I-495 Ramp to Close Tonight in McLean — “On or about Tuesday night, September 6, the ramp from southbound I-495 toward Tysons to eastbound George Washington Memorial Parkway is scheduled to be closed from 11 p.m. until 4 a.m. the next morning. Crews will be conducting maintenance work on a stormwater management drain.” [VDOT]
Unattended Grill Causes West Springfield Fire — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units were dispatched for a house fire in the 6700 block of Portree Court at 6:40 p.m. on Saturday (Sept. 3). Investigators determined that the fire, which was quickly extinguished at the one-story house, was started accidentally due to an unattended, lit grill. No one was displaced or injured, but the fire caused approximately $30,500 in damages. [FCFRD]
Virginia Tech Student From Fairfax Dies in Vehicle Crash — “John Wallace Thomasson, a 20-year-old Fairfax native, died in a traffic crash shortly after midnight on Sept. 2 in Blacksburg, Va., according to a news release from the town. Thomasson was a pedestrian along the 2200 block of S. Main St. when a vehicle struck him.” [The Washington Post]
Governor and FCPS Clash Over Education Policies — Fairfax Education Association President Leslie Houston fears eased requirements for teachers that Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Thursday (Sept. 1) “will allow unqualified individuals to teach children.” Teachers and parents have also rebutted Youngkin’s criticism of Fairfax County Public Schools for letting transgender students use names, pronouns and facilities aligned with their identity without parental permission. [The Washington Post]
Descano Takes Issue With “Ghost Gun” Loophole — “Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano recently prosecuted a murder case that resulted in a guilty verdict, but he said more resources are necessary to fight gun violence…One of those loopholes pertains to weapons that are untraceable because their serial numbers have been removed or altered.” [WTOP]
Tysons Nordstrom Rack Robbed — “8/30/22, 5:26 p.m. A 37-year-old Centreville man took merchandise without paying. When confronted by a store employee, the man implied he had a weapon and ran away. Officers found the man nearby and arrested him for robbery and preventing a law enforcement officer from making an arrest. No injuries were reported.” [FCPD]
FCPD Announces New Public Affairs Director — “Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) is pleased to announce the appointment of Katherine Hayek as Director of FCPD’s Public Affairs Bureau, effective immediately. In this role, Hayek will work with Chief Davis to develop and implement an overall communications strategy and direct efforts to expand and amplify the FCPD’s standing as a premier police department in the nation.” [FCPD]
Hybla Valley Bicycle Club Connects With Kids — “Hybla Valley Community Center’s Hybla Valley Bike Club recently concluded its phase one and is being marked as an immense success…The summer program ended with 24 participants aged 8 through 17. Bike club members not only rode bikes but learned how to build and repair them.” [Fairfax County Times]
Park Authority Releases Survey on Summer Programming — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is seeking feedback from those who attended its summer concerts and movies at local parks.” The deadline to complete the survey is Sept. 18.” [FCPA]
It’s Tuesday — Rain in the morning and afternoon. High of 79 and low of 71. Sunrise at 6:44 am and sunset at 7:33 pm. [Weather.gov]
Labor Day weekend is upon us, heralding the imminent return of pumpkin spice lattes and everything fall. Fairfax County government offices will be closed in honor of the holiday, but…
Lake Anne is welcoming a new festival on Sept. 10 at the plaza (1609 Washington Plaza North) in Reston.
The first annual Reggae at the Lake Festival will feature international reggae bands, food, crafts and family activities.
Ramon Pardo — a local realtor with Terra Properties and member of the Lake Anne Washington Plaza Merchants Association (LAWPMA) — created the festival after Culture Reggae Band, an internationally known band, performed at his wedding in Jamaica.
Trash collection has become a hot mess in Fairfax County of late.
After FFXnow reported earlier this week on local officials’ efforts to address an avalanche of complaints, many community members added their tales of woe to the ongoing saga of late or entirely neglected pickups, ineffectual communication, and reductions in service without accompanying decreases in fees.
