Countywide

McLean Bicyclist Killed in Crash — “The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) is investigating a fatal crash at the intersection of Welbourne Road and St. Louis Road in Middleburg [on Thursday, Oct. 29]. At approximately 10:41 a.m., deputies responded to a report of a crash involving a bicyclist and a pickup truck. The bicyclist, Karl David Salnoske, 72, of McLean, was pronounced deceased at the scene.” [LCSO]

Cerina Fairfax’s Family on Her Killing — “Six months after Dr. Cerina Fairfax, a Northern Virginia mom and dentist, was killed by her husband, former Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, her sister spoke with the News4 I-Team about who she was and how their family lives with the tragedy.” Speaking for the first time since Cerina Fairfax’s death, Arisce Wanzer described her sister as someone who “was there for everybody.” [NBC4]

Court Considers Youth Social Media Law — “The Fourth Circuit weighed Wednesday whether a Virginia law restricting minors’ access to social media platforms violates the First Amendment. ​The hearing follows a preliminary injunction from U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles, a Joe Biden appointee, blocking enforcement of the law,” which requires social media platforms to limit users under 16 to an hour of screen time per day. [Courthouse News Service]

Lincolnia Pool Site Eyed for Electrical Tower — “The Lincolnia Park community is alarmed by Dominion Energy’s plans to build an electrical transmission tower on a field owned by the Lincolnia Park Recreation Club. The utility is threatening to use eminent domain to obtain rights to the property.” The monopole would support a substation proposed for Starwood Capital’s planned Plaza 500 data centers. [Annandale Today]

Va. Opening Health Insurance Relief Program — “Thousands of Virginians could see their monthly health insurance premiums shrink — or drop to $0 — under a new $150 million state savings program opening for enrollment Sunday … The new program — which lawmakers funded to help offset the loss of enhanced federal Affordable Care Act subsidies — could help up to 200,000 residents afford coverage next year, per state estimates.” [Axios Richmond]

New Fitness Studio Opening in Tysons — “A new fitness studio specializing in low-impact exercise, strength training and functional movement will open in Tysons on Nov. 2.” Located at 2070 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 185, Pvolve Tysons is offering complimentary introductory classes for potential members through Sunday, Nov. 1. [Patch]

Sky-High I-66 Tolls Spotted — “This week along the I-66 express lanes outside the Beltway in Northern Virginia, the tolls have been some of the highest we have ever seen. Rates are as high as $30, $60 and even $80 for the longest trips at peak times … When News4 asked officials what is going on with these higher prices, they said no doubt more people are using the lanes.” [NBC4]

Reston Man Indicted on Drug Charges — “A Reston man previously charged with federal firearms offenses has been indicted by a federal grand jury on five felony counts involving cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine and firearms, according to court records filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.” [Patch]

It’s Friday — Sunny with a high near 75, accompanied by northwest winds of 5 to 13 mph and gusts up to 24 mph. Night will be mostly clear, with a low around 47 and north winds of 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]

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MWAA Gauging Interest in AeroTrain Expansion — “The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is seeking firms interested in the budgeted $3.75 billion contract to design and build a two-station extension of the underground AeroTrain, and the new ‘Center Spine’ pedestrian tunnel linking the terminal with future concourses” at Dulles International Airport. [Airport Architecture]

Va. Could Shift Road Funds to Maintenance — “As Virginia stares down a $1.7 billion highway-maintenance gap, the Commonwealth Transportation Board is considering a plan to close it by shifting funds away from construction and transportation projects. The plan introduced at the board’s Oct. 13 meeting proposes adding $239 million annually for pavement repairs starting in fiscal year 2028.” [Virginia Mercury]

Alexandria Cancels Flock Program — “After months of public outcry over privacy concerns, Alexandria will shut down its 61 license plate readers and other cameras along public roadways this week.” City officials said the cameras would be deactivated within 48 hours and fully removed by December. [ALXnow]

CIA Contractor Charged With Leaking Info — “A CIA contractor is accused of sharing classified intelligence with his journalist girlfriend for articles published on Substack, according to federal court filings in a case involving alleged conduct in Fairfax County.” [Patch]

Vietnam War Oral History in the Works — “The Fairfax County History Commission is encouraging county residents to participate in an oral history project about Vietnam War veterans. Interviews will be conducted through early May 2027 and will become part of the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.” [Annandale Today]

Student Starts Aviation Podcast — “Sanya Bhalla grew up about 10 minutes from Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, and she was always fascinated by the large planes and space shuttles on display … Now a student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Bhalla is encouraging women to consider a career in aviation through her ‘She Flies Podcast,’ which launched in January 2026.” [WTOP]

Free Lyft Rides for Halloween — “The nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s 2026 Halloween SoberRide returns for both Friday and Saturday this year. For those who imbibe too much, the Halloween Lyfts will be available from 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 to 4 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 and again from 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 to 4 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.” [Inside NoVA]

South Lakes HS Adds Hall of Fame Members — “South Lakes celebrated the accomplishments of 10 new administrators, coaches, contributors, competitors and a state championship team on Sept. 25. The ceremony provided an opportunity for friends, family members, colleagues and coaches to introduce the inductees and speak about how their accomplishments have contributed to South Lakes’ sports legacy.” [Reston Letter]

It’s Thursday — Fog is expected before 10am, followed by mostly cloudy skies clearing later in the day. The high will be near 72. Night will be mostly clear with a low around 53. [NWS]

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Study Authorized on Schools Funding Formula — “A state legislative subcommittee on Monday approved a plan to hire an expert to study a new school funding formula for Virginia, with up to 24 months to complete the work … A December 2023 study showed that Virginia local governments spend far more on K-12 education than the state, underscoring the need for a clearer approach.” [Virginia Mercury]

