The Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) has fired an employee after she got arrested for allegedly engaging in a sexual relationship with a teenager.
Zoha Sultan, a 23-year-old woman from Lorton, was arrested on April 20 for her relationship with a teen attending the Lorton Community Center, where she worked, the Fairfax County Police Department announced yesterday (Tuesday).
According to NCS, the community center’s management “was made aware” on April 11 that an employee was having a relationship with a minor.
“Staff immediately notified Fairfax County Police Department and Child Protective Services,” NCS Division Director Chris Scales said. “The employee was immediately removed from the center’s work schedule and banned from the facility.”
NCS terminated Sultan’s employment on April 23, Scales said in the statement, which is being shared with Lorton Community Center participants.
The FCPD confirmed that the relationship was reported to its officers on April 11, prompting detectives to launch an investigation.
Sultan, who started working at the community center in January 2023, has been charged with four counts of indecent liberties with a minor by a person in a custodial position, according to the FCPD.
NCS and the police say anyone with additional information about the case can contact detectives at 703-246-7800, option 4. NCS can also be reached at 703-324-3480.
“We value the trust that families place in us to create a safe and nurturing environment where children can thrive and reach their full potential,” Scales said. “Their well-being and growth remain the highest priority for Fairfax County Neighborhood & Community Services.”
Located at 9520 Richmond Highway, the Lorton Community Center opened in October 2022 as part of a new campus that also hosts the Lorton Library and Lorton Park. The 30,000-square-foot facility includes space for the nonprofit Lorton Community Action Center, a senior center and a teen center.
Image via Google Maps
Pints and palettes will collide next month at the Workhouse Arts Center’s annual BrewWorks beer and arts festival in Lorton.
On Saturday, May 18, from noon to 5 p.m., attendees can enjoy craft beer tastings and watch artists compete in fast-paced painting and drawing competitions, according to a press release.
Roughly a dozen local breweries plan to participate in the festival, including Bunnyman Brewing, which is slated to open its second brewery location at the Lorton campus this summer. Other notable participants are Ono Brewing Company, Fair Winds Brewing Company, and Heritage Brewing Company. Various local food truck vendors will also be on-site to satisfy diverse palates.
Eight artists from the DMV area plan to compete in quick-fire rounds of painting and drawing. The art battle will unfold over three rounds, per the release.
Round 1 – 12:30 – 1:15 pm
Round 2 – 1:35 – 2:20 pm
Final Round – 2:40 – 3:35 pm
Festival attendees can also bid on the artwork during a silent auction from 3:45 – 4:50 p.m. following the battle.
General admission for attendees over 21 is $50, while tickets for non-alcoholic participants are $10.
A Lorton man has been arrested and charged with murder following a domestic-related fatal shooting on Wednesday night.
Police were called to Mount Vernon Hospital at 2501 Parker Lane in Hybla Valley following an incident where Huy Tien Nguyen, 47, admitted his girlfriend, Alison “Kate” LaPorta, 38, who had sustained a gunshot wound to her upper body, according to a Fairfax County Police Department press release.
Nguyen initially told officers the shooting occurred in a parking lot. However, detectives says they later determined Nguyen allegedly shot LaPorta inside the vehicle he used to then drive LaPorta to the hospital. Detectives recovered the firearm near Nguyen’s Lorton home.
Nguyen was charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. He was taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center where he is being held without bond.
Fairfax County is gearing up for the return of its 10 farmers’ markets this spring, with some locations set to return later this month and others in May.
The 2024 season starts on April 17 with the McCutcheon/Mount Vernon Farmers Market outside the Sherwood Regional Library (2501 Sherwood Hall Lane), the Fairfax County Park Authority announced last week.
Farmers and producers are only allowed to sell what they raise on their farms or make from scratch and come from within a 125-mile radius of Fairfax County, with a few exceptions for hard-to-find products, according to the county website.
“This year, you can expect to find locally grown produce, delicious baked goods, and prepared foods at our farmers markets,” the Fairfax County Park Authority said in a news release. “Additionally, enjoy a variety of family-friendly activities from musical performances, games — and don’t forget to bring your food scraps to support our community composting efforts.”
A list of vendors can be found on each market’s webpage, and SNAP will be accepted at the Mount Vernon, Annandale, Lorton, Reston and Wakefield locations.
Three farmers markets are coming back later in April, all operating from 8 a.m. to noon:
- April 17: McCutcheon/Mount Vernon on Wednesdays
- April 20: Burke at Burke Centre Field (5671 Roberts Parkway) on Saturdays
- April 27: Reston at Lake Anne Plaza (1608 Washington Plaza North) on Saturdays
The seven remaining farmers markets will open in May:
- May 1: Oakton at the recently renamed Oakmont Rec Center (3200 Jermantown Road) on Wednesdays 8 a.m.-noon, Wakefield at the Audrey Moore Rec Center (8100 Braddock Road) in Annandale on Wednesdays 2-6 p.m.
- May 2: Annandale at Mason District Park (6621 Columbia Pike) and Herndon outside the Herndon Municipal Center (765 Lynn Street) on Thursdays 8 a.m.-noon
- May 3: McLean at Lewinsville Park (1659 Chain Bridge Road) on Fridays 8 a.m.-noon, Kingstowne (5844-5862 Kingstowne Center) on Fridays 3-7 p.m.
