Author: Vernon Miles

Vernon Miles is the ALXnow cofounder and editor. He's covered Alexandria since 2014 and has been with Local News Now since 2018. When he's not reporting, he can usually be found playing video games or Dungeons and Dragons with friends.

Around Town

Pop-up sculpture garden debuts at River Farm in Fort Hunt

By Vernon Miles
"Adorne" by Vadim Kharchenko on display at River Farm (courtesy of Nepenthe Gallery)

A new sculpture garden will be on display at Fort Hunt’s River Farm until late October.

The sculpture garden installation was initially showcased at a gala for the American Horticultural Society at River Farm on Sept. 30 and will remain on the site until Oct. 20, exhibit curator Nepenthe Gallery said in a release.

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News

Vienna private school refines plans for proposed expansion

By Vernon Miles
Landscape plan for Green Hedges School's proposed expansion (via Town of Vienna)

A proposed expansion of the private Green Hedges School in Vienna (415 Windover Avenue NW) will return to the town’s planning commission for review tonight (Wednesday).

After three years of discussions, the school filed an updated application for a conditional use permit earlier this month that includes some notable changes from its original proposal, which emerged in May 2022.

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Around Town

Oktoberfest events coming to Vienna, Reston and more

By Vernon Miles
Food trucks at Vienna Oktoberfest 2024 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The end of September is within sight, which means Oktoberfest season will soon be in full swing.

One of the bigger festivals in the region is the Vienna Oktoberfest, which is organized by the Vienna Business Association and now celebrating its 16th year.

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News

Vienna hopes to keep police body camera program alive after federal funding ends

By Vernon Miles
Vienna police officers working the Fourth of July celebration at Yeonas Park (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Vienna is working to keep body-worn cameras, first implemented with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, in operation after the program’s federal funding expires.

The Capital Improvement Plan, presented to the Vienna Town Council at a work session on Monday, Sept. 15, included a plan to bridge the gap between the funding provided for the body cameras by ARPA and that funding being worked into the police department’s operating budget.

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Around Town

Reston’s Community Yard Sale returns this Saturday

By Vernon Miles
Community Yard Sale in 2024 (photo via Reston Association/Facebook)

Restonians are once again expected to turn out by the thousands for a community-wide yard sale this weekend.

According to a release, Reston Association’s semi-annual Community Yard Sale is scheduled to come back “bigger than ever” on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at 12010 Sunrise Valley Drive, near the Reston Wegmans.

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News

Police investigating fatal shooting in Woodlawn after car break-in report

By Vernon Miles
Fairfax County Police Department vehicle (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Fairfax Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting in Woodlawn early on Sept. 19.

Scanner traffic indicated a car was spotted being broken into on the 3400 block of Buckman Road, a residential neighborhood.

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News

Transportation safety advocates highlight concerns at Reston Town Center and Merrifield roads

By Vernon Miles
Heat map of near miss reports around Fairfax (image via Northern Virginia Families for Safer Streets)

A new survey outlines areas where Fairfax pedestrians say they’ve had dangerously close encounters with cars.

The Near Miss and Dangerous Locations Survey is developed by Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets based on survey data collected between January 2024 and July 2025.

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News

CEO convicted in Fairfax County’s largest wage theft case

By Vernon Miles
Fairfax County Courthouse (file photo)

Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced today that Thomas Burns Sr., CEO of government contractor SP Global, Inc, will have to pay over $1 million in restitution.

According to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Burns pleaded guilty to three felonies: two counts of wage theft of more than $10,000 and one count of conspiracy to commit wage theft. Burns was also sentenced to four years of incarceration with one suspended — technically four years for each charge, but sentences running concurrently.

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News

Herndon Town Council expresses Reston-envy when it comes to snow removal

By Vernon Miles
A man walks a dog along South Lakes Drive in Reston with snow on the ground (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

With winter creeping closer, the Town of Herndon is looking ahead to snow removal this season and, hopefully, some improvements for trail users in future years.

Tammy Chastain, acting director of public works, walked the Town Council through what’s planned for dealing with snow this season.

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