Another person in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center has died.
Latasha Dove, a 53-year-old woman, was found unresponsive in her cell at the jail on Tuesday (Aug. 1) afternoon, the Fairfax County Police Department reported yesterday (Wednesday).
According to the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, the post deputy called in a medical emergency at 2:27 p.m. Scanner traffic on Open MHz indicates that an Emergency Medical Services team from the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department was dispatched for a cardiac arrest around 2:31 p.m.
“The deputy immediately rendered aid until relieved by ADC medical personnel. Rescue arrived and transported the inmate to the hospital,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Dove was declared dead at the hospital at 3:13 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office.
Dove’s death is now being investigated by the FCPD, as required by county policy.
According to the police and court records, Dove was arrested on July 26 and faced charges of simple assault and property destruction. The assault charge was a misdemeanor, while the destruction of property charge was a class 6 felony, meaning the value of the destroyed property was over $1,000.
Dove remained in custody at the jail after Fairfax County General District Court Judge Mark Simmons set a cash bond for her at a bond hearing on Monday (July 31).
“The judge decided that she was an appropriate candidate for bail yet set a cash bond knowing that she was indigent,” said Fairfax County Public Defender Dawn Butorac, whose office represented Dove. “That means that Judge Simmons found that she was neither a danger to the community nor a risk of flight. It was simply Ms. Dove’s poverty that kept her in jail instead of being in the community. This is a clear demonstration of the peversity of a cash bail system.”
Though Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano has had a policy against seeking cash bail since March 2020, prosecutors objected to the possibility that Dove could be released at the bond hearing, Butorac told FFXnow.
The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney didn’t immediately return a request for comment. The office recommends defendants be released in 59% of non-violent felony cases, as of March, according to a bond data dashboard launched last fall.
According to the FCPD, foul play isn’t suspected in Dove’s death, but the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine an official cause.
Listed in court records as a Los Angeles, California, resident, Dove is the second person to die while in custody at the Adult Detention Center this summer, following 51-year-old Todd Matthew Gleason’s death on July 4. The jail had three in-custody deaths in 2022.
Before the police department announced its investigation, the sheriff’s office published a news release yesterday about a deputy and nurse’s successful efforts to save an inmate who had overdosed on opioids on July 29.
Vienna Little Leaguers Compete for World Series Today — “The Big Red Machine’s ‘Summer of Swat’ continues! They won the highest championship for their age group last year and are now vying for a chance to play in the Little League World Series! The quest starts at 1 p.m…with the SE Region Tournament in GA.” [Town of Vienna/Twitter]
Map to Locate County Park Amenities Launches — “The Park Amenity Locator is a web-based application, which allows park-goers to search for parks by geographic location and through more than 30 amenity filters that help target a variety of park features, such as dog parks, playgrounds, mini golf, boating, amusements, skate parks, campgrounds, athletic fields, pickleball courts and many more.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]
Covid Relief Funds Go to Merrifield Office Conversion — Last week, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) to utilize up to $8 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to acquire 2990 Telestar Court. The vacant office building will be converted into 80 multifamily affordable housing units. [FCRHA]
New Spa Coming to Belle View this Summer — “A nationwide [floatation] therapy center known as True Rest Float Spa is targeting the end of August to open a franchise at Belle View Shopping Center…The spa is currently offering a pre-opening special on gift cards.” [On the MoVe]
Reston Teacher Retires After Six Decades — “After 60 years in education, Pompeii Ferrer, known as ‘Miss Pompeii’ by her class of 4-year-olds at Robert E. Simon Jr. Children’s Center, plans to retire. Leila Kaszubunski, the preschool’s director, told Patch that Ferrer is a very creative teacher, who loves music and has fun dancing with her students and helping them learn how to write the letters of their names.” [Patch]
PSAT Tests Will Be Paper-Free This Fall — “This October, the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) will be administered in Fairfax County in a digital format…Exams will be held at each high school on Wednesday, October 11.” Students who need testing accommodations must turn in a request form to their high school by Tuesday, Aug. 8. [FCPS]
Singer Regina Spektor Readies for Wolf Trap Performance — “She was a Russian-born immigrant who became a Grammy-caliber singer-songwriter in America. This Thursday night, Regina Spektor plays Wolf Trap in Virginia with a heavy heart for back home. ‘This horrendous War in Ukraine has been breaking all our hearts,’ Spektor told WTOP.” [WTOP]
Fees Waived at Great Falls Park Tomorrow — “Get the hiking gear ready. Friday, August 4 is Great American Outdoors Day, which means that entrance to all national parks will be free. The holiday is the third of four fee-free days from the National Park Service at all 423 national parks.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Thursday — There is a slight chance of showers after 2pm, but it will be mostly sunny with a high near 86°F. Tonight, there’s a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms mainly after 8pm, with mostly cloudy skies and a low around 70°F. [Weather.gov]
Several environmental groups, including one based in Fairfax County, have joined forces to challenge Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s decision to pull Virginia out of a cross-state initiative aimed at reducing carbon emissions.
