Superintendent Michelle Reid presents her 2025-2026 opening of schools report to the Fairfax County School Board (via FCPS/YouTube)
The new school year is just over a month in, but several Fairfax County School Board members are still thinking about a summer break that some families have lamented was too short.
“Something has to change,” Mason District Representative Ricardy Anderson said at the Sept. 25 board meeting.
ICE protest in Chantilly (staff photo by Vernon Miles)
Conditions at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Chantilly have improved in recent weeks, four of Northern Virginia’s federal legislators say.
Sen. Mark Warner, as well as Reps. James Walkinshaw, Suhas Subramanyam and Don Beyer, visited the facility last Friday (Sept. 26) “after a month of attempting to gain access.”
Fairfax County police and other first responders block Cedar Lane at the W&OD Trail crossing in Dunn Loring after a crash on Sept. 28, 2025 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Two bicyclists were injured on the same day in separate crashes at Washington & Old Dominion Trail crossings in Fairfax County.
Officers were first dispatched on Sunday (Sept. 28) around 10:28 a.m. to the 2300 block of Cedar Lane in Dunn Loring for a crash involving “a vehicle versus a bicyclist,” according to scanner traffic. A dispatcher told responders that a medic would be required.
Fairfax County police car with lights flashing (file photo)
A Fairfax man has been charged after accidentally firing a gun inside a Legato residence, killing a woman.
Richard Huynh, 31, was apparently securing his firearm in a gun box on the third floor of a home on Friday (Sept. 26) when the weapon discharged, the Fairfax County Police Department says.
An outdoor seating area for The PARC at Tysons is decorated for fall (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
More Scrutiny for FCPS Over Abortion Allegations — “The U.S. Department of Education ordered Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to investigate claims that a school social worker helped a high school student get an abortion during the 2021-2022 school year … FCPS already launched its own internal investigation and hired an outside law firm to investigate. On Aug. 13, 2025, Gov. Glenn Youngkin asked Virginia State Police to investigate as well.” [NBC4]
What Happens if Federal Government Shuts Down — “Much of the federal government is on the verge of shutting down if Congress does not reach a deal to approve new funding by Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 … There have been 14 shutdowns since 1980, with the most recent coming in 2018. That shutdown lasted 34 days.” [CBS News]
Reston Native Marries Selena Gomez — “On Sunday, actress and singer Selena Gomez married record producer and Reston native Benny Blanco at a private ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, announcing the news in an Instagram post showing the couple kissing and embracing on a lawn.” [Patch]
McLean Old Firehouse Finishes Renovations — “Community leaders, teenage residents, parents, and F.H. Paschen representatives gathered on Sept. 20 to mark the completion of critical ADA-related renovations at the Old Firehouse Center (OFC), a facility operated by the McLean Community Center (MCC).” [Press release]
Replacement of Falls Church Motel Progresses — “Plans to open a new restaurant and beer garden at the site of a closed Falls Church motel are nearing completion. After months of demolition and construction, Stratford Garden is beginning to materialize at 300 W. Broad Street, where the Stratford Motor Lounge closed in 2021.” [ARLnow]
Local Greek Restauranteurs Eye Expansion — Eleni and Angelo Linardakis, who run Spartans in Burke and Olympians in Newington, are planning to open a new, fast-casual concept called Go GRK at Crosspointe Shopping Center in Fairfax Station. Aiming to launch the restaurant around November or December, the couple say it will have a “consolidated” menu focused on their Greek specialties. “So, no pizza, but plenty of chicken souvlaki, Greek salads, pita sandwiches and gyro fries.” [Washington Business Journal]
Mason District Restaurant Week Planned — “Fourteen restaurants in the Annandale/Mason area will participate in Mason District Restaurant Week Oct. 20-26. This year’s theme is ‘Eat Around the World.’ Some of the restaurants have already announced specials for Restaurant Week; the others will be doing so soon.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Tuesday — Expect a cloudy day with highs near 77°F and a northeast wind at 5 to 8 mph. Tuesday night will be mostly cloudy as well, with lows around 59°F and a north wind at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]
Tavon Ferguson, Tennida Ferguson and Tavon Lang (photos via FCPD)
Three different people are facing criminal charges in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred earlier this month in Woodlawn.
According to police, Jaylin Hartless, a 21-year-old Alexandria resident, was found with gunshot wounds to his upper body on Sept. 19 after officers responded to the 3400 block of Buckman Road around 4:45 a.m. for a report of someone breaking into a vehicle.
Space Shuttle Discovery on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
The federal government could shut down this week, barring a last-minute compromise between Democratic and Republican Congressional leaders on a new budget.
While Democrats have singled out extending health care benefits as their top priority in the ongoing negotiations, Virginia’s senators are also looking to secure the Space Shuttle Discovery’s future at the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly.
Police activity on I-495 near South Van Dorn Street after a fiery crash on Sept. 29, 2025 (via traffic cam/SafetyVid)
A call to address an apparent race on the Capital Beltway (I-495) turned into a lifesaving operation for the Virginia State Police last night (Sunday).
According to the VSP, its troopers were dispatched around 10:52 p.m. for a report of “multiple vehicles driving recklessly” near southbound I-495 and Braddock Road in the Springfield area.
School buses lined up at South County High School (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Fairfax County Public Schools has managed to significantly reduce its bus driver vacancies, which in turn is bumping up on-time rates.
As part of her “Opening of Schools” report, Superintendent Michelle Reid reported last Thursday (Sept. 25) that 96% of bus routes were completed on time to start the current school year — a figure that astounded some School Board members.
A Vienna Police Department SUV with its lights on (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
A resident of the Vienna Park Apartments was arrested last week after allegedly pursuing his roommate while holding a machete.
Officers were called to the 100 block of Patrick Street SE at 8:16 p.m. on last Monday (Sept. 22) for a “report of a man chasing his roommate with a machete,” the Town of Vienna Police Department said in its most recent weekly crime round-up.