Potential Threat, Flooding, Metro Reduced Service | Top News

Patch has 32 sites in communities in northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Here are some of the top posts from the past week.

Halloween Weekend Threat Leads To Increased NoVA Police Presence

Police departments across Northern Virginia are ramping up their presence at shopping malls and other gathering places over the Halloween weekend in response to a threat to public safety they received in the past 24 hours, the agencies said Friday.

Tidal Flooding Moves Into Old Town Alexandria Streets: Photos

Tidal flooding isn't uncommon at the foot of King Street in Old Town Alexandria, but Friday brought a significant amount of water that closed several streets.

Metro Trains To Remain At Reduced Service Through Mid-November

Metro rail service will remain at severely reduced levels through at least Nov. 15 as the transit system continues to work on a plan to get its new 7000-series railcars safely back into service, Metro said Thursday.

• Free Bikeshare Memberships For DC Residents Due To Metro Problems

VCU Poll Shows McAuliffe, Youngkin Governor's Race Tightening

A poll released Tuesday by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University indicated that Virginia's gubernatorial race is tightening, as are the races for lieutenant governor and attorney general.

Loudoun Teen Found Guilty Of Assaulting Girl In Bathroom: Report

A 14-year-old boy was found guilty of sexually assaulting a classmate in a bathroom at Stone Bridge High School in May. The ruling occurred during an adjudicatory hearing in Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, according to a report from WTOP.

New Medical Cannabis Dispensary To Open In Sterling

A new medical cannabis dispensary is coming to Sterling. BEYOND/HELLO will open its doors to patients and registered agents on Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Gov. Northam Touts VA's Vaccine Ranking And Lower COVID Numbers

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Wednesday touted his state's effort in vaccinating residents against COVID-19, citing the recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics that rank Virginia 1oth among states for the percent of the population that is fully vaccinated.

Hunger-Striking Climate Activists Bring Protests To Capitol Hill

Right outside the Capitol, four hunger-striking climate protesters in wheelchairs urged Democrats to "hold the line" and not pass legislation that is without the ambitious climate change programs originally in the bill.

Amazon Makes Adjustments To HQ2 Design Based On Community Input

Amazon is making adjustments to the design of its planned HQ2 development in Arlington after receiving feedback from county officials and community members, the company said Thursday.

Resumption Of Halloween Traditions Supported: Virginia Survey

A majority of respondents in a Virginia Patch survey support trick or treating and some other Halloween activities as the COVID-19 situation looks different from last year's Halloween season.

New Hijab Collection At Tysons Corner Center Boosts Inclusiveness

Growing up, Hilal Ibrahim experienced difficulty finding hijabs and other apparel Muslim women like her need all in one place. Now thanks to her, Muslim women can walk into a Tysons Corner Center store and see hijabs prominently displayed for sale.

Bijan Ghaisar Case: Park Police Officers' Charges Dismissed

Last week, a judge dismissed charges against two Park Police officers in the fatal shooting of unarmed McLean accountant Bjian Ghaisar in Fort Hunt.

Sexual Assaults Of Homeless Women Highlight Ongoing Concern

The victims of two October sexual assaults at a Fairfax City park are homeless women, which a local daytime shelter says highlights the need for solutions geared toward vulnerable people.