The Fairfax County Police Department is seeking the public’s help to identify two men allegedly involved in theft and fraud in Falls Church.
“Officers are asking for the public’s help identifying two men suspected of stealing purses from parked cars in cemeteries in the Falls Church area of the county while victims attended burial services and visited grave sites,” according to a press release from FCPD today (Thursday).
Police said the suspects used credit cards from the purses at Target and Walmart multiple times.
People with information or who recognize the suspects can contact Officer P. King at the McLean District Police Station at 703-556-7750 or submit an anonymous tip.
Photos via FCPD
City of Falls Church residents can now have chinchillas, hedgehogs, turtles, hermit crabs and tortoises as pets.
The City Council approved adding the five animals to its list of allowed pets on Monday (June 24) — about five months after Fairfax County legalized pet hedgehogs, chinchillas and hermit crabs.
After a robust discussion last week — focused mainly around hedgehogs — about health and safety concerns, several of the councilmembers, including two who admitted to owning hermit crabs illegally, expressed support for the change.
Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals that require space, exercise and room temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure they do not start hibernating, according to the Hedgehog Welfare Society. Along with cats, dogs, frogs, hamsters and many other animals, hedgehogs can spread salmonella, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Before voting on Monday night, Mayor David Tarter and several councilmembers praised student activist Isabel D., a junior at George Mason High School, for her civic engagement and efforts pushing for the city to legalize hedgehogs as pets.
The motion passed 5-2, with the mayor and Councilmember Dan Sze voting no.
Photo by Hans-Olof Andersson on Unsplash
(Updated at 10 a.m. 07/01/2019) A fire broke out at in the attic of a McLean home earlier this morning.
Firefighters from the Arlington County Fire Department and Fairfax County Fire and Rescue responded to the fire at a home in the 6500 block of W. Langley Lane shortly after 7 a.m., according to a Fairfax County Fire and Rescue tweet.
Firefighters had the fire out by around 9 a.m. “Crews [are] working on removing insulation from [the] attic area,” the Fairfax County fire department tweeted.
All of the occupants of the house evacuated, and no injuries have been reported.
More from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue:
On Thursday, June 27 at approximately 7:28 a.m., units from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department and the Arlington County Fire Department responded to a report of a fire alarm activation in the 6500 block of West Langley Lane in the McLean area of Fairfax County.
Units arrived on scene of a two-story, single family house with smoke coming from the roof. The incident was immediately upgraded to a house fire. Crews quickly advanced a fire hose line to the second floor and extinguished a fire that had spread to the attic. There were no civilian or firefighter injuries.
No occupants were home at the time of the fire. A monitored smoke alarm system activated prompting the alarm company to call Fairfax County 9-1-1.
Fire Investigators determined that the fire was accidental in nature and started in the second-floor hallway bathroom. The fire was caused by an electrical malfunction within the electrical wiring supplying the bathroom canister lights.
No occupants were displaced because of the fire. Red Cross assistance was not needed. Damages as a result of the fire were approximately $37,500.
UPDATE house fire in 6500 block of W Langley Lane in McLean. Fire in attic is out. No extension. Crews working on removing insulation from attic area. Thanks @ArlingtonVaFD for assistance. #FCFRD #FairfaxCounty pic.twitter.com/nPxXYZvEB1
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) June 27, 2019
Map via Google Maps
It’s no secret that traffic is a problem for major roadways around Tysons.
Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) is pushing sluglines as one solution.
Earlier this month, the NVTC unveiled that a campaign to encourage slugging along I-66 is one of its approved projects for the fiscal year 2020. One of the four commuter lots that NVTC wants to highlight in its campaign is the Park and Ride at the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro
Sluglines — also known as “casual carpooling” — allow a driver to pick up non-paying passengers at designated spots in order to use an HOV lane or get a toll reduction.
Let us know if slugging is something you would do.
Tysons is now set to get a new senior living facility in two towers behind the Tysons Galleria.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the senior living complex known as The Mather during the board’s meeting yesterday (Tuesday).
