Democrat Holly Seibold won a special election on Jan. 10 for Virginia’s 35th House District seat (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Holly Seibold is headed to Richmond.
The nonprofit founder and Democratic nominee won a special election yesterday to represent Virginia’s 35th House District, which encompasses Vienna, Oakton, Dunn Loring, Fair Oaks and part of Tysons.
Vying to succeed Mark Keam, who resigned in September after 13 years in the House of Delegates, she defeated Republican contender Monique Baroudi with 67% of the vote, according to the Virginia Department of Elections’ unofficial results.
“I am beyond grateful to the voters of the 35th District for electing me to the Virginia House of Delegates,” Seibold wrote in a statement. “Virginia rejected extremism in 2022, and in 2023, we have rejected it again. Because equality, justice, and freedom are Virginian values!”
Seibold will be sworn in today, as the General Assembly convenes in Richmond for its 2023 session.
Thank you so much to everyone who has participated in this special election! Whether you were a canvasser, a donor, a poll worker, or a candidate yourself, you helped make our democracy stronger.
— Holly Seibold (@HollySeiboldVA) January 11, 2023
Given Keam’s long, mostly unchallenged tenure, it’s not a surprise to see another Democrat prevail in the 35th District, but voters still turned out at a slightly higher rate than in previous special elections in Fairfax County.
According to unofficial returns from the Fairfax County Office of Elections, there were 10,888 ballots cast in the special election, representing 17.9% of the district’s 60,883 registered voters. In comparison, special elections for the 33rd Senate District and the 86th House District in 2019 saw turnout rates of 16.5% and 13.7%, respectively.
Notably, voting laws have changed significantly over the past couple of years, which have seen the introductions of no-excuse absentee voting and same-day registrations, among other reforms.
About half of the votes in the 35th District special election either came through early voting — which began on Nov. 23 and ended Saturday (Jan. 7) — or were mailed in and counted on the night of the election.
Founder and president of the nonprofit BRAWS, which collects and distributes mentrual supplies, Seibold cited reproductive health care, gun violence prevention, public education and climate action as top priorities.
Baroudi, a former government contractor, campaigned primarily on education issues, criticizing Fairfax County Public Schools as a system in decline and saying that private schools handled Covid better.
Seibold outspent Baroudi by a significant margin, reporting $265,000 in campaign spending to her opponent’s $47,513.
Seibold is guaranteed just one year in the House of Delegates. When all 100 seats in the chamber go on the ballot this November, the Vienna area will be represented by a new 12th District created in 2021.
(Updated at 3:25 p.m.) A man in McLean died last night after reportedly being stabbed by his stepson, Fairfax County police say.
Officers were called to a house in the 1200 block of Colonial Road in McLean at 11:03 p.m. in response to a domestic call involving two stabbing victims, Fairfax County Police Department Second Lt. James Curry said in a 1:48 a.m. update.
In the call, a woman said her son had stabbed her and her husband.
The son — identified in a report released this afternoon as 39-year-old Adam Timothy Jackson Jr. — was leaving the house and taken into custody when officers arrived.
“Upon searching the home, they found the husband suffering trauma to the upper body,” Curry said. “Life-saving measures were attempted but sadly he was declared deceased at the home.”
According to police, the victim was 68-year-old Alan Miller Kaufman, Jackson’s stepfather.
The woman was transported to a hospital with injuries that police said were not considered life-threatening.
“The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy in the coming days to determine the cause and manner of death,” the FCPD said. “Detectives continue to conduct interviews, collect video surveillance and process evidence recovered from the scene to determine the circumstances that led up to the fatal stabbing.”
The department’s Major Crimes Bureau can be contacted at 703-246-7800, option 2. Anonymous tips are accepted through Crime Solvers by phone (1-866-411-TIPS), and online.
