Community Corner

Georgetown Kidnapping, Teen Stabbing Arrests, Gay Virginia Official Weds, Teen Dies in Police Pursuit, 'Reinventing Pentagon City'

Top news of the week from our Patches around Virginia and Washington.

Patch has 31 sites in Virginia and Washington. Here are some of the top stories from around the region this week.

Mother Arrested After Seven Year Old Found Wandering Streets

A Manassas-area woman is accused of letting her 7-year-old wander the streets around his home unsupervised.

Find out what's happening in Lortonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The suspect, a 29-year-old woman of the 8800 block of Oak Hollow Court is charged with felony child abuse, Prince William County Police reports show.

Patch isn't releasing her name to protect the identity of the victim.

Find out what's happening in Lortonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Police received a report on Thursday of a child that was found along and wearing wet clothing, but uninjured near Ashton Avenue and Bannerwood Drive in the Manassas area of the county.

Witnesses told police the boy had been walking the area unsupervised.

Officers from the PWC Special Victims Bureau located the child's mother but also determined the child was living in a house with no electricity or running water.

One Injured in Explosion Near George Mason’s Prince William County Campus

One person was injured in a late-morning explosion in a building across from the George Mason University Prince William Campus, emergency officials said.

An explosion was heard around 11:33 a.m. at Utron Kinetics at 9441 Innovation Drive in the Manassas area of Prince William County, said Kim Hylander, a spokeswoman for the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue.

The building was evacuated and the county's emergency HAZMAT and building collapse units are at the scene, she said. Fire officials believe the explosion is connected to a hydrogen air pressure vessel in the building.

Utron is a government contractor that manufactures high-density parts for defense, aerospace and commercial use,according to the company's website.

Reunion: Inova Staff Reunited With Former Intensive Care Babies

nova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax held a NICU Reunion this Sunday for the children who "graduated" from the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a ward reserved for premature and very sick babies.

Children who were in the Fair Oaks intensive care up to six years ago were invited to the event at Navy Elementary School.

The video features quotes from Kelly Cummins, Inova Fair Oaks neonatal support specialist and Dr. Alan Silk, a neonatologist for Inova hospitals.

What's Up with King's Buffet in Kingstowne?

After months of being closed for renovations, the sign for King's Buffet — the Asian restaurant located at Kingstowne Shopping Center — has been removed from the building.

Back in May, the restaurant closed to start renovations on the space. At the time, Neal Krysinski with The Halle Companies told Patch the owners were also negotiating their lease with the company.

Police: Man Threatened with Handgun, Robbed in Alexandria

A 29-year-old man walking in the 8400 block of Blankenship Street around 12:15 a.m. Saturday was reportedly robbed by a group of men, according to FCPD.

The group of men approached the victim and once displayed a handgun. The suspects then reportedly pushed the victim to the ground then demanded his property. The group fled with the suspect's wallet and cell phone.

Virginia’s First Openly Gay Elected Official Weds Longtime Partner in DC

Arlington County Board Vice Chairman Jay Fisette and his longtime partner, Bob Rosen, celebrated their 30th anniversary this month in one of the most special ways possible: They were married.

"People ask me, 'Do you feel different?' And, you know, it's yes and no. Because 30 years later, how different can you feel every day? We've been in our house since 1987 in Ashton Heights. It's hard to think we'd feel that much different doing our yard work or taking out the trash. On the other hand, I'd say 10 times a day I reach down and think I lost my ring — because we moved it from the right hand to the left," Fisette told Patch.

"And, you know, there are some other positives, the supportive messages we've gotten and that people have really embraced us. It's a little bit of glow. It's a nice feeling. There's a little different sense of validation, maybe? It's not even validation. It just feels good."

Fisette in 1997 became Virginia's first openly gay elected official.

Bare-Knuckle Brawl: McAuliffe, Cuccinelli Debate in McLean 'Mud Bath'

Bare-knuckle boxing may be in Ken Cuccinelli's blood, but both he and rival Terry McAuliffe took their gloves off Wednesday night for a nasty debate at the Capital One Conference Center in McLean.

Throughout the night, each candidate was able to maintain their regular talking points, despite being regularly pressed by moderator Chuck Todd, pausing only to take a breath or attack the other.

