Fairfax County will break ground this month on a major rehabilitation of its Accotink Wastewater Pump Station.

The county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services approved a $71 million construction contract on July 3 that included the first-ever Project Labor Agreement (PLA) administered by a local government in Virginia, according to a press release.


The haze around Lake Anne Village Center’s future may soon begin to clear.

Fairfax County expects the final phase of its economic visioning study to conclude this fall with a final report and community meeting after a study conducted this summer looked at the Reston neighborhood’s residential market and potential to support new cultural facilities.


A U.S. flag hangs from a condo balcony at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston (staff photo)

Circuit Court Welcomes New Judge — “Patrick M. Blanch will be presented with his official commission as a Fairfax County Circuit Court judge on Friday, Sept. 20, at 4 p.m. at the Fairfax County Courthouse…The public is invited to attend the investiture ceremony.” Blanch officially joined the circuit court when he took his oath of office on April 1. [Fairfax County Government]

Reston Library Reopens to Public — “The Reston Regional Library welcomes you back…Doors open at 10 a.m., following 10 weeks of renovations that included upgraded lighting, refurbished bathrooms, a first-ever water bottle filling station and carpet replacements.” [Supervisor Walter Alcorn/Facebook]

Yoga Studio Coming to Belle View — “Belle View Shopping Center is now fully leased following the signing of a new tenant at a unit that was recently vacated. Jess Purtell Yoga, a yoga studio, will soon be opening at the space between Roy Rogers and GOLFTEC.” [On the MoVe]

Bailey’s Crossroads Community Center Renamed — “Descendants of Minnie Peyton, residents of the Springdale community, and Fairfax County officials cheered as a new sign was unveiled designating the Bailey’s Community Center as the Minnie H. Peyton Community Center at Bailey’s.” The renaming was celebrated at a ceremony on Saturday (Sept. 14). [Annandale Today]

Dance Studio to Open in Annandale — “International Dance anticipates opening in the former Treasure Trove spot in the Annandale Shopping Center in early October. The dance studio will offer lessons in ballet, tap, lyrical dance, jazz, modern dance, and Broadway dance for children ages 3 and above, teens, and adults.” [Annandale Today]

Reston Contractor Buys Fairfax IT Firm — “CACI…said early Monday that it would pay $1.275 billion in cash for Azure, a 17-year-old engineering firm that develops radio-frequency hardware and software for the Department of Defense. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025.” [Washington Business Journal]

Local Restaurant Chain Celebrates 50 Years — “When Randy Norton opened a tiny Fairfax City pizza restaurant in 1974, he had no idea he would one day become a restaurant tycoon…Norton is now celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ultra-successful dining chain he and wife Patsy built from the ground up — Great American Restaurants.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Parking Restrictions Approved Near Madison HS — “Trash, lawn damage and safety were among factors Fairfax County supervisors considered before unanimously agreeing Sept. 10 to expand the Madison Residential Permit Parking District (District 11)” to Carey Lane between Jerry Lane and Vale Road after residents reported “large numbers” of students parking there. [Gazette Leader]

It’s Tuesday — Expect cloudy conditions with a 50% chance of showers and a high near 75. Tuesday night will see a 60% chance of precipitation, including potential thunderstorms, with a low around 67. Rainfall amounts could range from a quarter to half an inch. [NWS]


A Herndon man has officially been charged with murder in connection to the 2023 deaths of his wife and another man at their home in the Frying Pan area.

Brendan Banfield, a former IRS criminal investigative agent, was indicted today (Monday) by a grand jury for his alleged involvement in the shooting and stabbing that killed Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan, a 39-year-old Springfield man, the Fairfax County Police Department and Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced.


Bad news for anyone who has already gotten roots in the ground: Fairfax County’s window for planting trees has shifted back following a record-hot summer.

