morning notes

Driver of Tractor-trailer Killed in Crash — The driver of a tractor-trailer that was traveling north on I-485 ran off the road and hit a pole near the Georgetown Pike exit. An investigation is currently underway.

Segment of New I-66 Express Lanes Open — The western section of the new I-66 Express Lanes open today. The nine-mile section runs between Route 28 in Centreville and Route 29 in Gainesville. [WTOP]

County kicks off opioid emergency training — The county is kicking off a series of trainings on opioid overdoses and naloxone education. The series, called ‘REVIVE!’, trains attendees on how to administer naloxone. [Fairfax County Government]

Town of Vienna to celebrate Patriot Day — Vienna’s American Legion Post 180 and local leaders will celebrate Vienna Patriot Day on Sunday at 9 a.m. on the Freeman Store lawn. [Town of Vienna]

Updated Covid Boosters Now Available — “Effective immediately, eligible residents of Virginia are able to schedule appointments with their healthcare providers to receive the new, free COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccinations, manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.” The Fairfax County Health Department and Giant Food’s pharmacies have confirmed the boosters’ availability. [VDH]

It’s Flu Shot Time Too — “Flu season is approaching in Virginia, and health experts are urging everyone over 6 months, with rare exceptions, to get their flu shots. Walgreens, CVS, Giant and other pharmacies in Virginia are already scheduling appointments or offering shots on a walk-in basis as health officials worry about what a worse-than-usual flu season in the Southern Hemisphere portends for the United States.” [Patch]

Deer Archery Program Starts Saturday — Fairfax County’s Deer Management Archery Program begins Saturday (Sept. 10). and runs through Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. Part of a larger effort to “reduce and stabilize” the county’s white-tailed deer population, the program is overseen by the Fairfax County Police Department and takes place in parks and other locations throughout the county. [FCPD]

Contractor Pleads Guilty to Fraud in N. Va. — “A Northern Virginia contractor has pleaded guilty to taking down-payments for patio and deck projects that were never built in Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Fauquier counties, and will also soon stand trial in Stafford County…Ryan Vanover, 40, of Haymarket, pleaded guilty Tuesday to contractor fraud in Fairfax County Circuit Court, as part of a proposed plea agreement.” [WTOP]

I-495 Ramp to Close Tonight in McLean — “On or about Tuesday night, September 6, the ramp from southbound I-495 toward Tysons to eastbound George Washington Memorial Parkway is scheduled to be closed from 11 p.m. until 4 a.m. the next morning. Crews will be conducting maintenance work on a stormwater management drain.” [VDOT]

Unattended Grill Causes West Springfield Fire — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units were dispatched for a house fire in the 6700 block of Portree Court at 6:40 p.m. on Saturday (Sept. 3). Investigators determined that the fire, which was quickly extinguished at the one-story house, was started accidentally due to an unattended, lit grill. No one was displaced or injured, but the fire caused approximately $30,500 in damages. [FCFRD]

New Vienna Police Station Cuts Ribbon — “After nearly three years of design and construction, the new, $14 million Vienna Police Department will…open its doors to the public. The celebration is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 2 at 11 a.m. at the headquarters building located at 215 Center St. S.” [Town of Vienna]

Man Faces Life in Prison for Killing Springfield Woman — “Yohannes Nessibu was convicted by a jury in the slaying of 22-year-old Kedest Simeneh, who was found fatally shot in the backyard of a Burke residence in December 2016. He is charged — but has yet to face trial — in the shooting of 22-year-old Henok Yohannes.” [The Washington Post]

New FCPS Superintendent Seeks to Restore Trust — “Schools are back in session in Fairfax County — and they’re under the direction of a new superintendent, Michelle Reid…Reid says that as superintendent she is trying to listen deeply to community members, and she sees part of her charge in Fairfax as restoring public trust in public education.” [WAMU]

Victim and Suspect in Hybla Valley Shooting Identified — The man who died on Tuesday (Aug. 30) after a shooting at the Mount Vernon Square apartments was D’Mari Norris, 21, of Alexandria. Fairfax County police say Francisco Juares, 22, of Alexandria, shot Norris “multiple times in the upper body” before being held down by “a nearby witness” until officers arrived at the scene. [FCPD]

Vehicle in Capital Beltway Shooting ID’d — “Virginia State Police have identified a suspect vehicle involved in last Thursday’s shooting incident on Interstate 495 in Fairfax County. According to a news release, it is a blue 2010 Honda Civic with Virginia license plates TWW 9398.” [WTOP]

Potomac Banks Could Be Virginia’s First TID — “In September, Visit Fairfax will hold meetings with local hotel and restaurant industry leaders as part of a campaign to turn Potomac Banks into a tourism improvement district, or TID, which would impose fees to fund tourism boosting activities and improvements and would be administered through a nonprofit.” [Virginia Business]

IRS Data Shows Exodus in Northern Virginia — “Alexandria, Arlington County, Fairfax city, Fairfax County, Falls Church, Manassas, Manassas Park and Prince William County all saw more people move out in 2020 than move in — basically everything in Northern Virginia except for Loudoun County and outlying areas such as Fauquier County and Stafford County.” [Cardinal News]

Lake Accotink Celebrates Past, Prepares for Future — “The Fairfax County Park Authority hosted a 60th-anniversary celebration of Lake Accotink Park Aug. 27…The next big thing to happen at Lake Accotink Park will be a major dredging operation to prevent the lake from filling up with sediment.” [Annandale Today]