Fairfax City Hall (staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)
Fairfax City voters will decide in November whether to approve a general retail sales tax increase of up to 1% that could generate up to $13.5 million to fund construction projects and long-term maintenance of the city’s schools.
The Fairfax City Council voted unanimously last Tuesday (July 14) to request that the Fairfax Circuit Court order a special election on Nov. 3 asking voters whether the city should levy the tax. Long sought by the city, the ability to implement the sales tax was authorized by the General Assembly’s new state budget late last month.
Reston Association CEO Peter Lusk can officially drop “acting” from his job title.
The RA board of directors unanimously voted to make Lusk its new permanent CEO, effective immediately, the homeowners’ association announced last Friday (July 17).
Richmond Highway sign (staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)
An Alexandria man has died from injuries he sustained while crossing Richmond Highway in the Hybla Valley area earlier this month, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
Julio Quintanilla, 61, was struck by a 2025 Toyota Corolla heading southbound in the 7900 block of Richmond Highway on July 3 around 8:06 p.m. He was taken to the hospital, and though his injuries were initially believed to be non-life-threatening, the Medical Examiner’s Office informed police on Saturday (July 18) that Quintanilla had died.
A deer crosses the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in Vienna in front of a jogger (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Banfield Appeals Murder Conviction — “Brendan Banfield, the Northern Virginia man convicted of killing his wife and a stranger in an elaborate plot to be with the family’s au pair, filed notice he will appeal his murder conviction and life sentence. Banfield’s attorneys filed the notice Friday to the Court of Appeals of Virginia, court records show.” [NBC4]
Lorton Man Charged in Fatal Pedestrian Crash — “Nearly three months after a woman was killed crossing the street in Old Town North, a Lorton man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and failure to yield to a pedestrian causing death.” [ALXnow]
Fairfax Starts Phasing Out Pennies — “Fairfax County, Virginia, leaders [last] week approved a plan to round cash transaction totals up or down to the nearest nickel, a step that comes in response to the lack of new penny coins being produced … The change comes after the U.S. Mint stopped making new pennies last November.” [WTOP]
Kevin Bacon Visits GMU as Volunteer — Actor Kevin Bacon “stepped on to the campus of George Mason University Sunday to volunteer with his nonprofit, appropriately called ‘SixDegrees.Org’ … About 100 volunteers packed about 35,000 meal kits that will be distributed in Fairfax County.” [NBC4]
Driver Injured in I-495 Crash — “Virginia State Police (VSP) said a driver was seriously injured after a crash on Interstate 495 on Friday afternoon. According to a VSP spokesperson, the crash happened around 3 p.m. on I-495’s southbound lanes near Route 29 in Fairfax County” after a tractor-trailer appears to have “failed to slow down enough for upcoming traffic.” [DC News Now]
Child Care Center Approved for Lincolnia — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on July 14 approved a zoning special exception for a childcare center on Fairland Street, Lincolnia, next to the Braddock Road intersection, to serve up to 50 children. The applicant and property owner, Deyi Awadallah, initially requested that the center accommodate up to 99 children.” [Annandale Today]
Fairfax City Reviews Zoning Rules — “A proposal intended to bring Fairfax City’s zoning rules in line with its small area plans prompted a broader City Council debate Tuesday over building heights, residential density and the pace of development. The second draft would establish an Activity Center Zoning District for properties in Northfax, Fairfax Circle, Kamp Washington, Old Town Fairfax and Pickett and Main.” [Patch]
Praise for Puerto Rican Restaurant in McLean — “Three years on, Pikoteo is still serving smoked meats, creative appetizers, and chalkboard specials every day. Tucked into a quiet back street near downtown McLean, it’s no surprise the restaurant remains largely undiscovered — even by many locals. But that’s a shame. There aren’t many places left where a pair of diners can share three delightful courses for less than $100.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
New Legal Notice — Applicant seeks ABC brewery license; objections due in 30 days. [Public Notices]
It’s Monday — The weather will be mostly sunny today, with a high of around 85°F. Expect light winds that will shift to the south at about 6 mph in the morning. Overnight, there is a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 a.m., with increasing cloudiness and a low of around 70°F. Winds will be from the south at 5 to 8 mph. [NWS]
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity (screenshot via Fairfax County)
Democratic members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors again blocked efforts on Tuesday (July 14) by Springfield District’s Pat Herrity to designate an autumn day as “Church Heritage Recognition Day.”
