The first piece of the massive redevelopment of Isaac Newton Square will be the construction of a seven-story, 345-unit apartment building.
Peter Lawrence Cos. and MRP Realty filed plans with Fairfax County to begin the redevelopment of the 32-acre office park and parking lots with a 360,000-square-foot building on the northern part of the property, setting into motion more than 2.8 million square feet of planned redevelopment on the site.
The current plan covers roughly seven acres of the property, one of 10 buildable blocks planned on the site.
The proposal favors ground-floor units with direct access to a walkway instead of the more typical model used to activate apartment buildings: ground-floor retail.
A little over 13% of the units will be set aside as workforce dwelling units (WDUs), according to the plan.
Since the proposed building is slightly larger than previously anticipated, the developer plans to shuffle over density from later phases to ensure the project doesn’t exceed maximum allowable densities. Specifically, the proposal shifts 20,000 square feet of residential area and 55 units from a future application.
A wrapped parking garage with 415 parking spaces is also planned.
The application was discussed by the Reston Planning and Zoning Committee last summer. Overall, 2,100 residential units, 300 hotels rooms, 260,000 square feet of office space, and roughly 69,000 square feet of retail are planned on the site near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station.
The low-rise office buildings on the site were recently demolished.
County Prosecutor Uses Message-Deleting App — “Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano is using an app called Signal which deletes text messages like Snapchat…Descano is using the Signal app to avoid written communication from being obtained by the public and the press as allowed under the Freedom of Information Act, according to sources close to Descano.” [ABC7]
Hyundai and Kia Vehicles Targeted for Thefts — “On Jan. 14, officers responded to numerous calls for service involving stolen or damaged vehicles in Lorton. The thieves appeared to target Hyundai and Kia vehicles…The increase in calls for service regarding stolen and damaged vehicles is consistent with a pattern seen throughout the county.” [FCPD]
Youngkin Seeks to Require Merit Commendation Notices — “In response to widening concerns about how some northern Virginia school districts handled recognizing student achievements on a standardized test, Gov. Glenn Youngkin called Wednesday for legislation to require student and parental notification about certain scholastic awards.” [Associated Press/WTOP]
Deal Closed on Fairfax City Supportive Housing Site — “We closed on our property at the Hy-Way Motel! It’s the future home of our Permanent Supportive Housing development and we could not be more excited! Over the next few days, you’ll see some changes with the building beginning with a fence around the hotel and demolition in the next couple of months.” [The Lamb Center/Facebook]
Mount Vernon Rec Center Renovation Breaks Ground — “A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, for the expansion and renovation of the Mount Vernon Rec Center in Alexandria, Virginia, one of the county’s oldest and most popular Rec Centers.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]
Local Slug Lines See Drop in Popularity — “Three years into the pandemic, the once-popular slug lines along Interstate 95 are still ailing…On a recent morning, the site of the region’s oldest slug line — Bob’s Slug Line off Old Keene Mill Road in Springfield — was sleepy. Unlike in the old days, there were no lines of passengers waiting and no drivers shouting their destination.” [The Washington Post]
Capital Projects Website Gets Update — The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) has updated its website on capital projects with “a new look and improved functionality.” Changes include a simpler homepage, a central page for all projects, and new search options for finding bids and solicitations. [DPWES]
McLean Community Center Board Election Begins — Petition packets are now available through March 3 for candidates seeking to join the governing board. Candidates must be residents of Small District 1A and obtain 10 signatures endorsing them. There will be three adult seats and two youth seats up for grabs in this year’s election, which will have voting from March 15 through McLean Day on May 20. [MCC]
Mason Neck Park Considers Accessibility Improvements — “At present, there are no accessible paths leading from the parking lot to the play structure or picnic table. Sections of the asphalt trail have buckled from roots growing underneath, and the path’s incline and decline can be challenging for wheelchair users to navigate. Mason Neck Park Manager Lance Elzie is on a mission to change that.” [On the MoVe]
It’s Thursday — Rain until evening. High of 54 and low of 39. Sunrise at 7:25 am and sunset at 5:16 pm. [Weather.gov]
The new Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) budget could signal big changes for local schools, including extended availability of school counselors and new middle school athletics programs.
