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Widespread Power Outages in the Falls Church Area

More than 5,000 Dominion customers are without power in the Falls Church area on the coldest morning of the season so far.

Dominion reports that some 4,000 customers are without power in Fairfax County and nearly 1,800 are without power in the City of Falls Church. The cause is listed as a “damaged power line” and restoration efforts may stretch into the afternoon.

Via Twitter, the city said it had deployed generators to key intersections where traffic signals were dark. It encouraged residents who did not have heat to take shelter at local libraries or community centers, while also encouraging residents to check on vulnerable neighbors.

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Morning Notes

FCPS on Two-Hour Delay — Fairfax County Public Schools are opening today on a two-hour delay due to dangerous cold and potentially hazardous travel on local roads. [Reston Now]

Metro Delays This Morning — Expect some delays if riding Metrorail this morning, in part due to fewer trains running amid the bitter cold. [Twitter]

Vienna Businesses Want More Economic Development — “Vienna’s business environment flourished in 2017 but weakened noticeably last year, highlighting the town’s need to hire a specialist to improve its commercial prospects, according to the 2018 annual report submitted by the Town/Business Liaison Committee (TBLC).” [InsideNova]

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Police: Rideshare Driver Beaten with His Car’s Windshield Wiper

A Falls Church man has been arrested and charged with drunkenly trying to rob a rideshare driver, then beating him with his own windshield wiper.

The alleged incident happened around 1:45 a.m. Tuesday. Fairfax County Police say 30-year-old William Paneque and another man were being driven from Tysons Corner Center to the 2900 block of Monticello Drive, in the West Falls Church area.

“Once they arrived, one of the men grabbed the victim’s jacket and demanded money,” FCPD said in a crime report. “The victim told the suspect he did not have any money.”

“The suspect broke a windshield wiper off the car and hit the victim with it, causing minor injury,” the crime report continues. “Officers arrested William Paneque, 30, of Falls Church, as he tried to leave the scene. Paneque was charged with attempted robbery, destruction of property and drunk in public.”

Photo courtesy Fairfax County Police Department

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Morning Notes

VDOT: Slow Down, Beware of Slick Spots — “[VDOT] crews worked overnight to treat roads and will continue to do so today, as needed. If you can delay travel until the sun comes up, great. If not, please assume that all surfaces are icy. Your commute *will* take longer today. Reduce speeds, no heavy braking, and use your headlights!” [Twitter]

Fairfax County Government Open on Time — “Fairfax County Government offices are open on Wednesday, Jan. 30, however employees have been granted unscheduled leave. Employees are reminded that they should notify their supervisor if they elect to use unscheduled leave. Emergency service personnel should report as scheduled.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Fairfax Connector Running Extra Service — “To accommodate passengers who are reporting to work later than usual this morning due to inclement weather, Fairfax Connector will operate extra service on the following routes today: 394, 395, 599, 698, 699.” [Twitter]

Wind and Wind Chill Warnings — Fairfax County is under a Wind Advisory through 6 p.m. tonight; wind gusts of up to 50 mph could result in downed trees and power lines. A Wind Chill Advisory will go into effect at 9 p.m., as whipping winds and falling temperatures cause wind chills to dip to -5 to -10 degrees. [Weather.gov, Weather.gov]

Prison Sentence for Fraudster — “A woman was sentenced in Alexandria federal court to 15 years in prison for defrauding over 50 victims out of more than $5.4 million. Among the victims was a 71-year-old McLean woman with cancer.” [Patch]

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UPDATE: FCPS Closed Wednesday Due to Icy Conditions

Update at 8:20 p.m. — Fairfax County Public Schools will be closed Wednesday.

Earlier: A snow “grand finale” is sweeping across the Tysons area, after an afternoon that saw schools and some government facilities close early amid weather worries.

Rain, sleet and snow fell, with the latter whitening the ground and untreated roads. Nearly 1.5 inches of snow had fallen on Vienna as of 4:45 p.m., the National Weather Service reported, and 2.3 inches had fallen by the time the flakes tapered off.

The early dismissal for the federal government and others led to an early evening rush hour. As of 5:30 p.m. traffic on the outer loop of the Beltway in the Tysons area was still heavy.

The snow also led to some slippery spots on local roads, and a few reported crashes, though serious weather-related traffic jams were largely avoided. With the snow ending, the concern now turns to falling temperatures and potentially icy conditions overnight.

More snowy images from around the area, and advisories from local governments, below.

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Morning Notes

Video: Students Brawl at McLean McDonald’s — Cell phone video shows dozens of students from McLean and Langley high schools brawling in the McDonald’s at the corner of Old Dominion Drive and Dolley Madison Blvd. No one was reported injured from the fracas, which happened Friday night after a basketball game between the two rival schools. [Fox 5]

McLean Community Center Closing Early — In addition to the early dismissal for Fairfax County Public Schools, other weather-related early closings are being announced today. Among them: the McLean Community Center is cancelling all classes that begin at or after 1 p.m. [Twitter]

Fairfax No. 2 on Va. Net Worth Rankings — “Fairfax County is ranked #2 in a SmartAsset study showing the top 10 Virginia counties with the highest net worths. Despite having the highest per capita income on the list, Loudoun County came in only at #7 due to also carrying a significantly higher per capita debt burden, also the highest on the list.” [Fairfax Times]

Potomac School Student is Top Science Talent — “Carolyn Beaumont, a senior at the Potomac School, has been named a Top 40 Finalist in the 78th Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition for high-school seniors.” [InsideNova]

FCEDA Touts New Businesses, Jobs — “In 2018, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) worked with 143 businesses that announced the addition of more than 8,900 jobs to the Fairfax County economy.” [Fairfax County EDA]

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FCPS Closing Two Hours Early Tuesday

Fairfax County Public Schools will be closing two hours early on Tuesday due to expected winter weather which may lead to a messy evening commute.

