Reston | FFXnow - Part 535

Published April 19, 2022 at 3:45PM

The Fairfax County Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

While Fairfax County regularly makes headlines for its diversion initiatives and other criminal justice reform efforts, an imbalance in funding for prosecutors and defense attorneys remains unaddressed, the local public defender’s office says.

Dawn Butorac, the county’s chief public defender, said her office’s 25 attorney positions are around half the number of lawyers that Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano’s office has, and that gap is only going to worsen if a proposed county budget is adopted without changes this May.

Countywide

Google announces $300M investment in Virginia from Reston office

By David Taube

Published April 19, 2022 at 3:00PM | Updated April 20, 2022 at 8:56AM

Gov. Glenn Youngkin visits Google's office at Reston Station (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Gov. Glenn Youngkin visited Google’s Reston Station office today (Tuesday) to help the company share its plans to continue building up Virginia’s technology industry.

Flanked by public officials at a media event, Google executive Vint Cerf announced it will invest over $300 million in Virginia this year.

Countywide

Future of county’s inmate work release program still a question mark

By Fatimah Waseem

Published April 19, 2022 at 12:45PM | Updated December 9, 2022 at 2:46PM

The county's work-release program has been suspended for two years.

Fairfax County’s work release program remains shut down due to the pandemic, keeping one option for inmates off of the table for a little over two years.

Due to concerns about the transmission of COVID-19, the county’s sheriff’s office says its is unclear when and if the program will resume. The program first shut down in March 2020.

Countywide

Fairfax Connector proposes service reductions, making free Metrorail transfers permanent

By David Taube

Published April 19, 2022 at 11:15AM

A Fairfax County bus driver waits for the next segment of his route (Staff photo by David Taube)

Fairfax County plans to reduce service on some bus routes due to budget constraints, even as a program allowing free transfers to and from Metrorail could become permanent.

On the Newington Circulator (Route 334), Fairfax Connector has proposed reducing weekday service from every 30 minutes to rush hours and a single mid-day trip.

Countywide

JUST IN: Stakeout leads to arrest in overnight burglaries at Northpoint Village Shopping Center

By Fatimah Waseem

Published April 19, 2022 at 9:45AM

Matsutake Sushi is one of several North Point Village Center businesses burglarized in the past year (staff photo by David Taube)

For months, several businesses at North Point Village Center have been struck by overnight burglaries.

The series of burglaries at Bobby’s Bagel Cafe, Gregorio’s Trattoria, Matsutake Sushi and Sake Bar between September and March led police to launch a stakeout to catch the possible suspect.

Countywide

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published April 19, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated December 9, 2022 at 1:48PM

Sunrise at Reston National Golf Course (photo by Terry Baranski)

Masks Now Optional on Metro — “Effective immediately, Metro will make masks optional on Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess for its customers. Masks also will be optional for Metro employees. This change comes as a result of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) suspending enforcement, while the Biden Administration reviews a federal judge’s ruling.” [WMATA]

McLean Community Center Faces Anti-Equity Backlash — Protests of a “Drag Storybook Hour” at Dolley Madison Library last summer by some McLean residents have grown into broader opposition to MCC promoting diversity and inclusion in its programming. The tension has manifested in this year’s governing board race, where nine candidates, including a former Trump administration official, are vying for three open seats. [The Washington Post]

Countywide

Affordable housing supporters push county to back up words with funding

By David Taube

Published April 18, 2022 at 3:45PM | Updated December 9, 2022 at 2:09PM

Affordable apartments at Ovation at Arrowbrook in McNair are undergoing construction (staff photo by David Taube)

While Fairfax County’s goal of creating 10,000 affordable housing units by 2034 is laudable, ambition alone will not address all of the county’s existing needs, residents and housing advocates say.

Affordable housing groups, residents, and other community members raised issues at budget hearings last week with how the county is seeking to address gaps in affordable housing. Many called for funding increases, a request that will have to be balanced with potentially competing priorities, such as property tax relief.

Countywide

Fairfax Health District’s COVID-19 death toll reaches 1,500 people

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 18, 2022 at 3:00PM

Fairfax Health District COVID-19 cases over the past 26 weeks, as of April 18, 2022 (via VDH)

On March 12, a resident of Fairfax County, or possibly the cities of Fairfax or Falls Church died from COVID-19.

Reported to the Virginia Department of Health within the past week, the most recent confirmed death brings the Fairfax Health District’s death toll from the pandemic up to 1,500 people.

News

Demolition of warehouse in the Town of Herndon under consideration

By Fatimah Waseem

Published April 18, 2022 at 2:15PM

The self-storage facility would replace a warehouse (Photo via handout/Town of Herndon).

A new self-storage facility could take the place of an existing warehouse in the Town of Herndon.

Security Public Storage is hoping to get the town’s blessing to demolish a warehouse at 331 Victory Drive to build a self-storage facility.

Countywide

Fairfax County seeks $572M in funds for electric buses, road projects

By David Taube

Published April 18, 2022 at 11:15AM

Fairfax County Connector in Reston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority wants the public’s input on more than two dozen projects that could drastically change travel in the region.

The projects cover a six-year funding span and involve over $1.2 billion in requests, though the authority acknowledged it’s not immediately clear how much funding will be available.