Rainwater Topsoil & Recycled Concrete provides mulch, soil, construction and other debris disposal services to Northern Virginia, according to its website.
The mulch section of the landfill appears to have been most affected, since the fire department says the site is “mainly logs & brush.”
“Due to the amount of smoke generated, HazMat units conducted atmospheric monitoring. All readings are within normal levels,” the FCFRD said at 12:25 p.m.
Around 11pm #FCFRD units responded to a landfill in the 9900 blk of Richmond Hwy in Lorton for reports of an outside fire. Crews are actively working to get the large volume fire under control & will be on scene for an extended period of time. Smoke is visible from Rte 1 & I-95. pic.twitter.com/d9sLBnKfuC
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) June 6, 2023
UPDATE 9900 Richmond Hwy: The fire is under control. The landfill is mainly logs & brush. Due to the amount of smoke generated, HazMat units conducted atmospheric monitoring. All readings are within normal levels. Crews to remain on scene to assist w/ extinguishment efforts. pic.twitter.com/0nDFtDB0nM
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) June 6, 2023
Fairfax County Public Library is kicking off its summer reading program with a different approach this year.
The Fairfax Library Foundation will launch its inaugural Children’s Summer Reading Festival at two libraries this month to celebrate the beginning of FCPL’s annual summer reading program.
“We hope these festivals help get Fairfax County kids and adults excited for our Summer Reading Adventure,” FCPL Director Jessica Hudson said. “This year’s summer reading theme is All Together Now so we thought throwing a huge party would be a good fit! Thank you so much to the Fairfax Library Foundation for organizing these festivals.”
The first festival takes place on June 10 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lorton Library (9520 Richmond Highway). The second event takes place on June 24 from 4-7 p.m. at Chantilly Regional Library (4000 Stringfellow Road).
We are so excited to announce the launch of an exciting new event to kick-off @fairfaxlibrary’s summer reading program this year. Join us for the fun on June 10 at Lorton Library or June 24 at Chantilly Regional Library. Details here: https://t.co/Z4PODbulh5 pic.twitter.com/Z4vrGlrw0O
— Fairfax Library Foundation (@FLFoundation) May 19, 2023
The festival will include games, crafts, a bounce house, mini zoo, snacks, face-painting, food trucks and a photo booth.
Although both festivals are free, online registration is encouraged.
Registration for the summer reading program opens online on June 10. Paper logs will be available at all branches before the program kicks off on June 16. Individuals who register early will get priority for raffle entries to win Scrawl Books gift cards.
Adults who finish the program will get a coupon book and will be entered into other raffles for $25 gift cards for AMC, Barnes & Noble and VISA, along with other prizes — including four tickets to Escape Room Herndon.
In Chantilly, the festival will be followed by a free outdoor screening of Disney’s “Frozen: Sing-Along Edition,” Fairfax Library Foundation Development Director Cheryl Lee said.
(Updated at 10:25 a.m. on 5/24/2023) Construction has begun on a new warehouse for the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) in the Newington area.
The organization, which supports nonprofits and provides meals to residents throughout the D.C. region, broke ground on the 43,000-square-foot distribution facility at 6833 Hill Park Drive, Lorton, on May 15.
Expected to more than double CAFB’s capacity in Northern Virginia, the new warehouse replaces a smaller building on the same site that the food bank says “no longer had the size or efficiencies required to address the area’s rising need.”
“Building an expanded facility in Northern Virginia couldn’t come at a more important time: in the wake of the pandemic and sustained rates of inflation, there are still so many in our community who are struggling to make ends meet and to access enough nutritious food,” CAFB President and CEO Radha Muthiah said. “This building is an investment in the future of thousands of Northern Virginians, both today and in the years to come.”
About 24% of Fairfax County residents reported experiencing food insecurity in 2021, putting it on the lower end of a spectrum that ranged from 21% in Arlington County to 48% in Prince George’s County, according to CAFB’s 2022 Hunger Report.
Expected to be released this September, the next hunger report could tell an even more sobering story after a year of inflation and diminishing public assistance. As of February, food prices were 10% higher than that time last year, CAFB said in its annual report, and the end of emergency SNAP benefits placed new pressure on local food banks.
(Correction: This article previously said the next hunger report is expected this summer. While last year’s report came out in June, CAFB says this year’s will likely be published in September, coinciding with Hunger Action Month.)
Capital Area Food Bank distributed nearly three times as many meals in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic as in the preceding year, Fairfax County leaders said last year. In February 2022, the county’s Board of Supervisors approved a $5 million contribution from its federal Covid relief funds to support to the food bank’s warehouse expansion.
CAFB projects that the project will cost a total of $35 million, which it hopes to cover with both public and private funding. So far, seven localities and Virginia have invested over $9 million, and Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Rep. Gerry Connolly, have requested federal Community Project Funding.
“The new 43,000 square-foot facility will be nearly 3.5 times larger than the existing building, allowing the food bank to store and distribute more produce, provide more space for its partner nonprofits to pick up food, and offer volunteering opportunities at its Virginia warehouse for the first time,” CAFB said in a press release.
In addition to hosting a new volunteer center, the warehouse will be larger and more flexible with updated equipment compared to the previous building, which was built in 1982.
The old warehouse’s cooler and storage space had become inadequate, and maintenance was “cost-prohibitive,” CAFB said.
The new building is expected to be completed by late summer 2024.
CAFB isn’t the only local food assistance nonprofit to seek a capacity boost recently. Food for Others opened an addition to its Merrifield warehouse in February that allows clients to shop for groceries.
CAFB distributes more than 50 million meals across the D.C. region annually, according to its website. The organization’s main distribution facility is in northeast D.C.
A 46-year-old motorcyclist died in a crash on Hooes Road in Lorton late last week.
Springfield resident Samuel Gensler was riding a 2001 Harley Davidson north on Hooes Road Friday (May 19) afternoon when he lost control at the curve approaching the Crosspointe Glen Way intersection, the Fairfax County Police Department says.
According to police, Gensler veered off the roadway, “struck a driveway and was separated from the motorcycle.”
Police officers responded to the scene at 4:54 p.m. Gensler was transported to a nearby hospital, where he died.
“Detectives continue to investigate to determine whether speed and alcohol were factors in the crash,” the FCPD said in a news release on Saturday (May 20).
Gensler is the sixth non-pedestrian to be killed in a crash on Fairfax County roads this year — double the number of fatalities seen at this point in 2022, according to the FCPD. Earlier this month, another motorcyclist died in a crash on Richmond Highway in Lorton.
There have also been four pedestrian deaths, most recently when a fire engine hit a woman in Reston.
Those numbers from the FCPD don’t include highway incidents, such as last week’s fatal crash with a deer on the Dulles Access Road in Tysons. In total, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has recorded 11 fatalities in Fairfax County this year, though state data doesn’t show any deaths in May yet.
