Angela Woolsey

FCPD: Man dressed as Ghostface charged with destruction of Lorton Station HOA building

Published August 27, 2026 at 11:45AM | Updated August 27, 2026 at 2:11PM

A man who allegedly destroyed the Lorton Station Community Association's windows multiple times was seen wearing a Ghostface mask in surveillance videos (via FCPD)

Just like the slasher movie villain he donned as a disguise, a man charged with destruction of the Lorton Station Community Association’s property kept coming back.

The Fairfax County Police Department arrested a 22-year-old man from Lorton on Aug. 17 after he allegedly destroyed the windows of the community association’s building at 9050 Lorton Station Blvd on six different occasions.

Around Town

Sheeba, now open in Vienna, offers authentic introduction to Yemeni cuisine, owner says

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 27, 2026 at 8:30AM | Updated August 27, 2026 at 12:28PM

Inside Sheeba in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

When Nadir Naimi talks about his new restaurant Sheeba, the words “authenticity” and “customer experience” frequently crop up.

The first franchise of a growing, family-owned chain to open outside its home state of Michigan, the Yemeni eatery served dinner to its inaugural patrons in Vienna at 111 Church Street NW last Friday (Aug. 21).

News

Driver hospitalized after crashing into tree on Route 123 in McLean

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 26, 2026 at 6:30PM | Updated August 26, 2026 at 6:47PM

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department ambulance (file photo)

A driver was taken to a hospital earlier this afternoon (Wednesday) after crashing into a tree on Route 123 (Dolley Madison Blvd) in McLean during rush hour.

Police officers and Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department personnel were dispatched at around 3:51 p.m. for the single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Dolley Madison and Mayflower Drive.

News

Traffic Alert: ‘Significant’ delays expected due to oversized vehicle load on I-66 and I-495

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 26, 2026 at 2:15PM | Updated August 26, 2026 at 4:04PM

Traffic on I-66 East near the Vienna Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

An oversized vehicle will be heading north through Fairfax County this evening (Wednesday), contributing to what are expected to be “significant travel delays,” the Virginia Department of Transportation warns.

The “oversize load” is scheduled to travel through Virginia on I-77 North, I-81 North, I-66 East and the northbound lanes of the Capital Beltway (I-495) as it heads from North Carolina to Maryland between 7 p.m. today and 5 a.m. tomorrow morning (Thursday).

Around Town

Lidl grocery store might be coming to Plaza America in Reston

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 26, 2026 at 1:45PM

Vacant storefront previously occupied by Whole Foods Market at Plaza America in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A new grocery store appears to have been secured for Reston’s Plaza America.

The German discount chain Lidl has “just signed” a lease for the former Whole Foods Market space at 11660 Plaza America Drive, according to a site plan recently updated by CBRE, the retail broker for the shopping center.

Countywide

Virginia awarded $353M from Meta settlement of teen social media addiction lawsuit

By Angela Woolsey and Associated Press

Published August 26, 2026 at 11:45AM | Updated August 26, 2026 at 12:07PM

Screenshot of social media mobile apps

Meta has agreed to pay $17 billion and add child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms to end a landmark trial over teen social media addiction and settle claims filed by 47 states, state attorneys general announced today (Wednesday).

The agreement guarantees $353 million for Virginia alone, making it one of the largest consumer protection settlements in state history outside of settlements with tobacco companies in the 1990s, Attorney General Jay Jones said in a statement.

Countywide

Fairfax County’s discontinuation of high school crossing guards draws criticism

By Mary Stachyra Lopez and Angela Woolsey

Published August 26, 2026 at 10:00AM

Students from Rocky Run Middle School cross Stringfellow Road in front of Chantilly High School just before the school's dismissal time on the first day of school. (Staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)

As many Fairfax County high school students drive or walk to school this fall, they’re arriving at a building without a dedicated crossing guard — and, only a few days into the new academic year, several elected officials say that absence is already creating problems.

This past spring, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors eliminated funding for crossing guards at all public high schools, a move that was expected to save the county about $1.89 million in police staffing costs.

Around Town

Hershey to close pop-up store and experience in Tysons next month

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 26, 2026 at 9:15AM

Hershey Super Sweet Adventure at Tysons Corner Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Hershey Super Sweet Adventure will soon kiss Tysons Corner Center goodbye.

The sweets-celebrating attraction — which consists of both a ticketed experience and a retail store — is slated to close on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 7) after staying at the mall for more than four months.

News

Man charged with multiple burglaries in Reston, including theft of a gun

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 26, 2026 at 8:30AM

A rifle and other items allegedly found in the belongings of a man charged with stealing from and burglarizing vehicles in Reston (via FCPD)

A 31-year old man is facing a range of criminal charges in connection with multiple thefts and burglaries from vehicles in the Reston area.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, detectives in its Criminal Investigations Division began investigating after receiving a tip from a community member who met one of them at a National Night Out event on Aug. 4.

News

Construction ‘coming together’ on Virginia’s first hybrid emergency and urgent care center

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 25, 2026 at 2:45PM | Updated August 25, 2026 at 6:18PM

VHC Health hosted a beam-signing ceremony for its combined emergency and urgent care center now under construction in West Falls Church (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Though a distinctive clock tower added over a decade ago to hide a cell tower still looms in the background, the northwest corner of Arlington Blvd (Route 50) and Graham Road in West Falls Church otherwise looks very different now than it did at this time last year.

In place of the old Graham Center retail strip, demolished last fall, has emerged the skeleton of VHC Health’s upcoming combined emergency and urgent care center, which officials say will be the first facility of its kind in Virginia.