The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for high fire danger Friday across much of Northern Virginia.
The warning is in effect from noon to 6 p.m. for Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, eastern Loudoun, northeast Prince William and northern Fauquier.
A man who fled the U.S. shortly after being accused of the 1991 killing of his estranged wife in West Falls Church will sit behind bars for the next two decades.
Jose Lazaro Cruz, 60, was sentenced yesterday (Thursday) to 20 years in prison for the stabbing death of Ana Jurado, which occurred more than 30 years ago in the 3100 block of Cofer Road.
County Warns About Fake Shredding Events — “Residents have recently reported arriving at Fairfax County facilities for shredding events that were falsely advertised on a suspicious website. These events are not associated with the county and we urge you to take steps to avoid misinformation and potential scams.” [Fairfax County Government]
Hayfield Argues Against Potential Postseason Ban — “Hayfield Secondary School made its final appeal Thursday to overturn a recommended two-year postseason ban in football. The hearing was held before a Virginia High School League three-person Executive Committee subcommittee,” which now has five working days to reach a final decision. [Inside NoVA]
FCPD Details Results of License Plate Readers — “The Fairfax County Police Department reports strong results from license plate readers.” Since the tools were introduced in November 2022, they have led to arrests of 514 people, 200 stolen vehicle recoveries, 43 gun recoveries and the locations of 30 missing people. [Annandale Today]
Local Voters Cite Economy, Abortion Among Top Issues — “Originally a Republican stronghold, Fairfax began to shift in the early 2000s as its population grew more diverse and younger families moved in. From student loan debt and health care to economic stability, these issues drive voters to make their voices heard in what many see as a defining election.” [The Wash]
Speculation on Youngkin Joining Trump Team — “Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has been getting closer to Donald Trump in recent months, with the two even appearing together on stage, leading to questions about whether Youngkin would possibly leave the state and join the incoming Trump administration.” [WTOP]
Herndon Cybersecurity Firm Buys Competitor — Everfox “previously known as Forcepoint Federal, has acquired Frederick, Maryland-based Yakabod Inc., a 23-year-old software company that provides cybersecurity and related services to federal agencies, corporations, universities and other organizations.” Announced on Nov. 1, the deal is Everfox’s second acquisition in three months. [DC Inno]
Herndon Homecoming Parade to Close Streets — “The Herndon High School Homecoming Parade is set to take place this Saturday, November 9th, kicking off at 9:30 am… To ensure the safety and smooth flow of the event, please take note of the following street closures and parking restrictions on Saturday morning.” [Town of Herndon]
Meadowlark Gardens Lets Kids See Winter Lights for Free — “Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights has four nights when kids will be admitted for free. On those nights, kids ages 2 to 12 will be admitted to the botanical gardens when they are accompanied by someone who has paid to get in.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Friday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 70 degrees with a light northwest wind that will reach 5-10 mph in the morning and potentially gust up to 20 mph. Clear conditions will continue into Friday night, with a low around 45 degrees. [NWS]
Championship seasons ended for the Potomac School Panthers girls and boys high-school soccer teams with recent semifinal losses in private-school state-tournament action.
The No. 3-seeded and defending champion girls (12-5) lost to the host and No. 2 seed Bishop O’Connell Knights, 2-0, in the four-team Northern Virginia Independent Schools State Invitational.
Just one more game stands between the Madison High School varsity football team and an undefeated regular season.
The 9-0 Warhawks visit the Centreville Wildcats on Friday (Nov. 8) in their final game prior to the region playoffs.
The D.C. area’s historic rain-free streak continues after a predicted chance of precipitation this morning (Thursday) failed to materialize.
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) announced today that it has extended a drought watch that has been in place since July, urging nearly 6 million residents and businesses in the region to take voluntary steps to conserve water.
After reporting record turnout levels in 2016 and 2020, Fairfax County saw a noticeable dip in voter participation for this year’s general election.
The county reported a voter turnout of 68.35%, with 561,368 of its 821,347 registered voters casting a ballot either on Tuesday (Nov. 5) or during the 45-day early voting period, according to unofficial results that will be certified after noon tomorrow (Friday), the deadline for the county’s elections office to receive mail-in ballots.
A new restaurant specializing in cuisine from the Arabian Penninsula, particularly Iraq and Kuwait, is moving into the Town of Vienna.
Dar Mariam anticipates opening in late December at 107 Maple Avenue West, the storefront that was vacated this summer by Donutchew, according to its Instagram profile.
RealtyPeople promises full-service representation while only charging $500 plus 1%.
Over the past year, the residential real estate industry has undergone major changes.
In late 2023, the National Association of Realtors and major brokerages were subject to legal action, resulting in implementation of new rules requiring more transparency in commissions.
According to Michael Gorman, the founder of RealtyPeople, this has created a desire among consumers for a more value-oriented service offering in residential real estate brokerage.
Mr. Gorman is a former senior executive at Long & Foster and has also conducted more than $2 billion in real estate transactions as one of the top agents in Northern Virginia. His new company, RealtyPeople, provides full-service representation for buyers and sellers at a cost of $500 plus 1% of the home’s sales price. According to Mr. Gorman, this puts more money into clients’ pockets, given that prevailing commission rates are closer to 3%.
Mr. Gorman is often asked how the company can make money when charging such low fees. He asserts that the key driver is volume. Most conventional real estate agents only complete a few real estate transactions per year, and that necessitates that they earn substantial commissions on each transaction. Mr. Gorman’s model is based on agents completing multiple transactions each month. Even when charging low commissions, he and his agents earn more than most agents at other brokerages.
Mr. Gorman doesn’t see RealtyPeople as a competitor to the area’s larger brokerages. In his view, conventional agents will attract clients based on strong personal relationships and specific neighborhood expertise. On those transactions, many clients will see value in paying 3% for representation.
But for those buyers and sellers who may consider transacting without representation, who are looking for a lower fee alternative to other brokerages, or simply wish to maximize their proceeds, RealtyPeople could be a compelling choice.
Visit www.realtypeople.com for additional information on the company’s approach and pricing.
Just two days after winning reelection to Congress, Rep. Gerry Connolly announced that he has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer.
Connolly learned of his diagnosis “a few days ago” after experiencing “some intermittent abdominal aches and pains,” but no other symptoms, he said in a statement posted on his social media pages this morning (Thursday).
