The historic Ellmore Farmhouse at Frying Pan Farm Park has finished renovations and is now ready to offer programming for adults with disabilities.
The two-story farmhouse, which dates back to 1891, was restored and repurposed by ServiceSource, a national nonprofit that provides employment training and support resources to adults with disabilities.
It will serve as one of a dozen Long-Term Community Integration Services (LTCIS) program sites that ServiceSource operates in Virginia. The program offers people with “significant disabilities opportunities to build skills and pursue their interests,” according to a press release.
In addition to providing case management and therapy services, the program helps participants get involved in community activities based on their interests. At Ellmore Farmhouse, participants will oversee the daily operations of a new Blossom Daily Café and Bloom Gift Shop.
The cafe sells salads, sandwiches, drinks, and other light fare to park visitors, while the gift shop features hand-crafted items made by artisans with disabilities, according to ServiceSource.
“We’re excited about the Ellmore Farmhouse, because it offers such a variety of experiences to people in the LTCIS program,” ServiceSource Chief Operating Officer Ken Crum said in a press release. “The location in Frying Pan Farm Park provides the chance to tend a garden, interact with the animals on the farm, and serve as guides for tours of the house, in addition to participating in recreational activities, current events education, and expressive therapies.”
With the approval of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, ServiceSource secured a sublease for the farmhouse in February 2022 through the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Resident Curator Program.
Under the program, county properties can be leased long-term at no expense to tenants. In exchange, the resident curators are required to preserve the historic properties and promote them to the public. The cost of restoring the farmhouse was roughly $715,000, per a ServiceSource spokesperson.
ServiceSource and several stakeholders, including Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, Park Authority Board Member Bill Bouie and FCPA Director Jai Cole, attended a ribbon cutting on Wednesday (May 1) to mark the official opening of the center.
“I am excited that ServiceSource’s new program will bring something new to one of our most popular Fairfax County parks,” Alcorn said in a press release. “Now through Ellmore Farmhouse, people with disabilities will have wonderful new ways to experience this unique park and interact with others in our community. This is inclusion, and it is a wonderful example of our One Fairfax policy.”
This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.
By John V. Berry, Esq
Federal employees facing discrimination or retaliation cases must use specific processes in order to file their complaints. This article covers some of the basic issues involved in the federal employee Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) process. Please visit our webpage for more information.
Grounds for an EEO Claim
Federal employee EEO complaints can involve a range of discriminatory conduct by federal agencies. These can include discrimination on the basis of age, disability, race, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and national origin. In addition, EEO complaints can also involve a hostile work environment, sexual harassment and retaliation.
Sample EEO Complaints
Some of the more common EEO claims brought by federal employees are demonstrated in the following five hypothetical scenarios:
- Example A: Federal employee is sexually harassed at work by her supervisor. The supervisor then asks the federal employee on a date. When the federal employee refuses her supervisor’s advances, she is then proposed for a suspension by the same supervisor for alleged misconduct. The federal employee brings a claim for sexual harassment.
- Example B: Federal employee has previously filed an EEO complaint against his supervisor for discrimination. A year later, the federal employee discovers that his promotion was denied by this same supervisor because they were upset that the federal employee had filed the earlier EEO complaint. The federal employee brings a claim for retaliation.
- Example C: Federal employee takes sick leave related to treatment for heart disease. Upon the employee’s return, her supervisor gives the employee a bad performance evaluation for having bad performance. The federal employee claims disability discrimination.
- Example D: Federal employee takes sick leave due to a recent car accident and requires a lot of time out of the office for physical therapy. The federal employee is also unable to perform some of her duties as she recovers, including the lifting of boxes for a limited period of time. The federal employee asks her supervisor for modifications to her duties (a reasonable accommodation), but the supervisor refuses to modify the employee’s schedule without reason. The federal employee claims disability discrimination for her agency’s failure to accommodate her serious medical condition.
- Example E: 62-year-old federal employee is competing for a promotion to a GS-14 position. This federal employee competes against two other employees, both under the age of 40, for the same position. The 62-year-old federal employee is ultimately not selected for the position. The federal employee later discovers that the selecting official expressed concerns about the individual being 62 years old because they might retire sooner than the younger applicants. The 62-year-old federal employee claims age discrimination.
