County Lags Behind Regional Affordable Housing Goals — Producing just under 7,500 new affordable housing units over the past three years, Fairfax County is nearly 5,000 units behind a goal set by the Metropolitan Council of Governments in 2021. Inflation, rising construction costs and “skyrocketing” housing values could complicate the county’s efforts to meet its ambitious target for the next decade. [DCist]
McLean Man Arrested for Soliciting Minor — “Montgomery County police said they believe a Virginia man charged with sexual solicitation of a minor may have solicited other victims. Jose M. Jimenez, 34, of McLean, Virginia, was arrested after starting a social media conversation on Aug. 11 with a Montgomery County detective who was posing as a 15-year-old girl.” [WTOP]
Renovated Fire Station in Springfield Opens — “Station 26, Edsall Road, B-Shift moved into their newly renovated station. They did not have too far to move as the temporary station is located right across the street! Thank you #FairfaxCounty residents and leaders for your continued support of #FCFRD!” [FCFRD/Facebook]
Potential Republican School Board Candidates Laugh at Kid With Autism — “Two community members who have said they intend to run for seats on the Fairfax County School Board have apologized after laughing at footage of a student singing and playing the national anthem at a school board meeting. Stephanie Lundquist-Arora and Harry Jackson were captured laughing at the student in an episode of ‘Shadow Board,’ a live-streamed YouTube show” [The Washington Post]
Popular Springfield Restaurant to Close Sunday — “Della J’s, a Southern comfort food eatery, is relocating to…Mount Vernon Plaza in Hybla Valley. The Springfield location at 6558 Backlick Road will close on Sunday, Aug. 28. A grand opening date for the new Richmond Highway location will be announced soon.” [Patch]
New Clothes Brand Supports Athletes With Autism — “Victor Wear is an active wear brand recently launched by Lorton’s Tiffany Hamilton, a marketing and communications specialist. The business, which sells tees and hoodies…was inspired by her 16-year-old son Isaiah, who has high-functioning autism — 10% of the proceeds from every product sold are donated to the Special Olympics.” [Washington Business Journal]
Great Falls Park Gets Clean-up — “Great Falls Citizens Association (GFCA) board members in April endorsed creation of the Great Falls Grange Oak Grove Naturalization Project, which aims to transform about an acre of the historic building’s rear yard from a grassy lawn into a forest populated with native shrubs, ferns, herbs and trees.” [Sun Gazette]
Hyundai and Kia Vehicles Recalled — “Hyundai Motor America and Kia America recommend that owners of select Model Year 2020-2022 Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride vehicles park their cars outside and away from homes and other structures until their vehicles have been repaired, due to new recalls for the risk of fire.” [NHTSA]
It’s Thursday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 87 and low of 72. Sunrise at 6:33 am and sunset at 7:51 pm. [Weather.gov]
Northbound Hunter Mill Road has been closed at the Dulles Toll Road in the Reston/Wolf Trap area after two vehicles collided this afternoon (Wednesday).
A driver told FFXnow shortly after 3 p.m. that there had been an “accident” on the eastbound ramp to the toll road, and they saw fire trucks and ambulances in the area.
The Fairfax County Police Department confirmed that it has officers on the scene of a two-vehicle crash “involving a dump truck that flipped over” near Hunter Mill the toll road, also known as Route 267.
A new jazz series is kicking off next month in Reston Town Square Park next month.
The Reston Town Center Association is launching a jazz series on Sept. 8. Called Sip & Stroll, visitors can purchase alcohol at some establishments on site and stroll to designated areas at select events.
The series kicks off with Darden and Friends on Thursday evenings from Sept. 8 through Oct. 27. Darden Purcell, a national recording artist and director of jazz studies at George Mason University, will close and curate the series.