The Southern Environmental Law Center announced on Monday (July 31) that it will appeal Virginia’s planned withdrawal from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a market of 12 states on the East Coast that regulates carbon emissions from power generators.
The appeal will be filed in Fairfax County Circuit Court on behalf of Appalachian Voices, the Association of Energy Conservation Professionals, Virginia Interfaith Power and Light and the Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions (FACS), a Fairfax County-focused coalition of religious communities pushing for action to address climate change.
The notice of appeal was served on the same day that the proposal to drop out of the RGGI was published in the Virginia Register, opening a period of public comments until the regulation takes effect on Aug. 30.
“The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative…has cut a huge amount of pollution from power plants, while protecting Virginians from the increasing impacts of climate change,” FACS Executive Director Andrea McGimsey said. “RGGI helps us leave a better world to our children and grandchildren, and we will continue to vigorously defend Virginia’s participation in this successful, bipartisan program.”
Established in 2005, the RGGI imposes a cap on carbon emissions from power plants in all participating states, requiring generators to buy “allowances” at quarterly auctions for every short ton of carbon they produce.
On Jan. 1, 2021, Virginia became the first southern state to join the initiative under then-governor Ralph Northam, who also signed legislation mandating an end to the use of coal-fired power plants after 2024 and requiring Dominion Energy to go carbon-free by 2045.
However, Youngkin issued an executive order on Jan. 15, 2022 calling for a reevaluation of Virginia’s participation and signaling his plans to withdraw. He argued that utilities have passed on the costs of purchasing allowances to customers, noting that residents served by Dominion Energy saw an average increase in their electricity bills of $2.39 per month.
Dominion suspended the surcharge after Youngkin announced his withdrawal plan, but last month, the State Corporation Commission approved its return. The fee of $4.44 for a “standard” customer will take effect on Sept. 1, even though the State Air Pollution Control Board voted 4-3 on June 7 to take Virginia out of the RGGI.
“RGGI remains a regressive tax which does not do anything to incentivize the reduction of emissions in Virginia,” Virginia Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources Travis Voyles said in a statement shared by Youngkin’s office. “…Virginians will see a lower energy bill in due time because we are withdrawing from RGGI through a regulatory process.”
Environmental advocates dispute the assertion that the RGGI hasn’t resulted in any benefits. In fact, Virginia saw an over 16% drop in power plant emissions after two years in the initiative based on Environmental Protection Agency data, according to FACS Vice Chair Scott Peterson.
The state also devotes half of its proceeds from the allowance auctions — totaling $250 million over the first two years — to energy efficiency programs for affordable housing and low-income households. Other funds have been used to support resiliency projects, most of them focused on reducing floodig impacts.
“There is a huge need for this funding not just in coastal areas, but also inland communities that are dealing with increasingly frequent intense storms,” Peterson said. “Almost $100 million has already been awarded to 98 different projects, but this work is long term and only getting started.”
The groups challenging the RGGI withdrawal argue that Youngkin’s administration lacks the authority to reverse a law adopted by the General Assembly. Their appeal must be filed in court within 30 days of the notice going to Air Pollution Control Board and Department of Environmental Quality officials.
“The administration cannot brush aside the laws it disagrees with,” Southern Environmental Law Center senior attorney Nate Benfornado said. “Moreover, Virginians deserve to see the continued benefits of this successful program. This program is vital to Virginia meeting climate goals, while reducing air pollution and improving public health.”
Voyles said Attorney General Jason Miyares’s office confirmed that the control board “has the legal authority to take action on the regulatory proposal using the full regulatory process — and the Board voted to do just that.”
Pending the legal action, Virginia will leave the RGGI when its three-year contract ends Dec. 31.
Photo via Ella Ivanescu/Unsplash
(Updated at 7 p.m.) The Fairfax County Planning Commission gave its full support last week to a proposal to allow housing at Merrifield’s Pan Am Shopping Center, a key step toward transforming the strip mall into a mixed-use neighborhood.
