Cafe de Vienna is now open at 131 Church Street NW in Vienna (photo by Amy Woolsey)

It was love at first sight for Afsaneh and the 123-year-old building at 131 Church Street NW where she recently launched Café de Vienna.

Constructed in 1900, per Fairfax County property records, the quaint, two-story house atop a hill on Vienna’s historic Church Street was converted at some point into a commercial space. It was home to Money & King Funeral Home — the town’s oldest still-operating business — until the now-closed Guarantee Shoe Repair took over in 1990, according to The Connection.

Though she initially considered a property in Great Falls, Afsaneh knew as soon as she saw the building that it was the right setting to fulfill her dream of opening a cozy, small-town cafe, an alternative to the “industrial” ambiance found in chains like Starbucks.

“I want to have that warm feeling, but that starts from a building. The building has to have character or that old-fashioned look,” she said. “…Right away, I said this is it. I was envisioning to have a coffee shop in an old building, and that’s how it started. The building did it. It was the building’s fault!”

A 27-year resident of Reston, Afsaneh says she always wanted to start her own business, but knowing how risky that can be, it took years of working in the retail and food service industries before she decided she’d gained enough experience to make that leap.

After submitting paperwork for various permits from the county and town in April, Afsaneh and her business partner Reza Sadeghi gave Café de Vienna a soft opening on Sept. 21.

In addition to Nespresso coffee, the shop serves tea, bread and pastries baked daily, gourmet fruit pops, raw honey and 16 flavors of handmade ice cream, which comes from “a little company in Maryland” that doesn’t use any preservatives or additives, Afsaneh told FFXnow.

She says the customer experience and the quality of its food and drinks are the cafe’s top priorities, which to her, means supporting local businesses and providing freshly made, preservative-free products.

“I know it might be a little costlier, but it’s worth it. So, quality is important for the products I’m bringing,” Afsaneh said.

In the future, Café de Vienna plans to introduce paninis and other dishes for a “small” breakfast and lunch menu.

Though the space is relatively small, it can fit 16 indoor seats that are supplemented by a 12-seat outdoor patio and a gazebo with picnic tables at the rear of the building. Afsaneh says she also intends to add some benches inside.

The cafe currently opens from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday, until 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and until 5 p.m. on Sunday. Those hours and the day off on Mondays could change during the warmer spring and summer months, according to Afsaneh.

While noting that she still has “a tough road ahead,” she’s encouraged by the community’s response to Café de Vienna during its first month of operations.

“It’s been going great because of the people in Vienna,” Afsaneh said. “They were so supportive in the past one month, so [I’m] very grateful for that. So far, so good, and I hope it’s going to continue.”

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Fairfax County offers curbside fall leaf collection services (courtesy DPWES)

Fairfax County will continue providing fall leaf collection services at least until the 2025-2026 season, the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services announced today.

Consideration of a proposal to eliminate the service has been suspended for now. The department sought public feedback on the recommendation this summer, citing environmental concerns, rising costs and “operational issues,” including staff shortages and collection delays.

Annandale Today first reported last week that DPWES has backed off its plan, citing an email from Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross, who represents most of the approximately 25,000 residents who use the county’s leaf collection services.

DPWES staff maintain that the service may not be worth continuing long-term, but the results of this summer’s online survey convinced them that it’s not the right time to end it.

“Seasonal vacuum leaf service is not necessary to maintain healthy trees, has negative environmental impacts, detracts from the County’s core residential trash collection service, and creates public safety challenges,” DPWES said in a press release. “However, results from an online survey conducted by DPWES indicated most respondents were in favor of keeping the service and many current customers needed more information about alternative leaf management methods.”

An online petition opposing an end to leaf collections has garnered almost 1,500 signatures. In an Oct. 19 update, the petition creator credited Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay and other supervisors who represent the affected residents with halting the proposal.

McKay’s office confirmed to FFXnow that he had directed staff to pause the proposal at a recent meeting with them.

DPWES says it will use the next few years to conduct an outreach campaign focused on informing residents “on more environmentally-beneficial alternatives to manage leaves on-site,” such as mulching and composting. The county also collects yard waste as part of its regular trash services.

The department notes that residents can petition the county to voluntarily withdraw from the service.

This year’s vacuum leaf collection season will start as scheduled in November.

