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A former Fairfax County police officer convicted after fatally shooting a man in Tysons has received an absolute pardon, while the investigation into the deadly collision near Reagan National Airport has concluded.
Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin granted the pardon to Wesley Shifflett shortly before leaving office. Shifflett was convicted of reckless handling of a firearm after killing Timothy Johnson while on duty. Youngkin had previously commuted his prison sentence; the pardon will erase the conviction.
The National Transportation Safety Board, meanwhile, blamed multiple systemwide failures for the midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet that killed 67 people. Following a yearlong investigation, the board found that the Federal Aviation Administration had disregarded air traffic controllers’ warnings about inadequate separation between helicopters and planes landing at Reagan National Airport.
Fairfax County’s Hypothermia Prevention Program remains active amid near-record cold. The program is intended to ensure that no one in the community must sleep outside during potentially deadly temperatures.
Winter Restaurant Week has been extended through Feb. 1. Participating restaurants, identified by a snowflake icon, are offering specials that include three-course lunches and dinners.
Del. Dan Helmer, a Fairfax Democrat, has settled with all parties in a defamation lawsuit he filed more than a year ago. The case was connected to sexual assault allegations that emerged shortly before Helmer placed second in the crowded June 2024 Democratic primary for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District.
Fairfax County Public Schools officials estimate that cleanup from Winter Storm Fern could cost about $1 million. Facilities staff began meeting and arranging contractors as the storm threat became clear, with the response coordinated from a snow command center at Woodson High School.
The Reston Association will hold a seasonal job fair Feb. 28 from 10 a.m. to noon at its headquarters, 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive. Temporary openings will be available in aquatics, camps, tennis, maintenance and member services.
In Tysons, the reservation-only Naisho Room continues to offer a Tokyo-inspired experience atop the Watermark hotel. The speakeasy, whose name translates to “hidden” in Japanese, opened last spring and is tucked inside the hotel’s gym.
Wednesday’s forecast calls for increasing clouds, a high near 22 and wind chills as low as minus 1. West winds will reach 5 to 9 mph. Overnight conditions will be partly cloudy, with a low near 6 and wind chills falling to minus 3. Calm winds will shift to the northwest at about 6 mph after midnight.