Drivers on Fair Lakes Parkway at the Monument Drive intersection (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

County Activates Heat Plan — “Fairfax County has activated its Heat Plan for Thursday, Aug. 1. When Fairfax County’s heat plan is activated, cooling centers around the county will be available during normal operating hours for individuals needing relief from the heat.” With the heat index potentially reaching 107 degrees, a Heat Advisory is scheduled to take effect from noon to 8 p.m. [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Lorton Apartment Raid Leads to Guilty Plea — “A Dale City man pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, on Jan. 18, 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service’s Capital Area Regional Task Force located [the 40-year-old man], for whom they had an arrest warrant, in an apartment in Lorton.” [U.S. Attorney’s Office]

Annandale Shed Fire Extinguished — “#FairfaxsBravest are on the scene of a shed fire in the 7800 blk of Ridgewood Drive in the Annandale area. Firefighters arrived to find an exterior shed fully involved. The fire is under control. No extension to the house. No reported civilian or firefighter injuries.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter]

Local Urgent Care Centers Extend Hours — “Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care, a partnership between Inova Health System and GoHealth Urgent Care, announced it is offering later hours at four Northern Virginia locations from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.” That includes centers in Vienna, Reston’s North Point Village Center and West Springfield. [Patch]

Fairfax Students Create Tool to ID Scams — “Advik Atyam never expected to be scammed, but he too became a victim while reselling computer parts during the pandemic…That experience prompted Atyam, now a senior at Fairfax High School in Virginia, to launch ScamCops, a website detailing the latest scam trends.” [WTOP]

Cultural Fair Coming to Oakton Library — “Join us for a taste of other countries with trivia, treats, and performances featuring dancers from Rhythmaya Dance, Foley Academy of Irish Dance, Fairfax Chinese Dance Troupe, and Scottish Country Dancers!” The festival will take place Saturday, Aug. 3, from 10 a.m. to noon. [Fairfax County Public Library]

Virginia Amusement Park to Build Big Roller Coaster — “A new attraction is coming soon to Kings Dominion in Doswell, and it’s one that thrill-seekers won’t want to miss. Rapterra, the world’s tallest and longest launched wing coaster, will open in 2025 as part of the Doswell amusement park’s 50th anniversary celebrations.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Thursday — Expect a mostly sunny and hot day reaching a high of 97°F and heat index values up to 104°F. Night could bring showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8pm, with cloudy conditions, a low around 77°F and a 30% chance of precipitation. [NWS]


Good Wednesday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Jul 31, 2024.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Thursday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

⛈️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms primarily after 5 pm, while the day remains mostly sunny with temperatures reaching the high 90s and heat index values as high as 102. Winds will come from the northwest at 3 to 5 mph, and there is a 30% chance of precipitation. For Thursday night, showers and thunderstorms will mainly occur before 8 pm, transitioning to mostly cloudy skies and a low temperature around 76. Winds will be light and variable, with a 30% chance of precipitation. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.


An outdoor seating area at the Idylwood Plaza Shopping Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Former McLean Bible Pastor Funds Gun Law Challenges — A nonprofit started at McLean Bible Church by then-pastor Dale Sutherland “has evolved from spreading the good news to facilitating a far-reaching, multimillion-dollar legal campaign to dismantle America’s gun laws.” Now called the Constitutional Defense Fund, the organization has given funding to gun advocacy groups and a law firm that has filed at least 21 lawsuits challenging gun restrictions since 2020. [Mother Jones]

Man Sentenced in Fairfax City Killing — “A Fairfax County, Va., Circuit Court judge on July 26 handed down a sentence of 28 years in prison for a 31-year-old man convicted by a jury of second-degree murder for the June 10, 2023, stabbing death of a Fairfax City man after the man propositioned him for sex.” Aaron Robertson got the maximum sentence of 40 years, but the judge suspended 12 of them. [Washington Blade]

McLean Olympian Seeks to Make Rowing Finals — “Team USA’s women’s rowing eight, which includes McLean resident Claire Collins, finished second in its heat in the Nautical Stadium-Flatwater event on Monday. Although the American women didn’t win their heat, they still have an opportunity on Thursday to qualify for the finals.” [Patch]

Driver Crashes After Failing to Stop for Ambulance — “Watch: One person stopped for @ffxfirerescue Medic 432 yesterday morning as they responded through the intersection of Braddock Road and Ox Road. The driver behind them did not. Video via @SafetyVid.” [Dave Statter/Twitter]

