McLean Central Park has reopened to the public following a major revitalization project nearly two years in the making.
The upgrades include modernized playgrounds, a new pavilion, improved walkways and enhanced green spaces. While the Fairfax County Parking Authority is still finalizing a new donor wall, a grand reopening ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. this Saturday (Dec. 7).
Fairfax County leaders have a nearly $300 million budget gap to fill between now and the time the fiscal 2026 budget is adopted in springtime.
“We have a lot of work to do,” County Executive Bryan Hill said last Tuesday (Nov. 26) at an occasionally testy joint meeting between the county’s Board of Supervisors and School Board.
Fairfax County leaders have not given up hope that Northern Virginia will ultimately land the new FBI headquarters.
As part of their 2025 legislative package slated for adoption tomorrow (Tuesday), county supervisors are reiterating their call to put the facility in Springfield, rather than a parcel in Greenbelt, Maryland, that the federal government selected last year.
Tysons Corner Center Draws Crowds for Black Friday — “Shoppers flooded Tysons Corner Center Friday, causing typical traffic slowdowns and lines outside of several stores. In some cases, the lines began forming prior to 6 a.m.” For many local families, Black Friday at the mall has become a tradition. [DC News Now]
Burke Townhouse Fire Contained — Firefighters with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department managed to contain a townhouse fire in the 10200 block of Fern Pool Court on Saturday (Nov. 30) “to the end unit, preventing significant damage to neighboring properties. All occupants evacuated safely. No civilian or firefighter injuries.” [FCFRD/Facebook]
County Progresses Toward Affordable Housing Goal — “Fairfax County is making progress toward its goal of creating at least 10,000 affordable homes by 2034 … Tom Fleetwood, director of the county’s Department of Housing and Community Development, said the county’s approaching 35% of that goal with about 10 years to go.” [WTOP]
Police Search GMU Campus for Suspect — George Mason Police sent out an alert just before 9 p.m. on Saturday announcing that they were assisting in a search “for a wanted person” in the 4400 block of University Drive. A subsequent alert around 10:50 p.m. reported that the investigation had ended, but “no information was available about the nature of the investigation.” [Patch]
Virginia Could Elect First Female Governor — “Two women seem to have cleared the field for next year’s Republican and Democratic gubernatorial primaries. Rep. Abigail Spanberger has had the Democratic contest to herself since her lone competitor dropped out in April, while Winsome Earle-Sears’s long-anticipated rival for the GOP nod let it be known this month that he was taking a pass.” [Washington Post]
Church Street Stroll Returns to Vienna — Vienna’s annual Church Street Holiday Stroll will return tonight (Monday) with a tree lighting ceremony, visits with Santa, free marshmallow-roasting and, for the first time, a gingerbread decorating contest. “The merriment begins in front of the Freeman Store and Museum at the corner of Church and Mill streets on Monday, Dec. 2, from 6-8 p.m.” [Town of Vienna]
Ways to Help Kids in Annandale During Holiday Season — “For those of you who want to help the needy this holiday season, there are plenty of opportunities.” The Mason Police District Station is collecting toy and clothing donations, while the nonprofit New Hope Housing is seeking gift cards to Target, Walmart and grocery stores so residents can make needed purchases. [Annandale Today]
It’s Monday — Today will be sunny with a high near 38 and a northwest wind blowing 7 to 10 mph. Monday night will be mostly clear, with a low around 25 and a northwest wind at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]
The undefeated, top seed and host Madison Warhawks (13-0) rallied to down the second-seed and previously undefeated Washington-Liberty Generals, 48-21, Saturday (Nov. 30) in the 6D North Region football final in Vienna.
It is the team’s fifth straight region crown, all won at home, and sets the squad up to host the Lake Braddock Bruins Dec. 7 in the first round of the four-team state finals.
Fairfax County officials are working to get to know roughly 1,750 residents of the area’s eight manufactured homes better.
“We are really hoping to understand the needs,” Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development Affordable and Manufactured Housing Program Manager Ivana Escobar told the Board of Supervisors housing committee at a Tuesday (Nov. 26) meeting.
