A solo exhibition by sculptor and microbiologist Kendall Buster will descend on Reston’s Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art on Dec. 9.
The exhibit, SEED, is presented in conjunction with Buster’s SOLSTICE, which will be on view at The Kreeger Museum in D.C. An opening reception and artist talk will be held at Tephra ICA (12001 Market Street, Suite 103) on Saturday, Dec. 9 from 6-8 p.m.
The exhibits will be on display through Feb. 25.
Both exhibits were curated by Tephra ICA Executive Director Jaynelle Hazard and belong to a series of three shows organized to mark the 50th anniversary of Tephra, a nonprofit previously known as the Greater Reston Arts Center.
In a press release, Tephra says the exhibits are fitting anniversary tributes because they emphasize “the significance of place while examining themes of life, future, and innovation.”
“We’re so pleased for this first-time partnership with The Kreeger Museum, through their guest artist program The Collaborative, to uplift and celebrate the work of D.C. art star Kendall Buster,” Hazard said in a statement. “Tephra ICA deeply values partnership and collaboration to help thoughtfully contextualize an artist’s work in the canon and it’s wonderful to work with institution that shares these values.”
Here’s more from Tephra on Buster’s work:
Trained as a microbiologist, Kendall Buster’s work suggests ideas of budding, merging, and hybridization, using abstract forms and high-tech materials to create objects that expand what we know of natural and made environments. Her practice examines the microscopic and the monumental, from works that allude to intimate, botanical illustrations to architectural drawings to life-size biomorphic vessels. With the gallery often assuming the role of a laboratory, Buster’s work interrogates the edges of free expression and posits new ways of thinking about what can and cannot be expressed.
SEED features a large-scale sculpture called “Radial Spin.” The exhibit — which was last on display in 1997 in Berlin, Germany — has accessible spaces and envelopes the viewer, intending to challenge viewers’ sense of perception.
SOLSTICE features “Model City (Constraint),” which uses “geometric abstraction” and modernist architecture to suggest an “unpopulated cityscape that seems filled with talking shadows.”
Buster received a bachelor’s degree from the Corcoran College of Art and Design in D.C. and a master’s in sculpture from Yale University. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at American University’s Katzen Museum and the Kemper Museum in Kansas City.
Gunshots were reportedly fired near Snakden Branch Trail in the Glade area of Reston shortly after midnight.
Police responded to the 2300 block of Middle Creek Lane around 12:22 a.m. after several callers reported hearing the sound of multiple gunshots in the area, according to scanner traffic on Open MHz.
A dispatcher told responding officers that at least one caller confirmed they saw a person firing the gun. An area resident said they saw “a muzzle flash about a hundred feet behind his house,” an officer reported at 12:28 a.m.
A spokesperson for the Fairfax County Police Department said evidence was recovered from the scene, but no injured persons were located.
“Detectives from our criminal investigation division are assuming the investigation,” FCPD wrote in a statement.
Dulles Airport in Record-Long Snowless Streak — “From southern Virginia to New York City, nearly two years have elapsed since the last time an inch or more of snow fell on a calendar day. In several locations, the snow drought is the longest on record. The lack of snow has occurred during abnormally warm winters and amid a trend toward declining amounts of snow — both probable consequences of human-caused climate change.” [Washington Post]
Attack on Rep. Connolly Staff Gets Court Hearing — “A Congressional staff member who was struck in the head with a baseball bat in May continues to undergo therapy for the aftereffects of the concussion she suffered in the attack at Rep. Gerry Connolly’s city of Fairfax district office, the staffer testified Monday.” [Patch]
Three Men Arrested for Stealing From Tysons Galleria Stores — “At approximately 4:45 p.m. [Monday], detectives received a call from loss prevention at Sak’s Fifth Avenue for suspects actively involved in credit card fraud…Through the investigation, detectives uncovered that the suspects successfully made purchases at Neiman Marcus for over $8,000 before attempting to use stolen credit cards at Sak’s Fifth Avenue.” [FCPD]
First Reston Winterfest Starts Tomorrow — “A new holiday tradition is about to begin in Northern Virginia. Check out the inaugural ‘Winterfest’ in Reston this Thursday through Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. ‘This is a brand new event for Reston and we are really excited,’ Cara O’Donnell of the Reston Association told WTOP.” [WTOP]
