With the Herndon Metro Station now fully operational, the Town of Herndon is positioning itself to chart the future of a 94-acre area surrounding the station.
The town is working with a five-firm consultant team to determine how that transit-related growth area (TRG) could change in the coming years. The outcome includes a TRG study that will provide long-term visioning for the town.
Most recently, the town and consultant team are courting public feedback on the future of development in that area. The 10-minute survey asks a series of questions on what new activities and buildings respondents would like to see within the TRG area.
Anne Curtis, a spokesperson for the town, told FFXnow that information from the survey will guide the teams’ work as they develop future visions for redevelopment. Right now, the area is mostly composed of low-rise office buildings and surface parking lots.
“All factors are being considered including public input, information from the current property owners, input from the Town Council, Advisory Committee, Architectural Review Board, Planning Commission and work by the consultants including existing site analysis, infrastructure capacity, roadway capacity and traffic generation, and real estate market analysis,” Curtis wrote in a statement.
The study includes several firms, which are led by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
The town expects the visioning process to continue through the late winter and early spring, with additional opportunities for input, Curtis said.
An exact project timeline was not immediately available, but the town does intend to develop the plan — which started in the spring of this year — within 18 months.
The study comes at the request of property owners within the TRG, who agreed in 2021 to pay up to $500,000 for a consultant to develop a small area plan that will provide a conceptual vision for future development. The Herndon Town Council approved the agreement in October of 2021.
This is not the first plan to address development near the Herndon Metro Station — a planning process that has been ongoing for decades.
For example, in 2008, the town moved to switch its comprehensive plan’s land use classification for non-residential areas around the station from service and industry-oriented uses to a more mixed-use, transit-oriented focus.
FBI HQ Search Almost Holds Up Bill to Fund Federal Government — “The biggest hold-up to releasing the text on Monday came, instead, from a dispute among Democrats…related to the location of the FBIs new headquarters.” Senators clashed over whether to add language that would favor Maryland in the site selection process or to stick with guidelines that would give Virginia an edge. [Politico]
Sushi Takeout Coming to Inova — Hissho Sushi Inc. “will launch five franchise locations at Inova Health System hospitals, including Inova Fairfax Hospital, where it applied in November to open a carryout only location serving more than 100 prepared meals a day, according to Fairfax County permit data. The first of the five is set to open next month at Inova’s Gallows Road campus” [Washington Business Journal]
Turnout Low in 35th District Race — “Turnout has been low during the early voting period in Fairfax County, Virginia, as voters choose a candidate to replace Mark Keam, the longtime Democratic state delegate who resigned in September…Early voting started Nov. 23; Election Day is Jan. 10.” [WTOP]
Fundraiser Helps Daycare Director After Fort Belvoir Area Crash — “Gianna Grizmala, the director at the Northern Virginia Academy of Early Learning in Landsdown was the recent recipient of a new car after hers was totaled by a driver running a red light near the intersection of Telegraph Road and Beulah Street in Virginia, courtesy of a GoFundMe campaign that was launched on her behalf.” [Daily Voice]
Sheriff Who Died From Covid Gets Mortgage Paid Off — “The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has fully paid off the mortgage on the home of fallen Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Frederick Henry Cameron Jr. as part of its annual Season of Hope Campaign. Sgt. ‘Butch’ Cameron died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 while on duty at the Fairfax County Judicial Center.” [WUSA9]
Local Students Graduate From Public Health Program — “The Fairfax County Health Department, together with Edu-Futuro and Stronger2, honored 14 Fairfax County high school students as the inaugural graduates of the Public Health Youth Ambassador Program. The educational and empowerment program connects local high school students from communities of color with public health careers.” [FCHD]
Weigh in on Use of Covid Relief Funds for Homeless Services — The Consolidated Community Funding Advisory Committee (CCFAC) will hold a virtual public hearing on Jan. 10, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. to get input on Fairfax County’s proposed HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME)-American Rescue Plan (ARP) allocation plan. The county got $7.88 million “from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to address homelessness assistance and supportive services.” [Housing and Community Development]
It’s Wednesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 41 and low of 28. Sunrise at 7:25 am and sunset at 4:51 pm. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County is poised to halve Fairfax Connector fares for low-income riders, beginning in February, through a pilot program.