"I feel like going home and taking a shower, it was such a mud bath," retired Congressman Tom Davis, a Vienna Republican, told Patch. "They both stayed on their sticking points. They didn't let the questions get in the way of their answers."

Oakton High School Runner Featured in Running Times Magazine

Oakton High School’s Allie Klimkiewicz has been named High School Athlete of the Week by Running Times magazine. The 16-year-old cross country star was praised for her recent win at the Knights Crossing Invitational in 18:10 for 5K. The magazine praised her mental toughness and athleticism.  Read the magazine's full profile on Klimkiewicz.

‘Reinventing Pentagon City’ — Arlington Board OKs PenPlace Development

The Arlington County Board this weekend took a series of votes to allow for a massive mixed-use redevelopment of about 10 acres in Pentagon City, projects that will be completed over 15 to 20 years and bring up to 1.8 million square feet of office space, 50,000 square feet of retail and 300 hotel units to the area.

The PenPlace plan also allows for the option of adding 300 residential units and, potentially, a new secure facility. The development ties into the streetcar line planned to connect Pentagon City with the Skyline/Bailey's Crossroads area of Fairfax County.

Plan for Massive Tyson's West Development Approved

Tyson’s West, a mixed-use development to include 1.7 million-square-feet of housing, office, and retail space has been officially approved by Fairfax officials.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved plans for the development earlier this week. The project by Maryland-based developer JBG will add on to the newly opened 24-Hour Fitness and urban-style Walmart.

The development will be walking distance to the Tyson’s Spring Hill Metro Station.

Transformer Explosion in Reston

Residents were startled and Reston Parkway and Sunset Hills traffic was snarled on Tuesday when a power transformer suddenly exploded near the Carlton House Condos in Reston. The smoke reached about seven stories into the air at one point. The building was briefly evacuated and a Dominion Virginia Power employee suffered minor injuries.

WSHS Students Remember Kenny Diaz

Some Woodbridge Senior High School students are wearing red today to honor Vikings linebacker Kenny Diaz, who was fatally stabbed in Woodbridge on Saturday.

Multiple Arrests in Stabbing of Woodbridge Teen

Police have arrested two more suspects in a murder investigation into the death of 18-year-old Woodbridge High School Vikings linebacker Kenny Diaz, who was stabbed to death on Saturday at Marumsco Acre Lake Park in Woodbridge, Prince William County Police spokesperson Jonathan Perok said. Six suspects were arrested previously.

Judge Orders National Slavery Museum Property Sold

Circuit Court Judge Joseph Ellis on September 25 ordered the National Slavery Museum's Fredericksburg property be sold for unpaid taxes.  An auction could take place within 30 days.

The planned museum, which was never built due to lack of funding, owes the city of Fredericksburg more than $350,000 in unpaid taxes.

Museum founder Gov. L. Douglas Wilder is considering an appeal of the judge's decision or a second bankruptcy filing.

Ron Rosner, founder of the Rosner Auto Group in Fredericksburg, earlier this month offered $1.5 million for the 38-acre property, but a deal was not reached before the judge’s decision.  Rosner wants to purchase the property for the Hagerstown Suns multi-use stadium complex.  

1 Dead After Police Pursuit in Fairfax City

A 14-year-old D.C. boy is dead after a pursuit by a Virginia state trooper ended in a horrific crash in Fairfax City shortly before 1 a.m. last Saturday morning. Marquette Bell was riding as a passenger in a car driven by his unidentified and unlicensed 15-year-old friend. Virginia State Police representatives said the car was driving erratically and recklessly, prompting a trooper to put on its lights. When the trooper attempted to pull the car over, it sped away. The driver ran a red light at nearly 100 miles per hour and crashed into another car that entered the intersection with a green light. The suspect, as well as the driver of the car he hit, both survived with non-life-threatening injuries, but the suspect vehicle’s passenger, Marquette, died at the scene.

Walgreens Pushes Back Opening Date for New Annandale Store

Annandale residents who are anxiously waiting for the new Walgreens to open at 4300 Backlick Rd. will have to wait just a little bit longer. The store is now aiming to open sometime in November.

