Teen Charged in Fatal Fairfax County Shooting — “Police in Fairfax County, Virginia, have arrested and charged a 17-year-old who they say is responsible for the fatal shooting of a man in a parking lot in the Woodlawn area on Friday evening.” [WTOP]
New Stroller Policy In Effect for Fairfax Connector Buses —“. Effective immediately, adults boarding with a child in a stroller are no longer required to fold the stroller and hold the child in their lap. This family-friendly approach allows passengers to board Fairfax Connector buses with children comfortably secured in their strollers,” [Fairfax County Government]
Man Killed in Motorcycle Crash in Fairfax Station — A 22-year-old man was killed in a motorcycle crash on Sept. 1 in Fairfax Station. Police believe the man as speeding a stolen motorcycle. When he crestted a hill, he lost control and fell off the motorcycle, police said. [Fairfax County Police Department]
A Look Inside the Life of Herndon’s ‘Baby Doctor’ — “Dr. William Meyer was a popular doctor in Herndon, from the 1920s to 1960, and was well known for delivering many babies, earning him the moniker: ‘The Baby Doctor.’” [Reston Patch]
Pricey McLean Home Hits Market — One of the state’s priciest homes is officially on sale for $25 million. It includes about 210 feet of frontage on the Potomac River. [The Wall Street Journal]
It’s Tuesday — The weather forecast for Tuesday is primarily sunny and hot, with temperatures reaching around 97°F and a north wind at about 8 mph. As for Tuesday night, expect mostly clear skies and a low temperature of approximately 74°F. The north wind will be around 6 mph before becoming calm in the evening. [Weather.gov]
(Updated at 7:15 p.m. on 9/13/2023) A Pakistani clothing store is opening what appears to be the international company’s first U.S. location.
Khaadi, a Pakistani clothing brand, is expected to open a 5,491-square-foot store on the second floor of Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road), according to Fairfax County permits.
The company — which sells traditional and Western attire, including fabrics and ready-to-wear items — currently has locations in the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.
Weaves Group operates the Khaadi brand. Shamoon Sultan founded the business in 1998 to “revive the ancient craft of the handloom and popularizing the traditional medium in a contemporary manner,” according to the company’s website.
The company has more than 45 brick-and-mortar stores just in Pakistan, along with U.K. and Middle East locations. It also ships around the world through its online store.
Khaadi expects to open the new store by the end of this year, CEO Rehan Syed said in an announcement by Cushman & Wakefield, the real estate firm that represented the retailer in leasing negotiations.
The store will be located in Suite M11U near Barnes & Noble and Urban Outfitters.
The Tysons Corner Center location will mark the launch of ambitious expansion plans for Khaadi, which hopes to open “as many as 30 stores in the U.S. and Canada, as well as distribution and eCommerce centers.”
“Khaadi is one of the world’s most exciting fashion brands, producing unsurpassed quality and a fusion of style to compliment both East and West,” Cushman & Wakefield Managing Director Eric Lestin said in a statement. “Tysons Corner, with its strong demographics and location, offers an excellent launching point for the brand in the U.S., and we look forward to continuing our growth-partnership across North America.”
Teens in Custody After Watergun Incident in McLean — Teens seen on a roof on the 1400 block of Chain Bridge Road were taken into custody last night. A water gun was recovered at the scene. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Fairfax Startup Selected by Google for Accelerator — “Aravenda, a Fairfax e-commerce software company targeting consignment shops and resellers, has landed a spot in the latest women’s founders cohort of the Google for Startups Accelerator.” [Washington Business Journal]
Crews Tackle Sink Hole and Water Main Break in Annandale — A water main break and sink hole left Annandale Road Bryce and Poplar Road closed due to ongoing repairs. [FCPD]
Native American Festival Coming Soon to Great Falls on Sept. 16 — “The Native American Festival brings together tribal members from throughout the Commonwealth. Discover the history and long-standing tradition with the Rappahannock Native American Dancers and Drum group.” [Fairfax County Government]
Work on New Playground in Springfield Begins — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is set to begin work on the installation of a new playground at Lake Accotink Park, with construction activities slated to begin on or about Tuesday, Sept. 5, weather permitting.” [Fairfax County Government]
George Mason University Ranked High for LGBTQ+ Students — “George Mason University is one of only 30 institutions nationwide, and the only one in Virginia, to be awarded a 2023 “best of the best” ranking in Campus Pride’s recently released survey.” [George Mason University]
It’s Friday — The weather forecast for Friday will be sunny with a high temperature near 80°F. A north wind around 7 mph will shift to the east during the afternoon. The night will be clear, with a low temperature around 59°F and a southeast wind ranging from 3 to 5 mph. [Weather.gov]
How public records should be handled will be a key issue in the race to replace retiring Fairfax County Circuit Court Clerk John Frey.