Health Food Restaurant Opens Early in Hybla Valley — “The new honeygrow restaurant at Mount Vernon Plaza…opened its doors to the public Nov. 27 after a private ribbon-cutting ceremony with company management. Originally scheduled to open in early 2024, the restaurant got a jump start thanks to an accelerated construction timeline.” [On the MoVe]
McLean Book Store Plans Grand Opening — “Fonts Books & Gifts is holding a grand opening celebration on Dec. 2 at its location in Chesterbrook Plaza in McLean. The celebration begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday…The store’s website is open for online orders for in-store pickup only. Fonts plans to start shipping books in January.” [Patch]
County Library Adds Air Quality Monitors to Stock — Fairfax County Public Library launched a new service on Monday (Nov. 27), offering air quality monitors, battery testers and other meters and readers that can be used to measure everything from carbon monoxide levels to soil acidity. The free devices can be checked out for three-week periods from any branch. [FCPL]
Metro Rolls Out Gingerbread-Themed Train — “Tis the season for holiday joy! We come bearing gifts. Check out our wrapped train that entered service early. Don’t worry, there’s more where that came from! Metrobus up next, starting Dec. 1. Happy holidays!” [WMATA/Twitter]
It’s Wednesday — Expect sunshine and a high around 39 degrees, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 7 to 10 mph. The night will be mostly clear and cooler with a low temperature of 28 degrees, while the southwest wind continues at 6 to 10 mph. [Weather.gov]
Nearly a mile of Hunter Mill Road in Reston has been closed in response to an outside gas leak in a residential neighborhood.
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department says units responded around 4 p.m. to the gas leak in the 10600 block of Chamberlain Drive. Washington Gas is currently on the scene making repairs.
“There is currently a smell of gas permeating the area,” the fire department said in a tweet shortly before 7 p.m. “FCFRD units are monitoring the atmosphere to ensure no hazard exists.”
According to scanner traffic on Open MHz, Washington Gas has a 4-inch main gas line in the area.
The roadway has been shut down from Cobble Mill Road just outside the zoo Nova Wild (1228 Hunter Mill Road) to Mount Sunapee Road. Fairfax County police say an “extended” closure could be required, advising community members to “avoid the area.”
Around 4pm this afternoon #FCFRD responded to a gas leak in the 10600 blk of Chamberlain Dr in Reston. @WashingtonGas is on scene making repairs. There is currently a smell of gas permeating the area. FCFRD units are monitoring the atmosphere to ensure no hazard exists pic.twitter.com/Sqb0rl5MPp
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) November 28, 2023
Traffic Alert: Officers are on scene of a gas leak in Cromwells Corner. Hunter Mill Rd is closed between Cobble Mill Rd and Mt. Sunapee Rd. An extended closure is expected as repairs are made. Please avoid the area. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/5Gguuw0bIF
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) November 28, 2023
A new bank is coming to Reston’s Campus Commons development.
Capital Bank appears to be opening a location at 1900 Campus Commons Drive in Suite 130, according to Fairfax County permits. The company did not return several requests for comment from FFXnow.
The bank has a handful of branches in the area, including in the District, Rockville, and Columbia. The bank also currently has a Reston location at 10700 Parkridge Blvd.
It’s unclear if the Campus Commons location will be new or a relocation of the bank on Parkridge Blvd.
Developer TF Cornerstone is behind Campus Commons, a two-building complex at the intersection of the Dulles Toll Road and Wiehle Avenue. A plan to transform the aging office park into a 1.3-million-square-foot, mixed-use development was approved by the county in 2019.
Image via Google Maps
The Virginia Department of Education is launching a pilot program to help support new and inexperienced principals at federally designated at-risk schools in an effort to address what officials call a “crucial need.”
“We are excited about it. Mentoring principals has been a long time coming to the commonwealth,” said Randy Barrack, CEO of the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals, which along with the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals is partnering with VDOE, in an email to the Mercury.
Nationally, 80% of all public school principals remained at the same school in 2020-21 where they had been the year prior, according to National Center for Education Statistics data. The remaining 20% moved to a different school or left the principal role altogether.
