(Updated at 8:30 p.m.) Several people have reported the sighting of a bear near Home Depot in Reston.
In a tweet, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn warned residents of a bear sighting near the hardware store at 1651 Reston Parkway. A representative for Alcorn’s office said the Reston Police District received several reports.
Sgt. Earit Powell with Animal Protextion Police said it is likely the same bear that was seen in McLean over the last week and a half is in the Reston area.
The bear has not showed any threatening behavior but has been getting into trash and bird feeders, Powell said.
“We are also directing people to contact the Virginia Wildlife Conflict Helpline at 855-571-9003 to report sightings and any conflicts with bears. This helpline is operated by the DWR and USDA Wildlife Services,” he added.
Another individual told FFXnow they saw a bear on Temporary Road.
Cameron Perez told FFXnow that she called 911 when she spotted the bear earlier this morning.
“I was coming back from work around 9:20am in the crossing light of Temporary Road and North Shore is the new traffic light that was installed recently,” Carmen said. “It was a black juvenile bear.”
Resident Matt Sweeney says he saw the bear in the Browns Chapel Park area this morning, posting videos on NextDoor that showed the animal crossing a road and lumbering through woods.
“It happened at around 8:05am at Browns Chapel,” he told FFXnow. “I first saw it on the paved trail running parallel to Baron Cameron [Road].”
There have been a number of reported bear sightings in Northern Virginia this month, including in McLean and Arlington. It’s unclear whether these have been the same animal or different ones.
My office has heard that a bear
has been seen in Reston near Home Depot. The bear hasn’t shown behaviors that indicate a public safety threat. Call Virginia Wildlife Helpline 855-571-9003 to report sightings. https://t.co/XZwpKwLcis#Reston #HunterMill
— Supervisor Walter Alcorn (@WalterAlcornFFX) June 28, 2023
A long-delayed effort to outfit Fairfax County Public Schools’ buses with cameras has officially received the green light from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
At a meeting yesterday (Tuesday), the board unanimously approved an agreement allowing the Fairfax County Police Department to participate in a program that will install 50 bus camera systems to detect drivers who don’t stop when buses are boarding and off-loading students.
Board members emphasized the need for the program amid surging pedestrian fatalities and concerns about student and traffic safety.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said he was extremely dismayed about delays associated with the program.
“This is a long time coming, frankly. It will save lives and equally importantly make the very tough job of our school bus operators a little bit easier with maybe one less thing they have to worry about,” he said.
The project is not expected to go live until 2024.
Failure to stop when a school bus unloads and loads students is prohibited by state law, resulting in a civil fine of $250 for violations. The state passed enabling legislation allowing schools to install video-monitoring systems in 2011.
FCPS staff began exploring the idea of adding cameras to its buses in 2013, prompted by Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, but the Board of Supervisors turned up the heat in February when it approved a motion asking FCPS why a program had not yet been implemented.
Factors in the delay included a need for more state legislation to clarify legal questions regarding the authority of police departments to mail summons to violators and permitting vendors to access Department of Motor Vehicles data.
Talks with a vendor were on hold during the pandemic and when the contact for the vendor left in 2021, the future of the project was unclear. McKay then sent a letter in December 2021 proposing that the program be in place by last summer.
McKay, Foust and others said they had hoped for a more expeditious handling of the proposal.
“It was the legal issues that cost us all the times which is really frustrating because there were different interpretations [of the law],” McKay said.
Virginia school systems with bus stop-arm cameras include Falls Church City, Arlington and Newport News.
FCPS will bear the cost of the program by vendor American Traffic Solutions, Inc.
Drivers of vehicles identified by the bus camera system will receive a summons that requires payment.
The program will expand based on an evaluation of the administrative process and the effectiveness of the traffic calming technology by FCPS and the FCPD.
Local police have released a composite sketch from a June 18 early morning shooting outside the Ashford Meadows Apartments in Herndon.