Superintendent Dr. Michelle C. Reid presented the budget for the 2023-2024 school year at a meeting last Thursday (Jan. 12).
The $3.5 billion budget is a $249.6 million (7.6%) increase over the approved budget for fiscal year 2023, which began July 1, 2022 and ends June 30.
Reid is requesting an additional $159.6 million from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
Part of that cost comes from an increase in employee compensation.
According to a release from FCPS, the budget includes:
- $80.9 million to provide a market scale adjustment of 3.0% for all employees.
- $58.2 million to provide a step increase for all eligible employees.
- $19.9 million to provide a 1.0% retention bonus for employees hired in FCPS during FY 2023 and remaining employed with FCPS in FY 2024.
- $4.3 million to provide a step extension for all scales.
Several members of the school board praised the proposed increase for staff compensation.
Another popular item among school board members is funding to provide middle school spring and fall athletic activities.
“You had me at middle school sports,” said Hunter Mill District representative Melanie Meren. “I think about where I grew up and the sports there, and it’s something that’s so missed here…I know this is a significant ask, but we are going to get an incredible investment. I’m eager to work to make this happen.”
Student representative Michele Togbe said the expansion of high school counseling for students into summer break will be a welcome improvement.
“If I could hug a budget, I would hug this budget,” Togbe said. “With the counselors, I think it’s really cool that we’re expanding their contract and their days.”
Other notable investments in the new budget include:
- Increased access to Pre-K: the budget includes $2 million to provide resources for 10 additional Pre-K classrooms.
- Support for students with disabilities: the budget includes $2 million to be allocated to the Special Education Compensatory Services Fund to address learning loss caused by the pandemic
- Changing student enrollment needs: the budget includes a variety of improvements grouped together as “student enrollment needs,” including paying for increased costs in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs and free and reduced-price meals, totaling around $65.2 million for 679.2 positions
The Fairfax County budget will be presented on Feb. 21, followed by a joint meeting of the school board and Board of Supervisors on Feb. 28. Public meetings will be held in April followed by final adoption on May 9 for the county budget and May 25 for the school budget.
(Updated at 4:50 p.m. on 1/19/2023) A new dual-branded Marriott hotel is coming soon to Reston Town Center, according to a release.
The concept — the first of its kind by the company — would bring a Marriott AC Hotel and Residence Inn to the town center, the Donohoe Companies, Inc. announced today.
“Reston Town Center is the proven premier mixed-use development in Northern Virginia. The growing residential and business population leads the region in balanced growth,” Donohoe Development President Evan Weisman said. “The newly opened Metro Silver Line extension to Dulles Airport will afford our guests easy access to the hotel’s doorstep.”
Located at 1975 Opportunity Way, the project will feature a 120-key Residence Inn and a 147-key “upscale” hotel, connected by a direct pedestrian entrance to the new Reston Town Center Metro Station.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Artemis to close this financing in an extremely challenging capital markets environment,” Robert Donohoe, Donohoe’s chief investment officer, said. “Artemis was able to provide a structure consistent with our business plan while addressing the complications associated with financing a component of a larger development.”
The LEED Silver project will include a shared lobby, a 4,000-square-foot restaurant, an indoor pool and a fitness facility. An upscale rooftop bar and lounge is also planned.
Here’s more from the company on the project:
The project’s 34,000 square feet of street-level retail and restaurant space will be the central gathering place for local offices and residents. The upscale rooftop bar and lounge will be a unique draw with spectacular views of northern Virginia.
Donohoe Development, Donohoe Construction, Donohoe Hospitality, and Complete Building Services worked with Reston Town Center master developer, BXP, to bring this project to life. Donohoe Construction has already commenced construction at the shovel-ready site. Upon completion in late 2024, Donohoe Hospitality will operate the hotels, and Complete Building Services will provide facilities management services.
Donohoe says it has obtained $74.7 million to finance the hotel’s construction with Artemis Real Estate Partners.
