morning notes

Missing Woman Found Dead in Springfield — “Officers responded to the 7600 block of Highland Street in Springfield [on Friday, June 14] for a death investigation. A community member alerted officers to a body that was found near a wooded area. Officers located and identified Fayra Desiree Bonilla-Rubi, 26, of Springfield. She was reported missing on June 10 by family members.” [FCPD]

Pickleball Players Stage Sit-In at Annandale Courts — “The Fairfax County Park Authority has followed through on its decision to shut down pickleball at Kendale Woods Park…but the players have not given up on their fight to save the courts. As a Park Authority staff member and contractors showed up at the courts before 7 a.m. on June 14, they were met with a handful of players staging a sit-in.” [Annandale Today]

FCPS to Add More Early-Release Mondays — “Fairfax County Public Schools is adding seven early release days to its elementary school calendar for the 2024-25 school year so teachers have enough time to finish required Virginia trainings. At Thursday’s school board meeting, Superintendent Michelle Reid unveiled the plan to add the three-hour early release days on seven Mondays.” [WTOP]

Vienna Police Stop Ice Cream Truck — Vienna police officers stopped an ice cream truck on Ayr Hill Avenue NE around 3:43 p.m. on June 6 for “violating the noise ordinance and soliciting without a permit.” After the officers found that the truck’s tags were expired and the driver lacked a required solicitor permit, the driver agreed to stop operating it until he got the permit and updated the vehicle’s registration. [Vienna Police]

Sandwich Shop Coming to Huntington — “JaWa Sandwich Shop, a restaurant specializing in a variety of sandwiches, will open at the former WNB Factory space at Huntington Gateway, according to owner Seung Lee…Following a soft opening in early July, Lee anticipates a grand opening for JaWa in August.” [On the MoVe]

Man Docks at Every Capital Bikeshare Station — “[Stanley] Seiden, a contractor with the State Department, spent the next two years traveling to far-flung corners of the DMV, on a quest to visit every single Capital Bikeshare station. While the app stopped giving him push notifications after about 13 percent, Seiden kept pedaling, and last Saturday he reached his goal.” [Washingtonian]

Stamps Featuring U.N. HQ Unveiled in Tysons — “The United Nations Postal Administration issued a pane of 10 stamps June 7 showing images of the U.N. headquarters in New York City…The Napex stamp show held June 7-9 at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, 7920 Jones Branch Drive in McLean, Va., hosted a first-day ceremony for the stamps.” [Linn’s Stamp News]

It’s Monday — Expect sunshine and a high temperature of around 91°F, accompanied by a south wind at about 10 mph. As night falls, the weather will be mostly clear with a low temperature near 70°F and a south wind ranging between 6 and 10 mph. [NWS]

Local Man Raises Money to Feed People in Gaza — “On Wednesday, the head of the World Health Organization said that thousands of people in Gaza are facing ‘catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions.’ For months, a man in Fairfax County has been raising money to provide food for starving families in his homeland.” [FOX5]

Fairfax Police Investigate Reported Gunshots — “City of Fairfax Police and Fairfax County Police responded to the report of gunshots being heard over four recent nights in the area of Arlington Boulevard and Pickett Road…The sound of gunshots were reported Wednesday-Friday, June 5-7 and Monday, June 11, according to police. No injuries have been reported.” [Patch]

Man Recognized for Upkeep of Historic Cemetery — “The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution’s Arlington House chapter recently honored Fairfax County resident Bill Muras with its Community Service Award” for his involvement in the Fairfax Villa community, his role as a local coach and his assistance in maintaining “a small historic cemetery located northwest of the Fairfax campus of George Mason University.” [Gazette Leader]

Vienna Bids Farewell to Old Merry-Go-Round — “Community members bid farewell [on June 11] to the beloved, yet broken merry-go-round at Meadow Lane Park. All of the kids and kids at heart had one last opportunity to enjoy a snack with friends by the memory-making spinning machine…A new and improved one will be installed so stay tuned for updates.” [Town of Vienna/Facebook]