Officers discovered that a man had been shot at around 4 a.m. in the 2500 block of Cornelia Road. He was found shot multiple times in the upper body in the parking lot, police said.
The man was taken to the hospital for treatment.
A white SUV was seen leaving the area, according to witnesses, the Fairfax County Police Department says. So far, police believe two suspects were attempting to break into the victim’s Dodge Charger. The victim went outside to confront the suspects when he was shot.
The composite sketch of the first suspect was released today (Wednesday). The FCPD describes the second suspect as a white man, early 20’s, with brown medium length hair, 5-foot-10 and heavy set.
Police are asking anyone with potential information about the shooting to contact detectives at 703-246-7800, option 5. Anonymous tips are also accepted through Crime Solvers by phone (1-866-411-TIPS) or online.
Local police are investigating a spree of thefts from unlocked cars in Reston.
Police believe suspects have entered more than 30 unlocked cars and stolen valuables, like purses, credit cards, cash and electronics, between May and June. The suspects were captured on surveillance footage recently, the Fairfax County Police Department announced yesterday (Tuesday).
The issue is not isolated to the Reston District, police said, adding that vehicle break-ins and unlocked cars have become “easy targets” for suspects.
“It is important that the community works together to prevent easy access to unattended cars,” police said. “Often, suspects will walk around a community and check for unlocked cars. Sometimes these suspects get lucky because keys are left inside the vehicle.”
FCPD issued the following tips to protect vehicles:
• Lock your car and avoid leaving your keys in the car.
• Park in public places with lots of streetlights.
• Keep the windows rolled up when you park.
• Install car alarm systems and/or GPS systems.
• Do not leave any personal or valuable belongings inside your car.
• Do not leave your car turned on and unattended.
• Do not leave a spare key where it can be found.
• Utilize Security Cameras and floodlights.
• Know where you’re going.
• Practice proper automotive maintenance.
• Always stay aware of your surroundings.
• Do not store important personal documents in your vehicle.
• Report suspicious activity to our non-emergency number at (703) 691-2131. If you have an emergency, call 911.
President Snarls Traffic on Capital Beltway — “Virginia State Police shut down the Inner Loop of the Beltway just before the American Legion Bridge in McLean, causing miles of delays toward Tysons Corner during rush hour Tuesday.” The highway was closed at Georgetown Pike for President Joe Biden’s motorcade, which was driving to a campaign event in Chevy Chase. [NBC4]
Air Quality Alert Issued for Region — “Canadian wildfire smoke…that enveloped Chicago and much of the Midwest” yesterday will descend on the D.C. area today (Wednesday), prompting the issuance of a Code Orange air quality alert. Sensitive groups could feel health impacts from being outside, but conditions aren’t expected to worsen to the Code Maroon seen earlier this month. [ARLnow]
School Board Approves Equity Policy — The Fairfax County school board approved a policy on Monday (June 26) that “defines terms including bias, diversity, equity, cultural responsiveness and inclusion, and it outlines priorities such as distributing funds on the basis of student need, recruiting a diverse staff and ensuring that all students have access to high-quality facilities.” [The Washington Post]
Richmond Highway BRT Gets Toll Funding — “Fairfax County’s Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project will receive a $10 million funding boost in the upcoming fiscal year, which starts July 1.” The money comes from I-395/I-95 toll revenues, with a second round of $10 million anticipated next year to fill the Fairfax County Department of Transportation’s full request. [On the MoVe]
Reston Startup Will Assist Flying Vehicles — “TruWeather Solutions has raised $5.3 million, a big chunk of a $7 million Series A funding goal, as part of its bet on more vehicles, manned or not, taking to the skies in the coming years.” Backers of the company, which “gives weather predictions and logistics data,” include “Supernal, a U.S. tech innovation arm of Hyundai Motor Group that’s working to develop an electric takeoff and landing vehicle.” [DC Inno]
