A new tool is helping the Vienna police get the notice of other drivers when the officers are responding to a call. The device, called the Rumbler, augments the traditional siren with subwoofer driven low frequencies that even drivers with their stereos and air conditioning fully cranked should be able to sense. Read about the technology and the police department's hopes for it in today's Fairfax Extra.

According to the cover story from today's Fairfax Extra, county transportation officials are busy collecting detailed information from riders of Fairfax Connector buses to find out where improvements can be made to better serve current riders and to attract new ones. Read the story and then let the county know what you think here.

Twice this week, in separate instances, Virginia state troopers have been involved in daring rescues involving burning vehicles on I-66. Today's Metro section has the details of the events.

Weekend travellers may want to avoid the Beltway's outer loop in Virginia between Springfield and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Work on the bridge will force lane closures and is expected to snarl traffic. Find out more in this Metro section article.

The cost to attend Virginia's two largest universities, George Mason and Virginia Tech are going up 9.8 and 11 percent respectively. Read this article from today's Metro section to find out how declining state funding will make a college education more expensive for students next year.

Updated 5/7
An article about the results of yesterday's elections is here.
Full results are here.

Originally posted 5/1
Municipal Elections in the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church and the towns of Clifton, Herndon and Vienna are highlighted in today's Fairfax Extra. Pick up a copy of the print edition inside today's Home section for complete coverage including information on each of the candidates.

Yesterday's microquake, which may have occurred as deep as six miles below Annandale yesterday afternoon, drew little notice. Did you feel the Earth move? Read the Metro section article and share your experience here.

Even though it isn't the hot issue it was two years ago, the issues of day laborers and the town's now shuttered laborer hiring center are still at the forefront of many voters' minds on the eve of the municipal election. Read about it in this article from yesterday's Metro section.

Updated 5/5
From Saturday's Metro section:

Army officials said yesterday that subterranean blasting will be conducted Tuesday at the Engineer Proving Ground at Fort Belvoir. Previously scheduled blasting operations were canceled because of rain.

The blasting is planned between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to dislodge rocks so construction crews can excavate the site.

The excavation is connected with the relocation of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to the Engineer Proving Ground.

Originally posted 4/28
Neighbors of Fort Belvoir should prepare for some possible noise this week as early stages of construction get started for an expansion of the army base. Blasting is scheduled for tomorrow and Friday. Read this story for more information.

Updated 5/5
According to this article from Saturday's Metro section, the officer involved in the crash that killed Ashley McIntosh has been charged with reckless driving.

Originally posted 3/26
According to this story from today's Metro section, six weeks after Ashley McIntosh was killed when a Fairfax County police officer responding to a call crashed her cruiser into McIntosh's car, her family is still waiting for the police to tell them the results of the investigation into what happened. Police officials say they are just being thorough want all the details before they share any information. McIntosh's relatives say that need to know what happened to help them in their grieving process. One witness said the cruiser was travelling at a high rate of speed, with its emergency lights on and its siren off at the time of the collision.