Even with one month left, 2022 is the deadliest year for Fairfax County pedestrians in more than a decade.
Through October, vehicle crashes have killed 22 people on streets and highways in the county — the most since at least 2010, the earliest year in Virginia’s Traffic Records Electronic Data System (TREDS). The previous high came in 2018 and 2019, when there were 17 fatalities each.
It’s unclear if the state data includes the teen who died last Wednesday (Nov. 16) after being hit while crossing Columbia Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads.
The teen was among the almost two dozen people represented at Oakton High School on Sunday (Nov. 20) by electronic candles and empty chairs covered by shroud-like white sheets. A Fairfax Families for Safe Streets (Fairfax FSS) volunteer read their names in a hushed cafeteria for the community group’s World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims ceremony.
“We have experienced many more tragedies than we are able to name individually today,” Fairfax FSS volunteer and board member Chris French said, noting that the list didn’t include 18 non-pedestrians killed on county roads or people who survived crashes but still suffered physically, financially and emotionally.
One life lost is too many. All of us need to work together to make sure our streets are safe and I am grateful for the continued collaboration with our community in keeping this a priority.@JeffreyCMcKay @fcpsnews @FairfaxCountyPD @ffxconnector @VaDOTNOVA @OaktonHS
— Dalia Palchik (@SupvPalchik) November 20, 2022
Started by European nonprofits in 1995, World Day of Remembrance is commemorated on the third Sunday of every November as an occasion to mourn those lost and a call to take action to prevent future losses. FFS also had events in Alexandria and Arlington.
Fairfax FSS urged local and state officials to make safety improvements throughout the area, especially in corridors known to be dangerous to pedestrians like Columbia Pike and Blake Lane — where two Oakton High School students were killed and a third was seriously injured in June.
- Installing automated speed enforcement at all schools
- Deploying proven safety measures around schools and activity centers, such as rapid flashing beacons, HAWK or pedestrian hybrid beacons, and lighting at unsignalized crossings
- Implementing a dedicated safe routes infrastructure plan for all Fairfax County schools
- Implementing speed management solutions on all high injury and multilane arterials, for example, speed feedback signs, road diets
- Improvements to pedestrian signals and timing for pedestrians to cross high traffic streets safely
- Installing crosswalks and accessible ramps to all approaches at signalized crossings
Speed cameras likely coming
Fairfax County is moving to make that first demand at least a reality. Spurred in part by the fatal Oakton crash, the Board of Supervisors is expected to approve a speed camera pilot program after a public hearing on Dec. 6.
The six-month pilot will only involve nine schools and a work zone on Route 28, but Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said the county is committed to expanding it to all eligible sites.
The initial list of schools is still being determined, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis told FFXnow.
“I’ve been a big advocate and remain a big advocate of automated traffic cameras,” Davis said. “I know that’s coming to Fairfax County, and that changes driving behaviors. There’s no doubt about it.”
While glad to see the county take action, Fairfax FSS volunteers questioned why a pilot is needed when cameras have proven effective elsewhere — including Maryland’s Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, where Davis previously worked.
Fairfax City began operating cameras at all four of its schools, plus two county schools, in October, and Arlington County approved a program in January with no pilot stage. Alexandria City could follow suit next year.
“I think the pace and the urgency is not where we’d like to see it,” French said of the county’s speed cameras plan. “There’s just not enough urgency. Change is happening too slow, and people are dying in the meantime.”
Fairfax County is much larger than those jurisdictions, with nearly 200 public schools compared to Arlington’s 30, so county officials felt a pilot will help ensure the speed cameras are implemented successfully before they’re installed everywhere, Palchik said.
She and Karl Frisch, who represents Providence District on the school board, emphasized that success will be measured by whether drivers change their behavior, not the revenue generated by speeding citations.
“I hope people see that they’re installed and they drive better, and they drive slower, because that’s the desired outcome,” Frisch said. “The desire is to make sure people are driving safer.”
Holistic approach needed
Beyond the speed camera pilot, the county is approaching traffic safety from a variety of angles. Some projects focus on specific sites, such as a rerouting of school buses away from Blake Lane and a plan to spend $100 million on pedestrian improvements over the next six years.
Others are broader in scope, from the “Take a Moment” educational campaign launched in September to a new “Safe Streets for All” program. The county also selected the consultant Street Simplified to study streets that can be improved before crashes occur.
The consultant has finished collecting data at 70 intersections that it’s now analyzing, according to Palchik.
“We’ve come a long way, but there is so much work left to do, and we don’t want to see one more life lost because of a preventable crash,” Palchik said. “It really does take all of us. It takes messaging, the change in behavior, the change in infrastructure, the change in enforcement to really do everything we can to achieve that goal.”
