Early voting in the upcoming Virginia primaries will expand this weekend, with Fairfax County opening additional in-person sites starting this Saturday (June 8).

Voters will determine representatives for Virginia’s 10th and 11th Congressional districts, as well as the Republican who will challenge Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine this fall. Early voting for the June 18 primary began on May 3 and will continue in-person through June 15.


Storm clouds over the Reston Parkway and New Dominion Parkway intersection (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Plea Deal Rejected in Annandale Abduction Case — “A Fairfax County judge rejected a plea deal for a suspected child sex offender, saying it would put the community in danger. A man broke into an apartment in Annandale June 15 [2023], grabbed a 4-year-old girl from her bed and dragged her to the living room before her screams woke her mother, police said.” [NBC4]

Culmore 7-Eleven Focus of Police Crackdown — “The Mason Police District is cracking down on public drinking, drug abuse, and shoplifting at the 7-Eleven in Culmore, said station commander Maj. Erin Weeks. The police will be meeting with 7-Eleven officials to strengthen security and ban trespassing at the store at 3337 Glen Carlyn Drive.” [Annandale Today]

Fairfax City Council Considers Pay Raises — “Mayor Catherine Read and members of the Fairfax City Council met at Historic Blenheim Tuesday night for their annual retreat. They discussed a variety of issues, including whether to enact raises for elected officials and to extend the terms of councilmembers from two to four years.” [Patch]

Capital Bikeshare Sets Monthly Ridership Record — “Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) broke the all-time monthly ridership record in May 2024, recording 515,394 trips across the Washington, DC, metro area. Annual ridership is up 31.3% through May 2024…The CaBi system has now seen year-over-year monthly increases in ridership for 29 consecutive months.” [Greater Greater Washington]

County Sets Mosquito Traps — “From May to October, Fairfax County’s Health Department is conducting mosquito surveillance, with 75 traps set all across the county weekly…So far the county hasn’t found anything unusual, but the species that typically transmit West Nile Virus will come later in the summer in August and September.” [WJLA]

Real Estate Company to Boost Tysons Office — “Divaris Real Estate has recruited a team of veteran brokers from Long & Foster Commercial as it seeks to beef up its retail and office brokerage business in Northern Virginia.” The Virginia Beach-based firm says the eight additional brokers will double the staffing at its office in Tysons (8150 Leesburg Pike, Suite 501). [Washington Business Journal]

Dulles Airport Has U.S.’s Most Expensive Domestic Flights — “For the third year in a row, it’s been named as the domestic airport with the highest average fares. Flights on average cost $488.40 out of Dulles, according to FinanceBuzz, which looked at 2023 U.S. Department of Transportation data on domestic airfares from the nation’s 45 busiest airports.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Public Art Reston Redesigns Website — Public Art Reston has launched a revamped website that highlights the nonprofit’s programs and a “catalogue of 90+ temporary and permanent public artworks around Reston, complete with images, detailed information, and maps so visitors can easily find them.” [Tysons Today]

It’s Thursday — Storms are expected throughout the day, especially between 11am and 5pm, and a high temperature near 84°F. There is a 70% chance of precipitation. At night, the chance of rain decreases to 30%, with partly cloudy skies and a low around 65°F. [NWS]


A former deputy with the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) has pleaded guilty in connection to a scheme involving bribes and smuggling contraband, including drugs, into the county jail.

Robert Theodore Sanford Jr., 37, brought cocaine, fentanyl and the opioid addiction-treatment medication Suboxone to an inmate in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center from December 2022 through May 2023, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.


Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Wednesday that the state will no longer follow car emissions standards set by California, despite his party’s failure to repeal or roll back a 2021 Democratic law that tied Virginia to those regulations.

The move tees up what could be another legal fight over Republican leaders’ efforts to undo climate change-related measures Democrats passed when they had full control of state government a few years ago.


Fairfax County’s leaders agree that natural gas companies need to communicate more with them and the public on major pipeline projects, but they appear divided on how to make that happen.

At a land use committee meeting on May 14, county staff presented the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors with potential options for regulating “high-pressure” pipelines under local streets. The review was specifically prompted by community opposition to a 2-foot-wide pipeline that Washington Gas plans to build through Pimmit Hills.


The Fairfax County Police Department hopes to slam the brakes on street racing and rowdy car meets, among other issues, with a new summer crime prevention initiative.

The three-month campaign launched yesterday (Tuesday) with an initial focus on “community-based crimes,” particularly the “reckless street takeovers” that have periodically cropped up around the county and activities at bars and other late-night businesses, the FCPD said in a press release.