The school system made the announcement late Monday afternoon.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory ahead of the wintry precipitation, warning of “hazardous conditions” on the roads.

More from the National Weather Service:

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM TUESDAY TO MIDNIGHT EST TUESDAY NIGHT… * WHAT…ANY RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES EXPECTED. * WHERE…THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MARYLAND AND CENTRAL AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA. * WHEN…FROM 3 PM TUESDAY TO MIDNIGHT EST TUESDAY NIGHT. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS…PLAN ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS. THE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS WILL IMPACT THE EVENING COMMUTE. TEMPERATURES WILL FALL BELOW FREEZING DURING THE EVENING, CAUSING ANY MOISTURE OR SLUSH TO FREEZE ON UNTREATED SURFACES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. EXPECT SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES, AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1. &&

Photo via Fairfax County Police Department

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Morning Notes

Fire at Tysons Corner Center Garage — Firefighters extinguished a car fire that scorched part of a Tysons Corner Center parking garage and filled the area with smoke Saturday afternoon. [Twitter]

Fire Department Hiring Firefighter/EMTs — “Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department will begin accepting applications for the position of Firefighter/EMT on Saturday, January 26, 2019. The application period is currently scheduled to remain open throughout 2019.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]

‘Stuff the Bus’ on Track for Huge Haul — “By the time this year’s Stuff the Bus concludes on Feb. 18, the county expects to surpass 250,000 pounds of collected food.” [Fairfax Times]

Snow May Snarl Tuesday PM Commute — Per Fairfax County: “If you plan on commuting Tuesday evening, be aware of the potential for travel disruptions. Plan ahead by allowing for extra travel time, and consider using public transportation and telework options.” [Twitter, National Weather Service]

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Road Near Tysons Closed Due to High Water

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(Updated at 2:45 p.m.) Rising waters due to heavy rain have prompted a road closure west of Tysons.

Fairfax County Police closed Old Courthouse Road at Besley Road after floodwaters from nearby Wolftrap Creek inundated the roadway. There’s no word on how long the closure will remain in place.

It was the only reported closure in the McLean police district as of 1 p.m., though others had been reported around Fairfax County, including:

  • Fairfax Station Road at Innisvale Drive due to water in the roadway
  • Woodburn Road at Spicewood Road due to water in the roadway
  • Burke Lake Road at Kilkenny Lane due to water in the roadway
  • Burke Road at Heritage Square Drive due to water in the roadway
  • Fox Mill Road at Folkstone Drive due to water in the roadway
  • Lawyers Road between Galloping Way and Whipporwill Road due to water in the roadway

There were also scattered reports of standing water on local roads that wasn’t high enough to prompt closures but did create a driving hazard.

Parts of Fairfax County, meanwhile, are under a Flood Warning Thursday evening.

Fairfax County is again reminding drivers to “turn around, don’t drown” when encountering flooded streets. The fire department posted the following VDOT safety video earlier today.

Map via Google Maps

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BREAKING: Firefighters Battling Blaze at Vienna’s Pennywise Thrift Shop

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Update on 1/25/19: The fire started when a large tree fell onto power lines servicing the building, resulting in a power surge within the electrical panel located in the basement, said Fairfax County Fire and Rescue. There were no injuries, but the damage from the fire is approximately $25,000.

(Updated at 2:25 p.m.) Firefighters are on scene of a two-alarm structure fire in the Town of Vienna.

The blaze broke out in a basement of the Pennywise Thrift Shop, at the intersection of Church and Mill streets, around 12:30 p.m. As of 1:05 p.m., firefighters on the scene said that the fire was still burning but was largely under control. As of 1:20 p.m., firefighters were removing portions of walls on the first floor, reporting that additional fire was burning in the walls.

Numerous road closures have been reported in the area. So far, no injuries have been reported.

The thrift shop has been open since 1961 and sells “affordable, lightly used clothing and household items,” according to its website. The store is run by Vienna’s Church of the Holy Comforter.

A tree fell on utility lines near the store, causing a hazard for firefighters, according to a fire department spokesperson, but it’s not clear whether that might have also helped to cause the fire.

As of 2 p.m., the fire was out and investigators were working to determine the cause.

One local resident told Tysons Reporter that she is concerned about how the thrift store will be able to recover and what will happen to everything inside.

“I’m worried about all of the merchandise in the thrift store there,” the resident said. “It’s probably all smoke damaged now.”

https://www.facebook.com/fairfaxcountyfirerescue/videos/vb.412016308855827/292026685004920

Photo (8) via Google Maps

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