The Metro stations at the Dulles International Airport and Ashburn have been the busiest stations since phase two of the Silver Line opened in the middle of November.
So far, more than 60% of entries at the new stations happen during peak periods, according to Martha Coello, who works with the Fairfax County Department of Transportation’s special projects division.
At a Board of Supervisors transportation committee meeting yesterday (Tuesday), Coello noted that customers of the six new stations appear to generally be coming from or going to downtown D.C. The most frequented points of origin or destinations are Farragut West, McPherson Square, Foggy Bottom and Metro Center.
“A lot of the common starting and ending points…are actually in downtown D.C.,” she said.
Coello said that Fairfax Connector bus service changes in the Herndon and Reston area are going smoothly, with new routes providing more than 500 passenger trips per day.
The 11.4-mile extension into Loudoun County sees about 3,500 daily boardings. Around Thanksgiving travel time, that number hovered closer to 5,000 boardings, Coello said.
As of yesterday afternoon, the county was still waiting to finalize the execution of its maintenance and operations agreement with Metro for facilities in the county. That step is simply contingent on the receipt of documents, Coello said.
The installation of a sidewalk on Sunrise Valley Drive near Reston Parkway is still ongoing. The project is currently in the land acquisition phase, with construction anticipated in the spring of next year.
The county is also working on the removal of bus bays near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station. That project will wrap up in the next few months.
After bus services were realigned, there is no longer a need for the bus bays.
The bays were primarily used by Loudoun County buses and are a “surplus at this point,” Coello said.
Longtime Vienna Photographer Dies — “For decades in the town of Vienna, T.R. Cook was the man who took people’s portraits and photographed business and community events, recording the town’s history. Cook, who died Dec. 11 at age 93, made the town a better place and was a strong advocate of young people, friends said.” [Sun Gazette]
Rape Case Dismissed Over Missed Deadline — “A woman sitting in a Fairfax County courtroom Monday morning was ready after decades to finally confront the man she says raped her as a child. Instead, she watched in horror as a judge abruptly dismissed the case over what was characterized as ‘prosecutorial error.'” [NBC4]
Fire Department Distributes Toy Donations — “[On Monday], along with community partners and @FairfaxCountyPD, #FCFRD distributed over 3,000 toys to kids who would otherwise not receive gifts at Station 11, Penn Daw. School counselors and community groups will distribute throughout the county. #HolidaySeason” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Woodson HS Drummer Recognized by NFL Band — “After hearing about the inspiring story of a Fairfax County Public Schools student who is the first deaf drummer in his band, the Baltimore Marching Ravens recognized Michael Gouin’s hard work and musical accomplishments with a gift at a Monday night concert.” [ABC7]
Local Options for Getting a Christmas Tree — “Get into the spirit by visiting one of these Christmas tree farms in Northern Virginia, Christmas tree lots, and nurseries to get your tree. Northern Virginia not only has the best places to buy a Christmas tree, but also tons of opportunities to create holiday traditions and memories.” [Visit Fairfax]
Teen Developing App to Address Food Insecurity — Nirav Ramchandani, a high school student in Fairfax County who founded the nonprofit Cease Hunger in May 2021, is developing an online app “that connects restaurants and other businesses with food banks and pantries, he said. The app, called Food Box, is in the final stages of testing and is expected to be ready soon.” [WTOP]
Lorton Area Golf Courses Plan Renovations — “Several golf courses in the area are planning — or currently undergoing — significant renovations to improve their facilities for golfers and other guests.” These include the Pohick Bay Golf Course and Laurel Hill Golf Club in Lorton as well as the Fort Belvoir Golf Club. [On the MoVe]
New Wolf Trap Shows Announced — “On Tuesday, Wolf Trap announced its final shows for the Barns, which has a season extending into spring 2023. One of the two newly-announced shows is Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives on April 6 and 7…The other performance is by singer and songwriter Karla Bonoff on April 19.” [Patch]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 40 and low of 26. Sunrise at 7:21 am and sunset at 4:49 pm. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County is seeking more state support for education, a return of $39 million for regional transportation projects and more in its recently approved legislative priorities for next year.
