Fairfax County’s farmers markets are going plastic-free this month.
Starting tomorrow (Wednesday) through July 28, visitors to the Fairfax County Park Authority’s farmers markets are encouraged to bring reusable shopping bags in support of Plastic Free July, a global initiative fighting plastic pollution.
McLean Bank Is Go-To Funder of Republican Campaigns — “Chain Bridge Bank, privately owned and with some 70 employees, has worked with the campaign of every Republican Party presidential nominee since John McCain in 2008, including Donald Trump.” The one-branch bank on Laughlin Avenue was founded by former Republican Senator Peter Fitzgerald and announced in May that it might go public. [Reuters]
FCPS Tweaks Grading Policies — “Fairfax County schools will allow students to retake tests for full credit and will add a D-minus to their grading scale as the district and others try to rethink how to measure student performance.” Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid says the new approach to grading will create more consistency and be clearer to communicate. [Washington Post]
Hybla Valley Affordable Housing Slowly Filling — “As of June 24, 2024, the Residences at North Hill had a total of 61 occupied units (22% occupancy) with 26 more units in-process according to Ivy Dench-Carter, senior vice president of development at Pennrose, which both owns and manages the property…Their goal is to have the residences at least 95% occupied by October.” [On the MoVe]
International Grocery Store Eyes Summer Opening — “Ummah Market, an international grocery store in Bailey’s Crossroads, could have a soft opening by the end of July and a grand opening by the end of August, says owner and CEO Jawad Yousufi…Yousufi describes the store as a ‘Mediterranean version of Whole Foods,’ featuring natural and healthy items from Turkey, Afghanistan, and the Middle East.” [Annandale Today]
Sheriff, Commonwealth’s Attorney Get Pay Raises — “Fulfilling a state-code requirement, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted June 25 to raise pay rates for three constitutional officers, effective July 1.” The new annual salaries for the clerk of the circuit court, commonwealth’s attorney and sheriff are $184,141, $204,274.49 and $259,158.99, respectively. [Gazette Leader]
Fire Department Celebrates First Hires — “75th ANNIVERSARY: On July 1, 1949, the first 10 career #FCFRD firefighters were hired. They served primarily as daytime apparatus drivers. Today we are the largest fire dept in Virginia and one of the best in the nation with w/ 1,400 career FFs, 170 civilians, & 370 volunteers.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
County’s Door-to-Door Shuttle Changes Departments — The Fairfax County Department of Transportation has taken over management of Fastran from the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS). “The realignment will streamline responsibilities and eliminate redundancies, allowing for improved service delivery and enhanced collaboration.” [NCS]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny conditions, reaching a high of approximately 85°F. In the afternoon, light wind will increase to 5-7 mph from the southeast. At night, the sky will turn partly cloudy and temperatures will drop to around 65°F. [NWS]
Boston Properties is betting on office for the next phase of its Reston Town Center expansion.
The developer submitted plans to Fairfax County on Saturday (June 29) that would increase the amount of office space allowed in the mixed-use neighborhood dubbed RTC or Reston Next that’s now under construction near the Reston Town Center Metro station, while decreasing retail, hotel and residential uses.
A new fast food operator appears to be taking over the former Burger King adjacent to the Hunters Woods Village Center in Reston.
It’s currently unclear what will replace the now-vacant building at 2270 Hunters Woods Plaza, where Burger King shuttered last year.