The commission voted unanimously on July 27 to recommend that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors amend the county’s comprehensive plan for the approximately 25-acre property southeast of Route 29 and Nutley Street, opening the door for up to 585 multifamily residential units and additional retail space.
Before the vote, county staff shared that they had revised the proposed amendment in response to concerns raised by community members, including at a nearly two-hour public hearing on June 28 that was continued to July 27.
“One of the key outcomes of this process is the recognition that this retail center is a vital and valued community asset that is integral to the lives not just of the adjoining residents, but those of the area and region as well,” Providence District Planning Commissioner Phil Niedzielski-Eichner said. “…In my view, the draft plan language before us this evening effectively represents or reflects the community input we received.”
Under the draft amendment, the shopping center could be redeveloped with up to 609,000 square feet of multifamily residential uses, at least 140,000 square feet of existing retail, and 47,000 square feet of new retail on the ground floor of the residential buildings and standalone commercial buildings.
Based on a rezoning application already filed by property owner Federal Realty, the square footage amounts were mentioned in a staff report released on June 7, but they weren’t initially included in the plan amendment itself, which previously only specified 585 units and a total of 187,000 square feet of retail as the parameters for development.
The amendment also now states that the number of dwelling units includes affordable and workforce units. Residential buildings will be limited to 80 feet in height along Nutley Street and 70 feet along the eastern property line.
Other changes stress the importance of gateway architecture and wayfinding signage as well as safety and connectivity for vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists.
To integrate the existing and new uses, the development must feature publicly accessible urban parks, including at least one “consolidated, common green that can…accommodate a broad spectrum of active recreation and leisure activities,” per the staff report modification.
The amendment recommends maintaining and enhancing an existing link to the Providence Hall Apartments, adding an off-road bicycle and pedestrian facility on the east side of Nutley Street, and evaluating the Nutley and Route 50 intersection, along with Nutley and Route 29. Read More
The George Washington Memorial Parkway near I-495 with a temporary reversible lane (via Google Maps)
It took four days of work, but all trees have finally been cleared from the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
The parkway’s northern section between the Capital Beltway (I-495) in McLean and Spout Run Parkway in Arlington reopened at 9:45 a.m. today after hundreds of trees downed by a storm on Saturday (July 29) necessitated an extended closure.
The northbound lane reopened at 1 p.m. yesterday (Tuesday), but the southbound lane weren’t cleared until this morning, according to the National Park Service.
The GW Parkway will be fully operational for the afternoon rush-hour.
Drivers should use caution as the 3-lane traffic configuration is still in effect for the north parkway rehabilitation project.
— National Parks of Greater Washington, DC (@NPSNewsDC) August 2, 2023
“We extend our sincere appreciation to the public for their patience and understanding during this closure period,” GW Parkway Superintendent Charles Cuvelier said. “The safety of our visitors and commuters remains our top priority. We are dedicated to ensuring their well-being and convenience throughout their journey on the George Washington Memorial Parkway.”
As of yesterday, clean-up crews had removed up to 325 trees from the roadway, creating more than 500 tons of wood and debris that filled up 100 dump trucks and 15 chipper trucks, the NPS previously said.
The NPS noted that drivers should still be cautious around ongoing construction to rehabilitate the parkway. The project required the addition of a third, reversible lane in the median that has been in effect since April.
Image via Google Maps
Sick of running into the same pothole whenever you leave the house? The Town of Vienna now has an app to help take care of that — as long as it’s within the town’s limits.
The town recently released a new Vienna Connect app that will serve as its new non-emergency service request platform.
The app aims to serve as a “more intuitive” platform to report issues with roads, trash, animals, construction sites and more, Vienna Information Technology Director Tony Mull said in the August issue of the town’s Vienna Voice newsletter.
In addition to being less intuitive, the previous platform encountered technical challenges when related software was upgraded, frustrating residents, elected officials and town employees alike, according to Town of Vienna spokesperson Karen Thayer.
“The Vienna Connect app provides seamless flexibility in reporting options (it works well via mobile devices and desktop computers), provides greater communication functionality than the old platform (internal and external communication features are included in the app) and it gives users the option of checking the status of their report/request online,” Thayer said by email.
It cost $12,000 to establish Vienna Connect. Since the app launched in mid-July, the town says it has already received 51 reports through it.
Reports will be monitored from 8 a.m.-4:40 p.m. on weekdays and responded to within a business day.
Vienna Connect also allows users to upload photos to accompany complaints. The app is available for download on Apple and Android devices. Service requests can also be filed online.