Democrat Chris Falcon and Republican Gerarda Culipher are both vying to fill the position that Frey will vacate when he retires in December. Frey, a Republican, has served as clerk of the county’s circuit court for the last 32 years. He ran for Virginia Attorney General in 2012.
Election Day is Nov. 7, but early voting starts in less than a month on Sept. 22.
The two candidates have distinctive points of view when it comes to how public records — like divorce cases, property records, and civil matters — should be made accessible.
Under Frey’s tenure, Fairfax County made records available online through its Court Public Access Network (CPAN) system, but it has a paywall, costing $150 a quarter, or $600 a year, to access.
While most jurisdictions utilize a platform run by Virginia’s Supreme Court, Fairfax County uses its own system and is the only Northern Virginia jurisdiction to charge for viewing information remotely, as permitted by Virginia code.
Records can be accessed for free in person at the Fairfax County Courthouse, and the court launched an e-filing system last year so residents and lawyers can submit documents online, though it also comes with subscription and search fees.
Currently the deputy clerk of the court for Arlington County, which offers free access to records through the Virginia platform, Falcon resides in Annandale and is a graduate of W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax.
He told FFXnow that he’s running for court clerk to bring some reforms from Arlington to his home jurisdiction.
“I’ve encountered countless people who have reached barriers along the way when trying to access justice and access the court system,” Falcon said. “Those can be barriers because of their inability to pay for counsel or because of their lack of proficiency with the English language, or even because of transportation issues or childcare issues. For the past nine years, I’ve been working for the court system over here in Arlington, and I’ve been very proud that we’ve been able to take down a lot of those barriers.”
He called it a “real shame” that Fairfax County does not provide “free, online case information” — and he intends to change that if elected.
Falcon said this lack of access particularly hurts those representing themselves in civil cases or those who may not know the process.
“A lot of those people are not able to find the necessary information that they need, like their case numbers, their hearing dates and times, because that information is currently blocked behind a paywall that the Fairfax Circuit Court clerk’s office has in place,” he said. “I don’t know that they understand actually how many people it’s hurting.”
Culipher argues there are good reasons why the county handles its records and operates in the way it does. Currently the chief deputy clerk, she’s worked in the Fairfax County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office for a decade.
She agreed with Falcon that the “default posture” of the court is to provide public, open records, but there are “notable exceptions.”
Calling the Fairfax County Circuit Court the “hearth and home” court, since it deals with life events like probate, adoption, marriage, and divorce, Culipher noted that many records are “sensitive” and deserve to be treated “thoughtfully.”
Her office also has concerns about “bad actors” and “attempts to abuse” the open record system. Charging for subscription access allows the court to monitor and limit access as needed, she said.
“We have technology that helps us identify people who are…screen scraping or they’re data mining,” Culipher said. “We have the ability to say we’re going to suspend your account. You’re not going to have remote access anymore. In over a decade [working in the office], I’ve seen it [happen].”
Culipher cited the growing concern around artificial intelligence and how it may make the office’s job harder. Providing safeguards and limits may be the only way to protect residents’ private and sensitive information.
“We have responsible custodianship of it and we take it seriously,” she said. “So, yes, I’ve seen [attempts to abuse the system] and I will say, into the future, I think there’s probably going to be more of it.”
Fairfax County is also about twice the size of the next largest circuit court. The sheer amount of information and records was another reason why a separate system needed to be built out, Culipher said.
Last month, Frey has endorsed Culipher. In the announcement, he called Falcon a “nice guy,” but noted that Fairfax County Circuit Court has four times as many employees and six times the budget of Arlington County.
“Gerarda’s opponent would like to put all of the court’s data online for free,” Frey said. “That sounds great at first but when you consider that Fairfax County is home to federal and state judges, CIA, DEA, FBI, military leaders, state and local police, and your family, the idea of putting court data online for free does not sound like a great idea.”
Falcon called that an “inaccurate representation” of his stance.
“I’m talking about case numbers, names of cases, and hearing dates and times. And it’s already put out into the public sphere by every other county except for Fairfax County in Virginia,” he said. “So I’m certainly not talking about leaking people’s private information. We don’t do that here in Arlington and this is the home of the Pentagon.”