Read more on FFXnow…

Morning Notes

A man walks a dog in Vienna, passing a tree with red leaves (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

More Early Voting Sites Open — Fairfax County will open 13 additional early voting sites at 1 p.m. today (Thursday) for the Nov. 7 general election. Joining the Fairfax County, Mount Vernon and North County governmental centers, the new locations will be open until 7 p.m. on weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29. [Fairfax County Office of Elections]

One Killed, Three Injured in Tysons Crash — “The crash happened around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday along the eastbound lanes of the Dulles Access Road near the I-495 interchange…Investigators say a sedan with three people inside stopped in the roadway near a ramp to the Dulles Toll Road when it was struck from behind by a Jeep.” [FOX5]

FCPS Will Get State Funds for Tutoring — “Fairfax County Public Schools…is one of three Northern Virginia districts that has had a tutoring funding plan approved by the state Education Department. (The others are the Fairfax City and Falls Church City districts.) The district will receive $28 million for the All in VA plan and plans to spend about $6.9 million on personnel for hourly tutoring during fiscal 2024.” [Washington Post]

Suspect Arrested in Clifton Stabbing — “Police are investigating a stabbing in Fairfax County that sent a man to the hospital with life-threatening injuries on Tuesday. A suspect is now in custody. Detectives say the stabbing that occurred in the 5100 block of First Road in Clifton appears to be domestic-related.” [WUSA9]

Burlington Coming to Mount Vernon Plaza — “Burlington, a discount retailer of brand-name fashion merchandise, plans to open a store at Mount Vernon Plaza next year, Federal Realty has confirmed to Mount Vernon On the MoVe.” The store will be in a former Bed Bath & Beyond “at 7690B Richmond Highway between PetSmart and Michael’s. A new Burlington store also will be opening at Springfield Town Center Nov. 3.” [On the MoVe]

Development Booms for Tysons-Based Hilton — “Hilton Worldwide Inc. (NYSE: HLT) added some 35,500 new rooms to its development pipeline in the third quarter, boosting the total to a record high of 457,300, as the McLean-based hospitality giant seeks to establish a more dominant industry position in part through converting competitors’ hotels into Hilton brands.” [Washington Business Journal]

Comment Period on Affordable Housing Funding Extended — “What are your opinions on affordable housing in the region? The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority, along with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), need feedback on a draft application for affordable housing funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).” The deadline has been pushed back to Tuesday, Oct. 31. [FCRHA]

Free Native Trees Offered in Vienna — “The Town of Vienna’s Conservation and Sustainability Commission (CSC) will hold its third annual Native Tree Giveaway on Saturday, October 28, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. outside the Vienna Community Center…Commission volunteers will give away 100 bareroot seedlings in four species.” [Town of Vienna]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunshine and a high near 78 degrees alongside a light southwest wind during the day. As for Thursday night, skies will become partly cloudy, with the temperature lowering to around 58 degrees. [Weather.gov]

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Republican General Assembly candidates, led by Senate District 37 contender Ken Reid, propose changes to Virginia’s I-66 and I-495 tolling policies (via Ken Reid/YouTube)

(Updated at 9:30 p.m. on 10/26/2023) Several Republicans campaigning to represent parts of Fairfax County in the General Assembly have vowed to change up Virginia’s interstate tolling system if they’re elected on Nov. 7.

With the McLean Metro station in Tysons as a backdrop, the candidates unveiled a “Tolling Equity and Relief Plan” last Friday (Oct. 20) that they argued would reduce congestion and lower the cost of using the Express Lanes on I-66 and the Capital Beltway (I-495).

Crafted by former Congressman Frank Wolf, who represented Virginia’s 10th district from 1981 to 2015, the proposal calls for frequent Express Lanes drivers to get rebates from toll and state tax revenues, lower high-occupancy vehicle requirements, and standardization of toll rates on I-66 inside and outside the Beltway.

“We are hearing many complaints about the high cost of the tolls — especially on the new I-66 express lanes but also I-495 and other toll roads, which is adding to the cost of living of Northern Virginia families,” said Ken Reid, who organized the press conference. “Government must do its part to give the region’s motorists a break.”

