Around Town

Hundreds turned out across Fairfax on Monday to see the partial solar eclipse which reached nearly 90% totality in the D.C. area.

The Fairfax County Park Authority held four separate eclipse viewings at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, Burke Lake, Historic Huntley and Turner Farm Park.


News

No Officers Charged in Fatal Shooting of Man Experiencing Mental Health Crisis — “A northern Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office announced that no officers are being charged in the fatal 2022 shooting of a man experiencing a mental health crisis in Fairfax County. Just before 7 p.m. on July 7, 2022, Fairfax County police responded to a home in the 6900 block of Arbor Lane in McLean where callers had reported that a man was having a mental health episode.” [FOX 5]

Bill Pitches Renaming Washington Dulles — “House Republicans have introduced a bill in Congress that would rename Washington Dulles International Airport, located in Sterling, Virginia, near D.C., to ‘Donald J. Trump International Airport.’” [ABC News]


News

The county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services launched a solar panel recycling program last week, expanding upon its November 2022 pilot program.

Daniel Brooks, an environmental services specialist at the county’s Solid Waste Management Program, said this new program falls under their electronic recycling program, which focuses on prevention.


News

Planning is well underway for a new elementary school in Dunn Loring, but some McLean residents argue that Fairfax County Public Schools still hasn’t explained why the project should be prioritized over other needs.

As part of a resolution on the proposed county and FCPS budgets, the McLean Citizens Association’s board of directors urged the Fairfax County School Board last Wednesday (April 3) to “refrain from constructing” the school if officials can’t “provide adequate data” justifying it.


News

Solar Eclipse Descends Today — A solar eclipse will be visible in Maryland and Virginia with up to 90 percent of the sun blocked out today between 2 and 4:30 p.m. The maximum eclipse is expected at 3:20 p.m. [NBC News]

Virginia to Allow Only-only News Sites to Publish Legal Notices — “Virginia has become the first state in the nation to approve the publication of legal notices in online-only local news sites.” [ARLnow]


News

When Vienna Town Manager Mercury Payton stepped on the infield grass at Camden Yards earlier this week to throw a ceremonial first pitch, he thought about his family.

He thought about his wife and 17-year-old daughter, who had accompanied him to the Baltimore Orioles’ game on Monday (April 1) against the Kansas City Royals. He also imagined the reactions of his late father and grandfather, who took him to games as a kid and helped turn him into a lifelong O’s fan.


Countywide

A bill to raise Virginia’s minimum wage got the ax in Richmond despite the support of three Fairfax County state senators.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed legislation on March 28 that would’ve increased the minimum wage from $12 to $15 an hour by 2026. Sens. Jennifer Boysko, Saddam Salim and Adam Ebbin, who all represent parts of Fairfax County, were among several Democrats to sponsor the bill.


News

The outdoor basketball court at McLean Central Park is getting a new and hopefully improved look.

Contractor ATC began mobilizing this week for a renovation of the facility, a process expected to take about six weeks, depending on the weather, the Fairfax County Park Authority announced yesterday (Thursday).


Countywide

In just three days, the moon will cross right in front of the sun, creating a total solar eclipse that will be visible from more than a dozen states.

Virginia isn’t one of those states, but in Fairfax County, an estimated 87.4% of the sun will still be blocked when the eclipse peaks around 3:20 p.m. — a bigger percentage than the 2017 event, according to the Fairfax County Park Authority.


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