Falcon also wants to improve language access, start Saturday service, and improve constituent services, like virtual name change applications and marriage licenses.
“At the end of the day, it’s about helping people,” Falcon said. “It’s about increasing transparency in this very important office and delivering better service to our residents.”
Culipher said she’s also for much of that and isn’t opposed to ensuring public records are accessible. But she wants there to be careful consideration of what is public and to whom it’s available.
“I stand for that balancing act, and I stand to be a major voice for Virginia as she begins to look at more open access to records,” she said. “And maybe I just want to be that cautionary voice.”
At a Vienna Town Council meeting this week it was revealed that, with any luck, work could start on overhauling one of the town’s most dangerous intersections before the year’s end.
The Vienna Town Council voted unanimously on Monday, Aug. 28, to approve construction services and management for improvements to the intersection of Maple Avenue and Nutley Street.
The Nutley Street intersection was one of three along Maple Avenue identified as a crash hotspot in Vienna.
According to the town’s website, plans for the intersection include enhanced signal technology that will let the town adjust and improve traffic flow in real-time.
“The Town is turning to enhanced signal technology to ensure that the wheels on vehicles along Maple Avenue and Nutley Street keep going round and round,” the website said.
The tech upgrade for Vienna’s signals system is estimated to cost $2.1 million, with some funding coming from a VDOT SmartScale grant and $170,000 in proffered contributions from the 444 Maple Avenue W project.
“The $2.1 million in adaptive technological upgrades, scheduled to be completed in 2024, will allow the Town to better manage congestion and enhance system efficiency,” the website said.
Transportation Engineer Andrew Jinks said the hope is to start physical construction later this year.
“We’re very excited about this,” said Mayor Linda Colbert said. “This is a long time coming, we’ve been talking about this for a long time.”
Image via Google Maps
You wouldn’t guess from looking at the warmly lit, orderly store that Vienna’s Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio is about to turn 70 years old.
The beauty and skin care shop will hit that milestone this Friday, Sept. 1, making it the town’s second oldest business to still be standing — after the Money & King Funeral Home, according to store owner Sharon Holland.
Anticipating that many potential attendees will be out of town for Labor Day weekend, Holland is planning to throw a birthday bash on Saturday, Sept. 9 instead. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be food, champagne, games with prizes, store-wide discounts, and giveaways, including an offer of a gift with any purchase.
“It’ll be a lot of fun,” Holland said. “We usually have a lot of fun at our events. At Christmas time, we have an ugly sweater Christmas party, which always is a big hit, so that’s a lot of fun too.”
Established in 1953, the Vienna franchise of Merle Norman Cosmetics first set up shop on the west side of town before relocating to Danor Plaza when the shopping center opened in the 1960s. It has occupied the corner suite at 401 Maple Avenue East ever since, according to Holland.
The business came into Holland’s life through her marriage: her husband’s mother bought the store from its original owner in 1971, and she helped run it until they sold it to a friend in 1986.
During that time, the pair added a Merle Norman franchise in Fair Oaks Mall, and in 1990, they expanded further with a store in Centreville that lasted 25 years.
On Sept. 1, 2015, the same day that the Centreville studio closed — a decision influenced by her mother-in-law getting older and repeated rent increases — Holland brought their journey full circle by re-acquiring the Vienna location.
“We bought this one back, so it’s back in the family, so to speak,” Holland said.
A user of Merle Norman products herself, Holland attributes the Vienna studio’s longevity in part to the loyalty of “Merle girls” — as the company calls its regular customers.
Founder Merle Norman developed “Three Steps to Beauty” — a cold cream, Miracol lotion and a power base — while studying medicine and chemistry in college, according to the company’s official history.
After initially planning to sell the cream, a deal killed by the 1929 stock market crash, Norman instead opened her own store in Santa Monica, California, in 1931 and saw such success that 94 studios were in the works by the end of 1934.
Still owned by Norman’s family, the company has stayed true to her practice of letting customers try its makeup and skin care products for free before they make a purchase, Holland says.
“We’re not pushy, you know. We let you decide what you like, try it if you like it, that’s great. If you don’t like it, that’s fine too,” Holland said. “…Sometimes they come in and just chat. It’s a safe place for women to come, and yeah, they just like it. They like coming in here and the personal attention that they get, and you make friends. We make friends with all of our customers.”