Due to a mechanical failure, the Lake Anne fountain is currently not in operation. Our CSF team is working to resolve the issue and currently estimates a 3–4 week turnaround for parts and installation. #EnjoyReston #Reston #FXVA #LoveVA pic.twitter.com/fVKh9BxyBz
Nine Displaced by Herndon Townhouse Fire — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units responded to a fire in the 2100 block of Monaghan Drive at 5:46 p.m. on Monday (Aug. 22). Investigators determined it was ignited by a malfunctioning electrical circuit above the second-floor bathroom. There were no reported injuries, but the fire displaced nine people and caused about $70,000 in damages. [FCFRD]
Courthouse Road Lane Closed in Vienna — “The southbound traveling lane of Courthouse Road SW (south of Maple Ave and north of Nutley Street SW) will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, Aug. 24, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the preparation of storm, sanitary, and waterline tie-ins. Please use caution when in the area.” [Town of Vienna/Twitter]
Governor Criticizes County for Police Shortage — Gov. Glenn Youngkin says Fairfax County “better get it together soon when it comes to supporting law enforcement,” attributing a personnel shortage to officers being “demoralized.” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said the shortage is a concern but hasn’t undermined public safety, while Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano expressed disappointment “that the governor would come and lie about the work we are doing.” [ABC7]
DMV to Build New Center in Fairfax Area — “Linda Ford, acting commissioner of the Virginia DMV, informed Fairfax County government officials that a contract was awarded for construction of [the] DMV’s Braddock Road Customer Service Center, according to Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw. The facility will be located on state-owned property at 9911 Braddock Road, east of Erickson Senior Living’s new Woodleigh Chase community.” [Patch]
Woman Reports Attack in Herndon — Herndon police are investigating an attempted abduction of a woman outside her home on Aug. 16, according to the weekly crime report. The victim told police that, around 11 p.m, a man walked up behind her and attempted to pull her behind some bushes. She was able to escape, and the suspect ran away. [Patch]
Falls Church Seeks Suspects in Motorcycle Burglaries — “Suspects are wanted for an overnight burglary of Coleman Power Sports (435 S. Washington Street). At about 12:15 a.m. on Tuesday, August 23, two Polaris Slingshot 3-wheeled motorcycles were stolen: a 2022 blue Polaris Slingshot valued at $33,600 and a 2020 blue and black Polaris Slingshot valued at $40,000.” [City of Falls Church]
Vienna Open for Halloween Float Applications — “Vienna’s Halloween parade will be here before you know it, but what’s a parade without the floats!? Vienna Parks and Recreation is accepting float applications for the parade until Friday, Sept. 16.” [Town of Vienna/Twitter]
McLean Church Plans Middle Eastern Food Festival — “Holy Transfiguration Melkite Greek-Catholic Church will host its 29th annual Middle Eastern Food Festival on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 3-4…The festival will feature authentic Middle Eastern food including kibbee, shish kebab, roast lamb, falafel, fattoush, hummus and stuffed grape leaves, along with Arabic pastries and coffee.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Wednesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 86 and low of 68. Sunrise at 6:32 am and sunset at 7:53 pm. [Weather.gov]
An end may be in sight for the local state of emergency that Fairfax County has had in place since the COVID-19 pandemic upended government operations and daily life in March 2020.
“A County Executive agenda item regarding ending the Local Emergency Declaration that was established to support response and recovery related to the COVID-19 pandemic will go before the Board of Supervisors at their next meeting on Tuesday, September 13,” Fairfax County Director of Public Affairs Tony Castrilli said in a statement.
Students Return for First Day of School — “There were celebrations across Fairfax County this morning as students greeted their classmates and teachers and administrators welcomed them back to the classroom. Students arrived at Fairfax County schools this morning, excited and ready to learn!” [FCPS, The Washington Post]
Teen Found Not Guilty of Murder in Springfield Killings — “A teenager was found guilty of manslaughter Monday in the shooting deaths of two high school students at a Springfield, Virginia, home last year, and ambulances responded to the courthouse when a victim’s mother and another relative collapsed in apparent shock over the verdict.” [NBC4]
Email Issues Delayed Notice of Counselor’s Arrest — “Emails from the Chesterfield County, Virginia, police department aimed at informing Fairfax County Public Schools that a middle school counselor had been arrested and charged with soliciting prostitution from a minor were sent to faulty email addresses, police said Monday.” [WTOP]
Police Co-Responder Program Expands — “The Fairfax County Police Department just expanded its co-response unit to better respond to mental health calls in the county. The program first began in September 2021 to provide an alternative approach to mental health emergencies. With the help of grant funding, police were able to add a second team on Monday as part of a multi-phase plan.” [WUSA9]
South Alex Workers Rescued by Fire Department — “On Saturday, August 20, at 4:46 p.m., Station 11, Penn Daw, B-Shift were dispatched for a rescue in the 2800 block of Poag Street in Groveton area. Two workers were assisted from the bucket of a stalled boom lift after an equipment malfunction. No injuries.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Herndon Theater Returns Sunday for New Season — “NextStop Theatre Company is kicking off its 2022-23 season with a musical production of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic ‘Little Women.’ While the story of the March family…may be familiar to many, the musical production takes the story into another realm, according to the show’s director Charlotte La Nasa.” [Patch]
Tysons’ Perch Putt Part of Golf Bar Trend — “Boozy golf bars are now par for the course for D.C. area adults, with ‘happy hour @ swingers?’ Slack messages and golfer-emoji reactions being flung left and right…Sip and swing experiences may abound, but to paint them all with a broad brush would be a mistake. They say different folks need different strokes; DCist is here to help you find yours.” [DCist]
GMU’s Fall for the Book Draws Notable Names — “After two years of offering the festival virtually, Fall for the Book is thrilled to be back with both in-person and online events for the 24th year. From October 11-15, the festival will be headlined by bestselling novelist Emily St. John Mandel, graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang, comic book heavy-weight Alan Moore, and champion goalkeeper Briana Scurry.” [GMU/Patch]
It’s Tuesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 83 and low of 68. Sunrise at 6:31 am and sunset at 7:54 pm. [Weather.gov]
A woman reported being sexually assaulted at knifepoint while in her apartment in the Shadowood area of Reston, the Fairfax County Police Department said today (Monday).
