Community Corner

Top 13: Spike in Bike Path Crime, Arrest in Missing Teen Case, Woman Moves from Wheelchair to the Dance Stage

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 from last week.

Reston Bike Path Crime on the Rise? In Reston, Fairfax County Police are investigating a robbery and assault of a 46-year-old man as he walked on the bike path near Maple Ridge in the Lake Anne area. The victim was hospitalized and the suspects are still at large. But the incident has brought up discussion of crime on the Reston Paths and what police and citizens can do do deter it.

Medical Examiner: Springfield Man Dies of Thermal Burns, Smoke Inhalation: The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department responded to a call around 6:30 p.m. Aug. 11 to find a deceased male in the 6000 block of Craig Street in the Springfield area. The medical examiner determined Monday that the cause of death was thermal burns and smoke inhalation. According to fire investigators, no foul play is suspected in the incident. 

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Two Men Rob 7-Eleven in Mount Vernon: Fairfax County Police are investigating the robbery of a Mount Vernon convenience store. Just after 3 p.m. Aug. 12, two men entered the 7-Eleven at 8146 Old Mount Vernon Road. One man reportedly displayed a handgun and demanded money from the employee. The suspects took money and fled on foot, according to police. There were no injuries.

New Wakefield High School Nearly Ready for First Day: In September, everyone will be a new student at Wakefield High School. Construction is nearly complete on the new high school, at South George Mason Drive and Dinwiddie Street, and it will be ready in time for the first day of school, Sept. 3. The $120 million school can accommodate nearly 2,000 students, with 404,000 square feet, 100 classrooms and room to grow.

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Leesburg Prosthetist Helps Texas Woman: When 23-year-old-Lacey Phipps walked comfortably on her prosthetic legs for the first time in years, the feeling was almost too much for words. “I was flabbergasted that I actually could because I hadn’t used my legs in so long,” she said. “I was freakishly excited!” Phipps was talking shortly after she received prosthetic legs from Leesburg prosthetist John Hattingh, CP, LPO, CPO(SA), owner of Prosthetic Care Facility of Virginia.

Route 1 BRT Taking Shape in Alexandria: After more than a year of construction, elements of the Route 1 Bus Rapid Transitway are beginning to appear just east of Del Ray. The BRT will ultimately traverse a 5-mile route connecting Braddock Road Metro station with Pentagon City Metro station. About 80 percent of the route will be in dedicated right-of-ways.

McDonnell Talks School Takeover Law at Alexandria Forum: Gov. Bob McDonnell says there is broad agreement in Virginia about increasing rigor, resources and classroom performance in K-12 education, but different ideas on how to get there. One idea from the governor’s office—the creation of a state body that can take over specific struggling schools—has been greatly maligned by the Alexandria School Board.

Men Rob Sunoco Station Employee at Gunpoint: Two men robbed a Sunoco Service Station in the Woodbridge area last week, Prince William County Police said. Employees at the station told police that the two men entered the station on Annapolis Way around 7:12 p.m. Aug. 9, and one of them came up to the counter to buy something. When the employee opened the register, the suspect pulled out a gun and removed the drawer, said police spokesman Officer Jonathan Perok.

Tysons Walmart Now Open for Business: The Tysons area’s first Walmart Supercenter opened its doors Aug. 13. Eager customers lined up with shopping carts outside the new store before a ribbon-cutting ceremony had even wrapped up and promptly flowed in once the festivities were over. Tysons’ Walmart has 200 employees and is the flagship retail location in Tysons West, the development owned and operated by JBG Rosenfeld Retail.

Through Closing Door, Vienna’s Damon Galleries Finds Another Open: When Damon Galleries opened its doors on Maple Avenue in 1973, it quickly became known as one of the town's premier art stores. Shirley Damon, founder and owner of the store, announced earlier this year that she would be closing the store and entering retirement. But the store did not stay closed for long. It took just one week for Damon's longtime employees Steve Rigby (40 years at Damon Galleries) and Taffy Millar (28 years) to begin plans to re-open the store as a frame studio.

Man Arrested in Teen's Disappearance Once A Suspect in Another Missing Teen Case A man was arrested Aug. 12 in connection with the recent disappearance of Virginia teen Alexis Tiara Murphy. He was previously investigated in a 2010 disappearance, police said. Taylor said in an interview last year that he considered the previous investigation police harassment. Murphy was last seen Aug. 3 at the Liberty gas station on Rt. 29 in Lovingston, Va. Taylor, 48, of Lovingston, was arrested Monday.

Nude Dancing Takes Center Stage in Glover Park: The Glover Park Citizens Association held an emergency meeting Aug. 13 to vote on whether JP's, 2412 Wisconsin Ave., NW, should get a renewed liquor license and whether "private alcoves" should be allowed at the nude dancing club in Glover Park. The strip club is under new ownership and has applied to allow nude dancing on both table tops and in private alcoves. The Advisory Neighborhood Commission has already voted to oppose the applications.

Officials: Death of Fairfax Teen on Rte. 66 Was SuicideVirginia State Police said this week that the death of a teen who was walking along the righthand lanes of Route 66 near Route 50 in Fairfax County and was fatally struck by a passing car in the early hours of Tuesday morning was suicide, though spokespersons would not reveal details of what led troopers to that conclusion. The victim was identified only as a 17-year-old Fairfax boy. Police have not yet located the car or driver.


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