The Mather is a part of Cityline Partners LLC’s Arbor Row project near Tysons Galleria, which includes the completed Nouvelle residential building and The Monarch, and plans to transform the back of Tysons Galleria along Westpark Drive into a suite of mixed-use buildings.
Slated to open in 2023, The Mather plans to seek a LEED Gold designation for the building and will be the first Life Plan Community in Tysons, according to a press release from Mather LifeWays, an organization that creates senior living programs and places.
“The Mather will offer apartment homes with SMART home technology, amenity-rich community spaces and luxury of a different kind for those who wish to plan ahead to live life to the fullest,” Mary Leary, the president and chief executive officer of Mather LifeWays, said in a press release.
The one- and two-bedroom room apartments in The Mather will start at $650,000, according to the press release.
Image via Fairfax County Planning Commission
Updated at 2:30 p.m. — The crash was cleared at 2:26 p.m., 511 Northern Virginia tweeted.
Earlier: A crash on I-495 in McLean is causing travel delays for drivers headed toward the American Legion Bridge.
The crash is located just south of the Georgetown Pike. Around 2:05 p.m., a nearby traffic camera showed a car on a tow truck.
The north left lane is currently closed, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Drivers can expect delays, according to VDOT. As of 2:10 p.m., northbound traffic is slowly moving from Route 738 to the bridge.
Cleared: Accident: NB on I-495 at MM44 in Fairfax Co.2:26PM
— 511 Northern VA (@511northernva) June 26, 2019
Accident: NB on I-495 at MM44 in Fairfax Co. 1 NB travel lane closed.1:42PM
— 511 Northern VA (@511northernva) June 26, 2019
Image via Google Maps
Two sites poised for redevelopment in Tysons now have new owners.
Thallium LLC acquired 8133 Leesburg Pike for a little more than $30 million, while McLean-based Tepe & Hisar LLC paid $19.5 million for 8201 Leesburg Pike — a total of about $50 million for the redevelopment sites, the Washington Business Journal reported.
Two years ago, Fairfax County approved the sites for a redevelopment project called International Place. Shortly afterward, the developer filed for bankruptcy.
It’s unclear what will happen to the two sites next.
“Dogan Savasman, identified in court records as chief executive manager for Tepe & Hisar, could not be reached for comment. He said in a previous interview he intends to redevelop 8201 Leesburg but those plans could change from what Garrett had proposed,” according to the Washington Business Journal.
Image via Fairfax County
Police, fire and emergency response agencies might not be the only ones who will be using unmanned aircraft in Fairfax County in the future.
Back in May, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program, which proposes to incorporate drones into government operations with a particular focus on public safety.
Now, the county board has decided to not limit unmanned aircraft to only public safety uses.
At yesterday’s meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved a new procedure for non-public safety departments and agencies, including the Fairfax County Park Authority, to obtain the board’s permission to also use the drones.
Interested agencies will need to tell the board why they want to participate in the program, and, after reviewing the request, the board will then take a vote.
Braddock District Supervisor John Cook suggested adding the approval process for the drone program expansion.
Photo via Flickr/Joe Loong
Fairfax County police are looking for the three men in connection with an armed robbery at a pawn shop in Falls Church.
Police said that the men entered the Top Pawn Shop (2806 Graham Road), displayed a handgun and stole jewelry.
The incident occurred around 1 p.m. on Monday (June 24).
“The suspects are described as Hispanic men in their late teens or early 20s,” according to the police report.
Image via Google Maps
As the Tysons-Pimmit Library continues its quarterly book sales, the library might get a new place to help store some of its books.
Fairfax County is looking to lease a property it owns to the Friends of Tysons-Pimmit Library, the non-profit that provides funding for the library.
“One of the primary methods for the Friends to raise this funding is to hold ongoing book sales at the library as well as much larger book marketplaces on a quarterly basis,” according to county documents.
The nonprofit plans to construct a 199-square-foot brick-faced building next to the library “to assist in their preparations for the book sales,” according to the county. The shed would store books and materials needed for the book sales.
The county’s Board of Supervisors OK’d today (Tuesday) to let residents know about a public hearing on the matter, which is set to be held on July 30 at 4 p.m.
Photo via Friends of the Tysons-Pimmit Library