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The first Food for Neighbors collection and sorting event of the year got help from a variety of local and regional groups — including the German General Armed Forces Command, an organization that has called Reston home since 1991.
The organization took part in the event at Herndon Middle School — Food for Neighbors’ original collection site — and presented the organization with a donation of more than $4,000 dollars.
The funds will go toward helping fight food insecurity among teens in 37 Northern Virginia schools.
“From the very first moment the German Armed Forces Command USA and Canada moved its office to Reston in April 1991, the soldiers, civilians and all their families felt heartily welcome in this great community. For all of us it is an irrefutable fact that we have found a home away from home,” Colonel Joerg Dronia wrote in a statement.
The organization’s founder and executive director Karen Joseph said the donation reflects the armed forces’ desire to be good neighbors.
“We are one of many organizations that have benefited from their generosity, and we thank them for all that they do to help our most vulnerable community members,” she wrote in a statement.
Sites in Fairfax, Loudoun and Arlington counties sorted over 19,000 pounds of food donations that came from over 1,500 households, according to Food for Neighbors, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing student hunger.
“Fairfax County works very hard to help our most vulnerable population with food insecurity,” Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said. “However, we couldn’t do it without the tremendous efforts of our nonprofit partners such as Food For Neighbors. Congratulations on your success in helping our teens.”
The event was also attended by Town of Herndon Mayor Sheila Olem.
Redistricting is going to make a number of state senate races in Fairfax County very interesting this year.
Just like the House of Delegates, every Virginia State Senate seat is up for election in 2023, and like in the Virginia General Assembly’s other chamber, several primaries may be extremely competitive after the 2021 redistricting process shook up electoral boundaries.
Incumbents that could face off
In the newly-drawn District 35, which covers Annandale, Springfield, and George Mason University, two longtime incumbents could be facing off.
Sen. Dave Marsden had been the senator in District 37 since 2010, but redistricting pushed him and about 31% of his constituents into the new district. He announced his bid for reelection a year ago and has been campaigning ever since, a campaign spokesperson told FFXnow.
“He’s knocked doors in more than half of the precincts of the new SD35, and looks forward to continuing to serve the residents of Fairfax,” the spokesperson said.
Marsden’s potential primary opponent, Sen. Dick Saslaw, has been in the senate since 1999, making him its longest-serving current member. He’s also been the Senate majority leader since the Democrats took control in 2020. While redistricting kept Saslaw in the 35th District, only about one-third of his former constituents remain with him.
There have been persistent rumors that the 82-year-old might retire, but no announcement has been made yet. FFXnow reached out to Saslaw about his 2023 intentions but hasn’t heard back as of publication.
Marsden and Saslaw, if he seeks reelection, would also face newcomer and entrepreneur Heidi Drauschak, who declared her candidacy for the Democratic nomination earlier this month.
The newly-drawn District 38, which includes Herndon, Reston, and McLean, could also pair two Democratic incumbents, including one that also has been rumored to retire.
Sen. Jennifer Boysko first became a senator in 2019 after previously serving in the House of Delegates for two terms. She hasn’t officially announced anything about 2023 and didn’t respond to FFXnow’s request for comment, but said last year that she intends to run again.
However, she may have to run against Sen. Janet Howell in the Democratic primary.
Howell has served in the senate for more than two decades, representing District 32. Her former constituents make up nearly half of the new District 38, but there are also similar rumors about her retiring.
Howell didn’t respond to inquiries from FFXnow.
Boysko told FFXnow when the redistricting maps were announced last January that she holds an enormous amount of respect for Howell, calling her “the dean of the Senate” and a “true pioneer for women in government.”
Whoever wins the Democratic nomination will have to face Republican Matt Lang in the Nov. 7 general election. Lang challenged Del. Ken Plum in 2021 but lost rather handily.
He told FFXnow that he’s running to break the “blue wall” in the senate, focusing on education policy, public safety, transportation issues and financial mismanagement.
Other potential primary battles
Other primaries that are shaping up to be potentially competitive include District 36, which covers Centreville, Chantilly, Clifton, and Fair Oaks.
