morning notes

Code Red Air Quality Alert Today — “A Code Red Air Quality alert has been issued for the D.C. region” as smoke from Canadian wildfires drifts through the area. “The Fairfax County Park Authority has canceled many outdoor activities for the day, including summer camps and classes, and outdoor water parks and pools will be closed.” [FFXnow]

Herndon Man Charged With Assault — A 34-year-old man from Herndon “was arrested for abduction and assault stemming from an incident in which he threatened to rape a female acquaintance and prevented her from leaving the residence. Upon being taken into custody by police the following day, he was arrested for assault on a police officer and obstruction of justice” [Herndon Police]

President Snarls Traffic on Capital Beltway — “Virginia State Police shut down the Inner Loop of the Beltway just before the American Legion Bridge in McLean, causing miles of delays toward Tysons Corner during rush hour Tuesday.” The highway was closed at Georgetown Pike for President Joe Biden’s motorcade, which was driving to a campaign event in Chevy Chase. [NBC4]

Air Quality Alert Issued for Region — “Canadian wildfire smoke…that enveloped Chicago and much of the Midwest” yesterday will descend on the D.C. area today (Wednesday), prompting the issuance of a Code Orange air quality alert. Sensitive groups could feel health impacts from being outside, but conditions aren’t expected to worsen to the Code Maroon seen earlier this month. [ARLnow]

Tension Over Annandale HS Band Director’s Resignation — “By the time Tyron Barnes prepared to address Annandale High School’s band students and parents during an end-of-year banquet in the school cafeteria on June 1, the group had already learned that he had resigned…In an email that same night, Barnes wrote that it had become apparent to him that some people didn’t want him leading the band program.” [WTOP]

New Historical Marker Unveiled in Gum Springs — “Thank you to the New Gum Springs Civic Association and Queenie Cox for inviting me to the West Ford Virginia historical highway marker dedication and Juneteenth Celebration. It was an honor to attend and celebrate the life of the ‘Father of Gum Springs,’ West Ford,” a formerly enslaved man who founded the community in 1833. [Supervisor Rodney Lusk/Instagram]

Man Pulled From Burning Car, Gets DWI — “Police say around 2:30 am on June 15, officers responded to Annandale Rd & Gallows Rd for a single vehicle crash. The driver struck a curb, hit a telephone pole then a tree and came to a rest on its side, according to FCPD. Officers found the car engulfed in flames and rushed to safely remove the driver. The 27-year-old driver was arrested for DWI.” [ABC7]

Metro Introduces Nighttime “Courtesy Stops” — “Metrobus customers who travel at night will have the option to get off between bus stops along the route, closer to their destination to provide a safer, better bus experience…Beginning, Sunday, June 25, customers may request a courtesy stop between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.” [WMATA]

Reminder: Last Day to Ride Self-Driving Shuttle — “Relay, the autonomous electric shuttle, is scheduled to take its final spin around Merrifield’s Mosaic District on Friday. The pilot project designed to test the effectiveness of driverless public transportation will be coming to an end.” [Patch]

McLean’s Spring Hill Road to Close — Spring Hill Road between Georgetown Pike and Old Dominion Drive will be closed from Monday, June 26 through Thursday, June 29 between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day “for a pipe replacement…Through traffic will be detoured via Old Dominion Drive, Towlston Road (Route 676) and Georgetown Pike” [VDOT]

FCPD Adopts Bean-Bag Shotguns — “Police in Fairfax County, Virginia, are repurposing a long-carried weapon in patrol cars — the shotgun. But now, those weapons are being converted to only contain ‘less-lethal’ bean bag rounds…Since March, the department has removed all 800 of its shotguns and replaced the weapons with 630 less-lethal beanbag shotguns.” [WTOP]

Workshop on Parking Overhaul Tonight — The Fairfax County Planning Commission will hold a workshop at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the “Parking Reimagined” initiative, the county’s first major overhaul of its parking regulations since 1988. Proposed changes include bicycle parking requirements and a tiered system for off-street parking. There will also be a public open house on June 29. [Zoning Administration Division]

Metro Warns of $750 Million Budget Gap — “Tuesday, Metro painted a dire picture of what would happen if the problem festers: service cuts that would ‘devastate the region.’ These cuts would include eliminating two-thirds of bus and rail service resulting in worse service quality and degraded safety and accessibility.” [DCist]

County’s Auditor to Review Recent Police Shootings — “Because of the ‘dramatic uptick’ in officer-involved shootings by Fairfax County police in the past two years, the county’s Office of the Independent Police Auditor in coming months will review all 15 police shootings of people since 2017.” A nonprofit is also reviewing shootings since 2021. [Gazette Leader]

Polls Open for Democratic Primary — “Tuesday, June 20 is primary election day, though early voting began in early May. While the general election is set for November, the county is overwhelmingly Democratic, so the candidates who win the primaries will be favored this fall.” [FFXnow]

Five People Attacked by Dogs in Oakton — “Two dogs are in Animal Protection Police custody after they bit & attacked five people to include 2 officers. Incident occurred in 3100 blk Elmendorf Dr, Oakton. Dog owner has been located. All parties being treated for injuries not believed to be life threatening. Preliminarily, dogs have been identified as pitbull mixes.” [FCPD/Twitter]

Deal Would Allow More Long-Distance Flights at National Airport — “Leaders of a Senate committee reached a tentative deal Thursday to add four long-distance flights at Reagan National Airport, dealing a setback to D.C.-area lawmakers and the airport’s management, which have campaigned to leave current restrictions in place.” [The Washington Post]

Free Lunches Available for Kids This Summer — “School systems in Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Stafford and Manassas are providing free breakfast and lunch to children under 18 through the summer…In Fairfax County, most summer meal programs begin June 20, offering breakfast and lunch at [select] schools and community centers” [Inside NoVA]

FCPD Cracks Down on Retail Theft — The Fairfax County Police Department is launching a 2023 Summer Crime Prevention Initiative that will focus on retail theft for June, with increased patrols and public engagement efforts in affected areas.  Deputy Chief of Patrol Bob Blakely says 20% of all crime in the county only occurs at 20 addresses, and “most of that crime is larceny.” [ABC7]

Police Called on Local Prosecutor at Manassas Bar — “Police body camera footage shows a Deputy Fairfax County prosecutor refusing to leave a Manassas bar after closing…A second woman, who identified as an assistant Fairfax County prosecutor, and the drunken woman as her superior, was also trying to coax the woman into the car so that she could drive her home.” [Potomac Local News]