Fairfax Car Wash Employee Killed in Crash — A customer at Flagship Carwash in Fairfax City hit a nearby car and three employees after exiting a car wash bay around 10:56 a.m. on Saturday (June 29), police say. All three workers were taken to a hospital, where one of them, 62-year-old Martha Clemencia Nguyen, died. [NBC4]
Guns Tossed From Car During Police Pursuit — “Three handguns were thrown from a car during a police pursuit in Springfield, Virginia, according to the Virginia State Police. Officials said that a Virginia State trooper was initiating a traffic stop on a Nissan allegedly traveling recklessly when it refused to stop and sped away on Route 644 near Old Keene Mill Road.” [WJLA]
Fires Reported in Vienna and Springfield — Fairfax County firefighters found grass and “multiple trees on fire” in the 8200 block of Alban Road in Springfield near the ramp to southbound I-95 yesterday (Sunday). They also battled a house fire in the 100 block of Patrick Street SE in Vienna. No injuries were reported. [FCFRD/Twitter, Statter911/Twitter]
Pro Cricket Team Still Looking for Stadium Site — “The Washington Freedom want to build a permanent stadium by the decade’s end with surge capacity up to 35,000 surrounded by some mix of hotel/conference center, retail and residential…After an earlier plan to build a cricket stadium at George Mason University died on the vine, the Freedom is now actively considering 12 to 15 sites in Greater Washington, [general manager Rohit] Anand said.” [Washington Business Journal]
Metro to Waive Evening Fares on July 4 — “Whether you take Metrorail, Metrobus, or MetroAccess, you won’t pay a dime to ride after 5 p.m. until the system closes. During the afternoon, you’ll also see us ramp up service to rush hour service levels on Metrorail to get tens of thousands of you to events safely and reliably across the region.” [WMATA]
Gum Springs Historic Marker Relocated — “One year after Gum Springs and Fairfax County officials celebrated the unveiling of a historical marker honoring Gum Springs founder West Ford, a small group of community members gathered June 21 to commemorate the sign’s placement in a new location.” [On the MoVe]
Tysons Has Region’s Highest Apartment Rents — “Tysons leads the pack in median apartment-rental prices in new data, with the cost to renters rising nearly 5 percent year-over-year. With a median monthly cost of $2,396 for one-bedroom units and $2,872 for two bedrooms, Tysons had the highest median rate of the 34 communities within the Washington metropolitan region tracked by Apartment List.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 80 accompanied by a north wind around 14 mph and gusts reaching up to 22 mph. For Monday night, the weather will be mostly clear, with temperatures dipping to around 63 degrees, and a north wind at 5 to 7 mph. [NWS]
A revised policy for adjusting school boundaries appears to have most of the Fairfax County School Board’s support ahead of a possible vote next month.
While most members agreed that the current policy needs an overhaul to address capacity issues across Fairfax County Public Schools, some expressed reservations at a work session on Tuesday (June 25).
Live Fairfax is a bi-weekly column exploring Fairfax County. This week’s column is sponsored and written by JaneEllen Saums of McEnearney Associates. Questions? Reach JaneEllen at 703-861-3523.
Mason Neck State Park is an absolute treasure, and it’s located only 25 miles from Washington, D.C. near Lorton. It has over 1,800 acres, 9 miles of trails, a Visitor’s Center, playground, and a large shaded picnic area. It’s also possible to rent kayaks and canoes there or you can bring your own.
The Visitor’s Center overlooks Belmont Bay, and it has great exhibits, restrooms, and sells convenience items. Park rangers work the welcome desk, and if you have any questions or need assistance they’re a wonderful resource.
The Park was established in 1985 with the help of a local activist, Elizabeth Hartwell. She heard of the many plans to develop this land for a range of projects such as a planned community (like Reston), an outer Beltway, an airport, a natural gas pipeline, a landfill and a sewer line. She was ultimately able to get the land protected because of the Bald Eagle, and as the story goes, it was the Bald Eagle that saved Mason Neck and not necessarily the other way around!
The bald eagle population had been declining rapidly in the 1960s due to the use of the pesticide, DDT, and there were only 417 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states. That’s less than 9 nesting pairs per state!.
Luckily, there were Bald Eagles at Mason Neck, and that was the main way Elizabeth Hartwell was able to keep the land from being developed — by protecting their habitat she was not only able to help save the Bald Eagle, but also this beautiful peninsula!
Luckily, the eagles have made a comeback, and it’s not uncommon to see at least one when hiking or kayaking here.
I recommend going up Kane’s Creek where there’s an abundance of wildlife. On the tours I’ve helped lead, we often see ospreys, great blue herons, tree swallows, bluebirds, and red wing black birds — and if we’re lucky — bald eagles, as well.