Stella Pekarsky, who represents the Sully District on Fairfax County’s school board, announced last week that she will challenge for the seat to “stand up” to Governor Glenn Youngkin.
The incumbent is four-term George Barker, though redistricting kept only about 6% of his former constituents in District 36. As a member of the Virginia Redistricting Commission, he came under some fire in 2021 for drawing himself back into a district that, at the time, had no other challengers.
Barker has yet to announce his intentions for 2023. FFXnow has reached out several times but has yet to hear back.
Sen. Adam Ebbin launched his bid for another term earlier this month in District 39, which is mostly in the City of Alexandria but does have about 26,000 Fairfax County residents. He has already picked up a challenger in attorney James Devita, who announced his campaign at a meeting of Arlington Democrats several weeks ago.
DeVita told FFXnow that he’s running because he and Ebbin have “different priorities.” DeVita’s agenda includes decriminalizing drug possession, creating tax credits for electric cars, adding more programs to help those experiencing homelessness, creating jobs, and reducing “extremism” in both parties.
“I have been greatly alarmed by the extremism that currently dominates our political discourse and I want to do whatever I can to protect and preserve our democracy,” he said.
Ebbin told FFXnow he plans to continue to be a “pragmatic, progressive champion for Fairfax in Richmond,” while touting past legislation. This includes legalizing marijuana, reducing illegal evictions, and helping make Virginia the first southern state to ban discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
District 33 is the county’s only district with no incumbent, but the Democratic primary battle is shaping up to be a particularly notable one, with two former state-wide candidates setting their sights on the seat.
Former gubernatorial candidate Jennifer Carrol Foy announced she will seek the nomination a full year ago, while one-time aspiring lieutenant governor Hala Ayala declared in March 2022.
A Republican challenger has also emerged in Mike Van Meter. He told FFXnow that his experience in the military, law enforcement, and at a local hospital’s drug and alcohol detoxification unit would help him in the state senate.
Only about a third of the district is in Fairfax County, centered in Burke, with the rest in Prince William County.
Unopposed, for now
Sen. Chap Petersen announced that he will run again in District 37 back in August, seeking to continue representing Fairfax, Tysons and Vienna and adding Falls Church City, thanks to redistricting.
“I do plan to run for re-election in 2023. I plan to keep my focus where it has been for 20 years: speaking up on behalf of children, the elderly and small businesses,” he told FFXnow last week. “I look forward to presenting that record to the voters.”
He currently doesn’t have an opponent. Neither does Sen. Scott Surovell in District 37, which includes Franconia, Belle Haven, Huntington, Hybla Valley, Lorton, and Mason Neck. Prior to redistricting, he also represented parts of Prince William and Stafford counties, but that’s no longer the case.
“I am excited to be reunited with many of my existing neighbors, former constituents from the 44th Delegate District, my former preschool, elementary school, intermediate school, and high school, and I look forward to working for a district that is more of a community than the current fragmented district,” he told FFXnow. “My life in elected public service began in 2009 when I was first elected to the House of Delegates. Aside from a four-year stint in Arlington after law school, I have lived in Eastern Fairfax County my entire life.”
Surovell has served as state senator since 2015 and was a delegate for three terms prior to that.
Besides the Virginia General Assembly, the entire Board of Supervisors, the school board, and the Commonwealth’s Attorney are on the ballot as well this year.
