Community Corner

Top News: 'Manassacre,' McAuliffe Wins, Business Openings, Bank Robberies,Teacher Raises and Free Burritos for a Year

Plus, why a man who struck and killed a boy wasn't charged. 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 over the past week.


McAuliffe Wins Governor’s Race in a Close One

Terry McAuliffe, friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and prolific political fundraiser won the governor’s race over Republican Ken Cuccinelli.


Westfields Marriott in Centreville Completes Renovations

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An upscale hotel in the Centreville and Chantilly area has completed major renovations to many of its guest rooms, meeting rooms and lobby. The 40,000 square feet Westfields Marriott Conference Center on Conference Drive revamped 20 of its guest rooms and 31 meeting rooms so it could more readily accommodate guests of the Washington D.C. metro.


Roller Derby Skater 'Manassacre' Hopes to Bring Second Battle to the Rink

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By day she's a working mother known as Janet Chada, but after the sun goes down and the skates come on, you can call her by her roller derby name—Manassacre.

Chada, a Manassas resident, skates with an all-female group in the NOVA Roller Derby League called the Backwoods Rollers, a named selected because many of the team members live in more rural areas outside the Capital Beltway.


Police: Driver Who Struck 5-year-old Identified

A driver who struck a 5-year-old Manassas boy on Tuesday has been identified as a 70-year-old man from Manassas Park, Prince William County Police said Thursday afternoon. An investigation revealed several factors led to the driver not knowing he'd struck the child. Police didn't pursue charges after speaking with lawyers with the Commonwealth Attorney's office.


Police: Man Inappropriately Touches Woman in Springfield

Sex Offense, 10:30 a.m., Nov. 2, Alamo Street/Cimarron Street, A woman was walking when a man approached and inappropriately touched her. He fled and she was not injured.


Police Identify Man Killed at Alexandria Homeless Shelter

FCPD detectives recently identified the man who was shot and killed during an officer-involved shooting last Wednesday at Eleanor U. Kennedy Shelter as James Bryant, 28, of no fixed address. An ongoing investigation has revealed that Bryant was a resident at the shelter and began assaulting other residents Wednesday evening.


Woodbridge Man Charged With Beating 4-Year-Old Boy

Police have charged a Woodbridge man with felony child abuse after a 4-year-old boy was reportedly beaten in Woodbridge, Prince William County Police spokesperson Jonathan Perok said.


Fairfax Detectives Ask for Public's Help in Catching Tysons Corner Bank Robbers

Fairfax County detectives on Monday released three video stills taken from security footage at a Tysons Corner bank that was robbed last week. A pair of masked men — one with a gun, one with a bag — robbed the Bank of Georgetown at 1850 Towers Crescent Plaza in McLean on Wednesday afternoon and remain on the loose. One of the video stills released Monday shows one of the men without a mask.


FANFARE Sports Bar Opening in Chantilly

FANFARE Eatery is opening up a new location in Chantilly next year.

The planned 3,000-square-foot sports bar will be located at the Greenbriar Shopping Center on 13039 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway.

The restaurant will have 17 flat-screen televisions and will also feature an outdoor patio with TVs, heaters, and ceiling fans, according to a press release from the restaurant.

Superintendent to Push for Teacher Pay Raises Despite Projected $140-Million Deficit

Despite a recent announcement that the Fairfax County Public Schools district is expecting to face a $140-million deficit next year, Superintendent Karen Garza told an audience this week during her district-wide Listening Tour that she plans to include a provision in her proposed budget for teacher pay raises. The hike would likely cost the school district roughly $42 million on top of the $140-million projected shortfall.


German Students Make An Impact on Herndon High

A group of students from eastern Germany recently spent six days living, breathing and studying as Herndon High students, and they left quite an impact on the school and local families.


ULTA Beauty in Manassas to Open in November

The much-anticipated opening of ULTA Beauty in Manassas is scheduled for this month, a marketing agent with the Rapport Companies, the agency that manages the property where the store will open.


Now in Lorton: California Tortilla (And Free Burritos for a Year?!)

The "fast-casual" restaurant chain California Tortilla celebrated its Lorton opening Friday with a "Cutting of the Burrito" at its new location at 9447 Lorton Market Street.  

There's more: the first 20 people in line received a Burrito Elito loyalty card good not just for one free burrito, but for one free burrito each week — for a year.


