Man Hospitalized After Bailey’s Crossroads Stabbing — A man was taken to the hospital with injuries initially considered life-threatening after being stabbed in the 6000 block of Argyle Drive on Saturday (Aug. 13). According to police, who later said the man’s condition had improved, the stabbing occurred outside after an argument. [FCPD/Twitter]
Court Hearing on Tysons Gunfire Incident Today — “The man charged with firing a gun inside Tysons Corner Center mall in McLean, Virginia, in June is due to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Monday. Noah Settles, 22, of Washington, D.C., has been charged with three counts of discharging a weapon into an occupied building, attempted malicious wounding and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.” [WTOP]
County Economic Development Leaders Visit Israel — “After a more than two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) returned to Israel for a market research trip in June 2022…The purpose of the trip was to promote Fairfax County as a favorable point of entry for Israeli companies to expand to the United States.” [FCEDA]
Driver of Allegedly Stolen Vehicle Arrested in Reston — “Glade Drive and Sunrise Valley Drive, 8/6/22, 9:26 p.m. An officer saw a stolen 2008 Mazda 6 and attempted to stop the vehicle. The juvenile driver and three juvenile passengers ran from the vehicle. The driver was arrested, and the other passengers were identified.” [FCPD]
Big Solar Farm Planned at Dulles Airport — “Dulles International Airport could soon be home to the largest airport-based solar and battery development in the United States, one that at peak production could provide enough energy to power more than 37,000 Northern Virginia homes. The solar farm would be built and managed by Dominion Energy on more than 835 acres on land.” [The Washington Post]
Vienna Public Works Director Leaves — Vienna Public Works Director Michael Gallagher stepped down Aug. 5 with his family relocating to the Blacksburg area. During his 12 years working for the town, he led a study of water and sewer rates, implemented sidewalk projects, and adjusted street light response times, among other accomplishments, town officials said. [Sun Gazette]
It’s Monday — Possible light rain in the morning and afternoon. High of 73 and low of 65. Sunrise at 6:24 am and sunset at 8:05 pm. [Weather.gov]
The Town of Vienna has now committed about a third of the $7 million bequeathed by late councilmember Maud Robinson for building sidewalks to specific projects. As of Aug. 2,…
A man from Falls Church has been arrested after allegedly sexually assaulting a patient under his care when he worked at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital (3600 Joseph Siewick Drive), the…
While school doesn’t officially start until Aug. 22, The Water Mine at Lake Fairfax will wind its summer operations down a week early this year, beginning Monday (Aug. 18).
The Fairfax County Park Authority is temporarily closing the popular Water Mine Family Swimming’ Hole due to lifeguard and other operational staff shortages at the location. The closure will last from Aug. 15-20.
Driver in Fatal Franconia Crash Charged With Manslaughter — Sara Flores, 20, of Lorton was charged with involuntary vehicular manslaughter yesterday morning (Thursday) for a May 12 crash in Franconia where she allegedly drove into a telephone pole, killing a passenger. Police had already obtained a warrant charging Flores with driving under the influence. [FCPD]
Developer Pleads Guilty in Teen’s Death — “The owner of a Virginia construction company that specializes in luxury homes pleaded guilty Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter in the death of a 16-year-old boy who was killed while working for his company in 2019. Thomas Digges, of Digges Development Corporation, operated the Fairfax County job site where a trench gave way and buried Spencer Lunde, of McLean, on July 23, 2019.” [NBC4]
Two Displaced by Fair Oaks Townhouse Fire — A fire at a three-story townhouse in the 12000 block of Dorforth Drive on Wednesday (Aug. 10) was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department says. The fire displaced two residents and resulted in approximately $175,000 in damages. [FCFRD]
One Rescued From Annandale House Fire — “8/11/22 at 1:08 a.m., in 3800 block of Gallows Road. One occupant trapped on 2nd floor was rescued by #FCFRD crews via ladder. Fire contained to basement. No injuries. NO smoke alarms found in home! Cause: improperly discarded smoking material. Damages $16K.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
County Names New Planning and Development Director — Fairfax County has appointed Tracy Strunk as director of its Department of Planning and Development, where she succeeds Barbara Byron, who retired earlier this year. Strunk’s career for the county goes back to 1998 and includes work as a planner and a member of the team that helped develop the Tysons Comprehensive Plan. [Fairfax County Government]
Fairfax County Public Schools Creates Program to Help Hire Teachers — “[Catherine] Coulter is entering her first year teaching in Virginia’s largest school system as a teaching resident, a newly-created position aimed at placing qualified teachers in classrooms while they take the final steps toward receiving a specific certification.” [WTOP]
Expansions and Renovations in Progress at FCPS — “Most students and teachers have taken the summer off, but Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has been busy with its usual tall order of school renovations and additions. Improvements now are in progress at these schools in the Sun Gazette’s readership area” [Sun Gazette]
Falls Church Development Nears Movie Theater Lease — “Developers of the new Founder’s Row mixed use development…announced through a new filing with the City that it is ‘in the final stages of securing a lease with Paragon Theaters,’ noting that ‘Paragon will operate a seven-screen movie theater, including an IMAX-similar screen with a total capacity of approximately 600 seats.'” [Falls Church News-Press]
Fairfax Shopping Center Gets New Mural — “If you’ve been by the Giant at Scout on the Circle recently you might have noticed some color appearing on the walls! The Abstract Expressionist painting on the corner of the building is by Steven Johnson. Johnson is a Indiana biased artist, who recently made his art available in the public domain.” [City of Fairfax/Facebook]
It’s Friday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 81 and low of 68. Sunrise at 6:21 am and sunset at 8:09 pm. [Weather.gov]
With the D.C. area’s summer heat in full swing, local organizers worry that there are too few options for unhoused residents in the county to cool down.