At a meeting last week, the Board of Supervisors approved the adoption of the county’s 2023 legislative programs for both state and federal lawmakers. It passed by a 9-1 vote with only Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity opposing.
The approval on Dec. 6 was, more or less, a formality with most of the discussion and debate happening in legislative committee meetings throughout the fall.
In addition to trash collection changes, here are a few of the most notable priorities in this year’s agenda:
Increase state support for education
Jointly with Fairfax County Public Schools, the county wants the state to better address the differences between “high cost-of-living jurisdictions like Fairfax County” and other Virginia localities when funding public education.
State education funding is based on complex formulas and varies from year to year. The county has long argued that the formulas don’t adequately account for its higher cost of living compared to other areas.
“Public education funding in the Commonwealth is enshrined in the Virginia Constitution as a joint responsibility of both state and local governments, so it is essential that the state fully and appropriately meet its Constitutional responsibility to adequately fund K-12 education,” the state legislative program says.
Also, both boards oppose “budget cuts that disproportionately target or affect Northern Virginia” and “policies which divert K-12 education funding away from local public schools and toward non-public options.”
Allow traffic safety measures
Local elected county officials have maintained their call for more local authority from Virginia, where localities only have the powers explicitly granted them by the state.
As crash fatalities mount, the county is advocating for General Assembly legislation that lets localities create and post signage requiring motorists to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.
Legislation is also needed to clarify that counties can reduce speed limits below 25 miles per hour on state-maintained roads that lie in residential districts, according to the program. Without that authority, the county’s options for addressing speeding are limited.
Restore regional transportation project funding
The state diverted $102 million away from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) in 2018 to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to cover Virginia’s share of Metro funding.
In the several years since, $63.5 million has been restored, but the NVTA is still looking for the remaining nearly $39 million to support road repairs, facility maintenance, and other transportation projects in Northern Virginia.
“This [money] will ensure that transportation projects continue to advance in Northern Virginia after decades of state underfunding,” Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw, who chairs the board’s legislative committee, said in his motion at the Dec. 6 meeting.
Boost state funding and support for behavioral services
The state’s support for behavioral health services is underwhelming, Board Chairman Jeff McKay said at November’s legislative committee meeting.
“The state is dramatically underfunding behavioral health services and they need to be much more robust,” he said. “…They’ve got to start to provide funding. I mean, let’s be honest with ourselves here. The starting point leaves plenty of room for improvement.”
Additional resources are needed to implement a Marcus Alert system that adds mental health specialists as responders to certain 911 calls, increase the availability of psychiatric beds and crisis services, provide training to law enforcement, and other initiatives, per the legislative program.
The county also opposes “any state actions which disproportionately rely on local funding for service implementation.”
Relocate FBI headquarters to Springfield
The effort to bring the new FBI headquarters to Springfield has been ongoing for at least a decade. At times, it’s gotten rather competitive, with McKay recently accusing WAMTA of tipping the scales in favor of alternate sites in Maryland.
In its Congressional program, the county is keeping up the full-court press on why the site in Springfield would be the best choice. McKay noted at the November meeting that the proximity of Quantico and the TSA headquarters should be major selling points.
“I do think we need to turn the temperature up a little bit. We need to be a little more proud and pound our chest a little bit more here,” McKay said. “Hopefully, we are in the lead here and we can close this deal.”
Expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program
The county hopes the federal government will expand a program that provides tax credits to developers for acquiring, rehabbing, or constructing rental housing targeted to lower-income households.
The county says the tax credit has resulted in thousands of affordable homes.
“In Fairfax County, approximately 10,000 affordable homes have been constructed, preserved, or rehabilitated utilizing the LIHTC program,” the strategy package for Congress reads. “The ability to encourage private investments in affordable housing through tax credits is critical to helping meet the demand in the County.”
Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross said there might be an inaccurate perception that Fairfax County residents aren’t using the program.
“People do not think of Fairfax County as needing this program, but we know we really do because it serves thousands of people,” Gross said.