Photo via Doug Kerr/Flickr
Three Firefighters Injured in Gunston House Fire — Three Fairfax County firefighters received minor injuries while tackling a house fire in the 10900 block of Harley Road on Sunday (Jan. 15). A bystander was also treated for unrelated injuries. Ignited by a floor heater, the fire caused an estimated $123,467 in damages, displacing two residents who were out of town when it occurred. [FCFRD]
Huntington Affordable Housing Now Open — “The Arden, a new seven-story, 126-unit multifamily apartment located a block from the Huntington Metro station at 2317 Huntington Avenue and built by award-winning affordable housing developer Wesley Housing, was officially opened Friday, Jan. 13 with a ribbon cutting, speeches and an open house tour.” [On the MoVe]
FCPS Starts Work on School Year Calendar — At a school board work session yesterday, Fairfax County Public Schools presented four calendar options with different break lengths and end dates for the next school year. All of the options cut down on the number of shortened school weeks compared to the current year. [WTOP]
Herndon Police Investigate Robbery — “The victim reported that in the morning hours of Friday, January 13, 2023, he arrived home and upon exiting his vehicle, he was struck in the back of his head. The suspect then displayed a handgun and demanded the victim’s wallet. The victim complied before the suspect ran off in an unknown direction. The case is under investigation.” [Herndon Police]
Gun Seizures Increase at D.C. Area Airports — “Transportation Security Administration officers caught 89 guns at security checkpoints at the Washington region’s three major airports last year, an increase of about 24 percent compared with a year earlier. Officers seized 35 guns at Baltimore-Washington International Marshall, 29 at Reagan National and 25 at Dulles International, the TSA said.” [The Washington Post]
Park Authority Board Chair to Step Down — “Fairfax County Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie has announced his intention to step down as chairman of the Park Authority Board after 14 years of distinguished leadership of that body. Chairman Bouie, will continue his service on the Park Authority Board representing the Hunter Mill District, a post he has held since 2005.” [FCPA]
Winter Coats Still Needed in Reston — “Thank you to everyone who has donated to #HunterMill and @Cornerstonesva Winter Coat Closet. Hundreds of much needed coats have been distributed so far! There is a need for larger men’s winter jackets, esp. 2x/ 3x. If you can, drop off at my office, 1801 Cameron Glen Dr., Reston” [Walter Alcorn/Twitter]
Langley Mansion Sold to Mystery Buyer — “The game of musical mansion chairs in McLean’s Langley Farms has taken another turn. Kirk Galiani, founder and co-chairman of US Fitness, and his wife, Maria, of Galiani Design Group, sold their home Monday…for $10.8 million.” Per the real estate broker, it’s one of the most expensive residential sales in the D.C. region in at least six months. [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 53 and low of 43. Sunrise at 7:25 am and sunset at 5:14 pm. [Weather.gov]
A tea shop is opening a second location in Herndon.
Mr. Wish, a shop that serves up bubble teas and fruit beverages, plans to open at Herndon Centre (472 Elden Street).
A spokesperson for the company’s first Herndon location at 1242 Elden Street says that the new location is more focused on serving the Reston area.
The current Herndon location has no plans to close or relocate, the company representative told FFXnow. The company didn’t provide a timeline for opening the new cafe.
The business launched in 2006 in Taichung, Taiwan by Mr. Wish in an effort to share “natural and fresh tea beverages to the world,” according to the company’s website.
The men includes winter specials like ginger milk tea, grapefruit green tea, and berries fiber jelly tea.
A neurological disease that’s fatal to deer has been detected in Fairfax County for the first time ever.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) was found in an adult male deer killed by a hunter in the Vienna area this past October, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) reported Friday (Jan. 13).
The department says it confirmed the diagnosis with a sample obtained shortly after the deer was taken to a taxidermist in late October
“At the time of harvest, no outward signs of disease were noted, and the deer appeared to be in good condition,” DWR said in a news release. “Because this is the first CWD-positive detection in Fairfax County, a county bordering Disease Management Area 2 (DMA2), the DWR conducted an extensive forensic investigation to confirm the harvest location of this deer.”
Disease Management Area 2 encompasses Loudoun, Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange, Page, Rappahannock counties, where four instances of the disease — including one in Loudoun County — were detected during the 2021-2022 deer-hunting season.
First detected in Virginia in 2009, CWD is caused by an infectious protein called a prion that get transmitted to deer through saliva, feces, and urine from infected deer as well as through contaminated soil, according to DWR.
It can take months or even over a year after being exposed for infected deer to show symptoms, which include “staggering, abnormal posture, lowered head, drooling, confusion, and marked weight loss,” the department says.
While the disease isn’t known to be infectious or dangerous to humans, pets or livestock, DWR advises all hunters with deer from CWD-positive areas to get them tested and avoid eating meat from animals that test positive.