Officers are on scene of a fatal stabbing at a home in the 1200 blk of Colonial Rd, McLean. Adult man declared deceased on scene & an adult man is in custody. Preliminarily, believed to be domestic-related. Detectives responding to investigate. pic.twitter.com/m1V2W3criT
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) January 11, 2023
DOUBLE STABBING IN McLEAN WITH ONE CRITICAL. @ffxnow https://t.co/weYYaH0r2A
— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) January 11, 2023
Development Proposed in Richmond Highway Area — “Fairfax County officials are opening the Site Specific Plan Amendment process for multiple sites in the county…For Southeast Fairfax County, that could include a new use for the property where the Moon Inn sits on Richmond Highway, big changes to the Rose Hill Shopping Center and Frontier Plaza, and hundreds of new residences, including dedicated affordable units.” [Alexandria Living]
Seven Arrested in Child Solicitation Sting — “In each case, offenders used internet platforms to initiate explicit conversations and solicit sex from police officers posing as children. When each of the suspects arrived at the agreed upon locations, detectives took them into custody. The men ranged in age from 26-52 and were charged with a total of 49 felonies.” [FCPD]
Abortion Among Concerns in 35th District Election — “The debate over abortion in Virginia came through loud and clear Tuesday during a special election in Fairfax County, in which voters were choosing a candidate to replace Mark Keam, a longtime Democratic state delegate who resigned in September.” [WTOP]
New Book Examines Process of Desegregating Libraries — “In their research for the book, Chris Barbuschak and Suzanne LaPierre, librarians in Fairfax County Public Library’s Virginia Room, found that public libraries are often referred to as bastions of democracy, providing equal access to knowledge and shared resources. ‘Yet public libraries have not always been open to all,’ Barbuschak and LaPierre explain in the book.” [Patch]
Wealth Management Firm Expanding to Tysons — “Investment management firm Chevy Chase Trust Co. is opening a new office in Northern Virginia. It would be just the second brick-and-mortar location for the Bethesda company…The second office, at 8201 Greensboro Drive in Tysons will gradually open throughout this month, the company said.” [Washington Business Journal]
Applications Now Open for New Arts Grant — “The Ticket Subsidy Grants are non-matching grants to Fairfax County arts organizations to fund free and reduced-price tickets and transportation for performances, workshops, classes, and camps for people who may not have regular opportunities to experience the arts. Applicants may request up to $5,000 for activities taking place before June 30, 2023.” [ArtsFairfax]
A Deep Dive into Reston’s History — “Reston was officially born on April 10, 1964 as a planned community funded by real estate developer Robert E. Simon who had purchased 6,750 acres of land in Fairfax County after selling a notable family property, Carnegie Hall in New York City.” [Ghosts of DC]
Give Feedback on Environmental Issues Tonight — “The Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC) will hold its annual public comment meeting on January 11, 2023, at 7:15 p.m. in Conference Room 4/5 of the Fairfax County Government Center…The public is encouraged to attend EQAC’s public comment meeting to share views on the state of the environment and to identify environmental issues of concern applicable to Fairfax County.” [OEEC]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 47 and low of 34. Sunrise at 7:28 am and sunset at 5:07 pm. [Weather.gov]
Panera Bread has left Tysons Corner Center.
The fast-casual bakery’s first-floor location by McDonald’s is permanently closed after at least 14 years at the mall, according to Yelp.
A worker at the nearby Panera in Pike 7 Plaza confirmed to FFXnow that the closure came shortly before Christmas.
“I heard it’s because they didn’t have enough workers,” the employee said.
Panera’s corporate office didn’t respond to requests for comment by press time.
A notice posted to the storefront encouraged customers to visit the chain’s Pike 7 Plaza or Falls Church City locations. The company also has a bakery at 136 Maple Avenue in Vienna.
Aye @panerabread what’s going on?! We need you at Tysons Mall! pic.twitter.com/PqF9LCZhUM
— RIP Joe Beezzy (@BlackNorbit) December 26, 2022
Other recent developments at the mall include the arrival of a stall for Donutchew, a growing mochi doughnut business that also has a location in Vienna. A temporary exhibition of art rescued from Afghanistan or created by evacuated artists is also now on display outside Macy’s.
