Pedestrian Hospitalized By Route 1 Hit-and-Run — “Officers are investigating a crash involving a pedestrian on Rt. 1 & Huntington Ave in Alexandria. The pedestrian was taken to the hospital with injuries considered life threating. Striking vehicle left the scene.” [FCPD/Twitter]
Suspect in Tysons Corner Center Shooting Denied Bond — “The D.C. rapper accused of firing a gun inside Tysons Corner Center in Tysons, Virginia on Father’s Day weekend has been denied bond. The Commonwealth’s Attorney announced that Noah Settles, 22, was denied bond after a bail hearing was held on Wednesday.” [FOX5]
Herndon Police Officer on Leave After Shooting — “A Herndon police officer has been placed on administrative leave after he shot a man fleeing on foot from a traffic stop on Tuesday afternoon, according to Capt. Justin Dyer of the Herndon Police Department.” The man is reportedly in stable condition, and the investigation has been turned over to the Northern Virginia Criminal Incident Response team. [Patch]
Plan to Restrict Trucks Near West Falls Church Metro Nixed — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will no longer hold public hearings next month on a plan to reroute truck traffic away from Grove Avenue at Haycock Road in McLean. The proposal fell through in the face of resident opposition and news that Falls Church City has already banned trucks on N. West Street, which had been suggested as part of the detour. [Sun Gazette]
Fairfax City Bicycle Shop Gets New Name and Owner — “Trek Bicycle Fairfax is hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its store on Fairfax Boulevard at 12 noon, on Friday…The bike shop, which is located at 10937 Fairfax Blvd., has been operating from that storefront for years as Spokes Etc. In March, bicycle manufacturer Trek purchased the business from the shop’s previous owners, who chose to retire.” [Patch]
Merrifield Tech Startup Stretches Legs — MarginEdge Co., which runs a platform that helps restaurants manage their finances, is moving its headquarters to a 23,500-square-foot office above Arlington’s Ballston Quarter mall. The company has outgrown its existing 10,000-square-foot space in Merrifield and hopes to “appeal to a new era of office-goer,” co-founder and CEO Bo Davis said. [Washington Business Journal]
Coalition for TJ Cofounder Appointed to State Board — Suparna Dutta was recently appointed to the Virginia Board of Education by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. She co-founded the Coalition for TJ, which has sued the Fairfax County School Board over changes to the admissions process for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. [ABC7]
Lake Accotink Park Prepares 60th Birthday Celebration — “A daylong event will be held Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, for the 60th anniversary of Lake Accotink Park. Members of the public are invited from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. for special cost-free activities. Bring your family for classes, demonstrations, historical guided experiences and much more.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]
It’s Thursday — Rain until evening. High of 82 and low of 73. Sunrise at 5:52 am and sunset at 8:38 pm. [Weather.gov]
Judges have named The Mather in Tysons, as the recipient of an Award of Merit for the 2022 Gold Nugget Awards, which honors architectural design and planning excellence from around the world.
The Mather, in development at 7929 Westpark Drive, was honored for Best Senior Housing Community, On-the-Boards.
“We’re developing The Mather with today’s consumers in mind, who want flexibility and choice; outdoor spaces to enjoy; and a focus on wellness,” said Mary Leary, President and CEO, Mather.
The Mather is pre-certified LEED Gold and is pursuing WELL Building certification. The Mather also features biophilic design, a human-centric approach that incorporates natural elements into design to prioritize wellness and mental health.
Situated on nearly four acres, The Mather abuts a publicly accessible park, providing residents access to an urban lawn for concerts, walking paths, a dog park, a badminton court and a bocce court. Other amenities include a fitness center, spa, indoor pool, restaurants, outdoor terraces, art studio, rooftop clubroom and more.
The Mather is a Life Plan Community for those 62 and better, with apartment homes ranging in size from 850 to 3,300 square feet; its entrance fees start at $646,700, depending upon apartment size, location, service package, and health plan selected. First move-ins are expected in 2024.
See photos, floor plans, and more at TheMatherTysons.com. To speak to a team member call (703) 348-8522, or email [email protected].
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
A new 24-hour infrared fitness studio is coming soon to Herndon.
HOTWORX plans to open soon Woodland Park Crossing. The studio will be located at 2310 Woodland Crossing Drive in Suite G. Members receive unlimited, 24-hour access for virtually instructed infrared sauna workouts.
Workouts are designed with a combination of heat, infrared energy and exercise. For example, guests complete isometric postures for high-intensity interval training sessions with the benefits of infrared heat absorption. The program is entirely virtually instructed.
Caroline Edasis (left) and Marcy Maler guide Mather residents in Aging Well through vibrant and colorful creative arts programming.
This biweekly column is sponsored by The Mather in Tysons, Virginia, a forward-thinking Life Plan Community for those 62 and better.
By Caroline Edasis, Director of Community Engagement, Mather
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.
What makes the journey of a lifetime so rewarding is the excitement of new possibilities — lifelong opportunities to learn more, do more, see more, experience more and feel more connected to the world around us.
