Wegmans will officially open its Reston location on Feb 1. at 9 a.m, the grocer announced today.
The 85,000-square-foot store, which is located at the new Halley Rise development at the intersection of Reston Parkway and Sunrise Valley Drive, will include a cafe, coffee shop and The Burger Bar.
“While our opening is still a few months away, we have already met many great applicants and are excited to continue building our team,” wrote Reston Store Manager Katie Sullivan in a statement. “Wegmans is known for being one of the best places to work because we offer opportunities for advancement, flexible scheduling, and competitive pay and benefits packages.”
It’s expected to employ more than 400 people. Currently, a hiring effort is underway for nearly 200 open positions. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply online before the event.
An in-person hiring event is set for Tuesday, Nov. 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at The Edmund apartments (2025 Fulton Place).
The grocery store is on the ground floor of The Edmund.
County Prosecutor Often Sough Suspects’ Detention — “Fairfax County’s top prosecutor, who has faced criticism for practices some view as too lenient, released data Wednesday showing that his office recommended people accused of violent crimes be denied bail at 76 percent of hearings but that judges did so only about half the time.” [The Washington Post]
Gummies Linked to Sickness at Fairfax County School — “At least seven students at Liberty Middle School in Fairfax County, Virginia, reported feeling ill after apparently eating Delta 8 THC gummies, the principal of the school said in a letter to families.” [NBC 4]
County School Enrollment Up — “Enrollment in Virginia’s largest school system has increased for the first time since the pandemic, but the number of students attending classes still isn’t back to pre-pandemic levels.” [WTOP]
Nonprofit Kicks Off Gift Campaign — “Britepaths is seeking donations from the community to provide meals and gifts to 265 families across Fairfax County during the upcoming holiday season as part of the Fairfax-based nonprofit’s Holiday Program.” [Reston Patch]
It’s Friday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 57 and low of 42. Sunrise at 7:33 am and sunset at 6:14 pm. [Weather.gov]
The county has officially okayed a new and improved Taco Bell in Reston.
At this week’s Board of Supervisors meeting, officials unanimously gave the green light to demolish the existing Taco Bell on Roger Bacon Drive just off Wiehle Avenue and replace it with a modern version with an additional drive-thru lane. At just over 2,700 square feet, the restaurant will also be slightly larger than the previous iteration.
The go-ahead came on the heels of recommendations from both the staff and the county’s Planning Commission last month.
The Taco Bell that sits there now was first built in the 1980s, according to a presentation made by the applicant at the meeting earlier this week.
Franchise owner Summerwood Corporation bought the site last August with the intention of updating the fast-food restaurant. Aesthetically, it does not align with Taco Bell’s current branding and it’s not conducive to traffic best practices.
It’s in what the county terms a “fast food park” with Taco Bell, McDonald’s, and Pupatella (which used to be a Pizza Hut) all sharing various exits and entrance points. To locals, that block was known as “McTacoHut.”
Concerns were brought up over the summer by the Reston Planning Commission about increased traffic and back-ups that an additional drive-thru lane might bring to that block in Reston.
The report and presentation provided to both the Planning Commission in September and the one made to the Board of Supervisors earlier this week looked to alleviate some of those concerns.
A formal traffic study was conducted that showed that Taco Bell currently contributes about a quarter of the traffic along that section of Roger Beacon Drive during the peak lunchtime rush. It’s estimated that a new modern building and a second drive-thru lane will lead to an increase of about 5% in traffic.
Summerwood is also in discussions with the McDonald’s next door, which shares a one-way drive aisle with Taco Bell, about making it two-ways which could help with traffic flow. Plus, increased signage is being planned which might assist motorists.
An additional drive-thru lane will decrease back-ups by increasing queue capacity to 19 cars, per the applicant.
“This is due to customers increasingly using the drive-thru instead of parking and entering the facility,” said Matt Roberts of Bean Kinney & Korman, on behalf of the applicant. “This is not a new phenomenon that was basically accelerated during the pandemic.”
About 79% of peak-hour transactions are currently happening through the existing, single-lane drive-thru, he also noted.
The new Taco Bell will also have 23 parking spots, “sufficient” bicycle parking, electric vehicle charging stations, LED silver certification, a rainwater garden, and a 12-seat outdoor cafe.
31% of the site will be open space as well, about double what’s required by the county.