New Vienna Police Station Cuts Ribbon — “After nearly three years of design and construction, the new, $14 million Vienna Police Department will…open its doors to the public. The celebration is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 2 at 11 a.m. at the headquarters building located at 215 Center St. S.” [Town of Vienna]
Man Faces Life in Prison for Killing Springfield Woman — “Yohannes Nessibu was convicted by a jury in the slaying of 22-year-old Kedest Simeneh, who was found fatally shot in the backyard of a Burke residence in December 2016. He is charged — but has yet to face trial — in the shooting of 22-year-old Henok Yohannes.” [The Washington Post]
Last Beagles Moved From Virginia Breeding Facility — “The Humane Society of the United States announced Thursday it had accomplished its mission to remove almost 4,000 beagles from a Virginia facility that bred dogs for animal experimentation…The last group of 312 beagles was taken out from the facility as 52 of them are on its way to an HSUS care and rehabilitation center.” [WTOP]
Volunteers Clean Fairfax City Park — “It takes a village! On Sunday, city residents joined forces at Ratcliffe Park — and collected lots of refuse that doesn’t belong there: household trash, bottles and cans, construction debris and materials, tires, a lopsided fitness/toy hoop, and more.” [City of Fairfax/Facebook]
Route 50 Bridge to Close After Labor Day Weekend — “The eastbound Route 50 (Lee Jackson Memorial Highway) service road bridge over Flatlick Branch will be closed to vehicles from 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6 through Sunday, Sept. 25 for cleaning and painting…The sidewalk along the bridge will remain open to pedestrians at all times.” [VDOT]
Tysons Company Awarded Medicare Contract — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has granted a new $6.6 billion contract to Maximus, which will continue running the federal agency’s call centers for potentially up to nine more years. The Tysons-headquartered company faced protests earlier this year by employees calling for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. [Maximus]
Military Veteran Career Fair Coming — “In support of veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses looking to advance their careers, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) is leading a free, two-day career fair Sept. 21-22, 2022…Candidates will have the opportunity to network and interview with more than 40 leading companies in Northern Virginia” [Fairfax County EDA]
Travel Safe This Weekend — “As students head back to school and Virginians celebrate this last stretch of summer, Virginia State Police is urging those traveling this weekend to do so safely and responsibly. It is imperative for motorists to stay alert, drive sober and wear their seatbelts during the Labor Day holiday weekend and every day, all year long.” [Virginia State Police]
It’s Friday — Clear throughout the day. High of 84 and low of 67. Sunrise at 6:40 am and sunset at 7:39 pm. [Weather.gov]
Editor’s Note — Labor Day weekend is on the horizon, and for many, that means an extra day off work. That includes FFXnow, which will follow a shortened publishing schedule today and observe the holiday on Monday (barring breaking news).
With fall just around the corner, Fairfax County has begun to phase out gas-powered leaf blowers in favor of battery-powered blowers.
Last week, the county announced that its Park Authority and Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) are “in the process of phasing out gas-powered blowers” in favor of “exclusively purchasing” battery-powered blowers.
“Having a gas-powered leaf blower operating in your vicinity is like inviting someone to blow a cloud of potentially dangerous chemicals, dust, and other pollutants in your direction,” the county website says. “A gas-powered leaf blower produces exhaust containing both hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides both of which are components of smog.”
If you need furniture NOW at Labor Day Sale prices, Herndon’s Furniture Max is waiting for you.
Great news for Labor Day shoppers: Furniture Max in Herndon is reducing prices like never before.
The store-wide Labor Day Sale Event continues through the month with reduced prices and special deals that will appeal to anyone in need of furniture or fixtures for any room in the house.
This announcement comes with a warning: While everything is in stock and ready for delivery tomorrow, quantities at Furniture Max are limited.
While inventory lasts:
- Buy a leather sofa and receive a matching loveseat — free!
- Buy any recliner — get the second half off!
- Buy a five-piece bedroom set, get a Serta mattress — free!
Speaking of Serta mattresses, they are starting at just $599 — while inventory lasts!
