“After coming together to pitch a Springfield warehouse as the best site for the law enforcement agency’s new headquarters, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin joined Democratic senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Virginia’s bipartisan House delegation last Thursday (Nov. 9) to blast the federal government for awarding the facility to Prince George’s County instead.”
Prince William County will sink an additional $1 million into a Route 28 bypass project to redesign a road, allowing drivers from the western part of the county and Fauquier County to bypass Manassas and Manassas Park and get into Fairfax County sooner.
The move comes after Prince William County Transportation Director Rick Canizlaes said he's uncertain about the $300 million project's future, telling county leaders that elected officials in Fairfax County could back out of the deal.
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“Drivers will notice the enhanced HOV enforcement on Thursday, Aug. 31 and Friday, Sept. 1. To qualify for toll-free HOV3+ travel on the 66 Express, drivers must be transporting three or more people in a non-commercial two-axle vehicle less than seven (7) feet tall and 18 feet long, equipped with an E-ZPass Flex transponder set to HOV On.”
“The HOV3+ policy in effect on the 66 Express Outside the Beltway is mandated by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The express lanes; HOV rules apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
“Drivers who violate HOV rules are guilty of a traffic infraction. Violations may be punishable by fines, including $125 for a first offense, $250 for a second offense within a period of five years from a first offense, $500 for a third offense within a period of five years from a first offense, and $1,000 for a fourth or subsequent offense within a period of five years from a first offense. HOV violations harm all drivers by adding to traffic in the 66 Express and increasing toll rates. Higher traffic volumes result in higher toll prices and slower travel, impacting all users of the roadway.”
“An integral component of the Transform 66 initiative, the 66 Express Outside the Beltway facility is operated and maintained by I-66 Express Mobility Partners (EMP) in partnership with VDOT. Toll rates vary with real-time traffic conditions to maintain highway speeds at all times.”
Insidenova: “George Mason University’s total student enrollment has surpassed 40,000 this year, marking a record for both the school and the commonwealth. The 40,000 includes the university’s anticipated record total of roughly 11,000 new students, including the largest freshman class in school history of 4,500 students, 3,500 of which are from Virginia.”
Area leaders want to crack down on panhandling on area streets.
They said those who stand on street medians and beg for cash pose a public safety risk. One panhandler in Fairfax County has been killed, and county police received 2,100 calls about panhandling-related offenses, said Fairfax County Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity.
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Workhouse Arts Center: “The Workhouse Arts Center is excited to announce the return of a Northern Virginia Halloween season favorite, the Workhouse Haunt, a scare-inducing outdoor haunted trail.”
“This year’s event, titled Haunt: Game Over, marks the 10th season of the haunted trail at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton. Haunt will run on weekends from Friday, Oct. 6 through Saturday, Oct. 28. A sneak-preview night is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 30, featuring complimentary and discounted tickets for first responders, veterans, active military, teachers, and health-care workers.”
“Haunt will also perform on Halloween night, Tuesday, Oct. 31. Each Friday and Saturday night, live bands will perform in the Rizer Pavilion on the Workhouse campus.”
The campus can be found at 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton.
“Music entertainment is free; no entrance fee is required to attend the performances. Food trucks, soft drinks, beer, wine, and themed-specialty drinks will be available for purchase on site.”
“Tickets for the haunted trail go on sale at noon on Aug. 25, and prices start at $30 per person. Visit www.workhousearts.org for schedule and event details.”
“Guests will travel in small groups for a frightening experience that brings them next to the site’s abandoned, historic buildings where they will encounter characters and sights.”
“The gates open at 6:30 p.m. most evenings, with the first groups dispatched to the Haunted Trail at 7 p.m. Closing time will vary by event night; please see ticketing web page for the complete schedule. Tickets are being sold by a timed-entry basis to allow guests to reserve the time that they would like to experience the haunted trail and to reduce long wait times at the event.”
“Advance online ticket purchase is highly recommended due to the event historically reaching sold-out capacity.”
Haunt: Game Over 2023 Schedule:
- Fridays – Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.
- Saturdays – Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.
- Sundays – Oct. 8, 15, 22, 29 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
- Tuesday – Halloween, Oct. 31 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
“InsideNoVa is the media sponsor for this year’s Haunt, and tickets for the Haunt Preview Night can be purchased directly from their website.”
“This year Workhouse has partnered again with the Lorton Community Action Center to encourage guests to give back to the community by donating food and other items when they attend the Haunt. A drop off location will be available on the Haunt site.”
Prince William County Supervisor Jeanine Lawson: “In their dedication to address pressing concerns within the community, Prince William Supervisor Jeanine Lawson and Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity are pleased to extend an invitation to a virtual town hall event centered around the escalating issue of panhandling in Northern Virginia.”
“Panhandling has prompted community leaders from Fairfax County and Prince William to come together to explore viable solutions. The virtual town hall will provide a platform for an open dialogue among residents aiming to tackle this multifaceted issue with a shared approach.”
Event Details:
- Date: August 17th
- Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
- Topic: “What Should Northern Virginia Be Doing About Panhandling”
- Hosts: Prince William Supervisor Jeanine Lawson and Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity
- Format: Virtual Town Hall
- Location: Channel 16 (Fairfax TV) (with streaming on Facebook Live or online: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cableconsumer/channel-16/stream)
StoreBrands: “Lidl is coming to the Northern Virginia community of Lorton with a new store opening scheduled for July 26. The store will be open to shoppers from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday.”
“The store at 9001 White Spruce Way is part of Liberty, a mixed-use community that is transforming the historic Lorton Reformatory into an urban village.”
“At the grand opening event on July 26, the first 100 customers in line before the store opens at 8 a.m. will receive a special gift card ranging from $5 to $100 each. Shoppers can also sample Lidl’s award-winning assortment and take advantage of special giveaways.”
“I am excited to welcome Lidl to Liberty! Not only does it bring a diversity of grocery shopping options to Lorton, but it provides a walkable, bikeable location to many, many residents in the immediate vicinity of the store,” said Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck.
“As an anchor for the rest of the commercial development at Liberty, we are already seeing exciting new options coming and anticipate welcoming Taco Rock and others to the site this fall.”
Fairfax County Government Department of Public Works and Environmental Services: “More than 24 hours after bacterial testing began on the water in Lake Accotink following a sewage spill, results show bacteria levels are not elevated. This indicates the cleanup effort was done in time to prevent downstream contamination from reaching Lake Accotink. As a result, there is no continued concern regarding human exposure to untreated sewage in the lake. The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services will remove caution signs about the sewage spill from around the lake.”
“On Friday afternoon, June 30, the Fairfax County Wastewater Management program detected a sewage spill approximately 1.5 miles upstream of Lake Accotink resulting from a blockage in a pipe carrying untreated sewage to a treatment plant. The spill was contained by 12:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon. Fairfax County recommended all residents avoid activities that would bring them in contact with the water at Lake Accotink and surrounding tributaries pending the outcome of water quality tests.”
The Department of Public Works will continue to monitor the water quality immediately downstream of the spill, approximately 1.5 miles upstream of Lake Accotink in an unnamed tributary. We will continue to monitor the water quality to ensure downstream waters remain clean. We will keep signs posted in the area with elevated bacteria levels.”