The Transit Ridership Incentive Program (TRIP) is a state grant initiative that aims to increase transit ridership. Reduced fares would only apply to individuals whose annual income is at or below 225% of the federal poverty level by household size. That would put the eligibility cap around $29,000 for an individual or $59,625 for a family of four.
The state awarded the county roughly $5.5 million for a three-year pilot program, which includes a county share of $4.2 million.
But at a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ transportation committee meeting last week, staff and board members concurred that permanently cutting fares for the bus system was not a financially prudent decision and could impact quality of service.
Instead, staff recommended continuing the county’s existing free fare programs, including free student bus passes and reduced fares for seniors and passengers with disabilities. Other programs include free transfers to and from WMATA bus and rail service and free rides for children under 4.
Staff also recommended expanding free fare to children between ages 5 and 11 with a paying adult.
Board Chairman Jeff McKay said that he supported the recommendation.
“I do think if we were to go full fare free, I am worried out about our capacity issues to be able to accommodate and degradation of service that may come as a result of that,” he said.
However, he said he was concerned that only up to two children could be eligible for free fares when traveling with a parent or guardian, asking the county to examine removing that cap.
Fairfax County Director of Transportation Tom Biesadny said his department would gladly look into the issue — which has remain untouched since the service began.
Bus fare reductions and eliminations have gained momentum in the D.C. region, as local leaders look to encourage the use of transit after ridership tumbled due to the pandemic. D.C. will waive Metrobus fares starting July 1, and Alexandria’s DASH system has been fare-free since fall 2021, though the operating costs may not be sustainable long-term.
John Zarbo of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation noted that while free fares would provide equitable access, increase ridership and cut fare collection cost, the possible repercussions were more severe.
Consequences include the loss of roughly $9 million in yearly ridership revenue, an increase in non-destination riders that could lead to security issues, and possible Title VI civil rights concerns on the impact of free fares to non-economically disadvantaged riders.
Staff also noted that the county would lose data specific to riders or fare categories because of the lack of a fare box, and the program could result in an inequitable benefit to county riders with only Metrobus options.
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said she hopes the county will continue to find ways to invest in the program.
“We’re building lifelong riders,” she said.
A new vision for the future of the Lake Anne area in Reston is brewing.
Fairfax County has hired the consulting firm Streetsense to lead the visioning effort. Beginning next month, the team will launch an initial immersion and discovery phase, followed by a significant community engagement process, according to Tracy Strunk, director of the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development.
“A final report will identify a strategic position for the area within the competitive landscape, and guide future developments, including branding, marketing, design, and merchandizing, that create a market-relevant consumer experience,” Strunk said.
The four-month study will cost roughly $125,250.
The report will target the Lake Anne Commercial Revitalization Area in an effort to create a market approach with the interests of area stakeholders. The 44-acre area was established in 1998.
At a meeting with media yesterday (Monday), Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn emphasized that the “economic visioning study” will begin with conversations with “various stakeholders.”
Earlier this year, the county approved $300,000 in county funds to help develop a revitalization plan for the area.
In a Jan. 10 letter to Lake Anne residents, Alcorn said the funding would be used for economic envisioning and master planning in order to “support the long-term sustainable development planning for Lake Anne.”
A cursory review of the plaza flagged nearly $37 million in repairs for the aging area.
When Fairfax County Public Schools resumes classes in January, students and staff may once again be required to wear face masks — but only around students with disabilities who request the accommodation.
Virginia settled a lawsuit last week with parents of 12 immunocompromised students who argued that the end of Covid-related face mask requirements in schools violated their right to a free, appropriate public education.
As part of the settlement, the state agreed that, if requested by a parent, schools must allow “some amount of required masking as a reasonable modification” under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Virginia Department of Education was directed to send guidance on “peer masking” to the schools attended by students in the lawsuit, including Stenwood Elementary School in Dunn Loring.
“The health and well-being of our students and staff remain a top priority. FCPS is aware of this settlement and is currently assessing how it impacts operations,” FCPS said in a statement.