With the project now approved by the county, FFXnow has reached out to Summerwood Corporation about a timeline in terms of demolition and construction but has yet to hear back as of publication.
Town of Herndon officials are mulling the town’s first rebranding effort in ten years.
The move — last discussed at a Herndon Town Council meeting earlier this month — comes as phase two of the Silver Line opens by Thanksgiving.
The rebranding package characterized the town as a “next generation small town.”
Mayor Sheila Olem said the placemaking nature of the new Herndon Metro Station provides an opportunity for the town to position itself as a rivaling area to others in the Commonwealth.
“With Metro coming in, it’s the perfect time,” Olem said at the Oct. 19 meeting.
Anne Curtis, the town’s director of communications, said distilling the town’d “distinctive attributes” was key in developing its brand strategy.
Curtis offered the following brand positioning statement:
A next generation small town pulses on the edge of Fairfax County. Turn off the highway and find yourself in a place that welcomes innovators, risk-takers, history seekers and family-keepers. This is where the roots of history help to grow the ideas of tomorrow.
The town’s logo also emphasizes “on” in the visualization of Herndon, with the font connecting “o” to “n.”
But council members concurred that more discussion and research is needed before any changes occur. The proposal was presented in response to the council’s strategy initiatives planning meeting earlier this year.
Vice Mayor Cesar del Aguila suggested that the brand strategy move out of relying on the town’s reputation as a small town.
“There are dollars out there to be had that we should position ourselves to grab,” del Aguila said, noting that the town must put itself on the regional map and move out of a “small town charm mentality.”
The town launched a brand identity development effort in 2012. Consultant Trialogue Studio worked with the town to launch the strategy.
In the most recent effort, the town held five focus groups, more than 20 interviews with key community and corporate leaders, and launched an online survey that yielded 400 responses.
From that effort, town features like “great location, “small town” and “Hispanic,” were salient.
Staff will continue to work on the proposal. A visualization exercise is planned for early next year.
Early Voting Sites Open Today — “Fairfax County will open an additional 13 early voting sites starting Thursday, Oct. 27. In total, there will be 16 voting locations available across the county until the last day to vote early on Nov. 5 at 5 p.m. Early voting began last month starting with three sites open.” [Fairfax County Government]
COVID-19 Vaccine Centers Scale Back Hours — “With COVID-19 vaccines now widely available at pharmacies, urgent care centers and medical providers throughout the community, clinics located at the Government Center and Hyland South County Center are scheduled to scale back their hours of operation. Starting the week of Nov. 7, both vaccination sites will be open for three days each week.” [Fairfax County Government]
Drug Take Back Day Returns — Residents are encouraged to dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medications at the county’s annual Drug Take Back Day on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Several drop-off locations are available throughout the county. [Fairfax County Government]
Survey to Help Develop Park Planning Strategy — “The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is developing a Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Access Strategy known as PROSA. The PROSA Strategy will provide a framework for equitable access to the park system and will be completed in 2023. Park officials believe the new plan will provide a pathway toward improved park access and a balance of recreational experiences.” [Fairfax County Government]
Company Sells Reston HQ for New Home — “Future Business Leaders of America is leaving its home of 30 years. The organization has sold its former 10,000-square-foot headquarters at 1912 Association Drive in Reston for $4.125 million, and is moving to a lease of an undisclosed size in nearby RTC West.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Thursday — Clear throughout the day. High of 61 and low of 52. Sunrise at 7:32 am and sunset at 6:15 pm. [Weather.gov]
A plan to increase tolls on the Dulles Toll Road and eliminate the option to pay by cash is barreling towards approval next month.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is expected to vote on the toll increase at a Nov. 16 meeting, a spokesperson told FFXnow.
At a meeting late last week, a board committee unanimously approved both proposals. Tolls would generally rise from $3.25 to $4 at the main line plaza and from $1.50 to $2 on ramps. Similar increases are proposed for vehicles with three or more axles.
The change would go into effect after a public comment period closed earlier this year.
The next toll increase is expected in 2028 while the last toll increase happened in 2019.
Staff noted that so me residents opposed the use of tolls for additional costs associated with the Silver Line and the Dulles Metrorail Project.
“While many of the comments oppose the current allocation of responsibility for funding construction of the Dulles Metrorail Project, that allocation reflects policy decisions and agreements made at the federal, state and regional level over many years,” staff wrote in a statement.