In Virginia, according to reporting by WTOP, Fairfax County has lost dozens of principals since the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who spoke with the news station cited pandemic-related burnout and growing pressures to overcome learning loss as reasons for leaving the profession. Some also said their departures were due to a disconnect with and lack of transparency from administrative offices.
Virginia’s principal vacancy rate is less than 2% for each of the three school levels — elementary, middle and secondary, according to VDOE data from 2021 to 2023.
Under state law, new principals serve a three-year probationary period before acquiring continuing contract status.
Krista Arnold, executive director of the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals, said many principals accept leadership positions with limited years of experience because of the growing national shortage of educators. Mentors, she said, will be able to provide management and instructional tips.
“This is going to give new principals a highly skilled, experienced veteran who’s not within their division, who is a safe person for them to talk to, who could be a sounding board because the principalship is really lonely and can be isolating,” said Arnold, who spent 20 years as an elementary school principal.
Besides shaping instruction, Arnold said principals have a significant influence on student achievement, attendance, teacher retention and community involvement.
Virginia’s new mentorship program, she said, will hopefully end the outdated notion that principals should be left to “sink or swim” and instead offer essential aid and support, “providing a partner in what too often can often be an isolating role.”
The program’s focus on principals in at-risk schools, whose populations include students from low-income families with a higher than average probability of dropping out or failing school, will also help improve teacher performance and student learning, Barrack and Arnold said in a joint statement with the Department of Education.
The pilot program is expected to be rolled out before the start of the next school year.
“Principals are the leaders in their school buildings. They set the tone and are the ones looked to establish a vision for high standards and success,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons in a statement. “For many new principals, it can be tough, on-the-job training. With this mentoring pilot project, we are focusing on supporting our new principals leading in some of our most challenged schools and equipping them with support that can help them and their schools be successful.”
Photo via Virginia Department of Education/Facebook. This article was reported and written by the Virginia Mercury, and has been reprinted with permission.
(Updated at 4:55 p.m.) After more than two years of development, a new set of regulations will officially preserve dark skies around Turner Park Farm Observatory in Great Falls.
At a meeting on Nov. 21, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved zoning changes that aim to reduce light pollution and preserve dark skies within a half-mile of the observatory.
The proposal was significantly pared down after several community meetings and town halls. The changes will only apply to future lights on properties located within a half-mile of the observatory.
Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said he was satisfied with the proposal, which he called a “very reasonable approach” to the challenge facing the community.
“It’s not unanimous in the community, but I will say that the opposition is much less almost justified than it was when this thing started,” Foust said.
Under the zoning ordinance amendment, motion-activated outdoor lights must be 1,500 lumens or less — a drop from the current limit of 4,000 lumens or less.
Additionally, all lights need to be fully cut off — meaning the bulb can’t be exposed — which is currently not required. Still, an exception to the cut-off and shielding requirements will remain for lights at a door or a garage of up to 1,500 lumens per fixture.
The regulations would also set limits on the number of up-lights or spotlights allowed. Currently, any number are allowed as long as they’re fully cut off or shielded to confine light. The changes would limit each fixture to 300 lumens.
Unlike at previous public hearings, divisive testimony was limited. Several testifiers spoke in favor of the changes to the zoning ordinance.
Jennifer Falcone, a representative for the Great Falls Citizens Association, said the proposal is integral to protecting a “treasured community resource.”
“I live within this area,” Falcone said. “Given the evolution of lighting technology and the introduction and popularity of LED lighting, GFCA believes this measure is especially appropriate.”
Eileen Kragie, president of Dark Sky Friends, a nonprofit organization that aims to preserve dark skies, emphasized that the changes are sorely needed.
“Light pollution is growing at twice the rate of the population,” Kragie said. “In 20 years, stars won’t be visible.”
Mount Vernon District Supervisor Daniel Storck said the proposal’s approval could pave the way for future changes.
“This is in my mind…the start of a process that is mostly voluntary,” Storck said. (The spelling of Supervisor Storck’s name has been corrected.)
The amendment’s passage came on the same day that the Board of Supervisors approved zoning changes that will permit brighter electronic signs in more urbanized and commercial districts.
Fairfax Connector’s operator and workers remain far apart in their negotiations for a new labor contract, says the union representing drivers and other employees of Northern Virginia’s largest public bus system.
Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689 accused contractor Transdev of “clearly not [being] serious about bargaining in good faith” in a strongly worded statement issued last Wednesday (Nov. 22), just before Thanksgiving.
Representing 546 employees of Fairfax Connector, which serves about 26,000 daily passengers across 93 different routes, the union confirmed that it got Transdev’s latest contract offer a day earlier. Exact details of the proposal weren’t shared, but the union says workers would still be paid “well below other transit workers” in the D.C. area.
“Transdev’s latest wage offer was a slap in the face since its insulting lowball offer is contingent on the Union withdrawing all of its other economic proposals which include better sick leave, reduced healthcare costs, and retirement security,” ATU Local 689 said in its statement.
The union also claimed that Transdev has “continuously dragged their feet” when responding to requests for meeting dates since the collective bargaining process began in October.
Transdev, a French company that took over Fairfax Connector’s operations and maintenance in 2019, disputed the union’s characterization of the ongoing contract talks, stating that it’s “committed to continuing negotiations in good faith.”
“We value our partnership with the ATU and remain hopeful that we can come to a mutually-agreeable resolution quickly,” a Transdev spokesperson said by email. “We have mutually agreed with ATU to schedule our next bargaining session on 12/1.”
The Dec. 1 bargaining session will come after the existing, five-year contract expires on Nov. 30 at 11:59 p.m.
According to Local 689 spokesperson Ben Lynn, both sides will continue to operate under the current contract even after it expires. Determining worker pay, benefits, working conditions and other issues, the contract was secured in early 2020 after a four-day strike upended bus service throughout the county.
The union could call for a strike authorization vote at any time, but Lynn says nothing has been scheduled so far.
Transdev says it doesn’t anticipate any service disruptions as a result of the agreement expiring.
In its statement, ATU Local 689 said it has “reached tentative agreements on a variety of issues,” but on several of its top concerns, which include wage increases, improved sick leave, retirement security and standardized schedules, the union has been met with “abysmally low numbers” or outright rejection.
“Local 689 members worked on the front line throughout the pandemic to move thousands of people every day across the region,” the union said. “Transdev’s employees deserve to have their dedication and hardwork respected by the company. They have refused to offer a realistic economic proposal that would account for the intense economic pressures impacting its employees over the past three years while continuing to profit off the backs of their workers.”
Fairfax Connector’s labor negotiations come at a challenging time for public transit in the D.C. area, as Metro faces a potential $750 million budget gap and declining fare revenue even as ridership starts to bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Without significant additional funding, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said in October that it could be forced to drastically reduce rail and bus service starting July 2024, raise fares and lay off up to 4,700 workers.
ATU Local 689, which also represents Metro workers, warned WMATA against “balancing Metro’s budget on the backs of workers,” arguing that cutting service levels and worker compensation “simply will not solve the systemic funding issues plaguing” the transit agency.
According to Axios DC, Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke will present an official budget proposal to the agency’s board of directors on Dec. 14.