Did we make it clear? These sale prices will reduce inventory quickly during the Labor Day Sale event — what are you waiting for?
Herndon’s family owned Furniture Max is the one-stop superstore for all-things furniture, for every room of the house. The store’s collection of living room, bedroom, dining room, entertainment room, and home office furniture is in stock and ready for delivery — at Labor Day Sale event pricing.
Financing is available, even online!
Furniture Max is at 2441 Centreville Road in Herndon. Call 571-459-2333 or email [email protected].
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
The popular Water Mine at Lake Fairfax in Reston is officially closed for the season after its pool filtration system failed.
The closure at the Water Mine Family Swimming’ Hole was announced yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon by the Fairfax County Park Authority, which cited “mechanical failures beyond our control.”
The closure includes this coming Labor Day weekend (Sept. 3-4) and an event for dogs scheduled for Sept. 10 is also cancelled.
New FCPS Superintendent Seeks to Restore Trust — “Schools are back in session in Fairfax County — and they’re under the direction of a new superintendent, Michelle Reid…Reid says that as superintendent she is trying to listen deeply to community members, and she sees part of her charge in Fairfax as restoring public trust in public education.” [WAMU]
Victim and Suspect in Hybla Valley Shooting Identified — The man who died on Tuesday (Aug. 30) after a shooting at the Mount Vernon Square apartments was D’Mari Norris, 21, of Alexandria. Fairfax County police say Francisco Juares, 22, of Alexandria, shot Norris “multiple times in the upper body” before being held down by “a nearby witness” until officers arrived at the scene. [FCPD]
Metro May Change Faregates Again — “Metro estimates it loses more than $25 million each year because of fare evasion. Sources said Metro’s new General Manager Randy Clarke wants to look at possibly modifying faregates to prevent such losses.” [NBC4]
Fair Oaks Ambulance Donated to Ukraine — “Working with the Chicago-based Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA) and some related medical relief charities, the Fair Oaks Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company (FOVFR) has donated a retired ambulance to be shipped to Ukraine to assist with the relief effort there. Along with some additional supplies, the ambulance will be moved into Ukraine and used wherever the need is greatest” [FOVFR/Facebook]
Fairfax City Parks and Rec Director Retires — Cathy Salgado retired as Fairfax’s parks and recreation director on Tuesday after a 35-year career. Salgado joined Fairfax City in 2015 after serving in the same position for the Town of Vienna for 13 years. [Fairfax City Parks and Rec/Facebook]
Annual “Fill the Boot” Charity Fundraiser Returns — “Members of the Fairfax County Professional Firefighters and Paramedics – IAFF Local 2068, and Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department will once again be conducting an in person ‘Fill the Boot’ campaign to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). This year’s campaign is scheduled to run Friday, September 2 through Monday, September 5.” [FCFRD]
Local Business Leaders Hear Pitches in Herndon — “Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted a “Shark Tank” session Wednesday where local non-profits and community support groups pitched ways business leaders and elected officials could become involved in their efforts. The lunchtime session and discussion followed the Chamber’s Innovate Conference that took place Wednesday morning at the Crowne Plaza Herndon.” [Patch]
Reston Library Hosts Succulent Plant Swap — “Did you know that succulent plants are excellent at cleansing the air and removing toxins? Succulents are also a great choice for people who don’t have enough time to spend on a garden! Please bring spare plants if you have any to share with the community.” [Fairfax County Public Library]
It’s Thursday — Clear throughout the day. High of 85 and low of 66. Sunrise at 6:39 am and sunset at 7:41 pm. [Weather.gov]
Lucky Fairfax City! El Pollo Rico is here. You’ve heard about it, now try it yourself.
It’s the marinade.
That was celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain’s conclusion after inhaling half of roasted chicken, skin and all, at El Pollo Rico’s legendary location at Virginia Square in Arlington. He took his camera crew behind the scenes of the always-spinning rotisserie and engaged employees in conversation but none of them would offer what the secret ingredients were to the marinade, which Bourdain said he had never had before.
