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Falls Church, VA

News
Virginia Priest Turns ‘Jeopardy!’ Dream Into $40K, 3-Game Win Streak Virginia Priest Turns ‘Jeopardy!’ Dream Into $40K, 3-Game Win Streak
Virginia Priest Turns ‘Jeopardy!’ Dream Into $40K, 3-Game Win Streak A Virginia Episcopal priest has turned his childhood dream into reality, racking up nearly $40,000 during a winning streak on "Jeopardy!" this week. Kevin Laskowski, of Falls Church, claimed his third victory on Wednesday, Nov. 27, after a dramatic comeback in Final Jeopardy! His success has earned him a spot among this season’s top contenders and a shot at the coveted Tournament of Champions. The priest-in-charge at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Centreville entered the final round in second place, trailing Julia Schan, a stay-at-home mom from California. The Final Jeopardy! clue challenge…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
These Are Virginia's Top Public Elementary Schools: New Rankings Released These Are Virginia's Top Public Elementary Schools: New Rankings Released
These Are Virginia's Top Public Elementary Schools: New Rankings Released Several elementary schools in Virginia earned an A+ and are among the best in the state, according to a new Niche report. The Arlington Traditional Elementary School was ranked the top in the state, according to researchers, followed by Oak Street Elementary in Falls Church, Innovation Elementary and Taylor Elementary, also in Arlington. To determine the "best public schools in America," Niche's ranking was "based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from US Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings collected from millions of Niche users." …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
These Are Virginia's Top Public Middle Schools: New Rankings Released These Are Virginia's Top Public Middle Schools: New Rankings Released
These Are Virginia's Top Public Middle Schools: New Rankings Released Several middle schools in Virginia earned top marks and are among the best in the state, according to a new Niche report. Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School in the Falls Church Public Schools System topped the list, followed by Lylburn Downing, Dorothy Hamm, and Rocky Run middle schools. Earlier this year, Niche also ranked the top public high schools in Virginia, a list that was topped by Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. To determine the "best public schools in America," Niche's ranking was "based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from US Depar…

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by Zak Failla
News
Killer Who Ditched Victim's Busted SUV In Fairfax County Lot Gets Life In Prison Killer Who Ditched Victim's Busted SUV In Fairfax County Lot Gets Life In Prison
Killer Who Ditched Victim's Busted SUV In Fairfax County Lot Gets Life In Prison A man described by authorities as a "violent predator" was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Monday, Sept. 9 for kidnapping, robbing, and killing a Pennsylvania co-worker, authorities announced. Michael Allen Stark, 50, of Royersford, PA was found guilty by a Bucks County jury of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, robbery, kidnapping, theft by unlawful taking, flight to avoid apprehension, and abuse of a corpse, according to District Attorney Jennifer Schorn and court records. Stark's victim was 50-year-old Matthew James Branning of Sellersville, who went missing after l…

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by Jon Craig
News
Man Arrested For Three Separate Indecent Exposure Incidents In Virginia: Police Man Arrested For Three Separate Indecent Exposure Incidents In Virginia: Police
Man Arrested For Three Separate Indecent Exposure Incidents In Virginia: Police An indecent exposure incident involving a 22-year-old man from Falls Church was linked to two others that were reported in Merrifield, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. Juan Antonio Campos was charged with two counts of indecent exposure and masturbation in public following several reported incidents, authorities announced on Friday. According to police, in late August, officers from the department were called to the area of Fairmont Street and Woodberry Lane in Merrifield, where a man was allegedly exposing himself before fleeing the area. The man was later identified as …

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by Zak Failla
News
Fentanyl Dealer Who Kept Selling After Fatal OD In Virginia Gets Prison Time: Feds Fentanyl Dealer Who Kept Selling After Fatal OD In Virginia Gets Prison Time: Feds
Fentanyl Dealer Who Kept Selling After Fatal OD In Virginia Gets Prison Time: Feds The man who sold the fentanyl pills through Instagram that led to a fatal overdose in Virginia - and then continued selling - has been sentenced to a decade in prison, federal authorities announced. Shan Mehmood, 21, was sentenced on Thursday to 10 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl and carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime, officials said. According to court documents, between May 2020 and April 2023, Mehmood was known to regularly acquire and sell fentanyl, and in March 2023, a purchaser reached out to him on social media about buying four pills. Mehmood met the p…

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by Zak Failla
News
Department Of Defense Engineer From Virginia Charged With Taking Classified Documents: Feds Department Of Defense Engineer From Virginia Charged With Taking Classified Documents: Feds
Department Of Defense Engineer From Virginia Charged With Taking Classified Documents: Feds An engineer from Istanbul living in Virginia who worked for the Department of Defense has been accused of taking classified documents without permission, federal authorities announced on Tuesday. Falls Church resident Gokhan Gun, 50, a civilian engineer for the DoD, has been charged in federal court with unauthorized removal and retention of classified material following an investigation that was launched earlier this year. According to court documents, "through his employment, Gun possesses a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) a…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Man Planning To Sell Stolen Tide Pods Outside Virginia Laundromats 'Like Drugs' Busted: Sheriff Man Planning To Sell Stolen Tide Pods Outside Virginia Laundromats 'Like Drugs' Busted: Sheriff
Man Planning To Sell Stolen Tide Pods Outside Virginia Laundromats 'Like Drugs' Busted: Sheriff A pair with a curious business plan are behind bars in Virginia after attempting to clean up by selling stolen Tide detergents "like drugs" in Stafford, according to the sheriff's office. Upper Marlboro resident Toddrick Bowens, 30, and Falls Church native Sonia Bonilla Hercules, 19, are both facing charges after being busted with drugs and more than 100 bottles of detergent they they planned to re-sell. According to a spokesperson from the Stafford County Sheriff's Office, late in the afternoon on Wednesday, Aug. 7, deputies were called to Lowe's in the 1300 block of Stafford Market Place …