County officials met today (Dec. 13) with local General Assembly members to discuss their priorities and will meet with local members of Congress at a later date.
A major mixed-use development near the Innovation Center Metro station could see some tweaks, if Fairfax County approves changes requested by developer Pomeroy Companies.
The applicant behind Aurora Station at Dulles is seeking more flexibility in the previously approved residential makeup in eight planned land bays on nearly 21 acres of the 39-acre property, which is bounded by Frying Pan Road, Sunrise Valley Drive and Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church.
Overall, nearly 1.6 million square feet of residential development is proposed at 13710 Frying Pan Road in Herndon, along with 438,000 square feet of non-residential uses, according to an application submitted on Dec. 9.
Specifically, the developer wants to swap the previously approved land use for one area currently approved for an independent living facility in Land Bay C with 50 residential units. The square footage allotted for that facility would then be shifted to another area — Land Bay F.
Pomeroy is also seeking more flexibility for Land Bay B, whose upper area was approved for 64 townhouses while the lower was approved for 24 townhouses or one multifamily building. Now, the company wants the option of another 93 side-by-side townhouses or 98 stacked townhouses for the upper area and three multifamily buildings for the lower area.
“The options proposed for Land Bays B and C of the approved development further the application’s conformance with the Comprehensive Plan recommendations for the Property and will implement the County’s vision for development in the Dulles Suburban Center,” Scott Adams, a land use representative from McGuire Woods, wrote in a Dec. 9 statement.
Notably, the application doesn’t propose any increases to the developemnt’s maximum densities under the original rezoning. In total, the plan calls for a little over 1,000 residential units, retail and commercial development.
First approved in 2019, the conceptual development plan was one of two developments that Pomeroy had in the works at the Innovation station. The developer also partnered with CRC Companies on an adjacent One Sunrise Valley project, which could add up to 1.5 million square feet of residential and retail development as well as the site for a new, public elementary school.
The Aurora application has not yet been accepted for review by the county.
Herndon will soon be home to two Flagship Carwash locations.
A new location is set to open at the Village Center at Dulles, a shopping center located at at 2501 Centreville Road, according to signage posted at the storefront.
There’s no word yet on when it’s expected to open. Flagship’s website simply says coming soon, and the company did not return a request for comment.
The company already has a location on 632 Grant Street in the Town of Herndon.
The business offers automatic tunnel washes, compressed air, vacuums and other services.
The tenant will occupy a little over 3,100 square feet at the tail end of the shopping center. The center currently has eight tenant spaces available, according to the property owner’s website.
All-Day I-95 Toll Lanes Proposed — Northern Virginia leaders, including Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay, say the I-95 Express Lanes should be open to both northbound and southbound drivers throughout the day. The lanes currently only operate during rush hours, with drivers going into D.C. in the morning and going out during the afternoon. [NBC4]
Police Arrest 94-Year-Old in Pedestrian Hit-and-Run — “A 94-year-old Fairfax City man was arrested Friday morning in connection with a felony hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian on Nov. 29 in Fairfax City, according to a police release…The pedestrian was taken to INOVA Fairfax Hospital, where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries.” [Patch]
Election Successful Despite Issues, Board Secretary Says — “Erroneous mailings, a flood of address changes and provisional votes, a new registrar and delayed redistricting lines from the state kept Fairfax County election officials on their toes this year.” [Sun Gazette]
Filipino Restaurant Opens in Annandale — “Paolo Dungca has long been pushing the boundaries of Filipino cuisine at places like the late Bad Saint and Wharf restaurant Kaliwa — and recently at his own string of pop-ups and restaurants, including the popular Pogiboy near Dupont Circle. Now, the rising star chef has expanded to Annandale with a new fast-casual concept: Sari Filipino Kusina, an all-day comfort food spot that opened over the weekend.” [Washingtonian]
Hearing on Fairfax Supportive Housing Project Continues — “A proposal to redevelop the Hy-Way Motel on Fairfax Boulevard and replace it with affordable housing returns for a second public hearing in two weeks at Tuesday’s Fairfax City Council meeting…About a third of the people who spoke at the Nov. 29 public hearing owned businesses in the Fairfax Circle area and opposed the project.” [Patch]
General District Court Gets First Female, Asian Judge — “Honored to be a part of the investiture of Judge Dipti Pidikiti-Smith, the 1st AAPI woman on the Fairfax General District Court. An immigrant, former @VA_LegalAid attorney & advocate for marginalized people, she will serve w/ compassion & ensure all have equal access to justice” [Kathy Tran/Twitter]
Fairfax County Public Library Hosts Program on Hamilton — “Many are familiar with Alexander Hamilton from the hit musical, but how much was true about the actual man? In this one hour presentation, Marti Londal will examine some myths from the musical and go beyond the lyrics to learn more about the ten-dollar founding father.” [FCPL]
It’s Tuesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 43 and low of 28. Sunrise at 7:20 am and sunset at 4:48 pm. [Weather.gov]
Pickles, a rescue cat, was trapped in a stormwater drain at Lake Anne in Reston for almost a week.