Local Teen Saves Grandmother With CPR — “14-year-old Andy Campos awoke to a nightmare on May 15. His family members were frantic as his grandmother Angela Campos had passed out on the floor. She was having a heart attack. Andy knew exactly what to do. The week before, he’d taken a CPR class at Marshall High School.” [DC News Now]
Get Ready to Register for Child Care — “Registration for Fairfax County’s School Age Child Care program for the 2024-25 school year will open on July 11, 2023. The SACC program…offers before- and after-school care for children attending kindergarten through sixth grade in most Fairfax County public elementary schools and several community centers.” Registration for 2023-2024 is already underway. [Neighborhood and Community Services]
Herndon Restaurant a Favorite of WaPo Food Critic — Tom Sietsema lists Anatolian Bistro as one of his six favorite places to eat right now, lauding the Worldgate Centre restaurant as “tasteful.” “One bite into the manti, and I’m mentally thanking the reader who suggested I check out this Turkish escape in Herndon,” he says. [The Washington Post]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Northwest wind around 10 mph. At night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64. Northwest wind 3 to 6 mph. [Weather.gov]
After failing to materialize yesterday, stormy weather showed up in force around the D.C. region this afternoon (Tuesday).
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for Fairfax County and the rest of the area for around 2:11-3 p.m. The National Weather Service reported that the east-moving storm had reached the Oakton and Vienna area around 2:09 p.m., bringing 60-mph wind gusts and hail the size of quarters, according to Fairfax County.
“Damaging winds will cause some trees and large branches to fall,” the county’s emergency information blog said. “This could injure those outdoors, as well as damage homes and vehicles. Roadways may become blocked by downed trees. Localized power outages are possible. Unsecured light objects may become projectiles.”
As of 3 p.m., about 2,826 people in Fairfax County and Fairfax City have lost power, according to Dominion Energy.
Per the utility company’s outage map, the largest individual outages appear to be along Fairfax Blvd, where 914 customers are without power, and in Great Falls, where 509 customers are affected.
The Fairfax outage stems from an out circuit and is expected to be restored between 5-8 p.m. Dominion estimates a restoration time of 6-9 p.m. for the Great Falls outage, which is directly attributed to the storm.
In Tysons, downed trees were reportedly blocking the ramp from eastbound Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) to northbound Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road), according to the NWS.
Hail was confirmed in Reston by resident Robyn Matthews, but the storm moved relatively quickly, prompting the NWS to let the warning expire on time at 3 p.m.
“The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe limits, and no longer poses an immediate threat to life or property,” a 2:51 p.m. update said. “Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire. However gusty winds and heavy rain are still possible with this thunderstorm.”
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Washington DC, Arlington VA and Alexandria VA until 3:00 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/yIwOq9WR4E
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) June 27, 2023
At 2:25 PM EDT, Tysons Corner [Fairfax Co, VA] Broadcast Media reports Tstm Wnd Dmg. The ramp from eastbound VA-7 Leesburg Pike to northbound VA-123 Chain Bridge Road was blocked by downed trees. https://t.co/6fPcuWCyU4 pic.twitter.com/e9iAfmMCCv
— IEMBot LWX (@iembot_lwx) June 27, 2023
Small hail and strong wind in Reston pic.twitter.com/9gRQCqlsN0
— Robyn Matthews (@robyndmatthews) June 27, 2023
The work of a Haitian American artist who explores historical and contemporary imagination will expand horizons at Reston Town Center, starting this week.
“Flare,” an exhibit by Charles Phillipe Jean-Pierre will be on display at Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art‘s satellite gallery in the Signature apartments (11850 Freedom Drive) from Thursday (June 29) through Oct. 15.
An exploration of how memory, color and light shape imagination, his mixed-media paintings aim to shed light on the lack of synergy between social perceptions and reality.
The Signature gallery, which is dedicated to regional artists, is a perfect location for the exhibition, Tephra ICA Associate Curator Hannah Barco says.