- May 5: Lorton at Lorton Station Town Center (8994 Potomac Bend) on Sundays 8 a.m.-noon
(Updated at 5:05 p.m. on 2/29/2024) Fairfax County’s supervisors believe that grassland birds deserve a safe nesting ground, even if it’s atop a former landfill.
The Board of Supervisors directed county staff on Feb. 20 to work with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia to identify areas within the I-95 Landfill Complex (9850 Furnace Road) in Lorton where mowing can be minimized to protect grassland birds during their nesting season.
Though the facility still provides waste disposal services, most of the landfill closed around the late 1980s to early 1990s, according to Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck’s office.
Since then, the site has become a habitat for 100 species of grassland birds, including grasshopper sparrows, eastern meadowlarks, bobolinks and American kestrels.
“These are all birds of concern because of declining grassland habitats,” Greg Butcher, the former director of bird conservation for the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, told FFXnow in an email.
The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) currently has an agreement with the Audubon Society to permit bird monitoring at the landfill.
Recently, the environmental organization reached out to the board, urging the county to consider restrictions on mowing during the nesting season, from April 1 to mid-July, due to its potential to destroy nests and eggs and harm fledglings and adult birds.
However, since federal and state regulations require mowing for post-closure maintenance of the landfill, DPWES and the Audubon Society must collaborate with DEQ to devise a strategy that both preserves nesting birds and ensures access to the landfill cover and gas wells, while also maintaining proper drainage.
Representatives from DPWES and the Audubon Society are set to start discussions soon and aim to formulate a plan in the upcoming weeks, DPWES Deputy Director Eric Forbes told FFXnow in an email.
“We are anticipating about a month for the development and coordination of the pilot plan to try to be ready for this season’s bird nesting,” he said. “The pilot plan would include a map showing no mow areas, access pathways to our landfill infrastructure (gas wells and stormwater conveyance), and a schedule for mowing in non-peak nesting season.”
For its part, the Audubon Society plans to send volunteers to map the locations of the birds and their potential nesting areas, Butcher says. But he noted the organization doesn’t know yet how big the “no-mow” area will need to be.
It’s also unclear how much the project will cost, but the board asked staff to provide an estimate in a report.
The county’s future plans for the now-closed parts of the I-95 landfill include a solar panel array and a potential indoor skiing facility from the Tysons-based company Alpine-X.
In addition, a public park with trails, an amphitheater and other amenities is being developed on the former Lorton Landfill across the street at 10001 Furnace Road. Owned by Furnace Associates, Inc., the private landfill stopped accepting construction and demolition debris in 2018 and completed the closure process in 2021.
Correction: This story originally conflated the I-95 Landfill Complex with the privately owned Lorton Landfill. It has been updated to clarify that the two sites are different. Image via Google Maps
Another person has been killed in a crash in the Richmond Highway corridor.
Police and emergency medical services were dispatched to Memorial Street at Richmond Highway for a single-vehicle crash around 9:24 a.m. today (Thursday), according to scanner traffic on Open MHz.
An adult man was transported to a hospital in life-threatening condition. He was pronounced deceased at the hospital, the Fairfax County Police Department said at 10:37 a.m.
“Memorial St is closed as our Crash Reconstruction Unit investigates,” the police department tweeted.
Officers are on scene of a single vehicle crash on Memorial St at Richmond Hwy in Hybla Valley. One adult man was taken to the hospital in life threatening condition and pronounced deceased. Memorial St is closed as our Crash Reconstruction Unit investigates. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/Y4LgKkLIUH
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) February 22, 2024
Just minutes earlier, around 9:21 a.m., Richmond Highway was shut down in both directions in the Lorton area after a multiple-vehicle crash at Hassett Street. Police said at 10:16 a.m. that an adult woman was taken to a hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening.
“Please use an alternate route,” the FCPD said.
Both directions of Richmond Hwy closed for roadway clean up:
Officers on scene of a multiple vehicle crash at Richmond Hwy and Hassett St in Lorton. One adult woman taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Please use an alternate route. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/T4HyGmVAY9
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) February 22, 2024
There have now been four fatal crashes along Richmond Highway this month.
A man was arrested on Sunday (Feb. 18) after a reported hit-and-run that killed a pedestrian at the Brevard Court intersection in Woodlawn, and another pedestrian died in a crash at Belfield Road in Belle Haven on Feb. 15. In addition, a 19-year-old driver died after rear-ending a dump truck in Lorton on Feb. 14.
Map via Google Maps
(Updated at 2:25 p.m. on 2/15/2024) A 19-year-old driver was killed Wednesday (Feb. 14) when he crashed into a dump truck on Richmond Highway, police say.
Police and Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units were called to the intersection of Richmond Highway (Route 1) and Giles Run Road around 6:25 a.m. for the crash, according to scanner traffic on Open MHz.
“Caller’s advising he’s in a dump truck,” the dispatcher said, noting that at least one of the vehicles was reportedly overturned. “…The whole intersection is blocked.”