Herrity, the 10-member body’s lone Republican, failed to get the necessary seconding motion required to take up consideration of his proposal to recognize Nov. 21 as Fairfax County Church Heritage Recognition Day, which he has unsuccessfully championed for several years.
Wildfire smoke around the Reston Town Center Metro station (via Fairfax County government/X)
Hazardous air quality levels due to wildfire smoke have been reported in the D.C. region, prompting cancellations of outdoor activities across Fairfax County.
Early this morning (Friday), the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) issued a Code Purple Air Quality Advisory for the region after conditions considered “very unhealthy” for everyone were recorded in D.C., Northern Virginia and parts of suburban Maryland by 9 a.m.
Walking paths have added for the new Sunset Station neighborhood on American Dream Way in Reston (courtesy Wheelock Communities)
The transformation of Fannie Mae’s former office campus in Reston into a residential community is progressing rapidly.
Construction has been completed on the first townhouse building in Sunset Station, the new neighborhood at 11600 American Dream Way, developer Wheelock Communities announced this week, noting that residents have now moved into those eight units.
The future terminals envisioned by the Dulles Airport master plan adopted in July 2025 (via MWAA)
The public may soon get a look at the multi-billion-dollar expansion proposal for Dulles International Airport.
Jack Potter, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), said Wednesday (July 15) that the internal plan had passed an important milestone.
Capital Beltway toll lane ramps to and from Route 29 in Merrifield (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
More Heat, Smoke and Storms Expected — “Fairfax County residents face a mix of weather hazards over the next several days. Smoke from Canadian wildfires is reducing air quality now, and forecasters expect heat and severe thunderstorms to build in by the weekend.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]
Nonprofit Youth Programs Shut Down — “Second Story, a nonprofit that serves youths and families in underserved areas, learned with very little notice that four of its programs were at risk of closing on July 1 ‘due to unexpected interruptions to long-standing funding sources,’ said Chief Executive Officer Jade Leedham. Second Story was able to save the Culmore Teen Center, at least temporarily, thanks to donations, but shut down the Safe Youth Projects in Culmore, Annandale, and Springfield.” [Annandale Today]
Dominion Officially Files for Merger — “Dominion Energy on Wednesday submitted their official arguments to the State Corporation Commission to allow the utility to merge with the Florida-based NextEra … The SCC now has six months to review the arguments, hear testimony from both sides and make a decision on if the merger will succeed.” [Virginia Mercury]
New Acting U.S. Attorney Appointed — Former Arlington Commonwealth’s Attorney Theo “Stamos has been appointed first assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. With the U.S. Attorney position currently vacant, she also will serve as acting U.S. Attorney until the post is filled permanently.” [ARLnow]
Youngkin Joins Tysons Company — “Virginia’s former Gov. Glenn Younkin has made a return to the private sector. Youngkin has joined Tysons-based company Red Cell LLC as a partner, chairman, and board member … Youngkin’s appointment at Red Cell follows months of speculation about his future plans, including whether he would return to politics.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Dominion Faces Data Center Connection Backlog — “For years, the number of data centers asking for connection dates from Dominion Energy had been a secret … Now a State Corporation Commission hearing has parted the curtain. What it revealed surprised and infuriated the one dozen data center companies, citizens, and environmental groups that participated.” [Prince William Times]
Negative Approval Rating for Spanberger — “The Summer 2026 Commonwealth Poll, released Wednesday by Virginia Commonwealth University’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, found 44% of registered voters approve of the job Spanberger is doing as governor, while 47% disapprove. Nine percent said they were unsure. Voters cited economic concerns as their top issue.” [Virginia Scope]
National Ice Cream Day Deals in Fairfax — Moo Thru’s Herndon and Burke locations will celebrate National Ice Cream Day this Sunday (July 19) with 10% discounts on all sales. Meanwhile, Dolcezza will mark that occasion and its 22nd anniversary by offering free scoops of its limited-edition Chocotorta gelato on Tuesday, July 21 from 5-7 p.m. at all locations, including the Mosaic District.
It’s Friday — This afternoon, expect widespread smoke mainly after 2 p.m., with mostly sunny skies and a high near 92°F. Tonight, there is a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 a.m., along with widespread smoke. Conditions will be partly cloudy with a low around 74°F. [NWS]