Forest Conservation (FCON) staff in the county’s Department of Land Development Services (LDS) updated its policy this spring to designate Oct. 1 through May 31 as the recommended time frame for planting trees, pushing back the previous start date of Sept. 1 and extending it through the winter.


Fairfax Water still intends to build a bigger water tank in Poplar Heights, but the new facility might be less visible than the Idylwood neighborhood’s residents feared.

After being challenged at a lengthy public hearing in July, the water authority revised its lighting, landscaping and construction plans enough to win the Fairfax County Planning Commission’s support for the project last Wednesday (Sept. 11).


A 33-year-old woman was shot and killed by a Fairfax County police officer this morning (Monday) at the VY Reston Heights apartment building.

Officers were dispatched to the residences at 11830 Sunrise Valley Drive in Reston around 10:03 a.m. for a welfare check, according to the county’s police scanner. Officers reported “shots fired” at 10:17 a.m.


A multi-family housing development proposed in Fair Lakes took another step toward existence last week.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a comprehensive plan amendment on Tuesday, Sept. 10 that supports residential development and increased development intensity at a site that previously housed the Parkway Woods office building (12801 Fair Lakes Parkway).


Rush-hour traffic slowed to a crawl on the Capital Beltway (I-495) in McLean this morning (Monday), thanks to a truck crash.

All northbound lanes were shut down at Georgetown Pike around 7:30 a.m. due to a tractor-trailer crash, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. A video shared on Twitter showed the vehicle lying on its side across all lanes.


A skipper butterfly settles on pink flowers in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Pedestrian in Fatal Franconia Road Crash ID’d — Fairfax County police have identified the pedestrian killed in a hit-and-run crash on Franconia Road on Friday (Sept. 13) as 43-year-old Springfield resident Julio Cesar Pasassi. Crash Reconstruction Unit detectives are still working to identify and find the driver. [FCPD]

Lake Accotink to Be Temporarily Lowered — “The Fairfax County Park Authority plans to begin an assessment of the dam structure at Lake Accotink in mid-September. To carry out the study, the water level in the lake will be lowered by up to five feet, which is expected to expose the muddy lakebed in many areas.” [Annandale Today]

Police Focus on Trespassing Issues — “The Mount Vernon Police District’s new station commander, Maj. Matthew Luik, told attendees of the Mount Vernon Community Advisory Committee meeting Sept. 12 that the station is working with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to prevent trespassing at vacant parcels along the Richmond Highway Corridor.” [On the MoVe]

NHL Team Partners with Herndon Company — “The LA Kings have announced a new strategic, multi-year partnership with Herndon-based Iron Bow Technologies, which marks Iron Bow’s first official sports partnership in Los Angeles,” the team announced earlier this month. “Iron Bow’s logo will appear on the front of all the Kings’ away jerseys.” [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]

Eden Center Hosts Moon Festival — “This year, bakery owner Vinh Tran said they made more than 500 mooncakes in preparation for their busiest day of the year: the Eden Center’s Moon Festival celebration Saturday. The Vietnamese shopping center hosts the annual event to honor the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is celebrated in many Asian cultures.” [Washington Post]

Local Restauranteurs to Compete in Capital Food Fight — “The Capital Food Fight is back this fall for its 20th year, presenting an evening of great food with some of the region’s best chefs to support DC Central Kitchen in its mission to combat hunger.” Four chefs will engage in a competition at the Anthem in D.C. on Nov. 7, while over 60 restaurants hawk samples to attendees. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Latino Conservation Week Underway — “The Fairfax County Park Authority proudly honors the cultural contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities during Hispanic Heritage Month and Latino Conservation Week. Park enthusiasts are invited to join in celebrating the diverse traditions that have shaped our nation and local community — particularly within our parks.” [FCPA]

It’s Monday — Expect partly sunny skies and a high of 77 accompanied by an east wind at around 9 mph. Tonight, there’s a 50% chance of showers starting after 2 am, with cloudy conditions and a low of 66. [NWS]


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