A former Loudoun County supervisor, Reid is vying for the State Senate District 37 seat against Saddam Azlan Salim, who won the Democratic primary in June over longtime Sen. Chap Peterson. The district includes Tysons, Vienna, Oakton, Merrifield and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church.

Other candidates who endorsed the proposed legislation include:

According to a press release from Reid’s campaign, the Tolling Equity and Relief plan would offer rebates to commuters who use the I-66 and/or I-495 Express Lanes more than 30 times a month, similar to a SunPass toll relief program that took effect in Florida this year.

The plan would also reinstate HOV-2 “at certain hours” on both interstates. Drivers were able to use the I-66 Express Lanes for free if they had at least two passengers until last December, when the Virginia Department of Transportation raised the requirement to HOV-3.

Per the press release, the plan would allocate toll revenue to widening I-66 to three lanes in each direction from the Dulles Access Road in Pimmit Hills to the Nash Street tunnel in Rosslyn.

“No funds would go to bike trails or other modes of transit until that project is done,” Reid’s campaign said.

Virginia currently uses I-66 and I-395/95 toll revenue for a Commuter Choice grant program that supports road and public transit improvement projects in those corridors. Recently funded projects include a north entrance for the McLean Metro station and Fairfax City’s first Capital Bikeshare stations. Read More

Meta owns the social media sites Facebook and Instagram (via Brett Jordan/Unsplash)

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced [on Tuesday] the commonwealth is joining 32 other states in a federal lawsuit against Meta over allegations its social media platforms are purposely harmful to children.

The lawsuit alleges that Meta knew about the extent of the psychological and health harms suffered by young users addicted to its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, but falsely assured the public they are safe and suitable for children and teens.

It also claims Meta’s business model exploits and monetizes young users through data harvesting and targeted ads by designing purposely-addictive platform features.

The suit alleges features such as auto-play, algorithms and near-constant alerts were knowingly created with the express goal of hooking children and teens into descending “rabbit holes.” In turn, the suit claims young users can be exposed to harmful content such as suicide and self-harm content, hate speech and misinformation.

The suit claims Meta also has a “deep understanding” of the significant and extensive harms to young people associated with addiction and compulsive use of the platforms, including depression, eating disorders, physical self-harm and suicidal ideation.

Miyares compared Meta to big tobacco companies advertising to children, pointing to the Joe Camel cartoon as a way to hook young people on cigarettes.

“At the expense of public health and specifically the health of our youth, they’ve exploited the vulnerability of our young children and the fundamental desire for connection for their own personal gain,” Miyares said during a press conference on Tuesday.

Additionally, the suit alleges Meta is well aware that kids under the age of 13 are on their platform, but still collects data from these children without first obtaining verifiable parental consent as required by the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.

Miyares said that Meta could obtain parental consent using age verification technologies, like uploading a drivers license or official government identification. When asked about the potential for data breaches seen in states requiring third-party age verification methods to access pornographic websites, Miyares reiterated the technology is a great first step to protecting children.

“Let’s try to protect our kids, let’s try to protect their innocence and let’s make sure parents are involved and parents matter,” Miyares said.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin has previously expressed similar concerns that parents need to be more involved in efforts to mitigate the impact of social media on children and teenagers.

Youngkin proposed an amendment to Virginia’s pornographic website age verification law that would have extended the age of children who require parental consent for social media accounts from under 13 to under 18. The Senate narrowly rejected the proposal.

At a “Parents Matter” town hall this August, Youngkin heavily emphasized the importance of parents’ involvement in their child’s social media life.

Miyares said he hopes Meta complies with consumer protection laws and prioritizes the safety of children moving forward, and if not, he isn’t afraid of the fight.

“We would welcome the opportunity to have a meaningful discussion about how they could change their platforms to better protect our children and our teens,” Miyares said. “You chose to fight us, we’ll see you in court.”

Image via Brett Jordan/Unsplash. This article was reported and written by the Virginia Mercury, and has been reprinted with permission.

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Roughly 20 months after Vienna’s Wolf Trap Hotel and Tequila Grande were demolished, construction has yet to begin on the mixed-use development slated to replace them.

However, a chain-link fence surrounding the 2.8-acre site at the corner of Maple Avenue and Nutley Street has been removed, and some neatly trimmed bushes have been planted around the perimeter, suggesting the community shouldn’t expect to see construction crews any time soon.

