The greatest concentration of wealth in Fairfax County isn’t in the mansions of McLean or the waterfront estates near Mount Vernon that once counted former football team owner Dan Snyder among their residents.
The county’s wealthiest spot is, in fact, a sliver of Dunn Loring off of the I-495 and I-66 interchange that’s packed with single-family homes, according to the Business Journals Wealthy 1,000, a ranking of the 1,000 wealthiest zip codes in the U.S.
Pedestrian Hospitalized by Annandale Crash — “A man remains hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in the 6600 block of Columbia Pike…on Sept. 12, the Fairfax County Police Department reports. The crash happened in the crosswalk between Mason District Park and the Annandale Healthcare Center shortly before 9 p.m.” [Annandale Today]
Metro to Close Some Stations for Maintenance — “Several downtown D.C. Metro stations will be closed for track work around Christmas this winter, affecting mostly riders on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines…Trains will be replaced with shuttle buses from Dec. 20 to 30 at Farragut West, McPherson Square, and the Blue, Orange, Silver train level at Metro Center.” [Washington Post]
County Appoints New Equity Leader — “Toni Zollicoffer has been appointed chief equity officer for Fairfax County, effective Monday, Sept. 30. This role is a key component in advancing the One Fairfax policy, a racial and social equity initiative adopted by the Board of Supervisors…Zollicoffer succeeds Karla Bruce, the county’s first chief equity officer, who retires next week.” [Fairfax County Government]
McLean Bank to Go Public — “After nearly two decades in business, McLean-based Chain Bridge Bancorp Inc., the parent company of Chain Bridge Bank, is planning to go public…The price of the offering and the number of shares have not yet been determined, the company said” in a press release announcing its IPO plan on Friday (Sept. 13). [Washington Business Journal]
Police Investigate Larcenies — “Detectives from our Criminal Investigations Division are seeking the community’s help in identifying additional suspects responsible for stealing upwards of $12,000 worth of merchandise from department stores. Between July 9, 2024 and September 10, 2024, five suspects stole merchandise from nine” stores around Fairfax County. [FCPD]
Huntington Housing Development Nears Final Vote — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing Sept. 24 at 3:30 p.m. on a rezoning plan application” for a 200-unit multi-family residential building near the Huntington Metro station. The site is “part of the larger ‘Parker’ development” and will include ground-floor retail. [On the MoVe]
Tysons Casino Opponents Plan Forum — “Last week, Virginia Sen. Dave Marsden (D-Burke) told Patch he intends to reintroduce his casino referendum legislation” after a Senate committee set it aside earlier this year. “At the same time, the anti-casino group No Fairfax Casino has scheduled a community forum for Sunday, Oct. 27, at McLean High School.” [Patch]
Reston Town Center Hosts Shredding Event — “The bi-annual R4 (Reduce-Reuse-Recycle-Reston) Collection Day returns on Wednesday, September 18! Drop off or drive through with any of the below recyclable items at Freedom Plaza…from 9 AM to 6:30 PM.” [Reston Town Center]
It’s Wednesday — Expect showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 2pm, with patchy fog before noon. The day will be mostly cloudy with a high near 75. Precipitation chance is 60% but will drop to 30% at night, which will be mostly cloudy with a low around 65. [NWS]
A criminal trial is underway in the case against the former Fairfax County police officer who allegedly shot and killed D.C. resident Timothy Johnson outside Tysons Corner Center on Feb. 22, 2023.
Jury selection for the trial began this morning (Tuesday) after a Fairfax County Circuit Court judge denied a bid by Wesley Shifflett’s attorneys to dismiss the indictment charging him with involuntary manslaughter and reckless discharge of a weapon.
A new occupant for Astro Doughnuts and Fried Chicken’s longtime spot in Idylwood Plaza has already been identified.
Quickway Hibachi, the fast-casual Japanese chain, will open a roughly 1,188-square-foot restaurant at 7511 Leesburg Pike, according to a site plan for the shopping center. Astro Doughnuts vacated the space in July after nearly nine years in business.
Fairfax County will break ground this month on a major rehabilitation of its Accotink Wastewater Pump Station.
