Countywide

I-66 Lane Closure in Vienna Area Starts Tonight — “The left travel lane on I-66 East between Cedar Lane and I-495 will be closed beginning around 9 p.m. Friday, August 19, through 5 a.m. Thursday, August 25, to allow for continued construction of the future I-66 Express Lanes…Drivers should plan for traffic delays and consider alternative routes during this period.” [VDOT]

Superintendent Says FCPS Prepared for New School Year, Despite Gaps in Staff — “Out of the 15,000 teachers employed by FCPS, about 150 of them are part of the residency program. But a look at Fairfax County openings still shows a lot. By our count, more than 350. The county says that where they still have vacancies, central office staff with teacher licenses will be asked to cover until a permanent teacher has been hired.” [WUSA9]


Countywide

(Updated at 4:35 p.m.) Employee bonuses, facility improvements, and a study of middle school start times are among the priorities that Fairfax County Public Schools can now fund, thanks to some financial leeway from staff vacancies and state revenue.

The school system has about $90.9 million left over from fiscal year 2022, which ran from July 1, 2021 to June 30 of this year, FCPS leaders reported to the school board during its last regular meeting on July 14.


News

Five regional contemporary artists will highlight Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art‘s bi-annual Mary B. Howard Invitational.

The group exhibition — slated to take place at the institute’s Reston Town Center gallery from Dec. 10 through Feb. 26 — features the work of regional artists selected through a months-long application process.


News

A 356-unit, seven-story apartment building is taking shape near the Innovation Metro station. 

Makers Rise, which is on just under 4 acres of land at the intersection of Dulles Station Blvd and North Side Street and South Side Street, is set for completion in July 2023.


Countywide

Silver Line Phase 2 Drill Held Up by Rust — “Metro’s Silver Line is set to start running farther into Northern Virginia soon after years of project delays — but rust on the rails delayed an emergency drill Wednesday in Ashburn. Crews were set to simulate a real-life emergency starting at 8 a.m…Safety devices could not be installed quickly, and the drill was delayed more than two hours.” [NBC4]

Off-Campus GMU Students Moving in May Affect Traffic — “City of Fairfax Police are advising residents and commuters that The Flats on University will be moving in their residents on Friday, August 22. Move in begins at 7:30 a.m. and will end at 5 p.m…One section of Democracy Lane will be one way starting at the intersection of University and Democracy Lane.” [Fairfax City Police/Twitter]


News

A one-day beautification project is slated to take place next month at Lake Fairfax in Reston.

The Fairfax County Park Authority is seeking volunteers for a community stewardship celebration at Lake Fairfax Park on Sept. 24.


Sponsored

This biweekly column is sponsored by The Mather in Tysons, Virginia, a forward-thinking Life Plan Community for those 62 and better.

Volunteer work is a wonderful use of your time. Doing something worthwhile for others offers a wealth of benefits to your own well-being, from keeping you mentally and socially active to strengthening your sense of purpose and satisfaction with life.


Countywide

County Offers New Covid Vaccine — “Starting this week, adults 18 years of age and older who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine and are interested in getting one, can now make an appointment for the recently authorized Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted. Due to limited availability, Novavax will only be offered by appointment only.” [Fairfax County Health Department]

Teen Takes Stand in Springfield Murder Trial — “A teenager on trial in the killings of two Fairfax County high school students took the stand Tuesday and said he was defending a friend when he opened fire inside a Springfield, Virginia, home last year…Ersheen Elaiaiser, 17, was shot twice in the chest and 16-year-old Calvin Van Pelt was shot once in the back at a home in the 8000 block of Winding Way Court, prosecutors said. Both teens died.” [NBC4]


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