A Maryland man was arrested Sunday and charged with trying to rob the CVS Pharmacy on Leesburg Pike (Route 7) in Tysons.
Fairfax County Police say 34-year-old Mark Connor “walked into the CVS, went behind the counter and told an employee he was there to rob him.” The incident happened shortly before 3 p.m.
“Officers arrived and placed Connor under arrest for robbery, false identification to law enforcement and felony possession of narcotics,” FCPD said in a crime report.
Map via Google Maps
Tysons Car Dealership Properties for Sale — “Perhaps the largest concentration of vehicle dealerships in Tysons is on the market. McLean-based Capital Automotive has retained Newmark Knight Frank Capital Markets to sell a large portion of Dominion Square, its long-planned redevelopment of a collection of dealerships adjacent to the Spring Hill Metro station.” [Washington Business Journal]
Unusual Bike Theft Near Vienna Metro — Fairfax County Police investigated a burglary at a townhouse development not far from the Vienna Metro station last week. Police say someone rummaged through an unlocked car and used a garage door opener to break into a house and steal a bike. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Overeager Trash Collector Cited in Vienna — From the Town of Vienna Police Department’s crime blotter: “While on routine patrol Sgt. Ruddy observed a trash truck emptying dumpsters prior to 7:00 a.m. Sgt. Ruddy made contact with the driver and issued him a summons to the 49-year-old man from Dartford Place in Bristow, Virginia charging Noise Violation. The man was released on his signature.” [Town of Vienna]
This Saturday (Oct. 27) Fairfax County residents will have a chance to safely and anonymously rid themselves of all those old pills stockpiled in the medicine cabinet.
Those in the Tysons area can dump their unused or expired medicine at the McLean district police station at 1437 Balls Hill Road free of charge from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The drop off is only taking pills and liquids, no needles or pressurized canisters.
Other FCPD stations will also be open for drop offs.
Getting rid of unused or expired medicine is important, as abuse, misuse or accidental poisoning can lead to serious health problems, but simply washing the pills down the drain or throwing them away can lead to environmental issues when the medicine filters into a body of water.
Last year’s Operation Medicine Cabinet Clean-Out collected a total 2,623 lbs of drugs across the county, with 264 lbs collected in the McLean district.
For those with a substance abuse issue, services are available in Fairfax via:
- Emergency Services (24/7) – 703-573-5679 (TTY 711)
- Fairfax Detoxification Center (24/7) – 703-502-7000 (TTY 703-322-9080)
- CSB Entry & Referral Services – 703-383-8500
- Call 911 for life-threatening emergencies
Opponents Speak Out at Ramp Closure Meeting — “Proponents were more vocal Oct. 18 at the second Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) meeting about possible temporary closures of a ramp leading from Georgetown Pike to northbound Interstate 495 in McLean, but a majority of local residents who have sounded off still oppose it, VDOT officials said.” [InsideNova]
Police: DUI Suspect Kicks Officers in Merrifield — “During the traffic stop, the officer determined that the driver was under the influence of alcohol and arrested Joshua Ginchereau, 37, of Woodbridge. During the arrest, Ginchereau resisted and kicked 3 officers.” [FCPD]
McLean Firm Wins NATO Contract — “MCR, LLC has been awarded a five-year Advisory and Assistance Services (AAS) framework contract by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to provide a wide spectrum of scientific, engineering, project management, acquisition, and military functional expertise” [BusinessWire]
Tysons Company Acquired — “Applied Insight, a government IT services company, is deepening its inroads in the national security and intelligence community markets by acquiring McLean-based Organizational Strategies Inc., a 20-year old company that has worked closely with the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.” [Washington Business Journal]
Fall Foliage Mostly MIA in Va. — “By the final third of October, fiery colors of fall are usually all over the place in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Not this year. While we are still at least a week or two from typical peak fall foliage in the immediate D.C. area, this year’s delay in autumn color is unlike anything in recent memory.” [Washington Post]
Photo via VDOT
Vienna Town Worker’s Car Blocked — “A Vienna town-government employee parked her vehicle in a private lot… while she checked on some vendors at the farmers’ market. The employee was approached by a resident who was upset that she was parked in the private lot. The resident used his vehicle to block the employee’s vehicle until police arrived.” [InsideNova]
Two Assaulted in Falls Church Area — “Two residents were walking into their townhouse when they were approached from behind by four men. The men assaulted the victims and then forced their way into the townhouse. One victim started to call 911 causing the suspects to run away.” [FCPD]
(Updated at 12:20 p.m.) A student at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church reportedly brandished a fake gun inside the school, prompting a prompting a police investigation and a letter to parents.
John Torre, a public information officer for Fairfax County Public Schools, said that the school was made aware of the video last night (Tuesday).
Torre said police were notified and determined that the weapon the individual was holding was a fake. Fairfax County Police said on Twitter that they did not believe there was a threat to school safety.
We have been investigating since it was reported to us. The gun pictured in the video is a fake and the information we have at this time does not suggest there is a threat to school safety.
