Author: FFXnow.com

Missing Swimmer Found Dead in Potomac River — “Crews have found the body of a 25-year-old man who went missing in the Potomac River south of Great Falls earlier this week. He is the third person to die after swimming in that area of the river this summer. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue said its swift water rescue team found the man’s body at 11:30 a.m. Thursday.” [NBC Washington]

Rep. Beyer Opposes Lincolnia Substation Associated with Data Center — “U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) [Thursday] urged the Fairfax County Planning Commission to deny the permit application filed for Edsall Data Center Substation 2232 at the Plaza 500 site at 6299 Edsall Road in Lincolnia, citing serious concerns about the project’s potential impacts on land use, flooding mitigation, light pollution, noise pollution, and whether this proposal is consistent with Lincolnia’s sustainable growth goals.” [Rep. Don Beyer news release]

Affordable Housing Project to Feature Limited Parking — “The Columbia Crossroads affordable housing project in the works for Bailey’s Crossroads might not have enough parking, members of the Mason District Land Use Committee said at a meeting on July 28. The seven-story apartment building will be located on the site of the Crossroads Interim Park on Columbia Pike between Radley Acura and the Alta Nova market-rate apartments.” [Annandale Today]

N. Va. Republicans Vie to Face Sen. Mark Warner — “A trio of Republicans from Northern Virginia are seeking the GOP nomination to battle Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, who’s seeking a fourth term. Warner, 71, has said this will be his last campaign to seek reelection. The candidate who wins the Aug. 4 primary will face a tough challenge against Warner, who has a big campaign war chest and won by double digits in the 2020 election.” [WTOP]

Reston Education Company Sees Leadership Shakeup — “James Rhyu is out as chair and CEO of Reston online education company Stride Inc. after 13 years with the company and five years as its top executive, the company announced Thursday. Robert Knowling, a longtime tech executive and Stride director since 2018, is taking over as CEO effective immediately.” [Washington Business Journal]

Vapes, Other Intoxicants Targeted in AG’s New Enforcement Unit — “Virginia is creating an enforcement unit to oversee the rapidly expanding market for vaping products, hemp-derived intoxicants, THC and kratom, consolidating several regulatory responsibilities within the attorney general’s office … Inspectors assigned to the unit will monitor retailers, conduct compliance checks and coordinate enforcement with the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority and other state agencies. The office will also be able to pursue civil penalties and other legal action against manufacturers, distributors and retailers accused of violating state law.” [Virginia Mercury]

Parking Lot Closure at Fairfax County Government Center Starts Aug. 3 — “The work currently underway to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at the Fairfax County Government Center is moving along nicely. Phase 2 of the project begins August 3. That portion of the work will result in the partial closure of Parking Lot A through September 25. The project supports Fairfax County’s commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2040 by expanding EV charging infrastructure for both public and county fleet vehicles at the Government Center.” [Fairfax County Public Works]

In-Person Early Voting Continues Through Saturday — “Early voting for the Aug. 4 Primary Election continues at 16 locations across Fairfax County through Saturday, Aug. 1. The Fairfax County Government Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All other early voting locations are open weekdays from 1 to 7 p.m. On the final day of early voting, Saturday, Aug. 1, all locations will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.” [Fairfax County Office of Elections]

It’s Friday — Expect sunny skies with temperatures reaching a high of 90°F, accompanied by a gentle northwest wind at 3 to 5 mph. On Friday night, the weather will be partly cloudy with temperatures dropping to around 70°F and light, variable winds. [NWS]

Swimmer Missing in Potomac River — “For the third time this summer, a search operation is underway downstream of Great Falls after another swimmer disappeared in the Potomac River … The latest incident occurred on Tuesday south of Sandy Landing, where a 25-year-old man went missing after getting into the water.” [FOX5]

Va. Dems Lobbied for Early Primary Spot — “To earn a place in the early window, Virginia had to persuade the committee they could test candidates among the voters Democrats need to win a general election while offering an affordable and accessible campaign environment. Each state made a 15-minute presentation in May followed by 30 minutes of questions from panel members.” [Virginia Mercury]

