A Maryland man has been convicted of cocaine possession after the drug was found in a cake he transported from Colombia to Dulles International Airport last spring.
Gildo Ricci, a 69-year-old Peruvian citizen who legally resides in Rockville, had 2.07 kilograms of cocaine concealed in food that customs agents discovered in his luggage on April 25, 2024, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Fairfax County’s plan to transform a shuttered hotel in the Fair Oaks area into an emergency family shelter has cleared a major hurdle, but the county’s planning commission will have the final say later this month.
The Board of Supervisors voted 9-1 on Tuesday (Jan. 14) to allow the former Extended Stay America at 3997 Fair Ridge Drive to be repurposed as a public facility. Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity was the lone dissenting vote.
Conviction of FCPD Officer in Tysons Shooting Upheld — “A Fairfax County judge has denied a motion to dismiss the guilty verdict for former police officer Wesley Shifflett, who was convicted in October for reckless handling of a firearm” after fatally shooting Timothy Johnson outside Tysons Corner Center on Feb. 22, 2023. [WUSA9]
How Inauguration Will Affect Travel — “Anyone driving, riding the Metro or taking the bus in Washington, D.C., on Inauguration Day can expect changes and plenty of closures. Here’s everything to know about getting around in D.C. on Monday — including what travelers can expect at D.C.-area airports.” [NBC4]
Former Falls Church Youth Minister Accused of Sexual Abuse — “The alumnus was one of three Falls Church Episcopal youth group members who an independent investigation revealed in April were allegedly sexually abused by [Jeff] Taylor in the 1990s or the early 2000s when they attended the church.” Taylor, now the subject of an FBI investigation, left Falls Church Episcopal in 2001 to work at churches in Atlanta, where he faced more allegations. [Washington Post]
Tysons Casino Opponents Speak Out — Members of the No Fairfax Casino Coalition voiced their concerns about the proposed legislation at a press conference in Richmond yesterday. “Virginia state Sens. Jennifer Boysko and Saddam Salim joined the group, along with Fairfax County Supervisors Walter Alcorn and Jimmy Bierman.” [WTOP]
Capital One Hit With Federal Lawsuit — “The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has sued Capital One and its McLean holding company, Capital One Financial, alleging the companies cheated millions of consumers out of more than $2 billion in interest payments, the federal agency announced Tuesday.” [Virginia Business]
Herndon Roofing Company Eyed for Acquisition — “A Connecticut building products company is attempting a hostile takeover of Herndon’s Beacon Roofing Supply Inc. (NASDAQ: BECN), offering to acquire the fast-growing Fortune 500 company for $11 billion in cash.” Beacon said it reviewed the offer, which was proposed in November and publicly confirmed yesterday (Wednesday), but “found it lacking.” [Washington Business Journal]
Data Dashboard Shows County Energy Use — “By making its buildings energy efficient, installing solar panels for clean energy, and electrifying its vehicle fleet, Fairfax County has also cut its greenhouse gas emissions by almost 28% since fiscal year 2018, according to new data from the county’s energy dashboard.” [Fairfax County Government]
Franconia Supervisor to Chair Key Regional Group — “The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors today elected Fairfax County Supervisor Rodney Lusk as its Chair for 2025.” Lusk will lead the regional planning body as it prepares for potential changes to the federal government and finalizes transit funding recommendations. [COG]
It’s Thursday — There’s a 30% chance of snow showers after 1pm, with increasing clouds and a high near 34 degrees. Expect a south wind of 3 to 8 mph. In the evening, it’ll be cloudy before gradually clearing, and the temperature will drop to around 25 degrees. A calm wind will become northwest at 5 to 8 mph later in the night. [NWS]
Fairfax County Public Schools is rolling out a new plan to tackle traffic and pedestrian safety concerns at its 200 schools, but not everyone on the school board is sold on the idea.
The School Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Assessment Program, discussed during a school board work session on Tuesday (Jan. 14), aims to streamline how schools identify and address issues like clogged “Kiss and Ride” loops, bus congestion and pedestrian safety.