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
My post last week was about predictions for the real estate market this year.
I mentioned at the end that there are multiple down payment assistance programs available in Virginia. I want to highlight some of them here. With the new calendar year, new funds are available for these programs and first-time buyers should be aware these are available.
However, before I get to those programs I want to highlight two programs that are readily available at all times:
FHA Loan, which is available to potential buyers who don’t currently own a home with only a 3.5% down payment with a minimum credit score of 580 (if the score is 500-579 they require 10% down). This is only available on your primary residence, not a rental.
Conventional loan with 3% down. A common mis-conception is that you need 20% down to buy a home. But you can put down anything from 3% and over on a conventional loan. The big deal with the 20% down is that anything less requires mortgage insurance, which is an additional payment each month on your mortgage until you get to that magical 80% loan to value number (which can come through payments or appreciation).
Again, each loan program has nuances and requirements, so you’ll want to speak to an experienced loan officer to determine which one is best for you.
Now, down to payment assistance programs. Let’s talk basic requirements:
- First time buyer
- Buying your primary home
- Meet eligibility requirements (income limits and credit verification)
- Only specific loan officers can do many of these loans as they must be approved
Virginia DHCD: Down Payment Assistance Program DPA
- Offers gap financing in the form of a grant/forgivable loan for first-time buyers at or below 80% of the area median income
- Can receive up to 10% or 15% of the sales price plus up to $2,500 towards closing costs
- 2022 Adjust Home Income Limits for DC Metro: $63,000 for 1 person, $72,000 for 2 people
Closing Cost Assistance Grant
- Helps to eliminate funds needed for closing
Mortgage Credit Certificate
- Could lower federal income taxes owed, tax credit can be taken for the life of loan
USDA (Rural Housing)
- 100% Financing option
- Low mortgage insurance
Virginia Housing Plus Second Mortgage
- Combines 2 mortgage together to cover the cost of your down payment
Many of these programs can be combined to maximize your benefits.
To read more about these programs, Virginia Housing has a great website with information. If you want to talk about how we can work together to make your dream of home ownership a reality, please reach out.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Parking requirements in Fairfax County — which are getting their first major overhaul since 1988 — are set for public hearings later this year.
The multi-year effort — coined Parking Reimagined — is the focus of an open house coming this week.
“Access to the internet, along with flexible telework options and convenient home delivery of goods, has decreased the need or desire to drive to shop or work,” the county says. “Growth of transit availability with the expansion of Metrorail and bus service and the movement toward compact walkable mixed-use communities has decreased the need for auto trips and parking demand.”
The county is now seeking feedback on draft recommendations related to off-street parking, loading and bicycle parking. A final draft is expected to be released later this year, with public hearings slated for the spring.
“County staff’s final recommendations will be presented at each of those public hearings,” the county says.
One of the most significant changes is the introduction of a tiered system for off-street parking requirements in the county’s specialized planning districts. The effort is intended to accommodate and encourage more modes of transportation in walkable and high-density areas.
Most of the county would be designated as tier 1, which covers low-density areas that would only see modest parking rate reductions. Tier three — the highest tier — would see the most significant changes.
The tiered system sets rates based on the development’s gross square footage instead of the number of people served:
The proposal reduces the parking rate for shopping centers by excluding interior open areas of centers under 1 million square feet from parking calculations.
For residential uses, apartment unit spaces would be reduced from 1.6 to 1.3 spaces per unit.
For townhouses, 2.7 spaces per unit are required, with 0.2 set aside for visitor or shared parking. That’s lower than a previous proposal of 0.7 in response to concerns about increases in impervious surfaces. A similar change is under consideration for stacked townhouses.
With regards to off-street parking, the county would round down instead of up when calculating the parking requirement. For example, if the tabulated parking is 3.7, only three spaces would be required instead of four.