The settlement only directly applies to the specific schools attended by the plaintiffs’ kids, who have asthma, cystic fibrosis and other conditions that put them at high risk of getting severely sick if they contract COVID-19.
However, when announcing the settlement on Dec. 12, the ACLU of Virginia — one of several organizations representing the parents — expressed hope that it will signal to other schools that they should consider requiring masks when needed for students with disabilities as well.
“We’re hopeful that every school in Virginia will view this settlement as a sign that they should make similar accommodations for their students, even if they are not part of the case,” ACLU of Virginia Legal Director Eden Heilman said.
The complaint was filed in federal court in Charlottesville on Feb. 1, shortly after Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s executive order making masks optional in schools took effect.
FCPS and six other school districts sued Youngkin in an effort to block the order, arguing that universal masking was still necessary as the country was just starting to exit the biggest surge in COVID-19 cases of the pandemic.
That lawsuit was rendered moot once a bill requiring schools to allow parents to opt their kids out of wearing a mask became law on Feb. 16. FCPS made masks optional on March 1, though the school board filed a brief supporting the families who sued.
Acknowledging an initial court ruling from March, the settlement says the state law and executive order don’t prohibit schools from considering and fulfilling mask requirement requests to accommodate students with disabilities.
Under the agreement, schools are expected to look at alternatives, such as ventilation improvements or social distancing, before requiring masks. They must also “take every reasonable step” to ensure a student whose parents don’t want them to wear a mask doesn’t have to.
The settlement also required the state to pay $295,000 to cover the suing parents’ legal fees.
“This settlement is a step toward righting a wrong,” Tasha Nelson, one of the parents, said. “Children like mine should not be told they cannot participate safely in school or that they have to be segregated. They have a right to the same education as every other child. As adults, it’s our responsibility to make sure that we include everyone in our decisions and come up with solutions that provide equity in school.”
While Covid cases haven’t gotten close to last winter’s levels, they have been climbing over the past few weeks, with the Fairfax Health District averaging 260.3 cases per day for the preceding week, as of yesterday (Monday).
FCPS has reported a total of 5,969 cases among students and staff since this school year began on Aug. 22 — exceeding the 3,669 cases seen over the same time frame in 2021. Students are now on winter break until Jan. 3.
Photo via Mika Baumeister/Unsplash
Deli Italiano has officially opened its doors to the public in the Town of Herndon (700 Lynn Street) after a grand opening ceremony earlier this month.
The pizza chain held a grand opening on Dec. 8, alongside a ribbon-cutting with Midtown Jewelers, a Reston-based business that moved to the town earlier this year. A soft opening took place earlier this season.
“We are appreciative of the support from the community of Herndon. The store has been doing well over the past two weeks. We’d love to see more people in store as well as more deliveries. We’re looking to let people know we deliver all over Herndon,” Bianka Moskaitis, a representative for the company, wrote in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Reston location is still undergoing renovations. Located at 1631 Washington Plaza, that spot plans to open at Lake Anne Plaza in early 2023.
Deli Italiano serves a variety of salads, sandwiches, pizzas, subs, pastas, and calzones. The menu is available online. It has other locations in Leesburg, Sterling, Great Falls, Arlington and Burke.