Still, in most cases, the county’s ability to address safety concerns hinges on cooperation from the Virginia Department of Transportation, which maintains most roads.
While county officials said they’ve been collaborating with VDOT on many initiatives, including potential speed limit reductions on Richmond Highway and Route 7, Fairfax FFS says engaging the state has been a challenge. VDOT staff and the county’s General Assembly legislators were no-shows at the World Day of Remembrance event, despite all being invited.
French and fellow Fairfax FFS board member Phil Kemelor say VDOT relies on studies that can take months even for spot changes like signal or sidewalk upgrades. By law, the state also values congestion mitigation over safety, accessibility and other factors when prioritizing projects for funding in Northern Virginia.
“It’s a bureaucracy, and they just don’t have the will to change anything,” Kemelor said. “It’s like the process is more important than the people, speaking bluntly.”
VDOT’s Northern Virginia district office didn’t directly address its absence from Sunday’s event but said in a statement that it is working to “improve safety and mobility for all”:
VDOT continues to actively work with our stakeholders including county agencies, elected officials, transit providers, community members, and advocacy groups to improve safety and mobility for all of the users of our regional transportation system. We live, work, and raise our families in Northern Virginia and continue to look at innovative ways to continue to usher in more multimodal solutions in our region.
Restonians can officially enjoy a series of multi-sport events for adult and youth athletes, including a Reston staple: the Reston Triathlon.
CORE Foundation, a nonprofit organization that aims to address charitable needs, has launched “Racing in Reston,” a series of events that grows out of the popular Reston Sprint Triathlon, which started out as a singular community event in 2007.
The move revives the triathlon that had been organized each fall by the Reston Triathlon Association since 1984. Last year, the group announced that the event would be discontinued due to financial and logistical issues.
“CORE Foundation wants to see this event which was unique to so many families in our community, continue,” the foundation said in an announcement earlier this month, noting that it worked closely with the previous board to bring the triathlon back.
The event has been renamed the Reston Olympic Triathlon “to avoid confusion with our Sprint event,” event organizers said.
The “Racing in Reston” series includes the Reston Sprint Triathlon, which is slated to happen next year on June 4, and the second annual Reston superhero youth triathlon, which is coming in the fall of next year. The series will conclude with the 37th annual Reston Olympic Triathlon on Sept. 10, 2023.
Registration is currently open for the 17th annual Reston Sprint Triathlon. The cost of tickets is $110 for individuals and $200 for relays if purchased before Jan. 4.
The Olympic triathlon will open with a 1,500-meter open water swim in Lake Audubon and will be followed by a 25-mile bike and 10K run in Reston.
Going forward, the event will be held annually on the first Sunday following Labor Day.
If you’re driving along the highways in Northern Virginia, do you usually hop into an express lane or do you prefer to tough it out in the normal lanes with the rest of the proletariat?
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) announced last week that the new I-66 Express Lanes running from the Beltway down to Centreville are set to fully open today (Tuesday).
“[VDOT and partners] announced today that the westbound direction of the new 66 Express Lanes from I-495 (Capital Beltway) to Route 28 in Centreville remains on schedule to open on or about this Saturday, Nov. 19,” VDOT said in a release. “The eastbound direction of this same 13-mile section of express lanes is expected to open by the end of November and could open as early as next Tuesday, Nov. 22, depending on weather and other factors.”
Along with the expansion, this month marks the 10-year anniversary of the express lanes opened on I-495. Since Express Lanes started being added to the highways around Northern Virginia, they’ve become largely ubiquitous along I-495, I-95 and I-395.
Intended to allow faster travel, the lanes charge vehicles based on demand, which can lead to eye-popping tolls. In two weeks, drivers will need to have at least two passengers to use the I-66 lanes for free, an increase from the current HOV-2 requirement.