And now great news: Chicken aficionados in and around Fairfax City are getting their own El Pollo Rico. And as if the regular prices are not reasonable enough — they are! — the new rotisserie restaurant is now open to coincide with the start of Fairfax City Restaurant Week (August 29-September 4).
Fairfax City is the fourth of the independent Peruvian chain’s storefronts since opening the Arlington location in 1984. The fast-casual counter served setting provides convenient inside dining or rapid pick-up, the better to consume in front of drooling co-workers back at the office. (Delivery is available too, via Uber Eats.)
The menu? Chicken, of course with a selection of sides, sodas and deserts.
The tender chicken is grilled over charcoal and served in fractions of a quarter or a half or a whole of dark or white meat. The seasoned skin is roasted to a soft crackle, and even health nuts who ordinarily wouldn’t touch the skin can’t help themselves and devour everything on the plate but the bones.
Insider tip: Dip the chicken meat into one of the two sauces available. Those sauces are called, no kidding, green sauce and yellow sauce.
An extra insider tip: Mix the green and yellow sauces. No idea what’s in them, but ask for extras!
Of course, there the are sides — you get a choice of beans, slaw, rice, fried plantains, fried yuca and fries. There is an assortment of Latin American-style soft drinks — including Rio Grande “Champagne,” coconut juice and the number one soda, Inca Kola — in addition to more familiar brands.
And that’s it! Easy.
Best advice of the day? Get some El Pollo Rico soon!
El Pollo Rico is located at 10801 Fairfax Blvd., in Fairfax City. It’s now open for Fairfax Restaurant Week (August 29-September 4) from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. El Pollo Rico will be open for regular hours starting September 5, open 5 days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
The Fairfax County Police Department is seeking the public’s help to identify a man in a photo who may be involved in multiple grabbings, assaults, and an attempted abduction over the last few weeks on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail.
In the latest incident last night (Tuesday), a man attempted to grab a teenage girl as she was walking on the 1800 block of Old Reston Avenue at around 8:10 p.m. The attempted abduction comes just a week after a naked man grabbed a woman last week and where other indecent exposures took place.
Regular breathwork, or the intentional manipulation of your breathing, offers many benefits to your physical and emotional health.
This biweekly column is sponsored by The Mather in Tysons, Virginia, a forward-thinking Life Plan Community for those 62 and better.
If you’re looking for an easy way to improve your physical health and mood, just breathe. The practice of breathwork, or the intentional manipulation of your breathing has been gaining attention thanks to the widespread popularity of yoga and meditation. However, researchers have been studying the benefits of breathwork for years.
“Breathing is not new — it’s the most essential thing we do for our bodies — but breathwork is a new approach to wellness,” says William Wesley Myers, assistant vice president of wellness strategies for Mather. Mather is the owner operator of The Mather, a Life Plan Community that is coming to Tysons in 2024.
Renee West knows the power of breathwork. “Breathwork is extremely important in yoga. They call it the intelligence of the body,” she says. When Renee, who plans to move into The Mather, retired from her corporate sales career, she pursued certification as a yoga instructor. Today, with an additional teaching certificate in Yin Yoga, she leads classes in a local yoga studio and has her own practice.
“Breathwork has many health benefits,” Renee explains. “You can use it to increase or decrease your energy, to calm your mind and to help you focus, among many things. There are so many techniques.”
Breathwork Benefits
Physical benefits from deep breathing are often instantaneous. There is a direct relationship between breath rate, mood and systems that activate our fight-or-flight or rest-and-restore responses, which directly affect heart rate, respiration and digestion. Deep, mindful breathing carries benefits to these systems and more.
Emotional Health: One study showed that manipulating the breath can cause up to a 40% variance in emotions. Evoke joy by breathing and exhaling slowly and deeply through the nose. Other research shows breathwork can help to treat anxiety, PTSD and severe depression, even in those who don’t respond well to antidepressants.
Blood Pressure: A regular practice of slow, deep breathing is an effective way to reduce blood pressure.
