morning notes

Board of Supervisors Contenders Diverge in Views of County — “Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay (D) and his Republican challenger, Arthur Purves, politely exchanged views — with the occasional sharp elbow — during a televised Oct. 2 forum.” [Gazette Leader]

Murder Charge Filed in Woman’s Fatal Shooting — Eric Antonio Rubio, 36, of Alexandria, has been charged with second degree murder and use of a firearm to commit a felony for the death of Brenda Ochoa Guerro, who was found unconscious in the Inova Mount Vernon Hospital parking lot on April 13. Rubio and three others were arrested in May for concealing a dead body. [FCPD]

GMU’s Fall for the Book Kicks Off Today — After a week of preview events, George Mason University’s annual book festival officially returns today for its 25th anniversary. The festivities will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a talk by roller derby skater Gabe Montesanti about her new memoir and continue through Saturday (Oct. 14). [Fall for the Book]

Police Investigate Linked Thefts and Vehicle Break-Ins — “Detectives from our Major Crimes Bureau, Criminal Investigations Division, are investigating a series of vehicle break-ins and package thefts that occurred between October 3-4. The suspect is believed to be responsible for breaking into several vehicles and stealing items during the late-night hours in both the Fair Oaks and Reston police districts.” [FCPD]

Get to Know the School Board Candidates — “Fairfax County voters will select a new school board this November, with all 12 seats up for election. In addition to the nine district seats on the ballot, voters will pick from nine candidates vying to fill three vacant at-large seats…The Washington Post sent questionnaires to each candidate about the most pressing issues in Fairfax County and their top priorities.” [Washington Post]

Man Found Shot on I-495 in Annandale — “A man was found shot on the side of I-495 in the early morning hours Sunday, Virginia State Police say. Just after 2 a.m., officers responded to Exit 54 for Braddock Road…on I-495 North where it was reported that a man was lying on the shoulder of the road.” [FOX5]

Toll Lanes Proposed on I-495 From Springfield — “A proposal to widen an 11-mile stretch of the Capital Beltway in Virginia has entered a new phase with the release of nine possible construction alternatives. Topping the list is an extension of toll lanes into Maryland.” The concepts also include dedicated bus lanes and “technological enhancements.” [Washington Post]

Teens Arrested in Kingstowne Shooting — “Two teenagers were arrested in connection with a shooting that took place last month in the Kingstowne Shopping Center, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. Shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 22, police officers responded to the 5900 block of Kingstowne Towne Center for the report of the sound of gunshots…No one was injured from the gunfire.” [Patch]

Reminder: Car Tax Payments Due Today — “Personal property taxes — better known as car taxes — are due on Thursday, Oct. 5. Bills were mailed this summer, and there are many convenient ways to pay…If you have a question or concern about your tax bill, contact the Department of Tax Administration.” [Fairfax County Government]

Silver Line Phase 2 Ridership Tops 3 Million — “One million people have used the Dulles International Airport Metro station since it opened last fall, Metro and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) announced Wednesday…Ridership passing through the six new stations has surpassed 3 million, with Dulles station accounting for about one-third of riders.” [Washington Post]

Reston Pub Makes Leap to D.C. — “Makers Union, Thompson Restaurants’ 4-year-old tavern in Reston, Virginia, busts out of the suburbs with a shiny new D.C. edition serving tomahawk dinners for two, ‘sea-cuterie’ boards, and lots of brown liquors — plus a neon-lit reminder to ‘get nauti’ in its Southwest Waterfront neighborhood.” The second location opened on Monday (Oct. 2). [DC Eater]

Dranesville District Supervisor Candidates Face Off — “While frequently exchanging unpleasantries at a forum hosted Sept. 27 by the Great Falls Citizens Association (GFCA), candidates seeking to become the next Dranesville District supervisor fielded questions on taxes, the environment, law enforcement, Metro funding and drag-queen shows.” [Gazette Leader]

Brace for Emergency Alert Test Tomorrow — “The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 2:20 p.m.” The EAS will send an alert to all cellphones, while the WEA will be broadcast on radio and TVs. [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Person of Interest in Burke Lake Park Death Arrested — “A man has been arrested in the death of a Virginia woman found inside a tent…Police had earlier called Rami El Sayed a ‘person of interest’ in the death of Cara Abbruscato, 40, of Fairfax. He was arrested Monday in New Jersey on a charge of second-degree murder, and will be extradited to Northern Virginia, police announced on social media.” [WTOP]

Metro Still Recovering From Derailment Near National Airport — “Most Metrorail customers will see nearly normal train service [Monday], even as Metro continues to inspect the fleet’s oldest railcars…However Blue and Yellow line trains will depart every 15 minutes while work continues to repair tracks damaged in Friday’s derailment.” [WMATA]

County Seeks Input on Pedestrian and Bicycle Projects — “Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) has developed a proposed list of projects that will be narrowed down further with input from the community to receive a portion of $100 million funding allocated by the Board of Supervisors.” Virtual meetings will be held at 7 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) and noon on Thursday (Oct. 5) to discuss the projects. [FCDOT]

State Senate Candidate Almost Fired by FCPD — “Republican state Senate candidate Bill Woolf, who is running in Virginia’s Nov. 7 election on his record as a former Fairfax County Police detective and human-trafficking foe, would have been fired had he not resigned in 2017 during an ongoing internal affairs investigation into hours he reported on duty while at another job, according to police records.” [Washington Post]

What a Government Shutdown Would Mean for Virginia — “A government shutdown would be a double whammy for Virginia, a state that’s home to more federal civilian employees and active-duty military personnel than almost any other.” The funding halt would also affect public programs like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supports about 15,490 people just in Fairfax County. [Washington Post, Associated Press]

Developer Hosts Political Fundraisers at Possible Reston Casino Site — “Perhaps to bolster its efforts to build a casino at or near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station, Comstock scheduled fundraisers for two Democratic Party candidates who may be leading the Virginia General Assembly during the 2024 Session.” [Patch]

County Takes Over Volunteer-Based Nonprofit — “The Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services is pleased to announce it will assume administrative and programing responsibilities for GrandInvolve, a non-profit organization that places older adults as volunteers in Title I schools, effective Nov. 1, 2023.” [NCS]