New Name Proposed for Metrobus Route — “The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) 11Y bus service, otherwise known as the Mount Vernon Express, could be renamed under the WMATA’s system-wide Better Bus Network redesign.” The route would continue to offer direct service between Mount Vernon and D.C. [On the MoVe]

Bagel Shop Opens in Dulles Airport — “NOW OPEN!!! Stop into Bagels & More Cafe Bakery in Concourse C and indulge in our delightful selection of bagel sandwiches, paninis, and other mouthwatering options!” [Dulles Airport/Twitter]

Grant Approved for Annandale Park Fencing — “The Fairfax County Park Authority Board has approved matching funds in the total amount of $6,205 to support the extension of the fencing around field 6 at Pine Ridge Park.” The other half of the funding will come from the Braddock Road Youth Club (BRYC). [FCPA]

Reminder to Get Kids Vaccinated — “As the 2023-24 school year ends and summer begins, it’s a great time for children to get up to date on their immunizations. Parents and caregivers are urged to make an appointment for their child now with their health care provider to avoid the last-minute rush before the 2024-25 school year starts.” [Fairfax County Health Department]

It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny skies today, with the temperature reaching a high of around 93 degrees. Showers and thunderstorms are possible after 5pm, with a 30% chance of precipitation. Night will have mostly cloudy skies and a low of about 67 degrees. [NWS]

Free Meals Available for Kids This Summer — “In Fairfax County, most summer meal programs begin June 17, offering breakfast and lunch at schools and community centers in Alexandria, Falls Church, Reston, Herndon, McLean, Springfield, Chantilly, Burke, Annandale and Vienna.” The Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services is also providing meals to participants in its Camp Fairfax and Teens in Action programs. [Inside NoVA]

New Lake Accotink Studies Coming — “The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is making progress on the evaluation of Lake Accotink, Braddock Supervisor James Walkinshaw reports in the June edition of the Braddock Beacon.” A team of county staff and a consultant will “share the scope and timeline with the public in July before authorizing work on the feasibility study.” [Annandale Today]

Meeting to Seek Ideas for RTC North Green Space — “Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn is hosting a town hall meeting on Monday to begin the planning process to determine what should be done with the central green that’s included as part of the Reston Town Center North project.” The meeting will start at 7 p.m. at the North County Governmental Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive). [Patch]

No McLean Art Festival This Year — “MPAartfest, which each October brings throngs of visitors to McLean Central Park to view artworks and take part in children’s activities, will not be held this year because Fairfax County Park Authority renovations at the park will wrap up too close to the festival date, McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) officials announced recently.” [Gazette Leader]

Amazon Replenishes Affordable Housing Fund — “Amazon has committed an additional $1.4 billion to its Housing Equity Fund to provide more affordable housing in the National Capital region, Seattle, and Nashville.” The new funding is expected to add 35,000 homes in those areas. “The company will release more information about the funding later this summer.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

FCPD Gets New LGBTQ Liaison Officer — “We’re proud to introduce PFC Tiara Goode as our new LGBTQ Liaison Officer! Starting her journey in the McLean District, PFC Goode is a valued Honor Guard member and currently works as a detective in our recruiting section. Her role is vital in fostering inclusivity and support within the department and the community.” [FCPD/Facebook]

Reston Construction Contractor Exec Dies — “Jason Wilt, a top executive at Winmar Construction and Winmar Advisory, has died after a brief illness, according to a Monday post from the company on LinkedIn. He was 53. Wilt was a principal and vice president of operations at the Reston-based general contractor.” [Washington Business Journal]

Tysons Events Company Makes Acquistion — “On Monday, Cvent closed its third acquisition this year, buying Reposite, a New York vendor whose artificial intelligence-powered database helps match event planners with suppliers. While Cvent already has a vendor marketplace, the addition of 4-year-old Reposite will allow it to integrate things like requests for proposals and payments into its existing system, Cvent said.” [WBJ]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny conditions with a high near 88 and a gentle south wind ranging from 3 to 8 mph. For Thursday night, it will be mostly clear with a low around 70 and a south wind maintaining a speed of around 7 mph. [NWS]