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by Zak Failla
News
Biden Raises $33M Since Debate, Admits To 'Poor Performance' At Murphy's Mansion Biden Raises $33M Since Debate, Admits To 'Poor Performance' At Murphy's Mansion
Biden Raises $33M Since Debate, Admits To 'Poor Performance' At Murphy's Mansion In a fundraising blitz, President Joe Biden's campaign for re-election has raised $33 million since last Thursday's debate, the bulk of that in New Jersey and New York, a spokesman said on Monday, July 1. That total includes "grassroots" money from small donors, a campaign aide said. Biden, 81, a Democrat, is being challenged by former President Donald Trump, 78, a Republican. Biden attended two fund-raising events in East Hampton, NY, on Saturday afternoon followed by a Saturday evening fund-raiser hosted by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and his wife, Tammy, in Middletown. “I didn’t have a…

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by Jon Craig
Business
Best Locally-Owned Doughnut Shops In Northern Virginia Best Locally-Owned Doughnut Shops In Northern Virginia
Best Locally-Owned Doughnut Shops In Northern Virginia Happy National Donut Day! If you're looking to keep this holiday alive, here are some of the best doughnut shops in Northern Virginia. We tried to include locally-owned shops only, with a wide variety of options to please everyone, whether you like the classic glazed or Boston cream, or something more artisanal. Good Company Doughnuts: Local, veteran and family-owned shop with locations across Arlington and Washington D.C. We honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. In observance of Memorial Day, we have adjusted hours. Plan your doughnut runs ac…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Red Bikini-Clad Woman Drunkenly Throws Rock At Boy In Stafford: Cops Red Bikini-Clad Woman Drunkenly Throws Rock At Boy In Stafford: Cops
Red Bikini-Clad Woman Drunkenly Throws Rock At Boy In Stafford: Cops A 22-year-old Fairfax County woman was arrested for assaulting a child who she did not know in Stafford, police said. Jasmine Ortega-Flores, of Falls Church, was charged with assault and battery, and lodged at the Rappahannock Regional Jail following the Sunday, June 2 incident, the Stafford County Sheriff's Office said in a release. Deputies were called to 401 River Road in Falmouth where Ortega-Flores was found to have been intoxicated after throwing a rock at a child, the office said. She did not know the child. The child was taken to a nearby hospital for his injuries while Ortega-Flor…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
Multi-Millions Of Federal Funding Will Bring 116 New School Buses To These Virginia Districts Multi-Millions Of Federal Funding Will Bring 116 New School Buses To These Virginia Districts
Multi-Millions Of Federal Funding Will Bring 116 New School Buses To These Virginia Districts Hundreds of new, green school buses will be purchased for 18 Virginia school districts thanks to federal funding. The Clean School Bus Program rebate competition is funded by President Biden's Investing in America agenda, helping Virginia accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles and replace older, diesel fueled school buses, which have been linked to asthma, the Environmental Protection Agency said. Here's how much funding and how many buses local districts will receive: Loudoun County Public Schools has been selected to receive $3,975,000 in rebate funding to purchase 25 clean …

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Woman Who Euthanized Dog Shocked To Discover He's Still Alive — And She Isn't Getting Him Back Woman Who Euthanized Dog Shocked To Discover He's Still Alive — And She Isn't Getting Him Back
Woman Who Euthanized Dog Shocked To Discover He's Still Alive — And She Isn't Getting Him Back A former Maryland resident who made the difficult decision to put her puppy down due to unrelenting health conditions has learned that he is healthy and still alive — and she won't be getting him back. Kristie Pereira, 32, who recently moved to San Antonio, TX from of Laurel, MD, adopted Amos Hart from Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation in Falls Church, VA in December 2022. She renamed him Beau, and Pereira says the two were "happy as can be." That is, up until February 2023, when Pereira noticed Beau was exhibiting strange behavior.  "He'd be pacing around and at times I'd lo…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Driver Charged In Hit-Run Motorcycle Crash On I-395: State Police Driver Charged In Hit-Run Motorcycle Crash On I-395: State Police
Driver Charged In Hit-Run Motorcycle Crash On I-395: State Police A Falls Church driver has been charged in a hit-and-run crash of a motorcycle on I-395, Virginia State Police said. Fullus Abebe, 45, was in a Honda van when he struck a motorcyclist on the southbound side of the highway at the Pentagon in Arlington around 12:40 p.m. Sunday, May 26, police said. The driver of the motorcycle suffered serious injuries and was taken to an area hospital, and Abebe fled the scene, according to police. Information provided by a witness to the crash enabled the trooper to identify and locate the van and its driver later that same day. Abebe was charged with fai…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Hidden Cameras Found In Bathrooms Of Popular Fairfax County Cafe Hidden Cameras Found In Bathrooms Of Popular Fairfax County Cafe
Hidden Cameras Found In Bathrooms Of Popular Fairfax County Cafe Police ere are investigating a pair of hidden cameras found in bathrooms of a Falls Church cafe earlier this month. The discoveries were made in the bathrooms of Northside Social on Park Ave., city police said. A customer was the one who noticed a pen-like device placed under the sink and facing a toilet in one of the eatery's first-floor restrooms, authorities said. The customer turned the device over to a restaurant employee. An identical device was found in a similar hiding spot inside the adjacent first floor restroom immediately after, police said. The City of Falls Church Police…

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by Cecilia Levine