By MATTHEW BARAKAT Associated Press
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — A coalition of immigrant-rights groups and the League of Women Voters in Virginia has filed a federal lawsuit accusing Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares of an ongoing “purge” of voter rolls that will disenfranchise legitimate voters.
The Washington & Old Dominion Trail’s history as a rail line was on full display yesterday (Monday) during the latest 50th anniversary celebration organized by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NOVA Parks).
After listening to local elected leaders, park officials and advocates reflect on the trail’s importance to the region, ceremony attendees could pore over old photographs of train stations and touch a rusted railroad spike, just steps from where the W&OD tracks once ran through the heart of the Town of Vienna.
Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman found himself lost in the weeds.
While he might not have been the only person to lose track of the conversation, Bierman was the one who spoke up Thursday (Oct. 3) as the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) discussed regional coordination and the potential of creating a dedicated stream of tax revenue to fund local transit.
Tysons continues to have the priciest apartment-rental costs in the D.C. region.
The median Tysons apartment-rental price in September was $2,654 ($2,414 for one-bedroom units and $2,894 for two bedrooms), according to figures reported last Thursday (Oct. 3) by Apartment List.
Merrifield Barricade Resolved — Police have arrested “a wanted man who is possibly armed & refusing to exit his vehicle,” leading to a barricade situation in the 2700 block of Livingstone Lane in Merrifield. [FCPD/Twitter]
Fairfax Motorcyclist Dies After Crash — Joshua Doan-Ha, 20, died Sunday (Oct. 6) from injuries he sustained in a two-vehicle crash on Braddock Road near Kings Park West. Police say Doan-Ha crashed into the driver of a 2016 Toyota Corolla on Oct. 3 while traveling east on a 2023 Kawasaki Ninja. “Detectives continue to investigate whether speed or alcohol were a factor in the crash.” [FCPD]
Security Company Expands Tysons HQ — “Alarm.com Holdings Inc. has renewed its headquarters lease at The Boro in Tysons, marking not only one of the largest recent deals in Northern Virginia but also a rare expansion. The residential and commercial security company inked a lease for a little more than 246,000 square feet at EastBoro III,” a 29% increase in space. [Washington Business Journal]
County Shares Respiratory Illness Data — “The Fairfax County Health Department has published a new Respiratory Illness Dashboard to help residents stay informed about the prevalence and trends of respiratory viruses in the Fairfax Health District. This tool offers real-time updates and data on various respiratory illnesses such as flu, COVID-19, and RSV.” [FCHD]
The State of Abortion Access in Virginia — “Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two and a half years ago, states around the country have shored up their protections or enacted various bans and restrictions. And though Virginia is the least restrictive Southern state — and a bastion for out-of-state patients — a new report indicates some hurdles.” [Virginia Mercury]
Road Diet Proposed for Huntington Avenue — “The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will hold a virtual public meeting Oct. 9 to brief community members on a proposed road diet along Huntington Avenue between Richmond Highway and Telegraph Road.” One travel lane in each direction will be converted into a buffered bicycle lane, and a center turn lane will be added. [On the MoVe]
Fairfax Connector Unveils ‘Spooky Bus’ — “A peek at the ‘Spooky Bus’ wrapping process! This is one of three designs you’ll see on roadways in Fairfax County beginning this week.” People who share a photo of the Halloween-themed bus on social media “will be entered to win a $50 SmarTrip card.” [Fairfax Connector/Twitter]
Reston Contractor CEO Buys Former Nats Star’s Home — “Steve Schorer, who replaced Stu Shea at Peraton in early September, recently paid $8.55 million for the McLean home of Stephen Strasburg, the retired Washington Nationals’ pitcher and 2019 World Series MVP, according to public records. Schorer closed the deal Sept. 27, paying $1.2 million less than the original list price.” [WBJ]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies and a high of around 69 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind at approximately 6 mph. The night will be mostly clear with a low of about 49 degrees and a gentle west wind. [NWS]
The Potomac School Panthers’ three-game winning streak ended Oct. 5 on a road trip to Pennsylvania.