Her owners unsuccessfully tried to get him out after he became stuck on Dec. 4, his mews audible through a manhole.
After Fairfax County’s animal control staff said they couldn’t humanely trap the cat and the Fire and Rescue Department’s non-emergency line also said they could not do much, the owners turned to the county’s stormwater maintenance team for help.
After working from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday (Dec. 9), the team was able to get Pickles out, according to Brittany Catton Kirk, the owner.
“After a laborious first attempt/ he escaped and ran down a second drain. I seriously was going to give up at that point but your team did not. They moved the truck and started again. And this time got him!” Kirk said.
She told FFXnow that the cat was rescued on a freeway in Maryland a year ago.
Kirk said they promise to keep the feral rescue cat indoors from now on and lauded the team for their effort.
“It would have been an entirely different Christmas and trauma to know our cat was dying in a closed dark space, and now he is safe at home,” Kirk wrote.
Fairfax County has now committed $45 million of the COVID-19 relief funds it received from the federal government to supporting affordable housing projects.
The Board of Supervisors approved the latest allocation of $15 million at its meeting last Tuesday (Dec. 6), and more could be on the way next year, if the board opts to dip into a reserve fund to further its goal of creating 10,000 more affordable units by 2034.
Only Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity voted against the joint board matter sponsored by Chairman Jeff McKay and Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust.
“While we’ve been through and used a lot of these funds for emergency purposes, part of recovery is a recognition of the need for affordable housing and how lack of affordable housing played a role sadly and unfortunately in the health outcomes of people who could not find safe and effective affordable housing,” McKay said. “So, I’m happy that we’re able to use this…to help keep up the momentum that we have in producing that goal of 10,000 affordable units.”
Citing a recent memo from County Executive Bryan Hill, McKay and Foust said in their board matter that the county has “a robust current pipeline of affordable housing development projects which clearly demonstrates the need for significant capital funding in the coming years.”
In his memo dated Nov. 4, Hill reported that the board had dedicated $30 million of the $220 million it received from the American Rescue Plan Act’s Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) program to affordable housing production.
Signed into law in March 2021, the federal stimulus package created the SLFRF program to assist localities in responding to and recovering from the pandemic. The money can be used to replace lost public revenue, address the public health and economic impacts of COVID-19, provide bonuses for government workers, and improve water, sewer and broadband infrastructure.
Prior to last week’s vote, all of the funds that Fairfax County designated for affordable housing had been committed to specific projects — with $10 million and $19 million, respectively, going to the planned Dominion Square and Somos developments in Tysons.
Hill recommended that the board devote an additional $15 million to affordable housing, noting that ARPA set a Dec. 31, 2026 deadline for spending affordable housing loans financed with Covid relief money.
“Our ongoing investment of local and federal dollars continue to be essential toward achieving our affordable housing goals,” he said, calling the proposal an “effective use of the one-time ARPA resources.”