Apple Store to Leave Fair Oaks Mall — “Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is expected to relocate its Fair Oaks Mall store to nearby Fairfax Corner as soon as late 2024, joining upscale furniture retailer Arhaus in a new building currently under construction…The move represents another big win for the open-air Fairfax Corner, which recently debuted a 12-story, 228-unit multifamily building, The Vista, and landed” a small-format Ikea store. [Washington Business Journal]
FCPS Accused of Revealing Rape Victim’s Identity — “A former Fairfax County Public Schools student who accuses the Virginia district of ignoring allegations that she was repeatedly raped, tortured and threatened when she was in middle school is demanding to know how officials accidentally revealed her identity last month.” [The 74]
County Creates Workforce Readiness Task Force — “Seeking to boost the talent pool for Fairfax County’s economy, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay (D) on Nov. 21 announced he was creating a Workforce Readiness Working Group…The group, which McKay hopes will be in place before the board’s first meeting next year, will provide its report to county supervisors by the end of 2024.” [Gazette Leader]
Violent Crime Down in Mount Vernon District — “Based on data provided by the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD), the amount of violent crime in the Mount Vernon Police District fell across most categories from January to September 2023 over the same time period last year…FCPD also shared that year to date, the county as a whole has had 25 carjackings versus 26 during the same time period last year.” [On the MoVe]
New Dashboard Shows Health Data and Trends — The county’s “Healthy Communities” data dashboard will update annually with information about “physical and behavioral conditions,” health insurance coverage, food insecurity and other health-related topics. Initial findings include an overall increase in food insecurity, as of 2021, and more adults reporting mental health struggles. [Fairfax County Government]
Air and Space Museum to Celebrate 20 Years in Chantilly — The National Air and Space Museum opened its Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly on Dec. 15, 2003. The facility, which “showcases some of the world’s rarest and most historic air and space artifacts,” will celebrate its 20th anniversary from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
New Tourism Initiatives Boost South Fairfax County — “A year and a half after the unveiling of the Potomac Banks–Explore Fairfax South tourism brand for Southeast Fairfax County, Visit Fairfax has rolled out some new initiatives to promote attractions and hospitality-oriented businesses around the greater Richmond Highway Corridor.” [On the MoVe]
McLean Elementary School Encourages Students to Get Fit — “For 12 years, dozens of kids at Chesterbrook Elementary School in McLean, Virginia, have hit the gym an hour before class to get their energy up and learn lifelong fitness habits and skills…Principal Stacy Kirkpatrick said the ‘Fitness Warriors’ program is extremely popular with every grade, which get one morning a week in the gym.” [WTOP]
It’s Tuesday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 37 degrees. Wind gusts could reach up to 29 mph. As for Tuesday night, it should be primarily clear with lows near 22 degrees. [Weather.gov]
Electronic signs on display at eligible businesses, schools and other establishments can now shine brighter at night.
In planned, commercial and industrial zoning districts within Fairfax County, electronic display signs can now reach brightness levels of up to 300 nits at night, compared to 100 nits previously.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the change to the county zoning ordinance after a public hearing at its Nov. 21 meeting.
“Nits” indicate an object’s brightness. Common cellphones, televisions and computer monitors have nit levels between 250 and 600, according to a county staff report. Under existing county rules, a lot has a designated amount of “freestanding sign area” and may have one electronic display sign that uses up to 50% of that area.
“During outreach on this amendment, we did receive feedback from industry that modern screens are getting brighter, including the widespread use of LED technology,” said Casey Judge with the county’s Department of Planning and Development.
Feedback and research led to county staff’s recommendation to increase the maximum brightness, Judge said.
In residential districts, the maximum nit level will remain 100 nits at night. The 100-nit limit will also apply to any electronic display signs visible to a single-family dwelling within 150 feet of the property with the sign.
Staff had recommended increasing the maximum nit level to 500 nits in planned, commercial and industrial areas in an Oct. 3 report. However, the Fairfax County Planning Commission recommended the ultimately approved 300-nit maximum and the 100-nit maximum for signs located near single-family homes, Judge said.
“I’m not sure 150 feet is the right number, but I think this is one of those things, over time, we’ll probably be getting feedback if it’s too short,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said.
Three community members spoke during the public hearing. Kenny Peskin, a McLean resident who identified himself as an employee of the International Sign Association, said he was “generally in support of the motion,” in particular the version in the staff report with the higher nit limit.
Eileen Kragie, founder of an organization called Dark Sky Friends that advocates against light pollution, spoke against artificial light at night, but called the work “a credible first cut for the electronic signage ordinance.”
Jennifer Falcone called in on behalf of the Great Falls Citizens Association, reporting that the board of the association supported the motions adopted by the planning commission.
Changes to the zoning rules for outdoor signs have been in the works for over a year. Staff presented an initial proposal in May that underwent two public hearings with the planning commission.
Other approved changes include combining three sign application processes and permitting illuminated window signs of up to 4 square feet in non-residential locations.
County staff will provide a report on the implementation of the new guidelines within 18 months.
Reston Association’s Board of Directors has increased the annual member assessment by 7% as part of its $22.1 million budget for next year.
At a special meeting on Nov. 20, the board set the assessment at $817, up from $763 last year.
In a change from previous years, the fee includes recreational passes for members. Director Jennifer Jushchuk cast the lone dissenting vote against the proposed assessment.
