With the last pandemic-era expansions of federal child care aid to states set to end next year, Gov. Glenn Youngkin is proposing to put $448 million into the commonwealth’s early learning and child care system in each of the next two years.
“The reality is that in March 2024, without significant reforms to improve this long-term viability of our child care programs, we would otherwise see children simply being kicked out of these most important collaborations that enable families to realize their dreams and so we can’t leave families, parents and their children without options,” said Youngkin at a press conference for his “Building Blocks for Virginia Families” initiative Thursday.
The funding will be part of Youngkin’s proposal for the state budget over the next two years, which he is scheduled to present to lawmakers Dec. 20. The General Assembly, which Democrats will narrowly control when the session begins this January, will use that proposal as the jumping-off point for their own spending plan.
While the administration has not yet provided a detailed breakdown of how all of the $448 million would be spent, a document provided to reporters includes a list of priorities. They include the desire to “ensure every low-income working family that currently receives public support continues to have access to early childhood and afterschool programs,” “accelerate parent choice, from home-care providers and public school preschools to community co-ops and private day centers,” and require all early childhood programs to “annually measure and report unmet parental demand and preference.”
A few priorities have dollar figures attached: The proposed investment includes $25 million to develop public-private partnerships in areas with child care shortages, $10 million in educator incentives and $1 million to launch early learning and child care accounts on a digital wallet platform for families with children under five. Families can use the wallets to accept funds from such groups as employers, local governments and family members.
Additionally, the plan calls for streamlining teacher licensure requirements and “rightsizing” student-teacher ratios.
“This is about an opportunity for success,” Youngkin said, “and it starts with success for families.”
Kathy Glazer, president of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, called the proposal “a remarkable commitment to Virginia’s children and families.”
“By sustaining access to quality, affordable early childhood care and education services, these investments will help unlock the potential of all children and keep Virginia on the path to economic success,” she said in a statement.
An October report by Virginia’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission found approximately 1.1 million children in Virginia aged 12 and younger need child care, and the majority of Virginia families find care to be unaffordable.
The situation is set to worsen. Over the past three years, Virginia has used federal relief funds to help meet child care demand. However, the commonwealth is in jeopardy of being unable to support services when American Rescue Plan Act child care funds expire at the end of the federal fiscal year 2024. JLARC has estimated that 25,000 Virginia children could lose their child care slots as a result of the end of pandemic child care subsidies.
As other pandemic relief programs wind down, legislative staffers have told lawmakers that signs are increasingly pointing to the U.S. entering a slowdown or mild recession next year as high revenues over the past few years begin running dry.
The governor has asked state agencies to begin looking at cuts for the July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026 budget, the Richmond Times-Dispatch has reported.
Child care advocacy groups on Thursday said they hope lawmakers will see the need to keep parents and providers afloat with stable funding and investments. Allison Gilbreath, senior director of policy and programs for Voices for Virginia’s Children, said the proposed investments are “desperately needed.”
“As a mom, my career begins and ends with access to early childhood that is affordable and accessible for my family,” she said. “So it’s going to be so meaningful for families across the commonwealth.”
Costs
Child care is unaffordable for most Virginians, especially for low-income families, JLARC found in its recent study.
The October report showed child care is unaffordable for 85% of Virginia’s families with infants, 82% with toddlers and 74% with preschoolers.
According to the Century Foundation, a progressive think tank, the average annual cost of child care currently is more than $10,000 for one child, and in some states, it’s as much as $15,000 to $20,000.
JLARC’s estimates put the cost of full-time formal child care in Virginia at between $100 and $440 per week per child, or $5,200 to $22,880 annually. Many child care providers charge fees on top of base tuition rates, which further increase the cost.
Low-income families have relied heavily on Virginia’s Child Care Subsidy Program, which uses federal and state funds to reimburse providers for care services. Last year, the commonwealth received a boost of federal funds for the subsidy program, which JLARC said led to an increase in the number of families receiving subsidized child care and a reduction in copayments for families. Still, demand for subsidy slots remained.
Forty-two percent of the state’s licensed child care providers are subsidy vendors, or providers that service children in the program, JLARC reported.
This article was reported and written by the Virginia Mercury, and has been reprinted under a Creative Commons license.
The renovation of Reston’s Lake Thoreau pool has officially been completed in time for the 2024 pool season.
Construction on the project at 2040 Upper Lake Drive began in the summer of 2022 after a nearly seven-month-long permit approval process.