One of the drivers, an adult man, was declared dead at the scene, the Fairfax County Police Department said on Twitter at 7:14 a.m.
Richmond Highway was closed in both directions from Gunston Road to the exit ramp off I-95 while police investigated.
In an update released today (Thursday), the FCPD identified the man who died as Occoquan resident Jason Emeric Brunsman.
A preliminary investigation found that Brunsman was driving south on Richmond Highway in a Ford Transit van when he rear-ended a roll-back dumpster truck that was waiting to turn left onto Giles Run Road. The dump truck driver wasn’t injured in the crash, according to police.
“Preliminarily, detectives from our Crash Reconstruction Unit do not believe alcohol was a factor in the crash and are investigating to determine if speed was a factor,” the FCPD said.
Brunsman was the sixth person to be killed in a traffic crash in Fairfax County this year, the police department says. At this time in 2023, there had been three fatalities.
Officers are on scene of a fatal vehicle crash involving a dump truck and a van at the intersection of Rt. 1 & Giles Run in Lorton. Rt. 1 closed in both directions for the investigation. One adult male driver declared deceased at the scene. Please use an alternate route. pic.twitter.com/jlgyZmLjpF
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) February 14, 2024
Image via VDOT
Fairfax County police recently arrested a D.C. man who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman at a park in Lorton on New Year’s Day.
Police believe Mohannad Yousef Abura, 39, may have posed as a ride-share driver when he picked up the woman in Dupont Circle after midnight on Jan. 1, according to a news release published today.
Driving a blue Volkswagen Jetta sedan, Abura offered to take the woman home but instead drove her to an unnamed Lorton park and sexually assaulted her, the Fairfax County Police Department says.
Abura was arrested on Jan. 30, according to county court records. He has been charged with rape and abduction with the intent to defile, both felonies.
“Detectives are concerned there may be additional victims and are seeking information from the community who may have had unlawful contact with Abura,” the FCPD said.
The department is asking community members to call its Major Crimes Bureau detectives at 703-246-7800, option 3, if they have any information. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Fairfax Crime Solvers.
Abura is currently in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond. A preliminary hearing in the case has been scheduled for May 7, per the Fairfax County General District Court.
(Updated at 1:30 p.m. on 12/8/2023) A growing chain restaurant that specializes in poke bowls is making its first foray into Fairfax County.
Poke Bros. says it anticipates a “large audience of hungry customers” for today’s grand opening of its new franchise in Lorton Marketplace. Doors will open at 9453 Lorton Market Street, Suite 17, at 11 a.m.
“Most fast food options out there are the same old fried food,” Poke Bros founder Xue Gong Chen said in a press release. “We’re proud that Poke Bros gives people something that’s quick and easy for lunch or dinner but with fresh, healthy ingredients and great flavor. Good food should be easy to grab on the go.”
A traditional Hawaiian cuisine, poke originated in pre-colonial days as cut-up raw fish that was eaten with fresh seaweed and preserved with sea salt. Influenced by Japanese immigrants, the dish evolved into its present-day form around the 1970s, becoming trendy in the mainland U.S. over the past decade — to some disapproval from Hawaiians.
Poke Bros was started in 2016 by Chen and two friends who first encountered the dish during a trip to California, according to its website. They opened the first restaurant in December of that year in Columbus, Ohio, with the goal of bringing “an inexpensive and accessible product” to the Midwest.
The fast-casual chain has now expanded to 72 locations in 13 states. The Lorton franchise is just the company’s second in Virginia, joining a location in Midlothian, and its first in the immediate D.C. area.
The menu features signature bowls — such as a “Johnny Utah” with salmon, avocado, edamame, cucumber, masago, Sriracha aioli and the chain’s exclusive, soy-based OG sauce — as well as a build-your-own option with rice and salad bases. There’s also mochi ice cream.
Anchored by Amazon Fresh, Lorton Marketplace is one of three main commercial centers emerging in the area once dominated by Lorton Prison. Other dining options in the shopping center include Glory Days Grill, Chipotle, Tropical Smoothie Cafe and the Japanese restaurant Tokyo One.
The Junior League of Northern Virginia has committed to providing at least 8,000 period products to clients of the Lorton Community Action Center over the next year.
The mission of the Lorton center is to enhance the quality of life for clients by providing food, basic needs, and self-sufficiency programs.
“The Lorton Community Action Center has had a longstanding relationship with the Junior League of Northern Virginia,” said Rob Rutland-Brown, executive director of the center. “We are thrilled that JLNV is stepping into an even more generous role – these donations will ensure that women have access to necessary period products whenever they need them,”
The deepened partnership is part of the Junior League’s new focus: Women Helping Women, a commitment to providing essential services and professional development training opportunities for women and families in the community, according to a news release.
Michelle Freeman, president of the Junior League, noted that statistics show that 20% of women in the Washington area live in poverty.
“Lack of access to period products is often a hidden consequence,” she added. “Our partnership will provide much-needed period products in our local area and really embraces our new focus area.”
Photo via Google Maps. This article was written by FFXnow’s news partner InsideNoVa.com and republished with permission. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.
