morning notes

Holiday Gift Guide Highlights Local Artisans — “The Made in Fairfax network aims to be a one-stop shop for maker businesses and those who want to support them…This holiday season (or any time of year, really!) take ‘shop local’ to new heights by directly supporting the makers of these gift-worthy products — created right here in Fairfax County.” [Visit Fairfax]

Solar Panels Installed on Sully Community Center — “We’ve added yet another solar array on a county government building. This latest installation is in Chantilly at the Sully Community Center, which serves as the home of the Sully Senior Center and also provides a broad array of services, programs and activities for individuals of all ages and abilities.” [Fairfax County]

Metro Silver Line Extension Is One Year Old — “One year ago, we opened phase two of the Silver Line Extension! [On Nov. 15], we’re celebrating 3.5 MILLION trips at the 6 new stations. Take a look back at the big day that started it all and see all the excitement!” [WMATA/Twitter]

Virginia Representatives Continue Call for Review of FBI HQ Decision — “Both U.S. senators from Virginia and nine U.S. House members called for an investigation Wednesday into how Greenbelt, Maryland, was chosen as the future site of the FBI headquarters. A letter…to the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General cites a ‘fatally flawed procurement that demands further investigation.'” [NBC4]

New Study Shows Climate Change Risks in D.C. Area — “The latest National Climate Assessment shows the D.C. region is especially at risk of extreme weather, flooding, and sea level rise as the earth warms. The congressionally mandated assessment, released [Tuesday], also shows uneven progress in the region responding to a hotter planet.” [DCist]

FCPS Seeks to Address Chronic Absenteeism — At a school board meeting last Thursday (Nov. 9), Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid reported that the percentage of students missing 10% or more of the school year has climbed from 5.1% in 2021 to 17.1% this year. The school system “is looking at a multitiered approach to improve attendance.” [WJLA]

Woodson High School Officially Renamed — “The Fairfax County School Board unanimously voted to rename W.T. Woodson High School during their meeting November 9. Starting in school year 2024-25, the school will be known as Carter G. Woodson High School. The vote comes after two months of public engagement.” [FCPS]

Residents Torn Over Fort Hunt Road Safety Proposals — “Officials from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) held an Oct. 30 meeting with community members on proposed safety improvements at the intersection of Fort Hunt Road and Rollins Drive; however, many area residents voiced concerns or disagreement with aspects of the recommendations.” [On the MoVe]

Teen Arrested for Hybla Valley Shooting — “Preliminarily, Major Crimes Bureau detectives determined the victim was walking to a nearby apartment. He was approached by the 14-year-old suspect who displayed a firearm and shot the victim. A nearby home was also struck by one round, where no one was injured.” The teen was taken into custody Saturday (Nov. 11) evening after his mother brought him to the Mount Vernon District Station. [FCPD]

Occoquan Dam Siren Will Go Off Tomorrow — “Fairfax Water has scheduled its annual siren system test for the Occoquan Dam on Tuesday, Nov.14, at 10 a.m. This is a routine test to ensure the siren system is functioning properly in the unlikely event of a dam failure.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Location Chosen for New FBI HQ — “Federal officials have decided the FBI will leave its iconic but decaying headquarters in downtown Washington for the Maryland suburbs, multiple people familiar with the decision said Wednesday…An empty 61-acre plot outside the Greenbelt Metro station” will win out over another Prince George’s County site and a Springfield warehouse favored by Virginia. [Washington Post]

Departing Pandas Pass Through Fairfax County — The Smithsonian National Zoo’s three giant pandas traveled through Fairfax County yesterday (Wednesday) on their way to Dulles International Airport. With the departure of Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji, the D.C. zoo will be panda-free for the first time in over 50 years. [Fairfax County Government/Twitter]

FCPD Touts License Plate Reader Tech — “Fairfax County Police launched its license plate readers in November 2022 using technology from Flock Safety and Axon to help solve crimes and find missing persons. According to police department data, 335 cases have involved license plate reader technology in the first year of the program.” [Patch]

Urgent Care Center Coming to Penn Daw — “The South Alex mixed-use development in Penn Daw has landed its second retail tenant with the signing of a lease earlier this year between Combined Properties and Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care. The urgent care center will occupy a vacant space near the Aldi supermarket, which opened this past March.” [On the MoVe]

Abortion Rights at Center of Key Election Day Races — “The most-watched races in Tuesday’s off-year general election have all been dominated by the ongoing debate over abortion rights. From a reelection bid for governor in Kentucky to a statewide ballot measure in Ohio to state legislative elections in Virginia, access to abortion has been a frequent topic in campaign debates and advertising.” [Associated Press/WTOP]

Police Investigate Shooting in Bailey’s Crossroads — “Saturday at 4:50 p.m., officers responded to the 3300 block of Glen Carlyn Drive in Bailey’s Crossroads for the report of a shot person. Officers responded and found the victim, an adult man, with two gunshot wounds to his upper body. The man was transported to the hospital for injuries not considered to be life-threatening.” [FCPD]

McLean HS Graduate Wins World Series — “Congrats to McLean HS alum Josh Sborz, who threw the final strike to win the World Series with the Texas Rangers…Sborz also pitched for the University of Virginia, where he led the Virginia Cavaliers to the 2015 College World Series title and was named MVP.” [FCPS/Facebook]

Politicians Make Final Pre-Election Pitches — Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared in Virginia “to urge Democrats to vote against the Republican legislative candidates championed by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R)…Volunteers and campaign staffers fanned out in districts across the state Saturday, urging residents to cast ballots immediately on the last day of early voting or whipping them up to visit the polls Tuesday.” [Washington Post]

Daylight Saving Time Ends Sunday — “This weekend, as you move your clocks back one hour to mark the end of daylight savings, don’t forget to check your smoke alarms to ensure they work…If your alarm chirps, warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.” [FCFRD]

Self-Driving Vehicles Tested in I-395 Express Lanes — Virginia Tech “researchers and an entourage of public safety, industry and highway officials have been using the stretch of toll road outside the nation’s capital this fall for self-driving demonstrations, hoping to develop solutions to common problems arising in the technology’s deployment. The simulations come three years into extensive research that has resulted in promising findings but has also come with moments of disappointment.” [Washington Post]