The budget also includes increased lifeguard salaries and a 4% increase in boat mooring, garden plot rentals and other fees. The cost of non-member recreational passes was also bumped up by 35%.
“We heard consistently throughout the year that our members value our recreational amenities; however, things like pool availability and recreational fees were barriers to many of our families,” RA CEO Mac Cummins wrote in a statement. “We wanted to provide a budget that prioritizes what our members have told us they value most.”
At the meeting, board president John Farrell lamented that the fee is higher than necessary, because 3,000 residential units are “freeloading” off of RA by using its facilities without formally joining the association.
“This assessment is not as low as I’d like it to be, but I think it’s the lowest one that we can adopt with reasonable business judgment,” Farrell said. “The problem is this assessment is about $100 to 120 higher than it should be because we have 3,000 units that are freeloading.”
Member assessments, which are paid by all RA property owners, are due by Jan. 1. In a press release, RA notes that “the vast majority” of its revenue comes from the annual fees, paying for programs, facility maintenance and other operations.
Updated at 3:10 p.m. — Amadou “Niko” Diop has been found and is safe after being reported missing in Great Falls yesterday, Fairfax County police announced.
Earlier: An 18-year-old who has gone missing in Great Falls may be in danger due to health concerns, police say.
The Fairfax County Police Department issued a “missing persons” alert for Amadou “Niko” Diop just after 8 a.m. today (Monday), reporting that he was last seen around 10:30 p.m. yesterday (Saturday) at his residence in the 10000 block of Akhtamer Drive in Great Falls.
He is described as 6-foot-1, weighing 130 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
“Last seen wearing light beige pajama pants,” the FCPD said, noting that Diop is considered “endangered due to mental &/or physical health concerns.”
According to an alert shared by the Virginia State Police, Diop was last seen on foot and may not be wearing anything aside from the pajama bottoms.
Police advise community members who see Diop or have information about where he might be found to call 911 or the FCPD’s dispatch at 703-691-2233.
#MISSING: 18-year-old Amadou Diop “Niko” last seen 10:30PM Nov. 26 in the 10000 blk of Akhtamer Dr, Great Falls. He is 6’1” 130lbs, with bro hair & bro eyes. Last seen wearing light beige pajama pants. Endangered due to mental &/or physical health concerns. Call 911 w/info. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/WV5BVxZt7v
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) November 27, 2023
A man suffered critical injuries when he fell while riding a motorized scooter in Reston yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, police say.
The Fairfax County Police Department said the man fell while riding a scooter at Town Center Drive and Bowman Towne Drive. He was taken to the hospital with injuries considered life-threatening.
According to scanner traffic on Open MHz, the crash occurred around 2:36 p.m. An initial dispatch suggested that a bicyclist was involved, but a responding officer quickly clarified that it “looked like a crash with scooter going at high speed.”
An FCPD spokesperson confirmed that no other vehicle was involved in the crash.
“The circumstances of what caused the crash are currently under investigation by our Crash Reconstruction Unit detectives,” the spokesperson wrote in a statement.
Town Center Drive was closed for about two hours yesterday, as crash reconstruction unit detectives worked on the scene.
Road Closure: Crash Reconstruction Unit detectives are responding to Town Center Dr and Bowman Towne Dr after a man fell while riding a scooter. The man was taken to the hospital with injuries considered life-threatening. Town Center Dr is closed. Please use alternate route. pic.twitter.com/se6eqf1Yal
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) November 26, 2023
Officially, Fairfax County doesn’t have a Lee Highway or Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway anymore, but months after the names were dropped, they can still be seen on street signs throughout both corridors.
By the end of this month, that should no longer be the case — at least for smaller signs, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation says. A contractor is replacing the small blue signs at street corners with ones identifying the roadways as Route 29 and Route 50, respectively.
“This work is underway, and we anticipate this work to be complete by the end of November,” FCDOT Head of Communications Freddy Serrano told FFXnow.
The process of replacing larger, overhead directional signs, however, isn’t expected to begin until next year.
Getting those signs made and installed will be the Virginia Department of Transportation’s responsibility, though the county is covering all of the costs. A VDOT spokesperson says the department hopes to finalize an agreement with a contractor by the end of this year.