Officers were called to the 2200 block of Lovedale Lane around 11:50 p.m. yesterday (Sunday) after the unidentified victim said she “awoke to a man standing inside her apartment.”
A new dancing studio is waltzing its way to the Town of Herndon.
Owner Severyn Szapiaczan, a competitive dancer who is originally from Poland, plans to open Ballroom Boutique Dance Studio at 585 Grove Street on Sept. 2.
Szapiaczan says the business will offer instruction for beginners and experts.
“All of our dance instructors are highly skilled and trained to help you learn in our invigorating dance studio. Hailing from around the world, our teachers are award-wining professionals and gifted educators, many of whom are still active in competitive dance themselves,” Szapiaczan wrote in a statement.
More monkeypox cases have been reported in the Fairfax Health District than anywhere else in Virginia, as officials grapple with a national outbreak of the disease.
The district, which includes Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, has now seen 58 cases, as of Friday (Aug. 19), according to Virginia Department of Health data. That’s more than any region in the state other than Northern Virginia, which has 163 confirmed or probable cases overall.
Fairfax County police are still on the lookout for a suspect after a woman reported being sexually assaulted at gunpoint last week near the Sacramento Center in Mount Vernon. The…
Fairfax County Public Schools Kick Off New Year — Led by new Superintendent Michelle Reid, FCPS administrators and staff welcomed students back in a video message. “I can’t wait to…
Fairfax County Public Schools Kick Off New Year — Led by new Superintendent Michelle Reid, FCPS administrators and staff welcomed students back in a video message. “I can’t wait to see our bright future taking shape in our Fairfax County Public School classrooms as we all come together to learn and innovate this year. Our staff and leadership has been working hard all summer, and believe me, we are ready,” Reid said. [FCPS/YouTube]
Fire Department Investigates Fairfax Area Arson — “Fire Investigators are seeking the public’s help in obtaining information regarding an arson that occurred in the basement of a home under construction sometime between the evening on Monday, August 15, and the early morning on Tuesday, August 16, in the 11500 block of Leehigh Drive in the Fairfax area.” [FCFRD]
FCPS Sees Improvement in SOL Scores — “FCPS annual pass rates for 2022 indicate that, while the road to recovery continues, FCPS students made promising gains in reading, mathematics, and science over the course of the 2022 school year. The data show that FCPS reading rates this year are nearly commensurate with pre-pandemic levels at 79%, while math rates are up by 13 percentage points to 74%. Science pass rates have improved by a third this school year.” [FCPS]
D.C. Area Sees Increase in Heavy Rain — “The Washington area saw an increase in thunderstorms this summer, leaving tens of thousands without power, severe damage, and, recently, killing three in a lightning strike near the White House. August alone has seen eight hours of recorded thunderstorms in Washington, according to Iowa State University’s Iowa Environmental Mesonet — or about two hours more than the 49-year average of 5.9 hours.” [Inside NoVA]
New Fair Lakes Townhomes Now Open — “Great day for the ribbon-cutting at the Enclave at Fair Lakes yesterday. Integrity Homes did an outstanding job in their design of the project – from the rooftop decks, to the partial brick interiors, to the dog park and community gathering spots and much more.” [Supervisor Pat Herrity/Twitter]
Hundreds of Speeding Tickets Issued in One Day — “Officers from our Motor Squad wrote over 400 tickets along the Fairfax County Parkway in ONE day! Officers issued tickets for speeds up to 106 MPH. Please slow down, obey traffic signals & be a courteous driver. Everyone wants to get to their destination safely!” [FCPD/Twitter]
Herndon Hires New Town Clerk — “The Town of Herndon has named Kirstyn Barr Jovanovich as Town Clerk. Jovanovich replaces Viki Wellershaus, who is retiring from the town after 29 years of service…Jovanovich comes to the town following two tours of duty as town manager of the Town of Occoquan” [Town of Herndon]
Former County Executive Gets New Biography — “It’s been 32 years since J Hamilton Lambert finished his decade of service as Fairfax County executive, but his impact on the history of the county and Washington region is evident…Gerald Gordon, former president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, fleshed out Lambert’s life story in his latest book” [Sun Gazette]
Local Police Officer Wins Medal in Darts — “Lt. Michael Tucker of the Fairfax County Police Department who’s a tournament regular just won a silver medal at the World Police & Fire Games at Rotterdam, The Netherlands. As a New York native who relocated to Fairfax, Tucker is no stranger to the game of darts.” [Fairfax County Times]
It’s Monday — Rain until evening. High of 82 and low of 71. Sunrise at 6:30 am and sunset at 7:55 pm. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County Public Schools has made several bus stop changes in the Oakton area after conducting a safety review of the Blake Lane corridor. Announced today (Friday), the school system…
A D.C.-based flamenco dance company will entertain McLean audiences for a full year as The Alden’s new artist-in-residence. The McLean Community Center announced last week that its in-house theater will…