The town emphasizes that Vienna Connect is intended for service requests that are not urgent. Residents requiring police assistance should call 911 or the Vienna Police Department’s non-emergency police number at 703-255-6366.
Water and sewer-related emergencies can be reported to the town at 703-255-6366.
The Fairfax County Police Department is turning up the heat on vehicle thefts and break-ins, as summer enters its final month.
The department announced yesterday (Tuesday) that it will focus on auto thefts this August as part of its 2023 Summer Crime Prevention Initiative, which previously boosted enforcement around retail theft and driving under the influence.
“The Summer Crime Prevention team will intensify its efforts to prevent theft from vehicles and vehicle parts by implementing strategic and focused enforcement measures,” the FCPD said. “Officers will be stepping up their patrol efforts and focusing on areas of Fairfax County that have been historically targeted.”
Earlier this summer, the department was investigating a slew of thefts from cars in Reston that it said took place throughout May and June. More than 30 unlocked vehicles were targeted, with the suspects taking cash, purses, credit cards and other valuables.
As of June 27, police had recorded more than 1,000 incidents of people breaking into vehicles or entering unlocked vehicles so far in 2023. There had been over 580 stolen cars and motorcycles, exceeding the 440 thefts reported at that time in 2022.
The FCPD reported a total of 1,362 vehicle thefts in 2022 and 1,207 in 2021, according to an annual report published in May.
For this month’s crime prevention campaign, the FCPD says its officers “will migrate throughout the county to help deter and educate community members on ways to combat vehicle-related theft.”
“Airbags, laptops, cell phones, and other high-value property can all be easy targets if someone gains access to your vehicle,” the department said.
The department noted that community members can take some precautions to avoid being targeted:
- Lock your car and avoid leaving your keys in the car.
- Park in public places with lots of streetlights.
- Keep the windows rolled up when you park.
- Install car alarm systems and/or GPS systems.
- Do not leave any personal or valuable belongings inside your car.
- Do not leave your car turned on and unattended.
- Do not leave a spare key where it can be found.
- Utilize Security Cameras and floodlights.
- Know where you’re going.
- Practice proper automotive maintenance.
- Always stay aware of your surroundings.
- Do not store important personal documents in your vehicle.
Special Education Lawsuit Against FCPS Tossed — “Families who sued the Fairfax County School Board and Virginia Department of Education over services for students with disabilities have asked the state attorney general to investigate the two entities after a judge dismissed their class-action case last week.” [Washington Post]
Historic Marker Unveiled for Gum Springs Voting Rights Figure — “Dozens of top county officials, community leaders, ministers, neighbors and family members gathered July 22 to recognize the major civil rights era contribution of a humble, devout Gum Springs woman, whose name was almost lost to history. The event was the unveiling of a historic marker honoring Annie E. Harper (1885-1983) at her former residence, 7735 Fordson Road.” [On the MoVe]
D.C. Region Officials Say to Drive Less This August — “Officials are asking residents to help limit air pollution by driving less this month. This summer there have already been 17 code orange days, when the air is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, and there have been 3 code red days, when the air is unhealthy for everyone.” [DCist]
Inova Fairfax Ranked as Virginia’s Best Hospital — “Inova Fairfax Hospital is the No. 1 hospital in Greater Washington as well as in all of Virginia, according to U.S. News & World Report’s new rankings…Inova Fairfax [also] ranked No. 18 in the nation for obstetrics and gynecology and No. 46 in the nation for neonatology.” [Washington Business Journal]
Annandale Man Killed in Bethesda Crash — “A 22-year-old Annandale man died after the vehicle he was driving crashed into a guardrail early Saturday morning in North Bethesda, Maryland, according to Montgomery County Police…Two passengers in the vehicle were also taken to the hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.” [Patch]
Tysons Banking Company to Close Branches — Primis Financial Corp plans to close a quarter of its branches and “cut dozens of positions” after posting a $200,000 loss for the second quarter of 2023, its first quarterly loss since 2017. The affected branches in Leesburg, Warrenton, the Charlottesville and Richmond areas and “more rural parts of the state…are expected to be closed by Oct. 31.” [WBJ]
County Shares Plan for Spending Leftover Funds — “Hundreds of millions of dollars are being carried over from the fiscal 2023 budget, and Fairfax County officials are proposing a bevy of ways to spend them. The Board of Supervisors on July 25 set a public hearing for Sept. 26 to discuss the proposed budget-carryover package.” [Gazette Leader]
Child Care Facility Approved in Lincolnia — “The Board of Supervisors approved a zoning special exception last week for a childcare facility with up to 36 children in Lincolnia. The Kingdom of Children Bilingual Preschool would be located in a former single-family house built in 1948 at 6481 Little River Turnpike” [Annandale Today]
It’s Wednesday — The weather forecast shows a sunny day with a high temperature of about 85°F. By Wednesday night, the skies will become partly cloudy, and temperatures will drop to around 65°F. [Weather.gov]
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has agreed to let a planned office building near the Spring Hill Metro station become an apartment high-rise instead.
