A Baltimore-based artist has been selected to bring public art to life at Fairway Drive underpass in Reston.
Shawn James of Mural Masters, Inc. will work on the project, Public Art Reston announced last week. He started his company in an effort to create an outreach and mentorship program for inner-city youth.
Tax Rate Decrease on Table for County Budget — “The Board of Supervisors will vote Tuesday on a budget mark-up that provides a lower real estate tax rate but doesn’t fully cancel out the impact of increased assessment values. Pay increases for county employees are also provided in the budget.” [Patch]
Local Man Gets 10 Years for Fatal Crash — “A 45-year-old Fairfax County man was sentenced to 10 years in prison last Thursday for a 2022 crash on Duke Street that killed a Fairfax County man and injured four others…[Carlos] McKethan, who drove a silver SUV, was high on Phencyclidine (PCP) when he attempted to pass a bus at 110 miles per hour.” [ALXnow]
A proposal for more long-distance flights at Reagan National Airport (DCA) is catching the ire of some of Virginia’s Congressional representatives, who say it could undermine efforts to grow Dulles International Airport (IAD).
Proponents led by Capital Access Alliance argue that current restrictions at Reagan National — an airport owned by the federal government — are outdated and hurt the economy. They want to increase the number of flights that travel beyond 1,250 miles from the airport, allowing as many as 25 daily round trips.
Fairfax County is pushing forward on a program that could have the county government split the bill for private stormwater projects with property owners.
Flooding doesn’t end at the property line and the Local Stormwater Management Assistance Fund aims to help boost stormwater management on private property. At an environmental committee meeting of the Board of Supervisors on April 25, staff presented an update on the program.
Restonians can officially select Reston’s new animal icon.
A group of organizations — Friends of Reston, Reston Association and Public Art Reston — have partnered on a quest to choose an animal to represent the area. Local artists have created the images.
FCPS Scales Back Falls Church HS Expansion — “The renovation and expansion of Falls Church High School, currently underway, is going to cost millions of dollars more than anticipated. As a result, some aspects of the original plan will be eliminated, and completion of the project has been pushed back a full year — from summer 2025 to summer 2026.” [Annandale Today]
Fairfax Runner Banned from Triathlons — “Collin Chartier, the triathlon champion who grew up in Fairfax and has strong ties to NoVA, has been banned from the sport for three years for taking a banned substance…Chartier admitted on Instagram to taking the drug and said he has no plans to return to the sport.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Reston Town Center will turn on the water for its iconic Mercury Fountain tomorrow (Saturday) for the first time in over a year.
Fountain Square and the neighboring pavilion are set to open with a celebration from 1-4 p.m. after a year-long renovation effort that brought the facility’s first improvements in more than 30 years.
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.
Looking for fun and affordable date ideas in Fairfax County? Check out our top 5 date nights (or day dates)!
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has opened its latest location in Herndon.
The restaurant will host its grand opening on May 4 at the Herndon Centre (494 Elden Street, Suite 230). It is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Arlington Residents Suing Over “Missing Middle” Look to zMOD Ruling — “The Virginia Supreme Court forced Fairfax to revert to an older zoning code because of this procedural misstep prior to the new laws taking effect. The 10 plaintiffs in the Missing Middle suit say it is a point in their favor, arguing the state Supreme Court signaled it takes seriously procedural violations.” [ARLnow]
New Signage Installed on GW Parkway — A temporary traffic pattern on the George Washington Parkway “has led to some confusion among drivers.” The National Park Service said new signs and barriers would be added to address issues, mostly in the afternoon rush hour, with northbound drivers trying to use the new center lane. [WTOP]
