Spouse Of Suicide Victim Spars With Fairfax Firefighters' Union | Patch PM

The husband of a Fairfax County firefighter who killed herself last year, sparking an investigation into reports of bullying within the department, has slammed the firefighter's union for bringing up her death in a new release on another issue. Plus, shocking sushi errors in restaurant inspections and crime data for northern Virginia malls. Here are the top local news stories worth reading and talking and knowing about on Tuesday, May 16, as pulled from our Virginia and Washington, D.C., Patch sites.

Widower Responds to Union Speculation Over Firefighter's Suicide

Steve Mittendorff, widow of the Fairfax County firefighter that committed suicide last year, has sharply responded to the firefighter's union statement about the tragedy. The Fairfax County Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics union had responded to a new anonymous report about bullying of recent recruits, and mentioned firefighter Nicole Mittendorff's suicide last year. That provoked her husband to criticize the union, saying it "only compounds the grief our family experiences and prevents us from healing.”

New ID Requirements Loom For Virginia Air Travelers
Beginning next year, Virginia residents who travel by plane and use their driver's license as their sole source of identification will need a secondary form of identification, such as a passport, to board domestic flights. And by October 2020, federal officials will require all U.S. citizens to use a federally approved credential, such as the REAL ID, passport or Transportation Worker Identification Credential if they wish to fly.

Democratic Candidates for Governor to Discuss Guns in Alexandria

The Democratic candidates for governor will discuss their positions on gun control and reducing gun violence in Alexandria Sunday, May 21 at 1 p.m. It will be held at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town (1767 King St.) in the Grand Ballroom.

More Virginia/DC news:

• Crime Data: How Fair Oaks Mall Compares With Others
• Crime Data: How Springfield Mall Compares With Others
• Crime Data: How Tysons Corner Compares With Other Malls
• Man Impersonates Police Officer in Burke
• Mystery Cicada Swarms Emerge Across DC, Northern Virginia In 2017
• Best Retirement Cities: Fairfax No. 40 By GoodCall
• Reston Restaurant Violations: 8-Day-Old Steak at Pizza Boli's
• Arlington Restaurant Violations: Shocking Sushi Preparation Fouls

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