An electronic voting ballot marking device for people with disabilities (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
The Fairfax County School Board recently passed a resolution affirming its support for a possible 1% sales tax to fund its $400 million backlog of maintenance and capital improvement projects.
In light of the new state budget adopted by the Virginia General Assembly late last month allowing local jurisdictions to increase their sales tax rate up to 1% to support education and transportation, the school board voted unanimously on July 9 to ask the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to place the issue before voters as a referendum during a general election.
Volunteers are using vehicle rooftop sensors to collect data for the Northern Virginia Urban Heat Island Mapping Project (courtesy Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions)
On another hot, muggy summer day, dozens of volunteers are fanning out across Northern Virginia to find the region’s hottest neighborhoods.
The “Urban Heat Island Mapping Project,” led by George Mason University’s Virginia Climate Center and the local nonprofit Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions (FACS), involves more than 30 teams with at least two volunteer scientists each measuring temperatures and humidity at different locations.
A Fairfax County police SUV with lights on (file photo)
Fairfax County police are asking for the public’s help to find information on a near-deadly assault on a man in the Idylwood area that occurred earlier this month.
Officers responded to the 3000 block of Graham Road in West Falls Church for a report of a suspicious event on July 5 around 11:30 a.m. When they arrived, they found an adult man “suffering from several injuries throughout his body,” police said yesterday (Wednesday) in a press release.
A Metro train passing the Haden apartments in Tysons (staff photo)
Wildfire Smoke Enters D.C. Region — “Wildfires burning in parts of Minnesota and western Ontario, Canada, are sending thick plumes of smoke toward the eastern United States.” Smoke concentrations “may increase modestly in the DC area, especially across northern Maryland,” today. An Code Orange air quality alert has been issued for Northern Virginia. [Capital Weather]
Supervisor Charged With Reckless Driving — “Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez has been charged with reckless driving for going 104 miles per hour in a 70-mph zone. Jimenez is scheduled to appear in the Fairfax County General District Court on July 20, 9:30 a.m. The traffic stop, by Virginia State Police trooper Alex Pak, occurred on May 5.” [Annandale Today]
Diarrhea-Causing Parasite Cases Reported in N. Va. — “Ten cases of cyclosporiasis were reported in Virginia between the start of the year and June 6, including four in Northern Virginia, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health. That’s compared to a year-to-date average of 6.6 cases statewide.” [ARLnow]
FCPD Expands Use of AI Tech — “Following a pilot program, Fairfax County police are using AI-equipped body cameras to translate 57 languages … Fairfax also uses AI to assist 911, handling transcriptions and deploying drones to incidents. In some cases, the AI deploys a drone to a scene and the drone pilot has eyes on an incident before officers can arrive in person.” [NBC4]
DOJ Bid for Va. Voter Rolls Dismissed — “A U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit seeking Virginia to hand over its voter rolls to the federal government has been tossed out by a federal judge … The ruling found that the Civil Rights Act does not require Virginia to provide the federal government with unredacted voter rolls.” [ALXnow]
Nightlife Spot Taking Over Chantilly Bob Evans — “An interesting new restaurant and lounge is in the works for the Route 50 corridor in Chantilly.” Taking over the former Bob Evans building at 14050 Thunderbolt Plaza after plans for Raising Cane’s fell through, Neat High Fidelity Indian Lounge will offer “elevated Indian flavors, handcrafted cocktails and magnetic nightlife,” owner Kishan Bikki says. [The Burn]
Reston Student’s Book Shared With County Board — At the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday (July 14), Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn distributed “copies of a book written and illustrated by Lake Anne Elementary School fourth-grader Amaya Samba” with his colleagues. “The small booklet, titled ‘My Mindful Minis,’ was created by Samba to help children and adults manage stress and anxiety.” [Hunter Mill District Office]
D.C. Cracking Down on Ticket Scalpers — “The DC Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to pass the Restricting Egregious Scalping Against Live Entertainment (RESALE) Act, which implements key protections for consumers when buying tickets for live music and theatre. In effect: concert’s tickets should get a lot cheaper.” [Washingtonian]
It’s Thursday — Expect patchy smoke from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with mostly sunny and hot conditions, reaching a high near 100°F and a heat index up to 104°F. Night will be partly cloudy with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m., followed by patchy smoke. The low will be around 76°F. [NWS]
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The Fairfax County School Board discusses new school year calendars on July 9, 2026 (screenshot via FCPS)
The Fairfax County School Board recently voted to confirm calendars for the 2027-28 and 2028-29 school years that emphasize full five-day instructional weeks, while preserving a full week of spring break and two full weeks of winter break.
Superintendent Michelle Reid proposed calendars last Thursday (July 9) that maintain the 180 instructional days required by Virginia law and follow extensive parameters passed by the board earlier this summer. The school board adopted the proposal on a 10-1 vote.
The wreckage of a smashed bus shelter on Burke Road near Peppercorn Drive after a June 22, 2026 thunderstorm (staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)
Fairfax County supervisors have taken a step to ease the burden of Burke-area families impacted by last month’s microburst.
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously yesterday (Tuesday) to waive costs for homeowners depositing debris at the I-66 Transfer Station or I-95 Landfill through July 29.
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid's preliminary recommendation for western high school boundary adjustments to accommodate the new Skyview High School (via FCPS)
Not everyone is happy with the proposed attendance boundaries for the new Skyview High School, as Fairfax County Public Schools looks to finalize its plans this week.
The Fairfax County School Board held a public hearing on the proposed boundaries on Monday (July 13) and plans to vote on them at its meeting tomorrow (Thursday).
Town of Herndon police and the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department respond to a crash that injured a teen bicyclist on Dranesville Road at Worchester Street in Herndon (via Herndon Police/X)
A teenage bicyclist was injured this morning (Wednesday) after being struck by a driver on Dranesville Road in Herndon.
Units with the Town of Herndon Police Department and the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were dispatched to the Dranesville and Worchester Street intersection shortly before 10 a.m. for the crash, according to emergency scanner traffic.
Rendering of Highcrest's proposed residential redevelopment of 6816 and 6824 Elm Street in McLean (via KTGY/Fairfax County)
Another developer is circling older office buildings in downtown McLean as a prime spot for new housing.
The D.C.-based home builder Highcrest has proposed redeveloping the low-lying offices at 6816 and 6824 Elm Street with a single mixed-use building that could include 115 residential units as well as some retail and office space.
Tree branches hang over Anderson Road in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Update — The dissolution of the Fairfax County Tree Commission and replacement of the Environmental Quality Advisory Council with a county environmental commission were approved on Aug. 25 with 9-1 and unanimous votes, respectively.
Earlier: The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on Aug. 25 to consider eliminating the Fairfax’s Tree Commission and consolidating some of its responsibilities with those of the Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC).