Geese Escorted Across I-395 — “If you were wondering about all the honking [was] on I-395 [Tuesday] morning: a gander of geese briefly took over a portion of the express lanes near Edsall Road…The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) briefly shut down two lanes of I-395 and received an escort from Virginia State Police and Safety Service Patrol.” [ALXnow]

Fundraiser Launched for Boy Killed by Train — “Eli Medrano, the Weyanoke Elementary School second-grader killed in a train crash on June 5, is remembered for his ‘larger than life personality, terrific sense of humor, and a smile that could light up the room.’ That quote is from a GoFundMe page set up by soccer coach Ben Sprague on behalf of Jeffrey Medrano.” [Annandale Today]

Blake Lane Improvements Proposed — “Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik’s office is soliciting feedback about the recently released final report from the Blake Lane Pedestrian Road Safety Audit. Members of the public can provide feedback about the report by completing an online survey.” [Patch]

Rehabilitations Planned for Historic Homes — “Several houses built in Southeast Fairfax County between the Civil War and World War II period are in the process of getting rehabilitated through preservation projects by federal and county organizations. The exterior repair and rehabilitation of the Non-Commissioned Officer’s Quarters at Fort Hunt Park is one such example.” [On the MoVe]

Clarification on Justice Alito’s Residency — “Samuel Alito lives in Fairfax County. His Fort Hunt neighborhood is about six miles from Alexandria’s city hall, about as close to that building as the Jefferson Memorial is. His taxes go to Fairfax County…And yet, in the eyes of many national outlets, Alito is an Alexandrian.” [Washingtonian]

Tysons Business Leader Builds McLean Mansion — Cvent Inc. co-founder and CEO Reggie Aggarwal and his wife have sold their existing McLean home and moved into a new, 19,000-square-foot mansion on Mackall Farms Lane that features “seven bedrooms, eight full-baths and three half-baths, an indoor pool and hot tub, kitchen with double island, golf simulator, indoor basketball court and fitness center, wine storage, theater with seating for at least 15, outdoor pizza oven, tennis courts and a seven-car garage.” [Washington Business Journal]

Local Author Reflects on Past With New Novel — “Author Frances Park takes you from the streets of postwar Korea to an apartment complex in Fairfax County in her sweeping historical novel, Blue Rice…The cinematic tale hits close to home for Springfield native Park, whose mother grew up in northern Korea and immigrated to the U.S. after the war.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 83 with a calm wind that shifts westward at around 5 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday night will be partly cloudy, with a low temperature around 66. [NWS]

Teen Acquited of Murder in Mount Vernon Shooting — “After about six hours of deliberation, a Fairfax Circuit Court jury found Kareem Valentine, 18, not guilty of murder and felony firearm use in the Sept. 1 killing of Joshua Fieldings. Valentine was found guilty of juvenile gun possession, a misdemeanor charge that holds a maximum sentence of one year in prison.” [Washington Post]

County to Offer Free HIV Testing — “Throughout the last week of June, the Fairfax County Health Department is offering free HIV and STI testing and education at our health clinics. If needed, care and treatment support will also be offered.” The clinics will coincide with National HIV Testing Day on June 27. [FCHD]

Popular Lincolnia Pet Store Closes — “After 10 years and three different locations in Barcroft Plaza, Chico’s Natural Pet Market has closed for good. But it’s not going away forever, as the owner, Danielle Areco, is searching for a new location. Areco spent the store’s last day, Sunday, June 9, hosting an ice cream party for dogs with big markdowns on pet supplies for humans.” [Annandale Today]

Advocacy Group Questions I-495 Southside Plan — “A proposal to add express lanes, and even Metro, to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge is getting some pushback from the Coalition for Smarter Growth. The Coalition says that, if enacted, the Virginia Department of Transportation’s 495 Southside Study will create traffic bottlenecks.” [ALXnow]