Scott’s Run Hiker Rescued — “On October 25, at 10:10 a.m., #FairfaxsBravest responded to a report of a person who fell and possibly broke their leg on the Potomac Trail in Scott’s Run Nature Preserve near McLean. Units arrived to find the patient in a steep, wooded ravine that could not be reached by vehicle.” After ruling out a water rescue, responders developed a rope system that enabled them to get the woman into a Stokes basket, which was then hoisted up by a helicopter. [FCFRD/Facebook]

Trump Arch Would Cast Shadow on Cemetery — “Over the course of a year, the shadow of the triumphal arch would touch burial sites in Arlington National Cemetery on 284 days, The Post found. It would briefly cover Kennedy’s eternal flame on 18 days, and it would shade the former president’s memorial on 50. It would darken the Military Women’s Memorial on 109 days.” [Washington Post]

New Health Director Appointed — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has appointed Dr. Parham Jaberi as director of the Health Department, effective Nov. 14. Jaberi, who currently serves as the department’s deputy director for medical services, succeeds Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, who is retiring after 23 years as director.” [Fairfax County Government]

GMU Renaming Nursing School — George Mason University will officially rename its School of Nursing in Fairfax after Arlene Evans and Barry Dewberry on Nov. 15 in honor of the pair’s recent $15 million donation to the school, the largest gift in the College of Public Health’s history. The funds will go toward new educational and training opportunities for students as well as support for staff. [GMU]

Sign for Displaced Community Unveiled — “A few decades ago, there was a thriving close-knit Black community called The Pines in what is now Pine Ridge Park on Woodburn Road in Annandale … On Oct. 25, former residents of The Pines and descendants of the families who lived there gathered for a ceremony to unveil an interpretative sign recognizing a community that now only exists in people’s hearts and memories.” [Annandale Today]

Waymo Mapping Arlington Roads — “Waymo is now mapping Arlington’s residential streets, the robotaxi company confirmed. ARLnow spotted one of the self-driving car company’s mapping vehicles in a residential part of Arlington this past Friday (Oct. 23), and a reader separately reported seeing another on a local street.” [ARLnow]

Drug Take Back Day Results — “This past Saturday, our district stations partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other Fairfax County agencies for the 31st Annual National Drug Take Back Day. Together, we collected 1,071 pounds of expired or unused medications from community members across Fairfax County.” [FCPD]

It’s Wednesday — Mostly cloudy with a high near 68. Calm winds will become easterly around 5 mph in the afternoon. Clouds will gradually clear at night, with a low around 52 and a light southeast wind. [NWS]

There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.

Two Shot in Hutchison — Police responded last night to a “domestic-related shooting in the 2200 block of Astoria Circle in Hutchison” just west of Herndon. “Officers located two adult male victims with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect has been identified and is known to one of the victims.” [FCPD/X]

Person Injured in Metro Train Incident — Firefighters responded to the Wiehle Metro station at 8:39 p.m. yesterday (Monday) for a report of a pedestrian getting hit by a train. “Arriving units determined a patient had been caught between a Metro Rail car and the platform. The patient was able to free themselves prior to FCFRD arrival.” They were transported to a local hospital for care. Trains temporarily single-tracked between Wiehle and Spring Hill. [FCFRD/Facebook]

State Reviews License Plate Reader Use — “A Virginia prosecutor’s recent decision not to charge a police officer for sharing license plate reader data with federal authorities without authorization could spur reform efforts in the commonwealth … Although the recent data-sharing case in Isle of Wight was intended to support an investigation, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, said localities should face penalties if they don’t share data the right way.” [Virginia Mercury]

Primary Challenger for Vivian Watts — “John Michael Forrest, a Democratic candidate running for the Virginia House of Delegates in 2027, is focusing on reducing the costs of rental housing, enacting stricter rules on campaign financing, and regulating AI. Forrest is the first candidate to announce plans to go up against Del. Vivian Watts in a Democratic Primary expected to be held next spring.” [Annandale Today]

Region Makes Progress on Ozone — “After decades of efforts to reduce pollution, the DC region has finally met federal air quality standards for ozone. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments announced Thursday that the region is now in compliance with the 2015 federal ozone standard and has applied to the Environmental Protection Agency for formal recognition.” [Capital Weather]

Cause of Lorton Townhouse Fire Found — A townhouse fire that occurred on Oct. 18 at the intersection of Hagel Circle and Richmond Highway was sparked by “an electrical event” in the home’s second-floor bedroom, investigators found. One person was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and two residents were displaced as a result of the fire, which caused an estimated $143,150 in property damages. [FCFRD]

Tysons Diamond Retailer Sold — Mervis Diamond Importers is being acquired by Atlanta-based Solomon Brothers Jewelers, but its three D.C.-area showrooms, including the flagship in Tysons, will remain intact with no name change. Brothers Zed and Ronnie Mervis say the deal will give them more resources to expand their product offerings and compete against larger chains, while allowing them to keep “serving the loyal customers and friends who have supported Mervis” since it launched in Rockville in 1981. [Washington Business Journal]

Woman Charged With Assault at Wawa — “A Fairfax woman faces a felony charge of assaulting a law enforcement officer and two misdemeanor charges after police said she resisted arrest at a Wawa early Oct. 20.” Officers responded to the convenience store at 9700 Fairfax Blvd after receiving a report of a woman previously trespassed from the business returning. [Patch]

It’s Tuesday — Sunny with a high near 69 and a light northeast wind around 3 to 6 mph. Night will be partly cloudy, with a low around 50 and a light east wind. [NWS]

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