However, given that it’s currently the only one in Northern Virginia, the Vienna studio also owes its success to the local community, which Holland describes as “very supportive” of homegrown businesses.
Holland says she meets just about everyone in town, since Merle Norman serves as a drop-off point for the packets that the Vienna Business Association assembles for new homeowners. The VBA also hosts regular mixers that foster an atmosphere of cooperation, rather than competition, between businesses.
Looking forward, Holland hopes to expand her business’ reach, particularly to a younger audience. In the past, she saw mothers bring their daughters into the store almost as a rite of passage to teach them about skin care, but that tradition has faded, “which is a shame,” she says.
In addition to the forthcoming celebration, Holland is using the studio’s 70th anniversary as an occasion to give back to the community that has kept it going for seven decades now. The store has been collecting menstrual pads and tampons for the local nonprofit BRAWS.
“There used to be almost 20 studios in the Northern Virginia area, and we’re the last one standing,” Holland said. “So, that alone, it’s pressure because people are like, ‘Please don’t close,’ and it’s like, well, I don’t plan on it. But it’s an honor to be able to still be here and still help these people, and they’re friends. They’re all friends. They’re wonderful ladies and men that come and enjoy the product, so I’m happy to be able to be here to help them.”
Lane Closures Lifted Ahead of Labor Day — “To make the most of the Labor Day weekend and remaining summer travel days, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is suspending most highway work zones and lifting most lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia from noon Friday, Sept. 1, until noon Tuesday, Sept. 5.” [VDOT]
Defendants Charged In Violent Crime Conspiracy — “A superseding indictment was unsealed today charging 16 alleged members of a violent crime ring that committed multiple armed carjackings, armed robberies, money laundering, and firearms offenses. Federal law enforcement arrested eight defendants this morning; the remaining defendants were previously arrested.” [FCPD]
County Rescue Team Ready for Hurricane Idalia —“Fairfax County’s Urban Search and Rescue Team, known as Virginia Task Force 1, is in Florida ready to help with recovery from Hurricane Idalia, if needed. Called out by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Task Force 1 is closely monitoring the course of the storm and awaiting orders.” [WTOP]
Dave’s Hot Chicken Opens in Tysons — “The eagerly anticipated Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurant has officially opened its doors to rave reviews in the Tysons Corner area. It’s the first location in Virginia for the fast-growing chain.” [The Burn]
Urgent Care Veterinary Clinic Opens in Vienna — “The first PetMedic Urgent Care Vet Clinic opened its doors today, located at 1497 Cornerside Blvd. in the Dunkin’ plaza, just a short drive from the Tysons Corner shopping center. The practice will be open Wednesday-Saturday.” [Pet Medic]
Reston Tennis Team Wins Big — Reston’s tennis team emerged as the victors of the Northern Virginia Tennis League Championship over the weekend. [Reston Association]
It’s Thursday — The weather forecast predicts a cloudy day, gradually clearing to become mostly sunny with a high near 78 degrees. Along with a northeast wind blowing at 11 to 14 mph and gusts as high as 23 mph during the day, the night will be mostly clear with a low around 60 degrees and a gentle north wind at 7 to 9 mph. [Weather.gov]
The fastest-growing company in Fairfax County is a Tysons-based cybersecurity firm whose stated goal is to “fundamentally change” how organizations get technical expertise.
MOXFIVE claimed the 39th spot overall and the top spot for the security industry on the latest Inc. 5000, an annual ranking of the country’s most successful privately owned companies based on their revenue growth.
This is Moxfive’s first time on the prestigious list, and among the 120 Fairfax County companies that got included this year, it has the highest ranking, according to the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.
“Our overall and security industry rankings on the Inc. 5000 list are an acknowledgement of our team’s determination and success in maintaining an unwavering commitment to changing an industry by obsessing over delivering a superior customer experience,” MOXFIVE CEO and founder Mike Wager said in a press release. “Appearing on the Inc. 5000 list is also validation that our Platform…is the future of the industry.”
Founded in 2019, Moxfive describes itself as a specialized technical advisory firm that assists other businesses with responding to cyberattacks and bolstering their information technology capabilities.
Headquartered in The Plaza at Tysons Corner Center (1751 Pinnacle Drive, Suite 600), the company has seen its revenue grow 9,622% over the past three years, according to the 2023 Inc. 5000. It was also included on Inc.’s 2022 Best Workplaces list.
In a comment to the FCEDA, Wager lauded Fairfax County as “a fantastic area” to raise a family and start a business.