“The renovations at Lake Thoreau pool provided some much needed improvements and expansions to make the site fully ADA compatible, ensuring it is accessible for all Restonians,” Reston Association said in a statement. “In addition, the community will find new improvements to the spa as well as a new elevated deck, which will offer additional opportunities for relaxation.”
The new, roughly $3.5 million facility includes a pool with six lap lanes, a ramp to provide ADA access, a redesigned deck, a larger 25-space parking lot, an overlook with a pollinator garden, and expanded bathhouses, which have been moved away from the spa.
The bathhouse has also been fully gutted and replaced with a 400-square-foot addition that includes a family bathroom.
Lake Thoreau pool has been closed since 2020 in anticipation of the renovation.
An initial groundbreaking in the winter of 2021 was delayed due to extended contract negotiations, according to RA. Unforeseen sight repairs and site conditions pushed the opening out of this year’s pool season into next year, RA announced in July.
A new Shadowood pool is currently under construction and expected to open in time for next year’s pool season, which typically begins in May.
Photo courtesy RA/YouTube
Fairfax County Resident Wins “Squid Game” Reality Show — “Mai Whelan — also known as Player 287 on Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge — is one of the DMV’s newest multimillionaires. [On Wednesday] night, she took home the top $4.56 million prize in the game show’s finale, beating out 455 other contestants, including Falls Church native Shelby Hoefling.” [Washingtonian]
New Funding Goes to N. Va. Rail Projects — “Elected officials announced Thursday the state has received $729 million in federal funding. The money will go toward the construction of a new Long Bridge over the Potomac River. Currently a major chokepoint on East Coast, the project will double the bridge’s capacity.” [WTOP]
Toy Store With “Encanto” Experience Opens in Tysons — “Get ready to have the lyrics of ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’ stuck in your head…again. On Friday, CAMP at Tysons Corner Center opens its Encanto-themed experience, its first interactive show at this location…The experience is currently open through the end of April, though it is likely to be extended.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Popular Tree Relocated Ahead of Fairfax Station Road Project — “This afternoon, we finished transplanting the beloved Popes Head tree from the Fairfax County Pkwy to a location at our district office. The Popes Head interchange project will be starting soon and we didn’t want to lose this tree that means so much to tens of thousands of people.” [VDOT/Reddit]
Police Seek Toy Donations for Santa’s Ride — “Residents who wish to support Santa’s Ride can drop off new, unwrapped toys, games, books, and gifts at the Vienna Police Department…by 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023. Police officers on motorcycles from multiple jurisdictions will escort Santa to local schools and government buildings to pick up the donated items and deliver them to hospitals and to community children in need on Tuesday, Dec. 12.” [Town of Vienna]
Culmore Residents Air Crime Concerns — “When Capt. Patrick Brusch, commander of the Mason Police District, asked Culmore residents about their concerns, he got an earful. Several people complained about the criminal element hanging out and drinking by the 7-Eleven at 3337 Glen Carlyn Drive. Others said gangs are recruiting young boys, shoplifting is getting out of control, and when they reported crimes, nothing happened.” [Annandale Today]
Work Underway to Restore South Run Trail — “The Fairfax County Park Authority has begun trail restoration work along a 3,086-foot section of the South Run Stream Valley Trail between the Burke Lake Dam on Laketree Drive and South Run District Park. Weather permitting, the work is expected to be completed within approximately two to three weeks.” [FCPA]
Virginia Proposes Additions to Banned Plants List — “Virginia is considering adding 12 more plants to its noxious weeds list, a compilation of species that are banned from use in the state because of the damage they provide to ecosystems…The public comment period is scheduled to end Friday, Dec. 8.” [Virginia Mercury]
It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny skies with temperatures reaching 56°F and calm winds from the south at 5-8 mph during the afternoon. Tonight, watch for patchy fog after midnight alongside partly cloudy sky and lows around 37°F, with south winds at 3-6 mph. [Weather.gov]
Housing could be on the horizon for Roger Bacon Drive in Reston.
At a meeting on Tuesday (Dec. 5), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion to initiate a review of a development proposal for 11260 Roger Bacon Drive, adding it to the county’s existing Comprehensive Plan Amendment Work Program.
The proposal would add the option of residential mixed-use development at the site, which is currently developed with a five-story office building that was constructed in 1980. Existing tenants of the building, which is across the street from a McDonald’s, include FVC Bank.