Also, the number of required accessible spaces will be calculated using the overall baseline minimum for a particular building or use before taking into account any adjustments allowed for suburban centers and revitalization areas.
After holding a meeting last week, the county is set to hold another open house on Thursday (Jan. 12) at 7 p.m., followed by a discussion before the Board of Supervisors’ land use policy committee on Feb. 14 at 1:30 p.m.
Comments should be submitted by next Monday (Jan. 16) to be reviewed by staff for inclusion in the final draft.
“It continues to be important to strike a balance between the importance of parking and the environment while maintaining shared parking opportunities,” the county says.
The Virginia Attorney General’s office has launched an investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools, alleging that delays in notifying students of commendations for their preliminary SAT test scores may constitute civil rights violations.
Attorney General Jason Miyares announced yesterday that the entire school system will be subject to a review that began last week with a focus on Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ).
The expansion comes after principals at Westfield and Langley high schools reportedly informed families over the weekend that they also didn’t notify students designated as “commended students” by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) this fall.
“It’s concerning that multiple schools throughout Fairfax County withheld merit awards from students,” Miyares said in a press release. “My office will investigate the entire Fairfax County Public Schools system to find out if any students were discriminated against and if their rights were violated.”
In a letter to FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid, Miyares said his office is investigating whether the school system violated the Virginia Human Rights Act’s prohibitions of discrimination based on race, color and national origin.
Reid said she “proactively” alerted the attorney general’s office to the lack of “timely notification” for Westfield and Langley students after it was found by an independent review that the school system initiated last week, according to a message sent to the community yesterday.
“As soon as this new development was confirmed, Westfield and Langley high schools notified all impacted families and their broader respective school communities,” Reid wrote. “Please be aware that FCPS is committed to sharing information that impacts our communities as soon as possible.”
Reid said school staff have been contacting colleges where the affected students applied.
“We are sincerely sorry for this error. Each and every student, their experience and success, remain our priority,” she said.
Initially, the delay at TJ appeared to be “a unique situation due to human error,” Reid said on Wednesday (Jan. 4).
She said then that the attorney general’s investigation will include “a review” of TJ’s admissions policies, which were revised in 2020 in an effort to diversify the magnet school’s student body. A lawsuit arguing that the changes discriminate against Asian students is currently in a federal appeals court.
Notably, the delayed notifications for commended students at TJ were first reported by Asra Nomani, co-founder of the Coalition for TJ, which filed the lawsuit opposing the admissions changes.
The National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes the top 50,000 scorers on the pSAT, a practice standardized test often considered by colleges. Though only a handful of actual scholarships are awarded each year, about 34,000 students get letters of commendations that go out in late September, per the website.
FCPS announced in mid-September that 238 of its students had advanced to the semi-finals. It didn’t mention how many students were commended.
In letters to the Washington Post, local public education advocate Holly Hazard and a former university admissions director argued that Miyares and Gov. Glenn Youngkin — both Republicans — have “wildly overreacted” to the delayed notices, a sentiment echoed by a couple Democratic elected officials.
Amen 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 https://t.co/0anrFR1Gev
— Senator Scott Surovell – ssurovell.bsky.social (@ssurovell) January 5, 2023
“There is nothing to investigate,” state Sen. Scott Surovell (D-36) told FFXnow, noting that information about pSAT scores is available online through the College Board website.
“Fairfax County has the best public schools in Virginia and the Governor and Attorney General are trying to bring their culture war to Fairfax because they’re not willing to invest in public schools or treat our teachers like licensed professionals,” he said in an emailed statement.
The investigation precedes a General Assembly session convening Wednesday (Jan. 11) that will see consideration of a voucher program allowing public funds to be used for private school expenses, among other education-related proposals.
It also kicks off a year where all 12 seats on the Fairfax County School Board — currently held entirely by Democrats — will be up for election.
Giant Food in Vienna (via Google Maps)
(Updated at 1:15 p.m.) An argument between family members escalated into gunshots being fired outside the Giant Food in Vienna on Sunday (Jan. 8), the town police department said yesterday.