EEO Complaint Deadlines
Typically, a federal employee only has 45 days from the date of discrimination to contact an EEO counselor at the federal agency to initiate the informal EEO complaint process. If a complaint is not timely initiated, the federal employee may be time-barred from filing an EEO complaint. Timing can be extended in some unique cases, but it is critical to be aware of the time limits in filing EEO cases.
Potential EEO Remedies
There are a number of potential remedies for federal employee EEO violations. Remedies for illegal discrimination and retaliation caused by federal agencies involve several types of potential monetary relief, including lost back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees. Non-monetary remedies can include the clearing of negative performance records and disciplinary actions, transfers and promotions.
The EEO Process
Typically, once a federal employee initiates contact with an EEO counselor regarding an informal complaint, assuming there is no earlier resolution or settlement, the next steps include: (1) the filing of a formal EEO complaint, (2) the investigation of the EEO complaint, (3) either a request for a decision on the EEO complaint from the federal agency or a request for a full hearing before a federal administrative judge and (4) proceeding to a hearing on the merits. In our experience, many discrimination cases are settled with federal agencies during the EEOC hearing process prior to the hearing stage.
Additional EEO Information
Federal employees can find more detailed information about filing EEO complaints at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) website.
Contact Us
Our law firm represents and advises federal employees in EEO and other employment matters. If you need legal assistance regarding an EEO complaint or other employment matter, please contact our office at (703) 668-0070 or at www.berrylegal.com to schedule a consultation.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
This sponsored column is written by the team at Arrowine & Cheese (4508 Cherry Hill Road in Arlington). Sign up for the email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Experience Arrowine’s Tastings & Events. Have a question? Email [email protected].
This question often perplexes those of us in the industry. However, the answer, in its essence, is remarkably straightforward.
The younger generation aren’t collectors. The more you have, the more you have to move, and young people move around a lot these days for work or personal interests. Then there is the patience factor; a great bottle of wine needs time to develop into something grand. Not to mention, the snobbery thing doesn’t sit well with some.
But let’s look at what works on any level of wine appreciation. Wine tastes good and completes and heightens any culinary experience. It can turn even microwaved leftovers into something special. Then, there is the social aspect; wine is meant to be shared, contemplated, and discussed. There is no harm in enjoying a glass by yourself, but wine tastes better when shared in good company.
Understanding wine is easy. Most of it is geography, where the grapes were grown and the wine made. You need to know the basics. No one expects anyone to identify a wine blind and correctly identify it. That’s ridiculous for this discussion.
Wine is history and speaks to our past, who we are, and where we came from. Many Sunday afternoon lunches with family and friends always included wine. It was part of our culture and a remembrance of the “old country.” And that aspect should be cherished. It is who we are.
If you like to travel, wine can be your passport and companion. Anyone who has visited greater Europe, South America, Australia, or New Zealand will find that enjoying wine is part of the culture. Visiting a place and enjoying the local foods and wines are the sources of magical moments we will never forget.
Like playing golf, understanding and selecting a wine has become intrinsically interwoven with climbing the corporate ladder. Choosing the perfect wine for a business dinner is a plus. Trust me, you don’t need to be an expert; a few simple tips will suffice. You need to get started.
And that is what I’m here for. Nothing pleases me more than helping young people explore the world of wine. It is a fascinating journey that never ends and is constantly changing. There are few absolutes and a lot of surprises along the way. Like music and art, appreciation of wine is one of life’s great pleasures. Just come on in and get started.
One of the best ways to explore and learn about wine is our Friday (4:30- 6:30 p.m.) and Saturday (1-4 p.m.), Arlington’s Happy Hour evening tastings. There is no charge, and we often have cheeses to complete the experience.
We feature a multitude of wines on our email specials, which have been instrumental not just in educating clients but also saving them a heck of a lot of money for well over 25 years. You can sign up right here at Arrowine.com.