The department also recommends against transporting deer carcasses or parts with brain or spinal cord tissue from Fairfax County to an area where CWD hasn’t been detected before. Deer parts should be put in double bags and disposed of in a landfill or a trash bin, where they can be collected.
The state says it won’t make any regulatory changes in response to the CWD detection in Fairfax County until after the current hunting season, but drop sites where deer heads can be taken for CWD testing will be added before the next season. Right now, the closest options are in Loudoun.
Though deer-hunting season is mostly over in Virginia, Fairfax County is one of several localities included in the state’s urban archery program, which restricts hunters to deer without antlers and lasts through March 26.
In an effort to manage local deer populations, Fairfax County is allowing hunting with bows and arrows at over 100 parks in its 2022-2023 archery season, which runs through Feb. 18. Testing for CWD has been conducted throughout the county in recent years as part of its deer management program.
“Since the 2019-2020 season, over 750 deer have been tested, with this being the only detection to date in the county,” DWR said.
The Fairfax County Police Department’s wildlife management staff, which has been assisting with CWD surveillance efforts since 2019, will work with DWR to “determine any new rules or regulatory changes that will occur.” It will also help identify testing options for hunters participating in the county archery program or on private property.
This has evidently been a year for new diseases in local nature. Last week, the county announced that beech leaf disease has been found in three parks, putting one of the area’s most common tree species at risk.
The atmosphere of the recently opened Reston Town Center Metro station will get a boost with artwork planned for this year.
Artist George Bates is working on artwork inspired by Reston’s founder Bob Simon and the statement “You can’t have a Utopia of one.”
The artwork, titled “Ethos,” is made of ceramic grit printed on safety-glass art panels.
Areas near the entrances of the stations at Ashburn and RTC will be replaced with glass art panels with images inspired by the communities around the station and poetry by local poets, according to Sherri Ly, a spokesperson for Metro.
Here’s more from Metro on the artwork:
The artwork is multifaceted and thought of as a dialogue in which everyone can participate. Bates’ design for the station can be seen as referencing artistic movements and philosophies such as Brutalism, Modernism, Wabi-Sabi, and Universal Constructivism, or as an echo of the biophilic character of Reston’s history of natural and environmental integration, growth, and togetherness. It may also be experienced as a representation of emotional delight, as the “Play” from the “Live, Work, Play” maxim of Reston’s founding vision. Ultimately, it’s about the past, present, future, enduring ideas, and histories that transcend time.
Bates has created 10 large-scale public artworks in the U.S. and several more are in progress. His work focuses on exploring the plastic nature of systems, communities, complexities, and the reality of society in relation to art.
“Both Reston Town Center and Ashburn have similar concepts,” Ly wrote in a statement to FFXnow.
Metro expects to install the artwork in the summer, she said.
The art was commissioned by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority through its Art in Transit initiative.
Four of the six new stations in phase two of the Silver Line — Herndon, Innovation Center, Washington-Dulles International Airport, and Loudoun Gateway — all have new artwork.
Several other stations also have artwork. A temporary installation called “Community in Motion” at the Tenleytown station brings a mix of color to construction barricades. It’s designed by artist Tamao Nakayama.
