(Updated at 3:40 p.m.) A local high school student has died after a driver crashed into her in a crosswalk on Columbia Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads, Fairfax County police say.

Officers are currently at the scene of the crash at the intersection with Tyler Street and Barcroft View Terrace. Southbound Columbia Pike has been shut down at Lacy Blvd, and the northbound side of the street is down to one lane of traffic.


(Updated at 1:40 p.m. on 11/18/2022) Eight people in the Town of Herndon were forced out of their home last week by a fire that caused nearly $300,000 in damages.

According to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, the fire started early in the afternoon last Wednesday (Nov. 9) in the garage of a two-story house in the 800 block of Winterhaven Place.


Developers Hope Silver Line Opening Will Boost Activity — “Officials responsible for building and operating the 11.4-mile, $3 billion extension…have insisted that it will spark and sustain considerable development…For developers, they’re hoping those words ring true, that it supercharges multimillion-dollar investments they’ve bet on, but also brings more riders back to the office from previously hard-to-reach residences” [Washington Business Journal]

Herndon Election Results Certified — The Fairfax County Board of Elections has certified the results of the Nov. 8 contests, cementing Herndon Mayor Sheila Olem’s reelection. Town Council candidate Stevan M. Porter fell just 119 votes short of Donielle Scherff, one of five victors, but said he won’t call for a recount. [Patch]


(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) While the wave of COVID-19 cases seen over the past two winters hasn’t yet materialized this year, increased reports of other respiratory illnesses have local hospitals and health officials bracing for a particularly tough cold season.

Fairfax County and other Northern Virginia public health leaders are urging community members “to maintain their vigilance” and help prevent the spread of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which are both surging earlier than usual.


Community members who attended a public meeting on the future elementary school in Dunn Loring last week appeared to favor replacing the existing administrative center at 2334 Gallows Road with a four-story building.

Samaha Associates, an engineering firm contracted by Fairfax County Public Schools, presented two primary design options for the planned school, which is expected to be 118,000 square feet in size with the goal of addressing crowding in the Tysons area.


(Updated at 2 p.m.) It’s official: after years of rising costs and an ever-lengthening construction timeline, the second phase of Metro’s Silver Line has opened to the public.

A train pulled out of the new Dulles International Airport station for the first time shortly after noon following a celebration this morning, where local, state and regional leaders gathered to mark the opening of the 11.4-mile extension of the rail line into Loudoun County.


A church is under consideration for the Gum Springs area, according to a proposal filed with Fairfax County this month. 

The applicant, Cornerstone Church, is seeking the county’s blessing to develop at 7900 Fordson Road, just across Sherwood Hall Lane from Bethlehem Baptist Church.


Fairfax County staff are still reviewing a draft of Reston’s new comprehensive plan — a two-year-long effort to update the county’s vision for the area, including development goals.

A staff report — which includes responses to public comments — will be released early next year. The draft report covers 14 topic areas and was created after Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn in the January 2020.


The developer planning to convert the former Sheraton hotel (8661 Leesburg Pike) in Tysons into multifamily housing has proposed enhancing the property with nearly 3.5 acres of park space.

A portion of the now-vacant hotel’s existing parking lot would be replaced by pocket parks, larger recreational parks, and an urban plaza to serve both future residents and the general public, according to an application filed with Fairfax County on Friday (Nov. 11).


Burke Lake’s marina is being closed for a number of months, and the lake will be lowered by two feet to help stabilize the beach area and improve drainage.

The $1.5 million project aims to stabilize the beach area as well as add “armoring” — the use of physical structures to prevent further coastal erosion — to a large portion of the shoreline. Drainage will also be improved around the existing boathouse and restroom buildings.


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