With this in mind, creative arts can be an opportunity for older adults to master new forms of self-expression.
Open Studio, Open Mind
Arts engagement can be a vehicle for wellness, not just recreation. Both lifelong and new artists can explore their own Creative Age by working in diverse media including ceramics and mixed media/painting. A new love for a specific media, or a personal project can be pursued while learning more about yourself and others.
A Fresh Look at Art Appreciation
Teaching or encouraging art appreciation, can be done through lectures from an expert such as a docent. Inquiry-based art-viewing techniques — used in art appreciation — focus on the interests, experiences, and the curiosity of viewers to deliver intellectually stimulating content while challenging us to bring culture down from the pedestal and into our lives.
Did you know that the average person spends 17 seconds looking at a work of art in a museum? Within visual literacy programs, an hour can be spent describing an image, sharing stories conjured by the work of art, or even creating group poems in response to the work.
Creativity is about much more than visual art. Aging should be recognized 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
A Flood Watch is on the horizon for much of the D.C. area, including Fairfax County.
The National Weather Service issued an alert at 5:20 a.m. today (Wednesday), warning that storms may lead to flash flooding starting around 3 p.m. The watch is currently set to remain in effect until 3 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday).
The next new neighborhood at the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station is in for some big changes.
Comstock Companies, the Reston-based developer behind Reston Station, is seeking the county’s permission to change the mix of previously approved uses at Reston Row, which includes 1.4 million square feet of development west of Wiehle Avenue.
No density increase is proposed, but in a June 30 application submitted to the county, Comstock says it wants to shuffle some pieces of the development.
I-66 West Traffic Changes in Oakton Today — “I-66 West between Nutley Street and Vaden Drive will be shifted to a new, long-term configuration beginning during the early morning hours on or about Wednesday, July 6. When this traffic change is implemented, the two right travel lanes will be separated from the two left travel lanes by barrier…This temporary traffic pattern will remain in place for approximately two months, and is part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project.” [VDOT]
Search for Suspect in Hybla Valley Homicide Continues — “A year ago today, Tafari ‘Trey’ Nadhim was fatally shot in the 7900 blk of Janna Lee Ave. Detectives continue to seek answers for Trey’s family & friends. If you have any info about his death, please call 703-246-7800 or submit tips through Crime Solvers.” [FCPD/Twitter]
Springfield Man Allegedly Hits Pedestrian After Stealing BMW — “A Springfield man was charged with grand larceny after he stole a car from a gas station on Braddock Road on June 25 and then ran into a pedestrian after Fairfax County Police attempted to stop him.” [Patch]
County Sees Uptick in Unemployment — “With 609,431 county residents in the civilian workforce and 16,122 looking for jobs, Fairfax’s unemployment rate stood at 2.6 percent for the month, according to figures reported June 29 by the Virginia Employment Commission. That’s up from 2.2 percent a month before, although it remained well below the rate of 3.7 percent a year ago.” [Sun Gazette/Inside NoVA]
Photos: New Citizens Welcomed on July 4 at Mount Vernon — “On Monday, July 4, George Washington’s Mount Vernon was the site of a naturalization ceremony for 52 new US citizens, some of whom serve in the US armed forces. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen spoke, as did George Washington himself — well, the latest GW reenactor.” [Washingtonian]
Married FCPS Educators Help Ukranian Refugees — W.T. Woodson High School government teacher Lee Hedrick and Annandale High School ESOL Chair Meredith Hedrick recently traveled 18 hours to Poland to serve as volunteers for World Central Kitchen. They helped the nonprofit prepare and distribute meals to refugees at the border with Ukraine. [FCPS]
Great Falls Mansion Sold for $10M — “Innsbruck Holdings LLC on June 7 closed the sale of 576 Innsbruck Ave. in Great Falls, a 21,500-square-foot mansion, for $10.5 million…The Innsbruck mansion, also known as Alderley, has been through several owners since it was constructed in 2007, among them former AOL executive Richard Hanlon and James Carlson, the former CEO of AmeriGroup.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Wednesday — Rain starting in the afternoon. High of 85 and low of 78. Sunrise at 5:51 am and sunset at 8:39 pm. [Weather.gov]
One individual has been hospitalized after being shot by a Herndon police officer during a chase.
The individual brandished a weapon during a chase that began when three suspects drove off in a stolen car, according to the Herndon Police Department.
During the incident, two people were arrested after police attempted to pull the car over on the 600 block of Dulles Park Court.
Step back in time!
Join a Reston Museum docent on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. for a free guided historic walking tour exploring Reston’s founding.
Tour starts at the Reston Museum and lasts approximately 30 minutes. The tour explores how Reston revolutionized America’s suburban neighborhoods. Advanced registration is encouraged to secure attendance, as tour size will be limited.
Those who wish to sign up for a tour can sign up here.
