Once McLean resident Lauren Taylor learned how to identify invasive plants in Fairfax County’s parks, she couldn’t stop noticing them.
They take a variety of forms, from shrubs like Japanese barberry — distinctive for the red coloring and spatula-like shape of its leaves — to creeping vines such as wintercreeper and English ivy that essentially strangle trees.
First Responders Train for Silver Line Phase 2 — “More than a hundred fire and emergency personnel will converge on the new Ashburn Station on the Silver Line Extension as part of a full-scale emergency drill Wednesday, August 17. Metro is conducting the exercise in coordination with Fairfax County, Loudoun County and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) as part of preparations for the opening of the Silver Line Extension expected later this fall.” [WMATA]
Route 1 Trailer Park Residents Build Community — “Poverty often takes from people. It snatches. It steals. It can leave people with empty bellies, low self-esteem and a lost sense of security. That’s why the women want people to know what they’ve created in that trailer park on Route 1. From a shared struggle, they have built something special — a network of moms who regularly check on one another, inform one another and push one another.” [The Washington Post]
Community Raises Funds for Family of Reston Football Player — “A GoFundMe campaign started Wednesday to help cover funeral expenses for 18-year-old Shyon Smith reached its $30,000 goal thanks to 555 donors. Smith, who was a standout player on the South Lakes football team, died on Aug. 8.” [Patch]
Restaurant Week Is Underway — “Before the back-to-school season begins, DC area residents can enjoy a summer night out during Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week from Aug. 15 to 21. The restaurant week features three-course $25 lunch or brunch menus and $40 or $55 dinner menus.” [Patch]
Loose Pig Caught at Kingstowne Garden Center — A pig at large in the Kingstowne neighborhood last week was corraled by workers at Nalls Produce, who were working with Fairfax County Animal Protection Police to locate the animal’s family. The swine was reportedly happy and healthy. [Supervisor Rodney Lusk/Twitter]
Mount Vernon Pickleball Courts Ready for Use — “Fairfax County Park Authority’s (FCPA) conversion of George Washington Park’s aging tennis courts into six dedicated pickleball courts and two dual-use courts for tennis and pickleball is substantially complete, according to Adam Wynn, a project manager and senior planner with FCPA.” [On the MoVe]
McLean Church Celebrates 150th Anniversary — “Interfaith congregations from throughout the region have joined together to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the historically black Shiloh Baptist Church at 8310 Turning Leaf Lane in McLean, with additional special activities on the way.” [Sun Gazette]
Tysons Software Company Opens India Center — “Tysons low-code software company Appian Corp. (NASDAQ: APPN) is not letting fears of a recession slow down its hiring plans. Appian just opened a product development center in Chennai, India, and is hiring across the company, CEO Matt Calkins told the Washington Business Journal.” [Washington Business Journal]
Look Inside Retired Nats Star’s Former Great Falls Home — “The $7.9 million home of retired Washington Nationals star Ryan Zimmerman — a.k.a., Mr. National — went on the market earlier this week…The six-bedroom, 10-bathroom Great Falls estate looks more like a lavish resort than a single-family home.” [Washingtonian]
It’s Tuesday — Possible light rain in the morning. High of 79 and low of 65. Sunrise at 6:25 am and sunset at 8:04 pm. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County’s COVID-19 community level has dropped from “medium” to “low,” as anticipated based on a steady decline in case numbers over the past month.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed the county’s community level with its weekly update on Thursday (Aug. 11), as its case rate of 187.71 cases per 100,000 residents dipped below the 200 mark for the first time since early May.
Within the next decade, Fairfax County could see pedestrians and bicyclists split up along its stretch of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, among other potential changes at its regional parks.
In a new, five-year strategic plan released last Tuesday (Aug. 9), the Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority (NOVA Parks) proposes expanding the “dual trail” design introduced last year in Falls Church to other segments of the 45-mile, cross-county park.