This year promises to be a big one for Reston Station.
Most pieces of Reston Row, a new district expanding the development along Sunset Hills Road near the Wiehle Metro station, are on track to finish construction by the end of 2025, according to a spokesperson for the developer Comstock Companies.
Virginia students would be allowed to take the state’s annual learning assessments in a language other than English under a bill that advanced out of a House Education subcommittee on Tuesday.
Del. Laura Jane Cohen, D-Fairfax, introduced the legislation, after the Virginia Board of Education recently made changes to include more testing results from English learners, who have typically been excluded because of the language barrier, into a school’s accountability calculations.
Fairfax County’s homes market saw year-over-year upticks in sales and prices in 2024.
A total of 11,787 properties changed hands during the year, according to preliminary figures reported by Bright MLS, the region’s multiple-listing service.
Park Police Officers in Bijan Ghaisar Shooting Reinstated — “The two U.S. Park Police officers who shot and killed Bijan Ghaisar are back on the job after federal investigators cleared them in the case.” Lucas Vinyard and Alejandro Amaya had been on paid administrative duty and then paid leave since the Nov. 17, 2017 shooting. [NBC4]
Person Critically Injured in Springfield House Fire — “#FairfaxBravest are on scene of a house fire in the 7500 block of Long Pine Dr. Crews arrived with fire showing. The fire is under control. One civilian was transported with life-threatening injuries. No firefighter injuries.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Lawsuit Alleges Fraud by Compass Coffee Owner — “The co-founders of the popular Compass Coffee chain in Washington have severed ties, with the company’s former chief executive accusing its owner of fraudulently misusing pandemic relief funds in a lawsuit filed Monday.” The chain’s 20 D.C.-area shops include locations in Fairfax City and West Falls Church. [Washington Post]
Police Make Arrest in Business Burglaries — A 32-year-old man was arrested and charged on Monday (Jan. 13) for allegedly burglarizing a business in the 9400 block of Mathy Drive in Mantua the previous day. Police say they found the man outside a business in Annandale that had reported a larceny and recognized him from surveillance footage. [FCPD]
Japanese Grocery Store Sets Opening Date — Marufuji Japanese Market will celebrate the grand opening of its new store in Tysons starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25. Plans for the event are still being finalized, but expect plenty of giveaways, deals and demonstrations, Fuji Mart Corp. Vice President Joshua Nakama says. [FFXnow]
Stream Restoration Planned at Lincolnia Park — “The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is planning a major stream restoration project at Turkeycock Run in Bren Mar Park. The design is expected to be completed in late summer or early fall of 2025.” [Annandale Today]
New Fairfax City School Board Sworn In — “The five members of Fairfax City’s new school board were officially sworn in during a ceremony at City Hall on Monday night. Lauren A. Bartelme, Kristina M. Cecere, Amit S. Hickman, Sarah M. Kelsey and Carolyn S. Pitches were elected during the Nov. 5, 2024 general elections.” [Patch]
GMU Professor Shares Vision for Use of A.I. — In a podcast interview, Dr. Amarda Shehu, George Mason University’s inaugural chief artificial intelligence officer, “discusses her groundbreaking role at Mason, the university’s proactive approach to AI, and the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on education, the workforce, and the economy.” [Potomac Local News]
It’s Wednesday — Expect a sunny day with highs near 30 and northwest winds of 14 to 16 mph, gusting up to 31 mph. The night will be mostly clear with lows around 17, as northwest winds decrease to 6 to 11 mph, turning light westerly after midnight, and potentially gusting up to 18 mph. [NWS]
As the No Casino Coalition embarks on its second year of lobbying, it has learned some lessons in political realities.
Among them: Be careful when accepting help from anonymous sources.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is seeking answers to what it feels was an inadequate response to last week’s Jan. 6 snowstorm by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).
“Planning, execution and communication fell far short of the service level that our residents demand and deserve,” supervisors said in a joint board matter adopted at the governing body’s meeting today (Tuesday).