Officers responded to a report of gunfire near the grocery store at 359 Maple Avenue East around 3:40 p.m. One person commented on Nextdoor that their wife was leaving the adjacent Michael’s when she got pulled back inside.
“She says she could smell gun smoke when she was able to leave,” the commenter said.
Two people were injured in the incident. While the injuries were considered minor in both cases, one person was transported to a hospital for treatment.
“Further investigation by the criminal investigations section of the Vienna Police Department determined the incident began as a civil dispute between family members,” the VPD said.
Police initially said one person sustained injuries that were “not the result of a firearm.” When asked if that’s still believed to be the case for one or both individuals involved, the department said it had no further the information to share at the moment.
The investigation is still ongoing. Charges will be filed after investigators consult with the Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, police said.
“Shooting incidents are rare in the Town of Vienna and citizens should expect a full and complete investigation,” the VPD said today in a release. “The police department has dedicated numerous personnel to the investigation to ensure a thorough examination of the incident.”
The police say anyone with information about the incident can contact (703) 255-7845 or email [email protected].
involved sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital where they were treated and released.
The investigation into this incident is on-going. Investigators will consult with the FFX County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office to determine which charges will apply.
— Town of Vienna Police (@VPDVA) January 9, 2023
Photo via Google Maps
Cranes are working on the West Falls development in Falls Church (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
(Updated at 5:20 p.m.) Vienna Area Voters Elect New Delegate Today — “The special election to fill the Virginia House of Delegates 35th District seat is set for Tuesday. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m… The special election’s candidates are Democrat Holly Seibold and Republican Monique Baroudi.” [Patch]
Stolen Tractor-Trailer Holds up I-495 — “Officers from our Auto Crimes Enforcement Unit conducted a traffic stop on a stolen tractor trailer on I495 SB just past Braddock Rd. The driver is in custody and tow truck [en route]. Lanes temporarily blocked as detectives investigate.” The vehicle was stolen in Florida, police told FFXnow. [FCPD/Twitter]
Superintendent on Virginia Teacher Shooting — “The news of another school shooting in Virginia is unsettling, even more so knowing the suspect is a six year-old child. Our wishes for a full recovery are with Abby Zwerner, the first grade teacher who was injured. Our thoughts are with the entire Richneck Elementary School community as they grapple with this senseless tragedy.” [FCPS]
FCPS Revives Salad Bar Push — “In coming months, Fairfax County Public Schools…will gradually restore salad bars at elementary schools that offered them prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and then begin adding salad bars at the remaining elementary schools, according to an FCPS spokesperson.” [On the MoVe]
Vienna-Based, Reston-Trained Ice Skater on Historic Feat — “If you don’t know the name Ilia Malinin already, take note. The 18-year-old champion figure skater from Vienna has jumped and spun his way into sports history, and eyes all around the world are watching to see what he will do next.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Fairfax County Gets New Deputy Police Chiefs — “Fairfax County Police Department Chief Kevin Davis announced the promotion of two deputy chiefs on Friday. Brooke D. Wright and Eli Cory have a combined 50 years of public safety experience in Fairfax County.” [FCPD]
Tech Hiring Fair Coming This Month — “Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) is leading a free, two-day networking and hiring event Jan. 31- Feb. 1, 2023, welcoming talent to build a purpose-driven career in Fairfax County…Candidates will have the opportunity to network with dozens of hiring organizations from Fortune 500s to government agencies and rising start-ups.” [FCEDA]
Former Vienna Mayor Relocates to Japan — “As an empty-nester who recently had stepped down after six years as Vienna’s mayor, Laurie DiRocco last spring began a new adventure: living in Japan…DiRocco’s husband, Rob, was assigned a stint as CEO of Japan operations for technical-support firm Asurion. His time there originally was to begin in October 2021, but was delayed to last April because of the pandemic.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Tuesday — Overcast throughout the day. High of 45 and low of 33. Sunrise at 7:28 am and sunset at 5:06 pm. [Weather.gov]
As the Virginia General Assembly convenes this week for its 2023 session, local lawmakers hope to pass bills highlighting campaign finance reforms, raising teacher pay, paid sick leave, and other issues.