“I see it as a wonderful opportunity to look across an artist’s practice and find connections between the different ways an artist is making work,” Barco said. “Jean-Pierre’s upcoming exhibition is another great example of this, and I am so excited to see how the conversation unfolds around his abstract painting, his mono-print collage portraits, and his new series of photographs of found objects that he has painted black.”
According to Tephra, Jean-Pierre is a Haitian American artist who was raised in Chicago. His other work has explored the intersection of community, spirituality and socio-political systems. He is also an adjunct professor at American University and a U.S. State Department Art in Embassies Artist.
The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the lobby of the Signature apartments. An opening reception and talk with the artist will be held there this Thursday at 6 p.m.
Here’s more from Tephra on Jean-Pierre’s background:
His works are featured the U.S. Embassy in Benin, Malawi, and Niger. He also serves as a guest curator for exhibitions at The Embassy of Haiti. He has been featured in three Smithsonian exhibitions and was a Barack Obama invitee to the White House to speak on the role of the arts in youth justice. In 2021, he was an invited featured artist for the 2021 Atlantic Festival.
His collaborations include: Alvin Ailey, Boys & Girls Club, DC Commission on the Arts, International Monetary Fund, Inter-American Development Bank, Minnesota State Arts Board, Something In Water Music Festival, and West Elm, among many others. His works have been featured in The Atlantic, Black Enterprise, BET, Ebony Magazine, NBC, Netflix, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.
Jean-Pierre’s public art has been featured in South Africa, New York, Chicago, DC, Istanbul, Panama, Port-au-Prince, London, and Paris. Jean-Pierre holds a Master of Arts from Howard University, and his atelier & Galerie D’Art is located in Washington, DC.
(Updated at 11:55 a.m. on 6/28/2023) CHIBOO Bakery, a new local gourmet French macaron business, is opening its first brick-and-mortar location this weekend in Herndon.
Chiboo will open on Friday (June 30) from 4-8 p.m. at 274 Sunset Park Drive and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday’s grand opening will feature “celebration specials, a lucky draw and a free macaron for the first 50 RSVPs,” according to the event page.
Anyone who registers now for the opening weekend can get 15% off on all purchases, the bakery says.
Chiboo owner Chelsea Tan Hweii Chiee moved to the area in 2020 and began selling her macarons in several farmers markets, including the Reston Farmers Market at Lake Anne and another market in Bethesda on Sundays.
After having trouble finding a job in finance and technology due to the pandemic, Chiee said she decided to switch to a brick-and-mortar location. Her customers also asked for more.
“My customers wanted to have their sweet fix beyond waking up early for the market and whenever — so of course I had to work to get a space to do walk-ins ASAP!” Chiee said.
She says she sources her fruit and herbs from local farmers markets and also incorporates her homemade fruit spreads in the weekly rotating menu.
“I am originally from Malaysia, and my flavors are a fusion of my upbringing and travels, and favorite local deliciousness,” she said.
The name of Chiboo is a term of endearment for her parents, derived from her name Chiee. The bakery will sell a mix of French macarons, “dainty desserts,” and other options that for custom event and gift orders, she said.
