Virginia's Top 5: Our Most Popular Facebook Stories This Week

From new ID requirements for Virginia air travelers to a suspect in up-skirt filming, check out the stories Virginia Patch readers were sharing, reading and commenting on for the week of May 15.

Mystery Cicada Swarms Emerge Across DC, Northern Virginia In 2017

A deafening and somewhat nasty phenomenon that longtime Marylanders will recognize has popped up this spring. Cicadas, sometimes known as "17-year locusts," have emerged in big numbers in Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia, as well as the Maryland cities of Columbia, Bowie, Annapolis, Rockville and College Park, says one expert.

Undocumented Immigrant With No Criminal Record Detained In Fairfax County

Immigration advocates are protesting the detainment of a Fairfax, Va. undocumented woman with no criminal record detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Liliana Cruz Mendez, an 11-year Virginia resident, faces deportation within a few days. Mendez was detained after a regular check-in at the Fairfax ICE office (2675 Prosperity Ave) at 8 a.m. Richard Morales, immigration policy director at PICO National Network told Patch she was under a stay of removal granted by the Obama administration.

Man Assaulted, Killed Dogs In Fairfax County: Police

A man was arrested and charged after an assault on a family of dogs at the 6300 block of Capella Avenue in Burke, Fairfax County Police say. Two puppies are dead from the incident, and another puppy and the mother dog are injured. Around 12:31 p.m., officers responded to a report of a man bitten by a dog. An investigation determined the suspect provoked and assaulted a family of dogs. The female dog suffered serious injuries, and the male dog was found uninjured in the area. Police found three puppies nearby.

New ID Requirements Loom For Virginia Air Travelers

Beginning in October of 2020, 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 — the reason being that stepped-up regulations approved more than 10 years ago are now beginning to kick in across the country. The mandate was supposed to have taken effect next year, but the Virginia Department of Transportation has applied for — and expects to receive — an extension.

Man Sought In Up-Skirt Filming: Fairfax County Police

Fairfax County Police are looking to identify a suspect in upskirt filming at a Walmart in Burke. According to police, the unknown suspect filmed up the dresses of a 10-year-old child and 36-year old woman. Around 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 14, the unknown suspect attempted to secretly record up the dresses of the girl and her mother. The child’s mother confronted him, and he left the store before police arrived. The unknown suspect was described as white, in his 40s, about 6 feet tall and 175 pounds.

Image via Patch staff