Local Officials Announce Funding for New Turf Fields at Alexandria High Schools

VOICE, along with Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay and FCPS school board member Dan Storck, celebrated their progress to improve youth recreation facilities along before a game at West Potomac High School. West Potomac and Mount Vernon high schools' Athletic Boosters raised more than $50,000 each to put towards new fields. Both schools will receive an estimated $1.5 million from FCPS and Fairfax County carryover funds to complete the fields.


Beloved Westfield High Coach Francis Dall Dies at 58

Former Westfield High School administrator and football coach Francis Dall died Wednesday. He was 58 years old. Mr. Dall lived in Chantilly and started working at the Fairfax County Public School system in 1982. He went on to work at Herndon High School, Fairfax High School, and Lake Braddock Secondary School.


Annandale High School Marching Band Places First at Nationals

The Annandale High School Marching Band took first place at the USBands Mid-Atlantic States Championships Nov. 2. The Marching Atoms received a score of 91 in their group and also won awards for best music and best visual. Annandale was one of a total of 40 bands to participate in the competition, which was hosted at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md.


What Happened to Burke's BBQ World?

It looks like a longtime Burke business has left the community. The signage for the BBQ World restaurant, located at 6050-H Burke Commons Rd., in the same shopping center as Walmart, has been removed, leading some residents to wonder if the restaurant closed. Some of the BBQ World's furniture also appears to have been removed.


Unknown Suspect Nabs Catalytic Converters from Vans

Falls Church police are investigating the theft of several catalytic converters from vans parked on Park Avenue in Falls Church. Crime officials say they’re sometimes stolen for the precious metals —mainly platinum—contained in the converter. Replacement converters usually cost around $450, according to an article in The New York Times. The replacement cost for one taken from a larger SUV and likely vans is closer to $1,000.


Chipotle Coming to Potomac Yard

Burritos are coming to Potomac Yard. Chipotle Mexican Grill is preparing a location next to IHOP at 3425B Jefferson Davis Hwy.

The chain, which is committed to finding ingredients raised with respect for the animals, the environment and the farmers, has a “Now Hiring” sign in one of the windows of the Potomac Yard Center storefront and is advertising openings on job websites.


Alexandria's Little-Known Connection to '12 Years A Slave'

The story of a free black man kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841 has a little-known tie to Alexandria, according to a new story from the Associated Press. The rowhouse located at 1315 Duke St. was once part of a slave trade complex that grew to be among the largest in the United States. The last trader to operate on the site, James H. Birch, was the same dealer who paid men to kidnap Solomon Northup and then sold him into slavery in the Deep South.


Redskins Name Remains Hot Topic for Critics, Supporters, Elected Officials

The Loudoun Board of Supervisors again weighed in this week on the Washington Redskins name, passing a resolution in support of the team's right to choose its own brand. For 80 years, professional football has had a team called the Redskins, a name that supporters call a badge of honor and symbol of pride, and that critics calls racist and derogatory.


Fredericksburg's Pat Kline Named NVAR 'Realtor of the Year'

Pat Kline, an associate broker with Avery Hess in Fredericksburg, was named 2013 Realtor of the Year by the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors (NVAR).

Kline served as the 2012 NVAR Chairman of the Board and as a member of the NVAR Executive Committee for the past four years.  She was also appointed by Governor Bob McDonnell to serve on the Commonwealth’s Business & Professional Occupational Regulation Board.

Bulging-Eyed Stranger Strikes Again in Virginia Square

For the second time in a week, a man with "bulging eyes" was spotted pleasuring himself outside of a Virginia Square apartment building in the early morning hours. A woman working the concierge in the 900 block of North Pollard Street told police she went outside at about 1:35 a.m. Thursday and saw a man exposing himself. Investigators believe it's likely the same man she saw masturbating outside of the building around 3 a.m. on Halloween.


See How Many Millions the House Owned by Ted Kennedy Took In (And See the House)

An expansive, historic piece of McLean property once owned by the late Ted Kennedy has sold for $9.5 million. "Quietly obscured at the end of a winding drive on 6.5 gently rolling acres with park like setting, this historically significant property presents a rare opportunity for new construction. Sheltered from Chain Bridge Road with expansive grounds and spectacular Potomac River views from both lots, let the alluring sounds & expansive Potomac River views capture your imagination and live your dream,"according to its listing on Zillow.com.

Comstock Keeps House Seat by 400 Votes

In one of the most-watched and hotly contested state House races in Virginia, incumbent Republican Del. Barbara Comstock appears to have held on to her seat for a third term, according to unofficial results. With a 429-vote lead, the Associated Press called the race late Tuesday night — though the AP waited until Wednesday to declare Del. Scott Lingamfelter, a Woodbridge Republican, winner in his race.


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