Countywide

Underground Utilities Proposed for Route 1 — Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck has joined many residents, businesses, and state Sen. Scott Surovell (D-36) as an advocate for moving power lines along Richmond Highway underground, though that isn’t in the current designs for widening the road. Advocates say undergrounding would limit storm damage and bring economic benefits. [On the MoVe]

Metro Plans for Budget Shortfall — “Metrorail has only recovered 42% of its ridership and Metrobus has recovered about 60%. This time, Metro officials are not banking on the cavalry — in the form of a federal bailout or additional local dollars — to arrive. Later this summer, board members and new Metro General Manager Randy Clarke will begin to calculate how to plug a $356 million operating budget gap.” [DCist]


Sponsored

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.


News

A major fixture in Fairfax County’s historic wagon trade is undergoing major repairs.

The county has begun demolishing and repairing the Historic Dranesville Tavern (11919 Leesburg Pike), which was built in the 1830s to serve the wagon trade that supplied the Piedmont area of Virginia. Crews have started a $191,000 project to root out termite damage in the building’s structure.


Countywide

After dropping earlier this summer, Fairfax County’s COVID-19 caseload has essentially leveled off over the past month.

With 297 new cases reported today (Monday), the Fairfax Health District is averaging 412 cases per day for the past week, thanks in part to a deluge of 641 cases on Friday (July 8), according to data from the Virginia Department of Health.


Around Town

A new exhibit that strips the functionality of instructional diagrams or objects is coming this week to Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art‘s satellite gallery in Reston Town Center.

Baltimore-based artist Danni O’Brien will bring her work, “Cross Sections,” for display at the Signature Apartments at 11850 Freedom Drive from Thursday (July 14) through Oct. 11. An in-person reception and talk with the artist is set for Thursday, August 4 at 6 p.m. in the building’s courtyard.


Countywide

The name for Lee District has officially changed.

Last week, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the name “Franconia District” for the Springfield, Franconia, Kingstowne, and Hybla Valley area represented by Rodney Lusk, who brought forward the proposal after community input.


Countywide

(Updated at 9:25 a.m.) Fire and Rescue Rejects Agreement in Sexual Harassment Complaint — The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found that a former Fairfax County firefighter was sexually harassed by a captain in 2017 and demoted after she reported it. But the county fire department has refused an agreement requiring improved efforts to address sexual harassment, new training, and a $150,000 award to the woman, raising the possibility of a federal lawsuit. [The Washington Post]

Pedestrian Killed in Lorton Crash Identified — The Fairfax County Police Department says Keith Thomas, 24, was walking in the southbound lanes of Richmond Highway when he was hit by the driver of a 2005 GMC Sierra at 1:28 a.m. Friday (July 8) at the I-95 interchange. The driver called for help, but Thomas was struck by other vehicles and ultimately died at the scene. [FCPD]


Countywide

A Flood Watch has been issued for Fairfax County and the rest of the D.C. area.

The alert will be in effect from 11 p.m. today (Friday) through 2 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday), according to the National Weather Service, which warns that “excessive” rainfall may lead to flash flooding.


News

Since 1991, people outside the Town of Herndon have been able to take advantage of its parks and recreation scholarship program, which awards fee waivers to participants enrolled in federally-funded, low-income programs.

A proposal before the Herndon Town Council aims to restrict eligibility for that program to town residents. If adopted by the council, the move would align with neighboring jurisdictions that offer fee waivers to residents only.


View More Stories