As work gets underway to memorialize those killed by COVID-19, the Fairfax County Health Department wants to ensure the individuals and organizations who helped it navigate the pandemic will have at least one moment in the spotlight.
The department will host a recognition ceremony tomorrow (Saturday) for its many partners in the local pandemic response, from hospital workers and nonprofit volunteers to residences and businesses that supported public awareness campaigns.
Fire Department Gets Grant for Cancer Screenings — The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department recently got a $450,000 grant from FEMA to support free cancer screenings for all workers, some of whom are currently diagnosed. Firefighters face a 9% higher risk of getting cancer, and one Fairfax County firefighter died last year. [FCFRD, NBC4]
Shooting Threat Found on Fairfax School Wall — City of Fairfax Police responded yesterday (Thursday) morning to Katherine Johnson Middle School after a message threatening “to shoot up the school” was found. Police said they didn’t know how long the message had been there, but with no evidence of immediate danger, the school never went into lockdown. [Patch]
The Fairfax Board of Supervisors recently got a preview of what future transit connections between Tysons and Maryland could look like.
At a transportation committee meeting on Tuesday (Jan. 31), Todd Horsley, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s director of Northern Virginia Transit Programs, presented a study of how transit could make use of the I-495 Express Lanes being extended from Springfield across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
Getting court time at Glyndon Park in Vienna may be tougher going forward for pickleball players.
In the hopes of alleviating noise complaints from nearby residents, the Vienna Town Council approved a significant reduction in playing time for the increasingly popular sport at the 11-acre park’s four courts during its Monday (Jan. 23) meeting.
Fairfax County Public Schools has to adjust its budget outlook for the next two years after a miscalculation led the state to overestimate how much funding it will give local school districts.
The error means FCPS will get nearly $18 million less than it had anticipated, including $5.1 million for the current fiscal year 2023, which began on July 1, 2022. The remaining reduction of $12.7 million will affect the upcoming budget for FY 2024.
Tysons moviegoers can now escape to Pandora while munching on blackened salmon.
CMX CinéBistro (2001 International Drive, Suite 1700U) has officially opened at Tysons Galleria after a couple of delays last fall. The dine-in movie theater, which features a full bar and lounge, is located on the third floor of the mall’s redeveloped Macy’s wing.
A Fairfax County Public Schools bus had a tire catch fire while on Route 7 yesterday (Wednesday), causing some alarm in the surrounding Pimmit Hills neighborhood.
The tire fire occurred around 11:42 a.m. on Leesburg Pike in front of the Trader Joe’s shopping center near Pimmit Drive, as first reported by the Falls Church News-Press.
Deadline for Feedback on School Calendars Extended — “Thank you to the approximately 23,000 families, staff, students, and community members who completed FCPS’ Calendar Feedback Form…The form will close on Monday, February 6, at noon. The School Board is scheduled to vote on a calendar on Thursday, February 9.” [FCPS]
McLean Teen Launches Swim School in South Africa — “An 11th-grade student at The Potomac School in McLean returned to the United States in late January after launching a youth swim academy in Alexandra…The not-for-profit Alexandra Youth Swim Academy, founded by Sasha Minsky, 17, provides free swim instruction to children aged 7 to 16 in the township, near Johannesburg.” [Patch]
Fairfax County is no longer considering a proposal to allow more housing in Wolf Trap’s Crowells Corner neighborhood.
The Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) submission has been withdrawn by its nominator, county planner David Stinson said at a virtual meeting last night (Tuesday) to discuss requested land use changes in east Reston and along Hunter Mill Road.
The Fairfax County Police Department is doubling down on traffic enforcement and awareness efforts after a rise in pedestrian fatalities last year.
At a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors safety and security committee meeting yesterday (Tuesday), Police Chief Kevin Davis stressed that the department is focusing on education and enforcement, with pedestrian safety as a primary mission.