Water Mains to Be Replaced in Fairfax Neighborhood — “Fairfax Water will replace selected water mains in an area of the Fairview neighborhood due to increased maintenance problems…Fairfax Water’s contractor, A&M Concrete Corp., is scheduled to begin work in June.” [Fairfax City]

Chantilly Contractor Buys Reston Startup — “Chantilly government contractor VTG…announced Monday that it has acquired Clear Cloud LLC, a Reston startup that, like VTG, provides technology services to U.S. defense and intelligence agencies.” Clear Cloud has between 51 and 200 employees, while VTG had 1,300 employees, as of the end of 2022. [Washington Business Journal]

The Who Singer to Rock Wolf Trap — “Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who, performs live at Wolf Trap on Wednesday, June 12, with a touring band that includes Pete Townshend’s younger brother Simon Townshend.” Daltry reflects on the rock band’s origins and work through its Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1990 in an interview. [WTOP]

Name Suggestions for Former School to Be Unveiled — “Fairfax County is seeking community feedback on a new name and identity for the Original Mount Vernon High School (OMVHS) as part of the building’s ongoing renovation and adaptive reuse project.” Name and branding design options will be presented at a meeting on June 18 at the Gerry Hyland Government Center. [On the MoVe]

It’s Tuesday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high near 77 and a gentle northwest wind at around 6 mph. As for Tuesday night, the skies will be mostly clear and the temperature will drop to around 60, with a north wind at around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. [NWS]

Families of Oakton Crash Victims Still Grieving — “Yan, his wife, and other family members joined supporters Friday afternoon at the corner of Blake Lane and Five Oaks Road in Fairfax to mark the second anniversary of the deaths of Lee Yan Hanjia and her friend, Ada Gabriela Martinez Nolasco.” [Patch]

Former Nats Star Leaves McLean House — Retired Washington Nationals pitcher and one-time World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg reflected on his baseball career and its challenging end “over calamari and salmon at a white-tableclothed Tysons Corner seafood restaurant.” Strasburg recently moved out of his McLean home to return to San Diego, California. [Washington Post]

Residents Plan Legal Action to Keep Pickleball Courts — “Residents of the Broyhill Crest community in Annandale who’ve been fighting to retain the pickleball courts at Kendale Woods Park have lost their battle to retain them — at least for the time being. The Park Authority announced it will begin removing pickleball from the park this coming week…The fight isn’t over, however. The pickleball players plan to file a legal injunction to stop the work.” [Annandale Today]

McLean Wins State Baseball Championship — “In the Virginia Class 6 championship game at Deep Run High, McLean rolled to a 15-5 victory over South Lakes to capture the first state championship in program history. The Highlanders (19-10) were rarely threatened Saturday, but the road to this stage wasn’t straight.” [Washington Post]

McLean Groups Supports Workforce Housing Changes — “McLean Citizens Association board members approved a letter June 5 in support of a proposed Fairfax County comprehensive-plan amendment for policies and programs related to for-sale workforce-dwelling units (WDUs).” The county is considering changing the targeted income levels and “expanding the policy’s availability to new parts of the county.” [Gazette Leader]

Memorial Garden Added to Fort Hunt Farm — “A private dedication ceremony was held June 7 for the newly installed Clara B. Plein Memorial Garden at River Farm, the American Horticultural Society’s (AHS) headquarters along the Potomac River. Donated by AHS Board Chair Scott Plein in memory of his grandmother, the garden…is an example of sustainable landscaping with around 68% native plants and 32% native cultivars.” [On the MoVe]

Free Little Art Galleries Pop Up in Reston — “There is a small wooden hutch located just off the Turquoise Trail in Reston. Inside is a magical scene, a miniature art gallery replete with small resin characters and scads of ever-changing art. Wanderers are free to take a piece of art, leave a piece of art, or do both. This is the Free Little Art Gallery (FLAG) in the Woods, one of four FLAGs in Reston.” [Fairfax County Times]