In addition to approving Hill’s recommendation, the board matter by Foust and McKay suggested that the county consider allocating a portion of a general fund coronavirus pandemic reserve fund to affordable housing as a third-quarter adjustment to its current fiscal year 2023 budget.
As of Nov. 18, the county had $50 million in unallocated ARPA funding, though after last week’s vote, that has gone down to $35 million. There is also $21.3 million left in the pandemic reserve, which has been used to provide basic needs assistance for residents and some relief grants for businesses.
“Based on the current trajectory of the pandemic, the one-time nature of this reserve, and an existing balance remaining in the County’s ARPA allocation for other priorities, I believe that this reserve may be a useful resource for affordable housing,” Foust said in the board matter. “It is also important to note that since these are local funds, these dollars would provide maximum flexibility for Housing staff as they make resourcing decisions for affordable housing development.”
Last week, Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors authorized a grant that aims to help protect local Jewish organizations from hate crimes.
The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) is applying for a $150,000 grant (page 244) from the Department of Criminal Justice Services’ Combating Hate Crime Grant Program. The funding will be used to better secure local congregations against hate crimes.
The application comes amid a notable upswing in antisemitic hate crimes nationwide. A new state report showed a rise in antisemitic harassment and vandalism — though the report also conflates opposition to the Israeli government with antisemitism.
“Generally, while the Commonwealth has not seen antisemitic assaults take place since 2018, there has been an increased frequency of antisemitic harassment and antisemitic vandalism at levels which have remained constant from 2018 to 2021,” the report said. “In 2021, 411 reported antisemitic incidents impacted residents of the Commonwealth. These incidents showed a 71% increase over the 292 reported incidents in 2020.”
Fairfax County releases reports on bias crimes over three-year periods. The latest report, covering 2018-2020, said there had been an uptick in “bias crimes and incidents” in recent years.
“The aggregate total of all bias crimes and incidents for 2018-2020 was 320,” the report said. “This represents a 65.8% increase over the previous 3-year total of 193 incidents encompassing the years 2015-2017.”
Anti-Black bias comprised around 40.6% of the aggregate total. The second most prevalent was a general “other ethnicity/national origin” category at around 11.3%, while anti-Jewish bias crimes represented around 6.9% of the aggregate total.
Calls for “suspicious events” represented the most frequent incident at 25% of the aggregate total. Disorderly conduct accounted for the second most common category, representing 21.6% of the aggregate total.
A staff report said the grant funding would make the following locations more secure:
- Bethlehem Lutheran Church
- Congregation Olam Tikvah
- Gesher Jewish Day School
- Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area
- Pozez Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia
- Temple Rodef Shalom
The area immediately surrounding the Herndon Metro Station could soon be activated.
At a meeting last Tuesday (Dec. 6), the council reviewed developer Penzance’s scaled-back plan for a nearly 4.3-acre area at 555 Herndon Parkway.
The proposed development would have a one-tower building and a mid-rise building with a mix of residential, office and retail space. An urban block is planned with private streets wrapped around the exterior and an internal loop and plaza area.
Some council members expressed concerns about the lack of placemaking retail in the development.
Councilmember Sean Regan said the development has a “woeful” lack of attractive retail.
“Why would someone at a different Metro stop want to go here? To go to a Sbarro?” Regan said, noting that the amount of square footage will not attract a tenant who can make the commercial space a “destination.”
The current plan reduces office space by roughly 125,000 square feet and ups the amount of residential space by a little over 10,000 square feet. That would make the majority of the site — roughly 488,000 square feet — residential, along with 10,000 square feet of retail and 200,000 square feet of total office space.
The project includes just two buildings that could be subdivided into parcels and built in two phases, according to town staff.
At the meeting, staff noted that the scaled-back application is moving forward at the applicant’s request.
“They wanted to get going on construction faster than what the existing approved plan supported,” staff said.
The project is set for a public hearing tomorrow (Tuesday), allowing further opportunities for feedback and changes.
Councilmember Cesar del Aguila encouraged the town to push for more changes, adding that he too was concerned about the reduction of office space and its relation to the Metro station.
