Fairfax Arms building (photo via Fairfax County Park Authority)
As Northern Virginia continues to grapple with the limited supply and high cost of housing, a pair of 18th and 19th-century taverns that were later converted into homes could present an unique opportunity for some preservation-minded residents.
An interactive map showing draft scenarios for Fairfax County Public Schools' 2024-2026 boundary review (via FCPS)
As Fairfax County Public Schools continues to work through a sweeping redistricting process, the school board decided to revisit its policy on how the upcoming changes will be implemented.
Led by Mason District Representative Ricardy Anderson, the Fairfax County School Board voted unanimously this Thursday (July 17) to revise the phasing policy that guides which students are affected by boundary adjustments.
A temporary library for Vienna is under construction at the Cedar Park Shopping Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
A new library is taking shape in Vienna, though services in the town will remain limited.
Fairfax County Public Library will open a temporary branch in the Cedar Park Shopping Center next Monday, July 21, about a month later than originally anticipated as a result of some permitting delays.
Isaac Newton Square development plan for blocks N1, N3 and W3 (via LandDesign/Fairfax County)
A developer is finalizing plans for more housing in Isaac Newton Square, though construction on a previously approved residential building has yet to begin.
Tri Pointe Homes, the builder behind the new townhouses under construction at Lake Anne, hopes to construct up to 143 townhomes across three blocks of Isaac Newton Square, an office park in Reston that has been slated for an extensive, mixed-use redevelopment since 2019.
Sunlight peeking through clouds over Merrifield (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Storm Floods Fairfax County Roadways — “In Fairfax County, Virginia, flash flooding and runoff caused creeks to spill over roadways, such as U.S. Route 50 between Prosperity Avenue and Cedar Lane.” Videos shared on social media showed drivers mired in high water in McLean and the frequently flooded Besley and Old Courthouse Road intersection in Wolf Trap. [WTOP]
More on Herndon v. Comstock Lawsuit — The Town of Herndon alleges in a complaint filed in Fairfax County Circuit Court last Friday (July 11) that Comstock Companies is declining to return the downtown property it was slated to redevelop in an effort to get the town to cover certain costs. The developer hasn’t responded to requests for comment. [FFXnow]
Va. Turns to A.I. to Reduce Regulations — “The new AI pilot, officials say, is a first-of-its-kind effort at the state level. The technology will comb through existing regulations and guidance documents to flag conflicting language, suggest clearer phrasing, and help agencies that haven’t already met” the 25% benchmark set by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. [Virginia Mercury]
N. Va. Economic Challenges Could Ripple Through State — “An office complex in Fairfax County recently changed hands, and taxpayers across rural Virginia ought to be alarmed … If Northern Virginia’s economy stalls, that’s less money to Richmond and less going out to rural localities, which means if those places want better schools, they’d have to raise their local taxes.” [Cardinal News]
Ramp Closures on I-66 — “Weather permitting, the I-66 and Fairfax County Parkway (Route 286) interchange will have nighttime ramp closures for paving Tuesday night, July 15, through Thursday night, July 17, and Sunday night, July 20, through Wednesday night, July 23 … Drivers are asked to follow posted detour signs.” [VDOT]
Local Couple Marries in Arlington Library — “Over the weekend, Fairfax couple Katie Lettie and Vincent Bauer exchanged vows inside the library after winning a contest for a free, all-inclusive wedding. And no, this wasn’t a private affair as hundreds of community members showed up to watch love take center stage between the stacks.” [WUSA9]
Costs Rise for Falls Church Road Project — “An 82% increase in estimated costs has led Falls Church officials to rethink plans to improve a key city byway. As a result, it appears likely that transportation and stormwater improvements along Lincoln Avenue will be phased in over time.” [ARLnow]
Area Teen Trains for American Ninja Warrior — “I was at Baron’s ninja gym — Vertex Labs Academy, a low-slung warehouse space in a Lorton industrial park — where he’d set up an obstacle course, a baby version of the ones on the show. There would be jumping and hanging and swinging and leaping. I wasn’t sure I could do any of it at all.” [Washingtonian]
It’s Tuesday — The weather will be mostly cloudy, reaching a high of approximately 87°F. There’s a 70% chance of precipitation. For Tuesday night, temperatures will drop to around 74°F under mostly cloudy skies, with a 60% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
Traffic backed up on I-495 to Georgetown Pike during storm (via VDOT traffic camera)
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has rescued a group of hikers who got stuck at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve during the storm that just passed through Northern Virginia.
According to scanner traffic, rescue and swift water rescue units were dispatched to the park off of Georgetown Pike around 6:23 p.m., as a thunderstorm dropped a deluge of rain on northern Fairfax County.
Development plan documents (via Pedro Miranda/Unsplash)
Fairfax County planning officials say they have the resources to meet new, stricter turnaround requirements for submissions by property developers.
“We’ve already changed our process. We’re in compliance,” Jerry Stonefield, a Land Development Services staff member, told the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at a land use policy committee meeting last Tuesday (July 8).
Clockwise from top left: budget anlyst Andy Pavord, Braddock Supervisor James Walkinshaw, Sen. Saddam Salim, Del. Vivian Watts
Fairfax County Democrats are going on the offensive over the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” calling the legislation a “betrayal” that will hurt Virginians.
Speaking last Thursday (July 10) at a virtual roundtable, three local lawmakers took aim at the nearly 1,000-page budget reconciliation bill, which was signed into law on July 4.
Virginia unemployment rate from June 2023 through May 2025 (via Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement)
Federal workforce cuts implemented by the Trump administration and, as of July 8, enabled by the U.S. Supreme Court have helped drive the number of unemployed Fairfax County residents to heights not seen in nearly four years.
Reston Association's Lake Audubon pool house in the fall (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Reston Association is reviewing the state of its many recreational facilities, and so far, it’s encouraged by the results.
An initial conditions assessment completed in May found that the five oldest swimming pools all need varying levels of maintenance or repair work, but none of them have deteriorated to the point where they need to be fully replaced.