Asked about the changes, Vienna Planning and Zoning Director David Levy told the town council on Monday (Oct. 23) that he, Town Attorney Steven Briglia and other staff members recently sent a “strongly worded letter” to developer Hekemian & Co., urging them to clean up the empty site.

“We’re all working together on trying to crack the nut on having that site be in better condition during the period when the developer’s waiting for the market conditions to improve to build,” Levy said. “Nobody’s been happy with the way it’s looked over time.”

According to Levy, the developer added some landscaping to the gravel site after the town’s public works and planning staff accompanied the site manager on a visit, but the removal of the fencing — which had started to lean over the existing plants and the sidewalk — came as a surprise.

Town staff is scheduled to meet next Monday (Oct. 30) with the site manager and Hekemian Senior Vice President of Acquisition and Development Chris Bell to discuss how to handle the property going forward, including the need to secure it to prevent safety and dumping issues.

“You can tell there are kind of holes in the middle of it. We don’t want anybody to get hurt on the site,” Levy told the council. “We want them to clean that up, leave it in a condition where it’s flat, landscaped and well-maintained…So, we’ve been on it constantly, but now it’s time to get it into a more long-term condition.”

The timeline for when construction on the project known as 444 Maple will actually commence remains up in the air.

When Tequila Grande was razed in February 2022, Bell told Tysons Reporter, FFXnow’s sister site, that construction could begin in late spring or early summer of that year. Bell and Hemekian didn’t return requests for comment by publication time.

According to Levy, the developer put the project on hold to wait out rising costs due to inflation, increased interest rates and other market conditions.

“A bunch of that has apparently improved, but they’re not ready to get started yet. [Bell] said if things look good at the beginning of next year, early 2024, they hope to get started,” Levy said, adding the caveat that Bell “told me the same thing a year ago.”

Approved in 2018, 444 Maple will be a four-story residential and retail center with 151 rental units and 20,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space. The pizza franchise Mellow Mushroom announced a year ago that it had an agreement to open a restaurant there.

During the rezoning process, the project divided the town council and Vienna residents between those concerned about its size and traffic impacts, and those who felt it would help revitalize the town’s main commercial corridor. The Maple Avenue Commercial (MAC) zoning that opened the door for the development ultimately got repealed, setting the stage for a zoning code rewrite that the town council officially adopted on Monday.

Read more on FFXnow…

Justice High School students walked out on Monday in support of Palestinians (courtesy Justice High School Muslim Student Association)

Students at schools across Fairfax County have or are planning to walk out this week in a show of solidarity with Palestinians suffering in the latest war between Israel and Hamas, the militant group that governs the Gaza Strip.

Dubbed a “Humanitarian Walkout Week,” the demonstrations began last Friday (Oct. 20) at Annandale High School and continued on Monday (Oct. 23) at Justice High School in Lake Barcroft. Organizers at Oakton High School reported that at least 200 students participated in their walkout yesterday (Tuesday).

Additional walkouts are expected at Edison and Mount Vernon high schools today, Woodson and Falls Church high schools tomorrow (Thursday), and McLean and Lake Braddock high schools on Friday (Oct. 27).

The walkouts are being organized by each school’s Muslim Student Association, though not all participants are members of those clubs.

In a press release, the students said they want an end to the bombing that Israel has unleashed on Gaza in response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, which killed an estimated 1,400 people and took over 200 people hostage, including the relatives of a Fairfax County native.

They also called for an end to Israel’s 16-year blockade of Gaza and an end to its occupation of the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank.

“We’ve been fighting with this for decades, and we’re scared into silence every time, but this time, we’re not going to be silent,” a student at the Justice High School rally said. “We will continue to speak up against the genocide and the ethnic cleansing that’s currently happening in Palestine. We will not stop until Palestine is free.”

Another student encouraged other attendees to “come together to come together to advocate for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Palestine.”

“It is about recognizing that every life is precious and that peace is not a dream, but an achievable reality,” she said.

Supported by funding and supplies from the U.S., the Israeli military has unleashed hundreds of airstrikes on Gaza since the Oct. 7 attack. More than 5,000 people have been killed, the Gaza Ministry of Health has said, and over 1.4 million people have fled their homes, according to news reports.