Tension Over Annandale HS Band Director’s Resignation — “By the time Tyron Barnes prepared to address Annandale High School’s band students and parents during an end-of-year banquet in the school cafeteria on June 1, the group had already learned that he had resigned…In an email that same night, Barnes wrote that it had become apparent to him that some people didn’t want him leading the band program.” [WTOP]
New Historical Marker Unveiled in Gum Springs — “Thank you to the New Gum Springs Civic Association and Queenie Cox for inviting me to the West Ford Virginia historical highway marker dedication and Juneteenth Celebration. It was an honor to attend and celebrate the life of the ‘Father of Gum Springs,’ West Ford,” a formerly enslaved man who founded the community in 1833. [Supervisor Rodney Lusk/Instagram]
Ice Cream Shop to Replace Annandale Dance Studio — “International Dance is moving from its current location in Pinecrest Plaza to the former Treasure Trove spot in the Annandale Shopping Center on Columbia Pike. According to the Pinecrest Plaza website, an ice cream shop called Mimi’s Handmade will occupy the dance studio’s current location.” [Annandale Today]
Herndon Student Raises Funds for School Supplies — “Sanya Bhalla believes strongly in the importance of giving back to the community…As a way of continuing her charitable efforts, the Oak Hill resident recently launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to purchase school supplies for underprivileged children in the area.” [Patch]
Vintage Car Garage Approved in Vienna — “A warehouse building in a southeast Vienna industrial park soon will be converted to store about 180 classic and exotic automobiles. Vienna Town Council members on June 20 voted unanimously to support a certificate of occupancy for Roadhouse Development Co. LLC to provide vehicle storage…at 831 Follin Lane, S.E.” [Gazette Leader]
More People Trying to Cross Train Tracks, Metro Says — “A man needed to get from one Metro platform to the other, so he risked his life by jumping onto the tracks and over the electrified third rail — twice. Alarming video caught on Metro security cameras shows a man crossing the tracks…in Northern Virginia on Friday. It’s just one instance of what Metro officials call a trend of dangerous trespassing in the rail system.” [NBC4]
Dominion Upgrades Power Poles in Springfield — “With some crew members digging a hole and others navigating a bucket truck, 13 older power poles were being replaced, hours before threatening weather was set to approach Monday afternoon…Green said the new poles are better suited to withstand inevitable summer storms, which include trees and heavy branches falling on wires, which often cause outages.” [WTOP]
Longtime Oakton Nonprofit Leader to Retire — “Eileen Ellsworth will retire as president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, the foundation announced Monday…Founded in 1978, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia supports a number social and civic ventures across the region, but board chair Catherine Schott Murray noted its role has expanded under Ellsworth.” [Inside NoVA]
It’s Tuesday — A chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11am and 2pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. High near 81. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Low around 65. [Weather.gov]
A new Indian restaurant is coming to Herndon’s Village Center at Dulles.
Mirch Dhamaka is expected to occupy a nearly 3,600-square-foot spot at 2443 Centreville Road, according to signage posted at the location.
A spokesperson for the restaurant told FFXnow that an opening date has not yet been determined.
Items on the menu include chicken tikka masala, samosa chaat, biryani and a variety of vegetarian dishes, according to the restaurant’s website.
“We are an authentic Indian restaurant in the heart of the town and we strive to offer you the best food and ambience,” the website says.
The restaurant lists job openings for waiters, a bartender, a kitchen assistant, a food runner and two chefs.
The Village Center at Dulles currently has five vacancies, according to Regency Center, which manages the shopping center.
Some pretty gnarly weather is bearing down on Fairfax County and the rest of the D.C. area.
The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for the region until 9 p.m.
A Hazardous Weather Outlook issued earlier that could last until midnight forecast heavy storms with the worst impact expected to be east of I-81, including Fairfax County, where the likelihood of severe weather is considered “moderate.”
“Damaging wind gusts and large hail are the primary threats along with the possibility of a brief tornado,” Fairfax County said in a blog post sharing the NWS alert. “Additionally, there is a threat for flash flooding across the entire outlook area this afternoon and evening.”
Severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon with localized damaging wind gusts and large hail being the primary threats. Please stay weather aware, and be ready to seek shelter if warnings are issued. pic.twitter.com/cw9lnHTCmC
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) June 26, 2023
[2:20 PM] – A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING.
Localized damaging wind gusts, hail, and rain that may cause flash flooding are possible. pic.twitter.com/Bzyn38J36R
— Ready Fairfax (@ReadyFairfax) June 26, 2023
According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, the region along and east of I-95 could see wind gusts of “up to 75 mph, large hail and possible isolated tornadoes.”