Everything we sell is guaranteed. If you don’t like it, bring it back. No harm done, no bad feelings. I don’t want you to drink anything that doesn’t please you. Trust is crucial. I have one of the best track records in the business and was the first to bring many highly-rated wines to the United States.
In closing, could you think of me as “your personal wine guide.” I’m always here to help you!
Doug Rosen
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
A large residential development planned in Herndon will be allowed to use two access gates — at least for a few hours on weekdays, eventually.
Pomeroy Clark I, the land owner and developer, got Fairfax County’s approval late last month to amend its plans for One Sunrise Valley, which will deliver 1,093 housing units on about 44 acres of land near the Frying Pan Road and Sunrise Valley Drive intersection.
Asked by the developer to revise the plan after it was originally approved in 2019, the Fairfax County Planning Commission got hung up on one detail: whether to allow two gates that would restrict access to the development. Ultimately, the commission approved use of the gates under certain circumstances at a public hearing on April 24.
The approved application also asked for changes to the mix of housing planned at the development, including a replacement of 84 stacked townhouses with 69 triplex units in a block designated as Land Unit D.
At a January public hearing, county staff favored eliminating the gates, concerned that they would hamper the pedestrian experience and “impede circulation,” while also potentially making it difficult for trash collectors, delivery vehicles and others to navigate the site.
A representative for the developer argued the access gates are necessary to stop non-residents from parking at the site during drop-off and pick-up times for a new elementary school planned nearby.
Now, the developer has permission to include the gates — under the condition that they will only close them “on weekdays 1.5 hours before and after classes begin and 1.5 hours before and after school dismisses,” according to a staff memo.
The school in question doesn’t exist yet, though the Fairfax County School Board approved a transfer of the nearly 5.6-acre future site in February. There is no set timeline for its construction, Dranesville District Commissioner John Ulfelder said at the April 24 planning commission meeting.
Even as they approved the gates, commissioners acknowledged that enforcement would be a challenge.
“We have 10 years before a school is built,” Commission Chairman Phil Niedzielski-Eichner said. “It’s not going to sit there open for 10 years, it’ll get used, and it’ll do exactly what we don’t want to have happen, and that’s close off access and egress and so on and so forth. So, it is what it is.”
Former Franconia District Commissioner Dan Lagana, who resigned at the end of April, called enforcement on the gates “questionable” but said he supported the application.
Niedzielski-Eichner also reiterated support for the overall development.
“It’s a nice development, well thought through,” he said.
Mama Chang may not be in D.C., but that didn’t stop it from being named among the city’s best restaurants by the New York Times.
The Fairfax City eatery from high-profile chef Peter Chang earned a spot in a list of the “25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now” that the Gray Lady published on Monday (April 29), continuing a series highlighting the food desk’s favorite restaurants in cities around the U.S.
Conceived as a showcase for the women in Chang’s family, including his mother Ronger Wang, wife Lisa Chang and daughter Lydia Chang, Mama Chang opened at 3251 Blenheim Blvd, Suite 101, in March 2019. It specializes in home-style Chinese cooking, particularly from the Hunan, Szechuan and Hubei provinces.
“Standouts include fish ball and lamb soup, lychee pepper chicken and a stew filled with sweet potato noodles, sour cabbage and pork,” Times contributor Brett Anderson wrote for the “25 Best” list. “Eating this dazzling food at this elegant Northern Virginia restaurant, lined with comfortable booths and blond wood surfaces, feels like an occasion.”
Anderson noted that many dishes on Mama Chang’s menu have since been introduced at the Chang family’s 16 other establishments in the D.C. area — a list that grew last year with Peter Chang opening in McLean.
Another Peter Chang is expected to open in Herndon later this year.
“We are so honored to have made the New York Times list and are constantly striving to continue bringing the most authentic dishes from China to our tables for our loyal diners to enjoy,” Peter Chang said. “We cannot thank our guests enough for their support — it is not possible without you!”