The preliminary plan pitches roughly 275 units and 3,000 square feet of ground-floor retail.
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said that if the proposal moves forward, a “coordinated analysis” would be necessary to ensure that the project is in harmony with neighboring areas.
“The addition of this plan amendment to the work program was coordinated with staff and it did not raise issues with staff resources,” Alcorn said.
The county’s comprehensive plan currently envisions a pedestrian-oriented environment with mid and-high-rise buildings and a mix of uses, including ground-floor retail. Parcels on Roger Bacon Drive are developed with office buildings, a 23-unit condominium building and three restaurants, along with surface parking.
The potential amendment would also include a planned grid of streets linking Roger Bacon Drive, Michael Faraday Court, and Lake Fairfax Business Center.
Alcorn also asked the county to remove a proposal by Brookfield Properties from the work program. The developer had requested an increase in the amount of housing allowed around the Sunset Hills Road and Hunter Mill Road intersection.
The nomination, which also suggested the possibility of retail, was one of several Reston-related proposals accepted by the county board in April as part of its Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) process, which allows particular properties to be submitted for land use changes.
Many of the Reston nominations were prioritized for review in an overall study of the Reston Transit Station Area, but the Brookfield proposal had already been deferred in the lowest, third tier of the work program.
“Review of this area could be considered during the next Site-Specific Plan Amendment nomination period if a nomination is received at that time,” Alcorn’s board matter said.
The SSPA process kicked off in October 2022. Nominations for site-specific evaluations were accepted following a screening phase in December last year.
Image via Google Maps
The Fairfax County School Board will vote next week on $847,000 in funding for security cameras at nine elementary schools.
That project is among those that could be funded as part of Fairfax County Public Schools’ midyear budget review, which Chief Financial Officer Leigh Burden presented to the board on Monday (Dec. 4).
FCPS has also proposed allocating $100,000 to cover costs associated with renaming Woodson High School after Carter G. Woodson. The change from former FCPS superintendent W.T. Woodson was approved on Nov. 9 and will take effect with the 2024-2025 school year.
“Historically, renaming costs have typically been about $300,000, but many items at Woodson just say ‘Woodson,’ so those items will not have to be replaced,” Burden said.
The board-authorized funding for security cameras would supplement money the county has received from two Virginia Department of Education grants to fund security cameras at eight elementary schools.
“Prioritization is determined by the building age, the number of existing cameras, the number of incidents at a school location as well as access to uninterrupted power,” Burden said in her presentation.
The elementary schools slated to receive funding through the mid-year budget review are Deer Park, Coates, Springfield Estates, Bull Run, Terra Centre, Greenbriar East, Freedom Hill, Bush Hill and Graham Road.
Another eight schools — Pine Spring, Great Falls, Fort Hunt, Sunrise Valley, Newington Forest, Rose Hill, Forest Edge and Glen Forest — will get cameras through the VDOE grants, which had different criteria for each application, according to an FCPS spokesperson.
When selecting the schools, FCPS considered factors such as the number of students eligible for free and reduced meals, the number of incidents at a given school, when the school was built, the availability of uninterrupted power and how many other schools in each region already had security cameras, the spokesperson told FFXnow.
Superintendent Michelle Reid told the school board in May that about half of the elementary schools in FCPS had exterior video cameras, along with all high schools. Installations at all middle schools were expected to finish this year, and she hoped to expand the program to all elementary schools in the “near future.”
Overall, FCPS has just over $6.1 million in additional funding to allocate in its mid-year budget review, most of which comes from higher-than-anticipated sales tax revenue identified after the end of fiscal year 2023, according to Burden. About $1 million comes from federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act grants, which support the school operating fund, she said.
The mid-year budget review also includes $88,000 to support restorative justice interventions and $80,000 for improvements to power sources used for Advanced Placement digital testing at select high schools. About $3.1 million would be held for fiscal year 2025, which starts on July 1, 2024.
“We generally like to try to keep the beginning balance around the same level as it is in the previous year because otherwise, if it’s less than that, then that just increases the local request to the county,” Burden said.
Braddock District Representative Megan McLaughlin asked about funding for school maintenance and repairs. She suggested Reid confer with Janice Szymanski, chief of facilities services and capital programs, and her team about addressing some “backlog maintenance issues” ahead of the board’s vote on Dec. 14.
