Author: Mary Stachyra Lopez

Mary Stachyra Lopez is a staff reporter covering business, public safety, education, and other community issues for Local News Now. She has previously worked at Patch.com, the Arlington Catholic Herald, and The Atlantic.

Around Town

‘Shark Tank’-funded menswear startup to open retail store in Reston Town Center

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
A store with a stone exterior and a bay window, and the sidewalk outside.
Collars & Co will open a new location at 11869 Market Street, Reston. (Staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)

A Bethesda-based menswear company best known for nabbing a deal with Mark Cuban and Peter Jones on “Shark Tank” will expand to Reston later this month.

Collars & Co, which produces polo shirts with a sturdy, dress shirt-style collar, will open its first permanent location in Northern Virginia in a 1,700-square-foot store at 11869 Market Street. The space was previously occupied by an Allen Edmonds shoe store.

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News

Renovation of Reston North playground nearly complete

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
The playground at Reston North is shown in this image. There are green slides, climbing ropes, and other equipment.
New equipment at the Reston North Playground, seen May 6 (Staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)

The Fairfax County Park Authority’s overhaul of the Reston North playground — designed to replace aging equipment and make the park more accessible — is nearly complete.

The Park Authority announced today (Thursday) that it will celebrate the playground’s official reopening with a ribbon-cutting on June 3 at 5 p.m.

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News

AI defense intelligence company moves HQ from San Francisco to Chantilly

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
TurbineOne Chief Technology Officer and co-founder Matt Amacker leads a demonstration at the company's new Chantilly headquarters (staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)

A company that specializes in artificial intelligence-driven software for the military has moved its headquarters from San Francisco to Chantilly, where it will offer defense clients a place to preview its technology.

Ahead of a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday (Wednesday), TurbineOne said the move was a reflection of its growth supporting national security missions.

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News

Mason District Little League opens season with visit from Nationals pitcher

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Cade Cavalli chats with Mason District Little League players during a ceremonial opening day (courtesy Washington Nationals)

Youth baseball players in Annandale marked the ceremonial start of their spring season on Saturday (May 2) with practices, visits from Little League alumni — and a first pitch thrown by Washington Nationals starting pitcher Cade Cavalli.

The visit was courtesy of the Nationals’ Team UP program, which supports local youth leagues throughout the D.C. metro area, including the Mason District Little League.

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Around Town

Herndon’s new festival on Lynn Street promises ‘cool vibes’ and ‘hot beats’

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
Signs for Lynn Street and Elden Street in downtown Herndon (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Herndon is going all-in on a “hot and cool” theme with its newest festival, where upbeat and mellow musical performances will be complemented by activities such as a snowball fight and jalapeno-eating contest.

“Polar Heat on Lynn Street,” a free, day-long event on Saturday, May 16 sponsored by the town’s Parks and Recreation Department, will feature nonstop music on two different stages, food trucks, inflatables, a smores station and themed community vendor booths.

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Around Town

Japanese lifestyle store Ebisu opens today in Seven Corners

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
Ebisu, the Japanese god of fortune and the company's mascot, seen inside its Seven Corners store (photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)

The Seven Corners store that once housed a Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts is getting a makeover as a new Japanese lifestyle store filled with Hello Kitty and Pokémon plushes and figurines, imported snacks and drinks, beauty products, and household goods.

Ebisu will host its grand opening at 6320 Seven Corners Center at 11 a.m. today (Friday). The ribbon-cutting also marks the start of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and will feature a traditional lion dance performance.

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Countywide

Squirrelly discovery in Fairfax resident’s car highlights spring uptick in animal encounters

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
Baby squirrels inside a basket after Fairfax County Animal Services removed them from a car in March 2026 (courtesy Fairfax County Animal Services)

When a Fairfax resident turned on the engine of his car and saw every warning light come on, that was his first problem. The second was figuring out what to do with the baby squirrels curled up inside a nest in the engine bay.

“He called Animal Services for help,” Thomas Ingle, chief field services officer and deputy director of Fairfax County Animal Services, told FFXnow. “And when the animal services officer gets there, she realizes that there are babies in there and the mom is nowhere to be found.”

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Around Town

Softball training facility winds up for expansion to Springfield

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
Renovations are underway at SixFour3 Fairfax, a new softball training facility in West Springfield (photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)

A Virginia-based chain of fastpitch softball training facilities for girls will expand to Fairfax County this spring.

An exact opening date hasn’t been set, but SixFour3 Fairfax will open at 8600 Morrissette Drive in West Springfield soon — likely within a month, local franchise owner Bob Reuss told FFXnow.

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News

Fairfax City school board weighs adding to Daniels Run renovations, but wary of cost

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
Conceptual design for renovations at Daniels Run Elementary School (via City of Fairfax)

The Fairfax City school board appears skeptical of the idea of adding tens of millions in new costs to the upcoming renovation projects for Daniels Run and Providence elementary schools.

But during a special meeting on Monday (April 13), many members also made it clear that they don’t think the existing plans for Daniels Run go far enough.

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Around Town

Block party season kicks off with inclusive event at Reston’s Lake Anne

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
Lake Anne Plaza in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A Reston-based nonprofit will host a unique block party — billed as the first of its kind in Northern Virginia — at Lake Anne Plaza this weekend to promote inclusion between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The “All Abilities Block Party” will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 11. It will feature a bubble artist, caricaturist, DJ, roaming juggler, glitter tattoos, tent with art on display, a visit from Ms. Wheelchair Virginia, and free food with an RSVP in advance.

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