“I think we can certainly ask for some stuff,” del Aguila said.
Dranesville District school board member Elaine Tholen will not run for reelection in 2023, while several of the other members haven’t yet declared their own intentions.
Tholen confirmed to FFXnow that she won’t seek another term on the Fairfax County School Board and instead plans to step down at the end of her term on Dec. 31, 2023.
She initially shared her decision with supporters and colleagues in October, but this is the first time Tholen has made it public:
It has been my honor and pleasure to serve as the Dranesville District School Board member since January 2020. Serving on the School Board has allowed me to give back to my community and repay the school district that has given my family so much.
I have decided it is time for me to step away from the School Board, and to return to a role closer to our classrooms and to our students. So after careful consideration, I am officially announcing that I will not seek re-election to the Fairfax County School Board in November 2023.
My life’s passion is working with young people to expand their horizons and engagement in learning, and to introduce them to the magic of our natural world and the science behind it. I love to work with those that build and promote this work; the teachers, and the principals that change the lives of children for the better every day.
I am focused and excited as I finish my term to work with the board and Dr. Reid as we move forward during this time of setting strategy for the future of our school district, and as always will continue to do my best to support every one of our school communities through the end of my current term on December 31, 2023.
We have accomplished much in the past few years as we navigated a global pandemic, supported each and every student in academics and wellness, and tackled difficult facility issues. We have started work on new ways to look at development in Fairfax County, we have increased our sustainability efforts and more. I know there is still much work to do, and I know that Dranesville families will work with a new School Board member to continue to better our school district.
I will be hard at work for and with all of you until the end of December 2023 when my current term is complete. Thank you for trusting me with the responsibility of representing you on our School Board, and please know that I will still be a part of our community.
Tholen was first elected to the school board in 2019 after serving as a director for the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District. She’s also a certified middle school science teacher.
Last year, there was an effort to recall her from the board over her support for Fairfax County Public Schools starting the school year virtually. Petitions against her and Laura Jane Cohen, who represents the Springfield District on the school board, were dismissed in August 2021 and this past February, respectively.
Cohen is also not running for reelection, because she’s seeking to join the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the newly created 15th District.
She told FFXnow that, while on the school board, she saw “first hand the barriers that our students and families face.”
Time and again, our Commonwealth has refused to adequately invest in our communities. Whether it’s continuing to burden our students and staff with more and more standardized tests, trying to rewrite our history, attempting to undermine public education, or refusing to address the much needed mental health and substance abuse crisis, the buck stops in Richmond. I look forward to continuing my service to our community and working together to tackle these and other problems that not only impact our families in Fairfax County, but families across the Commonwealth.
No candidates have emerged yet to challenge for the Dranesville or Springfield school board seats.
One School Board Member Confirms Reelection Bid
Conversely, Hunter Mill District Representative Melanie Meren is running again in 2023.
A former U.S. Education Department worker, she first won the seat in 2019 after longtime school board member Pat Haynes retired. During her term, she has advocated for stronger security measures at schools and policies to improve student health, such as recess in middle schools and a greater focus on the importance of sleep.
As one of two Jewish school board members, she criticized at-large school board member Abrar Omeish last year for comments the board’s only Muslim member made about Israel and Palestine.
“I believe that strong schools make a strong community,” Meren wrote in a statement. “The students, families, staff, and residents of Fairfax County deserve to be represented by an experienced public servant like myself, who improves access to opportunities for all students in FCPS to fulfill their destinies for success in life; strengthens public policy that frames how FCPS uses public resources; and fosters trust, civility, and respect in public service during a turbulent time in American democracy — and engages the community.”
Not Publicly Decided
Other school board members told FFXnow that they aren’t ready to announce their 2023 plans.
Providence District Representative Karl Frisch, who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for 35th House District delegate earlier this year, said he will announce his intentions “in the weeks ahead.”
Mason District Representative Ricardy Anderson said she will announce in “the coming weeks,” while Sully District school board member Stella Pekarsky said to expect an announcement in January.