The Needle and Mesh building in Old Town Fairfax (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Man Wins Lawsuit Against Tysons Bank — “A federal jury recently ruled that a Tysons Corner-based bank must repay a client $1.5 million over wrongful transfers. On Friday, the jury…handed down a verdict that favored 81-year-old Richard Bennett of Annandale in a trial against Old Dominion National Bank.” [WUSA9]

PSA on Bird Flu Outbreak — “There have been no reported H5N1 bird flu infections in dairy cows or people in Virginia,” but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is monitoring a “multistate outbreak” of infections in dairy cows that have led to three human cases. The Fairfax County Health Department has tips for owners of chickens and other birds, who may be at higher risk of infection. [FCHD]

VDOT Shares Planting Plan for 495 NEXT Project — “VDOT officials recently held several virtual and in-person sessions to update the community on its revegetation plans,” which will bring trees and greenery back to areas cleared for the Capital Beltway (I-495) widening. “Project officials are arranging for native trees, bushes and other plants to be installed along the project’s route.” [Gazette Leader]

Biotech Company Opens Office in Fairfax City — “Fairfax City Economic Development (FCED) announces the arrival of Genetix IQ, a leading biotechnology company, to its dynamic business landscape. This significant addition follows the recent modernization of Fairfax City’s zoning rules, marking a pivotal step in expanding the City’s technological and innovative ecosystem.” [FCED]

McLean to Celebrate Fourth of July in June — “The McLean Community Center’s annual Independence Day fireworks celebration will be held on Saturday, June 29 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at Langley High School. ‘The whole family will enjoy music, food trucks, giveaways and, at dusk, a huge fireworks display,’ center officials said.” [Gazette Leader]

Local Companies Make Fortune 500 — Fortune’s annual ranking of the country’s highest-earning companies based on total fiscal year revenue includes three Tysons-based companies: Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (jumping 42 spots to no. 406), Booz Allen Hamilton (no. 422) and Capital One (no. 91). “Reston homebuilder NVR Inc. slid 30 spots to No. 406.” [Washington Business Journal]

Private Jet Hangers Planned at Dulles Airport — “Phoenix, Arizona-based Sky Harbour Group Corporation has signed a lease with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to develop a Sky Harbour Home Base campus at Dulles.” The company said the 18-acre development “will create hundreds of jobs.” [WTOP]

It’s Wednesday — Expect showers and thunderstorms, increasing in likelihood after 2pm with a high near 83°F. The chance of precipitation is 80%. Rain could continue at night, which will see a low around 71°F. [NWS]


The Virginia Telemental Health Initiative is up and running as Virginia’s first statewide, free virtual mental health clinic after successfully completing a pilot phase.

The nonprofit initiative offers free tele-mental health services to eligible uninsured or under-insured Virginians, according to a news release.


Power lines near Jefferson District Park in Idylwood (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Climate Activists Rally Against Data Centers — “Dozens of environmental activists took part in a rally June 2 in Reston to push for more state and local action to pause the out-of-control expansion of data centers…The Fairfax County Planning Commission is scheduled to consider proposed zoning changes on June 5 that would impose some restrictions on data centers, but the activists say they don’t go far enough.” [Annandale Today]

Reston Man Arrested on DUI — “A 24-year-old Reston man was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol [on May 29] in Fairfax City. City of Fairfax Police responded around 2:36 a.m. for the report of a motor vehicle crash at the intersection of Fairfax Boulevard and Fair Woods Parkway.” [Patch]

Housing to Open on Former Motel Site Soon — “Pulte Homes expects to have the first of its properties in the Overlook at Fairfax Boulevard development in Fairfax City available for purchase this summer, according to a BusinessWire report. The development is located on the former site of the Breezeway Motel on Fairfax Boulevard.” [Patch]

Afghan Refugee to Graduate from FCPS — “Four years ago, Samiullah Luddin was new to the U.S. His father had escaped the Taliban and brought him and his four siblings to Fairfax County from Afghanistan…Despite the learning challenges that came with a new country, a new school, new technology, and a pandemic, the Annandale student never gave up, and on June 3, he will graduate” from Annandale High School. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Vienna Replacing Park Merry-Go-Round — “It’s last call for those who over the past 40 years have loved the metal merry-go-around at Meadow Lane Park in Vienna…Town officials are planning a celebration on Tuesday, June 11 from 4 to 6 p.m. to say goodbye to the childhood favorite, in place since the early 1980s.” [Gazette Leader]

Metro Service Changes in Effect — As of Sunday (June 2), Metro has implemented “a minor service adjustment on the Orange Line during the weekend and off-peak on weekdays. On Metrobus, changes will take place on 31 routes starting on June 16, including expanded service on high-demand routes and schedule changes to improve reliability.” [WMATA]

It’s Tuesday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 86, but there’s a 20% chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Those will clear up before 8pm, with a slight possibility of showers resuming after 2am. Night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. [NWS]


When students arrive at Oakton High School, they will now encounter a historical marker honoring civil rights activist Lillian Blackwell, whose own children might not have been allowed inside when the school opened in 1967 if not for her advocacy.

Fairfax County officials unveiled the plaque detailing Blackwell’s legacy, including her fight against the segregation of local public schools and movie theaters, at a ceremony on Saturday (June 1) attended by some of her family members and the students who suggested her for the recognition.


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