“We just keep telling our communities, in particular our athletic boosters that work hard, tirelessly, year after year to bring money to the table, and then to get told, ‘We’re sorry we promised you that repair project, but there’s no money dedicated to it,’” McLaughlin said. “I think we’re losing faith and support and confidence from our families when we make promises and then we don’t deliver.”
Sixty Vines, a restaurant with a vineyard-inspired menu, will open in Reston Town Center on Monday (Dec. 11).
Located at 11905 Market Street in the former Clyde’s of Reston, the restaurant previously announced that it would open this December but didn’t set a firm date.
The 12,857-square-foot location — which has an open layout and communal table — is the first in the state. It also includes a bar, private events space and outdoor seating.
“Guests are invited to discover the perfect pour for their palate with wine served by the flight, half glass, glass, or bottle,” Sixty Vines said in a news release. “Selections include a variety of reds, rosés, and whites sourced exclusively from iconic winemakers, along with a variety of cocktails and mocktails.”
The restaurant will open from 4-10 p.m. on its first day. After that, the restaurant will be open on Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Items on the menu include wood-fired pizzas, custom charcuterie boards, pasta, seafood and fresh salad. There will also be 60 wines on tap from countries around the world.
Washington Post Workers Walk Out in Bid for Union Contract — “Unionized journalists and other staff at The Washington Post in D.C. and around the world are set to strike for 24 hours starting Thursday…In a letter to readers, the Guild asked subscribers to not ‘engage with any Washington Post content’ during the span of the strike.” [WTOP]
Virginia Requires Teamwork for Local Water Supply Plans — “Virginia’s State Water Control Board amended regulations last week that will require local governments in the same river basin to work together in crafting plans for water supply and use. Previously, the state allowed local governments to choose whether they wanted to submit such plans independently or work with other localities in a regional approach.” [Virginia Mercury]
Legal Action Possible Over Buildings Damaged by Fire — “The owners of the buildings destroyed by a fire on Columbia Pike in Annandale have failed to respond to the Fairfax County Department of Code Compliance, so the matter is being referred to the commonwealth’s attorney’s office. The fire, on March 12, 2023, affected four businesses.” [Annandale Today]
McLean Community Supports Working Student — The McLean High School community has rallied with donations for a student who “has been working 40 hours a week, while in school, to support his family.” Nearly evicted last week, the student’s family also recently escaped domestic violence, and his mom and brother are dealing with health issues. [NBC4]
Local Residents Compete on “Squid Game” Reality Show — “Virginia native Shelby Hoefling was one of the 456 contestants competing to win $4.56 million, the largest single cash prize in game-show history. Unfortunately, she was eliminated in Episode 3, so now she’s rooting for her fellow Virginian, Mai Whelan, a 55-year-old immigration adjudicator from Vietnam who lives in Fairfax County.” [WTOP]
Some Reston Tennis Courts to Close — “Starting Friday, December 8 at noon, the clay tennis courts at Glade and North Hills will be closed for the season. The courts will reopen in Spring 2024. The hard courts remain open year-round.” [Reston Association/Twitter]
County Library Exceeds 3 Million Digital Checkouts — “The Fairfax County library system on Nov. 29 reached a milestone of more than 3 million digital loans for the year to date. This is the first time the library system has exceeded the threshold since introducing OverDrive, the library system’s online-digital-catalog provider, in 2006, county officials said.” [Gazette Leader]
Fort Belvoir Turns Out for Christmas Tree Lighting — “Fort Belvoir kicked off the Christmas season with the installation’s annual tree-lighting and Winterfest celebration Saturday. Hundreds of families celebrated the start of the season with bounce houses, laser tag, face painting, a candy cannon shoot, train rides, a gingerbread house contest, snowball fights and more.” [Inside NoVA]
It’s Thursday — Expect a partly sunny day with highs reaching around 45 degrees, accompanied by a southwest wind at 5 to 9 mph. As for Thursday night, it will be mostly clear with lows around 33 degrees. The southwest wind will be around 5 mph, calming down in the evening. [Weather.gov]
A plan that will guide the redevelopment of 94 acres of 25 privately owned properties near the Herndon Metrorail Station is expected to go before the Herndon Planning Commission early next year.
The final draft of the Transit-related Growth (TRG) plan will head to the commission by Feb. 1, but one of three property owners that collectively pitched $500,000 to complete the study pulled out from the plan, staff told the Herndon Town Council at a work session yesterday (Tuesday).