Loose Dog Caught on Beltway Near Alexandria — “#VSP received a call Saturday evening (1/14/23) for a dog running loose on I-495 at Eisenhower Ave in Fairfax Co. Thx to an alert motorist, troopers were able to get an exact location & rescue this sweet daredevil. He made himself right at home in the warmth of Trooper S. Barden’s patrol car, as the troopers waited for Fairfax County Animal Control to arrive on scene.” [Virginia State Police/Facebook]
Ex-Police Chief Accused in Sex Trafficking Lawsuit — “Testifying under the pseudonym ‘Jane Doe’ in an explosive civil trial in Alexandria, Va., the woman claimed that now former Fairfax County police chief Edwin C. Roessler, captain James Baumstark and officers Michael O. Barbazette and Jason J. Mardocco violated federal law by obstructing efforts to investigate and prosecute a madam named Hazel Sanchez” [The Washington Post]
Reward Offered for Unsolved Springfield Murders — “The FBI Washington Field Office, along with our partners from the Fairfax County Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the 1998 murders of Sherry Ann Culp and her unborn child, Kelsey, in Springfield” [FBI]
New Route 1 Bus Station Names Proposed — “At the upcoming Jan. 17 meeting of the Richmond Highway BRT Executive Committee, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) plans to propose name changes for several future BRT stations — including a few that were not among the original three potential renamings discussed …at an open house last October.” [On the MoVe]
Virginia Offers Incentives for FBI HQ — “A key Virginia legislative commission in November quietly approved an incentive package worth more than $10 million for the FBI headquarters project, to be awarded if the federal government chooses Springfield for the agency’s new home.” The package likely involves capital investments such as traffic improvements, not cash. [Washington Business Journal]
Halal Gyro Eatery Nears Opening in Mount Vernon — “Shah’s Halal Food, a New York-based food company that operates restaurants and food trucks and carts throughout the northeastern United States, is opening a restaurant at a small retail plaza at Russell Road and Richmond Highway…The restaurant [is] tentatively scheduled to open within the next week according to franchise manager Atiq Bahrami” [On the MoVe]
Tysons REI Building Changes Hands — “A building occupied by outdoorsy retailer Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) has traded hands in Tysons, Va. Qualified Opportunity Fund LLC has sold 8209 Watson Street, a 32,857-square-foot stand-alone retail building, to an unnamed institutional buyer from Dallas for $20.4 million.” [Commercial Observer]
Cub Run Rec Center Gets New Pool Playground — “Splash in the zero-depth entry and in-water playground offering slides, water jets, cannons and sprays. Older swimmers can slide into fun on either a 30-foot-high slide that exits the building in an enclosed tube or a 20-foot-high slide with an open tube, float in the current channel (lazy river) or spin around in the water vortex.” [FCPA/Facebook]
McLean Chocolate Festival Coming This Month — “The Rotary Club of McLean welcomes the public to attend the 11th annual McLean Chocolate Festival, to be held on Jan. 29 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the McLean Community Center. The event, a fund-raiser for the club, will let attendees taste the sweet offerings of area chocolatiers and enjoy family fun.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Tuesday — Light rain in the morning and afternoon. High of 50 and low of 36. Sunrise at 7:26 am and sunset at 5:13 pm. [Weather.gov]
Camp Sunshine’s 15th polar dip — Freezin’ for a Reason — will return to Reston’s Lake Anne Plaza on Feb. 11 for a final hurrah.
Beginning at noon, spectators will gather to watch registered participants plunge into the lake — or take a “chicken dip” with just toes — to raise funds for Camp Sunshine, a nonprofit that organizes retreats for families who have kids with life-threatening illnesses.
“The Virginia Polar Dip has a unique aspect that adds to the fun,” Gail Toth, event founder and organizer, said. “We have a one-hour succession of splashes that brings plenty of cheers and laughter from the crowd of spectators.”
The event is the final dip after Toth and the team anticipate reaching their fundraising goal. Organizers hope to raise $100,000 for the charity in an effort to reach a $1 million target set when the event began in 2008.
Online event registration is open. On-site registration begins at noon on the day of the event, followed by the beginning of the polar dip at 2 p.m.
The fundraising model encourages registered participants to raise or donate a minimum of $100 to plunge into the frigid waters of the lake. Participants receive an event t-shirt.
The event was started by the Toth family, who took part in Camp Sunshine in 1996 when their 3-year-old daughter was a cancer patient. The family brought the event to Virginia to support other local families after they took part in a dip in New Jersey.
The inaugural Virginia event in 2008 brought 2,199 dippers to the lake.
Event organizers note that Reston Association does not maintain the lake for swimming standards. Typically, swimming is not allowed in Lake Anne.
Updated at 5:10 p.m. — Patrick Aylas, the suspect in Thursday’s alleged arson incident, has been taken into custody, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department says.
Earlier: Local police are looking for a Reston man wanted in connection with a Thursday morning fire on Shadbush Court.
Patrick Aylas, 54, is wanted in connection with the ongoing arson investigation.
