Reston | FFXnow - Part 354

Morning Notes

Published October 3, 2023 at 8:15AM

Passing the Preserve at Westfields apartments in Chantilly (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Brace for Emergency Alert Test Tomorrow — “The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 2:20 p.m.” The EAS will send an alert to all cellphones, while the WEA will be broadcast on radio and TVs. [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Person of Interest in Burke Lake Park Death Arrested — “A man has been arrested in the death of a Virginia woman found inside a tent…Police had earlier called Rami El Sayed a ‘person of interest’ in the death of Cara Abbruscato, 40, of Fairfax. He was arrested Monday in New Jersey on a charge of second-degree murder, and will be extradited to Northern Virginia, police announced on social media.” [WTOP]

News

Development near historic area of Lake Fairfax Park advanced by planning commission

By Fatimah Waseem

Published October 2, 2023 at 3:30PM | Updated October 2, 2023 at 5:52PM

Cemetery #FX242 near Lake Fairfax Park in Reston (via SEM Fairfax Land Associates/Fairfax County)

(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) A redevelopment proposal for nearly 9-acre parcel of land near Lake Fairfax Park is headed for a vote before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors this month.

The plan by SEM Fairfax Land Associates calls for eight single-family homes on a cul-de-sac off of Lake Fairfax Drive, along with the preservation of a log house that was built in the 1790s.

Countywide

Fairfax Connector’s first electric buses hit the road, with more on the way

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 2, 2023 at 11:45AM

The Fairfax Connector bus fleet has a growing number of electric buses (courtesy FCDOT)

Electric buses have at last joined Northern Virginia’s largest local bus fleet.

Fairfax Connector launched the eight battery-powered vehicles out of its West Ox Operations and Maintenance Center (4970 Alliance Drive) at 10:30 a.m. last Thursday (Sept. 28), a critical first step forward in the transit system’s plan to phase out diesel or gas-fueled buses.

News

Apartment representative resigns from Reston Association’s Board of Directors

By Fatimah Waseem

Published October 2, 2023 at 11:00AM

Reston Association (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Reston Association’s Board of Directors has a new vacancy.

Mike Collins — who represents apartment owners within RA’s membership — resigned Friday (Sept. 29).

Countywide

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published October 2, 2023 at 8:15AM

A belated Mosaic Fall Festival, postponed by rain, takes over Strawberry Park on Saturday, Sept. 30 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Metro Still Recovering From Derailment Near National Airport — “Most Metrorail customers will see nearly normal train service [Monday], even as Metro continues to inspect the fleet’s oldest railcars…However Blue and Yellow line trains will depart every 15 minutes while work continues to repair tracks damaged in Friday’s derailment.” [WMATA]

County Seeks Input on Pedestrian and Bicycle Projects — “Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) has developed a proposed list of projects that will be narrowed down further with input from the community to receive a portion of $100 million funding allocated by the Board of Supervisors.” Virtual meetings will be held at 7 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) and noon on Thursday (Oct. 5) to discuss the projects. [FCDOT]

News

NEW: County fire lieutenant arrested for stealing drugs from stations

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 29, 2023 at 3:45PM

A Fairfax County Fire and Rescue truck (file photo)

A 17-year veteran of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has been arrested for allegedly stealing drugs stored at two stations for her personal use, police announced today (Friday).

Aleksandra Olegoyna Kazmar, 40, of Front Royal faces one felony charge of obtaining drugs by fraud after investigators determined that she had tampered with or stolen vials of morphine and fentanyl from the Frying Pan and North Point stations, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

News

More Capital Bikeshare stations slated for Innovation Center Metro station area

By Fatimah Waseem

Published September 29, 2023 at 2:15PM

A Capital Bikeshare station is located at Market Street and St. Francis Street (Photo courtesy FCDOT).

A total of six new Capital Bikeshare stations may soon arrive around the Innovation Center Metro station.

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation will host a meeting this coming Wednesday (Oct. 4) to discuss the proposal. The virtual meeting begins at 7 p.m.

Live Fairfax: Discover the beauty of fall foliage — Top 5 spots in Fairfax County

By Sponsor

Published September 29, 2023 at 12:30PM

Live Fairfax is a bi-weekly column exploring Fairfax County. This recurring column is sponsored and written by Sharmane Medaris of McEnearney Associates. Questions? Reach Sharmane at 813-504-4479.

As your neighborhood expert in Fairfax County and a Florida girl who appreciates the fall season, I’m excited to guide you through the breathtaking beauty of fall foliage in our picturesque corner of Virginia.

News

Herndon Town Council drops attempt to double council terms

By Fatimah Waseem

Published September 29, 2023 at 11:00AM

Town of Herndon government offices (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Terms for Herndon Town Council members will remain unchanged after the council unanimously agreed to drop a proposal to increase the term from two to four years.

The council voted on Tuesday (Sept. 26) to remove consideration of the item from its legislative program for the Virginia General Assembly’s 2024 session. A similar effort came up almost a decade ago but was dropped by a previous council after lack of public support.

Countywide

Fairfax County funds survey of people who engage in ‘panhandling’

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 29, 2023 at 10:30AM

A person can be seen panhandling on the median of International Drive in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

After years of debating the issue of “panhandling” in board rooms, Fairfax County will now actually talk to the people asking for money, often from sidewalks and street medians.

At Chairman Jeff McKay’s request, the Board of Supervisors approved $75,000 for a survey of people engaged in panhandling as part of a budget carryover package adopted on Tuesday (Sept. 26).