I-66 Express Lanes Fully Open Today — “The eastbound direction of the new 66 Express Lanes from Route 28 in Centreville to I-495 (Capital Beltway) is on track to open on Tuesday, Nov. 22…When this final section opens, the entire 22.5-mile 66 Express Lanes corridor from Route 29 in Gainesville to I-495 will be open with tolling and HOV-2+ rules in effect.” [VDOT]
Mini Satellite Built by TJ Students Going to Space — “On Tuesday, November 22, at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, NASA is scheduled to launch the TJ REVERB CubeSat as part of the SpaceX-26 Commercial Resupply Service Mission en route to the International Space Station…Led by Robotics lab director Kristen Kucko, many students from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology have had a hand in this historic launch.” [FCPS]
Supreme Court Passes on FCPS Sexual Assault Lawsuit — “On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a motion by the Fairfax County School Board to take up a case involving a lawsuit filed by a former high school student over the school system’s response to a sexual harassment incident that occurred while on a school trip.” [Patch]
Fire at Springfield TGI Fridays Under Investigation — “Building fire on 11/17 at 8:27 PM, in 6700 block of Frontier Drive, Springfield. Fire in kitchen of restaurant. Fire was contained under commercial hood system. No civilian injuries. One firefighter sustained minor injury. Damages: $30K.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Hollin Hills Parks Reopen — “Dozens of community members gathered Nov. 19 to celebrate the reopening of Brickelmaier and Charles Goodman Parks in the Hollin Hills neighborhood of Alexandria. The parks were closed to the public in spring 2021 for a stream restoration project led by Fairfax County’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services.” [On the MoVe]
Deaf Student Thrives on Woodson Marching Band — “Michael Gouin, 17, spends his days proving people wrong after he became the first deaf drummer to join the Woodson High School Cavaliers marching band two years ago. On Friday night, as the marching band geared up for their final home game of the year, Gouin is proud of how far he has come.” [ABC7]
Retired Nats Star Lowers Price on Great Falls House — “Attention, bargain shoppers — Black Friday has started early. You can now buy Ryan Zimmerman’s Great Falls estate for the discounted price of…$7.495 million. That’s right, the former Nationals player dropped the price on his 13,232-square-foot home by $400,000.” [Washingtonian]
Pancake Breakfast Planned at Turner Farm — “The Turner Farmhouse Foundation (TFF) is hosting its third-annual pancake breakfast and open house on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Parking is available on site, with volunteers able to assist. The event is open to the public at no cost.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]
Police Give Away Anti-Theft Devices for Vehicles — The Crime Prevention Unit from the Fairfax County Police Department’s Sully District Station has partnered with G&C Tire and Auto Service to offer free CATETCH/CATGUARD Anti-Theft Labels for catalytic converters. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 10 at G&C’s shop at 14008 Willard Road in Chantilly. [FCPD/Facebook]
It’s Tuesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 53 and low of 31. Sunrise at 7:00 am and sunset at 4:52 pm. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County’s teacher unions expressed relief after new state-proposed history standards were rejected by a governor-appointed board late last week.
On Thursday evening (Nov. 17), Virginia’s Board of Education voted unanimously to again delay approving new history standards drafted by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).
The proposed standards had numerous admitted mistakes, errors and typos, and was radically changed from a 400-page working draft first publicly released over the summer.
The new document was also significantly shorter. A longer “framework” document which will include information on how to teach the material will be released next summer, per the Washington Post.
“We are pleased to see that the Board of Education has heard the voices of teachers, students, parents, and community activists,” Fairfax County Federation of Teachers (FCFT) President David Walrod said. “The draft of standards presented [Thursday] was hastily assembled, with multiple new versions being released in a matter of days.”
Among the most discussed changes in the draft standards were omissions of both Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth as holidays. They also described Virginia’s indigenous peoples as America’s “first immigrants,”
The draft also eliminated racism in America as a central theme to be taught in many grades, while removing instances of teaching students about culture and government outside Europe and the U.S.
The board’s rejection came after a four-hour public hearing where a number of speakers, including Walrod, called the new standards a “whitewashing” of history.
Union President @dpwalrod tells Virginia Board of Education Members NO to the whitewashing of our social studies standards! pic.twitter.com/aemiGGVnzY
— Fairfax County Federation of Teachers (@FCFTcares) November 18, 2022
The VDOE first released this draft less than a week before the board was scheduled to vote on it, leading members to complain about the short timeframe for reviewing such large changes.
The approval had already been postponed from August after a previous draft was similarly riddled with mistakes and errors. That draft was also about 400 pages long, compared to the 57-page document this time around.
Composed of appointees from the last three governor administrations, creating a bipartisan group, the board directed VDOE last week to rework its draft to fix mistakes and incorporate more of the August draft. When approved, the standards will be implemented for the 2024-2025 school year.
State Superintendent Jillian Balow apologized for some of the errors and a few had been corrected before last week’s meeting, but citing the significant changes and short timeframe, Board President Daniel Gecker said approving the draft now would be “disrespectful” and not result in “the Board’s best product.”
Board member Anne Holton called the new draft a “disaster.”
“I have defended the administration’s handling of this matter, both publicly and privately,” she said. “I have told people who thought that this was an attempt to whitewash…to calm down. We are really just trying to get it right. I no longer have that confidence and can no longer say that to those folks.”