The General Assembly will meet in Richmond on Wednesday (Jan. 11) for a 46-day session lasting until Feb. 25, though special and reconvened sessions later in the year are possible.
Members have been allowed to pre-file bills since November, and Fairfax County’s delegation held a public hearing on Saturday (Jan. 7) where community members shared their thoughts on what should be prioritized.
Members have until Wednesday morning to pre-file bills.
Facing a divided General Assembly, with Republicans controlling the House of Delegates and Democrats holding the Senate, local representatives likely won’t see all of their bills become law, but here are 12 proposals worth noting:
Campaign finance reform
- Limit political donations to $20,000: Introduced by Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34), SB 803 would prohibit individuals from making a single donation to anyone vying for state office for more than $20,000.
- Prohibit contributions from public utilities: Also filed by Petersen, SB 804 would prohibit candidates from accepting contributions from any public utility company. Petersen has introduced versions of this bill before but hasn’t succeeded in getting it passed.
- Prohibit personal use of campaign funds: The potential new law HB 1552, introduced by Del. Marcus Simon (D-53), would ban candidates from using campaign funds for personal use, something that’s already prohibited in many other states.
Education
- Alternative learning assessments in schools: SB 819, pre-filed by Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31), aims to allow each local school district “to use any nationally recognized, research-based assessment or screener” as an alternative to Virginia Department of Education-approved tests. This comes after new state-proposed history standards were rejected by the Board of Education in November. Revised draft standards were released Friday (Jan. 6).
- Higher teacher compensation: Del. Kaye Kory (D-38) is co-introducing HB 1497, which calls for state funding to be used to compensate public school teachers at or above the national average. Currently, the average pay for teachers in Virginia is about $7,000 below the national average.
Gun Control
- Unattended firearms in motor vehicles: SB 901, introduced by Sen. Dave Marsden (D-37), would make it illegal to leave a firearm unattended in a motor vehicle unless it’s locked up in its own compartment or container.
Health care
- Prohibit warrants for menstrual health data: SB 852 would prohibit the issuing of warrants for the search and seizure of any device containing digital information related to menstrual health data. Filed by Favola, the bill addresses fears from some that period-tracking apps could be used against someone considering an abortion.
- Paid sick leave for health care and grocery store workers: Introduced by Sen. Scott Surovell (D-36), SB 886 would require health care and grocery store employers to provide paid sick leave. As noted in the bill, current law only requires paid sick leave for some home health care workers. A version of this bill passed the Senate last year but failed in the House.
- Treatment for “problem gambling“: With sports gambling now legal in Virginia, Del. Paul Krizek (D-44) is proposing HB 1465, which would establish a committee to help “reduce the negative effects of problem gambling.”
Rights
- Bars insurrectionists from holding public official: Del. Dan Helmer (D-40) is introducing HB 1562 to bar those “convicted of participating in an insurrection” from ever holding a position of “public trust.”
- ASL interpreters in courtrooms: Surovell’s SB 814 lets the court appoint a certified American Sign Language interpreter itself for the courtroom.
- No arrest for assault on law enforcement in mental health emergency: HB 1561 from Del. Vivian Watts (D-39) exempts individuals from being arrested or prosecuted for assaulting a law enforcement officer if they’re experiencing a mental health emergency. A study done last year showed that about 10% of those charged with assault on law enforcement officers had a history of mental illness.
Transportation
- Pedestrian signals apply to bicycles and scooters: Favola’s SB 847 calls for pedestrian control signals to also apply to those riding bicycles, mopeds, electric bikes, scooters, and all other forms of electric motor transportation. A companion bill is being filed by Del. Rip Sullivan (D-48) in the House.
Photo via Doug Kerr/Flickr