Herndon Hotel Ownership LLC has asked to remove itself from the planning effort. The town will still receive the full $500,000 to complete the study, according to Elizabeth Gilleran, Herndon’s director of community development.
Gilleran told the council that the owner changed his future plans for the property, which appears to be Hyatt House at 467 Herndon Parkway, per Fairfax County property records.
“Since his plan changed, he wasn’t ready,” Gilleran said, adding that the trio of property owners had committed to moving forward with redevelopment.
At the work session, the council considered a proposal that would extend the review period for the TRG plan and add a brief reference to it in the town’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan.
The town hired Skidmore, Owings and Merrill to complete the plan. So far, after public input, the town is settling on one of three preferred alternatives for the future of the TRG.
The area is bounded to the south by Herndon Transit-oriented Core (HTOC) redevelopment area, to the east by Fairfax County Parkway, to the north by Spring Street and to the west by the Downs and Van Buren Estates residential subdivisions.
Work on the TRG plan kicked off in early 2022. Once approved, the document will establish a long-term vision for the future redevelopment of the hodgepodge of parcels into a “well-designed and viable mixed-use district,” according to the town.
From a Dec. 5 staff memo:
The plan is expected to encourage redevelopment, recognize the probability of disparate development timelines, provide redevelopment, provide appropriate buffers to abutting neighborhoods, formulate a unique sense of place as well as an identity integral to the Town of Herndon, contribute to a multi-modal transportation network, and establish a pattern and expectation for innovative, sustainable, and excellence in architectural and urban design.
Lauri Sigler, the town’s deputy attorney, said that while work on the plan has taken time, all parties have worked diligently to move forward.
“Things have taken a little longer than expected even though staff and SOM have been working diligently to get the plan over the finish line,” Sigler said.
Goodwill is launching a new express donation site in the Herndon area.
The drop-off site is expected to officially open in the Village Center at Dulles sometime this month, according to Brendan Hurley, a spokesperson for Goodwill of Great Washington & The Goodwill Excel Center.
Goodwill’s existing retail store in the shopping center will remain at its current location.
Hurley told FFXnow that the new location is more convenient and easily accessible, since it’s right off Centreville Road and provides easier ingress and egress for donors.
“The location will also…include a drive through canopy under which donors can make donations without stepping out into the uncontrollable and often inconvenient weather conditions,” Hurley wrote in a statement.
Donations accepted at the new site include household goods, electronics and apparel, which are then resold to the nonprofit organization. The center will operate as a goods distribution hub and provide short-term storage for donations.
The donation center is located at 2545 Centreville Road in suite Q18. Donations will be transported to the Goodwill in the same general plaza (2421 Centreville Road).
The best path forward for saving Lake Accotink might to let it shrink, a Fairfax County task force has proposed.
Created by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in May, the 30-person group was charged with exploring alternatives to fully dredging the sediment that has accumulated in the man-made body of water or converting it to a wetland, as recommended earlier this year by county staff.
In a final report delivered to the board yesterday (Tuesday), the Task Force on the Future of Lake Accotink suggested that 20 to 40 acres of the lake could be preserved with “a program of regular maintenance dredging,” which would allow kayaking and other water recreation to continue at the popular Springfield park.
The remainder of the lake could be turned into “some combination of a managed wetland and a grassland,” the task force proposed. Originally 110 acres in size, Lake Accotink has already been reduced to 49 acres, thanks to sediment build-up from the area’s development, the report says, citing Fairfax County Park Authority project manager and senior planner Adam Wynn.
“There is no doubt that preserving a smaller lake meets significant community and social goals,” a task force subcommittee charged with analyzing alternatives to a full dredging wrote in the report. “Even a small lake would allow the maintenance of the current marina area, a community gathering place for picnics, birthday parties, and many others who enjoy the calming effects of a lake environment. And, importantly, a small lake would still preserve the beauty that so many find in a lake for generations to come.”
Frequented by over 250,000 visitors a year, Lake Accotink Park (7500 Accotink Park Road) is one of the park authority’s top attractions. It features miles of trails, a carousel, a mini golf course, a picnic area, bicycle rentals and a recently updated playground in addition to a marina, where visitors can rent canoes, kayaks and paddle boats.
However, sediment carried into the lake by Accotink Creek needs to be periodically dredged, a process undertaken in 1985 and 2008. The Board of Supervisors approved a plan in 2019 to conduct an initial $30.5 million dredging operation, followed by annual maintenance dredges that would cost an estimated $2 million per year.