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) October 17, 2018
The video was reportedly circulated on Snapchat. A clip posted on Twitter, purporting to be of the video in question and sent to the school system and a local TV station, shows a young person brandishing what appears to be a gun under the caption “uhh 109% ur f****d if u at marshall.”
The school notified parents early this morning. The FCPS Twitter account said parents should have received the update around 7:30 a.m., but some parents said via Twitter they didn’t receive the update until their children were already on the bus to school.
Yes received after my child would have been on the bus. Some parents didn't get until 9ish. Too little info too late. FCPS needs to do more to inform parents and keep our kids safe.
— Shari Blackburn (@ShariABlackburn) October 17, 2018
Torre said the police contacted the student and family, and that the school would not comment on any disciplinary actions taken.
Photo (top) via Google Maps (bottom) via Twitter
Police Release Sketch of Vienna Robbery Suspect — Fairfax County Police have released a sketch of the suspect who robbed a man at gunpoint on Oct. 6 along path to the Vienna Metro station. [Facebook]
Rapid Pace of Tysons Development — The pace of development in Tysons is impressing even seasoned local business people. At a recent Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce breakfast, the gathered crowd was wowed by a slide showing buildings now under construction and approved developments in Tysons. [InsideNova]
Local Firms Place High on Fortune List — From the most recent FCEDA E-Bird: “Hilton and Mars Inc. are among the top three places to work — not just in Fairfax County but in the world according to Fortune.com. San Francisco-based Salesforce, Tysons Corner-based Hilton and McLean-based Mars ranked 1-2-3 based on employee surveys conducted by Fortune partner Great Place to Work around the world. Companies racked up points based on respect, fairness, pride, camaraderie, and trust.” [Fortune]
FCPS Digital Citizenship Week — “This week is Digital Citizenship Week in our county schools and it’s important for parents/guardians to help children become safe, ethical, responsible and respectful digital citizens.” [Fairfax County]
Cvent Makes Big Acquisition — Tysons-based event tech company Cvent has acquired D.C.-based event and venue planning startup Social Tables for, reportedly, more than $100 million. [Washington Business Journal]
Reminder: Social Media Week Fairfax Tomorrow — Social Media Week Fairfax, featuring a number of marquee speakers including Judy Smith of Scandal fame, will be taking place tomorrow (Thursday) from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at Capital One HQ in Tysons. A complete agenda is available here.
For the second time in as many weeks, someone smashed in the door of the Enterprise Rent-a-Car on Spring Hill Road in Tysons.
The incident happened over the weekend. Fairfax County Police noted in a crime report that “this time nothing was taken,” a contrast from two weeks ago when a vehicle was reported stolen.
“Detectives are following up on leads,” FCPD said. More from the crime report:
BURGLARY / DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: 1572 block of Spring Hill Road, (Enterprise), 10-14-2018, between 12:01 – 8:10 a.m. When employees arrived to work in the morning they noticed that the front door had been smashed in. The business was broken into recently but this time nothing was taken. Detectives are following up on leads.
Photo via Google Maps
Fairfax County Police are investigating an armed robbery near the Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro station.
Police say a man was walking on a footpath to the station just before midnight this past Saturday, Oct. 6., when he was approached by a man who pointed a gun at him and demanded cash.
“The victim gave the man his wallet and then ran to his house to report the robbery,” FCPD said in a crime report. “The suspect was described as a black male, 6′, with a thick build.”
Map via Google Maps
Mom Has Daughter Arrested for Theft — “A woman living in the 600 block of Gibson Circle, S.W., told Vienna police on Sept. 27 at 12:30 a.m. that her juvenile daughter allegedly had stolen her cell phone and punched a hole in a wall. The resident advised police she wished to pursue charges.” [InsideNova]
Uptick in Sexual Harassment Reports at FCPS — “The 2017-2018 Fairfax County Youth Survey found that 14.2 percent of students reported being sexually harassed in the past year, an increase of a full percentage point from the 13.2 percent in the survey issued during the 2016-2017 school year. Female students are three times more likely than male students to report experiencing sexual harassment as 20.8 percent of girls said they had been harassed compared to 7.3 percent of boys.” [Fairfax County Times]
Hurricane Michael Could Soak Region — The remnants of Hurricane Michael, which is on a collision course with the Florida panhandle, could bring an inch or so of rain to Fairfax County between late Wednesday night and Friday. [Capital Weather Gang]
Tysons Firm Announces Merger — Tysons-based Telarix Inc. last week “announced its merger with Starhome Mach, the leading global provider of SaaS wholesale and retail roaming, clearing, settlement and fraud prevention solutions.” The combined company will be headquartered in Tysons. [Starhome Mach]
Domestic Violence Awareness Month in FFX — October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Fairfax County held an event to remind residents to “make the call to end domestic violence.” The county’s 24-hour domestic and sexual violence hotline is 703-360-7273. [YouTube]