The department is advising travelers to pay close attention to weather reports and to potential limit travel as conditions evolve, warning that the storm could take down trees and power lines and result in flooding.
“Whenever severe weather is expected, we partner with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and Virginia State Police to coordinate efforts,” VDOT Commissioner Stephen C. Brich said. “Teams throughout the Commonwealth are prepared to address impacts from this storm. We ask for the public’s assistance to remain safe and stay aware of changing weather and road conditions in their area and along their travel routes.”
The storms are moving to the East Coast from the Midwest, which were hit by hail ranging from the size of a baseball to a grapefruit yesterday (Sunday), according to the Capital Weather Gang. Tornadoes have reportedly damaged dozens of homes and killed at least one person in Indiana.
Here’s more advice on navigating the upcoming weather from VDOT:
Obey all “road closed” signage.
“Turn around, don’t drown” – Do not attempt to travel through flooded roadways. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the primary causes of flood-related deaths occur to individuals driving into or walking in or near flood waters.
- 6 inches of flood water is enough to knock an adult off of their feet
- 12 inches can move most cars
- 18-24 inches can carry away most large SUVs, vans and trucks
Be alert to debris, downed trees and power lines
Move over for emergency crews operating in or near roadways
Be alert to High Wind Advisories, especially on bridges or taller structures. High-profile vehicles such as tractor trailers, SUVs or box trucks are especially vulnerable and should not cross a bridge when a High Wind Advisory is posted.
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) will soon be a more common sight at Reston Association ballfields and buildings.
At a meeting Thursday (June 22) night, RA’s Board of Directors approved a motion to purchase the devices for community buildings and three major ballfield complexes at Brown’s Chapel, Hook Road and Lake Newport Soccer.
According to the American Red Cross, AEDs analyze the heart’s rhythm and deliver an electric shock to restablish an affective rhythm. The average response time for first responders after a 911 call is made is between 8 to 12 minutes.
The odds of survival drop by 10% each minute defibrillation is delayed, according to RA.
The cost of the project is $18,000. Staff noted that they plan to seek additional funding for more units during the 2024 and 2025 budget process and from Friends of Reston, the nonprofit that helps fundraise for RA.
Board president John Farrell urged the board to explore the issue at January meeting when he spoke as a member. He referred to football player Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills going into cardiac arrest on Jan. 2 after attempting a routine tackle. Doctors described it as a perfect storm when the chest is struck in a particular point when the heart is relaxed and with a specific amount of force.
“We ought to be able to figure out a way to have an AED available,” Farrell said.
Currently, all RA pools have AEDs during hours of operation, along with a backup aquatics unit, and there is one in the Central Services Facility building.
At a March board meeting, the board unanimously passed a motion directing the CEO to research viable solutions related to the issue, along with reaching out to Friends of Reston for funding. RA staff would install and manage the devices.
At last week’s meeting, board director Irwin Flashman failed to get enough votes to pass a motion to consider the decision of AEDs at ballfields separately from AEDs in RA buildings.
Flashman said he was concerned about how the devices would be housed.
“My concern is that there no building to store it,” Flashman said, adding, “We don’t know where they’re going to be placed and how they’re going to be secured.”
Staff noted that an installation and storage plan is in the works and would require approval from RA’s Design Review Board.
Board member Jalal Mapar — who was elected at the meeting to fill a vacant seat — said he was “baffled” by the discussion over how staff should install the devices.
“The staff already has a plan,” Mapar said. “They know what they need to do.”
“We don’t tell staff where to put diving boards either,” board member Mike Collins said.
(Updated at 11 a.m. on 6/27/2023) The Fairfax County School Board voted 9-1 last night (Monday) to raise member salaries to $48,000 with an additional $2,000 for the board chair, starting Jan. 1, 2024.