But the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) and its consultant, Arcadis, reported in February that 43% more sediment would need to be removed than initially estimated, and the costs of both the initial dredgings had skyrocketed to roughly $95 million.
The first 20 years of the annual dredging program would require an additional $300 million in funding, according to the February report, which was based on data collected since 2021.
As a result, DPWES staff recommended letting the lake fill up and revisiting the park’s master plan to determine how it might be maintained in the future as a “wetland and/or floodplain forest complex” — a proposal that alarmed community members.
“It was a difficult recommendation for the community to hear, and it was met with anger, with frustration, with disappointment,” said former Board of Supervisors chair Sharon Bulova, who was appointed chair of the task force when the board voted to establish it on May 23.
Bulova was joined on the task force by former Braddock District supervisor John Cook, Del. Vivian Watts (D-39), residents, and representatives of civic associations, nonprofits and other community groups. Assisted by county staff and a new consulting team from WSP-LimnoTech, the task force held 30 meetings in all, nine as a full group and 21 in subcommittees.
In addition to evaluating options for the lake’s future, the task force made a case for its value as a natural and community resource, a step some felt was “conspiciously missing” from the DPWES analysis. The staff recommendation was evaluated by another subcommittee, which noted that the initial report didn’t include details about how the new cost estimates were determined.
According to the new report, the task force explored three options for downsizing Lake Accotink:
- A roughly 41-acre lake extending from the marina to the “big island” at the northern end of the lake. It would cost an estimated $34 million to dredge the approximately 9 million cubic feet of sediment required to maintain a depth of 8 feet.
- A 22-acre lake that would require a dredge of about 3.9 million cubic feet, costing an estimated $24 million
- A 33-acre lake with a grassland built on sediment dredged from the lake and deposited in its footprint
The grassland option would restore a habitat that was abundant in Northern Virginia prior to European settlements and farming, and it could “combine with the existing wetland and an open water feature of increased depth to create the most beneficial environment,” the report says.
The “alternatives” subcommittee notes that county staff had proposed creating an “offline” lake separate from the main Accotink Creek channel, but the group decided that was “not a viable option as it does not serve the greater purposes of the lake.” WSP-LimnoTech had said an offline lake would be susceptible to algae blooms, which regularly plague Reston’s lakes.
Bulova described working on the task force as a rewarding experience, where everyone showed up willing to collaborate.
“Never underestimate the value of community engagement,” she told the Board of Supervisors yesterday. “Even if it’s a difficult subject matter, people are willing and want to participate and want to have a seat at the table.”
Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw, who represents the Lake Accotink area, stressed that the task force’s findings are not intended to be a decisive recommendation for what the county should do.
“But they’ve given us some very valuable insight into ways we can improve the process moving forward,” Walkinshaw said, calling the uncertainty about Lake Accotink’s future “one of the most challenging issues I think we’ve faced in a long time.”
The board agreed to discuss the report in more detail at its environmental committee meeting next week on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
Justice HS Student Dies From Drug Overdose — “Officials notified the community of the fatal overdose involving a Justice High School student on Tuesday afternoon…FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid provided resources for parents and families on substance abuse,” stating that “we all play a role in reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorders, while also focusing on substance misuse.” [WJLA]
Vienna Town Council Opposes Idea of Casino — “Faced with rumblings that some state legislators again might try to authorize a gambling casino in Fairfax County, Vienna Town Council members on Dec. 4 formally signaled their opposition to that prospect…Council member Nisha Patel…successfully moved to have the casino-opposition statement placed within the 19-item legislative agenda’s Top 5 priorities.” [Gazette Leader]
South Lakes Student Among Area Basketball Players to Watch — “[Jordan] Scott is widely viewed as the best Northern Virginia public school prospect in at least the past decade, and schools are falling over themselves trying to recruit the 6-7 junior. Behind Scott’s three-level scoring and intrepid defense, the Seahawks will eye an accomplishment even Grant Hill couldn’t muster — the first state championship in program history.” [Washington Post]