It’s Monday — Expect increasing clouds and a high near 78 accompanied by a northwest wind at 6 to 9 mph. Monday night will be partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to around 59 and a northwest wind at about 7 mph. [NWS]

Traffic Shift to New I-495 Bridge Coming — “If you plan on traveling through the Tysons area in Northern Virginia this weekend, be prepared for a major traffic shift on the Capital Beltway. It starts Friday night when crews shift traffic onto a new Interstate 495 North bridge over the eastbound Dulles Toll Road (Route 267) ramp.” [WTOP]

Clean-up of Fort Belvoir Fuel Spill Continues — “Two months after the jet fuel spill near Fort Belvoir’s Davison Army Airfield, the garrison is continuing to address the environmental impacts. According to Fort Belvoir’s Public Affairs Office (PAO), the seven to 10 inches of contaminated topsoil at the spill site has yet to be removed.” [On the MoVe]

D.C. Area Sees Exodus for Rural Communities — “Residents moving from D.C. and its surrounding suburbs are relocating further away than they have in the past, part of a national trend of remote workers leaving metropolitan cities for small rural communities,” according to a new analysis by University of Virginia researchers. [WTOP]

Speed Cameras Lead to 36K Citations — “Since all of the speed cameras went live in eight school zones in Fairfax County last year, 36,234 citations have been mailed. New data obtained by WUSA9 from the Fairfax Co. Police Department showed a wide range in the number of fines, but one camera stood out the most.” [WUSA9]

Students Unveil New Art for Lake Thoreau — “A new piece of public art will soon find its home on Reston’s Lake Thoreau. This towering, angular tree sculpture is called Arboris, and it’s the work of the South Lakes High School STEAM Team, which designed and built the concept from scratch.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Dulles Airport Hits 2M Silver Line Riders — “Since the grand opening in November 2022, the Dulles Airport Metro station has served over two million passengers! We were proud to cut the ribbon alongside @wmata, @MWAAHQ and other regional partners, celebrating our investment in Silver Line Phase II and better connectivity for our community.” [Northern Virginia Transportation Authority/Twitter]

Free Composting Bins at Farmers Markets — “Don’t miss out on our free countertop compost bin giveaway June 12-16! During this time, farmers market customers who dispose of food scraps at any of our 10 Farmers Markets may receive a free compost bin. Supplies are limited and open to shoppers who have not received a bin in previous years.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]

It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny conditions with a high near 83 and west winds between 5 to 10 mph. For Friday night, it will be mostly clear with a low around 60 and west winds at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]

Plea Deal Rejected in Annandale Abduction Case — “A Fairfax County judge rejected a plea deal for a suspected child sex offender, saying it would put the community in danger. A man broke into an apartment in Annandale June 15 [2023], grabbed a 4-year-old girl from her bed and dragged her to the living room before her screams woke her mother, police said.” [NBC4]

Culmore 7-Eleven Focus of Police Crackdown — “The Mason Police District is cracking down on public drinking, drug abuse, and shoplifting at the 7-Eleven in Culmore, said station commander Maj. Erin Weeks. The police will be meeting with 7-Eleven officials to strengthen security and ban trespassing at the store at 3337 Glen Carlyn Drive.” [Annandale Today]

Fairfax City Council Considers Pay Raises — “Mayor Catherine Read and members of the Fairfax City Council met at Historic Blenheim Tuesday night for their annual retreat. They discussed a variety of issues, including whether to enact raises for elected officials and to extend the terms of councilmembers from two to four years.” [Patch]

Capital Bikeshare Sets Monthly Ridership Record — “Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) broke the all-time monthly ridership record in May 2024, recording 515,394 trips across the Washington, DC, metro area. Annual ridership is up 31.3% through May 2024…The CaBi system has now seen year-over-year monthly increases in ridership for 29 consecutive months.” [Greater Greater Washington]