Explosion Reported at Navy Federal Building in Vienna — “Units responded 800 blk of Follins Ln SE, Vienna for reports of an explosion. A mechanical issue w/ fire protection system resulted in buildup of pressure causing moderate damage to several floors. No injuries.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
County Library Sees More than 10 Million Book Checkouts — “For the seventh year in a row, Fairfax County Public Library has ranked among a handful of public libraries with more than 2 million digital checkouts for the year, and the library is on track to record just over 10 million loans overall for 2022. But what do those loans look like?” [FCPL]
Dead Man Found in Fairfax Portable Toilet — “The body of a deceased man was found early Saturday morning in a portable toilet behind the Sherwin-Williams and CVS in the Westfair Shopping Center, a City of Fairfax Police spokeswoman confirmed on Monday.” Police said no foul play was suspected. [Patch]
Brace for Coldest Christmas in Decades — “An explosive storm system is slated to develop in the Washington area late in the workweek, bringing a combination of wind and cold to create the coldest Christmas holiday in several decades…The Washington area is primarily in the warm sector of the storm, which will limit wintry weather but mean plenty of rain.” [The Washington Post]
Woodlawn Is Getting a Dunkin’ Donuts — “Construction has begun on a next-generation Dunkin’ restaurant at Woodlawn Shopping Center. Slated to open in the first quarter of 2023, the establishment will feature several new features and technologies designed to improve the customer experience, according to a Dunkin’ spokesperson.” [On the MoVe]
Local Giant Pharmacies Offer Flu Testing — Giant Food now has on-site testing for the flu and strep throat, available to people 3 and older, at its pharmacies in Springfield and Reston. The chain said “it is the first grocery retail pharmacy in the region to offer flu and strep throat testing to customers.” [Patch]
Virginia Could Look at NFL Stadium Again — “The Washington Commanders may yet be welcome in Virginia, as Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has proposed spending $500,000 to study ways to encourage the NFL franchise to build a stadium in the state after lawmakers rebuffed the team earlier this year.” [The Washington Post]
Top Oakton Student Athlete’s Number Retired — “One of the most well-known athletes in the history of the Flint Hill School was at the Oakton campus Dec. 16…A 1987 graduate of the private high school, now-Atlanta resident Dennis Scott returned for a ceremony to retire his basketball jersey No. 24 for a second time.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Tuesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 39 and low of 27. Sunrise at 7:24 am and sunset at 4:51 pm. [Weather.gov]
As part of the nearly 485,000-square-foot development, roughly 1.7 acres of urban park area is proposed. Possible uses include a playground, athletic turf activity areas, lawn space, seating and exercise areas, according to the application.
‘The Proposed Development represents a significant opportunity to provide for the redevelopment of outdated, under-utilized office buildings with much-needed housing opportunities near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station,” the applicant states.
Upgrades to Glade Pool (11550 Glade Drive) officially begin today.
Planned improvements include partially replacing the concrete deck, repairing the spa jet and chipping out the main pool for tiling and coping.
In a statement, Reston Association Director of Communications and Marketing Mike Leone said that the work should wrap up by May 1 — just in time for the 2023 summer pool season.
“Nothing is changing physically at this pool. RA is doing repair work to the Glade Pool like the work done at Ridge Heights pool earlier this year,” Leone wrote.
Work will only be conduced on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Leone added that noise levels may be “moderate to loud” during the chip-out phase and will lower once the work is completed.
RA is currently working on a large-scale renovation of Lake Thoreau’s aquatics facility. A project for Shadowood Pool is in the design phase. Final conceptual and construction documents are being preparing by engineers, according to RA’s website.
Construction for the Glade Pool refurbishments, including partial concrete deck replacement, spa jet repairs, and main pool chip out/tile/coping, will begin on December 19. Work will continue for the following two to three months. pic.twitter.com/QjTXpt1ZsU
— Reston Association (@RestonOnline) December 14, 2022
Tysons Arrest Leads to Retail Theft Ring Bust — “With some great information from our partners at Nordstrom and Bloomingdales, officers assigned to our Tysons Urban Team were able to make apprehension. At the time of the arrest, the woman had a booster bag containing over $3,700 in stolen sunglasses…The group is linked to prior thefts over the previous several days of over $25,000 in merchandise in the DC Metropolitan area.” [FCPD/Facebook]
Possible Shots Fired in Herndon — “Town of Herndon Police responded early Thursday afternoon for the report of possible shots being fired in the 300 block of Elden Street, according to a 1:17 p.m. post to the department’s official Twitter account. Police reported that one subject was detained at the scene and there were no victims.” [Patch]