Nonprofit Housing Provider Opens New HQ in Lorton — “Good Shepherd Housing (GSH), a nonprofit focused on reducing homelessness, held a ribbon cutting and reception at its new Lorton-based headquarters Dec. 5.” It’s the first time that the nonprofit has moved from its previous base on Richmond Highway “in over 20 years,” interim executive director Candice Bennett said. [On the MoVe]
Reston Robotics Team Wins National Competition — “Daeadelus, the robotics team from Reston’s Ideaventions Academy, won First Place Overall in the Bell Advanced Vertical Robotics competition in Dallas, Texas on Saturday.” The team will now be one of seven participants in an exhibition match at the global XPONENTIAL 2024 conference and exhibition in San Diego. [Patch]
County Animal Shelter to Waive Adoption Fees — “Fairfax County Animal Shelter wants all shelter pets to find loving homes for the holidays, so it’s partnering with BISSELL Pet Foundation for the ‘Empty the Shelters – Holiday Hope’ adoption event. Thanks to the foundation’s generous support, the shelter will offer fee-waived adoptions for cats and dogs from Friday through Sunday, Dec. 8 through 10.” [Fairfax County Animal Shelter]
Tysons Corner Center Owner Obtains New Loan on Mall — “Tysons Corner Center owner The Macerich Co. (NYSE: MAC) has closed a massive refinancing of the region’s largest, most valuable shopping center just weeks before a prior loan was scheduled to mature…The new CMBS loan has fixed 6.6% interest-only payments throughout the loan term, the company said, and matures on Dec. 6, 2028.” [Washington Business Journal]
Bailey’s Crossroads Choir Seeks New Members — “Like many choral groups in the area, NoVA Lights Chorale suffered during the Covid pandemic and is now seeking new members to rebuild to pre-pandemic levels. NoVA Lights Chorale is an amateur chorus that accepts anyone who wants to sing. There are no auditions and no charge to join.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Wednesday — There’s a 40% chance of precipitation, with scattered rain and snow showers in the morning, transitioning to rain showers between 11am and 4pm. Expect mostly cloudy skies and a high near 44. At night, enjoy mostly clear conditions with a low around 29. [Weather.gov]
Construction on a new pedestrian bridge in Reston Town Center will begin this week.
According to the town center, the bridge will cross over the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, which passes by the town center south of Bluemont Way.
It will provide a link between Reston Town Center and the nearby Metro station, “while significantly increasing the safety of those who utilize the trail,” a press release says.
Boston Properties (BXP), which owns the town center, expects that construction will result in some detours.
“A short diversion off the trail around the construction will be implemented in January and will be in place for the duration of the project,” Reston Town Center said in the press release. “In late winter, a portion of the trail will be closed for a short period of time requiring an additional detour.”
Reston Town Center didn’t address follow-up questions about the project, including exactly where the bridge will be located.
The bridge is being built by the contractor Clark Construction. Work is expected to wrap up around late spring or early summer of 2024.
(Updated at 1:05 p.m. on 12/6/2023) Reston Station area residents and visitors will soon be able to return to Starbucks for their coffee fix.
The Starbucks at 1908 Reston Metro Plaza will reopen this weekend after closing on Nov. 26 for a renovation, a company spokesperson told FFXnow. Operations are expected to resume on Friday, Dec. 8, Reston Station said on Instagram.
The Starbucks spokesperson described the renovations as “standard” for a store.
(Correction: Starbucks initially told FFXnow that the Reston Station shop would be closed through “winter 2024” for ongoing renovations.)
“As a standard course of business, we continually evaluate our store portfolio, using various criteria to ensure we are meeting the needs of our customers,” the spokesperson said.
All Starbucks employees that worked at the store got the chance to transfer to nearby locations until the location reopens, the company said.
Hat tip to Adam Rubenstein, and to commenters Allison Kinneberg and cosmo for pointing out the timeline error.
A flurry of snow days will be on the table for Fairfax County Public Schools this winter, though it remains to be seen how much the weather will oblige.
FCPS has built 11 snow days into its 2023-2024 calendar, and it will fully close on all of them if needed, ending a recent practice of shifting to virtual learning after five snow days.
“This adjustment aims to maximize in-person learning and to ensure equitable access to instruction and student services for all students,” FCPS said yesterday (Monday) in a press release.
Like other school districts across the country, FCPS experimented with remote and hybrid learning during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the initial rollout was hampered by technology issues, and many students and staff reported experiencing mental health struggles.
Though in-person classes fully resumed in August 2021, FCPS is still grappling with the fallout of the pandemic’s disruptions, from learning losses and a spike in chronic absenteeism to a federal mandate to compensate special education students denied the services they needed during virtual learning.