The other Northern Virginia restaurants in the Times’ round-up are Ellie Bird (125 Founder’s Avenue) in Falls Church City and Bostan Uyghur Cuisine. The newspaper specifically highlighted Bostan’s original Arlington location (3911 Langston Blvd) but acknowledged that it expanded to Herndon (1141 Elden Street) late last year.
Anderson praised Bostan’s kebabs as “juicy, hot-from-the-coals [and] heady with cumin,” while Times food editor Nikita Richardson said Ellie Bird’s cuisine proves that “suburbanites are as hungry for imaginative cooking as any city denizen.”
Police Continue Traffic Enforcement Campaign — “Between April 22 and 28, the Fairfax County Police Department worked in conjunction with the Virginia State Police (VSP) and raised the bar by issuing over 6,500 citations and warnings, with over 200 citations for reckless driving on our roadways…Wave three of Road Shark will commence on June 17.” [FCPD]
Family of Woman Killed in Shooting Starts Fundraiser — “Kate Laporta was one of eight cousins in Zubrick’s family that were closest to him in age. But earlier this month, she was shot and killed — with Laporta’s boyfriend charged in her killing…To honor her memory, the cousins have launched an online fundraiser. They say the money collected will go into [college] savings plans for Laporta’s children.” [NBC4]
Transformer Catches Fire in Reston — “Around 10:35am, #FCFRD units responded to a transformer fire at a mid-rise building in the 2200 blk of Colts Neck Rd in Reston. Units were dispatched for an explosion from a ground transformer. The fire was quickly brought under control. No reported injuries.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
New Apartments Open Near Huntington Metro — “Aventon Huntington Station…officially opened March 15, according to Kevin Pinckney, senior business manager at Willow Bridge Property Company-Mid-Atlantic. The 366-unit complex is tentatively planning to hold a grand opening ceremony Aug. 8, he said.” [On the MoVe]
Tysons Has Highest Apartment Rents in Region — “Apartment rental rates in Tysons were at the top of the heap in the Washington region in April, according to new data. With an overall median rental price of $2,566 ($2,334 for one-bedroom units, $2,798 for two bedrooms), the Tysons area led 33 different sub-sectors of the D.C. metro area over the past month.” [Gazette Leader]
D.C. Region Celebrates Asian Heritage Month — “Throughout the month of May, several communities across the D.C. area plan to host a series of captivating festivals, each showcasing the diverse traditions and customs of different Asian cultures.” Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month celebrations will include festivals in Chantilly and Old Town Fairfax. [WTOP]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunshine and a high of 91 degrees during the day, accompanied by a light west wind blowing at 3 to 7 mph. The evening will bring partly cloudy skies and a low of about 64 degrees, with calm winds shifting to come from the northeast at approximately 6 mph after midnight. [NWS]
In the future, Herndon hopes to see a vast swath of land near its Metro station transformed from aging, auto-centric commercial lots into a mixed-use, interconnected neighborhood.
That vision solidified last week when the Herndon Town Council adopted a plan on April 23 that will guide the redevelopment of the 94-acre Transit-Related Growth Area (TRG), culminating about two years of planning, meetings and community discussions.
“The town has been talking about this for a very long time, but until we got the Metro out here, it was definitely not going to totally happen,” Herndon Mayor Sheila Olem said just before the unanimous vote. “So, this is a very exciting step for Herndon indeed.”
Focused on 25 privately owned, mostly office or industrial properties, the TRG Small Area Plan will create a transition zone between the more intense Herndon Transit-oriented Core (HTOC) directly outside the Metro station to the south and the Downs of Herndon’s single-family homes to the north, Ahmad Zaki, the town’s long-range lead planner, told the council.
About 5.4 million square feet of development, including 2,789 residential units, are proposed for the TRG, according to a final draft report dated Feb. 12. With height limit of 12 stories, the tallest buildings would be allowed in a mixed-use core along the section of Herndon Parkway facing the Metro station, anchored by a central, retail-lined arrival plaza.
The plan calls for townhomes topping out at three to four stories adjacent to the existing single-family neighborhoods, which will be separated from the TRG by a 50-foot-wide forested buffer. Multi-family buildings with five to eight stories are proposed along Herndon Parkway west of the Spring Street intersection.