County Sets Mosquito Traps — “From May to October, Fairfax County’s Health Department is conducting mosquito surveillance, with 75 traps set all across the county weekly…So far the county hasn’t found anything unusual, but the species that typically transmit West Nile Virus will come later in the summer in August and September.” [WJLA]

Real Estate Company to Boost Tysons Office — “Divaris Real Estate has recruited a team of veteran brokers from Long & Foster Commercial as it seeks to beef up its retail and office brokerage business in Northern Virginia.” The Virginia Beach-based firm says the eight additional brokers will double the staffing at its office in Tysons (8150 Leesburg Pike, Suite 501). [Washington Business Journal]

Dulles Airport Has U.S.’s Most Expensive Domestic Flights — “For the third year in a row, it’s been named as the domestic airport with the highest average fares. Flights on average cost $488.40 out of Dulles, according to FinanceBuzz, which looked at 2023 U.S. Department of Transportation data on domestic airfares from the nation’s 45 busiest airports.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Public Art Reston Redesigns Website — Public Art Reston has launched a revamped website that highlights the nonprofit’s programs and a “catalogue of 90+ temporary and permanent public artworks around Reston, complete with images, detailed information, and maps so visitors can easily find them.” [Tysons Today]

It’s Thursday — Storms are expected throughout the day, especially between 11am and 5pm, and a high temperature near 84°F. There is a 70% chance of precipitation. At night, the chance of rain decreases to 30%, with partly cloudy skies and a low around 65°F. [NWS]

Man Wins Lawsuit Against Tysons Bank — “A federal jury recently ruled that a Tysons Corner-based bank must repay a client $1.5 million over wrongful transfers. On Friday, the jury…handed down a verdict that favored 81-year-old Richard Bennett of Annandale in a trial against Old Dominion National Bank.” [WUSA9]

PSA on Bird Flu Outbreak — “There have been no reported H5N1 bird flu infections in dairy cows or people in Virginia,” but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is monitoring a “multistate outbreak” of infections in dairy cows that have led to three human cases. The Fairfax County Health Department has tips for owners of chickens and other birds, who may be at higher risk of infection. [FCHD]

VDOT Shares Planting Plan for 495 NEXT Project — “VDOT officials recently held several virtual and in-person sessions to update the community on its revegetation plans,” which will bring trees and greenery back to areas cleared for the Capital Beltway (I-495) widening. “Project officials are arranging for native trees, bushes and other plants to be installed along the project’s route.” [Gazette Leader]

Biotech Company Opens Office in Fairfax City — “Fairfax City Economic Development (FCED) announces the arrival of Genetix IQ, a leading biotechnology company, to its dynamic business landscape. This significant addition follows the recent modernization of Fairfax City’s zoning rules, marking a pivotal step in expanding the City’s technological and innovative ecosystem.” [FCED]

McLean to Celebrate Fourth of July in June — “The McLean Community Center’s annual Independence Day fireworks celebration will be held on Saturday, June 29 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at Langley High School. ‘The whole family will enjoy music, food trucks, giveaways and, at dusk, a huge fireworks display,’ center officials said.” [Gazette Leader]

Local Companies Make Fortune 500 — Fortune’s annual ranking of the country’s highest-earning companies based on total fiscal year revenue includes three Tysons-based companies: Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (jumping 42 spots to no. 406), Booz Allen Hamilton (no. 422) and Capital One (no. 91). “Reston homebuilder NVR Inc. slid 30 spots to No. 406.” [Washington Business Journal]

Private Jet Hangers Planned at Dulles Airport — “Phoenix, Arizona-based Sky Harbour Group Corporation has signed a lease with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to develop a Sky Harbour Home Base campus at Dulles.” The company said the 18-acre development “will create hundreds of jobs.” [WTOP]

It’s Wednesday — Expect showers and thunderstorms, increasing in likelihood after 2pm with a high near 83°F. The chance of precipitation is 80%. Rain could continue at night, which will see a low around 71°F. [NWS]