Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

Police: Man dies after crashing on electric skateboard in Oakton

Published August 5, 2025 at 10:00AM | Updated August 5, 2025 at 10:41AM

Person standing on an electric skateboard (photo by FitNish Media on Unsplash)

A man died over the weekend after crashing while riding an electric skateboard on Chain Bridge Road (Route 123) in Oakton, police say.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, its officers were dispatched to the Chain Bridge and Hibbard Street intersection at 2:51 p.m. on Saturday (Aug. 2) after receiving “a report of an accident involving a motorized skateboard.”

Around Town

Juice and smoothie chain to open shop at Idylwood Plaza

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 5, 2025 at 9:15AM

A sign announces South Block is coming soon to Idylwood Plaza (courtesy anonymous tip)

South Block is plotting another expansion in Fairfax County.

The regional juice and smoothie chain has leased one of the new storefronts created out of the former Whole Foods space at Idylwood Plaza. Signage announcing that South Block is “coming soon” recently appeared at the shopping center.

News

Cause of Reston house fire traced to rooftop solar panels

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 5, 2025 at 8:30AM

Firefighters extinguish solar panel fire on Reston house (courtesy FCFRD)

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD) has confirmed that a recent house fire in Reston was sparked by an electrical issue related to its rooftop solar panels.

Firefighters were dispatched to the 2300 block of Colts Brook Drive around 6 p.m. on Sunday (Aug. 3) for the blaze, which could be seen around the solar panels when they arrived, the FCFRD said yesterday (Monday) in a blog post.

Around Town

Next Reston Community Center performance season led by Pulitzer Prize-winning author

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 4, 2025 at 11:45AM

Sign for the Leila Gordon Theatre at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The author who wrote and won a Pulitzer Prize for “The Sympathizer” is coming to Reston.

Reston Community Center (RCC) will host Viet Thanh Nguyen at its recently renamed Leila Gordon Theatre on Sept. 27 to kick off its 2025-2026 Professional Touring Artists Series, which will bring established and emerging artists to the Hunters Woods facility (2310 Colts Neck Road).

News

Pickup truck driver dies in fiery crash on I-66 near Fair Lakes

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 4, 2025 at 10:00AM | Updated August 4, 2025 at 12:04PM

Traffic is backed up after a fatal crash on I-66 at Fairfax County Parkway (photo by Phil Foss)

Police expect to bring charges in connection with a crash on I-66 that killed one driver and sent another to the hospital over the weekend.

Troopers responded to a reported crash with injuries at 5:51 p.m. on Saturday (Aug. 2) on I-66 West at Fairfax County Parkway near Fair Lakes, according to the Virginia State Police (VSP).

Around Town

Restaurant Chef Tan starts serving Hunan Chinese cuisine in Vienna

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 4, 2025 at 9:15AM | Updated August 4, 2025 at 11:04AM

Chef Tan is now open at Danor Plaza in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Though one longstanding Chinese restaurant recently closed, another has opened in the Tysons area.

Chef Tan launched its soft opening at Danor Plaza in Vienna Thursday night (July 31), serving up Hunan-style cuisine in the former Zenola suite at 132 Branch Road SE.

News

New mental health clinic opening in Fair Oaks offers ‘alternative’ treatments

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 1, 2025 at 1:45PM

A transcranial magnetic stimulation machine (courtesy Serenity Mental Health Centers)

A mental health care provider is charting new territory in Virginia.

Serenity Mental Health Centers will open a clinic in the Fair Oaks area next week, its first in the state. A temporary clinic will launch at 12150 Monument Drive, Suite 375, on Monday (Aug. 4), with a permanent location following later in Suite 815, also in the One Monument Place office building.

News

JUST IN: Man dies in Fairfax County jail hours after arrest

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 1, 2025 at 11:40AM

Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (staff photo by James Jarvis)

An Alexandria man died yesterday (Thursday) at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, the second death to occur in the jail this year.

Omar Maknassi, 32, was arrested and transported to the jail on Wednesday evening (July 30), but early the following morning, a Fairfax County sheriff’s deputy found him unresponsive in the cell where he was being held, according to statements from the sheriff’s office and Fairfax County Police Department.

News

Invasive hydrilla plant resurfaces at Lake Thoreau in Reston

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 1, 2025 at 9:15AM

RA's environmental team took photos on July 29, 2025 showing hydrilla blooming in Lake Thoreau (courtesy Reston Association)

Like a monster in a horror movie franchise, the hydrilla that long plagued Lake Thoreau before lying low over the past couple of years has now returned.

Though past management efforts have seen some success, the invasive aquatic plant, whose full scientific name is Hydrilla verticillata, has resurfaced in “significant quantities” throughout the lake this summer, Reston Association announced on Monday (July 28).

Around Town

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma to perform with Fairfax Symphony Orchestra in new season

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 31, 2025 at 3:45PM

Yo-Yo Ma (photo by Jason Bell)

Acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma is tuning up for a visit to Fairfax County later this year.

Ma, a household name even outside the classical music world, will perform with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (FSO) at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts on Dec. 6 as part of the local ensemble’s 2025-2026 season.