Stamina: An Italian study found that the lungs of mountain-climbers who practiced slow breathing an hour a day for two years maximized oxygen better, allowing the climbers to forego supplemental oxygen needed by others to summit Mount Everest.
Focus: Breath-focused yoga can sharpen participants’ attention spans and focus by changing brain chemistry.
Pain Management: Multiple studies have shown that slow, deep breathing can reduce perception of chronic pain or help people cope with discomfort. Breathwork can be especially effective with back pain.
Longevity: Research has shown that breathwork improves metabolism and reduces inflammation — both of which contribute to longer life.
“People can all benefit from doing a little breathwork,” says Renee. “You can do some simple breathing exercises sitting on the edge of a chair with your feet flat on the ground. Even five minutes of breathwork offers benefits!”
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 community is located in the center of a vibrant urban location just two blocks from the Metro and within walking distance to restaurants, retail, and parks.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Reston Station is expanding near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station.
Comstock Holding Co., the Reston-based developer behind the project, acquired roughly eight acres — the largest swath of undeveloped land — in the Midline development, according to a company release.
A pair of three-story office buildings will be demolished to make for the redevelopment of the site primarily fronting Wiehle Avenue. But Comstock is exploring other changes, including improving the development’s connectivity to the Metro plaza.
Vehicle in Capital Beltway Shooting ID’d — “Virginia State Police have identified a suspect vehicle involved in last Thursday’s shooting incident on Interstate 495 in Fairfax County. According to a news release, it is a blue 2010 Honda Civic with Virginia license plates TWW 9398.” [WTOP]
Potomac Banks Could Be Virginia’s First TID — “In September, Visit Fairfax will hold meetings with local hotel and restaurant industry leaders as part of a campaign to turn Potomac Banks into a tourism improvement district, or TID, which would impose fees to fund tourism boosting activities and improvements and would be administered through a nonprofit.” [Virginia Business]
W&OD Trail Assault Suspect Still at Large — “Town of Herndon Police, along with Fairfax County police officers and the FFX 1 helicopter, failed to locate a suspect Tuesday morning in connection with the recent assaults that have occurred along the W&OD Trail, according to an HPD post on Twitter.” [Patch]
Virginia Judge Dismisses Obscenity Cases — “The long-awaited trial in Virginia Beach, Virginia, over the claims of obscenity in two books has ended in dismissal. Neither Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe nor A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas meet the legal definition of obscenity.” “Gender Queer” was one of two books challenged in Fairfax County Public Schools last year. [Book Riot]
Fare-Free Virginia Rail Starts Tomorrow — “Virginia Railway Express, a commuter rail taking passengers between Northern Virginia and DC, will seek to attract more riders through a fare-free initiative beginning Thursday. After a July vote by the VRE Operations Board, VRE will be free throughout September at all 19 stations and at certain stations in October.” [Patch]
County Names New Solid Waste Deputy Director — “The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) is pleased to announce that Eric Forbes is the new Deputy Director leading the County’s Solid Waste Management Program. Forbes has been serving as the Acting Deputy Director and his new position becomes effective on September 10.” [DPWES]
Fairfax County NAACP Plans Blood Drives — “The Fairfax County NAACP is partnering with the American Red Cross and other area blood banks to host local blood drives. As required for sickle cell, we need both Black and White donors. Stay tuned for updates on dates, times, and locations of drives.” [Fairfax County NAACP/Twitter]
Hospitality Trumps Cuisine at Roberto’s in Vienna, Review Says — “I wish I could say that the $75 chicken is a revelation. It isn’t. The chicken’s skin isn’t soggy, but it isn’t crisp, either, a situation not helped by the robustly earthy sauce on top…But for those willing to pay a premium for contact with a culinary legend, it may still be worth it.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Wednesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 81 and low of 68. Sunrise at 6:38 am and sunset at 7:42 pm. [Weather.gov]
More than 200 people in Great Falls have lost power, and a key road may be closed for hours after a rain storm this afternoon (Tuesday).
According to Fairfax Alerts, Beach Mill Road will be closed to traffic in both directions for at least six hours at the Springvale Road intersection due to downed power lines.