Centreville Woman Competes for Miss USA — “Himanvi Panidepu is well-versed in the world of pageantry. In June, the Centreville native was crowned Miss Virginia USA. She also won Miss Virginia Teen USA in 2018 and is now the first Indian American to hold both titles. This week, she will travel to Hollywood to compete in the 73rd Miss USA pageant.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Former Defense Contractor CEO Sells McLean Mansion — Former Northrop Grumman CEO and chairman Wes Bush and his wife “sold their McLean mansion in late June, marking the region’s most expensive sale of the month. The buyer of 903 Turkey Run Road…paid $9.95 million June 28 for the 12,700-square-foot home, which offers six bedrooms, seven-and-a-half baths, six fireplaces and a four-car garage.” [Washington Business Journal]

Justice HS Gets New Stadium Bathroom — “Spectators at Justice High School football games will no longer have to take care of business in a porta potty. A new outdoor restroom has been installed next to the stadium. That is the first modular stadium restroom completed as part of a Fairfax County Public Schools project to add outdoor restrooms at 15 high schools.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Wednesday — Expect predominantly sunny skies and a high temperature around 95 degrees. Tonight, there’s a small possibility of sporadic showers and thunderstorms before 2 am, followed by partial cloudiness with the temperature dropping to about 76 degrees. [NWS]


Good Tuesday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Jul 30, 2024.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Wednesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

☀️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 94 degrees, accompanied by a west wind at 6 to 8 mph. Wednesday night, there’s a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am, and it will be partly cloudy with a low around 74 degrees. The southwest wind around 6 mph will become calm in the evening, and there’s a 20% chance of precipitation. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.


City of Fairfax Regional Library’s entrance dome (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Woman Killed in Fair Lakes Stabbing — A man is in custody after allegedly stabbing a woman at their home in the 3900 block of Highland Oaks Drive yesterday (Monday). The woman was taken to a hospital, where she died. Fairfax County police say “there is no apparent threat to the community” in what’s being described as a domestic incident. [FCPD/Twitter]

Driver Hospitalized in Reston Crash — “Baron Cameron Avenue at Fairfax County Parkway reopened to traffic Monday after being closed for several hours following a single-vehicle crash with injuries…The driver of the vehicle involved in the crash was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries.” [Patch]

Kook Dogg Cafe Opens in Reston — After a soft opening for family and friends earlier this month, Kook Dogg Cafe officially opened to the public in RTC West yesterday (Monday). Its first customers were the team from Little Beast Cafe and Bistro, which previously occupied the space. “We are stoked to welcome them (and you!) to KDC! We can’t wait to see y’all soon!” [Kook Dogg Cafe/Instagram]

Homeless Individuals on Sidewalk Raise Concerns — “A small group of unsheltered individuals who have nowhere else to go have created a community on the sidewalk on Patrick Henry Drive in Seven Corners. About half a dozen people hang out on a discarded sofa and chairs under a tarp, and that has drawn complaints from residents who say they are blocking the sidewalk and making the area unsafe.” [Annandale Today]

Sales Tax Holiday Coming — “NoVA shops and malls may be a little more crowded this coming weekend as people take advantage of Virginia’s sales tax holiday to buy back-to-school supplies and clothing. The annual sales tax holiday starts at 12:01 a.m. Friday, August 2, and runs until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, August 4.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Tysons Consultant Continues Growing — “Booz Allen Hamilton, one of the largest employers in the D.C. region, continues to grow its ranks of consulting professionals, with the addition of 800 new employees in the second quarter. In the past year, Booz Allen has grown its head count by 2,500, or about 8%.” The company employs 15,000 people in the D.C. region. [WTOP]

Annandale Park Getting New Pavilion — “The Fairfax County Park Authority will soon begin work on the installation of a new pavilion shelter at Eakin Community Park. Contractors will mobilize on site with active construction activities scheduled to begin in late July 2024. Weather depending, active construction is anticipated to be completed by the end of fall 2024.” [FCPA]

It’s Tuesday — Expect showers and thunderstorms starting from 2pm, with mostly cloudy skies and a high temperature near 88°F. The chance of precipitation is 50%. On Tuesday night, showers and thunderstorms are mostly likely before 2am, as temperatures drop to a low around 74°F. [NWS]


Good Monday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Jul 29, 2024.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Tuesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

⛈️ Tuesday’s forecast

Expect showers and thunderstorms from 2pm to 5pm, increasing in likelihood after 5pm, with a high near 87. A south wind will blow at 8 to 11 mph, and there’s a 60% chance of precipitation. Rainfall will be less than a tenth of an inch, with potential for higher amounts during thunderstorms. On Tuesday night, anticipate showers and possible thunderstorms before 1am, followed by a chance of more showers and storms between 1am and 2am. The low temperature will be around 73, with a south wind at 6 to 8 mph. There’s an 80% chance of precipitation, with rainfall amounts varying between a tenth to a quarter of an inch, and higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.