At a public hearing on July 25, the board unanimously approved American Real Estate Partners’ City House proposal, a move that both the county and developer hope will catalyze change in a largely dormant part of Tysons.
“I think we’re optimistic that these improvements will ensure a revitalization of this area,” Walsh Colucci land use lawyer Lynne Strobel said, representing the developer. “It’s an area that has been rather slow to redevelop under the Tysons plan. Even though there have been approvals, not much has been built, so we’re hopeful this will activate this part of Tysons.”
Part of the 31.5-acre Spring Hill Station demonstration project approved in 2011, City House will bring a 410,000-square-foot high-rise residential building with up to 410 multifamily units to the Highline at Greensboro District office complex (8401 Greensboro Drive).
Dubbed Building E3 in the demonstration project plan, which called for 7.5 million square feet of mixed-use development, the site was approved for a 20-story office building in 2013, but that’s no longer viable, given the current state of the office market, Strobel told the board.
The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority shared last month that the county’s office vacancy rate of 16.7% is its highest in 10 years. In Tysons, residential development has surged past office development over the past decade, raising some concerns among county officials about maintaining the balance between housing and jobs sought by the comprehensive plan.
The two office buildings currently standing in the Highline at Greensboro District will remain. Two other residential buildings planned for the future neighborhood could also become a hotel or retail and service space.
While no commercial space is proposed in City House, the building will come with a Highline Plaza outside the main entrance, a pocket park called Highline Square, and an urban park with recreational amenities and a performance stage on top of the existing, 1,500-space parking garage. The three publicly accessible parks will total approximately 1 acre in size.
Other improvements promised by American Real Estate Partners include new sidewalks, a designated left-turn lane into the Spring Hill Business Center on Spring Hill Road, a 5-foot-wide bicycle lane, and a two-lane extension of Broad Street from Spring Hill Road to a future Logan Street.
Though they support the City House project overall, the nearby Rotunda Condominiums residents remain disappointed that the Broad Street segment won’t be in its final four-lane configuration, according to William Lawson Jr., an attorney representing the condo association’s board of directors.
“We understand after meeting with the applicant on site why that is not possible,” Lawson said, reiterating concerns about the county’s reliance on developers to build out the Tysons street grid that he also shared at a planning commission hearing on July 12. “…The completion of Broad Street, we believe, would relieve a lot of traffic on Greensboro [Drive].”
County planner Sunny Yang confirmed that the full construction of Broad Street “will depend on the redevelopment of adjacent properties,” including the former Container Store that the county turned into The PARC at Tysons.
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said she sees City House as an opportunity to “turn existing, less useful space” into urban space with housing and amenities for both residents and the wider community.
“They’re bringing more opportunities for people to be able to stay and enjoy, live or work in Tysons,” she said. “I think it’s important that we be flexible, knowing that there’s a need for housing and a little less in office space now, so I think this is a creative solution.”
Grand Cata recently made a grand entrance at the Mosaic District.
The D.C.-based Latin American wine bar and store opened the doors of its first Virginia location on July 18, according to an Instagram post.
The modest, 910-square-foot space is located next to B-Side in the former Poke Bar at 8298 Glass Alley, Suite 100. It includes a counter bar and table where visitors can drink wine and eat food, along with shelves of wine for retail sale and a market with sauces and other pantry items.
“We are so happy to be part of the @mosaicdistrict community and we are ready for you,” the business said in a social media post last week.
Started as a retail shop in downtown D.C. in 2016, Grand Cata was founded to fill what founders Pedro Rodríguez and Julio Robledo saw as a gap in the region’s wine market for options from Latin America.
The business expanded in 2019 with its first bar at La Cosecha in Union Market.
The Mosaic District store is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. It’s closed on Monday.
Tenants still to come to the Merrifield neighborhood are Pottery Barn, the beach-inspired clothing store Faherty and the ice cream shop Mimi’s Homemade. In addition, farmers market operator FreshMarket announced last week that it will expand onto Strawberry Lane starting this Sunday (Aug. 6).
