Author: Angela Woolsey

Angela Woolsey is the site editor for FFXnow. A graduate of George Mason University, she worked as a general assignment reporter for the Fairfax County Times before joining Local News Now as the Tysons Reporter editor in 2020.

News

Del Aguila: Experience needed on Herndon Town Council to tackle upcoming challenges

By Angela Woolsey
Close-up portrait of a smiling man in a white collared shirt, indoors near a window with outdoor cafe seating visible behind him, looking at the camera.
Herndon Town Councilmember Cesar del Aguila (courtesy Cesar del Aguila)

Herndon Town Council member Cesar del Aguila has become a campaigning veteran with four terms under his belt, but his bid for a fifth might be the most competitive race yet.

Twelve people are vying for the council’s six seats in the upcoming Nov. 3 election, including five incumbents and a slate of young, progressive-minded newcomers seeking to shake up the town’s status quo.

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Around Town

Vienna cookie shop and bubble tea cafe close for good

By Angela Woolsey
Storefront of a bubble tea shop with large white letters 'Vivi' and three cartoon mascot icons above the entrance.
ViVi Bubble Tea closed in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A pair of fast-casual eateries have permanently closed in the Town of Vienna.

First, ViVi Bubble Tea shuttered its location in the Glyndon Plaza shopping center on Aug. 30. Then, Crumbl Cookies notified members of its loyalty program this week that its Vienna bakery has closed after six years.

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Countywide

UPDATED: Fairfax supervisors restore crossing guard funding after residents rally for action

By Scott McCaffrey, Mary Stachyra Lopez and Angela Woolsey
Group of people protesting outside a modern office building, some holding signs and chatting in daylight.
Hunter Mill District School Board Representative Melanie Meren speaks at a rally to call for crossing guard funding on Sept. 15, 2026 outside the Fairfax County Government Center in support of restoring crossing guards (staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted today (Sept. 15) to restore funding for crossing guard services at a number of public high schools.

The board unanimously approved a fiscal year 2026 budget carryover review package that included $707,908 in funding and 11 full-time police positions to restore coverage of 11 crossings at 10 high schools for the remainder of fiscal year 2027, which began on July 1 and will end on June 30, 2027.

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Around Town

Reston wine and houseware shop plans grand opening with tastings, music

By Angela Woolsey
Smiling woman in a denim jacket holding a wine glass in a cozy home wine bar setting with bottles on wooden shelves behind her.
Kinship Wine and Wares owner and founder Jennifer Monago with a glass of wine (courtesy East 27 Creative)

After more than a month in business, Kinship Wine + Wares is ready to christen its launch in Reston with an official grand opening.

The wine and vintage houseware shop will formally introduce itself to Lake Anne Plaza with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by the Reston Chamber of Commerce on Thursday (Sept. 17), followed by a community celebration on Saturday (Sept. 19).

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News

JUST IN: Health care coalition leader charged with illegally filming teens in Tysons stores

By Angela Woolsey
Mugshot of a bald man with a gray beard, wearing a light blue button-down shirt, standing against a gray backdrop.
Shawn Gremminger (via FCPD)

The recently removed leader of a national coalition of health care purchasers is facing an assortment of criminal charges after allegedly taking obscene videos of teens at Tysons stores.

Officers were called to the 1900 block of Chain Bridge Road at around 12:30 p.m. on both Aug. 16 and 17 for reports of unlawful filming, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

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News

Community mourns after owner of Vienna’s Caffe Amouri dies from cancer

By Angela Woolsey
Exterior view of The Caffé Amouri coffee shop with a black awning, glass windows, and wooden doors; pumpkins decorate the outdoor seating area on a sunny day.
Caffe Amouri at 107 Church Street NE in Vienna (photo by Amy Woolsey)

The Town of Vienna has lost a beloved community figure.

Michael Amouri, founder and owner of Caffe Amouri, died at his home this weekend, more than three years after he was diagnosed with lung cancer, the coffeehouse announced Saturday evening (Sept. 12).

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Around Town

‘Uncommon’ wine shop opens inside long-standing Tysons florist

By Angela Woolsey
Storefront signage for MyFlorist and Tysons Corner Wine & Gourmet, with pink floral branding and glass doors displaying flowers inside and a wine display.
Storefront for MyFlorist and Tysons Corner Wine & Gourmet (courtesy Tysons Corner Wine & Gourmet)

Even after 37 years of business in Tysons, MyFlorist continues to evolve.

The flower shop has launched Tysons Corner Wine and Gourmet, a spin-off concept that can be found inside its longtime storefront at 1984 Chain Bridge Road.

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News

Input wanted on renovations proposed for Alabama Drive Park in Herndon

By Angela Woolsey
Outdoor playground with wooden climbing frames, slides, and shade canopies on a wood-chip surface, surrounded by trees and grassy paths.
Alabama Drive Park playground rendering (via Fairfax County Park Authority)

Some potential upgrades are on the horizon for Alabama Drive Park in Herndon, including an overhaul of its soccer field and playground.

The Fairfax County Park Authority is currently seeking community feedback on a proposed renovation of the approximately 11-acre park, which is located within the Town of Herndon but owned and managed by the county.

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Countywide

NEW: Fairfax County proposes high school crossing guard funding, safety improvements

By Angela Woolsey
Two-lane road lined with autumn-colored trees, cars stopped at a crosswalk, bright pedestrian signs visible on both sides
A pedestrian crossing on South Lakes Drive in Reston near South Lakes High School (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County officials are poised to walk back their elimination of high school crossing guards, while pushing for additional measures to improve safety around schools.

At the Board of Supervisors meeting tomorrow (Tuesday), county staff will recommend providing $707,908 to restore 11 crossing guard positions affected by the fiscal year 2027 budget adopted in May, according to a memo that Deputy County Executive Tom Arnold sent to board members last Friday (Sept. 11).

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News

Burke motorcyclist killed in crash, third Braddock Road fatality of 2026

By Angela Woolsey
Busy four-lane intersection with cars waiting and trees lining both sides on a sunny day.
Eastbound Braddock Road at Southampton Drive in Kings Park (via Google Maps)

A motorcyclist has died after colliding with a sedan on Braddock Road in the Kings Park area near Burke last Friday (Sept. 11).

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, its officers were dispatched to the intersection of Braddock and Southampton Drive at 9:11 p.m. that night for a crash involving a 2025 KTM SMCR 390 motorcycle and a 2015 Toyota Corolla.

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