Prior to the hearing, FCFT and the Fairfax Education Association (FEA), a union representing 4,000 county public school employees, said the new draft standards are “loaded with political bias” and “only teach one view of history,” potentially setting “the state of Virginia back decades” if approved.
The Fairfax County branch of the NAACP called them “racist” and “factually incorrect.”
FCFT President @dpwalrod has released the following statement on the proposed changes to the History and Social Studies standards pic.twitter.com/57OY8ihGtl
— Fairfax County Federation of Teachers (@FCFTcares) November 15, 2022
Virginia Board of Education proposed History and Social Science Standards of Learning will set the state of Virginia back decades. #WeAreFEA #UnionStrong #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/bOQCMFQlcz
— Fairfax Education Association (@FEA_Fairfax) November 16, 2022
Although public testimony is set for today, this fight is not over. Call your representatives. Flood their inboxes. Our advocacy will not stop until our children learn a complete and truthful history of the nation and the world! pic.twitter.com/5UMa6DLiOc
— Fairfax County NAACP (@FairfaxNAACP) November 17, 2022
As a former third-grade teacher, Walrod was distressed to see the social studies standards for that grade, which are “typically an introduction to world history including Mali, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome, had been reduced to a Eurocentric curriculum focusing only on Greece and Rome.”
“We hope the next draft of the standards will look closer to the version presented in August, which has been assembled with input from historians, educators, educational leaders, pedagogical experts, families, and community leaders,” he said after the vote to delay. “We hope the next draft will not be created by people and groups that Superintendent Balow refused to even name.”
The FEA said it was “happy” the state education board “listened to the citizens of Virginia and delayed action on the new draft document.”
The new draft was riddled with inaccuracies, but most importantly it omitted parts of history that did not align with Governor Youngkin’s political and controlled narrative. If our students are at the center of what is being done; if we are truly looking out for their best interest then we owe it to them to teach the truth (the good, the bad, and the ugly) about American History and Virginia History.
A Fairfax County Public Schools spokesperson said the district won’t be commenting. School Board Chair Rachna Sizemore Heizer didn’t respond to FFXnow’s inquiry by publication time.
When asked to respond to the board’s postponement and criticism of the draft from the local unions, among others, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office referred FFXnow to public comments he made on Friday (Nov. 18).
Expressing disappointment in the draft’s “omissions and mistakes,” Youngkin suggested some of the pushback stems from confusion over the absence of a framework or curriculum in the new document. He asked folks “to be patient.”
A revised draft is expected to come back to the board in early 2023.
Virginia reviews its standard history curriculum for students every seven years, making this the first review since 2015. This year’s process has been particularly fraught after Youngkin issued an executive order banning “critical race theory” in schools.
Reston Association members will see a 3% increase in annual assessment dues next year.
At a meeting on Thursday (Nov. 17), RA’s Board of Directors voted to increase member fees from $740 to $763 as part of its $20.7 million budget for 2023.
The board held off higher increases in the annual fee by buying it down with $1 million in cash surplus from last year.
An attempt by board member Glenn Small to use savings from not filling current vacant positions — roughly $781,000 — failed to gain clout with the board.
The move was suggested by RA’s fiscal committee in an effort to keep the assessment from growing at “too big of a percentage,” RA CEO Mac Cummins said.
Citing conversations with RA members, Small said he was concerned about fee increases over the last 15 years, including a 69% increase in fees from 2007 to this year. He compared the increase to a 44% hike in the number of full-time staff.
“We need to find a way to stabilize and reduce assessments,” he said.
But Cummins cautioned that failing to fill some positions could have a direct operational impact on the organization and members.
The long-term outlook of fee increases is unclear, particularly when the cash surplus was utilized this year, according to board members. Assessments are due on Jan 1.
Board member Bob Petrine said he was confident that the new CEO’s initiatives will provide long-term planning and direction.
“I think we will see a more robust process going forward,” Petrine said.
The budget doubles boat mooring fees for 2023. Fee increases are also proposed for non-resident memberships. For example, an all-access family pass for pools, tennis and pickleball may increase from $450 to $522.
The board also moved to remove $381,000 in funding for lighting improvements at Barton Hills Tennis Courts for this year. Instead, funds were shifted to next year to offset new projects like a refurbishment of the ballfields at Hunters Woods.
An additional $300,000 was allocated to another future pool of money for the renovation of the Barton Hill courts.
Cummins also added a line-item of $50,000 for organizational assessments and development.
The budget — 71% of which covers staffing and staff-related costs — also includes two new positions for a registrar and an administrative assistant for covenants.
Firefighters, medics and other Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department employees will have a union represent them in the county’s first collective bargaining negotiations for public workers in over 40 years.
