Fairfax County Public Schools has asked a federal court to let its current Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology admissions process stay in place while a legal battle over the new system continues.
U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton issued an order last Friday (Feb. 25) invalidating the school system’s overhaul, calling the elimination of a standardized test and other changes intended to increase student diversity at the magnet school discriminatory against Asian Americans.
The weekend is almost here. Before truck convoys potentially disrupt traffic in the D.C. area or you 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.
Jeff Bezos’ mysterious moon mission is landing in Reston.
The space flight company is opening a facility and office in Reston sometime in the “first half of the year,” reads the website.
Blue Origin is a space flight company founded by one of the world’s richest men, Jeff Bezos. Its mission is to popularize space tourism and colonize the moon with the ultimate grandiose goal of saving the Earth by tapping space’s “unlimited resources.”
Join Our Open House Weekend: Saturday, March 12 and Sunday, March 13 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
By appointment only by RSVPing to [email protected].
We invite you to our weekend open house! Featuring pretzels and brews from Lake Anne Brew House, come tour the community and meet our team!
The Kensington Reston is a place “where everybody knows your name.” Where there’s always a listening ear, a laugh to be shared, a smiling face looking back at you. Where friends become your family. The moment you step into our community, you’ll feel The Kensington Reston difference: an indescribable sense of warmth, belonging and home. Join us for our Open House and experience it for yourself!
Whether you need information, a compassionate ear, help with planning or immediate services, we are ready to offer whatever support you need. We are especially proud of our uniquely tailored memory care programs that are available the moment concerns arise.
If you or your loved one are currently experiencing memory loss, or if you simply have questions that need fast answers, then call us. We promise you undivided attention, expertise, privacy and the right level of support for as long as necessary.
Questions about joining The Kensington Reston Family, please email Alexandra Ramsey, Director of Community Relations, [email protected].
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation intends to pursue funding next year to expand a budding program to improve street safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other forms of active, or non-motorized, transportation.
The money would be used to hire a program manager and implement priorities, such as speed reduction measures and improved road design standards, FCDOT Active Transportation Engineer Lauren Delmare told the county Board of Supervisors at its transportation committee meeting on Tuesday (March 1).
Hopefully, you’re not a habitual Herndon parking ticket recipient, but anyone who does wind up with a ticket may notice a difference in the citations.
Herndon Police Department has implemented a new electronic parking ticket system. While there are still handwritten tickets, you may come across the new type that appear more like a store receipt, the department says.
“The addition of the electronic ticketing system is simple: This is a more productive and efficient system and process than that of handwritten tickets,” HPD spokesperson Lisa Herndon told FFXnow. “Not only does it save time, it allows for automatic import of all information gathered.”
Metro Gets More ARPA Funding — “Another $120 million in federal pandemic relief money is being released to Metro to keep the transit system running and its front-line workers on the job, congressional leaders announced Thursday.” [The Washington Post]
Multiple I-66 Closures Start Today — Construction on a new I-66 East access ramp will reduce the highway to a single travel lane approaching Cedar Lane in the Dunn Loring area during overnight hours, starting at 10 p.m. today (Friday) through Wednesday (March 9). Construction will also close the I-66 West ramp to Nutley Street in Vienna from 10 p.m. tonight until 5 a.m. Monday (March 7). [VDOT, Town of Vienna/Twitter]
Local Bakers Fundraise for Ukraine — “Sarah Marshall, owner of Vienna-based The Sweet Life NoVA, knew baking was a way to help when seeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the news…The [14] bakers each contributed desserts for boxes of baked goods with all proceeds supporting humanitarian relief in Ukraine.” [Patch]
McLean Restaurant Adds Second Location — The Union, an Asian fusion restaurant that opened in McLean in January 2020, is expanding to Arlington County with a new location in Virginia Square. Owner Giridhar Sastry says construction is nearly done, and the venue could start serving food by the end of this month. [ARLnow]
Reston Nonprofit Calls for Donations — “The Embry Rucker Community Shelter needs supplies, specifically toilet paper and bottled water! No need to schedule, just drop off at the back door. 11975 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston, VA 20190. Thank you in advance!” [Cornerstones/Twitter]
Deadline for Lorton Vision Survey Extended — Fairfax County has extended the deadline for its community survey on the future of the Lorton area to Tuesday (March 8). The Lorton Visioning 2040 study will update the county’s Comprehensive Plan to guide land use, public facilities, transportation infrastructure, and other needs over the next 20 years. [Fairfax County Government/Twitter]
Reston Company Lands Huge Defense Contract — Leidos announced on Monday (Feb. 28) that it has been awarded a Defense Enclave Services (DES) contract worth an estimated $11.5 billion by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). The contract will last at least four years with three two-year option periods. [Intelligence Community News]
County Board Celebrates GMU — “George Mason University’s president Dr. Gregory Washington, received a proclamation recognizing the university’s 50th anniversary. Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay presented the proclamation to Washington on behalf of the board at its public meeting on Feb. 22, 2022.” [The Connection]
It’s Friday — Today will be sunny, with a high near 46 and low around 34. The sunrise was at 6:35 a.m. and sunset will be at 6:05 p.m. [weather.gov]
Inova Health Care Services is moving forward with the demolition of the former Cameron Glen Care Center, a 150-bed nursing and rehabilitation facility that shuttered in 2014.
