Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

Upcoming protest at Great Falls Park seeks to rally public support for national parks

Published March 21, 2025 at 3:30PM | Updated March 21, 2025 at 9:03PM

A sign welcoming visitors to Great Falls Park in the fall (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The “resistance” to the Trump administration’s efforts to shrink the federal government is coming to Great Falls Park.

The park at 9200 Old Dominion Drive in McLean is expected to host a rally tomorrow (Saturday) as part of a nationwide Protect the Parks Protest organized by a group of off-duty, former and retired National Park Service rangers and staff known as the Resistance Rangers.

Around Town

Stir-fry restaurant honeygrow opens in West Springfield with more sites to come

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 21, 2025 at 2:30PM

Honeygrow employees celebrate the opening of the chain's new restaurant at Old Keene Mill Shopping Center in West Springfield (courtesy honeygrow)

The national stir-fry and salad chain honeygrow is continuing to nurture its Northern Virginia presence.

Honeygrow opened its fifth restaurant in the region today (Friday) at Old Keene Mill Shopping Center in West Springfield. Located at 8426 Old Keene Mill Road, the 2,500-square-foot space can be found on the Planet Fitness side of the strip mall, in between Massage Envy and Visionworks.

News

Police: Man burglarized Fairfax City games store in Spider-Man hoodie

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 20, 2025 at 3:05PM

A man wearing a Spider-Man hoodie allegedly burglarized Gaming Giant in Fairfax City (via City of Fairfax Police Department/Twitter)

A 20-year-old man from Maryland was arrested earlier this week for allegedly stealing from a gaming supply store in Fairfax City while dressed as Spider-Man.

Officers with the City of Fairfax Police Department were dispatched at 11:01 a.m. last Saturday (March 15) for a report of a burglary that occurred overnight at Gaming Giant (4021 University Drive), according to a press release.

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Fairfax leaders urge Dominion to stop cutting trees along W&OD Trail

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 20, 2025 at 9:45AM

Tree stumps under Dominion Energy power lines along the W&OD Trail in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NOVA Parks) is turning up the pressure on Dominion Energy to end widespread tree clearings along the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail.

At the regional agency’s request, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted 9-0 to approve a resolution on Tuesday (March 18) urging Dominion to halt reported plans to cut down any tree along the 45-mile-long trail that might someday interfere with its overhead power lines.

News

Fairfax County anticipates tourism boost as host of national wine conference

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 19, 2025 at 3:45PM

Representatives from the American Wine Society, local wineries, the Virginia Wine Board, Visit Fairfax and the Westfields Marriott hotel gather to plan for the AWS 2025 National Conference (photo by Daniel Stanley for Visit Fairfax)

Fairfax County has cultivated an economic win by landing a role as host of the American Wine Society’s annual conference.

The gathering of winemakers, restaurants and connoisseurs, which typically draws more than 650 attendees, will be held this fall at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles Hotel in Chantilly, according to Visit Fairfax, which anticipates that the event will generate at least $1 million in economic impacts.

News

Fires at Annandale house, Scott’s Run Nature Preserve under investigation

By Angela Woolsey and Scott McCaffrey

Published March 19, 2025 at 2:15PM | Updated March 19, 2025 at 2:47PM

Firefighters work to extinguish a building fire in the 5600 block of Leesburg Pike in Bailey's Crossroads on March 13, 2025 (photo by Gerald Martineau)

The past week has been busy for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD), which is investigating the causes of incidents in Annandale, Bailey’s Crossroads and McLean.

Most recently, firefighters were dispatched at 12:13 a.m. today (Wednesday) to the 6600 block of Locust Way in Annandale for a house fire. Upon arriving, crews found “heavy fire” throughout the single-family home.

News

UPDATED: Man taken into custody after barricade incident at CIA HQ in McLean

By Angela Woolsey and Jared Serre

Published March 19, 2025 at 11:30AM | Updated March 19, 2025 at 4:14PM

The CIA headquarters at Langley seen from the air (staff photo)

Police set up a barricade at the CIA headquarters in McLean this morning (Wednesday) in response to a possibly armed man who appears to have been experiencing a mental health crisis.

Fairfax County police were dispatched shortly before 10 a.m. to assist the CIA police. Responders described a man with a gun to his head on a bench outside the facility’s security gate, according to the police scanner.

Around Town

Citibank unveils new design at grand opening of Vienna branch

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 19, 2025 at 8:15AM | Updated March 19, 2025 at 10:05AM

Citibank in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Citibank has officially joined the assortment of financial institutions dotting the Town of Vienna.

After starting operations on Jan. 27, the New York-based bank celebrated the grand opening of its newest D.C.-area branch at 201 Maple Avenue East yesterday (Tuesday) morning. The event included a ribbon-cutting, remarks from local elected officials and snacks courtesy of neighbors Call Your Mother and Lily’s Chocolate and Coffee.

Around Town

Women’s Storytelling Festival returns to Fairfax City this week for a sixth year

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 18, 2025 at 3:45PM

Andrea Kamens from Boston performs at the 2024 Women's Storytelling Festival (courtesy Better Said Than Done)

More than a dozen female spoken-word artists, authors and performers from around the country will convene in Fairfax City this week for the 2025 Women’s Storytelling Festival.

Now in its sixth year, the festival organized by local nonprofit Better Said Than Done serves as a showcase for the art of storytelling, which is defined as any performance of a story — a personal narrative or folk tale, for example — in front of a live audience.

Around Town

Chinese restaurant chain from New Jersey plans expansion to Vienna

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 18, 2025 at 11:15AM

Chef Tan will open in the former Zenola space at Danor Plaza in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A chain of Chinese restaurants specializing in Hunan cuisine could soon make the leap from the Garden State to Northern Virginia.

Chef Tan, which originated in New Jersey over a decade ago, has landed on Danor Plaza in Vienna for its first location in the D.C. area. The restaurant will take over the former Zenola space next to Norm’s Beer and Wine at 132 Branch Road SE.