Plans to grow Northern Virginia’s economy are showing progress, but rising housing costs and infrastructure demands could threaten the region’s long-term competitiveness, a new report says.
Released earlier this week by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (NVC), the 2026 NOVA Roadmap Progress Report assessed the region’s economic strengths and challenges.
Though headlined by the Congressional midterms, this year’s election cycle will also feature critical local races in the Town of Herndon.
Douglas Isaac Mejia, a Herndon native and registered nurse, appears to be the first candidate to officially launch a bid for the Herndon Town Council, which will have all six seats on the ballot in November.
Fairfax Speller Reaches Bee Semifinals — “Students from Prince William and Fairfax counties reached the semifinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee before being eliminated in the seventh round Wednesday. Siya Sampath, a seventh-grader at Haymarket’s Ronald Reagan Middle School, and Laasya Mohan, a fourth-grader at Floris Elementary School in Herndon, wound up tied for 31st among the 247 spellers.” [Inside NoVA]
Dominion Merger Raises Affordability Questions — “A proposed merger between Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy raises new possibilities and further questions in the race to match Virginia’s booming energy demand.” Northern Virginia lawmakers say they will be watching the merger closely “to ensure that creating such a large utility actually has the promised effect of driving down energy costs.” [ARLnow]
Metro Cameras Used to Assist Police — “In the past six weeks, three men with guns have been arrested at a Metro station, on a Metro train or on a Metrobus thanks in large part to WMATA’s extensive, high-definition camera system … In March, Metro General Manager Randy Clarke credited Metro’s safety in part to the cameras throughout the system.” [NBC4]
Annandale Street Receives Honorary Name — “A section of John Marr Drive in Annandale has been given the honorary name ‘Seoul Boulevard.’ Three signs were installed earlier this month – at the intersection of John Marr Drive and Columbia Pike, at the Tom Davis Drive intersection in front of the Annandale Post Office, and at the Little River Turnpike intersection in front of the Eastgate shopping center.” [Annandale Today]
Tysons Chef Makes Cooking Show Finals — “Chef Chris Morgan had never entered a cooking competition before diving into the inaugural season of ‘America’s Culinary Cup’ on CBS.” Though he was voted by other contestants as the least likely to win at one point during the season, the executive chef behind Joon in Tysons ultimately finished as the runner-up. [WTOP]
Company Envisions Air Travel Without an Airport — “A new market study from Electra shows there’s an existing market for their in-development EL9 Ultra Short, a nine passenger hybrid-electric airplane capable of taking off and landing in just 150 feet.” Based at Manassas Regional Airport, the company hopes to usher in a future of “direct aviation” where someone could park at Tysons Corner Center, for example, and then fly directly to a heliport in Manhattan without going through an airport. [WTOP]
Sweetgreen to Add McLean Pick-Up Lane — “Sweetgreen Inc., the D.C.-born purveyor of all things salad, will roll out its first Greater Washington quasi-drive-thru lane in McLean. Permits were filed this week to add a ‘sweetlane'” at the Chesterbrook Shopping Center eatery where customers can pick up online orders. [Washington Business Journal]
Former Boy Scouts Lead Lion Dance Team — “Co-founded by friends who grew up watching kung fu movies, a Northern Virginia lion dance team is keeping Chinese and Vietnamese cultural traditions alive — one loud, energetic performance at a time … Now, the Hung Vuong Lion Dance Team is an extracurricular activity of a joint Boy and Girl Scout troop, Troop 612, based in Fairfax.” [WTOP]
It’s Thursday — Expect a sunny day with temperatures reaching up to 79°F. Winds will come from the north at 7 to 11 mph, with gusts up to 21 mph. The night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 56°F and a north wind blowing at 6 to 8 mph. [NWS]
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Over the next year, visitors can expect to see fewer invasive plant species and more native plantings along the Washington & Old Dominion Trail and other regional parks.
The NOVA Parks Board of Directors adopted a fiscal year 2027 budget at its meeting last Thursday (May 21) that includes increased funding for invasive species management throughout the system, and for tree and shrubbery plantings along the 45-mile W&OD Trail, among other priorities.
Residents of an Oakton neighborhood are mobilizing against Fairfax County’s consideration of using one of their community’s streets as a cut-through between two major roadways.
“There are many concerns,” said Suli Wong, a resident of the English Oaks neighborhood, in May 19 remarks to the Board of Supervisors.