Man Hospitalized After Bailey’s Crossroads Stabbing — A man was taken to the hospital with injuries initially considered life-threatening after being stabbed in the 6000 block of Argyle Drive on Saturday (Aug. 13). According to police, who later said the man’s condition had improved, the stabbing occurred outside after an argument. [FCPD/Twitter]
Court Hearing on Tysons Gunfire Incident Today — “The man charged with firing a gun inside Tysons Corner Center mall in McLean, Virginia, in June is due to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Monday. Noah Settles, 22, of Washington, D.C., has been charged with three counts of discharging a weapon into an occupied building, attempted malicious wounding and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.” [WTOP]
County Economic Development Leaders Visit Israel — “After a more than two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) returned to Israel for a market research trip in June 2022…The purpose of the trip was to promote Fairfax County as a favorable point of entry for Israeli companies to expand to the United States.” [FCEDA]
Driver of Allegedly Stolen Vehicle Arrested in Reston — “Glade Drive and Sunrise Valley Drive, 8/6/22, 9:26 p.m. An officer saw a stolen 2008 Mazda 6 and attempted to stop the vehicle. The juvenile driver and three juvenile passengers ran from the vehicle. The driver was arrested, and the other passengers were identified.” [FCPD]
Big Solar Farm Planned at Dulles Airport — “Dulles International Airport could soon be home to the largest airport-based solar and battery development in the United States, one that at peak production could provide enough energy to power more than 37,000 Northern Virginia homes. The solar farm would be built and managed by Dominion Energy on more than 835 acres on land.” [The Washington Post]
Vienna Public Works Director Leaves — Vienna Public Works Director Michael Gallagher stepped down Aug. 5 with his family relocating to the Blacksburg area. During his 12 years working for the town, he led a study of water and sewer rates, implemented sidewalk projects, and adjusted street light response times, among other accomplishments, town officials said. [Sun Gazette]
It’s Monday — Possible light rain in the morning and afternoon. High of 73 and low of 65. Sunrise at 6:24 am and sunset at 8:05 pm. [Weather.gov]
The Town of Vienna has now committed about a third of the $7 million bequeathed by late councilmember Maud Robinson for building sidewalks to specific projects. As of Aug. 2,…
A man from Falls Church has been arrested after allegedly sexually assaulting a patient under his care when he worked at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital (3600 Joseph Siewick Drive), the…
While school doesn’t officially start until Aug. 22, The Water Mine at Lake Fairfax will wind its summer operations down a week early this year, beginning Monday (Aug. 18).
The Fairfax County Park Authority is temporarily closing the popular Water Mine Family Swimming’ Hole due to lifeguard and other operational staff shortages at the location. The closure will last from Aug. 15-20.
Driver in Fatal Franconia Crash Charged With Manslaughter — Sara Flores, 20, of Lorton was charged with involuntary vehicular manslaughter yesterday morning (Thursday) for a May 12 crash in Franconia where she allegedly drove into a telephone pole, killing a passenger. Police had already obtained a warrant charging Flores with driving under the influence. [FCPD]
Developer Pleads Guilty in Teen’s Death — “The owner of a Virginia construction company that specializes in luxury homes pleaded guilty Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter in the death of a 16-year-old boy who was killed while working for his company in 2019. Thomas Digges, of Digges Development Corporation, operated the Fairfax County job site where a trench gave way and buried Spencer Lunde, of McLean, on July 23, 2019.” [NBC4]
Two Displaced by Fair Oaks Townhouse Fire — A fire at a three-story townhouse in the 12000 block of Dorforth Drive on Wednesday (Aug. 10) was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department says. The fire displaced two residents and resulted in approximately $175,000 in damages. [FCFRD]
One Rescued From Annandale House Fire — “8/11/22 at 1:08 a.m., in 3800 block of Gallows Road. One occupant trapped on 2nd floor was rescued by #FCFRD crews via ladder. Fire contained to basement. No injuries. NO smoke alarms found in home! Cause: improperly discarded smoking material. Damages $16K.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
County Names New Planning and Development Director — Fairfax County has appointed Tracy Strunk as director of its Department of Planning and Development, where she succeeds Barbara Byron, who retired earlier this year. Strunk’s career for the county goes back to 1998 and includes work as a planner and a member of the team that helped develop the Tysons Comprehensive Plan. [Fairfax County Government]
Fairfax County Public Schools Creates Program to Help Hire Teachers — “[Catherine] Coulter is entering her first year teaching in Virginia’s largest school system as a teaching resident, a newly-created position aimed at placing qualified teachers in classrooms while they take the final steps toward receiving a specific certification.” [WTOP]
Expansions and Renovations in Progress at FCPS — “Most students and teachers have taken the summer off, but Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has been busy with its usual tall order of school renovations and additions. Improvements now are in progress at these schools in the Sun Gazette’s readership area” [Sun Gazette]
Falls Church Development Nears Movie Theater Lease — “Developers of the new Founder’s Row mixed use development…announced through a new filing with the City that it is ‘in the final stages of securing a lease with Paragon Theaters,’ noting that ‘Paragon will operate a seven-screen movie theater, including an IMAX-similar screen with a total capacity of approximately 600 seats.'” [Falls Church News-Press]
Fairfax Shopping Center Gets New Mural — “If you’ve been by the Giant at Scout on the Circle recently you might have noticed some color appearing on the walls! The Abstract Expressionist painting on the corner of the building is by Steven Johnson. Johnson is a Indiana biased artist, who recently made his art available in the public domain.” [City of Fairfax/Facebook]
It’s Friday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 81 and low of 68. Sunrise at 6:21 am and sunset at 8:09 pm. [Weather.gov]
With the D.C. area’s summer heat in full swing, local organizers worry that there are too few options for unhoused residents in the county to cool down.
Last month, the Fairfax County NAACP approved a resolution calling on Fairfax County to improve heat relief services for low-income residents and those experiencing homelessness in the county.
A car crashed into a utility pole on the 900 block of Herndon Parkway yesterday (Wednesday) evening, resulting in an ongoing, hours-long road closure.
Shortly before 5 p.m., a driver lost control of his car in the heavy ran and crashed into a utility pole.
When crews attempted to remove the car, the wiring lost tension and caused a “chain reaction,” leading to the collapse of several other utility poles, according to police.
