Incorrect Voter Mailing, Respiratory Illness Increase: Top VA News

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

Share your local news, events and pics by clicking "+" at the top of any page.

COVID Set Back VA In Math And Reading, ‘Nation’s Report Card’ Shows

Math and reading scores of students in Virginia and the rest of the country declined over the past three years, especially in mathematics, according to a new “nation’s report card,” the first comprehensive analysis of the pandemic’s academic toll on America’s school children.

Last Remaining Confederate Statue In Richmond Can Be Removed: Court

A judge ruled this week that the last remaining Confederate statue in the city of Richmond can be removed.

RSV Activity Up In VA: 5 Things To Know About ‘Tripledemic’ Threat

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, a cold-like illness that can cause breathing difficulties in young children, is having an increased impact in Virginia and across the country. Infectious disease experts are monitoring trends of RSV along with COVID-19 and the flu as winter approaches.

• Flu Season Could Be Worse Than Past Years: Virginia Health Department

Incorrect Precinct Information Sent To Herndon, Vienna, Clifton Voters

Virginia Board of Elections sent out 31,000 mailers for the Nov. 8 general election to registered voters in Fairfax and Prince William counties that contained the wrong polling place information.

• Investigation Into Incorrect Voter Mailing Sought By Fairfax Board
• Democrats Warn Herndon Voters Of 'Misleading' Sample Election Ballot

Flu Outbreak Affects Hundreds At Stafford High School

A flu outbreak at Stafford High School has affected hundreds of students, the school system said. On Tuesday, 526 of the school's 2,100 students were absent.

Quadruple Murder Suspect Is Veteran Who Shot Himself In 2021

David Maine, the man accused of killing four people in Woodbridge last week, previously served in the United States Marine Corps. Court records obtained by Patch also noted that Maine accidentally shot himself in the leg in a supermarket parking lot in 2021.

• Campaigns For Woodbridge Homicide Victims Raise $34K For Funerals

Bus With Children Crashes, Driver Faces DWI Charge In Fairfax County

A bus containing D.C. children leaving a field trip crashed in Fairfax County Thursday, injuring nine children and resulting in a drunken-driving charge for the driver.

Rescued Cats From Ukraine Await Warm Welcome At Dulles Airport

Homeward Trails Animal Rescue is preparing for the arrival of 24 cats rescued in Ukraine after they lost their homes due to Russia’s military invasion of the country.

Inspiring WWII Memoir Co-Authored By Fairfax City Woman And Her Mother

Caroline Crocker and her mother, Meta Evenbly, were standing outside a house in a small fishing village in the Netherlands last summer. That, according to Evenbly, was where she had witnessed her first murder. She was just 6 years old.

Winter In Virginia, DC: What La Niña Weather Pattern May Mean

A new winter outlook holds some potentially good news for Virginia and Washington, D.C., residents who are bracing for dramatically higher heating bills.

Roundabout At Nutley Street, I-66 Interchange To Open

The first of two roundabouts at the Nutley Street and I-66 interchange is expected to open around the early morning hours of Monday, Oct. 31, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Free Sober Rides Offered During Halloween Weekend In DC Region

For those heading to Halloween-themed parties with alcohol, there is an option to get a safe ride home in the DC region. As Halloween is one of the high-risk holidays for drunk driving, the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program will bring back its SoberRide program on Halloween weekend.

First Test Train Goes Through New Potomac Yard Metro Station

The first test train passed through the future Potomac Yard Metro station as the transit agency works to get the station open for service in Alexandria. The milestone comes after preparation work delayed the opening of the station until 2023.

Police Arrest Suspect In Wave Of Broken Car Windows Across Arlington

Arlington County Police arrested a Maryland man in connection with a weeklong vandalism spree that left dozens of vehicles with shattered windows, police said Friday afternoon.

• Vandals Smash Nearly 2 Dozen Vehicle Windows Across Arlington: Police

Man Killed Outside Nationals Park: Police

A man was shot and killed Sunday outside Nationals Park, according to police.

Person In Custody After 7-Hour Barricade At Fort Belvoir Army Base

A person was taken into custody Sunday following a 13-hour barricade situation at Fort Belvoir Army base in Fairfax County, according to authorities.

GW Parkway Crash Over 100 MPH With Serious Injury Leads To Conviction

An Alexandria man was convicted Wednesday in relation to an April crash on the George Washington Memorial Parkway that caused a motorcyclist to lose a leg.