Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

With community’s help, Krop’s Crops plants seeds for rebuild after fire

Published November 5, 2025 at 9:15AM

Krop's Crops in Great Falls (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Nearly two months after Krop’s Crops was devastated by a fire, its owners are hopeful they’ll be able to recover, thanks to an outpouring of support from the community.

The Sept. 9-10 fire consumed a one-story barn and the main marketplace building at the family-owned produce farm in Great Falls (11110 Georgetown Pike). No injuries were reported, but everything in storage, including its antique collectibles and Christmas sleigh, was lost, co-owner Andy Krop says.

Around Town

Gourmet toast shop takes over Vienna’s former Greenheart Juice

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 5, 2025 at 8:30AM | Updated November 5, 2025 at 4:50PM

Toastique will open in the former Greenheart Juice storefront at 208 Dominion Road NE in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Just a few months after Greenheart Juice abruptly closed its doors in Vienna, a new homegrown, health-focused cafe has moved into the nearly-century-old building it occupied off the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail.

As rumored, the gourmet toast chain Toastique took over Greenheart’s space at 208 Dominion Road NE and now anticipates opening to the public at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15.

Countywide

BREAKING: Democrats projected to win governor seat, all Fairfax delegate races

By Angela Woolsey and Associated Press

Published November 4, 2025 at 8:55PM

Campaign signs outside Cedar Park Elementary School in Vienna for the 2025 Republican and Democratic statewide tickets (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the governor’s race in Virginia today (Tuesday), defeating Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, the Associated Press declared at 7:58 p.m.

Spanberger will succeed Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who is not allowed to run for a second consecutive term. Her victory aligns with recent voting patterns in Virginia, which picks its governors the year after a presidential election and tends to elect someone of the opposite party of the president.

Around Town

Chicken salad restaurant chain to open soon in Herndon

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 4, 2025 at 3:45PM

Chicken Salad Chick dishes (courtesy Chicken Salad Chick)

A growing fast-casual chain specializing in chicken salad will open its doors in Herndon later this month.

Chicken Salad Chick is set for a grand opening at Herndon Centre (494 Elden Street) on Tuesday, Nov. 18, kicking off a series of promotional giveaways that will continue through that Saturday (Nov. 22).

News

McLean resident who helped engineer invasion of Iraq dies at 84

By Associated Press and Angela Woolsey

Published November 4, 2025 at 11:45AM

FILE - Vice President Dick Cheney delivers his speech to troops at Fairchild Air Force base on Monday, April 17, 2006 in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Dustin Snipes, file)

Longtime McLean resident and former vice president Dick Cheney has died, leaving behind a legacy largely defined by his advocacy for the U.S.’s invasion of Iraq and expansion of the surveillance state that followed 9/11.

Cheney died Monday due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, his family said Tuesday in a statement.

News

Construction underway in Fairfax City on region’s largest supportive housing project

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 4, 2025 at 10:00AM | Updated November 4, 2025 at 11:18AM

The Beacon Landing construction site in Fairfax City is set up for a groundbreaking ceremony (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A mix of pride and gratitude filled the voices of the government and nonprofit officials who spoke at a ceremonial groundbreaking yesterday (Monday) for Fairfax City’s latest housing project.

Speaker after speaker emphasized the array of contributors whose shared belief that housing should be a basic right, not a privilege, paved the road to construction for Beacon Landing, a 54-unit apartment building for people who are at risk of or experiencing chronic homelessness.

Countywide

Fairfax County government offices, libraries to close for Election Day

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 3, 2025 at 3:45PM

The Fairfax County Government Center on Election Day 2024 (staff photo by Jared Serre)

The Fairfax County Government Center will be open tomorrow (Tuesday) for election voting and little else.

Most government facilities will be closed for Election Day, which is a designated holiday for the county. Operations affected by the closures include all Fairfax County Public Library branches and Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) programs.

Around Town

Harry & David opens holiday pop-up shop at Tysons Corner Center

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 3, 2025 at 2:45PM

A holiday pop-up shop from Harry & David is now open at Tysons Corner Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Harry & David is now selling its signature gift baskets at Tysons Corner Center.

The mail-order business launched a holiday pop-up store in the mall last month that will continue operating through the end of 2025, according to store manager Bruce Hughart.

Around Town

DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival set for bittersweet return to Dulles Expo Center

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 3, 2025 at 1:45PM

DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival attendees dip marshmallows into a chocolate fountain (courtesy DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival)

When the DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival announced earlier this fall that it will return to the Dulles Expo Center in mid-November, organizers didn’t know yet that their fourth year would be their last at the popular Chantilly events venue.

Though rumors of Ikea coming to the building had emerged over the summer, Dulles Expo Center’s management didn’t officially inform promoters that it will close in December until last week, the Washington Business Journal reported last week.

Countywide

Fairfax delegate leads Democratic campaign for ‘historic’ majority in Virginia House

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 3, 2025 at 10:00AM

Delegate Dan Helmer speaks at a luncheon for the grassroots Democratic organizing group Network NOVA (courtesy Dan Helmer for Virginia)

As early voting in Virginia’s November elections came to a close on Saturday (Nov. 1), Fairfax Del. Dan Helmer (D-10) was on the road in a final push to secure a victory not just for himself, but for Democratic candidates across the state.

As the campaigns chair for the Virginia House Democratic Caucus, a role he landed based on his defeat of Fairfax County’s last Republican delegate, Tim Hugo, in 2019, Helmer has been tasked with overseeing races in all 100 House districts — every single one of which will have a Democrat on the ballot.