Aiming lower than what staff proposed, the raises are comparable to compensation for other paid school boards governing large school systems elsewhere in the country and raises approved in previous years, Mount Vernon District School Board representative Karen Corbett-Sanders said.
At-large member Abrar Omeish opposed the motion, saying that she struggled to support it “from a moral perspective” when “education in general is hurting.” Hunter Mill District representative Melanie Meren and Sully District representative Stella Pekarsky abstained.
The raises will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024. All school board seats will be up for election on Nov. 7.
FCPS staff recommended raising the annual pay for each of the 12 elected school board members to $60,404. An additional $2,000 increase is proposed for the board chair, a position that changes each year.
Prior to the board meeting, School Board Chair Rachna Sizemore-Heizer told FFXnow that the staff proposal “would align future board members’ modest compensation with new starting teacher salaries,” noting that the board has raised its pay just three times in the past 35 years, most recently in 2015.
A new teacher with a bachelor’s degree and a 260-day contract will make $66,177 for fiscal year 2024, which starts July 1, according to FCPS’ salary scales.
“Increasing compensation for future school board members acknowledges the significant time commitment of the work in one of the nation’s largest and most complex school systems and opens the door to public service for Fairfax County residents with diverse backgrounds and experiences who may not be able to consider serving otherwise,” Sizemore-Heizer said.
Like the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the school board is required by state law to vote on any member pay raises, which can only be proposed before July 1 of the year of an election.
Fairfax County’s school board last approved raises by a 5-4 vote in April 2015, bumping the salary for each member up from $20,000 to the current $32,000 rate. Virginia lets school boards give their chair an additional increase of up to $2,000, so the chair receives $34,000 right now.
In a summary, FCPS staff highlighted the school board’s various duties as it oversees the largest public school district in Virginia:
School Board members are responsible for developing and setting school division policy, approving the annual budget, hiring the Superintendent, and adjudicating student disciplinary and school division employee appeals. They spend many hours preparing for and attending official meetings, work sessions, committee meetings, public hearings, and other functions – nearly 150 meetings in the 2022-23 school year alone. Additionally, Board members attend school, PTA, and community meetings and events, visit schools, attend required professional development programs, and communicate with students, parents, staff, stakeholders, and other constituents.
The Board of Supervisors approved salaries on March 21 of $123,283 for supervisors and $138,283 for the chairman — slightly lower rates than what county staff had initially proposed. It was the board’s first raise since 2015.
While that vote was preceded by a public hearing with sometimes emotional testimony by residents and county workers, the school board’s vote took place around 1 p.m. without public comment. The Code of Virginia doesn’t appear to require a hearing, only a vote by the school board.
Notably, only three school board members are seeking reelection this year: Karl Frisch (Providence District), Melanie Meren (Hunter Mill) and Mason District representative Ricardy Anderson (Mason).
Sizemore-Heizer, an at-large member, is campaigning for the Braddock District seat after Megan McLaughlin announced in February that she’ll retire when her third and final term ends on Dec. 31.
At-large member Abrar Omeish, Karen Corbett Sanders (Mount Vernon), Tamara Derenak Kaufax (Franconia) and Elaine Tholen (Dranesville) have also opted out of reelection bids.
The other members — Karen Keys-Gamarra (at-large), Laura Jane Cohen (Springfield) and Stella Pekarsky (Sully) — are running for General Assembly seats. All of them won the Democratic primary for their respective races last Tuesday (June 20).
