The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved changes to more than half of the county’s voting precincts after a public hearing on Tuesday (March 8).
Spurred by last year’s state redistricting process, which redrew federal and state electoral districts to balance constituents based on 2020 Census data, the precinct adjustments will require around 4% of the county’s registered voters — approximately 29,000 people — to switch polling places.
Invasive Spiders Could Reach D.C. Area — “An invasive species of spider the size of a child’s hand is expected to “colonize” the entire East Coast this spring by parachuting down from the sky, researchers at the University of Georgia announced last week.” [Axios]
Ramp Closure Coming to I-66 Near Vienna — “Travel lanes on Nutley Street will shift and the ramp from Nutley Street South to I-66 West will be closed as part of work planned for this weekend, March 11-14, for the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project. Drivers heading from Nutley Street South to I-66 West will proceed..past the current ramp to turn right at a traffic signal onto a temporary ramp to access the interstate. This detour will remain in place for approximately three weeks.” [VDOT]
TJ-Inspired Bill Passes General Assembly — Legislators passed a bill on governor’s school admissions that was inspired by opposition to the overhaul at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. The bill originally blocked measures aimed at addressing disparities like the ones used by the Fairfax County School Board but was amended to broadly prohibit racial discrimination. [Associated Press/WTOP]
McLean Murder Case Goes Before Jury — “The bloodshed inside the family home in McLean, where two women were fatally shot in 2017, was either motivated by money for a new house or love for an unpopular boyfriend, depending on whom jurors decide to believe.” [The Washington Post]
Uniqlo Plans Fairfax Store — “Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlo is planning a second Northern Virginia location to its growing portfolio of stores in Greater Washington. The retail chain is taking over space formerly occupied by home furnishings company Kirkland’s at 13041 Fair Lakes Shopping Center, according to Fairfax County permit data.” [Washington Business Journal]
Trail Repairs in Mantua Begin Monday — “Tibbs Paving will be making repairs and paving the stretch of the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail from Route 50 to Thaiss Memorial Park (City of Fairfax) beginning March 14, 2022. The anticipated project duration will be about two weeks running from March 14 through 25, 2022.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]
Taco Rock Opens in Falls Church — “The new location, the largest of [chef Mike Codero’s] three Taco Rock locations at 2,800-square-feet, is in the new, Giant Food-anchored Birch & Broad shopping center…It has a 25-foot-long tequila bar, and a big heated outdoor patio with seating for 100.” [WTOP]
County Rec Centers Seek Swim Teachers — The Fairfax County Park Authority is hiring aquatics instructors to teach children and adults of various skill levels. Positions are available at all nine rec centers, and pay starts at $21.64 per hour, increasing based on experience and certifications. Applicants must be at least 16 and able to work some weekends. [FCPA]
South Lakes Students Start Company to Support Artists — “Sixteen teens from South Lakes High School have built a company called “JACP Company F: Iris,” or IRIS for short. The company is entirely student-run, operating at the school’s address…IRIS sells merchandise such as t-shirts and first-edition stickers printed with juried artwork submitted by local high school and college students.” [Reston Connection]
It’s Thursday — Today will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 53 and a low around 35. The sun rose at 6:26 and will set at 6:11 p.m. [Weather.gov]
A passenger in one of three cars that crashed in Reston this morning (Wednesday) suffered life-threatening injuries and remains hospitalized, Fairfax County police tweeted.
Three others who were in the crash were also transported to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries. The crash completely shut down the Wiehle Avenue and Baron Cameron Avenue intersection until after noon.
“We had several motor officers on scene as well as Crash Reconstruction Unit detectives who drive unmarked vehicles,” an FCPD spokesperson told FFXnow.
The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority is looking at upgrading properties to get residents more connected.
County staff are evaluating whether it could add Wi-Fi to common areas in public housing and create computer rooms at senior housing properties.