Over 800 FCFRD workers participated in a 13-day election last month to determine whether to have union representation for contract talks with the county government, which will establish pay, benefits and other working conditions.
The only union in contention, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 2068 won with a decisive 797 votes, or 95.2%. The only other option on the ballot was to have no representation, which received 40 votes, the union announced Friday (Nov. 18).
With 1,533 members, Local 2068 represents firefighters, fire marshals, mechanics, medics and emergency dispatchers employed by Fairfax County. 837 eligible voters — 54.6% — cast a ballot in the election from Oct. 12-31.
“This is a monumental day for the members of our department,” IAFF 2068 President Robert Young said in a news release. “But it’s also a monumental day for all Fairfax County employees, and all of the residents of our community. We’ve shown that when Fairfax County workers come together…we have the power to have a say in the decisions that impact our lives and the lives of the communities we serve.”
Last week our Election for Bargaining Representation was officially certified – Local 2068 won with over 95% of the vote (!!!)
Huge shoutout to the members of our department who voted – we look forward to negotiating/working w/ the County – Full media adv. attached#UnionStrong pic.twitter.com/MYwts1QdEd
— Fairfax Firefighters (@IAFF2068) November 20, 2022
After Virginia ended a 44-year ban on collective bargaining for public sector workers in May 2021, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance on Oct. 19, 2021 granting employees the right to organize, elect union representatives and participate in union activities.
Under the ordinance, the county will recognize separate bargaining units for the fire department, police and other county workers. Elections haven’t been held yet for the police and general government units.
With negotiations expected to begin in early 2023, Local 2068 says one priority will be addressing the staffing shortages that have affected the fire department and other county agencies, from police to the park authority and public library system.
Local 2068 says first responders have been forced to work mandatory overtime, adding 12 to 24 hours on top of their standard 24-hour shift “sometimes with little to no notice.” The union says its members have performed over 80,000 hours of “holdovers” — equal to 3,333 24-hour days.
“Having members work such excessive mandatory overtime isn’t just bad for their health, but it’s a potential hazard for the community members we serve,” Young said. “We look forward to addressing this issue at the bargaining table.”
Collective bargaining negotiations will last up to November 2023. A resulting agreement won’t take effect until July 1, 2024, when the county’s fiscal year 2025 begins.
Some issues could be addressed earlier as part of the upcoming fiscal year 2024 budget process, which will begin in earnest when County Executive Bryan Hill presents his proposed plan on Feb. 21.
Young said Local 2068 will advocate for merit and cost of living pay increases as well as funding for automated ambulance loaders — stretchers where the legs automatically fold up as the device is rolled into a vehicle.
“We’re the only jurisdiction in the region that doesn’t have access to these tools, tools that not only help prevent members from being injured, but also help us deliver faster and safer service to the community,” Young said.
Reston Town Center’s holiday parade is set for this Friday (Nov. 25), kicking off a series of holiday events for the season.
The annual parade, now in its 31st year, will march down Market Street at 11 a.m.
At the conclusion of the half-mile-long parade, Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus will arrive on a horse-drawn carriage. The event also includes balloons, entertainment, and marking bands.
Following the parade, the couple will be on hand for the town center’s annual Christmas tree lighting at 6 p.m.
The parade is sponsored by Reston Town Center, Reston Community Center and Reston Town Center Association.
A character meet and greet is slated for 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Fountain Square. Mini-train rides are scheduled for 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the pavilion. Horse-drawn carriage rides take place between 6-10 p.m. at the pavilion as well.
Parking is free in all garages on Friday.
As in previous years defined by the pandemic, parade bells will not be distributed.
“We hope to continue this popular tradition in the coming years when social distancing is not an issue,” event organizers said.
The parade has once again been nominated for USA Today’s annual Readers’ choice awards for the best holiday parades in the country.
If you plan on driving the newly extended I-66 Express Lanes next month, make sure there are at least two other people in the car to avoid paying a toll.
The entire length of the I-66 toll lanes will shift from HOV2 to HOV3 in early December, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) recently announced.
Starting Dec. 5, only those with traveling with three or more people will be able to use the lanes for free. This is a change from the previous standard of two or more passengers.
Single riders or those traveling with just two passengers will have to pay a toll, with the price varying based on traffic volumes (known as “dynamic tolling”).
The change will apply to the entire 32-mile length of the I-66 Express Lanes, including the existing 9-mile section inside the Beltway (I-495) from Dunn Loring to Route 29 in Rosslyn. A new Beltway ramp to I-66 just opened this week.
That portion of I-66 operates as HOV on weekdays during peak hours and in peak directions. Otherwise, the express lanes are free and have no occupancy requirement.