The Sunset Business Park east of Herndon Parkway will be “revamped” as a new Sunset District, retaining its role as a retail center while adding outdoor amenities and landscaping to encourage pedestrian activity.
“A reduced roadway and widened sidewalks with street trees and outdoor seating would bring to this area the ‘small town feel’ that Herndon residents are so enamored with, but with the industrial (and funky) vibe that brings about the unique identity of the Sunset District,” the report says, likening the district to D.C.’s Union Market.
The plan also includes options for the Reston-Herndon Business Park off of Spring Street to stay as it is or redevelop as housing. That language was added at the request of the property owner, who “prefers to continue with the existing” self-storage and industrial uses, according to Zaki.
Kenwood Management Company, which manages the business park, doesn’t oppose the plan, as long as it can maintain its current operations, general partner Hank Bowis testified at the public hearing last week.
However, he questioned whether low-density townhouses would be the best use of the 16-acre property, should the owner decide to pursue a redevelopment in the future.
“I understand you’re trying to protect the single-family [neighborhoods], but that would not encourage anyone in the real estate development business to tear down all that industrial and build townhouses,” Bowis said. “So, I would say if you’re serious about encouraging residential in the town, increase the density, and maybe developers would be tempted someday to convert it.”
Reflecting the plan’s goal of improving mobility and promoting non-vehicular transportation, different sections of the TRG will be connected by a series of publicly accessible open spaces, including a gateway park to Sugarland Run and a central Triangular Green that could support recreational facilities.
A revised grid of streets would also add sidewalks and bicycle lanes throughout the site, while providing a new “parallel” connection from Spring Street to Herndon Parkway and Van Buren Street.
“As you all know, there is not a network of transportation in place that could effectively connect the parcels in the TRG,” Zaki told the council. “Currently, most of the area in the TRG is covered with parking spaces, and there’s not sufficient green and open spaces.”
In the works since spring 2022, the TRG plan was developed by town staff and the consultant Skidmore, Owings, Merrill (SOM) based on extensive community engagement, including three online surveys and meetings with an advisory committee, property owners and other stakeholders.
Town council members and a land use attorney representing Shorenstein, which owns the Monroe Business Center (560 Herndon Parkway), lauded staff for the “quality and extent” of public outreach.
“To see the plan at this phase compared to where it started, you can see the expertise that came from the community and how it was respected and very richly embraced,” Councilmember Donielle Scherff said. “The diversity of housing types, the connected public spaces, pocket parks and green spaces, making this human scale, is going to be an asset to our community.”
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has signed off on a 3-cent bump in its real estate tax rate, a move it said was partly forced by insufficient state funding.
The board approved the new rate yesterday (Tuesday) as part of a mark-up session on the fiscal year 2025 budget, which will be formally adopted next Tuesday, May 7. The 3-cent hike is expected to generate about $97 million in additional revenue for the county — about $32.3 million less compared to the 4-cent increase initially proposed.
With much of that money going towards county and public school employee salaries, the supervisors acknowledged a need to retain skilled workers and maintain quality public services, but many voiced concerns about the county’s overreliance on real estate taxes.
As a Dillon Rule state, Virginia limits counties to the taxing authorities explicitly granted by the General Assembly. In guidance for next year’s budget, the Board of Supervisors noted that it will continue advocating for broader authority from state lawmakers, while also directing County Executive Bryan Hill to determine what additional revenue options are currently available.
“I think it’s incredibly important that we try to diversify our tax base, and we try to take the tools available to us that the state has given us to us as limited as they are,” Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman said.
The supervisors said the board was compelled to raise the real estate tax due to a lack of funding at the state level, particularly criticizing state officials for underfunding Fairfax County Public Schools.
According to a study conducted last year by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), Virginia schools receive $1,900 less per student in kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) funding than the national and regional averages. FCPS alone is shortchanged an estimated $345 million.
“We cannot do this alone…We also can’t hold our breath for them to step up,” Palchik said. “So, we are pushing, and we hope that they will finalize a budget and bring us more state champions who will help us bear the burden of funding those services that keep us a great community, our schools, our public safety, our parks, and everything that we do here.”