“Currently, residents must purchase internet service through a service provider for their unit,” FCRHA spokesperson Ben Boxer said in an email. “That utility is not provided by the FCRHA in each unit.”
The Great Falls Grange — an assembly hall built in the 1929 as a result of the Grange Movement — is paving the way for a new future.
Through a public-private partnership agreement with the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Great Falls Grange Foundation will operate and maintain the historic property, which will serve as a community meeting place, a hub for classes and activities and a venue for public and private events.
Fairfax County will apply for grant funding from the Virginia Tourism Corporation to help boost tourism in the area.
The Board of Supervisors approved a request yesterday (Tuesday) from the Department of Economic Initiatives for $4.17 million that will be used in conjunction with Visit Fairfax, the county’s travel marketing agency.
Virginia has allocated $50 million of its American Recovery Plan Act funds to the Tourism Recovery Program. The Virginia Tourism Corporation will award grants to all localities based on how much they contributed to total state tourism revenues in 2019.
The Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art — formerly known as the Greater Reston Arts Center — has announced its plans for the upcoming Tephra ICA Festival in May.
Known before as the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, the annual event, now in its 31st year, will bring the work of more than 200 artists to Reston Town Center.
The festival is slated to take place from May 20-22. The annual event attracts around 20,000 people to the town center, according to event organizers.
Google to Buy Reston Company for Billions — “Reston, Virginia-based cybersecurity company Mandiant will be acquired by Google for $5.4 billion. Mandiant, founded in 2004, has about 2,300 employees, including more than 600 consultants and more than 300 intelligence analysts responding to thousands of security breaches a year.” [WTOP]
Court Hears School Masking Lawsuit — Attorneys for parents of immunocompromised children and Virginia made arguments on Monday (March 7) for and against letting schools mandate masks in some situations to accomodate students with disabilities. The Fairfax County School Board filed a brief in support of the parents, calling the state’s optional mask law unconstitutional. [Inside NoVA]
Historic District Approved for Hollin Hills — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously yesterday (Tuesday) to designate Hollin Hills near Hybla Valley as a Historic Overlay District. The move requires property owners and developers to get the Architectural Review Board’s approval for some projects, including demolitions and home additions. [Fairfax County Government]
Local Ukrainian Americans Fear for Families — “Three Ukrainian Americans contacted by Annandale Today are stressed out, barely able to sleep, and worried about their relatives back home, as the brutal invasion by Russia continues.” [Annandale Today]
Saslaw Leads Negotiations on Possible NFL Stadium — “Virginia would kick in no more than $350 million in state tax revenue to build a potential home for the Washington Commanders under a new plan…Senate Majority Leader Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax), who had first estimated that the state would forfeit about $1 billion for a stadium, said Tuesday that he had insisted on the cap in recent negotiations with the team.” [The Washington Post]
Cars Preferred Over Metro Despite Worsening Traffic — “The latest numbers from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments indicate traffic in our area is about 95% of what it was pre-pandemic, while Metrorail numbers show as of last week riders were only taking about 29% of the number of trips they took pre-pandemic on an average weekday in 2019.” [ABC7]
McLean High Alumnus Takes Center Stage — “A graduate of McLean High School is coming home to Capital One Hall in Tysons, Virginia. Alex Stone stars in the national tour of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ Friday through Sunday.” [WTOP]
It’s Wednesday — Rain is expected, mainly before 2 p.m. The high today is near 41 and low around 35. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. The sun rose at 6:27 a.m. and will set at 6:10 p.m. [Weather.gov]
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity wants police to get paid more, citing concerns over vacancies and burnout.
In an email and during a Board of Supervisors meeting today (Tuesday), Herrity called for the county to allocate $20 million to increase salaries by 10% for Fairfax County Police Department employees with the rank of second lieutenant and below in the upcoming budget.
Reston-based company Comstock Companies has changed the colors of Reston Station in an effort to stand in solidarity with Ukraine.