Fire crews arrived on the 11500 block of Shadbush Court at around 4:15 a.m. yesterday to find a single-family home fully engulfed in flames, according to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.
Fire investigators quickly determined the cause of the fire was arson. No injuries were reported.
According to authorities, the police department is “actively searching” for the man.
“Call 911 with info and do not approach,” the department tweeted.
WANTED: 54yo Patrick Aylas is wanted for arson related to a house fire that occurred this morning in the 11500 blk of Shadbush Ct, Reston. @FairfaxCountyPD officers are actively searching for him. Call 911 w/ info and do not approach. pic.twitter.com/RQxENsNyHx
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) January 12, 2023
At 4:15 a.m. today (1/12), units were dispatched for a house fire in the 11000 block of Shadbush Court in Reston. Units arrived to find a single-family home fully involved in fire. No reported injuries at this time. Fire Investigators on scene to determine cause. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/WldBgLwhO7
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) January 12, 2023
Sheriff’s Office Warns of Scam — “A man claiming to be a Sheriff’s deputy named Lt. Myles is calling community members saying he is collecting fines related to charges against them. This is a scam! The Sheriff’s Office will never call you asking for money. You may report scam calls to the police non-emergency number, 703-691-2131.” [Hunter Mill District News]
Person Pulled Out of Crashed Vehicle — “Thursday afternoon, units were dispatched for a vehicle crash w/a person trapped at Westfields Blvd and Stonecroft Blvd. Rescue Squad 421, Fair Oaks, worked diligently to extricate the patient. Two people were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Demolitions Loom for Richmond Higway Buildings — “Seven of the properties were acquired by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in preparation for the Richmond Highway Corridor Improvements project…The sites anticipated for demolition include a couple of residential buildings and a former convenience store, service station, pet boarding business and auto clinic.” [On the MoVe]
Possible Metro Fare Hike Would Hit Suburbs Hardest — “Transit officials have said the fare increase is modest, with riders seeing a 5 percent hike, on average. But for those who travel the farthest, the increase could add more than $2.50 to a ride, depending on the time of day.” [The Washington Post]
Local Man Arrested for Alexandria Burglary — “A 24-year-old Fairfax County man faces assault and battery charges after allegedly breaking into an apartment near Fort Ward early Monday morning, according to Alexandria Police…The suspect allegedly breached the apartment and assaulted the victim, who did not go to the hospital.” [ALXnow]
Proposed Bill Would Count Fetus as Person for HOV Lanes — “A Virginia bill would deem a pregnant person’s fetus a passenger in a car, thereby allowing the vehicle to use the car pool lane on highways. Reproductive rights activists say the legislation amounts to a thinly veiled attempt by anti-abortion Republican lawmakers to further curtail abortion rights” [NBC News]
Big Tysons Developments Expected This Year — “The Washington, D.C., area may be seeing a slowdown in new construction starts, especially in the office sector, but a series of large-scale developments are slated to reach completion this year.” Those include Capital One’s third office building at its Tysons headquarters campus and Skanska’s Heming apartment high-rise in Scotts Run. [Bisnow]
Park Authority Starts Esports Club — “Do your kids and teens ages 11-17 love to play video games online? The Fairfax County Park Authority is helping to get young gamers off the couch, out of the house and into the community with the new Esports Club at Audrey Moore Rec Center. Drop-in sessions are offered on Friday evenings, Jan. 20 to Feb. 24, 2023 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.” [FCPA]
Fairfax County Dominates Best Korean BBQ List — Washingtonian has a list of the best Korean barbecue joints in the D.C. area, and all of them can be found within Fairfax County limits, though one entry (Meokja Meokja) is in Fairfax City. [Washingtonian]
Frying Pan Park Hosts MLK Service Day — “Introduce your young ones to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day as we gather at the Frying Pan Farm Park Visitor Center to learn about Martin Luther King Jr. and the importance of giving back to our community…The program runs from 10:30 to 11:30 am.” [FCPA]
It’s Friday — Light rain in the morning. High of 63 and low of 40. Sunrise at 7:27 am and sunset at 5:09 pm. [Weather.gov]
