Though he hasn’t won elected office before, Stevan Porter is likely a familiar face to many Herndon voters.
In addition to serving as vice chair of the town’s Board of Zoning Appeals, Porter has three campaigns for Herndon Town Council under his belt. After falling just 34 votes shy of winning election in 2024, he’s hopeful that his fourth bid for a seat could put him over the top.
Four men are facing charges in connection to a series of burglaries targeting victims of house fires in Fairfax County over the past year, including two incidents at the same residence, the Fairfax County Police Department said today (Oct. 28).
The FCPD says its Criminal Investigations Division (CID) detectives worked with the FBI and law enforcement partners in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Loudoun County to pinpoint suspects in five burglaries at four different residences across the county.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed staff yesterday (Tuesday) to stay in close touch with the Spanberger administration as the state government refines rules for dealing with data center development.
The county government needs to be “fully engaged” and ensure its “needs, challenges and experiences are represented” in a statewide discussion, Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith said when introducing the directive to staff.
Study Authorized on Schools Funding Formula — “A state legislative subcommittee on Monday approved a plan to hire an expert to study a new school funding formula for Virginia, with up to 24 months to complete the work … A December 2023 study showed that Virginia local governments spend far more on K-12 education than the state, underscoring the need for a clearer approach.” [Virginia Mercury]
Scott’s Run Hiker Rescued — “On October 25, at 10:10 a.m., #FairfaxsBravest responded to a report of a person who fell and possibly broke their leg on the Potomac Trail in Scott’s Run Nature Preserve near McLean. Units arrived to find the patient in a steep, wooded ravine that could not be reached by vehicle.” After ruling out a water rescue, responders developed a rope system that enabled them to get the woman into a Stokes basket, which was then hoisted up by a helicopter. [FCFRD/Facebook]
Trump Arch Would Cast Shadow on Cemetery — “Over the course of a year, the shadow of the triumphal arch would touch burial sites in Arlington National Cemetery on 284 days, The Post found. It would briefly cover Kennedy’s eternal flame on 18 days, and it would shade the former president’s memorial on 50. It would darken the Military Women’s Memorial on 109 days.” [Washington Post]
New Health Director Appointed — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has appointed Dr. Parham Jaberi as director of the Health Department, effective Nov. 14. Jaberi, who currently serves as the department’s deputy director for medical services, succeeds Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, who is retiring after 23 years as director.” [Fairfax County Government]
GMU Renaming Nursing School — George Mason University will officially rename its School of Nursing in Fairfax after Arlene Evans and Barry Dewberry on Nov. 15 in honor of the pair’s recent $15 million donation to the school, the largest gift in the College of Public Health’s history. The funds will go toward new educational and training opportunities for students as well as support for staff. [GMU]
Sign for Displaced Community Unveiled — “A few decades ago, there was a thriving close-knit Black community called The Pines in what is now Pine Ridge Park on Woodburn Road in Annandale … On Oct. 25, former residents of The Pines and descendants of the families who lived there gathered for a ceremony to unveil an interpretative sign recognizing a community that now only exists in people’s hearts and memories.” [Annandale Today]
Waymo Mapping Arlington Roads — “Waymo is now mapping Arlington’s residential streets, the robotaxi company confirmed. ARLnow spotted one of the self-driving car company’s mapping vehicles in a residential part of Arlington this past Friday (Oct. 23), and a reader separately reported seeing another on a local street.” [ARLnow]
Drug Take Back Day Results — “This past Saturday, our district stations partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other Fairfax County agencies for the 31st Annual National Drug Take Back Day. Together, we collected 1,071 pounds of expired or unused medications from community members across Fairfax County.” [FCPD]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly cloudy with a high near 68. Calm winds will become easterly around 5 mph in the afternoon. Clouds will gradually clear at night, with a low around 52 and a light southeast wind. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
A Herndon man has been charged in connection with a shooting that injured an acquaintance and a bystander at the Dulles Greene apartment complex last night (Monday).
Olmer Danilo Perez Villegas, 32, turned himself in this morning (Tuesday) after the Fairfax County Police Department identified him as the suspect in the shooting, which was allegedly sparked by an argument with one of the victims.
The Fairfax County School Board is asking lawmakers in Richmond to increase state funding for K-12 programs, provide state-funded universal Pre-K programs, and make changes to Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act as part of its 2027 Legislative Program.
