News

Capital Bikeshare to Raise Prices — “Capital Bikeshare announced Monday (June 30) that it will increase prices across all membership tiers starting August 1, marking the first price adjustment since 2021 as the bike-sharing system grapples with unprecedented ridership growth and rising operational expenses.” [ALXnow]

Arrests in Online Predator Operation — “An undercover operation by the Fairfax County Police Department’s Child Exploitation Unit ended with 16 men in handcuffs — all accused of sexually soliciting a minor … The men caught, ages 20-65, face more than 80 felony charges combined,” police announced yesterday (Wednesday). [WUSA9]

Man Released From ICE Detention — “A Salvadoran father who was arrested by Alexandria police and handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spoke out after spending nearly two months in a detention center.” The man’s lawyer says a judge issued an arrest warrant for the man after he failed to appear for a Fairfax County court hearing for a domestic case that has since closed. [NBC4]

Family Claims Antisemitism at Herndon School — “A new complaint filed with the Virginia Attorney General’s office alleges three students were kicked out of [Nysmith School for the Gifted] in Herndon. Their parents allege it happened after their children–all under the age of 11– were subjected to antisemitic bullying.” [WJLA]

Reality TV Star Realtor Makes Move on McLean — “Luxury residential real estate brokerage Serhant, whose listings from New York to Florida top out as high as $80 million, has entered the D.C. market, snagging a team of top McLean agents.” The New York-based firm comes from Ryan Serhant, who is starring in “Owning Manhattan” on Netflix and previously led Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing New York” for nine seasons. [Washington Business Journal]

N. Va. Newspapers Adapt to Digital Age — “Some Northern Virginia newspaper publishers are taking creative chances to retain a viable print presence in an industry where online news is increasingly dominant.” Rappahannock Media, whose publications include Inside NoVA, seeks to balance paper and online offerings, while Loudoun Now recently turned into a nonprofit. [ARLnow]

Turtle Gets Help Crossing Reston Road — “The crew from FS25, Reston, A-shift were a bit shell-shocked to see a turtle trying to cross Sunset Hills Rd near Reston Parkway. Acting quickly, the crew stopped and helped the turtle safely cross the road. FF Ben Welty posed with the grateful reptile before each continued on their way.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Loudoun Considers ‘Tiny’ Housing — “Loudoun County — perpetually dubbed the wealthiest county in the U.S. based on median household income — is exploring how a tiny home community might provide affordable housing. In a Monday Board of Supervisors business meeting, Board Chair Phyllis Randall expressed excitement at the possibility of helping low and moderate income people afford homes.” [WTOP]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny conditions with a high around 89. Tonight will be mostly clear with a low near 68. For Independence Day, the weather will remain sunny, reaching a high near 87 accompanied by a north wind at around 6 mph. [NWS]

Firefighter Injured in Tysons Fire — “At 3:05 p.m. [Tuesday], #FCFRD responded to reports of a townhouse fire in the 8100 block of Madrillon Court in the Tysons area. Units arrived to find fire showing from the roof of multiple townhouses. A second alarm was requested. The fire is under control. No civilian injuries. One firefighter was transported with non life-threatening injuries.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Senate Passes Federal Budget Bill — “Virginia’s two Democratic senators voted against a Republican budget package that passed the Senate Tuesday morning in a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote after an all-night session.” Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner say thousands of Virginians will lose health insurance coverage under the bill. [ALXnow]

Budget Bill Would Move Space Shuttle — “Texas lawmakers have added legislation to the One Big, Beautiful Bill that, if passed, would move the Space Shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center to Houston.” Kaine filed an amendment to nix the $85 million needed for the shuttle to be transported from its current home in Chantilly. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Science Center Construction Underway — The Northern Virginia Science Center, a long-planned, 70,000-square-foot interactive science museum in Dulles, broke ground in March. Expected to finish construction in 2027, the facility is a partnership between the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond and the Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation, the nonprofit that runs the Children’s Science Center at Fair Oaks Mall. [Washington Business Journal]

Beyer: More AI Regulation Needed — “Rep. Don Beyer warns that AI could have significant negative consequences if not regulated and lauded the promise of fusion energy at a recent forum hosted by the Democratic Business Council of Northern Virginia … Beyer is working on a master’s degree in machine learning at George Mason University, which is informing his work in Congress on the issue.” [Annandale Today]

Fourth of July Safety Tips — “Many of us are getting ready to celebrate with barbecues, fireworks and outdoor fun. But this popular holiday also brings some serious safety risks that you need to know about. From dangerous heat to firework injuries, here’s what you need to watch out for this Independence Day weekend.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Meetings Coming on Gallows Road Plan — “Long-term recommendations from a Gallows Road study will be presented at two meetings held by the Fairfax County Department of Transportation in July.” An initial meeting on the road’s north and middle segments is planned at Kilmer Middle School on Tuesday, July 15, while one focused on the southern segment will be held on July 17 at Woodburn Elementary School. [Patch]

It’s Wednesday — Showers and thunderstorms likely before noon, followed by a slight chance after 5pm. Clouds will gradually clear, reaching a high near 84. The chance of precipitation is 60%, with possible higher amounts in thunderstorms. Wednesday night will be mostly clear with a low of 69. [NWS]