The building, designed by world-renowned architect Helmut Jahn, has been illuminated with the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Spokesperson for the developer told Reston Now that the move was an effort to stand in solidarity with the country. The trapezoidal building, located at 1900 Reston Metro Plaza, is anchored by Google.
After receiving two complaints in the last year, Fairfax County’s Police Civilian Review Panel is recommending that the police department address swatting incidents before one turns tragic.
In its annual report, the panel urged the Fairfax County Police Department to adjust how it handles “swatting incidents” — when police are called on someone as a hoax, putting residents and officers in danger.
A new steakhouse is coming soon to Reston Town Center.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House will take over space formerly occupied for 10 years by Il Fornaio at 11990 Market Street, according to county permits.
Il Fornaio vacated the space in 2017 after a decade of business.
Statewide Tornado Drill Today — As part of its annual Severe Weather Awareness Week, Virginia will hold a statewide tornado drill at 9:45 a.m. today (Tuesday). The signal will be broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System, but there won’t be an actual tornado warning, which would mean that a twister is imminent or already underway. [Herndon Police/Twitter]
“Coastal” Tex-Mex Restaurant Planned for Tysons — “Long Shot Hospitality, which operates seafood-centric Salt Line and New Orleans hotspot Dauphine’s, is gearing up for a new project. Chef Kyle Bailey and partners will open an 11,000-square-foot Tex-Mex restaurant at the new Capital One Center in Tysons, Virginia, next year.” [Washingtonian]
Reston Company Carries Russian Propaganda — Reston Translator carries the FM radio signal in the D.C. area for the Capitol Heights station WZHF, one of just five U.S. stations that broadcasts Kremlin-approved “Radio Sputnik” programming. Despite Cold War-era tensions in the air, the owner of the South Reston-based company says he’s “a fervent believer in the First Amendment.” [The Washington Post]
Burke Brewery Toasts “Bunny Man” Legend — “The Fairfax folklore of the Bunny Man has brought scary stories to generations in Northern Virginia. Now, you can hear this wild tale over a pint of Bunnyman beer from a brewery celebrating this creepy story. Bunnyman Brewing, on Guinea Road in Fairfax, is just a few miles from a bridge at the center of an urban legend about a hatchet-wielding man in a bunny costume.” [NBC4]
Driver Evades Drinking-and-Driving Charge in Vienna — Vienna Police attempted to issue a summons to a driver who committed a traffic violation in the 2100 block of Chain Bridge Road at 1:53 a.m. on Feb. 25. The driver failed sobriety tests, but police learned that he had full diplomatic immunity. [Sun Gazette/Inside NoVA]
County Park Welcomes Baby Sheep — “It’s a sure sign of spring: baby animals at Frying Pan Farm Park! Fluffette delivered triplet rams (boys) on February 28. Lane delivered twins (one boy/one girl) on March 1. The sheep are all in Kidwell Barn and will go outside near the barn on nice days.” [Fairfax County Park Authority/Twitter]
Social Worker at Springfield School Awarded — “Claudia McDowell, a school social worker at Lynbrook Elementary School, has been named the 2022 National School Worker of the Year by the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) for her commitment to the profession and for positively impacting the lives of the students, families, and staff of the communities she serves.” [FCPS]
It’s Tuesday — Today is mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Northwest wind 7 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. The low will be around 37. The sun rose at 6:29 a.m. and will set at 6:09 p.m. [Weather.gov]
Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar, a Peruvian restaurant with locations by Miami and in D.C., is looking to expand to Reston.
The Washington Business Journal reported the news last Friday (March 4), saying it’s slated to open at 1875 Explorer Street, where Vapiano was located until it closed suddenly in 2019 after facing allegations of money laundering.
For the first time since November, Fairfax County has added fewer than 100 new COVID-19 cases on two consecutive days.
There were 51 new cases reported today (Monday) in the Fairfax Health District, which includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church. The 45 cases added yesterday represented the fewest daily cases since Nov. 16, when only eight new cases came in, according to Virginia Department of Health data.