The General Assembly will convene for a special session on May 13 to discuss the state budget after the House of Delegates rejected amendments from Gov. Glenn Youngkin that included a 3% salary increase for teachers for the next two years.
While hopeful the county will get more financial support once the bi-annual state budget is adopted, several supervisors anticipate it won’t be enough to support the county’s future needs.
“We would be sitting here talking about reducing our tax rate dramatically if the 18 cents that the state owes us by their own formula arrived here at the government center in the form of a check,” Board Chairman Jeff McKay said. “That’s why our residents are suffering with real estate assessments: They pay a lot in income taxes to Richmond, and then we have to charge them a lot for real estate tax assessments to maintain a high-quality public school system and our own staff.”
Supervisors characterized the county’s situation as critical with costs rising and revenue declining, particularly from a sluggish commercial sector.
According to McKay, the county’s largest expense is paying county and school employees, which account for 82% of general fund expenditures.
At public hearings on the budget, several local labor union representatives urged the board to implement a 4% market rate adjustment (MRA) for county employees, as dictated by the county’s formula for calculating annual worker pay raises.
Ultimately, supervisors opted to fund the 2% MRA recommended by Hill, acknowledging that expenses will continue to escalate as employees seek improved compensation to cope with living in one of the nation’s highest-cost areas.
Expressing disappointment with the decision, Tammie Wondong, president of the Fairfax County Government Employees Union chapter of SEIU Virginia 512, pledged that the union will persist in advocating for improved wages to secure access to a “better quality of life” for its members.
“It’s concerning that the Board of Supervisors would recommend partial funding for the MRA,” she told FFXnow in an email before the mark-up session. “With partial funding, government workers will still struggle to pay for necessary things like food and medicine, and the county may continue to lose great employees to neighboring counties as a result.”
In addition to the lower-than-advertised tax rate increase, the board approved adjustments to the FY 2025 budget that included $24,000 for stipends to the Fairfax County Planning Commission and $25,000 to restore a Youth Leadership Program that provides summer internships in the county government to high school students.
The package also deferred $7.56 million in fuel and information technology costs, and the county will phase in a planned increase in senior center membership fees over two years, instead of implementing it all at once.
Supervisors acknowledged that homeowners will keep shouldering the county’s tax burden unless alternative revenue sources are identified, though no specific proposals were raised.
“The only glimmer of hope in this budget is the guidance, which helps us look at what is next,” Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said. “How do we continue to ensure that we can diversify our tax base, continue to invest in our housing and our employees, and that, hopefully, we’re not faced with harder budgets than this one. But, right now, it is looking very likely that that is the case.”
New vehicle lanes and a shared-use trail are officially open to travelers on Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) after almost five years of construction.
The Virginia Department of Transportation announced last night (Tuesday) that it has finished expanding the roadway from four to six travel lanes — three in each direction — between Riva Ridge Drive in Reston and Jarrett Valley Drive just north of the Dulles Toll Road in Tysons.
A 2-mile segment between Riva Ridge and Reston Avenue has been open to traffic since October 2022, but the additional five miles of lanes were completed well ahead of VDOT’s target date of July 31.
Work has also wrapped up on 10-foot-wide paths for pedestrians and bicyclists along both sides of Route 7, as anticipated by the Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn’s office. Cyclists will get a chance to try out the amenity during Alcorn’s annual Tour de Hunter Mill community bicycle ride this Sunday (May 5).
“The shared-use paths tie into those on Route 7 beyond the eastern and western limits of the project, providing a direct bicyclist/pedestrian connection from the Fairfax County Parkway Trail to Tysons,” VDOT said in a press release. “In addition, Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail users now have a new route under the Difficult Run bridge to safely cross Route 7.”
The Route 7 Corridor Improvements project redesigned intersections, including at Lewinsville Road in Wolf Trap and Baron Cameron Road in Reston, and added a pedestrian underpass for Colvin Run Mill Park, though a trail connecting to the south side of the tunnel still needs to be built by Fairfax County.