The Panthers (3-2) lost to The Kiski School Cougars (3-3) of Saltsburg, Pa., a bit northwest of Johnstown, 47-13, in the non-conference high-school football game.
Metro’s new inspector general is under no illusions about the perceptions of her office.
“There is a big question about…independence. The thought was we didn’t have independence,” Michelle Zamarin told the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) at its meeting on Thursday (Oct. 3).
Fairfax County’s 9-1-1 team is lending a hand to the ongoing emergency response to Hurricane Helene, which devastated the southeastern U.S., including parts of Virginia, in late September.
Four dispatchers with the county’s Department of Public Safety Communications (DPSC) deployed to North Carolina this morning (Monday) after getting a call for aid from their counterparts in that state, who have been working nonstop since the storm blew through the Carolinas on Sept. 27.
A woman who made international headlines for restoring a lighthouse in Ohio is seeking to undertake similar duties at Ash Grove in Tysons.
Later this month, the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) will begin reviewing and soliciting community feedback on Sheila Consaul’s proposal to move into and help maintain the historic house at 8881 Ashgrove House Lane as part of the agency’s Resident Curator Program.
McLean Bank Makes Public Debut — “Chain Bridge Bancorp (CBNA.N), was valued at $138 million after its shares fell 2% in their NYSE debut on Friday, marking a grim start to its stint as a public company…While some analysts had lauded timing the IPO just a month ahead of the presidential election, the lukewarm reception highlights the challenges of attracting investors to a less recognizable conservative-leaning brand.” [Reuters]
Vienna Student Reported for Assaults and Threat — Vienna Adventist Academy’s principal reported a Sept. 26 incident where “a student had a violent emotional breakdown in class that resulted in them striking multiple other students and faculty members before being separated from the class. During the incident, the student made an additional physical threat.” [Vienna Police]
Fairfax Dunkin’ Donuts Robbed — A 21-year-old Fairfax man was arrested last week and charged with petit larceny in connection to a reported robbery of Dunkin’ Donuts (10020 Main Street) on Oct. 3. Police say “a male subject approached the victim, punched the victim, stole the victim’s electric scooter and cell phone, and fled the area. The victim sustained minor injuries.” [City of Fairfax Police]
N. Va. Unemployment Rate Rises — Northern Virginia’s jobless rate of 3.1% in August was up from 2.8% a year before, according to new state data, with 1.68 million employed and 54,500 seeking jobs. Fairfax County’s unemployment rate for the month was 3.1% with 20,132 people without jobs, up from 2.9% in July and 2.7% in August 2023. [Virginia Employment Commission]
Franconia Metro Station Getting New Escalators — “On October 7, 2024, Metro will begin a major capital project replacing two entrance escalators and three platform escalators at Franconia-Springfield. The five escalators will be replaced with brand-new ones that are more durable and reliable.” Expected to finish in July 2025, the work is part of a system-wide effort to update the transit agency’s escalators. [WMATA]
WaPo Critic Impressed by Fairfax City Restaurant — Southeast Impressions, which opened in Fairfax City’s Scout on the Circle development last year, serves Singaporean and Malaysian favorites as well as “a hit parade of Thai choices.” Critic Tom Sietsema says it’s an exception to the adage that “plastic, pages-long menus with photographs are typically a sign of a restaurant to avoid.” [Washington Post]
Dulles Airport to Offer New Flights — “United Airlines Inc. plans to add two nonstop destinations to its lineup of flights out of Dulles International Airport (IAD) later this fall, further cementing its status as the airport’s largest carrier.” Daily nonstop flights will be available to South Bend International Airport in Indiana starting Dec. 3 and to Morgantown Municipal Airport in West Virginia on Dec. 13 [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny weather with temperatures reaching up to 70°F. Northwest winds will be blowing at 8-13 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. As for Monday night, the sky will be mostly clear, and the temperature will drop to around 50°F, accompanied by a northwest wind of 6-8 mph. [NWS]
