Cost, distance and limited awareness are keeping many Fairfax County residents from taking advantage of county parks and recreation programs, a recent survey by the Fairfax County Park Authority found.
In response, the park authority is drafting a strategy to bridge the gaps and improve accessibility for underserved communities, focusing on both immediate and long-term solutions.
Dozens of Kimley-Horn and Associates employees experienced health issues after being exposed to toxic gases in the Reston Station office where they worked, the North Carolina-based engineering firm alleges in a recent court filing.
Kimley-Horn shared the allegations on Nov. 6 in response to a lawsuit filed in October by landlord and Reston Station developer Comstock, which is accusing its tenant of underpaying rent for the three suites it leases at 11400 Commerce Park Drive.
FFXnow Gets Approval to Publish Legal Notices — “ARLnow’s sister site, FFXnow, received a separate court authorization to publish legal notices for Fairfax County. ARLnow and FFXnow are the first online-only sites in the D.C. area to receive such authorization.” [ARLnow]
Former Delegate Launches Attorney General Bid — “Jay Jones, a Democratic former state delegate from Norfolk, on Tuesday announced his bid for Virginia attorney general at two separate events in Norfolk and Richmond.” Jones campaigned for the job in 2021 but lost the Democratic nomination to then-incumbent Mark Herring. [Virginia Mercury]
Filipino Restaurant in Annandale to Close — “Sari, the family-owned Filipino restaurant in the Bradlick Shopping Center in Annandale will close by the end of the month. Owner Juan Canlas owns six restaurants in D.C. and Maryland and says he is closing two because it’s become too difficult to manage all of them.” [Annandale Today]
Virginia Shares Public School Performance Data — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) on Friday rolled out a new state website aimed at giving parents and teachers more information about Virginia’s K-12 public schools, including performance data and comparisons among school systems around the state.” However, critics say there’s a lack of clarity to what the data means. [Washington Post]
Fairfax City’s Largest Private Employer to Stay — Fairfax City Economic Development (FCED) “has successfully worked with Zeta Associates, Inc., the city’s largest private employer and office space user, to maintain its 225,000 square feet of office space that serves hundreds of high-skilled jobs in the city.” The software company will get help renovating the building in WillowWood Plaza. [FCED]
Data Centers Fuel Energy Demand — “The rise of data-hungry artificial intelligence is driving an explosion in data center construction both statewide [in Virginia] and across the country… What’s clear is that data centers will help shape the region’s energy landscape for decades to come — prompting investments in both renewables and gas infrastructure.” [WHRO]
Tysons Nonprofit CEO to Retire — Second Story CEO Judith Dittman will retire at the end of 2024 after more than 30 years with the nonprofit, which provides housing and other services for youth and families in crisis. She will be succeeded in January 2025 by Jade Leedham, who has been serving as executive vice president in anticipation of the transition. [Second Story]
Some Farmers Markets Extend Season — “This year, three Fairfax County Park Authority farmers market locations will be extending their season into December. The Reston, McCutcheon/Mount Vernon, and Burke markets will now be closing various dates in December.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 52 with a north wind at 7 mph, shifting to an eastward direction in the afternoon. As night falls, the sky will become mostly cloudy and temperatures will drop to around 37 degrees. [NWS]
The Herndon Hornets and Marshall Statesmen are seeded in the lower half of the eight-team region-football playoff bracket — but shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Each high-school team proved formidable during the regular season, heading into the playoffs on a win streak (in Herndon’s case) and well-rested (in Marshall’s).
By MATTHEW BARAKAT Associated Press
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A U.S. jury on Tuesday awarded $42 million to three former detainees of Iraq’s notorious Abu Ghraib prison, holding a Virginia-based military contractor responsible for contributing to their torture and mistreatment two decades ago.
Prospective home-buyers were out in force across Fairfax County last month. But will their interest translate into home sales?
A total of 20,620 home showings took place across Fairfax in October, according to new data from the multiple listing service Bright MLS.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) is planning more service changes for Fairfax Connector, specifically in the Reston, Herndon, Springfield and Centreville areas of the county.
Set to be discussed at two online community meetings this week, the proposals would serve to increase frequency, realign some service and add a new Route 652. Planned for elimination is Route 599, a rush-hour express service that runs between Reston and the Pentagon, Pentagon City and Crystal City areas of Arlington.
A viral video depicting a street race on Leesburg Pike in Tysons has forced the hand of the Fairfax County Police Department.
Police Chief Kevin Davis and other officials warned at a press conference last week that those caught drag racing on Fairfax County streets will be found and prosecuted to the extent of the law.
Three more people died in vehicle crashes on Fairfax County roads over Veterans Day weekend.
A single-vehicle crash in Reston early Sunday (Nov. 10) morning resulted in the deaths of the driver and a passenger, and later that day, the Fairfax County Police Department announced that a woman injured in a separate crash in Oakton on Saturday (Nov. 9) had died.
‘Heavy’ Building Fire in Great Falls — “Fairfax County Fire & Rescue personnel extinguished a fire Sunday night in the 800 block of Blacks Hill Road in the Great Falls area. When fire units arrived on the scene, they found a structure with heavy fire throughout.” [Patch]
Centreville Man Sentenced for Jan. 6 Capitol Attack — A U.S. District judge sentenced Centreville resident Zachary J. Alam to eight years in prison last Thursday (Nov. 7) after a jury convicted him last year of “assaulting police, destroying public property and obstructing police during a civil disorder” at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. [Washington Post]
Navy Federal Hit With Record Fine — “Vienna-based Navy Federal Credit Union has been ordered by a federal regulator to pay $95 million in restitution and fines for allegedly charging illegal overdraft fees to customers” between 2017 and 2022. That includes $80 million in refunds to customers and $15 million for a victims’ relief fund — the largest fine ever levied against a credit union by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. [Washington Business Journal]
More Black and Latino Men Voted for Trump — “For DaSean Gallishaw, a consultant in Fairfax, Virginia, a vote for Trump was rooted in what he saw as Democrats’ rhetoric not matching their actions. ‘It’s been a very long time since the Democrats ever really kept their promises to what they’re going to do for the minority communities,’ he said.” [Associated Press]
GMU Students File Lawsuit Over Tampons — “In a lawsuit filed in federal court, third-year law students Selene Cerankosky and Maria Arcara said the school ordered them to have no contact with another student who proposed stocking all restrooms, including men’s rooms, with menstrual hygiene products.” [WTOP]
Tex-Mex Restaurant Opens in Falls Church — “A new Latin and Tex-Mex restaurant is currently hosting its soft opening in Falls Church. Casa Mariachi Bar and Grille expects to hold a grand opening sometime next week at 133 E. Annandale Road, manager Tony Flores told ARLnow” on Nov. 8. [ARLnow]
Belle Haven Residents Push for New Park — The Fairfax County Park Authority is finalizing the design concept for a trail system that could help address “the lack of readily accessible recreational opportunities in the highly developed, densely populated Kings Crossing area.” The concept will be presented to the community next spring. [On the MoVe]
Woodlawn Park to Unveil New Restrooms — “The Fairfax County Park Authority, Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck and members of the Woodlawn Little League community invite the public to celebrate the official ribbon-cutting for the newly completed restroom and concessions building at McNaughton Fields Park. The ceremony will take place on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 10 a.m.” [FCPA]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies and a high of around 56 degrees, accompanied by a north wind blowing at 13 to 15 mph and gusts reaching up to 24 mph. The clear night will bring a low around 33 degrees, with a north wind at 7 to 9 mph and gusts up to 18 mph. [NWS]