Marketing for this program is supported by the Virginia Tourism Corporation Grant in partnership with George Mason University and Reston Association.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Reston Association is urging residents to avoid using water from Lake Thoreau for irrigation until mid-October.
The guidance comes after Aquatic Environment Consultants treated Hydrilla, an invasive aquatic species, on the water. Conducted monthly and typically around the middle of the month, treatments will continue throughout the summer to maintain low levels of herbicide in the water.
The company was contracted to treat Hydrilla when it became a “nuisance” two years ago, according to Ben Rhoades, RA’s watershed manager.
More than two years into the pandemic, Fairfax County is settling into a more stable approach to COVID-19 testing.
The Fairfax County Health Department will now support free testing at six established sites through a new partnership with the contractor Curative. The mobile lab launched today (Tuesday) in Centreville and Bailey’s Crossroads and will rotate between two sites per day throughout each week.
Springfield Motorcyclist Dies After Burke Crash — Becoming the sixth non-pedestrian killed in a vehicle crash this year, Nema Mirsaeedi, 31, of Springfield died yesterday after being thrown from his motorcycle in a crash with a car attempting to turn into a shopping center on Burke Center Parkway. The crash occurred at 6:39 p.m. on Sunday (July 3) and remains under investigation. [FCPD]
County Responds to Supreme Court Security Request — “Supreme Court Marshal Gail Curley originally penned the letter, asking that state and local law enforce their respective picketing laws near the homes of Supreme Court justices…Fairfax County officials say they already received the letter and that their stance remained unchanged.” [WTOP]
FCPS Officially Has New Superintendent — “Michelle Reid, Ed.D. was sworn in as the superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools on Thursday, June 30, at Luther Jackson Middle School. Her term begins Friday, July 1. ‘It’s important for me to remember that learning happens best in community, and this is an amazing community,’ said Dr. Reid.” [FCPS]
Hiker Injured Falling Off Great Falls Ledge — “On Saturday, at 2:31 p.m., units were dispatched to 9200 Old Dominion Drive for an injured hiker. Hiker fell 40 feet down a steep rocky ledge. Crews fully immobilized and carried person out via stokes basket to Fairfax County Police Department helicopter. Transported with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.” [FCFRD/Facebook]
Fairfax History Commission Seeks More Resources — “Commission Chairman Cheryl Repetti, who delivered the group’s annual report to the Board of Supervisors June 28, asked supervisors to finance a full-time staff member and allot extra county staff hours to help fulfill the board’s requests of the commission.” [Sun Gazette]
South Lakes HS Stadium Closed — “Hey Seahawks…Our stadium is CLOSED while we make some improvements to it. The turf is being replaced & the bleachers are getting a minor upgrade. Should take a month. Thanks for your patience.” [South Lakes Athletics & Activities/Twitter]
Longtime McLean Postal Workers Retire — “[Scott] Arnold and his best friend in the Postal Service, Rob Receveur, both had served McLean for years, and this past week, both were celebrated as they hung up their mailbags…It’s hard to quantify Arnold’s legacy, but you can sense his effect by how the neighborhood’s residents have shifted their lives to remain close to him.” [The Washington Post]
Firefighter Adopts Rescued Kitten — “May 28, Tower 424 and Tech Austin Adams rescued kitten out of a tree. Kitten was very young. @FairfaxCountyPD Animal Protection took him to @fairfaxanimals. Tech Adams kept in touch. Thursday, he and his wife adopted kitten — now named Ash!” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Virginia Shares Data on Firearm Injuries — “The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) launched a new data dashboard on firearm injuries in Virginia showing the number and rate of emergency department (ED) visits from 2016 to 2022. The dashboard shows firearm injury data by year, health district, age group, sex, and race/ethnicity across Virginia.” [VDH]
It’s Tuesday — Rain in the evening. High of 84 and low of 71. Sunrise at 5:51 am and sunset at 8:39 pm. [Weather.gov]
The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch in Fairfax County.
The watch went into effect at 3:07 p.m. and is expected to last until 7 p.m. this evening (Friday). The forecast says heavy rain and scattered storms are possible tonight.
Going into the holiday weekend, there’s also a possibility of thunderstorms tomorrow, and a chance of rain showers on Sunday. But it’s looking like the sun will pull through for a mostly sunny Fourth of July.
The Fairfax County Police Department have publicly identified the 37-year-old man fatally shot by officers at the Springfield Town Center yesterday (Thursday) afternoon.
Officers were attempting to locate Christian Parker, of Reston, around 4:30 p.m., because he was wanted for possession of a firearm by a felon, larceny of a firearm, brandishing a firearm and discharging a firearm within a home, police said in a news release today (Friday).
Independence Day weekend is almost here. Before you prepare for the oncoming barrage of fireworks or head to bed for some much-needed sleep, let’s revisit the past week of news in Fairfax County.
Here are the 10 most-read stories on FFXnow this week:
Ideas for potential stories can be sent to [email protected] or submitted as an anonymous tip. Photos of scenes from around the county are welcome too, with credit always given to the photographer.