When Audrey Ortiz-Peterson was in middle school, she wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps by joining the military someday. His suggestion to start running for fun, though, was a lot less appealing.
“I was not a fan,” Ortiz-Peterson, a senior at Mount Vernon High School in Alexandria, recalled. “It was not very fun to me.”
Update — The Virginia Department of Transportation released more details about the partial interchange opening and how it will affect traffic patterns in the coming months on Friday, May 29.
Earlier: Fairfax County Parkway will be inaccessible from Popes Head Road for the next week, as the Virginia Department of Transportation prepares to start opening the reconfigured interchange in Fairfax Station.
Once expected to be demolished in 2025, the vacant office buildings at 1831 and 1861 Wiehle Avenue in Reston are still standing almost half a year later, with not even a construction fence to signal their future demise.
Plans to redevelop the two parcels with a senior living facility and apartment buildings, including one anchored by The Fresh Market, have ground to a halt after developer Comstock Companies reportedly relinquished control of the properties.
Fairfax County police are searching for the driver behind a fatal pedestrian crash that occurred early yesterday (Tuesday) morning in Seven Corners.
Officers responded at around 1:22 a.m. to Arlington Blvd (Route 50) at Patrick Henry Drive after a caller reported that a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle and was lying in the roadway, according to scanner traffic.
Toddler in Oakton Crash Has Died — “On Thursday, police with the Fair Oaks Police District announced that the 2-year-old toddler hospitalized from the double-fatal car crash succumbed to her injuries … Police say the driver was going 116 mph with two children in the backseat, before crashing into a barrier.” [WUSA9]
Gun Background Checks Not Happening — “The General Assembly passed a bill on April 22 with an emergency enactment clause added by Gov. Abigail Spanberger to increase the legal age to purchase a handgun in Virginia from 18 to 21 years old.” However, a month later, the Virginia State Police still hasn’t started conducting background checks as mandated by the legislation, frustrating patron Del. Garrett McGuire (D-17). [Cardinal News]
Man Sentenced to Prison for Murders — “Anthony Eugene Robinson, dubbed the ‘shopping cart killer,’ has been sentenced to two life sentences plus 10 years in prison … Robinson was found guilty of killing Beth Redmon and Tonita Smith in Harrisonburg in 2021.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Walkinshaw Secures Dem Nomination — Yesterday, Rep. James Walkinshaw “officially became the Democratic nominee for Congress in Virginia’s 11th District.” The first-time Congressman had been set to face a primary challenge from Bree Fram, but the former Space Force colonel ultimately ended her campaign after Virginia’s new district maps were nixed, telling ABC News the change didn’t leave her enough time to pivot. [James Walkinshaw/Bluesky]
Speed Humps Proposed on Reston Road — “Residents along part of Fairway Drive in Reston are voting on a Fairfax County traffic-calming proposal that would add three speed humps to the west end of the road … The ballot period began in April and ends June 13, according to Steve Sarandos, who heads up the task force” that has been looking at speed and traffic issues on Fairway Drive for seven years now. [Patch]
Va. Seeks to Spend Toll Revenue on Transit — “Virginia is pushing to reinvest express lane and toll revenue into public transit instead of road projects, even as public concerns persist about using priced roadways. The focus on reinvesting express lane revenue is reflected in the estimated $46.5 million the commonwealth expects to generate from its express lanes.” [Virginia Mercury]
Fairfax City Leads in Population Growth — “Fairfax City posted the fastest population growth rate among Virginia cities and towns with at least 20,000 residents between 2020 and 2025, according to newly compiled Census data. Fairfax City’s population grew from 24,146 residents in 2020 to 26,772 residents in 2025.” [Patch]
Tysons Media Company Names CEO — “Tegna Inc. on Monday named longtime D.C.-area media veteran Patrick Paolini its new CEO as the Tysons-based TV station operator works through litigation that aims to undo its merger with Nexstar Media Group Inc … Nexstar CEO Perry Sook said on the company’s earnings call earlier this month that Tegna is officially operating as a subsidiary of Nexstar until the litigation is resolved.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Wednesday — Expect showers and thunderstorms throughout the day, with patchy fog before 11am and a high near 80°F. Showers and thunderstorms are likely into the evening, tapering off around 11pm, with patchy fog developing until 1am. The night will be mostly cloudy with a low around 64°F. There’s a 60% chance of rain. [NWS]
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