The 24-hour drugstore and pharmacy's new tentative open date is closer to late November around Thanksgiving, which is Thursday, Nov. 28, said Phil Caruso with the Walgreens Media Relations Department.

Previously, a representative for Walgreens told Patch the store would open before the end of summer.

Public Hearings for 'Enclave of Burke' Development Deferred to October

Residents hoping to comment on Madison Homes, Inc.'s  application to build more than 10 homes in Burke will have to wait a little longer to submit their feedback. Both scheduled public hearings for the proposed development have been deferred until October.

The rezoning application, which was filed by Madison Homes earlier this year, asks to build 13 single-family detached homes on 5.28 acres of land on Spring Lake Drive in Burke adjacent to Calvary Christian Church. The development is referred to as the "Enclave of Burke."

A public hearing in front of the Fairfax County Planning Commission was scheduled for Sept. 18, but the hearing was deferred to Wednesday, Oct. 9.

Police Investigating Kidnapping in Georgetown

Traffic was backed up in Georgetown Thursday morning as police investigated a reported kidnapping in the 1500 block of Foxhall Road, according to police.

A woman called the Metropolitan Police Department at about 7:10 a.m. Thursday morning reporting that she had been abducted, according to Metropolitan Police Department Spokesman Araz Alali.

She told police that she met the suspect in Baltimore. Alali said the "elements of the crime" took place in DC. Alali could not say whether or not the woman was from Baltimore.

Local Youth Hockey Player Recovering From 'MRSA' Infection; Other Parents and Athletes Cautioned

Representatives from the Northern Virginia Scholastic Hockey League (NVSHL) sent a letter to local families informing them that one of their teen players had been rushed to the hospital last weekend with a serious MRSA infection - a drug-resistant bacterial infection of the skin, which broke out in a small wound on the player’s foot. Coaches, parents and players are cautioned about MRSA, which is easily contracted and spread in sports situations and schools where people are in close-quarters and may share objects like equipment and towels and may sweat. All are encouraged to wash themselves and their property often, especially after sharing with others or after exercising or playing sports. Read the above article for possible symptoms and other tips on preventing the spread of MRSA, which stands for “Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.”

Herndon Town Council Unanimously Approves First Phase of W&OD Trail Lighting

After hearing comments from locals, the Herndon Town Council unanimously approved a project that will light a 3,200-foot stretch of the W&OD Trail which passes through downtown Herndon. Thirty-nine light poles will be installed along a stretch from Ferndale Avenue to Van Buren Street. The Town coordinated with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, which owns the trail, and obtained a matching grant worth $200,000 from the Commonwealth of Virginia's Department of Conservation and Recreation. Mayor Lisa Merkel said a potential future phase of the project would install light posts from Ferndale Avenue to Crestview Drive.

Work Begins on Potomac Yard Giant Grocery Store

Construction began last week on a six-story, mixed-use development in Potomac Yard that will include 253 residential units and a 69,000-square foot Giant grocery store.

The development is being built just off Route 1 and north of Alexandria Fire Station 209 on Main Line Boulevard between E. Glebe Road and Seaton Avenue. The mixed-use project will be located near the town center of Potomac Yard and have two-and-a-half levels of underground parking for residents and grocery store customers.

Twelve of the residential units will be reserved at an affordable rate.

Council Approves Permits for New Old Town Gelato Shop

Alexandria City Council approved plans Saturday to open a gelato shop in a townhouse building located at 111 S. Payne St. in Old Town.

Benjamin and Perla Umansky have been developing their own gelato recipe for several years, having learned from experts in the United States and Argentina.

Along with gourmet gelato, the Umanskys will offer lactose-free as well as sugar-free varieties. All gelato will be produced on-site.

SCC Permits Loudoun to Intervene in Greenway Investigation

The Virginia State Corporation Commission granted Loudoun County permission to intervene in an investigation of Dulles Greenway operators TRIP II, a subsidiary of Australia-based Mcquarie Group.

Supervisors earlier this month voted unanimously to request permission to intervene on the investigation requested by Del. David Ramadan (R-87). The investigation aims to reduce tolls along the Greenway, which are around $5 each way during rush hour. Tolls are the same regardless of how far motorists travel on the Greenway.


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