The board will also consider collecting an administrative fee for vehicles that choose the pay-by-plate payment option. The fee — $1.60 per transaction– is not intended to generate any revenue.
The move comes after MWAA transitions from cash payments and moves towards payment via E-ZPass and mobile applications. Residents will have 30 days to pay the toll.
If approved, both proposals would go into effect on Jan. 1.
This biweekly column is sponsored by The Mather in Tysons, Virginia, a forward-thinking Life Plan Community for those 62 and better.
Research has shown that older adults who engage with the arts in a group setting — anything from dancing to a poetry group to singing in a choir — enjoy tangible benefits in multiple areas of health. This has to do with feelings of mastery, and with social connection.
“This research, combined with Dr. Gene Cohen’s description of life after 50 as a time of potential and inner growth known as the Creative Age, forms a foundation for using creativity to support personal wellness,” says Caroline Edasis, director of community engagement for Mather. Mather is the organization that’s bringing The Mather, a forward-thinking Life Plan Community for those 62 and better, to Tysons, Virginia, in 2024.
Susan Fine agrees. An artist with a studio and gallery in Washington, D.C., she plans to move to The Mather. She explains that, after a successful career in health care, “I went to Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Art Houston when I was 60. And I so enjoyed the experience! You can be more creative the older you get — child-rearing responsibilities and traditional work may recede, and you open up to other things. There are so many directions you can go in art; I focus on painting and mixed media.”
Midge Scelzo, who is also planning to move to The Mather, has a similar story: “I worked in banking for 25 years, then as CFO for tech startups. In 2009, we moved to Florida and I started a new CFO job… but I realized I wanted to get back to art. I wanted to challenge myself.” She joined a group of artists and started painting. “I’m loving it. It uses a different part of my brain. I’m still that finance person — detail-oriented and organized — but art relaxes me, and I can tune out the world.”
Creativity as Wellness
Mather encourages residents in their existing communities — not just those who are established artists — to try creating new art forms in Open Art Studios. These studios, which position arts engagement as a vehicle for wellness, not just recreation, inviting both lifelong and new artists to explore their own Creative Age in a welcoming group setting.
“While working in diverse media including ceramics and mixed media/painting, participants often realize alongside their peers that they have an untapped expressive ability, a new love for a specific media, or a personal project to pursue,” says Caroline. “One of our master’s-level facilitators, trained in art and psychology, is present to support each individual’s creative journey, and that person helps transform the group into an uplifting community in which residents learn more about each other and themselves.”
Inquiry-Based Art Viewing
Mather also has a signature approach to art appreciation — one that mirrors how contemporary museum practices are evolving. Rather than teaching or encouraging art appreciation with lectures from an expert such as a docent, they focus on inclusive, inquiry-based art-viewing techniques.
“Did you know that the average person spends 17 seconds looking at a work of art in a museum?” asks Caroline. “In our visual literacy programs, we often spend a full hour describing an image, sharing stories conjured by the work of art, or even creating group poems in response to the work. These techniques focus on the interests, experiences, and curiosity of viewers to deliver intellectually stimulating content while challenging us to bring culture down from the pedestal and into our lives.”
“This method is a great way to improve people’s cognition, and their interest and engagement with life,” says Eileen Mandell, who plans to move to The Mather when it opens. Eileen, who is currently the community relations director at 1st Stage theater in Tysons, has been immersed in the world of theater as well as studied and practiced various art media. “I’m looking forward the creative arts programming that The Mather will offer,” she says. “I’m a creative person in general, and I want to act as an art maven there.”
The Mather has already formed relationships with local arts organizations, and plans to offer inquiry-based art experiences for residents on-site in museums, theaters, galleries, and more.
Mather recognizes that creativity is about much more than visual art. They encourage everyone to recognize aging as a time of great creative potential, whether through music, poetry, storytelling, dance and movement, or even gardening — the sky is truly the limit.
The Mather, projected to open in Tysons, VA, in 2024 for those 62 and better, is a forward-thinking Life Plan Community that defies expectations of what senior living is supposed to be.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
As the county officially approves paying an additional $40 million to finish the Silver Line Phase II, fare evasion continues to irk supervisors.
At yesterday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, the county followed through on the transportation committee’s recommendation last month to pay an additional $40.25 million to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) for the completion of the Silver Line Phase II.
