News

I-66 Safety Campaign Planned — “The Virginia State Police Fairfax and Culpepper Divisions will be conducting Operation DISS-rupt on all 76 miles of Interstate 66 in Virginia on Aug. 22-24, 2026. The traffic enforcement and educational safety initiative focuses on Distracted driving, Impaired driving, Speed compliance and Seat belt safety.” [Press release]

Rescue Task Force Returns From Earthquake — “Members of Virginia Task Force 1 (VA-TF1) received a heroes’ welcome home Thursday night, after ten days in Colombia … The team flew to Colombia to support the State Department’s response to the August 10 earthquake, where they helped with disaster coordination and structural engineering.” [DC News Now]

Contractor Files Notice of Layoffs — “Reston-based government technology contractor TekSynap expects to eliminate as many as 69 positions after work under two subcontracting programs comes to an end, according to a notice filed with the Virginia Works Rapid Response Program.” The company recently announced it will move its headquarters to a larger office at Reston Town Center. [Patch]

Police Seek Paisano’s Pizza Burglar — “Detectives from our Criminal Investigations Division are seeking the public’s assistance to identify a man who burglarized two Paisano’s Pizza locations in less than one week. Both incidents occurred around 4 a.m.,” first in Springfield on July 30 and then at a shop in Annandale on Aug. 4. [FCPD]

Study of Data Center Taxes Begins — “Virginia’s General Assembly convened its dormant Joint Subcommittee on Tax Policy on Wednesday for the first time since 2024, with the aim of implementing a consumption tax on data center operators and studying current exemptions for data centers and their impacts on communities.” [Cardinal News]

Fire Department Hands Out Backpacks — The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department “hosted its annual Backpack and School Supply Distribution at FS11, Penn Daw. Firefighters, retirees, and volunteers worked together to distribute 1,200 backpacks filled with school supplies to 45 schools and nonprofits throughout the county.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

New Member Joins Park Authority Board — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is pleased to announce that Ray Foote has been appointed by Braddock District Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer to represent” her district on the Park Authority Board. A county resident for 38 years, Foote “brings decades of nonprofit leadership, philanthropy and conservation experience to his new role.” [FCPA]

Cinema Supper Club in Vienna — “Hosted by Cozy District Cafe and sponsored by DMV Cater, the new immersive dining experience pairs food, film, and atmosphere to create a one-of-a-kind movie night.” Limited tickets are available for Cinema Supper Club’s next screenings of “Ratatouille” today and next Friday, Aug. 28, at Vienna Moose Lodge (9616 Courthouse Road). [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Friday — It will be mostly sunny with a high of 82°F. Night brings increasing clouds and a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms, especially after 2 a.m., with a low around 69°F. [NWS]

Victim of Fatal I-495 Crash Identified — Virginia State Police have identified the Toyota Camry driver killed in a two-vehicle crash on I-495 south of Braddock Road on Sunday (Aug. 15) as 68-year-old Hung Nhu Ong of Fairfax. The driver of a BMW in the crash, a 22-year-old man from Annandale, has been charged with driving under the influence. [DC News Now]

Governor Touts $2B Revenue Increase — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday highlighted Virginia’s financial wins in the fiscal year that ended in July,” including a $2.1 billion increase in general revenue funds and projections of an additional $600 million from a new energy consumption tax on data centers. The governor also acknowledged “significant impacts from federal shifts … most notably a loss of 43,600 jobs.” [Virginia Mercury]

Scrutiny of Flock Cameras Builds — “A nationwide debate over police surveillance technology has landed in the Washington region, as lawsuits, a looming Fairfax County protest and new state law collide over automated license plate readers, which are AI-powered cameras capable of tracking a vehicle’s movements.” [WUSA9]

A Look Inside New Skyview High School — “Fairfax County Public Schools didn’t have to start from scratch. The district acquired the building from the King Abdullah Academy, then spent about a year transforming it into a public high school. Now, Skyview is ready for students, with specialized spaces focused on aerospace, technology and robotics.” [WUSA9]

Packed House for Data Center Meeting — “Residents from eight ZIP codes packed a room in Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library Saturday (Aug. 15) to discuss concerns with the Plaza 500 data center plans just outside Alexandria city limits.” The Fairfax County Planning Commission is slated to hold a public hearing on an electrical substation to power the project on Sept. 24. [ALXnow]

Medicaid Eligibility Changes Coming — “Starting Oct. 1, 2026, Medicaid will have eligibility changes for non-citizen adults. Our Department of Family Services is committed to working to ensure that current Medicaid enrollees are aware of these changes and their impact.” The Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services is contacting individuals who could be affected by mail this month. [Fairfax County Government]

Funding Challenging for Volunteer Fire Departments — “There’s a financial crisis happening in many volunteer firehouses across the state: The costs of fire engines and other equipment have skyrocketed and the number of emergency calls has increased, while state funding has remained largely flat and funding from localities often can’t stretch to fill the gap.” [Cardinal News]

New Art Exhibit Planned at Reston Gallery — “Animals, plants and landscapes encountered by artist Rosemarie Forsythe in Virginia and around the world will be featured in a solo exhibition opening Sept. 5 at Reston Art Gallery and Studios. ‘Natural Wonders’ will run through Sept. 27 at the artists’ collective at Lake Anne Plaza.” [Patch]

It’s Thursday — Expect a high near 87°F and increasing clouds. There’s a 60% chance of rain throughout the day, with storms most likely from 3-11 p.m. At night, skies will be mostly cloudy with a low around 69°F. [NWS]

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