The U.S. government has expressed continued support for Israel, its longtime ally, and resisted calls for it to back a ceasefire, including from the United Nations, some Congressional representatives and staffers, and Jewish activists.

U.S. officials have been involved in Israel’s hostage negotiations with Hamas, and in a visit to Tel Aviv last week, President Joe Biden urged Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, which was cut off from food, water, electricity, medical supplies and other necessities. A handful of trucks with aid were permitted this past weekend for the first time since Israel’s siege began, though the U.N. agency working with Palestinian refugees says the situation remains dire, particularly with fuel running out.

A poll released last week found that a majority of U.S. voters agree the government should call for a ceasefire and help deescalate the violence in Gaza.

“The red stripes of the American flag are painted in the blood of the countries we’ve stepped on to get to this point and we refuse to inherit a world where hate and injustice is fueled by greed,” Holly Raheb, a sophomore at McLean High School, said.

Read more on FFXnow…

Morning Notes

A sail boat on Lake Audubon in Reston (photo by Marjorie Copson)

Gunfire Incidents in Springfield Under Investigation — “Detectives from our Major Crimes Bureau are investigating two reckless discharges of a firearm that occurred in Springfield. After midnight on October 22, officers responded to the 6900 block of Cabin John Road for the sound of gunshots in the area.” Gunfire was also reported on Oct. 13 around Highland Street and Channing Road. [FCPD]

Fairfax City Gets First Bikeshare Stations — “The first of 10 Capital Bikeshare stations in Fairfax City [were] installed Tuesday, Oct. 24, on Beech Drive near Draper Drive Park. Three more stations will be installed this week at Scout on the Circle, Foxcroft Colony condominiums, and the apartment complex on Layton Hall Drive.” [City of Fairfax]

Mother of Suspect in Frying Pan Shooting Speaks Out — “The mother of an au pair from Brazil who is accused of killing a man at a home in Herndon, Virginia, says she’s worried about her daughter and she believes there’s more to the story. On Feb. 24, 37-year-old Christine Banfield was fatally stabbed and 39-year-old Joseph Ryan was shot to death inside a bedroom at Banfield’s home.” [NBC4]

Vienna Officially Adopts New Zoning Code — “Code Create Vienna, the town of Vienna’s first major zoning-code rewrite in decades, has been in the works for three years and cleared its final hurdle Oct. 23. Vienna Town Council members were ebullient as they unanimously voted in favors of the sweeping code changes, which will take effect Jan. 1 next year.” [Gazette Leader]

All-Day Breakfast Restaurant Opens in Woodlawn — “A new family-owned restaurant with table service and a combination of Latin and American cuisines has opened in Woodlawn. Grandma’s Famous Café, located in the former El Pollo Royal space at Cooper Center, features breakfast served all day; daily specials; pupusas, tacos and quesadillas; sandwiches and subs; wraps; soups and freshly made salads; sides and drinks.” [On the MoVe]

Jet’s Pizza Coming to Annandale — “A franchisee of the Detroit-style pizza chain plans a roughy 1,600-square-foot pizzeria at 7026 Columbia Pike, located in the Aldi-anchored Annandale Shopping Center. The new Fairfax County location, slated to open this spring, will be the second local restaurant for Jet’s franchisee Dan Kosztowny, who is a week or so away from opening his first…near Potomac Yard.” [Washington Business Journal]

County Tree Commission Reaches 50 Years — “It’s been a half century since the Fairfax County Tree Commission was chartered in Fairfax County.” The Urban Forest Management Division will mark the anniversary at 1 p.m. today (Wednesday) with a “ceremonial planting of the 50th tree of 50 installed to celebrate each year of the Tree Commission’s service.” [DPWES]

Free Workshop on Starting a Business Planned in Tysons — “If you are thinking about starting a business then Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) is ready to assist you! Founder of Veterans Growing America Donnell E. Johns, Sr., will be the featured guest speaker during FCEDA’s next Entrepreneurship 101 (E-101) workshop scheduled for November 14, 2023, in Tysons.” [FCEDA]

It’s Wednesday — The weather will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching a high of around 74 degrees. During Wednesday night, the sky will become partly cloudy and temperatures will drop to a low of around 51. [Weather.gov]

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The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Board is based in the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health (via Google Maps)

The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board will have more money for mental health services, thanks to recent state budget amendments.