As noted at the Sept. transportation committee meeting, the board didn’t have much choice in the matter. In July, MWAA agreed to increase the budget for the extension by $250 million which will be largely shouldered by Dulles Toll Road users. Because the original project agreement calls for Fairfax County to pay about 16% of the overage, the county owed an additional $40.25 million.
Last month, Board Chair Jeff McKay expressed his frustration about paying even more money for the much-delayed project but noted that it was a “requirement” and the county didn’t have the flexibility to not pay it “without significant negative consequences.”
At yesterday’s meeting, though, McKay struck a slightly different tone by focusing on the Silver Line Phase II’s potential to be a “game-changer” for the region.
“We can’t understate the importance of this project to the long-term success of Fairfax County,” McKay said. “It’s a major milestone.”
There remains no set date for when the line will be ready for riders, though Metro confirmed to FFXnow yesterday that it’s on track to open by Thanksgiving with the go-ahead to add more trains.
The supervisors also took a few moments at this week’s meeting to discuss Metro’s plans to stop fare evasion. Earlier this month, Metro announced it was ramping up enforcement and will be testing new station fare gates that are more difficult to jump over.
Metro estimates that fare evasion has cost the agency about $40 million this year, or nearly a quarter of its budget gap.
Several supervisors noted that they were pleased there was finally movement on better enforcement of fare evasion. Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said there are certainly “equity issues” when it comes to enforcement, but “it has to be a level playing field.”
However, Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust called fare evasion the “least of [Metro’s] challenges” in terms of securing long-term funding for a system that could be facing a $500 million funding gap next year.
“They need a plan that goes way beyond [dealing] with fare evasion,” said Foust.
A Dive into the World’s Data Center Capital — “Most people don’t give data centers a second thought — or even know what they are — until one affects their lives. In Northern Virginia, though, a lot of people do a lot of thinking about data centers.” [WTOP]
County Seeks Proposals for Land Use — “Fairfax County is now accepting nominations or proposals for land-use changes within the county to give people a more hands-on approach to shaping land use. ccording to a news release, the site-specific plan amendment process allows people to propose a land use change in the county’s comprehensive plan.” [Inside NOVA]
Reston Steakhouse to Open Nov.1 — “Renowned chef and restauranteur Steve DiFillippo’s will be celebrating the debut of Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse at Reston Station with a grand opening event on Monday, Nov. 1.” [Patch]
New FCPS Superintendent Fields Questions — “Michelle Reid, the new superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools, met with students and families Wednesday night at the McLean Community Center where she took questions on a variety of school-related topics, including planned renovations at McLean High School.” [Patch]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 67 and low of 58. Sunrise at 7:31 am and sunset at 6:17 pm. [Weather.gov]
Phase II of the Silver Line is still on track for opening by Thanksgiving, according to a Metro spokesperson.
The news comes after a key hang-up for the opening of nearly 11-mile extension — the need for more trains — was resolved today (Tuesday) after the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission announced its approval of Metro’s plan to bring back more its 7000-series trains.
Metro’s General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke welcome the approval of its plan — although an exact opening date still remains elusive. Last week, Metro announced it hoped to open in time for Thanksgiving travel.
“With this approval and close collaboration on the Silver Line extension safety report, Metro will be able to set an opening date in the near future,” Clarke wrote in a statement.
Several safety issues and approvals are still needed.
In a statement last week, Metro said it was awaiting the WMSC’s approval of its return to service plan and disagreed with the commission’s methodology to determine the safety of the trains. At the time, Metro anticipated opening in time for Thanksgiving travel.
In an Oct. 17 letter to Metro, WMSC’s deputy CEO and Sharmila Samarsinghe said that its previous plan was not supported by “available safety information.” Those issues have now been largely resolved.
But the WMSC still needs to complete its concurrence of the project. Metro is still working through a number of open items to obtain WMSC’s concurrence the project, a WMSC spokesperson said.
Final approvals from the Federal Transit Administration are also needed.
More from WMSC on the technicalities of the approval to the overall return to service plan, after the jump:
The plan includes specific data collection and analysis related to vehicles and vehicle-track interaction including continued use of the Metrorail Vehicle and Track Working Group established under the September 2, 2022 plan revision to address engineering recommendations and suggestions previously identified by Metrorail, any additional information from the ongoing National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) derailment investigation, and other Metrorail data including known wheel migration. This step is followed by future phases that would, if supported by the available data, include the use of cars with low tonnage axles on all lines, followed by an adjustment of the back-to-back and journal bearing inspection interval for all 7000 Series cars from after every four consecutive service days to every seven days.