The $313.9 million project broke ground in June 2019 with the goal of improving safety, reducing traffic congestion and expanding mobility, according to VDOT, which says the affected, nearly 7-mile section of Route 7 averages 50,000 vehicles a day.
Though construction is finished, a reduced speed limit of 45 mph will remain in early May, allowing crews to remove temporary signs that were posted throughout the work zone.
“Once this work is complete, the speed limit between Reston Avenue and Wolftrap Run Road will be restored to 55 miles per hour,” VDOT said.
Man Gets Life in Prison for N. Va. Gang Killings — An MS-13 leader was sentenced to life in prison yesterday (Tuesday) for giving orders that led to multiple murders in Northern Virginia during the summer of 2019. Prosecutors say Melvin Canales Saldana told gang members to kill rivals “more aggressively,” prompting some to target “random civilians so they could increase their status within the gang.” [Associated Press/WTOP]
Tysons Satellite Company Will Be Acquired — “Intelsat SA said Tuesday it has reached a deal to be acquired by SES SA for $3.1 billion in cash…The deal will position SES to better compete with broadband satellites of SpaceX-owned Starlink and Amazon.com Inc. The combined company will have a fleet of more than 100 geostationary and 26 medium orbit satellites.” [Washington Business Journal]
Vienna Sticks With Current Real Estate Tax Rate — “Vienna homeowners, on average, have to pony up an additional $135 because of rising property assessments, but the town’s real-estate tax rate will stay the same this year. The Vienna Town Council on April 29 unanimously agreed to keep that rate steady at 19.5 cents per $100 assessed valuation.” [Gazette Leader]
FCPS Revives Prom for Students With Disabilities — Fairfax County Public Schools recently held a day prom for around 100 special education students at the CrystalView Wedding and Events Banquet Hall in Fairfax. Returning from a five-year hiatus, the event drew students “from Centreville, Chantilly, Edison, Hayfield, Justice, Lewis, Oakton and South Lakes high schools.” [WUSA9]
Asian Food Market Draws Crowd in Annandale — “More than 500 people enjoyed Thai food at the Asiantque Market behind the Masonic lodge at 6911 Columbia Pike Sunday evening. This was the biggest crowd yet at the monthly food festivals, said organizer Nelson Figueroa Velez.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Wednesday — It will be a sunny day with high temperatures near 81 degrees and a northwest wind moving 7 to 9 mph. Night will be mostly clear, with a low around 59. The wind will shift to the southwest around 5 mph after midnight. [NWS]
Fairfax County is now bringing nature to residents’ doorsteps.
Last week, the Fairfax County Park Authority launched a new, fully electric mobile nature center called the Wonder Wagon. The tricked-out nature-themed van, operated by park staff, is intended to bring outdoor wonders to underserved communities and Title 1 schools.
According to spokesperson Ben Boxer, the park authority hopes the van will bring people closer to nature by using hands-on activities to deepen local residents’ connection with the environment, especially for those without immediate access to parks.
“Our Wonder Wagon staff are experienced programmers who specialize in providing engaging, thought-provoking experiences for people of all ages,” Boxer told FFXnow. “With the tools and exhibits contained in the Wonder Wagon, they will be leading a variety of activities from catching bugs and observing birds to identifying and learning about local flora and fauna.”
In 2022, the Board of Supervisors approved $114,640 for the FCPA to hire staff and purchase supplies, but that was only half of what was needed to get the program off the ground.
Over the last year, the Fairfax County Park Foundation, the nonprofit that supports the park authority, raised the remaining funds, securing an additional $177,742 from donors for staff, the van and operational expenses. Contributions included an environmental fund grant from the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia and the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Gateways Grant.
The Wonder Wagon officially launched on April 20 during Earth Day Fairfax, an Earth Day festival held at Sully Historic Site in Chantilly.
The van won’t be available for events at private schools or residences, such as birthday parties. Instead, it’ll be making appearances at public events and school activities, according to Boxer.
All requests may be submitted online. The park authority’s website also has a calendar of upcoming Wonder Wagon appearances.