The demolition — which is slated to happen as soon as possible — would pave the way for the site’s incorporation into Reston Town Center North, a 47-acre area in the heart of Reston’s urban core slated for redevelopment.
Fairfax County is updating its aging plan, gathering public input to address key issues for older adults.
The county started sending out postcards last month to notify a random sample of households chosen to participate in its Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults, which was last conducted in 2019.
Department of Family Services spokesperson Kathleen Thomas says the survey asks questions about older residents’ personal habits and opinions on a variety of topics:
The Fairfax County Police Department should implement new training and data collection practices to improve its culture around the use of force, a committee of appointed volunteers says.
The Use of Force Advisory Committee presented recommendations to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ safety and security committee on Tuesday (March 1) based on a study conducted by the University of Texas at San Antonio.
After hundreds of logged meeting hours, a community-led task force studying the Reston Comprehensive Plan is kicking off community outreach on its interim recommendations, completing a comprehensive overhaul to usher the plan into the future.
The effort, kicked off by Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, has culminated in draft recommendations on the 14 areas of the plan, which is undergoing review by the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development. The move expands Reston’s original planning principles created by founder Bob Simon.
In the world of transportation infrastructure, $5 million will run out faster than a driver’s patience in rush-hour traffic, but it could still leave a worthwhile dent in Fairfax County’s massive backlog of safety and maintenance projects.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors expressed collective support on Tuesday (March 1) for a proposal to spend $5 million on bicycle and pedestrian improvements to address maintenance needs, add crosswalks, and other small but straightforward and relatively cheap projects.
Fairfax County plans to make its co-responder model pairing police with mental health crisis specialists for certain 911 calls permanent.
The county began developing the program last year with a micropilot that was extended with $4 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The proposed fiscal year 2023 budget includes more than $2.1 million to retain 17 behavioral health specialists and nine police positions approved in January as part of the fiscal year 2022 mid-year review.
Herndon Police officers are investigating a report of an assault, the department tweeted this morning (Thursday).
Police are in the 1100 block of Dublin Place and said the suspect is in custody. The status of the victim is not known.
Spokeswoman Lisa Herndon said around 9:15 a.m. the incident was still unfolding and the department will share more details once they become available for release.
INCIDENT ALERT: Officers are in the 1100-block of Dublin Pl investigating a report of an assault. The suspect is in custody and status of the victim is unknown at this time. Updates as available. #HerndonPD pic.twitter.com/JY4xtzAiaN
Man Charged With Assault on Police Officer — “Yesterday, Michael Vaughn, 34, was charged with five felonies and two misdemeanor charges stemming from the officer-involved shooting that occurred on Feb. 15 in 8300 block of Fitt Court in Lorton. He remains held at the Adult Detention Center without bond.” [FCPD/Twitter]
FCPS to End Virtual Learning This Year — With vaccines now available for school-age children, Fairfax County Public Schools will discontinue a limited virtual program for students with medical concerns due to the pandemic. At-home instruction will only be for students with significant health risks that prevent them from attending school in-person after this academic year. [FCPS]
Vienna Approves Police Body Cameras — “Vienna Town Council members on Feb. 28 unanimously agreed to allow the police department to use $223,732 in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to implement the camera program.” [Sun Gazette]
Shake Shack Sets Sights on Smithsonian — Construction is underway on a new Shake Shack that will replace the McDonald’s at the the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly. The burger chain is also adding a location at the Mosaic District in Merrifield. [The Burn]
Assaults Up, Drug Offenses Down in Mason Police District — “The assaults, including domestic violence, have mostly taken place in residences, which [Commander Capt. Sean] Adcock suspects could be due to stress caused by the Covid pandemic. The decrease in drug arrests is possibly due to the legalization of small amounts of marijuana.” [Annandale Today]
Private Foundation to Operate Historic Hall — “The Fairfax County Park Authority and the Great Falls Grange Foundation will ratify an agreement, which permits the Great Falls Grange Foundation to operate and maintain the historic property. The Grange will serve as a community meeting place, a potential location for classes and planned activities, and a venue for public and private special events.” [FCPA]
Transportation Group to Talk Route 7 Bus Project Tonight — The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) will discuss a timeline and financing for the Envision Route 7 Bus Rapid Transit project at its meeting tonight (Thursday). The planned bus service will run from Tysons to Mark Center in Alexandria, with stops at Seven Corners, Falls Church, and the East Falls Church Metro station. [ALXnow]
Community Outreach on Reston Comprehensive Plan Begins — “My office and Task Force members are beginning the first phase of community outreach of the Task Force’s interim recommendations on the 14 areas of the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study…Input by the county agencies is expected by spring/early summer and community outreach will continue through the summer.” [Supervisor Walter Alcorn]
It’s Thursday — The forecast indicates that it’ll be mostly sunny today, with a high temperature near 51 degrees and a low around 25. Wind gusts could reach 22 miles per hour during the day. The sun will rise at 6:37 a.m. and set at 6:04 p.m. [Weather.gov]