Residents Object to Dominion Substation — “Residents of the Bren Mar Park area and beyond packed a meeting of the Mason District Land Use Committee (MDLUC) on July 28 to oppose Dominion Energy’s proposal for a massive substation to serve the Plaza 500 data center on Edsall Road.” [Annandale Today]

Last Push for Beyer Challengers — “With just one week to go until the primary, the four challengers to U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) are trying to stand out from the crowd. Lorena Bruner, Michael Duffin, Adam Dunigan and Mo Seifeldein are attempting to overtake Beyer in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, Aug. 4.” [ARLnow]

Police Seek Help With Theft Investigations — “The City of Fairfax Police Department is asking for the public’s help identifying suspects in three unrelated theft investigations that occurred at businesses across the city in June.” The targeted businesses were Ulta Beauty, Home Depot and a Giant grocery store. [Patch]

Vacant Falls Church Site for Sale — “The owner of vacant Falls Church lot has abandoned its plan to build a mixed-use development there and has instead put the property up for sale. The property, located at 419 W. Annandale Road in Falls Church, is just under an acre and consists of a paved parking lot and overgrown trees … JLL began circulating the listing on Monday.” [Washington Business Journal]

More Memorials Planned for Downtown D.C. — “Several long-planned memorials are finally reaching the construction phase, while President Trump pushes his own additions to Washington’s landscape, including the Arch and his National Garden of American Heroes.” [Axios DC]

Regional Pizzeria Launches Charity Campaign — “The Reston Paisano’s Pizza is asking customers to help provide meals for families experiencing food insecurity. The restaurant has launched the Community Slice Program at all of its DMV locations through its charitable initiative, Paisano’s With a Purpose, partnering with the Pruitt Foundation to provide free pizza slices to school-age children throughout the summer.” [Patch]

New Legal Notice — Applicant seeks beer, wine, mixed beverage restaurant on/off-premises license. [Public Notices]

It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 86°F and a northwest wind at 11 mph, gusting up to 21 mph. Thursday night will be partly cloudy with a low around 69°F and a lighter northwest wind between 3 and 7 mph. [NWS]

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Arrest in Groveton Shooting — Fairfax County police officers have taken a person into custody following a shooting last night (Tuesday) in the 7200 block of Fairchild Drive. “One adult male was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Preliminarily, the parties are known to one another and this appears to be an isolated incident.” [FCPD/X]

Repairs Progress on Potomac Sewer — “DC Water has completed the first major phase of emergency repairs on a critical section of the Potomac Interceptor near Pennyfield Lock in Potomac, marking a significant milestone in an effort to strengthen the aging sewer line. The repairs follow the January 19 collapse of a section of the Potomac Interceptor along Clara Barton Parkway.” [MoCo Show]

Data Center Group Launches Ad Campaign — Promotional campaigns advocating for data centers and challenging critiques have cropped up in Virginia and other states considering regulations or restrictions. “They’re all part of a network of groups created by the nonprofit Data Center Coalition, an industry group hoping to improve public opinion of data centers as pushback grows.” [Virginia Mercury]

Feds Propose Transportation Funding Shift — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has proposed cutting funding for mass transit and “Complete Streets” projects aimed at improving pedestrian and bicycle safety. “The administration’s key transportation goals include improving transit safety and security, supporting development of autonomous vehicles, ensuring freight railroad safety and building or expanding interstate highways, according to the letter.” [Smart Cities Dive]

Reston Man Arrested for Reported Theft — “Northern Virginia Community College Police Department officers have arrested a man in connection to a July 24 incident at NVCC’s Loudoun Campus. NVCC and Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the campus around 12:30 p.m. for a report of a robbery” involving a theft of $580 in cash from a car belonging to a college employee. [Loudoun Now]

New Mural Celebrated in Annandale — “The artwork, featuring the Statue of Liberty, was installed on July 24 on the fence around a construction site on John Marr Drive. Several volunteers painted the mural on June 27 at an Asian Night Market in Annandale under the direction of Omaid Sharifi, the president and co-founder of the ArtLords international art collective.” [Annandale Today]

