The HAWK signal on Maple Avenue at James Madison Drive (photo by Amy Woolsey)
Town of Vienna staff received a green light earlier this month to revisit the possibility of installing a traffic signal on Maple Avenue outside James Madison High School.
The Vienna Town Council voted unanimously at its Oct. 5 meeting to award a purchase order to the consultant Rinker Design Associates for a signal justification report that will determine whether to replace the existing High Intensity Activated Crosswalk or HAWK signal at the James Madison Drive intersection.
A Fairfax County police cruiser on Gallows Road near Yorktowne Center in Merrifield (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
In a sample of just four weeks this year, Fairfax County police officers pulled over tens of thousands of drivers for speeding, driving while using their cell phones and other traffic violations.
The Fairfax County Police Department issued 60,818 citations and warnings as part of its 2026 “Road Shark” campaign, which began in April and wrapped up with a fourth and final wave of increased traffic safety enforcement earlier this month.
Walking between stalls at the Vienna Farmers Market (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Dominion Sues Over Rejected Substation — “Dominion Energy has filed a lawsuit against Prince William County, challenging its decision to oppose a plan to overhaul an existing substation. The utility company is arguing the Vint Hill substation project is needed to maintain regional grid reliability, and that the Board of Supervisors’ decision warrants additional review.” [WTOP]
Push for Kennedy Center Records — “President Donald Trump’s administration is withholding records documenting the scope of his influence over management of the Kennedy Center, according to attorneys for a Democratic lawmaker challenging the Republican president’s plan to close the performing arts center for renovations.” [Associated Press]
Local Airports Rank High for Flight Disruptions — “A recent report by research and advocacy firm ConsumerAffairs ranked Reagan National Airport the worst large airport in the U.S. for ‘flight disruptions.’ Among the 29 large airports ConsumerAffairs ranked, DCA ranked worst, Dulles Airport ranked 9th worst, and BWI Marshall ranked in the middle of the pack at 16th.” [WJLA]
Annandale Jewelry Store Burglarized — “Three men broke into Lambros Goldsmith in Annandale and stole $2 million worth of jewelry, reports store owner and award-winning jeweler Lambros Magiafas. Surveillance video shows the suspects wearing masks and dressed in black using a hammer to break the glass door, smashing the display cases, and shoving jewelry into bags at about 5 a.m. on Sept. 28.” [Annandale Today]
Bill Aims to Help Renters Exposed to Mold — “Del. Cia Price, D-Newport News, wants to strengthen tenant protection laws for renters whose living conditions include mold. Price pitched a bill to do so in 2025, and it is due to be deliberated again in the upcoming 2027 legislative session.” [Virginia Mercury]
Area Restaurateur on Inflation — Dan Simons, co-owner of Founding Farmers Restaurant Group, says “costs are up across the board,” including for fuel and meat. “He estimated he’s spending about two and a half times more than he had budgeted for fuel this year.” [WTOP]
School Board Member Donates Car — “South Lakes High School automotive students have another vehicle to learn on after Fairfax County School Board member Kyle McDaniel donated his car to the program. McDaniel, an at-large board member, said the donation was intended to highlight career and technical education and the opportunities those courses offer students.” [Patch]
It’s Monday — Sunny with a high near 70 and calm winds becoming northwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. Monday night will be clear with a low around 50, with calm winds becoming northwest around 5 mph after midnight. [NWS]
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🗑️ Shred Day with Lafayette Federal Oct 24: Shred your documents safely and free [Event]
Party at the Polls- Celebrate Vote Early Day! Oct 24: Celebrate early voting! [Event]
Child Safety Fun Fair & Car Seat Check Oct 25: Get your child car seat inspected by a Nationally Certified Technician for FREE! [Event]
Interchangeable String Quartet & Friends Oct 25: Total Program Length–2 hours. Free, no ticket required. Donations welcome supporting the St. Anne’s Food Pantry. [Event]
Building Your New Mom Village Mixer Oct 29: First-time pregnant moms, new moms and perinatal providers – let’s connect! Note: this location is near MOSAIC DISTRICT. [Event]
Alloy! Celebration & Cocktail Party Oct 29: Tephra ICA Celebration and Cocktail Party [Event]
Diwali: A Celebration of Inner Light – Hosted by the Brahma Kumaris Nov 1: Celebrate the spirit of Diwali with us at the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center for a joyful and uplifting afternoon for the whole family. [Event]
Dialogue for Democracy Nov 3: Dialogue for Democracy invites high school students from across the DMV to George Mason University. [Event]
How Retirement Communities Work – A Free Workshop Nov 4: Interested in learning about how Continuing Care Retirement Communities work, but don’t know where to start? Join us on 11/4 to learn more! [Event]
A rendering of The Botanist apartment building in Northfax (courtesy Middleburg)
A new seven-story apartment building is on track to meet its anticipated completion date in the third quarter of 2027, bringing hundreds of new apartments to the Northfax area of Fairfax City when it opens, its developers said this week.