VDOT also notes that, in order to use the lanes during rush hour, drivers need an E-ZPass transponder.
The state transportation agency said in a press release that the new requirements are “consistent with HOV requirements on the other express lanes in Northern Virginia.”
In a statement to FFXnow, a VDOT spokesperson said consistency and federal environmental standards were the biggest reasons for the change:
This change supports the National Capital Region’s Transportation Planning Board’s policy to change HOV-2 to HOV-3 throughout the region in order to move more people with fewer vehicles and comply with the federal Clean Air Act Amendment. This change is also consistent with the other express lanes in Northern Virginia on I-95, I-395, and I-495, and is aligned with Virginia’s policy that HOV-3 be the requirement for toll-free travel on all privately-operated express lanes in Virginia. This rule applies to I-66 Express Lanes Outside the Beltway, which are operated by I-66 Express Mobility Partners under a public-private partnership with the Commonwealth.
The switch from HOV2 to HOV3 was first approved in 2016 by Virginia’s Commonwealth Transportation Board.
The portion of the express lanes inside the Beltway opened five years ago, accompanied by a good amount of griping about the high toll prices.
The 22-mile section outside of the Beltway is almost fully operational after about six years of work. A 9-mile stretch from Route 28 in Centreville to Route 29 in Gainesville opened in early September, and the westbound lanes from I-495 in Dunn Loring to Route 28 became operational yesterday.
The eastbound lanes could open as early as tomorrow, a few weeks ahead of schedule, VDOT says. Work in the corridor will continue through mid-2023 on other elements of the Transform 66 project, including new interchanges and a parallel shared-use path.
A version of this story appeared earlier on FFXnow’s sister site, ARLnow.
County Chair Reacts to Club Q Mass Shooting — “I want to be unequivocal: I stand with our LGBTQIA+ community. The repugnant violence we saw in Colorado Springs has no place in society. We will never give in to the forces of hate or oppression. My heart breaks for the victims and their families.” [Jeff McKay/Twitter]
Developer Hopes to Obtain Land for Housing at Innovation Station — “While the details haven’t been hammered out, Peterson hopes the county would sell or ground lease its parcel for some nominal price, Taylor Chess, Peterson’s president of development, said in an interview. Such a deal would help to make the project economically viable over the long haul” [Washington Business Journal]
Falls Church Man Spends Record Number of Days in Space — “Today, the Falls Church-born [Mark] Vande Hei isn’t just an astronaut, but a record-setting one. When he returned from 355 consecutive days in space this past March, he set an all-time record for Americans.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Virginia Celebrates First Kimchi Day — “On Saturday, in recognition of the milestone, the Korean American Women’s Association hosted a kimchi festival at Good Shepherd Evangelical Church in Springfield, reenacting a familial ritual…Virginia’s Kimchi Day was established when Irene Shin (D)…proposed a resolution to make it official in January.” [The Washington Post]
Old Courthouse Road Gets Sidewalk — “Remember that old pedestrian path along Old Courthouse Road between Battery Park Street and Pine Valley Drive? Well, it’s a thing of the past as new ADA-compliant sidewalks, curb and gutter, and drainage improvements have been installed! The project isn’t complete yet, as roadway repaving and resurfacing begins this upcoming Monday, Nov. 21, through Wednesday, Nov. 23.” [Town of Vienna/Facebook]
Staff Shortage Affects Fort Belvoir Gate — “Since Oct. 31, Fort Belvoir’s Walker Gate — which reopened last February following the replacement of Dogue Creek Bridge — has experienced nearly daily schedule changes due to staffing challenges. The shortage of guards available to man the gate is not unique to the local garrison; it’s a problem throughout the National Capital Region (NCR).” [On the MoVe]
Fire Chiefs Organization Relocates HQ to Tysons — “The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Headquarters (HQ) offices will be moving from its current location in Chantilly to the Tyson’s Corner area in Fairfax County, VA in early December…This location will provide better headquarters access for IAFC leadership and members” [Firehouse]
Park Authority Spokesperson Reflects on Career — “In 21 years as Fairfax County Park Authority’s public-information officer, Judy Pedersen visited nearly all of the agency’s 420 sites, hosted countless community meetings about park projects and was the media’s go-to person during natural and human-caused crises.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Monday — Clear throughout the day. High of 50 and low of 25. Sunrise at 6:59 am and sunset at 4:52 pm. [Weather.gov]
The weekend is almost here. Before you hop on (or lament) the latest addition to the I-66 toll lanes or head to bed for some much-needed sleep, let’s revisit the past week of news in Fairfax County.