Pedestrians cross International Drive behind the Rotonda Condominiums (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Gaza Protestors Removed Near McLean — “A months-long protest encampment in front of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s house has been removed. The round-the-clock, pro-Palestinian protest started in January of this year along the 400 block of N. Chain Bridge Road in Arlington…Chain Bridge Road…was closed while VDOT carried out the removal operation.” [ARLnow]

Judge Allows Lawsuit Against FCPS Pronoun Policy — “On Thursday, a Fairfax County Circuit Court judge rejected the Fairfax County School Board’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit and allowed the student to proceed with her arguments against FCPS’ pronoun policy.” A claim over the policy allowing students to use bathrooms based on their gender identity was dismissed, though the plaintiff was given 21 days to amend her complaint. [WJLA]

Man Hampered by Loss of Fairfax Connector Bus Stop — “A man with visual impairment in Fairfax is raising concerns about a change to his bus route that eliminated stops near his home. Jeff Vieceli moved to a neighborhood along Stringfellow Road near Fairfax County Parkway 12 years ago. One of the reasons was the proximity to the bus stops across from the house.” [WUSA9]

Trees Hit by Lightning to Be Removed — “Three willow oak trees will be removed. The trees at 4209 University Dr. and 10507 Forest Ave. were struck by lightning and will be removed July 26 and Aug. 2, respectively. The tree at 4373 University Dr. is failing and presents a severe safety hazard. Removal is scheduled for Aug. 2.” [City of Fairfax]

Metallica Visits Springfield Record Company — “Heavy metal band Metallica swung by a record pressing plant a few blocks west of Alexandria earlier this week. The band visited Furnace Record Pressing, a record pressing company that’s been in business, which Metallica gained a majority interest in last year.” [ALXnow]

Inova Springfield Hospital Nears Construction — “The Falls Church-based Inova Health System intends to begin construction in August on a pair of new acute-care hospitals…Those facilities, one at the former Landmark Mall site in Alexandria and another in the Franconia-Springfield area, will together replace the nonprofit’s aging Alexandria hospital at 4320 Seminary Road.” [Washington Business Journal]

Richmond Highway Jeweler Goes Mobile — “Mount Vernon Jewelers, a fixture around the Richmond Highway Corridor for over four decades, is vacating its storefront location Aug. 1 to engage in mobile jewelry sales and service…Park plans to continue serving his existing customer base in the local community with his new business status as a traveling salesman and mobile repairman.” [On the MoVe]

Kid Donates Icee Stand Proceeds to Fire Department — “An 8-year-old boy set up an Icee stand in Alexandria, Virginia to raise money for the Fairfax County Fire Department on Saturday…His stand was a unique way to say thank you to the department for helping him with his broken arm last year.” [NBC4]

It’s Monday — Expect sunny conditions with a high of 92 degrees, followed by a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5pm. Monday night will have mostly cloudy skies and a low around 73 degrees. [NWS]


Good Friday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Jul 26, 2024.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. Two restaurants with Fairfax County locations win RAMMYS awards (30132 views)
  2. JUST IN: Temporary homeless shelter to open in Reston next week (15092 views)
  3. Fairfax County School Board OKs polarizing new boundary change policy (10309 views)
  4. Fairfax County office vacancy rate continues to rise (9434 views)
  5. FCPD identifies victims in fatal Lorton, Great Falls pedestrian crashes (5527 views)
  6. Creole restaurant closes, donut shop coming to Mosaic District (5185 views)
  7. Fairfax County adds five HOAs to EV charging station grant program (4799 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Saturday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

🌥️ Saturday’s forecast

Clouds will increase throughout the day, reaching a high of 88 degrees, accompanied by a north wind at 6 mph. As night falls, expect mostly clear skies and a low of 67 degrees. A southeast wind at 5 mph will become light and variable after midnight. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.

We hope you have a great weekend! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋


View More Stories