Vienna Little League (VLL) has a new accolade under its belt, thanks to one standout coach.
Josh Cilman, who coaches boys and girls at the league’s “Majors” level, has been named 2024 Coach of the Year by Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care, which operates 23 urgent care centers in Northern Virginia. Announced on Nov. 19, the award comes with a $2,000 donation that the VLL can use for supplies and other resources.
After a transformative election ousted most of Fairfax City Council’s experienced members, Mayor Catherine Read is pushing for election reforms to improve stability and representation.
Her plan includes adopting ranked-choice voting (RCV) and extending council terms to four years with staggered elections. Read says the changes are needed to prevent the kind of turnover seen this year, which she worries could disrupt long-term city projects.
Rideshare Startup Ordered to Halt D.C. Operations — The McLean-based startup Empower, which “markets itself as a cheaper, fairer alternative to Lyft and Uber,” was ordered to stop operating in D.C. by a D.C. Superior Court judge. The company could face contempt charges if it doesn’t comply and keeps providing rides to and from the District without registering with the city’s Department of For-Hire Vehicles. [Washington Post]
Reston Holiday Parade Returns Today — “The annual Reston Holiday Parade returns on Friday, November 29, 11:00 AM. Celebrating its 32nd year, the one-of-a-kind, one-hour, half-mile parade along Market Street also welcomes the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus in a horse-drawn carriage. Since 1992, rain or shine, the parade has been an annual tradition on the day after Thanksgiving.” [Reston Town Center]
Hot Chicken Restaurant Opens in Annandale — “Crimson Coward, a fast-casual restaurant featuring Nashville hot chicken, is expected to have a soft opening in Annandale on Black Friday, Nov. 29. The restaurant, located at 7004 Columbia Pike, features ‘the Crimson,’ a boneless chicken breast with Crimson sauce, slaw, and pickles in a brioche bun.” [Annandale Today]
Local TV Station May Have Pulled on Natural Gas Hazards — “It looks as if Washington Gas would very much prefer that people don’t read this new report from environmental advocates describing the health dangers of gas appliances they tested in the D.C. area. So much so that the company appears to have pressured local CBS affiliate WUSA9 into burying a story about the report that ran last week.” [Washington City Paper]
How McLean Got Its Name — “According to Chris Barbuschak, the Virginia Room archivist and librarian at the City of Fairfax Regional Library, the village that eventually became the suburban community of 50,000 was named after John Roll McLean, owner of The Washington Post, who acquired it in 1905. McLean was also president of Washington Gas Light Company and a director of two banks.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Falls Church Moving to Ease ADU Rules — “A majority of the 2,400 owners of single-family homes in Falls Church soon could be allowed to build standalone accessory-dwelling units (ADUs) with far less government oversight.” The city council agreed on Monday (Nov. 25) to start considering a policy change that would allow ADUs “by right” in low-density and medium-density residential neighborhoods. [ARLnow]
County EDA Donates to Food Drive — “Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) staff members proudly donated canned and other non-perishable food items through an annual food drive to Food for Others. This year, the FCEDA donated 2,335 pounds of food, and from 2021, staff members have donated 4,930 pounds to Food for Others.” [FCEDA]
Girls’ Wrestling Arrives as Varsity Sport in FCPS — With girls’ wrestling rolling out as a varsity sport this winter, students hope female participation in the sport will be more encouraged after some faced obstacles when the only option was coed teams dominated by boys. Justice High School girls’ wrestling coach Benjamin Alvarado expects to see eight to 10 wrestlers on the team. [WTOP]
It’s Friday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 47 degrees, accompanied by a west wind blowing at 5 to 11 mph and gusts up to 20 mph. The night will be mostly clear, with the temperature dropping to around 28 degrees, and a west wind persisting at 8 to 10 mph. [NWS]
The first major redesign of Metro’s bus operating network since the system’s founding in the early 1970s will help Fairfax County riders and those across the region, local transit leaders say.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) board of directors approved the Better Bus Network redesign last Thursday, Nov. 21. Two years in the making, the changes aim to create a more seamless, easy-to-understand system for riders that’s also more efficient for the transit agency.