Man Pulled From Burning Car, Gets DWI — “Police say around 2:30 am on June 15, officers responded to Annandale Rd & Gallows Rd for a single vehicle crash. The driver struck a curb, hit a telephone pole then a tree and came to a rest on its side, according to FCPD. Officers found the car engulfed in flames and rushed to safely remove the driver. The 27-year-old driver was arrested for DWI.” [ABC7]
Metro Introduces Nighttime “Courtesy Stops” — “Metrobus customers who travel at night will have the option to get off between bus stops along the route, closer to their destination to provide a safer, better bus experience…Beginning, Sunday, June 25, customers may request a courtesy stop between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.” [WMATA]
Man Charged With Attempted Abduction in Annandale — “A man who Fairfax County police say attempted to kidnap a 4-year-old girl while she was sleeping inside an apartment in Annandale, Virginia, earlier this month, has been charged…The girl’s mother woke up to the sound of shaking window blinds and her daughter crying at around 4 a.m. The living room window was open, she told police, and the girl was on the floor.” [WTOP]
County Sees Uptick in U-Haul Thefts — “On June 15, during a routine patrol, Auto Crime Enforcement detectives located a stolen U-Haul in the Huntington area…During a search of the recovered vehicle, officers located a gun, three extended magazines, and more than 200 rounds of ammunition.” Police say 32 U-Hauls have been reported stolen or not returned in the county since January. [WUSA9]
New Coworking Site Open in Mosaic District — “SevaSpaces, a coworking space in Fairfax County’s Mosaic District, officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 7. Featuring eclectic art and furnishings, a gym and parking, SevaSpaces was designed to inspire creativity and collaboration, according to the company…A second SevaSpaces location is set to open in Tysons in August 2023.” [Fairfax County EDA]
Annandale Barbershop Relocates After Fire — “JJ Salon & Barber has relocated to a temporary location since its building on Columbia Pike in Annandale was heavily damaged in a huge fire in March. The owners, Jenny and Joey Lee, are renting a few chairs at the 7 Hair Line salon across the street at 7116 Columbia Pike in the shopping center with Subway and Pizza Hut.” [Annandale Today]
Renovation Planned for George Washington Rec Center — “The George Washington Rec Center…plans to close from July 24 to August 18, according to the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA). Among the improvements slated for the facility are new pool filters; new and more secure doors at the front entrance; retiled showers; an updated party room; and a deep cleaning of the pool deck.” [On the MoVe]
Madison Student Wins Tennis Championship — “Winning a second straight state championship was at the least as equally fun and satisfying as the first, according to Simone Bergeron, but the Madison Warhawks senior admitted there were added expectations being the defending champion.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Monday — A slight chance of showers between 8am and 2pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. High near 90. Low around 66. [Weather.gov]
Issues with a communications system in Warrenton resulted in a temporary suspension of most flights coming into the D.C. area, including at Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a “ground stop” shortly after 6 p.m., pausing departures to the D.C. area so that repairs could be made to a communications system at the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control facility in Warrenton.
The Potomac TRACON facility controls air space for Dulles, National and several other key airports in the region.
“The facility has switched to a backup system,” the FAA said at 6:27 p.m., noting that departures from the D.C. area and incoming flights from New York were continuing.
By 6:54 p.m., flights from the West Coast, Midwest and Florida had also resumed.
Contrary to initial reports from travelers on Twitter, who said a fire had taken out air traffic control at either Dulles or National Airport, the FAA says there have been no official reports of a fire.
Dulles Airport reported that the ground stop was lifted at 7:07 p.m.
However, departures from Dulles have been delayed by 90 minutes on average, a time frame that may increase, according to the FAA’s latest air systems status update at 6:56 p.m.
Flights from New York bound for D.C. continue, and flights departing D.C.-area airports continue.
Continue to monitor https://t.co/smgdqJN3td for the latest.
— The FAA
(@FAANews) June 25, 2023
The ground stop has been lifted and flights have resumed.
Please check with your airline for flight status. https://t.co/GmPj06MOHN
— Dulles Airport (IAD) (@Dulles_Airport) June 25, 2023
All DC area air traffic control is offline. And before you call bullshit, the flight I’m on was just rerouted states away as a result.
— RJR Capital (@RJRCapital) June 25, 2023
Have heard from a number of people – what is everyone seeing? #airtravel https://t.co/CaxB4KznRh
— Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) June 25, 2023
