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.

Countywide

Oktoberfests and fall festivals launch around Tysons next weekend

By Vernon Miles
The Boro is bringing back its annual Oktoberfest celebration (courtesy The Boro Tysons/Lancer Photography)

Theoretically, an intrepid day drinker could hit up all three of the Oktoberfest celebrations around the Tysons area scheduled for next weekend.

Provided they have a designated driver or don’t mind quick Uber trips from the Metro: here’s where they’ll be going:

Go to Oktoberfests and fall festivals launch around Tysons next weekend Read more
News

McLean’s downtown redevelopment is moving slowly, but making progress

By Vernon Miles

The idea behind the McLean Community Business Center (CBC) was to create an active and thriving downtown for the community. So far, a planning memo says those plans are moving along slowly.

The CBC segments downtown McLean into zones: a center zone — a sort of Times Square for McLean — with development scaling down to a general zone and an edge zone beyond that, where development will remain residential and low-intensity uses.

Go to McLean’s downtown redevelopment is moving slowly, but making progress Read more
Countywide

VDOT to lift HOV and toll restrictions over Labor Day weekend

By Vernon Miles
I-66 construction in Fairfax County (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

To help ease congestion, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) said it will suspend work on many highway projects and lift lane restrictions on interstates and other major roads.

VDOT said in a release that Labor Day is one of the busiest travel days of the year. Past traffic data suggested the congestion is heaviest from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday and intermittently throughout the holiday weekend, Monday included.

Go to VDOT to lift HOV and toll restrictions over Labor Day weekend Read more