Here are the 10 most-read stories on FFXnow this week:
- BREAKING: Teen pedestrian killed in crash on Columbia Pike
- With opening day tomorrow, here’s what you need to know about Silver Line Phase II
- Fast-food chain Roy Rogers, named after Hollywood’s cowboy king, was born in Fairfax County
- Herndon house fire displaces eight people, cat rescued
- Redevelopment of former Sheraton Tysons Hotel could bring new public gathering spaces
- After decades of planning, Silver Line Phase II officially opens
- Two killed in separate vehicle crashes in Great Falls and West Springfield
- Fairfax County extends farmers market season into December for three sites
- Nintendo gaming pop-up coming to Tysons Corner Center
- Covid cases stay down, but other respiratory illnesses are surging, N. Va. health leaders say
Ideas for potential stories can be sent to [email protected] or submitted as an anonymous tip. Photos of scenes from around the county are welcome too, with credit always given to the photographer.
Feel free to discuss these topics, your weekend plans, or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below. Have a great weekend, Fairfax County!
Another child care facility is planning to add itself to the mix in Herndon.
Celebree School of Herndon, a private company that offers early childhood education, plans to open in the summer of 2023 at 12700 Sunrise Valley Drive — a Reston address that is on the border with Herndon.
The new location is one of four schools expected to open in the state by the end of next year. Other locations include Arlington, Alexandria and Dulles.
“After developing successful schools in our home state of Maryland, Virginia was a natural next step as a target growth area for our continued franchise expansion,” Celebree founder and CEO Richard Huffman said. “With strong demand for high-quality early childhood education and brand awareness from our successful corporate schools in a neighboring state, we’re eager to get these new schools open and operating to best serve the community.”
The company already has locations in Reston, Henrico, Ashburn and Tysons. It was founded in 1994 with the mission to “grow people big and small.” The business began to set up franchises in 2019.
Celebree offers programs for children between 6 weeks and 12 years old. Care will be available part-time and full-time.
Fairfax County’s new online platform for permitting, zoning and other land use activities has hit a speed bump.
A backlog of applications has emerged since the county finished rolling out its Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) on Oct. 31 due to issues with the technology, Fairfax County Land Development Services confirmed.
“Due to a technical issue, LDS is currently processing a backlog of applications following the launch of the updated Planning and Land Use System (PLUS),” LDS Director William Hicks said in a statement to FFXnow. “We are working to resolve the issue and temporary workarounds for customers are in place until a solution can be implemented.”
PLUS has been in the works for years, as the county’s planning and development agencies pushed to modernize and consolidate processes that had been siloed in a sprawling network of platforms.
The upgrade’s first phase launched in October 2020, moving materials related to food permits, street name and address changes, and zoning pre-application meetings over to the new system. Other transactions, from fire code permits to public facility reviews (known as 2232 reviews), followed over the next two years.
The rollout culminated in late October with the conversion of the permitting and inspections database (rest in peace, FIDO) and plans and waivers system (PAWS). The process required a 10-day shutdown of all land use systems starting Oct. 21.
Though the county announced on Nov. 1 that the full PLUS was now available, the transition has evidently not gone as smoothly as hoped.
An anonymous tipster told FFXnow that the system hasn’t been working since the temporary outage on Oct. 21, affecting occupancy and residential use permits:
Permits are not getting issued. This is also affecting tenants getting occupancy permit, not allowing them to move into the spaces, residents moving into their home because RUPs cannot be issued. The County has been at a dead stop for almost a month now and people are getting very upset. Fairfax also is not giving out any information on when the system will start to work again.
LDS didn’t specify what the technical issues are, but a spokesperson confirmed they’re affecting all applications, not just ones that migrated with the final phase of the rollout.
A new page added to the LDS website yesterday breaks down the known challenges with details about what happened and who to contact as staff try to fix PLUS.
For example, data for some development projects started before Oct. 21 got corrupted, preventing users from accessing their documents. The county has a complaint form that those affected should complete.
Hicks says customers with questions can call the LDS customer line at 703-222-0801, though there is currently an approximately 2-hour-long wait.
According to the alert issued at 3 p.m. yesterday, the county has over 1,000 building permits and plans to process, which could take over two weeks:
- Customer Walk-in Service (no appointment): approximately 30-minute queue
- Virtual Appointments with Customer Service: 3 – 4 business days
- Processing Building Permits and Plans: 2+ weeks (over 1,000 permits in the queue)
- Residential Inspections: 2 business days
- Commercial Inspections: Next business day
- Major Site Processing Time: +/- one week
- Minor Site Processing Time: +/- two weeks
- Other (e.g., waivers, plats, studies) Processing Time: +/- two weeks
Barnes & Noble is turning a page on its history at The Spectrum at Reston Town Center.
