Author: Emily Leayman

Emily Leayman is a senior reporter at ARLnow, ALXnow and FFXnow. She was previously a field editor covering parts of Northern Virginia for Patch for more than eight years. A native of the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, she lives in Northern Virginia.

News

Fairfax County civic group votes to oppose Plaza 500 data center, substation

By Emily Leayman
Aerial view of a campus with colored blocks labeling Data Center Buildings 1 and 2, a substation, and a transmission line (utility diagram).
A map of the Plaza 500 site with proposed substation and planned data center development (courtesy of Save Bren Mar coalition)

The Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations is backing neighbors in their fight against the planned Plaza 500 data center campus and its associated electrical substation in Lincolnia.

The federation voted at its membership meeting last Thursday (Aug. 27) to oppose the 34-acre data center campus at 6295 and 6299 Edsall Road proposed by Starwood Capital Group and a substation proposed by Dominion Energy.

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Countywide

Gov. Spanberger formally intervenes in proposed Dominion Energy-NextEra merger

By Emily Leayman
Woman in a navy blazer speaks at a podium with microphones in a formal setting.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers her State of the Commonwealth address before a joint session of the Virignia General Assembly at the Capitol Monday Jan. 19, 2026, in Richmond, Va. (Steve Helber/Associated Press)

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has formally filed to intervene in the proposed merger of Dominion Energy with Florida-based NextEra Energy.

The $67 billion merger proposal is under review by Virginia’s State Corporation Commission (SCC). According to her office, Spanberger is the first governor in Virginia history to intervene in an SCC case. Chief Energy Officer Josephus Allmond, the first person appointed to Spanberger’s new cabinet position, also filed to be a party in the case.

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Countywide

As solar program expands, Fairfax County leads Virginia in installations

By Emily Leayman
Rooftop solar panels on a house in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County is leading solar panel installations and signups from a solar program backed by Virginia’s governor as homeowners look for ways to address rising electricity costs.

Switch Together, a bulk purchasing initiative to connect residents to solar installers, was recently expanded from Northern Virginia to other parts of the state. It was previously only open in Fairfax and Arlington counties, with Alexandria joining the roster last summer.

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Around Town

Drive-thru Panda Express holds grand opening in Herndon

By Emily Leayman
Panda Express in Herndon (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

Fast-casual Chinese American restaurant Panda Express has opened its latest location in Herndon with a ribbon cutting Monday (Aug. 10).

The new drive-thru location at 598 Elden Street had a ribbon cutting at 9:30 a.m. Monday. The restaurant also provided a $1,000 check donation to Reston-based nonprofit Cornerstones and free T-shirts for the first 88 customers in line at the grand opening.

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News

Mason District supervisor asks Planning Commission to reject data center substation

By Emily Leayman
Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez (staff photo by Jared Serre)

The county supervisor who represents the Lincolnia area where data center development is being planned has shared opposition to the proposed electrical substation associated with the project.

Supervisor Andres Jimenez (D-Mason) called on the Fairfax County Planning Commission to reject the Edsall Road substation and related transmission infrastructure at Plaza 500. The substation was proposed by Dominion Energy to meet the data center load from planned data centers.

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Around Town

Shotted to hold grand opening at first drive-thru location in West Falls Church

By Emily Leayman
Brick coffee shop building with a brown shingled roof and a 'SHOTTED COFFEE' sign on the facade; drive-thru lane visible on the right under a covered area.
New Shotted drive-thru location at 7393 Route 29 (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

Saudi-style coffee shop Shotted is continuing its expansion across the D.C. area with the opening of its first drive-thru location in West Falls Church.

The coffee shop had a soft opening last week at the Shops at West Falls Church (7393 Route 29). It was formerly home to Compass Coffee, which closed the location after filing for bankruptcy in January.

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Around Town

Reston Town Center’s Rocktoberfest to return for second year with Vertical Horizon as headliner

By Emily Leayman
A crowd starts to gather for the Bacon Brothers concert at the Reston Town Center pavilion on Oct. 12, 2024 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

After an inaugural Rocktoberfest at Reston Town Center last year, the event will return in October with a new headliner.

Alternative rock band Vertical Horizon will take the stage at the free Rocktoberfest at 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at the Pavilion at Reston Town Center (11900 Market Street). The headliner will follow regional opening acts Virginia Coalition at 6 p.m. and Everything at 7:30 p.m.

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Countywide

Here’s what you can buy tax-free during Virginia’s sales tax holiday this weekend

By Emily Leayman
Tysons Corner Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Back-to-school shoppers will have an extra incentive to grab their school supplies, clothes and other items this weekend in Fairfax County and across the state.

Virginia will hold its annual three-day sales tax holiday, from Friday, Aug. 7 to Sunday, Aug. 9. Over the three days, the state and local option sales taxes are temporarily waived on qualifying clothing, footwear and school supplies, as well as emergency preparedness products and some appliances. The tax exemption applies to in-store and online shopping, according to the Virginia Department of Taxation.

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Around Town

New Orleans-style beignet and coffee shop to hold grand opening in Herndon

By Emily Leayman
Beignets & Brew at 348 Elden Street in Herndon (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

New Orleans-style beignets are on the menu at a new coffee shop opening Friday (Aug. 7) in Herndon.

Beignets & Brew will open at 348 Elden Street #460. The grand opening starting at 7 a.m. will include a ribbon cutting with Herndon Mayor Keven LeBlanc.

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Countywide

Rep. Don Beyer wins Democratic primary as Mizusawa, Beckwith earn nods in GOP races

By Emily Leayman
Rep. Don Beyer (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Fairfax County voters turned out in a trickle for Democratic and Republican primaries Tuesday (Aug. 4) to choose who will move on to the congressional midterm elections in November.

In the lone Democratic primary, Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) earned the nomination in the 8th Congressional District, the Associated Press called at 7:34 p.m. The congressman, vying for his seventh term, defeated four challengers — former Alexandria City Council Member Mo Seifeldein, fired State Department worker Michael Duffin, veteran and former CIA officer Adam Dunigan and military family advocate Lorena Bruner.

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