Fast-Casual Health Food Restaurant Gets Fairfax Ribbon-Cutting — “Fairfax City is Roots Natural Kitchen’s 12th location, which was chosen due to its proximity to George Mason University and access to the larger Washington, D.C. area, according to Caballero…Although Friday was the official ribbon-cutting, the restaurant has been open for about two weeks.” [Patch]
Belle Haven House Goes All Out on Christmas Decor — “Over 250,000 lights. Three hundred plastic blow molds. Twelve fully decorated artificial Christmas trees. More than 100 inflatable holiday decorations ranging in size from 2 feet to 15 feet…That’s what it takes for Kurt Farmer to transform his Alexandria home into Farmer’s Christmas House.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Some Social Media Apps Banned for State Employees — “Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin banned the use of TikTok, WeChat and other ‘Chinese-owned mobile phone applications and websites on state government technology’ on Friday. The ban applies to all executive offices and executive branch agencies.” [NBC4]
Author Discusses Opioid Epidemic in Tysons — “[Beth] Macy spoke on Tuesday night at a book signing event hosted by Bards Alley Bookshop at 1st Stage theater in Tysons. Macy’s newest book is Raising Lazarus, a sequel to her 2018 book, Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company That Addicted America, on which a Hulu limited series is based.” [Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office]
Anti-Drunk Driving Initiative Launches — “The Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s SoberRide initiative is now in operation for the holiday season, and will remain available through Jan. 1. The effort teams with Lyft to provide free rides home to those who may have had too much to drink during the holiday season. It will be operational nightly from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.” [Sun Gazette/Inside NoVA]
Local Volunteers Honored by County — “Fairfax County recently announced the winners of its 2022 Environmental Excellence Awards, and both honorees in the ‘Individual County Resident’ category are from around the Richmond Highway corridor.” The honorees were a longtime Hollin Hills Civic Association chair and a senior student at West Potomac High School. [On the MoVe]
It’s Monday — Clear throughout the day. High of 37 and low of 27. Sunrise at 7:24 am and sunset at 4:50 pm. [Weather.gov]
Marco’s Pizza — a pizza chain that has 1,100 stores across the country and the Bahamas — is expected to add a location in the Reston and Herndon area next year.
In an announcement on Wednesday (Dec. 14), the company said it plans to open nine total stores in Virginia.
First in line was a location at 46515 Harry Byrd Highway in Sterling, which recently opened. In addition to that site, franchisee Michael Ghanem is in the early stages of selecting locations in Herndon, Reston, Leesburg, Arlington, Alexandra and Mount Vernon.
“When we began our search for viable franchise opportunities, we were looking for one key factor in particular — the potential for growth,” Ghanem said. “Marco’s growth journey has been nothing short of remarkable and seeing the untapped potential in Northern Virginia, we knew it was an opportune time to join the brand and grow our portfolio.”
The company did not respond to a request for comment on the exact location of the Reston store by press time. It’s expected to open in the first quarter of 2023.
Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, the business was founded by Italian-born Pasquale Giammarco in 1978. Items on the menu include pizzas, pizza bowls, subs, and salads.
When new development comes up for review in Fairfax County, one of the first questions often asked is “how will this impact vehicle traffic?”
A proposed shift in Fairfax County’s analysis could change that and put more emphasis on alternative modes of transportation.
A new approach cagily named “Additional Measures of Effectiveness” could rework the way the county evaluates the transportation piece of new development. The bottom line could be less emphasis on car traffic and more on infrastructure for bicycles, buses, pedestrians and more.
“Measures of effectiveness are quantitative measures that gauge performance of some level of effectiveness in transportation planning,” Gregg Steverson, deputy director of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, told the Board of Supervisors’ transportation committee on Tuesday (Dec. 13).
Currently, the county mainly measures the level of service — how much traffic roadways can support — and the amount of vehicle delay and queuing expected. But Steverson said that focus keeps cars at the forefront of transportation development.
“Our roadway and network changes get codified in terms of ‘what will this do to traffic’ instead of ‘how will this impact bike usage’ or ‘what’s our access to transit going to be’ or ‘do pedestrians feel safe walking here,’” Steverson said. “As such, a lot of our recommendations center on road widening, which, in activity centers, means widening them beyond what is necessary given the multi-modal area.”
Steverson said if the county wants to become more multimodal and make bus, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic as viable as cars, it needs to update its measures of effectiveness to match that. That could mean transportation analyses for new developments specifically for pedestrians, bicycles and transit.
“We’re looking to have analysis be just as multimodal in nature as our county is striving to be,” Steverson said. “This is not a change in policy. This is a strategy to take those existing policies and develop an analysis to mirror those policies.”