Braddock District Representative Megan McLaughlin, who’s served on the school board since 2012, said in an email that she has yet to make a decision on her fourth term as well.
The school board’s other five members have not responded to FFXnow’s repeated inquiries.
Earlier this month, five county supervisors confirmed they will run for reelection in 2023, while both Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust and Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross have announced they will step down.
Three supervisors remain publicly undecided: Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith, Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik, and Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity.
FedEx Driver Tried to Help Man Who Died in FCPD Custody — “The FedEx driver praised for helping a man experiencing a behavioral health crisis before he died in police custody said he felt led to show compassion. Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis described his actions as heroic despite the fatal outcome.” [WUSA9]
Fairfax City Police Investigate Shootings — “City of Fairfax Police are investigating two shooting into vehicle incidents that occurred early Thursday morning that appear to be connected, according to a police release.” Police responded to a shooting between 1:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. that resulted in “minor injuries” to the vehicle’s occupant, and were then called to a similar shooting two miles away, where there were no injuries. [Patch]
Are Regional Road Projects Helping Fix Congestion? — “Northern Virginians have been living through a seemingly endless cycle of roadbuilding in recent years…With the perceived need more than doubling the funds available, some in the region are asking: Can Northern Virginia ever build its way out of traffic congestion?” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Five Displaced by Kingstowne House Fire — “On Thursday, December 1 at 2:24 p.m., units were dispatched for a reported house fire in the 7200 block of Devereux Court in the Kingstowne area…Fire Investigators determined the fire was accidental in nature and started in the garage on a work table. The fire was caused by an electrical event involving a laptop computer.” [FCFRD]
Tysons Gas Station Gets Approval for Convenience Store — “A Tysons service station damaged by a small tornado March 31 now will be getting a spruced up exterior and a new convenience store in place of its lightly used vehicle-service bays. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 6 unanimously approved the changes sought by Petroleum Marketing Group Inc. (PMG) for its station…at 1953 Chain Bridge Road.” [Sun Gazette]
Vienna Preschool Founder Dies — Services were held this past weekend for Joyce Decker, “an involved member of the Vienna community,” who died on Nov. 14. Decker was an avid supporter of Vienna Little League, helping fundraise and becoming its first female trustee, and in 1968, she opened “Vienna Tiny Tots Village, one of the area’s first private preschool and child care centers,” which closed in March 2021 after operating for 53 years. [Patch]
Lobster Food Trucks Coming to D.C. Area — “Cousins Maine Lobster, which got its start as a single food truck in Los Angeles a decade ago, has struck a deal with one of its existing franchisees to bring six food trucks to D.C., Maryland and Virginia over the next 18 months…The business really began to take off after the founders appeared on the ABC show “Shark Tank” in 2016″ [Washington Business Journal]
Hundreds of Tickets Issued on Richmond Highway — “Police officers issued 874 traffic citations to motorists along the Richmond Highway corridor during the month of November…According to an FCPD spokesperson, the citations were issued as part of a Pedestrian High Visibility Enforcement campaign conducted by FCPD’s Motor Squad in November and on one additional date in December.” [On the MoVe]
Vienna Holiday Decorating Contest Winners Announced — “A record number of votes were cast in this year’s contest — more than 1000 — up by more than 50 percent from 2021. For the first time, contestants were given an opportunity to earn bonus points by putting a caboose somewhere in their display, paying homage to Vienna’s railway history.” [Town of Vienna]
It’s Monday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 43 and low of 34. Sunrise at 7:19 am and sunset at 4:48 pm. [Weather.gov]
A new group exhibit organized by Reston’s Tephra Institute of Contemporary Arts is set to open this weekend.
“Between a rock and a soft place” aims to reframe the concept of rest as a practice on its own and irrespective of the concept of work, a press release said. An opening reception is slated for tomorrow (Saturday) from 5-7 p.m.
In the exhibit, five regional, contemporary artists — Holly Bass, Adjoa Burrowes, Deborah R. Grayson, Katie O’Keefe, and Britt Sankofa — reflect on the structures that stand between the subject and a life of ease, exploring topics such as who gets rest and when, what is restorative, and how do individuals allow themselves to slow down.