“We have been fortunate to achieve a great deal of success and I attribute much of that to the business environment in Fairfax County, which includes a tremendous amount of cybersecurity talent,” he said. “This has allowed us to find the people we need more easily and scale more quickly.”
Per the economic development authority, Fairfax County had 15 companies in the top 500 of this year’s Inc. 5000 and accounted for 44% of the 274 Virginia companies to make an appearance. The top 500 companies were featured in Inc. Magazine’s September issue, which hit newsstands on Aug. 23.
Last year, the county had 113 companies make the rankings, led by Integrated Managment Strategies — a Springfield-based small business consulting firm — at no. 76.
Pottery Barn is now open and operating in the Mosaic District.
The home furnishings and decor business started serving customers in the mixed-use Merrifield neighborhood on Friday, Aug. 18, a store employee told FFXnow.
The store occupies close to 15,000 square feet at 2905 District Avenue, Suite 100, where Nieman Marcus and GreatGatherings had previously set up shop. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
“Pottery Barn offers expertly crafted furniture and home decor,” the company says on its website. “Come by and learn more about the complimentary decorating and design services offered by our Design Studio Specialists. We also have registry experts ready to help you create a well rounded wedding registry.”
Now based in San Francisco, Pottery Barn was founded in 1949 by brothers Paul and Morris Secon in Manhattan, New York. It was later sold to Gap and then, in 1986, Williams-Sonoma, which had 188 Pottery Barn stores, as of 2022.
The Merrifield store supplanted Pottery Barn’s longstanding Tysons Corner Center location, which has closed, a mall spokesperson confirmed. The Tysons mall has been home to Pottery Barn since at least 2008, according to its Yelp reviews.
Pottery Barn didn’t return requests for comment by press time. It also has a store in Fair Oaks Mall.
Other recent additions at the Mosaic District include the Latin wine bar and restaurant Grand Cata and the jewelry store Brilliant Earth. The clothing store Faherty’s is on track to open a couple of doors down from Pottery Barn this Friday, Sept. 1, a spokesperson told FFXnow.
The ice cream shop, Mimi’s Handmade, is still in the works, but no opening date has been announced yet.
TJ No Longer Ranked the Best U.S. High School — After three years in the top spot, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology has dropped to fifth in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best High School Rankings.” The data used for the 2023 list comes from 2018-2021, before the magnet school’s admissions policy changes took effect. [WTOP]
Potomac River Running Low on Water — “The Potomac River supplies drinking water to some 5 million people in the D.C. region, and right now, the river is running low. Water managers announced they may have to use water from backup reservoirs upstream — it would be the first time in more than a decade.” [DCist]
Special General Assembly Session Called on Budget — “Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has summoned the General Assembly to a special legislative session on Sept. 6 to take up long-delayed amendments to the state budget.” Democrats and Republicans had stalled on whether to devote $3.6 billion in unallocated revenue to tax cuts or priorities like teacher pay and mental health services. [Washington Post]
Reston Office Towers at Risk of Foreclosure — “A $83.5 million loan secured by Plaza America III and IV in Reston went into default last month, putting the property at risk of foreclosure, according to loan servicer notes sent to bondholders this month.” The buildings are “presently 76% leased, while all four towers together are about 80% leased, a person familiar with the matter said.” [Washington Business Journal]
More N. Va. Families Struggling to Afford Basic Needs — “A new report is underscoring the increase in Northern Virginia families struggling to afford basic needs. In 2021, 20% of families in the region did not earn enough money for shelter, food, medical care and other essentials. Another 9% could not afford childcare in addition to these needs.” [Inside NoVA]
Fire Department Hires New HR Director — “Fire Chief John Butler is pleased to announce Damitra Gardner has been named Director of Human Resources for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, effective September 9, 2023.” Gardner has been serving as HR manager for the county’s Department of Public Safety Communications. [FCFRD]
Vienna Little Leaguers Honored for Strong Seasons — “Two Vienna Little League teams were recognized by the Vienna Town Council tonight for their exceptional records this year.” The 10-year-old group went undefeated for “the perfect summer,” while 12-year-olds on “The Big Red Machine” were “just one win short of a trip to Williamsport, PA and the Little League World Series.” [Town of Vienna/Facebook]
It’s Wednesday — Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms before 11am today, followed by partly sunny skies and a high temperature near 85°F. There is a 30% chance of precipitation. Tonight, the sky will be partly cloudy in the early evening, becoming cloudier later on, with a low temperature around 62°F. [Weather.gov]