In preparation for the General Assembly’s coming session in January, the school board voted unanimously (with the exception of one absent member) on Oct. 8 to adopt eight priority positions for the state legislature and another 11 at the federal level.
The hottest parts of Fairfax County identified by this summer’s “Urban Heat Island Mapping Project” likely won’t come as a huge surprise to local residents.
Tysons, Reston, Fair Lakes, Chantilly and Springfield were among the hot spots recorded by 80 volunteers who fanned out across Northern Virginia on July 16 for the project, which was organized by the nonprofit Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions (FACS) in conjunction with the new Virginia Climate Center at George Mason University and the American Red Cross-National Capital Chapter.
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Food for Neighbors carried out a now-familiar routine: the mobilization of thousands of volunteers to pick up and sort food donations left in red bags on doorsteps across Northern Virginia.
The nonprofit concluded its Red Bag collection day on Saturday (Oct. 24) with over 38,000 pounds of food heading to food pantries in 60 different area middle and high schools.
Two Shot in Hutchison — Police responded last night to a “domestic-related shooting in the 2200 block of Astoria Circle in Hutchison” just west of Herndon. “Officers located two adult male victims with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect has been identified and is known to one of the victims.” [FCPD/X]
Person Injured in Metro Train Incident — Firefighters responded to the Wiehle Metro station at 8:39 p.m. yesterday (Monday) for a report of a pedestrian getting hit by a train. “Arriving units determined a patient had been caught between a Metro Rail car and the platform. The patient was able to free themselves prior to FCFRD arrival.” They were transported to a local hospital for care. Trains temporarily single-tracked between Wiehle and Spring Hill. [FCFRD/Facebook]
State Reviews License Plate Reader Use — “A Virginia prosecutor’s recent decision not to charge a police officer for sharing license plate reader data with federal authorities without authorization could spur reform efforts in the commonwealth … Although the recent data-sharing case in Isle of Wight was intended to support an investigation, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, said localities should face penalties if they don’t share data the right way.” [Virginia Mercury]
Primary Challenger for Vivian Watts — “John Michael Forrest, a Democratic candidate running for the Virginia House of Delegates in 2027, is focusing on reducing the costs of rental housing, enacting stricter rules on campaign financing, and regulating AI. Forrest is the first candidate to announce plans to go up against Del. Vivian Watts in a Democratic Primary expected to be held next spring.” [Annandale Today]
Region Makes Progress on Ozone — “After decades of efforts to reduce pollution, the DC region has finally met federal air quality standards for ozone. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments announced Thursday that the region is now in compliance with the 2015 federal ozone standard and has applied to the Environmental Protection Agency for formal recognition.” [Capital Weather]
Cause of Lorton Townhouse Fire Found — A townhouse fire that occurred on Oct. 18 at the intersection of Hagel Circle and Richmond Highway was sparked by “an electrical event” in the home’s second-floor bedroom, investigators found. One person was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and two residents were displaced as a result of the fire, which caused an estimated $143,150 in property damages. [FCFRD]
Tysons Diamond Retailer Sold — Mervis Diamond Importers is being acquired by Atlanta-based Solomon Brothers Jewelers, but its three D.C.-area showrooms, including the flagship in Tysons, will remain intact with no name change. Brothers Zed and Ronnie Mervis say the deal will give them more resources to expand their product offerings and compete against larger chains, while allowing them to keep “serving the loyal customers and friends who have supported Mervis” since it launched in Rockville in 1981. [Washington Business Journal]
Woman Charged With Assault at Wawa — “A Fairfax woman faces a felony charge of assaulting a law enforcement officer and two misdemeanor charges after police said she resisted arrest at a Wawa early Oct. 20.” Officers responded to the convenience store at 9700 Fairfax Blvd after receiving a report of a woman previously trespassed from the business returning. [Patch]
It’s Tuesday — Sunny with a high near 69 and a light northeast wind around 3 to 6 mph. Night will be partly cloudy, with a low around 50 and a light east wind. [NWS]
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A three-day-long anime convention is moving to Chantilly’s Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles from its prior Arlington home this fall.
Now in its 27th year, the volunteer-led “Anime USA” will arrive at the conference center (14750 Conference Center Drive) on Nov. 20 and continue through Nov. 22. With the theme “The RPG,” this year’s edition will have a special emphasis on role-playing games, fantasy, and their connections to anime.