Several large special events are held at the Park such as the annual Eagle Festival in the spring and the Park After Dark event in the fall, as well as short programs with topics as varied as snakes, wildflowers, birds, turtles, and dragonflies. There’s a Junior Ranger summer camp program for children, and guided kayak tours after-hours in the early morning and late in the evening.
Thanks to Elizabeth Hartwell, and many other local activists, we have this beautiful park which allows you to easily get away from the hustle and bustle of the DMV.
Mason Neck is open from 6 a.m. to dusk during the summer and from 7 a.m. to dusk in the winter. I hope you’re able to come and explore it and see the wildlife, experience a paddle on the water, or participate in a guided walk while you’re there.
For information about Riverbend Park, which is another wonderful park in the DMV, click here.
JaneEllen McLaughlin Saums is a Realtor® with McEnearney Associates and is also a Master Naturalist with Fairfax County. 703-861-3523| jsaums@mcenearney.com | www.janeellensells.com | www.McEnearney.com | 1320 Old Chain Bridge Road, McLean, VA 22101
Lake Fairfax Park isn’t the only spot in Fairfax County planning an early Fourth of July party this year.
The Fairfax County Park Authority’s Independence Day celebration in Reston will compete tomorrow (Saturday) with festivities in McLean, Lorton and Mount Vernon, where George Washington’s estate will kick off two days of fireworks tonight (Friday).
New Laws to Take Effect Monday — “Most laws that were passed by the General Assembly during the 2024 legislative session take effect in Virginia on Monday, July 1.” Highlights include a law championed by Fairfax County that will allow speed limits under 25 mph in business and residential areas, fines for moving violations in highway work zones and a ban on altering gun serial numbers. [Fairfax County]
Metro Fares Set to Increase — “Metro rail and bus riders: plan to start paying about 12 percent more per trip. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) reminded passengers this week that fares on its whole system will be going up starting June 30.” The increase was approved in April to help Metro address a $750 million budget deficit. [Washingtonian]
Kids to Get Free VRE Rides — “The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) will make modest adjustments to its fare schedule for the first time in five years and eliminate fares for those ages 18 and under beginning Monday, July 1, 2024. Adult fares will increase approximately 5 percent, well below the rate of inflation since 2019.” [VRE]
Route One BRT Starts Engineering — “The Richmond Highway Corridor’s future bus rapid transit (BRT) system has taken another significant step forward with the news that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approved the project’s entry into the Engineering phase” of a grant program that Fairfax County hopes will cover nearly half of the $937 million price tag. [On the MoVe]
N. Va. Restaurants Awarded for Their Wine — “Looking for a great selection of wine when you go out for dinner? Wine Spectator announced its 2024 Restaurant Awards on Tuesday, highlighting the best restaurants in the world for wine — and there are 31 winners in Northern Virginia.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Parking Restrictions Proposed around Madison HS — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized a July 30 public hearing on whether to expand the Madison Residential Permit Parking District in response to a petition by residents on Carey Lane in Vienna. Residents say “large numbers” of James Madison High School students are taking up parking between Jerry Lane and Vale Road. [Gazette Leader]
Reston Arts Curator to Leave Post — “Jaynelle Hazard will be stepping down as executive director and curator of Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art on Aug. 1 to become the director and chief curator of Georgetown University Galleries.” She joined the Reston arts nonprofit — then known as the Greater Reston Center — in March 2020 and oversaw its rebranding in 2021. [Patch]
Park Authority Rolls Out Wonder Wagon for Summer — “The Park Authority’s new mobile nature center launched its 2024 Summer Activation series on June 19 at Justice Park with a wagonload of guided and fun-filled activities for the community. With 10 additional parks included in the series, our team invites you to accelerate your summer experience in a park near you” [FCPA]
It’s Friday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching 84 degrees, accompanied by a gentle 8mph northeast breeze that will shift southeast later in the afternoon. Cloud cover will increase during the night, bringing temperatures to a low of 71 degrees. [NWS]
The Taco Bell across the street from Herndon’s Worldgate Centre shopping mall is officially getting a makeover.
Earlier this week, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the California-based, Mexican-inspired fast food chain’s request to demolish the existing building at 2170 Centreville Road and construct a more modern facility boasting new amenities and extended hours.
