Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

UPDATED: Hikers rescued from rising water at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve

Published July 14, 2025 at 7:05PM | Updated July 14, 2025 at 7:21PM

Traffic backed up on I-495 to Georgetown Pike during storm (via VDOT traffic camera)

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has rescued a group of hikers who got stuck at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve during the storm that just passed through Northern Virginia.

According to scanner traffic, rescue and swift water rescue units were dispatched to the park off of Georgetown Pike around 6:23 p.m., as a thunderstorm dropped a deluge of rain on northern Fairfax County.

News

Reston Association dives into reviews of swimming pool facility conditions

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 14, 2025 at 11:45AM

Reston Association's Lake Audubon pool house in the fall (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Reston Association is reviewing the state of its many recreational facilities, and so far, it’s encouraged by the results.

An initial conditions assessment completed in May found that the five oldest swimming pools all need varying levels of maintenance or repair work, but none of them have deteriorated to the point where they need to be fully replaced.

Around Town

Peppa Pig experience and more coming to Tysons Corner Center

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 14, 2025 at 9:15AM

Sign announcing Peppa Pig x Camp is coming to Tysons Corner Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A few months after saying goodbye to the world of “Encanto,” the toy store Camp will welcome Peppa Pig to its Tysons Corner Center location.

A celebration of the popular British children’s TV show, the new themed experience is set to make its debut in Tysons on July 25, staying for a limited time before moving to one of Camp’s eight other retail stores.

News

Driver ran through red light in fatal Fair Lakes crash, police say

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 14, 2025 at 8:30AM

Monument Drive at the on-ramp to Fairfax County Parkway in Fair Lakes (via Google Maps)

A driver was killed on Friday (July 11) after another motorist apparently ran a red light on Monument Drive and crashed into his car, police say.

Officers were dispatched to the two-vehicle crash at the Fairfax County Parkway intersection near Fair Lakes around 1:22 p.m., according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

News

UPDATED: Herndon sues Comstock, demanding return of downtown redevelopment site

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 11, 2025 at 5:50PM | Updated July 15, 2025 at 5:47PM

A sign showing the concept plan for Comstock's downtown Herndon redevelopment project (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Herndon is officially taking legal action against Comstock Companies after the developer backed out of its long-stalled downtown redevelopment project last year.

The town filed a lawsuit in Fairfax County Circuit Court this afternoon (Friday) demanding that Comstock return the nearly 5-acre site that it planned to transform into a mixed-use block with an arts center, apartments, retail space and a parking garage.

News

UPDATED: Police identify man behind alleged bus driver assault in Lorton

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 11, 2025 at 3:45PM | Updated July 21, 2025 at 2:46PM

The side of a Fairfax Connector bus (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Updated — An 18-year-old man from Lorton has been charged with aggravated malicious wounding for allegedly assaulting a Fairfax Connector bus driver earlier this month.

The Fairfax County Police Department announced on July 21 that Javantai Johnson was identified as the man behind the assault based on a community tip. He was arrested on Saturday, July 19 in Stone Ridge with help from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and is now in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond.

Around Town

Lake Anne Brew House plans expansion of Reston tap room

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 11, 2025 at 1:45PM

Patrons sit on the patio outside Lake Anne Brew House in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Lake Anne Brew House is getting a bigger space.

The Reston establishment announced on Wednesday (July 9) that, as of July 1, it has officially leased the neighboring storefront at 11426 Washington Plaza West, which has been empty since Chesapeake Chocolates closed its doors at the end of September 2024.

Around Town

Mobile American history museum makes pit stop in Vienna

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 11, 2025 at 9:15AM

Visitors enter VA250 Mobile Museum outside Vienna Elementary School (photo by Amy Woolsey)

The VA250 Mobile Museum has arrived in Vienna.

The museum opened in the Vienna Elementary School parking lot (128 Center Street South) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. yesterday (Thursday), welcoming visitors to a “Out of Many, One” exhibit that explores Virginia’s instrumental role in the founding of the United States.

News

Police still looking for suspect in Bailey’s Crossroads stabbing

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 11, 2025 at 8:30AM

Fairfax County police (file photo)

Fairfax County police are now turning to the public for help with identifying a suspect in a stabbing that occurred late last month at the Build America Plaza retail center in Bailey’s Crossroads.

Officers responded to the 3800 block of South George Mason Drive at 6:03 a.m. on June 29 after a man called 911, reporting that he had been stabbed twice, according to scanner traffic.

News

JUST IN: Trump targets GMU with investigation into diversity-related hiring practices

By Associated Press and Angela Woolsey

Published July 10, 2025 at 8:20PM | Updated July 10, 2025 at 8:53PM

George Mason University (file photo)

By COLLIN BINKLEY AP Education Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Thursday opened a civil rights investigation into the hiring practices at George Mason University, expanding a national campaign against diversity policies to Virginia’s largest public university.