Last month, the Fairfax County NAACP approved a resolution calling on Fairfax County to improve heat relief services for low-income residents and those experiencing homelessness in the county.
A car crashed into a utility pole on the 900 block of Herndon Parkway yesterday (Wednesday) evening, resulting in an ongoing, hours-long road closure.
Shortly before 5 p.m., a driver lost control of his car in the heavy ran and crashed into a utility pole.
When crews attempted to remove the car, the wiring lost tension and caused a “chain reaction,” leading to the collapse of several other utility poles, according to police.
Arts agencies from Fairfax County, Arlington and Alexandria are forming a supergroup.
Unveiled Monday (Aug. 8), the newly created Northern Virginia Local Arts Agencies (NVLAA) consists of ArtsFairfax, the Alexandria Office of the Arts, and the Arlington Cultural Affairs Office. Its initial ambitions are modest, centered mostly on professional development, but the pooled resources could be a boon for the local arts community.
The FCPD reported an overall drop in crime last year compared to 2020, though there was an uptick in homicides.
It’s unclear when staffing will resume to normal operations, according to the FCPD. The department did not provide specific information on how staffing shortages may impact service, shifts, hours, and the composition of police units.
Route 7 Traffic Shift Starts Today — “During the daytime hours on Aug. 11 and the overnight hours on Aug. 15, lane closures and temporary detours will be in place along Route 7 while crews continue paving operations at Carpers Farm Way and Colvin Run Road (east) and shift westbound Route 7 traffic to the new Difficult Run bridge.” [VDOT]
Pro-Nazi Social Media Posts Excluded from Reston Murder Trial — “A Virginia judge has ruled that prosecutors cannot tell the jury in an upcoming double-murder trial about the defendant’s social media posts containing praise for Adolf Hitler and support for Nazi book burnings and the neo-Nazi Atomwaffen Division, according to newly unsealed court records.” [The Washington Post]
Foust on Upcoming Retirement — “Deciding to step down in 2023 was not easy, but Supervisor John Foust (D-Dranesville) is ready to try some new challenges…He plans to stay involved on issues he cares about – such as affordable housing, economic development and climate change — and seek part-time consulting opportunities that ‘take advantage of the expertise that I’ve developed over the years.'” [Sun Gazette]
Salt Water Levels Rising in Region — “Once algae-pocked emblems of water pollution during the early 1970s, the Potomac River and the Occoquan Reservoir — the two sources of drinking water used by Fairfax Water to serve more than 2 million customers in Northern Virginia — are now trending in the wrong direction on salt, while the other contaminants have largely been cleaned up.” [The Washington Post]
Lorton Plant Gets Tech to Reduce Emissions — “Covanta, the company that runs the facilities, announced the installation of the pollution-fighting technology in a news release earlier this week, saying it has helped cut nitrogen oxide emissions by nearly 50%…The Fairfax County facility is located at its I-95 waste management complex in Lorton, and is one of the largest waste-to-energy facilities in the nation, according to the county.” [WTOP]
Report Grades Stream From Lake Barcroft — “Holmes Run, which flows through the Annandale area, is not in great condition, according to a report released Aug. 10 by the Audubon Naturalist Society…The report gives Holmes Run a grade of ‘moderately poor’ for climate, a rating of ‘good’ for access to nature, and ‘fair’ ratings for water quality and for biodiversity and habitat.” [Annandale Today]
California Firm Buys Local Defense Office Buildings — “The properties include six buildings at five locations in Fairfax County, Fairfax City and Loudoun County. They’re 96% leased to the likes of Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT), General Dynamics Corp. (NYSE: GD), The Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) and Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE: NOC).” [Washington Business Journal]
Reston Turns Out for Trucks — “Thank you to all the families that came out for this year’s Totally Trucks event! For the past 22 years, Totally Trucks has delighted kids and adults alike, and this year was no different with more than 1000 people in attendance.” [Reston Association/Twitter]
Local Breweries Win Awards — “Vienna and Merrifield’s Caboose Brewing Company and Sweetwater Tavern scored several awards in the 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup, announced by the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild Monday. The Virginia Craft Beer Cup is the largest state competition of its kind in the U.S.” [Patch]
It’s Thursday — Possible drizzle in the morning. High of 85 and low of 73. Sunrise at 6:20 am and sunset at 8:10 pm. [Weather.gov]
An ongoing thunderstorm has taken out power for hundreds of Fairfax County residents, as the threat of flash flooding looms.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for the D.C. region that is set to remain in effect until 8 p.m.
According to the alert, between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of rain have fallen so far, and an additional 1 to 2 inches are possible. Areas of concern include Reston, Centreville, Annandale, Vienna, Falls Church, McLean, Great Falls, Chantilly, and Fairfax Station.
It’s August, and we have fully arrived at the hell’s front porch portion of the D.C. area’s seasonal cycle.
Over the past week or so, thermometers have been clocking in the upper 80s and 90s, but with the humidity adding an extra 10 degrees to every day, the summer heat offers an almost tangible reminder that, despite all the concrete, asphalt and landscaped lawns, Fairfax County is still a wetland at heart.