The county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services approved a $71 million construction contract on July 3 that included the first-ever Project Labor Agreement (PLA) administered by a local government in Virginia, according to a press release.
GAMEmason, a two-day gaming convention, is returning to George Mason University’s Fairfax campus this weekend.
After first popping up in late February, the convention will take over GMU for a second time this year in collaboration with the university’s computer design program, GMU Esports club, The Center for the Arts and Student Involvement.
Circuit Court Welcomes New Judge — “Patrick M. Blanch will be presented with his official commission as a Fairfax County Circuit Court judge on Friday, Sept. 20, at 4 p.m. at the Fairfax County Courthouse…The public is invited to attend the investiture ceremony.” Blanch officially joined the circuit court when he took his oath of office on April 1. [Fairfax County Government]
Reston Library Reopens to Public — “The Reston Regional Library welcomes you back…Doors open at 10 a.m., following 10 weeks of renovations that included upgraded lighting, refurbished bathrooms, a first-ever water bottle filling station and carpet replacements.” [Supervisor Walter Alcorn/Facebook]
Yoga Studio Coming to Belle View — “Belle View Shopping Center is now fully leased following the signing of a new tenant at a unit that was recently vacated. Jess Purtell Yoga, a yoga studio, will soon be opening at the space between Roy Rogers and GOLFTEC.” [On the MoVe]
Bailey’s Crossroads Community Center Renamed — “Descendants of Minnie Peyton, residents of the Springdale community, and Fairfax County officials cheered as a new sign was unveiled designating the Bailey’s Community Center as the Minnie H. Peyton Community Center at Bailey’s.” The renaming was celebrated at a ceremony on Saturday (Sept. 14). [Annandale Today]
Dance Studio to Open in Annandale — “International Dance anticipates opening in the former Treasure Trove spot in the Annandale Shopping Center in early October. The dance studio will offer lessons in ballet, tap, lyrical dance, jazz, modern dance, and Broadway dance for children ages 3 and above, teens, and adults.” [Annandale Today]
Reston Contractor Buys Fairfax IT Firm — “CACI…said early Monday that it would pay $1.275 billion in cash for Azure, a 17-year-old engineering firm that develops radio-frequency hardware and software for the Department of Defense. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025.” [Washington Business Journal]
Local Restaurant Chain Celebrates 50 Years — “When Randy Norton opened a tiny Fairfax City pizza restaurant in 1974, he had no idea he would one day become a restaurant tycoon…Norton is now celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ultra-successful dining chain he and wife Patsy built from the ground up — Great American Restaurants.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Parking Restrictions Approved Near Madison HS — “Trash, lawn damage and safety were among factors Fairfax County supervisors considered before unanimously agreeing Sept. 10 to expand the Madison Residential Permit Parking District (District 11)” to Carey Lane between Jerry Lane and Vale Road after residents reported “large numbers” of students parking there. [Gazette Leader]
It’s Tuesday — Expect cloudy conditions with a 50% chance of showers and a high near 75. Tuesday night will see a 60% chance of precipitation, including potential thunderstorms, with a low around 67. Rainfall amounts could range from a quarter to half an inch. [NWS]
Bad news for anyone who has already gotten roots in the ground: Fairfax County’s window for planting trees has shifted back following a record-hot summer.
Forest Conservation (FCON) staff in the county’s Department of Land Development Services (LDS) updated its policy this spring to designate Oct. 1 through May 31 as the recommended time frame for planting trees, pushing back the previous start date of Sept. 1 and extending it through the winter.
Fairfax Water still intends to build a bigger water tank in Poplar Heights, but the new facility might be less visible than the Idylwood neighborhood’s residents feared.
After being challenged at a lengthy public hearing in July, the water authority revised its lighting, landscaping and construction plans enough to win the Fairfax County Planning Commission’s support for the project last Wednesday (Sept. 11).
Rush-hour traffic slowed to a crawl on the Capital Beltway (I-495) in McLean this morning (Monday), thanks to a truck crash.
All northbound lanes were shut down at Georgetown Pike around 7:30 a.m. due to a tractor-trailer crash, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. A video shared on Twitter showed the vehicle lying on its side across all lanes.