“It will involve 110 signs and it should take about two years to complete from the start of the contract that is anticipated to start in Jan. 2024,” VDOT said by email.
According to Serrano, a preliminary schedule from VDOT estimates that the overhead sign replacements will be finished by the end of 2025.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted on Sept. 13, 2022 to stop referring to routes 29 and 50 as Lee and Lee-Jackson Memorial, names adopted in the early 20th century as nods to Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.
Instead of giving the roadways entirely new names, as Arlington County did with its Route 29 segment in 2021, the board opted to use the route numbers to reduce confusion and the cost of new street signs. FCDOT staff previously said changing the signs would be more challenging for longer names.
At the time of the vote, county staff estimated that the sign updates would cost about $1.4 million. It cost about $46,000 for FCDOT’s contractor to fabricate and install the corner street signs, according to Serrano.
“Most of the costs of the sign replacement will be VDOT’s replacement of the larger overhead signs,” he said. “FCDOT will not have an updated cost estimate for that portion of the sign replacement until VDOT begins their preliminary design.”
County staff estimated it would take another $1.5 million to fund grants to help affected property owners cover expenses for updating business licenses, land records and other documents, as recommended by the Confederate Names Task Force that reviewed the proposed renamings.
On its website, FCDOT says the county “is developing” a financial assistance program, but Serrano confirmed to FFXnow that “the proposed grant program for businesses has not been approved at this time.”
The county updated addresses in its records to reflect the name changes, including for property taxes and voter registrations, on July 5.
“Free Palestine” Protest Disrupts Black Friday in Tysons — “Outside Tysons Corner Center in McLean, another group marched and chanted. A line of vehicles could be seen with Palestinian flags waving…Some posted on social media that they had been stuck in traffic for hours. One X user posted that they were stuck in the Tysons parking garage because of the protest.” [WUSA9]
Fairfax County Firefighter Dies Off-Duty — “With great sadness, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department announces the death of Lieutenant Travis Traynham. Lt. Traynham passed away while off-duty on Thursday, November 23, 2023. Lt. Traynham has been a valued member of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department since joining in 2004.” [FCFRD/Facebook]
Reston Station Foot Traffic Down Post-Pandemic — Comstock CEO Chris Clemente says Reston Station is seeing about 4,000 visitors a day compared to “something like 16,000 people a day” before the pandemic, a decline he partly attributes to low Metro ridership. He envisions Reston Station and Reston Town Center becoming “one large integrated employment center” with no visible difference between the two from an aerial perspective. [Washington Business Journal]
Prosecutors Share More Details in Brothel Investigation — “New evidence was revealed in court documents Wednesday in the case against two of the three people accused of trafficking women and running brothels in Massachusetts and Virginia. Investigators said ring leader Han Lee kept detailed records, which could be her undoing.” [CBS News]
Car Fire Put Out in Fair Lakes — “Just after 2:30pm [on Saturday, Nov. 25] units from Station 21, Fair Oaks, responded to the 13000 blk of Fair Lakes Shopping Center for an auto fire in a parking lot. Crews arrived with one vehicle on fire. Fire is out. No civilian or firefighters injuries reported.” [FCFRD/Facebook]
Vaping Customer Trespassed From Vienna Panera — Panera employees requested police assistance on Nov. 20 with a customer who “became verbally aggressive and began vaping again” when told that vaping wasn’t allowed in the restaurant. “An officer advised the customer he was trespassed from the premises and would be charged with trespassing if he returned.” [Vienna Police]
Annandale Gets New Thai Restaurant — “A new restaurant in the Bradlick Shopping Center in Annandale specializes in the cuisine of northeastern Thailand. Mae Ornnit opened Nov. 18 in the space previously occupied by Loopy’s at the intersection of Braddock and Backlick roads.” [Annandale Today]
Trail Planned in Gum Springs — “Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) representatives joined community members and elected officials at Martin Luther King Jr. Park Nov. 18 for an update on the Gum Springs Trail Project, which will eventually connect Gum Springs residents with Little Hunting Creek.” [On the MoVe]
It’s Monday — Expect sunshine and a high of around 49 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind of 8 to 17 mph, and gusts reaching up to 28 mph. For Monday night, the skies will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to approximately 27 degrees. [Weather.gov]