This shift wouldn’t apply universally. The presentation noted that the county is broken up into “tiers” of similar land uses, with different modes of transportation emphasized in different areas. For example, the type of bicycle and transit-focused development might be more heavily emphasized in Tysons’ urban environment, but not as much in low-density, residential neighborhoods.
The revision is still in its formative stages, with more meetings and presentations scheduled throughout the first half of 2023. Steverson said staff still has to talk to the Virginia Department of Transportation to get “buy-in” on the idea and do outreach to advocacy and citizen groups.
Steverson said staff also has to sort through what the right amount of measurements are, saying that adding too many variables could overburden developers and overcomplicate the county’s development process.
While there are still significant details to be ironed out, the transportation committee expressed enthusiasm for the idea.
“I think we definitely need to be moving on this,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said. “This has come up in a number of different forums over the last few years: the need for other measures of effectiveness for the transportation system. I do encourage staff to continue thinking more about where various other measures of effectiveness would be appropriate and what those might be.”
In a twist to the free little libraries concept, a new Free Little Art Gallery (FLAG) is open for all at the Cathy Hudgins Community Center (CHCC) at Southgate in Reston.
Modeled after give-a-book, take-a-book approach of Free Little Libraries, the galleries feature art contributed by community members that can be taken. The structure is composed of a miniature cabinet on stands. It’s the first FLAG gifted by a civic organization.
Christine Hodgson, director of CHCCS, said the project serves the center’s goal of creating a welcoming, inclusive environment.
“We believe in empowering our community and our hope is that this FLAG will provide an opportunity for our community members to connect and engage with their inner artist, the center, and the community,” she said.
Reston-based nonprofit organization Public Art Reston and Reston Association are responsible for the oversight of the FLAG. Public Art Reston will share photos of the community’s artwork on Instagram.
The FLAG concept kicked off when artist Stacy Milrany built and installed a library in December 2020 in Seattle, Washington. The project is intended to foster cultural enrichment.
Reston’s first FLAG was installed in December 2021 at the Waterview Cluster. Resident Sue Johnson, who led that effort, promoted the project at Public Art Reston activity tables.
Public Art Reston board member Amanda Scarangella offered financial support for the project through another nonprofit organization where she volunteers.
She built the mini gallery with her partner John Dean.
‘The FLAG will serve as a beacon of public art inspiring artists of all ages and skill levels to engage with their fellow community members in a positive manner,” Scarangella wrote in a statement. “The FLAG will create a safe, accessible, and equitable space for all to enjoy the benefits — educational, social, developmental, community-building, and more — of public art.”
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano is gearing up for what may be the most heated local election race in 2023.
The first-term chief prosecutor, who defeated a longtime incumbent in 2019 on the strength of a progressive platform, is planning to seek reelection next year, a representative for Descano confirmed to FFXnow.
An official announcement is expected to come soon, another spokesperson said.
Over the last three years, Descano has championed reform policies including a diversion program for those who commit non-violent crimes, increased transparency of bond hearing data, and an end to cash bail.
Like Arlington’s Parisa Dehghani-Tafti and Loudoun’s Buta Biberaj, who were also elected in 2019 as reform advocates, Descano has been accused of being “soft on crime” and mishandling certain cases, with those involving sexual violence receiving particular scrutiny. He was also the focus of two recall campaigns last year.
In a statement to FFXnow, Descano touts his record as a “progressive” who has helped the county become “the safest jurisdiction of its size anywhere in the country, saying he’s been “encouraged by many over the last year to continue this work.”
I plan on making an announcement soon regarding the 2023 election. Since first being elected in 2019 I have worked each day to deliver safety and justice for our community. I’m proud of what we have accomplished, delivering progressive criminal justice reform including investments in “next generation” diversion programs, increased use of Veterans Treatment and Mental Health dockets, creating a Red Flag Law team aimed at getting guns out of someone’s hands who poses a danger, and leading a more transparent office by the launch of a public Data Dashboard on our work.