The CSB provides services related to mental health, substance use and developmental disabilities. Additional funding could include $2.5 million to cover both staff pay increases and the state’s program to standardize behavioral health community services (STEP-VA).

“We’re kind of getting geared up for all of these great new resources coming, but…me and my staff will be quite busy over the next half year to a year with making sure we get all of these things stood up,” Fairfax-Falls Church CSB Executive Director Daryl Washington told the Board of Supervisors health and human services committee on Oct. 17.

Northern Virginia is likely to receive about 20% of the $78 million allocated for regional initiatives, Washington said.

Washington also told the committee there are five staff vacancies in the CSB’s youth outpatient unit, down from more than three times that at the height of the pandemic. Still, those vacancies make it challenging for the board to meet its goal timeline in assigning youth to treatment,  he said.

The CSB would ideally make assignments within 14 calendar days or 10 business days of a youth’s initial assessment. After that point, statistics have shown that people are less likely show up to an ongoing therapy program, Washington said.

“Those five vacancies represent around 125 youth being served at any one point in time,” Washington said. “I really think, if we were fully staffed with those five, that we would be hitting our goal based upon the additional youth that we’d be able to serve.”

The CSB is also looking for an appropriate location to build a regional program that would be licensed as a medically-managed detox center, a youth crisis stabilization center, a youth substance abuse treatment center and a type of youth group home aftercare center, Washington said.

This facility could provide a long-term alternative to Virginia’s one youth state hospital, according to Washington.

“Quite frankly, I don’t know if the youth state hospital is the best place for folks to receive care at right now anyway,” he said. “We really try to focus on getting our youth at some of our local private hospitals whenever we can. I think that’s going to be a multi-year issue that’s not going to go away and that finding some type of either regional or local solution that’s going to work for our kids is probably the better long-term solution for us to go with.”

The closure of several state psychiatric hospitals in 2021 has also created a widespread shortage of beds for adults in crisis. In its most recent annual report, the Fairfax-Falls Church CSB said it had 1,353 individuals waiting in emergency rooms for as long as six days due to a lack of psychiatric inpatient beds.

The 2022 Fairfax County Youth Survey, which was released last month, found declines from 2021 in the percentages of 8th, 10th and 12th grade students who reported stress, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, though Washington said there’s still work to be done.

Overall, 23.5% of students reported high stress, 28.9% had depressive symptoms, 10.7% had considered suicide and 4.1% had attempted suicide. Non-binary, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students were at higher risk of experiencing those issues than their peers, according to Washington’s presentation.

“To have that much of a disparity going on across the board is a significant statistic and something that we need to continue to take a look at,” Washington said, suggesting the county should develop targeted interventions.

Students who said they used substances were also more likely to have considered suicide than peers who did not use substances.

The county is also working to enhance its mental health services, a priority for Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay, by expanding the police department’s co-responder program and piloting a telehealth program.

If you are having thoughts of self-harm, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board’s emergency services can also be reached 24/7 at 703-573-5679. If the situation is immediately life-threatening, call 911 and ask for a crisis intervention team officer.

Image via Google Maps

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Unique Thrift Store in Merrifield (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A D.C. man was arrested at Unique in Merrifield yesterday (Monday) for allegedly peeping at a woman in the thrift shop’s restroom.

Officers were called to the store at 2956 Gallows Road around 5:30 p.m. for a report of a suspicious person, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

“The officers learned Anderson had followed a woman into a restroom and pushed open her door while she was inside the stall,” the FCPD said in a news release today. “The victim yelled for the suspect to leave, and the suspect left the restroom but remained at the entrance of the store.”

The 33-year-old man was arrested “without incident,” police said. He has been charged with peeping and public intoxication.

According to the FCPD, there were outstanding warrants for the man, who is in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond. Court records show he was arrested for indecent exposure on Feb. 10, but the misdemeanor charge was dropped.

“Based on information from store employees, officers believe there may be additional victims,” the FCPD said.

The department advises anyone with potential information about this case or previous incidents to contact its detective at 703-556-7750. Anonymous tips are also accepted through Crime Solvers by phone (1-866-411-TIPS) and online.

Read more on FFXnow…

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