The company plans to open a location in the spring of 2023, 15 years after shuttering its location in the same shopping center at 11816 Spectrum Center. It will occupy nearly 28,000 square feet of space in the shell vacated by Office Depot.
“The tide has turned for real booksellers, with both Barnes & Noble and independent booksellers opening new stores at an unprecedented rate after well over a decade of declining numbers,” Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt said. “The return of Barnes & Noble to Reston is emblematic of this success. Further, we do so with the largest new bookstore to be opened anywhere in the United States in the last ten years. It will be a very exciting bookstore.”
The Reston location will also include a BN Cafe.
“We are building exceptionally beautiful new bookstores and it will be dramatic to do so across 28,000 [square feet] in our new Reston store,” said Barnes & Noble Vice President of Stores Amy Fitzgerald. “The bookselling team is eager to return and get to work curating an exceptional bookstore.”
As the company readies to open its Reston location, locally owned bookstores like Scrawl Books in Reston Town Center continue to cement their place in Reston’s book scene.
Scrawl Books at least has no intention of going anywhere, owner Rachel Wood said in a statement to FFXnow:
We opened after the big box chains left, but we have no intention of closing now that they’re coming back. We live here and we’re committed to being here. Reston is full of engaged, passionate people who appreciate what only a local bookstore can provide. We’ll continue to support local schools and libraries, and we’ll continue to connect readers with great books and authors. Everyone who comes in the door knows they’ve found a cozy space run by real book lovers. We’ll be here in our community for a long time to come.
Office Depot closed in The Spectrum nearly one year ago.
Barnes & Noble currently has five locations in Fairfax County, including stores in Tysons Corner Center, Merrifield’s Mosaic District, Seven Corners, Springfield and Fair Lakes. There is also a store at One Loudoun in Ashburn.
Photo via Google Maps
Tysons ID Verification Company Under Investigation — ID.me may have misled the public and Congress with “baseless claims” that the U.S. lost $400 billion to fraudulent pandemic unemployment claims. A House subcommittee says new evidence suggests the company used claims of “rampant” fraud “to increase demand” for its services, making it harder for those who needed aid to receive it. [Gizmodo]
Mixed Bag for Metro — “New Silver Line riders, an increase in train availability, shorter wait times and an apparent decrease in fare evasion provided tempered optimism to Metro leaders in the face of a new financial snapshot Thursday that showed rail ridership continuing to struggle…Metro said it recorded about 7,000 trips Tuesday at the new Silver Line stations.” [The Washington Post]
Man Pleads Guilty to Carrying “Ghost” Gun — An Alexandria man pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to having a gun with no serial number despite being barred from possessing firearms. 28-year-old Ajee Whitter, also known as “Glockz,” was convicted of felony robbery in Prince William County before getting arrested in an undercover drug operation by Fairfax County police on April 11. [DOJ]
Pedestrian Safety Advocates Plan Vigil — “For William. For Eileen. For Chris. For Elise. For your 20 @fairfaxcounty neighbors killed by a person driving while walking to work, home, the store, to school in 2022. We REMEMBER, SUPPORT and ACT – World Day of Remembrance – Sunday Nov 20 0 1:30 Oakton High School” [Fairfax Families for Safe Streets/Twitter]
Annandale Field Renamed For Park Advocate — “Friends and family, local officials and members off the Fairfax Women’s Soccer Association will gather on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. to dedicate a field at Pine Ridge Park in honor of Wanda Rixon. The event is open to the public and honors Rixon, a longtime advocate and participant in women’s soccer.” [FCPA]
Affordable Apartments Open in Fairfax Corner — “The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) is now accepting applications for single-occupancy affordable housing at Coan Pond Residences…Prospective applicants must have a minimum annual income of $19,940 and earn no more than $59,820. Rent is set at 30 percent of tenant income.” [Housing and Community Development]
Local Venues for World Cup Watching — “After four long years (or eight if you’re cheering for U.S. Soccer), it’s finally time to dive back into World Cup action. If you’re looking to get your football on, here are the can’t-miss World Cup events for fans of all ages.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Fire Department Has Thanksgiving Cooking Tips — “Cooking is the main cause of home fires any time of the year, but it is especially common on Thanksgiving…The firefighters and paramedics of the county’s Fire and Rescue Department want you to have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Help them to help you prevent an unexpected visit to your home from our firefighters on Thanksgiving Day!” [FCFRD]
It’s Friday — Clear throughout the day. High of 48 and low of 30. Sunrise at 6:56 am and sunset at 4:54 pm. [Weather.gov]