FCPS revised its snow-day policy starting in the 2021-2022 school year so that virtual learning would kick in after five days of cancellations due to inclement weather. All five days got used up that year, but the D.C. area saw almost no snow last winter, rendering the policy unnecessary.
This winter is expected to be a different story. The Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang is predicting that the region will get the most snow in five years, a forecast echoed by local TV weather teams.
Still, a break from school shouldn’t mean a break from learning, according to FCPS.
Superintendent Michelle Reid is soliciting suggestions for ways to keep students engaged during snow days and over winter break at [email protected]. FCPS says any submitted ideas will be shared on its website as “a valuable resource for students and families.”
More from FCPS:
On snow days, students will still have access to educational resources. They can utilize Tutor.com, complete supplemental learning opportunities recommended by their teachers, and tune in to educational programming available virtually and on public access television channels:
- Elementary school instruction: Red Apple 21
- Middle school instruction: Channel 25
- High school instruction: Channel 99
Dr. Reid expressed enthusiasm for continued learning opportunities outside traditional classroom settings during snow days. Whether exploring the physics of sledding down a hill or experimenting with ratios to create the perfect mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream, students are encouraged to embrace the diverse learning spaces that abound during inclement weather.
FCPD Steps Up DUI Enforcement for Holiday Season — “During this campaign, running from December 4 to December 29 the squad will increase their staffing and focus on ensuring our roadways remain safe this holiday season. These initiatives are aimed at promoting sober driving, pinpointing impaired drivers, and increasing officer presence on the roads.” [FCPD]
ICYMI: Pedestrian Hit by Metrobus in Annandale — A woman was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries last night (Monday) from a crash on Little River Turnpike and Hummer Road. First responders found her trapped under the front axle of a Metrobus, shutting down eastbound Little River, per scanner traffic. [FFXnow]
Future Unclear for Hoped-for Springfield FBI Site — “After decades of effort, a much longed-for economic recovery in the Springfield area of Fairfax County is slowly happening…But the future remains uncertain for a 58-acre site owned by the General Service Administration, which has long been a local eyesore.” [Washington Post]
Man Who Shot at Police in West Falls Church Indicted by Arlington Jury — “A grand jury has returned an indictment for a man on felony charges in connection to a wild police chase in October 2022. The indictment against Ricardo Singleton, returned last Monday, included charges for eluding police and shooting a firearm from a vehicle within 1,000 feet of a school.” [ARLnow]
Springfield Town Center Owner Close to Bankruptcy — “Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust is on the verge of its second bankruptcy since 2020, Bloomberg reports, citing anonymous sources close to the matter. The company is also seeking funding to facilitate the process, which would be a Chapter 11 reorganization.” [Bisnow]
Man Arrested After Shoplifting $3,500 Coat in Tysons — A 41-year-old Maryland man was arrested Friday (Dec. 1) after allegedly shoplifting a coat worth over $3,500 from Sak’s Fifth Avenue at Tysons Galleria. Police say he had been stealing from the store for more than a month, recovering over $49,000 in merchandise and “burglarious tools” in a home search. [FCPD]
Reston AI Startup Raises $15M — “Rohirrim, a Reston artificial intelligence company, has raised $15 million to continue working on its ChatGPT-like tool that helps companies speed the process of bidding on jobs…Its software product — dubbed Rohan — uses a customer’s secure data to help proposal writers more efficiently collect internal information to write [request for proposal] responses.” [DC Inno]
Longtime Reston Farmers Market Manager Retires — Saturday (Dec. 2) was the final day of this year’s Reston Farmers Market at Lake Anne Village Center — and the last day managing it for John Lovaas. The retired foreign service worker has been involved in the seasonal event ever since it was proposed to the Reston Association board in 1997. [Patch]
Tysons Company to Provide Airplane WiFi — “Tysons, Virginia-based Intelsat will outfit hundreds of American Airlines regional jets with high-speed Wi-Fi, as part of American’s ongoing in-flight streaming upgrades throughout its fleet. Beginning early next year, Intelsat will begin installing equipment on nearly 500 dual-class regional jets.” [WTOP]
It’s Tuesday — Clouds will increase throughout the day, with temperatures reaching a high of 46. At night, scattered rain and snow showers are possible before 1am, when the weather will shift to rain before returning to a mix of rain and snow after 4am. The night will be mostly cloudy with a low temperature of around 36. There is a 40% chance of precipitation. [Weather.gov]