These and other reforms have helped deliver a justice system led by our values all while making Fairfax County the safest jurisdiction of its size anywhere in the country. I have been encouraged by many over the last year to continue this work. I am grateful for that encouragement and also for the widespread community support that has resulted in us having over $100,000 in campaign funds on hand one full year prior to the next election. This shows the strength and breadth of the support from those that want to keep Fairfax County’s justice system moving forward.
Four years ago, Decano was part of a wave of Northern Virginia progressive prosecutors to be elected as their localities’ top law enforcement officer.
In Arlington, Dehghani-Tafti launched her reelection campaign late last month. Biberaj hasn’t yet declared her intentions for next year.
Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid is also planning to run for reelection in 2023, she told FFXnow by email, though she didn’t elaborate on her reasoning.
Kincaid was first elected in 2013 in a special election, becoming the first woman to lead the office in its nearly three centuries of existence. She was reelected in 2015 and 2019, so this will be her fourth time running.
While the commonwealth’s attorney and sheriff often work together on cases, a disputed incident last year suggested some friction between the two offices.
A Sept. 28, 2021 incident report from the sheriff’s office accused Descano and his chief deputy of displaying “disrespect and unprofessionalism” toward county courthouse security guards that were “unsuited for an officer of the court.”
However, FFXnow’s review of video from the incident and a courthouse source appeared to mostly contradict the sheriff’s office report.
Neither Descano nor the sheriff’s office has publicly commented on the incident since.
Several other local elected officials have already confirmed their intentions for 2023.
Dranesville District school board member Elaine Tholen won’t be running next year, while Hunter Mill District Representative Melanie Meren said she will. Springfield District Representative Laura Jane Cohen is shifting gears and is looking to join the Virginia House of Delegates.
Five county supervisors will also seek reelection, while Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross and Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust are both stepping down after long tenures on the board.
County’s Moroccan Community Cheers World Cup Team — “Morocco became the first African team in World Cup history to reach the semifinals following a victory against Portugal last week…More than 100 members of the local Moroccan community gathered on Wednesday afternoon to watch their home country’s match-up against Les Bleus at the Dar al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church” [DCist]
Proposal Floated for Van Dorn Metro Development — “An industrial park on Vine Street, squeezed between the Van Dorn Street Metro station and the Beltway, could be replaced with a new mixed-use development…The development plans, however, hinge on hopes that the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) express lane plans don’t bleed over onto the site.” [ALXnow]
Where to Celebrate Hanukkah in Fairfax County — “This year, Hanukkah begins on December 18, 2022 and ends on December 26, 2022. And you’ll find plenty of events celebrating the holiday in Fairfax County and throughout the Capital Region.” [Visit Fairfax]
New Asian Curry Restaurant Opens in Chantilly — “Score another one for the global food community. Actually, score two. Karé Bar opened in Chantilly in November. It’s on Metrotech Drive, making it easy to head to Shilla Bakery or Chateau de Chantilly after lunch or dinner.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
PNC Bank to Shutter Some Local Branches — “PNC Financial Services Group Inc. is closing 32 more branches across 10 states, according to new regulatory filings, including a dozen in Virginia and Maryland.” Closings will come early next year to six Fairfax County locations, including one in Burke, one in Kingstowne, one in Groveton and three in Springfield. [Washington Business Journal]
Emergency Taxi Surcharge Continued — “Fairfax County supervisors on Dec. 6 meeting unanimously approved a temporary, uncodified ordinance that will permit an up-to-$1-per-trip taxicab-fuel surcharge that will be in effect from Dec. 30 through June 30 next year. Supervisors have the option of rescinding the ordinance sooner because of sustained changes in economic conditions.” [Sun Gazette]
Merrifield Solar Panel Company at Home in Fairfax — “Merrifield-based Ipsun Solar, a company that installs residential and commercial solar panels, was started in 2016 with a lofty goal: fighting climate change, said Herve Billiet, CEO, who co-founded the company along with Joe Marhamati.” [Fairfax County EDA]
County Offers Tips for a More Sustainable Holiday — “The seasons are changing, the days are shorter, and the 2022 holiday season is here! Keep reading for tips on how to be more sustainable throughout all your holiday festivities” [Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination]
It’s Friday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 46 and low of 35. Sunrise at 7:22 am and sunset at 4:49 pm. [Weather.gov]