The mitigations in the revised plan reflect currently known data including that wheel migration has been identified on more than 80 7000 Series axles since 2017 (including through the current inspection procedure); that those trains in passenger use under Metrorail’s May 19 and subsequent Return to Service Plans to this point were selected from a specific group of 7000 Series cars; that Metrorail has generally not run cars with low press tonnage axles in non-passenger service to any significant degree for the last six months; that available information continues to suggest there are multiple contributing factors to this wheel migration on 7000 Series cars, including factors that could differ across similar elements of the Metrorail system; and that wheel migration remains under investigation.
Metrorail will continue adjustments that have been made to referenced documents, training, and inspection-related systems that reflect lessons learned and implementation challenges that have been identified due to the WMSC’s ongoing oversight.
The Fairfax County School Board passed a resolution on inclusive education at its meeting Thursday (Oct. 20), leaving aside an earlier version that included references to social justice, equity and antiracism.
The 7-4 vote came with much back and forth about topics including board procedure and the resolution’s timeline.
The four members who voted against the amended resolution — Mason District Representative Ricardy Anderson, Hunter Mill District Representative Melanie Meren and members-at-large Abrar Omeish and Karen Keys-Gamarra — had expressed support for its original iteration. Providence District Representative Karl Frisch was not at the meeting.
As passed, the resolution affirms the county’s support for teachers and administrators when it comes to “inclusive curriculum and instruction.” The resolution is symbolic and does not change county policy.
“….the School Board commits to protect and support teachers and administrators as they deliver FCPS-approved curriculum and classroom resources that are inclusive, and meet the high aspirations of our students, families, and the Fairfax County community.”
Amendments also left out a reference to “recent events” that have “caused many FCPS educators and school-based administrators to fear that implementing these necessary curricular improvements could lead to personal or professional harm,” according to the text of the original resolution.
Anderson, who introduced the original resolution, said the amended version would not adequately support teachers and cited the removal of the words truth, antiracist, equity and justice as among the reasons she would not support it.
“There are some essential components that are missing from the version being provided that I just cannot support not including in this kind of resolution,” she said.
The school board’s student representative, Michele Togbe, opposed the amendments.
“Amending it to the weak and hollow statements and words, where originally it was strong and clear, it doesn’t make sense to me, and I don’t see the progress that can be made by going forward with it,” Togbe said.
Dranesville District Representative Elaine Tholen, who brought the amendment with Braddock District Representative Megan McLaughlin, said she believed the amended version was “more inclusive of our board member views and less divisive for our broad community.”
Tholen added that she thought the message of support for educators should have been conveyed with “a simple statement,” but maintained the resolution format.
While the resolution is symbolic, the board has a controversial issues policy that outlines guidelines for administrators, teachers and students dealing with controversial topics. That policy, mentioned in the amended resolution, has been discussed at multiple governance committee meetings this calendar year, according to minutes from those meetings.
After the revision passed, several people spoke about the resolution during the community participation portion of the meeting. These included representatives from Free and Antiracist Minds (FAM) and the Fairfax County Council PTA, two of the many advocacy organizations Anderson said had been involved with the original resolution.
The amended resolution “was a great way of not having to vote no but also completely undermining the substance of the actual message,” said Kweli Zukeri, representing FAM. FAM called the vote a “craven display of systemic racism” in an Oct. 21 press release.
In a video testimony, Kara Danner, a member of the FCCPTA’s executive board, said the organization supported the original resolution for the sake of students’ mental health.
Other speakers accused the board of having political motivations and questioned its priorities.
Board chair and member-at-large Rachna Sizemore Heizer said she was glad to have the resolution to support teachers, but looked ahead before adjourning the meeting.
“At the end of the day I’m excited to get into budget season and looking at our strategic plan, because that’s really where we show our values,” she said.
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The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is formally opposing Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed model policies that would limit the rights of transgender and other gender-nonconforming students.
In a letter approved at a board meeting today (Tuesday), board chairman Jeff McKay said that the policies would have a negative effect on the county’s economic position and cites the human impact on students. Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity voted against the proposal.
“Your model policies – and the discrimination inherent to them – will have a chilling effect on our continued ability to attract the world’s most innovative companies to Fairfax County. To put it bluntly, discrimination is bad for business,” the letter, which is addressed to the Virginia Department of Education, states.
Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw noted that the proposal policy is contradicted by U.S. Supreme Court decisions and other legal precedent.
“Thankfully, many school system in the Commonwealth don’t intend to adopt them,” Walkinshaw said.
When voting against the proposal, Herrity questioned why the county was weighing in on a proposal related to the school system when other issues — like declining enrollment, learning loss, and the achievement gap — need exploration as well.
“My biggest problem with the letter, I don’t see any staff working on this at all,” Herrity said. He also said parents need to be involved in “critical decisions of this magnitude,” adding that parental permission to give a child an aspirin in schools.
McKay responded by stating that the board’s letter is part of the state’s education department call for public comment on the proposal — a comment period that ends tomorrow.
His letter also says that the policies put the county’s children at risk by denying support and affirmation to transgender students.
“A young LGBTQ person attempts suicide every 45 seconds in the United States. Key drivers of high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide among transgender youth are the lack of social support and affirming experiences that they often face,” the letter states.
The proposed policies are at odds with the school system’s current policies that affirm students’ rights to accessing restrooms based on their gender identity and being called by their chosen names and pronouns. FCPS moved to update its previous policy — last amended in 2020 — based on state recommendations.
A spokesperson told FFXnow that the school system did not have more information to share about its position on the state’s policies. FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid sent to families last month, stating that FCPS was reviewing the draft policies.
This is not the first time McKay has publicly questioned the draft policy. Earlier this month, McKay told FFXnow that the school system may have legal grounds to go against the model policies.
The Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão is on track for a winter opening in Reston Town Center, according to a company spokesperson.
The steakhouse — which takes over space previously occupied by Big Bowl at 11915 Democracy Drive– has issued a hiring call for 130 positions.
Fabrizzio Silveira the Reston location’s general manager, says the restaurant’s culinary art of churrasco sets it apart from other steakhouses in the town center.
“The Reston Town Center is home to some of Reston’s world-class business and retail concepts. At Fogo de Chao, we are all about providing guests with a dining experience of discovery and we’re excited to bring that to the Reston community,” Silveira wrote in a statement.
The restaurant plans to donate a portion of its first week of sales to Cornerstones, a Reston-based nonprofit organization.
Renovations and upgrades to the interior and exterior of the site are underway. Earlier this year, Et Jolie, a lifestyle AVEDA salon and spa, temporarily relocated at 1826 Discovery Street, right by the ice skating rink, to make more space for the restaurant.
The Reston location will include an indoor bar, dry-aged meat lockers for in-house aging, wine cases, and a new lounge on the mezzanine level.
Fogo de Chão launched its first location in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1979. The first U.S. location opened in Dallas in 1997.
Since then, the company has 45 locations across the country and others throughout the world.
Police Investigate Shooting in Annandale — One individual was shot on the 6200 block of Little River Turnpike yesterday evening. Preliminarily, police believe the incident was isolated. [Fairfax County Police Department]
School Board Supports Inclusive Teaching with Key Caveat — “The Fairfax County school board adopted last-minute changes to a resolution on Thursday evening focused on a commitment to “protect and support educators” in their work delivering inclusive classroom instruction. The final version softened earlier language and deleted a reference to a fractured political climate around Northern Virginia schools.” [DCist]
Woman Suffers Life-threatening Injuries in Springfield Hit-and-Run — A woman was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a car hit her at the intersection of Gainsborough Drive and Wheatstone Drive. The drier was eventually detained. [FCPD]
Youngkin: County Schools Should Address Learning Loss — “In Richmond, Gov. Youngkin announced a seven-point action plan to address learning loss. Leaders at the Virginia Department of Education said learning loss was worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic due to school closures and virtual learning.” [WJLA]
Witches Descend in Reston — Lake Anne Plaza is hosting this year’s flashmob paddle, which features witches and warlocks, on Monday. Wiccan attire is highly encouraged. [Lake Anne Plaza]
More Tysons Data Available — “The Tysons Tracker has been updated with new land use and development data from August 2021 through July 2022. The interactive online platform was launched last year to better showcase the monitoring data included in past Tysons Annual Reports.” [Fairfax County Government]
It’s Tuesday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 69 and low of 57. Sunrise at 7:29 am and sunset at 6:18 pm. [Weather.gov]
