In the D.C. area, the summer solstice has brought a reminder that heat doesn’t just make people sluggish. It can affect transportation infrastructure too.
Metro has instituted a systemwide speed restriction, limiting all trains to a maximum of 35 mph when they’re above ground due to rail temperatures exceeding 135 degrees Fahrenheit. The limit took effect today (Thursday) at 2 p.m.
The shelves at the Tysons ABC store are a little emptier today after an apparent shoplifting incident last night (Wednesday).
Officers were called to the liquor store at 8413 Old Courthouse Road at 7:58 p.m. for a report of a larceny, the Fairfax County Police Department says.
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Construction will begin this month on a facelift and amenity upgrades at the Pan Am Shopping Center in Merrifield, property owner and developer Federal Realty announced today (Thursday).
Scheduled to start in late June and finish by the end of this year, the renovation will “refresh and modernize” the 228,000-square-foot shopping center at 3089 Nutley Street SW, according to a press release.
Va. Attorney General Race Gets First Candidate — “Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor announced Wednesday she will seek the Democratic nomination for Virginia attorney general, emphasizing her track record as a prosecutor in what is likely to be a competitive primary contest for the job now held by Republican Jason S. Miyares.” [Washington Post]
Push for Inclusive Sex-Ed Continues — “Some parents and community members are calling for an overhaul of Fairfax County Public Schools’ sex education curriculum.” Speakers at a recent board meeting urged FCPS to consider coed classes, a proposal that got put on hold in 2022 and wasn’t included in the Family Life Education Advisory Committee’s latest recommendations. [WTOP]
Assault on Security Guard Reported in Reston — “Fairfax County Police are investigating an assault that occurred late Tuesday afternoon in Reston Town Center.” Police say two people approached and assaulted a security guard in the 11900 block of Market Street, though the guard “was not injured.” [Patch]
Montessori Plan for Groveton School Paused — “Quick action by parent leaders at Bucknell Elementary School in Groveton last week led Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to put a hold on plans to transform Bucknell into a magnet public Montessori school.” A requested $15 million grant would’ve created a “lottery-based process” targeted toward parents who might otherwise send their kids to private early education centers. [On the MoVe]
Former Governor Hosts Biden Fundraiser in McLean — “Hosted by former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) in his McLean backyard, Tuesday’s event [was] the largest non-auditorium Biden fundraiser of this election cycle. It sold out in seven days, according to Democratic officials.” It was expected to raise $8 million for President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign. [Axios]
New Gunston Fire Station Will Reroute Trail — “A segment of multiuse trail connecting two parks on opposite sides of Gunston Road in Lorton will be displaced by the new Gunston Fire Station, requiring the trail to be rerouted around the building, according to the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES).” Some worry the new location will be too close to the station. [On the MoVe]
Dulles Airport Wants to Be a Cargo Hub — Dulles International Airport and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership are seeking a consultant to conduct a 12-week feasibility study “to identify specific businesses and industries that could benefit from expanded cargo operations at IAD.” Manager Richard Golinowski says Dulles is better positioned now than it was a decade ago “thanks to business growth not just in Virginia and Maryland, but also in states likely to use a Dulles hub, such as West Virginia and Kentucky.” [Washington Business Journal]
Local Credit Unions Propose Merger — “Apple Federal Credit Union, with $4.4 billion in assets, and $532 million-asset NextMark Credit Union recently announced their intent to merge later this year, with Apple FCU being the surviving institution. Terms weren’t disclosed but the merger agreement is expected to close by November, pending approval from regulators and NextMark’s members.” [WBJ]
It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny conditions and a high near 91 today, with calm winds picking up from the south at around 6 mph in the afternoon. For Thursday night, the sky will be partly cloudy, with temperatures cooling down to around 70, accompanied by a 6 mph south wind. [NWS]
With no local or state races on the ballot, Fairfax County voters turned out in a trickle today (Tuesday) for relatively low-key primary elections.
In the lone Fairfax County-only race, Rep. Gerry Connolly remains on track for a ninth term representing Virginia’s 11th Congressional District after handily securing the Democratic nomination over challenger Ahsan Nasar.
The new owner of the now-closed ShowPlace Icon Theatre at The Boro in Tysons has been revealed.
Look Dine-In Cinemas has signed a deal to take over the 1,795-seat movie theater at 1667 Silver Hill Drive, the Washington Business Journal reports. The theater is slated to reopen on Friday (June 21) after ShowPlace held its final screenings this past Sunday (June 16), FFXnow was told.
Fairfax County is considering experimenting with some changes to the main streets in downtown McLean.
At an open house at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Avenue) last night (Monday), the Fairfax County Department of Transportation kicked off a study of five possible pilot projects designed to slow vehicles down and make roads in the McLean Community Business Center (CBC) safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
In half a decade, George Mason University students and faculty will help NASA launch an “artificial star” into space.
The university’s Fairfax campus will serve as mission control for the Landolt NASA Space Mission, which will send a laser-pointing satellite into Earth’s orbit in 2029, GMU announced on June 10. The artificial star created by the satellite will help scientists more accurately calculate the brightness of real stars.
McLean’s Chesterbrook Shopping Center will officially welcome two new retail tenants this week, while preparing for another anticipated launch later in the summer.
The openings will kick off today (Tuesday) with SkinSpirit, a skin care and medical spa that describes itself as a “leading provider of Botox and filler.” Located at 6224 Old Dominion Drive, Suite D, this is the clinic’s first location in Virginia and its third in the D.C. area.