RCC Seeks Board Candidates — “Reston Community Center (RCC) is seeking interested candidates to run for seats on its Board of Governors, a nine-member body responsible for oversight of RCC … Statements of Candidacy will be available at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, July 31 at both RCC Hunters Woods and RCC Lake Anne locations and online” until a filing deadline of Aug. 14 at 5 p.m. [RCC]

Thumbs Up for Vienna Ice Cream Shop — Frozen custard is “not an easy thing to find these days, so this summer’s opening of Whistler’s Ice Cream Extraordinaire in Vienna has brought a welcome change to my frozen dessert game. Made with an egg-yolk base, custard may be the antithesis of gut-friendly yogurt, but when treating myself, I see nothing wrong with going for it full force.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Wednesday — It will be sunny and warm with a high of 84°F. Expect northwest winds of 10 to 13 mph, with gusts reaching up to 25 mph. Wednesday night will be partly cloudy with a low of 68°F, and northwest winds around 11 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. [NWS]

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Alexandria Concerned by Fairfax Data Center — “Data center plans just outside Alexandria city limits has raised concerns among residents and officials.” Starwood Capital Group’s Plaza 500 site in Lincolnia was permitted by Fairfax County by right, but residents are planning to protest the project ahead of a Sept. 24 public hearing by the planning commission on an electrical substation to power the facility. [ALXnow]

Call for Action After Midair Crash Report — “Exactly six months after the National Transportation Safety Board issued recommendations following the 2025 midair collision of an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over Reagan National Airport, Chair Jennifer Homendy is calling for further action from Congress.” [WTOP]

Big Spending Expected on Amendments — “At least eight referendum committees have been formed in the lead-up to this fall’s vote on three proposed amendments to the Virginia Constitution” that deal with abortion rights, same-sex marriage and voting rights for formerly incarcerated people. “Virginia law requires organizations or individuals that spend more than $10,000 advocating in a statewide referendum to register with the Department of Elections.” [VPM News]

Pay Transparency Law in Effect — “The new law, which took effect July 1, requires employers to include a good-faith wage or salary range in public and internal job postings for openings, promotions, transfers and other employment opportunities. It also bars employers from asking applicants about their salary history or using prior pay when making hiring and compensation decisions.” [Virginia Mercury]

Tysons Consultant Sheds Some Workers — According to an earnings report for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, Booz Allen Hamilton had about 30,900 employees, as of June 30, down 7.5% from 33,400 a year earlier. “Execs indicated during Friday’s earnings call that the company plans to ramp up hiring for its national security work,” despite a decline in federal government contract work. [Washington Business Journal]

Property Owners Seek to Evict Absent Tenants — “The tenants of the derelict building in Bailey’s Crossroads that formerly housed the Zaaki Restaurant have refused to fix up or vacate the property for years, despite court orders to do so. An eviction hearing is scheduled for Sept. 2 at the Fairfax County General District Court.” [Annandale Today]

Fitness Studio Opens in Fairfax City — “After years as a Fit Body Boot Camp member, coach and mentor to others, [Sarah] Crissup said she decided she wanted to spend what she calls her ’10 good years left’ building something for herself instead of another company … That decision led to the opening of Fairfax Fit Body Boot Camp, a new fitness studio in Fairfax City.” [Patch]

Police Tips for Safe Online Shopping — “Buying and selling items through online marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, Craigslist, and Ebay make it easy to find great deals. While most transactions go smoothly, meeting a stranger to exchange cash and goods does carry some risk.” [FCPD]

It’s Tuesday — Expect showers and thunderstorms before 11 a.m. and again after 2 p.m., with partly sunny skies and a high of 85°F. There’s a 70% chance of rain. At night, there’s a 60% chance of precipitation, likely before 11 p.m., followed by isolated showers until 2 a.m. The sky will be mostly cloudy, with a low near 68°F. [NWS]

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