A woman is fighting for her life in a hospital after a man shot her in a car parked at Mount Vernon Plaza in Hybla Valley on Saturday (Aug. 12).

Fairfax County police officers were called to the shopping center in the 7700 block of Richmond Highway at 3:49 p.m. that day in response to the reported shooting.


Victims in Fatal Friday Crashes Identified — Fairfax County police have identified a pedestrian killed on Kirby Road on Friday morning (Aug. 11) as 86-year-old Brigitte Forster of McLean and a man who died after a three-vehicle crash on Arlington Blvd in Merrifield as “Paul Hession, 85, of the Churchill neighborhood.” Police also provided more details of a crash that shut down Route 50 that day near Fair Oaks Mall. [FCPD 1, 2, 3]

County Sticks With Contractor for Meals on Wheels — After previously relying on volunteers for the program, which delivers meals to seniors and people who are homebound, Fairfax County started “engaging a contractor to drop meals on a more limited once per week schedule” during the pandemic. At least one volunteer leader hopes Virginia will reject the county’s plan to keep using a contractor and the reduced schedule. [DCist]


(Updated at 2:10 p.m.) The Town of Herndon is once again exploring ways to reinvigorating the town’s rebranding efforts.

At an Aug. 2 meeting, Herndon Town Council member Cesar del Aguila said a rebranding of the town is necessary because the current branding is overdue, confusing and not aligned with the council’s desired outcomes.


(Updated at 6:30 p.m. on 8/13/2023) An 85-year-old man died Friday (Aug. 11) after getting seriously injured in a three-vehicle crash on Arlington Blvd (Route 50) in Merrifield.

Paul Hession, a resident of the Churchill neighborhood in the McLean area, was a passenger in a 2015 Toyota Camry that was turning left from westbound Arlington Blvd to Stonehurst Drive around 11:44 a.m. on Friday, the Fairfax County Police Department said in a news release on Saturday (Aug. 12).


Updated at 6:40 p.m. on 8/13/2023 — Fairfax County police have determined that the crash on Route 50 started when the driver of a 2007 Jeep Laredo rear-ended a 2023 Lexus. The driver then hit a Land Rover and a guardrail, drove across the grass median and went airborne, striking a 2009 Ford U-Haul Truck.

The Jeep and U-Haul drivers were hospitalized with injuries initially considered life-threatening, but their condition has since been changed to non-life-threatening.


Lake Anne and Lake Audubon in Reston are now clear of harmful algae that bloomed on the surface of the lakes last week.

Reston Association staff had reported “potentially harmful” algae in both lakes. Staff worked with an environmental contractor to determine if Lake Audubon was clear of the algae Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 9). Lake Anne was previously reported as safe.


Updated at 6:15 p.m. on 8/13/2023The pedestrian in Friday morning’s crash was 86-year-old Brigitte Forster of McLean, Fairfax County police say.

The driver of the 2009 Toyota Sienna that hit her was turning left onto northbound Kirby Road from the Sylvestry at Vinson Hall parking lot when they “cut the turn short and entered the southbound lanes,” according to the police.


Crane Removal May Affect GMU Area Traffic — “This Saturday, August 12, beginning at 9:00 a.m., contractors will be removing a crane from the central portion of the One University building site adjacent to the George Mason University campus…The removal will take several hours and will block the northern curb lane on University Drive just west of Route 123, near Mason’s Field House.” [The Walkinshaw Advisory]

Metro Train Operator Fired After Stranding Riders — “Metro is requiring supervisors to conduct checks on train operators working split shifts after an intoxicated operator left passengers stranded for 40 minutes last year…The commission released a report on the incident, which occurred Dec. 23 and resulted in Metro firing the operator, Metro spokeswoman Sherri Ly said.” [Washington Post]


A Restonian is changing how pizza is made with a new Iron Dome Pizza Oven.

Mike Pilon, who has lived in Reston since 2007, has created an oven that he says transforms the way fresh pizza is made.


As the new school year approaches, young readers can celebrate summer reading this Sunday (August 13).

The Fairfax Library Foundation will bring a second edition of its Children’s Summer Reading Festival to the Chantilly Regional Library (4000 Stringfellow Road) from noon to 3 p.m.


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