Each artist was asked to response to exhibition prompts that explored what being well-rested looks like from different perspectives.
Here’s what the exhibit’s guest curator, Deirdre Darden, said about the theme and process:
When the pandemic forced me to rest, I realized that it was the essential missing piece of my practice. As independent curators and artists, we’re always thinking of the next deadline while trying to meet the current one. It’s a cyclical life that leaves little time for reprieve. As I worked with Tephra ICA to develop the theme of the [open] call, I settled on the idea of rest. Research led me to understand this idea of creating art around ‘burnout’ wasn’t just a pandemic trend. Many contemporary artists have started to adjust their subject matter to reflect the need to see people, especially black people, disabled people, and more marginalized folks at ease. Domestic scenes, peering out a window, moments of joy, tending a garden. This is the art of the rest revolution.
The exhibit is a product of the institute’s Mary B. Howard Invitational, a biennial program that supports collaborative exhibition-making and “the development and public presentation of innovative new work,” per the exhibit website. It was named after an artist and longtime board member and is funded in part by ArtsFairfax.
The presentation is free and open to all. RSVPs are encouraged in advance online.
The exhibit is open from Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The gallery will be closed on Dec. 13-15, 24, and 31.
Live Fairfax is a bi-weekly column exploring Fairfax County. This recurring column is sponsored and written by Sharmane Medaris of McEnearney Associates. Questions? Reach Sharmane at 813-504-4479.
Do you love Christmas lights?
If so, this insider video is for you. I surveyed Facebook groups for the must-see Christmas lights and these made the top of the list! Hope you enjoy piling into the car with hot chocolate and your people as you make memories that will turn into traditions.
Explore Fairfax with Sharmane Medaris of McEnearney.
Sharmane Medaris | Live Fairfax | www.soldbysharmane.com | [email protected] | @soldbysharmane | 813-504-4479 | 374 Maple Avenue Suite 202, Vienna, VA 22180
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
If developers are willing to invest in boosting sewage infrastructure with their new projects, Fairfax County is willing to foot part of the bill.
The Board of Supervisors adopted a new policy (page 621) on Tuesday (Dec. 6) that would allow the county to reimburse developers for the cost of building enlarged sewage facilities to help grapple with wastewater. This change also means a slight sewer bill increase for local residents.
“The proposed policy recommends reimbursing developers for the cost of constructing an enlarged sewage facility based on the County’s share of existing and future wastewater flow,” a staff report sid. “Future flows are based on buildout described in the Comprehensive plan. The developers will be responsible for the cost that is equal to the proportional share of the enlarged facility that conveys flow exclusively from their development.”
The report said the current policy for reimbursing developers for enlarging sewer facilities is outdated and has not been used for 20 years.
According to county staff, the county’s pro-rate share of costs for eligible projects over the next two fiscal years would be $22.5 million or less. That cost will likely come from a 20-cent-per-month increase to the average sewer bill for residents.
According to the report:
This estimated amount would be paid out over several fiscal years, because potentially eligible projects are in various stages of plan review and approval and reimbursement will not be issued until construction milestones are met. To account for the proposed policy, staff anticipates recommending an additional increase of $0.20 per month on an average sewer bill for residential customers and an additional increase in Availability Charges of $182 for single-family homes and $146 for townhomes and multi-family homes.
While the change does mean a sewer rate increase for residents, the report said the financial burden of boosting local sewer infrastructure is lessened by sharing that cost between the county and local developers.
“By cost-sharing with private developers, all current users benefit from improved sanitary sewer infrastructure that reduces the potential for sewage release into the environment, and all rate payers benefit from reduced sewer maintenance and replacement costs,” the report said. “Without this policy, the cost to upsize sewer facilities as required by current County Code could disproportionately impact smaller development projects.”
The proposal was unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors.
“This is a helpful, important motion,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said. “This is a big turning point in terms of our ability to deal with managing growth and sewers.”
Image via Marco Bicca/Unsplash