The structural frame for The Botanist, a 260-unit building on 2.97 acres at 10350 Eaton Place, is now complete, according to the Vienna-based company Middleburg and Capital City Real Estate (CCRE), which has a D.C. office.
At its Oct. 14 meeting, the Fairfax County Planning Commission recommended approval of two rezoning applications to support the Lincoln Park development, which would transform approximately 15 acres of land in the Sully Square area north of Chantilly and south of Herndon into a townhouse neighborhood.
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn and Waterford Square Condominium Association residents celebrate the installation of an electric vehicle charger (via Hunter Mill District Office)
Reston’s electric vehicle infrastructure continues to grow with the recent installation of a charger at Waterford Square (11500 Fairway Drive).
Residents in the Waterford Square Condominium Association celebrated the addition of a dual-port Level 2 EV charger with a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week (Oct. 15) that included Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn among its attendees.
East and west signs for Georgetown Pike near I-495 in McLean (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
A portion of the sidewalk along westbound Georgetown Pike in McLean has been closed for construction.
The closure of the path between Balls Hill Road and the ramp from southbound I-495 began earlier this week and is expected to continue through Nov. 13, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Traffic heading west on I-495 in Alexandria near South Van Dorn Street (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Virginia’s top transportation official hopes to get regional buy-in on the controversial I-495 Southside proposal early next year.
“This is a really, really important project,” Virginia Secretary of Transportation Nick Donohue said at a meeting on Wednesday (Oct. 21) of the region’s Transportation Planning Board (TPB).
A skeleton wearing a red coat and holding a United Kingdom flag stands outside Hawk & Griffin in Vienna ahead of Halloween (staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)
Bid to Stop Trump Arch Construction — “Plaintiffs in a lawsuit trying to stop the Trump administration from building a triumphal arch along the Potomac River asked a federal judge on Thursday to halt all construction plans, one day after the National Park Service signaled it would begin work Nov. 5.” [Associated Press]
Armed Robbery in Lorton — Fairfax County police officers responded yesterday morning (Thursday) to a reported armed robbery at the intersection of Laurel Crest Drive and Douglas Fir Drive. “Preliminarily, the suspect displayed a knife, stole property and fled the scene. The adult female victim was not injured.” [FCPD/X]
Bear Spotted in Centreville — “A bear has been spotted wandering through two communities in Centreville, prompting a reminder for residents to secure their trash and avoid leaving food sources accessible. The bear has been seen at Sequoia Farms and Belle Pond Farm, where it has reportedly gotten into trash cans and visited porches.” [WUSA9]
Va. Elections Chief Prepared for Midterms — “Virginia’s top elections official says voters can have confidence in both the integrity of the Nov. 3 midterms and the results, even if President Donald Trump or his allies challenge Republican losses or attempt to interfere with the election process.” [Virginia Mercury]
New Va. Program to Reduce Health Care Costs — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger, other state officials and community leaders rallied at Gethsemane Community Church in Norfolk to tout efforts to decrease health insurance costs ahead of the start of the state exchange’s open enrollment period.” The Virginia General Assembly has created a $150 million fund to subsidize health care coverage for those who left the market after federal subsidies expired earlier this year. [WHRO]
McElveen Honored for Supporting Student Journalists — Fairfax County School Board at-large member Ryan McElveen says he “was deeply honored to stand with our student journalists as I received the 2026 Virginia Administrator of the Year Award from the Virginia Association of Journalism Teachers and Advisors this week.” [Ryan McElveen/Facebook]
Free Cultural Festival Coming to Lake Anne — “More than 70 vendors offering international foods, clothing, jewelry and other goods will transform Lake Anne Plaza into a bustling marketplace for a free cultural festival on Sunday. Arabian Nights 2026, presented by Arabian Mosaic LLC, will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza, located at 1609 Washington Plaza N. in Reston.” [Patch]
It’s Friday — Sunny with a high near 63 and northeast winds around 6 to 8 mph. Night will be clear, with a low around 40 and a light northeast wind. [NWS]
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